Times of Oman - November 8, 2015 by Muscat Media Group

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

Speech at Sultan an Qaboos 991 University in 1991

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ Youth must be armed with patience and hope, determination and industry, and a spirit of sacriﬁce and unselﬁshness. Happiness and prosperity can only be achieved through hard work and the sweat of their brow, thus removing all obstacles to our march.

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SUNDAY, November 8, 2015 / 25 Muharram 1437 AH

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New public transport plan to make commuting easier A majority of the 40 new buses will be

AL SAHWA HUB

MUSCAT BUS SERVICE TO BE IMPROVED

RUWI STATION

More than 60 bus stops will be installed between the two main stations

Ruwi to Seeb, which will get operational

Azaiba Airport

Murtafaat Al Matar

Al Qurum Ghubrah Wattayah

Ghala

Al Khuwair Wadi Adai 5 km

Wadi Kabir

by the year-end

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: An addition of more than 60 bus stops will make commuting easier along a new main route connecting Ruwi and Seeb, using new buses, which will start operating before the end of the year. Sixteen of the 40 new buses have already been delivered and the remaining will be received before the end of the year, Ahmed Ali Al Bulushi, chief executive officer of Oman National Transport Company (ONTC), told the Times of Oman, in an exclusive interview. A majority of the new buses will be used on the new route connecting Ruwi to Seeb. Some of the new buses will be used to replace old buses running on the existing Ruwi-Wadi Kabir route, Al Bulushi added. In addition, different types of

Source: Oman National Transport Company

new buses from ONTC’s current ﬂeet will be used on another current route, linking Ruwi and Wadi Adai, he added. According to him, new routes will be added next year to provide a better experience for tourists and people living in the city. Asked about the operating hours of the buses, Al Bulushi said, “Hopefully, we will try our best to work from 6am to 10pm.”

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without stopping on the route,” Al Bulushi said.

MUSCAT: Taxi drivers will be considered ‘partners’ in the implementation of an effective public transport system in the city, said a senior official from the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC). Taxi drivers may not like the introduction of new buses, but ONTC is working with them as partners, Ahmed Ali Al Bulushi, the company’s chief executive officer, told the Times of Oman in an exclusive interview. “They will reach places that we cannot reach. We only work through the main routes. They can work as feeders. Also, there might be some people, who would like to take a taxi directly to their destination

Taxi fares Asked if taxi fares are expected to increase after the launch of the new buses, he said, “I cannot say that they will increase their prices.” However, the official said the company’s objective is to provide the people with modern public transport, which helps reduce the traffic, especially on the main Ruwi-Seeb route. Asked if there is any plan to bring the activities of the taxis under the supervision of ONTC, Al Bulushi said, “That is a government decision. We cannot inﬂuence it.” However, he noted that it would be good to organise the taxi system and introduce taxi meters.

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

used on a new main route connecting

‘Taxi drivers are our partners’

Graphics

New stops New stops will be introduced along the Ruwi-Seeb route, he said, adding, “From Ruwi to Seeb and coming back, altogether, (there) will be more than 60 bus stops.” “Ruwi is the main station, and, on the other end, Burj Al Sahwa is one of the hubs,” he added. The official said that the Muscat Municipality is working hard to make the new stops ready in the

next couple of months. However, the buses would start operating even if the infrastructure is not 100 per cent ready. If the bus cannot stop at one point, it will stop at the next one or another route will be used, Al Bulushi clariﬁed. Asked whether there is any plan to introduce air-conditioned stations, he said, “We are working closely with the municipality… Hopefully, by the next summer,

something will be there for the main big stops.” Ticketing Commenting on the ticketing system, Al Bulushi said the whole of Muscat would be classiﬁed into different zones and the fares would depend on whether the passenger travels within one zone or from one zone to another. >A6

FA S H I O N I N D U S T RY

Omani designer goes beyond traditional outﬁts to excel THE HOME OF GOOD NEWS

#OMANPRIDE

M E T S TAT E M E N T

Tropical storm moving away from Oman coast REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Tropical storm ‘Megh,’ which was centred in the Arabian Sea, is expected to move far from Oman’s coast, as it continues to head towards Yemen, the latest statement from Oman’s Meteorology (Met) Department said. However, the south east of Oman’s coast will be affected by northeast fresh winds, which will result in the sea wave level rising between two and four meters. According to Oman’s Met Department, the storm is presently

located about 730 kilometres off Oman’s coast, with a wind speed ranging between 75 and 94 kilometres per hour. Meanwhile, Jason Nicholls, a senior meteorologist at Accuweather.com, said that there can be a little rain along the far southern coast but any rainfall will be light. “Chapala, the cyclone, which had ﬁrst moved towards Oman’s coast and later battered Yemen’s coast, has signiﬁcantly cooled the waters that Megh is now tracking, thereby limiting its strength,” Jason added.

TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Not many Omani men aspire for a career in the fashion industry. If they do, they prefer designing traditional Omani attire. Ali Al Zadjali is an exception. He has created a name for himself in the Sultanate’s fashion industry by going beyond designing traditional outfits. #OmanPride features the young designer, who hopes to make it big in the industry. Starting at the early age of 18, Zadjali created his first jacket, which is his speciality, and received a positive response from his friends, which led to the creation of his clothing line called ‘Esque by Ale.’ He then released his first collection in January 2014, which was sold out in a matter of weeks. “I created my first jacket in the middle of the night and friends

BREAKING STEREOYPES: Ali

Al Zadjali, left and some of his creations. – Photo supplied

liked it when they saw it. It motivated me to make it (fashion) my career path,” said Zadjali. “So as a beginner, I found myself successful early on (after releasing the ﬁrst collection) and I thought maybe I have something people want,” he added. Since January 2014, Zadjali has sold more than 200 clothing items, including men’s shirts and women’s jackets. In December of 2014, he was named as the winner of the “Young Fashion Designer Awards Oman” from among 20 designers active on the local fashion scene. “Being the only guy in the competition and in an industry dominated by women made it reassur-

ing that I’m doing something right and that is motivating,” he said. Zadjali is now set to release his new collection, which includes shirts for men made from an advanced printed fabric, which makes it much more durable and can be worn on a daily basis. As for women, jackets will be created from lace to give it “a glam factor.” When asked by the Times of Oman about his advice to the aspiring youth who wished to follow a career path, but usually received disapproval or negative feedback on their decision, Ali said, “Do what you want. As long as you’re respecting the country and culture, do whatever you want.” “It really doesn’t matter what other people have to say. There will always be people, who are negative about anything. I could release abayas and people will be negative, but you should not bother yourself about that. Do it if it feels right,” he elaborated. Zadjali is not bothered about criticism that has come along. “I’m not someone who ever cared for criticism. I grew up being criticised for everything. I did, but whatever,” said Zadjali, implying that one should not let criticism affect an individual negatively, but rather help them become more constructive.

L AY O F F S I S S U E

Trade union seeks early action over layoffs in oil and gas sector REJIMON K

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Irish dance show tickets from today

MUSCAT: Trade union leaders in Oman, in a statement, have urged the committee tasked with looking into layoffs in the oil and gas sector, to act quickly to resolve the crisis. The Council of Ministers held a session last week during which it discussed the layoffs in the oil

and gas sector. In a statement, the Council of Ministers had said that companies operating in all sectors “should not take such steps without referring to the departments concerned in the government to ﬁnd the best possible means that enable them to retain their national manpower.” While welcoming the action taken to address their grievances,

the oil and gas sector union leaders said in their statement that laid-off workers should be able to return to their jobs. “They (workers) are facing dire ﬁnancial circumstances due to their sudden dismissal,” a trade union leader said. Nearly 1,000 Omanis in the oil and gas sector have been laid off since oil prices started to fall at the end of 2014.

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DECISION

HM issues Royal Decree to appoint State Council members MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has issued Royal Decree No. 47/2015 on the appointment of members of the State Council, as follows: Article (1) appoints the persons whose names appear in the attached list members in the State Council. Article (2) says that the decree shall be published in the Official Gazette and takes effect from its date of issue. SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY SEE

FULL LIST

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AWA R D

Sultan Qaboos environment prize presented MUSCAT: Dr Madiha bint Ahmed Al Shibaniyah, Chairperson of Oman National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, gave away in Budapest, Hungary, the 2015 Unesco Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation to Wetlands Research Group of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The celebration was organised in Budapest as part of the celebrations of the World Science Forum and the Silver Jubilee of the prize. The celebration was attended by a number of ministers of education participation in the World Science Forum. The Secretariat General of Man and Biosphere Programme of the Unesco had earlier declared that the winners of the 2015 Unesco Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation for 2015 were Wetlands Research Group at the University of Buenos Aires for their efforts in preservation of the environment and conducting research and studies on the protection of ecosystems in wetlands along with their initiatives. In her speech, Dr. Madiha conveyed His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s greetings along with His Majesty’s wishes of further success in the scientiﬁc efforts for maintaining sustainable development and enhancement of world peace and prosperity. -ONA TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

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His Majesty praises Unesco initiatives

On Unesco’s 70th anniversary, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has made a Royal speech to the 38th round of the Unesco General Conference. >A2

REGION

Egypt probing video footage of airport

Egypt is checking video footage at Sharm El Sheikh airport for any suspicious activity linked to the Russian plane crash in Sinai, officials said. >A7

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

OMAN

The master plan for Muscat is focused on the provision of urban bus services in the capital area. Ahmed Ali Al Bulushi, CEO, ONTC. >A4

R O YA L S P E E C H

His Majesty hails Unesco for its global initiatives PARIS: On the occasion of Unesco’s 70th anniversary, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has made a Royal speech to the 38th round of the Unesco General Conference, which is currently being held in the Unesco premises, in Paris. In his speech, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his delight over the convening of the 38th round of the Unesco General Conference in Paris for exchange of views, expertise and knowledge for development of education, science and communications and on the future of joint efforts by all countries in light of the rapid develop-

ments witnessed worldwide. His Majesty the Sultan congratulated the Unesco on the 70th anniversary of its inception and praised it for the role the organisation has played and the progress achieved through its efforts. Education for all In his speech, His Majesty the Sultan said that the 70th anniversary of the Unesco came at a time the world was aspiring continuation of the Unesco’s Education for All Initiative and the Unesco’s international programme for education for sustainable development for 2015–2030.

Oman has since long adopted a policy of tolerance and cementing ties of love, friendship and peace among the peoples of the world. His Majesty the Sultan has also praised the international community for the care and attention accorded to science as well as its investment in renewable energy in ﬁghting climate change and pollution. His Majesty the Sultan has also praised the efforts made for preservation of environment and biodiversity. The conference, which began on November 3, is scheduled to conclude on November 18.- ONA ICSID

Oman wins crucial case filed by US investor MUSCAT: Oman, represented by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has won a case filed by an investor from the USA against the Sultanate of Oman. The case related to termination of a mining concession. The final verdict was issued by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in Washington on November 3. The case was the first one filed as per the Free Trade Agreement between the Sultanate of Oman and the USA, in which the plaintiff asked a compensation of more than $580 million. —ONA

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SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

6.5m

OMAN

Is the total number of subscribers of GSM services in the Sultanate of Oman. >B6

MURPHY’S LEGACY

MINISTRY OF TOURISM

Online ticket sale for Irish dance show opens today REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Online tickets will be available from Sunday for the exhilarating Irish dance show with dark cinematic undertones from the former ‘Lord of The Dance’ and ‘Riverdance’ stars entitled, “Murphy’s Legacy”. The tickets can be booked online at www.irishdanceoman. com and can also be purchased from Mackenzie’s Café & Deli in Madinat Qaboos. “We are excited to bring “Murphy’s Legacy” to Oman. We keep looking to add a new dynamic to our events and this show is something we rarely get to see in Oman,” Gordon Mackenzie, managing director of Alive Entertainment, which is bringing the show to Oman, said. The show will be held on December 10 at Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa Amphitheatre. “Oman is the ﬁrst country to host the show in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. On December 11, it will be staged in Dubai and on December 12, in Qatar,” the organisers said. The VIP tickets (seated) are closest to the stage and will cost OMR40, the Gold seats (seated) are just behind the VIP seats

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s Ministry of Tourism and Air Arabia joined hands to showcase Oman’s beauty and uniqueness among visitors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) countries, at a recently concluded event held at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai.

and will cost OMR30; the Silver Lower (seated), behind the Gold seats will cost OMR20 and Silver Upper (seated and raised) will cost OMR25. “The dark yet inspiring tale of courage and loss is set against a epic new soundtrack fused with a unique choreography and will be staged at the Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa Amphitheatre,” the organisers said. According to the organisers, “Murphy’s Legacy” is a dark yet inspiring tale of courageousness and loss.

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“This no ordinary Irish Dance performance, it is a battle of styles, a clash of colours. Murphy’s strong cast will give an invigorating performance of traditional Irish Dance,” the organisers said. “Murphy’s Legacy” is the brainchild of Chris Hannon, who spent 13 years with the world renowned

‘Lord of the Dance’ show. After producing four pilot shows throughout 2013, Hannon knew that the time was finally right and now with the best team of people behind him “Murphy’s Legacy” would truly become a huge hit. John Elliott, an international artist and musical composer, set about composing the epic sound track for the show using inspiration from Gerry Conlon’s original musical pieces and some much loved traditional Irish music, which he

then fused with his own amazing original tracks. With new musical compositions from Loft, world-class dance choreography from a hybrid of the United Kingdom, the United States and Irish origins, the heart and desire from Hannon, not to mention the professional cast of internationally prestigious dancers and musicians, “Murphy’s Legacy” blew the roof off at its world premiere venue Sage on in January this year.

‘Public transport master plan to be ready by June next year’ ‘Public support, awareness key for effective transport system’

The objective of the master plan, being developed by the consultant, is to provide Oman National Transport Company with a strategic direction and capabilities to provide efficient, convenient and integrated bus

Oman National Transport Company plans to launch a media campaign to encourage people to use bus services, show them the routes, and explain the benefits of using public transport

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Public support is crucial for implementing an effective public transport system in Oman, which can beneﬁt the country economically, socially and environmentally, said a senior official of the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC). ONTC plans to launch a media campaign to encourage people to use bus services, show them the routes, and explain the beneﬁts of using public transport, Ahmed Ali Al Bulushi, the company’s chief executive officer, told Times of Oman in an exclusive interview.

MUSCAT: A public transport master plan for Muscat and other parts of Oman is expected to be completed by June 2016, according to the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC). The objective of the master plan being developed by the consultant is to provide Oman National Transport Company with a strategic direction and capabilities for the provision of efficient, convenient and integrated bus services throughout the Sultanate, accord-

Ahmed Ali Al Bulushi Chief executive officer of Oman National Transport Company

ing to the information provided by ONTC to the Times of Oman. Muscat is a very important part of the master plan, the company said. Strategic master plan The aim is to develop a strategic master plan for ONTC up to 2040 and, therefore, the implementation of the master plan will last from 2015/2016 to 2040. For Muscat, the master plan would take into consideration two implementation scenarios. The ﬁrst scenario is a short-term scenario in which the consultant

economic and environmental beneﬁts.

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

services throughout the Sultanate

Oman’s tourism appeal for GCC visitors highlighted at key Dubai event

is already supporting ONTC and which consists of the implementation of bus services in Muscat by the end of 2015 and during 2016. Then there is a long-term scenario in which ONTC will continue with the implementation of the services and infrastructure up to 2040. The master plan for Muscat is focused on the provision of urban bus services in the capital area. It covers a number of issues, including identiﬁcation of bus route characteristics (number of routes, frequency, hours of operation etc), required facilities for ONTC

Many benefits According to ONTC, economically, public transport supports a competitive economy, balances development between different areas and regions and reduces the money spent on the car industry by business and families, allowing more resources to be allocated to other, more profitable matters, such as education, health and leisure. Socially, it allows basic access to different areas and fulfils the needs of society and helps reduce the number of accidents, injuries and fatalities arising from road accidents. Environmentally, it limits emissions and wastage by private cars, minimises the impact on the use of land and reduces noise pollution. ONTC said it is also looking to promote tourism in the Sultanate by providing excellent bus services for tourists visiting Muscat and other parts of Oman.

Use buses “We have to change our culture, which relies on (private) cars,” he said, encouraging people to use buses instead of their private vehicles. “We need support from everyone living in the city,” he noted, adding that bus transport has many socio-

(maintenance workshops and depots) and identification of the required operational characteristics in terms of fleet and personnel (bus drivers). Development of financial plans

for the development of ONTC as transport operator up to 2040 and the development of an IT system for the management of the company and services are also included in the master plan.

Interactive event The interactive event was held in the wake of the Ministry stepping up its promotional campaign in the UAE to attract more travellers to the Sultanate. It also served as a platform for the Ministry to form a strategic partnership with key airline players in the region to further drive Oman’s growing tourism activity. The participants, mainly comprised UAE citizens and residents, who were treated to an authentic Oman experience during the event. A wide range of major local attractions and the Sultanate’s rich heritage were featured, highlighting further why many renowned travel experts consider Oman as a one-of-a-kind destination in the world. Asma Al Hajry, deputy director general, International Tourism Promotions, Oman Ministry of Tourism, said: “The Ministry is closely collaborating with strategic partners and key players in the regional travel and tourism industry to create awareness opportunities and further promote Oman’s most attractive tourist destinations. Our continuing cooperation with Air Arabia, in particular, has consistently generated positive results and contributed to creating greater awareness and interest from a much broader target audience”. Lasting partnerships “Our latest experiential activity in Dubai has further bolstered our efforts towards attaining our main goal. Through the event, we are conﬁdent that we will witness a substantial increase in the number of visitors coming from the UAE and the rest of the GCC states, as well as establish new and lasting partnerships with the region’s key airline companies”, Al Hajry added. The Sultanate of Oman has long been attracting a wide range of discerning travellers, from solo visitors to couples and families, who want to experience the country’s high-adrenaline activities, such as desert crossing, paddleboarding, kite surﬁng, cliff-diving, hiking, trekking, scuba diving, and snorkelling. Apart from its hospitality, Oman is also famous for its ancient UNESCO World Heritage sites, forts and castles, mountains, wadis or deserts, and its infamous pre-historic frankincense trail. Also, the spontaneous hospitality of Omanis tends to create long-lasting memories in visitors’ distinctive experiences in the country.

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N AT I O N A L D AY G I F T

PIA offers OMR45 round trip ticket to Pakistan SHAHZAD RAZA

shahzad@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Sensing the national mood in Oman on the eve of the country’s 45th National Day, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has joined the celebrations by announcing a very special base fare of just OMR45 for a round trip ticket to Pakistan. The nine-day special offer is valid from November 10 to 18. “Pakistanis love Oman and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Since Oman is celebrating its 45th National Day, PIA wanted to make it even more special by offering something exceptional. A round trip ticket to any destination in Pakistan for just OMR45 is our gift to our customers in Oman,” Shahzad Paracha, country manager Oman, Pakistan

Shahzad Paracha. — Supplied pciture

International Airlines, told the Times of Oman yesterday. Elaborating further, he said customers must buy the ticket between November 10 and 18 to be able to enjoy the special fare of OMR45, which does not include

taxes. “This offer is valid only for travel from Muscat to Pakistan and back and the ﬁrst leg of the roundtrip must start before or by December 31. The special fare is not valid for those purchasing their tickets from Pakistan or starting their trip from Pakistan,” he added. The special offer comes on the heels of a recent strategy review by Pakistan International Airlines Oman, leading to restructured fares, increased customer response and growth in business. In another major offer, PIA has offered to transport relief items for the recent earthquake victims in Pakistan absolutely free of cost. The October 26 earthquake, which measured 7.5 on the Richter scale, resulted in nearly 300 deaths and widespread destruction across Pakistan.

“Sharing the grief of their countrymen, the large Pakistani community in Oman wants to help them in this hour of need and pain. PIA would be happy to transport such relief goods free of cost to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) or Provincial Disaster Management Authority offices, which are responsible for delivering these items to the earthquake victims across Pakistan,” Paracha explained. When asked as to which items were needed or acceptable, he said: “Anything from essential commodities to new clothes, shoes, blankets and food items are on the list of required goods. People should desist from sending old clothes and old shoes as these were not acceptable as per NDMA directives,” PIA’s Oman chief further added.

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015 Initially, I started off by doing roles my friends wrote and later I started writing my own script. Then I started directing too Rakshit Shetty, Indian ﬁlm star

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What does it take to get women elected to the Shura Council? SUNDAY BEAT SALEH AL SHAIBANY

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s women again miss the election bus with only one of them getting elected to the new Majlis Al Shura Council, the question, why it is still a formidable struggle for them to win seats, is coming back to haunt them. The lone woman in the male-dominated Majlis Al Shura, has been re-elected for the second term which means none of the 21 female contend-

eers got enough votes to see tthem through. It is obvious that Oman is not ready yet to get O women in the seats of power. w Many excuses can be made out M of that but it only means that o vvoters are still not confident aabout women’s abilities and rroles in the political scenario. If that is the case, it may well mean that Omanis have not yet shed their old beliefs that only men are fit enough to make important decisions. Although Oman has made big strides in development, its people are still conservative. They believe women cannot be in the public eye to take an active role and rub shoulders with their male counterparts. It appears to many voters that women have an inferior intellect and not intelligent enough to represent them. But there are fundamental flaws running deep in the annals of the society. We have only two women serving in the cabinet of ministers, just one undersecretary and a precious few in the posts of directors in the civil service. Women are not exactly making progress in the private sector, either. All major companies in the country turn away from women when

it comes to offering them positions of responsibilities. It is like there is an unwritten rule that women cannot get top jobs either in the private or public sector. It is obvious that voters use the bigotry of the society as a benchmark when they go to the polling stations. It is crystal clear that the issue needs to be addressed not in the streets, where female Shura candidates put up their posters, but in the length and breadth of the country. I don’t think there is any fault with women, who stand for election, about their leadership qualities or commitment. Their calibre in good leadership and administrative prowess is proven in the education sector. In schools, there is a strong representation of women as head teachers, principals and lecturers. Perhaps, there is irony in the mould of things because the only women in the cabinet are serving both basic and higher education portfolios. Now they talk about special quotas for women but that is a desperate measure for some to say “we are doing them a favour to get in”. Women know that they don’t want to “get in” through the

back door but want a change of attitude. They also want the traditionalists to realise that Oman is no longer a country that can afford to treat women as second class citizens. But having said that, women too, need to believe in that. They cannot wait to be discovered because politics is not a Talent Show but about which candidate makes the biggest splash in the campaign pond. We cannot say Oman is in its infancy when it comes to progress and politics. Over 40 years of development, we have surely learned that we cannot discount the skills women possess. A quarter of century has gone past and it looks like another quarter will go through and gender equality will still be an obstacle in the elections of the Majlis. But who is going to make the profound change? Some women alone cannot do it. They can go and bang the doors to get noticed but the society needs to drop its ancient customs to make the change. Otherwise, infusing women into a ﬁercely defended system dictated by tradition will always remain a formidable for their progress.

< FROM

New buses will help traffic ﬂow

Initially, discounted fares will be offered, he noted, adding that the tickets can be bought either at the stations or on the bus. Asked if only Omani bus drivers will be used, he said, “Currently, we have only Omani drivers. We are having a shortage. If needed, we might go for expats.” Traffic concerns Al Bulushi said traffic will be a ‘concern’ for the operation of the buses, but noted that the introduction of the new bus transport system is expected to help reduce the traffic. He also noted that if the authorities address the issue of ‘illegal transportation system,’ more people will be encouraged to use the public transport and traffic will be reduced. In addition, the CEO of ONTC said there is a future plan to have a special dedicated lane for public transport, which can be used by buses and maybe taxis, based on the government’s direction. However, this initiative is not easy to implement as it is related to infrastructure, he added. High-speed route Al Bulushi believes that one major challenge is the fact that the Sultan Qaboos Road is a high-speed

In addition, the CEO of ONTC said there is a future plan to have a special dedicated lane for public transport, which can be used by buses and maybe taxis, based on the government’s direction

route and implementing a public transport system on this road is not really easy. Communicated The issue has been communicated to the concerned government authorities and certain measures might be adopted to address this challenge, he said, adding that public awareness and support is necessary to make it an effective system.

Indian actor keen to shoot film in Oman Rakshit Shetty is the current reigning star from the ﬁlm industry in India’s southern state of Karnataka

MRUDU NAIK

mrudu@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: It is rare for an electronics and communication engineering graduate to make a career in acting, and a successful one at that. Rakshit Shetty, the current reigning star from the film industry in India’s southern state of Karnataka, has made the transition from an engineer to a superstar actor to a rising director with relative ease. Though the last couple of years have been extremely busy for him, the 32-year-old does not seem overwhelmed by the adulation and trappings of success. The young actor-director is keen on changing the landscape of Kannada language cinema by making and acting in non-formula based films. Speaking to the Times of Oman during a recent private visit to Oman, the talented director said he would love to shoot a Kannada language film in the “breathtaking locales” of Oman. The actor is keen on making a road film on Oman. “It is such a stunning place. I would love and hope to make

SMITTEN: Oman’s landscape has such great potential from a ﬁlm

maker’s perspective, ﬁlm star Rakshit Shetty said. – Supplied photo

a road film in this country one day. I will come back to travel the length and breadth of the country. The country’s landscape has such great potential from a film maker’s perspective,” he says. Rakshit rose to fame with the well received film Simple Agi Ondh Love Story in which he played the main protagonist. He turned into a director with the critically acclaimed film Ulidavaru Kandanthe in which he played the central character. Talking about his initiation into the world of cinema, Shetty said, “I was a film buff since childhood. After reading film magazines, I used to be mesmerised by an actor’s life and wanted to live it. I wanted to be a superstar, but never expressed my feelings”. While he was studying to become an engineer, he began to think of a career in acting. “I thought I will take up a job for two years and then get into

cinema. So when I got a job, I started doing theatre. But theatre changed my perspective about cinema. The idea of becoming a super star changed into that of being an actor”, he said. Starting off Rakshit started off by doing short films. “Initially, I started off by doing roles my friends wrote and later I started writing my own script. Then I started directing too”, he added. When roles in mainstream films, such as Nam Areal Ondina and Tughlak didn’t click, he started writing scripts. “As I wrote the script for Ulidavaru Kandanthe, I got an offer for Simple Agi Ondh Love Story and that film did extremely well”, Rakshit stated. The film’s success took his career to new heights. Along with offers to act, producers also offered to use his script. “Doing short films gave me courage to do feature films. Seeing

my short films gave producers the courage to invest in a feature film”, Rakshit pointed out. He also attributes his success to social media. “My career is built on social media. We released the trailer of our film on YouTube and got a huge response. People who saw the trailer were interested in distributing it. Social media is helping new filmmakers”, he said. The Kannada film industry is going through a rejuvenated phase, the actor said. “Some three years back, I would say only commercial cinema worked, but now you can see different kinds of films are working, irrespective of the star cast. Huge crowds that had stopped watching Kannada films are coming back to the theatre. New filmmakers are ready to explore the whole market”, he noted. Rakshit also said he believed that content drives a film. “The new generation of film makers are trying different genres”, he said. The actor likes to work with newcomers, but is open to established directors too. “As long they offer me good scripts I am willing to work. I am looking forward to working with newcomers. Most of my upcoming films are with newcomers”, he said. He also wants Kannada films to be watched my non-Kannada speakers. “That is why we are making films with subtitles, so that others can watch them too”, Rakshit further said. The star who is appreciative of the films coming from the Kerala’s film industry is glad that his film Ullidavaru Kandante is being remade in Malayalam. Nivin Pauly will star in the remake of the Kannada hit.

N C S I S E P T E M B E R D ATA

Telecom sector shows healthy growth MUSCAT: Subscribers of fixed line phone services in the Sultanate exceeded 420,000 at the end of September, as the subscribers of GSM services exceeded 6.5 million and active subscribers of mobile broadband exceeded 3.1 million. This was revealed by data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), which pointed out that subscribers for billed fixed phone service in the Sultanate stood at 420,491 at the end of September, compared with 413,492 subscribers at the end of August, reflecting an increase of 12.1 per cent. Subscribers of pre-paid fixed phone services (Sahl) were pegged

at 50.036 million, up from 47.804 million at the end of August. The data also showed that the number of ﬁxed telephone line subscribers stood at 316,258 in September, rising from 311,665 at the end of August. The total number of public phones all over the Sultanate was 6,801. The number of integrated services digital networks (ISDN) also witnessed a slight increase. Subscribers of billed GSM services stood at 6,561,696 at the end of September, compared with 6,508,781 in August, showing a 5.9 per cent uptick. Subscribers of pre-paid GSM service rose by 5.7 per cent to

5,986,372 in September, from 5,942,240 at the end of August. The statistics also pointed out that the total subscribers of internet at the end of September 2015 stood at 216,382, compared with 208,634 subscribers at the end of August. Subscribers of ﬁxed broadband services stood at 213,557 at the end of September, compared with 205,794 at the end August, reﬂecting an increase of 20.6 per cent. The number of active subscribers of mobile broadband stood at 3,119,406 at the end of September, compared with 3.806.998 at the end of August, showing a 7.8 per cent jump. – ONA

The number of ﬁxed phone service subscribers rose 12 per cent in September. – ONA

S U N DAY, N OV E MB E R 8, 2 0 1 5

REGION SYRIA

IS releases 37 elderly captives

RELIEF: A man reacts after meeting his daughters, passengers of a ﬂight from the Egyptian resort

of Hurghada at Domodedovo Airport, outside Moscow, Russia, on Saturday. — Reuters

Egypt probing video footage at Sharm El Sheikh Cairo has repeatedly said it would be premature to blame IS ﬁghters in Sinai for the crash, despite Western suspicions that the plane was brought down by a bomb

CAIRO: Egypt is checking video footage at Sharm El Sheikh airport for any suspicious activity linked to the Russian plane crash in Sinai, officials said on Saturday, in the clearest sign yet that they believe it could have been targeted by militants. The government has repeatedly said it would be premature to blame IS ﬁghters in Sinai for the crash, despite Western suspicions that the plane was brought down by a bomb and a claim by the extremist militants that they were responsible. News that officials were reviewing camera footage at the

airport came shortly before investigators who have examined the plane’s black boxes were due to speak about their work so far. “We want to determine if, for instance, anyone sneaked past security officials or the metal detectors. We are also trying to determine if there was any unusual activity among policemen or airport staff,” one of the officials told Reuters. An IS affiliate called Sinai Province has claimed responsibility for the crash of the Airbus A321 operated by a Russian carrier that was bringing holidaymakers home from the Sinai Peninsula resort one week ago. All 224 people on board were killed in what the militants described as revenge for Russian air strikes against extremist fighters in Syria, where IS controls large areas in the east and north of the country. Security requirements Russia, Turkey and several European countries have suspended flights to Sharm El Sheikh and the United States has imposed new air travel security requirements in the wake of the crash. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said it would be wrong to speculate on the cause until findings were delivered, and suggested countries now flagging the likelihood that militants were behind the crash should have

heeded Egypt’s repeated calls for coordination to combat militants. “The spread of terrorism, which we have for a long time called on our partners to tackle more seriously, did not get through to many of the parties which are now exposed and which are currently working for the interests of their citizens to face this danger,” Shoukry told a news conference. Frustration He also expressed frustration that foreign intelligence about the cause of the crash had not been passed on to Cairo. “The information we have heard about has not been shared with Egyptian security agencies in detail,” he said.”We were expecting that the technical information would be provided to us.” An Egyptian source close to the investigation of the Russian plane’s black boxes said on Wednesday the cause of the crash was believed to be an explosion, but it was not clear whether that was the result of a bomb. Western intelligence sources have said British and US spies intercepted “chatter” from suspected militants suggesting that a bomb, possibly hidden in luggage in the hold, downed the plane US television network NBC said some communications between IS leaders in Syria and the Sinai Peninsula included boasts about bringing down the jet.” — Reuters

BEIRUT: IS has released 37 elderly Assyrian Christians who were among about 200 seized by the militants in February in northeastern Syria, two human rights monitoring groups said on Saturday. Elders from Arab tribes had mediated with the extremists for their release, the Britainbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Assyrian Human Rights Network said the captives had been returned to the town of Tel Tamer and that they were in good health. It posted a picture showing several people including one woman, who was weeping. The extremist militants have now released 88 from the original group, it said in a statement on its Facebook page, and negotiations were continuing to secure the freedom of the remaining 124. — Reuters

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015 The whole projection and narrative that is going abroad is wrong. It is a diverse country and of course there are incidents but we all condemn them There is no two ways about it Madhur Bhandarkar, Director

INDIA

‘RSS destroying liberal, secular India’ Counter-protest march against claims of ‘rising intolerance’

Taking a dig at the ruling BJP and its ideological mentor RSS, during a valedictory speech, Rahul Gandhi said for the ﬁrst time a fascist organisation has achieved decisive power and his party is the ‘biggest force’ ﬁghting it MAKING A POINT: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi addresses a national conference to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, in New Delhi on Saturday. - PTI

