Times of Oman

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SRI LANKANS VOTE OUT PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa lost his bid for a third term, ending a decade of rule that critics say had become increasingly authoritarian. >A9

SATURDAY, January 10, 2015 / 19 Rabi Al Awal 1436 AH timesofoman.com

CABLES

His Majesty receives thanks from Kuwait, Laos

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Oman condemns attacks; suspects killed in France

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of thanks from His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait in reply to His Majesty the Sultan’s condolences cable on the death of Sheikh Salim Abdullah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.

In his cable, Sheikh Al Sabah expressed his utmost thanks for His Majesty the Sultan’s sincere condolences and sympathy, praying to Allah the Almighty to rest the deceased’s soul in peace and protect His Majesty against all harms.

Denouncing the killings, both French and Omani citizens sympathised with the families of the victims killed in the blatant assault

SARAH MACDONALD

Laos His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has also received a cable of thanks from President Choummaly Sayasone of the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos in reply to His Majesty the Sultan’s greetings cable on the occasion of his country’s National Day. In his cable, President Sayasone of People’s Democratic Republic of Laos expressed his utmost thanks and appreciation for His Majesty the Sultan’s greetings and best wishes, wishing His Majesty good health and happiness and the Omani people further progress and prosperity. -ONA

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sarah@timesofoman.com

HOSTAGE CRISIS ENDS: Several hostages were freed after French

commandos stormed a supermarket in eastern Paris where an assailant was holed up on Friday. The police stormed the shop in Portes de Vincennes and hostages were taken to safety. -AFP

MUSCAT: Oman joined the world in condemning Wednesday’s attack by three gunmen on a newspaper in Paris that left 12 people dead even as French citizens in the Sultanate mourned the loss of lives.

Two brothers suspected of attacking the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo were killed when police stormed their hideout on Friday, AFP reported on Friday.

Both French citizens in the Sultanate and Omani nationals were quick to condemn the killings.

The French Tricolour flew at half-mast over the Embassy of

The flag at half-mast over the Embassy of France in Muscat.

France in Muscat on Thursday, as a ceremony was held at noon to honour the victims of the attack.

Othman El Kachtoul, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of France in Muscat, said the attacks weren’t just an attack on the newspaper, but on French values. “It was just a shock. It’s a very terrible crime, a terrorist attack. I think it’s not only Charlie Hebdo which was attacked. Yesterday liberty, freedom, the first value of the French Republic was attacked,” he said.

El Kachtoul said he didn’t know anyone from the newspaper personally, but his heart went out to the whole community at Charlie Hebdo, the Paris neighbourhood, and his country as a whole.

“For the moment our thoughts go to the families and we should

express our deep feelings against this kind of behaviour in the name of Islam. Everyone knows that these acts are not Islam,” he noted.

According to the French government, there are approximately 5 to 6 million Muslims in France.

El Kachtoul said that because of the secular nature of his homeland, it’s easy to be both French and Muslim.

“I think being Muslim and being French is not opposite. We can be French and Muslim because the values of the French republic are just human values, humanitarian values. Every value of the French republic is compatible with Islam and vice-versa.”

El Kachtoul said being French can mean many things, but most importantly it means living the three main values of liberty, equality and fraternity. He said they are the bases that keep French people living together, regardless of religious or political different.

Clémence Fily, a French citizen who lives in Oman, said she and many French people were very familiar with the cartoonists from Charlie Hedbo who were killed, especially Jean Cabut (nicknamed Cabu) who worked on a popular children’s TV show in the 1970s and 1980s, so the attack was heartbreaking.

“We, the French people, are very, very shocked and really sad,” she said. >A3 See also >A10

NEW CENTRE IN SEEB SOON

M O T I VAT I O N A L S P E A K E R

Noted Indian author to address Oman workshop on March 19 Times News Service

Indian author Chetan Bhagat.

MUSCAT: Well-known Indian author, columnist, screenwriter and speaker, Chetan Bhagat will be in Oman on March 19 to address a motivational workshop.

The workshop entitled an ‘Evening with Chetan Bhagat’ is being organised by Intevents.

“Chetan Bhagat is renowned for his blockbuster novels, some of which have been made into films, and his screenplay writing, but not many people know that he is also a highly influential motivational speaker. ‘An Evening with Chetan Bhagat’ will reveal a side of the man we are not familiar with, a side that is definitely worth knowing,” said Zaheer Ahmed, Confer-

PROCESS FOR ADMISSION

ence Director of Intevents.

Ticket at discounted rates have been made available to students interested in registering for this workshop. Furthermore, students and other members of the general public are entitled to a special early-bird discount if they register for the workshop before February 19, 2015.

Bhagat is the author of bestselling books like Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Centre (2005), The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008), 2 States (2009), Revolution 2020 (2011), the non-fiction title, What Young India Wants (2012) and Half Girlfriend (2014).

He writes columns for leading English and Hindi newspapers, focussing on youth and national

development issues and is also a screenplay writer. Bhagat quit his international investment banking career in 2009 to devote his time to writing and making change happen in the country.

He lives in Mumbai with his wife, Anusha, an ex-classmate from Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, and his twin boys, Shyam and Ishaan.

Chetan has spoken at more than 100 organisations in 50 cities around the world. He speaks at corporate companies, educational institutions, government bodies and volunteer agencies. His diverse professional background makes him the ideal person to share his thoughts and experiences on various subjects.

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

MOHAMMED FAHMI RAJAB

OMAN

Forms for admission to Indian schools from January 11

Top tourist destination

1

Oman has been ranked as a top travelling destination for GCC tourists who are looking for short holidays, said a senior official of the Ministry of Tourism. >A3

Times News Service MUSCAT: Parents seeking admission for their children in Indian schools can apply from January 11, 2015.

The website related to admission, www.indianschoolsoman. com make available updated information and online registration forms from January 11.

“It contains relevant details and answers to all the frequently asked questions that parents may have.

Parents are advised to go through the details on the site from January 11, 2015,” said a press statement from the Indian Schools’ Board of Directors.

“The Board of Directors (BoD) is finalising the process of admission for the academic year 2015 – 2016.

The Centralised Admission System (CAS) for the six schools in the capital and the computerised random draw has firmed up well.

“Due to the large number of parents seeking admission for their children in Indian schools the demand generally outstrips the total number of available seats at all schools in the capital.

“Despite, several difficulties, the

43,000 students are admitted to various Indian schools of the Sultanate

BoD has successfully managed to provide seats to children,” said the press statement.

According to the release, the CAS online registration introduced by the BoD has facilitated the entire admission process, making it convenient for parents and schools to beat the rush. The increase in the number of students in 19 Indian schools in the Sultanate has been phenomenal during the last few years.

“Today the figure stands at staggering 43,000 with a sizeable number in the six capital schools. The demand for seats is more from KG I to Class II. The BoD is fully aware of its social responsibility and it is doing everything possible to augment the infrastructure,” it said.

OMAN

EXTRA

MERS-CoV claims life How calories work

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The Ministry of Health on Thursday announced the death of a patient diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). >A3

Seeb has the most beggary cases in Muscat Governorate

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If you eat your food raw, you will tend to lose weight. If you eat the same food cooked, you will tend to gain weight. Same calories, different outcome. >B5

Oman look to ‘surprise’ South Korea in Canberra

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MUSCAT: Wilayat of Seeb tops other wilayats of the Muscat Governorate in the number of beggary cases, said Abdullah bin Khalfan Al Talei, head of the beggary control team.

Seeb is followed by Ruwi and Muttrah, respectively.

In an interview to Al Shabiba, Al Talei said that a branch of the beggary control team would be opened shortly in Seeb. The team does not refer citizens accused of begging to the public prosecution unless it studies their social and financial conditions and identifies the reasons.

The team currently works under the Ministry of Social Development and comprises staff of the Ministry of Social Development and the Security and Safety Services Company.

The main role of the team is to identify cases in all age groups.

There are other teams besides the main Muscat-based team in the Governorates of Al Batinah, Al Dhahirah, Al Buraimi and Dhofar, operating under the main team affiliated to the Ministry of Social Development. The team conducts daily inspections to identify begging cases.

“We study cases in terms of their social and economic conditions to determine whether the person is entitled to assistance or not. If it is proved that the beggar is entitled to receive support, we facilitate social security pension for him,” said Al Talei.

“We have an employee from

the Ministry of Manpower in the team for seeking job opportunities for beggars. In case a beggar is found to have another source of living or is capable of performing any other job and refuses to do so, we refer such cases to the Public Prosecution for action under the Omani penal law promulgated by the Royal Decree No. 4/2011,” he added.

The penalty for begging at a public or private place is imprisonment for not less than two months and a fine of not less than OMR50 and not more than OMR100 or either of the penalties.

The Royal Decree No. 4/2011 has added other cases of begging including selling of trivial or fake items such as perfumes, frankincense, sticks, etc., other than in the places designated for this purpose.

“The issue of begging requires other departments such as Muscat Municipality, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Public Authority for Consumer Protection and the Ministry of Manpower to co-operate with us,” he said.

The penalties for begging are the same for citizens and residents. However, in the case of begging by expatriates, deportation is added to the stipulated penalty.

In 2013, we identified some cases of organised begging (human trafficking), wherein some beggars got in touch with some taxi drivers to take them to places where they can do begging, provided that the drivers facilitate their exit from the country, whenever necessary.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015 it is continuing its efforts to monitor and control the disease through the epidemic monitoring system in-force nd the readiness of all referral hospitals to handle these cases.

Ministry of Health statement

OMAN

D I P L O M AT I C T I E S

H E A LT H M I N I S T R Y

Sayyid Fahd receives Speaker of Sudanese House MUSCAT: His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers received Dr Al Fatih Izz Al Deen Al Mansour, Speaker of the National Assembly in the Republic of Sudan, who is currently visiting the Sultanate.

The Sudanese guest conveyed greetings of President Omar Hassan Al Basheer of the Republic of Sudan, along with his best wishes of success to His Majesty and the Omani people further progress and prosperity. He also expressed thanks for Oman’s constant support.

During the meeting, the good relations between the two brotherly countries were reviewed stemming from the fraternal ties binding them. HH Sayyid Fahd highlighted the role being carried out by the State Council and Majlis Al Shura in enhancing the march of the national work, as well as coop-

eration with the Government and other state institutions to provide best services for citizens.

Conversation during the meeting touched on means of supporting cooperation between the two countries in a number of fields, in addition to reviewing the latest developments at the regional and international arenas.

The Speaker of the Sudanese National Assembly expressed his delight and that of his accompanying delegation of this visit. He hailed the policies being pursued by the Sultanate at the domestic and international levels, as well as the march of the Omani Shura.

The meeting was attended by Khalid bin Hilal Al Ma’awali, Chairman of Majlis Al Shura, Salim bin Ali Al Ka’abi, Deputy Chairman of Majlis Al Shura and Awadh Mohammed Ahmed bin Ouf, Sudanese ambassador to the Sultanate.–ONA

CEMENTING TIES: The Speaker of the Sudanese National Assembly hailed the policies being pursued by the Sultanate at the domestic and international levels, as well as the march of the Omani Shura.–ONA

Oman tops short-haul GCC tourists’ choice

GLOBAL ATTRACTIONS: To attract more tourists during the upcoming tourism season, MoT in collaboration with Oman Air recently held a promotional event at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. –File photograph

Times News Service

The proactive measures undertaken by the Omani government to sustain the seamless expansion in the country’s tourism sector have complemented the growth of tourism in the Sultanate

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MUSCAT: Oman has been ranked as a top travel destination for GCC tourists who are looking for short holidays, said a senior official of the Ministry of Tourism (MOT).

This comes after Oman emerged as one of the most preferred destinations among GCC travellers, registering a 17 per cent increase in GCC citizens at the end of the third quarter of 2014.

According to the latest statistics by the National Centre for Statistics and Information, (NCSI) over 701,311 inbound tourists from the GCC visited the Sultanate until September 2014.

Salem Adi Al Mamari, director general of tourism promotion, Oman Ministry of Tourism, said that compared with other countries, Oman offers a wide range of variety in its geographical features,

making it an attractive destination for all-year-round tourism.

“From ancient forts to most modern hotels, beaches to mountains, cuisines to spas, and recreation to relaxation, we have something to satisfy the needs of even the most discerning travellers.

Besides, the Sultanate boasts of world-class airports, a wide network of highways, superior ports to make the travel inside and outside the country smooth. We have partnered with Oman Air, the national carrier airline of Oman, to offer economical and interesting travel packages to attract potential travellers to see our country as well as remind the existing travellers to visit again,” he said.

The proactive measures undertaken by the Omani government to sustain the seamless expansion in the country’s tourism sectors have complemented this growth.

The country has witnessed a spurt in developing activities in its infrastructural facilities, including airports, roads and rail networks, and maritime sectors.

To attract more tourists during the upcoming tourism season, MoT in collaboration with Oman Air recently held a promotional event at the Conrad Hotel Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The event was aimed at reinforcing the joint venture between both parties to promote Oman as the leading tourist destination for short breaks.

The session included informative and interactive presentations on Oman’s tourism infrastructure and facilities along with the announcement of attractive and cost-effective holiday packages designed for GCC visitors, including luxury hotel stays and return tickets from Oman Air.

MERS-CoV claims life in Sultanate MUSCAT: The Ministry of Health on Thursday announced the death of a patient diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERSCoV). The case is the third in its kind in the Sultanate after an year’s gap from the two previous cases. In a statement the Ministry said that it is continuing its efforts to monitor and control the disease through the epidemic monitoring system in-force and the readiness of all referral hospitals to handle these cases.

The Ministry called upon those handling animals, especially camels, to remain cautious. It advised those suffering from respiratory symptoms, such as flu to consult a physician and take all precautions.–ONA

FRANCE CARNAGE

A1 ‘Attacks won’t cause backlash in France’ < FROM

Fily added that she hoped the attacks would not cause more internal divisions in France, especially a backlash against Muslims. “We want people to know the attackers are not Muslims but crazy. That is not what Islam is about,” she commented.

The Omani government was quick to condemn the attacks, too. In a statement issued by ONA the Sultanate stressed its firm positions in renouncing violence, terrorism in all its forms and the resulting casualties and the destruction in life and property, calling for the need for concerted international efforts to contain and counter terrorism.

In Oman people expressed a lot of concern about the attacks on Charlie Hebdo, too. Most people distanced themselves from the three men who carried out the crimes.

“These attackers don’t represent Islam. They do it for their own reasons which has nothing to do with the religion of tolerance, love and coexistence,” 31 year old oil engineer Said Al Rashdi, a resident of Al Khuwair told Times of Oman.

Abdulrahim Al Balushi, a 52-year-old school teacher and a resident of Ghubra, said the gunmen should be brought to justice.

“The attackers are not Muslims and they should be punished and put on trail for their crimes.

They are nothing but criminals,” he said.

Nawaf Al Jardani, a 22-year old business student, echoed those sentiments. “Real Muslims do not go on killing people or harm anybody. Theses attackers give a bad name to Islam. They should pay for their crimes. No mercy

should be shown to them,” Al Jardani commented.

There were active discussions on local social media. On the Times of Oman Facebook page readers debated the attacks, some saying religion should never be mocked, because Charlie Hebdo had published cartoons mocking Islam as well as Christianity and Judaism, while others said there was no justification for the killings.

One reader, Maryam Aymi, said that Muslims need to stop being reactionary and instead live their lives as peaceful examples of their religion, especially in a globalised world with diverse ideas and ideology.

“We have to be secure enough as Muslims to tolerate what nonMuslims do, even when they draw a caricature or produce a video that mock our beloved Prophet (PBUH). We know that our Prophet was a merciful and loving man, husband and father, so why do we get offended every time there’s a cartoon about him depicting him as somebody who isn’t him?” Aymy wrote.

Omani national Hussain Al Noumani said he was saddened by the attacks in Paris, but not surprised. He attributed them to the blowback effect, when Islamic militant groups turn on Western powers who have been funding groups in the Middle East.

“It’s quite unfortunate what has happened in France with the terror attack on Charlie Hebdo, but France should understand that their support for militant groups in Syria who have slaughtered thousands there has indirectly led to yesterday’s terror attacks!” Al Noumani told Times of Oman. -With inputs from ONA

‘ N E C TA R I N A S I E V E ’

Oman-based artists to show their works at Gallery Sarah Times News Service

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

MUSCAT: The exhibition, ‘Nectar in a Sieve’, will be inaugurated at Gallery Sarah on Monday by Al Shaima Ali Ibrahim Al Raisi, member of the Muscat Municipal Council.

‘Nectar in a Sieve’ is a joint exhibition, featuring the works of Gabriella Gorbedi and Debjani Bhardwaj, two artists based in Oman. These artists deal with illusions, fragility and transformation.

Material and imagery from the Middle East are used to create alternate universes, which reconcile the differences between dreams and reality and also explore the tentative bindings between nature and culture.

The title, ‘Nectar in a Sieve’ suggests the rich yet illusory nature of life. Similarly, the works of both artists are delicate, subtle, and imaginative and use the memory of the place they inhabit as the primary tool for inspiration.

PHOTO GALLERY

Endless possibilities Hungarian artist Gorbedi sees endless possibilities of re-interpreting the natural gum of the Omani frankincense tree and chooses to transform them into playful sensory pieces and installations.

She collects natural found objects and combines them with Frank-

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

assemblages using hand-built clay; natural material and factory-manufactured items discovered in the souqs of Muscat to shape absurd narratives open to interpretation by the viewer.

DIFFERENT STROKES: Left, Debjani Bhardwaj and one of her works, and right, Gabriella Gorbedi and a creation by her.

incense to create experimental, sculptural, organic forms that awaken the senses.

Gabriella’s dream is to bring healing to individuals and societies through her art, using the healing properties of frankincense. On a global level frankincense links different cultures and religions. On a personal level it is a tool used to search for inner peace and happiness.

Links and common ground are crucial in an era where tension ex-

ists, when there is a cry for more understanding and acceptance.

Frankincense is one link where an agreement can be arrived at.

Gabriella is a member of Omani Fine Arts Society. She has displayed her work at group exhibitions in Suffolk Community College in New York, Santa Reparata School of Art in Florence, and the Omani Women’s Association in Salalah and Bait Al Zubair. Her limited edition prints are also on display at Royal Hospital in Muscat.

Indian artist Debjani Bhardwaj explores delicate mediums like paper and clay and prefers labour intensive, process oriented methods of creating. Alongside the trajectory of choreographed stillness, Debjani codifies the ephemeral use intangible elements of light and shadows and renegotiates space in intricately crafted paper-cut works.

She has used the symmetries of geometric Mashrabiya patterns that adorn Islamic architecture to

shape harmony from an otherwise discordant arrangement of forms.

Her work appears to be detailed and with lace-like designs, but a closer inspection reveals a new perspective. Her visual landscape is proliferated by iterative logarithms of ubiquitous elements embedded in the Middle Eastern culture like itr bottles, niquabs, shishas, falcons, camels or date palm trees, to create her own unique paper patterns.

She also presents a series of 3D

‘Spindle Shuttle Needle’ Debjani is also a member of the Omani Fine Arts Society and her exhibitions are a regular feature in Dubai and Muscat in group and solo displays. She has held two solo exhibitions ‘Spindle Shuttle Needle’ Tashkeel, Bastakiya in Dubai, and ‘Seeing the Invisible’, Centre Franco Omanais in Muscat.

She is a Masters in Fine Arts from the Open College of the Arts, University of Creative Arts in the United Kingdom. ‘Nectar in a Sieve’ will be on till February 2, 2015, between 9.30am and 6pm, from Saturday to Thursday. For more information about the exhibition and Gallery Sarah activities please visit www.gallerysarah.com or follow them on social media.

To learn more about the artists, one can visit their websites www. gorbedi.com and debjani-inkspire. blogspot.com, respectively.

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

REGION

The five members of ‘an Al Qaeda cell’ had been detained and a sixth suspect, the owner of the vehicle used in Wednesday’s attack, was being sought by authorities General Abdel Razaq Al Moayed, Sanaa police chief

POLICE ACADEMY BOMBING

GAZA STRIP SHIVERS Palestinians walk along the beach of Gaza City on a stormy day on Friday. Heavy rains and near-freezing temperatures in the approaching storm threatened to deepen the misery of people in the Gaza Strip, where streets are still strewn with wreckage from a 50-day war with Israel last summer, thousands live in UN shelters and damaged homes and the power is on only six hours a day. — Reuters

Yemen arrests five suspects SANAA: Yemeni security forces have arrested five suspected Al Qaeda members accused of carrying out a car bomb attack on a police academy that killed 40 people, the Sanaa police chief said Friday.

General Abdel Razaq Al Moayed, quoted by the official Saba news agency, said the five members of “an Al Qaeda cell” had been detained and that a sixth suspect, the owner of the vehicle used in Wednesday’s attack, was being sought by authorities.

The official said the first suspect was arrested on Wednesday at the scene of the attack and had provided the names of the other four cell members.

The vehicle owner was identified by the registration documents, Moayed added.

The bombing targeted dozens of potential recruits lined up to register at the academy in the centre of the Yemeni capital, killing 40 and wounded 71 others.

Yemen’s top security body blamed Al Qaeda for the blast.

But a leader of Al Qaeda in Yemen, Sheikh Saleh Abdel Ilah Al Dahab, denied any involvement by the militant group in Wednesday’s attack.

“Al Qaeda has nothing to do with the incident,” he wrote on Twitter, accusing the Shiite Houthi militia that overran Sanaa in September of being behind the bombing. — AFP

Kerry, Zarif to meet in Geneva next week The meeting will take place ahead of lower-level bilateral nuclear talks between Iran and the six major powers expected to start on January 15

WASHINGTON: The US and Iranian foreign ministers will meet in Geneva on Wednesday to discuss the Iranian nuclear program ahead of a fresh round of talks among Tehran and major powers on the issue, a senior US official said on Friday.

The meeting will take place ahead of lower-level bilateral nuclear talks between Iran and members of six major powers expected to start on January 15 in Geneva as well as a collective discussion among the entire group scheduled to resume on January 18.

Speaking to reporters, the senior US State Department official said US Secretary of State John Kerry

ALL SET FOR DISCUSSION: US Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif are seen in this November 23, 2014 photograph. A senior US State Department official said Kerry and Zarif planned to meet so as ‘to provide guidance to their negotiating teams before their next round of discussions. – Reuters File photograph

and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif planned to meet so as “to provide guidance to their negotiating teams before their next round of discussions”.

In 2013, the US, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, struck a preliminary agreement

with Iran for Tehran to suspend sensitive nuclear work in return for easing some economic sanctions imposed on it.

However, the two sides failed for a second time in December to meet a self-imposed deadline for ending the stand-off and secur-

ing a comprehensive agreement, and extended the preliminary accord by seven months. Iranian and Western officials have said differences remain over Tehran’s uranium enrichment capacity, how fast economic sanctions should be lifted and other key issues. — Reuters

F I R S T G R O U N D A S S A U LT

Seven Saudis and Syrians arrested over border attack DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has arrested three Saudi nationals and four Syrians over links to a suicide bombing and gun attack on the kingdom’s border with Iraq, the first ground assault by militants on the frontier in years.

On Monday, militants killed two Saudi border guards and their commanding officer on the frontier with Iraq, the interior ministry said, in an assault one analyst called IS’s first assault on the kingdom.

On Friday, state news agency SPA quoted an interior ministry spokesman as saying three of the four attackers - who were all killed during the raid - were Saudi nationals and described them as members of the “deviant group”, a phrase authorities have used to describe Al Qaeda.

Weapons seized Security forces also seized weapons including AK47 automatic guns, hand grenades, explosive belts and cash including Iraqi and Syrian bank notes, from the scene where the attack took place. Seven people - three Saudis and four Syrians - have been arrested, he added.

No group claimed responsi-

bility for the assault in a remote desert area next to Iraq’s Anbar province, where the IS militant group is fighting Iraqi army forces backed by militias.

Raiders shot The four raiders shot at a border patrol on Monday morning near the city of Arar and when security officers responded, one of the attackers was captured and detonated an explosives belt and was killed.

Another attacker who was shot during an initial exchange of fire near the Suweif border post was also killed as were two other militants as they were trying to escape. Saudi forces have joined US-led air strikes against IS positions in Syria.

The group, which has declared its own caliphate and wants to redraw the map of the Middle East, has called for “lone-wolf” attacks against Saudi security forces, the minority and foreigners.

Saudi Arabia boosted its security on the frontier with Iraq in July, adding thousands of troops to back up a border guards force, after IS seized swathes of territory in Iraq including in Anbar province. — Reuters

GROSS ABUSES

Hundreds slaughtered in South Sudan last year, says UN JUBA: Rebels in South Sudan slaughtered at least 353 civilians in April last year, including people sheltering in a mosque, hospital and a United Nations base, UN rights investigators said on Friday.

The report is the first detailed account of two incidents that have highlighted a pattern of gross abuses and atrocities committed during the year-old civil war in the world’s youngest nation.

The UN also noted that nearly nine months after the events, “no perpetrator has been held accountable” for the killings, which it said “may amount to war crimes.”

In the April 15 attack on the northern oil-town of Bentiu, fighters backing South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar murdered at least 287 civilians sheltering in a mosque, many of them traders and their families from neighbouring

Sudan’s Darfur region. “They lined up about 20 Darfurians, who were tied with their clothing... and told them to run to save their lives,” the report said. “When they ran, soldiers shot at them outside of the gate.” Later that day, 19 civilians were killed in the town’s hospital, UN investigators said.

Fighters also took to the radio urging rival groups to be forced from the town and for men to rape

women from the rival tribe. “Victims were deliberately targeted on the basis of their ethnicity, nationality or perceived support for one of the parties to the conflict,” the UN said in a 33-page report.

Two days later on April 17, in the eastern town of Bor, a gang of heavily-armed men marched on the UN base, where hundreds of civilians had fled to for protection.

The “mob forcibly entered the

protection site and went on a rampage of killing, looting and abductions”, the report by the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said, adding the assault left at least 47 dead -- including 11 children, one just eight months old -- and was likely to have been “planned in advance”.

The attack on Bentiu and the UN base in Bor are two of the most high profile massacres in a long

list of atrocities carried out in the more than a year-long civil war.

