Times of Oman - September 22, 2015

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TUESDAY, September 22, 2015 / 8 Dhul Hijja 1436 AH

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16-MONTH COUNSELLING

WORLD LEADERS

Training for medics to prevent genetic disorders in Oman ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

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RAINFALL EXPECTED: Higher–than-normal rainfall is expected in Oman, especially in the northern

mountainous regions and interiors. – Times of Oman

‘El Nino’ has forecasters on alert for rain Oman could be hit by above average rainfall for the next four months, says a top official with the Public Authority for Civil Aviation

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s weather forecasters are teaming up with police and rescue services to prepare for heavy rain expected over the next four months, feared to be worse than normal, due to the ‘El Niño’ phenomenon.

Dr. Saeed Al Sarmi, the Head of the Research Centre from Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA), told the Times of Oman, “It is expected that due to El Niño effect, there will higher–thannormal rainfall in Oman, especially in the northern mountainous regions and interiors.

“We will be issuing timely updates to the public and coordination will be enhanced among government bodies, especially with police, to deal with the situation.”

The El Niño phenomenon occurs when the east and central Pacific seas’ surface temperatures become warmer than

usual, which often signals widescale climate change around the globe affecting winds, precipitation, sea-level pressures and temperatures.

In Muscat, the annual rainfall is about 100 millimetres, falling mostly from December to April.

In general, precipitation is scarce in Muscat with several months, on an average, getting only a trace of rainfall.

However, a mature and strong El Niño is now present in the tropical Pacific Ocean and the majority of international climate outlook models suggest that the 2015 to 2016 El Niño is likely to strengthen further before the end of the year.

According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the United Nations’ weathermonitoring body, the strength of El Niño is expected to peak sometime during October 2015 to January 2016, and could potentially place it among the four

ROCKING CONCERT

strongest El Niño events since 1950. “The current and emerging oceanic-atmospheric conditions in the western Indian Ocean indicate a high likelihood of a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), an irregular oscillation of sea-surface temperatures in which the western Indian Ocean becomes alternately warmer and then colder than the eastern part of the ocean, during the remainder of 2015,” said the World Meteorological Organisation in its latest update.

In the past, the region was hit by a drought, whenever El Nino’s impact was heightened. However, new evidence suggests that El Nino’s impact could result in increased rainfall in the wake of changing climate conditions during the last 15 years.

A senior meteorologist from Accuweather.com told Times of Oman that a combination of strong El Niño and a positive IOD could certainly lead to above normal rain across Oman in October or November.

“El Nino has some correlation with the above-average rainfall expected in Oman in October and November. The combination of the strong El Nino and positive IOD could certainly lead to above normal rainfall across Oman later in October or November,” Jason Nicholls, the senior meteorologist from Accuweather.com said.

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

Stereophonics ticket sale begins today

OMAN

Ailing Pakistani girl flooded with offers

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From people offering to donate their liver to hospitals offering to treat the child for less, there has been an overwhelming response to the Times of Oman report on five-year-old Basma Mohammad Faisal. >A3

OMAN

ROP cautions against using fireworks LIVELY GROUP: Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band formed in

1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Tickets for the much awaited Stereophonics Concert at the Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa on November 12 will be up for sale from today.

“ALIVE Entertainment & HIFM are excited to announce that tickets will be on sale for the upcoming Stereophonics Concert from 3pm on September 22 at Mackenzies Café & Deli in Madinat Qaboos,” according to the organisers.

Alive Entertainment expects this concert to be a sellout.

Gordon Mackenzie, Managing Director of Alive Entertainment, said, “Ticket reservations on www.stereophonicsoman.com

has been amazing! We are expecting a sellout concert in Muscat, so don’t delay.”

Stereophonics have released their ninth studio album ‘Keep The Village Alive’ and it has gone straight to No.1 in the charts so their concert in Muscat promises an evening filled with songs you’ve heard before and some brand new tracks. Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band comprises Kelly Jones (lead vocals and guitar), Richard Jones (bass guitar and backing vocals), Adam Zindani (guitar and backing vocals), Jamie Morrison (drums) and touring member Tony Kirkham (keyboards).

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With just a few days remaining until the EidAl-Adha holidays, the ROP has warned the public against using fireworks and shooting in air during celebrations. The ROP warned about the dangers of firing weapons. >A4

OMAN

US thanks Oman for release of hostages

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The United States has thanked the Government of Oman under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for facilitating the safe passage of two US citizens, who had been held hostage in Yemen. >A6

MUSCAT: Oman plans to hold a unique 16-month genetic counselling course for medical professionals across the country, focused on preventing genetic disorders and improving the lives of those affected.

“Genetic counselling is a developing, recently introduced service in the field of genetic health,” Dr Musallam Said Al Araimi, molecular and community geneticist at the National Genetic Centre, told Times of Oman.

Genetic counsellors play a very important role, but unfortunately, only two qualified genetic counsellors are available in Oman, said Al Araimi.

According to Al Araimi, genetic counsellors are involved in various stages of the process and can help provide the necessary

Omani firms to develop shopping mall in Iran

ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company

Dr Musallam Said Al Araimi.

His Majesty exchanges Eid greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has exchanged cables of greetings with leaders of the Arab and Islamic countries on the occasion of blessed Eid Al Adha.

In his cables, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere greetings along with his best wishes to the leaders and the people of their countries further progress and prosperity, praying to Allah to achieve all aspirations of progress and prosperity for their people under their leadership and for the return of this occasion on all Muslims with blessings and welfare. >A6 HM sends greetings >A6

information on genetic disorders to the patients and their families in simple and understandable terms, providing guidance, emotional support and assistance with securing financial support in cooperation with the authorities. >A6

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CYPRUS

Shihab meets outgoing Cyprus envoy MUSCAT: On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said on Monday received Costas A. Papadimas, the ambassador of Cyprus, to bid him farewell at the end of his tenure in the Sultanate.

The Cyprus ambassador expressed his thanks to His Majesty the Sultan for the support he received during his stint in the Sultanate of Oman from His Majesty, the government and the Omani people, which had enabled him to carry out his duty. -ONA Picture on >A3

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OMAN

D I P L O M AT I C P R O T O C O L

S C H O O L E D UC AT I O N

Shihab meets outgoing Cyprus envoy MUSCAT: On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said received in his office here on Monday Costas A. Papadimas, ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the Sultanate, to bid him farewell at the end of his tour of duty as his country’s ambassador to the Sultanate.

The ambassador expressed his utmost thanks to His Majesty the Sultan for the support he received during the period of his work in the Sultanate from His Majesty, the government and the Omani people, which had enabled him to carry out his duty.

He wished His Majesty good health, happiness and a long life and the Sultanate further progress and prosperity under the wise leadership of His Majesty.

On his turn, Sayyid Shihab expressed his utmost thanks to the ambassador for the efforts he exerted in serving the relations between the Sultanate and the Republic of Cyprus, wishing him success and the Cyprian people further progress and prosperity.–ONA

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GLOBAL BROTHERHOOD: Sayyid Shihab expressed his thanks to the ambassador for the efforts he exerted in serving the relations between the Sultanate and the Republic of Cyprus.–ONA

Education Council reviews major plans MUSCAT: Education Council held its fourth meeting for 2015 on the Diwan of Royal Court premises on Monday under the chairmanship of Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Chairman of the Education Council.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Chairman of the Education Council expressed his sincere greetings and that of the members of the Education Council to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on the occasion of the blessed Eid Al Adha. They prayed to Allah for the return of this occasion on His Majesty for many years to come, grant him good health and well being. They wished the Omani people further progress and prosperity and the Arab and Islamic Nations security and peace.

The Education Council reviewed the latest developments related to establishing Muscat University. The Education Council called on the founding com-

mittee of the project to double its efforts to establish this education institution.

The Education Council reviewed the measures taken by the Secretariat General to preparing the special report on the education march in the Sultanate. The report will present the indicators and data on the achievements made by the various types of education over the past period.

The Education Council also reviewed the circular submitted by the Ministry of Education about establishing a central agency under the Ministry to assess the performance of school education and ensuring the quality of education in Oman.

The Education Council approved the establishment of a centre under the Ministry of Education to evaluate school performance. It also tasked the ministry to prepare detailed studies and submit them to the Council to take appropriate actions towards them.–ONA

TOURISM SECTOR

HelloWorld Relay to showcase Oman as travel destination Times News Service MUSCAT: On September 27, which is World Tourism Day, Oman will aim to create social media history by being showcased as a travel destination during the world’s first global Instagram Relay. In the relay, local Instagram users will be encouraged to join in and show the world how beautiful Oman is.

Whether one has 50,000 Instagram followers or just 50, this will be a wonderful opportunity to shine a light on Oman, share the passion, diversity and colour of the country among a global audience, and inspire travellers to come and see the country for themselves.

Commencing in Samoa, the

westernmost point of the planet at sunrise, and finishing at sunset in the Cook Islands, the ‘HelloWorld Relay’ will visually tell the story of our world over one full day through the beautiful images posted by Instagram users.

Significantly, within the 12 hours between sunrise and sunset on Sunday, Australia’s first professional Instagram user and social media influencer — Lauren Bath— will be broadcasting the breathtaking moments she encounters as she explores the Sultanate. She is one of the just 10 social media influencers hand-picked to star in the HelloWorld Relay in the Pacific, Australia, Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, Europe, United States and South America. To join the relay

BEAUTIFUL OMAN: Australia’s first professional Instagram user, Lauren Bath, will be broadcasting the breathtaking moments she encounters as she explores the Sultanate.–Supplied photo

and showcase the wonderful people and places of Oman, Instagram users have been invited to take photographs for two hours between 4pm and 6pm on Sunday and post

Ailing girl flooded with offers of help As five-year-old Basma who needs to undergo a liver transplant, struggles with her health, her father said he was delighted to know that so many people are now willing to help them

Times News Service MUSCAT: From people offering to donate their liver to hospitals offering to treat the child for less, there has been an overwhelming response to the Times of Oman report on five-year-old Basma Mohammad Faisal, who is suffering from multiple disorders and needs to undergo a liver transplant.

Speaking to Times of Oman, Basma’s father, Mohammad Faisal Raza, said he was delighted to know that so many people are now willing to help them. “I was a dead man walking in the streets of Oman. But now I have become alive with the blessings of everybody,” he said.

Apart from receiving hundreds of calls from Oman and the United Arab Emirates, Raza said some companies and private hospitals had already offered to help him.

His company too has offered to help him.

One of the readers even wrote, saying: “I have a three-year-old and by the grace of god she is fine.

I can understand the feelings of the father. Financially, I am not in a position to support but I can

BATTLING ODDS: For liver trans-

plant, hospitals in India have quoted between $45,000 and $50,000.– Jun Estrada/TIMES OF OMAN

donate whatever I can to cure the child. Blood, organs....”

Basma’s father also said he is feeling blessed that people read about his efforts and are showing an interest in helping him.

“Thanks to all the good-hearted people, I’m sure that she will recover very soon,” he stated.

Raza, who works as a sales manager, said he had exhausted all his money on Basma’s treatment during the last couple of years. “Last week, she was again admitted to the Royal Hospital, but since I couldn’t afford her treatment, I decided to take her out after she was little better,” he said.

Financial burden To conduct the liver transplant, hospitals in India had quoted between $45,000 and $50,000.

“Besides that, there are other expenses, such as flight tickets and hotel bookings, as we will need to stay in India for 15 to 30 days,” he said, adding that he would act as the donor of his child.

A spokesperson from Global Hospital, Chennai, said the hos-

pital authorities have asked Raza to send them the medical reports and the passport of the patient and attendants.

“We shall send a Visa Invitation Letter to the Indian Embassy in Oman for getting a medical visa for their visit to Global Health City, Chennai,” the spokesperson said.

Raza, a Pakistani national, plans to take his daughter to India quickly. “I will be applying for medical visas soon at the Indian Embassy in Muscat,” he said.

Basma’s elder sister, Asfa Mohammed Faisal had died on December 6, 2004 and was also suffering from liver cirrhosis like Basma.

“At that time also, the doctors had suggested a liver transplant, but we could not afford her treatment and she died,” said Raza, who has been working in Sultanate since November 1991.

Basma has an older sister, Aneeqa and an elder brother, Mohammed Fawad, who study at the Pakistan School, Nizwa. “But she (Basma) is yet to start her studies because of her illness,” Raza said.

them on Instagram with the relay hashtags—#helloworldRELAY and #BeautyHasAnAddress.

The event is a global initiative being organised by HelloWorld, a

leading integrated travel business, with over 1000 retail travel stores in Australia and New Zealand. During the HelloWorld Relay, Oman will be showcased directly to Bath’s 427,000 Instagram followers, as well as HelloWorld’s enormous social media and customer audiences, inspiring them to plan a holiday to Oman. Five million Australians log into Instagram every month.

To receive updates and final details of the Relay, Instagram users should follow the Australian office at the Sultanate of Oman Tourism’s account on Instagram—@OmanTourismAU. Bath enjoys a global profile as a social media influencer, is a regular conference presenter, and is sought-after by destinations and

tourism operators around the world. She said she had wanted to travel to Oman for a long time, “Oman has long been a bucket list destination for me so when I started working with HelloWorld, it was one of a handful of destinations I begged to visit. When it became possible to have Oman as my relay destination I was beyond thrilled!

After the relay, Bath will continue to explore and showcase the wonders of Oman until October 1 along with representatives from the Ministry of Tourism. Her journey can be followed at @Laurenepbath. HelloWorld Limited is one of the leading integrated travel companies based in Australia and New Zealand, is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 For animal slaughter, people should approach slaughter houses. Using glow, gloves and boots while slaughtering or handling blood and body fluids protects you from contracting a haemorrhagic fever infection Ministry of Health statement

OMAN

Eid Al Adha shoppers throng Muttrah Souq

CHIEF GUEST

Film actor Santhosh to attend celebrations hosted by Indian club Times News Service

Residents could be seen busy buying traditional items, such as clothing, perfumes, fancy jewellery, toys, gift items and food products TRADITIONAL SHOPPING HUB: Not only Muscat residents, but many people from remote areas also

MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

come in large numbers for bulk purchases at the Muttrah Souq. -Purushottaman K

MUSCAT: With the Eid Al Adha festival just two days away, the Muttrah Souq, a traditional shopping hub in Muscat, is crowded with Eid shoppers, with a large number of people seen buying their favourite items.

The roads in the city are also fully clogged with shoppers, with the streets and parking areas being choked with vehicles.

Residents could be seen busy buying traditional items, such as clothing, perfumes, fancy jewellery, toys, gift items and food products. For many, the Muttrah Souq is a nostalgic place for shopping, particularly during the period of Ramadan and Eid Al Adha.

“I always feel shopping is incomplete unless you visit the souq.

Here, we can feel the traditional atmosphere, which we cannot get

elsewhere,” said Habeeb Al Muhammed.

Not only Muscat residents, but many people from remote areas also come in large numbers for bulk purchases at the souq.

There are a considerable number of shoppers in the market during the day time, but their number swells during the evening.

The products most in demand in the market during this period are perfumes and dresses. Muttrah is especially known for tailoring women’s dresses and the rush for them is always high. Tailors and designers can be seen working hard to keep their word. Even though there is rush, some shop owners in the souq said business is dull, compared with the previous years.

“There was rush on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. But there is

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not much movement in the market,” said Ashraf, who runs a business in the Muttrah Souq.

According to the traders, the drop in business could be attributed to a glut in the number of shops that has come up in the souq itself, with profits getting divided further. “We used to earn OMR2,000 per day earlier during Eid, but now it had decreased to around OMR400,” said Nawas Muhammed, a shop owner in the Muttrah Souq.

“Earlier, people from remote areas used to come for purchases, but now there are big shops and su-

I N S TA G R A M P O S T

permarkets in these areas. This is also the reason for the dullness in the market,” he added.

They also pointed out that fewer Omanis are now residing in the Muttrah area, which could have resulted in the lesser number of shoppers. Traffic blockages in the Muttrah area could also be affecting the market.

“The traffic issue has prevented people from visiting the souq.

They have to spend lot of hours on the road to reach the souq and finding parking in this place is also a problem,” Nawas said.

Traders also said that the public and private sectors hadn’t disbursed the salaries early so people were unwilling to spend more money on shopping. However, traders expect some sort of good trade during the upcoming days.

MUSCAT: The Kerala Wing of the India Social Club (ISC), Muscat, will hold an Onam-Eid celebration on Saturday, September 26, at the Al Falaj Hotel, where film actor Santhosh Keezhattur will be the chief guest.

The event will showcase a colourful extravaganza of music and dance by artists from India and Oman, with the main attraction being the presence of Keezhattur, a rising artist in the Malayalam film industry.

Having created a niche for himself in the field in a short span of time, Keezhattur, has so far acted in a number of noted films, such as Vikramadityan, Varsham, Oru Vadakkan Selfle, Kanal, Urumbugal Urangarilla, etc.

Before entering the film industry, he worked as a model, theatre artist, as an anchor, as well as a programme producer. The young talent has a number awards to his credit, the most famous among them being the IFA Dubai Best Performer (2015), the CN Sreekandan Nair Award for Best Actor (2008). “A lot of programmes are slated to be held, with the latest being the simultaneous celebration for Onam and Eid, an annual calendar event for the Kerala Wing, and we are happy to present the young actor and theatre artist from Kerala, who will enthral the audience,” said Rejilal, Convener of the Kerala Wing of ISC. The event will also include a felicitation of children and other artists, who were declared the winners of the Kerala Wing

Having created a niche for himself in the field in a short span of time, Keezhattur, has so far acted in a number of noted films, such as ‘Vikramadityan’

Youth Festival 2015. Held in different categories, such as subjuniors, juniors, seniors and open, the Kerala Wing’s youth festival is considered the best in the region in terms of the number of participants, style of conducting and the bias-free judgment of an eminent panel of judges from Oman, the neighbouring countries and India.

The programme on Saturday will begin at 6.00 pm sharp and the entry will be open to all.

TICK-INDUCED INFECTIONS

ROP cautions against use of Go to the abattoir for animal fireworks during celebrations slaughter, people advised TARIQ AL HAREMI

REJIMON K & TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: With just a few days remaining for the Eid Al Adha holidays, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has warned the public against using fireworks and shooting in the air during celebrations.

The ROP warned the public about the dangers of firing weapons and lighting firecrackers to celebrate Eid by stressing on the importance of safety for their families, adding that such actions could turn the moment of rejoicing during holidays into one marked by sadness and mourning.

In an Instagram post issuing the warning, an ROP official stressed, “Firing of weapons during Eid is completely banned whether the weapon is licenced or not.”

“Firing weapons during celebrations often causes deaths or injuries,” the official added.

The official added that bullets fired might also damage public property, such as buildings, electric cables, etc.

Monitoring intensified The ROP have intensified monitoring of firework smugglers at border posts and are chasing down anyone found smuggling or selling fireworks in the Sultanate.

According to the Weapons and Ammunition Law, Article 25, “There will be a fine imposed on those who use firearms without being in distress or set off firecrackers or fire rockets or ignite fires and explosions in the neighbourhood or areas nearby, or on a public street, or towards a public street without a license from the

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In an Instagram post issuing the warning, an ROP official stressed, ‘Firing of weapons during Eid is completely banned whether the weapon is licenced or not.’ police.” Violators of this law can be imprisoned for up to three months, with punishment being harsher if any injuries or deaths are caused by the violation.

“Parents must be responsible for monitoring their children and advising and guiding them about the dangers of buying and using firecrackers,” said the official.

The police also stated that under law, whosoever is found guilty of trading fireworks can face imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years and a fine of not more than OMR3000, or either of

those two and the punishment will be multiplied if it reoccurs.

Penal provisions In addition, the smuggler will also be punished according to the Gulf Cooperation Council Common Customs Law, Article 145/4, which states “If smuggled goods are prohibited ones, the penalty shall be a fine not less than the value of the goods, but not more than three times the value and an imprisonment for not less than six months, but not to exceed three years or either of them.”

MUSCAT: As Eid Al Adha is just around the corner, the Ministry of Health has urged people to approach slaughter houses for animal slaughter to avoid getting infected by animal viruses.

“For animal slaughter, people should approach slaughter houses.

Using glow, gloves and boots while slaughtering or handling blood and body fluids protects you from contracting a haemorrhagic fever infection,” the Ministry said.

Last year in October, the Oman News Agency (ONA) had reported that one person died of the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), while six other cases have been reported in various governorates of the Sultanate.

Disease risk CCHF is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family. The CCHF virus causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks, with the fatality rate estimated to be between 10 and 40 per cent.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the virus is primarily transmitted to people from ticks and livestock.

Human-to-human transmission can occur due to close contact with the blood, secretions,

organs or other bodily fluids of infected persons.

There is no vaccine available to treat either people or animals.

“The mortality rate in case of CCHF is approximately 30 per cent, with death occurring during the second week of illness. In patients who recover, improvement generally begins on the ninth or tenth day after the onset of illness,” said Basheer A, Senior Internist at Badr Al Samaa.

“The onset of symptoms is sudden, with fever, myalgia (muscle ache), dizziness and stiffness, backache, headache, sore eyes and photophobia (sensitivity to light). There may be nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and sore throat early on, followed by sharp mood swings and confusion. After two to four days, the feeling of being agitated may be replaced by sleepiness, depression and lassitude, and the abdominal pain may localise to the upper right quadrant, with detectable hepatomegaly (liver enlargement),” said Al Samaa.

In 2012, an expatriate had succumbed to a haemorrhagic Congo fever at the Al Buraimi Hospital.

According to the WHO’s public health advice, in order to reduce the risk of tick-to-human transmission, people should wear protective clothing (long sleeves, long trousers); wear light coloured clothing to allow easy detection of ticks on the clothes; use

approved acaricides (chemicals intended to kill ticks) on clothing; use approved repellent on the skin and clothing; regularly examine clothing and skin for ticks; if found, remove them safely; seek to eliminate or control tick infestations on animals in stables and barns; and avoid areas where ticks are abundant and seasons when they are most active.

Municipality advice The Muscat Municipality similarly offered advice on saving oneself from ticks. In a tweet, the municipality advised, “Eliminate ticks or avoid garbage dumps to protect yourself from the ticks’ stings.”

“Follow the correct preventative health measures while handling infected animals and avoid touching ticks or attempting to destroy it whilst they are on an animal,” added the municipality.

They also advised to avoid the slaughter of livestock in places other than the slaughterhouse.

The municipality has created a guideline for choosing livestock in order to prevent any health hazards if meat is consumed.

To choose your livestock, the Muscat Municipality has advised people to check the eyes and nose for any signs of contamination.

Make sure the livestock is not limping or suffering from cuts and bruises, as well as making sure it is free from ticks.

NOTE OF CAUTION: People have been advised to avoid the slaughter of livestock in places other than the slaughterhouse. Image used for illustrative purposes only. – File photo

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 We are delighted that Oman Air’s website has been named by Onextrapixel as one of the best in the world.

Paul Gregorowitsch, Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer

OMAN

US thanks Oman for release of hostages In response to the Royal Orders issued

by His Majesty, the Oman government in coordination with the Yemeni authorities in Sanaa, managed to secure the release of two US citizens, three Saudis and one British national

Times News Service MUSCAT: The United States has thanked the Government of Oman under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for facilitating the safe passage of two US citizens, who had been held hostage in Yemen.

A statement released on the US Embassy’s website and Facebook page said, “US Ambassador Greta Holtz expresses her sincere gratitude to the Government of Oman

SAFE PASSAGE: An image grab taken from the Omani State Televi-

sion on Sunday shows US hostages Scott Darden, right, and Sam Farran, second right, being welcomed by US consular staff on their arrival in Muscat, following their release. -AFP

and to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for helping the safe passage of two US citizens from Yemen to Oman.”

Securing the release In response to Royal Orders issued by His Majesty, the Oman government in coordination with the Yemeni authorities in Sanaa, managed to secure the release of two US, three Saudi and one British citizens. They were transported on Sunday night from Sanaa to Muscat on board an aircraft of the

Royal Air Force of Oman in preparation for their return home.

Speaking during the release of the two US citizens in Yemen, Ned Price, the US National Security Council’s spokesperson, said, “We welcome the release of the two US citizens, who had been detained in Yemen since earlier this year. As we have informed their families, these individuals departed Yemen today and have since arrived in Oman. The US Ambassador to Muscat and a consular official met them upon arrival and will provide

all possible consular assistance.”

In a statement released to the media he said, “Since we first learned of their detention, the United States government has been in regular contact with their families and representatives and, in coordination with our international partners, we have worked tirelessly to secure their release.

We are deeply appreciative of all who were involved in producing this outcome, including in particular, the Government of Oman under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. This outcome underscores that we have been and will continue to be tireless in pursuing the release of all Americans detained abroad unjustly, including those who remain in the region.”

Peace talks Ned Price added, “At the same time, we continue to press for an immediate resumption of the peace talks facilitated by the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen. It is clear that the people of Yemen want the fighting to end as soon as possible. Maintaining consistence with the Security Council’s statement on September 11, we again call on all parties to participate in these peace talks without imposing any preconditions. We continue to believe that all of Yemen’s diverse communities have important roles to play in the nation’s peaceful governance.”

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Oman Air’s website gets global praise Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Air’s website, www.omanair.com, has been praised as one of the airline industry’s best.

The site, which was relaunched in 2014, has been included in a comprehensive round-up of “The Best Airline Website Designs”, published by leading international design magazine Onextrapixel.

The list comprises 20 of the best airline website designs in the world. Inclusion on the list was based on the airlines’ success in balancing the importance of of-

fering an attractive, compelling landing page with the requirement of including a large amount of information.

Carol Francis of Onextrapixel commented, “The problem with designing for airlines is that so much information has to go on the landing page. There has to be a form for putting flight dates and special offer information, etc. This means that when it comes to the presentation, we are mainly looking at beautiful background images, and in this regard, the designers don’t disappoint.”

Responding to the commenda-

tion, Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer Paul Gregorowitsch stated, “We are delighted that Oman Air’s website has been named by Onextrapixel as one of the best in the world. Our website is often a customer’s first contact with Oman Air. It is vitally important, therefore, that it not only provides the information they need but also provides an appropriate introduction to the airline. Oman Air has attracted a well-deserved reputation for the outstanding quality of its products and services. We are also immensely proud of our role as the national airline of Oman. Our web-

site reflects both of these priorities extremely well. At the same time, it provides easy and convenient access to a wealth of information, offers and booking opportunities.

We are very proud that it has been recognised in this way.”

Oman Air’s website is available in English and Arabic. It forms part of the airline’s expanding digital presence, which includes the Oman Air app, which was unveiled in May 2015. This complements Oman Air’s website and enables customers to book and purchase tickets, check in and get updates on their flight status.

MALI

HM sends greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali on the occasion of his country’s National Day.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes to President Keita and the friendly people of Mali. -ONA

EID AL ADHA

< FROM

A1 HM receives greetings In their cables, the leaders expressed their sincere greetings along with their best wishes to His Majesty the Sultan and the Omani people, praying to Allah the Almighty to protect His Majesty, grant him good health, happiness and a long life, achieve further progress and peace for his loyal people under his wise leadership and for the return of this and similar occasions on His Majesty, the Omani people, the Arab and Muslim nations with welfare and progress.

His Majesty the Sultan has exchanged cables of greetings with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA); His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE); His Majesty King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa of Bahrain; His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar; His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabir Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait; King Abdullah II of Jordan; King Mohammed VI of Morocco; President Beji Caid Essebsi of the Tunisian Republic; President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria; President Ismail Omar Guelleh of the Republic of Djibouti; Field Marshal Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir, President of Sudan; President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud of Somalia; President Dr. Fuad Masum of Iraq; President Mahmoud Abbas

of the State of Palestine, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Chairman of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA); President Dr. Ikililou Dhoinine of Comoros; President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt; President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania; President Field Marshall Abd Rabu Mansur Hadi of Yemen; Sultan Haji Hassan Al Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam; King Almu’tasimu Billahi Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah of Malaysia; President Dr. Ilham Heydar Alyev of Azerbaijan; President Dr. Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan; President Joko Widodo of Indonesia; President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan; Dr. Hassan Rouhani, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran; President Mamnoon Hussain of Pakistan; President Mohammad Abdul Hamid of Bangladesh; President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan; President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey; President Idriss Deby of Chad; President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon; President Dr. Yahya Jammeh of Gambia; President Macky Sall of Senegal; President Imomali Rakhmonov of Tajikistan; President Almazbek Atambayev of Kyrgyz Republic; President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan; President Abdulla Yameen of Maldives; President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger; President Mohammed Bukhari of Nigeria, and President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali. -ONA

R A I S I N G AWA R E N E S S

Genetic counselling A1 to enhance skills < FROM

They also play a crucial role in promoting the prevention of genetic disorders through raising public awareness of important issues, such as pre-marital testing, stated Al Araimi.

It is necessary to educate both the public and medical experts, he said, adding that the genetic counselling course had been developed to enhance the skills of health professionals, who can also help raise public awareness.

Some people travel abroad to use services which are already available in the country, which is a waste of time, money and effort, noted Al Araimi.

“We are not discouraging travelling abroad. However, there are ways to manage resources more efficiently,” he said, adding that this lack of knowledge is partly due to the limited number of qualified counsellors.

Commenting on the training course, he said, “The programme, called an ‘on-the-job training course,’ will last for 16 months and comprises nine modules focusing on different topics. This is the first time that such a welldefined course is being offered in the Middle East.”

Al Araimi, who developed the curriculum for the course and is the chief organiser and chief presenter of the event, said the course would start on September 29 and would be formally inaugurated on September 30 by Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Saeedi, the minister of health.

The geneticist added that a total of 12 candidates, representing all the governorates, had been selected to participate in the course.

These individuals were selected, following an interview, according to their academic qualifications and experience,

he pointed out. This is the first batch and the experience and feedback received will be used to hold more genetic counselling training programmes, stated Al Araimi.

According to Al Araimi, every module will last for three days.

The first day features training on theoretical concepts, which will take place at the centre. The second day focuses on clinical attachment, which will take place at a number of clinics. On the third day, the trainees will be exposed to a laboratory environment, which is a major contributor to genetic health development.

“They should know how to read and interpret the report,” he said.

The lecturers and contributors include speakers from the Royal Hospital and the Sultan Qaboos University and a number of experts from different regions, he added.

In addition, Al Araimi confirmed that contributors from the European Society of Genetic Counselling had revised the curriculum and that their feedback had been taken into consideration.

There will be an evaluation exam after the completion of the course, and external examiners will come from abroad, particularly from the United Kingdom, he noted.

He also pointed out that no international speakers had been included on the agenda of the training programme but suggested international speakers may be invited to deliver speeches and evaluate the programme during the interval between sessions.

Al Araimi hoped that international speakers would be included in the next series of the training programme.

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 The survey will measure the satisfaction rate of the patients vis-a-vis private healthcare establishments Dr Mazin Al Khabouri, Director General Health Services

Patients to rate health facilities The survey will measure the satisfaction rate of the patients vis-a-vis private healthcare establishments. It will also ask the patients to evaluate the hospitals PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEY: Patients will be asked to write

in detail if they have any suggestions for improving health services in the private health sector.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Offering patients an opportunity to rate healthcare services in the private sector, the Ministry of Health’s Directorate General of Private Healthcare Establishments has launched a patient satisfaction survey.

The survey will rate how good or bad healthcare services are in the Sultanate’s private sector.

Dr Mazin Al Khabouri, Director General, said, “The survey will measure the satisfaction rate of the patients vis-a-vis private healthcare establishments. It will also measure the shortcomings in the sector and the problems patients are facing.”

“In addition, we will honour excellent establishments as encouragement for them to maintain their quality, as well as push other health establishments to reach their level of performance for the benefit of citizens and residents residing in the Sultanate,” added Al Khabouri.

All suggestions submitted during the survey will have a significant impact on improving the

quality of private health services in the Sultanate.

Survey questions will range from how well information is being documented and whether the presence of posters illustrate prices and times of service, to how well medical staff treats the patients and how fast the patient receives medical attention.

Questions asked The survey questions ask patients to identify the best private health institution according to them. It also asks them to state the location and type of private health institution they like.

It will also ask the patients to evaluate the hospitals on several parameters with terms ranging from strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree to strongly disagree.

Patients have to decide whether private health care institutions are documenting and recording information about patients and their health in the computer.

Patients will also be asked to rate if health workers in the

organisation help patients constantly and if medical staff and employees in the health organisation interact with patients and treat them gently.

They will also be asked if health workers in the health institutions have the ability to provide personal patient care and if health workers in the health institution have high professional competencies and skills.

Whether health care organisations provide services on time, and do it quickly and accurately, will also be asked, in addition to whether a health institution has a clear mechanism for dealing with patient complaints.

The patients will also be asked to decide if a health institution’s administration is committed to keeping its promises to patients in terms of health services.

Patients will be asked to write in detail if they have any suggestions for improving health services in the private health sector and providing more efficient and effective services to the public.

OMAN

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 In the case of Parchin, the Iranian side played a part in the sample-taking process by swiping samples Yukiya Amano, IAEA director general

REGION

Haj pilgrimage begins today Fire forces 1,500 pilgrims out from hotel in Mecca

More than a million pilgrims have already flocked to Saudi Arabia in preparation for the highlight of their spiritual lives

MECCA (SAUDI ARABIA): Their faces bathed in sweat, cheeks stained with tears, dozens of pilgrims scale Mecca’s Jabal Al Noor mountain.

The annual Haj pilgrimage begins on Tuesday, and more than a million faithful have already flocked to Saudi Arabia in preparation for what will for many be the highlight of their spiritual lives.

In sneakers or slippers, and some even using walking sticks, men and women of all ages take the challenge to climb the 642-metre (2,100-foot) peak, whose name

PILGRIMAGE: Pilgrims circle counterclockwise the holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in the Saudi holy

city of Mecca, late on Sunday. The annual Haj pilgrimage begins on Tuesday. - AFP

means “Mountain of Light”, despite the scorching heat.

Many of the elderly climbers sit on the sides of the hill to rest and sip water before resuming their journey, which is usually done at dawn or a few hours before sunset.

Others send images of the climb on their phones while many pause every now and then for a selfie.

At the peak, pilgrims gather to enter the Hira’a cave. The sacred site “is part of our faith,” said Shawqi Haydous, a Lebanese pilgrim who was almost at the mountain summit.

“This is the fifth time I visit the cave. I feel happy every time I come,” he told AFP. The Haj will officially start

on Tuesday but many have arrived earlier to perform the lesser pilgrimage, the umrah, and to visit holy sites in Mecca and Medina.

“I don’t encourage all people to come here because it’s risky,” said Haydous, stopping to wipe his brow. “But I think all who are able to come here must do it.” -AFP

MECCA: A fire forced some 1,500 people from their hotel in the Saudi holy city of Mecca on Monday as hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered for the Haj pilgrimage, the civil defence department said.

Four Yemeni pilgrims sustained minor injuries following the pre-dawn fire in a 15-storey hotel, state news agency SPA quoted the department as saying.

Preliminary probe A preliminary investigation found a short circuit in a room to have caused the fire, it said.

The hotel’s guests are among close to two million Muslims from around the world expected for the Haj,

Russia is using Iran took samples for IAEA drones in Syria for at suspect military site surveillance: US WA S H I N GTO N/ B E I RU T: Russia has started flying drone aircraft on surveillance missions in Syria, two US officials said on Monday, in what appeared to be Moscow’s first military air operations inside the country since staging a rapid buildup at a Syrian air base.

The US officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, could not immediately say how many Russian drones were involved in the surveillance missions or the scope of the flights. The Pentagon declined to comment.

The start of Russian drone flights underscored the risks of US-led coalition aircraft and Russian flights operating in Syria’s limited airspace. US and Russian defence chiefs agreed on Friday to explore ways to avoid accidental interactions, also known as “deconfliction” in military parlance. The discussions may gain added urgency, now that Moscow has started drone flights.

The former Cold War foes have a common adversary in IS militants in Syria, even as Washington opposes Moscow’s support for Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, seeing him as a driving force in the nation’s devastating, four-and-a-half-year civil war.

But Russia may also want to target opposition fighters that the United States supports in Syria, seeing them as equal threats to Assad.

18 civilians killed Meanwhile, heavy bombardment by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad killed at least 18 civilians on Monday in a residential district of the northern city of Aleppo, an AFP report from Beirut said.

“Regime forces fired on the Al Shaar neighbourhood in Aleppo

city’s east, which is controlled by the opposition, and killed at least 18 civilians,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“A surface-to-surface missile hit the Al Shaar neighbourhood.

People started gathering, and that’s when the army fired more missiles at the same area,” he said.

Abdel Rahman said dozens of people were wounded and others were still trapped under the rubble. Chaos reigned as screaming men carried wounded civilians from collapsing buildings.

“The civil defence came here to pull people out of the rubble, put out fires and save people,” one emergency worker told AFP. A man standing on the charred carcass of a car held his head in his hands as he stared into the lobby of a partly destroyed building littered with debris.

“This is a public market and all of these people were shopping.

Every time he (Assad) suffers a defeat, he takes it out on civilians,” a resident said.

Car bomb attacks Further east along Syria’s border with Turkey, four people were killed in twin car bomb attacks on the frontier town of Ras Al Ain, the Observatory and Syria’s official news agency said. The Observatory said that Kurdish security forces were among the dead.

SANA said that “terrorist suicide bombers... detonated a huge amount of explosives” just outside the town and that another four people were wounded.

Meanwhile Lebanon is to provide schooling for tens of thousands more children this year including Syrian refugees, the education ministry said, as the country tries to cope with the effects of the war next door, Reuters reported from Beirut. -AFP/Reuters

It drew a quick reaction from the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, whose chief insisted that ‘the integrity of the sampling process and the authenticity of the samples’ was not compromised

TEHRAN: Iran said on Monday it independently collected samples at a suspect military site where illicit nuclear work is alleged to have occurred and later handed them to the UN’s absent inspectors.

The disclosure that international monitors were not physically present is likely to feed critics of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, who have poured scorn on measures used to check if Tehran’s atomic programme is peaceful.

In a mark of the high stakes at play it drew a quick reaction from the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, whose chief insisted that “the integrity of the sampling process and the authenticity of the samples” was not compromised.

