Times Of Oman - March 5, 2015 by Muscat Media Group

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More ﬂights from Oman to Pakistan

Flights between Muscat and Pakistan will have increased frequency from March 23. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will enhance its frequency from 13 flights, which will gradually go up to 17 by this year-end. Talking to the Times of Oman, Shahzad M. Paracha, country manager, PIA Muscat, said they will be adding more flights to Islamabad, Gwadar and Turbat. PIA operates flights to Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot and Islamabad in addition to Peshawar, Gwadar and Turbat from Muscat Airport. >A2

VEHICLE PLUNGES INTO WADI, ONE INJURED

One person sustained serious injuries when his car veered off the Muscat Expressway near the airport and plunged into a wadi. The driver lost control of his vehicle as it plunged into the wadi, according to an official from the Royal Oman Police. A helicopter was used to rescue the injured who has been admitted to Khoula Hospital. The accident caused gridlock on the Muscat Expressway. -Supplied picture

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Majlis targets expats working past 60

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Parents fret over school admissions

Omanis looking for jobs, Majlis members

Most of the Indian parents looking for admission for their children in the Indian schools have expressed concern over the dwindling vacancies available. The parents shared their concern over the shortage of seats on social networking sites actively and responded to the article that appeared in Wednesday’s edition headlined ‘Thousands of Indian students to be hit by school place crisis in Oman’. Some parents urged the Indian school authorities to expand the facilities. >A5

debate giving extension to expats beyond 60, saying exception should be given only in special circumstances

FAHAD AL GHADANI REJIMON K

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MUSCAT: Expatriates working past the age of 60, and their status under the Sultanate’s labour laws, are in the sights of the Majlis Al Shura. Fixing the retirement age at 60 for expat workers is a consideration, said a member from Majlis Al Shura, while another said that allowing employees to work after crossing the age threshold should be stopped to create more opportunities for job aspirants. “We will consider ﬁxing the retirement age for expatriates at 60 while making the new labour law. However, a detailed study will be required to know the needs of the market and both advantages and disadvantages of the new move,” Ahmed Al Busaidi, member of youth committee in Majlis Al Shura, told Times of Oman.

Duqm staff houses to be ready by mid-2016

Duqm Permanent Accommodation for Contractors (PAC), a joint initiative of Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority and Renaissance Services for bluecollar workers, will be ready by mid-2016. As much as 85% of the contracts, including two main construction packages awarded to Services and Trade and Al Hajiry, have already been awarded and two remaining packages worth OMR3.5 million — one for building a sewage treatment plant and another for an electric work will be awarded by April. >B1

“Renewing job contract for expatriates who have crossed the age of 60 should be stopped. By this opportunities for job aspirants can be created in the market. Exception should be given only to special cases if the service of the employee is irreplaceable,” Said Al Maqbali, a Shura member, said. The present labour law is silent on the retirement age. However, while discussing the termination clauses, the law says that the contract shall not be terminated from the part of the employer unless the worker reaches the age of 60 at least. Meanwhile, an official from the Ministry of Manpower said that renewal is happening only because the employer is satisﬁed with the employee who has crossed the age of 60 and requests to continue service. “By allowing expatriates who are above 60 to continue their work in Oman can be seen as a crime towards the job aspirants. Why don’t they quit the job at the age of 60? They are stealing the opportunity of job seekers,” Ali Al Moqaimi, a private sector employee, said. A job aspirant also sounded the same opinion. “I am looking for a job. But I have been told by the employers that there are no vacancies. At the same time, they are keeping [workers] who have even crossed the age of 63 and 64 in the company. I agree and respect their experience. But until we don’t get a chance to work, how can we gain experience,” Fawaz Al Farsi, a job aspirant, said. However, Tonia Gray, general manager of Competence HR, said that age should not be a factor in determining when anyone should stop working. >A5

O I L P R I C E I M PAC T

New tax regime won’t hit private sector; Oman to brave oil price deﬁcit TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariq@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Despite falling oil revenues, Oman is making an all-out effort to diversify the economy and boost its revenues, says one expert. Continuing its resolve to boost spending, Ahmed Al Esry, managing partner, Ernst and Young, says that Oman’s private sector would not be affected by the new tax regime as many projects are under way in the tourism and hospitality sectors. He was speaking at a brieﬁng session hosted by Ernst and Young on the ‘Growing Signiﬁcance of Tax’, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Muscat. The conference was attended by more than 100 senior

executives representing large business houses in Oman, and multinationals from the US, Europe, Korea, Japan, China and several other countries. The session featured discussions on the impact of falling oil prices on the economic health of Oman. It provided guidance on the future outlook of what organisations should expect and how they should view taxation in the current macroeconomic environment. Commenting about the session, Ahmed said: “With oil price being at a much lower level than it was over the past few years, economic diversiﬁcation and reduction on oil dependence will have to be pursued actively. The government has

Economic health Budget tax revenue (OMR billions)

400 2014

500 2015

Inﬂation rate (%) Approved spending for 2015

OMR 14.1 b

4.1 2.9 3.1 2.2

2011

2012

2013

2014

Graphics

ensured that ongoing projects in the country would not be affected, announcing its biggest ever budget-spending for 2015.” The government is focusing on widening its revenue base. In line with this objective, the 2015 budget tax revenue was increased by 25

per cent from OM400 million to OMR500 million, despite no further increase in tax rates. This is an indication of the government’s conﬁdence that the economy will continue to grow in 2015. The budget plan for 2015 was announced with an approved spend-

ing of OMR14.1 billion to help economy grow by 5 per cent with the inﬂation projected to decline in 2015. This is against 2.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent growth in inﬂation rate in 2014 and 2013, respectively. Since 2010, the uniform tax rate for corporate businesses is set at 12 per cent with no apparent change as tourism and hospitality are the main industries which will provide the expected tax revenue worth OMR500 million (25 per cent increase) as compared to OMR400 million last year. “In fact, we need to take care of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by encouraging investments to increase our tax revenue,” he noted. Due to falling oil

prices, project spending is to be prioritised while focusing on diversifying the economy to boost non-oil sectors for more revenues. Currently, there are several projects under way and some are expected to complete by the ﬁrst quarter of 2015 such as the BP Khazzan Project, railway project, petrochemical complex in Duqm and Sohar as well as an agreed gas deal with Iran where Oman will import 20 cubic meters of gas every day. “Any income related to Oman, such as imports, will be taxed. That will increase the revenue for this year,” said Al Asri explaining the strategy of obtaining more tax revenue from imports. >A6

S T I F F E R P E N A LT Y

Celebratory gun ﬁring is asking for trouble FAHAD AL GHADANI

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Iraqi forces to encircle IS in Tikrit

MUSCAT: Firing of guns during celebrations could invite tougher penalties as there is a concerted move by the government to stop such behaviour. The Royal Oman Police (ROP), under the directives from the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, has advised people to avoid using weapons and ﬁring in the air on celebratory occasions. The ministry issued a circular two days ago directing the Imams in mosques to advise people on the issue.

Unwarranted ﬁring The circular stated that unwarranted ﬁring on several occasions had caused fatalities recently. Therefore, Imams should warn the public of the legal implications of such actions. The ROP revealed earlier that two nationals, both aged 18, were killed in a shooting incident in North Sharqiyah governorate in 2014, while 16 others, including seven children, sustained bullet injuries. Among the injured, one suffered grievous wounds, eight suffered medium injuries and seven others

had light injuries. The ROP also pointed out that a majority of the incidents occurred either when the guns were being cleaned or when someone was playing with them in the presence of others. Incidents Other incidents occurred while hunting birds, ﬁring at weddings and on other occasions. The weapons and ammunition laws ban the carrying of weapons in public places, except some light conventional guns with the permission of the ROP. The law states that a ﬁne of OMR200 will

be imposed on anyone firing in the air without obtaining a licence, and it will increase if the firing takes place on social occasions. Law The law also stipulates a fine of OMR300 and a jail term of three months to be imposed on anyone found firing a weapon on social occasions. Possessing conventional guns and other weapons without a licence is illegal and anyone found violating this law is fined OMR100, and the weapon is confiscated. >A6

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

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The number of Pakistani nationals in the private sector in Oman was 215,909 in November 2014 comprising 214,832 men and 1,077 women National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) report

More flights to Pakistan From March 23, Pakistan

We will double the capacity for Gwadar and Turbat. We do not make money in this route but there are thousands of Pakistani nationals who live in these places

International Airlines (PIA) will operate 15 ﬂights a week and by the end of this year, it will increase to 17 ﬂights weekly

Shahzad M. Paracha

RAHUL DAS rahuldas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Flights between Muscat and Pakistan will have increased frequency from March 23. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the national carrier of Pakistan, will be enhancing its frequency from the current 13 flights, which will gradually increase to 17 by the end of this year. Talking to the Times of Oman, Shahzad M. Paracha, country manager, PIA Muscat, said that they will be adding more flights to Islamabad, Gwadar and Turbat. “Currently, we operate 13 flights a week from Muscat to various places in Pakistan but from March 23, we will operate 15 flights a week and by the end of this year it will be 17 a week,” he said. Till July 2014, PIA used to have only nine flights a week. PIA operates flights to Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot and Islamabad in addition to Peshawar, Gwadar and Turbat from Muscat International Airport. “We will be adding flights to Islamabad, Gwadar and Turbat sector this year,” announced Paracha. The flights were increased after the demand to these sectors went

Country manager, PIA

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up rapidly over the years. “The increase in frequency will give more choice to the Pakistani expatriates living in Oman,” he said. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the number of Pakistani nationals in the private sector in Oman was 215,909 in November 2014 comprising 214,832 men and 1,077 women. Besides increasing the number of ﬂights, the country manager said that they want to operate a bigger ATR aircraft to Gwadar and Turbat so that they can carry more passengers. “Currently we operate an ATR42 where there are 48 seats but we sell only 38 seats to the passengers as baggage is being kept in the remaining 10 seats,” said Paracha.But PIA wants to replace it with ATR-72s where 66 passen-

gers can be accommodated. “This way, we will double the capacity for Gwadar and Turbat,” he said. “We do not make money in this route but we operate it as there are thousands of Pakistani nationals who live in these places and work in Muscat. Besides that, no other airlines operate in this route from Muscat,” he said, adding that bigger aircraft cannot be operated on this route as the landing facilities are not good at Gwadar and Turbat. He also said that PIA’s sales figures have increased drastically in the recent months. “We are thankful to all our travel agents that our sales figures have increased by 52 per cent in 2014 compared to 2013,” he said. Besides sales, the punctuality has also improved over the last few months. “Until July 2014, 35 per cent of our flights were either delayed or cancelled. However, with more aircraft and staff efficiency, we have managed to bring it down to just 5 per cent in 2015,” said the country manager.

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ROP ACTION

CRIME REPORT

Coast Guards rescue tourist ferry, two boats MUSCAT: Coast Guards of the Royal Oman Police (ROP) rescued a tourist ferry in Khour Kafa of Musandam governorate. The ferry was carrying 150 tourists on board, including women, children and crew. The ferry was towed to the port in Khasab wilayat. Similarly, the coast guard towed a boat with two nationals to Diba port after it broke down while at sea.

Another boat with eight Asians was rescued and towed to safety to Taibat area of Khasab. 56 illegals held Fifty-six people were arrested in different wilayats last week for entering the country illegally. Another 187 people were deported to their respective countries after all the legal formalities were completed.

ARMS AND AMMUNITION: Seven pistols and bullets were recov-

ered from under the car seat.– ROP

Attempt to smuggle pistols, bullets foiled Times News Service MUSCAT: An attempt by two nationals to smuggle in pistols and bullets was foiled by personnel at the Mazyoona border post of Dhofar governorate. The nationals had concealed the pistols and bullets in the rear seat of the vehicle they were travelling in as well as in their clothes. After a thorough inspection of the vehicle at the customs check-post, seven pistols and bullets were recovered. Legal action has been initiated against the accused.

Meanwhile, an Asian was arrested for committing theft in a house in Buraimi wilayat. The arrest was made after a report ﬁled by the house owner about a burglary. After search and investigations the accused was arrested and he confessed to the crime. It turned out that the accused had also entered the country illegally. Similarly, four people were arrested for stealing from a warehouse belonging to a workshop in Buraimi industrial area. All the accused have been referred to the Public Prosecution for further investigation and trial.

Asian held for stealing One Asian was arrested for stealing cash from a bill payment kiosk belonging to a telecom provider in the wilayat of Saham. The accused broke the company door and the machine at night and stole OMR7,000. After search and investigations, the accused was arrested. It turned out that the accused was a cleaner in the same company.

Drug trafficking The coast guard at Musandam arrested a national for drug trafﬁcking in Kamzar area of Khasab wilayat. The accused was caught redhanded as he was receiving a huge quantity of narcotics. More than 9,900 tablets of Tramdol along with other narcotics were seized. Legal action has been initiated against the accused.

DRUG HAUL: More than 9,900 tablets were seized in Musandam.

DRIVE SLOWER LIVE LONGER

DISTRESS CALL: The ferry was carrying 150 tourists on board.–ROP

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

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May 1

Fahd exhorts firms to train locals for top jobs Sayyid Fahd said that it is important for the private sector to train national manpower and provide them with the opportunity to take over leading positions

MUSCAT: His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, held a meeting at his office on Wednesday with the Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commence and industry (OCCI) and the Chairman of the General Federation of Trade Union (GFTU), and their deputies. The meeting was attended by a number of ministers. The meeting is part of the government’s efforts to promote cooperation among different sectors and enable each to play its prospective role in serving the objectives outlined by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The Royal objectives include

ensuring harmony among the state institutions and sectors to enhance growth and progress in the state and to continue in enhancing the work environment for all employees in the state sectors. These ﬁrm policies aim at ensuring justice for all, increasing production and creating an investment-friendly environment. At the beginning of the meeting, Sayyid Fahd welcomed the participants and pointed out that the government seeks to activate the role of OCCI and GFTU. He pointed out that achieving a balance in the relationship among the three production stakeholders is a top priority of the government which

to October 31 would witness he cultural achievements of the Sultanate of Oman being showcased at the Expo Milan 2015 in Milan, Italy

C U LT U R A L E X C H A N G E

gives utmost care to ensure living with dignity for citizens wherever they are. Sayyid Fahd said that it is important for the private sector to urge all companies operating in the Sultanate to train the national manpower, promote them and provide them with the opportunity to take over leading positions. They should provide SMEs with business opportunities that enable them to achieve their business goals. He added that His Majesty the Sultan is following up these issues, therefore it is the responsibility of all parties to eliminate any hindrances that may hamper achieving these aims.–ONA

SECURITY

Sayyid Badr holds talks with British Defence Secretary MUSCAT: Official session of talks between Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs and Michael Fallon, British Secretary of Defence, was held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence in Mu’askar Bait Al Falaj yesterday.

The session reviewed cooperation in the military ﬁeld and means of promoting them further. The session was attended by Maj Gen Mattar bin Salim Al Balushi, Commander of the Royal Army of Oman (RAO), Air Vice Marshal Mattar bin Ali al-Obaidani, Commander of Royal Air Force. – ONA

OVERSEAS IMPACT: Oman’s programme at the Milan Expo was declared at a meeting at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, presided over by Mohsin Bin Khamis Al Balushi, adviser at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the commissioner general of the pavillion.–Supplied photo

Oman’s heritage a big attraction at Expo Milan Times News Service MUSCAT: A national pavillion will showcase the cultural achievements of the Sultanate of Oman at the Expo Milan 2015 in Milan, Italy, from May 1 to October 31. The Sultanate will be among the 148 countries participating in the event. The Sultanate will have a national pavillion embodying the human and cultural achievements of the Sultanate besides the current achievements and future plans of public and private institutions in connection with food and food security, which is an offshoot of ‘Feeding the Planet, energy for life’, the main theme of Expo Milan 2015. The theme of the Expo will focus on subjects related to sustainable development. It will be a unique international event that exhibits the traditions, creations and innovations in the ﬁeld of food and will also embody many sub-themes already promoted in previous expositions, besides other sub-themes centred around the basic idea and mission, which is that all the people on Earth must have healthy, secure and sufficient food. Under the main theme are a number of subjects that call for improving quality and providing sufficient food, healthy drinking water and doing away with starvation, drought and malnutrition which still threaten about 850 million people around the world. They also call for combating modern epidemics and diseases, including cancer and heart diseases by warning people of their causes, developing food-related economic and social systems, encouraging research, technology and good commercial practices to provide sufficient healthy food. It is also necessary to preserve and distribute food in a proper way, spread proper nutritional culture and an appropri-

ate healthy life especially among children, adolescents, the handicapped and the aged, as food is a basic element of sustainable development. The participation of the Sultanate in this important international event is in accordance with the cabinet decision in its session No. 27/2011, held on September 13, 2011. Among the most important reasons that made the Expo authorities in Italy and the International Exhibitions Bureau choose this theme is that shortage of food, starvation and malnutrition represent one of the most critical problems that face humanity as it affects the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Food shortage, starvation and malnutrition are critical and multifaceted problems. The solution of such problems cannot be achieved by only increasing agricultural production and decreasing cost. It also needs a strategy for rational use of all production resources. The Sultanate will adopt its own theme in its private and unique pavillion, “Heritage in harvest, exploiting the sun, sands and sea”, through the unique design of the pavillion, derived from the Omani environment, nature and architecture. The most important event at the pavillion, according to expos laws and regulations, is the National Day celebration which shall be subject to the directives of the ministerial committee, and the approval of the Cabinet, on July 25, 2015. The celebrations will be attended by an official Omani delegation headed by Dr. Fuad Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, and Ahmed Al Mihrizi. The company entrusted with the design, construction and preparation of the Oman Pavillion will ﬁnish the task and deliver the pavillion for commissioning before April 25.

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Parents fret over school admissions School admission prospects for nearly 50 per cent of Indian children in Oman look bleak this year RELOCATION ISSUE: The Times of Oman Facebook page post on the school admissions reached more than 8,000 readers in four hours.

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Many parents looking for admission for their children in the Indian schools have expressed concern over the dwindling vacancies available. Parents actively shared their concern over the shortage of seats on social networking sites and responded to the article that appeared in Wednesday’s edition of Times of Oman, headlined ‘Thousands of Indian students to be hit by school place crisis in Oman’.

While some of the parents urged the Indian school authorities to expand the facilities to accommodate more students, others expressed concern about their children’s education. “If residing in the capital area, will you send your children to the Indian schools on the outskirts of city if they are being provided admission there?” A majority of the parents residing in the capital said they will not do so, in response to

the post on the Times of Oman Facebook page. The post reached more than 8,000 readers in four hours. Sending children to schools on the city’s outskirts will leave them exhausted much before they even enter their classrooms, said Mubashir Hassan, a reader. “The need is to frame an admission policy on the basis of catchment areas. That will not only take the load off the school and traffic

E - PAY M E N T S E RV I C E S

Administrative Court, Oman Arab Bank ink e-facility pact Times News Service MUSCAT: An agreement of electronic collection system was signed recently between Oman Arab Bank (OAB) and the Administrative Court. Sheikh Majid bin Abdullah bin Mubarak Al Alawi, Head of the Administrative Court, and Rashad bin Mohammed Al Zubair, Chairman of the bank, signed the agreement. The agreement aims at providing electronic payment service at all the Administrative Court branches with OAB, which is considered a new electronic service that helps customers pay the fees. This step comes in line with the application of the Administrative Court Electronic System which is consistent with e-governance. The provision of these systems would leads to processing ﬁnancial operations accurately, and expedite transactions allowing direct beneﬁts for the customer. This agreement for providing the e-payment services comes in line with the Court’s endeavour to

BANKING FACILITY: Sheikh Majid bin Abdullah bin Mubarak Al

Alawi, Head of the Administrative Court, and Rashad bin Mohammed Al Zubair, Chairman of the bank, signed the agreement.

provide e-services. Amin Al Husseini, CEO of OAB, said: “We are conﬁdent that it will facilitate the Court’s customers’ transactions in an easy, accurate and fast way. This system will help the customers use their OAB smart cards in an absolutely safe manner, in addition to

using other bank’s cards. Moreover, the bank will provide operating programmes, periodical and urgent maintenance, in addition to upgrading the system software and training the Court staff in using the collection process after installing the machines at all the Court branches.”

MANPOWER POLICY

A1 Companies should plan for < FROM

future retirement of staff

“The primary reasons for considering that a ‘mature’ person should stop work would be if they are suffering from ill health preventing them from undertaking their responsibilities or if they are unable to keep up with the times — for example, changes in technology. The mature generation has a lot to offer to an employer, primarily due to their extensive experience and knowledge which cannot be replaced by employing a fresher,” the general manager said. She also added that companies should be planning for the fu-

ture retirement of their key post holders and developing someone to take their place but this takes time and planning and, “in my experience, succession planning is not something that is formalised within most companies here”. “The average retirement age now is 65 years for males and 63.5 years for females for the 34 countries that are part of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and countries like the UK are working towards a retirement age of 70 years,” she added. According to The Institute

of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW’s) Economic Insight: Middle East Q1 2015 report, the GCC countries generally have a lower prevalence of youth unemployment than other countries in the region. However, the report adds that ever mounting pressures from lower oil receipts will erode this ability over time. At the end of January, while there were 1,273,327 expatriates working in the private sector the number of Omanis (insured) is 198,700.

but students as well, as they can get enrolled in the nearest branch of the school,” he noted. Meanwhile, Harish Bala, another reader, said that if travel is arranged to those schools in such a way that it does not disrupt the children’s daily schedule too much then people will be interested. “The problem is the traffic and travel time. That has to be addressed ﬁrst,” added Harish. Saying an unequivocal no, Askar

Ali, another reader, said that children will ﬁnd it difficult to travel such long distances. “It will be better if the authorities have a look of the area from where they are travelling and allocate place accordingly in nearby schools. A permanent solution should be found that works for both, parents and authorities. Rather than making children suffer,” said Askar. Thousands of students will face an uncertain future as the crisis deepens among Indian schools which are again looking at up to 55 children in a classroom. School admission prospects for nearly 50 per cent of Indian children in Oman look bleak as the number of applicants for new admissions is double the tentative vacancy list for the coming year. According to Wilson George, chairman of the board of Indian Schools in Oman, there is a 10 per cent rise in the number of applications for fresh admissions this year. “The schools in the capital together have got nearly 5,000 applications and we are working on

various possibilities to offer admissions to all. But it may not be as per their ﬁrst choice,” said Wilson. The six Indian schools in the capital are in Muscat, Darsait, Ghubra and Wadi Kabir in addition to Seeb and Mabelah. On an average, around 50 to 55 students are accommodated in junior classes in some of the Indian schools in Muscat due to space constraints. On Monday, the Muscat Municipality and Municipal Council in a joint meeting decided to convey to the Indian schools in and around Darsait to cap the intake of new admissions to ease traffic congestion. However, to our online poll, “Do you support Muscat Municipality’s decision to convey to the Indian schools in Darsait to cap the intake of new admissions?”, 58.9 per cent said no, 35.27 per cent said yes, and 5.82 per cent opted for ‘can’t say’. There are around 13,000 students in the two Indian schools in and around Darsait and residents have complained about traffic chaos caused during school hours.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

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A wide variety of people who join Toastmaster, a majority of whom are the youth from universities, are looking to advance their prospects Daniel Rex, CEO of Toastmasters International

‘Number of Omanis joining Toastmaster is increasing’ Daniel Rex, CEO of Toastmasters

Our membership has grown in Oman in the last two years. I met them and we had a good discussion. We teach members how to organise their presentations properly

International, told the Times of Oman that there are 45 members in Toastmasters from Oman so far

FAHAD AL MUKRASHI

fahad@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: There is a growing demand from Omanis wishing to join Toastmaster, an organisation that trains people around the world in the art of public speaking and interpersonal and leadership skills. Daniel Rex, CEO of Toastmasters International, told the Times of Oman that there are 45 members in Toastmasters from Oman so far.

Daniel Rex

CEO of Toastmasters International

“Our membership has grown in Oman in the last two years. I met them and we had a good discussion,” said Daniel. One of the reasons why he visited Oman was to know Omanis better and enjoy the conversations, he added. About their activities, the CEO

said that people learn communication and leadership skills through public speaking and interpersonal communication, leading and managing strategic leadership and conﬁdence building. To be a good public speaker, the key is to practice doing it again IMF MISSION

‘Reforms A1 urgent for Oman’

and again, he stressed. There is a team which delivers speeches, evaluates and leads the sessions, which gives the members more experience, said Daniel. As for the social media impact, he said it affects the programme in a very positive way. There is a lot of interconnectivity between the social media and Toastmasters. “Using smart phones is more comfortable in personal conversations especially for the youth,” commented Daniel. However, Toastmaster gives people the opportunity to put the phone away and talk to each other, he added. Communication skills Everyone comes to Toastmaster with the same objective and that is to improve their communication skills. The atmosphere is very supportive and friendly and one is given tips on how to get better. “At Toastmasters, we teach members how to organise their presentations properly, how to use gestures in a positive way, and how to use their voice to emphasise speciﬁc points,” said Daniel. “In brief, it is a self-learning programme. To stand in front people is very scary and intimidating and to overcome those fears one needs to start slowly. Omani

NEW BOOK

Book documents His Majesty’s interviews with world media

members are like many others around the world. A lot of Omanis come to Toastmasters to improve and build on their conﬁdence,” he said. His favourite public speakers are Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, he added. “You can be a good speaker but you may not be a good leader,” said Daniel. “A wide variety of people who join Toastmaster, a majority of whom are the youth from universities, are looking to advance their prospects,” he said, adding, “To become a good leader, you should be a great communicator.” He said that Toastmaster is a very friendly place and they invite anyone who wants to come for meetings, and everyone should look to improve. “We have been doing that for the past 90 years. Toastmaster started in 1924 and today has more than 300,000 people from 126 countries participating in the programme. “If you want to lead a better life, learn and communicate,” he said in conclusion. Anyone wishing to register can visit www.toastmaster.org

AMMAN: Konooz Al Maarifah Publishing House recently published a book titled ‘Journalists at the Royal Court’ by the researcher Nasser Oun. The book documents His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s interviews with the Arab and foreign media. The book includes a study about the media and brand image of the Sultanate and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, as well as the media plan implemented by the local media and the media attachés abroad to develop and update this brand image. In his study, the researcher provides actual examples quoted from His Majesty’s interviews with the media. He has also documented 67 interviews, three press conferences and statements of His Majesty to the various news agencies and satellite channels. Comparison The researchers also analysed the interviews and the press statements of His Majesty and made a comparison between them and the general principles of the Omani modern policy at domestic and foreign levels, which were outlined by His Majesty since the beginning of the blessed Renaissance. -ONA

G L O B A L M U S L I M T R AV E L I N D E X

< FROM

Oman seventh most favoured country by Muslim tourists

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) country head has said that considering the oil price decline, “undertaking of reforms” has become “more urgent for Oman”. The IMF mission concluded a visit to Oman on Tuesday as part of the country’s Article IV consultation, a regular economic review. Speaking to Bloomberg in Oman, mission chief Ananthakrishnan Prasad said, “Without any reforms at this stage the country will either have to use its buffers or increase debt, and there could be spillovers from the fiscal sector to the rest of the economy.” He said Oman realises “very well that even if the prices go up, they are going to run a deficit, and the deficit is going to stay,” Prasad said. “So they have to do something.” Prasad said Oman needs to limit growth to public sector wages and reform the system of subsidies for fuels, electricity and water.

Times News Service

Global Muslim Travel Index

MUSCAT: Oman is seventh out of 100 places most favoured by Muslim tourists, according to the Global Muslim Travel Index, the most comprehensive research on the sector. The “MasterCard – Crescent Rating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2015” saw Oman come behind Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) along with Turkey and Malaysia, that took the top six spots for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destinations. It was also one of five destinations in the top 10 from the Middle East. Singapore was first among the non-OIC destinations, which also saw Thailand, the United Kingdom, South Africa and France in the top five. The GMTI looks at in-depth data covering 100 destinations, creating an overall index, based on a number of criteria. This is the first time such thorough insights have been provided into one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors in the world today. It will provide travellers, governments, travel services and investors comprehensive benchmarks across a number of important criteria enabling them to track the health and growth of this travel segment. The study also revealed that in 2014, this segment was worth $145 billion with 108 million Muslim travellers representing 10 per cent of the entire travel economy. In 2014, Oman saw 670,000 Muslim arrivals into the country which accounts for 30 per cent of the total arrivals.

Oman comes seventh in the MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index 2015

Travel market The Muslim travel market is expected to grow to 150 million visitors by 2020 and 11 per cent of the entire segment with a value projected to grow to $200 billion. “The MasterCard – Crescent Rating Global Muslim Travel Index has today set a real precedent for the tourism industry,” said Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of Crescent Rating & Halal Trip.

Destination

Score

Rank

Malaysia

83.8

Turkey

73.8

UAE

72.1

Saudi Arabia

71.3

Qatar

68.2

Indonesia

67.5

In 2014

670,000 Arrival of Muslim in Oman In 2014, there were 108 million Muslim travellers spending

$145 billion

Oman

66.7

Jordan

66.4

Morocco

64.4

150 million

Brunei

64.3

visitors by 2020

The Muslim travel market is expected to grow to

Source: Crescent rating Pte Ltd

The study also revealed that in 2014, this segment was worth $145 billion with 108 million Muslim travellers representing 10 per cent of the entire travel economy In-depth research “Not only is it the most in-depth research that we have undertaken so far on the fast-growing Muslim travel market, but it has provided all stakeholders with some invaluable insight into how the halalfriendly tourism sector is growing and developing from a global perspective,” he said. “Crescent Rating has recently seen a huge shift towards more destinations targeting this sector like Japan and Taiwan, and it is a trend we expect will continue,” he added. “Partnering with Crescent Rating to develop the travel index has helped us better understand what travellers look for when exploring different destinations. We understand that travel is a core passion for many consumers and we hope that this Index will help

Graphics

our partners tailor products and services to the needs of this customer segment. The ranking will also help our consumers make more informed decisions, based on their speciﬁc requirements,” said Raghu Malhotra, division president, Middle East and North Africa, MasterCard. Not surprisingly, Saudi Arabia saw the highest number of Muslim arrivals into the country in 2014 with 10.2 million followed by Turkey at 8.1 million. All 100 destinations in the GMTI were scored against a backdrop of criteria which included suitability as a family holiday destination, the level of services and facilities it provides, accommodation options, marketing initiatives as well as visitor arrivals. Each criterion was then weighted to make up the overall index score. Malaysia scored an Index score of 83.8, followed by Turkey at 73.8 while Oman had a GMTI of 66.7. GMTI40, which will be updated quarterly around the year, will track the average score of the top 20 OIC and non-OIC destinations and will form the key index to monitor the performance of the Muslim travel segment. The overall average score for 40 destinations (GMTI40) currently stands at 56 while the overall average GMTI score for the complete 100 destinations is at 43.8.

WEAPONS SEIZED

A1 ROP had carried out a drive < FROM

against unlicensed arms

A reliable source at the Royal Oman Police revealed that two years ago, the officials carried out a drive to register all unlicensed weapons and conventional guns in some governorates. The source said that more than 500 guns and conventional weapons were registered between

May and August in 2013. Most of the weapons were found to be unlicensed. Traditional weapons “We mostly use such traditional weapons while celebrating or when we are in danger,” said Aseel Juma, a private sector worker.

He added that some ﬁshermen also use such weapons to protect themselves from pirates at sea. Possessing traditional weapons is a common practice among Omani families. Some people use them as decorative pieces and others during celebrations.

T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5 The liberation process (of Mosul) will be purely Iraqi in terms of forces, timing, weapons and equipment Khaled Al Obeidi, Iraq’s Defence Minister

Iraqi soldiers to surround Tikrit before assault Only Baghdad will decide the time and scale of an attack to recapture Mosul, said Defence Minister Khaled Al Obeidi

EXCHANGE OF FIRE: Militia ﬁghters ﬁre a rocket during clashes

with IS militants in Salahuddin province. – Reuters

KIRKUK/BAGHDAD: The Iraqi army said on Wednesday that its strategy for retaking the IS group militants stronghold of Tikrit is to surround the city before launching an assault. Also on Wednesday, Iraq’s Defence Minister Khaled Al Obeidi said only Baghdad will decide the time and scale of an attack to recapture Mosul, after US officials sent conflicting signals about the offensive. On Monday, the Iraqi security forces and a variety of allied fighting units launched the biggest ground operation yet against the IS group in Iraq. Backed by jets and helicopters, the 30,000-strong force is moving in from three main directions, their progress slowed by suicide bombers, sniper fire and booby traps. A senior commander said operations were currently focused on preventing IS from launching more attacks and cutting supply lines to stop reinforcements and weapons from reaching Tikrit. The next step will be to “surround the towns completely, suffocate them and then pounce on them,” Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Al Zaidi said.

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Iraqi forces have yet to retake Ad Dawr and Al Alam, towns south and north of Tikrit. He said the operation launched on Monday had already achieved results by securing areas further out in Salaheddin province and forcing IS militants to regroup in urban areas. “The ﬁrst phase of the battle to liberate Salaheddin was successfully completed — and in record time — by clearing the areas in the east of the province,” Zaidi said. Forces advancing “Our forces are advancing gradually, although slowed by roadside bombs and sniper ﬁre,” another lieutenant general involved in the operation said. A US Central Command official said two weeks ago that the offensive could start in April or May, using 20,000 to 25,000 troops. US officials have since suggested that Mosul assault timing could slip to

the autumn. US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday the original brieﬁng was inaccurate and that military officials should not discuss war plans in any case Mosul is the largest city under the control of IS insurgents. Its recapture would be a pivotal victory for Baghdad. “The liberation process will be purely Iraqi in terms of forces, timing, weapons and equipment,” Al Obeidi told a news conference in Baghdad alongside visiting Turkish counterpart Ismet Yilmaz. “No one (else) has anything to do with it. This is our battle, the battle of the Iraqi army,” Obeidi said. “The role of the USled coalition is to provide air support, and this is agreed upon.” Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Ankara had sent military equipment requested by Iraq. His defence minister said Turkey was prepared to offer further support. “We stand by Iraq in any operation to be launched against Mosul. Turkey is ready to give every kind of intelligence and logistics support to Iraq is in its struggle against terrorism,” broadcaster NTV quoted Yilmaz as saying. — Agencies

REGION B ATT L E W I T H I S

UK ex-marine killed in Syria LONDON: A former Royal Marine has become the first Briton to be killed while fighting with Kurdish forces battling IS militants in Syria, leaving his family “devastated” on Wednesday. Konstandinos Erik Scurfield, 25, died on Monday in a battle with IS militants. — AFP

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

INDIA

Now BJP might be thinking that they have befriended PDP what is need of the Peoples Conference now as compared to the past Bashir Ahmed Dar, People’s Conference leader

AAP sacks Bhushan, Yadav from top body Party spokesman Kumar Vishwas made

AAP has been formed with the sweat and labour of people. It should never dash people’s hopes

the announcement after a nearly sixhour meeting of the National Executive

Yogendra Yadav

that followed a virtual war between the two

OUT OF FAVOUR: AAP leader Yogendra Yadav arrives to attend the

AAP leader

party’s national executive in New Delhi on Wednesday. - PTI

leaders and loyalists of Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: AAP announced on Wednesday that it had ousted two top leaders, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, out of its decision-making Political Affairs Committee (PAC). Party spokesman Kumar Vishwas made the announcement after a nearly six-hour meeting of the National Executive that followed a virtual war between the two lead-

ers and loyalists of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “The National Executive passed a resolution and it has been decided that Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav will not serve the PAC any more. They will be given new responsibilities in the party,” he said. He underlined that the Aam Aadmi Party remained a united force and would do all it can to meet the aspirations of the people of Delhi and the country. “Everyone (in the party) will together take the party forward,” he added. The National Executive

also rejected Kejriwal’s offer to resign as the national convenor. The nine-member PAC is the supreme body in the AAP, which was formed in 2012 and which stormed to power in Delhi last month. Wednesday’s meeting was called after Bhushan and Yadav were accused by Kejriwal supporters of leading a virtual rebellion against the AAP leader. Earlier, Bhushan, a Supreme Court lawyer and an AAP founder, told the media: “We have been told that for the time being we are no more in the PAC.” He declined to

elaborate and walked away, looking somewhat shaken. Speaking separately, Yadav, a known political pundit, said the AAP decision would be announced by the party and he was no more authorized to make announcements on behalf of the party. “As a disciplined worker of the party, I will try to fulﬁl whatever role is assigned to me to the best of my capacity.” He added: “The AAP has been formed with the sweat and labour of people. It should never dash people’s hopes.” - IANS

DENIAL OF WEIGHTY PORTFOLIO

Sulking Sajjad Lone refuses to take charge of ministry JAMMU: Sulking over denial of weighty portfolio to separatistturned-politician Sajjad Lone, his party People’s Conference (PC) on Wednesday issued a veiled threat that it may consider quitting the ruling coalition of PDPBJP in Jammu and Kashmir. Lone refused to take charge of Ministry of Science and Technology or Animal Husbandry and instead left for Srinagar where he remained closeted with his associate. The party will meet in Handwara to decide on future course of action. People’s Conference, which has two MLAs, also termed as betrayal on part of the BJP which has found a new friend in PDP. The party’s MLA Bashir Ahmed Dar said tonight that the People’s Conference’s treatment was a lesson for others. “It is unfortunate... do not know why they (BJP) are treating us differently now...Under whose inﬂuence they are doing it”, Dar questioned BJP. “Now BJP might be thinking that they have befriended PDP what is need of the Peoples Conference now as compared to the past,” he said here. He said Lone did not assume charge of his ministries and in-

stead took the ﬁrst ﬂight out of Jammu on Wednesday for Srinagar after surrendering all entitlements including security, official vehicle as a cabinet minister. He made it clear that Lone will not join and went on to say that “we have been betrayed (by the BJP)”. “It was a gift of animal husbandry to Sajjad Lone. It is humiliation to us and people we represented. we will not join..”, Dar said. Taking a dig at BJP, the PC leader said, “We are not sold out but we have been voted by the people not anybody else..people feel humiliated”. “Nobody talked to us, they did not even take our consent (on inclusion in the ministry)...Our supporters are unhappy and annoyed and they have been continuously advising Lone not to assume charge of his portfolios,” Dar said. In a related development, there were some heart burns within the PDP as well. Some of the party MLAs from Pulwama district had protested over their non-inclusion in the state cabinet despite having won two to three times. - PTI

FESTIVITIES IN THE AIR

Women smear colours on each other during Holi celebrations in Dhanbad on Wednesday. ‘Holi’, the festival of colours, is a riotous celebration of the coming of spring and falls on the day after full moon annually in March. Revellers spray coloured powder and water on each other with great gusto, whilst adults extend the hand of peace. - PTI

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B I L AT E R A L R E L AT I O N S

Security, development projects figure in Indo-Afghan talks KABUL: Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar on Wednesday held talks with Afghanistan’s top leadership here which mainly focussed on India’s development projects and the security situation in the war-torn country. Wrapping up the first leg of his ‘Saarc Yatra’ aimed at firming up India’s ties with members of the grouping while reviewing regional and bilateral cooperation, the Foreign Secretary flew into Kabul from Islamabad and called on Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah among other leaders. During his meetings, Afghan leaders welcomed India being “partner of choice” for Afghanistan and briefed Jaishankar about their views on India’s involvement in furthering the cause of stability and security in the country. According to officials, the main thrust during the meetings was on India’s development projects in Afghanistan, ways to improve connectivity and the security situation in the war-ravaged country. Afghanistan leaders also welcomed India being a “partner of choice” for the country during the interactions with Jaishankar, the officials said. The Foreign Secretary also called on Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani besides former president Hamid Karzai. Jaishankar also met Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai and held extensive talks.