The UN report said while the war has been marked by “gross abuses” the two attacks “seemed to represent the nadir of the conflict.” At least 353 civilians were killed and another 250 were wounded in the attacks, the UN said. Some diplomats suggest it could be double that figure, while hunger and disease have killed thousands more. — AFP

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INDIA TA C K L E D R U G A B U S E

PROTEST AGAINST ASSAM KILLINGS Tribal artistes perform during a rally to protest against the recent Assam tribal massacre in Kolkata on Friday. Around 80 people were killed in the clashes last month. - PTI

Drug addiction in Punjab is national problem, says Badal GANDHINAGAR: Facing strident criticism over large-scale substance abuse in northern Indian state Punjab, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday said the state government is fighting the “nation’s war” against drug abuse.

“We have suffered a lot of pain in the past. First it was of partition, then militancy. Earlier we were labelled as terrorists and now they call us drug addicts,” an anguished Chief Minister told the Indian diaspora at the 13th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas event here.

Terming drug addiction a “national problem just like militancy,” Badal said, “We are waging the nation’s war against drugs.

Drugs come from outside, we in Punjab don’t make it. We have caught drugs coming into India from other states as well.”

Widespread drug abuse, apart

M Y S T E R I OU S D E AT H

Tharoor calls for a ‘professional probe’ into wife’s death THRISSUR (Kerala): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday sought a “professional” investigation into his wife Sunanda Pushkar’s death without “political” pressure and a “pre-determined” mind. “I have lost my wife and have not been allowed to mourn in peace,” the former central minister told the media outside at a private ayurvedic centre where he has been undergoing a 14-day general wellness treatment since December 26.

“I was completely taken aback because none of us in the family had any reason to believe that there was foul play in her passing away,” he said.

“It is very important that this (investigation) be done professionally without any pre-determined outcome or political pressure,” he added.

Pushkar was found dead in a Delhi hotel room January 17, 2014 in mysterious circumstances. Police registered a murder case earlier this month based on a medical report by AIIMS which said was poisoned.

Police on Thursday questioned Tharoors’ domestic help Narayan Singh and were planning to quiz 10 more people, including Tharoor’s personal assistant and a family friend.

Tharoor said he had been silent on the issue for a whole year in order to help police establish the facts of the case.

“I have pledged my full cooperation with police and there have been numerous reports that my silence is sinister.

“The reason (for my silence)

Governor’s rule in J&K; rivals play blame game We had time till January 19 to form a government but the situation has been forced (on the state)

by Omar, PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar said

Sunanda Pushkar

would be obvious that when a police inquiry is going on, it is my duty not to undermine it in any way. I have been silent saying, let the police do the work,” he said. ”My interest as a bereaved husband is to the why and what happened and not to chase TRPs.” Tharoor said he was “troubled” by the conclusion of the investigation and the way it was carried out. “There has been a lot of misinformation, distortion and outright lies that has been coming out. A fair enquiry has to be there on Sunanda’s sad demise.

“I will not engage in public discussion and I have written to the Delhi Police yesterday (Thursday) that I would fully cooperate with them and would like answer all their questions at the earliest,” said Tharoor and ignoring a volley of questions by the media, went back inside the ayurveda centre. - IANS

from being a matter of social concern, has also acquired political dimensions with both the BJP and Congress flagging the issue during the Lok Sabha poll.

The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal had earlier this month staged a dharna against the drug menace in the state near the International Border and pitched for “greater awareness” and “vigilance along the border with Pakistan”.

Though initially SAD had announced that the sit-in was to put pressure on the Border Security Force to stop entry of drugs into the state from Pakistan, it later said the exercise was intended to create awareness about substance abuse. Besides demanding sealing of the International Border, SAD has been seeking a ban on cultivation of narcotics in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to tackle drug abuse. - PTI

SRINAGAR: The National Conference (NC) and rival Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) were on Friday locked in a blame game over Indian-administered-Kashmir being brought under Governor’s rule following the prolonged stalemate over formation of a government in the state.

The BJP on its part said the turn of events was an “evolving” situation and that the party was in talks with both PDP and NC for forming a government.

NC leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah while blaming PDP for the development accused its patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed of continuing the deadlock in a bid to get a full sixyear term as chief minister.

“It’s been months since the state had a full fledged administration and the people can’t wait for Mufti Sayeed to negotiate his six-year term,” Omar tweeted shortly after

WEIGHING OPTIONS: Jammu and Kashmir Governor N. N. Vohra in a meeting with state Chief Secretary, Iqbal Khanday in Jammu on Friday.- PTI

the state was put under Governor’s rule. Omar, the NC’s Working President, said restoration and rehabilitation in the aftermath of the floods in the state was suffering as accountable administration was absent besides a humanitarian problem on the border.

“Yet the @jkpdp would like the limbo to continue as people suffer only so the Mufti can force a 6 year term as CM from the BJP,” he said.

Full-fledged administration Omar had asked the Governor to relieve him as a caretaker chief minister on Wednesday as he believed that a full-fledged administration was required to help the people of the state.

He termed as “amazing” PDP’s contention that NC’s offer of support to in government formation was non-serious.

“For the @jkpdp to claim that my offer to them was a non-seri-

ous one is amazing. They know who the intermediary was so they should ask him,” Omar said. The NC had offered support to the PDP, which has 28 MLAs in the 87-member state Assembly. Election results were announced on December 23.

“I’m sorry after an election with such a good turnout we have a situation of Governor’s rule but as I’ve maintained the onus lies with JKPDP,” he said.

While BJP and PDP have claimed that back channel talks were on, there is no clarity on the progress made in these parleys as both parties have maintained a wait-and-watch approach.

The PDP blamed Omar for forcing Governor’s rule.

“We had time till January 19 to form a government but the situation has been forced (on the state)

by Omar,” PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar said.

Akhtar said his PDP was in talks with various political parties for formation of a stable government.

“We could have forged an alliance... We are in touch with different parties as informal channels are open with all parties,” he said.

The PDP spokesman said the party will continue its efforts for formation of a stable government in the state.

“We are hopeful that we will be able to form a stable government soon,” he added.

BJP President Amit Shah said talks are in progress with both the PDP and NC over government formation. BJP with 25 seats was in the second spot.

“Our talks are going on with the two parties in Kashmir. We will let you know once there is a development. We are trying to form a BJP government in the state,” Shah told reporters in Vijaywada.

National Conference on Friday said that fresh elections in the state will be an “undesirable eventuality” and injustice to the voters as it reiterated its “unconditional” support to the PDP in formation of government in the state.

“Our offer of unconditional support to the PDP remains there. It is for the PDP leadership to take a call on it,” NC spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu said.

Reacting to the imposition of Governor’s Rule in the state, Mattu said the onus of government formation lies on thePDP. “Not just due to the fact that PDP is the single largestparty but because it has two credible offers of support, from NC and I believe Congress as well, to form a government,” he said. - PTI

A6

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

INDIA

Such measures are necessary to rebuild confidence and trust that is extremely important to revive investments and drive higher growth Rajnath Singh, Home Minister

‘Working to improve business environment’

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Chief Ministers of various states during the second day of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, in Gandhinagar, on Friday. - PTI

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas the country is ‘moving towards an era of cooperative federalism, giving voice to states in shaping the economic destiny of the nation’

GANDHINAGAR: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Friday told the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here that the Narendra Modi government is working tirelessly to remove bottlenecks and cut red tape in order to improve the business environment in India.

Chairing a session on Investment Opportunities in Indian

States at the PBD, the world’s largest annual gathering of people of Indian origin, Singh said the country is “moving towards an era of cooperative federalism, giving voice to states in shaping the economic destiny of the nation”.

He said with this objective in mind, the government had replaced the Planning Commission with the Niti Aayog from January 1 this year. “In democracy, we follow the dictum of collective wisdom and collective responsibility.

I am confident that our collective wisdom will help us in overcoming any differences,” he said.

He said the new government headed by Modi has already taken a series of measures to re-ignite the economy. “We have reasons to be optimistic as we are constantly making course corrections to gain investor confidence,” he said.

Initiative Singh said the ‘Make in India’ initiative is a “mission to transform this country from an importer of manufactured items to an exporter of manufactured products”. The objective is to increase the share of manufacturing in the GDP from the current level of 14 per cent to 25 per cent.

Singh said the prime minster “is focused on improving the business environment in the country and has stressed on the mantra of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’”.

He said the government is seriously pursuing early implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which “will create a buoyant source of revenue and create a large common market by eliminating internal barriers”.He said a decision has been taken to allocate natural resources only through eauction to ensure transparency.

“Such measures are necessary to rebuild confidence and trust that is extremely important to revive investments and drive higher growth,” Singh said.

The home minister said India “has a vast pool of natural resources and skilled human resources to make this country a ‘New Manufacturing Hub’. The people of Indian origin and the NRIs should invest in actualizing the dream of ‘Make in India’. India’s progress can not be achieved only by the people living within the country,” he said and urged the diaspora to “come and invest” in the country and become an “active partner in our definitive march towards pros-

perity and in making India a global superpower”.

Singh reminded how Modi’s promise of merging the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards has been fulfilled.

“He (Modi) said that you had to go to police stations during your India visits and he promised that he will remove the discrepancies. I am happy to say that the president has signed the ordinance to that effect,” the home minister said.

Indomitable spirit Singh said that 25 million Indian diaspora live in different countries and “with your hard work, dedication and skill you have created a place for yourselves. I want to say that we are proud of you, you are an example of India’s indomitable spirit”.

Chief ministers of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Haryana’s Manoharlal Khattar, Madhya Pradesh’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Jharhand’s Raghubar Das, Maharashtra’s Devendra Fadnavis and Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy attended the session.

The event was held in Gandhinagar from January 7-9 to mark the centenary of the return to the country of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa. - IANS

W E AT H E R

Fog disrupts rail, air traffic in north India NEW DELHI: Northern India was on Friday reeling under winter’s chilly onslaught with the region also hit by dense fog that threw rail and flight schedules into disarray.

Residents in the national capital woke up to icy winds sweeping the city on Friday even as fog delayed 52 trains.

The maximum temperature was recorded four notches below the season’s average at 16.3 degrees Celsius while the minimum settled a notch below normal at 6.8 degrees.

The minimum on Thursday was recorded at 7.2 degrees.

According to Northern Railways, 52 trains, almost all of them north-bound ones, including premier trains like Rajdhani and Duronto Express, were delayed by several hours due to adverse conditions. However, flight operations remained smooth at Delhi airport, officials said.

Grappling with cold wave Northern Indian state Jammu and Kashmir was grappling with the biting cold wave even as Kargil, in the frontier Ladakh region, continued to be the coldest recorded place in the state, registering the lowest temperature of the season so far at -17.2 degrees,

down from the -16.6 degrees the night before.

Northern Indian state Uttar Pradesh was hit by dense fog which affected the movement of air, train and vehicular traffic even as a cold wave swept the state. Fog formation was reported widely in UP and cold conditions prevailed at isolated areas in its eastern parts and at a few places in the western parts.

The mercury fell in the Kanpur and Jhansi divisions while the lowest temperature recorded in the state was 4.2 degrees at Hamirpur. Fog affected air traffic with at least four flights being delayed at the Amausi airport in Lucknow, a spokesman said.

As per a railway spokesman, several trains were running behind schedule due to the fog.

In western Indian state Rajasthan, dense fog in the north-eastern parts of the state continued to affect rail and road services while the mercury plummeted at many places. Poor visibility led to 27 trains being delayed, which were anything between 20 minutes and eight hours late.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh saw no significant change in the minimum temperatures, which hovered around freezing point at most places across the state. - PTI

BITING COLD: Men walk along a water canal amid dense fog on a winter morning on the outskirts of Jammu, on Friday. - Reuters

CONTROVERSIAL REMARKS

UP ex-minister Yaqub Qureshi booked for defending Paris attack MEERUT/LUCKNOW: Former UP minister and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Haji Yakub Qureshi has been booked in connection with his controversial remarks defending the terror attack on a French satirical magazine even as Muslim scholars slammed him for resorting to “cheap publicity gimmick”.

As the scholars demanded strict action against Qureshi, Uttar Pradesh police on Friday said it would seek permission of the court before probing the case registered against him.

“A case under IPC section 505(1) (c) (with intent to incite, or likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community) was registered against Qureshi on Friday in the Kotwali police station(in Meerut). We will seek permission of the court before probing the matter,” IG(Law and Order) A Satish Ganesh told reporters in Lucknow.

Ganesh said that as per provisions, court’s permission is needed to probe such cases and added that police would follow the process.

The case was lodged on the complaint of Inspector Lal Singh.

Courted controversy Qureshi on Thursday had courted controversy when he sought to defend the terror attack on the magazine Charlie Hebdo, saying whoever shows disrespect to the Prophet will invite death.

“Prophet Mohammad(PBUH) had conveyed a message of peace to the entire world and if anyone makes certain cartoons on him will invite death like the cartoonists and journalists in Paris,” Qureshi

had said in comments that came at a time when the massacre came in for all-round condemnation across the world. Qureshi, however, denied reports in which he was stated to have said that he will reward the attackers who killed Charlie Hebdo’s Editor and cartoonist of the controversial poster with Rs51 crore. Four of France’s most famous cartoonists were among the dozen people killed on Wednesday when gunmen attacked the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo.

In 2006, Qureshi had stoked a huge controversy when he de-

clared a reward of Rs51 crore for anyone who would kill the Danish cartoonist who had created a controversial cartoon of Prophet. He had made the offer at a public rally in Meerut.

Garnering cheap publicity “Instead of condemning the attack on the French magazine and loss of lives, he went ahead and announced a reward for the killers...this is most condemnable,” All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) General Secretry Maulana Nizamuddin said in

Lucknow. “This remark of Qureshi is aimed at garnering cheap publicity and the gimmick needs to condemned by all,” he said. All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB) spokesman Maulana Yasoob Abbas said Qureshi’s statement was “childish” and sought strict action against him failing which such elements would feel emboldened. Director of world renowned Islamic academic institution — Darul Musannefeen Azamgarh — Ishtiyaq Ahmed Zilli said Qureshi’s statement is against the basic tenets of Islam. - PTI

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015 These include raising the outer boundary walls of schools to up to nine feet, arranging walkthrough gates and barbed wires and appointing security guards Haider Ashraf, Operations DIG

A7

PAKISTAN POLICE ENCOUNTER

ENDING SPECULATION Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, fourth from front, and his newly-wed wife Reham Khan, third from right, sit with religious students at a local madrassa, or seminary, in Islamabad on Friday. The legendary cricket star and politician, tied the knot with the former journalist on Thursday, ending weeks of speculation about whether one of the country’s most famous bachelors was getting married for a second time. - PTI/AP

Four militants shot dead in Karachi KARACHI: Police on Friday said they had shot dead four regional Al Qaeda militants including a senior leader in an early morning encounter in the port city of Karachi.

The leader, named as “Sajjad” — also known as Kargil — was said to be a Bangladeshi who moved to Pakistan in 2009 and specialised in making IEDs and suicide jackets.

He was also the Karachi commander of Al Qaeda in South Asia, a new branch of the global militant outfit that launched last September, a local police official said.

“The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the police raided a house in Qayyumabad neighbourhood in the eastern part of Karachi where the suspects were plotting a terrorist attack,” the official said on condition of anonymity. Umar Khatab, a senior policeman in the CID, confirmed the killings.

“Sajjad came from Bangladesh to Pakistan in 2009 and lived in Waziristan where he swore allegiance to Asim Umar, the Pakistan chief of AQIS,” Khatab said.

He said the police recovered

SPEED UP TRIAL

Nine military courts in offing to speed up trial ISLAMABAD: Days after the President had signed into law constitutional amendments that allowed the constitution of military courts to try terror suspects, the Army said on Friday that the first of these courts are being set up in four provinces of the country.

According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, nine such courts will be set up across the country initially.

Three courts will be established in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, while two courts will be set up in Sindh. One military court will be set up in Balochistan. While it did not provide a specific date from when these courts will start functioning, the

statement said that they will be operational “soon”.

President Mamnoon Hussain had on Wednesday signed the 21st Constitutional Amendment Bill 2015 into law, making it a part of the Constitution.

The bill had been passed in the National Assembly and Senate on Tuesday, and was passed unopposed in both the Upper House and Lower House. The bill was presented in the National Assembly to seek changes in the Constitution and Military Act to speed up trial of terrorists after Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan gunmen killed over a hundred schoolchildren in an attack on December 16, 2014. - Express Tribune

Police planning helpline for security of schools LAHORE: Lahore Police would launch an emergency helpline for the security of schools next week.

“We have applied to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for a new helpline,” Operations DIG Haider Ashraf told The Express Tribune.

“We have requested them to allot us the number 911 for the purpose.” He said schools would use the helpline to alert police in case of an emergency.

He said a ‘panic button’ would be placed at all schools; these have already been installed at

schools in Cantonment.

Ashraf said schools had been divided into four categories – A+, A, B and C – in line with security threats they faced.

He said schools had been asked to follow certain standard operating procedures (SOPs).

“These include raising the outer boundary walls of schools to up to nine feet, arranging walkthrough gates and barbed wires and appointing security guards.”

Ashraf said police would soon train security guards of schools at Police Lines. - Express Tribune

of building a stock of furnace oil, which helps run over half the thermal power plants, the country has just enough to meet the requirement seven days

KARACHI: Pakistani power consumers, who have gone through massive blackouts for years, will not be able to enjoy the benefit of low oil prices because of myopic government policies.

Instead of building a stock of furnace oil, which helps run over half the thermal power plants, the country has just enough to meet the requirement for the next seven days. After that, a blackout is expected in major cities of Punjab, officials said.

Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has cancelled all cargo shipments for January 2015 because banks have refused to renew its credit limits

Lawmakers declare laughably inaccurate net worth yet again his agricultural land, and declaring very low purchase costs.

Meanwhile, his opponents in the PML-N appear to have made far more detailed declarations of their assets.

Wealthiest of lawmakers The Sharif family in particular declared how much land they own, how much they bought it for and how much it is currently worth. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, for instance, declared his and his wife’s combined net worth to be around Rs2 billion, making him among the wealthiest of lawmakers.

The prime minister’s declarations of assets included details of their real estate in Pakistan, but did not include specifics of the value of the shares in the companies he and his wife own, which constitute the bulk of their net worth.Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and son Hamza Shahbaz declared the value of their assets separately as members of the Punjab Assembly.

Pakistan consumes approximately 900,000 tons of fuel oil every month, out of which around 700,000 is imported – almost all of it for the power plants

Officials said instead

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES

ISLAMABAD: In yet another display of political cynicism, prominent lawmakers once again filed asset declarations with the Election Commission of Pakistan that excluded current market values of their assets, or details of companies they own, rendering the entire exercise moot.

The ECP on Thursday published the wealth declarations of members of Parliament and provincial assemblies for the year 2013.

Most politicians appear to have taken advantage of the glaring loopholes in the law that do not specify the manner in which these declarations are supposed to be made.

The result is a laughably inaccurate picture of politicians’ wealth that do not match their liefstyles.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who had been the loudest critic of politicians from other parties for making meaningless asset declarations was guilty of filing such a declaration himself, declining to state the market value of most of

Another incident Meanwhile, three paramilitary soldiers were killed and four others injured in the southwestern province of Balochistan in an attack by unidentified gunmen.

The incident occurred around 70km north of port of Gwadar.

“Three paramilitary soldiers were killed when their vehicle was fired at in Sunster Zahiran area of Balochistan near the Iran border,” local administration official Balach Gichki said, adding that four other soldiers were wounded in the incident.

Last week, Pakistan parliamentarians approved a law for the establishment of a military court to speed up justice in terror-related cases. - AFP

Power crisis looms as oil expected to run out

for the next

LAHORE

ammunition, weapons and a suicide jacket from the house after the shootout.

It was not immediately possible to confirm the details of the event with independent witnesses from the neighbourhood.

Rights activists say suspected militants who are captured are often killed in staged encounters by security forces.

Shahbaz declared the current market value of his real estate holdings both in Pakistan as well as London. He and his two wives collectively have a net worth of Rs417 million.

His son Hamza appears to own the bulk of the family’s shares in the companies they manage.

Hamza was one of the few lawmakers who included a value of his corporate holdings (Rs130 million), thought is unclear if the amounts declared are book values, market values or simply cost prices.

Under the existing provisions of the law, every member of National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies has to declare the assets of themselves, their spouse and all the dependent children.

Section 42A of the Representation of Peoples Act binds the lawmakers to declare their assets but it does not elaborate any mechanism to verify the claims of these politicians. The law also prescribes punishments for those who try to cheat. - Express Tribune

following continuous defaults, officials said. Furnace oil, which remains in stock and is fuelling the power system, was ordered in September-October 2014, at an average price of Rs60,000 per ton. This price is now down to Rs33,000 but the company does not have the money to book fresh orders.

Serious situation “They have turned a deaf ear,” a senior official said, referring to attitude of bureaucrats at the ministries of finance, petroleum and water and power. “They really don’t seem to care about how serious the situation is.”

Despite the red flags raised in the capital, PSO still sits over bank defaults of Rs40 billion. “Banks like MCB, Standard Chartered, and Citibank have refused to do business with us,” the official said.

The lowest point came on December 31 when the National Bank of Pakistan ceased PSO’s account. It was only after much lobbying and stress on common state-owned-roots that PSO was allowed to restart withdrawals.

Pakistan consumes approximately 900,000 tons of fuel oil every month, out of which around 700,000 is imported – almost all of it for the power plants.

This oil is supplied to state-run power generators and private Independent Power Producers.

Since power companies sell electricity to state-run distribution firms, they do not pay PSO until they get their money.

Power distribution system is laden with line losses, theft and subsidy, forcing government to step in every few months to rescue the energy supply chain. But PSO takes

the heaviest beating when it comes to loss of reputation and money.

“Our suppliers are now demanding compensation. They arranged consignments, which we never received and paid for. Now, the price has gone down and they want to grab us by the neck,” said a company official.

Lower price benefits Even if somehow the government clears the dues and injects cash into PSO, the company will still be importing fuel oil booked in the last quarter of 2014, and would not be able to fully realise lower price benefits.

“I don’t know what we are going to do when the stock runs out,” said the official. “Blackouts are anticipated in Punjab but the fallout will reach Karachi in few days.” - In exclusive arrangement with The Express Tribune

A8

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The ‘Charlie Hebdo’ massacre in Paris

T

he brutal attack on the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris on Wednesday has badly shaken France. But the French have reacted with a fierce determination to defend their freedoms. President François Hollande, speaking from outside the magazine’s office a couple of hours after the murder of 12 people, was crystal clear: This was an assault, he said, on “the expression of freedom” that is the “spirit of the republic.” Two heavily armed attackers, who apparently knew the magazine’s staff would be gathered around a table late on Wednesday morning for a weekly editorial meeting, forced themselves into Charlie Hebdo’s office and shot 10 people dead, including the top editor and prominent cartoonists. Two policemen were also killed. At least 11 other victims were wounded.

The gunmen then fled with a third accomplice in a waiting car. One of the three later surrendered to police, but the other two, who are brothers, remain at large.

The editors, journalists and cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo revelled in controversy and relished hitting nerves. The magazine’s editorial director, Stéphane Charbonnier, who was killed in the attack, had scoffed at any suggestion that the magazine should tone down its trademark satire. For him, free expression was nothing without the right to offend. And Charlie Hebdo has been an equal-opportunity offender: Muslims, Jews and Christians — not to mention politicians of all stripes — have been targets of buffoonish, vulgar caricatures and cartoons that push every hot button with glee.

In 2006, Charlie Hebdo reprinted controversial cartoons that originally appeared in a Danish newspaper. In 2011, the magazine’s offices were firebombed. The cover of Wednesday’s issue poked fun at the French novelist Michel Houellebecq, whose newest book imagines France as an Islamic state in the year 2022. There are some who will say that Charlie Hebdo tempted the ire too many times, as if coldblooded murder is the price to pay for putting out a magazine.

The massacre was motivated by hate. It is absurd to suggest that the way to avoid such attacks is to let the terrorists dictate standards in a democracy. This is also no time for peddlers of xenophobia to try to smear all Muslims with an extremist brush. It is a shame that Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Front party, which has made political gains stoking anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim fears, immediately sought political advantage with talk of “denial and hypocrisy” about such “fundamentalism.”

President Hollande has wisely appealed for national unity. His sentiments were echoed by former President Nicolas Sarkozy who asked the public to avoid the temptation to “lump together” terrorists with Muslims, and he called for a united front against terrorism. Just days after the 9/11 attacks, an editorial in the newspaper Le Monde declared: “We are all Americans.” In France, “Je suis Charlie” — “I am Charlie” — has gone viral as the words to show solidarity with the victims at Charlie Hebdo. This attack was an assault on freedom everywhere. - The New York Times News Service

CHARLIE HEBDO

It is time now to end the speech codes DAVID BROOKS

No way to treat migrants

T

he indefinite detention of migrants by the British Government is utterly iniquitous. Nobody would doubt that it is essential for our immigration agencies to deal carefully with any cases that might end in deportation. And it is understandable that the authorities should want to know the whereabouts of the individuals concerned.

But keeping them under lock and key for years on end simply cannot be right. Quite apart from the damage that detention can do to the mental health of those whose liberty has been denied, the Home Office’s failure to get a grip on this issue has cost the taxpayer a vast amount of money — in the running of centres like that at Yarl’s Wood and as a result of compensation payouts to those who are judged by the courts to have been held unlawfully. The suggestion that more than 60 per cent of migrants who are detained for more than a year are eventually released, rather than deported, surely points to the folly of the current set-up. The call by Citizens UK for a time limit to detention is welcome and should be heeded by all political leaders as we approach the general election in May. This is not about being soft on immigration — and certainly not about being soft on crime, since the individuals concerned are not criminals. Rather it is about demonstrating to people here and elsewhere two things.

First, that the Government and its agencies can oversee a complex immigration system competently and efficiently. And second, that humanity does not come a poor second behind administrative convenience when it suits the powers-that-be. On both moral and practical grounds, the system as it stands is broken. Ensuring an end to indefinite detention would be a step towards fixing it. - The Independent

We must not hurt the sentiments of others I think it’s unnecessary to make fun of things people believe in, especially things like religion.

Yes we should have the freedom to say what we want but we must also respect others, their feelings and we must not hurt their sentiments. Uncontrolled humour will only encourage hate to proliferate not peace. And having said this I would also like to underscore that no one has the right to kill someone or use any kind of violence.