NEW DELHI: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) of destroying liberal and secular India. Taking a dig at the ruling BJP and its ideological mentor RSS during a valedictory speech at a national conference on “No peace without freedom, No freedom without peace: Securing Nehru’s vision and India’s future” to celebrate of the 125th birth anniversary of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul Gandhi said for the first time a fascist organisation has achieved decisive power and his party is the “biggest force” fighting it. Referring to the RSS, he said, for the first time in the history of our country, a fascist organisation that is openly opposed to the ideology and values of the Indian Constitution has acquired decisive power over the Union of India. Saying that the stated purpose of the RSS is “to establish a theocratic, autocratic state in India”, the Congress vice president said: “To achieve this goal, it has to destroy the current liberal, pro-

gressive, secular, social democratic republic.” Replying to a panellist’s question during a session of the conference, he said: “We are the biggest force that fought RSS.” On Nehruvian thinking, Rahul said: “Nehru’s idea was that each Indian, no matter how poor or weak, understands the universe around him. And that knowledge comes through practice and experience... Nobody can claim a monopoly on truth. Unique perspective “Each Indian has his and her own unique perspective that informs and adds to India’s understanding of the world.” When the RSS and BJP deny this they are not just being intolerant. They are disrespecting the power and agency of the Indian people. They are disrespecting and denying the Indian people their dignity. Referring to national broadcaster Doordarshan’s live telecast of the RSS chief’s Dussehra speech,

he asked: “ why must all of India be subjected to the hateful mediocrity of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on the national television?” “If we are viewing this as the victory of the RSS. This is false... This is the time for the Congress party and yourselves to re-establish a relationship, to have discussion and to bring forth the ideas that are going to help us defeat the RSS,” he added. Stating that “secularism is in the blood of the Congress”, Rahul said: “Respect for everybody is the DNA of our organisation. We just need to reinvigorate that. Then you’ll see the Congress idea will smash the RSS and the BJP.” He said: “What brings us together today is our deep concern about the assault on our liberty, on our rights and our democratic space. “We are here because both peace and freedom have been viciously wounded in our country”. The Congress vice president also paid homage to the memory of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi, saying they “were martyred for

nothing more than their opinions”. “We pay homage to Akhlaq and Mohsin Sheikh, who were martyred for being Muslim.” Narendra Achyut Dabholkar, who spent much of his life exposing sham rituals, miracles, black magic and spiritual gurus, was murdered in 2013. Communist leader Govind Pansare was shot dead in February near his residence in Kolhapur, on February 16. Kannada scholar and rationalist M.M. Kalburgi was murdered in Karnataka’s Dharwad town in August. The idea of power “We condemn all attacks on freedom of speech and expression, faith and worship, thought and belief,” he added. He said the Congress party deals with the equation of power. “It is forced to deal with the equation of power. When I work in the Congress party, I have to deal with the idea of power. We cannot wish away the idea of power. It exists and I have to operate within that.” - IANS

NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor Anupam Kher on Saturday led a march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to counter the protests by writers, artistes and others against “rising intolerance”, voicing concern over the “wrong projection” of India by those returning their awards. Kher, director Madhur Bhandarkar and painter Vasudev Kamath were among 11 members who handed over a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee. The memorandum is signed by 90 personalities, including Kamal Haasan, Shekhar Kapur, Vidya Balan, Raveena Tandon and Vivek Oberoi besides, authors, former judges and musicians. “Any brutal killing is condemnable. We strongly condemn it and expect swift justice. But if it is used by some people to attempt to defame India at the international platform, then we should be worried,” Kher said while reading out their letter to the President. The actor said the protests,

which began with writers returning their Sahitya Akademi awards, shows that rather than addressing their concerns through their respective ﬁelds, these people are using media to “hurt the spirit of India”. Kher said no one has the right to call India intolerant and there is no country in the world, which is more tolerant than India. “People want me to become defensive as they keep telling me, ‘You belong to BJP, your wife is from BJP.’ Their motive is to defame the country. If there is a ﬁght in the house, we have a dialogue but these people are upset without any reason and are not even having any dialogue.I got angry because foreign papers were calling India intolerant.” Bhandarkar, who joined the march, said, “The whole projection and narrative that is going abroad is wrong. It is a diverse country and of course there are incidents but we all condemn them There is no two ways about it.” - PTI

VOICING CONCERNS: Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, director Madhur Bhandarkar and other ﬁlm personalities after meeting President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan following their ‘March for India’ programme over intolerance issue, in New Delhi on Saturday. - PTI

CLOSE CONTEST

BJP confident of winning Bihar elections: Javadekar NEW DELHI: BJP on Saturday expressed confidence of victory in the Bihar assembly poll for which vote counting would be taken up on Sunday and claimed people have voted for the development agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We are absolutely sure of our win in Bihar. Women have voted in large numbers. Poor want development and they have confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. “Different exit polls have come but they are not exact polls. In less than 24 hours, we will know the exact poll. We should wait for it,” Union Minister Parkash Ja-

vadekar told reporters. Counting of votes in the highstakes close-to-call Bihar assembly elections, billed as a hot battle between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will take place today. The counting for the 243 seats of the assembly will begin at 8am and the verdict for a majority of seats is expected by early afternoon. Most of the exit polls have predicted a close contest between the BJP-led NDA and the grand alliance of JD(U)-RJDCongress with a slight edge to the Chief Minister Nitish Kumarled grouping. Referring to the win of some

of the BJP candidates in Kerala civic polls, Javadekar said that the politics in the state is changing and BJP has become an important factor in it even as he expressed conﬁdence of performing much better in the forthcoming Assembly elections. He said that the party is happy that the Kerala voter has come out of “jinx” and has preferred BJP at many places as he referred to the victory of BJP candidates from Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur in the civic polls. Javadekar claimed that from Leh to Kerala to Assam — all corners of country and Central India, BJP is on winning spree. - PTI

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PUBLIC RALLY: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti

Mohammed Sayeed, at a public rally during the inauguration of 450 MW Baglihar Hydro Electric Project Stage-II, at Chanderkote in Ramban on Saturday. - PTI

‘Rehabilitation of displaced people, refugees big task’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi said all problems faced by the state, including the migrants and displaced people, would be addressed by the Rs80,000 crore package announced in Srinagar

CHANDERKOTE (Jammu): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said “honourable” rehabilitation of the refugees and Kashmiri pandits who migrated from the Valley is the most important task for his government. While inaugurating the phaseII of the Baglihar power project here, Modi said the package of Rs 80,000 crore announced in Srinagar for the state will address “all problems” faced by the state.

“There are lakhs for refugees since 1947 here...and about 15-20 per cent population of the state is displaced. This is not a small pain but a huge distress. “It is high time that the 1947 refugees and displaced Kashmiri Pandits are provided an honourable come back to home. “All problems faced by the state, including the migrants and displaced, will be addressed by this Rs 80,000 crore package an-

nounced today,” he said. There are nearly 55,000 refugee families in the state. They have not been given any state subject thereby restricting them from purchasing land and government jobs in the state. However, the NDA government has already made a concession of adjusting youths of these families in central para-military forces. The number of Kashmiri pandit families is around 59,000 who had to leave the Valley in 1990 in the wake of militancy. Calling the package as the “biggest” in the history of the state, Modi said Jammu and Kashmir should reach new development horizons. “The package I announced today for the state is just a sample. I can assure you that as fast paced and sincerely you spend this money with accountability the more the country’s treasury will be dedicated for the state,” the prime minister said. - PTI

INDIA

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SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

PAKISTAN RE-ELECTED

Ayaz Sadiq nominated for Speaker’s post RAIWIND: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday formally announced Sardar Ayaz Sadiq as a nominee for the National Assembly speaker’s slot, while discussing political matters with the former speaker. Sadiq, the former National Assembly (NA) speaker, on Friday took the oath as a member of the National Assembly following his victory during by-polls in Lahore’s NA-122 constituency. Following the oath taking, acting speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi announced that secret balloting to elect a new speaker will take place on Monday. — Express Tribune

CRIME

Man arrested for blackmailing girl on Facebook KARACHI: The cyber crime circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claims to have arrested a young man for allegedly blackmailing a girl via the social networking website, Facebook. FIA officials said that accused, Naveed Ahmed, son of Raheem Dad, has been arrested and pictures and internet devices have been seized from his possession. FIA officials investigating the case said the complainant, Muhammad Iqbal, in his complaint, stated that some unknown person or persons had created a fake Facebook ID with the username ‘Junaid Junaid’ and uploaded his daughter’s picture on the fake Facebook account. He also said the user wrote abusive remarks using the account. The officials said the user also

wrote the complainant’s mobile number in the contact sections on the fake Facebook account, due to which he is receiving calls from different unknown people. Dishonoured Iqbal said the fake account had dishonoured him and his family among his friends and relatives, forcing him to leave the city. Following the complaint, FIA officials managed to trace the whereabouts of the suspect and arrest him during a raid at his residence in Korangi. This was the second such incident to have occurred within a week, as earlier the cyber crime circle arrested a young student for allegedly blackmailing a girl via Facebook. — Express Tribune

SOCIAL MEDIA: This January 30, 2014 photo taken in Washington,DC, shows the splash page for the social media internet site Facebook. — AFP ﬁle photo

Punjab requests SC to tweak verdict on Urdu requested that the Supreme Court should amend its judgment where the verdict obligates the respective governments to translate all the available laws from English to Urdu within three months

Without delay The judgment had also ordained the statutory, regulatory and oversight bodies to take steps without unnecessary delay to implement Article 251 of the Constitution

Japan gifts 123 hybrid cars to aid police patrolling ISLAMABAD: A common complaint from the country’s police forces is the lack of fuel funds to pay for patrolling vehicles. While the government has been unable to address the issue, the government of a friendly East-Asian nation has responded. Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata on Friday handed over 123 Japanese-made hybrids vehicles to the Ministry of Interior. The Japanese embassy said the total cost of the vehicles is around 500 million Japanese Yen, or Rs435 million. The cars are part of Japan’s NonProject Grant Aid (NPGA) to Pakistan, a government sponsored fund to “contribute to the promotion of socioeconomic development efforts in developing countries.” The handover ceremony was held at Islamabad Traffic Police Headquarters, with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan representing Pakistan.

The petition has

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has ﬁled a review petition in the Supreme Court against its September 8 judgment in which the court ordered the federal and provincial governments to use Pakistan’s national language, Urdu, as official language with full force and without any delay. Additional Advocate General Razzaq A Mirza has ﬁled review petition on behalf of Punjab chief secretary and provincial law secretary. The petition has requested that the apex court should amend its judgment where the verdict obligates the respective governments to translate all the available laws from English to Urdu within three months.

NON-PROJECT GRANT AID

PLEA: The Punjab government has ﬁled a review petition in the Supreme Court against its September

8 judgment in which the court ordered the federal and provincial governments to use Pakistan’s national language, Urdu, as official language with full force and without any delay. — File photo

which asks to use the national language of the country. The deadline of three months as suggested by the Supreme Court judgment is ending on December 8. Translators The review petition states that the provincial government has already created three posts of translators and has framed rules in this regard in addition to forwarding the requisition to the Punjab Public Service Commission for appropriate appointments on these posts under the rules. The petitioner says the provincial government has already completed translation of around 150 different laws which now have been uploaded on the website of

the Punjab government while expression of interest has also been ﬂoated in daily newspapers for outsourcing of translation of laws of the Punjab. Practically impossible The provincial government has also received proposals against the expression of interest and the process of consultant selection is likely to be completed soon, the petition says. The review petition states that it is humanly and practically impossible to adhere to the time span of three months as suggested by the judgment for the translation of the laws from English to Urdu considering the vast reservoir of laws on different subjects. “It is on account of this incon-

sistency and problem that the provincial government is constrained to ﬁle this review petition,” the review petition said, adding the court should consider extending the three-month condition to a reasonable period. Examinations In its September 8 judgment, the court asked the government to consider and implement within the three-month timeline the Urdu language in the competitive examinations at the federal level. It had also asked to translate judgments in cases relating to public interest litigation and ‘judgments enunciating a principle of law in terms of Article 189 in line with Article 251 of the Constitution.’ — Express Tribune

Improving capabilities Ambassador Inomata said, “Security enhancement is indispensable for successful socioeconomic development in Pakistan, and the Government of Japan remains committed to improving the capabilities of Pakistani law enforcement agencies.” Ambassador Inomata also hoped that the NPGA will provide, “A good opportunity for Pakistani people to realise the positive environmental effects brought about by hybrid vehicles.” Nisar reiterated the government’s sincere gratitude for Japan’s continued commitment to socioeconomic development in Pakistan. Less emissions Hybrid vehicles use less fuel and emit less greenhouse emissions as compared to conventional vehicles. The hybrid police cars will not only to enable the police to

The cars are part of Japan’s Non-Project Grant Aid to Pakistan, a government sponsored fund to ‘contribute to the promotion of socioeconomic development efforts in developing countries’

reduce daily fuel costs, but also to help address increasing environmental challenges. The vehicles are widely used by Japanese police, government entities and public transport, while also gaining popularity among the public. Drug control In the last decade, the Government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has provided training opportunities to around 45 Pakistani police officers in areas such as forensic science, drug control and terrorism investigation. In addition, Japan has also previously agreed to install scanning devices at three international airports and two international seaports in Pakistan, all of which are currently under way. — Express Tribune

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WORLD

China-Taiwan historic meeting in Singapore Presidents of the two sides met for the ﬁrst time since China’s civil war ended in 1949 in what was seen as a highly symbolic gettogether in neutral venue Singapore

SINGAPORE: China and Taiwan must not let proponents of Taiwan’s independence split them, China’s President Xi Jinping told Taiwan’s president on Saturday at the ﬁrst meeting between leaders of the two sides since China’s civil war ended in 1949. Ma Ying-jeou, president of selfruled, democratic Taiwan, where anti-Beijing sentiment has been rising ahead of elections, called for mutual respect for each other’s systems and said Taiwan wanted China to use peaceful means to resolve issues. The talks, at a luxury hotel in the neutral venue of Singapore, lasted less than an hour but were heavy with symbolism. The two leaders shook hands and smiled in front of a mass of journalists when they met, with Xi wearing a red tie, the colour of the Communist Party, and Ma a blue one, the colour of his Nationalist Party. Moving into a meeting room, Xi, speaking ﬁrst and sitting opposite Ma, said Chinese people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait had the ability and wisdom to solve their own problems.

THEN AND NOW: This combination shows (top) a ﬁle picture taken

in September 1945 of Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong, left, toasting Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek in Chongqing and (bottom) Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou waving to journalists before their meeting at the Shangrila hotel in Singapore on Saturday. -AFP

“No force can pull us apart because we are brothers who are still connected by our ﬂesh even if our bones are broken, we are a family in which blood is thicker than water,” Xi said. In response, Ma said he was determined to promote peace across the Taiwan Strait and

that relations should be based on sincerity, wisdom and patience. Ma also asked Xi indirectly to respect Taiwan’s democracy. “Both sides should respect each other’s values and way of life to ensure mutual beneﬁt and a winwin situation across the straits,”

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL

Celebrations in Sierra Leone mark end of Ebola epidemic FREETOWN: Residents of Sierra Leone’s capital held a candlelit vigil and celebrations overnight to mark the end of an Ebola epidemic that has killed almost 4,000 people including more than 200 health workers since it began last year. Following 42 days with no new cases, the West African nation’s epidemic was set to be declared officially over at a ceremony attended by President Ernest Bai Koroma and UN World Health Organization (WHO) representative Anders Nordstrom. Thousands of people gathered under the Cotton Tree, a massive tree in the centre of the capital, Freetown, overnight for a candlelight vigil organised by women’s groups to pay tribute to health workers who died. “They died so we could live,” Fatmata, a university student, said with tears in her eyes. Many of the health workers who died were infected due to inadequate protective equipment and training. The country’s first confirmed Ebola survivor, Victoria Yillia, told the crowd she was “happy that this disease which almost killed me has finally ended”. She appealed to authorities not to forget survivors, many of whom have faced social stigma and persistent health problems. Elsewhere in the city, residents

DEADLY DISEASE: An MSF medical worker checks their protec-

tive clothing in a mirror in Kailahun, Sierra Leone, on August 15, 2014. Kailahun and Kenama district were at the epicentre of the world’s worst Ebola outbreak. -AFP

celebrated the end of the epidemic, which forced schools to close, overwhelmed healthcare systems and hurt the local economy. “We’re happy. I feel free again after a period of bondage in the hands of Ebola,” said trader Joseph Katta as he clutched a pint of beer at a pub in the suburb of Lumley. Ebola has killed more than 11,300 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea since the epidemic was announced in March 2014 and about 28,500 were infected, according to WHO data. Sierra Leone’s death toll was 3,955 people. Liberia was declared free of Eb-

ola on September 3, while a handful of cases remain in Guinea. The 42-day countdown to be declared Ebola-free starts when the last patient tests negative a second time, normally after a 48-hour gap following their ﬁrst negative test. Fear of the virus transformed the three countries and hampered efforts in Sierra Leone and Liberia to recover from civil wars. At the height of the epidemic, the two countries ordered everyone to stay indoors for days at a time in an attempt to identify new cases and slow the disease’s spread. -Reuters

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he said. China’s Nationalists, also known as the Kuomintang (KMT), retreated to Taiwan after losing the civil war to the Communists, who are still in charge in Beijing. The mainland has never renounced the use of force to bring what it considers a breakaway province under its control. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Ma said he hoped Xi could pay attention to China’s missile deployment - Taiwan has long fretted about batteries pointed its way - to which Xi replied that was not an issue about Taiwan, he said. “I at least raised the issue, and told him that the Taiwanese people have questions and concerns about it, and hope he will treat it with importance,” Ma said. Zhang Zhijun, the head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said Xi told Ma that the biggest threat to the peaceful development of relations was pro-independence forces. “The compatriots on both sides should unite and ﬁrmly oppose it,” Zhang said. The meeting comes ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections on Taiwan which the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is favoured to win, something Beijing is desperate to avoid. While bilateral trade, investment and tourism have blossomed - particularly since Ma and his KMT took power in 2008 - there is deep suspicion on both sides and no progress has been made on any sort of political settlement. No agreements had been expected in what was seen as a highly symbolic get-together in Singapore, a largely ethnic Chinese citystate that has maintained good ties with both for decades. Protocol problems loomed large for democratic Taiwan and autocratic China and the two addressed each other as “mister” to avoid using the word “president”, as neither officially recognises the other as head of state. -Reuters

WEB-BASED FREE REGISTRY

Federal task force considering drone registration in US WASHINGTON: A federal task force is expected to recommend a Web-based registry for drone owners that would impose no registration fees, two people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The 25-member task force has reached no final decisions after three days of meetings this week, the sources said. Discussions are expected to continue via teleconference over the next two weeks before the committee delivers formal recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration by November 20. Owners of small unmanned aerial vehicles would likely have to sign up on a website or use a smartphone app and put a visible registration number on the drone. The process would provide a digital alternative to the more onerous paper-based registration process for manned aircraft. Responsibility for registering is expected to fall to the owner rather than the manufacturer or retail vendor, but the task force could recommend no penalties for first-time noncompliance, the sources said. The sources said this week’s meetings focused largely on topline issues, leaving details on specific requirements and privacy questions for later discussions. December timeline US aviation regulators, who expect to begin implementing registration in December, say a registry would help authorities combat a surge in rogue drone flights near airports and other public sites. The flights have raised concerns about safety and security risks including possible collisions with commercial aircraft. David Vos, the leader for Google’s Project Wing and cochairman of the task force, told a conference this week that regis-

Responsibility for registering is expected to fall to the owner rather than the manufacturer or retail vendor, but the task force could recommend no penalties for firsttime noncompliance, the sources said

tration should be seen as the first step toward incorporating drones into US airspace. He predicted that other steps, including air traffic control systems for low-altitude drone flights, could follow within the next 12 months. The FAA is crafting final regulations that would allow companies to use drones as part of their business operations. Those rules are expected early next year. -Reuters

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2 Russia suspends all ﬂights

to Egypt bit.ly/russiasuspendsﬂight

3 Chassis to help ﬁnd dumped

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2 Tropical storm MEGH

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4 Islamic conference delegates

express gratitude to His Majesty

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3 Pressure points build up in

Saudi Arabian markets after S&P rating cut

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5 Campaign to save green

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4 Ronaldo, Messi driving each

other to ever-greater heights

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5 PDO, Glasspoint break ground

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This month, G-20 leaders will meet in Antalya, for their tenth summit since the 2007 global ﬁnancial crisis. But, despite all of these meetings no real progress has been made toward reforming the international ﬁnancial architecture. bit.ly/liquiditycrisis

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The United States economy added an impressive 271,000 jobs in October, as you’ve surely heard. The industry that led the way was professional and business services, with an increase of 78,000 jobs. bit.ly/virtualproductsjob

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READERS’ FORUM Deserted vehicles spoil the clean image of the city This refers to the story, ‘Chassis to help ﬁnd dumped car owners’ (November 7). It is a good initiative by the officials to ﬁnd out the owners of the abandoned cars seen in and around the city. The city of Muscat is known for being the cleanest city in the region, and these irresponsible owners shouldn’t be allowed to alter this image. Vehicles deserted for long periods on the sideways and prominent parking slots, with accumulated dust and dirt, are an awkward aberration to the city’s clean image. While being an embarrassment, the images of such vehicles leave something of a mystery behind Scan this QR code to send letters to the them. Some abandoned vehicles occupy Readers’ Forum, more than one parking slot and block the containing not more roads. — P. A. Jacob, Muscat 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).

Of pending IMF and World Bank reforms

FRANCIS WILKINSON

It looked, until today, that Marco Rubio would be subjected to a pincer manoeuvre by Donald Trump and Jeb Bush. Trump wants to bruise Rubio in part because the Florida senator is on the rise, and in part because Trump knocks people down just because he can. bit.ly/rubioimmigration

Congratulations to Team India for beating South Africa

This refers to the story, ‘Jadeja, Ashwin spin India to big win’ (November 7). Congratulations to Team India on their victory over the No 1 Test team, South Africa, in Mohali. Ravindra Jadeja, who made a memorable comeback to Test cricket, was declared the man of the match for his ﬁve-wicket haul. South Africa, who were set a modest total for victory on a turning track, were always looking wanting as India’s spin trio gave nothing away to seal a win in three days. — Shaam Mohit, Muscat

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“Insure with New India and be secure”

Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life MARK TWAIN

reated soon after the end of the Second World War, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank are powerful international financial institutions which hold immense sway in orchestrating efforts to deliver the elusive fruits of prosperity to the majority of countries in the world, which are still considered to be in the transitional phase of becoming developed. The World Bank lends money and provides advice to developing countries for programmes aiming to boost economic growth and reduce poverty. The IMF provides funds to countries in financial crisis, particularly in order to ensure that they can pay their international debts, to ensure stability of the broader international financial system. The ability of both these entities to fulfil their lofty aims, however, remains a question of much contention around the world. In fact, the very manner in which these two entities are themselves governed is also an issue which continues to be mired in controversy. While on paper, the World Bank and IMF are governed by, and held accountable to, all 188 member countries, in effect both these entities are controlled by just a small number of economically powerful nations. Since a handful of countries choose the leadership and senior management of both the IMF and the World Bank, critics allege that it is their economic interests that dominate, despite the fact that the main borrowers from the World Bank and IMF are developing countries. European countries control a proportion of the IMF’s overall shareholding which exceeds their contribution to the global economy. Changes to increase individual states’ quotas would automatically reduce the relative shareholding of all other states, including the US’ whose current quota provides it with an effective veto on all major IMF decisions. Recommendations to reform the governance structures of the IMF and World Bank include shifting the focus from the needs of the US and European countries to those of the developing world by re-

forming the voting structure. Both the IMF and World Bank do acknowledge the need for internal reform. The World Bank aims to increase the voting power of developing countries to at least 50 per cent over time. The G20 endorsed the need for IMF quota rebalancing, whereby the large, dynamic emerging market countries, Brazil, China, India and Russia move up to be among the top 10 shareholders of the IMF. However, developing countries have become increasingly frustrated with the slow pace of these promised reforms. The IMF and World Bank annual meetings held earlier in October this year represented the ideal opportunity for a comprehensive reform resolution. But despite the usual platitudes about the need for structural reforms within the IMF and World Bank, this process has been stalled once again. It is ironic that an entity like the World Bank, which is committed to the process of improving accountability and good governance across the developing world, cannot get its own house in order. There are also economic imperatives which compel the need for reforming both the IMF and the World Bank. The global economy is currently fraught with anxieties over China’s slowdown, weakening emerging markets and lingering disparities within and across countries around the world. The IMF’s ability to respond to potential economic crises tailored to individual member countries’ circumstances requires not only a reformed vision but also increased financial backing. The level of financial commitment estimated to enable the IMF alone to function another decade is well over a trillion dollars. Allowing a greater share to emerging countries within its governance structures would bolster the IMF’s available financial resources. Moreover, governance reforms would further enable both the IMF and the World Bank to reassess their existing programmatic approaches, and to also gain increased legitimacy and effectiveness within the developing world. - Express Tribune

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES OCTOBER 2000 Educational delegation to leave for UAE on Saturday MUSCAT: An educational delegation will leave for Abu Dhabi on Saturday on a four day official visit to the United Arab Emirates. The visit is with the context of the joint educational cooperation programme. The delegation, comprising a number of headmasters of primary schools in the Sultanate will visit a number of model schools in the UAE, the public education directorate and will meet the undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Education and Youth.

PICTOGRAPH

OMAN’S SHEEP POPULATION 2012

2013

2014

346,300

359,500

366,700

TODAY IN HISTORY

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE Protect your properties/ assets through New India’s FIRE INSURANCE POLICIES.

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1864: President Abraham Lincoln is re-elected in the ﬁrst wartime election in the United States. 1942: The US and UK invade Axis-occupied North Africa. 1975: More than 10,000 US troops and a few Iraqi army units besiege an insurgent stronghold at Fallujah. 2013: Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever recorded, slams into the Philippines; over 5,000 are killed

Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

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WORLD Germany’s parties in a spat over refugee asylum rights migrants are not granted asylum or refugee status and their rights are limited. The latest row comes after the coalition ended weeks of inﬁghting on Thursday evening on how to speed up the deportation of asylum seekers who have little chance of being allowed to stay.

German government was forced to clarify on Friday that its asylum policy for refugees from Syria remained unchanged

BERLIN: Just two days after resolving a coalition row over how to handle a record inﬂux of refugees, Germany’s ruling parties are embroiled in another spat over whether to limit the asylum rights of refugees from Syria. The government was forced to clarify on Friday that its asylum policy for refugees from Syria remained unchanged after the interior minister said they would receive a modiﬁed refugee status and be barred from having family members join them. Comments But the comments made by Thomas de Maiziere in a radio interview have reopened a rift between Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CSU), its Bavarian sister party (CSU) and their Social Democrat (SPD)

MIGRANT CRISIS: Riot police remove counter-protesters opposing the right-wing populist Alter-

native for Germany (AfD) party during a demonstration by AfD supporters in Berlin on Saturday. Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of the capital asking for the ouster of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a curb on the number of asylum-seekers entering Germany. - AFP

coalition partners. On Saturday, Ralf Stegner, deputy chairman of the SPD, accused the CDU of making halfbaked proposals instead of implementing the decisions agreed on by the coalition. Restricting family reunions would only mean that more women and children would undertake the dangerous journey from Syria

to Europe, he said, adding that the SPD opposed the idea. “It’s off the table as far as the SPD is concerned,” Stegner told German radio. “This won’t wash with the SPD, and the CDU knows this perfectly well.” However, lawmakers from the CSU, who govern the state of Bavaria which has borne the brunt of the refugee inﬂux, backed de

Maiziere’s proposals. “Hundreds of thousands of Syrians are getting shelter here, but it must only be subsidiary protection - this means for a limited period and without having family members join them,” Andreas Scheuer, the secretary general of the Christian Social Union (CSU) told Bild am Sonntag. Subsidiary protection means

Under fire It is not the first time de Maiziere, a reserved man who prefers to operate out of the spotlight, has come under attack over his handling of the influx of hundreds of thousands of migrants, many of whom are fleeing war in the Middle East. De Maiziere was lambasted by mass-selling daily Bild earlier this week for taking a short break in Majorca while the government struggled to manage the pace and scale of the influx, which is putting communities under strain. Last month Merkel appointed her chief of staff Peter Altmaier to oversee the government’s handling of the crisis, a move widely viewed as a rebuff to de Maiziere. Opposition lawmakers kept up the pressure on de Maiziere on Saturday, with Green politician Renate Kuenast calling him a “loose canon”. “In this government the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing,” said Ulla Jelpke from the opposition Left Party. - Reuters

S N I P E R AT TA C K

Sri Lankan man charged with assassination plot in Maldives MALE/COLOMBO: Police in the Maldives have charged a Sri Lankan man with planning a sniper attack on President Abdulla Yameen just weeks after a blast ripped through his boat in an alleged assassination attempt, officials said on Saturday. Political turmoil The chain of Indian Ocean islands has been plunged into political turmoil since the September 28 explosion on the presidential launch as it was about to dock in the capital Male, injuring the ﬁrst lady and two aides. Yameen was unhurt. Yameen, who has accused several members of his government of being involved in the boat blast, drew international criticism earlier this week for imposing a 30-day state of emergency after officials said explosives and arms were found near his official residence and elsewhere in the capital. Maldivian Home Minister Umar Naseer said the Sri Lankan suspect, a 27-year old man, was arrested on October 24. Naseer linked the alleged sniper plot with September’s blast on the presidential boat and said the discovery of explosives near the ofﬁcial residence pointed to a third assassination plan. “There’s a clear connection between the three. There could be further attacks planned. We’re verifying the sniper’s background,” Naseer said. - Reuters

NIGHTCLUB FIRE

Death toll from Romania fire tops 38; former mayor held BUCHAREST: Six people died on Saturday from injuries sustained in a fire at a nightclub in Romania eight days ago, bringing the number of dead to 38 in a case which has sparked protests and led to the resignation of the government. Two of the latest victims died in the Netherlands, where they had been transported for specialist treatment. There were 107 people still in hospital, 48 of them in a serious or critical condition, interim Prime Minister Sorin Cimpeanu told reporters. The fire broke out last Friday night at a rock concert in the Colectiv nightclub in the capital

Bucharest, when ﬁreworks set insulation foam ablaze, triggering a stampede towards the single exit and trapping many of the roughly 400 people inside. Tens of thousands of people subsequently took to the streets across Romania, angry at a public administration widely seen as corrupt, and the protests continued even after the cabinet resigned. Consultations over a new Romanian prime minister will resume next week after initial talks with political and civil society leaders yielded no candidate, President Klaus Iohannis said. On Saturday, anti-corruption

prosecutors said they had taken Cristian Popescu Piedone, the mayor of the Bucharest district where Colectiv is located, into custody. He had resigned in the wake of the protests. Evidence They said evidence has shown that Piedone had granted a working permit for the club despite the fact it did not have authorisation from ﬁreﬁghters. “Given that several... events took place... in broadly unsafe public conditions, the lives, health and physical integrity of the audience and staff were permanently put

COLLAPSED DAMS

Brazil mine disaster death toll likely to rise as scores missing MARIANA (Brazil): The death toll from two collapsed dams at a major Brazilian mine will surely rise in coming days, a local mayor said on Saturday, while search and rescue teams worked to reach villages more than 80 km (50 miles) downstream overrun by the massive mudflow. Six residents of the nearest village remain missing, along with 13 workers from the mine, but only one death has been confirmed in what the governor of mineral-rich Minas Gerais described as the state’s worst environmental disaster. “The death toll will rise for sure...The number of missing will rise because we’re talking to the residents of Bento (Rodrigues) and some people still aren’t accounted for,” Duarte Júnior, mayor of the nearby city of Mariana, told reporters. City officials released a list of 19 missing people on Saturday, including three children, ages 4 to 7, and a 60-year-old woman from the village, which was swamped by mudslides within half an hour of public warnings. The mine’s operator, Samarco, is co-owned by the world’s largest mining company BHP Billiton Ltd and the biggest iron ore miner Vale SA. Clean-up and repairs along miles of flooded river could cost the companies a fortune. Walls of water filled with mining waste cascaded downhill when the dams burst on Thursday, engulfing the village of Bento Rodrigues and its 600 residents in a sea of mud while also flooding others far removed from the open-pit mine. “They didn’t tell us the mud

TRAGEDY: The Bento Rodrigues district is pictured covered with

mud after a dam burst in Mariana, Brazil, on Friday. - Reuters

would come through with such force,” said Losangeles Freitas, resident of Barra Longa, a town nearly 80 kilometres downstream ﬂooded by the 60 million cubic meters of waste water and mud. “We lost everything. It moved so fast,” she said. Her neighbour Bernardo Trinidade, a 58-year-old plumber, said authorities warned that the river behind his house would swell by a metre or two. Waters rose over 10 metres But the waters rose more than 10 metres, he said, sweeping into his home at three metres — nearly half a day after the dam broke. “We took what we could and ran upstairs,” said Trinidade. “We were told it wouldn’t be so bad.” Half a dozen jeeps with water and emergency supplies rolled through Barra Longa on their way to Gesteira, one of several remote villages along the river that rescuers had not yet reached. As local officials struggled to reach isolated communities, lawmakers in the capital Brasilia

demanded answers from mining executives at BHP Billiton and Vale, one of Brazil’s biggest corporations. “This accident will bring consequences for those companies,” said Senator Delcidio Amaral, a leader of the governing coalition. “Without a doubt, the executives of these companies will be brought before Congress...they have to be held accountable.” Amaral said the disaster would shape the debate over Brazil’s mining code, drawing attention to the need for new safety and environmental regulations that have been tied up in Congress for years. Samarco’s chief executive said the mine’s environmental licenses were up to date and the dams had been inspected in July. He said a tremor in the vicinity of the mine may have caused the dams to burst, but that it was too early to establish the exact cause. Samarco said it had set no date to restart the mine, which produces about 30 million tons of iron ore annually. - Reuters

in danger,” prosecutors said in a statement. The club’s three owners were taken into custody on November 2. City hall clerks and the owners of the company that installed the fireworks were also being investigated. Support The fire has prompted an outpouring of community support, with people donating blood and money, and volunteers taking food and drinks to hospitals for medical staff and victims’ families. Outside the club, people continued to light candles and lay flowers in remembrance. - Reuters

PROTEST CONTINUES: People gather to protest against the political

class and Romanian authorities during the fourth day of protest in Bucharest on Friday. - AFP

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Drought spells doom for migratory birds California’s Central Valley - which includes both the San Joaquin and the Sacramento - provides winter lodging for 60 per cent of the world’s 10,000 remaining greater Sandhill Cranes, a taller crane variety that is listed as a threatened species by the state, according to the Audubon Society

California’s ongoing drought has left the cranes, along with millions of other waterfowl that migrate from Canada and other northern climes to spend the winter in California, with fewer places to land

LODI (US): With their red heads, 7-foot (2.13 m) wingspan and a trilling call, migrating Sandhill Cranes provide a dramatic sunset spectacle as they land by the thousands in wetlands near Sacramento each night during the fall and winter. But the state’s ongoing drought has left the cranes, along with millions of other waterfowl that migrate from Canada and other northern climes to spend the winter in California, with fewer places to land, threatening their health

THREATENED: Sandhill cranes land in ﬂooded ﬁelds to roost for the night at the Sandhill Crane

Reserve near Thornton, United States, on November 3, 2015. — Reuters

as they crowd in on one another to seek shelter and food. “They’re left with fewer and fewer places to go, which will start to have impacts on their population,” said Meghan Hertel, who works on habitat issues for the Audubon Society in California. “They can die here from starvation

or disease or be weaker for their ﬂight back north.” The cranes are a beloved sight in California’s Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys when they arrive each fall. Tourists ﬂock to see them as they take off en masse at dawn or land in a series of swooping, trill-

ing groups as the sun goes down. This weekend, the town of Lodi near the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta holds its annual crane festival, complete with tours of the wetlands where the ﬁve-foot tall birds spend their days foraging for food and their nights roosting in shallow water.

