T17 09 2013 by Sahir Vayappat

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OMANI SYMPHONY ECHOES AT ROHM Five young Omani musicians got an opportunity to play at the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) on Sunday, an opportunity they are not likely to forget anytime soon. >A2

TUESDAY, September 17, 2013 / 11 DHUL QA’ADA 1434 AH

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BETTER TRADE PRACTICES

S Y S T E M F O R PAC A

GCC countries mull Anti-Monopoly Law MUSCAT: The GCC countries are considering the promulgation of Standards GCC Competition and Anti-Monopoly Law for encouraging competition and combating any practices that may restrict trade, or prevent competition among public organisations in these countries.

Khalid bin Said Al Shuaibi, Director General of Organisations and Trade Relations at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said the law would apply to all economic activities in the GCC and will kick in if practices affect competition in any one or more of the GCC countries.

He pointed out that some GCC countries have certain reservations on the draft law but hopefully, a consensus would be reached. He affirmed that the Public Authority for Consumer Protection, in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Oman Chamber of Commerce and In-

dustry and the Ministry of Legal Affairs, has already drafted the national competition and antimonopoly law. Under revision The law is currently under revision by the authorities concerned. He added that the law will en-

courage competition, enhance efficiency of production, distribution of services and ensure trade liberalisation. The national law will address the issues related to competition and monopoly at the national level while the Gulf law will deal with the same issues concerning the Gulf companies. -ONA

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

Positive outlook for Oman economy

HARBINGER OF RESPITE Dark clouds are seen gathering over the Al Hamra horizon in Al Dakhiliyah region, bringing in hope of much-needed respite from the current high temperature. — Cio Datan/TIMES OF OMAN

The latest Mena Consumer Conﬁdence Index Survey, conducted by Bayt.com, and YouGov, shows that people across the region anticipate a rise in the living cost in their countries in next six months.>A3

REGION

Rowhani tells Guards to stay out of politics

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has issued a Royal Decree No. (43/2013) Issuing a System for the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA). Article One: The attached system shall be applied to the Public Authority for Civil Aviation. Article Two: The chairman of the Board of Directors of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation shall issue the necessary regulations and decisions to implement provisions of the attached system. Until such regulations are issued, the authority shall be governed by the laws and regulations applicable to the state administrative apparatus units for items not stated in the attached system subject that they do not contradict with its provisions. Article Three: Cancels all that contravenes with the attached system or contradicts with its provisions. Article Four: The decree comes into force from the next day following its publishing. - ONA

HM sends condolences MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of condolences to Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasmi, Member of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah on the death of his sister Sheikha Alia. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy, praying to Allah the Almighty to rest the deceased’s soul in peace and grant Sheikh Dr Al Qasmi and his family patience. -ONA

MARKET

Centre of excellence to meet railway needs

A major centre of excellence to cater to the emerging requirements of professionals in the railway sector from within the country and outside, will be formed in the Sultanate soon. >B3 NEW MISS AMERICA

America’s top beauty queen downplays ra racist tweets NEW YORK: For the first time America’s top beauty queen is a Indian origin, and she woman of Ind racist tweets is playing down do looks like an ‘Asian that say she lo terrorist’. Miss America is Nina The new Mi Davuluri, a 24-year-old from New York who wh wants to be a called her crowning doctor. She ca Sunday night aat the Atlantic City which she performed pageant in wh Bollywood dance a a traditional B diversity in America. victory for div “It was the first time Bollywood has been performed on the Miss America stage. It’s an honour for myself and my communiABC television ty,” Davuluri told t morning. yesterday mor through, I just start“Halfway th you know, it ed crying because bec was such an incredible experience being on that Miss America said. “It was so meanstage,” she said powerful.” ingful and pow Davuluri is beaming despite a spurt of racist tweets about her. downplayed them, however. She downplay rise above that,” she “I have to ri news conference on said at a ne after being Sunday night n crowned. “I always crow viewed myself as first vie and foremost Amerian

A15

His Majesty issues Royal Decree

CABLE

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani told Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards yesterday they should not get involved in politics, in a carefully worded speech that sought to avoid antagonising the elite military force. >A6

12 killed in shooting at US Navy Yard

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can.” Many described the beauty queen, who is believed to be a practicing Hindu, as an Asian who looks like a terrorist. Racial prejudice A user with the handle @emi_adkins said “It’s called Miss America. Get outta here New York you look like a terrorist. #bye #americanforamerica.” Lue Brasili exclaimed “9/11 was four days ago and she gets Miss America,” while user Karl Sharro said “Al Qaeda inﬂuenced the liberal judges.” Others, like the Jezebel feminist blog, denounced the comments, saying “racists are being racist because Miss America isn’t white.” “This world is so ignorant. #Miss America Indian or not had every right to gain the title of Miss America. This is why I want to leave America!” chimed in @ CJlovebug. Davuluri competed on the platform issue of “celebrating diversity through cultural competency.” “I’m so happy this organisation has embraced diversity,” she said at the news conference. “I’m thankful there are children watching at home who can ﬁnally relate to a new Miss America.”. -AFP

Chemical arms used in Syria, confirms UN The inspectors’ report says that chemical weapons have been used against civilians, including children on a relatively large scale

UNITED NATIONS: A UN photograph of chief UN chemical weapons investigator Ake Sellstrom handing over his report on an August 21 gas attack on Damascus suburbs shows that the report conﬁrms use of the deadly nerve agent sarin. “On the basis of the evidence obtained during the investigation of the Ghouta incident, the conclusion is that chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conﬂict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic ... against civilians, including children, on a relatively large scale,” the report said. “In particular the environmental, chemical and medical samples we have collected provide clear and convincing evidence that surface to surface rockets containing the nerve agent sarin were used,” it said. The photo released by the United Nations shows Sellstrom giving the report to UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon.

CLINCHING EVIDENCE: Chairperson of the United Nations Com-

mission of Inquiry on Syria, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro and Carla del Ponte, left, member of the Commission, attend a press conference following the presentation of the report, in Geneva, yesterday. – AFP

A reporter for UN Tribune website zoomed in on the photo revealing its contents. Reuters downloaded a high-resolution version of the photo and conﬁrmed what the text contained. The results of Sellstrom’s investigation are not surprising. Several weeks ago US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that sarin had been used in the chemical attack on the Ghouta region near Damascus. The US said 1,400 people were killed, including more than 400 children. Ban said on Friday that Sellstrom’s report would be an “overwhelming” conﬁrmation of the use of chemical weapons. He also said that Assad “has committed many crimes against humanity,” though he did not say whether it

was Assad’s forces or rebels who were behind the August 21 attack. He added that Assad would be held to account for his crimes. The UN conﬁrmation of the use of sarin gas on August 21 comes as France, Britain and the United States agreed at three-way Paris talks to seek a “strong and robust” UN resolution that sets precise and binding deadlines on removal of chemical weapons. The statement from French President Francois Hollande’s office followed talks involving the foreign ministers of the three countries and Hollande in Paris, two days after Russia and the United States struck a deal on chemical weapons that could avert US military action. -Reuters See also >A7

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

OMAN Omani symphony echoes at ROHM she put her kanun back in its case following the concert. As a music student and budding musician, Al Kaabi also found that the internship challenged her to learn more about the different types of music and other performing arts. She was asked to do research on musicians she hadn’t heard about before. Though now Al Kaabi and the other interns have to head back to their university classrooms, the experience they have had at the ROHM is one they won’t soon forget. “It was a huge experience, in my view. I’m sad that it has come to an end as I enjoyed my time here so much,” Al Kaabi said.

Students from SQU’s Department of Music and Musicology concluded their internship with a concert. For the past one month, approximately 20 interns from SQU and GUtech were getting hands-on experience at the ROHM

MUSICAL MEMORIES: Left and top, Omani musicians showcase their skills; right, The Barber of Seville heralds the launch of new season at ROHM.-Photos by Khalid Al Busaidi, ROHM

STAFF REPORTER MUSCAT: Five young Omani musicians got an opportunity to play at the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) on Sunday, an opportunity they are not likely to forget anytime soon. The musicians, all students from SQU’s Department of Music and Musicology, were at the end of their one-month-long training with the ROHM and got a chance to present a small concert for the

staff to mark both their internship and the beginning of the new season. Playing alongside Wael Kakish, the ROHM’s Head of Education and Outreach, they performed a collection of songs from Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt and Oman. “It is to thank the interns and have them do something they love and that we care about,” said Dr Nasser Al Taee, Adviser to the ROHM Board of Directors for Education and Community Outreach.

For the past one month, approximately 20 interns from SQU and GUtech were getting hands-on experience at the ROHM. The music majors from SQU worked with Wael Kakish, while the GUtech students, who are pursuing more technical degrees such as engineering and architecture, worked backstage with the technical crews, Al Taee explained. “The music majors helped us with research and programming. Those from GUtech, who are more

technically inclined, are getting some much needed experience in operational sound, light and so on,” said Al Taee. Al Taee added that the internships were a productive step for the students that they can do during their summer holidays between semesters. The programme not only beneﬁts the students, but is also a way for the ROHM to reach out to young, talented Omanis who may be interested in working there in the future, he added.

Maryam Mohammed Al Kaabi, a 23-year-old, in her ﬁnal year of SQU’s music programme, said she was thrilled to have the opportunity to do an internship at the ROHM. During her one month of training, she got to work with several people and learn more about music. “When I heard about it, I thought it was a great thing. They do so many things here. I enjoyed working with the media, working on the programmes,” she said as

The Barber of Seville Earlier this week, The Royal Opera House Muscat began its 20132014 season with an evening full of frolicking fun with an Italian production of The Barber of Seville. The comic opera by Gioachino Rossini tells the story of the mischievously clever barber Figaro who helps Count Almaviva in his pursuit of the woman he adores, Rosina. Rosina is the ward of Dr Bartolo, a man who wants to marry her himself so he can claim her dowry. Using disguises, drugged servants and other deceptions and distractions, Figaro is able to sneak the count into Dr Bartolo’s home to see Rosina and eventually arrange for the two to marry before the doctor can stop them. The production by Teatro di San Carlo from Naples was directed by Filippo Crivelli and conducted by German maestro Sebastian LangLessing. It featured an international cast including French mezzo-soprano Géraldine Chauvet as Rosina, Argentine tenor Juan Francisco Gatell as Count Almaviva and Italian baritones Simone Alberghini as Figaro and Filippo Polinelli as Dr Bartolo. Alberghini was comical and charming, and his deep, rich voice ﬁlled the theatre and brought smiles to the faces of many in the audience as he sang the famous aria Largo al Factotum, in which the name Figaro is repeated.

ECO OUTREACH

ESO launches inter-college environment speech contest STAFF REPORTER MUSCAT: The Environment Society of Oman announced the launch of its second Inter-College Environmental Public Speaking Competition on Sunday. The competition aims to generate awareness and concern for the environment among the Omani students with the hope that many students from various universities and colleges across Oman would register for the contest, said Amor Al Matani, ESO Board member and Community Outreach Officer. “The objective of the competition is to engage the future leaders of this country and to put them at the forefront of issues which deﬁnitely concern Mother Nature,” Al Matani told reporters. Topics for the competition this

Amor Al Matani, ESO Board member.– Jun Estrada/TIMES OF OMAN

year include water conservation, arts and the environment, the negative impact of technology on the environment, and local solutions for global problems. Teams of students from participating universities will focus

on one of these areas and present solutions and findings at the bilingual public speaking event, which will be held in Muscat on November 11. The winning team will go on to compete at a regional contest in Dubai. The competition was first launched by the Emirates Environmental Group in 2001 and expanded to other GCC states by 2006. The top Omani students, representing the University of Nizwa, competed in the regional contest in Dubai where they won the competition, beating 19 other teams. “I felt a sense of pride coming back with a trophy. Thanks to teamwork, we achieved more and could do better to protect the earth,” said Al Zahraa Khalfan Al Ghafri, who was the speaker fielded by the University of Nizwa team last year.

GLOBAL CONNECT

Oman eyes European tourists

MARKETING GURUS: German-speaking tour operators have lauded Oman’s potential to promote

tourism. –O.K. Mohammed Ali/TIMES OF OMAN

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman is eyeing more tourists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the next few months. For this, the Ministry of Tourism has invited leading tour operators from Germany, Austria and Switzerland so that they can pro-

mote Oman as a tourist destination to European holidaymakers. Speaking to Times of Oman, Janina Guenther, assistant marketing manager, Oman Tourism, who is based in Berlin, said that more than 100 tour operators and media persons from Germanspeaking countries have been invited by Ministry of Tourism

to showcase the Sultanate’s most attractive tourist spots. “This will help us in bringing huge number of tourists from these countries,” she claimed. As a part of this programme, InterContinental Muscat hosted a lunch for 45 German speaking tour operators called “The Marhaba Team” who are on an official visit to Oman.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

OMAN Positive outlook for Oman economy Arab consumer’s conﬁdence A majority of Omani residents anticipate

Consumer confidence is a measure of the economic well-being of a country. It is a reflection of consumer satisfaction levels and expectations based on various factors in the economy - inflation, stock market performance, job opportunities/salary structures, unemployment, investment avenues/returns, business growth, state economic policies, infrastructure, cost of living, interest rates, exchange rates etc.

that their personal

Oman

Qatar

Maghreb S. Arabia

UAE

Jordan

Lebanon

Syria

156.97 144.55 140.61

123.05

374.52 424.08

347.69 387.04

355.58 396.74

215.02 272.31

222.90 270.63

136.60 194.08

285.83 347.87

115.45 111.36

367.43 424.57

Variation between March and September

Kuwait

330.16 384.34

Overall consumer conﬁdence

Bahrain

316.15 366.16

MUSCAT: The latest Middle East and North Africa (Mena) Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) Survey, conducted by Bayt.com, and YouGov, a research and consulting organisation, shows that respondents across the region anticipate a rise in the cost of living in their countries in the next six months. Oman is no different, though respondents are mostly positive that their personal financial situation will improve during the same period. Almost a fifth (19 per cent) of the region’s respondents state that their financial situation has improved compared to what it was six months ago, with a majority — 43 per cent — claiming it has remained unchanged, and 29 per cent claiming it has become worse. Half of the respondents (52 per cent) state that their savings have decreased in comparison to last year. Expectations for the future are high though, with half of the survey’s respondents (46 per cent) anticipating their personal financial situation to improve in six months. Somewhat contrary to this is the fact that 71 per cent per cent predict that the cost of living in their countries of residence will increase during the months to come. In terms of making major purchases, a majority of respondents in all the countries surveyed, with the exception of Oman, do not expect to buy a vehicle in the next 12 months. For those who will be looking to purchase a vehicle, a majority, 48 per cent, will buy a used ones, compared to 45 per cent who will buy a new one.

Morocco Tunisia

266.44 302.22

Times News Service

Employee outlook

290.31 353.82

living persist

236.50 328.54

increase in cost of

GCC

Expected economic scenario

though fears of

Current economic scenario

Averages Egypt

pt Se

the next six months

160 150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Mashriq Algeria . ar M

would improve in

Index level

Overall consumer conﬁdence

333.04 377.60

ﬁnancial situation

(From March to September 2013)

13.4%

38.9%

21.9%

13.4%

15.8%

16.4%

15.6%

13.2%

11.3%

11.6%

26.6%

21.4%

42.1%

22%

Graphics

Source: Consumer Conﬁdence Index - September 2013, Bayt-YouGov

Oman scenario Six out of 10 (61 per cent) Oman respondents state that their personal ﬁnancial situation is now either the same as, or worse than, it was six months ago, with 29 per cent claiming it has improved. Only 26 per cent claim their savings have increased in the last year, compared to 31 per cent whose savings have decreased. The majority (57 per cent) expect their personal ﬁnancial position to improve in the six months to come, though 67 per cent also believe that the cost of living will increase during the same time span. In the next 12 months, 38 per cent of Oman respondents do not plan to buy a vehicle, while 48 per cent who intend to purchase will look for a new vehicle (52 per cent, compared to 45 per cent who will buy a used one). Four out of 10 (39 per cent) respondents are looking to buy property within the coming year, with 35 per cent of these

BRIEFS

Education Ministry spent OMR1 billion last year MUSCAT: The expenditure of the Education Ministry last year has been pegged at OMR1 billion, according to the ﬁnal statement of the 2012 budget. The Ministry of Finance said the expenses of the Ministry of Education increased by about OMR28 million last year, which was OMR838 million earlier. The expenses of the Ministry of Education’s expenditure comprises a major segment of civil ministries’ expenses for the ﬁnancial year 2012 which was estimated at OMR3.5 billion.

Work underway for Al Hamra mosque restoration plans AL HAMRA: The Ministry of Heritage and Culture has launched the restoration work of Al Sheikh Abi Said Al Kadmi Mosque in Al Dakhiliyah governorate. The ancient mosque, located in the town of Al Aaradh in the wilayat of Al Hamra, was constructed in the 20th century. The mosque, also known as Al Aaradh Masjid, was named after renowned local personality Al Sheikh Abi Said Al Kadmi, who worked for the scientiﬁc and cultural development in the wilayat. The mosque reﬂects the Omani style of Islamic architecture. The mosque consists of 17 columns, six doors and a number of arched and square entrances — all made of clay. — Times News Service

Consultation meeting held for setting up Darsait port MUSCAT: The office of Wali of Muttrah held a meeting to discuss establishing a port in Darsait. Dr Hamad bin Said Al Awﬁ, the undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Al Sheikh Yahyah bin Nasser Al Harasy, Wali of Muttrah, officials from Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and consultants were present at the meeting. Different solutions were discussed to address the difficulties faced by ﬁshermen in Darsait and Aynt. The project is estimated to cost OMR1.5 million.