STRENGTHENING TIES: Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar with Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah at a meeting in Kabul on Wednesday. - PTI

The Foreign Secretary, who arrived here amid light snow, was received by senior Afghan officials and Indian High Commissioner Amar Sinha at the airport. With Wednesday’s trip to Afghanistan, Jaishankar rounded off the ﬁrst leg of his ‘Saarc Yatra’ that began on Sunday with Bhutan. He subsequently visited Bangladesh and Pakistan as part of the yatra. Afghanistan was recently hit by a massive avalanche that claimed nearly 250 lives. Following the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written to Afghan President Ghani to condole the loss of lives

and offered help in rescue and relief efforts. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) — an economic and geopolitical grouping of eight countries located in South Asia - includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka as its members. - PTI

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T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5

INDIA

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Airing of rape convict interview restrained Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s comments in the Rajya Sabha came after a New Delhi court on Tuesday issued an order banning media from showing the ﬁlm,

HEART-BROKEN BY THE BAN: Film-maker Leslee Udwin, director of

the documentary ‘India’s Daughter’, speaks during a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday. - PTI

‘India’s Daughter’

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Wednesday said that the order restraining airing or broadcasting the interview of a December 16 gangrape convict, which was conducted inside Tihar jail, will continue till further orders. The matter was taken up by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate(CMM) Sanjay Khanagwal when the Delhi police placed on record the restrain order passed by a magistrate on Tuesday. The CMM, after going through the order, said that restrain on airing the interview will continue. The court also said that the police can take action, if required, if anyone airs or broadcasts the interview. Home Minister Rajnath Singh told parliament on Wednesday the comments of Mukesh Singh, one of ﬁve men convicted over the

2012 attack in New Delhi, were “highly derogatory and an affront to the dignity of women”. “The government condemns it,” he said of the documentary made by award-winning British ﬁlmmaker Leslee Udwin, who won rare access to New Delhi’s Tihar jail to interview the prisoner on death row. It will not allow any organisation to leverage such an incident and use it for commercial purpose,” he said. Singh’s comments in the Rajya Sabha, India’s upper house, came after a New Delhi court late Tuesday issued an order banning media from showing the ﬁlm, India’s Daughter. The December 2012 gang-rape of a young physiotherapy student as she travelled home from a visit to the cinema triggered violent protests in India. The woman died from her inju-

ries 13 days after the savage attack, which highlighted the frightening level of violence against women in the country. It led to a major reform of India’s rape laws, speeding up trials and increasing penalties, although many campaigners say little has changed for most ordinary victims. India’s NDTV network was due to have shown the documentary to mark International Women’s Day on Sunday, when it will also be broadcast in six other countries including Britain. Udwin said she was heart-broken by the ban on the documentary, in which Mukesh Singh said the 23-year-old victim should not have been “roam(ing) around at 9 o’clock at night” and that “a girl is far more responsible for rape than a boy”. “I am sure, positive, that NDTV will ﬁght this arbitrary censorship

all the way, because it is an organisation that stands up for values, for public welfare and for the greater good,” she said. “India is a country that values its rights and one of the most important of them is the freedom of speech, expression and that needs to be upheld.” Udwin said earlier she had permission from both prison authorities and the home ministry to ﬁlm inside the vast Tihar jail in Delhi for her documentary. But Home Minister Singh said she had violated the terms of the agreement, and summoned the head of the jail to explain why permission had been granted. The ban sparked a lively debate on social media and in parliament, where independent MP Anu Agha said India was failing to confront the problem of violence against women. “Banning this movie is not the answer,” she said. “We have to confront the issue that men in India do not respect women and any time there is a rape, blame is put on the woman.” The documentary has divided the Indian public, with some people expressing concern that a convicted rapist was being given a platform for his views. Others said India must confront views such as the rapist’s -- however abhorrent -- rather than seeking to hide them. The controversy was one of India’s top trending topics on Wednesday. “The world needs to see what kind of mindset this vile man has,” tweeted Yogita. “Raise awareness, learn from it and rectify.” -Agencies

P R E S I D E N T ’ S S TAT E M E N T

‘Strong defence forces needed for territorial integrity’ JODHPUR: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said India needs strong defence forces for not only ensuring peace but also safeguarding its territorial integrity. Pranab, the Supreme Commander of Indian armed forces, was speaking after awarding Presidential standards or colours to two elite flying units of the Indian Air Force (IAF) here — the 21st Squadron and the 116th Helicopter Unit. “As a responsible nation, India is firmly committed to peace and stability for which we need an effective deterrence and a strong defence force. “While the nation is striving for all-round economic growth and social empowerment of its citizens, we remain equally focussed on building our defence capability that safeguards our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said while delivering his speech at the Air Force Station here. The President lauded the IAF for not only “safeguarding the sovereignty” of the country but for also undertaking massive relief operations in calamity-hit areas in the past. “The nation is immensely proud of Indian Air Force and remains indebted to the air warriors for their selflessness and sacrifice,” he said. Talking about the two IAF units which were decorated on Wednesday, the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee said they have been awarded for rendering “selfless devotion, professionalism and courage in the face of adversity” and for this act, the nation

GUARD OF HONOUR: President

Pranab Mukherjee inspecting the Guard of Honour at the Presentation of Standards ceremony, in Jodhpur on Wednesday. - PTI

honours them with a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation. The ﬁrst to be awarded, the 21st squadron, was formed in Ambala, a district in the NorthIndian state, Haryana in 1965 with the Gnat Mk-I aircraft. The 116 Helicopter unit, which was also awarded by the President, was formed in 1967 at Sarsawa and it operates Chetak and the Light Combat ‘Dhruv’ choppers and the air combatants of this unit have undertaken numerous sorties for executing relief and rescue operations in various parts of the country. The standards or colours are presented to those defence units which have rendered distinguished service, with courage and dedication, in the line of duty over a period of time. During the event a number of IAF choppers like the Mi-17s, Bison, Mi-17V5 and the SU 30 MKIs participated in air manoeuvres over the sky of this Rajasthan town, an important Air Force base close to the IndoPak border. - PTI

A10

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

FIND-IT-ALL

PRAYER TIMINGS

W E AT H E R

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

12.24pm 3.45pm 6.16pm 7.26pm 5.11am

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 Al Hashar, Ruwi1 24 Hr Br. Tel. 24537080 Muscat, Al Sarooj. Tel: 24695536 Belqees, Al Khoudh (OIB) Tel. 24535398 Belqees, Ma’abelah. Tel: 24454624 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah. Tel. 23291635

STABLE weather and mainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate. EXPECTED WIND: Along Oman Sea coasts wind will be southwesterly light during night becoming northeasterly light to moderate during day, while it will be southwesterly light to moderate along the Arabian Sea coasts and northwesterly light to moderate over rest of the Sultanate. SEA STATE: Moderate to rough along the western coast of the Musandam governorate and moderate along the Arabian Sea coasts with a maximum wave height of 2.0 metres and slight along the Oman Sea coasts with a maximum wave height of 1.0 metre. HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate. THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Chance of late night to early morning low level clouds or fog patches over governorates of southern Al-Sharqiyah and Al-Wusta. Moderate to rough wave along west coast of Musandam with a maximum wave height of 2.5 metres.

HOSPITALS 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 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 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128,

OMAN Max 30 Min 19

Max 28 Min 17

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

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

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, SatWed 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, Thursday: 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

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

Max 27 Min 16 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

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

Max 31 Min 12

Max 32 Min 18

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

Max 32 Min 20

Max 32 Min 19

JAPAN: A swan swims in the moat surrounding the Imperial Palace,

as trees are reﬂected in the water, on a sunny winter day in Tokyo. -Reuters

Max 27 Min 20 —www.met.gov.om

WORLD

Max -2 Min -11 Max 13 Min 2

Max 25 Min 13 Max 1 Min -2

Max 25 Min 19

Max 25 Min 9

Max 28 Min 18

Max 32 Min 22

Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh Athens Baghdad Barbados Beijing Berlin Boston Brussels Buenos Aires Cairo Chicago Colombo Copenhagen Dublin Frankfurt Harare Hong Kong Istanbul Jerusalem Johannesburg

Max

Min

26 26 27 25 24 27 18 21 28 10 6 -2 10 28 23 -8 31 6 11 7 26 16 14 15 26

19 18 18 12 19 13 11 6 23 -4 -1 -12 0 21 10 -14 25 -1 6 -1 13 9 9 6 14

Kuala Lumpur Lisbon London Madrid Manila Mexico City Miami Moscow New Delhi New York Oslo Panama Paris Perth Prague Rio de Janeiro Santiago Seoul Singapore Stockholm Sydney Taipei Tokyo Toronto Vienna

Max

Min

34 17 13 11 33 27 29 2 25 -2 5 34 9 31 5 29 30 5 33 4 25 20 14 -8 8

23 9 2 -1 21 9 21 -2 13 -11 0 26 2 19 0 25 13 -2 23 -1 19 17 4 -14 2

EVENTS

Signature Couture Show, Shangri-la’s Barr Al Jissah, 5 March

will take place from 22nd March to the 23rd March 2015 in Muscat, Oman

MAMA’S Bazaar and Family Fun Event, 2015, The Jungle, Bahja Hall, Qurum Park, 7th of March Kinan Azmeh & Yasmine Azaiez - Arabic Jazz Night Venue: ROHM, 10th March

The International Conference on Health Issues in Arab Communities, organized by the Arab Health Conference will take place from 1st March to the 7th March 2015 at the Al Bustan Palace Ritz Carlton

3rd Extraordinary Women Conference, 17-18 March, Muscat

COMEX, Oman International Exhibition, 27 April to 1 May 2015

The Intergovernmental Oceanogaphic Commission Regional Conference, organised by the UNESCO, France

The BIG Show Muscat, Oman International Exhibition Centre| Muscat, Oman | 30 Mar-02 Apr 2015.

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

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

08:50 11:00 14:30 15:45 17:40 18.35 20:20

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SINAW (Route 52) 17:30 Sinaw

20:50

To Yanqul (Route 54) 14:30 Nizwa 14:30 Yanqul

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 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

08:55 11:40 20:20 14:55 17:40 19:20 22:15

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

Daily

TO SINAW (Route 52) 07:00 Ruwi

10:25

Daily

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 08:00 Nizwa 08:00 Al Araqi

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

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

16:50

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00

Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102) 15:00 Salalah 07:00

Daily

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 LISTINGS 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

CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA Outcast (2D) (Act/ Adventure) (15+) Cast: Nicolas Cage, Hayden Christensen, Andy On 9:30, 11:30 PM American Heist (2D) (Act/Adv) (15+) Cast: Adrien Brody, Hayden Christensen, 9:45, 11:45 PM Chappie (2D) (Action I Sci Fi) (12+) Cast: Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman 3:00, 5:15 PM The Protector 2 (2D) (Action) (15+) Cast: Tony Jaa, RZA, 7:30 PM Project Almanac (2D) ( Sci Fi)(PG12) Cast: Amy Landecker, Soﬁa BlackD’Elia, 3:45, 5:45 PM Still Alice (2D) (Drama) (PG) Cast: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, 5:30 PM Asterix (2D) (Animation) (PG) Cast: Roger Carel, Lorànt Deutsch, 2:00 PM Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (2D) (Action I Crime) (12+) Cast: Sam Worthington, Anthony Hopkins, 9:45, 11:45 PM Life After Beth (2D) (Com/Dr) (15+) Cast: Aubrey Plaza; 7:45 PM Focus (2D) (Comedy | Crime) (18+) Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, 3:15, 7:30 PM

Focus (2D) (Comedy/Crime) (18+) 6:00 PM, Gold Class: 9:00 PM The Protector (2D): (Action) (15+) Cast: Tony Jaa, RZA, 12:15 & 4:00 PM, Gold Class: 3:00 PM The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water (2D)(Animation) (PG)

Banderas, 12:00 & 4:00 PM American Heist (2D)(Action) (12+) Cast: Hayden Christensen, Adrien Brody, 2:15 PM, 10:00 PM & 11:45 PM Gold Class: 1:00, 7:00 & 11:15 PM Kidnapping Mr. Heniken (2D) (Thriller) (12+) Cast: Jim Sturgess; 8:15 PM Asterix (2D)(Animation) (PG) 10:15 AM & 2:00 PM Chappie (2D): (Action/Sci Fi) (12+) Cast: Sharlto Copely, Dev Patel, Watkin Tudor Jones; 5:45 PM Project Almanac (2D) (Act) (12+) Cast: Jonny Weston, Soﬁa Black D’Elia 8:00 PM Life After Beth (2D) (Hor/Com) (15+) Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane Dehaan 10:00 PM Outcast (2D) (Act/Adevnture) (15+) Cast: Nicolas Cage, Hayden; 11:45 PM Still Alice (2D) (Drama) (PG) Cast: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin Gold Class: 5:00 PM

SCREEN 1 Dirty Politics – Hindi (Dr ) – TBC Cast: Jackie Shroff, Anupam Kher, Om Puri, Nassaruddin Shah 2.30, 5.30, 11.30 PM Enakkul Oruvan– Tamil (Thriller ) – PG12 Cast: Siddharth, Deepa Sannidhi, Srushti Dange; 8.30 PM SCREEN 2 Badlapur – (Action | Drama) – 15+ Cast: Varun Dhawan, Huma Qureshi, Yami Gautam; 3.30 pm Enakkul Oruvan– Tamil – PG12 Cast: Siddharth; 6.30, 11.30 PM Dirty Politics – Hindi (Dr) – TBC

9.00 PM SCREEN 3 Shamitabh - Hindi (Drama) - (PG) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Dhanush, Akshara Haasan, Rekha 3.30 pm Badlapur – (Action | Drama) – 15+ 6.15, 9.00, 11.45 pm

Chappie – 2D (12+) (Act | Sci-Fi) Cast: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel 3:15, 7:45, 11:45 PM American Heist– 2D (15+) (Action) Cast: Adrien Brody, Hayden Christensen, Jordana Brewster 2:45, 5:30, 8:00, 10:00, 11:45 PM Outcast (I)– 3D (15+) (Act | Adv) Cast: Hayden Christensen, Nicolas Cage; 04:30, 06:15, 09:45 PM Kidnapping Mr.Heineken – 2D (TBC) (Action | Crime |Drama) Cast: Sam Worthington, Anthony Hopkins, Jim Sturgess 3:45, 9:45 PM Life after beth – 2D (15+) (Com | Hor) Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, 5:30, 11:30 PM Enakkul Oruvan – 2D (T) (PG12) Thriller Cast : Siddharth, Deepa Sannidhi 7:15 PM Project Almanac – 2D (PG12) Science Fiction Cast : Jonny Weston, Soﬁa Black D’Elia 3:00, 06:45, 11:15 PM

Still Alice – 2D (PG) (Drama) Cast: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart; 5:00 PM Dirty Politics – 2D (TBC) (Drama) Cast : Jackie Shroff, Om Puri 8:45 PM

American Heist – 2D (15+) (Act/Adv) Cast: Adrien Brody 4:45, 06:30, 10:00, 11:45 PM Life After beth – 2D (15+) (Com/ Hor) Cast: Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon 4:45, 8:15, 10:00 PM Bloodlines – 2D (12+) (Action/ Adventure) Cast: StephenRahman Hughes, Gavin Stenhouse, Jing Lusi, Rahim Razali, Ummi Nazeera 2:50, 6:15, 11:45PM Heineken – 2D (12+) (Dr/Act) Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jim Sturgess, Sam Worthington, Ryan Kwanten 3:00, 5:15, 8:15 PM Chappie – 2D (12+) Action/Adventure 3:00, 7:00, 9:15, 11:30 PM

Clash of Empires: Bloodlines (Action | Adventure) (12+) Cast: Stephen Rahman Hughes, Gavin Stenhouse, Jing Lusi 4:30, 11:45 PM

Life After Beth (Comedy)(15+) Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly 6:30, 8:15 PM American Heist (Action) (15+) Cast: Adrian Brody, Hayden Christensen, Jordana Brewster 4:30, 8:00. 9:45 PM Kidnapping Mr. Heineken-3 (Action | Crime | Drama) (12+) Cast: William Brookeﬁeld, Anthony Hopkins, Jim Sturgess 6:15, 10:00, 9:30, 11:30 PM

Focus (2D) (18+) (Com | Crime ) Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie 12:45, 2:00 PM American Heist (2D) (15+) (Action) Cast: Adrien Brody, Hayden Christensen; 12:30, 4:15, 9:30, 11:15PM Outcast (2D)(15+) (Act/Adventure) 11:00AM, 9:45, 11:45 PM Chappie (2D)(12+) (Act| Sci-Fi) Cast: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman; 10:30AM, 2:15, 11:45 PM Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (2D)(12+) (Action| Crime | Drama) 2:30, 6:00, 7:45 PM Project Almanac (2D)(PG12)(Thr) Abkarian; 10:45AM, 4:15 PM Life After Beth(2D)(15+) (Com |Hor) 12:30, 4:45, 6:00 PM Enakkul Oruvan (2D)(PG12) (Thr ) Cast: Siddharth; 6:30 PM Dirty Politics (2D)(TBC) (Drama) Cast: Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah 9:00 PM Youm Maloush Lazmah (2D)(12+) (Com) Cast: Noah Taylor, Jacki Weaver 7:30 PM

American Heist (Action) Cast: Andrien Brody, Hyden Christense, Jordana Brewster 2.00, 8.00, 10.00 & 11.55 pm CP No: 598 (PG 12) Project Almanac (Thr)( PG12 ) Cast: Jonny Weston, Soﬁa Black 2.00, 8.00 & 10.00 pm, CP No: 600 Life After Beth ( Horror ) Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dany DeHan, John C.Reilly 6.00 & 11.55 pm, CP No: 601 (15+) Still Alice (Drama) Cast: Julianna Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart 6.00 pm, CP No : 599 (PG) Asterix (Animation) Cast: Rogger Carel, Lorant Deutsch 4.00 pm, CP No: 602 (PG) Focus (Comedy/Thriller) Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie 4.00pm, CP No:559 (18+)

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Fireman (Mal) (Act/ Thriller) Cast: Mammootty, Nyla Usha 10:00 pm at Cinema Main 3:45 & 6:45pm at Cinema -3 Ennakul Oruvan (Tamil) (Com/Rom) Cast: Sidarth and Deepa Sannidi 6:30 pm at Cinema Main 9:45 pm at Cinema -3 & 4/ Friday 3:30 pm Cinema 2, 9:45 Cinema 3&4 Kakki Sattai (Tamil) (Com/Rom) Cast: Shiva Karthikeyan, Sri Diya 3:00pm at Cinema Main/ 6:30 & 9:30pm at Cinema-2 Temper -Telugu (Act) Cast: Jr Ntr, KajalAgarwal; 3:30pm at Cinema 2 From Friday 3:45pm at Cinema 4 Badlapur (Hindi) (Act) Cast: Varun Dhawan and Yami Gauthami 3:45 & 6:45pm at Cinema-4; From Friday: 6:45 pm at Cinema 4

For More Information 24789032, 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

A12

T IME S O F O MAN

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

COMMEN ARY ISO 9001:2008

Certified Company Founder: Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali Chairman and Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Anees bin Essa Al Zedjali Chief Executive Officer: Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali Editorial: 24726666, Fax: 24813153; E-mail: editor@timesofoman.com Advertising: 24726666, Fax: 24812624 Circulation: 24726600, Fax: 24818270; E-mail: circulation@timesofoman.com Printed and published by: Muscat Media Group P.O. Box 770, Ruwi, Postal Code: 112, Sultanate of Oman. Subscription: RO70 per year.

s details emerged about the background of Emwazi, the man thought to be the Isis murderer, it was hard to avoid the familiar feeling of dread that, yet again, a young Briton had found himself so disengaged from this country that he prefers to oppose its people and its values in the most brutal manner. Emwazi is said to have enjoyed a reasonably affluent family life in west London, having come to the UK as a six-year-old. He wore stylish clothes and graduated from Westminster University with a degree in computer programmeming. He was, apparently, an ordinary young man. In this context, his transformation into the poster boy of extreme, violence against innocent and helpless Western hostages almost beggars belief. But he is far from alone in having given up his life here in order to take the lives of others in Syria. Official estimates suggest that up to 600 Britons have gone to ﬁght for Isis in Iraq and Syria. The Labour MP Khalid Mahmood suggested last November that the true number was four times higher. Indeed, an article in The Independent ﬁve years ago reported concerns that the Government’s anti-terror strategies were proving counter-productive because of such harassment. Emwazi’s case was one of those highlighted. There may be a kernel of truth in this. Indeed, the present Government has recognised the importance of making a more obvious distinction between genuine counter-terrorism work and programmemes which promote community cohesion. The results of this week’s BBC survey into the attitudes of British Muslims also give weight to the idea that the battle against radicalisation is one that cannot be left to ministers, police officers and spooks. And, as the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Maajid Nawaz has suggested, the way to greater inclusion is to support and promote British values within the context of Muslim lives. That, in the end, is a task for all parts of the community, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. There is a sizeable caveat in all this, which is that we cannot excuse or justify the actions of Emwazi or others like him simply by reference to “harassment” by security services or to a lack of understanding or benevolence from members of British society. There is a large dose of free will here. Britain must look to change the narrative. Yes, it needs to foster greater inclusion of Muslim communities here. But we Britons must also be clear that the choice for would-be extremists is not between Muslim society and non-Muslim society, nor between freedom in Syria against prejudice in Britain. The choice made by men like Emwazi is simply for inhumanity over humanity: and we must all do what we can to emphasise that this is the real and lasting dichotomy. - The Independent

THE INDEPENDENT

UK’s widening religious and cultural chasms

AUSTERITY

Greece has spent more than it ever produced RICARDO HAUSMANN

Positive realignment

elations with Afghanistan suffered innumerable setbacks during the years that President Hamid Karzai reigned supreme — at least in Kabul. But since his departure there has been what amounts to an across-the-board reboot for bilateral relations. The latest indication that there is an upwards curve in coordination and harmonisation is that there is to be an easing of travel procedures and a long-overdue prisoner swap is also on the cards. The revision to travel arrangements may see the revival of the ‘Rahdari’ system that ran from the days of the Raj to the late 1980s. A card is issued to citizens of either country at their point of entry with complete data of the individual, their address in the country they are visiting and the duration of their stay. This could be further enhanced by digitising the card and including biometrics. There is also a plan to allow Afghans permanently residing in Pakistan to engage in economic activities and own property. The change in the diplomatic climate has begun to enable the ‘unsticking’ of several long-standing problems, and prisoner exchange is an obvious area where improvements may be made to the benefit of both sides. It will be framed in such a way as to allow wanted persons to be exchanged as well as those convicted in civil and criminal cases that may be returned to complete their sentences in their own countries, in line with common practice in many other countries. There are hundreds of people in jails on both sides of the border who would benefit. This activity is in large part spurred by the fallout from the attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar and the subsequent detention by the Afghan government of six of those suspected of involvement. The easing in relations at many levels — military, intelligence-sharing, civilian matters — come at an opportune moment. The regional churn triggered by the American withdrawal from Afghanistan is proving to have some positive outcomes, and a sense of easement both west and east is to the benefit of the region in general. - The Express Tribune

Bigger class sizes not good for effective education This refers to the news story, 1,000s to be hit by school place crisis (March 4). It is indeed a matter of concern that there are more children in every class than what has been prescribed by the CBSE. Such big classes are only affecting the teacher-student ratio, which is not conducive for effective learning. The students, I am afraid, are not getting enough attention of the teachers and, to be honest, it is not possible for any teacher to focus on every student when the class size is so big. Vaishali Raviraj Muscat

Indian schools must shift out of Darsait area now This refers to the news story,

1,000s to be hit by school place crisis (March 4). It is indeed worrisome that many children of the Indian expatriates in Muscat may not get admission in an Indian school of their choice. The Muscat Municipality and Municipal Council, in a joint meeting, decided to convey to the Indian schools in and around Darsait to cap the intake of new admissions to ease traffic congestions. In deciding so the civic authorities are absolutely right. The traffic snarls that happen every day in morning in and around Darsait area because of the school rush cause lot of inconvenience. People living in the area are immensely troubled. In fact, the schools should now consider shifting out of Darsait and set up a bigger campus somewhere else, where the population isn’t as dense as in Darsait. In fact, the

Fiscal deficits, like unwanted pregnancies, are the unintended consequence of actions taken by more than one person who had other objectives in mind. And lack of fiscal control is what got Greece into trouble in the first place

hen looking out a window, it is easy to be fooled by your own reflection and see more of yourself than the outside world. This seems to be the case when US observers, influenced by their own country’s fiscal debate, look at Greece. For example, Joseph Stiglitz regards austerity in Greece as a matter of ideological choice or bad economics, just like in the US. According to this view, those who favour austerity must be obsessed with the theory, given the availability of a kinder, gentler alternative. Why would you ever vote for austerity when parties like Greece’s Syriza or Spain’s Podemos offer a pain-free path? The question reflects a lamentable tendency to conflate two very different situations. In the US, the issue was whether a government that could borrow at record-low interest rates, in the middle of a recession, should do so. By contrast, Greece piled up an enormous fiscal and external debt in boom times, until markets said “enough” in 2009. Greece was then given unprecedented amounts of highly subsidized finance to enable it to reduce gradually its excessive spending. But now, after so much European and global generosity, Stiglitz and other economists argue that some of Greece’s debt must be forgiven to make room for more spending. But the truth is that the recession in Greece has little to do with an excessive debt burden. Until 2014, the country did not pay, in net terms, a single euro in interest: it borrowed enough from official sources at subsidized rates to pay 100 per cent of its interest bill and then some. This situation supposedly changed a bit in 2014, the first year that the country made a small contribution to its interest bill, having run a primary surplus of barely 0.8 per cent of GDP. Greece’s experience highlights a truth about macroeconomic policy that is too often overlooked: The world is not dominated by austerians; on the contrary, most countries have trouble balancing their books. Recent advances in behavioural economics show that we all have enormous problems with self-control. And game theory explains why we act even more irresponsibly when making group decisions (owing to the so-called common pool problem). Fiscal deficits, like unwanted pregnancies, are the unintended consequence of actions taken by more than one person who had other objectives in mind. And lack of fiscal control is what got Greece into trouble in the first place. So the problem is not that austerity was tried and failed in Greece. It is that, despite unprecedented international generosity, fiscal policy was completely out of control and needed major adjustments. Insufficient spending was never an issue. From 1998 to 2007, Greece’s annual per capita GDP

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A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation SAKI

growth averaged 3.8 per cent, the second fastest in Western Europe, behind only Ireland. But by 2007, Greece was spending more than 14 per cent of GDP in excess of what it was producing, the largest such gap in Europe — more than twice that of Spain and 55 per cent higher than Ireland’s. In Spain and Ireland, though, the gap reflected a construction boom; euro accession suddenly gave people access to much cheaper mortgages. In Greece, by contrast, the gap was mostly fiscal and used for consumption, not investment. Unsustainable growth paths often end in a sudden stop of capital inflows, forcing countries to bring their spending back in line with production. In Greece, however, official lenders’ unprecedented munificence made the adjustment more gradual than in, say, Latvia or Ireland. In fact, even after the so-called Greek Depression, its economy has grown more in per capita terms since 1998 than Cyprus, Denmark, Italy, and Portugal. Sudden stops are always painful: economics has not discovered a hangover cure. But the way to minimize the pain is to cut spending without cutting output, which requires selling to others what residents can no longer afford. In other words, unless Greece boosts exports, spending cuts will amplify the output loss in the same way that Keynesian multipliers amplified the output gain from borrowing. The problem is that Greece produces very little of what the world wants to consume. Its exports of goods comprise mainly fruits, olive oil, raw cotton, tobacco, and some refined petroleum products. Germany, which many argue should spend more, imports just 0.2 per cent of its goods from Greece. Tourism is a mature industry with plenty of regional competitors. The country produces no machines, electronics, or chemicals. Of every $10 of world trade in information technology, Greece accounts for $0.01. Greece never had the productive structure to be as rich as it was: its income was inflated by massive amounts of borrowed money that was not used to upgrade its productive capacity. According to the Atlas of Economic Complexity, which I co-authored, in 2008 the gap between Greece’s income and the knowledge content of its exports was the largest among a sample of 128 countries. Too much of the debate since then has focused on what Germany, the EU, or the International Monetary Fund must do. But the bottom line is that Greece needs to develop its productive capabilities if it wants to grow. The unfocused set of structural reforms prescribed by its current financing agreement will not do that. Instead, Greece should concentrate on activist policies that attract globally competitive firms, an area where Ireland has much to teach — and where Stiglitz has sensible things to say. - Project Syndicate

school management should have foreseen such a situation long ago and should have kept their plan B ready much earlier. Vasant Jha Darsait

Yadav and Bhushan are only back-stabbing AAP The newly elected Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, has resigned as the convener of the national executive meeting of Aam Aadmi Party. I would say that rather than Kejriwal stepping down, Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan should be thrown out of the party’s decisionmaking panel. That will save AAP and keep it steadfastly committed to its founding principles. I had donated a big amount of money to the party days before the last assembly

elections in Delhi and I, as one from Delhi, was keen to see AAP in power. I donated the sum by not sending money to my ageing parents. I rather donated the money to AAP motivated by the principles of Kejriwal and not Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. Ramakant Sharma Azaiba

Centuries galore in the ICC World Cup this year We are seeing more centuries being scored in the current edition of the ICC World Cup than ever. In almost every match, one batsman or the other is scoring a brilliant ton. Watching the matches has thus become very interesting and entertaining. 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 IM ES O F OM A N

T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5

A1 3

PERSPEC IVE Can the UK aspire to a global role any longer? I

f the Prime Minister and others gave the impression that they were untroubled by observations about the UK’s absence from the Ukraine negotiating table, subsequent statements suggest something different. Since then, ministers have seized every opportunity to declare their deep concern about events in that part of Europe and stress their engagement. The latest was the Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, who told reporters from the more hawkish end of the British press that President Putin posed a “real and present danger” to the Baltic states and constituted “as much of a threat to Europe as Isis”. Nato, he said, was “getting ready” for “any kind of aggression from Russia”. There was just one problem with this lofty statement of preparedness: Fallon was at that very moment winging his way in quite the opposite direction — to Sierra Leone, as it happened — in a quite spectacular mismatch of words and deeds. What was that about speaking softly and carrying a big stick? Now it is not quite correct to say that the UK has been sitting on its hands over Ukraine, though EU diplomats have been heard to comment that London just does not seem that interested. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Defence said that Britain would contribute four typhoon fighter jets and 1,000 troops to a Nato rapid reaction force designed to reassure the Baltic states. This is not an enormous contribution from Europe’s second-biggest military (after France), but it is not nothing — and anyway symbolism has a value of its own. In talking tough about Russia and the security of Europe’s eastern flank, while travelling to Sierra Leone, however, the Defence Secretary unwittingly summed up one of this country’s most pressing dilemmas. The UK may occupy a permanent seat at the UN Security Council and it may have an independent nuclear deterrent, but how realistic is it to aspire any more to a global role? Would we not be better concentrating on the defence and well-being of our own backyard? This is the nub of a discussion that is simmering beneath the surface of British politics, but has yet to graduate into a full-on national debate. It brings together our diplomatic stance, our future military capability and how we see ourselves in the world. All those elements are currently in flux, in a way that could change the UK and its self-image for ever. I first caught wind of the controversies — and the unease of many in the upper echelons of the military — before Christmas, when a very senior former member of the top brass stood up at a gathering of foreign policy

MARY DEJEVSKY

The UK may occupy a permanent seat at the UN Security Council and it may have an independent nuclear deterrent, but how realistic is it to aspire any more to a global role? Would we not be better concentrating on the defence and well-being of our own backyard?