California’s Central Valley - which includes both the San Joaquin and the Sacramento provides winter lodging for 60 per cent of the world’s 10,000 remaining greater Sandhill Cranes, a taller crane variety that is listed as a threatened species by the state, according to the Audubon Society.

As many as 25,000 of their shorter cousins, the lesser Sandhill Cranes, also roost in the region. But the wildlife refuges set up to replace natural habitat long diminished by the dams and levees built by humans in the most-populous US state are themselves drier this year, and fewer acres of wetland are available to the birds. Reducing habitat And in an ironic twist, farmers criticised by some conservationists for flooding their corn, rice and alfalfa fields have cut back the practice dramatically as the drought has worn on, saving water but reducing habitat for waterfowl, who rely on the wet acreage to roost and feed. “The impact of not having flooded agricultural fields available to the birds is huge,” said Craig Isola, deputy project leader for the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. In the Sacramento Valley north of the Delta, flooded fields rich with unused grain, insects and other nutrients supply half of the food eaten by migratory birds each year, Isola said. But this year, rice farmers plan to flood just 100,000 of the 300,000 acres that they normally cover with about five inches of water, said Paul Buttner, environmental affairs manager for the California Rice Commission. Wetland acreage is also down at the wildlife refuges managed by state and federal agencies. — Reuters

UNDER PROBE

‘Mexican forces dumped more than 100 bodies in mass grave’ MEXICO CITY: Mexican authorities are investigating local security officials who put at least 105 unidentified victims of violent crime in a mass grave in central Mexico, officials said on Friday. The bodies were found in a small, indigenous community in the state of Morelos, which has one of the highest kidnapping rates in the country, said state prosecutor Javier Perez. The officials are being investigated for dereliction of duty and violation of laws covering the burial of cadavers, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. It did now specify how many officials are being investigated, or how long the mass grave is believed to have been in use. The surge in drug cartel violence across Mexico over the last decade has left a large number of victims whom authorities fail to identify. They are often dumped in communal graves in cemeteries after being granted official permits to do so, however this site was not authorised, said Perez. The bodies were found in plastic bags and most, but not all, in-

The bodies were found in a small, indigenous community in the state of Morelos, which has one of the highest kidnapping rates in the country, said prosecutor Javier Perez cluded a bottle that contained a case number from police investigations, according to an official from the state human rights commission who requested anonymity due not being authorised to speak with media. “They were all together in one giant pit,” the official said. The mass grave was discovered following a search by the family of a man who was kidnapped and killed in 2013. Even though his body had been identiﬁed by DNA tests, he was still dumped in the grave. — Reuters

UNENDING MIGRANT INFLUX

Two migrant girls sit in a train heading to Serbia from the Greece-Macedonia border near Gevgelija, on Saturday. The ﬂow of refugees and other migrants from Turkey to Greece is expected to continue at a rate of 5,000 daily this winter, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said. Three million migrants ﬂeeing war and poverty are seen entering the EU by 2017 in a development likely to have a marginal positive impact on the economy, the European Commission said on Thursday. — AFP

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GLOBAL EYE

UNITED STATES: A plane ﬂies above the Tidal Basin on a warm evening in Washington, on Friday. Unseasonably warm weather in the eastern US has made the ﬁrst few days of November feel more like late summer. — Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP

COLOMBIA: Citizens take part in a ceremony for victims and missing people in the rebuilt Justice NEW ZEALAND: Britain’s Prince Charles talks with Serean Adams during his visit to the Cawthron

Institute for Fisheries in Nelson, New Zealand, on Saturday. — Reuters/Evan Barnes/Pool

Palace in Bogota, Colombia on Friday. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos apologised for military actions during a 1985 assault on Bogota’s Palace of Justice by M-19 rebels, in which over 100 people died including nearly half of the country’s Supreme Court justices. — Reuters

in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Friday. Ruling party candidate Jovenel Moise and former government executive Jude Celestin led voting in Haiti’s October 25 presidential election and will face each other in a run-off next month, according to official results announced on Thursday. — Reuters

FRENCH POLYNESIA: Participants compete on Saturday towards Bora Bora lagoon for the third leg of the Hawaiki Nui Va’a 2015 outrigger canoe race. The Hawaiki Nui Va’a outrigger canoe race is an annual event with more than 100 team of intense racing between Huahine, Raiatea, Taha’a and Bora Bora, in French Polynesia, honoring an ancient sport with great cultural values. The 24th edition of the race hosts teams from Taihiti, France and New Zealand, with the number of teams and countries increasing each year. —AFP

BRAZIL: The ‘Macif’ of French skippers Francois Gabart and Pascal Bidegorry arrives in Itaja’ (Brazil) to

RUSSIA: Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms take part in a military parade on the Red

win the 12th Transat Jacques Vabre on Saturday. The 5400 Transat Jacques Vabre transatlantic miles, following the historic trade route coffee between France and Brazil, started with 42 boats in Le Havre and ﬁnishes in Itaja’. — AFP

Square in central Moscow, Russia, on Saturday. The parade marks the anniversary of a historical parade in 1941 when Soviet soldiers marched through Red Square towards the front lines during World War II. — Reuters

HAITI: National Police officers disperse a demonstration to protest against the electoral process

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Myanmar’s landmark voting today The sense of excitement was palpable on the eve of the election as around 30 million people prepared to vote in the ﬁrst free nationwide poll in a quarter of a century

YANGON: Myanmar goes to the polls on Sunday, taking its biggest stride yet in a journey to democracy from dictatorship, but the legacy of military rule means opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi cannot become president even if her party wins a landslide.

DECISION TIME: Women look at names on a list outside a polling

station ahead of today’s general election in Mandalay, Myanmar, on Saturday. — Reuters

The sense of excitement in the Southeast Asian nation was palpable on the eve of the election as around 30 million people prepared to vote in the ﬁrst free nationwide poll in a quarter of a century. “I really want change,” said Zobai, a Muslim jade trader in the second-largest city of Mandalay who goes by one name.

”I’ve been alive for 53 years and all I’ve seen is dictatorship.” Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi won the last free vote in 1990, but the military ignored the result. She spent most of the next 20 years under house arrest before her release in 2010. Her National League for Democracy (NLD) is expected to win

again, but she is barred from taking the presidency herself under a constitution written by the junta to preserve its power. If she wins a majority and is able to form Myanmar’s ﬁrst democratically elected government since the 1960s, Suu Kyi says she will be the power behind the new president regardless of a constitution she has derided as “very silly”. Suu Kyi starts the contest with a sizeable handicap in parliament: even if the vote is deemed free and fair, one-quarter of parliament’s seats will still be held by unelected military officers. To form a government and choose its own president, the NLD on its own or with allies must win

more than two-thirds of all seats up for grabs. By contrast, the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) would need far fewer seats if it secured the backing of the military bloc in parliament. However, voters are expected to spurn the USDP, created by the former junta and led by former military officers, because it is associated with the brutal dictatorship that installed President Thein Sein’s nominally civilian government in 2011. An inconclusive result could thrust parties representing Myanmar’s myriad ethnic minorities into a king-maker role, bringing them closer to the centre of power

after years on the fringes. In a pre-election speech on Friday, President Thein Sein acknowledged that organising the vote was a challenge and stressed the government’s commitment to ensuring a credible vote, with more than 10,000 observers scrutinising the process. “People are really interested in the election and eager to vote,” said Hla Myo, a poll volunteer in the country’s largest city, Yangon. He said more “advance voting” forms had to be ordered at the last minute for people who would be unable to cast their ballots on the day. Security has been tightened around the country, with 40,000 specially trained police dispatched to polling stations, and some Yangon restaurants and markets have been closed. The president sought to dispel concern that the military or the government would reject the vote. “I’d like to say again that the government and the military will respect and accept the results,” he said. — Reuters

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

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Muscat airport plans to award projects worth OMR100 million The company detailed the opportunities in the ﬁelds of operation, facility management, furniture and retail at the new airport

BUSINESS REPORTER

MUSCAT: Contracts worth around OMR100 million will be awarded for the new Muscat International Airport, said a senior official. “The contracts that we actually presented today are worth and al-

most going to reach to OMR100 million,” Aimen Ahmed Al Hosni, ACEO of Oman Airport Management Company (OAMC), told reporters on Thursday. He made the comments after a Business Opportunities Forum conducted by OAMC, during

which the company detailed the upcoming opportunities in the fields of operation, facility management, furniture and retails at the airport. The total number of the tenders that will be floated is approximately 40, Al Hosni said. Asked when the contracts will be awarded, he said, “Hopefully, we (will) close everything by mid of next year.” Small and medium units The official also noted that 10 per cent of the contracts will definitely be given to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). During the forum, Samer Ahmed Al Nabhani, general manager for

commercial operations at OAMC, said that a number of requests for proposal (RFP) will be floated in the first quarter of 2016, which will be dedicated to SMEs. These RFPs will be in the fields of F&B (food and beverage) and retails, he said, adding that more than 1,000 sqm will be dedicated to SMEs in these two sectors. OAMC is supporting SMEs and encourages these businesses to participate in the upcoming RFPs, Al Nabhani noted. A series of presentations were delivered on various aspects of the massive expansion plans for the new airport and the many business opportunities in different fields

such as information and communication technology, support and maintenance, facility management and non-aeronautical services. Various contracts With over 18,000 square metres of commercial space available in the terminal, ten-year contracts for each of the key categories were highlighted at the forum. The following RFPs have been released, with the submission date being early next year: Facility management – provision for cleaning services at passenger terminal, for cleaning services for landside facilities and ancillary buildings, for waste management

and pest control service; ICT support and maintenance – operation and maintenance of ICT server farm, of business systems, airport systems ICT network data center, security and telecom infrastructure; and non-aeronautical services - irrigation and landscaping maintenance services cargo handler at MCT, cargo handler at regionals including SLL, MRO at regionals including SLL (maintenance, repair and overhaul for aircraft safety and worthiness), FBO at SLL and MCT (ﬁxed, base operator for managing and supporting general aviation), ground handling at MCT, ground handling at regionals including SLL.

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

MARKET C O N TA I N E R V O LU M E

Sohar Port’s volume surges ahead by 53 per cent Times News Service

STRONG PERFORMANCE: Combining the ﬁgures for Sohar Port and Port Sultan Qaboos, shows an organic growth of 5% in the ﬁrst nine months of 2015 against the same period last year. - Supplied picture

MUSCAT: Container volume of Sohar Port grew by a staggering 53 per cent in the third quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014 — up from 93,000 twenty -foot equivalent unit (TEU) to over 142,000 TEU. Combining the figures for Sohar and Port Sultan Qaboos, shows an organic growth rate of 5 per cent over the first three quarters of 2015 compared to this time last year. For the period from January to September 2015, container volume in Sohar reached over 407,000 TEU. The port’s organic growth was significantly boosted by the reloca-

tion of all commercial traffic from Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat from September of last year. “A 53 per cent year-on-year increase in container throughput in the third quarter is testament to the success of our operations here at Sohar. Our rapid growth has positioned Sohar as a signiﬁcant regional hub, and we are fully committed to building a sustainable logistics infrastructure that will support Oman in achieving our Vision 2020 objectives,” said Andre Toet, CEO of Sohar Port. Bulk cargo also grew at Sohar Port, up by 9 per cent in comparison to the third quarter last year, increasing from 10.4 million tonnes in the third quarter

of 2014, to 11.3 million tonne in the third quarter of 2015. Over the first three quarters combined, bulk at Sohar is up by 22 per cent, reaching over 34 million tonnes for the period from January to September 2015. The general cargo terminal at Sohar has also seen significant growth this year, with throughput up by 60 per cent over the first three quarters of 2015, reaching a combined volume of 2.3 million tons. Much of this growth has been captured from other regional ports. “We are continuing our unrelenting efforts to increase the size of investments in our Freezone. It is one of our main objectives to play an important role in the di-

versiﬁcation process of Oman’s economy and take full advantage of Sohar’s strategic location in the region which is considered very crucial for our growth. The tremendous work that has gone into growing the business here continues unabated. We are also very proud that Sohar Freezonerecently received two commendations from the Financial Times fDi Magazine Global Free Zones of the Year Awards, for ‘Ease of Access’ and ‘Improved Infrastructure’,” said Jamal Aziz, CEO of Sohar Freezone. Dry and break-bulk was up from 1.3 million tonnes in the ﬁrst three quarters of 2014, to over 1.9 million tonnes.

Oman’s non-oil sector grows by 3.7% in first half Despite oil prices drop, the growth was supported by rising GDP of agriculture and ﬁsheries sector, services and some

DIVERSIFICATION: According to current indicators, GDP for non-

industrial activities

oil activities is expected to climb during the current year to about OMR19 billion, recording a growth of 54 per cent compared to OMRO12.3 billion in 2010. – Times ﬁle picture

MUSCAT: Gross domestic product (GDP) for non-oil sector in the first half of 2015 recorded a growth of 3.7 per cent to reach OMR8,949.0 million compared to OMR8,626.0 million in the corresponding period of 2014, official statistics showed. Despite a drop in oil prices, this climb was supported by rising GDP of agriculture and fisheries sector, services and some industrial activities, especially mining and quarrying, electricity and water supply, construction and other manufacturing industries. The Sultanate seeks to increase the contribution of non-oil activities to GDP within its plan to diversify sources of the national income, stimulate economic activity in the country and provide more job opportunities for citizens. According to current indicators, GDP for non-oil activities is expected to climb during the current year to about OMR19 billion, recording a growth of 54 per cent compared to OMRO12.3 billion in 2010. This year is the last year in the Eighth Five-Year Plan, which began in 2011, targeting acceleration of the rates of economic diversification, strengthening the role of the private sector in the development process and the de-

velopment of its participation in its programmes. Domestic production of industrial activities recorded in the first half of 2015 a growth rate of 4.7 per cent to reach OMR2,262.0 million. The service activities grew by 3.4 per cent to OMR6,486.0 million, thereby curtailing the effects of declining domestic production of petroleum activities on GDP. Average oil production Among other economic indicators, which call for optimism is the rising oil production rate, official statistics show that the average oil production of the Sultanate rose in the first nine months of 2015 to 978,000 barrels per day, compared to about 948,000 barrels per day in the corresponding period last year, recording a growth rate of 3.2 per cent. The rise of oil production would compensate for part of the losses resulting from the decline in oil prices. The Sultanate recorded in July the highest production rate that exceeded one million barrels per day. The total production of the Sultanate reached in the 2015 first nine months 267 million barrels compared to 258.7 million barrels

in the same period of last year, but the decline in the average oil price of Oman from $105.81 a barrel to $59.8 a barrel impact on revenue. Inflation The inflation level by the end of September 2015 decreased by 0.1 per cent, compared to its level a year ago to drop the consumer prices index (CPI) to 102.3 points compared to 102.4 points in September 2014. The property traded value increased in the first nine months of 2015 to OMR3.2 billion compared to OMR2.2 billion in the same period of last year and the collected fees of legal actions increased from OMR31.7 million to OMR37.6 million. The private sector was able in the first nine months of 2015 to provide 9,560 jobs for Omani citizens. The total number of Omanis in the private sector reached by the end of September was 207,000 compared to 197,000 at the end of last year. - ONA

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CONFERENCE

Fibre-to-the-Home conference to focus on high-speed Internet MUSCAT: Seventh Fibre-to-theHome (FTTH) Council Mena Conference, hosted by Oman Broadband Company and organised by the Mena FTTH Council will begin on Monday under the auspices of Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, minister of transport and communications. The three-day event, organised under the theme of ‘FTTH, the edge of a brighter tomorrow’, will witness the participation of senior representatives of major companies operating in information technology and communication (IT&C) in the Sultanate and the region. The conference provides an ideal opportunity to share experience and knowledge on the challenges and opportunities related to FTTH in the Mena region. Eng. Said bin Abdullah Al Mantheri, CEO Oman Broadband Company said that the organisation of this event in the Sultanate comes at a time Oman has acti-

Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, Minister of transport and communications. – File picture vated its new trends, which aim at promoting the use of broadband internet in all governorates. Promotional demonstration On the sidelines of the event, there will be a promotional demonstration on exploring the infrastructure for the optic ﬁbres infrastructure. Due to the growing demand for communications and technol-

ogy service, the conference, will include an area dedicated to the ‘World of Applications’ to highlight the ways in which fibre to the home, and the increased speeds it can deliver, enable new services for both residential and business subscribers. A special session will take place on the first day of the conference in the dedicated area for applications demonstration and discussion. The aim of this demonstration is to describe and highlight applications supported by the fibre optic ‘nervous system’ of a telecom network and the applications that could cover any area from the government. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the FTTH conference will open the floor for discussion about Oman’s national broadband strategy, the new opportunities, challenges and effective strategies associated with promoting high speed broadband for homes and the businesses. - ONA

S U N DAY, N OV E MB E R 8, 2 0 1 5

MARKET BRIEFS

Private deposits in commercial banks increase MUSCAT: Total value of private deposits at the commercial banks in the Sultanate at the end of August 2015 rose by 7.2 per cent to OMR11,590.4 million compared to OMR10,815.0 million in the same period of 2014. The monthly statistical bulletin published by the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) pointed out that the gross value for these deposits, as of the end of August 2015, includes the time deposits stood at OMR3,169.) million, OMR4,232.4 million saving deposits and OMR3,944.1 million on demand deposits.

CMA signs deal with Zurich-based market regulator MUSCAT: Capital Market Authority (CMA) signed a cooperation agreement with the Zurich-based International Capital Market Association (ICMA) related to enhancing cooperation and sharing information. The agreement was signed by Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim Al Salmi, CEO of CMA and Martin Scheck, CEO of ICMA and Leland Goss, General Counsel of ICMA. As per the agreement, both parties can share information on the laws and regulations related to market control and oversight, sharing of information about the international and local capital market practices.

Fibre-to-home market crosses 162m subscribers MUSCAT: Global ﬁbre-tothe-home (FTTH) market reached 162.6 million subscribers by end of 2014 according to the FTTH Council Global Alliance global studies. FTTH is a future proof technology and fast growing method of providing vastly higher bandwidth to consumers and businesses, enabling more robust video, internet and voice services. Experts suggest that the year 2015 will witness an increase in FTTH deployments, driven by consumers’ demand. - Times News Service

Meethaq, Oman Shipping sign OMR78m finance deal The deal is for reﬁnancing very large crude carriers — Marbat, Manah and Mazyonah — that are operated and owned by Oman Shipping Company

Times News Service MUSCAT: Meethaq, a pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, and Oman Shipping Company, the Sultanate’s state-owned shipping conglomerate, have signed agreements to successfully conclude long-term financing facilities of OMR78 million to refinance existing Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) — Marbat, Manah and Mazyonah — that are operated and owned by Oman Shipping. Sharia-compliant facilities “Oman Shipping Company is pleased to sign the financing facility with Meethaq Islamic Banking and we look forward to mutually beneficial deals in future. The financing agreement comes within the scope of Oman Shipping’s

strategy to broaden relations with local partners to achieve the highest value for the national economy,” said Tariq Al Junaidi, acting chief executive officer of Oman Shipping Company. “Successful closure of this business deal clearly indicates availability of Sharia-compliant financing facilities in Oman reducing the need to depend on external financing for major projects which will contribute significantly to the growth of the company and implementation of its business plans. We are happy that the partnership with the private sector and coop-

O V E R S U P P LY

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

Oil glut to continue for ‘next five years’ DOHA: Oil markets will continue to be oversupplied for as long as ﬁve years as producers in the Middle East ramp up output, according to Mohammed Al Shatti, Kuwait’s representative to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Iraq pumped a record 4.4 million barrels a day in June. - Bloomberg news

BANKING

Meezan acquires HSBC Oman’s branch in Pakistan Times News Service MUSCAT: Meezan Bank has acquired HSBC Bank Oman operations in Pakistan, a Pakistani newspaper said quoting a stock ﬁling. Owned 51 per cent by HSBC Holdings, HSBC Bank Oman’s operations in Pakistan consisted of only one branch. At the end of the ﬁrst quarter of 2015, the bank had gross assets amounting to Rs4.1 billion. The operation of HSBC Oman Pakistan is being converted into a Sharia-compliant mode, a statement released by the bank said. It added that the acquisition of the single HSBC Oman branch marked the 500th branch of Meezan Bank. HSBC Bank Oman currently operates in Oman, India and Pakistan. It had decided in 2012 to sell off its India and Pakistan operations. It signed an agreement to sell its banking business in India to Doha Bank in April last year. Separately, HSBC Oman announced in November that it was in discussion with Meezan Bank

PARTNERS IN PROGRESS: Tariq bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Junaidi (left), acting chief executive officer of Oman Shipping, and Sulaiman Al Harthy, group general manager – Islamic Banking, signed the ﬁnancing agreement at a ceremony held in the head office of Bank Muscat. – Supplied picture

regarding the possible sale of its operations in Pakistan. HSBC Bank Middle East Earlier on, Meezan Bank also acquired Pakistan branch operations of HSBC Bank Middle East in October. This resulted in all customers of HSBC Pakistan automatically becoming customers of Meezan Bank. An indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings, HSBC Bank Pakistan consisted of 10 branches and had total assets of Rs48 billion at the end of 2013. Meezan Bank already had the experience of acquiring a foreign bank and converting its operations from conventional to Islamic. It acquired SocieteGenerale in Pakistan through a similar transaction in 2002. Reuters says, the sale of HSBC Bank Pakistan was part of a strategy by Europe’s biggest bank to exit from countries where it is unproﬁtable or lacks scale. Being a Muslim country, Pakistan has been a proﬁtable market for Islamic banks.

eration between institutions will strengthen the national economy and benefit the people of Oman,” added Al Junaidi. Diversifying assets Tariq bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Junaidi and Sulaiman Al Harthy, group general manager – Islamic Banking, signed the financing agreement at a ceremony held in the head office of Bank Muscat. “Meethaq is proud to successfully close the long-term financing facility for Oman Shipping. This is a significant milestone in the long-standing relationship

between Meethaq and Oman Shipping. Meethaq is grateful to the Government of Oman and the management of Oman Shipping for the confidence reposed in the bank. The successful closure of the financing facility for Oman Shipping is a stepping stone for Meethaq to diversify its assets mix,” said Sulaiman Al Harthy. “Meethaq is focused on playing a prominent supportive role in projects that are of national importance and the association with Oman Shipping will further strengthen this approach. The financing agreement with Oman

The financing agreement comes within the scope of Oman Shipping’s strategy to broaden relations with local partners to achieve the highest value for the national economy Tariq Al Junaidi

Acting chief executive officer, Oman Shipping Company

Shipping based on diminishing Musharakah affirms the availability of viable Sharia-compliant solutions to cater to the banking and ﬁnancing requirements of big projects in the Sultanate.”

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Arqaam Capital divests its stake in Sembcorp Salalah Power and Water Times News Service MUSCAT: Arqaam Capital, the specialist emerging and frontier markets investment bank, has said it exited from its infrastructure fund’s investment in Oman’s Sembcorp Salalah Power and Water Company through a trade sale to the Diwan of Royal Court Pension Fund. BDCC Investment Company, a special purpose vehicle whollyowned by an infrastructure fund currently managed by Arqaam, invested in Sembcorp Salalah during the construction phase in late 2011. This investment was part of the infrastructure fund’s strategy to create a balanced portfolio across brownfield and greenfield assets ensuring that the risk and return profiles are in line with the fund’s investment policy, said a company release. Demand for power and water is expected to continue growing in the Middle East and North African (Mena) region due to sustained eco-

nomic growth, an expanding population and a high household consumption of electricity and water compared to the rest of the world. “With governments across the region increasingly encouraging an active role of the private sector in infrastructure investments, Arqaam is well positioned to continue playing a major role in this important asset class,” said Dennis Wijsmuller, chief operating officer of Arqaam. Investment in 2011 “This milestone validates the infrastructure asset management team’s ability to achieve returns for our investors throughout the full investment cycle having sourced the investment in 2011, exited partially via an IPO in 2013 and completed a full trade sale in 2015.” Sembcorp Salalahhas been in full commercial operation since May 2012 and is the largest and most energy-efficient power and water plant in the Dhofar Governorate in Oman with a net power

capacity of a 489 megawatt and water capacity of 15 million imperial gallons per day. The facility currently supplies more than 70 per cent of the power dispatch and 100 per cent of the net installed desalinated water capacity of the Dhofar Governorate. “We thank BDCC, one of our founding shareholders, for their contribution to the success of Sembcorp Salalah and take this opportunity to welcome Diwan of Royal Court Pension on board,” added Lim YeowKeong, chief executive officer of Sembcorp Salalah Power & Water Company. “We are pleased to have played an instrumental role alongside our fellow founding shareholders and the management team of Sembcorp Salalah in shaping the success story of the company. Sembcorp Salalah has been a great investment for us and we believe it will continue to be so in the future,” noted Suhail Hajee, head of the infrastructure asset management division at Arqaam.

ACWA Power completes ﬁrst phase of water expansion Times News Service MUSCAT: ACWA Power Barka said that the ﬁrst phase of its water expansion, which has a capacity of 7.5 million imperial gallon water (which is part of a 12.5 million imperial gallon water expansion), has been completed. The company has completed its acceptance test and the plant started producing potable water to the national grid.

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

FEATURE S A U D I

S E L L S

HYDR CARB NS T O

B U Y

C A R B

or decades, only a few features punctuated the vastness of the Saudi desert: oil wells, oases and wheat fields. Despite torrid weather and virtually no rain, the world’s largest oil producer once grew so much of the grain that its exports could feed Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Yemen. The circular wheat farms, half a mile across with a central sprinkler system, spread across the desert in the 1980s and 1990s, visible in spring to anyone overflying the country. The oilfields remain, but the last wheat farms have just disappeared to save the aquifers supplying them. For the first time, Saudi Arabia will rely almost completely on wheat imports in 2016, a reversal from its policy of self-sufficiency. It will become a full member of the club of Middle Eastern nations that, according to the commodity-trade adage, “sell hydrocarbons to buy carbohydrates.” The shift toward imports, which started eight years ago, is reverberating beyond the Kingdom, providing business opportunities for grain traders such as Cargill Inc and Glencore Plc as well as for farmers in countries such as Germany and Canada. “The Saudis are the largest new wheat buyer to emerge,” said Swithun Still, director of grain trader Solaris Commodi-

ties SA in Morges, Switzerland. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Fares, managing director of the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organisation, the state agency in charge of cereal imports, told an industry conference in Riyadh last month that Saudi Arabia will import 3.5 million tonnes in 2016. That’s a 10-fold increase from about 300,000 tonnes in 2008, the first year local crops were curtailed. An agency presentation says the Kingdom will rely on imports for “100 per cent” of its wheat in 2016 for the first time. By 2025, demand is forecast to rise to 4.5 million tonnes as population growth drives demand for flour, positioning Saudi Arabia as one of the 10 biggest wheat buyers worldwide. The shift is propitious as the wheat market weathers the largest glut in nearly 30 years, with bumper harvests filling up silos from Russia to Argentina. Prices for high-quality wheat, which reached an all-time high in Kansas City of more than $13 per bushel in 2008, have fallen to less than $5 this year. Saudi Arabia is already the world’s largest importer of barley, used to feed camels; and among the top 15 in sorghum, another cereal used as animal feed; and of corn. It may not be the last country to turn away from growing its own crops. Aquifers in other key agricultural regions, in-

H Y D R A T E S

cluding northern India and northern China, are also under pressure. The stress is compounded by erratic rains, which some blame on climate change. Depleting water Saudi Arabia became a net exporter of wheat in 1984 from producing almost none in the 1970s. The self-sufficiency programme became a victim of its own success, however, as it quickly depleted aquifers that haven’t been ﬁlled since the last Ice Age. In an unexpected U-turn, the government said in 2008 it was phasing out the policy, reducing purchases of domestic wheat each year by 12.5 per cent and bridging the gap progressively with imports. The last official local harvest occurred in May, although the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation projects that a small crop of about 30,000 tonnes for traditional specialty bakery products will “prevail” in 2016. At its peak in 1992, Saudi Arabia produced 4.1 million tonnes of wheat and was one of the world’s top 10 wheat exporters. In the Middle East, only Turkey, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Syria grow signiﬁcant quantities of wheat, although they often import to cover domestic shortfalls. Egypt, for instance, is the world’s largest importer because of its booming population’s demand for subsidised bread.

Bright spot Wheat traders said that rising purchases from Saudi Arabia were one of the few bullish factors in the grain market. The Kingdom has become particularly important for Canada, Germany and the Baltic states of Lithuania and Latvia, from which it procures the bulk of its wheat. “Saudi is going to need more imports but the world market can right now easily meet the increase in demand,” said Stefan Vogel, head of agricultural commodity research at Rabobank International in London. In turn, Saudi Arabia has been investing in foreign farmland - so far generating more headlines than crops - and grain-trading operations. In April, a Saudi-backed company agreed to buy a majority stake in the former Canadian Wheat Board in a C$250 million ($203 million) deal that gives it access to grain exports from Canada. Bunge Ltd., one of the world’s largest grain traders, and state-owned Saudi Agricultural & Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) partnered for the acquisition. SALIC was established in November 2011 to secure adequate food supplies for Saudi Arabia, according to its website. “Middle East food-deﬁcit countries are moving into investing into agribusiness,” said Monika Tothova, an economist at the FAO in Rome. – Bloomberg News

S U N DAY, N OV E MB E R 8, 2 0 1 5

ROUND-UP

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C O R P O R AT E S U P P O R T

Celebrate Diwali in style with seaPearls To mark this occasion with joy and happiness, seaPearls is providing their customers an incredible chance to win gold coins

MUSCAT: The Diwali celebrations by seaPearls Gold and Diamond Jewellery have created an opportunity for buyers to shop more. This Diwali seaPearls Gold and Diamond Jewellery has announced exclusive offers for customer by which customers can win a free gold coin on every purchase of gold jewellery worth OMR150 and diamond jewellery worth OMR50. Apart from these, customers can also take part in the Facebook contest and win diamond gift vouchers worth OMR50, says a press release. The offer To mark this occasion with joy and happiness, seaPearls is providing their customers an incredible chance to win gold coins. To add more glitter to this season, the brand has unveiled a unique collection of diamond and uncut diamond jewellery with attractive prices, which was specially designed for the festive season. Customers can also purchase from an eclectic new range created for Diwali. P. A. Riyas, general manager of seaPearls Gold and Diamond Jewellery, said: “On behalf of seaPearls, I wish all our patrons a happy and prosperous Diwali. The ‘ F E S T I VA L O F J O Y ’

festival of lights is a great occasion to spread and share happiness. We are delighted to add a touch to the festivities by offering them dazzling offers and make our customers’ celebration grand.” Evocative brand seaPearls as a brand specialises in the combination of precious and innovative materials and distinctive designs creating glamorous and exciting styles that fuses classic and contemporary. Their creations are appreciated for their bold, sophisticated and unmistakable style, in which meticulous attention to quality and innovative design combine to create a timeless elegance. Today, the brand has become one of the leading fashion jewellery brands in Oman, which is patronised by the women belonging to almost all the segments of society. It epitomises the expression of love and affection in a woman’s life. seaPearls specialises in gold, diamond, pearl and precious stones, and caters to the most discerning clientele. The modern and innovative Italian, Turkish, Bahraini, Omani and Indian designs have ensured that seaPearls continues to be the most respectable brands in the jewellery segment of Oman.