Manpower Ministry nabs 162 for Labour Law crime MUSCAT: The weekly report of the joint inspection team at the Ministry of Manpower informs that the number of workers violating the Labour Law during the period from September 8 to 14 stood at 162. On the other hand, the Manpower Ministry statistics showed that 241 expatriate workers were deported for violating provisions of the Labour Law and ministerial decisions executing the law. — ONA

will be looking for a villa, and 73 per cent of respondents will prefer new properties. Consumers are looking to predominantly buy desktop or laptop computers (27 per cent), furniture (26 per cent), and LCD or plasma televisions (21 per cent) in the coming six months. When it comes to property, 63 per cent per cent of the Gulf region’s respondents — comprising a majority in every country covered by the survey — will not be buying any in the next 12 months. For the minority that is considering buying, new properties are more desirable than pre-owned (56 per cent versus 28 per cent), while 50 per cent of respondents want to buy an apartment as opposed to a villa (21 per cent). A ﬁfth (19 per cent) will be looking for commercial property. Three out of 10 (28 per cent) respondents are planning to purchase a desktop or a laptop comICONIC BUILDING

State Council shifts to new premises Times News Service MUSCAT: The State Council will complete all formalities to shift to the new iconic Oman Council building in the Al Bustan area of Muscat today, as employees begin functioning from the new premises. The transfer commenced gradually with the office of the chairman, general secretariat of the council and other secretariats making the switch. The employees exhibited great enthusiasm at the opportunity to function from the state-of-the-art iconic building equipped with highly technical equipment. Speaking on this occasion, Dr Khalid bin Salim Al Saidi, Secretary-General of the State Council, said, “We congratulate ourselves — including the chairman and the employees — on this transfer to the new premises of State Council, which will be included in the new building of the Oman Council. “This ediﬁce is, in itself, an expensive gift to the nation, following the issuance of the Royal Decree of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. This endowment to the people of Oman marks another milestone in the Shura march of Oman. The signiﬁcance of this transfer is heightened by the fact that the new Oman Council building will bring together the State Council and the Shura Council under the same roof. This will give a boost to the futuristic vision of His Majesty which clearly perceives on taking the Sultanate to an esteemed position. Such a unique level of state institutions is a step in that direction.”

puter in the next six months. Other popular purchases are anticipated to be furniture (20 per cent) and LCD or plasma televisions (18 per cent). Regional sentiment The majority of respondents across the region (36 per cent) believe that the economy in their country of residence has receded in the last six months, especially so in Syria (84 per cent), Jordan (66 per cent), Lebanon (65 per cent) and Tunisia (63 per cent). The situation is considered to have improved the most in Oman and Qatar (43 per cent each), followed by the UAE (39 per cent). These three countries also saw strongest predictions for a better economy in the future, while across the board, 42 per cent of regional respondents anticipate things to improve. Business conditions are, on the whole across the Mena region,

considered to be ‘average’ by 41 per cent of the respondents, while 32 per cent claim that things are ‘good’ or ‘very good’. Expectations are high across the region for conditions to turn better in a year’s time. The employment scenario seems difficult, with 32 per cent of regional respondents stating that ‘there are few jobs available across few industries’, and 26 per cent stating that “there are few jobs available across various industries”. Employment opportunities seem to be the maximum in the UAE and the KSA, followed by Qatar and Oman. In general, respondents anticipate more jobs in the coming six months Oman’s economy Four out of 10 (43 per cent) respondents believe that Oman’s economy has improved in the last six months, while 11 per cent state that it has receded. Six out of 10 (61

per cent) anticipate better things to happen in the next six months. Business conditions in Oman are believed to be ‘good’ (36 per cent) or ‘very good’ (13 per cent), with 40 per cent stating that they are ‘average’, while 69 per cent of respondents anticipate them to improve in a year’s time. In terms of employment opportunities, 24 per cent of Oman respondents state that “there are plenty of jobs available across various industries”, and 25 per cent believe that “there are plenty of jobs available across few industries”. Half of all Oman respondents (50 per cent) expect an increase in jobs in Oman in the next six months, while 24 per cent expect the situation to remain the same. Job perspective When asked about any change in the number of employees at their company during the last six months, a substantial chunk of respondents (33 per cent) say that there have been no adjustments; 30 per cent say that they now have more colleagues, and 29 per cent say that they have fewer. Just more than a third (36 per cent) expect their company to hire in the coming six months, while 35 per cent expect there to be no changes. The major segment of respondents (43 per cent) are satisfied with the career growth opportunities that their company presents them — especially so in the Sultanate of Oman (60 per cent) and Qatar (52 per cent). Those most happy with their compensation packages live in Oman (48 per cent satisfied), Qatar (44 per cent) and Kuwait (43 per cent). However, 44 per cent of respondents are happy with their non-monetary benefits, particularly in Algeria (57 per cent), Oman (52 per cent) and KSA (52 per cent). Almost half (49 per cent) of respondents in Oman state that their companies have grown, employeewise, in the last six months, while 14 per cent say that there has been a decrease in the number of people working with them. The majority (60 per cent) expect the number of employees to increase in the coming six months. Oman respondents are satisfied with their career growth opportunities (60 per cent), current compensation (48 per cent), nonmonetary benefits (52 per cent), and job security (56 per cent).

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

OMAN SYMPOSIUM CONCLUDES

Call to start ground work for setting up railway project plan MUSCAT: Deliberations at the symposium on ‘Investment Opportunities in Railway Project‘ concluded at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel yesterday evening under the auspices of Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications. The symposium came up with ﬁve recommendations: Firstly, exploring opportunities and developing a sustainable strategy to involve the capital and business sector, developing a detailed strategy for contracting and developing a plan to involve small and medium enterprises in the project. Secondly, building up national capacities in terms of developing a system for interaction with the official agencies, laying down the professional criteria for upgrading of skills and focusing on research and studies related to the project,

in coordination with the scientific and academic institutions. The third recommendation was about developing a legislative frame for regularising the sector; the next about evolving a comprehensive strategy for the logistics sector in the Sultanate; and the fifth recommendation was for developing a finance plan for the project. The symposium was aimed at upgrading the level of awareness about the project, identifying areas and opportunities for the private sector’s participation and developing a roadmap for enhancing the economic and social benefits. Among the major outcomes of the symposium was a high level of participation and the forum’s success was not just in attracting a number of companies and businessmen who interacted, but also ensuring quality interaction. — ONA

Sadhya feast marks Onam celebrations Keralites in Oman were seen enjoying the traditional Onasadhya, a platter comprising 26 food items. Having Onasadhya is the most important part of the celebration; it’s a nostalgic feeling no Keralite will wish to miss whether at home or overseas FESTIVE MEAL: For a Keralite, having the Onasadhya is the most important part of the celebration.

Omanis were also seen enjoying the Onasadhya in many hotels. — TIMES OF OMAN

REJIMON K. reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Expatriates from the south Indian state of Kerala living in the Sultanate celebrated Onam, the harvest festival, yesterday, by enjoying the traditional Onasadhya, a rich and delicious platter comprising 26 food items. While some enjoyed homemade Onasadhya, sharing it with Omanis and others in their neighbourhood, others who were not able to prepare it at home depended on takeaways sold by catering centres and restaurants. The Times of Oman found that hotels and catering establishments did a roaring business, and most of them were ﬁnding it difﬁcult to meet the orders for Onasadhya. By 11am itself, Keralites, and some Omanis, were seen standing in long queues at many hotels, waiting for their turn to get a seat and enjoy the traditional Onasadhya. “By 11:30am itself, we stopped taking further orders for takeaways because we knew we would be unable to meet the demand,” said a hotelier in Ruwi. With prices of vegetables and other essentials rising like never before, hotels and caterers were charging a minimum of OMR4 for an Onasadhya package, all packed in good quality plastic containers. “We stay without our family in the Sultanate. So, it is quite difficult to prepare the Onasadhya at home. So, we decided to depend on hotels. For a Keralite, having Onasadhya is the most important

part of the celebration. It is a nostalgic feeling no Keralite will wish to miss,” Santhosh and his friends said while waiting in the queue for their turn to enjoy the Onasadhya. “Even though this year the price is a little high, compared to previous years, we don’t want to miss the Onasadhya today,” they added. Omanis were also seen enjoying the Onasadhya in many hotels. “I love Onasadhya. Last year also, I enjoyed this sumptuous meal from a restaurant. You eat with your hand and lick your ﬁngers to savour the stuff to the last morsel. I love this feast,” Abdul Aziz, a national engineer at a safe-

ty ﬁrm in Ruwi, said. “Now, I know how to have this feast in a traditional way. Even though there are more than 22 items on the platter, we have to know the traditional way of where to begin and what to savour next. Only then will you be able to enjoy the food and satisfy your taste buds,” Aziz added. Meanwhile, Keralite blue-collar workers were seen looking for a shade near construction sites to have their routine daily meal. “Back in Kerala, my family will be celebrating Onam amid fun and frolic. However, here I have to do with only rice, chapati and a curry

sent by the camp kitchen. What can one do? We have to make adjustments for the well-being of our near and dear ones. I miss them all,” a Keralite construction worker said as he was having his chapati under the shade of a tree near his construction site. “This evening, we may be making some payasam, a dessert made with rice ﬂakes and jaggery, to celebrate Onam. That is all there will be to our Onam celebrations,” the workers added. There are approximately 500,000 Keralites residing in the Sultanate, of whom a majority are blue-collar workers who invariably miss Onam celebrations. S O C I A L E D UC AT I O N

SAI conducts workshop on moral values Times News Service MUSCAT: Serve And Inspire (SAI) Group recently conducted a workshop titled ‘Life is a Challenge; Meet it’, as a part of its endeavour under ‘Educare for All’ that aims at making everyone to pursue the path of goodness in their life journey. The programme aimed at enlightening the parents, with a variety in dwelling the topics, but tagging everyone on ‘Values’. It began with a short video presentation depicting the present day scenario with negativity at its peak. It also showed that there is still peace left in this world, to be retrieved and rejoiced. The underlined maxim was to unravel the issues in daily life on a strong foundation of values. In this demanding world, while confronting the provocations, how much are we able to be composed and carry on with positive energy and thereby make the surroundings positive. This was drafted with the caption: ‘Values begin at home’. Parents participated with keen enthusiasm, wherein they were divided into different groups to discuss on questions relating to typical home situations, either between the spouses or with their children.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

OMAN Cycling globally for social cause Thirty-year-old Indian national aims to peddle around 191 countries with an aim of spreading awareness about HIV/Aids

Times News Service MUSCAT: Globetrotter Somen Debnath is on a ride of his life. This 30-year-old from a remote village in India, called Basanti in South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, is aiming to cycle around the world. The ambitious journey covering 191 countries and 200,000 kilometres, is aimed at spreading awareness about HIV/Aids and also to showcase the Indian culture all over the world. Debnath started out from his home province in Basanti on May 27, 2004 and has already peddled his way through 81 countries. Currently, he is in Muscat. “I am doing this for the world,” Debnath told the Times of Oman on Sunday, having changed six bicycles and covering 98,950km so far. Three of his cycles got stolen in Bulgaria, Poland and Germany. “Though I peddle alone, I never feel lonely as I make friends with so many people on the road. They come up to me and talk to me, invite me to their homes and try to learn various things and issues from me while I, too, learn a lot from them,” he said smilingly. “At times, it is very hot and road conditions are bad. My cycle tyres burst a couple of times and

CYCLE ODYSSEY: The ambitious cycle journey has covered 81

countries and 98,950 kilometres so far. — TIMES OF OMAN

yet my journey goes on despite all these troubles,” he added. Debnath has been here in Oman since September 10. He started his journey right after earning a bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the University of Calcutta in 2004. “I will be giving 16 years of my life to the world. My main aim is to share the happiness,” added Debnath. Narrating an experience he called unforgettable, he said while cycling through Herat in Afghanistan, he was captured by the Taleban, who believed him to be a spy. “I spent three weeks there as a hostage, kept in total isolation and unable to understand the commands of my captors,” he said. At the same time, he said that he can never forget the hospitality of the Inuit and the kind gesture of an old farmer in Bangladesh who came to his rescue after he collapsed in the scorching heat. “All

these memories will remain very close to my heart,” he said. Speaking to the Times of Oman, he also said he was inspired from the age of 14 after he read an article titled ‘Aids is Deadlier than Cancer’. “It was about a homeless person who was lying in front of the Medical College of Calcutta, India, abandoned by his villagers and left to die alone. As a consequence, two years later, I decided to get speciality training at the West Bengal State Aids Control Society (WBSACS) and began an awareness campaign about the deadly disease starting by educating my own teachers. The untiring cyclist said he plans to build 25 houses on 20 acres of land in a remote part of his native area where inhabitants would adopt the motto of “simple living but high thinking” as it’s a way of life.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

REGION Rowhani tells Guards to stay out of politics

RAISING VOICE AGAINST RESTRICTIONS A Palestinian demonstrator puts up the Egyptian ﬂag on top of barbed wire in front of the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, during a demonstration demanding it to be opened permanently and without restrictions or conditions on the passengers, yesterday. The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip was closed following twin car bomb blasts targeting Egypt’s army. — AFP

New Iranian president seeks to avoid

The IRGC is above and beyond political currents, not beside them or within them. The IRGC has a higher status, which is that of the whole nation

antagonising the powerful military force

DUBAI: Iranian President Hassan Rowhani told Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards yesterday they should not get involved in politics, in a carefully worded speech that sought to avoid antagonising the elite military force. Rowhani’s speech, which included praise for the IRGC’s increasing economic might, could be an attempt to maintain its support, something that might be in doubt if the Guards see their interests threatened by the new president who has pledged more moderation in Iran’s foreign and domestic policies. Rowhani told an assembly of IRGC commanders and officials that the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, had recommended the military stay out of politics. “The IRGC is above and beyond political currents, not beside them or within them,” Rowhani said, according to the Isna news agency. “The IRGC has a higher status, which is that of the whole nation.”

Hassan Rowhani Iran’s President

Both opposition activists and some establishment ﬁgures have accused the Guards of crossing a line into political action. Prior to the June elections, Guard commanders made clear they would not tolerate protests similar to those held in 2009. Army’s economic empire Guards commanders have issued statements welcoming the election of Rowhani, who used the speech to praise the economic prowess of the IRGC which has built a vast economic empire that

includes civilian infrastructure and engineering — something that worries some private sector business people who complain of having to compete with an overmighty state giant. “Today, in conditions in which our economy is a target (of sanctions), the IRGC must enter into action and take on three or four large national projects,” Rowhani said. “The IRGC is not a rival to the people and the private sector ... the IRGC today must take on important projects that the private sector is unable to take on.” —Reuters

N U C L E A R S TA N D O F F

REFORMING OIL SUBSIDIES

Iran offers ‘enhanced’ cooperation Morocco hikes VIENNA: Iran’s new nuclear chief said yesterday that Tehran was “optimistic” about upcoming talks with world powers, offering “enhanced” but unspecified cooperation with the UN atomic agency. “I have come here with a message of my newly elected president to further enhance and expand our ongoing cooperation with the (UN atomic) agency and with the aim to put an end to the so-called Iran nuclear file,” Ali Akbar Salehi said. “We are optimistic about the outcome of the forthcoming fiveplus-one meeting, should the two parties join the meeting with good intentions and with the resolve of solving the aforementioned issues based on a win-win approach.” ‘Conducive environment’ He said in a speech to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) general conference of all members that the election in June of President Hassan Rowhani had created a “conducive environment” to resolving the long-running standoff. However, he added that Iran would never abandon its “right” to peaceful uses of nuclear

New nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said that the election in June of President Hassan Rowhani had created a ‘conducive environment’ to resolving the long-running nuclear standoff technology and that the country does not want the bomb. The UN Security Council has passed six resolutions since 2006 calling on Iran to suspend key parts of its nuclear programme because of suspicions that Tehran wants atomic weapons. UN and Western sanctions targeting Iran’s vital oil industry and its access to the global ﬁnancial system last year began to cause major economic problems for the country. Rowhani’s election has created hope that after a decade of false starts, a diplomatic solution to

the crisis can be found, with a new round of talks with the ﬁve permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (the P5+1 or E3+3) expected soon. New Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier this month spoke by phone with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, P5+1 chief negotiator, and the two are due to meet at the upcoming UN General Assembly. US President Barack Obama said in a weekend interview that he and Rowhani had “reached out” to each other by exchanging letters.

Salehi, foreign minister under Rowhani’s more hardline predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, did not say on Monday what form the enhanced cooperation with the IAEA would take. But two weeks ago he told state media that Iran might accede to long-standing demands to implement the so-called additional protocol, an accord with the IAEA giving it greater inspection rights. He said that the large number of IAEA inspections, including around 100 unannounced ones since 2003, on Iran’s nuclear facilities made it the “second-most inspected country after Japan”. A new round of talks between Iran and the IAEA is meanwhile set for September 27 in Vienna. This meeting, following 10 other failed gatherings since early 2012, is aimed at clearing up allegations that Iran conducted nuclear weapons research before 2003 and possibly since. Salehi repeated Tehran’s assertion that these accusations, based in part on claims from spy agencies like the CIA and Mossad, are “baseless”. —AFP

fuel prices to ﬁx budget deﬁcit

RABAT: Moroccan petrol prices soared yesterday as the cashstrapped government began implementing a fuel price indexation system aimed at reforming oil subsidies and plugging a budget deficit, officials said. The government is scrambling to limit the impact of oil price fluctuations on Morocco’s ailing public finances, with fuel subsidies weighing heavily on the budget of the North African country, which imports almost all its energy needs. Under the controversial indexation system, the price of diesel surged 8.0 per cent on Monday to 0.79 euros per litre, while petrol hit 1.14 euros per litre, representing a rise of 5.0 per cent, a government official confirmed. Under the new pricing system, the cost of petrol, diesel and fuel oil will be reviewed on a monthly basis, and if their value over a two month period changes by more than 2.5 per cent, the retail price

will be altered accordingly. Fuel subsidies consume around 90 per cent of the bloated state compensation fund, amounting to 55 billion dirhams (6.6 billion dollars) of public spending in 2012. “If we didn’t have this expenditure, the budget deﬁcit would be around 0.5 per cent” of GDP, rather than the 7.3 per cent that it reached in 2012, the minister in charge of subsidy reform, Najib Boulif, told reporters last week. The current budget allocates 40 billion dirhams (4.8 billion dollars) to the compensation fund, with an oil reference price of 105 dollars per barrel, but this also appears to have heavily underestimated subsidy costs for 2013, threatening another gaping deﬁcit. Morocco’s Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane approved the new price indexation system, which is a key aspect of the social reforms his government has been seeking to push through. — AFP

NAT I O NA L D I A L O G U E

Yemeni negotiators closer to agreement on federal state DUBAI: Yemeni delegates yesterday were close to agreement on the shape of a future federal state to settle a long-standing dispute over the south’s status, sources close to a national dialogue said. But the sealing of a deal was postponed after ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh’s two representatives walked out of a 16-member committee handling the north-south issue, refusing to sign an agreed document. Committee members were to sign the agreement to achieve a “just solution that would preserve the security and stability of a united Yemen on a federal and democratic basis”, according to the text of the document. “We were supposed to sign the agreement today (on Monday) but that has been postponed,” committee spokesman Mohammed Qahtan said. Long-serving Saleh, who was forced to step down in 2012 following a year of nationwide demonstrations, is accused of seeking to impede the dialogue, stipulated

We were supposed to sign the agreement today (on Monday) but that has been postponed Mohammed Qahtan Spokesman of 16-member committee handling the north-south Yemen issue by the UN-backed plan that saw him out of office. Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al Kurbi said last week that participants in the reconciliation talks have agreed on the principle of changing the Arab republic into a federal state. Differences But differences remain on the number of regions, he said. Southern delegates to the dialogue have been demanding a federal state consisting of north and

south Yemen, while northerners are proposing more than two entities, according to the sources close to the talks. In yesterday’s document, the regions would have broad administrative, executive, legislative and economic powers. Regional authorities will also decide on the exploration and management of natural resources, in cooperation with the federal government. But these resources would remain under state ownership. —AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

SYRIA CRISIS Poor harvest, global curbs threaten food imports, aid Syrian government’s inability to fund food imports may sharply increase the number of people requiring food aid to more than 6 million by the year-end

BRUSSELS: Poor harvests and international sanctions have damaged Syria’s ability to fund food imports and could sharply increase the number of people requiring food aid, the head of the UN’s World Food Programme said yesterday. Syria’s most recent wheat harvest was its worst in decades and traders say the country, mired in nearly three years of civil war, will need to import at least 2 million tonnes of wheat this year to help cover the shortfall. While food purchases are not covered by Western sanctions imposed on President Bashar Al Assad’s government, a ﬁnancing freeze has hindered Syria’s ability to import grain, sugar and other food staples. “Because of the deteriorating crisis the agriculture system is being detrimentally impacted, and

DETERIORATING SITUATION: While food purchases are not covered by Western sanctions imposed on President Bashar Al Assad’s gov-

ernment, a ﬁnancing freeze has hindered Syria’s ability to import grain, sugar and other food staples. – Reuters

Syria is now having a challenge purchasing food on the international market,” WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin said in Brussels. “We are watching that very closely, because if that challenge escalates, that could dramatically increase the number of people inside Syria who require assistance from WFP.” The UN agency currently provides food aid to about 3 million people inside Syria, and a further 1.2 million Syrian refugees in countries including Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey and Iraq. The