“wonks” to deplore what he saw as the British public’s current aversion to military combat. He called on his erstwhile comrades-in-arms to put themselves about more, to campaign publicly for the UK to honour its military heritage, and to defend the usefulness of international involvement. The current distaste of the public for new interventions is hardly irrational. Consider the experience of the past 20 or so years. From Afghanistan, through Iraq, to Libya, the UK’s military endeavours have hardly been crowned in glory. The top brass may blame the politicians (sotto voce) for these failures, even as they admit — also sotto voce — that they did too little at the time to warn of the risks and cost. The refusal of the public, and Parliament, to authorise intervention in Syria was a direct consequence of these failures. The picture is not entirely bleak. The Kosovo intervention just about attained its objectives, though this new nation-state is nowhere near being able to stand on its own two feet. But probably the only success has been Sierra Leone. Contrast the plight of Ukraine, today, however, and Michael Fallon’s chosen destination this week can well be understood. More difficult to discern is what lies behind the arguments now being half-aired. The top brass clearly hoped for better relations with a Conservative Prime Minister than has actually been the case. How far does discontent at the top stem from resistance to further projected reductions in manpower, including at the senior officer level, from inter-service rivalry, or from resentment about the apparently diminished inﬂuence of the military at the UK’s top table? Earlier this week, the head of the army, General Sir Nicholas Carter, sounded a conciliatory note, accepting that the size of the military and what it was required to do were proportionate, though the way he couched this implied there were dissenters. A few days earlier, the former head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, had talked of the pros — and the cons — of military intervention, saying it was something the country had to decide. At present, it seems, there are two divisions. One is between a proud professional military and a civilian public tired of distant wars “of choice”. The other is between the “opinionforming” elite — who retain, according to a recent Chatham House survey, a desire to see the UK playing a global role — and the rest. It is not clear where the “rest” stand. But if the closed-door discussion produces an open debate, we — and the next government — might usefully ﬁnd out. - The Independent

Gulf of Mexico turns deadly for dolphins

olphins are dying in great numbers in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Since February 2010, 1,308 dead or dying marine mammals — mostly bottlenose dolphins, including juveniles or aborted foetuses — have washed ashore on beaches and wetlands from Texas to Florida, or have been discovered floating in the Gulf’s murky waters. In some months, the numbers of stranded dolphins in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have exceeded past averages by three and a half to four times. In Louisiana, the 2010 and 2011 figures were the highest ever recorded. A scientific explanation has so far proved elusive. “The Gulf is not a controlled laboratory where you can have a perfectly pathogen-free animal and expose it to one agent and measure the effect,” said Dr. Stephanie Venn-

RACHEL NUWER

Watson, director of the translational medicine and research programme at the National Marine Mammal Foundation. Many critics suspect the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in April 2010, and scientiﬁc evidence is building. According to an analysis that Dr. Venn-Watson and her colleagues published February 11 in PLOS One, bottlenose dolphin deaths from January 2010 to June 2013 fell into four distinct clusters, indicating that there are likely multiple factors at play. One group of deaths occurred before the oil spill, in and around Lake Pontchartrain. The researchers think unusually cold weather combined with freshwater intrusion most likely caused those deaths. The other three clusters of deaths occurred after the spill,

however, and largely in places affected by heavy, ongoing oil contamination. The researchers found no evidence that morbillivirus, a measles-like pathogen implicated in other die-offs, or toxins from harmful algal blooms played a role. Additionally, some injuries, including lung and adrenal lesions, observed in 2011 in live dolphins examined in Louisiana’s Barataria Bay were consistent with exposure to petroleum products. Dr. Venn-Watson and her colleagues plan to examine tissue samples collected from stranded dolphins and continue to monitor live ones. “The investigation is certainly still underway,” she said. “It’s not as straightforward as ﬁnding a bird or turtle covered in oil.”. - The New York Times News Service

Of military parades and operations MUHAMMAD ALI EHSAN

he military strategy of unrestrained and consistent attrition has the terrorists on the run, with its morale being on the rise and the general public being quite satisfied with its progressive achievements. However, this should not mean that the decision to hold the March 23 military parade is justified. Were we holding military parades when we were at war in 1971 or in 1965? Are we not at war now? We have one-third of our military force deployed on the western front fighting daily battles against the enemies of the state and two-thirds of it guarding the troubled borders and the eastern front. How can the military be expected to spare time, manpower and resources to showcase an event, which will only be about pomp and show? In this irregular war, the enemy strikes from behind at unexpected places and at unexpected times. What if the terrorists pull off a Peshawar-like attack on any soft target right on the morning of the parade day? Will the media remain focused on covering this grand event or will it refocus its attention to a place where innocent people are being killed and a possible hostage situation is developing? The possibility of a planned attack by terrorists on a soft target on the day of the parade is something that the military must consider seriously before deciding to go ahead with the idea of holding the March 23 parade. Our military is already overstretched and overcommitted. Should we then be willing to indulge in holding a ceremonious activity that necessitates participation of combat units in a parade rather than providing them the opportunity to re-group so that they can be employed in combat-intense military zones? This parade, if it goes ahead, is not likely to showcase the measure of our progress in the war on terror. It is only likely to take our attention away from it. As a young captain, I was part of a unit that participated in the March 23 parade in 1987. The coordinated and organised marching and mechanised formations and the movement of machines both in the air and on the ground are not things that can be prepared for in a day. This involves many rehearsals for a period of over a month. Do we have the time and luxury to spare that much force for such a long duration, knowing well that as a nation we are at war? Ideally,

We have one-third of our military force deployed on the western front fighting daily battles against the enemies of the state and twothirds of it guarding the troubled borders a military that is fighting an existential war with a goal to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for terrorists should not be viewed marching in parade grounds but rather seen fighting on battlefronts. We should not be showcasing the military in a ceremonial event just to balance out the growing warmth between the US and India and counter the presence of the American president on India’s Republic Day by inviting the Chinese president to be present on ours. The decision to hold the March 23 parade is a political one and not a military one, but a lame duck government that seems to have ceded completely to the establishment’s judgments will find it difficult to suggest to it that there is an increased likelihood of the parade putting us more at odds with our security situation rather than fixing it. The only reason to hold the parade (given that the Chinese president attends it) seems to be to send a message to India and the world that China stands by us and backs our military and political interests. Last week, China announced its plan of holding a grand military parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The Chinese media is reporting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to attend the event. If attending military parades is now being attributed to sending geopolitical messages, why can’t our prime minister travel to China to send such a message rather than the Chinese president travelling to Pakistan and attending a ceremonial parade that as a nation at war we should not be holding. The parade will neither contribute to the military’s winning strategy in the war against terrorism nor address the more important question of reversing the continued decay of our internal security. We are at war and we need to win our battles on the battlefields and not on parade grounds. Not now — not at this stage. - The Express Tribune

Solar-powered plane to ﬂy around the world

TODAY IN HISTORY

Oxygen supply for high altitude ﬂight

Wings: 17,000 solar cells Antenna

Propulsion: Four wing pods each contain 17.5hp electric motor and lithium polymer battery

Cockpit: 3.8 cubic metres. Unpressurized, unheated

1793 Autopilot alerts pilot of anomaly via wristmounted buzzer

FLIGHT: 35,000km journey will span 25 flight days spread over five months at average speed of 70km/h, with stops at 12 locations Stopovers Pacific Ocean

Start/Finish: Abu Dhabi Atlantic Ocean North Africa

Hawaii Mid US US Muscat Oman New York US Phoenix Ahmedabat, India US

Take-off speed: 35km/h

Chongqing MandalayChina Myanmar Varanasi,India

Top speed: 140km/h

During night: Descends to 1,500m and slows to conserve power and reduce pilot stress Source: Solar Impulse

1905

Russians begin to retreat from Mukden in Manchuria, China.

1912

The Italians become the ﬁrst to use dirigibles for military purposes, using them for reconnaissance ﬂights behind Turkish lines west of Tripoli.

Paciﬁc Nanjing China

The seat allows room for exercise and 20-minute catnaps during ﬁve-day ocean crossings Parachute and life raft packed into seat- back

Toilet Solar Impulse 2 piloted by project founders Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg Graphic News /

Graphics

Austrian troops crush the French and recapture Liege.

1918

The Soviets move the capital of Russia from Petrograd to Moscow. -

1928

Hitler’s National Socialists win the majority vote in Bavaria.

1969

Gustav Heinemann is elected West German President.

HISTORYNET.COM

OPINION POLL FROM OUR ARCHIVES HEALTH MINISTRY TO HOST CONFERENCE ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES

MUSCAT: The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Sultan Qaboos University and Oman Medical Specialty Board, will host an international congress on infectious and tropical diseases at Al Bustan Palace Hotel from March 27 to 30. This will be the first time that a scientific congress involving dual disciplines of infectious and tropical diseases will be taking place in the Gulf region, a notification from the Ministry of Health said yesterday.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

PAKISTAN

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‘Ideological obsession’ with Kashmir must end: Haqqani be broken, Haqqani said: “Pakistan is part of the international community that has agreed that terrorism is not acceptable; so there are several aspects where responsibility can be ﬁxed.”

Pakistan needs to have the kind of

After initial bonhomie, the Indians will want to know what is happening with the Lakhvi trial; what is happening with Hafiz Saeed; why is Lashkar-e-Taiba still openly operating as Jamaatud Dawa

approach China has over Taiwan. It doesn’t need to give up its claim but it needs to move on

Hussain Haqqani

other issues ﬁrst,

Former ambassador to the United States

said the former envoy to the US

LONDON: Former ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani said on Wednesday that Pakistan no longer enjoys the support of the international community over the Kashmir issue and must give up its “ideological obsession”, The Economic Times reported. “Pakistan needs to have the kind of approach China has over

Taiwan. It doesn’t need to give up its claim but it needs to move on other issues ﬁrst,” Haqqani said, speaking at the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House in London. He added that Pakistan no longer has the support of the international community on the Kashmir issue. “We need to take a more pragmatic approach rather than making it an ideological obsession,” he said. Haqqani pressed for a “decisive shift” in Pakistan’s approach

towards Kashmir. He said that issues around 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, its alleged mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and Jamaatud Dawa chief Haﬁz Saeed could be stumbling blocks to lasting peace between the neighbouring countries. Bad marriage The former ambassador described Pakistan and India’s relationship as a “bad marriage”. Commenting on India’s Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar’s

visit to Pakistan, Haqqani said, “It’s a good thing that India and Pakistan are resuming talks but unfortunately the fundamentals of the relationship are yet to be addressed.” “After initial bonhomie, the Indians will want to know what is happening with the Lakhvi trial; what is happening with Haﬁz Saeed; why is Lashkar-e-Taiba still openly operating as Jamaatud Dawa,” he added. When asked how the impasse between India and Pakistan could

Lasting impact Haqqani was Pakistan’s ambassador to the US when Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was assassinated in Abbottabad. He believes the event had a lasting impact on Pakistan’s image. “I was ambassador in the US when bin Laden was shot in Pakistan. I think we owe an explanation to the world as to why he was there,” he said. Afghanistan Haqqani said that Indian presence in Afghanistan is based on trade, aid and education ties and does not necessarily pose an inimical threat to Pakistan’s interests. Calling India “an imaginary threat,” Haqqani said, “Parity with India is not an attainable objective, as quite simply size matters. India’s economy is 10 times larger. “It is a kind of psychological and political insecurity that has held Pakistan back. “The best strategy would be to focus inward.” — Express Tribune

CRACKDOWN

Police seal seminary affiliated to Red Mosque ISLAMABAD: The Punjab police chief informed a senate panel on Wednesday that law enforcement agencies have sealed a seminary affiliated with the Red Mosque in the Rujhan area of the province. Addressing the Senate Standing Committee on Privileges, Inspector General of Police Punjab Mushtaq Sukhera said the seminary was sealed last week because it was training students for jihad and spreading hate material. The panel, headed by Senator Tahir Mashadi, was discussing the issue of foreign funding to seminaries. The inspector-general informed the panel that they have rounded up the cleric and teachers running the seminary and have sealed its library. The move comes as part of a crackdown against hate material being distributed by seminaries. Sukhera told the Senate panel that the police is conducting further investigation into other seminaries affiliated with Red Mosque in Rahimyar Khan, Rajanpur and tribal areas of Dera Ghazi Khan division. The police official said that in order to carry out the crackdown on the seminary, they took aid from the federal government. — Express Tribune

UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Punjab varsity put on high alert after hate letter from IS LAHORE: Security around the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) on Wednesday was put on high alert by police after the university in Lahore received a threatening letter from the militant group IS. The letter threatened to attack the university with a suicide attack or a series of bombings, according to a police officer. UET public relations officer Dr Tanvir Qasim conﬁrmed the letter had been received via posted mail from an unidentiﬁed source. However, he said the contents of the letter were unknown to him. The letter UET sources claim the letter was received on Wednesday from unknown sources claiming to be from IS, threatening to attack hotels and the university campus after which security within the UET campus was put on high alert. Lahore police official, Dr Haider Ashraf, said security around the university has been increased with increased patrolling and checkpoints. Ashraf also said a search operation will be launched in the UET hostels later today to sweepcheck the premises. A hoax? However, he added that the letter could be a hoax, but this can only be ascertained after an investigation. Ashraf said till then, the threat would be taken seriously. The Civil Lines Police Division has also been asked to remain alert. Ashraf said that they will also launch a search operation in

University of Engineering and Technology public relations officer Dr Tanvir Qasim confirmed the letter had been received via posted mail from an unidentified source UET hostels later today to sweep check the premises. On the other hand, a police official revealed that the threat letter was a hoax to spread panic in city. Threat to Kinnard College In October 2014, a threat letter was handed over to guards of Kinnard College Lahore that later turned out to be a hoax. It also not the ﬁrst time that Lahore has come under the threat of IS presence. In November last year, Lahore police launched a manhunt to ﬁnd men who either belonged to IS, or those who aspired to be in IS after pamphlets, posters and stickers of IS were distributed on the boundary wall in parts of the city. The Lahore police then claimed that Lahore was ISfree, however this letter has raised concerns. Further, agencies have issued a list of various universities that are under threat, of which UET, according to sources, is not on that list. — Express Tribune

G I L G I T - B A LT I S TA N

‘Escaped prisoners brainwashed jailers’ GILGIT: Militants who escaped in the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) jailbreak had ‘brainwashed’ prison officials into helping them successfully escape, BBC Urdu reported on Wednesday. On February 26, four prisoners, including two involved in the Nanga Parbat attack on 10 foreign climbers, attempted to escape from G-B jail. During the jailbreak, one prisoner was shot dead while another was injured, whereas two managed to escape successfully. Rounded up Following the incident, authorities rounded up three head wardens, ﬁve wardens, one Frontier

Corps (FC) official, one police ofﬁcial and a dispensary in-charge. Close ties A member of the G-B jailbreak investigation team told BBC Urdu the details of the investigation showed that the prisoners had developed close ties with jail officials posted outside their barracks. They told them their reasons for taking arms against institutions and individuals who opposed their ideological viewpoint. The officer said that the investigation also showed that the prisoners aides were also in contact with jail officials and “took care of their needs.” — Express Tribune

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no one on board was injured, although one witness described how terriﬁed passengers leapt from their seats as the cabin ﬁlled with smoke after the plane skidded to a halt

KATHMANDU: A Turkish Airlines plane carrying 224 passengers had to be evacuated after it missed the runway on landing at Kathmandu airport on Wednesday and skidded onto nearby grassland. Aviation officials said no one on board was injured, although one witness described how terriﬁed passengers leapt from their seats as the cabin ﬁlled with smoke after the plane skid-

A1 5

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE: Passengers walk away from a Turkish Airlines plane after it skidded off the runway while landing at Kathmandu airport in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on Wednesday. — AFP

ded to a halt. Airport spokesman Purna Prasad Chudal said the pilot overshot the runway during an initial attempt to land, before making a second try that sent the plane skidding off the tarmac.

BEIJING’S SMOG WOES

A combination picture shows buildings on a sunny day, left, and a polluted day in Beijing. Pictures taken on December 19, 2014, left, and January 15, 2015, right. AwareSCAN THIS FOR MORE PHOTOS ness of the dangers of Beijing’s skies is on the rise, thanks to growing data on its air quality. China will ‘declare war on pollution’, Premier Li Keqiang told parliament in an opening address in 2014. A tougher environmental law took effect on January 1, while a new environment minister took charge on Friday. — Reuters

“As the plane approached, it somehow missed the runway and ended up in the grassland area,” said the airport’s general manager Birendra Prasad Shrestha. “All 224 passengers have been evacuated, no injuries, everyone is

safe,” Shrestha said. Chudal said the runway had been closed for international ﬂights as technicians worked to remove the damaged Airbus A330. “We’ve hauled in heavy equipment to move the aircraft,” he said.

Photographs on social media showed the jet with its nose to the ground, with local newspaper reports saying its landing gear appeared to have collapsed. Dikesh Malhotra, who was returning from a business trip, said the impact of the landing caused bags to fall on terriﬁed passengers, who clutched their seats, anxiously waiting for the plane to stop moving. “We could feel the tyres skid... I could see an air hostess from my seat, she had tears in her eyes,” Malhotra, 28, said. Chudal said officials would launch an investigation into the crash and question the pilot. “The plane had permission to land and while conditions were foggy earlier, visibility was ok,” Chudal said. “We are not sure how this happened.” The Himalayan nation is home to some of the world’s most remote and tricky runways, ﬂanked by snow-capped peaks and terrain that poses a challenge even for accomplished pilots. — AFP

MANILA: Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen said Wednesday he had found one of Japan’s biggest and most famous battleships on a Philippine seabed, some 70 years after American forces sank it during World War II. Excited historians likened the discovery, if verified, to finding the Titanic, as they hailed the American billionaire for his high-tech mission that apparently succeeded after so many failed search attempts by others. Allen posted photos and video online of parts of what he said was the battleship Musashi, found by his M/Y Octopus exploration vessel one kilometre (1.6 miles) deep on the floor of the Sibuyan Sea. “World War II battleship Musashi sank 1944 is found,” Allen announced in a Twitter post that has been re-tweeted close to 19,000 times. The discovery was the end of an eight-year search for the Musashi, backed by historical data from four countries and using “advanced technology” that surveyed the seabed, Allen said. —AFP

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CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

Type ............................Delivery...........Price

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.24 Pound ........................................... 1.70 Indian Rs ............................. 159.77 Pak Rs ...................................258.40 Bangla Taka.......................199.40

Indian Rs ................................... 161.30 Pakistan Rs ............................ 264.00 Sri Lanka Rs .......................... 343.65 Bangla Taka.............................201.70 Phil Peso .................................... 114.50

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......15.06

Oman Crude............. (Spot) .........$55.13 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$54.56 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$56.98 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) .........$57.43 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........$56.64 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$51.46

ECONOMY

India reduces interest rates on softening inflation NEW DELHI: India’s central bank governor Raghuram Rajan cut interest rates in an unscheduled move days after the government agreed for the first time to give the central bank a legal mandate to target inflation. Rajan, citing weakness in Asia’s third-largest economy, lowered the benchmark repurchase rate by a quarter percentage point to 7.5 per cent, the second such move this year. Economists at banks including Goldman Sachs had anticipated the Reserve bank of India (RBI) to hold off until the next meeting, on April 7. India’s move is the latest salvo in an onslaught of global easing outside the United States, with more than a dozen central banks adding stimulus so far this year. The decision also followed quickly on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agreement to a year-long quest by Rajan for a focus on price stability in the nation with one of Asia’s fastest inflation rates.

* Rates are as of March 3 Source: Bank Muscat

Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............146.50 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............ 139.00 * Rates as of March 4 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

Duqm staff residences to be ready by mid-2016 IN A NUTSHELL Duqm Permanent

Two contracts to be awarded next month

Renaissance expects OMR26 million additional revenue per annum once Duqm PAC becomes operational

$195 million to be funded by way of 30% equity and 70% debt

Topaz to face pressure on margin from West Africa

Accommodation for Contractors project is for bluecollar workers of contracting ﬁrms. It will create a modern, fully serviced living facility for more than 16,000 people

MODERN STAFF ACCOMMODATION: Renaissance Services is

building safe, attractive and modern staff accommodation for the comfort and convenience of workers, which will include accommodation, a mosque, medical clinics and retail outlets.– Supplied photo

working in Duqm

A. E. JAMES

Topaz listing after two years

businesseditor@timesofoman.com A. E. JAMES

Surprising “This makes explicit what was implicit before — that the government and the Reserve Bank have common objectives and that fiscal and monetary policy will work in a complementary way,” Rajan said in RBI statement, referring to the monetary policy framework agreement unveiled on Monday. Twelve of 15 economists surveyed after the budget predicted Rajan would reduce the repurchase rate only at the next scheduled review. Three saw the chance of a cut this month even after Modi postponed by a year a plan to narrow the fiscal deficit to 3 percent of gross domestic product. “The only rational explanation is that they wanted to immediately reward the government for signing the monetary policy framework document,” said Dariusz Kowalczyk, of Credit Agricole. - Agencies

* Rates as of March 4 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......14.85

DUQM: Duqm Permanent Accommodation for Contractors (PAC), a joint initiative of Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority and Renaissance Services for blue-collar workers of contracting ﬁrms, will be ready by mid-2016. As much as 85 per cent of the contracts, including two main construction packages awarded to Services and Trade and Al Hajiry, have already been awarded and two remaining packages worth OMR3.5 million — one for building a sewage treatment plant and another one for an 11KV ring main work (electric work) — will be awarded by next month. It is under evaluation at the moment. Additional revenue Renaissance expects OMR26 million additional revenue per annum from Duqm PAC — the largest project of its kind in the

Times News Service MUSCAT: Listing of Topaz Energy and Marine, a subsidiary of Renaissance Services, will be carried out in London market after two years at an appropriate time. Stephen R. Thomas, chief executive officer of Renaissance Services, said that the

Sultanate — once it becomes operational. The Duqm PAC project will create a modern, fully serviced living facility for over 16,000 people working in Duqm. As much as 12 per cent of the total work is complete now. The employees residing here will be the key human resources integral to the success of the

company was waiting for the right time to get maximum value for Topaz share offer. The company is waiting for an appropriate time to get maximum value that can be given back to Renaissance shareholders for their investment in Topaz, Stephen R. Thomas said, adding; “We are looking for another couple of years to build scale.”

Duqm Special Economic Zone, working on landmark projects such as the oil reﬁnery, port, dry dock, and international airport amongst others. Renaissance Services is building safe, attractive and modern staff residences for the comfort and convenience of workers which will include accommodation, a mosque, medical

clinics and retail outlets. Project funding Addressing the media here, Stephen R. Thomas, chief executive officer of Renaissance Services, said that the $195 million project would be funded by way of 30 per cent equity and 70 per cent debt. “We are currently ﬁnancing it directly. We are about to ﬁnish the banking side of it. We have a consortium of Omani banks (who are funding the project),” added Thomas. He was addressing the media on the sidelines of a visit by Yahya bin Said Al Jabri, chairman of Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (Sezad) at the Duqm PAC project site. Renaissance has formed a special purpose vehicle (SPV) company to own and develop the project, Renaissance Duqm Holding Company. Renaissance holds 51.9 per cent shares with the balance 48.1 per cent held by Royal Court Affairs, Ministry of Defence Pension Fund, Al Khonji Development and Bank Muscat. Referring to the anticipated demand for workers’ accommodation in Duqm, the Renaissance chief said that the demand would

be mainly from EPC contractors of major projects like Duqm Refinery. “We looked at 1,600 as long-term sustainable number, based on the existing projects in Duqm. At the moment, there is no affordable workforce accommodation in Duqm.” The cost of the facility is less than staying in a temporary porta cabin. Renaissance is working with 14 local community firms and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and awarded works worth over OMR1 million till January this year. The company has also hired 50 people from Haima. Oil impact Responding to a question on whether the recent fall in oil prices has any impact on the company’s business, he said that in the case of Topaz, there is stability in two areas the Caspian and Arabian Gulf (Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE). “Our fleet is already engaged in long-term sustainable contract. So, they are not affected by the oil price plunge.” However, the company expects pressure on margin from West Africa (which was identified as a key area) side of Topaz business. Also, he said, Renaissance plans to develop more build-on-operate projects like Duqm PAC. The company also plans to ramp up its integrated facilities management capabilities, especially in markets like the UAE. Al Jabri, along with other dignitaries, toured the site which first broke ground on March 26 last year and on completion will provide a comprehensive accommodation solution for employees in various job categories.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

MARKET Omani stone firms headed for China Times News Service

Ithraa is taking a group of six marble and stone producers to exhibit at the Xiamen International Stone Fair in China, from March 6 to 9, in an attempt to win export orders

MUSCAT: Ithraa is taking a group of six Omani marble and stone producers to exhibit at the Xiamen International Stone Fair in China, from March 6 to 9, in an effort to capitalise on the construction boom. Global construction is expected to rise by more than 70 per cent to $15 trillion or 13.5 per cent of global GDP by 2025 and China will account for a quarter of that. The four-day fair is expected to bring together over 2,000 of the world’s leading stone suppliers. Nasima Al Balushi, Ithraa’s director general of Export Development, said: “If Omani stone and marble producers want to get a strong foothold in Asia, then

Xiamen is the right trade show to achieve that. It is estimated that by 2030 more than 55 per cent of Asia’s population will live in cities. The building industry in these emerging markets is growing and we want our producers to get a

slice of that business.” Fuelled by a revival in the demand for natural stone over the past ten years, the industry has seen sharp rises in output production. For the ﬁrst time in its history, stone and marble are everywhere — from ofﬁce buildings, airports, hotels to private homes. Joining Ithraa in Xiamen will be representatives from Al Rawas Stone & Granite; Al Turki Enterprises; Hamood Al Rashidi & Bros Trading; Gulf Mining Materials; Al Shanfari Marble; and Al-Zerabi Trading Establishment. “Participating in Xiamen gives us an extraordinary opportunity to tap into one of the world’s fastest growing markets, meet with existing clients as well as forge ties with

new customers. From a marketing perspective, it is a highly important trade show and we have every intention of maximising our participation and wining new business,” remarked Bernardo Garcia, marketing manage, Al Rawas Marble & Granite. Trade fair in Italy In September 2014, the Sultanate participated at the 49th annual International Trade Fair for Stone Design and Technology (Marmomacc) held in Verona, Italy, where local companies secured over export 100 orders. The agreements each worth between $7,000 and $12,000 saw Omani marble exported to Denmark, Italy, Tunisia, Spain and Egypt.

“Even with these encouraging ﬁgures, we cannot be complacent, there is a lot of competition out there and it will be on show in Xiamen. But our producers have the technology, environmental awareness, competitive pricing and superior product to succeed in today’s highly competitive stone and marble industry. Indeed, I am very optimistic about our participation in Xiamen and the future of Oman’s stone and marble sector,” said Al Balushi.

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S TAT E - O F - T H E -A R T

Bank Muscat’s biometric ID system gets good response has made Bank Muscat the flagship bank in Oman.” “Our ability and flexibility to adapt, innovate and provide customised solutions have made us unique in the market. The bank’s dynamic ‘Let’s Do More’ vision reflects the readiness to leverage on investments in state-of-theart technology and services to further increase efficiency and improve customer service. Bank Muscat enjoys an edge in hi-tech products and services in tune with the country moving towards e-governance,” he added.

Times News Service MUSCAT: A state-of-the-art biometric identification system launched by Bank Muscat in collaboration with the Royal Oman Police has evoked high appreciation in view of enhancing customer service in branch transactions. The biometric system compatible with the Sultanate’s national identification card (NID) is the first of its kind in the banking sector in Oman. The unique biometric identification system available across the bank’s network of 139 branches provides the latest solution in national identity for banking services. Aimed at improving efficiency and speed of transaction processing, the NID enables accurate data capture during banking transactions, especially when opening new accounts. The facility enhances customer experience with a one-touch customer identification and transaction authentication process. In line with the e-governance initiative of the government, the new facility is faster, convenient and risk free for secure banking transactions. Bank Muscat collaborated with the ROP in introducing the biometric system in all branches, aimed at enhancing secure service to customers and the general public. The facility underscores the bank’s commitment to investment in latest technologies

Saleh Al Maaini. – Supplied photo

to provide innovative services. Innovative systems Saleh Al Maaini, senior regional manager – North & West Muscat, South Batinah & Dhahirah regions, said: “As the flagship bank in Oman, Bank Muscat is focused on introducing innovative systems defining new trends in banking services and improving customer experience. The biometric system reflects our commitment to provide the ‘best in class’ service as Bank Muscat continues to invest in cutting edge technology and IT infrastructure. It is this dedication and commitment to service that

One-touch process To authenticate banking transactions at Bank Muscat branches, the national identification card is required to be inserted in the biometric machine and customers have to validate their identity by scanning their finger print on the machine. The onetouch process is convenient, faster and risk-free for secure transactions. The unique facility is available across the entire network of Bank Muscat branches in the Sultanate. Bank Muscat remains committed to excellence in providing innovative banking solutions. A keen perception of customer requirements has enabled the bank to develop products and services in line with the current and emerging needs. Continuous innovation of products has resulted in customers reaping valuable benefits.

C A M PA I G N

Omani products exhibition in Sohar targets GCC market on high quality national products and their ability to compete locally and abroad simultaneously. The ‘Omani’ campaign encourages consumers, whether individuals or institutions, to purchase local products and services, and eventually support the national economy and generate loyalty to locally manufactured products and services.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Omani Products Exhibition will be held at Oman International Exhibition Centre in Sohar from March 10 to 12. The opening ceremony will be patronised over by Sheikh Muhanna bin Saif Al Lamki, governor of Al Batinah North. The event is a part of a series of exhibitions of the Omani Products Campaign ‘Omani 2015’, the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), in cooperation with Silver Star Corporation. Omani Products Exhibition in Sohar aims at offering a perfect gateway to reach to highly potential markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) area. The products exhibition at showcasing quality machinery,

Sheikh Muhanna bin Saif Al Lamki. – Supplied photo

products, services and technology of international standard at competitive prices. PEIE aspires through this exhibition to disseminate awareness

Local goods The campaign of promoting locally manufactured products is a national initiative designed to encourage consumers and organisations to buy Oman made goods and services wherever possible, promote national pride in the manufacturing industry and highlight the economic importance of buying Oman made products.

T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5

MARKET MSM index ends lower

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................6,566.57 .............. 6,543.90 ...................6,543.90 ...................6,566.57................-22.67 .................. -0.35 Financial Index .................................... 8,206.49 ...............8,159.84 ....................8,159.84 ...................8,206.49................-46.65 .................. -0.57 Industrial Index ....................................8,689.57 ...............8,626.70 ................... 8,626.70 ...................8,689.43................-62.73 .................. -0.72 Services Index ...................................... 3,548.52 ...............3,542.78 ...................3,543.29 ...................3,548.52.................. -5.23 .................. -0.15 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................997.28 ..................994.66 ...................... 994.66 ...................... 997.28..................-2.62 .................. -0.26 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 12,612,198 ................... 3,716,881 .....................814 ............... 15,102,691,338 .................. 6 ......................15 .................... 23 .........................44

The top gainer was Gulf International Chemicals, up by 2.56 per cent, while Voltamp Energy, down by 5.90 per cent, lost the most

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 ISIN ..................................................SECURITY NAME ...............................................................................................VOLUME ..............TURNOVER...................TRADES ...........OPEN PRICE............. HIGH....................LOW...............CLOSE PR. ..........PREV. CLOSE..........DIFF (RO) .................DIFF %......................LAST PR...............LAST BID.....................LAST OFFER .................MARKET CAP ........PAR VALUE

REGULAR MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............ 398,515.............95,618.....................44 ........... 0.240........... 0.241 ...........0.238........... 0.240 .............0.234 ........... 0.006.............2.564 ................0.238..............0.238...................0.240 ...................5,040,000 ..........0.100

MUSCAT: MSM 30 Index ended lower at 6,543.90 points, down by 0.35 per cent. The MSM Shariah Index closed at 994.66 points, showing a fall of 0.26 per cent. Al Anwar Holding was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. The top gainer of was Gulf International Chemicals, up by 2.56 per cent, while Voltamp Energy, down by 5.90 per cent, lost the most. As many as 814 trades were executed in the session generating a turnover of OMR3.76 million with more than 12.61 million shares changing hands. Out of 44 traded stocks, 6 advanced, 15 declined and 23 remained unchanged. At the close of the session, Omani investors switched to net buyers to the tune of OMR237,000, followed by GCC & Arab investors a OMR103,000, while foreign Investors sold shares amounting to OMR340,000. Financial Index ended the day at 8,159.84 points, down by 0.57 per cent. Oman& Emriates, Gulf Investment Services, Al Izz Islamic Bank and Al Anwar Holding declined by 4.08 per cent, 3.61 per cent, 2.22 per cent and 1.76 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index was down by 0.72 per cent to close at 8,626.70 points. Gulf International Chemicals was the only gainer and was up by 2.56 per cent to close at 238 baisas. Voltamp Energy, Galfar Engineering, Raysut Cement and Al Anwar Ceramic fell by 5.91 per cent, 3.25 per cent, 0.57 per cent and 0.40 per cent respectively. Services Sector Index closed at 3,543.29 points, down by 0.15 per cent. Al Suwadi Power and Sembcorp Salalah increased by 0.55 per cent and 0.22 per cent respectively. National Gas, Oreedoo Oman and Port Services Corporation declined by 3.51 per cent, 0.55 per cent and 0.33 per cent respectively. Emerging stocks fall Emerging-market stocks fell for a fourth day as PetroChina led energy companies lower and ﬁnancial shares dropped. Russia’s ruble rose with bonds, while the zloty weakened after Poland’s central bank cut its main rate to a record low. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index declined 0.7 per cent to 979.64 in London, set for the lowest close since February 12. - United Securities/Bloomberg News

OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE .................................15,000 ...............5,340........................1 ........... 0.356 ........... 0.356 ...........0.356........... 0.356 .............0.356 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.356............. 0.340...................0.356...................35,600,000.........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ............................................................46,035 .............23,744........................6 ............0.512 ........... 0.516 ...........0.512 ............0.516 ............. 0.516............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.516 ..............0.500...................0.526.................. 170,730,318 ........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 143,079............... 9,729......................16 ........... 0.068 ...........0.068 ...........0.068........... 0.068 .............0.068 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.068..............0.067...................0.068...................14,086,294.........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 131,650 ............ 46,386........................9 ........... 0.352 ...........0.354 ...........0.352........... 0.352 .............0.352 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.352..............0.350...................0.352...................43,964,082.........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ......................................................................23,330 ...............4,936........................2 ............0.212 ........... 0.212 ...........0.209 .......... 0.212 .............0.212 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.209.............. 0.195...................0.210..................274,643,330 .......0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ...........................................80 .................. 160........................1 ........... 2.000...........2.000 ...........2.000 .......... 2.000 .............2.000 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.000 ............ 2.000...................2.200 ................ 190,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE .......................................................14,000 ...............2,077........................5 ............0.148 ........... 0.149 ...........0.148 ........... 0.148 .............0.148............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.149 ..............0.148...................0.149...................40,701,957 .........0.100 OM0000002572 ...........OMAN OIL MARKETING ...........................................16,171 .............36,061........................5 ........... 2.230 ...........2.230 ...........2.230 .......... 2.230 .............2.230 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.230............. 0.000...................2.230 .................136,643,250........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 241,418..........423,437......................41 ............1.755 ........... 1.760............1.750 ............1.755 ............. 1.755 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.750 .............. 1.750...................1.760 ................1,316,250,000 ......0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................ 1,070,000 .......117,700......................21 ............0.110 ........... 0.110............0.110 ............0.110 ............. 0.110............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.110 ..............0.107...................0.110 .................. 22,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ......................................... 3,627 ............... 1,596........................8 ........... 0.440...........0.440 ...........0.440 .......... 0.440 .............0.440 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.440..............0.420...................0.440 .................124,121,560 ........0.100 OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE ..................................................... 7,800 ............... 1,295........................1 ............0.166 ........... 0.166 ...........0.166 ............0.166 ............. 0.166............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.166 .............. 0.163...................0.166...................42,095,940.........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER....................................................................319 ...................119........................2 ............0.374 ........... 0.374 ...........0.372........... 0.372 .............0.372 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.372..............0.374...................0.378...................82,215,720 .........0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION .........................26,500 ............... 7,935........................6 ........... 0.300...........0.302 ...........0.298........... 0.299 .............0.300 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.333 ...............0.302............. 0.300...................0.306 ..................28,416,960 .........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 143,489 ........... 70,952......................21 ........... 0.496 ...........0.496 ...........0.494........... 0.494 .............0.496 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.403 ...............0.494..............0.494...................0.496..................121,941,299 ........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 205,000............73,910........................5 ........... 0.362 ...........0.362 ...........0.360........... 0.360 .............0.362 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.552 ...............0.360..............0.358...................0.360 .................438,777,900........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 405,879 .........292,233..................... 26 ............0.720 ........... 0.720 ...........0.720........... 0.720 .............0.724 ...........-0.004 ........... -0.552 ...............0.720.............. 0.716...................0.720..................468,679,846 .......0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ........................................................ 16,350 ............ 28,556........................3 ............1.750 ........... 1.750............ 1.745 ............1.745 ............. 1.755 ............-0.010 ........... -0.570 ............... 1.745 ............. 0.000................... 1.745 ................. 349,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 1,047,657 ......623,055...................146 ........... 0.598 ........... 0.598 ...........0.592........... 0.594 .............0.598 ...........-0.004 ........... -0.669 ...............0.592..............0.590...................0.592................ 1,296,516,784 ......0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 230,000 ...........48,500........................7 ............0.212 ........... 0.212 ...........0.210............0.211 .............0.214 ...........-0.003 ........... -1.402 ...............0.210..............0.210...................0.212................. 241,384,000 .......0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 3,833,300... 1,071,352................... 167 ........... 0.283 ...........0.283 ...........0.274........... 0.279 .............0.284 ...........-0.005 ............-1.761 ................0.274..............0.272...................0.275...................36,409,500.........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 351,667............ 52,536..................... 43 ............0.154 ........... 0.154 ...........0.145 ........... 0.149 .............0.154............-0.005 ........... -3.247 ...............0.145 .............. 0.145...................0.147................... 39,279,195 .........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ........................................................... 157,600 ............ 69,409.....................42 ........... 0.454 ...........0.454 ...........0.430........... 0.440 .............0.456 ...........-0.016 ........... -3.509 ...............0.432..............0.440...................0.450...................20,047,022.........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 877,425.......... 140,565..................... 35 ............0.164 ........... 0.164 ...........0.155 ........... 0.160 ............. 0.166............-0.006 ............-3.614................0.155 .............. 0.155...................0.160.................... 9,414,915 ..........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 300,250 ........... 42,216......................12 ............0.141 ........... 0.144 ...........0.140............0.141 ............. 0.147............-0.006 ........... -4.082 ...............0.140.............. 0.138...................0.140................... 17,184,375 .........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ..................................................... 14,170 ...............5,878........................8 ........... 0.396 ........... 0.418 ...........0.396........... 0.414 .............0.440 ...........-0.026 ........... -5.909 ...............0.418 .............. 0.418...................0.438...................25,047,000.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 9,720,311..........3,295,296.............683 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......27........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ....................................................10,000 ...............1,820........................3 ............0.182 ........... 0.182 ...........0.182........... 0.182 ............. 0.181.............0.001 ............. 0.552 ................0.182 .............. 0.181...................0.182..................130,021,954 ........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH...................................................1,468 ............... 3,391........................2 ............2.310 ........... 2.310 ...........2.310........... 2.310 .............2.305 ........... 0.005............. 0.217 ................2.310..............2.310...................2.480 .................220,506,120 .......1.000 OM0000001269............COMPUTER STATIONERY IND. ..................................100 .....................28........................1 ............0.281 ........... 0.281 ...........0.281 ........... 0.279 .............0.279 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.281 ..............0.281...................0.000 ...................2,790,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ......................4,900 ...................181........................1 ........... 0.037 ........... 0.037 ...........0.037........... 0.037 .............0.037 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.037..............0.037...................0.039.................... 3,145,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002333 ...........SALALAH PORT SERVICES ..................................... 38,331 ............ 24,838........................1 ........... 0.648 ...........0.648 ...........0.648........... 0.648 .............0.648 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.648............. 0.000...................0.660 .................116,534,635 ........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.......................................... 110 .....................14........................1 ............0.130 ........... 0.130 ...........0.130........... 0.130 .............0.130............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.130 .............. 0.125...................0.130.................... 9,777,040 ..........0.100

NEW ROLE

OM0000003083 ...........AL KAMIL POWER ...................................................... 30,000 ...............9,360........................3 ............0.312 ........... 0.312 ...........0.312 ........... 0.312 .............0.312............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.312 ..............0.312...................0.314...................30,030,000.........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 140,255 ............12,583........................5 ........... 0.090 ...........0.090 ...........0.089........... 0.090 .............0.090 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.090..............0.090...................0.091..................135,000,000 .......0.100

Shanfari appointed CEO

OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................. 20,000 ...............3,620........................3 ............0.181 ........... 0.181............0.181 ............0.181 ............. 0.181 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.181 .............. 0.181...................0.182..................122,154,625 ........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ..................................................90,602 ............ 55,086.....................44 ........... 0.608 ...........0.608 ...........0.608........... 0.608 .............0.608 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.608..............0.608...................0.612...................30,400,000 ........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK............................................... 30,400 ...............2,675........................6 ........... 0.088 ...........0.088 ...........0.088........... 0.088 .............0.090 ...........-0.002 ........... -2.222 ...............0.088..............0.086...................0.088...................88,000,000 ........0.100

Times News Service

OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES .......................................................47,500 ...............3,160........................5 ........... 0.068 ...........0.068 ...........0.066........... 0.067 .............0.069 ...........-0.002 ........... -2.899 ...............0.066..............0.065...................0.066....................8,375,000 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 413,666 ..........116,757..................... 75 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Dr Dhaﬁr bin Awad bin Bader Al Shanfari – Supplied photo

MUSCAT: Dr Dhaﬁr bin Awad bin Bader Al Shanfari has been appointed chief executive officer of Oman Partnership for Development Authority. Meanwhile, the council of trustees has approved the budget and programmes for the year, focusing on three strategic projects — training, aviation and marine ﬁsheries resource development.