The samples were taken under “established procedures”, IAEA director general Yukiya Amano said, noting “significant progress” is being made in its long-running probe of whether Iran ever sought to develop a nuclear bomb.

The site at Parchin, east of the capital Tehran, has been at the centre of international scepti-

Biggest annual event The Haj is the world’s biggest annual event. It is one of the five pillars of Islam and every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it is expected to make the pilgrimage at least once.

On Thursday about 1,000 Asian pilgrims were evacuated from their high-rise hotel in the holy city of Mecca when a fire broke out. Two Indonesian pilgrims were injured. The Haj has been almost incident-free for the past decade but 108 people, including foreign pilgrims, died earlier this month when a construction crane fell on Mecca’s Grand Mosque. -AFP

YEMEN

NUCLEAR DEAL

CONFLICT

which begins officially on Tuesday.

cism of Iran’s activities, specifically that as late as 2003 it carried out work there aimed at developing an atomic weapon.

Linked to roadmap Iran says accusations from Western intelligence agencies -- including that it conducted explosives tests at Parchin -- are groundless and based on malicious information provided by its enemies. The sample taking is linked to a so-called roadmap with a December 15 deadline by when the IAEA says ambiguities about past possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear activities must be resolved. Much work remains to be done on that report, Amano said.

Iran’s environmental sampling from specific parts of the Parchin complex took place in the past week.

“It was done by Iranian experts, in the absence of IAEA inspectors,” said Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation.

IAEA and Iranian officials have previously said monitoring can be verified in real time by satel-

lites and sophisticated geolocation technology. Amano, speaking a day after he visited Tehran and was unexpectedly granted access to Parchin, appeared to reiterate that capability while acknowledging Iran’s recent role. “In the case of Parchin, the Iranian side played a part in the sample-taking process by swiping samples,” Amano said in Vienna, adding his experts would analyse them in the coming weeks.

“The agency can confirm the integrity of the sampling process and the authenticity of the samples, which were taken at places of interest to the agency at the particular location in Parchin.”

Recent renovation work He did not name the place, but did say that he and Tero Varjoranta, the IAEA’s chief inspector, visited a building previously only monitored by satellite technology, and indicated it had been altered. “Inside the building, we saw indications of recent renovation work.

There was no equipment in the building,” he said before appearing to criticise past construction work at Parchin. -AFP

PROTESTS IN LEBANON

Saudi-led coalition strikes kill 30 SANAA: At least 30 people were killed in air strikes by a Saudi-led alliance on a Houthi-held security compound in northern Yemen on Monday, medical sources and officials said.

Gulf Arab forces and supporters of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, meanwhile, appear to be making scant progress in a ground offensive in the central desert against battle-hardened Houthi forces who control the capital Sanaa some 120 km (75 miles) to the west. The coalition intervened in Yemen in March to restore Hadi after he fled to Saudi Arabia when the Houthis, backed by supporters of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, overran his southern stronghold of Aden.

Missiles fired A coalition jet fired a missile on Monday into police headquarters in the Al Shaghadreh district of the northern province of Hajjah, northwest of Sanaa, that is in the hands of Houthis, regional officials said. A second missile crashed at the compound as rescue teams and residents arrived, causing a large number of casualties including at least 30 dead, according to medics on the scene.

Earlier in the day, coalition warplanes bombed a cement factory at Ibs, another Hajjah district. Local officials said the strike happened before workers arrived for work, but three shepherds who happened to be tending flocks nearby died. Almost daily air raids by Saudi-led forces have escalated since the Houthis fired a land-toland missile at a coalition base in central Marib province two weeks ago, killing more than 60 soldiers, most of them from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Coalition officials said a major westwards thrust against the Houthis in oil-producing Marib began last week, and local media have since reported advances in the region. -Reuters

Lebanese protesters shout slogans during a demonstration denouncing Lebanon’s stagnant political system, that has become the target of demonstrations following a trash crisis, on Sunday, in the capital Beirut. -AFP

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WORKERS

Two rescued after being trapped in tunnel for nine days SHIMLA: Nine days after they got trapped in a partially collapsed under-construction tunnel near Bilaspur in northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, two workers were on Monday rescued and brought out even as search operations continued for the third worker who is still suspected stuck under the debris.

The rescued workers have been identified as Mani Ram and Satish Tomar, NDRF Director General O. P.Singh, who is monitoring the rescue operation from New Delhi, said.

However, there has been no communication with the third employee, Hriday Ram. “We have rescued two of the three workers who were trapped in the tunnel for over a week. Beginning this morning our teams have also begun a horizontal drilling operation to see through the debris and find the third worker whom we suspect is trapped somewhere there,” Singh said.

The DG added that while he was still in contact with the NDRF rescue teams, initial inputs suggested that the rescued personnel were weak but talking.

The miraculous and fine rescue operation by the men of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) came a day after incessant rains lashed the accident spot and a snag developed in the heavy drilling rig that was drilling through to rescue the trapped.

The employees were trapped inside tunnel No 4 of KiratpurNerchowk four-lane project near Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh when a portion of it collapsed on September 12.

The drilling of 1.2 metre diameter tunnel to reach the trapped persons was almost complete and less than 1 metre of drilling was left when the heavy drilling rig developed a snag last night, warranting replacement of a part of the drill and the operations

INDIA

‘India does not have the expansionist ambitions’ Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who started his threeday visit to forward

ORDEAL ENDS: Satish Tomar, right, and Mani Ram, the two tunnel workers who were trapped for nine days inside an under-construction tunnel, wave at the crowd after being brought out by the NDRF team in Bilaspur on Monday. - PTI

areas along the borders with Pakistan and China, said India only wants to defend its borders

were suspended. The rescuers, earlier, had also established communication with two of the three trapped labourers through digital cameras and microphones after hours of digging.

A 45-member NDRF team, with three specially chosen men in the lead, have been working in the operation for days now.

Food and water had been supplied to the trapped workers through a 47 metres and 4-inch diameter bore.

Mani Ram was first to be taken out through the 47m deep and 1.2m diameter tunnel after 211 hours and 47 minutes followed by Satish Tomar who came out eight minutes later.

Both Tomar and Ram were in high spirits and waved to the people and were taken to hospital in the ambulance along with a team of doctors.

“It was a massive operation and we had put all our resources and sought help from Border Roads Organisation, National Highway Authority of India, Army, SJVN, HPPCL and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and finally two employees have been saved,” said D D Sharma, Special Secretary(Disaster Management and revenue). - PTI

and infiltration and transgressions from across the frontiers should stop

SAMBA (J&K): Asserting that India does not have expansionist ambitions, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said it has always endeavoured to have better ties with neighbours particularly Pakistan and China and all issues including border disputes and terrorism can be resolved through talks.

Singh, who started his three-day visit to forward areas along the borders with Pakistan and China, said India “only wants to defend its borders” and infiltration and transgressions from across the frontiers should stop.

Ready to take lead He said India was ready to take lead to improve ties with neighbours but would not compromise on honour and dignity.

“We want better relationships with China and Pakistan. Peace cannot prevail in Asia and the con-

TECHNICAL TRAINING COURSES

Google launches online IT degrees in India BENGALURU: Search engine giant Google and online education company Udacity on Monday launched IT courses in India, branching outside the US to tap the country’s millions of software developers scrambling for jobs.

The pair teamed with Indian conglomerate Tata to offer online technical training courses, focusing on teaching software developers to build apps for Android,

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the Google-backed mobile operating system.

Costing Rs9,800 ($148) a month, the degrees will take between six and nine months to complete, with lessons from Google instructors based in the United States.

Students will get 50 per cent of tuition costs back on graduation.

Google is looking to cash in on skilling up many of India’s 3.6

million developers, the second largest number worldwide, while at the same time seeking more developers who can programme for Android devices.

“While India has millions of software developers, we still lag behind in creating world-class apps,” Google India managing director Rajan Anandan told reporters in India’s IT hub of Bengaluru. - AFP

BOOSTING MORALE: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Min-

ister Nirmal Singh meeting Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans during the inauguration of 47th Battalion of ITBP Campus in Kagwal area of Samba, in Jammu on Monday. - PTI

tinent cannot prosper on the path of development” till India’s relations with them improve, Singh said while addressing ITBP troops, who guard India’s border with China, at a function here.

“Whether it is a question of border disputes or issues of terrorism, I feel all the issues can be resolved through talks,” he said, adding, “India is a peace loving country. We only want to defend our borders.”

“India has never been an expansionist country. Neither we have been expansionist nor we will be in future.

“Why I am saying this with full determination because India is the only country in the world where saints and sages have not only considered people living within the

borders as its citizens, but also the other people living in the world,” he said.

“We have given the message to the world about the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — the whole world is a family... due to this we want good relations with all.”

Not only with China, but Indian wants “heart-to-heart” relationship with all neighbouring countries, he said.

Earlier speaking to reporters, Singh said, “I always wish for better relationship with our neighbours. It is always an endeavour from our side. We have extended our hand (of friendship to Pakistan and China).”

He was replying to a volley of questions about major ceasefire

violations by Pakistan and transgressions on Sino-Indian border.

On the issue of dialogue with Pakistan in the backdrop of heavy shelling and firing on Indian civilian population, he said, “I have said that India wants better relations with the neighbours.

“Better relations can be built.

Pakistan should come forward, both the sides should come forward. India is ready to take lead.”

Replying to a question about increase in border skirmishes and plight of people living along border, Singh said, “I want to reassure the people of the country that there will be no compromise with the security, honour and dignity of the country by our government.” - PTI

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 What Lalu calls ‘mandal raj’ is seen as ‘jungle raj, by people of Bihar and he should tell how many schools and hospitals he had made for these communities Bhupender Yadav, BJP general secretary in charge of Bihar

INDIA R E S E RVAT I O N I S S U E

BJP distances itself from Bhagwat’s pitch for quota review NEW DELHI: Under attack over RSS chief’s call for a reconsideration of quotas, BJP on Monday distanced itself from its ideological mentor, insisting it was against any such review as it sought to stave off Lalu Prasad’s attempts to rally the backwards around in high-stake Bihar polls following Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks.

As the RJD chief attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wondering if he will finish reservations “at his master Bhagwat’s bidding,” BJP said it respected 100 per cent the reservation rights of SCs, STs and other backward castes as it was essential for their social and economic development and empowerment.

Firm commitment “It is BJP’s firm commitment since Jan Sangh days that reservation is essential for social and economic development and empowerment of SCs, STs, backward and extremely backward castes. BJP is not in favour of any reconsideration of reservation being extended to these groups,” senior party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told a press conference.

Bhagwat’s pitch for a review of reservation policy has prompted

the alliance of Nitish Kumar and Prasad to mount a counter attack on the BJP-led NDA, which is trying to dent the grand alliance’ strong backward castes support base.

Prasad, also Union Communications Minister, said a discussion was welcome on what further can be done for the poor and “left over” backward communities who have not been able to reap benefits of development, while insisting that BJP was all for the existing benefits to continue.

“BJP indeed is very clear and very categorical that there is no need to reconsider reservation nor does BJP support it (such demand),” he said.

In an interview to RSS mouthpiece Organiser, Bhagwat had pitched for a review of the reservation policy, contending it has been used for political ends and suggesting setting up of an apolitical committee to examine who needs the facility and for how long.

BJP also fielded its general secretary in charge of Bihar Bhupender Yadav to take on Lalu.

Yadav said Lalu should first answer what benefits the backward castes, in whose name he has “practised” his politics, got in the

BJP indeed is very clear and very categorical that there is no need to reconsider reservation nor does BJP support it (such demand) Ravi Shankar Prasad Union Communications Minister

15-year rule of RJD in Bihar.

“What Lalu calls ‘mandal raj’ is seen as ‘jungle raj’ by people of Bihar and he should tell how many schools and hospitals he had made for these communities,” Yadav said.

Lalu had attacked BJP in a series of tweets earlier in the day.

“The so-called tea seller and

recently-turned backward “(Narendra) Modi should tell if he will finish reservations at his master (Mohan) Bhagwat’s bidding,” he said.

“You talk of doing away with reservation, we will increase it in proportion to the population.

If you have drunk your mother’s milk (mai ka doodh), then have it

scrapped, each would know his strength,” he said in another tweet.

Meanwhile, in remarks that could raise eyebrows within Congress, former Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari on Monday questioned the relevance of reservation in the 21st century and said if it was required at all, the economic condition, and not caste, should be the basis for it.

The Congress leader’s comments came a day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, in an interview to RSS organs Organiser and Panchjanya, pitched for a review of the reservation policy, contending it has been used for political ends and suggesting setting up of an apolitical committee to examine who needs such benefits and for how long.

Tewari insisted that he held these views on reservation for long and referred to an article written by him over a fortnight ago.

“Notwithstanding whatever Bhagwat has articulated, the time has come to revisit the premise as to whether reservation is at all contextual in the 21st century. And if at all it is contextual then should the basis of reservation be economic as poverty is the biggest indice of backwardness?” Tewari said.

Rahul says Modi has failed, scripting his own downfall The Congress vice president, who has frequently taunted the PM with his “suit-boot” barbs, had on Sunday attacked Modi over ‘Make in India’ initiative, saying it was “Take in India”in reality.

The Congress vice president said that the prime minister has not fulfilled his poll promises and is ‘damaging himself’ much more than Congress could have inflicted on him

MATHURA: Firing yet another salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi on Monday claimed that the PM is scripting his own “downfall” as he has “failed” to fulfil promises made to the people.

In a pep-up up talk at Congress Executive meet in the key state of Uttar Pradesh, where Congress is reduced to fourth position, Rahul invoked Steve Jobs’ efforts to revive a floundering Apple and said the partymen should work unitedly as a team so that they can fill the void that will be created after “exit” of Modi, who was “harming himself the most”.

Congress DNA The Congress Vice President said that everybody has “Congress DNA” and ideologically the party still occupies the first position as it is not like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) “in which everything is decided from the top”.

He said that the prime minister has not fulfilled his poll promises and is “damaging himself” much more than Congress could have inflicted on him.

ELATED: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is presented a mace at the UPCC Pratinidhi Sam-

melan (Delegate Convention) in Mathura on Monday. - PTI

Rahul expert in making baseless statements: BJP NEW DELHI: BJP on Monday hit back at Rahul Gandhi over his attack on RSS, which the Congress vice president said did not accept different ideologies unlike his party, calling him a “machine of lies” and one who has become an “expert” in making baseless statements.

Senior BJP leader Ravi

“He has promised good days to farmers. Now farmers are committing suicide. Wherever I go in the country, the farmers are abusing Modiji. They are not criticising but abusing. Youths are not

Shankar Prasad asked the Congress scion to make his supporters aware of his family history of Emergency and scams before commenting on BJP’s ties with the Sangh.

Another BJP leader and party secretary Shrikant Sharma termed Rahul as “immature”, saying Congress’ thought process was limited to one family

getting jobs and despite making repeated promises thrice, OROP has not been given yet.

“Modi is damaging himself much more than we can together do to him. We have to make our

while BJP believed in ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’. RSS would only emerge stronger with such attacks, he said.

“He has turned into a machine of lies as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity is growing even among loyal Congress supporters,” Sharma said, referring to a Pew research survey. - PTI

place. Modiji is bound to go down but when he goes, we have to fill that space.

You may keep on attacking Modi but Modi is attacking himself much more,” Rahul said.

‘Revive party’ Telling party workers that everybody has “Congress DNA” in their blood, Rahul on Monday said that they need to motivate people to work and fight together, and gave a message of unity to revive the party that has lost much of its base in the key Hindi belt state.

Maintaining that Congress is different from the RSS, Rahul said, “This is not RSS. Had it been RSS, (Mohan) Bhagwat would have come and told you that the sky is black and then all of you would have echoed that the sky is black. Decisions do not percolate from the top in the Congress party.”

Describing Congress party as a “family”, Rahul said that people with different voices debate ideas and work together here.

“Let there be talks between leaders and workers,” the Congress leader said, adding the time has come to fight unitedly.

Rahul also visited Banke Bihari temple at Brindavan before his interaction with the party workers at the Praitinidhi Sammelan here.

Talking about the party’s ideology, he said the time has come to uphold the party’s principles and restore their pride of place in UP. We have to make it happen... we have to fight together,”he said.

Referring to Steve Jobs, who put right people in right place to get the best out of them, Rahul said, “Everybody has some quality and you have to extract it from them”.

For Congress the country is one family, he said, adding he feels like “being in home when he visits Kashmir and like coming to home when he visits Allahabad”. - PTI

Tewari, a leader from Punjab, who served as the I&B minister in the erstwhile UPA government as well as a party spokesperson, insisted that “economic reservation would benefit the poor irrespective of class, caste and religion”.

Debatable Asked whether he meant that caste-based reservation should be replaced by reservation based on financial position, the Congress leader said, “I am saying that it is first debatable whether we should have reservation. If yes, what should be the basis of it. Whether it should be changed from caste to economy.”

Tewari is the second Congress leader to pitch for revisiting the quota issue in the past week.

Congress leader Jitin Prasada, a prominent youth face from Uttar Pradesh, wrote a letter to the party leadership, urging it to “revisit Mandal politics”.

Prasada was reported to have stated in the letter that the poor suffers “the same fate as the weaker backwards”, and held “there seems to be a growing alienation among the upper caste poor who feel that no party represents their concerns and anxieties. - PTI 9 0 - D AY P E R I O D

Deleting of messages to be made illegal in proposed policy NEW DELHI: Every message that you send — be it through WhatsApp, SMS, Email or any such service — must be mandatorily stored in plain text format for 90 days and made available on demand to security agencies under a draft New Encryption Policy that has triggered privacy concerns.

Legal action that could also include imprisonment has been proposed in the draft policy unveiled by the government for failure to store and produce on demand the encrypted messages sent from any mobile device or computer.

The policy also wants everyone to hand over their encryption keys to the Government.

The draft proposes that users of encrypted messaging service on demand should reproduce same text, transacted during a communication, in plain format before law enforcement agencies and failing which the government can take legal action as per the laws of the country.

Proposed policy The proposed policy, issued by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, would apply to everyone including government departments, academic institutions, citizens and for all kind of communications -- be it official or personal.

Generally, all the modern messaging services like WhatsApp, Viber, Line, Google Chat, Yahoo messenger etc, come with high level of encryption and many a time security agencies find it hard to intercept these messages.

“All information shall be stored by the concerned B/C entity for 90 days from the date of transaction and made available to Law Enforcement Agencies as and when demanded in line with the provisions of the laws of the country,” the draft said. The last date for public to comment on the draft is October 16, 2015. - PTI

MYSTERIOUS MURDER

Sheena Bora case: 2012 bone samples do not match those exhumed MUMBAI: In another twist in the Sheena Bora murder case, bone samples of her charred body collected in 2012 were found by forensic experts to be not matching those obtained from the remains which were exhumed recently.

In related developments, the CBI on Monday accepted the Maharashtra government’s request to take over the probe in the sensational case even as a local court extended for another fortnight the judicial custody of accused Indrani Mukherjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyavar Rai. Forensic experts at BYL Nair Hospital here who submitted a 26page report to Khar police station last week have expressed doubts

that the bone samples received might have got mixed up and may not belong to Sheena Bora.

JJ Hospital had handed over the samples to Khar police last month, after which the evidence was forwarded to Nair Hospital.

But the forensic team of the hospital, in its report pointed out that the bone samples do not match with those that had been collected by the Pen police in May 2012.

The report says the remains collected in 2012 and the ones handed over to them by JJ Hospital “may not be the same”. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his government decided to hand over the case to CBI as there are many angles to be probed including financial transactions involved.

“Before we sent them (the Union government) a request to take over the investigation in the Sheena Bora murder case, we had informal conversations with central government officials and CBI officers. They have agreed to take up the probe in the case. The notification for the same might have been issued by now,” Fadnavis told reporters.

“There are many angles that need to be probed in the case. We felt it would have been best if a central agency probed the murder as it would have all the resources required at its disposal,” he said.

He said that if required, the state government would be willing to help the CBI with manpower as had been done in the anti-supersti-

tion movement activist Narendra Dabholkar murder case.

In a surprise decision, the government last week decided to hand over the case to the CBI, after dragging for nearly 10 days on the “supervisory” role it assigned to former Mumbai police chief Rakesh Maria, who was removed from the post amid the probe in the case in which he had played an active role.

Ahmad Javed, a DG-rank officer, was posted in place of Maria, who was promoted as DG (Home Guards).

Earlier in the day, the judicial custody of Indrani, Khanna and Rai was extended till October 5 after they were produced before a metropolitan magistrate court via video-conferencing. -PTI

CBI AGREES TO PROBE: A file photo of Indrani Mukherjea and her

daughter Sheena Bora, left. The judicial custody of Indrani, Khanna and Rai was extended until October 5 after they were produced before a metropolitan magistrate court via video-conferencing. - PTI

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PAKISTAN T E R R O R AT TA C K S

UNITED CALL FOR PEACE

Pakistan human rights activists, residents and police officials participate in a rally to mark the International Day of Peace in Karachi on Monday. The United Nation’s International Day of Peace is celebrated on September 21 each year to recognise the efforts of those who have worked hard to end conflict and promote peace. — AFP

Death penalty for nine militants ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army Monday announced the death penalty for nine militants linked to a series of terrorist attacks across the country.

The men were convicted by military courts established as part of a crackdown on militancy following a massacre at a school in the northwest city of Peshawar on December 16 last year, in which more than 150 people, mostly children, were killed.

Parliament approved the use of the courts for the next two years, and the Supreme Court endorsed the move last month, rejecting claims it was unconstitutional.

“The army chief confirms death sentence of nine hard core terrorists involved in killing civilians/ law enforcement agencies personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and sectarian killings,” in southwestern Balochistan province, military spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa said in a brief tweet.

Nowshera attack The militants were also involved in several other incidents including attacks on senior army officials and a mosque in Nowshera.

“One terrorist(was)awarded life imprisonment,” Bajwa said but did not disclose the convicted person’s name or other details.

The army announced the first verdicts and sentences from the new courts in April when six militants were condemned to death and another jailed for life, all on terrorism charges. — AFP

GEO-POLITICS

Expert calls for France, Pakistan civil nuclear deal ISLAMABAD: Director of premier French think tank, the Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, Dr Pascal Boniface, said France should have a civil-nuclear accord with Pakistan on the pattern of the US-India nuclear deal.

The French expert made these remarks during a lecture on “France, Europe and changing global scenario” at the PakistanChina Institute here on Sunday.

The event was chaired by the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI) Chairperson Ambassador Masood Khan.

Pivotal role Boniface said Pakistan was a nuclear-armed nation of 200 million people and had a pivotal role to play in the strategically important part of the world.

He also criticised the Iraq war saying. Boniface welcomed the Iran nuclear deal terming it “a rare defeat for the powerful pro-Israel lobby in the United States”.

The lecture was attended by university professors and scholars of international relations, and diplomatic and security experts.

Peaceful purposes Senator Mushahid Hussain praised the French role in global affairs as well as the statesmanship of late president Charles de Gaulle.

The participants acknowledged that France was leading the world in civil nuclear energy technology for peaceful purposes.

— Express Tribune

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Taliban attacks costing economy $5b every year Finance Secretary Waqar Masood Khan stressed a lot was at stake in the latest $1.9 billion threeyear military drive to rid the country of the violence

LONDON: Taliban attacks have been costing Pakistan’s economy as much as $5 billion a year in lost investment, the country’s finance secretary said, adding that Islamabad is keeping open the option of another IMF programme.

Speaking as Pakistan officials met bond investors in London, Waqar Masood Khan stressed a lot was at stake in the latest $1.9 billion three-year military drive to rid the country of the violence.

“Our people have suffered terribly over the last 1-1/2 decades and we have lost out enormously in terms of economic opportunities and output because of this terrorism,” he told Reuters.

“We have seen in the past foreign (investment) inflows of $5-7 billion but today we are not even having $2 billion,” he said, noting that security costs and damage to the economy had to be added to that. With the army making headway against the Taliban in North Waziristan, the situation was finally “reversing”.

Khan said Karachi for example seemed safer than at any time over

IMPACT: Pakistani stockbrokers monitor share prices on a digital board during a trading session at the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE)

in Karachi on March 11, 2013. — AFP

the last decade and “exporters who met with the prime minister recently said their customers are now coming (to Pakistan)” again.

Drop in oil prices The Pakistan economy is benefitting from the near 60 per cent drop in global oil prices, its biggest import. Its central bank has also been cutting interest rates while its IMF programme is clamping down on corruption.

GDP growth is expected to be 5.5 per cent for the year to June 2016. Reserves are expected to top $20 billion, 4-5 months of import cover, this month or next.

“In the 1960s and 80s Pakistan achieved growth rates of 6-7 per cent. We are held back by the internal problems and the terrorism. Once we have it under control we should really be a breakout country as justified by our potential,” he said.

Pakistan’s financial markets have been performing well for the most part and Khan said a coming debt sale, details of which should be announced later this week, could see it sell more than the originally envisaged $500 million.

“We are not fixated on the size, we can definitely do more and we are open with regards to the tenor too,” Khan said. “Last time we raised $2 billion.

“And we will do a sukuk (sha-

ria-compliant bond) in... maybe the April to June quarter,” he added, also likely to be worth $500 million.

Power shortages cause daily outages for Pakistani firms and the government says it will take years to fix.

The rupee is holding up better than many emerging market currencies, down less than 2 percent over the last year, which is hurting exporters. — Reuters

US REQUEST

Islamabad in a fix over joining US-led coalition against IS ISLAMABAD: With the war against militancy raging on within its own boundaries, Pakistan has to decide within the coming days whether or not to join the US-backed international alliance against IS. Ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s upcoming trip to the US, the government is in a quandary over how it should respond to Washington’s request to join its

military alliance against the militant group, which has captured large areas in Iraq and Syria.

Nawaz is expected to visit New York to address the United Nations General Assembly session next week.

The US started bombing IS hideouts in Syria using bases in Turkey in August last year. It has also formally asked Islamabad to join its military alliance to fight

the growing global presence of the terrorist group.

“Pakistan is caught between the American demand and its own ongoing battle against the militants,” a senior government official said on Sunday.

Islamabad has to decide soon with the Nawaz’s trip to the US coming up.

The official claimed the premier and army chief General Raheel

Sharif are on the same page, unwilling to join the alliance.

Washington is expected to announce this new alliance – Sahel to South Asia – soon and has already taken Islamabad into confidence, he added.

Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah confirmed the US has shared the idea with Pakistan.

“Details however are awaited,” he added.

Last month, US National Security Adviser Susan Rice held meetings with the Pakistani military and civilian leadership when she also extended an invitation to Premier Sharif for the Washington visit.

Officials at the PM Secretariat said Raheel and Nawaz would this week discuss the US proposal and other issues ranging from the New York visit, Taliban regrouping, Al

Qaeda and other militant groups sympathetic to the IS. Suspension of fund With Pakistan facing pressure on its eastern and western borders, they said the fear of suspension of the Coalition Support Fund seems to be Washington’s tactic to pressure Islamabad into joining the proposed alliance against IS. — Express Tribune

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Four-day Eid Al Adha holidays officially announced Virginia. Florida and North Carolina are competitive in a national race. The other Southern states are Republican. When Jimmy Carter was president, 78 out of 108 House members were white Democrats; today only 14 of the 138 representatives are so bit.ly/jimmycarterwouldntwin

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Greek elections an opening for Europe

Photo: Simbu Ahtimus

A

fter repeated bungling, Europe suddenly has an opportunity to do the right thing about Greece’s unsustainable debt. It would be a tragedy — for both Greece and Europe — if this opening went to waste.

Two recent developments have combined to create this moment: Syriza’s win in elections on Sunday and the flood of refugees into Greece.

In keeping with the aptitude for shrewd political maneuvering he has demonstrated over the last year, Syriza’s leader, Alexis Tsipras, has again defied predictions and secured a second mandate to lead a government. He achieved this victory despite his astonishing 180 on the principal promise of his previous campaign — that he would put an end to euro zone- imposed austerity — which led to important defections from his party. And when he serves as prime minister this time, he will find that his once-hostile European partners have warmed to him considerably.

History is replete with examples of seemingly unlikely politicians who were catalysts for change and able to deliver improbable outcomes. In many cases, their counterintuitive background provided them with the credibility to convince their compatriots of the need for radical steps.

Consider President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, a trade unionist who, after being elected president in 2002, delivered an impressive and

effective series of conventional economic reforms that would have seemed antithetical to the beliefs he espoused during his many years in the opposition.

Europe can strengthen Tspiras’ hand by delivering further and consequential debt relief, which it has repeatedly withheld and that most, including the International Monetary Fund, believe is needed for a sustainable Greek recovery.

As refugees from the Middle East pour into Greece, adding to the extraordinary migration pressures being experienced across Europe, reluctant creditors, led by Germany, now have an excuse to forgive the earlier bailout loans they made to Greece.

Indeed, these countries can justify the help for Greece by pointing to its front-line role as a port of entry into Europe, which makes the impact of the refugee crisis especially acute.

Determined early action by Europe to ease Greece’s excessive debt burden would give a boost to a new Syriza government that must still implement a series of difficult economic and financial reforms.

It would also open the door for the IMF to re-engage in Greece, and it would secure a better foundation for the continued involvement of the European Central Bank.

Most importantly, it would help lift a debt cloud that discourages new private inflows into Greece, undermines growth, and that no realistic efforts at austerity can overcome. - Bloomberg View

READERS’ FORUM People should be notified of water shortages This refers to the news story, ‘Water shortage hits Darsait area’ (September 20). It is unfortunate that people were not notified in advance of the expected shortage of water due to low pressure in pipelines. In normal practice, announcements are made through the media so that necessary precautionary measures can be taken by the people to avoid a distressing situation. However, the authorities were unable to give a clear picture of when the water supply would come back to normal, as it they were depending on the maintenance team to provide accurate information to the public. At the same time, situations like these show how precious water is and how that its usage needs to controlled.

— Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi Scan this QR code to send letters to the Readers’ Forum, 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).

Junior doctors are the ones who are at the sharp end. Their rotas often involve stints of 12 days’ work in a row. Because the NHS never sleeps, quite often, neither do they. Such is the demand on hospitals , employers are understandably strict about time off and rota planning bit.ly/youngdoctorsinuk

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES SEPTEMBER 2000 Mantheri to head team to Beirut higher education meet MUSCAT: The Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Higher Education, will participate in the first extraordinary conference of the ministers of education and scientific research in the Arab world scheduled to be held in Beirut. Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, minister of higher education, will head the Sultanate’s delegation. The conference will discuss issues of education and scientific research.

HOW TO IDENTIFY VENOMOUS AND NON-VENOMOUS SNAKES We are likely to encounter snakes when camping or hiking

VENOMOUS

NON-VENOMOUS Head Rounded, barely distinguishable from neck

Triangle-shaped, broad

Sideview Round snout Pointy snout

Motorcyclists also need to abide by the traffic regulations

This refers to the online story, ‘Motorcycling: Ride Safe’ (September 21). This article has made me share my encounters with bikers on the roads of Muscat. It seems the motorcyclists do not follow any rules here. On the highways, they zoom past by changing lanes without using indicators endangering the lives of other motorists. Many a time at night, or on weekends, two or three bikers can be seen riding in tandem as if taking part in a racing tournament. I appeal to the authorities to please look into this matter as these individuals seem to forget that traffic rules have to be followed while on the road. — Matt Lewis, Muscat

PICTOGRAPH

TODAY IN HISTORY

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE Protect the welfare of your workforce through New India’s WORKMEN COMPENSATION POLICY. www.newindiaoman.com

Round pupil*

1327: Edward II of England is murdered by order of his wife.

Elliptical pupil

Heatsensing pit

Tail

1929: Fighting between China and the Soviet Union breaks out along the Manchurian border.

1941: The German Army cuts off the Crimean Peninsula from the rest of the Soviet Union.

2003: Galileo space mission ends as the probe is sent into Jupiter’s atmosphere where it is crushed.

Double row

Single row

* There are always exceptions such as

coral snake, which has round pupils, but is very venomous Source: Snake Removal

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Winter’s not far off at all and we need to move fast to open up access and help people stock up on food supplies... we are not out of the woods yet Stephen Anderson, emergency coordinator for WFP

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SPECIAL

STEEP TERRAIN: Nepalese porters carry relief goods material in the village of Bigu in the north-eastern Dolakha district in this photograph taken on August 11, 2015.

- AFP

Nepal quake survivors turn porters to deliver aid to other victims Operations are set to expand further, with plans to employ more porters and send relief materials to an estimated 100,000 people in the coming months to villages cut off by the earthquake that hit on April 25, killing nearly 8,900 people

BIGU (Nepal): Her back hunched over, Nepalese villager Sanchimaya Thami strained to make the last stretch of a five-hour trek to deliver critical relief supplies to other victims of April’s devastating earthquake.

The 36-year-old is one of some 10,000 survivors of the disaster hired as porters to bring food, medicines and shelter materials to remote Himalayan villages cut off by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit on April 25, killing nearly 8,900 people.

“I used to be a farmer, but now I have no farm, it’s all gone,” Thami said, as she recounted the impact of the quake and massive aftershock that followed in May, which wiped out her village of Bigu in northeastern Dolakha district.

“We had no food to eat, we had nowhere to live — it took about a

week before help arrived,” Thami said as she dropped off a 30-kilogramme (65-pound) sack of lentils for her fellow villagers.

The disaster destroyed roads, leaving villages like Bigu cut-off from vital supplies and creating a “logistical nightmare” for aid agencies, said Stephen Anderson, emergency coordinator for the World Food Programme, which is funding the scheme.

“This is some of the most challenging terrain WFP has operated in globally”, Anderson said.

“We desperately needed to access villages where choppers couldn’t land either because of the steep terrain or the weather... we were facing an emergency,” he said.

Lessons from mountaineers While the agency struggled to find a way out of the crisis, a small team

HARD TOIL: Nepalese villager Sanchimaya Thami, hired as porter,

carries relief goods in the village of Bigu in the north-eastern Dolakha District in this photograph taken on August 11, 2015. - AFP

of Nepalese and foreign mountaineers made their way to the quake epicentre in Gorkha district.

Argentinian mountaineer Damian Benegas was on Mount Everest, planning to summit the world’s highest peak for a sixth time when the disaster struck on April 25, triggering a deadly avalanche.

The 46-year-old climber arrived unscathed in Kathmandu six days later and travelled on to Gorkha, determined to help.

He considered hiring a helicopter to run air drops, but was deterred by the cost, which ran into thousands of dollars.

“We realised that we needed to approach this whole thing creatively. As mountaineers, we rely hugely on porters to move supplies and I thought we could do the same here, move more goods for a fraction of the cost of a chopper,” he said.

Over the next few days, the volunteers and villagers lifted rocks

and cleared away debris in a bid to open up blocked mountain paths and begin the delivery of tents, blankets, food and water provided by non-profits.

By the time WFP suggested expanding the programme to cover other districts, Benegas and his fellow climbers had paid wages to around 1,000 villagers in Gorkha.

Today, the operation is responsible for delivering aid to 40,000 quake victims with climbers like Benegas assessing trails while Nepal’s mountaineering and trekking associations organise porters’ insurance and payments.

With April’s quake hitting just weeks before the monsoon season, frequent downpours and raintriggered landslides pose serious challenges to the porters’ work, Benegas said.

“We fix a trail, then it rains and all our work is washed away, the trail simply disappears,” he said.

The quake-hit trails were critical economic lifelines, connecting villagers with schools, medical facilities and markets. Furthermore, in a country which has seen tourism take a nosedive since the disaster, officials say trail repair may hold the key to Nepal’s recovery.

“It is essential that these trails are repaired so we can assure tourists about safety,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of the Nepal mountaineering association.

“We need people to go back to work...it is important to revive the

tourism industry and make it safe for trekkers to visit.”

Economic lifeline Operations are set to expand further, with plans to employ thousands more porters and send relief materials to an estimated 100,000 people in the coming months.

Aid workers say they are in a race against time, battling monsoon rains even as worries about the approaching winter grow, fuelling concerns that heavy snowfall could bury restored trails and cut off villages once again.

“Winter’s not far off at all and we need to move fast to open up access and help people stock up on food supplies... we are not out of the woods yet,” WFP’s Anderson said.

To quake survivors like Thami, fear is constant.

“There are aftershocks, there are landslides... out here, we don’t know if (death) will come from above or destroy us from below,” the mother of five said.

Nonetheless, she sets aside her anxieties and hits the trails before dawn every day in an effort to earn 1000 rupees ($10) per load and support her family’s precarious existence on the isolated slopes.

“My husband is too sick to work so I have no expectations of him,” she said. “After going through two quakes and enduring so much pain, the fact that I am able to earn some money and send my children to school means everything to me.” - AFP

EKING OUT A LIVING: Nepalese porters carry relief materials in the village of Bigu in the north-eastern

Dolakha district in this photograph taken on August 11, 2015. Some 10,000 quake survivors have been hired as porters to bring food, medicines and shelter materials to remote Himalayan villages cut off by the 7.8-magnitude quake that hit on April 25, killing nearly 8,900 people. - AFP

VITAL AID: Nepalese porters unload relief goods material in the village of Bigu. - AFP

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Hungary gives forces more powers against migrants Our borders are in danger, our way of life built on respect for the law, Hungary and the whole of Europe is in danger, said Prime Minister Viktor Orban in parliament

BUDAPEST: Hungary’s parliament gave Monday the army and police sweeping new powers to keep migrants out as populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned that Europe was being “overrun”.

“They are overrunning us.

They’re not just banging on the door, they’re breaking the door down on top of us,” the right-wing Orban told lawmakers.

“Our borders are in danger, our way of life built on respect for the law, Hungary and the whole of Europe is in danger,” the 52-year-old said in Budapest.

“Europe hasn’t just left its doors open but has sent open invitation... Europe is rich but weak, this is the worst combination, Europe needs to be stronger to defend its borders.”

Non-lethal way The new legislation, passed with a two-thirds majority, allows the army to take part in border controls, to restrict personal liberties and to use “coercive weapons designed to cause bodily harm, although in a non-lethal way, unless it cannot be avoided.”

“Similar to the police, the use of non-lethal firearms, rubber bullets, pyrotechnics, tear gas grenades, and net guns can be used,” it stipulates.