The collections of diamond and gold jewellery range from daily wear — such as light weight necklace sets, chains, rings, pendants, bracelets, earrings and bangles — to more occasion-speciﬁc and exclusive designs. It houses an array of signature jewellery collections, namely Ishana, You & Me, Fella, Sol, Nava Graha and Mayoomi are some unique bestsellers among others. Local presence With showrooms spread across Ruwi High Street, Oman Avenues Mall in Bausher, Old Souq in Sur, Jalan Bani Bu Ali, Near Government Hospital, Sohar Souq, Sohar Safeer Mall and Salalah Al Salam Street, the company continues its expansion drive. Taking advantage of the recent dip in gold price and keeping the price movements in mind, there is a huge increase in the number of customers all over the world who buy record volume of gold ornaments to quench their thirst for purchasing gold. The festival season is ahead and the group expects a signiﬁcant increase in the customer footfalls this season. Strong social presence Customers can participate in an exciting contest this Diwali

C A M PA I G N

All-new Toyota Avanza: Perfect car for the family

MUSCAT: ‘The family that travels together stays together!’ Travelling together in the new Toyota Avanza as a family is truly pleasurable. Undeniably, travelling together is at the heart of almost all memorable family trips. What is more, family trips are treasured occasions for bonding. Such journeys not only act as the glue that holds a family together, but also become a source of lifelong memories and of precious shared moments. Everything about the redesigned 2016 Avanza is more stylish than ever before, thus carrying your world in style. The roomy interior, the 7-seater ambience and the stylish looks… all of it seems to be saying ‘Let’s Go Together’. Now is the best time to enjoy the ride in an Avanza, which is available with ‘Festival of Joy’ campaign benefits until November 12. These benefits are applicable on all purchases except those made by government organisations and ministries. During the campaign period, Avanza customers can avail of a service package for up to three years or 30,000km (whichever is earlier) covering three services at 10,000km service interval for petrol models based on normal operating conditions. There is also a comprehensive one year Insurance (Oman only) on 2015 YM & 2016 YM Models of 2015 production. Insurance benefit would be given up to the extent applicable for private vehicles only. Also available is 1st Year Registration

on 2015 YM & 2016 YM Models of 2015 production. (All the above benefits are model specific and may vary accordingly. A comfortable journey awaits the family, thanks to the Avanza’s variety of convenient features that include a new grille and bumper, new stylish alloy wheels, new fabric seat material new design headlamps and a new heater. In addition to this, the new Avanza is equipped with enhanced sound insulation and spacious storage areas. An ergonomic design ensures that one does not have to strain the eyes to check out the Avanza’s combination meter as it features a bright light display. All essential stats are easily available on the Multi Information Display — featuring average fuel consumption and possible cruising range. The steering wheel comes with modified grip, audio switches and a tilt feature for optimised comfort. The front row seats in the Avanza feature a slim-back construction that improves knee space by 20mm for the second row. The second row features one-touch tumble seats with a sliding feature. The third row has a 50:50 split seatback for a versatile seating arrangement. The audio system comes complete with 6 speakers and a 2-DIN Head Unit CD Player with Tuner, MP3, AUX-Jack and USB. The advanced dual blower air-conditioning system and dashboard upper vent ensure that the entire family stays comfortable on every

trip. The rear seats are serviced by the upper vent which blows re-cooled air to the rear roof airconditioning inlet. Ample storage space allow even more items to be carried. Whether cruising in the city or embarking on road trips with loved ones, the Avanza’s new 1.5 Litre, 4 cylinder dual VVT-i engine provides more than sufficient power and satisfactory fuel efficiency to reach the destination in comfort and style. That is because the Avanza is equipped with Toyota’s revolutionary Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence. It continuously optimises the timing of intake valve operations according to driving conditions, providing a powerful ride at all times. Moreover, it also enhances fuel economy and produces lower emissions, providing an eco-efficient drive! The Avanza provides a secure ride for the family, minimising the risk of injury during collisions. Additional safety features are also included, like the Antilock Braking System and Electronic Brake-force Distribution, which help steer safely through slippery roads. In the event of a frontal collision, the SRS airbags deploy to reduce impact to the head and chest of both the driver and front passenger. In Oman, the nationwide parts and service network of Saud Bahwan Automotive supports Toyota’s outstanding product quality. No wonder then that today, Toyota is one of the most trusted and well-known brands.

On behalf of seaPearls, I wish all our patrons a happy and prosperous Diwali. The festival of lights is a great occasion to spread and share happiness. We are delighted to add a touch to the festivities by offering them dazzling offers and make our customers’ celebration grand P. A. Riyas

General manager of seaPearls Gold and Diamond Jewellery

and win vouchers worth OMR50 which lasts for a limited period. Simultaneously patrons can get more information on the brand’s collection on the official facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ seapearlsjewelleryom. The page also provides a plethora of information on the wide range of gold and diamond collection on a daily basis to provide the latest information at all times comprising of pictorial galleries, aesthetic details, and unique collection features.

Bank Sohar takes part in 12th Annual Cancer Walkathon MUSCAT: As part of their ongoing commitment towards bettering the community and partaking in social development, Rashad Ali Al Musaﬁr, Acting CEO, Bank Sohar, together with members of the executive management and staff participated in the 12th Annual Cancer Walkathon, organised by the Oman Cancer Association (OCA) at the Qurum Natural Park. Themed, ‘Don’t wait till it’s too late’, the walk which took place recently, was aimed at spreading awareness on breast cancer, since the month of October is dedicated towards breast cancer awareness. The event witnessed attendance from a large number of volunteers who had gathered to show their support to the campaign. Commenting on being a part of this annual event, Rashad said: “At Bank Sohar we believe that every little step towards a good cause makes a powerful difference to our community. The Oman Cancer Association has been playing an exemplary role in creating awareness about breast cancer in society, it gives us great pride to take part of such a worthy initiative and unite as a community in honor of breast can-

cer survivors and helping raise awareness on reducing the risk of catching this deadly disease; all while also helping raise funds for the association and its various other initiatives.” The bank, which has been actively engaged in supporting health initiatives, participated in the event with the objective of highlighting the need for early detection of breast cancer and encouraging healthy lifestyle. Breast cancer is known to be today’s leading killer of women aged 35 years and above, around the world. Bank Sohar’s CSR initiatives have always been central to its operational strategy. In recognition of its contributions, Bank Sohar has received numerous accolades for its CSR efforts locally, regionally, and internationally including the ‘Golden Order of Merit in the ﬁeld of CSR’ Award from UAE based Excellence Awards Academy in 2014 and 2015, the ‘Green Campaign of the Year’ award at the ‘Oman Green Award 2014’, and ‘Most Socially Responsible Bank Oman 2014’ by UK based International Finance Magazine (IFM).

SUN DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

ROUND-UP German technology to be showcased at Home Show Iconic German kitchen system brands Störmer Küchen and KitchenclicK will enjoy pride of place at Home Show 2015, taking place from December 7-9

MUSCAT: Legendary German technology, design and workmanship will be showcased in two leading brands of kitchen systems that will take centre-stage at this year’s keenly awaited Home Show to be held at Oman International Exhibition Centre from December 7-9. The three-day trade fair, which is the Sultanate’s signature exposition on the ideal home environment, is being organised by wellknown event management ﬁrm Global Exhibitions & Conferences (GEC), with the backing of a number of government departments

and private sector sponsors, says a press release. Iconic German kitchen system brands Störmer Küchen and KitchenclicK will enjoy pride of place at Home Show 2015, courtesy of their local distributor Dhawahi Al-Ayin Trading Est. Both brands are poised to make strong inroads into the Omani market, which has been enjoying remarkable growth on the back of a construction and housing boom. Störmer Küchen is undoubtedly the ﬂagship of Dhawahi Al Ayin Trading Establishment’s retail portfolio in Oman. In acquiring the reputable German brand recently, Dhawahi Al Ayin Trading Establishment will leverage its strong market credentials and capabilities to build on the foundational existing underpinnings. Störmer Küchen has long been a heavyweight among international

kitchen system brands. Backed by more than half a century of expertise in the design and production of modern, up-to-date, high-quality kitchens, the German brand enjoys a market presence spanning the entire globe. Although uniquely German in technology, Störmer Küchen’s range of kitchen systems combine Italian styling elements to create a wide array of chic kitchen solutions that are nevertheless affordable and suited to all manner of lifestyles. A grid system employed by the company forms the basis for the creation of diverse, individual and impressive kitchen designs no matter the space or demand. Like Störmer Küchen, fellow brand KitchenclicK exempliﬁes the quintessentially German virtues of superior quality, functional efficiency, and performance.

KitchenclicK is a one-stop lowcost kitchen solutions provider that comes with the guarantee of German quality and performance. The company’s state-of-the-art, the user-friendly software offers ease of convenience in the speedy design of kitchen solutions customised to the specific requirements of the client and his budget. The design, once finalised, provides the basis for the rapid production and installation of a high quality German kitchen in a matter of weeks. KitchenclicK’s systems are available in a multitude of design styles and varied finishes. What makes its solutions unique is the versatility and flexibility associated with the brand. Hi-tech production facilities, easy fit installation, and international door to door delivery are features that have added to the brand’s popularity around the world. Positioning Störmer Küchen and KitchenclicK for strong growth in the domestic market is Dhawahi Al Ayin Trading, which has established its credentials as a trading platform for specialized brand development and foreign company market entry. The Oman-based company is well known as a trading gateway specialising in offering international business solutions spanning three continents.

RECOGNITION

Crowe Horwath wins ‘Global Advisory Firm of the Year’ award MUSCAT: Crowe Horwath International received the ‘Global Advisory Firm of the Year’ award at the International Accounting Bulletin Forum & Awards held in London. The half-day event was attended by global industry leaders to discuss topics impacting the accountancy landscape. “Crowe Horwath International reported a global growth of 23% during 2014 in advisory, with the global risk consulting practice as the largest contributor to that growth,” said Davis Kallukaran, managing partner, Horwath Mak Ghazali, the Oman member ﬁrm. Horwath’s global risk consulting practice comprises more than 1,000 partners and professionals around the world. The judges have commended the networks’ one ﬁrm approach internationally. “Crowe Horwath International’s commitment to building a leading advisory practice has been recognised with International Accounting Bulletin’s prestigious ‘Advisory Firm of the Year’ award. The award recognis-

es organisations’ advisory services, that made an important difference to the success of clients, experienced significant growth across the practice and advisory work that had a major impact on society,” he added. “Clients repeatedly use the words ‘flexible’ and ‘responsive’ when they describe our advisory services. To be recognised by the market for our impactful work and tremendous growth in this space is an honour,” said Steve Strammello, managing partner, Risk Consulting, Crowe Horwath. “I’m delighted that our global advisory services, specifically Global Risk Consulting, has been recognised for its truly integrated and global business model. Clients want a professional services provider who can provide them with consistent service no matter where they choose to do business. We’re able to deliver this global experience combined with access to professionals who have deep subject matter expertise,” said Kevin McGrath, CEO, Crowe Horwath.

BENEFITS

All-new 2016 Toyota Yaris impresses with a striking proﬁle MUSCAT: The new 2016 Toyota Yaris Sedan offers an uncompromising blend of performance and style. The excellent handling and ride quality are second to none, says a press release. “The Yaris sedan impresses with a striking proﬁle that stands out from the crowd. Up front, the bold new face of Yaris features sharp-eyed headlights and a hexagon lower grille, while a spacious trunk gives the rear a distinctive look,” remarked an enthusiast. “Premium details abound – from the piano black bumpers, to the chrome grille surround and tailpipe, to the power-adjustable heated exterior mirrors, to the keyless entry offered as standard on all models,” he adds. For those who have had their eye on the shiny, new Yaris, the good news is that up to November 12,

the 2016YM & 2015YM Yaris Sedan of 2015 Production is available with Festival of Joy benefits that includes a service package of three years / 30,000km (whichever is earlier) covering three services at 10,000km service interval for petrol models based on normal operating conditions. Also available is comprehensive one year Insurance (Oman only) that would be given to the extent applicable for private vehicles. In addition to the above, customers also get registration for the first year. These benefits are applicable for all purchases except those made by government organisations and ministries. Conditions apply. The Yaris has a comfortable and roomy interior. The instrument panel, set along a horizontal axis, runs the entire width of the cabin,

creating a spacious and distinctive presence. Lavish ornamentation has been used for various interior features and switches. Mounted on the sporty steering wheel in the surprisingly roomy cabin ﬁlled with premium amenities are the audio and Bluetooth controls. The audio system of the Yaris now features a USB jack which is compatible with port-

TRAINING PROGRAMME

able media players such as an iPod. The display size has also been increased from one line to three lines, enabling the track name, artist name, and CD album name to be displayed simultaneously. The AUX and USB jacks are very easy to use since they are positioned at the bottom of the audio panel. All Yaris occupants enjoy the comfort of the best-in-class air

conditioning system which ensures passenger comfort even in the hottest weather. A design featuring three horizontally aligned dials has been adopted on the air conditioning control panel, combining excellent operability and appearance. Available in 1.5 L and 1.3 L engine choices, the Yaris comes with a Smart Entry & Push Button Start System that locks/unlocks doors or the trunk. Toyota Yaris also has a lightweight and compact 4-speed automatic gearbox delivering excellent response and a smooth gear shift. There also is a 5-speed manual gearbox option where the gear ratios have been set to extract optimal engine performance. An EPS (Electric Power Steering) control has also been adopted which provides feedback to the

steering wheel even in a near-neutral position. The Toyota Yaris offers one of the widest loading spaces in its class and more space between the wheelhouses, too. The larger trunk opening width and the, lower loading height further supports easy loading and unloading of even heavier, bulky items. To ensure a quiet and smooth ride, Toyota has used a variety of sound absorbing and insulating materials. Moreover, in the case of the front windshield, an acoustic glass with a three-layered construction has been used, minimising wind noise and road noise. In Oman, the nationwide parts and service network of SBA supports Toyota’s outstanding product quality. No wonder then that today, Toyota is one of the most trusted and well-known brands.

APPOINTMENT

KTI awards dual certification to students Dr Rajesh joins Al Raffah Hospital to MUSCAT: The Khimji Training Institute (KTI) recently felicitated its students with dual certification concluding yet another successful programme in training Oman’s national cadre for the country’s evolving job market. During a ceremony held recently to commemorate the event, students were awarded certificates from Symbiosis International University, Pune, India and Oman’s Ministry of Manpower, says a press release. Commenting on KR’s training drives, Nadeem Ahmed, general manager, Khimji Training Institute said: “‘Knowledge Transforming Individuals’ is not just a slogan at the Khimji Training Institute, it is the norm. We have over 20,000 individuals from our internationally accredited training programmes across various fields such as retail management, hospitality, accounting, interpersonal skills management and information technology.”

strengthen Orthopaedics Department

The recently concluded dual certiﬁcation programme enlisted prospective leaders, corporate honchos and ministries in an intensive six-month training course that focused on improving skills sets of senior and middle level executives. Keynote speaker for the event, Arafat Yaseer, senior HR professional, shared his views on the importance of training and development. He called the programme a “wonderful opportunity” for a company’s existing workforce to obtain formal training in their re-

spective fields with accredited certification from prestigious oversees high education institutions. Badriya Al Balushi, training head of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation who was also present at the event highlighted the need of training as an ongoing learning process that enabled professional growth. Ten employees from the HR department of the PACA received certification during the ceremony. The next batch for Advance Accounting and HRM commences on November 15.

MUSCAT: Al Raffah Hospital, Al Ghubra announced the addition of Dr Rajesh Pawar to its esteemed panel of orthopaedic surgeons. Dr Rajesh has completed his MBBS degree from Rajiv Gandhi Medical University and his MS in Orthopaedics from the reputed J.J Medical College, Davangere, India. He has then completed fellowships from Germany and Switzerland in trauma and replacement of hip and knee surgeries as well as paediatric hip surgeries, DDH, SCFE, perthes, pelvic acetabular surgeries, says a press release. “While working with MIOT Hospital, Chennai, Dr Rajesh was also a visiting consultant in one of the centres in Muscat. During this time he has established a fantastic rapport with the local Omani clientele and has been addressing

their various orthopaedic needs for the last ﬁve years. His patients have followed him to India for completion of many surgeries and procedures. We believe he will be able to continue his good work at Al Raffah Hospital as well,” said Seeniya Biju, COO. With over seven years of work experience in reputed institu-

tions in India and prior knowledge of local population, Dr Rajesh will be a welcome addition to the well-established Department of Orthopaedics in Al Raffah Hospital, Muscat. “The ortho department at Al Raffah provides good healthcare services. I had taken my mother for a total knee replacement surgery and the results were very good,” says Nadeem Al Balushi. “Dr Rajesh’s areas of interest include joint replacement surgeries for the hip and knee, paediatric hip surgeries and arthroscopies. He also specialises in complex and neglected trauma surgeries. Our orthopaedics department is the ﬁrst choice in the private sector for both Omani and expat patients especially for joint replacement surgery,” remarked Dr Ashik Sainu, Medical director.

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City Cinema now brings thrill of MX4D to Oman MX4D motion EFX theatre, the latest evolution in the 4D cinema experience, provides a far higher personalised entertainment environment, where viewers can actually ‘feel’ the on-screen action

MUSCAT: Redeﬁning classic and evergreen entertainment, City Cinema recently opened its 9th location in Muscat at the iconic Panaroma Mall in Muscat Oasis, equipped with the MX4D technology. The exclusive ﬁve screens in this location are all ready to en-

thral the viewers, taking them to a whole new level of entertainment. With this achievement, City Cinema has crossed another milestone of 30 screens in Oman, says a press release. Keeping at par with the state-ofthe-art technology and advancements internationally, City Cinema makes the virtual cinematic world as close to reality by adding more drama and action to enhance the movie viewing experience. City Cinema has completely revolutionised the concept of ﬁlm exhibition in Oman. As pioneers in the entertainment world, City Cinema has brought to Oman MX4D experience for the ﬁrst time. MX4D motion EFX theatre, the latest

evolution in the 4D cinema experience provides a far higher personalised entertainment environment, where viewers can actually “feel” the on-screen action. The MX4D theatre seats are synchronised with the on-screen action responding to special EFX generators in the cinema allowing the audience to feel and become a part of the movie with pokes, breeze, fragrance and other effects. Viewers who crave an adrenalin rush, City Cinema’s latest MX4D theatre is not to be missed. The personalised experience has been elevated to a new level with this latest addition. “We are proud to introduce MX4D for the ﬁrst time in Oman

MILESTONE

Qatar Airways takes delivery of its 24th, 25th Boeing 787 Dreamliners SEATTLE: Qatar Airways took delivery of its 24th and 25th Boeing 787 Dreamliners in a ceremony at Boeing’s production facility in Eerett, United States. As the Middle East launch customer for the Boeing 787, Qatar Airways received its first Dreamliner in November 2012. Since then the airline has continued to expand as one of the world’s fastest growing airlines and it now flies to more than 150 destinations with its fleet of Dreamliners serving 30 of those global destinations, including Amsterdam, Casablanca, Cape Town, Rome, and Tokyo Haneda. “Qatar Airways was the Middle East launch customer for the Dreamliner back in 2012, and it is certainly a milestone to accept our 24th and 25th 787s into our fleet today,” said Akbar Al Baker, group chief executive, Qatar Airways. “This year we have launched six new destinations in our expanding global network and these 787s will enable even more of our pasF U N D AY

KG students at PSM celebrate ‘Fruits and Vegetables Day’ MUSCAT: Kindergarten students of junior school celebrated ‘Fruits and Vegetables Day’ in Pakistan School Muscat (PSM). The students were educated and encouraged to add fruits and vegetables in their meals. Parents sent fruits and vegetables in their children’s lunch boxes to rejoice the healthy eating habits. Kindergarten students dressed up as lovely fruits and vegetables beautifully presented the importance of common fruits and vegetables through musical ﬁesta, says a press release.

sengers to experience the genuine difference offered by travelling in one of the world’s latest aircraft. The larger windows with custom dimmers, the lower altitude cabin pressure with rapid air circulation, and the very latest in IFE and seat technology all provide our passengers with the ﬁve-star experience that they have come to expect from us as one of the world’s leading airlines. “Before the end of the year, we will also add two more destinations to our network, including Durban in South Africa, and next year we will launch services to Los Angeles in January, Sydney and Boston in March, Adelaide in

May, and Atlanta in June, as well a double daily frequency to New York – all of which will enable more of our passengers to experience our award-winning services on the world’s very latest aircraft, such as our new Dreamliners.” “We are proud that the 787 is playing an important role in the rapid expansion of Qatar Airways’ network and serving international routes including long haul destinations,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner. The Dreamliner helps the airline to meet its operational goals, while at the same time providing an unrivalled on-board experience for its passengers.”

for our patrons,” says Neha Singh, manager, Business Operations. “From the time City Cinema established itself in the Oman market, our mission has always been to bring smart entertainment technology to enhance the experience of our patrons. Our plans of expansion are already underway to bring the same level of entertainment across the country. Our latest location at Panaroma has been decided keeping in mind customer preferences, feedback, parking, location accessibility and even alternate areas of interest in the vicinity.” Along with the introduction of MX4D, City Cinema has introduced a luxury lounge called ‘The VIP lounge’ for its exclusive customers adding a higher value to the whole entertainment experience. “The VIP lounge creates a higher level of personalised experience for our patrons looking for entertainment combined with luxury, comfort and service, as they would enjoy in the comfort of their homes.” With this unique state-of-art VIP lounge and the exhilarating ‘MX4D’ theatres up and running City Cinema’s creative masterminds are ready to conjure an unforgettable experience inculcating in the masses a new love for the cinema like never before.

AWA R E N E S S D R I V E

Panasonic awards Eco Diary Contest winner MUSCAT: Panasonic, in collaboration with its distribution chain, aims to raise awareness among school children about environment challenges through Eco Diary, which is one of the global activities sponsored by Panasonic to support the development of next generation. Aravind Krishna Prasad of Indian School Wadi Kabir (ISWK) recently won the Panasonic Eco Picture Diary Contest from Oman. Panasonic and Oman Marketing and Services Company congratulated Aravind for this achievement. In recognition of Aravind’s contribution and efforts Panasonic awarded him with a 42” LED TV, says a press release. The Panasonic Eco Picture Diary Contest is an activity to raise awareness among school children aged 6 to 15 about environment challenges through Pana-

sonic’s Eco Diary. The year 2014 marked the 7th year of this global contest. In 2013, approximately 300,000 children from 47 countries and region participated in the contest. Children from 6 to 15 years old from all around the world can take part in the Panasonic Eco Picture Diary contest. The children must submit a hand drawn diary which should include pictures and photographs about eco/ environment activity and event. The diary should contain an ecoactivity they have experienced and their thoughts about the environment in their daily lives. In addition to the above, it is essential that the diary is conscious of the links between his/her activities and global issues (biodiversity, climate change, etc.) and takes the perspective of creating a sustainable society.

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Bank Sohar wins Trade Award 2014

The award was in recognition of the operational excellence displayed by the bank’s Trade Finance team when handling the Letters of Credit

MUSCAT: Bank Sohar was recognised with the ‘Trade Award 2014’by Commerzbank AG, recently. Commerzbank AG is a Frankfurt based global banking and ﬁnancial services company in Germany. The award was in recognition of the operational excellence displayed when handling the Letters of Credit by the bank’s Trade Finance team. Bank Sohar was the only bank from the Sultanate to have received this prestigious award, says a press release. The award was handed over at the bank’s headquarters in MBD by Gabriele C. Schwegler, relationship manager from Commerzbank AG and Ertugrul Goezelel, rela-

tionship manager of Commerzbank AG, Dubai branch. Receiving the award on behalf of the bank was Mustafa Ali Mukhtar, DGM and head of Corporate Banking. Also in attendance at the awards were Sasi Kumar, group GM – Business, Mohammed Dohadwala, senior AGM of Investment and Correspondent Banking, Praveen Mendon, head of Trade Finance, and Mohammed Nasser Al Habsi, senior chief manager, Correspondent Banking, at Bank Sohar. Commenting on the achievement, Sasi Kumar said: “This award reinforces our commitment of service excellence to our customers as we continue to strengthen our retail and corporate banking business in the country. We would like to thank Commerzbank once again for honouring us with this prestigious award, as we continue to deliver innovative products and services to better serve our customers.” The ‘Trade Award 2014’ is a testament for the operational excellence and fast turnaround time displayed by Bank Sohar’s Trade Finance team in handling the Letters of Credit. With the Trade Award 2014, Commerzbank shows its sincere appreciation for the LC/trade business received from Bank Sohar. Their longstanding relationship is highly valued from both sides and both banks are dedi-

cated to develop it further in the years to come. On receiving the award, Mustafa Ali Mukhtar said: “We are delighted to have received this award from Commerzbank. It symbolises the operational excellence achieved by Bank Sohar within a short span of time since its inception just eight years ago and we are proud to be the only Bank in the Sultanate to have been recognised for this achievement.” Bank Sohar, with its dedicated and well experienced trade ﬁnance team, offers its client a comprehensive range of international trade ﬁnance products and services. In addition to in-depth knowledge, experience and quick turnaround times, Bank Sohar, in cooperating with Commerzbank AG, also offers clients access to almost every corner of the world by maintaining over 5,000 correspondence relationships worldwide. Furthermore, these are in addition to Commerzbank’s own branches and representative offices that are at the disposal of Bank Sohar’s import and export oriented customers. This latest award represents the ninth recognition for the bank in 2015, and also the second award from Commerzbank AG this year; having already received the best ‘Straight Through Processing’ (STP) banks in Oman award earlier this year.

FITNESS POTENTIAL

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Balance Fitness Club holds plank competition MUSCAT: Assisting members to realise their fitness potential and achieve their health goals, Balance Health & Fitness has become a preferred name in the industry. The recently organised plank competition stirred a healthy competitive spirit among the members as they tested their bodies against the clock to hold a plank position. A fun event saw a number of people participating in the competition while cheers from fellowmen filled the room, says a press release. The person being able to hold the plank position the longest was declared the winner. Generous with their awards and fair on the competition, Balance Health & Fitness had two categories and thereby two separate awards. The trophy amongst members was claimed by Amit Agarwal whereas the winner from group classes was awarded to Peter. “The difference between Balance Health & Fitness facility and the others lies in how they train you. You will only find the other gyms good if you know exactly how to use equipment. At Balance, we are taught what to do as per individual objectives and body types. Results then become absolutely inevitable,” said Amit Agarwal, winner of the plank completion. Along with the plank competition, Balance Health & Fitness also took the opportunity to thank other members of the gym for their long standing relationship and loyalty. Expressing their gratitude through awards, Sayonto Gupta was given the Referral Award for referring the highest number of people to the club. Acting as a motivator, the Regular Award was handed to Havlock and Justine for their dedicated regularity at the gym.

New entertainment packages available at beIN Sports channel MUSCAT: Mustafa Sultan Electronics (MSE), the authorised distributor of beIN, announced that beIN Media Group, a major player in global sports rights through its beIN Sports brand, has now expanded into general entertainment programming. The new packages are now available with MSE showroom at Al Khuwair and with their sub dealers present across the Sultanate. beIN’s reasoning behind the expansion is that beIN Sports commonly targets male-centric sports fans and now wants to target female subscribers with its new package. beIN’s additional channels will be available on Es’hailsat satellite, disabling some frequencies on Nilesat satellite. All active subscribers will get 2 months free viewing for all the new channels, says a press release. beIN Sports, which is a leading provider for sports channels in broadcasting all live action of global sports events has announced ﬁve packages keeping different nationality sports viewers in mind and also boosting entertainment experience. The ﬁrst package is access package which has 23 HD Channels including eight sports channels, one movie channel and three kids channels. The second package is top movies which has extra four channels above the access package; three HD movie channels and one factual channel. Third package is top sports. The package contains access package plus extra 14 Premium HD sports channels. Fourth is the complete package which contains all chan-

beIN’s reasoning behind the expansion is that beIN Sports commonly targets male-centric sports fans and now wants to target female subscribers with its new package

nels of access, top movies and top sports packages. The last package is the Euro 2016 package that will be broadcasting in June/July 2016. The Euro 2016 package is available as an add-on with at least access package or with an active sports or sports global package expiring after July 15, 2016. The new packages facilitate customers to choose depending upon their interest and budget. MSE Entertainment Factory (Pay-Tv) division is pioneer in Pay TV business for more than 20 years and is the distributor for OSN in Oman. Besides OSN, MSE-EF is a leading distributor for beIN Sports. They have a showroom in Al Khuwair and four kiosks at Muscat City Centre, Qurum City Centre, Muscat Grand Mall and Sohar Safeer Mall.

EXHIBITION

Fabulous collection of Iranian carpets on sale MUSCAT: An amazing collection of Iranian and Oriental carpets and rugs along with handicrafts is on display in the Persian Carpets showroom located at 1st ﬂoor of Al Wadi Commercial Center in Qurum Commercial Area. This sale exhibition will continue till November 20. Khalid Aga of Persian Carpets will be available throughout the exhibition to offer his expert advice to the ﬁrst time buyers, says a press release. “From this colossal variety of carpets which originate from Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kashmir and antique rugs every one can easily select a Persian rug at affordable price to suit their choices and requirement,” said Khalid. SUPPORT

Oman LNG, Ministry of Sports Affairs ink pact to fund sports pitch in Qalhat MUSCAT: Oman LNG in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports Affairs signed an agreement to fund a hexagonal-shaped sports pitch in Qalhat. The sports pitch will be utilised by all the local sport teams in Qalhat and neighbouring villages to ensure that the new grounds beneﬁt the entire community, says a press release. Sports play a prominent role not only on keeping one’s health in good condition, but is also an essential driver to spread and maintain healthy life-style culture. “Through these initiatives we hope to provide support where communities feel it is most needed,” said Khalid Al Massan, chief executive officer of the Oman LNG Development Foundation. “Our aim is to serve the community and contribute to all segments of society wherever possible.” Oman LNG has an ambitious Social Investment Programme addressing many areas of devel-

opment in Oman but broadly divided into three main categories: a Community Fund that targets initiatives related to the Sur Community where its world-class, threetrain liquefaction plant is located; a National Fund that covers a large

swath of the company’s social development programme including donations, national projects and human resource development; and a Reserve Fund to address the sustainability of the company’s social investment programmes.

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Gouveia does ‘Oman double’ at NBO Golf Classic Grand Final The 23-year old came into the season-ending ﬁnale, narrowly ahead of good friend Sebastien Gros at the top of the Rankings but ﬁnished the season like a true champion

MUSCAT: Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia produced a spectacular finish to a sensational season to win the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final at Almouj Golf, topping the Road to Oman Rankings in the process to become European Challenge Tour No. 1. The 23-year old came into the season-ending finale, narrowly ahead of good friend Sebastien Gros at the top of the Rankings but finished the season like a true champion, bouncing back from a bogey after missing a short putt on the ninth to set the Greg Normandesigned course alight down the back nine with five birdies in a row from the 12th to sign for a sevenunder 65 for 13-under-par winning total of 275, one stroke clear of Denmark’s Joachim B Hansen. “I have no words to describe how I’m feeling right now,” said Gouveia, who played a delightful chip out of

TOP 15: Champion Ricardo Gouveia, with the trophy, and the top 15 Challenge Tour graduates pose for a group photo after the ﬁnal round of the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final at Almouj Golf on Saturday. – Supplied photo

the greenside bunker at the last and followed up with an assured ﬁve footer for par to seal the victory. “I just got my rhythm back in the middle of the round and the putter was really hot on the back nine. I holed a lot of putts including probably the most important one on 18 to secure the win.” The NBO event, having been the penultimate tournament on the European Challenge Tour Schedule in 2013 and 2014, was this year promoted to the season-ending Grand Final, open only to the top 45 players, while this season also marked the rebranding of the season-long prize money contest to the ‘Road to Oman Rankings’. As well as playing for a sizeable prize fund of €375,000, with

€64,000 for the winner, the top 15 players on the Rankings after the NBO were awarded cards to play on next season’s European Tour. Although Gouveia entered the tournament already assured of promotion, he admitted that he was proud to become the ﬁrst ever winner of the ‘Oman Double’ after enjoying a wonderful week of traditional Omani hospitality in Muscat. “It’s great to close out both trophies — the Road to Oman and the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final — that was my goal for the week so I’m proud to have achieved it,” said Gouveia who also received a €30,000 Bonus for topping the Rankings to take his prize money total for the season to a record €251,591.