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......12........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET ........................................................................................................................................................................................ OM0000004602 ...........BANK MUSCAT CONV. BONDS 4.5 ...................... 382,552 ........... 40,196......................17 ............0.104 ........... 0.107 ...........0.104........... 0.105 .............0.103............ 0.002............. 1.942 ................0.107 ..............0.107...................0.110 ................... 31,788,657 .........0.100 OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 ......................................... 1,707,394.......180,267..................... 25 ............0.105 ........... 0.108 ...........0.105 ........... 0.106 .............0.105.............0.001 ............. 0.952 ................0.108..............0.107...................0.109...................33,882,124 .........0.100 OM0000004487 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES BONDS3.75 ............ 346,773 ............41,613..................... 10 ............0.120 ........... 0.120 ...........0.120........... 0.120 ............. 0.119 .............0.001 .............0.840 ................0.120..............0.120...................0.122................... 50,777,001 .........0.100 OM0000003810............BANK MUSCAT SUBORDINATED BONDS ....... 40,000 ............42,600........................3 ............1.065 ........... 1.065 ...........1.065 ............1.065 ............. 1.065............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.065 .............. 1.065...................0.000 ..................79,875,000 .........1.000 OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ............................................ 1,502 ...................152........................1 ............0.101 ........... 0.101............0.101 ............0.101 ............. 0.101............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.101 .............. 0.101...................0.103.................... 7,221,500 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,478,221 ......304,828..................... 56 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 5........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

INDIAN MARKETS

Indian stocks fall, rupee dips MUMBAI: The Sensex on Wednesday made history by surpassing 30,000-level after India’s central bank announced a surprise rate cut within days of the budget but the benchmark wiped off all gains to end with a 213-point loss on heavy proﬁt-booking. The Bombay Stock Exchange Sensex resumed at 29,937.27 and then hit its all-time record high of 30,024.74 within minutes but slowly lost all early gains. Bank-

ing, metal, power and auto shares faced the brunt of proﬁt-booking with investors, both domestic and foreign, taking money off the table following recent gains. In the last 90 minutes, the Sensex even touched the Wednesday’s low of 29,289.05, down over 700 points from the high. It settled a tad better at 29,380.73, still down 213 points or 0.72 per cent. With this, it snapped a four-day rise.

One-week low Sliding for the fourth consecutive session, rupee dipped to a oneweek low by losing 33 paise to end at 62.25 against the dollar following heavy demand for the American currency amid sharp sell-off in equities. It had opened sharply higher at 61.67 a dollar — its highest level in one-month at the Interbank forex market after RBI cut its benchmark rate. - PTI

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

FEATURE

s Premier Li Keqiang guides China toward lower growth rates, economists everywhere are grappling with this question: How sl ow is too slow for the world’s secondbiggest economy? Number-crunchers have traditionally believed that China must grow at least 7 percent to 8 percent annually to generate enough jobs and prosperity to keep protesters from flooding Tiananmen Square. But what if China is already operating at a significantly lower rate of output – more like around 5 percent – without a significant uptick in unrest? And what might that mean for Asia’s economic outlook over the next five years?

China’s Pain Points The consultancy Oxford Economics has created a “Li Index” that tries to estimate Chinese growth by using measures such as electricity output, credit growth and rail freight. Contrary to the official headline GDP number, those data suggest Chinese gross domestic product growth has been stumbling along under 5 percent for a few months now. While some may quibble with the index’s emphasis on heavy industry, the fact is that official Chinese GDP and trade data aren’t a whole lot more reliable. If Oxford is right, that means there may be a much lower threshold for preserving social stability in China than previously assumed. The consultancy’s explanation,

while highly technical, boils down to this: China’s shrinking population and the slowing of migration to cities means there are enough jobs to go around, even as GDP growth also eases. “With population growth slowing, in particular growth in the working-age population, the rate of growth needed to preserve urban employment is likely to slow to around 5 percent by 2020,” says Oxford’s Clare Howarth. While the United Nations claims China’s working-age population won’t start shrinking until 2016, econometric analysis suggests otherwise. Between 1979 and 2013, for example, urban employment grew about 3.7 percent a year relative to GDP growth of about 9.8 percent.

That encouraged the view that high growth rates were needed to generate acceptable levels of employment and maintain stability. As recently as 2013, Li indicated that growth well above 7 percent remained a critical priority for Beijing. Now, though, as I noted in an earlier piece, labor scarcity in cities is leading to big wage gains for lower-income workers. China may run out of cheap labor sooner than anticipated; the evidence points to urban population growth approaching only the 2 percent mark between 2014 and 2020. At the same time, there’s ample reason to believe China’s GDP is already overstated, as Oxford claims. The ratio of urban employment growth to GDP needed to avert protests

may thus also be exaggerated. It’s entirely possible that urban population dynamics – and social stability – over the next several years can be sustained by 4.5 percent to 5 percent growth. This is both bad news and good news for the global economy. Bad news, because a Chinese slowdown will rob the world of another vital growth engine amid already tepid demand. Good news, because Li and Xi Jinping have more latitude to rebalance the economy. They’ll need to take advantage of that opportunity, though. Middle-class incomes are stagnating in China. Unless the country can create better-paying jobs, particularly in the services sector, this period of labour calm won’t last forever. - Bloomberg News

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ROUND-UP

All-new Kia ‘Hawk-eyed Sorento’ launched in Sultanate of Oman

The third-generation version of Sorento, Kia’s popular SUV, is a unique blend of style, conﬁdence and practical technology

MUSCAT: At a specially organised event at Muscat, the all-new, third generation Kia Sorento 7 seater SUV was formally launched in Oman. Speaking on the occasion, S. M. Kim, deputy general manager, Kia Middle East & Africa remarked, “Kia Motors continues to cement its position as one of the world’s fastest growing auto brand. Kia plans to leverage its strong dynamic and stylish product identity with

the exciting features in their cars to realise its vision to become the most desirable brand.” Earlier during the day, representatives from various reputed magazines and newspaper publications took part in the local journalists test drive event for new Sorento organised on the route to Sidab-Shangri-la’s Barr Al Jissah. This was followed by the launch event at Kia showroom in the evening where esteemed customers of Kia were invited to get a first look of the new Sorento, says a press release. The third-generation version of Sorento, Kia’s popular SUV is a unique blend of style, confidence and practical technology. Its smoother, swept-back profile and deeply sculpted surfaces introduce a greater level of sophistication. The cabin has a ‘Premium’ feel with space for up to seven occupants and numerous innovative features. The designers of the Kia Sorento named their inspiration for the new car as ‘Streetwolf ’. Although the styling changes are

evolutionary, they subtly alter the character of the new Sorento, highlighting its sleek, sinuous proﬁle, while creating a sophisticated appearance and ensuring the new model has a bolder onthe-road presence. It comes with class leading 19” chrome alloy wheels in its top grade. Modern luxury feel The styling of the cabin follows a ‘modern and wide’ theme. This is evident through the horizontal layout of the instrument cluster, interior trim and the wrap-around dashboard, which extends into the door trims. A higher proportion of soft-touch materials and leather creates a modern luxury feel to the cabin and gives the new Sorento the ambience of a genuinely premium interior space. This 7-seater AWD also has class leading space bigger than its competitors. One of the most distinctive interior styling features is the Swiss watch-inspired user interface, which incorporates Kia’s latest HMI (human-machine interface)

technologies, surrounded by a new silver-look frame. The Smart Power Tailgate automatically opens when the key is ‘sensed’ in close proximity to the trunk, so owners can load their shopping bags or heavy objects straight into the vehicle. The rear tailgate opens automatically when the Smart Key is detected nearby for 3 seconds or more and closes with a simple push of a button. A new 7-inch color TFT LCD screen, with an electro-luminescent instrument cluster and digital speedometer, further improves the modern form and function of the interior while displaying all relevant journey information which the driver can select from the multi-function steering wheel. Arabic language interface in the supervision cluster can be chosen by the driver for better localisation. Two engines are available with the new Sorento, offering power outputs ranging from 169 to 267 hp including 2.4-litre and 3.3-litre multi-point injection (MPI) engines. The all-new Sorento is

LANDMARK EVENT

Khimji’s Travel Fest to be held on March 14 MUSCAT: Khimji’s House of Travel, the flagship brand for Travel and Tourism Services in the country, has announced the Khimji’s Travel Fest on Saturday March 14 at the Crowne Plaza. This one-day event will be a first-of-its-kind ever to be organised by an established private travel company. Twenty of the world’s famous tourism boards and hotel chains will offer the public a chance to avail exclusive deals and offers, says a press release. “Khimji’s Travel Fest 2015 will be a landmark event not only for our travel agency but also for the travel management services and leisure solutions in the country. Our aim is to maximise customer satisfaction through our dedicated service offerings and professional approach, said, Nailesh Khimji, director, Khimji Ramdas. The big question as the holiday season approaches is “Where are you travelling to this summer”? Khimji’s Fest 2015 has the answers custom-fit just for you. Tourism Board representatives from the Seychelles, Hamburg, Malaysia, and Abu Dhabi; Luxury hotel chains including Taj Group, Peninsula Group, Jumeirah Group will also make their presence felt. Minor group of hotels from the Far East and the Steinberger group of hotels from Germany will also be present at the fest. “Since our inception in 2009, we have built strong partnerships with corporate houses and customers alike to offer a uniform, top-quality service on a global

Khimji’s Travel Fest 2015 will be a landmark event not only for our travel agency but also for the travel management services and leisure solutions in the country. Our aim is to maximise customer satisfaction through our dedicated service offerings and professional approach Nailesh Khimj

Director, Khimji Ramdas

scale. We will continue to delight the people of Oman with many more events in the future. "We invite the people of Oman to experience ﬁrst hand the ex-

EXCLUSIVE OFFERS: Twenty of the world’s famous tourism boards and hotel chains will offer the public a chance to avail themselves of exclusive deals and offers. – Jun Estrada/TIMES OF OMAN

citing tourism products, packages and attractions from 20 of the worlds best exhibitors at the Khimji’s Travel Fest 2015,” said, M. C. Jose, CEO of KR Projects & Logistics Group. Save the date Elaborating further on the subject, Cashio Vettom, Sr. Divisional Manager, House of Travel, said, “Khimji’s Travel Fest 2015 will offer value and choice for those who are planning their travel itinerary for summer or winter holidays. A relaxing holiday starts with choosing a right partner to plan your dream vacation. If you are craving for the best one off deals, save the date for a rendezvous with us and travel the globe instyle. Customers can dial KR Tollfree 80075000 to get information

on the event.” Khimji’s Travel Fest 2015 will offer customers discounted shopping vouchers in Europe, access to value added products like sporting events, live concert tickets from across the world. Special deals will be available for children on Disneyland Paris and Disney Cruises. Cruise lovers can avail the expertise of our cruise holiday experts at the Costa Cruise stand. “Swisstours” will be a one stop shop for all clients interested in holidaying in Switzerland. Those who wish to make new friends, and travel with other like minded people, can visit our experts at the KUONI-SOTC stand. Offering detailed itineraries to the Far East, Europe, USA and Australia SOTC is offering some exciting deals for the day.

designed to offer greater mid- and low-range torque, providing the smooth operation that drivers would expect from an SUV. The all-new Sorento’s Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system helps ensure the car remains stable when simultaneously braking and cornering, particularly on low-grip surfaces, by carefully controlling both the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and R-MDPS. Both systems are activated as soon as the car’s sensors detect a loss in traction, helping the driver to remain safely in control of the vehicle. The Sorento offers 6 air bags — driver, front passenger, two frontside and two side-curtain airbags to help protect occupants and potentially reduce injuries in the event of collision. It also features Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), one can engage the parking brake simply by operating a button and be certain of whether its properly engaged or not. The Sorento uses more than 53% Advanced High Strength Steel

(AHSS). This exceptional steel reinforces the front, rear and sides as well as High stress points throughout the body. AHSS having much higher tensile strength greatly improves the collision safety ratings, very low cabin noise, longer durability along with considerable weight reduction. The third generation Sorento has a wealth of ‘active’ safety technologies; BSD (Blind-Spot Detection); Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFLS) which steer headlamps in the direction of the steering for making improved night time viewing; and RCTA (Rear Cross-Traffic Alert), which warns against other cars driving behind the Sorento in car parks. The all-new Kia Sorento has been awarded a ‘Top Safety Pick’ rating by the USA’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) – an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organisation dedicated to road safety. The all-new Sorento has already been awarded the maximum five-star crash safety rating by Euro NCAP.

THU RSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

ROUND-UP NBO launches two new leadership programmes Forming part of the bank’s wider talent and leadership development framework, the new Gold and Silver Leadership Programmes have been created to identify and develop the next generation of middle management and junior level talent respectively

MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman’s in-house training division, the Academy of Excellence, has launched two new programmes designed to increase the pool of talent available to ﬁll senior leadership roles over the medium- to long-term. Forming part of the bank’s wider talent and leadership development framework, the new Gold and Silver Leadership Programmes have been created to identify and develop the next generation of middle management and junior level talent respectively. The programme provides a structured career development plan and fast-track development opportunities to employees, says a press release. Achieving a place on the pro-

gramme will be a signiﬁcant testament to a candidate’s leadership potential as it can only be earned following a rigorous testing and selection process at the bank’s Assessment Centre. Alongside supporting individual employees to reach their full professional potential, the Gold and Silver Leadership Programmes will also proactively ensure the bank is able to call upon a deep and sustainable bench of employees to seamlessly ﬁll existing and new leadership roles as they become available or are created over time. “National Bank of Oman is committed to developing and promoting Omani talent in line with the Sultanate’s Omanisation efforts. By creating an enabling en-

vironment where young talent is encouraged to ﬂourish, we will ensure that future generations of Omanis at National Bank of Oman have the best possible opportunity to fulﬁl their potential. This is another important step on our transformational journey to be the ‘Bank of Choice’ for our customers, partners and employees,” said, Ahmed Al Musalmi, chief executive officer of NBO. Talent management “National Bank of Oman believes in the importance of talent management and aspire to employ the best talent from Oman and abroad. We take an enormous pride in our proven ability to identify, develop and promote talented individuals from within the organisation. The Gold and Silver Leadership Programmes are important ena-

H E A LT H C A R E

blers to help us unlock the endless potential of our workforce,” said, Nasser Al Hajri, general manager – Chief Human Resource Officer and Head of Corporate Affairs at National Bank of Oman. National Bank of Oman’s Academy of Excellence delivers a comprehensive set of high-quality technical and soft-skill courses aimed at various divisions and levels, and is spearheading the bank’s transformation journey. The sector-leading training courses are carefully designed to reﬁne the skills and competencies of employees across all departments. The bank’s commitment to training and development was recognised by the World HRD Congress, when it awarded the bank the ‘Asian HR Leadership Award 2013’ for its achievements in the human resource ﬁelds.

FA S H I O N S TAT E M E N T

Centrepoint unveils spring collection MUSCAT: With spring fast approaching its time to ditch the sombre darker shades and revitalise your wardrobe with a dash of colour. Be at the centre of choice and fun this spring with Centrepoint’s latest collection sure to add that spark of energy into your wardrobe and your home, says a press release. For parents looking for practical yet fun outfits for their kids this spring, Babyshop presents an entire range of outfits for the young ones under the theme ‘Back to Nature’. Spring is the time of the year when children are most likely to explore nature and play in the wilderness, Babyshop’s collection is specifically designed to let them do so with ease. Babyshop has also added new licensed brands to their instore collection including Moodstreet, NONO, Longboard, LEGO Wear and Hot Wheels. If you are looking to add sparks of colour to your own wardrobe, Splash has launched an impressive line of ready-to-wear for both men and women. Nautical prints and colours are a classic for spring and women can choose from a variety of summer dresses, pencil skirts, maxi dresses and peplum tops that incorporate tones of whites, pinks, royal blue and sky blue. For those looking for a more classic look, monochrome crop tops, shorts and dresses are

the best bet within the collection. A third option for women is to go retro with feminine fabrics such as lace, jacquard and bonded jerseys in shades of green, grey, yellow and pink. Shoemart has a range of offerings for men, women and children this season. A theme that runs throughout the collection is a striking offering of pastel shades. For women looking for the best seasonal accessories, Celeste’s range of bangles and bracelets with ﬂoral embellishments are sure to be a must have for this Spring-Summer. Bags and clutches incorporate popular pastel shades such as blue, ivory and lavender. Dazzle your loved ones with cosmetics and perfumes available at Lifestyle. Cosmetics include striking red lipsticks and bronze toned eye shadows along with dark black liquid eyeliners.

EXHIBITION

Lifeline Hospital Salalah is set Australian artist’s paintings to host health camp tomorrow showcases Oman’s beauty SALALAH: In continuing to do their bit towards increasing the health awareness of the people in the region, Lifeline Hospital Salalah will be organising a free health camp tomorrow. Supported by the Blood Bank Team of Salalah and Sultan Qaboos Hospital, Lifeline Hospital will also be conducting a blood donation drive during the health camp, says a press release. A team of specialist doctors, consultants, nurses and volunteers will conduct free consultations and checkups in blood pressure, blood sugar, and BMI to create awareness about diabetes and hypertension which has a high incidence in the region. As part of the health camp, hospital brochures and health packages will also be provided to all the patients and visitors. “We have been conducting free health camps and blood donation drives regularly at our centres in Muscat, Sohar and Salalah. We will be conducting camps of this

nature throughout the year. We urge those living in Salalah and the nearby wilayats to visit our hospital, and avail of the free check-ups and consultations that are part of the one-day camp,” said, Retnakumar Janardanan, CEO of Lifeline Hospital Group in Oman. “As part of the corporate social responsibility initiatives of the Lifeline Group it is our prime objective to help the public with free health camps, especially those who do not have easy access to affordable healthcare. A lot of people across the Sultanate have and con-

tinue to beneﬁt from our health camps,” said, Dr Asif Gani, director of Operations. Lifeline Hospital Salalah’s foremost goal in organising the health camp is to raise awareness of the causes and consequences of high blood pressure and sugar; to provide information on how to prevent high blood pressure and sugar and related complications; to encourage adults to check their blood pressure and sugar, and to follow the advice of health-care professionals; and to encourage self-care to prevent high blood pressure and sugar.

MUSCAT: The natural landscape of Oman, its striking contrasts, colour and traditions is one of the most beautiful in the world. That is what appealed to the Australian born artist, Jayne Hodgson, who lived in Muscat for two years but has continued to re-create scenes typical of the country even in Australia and has found an ardent audience there. Jayne is showcasing her latest collection at Hormuz Grand until March 8 from 10am to 6pm, says a press release. One of the highlights of the exhibition, aptly titled ‘Illuminate – Oman Retrospective’, will be an auction of two paintings. Both canvases are textured paintings using mixed media – ‘Green Mountains’ is 50cm x 65cm while ‘Village in the Hajar Mountains’ is 1m x 1m. All the proceeds from the sale of these two will go towards assisting the 189 students of Al Amaal School of Deaf, located in Al Khuwair 33.

“It is our pleasure to host Jayne Hodgson’s exhibition that is vibrant and captures the natural beauty of the country as well as the people. It is also an opportunity for us to contribute in a small way towards the society. Every little contribution is a building block towards a better future,” said, P. J. Mammen, GM and chief operating officer, Hormuz Grand. “While I have been inspired by themes from back home, Oman is the only international place that

I ﬁnd so exotic that I can paint all the time; the paintings have an international market because they are so unique. Moreover, the textured technique that I have developed over the years blends beautifully with the Omani themes and subjects, such as the mountains and the desert. Even though I left the country in 2008, I have held some exhibitions here and hope to keep the connection alive with Oman through my paintings,” says Jayne.

H E A LT H PA R L O U R

Refresh Spa opens new outlet in Al Khoud MUSCAT: Refresh Spa announced the opening of new spa facility at Al Khoud. Refresh Spa Al Khoud features three male treatment rooms, one Hammam and beauty studio and nail care. The VIP lounge will provide more space comfort and luxury. Female side is equipped with three treatment rooms, one Hammam, one beauty studio and one nail care room offering a wide range of spa and beauty services, says a press release. Refresh Spa is committed to providing premiere service, customer relation and a facility of 5 stars spa. This is an ideal place where you can pamper yourself with the highest standard of beauty and relaxation and can also enjoy the therapeutic Arabian

treatment with sumptuous surrounding that leaves you with an unforgettable experience. Refresh Spa offer customers the unique combination of hair styling, relaxation healing therapy, body and energy work, treading all in one beautifully serene setting. Refresh also offers all ranges of hair styling, therapeutic of relaxation, manicure, facial, steam, Reiki, therapeutic touch, and speciﬁc complimentary product offerings. Refresh Spa provides you with a place for personal peace and wellbeing. Intuitive skilled therapists with a caring touch rejuvenate the body and soothe the senses. By creating wellbeing experiences the spa allows the customers to gain a new perspective and make positive lifestyle changes.

T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5

ROUND-UP

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Omantel becomes first Omani operator at MWC’s WiFi roaming trial testing The new technology will allow Omantel customers using IOS and selected Android devices to roam onto WiFi networks using secure credentials and beneﬁt from a secure WiFi connection in the future

MUSCAT: Omantel participated, as the ﬁrst Omani operator at the trial testing of WiFi next generation hotspot (NGH) and PasspointTM/ Hotspot 2.0 tech40TH ANNIVERSARY

Parish Day to be held tomorrow MUSCAT: The 40th Parish Day and valedictory meeting of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Mar Thoma Church will be held tomorrow at the St. Thomas Church, Ruwi immediately after the Holy Communion at 9.20am. Rev. Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan and J. S. Mukul, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate will be the chief guests, says a press release. The meeting will be presided over by Rt. Rev. Thomas Mar Timotheos Episcopa of the Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam Diocese. Senior government officials, the ﬁrst Vicar, Rev. Mathew Varghese and representatives ofthe Christian community in Oman will attend the occasion. The Mar Thoma Church in Oman is completing 40 years here in Oman. In addition to the present Vicars, Rev. Abraham Thomas and Rev. Sunil Daniel, 21 priests have given their valuable services to the parish. The parish is referred to as the ‘mother parish’ of the St. Paul’s Church, Ghala and the St. Thomas Church, Sohar. The St. Thomas Church in Oman built in collaboration with the sister parish, Mar Gregorios Orthodox Maha Edavaka is a true symbol of ecumenism. Various charitable programmes have been organised as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations.

hands with more than 30 international operators, the GSAM and the Wireless Broadband Alliance to offer our customers a secure and safe roaming utilising the next generation of WiFi with Passpoint TM/ Hotspot 2.0 technology. Omantel is the ﬁrst operator in the Sultanate and one of few in the region to take part in this trial. This conﬁrms Omantel’s commitment to innovatively lead, ensuring our customers privacy while seamlessly keeping them connected on the run.” Omantel’s delegation is taking part at the MWC 2015 and accompanied by a media delegation that includes Abdullah Al Bahrani and Dr Ali Al Shidhani, the founding partner for Oman Technical Voice

Omantel customers using IOS and selected Android devices to roam onto WiFi networks using secure credentials and beneﬁt from a secure WiFi connection in the future, says a press release. Commenting on this participation, Mohammed Yahya Al Salmi, Senior Manager Corporate Communications at Omantel said, “Omantel is keen on participating annually at MWC which focuses on IT&C issues especially it provides an ideal opportunity to meet with the major mobile operators and technology supplier to discuss with them the best and most advanced solutions that develop the experience of our customers. He added: “Omantel joined

nology at the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2015 (MWC) being held in Barcelona, Spain from March 2 until today. The new technology will allow

S H A R Q I YA H D E S E R T C H A L L E N G E

Jeep Jamboree desert challenge turns into best off-road adventure experience MUSCAT: The ‘go anywhere, do anything’ spirit that’s always at the very heart of the Jeep brand came to life in Oman when Dhofar Automotive recently organised their 7th annual Jeep Jamboree Sharqiyah Desert challenge, with over 50 Jeep Wranglers and 120 adventurous participants taking part, says a press release. The concept of the Jeep Jamboree, which over the last four years has become immensely popular in the Sultanate, is to organise a two day, four-wheel-drive adventure that’s probably unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before – they’re designed to accommodate every level of expertise so they’re fun for everyone, from novices to experienced off-road drivers and everyone in between. The event has evolved over the years, and fuelled every year the enthusiasm and excitement of Jeep owners who participate in the annual event in large numbers. An experienced support team helps the participants navigate a specially planned route in the Sharqiyah Desert throughout the event. “This year’s course brought

the very best out of Oman’s Jeep owners and was a true test of the legendary capabilities of their Wranglers,” said Ismaeel Hassan, National Sales and Brand Manager from Dhofar Automotive, exclusive dealers of the Jeep range in Oman. “The ever changing terrain of the Sharqiyah Desert, delivers a challenging fun ﬁlled driving week end for customer. Jeep Jamboree events are the ideal way to help Jeep owners discover the unequalled capability of their vehicles in a safe, controlled way – whilst making new friends along the way. Once again, this year’s event was a culminated as great weekend and a highly enjoyable and adventurous off-road experience for all of our Jeep customers who took part.” He elaborated, “With expert guides on hand to provide assurance and instruction, our Jeep clients feel comfortable to test their own limits and understand what their vehicle is truly capable of. We want to thank all of our customers for making the 2015 Jeep Jamboree a resounding success.” Day one of the event saw the participants gather at the Dhofar

Automotive showroom in Azaiba for a welcome and a briefing on the itinerary that lay ahead. First stop was the Al Raha Desert Camp where everyone registered and had dinner before hitting the road, led by the experts from ‘The Guide Oman’. After the official registration and formalities were completed, the Dhofar team technicians were available to give the first time Jeep owners safety instructions and help them check their vehicles and tires to prepare for the drive. The convoy entered the night driving phase for two hours in the desert to arrive at the first base camp, where they wound down for night. Every driver felt challenged, yet

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Zubair holds entrepreneurship workshop MUSCAT: In cooperation with Outward Bound Oman, The Zubair Corporation conducted a workshop for a number of students who recently participated in Outward Bound Oman programme, which was supported by the corporation. Presented by specialists from the Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC), the workshop aimed to introduce concepts of entrepreneurship and social responsibility within the youth, says a press release. In line with The Zubair Corporation’s efforts in spreading the awareness of entrepreneurship and social responsibility through Zubair SEC, the team of the centre participated with two presentations in the workshop. Lina Hussein, Communications Manager Zubair SEC and External Relations at Zubair SEC discussed the social and environmental challenges faced by individuals and institutions when they are starting their own business. This was followed by Adel Al-Hubaishi, Business Consultant at Zubair SEC, who discussed the dreams

Initiative; the team contributed to transmitting the launch of the new Galaxy S6 mobile device from Samsung and HTC M9 mobile device. Al Bahrani said, “The MWC in Barcelona is the biggest event in this ﬁeld. Major IT&C player are always present in this gathering to display the latest developments they have. The Congress provides an ideal opportunity to meet with experts in IT&C ﬁeld. Omantel’s participation at this event provides us with the opportunity to be capitalised on the latest products and solutions. It helped us to transmit the event live from Barcelona and disseminate the latest in mobile technology to our customers through social network.”

and aspirations of young people in Oman, and how to achieve them, giving numerous examples of successful projects within the SME ﬁeld in the Sultanate. Commenting on the success of the workshop, Adel Al-Hubaishi, Business Consultant at Zubair SEC said: “This was a great opportunity to meet with aspiring students. I have noticed through the meetings how much this generation can grasp concepts related to entrepreneurship and apply them based on their knowledge and their education level. The Zubair Corporation is always keen to spread awareness about entrepreneurship among the youth of Oman, therefore we conducted this workshop where

we discussed themes of entrepreneurship and social responsibility to the students in a simplified way. We also gave them practical examples and experiences to make the concepts easy to understand for the students.” CSR initiative Sultan Al-Jabri, Operations Manager at Outward Bound Oman, added, “We appreciate The Zubair Corporation’s support for the second year. Their financial support to the Youth at Outward Bound Oman is a good example of investing in future generations to enhance their capabilities for the future. The Zubair SEC workshop was a good opportunity for the youth, who are in fact benefiting

from these CSR initiatives, to increase their knowledge of a number of SME projects and the possibilities that an entrepreneurial path can offer.” Zubair SEC is one of the initiatives which emanated from The Zubair Corporation’s Social Responsibility strategic vision towards the Omani society. The vision reﬂects the corporation’s belief in the importance of small enterprises (SEs) in enhancing the national economy and contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development. The Centre comprises a team of socially engaged and business savvy advisors who put all effort to contribute to leveraging the Omani community through equipping and enabling entrepreneurs and startups to grow with their businesses in a sustainable and responsible manner. Since its launch in 2013, Zubair SEC has joined to its membership more than 200 small businesses and around 240 entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses from all sectors of the economy to beneﬁt from its services and support.

exhilarated, during each stage of this adventurous journey. Mundher Al Shukairi, a participant said, “This trip made me realise the potential of my vehicle as I had to push it to the limits at Sharqiyah. I am glad I participated in the Jeep Jamboree and delighted with the performance of my Wrangler. Jeep vehicles in general, and Wranglers in particular, are ﬁt for any off road or on road challenge.” On day two, the day’s driving began with a thorough desert driving brieﬁng to educate drivers on what to expect, what to do and reiteration of safety requirements while driving. The actual Jeep expedition began by continuing along the Bedouin highway and

moving onto smaller dunes at the periphery of the great Sharqiyah. After two hours of driving, the Wrangler owners were encouraged to test their limits and drive their vehicles across even tougher sand dunes, allowing for more adrenaline-pumping activity. Uttam Kotian, another participant said, “This expedition was a great experience and the support and guidance provided throughout, ensured that everyone enjoyed to the fullest and felt extremely safe. I felt confident driving along with the other Jeep enthusiasts.” He added, “Jeeps are strong, reliable, and very suitable for mountain and desert driving, and also look good while driving in the city.” Day two’s driving culminated just before sundown, leaving the evening to all participants and crew to set up their tents and wind down around a bonfire where entertainment, games and dinner followed. The third and final day started with another desert driving briefing session. At this point the drivers had to ramp up their confidence levels and capabilities to manoeuvre across even more challenging sand dunes.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

ROUND-UP

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2015 Lincoln Navigator earns top safety rating The 2015 Lincoln Navigator earned a ﬁve-star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in its New Car Assessment Programme

MUSCAT: Lincoln Navigator is one of the most spacious and luxurious vehicles on the road today. By moulding an array of stylish comforts with under-the-hood performance, Lincoln Navigator set the standard for the luxury SUV market. Recently, the 2015 Lincoln Navigator earned a ﬁve-star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-

tration in its New Car Assessment Programme, says a press release. A ﬁve-star Overall Vehicle Score is the highest rating a vehicle can earn in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Programme, which is tasked with evaluating new automobile designs against various safety threats. The programme combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and resistance to rollover. 2015 Navigator has a new 3.5-litre, twin-turbocharged EcoBoost® engine for more power, a new exterior design for a more reﬁned appearance, and a fresh, luxuriously appointed interior. The Navigator offers advanced

‘NOW OR NEVER DEAL’

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driver-assist technologies like Blind Spot Information System, and safety systems like AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control™. The 2015 Lincoln Navigator features advanced technologies aimed at providing safety for occupants. They include AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control™ that uses gyroscopic sensors to measure the vehicle’s roll and turning rates to help provide stability in sharp turns. The system applies brake pressure and reduces power to minimise skidding and ﬁshtailing when the vehicle corners sharply or swerves. Side-impact airbags, standard equipment on Navigator, include side-curtain airbags that deploy from the headliner or from both LUXURY WEAR

sides of the vehicle as part of the Safety Canopy System. SOS PostCrash Alert System triggers the horn and emergency flashers when the front airbags are deployed or the safety belt pretensioners are activated, which aids first responders trying to locate the vehicle. Navigator also features a suite of driver-assist technologies including: Blind Spot Information System uses radar located in the rear quarter panels to help detect a vehicle in a blind spot. If a vehicle is detected, BLIS alerts the driver with a warning light in the appropriate side view mirror. Crosstraffic alert uses radar to detect vehicles approaching from the side when a motorist is slowly backing out of a parking spot or driveway. An approaching vehicle can be detected from up to 45 feet away. The system will send an audible warning to the driver and a visual display in the corresponding mirror will appear, as well as a flashing light in the vehicle’s message centre. Forward and reverse sensing systems provide audible alerts designed to help drivers avoid obstacles when parking. In Oman, Lincoln vehicles are brought to you by Arabian Car Marketing Co.