REFUSING TO BUDGE

Essential Cousin expects the number of people requiring food aid in Syria to rise to 4 million by the end of the year, with a further 2.5 million Syrians outside the country needing help. That would increase the operational cost to about $42 million a week, she said, making donor funds ever more essential. Despite the massive humanitarian effort already under way, many Syrians remained trapped

in areas with no access to aid due to heavy fighting between government and opposition forces. “There are parts of Syria that we haven’t been able to get in to for up to 10 months,” she said. “I’m often asked ‘Who’s fault is this? Who’s stopping this?’ It depends on what area you go to. Bullets don’t say which side they came from, and it’s the ongoing fighting that keeps us away,” she said. Since April, WFP has provided more than 23,000 tonnes of wheat flour to households in mainly ru-

ral areas to combat bread shortages following the poor harvest. Deliveries Cousin said the agency was also working to provide wheat flour to bakeries in urban areas, and hinted that it may increase deliveries in the coming months. “Our goal is to evolve our delivery of support to meet the needs of the people that we’re serving inside Syria. And if that means that we’ll need to have more wheat flour, then yes, we’ll have more wheat flour.” —Reuters

Combatants urged to spare medical staff, facilities PARIS: Fifty leaders in world medicine, including three winners of the Nobel prize, yesterday urged all combatants in Syria to spare hospitals, doctors and nurses, warning that the country’s medical infrastructure was being deliberately targeted and was now on the brink of collapse. “Systematic assaults on medical professionals, facilities and patients are breaking Syria’s healthcare system and making it nearly impossible for civilians to receive essential medical services,” they said in an open letter published by The Lancet. According to the World Health Organisation, 37 per cent of Syrian hospitals have been destroyed and a further 20 per cent severely damaged. Makeshift clinics have become fully fledged trauma centres, struggling to cope with the injured and sick. According to the Violations Documentation Centre, an estimated 469 health workers are currently imprisoned, and about 15,000 doctors have been forced to flee abroad, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Of the 5,000 physicians in Aleppo before the conflict started, only 36 remain. The letter described the attacks as “deliberate and systematic.... (and) an unconscionable betrayal of the principle of medical neutrality”. “We call on the Syrian government and all armed parties to refrain from attacking hospitals, ambulances, medical facilities and supplies, health professionals and patients,” it said. —AFP

TRAINING TO HELP CIVILIANS

Diehards set up ‘human shields’ DAMASCUS: Dozens of Syrian pro-regime activists have set up a “human shield” camp on Mount Qassioun overlooking Damascus in an effort to stop any US-led strike on their country. Despite Saturday’s announcement of a US-Russian deal averting an immediate military strike on Damascus, diehard government supporters are refusing to budge. Mount Qassioun, site of a presidential palace, dominates Damascus and is traditionally a popular spot for family outings, to take in the view or enjoy the cool air and escape from the stiﬂing summer heat of the city. Now the Syrian army has set up artillery positions to shell rebel-held areas below, making it a prime target for any Western military action. Young supporters of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s government have now pitched 25 tents on the steep road which climbs to Mount Qassioun, skirting a once-popular panoramic restaurant forced to shut by the war. “We will go on with our sit-in until the government announces that Syria has escaped from any threat of aggression,” said protest organiser Ogarit Dandash, a Lebanese journalist. “We are here on Qassioun to tell the Americans (if they want to strike) ‘over our bodies’,” said Mustafa Al Khani, a popular Syr-

total cost of the aid is about $30 million per week.

OPEN LETTER

ian comedian who has joined the protest camp. “This is not a political decision, but a patriotic one,” said Khani. Ahmad Hammud, 22, echoed him. “Our presence here as human shields will not prevent America from striking, but should their missiles kill us, our ideals will not die with us,” he said. Syrian flags flutter over tents and along the road leading to the protest camp, dotted with posters condemning any attack on the regime, which denies charges of having carried out last month’s poison gas attacks. “Don’t touch Syria,” reads one message, while another says: “Syria’s enemies are the enemies of civilisation”. The protestors, mostly young Syrians, also pray for peace to return to their country, where a 30-month-old conflict has killed more than 110,000 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. “May peace take root in Syria,” one poster reads. Nadia Khaddour, 26, travelled from the city of Hama in central Syria to join the group. “The Syrian people are a stubborn people,” she said. A 30-year-old woman said she volunteered to become a “human shield” because “I want to send a message saying we are here to defend our country as long as threats persist.” — AFP

Learning to cope with chemical attack ALEPPO: Mohammad Zayed, a former student at Homs University, dedicates his days to teaching volunteers how to help fellow Syrians cope with a chemical weapons attack—just in case. “The regime has sarin, the VX (nerve) agent and mustard gas,” chemistry student Zayed, 21, tells his team of volunteers in the northern city of Aleppo. “If it’s a sarin attack, you need to open the windows to ventilate the houses. It’s a very lethal gas but it disperses quickly. “VX is more dangerous. We cannot take off the protective clothing at any time because it penetrates the body not only through our respiratory system but also through the skin and eyes,” says Zayed. Students For two months, Zayed has been training a group of 26 civilians in the hope they can respond to another such attack. His students include ex-firefighters, students, welders and heavy machinery drivers. “If the regime uses chemical arms to attack Aleppo city tomorrow, we will be ready to act and help the civilians,” Zayed says. “They (the regime) won’t think twice before they use (chemical arms) against the civilian population, only to then blame the rebels for the attack,” he added. Damascus and Moscow have flatly denied Assad’s regime had

If the regime uses chemical arms to attack Aleppo city tomorrow, we will be ready to act and help the civilians Zayed Student, 21

any part in the alleged chemical attacks near Damascus. But 45-yearold Abdel Moneim, who leads this unusual civil defence team, is convinced Assad is responsible. “What happened in Ghouta is the work of Assad’s regime. If the rebels had chemical weapons, the war would have been over months ago. In any case, they would never use them against the civilian population,” he says. Like Zayed, Abdel Moneim believes the government might use chemicals to target Aleppo, large swathes of which fell out of army control after rebels staged an onslaught in July last year. “Bashar

Al Assad would not hesitate to use chemical weapons against Aleppo. And he will accuse the rebels” of staging the attack, he said. Rudimentary methods Despite their rudimentary methods, Zayed and Abdel Moneim have full trust in their team. But their main problem is they only have 24 protective suits, which they obtained during a rebel attack against a loyalist army base, and just three gas masks. “Without masks we won’t be able to do much for people, because even a moist handkerchief to cover the nose and mouth won’t stop the

chemical agents,” said Zayed. Still, he thinks it is “very important that more groups like ours are set up in the country, to help the civilians. We know our limits but we will try to save as many lives as possible. “Otherwise, people will die like they did in Ghouta,” said Zayed. Evacuation drill In a school in the New Aleppo district of Syria’s second city, two of Zayed’s students volunteer to participate in an evacuation drill. They don protective gear and masks, and move down to the courtyard. A student lies down on the ground and plays at being the victim, while Abdel Moneim calls out instructions. Meeting every day for class, “the students are trained in ﬁrst aid to help civilians in case of an attack”, says Abdel Moneim. “Our team will follow instructions of medical workers at the Zarzur hospital, which will be tasked with receiving patients” in case of a chemical attack, he adds. The volunteers have started distributing leaﬂets to Aleppo residents, explaining how to react to an attack, and how to “hold on until the rescue team arrives”, says Zayed. Although Damascus has agreed to hand over its arsenal, residents of Aleppo’s rebel districts are still on guard. —AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

INDIA Advani praises Modi for Gujarat’s progress Advani’s plaudit for Modi came three days after he went into a sulk following BJP Parliamentary Board’s decision to nominate Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate ignoring his stiff opposition PUTTING ON A BRAVE FACE: Senior BJP leader L. K. Advani ad-

KORBA(Chhattisgarh): After stubbornly resisting anointment of Narendra Modi as Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Prime Ministerial nominee, L K Advani yesterday endorsed the party’s decision when he hoped that with Gujarat Chief Minister at helm all good work undertaken by BJP governments in states will be replicated across the country. “Today, if he (Modi) has been entrusted with the responsibility of the country by my party BJP, then all good tasks undertaken by our governments in various states would be carried out all over the country,” Advani told reporters after his first public speech at a rally in Chhattisgarh since Modi’s anointment on Friday. Advani, who got isolated in the party over Modi’s anointment as BJP’s prime ministerial challenger, said, “Gujarat is the first state in the country where electricity is available in all villages 24 hours a day and the credit for that goes to Narendra Modi.” The BJP patriarch’s plaudit for Modi came three days after he went into a sulk following BJP Parliamentary Board’s decision to nominate him as the party’s prime ministerial candidate ignoring Advani’s stiff opposition. Though Advani, Sushma Swaraj and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi were said to be against Modi’s elevation ahead of assembly elections to five states, both the Leader

dresses the gathering during dedication of Hasdeo Thermal Power Expansion Project to public in Korba town, yesterday. – PTI

Today, if he (Modi) has been entrusted with the responsibility of the country by my party BJP, then all good tasks undertaken by our governments in various states would be carried out all over the country L. K. Advani BJP leader

Modi a ‘mask’ of RSS, says Lalu Prasad PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad yesterday called Narendra Modi a “mask” of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and also attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for failing to contain the influence of saffron outfits in Bihar. “Modi and BJP are merely a mask....The real power lies with Nagpur (RSS headquarters),” Prasad said after flagging off RJD Rath Yatra here.

of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, tand Joshi had attended Friday’s meeting of the Parliamentary Board where the decision was taken. The BJP stalwart was addressing a gathering after dedicating to the nation a 500 MW power plant of the Hasdeo extension project of Chhattisgarh state power generation company limited. Referring to Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the same breath, Advani praised the Gujarat Chief

Alleging that BJP is merely carrying the “communal agenda” of RSS, the RJD chief said that saffron party by holding political meetings at different places in the country is vitiating harmony in the society. Alleged Lalu also attacked Kumar saying while communal forces were increasing inﬂuence in the state, “he was sitting idle”. He alleged that Kumar allowed

Minister for being the first in providing electricity to all villages in his state, a task which has now been accomplished by Chouhan. “It was Narendra Modi who did this task first of providing electricity to all villages of the state,” Advani said. “Shivraj Singh Chouhan took a pledge of providing electricity to every village in the state. He first provided electricity in three districts. He has now completed this task. If someone who did this task first of all, it was my colleague

saffron outﬁts to spread its inﬂuence in Bihar. “He (Kumar) helped RSS in organising camp at historic Gandhi maidan here,” the RJD chief said. “On request of Narendra Modi he (Kumar) as a railway minister then did not order a probe into burning of Sabarmati Express in Gujarat,” he alleged. The RJD chief claimed that “Nitish is no factor in Bihar (in 2014 elections).” - PTI

Narendra Modi,” he said. After the announcement on Modi, Advani had conﬁned himself to his Delhi residence before making an appearance at the birthday celebrations of lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Sunday evening. Though Modi was also present at the function, the cold vibes were all too apparent. Modi bent down before the BJP veteran in a gesture of respect and the two exchanged pleasantries but hardly talked to each other. - PTI

SLOW DOWN ENJOY THE RIDE

BRIEFS

Armies meet at Natu La to discuss cooperation KOLKATA: The Indian and Chinese armies discussed issues concerning mutual cooperation and maintenance of peace in the borders between the two nations during a meeting at Natu La in Sikkim, defence sources said yesterday. “A Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) between India and China was held at Natu La on Sunday. Uniformed members from both sides attended the BPM organised by India,” said a defence spokesperson. While Brigadier S.K. Sengar led an 11-member Indian delegation, a senior People’s Liberation Army (PLA) colonel led the Chinese side. “Various issues were discussed in a warm, cordial and friendly atmosphere. Mutual cooperation and maintenance of peace on the borders was also discussed during the meeting,” said the spokesperson. BPMs between the two armies serve as vital platforms for discussing local issues and enhance mutual understanding and conﬁdence to strengthen peace in various sectors.

Coal ministry submits report on missing files NEW DELHI: The coal ministry yesterday submitted a report to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the missing files pertaining to the coal block allocations, said a probe agency official. “We have received a report from coal ministry Monday evening but we are yet to read out the details of the report given to us,” said the official. According to sources, over 150 files and documents were received by the CBI from the Coal Ministry. While hearing the case on August 29, the Supreme Court had directed the CBI to give a list of documents, files and information sought by it within five days to the ministry which, in turn, was to furnish them within two weeks. The agency in its letter dated on September 2 to Attorney General G. E. Vahanvati had given an exhaustive list of over 50 allocations, the files of which had not been received by it. The court had told the ministry that if any document remains untraceable, then FIRs have to be lodged by it with the CBI within a week thereafter.

Congress in ‘no hurry’ to name PM candidate NEW DELHI: Congress yesterday indicated it was not in a hurry to declare its Prime Ministerial candidate and persisted with its attack on BJP’s nominee Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying he was “not a national leader” like Rahul Gandhi. The party said that becoming Prime Minister was “not a big thing” for a leader like its Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who is more interested in taking up the cause of the weaker sections. “The country needs a national leader and not a mere prime minister,” party spokesman Bhakt Charan Das said while at the same time suggesting that the Congress has an open mind on the issue and would take a call as per “national need”. “Those who ﬁght for the oppressed and the poor, the dalits and adivasis know that their only hope is Rahul Gandhi and there is no leader like him. The country needs a national leader and not a mere prime minister.” Das, who was subjected to a volley of questions on the issue of PM candidate of Congress, insisted that “it is not incumbent on Congress to immediately declare its PM candidate”. “Have patience. You will come to know of it in time,” he said.

BSF hands over Pakistani boy who crossed into India ATTARI: The Border Security Force (BSF) yesterday handed over a 12-year-old boy, who had inadvertently crossed into India, to Pakistani border guards. BSF Deputy Inspector General R.P.S. Jaswal said that the boy, Kashim, who belongs to a village in Narowal district of Pakistan’s Punjab province, had recently inadvertently crossed over into India from the international border between both countries. BSF officials questioned the boy and did not ﬁnd anything suspicious in his entering India. - Agencies

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

INDIA BRIEFS

Dilip Kumar stable but still under observation

VICTIMS OF WRONG MEDICATION

MUMBAI: The condition of veteran actor Dilip Kumar, who suffered a heart attack on Sunday, is stable in Lilavati hospital, a hospital spokesperson said yesterday. “He suffered a myocardial infarction (heart attack) yesterday (Sunday). All treatment as per protocol was instituted,” said the spokesperson. Dilip Kumar, 90, was rushed to the hospital and admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) and continues to remain there. In view of his advanced age and post-bypass status, he requires close monitoring in the ICU and is under the care of cardiologist Nitin Gokhale. “At present his condition is stable,” said the spokesperson. Earlier, his wife and former actress Saira Bano had told reporters that the thespian had been admitted to hospital following “discomfort”. Later the hospital authorities informed that discomfort was caused due to heart attack.

Children being treated at a local hospital in Arambagh locality of Hooghly district in West Bengal, yesterday. At least 114 children were hospitalised in Hooghly after they were mistakenly given Hepatitis B vaccine orally instead of pulse polio drops, triggering angry protests even as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a probe and suspended four health workers. - PTI

Asaram’s judicial custody extended till September 30

Muzaffarnagar killers must be punished: PM A week after the worst communal clashes in two decades engulfed Muzaffarnagar, the prime minister visited the area with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi

REACHING OUT: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president

Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi interact with riot victims at a relief camp at Tawli in Muzaffarnagar, yesterday. – PTI

MUZAFFARNAGAR: Calling the communal violence here in Uttar Pradesh “a big incident”, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh consoled families of some of the victims and sought “strictest action” against the killers. A week after the worst communal clashes in two decades engulfed Muzaffarnagar district, the prime minister ﬂew to the area with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. “Efforts will be made to ensure that the strictest action be taken against those behind the (communal violence),” a grim faced Manmohan Singh said after touring some of the most affected places. Manmohan Singh spoke to ofﬁcials as he walked through Bassi Kalan village and later Tawli amid tight security. At least 48 people were killed WEAPON SYSTEM

DRDO ‘can develop’ 10,000km range missile NEW DELHI: Inter-continental ballistic missile Agni-5, which can reach range of 5,000 km, will be ready for induction in the armed forces in two years, amid assertion by DRDO that it can produce a weapon system with a range of 10,000km. Addressing a press conference on a seminar to be held Tuesday, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chief Avinash Chander said all the ballistic missiles in country’s arsenal would be canistered to reduce the reaction time, in case of a nuclear attack. He said by the end of this year or the beginning of the next year, the country’s ﬁrst indigenouslydeveloped nuclear submarine INS Arihant would be carrying out weapon trials as part of its tests towards its induction in the Navy. “Yes... actually range is least problematic part of the missile. We have full capability to go to any range. If we need a particular range, we can achieve that in two or two-and-a-half years. The issue today is more with the accuracy of the missiles,” Chander said. The DRDO chief was asked if the premier research organisation would be able to provide 10,000km range missiles if government gives a go ahead to it. -PTI

and more than 100 injured as the communal violence from September 7-9 quickly spread to villages, forcing the state government to deploy the military. The orgy also saw more than 43,000 people take shelter in makeshift centres as they ﬂed their rural homes after coming under attack from mobs — or because they feared violence. No support, say victims Many of those who met the prime minister complained that the district administration and the state government did not extend to them the kind of support they should have. “I, Soniaji and Rahul Gandhi have come here to share your grief and to understand the magnitude of the violence,” the prime minis-

ter told a group of journalists. “This is a big incident and the culprits behind the incident must be brought to book. It is the government’s responsibility to safeguard life and property so that people can again return to their homes.” He said his government would provide all necessary assistance to the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure that victims of the violence got all help. Speaking to residents of Budhana Road in Muzaffarnagar, the prime minister said: “Please maintain peace and calm.” Both Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi also stopped by the roadside to talk to villagers of Barvala. The prime minister was all ears as distraught people met him. “I am here to share your pain,” he said. Manmohan Singh asked the

At least 48 people were killed and more than 100 injured as the violence from September 7-9 quickly spread to villages, forcing the state government to deploy the military

JODHPUR: A court in Rajasthan yesterday extended, by 14 days, the judicial custody of spiritual guru Asaram Bapu, arrested for assaulting a minor girl, while the state high court slated his bail plea for hearing tomorrow. Asaram ﬁled a bail application in the Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court on Friday. “The arguments on bail application remained inconclusive today (Monday) and Justice Nirmaljit Kaur has now ﬁxed for September 18 as next hearing date, when the case diary will also be presented before the court,” said lawyer Jagmal Singh Chaudhry, one of the defence lawyers for Asaram. Eminent advocate Ram Jethmalani appeared for Asaram in the high court yesterday. Meanwhile, a lower court in Jodhpur extended Asaram’ judicial custody by 14 days, police said.