Anissa Kirch Muscat

Spare religion and the feelings of people I am not saying what happened at office of Charlie Hebdo in Paris

is right but religion is faith. Why one should mock someone’s faith.

There are so many current events happening in the world. Make cartoons, caricature them. But spare religion and peoples’ feelings.

Nalin Mistry Muscat

If you try to pull off this delicate balance with law, speech codes and banned speakers, you’ll end up with crude censorship and a strangled conversation. It’s almost always wrong to try to suppress speech, erect speech codes and disinvite speakers

READERS’ FORUM

The pen will still remain mightier than the sword There is something called “freedom of expression” which is the bedrock of democracy. Charlie Hebdo did nothing wrong and I am sickened by the barbaric acts carried out by these brainwashed terrorists who kill in the name of religion. It’s unacceptable and there is no justification for it. Why should the West have to walk on egg shells and forego their basic rights promised to them by

T

he journalists at Charlie Hebdo are now rightly being celebrated as martyrs on behalf of freedom of expression, but let’s face it: If they had tried to publish their satirical newspaper on any American university campus over the last two decades it wouldn’t have lasted 30 seconds. Student and faculty groups would have accused them of hate speech. The administration would have cut financing and shut them down. Public reaction to the attack in Paris has revealed that there are a lot of people who are quick to lionise those who offend the views of extremists in France but who are a lot less tolerant toward those who offend their own views at home.

Just look at all the people who have overreacted to campus micro-aggressions. The University of Illinois fired a professor who taught the Roman Catholic views on issues which are considered sacrilege. The University of Kansas suspended a professor for writing a harsh tweet against the NRA. Vanderbilt University derecognised a Christian group that insisted that it be led by Christians.

Americans may laud Charlie Hebdo for being brave enough to publish ridiculing cartoons, but, if Ayaan Hirsi Ali is invited to campus, there are often calls to deny her a podium.

So this might be a teachable moment. As we the Americans are mortified by the slaughter of those writers and editors in Paris, it’s a good time to come up with a less hypocritical approach to our own controversial figures, provocateurs and satirists.

The first thing to say, I suppose, is that whatever you might have put on your Facebook page, it is inaccurate for most of us to claim, Je Suis Charlie Hebdo, or I Am Charlie Hebdo. Most of us in the US don’t actually engage in the sort of deliberately offensive humour that that newspaper specialises in.

We might have started out that way. When you are 13, it seems daring and provocative to “épater la bourgeoisie,” to stick a finger in the eye of authority, to ridicule other people’s religious beliefs.

But after a while that seems puerile. Most of us move toward more complicated views of reality and more forgiving views of others. (Ridicule becomes less fun as you become more aware of your own frequent ridiculousness.) Most of us do try to show a modicum of respect for people of different creeds and faiths. We do try to open conversations with listening rather than insult. Yet, at the same time, most of us know that provocateurs and other outlandish fig-

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Be rich to yourself and poor to your friends JUVENAL

ures serve useful public roles. Satirists and ridiculers expose our weakness and vanity when we are feeling proud. They puncture the self-puffery of the successful. They level social inequality by bringing the mighty low. When they are effective they help us address our foibles communally, since laughter is one of the ultimate bonding experiences.

Moreover, provocateurs and ridiculers expose the stupidity of the fundamentalists. Fundamentalists are people who take everything literally. They are incapable of multiple viewpoints. They are incapable of seeing that while religion may be worthy of the deepest reverence, it is also true that most religions are kind of weird. Satirists expose those who are incapable of laughing at themselves and teach the rest of us that we probably should.

In short, in thinking about provocateurs and insulters, we want to maintain standards of civility and respect while at the same time allowing room for those creative and challenging folks who are uninhibited by good manners and taste.

If you try to pull off this delicate balance with law, speech codes and banned speakers, you’ll end up with crude censorship and a strangled conversation. It’s almost always wrong to try to suppress speech, erect speech codes and disinvite speakers.

Fortunately, social manners are more malleable and supple than laws and codes. Most societies have successfully maintained standards of civility and respect while keeping open avenues for those who are funny, uncivil and offensive.

In most societies, there’s the adults’ table and there’s the kids’ table. The people who read Le Monde or the establishment organs are at the adults’ table.

The jesters, the holy fools and people like Ann Coulter and Bill Maher are at the kids’ table. They’re not granted complete respectability, but they are heard because in their unguided missile manner, they sometimes say necessary things that no one else is saying.

Healthy societies, in other words, don’t suppress speech, but they do grant different standing to different sorts of people. Wise and considerate scholars are heard with high respect. Satirists are heard with bemused semi respect.

Racists are heard through a filter of opprobrium and disrespect. People who want to be heard attentively have to earn it through their conduct.

The massacre at Charlie Hebdo should be an occasion to end speech codes. And it should remind us to be legally tolerant toward offensive voices, even as we are socially discriminating. -The New York Times News Service

their democratic governments? I believe the pen is much stronger than the sword, you may carry out such barbaric acts but we will remain standing.

Samia Mansour Muscat

Learning driving in Oman is indeed a nightmare This refers to the news story, Driving guides call for better training sites (January 7). Learning driving in Oman is a nightmarish experience for the students and is extremely expensive.

There is no dearth of trainers here but what is in woeful short supply are the proper facilities and insincerity . Trainees are failed deliberately and they are forced to undergo at least five tests before they are granted the coveted driv-

ing licence. The whole system is so disappointing.

Hamza Saleem Edhi Muscat

Teaching driving in Oman is a profitable business This refers to the news story, Driving guides call for better training sites (January 7). Teaching driving is a big business here in Oman. Instructors know that if they will teach well then a person will get the licence as soon as possible. That would mean loss of earning. The intention, therefore, is to drag on the process as long as possible and in the entire process the trainees suffer and they end up paying for the license through their noses.

Hasan Khan Muscat

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

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

WORLD

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Rajapaksa voted out from power, Sirisena sworn-in The former Sri Lankan president had promised smooth transition of power; Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as new Prime Minister

COLOMBO: In a stunning verdict, Sri Lankan voters on Friday ousted president Mahinda Rajapaksa from power, ending a 10year rule that was marked by allegations of family rule, corruption and authoritarianism and chose his one-time minister Maithripala Sirisena in his place.

Hours after the results were declared, 63-year-old Sirisena, who led a revolt and defected to the opposition camp on the eve of announcement of the elections, was sworn-in as president symbolising a smooth transition of power.

Sworn-in along with him was his new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who till now was the leader of opposition.

Both of them took the oath of office at a ceremony in the Independence Square. Supreme Court Justice K Sripavan administered the oath to Sirisena.

What was considered impossible till a few weeks ago became possible when the voters showed the door to 69-year-old Rajapaksa, who was suave but ruthless when it came to decimating the dreaded LTTE that had earned him the title of ‘King’ among the majority Sinhalese and unpopularity with the minority Tamils.

Health Minister under Rajapaksa and General Secretary of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party till he defected, Sirisena got 6,217,162 or 51.2 per cent of the votes against Rajapaksa’s 5,768,090 or 47.6 per cent. “I declare that Maithripala Sirisena has been duly elected as the president of Sri Lanka,” announced Commissioner of Elections Mahinda Deshapriya bringing the curtains down on the closely fought elections that was advanced by two years by Rajapaksa who had amended the constitution for seeking an unprecedented third term.

Much before the declaration, Rajapaksa, who was accused of practising politics of dynasty, con-

LOSS OF FACE: Sri Lanka’s president Mahinda Rajapaksa reacts during a rally ahead of presidential election in Piliyandala on Friday. – Reuters

ceded defeat early in the morning and left the presidential house ‘Temple Trees’.

Thanks After his victory, Sirisena thanked Rajapaksa for ensuring a fair poll.

The minority Tamils and Muslims appeared to have voted heavily against Rajapaksa, who had earned the wrath of Tamils over the alleged human rights violations during the final phase of war against the LTTE in 2009 and for not implementing the promised constitutional amendments to devolve power to them.

Wickremesinghe met him in the morning. The leader of the opposition said they have to respect Rajapaksa for his action in finishing the war on LTTE. Sirisena was backed by the main opposition United National Party (UNP), the Buddhist nationalist Heritage Party and a host of other Tamil and Muslim minority parties. In all, 26 ruling coalition MPs deserted Rajapaksa during the run up to the poll.

Rajapaksa had created a cult image around himself and placed numerous relatives in top posi-

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tions, sidelining the party’s old guard, which helped give rise to the dissent. Sirisena, a staunch Buddhist like his defeated rival, has a rural background, does not speak English and is always seen in the Lankan national dress in public.

Notwithstanding the support he may have got, the Presidentelect may not make a radical departure from the policies of the ousted President. The opposition campaign had accused Rajapaksa of nepotism, misrule, corruption and authoritarianism.

Rajapaksa’s brothers - Gotabhaya and Basil - were defence and economic ministers respectively besides a number of his family members who were holding key posts and positions. In the run up to the election, Sirisena had pledged to abolish the executive presidency within 100 days of being elected, repeal the controver-

WINNER TAKES IT ALL: Sri Lanka’s newly elected president Mithripala Sirisena waves at the media as he leaves election commission, in Colombo, on Friday. – Reuters

sial 18th amendment under which a president can seek re-election any number of times, re-instate the 17th amendment.

During campaigning in Tamil areas, Sirisena made it clear that he would not go soft on Tamil hardliners or withdraw the army from the north in exchange for their support in presidential election. “I have no intention of withdrawing the army from the north.

As president, national security will be my responsibility,” Sirise-

I L L - FAT E D F L I G H T

Pings from black boxes of AirAsia plane detected PANGKALAN BUN (INDONESIA): Signals believed to be from the black box data recorders of crashed AirAsia Flight 8501 were detected on Friday, Indonesian authorities said, offering the strongest lead to explain the disaster.

However more of the bad weather that has plagued the 13day search for the doomed plane stopped divers from quickly tracking the ping signals to the black boxes, and frustrated efforts to lift the plane’s tail from the floor of the Java Sea. “A ship detected the pings. The divers are trying to reach it,” said S.B Supriyadi, a director with the National Search and Agency who is stationed at search headquarters in the town of Pangkalan Bun on Borneo island.

Location “The location of the ping is reported to be near where the tail was found.”

The plane crashed on December 28 during stormy weather as it flew from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore, claiming the lives of all 162 people on board. Rough seas and strong currents have slowed multinational efforts to find the wreckage of the plane, which is lying in relatively shallow waters, and

determine why it crashed.

The black boxes are regarded as crucial to explaining the cause of the disaster, as they should contain recordings of the pilots’ final words and general flight data.

They are designed to give a ping signal for 30 days after a crash so that the recorders can be found.

The tail of the plane, where the black boxes were housed, was discovered on Wednesday partially buried in the seabed 30 metres (100 feet) underwater. But no pings were initially detected.

Search officials have since Wednesday focused their efforts on and around the tail, believing the black boxes should be there unless they were dislodged.

Dozens of elite Indonesian Marine divers have tried but failed to thoroughly search the tail, in a task complicated by powerful currents and the fact it is partially buried in the seabed.

Those problems continued throughout Friday, with efforts to lift the tail using floatation devices scuppered by rough seas.

“We have tried (to lift the tail) but it was unsuccessful. We are still trying,” Supriyadi said. “The team there said the visibility was only one metre and they couldn’t see. The current and waves were getting stronger so they couldn’t work effectively.” — AFP

A9

DRIVE SLOWER LIVE LONGER

na had said, adding he would not allow the country to be divided or allow the LTTE to regroup.

“We have not signed any agreement with the Tamil National Alliance or Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to devolve powers or divide the country,” he added.

About 75 per cent of the 15.04 million electorate voted in Thursday’s election. Sirisena took strong lead from the ethnic Tamildominated and Muslims-dominated areas. — PTI

VIOLENT CLASHES

Bangladesh clamps down on opposition DHAKA: Bangladesh has stepped up a crackdown on the main opposition party, arresting its vicepresident amid anti-government protests that have left seven dead and injured hundreds.

A standoff between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia, leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, has worsened steadily since Monday, when protests erupted over last year’s general election, which the BNP boycotted.

Police arrested Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury of the BNP at his home in Dhaka, the capital, on Thursday night. “A Dhaka court granted five days of remand to Chowdhury in a case of attempt to murder a ruling party lawmaker,” Joint Police Commissioner Monirul Islam said on Friday. The renewed tension between the political rivals raises the spectre of a long, destabilsing spell of unrest for Bangladesh and its economy, though some question whether Khaleda and her party can bring down the government. Khaleda has demanded that Hasina give up her post, with a new vote to be held under a neutral administration.

The prime minister has rejected these demands. Instead, her government has tightened its grip.

Human rights groups have expressed concern about the arrest of hundreds of opposition supporters, excessive police force and a media clampdown. “The government’s indiscriminate use of force, arbitrary arrests, and censorship will only inflame an already tense situation,” Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

On Thursday, police filed a sedition case against Tareque Rahman, Khaleda’s exiled son who lives in Britain, for statements about Bangladesh’s first prime minister, and Hasina’s father, that police called “abusive”.

They also filed a sedition case against Abdus Salam, the owner of a private TV channel, who was arrested on charges of pornography, for airing a “false, fabricated and instigating speech” by Rahman.

The high court has banned media coverage of Rahman’s speech, prompting protesters to attack the homes of the judges who gave the order. The BNP says Khaleda has been confined to her office in Dhaka’s diplomatic enclave since the weekend, with thousands of its supporters arrested. Police could not confirm the figure.

The government denied Khaleda was being held against her will, saying the security was for her protection. “We are doing it to ensure her security,” Asaduzzaman Khan, junior minister for home affairs, told reporters. — Reuters

A 10

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015 Hayat Boumeddiene, left, and Amedy Coulibaly, right, suspected of being involved in the killing of a policewoman in Montrouge on Thursday. Coulibaly is also supected to have taken a hostage at a kosher grocery store on Friday. A police source said Coulibaly was linked to the two brothers who massacred 12 people at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday. – AFP

WORLD

DETAINED: French police forcibly stop young people on a scooter as they arrive near the scene of a hostage taking at a kosher supermarket in eastern Paris on Friday. – Reuters

France massacre suspects killed

HOSTAGE-TAKING: French police intervention force personnel stand next to helicopters in front of a building in Dammartin-enGoele where a hostage-taking was underway after police hunting the brothers who killed 12 people earlier this week exchanged fire with two men during a car chase, on Friday. – AFP

STRICT VIGIL: A French police officer stands on the roof of a building where two brothers suspected of slaughtering 12 people in an attack on French satirical newspaper ‘Charlie Hebdo’ held one person hostage as police cornered the gunmen, in Dammartin-enGoele, northeast of the capital, on Friday. – AFP

PATROL: French soldiers on patrol near the Eiffel Tower in Paris as part of the highest level of ‘Vigipirate’ security plan after a shooting at the Paris offices of ‘Charlie Hebdo’ on Friday. – Reuters

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suspects launched a desperate escape bid, charging out of the building firing at the security forces before being cut down in their tracks

DAMMARTIN-EN-GOËLE: Elite French police stormed a printworks and a Jewish supermarket Friday, killing two brothers wanted for the Charlie Hebdo attack and an apparent accomplice who had taken hostages in two separate sieges that traumatised France.

Explosions rocked a small printing firm in the village of Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast of Paris, and smoke poured from the building as the heavily armed forces mounted their assault as night fell.

The two suspects launched a desperate escape bid, charging out of the building firing at the security forces before being cut down in their tracks, a security source said.

Earlier, France grappled with two hostage dramas on Friday after a gunman killed two people and seized five at a Jewish supermarket in eastern Paris, as police cornered the brothers suspected of carrying out the Charlie Hebdo massacre.

Heavily armed police swarmed the area around the supermarket in Porte de Vincennes as the

KEEPING AN EYE: Journalists near the scene of a hostage taking in Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast of Paris on Friday. – Reuters

surrounding neighbourhood was placed under lockdown.

A source close to the investigation said the hostage taker was suspected of gunning down a policewoman in southern Paris on Thursday and knew one of the brothers accused in the killing of 12 people at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

The suspects French police released mugshots of the man, Amedy Coulibaly, 32, as well as a woman named as 26-year-old Hayat Boumeddiene, also wanted over the shooting of the policewoman.

Both are considered “armed and dangerous,” police said.

The Porte de Vincennes area in eastern Paris was swamped with police who shut down the city’s ring road as well as schools and shops in the area.

Residents were ordered to stay indoors. “There are at least two dead. Maybe more but for the

moment, we don’t know,” said a source close to the investigation.

Meanwhile in the town of Dammartin-en-Goele, only 12 kilometres (seven miles) from Paris’s main Charles de Gaulle airport, French elite forces deployed snipers on roofs and helicopters buzzed low over a small printing business where the Charlie Hebdo suspects were holed up with a hostage.

Police sources said there was a “connection” between the supermarket gunman and the Algerianorigin brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, accused of carrying out France’s bloodiest massacre in half a century at Charlie Hebdo.

The massive manhunt for the two men appeared to be approaching a dramatic climax as security forces laid siege to the CDT printing business in Dammartin-en-Goele.

Ahead of the stand-off, police had already exchanged fire with the pair in a high-speed car chase.

One witness described coming

face-to-face at the printer’s with one of the suspects, dressed in black, wearing a bullet-proof vest and carrying what looked like a Kalashnikov.

The witness told France Info radio that the man said: “‘Leave, we don’t kill civilians anyhow’.”

Schools in the area were evacuated and residents barricaded themselves indoors as the standoff with police unfolded.

One 60-year-old choked back tears as she said how elite forces burst into the shop where her daughter works and ordered them to take cover. “My daughter told me: ‘Don’t be scared mummy, we’re well protected. She was calm but me, I’m scared. I’m really scared,” said the woman.

Standoff Prior to the standoff, the suspects had hijacked a car from a woman who said she recognised the brothers. President Francois Hollande rushed to the interior meeting

to be briefed on the situation as Prime Minister Manuel Valls declared that France was at “war” with terrorism, but “not in a war against religion.”

The spectacular attacks came as it emerged the brothers had been on a US terror watch list “for years”. And as fears spread in the wake of the attack, the head of Britain’s domestic spy agency MI5 warned that militants were planning other “mass casualty attacks against the West” and that intelligence services may be powerless to stop them. Wednesday’s bloodbath at Charlie Hebdo has sparked a global chorus of outrage, with impromptu and poignant rallies around the world in support of press freedom under the banner “jesuischarlie” (I am Charlie).

Book of condolence US President Barack Obama was the latest to sign a book of condolence in Washington with the message “Vive la France!” as thou-

sands gathered in Paris on a day of national mourning Thursday, and the Eiffel Tower dimmed its lights to honour the dead.

And as a politically divided and crisis-hit France sought to pull together in the wake of the tragedy, the head of the country’s Muslim community — the largest in Europe — urged imams to condemn terrorism at Friday prayers.

In a highly unusual step, President Francois Hollande met farright leader Marine Le Pen at the Elysee Palace later Friday, as France geared up for a “Republican march” on Sunday expected to draw hundreds of thousands.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced that a total of 88,000 security forces were mobilised across the country and that an international meeting on terrorism would take place in Paris on Sunday. Nine people had already been detained as part of the operation, Cazeneuve said.

Meanwhile, questions mounted as to how a pair well-known for extremist views could have slipped through the net and attack Charlie Hebdo. Cherif Kouachi, 32, was a known extremist convicted in 2008 for involvement in a network sending fighters to Iraq.

Said, 34, has been “formally identified” as the main attacker in Wednesday’s bloodbath. Both brothers were born in Paris to Algerian parents.

A senior US administration official told AFP that one of the two brothers was believed to have trained with Al Qaeda in Yemen, while another source said that the pair had been on a US terror watch list “for years”. -AFP

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

S P O R S BRIEFS

Qualifier Bedene enters Chennai Open semifinals CHENNAI: Slovenian qualifier Aljaz Bedene continued his giant-slaying streak in the ATP Chennai Open as he cruised into the semifinals with a three-set 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over fifth seed Guillermo GarciaLopez on Friday. In Saturday’s semifinal, Bedene meets Spanish third seed Roberto Bautista-Agut who beat Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan 7-6 (9/7), 6-4. The other semifinal will feature Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland against fourth seed David Goffin of Belgium. Wawrinka ousted the big-serving Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) in a centre court quarterfinal.

Goffin outplayed Andreas Haider-Maurer of Austria 7-5, 6-2 in an hour and 11 minutes.

Poland, US in Hopman final PERTH: Poland will face the United States in Saturday’s mixed teams Hopman Cup final. The Polish team of Agnieszka Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz qualified for the title decider with a 2-1 win over the French pairing of Alize Cornet and Benoit Paire on Friday. They will face the American duo of Serena Williams and John Isner in the final.

Sehwag wishes Team India ahead WC title defence GURGAON: With the ICC World Cup just a little over a month away, out-offavour batsman Virender Sehwag wished the Indian team and hoped that the MS Dhoni-led side would be able to defend its title.

“We are going to play the World Cup and we are the defending champion, so I hope we do well and bring this trophy to India,” Sehwag said. — Agencies

Smith trumps Bradman to set massive target for India SCOREBOARD

The Australian skipper with the Midas touch went helter-skelter after the runs in a bid for a declaration to pursue the home side’s third victory in the four-match series on Saturday’s final day

SYDNEY: Steve Smith eclipsed a Don Bradman record by powering a furious Australian run chase to set a massive target for India in the final Sydney Test on Friday.

The Australian skipper with the Midas touch went helter-skelter after the runs in a bid for a declaration to pursue the home side’s third victory in the four-match series on Saturday’s final day.

Smith, backed by four centuries, passed Bradman’s 1947/48 record of 715 for most Australian runs in a series against India with a frenetic 71 off 70 balls.

The skipper, who was leg before wicket to Mohammed Shami, finished the series with 769 runs at 128.16.

Some late fireworks from Joe Burns with 66 off 39 balls propelled Australia to 251 for six off 40 overs and a lead of 348 with Brad Haddin not out for 31. A declaration was likely overnight.

The highest successful runchase record in the fourth innings of a Sydney Test is currently Australia’s 288 for two against South Africa nine years ago.

Chris Rogers raised his sixth straight 50 of the series with a glorious cover drive for four but he was out shortly after hitting straight to Suresh Raina for 56 off 77 balls. The Australians finally dislodged India for 475 after 162 overs to lead by 97 runs on the first innings shortly before tea.

Warner out for four Virat Kohli was rewarded for some bold captaincy by getting first innings centurion David Warner for just four in the second over of the innings bowled by spinner Ravi-

RARE INDIAN JOY: India’s bowler Ravichandran Ashwin, third from right, is congratulated by teammates after taking the wicket of Australian batsman David Warner. – AFP

Positive India will play for win , says Ashwin SYDNEY: Encouraged by the perfect batting conditions and armed with a positive mindset, India will chase their first win of the series once Australia set them a target on the final day of the fourth Test, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said.

Rather than batting out the day for a draw, Ashwin suggested the visitors will try to chase down the target on a benign track at the Sydney Cricket Ground. “We are here to play positive cricket and win games of cricket. If presented with the chance to try and go for a victory, we will try to go for it as sensibly as possible,” the 28-year-old off-spinner told reporters.

chandran Ashwin. Ashwin got an edge off Warner to Murali Vijay at slip to the jubilation of the Indian team. It was the sixth time Ashwin has claimed Warner’s wicket in Tests.

Shane Watson, who narrowly avoided being run out shortly before tea in a mix-up, was bowled

by Ashwin for 16 to complete an underwhelming series of just 238 runs at 29.75, while Shaun Marsh

“We are here to win games of cricket, there’s no two ways about it. It all depends on how positively you can bat and the techniques you apply. Definitely it’s going to be a very positive game tomorrow, we will try and be positive about it.”

Number eight batsman Ashwin himself capitalised on the ideal batting conditions to hit his fourth test fifty and was confident India can still sign off the series with a win.

“It’s still pretty decently poised, although they definitely have an ace up. We’ll have to see how it goes.

“There’s not a lot of devils in the wicket, but we definitely found it a little too hard to

lasted four balls for one.

Yet another dropped catch had stalled Australia’s efforts to mop up the Indian first innings when bat-pad Joe Burns made a hash of a chance off Bhuvneshwar Kumar on nought.

His blooper was the 16th missed opportunity, which has cost the Australians 657 runs in the series.

Kumar was eventually given out by umpire’s referral caught at slip

score, it’s a new ball wicket.”

Underlining how good the track was for batting, Ashwin (50) added 65 runs for the eighth wicket with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (30), who was adjudged caught in a controversial decision.

“This was one of the slowest innings in my Test career. I wanted to bat as deep as possible and put it into as many holes as possible and make sure that if any team won, it was India,” Ashwin, who has two test centuries, said of his 111-ball knock. “But fortunately or unfortunately, the game is very well poised now, you don’t know which way it’s going to go.” - Reuters

by Watson off Nathan Lyon for 30 after putting on 65 with Ashwin.

Kumar tried to squeeze the ball away with his bat taking a chunk out of the ground and carrying it to slip. After many replays he was not given the benefit of the doubt.

Mitchell Starc was rewarded for a terrific play-and-miss over when he coaxed an edge off Ashwin, who was on 50, to Haddin for his third wicket of the innings.

Australia 1st innings: 572 for 7 (S. Smith 117, D. Warner 101; M. Shami 5-112) India 1st innings (overnight 342 for 5) M. Vijay c Haddin b Starc 0 L. Rahul c and b Starc 110 R. Sharma b Lyon 53 V. Kohli c Rogers b Harris 147 A. Rahane lbw b Watson 13 S. Raina c Haddin b Watson 0 W. Saha c Smith b Hazlewood 35 R. Ashwin c Haddin b Starc 50 B. Kumar c Watson b Lyon 30 M. Shami not out 16 U. Yadav c Haddin b Harris 4 Extras (b-4, lb-7, w-1, nb-5) 17 Total (all out, 162 overs) 475 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Vijay), 2-97 (Sharma), 3-238 (Rahul), 4-292 (Rahane), 5-292 (Raina), 6-352 (Kohli), 7-383 (Saha), 8-448 (Kumar), 9-456 (Ashwin), 10-475 (Yadav) Bowling: Starc 32-7-106-3, Harris 31-796-2 (3nb), Hazlewood 29-8-64-1 (1w), Lyon 46-11-123-2 (1nb), Watson 20-4-58-2 (1nb), Smith 4-0-17-0 Australia 2nd innings C. Rogers c Raina b Kumar 56 D. Warner c Vijay b Ashwin 4 S. Watson b Ashwin 16 S. Smith lbw b Shami 71 S. Marsh c Vijay b Ashwin 1 J. Burns c Yadav b Ashwin 66 B. Haddin not out 31 R. Harris not out 0 Extras (b-2, lb-2, nb-2) 6 Total (6 wickets; 40 overs) 251 Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Warner), 2-46 (Watson), 3-126 (Rogers), 4-139 (Marsh), 5-165 (Smith), 6-251 (Burns) Bowling: Kumar 8-0-46-1, Ashwin 19-2-105-4, Shami 6-0-33-1 (1nb), Yadav 3-0-45-0 (1nb), Raina 4-0-18-0

Haddin took his fourth catch and last of the innings to dismiss Umesh Yadav for four to end the Indian resistance nearing tea.

