T Weekly for July 12, 2018 by Muscat Media Group

VOL 11 ISSUE 30 / JULY 12, 2018

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Of gaming addiction and shopping as a stress reliever

Founder: Essa bin Mohamed Al Zedjali Chairman: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali CEO: Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali Editor: Charles Lavery Features Editor: Swati Dasgupta Research Editor: Ashish Dubash Associate Editors: Salim Al Afifi, Shruthi Nair Copy Editor: Gautam Bhargav Viswanathan Online Editor: Christopher Isaac

Already grappling with the menace of mental health issues, the world got another shock recently when the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared gaming addiction as a mental health disorder. Medical experts say video game addiction is a behavioural addiction caused by the excessive use of computers and video games in a way that deeply affects a person’s life. According to research, gaming addiction becomes a mental disorder when a person is diagnosed with having an abnormal ﬁxation with gaming for almost a year. While this condition concerns all, it certainly affects the younger generation more, especially teenagers, who are excessively connected to the online world. So how much is too much when it comes to playing video games? How can a simple hobby turn into a disorder? How can one identify this disorder? These and other similar questions that crossed our minds after the release of the WHO report have been addressed in this week’s cover story, in which a Muscat-based clinical psychologist talks at length about how gaming turns into an addiction, its early symptoms, and when it is time to take action and seek professional help in resolving the issue. While we raise concerns on a serious issue, we could also try to stay hopeful and boost our happiness quotient by travelling to Dubai over a weekend to do some summer sale shopping. Shopaholics will understand the positive effects of shopping and how it relieves stress and anxiety. This year’s Dubai Summer Surprises comes with many exciting offers. From chilling at Ski Dubai to enjoying arcade games, rides, and movies, there are plenty of activities and entertainment in store. This weekend, visit Dubai and indulge in the vibrant atmosphere and culture of the place. After a brief stint with indulgence and extravagance, we also hope to emphasise why it’s prudent to be realistic, why it is important to not waste food, and how one can cut down on expenses by being cautious. — Swati Dasgupta

Graphics Editor: Antonio Farach Design Editor: Sahir K.M. Lead Designer: Geri B. Sonny Designer: Gregory Fernandez Production Manager: Shafi Shaik Photography: MMG Photographers On The Cover: Design by Geri B. Sonny

For general enquiries or comments: swati@timesofoman.com

Muscat Media Group AN ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED COMPANY Post Box: 770, Postal Code: 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman EDITORIAL 24726600/24726666 Ext 214 swati@timesofoman.com ADVERTISEMENT 24726600/24726666 Ext 432 ajayraj@timesofoman.com

CIRCULATION 24726600/24726666 Ext 135/136 circulation@timesofoman.com

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 14 MARCH 22, 2018

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WHAT’S ON 15 THIS WEEK SUNDAY

04.00pm Spend a Day by the Wadi Do you know that one of the largest valleys is located here in Muscat? Yes, Wadi Al Khoudh is only a stone’s throw away and has some of the most interesting looking grasses.

THURSDAY

10.00am Go to Salalah The Khareef Salalah season has kicked off. Go to Dhofar and visit some of the most breathtaking places in the country, full of greenery and spring water.

MONDAY

4.00pm Explore Bait Al Baranda The Bait Al Baranda Museum covers a wide range of topics including the history of Oman, the geology of the country as well as Oman’s military and political history. It’s a must-visit.

FRIDAY 10.00pm Watch Turtles Drive to Ras Al Jinz turtle reserve and watch turtles lay eggs and crawl back to the ocean. You can also spend the night at nearby hotels and guesthouses, as thee drive is quite long.

SATURDAY 6.00pm Plan a Picnic Sometimes, it’s best to visit a park S iin the evenuing that’s outside the ccity, away from traffic and honking nnoises, and the best one is Naseem P Park, located 30km from the M Muscat International Airport.

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TUESDAY

8.00pm Try Omani Cuisine There are plenty of restaurants that serve authentic Omani dishes. Pick your favourite and have a pleasant dining session with your loved ones. You can enjoy upscale dining restaurant, or more traditional, hole-in-the-wall eateries.

WEDNESDAY 04.00pm Stop by a Planetarium If you haven’t stopped by the PDO Planetarium, then you are missing out. The place serves as a unique attraction for both kids and adults. There are informative shows that brings about an engaging experience for all.