PROMOTION

Geely’s cash-in offer ends on March 14 MUSCAT: Geely’s cash-in promotion that gives you a guaranteed cash gift of OMR1,000 on the Emgrand X7 and Emgrand 8 models, OMR700 on the Emgrand 7 model, OMR651 on the newly launched GC7 model, OMR600 on the GX2 model and OMR500 on the GC2 model, will end on March 14. This offer is valid on Geely 2015 models with automatic transmission and empowers you to buy a bigger and feature-rich car without stretching your budget, says a press release. Perfect opportunity A senior spokesperson of Towell Auto Centre (TAC), the sole distributors of Geely range of vehicles in Oman explains: “Trusted quality, unbelievable price, great value — this sum up the Geely’s ongoing cash-in offer. It is a perfect opportunity to get feature loaded cars for yourself and your family. Businessmen and employers can also use it to their advantage and add reliable and high performance Geely cars to their ﬂeet, without incurring any extra expenditure.” The Geely range of vehicles has made a lasting impression on automobile lovers in Oman with their extensive offerings of style,

safety, performance and price. In fact, Geely has redeﬁned the meaning of value with its surprising prices without compromising on quality or safety of the passengers. All Geely vehicles have a 5 Star C-NCAP safety rating. Free 24 hours AAA roadside assistance will also be given with the purchase of any of these models. Versatility “With a wide range of sedans and a 2.4L SUV, the Geely range embodies versatility and the latest technologies. The prices let customers buy a large car for the price of a small one, upgrading not just their comfort and safety, but also their lifestyle. As a company that owns leading global brands like Volvo passenger cars and as the manufacturers of the London Black taxi, Geely has come a long way since its inception and are now exporting their cars all around the world. In Oman, we have got the new stocks and with this exciting cash-in offer, we are expecting a huge footfall in our showroom,” the senior spokesperson adds. By bringing the Geely range to the Sultanate, TAC has reinforced its commitment to provide high-quality products and services to its customers in Oman.

CLASS-LEADING COMFORT

Suzuki offers cash gift bonanza on 2015 models

2015 Renault Fluence offers rewarding driving experience

MUSCAT: Suzuki has announced amazingly low price offer on all 2015 models plus a generous cash gift bonanza up to OMR1,500 making it a ‘Now or Never Deal’ to all valued customers, says a press release. With the launch of this scheme, buying a vehicle from the stables of a trusted Japanese brand like Suzuki has been made more affordable to all income groups according to Anil Sethi, General Manager, Suzuki in Oman. “The customers are getting far greater value for money than ever before,” said Sethi. Easily, the best deals are on the Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4L 4WD AT (the most authentic 4X4 in its segment) at a price offer starting from OMR8,395 only with a cash gift of OMR1,500, whilst the Suzuki Kizashi 2.4L AT (Sporty & Elegant Sedan) is priced from OMR7,895 only with a cash gift offer of OMR1,500. Likewise, your favourite Swift AT is up for grabs from as low as OMR4,995 with a cash gift of OMR800 and the DZIRE Sedan AT from as little as OMR4,695 with a cash gift offer of OMR 800. Suzuki Grand Vitara makes a perfect blend of an authentic 4X4 and a dependable SUV providing enough family comfort and safety among the mid-size 4WD segment due to its Japanese origin and a 4-mode Drive Select 4WD system plus LSCD (Limited Slip Centre Differential) feature, making it suitable and safe for most kinds of off-road experiences and thrill. Moreover, even the base model is equipped with ample safety and convenience features like the Dual Airbags, ABS/EBD/BA, Full power options, Cruise Control, Alloy Wheels, etc., thus making it an un-

MUSCAT: Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, the exclusive importers and distributors of Renault vehicles in Oman, unveiled their most anticipated vehicle last year – The 2015 Renault Fluence. The 2015 Fluence features a new look with the 1.6 16V 115 CVT X-Tronic automatic gearbox and the 2.0 16V 140 CVT X-Tronic automatic gearbox. The new sedan is all set to offer — class-leading comfort, thoughtful technology and a rewarding driving experience, says a press release. Fitted with a new petrol engine that is powerful and dynamic (117hp and 156Nm), Fluence sparks with energy. With the CVT X-Tronic next-generation automatic gearbox, the 2.0 16V 140 combines responsiveness and low fuel consumption. CVT technology – Continuously Variable Transmission – allows for smooth gear shifting with instant responses and no bumps. The new Fluence is comfortable, dynamic and lively with low fuel consumption.

With the launch of this scheme, buying a vehicle from Suzuki has been made more affordable to all income groups

compromising 4x4 when it comes to family comforts and aspirations. Also available on special offer are the Special Edition and Premium Models with more luxury features to satiate your ultimate driving passion. Even the entry “Deluxe” model in Kizashi 2.4L sedan, is equipped with 6-airbags, ABS, Alloy wheels, etc., making it a distinct vehicle in that segment with advanced features, and now with an unbeatable price for a Japanese origin vehicle. Most of the Suzuki models come out of Japan, so you can be rest assured of an even superior quality, workmanship and reliable engineering. Furthermore, the entire range of Suzuki vehicles (except base model of APV) is equipped with dual airbags and ABS braking system for the safety of yours and your loved ones, besides other safety and security features. So hurry and take full advantage of this amazing price offer and be a proud owner of a Suzuki, one of the most reliable and economical Japanese brand. Moosa Abdul Rahman Hassan & Co is the exclusive distributors of Suzuki vehicles in Oman.

Korath Group launches first Hawes & Curtis showroom in UAE DUBAI: Korath Group, one of the oldest business groups in the UAE with over four decades of experience in the retail sector, announced the launch of UAE’s first Hawes & Curtis showroom at the Wafi Mall, Dubai. The century-old favourite shirt brand of British royalty offers a wide collection of formals, office-wear shirts, luxury whites and womenswear. Riyaz Korath,CEO of Korath Group said: “The wait is over. We are pleased to bring a reputed fashion brand such as Hawes & Curtis to the UAE. The brand lives its promise of providing best-in-class shirts and accessories and has a dedicated following of customers who value quality and styling. Its customer base not only includes UAE residents but also a large pool of tourists that are quality conscious and expect the best. We are looking forward to working with such an established British brand and are happy to bring a piece of British heritage to the Middle East. This is the first Hawes & Curtis store that we have launched and we intend to open a total of 26 showrooms in the Middle East region over the next few years.”

2015 enhancements With its flowing and modern lines, the 2015 Renault Fluence features new, confident and more dynamic frontal design identity. Inside, the cabin carries over the major themes of the previous version but delivers finishes that are more sophisticated and a more high-tech ambience. The redesigned front end enhances the new Fluence’s unique character which takes its inspiration from the Renault F1 and the aerodynamics of the F1 cars. The focal point at the front is a prominent logo set vertically to a gloss black and chrome strips background. Meanwhile, the new

Renault Fluence’s curvier lines and full surfaces ensure a more dynamic, assertive stance, underlining the model’s status-enhancing look. The other exterior features include LED lights that enhance the overall appeal of the rear of the vehicle. To exalt the design of the Fluence, the vehicle comes with 17” Akihiro two tone alloy wheels in the LE version. The reassuring side panels favour ﬂuid, energetic lines. The design of the front bumper is bolder, with a large lower air intake that broadens towards the base: fog lights set against a gloss black surround have the effect of visually widening this lower intake, giving the front a sporty touch. Finally, wheel arch openings that are two centimetres tighter than on the previous version provide the 2015 Fluence with an even more dynamic allure. The insides of the headlamp units have been reworked in order to convey a more expressive and more upmarket effect. The headlight module is equipped with a lens, which concentrates the beam of light and ensures superb quality illumination at night. The metal-effect ‘eyelid’ and dark-coloured headlight mask add further depth to new Renault Fluence’s look. The higher-end equipment

levels are distinguished by the addition of a series of gloss black trim features, as well as brighteffect chrome. High-end technologies The new Renault Fluence is packed with high-end technologies designed to make driving simpler. The principal instrument inside the cabin incorporates a large round LCD screen, the main function of which includes a digital speed display and the white segments around the circumference of the LCD screen indicate the settings of the cruise control and the speed limiter systems. The multimedia functions on the new Renault Fluence include hands free mobile phone connectivity and audio streaming music with Bluetooth or with USB / Jack connection. The 2015 Renault Fluence builds on the quality and safety standards of its predecessor. Reliability and durability have been the focus of detailed design work, guaranteed with extreme endurance testing, to meet the speciﬁc needs of the Oman market. SBA is largely committed to supporting Renault Oman’s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on customer satisfaction and by providing worldclass after-sales services in Oman.

PROMOTING TRADITION

Dance show set to showcase Sri Lankan dance styles Times News Service MUSCAT: A dance show ‘Narthana Prabha Shri – ll’ featuring the children of Sri Lankan School Muscat trained by Wajira Degamboda will be organised on March 7 at Al Falaj Hotel Ruwi. The festival being choreographed by teacher Wajira Degamboda is aimed at promoting Sri Lankan traditions. “Sri Lankan School Muscat is an International School following the English National Curriculum from Foundation Stage to Advanced Level. The school values the Asian and Sri Lankan culture and is actively promoting the Sri Lankan traditions in dancing. Students of the school get trained in different traditional, classical dance forms of Sri Lanka. They perform and

show their talents at every school function. The dancing festival organised by Wajira Degamboda is dedicated to everything beautiful in Sri Lankan dancing which is

hailed as unique to the island,” said Somabandhu Kodikara, principal, Sri Lankan School Muscat. Speaking about the concept, Wajira said, “In this performance

you can witness the three main traditional dance techniques of Sri Lanka and Indian style of Bharatnatyam. It will include the dance technique of Tamil

community in Sri Lanka.” She explained that the programme is aimed at reaching educational and cultural objectives. “As far as education is concerned the children get an opportunity to develop the attitudes likes give and take. Besides, different types of physical and mental skills will help the younger generation. “They will develop skills which are useful for the development of their personality. Children are exposed to the cultural heritage which help them develop pride about their own culture and the country,” Wajira said. She explained that her students were at ease while participating in the choreography. She also said that the festival she arranged last year was very well received. “The parents thanked me for

teaching them and exposing them to cultural values and practices,” she said. Wajira Degamboda’s teacher Dr Miranda Hemalatha who has been teaching Bharatnatyam since 1965 will be attending the festival. She started learning Bharatnatyam under the Sesha Palihakkara in Sri Lanka. Later she won the ﬁrst Colombo Plan Scholarship and went To Kalakshetra in Chennai India and completed her post graduate diploma in Bharatnatyam under the guru Adayar K. Lakshmanan and performed her arangetram in Chennai. “Sri Lankan Sinhalese and Tamil children are interested in learning classical dance. Interestingly it is one of the compulsory subjects in general education,” said Miranda.

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PAKISTAN MARCH ON WITH UAE VICTORY

Pakistan continued their revival in the World Cup with a professional batting and bowling performance in a 129-run victory against United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a Group B match played in Napier on Wednesday. >C3

The Wave, Oman Air face world’s best as ESS returns to Muscat suit us and we made some good decisions in the opening event so hopefully we can go fast and make sure there is everything to play for until the ﬁnal day.” “The whole idea of Oman Sail is to inspire people to get out on the water and make the most of the fantastic heritage in sailing there so hopefully everyone will be excited to watch it done at such a high level and also see the Omani sailors do well. It will be awesome and we will be doing our best to make them proud. “I am expecting Ali especially to be on a high after winning his Volvo Ocean Race Rookie Award. That was a major achievement and well deserved because he is an exceptional sailor. “Hopefully Oman Air can win a few races, keep improving and put on a good show.” Extreme Sailing Series Act 2 Muscat is hosted by Oman Sail in partnership with venue sponsor, The Wave, Muscat. The coverage of the event will be available throughout the weekend online at www.extremesailingseries.com.

The Wave, Muscat and Oman Air, Oman Sail’s Extreme 40 teams, anticipate a rousing reception from thousands of home supporters

MUSCAT: Act 2 of the awardwinning global Extreme Sailing Series (ESS) 2015 returns to Muscat next week as two Omani boats, Oman Air and The Wave, Muscat, prepare to face off against each other and some of the world’s best on home waters. The race takes place at Almouj Golf at The Wave, Muscat where the public Race Village, open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day, provides an exciting onshore setting to watch adrenaline-fueled stadium style racing. Out on the water, The Wave, Muscat and Oman Air, Oman Sail’s Extreme 40 teams, anticipate a rousing reception from thousands of home supporters. Omani athletes Nasser Al Mashari and Ali Al Balushi, who last week became the ﬁrst ever winner of the Volvo Ocean Race Rookie Award at EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour (SATT), will look to pull out all the stops to scoop the Extreme Sailing Series Muscat crown in front of friends, family and sponsors. Al Mashari, a member of the triumphant The Wave, Muscat crew

‘SPECIAL EVENT’: Oman Air and The Wave, Muscat are expected to get rousing reception from home fans. – Supplied photo

in 2014, knows what it is like to win in home waters. “This is a very special event for us. All my brothers and friends, in fact anyone who knows me, will be coming down to the beach at Almouj Golf at The Wave, Muscat to cheer us on and we will love that, especially if we win as we did last year. It will be a big challenge but performing in front of Omani people will give us more strength, more power and more pride. It is exciting.” Oman Sail will be offering Try Sailing lessons to visitors inspired by the race, while two Red Bull

athletes will be showing off their skills with a Red Bull Wakeboarding Show. The Race Village will also feature ‘Souq As-Sabt’, a pop up market that offers a variety of food and beverage options plus an exotic spread of local handmade souvenirs. Other attractions include family entertainment from Circus Duo who will perform juggling, stunts and unicycle acts, and a Kids Zone with velcro wall game, inﬂatable slide, bows and arrows, a hula hoop toss and face painting. In addition, Maktabati, Oman’s

ﬁrst mobile library and an initiative of Dar Al Atta’s ‘Let’s Read’ campaign, will be stationed onsite over the weekend to give young visitors an opportunity to embrace reading. The Wave, Muscat, skippered by Leigh McMillan have won the Extreme Sailing Series Muscat Act twice before and are favourites to win for a third time. After ﬁnishing third in Act 1 in Singapore, the team aims to make the most of the home support and their familiarity with the conditions. He said: “We have won a couple

MEDAL HAUL

of times in Muscat and really enjoy being on home turf but we saw in Singapore that both Red Bull and SAP have set the bar pretty high so we expect them to be strong again.” One of the teams McMillan expects to be in contention for a podium place in Act 2 is Oman Air, ﬁfth in Singapore and skippered by British Olympic 49er sailor Stevie Morrison, who has never raced in Muscat before. Morrison said: “I’ve heard it is fantastic place to sail, which is exciting though very different to Singapore. The steady breeze will

ESS 2015 venues: Act 2: Muscat, Oman March 11-14; Act 3: Qingdao, China May 1-4; Act 4: Cardiff, UK June 18-21; Act 5: Hamburg, Germany July 23-26: Act 6: Saint Petersburg, Russia August 20-23; Act 7: Istanbul, Turkey October 1-4; Act 8: Australia December 10-13. The Wave, Muscat crew: Skipper/Helm: Leigh McMillan (GBR); Tactician: Sarah Ayton (GBR); Mainsail Trimmer: Pete Greenhalgh (GBR); Headsail Trimmer: Ed Smyth (NZL); Bowman: Nasser Al Mashari (OMA). Oman Air crew: Skipper/Helm: Stevie Morrison (GBR); Tactician: Nic Asher (GBR); Mainsail Trimmer: Ed Powys (GBR); Headsail Trimmer: Ted Hackney (AUS); Bowmen: Ali Al Balashi (OMA).

FOOTBALL

Bank Muscat are presenting partners of His Majesty’s Cup

Oman tent pegging team excel at Equestrian Festival in Abu Dhabi MUSCAT: The Sultanate’s tent pegging team bagged ﬁve medals at the tent pegging competition organised as part of the of Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan 9th International Equestrian Festival organised at Boudthib Global Village in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Oman’s medal haul included

three gold and two bronze medals. At the February 24 to March 14 Equestrian Festival, two days were allocated for tent pegging competition which saw participation of teams from Oman, the UAE and Morocco. On the ﬁrst day of the competition, Omar bin Said Al H’sani (66 points) and Zaid bin

Hamoud Al Saidi (54 points) won the ﬁrst and second places respectively in the individual rounds. Meanwhile, the national team won ﬁve medals as Omar bin Said Al H’sani bagged two gold medals and one bronze and Zaid bin Hamoud Al Saidi took one gold and a bronze. The presentation ceremony was

attended by International Tent Pegging Federation’s Omani chairman Mohammed bin Isa Al Fairuz, Ali bin Abdullah Al Rumaithi, Executive Director of the Emirates Heritage Club, Dr. Juma bin Rashid Al Mahsaykhi, secretary of the Oman Equestrian Federation and Head of Oman delegation.

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat will be the presenting partners of the His Majesty’s Cup Football Championship for 2014-15. In a press release issued on Wednesday, Oman Football Association (OFA) said the association are delighted to announce that Bank Muscat have agreed to come on board as the Presenting Partner for His Majesty’s Cup for the 2014-15 season. Sultan Al Zadjali, the OFA General Secretary, said: “It is great news to have Oman’s premiere bank as the partner of Oman’s Premier Football Cup. We have worked well together in the past, and we are very happy to welcome Bank Muscat as a partner for the OFA. “There are a number of great initiatives planned for the remainder of the season, and we look forward to promoting these to all fans of the HM’s Cup.” The HM’s Cup quarterfinals are scheduled for next week with two games on March 11 and two on March 14. The quarterfinalists are Ahli-Sidab, Seeb, Al Khabourh, Al Nasr, Al Nahda, Sur, Al Arouba and Al Mudhaibi. The final is scheduled for May. Quarterfinal fixtures: March 11:

Seeb vs Ahli-Sidab at Seeb Sports Stadium (5.30 pm), Al Nasr vs Al Khabourah at Al Saada Sports Complex (8 pm). March 14: Sur vs Al Nahda at Sur Sports Complex (5.25 pm), Al Mudhaibi vs Al Arouba at Seeb Sports Stadium (8 pm). April 8: Ahli-Sidab vs Seeb at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex (8.30 pm), Al Khabourah vs Al Nas at Sohar Sports Complex (5.45 pm), Al Nahda vs Sur at Al Buraimi Sports Complex (8.30 pm), Al Arouba vs Al Mudhaibi at Sur Sports Complex (5.35 pm).

ELECTIONS

Sheikh Salman set to win AFC presidency unopposed SINGAPORE: Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain is poised to retain his position as head of Asian football for another four years after no-one decided to oppose him at next month’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) elections. Along with the AFC presidency, Sheikh Salman will also secure himself a term as vice-president

of soccer’s world governing body Fifa, replacing Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, who is challenging Sepp Blatter for the Fifa presidency. Sheikh Salman was elected AFC president two years ago, replacing Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam, who was banned for life by soccer’s world governing body in 2011 amid allegations of trying to buy votes. The next AFC elections will take

place in Bahrain on April 30 but Sheikh Salman is already assured of the top job after he was the only candidate when the AFC announced their ﬁnal nominations on Wednesday. A more interesting battle is looming for the AFC’s three Fifa executive committee members. There are seven candidates, including two of the incumbents,

Thailand’s Worawi Makudi and China’s Zhang Jilong. The others include Saud Al Mohannadi, the vice-president of the Qatar Football Association, which is making another attempt to get an official elected onto Fifa’s all-powerful executive committee ahead of their hosting of the 2022 World Cup. Qatar have suffered relentless

criticism since being awarded the right to host the World Cup for the first time in a 2010 vote and having a voice at Fifa’s top table could help quieten the backlash. Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, one of the most influential figures in world sport, is also in the running. The Kuwaiti is the head of the Olympic Council of Asia and the

Association of National Olympic Committees but does not have a formal role with the AFC or Fifa. If successful, Sheikh Ahmad, a strong supporter of Blatter and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, would emerge as a key link between the two organisations with Blatter set to lose his IOC position in 2016 when he turns 80. - Reuters

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

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Tide turning rapidly against Ancelotti at faltering Real The board led by president Florentino Perez are said to feel that while Ancelotti is on good terms with the players he lacks authority when necessary

Such is the level of expectation at the Bernabeu that winning a coveted 10th European Cup last season has done little to bolster the Italian’s position

BARCELONA: With Real Madrid’s attack losing its potency and the team faltering in crunch games the tide has started to turn surprisingly rapidly against coach Carlo Ancelotti. Such is the level of expectation at the Bernabeu that winning a coveted 10th European Cup last season and overseeing their Spanish record 22-match winning streak before Christmas, has done little to bolster the Italian’s position. They are two points clear at FOOTBALL

Scots opposed to British team in Rio Games LONDON: Scotland have followed Wales in voicing opposition to a combined British soccer team for the 2016 Rio Olympics. The British Olympic Association (BOA) said on Tuesday the English FA had confirmed its desire to send a team to Brazil. “We have been consistently clear in our opposition to Team GB,” a Scottish FA spokesperson was quoted as saying by the BBC. Scotland’s stance follows that of Wales who expressed their disquiet on Tuesday. At London 2012 Britain fielded a unified soccer team managed by the FA, after a 52-year absence, although at the time it was seen as a one-off move to mark the home Games. Debate has raged over a British soccer team, with the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish FAs concerned that agreeing to unite for the Olympics would jeapordise their independent status within soccer’s world governing body Fifa. - Reuters

the top of La Liga and well placed to progress to the Champions League quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory at Schalke 04 in their last 16 first leg but they are not playing with the same gusto as earlier in the campaign. Fans and the Madrid media alike have been harsh in their criticism of the side and that puts extra significance on the Clasico against second-placed Barcelona later this month. During Real’s 22-match win-

ning run they averaged more than three goals a game but now have 24 from the last 13 matches. Cristiano Ronaldo has been unable to sustain the sensational form with which he began the season and has a modest seven goals in 2015, while Karim Benzema has ﬁve and Gareth Bale three. Their combined total is the same as Lionel Messi’s at Barcelona. Real’s poor return from league matches with their direct rivals has also been highlighted and the

board led by president Florentino Perez are said to feel that while Ancelotti is on good terms with the players he lacks authority when necessary. He lost a lot of credit due to the manner of Real’s 4-0 hammering by local rivals Atletico Madrid last month. The team again failed to rise to the occasion last weekend when they drew 1-1 at home to a Villarreal side that had rested players ahead of their King’s Cup semiﬁnal with Barcelona.

Weary Kroos A failure to rotate the squad sufficiently has also been blamed for players, and in particular Toni Kroos, looking weary. Kroos, in his first season since moving from Bayern Munich, has been taken aback by the scale of expectation at the club. “We were in Dubai recently and that’s the kind of place where you think you’re going a long way away,” he told Fifa.com. “However, once we got there I had the feeling that the people were even crazier, so to speak, than they are in Madrid and Spain. “That says it all. The club has won an unbelievable number of trophies and still has a top quality team with top-class players. I think that alone is what makes Real Madrid so interesting.” Ancelotti has been hampered by injuries but is hopeful of having midfielder Luka Modric back in time for the clash with Barcelona on March 22 at the Nou Camp. If Real President Florentino Perez did wield the axe, with rumours he may be paving the way for youth team coach Zinedine Zidane to take over, there would be no shortage of suitors for Ancelotti, with Manchester City likely to head the queue. - Reuters

TOP CLASS FIELD

Champions headline World Triathlon in Abu Dhabi ABU DHABI: The 2015 ITU World Triathlon Series (WTS) will get off to a scintillating start come on Saturday when the world’s fastest athletes line up for a speedy splash and dash sprint race on the Abu Dhabi Corniche. The Abu Dhabi event marks the first time ever that a WTS race will be held in the Middle East. Reigning world champions Gwen Jorgensen of USA and Javier Gomez Noya of Spain will headline a stellar field of athletes that includes nine of the top 10 ranked men and six of the top 10 ranked women. Starting from the beach by the Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club, athletes will swim one lap, bike four and run two in search of the first WTS points of the year. With a stellar field and a magnificent course event organisers are eager to kick off the triathlon event of the season in the UAE capital. “This Saturday we will have 120 of the finest triathletes in the world racing. With countless titles and medals between them, they will battle it out on Abu Dhabi’s iconic action-packed course with thousands of spectators cheering them on,” Local Organising Com-

FIRST IN MIDDLE EAST: A ﬁle photo of a WTS race. – Supplied photo

mittee Director, Iain Banner said. “We are extremely encouraged to have attracted such a top class ﬁeld and over 2,100 age group participants to the inaugural World Triathlon Series,” he added. There’s no easing into this year’s WTS races with the likes of Gwen Jorgensen and compatriot Sarah True toeing the line. Ranked ﬁrst and second in 2014, the Americans will start as the ones to chase. Dangerous over a standard distance,

both women can also turn up the speed necessary for a sprint podium ﬁnish. After sustaining injuries for several years, Kirsten Sweetland of Canada roared back into action at the sprint race in Hamburg last year when she won bronze. The always consistent Andrea Hewitt of New Zealand grew stronger with every race in the 2014 season, stepping on the podium on the sprint course in Stockholm and

having just missed it in Hamburg. But last season’s results have little to stand on, as Abu Dhabi is the first race to test out heavy winter training blocks. Add in warm temperatures and potentially high winds, and it could just be a recipe for new faces to cross the finish line first. While the Japanese women are strong in hot climates, any high winds will be to the advantage of strong cyclists like Hewitt, Lucy Hall, Anne Haug, Commonwealth Games champ Jodie Stimpson and two-time world champion Emma Moffatt of Australia. With nine of the top 10 ranked men from 2014 on the Abu Dhabi start list, the opening race of the men’s season is sure to be blistering. While Javier Gomez made history last year when he became just the second athlete to be crowned world champion four times, he also missed out on a medal at every sprint race. As in the women’s race, a number of rising starts will line up in Abu Dhabi including Under-23 World Championship medallists Dorian Coninx (FRA) and Gordon Benson (GBR).

CRICKET

Notts recruit Sammy for T20 Blast LONDON: English county Nottinghamshire announced on Wednesday that they have signed West Indies all-rounder Darren Sammy for part of this year’s domestic T20 Blast competition. Sammy, who captained the West Indies to World Twenty20 glory in 2012, will play four matches in late May and early June, and could return later in the competition if Nottinghamshire reach the knockout stage. “It’s a gap between the IPL and the Caribbean Premier League where Darren was available and keen to play,” said Nottinghamshire Director of Cricket Mick Newell. “He’s an explosive Twenty20 player, with a reputation around the world for being a good player and a good bloke. We’re looking forward to welcoming him to the team and hope he can help us achieve a good season in the NatWest T20 Blast.” Sammy, 31, has previously played in the T20 Blast for Glamorgan. “I’m looking forward to coming to England and experiencing T20 cricket with Nottinghamshire,” he said. “The Outlaws have a reputation for playing exciting cricket and have some hugely talented players. Trent Bridge is an excellent venue known worldwide, with great crowds, and I can’t wait to get started.” Somerset sign Anderson Big-hitting New Zealand allrounder Corey Anderson will play for Somerset in the second half of this season’s domestic T20 Blast competition, the English county announced on Wednesday. Anderson held the record for the fastest one-day international century until his 36-ball feat against the West Indies at Queenstown last year was surpassed by South Africa’s AB de Villiers against the same team in January. “I have always wanted to play domestic cricket in England, so I am very pleased to have signed to play T20 cricket for Somerset,” said the 24-year-old, who is currently playing for New Zealand at the World Cup. Somerset Director of Cricket Matthew Maynard added: “I am absolutely delighted Corey is able to join us straight after the New Zealand tour to England concludes. “Sohail Tanveer will play the ﬁrst half of the T20 competition, and Corey will be playing with us from game eight through to game 14 — after which goes off with New Zealand on another tour.” - AFP

FALCON FC EMERGE CHAMPIONS AT BSC GOLD CUP FOOTBALL TOURNEY

Falcon FC Muttrah defeated Samail Ekadosh 2-0 to lift the trophy at the Gold Cup Football Tournament organised by Bangladesh Social Club (BSC). The 12-team tournament was sponsored by Pran Power Energy Drink. The final was played at the Muscat Club under the auspicious of Sheikh Rashad Al Hinai, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Sports Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah Al Hosni, former Ambassador to Russia and China, Sheikh Sultan Al Kabi, Member of Council at Muscat Municipality, Safia Al Omiry, Head of Community Club, Ministry of Social Development. BSC chief Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, General Secretary Sirajul Hoque and Sports Secretary Abul Bashar Sarkar were present on the occasion. — Supplied photos

T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5

TODAY TOMORROW

POOL A: BANGLADESH V SCOTLAND (2:00AM OMAN TIME) POOL B: INDIA V WEST INDIES (10:30AM OMAN TIME)

C O M M E N TA RY

Massive victory but a mathematical mess up

HAPPY MOMENT: Pakistan players is joyful after their win over United Arab Emirates. – AFP

Pakistan march on The win gives Pakistan four points in as many games as they continued their fight for a place in the quarterfinals. Pakistan posted 339 for 6 batting first and then restricted UAE to 210 for 8

NAPIER: Pakistan continued their revival in the World Cup with a professional batting and bowling performance in a 129-run win against United Arab Emirates in Napier on Wednesday. Opener Ahmed Shehzad fell seven short of his maiden World Cup hundred while Haris Sohail (70) and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq chipped in with 65 which helped Pakistan to post a big 339-6 on a flat McLean Park pitch. They then restricted the UAE to 210-8 in their 50 overs with Shaiman Anwar continuing his brilliant form with the bat by scoring 62. The win gives Pakistan four points in as many games as they continued their fight for a place in the quarterfinals. The top four teams from each of the two pools of seven will reach the quarterfinals. “That was a much needed win for us. We won by a margin so we can relax now. We have a good net run rate now also,” said Misbah. UAE captain Mohammad Tauqir admitted chasing such a huge score was always going to be beyond them. “340 was a big total for us, but we batted 50 overs and we are happy with this effort. Anwar is very confident and in great form,” said Tauqir. A required rate of six-plus an

PAKISTAN Nasir Jamshed c Khan b Guruge 4 Ahmed Shehzad run out 93 Haris Sohail c Anwar b Naveed 70 Sohaib Maqsood c Mustafa b Guruge 45 Misbah-ul-Haq c Mustafa b Guruge 65 Umar Akmal c Ali b Guruge 19 Shahid Afridi not out 21 Wahab Riaz not out 6 Extras: (lb-3, nb-1, w-12) 16 Total: (for six wkts; 50 overs) 339 Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Jamshed), 2-170 (Sohail), 3-176 (Shehzad), 4-251 (Maqsood), 5-312 (Akmal), 6-312 (Misbah) Bowling: Naveed 10-0-50-1 (1nb, 1w),

over was always beyond UAE’s reach but after losing their first three wickets with just 25 on the board — two to paceman Sohail Khan — Anwar and Khurram Khan took the fight to the Pakistan bowlers adding 83 for the fourth wicket. Anwar hit four boundaries and two sixes during his 88-ball knock and with 270 runs in four matches became the top run-getter in the tournament. Khan hit three fours and a six off 54 deliveries. Pakistan’s bowling was hampered by the absence of spearhead Mohammad Irfan who hurt his hip during a fall in the field and could bowl only three overs. The team said Irfan’s injury was not serious and he was held back as precaution. Wahab Riaz, Khan and Shahid Afridi took two wickets apiece. Shehzad and Sohail restored Pa-

Guruge 8-0-56-4 (2w), Javed 9-0-76-0 (2w), Tauqir 10-0-52-0 (1w), Khan 3-0-21-0, Chandran 8-0-58-0, Mustafa 2-0-23-0 (6w) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Amjad Ali b Rahat Ali A. Berenger c Akmal b Khan K. Chandran c Akmal b Khan Khurram Khan c Riaz b Maqsood Shaiman Anwar c Jamshed b Afridi S. Patil b Riaz Rohan Mustafa c Shehzad b Afridi Amjad Javed c Khan b Riaz Mohammed Naveed not out Mohammed Tauqir not out

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kistan during their second wicket stand of 160 after they lost out of form Nasir Jamshed for four in the fourth over. Guruge could have had Shehzad in his fourth over but Khurram dropped a sharp chance when the batsman was on eight and three runs later Shehzad got another life off Mohammad Naveed. Shehzad hit eight boundaries and a six off 105 balls but ran himself out while taking a sharp single. Sohail clubbed ﬁve boundaries and a six. Maqsood helped Misbah add another rapid 75 for the fourth wicket, hitting four boundaries

Extras: (lb-1, w-12) 13 Total: (for eight wkts; 50 overs) 210 Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Ali), 2-19 (Berenger), 3-25 (Chandran), 4-108 (Khan), 5-140 (Anwar), 6-140 (Mustafa), 7-208 (Javed), 8-210 (Patil) Bowling: Irfan 3-1-2-0, Khan 9-2-54-2 (3w), Rahat 10-0-30-1 (2w), Riaz 10-1-54-2 (3w), Afridi 10-1-35-2 (3w), Maqsood 5-0-16-1 (1w), Sohail 3-0-18-0 Result: Pakistan win by 129 runs Man of the match: Ahmed Shehzad Umpires: Sundaram Ravi and Johan Cloete TV umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG) Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

and two towering sixes during his 31-ball 45. Misbah reached his 41st ODI half-century off just 39 balls. He hit four boundaries and two sixes before holing out off Guruge. Shahid Afridi hit two sixes and a four in his seven-ball 21 not out and when on two became the fourth Pakistani, and 27th batsman, in the world to cross 8,000 runs. This was Afridi’s 395th match. Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf and Saeed Anwar are the other Pakistan players to make 8,000 ODI runs. Guruge was the pick of UAE bowlers with a career best 4-56. Pakistan next play South Africa in Auckland (March 7) and Ireland in Adelaide (March 15) while UAE face South Africa in Wellington (March 12) and the West Indies in Napier (March 15). - AFP

akistan are gradually coming back into the reckoning. Against the United Arab Emirates, Misbah-ul Haq’s men found their touch and posted a 300 plus score for the first time in this edition of World Cup. However, they still did not impress me and looks far from a team that could sneak into the quarterfinals. Next up for them are the South Africans who are in a demolishing mood after the reverse against the defending champions India. Misbah could have done much better by being proactive against the minnows at Napier. The thinking process was so slackening that Pakistan let go a vital initiative by letting UAE complete their 50 overs. What happened was Pakistan lost the chance of leapfrogging West Indies on net run rate, though both have four points in their kitty from as many matches. As I was watching the match, I kept wondering whether the think-tank of Pakistan did not have their calculators out. Mathematically Misbah was reluctant on field and the support staff was hardly seen sending feelers to the ground. May be they did not look into the need of the hour arithmetically, which could have pushed Pakistan above the Caribbeans on the points table. Pakistan could have done it had they restricted the UAE to around 190, but what happened instead was that they allowed the UAE batsmen meander along and post 210 runs losing only eight wickets. On what account did Misbah say that Pakistan had a good run rate now after beating UAE. True, the difference between Pakistan and West Indies is very minimum, but it showed Misbah was not worried about the allimportant run rate. Was he thinking that India will do the favour by trouncing West Indies? On the world stage it is dicey to depend on other results. On the other hand, Pakistan still looks vulnerable and high-flying Proteas could expose them. Adding to it are injury threats. Mohammed ‘Giant’ Irfan was on field for a brief period later to be found that he had a niggle on his leg. Sohail too was seen struggling on field at times bothered by pain, may be some hamstring pull. Apart from all these, I just don’t understand why

While Misbah got it wrong mathematically, the Australians showed why the run rate is the most important factor at this stage of the World Cup Pakistan is insisting on Nasir Jamshed. He has been a total failure (Jamshed played his third fatal pull shot in four innings and fell for 4) with his bat and has shown to the world that he is the worst ﬁelder on display in this edition. It’s time Misbah and Waqar understood that Jamshed is a liability and plays no role further in their campaign. If Misbah was mathematically incapable, the Australians showed why the run rate is the most important aspect. They send Afghanistan on a leather hunt and posted the highest World Cup total. After they lost a thriller against co-hosts New Zealand at Eden Park, the Australians knew that they must improve the run rate especially before the match against the fast improving Sri Lanka. Perth-based India surely would have relished the merry making by the Australian batters, but they must know that the Caribbean pace battery is much powerful than that of the Afghans. However, the Indians can take solace that the West Indian quicks have been wayward thus far. The presence of Chris Gayle, in whatever form he is, can send down a tickle through the nerves and Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his bowlers will be a bit wary. This Caribbean ‘superman’ can be blunted if Dhoni can use his Chennai Super Kings teammate Ravichandran Ashwin effectively as he has done in the previous editions of Indian Premier League. All said and done, India should persist with their disciplined team effort and success will continue to chase them. —sportseditor@timesofoman.com

NO WORRY

Irfan injury not serious: Waqar NAPIER: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis erased doubts over the ﬁtness of spearhead Mohammad Irfan who was injured during the World Cup 129-run win over the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. “I don’t think it’s a major concern,” said Waqar after the match. “He has an issue with his gluteus and it’s an old problem. “Irfan will be ﬁne in the next couple of days and will play against South Africa.” Irfan, the tallest ever cricketer

at 7 feet, one inch, managed to bowl just three overs and hurt his hip in the ﬁeld on Wednesday. The 32-year-old paceman has taken six wickets in the tournament with a best of 4-30 against Zimbabwe in Brisbane on Sunday. He will be key in Pakistan’s crunch game against South Africa in Auckland on Saturday. Pakistan have four points in as many games and need to win their next two games — the last against Ireland in Adelaide on March 15. - AFP

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

From Bradford to Napier, for the love of Pakistan

MUST IMPROVE

The 49-year-old fan travels the world supporting Pakistan, WE MUST WIN: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis.