Coming a week after illegal border-crossing became a crime punishable by up to five years in jail, soldiers can now also check ID papers and detain suspected illegal migrants.

NOWHERE TO GO: Memebrs of a migrant family walk towards the border after arriving at the railway station of Botovo, near the Croa-

tian-Hungarian border, on September 21, 2015. — AFP/STRINGER

Adverts in Lebanon papers to warn migrants BEIRUT: The Hungarian government placed advertisements in the Lebanese press on Monday warning of “the strongest possible action” against anyone attempting to cross its borders illegally.

But a full-page notice in other local newspapers featured a letter by the Doctors Without Borders group urging

The police meanwhile will be able to enter private homes for the purpose of carrying out a search for migrants who entered the country illegally, amongst other new powers.

NIGERIA INSURGENCY

the European Union to open its borders to refugees.

Danish ads Hungary’s advertisements in both Arabic and English came two weeks after Denmark placed similar adverts in Lebanese newspapers in an attempt to stem an influx of migrants and asylum-seekers.

The rules are applicable in areas where a “state of crisis caused by mass immigration” has been declared. Last week the government declared such a state in six counties bordering Serbia, Croa-

“Hungarians are hospitable, but the strongest possible action is taken against those who attempt to enter Hungary illegally,” warned the adverts in Al Jumhuriya, An Nahar and French daily L’Orient le Jour.

“Do not listen to the people smugglers. Hungary will not allow illegal immigrants to cross its territory.” — AFP

tia, Slovenia and Austria.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a refugee rights group, warned that refugees should not be treated as enemies.

“The extended powers of the

army and police must be used with utmost care in situations involving refugees who themselves have fled from war and terror and have already suffered gravely from police and armies in their home countries,” said the group’s chief Marta Pardavi.

Frontline state EU member Hungary has emerged this year as a frontline state in Europe’s migrant crisis, with 225,000 travelling up from Greece through the western Balkans and entering the country from Serbia and most recently Croatia.

Most then enter Austria which lets them travel onwards to Germany.

Last week Hungary sealed its southern border with Serbia, forcing tens of thousands of migrants to enter Croatia, from where many then again crossed into Hungary and headed for Austria and beyond. — AFP

NAT O

Russia asked to withdraw heavy armour from Ukraine LVIV (UKRAINE): NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday an ebb in violence in eastern Ukraine was not enough to bring peace and demanded Russia withdraw heavy weapons the alliance accuses it of providing in support of separatists.

Ukrainian diplomats said Stoltenberg’s two-day visit, his first to Ukraine as NATO Secretary-General, held strong symbolic importance for the country in its drive for Western integration in the face of a pro-Russian rebellion in eastern territories.

With a troubled peace plan for the Ukrainian conflict nearing its year-end deadline, Stoltenberg said the drop in fighting since the start of September was encouraging but called it fragile and far from sufficient.

“The heavy weapons are still there... they continue to support the separatists,” Stoltenberg told reporters before inaugurating joint disaster management exercises between Ukraine and NATO countries near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

Russia denies Western charges it has provided the pro-Russian rebels, who launched a rebellion in April last year in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, with arms and troops.

While violence is at its lowest point since a ceasefire was signed in Minsk seven months ago, Western diplomats say the 11-point peace plan is far from fully implemented. Stoltenberg said monitors still did not have proper access to the conflict zone.

With EU leaders distracted by Europe’s worst migrant crisis in decades, the former Norwegian prime minister is trying to keep alive the peace accord signed with Russia, while reassuring Ukraine of the Western military alliance’s full support.

Flying by helicopter over Ukraine, Stoltenberg stressed what he called the non-military nature of the joint exercises despite excitement among Ukrainian officials and a brass band playing the 1980s hit “The Final Countdown” as activities got under way.

NATO officials also said there was no plan for Ukraine to sign a new military doctrine identifying Russia as an aggressor on Tuesday in Kiev. — Reuters

F R E S H M A N D AT E

Re-elected Tsipras takes oath of office

CARNAGE: Victims of the multiple blasts blamed on Boko Haram, lie on mattresses at the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri, on September 21, 2015. —AFP/STRINGER

85 killed in Boko Haram attacks MAIDUGURI (NIGERIA): Boko Haram carried out its deadliest attacks on the key northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power, killing scores in a series of coordinated bomb blasts.

Police in the Borno state capital said at least 54 people died in Sunday’s co-ordinated strikes, with 90 injured, but residents caught up in the explosions said as many as 85 lost their lives.

The attacks on Sunday night in the Ajilari Cross area and nearby Gomari, near the city’s airport, killed and maimed worshippers at a mosque, bystanders and football fans watching a televised match.

The army and rescuers said the explosions were caused by homemade devices but one local and the police said a female suicide bomber also blew herself up.

Maiduguri, where Boko Haram was founded in 2002, has been the epicentre of the six-year-old insurgency and repeatedly attacked since Buhari assumed office. Some 26 people were killed in a suicide attack on a Maiduguri mosque on May 30, while another attack on a cattle market three days later killed 13. The day after that strike, 18 were killed in a bomb blast.

Attacks in Borno Since his inauguration on May 29, at least 1,100 people have been killed, with the majority of attacks in Borno.

Nigeria’s authorities have frequently downplayed the death toll from attacks in the insurgency, which has claimed at least 17,000 lives and forced more than two million from their homes since 2009. — AFP

ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Monday took his oath of office a day after being reelected in a snap general election.

Tsipras took a civil oath “to uphold the constitution and laws” of the country, and is expected to name a coalition government by Wednesday to begin applying the terms of the tough EU bailout he signed onto in July.

After being brought down by an anti-austerity revolt in his Syriza party, Tsipras on Sunday comfortably won re-election by a margin of over seven percent over the runner-up, the conservative New Democracy party.

He will again partner up in government with the nationalist Independent Greeks party, his coalition allies in the previous government, but the two parties this time round will have a reduced parliamentary majority of 155 MPs in the 300seat chamber to apply the reforms of the new bailout.

Earlier on Monday, European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated Alexis Tsipras on his left-wing party’s reelection victory and said Greece has “no time to lose” in implementing the reforms agreed as part of its bailout.

Snap elections Tsipras secured his second mandate as prime minister this year at a snap general election Sunday that should allow him to drive through unpopular reforms under a third rescue package worth up to 86 billion euros ($97 billion).

“On behalf of the European Commission, I would like to congratulate you on the electoral results of last night,” Juncker said in a letter to Tsipras, released to journalists.

“I am confident that this provides the basis for your new government to be formed swiftly and

UPHILL TASK: Greece’s leftwing Syriza leader and newly elected Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras,

left, is congratulated by Greece’s President Prokopis Pavlopoulos after the oath-taking ceremony, in Athens, on Monday, a day after the Greek general election. — AFP

He will again partner up in government with the nationalist Independent Greeks party, his coalition allies in the previous government, but the two parties this time round will have a reduced parliamentary majority to apply the reforms of the new bailout

to use the democratic mandate to move forward” on implementing the three-year bailout deal agreed in August.

Juncker warned Tsipras of “the urgent need to operationalise the

management of the refugee crisis,” in which Greece is on the frontlines, with tens of thousands of migrants flowing inside its borders.

Juncker said that Tsipras could count on the “commission and me

personally, to stand by Greece and support the new government in its efforts. There is a lot of work ahead and no time to lose,” he added.

Earlier a commission spokesman said Greece’s creditors -- the EU, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund -- were expected to meet in the next few weeks to conduct a review aimed at releasing new funds under the bailout deal.

Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council which is hosting the summit, also congratulated Tsipras.

“I hope that the elections will now provide for the political stability necessary to face all the challenges at hand,” Tusk wrote in a letter to Tsipras. —AFP

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WORLD NEW CONSTITUTION

Clashes continue in Nepal KATHMANDU: Police in Nepal shot and injured at least three protesters on Monday a day after the Himalayan nation adopted its first democratic constitution, dashing hopes that the historic event would put a stop to weeks of bloodshed in which some 40 people have died.

The demonstrators were in critical condition after police opened fire on an anti-constitution protest in the city of Biratnagar with blanks, rubber bullets and possibly live rounds, said Pramod Kharel, a deputy police superintendent in the Morang district of southern Nepal.

A police officer was also wounded by protesters throwing stones, he said.

Nepal’s new constitution was promulgated on Sunday despite fierce opposition from minority groups in the southern plains whose homeland provinces will be split up under the charter.

Tensions with India The violence has heightened tensions with neighbouring India, which had called for the new charter to be more inclusive of ethnic groups near its borders, where much of the violence has been focused. New Delhi offered its “best wishes to the people of Nepal” on Sunday, but stopped short of congratulations on the new constitution.

CELEBRATIONS: Nepalese army band performs during celebrations following the announcement of a new constitution in Kathmandu on Monday. — AFP

“India has supported a federal, democratic, republican and inclusive Constitution,” the Foreign Ministry said.

It added curtly: “We note the promulgation today of a Constitution.” India also said it was concerned about the continuing

UPBEAT: Turkish Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Ahmet Davutoglu and his wife Sare Davutoglu give red carnations to party members during the introductory meeting of AKP candidates for the upcoming general election at Ankara Sports Hall on September 21, 2015. — AFP

‘AKP win will bring back peace in Turkey’ Ahmet Davutoglu sought to rally the faithful at a mass gathering of the ruling Justice and Development Party in Ankara with a rousing speech to present the party’s candidates in snap November 1 polls

ISTANBUL: Turkey’s prime minister urged voters Monday to back the ruling party in November polls “so that peace returns to Turkey”, where the army is engaged in a bloody battle with Kurdish militants.

Ahmet Davutoglu sought to rally the faithful at a mass gathering of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Ankara with a rousing speech to present the party’s candidates in snap November 1 polls.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the election after his AKP party lost its governing majority for the first time in June 7

elections, forcing it into coalition talks that ended in failure.

“No one will dare threaten our country’s peace when the AKP cadres are in power again, nor will they dare betray the legacy of our martyrs,” said Davutoglu, referring to the scores of security force members killed in attacks blamed on the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) since July.

“We will continue this fight until all the terrorists have been flushed out of our mountains and peace returns to our country,” he said, calling on all parties in parliament to stand “shoulder to shoulder” against terrorism.

The AKP won three decisive general election victories in 2002, 2007 and 2011 but was stripped of its overall majority in June after losing support to a pro-Kurdish party.

The result wrecked Erdogan’s dreams of creating a powerful US-style presidency with full executive powers.

Less than two months later, after a suicide bombing in a southern Turkish town blamed on IS, the government launched a “war on terror”, which has mainly targeted the PKK in southeast Turkey and across the border in northern Iraq.

The PKK has hit back hard against a barrage of air strikes on its bases, killing scores of soldiers and police in a string of bombings that have triggered reprisal attacks by Erdogan supporters against Kurdish parties and businesses in other regions. — AFP

violence in border regions.

Maoist party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday told a rally in Kathmandu to celebrate the constitution: “We want friendship with India, not to be its ‘Yes Man’,” according to local media. — Reuters

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MARKE

DIGEST VIDEO Top stories in one minute with our new daily Digest

Omani firms set to develop $120m shopping mall in Iran’s Kerman Multi-purpose Sarooj Pars Complex is being developed adjacent to the old bazaar in Kerman with an estimated investment of $120 million, excluding the land price, said an offcial of the prime developer

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

MEGA PROJECT: Artist’s impression of the project. – Supplied picture

MUSCAT: An ‘iconic’ commercial complex is taking shape in the heart of an ancient city in the southeast of Iran with a multimillion-dollar investment from Oman. The multi-purpose Sarooj Pars Complex is being developed adjacent to the old bazaar in Kerman with an estimated investment of $120 million, excluding the land price, said Simon Karam, director of Sarooj Construction Company, the prime developer.

The total built-up area will be around 60,000 suare metres, he said, adding that the company has partnered with WJ Towell in Oman. “Currently, we hold a 50 per cent share and WJ Towell also holds a 50 per cent share,” Karam told Times of Oman in an exclusive interview.

“There is a lot of interest from Omani investors who want to join us, and we do not mind squeezing ourselves to make room for others,” he added.

ly in Kerman and was attended by a number of officials, including Saud bin Ahmed al Barwani, the Sultanate’s ambassador to Iran.

“Like in other old cities in Asia, the heart of the city is getting congested. There is no parking or proper roads and infrastructure.

So the municipality decided to acquire around 300 properties located on the site to pave the way for the development of the project,” Karam said.

elham@timesofoman.com

Municipality’s proposal The project was proposed by the Kerman Municipality and the Mayor’s office, Karam explained, and added, “Practically, it is a joint project between them and our group.”

The ground-breaking ceremony for the project was held recent-

Design According to him, the project will help rejuvenate the historical urban texture of the city and will provide sufficient parking space and easy access to the older bazaar for local and foreign visitors.

The complex has been designed by the Iranian company ATEC in harmony with the local architecture and historical features of the city, Karam said.

A passageway will connect the new complex to the old bazaar, he further added.

The first phase of the proposed development will have several components, including parking space for 2,000 cars and a modern shopping mall composed of boutiques both for sale and rent, recreation areas, food courts, entertainment facilities and

playground for children. The estimated amount of investment in the first phase is $120 million, excluding the land price, but it depends on the inflation, which is high in Iran, Karam said.

3-star hotel, office block He added that in the second phase of the project, a 3-star hotel and an office block will be constructed. The complex will have three levels but the hotel’s height may go up to five levels, he explained.

The second phase will start after the completion of the first phase, which is expected to take two to three years, the company official noted.

However, those interested will start booking their space soon, he further added.

Interest in Iran “We were very much interested in the project despite the sanctions on Iran and the fact that it would take a long time to clear the land and get the necessary permits from a number of authorities,” Karam said.

It is the first real estate project that Sarooj Construction Company is implementing in Iran, he noted, adding that it is an ‘iconic’ project in terms of design, location and use of space. > B4

PRELIMINARY OFFER

Al Jazeera board agrees to sell Al Anwar Ceramic stake Times News Service MUSCAT: Al Jazeera Services board has in principle agreed to accept a preliminary offer from Oman Investment Fund for acquiring the company’s entire stake in Al Anwar Ceramic Tiles at 375 baisas per share, which will

amount to OMR41.09 million.

“This in principle acceptance is subject to successful completion of requisite legal, financial and commercial due diligence by Oman Investment Fund culminating in binding offer,” Al Jazeera said in a stock market filing.

Al Jazeera Services shares

surged ahead by 4.08 per cent to 408 baisas amid 798,113 shares changing hand on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM).

The proposed stake sale of Al Anwar Ceramic Tiles is subject to the further approval of the board of directors, shareholders and regulators of the company.

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

MARKET Al Noor Hospitals to acquire care services provider Rochester Wellness, a leading provider of care services to patients in Oman and the UAE, will be acquired by the group

Times News Service MUSCAT: Al Noor Hospitals Group, the largest private healthcare service provider in Abu Dhabi, has reached an agreement to acquire Rochester Wellness, a leading provider of care services to patients in Oman and the UAE. Founded in 2006, Rochester Wellness is a provider of longterm physical, speech, and occupational rehabilitation therapy caring for patients in their homes and through two inpatient facilities in Muscat and Dubai.

It operates 51 beds and generated revenue of $5.6 million in the nine months up to December 2014.

Ronald Lavater, chief executive officer of Al Noor Hospitals Group, said, “The acquisition of Rochester Wellness demonstrates our commitment to expanding our services

EXPANSION MODE: Ronald Lavater, chief executive officer of Al Noor Hospitals Group, said that the acquisition of Rochester Wellness demonstrates the commitment to expanding the group’s services across the entire continuum of care. - Supplied picture

across the entire continuum of care.”

Supply and demand gap “In addition to adding a new service in the key markets of Muscat and Dubai, we will bring the Rochester Wellness experience to our home market of Abu Dhabi. There is a large gap between supply and demand in the long-term care and home care sectors and Rochester Wellness has the capacity to serve a significant number of our patients within these therapeutic areas,” he added.

Karim Jamal, managing director, Rochester Wellness, said, “I am confident that in Al Noor Hospitals, we have the right partner

to ensure we continue to provide the highest level of care for our patients as well as drive our business development.”

“As the largest private healthcare service provider in Abu Dhabi, Al Noor has the reputation and resources to help us grow into new areas of treatment and expand our geographic footprint. We look forward to working with Al Noor in the years ahead,” he added.

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ECONOMY

Investor concerns in Gulf fall despite oil trading below $50 DUBAI: Investor concern a Gulf nation could default is receding, even with oil trading below $50 per barrel.

Abu Dhabi’s credit-default swaps (CDS), contracts insuring the emirate’s debt against nonpayment for five years, dropped 19 basis points since a two-year peak on August 24, to 61, according to prices compiled by Capital Market Authority. Saudi Arabia’s fell 46 basis points.

The swaps had spiked amid concern that China’s economy was slowing and as oil slumped amid a supply glut. Brent crude was trading at $47.93 a barrel in Dubai on Monday.

The six nations that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), home to about 30 per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves, rely on income from crude to help fund their government budgets.

The correlation between crude prices and credit-default swaps in the region — which surged in August — has weakened over the past month.

“These countries have strong financial strength because of their large foreign-currency reserves,” Anita Yadav, the head of fixed-income research at Emirates NBD, the UAE’s second- biggest bank, said by phone from Dubai. They also “seem more in control of their expenditures,” she said.

Brent crude drops Brent crude, a benchmark for half the world’s oil, fell to the lowest in six years last month on signs an oversupply of oil will persist as Iran pledged to boost production and the United States drilling activity increased.

Saudi’s crude stockpiles at record high as exports drop KUWAIT: Saudi Arabia’s crude stockpiles rose to a record in July after exports by the world’s biggest oil shipper declined for the third time in four months.

Commercial petroleum stockpiles increased to 320 million barrels, the highest since at least 2002, from 319.5 million barrels in June, according to data on Sunday on the website of the Riyadhbased Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI).

Crude exports slumped 1.2 per cent to 7.28 million barrels a day after hitting a record 7.9 million barrels in March. Overseas shipments declined every month since then except in June.

Brent crude oil prices have

Amid the plunge in commodities prices, Saudi Arabia announced plans to cut ‘nonessential’ spending, according to a CNBC Arabia report this month. While foreign reserves have dropped by $76 billion from a peak in August 2014, the kingdom still had about $661 billion at the end of July.

The sovereign-wealth fund of Abu Dhabi, the richest of seven sheikhdoms that make up the

slumped 17 per cent this year as Saudi Arabia led the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) in boosting production to keep market share amid a global supply glut. The failure of producers to cut output fast enough may require prices to fall near $20 a barrel to clear the surplus, Goldman Sachs estimates. Brent was at $47.84 on Monday.

Saudi Arabia cut back on oil production by 1.9 per cent in July, the first drop since February, to 10.36 million barrels a day, according to the JODI data. Saudi told Opec its June production of 10.564 million barrels daily was a record, exceeding a previoushigh. - Bloomberg News

UAE, held $773 billion in assets at the end of June, according to estimates from the Las Vegas-based Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute.

Bahrain’s CDS has dropped 35 basis points since its August peak.

Dubai’s fell 41 points, and Qatar’s 24 points.

“Markets usually have a kneejerk reaction before investors begin to differentiate between the different emerging-market economies,” Yadav said. – Bloomberg News

LAUNCH

‘DME auctions’ to enhance spot trading of commodities Times News Service MUSCAT: Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME), the premier international energy futures and commodities exchange in the Middle East, has launched ‘DME Auctions’, a new platform that will provide a transparent spot commodity auction system for the first time in the Middle East.

The launch of DME Auctions will provide commodity market participants with the flexibility to buy and sell physical energy products and other commodities in the Middle East and beyond via an auction system. This offers customers the advantage of a transparent platform to trade spot commodities for immediate delivery.

“This latest initiative underlines DME’s commitment to create a world-class trading ecosystem through different trading tools in the Middle East,” said Ahmad Sharaf, chairman, DME. “We are very excited about this new auction platform, which will

Owain Johnson, managing director of DME. – Supplied picture

enable the exchange to offer a very attractive solution to customers in the Gulf that are looking to buy or sell spot commodities in a transparent and fair manner,” he added.

Owain Johnson, managing director of DME, noted, “When we analysed the current trading environment, we realised that there was a great opportunity to

add value to our customer base as well as to commodity suppliers by launching an auction platform.”

“Our successful track record with the DME Oman crude oil futures contract means that DME has the credibility in the commodity markets in order to attract a wide variety of participants and commodities to the DME Auction platform over the long term,” he added.

Launched in 2007, DME has rapidly grown into a globally relevant exchange. Its flagship Oman Crude Oil Futures Contract (DME Oman) contract is now firmly established as the most credible crude oil benchmark relevant to the rapidly growing East of Suez market. DME Oman is the world’s third crude oil benchmark and the sole benchmark for Oman and Dubai exported crude oil.

DME is a fully electronic exchange, with regulatory permissions allowing access from more than 20 jurisdictions, including the major financial centers of Asia, Europe and United States.

AV I AT I O N

India’s billionaires seek to own airport NEW DELHI: On a recent trip to the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, federal Power Minister Piyush Goyal sensed the region could woo investment from SoftBank Group’s billionaire founder Masayoshi Son, who happened to be elsewhere in the country.

When Goyal asked for Son to fly to the state capital Raipur immediately, Son’s colleague — mindful of India’s thicket of aviation rules — thought the minister had lost his mind.

“He said, are you crazy?” Goyal recounted in a September 8 interview in New Delhi.

“We’re in a US-registered plane, just to get a permission takes forteen days.”

Goyal said he made about ten calls to clear Son’s flight in just fifteen minutes, a rare intervention that few in India can expect.

Instead, onerous rules sometimes delay private planes by days and are causing India’s business jet fleet to shrink even as the economy grows 7 per cent.

For a body representing bil-

lionaires such as tycoon Anand Mahindra, a step toward friendlier skies is to develop a network of airports just for private jets.

The group, the Business Aircraft Operators Association, is lobbying the government to turn an airport about 137 kilometers from the financial capital Mumbai into the country’s first airfield exclusively for business planes.

It’s currently used by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics for military aircraft.

“It’s about building an ecosystem for general and business aviation, and it’s also about creating jobs,” Jayant Nadkarni, the association’s president in Gurgaon near New Delhi, said in an interview.

“Our industry is in recession.

We’ve seen slowing growth for the last seven to eight years, and this year it will be less than zero per cent,” he added.

Hiroe Kotera, a spokeswoman for SoftBank in Tokyo, declined to comment on the incident described by Goyal. - Bloomberg News

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MARKET NEW PROJECT

Sharakah provides funds for setting up small business unit Times News Service

MARGINAL FALL: The foods and non-alcoholic beverages sub-segment posted a price fall. Fish and seafood, and fruits recorded drop in prices at 10.23 per cent and 2.25 per cent, respectively. – Times file picture

Sultanate’s inflation rate eases in August Oman’s CPI-based inflation declined by 0.14% in August, while year-on-year inflation in the same month rose marginally by 0.07%

MUSCAT: Oman’s inflation rate in August this year eased by 0.14 per cent, primarily due to a 0.89 per cent drop in prices of the foods and non-alcoholic beverages set of the consumer basket, compared to prices recorded in July.

According to the latest figures released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information

(NCSI), the Sultanate’s CPIbased inflation in August declined by 0.14 per cent, while year-onyear inflation in the same month rose marginally by 0.07 per cent.

The foods and non-alcoholic beverages set posted a price fall across several subsets. Fish and seafood, and fruits recorded drop in prices at 10.23 per cent and 2.25

SEMINAR

CRUDE OIL

Offshore reserves to account for 50% of oil output in Abu Dhabi Times News Service MUSCAT: Offshore reserves will account for approximately 50 per cent of total oil production in Abu Dhabi by 2018 as a result of continued investments in production capacity, say experts.

With $25 billion worth of investments in offshore oil projects planned by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) over the next five years, advancing the sector through developments in research and technology is becoming ever more critical to preserving it as a valuable energy resource, say industry leaders.

Adnoc investment is part of the UAE’s strategy to boost its total oil output capacity to 3.5 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2017-18 from the current 2.8 million bpd.

Currently, an estimated 40 per cent of oil produced in Abu Dhabi comes from offshore reserves, however sources say that figure will rise to 50 per cent in the next three years. Globally, about 30 per cent of oil produced worldwide comes from offshore oil wells, and offshore resources are playing a greater role in supplying the rising demand for energy, with a growing interest in the potential of deep water reserves.

According to figures from a 2014 report by Total, the deep offshore is believed to contain more than 5 per cent — an estimated 300 billion barrels — of the world’s liquid hydrocarbon resources, or 12 per cent of total conventional oil resources. In 2013, deep water liquid reserves accounted for 6 per cent of global

per cent, respectively.

Price of oil and fats fell by 0.59 per cent, while milk, cheese and eggs dropped by 0.31 per cent.

Bread and cereals, as well as nonalcoholic drinks too posted a price fall of 0.04 per cent and 0.11 per cent, respectively, in August compared to July figures. However, vegetables and meat saw prices rising by 4.8 per cent and 0.02 per cent, respectively.

Restaurants and hotels turned costlier by as much as 0.61 per cent, while clothing and footwear prices went up by 0.82 per cent in August compared to July.

Prices of furnishings, household equipment and maintenance set too rose by 0.37 per cent during the period.

production. That share is forecast to rise to close to 11 per cent of conventional oil output, or 9 million barrels per day, by 2035, according to the same document.

In line with regional and global efforts to continue exploring and developing offshore production, the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Adipec) will be launching a dedicated Offshore, Marine and Heavy Equipment Zone situated on the waterfront at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), only 150 metres away from the main exhibition floor.

The new area will cover 8,000 gross square metres of space, with a jetty that extends 500 metres long.

“Adipec is pleased to be the first oil and gas exhibition in the Mena region to dedicate an entire waterfront section to offshore, subsea and marine products and services,” said Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, director of strategy and coordination at Adnoc, and Adipec 2015 chairman.

“The Offshore, Marine and Heavy Equipment Zone will allow exhibitors to showcase their subsea and marine products and services in their native environment, a unique advantage that will offer both participants and visitors a valuable experience,” he added.

A purpose-built zone that provides water access, mooring, and quayside exhibition space will allow more than 200 exhibitors to showcase a host of offshore products and services, including ships, rigs, and vessels.

Notably, the health sector recorded no spike in prices and maintained the July index of 110.5 in August as well. Housing, water and electricity too maintained status quo in prices posting a negligible 0.01 per cent rise. Communication and Education sets also joined this stable zone.

Meanwhile transport, recreation and miscellaneous goods and services saw prices falling 0.08 per cent, 0.01 per cent and 0.07 per cent, respectively, in August. – ONA

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MUSCAT: Sharakah recently signed an agreement to provide financial support to a new project in the food and beverage industry ‘Browny Popcorn’. This is the first Omani brand that offers gourmet popcorn with unique flavours like caramel, chili, Omani halwa, vinegar, jalapeno, nacho cheese and spicy tanch to name a few.

Browny Popcorn is going to be located in the multi-category destination for fashion, dining, and entertainment — The Panorama Mall, located in the wilyat of Boushar.

The business will be run and operated by Abdullah Al Dughaishi and Issa Al Hoti. Both are college graduates and have relevant experience in managing businesses.

Excited about his business venture, Abdullah Al Dughaishi stated, “We believe that we have a very unique concept and our customers will enjoy having variety flavors of popcorn. We are planning to start with 22 flavours and probably introduce a new flavor every other month.”

Equally excited Essa Al Hooti said, “We have had this concept for a while, but we were looking for the right financial partner and a good location to execute it. Sharakah has been very supportive since the early stages of our operation.

We value the support services offered by Sharakah and believe that following their guidance, we will grow this concept nationally.”

Abdullah Al Dughaishi, who is 31 years old holds a Bachelor

Degree of Tourism in Hospitality Management from Sultan Qaboos University and currently works in Oman Royal Flight as a flight dispatcher.

With years of working experience in hotels around Oman, Abdullah has the confidence and capabilities of managing his business with professionalism.

Business plan to reality Along with Abdullah, Essa Al Hooti, who is 26 years old holds a Diploma of Networking from the Higher College of Technology and also works in Oman Royal Flight as a flight dispatcher. Before joining Oman Royal Flight, Essa worked in Oman Arab Bank in the IT section and also in Khimji Ramdas Shipping Company in the Finance and Marketing Department.

“It brings a lot of excitement and joy to see a project being transformed from a business plan to reality. We have been witnessing an increase in the number of Omani’s venturing into starting their own businesses.

To date we have financially supported more than 76 projects.

Many of them have expanded and later many have paid off the investment amount. We believe that Browny Popcorn has a great potential to grow nationally and probably regionally in the near future. Our objective remains to see these businesses sustain in the market and grow,” said Abdullah Al Jufaili, general manager of Sharakah.

H O S P I TA L I T Y I N D U S T RY

Indian envoy pitches for investment

Aiana Hotels set to develop serviced apartment in Doha

Times News Service

Times News Service

MUSCAT: India offers attractive investment opportunities and it is the right time to invest in the country, said Indra Mani Pandey, the Indian ambassador to the Sultanate.

“This is the perfect time to invest in India. Government of India is committed to make and maintain the regulatory environment more investor friendly,” said Pandey.

“India’s Convergence of Indian Accounting Standards to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is one of such historical steps and a past president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is leading the National Advisory Committee on Accounting Standards (NACAS) formed for this purpose.”

He was addressing the annual IFRS seminar 2015 organised by ICAI Muscat Chapter.

The event was sponsored by Deloitte and PwC. “We are pleased to recognise the contribution that Indian Chartered Accountants are making to the Omani economy in various capacities including as advisors in the ministries and regulatory bodies to nurture and develop young and promising Omani talented youth. Every Indian represents ‘Brand India’ and we should continue to make the best of our contribution to this beautiful country like Oman,” he added.

Abbas Ali Mirza , a renowned IFRS expert and Keynote speaker at the event highlighted the movement of the world towards a single set to accounting rules either by convergence or adoption. Later Abbas made a technical presentation on IFRS 10 and IFRS 12.

MUSCAT: Aiana Hotels and Resorts, an India-inspired hotel management company promoted by a third generation hotelier, has joined hands with a Qatar business group to set up its serviced apartment in Doha and plans to replicate the model across the Middle East.

The hotel management company’s property, a serviced apartment, is expected to open by the second quarter of 2016, Amruda Nair, joint managing director and chief executive officer of Aiana Hotels & Resorts, told Times of Oman in an e-mailed interview.

“Under the Aiana brand, we plan to have 7 hotels either operational or under development in the Middle East, India and South East Asia over the next 5 years — all under management contracts.”

Having a base in Qatar will allow the hotel management firm to focus on other Gulf Cooperation Council destinations such as Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. “We are also looking at projects in India and South East Asia that not only include urban city hotels in key gateway cities, but also bespoke resort properties in leisure destinations,” she said.

Oman’s tourism The services offered by Aiana are built on the pillars of India service ethos, commitment to nature and the community. “I strongly believe that there is a strong synergy between our core beliefs and that of Oman’s tourism mandate, which aims to preserve its cultural heritage and natural environment,” noted Amruda, who is the

facilities such as a specialty Indian restaurant and modern Indian spa concept, in addition to a fitness centre and pool.

Amruda Nair, joint managing director and chief executive officer of Aiana Hotels & Resorts

granddaughter of entrepreneur Captain Nair -the founder of the Leela Palace Group of Hotels in India.

Amruda said that Oman is a beautiful country with landscapes ranging from mountains to wadis, and breathtaking costal stretches along the Indian Ocean, all of which offer ample opportunity for the Aiana experience which focuses on local immersion.

The project, ‘Aiana Suites and Residences’ in Doha will be located in the central business district of West Bay. “Currently under construction, the project will consist of 180 keys with seafacing and city views, and will measure between 73 square metres to 250 square metres.”

What this property offers in terms of uniqueness to this region, is that it meets all the requirements for contemporary living and includes some India-inspired

Upscale hospitality “Our guest will be the global traveller who is a smart user of technology, environmentally and social conscious, and expects exceptional value. We aim to cater to the growing demand of this segment for value added offerings in the upper upscale hospitality segment, and aim to achieve a positioning into that niche market because we can offer a slightly more consistent product offering across multiple locations,” Amruda explained.

The property will also offer spacious 3 bedroom apartments that will cater to families from the GCC during holidays and weekends as well as expats who are looking for long-term accommodation.

Amruda said thatAiana Hotels and Resorts is a hotel management company that works on an asset- light strategy and hence, does not invest in hotel assets.

The Aiana Doha, for example, is completely owned by Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani who is a prolific hotel owner with over 7 hotels assets in Doha and more than 20 hotels globally.

“We will use our base in Qatar to continue to grow in the Middle East along with concurrent projects in India and South East Asia. Our primary focus in this first growth phase is to strategically stay within a four hour flight radius which covers the Middle East, India and South East Asia,” added Amruda.

B4

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,753.25 ...............5,742.69 ....................5,753.16 ....................5,741.91.................. 11.25 ...................0.20 Financial Index .....................................6,852.51 .............. 6,828.22 ................... 6,852.45 ....................6,825.71..................26.74 ...................0.39 Industrial Index ....................................7,386.36 ...............7,358.34 ................... 7,358.96 ................... 7,366.49...................-7.53 .................. -0.10 Services Index ...................................... 3,235.20 .............. 3,222.60 ....................3,235.19 ...................3,222.60..................12.59 ...................0.39 MSM SHARIAH INDEX........................911.72 ..................908.62 ...................... 909.00 ...................... 908.62....................0.38 ...................0.04 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 15,740,892..................4,838,392 .....................827 ................14,515,208,118 ................ 18 ......................12 .................... 12 .........................42

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

REGULAR MARKET .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

CLOSE WATCH: As many as 827 trades were executed during the

trading session generating turnover of OMR4.8 million with over 15.7 million shares changing hands. - Times file picture

OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ...................................................... 68,000 ............... 8,851........................5 ............0.127 ........... 0.133 ...........0.127 ........... 0.130 .............0.124 ........... 0.006............. 4.839 ................0.130 ..............0.127...................0.130...................40,399,442.........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .......................................... 823,113 .......... 336,231..................... 73 ........... 0.400........... 0.418 ...........0.400 .......... 0.408 .............0.392 ............0.016 .............4.082 ................0.406..............0.406...................0.408 ..................24,971,343 .........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 1,610,136 ........176,744....................119 ............0.112 ........... 0.114............0.108............0.110 .............0.106 ........... 0.004............. 3.774 ................0.110 ..............0.109...................0.110 ....................9,900,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 302,981 ............ 17,738......................14 ........... 0.057 ...........0.062 ...........0.057........... 0.059 .............0.057 ........... 0.002............. 3.509 ................0.059..............0.058...................0.059...................12,221,932 .........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 146,426 ........... 23,523..................... 28 ............0.155 ........... 0.162 ...........0.155 ............0.161 ............. 0.157............ 0.004.............2.548 ................0.160.............. 0.158...................0.160...................46,794,814 .........0.100

MSM index ends higher

OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST .................................................................... 1,418,009 ......675,628......................13 ........... 0.468 ...........0.480 ...........0.468........... 0.476 .............0.468 ........... 0.008............. 1.709 ................0.480..............0.470...................0.496..................263,162,142........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 145,653............. 13,551.....................20 ........... 0.092 ...........0.094 ...........0.092........... 0.093 .............0.092 ............0.001 ............. 1.087 ................0.093..............0.093...................0.094 ..................26,968,199 .........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ..........................217,731 .............21,693......................11 ........... 0.099 ........... 0.100 ...........0.099........... 0.100 .............0.099 ............0.001 ............. 1.010 ................0.099..............0.098...................0.099....................5,884,322 ..........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 140,000 ............14,350......................17 ............0.102 ........... 0.103 ...........0.102........... 0.102 ............. 0.101.............0.001 .............0.990 ................0.103 ..............0.102...................0.104...................12,431,250 .........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH............................................... 22,005 ............. 57,618........................9 ............2.610 ...........2.620 ...........2.610........... 2.620 .............2.595 ............0.025 ............. 0.963 ................2.620..............2.620...................2.630 .................250,097,851 ........1.000 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 817,053 ..........415,990.....................22 ........... 0.508 ........... 0.512 ...........0.508........... 0.510 .............0.506 ........... 0.004............. 0.791.................0.512 .............. 0.512...................0.514................ 1,168,829,524 ......0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 1,037,942 .......167,656..................... 63 ............0.161 ........... 0.162 ...........0.160........... 0.162 ............. 0.161 .............0.001 ............. 0.621 ................0.160..............0.160................... 0.161 ..................233,513,280........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 428,867 .........322,273......................17 ............0.748 ........... 0.752 ...........0.748 ........... 0.752 ............. 0.748............ 0.004............. 0.535 ................0.748 ..............0.748...................0.752..................489,510,061 ........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 180,458.............38,391......................15 ............0.212 ........... 0.214 ...........0.212........... 0.213 .............0.212 ............0.001 ............. 0.472 ................0.213 ..............0.213...................0.214.................. 143,751,023 ........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 200,000............91,210........................7 ........... 0.466 ...........0.466 ...........0.454........... 0.456 .............0.454 ........... 0.002............. 0.441 ................0.454..............0.440...................0.454..................150,877,956 ........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ...............27,195 ...............6,824........................6 ............0.251 ........... 0.251 ...........0.250............0.251 .............0.250 ............0.001 .............0.400 ................0.251 ..............0.250...................0.251.................... 5,271,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ........................................................... 255,999 ........... 76,928.....................42 ........... 0.300........... 0.310 ...........0.300 .......... 0.300 .............0.300 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.302..............0.302...................0.306 ..................15,000,000.........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ............. 200,000...........43,600........................4 ............0.218 ........... 0.218 ...........0.218........... 0.218 .............0.218............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.218 .............. 0.215...................0.218.....................7,318,576 ..........0.100

United Finance, up by 4.84 per cent, was the

OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ........................................................18,462 ............ 21,306........................3 ............1.150 ............1.155............1.150 ............1.155 ............. 1.155 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................ 1.155 .............. 1.150................... 1.155 ................. 231,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 253,000 ........... 41,946......................18 ............0.166 ........... 0.166 ...........0.165 ............0.166 ............. 0.166............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.166 .............. 0.165...................0.166...................33,200,000 ........0.100

day’s top gainer, while Taageer Finance, down

OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................ 2,620,000 .....303,920........................1 ............0.116 ........... 0.116............0.116 ............0.116 ............. 0.116 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.116 ............. 0.000...................0.109...................23,200,000 ........0.100

by 7.14 per cent, was the top loser

OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER.................................................................3,010 ...............1,023........................3 ........... 0.340...........0.340 ...........0.340 .......... 0.340 .............0.340 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.340............. 0.340...................0.350...................75,143,400 .........0.100

OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ................................................... 119,825 ............ 49,367......................14 ............0.412 ........... 0.412 ...........0.408........... 0.412 .............0.412............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.408..............0.408...................0.412...................24,926,000 ........0.100

OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 423,101............ 36,397..................... 26 ........... 0.086 ...........0.087 ...........0.086........... 0.086 .............0.086 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.086..............0.085...................0.087...................15,050,000 .........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 114,732 ............ 24,352......................14 ............0.212 ........... 0.213 ...........0.212........... 0.212 .............0.212 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.213 ..............0.213...................0.214..................151,454,144 ........0.100

MUSCAT: Following better sentiment in regional equity markets, the MSM30 Index gained 0.20 per cent to close at 5,753.16 points. The MSM Sharia Index remained flat at 909 points, up by 0.04 per cent. Global Financial Investment was the most active in terms of volume, while Oman Telecommunications Company led in terms of turnover. United Finance, up by 4.84 per cent, was the day’s top gainer while Taageer Finance, down by 7.14 per cent, was the top loser.