Beirut (Film) Genre: Drama, Thriller Cast: Rosamund Pike, Jon Hamm, Mark Pellegrino Caught in the crossﬁres of civil war, CIA operatives must send a former US diplomat to negotiate for the life of a friend he left behind.

(Genre

7 Days in Entebbe (Film) Genre: Drama, History, Crime Cast: Rosamund Pike, Daniel Brühl, Eddie Marsan

Ismael’s Ghosts (Film) Genre: Thriller, Drama, Romance Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Marion Cotillard, Charlotte Gainsbourg

Inspired by the true events of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France ﬂight en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, and the most daring rescue mission ever attempted.

The story follows a ﬁlmmaker whose life is sent into a tailspin by the return of a former lover just as he is about to embark on the shoot of a new ﬁlm.

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099

After the World Health Organisation (WHO) listed gaming addiction as a mental health condition, we delved deeper into the alarming rise in mental health conditions among children, and teenagers in particular, and talked to a psychiatrist who told us about mental health in general, the early symptoms, and what parents can do to help their children in dealing with mental health issues, especially those addicted to video games.

hirteen-year-old Mark (name changed) was a happy-go-lucky child who did well in school. Whether in academics or in sports, Mark managed to be among the toppers. But things didn’t remain the same for long. His parents suddenly started noticing a stark change in his behaviour. Mark would often get agitated and lose his temper at the slightest provocation. He stopped going out in the evenings to play with his friends and instead preferred to stay at home. There was a complete loss of interest in activities that he had previously enjoyed. Mark also complained of frequent headaches, backaches, and tiredness in general. While initially his parents thought it to be a passing phase, which normally happens in the early teen years, the alarm bells rang when his school results were out. Mark had failed and the parents and school remained clueless over what the reason for his falling grades was. During a session with the school counsellor, Mark confessed that he was busy playing online games in his room on his computer most of the time, and would lie to his parents saying that he was looking for information for school work. What started as a hobby had taken over his life.

In the regular sessions with the counsellor and later with a psychiatrist, Mark admitted his difficulty in abstaining from playing games for more than a few hours despite feeling guilty about it. Mark was diagnosed with gaming addiction and needed regular counselling sessions for almost a year to get out of it. While Mark today has completely recovered and has gone back to his earlier normal and healthier life, his case raises a clarion call for all parents whose children are in their teens and for whom video and online games have become number one priority. What’s enjoyed by millions around the world as just another game and a fun hobby turns into a dangerous habit, if not played in moderation. According to Dr Brent Conrad, clinical psychologist and author of How to Help Children Addicted to Video Games, “Parents need to assess the severity of their child’s video game addiction and then take clear, decisive actions to ﬁnally eliminate the video game addiction from their lives.” A German study found that a majority of addicted gamers are male and come from families with lower academic achievement, and tend to use video games as a way of coping with negative moods.

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Anuya Phule, a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist at Hatat Polyclinic in Oman, said that it comes as no surprise to her or her colleagues that gaming addiction has been deemed as a mental disorder. “Most psychiatrists already know that video game addiction is a disorder. We have had cases where parents have come to us saying their children play all the time and they get very angry and aggressive when they are stopped from playing. The pleasure that the brain gets is like a sugar high. The person goes into a trance and is able to escape reality. It becomes an addiction as it changes the chemical levels of dopamine and adrenaline in the brain. The moment it’s taken away, the person is exposed to reality and he/she doesn’t want to take it. When children are introduced to video games very soon, they can get addicted,” she said. “Parents shouldn’t introduce children

to video games at least until the age of 10. And even if they do, there should be a time limit of a few hours on weekends, and not everyday,” she added. When we get a cold or a fever or fracture our leg, we go to the doctor immediately and have no problem in sharing the information with our family, friends, and colleagues. However, as soon as we discover that our mental health is deteriorating, we shut down and face an unfathomable amount of hesitation to talk about it. Attaching a taboo to mental health illnesses has been in existence for long, but in recent times, mental health is slowly but surely becoming a huge topic of discussion as more and more people are increasingly getting affected. Depression, clinical or otherwise, is something that many people go through nowadays. However, people have started breaking the shackle and stigmas associated with depression and have been

coming out openly to talk about their battle against depression, taking a cue from well-known celebrities and motivators. Well known names from the industry including Adele, Beyonce, Deepika Padukone, Carrie Fisher, Lady Gaga are just some names that have openly spoken about their encounters with depression. Even royalty hasn’t been able to keep mum about depression. Prince Harry has in many interviews spoken about how he was very close to having a complete emotional breakdown. In fact, Prince Harry, along with Prince William and Kate Middleton, are now ambassadors for “Heads Together”, a British mental health organisation. “Depression and anxiety were not described well before. But now people are more aware as they read about it. Depression and anxiety co-exist. We normally go through depression here and there. As long as our functionality isn’t affected, we