The tourists lost the wickets of Kohli and Saha in the morning session. Kohli’s hopes of building an even bigger innings evaporated in the fifth over of the day when he fell to Ryan Harris.

He clipped low to Rogers at midwicket and threw back his head in anguish before slowly departing with 147 off 230 balls including 20 fours. It was the new India skipper’s fourth century of the series, equalling Australian counterpart Smith’s achievement.

It also took Kohli’s series aggregate to a record 646 at 92.28, eclipsing Rahul Dravid’s 619 for India against Australia in 2003/04.

Saha was dismissed attempting a hook shot off Josh Hazlewood and was caught by Smith at second slip for 35. - AFP

TENNIS

Sharapova and Ivanovic reach Brisbane final BRISBANE: Russia’s Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic of Serbia won their semi-finals at the Brisbane International on Friday to set up a highly-anticipated showdown in the lead-up to this month’s Australian Open.

Sharapova beat the talented Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1 6-3 to reach the final without dropping a set while Ivanovic battled her way to a 7-6(2) 6-4 victory over American Varvara Lepchenko.

Sharapova beat Ivanovic in the 2008 Australian Open final and both women are in devastating form heading towards the first grand slam of the season, starting in Melbourne on Jan. 19.

Sharapova has dropped just nine games in her three matches to get to the final and showed no mercy against Svitolina, a rising star who won the 2010 junior French Open, as she reached her 56th WTA final.

“I expected her to play well. I think I did a lot of things good to try to take away her game,” Sharapova said. “In the end, it became a little bit more difficult. She became more free, went for her shots a little bit, a few unforced errors from my end, but overall I’m happy I stuck with it and finished the last point.”

Ivanovic, who came from a set down to win her previous match,

Federer express shows no signs of slowing down

OBLIGING FANS: Maria Sharapova of Russia, left, gives autographs following her victory against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine . – AFP

once again had to dig deep before seeing off Lepchenko after nearly two hours on the Pat Rafter Arena.

Lepchenko twice served for the opening set but Ivanovic broke back both times then won the tiebreaker. In the second set, Ivanovic charged to a 5-1 lead before she got the wobbles, allowing Lepchenko to reel off the next three games before she finally sealed the win on her seventh match point.

“Definitely, (my) heart was racing a little bit, especially that it was really becoming a battle,” Ivanovic said. “Even though I was 5-1 up, still felt like a battle all the way through.”

Ivanovic will be chasing her 16th

WTA career title and her fifth in 12 months after she began her latest resurgence up the world rankings.

Currently ranked seventh, the 27-year-old is looming as one of the favourites for the Australian Open. A former world number one who won her only grand slam title at the 2008 French Open, Ivanovic credits her return to form to finally learning how to cope with fame.

“I struggled to be in the spotlight.

For me, this is something that took time to get used to because I was very shy,” she said. “It was really overwhelming for me and all the pressures. I always play tennis as a game and not all these pressures and expectations.” - Reuters

BRISBANE: Roger Federer sent a reminder to the young guns of men’s tennis that he is nowhere near close to riding quietly into the sunset when he romped to victory in just 39 minutes at the Brisbane International on Friday.

The 33-year-old Swiss maestro produced a masterclass of shot-making as he thrashed Australian wildcard James Duckworth 6-0 6-1 to charge into the semi-finals of the Australian Open warm-up event.

Federer’s amazing performance came just 24 hours after he struggled to see off John Millman, raising doubts about his form ahead of the first grand slam of the year.

It was also stark evidence that he remains a major force in men’s tennis with an utterly dominant victory on the same day Japanese sensation

Kei Nishikori led a trio of rising stars into the last four.

Nishikori, still on a high after reaching the final of last year’s U.S. Open, continued his impressive build-up to Melbourne when he demolished Bernard Tomic 6-0 6-4.

He was joined in the last four by Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov, another two up-and-comers tipped to challenge the old order at this year’s majors.

Raonic rode his booming serve to a 7-6(5) 3-6 7-6(2) win over Australia’s Sam Groth to set up a mouthwatering semi-final clash against Nishikori.

Dimitrov made light work of his quarter-final with Martin Klizan, defeating the Slovakian 6-3 6-4 to book an equally attractive encounter against Federer. - Reuters

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

SPORTS Le Guen eyes ‘Saturday surprise’ against South Korea in Canberra With two group stage exits to their name in 2004 and 2007, Oman return to the AFC Asian Cup after missing out on the tournament in 2011 and enjoyed an unbeaten qualification record for the tournament in Australia to highlight

WE ARE READY: Oman coach Paul Le Guen, second left, and Oman captain Ali Al Habsi, second from right, speak during the press conference on eve of their Group A match against South Korea in Canberra. – Times of Oman / CIO DATAN

the recent progress

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under Paul Le Guen

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CANBERRA: Oman coach Paul Le Guen is in no doubt that his side face a tough test in their AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 opener when they meet two-time champions South Korea at Canberra Stadium on Saturday, although the Frenchman holds out hope of springing an early tournament upset.

With two group stage exits to their name in 2004 and 2007, Oman return to the AFC Asian Cup after missing out on the tournament in 2011 and enjoyed an unbeaten qualification record for the tournament in Australia to highlight the recent progress under Le Guen.

But with 2011 finalists and hosts Australia and Korea as well as 1980 winners Kuwait their opponents in a tough Group A line-up, Le Guen admits his side face a difficult task to go through to the knockout stage, starting with their opener.

“Australia and Korea are favourites in the group and it will be difficult for so many reasons. But we will work to create a surprise tomorrow (Saturday) — if we can qualify it will be a surprise,” said former France international Le Guen.

“Korea have many good players, in particular, Son Heung-min at Bayer Leverkusen and Ki Sungyueng of Swansea. I have watched UZBEK VS NORTH KOREA

Uzbeks driven by World Cup heartache SYDNEY: Uzbek coach Mirdjalal Kasimov on Friday said their World Cup play-off defeat to Jordan still rankled as the Central Asians prepare to open their Asian Cup against North Korea.

Kasimov said Uzbekistan found it hard to take their defeat in an extraordinary tie in late 2013 which was interrupted by a floodlight failure and was settled 9-8 on penalties.

Jordan went through to a final World Cup play-off against Uruguay, which the South Americans won 5-0 on aggregate to reach last year’s World Cup in Brazil. “It was very hard for us because we couldn’t go through to the final (play-off ), because Uzbekistan always play to win,” said former midfielder Kasimov.

“But anyway life goes on. In this tournament we will try to be at the top level.”

Uzbekistan, the 2011 Asian Cup semi-finalists, now have the chance to write a new chapter by continuing their steady progression in Asian football.

The White Wolves will be looking to take another step forward after reaching the quarterfinals in 2004 and 2007, and finishing fourth four years ago in Qatar. Kasimov said he expected captain and two-time Asian player of the year Server Djeparov to shepherd a young group of players which he said were destined to become among the best in Asia.

“He’s one of the main and key players in our team. He’s very experienced and I hope that he will help others,” Kasimov said. - AFP

WARMING UP: Oman’s Ali Al Habsi and his teammates warm-up before a training session at the Canberra Stadium on Friday. – Times of Oman / CIO DATAN

every game since their new coach came in after the World Cup and we will respect them a lot.

“But we will also try to be audacious and create something, too — we have to be ambitious if we have any chance of getting into the next stage of the tournament.”

Oman reached the semifinals of the Gulf Cup last November, coming out ahead of Iraq and Kuwait to qualify from the group stages before losing to Qatar.

But from that side Le Guen will be without defender Saad Al

Mukhaini as well as reserve goalkeeper Sulaiman Al Buraiki, who were both ruled out of making the journey to Australia with injuries.

Al Buraiki, however, joined the team later “Saad was one of the best players in the Gulf Cup for us, so his absence is a huge blow because our squad is not as large as some other countries, so he is a hard player to replace,” said Le Guen.

“But even if we have some problems with injuries, we will keep our way of playing and we can bother

them with our passing game.

“If we keep our team’s identity and we are not afraid of playing in a big stadium with a great atmosphere, then I hope we can create a surprise.”

Stielike confident Meanwhile, South Korea coach Uli Stielike is in confident mood ahead of his side’s AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 opener.

Despite a continental title drought that now runs to 55 years since Korea last lifted the Asian

championship, the German, who took over following the Taeguk Warriors 2014 Fifa World Cup group stage exit, dismissed any talk of pressure on his side, believing they will have too much for their West Asian opponents.

In particular, Stielike pointed to Korea’s encouraging second-half display in their 2-0 friendly victory over three-time AFC Asian Cup champions Saudi Arabia last Sunday at Parramatta Stadium as an indicator of the performance his side can replicate.

“The Saudi Arabia game was very good for us. Although in the first half we had problems, I am sure that if we play in the same spirit on Saturday against Oman as we did in the second half of that game, I have no doubt there will only be one winner,” said Stielike.

“We have to respect all teams, but I give priority to my team and players. If we know what we want, why we are there on the field, then we don’t fear any opponent we face.

“Everything within the team running very well, we have no injuries, and everybody is ready to be in the line-up tomorrow (Saturday), it’s a good situation for me as the coach.”

Swansea City midfielder Ki

ASIAN CUP 2015

SAUDI ARABIA VS CHINA

Aussies crush Kuwait 4-1 in opener MELBOURNE: Hosts Australia displayed impressive firepower to beat Kuwait 4-1 in their Asian Cup opener on Friday after talisman Tim Cahill kick-started them following an early scare.

Massimo Luongo, Mile Jedinak and James Troisi were also on target for the Socceroos, who could have scored six or seven and were serenaded with a chorus of “Oles” by a sell-out crowd of 30,000 in Melbourne. Kuwait had stunned Australia with a goal from Hussain Fadhel after just eight minutes, the big defender stooping to head in a corner and silence the home fans.

But Cahill relieved the tension on a wet and chilly evening by slamming home the equaliser in the 33rd minute after smart work down the right from Luongo. The 35-year-old has now scored at each of the last three Asian Cups.

Luongo put Australia in front moments before half-time with a superb header to give the home side a huge boost going into the break.

Skipper Jedinak stroked home a penalty in the 62nd minute, giving the Socceroos a two-goal cushion as they continued to press, playing with a swagger that was sorely missing as they managed just a single win in 11 matches last year.

Troisi poked home a fourth in stoppage time to cap a dominant performance. “Obviously we got off to a disappointing start,” Australia coach Ange Postecoglou told reporters. “Sometimes things don’t go to plan but it’s how you react. It was the right kind of reaction and eventually we overwhelmed them.

The positives outweigh the negatives tonight and this will give us confidence for the next games.”

Cahill still ‘dangerous’ Australia, runners-up to Japan four years ago, are also drawn

Sung-yueng is set to captain the 2011 semi-finalists for the first time and Stielike further revealed that he had already decided on the lineup for the opening fixture, although without naming the starting 11.

“The players already know who will play because it is important in training that each player knows where they have to be on the field and how they have play,” said Stielike.

“It is usual in my work and style, that the players always know at least one day before a game.”

Victory on Saturday would also go some way to beginning to heal the hurt of their disappointing World Cup campaign in which the former semi-finalists crashed out in Brazil after defeats against Algeria and Belgium followed a draw with Russia.

“We are working to change that atmosphere around Korean football from tomorrow (Saturday) onwards. What happened at the World Cup we cannot change. Brazil is passed. We have learnt and now look forward,” added Stielike.

“We have to show good confidence for our supporters at home.

We want to bring this team not only to the Korean people’s television screens but also into their hearts, and the only way to do this is with good football.

“We want to play good football with good quality but with these two things we also need to start getting good results – starting from tomorrow (Saturday).” — AFC

CONFIDENT START: Australia’s Mathew Leckie, left, congratulates Mile Jedinak, centre,) and Tim Cahill, right, after a goal during the opening match of Asian Cup against Kuwait in Melbourne. – AFP

Sometimes things don’t go to plan but it’s how you react. It was the right kind of reaction and eventually we overwhelmed them (Kuwait). This will give us confidence Ange Postecoglou, Australia coach alongside Oman and 2002 World Cup semifinalists South Korea in Group A as they bid to capture a first Asian Cup with a revamped side after their golden generation failed to win a major title.

Cahill almost grabbed a second, forcing a superb save from Hameed Youssef on the hour-mark,

before Mathew Leckie smashed a left-foot shot against the underside of the bar as the floodgates threatened to open.

“Tim is still a fantastic player,” Postecoglou gushed after Cahill, who has scored nine of Australia’s last 16 goals, once again demonstrated his importance to the green

the gold. “We saw at the World Cup he’s still very dangerous against the world’s best defences.

“There wouldn’t be a defender in the world today who would like to be one-on-one with Tim Cahill.”

Substitute Nathan Burns also rattled the framework with a diving header as the Socceroos turned on the style against the 1980 champions Kuwait, who had beaten them in five of their previous 10 meetings.

Kuwait coach Nabil Maaloul, was philosophical in defeat.

“Let’s face facts: there’s a big difference between the level of the Australian team and Kuwait,” he said. “When we scored the early goal I was the only person on my bench not expressing my joy because I knew Australia had the quality to score at any time — and they proved it. Their third goal, the penalty, killed us.” - AFP

Al Shamrani doubtful starter for Saudi Arabia BRISBANE: Saudi Arabia’s reigning AFC Player of the Year Nasser Al Shamrani is in a fitness race for the three-time champions’ AFC Asian Cup Group C opener against China on Saturday. Saudi coach Cosmin Olaroiu said on Friday that the Al Hilal striker aggravated an old injury during a 2-0 defeat to Korea Republic in a friendly on January 4 and remains questionable for the Green Falcons’ campaign launch.

“He had some problems against Korea,” said Olaroiu, who took charge just three weeks out of the tournament.

“It’s something he had before.

Our medical staff has tried to improve him but we will see. We still have time.”

With or without Al Shamrani, however, midfielder Saud Kariri firmly believes his team will not embarrass themselves when they set foot on the pitch at Brisbane Stadium. “Captain Al Shamrani is a very good player, a very important player to any team,” the Al Hilal man said.”If he plays or doesn’t play, we don’t know exactly, but we have a good squad of 23 players and everybody is ready to give 100 percent.”

Olaroiu does not believe his brief period with Saudi, who went out in the first round in Qatar four years ago, will handicap the side as they attempt to progress out of a group also including Uzbekistan and NorthKorea.

“We have to face the strongest opponent in the group in the first game,” the Romanian said of China.” — AFC

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM S ATU RDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

MARKE

INFOSYS THIRD-QUARTER PROFIT BEATS ESTIMATES Net income increased to Rs32.5 billion ($521 million) in the three months ended on December 31, exceeding the Rs31.6 billion median of analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. >B3

AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

Detroit auto show revs up amid ‘perfect’ industry conditions said Joe Vitale, industry analyst at consultant Deloitte. “When you look at all those factors, one it’s a good time to be a consumer, two there’s liquidity out there for the purchase of vehicles, three there’s aging of the vehicle population.

“All these things make it very desirable for the auto industry over the coming year.”

NEW YORK: A surging economy, more jobs and cheap gas: the US auto industry will celebrate a confluence of near-perfect conditions as it unveils its latest wheels in the annual Detroit car show next week.

After racking up the best year in sales since 2006, the last year before the financial crisis hit, automakers will put out for display some 40 new car and truck models, hoping to seduce buyers to make 2015 even better.

The cars will be more powerful and decked out with ever-more high-tech bells and whistles that are making them safer than ever, while pushing slowly toward the day of the hands-free automobile.

Rolling onto the red carpet in Detroit will be Cadillac’s most powerful car ever, the new 640 horsepower CTS-V; Lexus’s GS F performance sedan; a brand-new version of the legendary Acura NSX; and possibly the next-generation Ford supercar.

Pickup fans will be wowed with the all-new Nissan Titan and Toyota Tacoma trucks.

The struggling green-car sector will also have badly needed NOVEMBER

Manufacturing production gains in UK LONDON: UK manufacturing production rose the most in seven months in November, as total industrial output suffered an unexpected decline due to maintenance at some North Sea oil fields.

Factory output increased 0.7 per cent from October, exceeding the 0.3 per cent median forecast of economists in a Bloomberg News survey, according to data published on Friday. Industrial production fell 0.1 per cent, with oil and gas extraction dropping 5.5 per cent, the most since January.

The Bank of England left its key interest rate at a record-low 0.5 per cent on Thursday as a weakening euro area holds back UK economic growth and impedes rebalancing.

Separate data today from the Office for National Statistics showed goods exports fell 0.4 per cent in November, led by Europe.

The trade data showed that the goods-trade gap narrowed in November to 8.8 billion pounds as imports plunged 3.2 per cent.

That reflected an 18.7 drop in oil imports to the lowest since October 2010. The total trade gap of goods and services narrowed to the least since June 2013.

In the three months through November, the UK’s trade deficit with Germany widened to a record, reflecting a decline in exports. - Bloomberg News

READY FOR ROAD: Rolling onto the Detroit car show will be Cadillac’s new 640 horsepower CTS-V; Lexus’s GS F performance sedan and a brand-new version of the legendary Acura NSX. — Bloomberg file picture

Not all good news The North American International Automobile Show -- to give it its full name -- expects a million visitors to descend on bone-chilling Detroit between January 17 and 25. Some 20 manufacturers will compete for the spotlight in a US market that has been a bright spot in a world where other economies are struggling to grow.

Guangzhou Auto presenting a new car — which will not be sold in the United States.

Motors, Ford and Chrysler, now renamed FCA US -- and European and Asian producers.

The industry is coming off a year of sales of at least 16.5 million cars and trucks in the United States, up 5.9 percent from 2013, according to Autodata, an industry consultant.

The impressive array going on display underscores how the American consumer is enjoying the richest, most diverse range of choices from the Detroit “Big 3” -- General

With gas prices at their lowest in six years, interest rates rockbottom, and the US economy and household worth growing steadily, “we’re almost in a perfect storm,”

General Motors led the pack with sales of 2.94 million units; Ford was second at 2.48 million, Toyota close behind with 2.37 million, and FCA US, the former

fresh offerings in the form of a redesigned GM Volt, and Hyundai’s hybrid and plug-in Sonatas.

The show, the premier auto exposition in the United States, will also see the return of Chinese makers, absent for several years after self-imposed exile, with

Don’t bank on crude price rebound yet: Hedge fund the US benchmark, plunged 54 per cent in 2008, dropping as low as $32.40 on December 19, amid the global financial crisis. Futures have extended last year’s 46 per cent decline to trade at $46.83 this week. Brent, the marker price for more than half the world’s oil, fell below $50 a barrel to the lowest in 5 1/2 years this week and was at $50.94 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange at 4:14pm in Singapore on Friday.

Unless we see real slowdown in production growth in the US and Canada, there’s no point in trying to bottom fish as you are getting no help from the fundamental picture, a top analyst said

CRUDE SUPPLIES: Brent futures lost 48 per cent last year, the most since 2008, as the Opec resisted output cut calls. — Bloomberg file picture

SINGAPORE: A hedge fund that returned almost 60 per cent last year by betting on oil’s collapse says the slump may have further to run.

Crude may drop below $40 a barrel in the next few months without a substantial slowdown of production growth in the US and Canada, said Doug King, Londonbased chief investment officer of Merchant Commodity Fund.

Bearish oil wagers in the second half of 2014 helped the $260 million fund gain 59.3 per cent, the best performance since its start in June 2004.

Brent futures lost 48 per cent last year, the most since 2008, as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) resisted calls to cut output. The US is pumping the most crude in more than three decades as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing

F I R E F O X D E A L I M PAC T

Google’s Internet search share falls in US, Yahoo gains ground NEW YORK: Google’s dominance of the US Internet search market slipped last month in the biggest drop since 2009 while Yahoo! posted its largest share gain, as the companies grappled with the fallout of a search deal on Firefox browsers.

Google’s slice of the US search market fell to 75.2 per cent in December from 79.3 per cent a year ago, while Yahoo jumped to 10.4 per cent from 7.4 per cent, according to analytics firm StatCounter.

That put Google at its smallest share of the US Web search market since at least 2008, when StatCounter first started tracking the numbers, and the highest share for Yahoo since 2009.

The changes were spurred by a deal in November where Yahoo replaced Google as the default search engine on Firefox browsers in the US. Google had been the automatic search option for Firefox, which was developed by Mozilla, since 2004.

“The move by Mozilla has had a definite impact on US search,” Stat-

American Chrysler marque now owned by Italy’s Fiat, selling 2.09 million cars and trucks. GM chief executive Mary Barra predicted Thursday that sales in 2015 could reach a buoyant 17 million vehicles, a level last seen in 2001.

“The US economy and vehicle sales have been rebounding since 2009 and we believe there is still plenty of room for the auto industry to grow,” she said.

But for all the expected razzmatazz, the show does not open under absolutely clear skies.

After a record year of recalls in the US, some 60 million cars in total, many for life-threatening defects, automakers will be under pressure to demonstrate a greater commitment to car quality and consumer safety.

GM is especially under the gun, having been shown at the beginning of 2014 to have known about a faulty ignition for more than a decade before taking action.

At least 42 people died in crashes tied to that problem and the company is facing criminal investigation even as it pays out millions of dollars to settle claims. - AFP

– Bloomberg file picture

Counter Chief Executive Officer Aodhan Cullen said. “The question now is whether Firefox users switch back to Google.” Firefox users represented slightly more than 12 per cent of US Internet usage in December, according to StatCounter. Representatives from Yahoo and Google declined to comment.

The share gain is good news for Yahoo as CEO Marissa Mayer pushes for more partnerships to boost the Sunnyvale, Californiabased company’s traffic and revenue. Yet it may be the biggest

bump the Web portal gets, given that Firefox has been struggling to keep up with rivals, said Danny Sullivan, founding editor of Marketing Land & Search Engine Land. Google also has a Web browser called Chrome.

“I doubt Google needs to worry.

For one, that’s probably the high water mark,” Sullivan said in an e-mail. “Unless Firefox suddenly grows share, everyone who likely could get switched has been now.

And Google might claw back even the small share gone.” - Bloomberg News

unlock shale reserves, adding to a global supply glut that Qatar estimates at two million barrels a day.

“Unless we see real slowdown in production growth in the US and Canada, there’s no point in trying to bottom fish as you are getting no help from the fundamental picture,” King said in an interview in Singapore on January 8. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 2008 low of $35 to $30.”

West Texas Intermediate crude,

Coal too Merchant made 19.5 per cent in December by forecasting a slump in crude and coal prices, King said.

Brent fell 18 per cent last month, while benchmark European thermal coal for next-year delivery lost 8.4 per cent, according to broker data compiled by Bloomberg.

US crude output expanded to 9.14 million barrels a day through December 12, the highest level in weekly data from the Energy Information Administration that started in January 1983. Supply has risen 66 per cent over the past five years and exports, still limited by law, reached a record 502,000 barrels a day in November.

Merchant’s bearish calls helped it outperform its peers as commodity hedge funds lost an average 0.48 per cent in 2014 following

a 3.1 per cent decline a year earlier, data from eVestment, an Atlantabased researcher, show.

Assets grow Assets under management at Merchant, also run by Singaporebased Michael Coleman, rose to $260 million from $143 million in January, King said. About $50 million of the increase came from new investor money and the balance from performance, he said.

Some of Merchant’s peers say oil’s slide is nearing an end. Crude may trade in the $40-a-barrel range in 2015 with “some recovery” likely by the second half of the year as demand picks up, Andrew J. Hall, the head of Astenbeck Capital Management, wrote in a January 2 letter obtained by Bloomberg News. A significant amount of US and Canadian production can’t cover the cash costs of operating at that price, he said.

Cheaper oil is lowering costs for other commodities such as iron ore and agricultural products, keeping a cap on prices, according to King. Iron ore may fall to the $50 a metric ton range during the first half of this year, he said. Ore with 62 per cent content delivered to Qingdao, China, was at $71.36 on Thursday, according to Metal Bulletin. - Bloomberg News

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

FEATURE DOMINIC BASULTO

W

hen Mark Zuckerberg makes a New Year’s resolution, people notice. This year, of course, the Facebook chief executive has segued from learning Mandarin to creating one of the Internet’s largest book clubs.

His “A Year of Books” Facebook page, which encourages Facebook users to read one new book every two weeks and then discuss online, has already picked up more than 218,000 likes and helped to drive record sales for the first book selection (Moisés Naim’s “The End of Power.”) It’s no wonder people are already comparing Zuckerberg to Oprah and surmising that he’s done something wonderful like unlocking the future of mobile commerce for Facebook.

IF MARK ZUCKERBERG IS THE NEXT OPRAH,

Please stop.

If Mark Zuckerberg is really the next Oprah, Facebook is in more trouble than you think. The fundamental problem is that if you think of yourself as the head of a media company and not as the head of a technology company, you are also thinking of yourself as the head of a company dependent on advertising, and that’s going to influence all of your strategic thinking. Instead of thinking up great new experiences for users, you start thinking up great new experiences for advertisers.

If Facebook really plans to become a successful media company, it needs to grow its audience to maximum capacity (done that!) and then find a way to (a) charge for its content (b) find deep-pocketed advertisers willing to pay or (c) figure out how to make money from online commerce. Not many people are willing to pay for Facebook quite yet (although some people do pay to promote posts), so that leaves one basic option — getting advertisers to pay.