As many as 827 trades were executed during the trading session generating turnover of OMR4.8 million with over 15.7 million shares changing hands. Out of 42 traded securities, 18 advanced, 12 declined and 12 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers for OMR827,000, while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR624,000 followed

by GCC and Arab investors for OMR202,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index advanced 0.39 per cent to end at 6,852.45 points. Shares of United Finance, Al Sharqia Investments, Al Madina Investments, Ominvest and Bank Nizwa gained by 4.84 per cent, 3.77 per cent, 3.51 per cent, 1.71 per cent and 1.64 per cent, respectively. Taageer Finance, Al Batinah Investment, Al Izz Bank, HSBC Bank and Al Anwar Holding shares declined by 7.14 per cent, 2.17 per cent, 1.45 per cent, 0.87 per cent and 0.57 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index ended negatively at 7,358.96 points, down by 0.10 per cent. Galfar Engineering, Oman Cement, Oman Flour

OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................. 42,400 .............20,768........................5 ........... 0.490 ...........0.490 ...........0.486........... 0.490 .............0.490 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.486..............0.486...................0.490 ..................25,725,000 .........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 797,500 ...... 1,295,185..................... 86 ............1.630 ........... 1.630 ...........1.620............1.625 ............. 1.630............-0.005 ........... -0.307 ...............1.620 ..............1.620...................1.630................ 1,218,750,000 ......0.100

Bourse to be closed for two days

OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 192,313 .............56,571........................8 ........... 0.295 ...........0.295 ...........0.290 .......... 0.294 .............0.295 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.339 ...............0.290............. 0.290...................0.294 .................394,168,814 ........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ......................................................................32,082 ...............6,384........................7 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.199 ........... 0.199 .............0.200 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.500 ...............0.199 .............. 0.187...................0.199..................283,582,193........0.100 OM0000004248 ...........SMN POWER HOLDING ............................................70,960 ............ 53,078........................2 ............0.748 ........... 0.748 ...........0.748 ............0.748 ............. 0.752............-0.004 ........... -0.532 ...............0.748 ............. 0.000...................0.764..................149,327,429 ........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 830,583 ..........143,571......................61 ............0.174 ........... 0.174 ........... 0.171 ............0.173 ............. 0.174............-0.001 ........... -0.575 ...............0.173 .............. 0.173...................0.174 ...................25,962,975.........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN ......................................................65,227 ............... 7,436........................9 ............0.114 ........... 0.114............0.114 ............0.114 ............. 0.115 ............-0.001 ........... -0.870 ...............0.114 ...............0.111................... 0.114 ..................228,035,658........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...........................8,415 .................. 757........................4 ........... 0.090 ...........0.090 ...........0.090........... 0.090 .............0.092 ...........-0.002 ........... -2.174................0.090..............0.090...................0.095....................2,700,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 223,474 ............74,740........................6 ........... 0.336 ...........0.336 ...........0.334........... 0.334 .............0.342 ...........-0.008 ........... -2.339 ...............0.334..............0.334...................0.338...................98,935,370 .........0.100

MUSCAT: Oman's local bourse - Muscat Securities Market (MSM) - will be be closed on September 23 and 24, 2015 due to Eid Al Adha celebrations.

Trading on the Muscat Securities Market will resume on September 27, 2015, according to a statement.

OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE ................................................. 215,000 ...........28,000........................4 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.130........... 0.130 .............0.140 ...........-0.010 ............-7.143................0.130..............0.130...................0.137...................32,966,700.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 14,071,652.....4,673,602...............756 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......35........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ .............................................

PARALLEL MARKET .................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 1,214,761 ..........75,315..................... 25 ........... 0.062 ...........0.062 ...........0.062........... 0.062 ............. 0.061.............0.001 ............. 1.639 ................0.062..............0.061...................0.062 ..................93,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ............................................... 102,843 ............49,810........................3 ........... 0.482 ...........0.486 ...........0.482........... 0.484 .............0.482 ........... 0.002............. 0.415 ................0.486..............0.482...................0.514...................76,230,000.........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ......................................................... 1,000 .....................50........................1 ........... 0.050 ...........0.050 ...........0.050........... 0.053 .............0.053 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.050..............0.050...................0.055....................6,625,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................... 46,581 ...............4,120........................7 ........... 0.089 ...........0.089 ...........0.088........... 0.088 .............0.088 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.088..............0.088...................0.090 ................... 6,618,304 ..........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 210,719 .............31,190..................... 30 ............0.149 ........... 0.149 ...........0.148 ........... 0.148 .............0.149............-0.001 ............-0.671................0.148 ..............0.148...................0.149..................216,465,016 ........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK................................................35,000 ...............2,380........................3 ........... 0.068 ...........0.068 ...........0.068........... 0.068 .............0.069 ...........-0.001 ........... -1.449 ...............0.068..............0.067...................0.068...................68,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ....................58,336 ............... 1,925........................2 ........... 0.033 ...........0.033 ...........0.033........... 0.033 .............0.034 ...........-0.001 ........... -2.941 ...............0.033..............0.033...................0.034 ...................2,805,000 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 1,669,240 .......164,791......................71 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 7........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Mills and Gulf International Chemicals increased by 1.09 per cent, 0.44 per cent, 0.41 per cent and 0.40 per cent, respectively.

Construction Materials and Al Anwar Ceramics declined by2.94 per cent and 2.34 per cent, respectively.

Shares in services Index closed the session at 3,235.19 points, up by 0.39 per cent. Al Jazeera Services, Renaissance Services, Sembcorp Salalah, Ooredoo and Al Batinah Power advanced by 4.08 per cent, 2.55 per cent, 0.96 per cent, 0.53 per cent and 0.47 per cent, respectively. Phoenix Power, SMN Power and Omantel declined by 0.67 per cent, 0.53 per cent and 0.31 per cent respectively. — United Securities

OMANI INVESTMENT IN IRAN

B1 'Largest project in Kerman' < FROM

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

“A wide range of products will be available at the complex and while we encourage Iranian brands, international brands are also encouraged to use this opportunity,” Karam said.

He added, “When we started taking about this project and started to implement it, it was definitely the largest. Now, a number of other projects are coming up, but I still believe it is the largest in Kerman.”

Other projects The senior official at Sarooj Construction Company also said that the company is keen to make further investment in Iran’s real estate market, especially given its partnership with W J Towell which has extensive experience in this field.

“We are considering investment in a tourist area north of the Iranian city of Isfahan and had considered a number of projects in other fields, particularly the oil and gas sectors, which are yet to be materialised,” he added.

“For example, we had looked at building a pipeline from the Ira-

Simon Karam, director of Sarooj Construction Co. — Supplied picture

nian port city of Bandar Abbas to Kerman to GolGohar Iron Ore in Sirjan,” he said, adding that they also considered upgrading 46 fuel stations in Tehran.

Joint ventures Karam further added that the company is also interested in forming joint ventures with Iranian companies and bidding for international contracts.

“We encourage Omanis to go

to Iran given the good relations between the two countries and the stability, abundant natural resources, and educated human resources in Iran,” he said.

“We also encourage Iranians to explore the opportunities in Oman and make investments here,” Karam said, expressing hope that bilateral trade ties will get a boost with the construction of the gas pipeline between the two countries.

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ROUND-UP

Muscat Finance discusses business growth strategy of Directors chaired

by Faisal Mohammed Al Yousef, joined high-level management

day-long session of corporate brainstorming aimed at mapping out a bold new way forward for the company through the challenging times widely anticipated ahead

SPECIAL OCCASION

ISC Bhojpuri Wing celebrates festival

Members of the Board

executives in a

B5

MUSCAT: Muscat Finance — the Sultanate’s leading non-banking finance company (NBFC) — recently hosted a meeting of its Board to help forge a robust strategy for sustaining business growth amid the current economic environment and set and agree vision and targets for the next five years.

Members of the Board of Directors chaired by Faisal Mohammed Al Yousef, joined high-level management executives in a day-long session of corporate brainstorming aimed at mapping out a bold new way forward for the company through the challenging times widely anticipated ahead, says a press release.

A top industry expert who was

AWA R E N E S S E V E N T

invited by Muscat Finance spoke about the challenges faced by his company in a mature and highly competitive market and what lessons could be learnt from their experience.

Strategic plan The upshot was a long term strategic plan, underpinned by a redefined vision statement that forms a new blueprint to keep the company growth-oriented, competitive and profitable. It advocates, among other things, a commitment to building on the company’s core strengths: innovative products, market positioning, and strong IT infrastructure and services. Most importantly, it strongly espouses

an emphasis on a key pillar of Muscat Finance’s corporate philosophy: customer-centricity.

“We came out of the workshop upbeat and energised and ready to weather any market challenges with resolve and confidence,” said Bikram Rishi, CEO – Muscat Finance. “Clearly, there are tough times ahead as we take on major banks and other non-banking finance companies competing for market share in the finance and leasing space. But the five-year roadmap provides us with coherent goals, and the necessary pathways and timeframes for achieving our growth objectives, albeit with an unrelenting focus on customers and superior service,” he added.

MUSCAT: Indian Social Club, Bhojpuri Wing recently celebrated Kajri Mahotsav, a popular festival.

The word Kajri paints a beautiful monsoon picture in your mind, complete with lush green gardens, beautiful dressed up women and tuneful songs. This festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in homeland. These celebrations in foreign land are uncommon and so this led the ISC Bhojpuri Wing Muscat to give the people in Muscat an essence of this wonderful festival.

Around 80 ladies were present on this occasion and the chief guest was Sushma Pandey (wife of Indra Mani Pandey, Indian Ambassador to Oman), says a press release. The function began with the recital of Ganpati Vandana followed by Kajri folk songs. There was a mehandi competition, various solo and group

dance performances and a lot of spot prizes. The function also included Mrs Kajri 2015 competition which was participated by 36 talented women. The winners were Mohua Banerji for beautiful smile, Nikhat Ali for best personality, Ritu Mahapatra as 2nd runners up, Vausdha Rao as 1st runners up, and finally Divya Tiwari as Mrs. Kajri 2015. The theme for the function was Solah Sringar which was won by Sudha Kumari.

No programme is ever successful without the supporters. ISC Bhojpuri Wing Muscat thanked their supporters — National Stone LLC , ABT technology, Al Wadi Engineering (construction company), Perfect Vision, Monity beauty parlour, Al Anjappar Chettinadu Restaurant, Foodland restaurant, Vastu and Taro card reader Chani Kala and everyone else who made this event possible.

FA S H I O NA B L E F O O T W E A R

Ozone Protection Day commemorated at Indian School Muladha

Shoexpress opens outlet in Barka MUSCAT: Landmark Group, the Middle-East’s largest and leading retail conglomerate recently opened Shoexpress in Barka.

Delivering on its commitment of bringing quality products ever closer to the residents of Oman, the new outlet was inaugurated by Clive Freeman, COO, Landmark Group.

The 3,000sqft store located in Barka Grand Centre offers an extensive collection of fun, fashionable and eye-catching accessories, including costume jewellery, handbags and purses, as well as socks and belts for the entire family that are definitely affordable and are on trend!

Started in 2009, Shoexpress aims to offer customers a real value experience, through an extensive assortment of fashionable footwear and accessories at truly unbelievable prices. It currently operates more than 100 stores

across the Middle East & North Africa with plans of opening a number of new stores each year.

Attractive design The Shoexpress store design and concept is fresh, attractive and

very efficient in its approach. It uses open stock concept in which shoes are displayed neatly within each department, allowing customers to easily browse and find what they’re looking for.

Catch the new collection this

autumn winter and be season savvy than the usual with impressive range of styles in a very competitive price, starting from OMR2.9 for ladies footwear, OMR 4.9 for men’s shoes and OMR1.9 for kids’ footwear.

P R O F E S S I O NA L E D UC AT I O N P R O G R A M M E

ISACA Muscat conducts session on fraud detection and monitoring MUSCAT: The World Ozone Protection Day was celebrated during a special assembly in Indian School Muladha recently.

The programme focused on creating awareness about the importance of Ozone layer found in atmosphere and to prevent its depletion. Various placards appealing the importance of the day decked the venue, says a press release.

The programme started with a prayer song by the school choir followed by the welcome speech

by Amrutha Anil of Class VI B. Principal S. I. Shareef threw light on the importance of the protection of the Ozone Layer that serves as a shield from the harmful ultra-violet B radiation emitted by the sun. He exhorted the youngsters to save the planet by protecting this natural blanket of mother earth in his inaugural address on this occasion.

The group song rendered by the school choir added charm to the occasion. The display of quotes by the students of Class VIII aptly highlighted the importance of Ozone layer protection.

Vice Principal V. S. Suresh, in his address showcased the relevance of the Ozone layer for the survival of life on Earth, "how it protects us from the harmful UV rays and thereby saving us from skin cancers". He also explained about the CFC gases which accelerate the Ozone depletion. He urged the students to taking firm steps to save Ozone layer from depletion.

The programme focused on creating awareness about the importance of Ozone Layer found in atmosphere and to prevent its depletion

MUSCAT: ISACA Muscat chapter under the programme of mandatory Continuing Professional Education (CPE) has conducted a CPE programme recently at the College of Banking and Financial Studies on the topic ‘Fraud Detection and Monitoring’.

Nishith Seth, a Chartered Accountant from India and Managing Director of Substratal Solutions P. Ltd delivered the technical session, says a press release.

Venugopal Hari, president of ISACA Muscat Chapter welcomed the members and guests, who attended in large numbers.

He emphasised on the role of social media, like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc., and its enormous

and remarkable influence on both our professional and social lives.

He stated that technology is playing an emphatic role in every business process and every walk of life.

Nishith, the presenter of the topic, explained the motivation for fraud and the key challenges in

its detection and monitoring. He made the presentation very lively and interactive with many illustrations, anecdotes and case studies.

Nishith, an experienced professional in the field of audit, fraud management and compliance management, has wide and varied

experience of over 20 years and conducted various workshops on data analysis, fraud detection including application development.

He has also authored three books on auditing in computerised environment, auditing e-banking and guide to disaster recovery and business continuity planning.

Dilip anchored the programme and Biju proposed the vote of thanks.

ISACA, headquartered in USA, has more than 200 chapters with 140,000 constituents spread in 180 countries worldwide. Those chapters provide members education, resource sharing, advocacy, professional networking and a host of other benefits on a local level.

AFTERSALES CONTEST

Riham Zubair Ahmed of Class VIII E gave a speech highlighting the importance and beneficial effects of Ozone layer.

A very educative and innovative video presentation on the topic was presented by John Ebenezer, head of the Department of Science at the outset.

Fidha Abdul Jaleel of Class VIII E proposed vote of thanks.

Shareef, Suresh, co-curricular activities coordinator Dr Lekha O. C., and head of the Science Department, John Ebenezer attended the function.

Shareef congratulated the Science Department for organising a highly informative programme and appreciated the creative efforts of the students for making the programme a grand success.

The students of Class VII and VIII attended the programme.

Omasco picks winners of Internal Contest 2015 MUSCAT: Omasco, Honda’s authorised distributor in the Sultanate of Oman, recently announced winners of the internal aftersales contest held at their head office in Wattayah.

The winners are Anil Vijayan in parts adviser category, Dhanushka in warehouse executive category and Vivek Raina in service adviser category.

The internal contest is an initiative hosted by Omasco that allows associates across Oman to display their skills and recognise their achievements and commitment towards the sector, says a press release.

The winner of this internal con-

test gets directly nominated for the GCC Regional Contest for their respective category, to be held during the second week of October at Honda GCC Regional office in Dubai. This process recognises the hard work and dedication of the Honda team and compliments each participant’s consistent dedication towards customer care, attention to detail and ability to go the extra mile for the customer.

Stringent selection process These associates were the winners chosen from amongst the top 5 scorers of a theory test in each category, held in the Wattayah aftersales division, which assesses

their knowledge about customer handling, customer satisfaction and inventory control. The internal contest incorporates a stringent selection process which involves series of roll plays assessing skill and attitude of an associate in handling customer objection, hospitality and creating an unmatched experience for the customer.

Speaking about the award, Hussain Al Lawati, managing director Omasco, said: “Omasco carries a great diversified talent pool and it continues actively to develop this talent to serve its customer base and serve Oman. We at Honda Oman take pride and encourage our people to actively participate

in the success of our business.

Anil, Dhanushka and Vivek are outstanding associates in their respective areas and deserve this recognition. They have continuously shown dedication towards customer delight.”

Throwing light on the recognition, Vivek Raina said, “I am delighted to win this contest. I am part of a very solid and talented team which helped me in developing my knowledge, skills and attitude.”

Regular training courses and contests are conducted by Omasco and Hamer office, located in Dubai for hands-on training to prepare associates for the evolving automotive industry.

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ROUND-UP Asia Express Exchange opens branch in Mawaleh

Indian envoy to meet community in Salalah on September 27 MUSCAT: The Indian Social Club, Salalah will host a reception for Indra Mani Pandey, the newly appointed Indian Ambassador to Oman on September 27.

His visit to the Indian Social Club would be an occasion for the Indian Community of Salalah to have a personal chat with the ambassador and to raise genuine issues, says a press release.

“The members of the Indian community have been invited to participate in this face-to-face

Asia Express Exchange alongside the rapid growth also boasts of a high calibre workforce backed by the latest technologies to deliver the highest

meet with the ambassador. The reception followed by the interactive session will be held between 8pm to 9.30pm at His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Multipurpose Hall of the Club,” said Manpreet Singh, chairman, ISC Salalah.

Manpreet, who is also the honorary consular agent (Dhofar region), Embassy of India, urged the members of the Indian community to participate in large numbers and to discuss their issues with the ambassador.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

standards of customer satisfaction

MUSCAT: Asia Express Exchange (AEE), the leading money exchange company operating in the Sultanate of Oman, commenced operation of its 27th outlet at Lulu Hypermarket - Al Bandar in Mawaleh yesterday.

The branch was inaugurated by Indra Mani Pandey, the Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman in the presence of Adeeb Ahamed, managing director, Asia Express Exchange and Sheikh Mohammed Hamed Ali Al Ghazali, director, Asia Express Exchange, says a press release.

RECEPTION

Adeeb Ahamed, managing director, Asia Express Exchange, speaking at the occasion said, “We are pleased to open our 27th branch in Oman. With the best of facilities and technologies, this branch, like all AEE branches in Oman is another step closer to our esteemed customers. Asia Express Exchange has over the years emerged as a preferred exchange house providing fast and reliable money transfer worldwide and foreign exchange services to a cross-section of society, powered by a huge network, reputed partners and high standards of customer care.

“We have been tirelessly delivering top quality instant and

transparent services, a trait AEE is known for, and this branch will be no exception.”

Adeeb dedicated the new branch to the service of AEE’s esteemed customers, who he said have always supported and encouraged the company to deliver the best.

Talking about future plans Adeeb added, “We have applied for permissions for few more branches this year. We have plans to add a second branch in Sohar early next quarter.”

AEE alongside the rapid growth also boasts of a high calibre workforce backed by the latest technologies to deliver the highest standards of customer satisfaction

possible. Its lucrative and progressive HR policy attracts the best talent in the market and the company in collaboration with premier banks have been sending its Omani employees overseas for training for the past three years.

AEE has partnered with internationally renowned and trusted money transfer service providers to guarantee that the client’s hard earned money reaches its destination in the fastest and the most secure way possible. The exchange house caters to markets across the world and has direct remittance arrangements with premier banks for India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Indonesia.

Bank Sohar extends support to Society for Hearing Impaired

ACCOLADE

Qatar Airways voted ‘Best For Business Travel’ DOHA: Qatar Airways has been recognised as one of the world’s leading airlines in the recent Condé Nast Traveller ‘Readers’ Travel Awards’ held at the Ham Yard Hotel in Central London.

The airline was awarded the coveted ‘Best For Business’ accolade with readers commending the airline’s five-star on-board service, on-time departure punctuality record and lounge facilities at both the London Heathrow Premium Lounge and the Al Mourjan Business Lounge, Doha. The airline was also awarded runner-up as the readers’ choice for ‘Leisure Long-haul Travel’ at the ceremony attended by hundreds of industry leaders and travel specialists, says a press release.

Akbar Al Baker, group chief executive, Qatar Airways, said: “We are honoured to be recognised as

the best airline for business travel by the readers of Condé Nast Traveller. Providing an unrivalled service, offering exceptional in-flight and on-ground lounge facilities and focusing on our passengers’ priorities are our goals – and this award is yet another testament to achieving that. Combined with our modern fleet and extensive busi-

ness and leisure destinations via Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways continues to set the industry standard in airline travel.”

Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world.

As global launch customer of the Airbus A350, passengers can benefit from a new boarding experience

achieved by the unique dome-design entrance and wide seats with generous room in all classes of service thanks to a number of design developments.

This state-of-the-art aircraft comprises a two-class configuration with 36 seats in Business Class in a 1-2-1 configuration, featuring 80” fully flat beds and 17” HD inflight entertainment screens, and 247 seats in Economy Class, each 18-inches wide in a 3-3-3 configuration, with up to a 32-inch pitch.

Each individual Economy seat features a 10.6” in-flight entertainment screen, and more space at shoulder level for passengers in window seats, thanks to a vertical side wall panel design. From 2016 the A350 will additionally operate to both Philadelphia and New York from the airline’s international hub, Hamad International Airport.

NEW ADDITION

McDonald’s adds new premium salad to its menu MUSCAT: Delivering on its commitment to offer balanced food options that cater to different customer tastes and lifestyles, McDonald’s Oman (Al Daud Restaurants) announced the launch of the new premium salad range as part of its permanent menu.

The refreshing additions, Chicken Caesar Salad, Quinoa Fattoush and Feta Garden Salad, are now available in all McDonald’s restaurants, says a press release.

“The addition of the new premium salad range to our core menu comes as part of our commitment to provide a variety of balanced options that cater to our customers’ different lifestyle needs. We are proud of these new innovations that deliver impeccably on our promise to offer delightful food prepared to the highest standards of food quality and safety all the way from the farm to the customer’s tray,” said Ali

K. Daud, development licensee and president of McDonald’s Oman.

The Quinoa Fattoush offers a traditional taste from Arabia with a ‘power’ twist of quinoa, the superfood of its food category. The salad also contains crisp romaine lettuce cuts, rocca, diced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, a light sprinkle of Fattoush chips and a zesty Fattoush dressing.

The Feta Garden Salad, which also contains nutritious quinoa seeds, will delight customers with its mix of feta cheese cubes, baby spinach, corn, rocca, yellow capsicum, juicy cucumbers and cherry tomatoes mix, topped off with a mustard vinaigrette dressing.

Finally, the premium Chicken Caesar Salad comes with crunchy romaine lettuce cuts, topped with tender grilled halal chicken strips, crispy bread croutons and shredded Parmesan cheese.

MUSCAT: Further diversifying the reach of its ongoing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Bank Sohar has extended its support to the Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired.

This latest donation will contribute towards the purchase of vital hearing aids and hearing impaired alert devices for members of the society.

The donation cheque was handed over to the association by Munira Abdulnabi Macki, DGM of Human Resource and Corporate Support.

Receiving the cheque on behalf of Sultan Nasser Al Amri, chairman of Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired, was Hamood bin Nasser Al Shidhani, Deputy Board Memberof the Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired.

Also present at the handover ceremony was Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, AGM and Head of Marketing and Publicity at Bank Sohar, says a press release.

Speaking on the rationale behind this donation, Munira commented, “Bank Sohar has always been deeply committed towards helping improve the quality of life of those in need,and through its prominent CSR programme, has always tried to broaden its reach to touch the lives of as many people as possible.

“Having an impairment, no matter what it may be, should not stop anyone from leading a normal life. We consider it our obligation as a responsible corporate entity to work closely with organisations, such as the Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired, and do everything in our power to help them meet their ultimate objectives.”

Launched in 2013, the Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired was created with the aim of integrating more people with hearing impairment into mainstream society, helping them be more selfreliant and teaching them sign language. The association also works hard towards securing jobs for its members with both the government and private sector; thereby ensuring that they will be valuable contributing members

to society.

Thanking Bank Sohar for its support, Sultan Nasser Al Amri said, “We established Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired in 2013 in order to help those with hearing impairments lead normal lives and become valued contributing members to the society.

With the support of companies such as Bank Sohar, we can help make them achieve self-confidence and self-sufficiency, capable of handling work and responsibilities in mainstream society just as effectively as anyone else.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Bank Sohar for their support and look forward to working with them in the future.”

Bank Sohar strives to ensure that its contributions are carefully planned and evaluated in order to diversify and reach out to the maximum number of people, especially those in most need of it, offering recipients positive support to make a meaningful change. In addition to the Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired, Bank Sohar has also supported several other organisations and their activities in the current year including Al Amal Association,Dar Al Atta’a, the Al Wafa Centre for Rehabilitation Children with Disabilities, Al Noor Association for the BlindDhofar and Nizwa Branches, Oman Association for the Disabled – Muscat and Sohar Branches, Oman Hereditary Blood Disorder Association, and Omani Association Elderly Friends – North Sharqiya branch.

The bank’s CSR initiatives have always been central to its operational strategy. In recognition of its contributions, Bank Sohar has received numerous accolades for its CSR efforts locally, regionally, and internationally including the ‘Golden Order of Merit in the field of CSR’ Award from UAE based Excellence Awards Academy in 2014 and 2015, the ‘Green Campaign of the Year’ award at the ‘Oman Green Award 2014’, and ‘Most Socially Responsible Bank Oman 2014’ by UK based International Finance Magazine (IFM).

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New E Travel branch inaugurated in KOM

PA R T N E R S H I P

Within a span of short time E Travel & Tours has become

Daleel Petroleum inks three-year pact with Outward Bound Oman

the one-stop travel solutions provider — offering a full spectrum of travel related services, including business travel, leisure travel, travel insurance, meetings, events and allied travel products

MUSCAT: E Travel & Tours, one of the premium travel & tour operators in Oman, have opened their new branch in KOM, the technology hub of Oman.

The branch was opened recently at the facilities building in KOM

campus. The function was presided by Dr Salim Al Ruzaiqi, CEO of Information Technology Authority, and Dr Hamed Al Rawahi, executive president of Telecom Regulatory Authority. Sheikh Ahmed Suwaidan Al Balushi, group chairman, and Husain Al Lawati, group CEO, also attended the occasion, says a press release.

Ejaz Kazi, general manager of E Travels, said that the premium service quality and the customer focused operations adopted by E Travels had made them the preferred travel agency in Oman and the fruit of the committed customer service had given them

this opportunity to be in the midst of the technology hub of Oman.

E Travel will be the only agency which will be functioning from the facilities building and will be serving the travel and holiday needs of the clients from Knowledge Oasis Muscat.

Within a span of short time E Travel & Tours has become the one-stop travel solutions provider — offering a full spectrum of travel related services, including business travel, leisure travel, travel insurance, meetings, events and allied travel products. E Travel has its corporate office at Al Araimi Complex, Qurum, Muscat and implant

offices in major client premises.

E Travel & Tours adopts a premium service quality to serve its customers from corporate houses, embassies, institutions, MNC’s and government organisations.

Thanks to its prominent location in Qurum and cutting edge customer service, E Travel has emerged as the trusted travel partner for corporate and the business traveller and worldwide leisure/ holidays for residents of Muscat.

E Travel & Tours believes in team work and the team has a vast knowledge of the travel and holiday products and seasoned for quality customer care.

RESEARCH SUPPORT

Shell signs agreement with ESO MUSCAT: As part of its commitment towards the environment and sustainable development in Oman, Shell Oman has recently signed a sponsorship agreement with the Environment Society of Oman (ESO).

The agreement signed by Chris Breeze, Shell’s country chairman in Oman; Adil bin Ismail Al Raisi, managing director of Shell Oman Marketing Company; and Her Highness Sayyida Tania bint Shabib Al Said, president of the Environment Society of Oman, will fund a study on acoustic research of Arabian Sea Humpback Whales in Oman, says a press release.

Research studies supported by ESO estimate that there are less than 100 Arabian sea humpback whales left in Oman’s waters. In order to protect this endangered and genetically unique subpopulation of humpbacks, further research is critical.

The study will focus on processing acoustic recordings of Arabian Sea humpback whales from recorders deployed over a two year period between 2011 and 2013, at Halaniyat Bay and the Gulf of Masirah. Through the detection of vocalising whales, ambient noise analysis and humpback whale song analysis the project will provide information on critical habitats, the impact of noise-related human activities

and overall whale behaviour. The study will be done in collaboration with Dr Salvatore Cerchio, a visiting scientist from the New England Aquarium.

Commenting on this programme, Tania Al Said said, “This ongoing research has been carried out for over 10 years by a dedicated and experienced team of scientists and we are honoured to have the unwavering support of the corporate sector to allow us to continue to do so. I would like to thank Shell Oman for their partnership which will enable us to study the whale population more closely and enable us to move closer towards the conservation of this magnificent species that call Oman home.”

Mohammed Al Farsi, general manager of External Affairs & Business Development in Shell Oman Marketing Company said: “We are looking forward to the contribution of this research to the conservation of biodiversity and marine ecosystems of Oman, and at the same time its impact on raising awareness about the cause. Shell Oman has a track record of supporting such environmentally-driven research programmes like the Whale & Dolphin Research Group, the Arabian Leopard Research and the Egyptian Vulture Research Project; and we are committed to our partnership with ESO to help preserve biodiversity in the Sultanate for future generations.”

R A I S I N G AWA R E N E S S

AkzoNobel celebrates safety day

MUSCAT: Employees of AkzoNobel Oman came together recently to celebrate the company’s fifth global Safety Day. Held annually since 2010, AkzoNobel’s Safety Day is designed to raise safety awareness among its employees around the globe.

2015’s Safety Day focused on slips, trips and falls (STFs) and the use of the golden principle as part of the company’s life-saving rules. The golden principle reinforces on AkzoNobel’s employees, the freedom to stop work if conditions are unsafe, and applies to employees at manufacturing sites and all AkzoNobel office locations and those on business travel, says a press release.

AkzoNobel Oman delivered a series of interactive and engaging activities that ranged from short skits performed by employees to videos and interactive presentations. Within the main theme of STFs, AkzoNobel has defined five sub-themes based on common factors that lead to STFs incidents and injuries: Watch where you’re walking, watch out for slippery or uneven surfaces, keep workplaces clean and tidy, use the right working equipment and ensure enough light.

N. Balachandran, general manager, AkzoNobel Oman said: “At AkzoNobel, we take safety very seriously. Safety forms one of the three core principles of AkzoNo-

bel’s code of conduct. This celebration reinforces the message that “nothing we do is worth getting hurt for”. Of course, creating a safe workplace is key to delivering a leading business performance.

But above all, we care about our colleagues. Commitment to best practices, such as safety, is why AkzoNobel consistently tops the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.”

Earlier this month, AkzoNobel announced that it has ranked number one on the influential Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the fourth consecutive year. The latest listing, published on September 10, places the company first out of more than 350 companies in the materials industry group.

Commenting on this occasion, Dr Ali Al Lawati, general manager of External Relations in Shell Development Oman stated: “This agreement is another step towards Shell’s continued contribution to the efforts of the Environment Society of Oman. Meeting the world’s growing energy needs and protecting the environment requires new technology, partnerships and ways of operating.

“Engaging the right expertise and conducting environmental research are key enablers along the way towards achieving these goals and ensuring a future that addresses environmental issues.”

This agreement comes after previous successful partnerships between Shell and the Environment Society of Oman that aimed to contribute to the preservation of Oman’s environment.

Similar initiatives supported

by Shell in the past include the launch of an environment curriculum (in partnership with the Ministry of Education) and the sponsorship of the Chief Scientist of British Schools Exploring Society’s expedition to Oman, the Global Flyway Network in Barr Al Hakman, a series of books about the environment, including Birds in Oman and Whales and Dolphins of Arabia and a study about Egyptian Vultures in partnership with ESO.

MUSCAT: Daleel Petroleum recently signed a three-year memorandum of understanding with Outward Bound Oman to support the educational foundation in its mission to equip the youth of Oman with practical and key life skills.

The MoU was signed by His Highness Sayyid Faisal Bin Turki Al Said, Patron of Outward Bound Oman, and Fahmy Al Musharfy, CPO of Daleel Petroleum. The partnership underscores Daleel’s commitment to building the capacity of Omani youth across the Sultanate, supporting the government’s efforts to empower Omani young people to embrace future opportunities, says a press release.

The partnership will benefit more than 200 young people from across the Sultanate by funding challenging, four-day adventurous journeys of learning into the desert or the Omani jebels, thus creating opportunities for young people to experience Oman’s wilderness whilst developing key life skills such as leadership, teamwork, and how to deal with failure, based on the guiding principle that each individual has undiscovered potential.

A typical Outward Bound course will see students being stretched both mentally and physically, and put into situations where an appreciation of risk, reward and re-

sponsibility for one’s self, others and the environment are a natural outcome, so equipping them with a skill set they can use in their everyday life, and as they enter the world of work.

Fahmy Al Musharfy, CPO of Daleel Petroleum says, “Daleel Petroleum has focused, in the recent few years, on taking part in CSR programmes, and has assigned a team to prepare the necessary plans and studies, and allocated sufficient funding that is commensurate with the size of programmes and projects proposed every year.

“The memorandum of understanding with Outward Bound Oman is one of the efficient projects given special attention to support education and training programs as Daleel Petroleum believes that individuals are the source and foundation of development.”

Faisal Al Said added, “We are grateful to Daleel for their support, and welcome them into The Patrons Company, a group of leading companies in Oman that actively support the development of Omani young people. In addition, we look forward to welcoming its volunteer mentor’s to our unique educational experience where they can interact directly with the youth and Omani wilderness to ensure a memorable experience.”

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Bank Muscat workshop evokes good response

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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

al Wathbah, Bank

BankDhofar team shares Eid joy with children at SQUH

Muscat’s SME department, organised the workshop as part of activities aimed at expanding and strengthening avenues for SME development in Oman

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, as part of its ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and partnership in sustainable development, hosted a workshop on the fundamentals of finance and cost control for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at Hilton Salalah Hotel. al Wathbah, Bank Muscat’s SME department, organised the workshop as part of activities aimed at expanding and strengthening avenues for SME development in Oman, says a press release.

Expert trainers led the work-

shop, which evoked strong response from existing and prospective entrepreneurs, who were familiarised with key aspects of finance and cost management integral for charting successful business ventures.

Ilham Al Hamaid, AGM – SME Credit, Marketing and Regional Corporates, said: “Bank Muscat is delighted to facilitate yet another unique learning opportunity to address the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and thereby create an environment favourable for SME success. In step with the directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to support the SME sector and strengthen its role in the economic development of Oman, Bank Muscat has taken the lead to develop the SME sector in Oman.

“In light of the business environment in Oman which offers tremendous opportunities and challenges for the SME sector,

Bank Muscat remains committed to creating self-employment opportunities for citizens across the Sultanate.”

Over the years, Bank Muscat has launched several initiatives as part of its commitment to SME development in Oman. Serving as building blocks for entrepreneurs, these initiatives assume importance in the backdrop of the priority accorded by the government to develop the SME sector in Oman.

Bank Muscat offers a comprehensive suite of tailor-made SME finance solutions. Notably, al Wathbah SME non-collateral finance not requiring collateral guarantee is a bold step affirming the bank’s commitment to encouraging an entrepreneurial culture in Oman. al Wathbah SME TV from Bank Muscat is the first educational video channel in the banking sector in Oman launched with the

MEGA LITERARY EVENT

sole objective of helping SMEs gain 24/7 access to vital information that help drive their business further. The primary objective of al Wathbah SME TV, accessible on Bank Muscat website, is to provide a common platform to educate and update SMEs on the latest rules, regulations, challenges and opportunities for SME business ventures.

Marking Oman’s 45th Renaissance anniversary under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Bank Muscat widened the scope of al Wathbah Academy training programme to benefit 45 beneficiaries. The bank has also launched a series of initiatives to support women entrepreneurs. The support to SMEs and women empowerment initiatives stem from the bank’s commitment to create self-employment opportunities complementing the country’s progress and development.

MUSCAT: On the advent of Eid Al Adha and within the framework of BankDhofar community outreach and social involvement initiatives, the Mujtamaie volunteer team visited inpatient children at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH). The team handed out toys and presents to children to lift up their spirits and bring joy and happiness to them on the occasion of Eid Al Adha, says a press release.

Sami Omar Al Zadjali, head of Marketing & Corporate Communications at BankDhofar, said: “All BankDhofar social initiatives and community involvement activities come in line with our strategy to reinforce our role as an integral component of the social fabric. We, as a socially responsible Omani organisation, spare no efforts to participate in and promote initiatives that contribute to the wellbeing of society

and strengthen ties between its members.”