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don’t realise it. When a person’s functionality gets affected in terms of not sleeping well, skipping work or feeling alone and isolated or crying all the time, and it continues for one or two weeks, they then approach us,” said Anuya. Mental health is a very complex topic because with every passing generation, changing lifestyle choices and heavy dependence on technology, the number of problems that people are faced with has been increasing manifold and it’s becoming more and more common. According to WHO, one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. Around 450 million people currently suffer from such conditions, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide. There are various kinds of mental issues that people have to deal with and each is-

sue has to be dealt with in a different way. The causes and treatment for each issue are different and there is no generalisation that can be done for any of the cases. “Certain mental issues exist because of family history and are prevalent already. Secondly, the person is pre-disposed to mental disorders because of the environment. If your parents have had a disorder and if you have been in a stressful situation, your genes release those ailments. If you maintain mental health, your genes won’t release the mental disorder. It is important to take care of your mind and mental health,” she said. Stigma, discrimination, and ignorance prevent treatment from reaching people at the right time. People of any age group, background, race or gender can be clenched by such disorders and more often than not, the reasons aren’t deﬁnable. Kids too go through depression and may tend to deal with it in a different way.

“Children show disturbance in other ways. They might show irritation and anger, they might avoid going out, there might be bedwetting, food habits may change, school grades could go down, or she/he might not be attentive in class or at home. This could happen due to a chemical imbalance in the brain or a long period of stressful events,” said Anuya. Another problem that can lead to psychological disorders and disturbance among children is addiction. As mentioned before, gaming addiction has been classified as a mental health disorder. WHO has defined gaming disorder as a condition that needs further research in the 11th edition of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), citing an increase in the development of treatment programmes across the world. Speaking of addiction, one thing that the vast majority of the population across the globe has gotten hooked on to, is smart phones. They have not only become a predominant part of our lives and lifestyles, but they have also started to creep into our physical and mental health in a negative way. A study suggested that 48 per cent of those who spent five or more hours a day on their phones — a lot of time by any measure — had thought about suicide or made plans for it, vs 28 per cent of those who spent only one hour per day on their phones. “The attention span of a person is short, as people are always on the phone. You are not able to take a break and enjoy the moment you are in. Most of the time is taken up by that. So much of mental energy is taken up by it, that a person might feel sleep deprived at night. Relationships are not given importance as people are on the phone all the time. There are psychological consequences to being on the phone all the time. Intelligence, focus, attention become half-baked,” she said. Although professional help is the first option to treat someone suffering from a mental disorder, there are certain things that people can do to ensure the well being of their mental health and keep their mind and body fit and active. “Get enough sleep. If you can’t afford eight hours of sleep, get at least six hours of sleep. Stop looking at your phone if you wake up in the middle of the night. Keep your body hydrated and fed. At the end of the day, do some activity to unwind from the day’s work. Most people are ignorant. Sit down in the evening or go for a walk. And write down what happened during the day or jot down the tasks for the next day, so it doesn’t feel like you are carrying many things in your head,” said Anuya. “I think taking care of your health should be a top priority because the mind and brain control everything. When you do that, you take care of your health, life, your creativity and relations. Mindfulness, yoga, meditation, spirituality are all becoming trendy too, and are coming back into people’s consciousness,” she said.

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STORY PRIYANKA PRAVEEN

live a simple life and I love the regular, extravagant, fabulous, clichéd things like shopping, sand and the sea, even though I can’t swim to save my life. So when I was told that a trip to Dubai was in the offing, I couldn’t stop dreaming about all the things money could buy. And before I knew it, I was far away from Muscat’s mountains, heat, and humidity. Dubai, for many of you in Oman, is just a drive away and I’m sure you’ve been there far more times than you could care to count. But this was my ﬁrst trip to the glitzy city and it lived up to every cliché — glamorous, throbbing night life and a shopper’s haven. And for a shopaholic like me, the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) seemed like a perfect gift and time to visit the city.