“I think the Road to Oman has been a great success and this is the best venue we visit all year. It’s the best course, the best welcome and the best set up. I really like coming here, the weather’s always perfect. I think it makes great sense for the Grand Final to be here and I’m glad it’s going to be staying here for at least the next few years. “The National Bank of Oman team have been amazing, they’re all so welcoming and friendly. I played with Humayun Kabir, (General Manager of Wholesale Banking) from NBO in the pro-am and he’s a great guy who loves golf and it’s great to have people like that behind this tournament. “I’d also like to thanks his His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq

Al Said for supporting such an amazing event — all the players have talked about how great it’s been — and also the sponsors, especially NBO and Oman Air, without whom this wouldn’t have been possible.” His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, Advisor to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, said: “Any sport of such an international caliber requires support from the private sector and I’m delighted that NBO has sponsored this very high proﬁle global event here in Oman which has brought us the best Challenge Tour players from various countries around the world. I’m very pleased to see the sport of golf start to develop rapidly here in Oman. We currently have ﬁve golf courses and we’re expecting this

number to increase in the future. “This tournament has helped us to grow golf in Oman and to promote tourism and put the Sultanate on the global map.” Gouveia’s victory was the highlight of a day of intense drama at Almouj Golf. With 15 European Tour cards up for grabs, a birdie here or a bogey there could be the difference between elation and deflation. Runner-up Hansen, who held a five-way share of the lead heading into the final round, closed with a silky five-under 67 for a 12-under-par total to take fifth place on the final Road to Oman Rankings having been 17th heading into the tournament. Denmark’s Jeff Winther fired a closing round of six-under 66 to finish the tournament in a share of third place at 11-under-par to leap from 18th into the ‘Golden 15’ at 11th place. England’s Callum Shinkwin joined Winther and Spain’s Nacho Elvira in third place to rocket from 23rd to 13th in the Rankings while South Africa’s Branden Stone finished a shot further back in sixth place after signing for 68 to move from 19th to 14th on the Road to Oman. Meanwhile, there was heartache for Ryan Fox, John Hahn, Daniel Im and Haydn Porteous who all dropped out of the top 15 to miss out on a European Tour place. David Williams, Chairman of The European Tour, who was in Muscat to watch the thrilling conclusion to the Challenge Tour season, said: “We see tournaments around the world and I have to say this was an exceptionally run, exceptionally hosted and exceptionally played tournament. You should be proud of yourself Oman.”

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Roland Traub: On tour to understand world, people German biker Roland Traub, who has been riding through the American and African continents before reaching Oman through Saudi Arabia and the UAE, is all praise for Muscat Bikers Club and for Oman’s disciplined lifestyle

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sportseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Setting out on adventure trips is a passion for many, an experience for others and a learning curve for some. For Roland Traub of Germany, who is on a solo trip to various parts of the world on his motorcycle ‘Triumph Explorer 1200’, is much more than that. Setting out to explore the world, Roland was in Sultanate of Oman visiting many tourist destinations, including Ras Al Hadd, Nizwa apart from places in and around Muscat. Roland, who is heading to Iran, rode into Oman from the neighbouring United Arab Emirates and was happy to ﬁnd his tribe the Muscat Bikers Club (MBC). Only few months ago Muscat Bikers had gone on a European sojourn and this time around they are expected to do a riposte in a big way. The visit of Roland has also triggered their enthusiasm and according to Emad Al Zadjali, a MBC member, they may also invite Roland to be part of the team. The MBC provided the best possible hospitality to the German visitor and highly impressed, Roland poured praises on them.

ALL PRAISE FOR MBC: German biker Roland Traub with the members of the Muscat Bikers Club. – Supplied photo

Tahir Mohammed Al Zadjali, President of Muscat Bikers Club, also presented the German with a memento after a sumptuous reception at Ostadi Restaurant. Roland thanked the Muscat Bikers Club for their kind hospitality before bidding adieu. The union of bikers was made possible by Muath Al Nahdi, who co-ordinated Roland’s activities in the Sultanate. Speaking in Muscat, Roland hailed the Muscat Bikers and also praised the people of the country for the humility and kindness. For Roland, it is already more than a year since he embarked on the trip riding his Triumph Explorer 1200. “I kick-started my global tour on August 19, 2014. Incidentally it was my 39th birthday and I celebrated my 40th birthday in Zanzibar. Really memorable,” the German rider said. “It has been a long tour but frankly I still want to do more, but I have decided to reach my home

HAPPY WITH HOSPITALITY: Tahir Mohammed Al Zadjali, MBC President, presents a memento to Roland Traub. – Supplied photo

in Germany before Christmas this year,” he said. “From here I am going back to Dubai, where I will take a ferry to Iran and continue my journey back home. I will pass through Iran, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Austria before reaching Germany,” he detailed. In his interaction with the Mus-

cat Bikers, he said people in Oman were the most disciplined in many ways in comparison to the last few countries he visited. “There is better road sense in Oman, harmony among all living here and it reﬂects the good and peaceful life prevailing here,” said Roland. “The behaviour of people while

interacting, while driving and so on, helps me to know them better,” he revealed. “My basic aim of this tour was to mingle with the people wherever I went and to know them much closer, as what we learn from media is always ﬁltered,” he said. “The disciplined lifestyle of people in Oman has impressed me a lot,” he added. More than satisﬁed with his trip so far, Roland said, “things have gone as planned and I hope to celebrate Christmas at home.” The tour has taken Roland through 30 countries so far, 17 of them in America (north and south). In Africa he started from Cape Town and passed through 10 nations (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan etc.) before reaching Saudi Arabia and later United Arab Emirates and now Oman. For Muscat Bikers Club, it will be a great experience if Roland joins them in the next tour of Europe.

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PCB confirms receiving day and night Test proposal from Australia LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday confirmed that it has received a proposal from Cricket Australia (CA) to play a Test match under lights next summer. Pakistan is due to tour Australia for a three-match Test series during the 2016-17 summer, while the first ever day-night Test match will be held in Adelaide against New Zealand later this month. “We have received a proposal from Cricket Australia to play a day-night Test in the 2016-2017 series,” PCB’s chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. “The matter has been referred to our cricket committee for consideration. In principle, the PCB is supportive of and inclined towards accepting and trying out innovative ideas and new technologies. And this includes the proposal of playing Test matches under lights.” CA did not confirm an offer to play a day-night Test had been made, with a spokesperson saying: “We’re in the very early stages of working through our 2016-17 home schedule. At this point, we aren’t in a position to comment on specific details.” The International Cricket Council (ICC) amended the playing conditions for Test cricket in 2012 to allow participating countries to decide whether they wished to play a day-night Test. The two boards determine the hours of play and the colour of the ball. The PCB has been in favour of day-night Test cricket in the past, proposing a Test under lights in Dubai when they hosted Sri Lanka in 2013-14. However, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) declined the offer as its players did not have match practice with the pink ball. On Thursday, Pakistan completed a 2-0 series victory over England in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where the 15 days of cricket was largely played in front the empty stands. PCB has been advised to look at hosting day-night Tests in the UAE, to enable fans to attend the match after work hours. “We believe that in certain climates and seasons, Tests can and should be played under lights to enhance and revive waning spectator interest in this format of the game,” Ahmed said. - IANS

ANNUAL EVENTS

ISC Sohar hosts badminton, table tennis tourneys

MUSCAT: The Indian Social Club (ISC) Sohar successfully organised their sixth Annual Table Tennis and Badminton Tournaments at the Sohar Sports Complex recently. Dr. Rajiv Tandon, Chairman of ISC Sohar, presided over the prize-giving ceremony. He thanked the officials of the Ministry of Sports Affairs for permitting

the organisers to utilise the facilities at the Sohar Sports Complex. Table tennis results: 10-14 years: Winner: Talish Garg, Runner-up: Deep Sudhir Antala. 1518 years: Winner: Aditya Vikram Agarwal, Runner-up: Aryan Ranjan. Men’s singles: Winner: John Alexander, Runner-up Vinay Maithani. Veteran singles: Winner: Vijaykrishnan, Runner-up:

Minesh Tandel. Men’s doubles: Winner: Thomas Alexander/John Alexander, Runners-up: Arun Purohit/Pradeep Jain. Badminton: 10-14 years: Winner Ishan Tandel, Runner-up Vinayak Mahadevan. 15-18 years: Winner Akhil Kothari, Runner-up: Salman Sikander. Ladies singles: Kiran Sharma, Runner-up: Manisha Sinha. Men’s singles: Winner:

Thomas Alexander, Runner-up: Gopakumar B. Veteran singles: Winner: Sreekumar B, Runnersup: Jitesh Kothari. Ladies doubles: Winner: Nidhi Shanbag/ Daniya Divekar, Runners-up: Archana Sharma/Manisha Sinha. Men’s doubles: Winner: Jitesh Kothari/Sateesh Kamalasanan, Runners-up, Mahesh Gurumurthy/Thomas Alexander.

S U N DAY, N OV E MB E R 8, 2 0 1 5

SPORTS Al Attiyah matches Bin Sulayem record with Oman Rally triumph Qassimi set his first quickest time in Misfah North and reduced Al Kuwari’s hold on second place to just over 11 seconds. Further down the field, Al Suwaidi reached the service point in fourth, Bin Eidan held fifth and the Group N lead and Saif Al Harthy retained sixth and the honour of being the top Omani driver on the stages. Local driver Zakariah Said Ahmed fell by the wayside, as 10 cars reached the midday break. Al Kuwari was quickest again on the re-run of Khoud to reduce Al Attiyah’s lead to 61.1 seconds, but his rival was playing a canny game and slowing to avoid problems heading into the final two stages. Saif Al Harthy lost over 24 minutes and slipped from sixth to eighth. Al Attiyah curtailed Al Kuwari’s charge though with the quickest time in Murayat and he headed for the final 16.98km stage at Misfah North with a lead of one minute and 02.2 seconds. There were no late dramas for the Qatari and he crossed the finish line to claim the win and equal one of the most notable records in motor sport. Al Kuwari set the quickest time to confirm second place.

A comfortable victory in the 23rd Oman International Rally on Saturday earned the Qatari a 60th rally win in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship and meant that he drew level with the number of wins set by Dubai’s Mohammed bin Sulayem between 1984 and 2002

MUSCAT: Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah has equalled one of the longest standing records in world motorsport. A comfortable victory in the 23rd Oman International Rally on Saturday earned the Qatari a 60th rally win in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship and meant that he drew level with the number of wins set by Dubai’s Mohammed bin Sulayem between 1984 and 2002. Al Attiyah, partnered by French co-driver Matthieu Baumel and driving a Ford Fiesta RRC, eased his pace over the ﬁnal six gravel special stages to record victory by the margin of 48.5 seconds. But it was a comprehensive ﬁfth win in Oman nonetheless for the recently crowned 11-time regional champion and topped an extraordinary season where he has also won the Dakar Rally, the WRC 2 Championship and the FIA World Cup. “I made a big gap yesterday and decided to ease my pace today to avoid taking any risks,” said Al Attiyah. “The stages today were much rougher and one puncture could have been very costly. It’s fantastic to win here over such testing and scenic special stages. The win is certainly a milestone and what a

RECORD WIN: Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah celebrates his record-equalling victory in the Oman International Rally on Saturday. – Supplied photo

perfect finish to the season it could be if I could go to Dubai and set a new record of 61 wins.” Qatar’s Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and British navigator Marshall Clarke pushed on over the final day and managed to overhaul Abu Dhabi Racing’s Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi to take second overall and give Qatar a 1-2 finish. The result also makes Al Kuwari the strong favourite to finish as runner-up in the championship. “One of the targets for the season was to finish in the top two in the championship for the sake of my sponsors and supporters and we are on track to achieve that goal,” said Al-Kuwari. “It was a good day today for me with four stage wins and second place is fantastic.” Al Qassimi complained about

suspension issues and was not able to push his Citroën DS3 RRC to the limit, but he and Ulster’s Chris Patterson rounded off the podium places. Khalid Al Suwaidi and Giovanni Bernacchini are preparing for a full assault at next year’s ERC and MERC and they bonded well to finish fourth in their Ford Fiesta RRC. Kuwaiti Salah bin Eidan confirmed the Group N Championship in Oman with Slovenian co-driver Vili Oslaj. With the nonappearance of Edith Weiss and the early retirement of Meshari Al Thafiri, it was a formality for the delighted Kuwaiti driver, who reached the finish in fifth overall, despite losing several minutes on the penultimate stage. Emirati driver Mansoor Bel Helai headed Abu Dhabi Racing team-

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Six-wicket Khawar Ali helps Oman bowl out UAE for 202 SCOREBOARD

SIX FOR: Khawar Ali

MUSCAT: Leg-spinner Khawar Ali grabbed six wickets as Oman bowled out the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for 202 runs on the ﬁrst day of the two-day tour match being played at Ajman Oval ground on Saturday. In reply, Oman began on a brisk note scoring 48 for the loss of one wicket in just 18 overs. Oman lost opener Khawar Ali early after the batsman scored just four runs.

UAE 1st innings Amjad Ali c Khawar Ali b Amir Ali 37 Asif Iqbal c Jatinder Singh b Bilal Khan 41 L. Sreekumar lbw Amir Ali 4 Shaiman Anwar b Khawar Ali 16 S.P. Patil c Mohd Nadeem b Khawar Ali 33 U. Musthaq c Z. Maqsood b Khawar Ali 16 Qais Farooq b Khawar Ali 0 Ahmed Raza b Zeeshan Maqsood 12 Nasir Aziz c Bilal Khan b Khawar Ali 37 Y. Punja c Zeeshan Siddiqui b Khawar Ali 4 Raja Adeel (not out) 0 Extras (w-1, nb-1) 2 Total (all out, 76 overs) 202 Fall of wickets: 1-64, 2-80, 3-84, 4-131, 5-132, 6-132, 7-152, 8-193, 9-198.

At stumps, Zeeshan Maqsood was unbeaten on 41 while Vaibhav Wategaonkar was not out on one. Oman are in the UAE for a training-cum-conditioning camps ahead of their participation in the World T20 championship to be held in India in 2016. During their tour of the UAE,

Bowling: Bilal Khan 13-1-49-1 (nb-1); Mohammad Nadeem 7-3-7-0; Adnan Ilyas 3-1-9-0 (w-1); Zeeshan Maqsood 17-6-36-1; Amir Ali 14-3-39-2; Aamir Kaleem 9-2-190; Khawar Ali 13-4-43-6. Oman 1st innings Khawar Ali c Ahmed Raza b Nasir Aziz 4 Zeeshan Maqsood (not out) 41 V. Wategaonkar (not out) 1 Extras (nb-3) 3 Total (1 wkt, 18 overs) 49 Fall of wicket: 1-38. Bowling: Y. Punja 2-1-13-0; Raja Adeel 3-022-0 (nb-3); Ahmed Raza 6-1-10-0; Nasir Aziz 7-6-4-1.

Oman squad are also scheduled to play matches against Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan and Hong Kong teams. They will play a three-day game against Afghanistan, a one-day game against PNG and six T20 matches against Hong Kong and Afghanistan.

mate Saeed Bintowq in the twowheel drive contest. The Citroën DS3 R3T drivers reached the finish ramp in sixth and seventh overall. Saif Al Harthy and Salim Al Abri were the leading Omani duo in eighth, despite losing over 24 minutes two stages from the end. Qatar’s Rashid Al Naimi and Italian co-driver Nicola Arena finished ninth and the second local team of Hamid Al Qasmi and Mohammed Al Mazroi rounded off the top 10 after losing ninth place on the penultimate stage. Al Attiyah headed into the eighth stage, near the old village of Khoud, with an overnight lead of one minute and 18.6 seconds over Al Qassimi. He ceded the first stage win to an inspired Al Kuwari and 12 of the 15 starters completed

the timed test, with two - Hamid Al Qasmi and Rashid Al Naimi — running under Rally2. Al-Kuwari’s stage win also pushed him above Al Qassimi and into second overall. Al Naimi had replaced his damaged gearbox with a standard one to enable him to return to action for the ﬁnal day. Al Kuwari continued to push on through Murayat as well and a second fastest time reduced Al Attiyah’s overall lead to one minute and 18.2 seconds and gave Abdulaziz a 14-second cushion over Al Qassimi. Omani driver Zakariah Al Oﬁ was sidelined with gearbox issues and the number of survivors was reduced to 11. Al Attiyah had clearly eased off on hard compound tyres and Al

2015 Oman International Rally – position after SS13: 1. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (QAT)/Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Ford Fiesta RRC (2hr 28min 00.5sec); 2. Abdulaziz Al Kuwari (QAT)/Marshall Clarke (GBR) Ford Fiesta RRC 2hr 28min 49.0sec; 3. Khalid Al Qassimi (ARE)/Chris Patterson (GBR) Citroën DS3 RRC 2hr 29min 24.6sec; 4. Khalid Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta RRC 2hr 35min 07.2sec; 5. Salah bin Eidan (KWT)/Vili Oslaj (SVN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 3hr 03min 21.5sec; 6. Mansoor Bel Helai (ARE)/Khalid Al Kendi (ARE) Citroën DS3 R3T 3hr 05min 48.0sec; 7. Saeed Bintowq (ARE)/Allan Harryman (GBR) Citroën DS3 R3T 3hr 08min 31.8sec; 8. Saif Al Harthy (OMN)/Salim Al Abry (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 3hr 26min 12.9sec; 9. Rashid Al Naimi (QAT)/Nicola Arena (ITA) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 3hr 29min 20.9sec; 10. Hamid Al Qasmi (OMA)/Mohammed Al Mazroi (OMA) Mitsubishi Evo VIII 3hr 39min 01.0sec. 2015 Middle East Rally Championship – positions after round 7: 1. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (QAT) 150 pts; 2. Abdulaziz Al Kuwari (QAT) 84 pts; 3. Khalid Al Qassimi (ARE) 66 pts; 4. Khalid Al Suwaidi (QAT) 44 pts; 5. Salah bin Eidan (KWT) 36 pts.

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

SPORTS Burns, Warner ﬂog New Zealand SCOREBOARD

JOE BURNS

Burns smashed

129

two sixes in three

runs from 123 balls 13 fours, 4 sixes

balls to reach the milestone. Warner, who scored 163 in the ﬁrst innings, joined him with a century of his own — the third time he has made hundreds in both innings of a Test

BRISBANE: Joe Burns scored his maiden Test century and his opening partner David Warner his 14th as Australia finished the third day of the first Test against New Zealand in a dominant position on 264 for four with a lead of 503 runs on Saturday. Burns, playing on his home ground in his third Test, smashed two sixes in three balls to reach the milestone just before rain halted play for 50 minutes in the final session. Warner, who scored 163 in the first innings, joined him with a century of his own after the weather delay — the third time he has made hundreds in both innings of a Test. The opening partnership was broken with 237 runs on the board when Warner departed for 116 attempting a switch-hit slog sweep and Burns followed him soon afterwards for 129. Captain Steve Smith (1) and Mitchell Marsh (2) were also dis-

missed as Australia chased runs, leaving Usman Khawaja (9) and Adam Voges, who had yet to score, to resume on day four. Warner and Burns had combined to contribute 161 of Australia’s 556 for foru declared in the first innings and it was the first time openers had put together partnerships in excess of 150 in both innings of a Test. “Credit to the openers for putting the runs on the board,” spinner Nathan Lyon told Channel Nine. “With the weather hanging around, you never know what’s going to happen and it’s given Steve Smith the option of declaring whenever he wants to.” New Zealand, who had resumed on 157 for five, were earlier dismissed for 317 after a brilliantly de-

fiant 140 from Kane Williamson but Smith decided not to enforce the follow-on despite the 239-run deficit. Without injured paceman Tim Southee, New Zealand looked toothless in the field, and Burns and Warner took full advantage, both signalling their intent by smashing Trent Boult to the boundary in the opening over. Warner got his half century first but then found himself in the unusual position of watching his partner exceed his scoring rate. On 88, Burns marched down the wicket to smash spinner Mark Craig for six high over the long-off boundary and repeated the feat two balls later to secure the century in 102 balls. Left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc played his part in another good day for Australia by claiming

Australia 1st innings: 556 for 4 decl New zealand 1st innings M. Guptill c Warner b Hazlewood 23 T. Latham c Lyon b Starc 47 K. Williamson c Nevill b Starc 140 R. Taylor c Smith b Johnson 0 B. McCullum c Voges b Johnson 6 J. Neesham b Starc 3 B. Watling c Nevill b Johnson 32 M. Craig c M. Marsh b Lyon 24 D. Bracewell b M. Marsh 16 T. Southee b Starc 14 T. Boult not out 0 Extras (lb-4, nb-7, w-1) 12 Total (all out, 82.2 overs) 317 Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-102, 3-105, 4-114, 5-118, 6-185, 7-231, 8-273, 9-310. Bowling: M. Starc 17.2-4-57-4 (nb-2, w-1), M. Johnson 21-3-105-3 (nb-1), J. Hazlewood 21-5-70-1 (nb-1), N. Lyon 17- 3-46-1, M. Marsh 5-0-32-1 (nb-3), A. Voges 1-0-3-0. Australia 2nd innings J. Burns c Taylor b Craig 129 D. Warner c Boult b Craig 116 U. Khawaja (not out) 9 S. Smith c Williamson b Boult 1 M. Marsh c B. McCullum b Craig 2 A. Voges (not out) 1 Extras (lb-1, nb-4, w-1) 6 Total (4 wkts, 42 overs) 264 Fall of wickets: 1-237, 2-254, 3-258, 4-263. Bowling: T. Boult 8-0-61-1, D. Bracewell 11-1-63-0 (nb-4), J. Neesham 9-0-61-0 (w-1), M. Craig 14-0-78-3.

DAVID WARNER

116

runs from 113 balls 8 fours, 2 sixes

the final two New Zealand wickets to finish with figures of four for 57. He brought about the beginning of the end with his fourth delivery with the new ball to take out Southee’s off stump before an inswinger finally induced Williamson into an inside edge. Williamson had kept his cool in the most trying of circumstances, scoring his 11th Test hundred and hitting 24 fours all around the ground to frustrate Australia until halfway through the second session. - Reuters

OMAN CRICKET

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Williamson underlines class with deﬁant ton

A DIVISION: MDC Enhance Eagles pose for a group photo after defeating OCT Al Amerat. – Supplied photo

Enhance Eagles and EY record victories MUSCAT: MDC Enhance Eagles defeated OCT Al Amerat by seven wickets in a Khimji Ramdassponsored A Division match at the Municipality Ground I on Friday. Batting ﬁrst, OCT Al Amerat scored 140 runs for the loss of four wickets in 30 overs. Salim Haider top scored with 35 runs. Afzal claimed two for MDC Enhance Eagles. The Eagles then completed their bonus point victory by chasing down the score in 16.4 overs, scoring 142 for three. Ivan Manjila and Robin B.B. scored 59 and 45 runs respectively. Brief scores: OCT Al Amerat 140 for 4 in 30 overs (Salim Haider 35; Afzal 2/32) lost to MDC Enhance Eagles 142 for 3 in 16.4 overs (Ivan Manjila 59, Robin B.B. 45). Points: MDC Enhance Eagles - 3, Amerat- 0.

In a Raha Poly Products-sponsored C Division match, the Ernst & Young (EY) defeated Huawei by nine wickets at the Municipality Ground IV.

C DIVISION: Ernst & Young team after theri victory over Huawei. – Supplied photo

Winning the toss and batting ﬁrst, Huawei put on 160 for eight in 20 overs with Atif Khan and Umar Zaman scoring 45 and 37 runs respectively. Saud Haroon was the pick of

the EY bowlers with ﬁgures of three for 21 in four overs. E&Y completed their bonus point victory by scoring 162 for the loss of just one wickets in 14.1 overs. Jibran Yousuf top scored

with a wonderful 108 not out. Brief scores: Huawei 160 for 8 in 20 overs (Atif Khan 45, Umar Zaman 37; Saud Haroon 3/21) lost to EY 162 for 1 in 14.1 overs (Jibran Yousuf 108 n.o). Points: EY- 3, Huawei - 0.

BRISBANE: New Zealand endured another miserable day at the Gabba on Saturday but Kane Williamson provided at least one brilliant ray of sunshine to penetrate the Brisbane gloom for the Black Caps. Underlining his status as one of the best young batsmen in the game, the 25-year-old kept his cool in the most trying of circumstances to score his 11th Test hundred and frustrate Australia’s vaunted pace attack with a defiant innings of 140. That Australia’s openers then ran rampant to fire the hosts to an unassailable lead of 503 by the end of the third day of the first Test should not detract from what was a superb innings from Williamson. He was, of course, by no means an unknown quantity coming into the three-Test series against Australia. He is one of six players to have scored 10 Test centuries before the age of 25 and the names of the other five — Donald Bradman, Garfield Sobers, Sachin Tendulkar, Graeme Smith and Neil Harvey —indicate that it is an extremely select group. New Zealand greats Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe, Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie and Black Caps batting coach Craig McMillan are among those who have predicted Williamson will become the best batsman his country has ever produced. His 140 at the Gabba took him to 3,339 career runs in 42 Tests with, injury notwithstanding, a good few years left yet to overhaul New Zealand’s most prolific test batsman Stephen Fleming, who scored 7,172 in 111. Williamson’s last visit to Australia as a 21-year-old in 2011 was

CLASS ACT: Kane Williamson

not a great success — his top score was a 34 — but Saturday’s century gave him a hundred against eight of the test-playing nations. It was the calmness of his Gabba innings that impressed as much as the undoubtedly ﬁne footwork, the powerful drives and the 24 fours, though. There were no histrionics when he reached the magic milestone for the 11th time in Test cricket, merely a doff of the helmet and a handshake from his batting partner. Given the circumstances, his job was to eke out New Zealand’s innings for as long as possible and he stuck to his task manfully, depriving himself of runs to farm out the strike and building a succession of partnerships with tailenders. It was only when he looked like running out of partners that he ﬁnally succumbed to the second new ball, an inswinger from Mitchell Starc catching an inside edge which Peter Nevill claimed behind the stumps. - Reuters

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Samuels ton in vain as Sri Lanka sweep series

SPORTS

Jadeja and Ashwin spin India to huge win over South Africa

PALLEKELE: Marlon Samuels’ unbeaten century proved in vain as Sri Lanka beat West Indies by 19 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method to complete a 3-0 one-day series whitewash on Saturday. West Indies struggled after being asked to bat ﬁrst in a match interrupted by rain. Samuels (110 not out) struck his ninth ODI ton and contributed more than half of the total as West Indies posted 206 for nine after the game was reduced to 36 overs per side. Opener Kusal Perera then top-scored with a breezy 50 and captain Angelo Mathews made 27 not out as Sri Lanka reached 180 for ﬁve in the 33rd over when bad weather intervened for the last time. - Reuters SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES J. Charles c Dilshan b Malinga 4 A. Fletcher lbw Lakmal 6 J. Blackwood c Dilshan b Malinga 2 D. Bravo b Lakmal 4 M. Samuels not out 110 D. Ramdin c K. Perera b Chameera 4 J. Carter c K. Perera b A. Mendis 6 J. Holder c K. Perera b Chameera 19 C. Brathwaite lbw A. Mendis 18 S. Narine c Chandimal b Mathews 9 R. Rampaul not out 2 Extras (lb-5, w-17) 22 Total (9 wkts, 36 overs) 206 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-12, 3-16, 4-18, 5-52, 6-84, 7-109, 8-164, 9-195. Bowling: L. Malinga 7-0-43-2, S. Lakmal 7-0-40-2 (w-3), D. Chameera 7-0-39-2 (w-3), M. Siriwardana 5-0-17-0, A. Mendis 8-0-51-2 (w-3), A. Mathews 2-0-11-1. SRI LANKA K. Perera c Blackwood b Rampaul 50 T. Dilshan c Carter b C. Brathwaite 21 L. Thirimanne c Samuels b Holder 21 D. Chandimal c Ramdin b Carter 23 A. Mathews not out 27 M. Siriwardana c Ramdin b Holder 17 S. Jayasuriya not out 11 Extras (lb-3, nb-1, w-6) 10 Total (5 wkts, 32.3 overs) 180 Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-95, 3-103, 4-134, 5-161. Bowling: R. Rampaul 5-0-34-1 (nb-1, w-2), S. Narine 7.3-1-24-0, J. Holder 7-0-44-2, C. Brathwaite 7-0-40-1 (w-3), J. Blackwood 3-0-16-0, J. Carter 3-019-1 (w-1).

ONE UP: Indian players celebrate after winning the ﬁrst Test match against South Africa in Mohali on Saturday. – PTI SCOREBOARD

Eighteen wickets tumbled on an extraordinary third day as South Africa wobbled in pursuit of a 218-run victory target before being shot out for just 109 as India took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series

MOHALI: India’s Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin thrived on a spinners’ paradise in Mohali, bamboozling South Africa’s batsmen in the first Test to secure a 108-run victory with more than two days to spare on Saturday. Eighteen wickets tumbled on an extraordinary third day as South Africa wobbled in pursuit of a 218run victory target before being shot out for just 109 as India took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. Jadeja took five second-innings wickets and his match haul of eight along with the 38 crucial runs he contributed to India’s first innings earned him the man-of-the-match award. It was a modest target for a

South African batting order containing two of the world’s top four Test batsmen in Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers but India skipper Virat Kohli had not been too worried. “I was pretty conﬁdent of our bowlers,” Kohli said at the presentation ceremony. “They have quality batsmen in their side, but we thought that if we are ﬁnding it difficult (to score) on this wicket, obviously it’s going to be tough for the opposition as well.” The Proteas sprang a surprise by sending in paceman Vernon Philander to open the innings, a ploy that failed when Jadeja trapped the batsman lbw for one. Left-arm spinner Jadeja re-

India 1st innings: 201 South Africa 1st innings: 184 India 2nd innings M. Vijay c sub b Tahir 47 S. Dhawan c de Villiers b Philander 0 C. Pujara c Amla b Tahir 77 V. Kohli c Vilas b van Zyl 29 A. Rahane c sub b Harmer 2 W. Saha c Vilas b Tahir 20 R. Jadeja lbw Harmer 8 A. Mishra c du Plessis b Harmer 2 R. ashwin c Amla b Tahir 3 U. Yadav b Harmer 1 V. Aaron not out 1 Extras (b-9, lb-1) 10 Total (all out, 75.3 overs) 200 Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-95, 3-161, 4-164, 5-164, 6-178, 7-182, 8-185, 9-88. Bowling: V. Philander 12-3-23-1, S. Harmer 24-5-61-4, D. Elgar 7-1- 34-0, I. Tahir 16.3-1-

turned to deal a bigger blow when he castled Amla, the South Africa captain offering no shot to a ball that crashed on to his middle stump. Leg-spinner Amit Mishra drove home the advantage by bowling De Villiers for the second time in the Test, a ﬂighted delivery sneaking through the South African talisman’s defence.

C O M M E N TA RY

India will be happy to begin the Test series with a win

ndia wrapped up the ﬁrst Test match winning by the handsome margin of 108 runs. When they were dismissed for 200 in the second innings it did cause a bit of dismay but unless AB de Villiers played an extraordinary innings and got good support from skipper Hashim Amla there was no way the rest of the inexperienced South African line up was going to get the team over the hump. Unfortunately for South Africa, Hashim Amla completely misread the line from Ravindra Jadeja and was bowled middle stump as he offered no stroke and that meant that de Villiers was on his own. The champion batsman did try and used his feet quite well till Mishra deceived him once again with a ﬂatter trajectory

South Africa must have a relook at Amla’s batting slot. For a man who has scored thousands of runs batting at number three to drop himself down the order doesn’t make any cricketing sense. He should be back at three with de Villiers next and du Plessis after that. India too will look at having an extra batsman after their poor show with the bat in both the innings delivery to which the batsman played back and dragged the ball on to his stumps. Van Zyl, who had opened in the ﬁrst innings, showed the right approach playing with patience and not playing any premeditated shots. Simon Harmer also batted well and during that partnership it was seen that there were no devils in the pitch. In fact the ﬁrst three wickets that fell were to straight deliveries so the pitch had nothing

to do with that. It was just errors of judgement. Hashim Amla strangely did not bring Imran Tahir to bowl at the start of the day’s play. Tahir was the one who had broken the partnership between Vijay and Pujara late on Friday and Kohli and Pujara should have been confronted with Tahir straightaway before they settled down. They added valuable runs and though the Indians collapsed after that they had set

South Africa a bigger target than in the first innings and that was never going to be easy to achieve. South Africa changed its batting order promoting Philander to open the batting but that did not work. South Africa must also have a relook at Amla’s batting slot. For a man who has scored thousands of runs batting at number three to drop himself down the order doesn’t make any cricketing sense. He should be back at three with de Villiers next and du Plessis after that. India too will look at having an extra batsman after their poor show with the bat in both the innings. We saw that the fifth bowler didn’t get to bowl as much again so if they can find a batsman who can bowl at number six like their team director Ravi Shastri used to do, the balance would be just right. Virat Kohli made the right moves in the second innings and after the losses in the T20 and one-day series, India will be happy to begin the Test series with a win. - PMG

48-4, K. Rabada 12-7-19-0, S. van Zyl 4-1-5-1. South Africa 2nd innings D. Elgar c Kohli b Aaron 16 V. Philander lbw Jadeja 1 F. du Plessis c Rahane b Ashwin 1 H. Amla b Jadeja 0 A. de Villiers b Mishra 16 S. van Zyl c Rahane b ashwin 36 D. Vilas b Jadeja 7 S. Harmer c Rahane b Jadeja 11 D. Steyn c Vijay b ashwin 2 K. Rabada (not out) 1 I. Tahir lbw Jadeja 4 Extras (b-8 lb-5 w-1) 14 Total (all out, 39.5 overs) 109 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-9, 3-10, 4-32, 5-45, 6-60, 7-102, 8-102, 9-105. Bowling: R. Ashwin 14-5-39-3, R. Jadeja 11.5-4-21-5, A. Mishra 8-0- 26-1, V. Aaron 3-0-3-1 (w-1), U. Yadav 3-0-7-0.