“I would like to thank the management of the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital for their cooperation and for facilitating these visits, which gave us the opportunity to meet and greet inpatient children and share the joy of Eid Al Adha with them and their family members.”

Taking proactive steps on the path of the Sultanate’s social development and prosperity, BankDhofar puts corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the forefront of its commitments. Community and social awareness campaigns, as well as a strong focus on engaging staff, are being promoted across the BankDhofar through various channels. The bank works towards supporting sustainable CSR initiatives and investing in long term objectives of all its CSR activities.

NEW SPECTRUM FREQUENCY

Urdu Wing to hold Mushaira 2015 Ooredoo customers can now

enjoy improved 4G coverage

MUSCAT: The Urdu Wing of Indian Social Club announced its next edition of annual Mushaira to be held early next month.

Urdu Wing aims to continue the long standing tradition of promoting Urdu language and culture in the Sultanate of Oman. Mushaira 2015 will present a slew of internationally acclaimed Urdu poets, says a press release.

The Urdu Wing is a non-profitable literary and cultural organisation. It has been organising literary events in Oman since its inceptions in 2006.

Mushaira 2015 is set to enthral the audience with Urdu poetry and honour the works of legendary poets like Nida Fazli, Munawwar Rana and Rais Ansari.

Other poets who will participate are Jauhar Kanpuri, Shabeena Adeeb, Nawaz Doebandhi, Saleem Amrovhi and Suman Dubey.

Success of the previous year’s Mushaira events has created a huge recognition for the event among audience as well as sponsors. This year too, many sponsors have come forward to

MUSCAT: Ooredoo continues to demonstrate technology leadership in the Sultanate with the recent acquisition of new spectrum frequency (LTE 800), to provide significant additional capacity and improved 4G coverage.

The company was the first in the country to deploy 3G at the 900 lower frequency, which resulted in an uplift in coverage and improved battery life and performance inside buildings for customers.

Now they are doing the same with their new 800 spectrum for 4G services; providing customers with 4G coverage equivalent to the current 3G coverage.

With this exciting development, customers can expect to see the same leap in coverage and performance as they did when Ooredoo first launched their 3G services on the 900 spectrum 2013.

Greg Young, CEO of Ooredoo, said: “Not only will this cutting edge development bring significantly improved coverage and speed, but it will eliminate any related battery life issues that were previously associated when enabling 4G on smart devices. Where previously phones would switch between 3G and 4G as customers moved to different locations, the new continuous 4G 800 cov-

Urdu Wing aims to continue the long standing tradition of promoting Urdu language and culture in the Sultanate of Oman. Mushaira 2015 will present a slew of internationally acclaimed Urdu poets support the event.

Al Omaniya Financial Services will be the Presenter of the Mushaira with Bank of Beirut being the leading sponsor. The other

sponsors include Shadeed Jindal, Arabian Heights, Nuhas Oman, Raha, Badar Al Sama, Al Oruba International Company and Modern Exchange.

erage means that phones are not constantly switching between 4G and 3G and battery consumption is reduced. Customers will not need to worry about battery life and do not need to switch off 4G, making their whole experience with Ooredoo second to none.”

Current data service coverage is provided via LTE 1800 (4G) and UMTS 900 (3G) spectrum. Ooredoo is now adding LTE 800 to a number of sites around Muscat which effectively doubles capacity and brings improved 4G technology to Oman for the first time.

But what can customers expect to see with this latest technology?

Not only will there be significantly enhanced 4G indoor coverage wherever the base stations have been upgraded, but it also

means better connectivity, faster downloads and streaming, as well as access to everything people want at their fingertips these days on their smartphones or devices.

It’s a thrilling new experience from Ooredoo.

Young added: “Customer experience has always been at the heart of our business and this development will give customers the level of fast and reliable connectivity they are looking for. We will be progressively rolling out this new technology across the country and with this, have laid the foundation for further increases in data speeds for our customers.”

These latest upgrades are all part of Ooredoo’s extensive modernisation strategy that has seen an investment of OMR124 million over the past three years to provide a fast, reliable and future-proofed network that covers 99% of the population.

While some customers may be concerned about 4G data costs, Ooredoo’s charges for 3G and 4G services are the same. So, experiencing faster connectivity with Ooredoo is available to all those who have a 4G capable device.

Ooredoo provides a number of inspiring data plans for both postpaid and prepaid customers.

CULINARY SKILLS

A’Saffa ‘Online Recipe Contest’ to come to a close on October 3 MUSCAT: A’Saffa Foods, the Sultanate’s largest fully integrated poultry and allied food producer’s ‘Online Recipe Contest’ on Facebook has received a tremendous response from cooking enthusiasts and amateur chefs. The contest is open to all residents aged 18 years or above, and comes to a close on October 3.

The innovative recipe challenge is being held in two phases in the first phase, the contestants upload an original recipe devised by them in word or PDF format along with three pictures of preparation on the A’Saffa Facebook page. In the second phase, the top six recipes will be chosen by the judges, and the originators of these recipes will then take part in an on-ground cooking event that will take place on October 16; wherein the theme will be given to the contestants on the spot.

Three winners will then be chosen, and awarded certificates and fine-dining vouchers from Volare (1st prize: OMR75; 2nd prize:

We are extremely happy with the response to the contest this far, and urge cooking enthusiasts and amateur chefs who haven’t participated yet, to do so at the earliest Sidhartha Lenka

Head of Marketing and Sales

OMR50; 3rd prize: OMR25).

Contestants will have to submit a recipe that includes at least one A’Saffa product in the ingredients.

Recipes will be judged on originality, ease of preparation and appearance.

“We are extremely happy with the response to the contest this far, and urge cooking enthusiasts and amateur chefs who haven’t participated yet, to do so at the earliest,” said Sidhartha Lenka, head of Marketing and Sales. ” He continued, “Each and every A’Saffa Foods social media initiative is a step towards further engaging and interacting with our consumers, and informing them about the goodness, purity, freshness, halal and 100 percent natural attribute of our brand. Through our social media outreach programmes, updates, online contests, opinion polls to name a few, we intend to reach out to as many people as possible in the Sultanate and beyond,” said Sidhartha Lenka.

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REAL’S RONALDO EYES HISTORY

Cristiano Ronaldo has another chance to move ahead of Raul as Real’s top goalscorer of all time on enemy territory as Los Blancos make the daunting trip to take on Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. >C6

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OMAN UNDER-16 FOOTBALL TEAM RETURN HOME TO HERO’S WELCOME

Oman under-16 football team returned home to hero’s welcome on Monday after clinching a berth for the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship with their exploits in a Group B qualifying matches in Kyrgyzstan. The reigning GCC junior champions, topped the group to book a place in the Asian championship to be hosted in India next year. In Group B matches played in the Kyrgyzstan capital city of Bishek, Yacoub Al Sabahi-coached Omanis defeated the hosts by a 2-0 margin in their opening encounter. Though they lost their second match to Jordan 2-0, the Omani boys scored a 3-1 win over Nepal to secure their entry to the championship. On their return home, the team and Yacoub Al Sabahi’s coaching and support staff were provided warm reception by Oman Football Association General Secretary and CEO Sultan Ameen Al Zadjali and other association officials. — SALEH AL SHAMLAN/OFA

Ahmad and Co enjoy top 10 finish as Blancpain season concludes With an engine issue preventing Ahmad and teammates Mücke and Butcher from enjoying any track time in the pre-qualifying session, the rapid trio overcame the difficulties to deliver a sterling race performance

MUSCAT: Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 racer Ahmad Al Harthy and the Oman Racing Team (ORT) celebrated their best result of the Blancpain Endurance Series campaign at the Nurburgring in Germany on Sunday, with a superb outright top 10 finish during the fifth and final round of 2015.

Despite a challenging start to the event, with an engine issue preventing Ahmad and teammates Stefan Mücke and Rory Butcher from enjoying any track time in the pre-qualifying session, the rapid trio overcame the difficulties to de-

liver a sterling race performance in the three hour contest.

“That was a great, great race for us,” said an elated Ahmad. “To finish in the top 10 in Blancpain is like a podium to us, we’re competing against some of the best teams and drivers in the world so to end the season with a result like this is fantastic and very important for the Oman Racing Team.”

Factory Aston Martin driver Mücke, drafted into the Oman Racing Team for the first time this weekend, took the opening stint of the race and from 22nd overall

RAPID TRIO: Ahmad Al Harthy, centre, with Stefan Mucke, right, and Rory Butcher. – Supplied photo

on the grid — 16th in the Pro Cup class — the German swiftly carved his way through the order.

Holding 15th position overall just prior to the 30 minute mark, after a three lap Safety Car period Mücke climbed into the outright top five as some of the mandatory pit-stops began to be taken and handed the No.44 car over to Ahmad with just over an hour completed.

FOOTBALL

FA charges Costa and Gabriel over Chelsea-Arsenal clash LONDON: Diego Costa and Gabriel have been charged with violent conduct and improper conduct respectively over incidents during Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Arsenal, the Football Association announced on Monday.

Chelsea striker Costa has been charged for apparently swinging his arm at Laurent Koscielny during Saturday’s game, with Arsenal’s Gabriel charged for his reaction to being sent off for kicking out at Costa shortly after.

Gabriel’s teammate Santi Cazorla has also been warned as to his behaviour following his dismissal later in the game, while both teams were charged with failing to control their players.

“Diego Costa has been charged for an alleged act of violent conduct which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video,” the FA said in a statement on its website. “The Chelsea forward was involved in an incident with Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny in the 43rd minute of the game.

“Arsenal defender Gabriel has been charged with improper conduct for his behaviour following his dismissal, whilst team-mate Santi Cazorla has been warned for his behaviour following his sending off.

“Finally, both clubs have been charged for failing to control their players under FA Rule E20.”

Costa, who risks a three-game suspension if found guilty, has

VIOLENT CLASH: In this file picture taken on September 19, Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel, left, and Chelsea’s Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa are separated by Arsenal’s Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech as they clash during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge in London. – AFP

until 1700 GMT on Tuesday to respond to his charge, while Gabriel and the two clubs have until the same time on Thursday.

Arsenal announced on Monday that they have made a claim for wrongful dismissal regarding Gabriel and are seeking to have his three-match ban overturned.

Costa twice appeared to strike Koscielny with his hand towards the end of the first half at Stamford Bridge and then became embroiled in an altercation with Gabriel, for which both players were booked.

Moments later, with Costa and Gabriel continuing to snipe at each other, the Arsenal defender flicked

his heel towards the Chelsea striker and referee Mike Dean reacted by sending the Brazilian off.

The FA confirmed that Costa’s clash with Koscielny had not been seen by Dean and had therefore been referred to a panel of three former elite referees, all of whom considered it a sending-off offence.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger strongly criticised Costa after the game and accused Dean of “naivety” and “weakness”.

But Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said Costa, a Brazilborn Spain international, had been “fantastic” and declared him his man of the match. - AFP

Rejoining the race in 14th position overall, 13th in the Pro Cup, the Oman Air, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs, Ooredoo, National Bank of Oman and Al Hashar Group backed racer delivered a consistently strong and competitive stint and maintained hopes of a potential top 10 points finish.

During another Safety Car period late in the second hour, the vast

majority of the upper order opted to make their second round of mandatory driver change pit-stops and Ahmad pitted at the end of lap 54 from 14th position.

Thanks to another good turnaround from the Oman Racing Team pit crew, with Butcher now behind the wheel, the Aston Martin held 13th place overall and 11th in the Pro Cup when the race order

settled back down and inside 10 laps the Scottish driver had broken into the outright top 10.

Maintaining position to the finish on lap 88, Butcher — making his debut in the Blancpain Endurance Series this weekend — helped to seal the team’s best result of the campaign as well as the second Pro Cup points score of 2015.

“Stefan and Rory did an amazing, amazing job and we were able to show we can be competitive with the best,” reflected Aston Martin Middle East and North Africa ambassador Ahmad. “Nurburgring isn’t the best track for our car either, so it shows what a great job the whole team did this weekend.

“It really is very satisfying to end the season like this, to finish in the top 10 in Blancpain was our objective at the start of the season – we’ve done it so we’re delighted. I have to say a huge thank you to all of the sponsors for standing with us, everyone back home in Oman and to the guys in the team who all worked so hard this year. We hope to announce our plans for next year very soon!”

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Indian players, leaders pay homage to Dalmiya The 75-year-old Dalmiya, who passed away at Kolkata city hospital on Sunday, has been hailed as the man who made India the home of cricket

NEW DELHI: Describing former president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jagmohan Dalmiya as a great administrator, Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said that in his death, the country has lost an enthusiast who made India the home of cricket.

“The game of cricket has lost a great administrator who shifted the home of cricket to India. I have lost a personal friend,” he said in his condolence message from Hong Kong.

The 75-year-old Dalmiya, passed away at Kolkata city hospital on Sunday following a massive cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife Chadralekha, daughter Vaishali and son Abhishek.

“I last met him in Kolkata last month. He was hopeful of recovering. Destiny however, decided otherwise,” Jaitley said in his Facebook post titled ‘Dalmiya Ji - A man in a league of his own’.

Jaitley, a former BCCI administrator, said Dalmiya’s passing away “is a great loss to the cricket administration, the BCCI, the CAB, his friends and family.”

“To me it is a personal loss as we shared a warm personal relationship for over two decades.”

He also recalled the Dalmiya’s contribution in defending the BCCI’s right to telecast its own cricket matches and support the game by the revenues generated from broadcasting rights.

“I first met him in the early nineties when he and Inderjit Bindra another veteran cricket administrator decided to take on the Government of India and defend the

SHIFTED HOME OF CRICKET TO INDIA: Jagmohan Dalmiya

BCCI’s right to telecast its’ own cricket matches and support the game of cricket with the revenues generated by Television Broadcasting rights,” he said.

Although the Government contended that ‘National Security’ would be threatened if uplinking was allowed to private parties, Jaitley said, “we succeeded in getting an Interim order from the Supreme Court and finally won the case. Thanks to the battle fought by the ‘Dalmiya-Bindra duo, ‘AIRWAVES’ were freed in India and free speech on Television became a reality and more meaningful.”

Having economically empowered the BCCI with the TV money, he said, Dalmiya realised the power of the “eyeballs”.

“India alone accounted for more than seventy five per cent of the TV audiences, an equal amount of sponsorship money and hence India’s influence in the International Cricket Council (IC) would also increase. Dalmiya became the President of the ICC and India’s influence in the world of cricket has never looked back,” he said.

Jaitley further said even though Dalmiya attracted opposition both within the ICC and the BCCI, he managed to stage a comeback after being ousted from CAB for a brief

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period by the Left Front Government. Former BCCI President A C Muthiah hailed Dalmiya’s contribution in making cricket a moneyspinning sport.

“Dalmiya was a dynamic personality. It was Dalmiya who was responsible for liberating ICC from the clutches of MCC which was then funding ICC for its day-to-day expenses. Dalmiya’s acumen and marketing abilities brought revenue to ICC and its member countries,” he said.

‘Will miss his ready laugh’ Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar paid tributes to Dalmiya terming him as someone, who put the game of cricket above everything else.

The legendary opener, who shared a cordial relation with Dalmiya said that he will miss his smiling persona.

“I will miss his ready laugh. May his soul rest in peace,” Gavaskar said in his tribute.

Terming him “a giant of international cricket”, Gavaskar said:”Jagmohan Dalmiya was one of those administrators for whom the game of cricket was above everything else. It was under his stewardship that the BCCI and ICC became the financial powerhouses they have become today.

“He along with IS Bindra recognised the potential of Indian cricket and of the way the electronic media could play a role in furthering and developing the sport. It was under Dalmiya’s leadership that the ICC who then had only a few thousand dollars in their kitty went on to have the millions today which are disbursed to the rest of the cricketing world.”

“His statesmanship also helped ease many a prickly situation in international cricket and Indian cricket in particular,” he added.

Meanwhile former ICC chief Sharad Pawar also condoled the death of Dalmiya, crediting him for breaking the monopoly of first world countries on the game’s world governing body.

Having been a long-time rival to Dalmiya in many a BCCI battle, Pawar took to social networking platform Twitter to express his grief at the BCCI chief’s demise.

“I am deeply saddened to know about the demise of Jagmohan Dalmiya. He will always be remembered as the first person from a third world country to hold the office of the International Cricket Council (ICC), which is the highest governing body of world cricket,” Pawar tweeted.

Th 74-year-old also praised Dalmiya for making the Indian board the most powerful body in world cricket.

“He made BCCI a powerful and influential cricket body in the field of sports. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Pawar wrote on his twitter handle.

With state honours Later on Monday, Dalmiya was laid to rest with full state honour and gun salute in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

The news Dalmiya’s death spread shock waves across the cricket fraternity, prompting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to announce a full state honours for the departed soul.

India’s top cricket administrators including, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, ICC chairman Srinivasan, IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla, former presidents Sharad Pawar, Shashank Manohar gathered to pay their homage at Eden Gardens, where his body was kept for more than two hours. - PTI

C O M M E N TA RY

How Indian selectors missed the bus

T

he logic behind the selection of Gurkeerat Singh Mann to the Indian ODI team is delightfully simple, but the logic, if there’s any, that kept him out of the T20 lineup is ridiculous. The young man from Punjab has been keeping the door wide open for quite some time as if he knew Team India would come knocking in its desperate search for all-rounders who could fit into the Ravi Shastri-Virat Kohli scheme of things.

The cool with which Gurkeerat hit two consecutive sixes to seal victory against a strong Australia A side in the tri-series final last month on his way to scoring 87, and his all-round performance the other day when a five-for show with the ball followed a quickfire 65 with the bat against Bangladesh A, happened in one-day matches, true, but it was in a T20 game we got the first fabulous view of the guy’s flash of flamboyance.

That was against the best fast bowler in the world then and now.

His breezy knock of 29, off 12 balls, to clinch what until then had seemed an impossible victory came in an IPL match in 2012.

The bowler at the receiving end was Dayle Steyn, and notching up 13 runs required to win the battle, off four balls, was really making a statement in the best possible way.

The T20 team has 13 of the 15 selected for the ODI series against South Africa, with Umesh Yadav and Gurkeerat getting dropped to make room for Sreenath Aravind and Harbhajan Singh.

While the inclusion of the 31-year-old Aravind makes sense from a sympathetic point of view—he was picked up four years ago but was given no chance to play — the selectors’ sympathy for Harbhajan was out of place.

Harbhajan is past his prime. He has been given quite a few lifelines, the Sri Lanka series being the latest, and if he couldn’t gain upon them it’s time the selectors closed the door on

him and let in a youngster like Gurkeerat. It’s simply about opening the door for the right man and closing it on the wrong one.

All-rounders are an endangered species, from an Indian context of things. Post-Kapil Dev, a few guys tried and failed to fit the bill. At the moment, the best in the business will only bring a smile on the face of guys like Steyn.

For now, R. Ashwin is the spinning all-rounder and Stuart Binny is the batting all-rounder, and when any of them walks out into the middle with the bat when the team is in crisis in a limited-over game and Steyn is all pumped up, it’s impossible for even the staunchest fan of Indian cricket to place his trust in the guy.

That kind of power and reliability is simply missing in Binny or Ashwin, but if you got a guy like Gurkeerat padded in the dressing room, that’s hope in flesh and blood.

Now that Ravindra Jadeja, the man M.S. Dhoni had been pinning his hopes on for a long time, has been left out of the team, it would have made sense if the guy picked up in his place has been given all possible opportunities.

At 35, Harbhajan is not the future, but 25-year-olds like Gurkeerat are, for Team India. The possibility of a longer run than the stingy three offered at the moment would have made Gurkeerat try out his skills and get into his rhythm in a more confident way even if he suffered setbacks in the beginning.

Viewed from such an angle, it’s simply an opportunity wasted by the selectors.

The writer is a freelance contributor based in India. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman

VICIOUS INFIGHTING

Dalmiya demise to unleash BCCI leadership battle NEW DELHI: The death of Indian cricket supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya was set to trigger a new leadership battle in the game’s global powerhouse, with experts on Monday predicting vicious infighting between rival factions.

Dalmiya, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), died on Sunday at a hospital in Kolkata where he was being treated for a heart condition, with no designated successor.

The 75-year-old was widely hailed as the man who transformed India into the most powerful nation in international cricket by presiding over a massive increase in TV revenues.

Observers also warned his death could signal fresh turmoil at the top of the board, with Narayanaswami Srinivasan, the controversial head of the International Cricket Council (ICC), tipped to try and wrest back power. The death of Dalmiya came only months after his own return to the helm of the BCCI as a consensus candidate following Srinivasan’s effective toppling in a corruption scandal.

BCCI officials have refused to be

drawn publicly on the succession.

But veteran cricket commentator Ayaz Memon said Dalmiya was the only person who had been able “to keep a semblance of decorum intact” between rival factions.

“The power struggle will be there between the two powerful factions. The only thing is it will be subterranean rather than out in the open,” Memon said.

The Hindustan Times said supporters of both Srinivasan and his rival Anurag Thakur, who is BCCI secretary and the board’s de facto number two, were gearing up for battle, predicting “tricky days ahead for the BCCI”.

Srinivasan was forced to stand down as BCCI president after being found guilty of a conflict of interest over his ownership of a team in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the BCCI’s moneyspinning Twenty20 tournament.

The blow was softened as he became chairman of the ICC but India’s preeminent position means it is usually the BCCI rather than the sport’s governing body that calls the shots on major decisions affecting the game.

Thakur is the head of the youth wing of India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party as well as being an MP (Member of Parliament), giving him crucial political clout in the battle against Srinivasan’s allies who remain on the board.

With Dalmiya largely absent from the scene, relations between the two camps have become increasingly bitter. Thakur recently accused Srinivisan of employing private detectives to eavesdrop on BCCI officials. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one BCCI official said a special general meeting would have to be convened within 15 days to elect a new chairman, expressing hope of “a consensus candidate” emerging.

Dalmiya legacy But cricket writer Vijay Lokapally said there was no obvious unity candidate.

“It’s an unprecedented situation because no sitting BCCI chief has died in office before. I am sure there will be a big tussle now for the position,” Lokapally said.

The political infighting within the BCCI has become more in-

tense over the last two decades, coinciding with India’s rise within the game. Dalmiya, who held a variety of BCCI posts, first came to prominence by bringing the 1987 and 1996 World Cups to the subcontinent.

He helped negotiate television deals worth tens of millions of dollars, a remarkable turnaround given the BCCI originally paid India’s public broadcaster to televise matches. Cash-strapped cricket nations such as Sri Lanka and the West Indies grew increasingly dependent on Indian tours and TV deals for their financial survival, making them desperate to stay onside with the BCCI. Dalmiya went on to become ICC president from 1997-2000 and BCCI president from 2001 to 2004 before being marginalised and then expelled over allegations of financial irregularities of which he was later cleared.

His comeback in elections in March was seen as a vindication of his long battle to clear his name, but health problems meant he left much of the board’s day-to-day running to Thakur. - AFP

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SPORTS F U N D A M E N TA L T R U T H

Moves on chess board matter more than anything else: Anand MUMBAI: Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand said on Monday that the moves he executes on the board matter more than anything else to him.

“In chess there is one fundamental truth, it doesn’t matter what the truth is, it matters what you execute on the board. In chess

you get rewarded what you do on the board in those two hours, not what you do before that and what you do after that,” Anand said here.

“It doesn’t matter what you think after you make the move. It is a much specialised thing. After playing for some time you will get to know what you are good at and

what you are not and you are the best judge of that. It is important to have respect on yourself that makes your game much easier,” he said.

The 45-year-old Grandmaster said teamwork in his game is a vital part. “The most important quality of a team is to understand how you feel and to create a comfortable at-

mosphere. I would prefer to work with people whom I can get along with well, that refers to my team.

“If you feel positive and carry that into the match and training, then your work will be more productive. I work a lot with my trainers, team management. You learn a lot from them also as you go along.”

Murray may skip Tour Finals for Davis Cup Missing the World Tour Finals would

The O2 would obviously be a question mark for me if we were playing on the clay. I would go and train and prepare on the clay to get ready for the (Davis Cup) final

oblige Murray to forego prize-money ranging from £300,000 ($465,800) to £1.25 million, as well as 1,500 ATP ranking points

GLASGOW: Andy Murray has revealed that he may decide to skip this year’s World Tour Finals in order to prepare for Great Britain’s Davis Cup final against Belgium in November.

Murray inspired Britain to victory over Australia in the Davis Cup semifinals, securing their first appearance in a final since 1978 with a straight-sets defeat of Bernard Tomic in Glasgow on Sunday.

Belgium are expected to stage the final on clay and with the hardcourt World Tour Finals not due to finish until the week before, Murray is thinking about sitting out the prestigious event at London’s O2 Arena.

“The O2 would obviously be a question mark for me if we were playing on the clay,” Murray, a twotime World Tour Finals semifinalist, told BBC Radio 5.

“I would go and train and prepare on the clay to get ready for the (Davis Cup) final. You saw last year with Roger Federer that the matches at the O2 are extremely tough and physically demanding.

“If you reach the final and play on the Sunday, you also need to take time off. You can’t just play five matches against the best players in the world and then not take any days off.”

FOOTBALL

Andy Murray Missing the World Tour Finals would oblige Murray to forego prizemoney ranging from £300,000 ($465,800) to £1.25 million, as well as 1,500 ATP ranking points.

His 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Tomic gave Britain an unassailable 3-1 lead, with Thanasi Kokkinakis’ win against Dan Evans in Sunday’s final singles rubber making the final score 3-2.

Belgium, who defeated Argentina 3-2 in the other semifinal, will host the final on November 27-29.

Murray, 28, won both singles matches as well as the doubles with elder brother Jamie, and revealed afterwards that a back injury sustained in training had dogged him throughout the tie.

“My back had been giving me a lot of trouble this weekend and for a few days before the tie as well,” the world number three said.

“The previous issues I’ve had with my back have been completely different. My back was fine during the US Open and all through that stretch.

“I took five days off and started practising again. On Tuesday night, once I had finished practising and had cooled down, my back was extremely sore and it got progressively worse over the next couple of days.”

First title since 1936 Victory puts nine-time winners Britain, on the verge of relegation to Zone Group III five years ago, a step closer to an historic first title triumph since 1936.

Murray is now looking to become only the fourth player ever to win the Davis Cup, Olympic gold and multiple Grand Slams.

“We have an opportunity to win the event in the next match, but there’s so much tennis still to go,” said the former US Open and Wimbledon champion. We still need to win three matches and there’s two or three months until the next tie, and a lot can happen between now and then. It would be an incredible achievement to win it, but there’s a long way to go.”

It was a final Davis Cup campaign for 34-year-old Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt, who is set to retire following the Australian Open in January 2016.

“It is a great honour. I have never shied away from it,” Hewitt, tipped as the next Australian Davis Cup captain, said of representing his country. “Tennis is a very selfish sport and I have always loved getting together as a group and playing for your country. We did everything we could have done in this tie. We laid it on the line again so I’ve no regrets, but at the same time I’m disappointed as we were so close to having the opportunity to play in another Davis Cup final.

“I’ve been lucky and had the opportunity to celebrate at the end of a winning campaign like 2003 and my first year in 1999, but I’ve definitely had my fair share of gutwrenching losses as well.

“These boys are going to get a lot more opportunities and they will be better players because of what happened this weekend.” - AFP

DOMINANT

‘Klopp won’t take over at Gladbach’

Al Maqbali moves up at ISC badminton tourney

BERLIN: Jurgen Klopp will not take over at Borussia Moenchengladbach, the agent of the ex-Borussia Dortmund coach confirmed on Monday, as Gladbach seek to replace Lucien Favre following his shock resignation.

“Jurgen Klopp will not be the Borussia Moenchengladbach coach,” Klopp’s agent Marc Kosicke told magazine Sport Bild.

After losing their opening five Bundesliga matches to go bottom of the Bundesliga, Champions League side Gladbach need a new coach after Favre abruptly resigned on Sunday in the wake of his team’s 1-0 defeat at Cologne the day before.

In a statement, Favre said he no longer felt like “the perfect coach for Gladbach” and wanted to quit after four years in charge, having steered them to third in the Bundesliga last season to earn a Champions League berth.

But the Swiss’ abrupt exit has left the club high and dry as Gladbach host Augsburg on Wednesday looking for their first league point of the season, then travel to play Stuttgart on Saturday.

Having walked away from Dortmund at the end of last season to take a self-imposed coaching sabbatical, Klopp is weighing up his options after winning the German league titles in 2011 and 2012. - AFP

MUSCAT: Omani shuttler Salim bin Sultan Al Maqbali advanced to the second round of the open men’s singles event at the National Bank of Oman-sponsored Annual Badminton Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat.

Salim put in a fine all-round game and dominated the first round encounter to record an impressive 21-18, 21-15 victory over Nandakumar MK. In other first round matches of the same event, Vishnu Vijayan defeated Mohamed Rizwan 2110, 21-8 but went down fighting to Deepak Vadagere of Sohar 1721, 16-21. Also advancing to the second round of the open men’s singles are Manoj Varghese who showed no mercy in his 21-6, 21-5 victory over schoolboy Milind Naithani and Pakistani player Mohamad Amir was in good nick and defeated Jhonney VO 21-13, 21-14.

Top seeds Prabhu AR and Niyas sailed through the first game but faced stiff resistance in the second before overcoming Nandakumar and Dejesh to advance to the quarters of the Mens-A Doubles.

The second seeded duo of Ronnie Pereira and Domnic Kennedy had starting problems before they got their act together to rally to a 12-21, 21-17, 21-12 win over Vinod VT and VD Sajeev.

In other matches of the same event, Vinod Abraham and

ALL-ROUND DISPLAY: Salim Al Maqbali

Vineesh defeated K. Sashindran and Haridas 21-15, 21-17, Shivadas and Sajeev were 21-11, 21-15 winners over Arul Lobo and Sharath, Shibu John and Jahi were too strong for Ashok Gupta and Sabu and handed them a 21-3, 21-6 drubbing and the team of VA Francis and Abu Mathew did not buckle under pressure to register a hard-fought 21-16, 14-21, 2117 victory over Sunil Alwin and

Sunil Kumar. The team of Vinod Abraham and Vineesh advanced to the last eight with a 21-14, 2115 win over Pramod Karajgikar and Ummen, Shivadas and Sajeev once again showed sound teamwork to record a thrilling 19-21, 21-16, 22-20 victory over Yogesh Narula and Ameenuddin while Babu Said and Rajeev downed VA Francis and Abu Mathew 21-17, 21-17.

The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award winner believes the most important thing to have is trust between a trainer and a trainee.

“The most important thing is trust. Before a game my trainer gives me few tips and pushes me to execute it on the board. I have to have that trust in him that he has

put in hours to help me be a better player than my opponent,” he said.

When asked how he selects his trainer and team, he said: “I pick people with whom I get along, which is a fundamental quality. You also have to look for chess players.

It is important to be good friends to be a good trainer and learner.” - IANS

D AV I S C U P

Noah named as France captain for third time PARIS: Yannick Noah, the last French man to win a Grand Slam title, was named as his country’s new Davis Cup captain on Monday by the French tennis federation (FFT).

Noah, who won the French Open in 1983, is taking over from Arnaud Clement and is returning for a third spell in charge.

In his first two stints as captain (1991-92 and 1995-98), Noah led Les Bleus to two titles in 1991 and 1996. Since then, France have won the Cup once more in 2001 but were beaten in the 1999, 2002, 2010 and 2014 finals.

Clement was named in 2013 and took France to the final last year when they lost to a Switzerland side which included Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka.

France, champions nine times in all, were beaten by Britain in the World Group quarter-finals this year.

With Noah expected to hold a news conference at Roland Garros on Tuesday, Clement was quoted in sports daily L’Equipe saying he was disappointed with how his departure was handled.

“I’m angry at the federation,” Clement, who was sacked last week, said on Monday.

“A few days after the defeat (against Britain) in London, the

ANOTHER TERM: Yannick Noah

federation contacted Noah to offer him the job,” the former Australian Open runner-up claimed.

Noah, one of France’s most popular figures, ended his playing career in 1991 and had immediate success with the Davis Cup team when they beat Pete Sampras’s US side in the final in Lyon.

Five years later he was at the helm again when France beat Sweden with Arnaud Boetsch saving three match points in the decisive rubber against Nicklas Kulti. In 1997, he also led the Fed Cup team to their first title. - Reuters

NO CHANGE

Djokovic undisputed leader NEW YORK: Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic remained the undisputed leader in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings with 16,145 points, after a week that witnessed fierce competition in the Davis Cup. The week marked no changes in the top ten men’s rankings, with Swiss Roger Federer still in second place, followed by Britain’s Andy Murray, reports Efe. Djoko-

vic recently won the US Open defeating Federer in the final.

ATP rankings: 1. Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 16,145 points; 2. Roger Federer (Switzerland) 9,420; 3. Andy Murray (Scotland) 8,800; 4. Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 6,005; 5. Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 5,050; 6. Kei Nishikori (Japan) 5,015; 7. Rafael Nadal (Spain) 3,770; 8. David Ferrer (Spain) 3,695; 9.

Milos Raonic (Canda) 2,790; 10. Gilles Simon (France) 2,560.

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SPORTS TMO

Zealous video refereeing upsets England game plan: Farrell LONDON: The constant stopstart interruptions while referees review TV footage could undermine England’s challenge for the Rugby World Cup, according to flyhalf Owen Farrell.

The Television Match Official, more commonly referred to as the TMO, featured heavily during England’s victory over Fiji in Friday’s tournament opener, with decision referrals accounting for 10 percent of the game’s duration.

A NECESSARY EVIL: Referee Glen Jackson, right, listens to the TMO

official before he disallows a Canada try during their Rugby World Cup Pool D match against Ireland in Cardiff on Saturday. – Reuters

Peppered with delays Though the use of video evidence undoubtedly helps referees to make the correct call, the breaks also allow teams to regroup and recover — respite that foils England’s

central ploy of wearing down opponents with the pace and intensity of their play.

England coach Stuart Lancaster was diplomatic after his team emerged 35-11 victors from a contest peppered with delays.

“We want to see accurate decisions, so we just get on with it,” he said, refusing to be drawn into a debate that vexed many a fan and commentator after the hosts’ scratchy win.

Flyhalf Farrell, however, was more forthright once the dust had settled. “There was a lot of ball out of play time, so we didn’t really get going as a team, which I thought was tough,” he said.

“We want to keep the ball in play

McCaw red-faced over ‘dumb’ yellow card ‘All Blacks focused on getting the job done’

McCaw, the most capped player in Test rugby, got a yellow card for tripping Argentina’s Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe half an hour into the game

LONDON: All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw pleaded guilty to a “dumb” moment which saw him sin-binned as the world champions struggled to beat Argentina in their World Cup opener.

McCaw, the most capped player in Test rugby, got a yellow card for tripping Argentina’s Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe half an hour into the game.

The Pumas took advantage of his 10 minutes of exile of McCaw and later Conrad Smith to stamp their authority on the Pool C game.

“It was dumb,” McCaw said of the incident.

“It was a reflex thing. It wasn’t the right thing to do and we suffered because of it and put the team under pressure, which you can’t afford to do,” the much respected captain said after.

The sentiment was shared by New Zealand coach Steve Hansen who said: “The two yellow cards today were pretty dumb.

“Rich and Conrad know they were dumb ones and sometimes in the heat of the moment you have a wee brain explosion.”

Hansen backed referee Wayne Barnes in showing the yellow cards. New Zealand were for a few minutes down to 13 men when Smith was ordered off too. But the world champions eventually won 26-16 in the Wembley clash before

A REFLEX THING: New Zealand’s Richie McCaw walks off the pitch after being sent to the sin bin during their Rugby World Cup match against Argentina at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. – Reuters

a record 89,000 crowd. From the spectators view, New Zealand had some anxious moments. While they were short-handed Argentina moved to a 16-12 lead, threatening an upset win only a day after Japan had humiliated South Africa.

Some spectators booed the New Zealand skipper.

But McCaw said he had not been worried about the scoreboard and insisted there was no panic in the ranks. The All Blacks believed they would get on top of the Argentina pack and then the game would turn.

“So we had to change things, but we had to make sure we didn’t get all tense and worried about what might happen at the end,” McCaw said.

“We just wanted to focus on getting that sorted and and I thought for the most part of that second half we started to win those contact areas. And when you start to do that you focus on what’s hapening now rather that the scoreboard.”

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the close encounter had been good for his side which was coming out of a month break since their last game.

“There’s no doubt we were rusty.

There was a lot of apprehension with every team that’s played.

“I’ve watched most of the games over the weekend and everyone’s been probably half a step off the pace and that’s what comes with the World Cup, especially the first round.”

Hansen paid tribute to scrumhalf Aaron Smith who re-ignited the All Blacks attack with a welltaken try in the second half.

Aaron Smith speed was a constant problem for Argentina throughout the game.

“He’s probably one of the best (scrum-halves) in the world. He scored a very timely try today.”

Sam Cane also scored for the All Blacks with Dan Carter landing two conversions and four penalties. New Zealand next play Namibia on Thursday which should be an easier ride.

For Argentina, Guido Petti scored a try with Nicolas Sanchez kicking a conversion and three penalties.

Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade was disappointed Argentina

LONDON: New Zealand and captain Richie McCaw, as befitting the world’s No. 1 side and most-capped player, are rarely ruffled and never panic — even when trailing opponents who match their intensity and work rate.

Speaking about their tense match against Argentina, McCaw said the All Blacks never worry about what the scoreboard says.

“If you focus on the scoreboard, that’s when pressure builds — just do what you can do right now and hopefully things will happen,” he said.

“At halftime we realised we needed more energy, it was lacking,” McCaw said. “We were getting beaten to the punch in the contact areas. We couldn’t allow that in the second half ... had to change things.

“We made sure we did not get tense and worried.

Just focused on getting sorted. For most of the second half we started to win the contact areas.” - Reuters

could not maintain their lead over the All Blacks.

“We were dominating and we had to stay that way but it got to the point where they reacted. They took the ball and never gave it up.” - AFP

for as long as we can, we want to play rugby, we want to make the decisions, we want to keep it infield as much as we can.”

Disruptive periods Certainly other teams are hoping referees will be more judicious in consulting the TMO as the tournament progresses.