Pakistan need to beat Proteas, says Waqar NAPIER: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis on Wednesday targeted big-hitting South Africa, saying his team must beat a strong outfit to prove they belong at the World Cup. Pakistan expectedly made short work of the United Arab Emirates in their Pool B game with an emphatic 129-run win to increase their tally to four points in as many games. They now play South Africa in Auckland on Saturday in a crunch match in which their qualification for the quarter-finals will largely depend. Waqar said the two wins after two losses — the first win was against Zimbabwe on Sunday — gave the team much-needed confidence. “Look it (win) definitely changed the body language of the players because a win always make you feel comfortable and confident, but I still feel that we need to win against a bigger team like South Africa to tell the world that we are around,” said Waqar. Waqar agreed Pakistan were not looking as commanding as South Africa who have posted back-to-back 400-plus totals in their last two wins. “Maybe you might be thinking that we are not playing well but we are missing two of our key players,” said Waqar of Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez -both suspended for illegal bowling actions. Hafeez also injured his calf before the World Cup and returned home to be replaced by Nasir Jamshed. “The tournament will get

tougher and tougher and we should be ready for that,” added Waqar. “Of course we can, we have done it in the past, it’s not asking too much and we have beaten South Africa in South Africa,” said Waqar, of Pakistan’s 2-1 one-day series win over the Proteas in late 2013. Waqar, under whom Pakistan finished as semi-finalists at the 2011 World Cup, said his team was capable of picking up steam. “I think the crucial game will be against South Africa not only for qualifying but also for a morale booster. We need to beat a top team to get our confidence back.” Waqar said the two wins over Zimbabwe and the UAE had restored belief. “Of course I am relieved, there is no doubt about that but the tournament is still open and we are keen to do well and this win will give us a boost and positive thinking for the next games.” Pakistan will play Ireland in their last group game in Adelaide on March 15. Waqar agreed Pakistan should have won by at least 150 runs against the UAE but paceman Mohammad Irfan’s injury affected the progress. “We should have won by more runs but not having Irfan affected us. We wanted to improve the net run-rate which is also very important but they also batted well,” said Waqar. Irfan hurt his hip muscle after bowling just three overs but Waqar said the paceman will recover and will be available for the South Africa match. - AFP

leaving his fast food business in Bradford in the hands of others

NAPIER: Haider Israr has three loves — wife Shazira, his adopted home of Bradford in the north of England and cricket. Well, Pakistan cricket in particular. The 49-year-old travels the world supporting Pakistan, leaving his fast food business in Bradford in the hands of others. “I was born and educated in Pakistan, so my identity is Pakistani and I feel that we can only project our country as a civilised nation through cricket,” Haider told AFP as he watched Wednesday’s World Cup clash against the UAE at McLean Park in Napier. “Unfortunately Pakistan is mainly known for the wrong reasons,” said Haider of the terrorhit country. “So cricket is the only thing we can be proud of and all my hopes are with cricket to promote my country.” Haider, who hails from Gujjar Khan in the Punjab province, migrated to the United Kingdom after his ﬁancee sponsored his visit and they were soon married. “I was married before, to cricket,” he joked. “I have been to many international matches but since my marriage I have taken my wife to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for the 2011 World Cup, 2012 World Twenty20 (Sri Lanka) and 2014 World Twenty20 (Bangladesh),” said Haider. But his World Cup tour of Australia and New Zealand started on the wrong note. “I couldn’t get a ticket for the all-important match against India and the defeat added to my disappointment,” said Haider, who went on to see Pakistan lose to the West Indies by 150 runs in the second match in Christchurch.

SPECIAL FANS: Pakistan husband and wife supporters Haider Israrr, left, and Shahzeera Haider, right, attend the Pool B Cricket World Cup match between UAE and Pakistan at McLean Park in Napier. – AFP

I get texts from my friends in the UK to say I am wasting my time on this Pakistan team, but I am sure Pakistan will go to the final and I have a ticket for that match. I have been to many international matches since my marriage Haider Israr Pakistan fan

Angry at that defeat, Haider and his wife flew to Australia’s Gold coast to ease the pain before flying back to New Zealand and Wednesday’s game in Napier. “I get texts from my friends in the UK to say I am wasting my time on this Pakistan team, but I am sure Pakistan will go to the final and I have a ticket for that match,” said Haider, of the March 29 title decider in Melbourne. Haider also hoped that Pakistan cricket becomes more stable —

both on and off the field. “Every other day we get news of a new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board which destabilises the game and now I am hearing that they are bringing back players who stained Pakistan’s image,” said Haider of Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Aamir. The trio were banned for five years and jailed in 2011 over a spot-fixing case in England a year earlier. Aamer is due to play his first

match on March 9 after the International Cricket Council relaxed certain conditions of his ban last year, allowing him to play domestic cricket six months before his suspension expires. “England gave us a home series and three players spoiled our image but people want them back,” said Haider. “They sold themselves for peanuts. When I go to watch cricket at Lord’s or Leeds the locals chant ‘for how much will you sell this shirt?’ But I tell them that those players are out of cricket now,” said Haider. “I hope my country gets over all its problems because it is a great country, full of nice people and places.” Shazira said she has started to develop a deep interest in cricket. “I didn’t like cricket initially but I have now developed a good interest and by going on tours it gives me an opportunity to see the world,” said Shazira. “It’s two enjoyments in one ticket and above all, my husband is happy and we promote our country.” - AFP

LANDMARK

Afridi joins 8,000 ODI club NAPIER: Swashbuckling Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi joined the 8,000 One-day International run club during his 21 not out against the United Arab Emirates in the World Cup at Napier on Wednesday. The 35-year-old became the fourth Pakistani after Inzamamul Haq, Mohammed Yousuf and Saeed Anwar to make 8,000 oneday runs and the 27th of all time. Afridi, who also took 2-35 in the 129-run win, needs ﬁve more wickets to complete 400 one-day wickets. If he takes those ﬁve wickets, he will become the only all-rounder to score more than 8,000 runs and take 400 wickets. Following are the batsmen who have scored 8,000 or more runs in ODI cricket. Sachin Tendulkar, India (18,426); Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka (13,961), Ricky Ponting, Australia (13,704), Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka (13,430); Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka (12,625); Inzamam-ul Haq, Pakistan (11,739); Jacques Kallis,

MILESTONE: Shahid Afridi who joined the 8000 club is four wickets short to become the ﬁrst all-rounder to have scored 8000 runs and claimed 400 wickets. – AFP

South Africa (11,579); Saurav Ganguly, India (11,363); Rahul Dravid, India (10,889); Brian Lara, West Indies (10,405); Mohammed Yousuf, Pakistan (9720), T. Dilshan, Sri Lanka (96200, A. Gilchrist, Australia (9619); Mohammed Azharuddin, India (9378); A. de Silva, Sri Lanka (9284), C. Gayle, West Indies (9139), Saeed Anwar,

Pakistan (8824), S. Chanderpaul, West Indies (8778), D. Haynes, West Indies (8648); M. Atapattu Sri Lanka (8529); M. Waugh, Australia (8500); Y. Singh, India (8329); M. Dhoni, India (8298); V. Sehwag, India (8273); H. Gibbs South Africa (8094); S. Fleming New Zealand (8037); Shahid Afridi Pakistan (8019). — AFP

T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5

DAVID WARNER

178

runs from 133 balls 19 fours, 5 sixes

Records fall as Australia rout Afghanistan S TA N D I N G S POOL A

The home team made 417-6 at the WACA led by opener David Warner’s 178-run blitz, his fourth oneday international century and his country’s highest

Teams New Zealand Sri Lanka Australia Bangladesh England Afghanistan Scotland

M 4 4 4 3 4 4 3

W 4 3 2 1 1 1 0

L 0 1 1 1 3 3 3

T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

N/R 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

Pts 8 6 5 3 2 2 0

Net RR +3.589 +0.128 +1.804 +0.130 -1.201 -1.953 -1.735

3 4 4 4 3 4 4

3 3 2 2 2 1 0

0 1 2 2 1 3 4

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

6 6 4 4 4 2 0

+2.630 +1.950 -0.313 -0.385 -1.137 -0.723 -1.691

POOL B

India South Africa West Indies Pakistan Ireland Zimbabwe UAE

individual World Cup score as the four-time champions went past

Clarke predicts triple century

the previous best of 413-5 made by India against Bermuda in 2007

PERTH: Australia hit the highest World Cup score in tournament history on Wednesday as they thrashed Afghanistan by a record 275 runs, a result which was also the greatest winning margin in tournament history. The home team made 417-6 at the WACA led by opener David Warner’s 178-run blitz, his fourth one-day international century and his country’s highest individual World Cup score as the four-time champions went past the previous best of 413-5 made by India against Bermuda in 2007. It was the third 400-plus total at this World Cup after South Africa twice went through the barrier — 408-5 against the West Indies and 411-4 in the game with Ireland. In reply, Afghanistan could manage just 142 from 37.3 overs, although Nawroz Mangal, who top-scored with 33, gave their smattering of fans at the ground something to cheer about when he hit Mitchell Marsh for successive sixes. Johnson did much of the damage to claim 4-22 from 7.3 overs. Fellow left-armer Mitchell Starc continued his amazing vein of World Cup form with 2-18 and has 10 wickets in the World Cup at just 9.3 runs apiece. Australia were sent in to bat by Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi, a decision greeted by a chorus of cheers from the crowd, and then tormented the minnows. There was a surprise at the toss, with experienced all-rounder Shane Watson dropped to allow James Faulkner to return after a side strain, but the onslaught that followed was extremely pre-

AUSTRALIA D. Warner c Nabi b Shapoor 178 A. Finch c Nawroz b Dawlat 4 S. Smith c Najib b Shapoor 95 G. Maxwell c Nabi b Dawlat 88 J. Faulkner b Hassan 7 M. Marsh c Najib b Nawroz 8 B. Haddin not out 20 Extras: (b-2, lb-5, w-7, nb-3) 17 Total: (for 6 wickets, 50 overs) 417 Did not bat: M. Clarke, M. Johnson, M. Starc, J. Hazlewood Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Finch), 2-274 (Warner), 3-339 (Smith), 4-382 (Faulkner), 5-390 (Maxwell), 6-417 (Marsh). Bowling: Dawlat 10-1-101-2 (2nb, 3w),

PERTH: Australian captain Michael Clarke says it is possible a batsman will crack the 300-run barrier in One-day international cricket. Clarke was speaking after his side demolished Afghanistan by a World Cup record 275 runs on Wednesday at the WACA Ground, led by a punishing David Warner century. The left-handed opener belted 178 from 133 balls in the Australian innings of 417 for six, falling when the chance to become the ﬁfth batsman to score an One-day International double century beckoned. There were still 12.3 overs remaining in the Australian innings at the time. Indian Rohit Sharma holds the record for the highest individual with 264 against Sri Lanka at Kolkata last November, while Chris Gayle scored 215 earlier in the World Cup for the West Indies. All the

dictable. The dashing Warner led the way and accelerated markedly after reaching three ﬁgures from 92 balls. Dropped on 114, the left-hander seemed set to compound Watson’s misery by passing his Australian ODI record of 185 not out against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2011 only to sky a delivery to mid-on from the bowling of Shapoor Zadran (2-89). He had faced 133 balls, hitting 19 fours and ﬁve sixes. Warner’s assault on the hapless Afghan bowlers brought back memories of Matthew Hayden plundering a weak Zimbabwe attack for an Australian Test record 380 at the same venue in 2003. Although Warner fell shy of the overall ODI individual record, he passed the previous mark for the highest innings by an Australian at the WACA, which previously be-

Shapoor 10-0-89-2 (1nb, 2w), Hassan 10-070-1 (1w), Nabi 10-0-84-0 (1w), Samiullah 5-0-34-0, Javed 4-0-18-0, Nawroz 1-0-14-1 AFGANISTAN Javed Ahmadi c Clarke b Hazlewood 13 Usman Ghani c Faulkner b Johnson 12 Nawroz Mangal c Finch b Johnson 33 Asghar Stanikzai c Smith b Johnson 4 Samiullah Shenwari c Johnson b Clarke 17 Mohammed Nabi c Clarke b Maxwell 2 Najib Zadran b Starc 24 Afsar Zazai c Haddin b Hazlewood 10 Dawlat Zadran b Starc 0 Hamid Hassan c Warner b Johnson 7 Shapoor Zadran not out 0 Extras (b-4, lb-5, w-10, nb-1) 20

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

individual scores of 200 have been made since 2010 and Clarke said it was no longer unthinkable that a batsman could make 300 in a 50-over game. He said there were a handful of batsman who were capable of reaching what was once an unimaginable milestone. “Someone like Davey, or Chris Gayle or AB de Villiers ... on a smaller ground I think they possibly could,” he said. “You probably have to open the batting so you have the full 50 overs. In this game at the moment who knows, we are seeing so many different shots, different deliveries, so much power. “There is handful of players round the world who probably could do it.” - AFP

longed to Damien Martyn for his 144 against Zimbabwe in 2001. Warner and Steve Smith, who made 95, also set a new benchmark for an Australian partnership in ODI cricket with their 260-run second-wicket stand from 209 balls. The pair passed the previous record of 252 set by Watson and Ricky Ponting against England in South Africa in 2009. All-rounder Glenn Maxwell then chimed in with a quickﬁre 88 off 39 balls, including seven sixes, before being well caught at mid-off from the bowling of Dawlat Zadran (2-101) in the 48th over. Australia face Sri Lanka at the SCG in their next match on Sunday, while things don’t get any easier for Afghanistan as they face unbeaten New Zealand on the same day at Napier in a bid to add to their lone win against Scotland. - AFP

Total (all out, 37.3 overs) 142 Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Usman), 2-32 (Javed), 3-46 (Asghar), 4-94 (Samiullah), 5-94 (Nawroz), 6-103 (Nabi), 7-131 (Najib), 8-131 (Dawlat), 9-140 (Afsar), 10-142 (Hamid) Bowling: Starc 6-0-18-2, Hazlewood 8-1-252 (3w), Johnson 7.3-0-22-4 (5w), Clarke 5-014-1, Marsh 3-0-25-0 (1w), Faulkner 4-0-8-0 (1nb, 1w), Maxwell 4-1-21-1 Result: Australia won by 275 runs Man of the match: David Warner Toss: Afghanistan Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Michael Gough (ENG) TV umpire: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI) Match referee: Nigel Llong (ENG)

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

C O M M E N TA RY

Windies could be a different test for Indian bowlers

We have to play our ‘A’ game to beat India, says Sammy

n their four matches so far, we’ve seen both sides of the West Indies. If Pakistan and Zimbabwe ran into them on the wrong day, then South Africa and Ireland also showed how ordinary they can be. Which side will turn up against India at the WACA? Your guess is as good as mine. No such problems with the world champions. They’ve just been a transformed team since the World Cup began. Getting off to a near perfect start with a thorough all-round performance against old enemy Pakistan has certainly had something to do with the way they are playing at the moment. And if they keep playing this sort of cricket, regardless of South Africa’s two huge back to back wins over the Windies and Ireland, India should finish top of this group. India’s pacers have really caught the eye. Umesh Yadav has been bowling quick and Mohammed Shami too, who missed the last game, has looked particularly good. Dhoni must have cursed his luck to have lost the toss for the first time in this competition against UAE, as India were denied the opportunity to go with their preferred option of batting first. Still, the skipper would have been more than delighted to see his bowlers hog the spotlight for a change. Ashwin’s four-wicket haul didn’t surprise me. I remember Warnie (Shane Warne) always saying how much he enjoyed bowling at the WACA, more for the bounce he would get than any turn. Ashwin would be vouching for that too after running through the UAE top-order. West Indies, though, will

The West Indies have lost two matches

If they keep playing this sort of cricket, regardless of South Africa’s two huge back to back wins over the Windies and Ireland, India should finish top of this group be a different test for India’s bowlers. How they bowl at the start will especially be crucial as they are all well versed with the damage Chris Gayle is capable of causing if he’s been at the crease for a sufficient time. The loss of Darren Bravo to a hamstring injury was the last thing West Indies needed. I had said earlier that he’s one of their key batsmen. His absence will only heap more responsibility on the shoulders of the likes of Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Lendl Simmons. Don’t expect the pace and bounce to deter India from batting ﬁrst if they win the toss. They’ve shown their hand there on the two occasions Dhoni called correctly, and in both cases his batsmen didn’t leave him disappointed. True, the last outing in Perth against quality opposition wasn’t encouraging, but a lot can happen in a month as India have shown. — PMG

against Ireland and South Africa but Sammy stressed on the need for the seniors in the team to rally around young captain Jason Holder in trying situations

HOPING FOR THE BEST: Darren Sammy says India is in good form and we must play our best to beat them.

PERTH: Senior West Indies allrounder Darren Sammy said his team would really need to perform out of their skins to beat India in the group league encounter of the ICC Cricket World Cup at WACA on Friday. “It’s another cricket match but India is playing well at the moment. You give each and every opponent the respect that they deserve. We have always had good matches against India and we have to bring out our ‘A’ game to beat India,” Sammy told the media-persons during the West Indies practice session. The West Indies have lost two matches against Ireland and South Africa but Sammy stressed on the need for the seniors in the team to rally around young captain Jason Holder in trying situations. Asked how it has been like to play under Holder, Sammy replied, “It’s been good. We all must support him (Holder).He didn’t put himself in that situation (being made the captain).I have also been in his situation before. It’s World Cup and we have to support young Jason,” said the ever-smiling former Caribbean captain.

“It’s been tough coming into the World Cup after the South Africa tour. Jason has shown that he is a strong character and strong characters always come back stronger. It’s our duty to support him and help him through the tough time as cricket is a team sport. Every member should come together to perform for the team,” he added. Sammy admitted that there’s been lack of consistency as far as West Indies’ bowling is concerned. Asked about the problem areas, he said, “I think it’s about being inconsistent. We haven’t created enough pressure on the opponents when we bowl.In the games when we get it right, we compete with best in the world. We have to maintain proper line and length and bowl the yorkers at the death. We have to come up with a plan to minimize the damage that can be done at the back-end of the innings.” Sammy was quick to dismiss theories that West Indies’ pull-out from the India series will have an impact on Friday’s match. “We have to put that thing behind us. I have said many times, what happened in India should not have happened as it robbed an op-

portunity from two teams which enjoy playing each other. I don’t think that will affect us here as this World Cup match. We will treat it as another WC match and hopefully get points needed to qualify for the knock-out stages,” said the affable all-rounder. Formidable Meanwhile, West Indies’ chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd believes India are formidable opponents but says a disciplined West Indies effort can see the reigning World champions beaten when the two teams meet in a cricket World Cup Pool B game at the WACA Ground here on Friday. India are unbeaten in three outings in the ongoing tournament while the West Indies have lost two of four games, and both teams will be eyeing victory as crucial especially with a place in the next round looming, reports CMC. “The point is that we have a good bowling attack, good batsmen, and a good all-round side. If we bat, we have to make enough runs to win and defend,” Lloyd said. ‘We do have the bowlers to do so. This pitch is quite good - it’s got very

constant bounce. It’s a good cricket pitch. They (India) have won three out of three, so we can’t fault their bowling or their batting.” He added: “One-day cricket is about who plays well on the day and gets their disciplines right. If we do that, we give them a good run for their money. They’re defending champions and they want to be in this World Cup as long as possible. “It’s obvious that this game is important to us. We want to do well and if we play to our ability, we’ll be able to do so.” Despite India’s form, Lloyd said he was hoping to see the West Indies put up a strong challenge. “India’s always a formidable side and they’ll continue to be so. But when you set a standard, people expect you to keep that standard all the time,” he pointed out. “India are doing well, but I hope they don’t do too well on Friday. It will be a good game. India will be good opponents. “They’ve been playing well and we’ve been sporadic in our play but we’re hoping that this pitch will suit us quite well. It should be quite an exciting game.” West Indies’ recent record against India does not make for good reading. They have lost their last four series and have suffered defeats in 13 of their last 20 meetings. On last October’s ill-fated tour, they won the ﬁrst game of the series convincingly before going on to lose the aborted series. Lloyd noted the Caribbean side was coming up against the core of the same squad from last year. “It’s nearly the same sort of side. India’s pace bowling seems to be pretty good and they have a good spin bowler in (Ravichandran) Ashwin,” the legendary former Windies captain said. “They have got a good variety, and I think India have good allround strength. Virat Kohli has been a tremendous player over the last two years and now you have the likes of (Shikhar) Dhawan coming through. I think India should do well.” — Agencies

MAN IN FOCUS

Tauqir lauds UAE’s ‘Sir Viv Richards’ Anwar NAPIER: United Arab Emirates captain Mohammed Tauqir found a positive in his team’s 129-run defeat against Pakistan at the World Cup in Napier on Wednesday — his shining star Shaiman Anwar. Anwar, born in Sialkot in Pakistan before migrating to the UAE, struck 62 in UAE’s 210-8 in reply to Pakistan’s 339-6 in the Pool B match at McLean Park. Tauqir said Anwar is nicknamed “Viv Richards” after the West Indian great. “I think he’s a brilliant batsman,” said Tauqir of Anwar who had scores of 67, 106 and 35 in previous games. “He’s a very, very confident individual. I’m very, very happy for him. He’s doing very well for himself and the team. He’s such a confident individual that we call him Sir Viv in the dressing room.” Anwar became the highest rungetter in the tournament with 270, two ahead of Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara’s 268 and West Indian Chris Gayle’s 258. Meanwhile, Tauqir said his team’s fielding let them down against Pakistan. “I think the fielding was below the mark, we dropped a few catches,” said Tauqir of crucial dropped chances off Pakistani opener Ahmed Shehzad on eight and 11. Shehzad went on to score 93 and added an invaluable 160 for the second wicket with Haris Sohail who made 70. Skipper Mis-

Shaiman Anwar became the highest run-getter in the tournament with 270, two ahead of Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara’s 268 and West Indian Chris Gayle’s 258

bah-ul-Haq chipped in with 65. “I think if we would have taken those catches the total would have been different,” said Tauqir. The UAE captain defended his decision to put Pakistan into bat after winning the toss. “I think we thought probably the wicket had a little bit of moisture and it was overcast, so we wanted to get them all out earlier and then chase the runs,” said Tauqir. The UAE captain said he hoped young Emiratis would get inspired by team’s presence in the World Cup and take up the sport. “I believe our presence in the World Cup deﬁnitely will inspire

many more Emirates to follow the game,” said Tauqir who skippers a squad made up mostly of players who have Pakistan and Indian roots. “I mean the kind of infrastructure and facilities we have, it’s growing amongst the Emirate population as well.” Tauqir also praised the coaching of fomer Pakistan paceman Aaqib Javed. “Aaqib has helped us a lot. He is with the team for almost two years. He is putting a lot of hard work in with the team. Because of his guidance and knowledge, we have qualiﬁed for the World Cup, and I believe we have done well during this tournament.”

Tauqir said he was satisﬁed with his team’s performance even though they have lost four games. “We had a couple of close games against Zimbabwe and Ireland,” said the UAE captain of the four and two wicket defeats respectively. “I think even today’s game playing 50 overs against Pakistan, it’s a big positive for the team. Our effort is to do well against the Test nations and put up a decent performance. “In batting we need to do the best and play all 50 overs and in bowling also, we need to restrict them. I think we should not concede 400-plus runs.” - AFP

T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5

C O M M E N TA RY

Extra bounce in WACA can give edge to West Indian pace attack

POWERFUL UNIT: Team India has been a powerful unit in the World Cup so far and they look to continue the same way.

Can’t do much when AB or Gayle is in form: Dhoni Mission AB was

Kohli’s abusive behaviour reported to ICC

nipped in the bud, when the Proteas captain was runout against India at the MCG and come Friday, the onus will be on Dhoni’s men to stop the marauding Jamaican from repeating what he did to luckless Zimbabwean bowlers in Canberra during his double century

PERTH: There is not much the bowlers or a captain can do when batsmen of the calibre of AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle are on song, says India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the defending champions prepare to clash with the West Indies on Friday. South African captain De Villiers and West Indies’ Gayle are two such players which would have kept Dhoni worried and required him to make some planning. Mission AB was nipped in the bud, when the Proteas captain was run-out against India at the MCG and come Friday, the onus will be on Dhoni’s men to stop the marauding Jamaican from repeating what he did to luckless Zimbabwean bowlers in Canberra during his double century. Ask Dhoni about plans, and ‘Captain Cool’ gives a generic answer that the best plan is to have no plan when players such as Gayle, AB or Brendon McCullum go all guns blazing. “Frankly speaking, you can’t do much because if the individual is hitting sixes as you can’t have ﬁelds for it. More often than not, you’ll lose the battle of short-pitched deliveries, if they hit you off the shortpitch stuff also.

PERTH/NEW DELHI: The controversy surrounding Virat Kohli’s abusive behaviour with an Indian journalist refused to subside on Wednesday despite the team management’s efforts to play it down with complaints being made to the ICC and BCCI about the episode. The BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur that it was a case of misunderstanding and the issue should be put to rest immediately to let the team focus on the World Cup. “He (Kohli) has clariﬁed on the issue. For India, the ongoing World Cup is very important. We need to put all these issues to rest and indirectly has communicated that he misunderstood the situation. Let’s put this matter to an end,” Thakur told PTI on Wenesday when asked about the incident. “In future I think these kind of incidents should be avoided and taken care of. I have not spoken to players yet, the team management is there, taking care of all the players’ needs,” said the 40-year-old, who was elected as BCCI secretary at the board’s AGM held in Chennai on Sunday. The team m management issued a brief statement say-

There’s not much you can do,” Dhoni observed when queried about impact players. For Dhoni, the best is to ‘bluff the batsman’ with variation and nothing more than that. “You look to bluff the batsman a bit. I believe that gives liberty to the bowlers to try a few other things if a batsman like Chris Gayle or AB de Villiers gets going. Apart from that, you don’t have a ﬁxed plan as to if you do this, this will happen,” Dhoni was frank in his assessment. Dhoni said that when a Gayle or De Villiers is on rampage, it becomes even more important to get hold of the half chances that come your way. “That’s where I feel the bowler

TEMPEREMENTAL: Virat Kohli facing media backlash.

ing that, “there was a misunderstanding and no abusive language was used. Virat has spoken to the concerned gentleman immediately and matter ends.” However, the Hindustan Times, whose reporter was abused by Kohli, has ﬁled complaints with the ICC and the BCCI. “I have written a letter to the BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya after consulting our

will have to take that extra initiative and they have to be backed well by the fielders because if you have a 50/50 opportunity and if you grab that, it will really ease up the pressure from the fast bowlers or the spinners. I think as a unit you have to hunt in pack.” For India, the man in question Gayle has not been in a big factor in most of the matches but West Indies team management will hope that he fires. Gayle didn’t practice for two days but it was more of a rest after constant cricket in the past few months. When Darren Sammy was enquired about Gayle, he said, “As far as I know, everybody is fit. We have a full squad to choose from.” When probed further about a

Editor-in-Chief. I have asked Dalmiya to look into the incident. The reporter in question, Jasvinder Sidhu, has also informed the ICC about the incident,” HT Sports Editor Sukhwant Basra said. The newspaper is also examining whether Kohli had violated any law applicable in that country and could consider the option of legal action against the star cricketer. - PTI

back injury which probably prevented Gayle from taking part in the net sessions. “Chris Gayle’s back has been same for me for the last three years. He continues to come up and win matches for West Indies. I know, once he is ﬁt, he will turn up and give his all for the team,” said Sammy, who will now play alongside Gayle for IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore. Gayle yesterday at the Murdoch Oval ground had a lengthy oneon-one discussion with the West Indies great Clive Lloyd. It wasn’t clear as to what they discussed but it could have been about his own batting and the responsibility that he needs to take for the team. - PTI

ndia face a potential banana skin when they play the West Indies at the pacy WACA ground. The extra bounce on this ground is exactly what can give an added edge to the otherwise listless West Indian attack which has been pulverised on other grounds by other teams, including Ireland, who chased down over 300 successfully. The West Indians have relied on pace bowling since time immemorial, and if they don’t get too excited by ﬁnding that the ball is thudding into the gloves of the wicket keeper and bowl a fuller length, then they can cause problems for the Indian batsmen. India have dealt brilliantly against the pace and swing of Dale Steyn, Philander and Morkel and the Pakistani trio of Mohammed Irfan, Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz, so it’s not as if they have not played pace well before in the tournament. It’s just that the West Indians may be able to restrict the Indians to a total that their batsmen can chase. The West Indian batsmen will also like the ball coming on to the bat because that is where they will be able to play the big shots. The straight boundaries are short, while the boundaries square of the wicket are long, so Chris Gayle and company will be looking to target the shorter boundaries. Gayle has been susceptible to the slower bowlers at the start of his innings, as has been seen in the IPL where Dhoni has used Ashwin to dismiss him early. So it won’t be too much of a surprise if Ashwin starts the bowling for India like he has done for his franchise in the IPL. Ashwin’s success against UAE will encourage him to bowl at the same speed that he bowled. He mixed his deliveries well, and especially the angles that he created by using the crease, gave him the drift that caused problems to the inexperienced UAE batsmen. The UAE batsmen may not have had the skill and experience, but as any cricketer will tell you, wickets and runs against any opposition only increases conﬁdence and self-belief. And while Ashwin has never been short of either,

India have dealt brilliantly against the pace and swing of Dale Steyn, Philander and Morkel and the Pakistani trio of Mohammed Irfan, Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz, so it’s not as if they have not played pace well before in the tournament

he will still feel good coming in against the men from the Caribbean after his best ever effort against the minnows UAE. India would ideally like to give every player in their squad a game before the knockouts but would want to ensure that they win against the West Indies ﬁrst, as that would then pretty much ensure that they ﬁnish on top of their group. The West Indians have been hammered by the South Africans, and with the Proteas scoring in excess of 400 against Ireland too, their net run-rate will have gone up considerably. India therefore cannot take this game lightly and must look to win and win big. Their last two games are in New Zealand where there could be rains, and they do not want to be sharing points with Ireland or Zimbabwe. Treat each game as it comes and win them all, is what the Indians must say to themselves. They are, after all, the defending champions. — PMG

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

Beach-combing Scotland back themselves against Bangladesh

STAUNCH SUPPORTERS: Despite not being very impressive with their performance both Scotland and Bangladesh have so far enjoyed a very fan support.

Scotland have left no stone unturned and hired former Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen as a consultant to help prepare for the match

NELSON: Scotland spent two days cruising New Zealand coasts to escape cricket after their hopes of a maiden World Cup win were crushed by Afghanistan but have returned determined to break their duck against Bangladesh.

The Scots needed just one wicket in the Dunedin cliffhanger but Afghanistan’s tail-enders reeled in the ﬁnal 19 runs to condemn their opponents to an 11th straight loss at World Cups. The brave defeat was of little comfort to captain Preston Mommsen and his men, who packed their gear up and hit the road as Afghans danced on the streets of Kabul to celebrate the team’s ﬁrst victory at their maiden tournament. “That Afghanistan game was very difficult to get over,” Mommsen told reporters on Wednesday, a day before their Bangladesh clash in Nelson. “To lose that game was very disappointing for all the 15 players, but we’ve had a good couple of days’ break, clean break from cricket. “Some of the boys have gone up north, seen some of the beautiful

FA C T B O X

BANGLADESH Captain: Mashrafe Mortaza Coach: Chandika Hathurusingha Squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushﬁqur Rahim, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Taijul Islam, Shaﬁul Islam Results so far at 2015 World Cup: Beat Afghanistan by 105 runs Match abandoned v Australia Lost to Sri Lanka by 92 runs Matches remaining at 2015 World Cup:

beaches in Nelson and just taken their minds off cricket, came back to training yesterday nice and refreshed, and the boys are ready to go for tomorrow.” Bangladesh will be the nonTest playing nation’s biggest

March 9 v England, Adelaide March 13 v New Zealand, Hamilton Best performers: Shakib Al Hasan (109 runs), Mashrafe Mortaza (three wickets) *** SCOTLAND Captain: Preston Mommsen Coach: Grant Bradburn Squad: Preston Mommsen, Richie Berrington, Kyle Coetzer, Freddie Coleman, Matthew Cross, Josh Davey, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Majid Haq, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif, Rob Taylor, Iain Wardlaw

chance of a long-awaited win, with tough matches against Sri Lanka and Australia to close their pool round. With that in mind, they have left no stone unturned and hired former Bangladesh coach Shane Jur-

Results so far at 2015 World Cup: Lost to New Zealand by three wickets Lost to England by 119 runs Lost to Afghanistan by one wicket Matches remaining at 2015 World Cup: March 11 v Sri Lanka, Hobart March 14 v Australia, Hobart Best performers: Kyle Coetzer (97 runs); Josh Davey (nine wickets) *** Head-to-head Played: 3 Bangladesh won three Last match: December 17, 2006 - Bangladesh won by 146 runs in Dhaka

gensen as a consultant to help prepare. A former ﬁrst class cricketer for Sheffield Shield side Queensland, the 38-year-old Australian will stay with Scotland for just the one match before returning to his regular coaching gig in Fiji.