SOAK IN THE LUXURY There is no shortage of luxury hotels in Dubai and I had no idea what was waiting for me at the Rixos Premium Dubai where I was put up. But when I reached my premium two bedroom suite that opened up to a view of the sea and the Dubai eye, I obviously had to Instagram it. But if you want to tone down on the extravagance (I don’t know why you would) you can choose smaller rooms that offer similar views at lesser prices. SHOPAHOLICS UNITE I’m not a party person, but shopping is my weakness and if you’re anything like me, this is great time to visit Dubai. The ongoing DSS that ends on August 4, 2018, offers discounts anywhere between 25 to 75 per cent, so please remember to carry

an extra bag for all the goodies. You could even get up to 90 per cent discounts at all Majid Al Futaim Malls that are part of DSS. But my favourite has to be the deal of the day (DOTD) where you can buy some of the best brands for really low prices, and the deal is announced 24 hours in advance. I spent a majority of my time wandering from mall to mall and my ﬁtness tracker was so happy for all the exercise that I got. But the best part? My purse didn’t really feel that light. MALL MADNESS Dubai doesn’t have a shortage of malls that you can spend your days and money at, but I had my favourites. Mall of the Emirates has to be the coolest in Dubai, literally, thanks to Ski

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weather conditions before heading out. Since our tickets were already booked, we couldn’t cancel them, despite a rather hazy day. And obviously, do not miss the Dubai Fountain! Mercato Mall makes it to my list simply because I loved its ambience. Unlike other malls, the architecture is inspired by Italy and takes you back to the Renaissance period. In addition to the high-end fashion stores, the souq-like-ambience adds to the experience. Since I couldn’t get enough of the shopping experience, I visited the Dubai Festival City Mall and it was worth it. The mall offers every visitor a discount coupon book and that was all I needed to go crazy. Since I was bound by time constraints, I limited my visit to just a portion of the mall and part of that covered the Robinsons departmental store. The store has everything that one could dream of, but my favourite was its restaurant — Origami — that offered a great view of the light show and obviously great food. But no matter what you miss, please do not skip the mochi icecream. That is simply a sin. Post dinner, I was getting late but I made one stop at the Magnolia Bakery and I urge you to do the same, how else can you get their world-famous banana pudding? SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Dubai is very popular among the grownups but the city has a lot to offer for kids too. On the top of my mind are — The Green Planet Dubai and Modhesh World. The former is an interesting place where you can learn about the rain forest and animals that inhabit them. You can meet a sloth, naughty macaws, and even have toucans flying right across. This is the region’s first bio-dome that recreates a tropical forest and it has four levels of interaction. But take my advice and stand a little away from the Macaw, because that bird can be loud. You can also take your children to Modhesh world, an entertainment centre that offers over 150 joy-rides apart from entertainment activities. Dubai, an indoor ski resort. If you can ski (and boy the kids here can) then you can spend hours here. I chickened out when I saw how high the ‘snow-clad mountains’ here were, so I chose the ‘chair-lift’ that gave me an aerial view of the 3,000 sqm resort. All this while I kept wishing I was like the cool kids who skied, snow-boarded and flew down the hill on something called the ‘snow-bullet’. But if adventure is really not on your mind, you can always spend your time at the penguin pen where a colony of Gentoo and King Penguins march around daily. The Dubai Mall is home to over 1,200 stores and I only managed to cover 10 per cent of the mall. Apart from shopping, you obviously have to visit the Burj Khalifa that you can enter through the mall. However, it would be wise to check

A PASS FOR ENTERTAINMENT Honestly, Dubai has so much to offer that it can get a little heavy on your pocket, but as part of DSS there are summer passes that let you visit many attractions for a good deal. While the Dubai Pass helps you save 60 per cent and offers 33 attractions, you can also check out the Dubai Big Ticket that gives you access to some of the city’s biggest attractions at 40 per cent less prices. You can also choose three tickets for an adult for AED399 or three tickets for a child for AED389, here you can choose any three activities. You can also choose the unlimited pack priced at AED899 for adults and AED846 for children where you can choose as many activities as you can. — priyanka@timesofoman.com

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CARE FOR A SCOOP OF

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ORGANIC ICE CREAM? STORY AND PHOTOS SALIM AL AFIFI

The freshest ice cream you’ll ever have is finally here in Oman, serving organic delights for those with a sweet tooth.