The crowd in Cardiff for Ireland’s win over Canada made their feelings plain, whistling the use of the video referee, and Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said he hoped its use would be “kept in context”.

“For foul play and deciding tries it has proven its worth, but hopefully games will survive on their own merits and it won’t need to be

used so often,” Schmidt said. “And hopefully the game will keep going as well because there’s nothing worse than players having long, disruptive periods.”

Georgia coach Milton Haig, meanwhile, fears that the breaks could hinder the sport’s attempt to accelerate the growth of its global audience.

“I think you will find that it is probably going to impact on people viewing the game,” he said. “We don’t want to turn into American gridiron, that’s for sure.

“I suppose it is just a necessary evil. I understand where World Rugby are coming from, trying to make sure they make the right decisions.” - Reuters

E Y E I N G E L E VAT I O N

The Pumas way is the American way BRIGHTON: The United States wants to emulate Argentina’s elevation to the elite rugby nations — only quicker, their assistant coach and European Cup winning prop Justin Fitzpatrick said.

The Pumas are now part of the Southern Hemisphere Rugby Championship and have a franchise in the next Super Rugby club championship.

The United States — who started the World Cup on Sunday with a 25-16 defeat by Samoa — are a long way off that, but Fitzpatrick believes it is getting closer.

“The Argentina route is our example, only I hope it doesn’t take us as long as it did them to get there,” said Fitzpatrick, who won 26 caps for Ireland and the 1999 European Cup with Ulster.

“Still they say those who pave the way make it easier for those following behind.”

The 41-year-old believes the one major vacuum in the United States rugby DNA will soon be fixed, namely a professional league.

“I believe that will be resolved by next year. There will be a professional league in the United States,” he said.

Fitzpatrick, who moved to the United States in 2013 and coaches a Seattle team, said there has been a dramatic change in American rugby.

“I went with the Ireland team in 2000 and we played in Manchester, New Hampshire, with a makeshift stand and 3,000 people watching,” said Fitzpatrick.

“A fortnight ago at an iconic stadium Soldier Field the USA played Australia, there were over 20,000 spectators and it was broadcast live.”

Australia beat the US Eagles 47-10 at the legendary Chicago Bears stadium.

Fitzpatrick, who had a successful spell in France with Castres before ending his career winning the Celtic League with Ulster, said qualifying for the World Cup and the Sevens side success in reaching next year’s Olympics had a galvanising effect on gaining new adherents.

The United States will also

host the 2018 Sevens World Cup in San Francisco.

“I think the biggest game changer is the inaugural Six Nations tournament in 2016 which is a very important addition,” he said.

The tournament will involve the Argentina Jaguars, the Pumas second team, Canada, Uruguay Chile and Brazil.

Fitzpatrick said that another positive result of the growing popularity and profile of the sport in the States — there are two million active players — was that they were attracting top level athletes from other sports.

“There is a high level of dropping out of sports such as NFL and basketball and they are suddenly realising that it doesn’t mean the end of their sporting career,” he said.

“They see that there is a career path, through qualifying for the World Cup or playing sevens at the Olympîcs. Americans love winning medals and world titles and this presents an opportunity.

“As an example I have a former player from the Baltimore Ravens NFL side coming to join my club in the next few weeks.

“The level of player is getting better. I would say several of the players at my club would have made the Ulster side I played in.”

Nevertheless the challenges faced by the amateurs in the side (14 of the 31 players have professional contracts) is reflected by players such as hooker Zach Fenoglio, who combines being a chemistry teacher with playing for his country.

“I have to manage my time carefully. Teach during the day (at Regis Jesuit in Aurora, Colorado) then after that is done keep my competitive edge by doing some weights,” Fenoglio said.

“When I go to training camps for the national team it sometimes takes me like many of the other guys six hours to get there.

“I’m lucky, though, I have a very supportive circle round me and it has been ace since I returned there as head rugby coach. The numbers playing have gone from 18 to filling four full teams.” - AFP

M O V E F O RWA R D

Burger urges Boks to close ranks after World Cup humiliation BIRMINGHAM: South Africa great Schalk Burger called on the two-time champions to “write off” their stunning World Cup defeat by Japan despite calls for the coach Heyneke Meyer to be fired.

“We need to write it off and move forward as quickly as possible,” Burger said as the South Africans moved base to prepare for their next game against Samoa on Saturday.

Burger said the Springboks have to quickly rebound. But there is painful soul-searching in their home country.

South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper predicted “Bok heads to roll” because of the defeat. Even the main COSATU union said Meyer should go because he relied too much on white players.

The team was expected to close

ranks however for the rest of the World Cup. Veteran loose forward Burger was in the back-row for the 34-32 defeat to Japan in Brighton, the biggest upset in World Cup history.

South Africa are in big trouble in Pool B if they do not beat Samoa in Birmingham on Saturday.

Burger said South Africa had to analyse and fix what went wrong

so the team can compete against Samoa. “The first thing to understand is why we lost, why Japan put us under so much pressure,” the 32-year-old Burger said.

“As soon as we understand what the weaknesses are that were exposed in that game, we can move forward. That must happen fast.

Tomorrow we need to put the game behind us and focus on Samoa.”

Burger said senior players — which includes several World Cup-winners — needed to help turn things around. “I know our selfconfidence is not where it should be, but it is up to us as a senior group and a coaching team to get the guys ready to go out and play,” explained Burger, a member of the South Africa side that beat England in the 2007 World Cup final in Paris.

“We can’t just play within our means against Samoa and think we can win,” the 80-times capped Burger said.

“We have to go out there and take the game from them. It won’t be easy. What is quite difficult for us is not to go back into our shells, but rather take this competition by the scruff of its neck and go out and win this match.” - AFP

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Wallabies to unleash jackals on the Fijians Hooper and Pocock,

Waqaniburotu banned for dangerous tackle

the out-and-out openside flankers, are first-rate “jackals” who will prey on the slightest mistake in the loose by Fiji captain Akapusi and his counterparts

CARDIFF: Bossing the breakdown has become a crucial part of modern rugby and Australia are unleashing two masters — Michael Hooper and David Pocock — in their World Cup opener against Fiji on Wednesday.

The out-and-out openside flankers are first-rate “jackals” who will prey on the slightest mistake in the loose by Fiji captain Akapusi and his counterparts in the loose.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika named Hooper at openside and Pocock at No 8, with rugged Scott Fardy filling in at blindside in an impressive backrow for Wednesday’s Pool A match at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

“It’s pretty hard not to pick one of them,” Cheika said of Pocock and Hooper, who has been described by many as the best centre in the backrow given his additional slick distribution skills.

“It sort of means you pick them both. I’m not trying to claim there is any brilliant rocket science behind it. You just have two very good players. The way they’ve played throughout the Super Rugby season and in the rugby internationals, either together or separately, has forced the coach’s hand - and that’s exactly what you want from players.”

It is just the second game Hooper and Pocock will have started a match together, following a successful outing in a 27-19 win over the All Blacks in Sydney in August.

“We’ve been training with several combinations and we are starting to feel more comfortable just getting out there whatever position we’re in and playing our

LONDON: Disciplinary chiefs on Monday banned Fiji’s Dominiko Waqaniburotu for one week for a ‘dangerous tip tackle’ on England’s Jonny May ruling him out of a key World Cup clash against Australia.

World Cup organisers said 29-year-old backrow forward Waqaniburotu was suspended “after admitting an act of foul play.”

He was found guilty of perpetrating one of the most abhorred tackles in the sport, whereby one lifts one’s opponent and drives him into the ground off his feet, though not necessarily landing on his head.

Waqaniburotu was penalised but not sin-binned for the tackle on May. The Fijian was hauled before an independent judicial officer, Lorne Crerar, a Scottish law professor, after a review of television footage showed it was “a dangerous tip tackle,” said a Rugby World Cup statement.

“Having conducted a detailed review of all the evidence available, including all broadcast angles and additional evidence from the player and submissions from his legal representative” Crerar “considered that the incident was more appropriately characterised as a dangerous tackle.”

But it added that “the offence was deemed to be low-end” and with mitigating factors includ-

structure,” said Pocock. “I am very excited. I really enjoyed playing alongside Michael in the Rugby Championship, so hopefully we can make that partnership work.”

While the ball-seeking Pocock slots in at the back of the scrum, Cheika insisted that his selection there would not mean a seismic change in his abrasive playing style.

“For (Pocock) it’s mainly about the scrum control — he’s had a bit of a handle on that already,” said Cheika, in his playing days also a No 8. “I believe in him a lot there.

ALMOST ALL RESTED

ONE-WEEK BAN: Dominiko Waqaniburotu

ing Waqanibutotu’s “admission and remorse” the usual two week ban was reduced to one.

Waqaniburotu is suspended for Fiji’s match against Australia on Wednesday but will be available for Fiji’s third Pool A match against Wales on October 1.

Meanwhile, Fiji coach John McKee has made four changes to his “jitter-free” team for

He’s been very versatile at what he’s done.”

Cheika added that he thought Hooper and Pocock, normally fierce competitors on the field, had “really enjoyed working together”.

“They’ve been fierce opponents, obviously. And now there’s an opportunity that they probably didn’t think they’d ever get: to work together, which they’ve enjoyed.”

Stephen Moore will captain the Wallabies against Fiji, the hooker saying the squad were raring to go.

“Sitting around watching footy

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Wednesday’s match against Australia.

All four changes come in the forwards with hooker Sunia Koto, lock Apisalome Ratuniyawara and No. 8 Sakiusa Matadigo replaced by Tuapati Talemaitoga, Tevita Cavubati and Netani Talei respectively.

Dominiko Waqaniburotu’s place was taken by Clermont’s Peceli Yato. - Agencies

all weekend, they are pretty keen to get out there now,” he said. “We will be blowing pretty hard in that first half, but we’ve been training as close as we can to game intensity so hopefully that will set us up well.”

Fiji more than matched England in the loose in their 35-11 defeat by the hosts in Twickenham on Friday, and Chieka will look to the dynamic Hooper-Pocock combination to snuffle out the rivals with a view to nailing down their starting berths for tougher games to come against the English and Wales. - AFP

‘BELIEF AND COURAGE’

Japan win greater than England’s World Cup victory: Woodward LONDON: Japan’s shock 34-32 win over two-time world champions South Africa is the greatest moment in Rugby World Cup history, the coach of England’s victorious 2003 side Clive Woodward said on Monday.

Woodward, who got the better of current Japan coach and the then Australia handler Eddie Jones in the 2003 final in Sydney, writing in his Daily Mail column, said a combination of “belief and courage” combined with clever coaching could make any dream come true.

“Japan’s win over South Africa, engineered by my old mate and sparring partner Eddie Jones is the greatest single moment in World Cup history and arguably the most important development the modern game has ever seen,” wrote Woodward.

“To use the technical term it was bloody marvellous.

“It was a performance of breathtaking brilliance and courage and also a coaching coup of thrilling panache which sends out a message to the entire sporting world, not just rugby.

“Underdogs can become world beaters if you truly believe,” added the 59-year-old, whose side won the 2003 World Cup in dramatic fashion with a drop goal by English superstar Jonny Wilkinson in the dying seconds of extra-time.

Woodward, who is now a wellpaid and respected pundit, had his verbal tussles with Jones down the years when he was coaching, not least during the 2003 campaign but the Englishman said that was largely for show.

“Eddie is a very engaging and bright guy, great company who calls a spade a spade,” said Woodward. “Of all the coaches I ever tangled with, Eddie was — and clearly still is — absolutely the best in terms of maximising the talent he has available and thinking outside the box.”

Jones quipped after the victory that he was too old at 55 still to be coaching, and reaching the quarterfinals would allow him to retire and be like Clive Woodward sitting in the comfort of a studio.

Instruction ignored Also writing in the Daily Mail, Jones said he was delighted that his instruction to kick a penalty in the final minute to force a draw

had been ignored by his captain Michael Leitch.

“I tried to get the message down to take the kick at goal,” wrote Jones, who is half Japanese through his mother.

“Luckily, by the time the message got to the players the decision to kick for touch had already been taken! I thought to myself, ‘fair enough, here we go!’”

Jones, who is due to step down from his post after the campaign is over and has been strongly linked with a coaching role at a South African Super Rugby side, said emotions had risen to the surface when Karne Hesketh went over in the left hand corner to score the winning try.

“It was the most emotional I’ve been since coaching the Wallabies to a semifinal win over the All Blacks at the 2003 World Cup semifinals,” said Jones.

“I’ve never seen more grown men in tears. It was an absolutely unbelievable scene which will live with me for the rest of my life.”

Jones, who used his knowledge of several of the Springbok players to his advantage, having been an adviser to the 2007 World Cup-winning side, said that Japanese emotions still bemused him.

“I’ll never cease to wonder at the Japanese psyche,” said Jones.

“These guys seem to cry when they’re happy and laugh when they’re nervous — it’s almost the opposite of Western behaviour — and the tears were flooding out on the pitch.”

Jones, whose side have a quick turnaround and play a fresh Scotland side on Wednesday in Gloucester, said that players such as Leitch and lock Luke Thompson might not be Japanese-born but they are not carpetbaggers seeking the high of playing international rugby for any old country.

New Zealand-born Leitch has lived there since he was 15, moving to Japan to study and says he now speaks Japanese better than English.

“We may have a few players in the Japanese side not born in Japan but all the players have bought into ‘the Japanese way’.

“It’s what we live by as a side and it’s based around having the courage to to play our kind of rugby, having pride in the national team and having respect for yourself and your teammates.” - AFP

REFRESHING

France ring changes Nambia’s old-school values in a pro era for Romania game LONDON: Wesley Fofana is back from injury as France coach Philippe Saint-Andre rests almost all of the team from Les Bleus’ opening game for Wednesday’s Rugby World Cup Pool D match against Romania.

Of the 15 players who started the campaign with a 32-10 victory against Italy on Saturday, only wing Noa Nakaitaci and number eight Louis Picamoles were named in the starting line-up for Wednesday’s game at the Olympic Stadium. Usual starter Fofana, who was ruled out of the opener with a thigh injury, will start at centre alongside Gael Fickou.

Morgan Parra and Remi Tales come in for the Toulon pair of Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Frederic Michalak at scrumhalf and flyhalf respectively. Prop Vincent Debaty was named captain in place of the rested Thierry Dusautoir.

Romania, meanwhile, named their most experienced ever

World Cup team. Mihai Macovei leads a starting side with an average age of over 29.

France team: 1-Vincent Debaty, 2-Dimitri Szarzewski (captain), 3-Uini Atonio, 4-Bernard Le Roux, 5-Alexandre Flanquart, 6-Yannick Nyanga, 7-Fulgence Ouedraogo, 8-Louis Picamoles, 9-Morgan Parra, 10Remi Tales, 11-Noa Nakaitaci, 12-Wesley Fofana, 13-Gael Fickou, 14-Sofiane Guitoune, 15-Brice Dulin; Replacements: 16-Benjamin Kayser, 17-Eddy Ben Arous, 18-Nicolas Mas, 19-Yoann Maestri, 20-Damien Chouly, 21-Rory Kockott, 22-Frederic Michalak, 23-Mathieu Bastareaud.

Romania team: 1-Mihaita Lazar, 2-Otar Turashvili, 3-Paulica Ion, 4-Valentin Poparlan, 5-Johannes van Heerden, 6-Valentin Ursache, 7-Viorel Lucaci, 8-Mihai Macovei (captain); 9-Florin Surugiu, 10-Danut Dumbrava, 11-Adrian Apostol, 12-Florin Vlaicu, 13-Paula Kinikinilau, 14- Madalin Lemnaru, 15-Catalin Fercu; Replacements: 16-Andrei Radoi, 17-Andrei Ursache, 18-Horatiu Pungea, 19-Ovidiu Tonita, 20-Stelian Burcea, 21-Valentin Calafeteanu, 22-Ionut Botezatu, 23-Csaba Gal.

LONDON: There is something refreshing about the Namibia rugby team, an amateur-based side in a professional era.

As the rank outsiders in the World Cup they know they do not stand a chance against the topranked All Blacks at London’s Olympic Stadium on Thursday but still they dare to dream their oldschool values will do them proud.

While the All Blacks are global stars — with almost as many support staff as players to ensure they eat, train, rest to maximum benefit — most of the plucky Namibians have to juggle their rugby with fulltime jobs.

“We’ve got engineers, diamond traders, farmers, construction workers, and a dentist which is handy,” said captain Jacques Burger, the Saracens loose forward who is one of the few overseas-based professionals in the side.

“It’s definitely about these guys who work eight to five, they’ve offered up so much. They are incredible. They wake up four, five in the morning, start training at six, have

As the rank outsiders they know they do not stand a chance against All Blacks but still they dare to dream

to to go to work all day and come back in the evening, six to half seven, which is so challenging. I’m massively impressed with what they put in and the level they perform at.

“They’re not just good rugby players but good human beings.”

Namibian President Hage Geingob had a dream that the pride of the southern African nation would “give the All Blacks hell”.

He sent the team off with the message: “Please go and fulfil my dream.”

Realistically, the target for Namibia will be damage control given the short five-day turn around before playing Tonga, a team they have in their sights along with Georgia, in the hunt for a historic first win in five World Cups.

Their worst World Cup performance was a nightmarish 142-0 thrashing by Australia in 2003 but coach Phil Davies said those bumbling days are long gone.

They may not match the All Blacks but they go into the tournament on the back of beating Russia twice and demolishing Zimbabwe 80-6.

“I think we’ve created a clear way of playing which suits the Namibian style of rugby,” the former Welsh international said.

“The evidence so far in our previous four games is that we look structured and organised but there’s an ability also for the players to use their flair and counterattacking ability, which is what Namibian rugby is famous for.”

Davies, who took over the reins in July when Danie Vermeulen suddenly quit, has been impressed with the tenacious spirit of his amateurs.

“The players’ commitment has been extraordinary.

“We’ve done nearly 40 training sessions at 5:00am in the morning at the National Stadium, which is amazing. It’s a new experience for me.”

Burger, who is playing in his third World Cup and was named as one of the top five players in New Zealand four years ago, said while his side may not fulfil Geingob’s dream they will not disgrace themselves.

“The All Blacks at the Olympic Stadium is incredible for Nambian rugby. A lot of our guys are amateurs and look up to these guys as idols,” he said.

“The experience for all the players — me included, because I’ve not played them — will be great. But I want us to play well, to do well. I want to weigh myself against the best in the world and they are the best in the world.” - AFP

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Hamilton pursuit of Senna record ends in frustration looking podium in a Mercedesdominated era.

Hamilton retired with power issues after 32 laps as Rosberg claimed fourth, reducing the gap to the Briton in the championship standings to 41 points with six rounds left.

Vettel lurks a further eight adrift.

Hamilton played down the missed opportunity to emulate Senna in exactly the same number of race starts but can feel confident that his 162nd grand prix next Sunday will be far more enjoyable than the last one

DISAPPOINTED: Mercedes’s British Lewis Hamilton walks from his team’s garage after retiring from

the Singapore F1 Grand Prix at the Marina Bay street circuit in Singapore on Sunday. – Reuters

F I V E TA L K I N G P O I N T S F R O M S I N G A P O R E

SINGAPORE: Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was in the form of his life when he arrived in Singapore, looking set to match the 41 career wins of his boyhood idol Ayrton Senna in a dominant season that had seen him win seven of the first 12 grands prix.

By the end of Sunday’s race, however, the Briton had retired his sluggish Mercedes for the first time this year, while Sebastian Vettel roared to victory in his Ferrari.

Hamilton had secured 11 of 12 poles prior to Singapore but the alarm bells that first sounded in practice were ringing loud and clear by qualifying as Ferrari and Red Bull were lapping roughly a second faster than the Silver Arrows.

Banished to an unaccustomed third-row start, Hamilton and teammate Nico Rosberg were in damage limitation mode from the outset and never appeared fast enough to catch the leaders as their poorly performing tyres negated the car’s superior power.

Five talking points from the Singapore Grand Prix, won by Ferrari’s Vettel: Who left the gate open?

Organisers were facing serious security questions after a spectator wandered onto the circuit and down the track, prompting a double-take from race-leader Sebastian Vettel who thought he was seeing things.

While it wasn’t clear how or why the fan was on the track, pictures on social media showed a gate to the street circuit open and unguarded. A 27-year-old man was arrested and “is assisting police with investigations”, a statement said.

Technical glitch Engineers wondered whether gearbox problems in Singapore were caused by electrical or magnetic interference from a nearby subway line. “Odd numbers” on sensors were

Vettel, meanwhile, was back to his supreme best, driving like he had for Red Bull when he won four world titles in a row.

Dominating from the front and

seen when the cars passed near the Anderson Bridge section, McLaren’s technical boss was reported as saying. The team was so concerned that it added “electrical shielding” to its cars and tweaked their software.

The kid’s all right Teenager Max Verstappen’s reputation continues to grow, to the point where he is now able to challenge his bosses at Toro Rosso — and win. The 17-year-old had a nightmare start when he stalled on the grid and had to rejoin the race a lap behind everyone else.

After impressively carving his way back up to eighth, Verstappen was told to yield his place to teammate Carlos Sainz, to which he replied: “No!” Verstappen’s reaction was vindicated when team principle Franz Tost said he was right to ignore the order.

Red faces at Ferrari The mechanics at Ferrari will have sore

shrugging off two safety car periods, as well as a track intruder, Vettel roared to a fourth triumph in Singapore.

It was the German’s third vic-

heads and red faces after their post-race antics earned a stern reprimand. According to reports, over-zealous Ferrari team members shoved past security and knocked barriers to the ground as they rushed to celebrate with race-winner Vettel. A team official was summoned to the stewards and promised to send written apologies to those affected.

‘Crashdonado’ keeps his spot Jenson Button can be forgiven a wry smile when he hears Lotus have renewed Pastor Maldonado’s deal for 2016. The McLaren driver called Maldonado’s driving “very strange” after a collision with the Venezuelan which ended his race. “He hasn’t changed, and he won’t ever change,” said Button. The Lotus driver has been dubbed “Crashdonado” by his detractors, and is the subject of a website called hasmaldonadocrashedtoday.com. - AFP

tory in his debut season for Ferrari and he was chased home by former Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo and current ally Kimi Raikkonen to complete an unfamiliar

‘Close this chapter’ Vettel quipped “maybe we can make the impossible possible” when asked if he could overhaul Hamilton in the title race but the general consensus in the paddock suggests Mercedes will be back on top when racing reconvenes in Japan this week.

“Our reliability is really high as we had an amazing season so far,” said Hamilton, who opted to save his engine and retire rather than run to the finish at the back of the field.

“It’s still a long way to go and I know I lost some points today but I was fast and on form and I will make sure I bring that out to Suzuka to fight back.”

Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff felt the lack of performance was track related and the tight, 23-turn Marina Bay Street Circuit and tropical conditions had played into the hands of Ferrari and Red Bull.

“We need to analyse everything precisely, understand the wrong turn that we took this weekend to learn the right lessons and then close this chapter,” he said.

“One bad weekend doesn’t overshadow our achievements so far this year but there is no room for complacency after a race like this and we will aim to hit back strongly next weekend.”

Hamilton played down the missed opportunity to emulate Senna in exactly the same number of race starts but can feel confident that his 162nd grand prix next Sunday will be far more enjoyable than the last one. - Reuters

FOOTBALL

Liverpool turnaround just a matter of time, says Rodgers LONDON: Liverpool are training hard and it is just a matter of time before they get the results that will put their Premier League campaign back on track, manager Brendan Rodgers has said.

The Reds have derailed from their promising start to the season, having failed to win their last four matches in the Premier League. They last won 1-0 against promoted side Bournemouth on August 17 and are 13th in the table with eight points from six league games.

Liverpool drew with Bordeaux in Thursday’s Europa League match and were held 1-1 at Anfield on Sunday by a promoted Norwich City.

The Merseyside club have scored only four times this season, the second lowest in the league, and their slump in form has coincided with the loss of captain Jordan Henderson, who faces up to two months on the sidelines after breaking a bone in his foot during a training session.

Rodgers was confident that the team would soon return to winnings ways.

“Hard work pays and it’s just going to be a matter of time until they can get the results to be rewarded by that. I think (confidence) will grow with results,” the 42-year-old said. “We just have to build that confidence through our training, through the games, and it’s just step-bystep, getting to the next game and hopefully a good performance and keep getting results.

“It’s certainly something that we’re embracing and the players, I’m sure, if they continue to work as they have been on a daily basis, they’ll get their rewards,” the former Swansea City manager added.

Liverpool will be eyeing three points when they host 17th placed Aston Villa two days later. - Reuters

LA LIGA

Ronaldo eyes history as Madrid and Barcelona face tough tests MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo has another chance to move ahead of Raul as Real Madrid’s top goalscorer of all time on enemy territory as Los Blancos make the daunting trip to take on Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.

Ronaldo is just two goals off matching Raul’s record mark of 323, but was surprisingly unable to add to his tally as Madrid struggled past Granada 1-0 at the weekend.

Madrid escaped with all three points on Saturday thanks to a string of saves from Keylor Navas as he stretched his unbeaten streak to five games.

The Costa Rica international is now within 10 minutes of breaking Iker Casillas’s club record for the longest start to a campaign without conceding a goal.

“Things are going well. I am happy that people value my work and it is an honour to be at this club,” he told the club’s website.

“As a kid I dreamed of being here and it fills me with satisfaction to be part of Real Madrid’s history.

The hard work has paid off and this is the way that will take us towards winning big things.”

Madrid will again be without Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and Danilo through injury, whilst Sergio Ramos is a major doubt due to a dislocated shoulder.

Athletic have proven their ability to perform on the big occasion as

Navas seeks to keep clean sheet BARCELONA: A few weeks ago Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas seemed about to leave but now has a club record five clean sheets since the start of the season which he will aim to extend against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Wednesday.

He has already bettered the previous best start to a campaign by a Real keeper when Miguel Angel kept four clean sheets at the beginning of the 1975-76 season. There were also four clean sheets at the

they beat Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate to win the Spanish Super Cup at the start of the campaign and also beat Madrid at home last season.

However, they have taken just three points from their opening four league games as a side shorn of the rested Raul Garcia and Aritz Aduriz were beaten 3-1 by Villarreal on Sunday.

“We haven’t started well. Three points in the league isn’t enough and it is the league that tells you whether you are playing well or

start of the 1957-58 campaign when two goalkeepers Rogelio Dominguez and Juanito Alonso were used.

“It was a difficult night for me at the end of the transfer market but that is now in the past,” Navas said. “Now I am thinking of the present and the coach (Rafa Benitez) believes in me. I have had the chance to stay and I will give my best.

I am very grateful to the Real fans for their support which is not easy to earn.” - Reuters

not,” said Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde.

“I know what is coming now, but we need to win.”

League leaders Barca also face a tough task to maintain their perfect start to the campaign when they travel to unbeaten Celta Vigo on Wednesday.

Barca will be back close to full strength as Gerard Pique is available for the first time in La Liga this season after serving a fourgame ban, whilst Andres Iniesta

and Luis Suarez will return after being rested for Sunday’s 4-1 win over Levante.

However, they will face a Celta side full of confidence after a 2-1 win away at Sevilla moved them up to fourth.

“They are one of the most enjoyable teams to watch not just in Spain but in Europe,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique about his old side.

“If you like football, you should watch Celta. It doesn’t matter who they play against, they play their game with attacking players and an offensive mentality.”

Best of the rest Atletico Madrid could move to the top of the table for 24 hours at least when they host Getafe in a Madrid derby at the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday.

Los Rojiblancos showed their strength in depth as Fernando Torres and Angel Correa came off the bench to hand them a 2-0 win at Eibar on Saturday.

However, despite their impressive close season in the transfer market, defender Jose Maria Gimenez has insisted it is being the best of the rest outside Barca and Real that remains their priority.

“We are going for third place and if during the season we can challenge then we don’t have to lie about it. We need to compete like we did in the year we won the league.” - AFP

ANOTHER CHANCE: Cristiano Ronaldo

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SECTION

Dining LIFESTYLE

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

FESTIVE DELIGHTS The festival mood has set in with Eid Al Adha round the corner. And what better way to celebrate than by making some traditional Eid delicacies? Here are a few easy-to-prepare desserts, especially made during Eid.

By Pallavi Nigam

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

LIFESTYLE FOOD NOTE

QAWAMI SEVAIYAN Ingredients

Ċŗ4 tbsp of ghee Ċŗ2-5 cloves Ċŗ2-5 cardamom Ċ 1 cup broken dry sevaiyan or vermicelli Ċŗ3 cups of caster sugar Ċŗ2-3 cups milk ĊŗA pinch of saffron Ċŗ1/2 cup almonds ĊŗûĞü cup pistachios ĊŗûĞü cup raisins

Pickle-Making is Epitome of Culinary Strength: Celebrity Chef Kunal Kapur

Preparation ĊŗHeat a heavy bottomed pan, add ghee, cloves, and cardamom. ĊŗThen add the vermicelli. Keep stirring, sauté till golden brown. ĊŗIn another pan, melt the sugar with a tbsp of water to make sugar syrup. ĊŗNow add the sevaiyan to the sugar syrup and mix properly. Add milk, and keep stirring until everything is combined. Add saffron, and mix till it is dissolved. ĊŗServe hot, garnished with almonds, pistachios, and raisins.

SHAHI TUKDA Ingredients

Ċŗ4 slices of bread ĊŗOil Ċŗ6-7 very thin slices of pineapple Ċŗ10-15 peeled almonds Ċŗ10-15 unsalted pistachios Ċ Other dry fruits/raisins (optional) For the sauce: Ċŗ500ml of milk Ċŗ1 tsp green cardamom powder Ċŗ5 tbsp sugar Ċŗ1g saffron Ċŗ3 tsp rose water

Preparation ĊŗŗŗCut the slices of bread diagonally, remove the edges. Fry them in hot oil till golden brown. ĊŗŗNow, in a heavy bottomed pan pour all the sauce ingredients and simmer till you get a thick gravy. ĊŗŗPlace the thin slices of pineapple between two breads just like sandwich. ĊŗŗPlace them in a serving platter and pour over the sauce. Enjoy the crunchy bread with the freshness of pineapple and a rich sauce. ĊŗŗGarnish with the dry fruits.

MOONG DAL PAYASAM Ingredients Ċŗ200g moong dal Ċŗ4tbsp desi ghee Ċŗ4-5 sticks cinnamon Ċŗ4 pods green cardamom Ċŗ2 &1/2 tbsp sugar Ċŗ1/2 cup thick coconut milk Ċŗ1/2 cup milk ĊŗWater ĊŗGrated coconut Preparation ĊŗSoak moong dal in water. ĊŗŗHeat some ghee in pan, add green cardamom and cinnamon. Sauté for one minute. ĊŗŗDrain the dal and add it to the cooking mixture. ĊŗAdd water and cook for some time. ĊŗRemove and leave it to cool. ĊŗBlend the dal to make a thick puree. ĊŗŗHeat ghee in a pan and add the dal puree, sugar, green cardamom, coconut milk, and milk. Cook for sometime. ĊŗŗServe garnished with grated coconut.

Pallavi Nigam

KITCHEN CALAMITIES

Pallavi Nigam completed her culinary education at ICIF in Italy and worked as a chef for Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. She is now based in Muscat where she writes recipes and takes cooking classes.

Contact her: pallavi_nigam@hotmail.com twitter @pallavizza pallavizza.com

Crispy Cutlets

IT CAN’T get more micro than this: an 18-episode TV show on Indian pickles that celebrity chef Kunal Kapur is hosting as he says making preserves “is the epitome of culinary strength”.

“Making a pickle is the epitome of culinary strength; it is an art that is combined with a high level of science of preserving food,” Kapur, whose Pickle Nation show went on air recently.

“It is said that pickles were first made in India. It was here in India that, for the first time, the art form of cooking was taken to a higher level science, which is preservation.

This preservation of art is to most of us just an accompaniment, whereas seldom do we realise how it is the reason for our existence and a living proof of the genius that exists in our country,” Kapur said, explaining the rationale behind the show.

The show took him to 11 cities of India, including Ahmedabad, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Panaji, Pondicherry, Shillong, Udaipur and Varanasi to unravel an interesting pickle tale of each region.

“There are ingredients and techniques that keep you intrigued and surprised. Not just each region but each community has some unique pickles and their own unique reasons and stories behind how and why they prepare them.

“As I have discovered, pickles are an integral part of how people define their food culture, and each region is intensely passionate about their pickles,” Kapur said.

For instance, with the Parsis in Ahmedabad, it is mandatory to make lagan nu achar and give it to the elders and relatives in the family before they formalise the marriage of a couple, said Kapur, who has been a judge on the Master Chef India show and has authored a book titled A Chef In Every Kitchen.

“In another fascinating instance, the Karbi tribe in Meghalaya has evolved a special dance that enacts the recipe of the Bamboo pickle.

The ancestors knew that if the bamboo was not pickled in the right season then it might lead to hunger in the winters, and so the recipe for this crucial pickle was made into a dance form and till date the couples enact this dance to reveal the recipe,”

said Kapur, who has also been seen on popular cooking show My Yellow Table on NDTV Good Times, with whom he is in talks for season II. Towards the far west, in Jodhpur, the ker sangri ka achar is the legacy of love for nature of the Bishnoi tribe.

“The ker shrub and the sangri tree are the few that grow in this otherwise difficult region. The cattle would eat it and give milk. The roots would hold on to the soil, and at the same time, the tree would give shelter. The fruits of the khejri tree is the sangri and this tree is a very critical tree to the ecology of the place. Many have sacrificed their lives to protect this tree. The ker sangri pickle made from this tree is one of the reasons for the survival of the Bishnoi tribe,” Kapur said.

Another fine example is the Mahali pickle made by the Tamilian Brahmins.

“Mahalo is a root that smells of intense vanilla, bitter almond and cinnamon, and it is pickled in yoghurt. It is not short of a miracle that no vinegar or oil is used yet the pickle survives for over two years in curd,” the chef noted.

Then, a Hyderabadi style of mango pickle breaks the long held notion by me that a drop of water can destroy a pickle, as this mango pickle is made in water!

“Limestone or chuna is added to preserve the pickle,” said Kapur, who also anchored a travel show titled Foodie Comes to America that was telecast on Times Now in the US and is now shooting for its second season in New York.

“The depth of taste and passion along with the personality of the pickle maker is one common thread that I found in my wonderful journeys of discovery,” Kapur said, adding: “It is very easy to buy a pickle off the shelf and settle with it, but it takes a whole lot of love to go out to buy the right ingredient, put in the hard work, take the utmost care and then patiently wait as it pickles.”

“Love, honesty and dedication are what every pickle requires,” Kapur maintained.

Despite this, “we have never really given a pickle maker his/her due importance. This show explores not just pickles but the unique pickle makers that have relentlessly been at it,” Kapur concluded.-IANS

Who doesn’t like to eat a perfectly fried cutlet? But to get it right isn’t as easy as it sounds. If you make a mistake you won’t get the golden crispiness. Here’s how to do it right.

By Swati Dasgupta 1 When you are breading add the flour, the egg batter and then the crumbs.

If you dip the cutlet straight into the egg batter then the crumbs might slide off. You can use all purpose flour.

Add little salt and pepper to it for seasoning. You can also use other seasonings like paprika, chilli powder, dried herbs or any other seasonings of your choice.

it no matter how perfect the outer layer is, the taste of the filler would be bland. So season the fillet with salt and pepper half an hour before frying the cutlets.

2 Like the flour it is also important to season the meat. If you do not do

4 And if you want to be a little more creative then you can sea-

3 Make sure the consistency of the egg batter is thin, if not very liquidy for an even coating. Adding milk, vinegar, and buttermilk can tweak the flavours and also give the right consistency.

son the oil too. Add crushed garlic cloves and dried chillies to the oil before frying the cutlets.

5 After breading the cutlets keep them in the fridge for an hour or so.

On frying it is crispier.

Struggling with a kitchen calamity of your own? Want advice? Share your horror stories and your cooking tips with swati@timesofoman.com

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

LIFESTYLE

Explore the Black Forest

By Swati Dasgupta

If a visit to the Black Forest in Germany is on your travel bucket list, then eating Black Forest cake should certainly be on the top of your wish list. After all, as all avid travellers say, a trip to Black Forest is never complete if you do not sink your teeth into the authentic Black Forest Gâteau.

T

his summer while my car meandered through the quaint town of Triberg in Germany offering a breathtaking view of the Black Forest, Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest waterfall, and the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest cuckoo clock, my thoughts went back to the Black Forest Cake, intermittently. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you want to taste the authentic Black Forest cake then you must have it at Cafe Schaefer, which is on the main street of Triberg,â&#x20AC;? informed the tourist guide sensing my desires. He also shared an interesting tale on how Chef Schaefer inherited the original recipe from the person who created it.

It was surprising to learn that Black Forest cake hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t got its name from the Black Forest of Germany. It refers to the cherry schnapps called Schwarzwälder Kirsch, the most important ingredient of the cake that gives it the ďŹ&#x201A;avour.

While Josef Keller, a pastry chef created Schwarzwaelder Kirsch, or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Forest Cherryâ&#x20AC;? cake in 1915, it was August Schaefer who mastered the skill as his apprentice. In the later years he was given the original recipe book and his son, Claus Schaefer, inherited it. Since then the world-famous Black Forest cake, known as Schwarzwaelder Kirsch, gained in popularity worldwide.

As you research a bit more on Black Forest cakes you understand that is not just the only theory that exists when you talk of its history and evolution over the years. Another theory that says Master Confectioner Erwin Hildenbrand invented the Black Forest Gâteau in the CafÊ Walz in the spring of 1930 While we missed the chance of having it at Cafe Schaefer for its early closure timings, the freshly homemade one at Pizzeria Pinocchio was equally delightful, and I would say one must save a little room for this dessert no matter how hearty a meal is. Carrying the lin-

gering taste of this speciality cake in his heart and also in his recipe, Joergen Sodemann who hails from Berlin and is the executive chef at Al Bustan Palace Hotel shares with us his version of the cake. (see box) â&#x20AC;&#x153;I inherited this recipe from my grandmother and to be honest this is one of the few recipes that I have not touched an inch since I learnt how to bake it for the ďŹ rst time,â&#x20AC;? he says.