E X PA N D F R O N T I E R S

M I S F I R I N G B AT S M A N

England may lose Ballance in search of equilibrium

SACRIFICIAL LAMB! Gary Ballance

“It’s been good to have Shane on board with the team. He obviously knows all the Bangladeshi players,” Mommsen said. “He’s fully aware of the way that they like to play and the things they do and don’t like on the ﬁeld. “He’s added some very valuable information and insight into the Bangladeshi team, and we’ll be using that hopefully to our strength tomorrow.” Scotland could do with a hand, having lost all their three matches to Bangladesh, though the last was nearly a decade ago. Fellow associate member side Ireland upset West Indies in Nelson early in the tournament and Mommsen said they would take inspiration from that. “They were very aggressive in the way they took on the West Indies’ bowling attack, and we’ll try and represent the associates tomorrow as best we can,” he said. - Reuters

MELBOURNE: Misfiring batsman Gary Ballance is likely to be the sacrificial lamb when England’s harried selectors decide on the lineup for next week’s World Cup crunch match against Bangladesh. Disgruntled former players and raging media pundits are demanding changes to a team that has won only one game from their opening four and stand on the brink of an ignominious exit from the global showpiece. Though England cannot boast a single consistent performer in the tournament, Ballance’s four consecutive failures at number three with the bat provide ample motive for selectors to swing the axe or demote the 25-year-old down to the middle order. Thirty-six runs in four matches is an ugly statistic for any specialist batsman but damning for a player expected to anchor an innings. More strident critics will continue to question why the Zimbabwe-born batsman was even picked in the first place. “I am not sure Ballance is a one-day cricketer,” former West Indies bowler and TV pundit Michael Holding said last month. Holding’s observation came after England had suffered a second consecutive World Cup humiliation with their defeat against New Zealand in Wellington. Ballance

had been caught for a leaden-footed 10 after changing his mind too late about playing at a short ball by seamer Trent Boult. “I think he is a fantastic Test batsman... I am not sure he has the right attitude for ODI cricket,” Holding added. Though England have struggled on the ﬁeld, selectors have been criticised for doing too much at the wrong time and too little when times demand it. For Ballance, the former complaint would seem valid. The left-hander broke a ﬁnger on his right hand three weeks before the tournament, harming his preparation for the stiffest examination of his short one-day career. But he was a surprise inclusion for England’s World Cup opener against Australia at the expense of Ravi Bopara. Quiet debut Ballance’s selection meant righthander James Taylor was shunted down to sixth in the order and after being denied a century against Australia by an umpiring error, he has struggled there since. If cast out, Ballance’s exile may only be temporary. Bopara has long failed to cement his place, while highly-fancied reserve batsman Alex Hales has to convince he can convert his Twen-

ty20 form into the 50-over game. Ballance was in and out of the one-day team last year but described as a “world-class player in pretty much all forms of the game for the future” by selector James Whitaker on the release of the World Cup squad. Raised on a tobacco plantation outside of Harare, Ballance impressed with county side Yorkshire before making a quiet Test debut in the ﬁfth match of England’s ill-fated Ashes whitewash by Australia in January last year. He announced himself with a glorious 104 at Lord’s against Sri Lanka in his next Test match, belting a six into the stands to bring up his maiden Test century. Another two tons would follow against India in the home series and he now has an average of more than 60 from his eight Tests. Ballance’s average from his 16 ODIs has slumped to 21.21 and his top score of 79 in January 2014 against Australia seems a distant memory. “In my eyes he’s been a bit unlucky,” England captain Eoin Morgan said after his third failure of the World Cup against Scotland. Transferring Ballance’s Test form into one-day cricket may take a more honest appraisal and a more sophisticated plan than throwing him into the side on a wave of misguided optimism. - Reuters

Sachin calls for 25-team World Cup SYDNEY: Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday blasted proposals to slash the 2019 World Cup to just 10 nations, describing it as “a backward step” and suggesting the tournament be expanded to 25 teams. Tendulkar, an ambassador for the World Cup on behalf of the International Cricket Council said the ICC should be expanding the frontiers of the game with Test teams encouraged to pit their ‘A’ sides against Associate nations such as Afghanistan and Ireland. “I found out the next World Cup would only be ten teams which is disappointing because as a cricketer I want the game to be globalised as much as possible and, according to me, this is a backwards step,” Tendulkar said. “We’ve got to ﬁnd ways of encouraging the lesser teams.” He added: “Why not get Australia A, England A, New Zealand A, South Africa A, New Zealand A, India A, everyone, to go and visit these countries and play them on a regular basis. “And see, not just 14 teams, but how can we get to 25 teams participating in the next World Cup?” “It is not just about the top six or seven sides. If we are to globalise this game we have to get more and more people excited about cricket and the fan following only follows the result.” - AFP

SIGHT & SOUND

SECTION

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5

The 28-year-old superstar has told friends that she is seriously thinking about giving up show-business and becoming a full-time wife and mother

he has a new hit single, an album due out next month, a $20 million Malibu mansion and a personal fortune reckoned at over $100 million. But now, according to friends, Lady Gaga could be on the verge of giving up the career which has made all this possible. And becoming a loving stay-athome wife. It was on St Valentine’s Day that 33-year-old long-time boyfriend Taylor Kinney ﬁnally proposed — and was accepted. “What has happened to me is the closest thing to heaven,” says the 28-year-old superstar. Insiders say it hasn’t been the most tranquil of courtships for the couple who ﬁrst met in 2011 while making a promotional video. Last year friends were shocked by Lady Gaga’s dramatic weight-loss — she dropped from a curvy size 12 to a skeletal size eight — which she claimed was intentional and brought about by a gluten-free diet and intense spinning sessions. But those close to the controversial superstar believed the main strain on her health was the uncertainty about her relationship with Taylor. It seems she was particular-

ly concerned about his relationship with Cameron Diaz, his co-star in the movie The Other Woman. They seemed to be really close and Taylor had introduced her to his family. “This really upset Gaga and although Taylor has assured her that his relationship with Cameron was purely professional, she found it hard to believe him,” said a friend. Now she has — Taylor popped the question at a Valentine’s Day party and presented his new ﬁancée with a $50,000 diamond engagement ring engraved with their initials. He said of his future wife – they plan to marry at Lady Gaga’s house in summer — “She’s someone who’s always in your corner and believes in you. She’s helped and inspired so many people — including me.” Already Lady Gaga has told friends that she is seriously thinking about giving up show-business and becoming a full-time wife and mother. “When you’ve ﬁnally found the man of your dreams you just want to be with him,” she says. “I’ve been in show business so long I really want to try something new,” she says. Already wedding invitations have been sent out to pals including

Donatella Versace and Kelly Osbourne. Veteran singer Tony Bennett will sing Cheek to Cheek. Renowned for her eccentric behaviour, Lady Gaga makes no secret of the fact that she wants to turn heads where ever she goes, but intends to have a surprisingly traditional and down-beat wedding. Says the star born Stefani Joanne Germanotta: “I would get married in jeans and a T-shirt if I could. I couldn’t care less about money. What am I going to do with a great flashy car? I can’t drive.” A classically-trained pianist, the former go-go dancer and self-confessed workaholic Lady Gaga says: “I’m involved in every aspect of my work. I’m not like some singers who just turn up to put their vocals over someone else’s songs. “I just love to be different. No one can tie me down to any specific sound or style.” Getting her first record contract at 17, she was dropped shortly afterwards — and was devastated. “My mum and I cried every day until I picked myself up and started writ-

ing songs again — the ones which are now on my album The Fame. “Growing up at a private Catholic school in New York with girls like Paris and Nicky Hilton I became fascinated by the idea of fame and what it did to young people. My new album is about how anyone can feel famous. “Now I’m just trying to bring pop back without being low-brow. I’m not a novelty artist. I’m real and here to stay.” Lady Gaga’s father, a successful American-Italian businessman, hoped that his daughter would become a professional classical pianist and was horriﬁed when she dropped her studies at New York University and was soon performing in seedy Lower East Side clubs. “He couldn’t look at me for a few months,” she admits. “I was in leather suits and masses of makeup so it was hard for him. He just

didn’t understand. But my parents saw me getting better and now my father cries when he sees me perform.” She declares: “I’m defying all the preconceptions people have about pop artists. My act and my image and my music change all the time and no one can ever be able to nail me down into a box or put me into some ﬁxed category.” So why Lady Gaga? The singer explains: “When I was ﬁrst working in clubs, people would look at me and say: ‘You’re so ga-ga’ and I decided to keep the name. Now even my own mum calls me that!” And just what is the Gaga sound? “It’s pop, it’s electronic, it’s futuristic, it’s fashion and I want it to express who I am. I design the shows, I write the music, I do everything. My art is my whole life.” Or at least it was. Now as the future Taylor Kinney there could be some big changes ahead. -Judson Bennett/Tony James Features

C 1 0 THU RSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

ETCETERA BRIEFS

Kate Winslet is a legend, says Ansel Elgort ANSEL ELGORT relished the opportunity to act with talents like Shailene Woodley and Kate Winslet in The Divergent Series: Insurgent. He considers the Titanic star a legend. “Shai and I have worked together recently on the Divergent movies and The Fault in Our Stars. She is the best young actress around right now, so I couldn’t be happier. And Kate Winslet’s obviously a legend,” Elgort said. Elgort’s acting career began through professional stage acting, in Regrets, by Matt Charman. His film debut was a secondary role in the 2013 remake of Carrie. His first highly publicised role was in Divergent (the first part) as Caleb, the brother of Beatrice Prior (Shailene Woodley). The film, based on a popular young adult novel by Veronica Roth, was released on March 21, 2014. The Divergent Series: Insurgent will release on March 20 worldwide.

Kanye dreamed of being bigger than Picasso RAPPER Kanye West discussed his artistic ambitions with Oxford University students, admitting he dreamed of being bigger than legendary Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. The 37-year-old rapper regrets never going on to study art and admits he has lofty ambitions, but wishes others thought like him to stop humanity being “suppressed”, reported femaleﬁrst.co.uk. “My goal, if I was going to do art, ﬁne art, would have been to become Picasso or greater. That always sounds so funny to people, comparing yourself to someone who has done so much, and that’s a mentality that suppresses humanity,” he said while addressing the students on Monday. “If I could have done it again I would have gone to the Art Institute over the American Academy,” he added. The Bound 2 hitmaker, who has 20-month-old daughter North with wife Kim Kardashian, says he gets very excited by his art work.

Pattinson gifts promise ring to girlfriend ROBERT PATTINSON has reportedly gifted girlfriend FKA Twigs a promise ring, and a formal engagement may happen soon. According to a source, the actor gave the Video Girl artist a promise ring in December 2014 and she was ecstatic to get it, reported eonline.com. The source says Pattinson shared the happy development in his relationship status with a few select friends around that same time at an “Iwant-to-marry-you-dinner”. The friends were also told, meanwhile, that the Twilight heartthrob and Twigs were not officially engaged yet. Pattinson hasn’t shared a proposal date with his friends, but the source believes that it could happen as soon as this summer, after Twigs, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, wraps up her tour and the actor ﬁnishes up with a couple of projects that are in the works. The actor also brought Twigs home to meet his parents during the holidays. -IANS

FINDING WAY TO A LISTENER’S HEART Talented Prarthana Choudhury is eager to make a mark in the Indian music industry by composing, writing and singing. The singer, who was in Muscat for a performance recently, talks of her love for music

er mesmerising voice has won the hearts of many music lovers across India particularly in Assam. The talented Prarthana Choudhury is eager to make a mark in the Indian music industry by composing, writing and singing. Born and brought up in the Indian state of Assam, Prarthana has been singing since her childhood days. Her love for music knows no bounds and she has attempted all genres including ghazals, Bollywood and western. Prarthana is an accomplished Hindustan classical singer too. She has been singing for Indian national television Doordarshan and All India Radio, besides her music has been aired by popular TV channels in Assam. Prarthana already has a couple of solo Assamese audio and video music albums to her credit. She has also rendered her voice for other Assamese video albums and movies besides working as a voice-over artiste. Her ﬁrst-of-its-kind, video album of ghazals and geet named Revisiting Pathos has been appreciated by ghazal lovers. Prarthana was in Muscat recently to perform

at Spandana’s musical evening Shaam-E-Sargam. The young singer talks of her journey so far. What artistes did you listen to when you were growing up and what about them appealed to you? I grew up listening to diverse music. This encompassed a lot of old Bollywood classic hits and for the most part, it was Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Raﬁ, alongside a collection of classic bhajans, ghazals and Hindustani classical music by various artists. Lataji taught me what ‘vocalﬁnesse’ is, through all her songs. Meanwhile, I also kept listening to the contemporary Bollywood music of that time — Alka Yagnik, Anuradha Paudwal, Kavita Krishnamurty, Udit Narayan and Kumar Sanu. I grew up ‘feasting’ on the lyrical and musical richness of the legend, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. I have directly or indirectly learnt a lot from the same. The topics of his songs touch upon every possible human emotion —love, separation, anger patriotism, nature to name a few. The lyrics of his songs

were so powerful and vivid that as an eight-year-old, I learnt about Assam’s history simply by listening to a couple of his songs. My dad plays violin as leisure pursuit. So I had the advantage of picking up a variety of songs on his violin. My mother introduced me to south Indian music by making me listen to M.S Subbalaksmi and A.R. Rahman. I love to listen to Hariharan, Ghulam Ali, Jagjit & Chitra Singh and Mehdi Hassan. I have developed deep love for ghazals and I feel it is a wonderful medium for emoting and can touch one’s soul directly. I also grew up listening to contemporary English music hits — mostly Celine Dion, Back Street Boys and Shakira. I enjoying every bit of it. How would you describe your music to somebody who’d never heard it before? While my music would not necessarily have a uniform structure, pattern or form, I like it to have some element that would surely create an impact on the listener deep within — be it the vocalrendition, lyrics or the music. It has to have the potential to linger on in the person’s mind, after the

song is over. It could be about the sweetness of the voice, the pain in the lyrics, the haunting music, the catchy rhythm, the softness and melody — whatever. If it ﬁnds a way to the listener’s heart, my job is done. What do you ﬁnd most inspires you to write a song and compose album? An emotion or a particular set of emotions that becomes over-bearing or overwhelming at a particular moment or a phase of life inspires me, provokes me and pushes me to compose or sing a particular song. What is your next goal as a singer-musician? I will be happy to continue reaching out to people with my stageshows — be it Bollywood songs, ghazals or Assamese folk/contemporary music. I hope and wish to be lucky enough to do a lot of playback singing. Meanwhile, I want to take out time to compose my own songs in both Hindi and Assamese — pen down some nice lyrics and score appropriate tunes. I am working on my own compositions right now and planning to bring those out, soon. -Staff Reporter

D O C U M E N TA RY

Montage of Heck film uses unseen footage to tell Nirvana frontman’s story FOO FIGHTERS leading man Dave Grohl sat on the sidelines for two years refusing to take part in a documentary about his ex-Nirvana band mate Kurt Cobain, only to change his mind just as Brett Morgen’s film Cobain — Montage of Heck received universal praise at it’s world premiere in Sundance. Cobain: Montage of Heck, to be released in the UK next month, is the first authorised documentary on the Nirvana frontman. One of the producers is Frances Bean Cobain, Cobain’s daughter with Courtney Love, who was 19 months old when her father committed suicide on 5 April, 1994. Containing never-before-seenfootage from his childhood and of Kurt and Courtney together in

the privacy of their own home, where they are seen laughing and joking about Love being one of the most hated women in America. Their playfulness in front of the camera has a soap opera feel. The ﬁlm does much to debunk many of the myths about Cobain. Morgen suggests Cobain began using heroin in his teenager years and was not introduced to the drug by Love and questions whether he committed suicide because he hated being famous. The ﬁlm features only a handful of talking-head interviews, mainly with his family. Interviewed on-screen are Kurt’s mother, Wendy O’Connor, father Donald Cobain, stepmother Jenny Cobain, sister Kim Cobain, his first serious

girlfriend, Tracy Marander, and Courtney Love. The only musician interviewed is Krist Novoselic, the bassist and cofounder of Nirvana. The title of the film is taken from two demo tapes that Cobain recorded around 1988, one eight minutes long and the other 36 minutes, titled Montage of Heck. The mix tapes, which have been available on bootleg for more than 15 years and freely available on the internet, feature music from Cobain’s record collection, elements of Nirvana demos and songs recorded by Cobain. Much of the soundtrack to the film is taken from these demos and none of music in the film has ever been officially released. -Kalam Aftab/The Independent

T H U R S DAY, MAR C H 5, 2 0 1 5

C11

ETCETERA NOTHING COMMON ABOUT HIM During the past several months, the Chicago-born entertainer has been racking up awards for ‘Glory’, the song he and John Legend wrote for the sound track of ‘Selma’

he saga culminated on February 22 when they mounted the stage as winners of the Academy Award for Best Song. “One of the most important things I’ve learned is that we’ve all got something similar going on in our lives,” Common said during a recent telephone interview. “I’m meeting a lot of people these days, and many are people I wouldn’t normally meet. But, when I get in a room with them, we all relate, which makes me really happy. “I’m really understanding that, yes, you might come from a different walk of life, but we all have something in common.” And then, hearing his own words, he burst into warm laughter. “I swear,” he said, “I’m not trying to get my name in there!” Common is more than an Oscar-winning singer/songwriter, of course. He acted in Selma, playing activist James Bevel, and has several movies coming up, most notably Run All Night, set to open in the US on March 13. The ﬁlm casts Liam Neeson as Jimmy The Gravedigger Conlon, an ageing hit man who is forced to take up his gun again when his son (Joel Kinnaman) kills the son of Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris), NEWS

Noel Gallagher losing his sight NOEL GALLAGHER has spoken out about losing his sight, revealing it’s becoming blurry. He doesn’t however want to wear glasses and will only have treatment to prevent the deterioration of his vision when he’s unable to tell the difference between other women and his wife, Sara MacDonald, reported femaleﬁrst.co.uk. “I do need glasses. But I’m going to wait until I walk into a restaurant and accidentally kiss other women while my wife is at another table before I do anything about it. Then I’m going to get them lasered,” he told The Sun newspaper. Though he’s known for penning some major hits, he’d rather be unable to write further tunes than lose his trademark hairstyle. “If my hair ever goes, it’s getting shaved. I’d rather lose my songwriting ability than my barnet. -IANS

the local mob boss. Maguire sends his current top hit man, Mr. Price (Common), to take down both father and son. “I’m so thrilled to be a part of this movie,” Common said, “because this cast just blows my mind. Even better is that I’m the guy against Liam. I’m the bad guy, and I enjoyed playing it bad this time. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t fun. He’s a man’s man in a tough battle. It’s man’s stuff all the way.” Don’t expect Mr. Price to be a shrieking, foaming-at-the-mouth baddie. “He’s cool, calm and collected,” the actor said, “but lethal. He doesn’t allow anything to get in his way.” Playing a bad guy is cool with him, Common added. “I’m an actor, so the goal is to play all sorts of different characters, including the dark ones,” he said. “I’m secure in the fact that I’m not playing myself up there, but it’s someone else. “It’s interesting to explore a dangerous world,” Common added. “You usually ﬁnd characters in those worlds where they’re basically sucked in and given no real chance to redeem themselves.” Though he grew up on the tough streets of Chicago, Common didn’t bring any real-life experiences to Run All Night. “Sure, I was exposed to street life when I was younger,” he said,

“but I had the will to say, ‘I’m not going to live this life. This isn’t for me. I want to live a productive, healthy, happy and long life.’ “I was never the kind of person who wanted to make anyone else hurt,” Common continued. “I know what it’s like to have a loved one hurt. That’s bad pain. I never wanted to cause that pain, because I respect life.” Is he an actor who sings or a singer who acts? “I just always wanted to be a storyteller,” Common said. “It doesn’t matter what platform you use. When you’re a storyteller, you’re able to speak your truth using your imagination. “I just always wanted to use the creative gifts the Creator has given me,” he said. “For me it’s all about absorbing life, taking life in and then interpreting it in a way where anyone in the room can say in some big or small way, ‘That’s my story. I can relate. Here’s what it means to me.’“ Common’s story begins in Chicago, where he grew up as the son of teacher Mahalia Ann Hines and former basketball star Lonnie Lynn, who later became a youth counsellor. His birth name is Lonnie Rashid Lynn. Music consumed his early life, and gave him a new name — His ﬁrst album, Can I Borrow a Dollar?

(1992), was released under the name Common Sense, later shortened to Common. Resurrection (1994) made him a star, producing the hit singles Large Professor and I Used to Love H.E.R. His biggest hit was One Day It’ll All Make Sense (1997), on which he sang with Erykah Badu and De La Soul. Like Water for Chocolate (2000) was another smash hit. Meanwhile, however, Common was thinking about acting. After making several television guest appearances in the early 2000s, he made his ﬁlm debut in Smokin’ Aces (2006), and went on to increasingly large roles in American Gangster (2007), Wanted (2008), Terminator Salvation (2009), Date Night (2010), Just Wright (2010) and Now You See Me (2013). He also has played Elam Ferguson on the series Hell on Wheels (2011-2014). Selma was a double triumph for Common, whose acting was critically praised even before Glory began garnering awards. For him, though, both were beside the point — as was the controversy over whether the ﬁlm, which was nominated for an Oscar as Best Picture, also should have received nominations for director Ava DuVernay. -Cindy Pearlman /The New York Times News Service

NEWS

Jennifer Lawrence to play first female lead in Spielberg’s movie ACTRESS Jennifer Lawrence and filmmaker Steven Spielberg have been roped in by Warner Bros for the upcoming movie It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War. The studio won the rights for the film at a whirlwind auction on Monday. Based on a memoir by Lynsey Addario, the story of film is about a war photographer Lynsey Addario as she “goes into the most dangerous places in the world in search of truth.” Lawrence is tapped to play the lead character, reports deadline.com. While other cast members were not announced, it has been reported that a number of actresses have been eyeing the feature, including Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman, and Margot Robbie. Lawrence is currently shooting for her new film Joy. Meanwhile, Spielberg is on board directing a Cold War thriller, St. James Place, starring Tom Hanks, which will release on October 16. -IANS

C 1 2 THU RSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

ETCETERA

Jada

ENERGY

6 ORDINARY

MORTALS

PUT

TOGETHER

Pinkette Smith entered a baking competition last week in the peaceful suburb of Calabasas, an hour’s drive north of Los Angeles, and was thrilled to get second prize for her fruit and nut cake. “I was so proud,” she says. “These sorts of things are very important to me. They make me realise what real life is all about. Being a wife and mother is a real job.” Her other job is being one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actresses. Jada Pinkett Smith, at 43, the sensation of the Matrix movie franchise, and star of the new TV crime drama series Gotham, in which she plays a gangster, would seem to have more energy than six ordinary mortals put together. Not only has she just written successful children’s books, had a hit with her rock group Wicked Wisdom, but she has her own production company, a fashion label and stars in the new movie Magic Mike XXL with several very dishy men. But it’s being wife for 18 years to superstar Will Smith and mother to Jaden and Willow, that Jada puts before anything else. “We chose to live away from the Hollywood and Beverly Hills scene,” she says. “It’s easy to get caught up in all that movie madness. “Will and I keep our work and home life absolutely separate. It’s important to stay in the real world and give the children a secure and loving home-life.” Which is something that Jada Pinkett certainly didn’t have. Her mother struggled for years with a heroin habit, her father deserted them when Jada was five and they were constantly on the move, worried where the next meal would come from. After a drama course, stints of modelling and bit-parts in TV soaps, Jada first met Will Smith when she auditioned unsuccessfully for his 1980s TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. They met again ten years later in 1996 and married the following New Year’s Eve. By then she was becoming noticed — she made Menace To Society, and played opposite Eddie Murphy in the Nutty Professor. She has also been her husband’s costar - she was his first wife in the boxing blockbuster, Ali. But the Matrix series transformed her into an A-list celebrity and an all-action girl. Only five feet tall, countless hours in the gym gave her impressively toned muscles for her role as Niobe. “I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing Niobe,” says director Andy Wachowski. “She’s made the part her own. Jada is a key figure in the Matrix movie.” She still finds time to administer a variety of charities and welfare schemes for young people. “I’m very hands on,” she says. “I’m involved in charity stuff five days a week when I’m not doing other work.” She also owns a production company with her husband and is due to do voiceovers for the latest Disney cartoon movie. Not bad for a girl usually described as Will Smith’s better half. “I’m far beyond that now,” she says. “I just laugh when I hear it. I get far more offers of work than I can accept. My goal is to show other women that it is possible to have a meaningful career and a family. It’s tough but it is possible.” “On the other hand when you’re a movie star you’ve got to accept that people are going to take your pictures and write about you. The fans pay our wages. We wouldn’t exist without them. “I have to admit that I love the glamour bit and all the razzmatazz. It’s all part of the job and if you don’t accept that you shouldn’t be in the movies. “Then I go back to Calabasas, shut the door and I’m Mrs Smith who looks after her family.” So what is the secret of one of Hollywood’s longest and happiest marriages? “Will is my best friend,” Jada says. “He’s been at my side through some of the most difficult parts of my life and been a tremendous comfort and support. “You never forgot things like that. I like to think I’ve been there for him, too. Marriage is never easy but we’ve proved it’s well worth making the effort.” Jada knows that the lifespan of a glamorous Hollywood star is short. “Eventually I would like to direct,” she says. But for the moment I’m very happy. And when no one wants me either in front or behind the cameras I can always go back to my cakes.” But judging by her energy, looks and success, there’s no chance of that happening for an awfully long time. - John Graham/Tony James Features

JADA PINKETT SMITH, AT 43, IS THE SENSATION OF ‘THE MATRIX’ MOVIE FRANCHISE, AND STAR OF THE NEW TV CRIME DRAMA SERIES ‘GOTHAM’

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M T H U R S DAY, M A R C H 5 , 2 0 1 5

SECTION

CONNEC T H E D A I LY G U I D E

RENT

VACANCY

CARGO

T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 5, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classiﬁeds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

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. 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 / 97307476, Email id: aaleem@ggcoman.com

Villa for rent with 4 bedroom at Al Khodh, Rent 750/-RO. Contact 92888115

FOR SALE Shop for sale Honda road. Contact 94053366 / 97605342

We have all kind of crockery items for rent. Items include: tables, buffet tables, chair, buffet, plates, glasses, spoons, table clothes, carpets. Call 97180999 Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879 85 SQM shops in Ruwi only on 350/- OMR. Contact – 95122188 / 96441499 2BHK /1BHK Commercial & residential flat at Honda road. Contact 98087644 Prime location Showroom in Qurum Available for Rent. Main roan facing. Please contact: 92944717 Small office room for rent Azaiba Nov 18 street. Contact 98563322 Room for rent Honda road. Contact 92540125/ 97605342/ 94053366 Flat for rent in Amerat and fifth region 5/2 ground floor two-bedroom and two bathroom and a kitchen to call 99196066 Abdul Amir Well maintained 2BHK, with split A/C’s and basement parking, near KM Hypermarket, Al Khuwair is available from 01.04.2015. Rent OMR 375 pm. Contact 96181229 Shop for rent Honda road. Contact 95204636 Fully furnished flat one bed room hall and kitchen for sharing. Opp. Star Cinema Ruwi. Contact 99324543 Flat in Wadi Al Kabir, 2BHK. Contact 95099787 1& 2BHK at Honda road Ruwi. Contact 99224748/ 99332297 For rent in a quite area in South Mabela commercial services, kids area, near the Masjid close to Al Noor round about, spacious apartment separate entrance. Contact 99766760 Qurum Flat in front Qurum park Fahud Road have 3 Bedroom +sitting room +Family hall +3 toilets +kitchen with AC For 500 Rials. Contact 95999904

2 BHK Flat, 3 Bath with Spacious Balcony in Al Ghobrah Behind Oxy / Bahwan Residency Area. Ready for Immediate Occupancy. RO 420/PM. Contact: 92193885 / 94045125 Full furniture for rent for family. Contact 99251975 Showroom, 1BHK, 2BHK, Al – Azaiba North behind Al - Fair. Contact 99565364 / 95497323 Industrial /commercial shops at Wadi Kabir 4 x 5.6 x 4.6 MTR height. Showroom with mezzanine & office at Al Noor Street near Switz bakery & Al Masa hall corner building all on roads & parkings in front of shops & show room. #99065900 or 99354975 Al. Khuwair 33 Flat near Taimur Mosque have 2 Bedroom +Sitting room +dinning +2 toilets +kitchen +balcony with AC for 375 Rials. Contact 95999904 Furnished room available on Seeb share with small family for couple working ladies. Contact 96996938 1 Bedroom attached toilet Al Khuwair area only for ladies or husband and wife without children. Contact 9:00 pm to 7:00 am 95765719 Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, Honda road, Rex Road. Contact 95902218/ 92433127 / 97293708 Room with A.C Al Khuwair R.O 110/-. Contact 97799175 5BHK Semi furnished villa, Qurum 29.R.O 950/-. Contact 97799175 1BHK ﬂats at Muttrah. Contact 93231403

Ghubra north Flat in front of Al Maha hotel have 2 Bedroom +Family hall +3 toilets +kitchen +balcony with AC For 350 Rials. Contact 95999904

Single room with A/C having separate entrance for non –cooking Indian Executive, near Rawasco, Al Khuwair rent 130/- including (W& E). Contact 92888691/95397442/97201100

New Villa in Baushar Officers heights have 5 Bedrooms +sitting room +Dinning +6 toilets +kitchen +maid room With AC & parking,Rent 700 Rials. Contact 95999904

1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khan co. OMR 1,500 Monthly. Electricity and boundary wall will be provided. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Deluxe 3 bedroom apartment for rent in Mumtaz area for more information. Contact 99336263

For rent from owner directly 4 nos of luxurious spacious 3 BHK plus big family hall apartments, 1 no of luxury spacious 2 BHK plus big family hall apartment in al Khoudh 6 close to Sultan Qaboos university, next to shopping area and has easy access to express highway. Contact: 99436348/97600322

Half Villa in Ghubra North in front of Indian school ﬁrst ﬂoor have 3 Bedroom +Sitting room +family hall +3 toilets +kitchen +balcony with AC for 450 Rials. Contact 95999904

Spacious 2 BHK flats in Ruwi MBD area only on 350/- OMR.Contact – 95122188 / 96441499 We have commercial villa in Al Khuwair 33 New villa 2 floor bedroom, with lift very nice location, ideal for big company. Contact 93782735 We have 150 sqm office in Ghubra main road prime location Glass partition ready with 2 toilets & pantry, ideal for office. Contact 93782735 2BHK with split A/C in W.K behind Sana furnishing. Contact 96708000 1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khan co. OMR 1,500 Monthly. Electricity and boundary wall will be provided. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Flat Wadi AL Kabeer, 2BHK, sitting room, 3 bathroom balcony split /AC 300/- R.O Contact 99324402 Al.Khuwair studio behind platinum hotel rent 130/-R.O PDC. Contact 99879939 AL Khuwair behind platinum hotel 4 BHK, 3bathrrom, sitting dinning split AC. Contact 99879939 2& 3 BHK Darsait near I.S. M School. Contact 99024730 2& 3 BHK Darsait near I.S.D school new, with A/C. Contact 99024730 1& 2 BHK Wadi Kabir. Contact 99024730 3BR top class fitting flat ideal for top executives Mumtaz area, Ruwi. Contact 91287824 1BHK near Oman house behind Khimji, HO. Contact 95865686 2BHK flat in Muttrah for rent (R.O 290/-) immediate occupancy. Contact 99321580 Sharing room available near Oman house – Muttrah. Contact 99467054 Flat Wadi AL Kabeer, 2BHK, sitting room, 3 bathroom balcony split /AC 300/- R.O Contact 99324402 1BHK available Ghobrah near Al Maha International Hotel. Contact 99269751 Deluxe 1 bedroom flat, ideal for office / residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 97721313 / 95070421

We have brand new villa in ANSAB, for rent 4 bedroom, sitting hall, majlis, dining hall, maid room laundry room covered car parking. Contact 93782735 We have 2BHK, 3BHK, flats, office & 4 BHK villas available for rent at Ghubra, Ghala, Ruwi , Mabela7 and Darsait. Contact 93329476 1BHK flat Wadi Kabir, 250 RO split AC & maintenance. Contact- 95439351 4 BHK Wadi Kabeer near Lulu Hypermarket. Contact 97007934 / 92629232 Flats in Mumtaz 2 bedrooms sitting room, kitchen, toilet, Way no 3352 building no 3447 & 3668 . Contact 98003444 2BHK in Muttrah near Oman house with split ac. Contact 97007934 / 92629232 Attached single bedroom with A/C at Al Khuwair for Exe - bachelors. Contact 99636550 Furnished room with AC for expatriate in Al Khuwair. Contact 99689315 Villas & flats at Ansab. Contact 98458542 2BHK Al Hail North near main road. Contact 99330385

Beautiful office space available in Ruwi MBD area only on 2/- OMR per sqm.Contact – 95122188 / 96441499 Fully furnished 1 bedroom penthouse Wadi Kabir behind Sana Hassan, monthly RO 300/-. Contact 99349990 Prim location, nice finishing villa for RENT. 2 big bedrooms . Main large sitting room. Small maid room. Kitchen and 3 bathrooms. At Alkhuwair. near Holiday Inn & Oman Club. 99426662, PDC only. For families & college girls. 2BHK apartment fro at Qurum near PDO, Gate 2. Contact 94057023 1 / 3 BHK Flat Ghobrah, close to ISG Way 4041, building 4390. Contact 99319880 Villa Al Khuwair, 8 bedroom, 7 bathroom, 3kittchen. 950/-. Contact 99358589/ 5121126/95570288 6 bedroom villa for rent at Al Mawalah near City Center Seeb. Contact 99654252 2BHK flat Al Khuwair with split A/C. 350/- Contact 95121126/99358589/97079146 1BHK flat available at Darsait near medical. Contact 24705742/24705639

Fuel tanker, fork lift. Contact 99199374 Ladies parlour for sales at Al Ansab. Contact 98281849 5 Flats of 1 bedroom for Sale in Boushar: OMR 35 Thousand each. Monthly income OMR 270 Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Supermarket shelving and tube light fitting. Contact 99386170 Well running multi – cuisine restaurant in AL Khuwair for sale only serious buyers May. Contact 98519517 Clinic For Sale One Established new Clinic in Muscat, with Valid License & Clearance, for sale ASAP interested Parties can contact 91283188 or send your inquiries to mohamedsfarah@hotmail.com A Reputed & profitable restaurant located strategically in Mabela in industrial state road no 6 is available for immediate sale interested parties may. Contact Mr. .Faisal Khan at phone 99059013 for details & visit. 2 Prime Movers Man 2008 with 40 ton petrol tank each working at the moment in Al Maha. Price OMR 35 Thousand each. Tel: 97000155 or 92688692 23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka. OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Brand new highly finished luxury twin villa for sale in Mawaleh Phase -1 land area for each villa 300,00 m2 builtup area for each villa 433.50 sqm both villas with separate krooki. Contact 99164959 3 floor building in Muttrah behind Police. Generating income of OMR 18 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 Want Company engaged in selling food to sell coolers non repairable (scrap) quantity: 192 pieces. Contact 93650084 Offices: 24614874

Villa with 6 rooms + 2hall, Majlis, 7 toilets, studio in Shatti Al Qurum 2500/- R.O. Contact + (968) 99738881

Family ﬂats and villas at Ansab. Contact 98458542

1000 sq mtrs industrial land for rent in Ghala suitable for Ware house workshop. Contact 24700120 / 925

Villa OPP Grand Mall 2 living room, 2 hall + 3 rooms, kitchen & maid room with AC. Contact 99738881

2 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished @ AZAIBA. 2 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished @ Al Khuwair 33. 1 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished @ Al Khuwair. 5 B/R Fully Furnished villa @ Madinat Al Ilam. 3 B/R Furnished ﬂat at Al Khuwair 25. Available for Daily, Weekly and Yearly Lease Contract. Contact: Atlas Real Estate & Rent A Car LLC. 99249069 / 93201688/92888376, Email: info@alshahiintl.com

Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat. Contact 99349526

Commercial registration with excellent name Grade A for business software for sale. Contact 92959251

Industrial Land in Misfah. Contact 93009999

Shop for sale prime location at Al Khoud Souq Tejari. Contact 99083308

Flats and shops. Contact 93009999

If require ﬂats for rent in Wadi Kabir please send messages through Whatsapp or call – 99376454 1B/R available for Bachelors in REX ROAD, Ruwi. Contact 99889590

Dental Clinic with license for sale in Sohar. Contact 92816015

Port cabins – New & refurnished Porta cabin for sale and rent. Contact 96723468 Shop for sale at Ruwi. Contact 99103077

T H U R S DAY, M A R C H 5 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

WANTED Clinic required, One Established new Clinic in Muscat, with Valid License & Clearance is required to purchase interested Parties can contact 91283188 or send your inquiries to mohamedsfarah@hotmail.com

BUYING/SELLING

FOR SALE Commercial kitchen equipment for sale. cont; 99024519 We are dealing with sale of all beauty salon equipments, furnitures & cosmetics. #942888 61 / 942888 63

ACC. AVAILABLE Spacious 3 BR long hall, 3 bathrooms new spit A/Cs - Qurum (PDO Road) Direct owner. Contact 99431708/ 24571963 Furnished single /sharing room for EXE. Bachelor at Rex Road (Kannada, Telugu, Tamil).Contact 92873832 Room for rent at Al Ansab. Contact 98806430 Furnished rooms for Indian bachelor in Al Falaj Ruwi & lady in Wadi Kabir. Contact 95941515. Room available at Honda road. Contact 99366591 Gubrah furnished room, attached bath dish TV, WIFI, kitchen available for Executive single person, couple. Contact 99658689

M.V. FOR SALE

Looking for purchase of Used Portable Compressor (350 CFM, 7 Bar Pressure) powered with Diesel run Generator. Kindly Contact 99014686 or operation@khancogroup.com

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished single room with attached bathroom and split A/C available for executive bachelors opposite Mars hyper market Barka. Contact 92973534 Single room, separate bathroom for working girls/couple behind Al Nahdha hospital. Contact 95871148 (after 4 pm) Single room with attached bathroom, kitchen near Muscat Palace family or bachelor OMR 90/-. Contact 95094028 Sharing accommodation available in Al Khoudh. Contact 98292798 Single room MBD Ruwi. Contact 95698714 Bachelor Accommodation Available in Bausher area with Free Wi-Fi, Split AC & Bed, Car parking, close to Spar Express. 80 Rials only. Contact: JP 94267848 / Ahmed - 98333093 3 Bedrooms ﬂat in Al Hail- 92817777

Room in CBD area for non cooking Executive bachelors free WIFI, Advance deposit. Contact 95934642

Sharing bed room with ac near Hamriya R about main road Ruwi. Contact 93677898.