John Abraham conferred ‘Pride of the Nation’ Award NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor John Abraham was yesterday conferred the “Pride of the Nation” award for his attempt to raise the sensitive issue of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination through his role as a RAW agent in Madras Cafe. Constituted by Anti Terrorist Front, the award was presented to Abraham by its chairman M. S. Bitta at a function here. “Through Madras Cafe Abraham made a courageous attempt to unravel the conspiracy behind the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi,” Bitta said addressing the gathering. - Agencies

state government to ensure the rehabilitation of the thousands forced to ﬂee their homes. He also told reporters that he expected the security scenario to improve. “People behind such ghastly violence would be punished and all help extended to the UP government.” ‘Secular tourism’ Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yesterday termed the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to riot-hit Muzaffarnagar in UP as “secular tourism” and insisted that the government take appropriate action instead of doing votebank politics on the issue. - Agencies

ONAM CELEBRATIONS: Army jawans celebrate Onam

festival by decorating Pookalam (ﬂower rangoli) at Madras Regimental Centre in Nilgiris, yesterday. – PTI

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

PAKISTAN CONTROVERSY

‘Slain leader Farooq was loyal to MQM’ KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Khalid Maqbool said yesterday that the slain party leader, Imran Farooq was loyal to MQM. On September 16, 2010, 50-year-old Farooq was on his way home from work when he was attacked in Green Lane, outside his London home. Earlier yesterday, the London police, investigating the murder of Farooq, said the politician’s wish to launch a new political party before his death continued to be a key line of inquiry in the murder investigation. Talking to the media in Karachi, Maqbool said that he hoped Farooq and his family would be given justice. “Whatever is being said against MQM is not veriﬁable enough to be presented as news,” he said, adding that he hoped facts would come forward. MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said that people had been weaving tales of MQM’s involvement with Imran Farooq’s murder but to no avail. Altaf quizzed MQM chief Altaf Hussain was previously interrogated by the London Police over the murder as well as suspicions of money laundering. “From Pakistan to Britain, people have been trying to frame MQM for Imran Farooq’s murder but MQM’s involvement in the killing is only a ﬁgment of someone’s imagination,” he said, while talking to the media in Karachi. The MQM leader said that when

Imran Farooq

people create stories, they want it to be real but a conspiracy is a conspiracy. Maqbool added that people can try their best to frame MQM but they won’t be successful. MQM protests against Karachi operation MQM staged a walkout in the Sindh Assembly Monday in protest of the recent arrest of party leaders. ‘No decrease in crimes’ “Despite the Karachi operation, there has been no decrease in crimes in the city,” said MQM MNA, Asif Husnain. The party demanded that their leaders who had been arrested be freed, including former MPA Nadeem Hashmi. Hashmi was arrested for allegedly ﬁring at a police mobile and killing two police personnel Muhammad Ali and Arif in Hyderi. — Exclusive, in arrangement

TARGET OF ATTACK: Residents walk past damaged tankers of a Nato supply convoy after an attack a day earlier in Hub, about 25km

from Karachi, yesterday. Fifteen oil tankers carrying fuel for Nato troops in Afghanistan were set on ﬁre by militants in southwest Pakistan on Sunday. The blaze tore through the tankers and they were completely destroyed. There were no reported casualties in the attack, according to local media.— Reuters

Taleban can’t dictate terms, says Kayani

with Express Tribune

Tehreek-i-Taleban F I R S T 1 0 0 D AY S O F G O V T

Important posts remain vacant ISLAMABAD: Even after the completion of 100 days, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is yet to take decisions on ﬁlling important vacant slots such as envoys to important foreign countries, a chief for the corruption watch dog National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and many more. The PML-N government is seemingly unable to get done with the process of such appointments that are directly linked with important national and regional matters. Former senator and expert on legal matters S.M Zafar opined “the delay is inviting other institutions to intervene as many parties are ﬁling petitions in the apex courts to get rid of the delays hurling the appointment on key posts.” Zafar said PPP which holds the

office of the leader of opposition in National Assembly and generally the opposition that contains Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will surely play a decisive role in the appointment of the CEC and chairman NAB. Zafar also expressed the reservation that “not only NAB’s chairman but also CEC’s appointment should be approved at earliest by government and opposition with consensus as the local government elections are approaching later this year and the timely appointment of CEC would play a pivotal role to conduct these elections in a transparent manner.” Zafar concluded that the PMLN has not failed to evolve a consensus over the appointment of chairman NAB as they have a lot of mess in their plate but should avoid further delays. — Express Tribune

Pakistan on

It is understandable to give peace a chance through a political process but no one should have any misgivings that we would let terrorists coerce us into accepting their terms

Sunday announced preconditions for any peace talks, saying troops must be withdrawn from the

Ashfaq Kayani

tribal areas and its

General, Pakistan Army

prisoners released

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military will not let Taleban rebels set conditions for peace talks as the government seeks dialogue to end the insurgency, the army chief said yesterday. The statement from General Ashfaq Kayani came a day after two senior military officers were killed by a Taleban bomb in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the military is ﬁghting Al Qaeda and Talibanled militants.

Tehreek-i-Taleban Pakistan on Sunday announced preconditions for any peace talks, saying troops must be withdrawn from the tribal areas and its prisoners released. “It is understandable to give peace a chance through a political process but no one should have any misgivings that we would let terrorists coerce us into accepting their terms,” Kayani said. Politicians last week gave their backing to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s calls to begin talks with the Taleban. But Kayani warned that mili-

tants “will not be allowed to take advantage of it (talks offer)”. The army, he said, “has the ability and the will to take the ﬁght to the terrorists”. On Sunday seven security personnel including a major-general and a lieutenant-colonel died in four separate attacks. Major-General Sanaullah Khan was general officer commanding in the Swat valley, where the army sent 30,000 troops in 2009 to expel Taleban ﬁghters. Previous peace deals with the Taleban have quickly broken

down and been sharply criticised for allowing the extremists time to regroup before fresh attacks. Pakistan says more than 40,000 people have been killed in bomb and suicide attacks staged by the Taleban and Al Qaeda-led militants who oppose Islamabad’s US alliance. — AFP

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THE OTHER SIDE

Fierce car enthusiasts in Karachi mean business

LOVE AFFAIR: Car enthusiasts in Karachi gathered at Port Grand on Sunday to take a look at the city’s collection of vintage and other vehicles. MPA Nadir Magsi displayed 12 of his cars. — Express Tribune

KARACHI: “Pakistani youth is not all about Kalashnikovs and violence. Here is your proof.” These were the words of Suneel Sarfraz Munj, the chairperson of Pakwheels.com, as he pointed towards the throngs of people who had left their houses on a hot Sunday morning, just to take a look at the vast array of cars people in Karachi possess. The mission of Pakwheels.com in organising this event at Port Grand in Karachi was to unite car lovers irrespective of class or creed of family background. “Everyone who appreciates wheels is welcome here,” stated Suneel.

And everyone did show up. From toddlers to teenagers, the crowd was all “oohs” and “aahs” for the spectacular spectrum of cars on display. This motor show featured vehicles broadly classiﬁed into four different categories, ie, vintage cars and modern classics, bikes, exotic and muscle cars, 4 x 4s and off-roaders. There was also a dome in which the ﬁrst ever Formula 1 replica in Pakistan was presented. However, the dome wasn’t set up by 3pm, even though the show started well before 12 noon. This ‘showstopper’ failed to attract many despite the live DJ and simulators.

Mohammad Raheel Khan, a car enthusiast and administrator of the RX8 Club Karachi, was unfazed by this. For him, the highlight of the show was Nadir Magsi’s Phantom Ghost Rolls Royce. Breathtaking beauty This 2013 model stood in all its glory; it’s black and silver surface shining marvellously as the sun beat down upon it. Right beside this classic was parked an equally breathtaking beauty — a Hupmobile from 1929, also the oldest car of the show. The owner Karim Chhapra, the director of the Vintage and Classic Car Club of

Pakistan, smiled sheepishly as he narrated how this very car secured the third place in 2012’s Kuwait concours d’elegance — an international auto show where cars from all around the world compete. Close by stood a white SL-500 Lorinser Mercedes owned by Ghazanfar Agha. This car was a custom-built vehicle presented to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by the emir of Qatar. It also secured the ﬁrst position in the Extreme Autocross that took place on Saturday, September 14. Car enthusiasts in Karachi are indeed ﬁerce and they mean business.

“Please don’t touch the cars and stay behind the rope,” was a common plea heard by many car owners as the spectators longingly ran their hands over the sides of the cars they were posing next to. Some even jumped on top of heavy bikes, shades and hair a direct replica of Salman Khan, in a desperate effort to get their picture taken before the guards shooed them away. It is for this very reason that Karim Chhapra did not bring his 1924 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce to the show. This is this same car in which Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Lord Mountbatten rode on August 14, 1947, to sign the declaration of

Independence on August 14, 1947. “It’s too precious,” he stated simply with a shrug of his shoulders. There was a grand display of rare cars, Imad Samad’s 1986 Chevrolet Corvette – the last ever Sting Ray produced – among them. However, Toyota and Suzuki had also purchased stalls to showcase vehicles for the average Joe. “We are coming back to Karachi next year, that’s for sure,” stated the Pakwheels chairperson just as a man in a skullcap posed next to an NSX. Further on, a woman was overheard complaining: “They should let us drive the cars and not just look at them!” — Express Tribune

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

A11

ASIA Philippines launches air attack on rebels The military said it was close to defeating the MNLF forces, who invaded southern Zamboanga city in a bid to derail a rival rebel group’s planned peace pact with the government

ZAMBOANGA: Philippine troops aboard helicopters ﬁred rockets on Monday at rebels occupying parts of a major city, intensifying efforts to end an eight-day standoff that has left dozens dead. The military said it was close to defeating the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) forces, who invaded southern Zamboanga city in a bid to derail a rival rebel group’s planned peace pact with the government. “We know for a fact that the end

FIGHTING RAGES: Smoke billows from burning houses in a resi-

dential district as ﬁreﬁght rages between government soldiers and rebels in Zamboanga city in southern Philippines, yesterday. - Reuters

is near and they are trying to flee,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said shortly before the helicopter assault was launched. Two air force helicopters fired rockets towards the MNLF rebels held up in and around two coastal villages, the first air strikes since the military began its offensive on Friday. About 200 rebels initially took dozens of hostages and burned hundreds of homes, forcing a shut down of Zamboanga, a city of about one million that is a key commercial hub in the region.

Zagala said there were only about 100 MNLF forces left, after dozens were caught and others ﬂed, while key rebel-held areas had been over-run. Precision strikes But the remaining gunmen were hiding among civilians and Zagala acknowledged the rebels were believed to still be holding some locals as human shields. Asked about the potential for the civilians to be caught up in the helicopter assaults, Zagala emphasised they were “precision” strikes.

Human Rights Watch expressed concern about the growing dangers for civilians, four of whom had been killed in earlier stages of the conflict. “This definitely raises the level of danger for civilians in the area,” Carlos Conde, the Philippine representative for the New Yorkbased watchdog, said. “These are residential areas, how would they (soldiers) know which house or area to target? I don’t think they would have that precise information.” Fifty-one MNLF fighters and six security forces, as well as the four civilians, have died during the standoff, according to Zagala. Nearly 70,000 other civilians have fled the fighting, however many other people are believed to be trapped inside the conflict zones. As many as 300 civilians in one village had sought shelter in an icemaking plant building after abandoning their homes, while others had stayed behind to protect their belongings, according to Human Rights Watch. - AFP

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N O M I NAT I O N S O P E N

Afghan presidential election race kicks off KABUL: Nominations opened yesterday for Afghanistan’s presidential election, with a large ﬁeld expected to register in the race to succeed Hamid Karzai. The election next April 5 will mark Afghanistan’s ﬁrst-ever democratic transfer of power as Karzai steps aside after leading the country since the Taleban regime was ousted in 2001. The presi-

dential race, from which Karzai is barred after serving two terms, is seen as the key test of the effectiveness of 13 years of bloody international military intervention and billions of dollars of aid. “Around 28 people received the information package for presidential elections,” Independent Election Commission (IEC) spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor told

reporters as the office opened. All potential runners must register with the IEC before October 6, and a ﬁnal list of veriﬁed candidates will be published on November 16. Presidential hopefuls must be aged at least 40, have a clean criminal record, provide 100,000 voter cards to prove they have a network of supporters and lodge a deposit of one million Afghanis ($18,000).

The tough new criteria were designed “to limit the number of runners”, Noor said, after around 40 candidates stood in the chaotic 2009 election that was marred by fraud. Karzai has dominated Afghan politics as the country has struggled to develop amid a Taleban insurgency, and there are no obvious front-runners to succeed him. - AFP

BRIEFS

Graft charges on sacked Sri Lanka chief justice COLOMBO: Sri Lanka yesterday brought criminal charges of corruption against former chief justice Shirani Bandaranayake whose sacking earlier this year was internationally criticised as a blow to judicial independence. Bandaranayake, the country’s first female head of the judiciary and the first judge to be impeached, was brought before a Colombo magistrate who impounded her passport and scheduled a hearing for February. “The magistrate invited her to take a seat among the lawyers, but she opted to remain in the dock and hear the charges,” the head of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, Upul Jayasuriya, said. He said more than 100 lawyers signed up to defend Bandaranayake who is accused of failing to disclose bank accounts in line with an assets declaration required of her when in office. “This is a frivolous allegation. She is accused of not declaring bank accounts where she had a zero balance,” Jayasuriya said. Under the Bribery Act, she could be fined a maximum of 5,000 rupees ($38) and imprisoned for up to seven years.

Typhoon Man-yi hits Japan, two feared dead TOKYO: Typhoon Man-yi hit Japan yesterday, leaving two people dead and forcing the operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to release rainwater with low levels of radiation into the ocean. The powerful typhoon made landfall in Toyohashi, Aichi prefecture, shortly before 8am (2300 GMT Sunday), packing gusts of up to 162km per hour, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Public broadcaster NHK said a 71-year-old woman was found dead as a landslide engulfed her house in Shiga prefecture, while a 77-year-old woman was also conﬁrmed dead in a separate mudslide in Fukui prefecture. Four people were still missing while 128 others were injured with more than 4,000 houses ﬂooded and at least 270 houses damaged by strong wind or landslides, NHK said.

Cambodia rivals meet to defuse political crisis PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s political rivals held fresh crisis talks yesterday as thousands of protestors massed for a second day following violent clashes against a disputed election that left one demonstrator dead. Prime Minister Hun Sen and opposition leader Sam Rainsy met for several hours at the National Assembly in search of a way out of the deepening political standoff triggered by July polls marred by allegations of electoral fraud. In a joint statement released afterwards, they said they had agreed on three points — to heed the king’s call for an end to the violence, to set up a mechanism to bring about election reform in the future and to continue negotiations. The talks followed violent clashes in Phnom Penh on Sunday on the fringes of a mass demonstration with opposition supporters demanding probe into the vote. - Agencies

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T I M E S O F O M AN

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

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Russia emerges as the peace monger

he myths about the agreement between the United States and Russia on chemical weapons in Syria should not be allowed to distract us from its importance. The idea that Bashar Al Assad could avoid military action by giving up his chemical weapons was more than an “off-the-cuff remark” by John Kerry, the US Secretary of State. It had been discussed by Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, Assad’s main sponsor, at the G20 summit the week before (or so it was claimed). So the idea that President Putin has outsmarted his country’s historical adversary by exploiting Kerry’s “blunder” is mistaken. This is a deal that the US wanted too, and that the world should welcome. We do not have to be starry-eyed about the prospects of the terms of the deal being met to see that it is a step in the right direction. The deal provides for the destruction of Assad’s chemical arsenal under United Nations supervision by the middle of next year. Kerry talked up the prospect of the UN authorising military action if Assad failed to comply, but those words are not in the text of the agreement, and Russia would in any case have to agree that the terms of the deal had been breached. It is worth noting that the delay in air strikes sought by the British House of Commons provided the time to make the deal possible. Globally, as Patrick Cockburn points out, the return of Russia to the international stage is one of the more important changes in geopolitics in the past two years. In part, this is simply a response to the winding down of American interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan under the Obama presidency, but Russia’s stepping forward was not inevitable. It was quite possible that, if the US had not taken the initiative in the region, no one else would have done so. And in the case of Syria, no one has. Whatever else we might think of a greater role for President Putin in world affairs generally, to the extent that Russia is now engaged in the search for an end to the carnage in Syria it is a hopeful change. Russia is not the only patron of the Assad regime, however. As Lord Williams writes, “Iran must be in the room for any settlement of the Syrian civil war”. Again, we should not be naive in assuming that the recent election of the “reform-minded” Hassan Rouhani as Iranian president, and recent semi-official expressions of goodwill towards Jews, mean that Iran is now a force for peace too in the region. The agreement, however, could bring the Iranian leadership to see that its interests are best served by following the Russian lead and sharing some of the responsibility for ending the conﬂict in Syria. However distant such a prospect might still be, anything that makes a settlement even a little more likely deserves cautious approval.- The Independent

WASHINGTON WATCH

Twenty years after Oslo, trying it again Special to Times of Oman

T DR JAMES J. ZOGBY

Divesting in PIA

t long last, the Nawaz Administration is beginning to enact a clear policy agenda meant to set the country on the path of financial self-reliance. The decision to privatise the Pakistan International Airlines is long overdue and we welcome it. We would have preferred an outright sale, but the government’s decision to sell a 26 per cent stake along with managerial control is still a big step in the right direction and a positive macroeconomic signal for entrepreneurs. The business community has been growing impatient with the government as of late and there was even talk of the administration being an early disappointment. An investment bank, issued a report earlier this week, citing low morale among corporate executives and a waning appetite for capital investment. With this move, the government has taken at least some measures to begin living up to its electoral promises. Having said that, the task they have chosen to take on is not an easy one. PIA’s union is openly hostile to the privatisation and has vowed to take the matter to court. It is imperative at this point that the government ensure that it has followed the letter and spirit of the law in authorising this transaction. It would be a shame for a sound policy decision to be ruled illegal on a technicality. The union is waiting to pounce on any government slip-ups. The administration must not provide them that opportunity. Yet, even if they get the technicalities in order, the union does have the upper hand, as the previous government discovered earlier in its term. The pilots’ union, for instance, can institute a ‘go-slow’ protest, where pilots deliberately fly the planes at slow speeds to achieve the dual aim of inconveniencing customers and dramatically increasing fuel costs for the airline. Future buyers will likely know this, which may make it difficult to find investors. Former PIA managers have welcomed the move, but warned that it could get violent. We sincerely hope they are proven wrong. - The Express Tribune

Railway will help Oman’s economy to grow faster This refers to the news story, Oman’s railway project to start on a ‘fast track’ (September 16). Honestly, I was very delighted to learn that a section of the project would become operational by 2018 and that the project is progressing ahead of schedule. This deﬁnitely will augur well for the Sultanate as railway will boost the country’s economy and put it on the fast track of growth. Railway will also become a big source of employment generation in Oman. Ritu Bali Al Khuwair

TORCH is indeed showing light to many in Oman I take this opportunity to thank Times of Oman for starting the

legal column, TORCH. I have been reading the column since its launch and found it extremely helpful. I am sure many would have already found this column extremely helpful. It has helped me in having a better understanding and perception about some otherwise knotty legal matters. It would also be beneﬁcial if Times of Oman could consider offering similar expert legal opinion and solutions on issues pertaining to education, diet, exercise, health, society etc. as it would help readers and people to gain better understanding about their rights. G.V.K. Durga Ravi Muscat

Indians caught between the devil and deep sea Who will be the next prime

Israelis and Palestinians formally recognised each other as national communities. While Palestinians had committed themselves to a two-state solution in 1988, signing an agreement with the Israelis that recognised the legitimacy of an independent Israeli state

wenty years have passed since Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat signed the Oslo Accords in Washington, DC on September 13th, 1993. On the White House lawn, where the signing took place, there was a sense of euphoria. When Arafat and Rabin shook hands, Arab Americans and American Jews, who had long been combatants in the public sphere, turned to each other to embrace and celebrate the moment. Two days later, in an effort to build on this positive sentiment, President Bill Clinton invited 150 leaders of both communities to the White House urging them to work together as a “constituency for peace.” In Israel and the Occupied Territories there were also celebrations with leaders on both sides expressing optimism about the way forward. Appearing on my live call-in TV show just days after the signing, Nabil Sha’ath the chief Palestinian negotiator was questioned about whether the fledgling Palestinian government would be able to restrain perpetrators of acts of violence against Israelis. He responded, “If the agreement works, and I believe that it will, two years from now our farmers will be cultivating the land that has been liberated, our young men will be working at jobs that have been created, and we will be building the infrastructure of our new state. If, in the midst of all of this, someone were to commit an act of violence, the people would turn to us and say, ‘stop them, because they are threatening everything we’ve won.’” There were also Israelis who looked confidently to the future. Israel’s deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Beilin said, “Israel is another Israel, we are ready to change many of our ideas from the past to adapt ourselves to a new reality. The PLO is no longer the same PLO. Things can be done in the Middle East.” But not everyone was pleased. Israeli critics accused Rabin of surrendering to and giving legitimacy to Palestinian terrorists, while Palestinian critics charged that the Oslo documents had too many loopholes and would only prolong the Israeli occupation. By any measure, the Accords were incomplete. They were full of ambiguities, areas where the parties fudged over differences because they could not find agreement. And resolution of the most critical issues of Jerusalem, borders, settlements, refugees, and security arrangements were put off until after a fiveyear transitional period. One observer, at the time, described the Accords, more like “a cry for help” than a peace agreement. It was as if Israelis and Palestin-