When it comes to Black Forest cake, while tradition, originality and authentic taste is on the top priority, there has been several innovation with this dish over the time as with other recipes, adds the chef. We have seen â&#x20AC;&#x153;deconstructed Black Forestâ&#x20AC;?, or Black Forest ice-cream for instance, but the original is the unmatchable, he tells.

BLACK FOREST GĂ&#x201A;TEAU

By Chef Joergen Sodemann Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel Ingredients Short crust pastry Ä&#x160;Ýßÿ!Ĺ&#x2014;*& #(Ĺ&#x2014; &&Ä&#x161;*/,*)- Ĺ&#x2014;Ăł)/,Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x160;Ýú!Ĺ&#x2014; ) ) Ĺ&#x2014;*)1 , Ä&#x160;ÿú!Ĺ&#x2014;-/! , Ä&#x160;ĂťĹ&#x2014;*#( "Ĺ&#x2014; %#(!Ĺ&#x2014;*)1 , Ä&#x160;ĂťĹ&#x2014;.-*Ĺ&#x2014;0 (#&& Ĺ&#x2014;-/! , Ä&#x160;Ä Ăż!Ĺ&#x2014;-) .Ĺ&#x2014; /.. , Ä&#x160;ĂźĹ&#x2014;.-*Ĺ&#x2014; #,- " For Sponge Ä&#x160;ĂžĹ&#x2014; !!Ä&#x160;Ýúú!Ĺ&#x2014;-/! , Ä&#x160;Ýúú!Ĺ&#x2014;*& #(Ĺ&#x2014;Ăł)/,Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x160;ßÿ!Ĺ&#x2014; ),(Ĺ&#x2014;Ăł)/, Ä&#x160;Ýú!Ĺ&#x2014; ) ) Ĺ&#x2014;*)1 , Ä&#x160;ĂťÄ&#x17E;ĂźĹ&#x2014;.-*Ĺ&#x2014; %#(!Ĺ&#x2014;*)1 , Ä&#x160;ĂťĹ&#x2014;.-*Ĺ&#x2014;0 (#&& Ĺ&#x2014;-/! , Ä&#x160;ĂťĹ&#x2014;*#( "Ĺ&#x2014; #(( ')(Ĺ&#x2014;*)1 , For Filling Ä&#x160;ýÿú!Ĺ&#x2014; (( Ĺ&#x2014;-)/,Ĺ&#x2014; " ,,# Ä&#x160;ßÿú'&Ĺ&#x2014; " ,,3Ĺ&#x2014;$/# Ä&#x160;ĂźĹ&#x2014;. -*Ĺ&#x2014; #,- "

Ä&#x160;ĂźĹ&#x2014;.-*Ĺ&#x2014; /&&Ĺ&#x2014; ),(-. , " Ä&#x160;ĂžĹ&#x2014;.-*Ĺ&#x2014;-/! , Ä&#x160;ĂťĹ&#x2014;* % .Ĺ&#x2014;*)1 , Ĺ&#x2014;! & .#( Ä&#x160;Ă˝Ĺ&#x2014;. -*Ĺ&#x2014; )& Ĺ&#x2014;1 . , Ä&#x160;Ä&#x201A;úú'&Ĺ&#x2014;1"#**#(!Ĺ&#x2014; , ' Ä&#x160;Þú!Ĺ&#x2014;# #(!Ĺ&#x2014;-/! , Ä&#x160;ĂťĹ&#x2014;.-*Ĺ&#x2014;0 (#&& Ĺ&#x2014;-/! , For Decoration Semi-sweet chocolate curls or shavings

form pan, ďŹ&#x201A;at the surface, and bake it for )/.Ĺ&#x2014;ýúĹ&#x2014;'#(/. -Ĺ&#x2014; .Ĺ&#x2014;ĂťÄ&#x201A;úĽ Ä&#x17E;ýÿúĽ Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; Remove the sponge from the oven, remove the ring from the pan and let the sponge cool down. Carefully peel off the baking paper and cut the sponge in half horizontally.

Prepare the Filling Blend the cornstarch with a little of the cherry liquid in a sauce pan, stir in the Preparation , -.Ĺ&#x2014; ) Ĺ&#x2014; ." Ĺ&#x2014; $/# Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014; ." Ĺ&#x2014; ĂžĹ&#x2014; .-*Ĺ&#x2014; -/! ,Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; , " .Ĺ&#x2014; ." Ĺ&#x2014; )0 (Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014; !, - Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014; ĂźÄ&#x201A;Ĺ&#x2014; 'Ĺ&#x2014; Heat the liquid until it boils, stir occa(11 in) spring form pan. sionally, and let it simmer for a minute, Ĺ&#x2014; 1 &&Ä&#x161; , #( Ĺ&#x2014; ." Ĺ&#x2014; " ,,# -Ĺ&#x2014; ÄĄ- .Ĺ&#x2014; ÝÞĹ&#x2014; Prepare the Short Crust Pastry cherries aside for the decoration) and Sift ďŹ&#x201A;our, baking powder and cocoa into remove from the oven. When it is cool a mixing bowl, add butter, sugar, vanilla add the Kirshwasser. sugar and Kirsch.

Soak the gelatin in the cold water for Knead the dough either with your ten minutes; warm it up while stirring hands or with a hand mixer (knead- until the gelatin has dissolved. Let it ing hook) for 5 minutes until you get cool. smooth dough.

Whip the cream until nearly stiff; add Roll the dough out and line the bot- the gelatin, the sifted icing sugar and tom of the spring form pan, prick the the vanilla sugar. Continue whipping dough a few times with a fork. Bake in until the cream is very stiff. ." Ĺ&#x2014;*, " . Ĺ&#x2014;)0 (Ĺ&#x2014; .Ĺ&#x2014;ĂťÄ&#x201A;úĽ Ä&#x17E;ýÿúĽ Ĺ&#x2014; ),Ĺ&#x2014; 15 minutes.

Assembly Remove the pastry immediately from Put the short crust pastry on a serving the pan and let it cool on a wire rack. plate. Spread the cherries on the bottom Clean the spring form pan, grease the & 3 ,Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; & 0#(!Ĺ&#x2014; Ăť 'Ĺ&#x2014; ÄĄĂťÄ&#x17E;Ä&#x201A;#(ĢĹ&#x2014; /( )0 , Ĺ&#x2014; bottom and line with baking paper. around the edge. Add one-third of the cream and ďŹ&#x201A;atten with a cake spatula.

Prepare the Sponge Put a sponge layer on top and press Put the eggs into a large mixing bowl, lightly. Spread half of the remaining use a hand mixer at the highest speed cream and add the second sponge layer. and whisk the eggs until foamy. Slowly Fill a pastry bag (star-shaped nozsprinkle the sugar and vanilla sugar zle) with 3 tbsp of cream. Cover the into the egg mixture while you continue entire cake, top and sides, with the rewhisking. maining cream. ), . Ĺ&#x2014; 3)/,Ĺ&#x2014; ' -. ,*# Ĺ&#x2014; 1#."Ĺ&#x2014; ÝÞĹ&#x2014; Whisk for at least 2 minutes after the sugar is added. The egg mixture should cream roses, put a cherry on each rose, and sprinkle chocolate curls on the side be very ďŹ&#x201A;uffy and nearly white.

Sift and mix the two ďŹ&#x201A;ours, baking and top of the cake.

Refrigerate the Black Forest cherry powder, cinnamon and cocoa, and stir into the egg mixture quickly. Spoon the cake for at least 3 hours. sponge dough into the prepared spring swati@timesofomam.com

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10:00 PM Tekken Kazuya’s Revenge – 2D (Act) (15+) Cast: Kane Kousgi, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa 10:00 PM Katti Batti – 2D (Romance/Comedy) (PG12) 7:30PM Maaya – 2D (Horror) (15+) Cast: Nayantara, Aari, Amzath Khan 7:15 PM

@RUWI

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68. www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI THE MAZE RUNNER: SCORCH TRIALS (Action, Sci fi) (PG12)(3D) Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario 2:00, 9:15, 11:45 pm THE MAZE RUNNER: SCORCH TRIALS (Action, Sci fi) (PG12)(2D) Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario 6:45 pm American Ultra (Action, Drama)(12+) Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart 5:00, 9:30 pm The Transporter Refueled (Action)(PG12) Cast: Ed Skrein, Loan Chabanol 4:30, 11:30 pm MOOMINS ON THE RIVIERA (Animation) 2:00, 3:30 pm (PG) EDEN (Drama, Thriller)(12+)(2D) 4:00, 5:45 pm Cast: Jessica Lowndes, James Remar EVEREST (Adventure, Drama)(PG)(3D/IMAX) 1:45, 9:30, 11:55 pm EVEREST (Adventure, Drama)(PG)(2D) Cast: Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa 7:00 pm HARA MAZNOUKA (12+)(ARABIC) Cast: Ahmed Fathy, Ola Ghanem 7:30 pm

Katti Batti (Hindi) 2D (Romance) (TBC) Cast : Imran Khan, Kangana Ranaut 9:15 PM The Dead Lands 2D (Action ) (15+) Cast : James Rolleston, Lawrence Makaore 12:30 PM The Transporter Refueled 2D (PG12) Cast : Ed Skrein, Loan Chabano 2:45 PM Moomins on the Riviera 2D (Family) (PG) Cast : Maria Sid, Mats Langbacka 10:15 AM, 12:00, 3:30 PM

MUSCAT GRAND MALL Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials: 3D (PG12) Timing: 10:00 AM, 9:30, 11:55 PM Gold Class: 3:45, 8:45, 11:15 PM Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials: 2D (Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller) (PG12) 4:45 PM American Ultra: 2D (Action,Comedy) (12+) Cast: Jesse Eisenberg,, Kristen Stewart 1:30, 7:15 PM Everest 3D (Adventure, Drama, Thriller) (PG) Cast : Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa 7:15, 11:45 PM Gold Class: 1:15, 6:15 PM Everest : 2D (Adventure, Drama, Thriller) (PG) 5:00 PM

AZAIBA Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials – 2D (PG12) Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller 5:30 PM Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials – 3D (PG12) Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario 2:30, 8:00, 10:30 PM Utopiayile Rajavu - 2D (PG) Family, Comedy Cast: Mammootty, Jewel Mary, K. P. A. C. 8:00 PM Moomins on the Riviera – 2D (PG) 2:15, 3:45 PM Maya – 2D (15+) Horror Cast: Nayanthara, Aari, Amzath Khan 5:15, 10:45 PM

THE MAZE RUNNER: SCORCH TRIALS (Action, Sci fi) (PG12)(3D) Cast : Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario Timings: 2:00, 9:15, 11:45 pm

EVEREST : 3D (Adventure, Drama, Thriller) (PG) Cast : Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa Timings : 7:15, 11:45 PM Gold Class: 1:15, 6:15 PM

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

Dept time

Destination

Arrival Operating time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

TEMPERATURE

15:00 15:00 15:00

05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

16:30 18:00 19:30

Daily Daily Daily

Sur Quriyat Ruwi

06:45 08:30 10:00

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

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

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

Sohar Buraimi Buraimi Sohar Buraimi Sohar Buraimi

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

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 17:30

Sinaw

Nizwa Yanqul

20:50

Daily

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

Sur Sur

Daily Daily

Fahud Yibal

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

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

Marmul

Dubai

16:50

Daily

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

06:00 06:00

Nizwa Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

06:00 14:30

Ruwi Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

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

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

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

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

07:00

Daily

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

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

15:00

Salalah

07:00

Daily

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

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 07:30 07:30 13:00 13:00 15:30 15:30

Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH/SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

07:00 07:00 07:00

16:00 16.00 16.00

Fujairah Sharjah Dubai

0

11.45 13.30 14.00

Everest (Adventure/Thriller/Drama) Cast: Elizebeth Debicki, Jake Gyllenhal, Keira Knightly 3.45, 7.30, 9.45 & 11.55 pm CP No: 2391 (PG) The Deadlands ( Action ) Cast: James Rolleston, Lawrence Makoare 2.45, 10.00 & 11.55 pm CP No: 2392 ( 15+) Tekken 2 (Action) Cast: Kane Kosugi, Cary Heroiki Tagawa, Rade Serbedzija 4.45 & 8.15 pm CP No: 2394 (15+) The Blood Lands (Horror/Mystery/Thriller) Cast: Pollynna Mc Intosh, Lee williams, Jonea Mitchel 1.00 & 6.30 pm CP No: 2393 (12+) Zero Tolerance (Action) Cast: Dustin Nguyen, Scott Adkins, Sahajak Boonthanakit 12.15 pm CP No: 2371 (12+) Moomins On The Riviera (Animation) Cast: Maria Sid, Mats Langbacka, Kristofer Gummerus 2.00 & 6.00 pm CP No: 2395 (PG)

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

Utopiayile Rajavu (Mal) ( Com ) Cast: Mammootty & Jewel Mary 3-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema Main; 6-45 pm Cinema-3 Thani Oruvan (Mal) ( Act/Drama ) Cast: Jayam Ravi, Nayanthara & Arvind Swamy 3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema-2 Maya (Tamil) ( Horror) Cast: Natanthara & Aari 3-45 & 9-45 pm At Cinema-3; 6-30 pm at Cinema Main Loham (Mal) (Drama/Act) Cast: Mohanlal, Andrea & Renji Paniker 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm at Cinema – 4 NEXT CHANGE:Trisha Illana Nayanthara (Tamil); Rajni Murugan (Tamil) Programmes are subject to change

ADVAIT KAPIL September 22, 2011

KASHISH RATHOD September 22, 2008

AMOLIKA SRIVASATAVA September 22, 2006

ADEETI SRIVASATAVA September 22

0

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

30-80%

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 17 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

Daily Daily Daily

Sharjah Fujairah Ruwi

16:30 18.15 23.00

LISTINGS

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 EMBASSIES IN OMAN

Daily Daily Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

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

Daily

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

10:25

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100) Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

Ruwi

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

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

07:00

TO SUR (ROUTE 55)

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

Minimum

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

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

10:20 12:30

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 07:30 14:30

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

36 29

SALALAH Tekken: Kazuya’s Revenge (2D) (15+) Cast: Kane Kosugi, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa 10:15AM, 2:00, 10:15PM Everest (3D) (PG) (Adventure/Drama/Thriller) Cast: Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa 10:15AM, 7:00, 11:55PM Everest (2D) (PG) (Adventure/Drama/Thriller) 2:15PM Moomins on the Riviera (2D) (PG) 10:00AM, 3:45PM The Transporter Refueled (2D) (PG12) 2:30, 11:30 PM Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (3D) 11:30AM, 9:15, 11:45PM (PG12) Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2D) (PG12) (Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller) 4:30PM Katti Batti (2D) (PG12) (Romance) 12:00, 7:45PM American Ultra (2D) (12+) (Action) 12:30, 4:15PM Utopiayile Rajavu (2D) (PG) (Malayalam) 8:45PM Maaya (2D) (15+)(Tamil) (Horror) 6:00PM Hero (2D) (PG12) (Action/Drama/Romance) 5:15PM Cast: Sooraj Pancholi, Athiya Shetty, Tigmanshu Dhulia

BAHJA CINEMA

WITH LOVE

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

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

Daily Daily Daily

BURAIMI Maze Runner: The Scroch Trails - 3D (Action, Sci-FI, Thriller) (PG12) 5:00, 9:30, 11:55PM Everest – 3D (Adventure, Drama ) (PG) 5:15, 7:20, 11:45PM American Ultra – 2D (Action, Comedy) (12+) 11:30PM The Transporter Refueled– 2D (Action ) 5:30, 11:30 PM (PG12) The Blood Lands – 2D (Horror) (12+) Cast: Pollyanna McIntosh, Lee Williams

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

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

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

SOHAR The Transporter Refueled - 2D (PG12) Cast: Ed Skrein, Loan Chabanol 5:15, 10:10 PM American Ultra - 2D (12+) Action, Comedy Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart 4:15, 11:30 PM Hero - 2D (PG12) Action, Drama, Romance Cast: Sooraj Pancholi, Athiya Shetty 6:00 PM Everest - 2D (PG) Adventure, Drama, Thriller Cast: Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa 4:45 PM Everest - 3D (PG) Adventure, Drama, Thriller 2:30, 7:00, 11:45 PM Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials - 3D 7:00, 9:30, 11:55 PM (PG12) Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials - 2D (PG12) Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller 2:45 PM Katti Batti - 2D (TBC) Romance 9:15 PM

Moomins on the Riviera - 2D (PG) Cast: Maria Sid, Mats Långbacka 3:00, 4:30 PM Maya - 2D (T) (15+) Horror Cast: Nayanthara, Aari, Amzath Khan 6:00 PM Utopiayile Rajavu - 2D (M) (PG) Family Cast: Mammootty, Jewel Mary, K. P. A. C. 8:45 PM Eden - 2D (12+) Drama, Thriller Cast: Jessica Lowndes, James Remar 2:30, 11:55 PM Hara Maznouka - 2D (Arb) (12+) Comedy Cast: Ahmed Fathy, Ola Ghanem 8:25 PM

WEATHER

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

SUR Maze Runner : the Scorch Trails (3D) (Action | Sci - Fi ) (PG12) 7:00, 11:45 PM The Dead Land (Action) (15+) CP# 6:30 PM Utopiayile Rajavu (Malayalam)(Family ) Cast: Mammooty, Jewel Mary, K. P. A. C. 11:00 PM (PG) Katti Batti (Hindi) (Romance) (TBC) 8:30 PM American Ultra (Action | Comedy) (12+) 5:15PM Everest (3D) (Adventure | Drama) (PG) 4:15, 9:30 PM

KATTI BATTI (ROMANCE) – PG12 Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Imran Khan Timings: 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PM

Everest (2D) (Adventure, Drama) – PG 3.45, 9.45 PM Phantom (Action) – PG Cast: Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif 6.45 PM

RUWI SCREEN 1 Katti Batti (Romance) – PG12 Cast:Kangana Ranaut, Imran Khan 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PM SCREEN 2 Welcome Back (Comedy) – 12+ 3.45, 9.45 PM Everest (3D) (Adventure, Drama, Thriller) Cast: Elizabeth Debicki, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira 6.45 PM (PG) SCREEN 3

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

MOOMINS ON THE RIVIERA - 2D (PG) Voice Overs : Maria Sid, Mats Långbacka Timings : 3:00, 4:30 PM

Everest – 3D (PG) Adventure, Drama, Thriller Cast: Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa 6:45, 11:15 PM Everest – 2D (PG) Adventure, Drama, Thriller Cast: Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa 3:15 PM Katti Batti – 2D (TBC) Romance Cast: Imran Khan, Kangana Ranaut 3:45, 6:15, 8:45 PM The Transporter Refueled - 2D (PG12) 2:00, 11:30 PM American Ultra – 2D (12+) Action, Comedy 12:15, 5:30 PM Hero – 2D (PG12) Action, Drama, Romance 9:00 PM

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

Destination

12.05pm 3.31pm 6.09pm 7.20pm 4.40am

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

@MGM

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

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

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

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

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

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334

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

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

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

Hamriya 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 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 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

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

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

LIFESTYLE OW KN UR YO ICE SP

BRIEFS

Tuscany Reintroduces Italian Brunch

Kashmiri Red Chilli WITH THE brunch scene in Oman heating up, Grand Hyatt Muscat’s signature restaurant, Tuscany, is set to reintroduce its Friday Italian brunch.

In contrast to the popular weekly Friday family brunch at Mokha Café where children are welcome, brunch at Tuscany will cater to adults only, ideal for fine dining connoisseurs with a refined palate for Italian food.

Every first Friday of every month, Tuscany’s Italian Chef Mauro Ferrari will welcome guests to a truly remarkable experience, featuring interactive counters and stations serving a selection of cold cuts, seafood, prime meat and speciality home-made Italian desserts.

The first Italian brunch will take place on Friday, October 2, 2015. Tables are limited and diners are advised to make reservations early.

The brunch offers three different packages: a soft drink brunch for OMR 24 per person, an unlimited alcoholic beverages brunch for OMR 37 per person or a champagne brunch for OMR 51 per person (all prices include taxes and service charge).

For reservations or more information, or to find out upcoming brunch dates, please visit the hotel’s website at bit.ly/1F28leB.

Butter Chicken to Paneer at Bali Restaurant

AS ONE WALKS down the market street on the way to the pristine Kuta beach on Bali island, Indonesia’s major tourist destination, it is hard to miss the Queen’s of India.

For the Indians who come to this beach resort for rest and recreation, but crave for “desi” food, especially vegetarian fare, Queen’s of India is like manna from heaven.

In the street dotted with many restaurants and bars, the Queen’s stands out not only for its shiny nameplate on top or its huge swing on the side, but also because it is packed with food lovers both expats and tourists, including westerners.

No wonder the aroma that floats in air stops many a passer-by who are compelled to take a bite of the delicious Indian fare on offer. From south Indian (dosa, uthapam), to northern (tandoori) or the western (Gujarati thali), all food Indian are served here.

There are many Indian restaurants in Bali from Athithi to Indian Dhaba to Ganesha Ek Sanskriti Indian Restaurant catering to mostly honeymooners thronging this favoured tourist town. However, the Queen’s, which began its journey in 2004 and now has a chain of restaurants (four outlets) in Bali and two in Jakarata, remains the most famous. So much so that they are booked

by Indians who come all the way from London, Dubai and India to Bali for a destination wedding.

New Delhi-based Puneet Malhotra, the owner of the Queen’s, said their restaurant is an epitome of authentic Indian cooking which is served in the most exotic of locations. -IANS

What’s It? Indian cuisine is known for its spices and no Indian food is ever considered complete without red chillies which add colour, spice, and flavour to the dishes. Kashmiri red chillies are less spicy than normal dried red chilli and give colour and flavour to the dishes.

History Most Indian savoury dishes are incomplete without a dash of chilli powder. While chilli pepper was introduced about 500 years back, Kashmiri red chilli came in usage later and became popular for its vibrant red colour and mild spiciness.

Cooking With It Best while making curries, vegetable dishes, tomato sauce, soups, stew, and tandoori chicken. It’s widely used in pickles and chutneys and adds taste to the tangy flavours. Sweet red chilli pickles are much in demand too. They are good as snacks too as can be stuffed with cheese and fried after dipping in gram flour. Roasted dry Kashmiri red chilli is good for seasoning lentils.

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

Select & Store Choose the ones with good red colour and uniform size.

Avoid buying those that are reddish brown in colour. Cut them into small neat pieces and store them in a bottle for easy access while tempering or grinding them into a paste.

Store in air tight containers. swati@timesofoman.com

C11

C12

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

LIFESTYLE

Walnuts

E ONDIENT E R ING

YS WA E IV

F

Add them on grain dishes, toss them with fre fresh esh herbs

into salads, sprinkle them on pasta, grind them to make dips and spreads, and pair them with vanilla, cloves

and cinnamon in desserts. Discover the countless ways to add walnuts to your diet.

BLEND IT

Combine banana, yoghurt, walnuts, and honey in a blender and have a delicious smoothie.

CHOP IT

Chop walnuts and add to your morning cereals.

SPREAD IT

Make a delicious spread.

Toast 1/2 cup of walnuts in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Blend with a chopped garlic clove, a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas, juice of one lemon, salt and pepper.

COMBINE IT

Combine whole grain pasta with crumbled goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, walnuts, and arugula for a quick, creamy, crunchy meal.

STUFF IT

Add walnuts to any ďŹ lling and stuff potatoes, tomatoes, bell pepper with it.

D

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

SECTION

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

RENT

D2

VACANCY

D4

CARGO

D8

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

D2

T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

FOR RENT Al Ahlia Real Estate L.L.C

95957000/24504001/24504003

New 1/2 B/R RES/ Comm. flats near Medical College Bausher directly from owner.

Contact :92158031

Available furnished meeting hall for seminars on a hourly, daily, monthly, yearly basis. please contact 93203773 : Email: mbdeast@gmail.com

Villas and flats for rent.

Contact: 99120014. www.dreamhomesoman.com Deluxe 3 BHK Penthouse with Seaview, ideal for office / residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 9772 1313 / 95070421 For rent : showroom / storage space available (area 290 SQM, 6M height) facing Al Mina street, Jibroo.

Contact: 99360631 / 96760819 Villa in Bausher 36 for Rent : Mordent design, Mordent decorations with spot lights, 4 bedrooms, 6 balconies, Kitchen, Store, 6 toilets, full marble, full split unit.

Contact 94009600 New Building in Mutrah, 2 B/D Room Flat + Setting Room,3 Baths+ Kitchen with split unit Ac’s. Behind Khimiji’s main office/opposite to Oman House Call 99419712 Wadi Kabir, 2 Bed Room Flat with sitting Room, 2 Bath Rooms+ Kitchen. Opposite to Kuwaiti Mosque.

Close to Indian school.

Call 99419712/99261628 2BHK new flats in Al Khud rent 240/-. Contact: 97616158 Twin villa with basement for rent AL Khuwair 25. Contact: 99359988 3 BHK, 3 bathrooms, 2 balconies Nr Al Hassan, W/Kabir R.O 325/-.

Contact: 99384640 House for rent 4BR family hall, fitting room, dining room, kitchen, store with A/C & satellite reception at Mawaleh south , behind Sultan discount center rent R.O 550/-.

Contact: 93653311

2 BHK with split AC Al Khuwair -33 for residential & commercial use.

Contact : 94057023

Flat for rent, 2 bedrooms, 1 sitting room, 3 toilets next to Al Hassan Company in W/K. Contact: 99210008

Rooms for rent in Al Khuwair near Ibis Hotel with AC. Contact: 95124975

2 BHK flat in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99792181

Deluxe 1,2,3 bedroom flats in Wadi Kabir , Ruwi, Mumtaz & Al Khuwair areas. Contact : 24707340 / 99472457 / 95282986

3 & 4 BHK villa in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99792181

Deluxe villas at Al Hail.

Contact 95282986

100 & 700 sqr mtrs office space in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181

Two shops in Muttrah Souq, for rent more details please contact: 91214849 / 99364735

2 BHK flat in Rex Road (Ruwi).

Contact 99792181

New flats for rent in Darsait Al Sahal. Contact: 99777351

VILLA IN AZAIBA – Four Bed Room Villa, near Well Roundabout & Umm Al Qura Mosque. Available for sharing also. Call 92887809 / 98048207.

600 SQT commercial flat for rent opposite Oman flourmill Darsait more details. Contact: 91214849/ 99364735

Flats in Ruwi, Muttrah, Mumtaz area available. Contact: 24813822

Flats, shops for rent in Ruwi, MBD & Mumtaz area. Contact 97293708

Villa for rent - Al Seeb/Al Mawelah Block 5 - 4 bedrooms with attached bathrooms , Majlis, 2 halls, kitchen and storeroom. split Ac and carpark - Contact 99564616 / 99498448

Flats in Al Khuwair 33 with gym free for tenants 2 BHK RO.425/-.

Contact 93161111

1BHK Wadi Kabeer near Sana RO 180/-. Contact : 95094028

3BHK flat Darsait Near I.D card Medical 450/- R.O. Contact: 99358589 / 95570288

Fully Furnished 2BHK Apartments available at Bareeq Al Shatti.

Contact 92888063

1& 2 BHK flats for rent at Wadi Kabir, Wadi Adai, Hamriya, Al Khoud and Mabela and shop at Al Khoud land line. Contact : 24834644 GSM 93994401/ 02/ 03, 3 lines

2BHK with split AC near PDO Gate No.2 Qurum available for immediate renting. Contact : 94057023

Twin villa 6BR hall, kitchen at Al Ansab-2. Contact: 99747560 / 99444786

Furnished room for rent at Al Khuwair R.O 225/- for family only.

Contact: 99251975 2BHK, 2 Baths, Split A/C, Wadi kabeer towards Al bustan, Near Indian Elementary School.

Contact 99441193, 93004802 Spacious 2BHK with attached bathroom near Lulu Wadikabir. Rent – OMR 280/=. Contact 98759576 or 95822833 2 bedroom villa in Sidab.

Contact: 95755953 / 95555162 1BHK Ruwi & 3BHK Bosher.

Contact: 99024730 2BHK new Amerat with AC 230/R.O. Contact: 99024730 Villa /room for rent Al Qurum behind Mars. Contact: 95349530 / 99586517 2BHK close to Indian school kindergarten Wadi Kabir R.O 320/-, 1BHK R.O 250/-. Contact: 99476728 / 98484415 Room with A.C at AL Khuwair R.O 120/-. Contact: 97799175 1BHK flat with A/C AL Khuwair 250/- R.O. Contact: 99358589 / 95570288 2 BHK Flats for rent Muttrah near Oman house. Contact: 97007934 / 92629232 1BHK near Al Nahdha Ruwi.

Contact: 99617786 New flats 1 room and living room with accessories & 2 rooms and living room with accessories in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 92130703 / 96045478 New flats for rent in Darsait, Al Sahal. Contact : 99311525

3BHK well maintained flat (villa type) G. floor split A/C separate entrance, parking, and compound available in Al Khuwair behind Sagar Polyclinic Way no. 3922, Block 239, Villa No. 1839.

Contact: 99253125 Two shops in Muttrah Souq, for rent more details pleas.

Contact: 91214849 / 95729711 Flat and show room for rent Al Khuwair 33, Al Ghubrah, Darsait and Jibroo. Contact: 24485240 / 24485241 / 93651633 / 92109563 1 & 2 bedroom flats available for rent in wadi-kabir (opp: pencil bldg), ideal for company staff / families bulk corporate deal possible.

Contact: 97677170 Flats in Al Khuwair 2 BHK RO.350/Contact – 93161111.

Furnished flat in Bareeq Al Shatti 2 BHK RO.750/-. Contact 93161111 Commercial villa near Bareeq Al Shatti 8 BHK + swimming pool RO.2500/-. Contact 93161111 Villa in Madinate Sultan Qaboos 3BHK + maid room RO.1400/-.

Contact 93161111 Villa in Al Khuwair 4 BHK RO.600/-, Flat in Madinate Sultan Qaboos 3BHK RO.600/-.

Contact 93161111 Flat in Qurum near PDO 2 BHK + 1 BHK RO.550/ – 375/Contact 93161111 Flats in Azaiba opp to Al Sahwa Tower 2 BHK RO.450/- 1BHK RO.350/-. Contact 93161111 Villa for rent in Al Khuwair 33, 8 bedrooms & 5 bathrooms with parking area near Taimur Mosque.

Contact: 99366624

Villa for rent: 6 bed rooms, 1 sitting room, 2 halls, 1 kitchen and 1 pantry.

Al Mawaleh South phase 3 close to Al Sahwah roundabout, first line behind Amwag perfume factory.

Contact - 99360366 Shops for rent in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact: 99888390 1BHK flats available for rent in CBD area. Contact: 98116480 Flat for rent in Hamriya.

Contact: 99341112

FOR SALE For sale land in Amerat 3000 Sq.mt with petrol pump permission.

Contact 99323957 / 92702891

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

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DAILY GUIDE

AFFORDABLE QUALIFIED STAFF AVAILABLE: EŽ ƟŵĞ ƚŽ ƐĐƌƵƟŶŝnjĞ ƐƚĂī ĂŵŽŶŐ ƚŚŽƵƐĂŶĚƐ͍ EĞĞĚ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů ƐƚĂī Ăƚ ĂŶ ĂƌƌĂŶŐĞŵĞŶƚ͍ tĞ ĂƌĞ Ă ŵĂŶƉŽǁĞƌ ĂŐĞŶĐLJ ǁŚŽ ŚĞĂĚͲŚƵŶƚ ƚŚĞ ƐƚĂī ĨƌŽŵ ĂŶLJ ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ͊ tĞ ƐĐƌĞĞŶ ƚŚĞ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂŶƚƐ ƐĞǀĞƌĂůůLJ ƚŽ ĞŶƐƵƌĞ ƚŚĂƚ LJŽƵ ŐĞƚ ŽŶůLJ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ŝƐĐŽǀĞƌ ǁŚLJ ƚŽƉ ĞŵƉůŽLJĞƌƐ ƉƌĞĨĞƌ ƵƐ ĨŽƌ ƐƚĂĸŶŐ͊

Hurry and call this number now!

95967902 UNIVERSAL SCRAP BUYERS AT AMAZING PRICES Convert ANY type of Scrap into Money by selling us the scrap Great prices are guaranteed for our clients!

Call this number now for urgent response -

96059470

CLASSY, CREATIVE AND AFFORDABLE INTERIOR DESIGN 'Ğƚ ĐƵƐƚŽŵŝnjĞĚ͕ &ŝƫŶŐ͕ ĂŶĚ ƵŶŝƋƵĞ ŝŶƚĞƌŝŽƌ ĚĞƐŝŐŶƐ ŵĂĚĞ ĨƌŽŵ ƐĐƌĂƚĐŚ͘ Our professionals give YOU: ͻ ƵƚŽ ĂĚ >ĂLJŽƵƚ ͻ D W ƌĂǁŝŶŐƐ ͻ Ϯ ĂŶĚ ϯ ĚƌĂǁŝŶŐ ͻ /ŶŶŽǀĂƟǀĞ ŽŶĐĞƉƚ ĞƐŝŐŶ Hurry now and call this number

91494149

*Kindly note that the scrap should be 50 tons onwards

ĨŽƌ ĂŶ ĞdžĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ůŝŵŝƚĞĚͲƟŵĞ ŽīĞƌ ĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚ͊​͊​͊

FOR HIRE

NRI

AVAILABLE Vegetable & fruit counter in grocery store in Saham available. Contact: 93006562 / 99417418 Party & Wedding equipment rentals.

Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. ww.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

ACC. AVAILABLE Near Mars Wadi Al Kabir spacious room hatched bath room separate kitchen facility (small family).

Contact: 95731543

FOR SALE Gas cooker (4 burner) in good condition for immediate sale.

Contact 96027403 Ladies parlor for sale at Ansab.

Contact: 98806430 Ice Cream & juices shop in Ruwi good location for sale suitable for beauty parlor also. Contact: 92150455 Shop for sale at Ruwi High street inside. Contact 96023492 Sale of Radiator of Cummins C 1100D5B Generator presently lying at M/s Al Ansari Yard in Ghala. For further information, please contact Mr. Deshpande on 99415504 M/s Muscat Surveyors LLC on 24816579 Beauty Parlor for sale or rent.

Contact 99131775 / 96700192

Large room furnished sep / entrance Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99336206 A big room in available near Hamriya R/A for Muslim couple / small family / Executive bachelor rent 150/- per month including W+ E. Contact: 99495131 Acc. available for a decent Expatriate in Wadi Adai, Ruwi. Sharing entrance, own: room, kitchen and bathroom- fully furnished including elect. RO 150. Contact 96243086 from 5pm 3 BHK Fully Furnished Villa for (Family or executive bachelors) at South Al Mawaleh (Behind Seeb City Center). Gsm 92494923 Separate room with A/c, Small Fridge and Bed, for non-cooking Asian bachelor, behind Shell filling station, Ghoubra round about.

Contact: 94263390

Bobcat Grader and roller for rent.

Contact: 94584688 Volvo 12 Ton Truck for monthly rent. Contact: 98713900

ACC. AVAILABLE Single room with separate bathroom available opp. Al Nahdha Hospital for Indian families. Contact : 92394614 Sharing accommodation for couples near Kims Darsait.

Contact: 94627458 Room for rent with sharing bathroom & kitchen at Al Khuwair, behind Golden Spoon Restaurant.

Contact 92994415 Semi furnished separate room for non-cooking Asian bachelor, behind Shell filling station, Ghubra round about. Contact: 94263390

GOOD NEWS

SITUATION WANTM.V. FOR SALE ED

Brand new 3 bedroom flat in Ernakulam Vytila Bus terminal, 1500 sq ft, ready to occupy.

Contact 96947652

Toyota Yaris (Hatchback) - White, 2008, fully automatic, Expat used.

9206 6523

Ready to occupy (brand New) 3BHK,1200 sq ft apartment in Mogappair at KG signature citydirect from owner -No broker.

Contact Muscat-93210545, Chennai 9840468313

Mitsubishi Pajero 2006 model Automatic, 1,22,000 km, insurance + registration valid till August 2016 black, well serviced, good condition, OMR 2,800/-.

Contact: 94515102

MATRIMONIAL RC, Keralite ( Kottayam) male, 27 yrs, Civil Engineer, working in Muscat from decent family looking for suitable alliance.

Contact : 95035953

Large room with separate bathroom & sharing available in Al Khuwair.

Contact 95250161

Suitable alliance invited for a Marar (ambalavasi) girl 24yrs 170cm from thrissur, star rohini, shuddha jathakam, MTECH (e&c), from parents of boys belong to marar/ podoval/nair or related communities.

GSM: 00968 93691316 Email- smgkutty2006@yahoo.co.in

Furnished room (for Ladies)with attached bath separate entrance in Mabela. Contact :99634841

Seeking alliance for our son from Muslim families. Interested families Contact: 99889590

Ayurvedic Treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis , IDEAL CARE Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Azaiba # 99639695 / 98342990 FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 99250777, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133.

For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit:www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic massage backache, joint pain, neck pain etc.

Contact 98254909 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

Mercedes car – C 180, 2010 model for sale, 160.000 KM, very good condition, expecting around R.O 6,000. Contact: 99751044 Lexus GX 460, 2013.

Contact : 99336093 Kia Cerato 2014 Model for sale 1300 kms Under agency warrenty and service. Contact: 99634841

LOST Mohammed Mokles has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AE 5809589.

Finder please handover to ROP

D4

T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Highly experienced & qualified Finance Controller / Manager seeks suitable position. NOC available. Can join immediately. Contact: 92817797 Indian female 26 yrs B.Com CA Inter with 4 yrs experience seek placement in accounts. Contact : 94045427 Indian male 27 yrs, B. Com, MBA, CA Inter ( pursuing final) with 7+ yrs experience, seeks suitable placement in accounts, holds valid Saudi D/L. Contact : 95358659 ACCA finalist, Recent B.Com Graduate, Indian female, looking for full time employment in Accounting and Audit. +968 96964379, sangeethaumesh5@gmail.com Chief Accountant, 12 years Oman experience looking for suitable position. Contact: 99513082

ADMIN

Accountant 7 Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084

Omani Receptionist required receptionist, well presented with excellent communications skills and telephone manner, fluent in Arabic and English required for Ruwi office. Candidates should be familiar with MS English and Arabic office suite. Send CV and covering email to mj-co@omantel.net.om

MEDICAL

BEAUTICIAN Urgently required experienced Beautician. Contact 96616731 or send CV to pbm.ibra@gmail.com

CATERING

Urgently required Female Nurses with MOH license for a Polyclinic. Attractive Salary with accommodation.