Stiaan van Zyl (36) offered resistance, but it was too little in the face of aggressive spin bowling by Jadeja and Ashwin, who also ﬁnished with eight wickets in the match. “200 was a chaseable total but I think 150 would have been more realistic,” said Amla. “Batting ﬁrst would have been a tad easier.” South Africa had earlier roared

back into contention with offspinner Simon Harmer (four for 61) and leggie Imran Tahir (four for 48) tormenting India’s batsmen before the hosts folded for 200 in their second innings. Resuming on 125 for two in a low-scoring match, India’s hopes of batting the visitors out of the contest received a boost when a groin injury prevented Proteas pace spearhead Dale Steyn from joining the tourists’ attack. The visitors, however, claimed an astonishing six wickets for 24 runs to peg back India, who were cruising along at 161 for two at one stage. Overnight batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli began well, looking largely untroubled in their 66-run stand. Part-timer Van Zyl claimed the vital breakthrough for South Africa when he induced an edge from Kohli (29) and Dane Vilas, standing up, took a good catch behind the stumps. Tahir struck a crucial blow with his ﬁrst delivery of the day to dismiss Pujara, whose 77 turned out to be the highest individual score in the spinner-dominated contest. Harmer then joined the party by dismissing Ajinkya Rahane, Jadeja and Mishra in quick succession. - Reuters

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

SPORTS

Vardy on target again as Leicester fly high The England forward hammered home a 65th minute penalty to score for the ninth consecutive league match and seal Leicester’s 2-1 win over Watford FINE STRIKE: Leicester’s Jamie Vardy celebrates after scoring a

goal against Watford at King Power Stadium on Saturday. – Reuters

LONDON: Leicester City became unlikely bedfellows with Premier League giants Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the table on Saturday as striker Jamie Vardy maintained his extraordinary scoring sequence. The England forward hammered home a 65th minute penalty to score for the ninth consecutive league match and seal Leicester’s 2-1 win over Watford. The victory put the Midlands side joint top with Manchester City and Arsenal, who both play on Sunday. All three have 25 points, although Leicester are behind on goal difference. Manchester United kept up the pressure on the pacesetters when a terriﬁc goal from impressive youngster Jesse Lingard helped them on the way to a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion at Old

Trafford and put them within a point of the leaders. It was Vardy, though, who was again the talk of the League as he became only the second player to score in nine straight Premier League appearances. He needs to score in his next game to equal the record of Manchester United’s Ruud van Nistelrooy, who scored in 10 successive matches. Earlier, Claudio Ranieri’s surprise packages, who spent last season struggling for survival in the top ﬂight, had gone ahead when midﬁelder N’Golo Kante was amazed to see his weak 52nd minute effort roll under accident-prone goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes’s hands. Troy Deeney’s 75th-minute penalty for Watford proved in vain. Manchester United’s fans found relief after another largely under-

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whelming performance from Louis van Gaal’s side was redeemed by the superb goal from Lingard, who was also impressive in the midweek Champions League win over CSKA Moscow, and a late second. Holding midfielders The home fans had earlier been left unimpressed by Van Gaal’s safety-first approach as he played two holding midfielders in Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Carrick and United struggled to overcome a typically well-drilled Tony Pulis side. Juan Mata sealed the deal with a stoppage-time penalty after Gareth McAuley was sent off for hauling down Anthony Martial. West Ham United missed the chance to close on the leaders after Romelu Lukaku scored his customary goal against the Hammers

at Upton Park to earn Everton a 1-1 draw. Slaven Bilic’s side looked poised to continue their striking start to the season after a lovely curling 30th-minute effort from on-loan Argentine Manuel Lanzini put them ahead. But Lukaku, who has now netted in all seven games he has played against the London outﬁt, equalised before the break to deny Bilic the chance of a victory over his old club. Sunderland’s struggles at the foot of the table continued as Southampton earned a deserved 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light, Dusan Tadic hammering home the 69th minute penalty which underlined their superiority. Newcastle United earned an important and highly improbable Premier League victory at Bournemouth, snatching a 1-0 victory completely against the run of play thanks to a 27th-minute Ayoze Perez goal. Fans of the struggling home team at Dean Court could hardly believe what they felt was daylight robbery in the pouring rain as Bournemouth dominated proceedings, only to be thwarted by poor ﬁnishing and tremendous goalkeeping from Newcastle’s Rob Elliot. The victory enabled Newcastle to leapfrog Bournemouth near the foot of the table, pushing them out of the relegation zone with 10 points from 12 games and plunging the south coast side into the bottom three on eight points. Norwich City pulled slightly clear of the danger zone with a 65th-minute Jonny Howson header earning them a 1-0 win at home to Swansea City. - Reuters

ISL

Simao’s penalty downs Kolkata KOLKATA: A seventh minute penalty conversion from marquee man Simao Sambrosa helped NorthEast United FC down Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) 1-0 in an Indian Super League (ISL) football encounter at the Salt Lake stadium here on Saturday. Simao calmly tucked the ball in to give his side the lead. The visitors then held onto the slender advantage for the rest of the game. After eight outings each, NorthEast climb to the seventh spot with 10 points with the win while Atletico are now at the sixth place with equal points but with a better goal difference. The first half started off on a lively note as both sides pushed upfront in search of an early goal. It did pay off for the visitors as a foul on striker Carlos Lopez earned them a penalty in the seventh minute. It was a corner which was floated in as Lopez and ATK midfielder Ofentse Nato went for the ball, television replays showed there was no contact between Nato and the striker but the Canadian referee David John Gantar thought otherwise and pointed to the spot. Sambrosa stepped up and calmly slotted it past Atletico custodian Amrinder Singh who went the right way but failed to get to the ball. Jolted, it was Atletico who went on the attack. Mohammed Rafique tried to win his side a penalty by going down in the area but the referee did not fall prey to it. Hume had a run thereafter at the NortEast defence and was brought down by Lopez. Midfielder Gavilan Martinez’s floater

inside the box from a free-kick was misread by goalkeeper Rehenesh T.P. who palmed it away for a corner with Nato lurking in front. NorthEast tried to hit back and Nicolas Velez succeeded in finding the back of the net but he was ruled offside. A few minutes later Rafique found himself at the end of a free-kick and managed to head it goalwards but the ball was collected by a diving Rehenesh. It could have been 2-0 for NorthEast a few minutes later as Velez, after a brilliant run, almost found Bruno Arias inside the box clear on goal but defedner Denzel Franco cleared the threat with a timely lunge. At halftime Gavilan Martinez led 1-0. The first chance after the breather fell for the hosts as substitute defender Arnab Mandal tried to head one in but his effort agonisingly flew off target. At the other end it was Velez who was clean through on goal but he failed to control the ball and Amrinder collected it almost off his feet. Velez missed two more chances thereafter as his efforts missed the target. ATK could have found their equaliser when Rafique set up Hume brilliantly but the ball was cleared away by NorthEast defender Andre Bikey who stuck his big foot in to clear the danger. Hume was again through on goal in the 81st minute, but Bikey managed to put off the Canadian forward as his shot went wide. There were waves of Atletico attacks in the dying minutes of the game but the visitors stood strong and picked up their third victory of the season. - IANS

ISC TENNIS

Prithvi, Praneeth advance MUSCAT: Siblings Prithvi Raj and Praneeth Raj displayed good touch to emerge winners in their first round matches of the under-12 singles as the Falcon Insurance Company-sponsored Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscatorganised Annual Tennis Tournament got underway at the club’s tennis court. Elder of the two, Prithvi Raj eased into the second round of the under-12 singles with a convincing 6-1 victory over Mikhail Sarit while Praneeth overcame early resistance and scored the first break in the eighth game and served out for a 6-3 victory over R. Varoon. In other first round matches of the under-12 singles, Ibra-based Vivek Kolluru overcame problems with his serve and the loss of the first game but quickly got into his rhythm to reel off the next six games for a comfortable 6-1 victory over Surya Mariappan. Vatsal Manikandan blasted his way into the second round with a 6-0 blanking of Shashank Kanan and Amartiya Singh cruised with a 6-1 win over Pratham Ashar. In

Prithvi Raj

Praneet Raj

first round action of the under-10 singles, K. Vinayak Ram overcame a shaky start and a 2-4 deficit and rallied to register a fine 6-4 victory over Shreytek Acharya. V. Haritha Shree lost her first service game but held her game

together to score a ﬁne 6-2 victory over Smriti Iyer. J. Kaavya also advanced to the second round with a conﬁdent 6-3 victory over Adharsh Srinivasan and Rohit Rajkumar downed Pranav P. 6-1 to move into the second round.

SECTION

Health LIFESTYLE

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S U N DAY, N OV EMB ER 8, 2 0 1 5

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

LIFESTYLE

WHERE INJURIES HAPPEN

You can get a sports injury anywhere on your body. Here are some key points to know about common sports injuries.

t is a common sight in recent years that people of all ages have been taking their health professionals’ advice or searching the Internet toknow abour the health benefits of exercising. More and more people are becoming aggressively health conscious. But for some people — particularly those who overdo or who don’t properly train or warm up — these benefits can come at a price and lead to sports injuries. Fortunately, most sports injuries can be treated effectively, and most people who suffer injuries can return to a satisfying level of physical activity after an injury. Even better, many sports injuries can be prevented if people take the proper precautions. As the name indicates, sports injuries are commonly caused due to certain type of sports, according to Dr Narayanaswamy V., Orthopaedic Consultant, KIMS Oman Hospital. “In this part of the world, sports injuries are common due to football, followed by volleyball and even cricket, which also can cause many injuries. Football commonly causes knee injuries followed by ankle injuries. Shoulder injuries are common with volleyball and cricket, while hand injuries are also very common with cricket,” he said. Sports injuries are of two types: acute traumatic injuries like fractures, sprains and strains, concussions, and cuts which happen after a blow or force — like getting tackled in football or wiping out while skateboarding. The other type of injury can be categories as ‘overuse injuries’ which includes stress fractures and tendonitis. These injuries are also called chronic injuries because they happen over time, usually from repetitive training, like running, overhand throwing, or serving a ball in tennis. Overuse injuries can be just as damaging as acute injuries, even though they might not seem serious at first. If they’re not treated, they usually get worse. What To Do? Experts say, that if somebody suffers sports injury, he or she should stop playing immediately till he gets examined evaluated and gets fit to play again. If you think you’ve been injured, pull yourself out of the game or stop doing your activity or workout. Let a coach or parent know what happened in case you need to see a doctor. “One should consult a specialist to evaluate the injury and its severity before playing again. Some people try to test themselves whether they can play, which can damage the joint more. If one notices severe pain and swelling in any part of the body, the best immediate first aid is putting ice packs and if available to use some sort of brace or splint or support before reaching a specialist. One can seek the advice of a physiotherapist if he or she is available on the spot,” says Dr Narayanaswamy. And remember, a chiropractor is not a right person to treat sports injuries. The best person is an or-

Most sports injuries can be treated effectively, and most people who suffer injuries can return to a satisfying level of physical activity after an injury

thopedic surgeon, one specialised in sports medicine. The treatment of the sports injuries depend on the type and severity of the injuries. The injuries can vary from as simple as muscle strain or ligament sprain to as severe as dislocation of a joint or fracture of a bone. In brief the simple injuries like strains or sprains can be treated with initial ice packs followed by some sort of joint supports, analgesics (painkillers) and rest to the part depending on the severity. The treatments for mild injuries may take couple of weeks while the severe injuries 4 to 6 weeks. People with severe ligament injuries (total or near total tear of the ligaments) may suffer for years if not properly and timely treated. The sad part is that if there is delay in getting treatment for severe ligament injuries, particularly around the ankle one has to suffer for years. Off late there are advanced techniques in treating the ligament injuries, particularly of the knee by arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) and also the injuries of the shoulder as well. Off course the fractures and dislocations are rare and they have to be treated accordingly, says Dr Narayanaswamy. Risk Group One who is overweight, not having good muscles and not keeping fit is at greatest risk, explains Dr Narayanaswamy, adding, “of course people nearing 40s and beyond 40s are at more risk compared to youngsters.” The common reasons for teens to get injured in sports include not training or playing properly, training too much, not wearing the right footwear, not wearing the right safety equipment, and the rapid growth during puberty. Prevention “One can reduce the risk of injuries by keeping fit with regular exercises, maintaining ideal weight for their height apart from taking proper diet. Please don’t over use or abuse the joint. Most important thing is to do some warm up exercises before you start playing,” says Dr Narayanaswamy. The best way to deal with sports injuries is to keep them from happening in the first place, says Dr Prasanth, a practising physician at a government hospital. “Think of avoiding injury as just another part of playing by the rulebook. Knowing the rules of the game you’re playing and using the right equipment can go a long way toward preventing injuries,” he said. — shafeeqe@timesofoman.com

Head and Neck Injuries Serious head and neck injuries happen most often in athletes who play contact sports (like football or rugby) or sports with the potential for falling accidents, such as horseback riding and gymnastics. Head injuries include fractures, concussions, contusions (bruises), and hematomas. A hematoma is bleeding or pooling of blood in or around the brain caused by an impact to the head from a fall, forceful shaking of the head, or a blow to the head. Neck injuries include strains, sprains, fractures, burners, and whiplash, which is an injury to the neck caused by an abrupt jerking motion of the head. Neck injuries are among the most dangerous sports injuries. Never try to move someone who may have a neck injury. A mishandled neck fracture could lead to permanent paralysis or even death. Keep the injured person still with his or her head held straight while someone calls for emergency medical help. If the person is lying on the ground, do not try to move him or her. Back Injuries Most back injuries are caused by twists or overexertion of back muscles during bending or lifting movements. Back injuries are most common in contact sports like football and ice hockey, or in weightlifting, rowing, golf, figure skating, gymnastics, and dancing. Hand and Wrist Injuries Hand, finger, and wrist injuries can happen after things like a fall that forces the hand or fingers backward, or a direct blow. As with other injuries, hand and wrist injuries are most common in contact sports, such as football, lacrosse, and hockey, or in sports like gymnastics, field hockey, rowing, and basketball where the fingers, hands, and wrists are at risk. Foot and Ankle Injuries Feet and ankles are particularly vulnerable to injury in sports that involve a lot of running. Another reason for foot injuries is wearing the wrong shoes, especially if someone has flat feet, high arches, or other foot differences.

S U N DAY, N OV E MB E R 8, 2 0 1 5

LIFESTYLE

Try W hy

Here are a few simple, time-tested foods, techniques,

and remedies to try, and a bit about why. Have you tried any of these tricks? How did you like them? Do you have a favourite remedy of your own? Tell us about it at lifestyle@timesofoman.com

BRIEFS

Sleep Interruptions Can Make You Grumpy

Eat Cabbage to Lower Cancer Risk Sulforaphane is a cancer-ﬁghting compound found in cabbage. Research shows that consuming vegetables like cabbage is associated with lowering risks of cancer. Researchers have been able to pinpoint this sulphur-containing compound which gives cabbage its bitters like cabbage their bitter bite are also what give them their cancerﬁghting power.

Waking up several times throughout the night is more detrimental to your positive moods than getting the same shortened amount of sleep without interruption, says a new study. “When your sleep is disrupted throughout the night, you do not have the opportunity to progress through the sleep stages to get the amount of slow-wave sleep that is key to the feeling of restoration,” said study lead author Patrick Finan from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The researchers studied 62 healthy men and women randomly subjected to three sleep experimental conditions — three consecutive nights of either forced awakenings, delayed bedtimes or uninterrupted sleep. Participants subjected to eight forced awakenings and those with delayed bedtimes showed similar low positive mood and high negative mood after the ﬁrst night, as measured by a standard mood assessment questionnaire administered before bedtimes.

Eating in Moderation May Be Bad for You

Have Ginger to Prevent Motion Sickness Ginger is said to be very effective in preventing symptoms of motion sickness, especially seasickness. This herb is considered far superior to Dramamine, a commonly prescribed drug for motion sickness. Ginger reduces all symptoms of motion sickness including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating.

DECODING DOCTOR

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus DrBinoy Mathai Panakkattu, Specialist Diabetologist, Badr Al Samaa Hospital, Ruwi, throws some light on diabetes in Oman and how to manage it.

Massage your Ears to Reduce Stress Massaging your ears can send happy feelings into your body by triggering the release of brain endorphins that reduce feelings of stress.Use your thumb and index ﬁngers to gently massage your ear lobes in small circles. When the right ear lobe is massaged it stimulates the left brain and pituitary gland; when the left ear lobe is massaged it stimulates the right brain and pineal gland.

HOW PREVALENT IS DIABETES IN OMAN?

Over the past 40 ﬁve years Oman has achieved conspicuous advances in the delivery of modern and free healthcare services to its entire population, including those living in remote areas. This has led to successful control and eradication of communicable diseases. But the burden of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, has increased. In 2010, diabetes mellitus was the fourth leading cause of premature mortality in the country. IS DIABETES PREVALENT AMONG ANY SPECIFIC AGE GROUP? After analysing data from six surveys conducted between 1991 and 2010, it was revealed that there is a persistently high prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among people aged above 20 years in Oman over the past

two decades. Analysis also showed that the maximum prevalence was in Sur and, in comparison to men, women have higher incidence rates of T2DM. SHOULD ONE UNDERGO A BLOOD TEST TO DIAGNOSE DIABETES MELLITUS? Asian people are highly vulnerable towards diabetes due to being overweight and obese. Every person who is overweight (with BMI greater than 23kg/sq.m) should undergo a blood test to rule out diabetes mellitus, starting at 45 years of age. CAN EARLY INTERVENTION PREVENT OR DELAY ONSET OF DIABETES? Obesity and sedentary lifestyle are known to increase the risk of both, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance, a disorder

Contrary to popular perception, eating ‘everything in moderation’ may actually lead to worse metabolic health as compared to eating a smaller number of healthy foods, says a new study. “Eat everything in moderation’ has been a long-standing dietary recommendation, but without much empiric supporting evidence in populations,” said study ﬁrst author Marcia C de Oliveira Otto, assistant professor at The University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston, US. Using data from 6,814 participants, the authors measured diet diversity through different measures. These included the total count (number of different foods eaten in a week), evenness (the distribution of calories across different foods consumed), and dissimilarity (the differences in food attributes relevant to metabolic health, such as ﬁbre, sodium or trans-fat content). - IANS

in which target tissues (muscle, fat, and liver cells) fail to use insulin effectively, accompanies and usually precedes Type 2 diabetes. Weight loss from diet and increased physical activity may lower diabetes risks by improving the ability of muscle cells to use insulin and to handle glucose more efficiently. CAN ONE CURB THE PROGRESSION OF DIABETES? Medical and lifestyle interventions are remarkably effective at slowing the progression of Type 2 diabetes in a population with overweight prediabetes subjects, for short and long term effects. Metformin could be especially useful in people who are unable to follow diet and exercise strictly (that is, among those who are obese, have polycystic ovarian disease, or cannot walk or exercise due to physical inﬁrmity). – Hubert Vaz

C10

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

FIND-IT-ALL

PRAYER TIMINGS

@SHATTI

@MGM

@BURAIMI

@RUWI

SHATTI Spectre (Comedy | Drama) (PG12) Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux 3:00, 6:00, 8:45, 9:00, 11:30, 11:45 PM The Last Witch Hunter (Action)(2D)(PG12) Cast : Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood 2:30, 6:30 PM Guardian Angel (Action | Drama) (12+) Cast: Vahik Pirhamzei, Bokeem Woodbine, Justine 11:30 PM The Martian(3D) (Adventure, Sci-Fi) (PG) Cast : Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain 4:45 PM Goosebumps (Action, Adventure) (3D)(12+) Cast : Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush 9:15, 11:15 PM Burnt (Comedy, Drama) (2D)(12+) Cast : Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller 2:45 PM He Named Me Malala (Documentary) (PG) Cast: Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Toor Pekai Yousafzai 4:45, 7:45 PM MUSCAT GRAND MALL Spectre 2D (Action/Adventure/Thriller) PG12 Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes 12:30, 2:00, 3:30, 6:15, 9:00, 11:45PM Gold Class : 2:45, 5:30, 8:15, 11:00PM He Named Me Malala 2D (Doc) PG Cast : Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Toor Pekai 7:15PM Goosebumps : 3D (Action | Comedy) (12+)

Goosebumps (Action, Adventure) (3D) (12+) Cast : Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush Timming: 9:15, 11:15 PM

He Named Me Malala : 2D (Doc) PG Cast : Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Toor Pekai Timming: 7:15PM

Cast : Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush 9:00PM The Last Witch Hunter 2D (Act| Adv) PG12 Cast : Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood 11:30PM Pan 3D (Adventure | Fantasy ) (PG) Cast : Levi Miller, Garrett Hedlund, 11:45PM The Walk : 3D (Adventure | Bio ) (PG) Cast : Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 4:45PM

Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kumud Pant 2:45, 8:45 PM Ennu Ninte Moideen – 2D (PG12) Thriller Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Parvathi Menon, Saikumar 5:30, 8:30 PM Goosebumps - 3D (12+) Act, Adv, Com Cast: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush 4:15, 11:30 PM Coconut: The Little Dragon – 3D (PG) Animation Voice Overs: Max Von Der, Dustin Semmelrogge 2:30 PM

AZAIBA Spectra – 2D (PG12) Act, Adv, Thr Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes 2:30, 5:15, 6:15, 8:00, 9:00, 10:45, 11:45 PM He Named Me Malala – 2D (PG) Documentary Cast: Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai 5:15, 7:00 PM The last Witch Hunter – 2D (PG12) Adv Cast: Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood 3:15, 11:30 PM Shaandaar – 2D (PG) Comedy, Romance

Dept time

Destination

Arrival Operating time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

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05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

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Sur Quriyat Ruwi

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TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

06:30 06:30 08:00 13:00 13:00 16.00 16.00

07:00 07:00 13:30 13:00 13:00 13:00 17:00

Sohar Buraimi Buraimi Sohar Buraimi Sohar Buraimi

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

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 17:30

Sinaw

Nizwa Yanqul

20:50

Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

08:55 Daily 11:40 Daily 20:20 Daily via Ibri 14:55 Daily 17:40 Daily 19:20 Daily 22:15 Daily

31 22

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Ruwi

10:25

Daily

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Daily Daily

06:00 06:00

Nizwa Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

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TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (ROUTE 62) 06:30 06:30

Fahud Yibal

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

20:00 20:30 23:30 07:40

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Marmul

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Dubai

16:50

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Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

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07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

19:50 13:15 22:30 07:30

Minimum

07:00

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

15:00

Salalah

07:00

Daily

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

07:30 07:30 13:00 13:00 15:30 15:30

Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH/SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

07:00 07:00 07:00

16:00 16.00 16.00

Fujairah Sharjah Dubai

11.45 13.30 14.00

Programmes are subject to change

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

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Daily Daily Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 06:00 06:00 13:00 13:00 15:00 15:00

10:45 19:00

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

Ruwi Ruwi

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100)

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

06:00 14:30

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

10:30 11:15

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (ROUTE 100) 07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ennu Ninde Moideen (Mal) (Drama) Cast: Prithviraj, Parvathi Menon, Bala & Lena 3-30, 6-30, 9-30 pm Cinema Main 10 Endrathu Kulla (Tamil) (Act ) Cast: Vikram, Samantha & Jackie Shroff 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema -4 Bruce Lee (Telugu) (Act) Cast : Ram Charan Teja & Rakul preet Singh 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm at Cinema -3 Naanum Rowdy Dhaan (Tamil) (Act/Rom) Cast Vijay Shethupathi and NayanThara 3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 at Cinema -2 NEXT CHANGE: Vedalam (Tamil) Thoongavanam Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (Hindi)

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) Sur Sur

Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

ROYAL OMAN POLICE 07:30 14:30

STAR CINEMA

WITH LOVE

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54) 08:00 08:00

Daily Daily Daily

Spectre (Action / Adventure / Thriller) Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes 1.00, 3.45, 6.30, 9.15 & 11.55 pm CP No : 2915 (PG12) Jem and the Holograms ( Drama / Fantasy) Cast: Stefanie Scott, Molly Ringwald, Ryan Guzman 3.15, 7.30, 9.45 & 11.55 pm CP No: 2916 (PG12) The Guardian Angel (Action / Crime / Drama) Cast: Numan Acar, Volker Albers, Loyd Bateman 5.30 pm CP No: 2894 (12+) The Last Witch Hunter (Action /Adventure/ Fantacy) Cast: Vin Diesel,Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood 1.15 pm CP No: 2816 (PG12)

SALALAH Spectre (2D) (PG12) (Act/Adv/Thr) Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz 10:00AM, 1:45, 4:15, 6:05, 9:00, 11:30, 11:55PM The Last Witch Hunter (2D) (PG12) (Act) Cast: Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood 11:35AM, 2:00, 11:35PM Jem and Holograms (2D) (PG12) (Adv) Cast: Aubrey Peeples, Stefanie Scott, 11:45AM, 4:30PM He Named Me Malala (2D) (PG) (Doc) Cast: Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai 10:05AM, 12:35, 6:55PM Coconut: The Little Dragon (3D) (PG) (Animation) 10:00AM, 4:35PM Goosebumps (3D) (12+) (Action/Comedy) Cast: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette 2:35, 6:45PM Shandaar (2D) (PG) (Romance/Comedy) Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kumud Pant 8:45PM Ennu Ninte Moideen (2D) (PG12) (Mal) (Romantic) Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Parvathi Menon 8:30PM

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54) 14:30 14:30

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

SUR Spectre 007 (Action | Adventure ) (PG12) Cast: Daniel Craig, Christopher Waltz 3:30, 6:15, 9:00, 11:45 PM Guardian Angel (Action | Drama) (12+) Cast: Vahik Pirhamzei, Bokeem Woodbine, Justine 4:45, 11:30 PM Apocalypse (Horror) (18+) Cast: Leo Gregory, Sean Cronin 3:00, 9:45 PM Ennu Ninte Moideen (Mal) (Rom) (PG12) Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Parvathi Menon 6:45 PM

SOHAR The Last Witch Hunter - 2D (PG12) Action Cast: Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood 7:30, 9:30, 11:45 PM Shandaar - 2D (PG) Romance| Comedy Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kumud Pant 6:45 PM Ennu Ninte Moideen - 2D (M) (PG12) Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Parvathi Menon 9:45 PM Goosebumps - 3D (12+) Action | Comedy Cast: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush 2:45, 9:00, 11:15 PM Coconut: The Little Dragon - 2D (PG) Animation 4:00, 5:45 PM Burnt - 2D (12+) Comedy| Drama Cast : Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, 4:45, 7:00 PM Jem and Holograms - 2D (PG12) Adventure | Drama | Fantasy Cast : Aubrey Peeples, Stefanie Scott 2:30, 4:45 PM Spectre - 2D (PG12) Action |Adventure

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

BURAIMI Spectre– 2D (Adventure, Thriller) (PG12) Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz 3:30, 6:15, 9:00, 11:45PM The Last Witch Hunter – 2D (Action, Adventure, Fantasy) (PG12) Cast: Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood 6:30, 9:30, 11:30PM Hotel Transylvania 2 – 3D (Animation, Comedy, Family) (PG) Cast: Selena Gomez, Adam Sandler, 2:45, 5:00PM Guardian Angel– 2D (Action, Drama) (12+) Cast: Vahik Pirhamzei, Bokeem Woodbine, Justine 3:00, 4:30, 11:30PM Shandaar– 2D (Romance, Comedy) (PG) Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kumud Pant 6:45PM Ennu Ninte Moideen – 2D (Romantic | Thriller) (PG12) Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Parvathi Menon 8:30PM

WEATHER

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (ROUTE 36) Quriyat Sur Jaalan

Screen 3 Pyaar Ka Punchnama -2 (Comedy) – PG12 Cast : Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha, Sunny Singh Nijjar, Sonalli Sehgall, Omkar Kapoor 3.45, 9.45 PM Jazbaa (Action / Drama ) – 12+ Cast : Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Shabana Azmi, Chandan Roy Sanyal 6.45 PM

Screen 2 Shandaar (Comedy/ Drama ) – PG Cast : Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kumud Pant.

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

The Last Witch Hunter – 2D (Action, Adventure, Fantasy) (PG12) Cast: Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood Timming: 6:30,9:30, 11:30PM

3.45, 6.45, 9.45 PM

RUWI Screen 1 Spectre (Action) – PG12 Cast : Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PM

LONG DISTANCE BUS TIMINGS (OMAN NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMPANY SAOC) *SUBJECT TO CHANGE

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

Spectre (Action) – PG12 Cast : Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes Timming: 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PM

BAHJA CINEMA

Cast : Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes 3:00, 5:45, 8:30, 11:30 PM

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68. www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman

Destination

11.56pm 3.07pm 5.30pm 6.42pm 4.59am

CHILDREN BELOW THE AGE OF 3 YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CINEMA | BOX-OFFICE COUNTER OPENS 30-MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCREENING OF THE FIRST SHOW

CINEMA SCHEDULE

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

Afghanistan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Brunei China Cyprus Egypt France Germany India Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya South Korea Kuwait

24698 791/4 24605 593 24 605 074/133 24 698 660 24640100 24 603533 24 696782 24 699815 24 600 982/411 24681 800 24835000 24684500 2469 1050 24 696 944/7 24603642 24693727 24 601 028 24692760/1/3 24 692418 24 697664 24 691490 24 699628

Lebanon Libya Malaysia Morocco Nepal Netherlands Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Senegal Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Switzerland Syria Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE United Kingdom United States Yemen

24 693208 24603466 24698329/643 24696152/3 24696177 24603706 24603439 24601312 24605335 24 691 153/2/4 24602894 24601705 24694139 24697977 24647300 24691101 24697841/2 24697875 24603267 24697904 24601 174 24 602684/5 24603486 24697050/1/2 24400000 24609000 24643400 24600815

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334

Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi Salalah Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya Muscat, A Seeb Market Muscat, Al Khuwair Muscat, Al Hail South Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre 24485052 Atlas Hospital Ruwi 24811743/ Ghubra 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi 24563641 Azaiba 24499269 Sohar 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre,

Hamriya 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 Lifeline Hospital Salalah 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar 26751128 MBD 24799077 Al Khuwair 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC 22004000 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

Air New Zealand 24700732 Biman Bangladesh Airlines 24701128 British Airways 24568777 Cathay Pacific 24789818 Egypt Air 24794113 Emirates Air 24404400 Ethiopian Airlines 24660313 Gulf Air 80072424 Indian 24791914 Iran Air 24787423 Japan Airlines 24704455 Jazeera Airways 23294848 Jet Airways 24787248 Kenya Airways 24660300 KML Royal Dutch Airlines 24566737 Kuwait Airways 24701262 LOT Polish Airlines 24796387 Lufthansa 24796692 Malaysian Airlines 24560796 Middle East Airlines 24796680 Oman Air 24531111 Pakistan International Airlines 24792471 Qatar Airways 24771900 Qantas 24559941 Royal Jordanian 24796693 Saudi Arabian Airlines 24789485 Singapore Airlines 24791233 Shaheen Air 24816565 SriLankan Airlines 24784545 Swiss International Airlines 24796692 Thai Airways 24705934

S U N DAY, N OV E MB E R 8, 2 0 1 5

C11

LIFESTYLE FA M I LY A D V I C E

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE By Hubert Vaz

ASK DR. GERRY

DISTRESSED IN A CROWD

Dear Dr Gerry, I am a vey timid person and do not like to be among crowds. Due to this, I avoid going for parties or picnics, even going for movies or concerts where there are huge audiences. My friends say I am being silly and often tease me, but they do not know that I feel distressed in crowd. Can you tell me what I need to do to get over these feelings? N.K.

Navarakkizhi

A Rejuvenating Ayurvedic Massage What is Navarakkizhi? Navarakkizhi, is said to be a unique contribution to Ayurveda originating from the south Indian state of Kerala. It involves fomentation of the body withboluses of cooked rice. Navara is a particular kind of rice known for its nutritional value which is cooked with milk and a herbal decoction. Four boluses are made of the cooked rice and are tied up in linen bags, and these are used for fomentation. Two masseurs hold the boluses in each hand and perform the fomentation symmetrically on both sides of the body, with a downward massage movement. The fomentation is done to the entire body in seven different positions. How does Navarakkizhi Help? This treatment is good for relief from physical stress and strain, and helps in rejuvenating and nourishing the body. It also helps in stimulating the nervous system and treating skin conditions. However, it is considered ideal to relieve pain associated with arthritis, muscular disorders, and chronic rheumatic diseases.