Separate room with toilet available at Ruwi near Badar Al Sama hospital. Contact after 5 pm 99504291

Furnished 1 bed room available near Indian School, Seeb for small family. Contact 91354846

ACC. AVAILABLE RO-130, big room in Darsait for family / ladies with Kerala family. Contact 95323562 Furnished room with attached bath for non-cooking bachelor in Ruwi, R.O 150/-. Contact 92478852 Flats in Darsait of 1 room, hall, 2 toilets and kitchen. Contact 99357586 / 97500025 Single furnished room in Ruwi. Contact 24833609 Rooms for bachelors with A/C bed near CBD/ ONTC, Ruwi R.O 100/-. Contact 96585123 Sharing family ﬂat near Indian School Wadi Kabir. Contact 99335057 Accommodation available for South Indian family, one bedroom with attached toilet, kitchen, hall in a villa, Al Ghubrah. Contact 99209160 Room for SRI LANKAN Executive at Al Khuwair. Tel 96536307 Fully furnished at W. Kabir. Contact 99325387

ACC. WANTED Wanted a 2 bedroom ﬂat in around Ruwi area. Gsm 99761216

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

LOST Mohameed Nasar has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AD 6000397. Finder please handover to ROP

Sunny 2009, 100k km, R.O 2500/-. Contact 93289652

Toyota Camry white 2011 km -51000 R.O 4800/-. Contact 99561562

Car sale Land Rover L.R 3 & model 2008 K.M 140000, company maintenance. Single person Use (doctor). Contact 99372860

Mazda 323 2001 model. Contact 92582523

Prado 2009. Contact 99336093

Trucks & cars for sale quantity: 16 vehicles. Contact 96724225 / 99513419 office: 24614949

CHANGE OF NAME I Sahul Hameed Mohamed Hussain (holder of Indian passport No. F 3699238) Son of Sahul Hameed having permanent residence in Thiruneela Gudi Post main road Tanjore Tamil Nadu (complete postal address in India) and presently residing in Wadi Kabir, PO. Box 693, P.C 114 Sultanate of Oman, (complete postal address in Oman) intend to change my name from Sahul Hameed Mohamed Hussain (old name) to Sahul Hameed Jahir Hussain (new name) for all practical purposes. Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P. Box No. 1727 Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman. I, SARBJIT (holder of Indian Passport No. F9955036) son of SOHAN having permanent address as Vill. Pandher, Teh. Nakodar, Distt. Jalandhar, Punjab, India (complete postal address in India) and presently residing at P. Box No. 537, PC No. 132, Suwaiq, Sultanate of Oman (complete postal address in Oman), intend to change my name from Sarbjit (old name) to Sarbjit Singh Mattu (new name) for all practical purposes. Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P. Box No. 1727, PC 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 5, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classiﬁeds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE 22 years of experience in Multinational Companies & reputed firms in Financial Management, Project Management, Budgeting and Cost control, seeking a strategic Financial/Management Accounting role in a dynamic organization . Please contact Mob. +971-506178139, Email.georg_vargis01@yahoo.com MBA finance graduate Indian male on visit visa one year’s internship experience in financing/marketing looking suitable marketing /finance position. Contact 95394938 safeer. buzz@gmail.com

ADMIN Urgently Required: Purchaser, Administration and Accountant with NOC and immediately join. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com.

Internal Auditor MBA (ﬁn) Indian male having 8 years Oman experience with valid Omani D/L & Noc available. Contact 92274373 E mail: willy316@gmail.com Young Indian graduate, experience in Logistics and Accounting/ Sales and Marketing seeks placement. Immediate availability. Call: 97374480

BEAUTICIAN Urgently requited Indian experience Beautician in location Al Hail near Al Khamis Shop. Visa available Good salary + food + accommodation. Contact 92284899/ 92139922

Indian male, B.COM, currently in Oman on Visit Visa, Urgent seeking suitable Job Accountant / Administrative/ HR dept. have 6y. UAE experience, Valid Driving License, Knowledge of Internet ,Tally ERP9, Microsoft Office. MS EXCEL, immediately available. Contract +968-92718733 , Email : sahashankar@gmail.com

CATERING Wanted experienced Indian Chef for reputed house in Qurum. Knowledge & experience in Indian, Continental and Chinese food is must. Contact 99466062

Indian male female, M. Com with 6 years experience in ﬁnance, HR & Administration with Oman D/L . On family joining visa. Contact 99864846 Email: b_ralitha@yahoo.com

DRIVER Looking for a House Driver with at least 3 years experience. Contact : 92807807 Wanted driver. Contact 95112461 Required a private driver from India. Contact 92345861

DOMESTIC HELPER

SALES / MARKETING

Urgently required Omani IT software professional ﬂuent in Arabic and English with 2 years experience Email: mhca@mhabibgroup. com fax: 24564459

Urgently IT Marketing Eng. 2 years experience in Oman. Driving License. Email - darr_al_maan@yahoo.com GSM 99058770

MEDICAL

Wanted urgently an Indian House Driver and a Part Time cook for an Omani family. Kindly send your cv to alraid@alraidgroup.com or contact on 24567070

Urgently required a female nurse with MOH license to work permanent or leave vacancy for a reputed clinic. Salary Negotiable. Contact 94618483

Require House maid in Mabela. Contact. 95200180

Wanted Pharmacist (B Pharm), Staff Nurses (female) with or without MOH license for a polyclinic near Sohar. Excellent salary package. Contact 99006915, email : alhinaee.clinic@yahoo.com

ENGI./ELECT./TECH.. Urgently Required: Civil Engineer experience in building construction with NOC and immediately join. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com. A Fast Growing Construction Company Requires, Site Engineer (1no) (Diploma)- 3 to 5 yrs Oman exp, Civil Foreman (1no) 6 to 8 yrs Oman Exp, Light duty Expatriate Driver (1no), Omani Driver (3Ton) - 1no. Those are having Oman driving license & NOC / Release can apply Contact # 96920919 and send your CV to builtinsharp@gmail.com A/C Mechanic, Electrician plumber, computer hardware etc. Contact 99447257 / 97014234 mansur75@hotmail.co.uk A leading MEP Contracting Company urgently requires the following with minimum 3-4 yrs experience. 1) HVAC Estimation Engineer. Those who are interested may contact on 99221471, Email : Kevin@airmechoman.com , fax 24447061 Wanted Civil Engineer, Email: almoosaengineering@gmail.com Required Sales Engineer for the sale of building Material, with 3-5 years experience in Oman, holding a valid Omani driving license. Qualiﬁed candidates mail in your CV to migc.vacancies@gmail.com Leading metal fabrication group requires Sales Engineer, minimum 2 yrs exp. with valid Oman D/L. Contact: hr@khancogroup. com 99102383

IT IT Sales Executive GCC Experience - 2+ Years Valid Driving license Graduate in IT With MBA or Marketing back ground in IT ﬁeld. E mail : towershr70@gmail.com, info@towersinternationalgroups.com Required IT Technician for computer shop. Send your CV at khalid@rayyancomputer.com

Urgently required Pharmacist. Contact 94200385/ 95206905/ 97433142 Email: anitho@gmail. com Hala Medical Center, Sinaw require G.P, Gynecologist, Pediatrician, Staff Nurse, Lab Technician Radiographer & Lady Receptionist. Contact 99795113 Email: halamedicalgroup@gmail.com Wanted Doctor with or without MOH license for a Polyclinic. Excellent salary with accommodation and commission. Contact: 97091664. Email: mmcmuscat@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Wanted Salesman with driving licence and car. Gsm : 98805474 or email id: jobssales2015@gmail.com Wanted part time Marketing Executive to sell beautiful property project to NRI’s. Attractive terms offered. Contact 97445835 Looking for an experienced sales man for building materials and electrical shop in Amerat, candidate should be ﬂuent in speaking Arabic & Hindi. Contact 92418044 Required Business Development Executive for a clearing and forwarding company. Please mail CV to wisal.international@gmail.com Urgently required SALES EXECUTIVES for a reputed company dealing in TRUCK SPARE PARTS. Fresh graduates are also welcome. Attractive salary packages. Send CV: Jibalmansur@gmail.com 97988908/ 95415900 Urgently required out door sales executive for furnishing company with valid Oman license and minimum 3 years experience in furniture ﬁeld. Contact 93231403 or mail: rainbowfurnishing156@gmail.com

Urgently needed sales and marketing personal with logistic experience in the Sultanate of Oman pls. sent your c.v. to kttoman@omantel.net.om or P. O. Box. 505, P.C114, Jibroo, S. Of Oman tel. : 24711071/fax :24711064 Urgently required Omani national Sales Executives (indoor & outdoor) for marble & granite company in Muscat. Please send your CV to nimmu.n@gmail.com or Contact 94552924 We Al Mayar Co LLC are seeking talented experienced Sales Executive for the FMCG, Electrical and Electronics sale. The interested persons can send their CV s to ultrasales@almayarllc.com and pnoman@gmail.com Marketing Executive for digital printing company. Contact 94356769/ 96936564 Required Salesman. Contact 96964767 Our company CHABROS LLC is seeking for Indian salesman. Have an experienced in building materials. Please send CV to chabros@omantel.net.om

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Shawarma/BBQ/ Tandoor / helpers wanted. Contact 95529970 Urgently required experienced store keeper who can look after store and logistics for a reputed company in Muscat. Pls forward your CV to accounts@ies-oman.com Required Electrician for Maintenance Company. Contact 97205114 For a reputed contracting company urgently required, tiles Mansons, general Mansons, furniture carpenters, painters, carpentry foremen, civil foreman with license, accountant, and electrician cum plumber. Contact: - 99889450/99343461, fax no: 24619716. E mail:goldenrayconstruction@gmail.com

TOURS Sales Manager for luxury yacht in Muscat. Experience in Oman market preferred. Email cv and photo: alibadawy@gmail.com.

Urgently required an excellent grade construction ﬁrm based in Muscat has immediate vacancy for

Wanted experience candidate for tours and rent a car. Email: almoosarentacar@gmail. com, Fax: 24796040

Marketing Executive minimum 5 years experience with D/L. Email your CV to info@omannc.com

Temporary boatman wanted for month of April and May 2015. Contact 99466062

Part Time Accounting, Accounts Finalization, Audit Preparation, Internal Audit, Onsite Tally Training, Inventory Management Contact : 96975454, email : ibfcoman@hotmail.com Indian male 22 yrs B. Com Graduate 1 year exp in Accounts, currently on visit visa. Looking for suitable job. Contact – 94341848 / Email – mohdhaji7272@gmail.com Indian M.Com Finance exp 1 year now in visiting visa. Contact 96970734 B.Com India. Languages : English, Hindi & Malayalam. Contact 92954613 FCCA- Qualified from UK with 9 years of experience in Big 4 & Top 30 UK firms. Currently working as Manager Finance & Accounts for more than 2years. NOC available, please contact 9259 3748. Indian female B.com CA Inter 3 years internship completed 2 years accounting experience currently on visit visa seeking for suitable job . Contact 94682798/95736496 Email: giby2605@gmail.com Indian male with one years experience in logistics, cargo operation and accounts seeks suitable placement. Contact 97826180 Email: nihalsiddheeque@gmail.com MBA Finance (Indian) with 3 years experience in Accounts & Finance field. Looking for suitable position. Contact- 94276956/ irshadbhk@gmail.com MBA (finance & accounts) having 3 years working experience as accountant possessing good skills in tally , ERP seeks suitable placement currently available on visit visa. Contact 97095686 Indian male B.com professional looking for suitable job, 2 years experience finance and marketing. Contact 95983091 Email: akhil.mathew556@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 Accountant / Purchase manager (Release Available) 29yrs Indian male having 7yrs experience in Oman seeking suitable placement Mob:95325041,email:vijayapalanbinu.aniyan@gmail.com Indian B.Com Graduate having 7 years of experience in logistics in Dubai and 2 years of Oman experience in accounts with valid D/L is looking for a suitable placement. Contact 00968 91234320 Indian male (34), B. Com with computer application , 3 years experience in Muscat as Accountant . Having valid Oman D/L, looking for a part time job. Contact 91586632

ACCA finalist and BSc from Oxford Brookes University UK, having 18 months working experience, currently in Muscat on visit, seeking immediate and suitable position. Contact : 95375282 A Fresh ACCA Affiliate, Pakistani male, 24 yrs, open for positions of Accounts, Audit and finance. Contact 94541539 email: wasiqnasir_3@yahoo.com Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting . NOC available. Contact 96209331 MBA HR&FINANCE Indian Female with 2 years work experience in leading MNC looking for suitable placement in HR / FINANCE, Contact: 99791008 / 93888576 Part time Accountant, up to finalization, looking for job after 5 pm (location prefer - Qurum to Al Khoudh). Contact 92917574 Looking for part time job as accountant having experience up-to finalization. Contact. 99002390 Indian 34 yrs B.Com CA Inter pass 12 yrs exp in Audit A/C, Finance on visit seeks suitable placement. Contact 95585069 Indian male, 25 yrs,MBA (Finance) 3 years experience as Accountant immediately available. Contact 968 99485943, Email : hyd.mushu@gmail.com Accountant B.Com CIMA finalist 8 yrs experience. Contact 95522109

ADMIN/HR B.Sc Graduate with 6 yrs of exp in HR & Administration looking for suitable positions. Contact 91507099 Indian, Male, 30 Years, B.COM, 8 Years’ Experience as HR / Administration in Oman, seeks suitable placement, NOC Available, Contact No. 00968 94652591 Over 14 years of gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistic ﬂuent in Arabic & English with D/L , looking for suitable position. Contact 95824598 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 Young Indian male with 5 years Muscat experience in admin, purchase & Masters from UK seeks placement. Possess driving license. Contact 94400671

ARCHI./ DRAUGHTSMAN Indian Female Architect with 3.5 years experience looking for suitable job (1.5 years experience in Oman) B. Arch. Contact 96146645 Email: anjuovil@gmail.com AutoCAD operator, Indian male 3 yrs experience in Auto CAD 2D & 3Ds Civil Draftsman, MAX and Photo shop, presently on visit visa seek suitable placement. Contact 91764358 Email: mohdsiraj02@yahoo.com

Pakistani male, 25 yrs, MBA Finance, 1.6 yrs exp in Accounts seeking placement in Accounts, Administration or Business Management. # 92651927 / 94250149

Auotcad knows 3D,REVIT, MAX Ph : 97103168

Accountant with bachelor degree in Business Administration & Accounting from Majan College with 1 year experience in Oman. Contact 96132149

Indian cook, Tandoori cook, male, 32 yrs, having 4 yrs of experience in Muscat in India, looking for a cook job in Hotel. Contact 93753523 / 98744307 / 92175119.

Indian male 26 years, with 4 years experience in accounts and administration looking for suitable placement. Contact 93008891 Female with MBA finance, financial and tax professional four and half years of experience seeks suitable opportunities in reputed organizations. Contact- 99792457 Email: msparveen1@gmail.com Indian male, B.Com, Accountant – 6yrs exp in Oman, NOC availableReady to join.contact: 98162671 ; email: prasanths3@gmail.com Indian Male, 25 yrs currently in Oman on visit looking for suitable vacancies in accounts, B.Com completed 1 yr experience. Contact 92024380 B.com doing CA Accounts/ office job male now working in Oman Noc, release available. Contact 92715465 Email: alsabathehm@gmail.com Indian male- B.Com/B.Ed/15 years Exp – 5 in Oman, seeks job in Accts/Sales/Logistics have NOC and Oman D/L with car. Contact – 92919625/93511425/ 93424828; Emailseshadricpioman@gmail.com 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 Indian Male, MBA 2 yrs experience in Accounts, Admin & HR on visit visa. Contact 92045306 Accounting up to finalization, auditing & contact for tally ERP software Contact– 91720465 Male, total 17 years experience in India & Oman - India - 9 years & Oman - 8 years In the field of procurement, material controller and accountancy - Local release available (Noc) Cont no. 91680124 , 98606546

ADMIN/HR 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 MBA 35 years having 12 years of experience in Oman seeking placement in Admin /HR operations /accounts holding valid Oman D/L. Contact 96055815 Noc available can join immediately Email: shaiks111@gmail.com

CATERING

DESIGNER 3D designer Indian male, good experience with 3 omax photo shop 1llustratori. Contact 93909636 /98461278 Keralite Bachelor professional building designer with AutoCAD, 3D Max & Accounts. Contact 96535497, email : bhaviwky90@gmail.com Indian female, 25yrs BscFASHION DESIGNING, 3yers experience in designing ﬁeld and teaching. looking for a sutable placement. Contact: 98785310. Email: vinaya.m.nair@gmail.com

DRIVER Light Driver having own visa looking for job as driver.Contact 92303692 Tower crane operator having visa NOC. Contact Atthar har 97377834 Light duty Driver wanted. Contact 95667138 Experienced driver Indian with 4 wheel driver landcruiser. Contact 91690870 Looking for job LVD experience, 2 years in Oman. Contact 96534239 Light duty driver with 2 yrs exp seeks job. Contact 97311715 Light driver having only visa looking for job as driver. Contact 93308178 Driver available 5 years experience Oman driving light. Contact 92505581 With car driver available and only driver. Contact 96771598 Light driver looking for job. Contact 92791678 Light duty driver looking for job, 2 yrs exp. Contact 98356230 Light driver looking for job. Contact 91376612 LV Driver- 2 yrs Exp-know English- Contact 95292064

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Indian male 24 years, Mechanical Engineer,pdms.1 yr experience in pipeline,16years in oman seeking immediate placement # 95775742

T H U R S DAY, M A R C H 5 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

Indian male M. Sc Graduate with telecom AV experience for 6 years looking for suitable position. Contact 00971-557041574 / 95135218 email: nazid83@gmail.com

Indian male, graduate with 7 years experience in hospitality industry, sales & marketing .M.B.A in human resource management. # 92115860

Logistics Officer, Experience in Store keeping. Contact : 99505934

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

EDUCATION MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

Chemical Engineer B.Tech Indian male 2+ years of experience seeking suitable placement. Contact 92545630 Email: vkarun77@gmail.com MS in Engg Management (UK), B. Tech in CS, 5+ years of exp in project management /sales /business development, MOB: 92798469 Chartered Electrical Engineer 5 yrs experience with core strength in design, installation, commissioning and testing effective skills in preparation of BOQ. Estimations, switchgears substations commercial and residential buildings Contact 94638744/ 96473165 Email : ceng.shaz@gmail.com Elet.Engr 9+ yrs exp Noc available can join immediately. Contact 99148940 Email: jobluk.om@gmail.com M.Tech Manger /Civil Engineer with PMP, Indian male, 18 yrs experience (including 4 yrs in Dubai and 3yrs in Oman) in construction field for multi million projects like five star hotels , waterfront, properties , high rise buildings, luxurious villas and ROP projects seeking placement , Noc available , ready to join . Contact 91158903 / tuminousmercury@gmail.com Civil Site Supervisor, 3 yrs Diploma, Certificate attested, Experienced, Knows 3D, Autocad, Revit Ph : 99506977 Civil Engineer (Diploma) 23 yrs, Indian male 1 yr exp. Contact +919645285855 / 97050267 mail id: unnikrishnan1334@gmail.com HVAC Engineer (heating ventilating air conditioner) qualification B.E (Mechanical Engineer) 3 years experience (India) presently family visa. Contact +968 94271486 Indian female, 25 yrs, M.Sc Software Engineering having 2 yrs experience in IT & Admin, on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact 96985150, Email : anucherian@gmail.com Indian male with 5 yrs experience in CCTV, (AV technician) and 4 yrs experience as Supervisor / billing section on visit visa. Contact 93570126 Indian male 27, B.A Economics, Diploma in fire & safety engineering, NEBOSH, IOSH, OSHA, certification, 4 years experience as Safety Officer in India on visit visa. Contact 91092826 Civil Engineer (Diploma) 3 yrs exp seeking for placement. Contact 95200650 Qualified Chemical Engineer over twenty years experience in water and waste water with Oman driving license and Noc available for suitable job. Contact 94479435 B.E /B.Tech civil 2-3 years. Contact 93850875/95283064 Civil Engineer having 4 and Half years experience in building construction looking for suitable placement valid D/L available. Contact 92153392 Diploma in Architect 2.5 years experience in Oman having driving. Contact 92967404 Project Engineer Indian male 3yrs dip12 yrs experience all kind mechanical civil, interiors decoration job Oman driving license. Contact 93260559 Mechanical Engineer 30 years experience fabrication erection production on visit visa. Contact 93663121 Electrical Engineer B.E Engineer, 6 years experience in Dubai, Bahrain with G.C.C. professional licenses holding GCC driving license. Contact 98063081 Email: imran.engr08@gmail.com Mechanical engineer (B.Tech in Mechanical) with certified quality controller –NDT level 2 qualified as per ASNT – SNT - TC - IA having experience in sales and marketing in India, presently on visiting visa seeks suitable placement. Contact 92417032 Email: joel.aries@gmail.com

Civil Engineer B Tech, Site Engineer Experienced, Drafting on Visit Visa Ph : 91642050 Project Manager BSC Civil Engineering with MBA have Oman experience with 9+ years. Contact 97046565 Quality Assurance Design, BTech Elec, MBA (TQM) , IT Infrastructure(WLAN , TETRA) Security systems(CCTV AACS),Project control Engineering, Document Control / CAD Managing /Change management, Exp in Major projects, NOC available Ph : 99506977 Project Engineer, civil engineer BSC, Building Construction 5 Years Exp in Oman fluent Arabic, English and good Indian .Contact - 97858589 Sudanese Mechanical Engineer 6 yrs. exp (generators, solar, A/C sales, control) 5 months (HVAC) Omani D/L. Noc vehicle. Contact 97452159 Email: mohamedkarrar.mk@gmail.com B.E Mechanical Engineer, Indian male, 4 yrs experience in sales, Seeking suitable job on visit visa. Contact 96137079 , 93095565, Email : elangovivek@yahoo.co.in Looking Part time Job in HVACContact - 93198128 Quantity Surveyor (Civil Building) looking for Part time job Contact no:-94391712 E-mail addressinayathhussain@yahoo.com Indian B.Tech Mechanical Engineer, 26 yrs, 4 yrs experience in HVAC/MEP. Contact 94669629, rajeevhpd15@yahoo.com Procurement Engineer Indian male, 6 years exp in oil & gas sector in Oman & Bahrain currently on visit visa looking for suitable placement .Contact 92967443 Civil site Engineer diploma holder 9 am want job my exp, 8 years Oman & Dubai. Contact 95714327 B.Tech Mechanical Engineer (Automobile)&Diploma in QC with 2yrs experience in oil & gas company seek suitable placement job currently on Visit Visa. Contact no.96071081, 99214308 , Email: rahulvarikkat@gmail.com Sudanese male, Architect 3 years experience in Oman as an Architectural designer and Site Supervisor, designing software known (Auto CAD, 3D Max, revit, ArchiCAD, photo shop and primavera. Contact 92327536 Email: ahmedstar89@hotmail.com Indian male, 28 diploma in fire and safety Engineering computer hardware net working 1 yr customer service experience trouble shooting technical support on visit visa. Contact 91025050 / 98856803 Email: purujith8797@gmail.com BE/EEE Electrical Engineer Indian male 25 years having 2.5 years experience currently on visit visa looking for suitable placement. Contact 00968-96522624 / 92770316 contact India +91- 9994024477 / 9597539520 Electrical Engineer Indian male 29 years, having 5 years of experience in Industrial Automation & utility maintenance in India (MRF Tyres) seeking suitable placement. Contact 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Electrical Engineer experience 2008-2015 in Oman and experience 2004- 2008 outside Oman, 34 years. Contact 96968275 / 97445304 Email: alsada_1981@yahoo.com Bachelor in Telecommunication Engineering from CCE ,CCNA certificate IELTS, score 7 experience certificate from Central Bank of Oman. Contact 95331455 / 92210958 Indian Male, 5 yrs exp. Hardware & net working Engineer on short visit requires suitable placement. Contact 92458622 B.Tech Electronics and Biomedical Engineering, female with approximately 2 years in medical field is seeking any job position. Contact 94652908 mail id: aswathiraviraj@gmail.com

Telecom Engineer with 4.5 years Oman experience looking for a suitable opportunity, interested even in Marketing also. Possess valid Oman driving license. Contact 94145460 BE 2 yrs exp electrical projects AutoCAD design/ commission available attested. Contact 97835922 Email: anascadd11@gmail.com M. Sc Mechanical Engineer 5 years experience in crusher plants production manufacturing release visa CAD/CAM. Contact 92156387 / 97838220 Electronics & Communication Engineer with 4 years Oman experience in telecom ﬁeld looking for a suitable opportunity. Interested in marketing also. Possess valid Oman driving license. Contact 94145460 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 Email: mehranahmad26@yahoo.com 24 years Indian female diploma in computer science and engineering now on visit visa seek suitable placement. Contact 96314974/99107369 Sudanese Mechanical Engineer 11 years exp in oil & gas industry. Contact - 95928035 Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp. Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, Gulf Exp in Design and Manufacturing Ph: 97097688 Generator maintenance in charge with 4 yrs experience with Cummins, caterpillar, kirloskar and voltas. Contact - email: shibinmundakkal@gmail.com Aircraft Maintenance Technician with one year experience seeks suitable placement. Contact amaljohn2002@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 Experienced female Electrical Engineer. Contact 93800906 Civil Engineer with 12 years Experience Looking For Job. Contact 98162295 Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847 Indian male, 26 yrs B-Tech (ECE) with MBA in Marketing / HR looking for a suitable placement. Currently on visit visa valid up to 30 January 2015. Contact 93754428, email : shijosirius709@gmail.com B.Sc Electrical Engineer, more than 16 years experience, 3 years in Oman experience in EPC contract, power plant – grid station – primary substation – SCADA system – test and commissioning engineer – DCRP approval. Contact 96964917 Muscat Arabic and English / Oman driving license

EDUCATION Indian Female, BE (Electrical and Electronics), M.Tech (VLSI Design and Embedded Systems) with 3.5 yrs experience in teaching/education ﬁeld, seeking suitable teaching/nonteaching job in Muscat. Contact 93686493 Email: n.akshatha12@gmail.com Indian Female (M.Com, B.ED) 2Yrs Experience in teaching seeks suitable placement . Specialization in ( Accounting, Business studies, Human resource management, Economics). Presently in Visit Visa Status. Contact:97342709, Email: sininair27@gmail.com Indian female 25 years MSC polymer chemistry holder seeking suitable placement. Currently on visit visa. Contact 96128290 Email ID: najeeb27@gmail.com Experienced Librarian seeks suitable position. Contact 92887119

1 year experience in teaching all subject to KG classes, currently working as a teacher in Oman, seeking suitable placement, Family visa. Contact 92178304 / 99036256

INFORMATION TECH 28 years male M. Sc, 7+ years experience in WEB developer and designer currently working at Microsoft India seeking suitable placement. Contact 93936878 Omani citizen searching a job in the ﬁeld of computer Especially in data base professional in operating oracle SQL , PL/ SQL , form6i , Report 6i . Contact 96977368 Email: talaloml@yahoo.com BSc. Computer Engineer having skills in IT Support, Networking and Technical Sales. Looking for a job opportunity. Mobile: 9127 9617, Email: Javaid_iqbal1@hotmail.com Seeking IT job (on contract basis) having 8 yrs exp , with ( COT NET, SQL SERVER, ORACLE , BO reporting , application maintenance, IT support , ERP support & development) valid IT visa up to 11-07 2016 and D/L Oman. Contact 92064496 India, Male BCA, IT Engineer, hardware, networking MCSA, CCNA, ITIL, Office administration, Accounts Email: e.mustafa@live.com Required suitable possistion for the experinced B Tech (hard ware) Engineer. Contact: - 99343461/ email: msureshbabumct@g mail.Com

19years UAE experience in management sales and business development, additional Indian experience valid UAE D/L, on express visa. Contact 91602809 Email: thomasalexander210@gmail.com Indian male, looking for a senior management position, 25 years of experience in GCC with multinational consulting ﬁrms, currently working as contracts/project manager, seeks immediate placement. #99376691 Emails: 1962jobs@gmail.com 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 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. Gsm: 93826090 Email: jskanchan01@gmail.com

MEDICAL

B.Tech IT Engineer, Indian male with 3yrs of exp. as System administrator, IT support, Networking, installing active directory, DHCP, DNS, RAS, exp. in handling SQL database, currently in Oman on visit visa, with valid Qatar driving license and immediate available. Contact: 93925281

Female Dentist Indian, 28 years Dental Surgeon, 3 years of experience, Oman prometric passed with 64%, looking for a suitable placement in Muscat region. Contact 91377681 Email: hashmisarwat@gmail.com

ERP Software professional, Indian male, 20 yrs (5 yrs Oman) experienced. Interested in ERP/ CRM, Development, Implementation, support position. Contact 93501977 Email: go4nadeem@gmail.com

33 years, Indian Dentist with 7 years of experience in India and passed prometric exam seeking for suitable placement in Oman. Contact 91022744 Email: praveengp_82@yahoo.com

Indian Female, MCA, 2 years experience in Oman seeks suitable placement in IT or Admin, contact no: 95094154, 99436069, Email: ramanrami@rediffmail.com

24 years old Indian BSC Nursing, 2years experience, looking for a job as a staff nurse. Contact 94035637 /95068075

Indian male 25 B.Tech (IT) Engineer 2.5 yrs exp in hardware networking. Currently on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact – 94359564 SAP BO/BODS consultant 6 years experience with EMBA (IT) B. Tech (IT) OCP, OCA, ITIL & AIX qualified seeks suitable posting. Contact 92532996 / 95740250 Email: elango2840@gmail.com Hardware specialist B.Tech M.Tech electronics with 10 years experience seeks suitable opportunities in reputed organizations. Contact 91289459 Email: shrn.shrf@gmail.com B.Tech IT Professional, Indian Male with 3 yrs of Exp. In System Admin, IT Support, Networking, Installing Active Directory, DHCP, DNS,RAS, configuring maintaining and managing servers, configuring cisco routers, Exp in handling SQL database, With Valid Driving Licence. Contact - 968 98863507 IT Prof, MCA having 6+ yrs exp, seeks suitable position. Contact 94543668

Medical- Indian female, 27 yrs, masters in hospital administration, fellowship in HTA studied in a super specialty medical sciences and research center in India and done project in an established hospital in sultanate of Oman. Contact 93200827, 91026506 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 Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378 Female pharmacist with 3 years experience and MOH license currently in Oman , CONTACT 92455124

SALES / MARKETING Indian female 7 yrs experience in Admin /Sales Coordination in Oman with valid Oman driving license urgently seeks suitable placement. Contact 94176308

Looking for job Tunisian Bachelor with experience 5 years in Network/IT. Cont.:91368102

Indian male, B.Com, 20 yrs experience in Sales & Marketing having UAE light D/L looking for suitable post. Contact +91 9946699062, email : sajim40@gmail.com

MCA, MBA, CCNA, MCSE, Indian male with 10 years of experience, holding Oman driving license on visit visa seeks any suitable placement. Contact 92716116 / 91266535 Email: sijuayur@gmail.com

Indian male 22, holding BCA, seeking jobs in Desktop Supporting, data cable termination, cum Office Asst now on visit. Contact 95110487

MISCELLANEOUS

Indian Male, 7 yrs experience in building materials trading having Oman D/L, immediate release available. Contact 98676713

Philipino male 27 on visit visa is looking for suitable job. Contact 98588717 Store keeper 26 yrs, 6 yrs experience 4 yrs in Oman NOC/release available. Contact 97657823

Indian Male having 7 yrs in experience in Oman Sales & Marketing Ofﬁce Automation Printer, Copier, MFP, IT products & Stationery. Looking for Suitable Placement NOC Available Contact :97384748

MBA (marketing & operations) with 2 years experience in marketing & operations looking for suitable placement, presently on visit visa. Contact 97920125 Email: hareeshg111@gmail.com Purchase Manager with 14 years experience in construction industry with valid D/L & NOC. Contact 92884811, Email : bati.rajesh@gmail.com Experience in sales seeking suitable placement N.O.C & D/L available. Contact 91269031 Experience in sales seeking suitable placement D/L and NOC available. Contact 99196353 Indian male Graduate 4 years experience in Sales & marketing in Oman, with Oman D/L holder seeking suitable placement. Contact 92878855 Indian male with MBA in international management and BSC in hotel management & diploma in event management with, 4 years experience in this ﬁeld looking for job. Contact 96146645 Mail: sarathmcc549@gmail.com Well experienced restaurant Manager with Ample knowledge of sales and operations seeking suitable placement Noc available. Contact 92953199 Indian male, MBA in Marketing, 10 years experience with UAE driving license looking for suitable placement. Contact 98125226 Email: jobapplication1199@gmail.com Indian Male 31 Yrs M.B.A having 9 years experience 5 yrs in India and 4 yrs in Oman Having knowledge in Group Marketing/Sales/Media/ Advertising with valid Oman driving license seeking suitable placement .Contact 92016431 Young female, having experience of working in Oman with expertise in the ﬁeld of Event Management, Advertising, Marketing and Hotel Management. Currently on a visit visa. Seeking for a suitable Job. Contact 96153578 6 years Oman experience in Sales seeking suitable placement. NOC available. Contact 99669137 Indian male 29 yrs having two yrs exp in sales seeking suitable replacement in sales store keeper back office support, warehouse assistant admin. NOC available. Contact 94142747 Email: oasis0987@outlook.com

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Welder, 3G, 6G, TIG, Exp in Fabrication , Gulf Exp Ph : 97103168 Care taker, Gulf Exp knows Hindi, Arabic Ph: 94238840

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE Indian Male more than 10 years gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin (employees visa processes), Secretarial and purchase coordination with good computer skills. Having Driving license and NOC available. Looking for suitable placement. Contact 99709336 Indian female with 10 yrs of experience in HR/Banking/Operations seeks a suitable placement. Can be contacted on 98919015 or sherianne.coelho@gmail.com Indian female, well experienced in secretarial, administration, customer care & supervisory jobs. 5 years experience in Muscat. Immediately available for joining. Contact: 92139298

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 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. Contact 99839898

T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 5, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

WEBSITE

COMPUTER

MANPOWER

CLASSES

Learn Baking cakes, cup cakes & Icings, Handicrafts. Contact 95941515. Tutoring ACCA/CAT subjects, passing exams by expert lectures. Contact +( 968) 99229700

BUSINESS

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price. Contact: http//webviewoman

GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis IDEAL , CARE Ayurvedic Clinic 18 November street, Azaiba.Contact 99639695 / 99117987 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

DRIVING

MATRIMONIAL

Wanted Finance Partner for frozen ﬁsh shop around RO 6000/-. Contact 98796982

TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION

Transportation. Contact 93405941 Transportation. Contact 99664703

Kerala Jacobite, 28 yrs / male Nurse working in private hospital in Muscat, inviting proposals from employed girls in Muscat. Contact 99206413 Muslim boy age 27 height 5,6 B.Tech petroleum engineering , working in Oman parents , residing in Qatar, looking for beautiful professional girls preference , GCC settled family, Ernakulam / Thrissur/ Malapuram Dist. Contact +974 33446790, 968 91256474

Transport available. #95356877 Transportation. Contact 98518979 Transportation available. Contact 95570429 Transportation. Contact 91379976 Pick & Drop any time. Contact 97014786 Pick & drop anytime in al Khuwair. Contact 99764307

Transport to ISWK. #93172589 Transportation available. Contact 98425762 Ruwi to Ghala Gulfar . Contact 99562527 Transportation . Contact 98178135

Indian Sunni family with Omani nationality seeking proposals from Indians with Omani nationality for their daughter aged 23. Contact 99641047 Ezhava girl , 30, BTech, MBA, working in Kerala as deputy manager in a nationalized bank looking for a professionally qualiﬁed boys.interested please contact: 9727 1526

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807 Cheapest prices all types window, curtains and Blinds. Contact 99539521 Carpet & sofa shampooing. Ocean Centre LLC. Contact 99884591 / 92682970 Cleaning services, carpet & sofa shampooing, marble restoration (grinding) and polishing, pest control, fogging service. Contact 99448057, 95401996 Cheapest Prices, all types window, curtains and blind. Contact 99539521 Computer service/ AMC/ Networking. Contact 91339882 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722 For All Your Maintenance Solutions, A/c Servicing & Fixing, Painting, Cleaning, Electric.Contact 99002390 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722 House shifting. Contact 99708138 House shifting packing. Contact 99657644, 98518013

Split & window unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact 99557080

Window & spilt unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 96236476

Door to Door Computers repair specialist laptop software Website cartridges. Contact 99199376

Marble polishing & crystallization, building cleaning ﬂoor, ﬂoor polishing, carpet, sofa shampooing, pest control, anti termite shifting, maintenance. Contact 99504275

Water prooﬁng ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130 All maintenance solution. A/c Service & Fitting, Carpenter, Cleaning, House Shifting & Packing. Contact: 99002390

GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC. all kind of pest control. Contact 92326955 Feasibility study, market research, ﬁnancial analysis of companies. (968) 99229700

NRI

A/C maintenance & servicing & washing machine & dish washing repairing, painting & painting & cleaning services & electrical & plumbing. Contact 99447257/97014234/24504281 Pest control & cleaning services professionals in pest control service bedbugs treatment, rodent, treatment, snake treatment and termite treatment, pre and post construction. Contact 93098450, 96408964, fax : 24472116

Attractive, savings, investments and insurance plans from SBI life (A Group Co of State Bank of India) Contact Mr. John Moras (95778431)

T H U R S DAY, M A R C H 5 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 5, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Indian, Arabic, Chinese dishes, BuďŹ&#x20AC;et Lunch (On Friday) Indoor & Outdoor, Catering, Party hall available Take Away & Home Delivery

Party booking & sugges ons 99320065, 99341643

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624