Contact: 97091664 or 97327175.

Email: mmcmuscat@gmail.com

DRIVER Looking for an experienced house driver for an Omani family.

Interested candidates may Contact: 96203333

DRAUGHTSMAN A leading Construction Company in Muscat urgently requires Draughtsman (Civil).

Send CV : hr.azatllc@gmail.com or call 99344279

Cooks & helpers for café.

Contact: 95529970

Wanted a Lab Technician with valid M.O.H license and N.O.C to work in a polyclinic. Salary R.O 450/- per month (package).Contact: 96493058 (2 pm to 4 pm).

Email: ap_sdsudhi@yahoo.com Required urgently General Physician Gynecology, Pharmacist, LAB Technicians staff nurse.

Contact: 95133572 Email: kunoozghala@gmail.com Wanted Nurse for dental centre in Mawaleh South & Qurum.

Contact 93431024, Email : drasyanaseem@gmail.com

EDUCATION Restaurant Staff urgently required Tandoor roti maker, waiter/ helper required in restaurant in Saham.

Contact : 98029701 / 95821905 Required Catering Supervisor, Chef, Asst. Cook & Chapathi makers for a catering Company in interior area. Apply with NOC. SMS : 99242984 Required Filipina female Waitresses & male Housekeepers in Dolphin Hotel – Muscat. Only residents / contact number: 24488192 please send C.V : dolphinhoteloman@hotmail.com

DOMESTIC HELPER Looking for a female who can teach and play with two kids at their home in Gubrah. Candidate must be caring and fluent in English.

Timing 2pm -6pm and salary RO120.

Contact: 93892656 Required housemaid for part time at Ghubra.Contact:93267065

DRIVER A reputed Lebanese chain of Restaurants requires Delivery Man in Muscat. The person should have a two wheeler driving license and must be familiar with the Muscat city. Are you interested to be a part of a reputed group please call 92443104.

Driver with Oman driving licence needed. Visa available.

Contact 94288863

Senior Architect, Indian male 15yrs exp. having DL& NOC, Looking for suitable position.

Contact: 97239313 Email: abdul_muq2000@yahoo.co.uk

CATERING Indian male B.A with Diploma in Hotel Mgt with 15 yrs experience in hotels & catering, having Oman D/L seek suitable placement.

Contact: 95451547 Email: lijosaju@yahoo.com

DRIVER Bangladeshi light driver (AG) 48) expe, 14 years, need job & visa have release paper transpire. #99165961 Light Vehicle Driver with 4 yrs exp looking for job. Contact: 94241385 Light duty driver looking for job more than 4 years exp in Oman.

Contact: 92602182 Driver. Contact: 95084826 Wanted driving job. #97690766

ACCOUNTANT Urgent need Purchaser / Imports, Accounts Assistant. Candidates with bachelors degree and 3 to 5 years relevant experience. Please email CV to trend1993@yahoo.com

SALES / MARKETING

Indian female MBA fresher finance & HR B.Com Computer on family joining visa. Contact : 93839846 Email: abmiesunny92@gmail.com

ARCHITECT

Urgently required for a private bilingual school at Al Ansab for immediate placement - Physics, Maths, Librarian, Nurse, Special Educators. Please email your CV : employment22013@gmail.com immediately.

Post Graduate researcher required.

Contact 99229700

ENGINEER/TECH/MECH Reputed metal fabrication company seeks fabrication supervisor, structural steel fabricator, Machine maintenance Technician and Electrician. Contact: 99102383 Email: hr@khancogroup.com A Mechanical Engineer with salesmanship experience of 5 years & above preferable with Oman drivers license and NOC. Please forward your CV to almaadhi.trd@gmail.com

MEDICAL Urgently needed female Dermatologist with minimum 5 yrs experience. Send CV : elixirhealthcenter@yahoo.com P.S. details of salary and benefits will be sent after submitting the CV Wanted Pharmacist (B.Pharm), Staff Nurses (female) with or without MOH license for a polyclinic near Sohar. Excellent salary package.

Contact 99006915, Email : alhinaee.clinic@yahoo.com

Required Pharmacies with license, needed for clinic in Al Khoudh , Contact :+968 97696502 , mail CV to towershr70@gmail.com

MANAGER Required Sales Manager for a hotel supply company with minimum 5 years experience. # 92035162

MISCELLANEOUS Building material Salesman, Electrician cum Plumber & C.C.T.V Technician. Contact: 99383044 Experienced Denter, Spray painter, Mechanic, Outdoor sales person required. Contact 98045373

SALES / MARKETING Marketing Manager with Oman experience & driving license.

Contact: 95766844 Looking for qualified, good communication and computer skills candidate with experience for position of : Sales Manager to work in high-end window tinting business. Minimum academic requirements: bachelor’s degree and own a driving license.

Kindly email your CV to abdullah.alhinai86@gmail.com Urgently required Sales Executives for construction materials with local experience, driving license and NOC. Send the CV with photo to grioman@gmail.com

Sales Executive : required urgently for an established Printing Press.

Minimum 3 years relevant experience and working knowledge of printing process is expected.

Contact 99354681 Urgently need Project Sales Executive - Modular Kitchens, candidates with bachelor’s degree and 3 to 5 years relevant experience, please email CV to trend1993@yahoo.com Accomplished Advertising Sales & Business Development Executives for leading Media Enterprise.

Enthusiastic Freshers also welcome. jobs@interacoman.com Required experienced Sales / Marketing Executives having light license. Send your CV ocean@omantel.net.om AVON requires female Omani Nationals (bi-lingual) and Expatriates to join their expanding local Sales Team. Candidate must have good communication skills, highly organized with a commitment and enthusiasm to be successful. Training will be provided. Valid Omani D/L necessary. Send CV on samiha-avon@mhd.co.om Required Sales Executive for Stationery Company with Oman driving license. Send Email: mipartjob@gmail.com

SKILLED LABOR Wanted urgently need two Tailors who can make curtains.

Contact: 98962888

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Accountant with 8 years U.A.E experience, on visit visa, looking for a job. Contact : 96166512

Driver Pakistani available.

NOC available. Contact: 94356465

Senior Accountant 10 years experience, looking for accounts parttime works and finalization works.

Contact: 96247295

Pakistani male light vehicle driver looking for job. Contact: 96474528

Indian female (BSc MBA) having 6 yrs exp in Garment industries seeking suitable office oriented job.

Contact : 91317975

Wanted driver. Contact 95112461

25 yrs female Indian with B.Com MBA looking out for a job in finance / marketing / HR field with a work experience of 1 year, 3 months at Bank Muscat & 7 months at India.

Contact: 94657403 / 95537261 Indian male B.Com Graduate 24 years looking for suitable placement. Contact: 97219505 Indian male 10 years experience, 6 years in Oman, with Oman driving license, having NOC seeking suitable job. Contact: 96012973 Jordanian Accountant (ACPA) with more than 15 yrs experience in Oman (Accounts, Purchase & finance.

Contact: 92881223 Email: kamal_sarhan@yahoo.com Indian male, 27years, MCom, having 2years experience in Accounts looking for suitable position.

Presently on visit visa.

Contact 93455055| gibingeorge88@gmail.com Part time Accountant available.

Contact : 93438100

ADMIN Indian male BBA Graduate 12 years experience in Administration level 15 months exp in Oman having NOC available looking for suitable placement. Contact : 91458388

Fresher 24 years B.Com Graduate, Tally 7.2 & ERP9, looking for a suitable placements in Accounts.

Contact: 97219505

14 years of gulf experience in HR / Admin & logistics fluent in Arabic / English with D/L looking for suitable position. Contact: 95824598

Senior Finance Professional (CA, ICWA, CIMA), Indian, with more than 25 years of varied experience in finance and accounting, project evaluations and business valuations seeks suitable employment opportunities in Oman, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait or Bahrain. Available for immediate joining. Contact Gopal +971 50 508 2538, email – rajiraja@hotmail.com

Indian 24 years BCA MCITP having 2 years exp as system administrator looking suitable job. # 94170892 Filipina, 10 yrs experience in Fashion Retail, Shipment, Logistics, Inventory, Warehouse Control and Store Management is seeking employment. Call +971565833126 or 97728418.

Driver with car. Contact :91452930

Car with driver or without cat specially Companies.

Contact 97943750 / 97408900 Driver job wanted. #99343782 Light duty driver 5 years exp in Oman. Contact: 92602182

DOMESTIC HELP Housemaid (exp 20 years) looking for English, family.

Contact: 99564133 / 96534195

EDUCATION Indian female, MSC physics B.ED having 5 years experience in teaching looking for suitable jobs.

Contact: 97367389

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Young Electrical Engineer looking for suitable placement. Having specialization in electronics.

Contact 99227861 Project Manager (Interior fitouts décor & MEP) B.E. Arch having 8 years experience looking for a suitable position in a reputed company.

Local release is available.

Contact: 91528851 B.E Arch with 8 years experience as 2 Project Manager in Interior fitouts décor & MEP works looking for suitable. Local release is available.

Contact: 91528851 Indian male diploma in Civil Engineering with 20 years experience in interior fitout with valid driving license NOC and local release available. Contact: 98048410 Mechanical Engineer, male 28 yrs, Indian 2 yrs experience (L& T Ports) as Maintenance Engineer knowledge in protect planning & management seeking for a suitable job. Contact: 92685011 on visit visa.

Email: srinathvijayanavs@gmail.com

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED ENGG. / TECH./MECH. 22, Indian female,Chemical Engineer with valid Omani driving license seeking internship/job opportunities in oil and gas/perfumery and cosmetics sector. Currently on family visa.Contact: 97242506 Professional Civil Engineer 25 yrs experience with N.O.C Management and Supervision with D/L. Contact: 97290338 Bangladeshi Diploma Civil Engineer 3 years experience in Bangladesh 2 years in Oman.

Contact: 93796905 / 97319361 Electronic & Communication Engineer auto cad, 2 yrs Indian experience in Instrumentation, currently on visit visa looking for a suitable position. Contact : 94493227, Email: rijokokkadan@gmail.com Female Civil Engineer with 3.5 years experience looking for job in Muscat, proficient in site execution, tendering procedures billing, Quantity take off, budgetary control have knowledge in AutoCAD, SAP, Word, excel, power point. Contact: 97207212 Email: ranjur20@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL MECH. ENGG Indian male having 1 year exp & AutoCAD knowledge looking for suitable job.

Contact: 92835957 Indian Mechanical Engineer 31 yrs, 8+ experience in sales & Bus. Dev, having Oman driving license & NOC. Contact: 97116858 Email: menonamit1984@gmail.com Electrician 3 years experience in Building lines in Oman and other related experience also. NOC available. Stay till 29.09.2015. Contact: 94057129 / 95964419 Email: raheemdadbaloch@hotmail.com Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp.

Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com

Civil Engg, B.Tech fresher Indian male currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. #91702450 Email: tijoct2015@hotmail.com

C-SWIP 3.1 ASNT level 2 QC Mech.

Engr 5+ yrs exp Indian male 26 seeks placement. Contact : 91823331 Email: kannasekhar46@gmail.com

Civil Engineer, Indian M 29 5yrs exp. having DL & NOC Looking for suitable position. Contact: 94576233 Email: suhailmullah@gmail.com

Electrical and Electronics Engineer with one year experience and GCC licence holder seeking a job mail – shyjalpk@gmail.com

Pakistani diploma civil (Eng) 24 year 1.5 years experience in Pak) 2 years in (Oman). Contact: 97138320

SUPERVISOR: Indian male site supervisor (AIR CONDITIONING) 25 years of experience with valid Oman Driving license, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 97498809, 93391910 Email: hilariankj@gmail.com

MEDICAL A GNM Nurse seeking suitable placement in Hospital or clinic having 11 yrs experience in Oman.

Contact 98766167, can ready to work temporary or permanent.

Indian female BSc Nurse with 4 years experience with Oman prometric 64% looking for suitable placement in capital area. Contact: 95847286 Indian male, MSc, MPhil, BEd Chemistry,2 Yrs Teaching experience and having experience in lab analyst, currently on visit visa, seeks suitable post.

Contact 90208673

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

Since March 2010 in Oman as a building Construction Site supervisor with Oman D/L looking for suitable placement or small Omani Construction Co. Contact 93061107 D.A.E (Civil) Engineer 5 years experience Infrastructure work + safety officer cause (OSHA & IOSH) looking for suitable placement. #97850996

Indian BE (MECH) aviation BE degree diploma in material quality management 17 years Navy aviation 13 years construction purchase stores professional on visit.

Contact: 90205082 /98796982

Degree Engineer Civil, 6 years experience Oman D/L, N.O.C available for a suitable position.

Contact: 93523507 / 95961336

Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical maintained field on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 99191535 Email: fareed029@gmail.com

Indian male, 23 yrs, B.E in Mechanical post Graduation Diploma in piping Engineering, seeking job in relevant field. Contact : 94786570 Email: asim.hajwani6@gmail.com

Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385

A Senior Executive, Civil Engineering professional is available for multitask engagement, coordination lead contract disposals in consultancy or construction set ups.

Contact 99703972

Indian male BE Mechanical currently on 2 yrs free visa with NOC & local release. Looking for suitable job in Muscat. Contact – 90296975 / ali.syedausaf@gmail.com

Indian 22 years male, Mechanical Engineer, B.Tech has done internships, born and brought up in Oman with Omani driving license, seeking suitable jobs. #92791637 Email: ashwinsureshkotturethu@gmail.com Indian male Production Engineer logistics supply chain seeks suitable placement, currently visit visa.

Contact : 97804481 Email: akshaygopi@hotmail.com Indian male BE civil project Engineer 15 years Oman experience in building projects with valid D/L NOC available. Contact: 92178471 B.Tech civil project coordinator 5 years experience of with different ministry projects NOC available.

Contact: 94194393 Indian male software Engineer 2 years experience knowledge of Java .NET C# ASP.Net. Contact: 99210940 working in techno park Indian Trivandrum Sudanese Telecom Engineer five years experience in Oman.

Contact: 93391008 Cisco certified Network Engineer with license NOC 4+ years experience looking for job. Contact: 91703807 Email: ekrema.zia@gmail.com BE Electrical Engineer 8 years experience 4 years in Oman with Oman driving license.

Contact : 96942032 Civil Engineer (Diploma) seeking for placement. Contact: 95200650 B.E Civil job, Project Eng exp 11 yrs.

Contact: 95690780 / 95694048 Email: sadiq.asrar81@gmail.com Civil Engineer (Diploma) 3.5 years experience seeking for placement.

Contact: 96535084 Civil Engineer (diploma) 3.5 yrs exp, seeking for placement.

Contact: 95200650

HOSPITALITY Indian Male 5 years experience in Admin and Hospitality services, seeks suitable placement Contact:96461046 Email:chijilsidhan5@gmail.com

Sudanese procurement Manager three years experience in Oman.

Contact: 93391008 Senior Manager Indian, 30 years in FMCG Business in Oman looking for better opportunity at management level. Contact 99231513 Fabrication Manager overall 07 years of experience in fabrication of Structural steel industry with NOC & driving license looking for an opportunity available up to 25th September 2015.

Contact : 97004394 Email: mohanmukund_mech@yahoo.co.in 22 years B.Com Graduate having experience in trading of car accessories and also with valid GCC driving license looking for a suitable job.

Contact 98504698

MISCELLANEOUS TIG+ARC welder Indian with 16yrs middle est. exp in copper nickel.

Diplex, inconel, S.S, CS Now on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 96502282.

Email manuangola88@gmail.com Pakistani Qualified 15 years experience in automobiles work shop supervisor service advisor repair estimator mechanical accidental having UAE driving license on express visa looking job please.

Contact : 96042322

IT SALES / MARKETING Software Programmer, 6 yrs exp in software development (Java, PL/SQL Unix) on visit visa.

Contact: 99487493 SAP BW Analyst : Indian male, 26 yrs, B.Tech (CS & E) from ASET, New Delhi, worked as a Business Analyst in Software Industry.

Contact 98008127 / 92878708, vaisakh.bhaskar@gmail.com Indian 24 years BCA MCITP having 2 years exp as System Administrator looking suitable job.

Contact: 94170892 B.Tech Information Technology looking job in System work. MS Office, Data Entry, Networking experience, 2 years experience in Linux Admin. Contact: 92472137 Email: vairavel.inbaa@gmail.com CCNA MCITP Network support/ Network technician with 2 yrs experience Indian male having bachelors degree on visit visa.

Contact: 93080871, email :sean.f.peters@outlook.com Indian male 34 yrs M.Tech Industrial biotechnology having teaching experience seeking for job.

M. Ramkumar. Contact : 96674521, 0091-9940586051 Email: rmkumar28@gmail.com BE, ECE Mumbai university skills in C, C++, windows, linux, controller and processor RTOS, Electronics, Networking, 6 months experience in embedded software seeks placement. Contact : 917774864736 Email: sadatbtisekar@gmail.com

Filipino lady looking for Receptionist Sales girl having good experience in Muscat. NOC will be available ready to join immediately. Contact: 92664896 / 91107941. After October 1st week. Contact: + 639759460269 MBA Graduate having 23 yrs of experience as Sales Manager in building materials trading looking for a suitable opportunity, release available. Contact 92106768, Email : suvimasri@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFIC. Indian male more than 10 years gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin, Secretarial and purchase with good computer skills.

Having Driving license and NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 90135063 Indian female, MBA, 25yrs Having 4yrears of experience in MNC, hands of experiences in recruitment and administration, flexible for any suitable job placements currently in visting visa. Contact Tel : 98864639 Email : neethuvijayan06@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Mechanical Engineer, 30, having 8yrs of UAE Sales/Business Development. experience in Electromechanical and Irrigation sectors. Contact no- +971558763220 email id-sangowri@outlook.com 31 year Indian male PG in HR ,with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement. Kindly contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com Sudanese/26/Bsc Computer Science /3 years exp/skills Excellent knowledge in operating systems and maintaining computers Java Programmer Web Developer Linux SMS solutions Android developer/ email khalid.omx@gmail.com/contact no 944958080 and 99758186.

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male, 24 years, HSE Engineer having 2 years of Indian experience.

Done IOSH & NEBOSH- IGC certifications, seeking for suitable placement in any related industries.

Contact 98045482 ACCA finalist, recent B.Com Graduate, Indian female, looking for full time employment in Accounting and Audit. +96896964379, sangeethaumesh5@gmail.com 27, male, ACCA finalist, have professional experience up to finalization of Accounts, Statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally and focus & Oracle Software, have 3.5 years experience in accounts till finalization, seeking for permanent replacement ,GSM-97654769,email id-abdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com M. Tech VLSI design, B. tech Electronics and instrumentation, Indian female,3 years teaching experience for graduation level students, seeking suitable placements .

Ph:00968 92904155. email-achusooraj@gmail.com Indian male 22yr BBA with LOGISTIC Diploma, exp in tally and data entry seeking in suitable placement.

Contact; 90151739 email shakeeb.mp280gmail.com

Civil Autocad Draughtsman part time work for job mob :96023726

Mechanical Draftsman, Indian male 27, Diploma in Mechanical Engineering having 7 years of experience in Auto CAD looking for a suitable placement. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708 E-mail : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com

Indian male B.Eng. in IT,CCNA, MCSA,MCSE, 2.5 yrs + exp. in IT support, networking and server support valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532

Indian male Oman 8 yrs exp looking for any suitable vacancy for accountant / Asst. Accountant office admin local release available.

Contact : 98492752 Email: atiduehzidve@rediffmail.com ACCA Affiliate, OBU Degree, 2.5 years experience in audit and finance in Big6 firm, Looking for permanent placement. NOC release available. Contact: #95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com

TOURS & TRAVELS

Indian B.E Computer Science graduate 2012 passout. 1 .5 yrs exp. in Accounting. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Having NIIT certificate in Diploma in Java Technology. # 97767894 Email: jinsonjacobjohn@gmail.com

Five years experience in Travel field ,BCom., IATA & pursuing MBA, Presently working in the Travel Desk of (ITC managed) Five Star Hotel in India, looking for a suitable position in the Middleeast. pls contact 9470 5767

Indian male 24 YEARS, B.Tech (Electrical & Electronics), having 2 yrs. exp as Electrical Site Engineer. Done IOSH & NEBOSH- IGC certifications, seeking for suitable placement in any related industries. Contact 98045482, Email: mastanshaik1008@gmail.com

Business intelligence / Global Marketing management specialist with 9 years of experience developing brand value & managing overall projects to achieve business objectives seeking suitable position on family visit. Contact: 91902154 MBA 15 years experience in Sales & Marketing in telecom, FMCG, presently in India C/O Saif Kazi.

Contact : 99625957 Email Id: a_kazi123@yahoo.co.in Indian male 25 yrs BBM Graduate 3 yrs of experience Sales / Marketing in Oman looking in suitable placement. Contact : 93185316 Email: karsh794@gmail.com

B.Tech EEE with 4+ years experience in the field of it, networking, ex-tonics etc. presently working in Amazon India development centre as a content quality associate seeking for suitable jobs in Oman. Contact : +91 9940514005, 93116402 email: mail2nbn@gmail.com

MBA Finance with more than five years of experience in Finance & Accounts including GCC, looking for a suitable opening. Having UAE driving license. Contact no..91391802.

Senior Accountant. 8 Years experience. NOC available. Oman driving license. Seek suitable opportunity.

GSM- 98184170 Chemical Engineer Indian 2 years of experience in production field Contact: 91247222 Email:sahadpoonchola@gmail.com B.E Mechanical Engineer with 2 years’ experience in HVAC field on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 93442296 Email Id: sal201091@gmail.com.

MBA (F) B.COM Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for full or part time job. Presently on family visit visa.

Contact: - 96259171. Email: bhumicapandya@gmail.com Indian Male, MBA, Talented management expert having 6 year experience at U.A.E, India and Oman in luxury goods and Retail. Seeking suitable openings in related or same field. Contact:92700670 Email: jobcareer44@gmail.com MBA Finance with more than five years of experience in Finance & Accounts including GCC, looking for a suitable opening. Having UAE driving license. Contact no..91391802 Indian 26M, B. Tech Computer Science graduate, 3 years exp in India, looking for suitable job in Muscat.

Contact : 93125669, Email : amritrajGT18@gmail.com Indian Male Nurse with Moh licence & Noc seeking a job with Family Status gsm:95817579.

E.mail:vasudevanv2005@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439 Accountant 7 years experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084 Sudanese/Bsc IT/26/2 years experience/excellent Eng-Arb speaking/ Omani driving license/96387227/ henrykarrar@gmail.com

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T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SIT.WANTED MBA - (F), M.Com, B.COM. Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for part time or full time job. Presently on family visa. #91892264. mail: yv.dixit@yahoo.com Indian male Accountant, 12 years experience, looking for a full time or part time job, experience in tally also. Contact 98983122 Pakistani, Male, Pak, Exp 14 Years in IT Trainer / Computer Teacher, looking for a better position in Oman, already working in Prestigious Construction Company. #95983711.

Join.mtmali@gmail.com Indian Male (Diploma in electronics Engineering and CCNA.) having 9 years of experience in Networking, 5 years’ experience in Oman. Looking for a suitable Placement. NOC available. GSM- 93787098, Email –anishktr@gmail.com Diploma in civil engineering having an experience 24years (20years in Oman) experience in Estimator / quantity surveyor looking for a suitable placement, willing to join immediately Contact : 96328687 Indian male B.Eng. in IT,CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 2yrs + exp. in IT support, networking and server support valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian male, 14 yrs Experience in Maintenance & Supervisor in hotel field ( Electrical. Ac Mechanical & Plumber ) N O C available #95253640 . email = hareeshma24@yahoo.com ME Civil- structural Engineer, 8 Years Structural engineer experience, Looking for Structural Designer, supervisor or site engineer Position. Iranian male. #93696929, Email: mhsaz1359@gmail.com Indian Male 26 years MCA, MCSE 2012 certified, Microsoft Exchange Server Administration, having 1 year experience in IT/System Administration looking for suitable placement.

Contact Mob : 00968 92745708 Email: nabeelmmkty@gmail.com, Light duty driver, Young and honest.

Can speak Arabic, Hindi and understand English. Release available.

Ph.92854775 / 93487450 Indian female with MBA on visit visa seeking immediate placement.

Contact - 968-93316493 27,male,ACCA finalist, have professional experience upto finalization of accounts, statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally and focus & oracle software, have 3.5 years experience in accounts till finalization and statutory audit, seeking for permanent replacement ,GSM-97654769,email idabdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com Sudanese male, 31 years, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer , 6 year experience in construction and electrical production plant .

Mobile No ; +96894549609 Indian male, B.com, MBA, having 5 years experience (3 years in U.A.E) is currently seeking suitable opportunities within finance/accounts/ admin dept.Contact:93953613, allen.mathew83@gmail.com B.Com graduate, 11 years experience in Accounts, 9 years Oman experience , Oman valid driving license, looking for suitable post.

Mob:92758404 NOC Available.

Indian male 27 years B.E & MS Mechanical Engineer working in Delhi for last 4 years inJcb India pvt. ltd., seeks placement in Oman.

Contact: 93393768 Driver looking for job exp 2 yrs.

Contact: 98522914

SITUATION WANTED Female MBA gold medalist, with computer proficiency, Oman driving license looking for job opportunity in event management companies in Muscat. Ph : 99012949 SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, Indian male,29 years.8 years experience .Presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license. NOC available. Seek suitable opportunity. GSM: 97705854 Two year experience in Oman, experience in sales, purchase and system admin, Having GCC license.

Contact number 97475860, Yadhukrishnan08@gmail.com Indian Male, 32 yrs, MBA-HR, Trainer & Faculty worked on Omanisation & nationals development activities with 10 yrs of experience seeking suitable job. Contact : 93891401 saiprasad_18@yahoo.com Sudanese 29 male (Bsc computer science,diploma computer engineering), 6 yrs. experience dba oracle plsql , ms sql-server ,ms visual studio vba,network Omani Driver licence language English, Arabic Tel: 91415886 Piping Design Engineer, Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708/97357143 Indian female, 24yrs, M.COM (Accounts) having 3 yrs experience in Accounts, HR, Administration, Customer Service. Good Computer Proficiency seeking Suitable Position. Visa Transfer/NOC Available.

Contact: 99654913

Indian female B. Com MBA finance ,5 years experience in oman as an account seeking suitable placement.

Contact 99044292 Indian Male 22 Years , Graduation In Electronics Seeking Jobs In Supervisory , Sales & Sales Co-ordination Fields , Good Communication Skill Contact 96141317, E-mail: akhilek5@gmail.com DIPLOMA+B.E.(CIVIL ENGINEER), Indian, 4 years of experience, currently on visit visa; Seeking Right Position. GSM:91570703.

Indian male 23 years Graduate, working as a sales coordinator cum purchase & office coordination 2 yrs in oman Having oman license & NOC looking for suitable job in Muscat Email:yadhukrishnan08@gmail.com, GSM:97475860 ME. Civil Engineer, Structural Designer, 3 Years Structural Design, 6 Years Str. Engineer Experience, Looking For Structural Designer Position. Iranian Male. #93696929, Email: mhsaz1359@gmail.com Male Graphic designer cum animation, non linear editing VFX, seeking suitable position.

Contact: 97792661 / 96229406 B-tech Electrical Engineer with more than 2 years of experience in erection and designing of HT and LT electrical systems. Seeking for suitable job in Muscat. #98269366.

Email: sijincleetus@gmail.com Indian Female BSC nurse with 8+ years of experience including 3 years of GCC exp. Oman Prometric passed with 57 %. Currently in Oman.

Contact : 98034384

SITUATION WANTED Data Entry operator cum Buyer, Indian male,26years.BA, Computer proficiency :Operating system (Windows 2000xp & Windows7) E plus and Tally ERP9, 4 yrs Experience in Oman seeks suitable placements.

Mob: 95360255 Senior Accounts Professional, Indian Male, 36 years, M.Com, MBA (Fin) 9 years in Oman, with valid Oman DL and NOC available. Capable to handle accounts up to finalization.

Contact 9602 3965.

Driver 5 years exp know English, Arabic,& Hindi Education B.A. Contact : 91615715 / 99512270 Indian Male 24 years, Looking for a Suitable Job in Telecom / Networking, 1 year sales experience. M. Sc. Communications Engineering & Valid Driving license. Ph: 91280121.

Email: jackrprasad@yahoo.com Indian lady 30 years Graduate having work experience in India and Oman looking for Admin or any other suitable job. Contact : 95676957 Indian male, 39 yrs, MSC Computer Science 10 years experience IT support, FMS Engineer, bank experience looking for suitable job. #94276449 Indian, presently on visit visa in Salalah looking for job B.com failed UAE experience in accounts, commercial Admin & warehouse.

Contact: 92754071 /93346931 Email: sathyanathanuk@gmail.com MBA (Marketing /HR) with 45 years exp in business development and marketing, having valid Oman driving license seeks suitable placement currently available on family visa.

Contact 97618033 Email: vjgeorge12@gmail.com Indian, male, 41 years, CA Inter, Persuing CA final. Now on express visa. 7 years of Experience in OMAN as Finance and Accounts Manager in Trading , Construction and Firefighting industry. 21 Years of exp. seeking suitable Managerial positions. No visa issues. Immediate joining.

Contact 98469311 Email:sebin30@yahoo.co.in Indian male 63 years have 30 years Muscat experience all office work sales business development insurance administration accounts with Oman driving license. Contact 99249412

Indian female LLB (Advocate) 2 years experience looking for suitable post legal advisor company secretary etc. # 93343190 / 94476387 Email: shafu1019@gmail.com Indian Female Accountant, CA Final (Group I cleared), 5+ year’s experience in the field of Accounts, Audit and Financial ERPs. Currently available in Muscat and seeking suitable job opportunities.Ph:94704800 email id: vinithsavith@gmail.com B.E (IT) 1 year exp complete schooling in Muscat needs job in software / net working / java/ WEB design or marketing. #97136248 / 99313821 Indian female, B.Sc, PGDCA, currently on family joining visa, 2 years working experience in oman as customer care / sales co-ordinator, immediate joining seeks suitable placements. Contact no. (968) 95573205 / 95949230 / 95800792 Indian male 22 years ACCA affiliate , BSc, Graduate in applied accounting 2 months working experience seeking suitable placement in Finance / Accounts / audit immediately. Contact: 97378607 / 92558734 B-tech Electrical Engineer with more than 2 years of experience in erection and designing of HT and LT electrical systems. Seeking for suitable job in Muscat. Contact: 98269366.

Email: sijincleetus@gmail.com Project Manager / Senior Engineer, Indian Male BE Civil, 21yrs experienced including Oman looking for the Job Contact +918939295181 Email I’D 58031_bala@yahoo.co.in Indian male 26 , graduate in mechanical engineering having 2 years experience in fabrication production filed in India, looking for a suitable job. mobile: +968-91384621 EMAIL : rmekhil@hotmail.com

INDIAN MALE 23 YEARS,B. Tech (Electrical & Electronic). Done IOSH & NEBOSH- IGC certifications. Looking for HSE engineer job in Oil Gas Sector, constructions or in any related industries. Contact 98045482 Indian male. M.com holder with two year working experience as an accountant in India. Now at Muscat on visiting visa. Seeks suitable placement. Gsm:96947500,99463120, :mohamedshafikk5@gmail.com ACCOUNTANT, Indian male,29 years.8 years experience .Presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license.

NOC available seek suitable opportunity. GSM: 97705854 Civil site coordinator, Diploma, Male 25, now present in Oman, Seeking job in Oman. Contact 92887561, jubincivileng@gmail.com B-tech Electrical engineer with more than 2 years of experience in erection and designing of HT and LT electrical systems. Seeking for suitable job in Muscat. Contact:98269366.

Email:sijincleetus@gmail.com Indian Female B.Sc., B.Ed.(Maths), M.C.A residing in Al-Ghubra seeking a teaching position as a Math Teacher GSM.- 94231633 Female, Indian, 35 Yrs- house maid available for Full/Part time work in Muscat. contact- 96754303.

Indian male, ERP Functional Consultant (SCM, MM, HRMS), Seeks employment.Contact: 98478928, Email: anand.desai2408@gmail.com Indian male , 14 yrs Experience in maintenance & Supervisor in otel field ( Electrical . Ac Mechanical & Plumber ) N O C available#95253640 email hareeshma24@yahoo.com

Sr. Sales Executive, Indian Male, Holding Valid Oman DL. Total experience in Oman of 15 years with 4 years Rent a Car Co. experience. Looking for Opportunities in any Industry for similar sales role. # 95703233 email id “khetani_r@yahoo.com

Piping Design Engineer, Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708, Email : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com

29 years Indian female (MBAFinance) with 4+yrs experience (Oman) in Accounts, seeking suitable placement in Accounts/Admin.

Contact:96141283

Indian male 28YRS, 7Years exp. in Architectural & structural Draughtsman & 3d visualization, looking for a suitable Post GSM: +971551965944.

Email:aboosufiyan@gmail.com

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

D7

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SIT.WANTED INDIAN MALE 23 YEARS, B. Tech (Electrical & Electronic) having 4 years working experience as an Electrical site Engineer. Looking for suitable job in Oil Gas Sector or in related industries. Contact 98045482 Indian Female, M.Com & MBA with 1.5 years of experience in Reinsurance Treaty seeking a good job opportunity in Insurance & Reinsurance Accounts or General Accounts.

Contact: +968 91920189, Email: neethumano.manohar@gmail.com CCNA MCITP network support / network technician with 2 years experience Indian male having bachelors degree on visit visa. #93080871 sean.f.peters@outlook.com 8 yrs exp 2d, 3d draughtsman (HOLDING OMANI DRIVING LICENSE) seeking job. Contact : 93790601 ME. Civil Engineer, Structural Designer, 3 Years Structural Design, 6 Years Str Supervising Experience, Looking For Structural Designer Position. Iranian Male. # 93696929 Email: mhsaz1359@gmail.com BSC Female Nurse having 8 years of experience ( 3 years in gulf). Prometric passed - 57%. Currently in Oman.

Contact : 98034384 ACCOUNTANT, Male, 8 years experience .Presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with Oman Driving license. NOC available seeks suitable opportunity. GSM: 98184170 ACCOUNTANT, M.Com holder with 2 year working experience as an accountant in Kerela-India, seeks suitable placement. GSM NO:96947500, 9 9463120, mail: mohamedshafikk5@gmail.com Indian Male 22 Years, Graduation In Electronics Seeking Jobs In Supervisory , Sales & Sales Co-ordination Fields , Good Communication Skill Contact 96141317, E-mail: akhilek5@gmail.com

WEBSITE

COMPUTER

Sudanese.male 32 years.B.SC mechanical engineer.7years experience.5 years experiance in Gulf.working now in water pipeline projects.fluent Arabic and English. have Omani driving license.looking for good opportunity TEl:91117089 Filipino (male), 37 yrs. old, having 8yrs. experience in Operation (Shipping & Logistics) currently on visit visa looking for suitable job.

GSM: 97121525 Chartered Accountant with 7 years of post qualification experience, seeking challenging job opportunity.

Experience in auditing/accounts & finance/taxation/IFRS, etc.

GSM +968 95763680

MANPOWER

Indian Female Interior Designer, 4.5 yrs experience, seeking immediate mid-senior level position with firm having lady clearance. NOC Available. Contact 93033072 Indian Male 22 years, ACCA Affiliate with B..Sc. Degree in Applied Accounting having three months working experience seeking suitable placement in Finance / Accounts / Audit. Holding valid Oman D/L. Contact 97378607 / 92558734 Indian female Nurse, Prometric passed 64%, 5 years of experience, MOH licensed, presently working in Oman seeking a suitable placement in reputed Hospitals, NOC available.

Contact: 98329941, Email: ancyanish2011@gmail.com.

CLASSES

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

Female from India -MA. B.Ed. with One year three months Teaching experience. English seeking for a urgent better placement, Now working in Oman. #93961142, 92184408 Email:-anoopkesavan78@gmail.com.

Transportation in Muscat.

Contact: 95530908

Driver with car seeking suitable post. Contact : 916602662

Transportation for saloon car& delivery van. Contact : 95530908

Video Editor 29 years Indian male with 8 years experience on visit visa looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 91275969 / leomoorkoth@gmail.com

Transportation. Contact 99508282

Syrian male 3yrs. exp in IT support, Networking, Security systems, Server support, IT sales and marketing.

Valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact 91033395 8 yrs exp 2d, 3d Draughtsman (HOLDING OMANI DRIVING LICENSE) seeking job.

Contact 97449630

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation available.

Contact -955 70 429

SIT.WANTED Indian male MBA + TALLY , 29 years & 7years experience in Administration and Manager level in Reputed companies, Seeking suitable placement. Contact 96297709 / +91 9066130371, Email: jomonjohnm9@gmail.com

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

Split & widow unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. #24793614/ 99314807

Split & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance.

Contact: 96236476

Used house & office furniture & electronic items. Contact: 99834373 / 96642500

Window & split unit A.C servicing & maintenance.

Contact: 93769089 / 95323517

Supply fixing Wallpapers, all carpets. Contact: 99834373 / 96642500

Air condition maintenance installation window AC, split a/c, ducted AC and package type units.

Contact: 98667326

One stop shop business services : Public Relation (PRO) formation new companies, LLC companies, Investor visa, business setup, prepare businesses & companies accounts, legal services, representing you and your company. Contact: Saleh : 96723485

DRIVING

House shifting & packing.

Contact: 99657644 /98518013 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting.

Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading.

L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

Window & split unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517 GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 Pest Control Treatments, Cockroaches, Ants, Rodents & Termites, Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723/ 99357908 General cleaning & Shampooing. Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723/99357908 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

Required investors for different projects. Contact: 99674870 We will register LLC trade license for foreign investors and do all actions. Contact: 92833566

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T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

TOURS

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

SITUATION WANTCARGO

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

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

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR

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