When Should this Treatment be Undertaken? Ayurvedic procedures can be performed at any time throughout the year. However, the best time of the year to undertake a procedure like Navarakkizhi is the monsoons. Ancient texts emphasise the beneďŹ ts of monsoon for Ayurveda because during the monsoon season, the atmosphere is comparatively dust-free and cool, enabling the opening of pores of the body to the maximum which facilitates absorption of herbal oils.

All the best, Dr G Dr Gerry Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Costa has an MD in psychiatry and a special interest in the areas of anxiety, depression, addiction, and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s psychiatry. He has practised as a specialised psychiatrist at Badr Al Samaa hospital in Ruwi for the last 9 years. Dr Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Costa offers his advice and professional insights to the readers of Times of Oman. Send your mental health questions to lifestyle@timesofoman.com

What are the Key BeneďŹ ts of Navarakkizhi? This ayurvedic massage: Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ., (!." (-Ĺ&#x2014;." Ĺ&#x2014; ) 3 Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; )( -Ĺ&#x2014;'/- & Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; $/0 ( . -Ĺ&#x2014;.#--/ Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; '*,)0 -Ĺ&#x2014; &)) Ĺ&#x2014; #, /& .#)( Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; && 0# . -Ĺ&#x2014;-), ( --Ĺ&#x2014;),Ĺ&#x2014;(/' ( -Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; (" ( -Ĺ&#x2014;#''/(#.3 Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,)'). -Ĺ&#x2014;-" ,* ,Ĺ&#x2014;0#-#)(Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; /, -Ĺ&#x2014;*, ' ./, Ĺ&#x2014;!, 3#(!Ĺ&#x2014;) Ĺ&#x2014;" #, Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ), -Ĺ&#x2014;-) .( --Ĺ&#x2014;.)Ĺ&#x2014;." Ĺ&#x2014;-%#( Where It is Done Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala Near Hamriya Al Maha Petrol Pump, Muscat, +968 2470 1555 (Ruwi), +968 2684 3131 (Sohar)

MOVE OF THE WEEK

Do a set of

10 extensions 2 weeks time. For each leg and discover ďŹ rmer thighs and calf muscles in

Dear NK, Thank you for asking this question. Two points strike me immediately â&#x20AC;&#x201C; my friends tease me and I feel distressed. Sadly, this is all too often the plight of those who suffer from anxiety disorders. Anxiety is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences at different times in our lives. However, anxiety disorders are different, they cause severe distress and impact the personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to live and enjoy a normal life. Fear and worry are crippling and sadly very difficult to explain to those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suffer from the illness. All too often anxiety disorder patients are met with laughter, teasing and lots of well-meaning but futile advice. Anxiety disorders are not because of personal weakness, personality ďŹ&#x201A;aws or poor upbringing. They occur due to a combination of factors including changes in the brain and stress. Serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter, is considered important. The brain circuits that regulate anxiety are deregulated and react excessively to even minor stress. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also seen that anxiety disorders run in families and can be partly inherited from the parents. I would suggest seeking professional help, understand yourself and get rid of this problem.

LEG EXTENSION Sit on a chair with your ankles directly below your knees. Using a stretch band connected to the leg of the chair for resistance, extend each leg out slowly. Then slowly lower to the starting position. You can also do this exercise with both legs at a time, with a 6-8 pound weight attached to your ankles together. Bend knees at

90 degrees

to eliminate undue stress on joints. Tip: Knees and ankles must be aligned

RECORD Mark Alan, a gym enthusiast in Texas (US) performed 3 leg extensions with a

380 pound weight

resting on his ankles to create a world record in June 2013.

C12

SU N DAY, NOVEMB ER 8, 2015

LIFESTYLE

10 Facts About Insomnia Every adult needs 6-8 hours of sleep everyday. However, some people ﬁnd it extremely difficult to either fall asleep or to stay asleep for the required time duration. This condition is known as insomnia.

nsomniacs usually awaken feeling tired and not refreshed which affects their ability to function normally during the day. Many adults experience insomnia at some point, but some suffer from chronic insomnia due to various reasons. Here are some interesting facts about insomnia:

Multiple Triggers Psychological issues often cause stress which is the number one cause of insomnia, temporary or chronic. But insomnia can also be caused due to poor sleep hygiene, illness, side-effects of medication, chronic pain due to injury or surgery, restless legs syndrome, or sleep apnoea. Hereditary Factors Insomnia could be a hereditary condition. Those with parents who suffer from insomnia are twice likely to develop insomnia sometime in life. Social Jet-lag Insomnia among younger individuals could be due to following an irregular sleeping pattern on weekdays and weekends and indulging in late night partying or watching movies. Hormonal Changes in Women Women are twice likely to suffer from insomnia than men due to hormonal changes linked with pregnancy, menopause, and menstrual cycle. Risk of Alcohol Abuse Some men use alcohol as a means to induce sleep and often get hooked onto the habit. However, attempting to self-medicate insomnia with alcohol can worsen the condition and often lead to alcohol abuse. Watching TV is Bad for Sleep It’s a myth that watching television at bedtime can help you sleep. In fact, the light and sound of television and computer screens can be engaging and reduce brain melatonin levels (which need to increase to induce sleep). Exercise Induces Good Sleep Indulging in an evening workout is a good way of ensuring a good night’s sleep. However, the workout should not be too strenuous or too close to the sleeping hours. Don’t Count More Than 100 Sheep If you keep tossing and turning for about an hour without falling asleep, it’s better to get out of bed and listen to some relaxing music or read something to get sleepy again. Train Yourself to Sleep Each individual can train himself to sleep by doing the typical things which induce sleep. Meditation, reading books, having hot beverages, taking a warm bath, daydreaming or even reﬂecting on the events of the day can help induce sleep. Tackle the Triggers Whether it is due to stress, medication or illness, sleep problems just won’t go away on their own, and may lead to sleep disorders, unless the trigger factors are tackled. If you feel consistently tired after a night’s sleep, you might be having a sleep disorder and need consultation with a doctor.-lifestyle@timesofoman.com

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M S U N DAY, N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

SECTION

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

RENT

VACANCY

CARGO

*Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

MEDICAL STAFF REQUIRED A newly established Medical complex in Wilayat Suwaiq is looking ĨŽƌ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƐƚĂī ĨŽƌ ŝƚƐ ĞǆƉĂŶƐŝŽŶ project X-Ray Technician Lab Technician ^ƚĂī EƵƌƐĞ Pharmacist &ĞŵĂůĞ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů WƌĂĐƟ Ɵ ŽŶĞƌ ͬ Gynecologist Interested candidates may send their CV’s at

HR.pulse.lives@gmail.com or GSM: 0096898972548

S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

*Tourist visa arranged

02 BHK Residential ﬂat opposite to Al Nahda Hospital. Contact 99342733 / 99795241 02 BHK Commercial / residential (with split AC) ﬂat at Honda road. Contact: 99342733 / 99795241 Sohar: 3BHK AND 4BHK FLATS, R.O 200 and R.O 215 respectively. (New Building with CCTV camera with Split A/C). Contact 99881426 / 92123699 Shop for rent in Al Ghubra near Indian School. Contact: 96708000 1BHK Darsait I.S.D school R.O 225/-Contact: 92144045 / 97799175

1000 sqm Industrial land with compound wall & 2 rooms at Misfah. Contact: 99342733 / 99795241 1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-. Contact: 97799175 / 92144045 2BHK M.B.D R.O 300/-. Contact: 92144045 / 97799175 Villa for rent at 18 November road Behind Oman Oil, Building No. 1995, Al Ghubra 4 BHK villa. Contact: 99373290/ 24815012

1/2, B/R – Res / commercial directly from owner near Bank Muscat, Bausher. Contact 92158031 3BHK Ghubra R.O 400/-. Contact: 92144045 / 97799175 2BHK Ghubra R.O 350/- & 325/-. Contact: 92144045 / 97799175 2BHK villa Mumtaz R.O 300/-. Contact: 92144045 / 97799175 Room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact: 90202538 New ﬂats for rent Darsait Al Sahel. Contact: 99311525 / 92533356

Villa at Al Khuwair having six bedrooms, six bathrooms, sitting, dinning, hall, kitchen. etc Contact 24833972/ 24833974/ 99367448

Readymade office space for rent (100sm) in Bank Melli Iran building, MBA area, Ruwi, opposite Center Point. Contact: 99011352

1BHK with split A/C in Darsait, opp. Muscat Municipality. Contact: 96708000

1BHK R.O 180/- & 2BHK R.O 220/near Medical Muttrah House. Contact: 98748925

Villa with 5 rooms, two sitting rooms, 5 toilets and kitchen at Al Hail North. Contact: 91130875

For rent Seeb 1 room, 2 rooms, 3 rooms , with all supplements, including water electricity and sewage also. We provide the following services free plumber and electrician 2 cleaner for garbage our price on your hand, just call on Farahat: 98020768 Hilal: 96541283

2BHK ﬂats / offices & shops for rent in a brand new building at Honda Road. Contact: 91165807 Room available Nr. Oman house opposite Muttrah Hotel. Contact: 97367108

Room in Al Mwalih very close to Wave. Contact: 95192927

Fully furnished office space in As - Assalah Tower Ghobra. Contact 98202001 Flat in Sohar Al Traif. Contact : 92853555 / 94222386 2 BHK ﬂats for rent near PDO Gate No.2 with spilt AC. #94057023 2 bedrooms ﬂat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality. # 92584715 / 24700120 NEW WAREHOUSE FOR RENT at Ghala Ind. Area. 800 & 2500 approx sqms Near Hotel Al-Madinah Holiday.Ghala. Container can enter. Immediate access to roads & highways. CONTACT : 94583320

S U N DAY, N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

Flat 3 bed, 1 Majlis, Hilat Sad rent RO 300, opp. Al Nahdha Hospital, near Abu Zaki bldg. Contact 99489548 4 BHK villa Azaiba, behind Sultan Center. Contact: 94300909

Budget flats 1,2,3 BHK at Wadi Kabir, Darsait, Ruwi, Wattaya & Al Khuwair. Contact: 95282986 / 99472457/ 99349262 / 24707340 Dental clinic in Buriami for sale or rent have excellent condition & excellent location was unoccupied. Contact 968 98379121 Flat for rent at Wadi Al Kabir next Al Hassan.co, 2 bedroom, 3 WS, 1 sitting room. Contact: 99210008 Shops for rent behind buildings good for offices + stores area 11x4 MT behind Sultan Center Al Amerat R.O 250/- PER Month. Contact: 92877449 1000 sq mtrs industrial land for rent in Ghala suitable for wane house, work shop etc. Contact 24700120 / 92584715 Villa & flats for rent with facilities in Al Amerat (Al Atkefah). Contact: 97749771 / 99425184 One room for bachelors at W/ Kabir R.O 110/-. Contact: 99384640 2BHK new bldg at Ghala with A/C 350/-R.O. Contact: 99024730 600 SQT commercial flat for rent opposite Oman flourmill Darsait more details. Contact: 91214849/ 99364735 Villa for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 95562646 1BHK Near Al Nahdha hospital Ruwi R.O 200/-. Contact: 99617786 3BHK flat for rent at Muttrah. Contact: 99423596 2 BHK flat available for rent in Darsait. Contact: 99357586 Shop for rent at Barka. Contact: 99388898

2 BHK & 1BHK ﬂat in Tilal Bowsher. Contact: 94300909 6 BHK villa in Al Khuwair next to Taimoor Mosque. Contact: 94300909 6 bed rooms for rent in Al Khuwair 33 for family only rent 500 R.O. Contact: 99366624 2 BHK near Oman house behind Khimji H.O. Contact: 95865686 Villa in Arjan complex near Seeb stadium 4BHK, 1 living room, 1 majles, 1 extra room in ground ﬂoor. Contact 93219597 Unfurnished Villa 5 B/ R @ Madinat Al Ilam, Fully Furnished Villa 5 B/R @ Madinat Al Ilam Executive Fully Furnished 1 B/R Apartment at Al Khuwair 33. Contact: Atlas Real Estate & Rent A Car LLC. 24834888 / 99249069 / 92888376/ 99436312. Email: info@alshahiintl.com

Flat for rent in CBD area - Ruwi Two rooms and a large hall •Office spaces for rent in Al Hail on the main road On the same building of Al Khamis Shoes at Al Hail •2 bed room ﬂats in Qurum 29 for rent next to ABA New building -split AC - Good location

Contact No: 96177505

FOR HIRE WITH OPERATORS 1. Back Hoe Loaders (Shovels): 5 Nos 2. 10 Tons Vibratory Roller Compactor: 1 No. 3. 42 Mtrs. Concrete Pump Putzmeister: 1 No. 4. 45 Cbm Tippers: 2 Nos 5. 50 M height, 50 Boom tower cranes: 5 Nos.

Please contact – Mr. Ravi on 96529679 Email – ravi@alliedoman.com / narayan@alliedoman.com

1BHK new bldg with A/C curtains near Khimji Mart MBD. Contact: 99061408 / 99024039 2BHK Ghubra R.O 300/-. Contact 92144045 Al Mawalh villa for rent 17 bedrooms, all attached toilet, 2 big hall, 1 big kitchen, outside 1 kitchen 1 PVT room near (Mac Donald). Contact: 99654252 / 95566475 Flats and shops for rent in Ruwi, MBD Mumtaz area. Contact : 97293708 / 92433127 Flats in Wadi Kabir. # 99376454 Brand new residential ﬂats in Wadi Kabir near Muscat football club, have 2 bedroom family hall, 2 toilets, Kitchen with spilt AC for 250/- R.O. #95999904 / 98585889 / 92383886

Room available for bachelor or family at Al Hail near Seeb stadium. Contact: 93077789 / 97982399

Showroom / storage / office space (area 290 SQM, 6 M Height) available 4 R.O PER SQM, facing Al Mina Street, near Darsait Lulu. Contact: 99360631/ 96760819/ 24711184

Two villas for rent in Mumtaz area and one villa in Mawaleh next to the WAVE. Contact: 97296105

1BHK ﬂat spilt with A/C Al Khuwair, 230/-. Contact: 99358589 / 95570288

Seeks partners & investor’s A well edtablished media, conference & advertising company in Muscat with an impressive portfolio of high proﬁle clients across segments,and supported by an expert team is looking for partners &investors. VISA AVAILABLE Contact - 93946622

Running furniture showroom for urgent sale.

with trading and ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƟ ŶŐ ůŝĐĞŶƐĞ͕ ϯϬϬƐƋŵ ƐŚŽǁƌŽŽŵ Ăƚ ZƵƐƚĂƋ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ƐƚŽĐŬ ŽĨ KDZ ϯϬ͕ϬϬϬͬͲ͕ ĐĂƌ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ ƐƚĂƟ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ ƚŽƚĂů of 7 employees.

Ladies beauty parlor ƐĂůĞ Ăƚ DƵƩ ƌĂŚ͘

00968 94459295 AVAILABLE

Building Materials shop for sale in prime location at Al Amerath near to Sultan Center. Contact 91127809 / 99008803 Immediate sale of well running pharmacy at prime location. Contact 99627621 , 99516236 Ladies tailoring shop for sale in Ghubra. Contact: 93941622

Fully equipped aluminum work shop with office room & workers accommodation, barka industrial area. Contact: 93861300

Indian biscuits - Indian Sweets ŝŶ ŐŝŌ ďŽǆĞƐ ͘ &ƌĞƐŚ Ň ŽǁĞƌƐ Ͳ :ĂƐŵŝŶĞ͕ >ŽƚƵƐ͕ DĂƌŝŐŽůĚ͕ ŐĂƌůĂŶĚƐ͕ ƚŽƚĂů ƉŽŽũĂ ŝƚĞŵƐ͕ ĐĂŶĚůĞƐ͕ ŵŝƫ ĚĞĞƉĂŬƐ͕ ĚĞĐŽƌĂƟ ŽŶ ůŝŐŚƚƐ͕ rangoli colors. ůů ƚǇƉĞ ŽĨ ĨƌĞƐŚ ŐƌŝŶĚĞĚ Ň ŽƵƌ͘ ,ĂƌŝĚĂƐ EĞŶƐĞǇ ^ƵƉĞƌŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ Ruwi. Contact - 24750784

>> KDW Ez FOR SALE

Interested please contact

FOR SALE

DIWALI SPECIAL 33 VARIETIES

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. ww.tunesoman. com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

Contact - 91135930 NRI Spacious 2BHK ﬂat for sale in Hebbal Bangalore. Contact: 96263157 4 bedroom villa 300 m from Peyad Junction Trivandrum for sale. Contact : 93299940 Immediate sale , 2BHK 1126 sq ft in Sahakar Nagar Pune available amenities including swimming pool, gym, 24 hrs security, piped gas covered parking, Building built by reputed Amit Builders. Contact: Waghmare 0091 9423580779 Vandana : 91396500

S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 8 , 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

^/dh d/KE s Ed A Leading Earthmoving company requires: ͻ ,Z D E ' Z ͻ KhEd Ed ͻ Yh Ed/dz ^hZs zKZ ͻ &KZ D E^ ͻ ^ > ^ Θ D Z< d/E' ͻ , sz / ^ > D , E/ ^ ͻ hdK > dZ/ / E^ Experiences 5+ years with Relevant YƵĂůŝĮ ĐĂƟ ŽŶƐ ƐĞŶĚ s ƚŽ earthmoving.recruitment@gmail.com

REQUIRED SALESMAN For Plastic Bag Supply company in Salalah, Person knowing Salalah market & from Kerala will be given priority. Must be holding Omani driving license. Send CV to :

salesmanbag@gmail.com Wanted female Gynecologist, female Staff Nurse – 2 no., Dental Asst, female Lab Tech from India or Filipino with MOH license & data flow for Al Saadi Specialized Medical Centre in Mussana.

Contact 92025033, dr.srinivas76@gmail.com

ACCOUNTANT Required Accountant Arabic or Indian. Please send CV to: alothman_oman@yahoo.com Required Junior Accountant cum Office Coordinator for small construction company. Send CV: arabianhomellc@gmail.com

BEAUTY Beauty experts required for beauty Salon in Seeb. Contact 99519591

DOMESTIC HELP Wanted Sri lankan Housemaid full time for Indian family from Delhi. Should have release. Visa, food, accommodation will be provided. Should have good references. Should know English and household work including baby sitting. Contact-99665145 / 99274857 Urgently required a Baby sitter in Ruwi for an Asian family from 8 30 morning to 7 evening. Contact 96511169 Wanted Indian Housemaid Hindi speaking for an Indian family with cooking experience for part time. Contact: 93228657

DRIVER Wanted a lady driver from Muttrah to Darsait. Call 99426100 Required 2 Expatriate Drivers for manpower supply company with Oman driving license. Contact 94148972 / 94148970

DESIGNER Urgently required part time Graphic Designer with 3 to 4 years experience in graphic designing, Photoshop, Illustrator, ﬂash. Email: mhca@mhabibgroup.com

EDUCATION A well known private school is in need of Science, Maths & English Teachers. Contact: 96910649 Email: staffing.oman@gmail.com Looking for Tutor of 10 th grade student, main subjects are Maths & all Sciences. Tutor will be required to teach at the student home if possible. Contact 97915667.

ENGINEER/TECH/MECH One of the leading business groups in Oman is looking for diploma holders in Civil Engineering with 4-5 years of experience in BBS preparation & shop drawing for their rebar division. Interested Candidates may apply to apply to sales@muscatsteel.com Sales Engineer: Mechanical Engineering holder with 2-4 years’ Exp. in Sales, preferably in Metal fabrication Company. Omani D/L is a must. Contact: recruitment747@gmail.com

^/dh d/KE s Ed REQUIRED SALES EXECUTIVE for furniture & building material, minimum experience 5 yrs.

Send CV at Email : careeroman@yahoo.com

Wanted urgently A well known family in Oman urgently needed an experienced Indian female part time or full time Nursing Assistant to take care of their Mother recovering from stroke. Contact 99717791 or 94084335

ENGINEER/TECH/MECH New consulting office is looking for an environmental Engineer with 3-5 years of experience. Please send your CV to: ozonegeoc@gmail.com Technician (3 No’s Omani Nationals) Experienced in Automobile Electricals with Valid Driving License 1-2 years of experience. Immediate Joining. Forward CV’s to careers@rayoman.com Experienced construction Civil Engineer with qualiﬁcation (attested) certiﬁcates & with Omani driving license. Contact: 99601004 email:slayhawk@yahoo.com Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years experience preferably in water sector and having valid driving license Send CV to shiju@spec-link.com or call Ph:+968 99450811 Leading construction company requires experienced Site Engineer and QA/QC Engineer for residential/ commercial project. Require NOC. Send your CV : degree.engineer2015@gmail.com

MANAGER Construction Manager with a mechanical background required for an ongoing project with experience in construction projects of minimum 5 - 8 years required urgently. Professional personnel well versed in planning and execution kindly apply on an immediate basis email tgi17@omantel.net.om

MEDICAL Required licensed lady G.P .or Gynecologist male Asst. Pharmacist, lab technician for a clinic in Salalah. Contact: 93129219 Email: clinincrecruitment@gmail.com Wanted Gynecologist with MOH license of minimum 3 years experience for reputed medical center in Seeb. Interested candidates please send CVs rttfravi@yahoo.com Contact: 99062817 / 91274373 Wanted Dentist for a clinic in Ruwi with or without license. Send CV to farayil@hotmail.com Required female Nurse with MOH license for a private a private clinic in Bowsher area, Muscat. Contact 92189807 A reputed Wellness Center is looking for MOH licensed or Prometric Passed Physiotherapist, Nurse and Occupational therapy. Please send your CV to : hr2015.oman@gmail.com Required General Physician, Gynecology, Dentist, Pharmacists, Lab technicians, Nurses. Contact: 95133572 Email: kunoozghala@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Required experienced car spare parts counter Sales Executive for a trading company at Wadi Kabir. Send resume to qualityspareparts@ yahoo.com or contact 24811999 Required Sales coordinator (Preferably Filipino). Required Insurance Sales Executive to handle insurance product sales in Muscat region. Graduate preferably with driving license and with 2-3 years experience in insurance product sales. Call 99450811 or Send CV to shiju@spec-link.com

DĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ ŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚŽƌ >ĞĂĚŝŶŐ ŶĂƟ ŽŶĂů ůĂǁ Į ƌŵ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞƐ

WANTED Civil Engineer (Building Construction) 2 Nos

Ă DĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ ŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚŽƌ͘ dŚĞ ĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ƐƚƌŽŶŐ ďĂĐŬŐƌŽƵŶĚ ŝŶ ŵĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ ;ůĂǁ Į ƌŵ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝƐ ƉƌĞĨĞƌƌĞĚ ďƵƚ ŶŽƚ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚͿ͘

Qualification: BE in Civil Engineering Electro Mechanical Engineer (Building Services)1 No. Qualification: BE in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Send detailed resume to sskpvr@gmail.com

dŚĞ ĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞ ŵƵƐƚ ďĞ ŝŶŝƟ ĂƟ ǀĞ͘ dŚĞ ŝĚĞĂů ĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞ ǁŝůů ŚĂǀĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐůǇ ǁŽƌŬĞĚ ŽŶ Žƌ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉĞĚ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ĐĂŵƉĂŝŐŶƐ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽĮ ĐŝĞŶƚ ŝŶ ƵƐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ƉůĂƞ ŽƌŵƐ͘ dŚĞ ĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞ ŵƵƐƚ ŚĂǀĞ ƐƚƌŽŶŐ ǁƌŝƟ ŶŐ ĂďŝůŝƟ ĞƐ ; ŶŐůŝƐŚͿ͘

Please send cv hr@alalawico.com

hZ' Ed>z Z Yh/Z z Z Whd >> KDW Ez /E KD E SPARE PARTS SALESMAN (Indoor) Diploma holder with 02 years experience. Good communication and negotiation skill, Computer knowledge, age not more than 35 years. Arabic speaking is an additional advantage.

SALES EXECUTIVE (Outdoor) Diploma in Mechanical field with 5 years experience in tools, hardware, building materials, safety products, good grasp in local market with Oman driving license. Interested candidate may send their CV’s with recent photographs urgently to -

info@gapmct.com REQUIRED FOR AN ALUMINIUM WORKSHOP 1. FOREMAN :Having 5-6 years of Experience in the field of fabrication. Able to handle all types of Alum.works and technicians. Should have good knowledge of reading Tech.drawings.

2. ALUM.TECHNICIANS/ FABRICATORS :-

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ADMIN

Sr. Accountant 12 years experience 6 years in Oman, NOC available D/L Oman seeking placement. #91127809 / Email: lyjuvs@yahoo.com

Indian male looking for a job as a HR/Automobile Admin having experience of more than 6 years, Omani driving license. Contact 97409450

Indian male Accountant with twelve years experience currently in Muscat on visit visa. Contact : 96148421 Email: jijokurianp@gmail.com

Indian male, 29 years B.sc with PGDCA.1 year experience in sales & 3years experience as computer professional. Looking for any suitable job. Presently on visit visa. Contact:93262319. Email : sonysdas1986@gmail.com

Having experience at least 3-5 years in fabrication works.

3. FURNITURE CARPENTERS:Having experience at least 3-5 years in making furniture.

Interested please contact phone:- 98084356 or send CV to :- john@tibiaan.co.om SALES / MARKETING Sales Executives required for leading trading company engaged in sale of oilﬁeld supplies, tools, safety products, automobile, industrial, electromechanical spares, pump sets and generators, for Salalah and Sohar branches. Diploma holders with GCC experience, good communication and D/L apply to hraljaddgroup@gmail.com Required Marketing person for manpower supply company with minimum 2 yrs experience & GCC/ Oman driving license. Contact 94148970 / 94148972. Send CV at Email : rastllcmuscat@gmail.com Smart & energetic sales person with Omani/ GCC & driving license, ready to join. Kindly send Cv at Email : hhabsi55@gmail.com

Required Marketing Executive, 2 yrs experience. Contact 91120552 Indian Salesman required for printing press with minimum 3 years experience and should have knowledge of English – Hindi language with GCC driving license. Contact: 96917952 Email: swapneelbhatt@gmail.com Required employee for travel agency with the exp in Saham. Contact :93655939 / 93687666 Omani / Expats, male / female required for gift articles shop with minimum 2 years experience and should have knowledge of MS Office English & Arabic language. Contact: 96917952 Email: swapneelbhatt@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE CIMA member B.Com with 5+ years experience in Accounts and finance. NOC available. Contact: 97615745 Senior Accounts professional, Indian male, 33 years MBA (fin) with 9 yrs experience, Now in Muscat on visit visa, seeking suitable job opportunities. Contact: 92914869 Email: noblev1982@gmail.com Indian male 23 years B.Com Graduated tally looking for suitable placement. Contact: 92963507 Email: sidhiqshajahanh28@gmail.com Accountant, Indian Male, 15 Years experience (8 years in Oman with Driving License & NOC) seeks suitable placement, Contact 94117616, 91238272 Email: praveen78oman@gmail.com Experience part time Accountant in management, accounts, finance audit tax. Contact: 95857199 MBA International Business in finance and operations Indian male 24, (3 months visit visa) seeking immediate placement. Contact 968 97489409 / Email: abhay8168@gmail.com CMA & CIA professional Finance Manager with 10 years middle eastern experience, inclusive of Managerial experience with leading F&B companies. For further information, kindly Contact: + 971566561199 Email: babaa-shabir@hotmail.com Indian female, B. Com, MCA, with 4 yrs experience in teaching, looking for any suitable teaching/HR/Admin post. Currently on visit visaContact 92033720 ; Email: deepss22@gmail.com Accountant, Indian Male, 24 yrs, B. Com Graduate 1 year experience as Accountant in India. Now on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact 94129716; thanoof5736@gmail.com

Sr. Accountant with 14 yrs experience, 2 yrs in Oman capable of handling all accounting functions. NOC available. Contact: 92404608 Email: jin_75@rediffmail.com Part time Accountant services available to handle all accounts related work up to finalization on monthly basis. Contact: 96247295 Chief Accountant, 12 years Oman experienced looking for suitable placement. Contact: 99513082 Indian male 25 years B.Com MBA 2 years experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact: 99299471 / 96589605 Indian male 32 years, B.Com Accountant 5 yrs experience in Oman seeking suitable vacancy. Contact : 94410485 Male 28 yrs, MBA with 3 years experience, holding a valid GCC driving license seeking suitable opportunity. Contact: 93407095, Email: syampdm@gmail.com Indian male B.Com Graduate with 2+ years experience in Accounts & Administration looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 96923391 Sri Lankan CIMA finalist Accountant 6 yrs exp accounting, finance, auditing immediate join & NOC. Contact: 95522109 Part time accounting finalization audit. Contact: 98157999 Sudanese, Masters degree in Economics, 8 years experience in procurement and finance. Contact: 94524060 Senior Accountant, Indian male, 18 years experience, currently on visit, seeks immediate and suitable position. Contact- 98569025, 97498809. Email - hilariankj@gmail.com

Part time Accountant Sr. Accountant doing all type of accounting works up to finalization. Contact 91127809 Indian female 5+ yrs Oman exp in Accounts tally looking for suitable placement in W.K to Qurum area. Contact: 95580416 Young 24, ACCA affiliate, Advanced diploma in Accounting and Business, seeking suitable placement in Accounts, Finance or audit With valid driving license. Contact 92430152 , Email - rau_dey@yahoo.com Accountant Indian female having 5 years exp in finalization, audit and administration in GCC presently in Muscat seeking suitable position. Contact 97323574 Email: sreeja@236@gmail.com Indian male 8 years experience having B.Com and MBA ready to work in HR customer service, Admin banking & related field. Contact : 97436890 / 96939803. Email: girimub@gmail.com Indian lady, bachelor degree in Preparatory Programme (BPP) and Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), completed training course in MS Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook from KTI looking for full time / part time job opportunity in Oman. Contact 92437568, 96795853, Email: linda_navs@yahoo.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, with 13yrs experience, 6 yrs Oman in manufacturing, trading & contracting Cos, capable of handling all accounting, finance, banking, L/C, import, export & finalization seeks placement. NOC Available. Call+968-98932752, mail:jjohnmuscat@hotmail.com

ADMIN Egyptian woman resident has considerable experience in the administration and secretarial executive for companies. Contact: 97221126 10 years Gulf & 4 years Oman experience in HR / Admin & logistics ﬂuent in Arabic / English with D/L looking for suitable position. Contact: 95824598 Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+ experience in Administration/HR, Customer Support, Office Coordinator with good Computer skill, Now on Visit Visa, looking for suitable position. Contact: 90196235 Indian female BA experience in administration operations, business development excellent MS office skills looking for suitable job. Contact: 94231020 Young Indian Male with post graduate UK degree in business admin, 4 years Oman experience in administration & purchase in electromechanical/civil contracting company. NOC available. Possess valid Oman Driving License. Contact: 94400671

Indian male MBA- UK 18 yrs Gulf exp in Administration/ HR & Public relationship. Fluent in Arabic/ English with D/L. Looking for suitable position. Contact - 99897280 HR/ Admin / Operation / Accountant Indian male having 13 years experience in Oman on visit visa looking for suitable job NOC available can join immediately. D/L Available. Contact: 96055815 Email: shaiks111@gmail.com HR/ Recruitment specialist with 8 years Oman experience in entire gamut of HR functions like resource planning , recruitment , HR policies & procedures, performing appraisal, expatriate affairs , exit interviews & ticketing. Contact 93825307 Email: javthath@rediffmail.com MBA graduate seeking a suitable position in/as Administration/ Secretary/Front office. Contact 94627227 Indian 28 ,MBA (HR) with 4 + yrs exp in MPP, Recruitment, HR, Generalist, t&d, Appraisal, Admin & other areas, working in Muscat. NOC available. Contact - 94654626 E-MAIL:-sharique.sajjad@gmail.com 26 yrs male, MBA, 3+ years experience in Administration in MNC, seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95041201 Email: noyel55@gmail.com Executive Secretary / Admin Officer female Indian 8 years experience in Oman. Contact: 96684705 Omani national looking for Sr. Manager position having experience in banking for 28 years in Audit customers service, ﬁnance credit, Administration HR worked as a Branch Manager products service age 45 years. Contact: 99213754

ARCHITECT Architect, female 23 one year experience with valid Omani driving license, under family visa looking for suitable placement. Contact: 92670199 Email: tkhaleque92@gmail.com Architect (BSC), female 23 one year experience with valid Omani driving license, under family visa looking for suitable placement. Contact 92670199 Email: tkhaleque92@gmail.com Architect with bachelor degree 4 years experience in architectural design (interior & exterior) professional in (3D Max- Archicad - AutoCAD Photoshop). Contact 96041201 Email: amer.yousfan@gmail.com

S U N DAY, N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED DRIVER

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Bangladeshi male light vehicle driver with 2 yrs exp looking for job. Contact: 93761597

Civil Engineer (B.Tech) Indian Male, Having 21 years experience in Major Construction works including 2 years in consultant ﬁrm as Resident Engineer in Ministry Projects, Oman. Available NOC, able to join immediately, seeks a suitable placement. Contact 92048143

Pakistani male light vehicle driver looking for job. Contact: 96393805 30 years old Pakistani driver seeking job in Oman, available Omani license. Contact: Gulzeb 93806381 Light driver. Contact: 94365229 Bangladeshi driver need job. Contact : 97106424 Searching heavy / light driver job with Qatar and Saudi GCC license. Has 8 years of experience in Qatar readymix and Almarai Company, Saudi Arabia. Contact: 96080988 Looking for job as light driver 3 years experience in Oman. Contact: 97311715

Driver with car able to do documentation work and delivery. Contact: 95365938 Driver job wanted. Contact: 99343782 Light driver. Contact: 96313100 Pakistani Driver wanted job, with 3 years experience. Contact: 94356465 Light driver for job 5 yrs exp. Contact: 92171166

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Indian male Interior Draftsman 3D, visualizer graphic designer 7 years exp 2 years in Oman on visiting visa. Contact: 95605527 Email: aby.mangattu@gmail.com 25 years male BA. English , Qualiﬁed as mast in digital animation having 5 yrs ex in character animation specialized Auto Desk mago and motion building software knowledge, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 97917357 Creative Designer with 8+ years experience in web, graphic, video editing, outsourcing looking for a suitable placement in a reputed company. Contact 97276004 Auto cad d/man, exp in MEP, Arch, on visit visa. Contact :97422351

EDUCATION Indian female M.Sc Botany, B.Ed , M.Ed , 5 years experience in teaching with good communicating skills on visit visa. Contact: 92890074

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Indian male 25 yrs MBA logistics, 2 yrs experience in export & import, storekeeping, transportation, procurement, goods & service etc currently in Muscat on visit visa for 3 months, till Dec 28th, seeks suitable placement. Contact: 93772901 / 95309001, E Mail : araj2378@gmail.com (B.E) Civil Engineer 3 yrs of exp. on (residential) site M.S. Office AutoCAD, visit visa till DEC. looking for suitable job. Contact: 96692175 Email: nazarrizvi1@gmail.com Sudanese female with bachelors degree from Caledonian College of Engineering IELTS (7.0) looking for a job in the teaching field. Contact: 92210958 Civil Engineer 6 years experience in materials & structural valid D/L 3 yrs supervision work in Oman. Contact: 96086214 Diploma Civil Engineer, Indian male 29 having 5 years experience in construction field & Autocad in Oman, having valid driving license looking for suitable job in reputed firm. Contact: 93746877 Email: jackybosko@gmail.com Fresh Graduate female Electrical Engineer, Graduated with distinction had training in leading companies, excellent knowledge and interested in protection. Contact: 98133281 HSE Engineer, Indian 26 years B.Tech Mechanical Engineering Nebosh IGC qualified 5 years exp in O & G on visit visa. Contact: 94135234 Email: labythomas@gmail.com

YƵĂůŝĮ ĐĂƟ ŽŶ D WDW Ɛŝǆ ƐŝŐŵĂ ;' Ϳ ŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐ ĞǆƉŽƐƵƌĞ ĂŶĂĚĂ Θ DŝĚĚůĞ East, Industry any (experienced in ďĂŶŬ͕ ƚĞůĞĐŽŵ͕ ƚƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚ͘ EĂƟ ŽŶĂůŝƚǇͲ ĂŶĂĚŝĂŶ͘ KŶ ǀŝƐŝƚ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ͘

Contact - 97203531

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Indian male, Mechanical Engineer, 5 years experience in Qatar, as lifting equipment maintenance engineer looking for a job currently on visit visa, holding GCC driving license. Contact: 93525652 Email: shan.irshad@gmail.com Electrical Engineer, B.Tech, with 8 years GCC experience (5 years in Oman) in MEP & Oil/gas construction/Quality side with Transferable Visa/NOC, is seeking new assignments in Oman.Has attested degree certiﬁcate and Oman D/L. Contact No.96083636, Email:tobineasow@gmail.com

Light driver. Contact: 95084826 Pakistani, light driver looking job exp, 4 years. Contact: 96346582

WƌŽũĞĐƚͬ WƌŽŐƌĂŵ DĂŶĂŐĞƌͬ Finance professional

Procurement, contracts and tender HEAD in construction civil & MEP 20 years vast experience in Oman with big MNC , seeking suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 93737496

Indian Male 22yrs, B.Tech Mechanical Engineer currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Gsm:9661 8390 B.Tech mechanical Engineer, 24 yrs, 2 yrs exp seeking job on visiting visa. Contact: 93523752 Email: binunechikkadan@gmail.com BE CIVIL, Indian M29, 5 yrs exp. having DL & NOC, looking for suitable position. Contact: 94576233 Email: suhailmullah@gmail.com B.SC Civil Engineer, road construction ﬁeld with 12 years experience in Oman. Contact: 92200485 Indian Diploma Engineer NEBOSH qualiﬁed with valid Oman D/L seeks placement in HSE. Contact: 97066980

Omani Mechanical Engineer/ GPA-3.49 graduated in 2013. GSM#95276154 / 99201710

Searching for Civil Draftsman job 10 years of experience. N.O.C available. Contact: 00968 97612846

B tech Mechanical Engineer, Indian male, 33 yrs, having 10 yrs Exp includes 6 yrs in GCC, Having Oman D/L. Seeking Suitable placement. Contact : 96978380, prajithks@gmail.com.