ho would have thought that ice creams can be served fresh? Molecular gastronomy is one fascinating culinary art that is slowly becoming a headline act in many restaurants and cafes, including the famous California-based Ice Cream Lab that recently opened a couple of new branches here in Muscat. The ice cream parlour is a franchise from Beverly Hills, dedicated to making fresh, organic ice cream using liquid nitrogen gas to instantly freeze fresh ingredients into smooth, creamy ice cream. The idea of using a scientific approach to make desserts is enough to get you there to try their products. The place is equipped with state-of-the-art ice cream machines that mix an organic base with liquid nitrogen and a bunch of all-natural flavours to make you a desired treat in seconds. Customers immerse themselves into the experience, where they get to enjoy a whiff of frozen nitrogen flowing out of the bowl and expanding into the air, offering a real laboratory experiment moment that is pleasing to the eyes. After the gas evaporates, you get a foggy ambience that leaves behind freshly made ice cream with no added sugar, preservatives, or additives — a true organic delight. What makes this place extra special is that it scoops ice cream with less calories, which makes your guilty pleasures less harsh.

We tried three of their 14 flavours and they were impeccable, rich, and full of sweet-smelling taste. The ice cream is served with an organic milky base covered with thinly made hot waffles. The first flavour was blue velvet cupcakes, crushed and sprinkled on top. The base tasted smooth and not overly sweet, which was great, and the admiral blue colour was visually appealing. The highlight was the rich, freshly baked taste of the cupcakes. It was delicious. The second scoop was a pistachio dream, with the same creamy base blended with pistachios, and sprinkled with more crushed pistachio nuts. The rich nutty aroma and the grainy texture made this quite a nice treat. For the final scoop, we had a soft crunch made of sweet caramel and salted pretzel biscuits. The taste was creamier with subtle hints of caramel. For those who love their ice cream simple, this is the best bet. Other flavours on their menu include Nutella, marshmallow, strawberries, and lotus. And for gym goers and health aficionados, they serve ice cream made with whey protein powder. How cool! With every bite of their offering, you get a spoonful of soft ice cream and the rich aroma of toppings that are just lovely. We had fun watching the friendly staff curate our cups as much as we enjoyed savouring them, and we assure you, it’s worth every rial.—salim@timesofoman.com

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Strategies to cut down your unnecessary food expenses There’s absolutely nothing wrong in having an appetite and taking recourse to good food for happiness. What’s even better? Not overshooting your budget when you do so. Here are 7 tips to cut down on unnecessary food expenses so you can splurge on the good stuff. Hey, what’s a programme without a reward, right? STORY ANTARA BOSE

PLAN YOUR MEALS That way you’ll know exactly what you need from the grocery section and won’t end up buying items that are eventually going to get stale in the fridge.

REWARD PROGRAMMES Look out for shopping centres that offer some form of reward scheme and sign up for their loyalty card (it literally takes less than a minute). Usually, these cards let you collect points that you can redeem later for a certain amount. Just don’t leave your card at home though when you go shopping.

KEEP A SHOPPING LIST Remember, impulsive shopping always leads to excess shopping. Keep a notepad and pen in the kitchen or at any other easily accessible place so you can jot down items you need to buy when you ﬁnd them running low. Stick to that list when you go shopping. All the items in the shop are stacked, packaged and designed to lure you to buy them. Don’t fall prey to such temptations.

POTLUCKS Saving money doesn’t mean you can’t be social. If you have friends over frequently, you don’t always have to play host. Call for potluck dinners. That way everyone gets to show off their culinary skills, has more variety to choose from, and can eat what they prefer.

BUY IN BULK WHEN YOU CAN Buying in bulk means you pay a lesser price than otherwise. Dedicate a particular day of the week or month to go shopping instead of popping into stores every other day for individual items. Make sure the items you stack for a month aren’t those that are easily perishable. Honestly, we didn’t need to tell you that.

EAT AT HOME Your body and your wallet will thank you for it. If you simply must go out for a ‘coffee’ or a fullﬂedged lunch, try and eat something light so you aren’t tempted to binge eat something unhealthy or unnecessary at the venue.

STORE YOUR FOOD RIGHT Storing your food right ensures they stay fresh longer. Potatoes if stored in cool, dark places in a mesh bag can last way longer than if left on the kitchen counter. Leafy vegetables and chopped fruits can be stacked in the freezer if there are any signs of wilting or rotting. If you’ve ended up buying extra, toss all the fruits and vegetables in a mixer and make a refreshing juice that can even be refrigerated.