For Facebook, that means experimenting with new ad units, trying to attract advertisers with new page formats, or loading up the News Feed with the types of middlebrow content and safe community experiences that appeal to big advertisers. Stuff like Internet book clubs, for example.

Remember — this is not the first time that Zuckerberg has told the world that he views Facebook as a media and content play rather than as a pure social networking company. Remember last year when he launched the mobile app Paper and told us that he planned to create “the best personalised newspaper in the world?”

When you think like the leader of a media company instead of a technology company, apps are just new distribution channels — just more ways to get your content into the hands of users.

You can see this type of media company-inspired thinking infecting other Silicon Valley companies as well. Take Twitter, for example. The company appears to be having a permanent identity crisis: Is it a media publishing platform or a social network? Just as Facebook is experimenting with new video ad units (the latest ones are post-roll ads for the NFL and Verizon), Twitter is also busy rolling out new options for hosting videos. And other types of incremental innovations from Twitter just keep coming — everything from new page formats to new ways to view your tweet stream.

In a best case, all of this innovation leads to something such as YouTube, arguably one of the most successful examples of a tech company — Google — creating a media property. In a neutral case, you get something like Yahoo — a company with Silicon Valley DNA that often acts more like a New York media company than a West Coast technology company. And, in a worst case, you get something like AOL. (And have no doubt, it’s easy to find “Facebook is the new AOL” scenarios on the Internet.)

Which brings us back to Oprah. The No. 1 reason why Facebook is in trouble if Zuckerberg is the next Oprah is that it means that Facebook is going to have dive even deeper into bland, advertiser-safe media experiences that are all but certain to drive young, hip users away. Deep down, nobody in the critical 18-to-34 demographic really wants to use the same social network their parents (or grandparents) use. It’s the same perverse logic why some authors would rather their books not appear in the Oprah book club — it basically all but corrodes their hipster street credibility with the literary set.

What Zuckerberg needs to keep in mind is that there is a very real potential for users to leave Facebook. Already, young users appear to be abandoning Facebook, in search of online experiences that are just cooler and hipper. If your friends and family are not using the network, it’s useless to you. So once some friends begin to leave, others leave, and if enough people leave, well, you end up with a MySpace scenario.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Every now and then, Facebook actually makes the type of acquisition or strategic move that returns it to its Silicon Valley early beginnings. The deal for Oculus, for example, was brilliant. That’s because the types of people willing to strap on an Oculus Rift VR device are so vastly different from the types of people who are willing to flip on a TV to watch Oprah. Virtual reality is not yet in the mainstream and it is all but inscrutable to the types of advertisers who would want to show ads on “Oprah.”

In short, the problem with thinking like Oprah is that you start thinking in terms of audience size and advertising innovations rather than technological innovations. Every new product or offering becomes a way to build audience, a way to distribute content. Before you know it, you’re not innovating for the tech early adopter, you’re innovating for the Oprah audience. — Washington Post-Bloomberg News

IS IN TROUBLE People are already comparing Zuckerberg to Oprah and surmising that he’s done something wonderful like unlocking the future of mobile commerce for Facebook.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

B3

MARKET Infosys third-quarter profit beats estimates Net income increased to Rs32.5 billion ($521 million) in the three months ended on December 31, exceeding the Rs31.6 billion median of analysts’ estimates compiled

by Bloomberg

BENGALURU: Infosys posted third-quarter profit that beat analyst estimates as the Indian technology-services provider won ROBUST GROWTH: Infosys shares surged 6.1 per cent to Rs2,093.70 as of 1:13pm in Mumbai trading. — more clients. The shares surged Bloomberg file picture the most in three months.

Net income increased to Rs32.5 prove productivity for each of the billion ($521 million) in the three company’s services. Infosys plans months ended on December 31, exto train 500 employees each quarceeding the Rs31.6 billion median ter in a three-week artificial intelof analysts’ estimates compiled by ligence course. Sikka also vowed to Bloomberg. Bengaluru-based Inchange the culture at Infosys from fosys kept its forecast for full-year what he describes as a focus on sales to rise seven per cent to nine problem solving. per cent in US dollar terms.

Chief Executive Officer Vishal Helping deliver value Sikka, who took charge five “Problem finding is where the months ago, is looking to distinvalue is,” Sikka told investors guish Infosys by using artificial inlast month. “Problem finding will telligence and automation to help be the essence of being innovaclients cut costs, and by retraining tive and helping deliver value engineers to think like designers. to clients.”

The company won a $125 million In the past two quarters, Infosys order to manage IT services and promoted about 20,000 employa multimillion-dollar contract ees and changed its compensation with a new French automotive clistructure to stem “high” attrition. ent as it added 59 clients during Workers left the company at a the quarter. rate of 20.4 per cent in the quarter Infosys, Chief Executive Officer ended on December 31, up from Differentiated services – Bloomberg file picture 20.1 per cent in the second quarter, “We’re seeing some good traction the company said. Infosys added a in deal wins,” Sagar Lele, an anaSikka took the helm at Infosys gross total of 13,154 workers last lyst at Antique Stock Broking in S&P BSE Sensex Index gained 0.3 Mumbai, said by phone before the per cent. Tata Consultancy Ser- on August 1, becoming the first quarter, it said. - Bloomberg News result. “They’re going to market vices, the industry leader in India, CEO hired externally at a company previously led by its founders. with a lot of differentiated servic- rose 2.3 per cent.

During the last quarter, Infosys Sikka previously headed technoles,” helping improve sales growth, HAVE YOUR SAY won contracts from Discover Fi- ogy for SAP and has brought his he said.

Send us your comments at Infosys surged 6.1 per cent to nancial Services, a US credit card software product design focus facebook.com/timesofoman Rs2,093.70 as of 1:13pm in Mum- company, and Bank of Makati in to Infosys. blog.timesofoman.com He’s pledged to overhaul and imbai trading, while the benchmark the Philippines. haveyoursay@timesofoman.com

Problem finding is where the value is.

Problem finding will be the essence of being innovative and helping deliver value to clients Vishal Sikka

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

Macy’s to shut 14 stores in US NEW YORK: US department store giant Macy’s said on Thursday it would shut 14 stores, cutting more than 1,300 jobs, in a restructuring to boost its focus on the boom in online shopping.

The affected stores, a small fraction of the company’s roughly 790 stores across the country, will be closed within several months, Macy’s said in a statement after the markets closed.

Macy’s also announced it would open two new stores in California.

1,343 jobs lost The stores to be shuttered generate about $130 million in annual sales, “some of which is expected to be retained in nearby stores and with online/mobile sales,” the Cincinatti, Ohio-based company said. The closings will eliminate 1,343 jobs, but Macy’s said it ex-

pected that it will maintain its current staffing level of 175,000.

The company estimated that the restructuring changes will produce $140 million in savings annually, beginning this year. It said it would book a restructuring charge of up to $110 million in the 2014 fourth quarter. Shares in Macy’s slid 3.1 per cent to $65.71 in after-hours trade on the New York Stock Exchange. - AFP

ECONOMY

Cheap oil’s boost to global GDP offset by woes of Europe and Brazil LONDON: Plunging oil prices are giving a bump to consumer and business spending around the world — just not enough to increase global growth forecasts.

A darkening outlook in emerging markets including China, Russia and Brazil and geopolitical risks such as Greece’s possible exit from the euro are overshadowing the benefits from lower energy costs. The median estimate for 2015 world expansion from economists surveyed by Bloomberg News has been unchanged since October, when it fell to 3.5 per cent from 3.6 per cent.

“People are cautious in a world where they see other risks skewed to the downside,” said Bruce Kasman, chief economist at JPMorgan Chase & in New York. “There’s still a question mark out there.”

Economists’ reluctance to boost estimates underscores the fragility of global growth after four straight years of below-forecast expansion.

JPMorgan is a case in point: It estimates that sustained $60-a-barrel crude oil prices will add 0.5 per cent to global gross domestic product, yet its January 2 world expansion forecast of 2.9 per cent for 2015 is down from a 3.3 per cent estimate in July. The US, with a 3.2 per cent

expansion estimate, is the only one among the world’s 10 biggest economies that JPMorgan now sees growing more quickly than expected in July. The bank projects emerging markets will grow 3.9 per cent this year, down from its July forecast of 4.9 per cent, reflecting markdowns for nations including Russia, Brazil and India.

Global stocks Oil’s 55 per cent decline since June, the steepest rout since the global financial crisis, has benefited haven assets such as US Treasuries while depressing the currencies of crude exporters such as Russia. The MSCI AllCountry World Index of stocks has dropped about 3.6 per cent in the same period.

Lower oil prices may not be the “manna from heaven” some

Bruce Kasman. — Bloomberg file picture

forecasters are expecting, HSBC Holdings economists Stephen King and Karen Ward said in a report on Thursday. High levels of debt in developed nations are likely to blunt the benefits of monetary easing, while declines in oil and other commodities are straining emerging countries, they said. “The global economy was losing momentum and disinflation was building, meaning pricing power was being lost, before anything started to happen in the oil market,” Ward, who’s based in London, said in a phone interview.

‘Important’ risks While some policy makers said the drop in oil would have a positive impact on overseas employment and output, many officials “regarded the international situation as an important source of downside risks,” especially if oil’s decline and weak growth abroad affect financial markets, the minutes said.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that declining oil prices will increase global output by a range of 0.3 per cent to 0.7 per cent this year by boosting household incomes and lowering input costs for businesses, according to a blog post last month by chief economist Olivier Blanchard and Rabah Arezki, the head of the fund’s commodities research. - Bloomberg News

B4

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

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ECONOMY

Leading forecaster sees rupee weakening for fifth year MUMBAI: The top Indian rupee forecaster said the currency will weaken against the dollar for a fifth year, and that may limit the central bank’s room to cut interest rates.

The rupee is set to drop 2.6 per cent to 64 a dollar by end-2015, a level last seen in September 2013, from 62.30 on Friday, according to ABN Amro Bank, which had the most accurate estimates in the last four quarters in Bloomberg’s rankings. That matches the prediction

by ING Vysya Bank, which came third, while Scotiabank, the fourth best, forecasts a decline to 65. The currency fell two per cent last year, completing its longest losing streak since 2001.

Global funds bought the least Indian debt in eight months in December as the prospect of the Federal Reserve raising US borrowing costs dimmed the allure of emerging-market assets. Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, who said on December 2 he may ease policy in early 2015, will have less room to act if the rupee drops more than expected, according to ABN Amro.

“If financial markets get too jittery and the dollar strengthens much faster against the rupee, then that would give less flexibility to the central bank to cut rates,” Roy Teo, a strategist in Singapore at the Dutch lender, said in a January 7 phone interview. While the

rupee has become less vulnerable, the currency along with Indonesia’s rupiah is likely to be the most at risk when investors pull funds from Asia, he said.

‘Fragile five’ The rupee has surged 10.5 per cent from an all-time low in 2013, when Morgan Stanley dubbed currencies of India, South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia and Turkey the “fragile five,” because of difficulties in drawing capital to finance trade deficits. The rupiah has weakened 11 per cent in the same period.

India’s currency weakened 1.6 per cent in December as foreign funds turned net sellers of local equities for the first time in eleven

months and bought $1.9 billion of corporate and government debt, the least since April, exchange data show.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which tracks the greenback against 10 global peers, surged 11 per cent last year, the biggest jump in data going back to at least 2005.

“Broad dollar strength, which we expect to be the key theme through 2015, should be supported by Fed rate hikes, and pressure the rupee,” Sacha Tihanyi, a Hong Kong-based currency strategist at Scotiabank, said in a January 7 e-mail interview. “The current-account gap will continue to be a fundamental source of weakness for the rupee, particularly during periods of high

global financial-market volatility.”

The July-September shortfall in India’s broadest measure of trade widened to $10.1 billion from $7.8 billion the previous quarter, the RBI reported December 8. The gap amounted to 2.1 per cent of gross domestic product, lower than the 2.5 per cent level the central bank considers sustainable.

Citigroup estimates India’s current-account gap will narrow to 1.3 per cent of GDP in the year ending March 2016, from 1.6 per cent in the current fiscal period.

The best forecasters in Bloomberg’s rankings were identified by averaging individual scores on margin of error, timing and direction during the past four quar-

ters. The score of 73.83 registered

by ABN Amro topped National Australia Bank, which came in second at 71.94.

NAB said the rupee will stay an attractive bet as a 54 per cent slump in oil prices since June narrows the current- account deficit and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reforms boost growth in Asia’s third-largest economy. The Australian lender predicts the currency end this year at 62.80.

The rupee will end the year at 62.50, according to the median estimate of 31 analysts surveyed

by Bloomberg. Investing in rupees will earn about nine per cent including interest, based the projections, the most in Asia. - Bloomerg News

‘Splitting banks in EU should be last resort’ Separation should be used only if banks deemed too big to fail don’t take other measures such as boosting capital or increasing issuance of loss-absorbing debt, EU official said – Bloomberg file picture

BRUSSELS: Splitting consumer and trading activities at the European Union’s biggest banks should be a supervisor’s last resort after other crisis-management tools fail, a key member of the bloc’s legislature said.

Gunnar Hoekmark, a Swede who’s leading the European Parliament’s work on a bank-structure bill put forward last year by the European Commission, said separation should be used only if banks deemed too big to fail

don’t take other measures such as boosting capital or increasing issuance of loss-absorbing debt.

Banks that can’t be safely wound down should they fail would face “enhanced supervision, or a call for higher levels of capital, or a change of structure, or in the end what could be separation,” Hoekmark said on Januarty 7 in an interview in Brussels.

“The key issue is resolvability.”

The commission’s proposal to ban proprietary trading at

the EU’s largest banks and assess whether their trading arms should be turned into separately capitalised units needs considerable work before it can be put into practice, Hoekmark said. National governments in the 28-nation EU are also devising ways to streamline the measure.

A revised blueprint prepared by Hoekmark steers “away from the original proposal calling for separation per se,” he said. This is justified because other laws adopted

since the 2008 financial crisis have addressed key risks in banks, because of the need to promote lending to businesses, and by the threat that trading activities could simply shift to other, less-regulated financial firms, he said.

The draft EU law would cover banks labeled as globally systemic by the Financial Stability Board (FSB), a group of international regulators. The EU banks in the latest edition of the FSB list, published in November, are: HSBC Holdings, Deutsche Bank, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, Credit Agricole, Groupe BPCE, ING Groep, Nordea Bank, Banco Santander, Societe Generale, Standard Chartered and UniCredit SpA. The regulation would also capture banks that have total assets exceeding 30 billion euros ($35.4 billion) in three consecutive years and total trading assets and liabilities of more than 70 billion euros or 10 per cent of total assets.

The commission’s plan sets out a series of thresholds for moving some trading activities into separately capitalised units, such as the importance of investment banking to the overall business and the complexity of its derivatives business. - Bloomberg News

INDIAN MARKETS

Sensex up on earnings outlook MUMBAI: Indian stocks rose for a second day, paring a weekly loss, as the nation’s second-largest software exporter reported profit that beat estimates and global stocks rallied.

Infosys rallied the most in three months after the company maintained its annual sales forecast. The stock now has the highest weighting on the S&P BSE Sensex, up from a third place on Thursday. Hindustan Unilever climbed to a record, while drugmakers Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and Cipla were among the best performers on the benchmark index.

The Sensex gained 0.7 per cent to 27,458.38 at the close, paring the weekly loss to 1.5 per cent. Net income at Infosys rose 13 per cent to Rs32.5 billion ($521 million) in the December quarter, exceeding the Rs31.6 billion median of 29 analysts’ estimates in a Bloomberg survey.

“Spending on technology has improved dramatically, and the guidance given by Infosys is conservative,” Trip Chowdhry, a USbased analyst at Global Equities Research, said in an interview to Bloomberg TV India On Friday.

“Infosys can easily meet or beat the top-end of its guidance.”

Profits at 67 per cent of the 30 Sensex companies beat or matched analyst estimates in the September quarter, versus 46 per cent in the three months ended June and 60 per cent in March, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Earnings are likely to rise 27 per cent over the next year, versus 11 per cent for companies on the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, the data show.

Hindustan Unilever soared 5.8 per cent, taking this week’s rally to 14 per cent, the most since the week ending May 5, 2013. Brokerages including JPMorgan Chase, Credit Suisse Group, Kotak Securities and IIFL Holdings have raised their ratings on the stock this week.

Rupee appreciates India’s rupee completed its biggest weekly gain since May on optimism demand for emergingmarket assets will be sustained amid the prospect of further euroarea stimulus.

European Central Bank (ECB)

President Mario Draghi said this week that policy makers may undertake measures including buying sovereign bonds to spur growth. Minutes of the Federal Reserve’s December meeting released on January 8 showed the US is unlikely to raise interest rates before late April.

Global funds bought a record $26.4 billion of Indian debt in 2014, while pouring about $16 billion into the nation’s stocks, exchange data show.

The rupee climbed 1.6 per cent from January 2 to close at 62.3250 a dollar in Mumbai, the biggest weekly gain since May 16, prices from local banks compiled

by Bloomberg show. The currency rose 0.6 per cent on Friday and is Asia’s best performer this week.

Indian sovereign bonds completed a second weekly advance.

“Strong inflows continue to lend support to the rupee,” said Paresh Nayar, head of currency and money markets at FirstRand in Mumbai.

“India looks relatively attractive when you see other major world economies slowing.” — Bloomberg News

B SECTION

LIFE & STYLE

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

Bodies do less work when eating foods that have been softened by cooking - so we keep more of the calories. Stale foods like day-old cooked spaghetti, or pizza, will give you fewer calories than the same foods eaten piping hot

D O Y O U R E A L LY K N O W H O W

F

ood labels seem to provide all the information a thoughtful consumer needs, so counting calories should be simple. But things get tricky because food labels tell only half the story. A calorie is a measure of usable energy.

Food labels say how many calories a food contains. But what they don’t say is that how many calories you actually get out of your food depends on how highly processed it is.

Processed food tends to make you fatter Food-processing includes cooking, blending and mashing, or using refined instead of unrefined flour. It can be done by the food industry before you buy, or in your home when you prepare a meal. Its effects can be big. If you eat your food raw, you will tend to lose weight. If you eat the same food cooked, you will tend to gain weight. Same calories, different outcome.

For our ancestors, it could have meant the difference between life and death. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, when early humans learned to cook they were able to access more energy in whatever they ate. The extra energy allowed

them to develop big brains, have babies faster and travel more efficiently. Without cooking, we would not be human.

More processed foods are digested more completely Animal experiments show that processing affects calorie gain whether the energy source is carbohydrate, protein or lipid (fats and oils). In every case, more processed foods give an eater more energy.

Take carbohydrates, which provide more than half of the world’s calories. Their energy is often packaged in starch grains, dense packets of glucose that are digested mainly in your small intestine.

If you eat a starchy food raw, up to half the starch grains pass through the small intestine entirely undigested. Your body gets two-thirds or less of the total calories available in the food. The rest might be used by bacteria in your colon, or might even be passed out whole.

Even among cooked foods, digestibility varies. Starch becomes more resistant to digestion when it is allowed to cool and sit after being cooked, because it crystallizes into structures that digestive en-

zymes cannot easily break down.

So stale foods like day-old cooked spaghetti, or pizza, will give you fewer calories than the same foods eaten piping hot, even though technically they contain the same amount of stored energy.

Softer foods are calorie-saving Highly processed foods are not only more digestible; they tend to be softer, requiring the body to expend less energy during digestion.

Researchers fed rats two kinds of laboratory chow. One kind was solid pellets, the type normally given to lab animals. The other differed only by containing more air: they were like puffed breakfast cereal.

Rats eating the solid and puffed pellets ate the same weight of food and the same number of counted calories and they exercised the same amount as each other. But the rats eating the puffed pellets grew heavier and had 30% more body fat than their counterparts eating regular chow.

The reason why the puffedpellet-eaters gained more energy is that their guts didn’t have to work so hard: puffed pellets take

CALORIES WORK? less physical effort to break down.

When rats eat, their body temperature rises due to the work of digestion. A meal of puffed pellets leads to less rise in body temperature than the same meal of solid pellets.

Because the puffed pellets require less energy to digest, they lead to greater weight gain and more fat.

Our bodies work the same way.

They do less work when eating foods that have been softened by cooking, mashed or aerated. Think about that when you sit down to a holiday meal or dine in a fine restaurant. Our favourite foods have been so lovingly prepared that they melt in the mouth and slide down our throats with barely any need for chewing. No wonder we adore them. Our preference is nature’s way of keeping as much as possible of these precious calories.

Why food labels don’t tell the complete story Unfortunately, of course, in today’s overfed and underexercised populations nature’s way is not the best way. If we want to lose weight we should challenge our instinctive desires. We should reject soft white bread in favour

of rough whole wheat breads, processed cheese in favour of natural cheese, cooked vegetables in favour of raw vegetables. And to do so would be much easier if the food labels gave us some advice about how many calories we would save by eating less-processed food. So why are the nutritionist advisers mute on the topic?

The problem is a shortage of information. Researchers find it hard to predict precisely how many extra calories will be gained when our food is more highly processed. By contrast, they find it easy to show that if a food is digested completely, it will yield a specific number of calories.

Our food labelling therefore faces a choice between two systems, neither of which is satisfactory. The first gives a precise number of calories but takes no account of the known effects of food-processing, and therefore mis-measures what our bodies are actually harvesting from the food. The second would take account of food-processing, but without any precise numbers.

Faced by this difficult choice, every country has opted to ignore

the effect of processing and the result is that consumers are confused.

Labels provide a number that likely overestimates the calories available in unprocessed foods. Food labels ignore the costs of the digestive process – losses to bacteria and energy spent digesting. The costs are lower for processed items, so the amount of overestimation on their labels is less.

Time for a change?

Given the importance of counting calories correctly, it’s time to re-open the discussion. One idea would develop a “traffic-light” system on food labels, alerting consumers to foods that are highly processed (red dots), lightly processed (green dots) or in-between (amber dots).

Public health demands more education on the effects of how we prepare our food on our individual weight gain. Calorie-counting is too important to allow a system that is clearly limited to be the best on offer. We need a major scientific effort to produce adequate numbers on the effects of food-processing. — Richard Wrangham, Rachel Carmody/The Washington Post

B6

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

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ACES ON BRIDGE

Conundra come at Christmas

SUDOKU

HOW TO PLAY Fill the empty cells with the numbers 1 to 9, so that each number appears once in each row, column and area.

— Seven Galaxies

9

7 3 9 3 1 4 8 8 3 9 3 2 6 9 7 4 4 6 7 6 3 5 6

7 2 5 5 1 2 4 4 9 8 5

9 3 5 6 4 2 7 8 1 8 6 7 9 1 3 2 4 5 4 2 1 7 5 8 3 6 9 1 7 8 2 9 4 5 3 6 5 9 6 8 3 7 4 1 2 3 4 2 5 6 1 8 9 7

MARMADUKE

— By Phillip Alder

B I G NAT E

ACROSS 1 TD passers 4 Future fries 8 Apt name for a Dalmatian 12 Inconclusive result 13 Used to be 14 Chalet feature 15 Most gondoliers 17 Hat or umbrella — 18 Serious risk 19 Hockey team 21 RN specialty 23 Sault — Marie 24 Deepens, as snow (2 wds.)

28 Use Artgum 32 Blvd.

33 Ewe’s plaint 35 Sardine holder 36 Appealingly piquant 39 Wheel covers 42 Cut down with an ax 44 Out of reach 45 Chanted 49 Far from sophisticated 53 Jungle warning

54 Have a bone to pick 56 Dietary need 57 Cheshire Cat, finally 58 Say please 59 Get fresh 60 Sundance Kid’s girl 61 Milk amts.

DOWN 1 Handy swab (hyph.)

2 Light snack 3 Dry up 4 Drinks in large amounts 5 “Snow” veggie 6 Samovars 7 Work stations 8 Bird dog 9 Do a kitchen chore 10 Above 11 Rock concert souvenirs 16 Low-cal product word 20 Had a pizza 22 Kind of scout 24 Opposite of guerra 25 — been had!

26 27 29 30 31 34 37 38 40 41

Brown of renown Cry of disdain — — disadvantage Not guzzle Annapolis grad — Wiedersehen Sharp spines Ginza money Yellow fruit Rugged cliff

43 45 46 47 48 50 51 52 55

Blocky heel Part of the eye Ibsen heroine Art colony town Gossip, slangily Baghdad’s country Waistcoat Cartoon shrieks Canine command

Answer to previous puzzle

THE gifts have been opened, and the children or grandchildren are playing with their new toys.

Ignore the given East-West hands; they will change in the following columns of January, when the answers to questions one and two will be given.

1. How should South plan the play in seven spades after West leads the heart jack? Trumps are 1-1.

2. With South the dealer and the opponents silent, suggest an auction.

3. Look at only the South hand.

You open one spade. With the opponents silent, what would you rebid after partner responds (a) one no-trump; (b) two clubs; (c) two diamonds; (d) three spades (game-invitational limit raise); (e) four clubs, a splinter bid showing at least four-card spade support and game-going values with a singleton or void in clubs; (f) four spades (a weak freak)?

4. Look at only the West hand.

What would you respond after partner opens (a) one diamond; (b) one heart; (c) three hearts; given that South always passes?

5. Look at only the East hand.

North opens one no-trump, and South raises to three no-trump.

What would you lead?

MAHARADHI DINESHRAJA

GOPIKA MANOJ

January 10

January 10, 2000

7 8 9 4 2 6 1 5 3 6 1 4 3 7 5 9 2 8 2 5 3 1 8 9 6 7 4

Previous puzzle Solution

CROSSWORD

WITH LOVE

BORN LOSER

NIDHI NIHARA SABISH

HRISHIKESH BRIJITH

NAFEES AHMED

January 9, 2008

January 8, 2005

January 7, 2007

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

KIDSPOT

H E A LT H C A P S U L E

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you love to learn about the world around you. For you, there is perhaps no greater pleasure than listening to the stories others tell of their lives and experiences — and telling your own stories in return. You are quite adept at discerning what is most important to those around you, and you will always do what you can to make others feel as though they are special and highly valued. You are not the kind to think that you can move through life alone, separate and cut off from others; indeed, you recognise that life is only truly lived when your life and the lives of those around you are closely intertwined. You love to talk with, listen to and interact with others on a daily basis.

While all of this may suggest that you are always positive and optimistic and that you see only the best in other people, this is not the case. You do have your dark side, which you work tirelessly to keep at bay, lest those impulses take control and plunge your life into gloom and shadow.