READERS’ FORUM “Insure with New India and be secure”

Acceptance is not submission; it is acknowledgment of the facts of a situation KATHLEEN CASEY THEISEN

ians were saying “this is a start—as far as we can go. We need help to get to the finish line”. But even with the flaws and the ambiguities, what was undeniable was that Israel and the PLO had taken unprecedented steps, breaking taboos and shattering myths. In the first place, Israelis and Palestinians formally recognised each other as national communities. While Palestinians had committed themselves to a two-state solution in 1988, signing an agreement with the Israelis that recognised the legitimacy of an independent Israeli state represented a dramatic breakthrough. Israel also had an issue with recognition. Until Oslo they had refused to acknowledge the existence of a Palestinian people. And they refused not only to talk to the PLO but had insisted that others shun the group, as well. In 1985, speaking at a Washington event, Rabin was quoted as saying “whoever agrees to talk to the PLO means he accepts in principle the creation of an independent Palestinian state” and this he said, was “unacceptable”. In acknowledging the PLO, Israel not only opened the door to the inevitability of a Palestinian state, it also shattered the anti-PLO taboo (that it had established). For years, the heavyhanded political clout of American supporters of Israel had tormented Arab Americans and others, punishing them for “contact” with the “forbidden” group. The Oslo Accords also shattered the myth that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was insoluble, the result of an “age-old” conflict that was “in the genes” of both communities. Oslo did not provide a solution, but it demonstrated a willingness of both sides to finding one. The Oslo Accords provided for an initial Israeli limited deployment that would lead to a five-year transitional phase, during which negotiations would continue. It was at the end of this five year period that the parties would begin work in earnest to resolve the so-called “final status” issues. The operative assumption behind this approach was that with five years of peaceful relations sufficient trust would have developed giving the negotiators the space to tackle the thorniest issues. There were other breakthroughs resulting from Oslo. While no Palestinian state came into being, the locus of Palestinian authority and decision-making would move for the first time to the Palestinian territories. And while the occupation remained an oppressive fact of life for most Palestinians, even the limited pullback of Israeli forces from most West Bank cities and towns, gave Palestinians welcome respite. The author in the president of Arab American Institute. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman.

minister of India? Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi? If we take both into consideration we find ourselves caught between the devil and deep sea. Consider Modi stirred up a communal sentiment through Godhra to ensure continuation of BJP’s rule in Gujarat. He couldn’t stop violence in time as more than 2,000 people died. He has been claiming development of Gujarat, most of which subsequently turned out to be bogus. He may have brought in some development but is that enough to wash away his misdeeds? Rahul was born with a golden spoon in his mouth and into the first family of Indian politics. But is that a qualification enough? What has been his contribution to Indian politics or growth of India? R. Marakkar Seeb

Poaching will not stop until markets resist The once rich wildlife of Nepal is now in a sad state of rapid depletion. With both rhino and tiger populations in the erstwhile monarchy depleted to almost half their populations that was there even ﬁve years ago, Nepal has now become a favourite conduit for several transnational criminal gangs bleeding the nation almost every day, killing some animal or the other. The crime will never stop unless the market for animal body parts does not end, or these products are not boycotted. Also, countries need to collaborate with each other and share information and intelligence regularly. Markets in China and the West offer a huge market for these products. Shiladitya Rana Muscat

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TIMES OF OMAN

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

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PERSPEC IVE The delicate handling of the images of war N

ews photographs come and go. Here’s a mayoral candidate voting. Here’s a tennis player kissing a trophy. Here’s the president giving a speech. But two recent front-page images in The Times, both related to the deadly crisis in Syria, were something far more powerful. Appearing exactly two weeks apart, they were such memorable, telling images that they deserve some attention here. The first, had a caption that read: “In Damascus, the bodies of people who Syrian rebels and supporters say were killed on Wednesday in a government attack.” Shrouded in white and unmarked by blood, at least four of the bodies are those of children. The one in the centre is a baby. And the accompanying article notes the “tell-tale signs of chemical weapons: row after row of corpses without visible injury.” The photograph was displayed boldly, across four columns at the top of the front page. Michele McNally, the assistant managing editor in charge of photography, told me that she considered many alternatives before recommending this one to the top editors who accepted it. She also spent time “heavily scrutinising” the photographs that were becoming available after the poison-gas attack, checking and comparing to see if anything appeared to be staged or altered. Many of the early ones were from citizen journalists; later “very credible photographers starting sending, as they got on site.” Before making a decision on which photograph to recommend, she used a tried-and-true method of determining how it would appear: printing out the photograph at the size it would appear on the page, and taping it onto an actual front page. McNally describes herself as “by no means conservative” when it comes to choosing photographs. She looks for “emotional content — something that affects you.” This photograph, shot by Bassam Khabieh for Reuters, certainly does that. President Obama evoked images like this one when he spoke to the nation: “The images from this massacre are sickening. Men, women, children lying in rows, killed by poison gas, others foaming at the mouth, gasping for breath.” Rallying support for a possible American strike against Syria, he urged citizens to look at them. But presidents don’t always want people to see images of the dead. The first Bush administration, for example, began a ban on photographs of flagdraped coffins at Dover Air Force Base that was lifted, after 18 years, in 2009. And it’s impossible to imagine Obama urging Americans to scrutinise images of the victims of American drone strikes, which also have included children. Last year, when Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was killed in Libya, The Times kept a photo of the unconscious and dying ambassador on its Web

MARGARET SULLIVAN

Images of war matter. Images are capable of changing the narrative, possibly affecting the course of history. That’s all the more reason to handle them, and others, as thoughtfully and with as much awareness as possible

Past perfect, future tense

site — even after a request from the State Department to remove it — but stopped short of using such a photo in the next day’s newspaper. The foreign editor, Joseph Kahn, told me that The Times tends not to show photographs of dead American soldiers, partly because it never wants to make public the news of a death that the family may not yet know about. I also know that many readers find graphic photographs of foreigners far easier to take than those of Americans. The second front-page Syria photo showed Syrian government soldiers, trussed and lying face down, just before being executed by rebels. It was a screen shot from a video obtained by The Times. The reporter on the accompanying story, C.J. Chivers, a former Marine and a Pulitzer-winning war correspondent, told me that the video was intended as a fund-raising tool for the rebels. Writing about it and showing it to the public “made people see the complexity of Syria,” he said. “It helped people realize that the public narratives were incomplete.” After misunderstanding information provided by the video’s source, The Times originally reported that the video was made in April of this year; it later corrected the record to say that it was from the spring of 2012. The story, which led the paper, and the photograph, displayed over five columns, might have been treated with less prominence if the correct timing had been known. McNally described the photo as one that is “totally important and emotionally ridden,” but that “doesn’t take you over the edge.” The video appeared on The Times’ Web site, carrying a warning about its violent nature. Nevertheless, it was edited to go black as the gunshots were fired. We hear but do not see that violence. Some readers complained, calling it censorship. Editors constantly make decisions about what to include and what to leave out — the judicious cropping of a Boston Marathon bombing photo of badly wounded Jeff Bauman was one example. Images of war matter. Some highly emotional photographs from Vietnam — the brutal execution of a Vietcong guerrilla, a Vietnamese girl burned by napalm — brought home the horror in a way that words never could. The same has been true more recently; think of the charred corpses of American contractors hanging from a bridge in Falluja, Iraq. Now Syria. These two images are capable of changing the narrative, possibly affecting the course of history. That’s all the more reason to handle them, and others, as thoughtfully and with as much awareness as possible. And to remember that, powerful as they are, they are only pieces of the emerging truth. - The New York Times News Service

The decline of the novel

TIM PARKS

iterature is going global. In reportedly opening up to American writers, the Man Booker Prize is simply following a trend which tends to weaken ties between writers and their national communities. When the Booker International was inaugurated in 2004 it was just

one of many new awards for writers from all over the globe. The IMPAC, launched in 1996, was another. The shortlist of the Booker itself has long since looked like a flag parade for the Commonwealth. More and more a prize that only takes into account the literature of one country seems provincial; conversely, authors are encouraged to feel they should be addressing the whole globe, otherwise they have set their sights low. As a director of the Edinburgh Festival told me last year, “If a book is really good, it will reach out to everyone the world over.” Is this actually the case, or does it just reflect enthusiasm for global celebrity and sales? I have judged both the IMPAC and the Booker International. The IMPAC has gone to authors not writing in English just seven out of 18 times. The biennial Booker International just once in five times. Because however willing and cosmopolitan a jury may be, a novel

that truly comes from a different culture, written for that culture in that culture’s language, is a difficult creature to approach. Do I really have the context to assess something written in Urdu, engaging a Pakistani audience in the throes of a historic crisis? When prizes go to foreign books, they tend to come from authors who are consciously writing toward an international public; Orhan Pamuk and Michel Houellebecq both won the IMPAC; many Commonwealth authors competing for the Booker have professedly been mediating between their cultures and ours. The prize process sucks foreign writers into Western tradition. The genuinely exotic is replaced by a palatable exoticism constructed for a global liberal community capable of granting the desired celebrity. A reader seeking an intense experience of the foreign would do well to look for translated novels that have not won international prizes. Including American novels would not oblige Booker judges

to engage with language problems (funnily enough, the last two Booker International Prizes went to Americans). It would vastly increase the number of eligible novels (already far beyond serious assessment). It would reinforce the illusion that Britain and the US share a common culture. Above all it would contribute to a growing feeling that the author is an international entertainer rather than an artist involved in a home community with a literary tradition. In fact the rise of the international award goes hand in hand with the decline of the novel as a serious inﬂuence in national debate, or a medium where the native language might be mined and renewed. To top it all, the Americans, basking in a global power that confers cultural self-sufficiency, would be underwhelmed. No American author will prefer the Booker to the Pulitzer. - The Independent

And only PIA flies to routes that are unprofitable and yet strategic within the country

KAMAL SIDDIQI

he decision to sell a strategic stake in national carrier of Pakistan comes at a time when we have been told that the airline is tottering on bankruptcy. To give credit to the PM, he is trying his best to try and salvage the airline which we are reminded, ad nauseum, was once one of the best in the world. Earlier, a new management was to take over. The choice of candidates was good especially after the politically connected were shed. But that was not to be. Now comes the sell off. Possibly this too will be challenged in court. But what options do we have now. No doubt, PIA has a glorious past. The airline was dependable, profitable and its staff was one of the best. Now all that is behind us. What we ask now is what the future holds. With one of the highest plane-to-employee ratios in the world, PIA became the golden goose for successive governments. People who had no business to be in the aviation sector were given jobs. Promotions were made on personal recommendations. Consultants were hired on astronomical salaries. Those who were sacked earlier were brought back with full back pay. Special assistants drew more salaries and allowances than pilots. And the airline survived on successive government bail-outs. One must mention that PIA continues to play a role in our lives that no other carrier does. To name a few, only this airline ferries back the dead bodies of Pakistanis who pass away in foreign lands. And only PIA flies to routes that are unprofitable and yet strategic within the country. PIA is also possibly the only airline that puts up with the kind of behaviour some of our fellow countrymen and women indulge in. Routinely, staff on board as well as on ground are threatened and abused. But they carry on. Truly great people to fly with. On the issue of profitability, if anything, one can wonder how long PIA has been able to survive despite all that has been inflicted. Of course we can thank some of the loyal employees who have helped stay the

course. But at the end of the day, the airline cannot sustain on the goodwill of people. There is internal bleeding. And corruption. Many deals are dodgy – from the choice of aircraft to the chicken served on board flights. Accountability is held hostage by the all-powerful unions. Logic is defied when almost every flight is full and yet the airline does not make a profit. Also, why other airlines have been able to take away PIA’s passengers despite offering fares that are usually higher. One recalls novel attempts by PIA chiefs to regain lost ground. Like that of Captain Aijaz Haroon to go into a code-sharing agreement with Turkish Airlines. In retrospect, that would have helped steer the airline on course. But the most vocal opponents to that deal were those unions who were allied with today’s ruling party. One wonders why they are so quiet now. Coming back to the decision to sell, many have questioned why we are selling the family silver. And more pertinently who will buy it. The best option would be for an employee buy-out. But for that to happen, one needs a dynamic leader like Shaukat Mirza, who helped transform Exxon into Engro and then laid the foundations for the company to emerge as one of Pakistan’s only multinationals. In all probability, this won’t happen with PIA. If we look at recent privatizations of public entities, KESC comes to mind. And if that is the example we are to follow, then it is one we should. Despite all the protests and the whisperings against them, the KESC management has turned around this public utility to a very large extent. Good employees are rewarded, bad employees are laid off. Service has improved by leaps and bounds for those who are willing to pay for it. Let us hope a similar future of meritocracy lies ahead for the thousands of PIA employees. It was a sad day for PIA staff earlier this month when one of their jumbo jets – once the pride of their fleet – was sold to junk dealers who will now take it apart piece by piece. One prays the same is not done with the airline itself – sold as junk and taken apart in bits and pieces. - The Express Tribune The author is Editor of The Express Tribune

Plan to salvage Costa Concordia cruise ship An international team of engineers is making an ambitious bid to set upright the wreck of the cruise liner, which ran aground near an Italian island in 2012, killing 32 people. If the attempt succeeds, the 114,000-tonne ship will eventually be towed away for dismantling. GIGLIO ISLAND

Ship length 290m Funnel removed

1796

Caissons (metal boxes) 15 per side

ITALY

TODAY IN HISTORY

Floating crane

Water depth: 20m

1862

List angle 70°

Anchor chains Underwater platforms embedded in holes drilled into sea ﬂoor

Grout bags ﬁlled with cement

1903 Caissons

Retaining towers (12)

Pulling cables

Caissons added

Caissons emptied

1942 Anchor chains (24)

Grout bags

Platforms

President George Washington delivers his “Farewell Address” to Congress before concluding his second term in office. The Battle of Antietam in Maryland, the bloodiest day in U.S. history, commences. Fighting in the corn ﬁeld, Bloody Lane and Burnside’s Bridge rages all day as the Union and Confederate armies suffer a combined 26,293 casualties. Turks destroy the town of Kastoria in Bulgaria, killing 10,000 civilians. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill meets with Soviet Premier Josef Stalin in Moscow as the German Army rams into Stalingrad.

HISTORYNET.COM Source: Titan Salvage / Micoperi, wire agencies

Graphic News /

Graphics

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

WORLD Sanctions against Iran shipping line scrapped A top European court

US ﬁrm shuts Karoubi’s site

ruled yesterday that the EU’s sanctions against Iran’s biggest cargo carrier be lifted

BRUSSELS/LONDON: The European Union’s efforts to impose economic sanctions on Iran suffered a new setback yesterday when a top court ruled that measures against the Islamic Republic’s biggest cargo carrier should be lifted. The ruling by Europe’s secondhighest court follows similar decisions in favour of some dozen Iranian companies in the last year, which have raised alarm in Europe and the United States. Governments in the West have been using economic sanctions such as asset freezes against banks, shipping companies and other ﬁrms in an effort to curb Iran’s nuclear activities they fear aim at developing weapons.

DUBAI: A US web-hosting company has shut the website of an Iranian opposition leader held under house arrest in Tehran to comply with US sanctions, underscoring the unintended impacts of some of the curbs imposed on the Islamic Republic. Washington has imposed sanctions restricting US entities’ trade with and provision of services to Iran in a dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Hosting company Just Host shut down the website

But the Luxembourg-based General Court says the EU is failing to sufficiently justify the need to impose sanctions against some targets. In the case of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), the court said yesterday that the evidence of its alleged involve-

of Mehdi Karoubi, a reformist cleric, in August, his former aide said. Karoubi disputed the 2009 presidential election that returned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to office, and protests broke out across Iran. Mohammad Hossein Ziya, a former aide to Karoubi who runs his website from the United States, said he received a notice in August from Just Host telling him it could no longer host Karoubi’s personal site, www.karroubi.ir. — Reuters

ment in nuclear proliferation offered by European governments “does not justify the adoption and maintenance of restrictive measures”. Yesterday’s ruling also included other Iranian shipping ﬁrms connected to IRISL. EU governments have two months to appeal, and sanctions

will remain in place until the appeals process is exhausted. A spokeswoman for the EU’s diplomatic service said the 28-member bloc would review the ruling to determine its response. “We are fully aware ... of the consequences deriving from this and previous judgments. Reflection on all possible remedial action is already ongoing,” Maja Kocijancic said. Challenge to governments Such court cases are a challenge to EU governments who argue they cannot provide detailed proof of the plaintiff ’s activities because doing so can expose confidential intelligence and undermine their efforts to combat Iran’s atom work. With dozens more cases pending in courts, the pressure is on the governments to find ways to cooperate with courts better. But lawyers for Iranian plaintiffs have argued there simply is no evidence of illicit activities by their clients. “This is not just victory for our clients but also for the rule of law. It’s a celebration of the independence and integrity of our courts,” Maryam Taher, one of the lawyers representing IRISL and its affiliates, said. — Reuters

BRIEFS

Fire burns on Russian N-submarine for 5 hours VLADIVOSTOK: A fire burned for five hours on an atomicpowered submarine undergoing repairs near Russia’s eastern port of Vladivostok yesterday, but naval and shipyard officials said there was no risk of a radiation leak and nobody was hurt. Black smoke poured from the submarine Tomsk, which is powered by two nuclear reactors, after it caught fire at the Zvezda shipyard in Bolshoi Kamen, about 25km across a bay from Vladivostok on the Sea of Japan, authorities said. The fire was the second on board a Russian nuclear-powered submarine in lass than two years. “There is no threat of radioactive contamination,” the state-run Itar-Tass news agency cited an unidentified official in Russia’s Pacific Fleet command as saying.

‘NSA spied on Belgian telecom giant Belgacom’ BRUSSELS: Belgian telecom giant Belgacom said yesterday its network had suffered an “intrusion” which a media report blamed on the US National Security Agency (NSA) as it snooped on communications in Africa and the Middle East. Federal prosecutors said yesterday that state-owned Belgacom had filed a complaint in July for “non-authorised access” to its servers. Prosecutors said the hacking could have only been done by an entity “with significant financial and logistical means”.

Man shot over argument MOSCOW: An argument over the theories of 18th century philosopher Immanuel Kant ended in a man being shot in a grocery store in southern Russia. RIA news agency quoted police in the city of Rostov-on-Don as saying a ﬁght broke out between two men as they argued over Kant, the German author of “Critique of Pure Reason”, without giving details of their debate. — Agencies

CAT CAFE A consumer pets a cat at the ‘Cafe des chats’ (Cat Cafe) in Paris, yesterday. This is the ﬁrst ‘cat cafe’ in Paris, where customers can enjoy a drink while playing with one of the cats on the premises. The idea is inspired by a Japanese concept. — AFP

PERMISSION GRANTED

Woman allowed to go on trial in UK wearing veil LONDON: A Muslim woman will be allowed to go on trial in Britain wearing a full-face veil but must take it off while giving evidence, thought to be a legal ﬁrst, a judge ruled yesterday. Lawyers for the 22-year-old woman from London had argued that removing the niqab against her wishes would breach her human rights and be counter to Britain’s tolerance of Islamic dress. But Judge Peter Murphy, sitting at London’s Blackfriars Crown Court, said: “In general, the defendant is free to wear the niqab during trial.