Antara Bose is a model turned fashion and beauty consultant. A popular blogger, anchor, and voice over artist, she maintains a deep connection with the local fashion, wellness and health industry. For fashion updates follow Antara on instagram @ antarabose and on Facebook: Antara Bose.

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HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION Cast: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomaz Dracula, Mavis, Johnny and the rest of their family, both human and monster, and friends take a vacation on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship, where Dracula suddenly becomes attracted to the ship’s mysterious captain, Erika.

MY STORY (Malayalam) Cast: Parvathy, Prithviraj A debutant actor Jay and his co-star Tara, an established actress and a diva, fall in love on the sets of their ﬁlm. Tara is set to marry David, a business tycoon who is also the producer of the movie. 20 years later, Jay is a big movie star but is still in love with Tara and decides to search for her.

THE LULLABY Cast: Brandon Auret, Reine Swart A 19-year-old woman falls into a deep depression after the birth of her ﬁrst son. In her paranoia, she begins to hear voices and comes to believe that a strange entity is haunting her child.

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SKYSCRAPER Cast: Chin Han, Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campell

Former FBI agent and amputee Will Sawyer lives in the tallest and “safest” skyscraper in Hong Kong with his family. The skyscraper itself, known as “The Pearl” houses several ﬂoors that function as their own society and despite the risks highlighted by Sawyer, who is the building’s head of security, his bosses insist that it is impenetrable. True to Sawyer’s belief, the building comes under attack by terrorists, forcing Sawyer to take action.

Running At: Vox Cinemas, City Cinemas, Al Bahja Cinema

Thamizh Padam 2 is a 2018 Tamil language parody ﬁlm written and directed by C. S. Amudhan and produced by S. Sashikanth. A sequel to Thamizh Padam (2010), the ﬁlm stars Shiva, Disha Pandey and Iswarya Menon in the lead roles.

SOORMA Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Tapsee Pannu Soorma is the story of the triumph of the human spirit, about a player, who made headlines for his miraculous comeback after facing a near death experience through sheer determination, hard work and unrelenting passion for the sport.

COMING SOON

TAMIZH PADAM 2 Tamil Cast: Ishwarya Menon, Shiva

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan

DHADAK Cast: Ishaan Khattar, Janhvi Kapoor

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Indian ambassador to Oman, Indra Mani Pandey, addresses a gathering at the Indian Embassy on India’s skill development programme and how it could benefit Oman. —Photos by Shabin E.

Cord Coen, founder of Zents product, introduces the brand at Chi Spa in Shangri-la’s Barr Al Jissah. - Photos by Salim Al Afifi

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SUDOKU

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

Level | Easy

6 7

4 3

7 2

8 1

SUDDEN STRIKE 4 What was it like to be on the frontlines point turning up your nose at these leftover of World War II? What would British soltanks and AA guns. It’s kill or be killed. diers, hunkered down in trenches, battling While some games do tend to soften valiantly against screaming German artilthe image of war, Sudden Strike doesn’t lery, be going through as they attempted to do that either: one of the toughest battles stem the expansion of the Nazi jackboot? players will face in the game is the BatAs Germany’s Panzer divisions rolled tle of Stalingrad, one of World War II’s across Europe, filled with the belief that bloodiest battles. With German snipers they represented a new world order, was entrenched in half-destroyed buildings and there anything to rattle their camouflaged tanks lurking unshakeable belief? around every corner, your THE SHORT AND SKINNY Games set in this era have band of men are the first increasingly endeavoured group of conscripts who Name: Sudden Strike 4 to show players just what it enter Stalingrad to bring it Genre: History/RTS was like to take part across back under Soviet control. What it’s about: Delve into the some of the world’s deadliest If the Germans destroy your frontlines into some of World War II’s conflicts, and Sudden Strike only tank, there’s nowhere most gripping conflicts and help turn 4 pulls no punches when it for you to get another one. the tide of battles that have lived comes to putting players in You’d best plough on hoplong in the memory the thick of the action. ing that your infantry have Produced by: Haemimont Games While most World War enough to overcome the and Kalypso Media II games come out from German war machine. Some Where to buy: Steam Store, MicroBritish, American or French of the decisions you have soft Store, Amazon, Humble Bundle, studios (you know, the guys to make, though, are truly GOG Games, G2A Games, that won the war), what heart-wrenching. Before Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, gives Sudden Strike a more every game, you are offered PlayStation 4, Xbox One unique perspective is its a choice of three doctrines Steam Rating: 7/10 source: German game comto choose from. While the pany Haemimont Games — infantry doctrine helps your the same folks who gave us front-line soldiers, your the brilliant Tropico series of city-building tanks and half-tracks would benefit from games — offer a new perspective of what the armour doctrine. The support doctrine war is really like. helps your artillery, but you can only select This is war, and there is little room one or the other. The armour doctrine for remorse or sentiment. In one of the might help your tanks weather a wellcampaigns in the Winter War expansion, placed hit instead of being blown to smithfor example, where we’re introduced to ereens, but that means abandoning your Finnish forces, who’re battling against wounded infantry to die on the ground. the might of the Soviets, one of the misWithout the first-aid packs provided by the sions you’re assigned is to sneak in behind infantry doctrine, you are forced to watch, enemy lines and claim vehicles abandoned as your men lie on the ground, screaming advancing Soviet troops who are in such in agony for a medic who must make his a rush to advance that anything broken way through relentless gunfire. Fun. down is simply left behind. In releasing Sudden Strike 4, with its Under the cover of blanketing snow, amazing graphics and attentive detail to your commandoes have to sneak in, comrealise, Haemimont Games have brought a mandeer these damaged vehicles and new perspective to war games, and truth be repair them so that they can be pressed told, that’s what’s made Sudden Strike 4 a into service against the Soviets. There’s no really fun game to play.