Also born on this date are: Rod Stewart, singer; Pat Benatar, singer; Jim Croce, singersongwriter; Ray Bolger, actor and dancer; George Foreman, boxer; Paul Henreid, actor; Willie McCovey, baseball player; Sal Mineo, actor; Evan Handler, actor; Linda Lovelace, adult film actress.

12.19pm 3.22pm 5.42pm 6.57pm 5.31am

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow)

5:37pm 6.51am

High tide Low tide

12.10pm 6.58am

12:42am 5.56pm

[DEC. 22-JAN 19]

FIND-IT-ALL

W E AT H E R

AIRLINES

Mainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate with chances of slight dusty condition over Governorates of Al Buraimi, al Dhahirah and some parts of Al Wusta and chances of low level clouds during late night to early morning over governorates of Al Buraimi and Al Dhahirah. Chance of low level clouds or fog during late night to early morning along coastal areas of Arabian Sea. EXPECTED WINDS: Winds will be southeasterly light to moderate along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea and westerly to northwesterly over rest of the Sultanate becoming gradually southeasterly light to moderate over most of the Sultanate at evening.

SEA STATE: Moderate along west coast of Musandam governorate with maximum wave height of 2.0 metres. While, slight along rest of the Sultanate coast with maximum wave height of 1.25 metres.

HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming moderate during dust and poor during fog formation.

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Clear to partly cloudy skies over Governorates of Musandam and coastal areas of Oman Sea with chance of isolated rain. Moderate sea are expected along Oman sea coastal areas due to fresh southeasterly. Chance of low level clouds or fog patches late night and early morning along southeastern coast.

Max

OMAN

WORLD

Max 26 Min 17 Max -6 Min -8

Max 19 Min 7

Max 30 Min 19 Max 13 Min 3

Max 24 Min 17

Max -1 Min -9

Max 27 Min 11

Max 28 Min 12

Max 29 Min 13

Max 27 Min 18

CAPRICORN You may not fully understand the reasons behind another’s actions, but you can continue along your current course unimpeded.

Max 29 Min 14

Max 26 Min 18

Max 22 Min 12

Max 28 Min 20 Max 33 Min 22

Source: www.met.gov.om

[JAN. 20-FEB. 18]

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

You must be ready for anything.

Focus on physical fitness and mental flexibility. Changes allow you to demonstrate prowess.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] You may be threatened by one who is unaware that you have staked a claim of sorts. Today is the day for you to make clear your intentions.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] In order to get everything done on time, you must be willing to shift your priorities and do things in a different order altogether.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] You’re delighted to see that there are some who still believe that you’re on the right track — as indeed you are!

GEMINI [MAY 21-JUNE 20] Someone who has previously played a pivotal role in your affairs is likely to be back on the scene before the day is out. You approve, surely.

CANCER [JUNE 21-JULY 22] You may be under the misconception that time is short, but in fact, there is ample time to do what you have planned, and more.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] Something you recently lost reappears as if by magic. Perhaps you had forgotten certain key circumstances.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] Others will gravitate toward you, eager to see what you’re up to — and how it will affect them.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You’re not willing to let go of your own private vision of what is possible. You’ll have to work harder than expected to make it real.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You’ll get wind of something being done far from where you are that will nevertheless affect you directly very soon.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] You know just what is required, and you know what you’re capable of, but perhaps there is a small disconnect here.

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Time Time 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 15:00 Sur 18:00 15:00 Jaalan 19:30

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

25 22 24 16 22 17

17 16 16 3 12 3

WORLD Athens Baghdad Beijing Berlin Boston Cairo Colombo Frankfurt Hong Kong Istanbul Johannesburg Kuala Lumpur Lisbon Paris Perth Singapore Tokyo Toronto

16 8 9 13 -5 15 31 13 19 7 29 32 15 13 32 31 11 -1

8 1 -4 3 -10 9 23 3 13 6 17 23 7 8 17 24 1 -3

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 06:30 Sohar 06:30 Buraimi 08:00 Buraimi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Buraimi 16.00 Sohar 16.00 Buraimi TO SINAW (Route 52) 17:30 Sinaw

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily 05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily 05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily

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

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 07:00 Sohar 07:00 Ruwi 13:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 17:00 Ruwi TO SINAW (Route 52) 07:00 Ruwi

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

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

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

10:20 12:30

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

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

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

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

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Daily Daily

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

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

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

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62) 12:30 Fahud 12:30 Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100) 07:00 Salalah 20:00 10:00 Marmul 20:30 10:00 Salalah 23:30 19:00 Salalah 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100) 07:00 Ruwi 19:50 10:00 Marmul 13:15 10:00 Ruwi 22:30 19:00 Ruwi 07:30

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

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

Daily

16:50

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00 TO DUBAI (Route 201) 06:00 Sohar 06:00 Dubai 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Dubai 15:00 Sohar 15:00 Dubai

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily 07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily 07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201) 07:30 Sohar 07:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 15:30 Sohar 15:30 Ruwi

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

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily 16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily 16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

LISTINGS

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766 Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691 Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740 Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 4537080 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah.

Tel: 23291635 HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic: 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740 Ceregem National Raak: 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217 Elixir Health Centre: 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre: 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128, MBD: 24799077, Al Khuwair: 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital: 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital: 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair: 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC: 22004000 ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence: 24569603 Directorate General of Customs: 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries: 24510228 Public Relations Admin: 24560099 ACCOMMODATION Al Bahjah Hotel: 24424400 Al Bustan Palace: 24764000 Al Khuwair Hotel Apartments: 24478171 Al Madina Holiday Inn: 24596400 Al Maha International Hotel: 24494949 Al Fanar Hotel: 24712385 Al Falaj Hotel: 24702311 Al Qurum Resort: 24605945 Azaiba Hotel Apartments: 24490979 Beach Hotel: 24696601 Bowshar Hotel: 24491105 Coral Hotel Muscat: 24692121 Crowne Plaza Muscat: 24660660 Crystal Suites: 24826100 Golden Tulip Seeb: 24510300 Grand Hyatt Muscat: 24641234 Haffa House Hotel: 24707207 Hotel Muscat Holiday: 24487123 InterContinental Muscat: 24680000 Majan Continental Hotel: 24592900 Marina Hotel: 24711711 Midan Hotel Suites: 24499565 Mina Hotel: 24711828 Muttrah Hotel: 24798401

Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199 Oman Dive Centre: 24824240 Park Inn: 24507888 Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070 Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777 Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399 Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443 Ruwi Hotel: 24704244 Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200 Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666 The Chedi Muscat: 24524400 The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours): 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot: 24704455, Air Arabia: 24700828, Air France: 24562153, Air India: 24799801, Air New Zealand: 24700732, Biman Bangladesh Airlines: 24701128, British Airways: 24568777, Cathay Pacific: 24789818, Egypt Air: 24794113, Emirates Air: 24404400, Ethiopian Airlines: 24660313, Gulf Air: 80072424, Indian: 24791914, Iran Air: 24787423, Japan Airlines: 24704455, Jazeera Airways: 23294848, Jet Airways: 24787248, Kenya Airways: 24660300, KML Royal Dutch Airlines: 24566737, Kuwait Airways: 24701262, LOT Polish Airlines: 24796387, Lufthansa: 24796692, Malaysian Airlines: 24560796, Middle East Airlines: 24796680, Oman Air: 24531111, Pakistan International Airlines: 24792471, Qatar Airways: 24771900, Qantas: 24559941, Royal Jordanian: 24796693, Saudi Arabian Airlines: 24789485, Singapore Airlines: 24791233, Shaheen Air: 24816565, SriLankan Airlines:

SATURDAY

Min

L O N G D I S TA N C E B U S T I M I N G S ( O M A N N AT I O N A L T R A N S P O R T C O M PA N Y S A O C ) * S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E

AQUARIUS

B7

24784545, Swiss International Airlines: 24796692, Thai Airways: 24705934, Turkish Airlines: 24703033 MUSEUMS Bait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp fish market), Open from Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm Natural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm; Thursday: 9am to 1pm Museum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946 Armed Forces Museum: Bait Al Falaj, Tel: 24312651, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thurs 9-12pm and 3-6pm; Fri 9-11am and 3-6pm. Al Hoota Caves 24498258; Turtle Beach 96550606/96550707 Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Oman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pm Bait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., Muscat museum@baitalzubairmuseum.com Open from Sat to Thurs: 9:30am to 6pm.

National Museum Ruwi: Tel: 24701289, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Sohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pm Muscat Gate Museum: at Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

WY406 WY676 WY648 WY816 WY916 PK225 TK774 PK229 QR1132 ET624 EK866 GF560 EY384 FZ041 MS930 WY902 WY668 WY638 WY658 WY686 WY412 WY644 WY114 WY122 WY154 WY692 WY674 WY142 WY672 WY132 WY602 WY202 WY432 WY102 WY422 FZ043 WY274 G9114 WY242 WY236 PK191 WY346 EK862 WY252 IX443 QR1128 EY382 IX549 9W530 WY342 WY604 FZ037 IX337 WY268 PA450 WY904 WY3302 BG023 WY326 NL771 WY606 WY632 WY918 IX817 WY906 WY656 WY328 SV532 FZ045 MP95 WY204 WY292 WY246 WY610 WY3304 WY284 WY232 WY216 QR1126 EK864 GF564 G9116 FZ047 WY614 WY914 WY386 KL441 AI973 WY624 WY312 6.00E+81 9W534 FZ049 WY374 WY254 AI907 WY224 QR1134 UL205 WY338 GF566 EY388 WY814 BA073 WY908 AI985 WY662 LX242 9W540 WY654 LH618 WY116 WY612 WY928 WY636 WY696 WY696 WY717

SUNDAY ETA

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

CAIRO 0005 JEDDAH 0005 KUWAIT 0010 BANGKOK 0015 SALALAH 0150 KARACHI 0210 ISTANBUL 0215 LAHORE 0215 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0355 BAHRAIN 0405 ABU DHABI 0405 DUBAI 0415 CAIRO 0430 SALALAH 0630 DOHA 0635 ABU DHABI 0650 BAHRAIN 0700 RIYADH 0700 AMMAN 0705 KUWAIT 0715 FRANKFURT 0715 MUNICH 0715 ZURICH 0720 DAMMAM 0725 JEDDAH 0730 MALPENSA 0745 MEDINA 0745 PARIS 0800 DUBAI 0805 BOMBAY 0815 TEHRAN 0815 LONDON HEATHROW 0820 BEIRUT 0830 DUBAI 0850 JAIPUR 0855 SHARJAH 0915 DELHI 0920 HYDERABAD 0920 TURBAT 0930 ISLAM ABBAD 0940 DUBAI 0940 MADRAS 0940 COCHIN 1010 DOHA 1010 ABU DHABI 1015 TRIVANDRUM 1020 TRIVANDRUM 1035 LAHORE 1100 DUBAI 1110 DUBAI 1200 CALICUT 1210 LUCKNOW 1210 LAHORE 1215 SALALAH 1215 MUKHAIZNA 1230 DACCA 1245 KARACHI 1255 PESHAWAR 1300 DUBAI 1330 ABU DHABI 1330 KHASAB 1400 MANGALORE-ABU DHABI 1440 SALALAH 1445 BAHRAIN 1530 LAHORE 1550 JEDDAH 1550 DUBAI 1555 AMSTERDAM 1645 BOMBAY 1710 CALICUT 1720 DELHI 1730 DUBAI 1730 MUKHAIZNA 1730 BANGALORE 1740 HYDERABAD 1740 TRIVANDRUM 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 SHARJAH 1915 DUBAI 1945 DUBAI 2030 SALALAH 2035 MALE 2110 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2120 DELHI 2125 DUBAI 2125 CHITTAGONG 2125 BOMBAY 2130 COCHIN 2140 DUBAI 2145 COLOMBO 2150 MADRAS 2155 MADRAS 2200 COCHIN 2205 DOHA 2210 COLOMBO 2225 KATHMANDU 2235 BAHRAIN 2240 ABU DHABI 2250 BANGKOK 2250 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2255 SALALAH 2305 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310 DOHA 2315 ZURICH-DUBAI 2320 BOMBAY 2325 BAHRAIN 2330 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2330 FRANKFURT 2335 DUBAI 2335 SALALAH 2345 ABU DHABI 2350 DAMMAM 2350 DAMMAM 2350 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2355

WY406 WY676 WY682 WY648 WY904 WY816 WY824 WY916 4H583 NL669 TK776 QR1132 ET624 EK866 GF560 EY384 FZ041 WY324 WY686 WY902 4H584 WY638 WY658 WY668 WY674 WY602 WY202 WY102 FZ043 WY274 NL768 G9114 WY236 WY242 WY226 EK862 WY252 WY212 WY346 QR1128 EY382 IX549 WY3302 WY282 WY3922 WY604 G9841 WY372 FZ037 WY424 IX337 PK223 WY606 WY918 WY906 WY812 WY656 WY632 FZ045 WY204 WY292 WY610 WY246 WY264 WY232 WY664 QR1126 GF564 WY3306 G9116 WY254 TG507 FZ047 WY434 WY614 WY914 WY386 WY152 WY312 WY116 WY124 KL441 WY144 AI973 WY624 6.00E+81 WY134 WY414 FZ049 AI907 QR1134 UL205 GF566 EY388 BA073 WY908 AI985 WY648 LX242 9W540 WY654 LH618 WY612 WY696 WY910 WY928 WY717

CAIRO 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0005 KUWAIT 0010 SALALAH 0015 BANGKOK 0015 KUALA LUMPUR 0055 SALALAH 0150 DACCA 0200 SIALKOT 0200 ISTANBUL-BAHRAIN 0300 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0355 BAHRAIN 0405 ABU DHABI 0405 DUBAI 0415 KARACHI 0540 RIYADH 0600 SALALAH 0630 DOHA 0640 ABU DHABI 0650 BAHRAIN 0700 DOHA 0710 JEDDAH 0730 DUBAI 0805 BOMBAY 0815 LONDON HEATHROW 0820 DUBAI 0850 JAIPUR 0855 LAHORE 0900 SHARJAH 0915 HYDERABAD 0920 DELHI 0920 COCHIN 0930 DUBAI 0940 MADRAS 0940 TRIVANDRUM 0940 ISLAM ABBAD 0955 DOHA 1010 ABU DHABI 1015 TRIVANDRUM 1020 MUKHAIZNA 1045 BANGALORE 1100 DUQUM OMAN 1105 DUBAI 1110 RAS AL KHAIMA 1120 COLOMBO 1130 DUBAI 1200 BEIRUT 1205 CALICUT 1210 PESHAWAR 1220 DUBAI 1330 KHASAB 1440 SALALAH 1445 BANGKOK 1525 BAHRAIN 1530 ABU DHABI 1535 DUBAI 1555 BOMBAY 1710 CALICUT 1720 DUBAI 1730 DELHI 1730 LUCKNOW 1735 HYDERABAD 1740 DOHA 1745 DOHA 1745 BAHRAIN 1810 MUKHAIZNA 1845 SHARJAH 1915 MADRAS 1920 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1935 DUBAI 1945 TEHRAN 2000 DUBAI 2030 SALALAH 2035 MALE 2110 ZURICH 2110 CHITTAGONG 2115 FRANKFURT 2115 MUNICH 2115 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2120 MALPENSA 2120 DELHI 2125 DUBAI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 PARIS 2130 AMMAN 2135 DUBAI 2145 MADRAS 2200 DOHA 2210 COLOMBO 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 ABU DHABI 2250 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2255 SALALAH 2305 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310 KUWAIT 2315 ZURICH-DUBAI 2320 BOMBAY 2325 BAHRAIN 2330 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2330 DUBAI 2335 DAMMAM 2350 SALALAH 2355 SALALAH 2355 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2355

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

AI986 LX243 9W539 BA072 SG062 LH619 WY685 WY251 WY201 WY235 WY273 WY345 WY601 WY241 WY431 WY643 WY637 WY657 WY115 WY667 WY691 TK775 PK226 PK230 WY267 ET625 EK867 FZ042 QR1133 EY385 MS931 GF561 WY603 WY903 WY3301 WY325 WY813 WY215 WY291 WY327 WY823 FZ044 WY385 WY283 WY231 WY245 G9115 WY815 PK192 WY373 WY605 WY905 WY631 WY203 WY311 WY717 WY917 EK863 EY383 WY655 IX554 QR1129 IX442 9W533 WY337 IX350 WY253 PA451 FZ038 WY3303 WY101 WY223 WY927 BG024 WY609 NL668 WY405 IX818 WY675 WY913 SV533 WY613 FZ046 MP95

BOMBAY 0005 DUBAI-ZURICH 0020 BOMBAY 0025 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0025 AHMEDABAD 0030 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 0050 RIYADH 0105 MADRAS 0110 BOMBAY 0120 HYDERABAD 0135 JAIPUR 0140 ISLAM ABBAD 0150 DUBAI 0150 DELHI 0155 TEHRAN 0155 KUWAIT 0200 ABU DHABI 0205 BAHRAIN 0205 FRANKFURT 0215 DOHA 0220 DAMMAM 0235 ISTANBUL 0310 KARACHI 0310 LAHORE 0315 LUCKNOW 0355 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0455 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0520 ABU DHABI 0525 CAIRO 0530 BAHRAIN 0745 DUBAI 0800 SALALAH 0800 MUKHAIZNA 0800 KARACHI 0820 BANGKOK 0855 TRIVANDRUM 0920 CALICUT 0920 LAHORE 0920 KUALA LUMPUR 0930 DUBAI 0935 MALE 0940 BANGALORE 0940 HYDERABAD 0955 DELHI 0955 SHARJAH 1005 BANGKOK 1010 TURBAT-GWADUR 1015 COLOMBO 1020 DUBAI 1030 SALALAH 1030 ABU DHABI 1030 BOMBAY 1030 CHITTAGONG 1040 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045 KHASAB 1050 DUBAI 1055 ABU DHABI 1105 BAHRAIN 1110 TRIVANDRUM 1110 DOHA 1115 COCHIN 1115 COCHIN 1135 KATHMANDU 1310 CALICUT 1310 MADRAS 1315 LAHORE 1315 DUBAI 1315 MUKHAIZNA 1330 LONDON HEATHROW 1330 COCHIN 1355 SALALAH 1415 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 1415 DUBAI 1420 SIALKOT 1430 CAIRO 1430 MANGALORE 1530 JEDDAH 1630 SALALAH 1630 RIYADH-JEDDAH 1650 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI WORLD CENTRESINGAPORE 1815 DUBAI 1820 DOHA 1845 RIYADH 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 DOHA 1900 KUWAIT 1900 BAHRAIN 1910 DAMMAM 1910 DUBAI 1915 SHARJAH 2005 DUBAI 2025 ABU DHABI 2030 DUBAI 2040 SALALAH 2135 DUBAI 2225 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2230 TRIVANDRUM 2240 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 DELHI 2310 DOHA 2320 BAHRAIN 2325 COLOMBO 2335 ABU DHABI 2350 SALALAH 2350 JEDDAH 2350

AI986 LX243 BA072 9W539 LH619 WY685 WY811 WY323 WY211 WY251 WY201 WY225 WY235 WY273 WY601 WY341 WY151 WY241 WY281 WY423 WY657 WY637 WY371 WY123 WY133 WY115 WY667 WY143 WY345 4H584 NL772 TK777 ET625 EK867 FZ042 QR1133 EY385 WY3301 WY3921 4H584 GF561 WY903 WY603 WY291 WY263 FZ044 WY245 WY231 G9115 WY905 WY203 NL769 WY605 WY253 WY311 WY717 EK863 EY383 IX554 WY655 QR1129 WY3303 WY917 WY331 G9842 WY631 IX350 FZ038 PK224 WY663 WY413 WY101 WY433 WY927 WY609 WY405 WY3305 WY675 WY913 FZ046 WY613 WY623 WY681 QR1127 WY907 GF565 WY647 WY661 WY695 WY653 WY909 G9117 WY611 WY635 FZ048 TG508 WY825 WY915 FZ050 KL442 WY817 6.00E+82 AI908 AI974 QR1135 GF567 UL206 EY381 WY673 WY901 WY671

BOMBAY 0005 DUBAI-ZURICH 0020 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0025 BOMBAY 0025 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 0050 RIYADH 0105 BANGKOK 0105 KARACHI 0105 TRIVANDRUM 0110 MADRAS 0110 BOMBAY 0120 COCHIN 0125 HYDERABAD 0135 JAIPUR 0140 DUBAI 0150 LAHORE 0150 ZURICH 0155 DELHI 0155 BANGALORE 0200 BEIRUT 0200 BAHRAIN 0205 ABU DHABI 0205 COLOMBO 0210 MUNICH 0210 PARIS 0215 FRANKFURT 0215 DOHA 0220 MALPENSA 0225 ISLAM ABBAD 0250 DUBAI-DACCA 0300 PESHAWAR 0330 BAHRAIN-ISTANBUL 0350 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0455 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0520 ABU DHABI 0525 MUKHAIZNA 0715 DUQUM OMAN 0720 DACCA 0740 BAHRAIN 0745 SALALAH 0800 DUBAI 0800 CALICUT 0920 LUCKNOW 0920 DUBAI 0935 DELHI 0955 HYDERABAD 0955 SHARJAH 1005 SALALAH 1030 BOMBAY 1030 LAHORE 1030 DUBAI 1030 MADRAS 1040 CHITTAGONG 1040 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045 DUBAI 1055 ABU DHABI 1105 TRIVANDRUM 1110 BAHRAIN 1110 DOHA 1115 MUKHAIZNA 1115 KHASAB 1140 KATHMANDU 1205 RAS AL KHAIMA 1210 ABU DHABI 1225 CALICUT 1310 DUBAI 1315 PESHAWAR 1320 DOHA 1330 AMMAN 1330 LONDON HEATHROW 1330 TEHRAN 1340 SALALAH 1415 DUBAI 1420 CAIRO 1430 MUKHAIZNA 1515 JEDDAH 1630 SALALAH 1630 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI 1820 RIYADH 1845 DOHA 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 KUWAIT 1900 DOHA 1900 DAMMAM 1910 BAHRAIN 1910 SALALAH 1940 SHARJAH 2005 DUBAI 2025 ABU DHABI 2030 DUBAI 2040 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2040 KUALA LUMPUR 2110 SALALAH 2135 DUBAI 2225 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2230 BANGKOK 2235 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 DELHI 2310 DOHA 2320 BAHRAIN 2325 COLOMBO 2335 ABU DHABI 2350 JEDDAH 2350 SALALAH 2350 MEDINA 2350

WY623 QR1127 WY681 WY907 GF565 WY661 WY647 WY653 WY695 EK865 G9117 WY611 WY635 FZ048 WY915 FZ050 KL442 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 AI974 QR1135 GF567 UL206 EY381 WY901 WY673

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EXTRA BRIEFS

Cocoa-rich diets could improve memory DIETS RICH in cocoa flavanols - bioactives found naturally in cocoa - can help arrest age-related memory decline in healthy adults, a study shows. “The results of this study are encouraging - they support the idea that diet, and specifically a diet rich in cocoa flavanols, can play an important role in maintaining cognitive health as we age,” said lead author Giovambattista Desideri from the University of L’Aquila in Italy. The study involved men and women aged 61-85 years. They were assigned to one of three flavanol groups, consuming a drink containing either high (993 mg), intermediate (520 mg) or low (48 mg) amounts of cocoa flavanols every day for eight weeks. As cognitive function was normal for this aged population, the study showed that even cognitively healthy individuals can quickly benefit from the regular inclusion of cocoa flavanols in their diets. The researchers earlier found cognitive and cardio-metabolic benefits of habitual cocoa flavanol consumption in older adults who had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The new research trial was carried out with a special cocoa flavanol test product, designed to deliver a standardised amount of flavanols within a nutritionally suitable drink. The study was published in the journal AJCN - The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

How depression hampers memory THE ABILITY to remember information declines when people are in depressive mood, new research shows. Although reported widely, this link between depressed mood and memory deficit was not observed in a laboratory setting earlier, the researchers pointed out. The new study found that individuals with depressed mood show as much as a 12 per cent reduction in memory compared to individuals without depressed mood. “When depressive thoughts are present, people with depressed mood are unable to remove their attention from this information, leading to deficits in their memory,” explained the study’s lead author Nicholas Hubbard from University of Texas at Dallas.

The study included 157 undergraduate students. Of them, 60 participants were classified as having depressed mood and 97 as having non-depressed mood. Participants with and without depressed mood were asked to respond ‘True’ or ‘False’ to a sentence featuring either depressive thoughts (e.g., “I am sad,” “People don’t like me”) or neutral information (e.g. “Most people agree that Monday is the worst day of the week”), and then remember a string of numbers at the end. People with depressed mood forgot more numbers than people without depressed mood when they responded to the sentence featuring negative information, but remembered just as many numbers when they responded to neutral information. The study appeared online in the journal Cognition and Emotion. -IANS

THE SCIENCE OF

COFFEE S

cientists work tirelessly to uncover the mysteries of the natural world, from the reasons people binge to the best way to wash hands. Recently it was revealed that they’ve figured out why coffee served in white mugs tastes so bitter. (The contrast between the colour of coffee and a white mug makes the joe look and taste bolder.) Coffee served in clear glass mugs tastes sweeter. So, yes, those lab rats (the people, not the animals) are obsessed with getting (and studying) that jolt of java. That study got us thinking: What other crazy things do we know about coffee thanks to science? Answer: a lot.

The optimal temperature Researchers at the University of Texas at Tyler were tired of making coffee, taking a sip and burning off a layer of taste buds because the brew was scalding. So they got 300 volunteers to determine what temperature makes coffee drinkable but not mouthburning. Those brave test subjects found that the sweet spot is 136 degrees.

The best time to drink coffee We’ve been conditioned to get our caffeine fix first thing in the morning. (Just take a look at the line out the door at your local coffee house around 8am) But as Steven Miller, a psychology professor at Rosalind Franklin University in Illinois, points out, early mornings are probably the worst time to drink coffee. If we pay attention to our circadian rhythms, specifically the points when our cortisol levels (responsible for the magical way we naturally feel alert) are low, we should drink coffee in the late morning (9:30 to 11:30am) and during the afternoon slump (1 to 5pm).