“If the defendant gives evidence she must remove the niqab throughout her evidence.” In his ruling Judge Murphy said concealing the face would “drive a coach and horses through the way justice has been administered in England and Wales for centuries”. He added: “The court may use its inherent powers to do what it can to alleviate any discomfort, for example by allowing the use of screens or allowing her to give evidence by live link.” In preliminary hearings the woman had taken the veil off in a

back room to be formally identified by a woman police officer. The woman had argued it would be against her religious beliefs to show her face in public. She entered a not guilty plea to a charge of intimidation last week while wearing a niqab after the judge backed down from a previous decision that she would have to show her face to be properly identified. But making his final judgment today, the judge said: “The ability of the jury to see the defendant for the purposes of evaluating her evidence is crucial.” — AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

A15

WORLD 12 killed in US Navy Yard shooting One gunman was among the dead and authorities were searching for two other possible assailants wearing military-style clothing, said officials

WASHINGTON: At least 12 people were killed in a shooting yesterday at the US Navy Yard in Washington, where one suspected gunman was among the dead and authorities were searching for two other possible assailants wearing military-style clothing, officials said. The exact number of dead and wounded ﬂuctuated in the hours following the shooting, which took place about 5km from the White House, starting about 8:30am EDT (1230 GMT). The Washington DC mayor and the police chief said there were 12 fatalities in the shooting at the Naval Sea Systems Command, one of ﬁve such commands where civilians, military personnel and contractors build, buys and maintain Navy ships and submarines. About 3,000 people work there. “We have no indication of motive at this time,” said Washington DC police chief Cathy Lanier. Police described the two other possible suspects as a white man and a black man, each wearing military style clothing, although other law enforcement officials cautioned that it was still unclear whether more than one gunman was involved. “We are confronting yet another mass shooting, and today it happened at another military installation, in our nation’s capital,” said President Barack Obama, who

UNDER SIEGE: Police and ﬁreﬁghters respond to the report of a shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, DC, yesterday. Right: A Park Police helicopter carries a sniper to the

roof of a building on the Navy Yard complex, yesterday. — AFP

vowed to enact “sensible” gun control measures after a gunman shot dead 20 school children and six adults at an elementary school in Connecticut last December. “They know the dangers of serving abroad, but today they face the unimaginable violence that they wouldn’t have expected here at home,” said Obama, who spoke at the start of a speech on the US economy. Patricia Ward, who works at the Navy Yard, said she hear three shots “pow, pow, pow” and then four more shots after a pause. “Everybody was panicking and trying to decide which way to get out,” Ward told reporters. Security guards told people to “run, run, run,” Ward said. Washington police declined to

Police described the two other possible suspects as a white man and a black man, each wearing military style clothing, although other law enforcement officials cautioned that it was still unclear whether more than one gunman was involved

give a number of fatalities, saying there were “multiple victims deceased inside.” Among the injured was a District of Columbia police officer, who was in stable condition in surgery, and one other law enforce-

COSTA CONCORDIA SALVAGE OPERATION The Costa Concordia cruise ship wreck emerges from water, yesterday, near the harbour of Giglio Porto. Salvage workers attempt to raise the cruise ship in the largest and most expensive maritime salvage operation in history, so-called ‘parbuckling’, to rotate the ship by a series of cables and hydraulic machines. Thirty-two people died when the ship, with 4,200 passengers onboard, hit rocks and ran aground off the island of Giglio, in January 2012. — AFP

CRASH LANDING

‘Drone protest’ at Merkel rally BERLIN: A small drone that hovered over a campaign rally by German Chancellor Angela Merkel before crash landing in front of her was a protest by the upstart Pirate party, it said yesterday. Merkel looked on apparently amused as the about 40-centimetre (16-inch) wide device, ﬁtted with a camera, dropped down on the podium just metres away from her at the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) event on Sunday in the eastern city of Dresden. A week before Merkel seeks a third term in general elections, the Internet-freedom Pirates, who campaign for greater transparency in politics, said they wanted to take aim at the government’s stance on drones. They had sought to convey to Merkel and Defence Minister

Angela Merkel

Thomas de Maiziere, on the podium with her, “how it feels to suddenly yourself be observed by a drone”, the party’s deputy chairman Markus Barenhoff said in a statement. “For us, the use of drones with-

in the EU’s security framework is the expression of a disastrous trend,” he added. It was also a protest against a scrapped spy drone deal which had already swallowed more than 500 million euros ($654 million) before being axed earlier in the year, said the statement, posted on the party’s website. After police forced an unidentiﬁed Pirate party member to ground it, he conducted an emergency landing “in the area in front of the stage in order not to endanger anyone”, he added. A 23-year-old man was temporarily detained, national news agency DPA reported. The Pirate party has seen its fortunes drop off recently and is credited with around three per cent backing in polls. — AFP

ment officer, officials said. Washington Hospital Centre said it was treating three gunshot victims, who were in critical condition, and was expecting more to arrive but it was not clear how many.

At George Washington University, a man in his 60s died of a single gunshot wound to his head, said Babak Sarani, head of trauma surgery. Left temple The man was shot in his left temple and the injury “was not survivable by any stretch,” Sarani told reporters, adding he was unsure what type of weapon was used or whether the bullet had exited the victim’s body. The other two possible suspects were described as black man, about 50, with a long gun a drab olive military uniform, and a white man with a pistol, a Navystyle short-sleeved khaki uniform and a beret. The shooting hit the military es-

tablishment less than three weeks after US Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan was sentenced to death for murdering 13 people in 2009 at Fort Hood, Texas, where he gunned down unarmed soldiers in what he later called retaliation for US wars in Muslim countries. Dozens of police and emergency vehicles surrounded the complex in southeast Washington, which is about a mile south of the US Capitol. Helicopters circled the headquarters with some touching down on the building’s roof. The Federal Aviation Administration said it brieﬂy suspended departures at Reagan National Airport. The District of Columbia Public Schools have put six schools and an administration building on lockdown as a precaution. — Reuters

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

WORLD PAGEANT POSE The 130 contestants from the Miss World 2013 beauty pageant pose at the GWK cultural centre, in Bali, on September 13. Indonesian billionaire media mogul, Hary Tanoesoedibjo, who brought Miss World to Indonesia, lashed out at the government yesterday for bowing to hardline pressure by moving the entire beauty pageant to Bali. -AFP

BRIEFS

EU court grants Berlin Zoo rights to the name of Knut BERLIN: Berlin Zoo will keep the rights to the name of Knut, the cuddly polar bear that captured hearts worldwide and devastated fans when he died, an EU court ruled yesterday. The Luxembourg ruling was a victory over Knut IP Management Ltd of Britain, which had sought the trademark for “Knut - der Eisbaer” (Knut - the polar bear) for a range of merchandise. “Cute Knut”, born in December 2006, shot to global fame after he was abandoned by his mother and reared by hand by a zookeeper, quickly drawing TV crews from around the world. At the height of his fame, he appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine and on German postage stamps, generating millions of euros (dollars) for Berlin Zoo. When he died in 2011 from a suspected brain seizure, fans left ﬂower bouquets, written tributes and photos of the bear at his former den. A bronze sculpture called “Knut The Dreamer” went up last year. The General Court of the European Union said it had settled the zoo’s dispute with the British company which had in 2007 applied to registered the Knut trademark for clothing, shoes and sports articles and other goods. The court said Berlin Zoo had argued there was a likelihood of confusion with its Germany-registered trademark “Knud”, a slight variation on the bear’s name, for products including books, games, toys and dolls.

Titanic bandmaster’s violin put on display The instrument belonging to Wallace Hartley was found strapped to his body after he drowned with some 1,500 others on board the Titanic VALUABLE ARTEFACTS: The violin played by bandmaster Wallace

Hartley during the ﬁnal moments before the sinking of the Titanic is displayed in, Northern Ireland, yesterday. -AFP

BELFAST: The violin played by the bandmaster of the Titanic as the liner sank beneath the waves is to go on display at a museum marking the tragedy in Northern Ireland, officials said yesterday. The instrument belonging to Wallace Hartley was found strapped to his body after he drowned with some 1,500 others on board the supposedly unsinkable ship in 1912. It has an inscription on the back

from the 34-year-old’s ﬁancee to mark their engagement. For decades the rosewood violin was believed lost but it was found in the attic of a house in northwest England in 2006. It will now be displayed at the Titanic Belfast exhibition from September 18 until October 13 before it goes to auction in Wiltshire, southwest England on October 19.

“We are honoured and excited that Titanic Belfast has been chosen to display Wallace Hartley’s violin which he played on RMS Titanic,” said the museum’s chief executive Tim Husbands. “This could very well be a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity for visitors to see one of the world’s most famous and most valuable Titanic artifacts before it goes to auction.”

The band played the hymn “Nearer, My God, To Thee” to calm passengers while they climbed into lifeboats as the Titanic sank beneath the icy waves in the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg. Hartley and his seven fellow band members all died. Hartley was given the violin by his ﬁancee Maria Robinson to mark their engagement in 1910. She had a silver plaque ﬁxed to the instrument engraved with the words: “For Wallace, on the occasion of our engagement. From Maria.” It is now thought that the instrument was inside a leather bag that was found strapped to his body 10 days after the sinking, and was then passed to Robinson. Robinson never married and after her death in 1939, her sister donated the violin to her local Salvation Army band, where it passed into the hands of a music teacher and then to the unnamed owner in whose house it was discovered in Lancashire, northwest England. After seven years of testing, researchers said in March this year that the instrument was genuine. -AFP

Albanian kids skip classes owing to brutal custom ET CONGUE: Hundreds of Albanian children will not attend the new school year starting yesterday as they hide at home from family blood feuds stretching back generations, a nonproﬁt organisation said. A total of 590 children, aged between three and 15, will miss out on classes due to a tradition from the Middle Ages that “blood can only be revenged with blood,” said Gjin Marku of Albania’s Organisation for Reconciliation. According to the tradition dating back to the 15th century, all males from a family, including babies, can be killed in revenge for a death of a murdered rival family member. The brutal rule is widely respected in the poor mountainous regions in the north of the country, but also in some villages and towns in other parts of Albania. “Most of those children (staying at home) are deprived of any communication, they cannot attend school due to their isolation,” Marku said.

Malawi court jails nine top policemen for fraud MALAWI: A court in Malawi has jailed nine senior police ofﬁcers to 14 years each for fraud, a prosecutor said yesterday. The officers, most of them at superintendent rank, were convicted of stealing a total of $164,000 from the police coffers. “The nine had formed a network with civilians to siphon money from the Malawi Police Service through over-requisitioning of salaries and also underpaying taxes,” police prosecutor Happy Mkandawire said. Mkandawire, who led the prosecution team, said the nine were part of an original group of 15 suspects arrested in 2009 during a “clean-up exercise” of the police headquarters accounts department. One of the convicts, Isaac Moyo, was the chief paymaster of the 11,000-strong police force in the southern African country. -Agencies

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM TU ES DAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

MARKE

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR ED RAILWAY TO BE FORMED A major centre of excellence to cater to the emerging n requirements of professionals in railway sector from within the country and outside, especially from the Gulf region, will be formed in the country soon. >B3

Middle East billionaires possess $880b wealth Saudi Arabia tops the list of Middle East’s billionaires, with 64 highly wealthy individuals possessing $204 billion in 2013, said the Wealth-X and

The Wealth-X and UBS World Ultra Wealth Report 2013 is based on the depth and breadth of our research and analysis from our database, which enables us to provide the most insightful intelligence on the world’s UHNW population for individuals and organisations to make important decisions

UBS World Ultra Wealth Report

Mykolas D Rambus CEO, Wealth-X

Times News Service MUSCAT: About 5,300 rich individuals in the Middle East possess a wealth of about $880 billion, according to a report. Saudi Arabia tops the list of Middle East’s billionaires, with 64 highly wealthy individuals possessing $204 billion in 2013, said

the Wealth-X and UBS World Ultra Wealth Report. 1,360 rich people in Saudi There are a total of 1,360 rich people in Saudi with a total wealth of $285 billion, the report said. The UAE came second with 1,050 wealthy people with a total

wealth of $190 billion, followed by Kuwait with 845 wealthy persons having $145 billion. The report said that 37 highly rich Emiratis possessed $45 billion. “Despite ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainties, the world’s ultra wealthy population reached an all-time high of

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A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

199,235 individuals with a combined fortune of nearly $28 trillion in 2013, growing by more than six per cent in population size from the previous year and adding $2 trillion to their combined wealth, greater than the gross domestic product of India,” the report said. 2,000 billionaires globally The report also identiﬁed more than 2,000 billionaires globally with a total net worth of $6.5 trillion, equal to 23 per cent of the world’s ultra high net worth (UHNW) total wealth. Growth was largely due to North America and Europe, with the two regions responsible for a net gain of nearly 10,000 UHNW individuals and a total increase in wealth of $1.5 trillion. China and Brazil, the fourth and seventh wealthiest ultra high net worth nations in the world, saw a contraction in their UHNW populations and wealth due to economic slowdowns in these countries, the report said. Asia rebounded from last year’s contraction, when there were 42,895 UHNW individuals in the region. As of 2013, there are 44,505 UHNW individuals in Asia

with a combined wealth of $6.5 trillion, an increase of 5.4 per cent from the previous year. Although the United States and Europe grew faster than Asia in the past 12 months, Asia will produce more UHNW individuals and wealth than both regions in the next ﬁve years. The report forecasts that at current growth rates, Asia’s ultra wealthy population and wealth will eclipse that of Europe in 2021 and 2017 respectively. Asia will have a larger UHNW population by 2032 and have a greater total wealth by 2024. Also, the global UHNW population continues to be dominated by men, who form 88 per cent of the total population. Female UHNW individuals make up the remaining 12 per cent, or 23,505 individuals globally. “The Wealth-X and UBS World Ultra Wealth Report 2013 is based on the depth and breadth of our research and analysis from our database, which enables us to provide the most insightful intelligence on the world’s ultra high net worth population for individuals and organisations to make important decisions,” said Wealth-X CEO Mykolas D Rambus.

UTILITY PROJECT

Raeco ﬂoats EPC tender for power station in Khasab A.E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: The Rural Areas Electricity Company (Raeco) has floated a tender for an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for building a power station in Khasab. The Khasab power station is expected to be part of a series of infrastructure projects being implemented in the Musandam governorate and will help electricity distribution in the region. The tender, which was floated on September 15, will open on November 11. The government has recently awarded Saudi National Contracting Co (NCC) a OMR37.7 million-contract to build the first major power transmission line in Musandam governorate. Raeco primarily undertakes electricity generation, transmission, distribution and supply and desalination activities in the interior region. The company operates almost all over the Sultanate, covering Governates of Musandam, Dhofar (except Wilayat of Salalah), Al wusta and Wilayat of Masirah.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

MARKET BRIEFS

alizz islamic bank operations to start on September 30 MUSCAT: The board of directors of alizz islamic bank said that the bank will officially launch its operations for customers on September 30, 2013. The bank will provide a range of Sharia-complaint products to its valued customers.

Al Anwar Holdings plans to sell plot at Airport Heights MUSCAT: Al Anwar Holdings said that its board has accepted a proposal to sell the plot measuring 5,000 sq meters, situated at Airport Heights area at a consolidated price of OMR2.5 million, net of all brokerage, commissions, taxes and charges. This transaction is subject to acceptance of the buyer and formal transfer of the land at the Ministry of Housing. The present carrying value of the land is OMR3 million and hence, the company would be booking a loss of OMR500,000 on this transaction.

Bank of London and Middle East planning to list on Nasdaq Dubai DUBAI: The Bank of London & The Middle East (BLME), the largest Islamic bank in Europe, said it plans to list on the Nasdaq Dubai stock exchange in October, becoming the ﬁrst company to join the bourse in more than four years. The bank expects to price the shares at $2.57 apiece, giving it an implied market value of about $503 million, Chief Financial Officer Richard Williams told reporters in Dubai. Existing shareholders will swap their shares for those in a new listed entity, BLME Holdings. — Times News Service/Agencies

Meethaq inks 3 pacts with Al Madina group The three agreements with Al Madina group are for the development of the ﬁrst Sharia compliant ﬁve-star

KEY PACTS: Sulaiman Al Harthy shaking hands with an Al Madina

group official after signing three agreements. — Supplied picture

hotel in Oman and an integrated residential and commercial complex in Al Hail

Times News Service MUSCAT: Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, signed three agreements with Al Madina Group for the development of the ﬁrst Shari’a compliant 5 star hotel in Oman and an integrated residential and commercial complex in Al Hail. Sulaiman Al Harthy, Group

General Manager – Islamic Banking, signed the agreement with Eng. Mohammed Al Ghassani, Board Member of Shaza Muscat Company, for the development of Grand Millennium Muscat Hotel. The OMR28 million hotel, scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2014, will be a unique addition to the hospitality sector in the Sultanate. Sulaiman Al Harthy said: “Meethaq is proud to be associated with the prestigious, ﬁrst of its kind, Shari’a compliant ﬁve star hotel in the Sultanate, further reinforcing its strategy to attract customers through innovative Shari’a based products and services. With this agreement, Meethaq has once again taken

the lead in offering banking products and services to ﬁnance assets which are in line with Shari’a principles.” Sulaiman Al Harthy also signed two agreements with Eng. Abdulrahman Barham, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Al Madina Real Estate Company, for the development of Shaden Al Hail project, an integrated residential and commercial complex in Al Hail. The OMR11 million project coming up in a fast growing area close to the new airport comprises state-of-the-art luxury residences, serviced apartments and commercial space. Meethaq also signed a Master Retail Agreement with Shaden Al Hail project, providing Shari’a

compliant banking services and finance for retail customers who wish to own individual units in Shaden. Eng. Abdulrahman Barham said; “We are happy to join hands with Meethaq Islamic Banking in developing two major projects in Oman. The synergy between the two leading institutions will give a boost to the hospitality sector as well as benefit citizens across Oman to fulfill their dream homes.” Sulaiman Al Harthy added: “Meethaq is proud to be associated with Shaden Al Hail project. The real estate sector is a major component of the national economy and Meethaq Islamic Banking is committed to extending all support aimed at offering citizens easy access to Shari’a based home finance.” Bank Muscat is the first commercial bank in Oman to receive CBO approval and begin independent Islamic banking window operations. The bank has invested in staff, systems and controls to ensure the service is delivered in a professional, segregated and fully Shari’a compliant manner. Meethaq provides Shari’a based products and services to meet all financial needs of customers.

M A J O R I T Y S TA K E

KKR competes with Abraaj for acquiring Saudi firm DUBAI: KKR, the private equity firm led by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, is competing with Abraaj Group to buy a majority stake in Saudi Arabian restaurant business Kudu, two people familiar with the transaction said. Abraaj, the largest buyout firm in the Middle East, and New Yorkbased KKR reached the second stage of bidding to acquire about 60 per cent of the fast-food chain, said the people, asking not to be identified because the information is private. HSBC Holdings Plc’s Saudi unit is managing the sale of the business, which operates 200 outlets in the region, they said. Two of Kudu’s four partners are selling their stake in a deal expected to value the company at between SR1.5 billion ($400 million) and SR2.0 billion, one of the people said. Abraaj, which manages $7.5 billion from Dubai, also plans an initial public offering of oil-and gas-service company Stanford Marine Group as soon as the first quarter, the person said. Incomes in Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy and home to 28 million people, are growing as the government executes a $500 billion investment plan to build industries, roads and housing. — Bloomberg News

ECONOMY

India’s inflation surges to 6-month high at 6.1% NEW DELHI: India’s inflation surged to a six-month high in August, data showed, strengthening chances the new central bank governor will freeze interest rates despite a struggling economy. Inflation, as measured by the Wholesale Price Index, hit 6.10 per cent in August from a year earlier and was up from 5.79 per cent in

July. The data comes as former International Monetary Fund chief economist Raghuram Rajan, famed for forecasting the 2008 global ﬁnancial meltdown, prepares to chair his ﬁrst monetary policy-setting meeting on Friday. India’s once-booming economy is caught in a quagmire of sharply slowing growth, stubbornly high

inflation and a record current account deficit that has pushed the rupee sharply lower. Rajan has already declared he sees his main role as sustaining “low and stable expectations of inflation” and analysts said he could not ignore the latest price data. They said the impact of the rupee’s sharp fall on the price of fuel,

most of which is imported, and other commodities would also soon start showing up in the inflation figures. The August data surprised markets which expected the figure to be in line with July’s. The inflation increase was driven mainly by food price rises due to crop damage caused by monsoon flooding.