Indian male, 24 yrs B.Tech Civil, having 2.5 yrs Gulf experience in site execution operations & structural designs coordination, looking for suitable placement currently in Muscat on visit. Contact: 98600130 Email: malayparikshit@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer M.tech 2 years experience HVAC design Engineer Revet MEP, AutoCAD. Contact: 90150913 Email: rahmanmechengg@yahoo.com B.E Mechanical male with 1.5 years exp in piping (refinery) as Site Engineer on visit visa looking for suitable jobs. Contact: 97896725 Email: georgymct@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, 24 having good knowledge in HVAC looking for suitable placement. Contact: 95434381 Email: shuhaibusman313@gmail.com Diploma in Mechanical Engineer Indian male 25 years having 2.5 years experience in piping. Contact: 92733482 Email: sonumm.m2@gmail.com Indian male 24 yrs B.Tech Mechanical Engineer with additional qualification in AutoCAD primavera PDMS , QA, QC pipeline engineering project planning and management seeking suitable placement currently on visit visa. Contact: 98810928 MSc, Software Engineering Indian male 26 years, 3 yrs IT Supervisor Network Administrator. Contact : Oman: 96602630 Indian: 0091-9952158562 Email: imran.imran13@gmail.com Indian male, BE (ECE), 18 months experience in telecom field as BTS Installation & commissioning engineer, trouble shooting the BTS, 3G & 4G equipments, currently on visit. Contact 95183497, email : v.karthi984@gmail.com Construction machinery repairs Engineer, 4 years experience with driving license. Contact 94001961 Electrical Engineer: Indian male 29 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India (MRF Tyres), seeking suitable placement. Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Indian male 23 bachelors degree in Civil Engineering 1 year exp knowledge in quantity surveying, presently on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact: 00968 94657347 Email: mohammedkenz7@gmail.com Sudanese Geologist 3 years experience in mining and geotechnical. Contact : 97612807 B.Tech Mechanical Engineer 25 years Indian male 3 years experience in HVAC in India, NOC available ready to join. Contact: 94760763 Email: muzafferali.mohammed@gmail.com B.Sc Civil Engineer, 10 years experience building construction, 7 years in Oman with valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact: 93493547 M.S.C HSE Engineer 8 yrs experience in oil & gas fields, hold N.D.T level 2 Master in Radiation protection. Contact: 95058541

HOSPITALITY Dutch male qualiﬁed commercial pilot (Faa-ME-IR certiﬁed) is looking for job openings in middle east. rutjestom@outlook.com

IT IT Lecturer, Indian male 30yrs,MSc Computer Science (on visit ) 7 yes experience in Teaching Contact: 99842554, email: riazkalleli@gmail.com Hardware & net working, 2 years exp. Contact: 96244031

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

TOURS & TRAVELS

Oracle ADF Developer: Msc (IT), 2 yrs of Experience in Software Development (Oracle ADF, sql, pl/sql), Oracle OCA & SQL Expert, Currently on visit visa. Contact : +968 93755858 / 92141644. Email : shiralkarmuzammil@yahoo.com

24 years Indian female MSC Biotechnology 1 year exp.in clinical microbiology, worked in ICRISAT for project work as Trainee, looking for suitable job. Contact: 92619048 Email: anusreeg1991@gmail.com

17 years Gulf experience in Purchasing / logistic and Import, export with valid driving license in Oman. NOC available. Contact: 97829152

Indian female 24 yrs, Bachelor in Travel & Tourism and 2 year exp in Oman as ticketing executive. GDS-Sabre, Amdeus, Galilio. seeking suitable job. Contact- 95610789

Network Professional, CCNP with 6 years experience and Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 96760618, varghese.manthara@gmail.com

Indian male, 38 years, 17 years experience in Oman, with valid Oman 2 wheeler license & own Bike, seeks suitable position. Contact: 92287226

Indian male , IT professional, 8 yrs experience including GCC in windows server, computer hardware, networking & office administration seeking suitable placement. Contact: 95994227

Sudanese lawyer with experience 10 years in Judiciary in Khartoum. Contact: 94458976

Looking for computer net working / IT net working job I have done M.Sc (IT) and CCNA certiﬁed MCSE Training at Server (2012, 2008), also having more than 1 year experience working as IT officer. Contact : +968 94153542 Email: shahzadmahmood51@yahoo.com

MBA qualiﬁed sales and marketing candidate having an experience of 3.5 years available in Oman on Visit visa seeks placement. Contact: 97436706 Email: shusamuel0001@gmail.com

Female 26 yrs, MBA (HR) 3 yrs experience in IT , seeking suitable placement. Contact: 94769794 Male, 31 years, M.I.T, CCNA, 9 years exp in Qatar as assistant IT manager, network administrator, server management and knowledge of developing website, Qatar D/L. Contact: 0097477237607, 00968 97683849 Email:mohsin2022@gmail.com

MEDICAL Indian Female Dentist with 7 year experience in MOH seeks suitable placement preferably in Muscat region. Contact : 94003843 BSC, Medical laboratory Technician 20 yrs experience in Oman. Contact: 92943244 Female Nurse (Indian) looking for a suitable job in Capital area. Contact: 98843139

SALES / MARKETING

Indian male 27 yrs with 5 years experience in Oman marketing / Purchase / sales, seeking suitable placement valid Oman D/L. Contact: 98650936 MBA in Marketing and Executive Diploma M.B.A in supply Chain and logistics looking for a good position in well reputed ﬁrm and NOC available .Contact: 91156540 Email: message2shahid@gmail.com Indian male 22 years B.Com Graduate currently in Oman on family visa, looking for a job, preferable in sales. Also possess a valid Oman driving license. Contact 98504698 Marketing Executive MBA 3 years experience in Sales looking for suitable placement. Contact: 91345727 Indian male 30 years, 5 years experience in Sales valid Omani driving license, degree in bachelor of commerce, good communication skills. Contact: 96639196 / 95991122 Email: muzammivmd@gmail.com

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

Looking for a Senior Sales Engineer job having 11 years of experience in both automobile and civil material testing equipment sales. Contact 94137387 / 96250490

Sudanese General Manager, 15 years experience MBA from U.K experience in telecom and oilﬁeld. Contact: 90182803

Sales Executive DCS 12 years experience out door and indoor Gulf UAE and Oman L/D license of Oman English, Urdu & Arabic. Contact: 91038343

Indian male Lab Technician seeking for job prometric passed with 70%. Contact: 97985325

Sales Indian male 10 years experience in Oman D/L looking for Sales man or supervision. Contact 92436692 Email: rejijo99@gmail.com Indian Male-MBA Marketing having 12Years Experience (3Yrs UAE & 9Yrs India) in Banking & Insurance sector. Seeking suitable placement. Presently on Visit Visa. Please contact: 92009780 Email: zamannoor1978@gmail.com MBA& B.Com Graduate Indian, 1 year experience looking for job marketing & sales. Contact: 97138592 Email: mohammedathish24@gmail.com Fresher MBA Marketing & ﬁnance looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 99434489 / 91127809 Sales Manager modular kitchen & furniture, 46 years Indian. Contact: 94522616 Male, MBA Graduate with 3 years experience in Sales & Marketing on visiting visa looking for job. Contact: 93242927 Indian, female 28 yrs, B.Com, 7 yrs call center/marketing experience, currently on visit, seek suitable placement. Contact Rashmi 96746698. Purchase experienced 8 years in Construction Company Indian male 45 yrs, release & D/L available. Contact: 90268183 / 96987234 Marketing Executive/Merchandiser, Omani License, BA 8 years Experience in Multinational Groups. Contact 97601343

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Looking for job, steel, fabricator & helper. Contact : 93015630 Looking for job, Mason, carpenter, election and helper. Contact: 93015630

TOURS & TRAVELS Indian male travel & tourism seeking for suitable placement. Contact: 93675489 / 99204762

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male having 7 Years of Experience in Oman Having Valid Driving License working as a Office Driver ,Looking for a suitable Position, NOC Available. Contact: 99680429, E-mail:anzarkutty1975@gmail.com Syrian architect have years and half experience in oman looking for work, full time perfect in architectural programs 3d max , auto cad , Photoshop , and sketch up. for contact : 0096897482871 Female, Indian, 35 years, Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) fresh graduate with BSc looking for positions in Front Office, administration office, or any suitable positions in hospital, polyclinic, companies or Institutions. Contact 90236481. Indian Male 47 years MBA-Operations Management with total 25 Yrs exp inclusive of 9 yrs in Oil & Gas sector in Oman, having valid Omani D/L & NOC, seek challenging position in SCM/Logistics/Procurement. GSM-94236414. Mail id – dialindia33@gmail.com Well experienced management finance specialist having 18 years experience available for placement. Contact.95602518 Indian Male,27,ACCA Part Qualified,B.COM with 7+ yrs exp in receivables and credit control in Oman looking for suitable placements. NOC available. # 9657 4343. Indian Female, Science Graduate, 3 years Experience in Teaching back home. Looking for a suitable job opportunity as a teacher, in Schools in Muscat Region. Contact : 96431456 / 95704814 Looking for a suitable job as Jr. Accountant/ Jr. Administration in a reputed company. NOC Available. GSM # 93004738. Chemical Engineer Indian 2 years of experience in production field Contact: 91247222 Email:sahadpoonchola@gmail.com

S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Marketing Coordinator, Indian, Advertising Agency experienced person with D/L seeks good opening. 93031168 Male 25 years, B.E. Mechanical with CSWIP 3.1 and ASNT level 2, 3 yrs. of experience in QC in oil and gas industry. Currently working in Oman, NOC available. M:+968 91262792. vignesh1503@yahoo.com The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: tenders& real estate& construction & marketing projects& investments& transportation & Marine services& companies management& develop business. Contact :- 92385033 Indian male 23yr BA TTM(Travel and Tourism Management) with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logisitics and Shipping Management, exp in Logisitics (CHA) seeking in suitable placement, currently on visit visa(Oman) Contact;90291092 email:iyas.adhur@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer (UK), 28 years, male having 3.5 years experience, looking for suitable placement with valid Oman driving license NOC available. Immediate availability Contact: +968 97612297 Email: ymirza11@caledonian.ac.uk BE Mechanical Engineer, 23 years, Indian male on visit available for immediate placement please contact: 96145820 or arunsankar.10.92@gmail.com

Sales/marketing, Indian male 35, years, having13 years experience, in that 6 years experience of KSA seeks for suitable placement, on visit visa contact: 95954786, Email:syedhameeduddin16@ gmail.com

BSC (Hons) Civil Engineer with Oman work experience and valid driving license looking for immediate placement in consultancy or construction ﬁrm currently on visit visa. Contact: 91181680

Indian male having 11 yrs experience 4 yrs in Oman in purchase, stores & logistics, having valid Omani D/L and N.O.C in Hand, looking for suitable position any where in Oman. Contact : 92369700

Indian Electrical Engineer B. Tech, female 24 seeking job. presently in oman having 2 year experience in design and estimation of Ht &Lt projects. Contact number 96897436557, Mail id : sibinanoop1@gmail.com

Indian male, 22 yrs, BBA, Travel & tourism brought up in Muscat, seeks suitable placement in Sales & Marketing. #93519369

Light Vehicle Driver, Fluent in Arabic, English. Well knowledge of Oman Areas looking for suitable placement. Contact: 97950869

Accountant , Indian (Kerala) male, more than 09 years experience in Qatar (02 years) and New Delhi experience upto ﬁnalization of Accounts & expertise in using Tally ERP-9, MS Office (Word & Excel). Currently on visit visa, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 97864890 / 97268429 Email: vinodthomas80@gmail.com

B.Tech (Electrical & Electronic) with MBA in marketing having 9 years of experience seeking a suitable position as Sales & Marketing/ Business Development executive. Contact-(97043494)

Young 24 yrs, ACCA affiliate , advanced diploma in Accounting business, seeking suitable placement in accounts ﬁnance or audit with valid driving license. Contact: 92430152 Email: rau_day@yahoo.com

Indian female dentist prometric cleared seeking suitable openings in Muscat. Contact 95585807, 92880267

Senior Accountant ,NOC avaliable,5yr.exp.in oman, Accounting upto ﬁnalisation, computer skills tally9, Sage ERP accpac 500(6.0A), Vcams , Audit ,valid oman driving licence, languages known english , arabic, hindi. can join immediately. Tel: (+968) 96339599, E-mail(ahmedmohdkhan@gmail.com)

Indian Male more than 10 years gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin, Secretarial and purchase with good computer skills. Having Driving license and NOC available. Looking for suitable placement. Contact: 95149624 SENIOR ACCOUNTANT: Indian male, Graduate & CA Article ship completed. 18 Years of experience. Currently on visiting visa. seeks suitable placement. Contact: 97498809, 98569025, Email: hilariankj@gmail.com Indian male, B.E. mechanical, 16 yrs experience, for Quotation, Tender, Accounts, Business development, Sohar Area, Part Time. Mb. 94215208 25 yrs male, BA English as Master in Digital Animation, 5 yrs exp. in character animation specialized in autodesk & software knowledge seeks suitable placement. Contact 97917356 9 years experience in construction Purchase seeking suitable placement immediately, NOC available. Contact: 97332401 Digital marketing / ad words/ analytics / SEO expert, exp 5 yrs (male) certiﬁed) , (visit visa). Contact: 93594114 (visit visa). Email: abeyre@gmail.com Hotel exp 4 years F+ B (service) visit visa expires 13/11/2015, B.A Hotel Management. Contact: 91987013 / 96971643 Email: shinekls34@gmail.com Kerala Electrical Technician, foreman cum Storekeeper (Electrical). Contact: 93563744 Civil Engineer B.Tech with Iosh, Nebosh certiﬁcation having valid Omani driving license looking for suitable job. Contact: 93631625

B.E. Electronics Engineer, Indian male 22 years, seeking suitable job, currently on visit visa. Contact 99226928, E mail : sanath301@gmail.com

Part time accountant, senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, up to finalization. contact.95254864 Indian Diploma Engineer, NEBOSH Qualified with valid oman D/L, Seeks placement in HSE. Contact: 97066980 Indian male 23yr BA TTM(Travel and Tourism Management) with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logisitics and Shipping Management, exp in Logisitics (CHA) seeking in suitable placement, currently on visit visa(Oman) contact;90291092 email:iyas.adhur@gmail.com Sudanese / civil engineering Diploma / 5 years experience / deal with most popular computer programs / good in English / fluent in Arabic. Contact: 96995670 Indian male 26 years, 4 years experience as system and network engineer. B. Tech graduate. Looking for suitable opening. Contact:93125669, Email:amritrajgt18@gmail.com MALE ACCOUNTANT, age 25 years, ACCA UK finalist with 4 years experience in accounting & audit in Pakistan, now in Muscat on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact 90197029, muzammalhafiz16@gmail.com Indian male, 1 Year Experience in Logisitics (CHA) field. Qualification BA Travel and Tourism Management with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logisitics and Shipping Management. Currently On Visit Visa Oman, seeks suitable placement. Contact :90291092

Engineer- Mechanical 4 years experience looking for vocational instructor/lecturer/technical mechanical engineer jobs. Contact : 95598477/93211870, Email: rajeesh4me@gmail.com Indian male 33 yrs, BCA ,10 years experience (India & Oman) IT Support, System administrator/ Supervisor looking for suitable Job.#95448561. Sudanese /Diploma in civil engineering/5 years experience/ good computer’ skills / English & Arabic/Mobil 96995670 Sudanese male , 31 year old , have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 7 years experience in building construction and electrical production plant.Contact 94549609 Site supervisor (Aluminium Division ) With Driving License, Fluent in English , Arabic, Well knowledge of Oman Areas Looking for suitable placement. Cell# 97950869 31 year Indian male PG in HR ,with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement(NOC Available). Contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com Indian male, B.E. Mechanical, 16 yrs experience, for Quotation, Tender, Accounts, Business development, Sohar Area, Part Time. Contact 94215208 Admin, having 10+ years experience in Admin/HR/Logistics/Time Keeper, in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat. (NOC Available) Contact- 94369965, mail - satya1528@gmail.com IT Lecturer , Indian male 30yrs,MSc Computer Science(on visit) 7 years experience in Teaching is looking for college or school.Contact:99842554 Email:riazkalleli@gmail.com Msc (IT), 2 yrs of Experience in Software Development (Oracle ADF, sql, pl/sql), Oracle OCA & SQL Expert, Currently on visit visa. Contact : +968 93755858 / 92141644, Email : shiralkarmuzammil@yahoo.com Male 25 years, B.E. Mechanical with CSWIP 3.1 and ASNT level 2, 3 yrs. of experience in QC in oil and gas industry. Currently working in Oman, NOC available. M: 91262792. vignesh1503@yahoo.com Indian Female Accountant 5 Years of Experience in Accounting Tally, Sales coordination,and Admin, Currently on Visit Visa seeking suitable placement. Contact :95684179

SITUATION WANTED Sudanese / 30 years old / M.Sc. Logistics Management /English & Arabic/ logistics - procurement inventory planning / 91270881 Indian (Bangalore), internal auditor / senior accountant having (Gulf) 8 years, (India) 15 years experience, presently on employment visa seeking suitable placement in Salalah / Muscat. Contact 968 94765948, email:amituppin@gmail.com Indian male, 19 years experience in purchase, material coordinator in building/pipe line construction & factory production ﬁeld. have good computer skills & driving license and NOC, looking for a suitableplacement. mr.victor2015@hotmail.com Contact: 99008101

Indian female,33 yrs MSc,BEd with computer knowledge having 3yrs experience in teaching,looking for suitable job on visit visa. Contact: 9704 2806 Mail:poornimaajith11@gmail.com

Indian Male,27 years, MCA, 3 years Experience in Web developer, Technical Supporter, looking for suitable position. Presently Working in India. Contact- +91 7403288953, +91 9020679788. Email-vinuvn88@gmail.com.

Indian male 23 years old graduate with one year experience in Sales & Marketing with valid Oman driving license seeking suitable opportunities. (NOC available). Contact: +968 98240510 , Gmail: affanahamed0@gmail.com

Indian male having 14 years of experience in HR, Purchase Dept, having Oman driving license looking for a suitable position , at Salalah. Noc available. Email. Madhuvtk@ gmail.com Contact: 91182907

Maintenance Engineer, Indian, male, DME, 36 years of age with 16 years of experience in machine maintenance and handling machine breakdowns, currently on visit visa seeking suitable position. Contact: 92180933; email: rramesssh@yahoo.com

Civil Engineer B.tech with iosh nebosh certiﬁcation having valid Omani driving license, looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: 93631625

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT/ACCOUNTANT, with 8 years experience in Accounts ( 5 Years in Oman) in a Trading Company, capable of handling all accounting , Banking, L/C, import &Finalization with Driving Licence. Noc Available seek Suitable Placement.GSM-98184170.

B.Tech, MBA (Marketing), PGDM (IB) having 9 years of experience in sales & marketing/ business development seeking for suitable position. Valid Driving License Phn-97043494

B.A Economics, Indian male, 12 years experience in teaching, both academic & Quran, looking for an opportunity. Contact 9845 6432, 9967 8470

31 years, Indian male PG in HR , with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement(NOC Available). Contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com

Sudanese female, B.sc on account.16 years experience. Good in working out ﬁnancial report break down of monthly and annual budget’s. follow up tax ﬁles and social Insurance costingard feasibility study. Email: amani.eltayeb@hotmail.com, mobile:92037605

FEMALE SYRIAN ARCHITECT ,new graduate have good experience in architect programs, autocad 3d max ,sketch up , Photoshop ,sketch up, searching for a job full time or part time, for Contact : 97482871

Indian Female 10 years as cook in Muscat, Oman . South Indian, Gujarati special food, Looking for part time. Contact 96710189

Indian Male 33 yrs, BCA ,10 years experience(India & Oman) IT Support, System administrator/supervisor looking for suitable Job. Contact 95448561

INDIAN MALE accountant, 12 years experience in accounting with tally also, looking for a suitable placement. Contact . 98983122

Indian male, 10 years Driving experience in Dubai. Looking as a company driver job. Contact : 96180458 , +91 99 61 019366 (India )

MALE ACCOUNTANT, age 25 years, ACCA UK ﬁnalist with 4 years experience in accounting & audit in Pakistan, now in Muscat on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact 90197029, muzammalhaﬁz16@gmail.com

32 years, Indian Male MSC,MBAHR having 7.5yrs Exp (HR/SAP operations) with Oman valid driving license, seeking suitable opening in Human Resource & Admin/ backend jobs. Contact: 99322978

Advertising/media executive with 15 years gulf experience with oman driving license. Seeks good opening. 93031168. Indian male MBA (MKTG) B.com having 2 years experience in sales marketing and business development looking for a suitable opening presently on family visit visa. Contact: 93268245 Email: gregjose1991@gmail.com Indian male with CA & CPA having 20 years of experience, currently on visit seeks suitable placement. Contact: 93910095 Email: rejithomas07@gmail.com Filipino male, 29 Graduate of Bs IT with GCC experience as document controller and Executive Secretary looking for employment. Contact: +968 93929569 Indian female MSC computer Sc, IELTS certiﬁed experienced in teaching higher grades IGCSE GD, CBSE in Oman and India seeking suitable placement. Contact: 98048946 Indian male, 19 years experience in purchase, material coordinator in building construction & factory production ﬁeld. have good computer skills & driving license and NOC, looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 99008101 Sales Manager MBA, having 12 years of experience with valid GCC driving license looking for a suitable position NOC available. Contact: 98125226

S U N DAY, N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SIT. WANTED Indian female M.Sc Physics, B.Ed having 5 years experience in teaching looking for suitable job. #97367389 Female accountant on family visa available for part time / full time. Contact: 98002428 Electrical Forman Indian male 38 years, total 19 yrs exp in electrical ﬁeld, electrical Forman exp 4 yrs in Oman seeking suitable placement. Contact: 97379290 MECH. Engg with 3+ year’s exp in India & U.A.E (Site Engg / Sales Engg) in oil & gas on visit visa looking for suitable jobs. Contact 97896725 Email: georgymct@gmail.com Indian male, 4 years of experience in Structured cabling, termination and Fiber optic splicing. Looking for a suitable Placement. NOC available. GSM- 92484039, Email –rajaveer8989@gmail.com Pakistani male, MBA(Marketing) +PGD(HR) with 9 yrs experience in banking & hospital industry (Consumer Credit Review, Admin & HR). 3 yrs experience as Asst Manager, Admin & HR in famous private hospital in Oman with NOC. Contact: 95761982 or umerok@hotmail.com Indian Female, 35years, Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) fresh graduate with BSc and MA looking for positions in Front Office,administration office, or any suitable positions in hospital, polyclinic, companies or Institutions. Contact 90236481 Admin, having 10+ years experience in Admin/HR/Logistics/ Time Keeper, in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat. #968 94369965,mail satya1528@gmail.com Pakistani male 29 years General Salesman with 5 years of experience, valid Oman D/L looking for suitable placement. #97216830 Chemical Engineer, Indian, 2 years of exp in industrial production, seeking suitable placement. contact 91247222 Indian male 25 years, MBA ﬁnance and marketing with tally have 1.3 year experience in India. Now in Oman on visit visa. GSM: 97445488 INDIAN FEMALE– ME in CSE with 2 years’ experience in teaching seeking Suitable Job Opportunity. Contact: 94263445 or +91 9486251274, E mail – apshinmar@gmail.com

SIT. WANTED Working as Senior accountant,5yr. exp.in oman, Accounting upto finalisation, relevant computer skills tally9, Sage, vcams , Audit ,valid oman driving license, languages known English, Arabic, Hindi. NOC avaliable can join immediately. Tel: (+968) 96339599. E-mail-(ahmedmohdkhan@gmail. com) Structure/Pipeline,Piping Draughtsman have 12+ yrs. Exp. in Oman seeking suitable placement. Contact 92103713 NOC available. Network/Noc engineer, CCNA certified & CCNP trained, Indian male 27 years B.com(general) 5 years & 4 month’s of experience in the field of networking seeks for better placement. contact 97663834 / 98730758 Civil Engineer B.Sc -6 years experience with constructions companies - qualified as A Project Engineer & Planning Engineer . Contact+968-94682217 Indian male 22 years, looking for suitable placement in Hardware and Networking field, Having 1 year exp. in India, training in al ameen computers Muscat Ruwi. Qualification is Diploma in Electronics and Communication at present I am having my valid employee visa In the same work. Contact : - 9739622910/8050101914, Email -fairozhuded13@gmail.com ACCOUNTANT, Male, 8 years experience, presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license. NOC available, seek suitable opportunity. GSM: 97705854 23, Male, ACCA Affiliate, OBU Bsc, 2.5 years of experience in audit and finance in Big 6 Firms, Looking for permanent placement in similar field. Release NOC available. Contact: 95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com 22, Male, Indian, BBA (Marketing), 1 year experience in India, Looking for suitable placement in Sales and Marketing. #91897046, azzamsiddique1@gmail.com

ACC. AVAILABLE

COMPUTER

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room, Kitchen & store including utilities bills at Al hail. #92817777 Single room for rent at Mumtaz area. Contact: 96916398 / 95212017 Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080

1 room with bathroom for rent in khuwair with ac, RO 120 not negotiable. Contact 92724472 4 bedrooms, 2 living room, 3 bathrooms, 1 kitchen with ac in Khuwair asking 500 not negotiable. Contact 92724472

WEBSITE

Split & window A/c servicing & maintenance. Contact: 93769089 / 95323517

Single room for expat Indian bachelors near Al Aktham restaurant Al khuwair for RO 120. Water and electricity included. Contact:98803261

House shifting & transporting. Contact 92490422 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807

Sharing accommodation available for an Executive Bachelor in Al Khuwair (near Zawawi Mosque). Contact 92138451 or 93883755.

CLASSES

Single bhk ﬂat available in Honda road Ruwi. Contact 24833972/ 24833974/ 99367448

IELTS & TOEFL Academic / General Target Band 8 TQT Institute.

Room for rent available in a ﬂat for Executive bachelor at Azaiba behind Al Meera Hypermarket Azaiba with attached bath with Cot & A/C, rent RO 175/- per month including Water & Electricity. Contact 96404166 / 97433992

Ph # 24480800 / 99347202

Furnished room available in Ruwi. Contact: 92435784

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English class for Malayalam Speakers

Big room available near Hamriya R/A for Muslim couple / small family / Executive bachelor rent 150/- per month including W+ E.# 99495131

GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

Split & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 96236476

in Azaiba and Ruwi earn in two months tion guaranteed WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price. Contact: http//webviewoman

Tel: 95244310 Karate and self defense classes at Azaiba 18 Nov Street. RO 10 per month twice a week Monday and Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM CONTACT 98294551

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 We are providing services like Auditing, Accounting, Taxation, Company Formation & Project Feasibility Study. ASAS AUDIT & CONSULTANCY. Contact at 91720465/94319719/24602222 Window & split unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517 Cleaning & Carpet Shampooing, Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99884591 Water prooﬁng ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722 Maintenance electrical, painting, plastering, partition. #98767559 Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 / 94285064 Split window unit A/ C servicing. Contact 94694472 Pest Control Treatments. Ocean Center LLC. #99344723 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & antitermite treatment, general cleaning painting,Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. Contact: 24810137, 99450130

S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

TOURS

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

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

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

M.V.FOR SALE Nissan Altima 2.5S, 2012HY, excellent condition dealer maintained. Contact: 97717152

RENT A CAR

Tucson automatic 2007 – V6, R.O 2000/-. Contact: 99384640

TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact 99508282 Pick & drop. Contact: 96692774 Transportation any time Al Ghoubra. Contact: 97681599 Driver with car. Contact: 92279370

Ware house space for rent at Ghala and Barka up to 20000/- Sqm. Contact: 99509460 / 93731363

Transportation. Contact: 94087276 Transport. Contact: 94510847

MANPOWER

Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba. Contact: 91103909 Best Rates for Saloon. Tel: 99826300 / 97869042, rentacar@modernreem.com

DRIVING

GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage steambath, obesity, Spondylitis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street Azaiba. Contact: 99639695 / 98342990 FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 99250777, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133. For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit:www.islamfact.com

Learn driving with professional. Contact: 94022250

MATRIMONIAL Nair girl, 24 yrs, MBA ﬁn – Mar, now working looking for Nair boy. Contact: 93067505 (After 6pm) Seeking alliance for our son from Muslim families. Interested families Contact: 99889590