The coffee-ring effect Spill coffee on your shirt, and when it dries, the stain looks a little like a tree stump: light on the inside, dark around the edge.

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania spent more than a decade determining what causes those outer rings. The culprit: the shape of the coffee particles. Round particles form a defined outer ring, while elongated ones do not.

A coffee a day keeps the ringing at bay If we’re being technical, it may be four cups of coffee a day. A study tracked the incidence of tinnitus (a constant ringing in the ear) among 65,000 American women over 18 years. Those who had less than one cup of coffee a day were 15 per cent more likely to have tinnitus than those who had four or more.

Try a coffee nap Coffee and naps don’t seem like a natural duo: One would think that the stimulative effects of coffee should stop you from dozing off.

But the boost of energy you get from a cup of coffee doesn’t happen in an instant: It takes upward of 20 minutes for the caffeine to be absorbed by your body. Researchers at Britain’s Longborough University found that drinking a cup of coffee and immediately lying down for a 15-minute nap kept sleepy volunteers more alert in a car simulator than just coffee or just a nap. We usually stick to a playlist with bumping beats to keep us awake on the road. — Jeff Cattel/ The Washington Post

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SECTION

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

RENT

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

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DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

FOR RENT New deluxe building in Misfah Industrial Area, 11 shops with A/C, each 4cm x 9cm, an additional 12 huge spaces including kitchens and bathrooms which can be used for offices or residences. The building location first row close to main road.

Contact - 98880333 2 BHK available in Darsait, 1 B/R and hall, 2 B/R and hall. Contact 99357586, 97500025, 97884787 2 BR flats with split A/C’s & internet free & 2 BR fully furnished deluxe flats available at Al Khuwair near KM Hypermarket. Office space 115 SQ mtr with partition & cassette type A/C’s available at Al Khuwair near KM Hypermarket.

Contact 99460330 2 Bedroom Spacious flat for rent at Al Khuwair 25 for OMR 400/- per month . Contact: 99379988.

Flats in Muttrah near Oman House per flat RO 230. Contact 92815855 / 95181077 Family room available for rent at Muttrah Souq. Contact 24712088 / 99022790 Office space & store, CBD 20059.

Contact 99024730 2 BHK, Al Khuwair. Contact 99024730 2 BHK, CBD. Contact 99024730 2 BHK, Darsait near Kims Hospital.

Contact 99024730

FOR RENT Brand new 2BHK with split A/C near SQU round about at Al Khoud, near to Muscat highway, building no. 4558/1, way no. 5350.

Contact - 92850717 Fully Equipped Restaurant / Industrial Kitchen for Sale with existing catering orders, CR & Labour Clearance, Restaurant space and Outdoor sitting area on Sale at Mawaleh Call: 9906 4589

2 BHK flat for rent RO.350/- at Al Khuwair near Sultan Taimur Mosque.

Contact – 98893294

Office space with cassette type A/C’s with free internet at al Khuwair near KM Hypermarket. Contact 99460330

Shop & flats available.

Contact-24813822

Spacious 2 BR flat in MBD. Contact 99713489

Apartments & villas available.

Contact 95178930

2 bedrooms, big bathroom, sharing kitchen for rent with Electric and Water Bill =RO 220/-. Only for family.

Location / Place – Mumtaz Area near Khimjis Mart. Contact 98917915 / 99823591

1 BHK residential flat at Honda road.

2 BHK residential flat opposite to Al Nahdha hospital.

Contact – 93219590

2 BHK flat in Mumtaz.

Contact 99792181 1, 2, 3, BHK in Alkhuwair.

Contact 99792181 2 BHK in Bowsher.

Contact 99792181 1 & 2 BHK in Ruwi.

Contact 99792181 200 Sqr mtrs Showroom in CBD. Contact 99792181

Flat for rent Ghubrah South, ground floor flat, 3 bedrooms, majlis, family hall, RO 425/-.

Contact 94669711 2 BHK Pent House with split A/C in all rooms, very spacious balcony with sea & city view RO 350, 2 BHK RO 340, Bldg #1619, Way #1322 adjacent to Indian Nursery Darsait.

Contact 99476728 / 99831047 1 BHK bedroom flat in Wadi Kabir neat Kuwaiti Mosque RO 200/-.

Contact 95094028

1 & 2 BHK & villa 3 BR-Darsait near ISM & ISD. Contact 99024730

1 & 2 bhk in Wataya.

Contact 99792181

1 BHK, 2 BHK, Ghala, new bldg.

Contact 99024730

100 & 180 Sqr mtrs office space in Al khuwair. Contact 99792181

1 BHK, Wadi Kabir. Contact 99024730

6 BHK commercial Villa in Ghobra.

Contact 99792181

Rent, new flat Wadi Adai, 2 big bedrooms, 1 big toilet, 1 big hall, 1 big kitchen. Contact 99345137

Flat for Rent in Ruwi, Bareeq Shatti, Mawalah. Contact 92521080, 98899916

Spacious well maintained 2 BHK at Rex Road from 1st February.

Contact 92227165

Barber Shop for Rent/Sale in Hail North near Shell Petrol Pump.

Contact : 92864522 , 96448372

2 BR deluxe flats at Ghubrah and Ruwi. 2 BR furnished flat at Ghubrah.

Contact 99885391 / 99354010

1 / 3 BHK Flat Ghobrah, close to ISG Way 4041, building 4390.

Contact 99319880 We have special villa in Bausher, Al Muna, 5 bedrooms, rent RO 800/-.

Contact 99622885 1 BHK commercial, Darsait, RO 225/-. Contact 97799175 1,2,3 BHK flats & Villas.

Contact 92144045 Separate Villa, Al Athaibah, 3 BHK, hall, living room, maid rooms, A/C split, family only, RO 600/-.

Contact 92479515 Villa, Al Khuwair 33, 4 BHK, living room, split A/C, family only, RO 600/-Contact 92479515 Fully furnished one bedroom penthouse Wadi Kabir behind Sana Hassan, weekly RO.140/- Monthly RO 350/- Contact – 99349990

1 BHK flat Qurum RO.270/- with split A/C. Contact – 99358589 / 95570288 /97079146 2 BHK flat at Al Khuwair RO.370/with split A/C. Contact – 99358589 / 95570288 /97079146 2 BHK in Seeb RO.200/Contact – 99455334 2 BHK Commercial Al Khuwair, RO 375/-. Contact 97799175 If require flats for rent in Wadi Kabir please send messages through Whatsapp or call – 99376454 3 office spaces available in RUWI FOR RENT 450 OMR & 500 OMR. 96986132

Fully Furnished ( A/C , Fridge, T.V, Cooking Gas ) 3 rooms in a flat with Kitchen at Azaiba. 2BHK Flats Un furnished at Azaiba next to Al Meera Hyper market ( Families) Contact -99424470 Time : 9 am to 7 pm Fabulous A/C flat Al Khoud, 3 rooms, 280 rials. Contact 99334699 2 single room flats available @ RO 160/- per month, including Electricity & Water. Contact 99441798 New bldg 3 BR flats located at Darsait, Muscat close to Kims Pvt Hospital. Contact 92020004 / 99800838 Building of 3 flats each 4 BR, rent RO 2500/-. Contact 99776071 / 99057348 Villas & flats & stores. Contact 99776071 / 99057348 Basement for rent behind Bank Muscat at Wadi Kabir. Contact 99373290, 24815012

Villa, Al Ansab, 5 BHK, living room, split A/C, family only. RO 550/-.

Contact 92479515

Luxury 2 bed room villa at BausherAL Ansab Phase 3.Call. 99324456

Flat in Ghala, opposite Zubair, 2 BHK, living room, split A/C, family only, RO 350/-. Contact 92479515

6 shops in Maabela Industrial Area.

Each Shop OMR 400 Monthly.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

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DAILY GUIDE

FOR RENT

OFFICES FOR RENT - Premium offices to let a very good location on the main road very close to Zakher Mall, Al Khawiar. Business Center has offices with sizes of 50m2, 110m2, 180m2, 207m2, 230m2, 437m2.

- Showroom also available at Business Center, Area 500m2 with central A/c.

- Offices with Central Air-conditions, Security System with CCTV cameras, and Security presence in the building.

Contact: 97377355 / 95530121, Email id: aaleem@ggcoman.com

FOR RENT

FOR SALE

1 / 3 BHK Flat Ghobrah, close to ISG Way 4041, building 4390.

Contact 99319880 Show room on the main road Saham center total area 450 m sq. Contact: 99366558 / 99334226 Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat.

Contact 99349526

FOR SALE

Villa, ground floor in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99743569, 97004265

Looking for commercial lands for sale in Al Ghobrah North (urgent serious buyers, commercial lands in al Ghobrah North (corners prime location). Contact 91155779

Apartments in Al Khuwair new area each apartment contains (2 bedrooms + living room) for RO 365. Contact 93181111 New Villa for Rent Two floors newly built villa in Maabillah, 8 Fullfledged Residential Area 6 Rooms, 8 Toilets, excellent finishing spacious Kitchen, Big Dining Rooms in Both Floors, Easy Access to Muscat and Sohar using Maabillah Bridge. Contact 92828303 Flats ground floor, 3 Rooms & AC, kitchen, hall, in Al Mabaila South.

Contact 99377290 1 BHK with attached toilet & bathroom behind Bank Muscat at Wadi Kabir. Contact 99373290, 24815012

6 bedroom villas at Al Ansab (nr Express highway). Contact 99199365 Abu Adnan Tower - flat for rent available at Al Mabelah, 2 B/R, 1 hall, 2 toilets, 1 kitchen.

Contact 95566475 / 99654252 300 SQR mtrs Labor camp or Store for Rent in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 99792181 BHK flats Muttrah near Oman House.

Contact 97007934 / 92629232 Villa 2 bedrooms & majlis, 2 toilets, kitchen in Mawaleh.

Contact 91376619 2 BR, 2 toilets, kitchen at Al Mawaleh. Contact 99444786, 99747560 We have 1 BHK, 2 BHK, 3 BHK flats, 4, 5 bedrooms villa, open space offices & shops available in Ghala, Ghobrah, Qurum, Mabela, Ruwi, Darsait, Mumtaz, Wadi Kabir. All brand new buildings & very affordable prices.

Contact 93782735 / 99208033 Flat for rent 2 bedrooms one hall in South Al Hail. RO 270.

Contact 93221474 3 new Villas for rent, located in South Ghubrah behind American School, each has 11 bedrooms including 2 Majlis, 8 bathrooms and kitchen. For residential or institutional rent. #99233729 / 98539366

5 bedrooms villa with 2 halls, 4 bathrooms in Darsait behind Khimjis Mart. Contact 24700120, 92584715 House in North Al Hail with 3 rooms, Majlis & 3 toilets. Contact 99439568 2 BHK with A/C near ISM RO.325/1BHK Al Falaj without A/C RO.200/2 BHK with A/C near Kims hospital RO.300/- Darsait commercial or residential with A/C RO.230/- Studio at Al Falaj RO.170/-. 2 BHK without A/C at Wadi Kabir RO.300/Contact - 92144045 300 Sqr mtrs store or labor camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir.

Contact - 99792181 For rent apartments: An apartment in old Muscat at Oman Arab Bank’s building. 3 bedrooms + 3 bathrooms, dining room, living room and a kitchen. Air conditioned apartments.

2 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms, living room, dining room area and kitchen in an excellent location in Al Khuwair opposite the court of first instance. For further information call 97072976 Flats and shops.

Contact 93009999 Studio flat in Ruwi.

Contact 99792181 For rent (flats), 2 bedrooms +hall+kitchen, location: South Al Mawaleh. Contact 99870020

2 B/ R Fully Furnished Executive Apartment @ Al Khuwair 33 Near Zaker Mall. 3 Bedroom Furnished executive apartment @ Al Khuwair 25 5 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished villas at Azaiba with servants, 3 Bedroom Unfurnished Villa @ Mawalah South Area 6 with Servant Quarter, 5 Bedroom Unfurnished Villa @ An Apartment that resembles a penthouse has 2 rooms with 2 toilets, living room & an elegant balcony.

Fully furnished, suited for families.

Final price RO.300/- Mabela 8 near German University.

Contact 99888400 1 BHK at Ghobrah - Near Indian School. Contact: 99014885 1 BHK & Single room in Wadi Kabir.

RO 180/-. Contact 99376454 Al Qurum heights Sea view.

Contact - 99249069 / 92888376/ 93201688 For rent shops and offices in Al Mabela. Contact 99355330 2 BHK at Al Azaiba, Building No.5145 Way 4470. Contact 99224748, 99425665 Industrial Land in Misfah.

Contact 93009999 2 BHK with A/C, commercial Al Khuwair. Contact 92144045 Flat one bedroom at Al Khuwair 33, owner. Contact 92800007

BUYING/SELLING

AVAILABLE We are dealing with sale of all beauty salon equipments, furnitures & cosmetics.#942 888 61 / 942 888 63

Used Sofaset, for sale.

Contact 99737812

Used household furniture and other items for sale.

Contact 91566996

Beauty parlour for sale Ghala Al Ansab near Al Maha petrol pump.

Contact – 92540355 / 97748706

Restaurant items on sale, like plates, spoons, soup spoons etc. please contact 93833107

Office for sale at Al Khuwair with furniture, more than 700 sqm good condition. Contact – 99055571

A newly opened Barber Shop for sale at upcoming industrial zone in Misfah. Expat leaving Oman.

Genuine buyers call 93833107 (Sale Price Negotiable)

Workshop for sale near Misfah behind Kanco with good fabrication shed electricity 1150 sqm area.

Contact – 98951026

2 flats building in Al Khuwair 17/1.

Contact 99477009 Restaurant about 250 SQM @ 5/- SQM, heart of Ruwi Market in Plaza Hotel for sale / rent. Contact 99326339 / 24833314 Shop for sale near ONTC bus stand Ruwi near Sun City Hotel on main road.#99326339 / 24789801 Sale!, all household items, like fridge, freezer, cooking range, washing machine, window/split A/Cs, LCD TV, Laptop, tab and many more for attractive prices. Location : near Toyota service Center, Honda Road.

Contact - 97048983, 95293643 Restaurant for leasing/sale in Al Hail. Contact 94148970, 94148972, 97820877 Household items on sale.

Contact 93833107 Running establishment for sale, industrial license, marble & granite, aluminum workshop, fully equipped showroom. Serious buyers please contact 99334540 Readymade Garments shop furniture. Contact 99386170 Running Workshop for Tiles / Marble & Granite cutting & skirting in Wadi Kabir for immediate sale.

Contact 99105492

HOUSEHOLD, SALES, Ghubra: Sofa 3x3, King Bed, Multi Gym, GymBike, Microwave, Table, Racks, Mixi, AttaKneader, Contact: 95053480 Port cabins – New & refurnished Porta cabin for sale and rent.

Contact 96723468 Sale!, all household items, like fridge, freezer, cooking range, washing machine, window/split A/Cs, LCD TV, Laptop, tab and many more for attractive prices. Location : near Toyota service Center, Honda Road.

Contact - 97048983, 95293643 Restaurant for leasing/sale in Al Hail. Contact 94148970, 94148972, 97820877 Darsait Business Office furniture, Isuzu 4 ton brand new. # 91391363 Running Electrical Building Material Shop for sale in Muscat.

Contact 95330905

BUYING/SELLING Looking for purchase of Used Portable Compressor (350 CFM, 7 Bar Pressure) powered with Diesel run Generator.

Kindly Contact 99014686 or operation@khancogroup.com Used household & office furniture and electronic items. Contact 99834373, 97102699

Established Restaurant for rent with sponsorship. # 97628242 Party & Wedding equipment rentals. Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. www.tunesoman. com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished room in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 94012930 Separate entrance room with attached bathroom and A/C near Wadi Adai roundabout for Executive bachelor. Contact 92148188 Accommodation available for rent in SEEH AHMER FANJA near Oman Oil, only 10 mtrs drive from Rusayl industrial area, Please Call on 95200429 or 99224352 Room with A/C, furniture for expats at Al Khuwair. Contact – 97004265 / 99689315 Room available in Al Khuwair with sharing kitchen and bathroom near Blu Radisson. R.O 100/-+W/E. Contact 96930219 Room for Sri Lankan executive at AL Khuwair. Contact – 96536307 Sharing accommodation available near Khimji Mart at Mumtaz area in Ruwi for couple. Living room, bedroom, kitchen available.

Contact 96659817 Executive room at Mumtaz area.

Contact – 93103337 / 95212017 Single room with sharing kitchen for Executive bachelor or working lady, Ruwi, in front of Apollo Hospital. Contact 98232567 / 91673718 Contd on pg 5

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DAILY GUIDE

SITUATION WANTED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Chartered Accountant, 10+ yrs experience, B.Com, CA, CIA. Immediate availability. Audit, Finance.

Contact 94641805 Required experienced Accountant Tally, excellent English & driving license. Contact – omanlaw.om@gmail.com / 24497762 / 92192510

ADMIN One of the leading Business Groups in Oman is looking for the following person : Secretary (Male-Indian) – 1 No., min 5 yrs of experience preferably in spare parts & bearings. Please send your CV to kumar@muscatsteel.com A reputed 3 star hotel in Muscat requires qualified Omani Nationals for front office, security and food and beverage departments.

Interested candidates please contact 99061335, email : agm@hotelgoasis.com

ARCHITE. / INTERIOR Architect ( Autocad 3D / 3D Max / photoshop / presentation ) in a reputed office. Tel 24794481 fax 24794482 kamalismailconsultant@hotmail. com

Urgently required Mechanic Supervisor (B.Tech in Mechanical / Automobile Engg) for a reputed company in Muscat with min of 5 yrs experience in Grader, Dozer etc with GCC/Oman License.

Those interested may email CV along with certificates to p.m@watcooman.com, g.m@watcooman.com or contact 99288717

OFFICE/ SEC

DRIVER MECH/ TECHNICALCAL Urgently required light car drivers for a VIP service Company.

Preferred Philipino National.

Contact 98266319.

Email : lord.ofarts@yahoo.com Good growing Company in Muscat is looking for 2 drivers. English language needed. Email : yesterdaysun1@hotmail.com Needed 2 drivers, offering good salary. Contact 99441798 Wanted driver. Contact 95112461

DOMESTIC HELP Need cutter for Tailoring shop.

Contact 99825211

Urgently required an experienced person in gliding, fixing & installation works at buildings, for a well established advertisement co.in Sohar. Send your CV to : mohammed.tauseef2@gmail.com younis.alshezawi@live.com, Call : 96367342,95728453

MANAGER 2-3 years experienced electrical panel technician. Contact Mobile No:93838449/98987386

Required Housemaid for Indian family, Visa will be provided.

Contact 94291473

MBA with 1 yr experience, Indian looking for job, salary 40000 INR. Contact 96271935 Part time delivery man available.

Contact 95178930 BLDG Caretaker Gulf Exp, knows HINDI/ARABIC/ENG PH: 94304348 Admin Executive, 31, Indian Male, having 8+ years exp. in reputed companies, seeking suitable placement in any gulf region.

Contact +968 99276601 & 97693456.

Email: muralimahdav77@gmail.com Indian male, 26 yrs - MBA Graduate with 3 yrs of Experience in Banking (Standard Chartered Bank Scope International - Operations) & Coffee Vending Machine (Fresh & Honest Cafe ltd - , Operations) on Visit Visa seeks placement. Ph: 91267867, Email: jai.ks1988@gmail.com Filipino Accountant with 13 years working experience in the field of accounting looking for a suitable job in Muscat. Contact: 94547323 Tunisian women looking for job, khnows english, frensh, Italian and arabic. Contact: 91171838 28 year Indian male with 7yrs(5yrs in Oman) of experience in Accounts & Finance up to finalisation in Construction Oil & Gas and also in Manufacturing industries with Oman D/L seeking suitable placement.

Contact me on 97104364 email: Moorthy_cbe@hotmail.com

MEDICAL We are looking for an Optometrist for an Optical with minimum 3 yrs experience. Please contact 99340769 or email : aeooman@gmail.com Wanted MBBS Doctor, Staff Nurse and Lab Technician for a Clinic in Capital Area. Please contact 93431024, send CV to drasyanaseem@gmail.com Required Physiotherapist.

Contact: 91453024 General practitioner Doctor is required to work urgently in Dreams Clinic at Al Khoudh and must be resident in the Sultanate of Oman.

Please send your CV to the following email: towershr70@gmail.com, balushi70@gmail.com & info@towersinternationalgroups. com, Mobile 99882340, Tel: 24545914

SALES / MARKETING

3 Years experienced Administrative Executive seeking for Virtual Admin Opportunities. Can work for 6 hours/day from a virtual location for 100 RO/month. Call: 95811820 Looking out for the post of Travel coordinator/Senior travel Consultant, 14 years (10 years in GCC Countries) of experience in the travel industry looking for a suitable placement. #96328687 Structural Engineer with 14 years experience in structural design and supervision fields with full knowledge of structure design programs, Omani D/L, seeking a reputed engineering consultancy office vacancy Tel. 96248598.

Indian female dentist with 4 year experience. Call Nazia 96488737 Manager Maintenance/Engineering/Purchase, 31 yrs. exp. in mechanical, electrical, electronics, parts fabrication, purchase deptt, oman exp. 5yrs, have NOC, looking for job. Contact pkv2k3@yahoo.com, 99331289 Indian Male, 31 years of Rich Oman experience in Multifunctional Management, Administration, Business Development, Purchase & Operations seeking suitable Manager/Supervisory Position.

Visa transfer/NOC Available.

GSM: 95036410 Indian Female, Graduate having good experience looking for suitable job. NOC available.

Contact 91774397

Indian Male 25 years B.Com having 3 years of exp of Oman in Accounts/Administration.Well versed with computer knowledge looking for suitable position. Immidiately available. Contact:93207867 email:tambeazhar@gmail.com

Indian female, 25 yrs, B.Com with computer Application, 1 yr experience as Accountant, looking for suitable job. Contact 98847165

Required Laundry men (Ironing) visa ready. Contact – 92868123

SITUATION WANTED

Omani Man looking for a job with experience in HR/ Admin/ accounting. kindly contact me on: 99767666

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

MISCELLANEOUS

Housemaid required urgently.

Please contact +968 92806900

Indian Male, qualified ICWA, M.com with 2years experience in accounts, costing, auditing & SAP in reputed listed companies, seeks suitable placements. Mob: 94619453 Email: cmashahidkt@gmail.com.

Indian female with excellent communication skills, confident, dedicated to work and enthusiastic.

Knowledge about ms office. Has 6 years of experience in customer service, telecommunication, HR.Looking for immediate placement. Contact # 97348819

Dentist required to work urgently in dreams clinic at Al Khoud and must be resident in Sultanate of Oman.

Please send your CV to the following email – towershr70@gmail.com / balushi70@gmail.com / info@towersinternationalgroups.com Mobile – 99882340 / 24545914

Excellent cleaning company required Operation Manager, experience in Muscat cleaning companies preferred.

Contact 92868123

Indian male MBA 32 yrs having 10 yrs of exp seeking suitable placement in Admin/ HR/ Operations/ Coordination/ Logistics etc.

Holding valid Oman D/L .

Contact - 99054786

Indian female, MBA, HR 1 yr experience in India seeking suitable opportunity. Contact 99257214

Required urgently Civil Engineer with minimum 5 years experience driving license must. If you interesting send your CV on email: Towershr70@gmail.com

Looking for smart/ dynamic male for front desk office, pref. fluency in English. Contact 95176500 (Salalah)

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Graduate Indian female having 5+ Years Oman experience in Admin/Procurement/Logistics with excellent computer skills(PGDCA).

Seeking suitable Placement.NOC available.Contact:95382966

ENGINEERS

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER (full time) Responsibilities: To work with architect, To provide of construction issue documentation for a projects.

Desired candidate Profile: min of 3-5 years experience in Structural Design, Should be AutoCAD competent. Please send your CV to Email: info@pak2pak.com Tel. 99196733, 99419766

ADMIN/HR

Required (fast food restaurant), a part time marketing / Sales professional on commission basis – 5 Nos. in Muscat. Forward CV to fastfoodoman2014@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Looking for outdoor salesman for heavy equipments.

Contact- 93292015, 99656542 Leading Construction company requires young purchase assistant with Oman driving license.

Contact 99108425 A well reputed Steel Fabrication & Machining Workshop Company in Oman requires experienced Salesman / Sales Engineer with Diploma / Degree Qualification. GSM 99228046 Email : oman518@gmail.com, Salesman for Sales of Printing Press supplies urgently required in Dubai.

Must be knowledgeable about Printing Presses and have a valid GCC Driving License. Email CV to sales@ies-oman.com Required Japanese, Korean car parts Salesman with Gulf exp.

Contact – 98489140 A logistics company located at Sohar, requires Candidate for the post of marketing and accounts.

Valid Oman License and experience is added qualification.

Contact: 99381 82, 24499091, Email: info@excellenceoman.com Highly reputed Perfume Company requires Omani Sales girl promoters. # 95663682, 92956876 Required an experienced person who has ideas to start a new business in electrical field or supply with minimum cost. # 99426421

SITUATION WANTED Indian Male, B.COM, ICWA, CMA Australia, 24 years experience in finance, costing, accounts, internal audit. Valid Oman driving license.

NOC available. Can join immediately. Contact 97917136 More than 10 years experience in Sales & Marketing, Insurance, Direct marketing, Advertisement, Credit Control & logistics.

Contact: 99322748, 91071097 Post Graduate Engineer with 5+ years experience in Project Planning & Management currently on visit visa looking for a Project Co-ordinator/Planning Engineer position in reputed organizations.

Please contact (968) 96105079 MECHANICAL ENGINEER (B Tech), Indian Mail, with NDT Level 2(ASNT), Autocad, Solidworks, 2 year above experience (as Mechanical Site Engineer and Design Engineer), Seeking suitable placement(on visit visa). Contact: 91591548, 00919447300022, Email: vishnu300022@gmail.com 22 Indian Female, BCA (MCA), 4 Years’ Experience in Teaching, Training & Management of Office and Computer Applications, looking for suitable vacancy in the field of Teaching/IT/Office Management Contact – 94540768, Email – paipreethi01@gmail.com

3 Years experienced Administrative Executive seeking for Virtual Admin Opportunities. Can work for 6 hours/day from a virtual location for 100 RO/month.