Onion prices, a dietary staple especially for the poor masses, soared a massive 245 per cent from a year earlier while the cost of fruit, eggs and other goods also climbed. The central bank cut rates in early 2013 but was forced to tighten monetary policy again to try to stem the rupee’s fall. — Agencies

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

MARKET Proposed centre of excellence to cater to diverse needs of railway While PDC work went to Italferr (Italian engineering ﬁrm), a PMC consultant will be taken within a couple of months. Of the 50 candidates, 10 will be given on-the-job training by PDC and the remaining 40 will be trained by PMC.

The centre, which is being formed by Oman Railway Co., will not only provide training, but also conduct applied research, quality assurance and licence to work in railway ﬁeld

A. E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A major centre of excellence to cater to the emerging requirements of professionals in the railway sector from within the country and outside, especially from the Gulf region, will be formed in the Sultanate soon. The new centre, which is being formed by Oman Railway Company, will not only provide

training, but also conduct applied research, quality assurance and licences to work in the railway ﬁeld, Dr Nasser Al Badri, gead of human resource development at the Railway Team, told ‘Times of Oman’ on the sidelines of a panel discussion at the railway investment opportunities forum here. With Oman gearing up to award the ﬁrst engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the 2,244-km-long

national railway project next year, the centre of excellence will play an important role in training and providing professionals with specialised skills. It is also signiﬁcant in view of the fact that the GCC countries are investing as much as OMR100 billion for the pan-GCC railway network, which drives demand for specialised professionals in the

OIL SALE

Saudi Aramco plans to start export from JV this month DUBAI: Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude exporter, plans to make the first shipments this month of oil products from a joint-venture refinery that’s starting up at the Gulf port of Jubail. Yemen’s Aden refinery will this week award a tender for supply of gasoline, diesel and fuel oil for the fourth quarter. Saudi Arabian Oil Company and partner Total said they will offer this month the first fuel to be exported from their joint-venture refinery at Jubail. Saudi Aramco may sell one or two cargoes of fuel oil from the venture known as Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical, or Satorp, two people with knowledge of the situation said last week. Exports of gasoline and diesel are set to follow next month as new units of the refinery begin operation, the people said. Saudi Aramco Products Trading, an Aramco division, will sell the fuel oil in cargoes of 80,000 metric tonnes through direct negotiation, rather than by tender, one person said. Satorp, 62.5 per cent owned by Aramco with the rest held by Total, is processing about 120,000 barrels a day of Arab Light oil at a crude distillation unit, with another CDU to start up next month. A coking facility, which will break down fuel oil to produce diesel and gasoline, is to begin operations in November and will enable the refinery to process heavier oil grades. Aden Oil Refinery Satorp confirmed in a statement September 12 that the plant was starting and that it would export products this month. Yemen’s Aden Oil Refinery is

200,000 to 300,000 barrels a day, compared to its post-revolution high of 1.6 million barrels achieved a year ago, Prime Minister Ali Zaidan said in Tripoli on September 11.

SATORP OUTPUT

Satorp, 62.5% owned by Saudi Aramco with the rest held by Total, is processing about 120,000 barrels a day of Arab Light oil at a crude distillation unit, with another CDU to start up next month

seeking to buy gasoline, gasoil and fuel oil for supply during the fourth quarter, according to tender documents. Rabigh Reﬁning and Petrochemicals will take 16 days to repair ethane cracker furnaces damaged in a September 11 power failure at the facility on Saudi Arabia’s west coast, the company said in a statement. Libya declared force majeure on crude exports from the Mellitah, Hariga and Zawiya terminals on September 12 amid continued worker strikes, state-owned National Oil Corporation said. The holder of Africa’s biggest oil reserves is pumping about

Geopolitical events Crude prices are being affected by geopolitical events and Saudi Arabia will continue to keep the market well-supplied, Ali Al Naimi, that country’s oil minister said in Seoul September 12. The biggest member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) is producing at the highest level in 32 years. “The oil market’s fundamentals are good and the market is wellbalanced,” he said. “Saudi Arabia and other producers remain willing and capable of meeting any additional demands.” Oil commands premium Iraq, the second-largest Opec producer, last week released its October oil price differentials, raising levels to Asia and the United Staets Iraq boosted the premium for October shipments of Basrah Light crude to buyers in Asia to the highest since August 2012, raising it to 80 cents more than the average of the Oman and Dubai benchmarks, from a 15 cent premium for September. The discount for October shipments of Basrah Light to the United States narrowed to $1.65 a barrel less than the Argus Sour Crude Index, from a $1.85 discount for September. The premium for Kirkuk crude rose to $1.40 more than ASCI for October, from $1.20 this month. Discounts for October sales to Europe widened. - Bloomberg News

region.“It is more than just a training centre. Our vision is to make it like a leading organisation of international standards,” he noted. He said Oman Railway Company is presently taking 50 Omani engineers to provide on-the-job training with the two consultants — preliminary design consultant (PDC) and project management consultant (PMC) — of the project.

Manpower requirement The total manpower requirement for the railway project, which is expected to cost OMR5-6 million, is not yet known. Abu Timam GrantThornton is helping the Oman Railway Company in determining the human resources requirement and to establish operational framework and organisational structure. Dr Al Badri said a clear picture on the total manpower requirement for the railway project will emerge either in the ﬁrst quarter or second quarter of next year, after discussions with the consultants. “We are now trying to under-

stand the requirement of Oman Railway Company and accordingly we will formalise the centre,” he added. The railway project also needs a variety of professionals, including ﬁnance professionals and engineers. Dr Al Badri said the recruitment for railway project will be carried out by Oman Railway Company, which was being formed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. He also noted that the railway project will be implemented by Oman Railway Company, while policy decisions are taken by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

MARKET MSM index in the red

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 6,625.09 .............. 6,604.50 ................... 6,606.66 ...................6,623.09................ -16.43 .................. -0.25 Financial Index .....................................8,123.86 .............. 8,068.25 ................... 8,072.65 ....................8,116.18................-43.53 .................. -0.54 Industrial Index ....................................9,588.43 ...............9,570.35 ................... 9,570.35 ................... 9,583.12................ -12.77 .................. -0.13 Services Index ...................................... 3,462.44 ...............3,458.16 ....................3,458.16 ...................3,462.44..................-4.28 .................. -0.12 MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................1,047.50 ...............1,046.10 ....................1,046.13 ................... 1,047.48...................-1.35 .................. -0.13 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 19,443,397 ................. 4,734,742 ..................1,371 ................13,416,259,121 ................ 13 ......................19 .................... 21 .........................53

Al Anwar Holding was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. Oman National Engineering was the top gainer

MUSCAT: The MSM 30 Index ended lower at 6606.09 points, down by 0.25 per cent. MSM Shariah Index also closed down by 0.13 per cent at 1046.13 points. Al Anwar Holding was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. Oman National Engineering was the top gainer and gained 6.81 per cent, while Oman & Emirates was the top loser and closed down by 2.76 per cent. Altogether 1,371 trades were executed in yesterday’s session, generating a turnover of OMR4.73 million with over 19.44 million shares traded. Out of 53 traded stocks, 13 advanced, 19 declined and 21 were unchanged. Foreign investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR139,000 worth of shares. GCC and Arab investors sold stocks amounting to OMR83,000, followed by Omani investors at OMR56,000. Financial Sector Index was down by 0.54 per cent at 8072.65 points. National Finance, ONIC Holding, Taageer Finance, National Bank of Oman and Bank Muscat increased by 1.24 per cent, 1.03 per cent, 0.65 per cent, 0.33 per cent and 0.17 per cent respectively. Oman & Emirates, DBIH, Al Anwar Holding, Global Financial Investment and Transgulf Holding declined by 2.76 per cent, 2.06 per cent, 2.06 per cent, 1.88 per cent and 1.19 per cent respectively. Industry shares fall The Industrial Sector Index lost 0.13 per cent at 9570.35 points. Al Hassan Engineering, Dhofar Cattlefeed, National Aluminium Products, Majan Glass and Voltamp Energy increased by 1.75 per cent, 0.39 per cent, 0.31 per cent, 0.30 per cent and 0.23 per cent respectively. Galfar Engineering, Oman Fisheries, Oman Textile Holding, Jazeera Steel Product and Oman Refreshment declined by 1.25 per cent, 0.96 per cent, 0.71 per cent, 0.33 per cent and 0.21 per cent respectively. Services Sector Index closed

at 3458.16 points, down by 0.12 per cent. Oman National Engineering, Dhofar University and Renaissance Services increased by 6.81 per cent, 1.09 per cent and 0.31 per cent respectively. OIFC and Oman Telecom declined by 1.55 per cent and 0.50 per cent respectively. Emerging stocks up Emerging-market stocks rose to a three-month high while bonds and currencies gained on bets Lawrence Summers’ withdrawal as a candidate to lead the Federal Reserve eases the risk of an early halt to monetary policy. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index climbed 1.4 perc ent to 1,000.31 in London, set for the highest since June 4. The United States agreed on a plan with Russia to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons, boosting Turkey’s benchmark stock index by 3 per cent. The lira led advances in developing-nation currencies and Turkey’s two-year note rate slumped to a five-week low. Gauges in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia gained at least 2.8 per cent. Russia’s Micex Index jumped 1.5 per cent led by Uralkali, amid bets a conflict with Belarus will be resolved. The MSCI emerging markets index has advanced about 106 per cent since the Fed’s first round of bond-buying, known as quantitative easing, in 2008. The gauge is valued at 10.6 times projected earnings for the next 12 months, versus 13.9 times for the MSCI World Index of developed-nation shares, according to data. onsumer discretionary and information technology companies led gains among the 10 groups in the measure for developing-nation shares. Turkey’s Borsa Istanbul National 100 Index surged the most in the world on a dollar basis, led by banks. MSCI emerging markets index rose. - United Securities/Bloomberg News

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Security Name ....................................................Volume .....Turnover ... Trades ......... High.........Low ..........Close ......... Prev. .......... Diff. ............ Diff .............Last ..........Last ............Last ................Market Cap.........Par ........................................................................................................................................................................................ Pr. ............ Close ........... RO ............... % .................Pr ..............Bid ............ Offer ............................................value

REGULAR MARKET .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... AL HASSAN ENGINEERING ...........................1,515,341 ...........352,395.............112 ............0.235 ......... 0.230 ............0.233 ............ 0.229............ 0.004 ............. 1.747 .............. 0.230 ............0.230 ............. 0.232............... 17,523,464.000 ......0.100 ONIC. HOLDING ................................................. 10,000 ................3,940.................2 ............0.395 ......... 0.393 ............0.394 ............ 0.390............ 0.004 .............1.026 ............. 0.395 ............0.384 ..............0.393 ...............68,328,760.500 ......0.100 TAAGEER FINANCE ..........................................24,000 ................3,720.................7 ............ 0.155.......... 0.155 ............ 0.155..............0.154 ............ 0.001 .............0.649 ..............0.155 ............ 0.154 ..............0.155 ...............36,735,000.000 ......0.100 DHOFAR CATTLE FEED ..................................... 95,622 ............. 24,386.................6 ............0.256 ......... 0.255 ............0.255 ............ 0.254............ 0.001 .............0.394 ............. 0.256 ............ 0.256 ..............0.259 ...............19,635,000.000 ......0.100 NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN .............................280,967 ............. 84,273.............. 20 ............0.301.......... 0.298 ............0.300 ............ 0.299............ 0.001 .............0.334 ............. 0.301 ............0.298 ..............0.301 ............ 332,407,500.000 ......0.100 NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS .................44,000 ............. 14,042...............17 ............0.320 ......... 0.318 ............ 0.319..............0.318 ............ 0.001 ............. 0.314...............0.318 ............ 0.318 ............. 0.320............... 10,709,292.550 ......0.100 RENAISSANCE SERVICES ................................ 349,912 ...........224,273.............. 27 ............0.643 ......... 0.639 ............ 0.641 .............0.639 ............ 0.002 ............. 0.313.............. 0.639 ............ 0.635 ..............0.639 .............180,822,545.014 ......0.100 VOLTAMP ENERGY ............................................ 15,861 ................6,837...............14 ............0.432 ......... 0.430 ............ 0.431..............0.430............ 0.001 .............0.233 ..............0.431 ............ 0.431 ..............0.435 .............. 26,075,500.000 ......0.100 BANK MUSCAT ............................................... 838,010 ...........508,366.............. 93 ............0.614.......... 0.605 ............0.607 .............0.606............ 0.001 ............. 0.165...............0.610 ............ 0.610 ..............0.614 ......... 1,306,422,235.188 ......0.100 ACWA POWER BARKA ..................................... 228,185 ............131,143.............. 20 ............0.575.......... 0.572 ............0.575 .............0.575 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.575 ............ 0.575 ..............0.585 ..............92,000,000.000 ......0.100 ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ...................37 ................... 766.................2 ...........20.700 .......20.700 ..........21.896 .......... 21.896........... 0.000 .............0.000 ............ 20.700..........21.850 ........... 21.990........... 151,082,400.000 ......1.000 AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING .............340,237 ..............56,749.............. 33 ............0.169.......... 0.165 ............ 0.167..............0.167 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............0.165 ............ 0.164 ..............0.165 .............. 14,028,000.000 ......0.100 GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ................ 30,000 ................5,700.................3 ............0.190.......... 0.190 ............0.190 .............0.190 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.190 ............ 0.184 ..............0.190 .................3,990,000.000 ......0.100 HSBC BANK OMAN ...........................................773,173 ............138,913.............. 29 ............0.180.......... 0.179 ............0.180 .............0.180 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.180 ............ 0.179 ..............0.182 ............360,056,302.200 ......0.100 NAWRAS ...........................................................20,000 ..............10,560.................4 ............0.528 ......... 0.528 ............0.528 .............0.528............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.528 ............ 0.522 ..............0.528 ............ 343,698,553.440 ......0.100 OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY ....................................2,500 ................4,670.................2 ............1.868.......... 1.868 ............ 1.868..............1.868 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............1.868 ............ 1.868 ..............1.890 .............167,559,600.000 ......0.100 OMAN FLOUR MILLS ............................................1,000 ................... 641................. 1 ............0.641.......... 0.641 ............ 0.641 .............0.641 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............0.641 ............0.642 ............. 0.660.............100,957,500.000 ......0.100 PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ...........................5,600 ................2,961.................3 ............0.529 ......... 0.520 ............0.529 .............0.529............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.529 ............ 0.522 ..............0.529 ...............50,276,160.000 ......0.100 RAYSUT CEMENT ................................................3,000 ................5,865.................2 ............ 1.955.......... 1.955 ............ 1.972..............1.972 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............1.955 ............ 1.956 ..............1.989 ........... 394,400,000.000 ......0.100 SMN POWER HOLDING ........................................... 500 ................2,872.................2 ............5.744.......... 5.744 ............ 5.744..............5.744 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............5.744 ............ 5.410 ..............5.700 .............114,670,688.640 ......1.000 SOHAR POWER .....................................................1,014 ................2,322.................4 ............2.290 .........2.290 ............2.290 ............ 2.290............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 2.290 ............2.290 ..............2.411 ............... 50,611,290.000 ......1.000 OMINVEST ..................................................... 165,939 ............. 76,384.............. 34 ............0.463 ......... 0.459 ............0.460 .............0.461 ............-0.001 ........... -0.217............. 0.460 ............ 0.459 ..............0.463 .............140,819,800.000 ......0.100 AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS .........................127,560 ............. 38,460...............16 ............0.304 .........0.300 ............0.302 .............0.303............-0.001 ...........-0.330 ............ 0.301 ............ 0.301 ............. 0.304................ 37,719,183.920 ......0.100 AHLI BANK ........................................................ 13,200 ................2,686.................2 ............0.204 .........0.202 ............0.204 ............ 0.205............-0.001 ...........-0.488 ............ 0.204 ............0.202 ............. 0.204.............257,833,590.600 ......0.100 OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ......................161,777 ...........258,840.............. 63 ............1.607.......... 1.599 ............1.600 .............1.608 ........... -0.008 ...........-0.498 .............1.607 ............ 1.607 ..............1.609 ........ 1,200,000,000.000 ......0.100 GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES .....................1,181,533 ...........206,341.............. 85 ............ 0.177.......... 0.173 ............ 0.175..............0.176 ............-0.001 ........... -0.568..............0.174 ............ 0.174 ..............0.175 ............... 10,297,562.975 ......0.100 OMAN FISHERIES .............................................. 47,391 ................4,881...............12 ............0.103.......... 0.103 ............ 0.103 .............0.104 ............-0.001 ...........-0.962 ............ 0.103 ............ 0.103 ..............0.105 ...............12,875,000.000 ......0.100 BANK SOHAR ............................................... 1,627,035 ...........320,838.............. 63 ............0.199.......... 0.196 ............ 0.197..............0.199 ........... -0.002 ........... -1.005..............0.197 ............ 0.196 ..............0.197 ............ 216,700,000.000 ......0.100 DHOFAR INT.DEV.AND INV. HOLD. .......................107,233 ..............65,051.................8 ............0.610.......... 0.605 ............0.607 .............0.614 ........... -0.007 ........... -1.140 ............. 0.605 ............ 0.605 ..............0.610 ............ 121,400,000.000 ......0.100 TRANSGULF IND. INV. HOLDING ....................1,045,594 ........... 173,679.............. 75 ............0.169.......... 0.164 ............ 0.166 .............0.168 ........... -0.002 ........... -1.190 ..............0.165 ............ 0.165 ..............0.166 ................11,101,250.000 ......0.100 GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. ......................14,814 ................4,687.................5 ............0.321.......... 0.316 ............ 0.316............. 0.320........... -0.004 ........... -1.250..............0.316 ............ 0.316 ............. 0.320.............. 83,945,400.000 ......0.100 OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE ..............980,820 ...........249,041.............. 84 ............0.258 ......... 0.252 ............0.254 .............0.258........... -0.004 ........... -1.550............. 0.253 ............0.252 ..............0.253 .............. 50,800,000.000 ......0.100 GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ..............2,574,196 ...........404,055.............112 ............0.160.......... 0.156 ............ 0.157..............0.160 ........... -0.003 ........... -1.875 ..............0.158 ............ 0.157 ..............0.158 .............. 31,400,000.000 ......0.100 AL ANWAR HOLDING ...................................2,745,345 ........... 785,555............ 169 ............0.297 .........0.280 ............0.286 ............ 0.292........... -0.006 ........... -2.055............. 0.289 ............0.289 ............. 0.290..............34,320,000.000 ......0.100 OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING ...........1,412,200 .......... 248,260...............71 ............ 0.181 .......... 0.174 ............ 0.176..............0.181 ........... -0.005 ........... -2.762..............0.175 ............ 0.175 ..............0.177 ...............21,450,000.000 ......0.100 SUM: ................................................................................16,783,596 ........4,424,153........ 1,202 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ...................................................................................TRADED SEC. ......................35.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ....................... 21,400 ................7,382............... 11 ............0.345 .........0.344 ............0.345 .............0.323............ 0.022 ............. 6.811 .............. 0.344 ............0.340 ............. 0.344.............. 27,600,000.000 ......0.100 NATIONAL FINANCE ......................................... 10,000 ................1,630................. 1 ............0.163.......... 0.163 ............ 0.163..............0.161 ............ 0.002 .............1.242 ..............0.163 ............ 0.163 ..............0.165 ............... 40,838,783.818 ......0.100 DHOFAR UNIVERSITY ..........................................4,150 ................5,003.................8 ............1.230.......... 1.200 ............ 1.205 .............1.192 .............0.013 ............. 1.091.............. 1.200 ............ 1.200 ..............1.250 ...............16,870,000.000 ......1.000 MAJAN GLASS ................................................... 12,000 ................4,027.................2 ............0.336 ......... 0.335 ............0.336 .............0.335 ............ 0.001 .............0.299 ............. 0.335 ............0.330 ..............0.337 ................14,119,828.800 ......0.100 BANK NIZWA ...............................................1,009,534 ............109,611.............. 46 ............0.109.......... 0.108 ............0.109 .............0.109 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.108 ............ 0.108 ..............0.109 ............ 163,500,000.000 ......0.100 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ...................710,244 ..............51,132.............. 39 ............0.073 ......... 0.071 ............0.072 .............0.072............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.072 ............ 0.072 ..............0.073 .................6,120,000.000 ......0.100 OMAN EDUCATION TRAINING INV. ....................... 5,510 ................1,047.................4 ............0.190.......... 0.190 ............0.190 .............0.190 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.190 ............ 0.182 ..............0.197 ...............13,300,000.000 ......0.100 SHARQIYAH DESALINATION ................................1,300 ................5,532.................2 ............4.255 ......... 4.255 ............4.255 .............4.255............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 4.255 ............4.050 ............. 4.254................27,743,212.720 ......1.000 SHELL OMAN MARKETING .......................................20 ......................45................. 1 ............2.240 .........2.240 ............2.250 ............ 2.250............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 2.240 ............2.225 ............. 2.250.............213,750,000.000 ......0.100 THE FINANCIAL CORPORATION ..........................4,980 ................... 548.................2 ............ 0.110.......... 0.110 ............ 0.118..............0.118 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............0.110 ............ 0.110 ............. 0.000................. 8,263,535.280 ......0.100 OMAN REFRESHMENT .....................................10,070 ............. 23,665................. 1 ............2.350 ......... 2.350 ............2.350 .............2.355 ........... -0.005 ........... -0.212............. 2.350 ............0.000 ............. 2.350.............117,500,000.000 ......0.100 BANK DHOFAR .................................................. 56,000 ............. 20,334.................3 ............0.364 ......... 0.363 ............0.363 ............ 0.364............-0.001 ........... -0.275............. 0.363 ............ 0.362 ............. 0.364.............439,276,507.923 ......0.100 OMAN TEXTILE HOLDING .................................10,500 ................ 2,951.................3 ............0.281.......... 0.281 ............ 0.281 .............0.283........... -0.002 ........... -0.707............. 0.281 ............ 0.281 ............. 0.290................. 1,686,000.000 ......1.000 ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK .......................................664,218 ..............70,475.............. 24 ............0.107.......... 0.106 ............0.106 .............0.107 ............-0.001 ........... -0.935............. 0.106 ............ 0.106 ..............0.107 ............106,000,000.000 ......0.100 AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...........................51,700 ................4,912.................3 ............0.095 ......... 0.095 ............0.095 .............0.097........... -0.002 ...........-2.062 ............ 0.095 ............ 0.095 ..............0.097 .................2,850,000.000 ......0.100 SUM: ..................................................................................2,571,626 .......... 308,290............ 150 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ...................................................................................TRADED SEC. ...................... 15.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ BANK MUSCAT CONV. BONDS 4.5 .................................. 71 ........................ 8.................4 ............0.106.......... 0.106 ............0.106 .............0.106 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.106 ............ 0.106 .............. 0.111 ............... 32,091,405.766 ......0.100 BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 .............................................. 14 .........................1................. 1 ............0.103.......... 0.103 ............0.104 .............0.104 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.103 ............ 0.104 ..............0.107 ................. 7,436,000.000 ......0.100 SUM: ................................................................................................85 ........................ 9.................5 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ...................................................................................TRADED SEC. ........................2.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