4 9

3 8

1 5 8

6 5

9 1

Level | Moderate

2 9

1 6 4

7 3 4

9 4

Level | Difficult

3 2

THIS WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

TIMES DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

Easy

Medium

Difficult

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SHELL V-POWER LAUNCHES IN OMAN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST

hell Oman emphasised its commitment to providing the latest in fuel innovation by launching Shell V-Power. The all-new Shell V-Power is a result of years of research and development(R&D) by Shell’s international team of fuel scientists, the same scientists that have developed the Shell V-Power race fuels for Scuderia Ferrari. Helping make motorists’ life journeys better — Shell V-Power is designed to offer customers in Oman Shell’s best performance and efficiency fuel, with Dynaﬂex Technology. Commenting on the launch, Khalid Al Awaisi, Retail country manager at Shell Oman Marketing Company said: “With 60 years of downstream business operations in Oman, we are committed to sharing our global cutting-edge technology reach and technical expertise with our customers in the Sultanate, to help make their life

journeys better. Shell V-Power is our very best fuel offering for cars across the Sultanate. As the leader in fuels technology, Shell works closely with Ferrari in R&D to constantly innovate and produce the best fuel formulations for all vehicles.” Motorists in Oman can now join millions of other consumers in over 65 other countries around the world to experience the beneﬁt of this globally renowned fuel. Shell V-Power with Dynaﬂex Technology has a cleaning power and friction-reducing technology that helps engines be more efficient decreasing energy waste, because efficiency and performance go hand in hand. Shell V-Power is meant to help both new and older engines. “Our customers appreciate the quality of Shell fuels, and we are now offering them Shell V-Power as a premium performance fuel in addition to Mogas 91, Mogas 95 and Diesel,” added Khalid. The launch of Shell V-Power in Oman

will begin with 10 service stations in Muscat; with network expansion phases planned for outside Muscat throughout 2018 and 2019. Mae Ascan, Senior Fuels Scientist for Asia Region, Shell Projects and Technology said: “Shell V-Power goes through rigorous testing both in the lab and at the track, before making its way to the market. Shell’s technical partnership with Ferrari has given us the environment to test Shell V-Power fuels in

extreme conditions; providing us with a better understanding of what will deliver our best performance and efficiency fuel, with Dynaﬂex Technology.” Shell has more than a century of experience in fuels innovation and development, with approximately 170 fuels scientists and specialists across the globe working on it. Shell’s technical partnership with Ferrari assists Shell in developing Shell V-Power fuels to meet the highest possible standards. Shell V-Power contains 99% of the same types of compounds found in the Shell V-Power race fuel being used by Scuderia Ferrari in the Formula One World Championship. Also endorsed by other premium vehicle brands like BMW M, Shell V-Power is the result of over 60 years of inspiration, innovation and shared passion for the best performance and efficiency with Ferrari in the motorsports arena.