Call: 95811820 Indian male, 28 yrs in Civil Engineer (Diploma), 3 yrs experience in Gulf seeking suitable chances.

Contact 92063150 Indian Male Graduate 20 yrs in Oman, Accountant / Business Property Management seeking suitable position in Accounts / Administration working knowledge with TALLY. Valid Omani Driving License. Contact 99817183 Indian male 2 years experience in Light & Heavy motor vehicle Mechanic. Diesel & Petrol. Seek suitable placement Contact 99421537.

Indian female, 34 yrs, B.A, B.Ed (S.S), DCA, Doing M.A by distance, having 6 yrs experience in School (5 yrs in Indian School, Oman).

Contact 98728700, 92458872 Indian Female 23 years M.Com Graduate on visit visa having four month experience as an Accountant in a company at Muscat. Looking for a suitable job. Immediately available for joining. Contact: 95846642, Email:shreedhanya916@gmail.com

Finance & Accounts manager based in Oman with multi-faceted experience in Finance, Costing, Audit ,Erp software implementation with over 18 yrs of post qualification experience in leading Gulf/ India based Companies involved in Construction, Contracting, Manufacturing, Trading activities. I am seeking suitable challenging position in leading coys/Groups in Oman.

Please contact mobile no-+968 99601390 or 92209357 or email vr6954@gmail.com for detailed experience Accounts part time works upto finalization & finalization works.

Contact 96247295 M.Com with MS Dynamics and Tally, 8 yrs experienced Accountant requires Accountant (Senior Accountant) position (NOC available).

Contact 93687011 Indian, MBA, Graduate specialized in Finance, Marketing with GCC, D/L looking for good job opportunity.

Contact 93197431 Bangladeshi male, Chartered Accountant with 2 yrs London exp. looking for job. Contact 99640986/ ahammadmds@gmail.com, +447958036642 Pakistani Male, 26 yrs, MS-Supply Chain & Project Management, BSFinance & Business Administration, +2 yrs experience in Trading Firm responsible for Supply Chain & Accounts. Skills including strong operation managerial Communication & interpersonal, fluent in English, SAP and EPM. Contact 94663827, email : musadiqfayyaz@gmail.com Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331 Accountant / Auditor, Srilankan male 27, having 3+ yrs experience looking for suitable placement.

Contact 93556320 Accounts Finalization, Part Time Accounting, Audit Preparation, Internal Audit, Onsite Tally Training, Onsite Training for Accountants, Inventory Management.

Contact : 94669089, email : ibfcoman@hotmail.com Accountant, 4 yrs experience in Oman, NOC available.

Contact 96799714 Indian male, 32 years, M. Com.7 out of 9 years experience in Oman in Accounts/finance. Having NOC and valid Oman D/L. Contact 98277143, Email: anzarks@gmail.com Accountant, 2 yrs experience (purchasing, coordinator) with D/L and NOC. Contact 94174403 Indian Male, MBA 2 yrs experience in Accounts, Admin & HR on visit visa. Contact 92045306 India Accountant: Male, M com, 7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to finalization, having knowledge of ERP, Tally, seeks suitable placement. Contact:93950138 Email: lijinrajan123@gmail.com

Indian female, 25 yrs, bachelors of businesses management, having experience of 5 years as a fund/ financial administration, on visit visa,looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94662416 Apurwaverma@gmail.com 26 hrs Indian Accountant with 2 years experience, B.Com, seeking suitable position, available immediately, contact No:9821 3292, e-mail: Indite2faraaz@gmail.com

CATERING Indian male, working Bakery Pastry as Sr. Chef De Party, 15 yrs experience in Oman, 10 yrs exp in one of the 5 star Hotels, still working, get release.

Contact 96460519, 99063817

DESIGNER AutoCAD Designer D/man 2D/3D/ Revit/Photoshop, experienced.

Contact : 97103168 Interior Designer, Gulf Exp, AutoCAD 2D/3D/ Corel draw.

Contact : 97103168 Indian male, 8 yrs GCC experience in 3D & Architectural Designing with D/L. Contact 97263199

DRIVER Light Driver having own visa looking for job as driver Contact 92303692 Driver seeking job. Contact 99805236 Bangladeshi male driver, exp 12 yrs looking for job in any company & office. Contact 99165961 Pakistani male light vehicle driver with 1.5 yrs experience.

Contact 98219599 Driver with car. Contact 96954496 6 Years experience light duty driver.

Contact – 96736744 Indian driver need job with car.

Contact 91254539 Light vehicle driver available.

Contact 96756014 / 97938893 Light driver looking for job.

Contact 96794309 / 98335778 Bangladeshi male light vehicle driver, looking for job. Contact 93113447 Pakistani male light vehicle driver 2 yrs exp. Contact - 96342684 Light driver looking for job.

Contact 92791678

DRAUGHTSMAN Auotcad, Well Experienced, Arch, Stucture, knows 3D, Revit Photoshop Ph : 97103168 Civil Draughtsman, Indian Male, 23 yrs with 3yrs experience in AutoCAD 2D & 3D, MEP, HVAC, 3Ds Max and Photoshop looking for suitable position, presently in Muscat, Oman on visit visa.

Contact 91764358, mohdsiraj02@yahoo.com

EDUCATION Currently working as Lecturer of IT, (M.Sc IT) (M Phil computer Science) having experience for more than 5 years, looking for suitable placement. Contact 91105949

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

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

NRI

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Seeking job, BTech Instrumentation, 12 years experience Design, FEED, Detailed engineering, Oil & Gas, Instrumentation systems, Oman Driving license.

Email :- wilfridsjacob@gmail.com Mobile:- 00968 99048130 Jordanian Civil Engineer with 4 yrs experience in Construction Field (release available). Contact 95157199 / 92866288, email : best66_pl@hotmail.com IT Engineer, Indian male, 25 yrs having 3 yrs experience in Technical Support (IT) Networking, Sales Marketing, looking for a job.

Email ID : abumohd3@gmail.com, 91687294 Indian male, B.Tech (Electronics & Electrical) working in Saudi Arabia as Plant Manager for more than 2 yrs, seeks suitable opening in Oman. Contact +966593599187, Email: noushadpm149@gmail.com.

Oman : 98875103, 99480523 BSc Architectural Engineer, 7 yrs experience (6 yrs in Oman) site work. Contact 99178218, 92579358, email: ah.elnakash@yahoo.com BE (Elec and Tele Engg), Experienced as Application Engg, Certified in BMS SCADA Ph: 94037935/ 97103168 Land Surveyor 10 yrs experience on visit visa. Contact – 93522354 / sibivarun89@gmail.com Civil Engineer with 12 years Experience Looking For Job.Ph#98162295 Indian B.Tech Mechanical Engineer, 26 yrs, 4 yrs experience in HVAC/MEP. Contact 94669629, rajeevhpd15@yahoo.com Quantity Surveyor (Civil Building) looking for Part time job Contact no:-94391712 E-mail addressinayathhussain@yahoo.com Sr. Site Supervisor (civil) since March 2010 in Oman, looking for better opportunity (rel. available).

Contact 93061107 Nebosh Qualified HSE 15 yrs exp safety Engineer Military (Indian Navy) background, valid Oman driving license. Contact – 97352324 Industrial Electrician with Oman Driving license. Contact 96348016 Indian male, 26 yrs B-Tech (ECE) with MBA in Marketing / HR looking for a suitable placement. Currently on visit visa valid up to 30 January 2015. Contact 93754428, email : shijosirius709@gmail.com Sudanese Civil Engineer, 10 yrs experience 4 yrs in Oman in Government Projects Supervision looking for a job with D/L. Contact 96966790 Civil Engineer (Diploma) looking for an urgent placement.

Contact 95200650 Civil Engineer (Fresher from NIT) skilled in Autocad & Primavera, holding oman D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact -97309804, Email-nizam.m5@hotmail.com Diploma of Associate Civil Engineering, Diploma of AutoCad, having 3.5 yrs experience, 2 yrs experience of Oman in Building Construction, valid transferrable ID Card.

Contact 94378581 B.Tech Civil Engineer, Indian, 16 yrs in Oman with experience in PDO Road Pipelines building with Omani D/L looking for suitable placement.

Contact 98005456 A , M Tech GEO TECHNICAL ENGINEERING Lady Engineer PRIMAVERA - STADD holder on visit seeks suitable opening - preferably Sohar area Contact 91277256 satishcharuvil@gmail.com BE Civil Engineer, 5 yrs experience.

NOC available. Contact 98970233 Diploma in Civil Engineer, 15 yrs Oman experience (total 28 yrs) looking for senior position with valid D/L, NOC available. Contact 99013465 B.Sc in Civil Engineering, 2 yrs experience (1 yr 3 months in Oman + 10 months in Bangladesh) knowing AutoCAD, MS Office & detailing, fluent speaker in English, Hindi and Bangla. # 94038642 Email : shaikhhasib.ce@gmail.com DAE (Civil) having 3.5 years Experience 2 years from Oman with driving licences, seeking for suitable position in Construction field NOC and release available Contact 96968554 mehranahmad26@yahoo.com

BE Mechanical, 9 yrs experience in Sales & Business Development, Oil & Gas equipments like pumps etc.

Contact 91139771 Mechanical Engineer, Gold Medalist, B.Tech with 3.5 yrs experience in Thermal Gas Power Plant in LDO, HFO Pipeline Fabrication erection boiler banker turbine. GSM: 97025338 Email : warisheyat329@gmail.com Presently in Oman on visit visa.

M. Tech Electrical Eng. Female, now in visit visa. Contact +968-94654481.

INFORMATION TECH

B. Tech Civil Eng. 3 yrs exp in Oman with driving license.

Contact +968-93733627.

Mail id : joinvisam@gmail.com, neethusprakash@gmail.com

Female, B Tech (Software Professional), Oracle SQL .NET Database, Experienced (Teaching & Engg) Ph: 94550127

Female, 26 yrs, B.Tech in Mechanical Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Piping Stress Analysis in Oil & Gas Sector, currently on family visa, looking for a placement.

Contact 95890939, email : rita.debnath682@gmail.com Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847 Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian Male, 24 yrs with 1+ yrs Indian experience (Certified in Quantity Survey/Primavera/AutoCAD) looking for a suitable position, available in Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on visit visa. Contact 91303860, email: mdayubmak@gmail.com Jordanian Engineer Electrical 7 yrs exp. Consulting, site & shop drawing works. Ready to join immediately.

Worked in UAE & Saudi Arabia.

Contact - 00971555594733 Civil Engineer B Tech, Site Engineer Experienced, Drafting on Visit Visa Ph : 91642050 Sudanese Mechanical Engineer, 3 yrs experience as Sit Engineer, HVAC System, and driving license, easy to transfer immediately.

Contact 91135140 B.E Civil 5 yrs exp (2 yrs in India) 2 yrs Oman & 1 year in Qatar. Salary expected RO.500/- above.

Contact - 94412557 Looking Part time Job in HVAC93198128 Indian Male, 22 yrs, B.Tech, Marine Engineer, presently on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact 93191777, email: ask.akash@gmail.com Experienced female Electrical Engineer.Contact 93800906

INFORMATION TECH IT Technical Support Engineer, 3 yrs experience in Networking, specializing in DHCP,DNS,NTP etc also Desktop level 3 helpdesk. jeni_personal@yahoo.co.uk 94525630 B.Tech IT, 1 yr experience programming with asp.net visual basic network certified.

Contact 96748154 B.Tech IT Professional, Indian Male with 3 yrs of Exp. In System Admin, IT Support, Networking, Installing Active Directory, DHCP, DNS,RAS, configuring maintaining and managing servers, configuring cisco routers, Exp in handling SQL database, With Valid Driving Licence. Contact - 968 98863507 Indian Male 23 yrs – IT / Prepost Sales Consultant / Business Analyst / Web Designing. 2 yrs. exp. Languages-HTML5, WebRTC, Java, CSS, C++, .Net, SQL, Oracle, ERP-Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Looking for suitable job.

Contact: 98802504, email:shrihari26@gmail.com Indian male, 23 yrs, having 1 yr experience in IT hardware & networking & 3 months in Oman, currently on visit visa, qualification B.Sc Electronics CCNA, MCITP, RHCE. ph : 92089719 Email : sujithvijayan119@gmail.com, IT Prof, MCA having 6+ yrs exp, seeks suitable position.

Contact 94543668 IT Professional, Indian male, B.Sc Graduate with 4+ yrs Gulf (UAE) good exp in System Administration, IT Support, Server Desktop, laptop, smartboard, datashow biometric, CCTV, currently on visit visa.

Contact 98936548, vaseemj@yahoo.com

Furnished house for sale near Vattiyoorkavu, Thiruvananthapuram, 5 cents, 220 SQ Ft. Contact 96099215 / 99016230

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Indian male Graduate with 12+ yrs experience in Purchase/ Logistics/ Costing/Scheduling and Warehousing in Building Materials & Construction sector looking for suitable placement. Local release available on request. Contact: 94657319 MBA Graduate 10+ exp FMCG food serv. Sales channel/ Branch Manager. Contact - 99185205 Looking for job, holding valid Oman Driving License, experience in food & beverage, McDonalds & Retail Starbucks Coffee, UAE. Working now as House Manager in HB Excellency house Muscat. Contact 93407470, email : sanjeevmulla@gmail.com Indian male Graduate with 20+ years of Administration, Operations & Management experience in IT, Oil & Gas & Hospitality Industry. 12 years in Oman with vast contacts, very strong management, operational, communication and interpersonal skills, can handle any size of business and projects whether it’s in initial stage or established. Can join immediately. Local release available on request. Contact: 9906 4589 Indian male Graduate with 20+ years of Administration, Operations & Management experience in IT, Oil & Gas & Hospitality Industry. 12 years in Oman with vast contacts, very strong management, operational, communication and interpersonal skills, can handle any size of business and projects whether it’s in initial stage or established. Can join immediately. Local release available on request. Contact: 9906 4589 Management Professional, expertise in team building operations, project management, leadership, writing on visit visa till 19th January 2015. Contact 93516436, email: dsouza.amit@gmail.com Qualified Manager: (12+ yrs. Oman Exp.) Vast knowledge in A/c & Admin, Costing, Banking, Credit Control, Insurance, International Purchase/ Logistics & Finance, With D/L looking for suitable position.

Gsm: 93826090 Email: jskanchan01@gmail.com General Manager / working partner 20 years in Dubai adverting agency experience. Contact 93031168 Indian female with nine years of experience in 5 Star hotels as Assistant Food & Beverage Manager looking for a suitable placement in a reputed Star hotel.Contact: 91219787

MEDICAL Physiotherapist (BPT), Indian male, 4.5 yrs experience, looking for suitable job, available in Oman (Muscat) on visit visa. Contact 92692143, Email: asadshabeeh@yahoo.com Indian male Pharmacist (B.Pharma) 5 1/2 years experience in Oman seeking suitable placement in Muscat. NOC from the present employer available.

CONTACT +968 98525100 Indian female Nurse, prometric passed, 64%. Contact 97916986, 96146016, 22068598 Indian Female, Dentist fresher looking for suitable placement.

Contact 98857686, email : drsumbulahmad@gmail.com Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378

Indian female, well experienced in secretarial, administration, customer care & supervisory jobs.

5 years experience in Muscat.

Immediately available for joining.

Contact: 92139298

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Civil foreman maintenance D/L, 12 yrs in Oman, 2 yrs in Kuwait.

Contact 96405865, 99534138, India - +91 7589248550, +91 9464255409, email: sukhwinder9@yahoo.com

MANPOWER

10 cent (404.7m2) residential land for sale at kalamassery (kochi) for immediate sale contact Biny 95298395

Graduate, Indian, having 6 yrs experience in Sales with D/L, NOC available. Contact 93410723

ACC. AVAILABLE

Pakistani male, 34, College 2 yrs, 2 yrs experience as Sales Representative, 3 yrs experience as Clerk / Office Assistant, 3 yrs experience as Salesman in Oman, Computer Skill : Excel, BUSY, ERP, languages known – English, Arabic, Hindi and Urdu.

Contact 96763346 MBA Professional with Omani Driving License seeking Sales or Marketing job. Contact 94143154, rinojnathen008@gmail.com

Room with separate toilet and WiFi, Wadi Kabir near pencil building.

Contact 93416854 Room with separate entrance & A/C in Al Khuwair near Rawasco for noncooking Indian Bachelor, rent RO 125/-. Contact 97201100, 95397442

BUSINESS

Indian male, 25yrs, MBA in HR/ Marketing.6yrs exp with MNC and pharma. Presently in family visit visa looking for suitable placements.

Contact no-94657379/ 96645182

Room + balcony + separate toilet for non cooking single Indian Bachelor, RO 140/-. Contact 98928458

B.Com Graduate experience marketing 8 yrs (India) valid Oman driving license. Contact – 97916044 / 97382638

Furnished single room with attached bathroom near Mars Hypermarket, Al Ghubrah. Contact 97312111, RO 150/- per month

Indian male having 3 yrs Oman exp in sales and administration with valid Oman license. Looking for suitable placement. NOC available, own vehicle also available.

Contact – 98956725

2 Bedroom flat for offices with furniture near Al Manaf Hotel, Ghala.

Contact 99525743, 99439705 Excellent 3 bedrooms , 2 sitting rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen & store with A/C. 92817777

18 yrs Oman experience in Building Materials seeking suitable placement, NOC available. Contact 93105775

Indian Male, B.Tech E&I, 10 yrs experience in Sales, Procurement, BDM. 6 yrs Oman experience in Oil & Gas Sector. Seeking suitable placement. Oman D/L, NOC available. Contact 97233074 Indian Male, MBA in Marketing and Finance, 10 years’ Sales & Business Development Experience with valid D/L of Oman & UAE looking for a suitable placement. NOC Available.

Contact: 93969961 e-mail abhilash.pvrk@gmail.com Indian male, 22 yrs, BBM Graduate looking for suitable job in sales/ marketing, currently on visit visa.

Contact 91757222, email : danishdani460@gmail.com Indian Male, 7 yrs experience in building materials trading having Oman D/L, immediate release available. Contact 98676713 Sales & Marketing Indian male MBA (marketing & sales) business development experience at all levels of management. Currently on visit visa. Contact – 91272819

TECHNICIAN Instrument Technician (M.Sc Instrumentation) with 2 yrs experience (1 yr Indian + 1 yr in SABIC Petro Chemical Plant, Saudi Arabia), currently available in Muscat on visit visa looking for a suitable position in Oman.

Contact 97165988, email : shabeer812@gmail.com Indian male, Instrumentation Technician with 3 yrs Diploma & 1 yr exp in Maintenance Dept, seeks job.

Call +971554275155

Office space near KFC, Al Khuwair, office basement near Mars, Al Ghubrah, double & single bedroom flat Al Ghubrah near Mars and Wadi Kabir near Lulu. Contact 95755551 / 92222045 Furnished room in CBD Area for non-cooking bachelor free Wi-Fi, advance deposit call 99078540

Indian male, 7 yrs Gulf exp in Sales (Indoor – Outdoor), looking for job.

Contact 99433816 / 93159202

15 years experience in Business Development , marketing, purchase – UAE & Oman-staff coordination, documentation, civil & technical maintenance, -valid GCC license-looking for working partnership or management post. Contact:91568362 / Email vpj555pem@gmail.com

For Astrological consultation, Jathakam. Contact: 99860435 / 97102599 Villa for sale 2200 sq ft in 8 cent.

Kottayam. Contact: 92652534

SALES / MARKETING

MISCELLANEOUS Logistics Officer, Experience in Store keeping. Contact : 99505934

3100 Sq ft two storied buildings, ground floor flat, 1611 sq ft with 2 cents of land around the building for sale. Location – near St. Marys Church Pattom, Trivandram, Palm drive lane, House No. 10. Contact 99747481 / +91 9746239049

MATRIMONIAL

Excellent investment, business and earning opportunity in Sultanate of Oman and other GCC countries.

Looking for investors and sponsors (Omani Nationals only). For meeting and discussions please call on 91285860 Licensed Engineering Consultancy (Chemical) Company looking for International or local partners to start operations in Oman. For enquiries call 99264162 Wanted dentist or investor to buy a well-running dental clinic in Sohar immediately. Contact 92625962, 95904234

Parents of Christian girl (Roman Catholic),27yrs,fair,5.5”, from Kerala working in TCS, Bangalore as Systems Engineer seeks suitable alliances. Call: +968 92010215 / +968 99278649 Proposals are invited from parents of professionally qualified Nair Boys for 24 year old Upper Middle Class Nair girl hail from Trivandrum, (171 cm, Star-Bharani) employed in a reputed Company in Oman. Contact: 0968-9950 2593 /99798041.

(KM ID.2844689)

GOOD NEWS

Omani National looking for expat investing partner in Restaurant in Al Amerat. Infrastructure almost ready. Jamal Adan Trading.

Contact 98711083, email : faisal.patel0038@gmail.com We assist in new business set up local sponsorship, real estate services, assist in company formation services. Contact - 93166088

CHANGE OF NAME I, Babu Ummer Sadulla (holder of Indian Passport No. F1497422) son of Sadulla having permanent address in Patreke Chawl RI No – 57, S/No 32, Bapu Jagita Marg Bycula, Bombay-11 (complete postal address in India) and presently residing in P.O. 277, P.C-122, Muttrah Corniche, Sultanate of Oman (complete postal address in Oman) intend to change my name from Babu Ummer Sadulla (old name) to Umar Ali Shahdulla Shaikh (new name) for all practical purposes.

Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P.B. No 1727, Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

Genuine Ayurvedic treatments & massage, Ayurvedic clinic at Al Khuwair. Contact 24478618 / 97263637 /93309131 FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 96050000, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133.

For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit: www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact 24475280 / 95371554 / 92504980 , www.siddhayur.com Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis, ideal care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Azaiba. Contact 99639695 / 99117987

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DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

WEBSITE

CLASSES

Al Manar Vocational pleased to announce at vocational short and long term courses in tailoring, cooking and internal design. Contact us now : 24698070 or 91144335

COMPUTER

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. # 24793614/ 99314807 Pest Control Treatments!!!

Termites! Cockroaches! Bedbugs!

Ocean Centre LLC. Contact 99344723

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house cleaning. Contact 99542979 / 98855815

Contact: 91262820 / 96458007

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

For All Your Maintenance Solutions, A/c Servicing & Fixing, Painting, Cleaning, Electric.

Contact. 99002390 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

Split & window AC servicing and repairing. Contact 99557080

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

Civil maintenance, electrical & plumbing work. Contact 99557080, 96236476

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

Building Caretaker, Gulf Experienced, knows Arabic, Hindi English Ph : 94304348 PRO services.

Contact 99368907 Fast & Right Way - For all PR related works – permanent Visa stamping, family visiting visa holders, clients contacts – with NOC letter with signed & sealed photocopy documents – Contact: 91568362 *Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

Catering services We do industrial catering service, Canteen/ mess, 3 times packed meals, and all types of catering events.

Contact 92188777/ 99249899

A.M Trading Pest control.

Contact 99067923 Split & window A/C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC all kind of pest control.

Contact 92326955 Window & split unit AC servicing & maintenance. Contact 96236476 Waterproofing, light weight Screed, Antitermite and MS Fabrication.

Contact 92888337 For All Your Maintenance Solutions, A/c Servicing & Fixing, Painting, Cleaning, Electric. Contact 99002390

Window & split unit A/C servicing & maintenance. Contact 96236476 Civil Maintenance, Painting Electric, Plumbing, Decor, Tile Fixing, Lecithin Copra Board flat stifling , Carpet Cleaning and A/C Servicing.Contact 97897831 (Indian keralite) For all your maintenance needs including, Painting, Plumbing, Electricity, Laying of Interlock Tiles, Marbles etc. Tel: 99383574 Mr. Chandran Electrical Plumbing Painting Contract and Maintenance.

Contact 98456535 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir AlRizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130

For HT cable jointing and termination works 33KV/11KV. Contact 99056438 / Email: npgoman@gmail.com

FOR HIRE

TRUCK FOR HIRE

House shifting transport. Contact 99657644, 98518013

Isuzu 10 ton cargo body truck

Painting Interlock plumbing maintenance. Contact 92142319

(2012 FVR) with UAE experienced driver available for long term / short term rent.

Carpet & Sofa Shampooing.

Ocean Centre LLC. # 99884591 Maintenance – 1) A/C Maintenance, 2)fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing, 3)painting & cleaning services, 4)electrical & plumbing carpentry work. # 99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281

BEAUTY Varkey’s Gents Salon & Spa – Offer 25% on all spa facilities like hamam spa, massages with steam bath, Jacuzzi, aroma therapy, pedicure & manicure, facial treatments.

Contact 92935679

Contact: 95346950 Running truck wash for rent in Ouhi Sunia Sohar. Serious people can. Contact on 97864747 50 seater bus with PDO specification for rent or lease.

Contact 99839898

M.V.WANTED Required Nissan Tida / Toyota yaris / Suzuki swift / hyundai/Kia hatchback car in good condition.

Contact 95405033

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DAILY GUIDE TOURS

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

TOURS

RENT A CAR

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

DRIVING

RENT A CAR TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact 99542393 Transportation. Contact 93405941 Transportation. Contact 98178135 Transportation available.

Contact 95570429 Driver with car. Contact 92179395 Pick & drop anytime in al Khuwair.

Contact 99764307

M.V. FOR SALE

Transportation. Contact 98505294 Transportation. Contact 91379976 Nissan Sunny Auto 2009, 100 k, RO 2500. Contact 93289652 Pajero 3.8 v6 full option, 2008 model expat driven single owner, excellent condition, accident free, 217k.

Contact - 92590781 Lexus IS 250, model 2007, good condition. Contact 95530560

Transportation with car & driver.

(VIPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only). Contact 95040768 Transportation. Contact 93425167 Pick & Drop any time. # 97014786 Transportation. Contact 99664703 Transportation available 99159277

Toyota Yaris 1.5, full automatic 2010 Dec, new insurance, new tyres 83,000 kms in excellent condition, OMR 3300/-. Contact 93291179

Hyundai Elantra white 2010 model full auto. Contact - 95212017 Lexus GS300, 2006. #93218349

Renault Safrane, model-2010 kms100000, full option, good condition. price-2900/- negotiable CONTACT-97881927

Transportation. Contact 96538078 Transportation Available #97180655

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DAILY GUIDE

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

Party booking & sugges ons 99320065, 99341643

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