FOREX MARKET

INDIAN STOCKS

Indian currency appreciates Stocks fall as inﬂation MUMBAI: India’s rupee strengthened beyond 63 per dollar after former United States treasury secretary Lawrence Summers withdrew from the list of people being considered for the United States Federal Reserve chairman’s post. Government bonds advanced. The currency climbed 1 per cent to 62.85 per dollar in Mumbai, the strongest level since August 16, according to prices from local banks. One-month implied volatility in

the rupee, a measure of expected moves in the exchange rate used to price options, slumped 45 basis points to 17.51 per cent. A Bloomberg Global Poll last week showed Summers would cut stimulus more than current Fed vice-chairman Janet Yellen, who is among the front runners to replace chairman Ben S. Bernanke when his term ends in January. The Fed will probably trim its monthly bond-buying program by

$10 billion to $75 billion this week, a survey of economists showed this month. The rupee and 10year notes pared gains intraday after data showed India’s inﬂation unexpectedly quickened to a sixmonth high in August. “The rupee is likely to lead gains in regional currencies,” Credit Agricole CIB analysts led by Parisbased head of emerging markets research and strategy Sebastien Barbe said yesterday. - Bloomberg News

rises to six-month high

MUMBAI: Most Indian stocks dropped after inflation unexpectedly quickened to a six-month high, stoking concern the central bank may maintain liquiditytightening measures at its policy meeting this week. State Bank of India, the nation’s biggest lender, erased an intraday gain of 2.6 per cent. Iron-ore miner Sesa Goa slid 3.8 per cent. Tata Consultancy Services, the nation’s largest software services exporter, declined 2.6 per cent after the rupee climbed to a onemonth high. Three stocks fell for every two that rose on the S&P BSE Sensex, which added less than 0.1 per cent to 19,742.47 at the close. The gauge gained as much as 1.8 per cent earlier after former United States treasury secretary Lawrence Summers pulled out from the race to be Federal Reserve chairman before a meeting starting today, at which the central bank is forecast to cut monthly stimulus. New Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan is due to make his first interest-rate decision on September 20. “Inflation numbers have put to rest any hope one had of a monetary easing this week,” Kaushik Dani, a fund manager with Peerless Mutual Fund, which has about $725 million in assets, said by phone. “The market will be guided by the Fed meeting.” State Bank lost 0.9 per cent to Rs1,646. Sesa Goa tumbled 3.8 per cent to Rs176 rupees. Tata Steel, India’s biggest producer, decreased 2.3 per cent to Rs291. Bharat Heavy Electricals, the nation’s biggest maker of power equipments, plunged 5 per cent to Rs135, the steepest drop since

August 27. Tata Consultancy dropped 2.6 per cent to Rs1,902, paring this year’s advance to 52 per cent. Infosys, the second-largest software exporter, lost 1.1 per cent to 2,993, a fourth day of fall. India’s wholesale-price index rose 6.1 per cent from a year earlier, compared to July’s 5.79 per cent climb, official data showed, as the rupee’s slide stoked import costs. The median estimate of 25 analysts in a survey was for a 5.7 per cent climb. Every 10 per cent decline in the rupee adds as much as 80 basis points to wholesale inﬂation, according to Nomura Holdings. A Bloomberg Global Poll last week showed Summers would cut stimulus more than current Fed vice-chairman Janet Yellen, who was his rival to replace chairman Ben S. Bernanke when his term ends in January. The central bank will probably trim its monthly bond-buying program by $10 billion to $75

billion this week, a survey of economists showed this month. Rajan, who took charge September 4, inherited interest-rate increases from July aimed at shoring up the rupee. He’s pledged to contain inﬂation expectations and stepped up efforts to bolster foreign-exchange reserves. The RBI raised two interest rates in July to boost shorter term funding costs and capped cash injections into the banking system, seeking to curb the supply of rupees. The benchmark repurchase rate was left unchanged after cuts earlier in 2013. Rajan will keep it at 7.25 per cent at the September 20 review, Standard Chartered and Morgan Stanley said. The Sensex has increased 1.6 per cent this year in local currency terms and is valued at 13.9 times projected 12-month earnings, compared with the ﬁve-year average of 14.1 times, data show. It has lost 11 per cent this year in dollar terms. - Bloomberg News

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

ROUND-UP Wattayah Motors announces Ramadan campaign winner Sleek, spacious and comfortable, the Polo Sedan delivers luxury and innovation while remaining affordable

MUSCAT: Throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan, Wattayah Motors, the official distributors of Volkswagen vehicles in Oman, gave customers purchasing a new Volkswagen vehicle, the opportunity to win a brand new Polo Sedan. Olfa bint Mohammed, who purchased a new Golf during the campaign period, has been announced as the winner and the proud owner of two outstanding examples of

German engineering. Sleek, spacious and comfortable, the Polo Sedan delivers luxury and innovation while remaining affordable. Available with a 1.6 litre 105 PS engine and a 6 speed au-

WOMEN EXPO

ner, Hemant Bhat, general manager of Wattayah Motors said, “Firstly, a big congratulations to our winner! Our annual Ramadan campaign is a way for us to thank our customers and high-

RUGGED

Oman’s biggest event for women from Dec. 17 to 19 MUSCAT: The 5th edition of Women Expo, an international exhibition of women’s products and services, will be the biggest and most comprehensive one in Oman to date, with added new and interesting features to the traditional exhibition. Women Expo, the ﬁrst and only event in Oman dedicated to women, will take place from December 17 to 19, 2013 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre. This year’s theme ‘Celebrating Women Empowerment’ underlines organiser Omanexpo’s objectives to inject social relevance to its trade events and adding further value to the already-established concept and platform known since 2005. The event will feature an extensive and varied display of products and services, covering such areas like health and beauty, fashion and lifestyle, career and education, home and kitchen, child care, banking and ﬁnance and bridal and wedding. It will also include edutainment activities which will provide visitors a real feel and authentic learning and training experience. This year’s edition will introduce and highlight the health and wellness segment, accompanied

tomatic transmission, the Polo Sedan includes 15 inch alloy wheels, dual airbags for driver and passenger, ABS, spacious interior, and central locking with keyless entry. Congratulating the prize win-

light the impressive range of Volkswagen vehicles available in the Sultanate, to both new and existing customers. “The Polo Sedan offers drivers the highest standards of modern German engineering and performance, which our winner, Olfa bint Mohammed, can now enjoy. “This year alone we have introduced the new seventh generation Golf and Golf GTI to our model line-up. The design, performance and power of these legendary models have made them a firm favourite with car enthusiasts across Oman, while the Touareg, Tiguan and Passat remain consistent best sellers.” Every customer who purchased a Volkswagen during the campaign period also benefited from a five year warranty and a seven year service package, through which customers can be assured of complete peace-ofmind motoring for the duration of their vehicle ownership.

by ﬁtness areas and aerobic sessions. Visitors will also be treated to live cooking demonstrations and other culinary activities make up demonstrations, and a fashion show-cum-competition. To further enrich experience, short courses will be conducted on the site. Women Expo is eyeing the participation of about 150 local and international companies. Women Expo was launched in 2005, being the only show in Oman that directly caters to the needs and interests of women. Showcasing products and services speciﬁcally designed for them, it offers them the opportunity to play a major role in the social and economic development of the Sultanate and enhance their position in society.

Toyota Prado Classic, a favourite 4WD MUSCAT: Prado, born with the Toyota Land Cruiser DNA in its bloodline, takes Toyota’s enviable 4WD legacy way further. That explains why it is a top-seller in more than 170 countries and regions around the world. As mentioned by an automotive blogger, “The Prado Classic is the perfect vehicle for anyone thinking all-terrain, an amazing experience, even in the most extreme conditions. It combines the rugged dominance of its Land Cruiser heritage with the revolutionary technology and sophistication for which Toyota is renowned. With sculpted looks, spoiling comfort and thrilling features, it’s all you need to conquer any terrain.” The luxurious features in the powerful Prado Classic include dual-tone leather upholstery, wood and leather steering with control switches, wooden gear knobs; 4.2” back-view monitor on instrument panel; chrome-coloured side protection moulding; front bumper guard; muffler-cutter; chrome rear-lamp garnish; classic decal and impressive alloy wheels. Prado Classic’s imposing front has a wide stance for a road-hugging ride adding to its stability.

The front and rear fenders are integrated into the body-panel structure with beautifully ﬂowing lines. The rear conveys strength, with the hatch door that accents rear form and wipers folding into the rear spoiler conveying functionality and stylishness. The Prado Classic’s interior is reﬁned and roomy to accommodate up to seven occupants. Cushioned seats offer wonderful underthigh support. The Prado Classic also offers top-end features including cruise control, steering angle display, active headrest, electric tilt & telescopic steering column, side step with illumination, smart en-

try and start/stop system, parking sensors, retractable outer mirrors (with turn signal); silver roof-rail and daytime running lights. The Prado Classic’s safety features include a combination of active and passive safety systems to ensure optimum protection. These include DAC (Downhill Assist Control) HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), Airbags, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), A-TRC (Active Traction Control) and Active Headrests for the Driver and Front Passenger. Prado’s strong chassis offers excellent impact protection while the long wheelbase and wide wheel track give excellent handling and stability.

CRICKET

Twenty20 2013 live and exclusive on OSN channel DUBAI: This September, OSN will broadcast live and exclusive coverage of the Karbonn Smart Champions League Twenty20. Viewers will be able to watch all the action on CricOne and in glorious high definition on OSN Sports 1 HD. Karbonn Smart Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) 2013, will be played in India from today to October 6, 2013 and will follow a format similar to the two previous editions, with a group stage preceded by a qualifier. A total of 29 matches will be played in the tournament by the best domestic T20 teams from around the world, for total prize money of $6million. The qualifier, to be played from today to September 20, 2013, will feature four teams: Q1-Otago Volts (New Zealand’s HRV Cup champions), Q2-Sunrisers Hyderabad (Fourth-ranked team in the Pepsi IPL 2013), Q3-Kandurata Maroons, the winner of Sri Lanka’s domestic T20 competition, and Q4-Faisalabad Wolves (Pakistan’s domestic T20 Champions). The teams will play each other once, with the top two advancing to the Group Stage. C U LT U R A L P R O G R A M M E

Kerala Wing to organise Onam-Eid celebrations MUSCAT: Indian Social Club’s Kerala Wing will hold OnamEid celebrations with various arts and cultural programmes in Muscat on September 20, 21 and 27. As tribute to the late Kerala social reformer and renowned philosopher Sree Narayana Guru, a memorial lecture on ‘The role of Sree Narayana Guru in creating modern Kerala’ will be delivered by Dr M. R. Raghava Varier, a well known historian and writer in India. The lecture which will be held on September 20 starts at 6pm at ISC Multi Purpose Hall at Darsait. A four-hour cultural feast with dances, music, skits, etc. created by the members of the Kerala Wing will be exhibited at the ISC Hall on September 21 from 6:30pm onwards. Dr Raghava Varier will be the chief guest of the evening.

DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE

D O NAT I O N

Bank Sohar supports ESO’s environment speech contest

Audi nanuk quattro concept car: Dynamics in a new form

MUSCAT: In their fourth consecutive year of support to the Environmental Society of Oman (ESO) and their diverse range of activities to better the environment, Bank Sohar will support for the second year the annual Intercollege Environmental Speaking Competition that is to be held in November 2013. The support in the form of a donation was handed over to Sana Tawileh, Marketing and Communications manager, Environment Society of Oman by Munira Abdulnabi Macki, DGM, Human Resources and Corporate Support of Bank Sohar, at Bank Sohar’s head office. Highlighting the importance of supporting educational and environmental initiatives, Munira commented, “At Bank Sohar, we have always given the environment top priority. Events organised by ESO help us achieve a dual objective — contribute meaningfully to sustainable development, and support the cause of developing skills of young students in their pursuit of excellence.” Lamees Daar, executive director, Environment Society of Oman commented, “We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with Bank Sohar this year, and are grateful for their constant support to our educational and environmental initiatives. Corporate sponsorships are important in sustaining the livelihood of our projects and developing new ones and we look

INGOLSTADT: Audi is showcasing the Audi nanuk quattro concept show car at the IAA in Frankfurt am Main. Its crossover concept combines the dynamics of a high-performance sports car with Audi’s quattro expertise on the road, on the race track and also off-road. The V10 TDI engine sets benchmarks for power and efficiency. Audi developed the Audi nanuk quattro concept show car in collaboration with the designers from Italdesign Giugiaro. The result is a sports car for any stage of life and for any surface — equally at home on the race track, the highway or a winding country road as it is off-road in the sand or in the snow. Its crossover concept combines the dynamics of a mid-engine sports car with the versatility of a sporty recreational vehicle. The two-seater is powered by a newly developed V10 TDI installed longitudinally in front of the rear axle. The powerful 5.0-litre diesel engine produces over 544hp and delivers 1,000Nm of torque to the crankshaft from just 1,500rpm. Its twin-turbo register charging unit is controlled via the Audi valvelift system (AVS). A beefed-up seven-speed S tronic located behind the engine transfers the torque to a specially designed quattro drivetrain. The Audi nanuk quattro concept has a curb weight of around 1,900 kilograms. It sprints from 0 to

forward to partnering with Bank Sohar in future projects.” As a part of the competition, the contestants will be invited to research and prepare a presentation on a topic relating to water conservation, climate change, arts and technology and its effect on the environment. The bank has a long association with ESO, and has joined hands on various occasions to promote the cause of protecting the environment through initiatives and awareness programmes. In 2010, Bank Sohar signed up for ESO’s groundbreaking initiative to promote sustainable recycling of certain types of waste. As a part of the campaign, Bank Sohar introduced a number of recycling initiatives in-house, with the bank’s staff having since replicated these activities at the head office, branches and public places. In 2011, the bank lent a hand to the ESO to organise their sixth fund raising ball. This event was not only a charity function to

raise funds for ongoing projects, but also a means to enhance awareness about conservation projects which were underway across the Sultanate. Last year, ESO put together Oman’s First inter-college environmental speaking competition. This was directly not only towards developing the public speaking skills of the youth, but also to raise consciousness about environmental causes and begin to inﬂuence the community positively. 2013 marks the fourth year in which Bank Sohar’s close ties with the ESO have matured, and keeping with the theme, the bank has once again demonstrated its commitment to the environment and built on its ‘green’ credentials. Munira concluded, “Affirming our longstanding support to sustainable development, it was our pleasure to sponsor Oman’s only inter-collegiate public speaking competition for the second year organised under the banner of the ESO.”

100km/h in 3.8 seconds, and the top speed is 305km/h. The innovative thermal management with its separate cooling loops and the steplessly regulated oil pump contribute to the excellent fuel consumption of just 7.8 litres per 100 kilometres on average. The adaptive air suspension with electronically controlled dampers features the next generation of technology from Audi. The driver can manually adjust the ground clearance of the Audi nanuk quattro concept in three stages: normal, 30 millimetres lower or 40 millimetres higher. The system also controls the level of the body itself based on driving speed and the predictive route data supplied by the navigation system. On the highway, for example, the body remains lowered even when the Audi nanuk quattro concept is moving slowly. It is automatically raised when turning onto a gravel road. Another technological highlight of the show car is the integral steering, which resolves the

classic conflict between dynamic handling and stability. When the driver steers at low to moderate speeds, the rear wheels turn up to nine degrees in the opposite direction of the front wheels. This shortens the wheelbase virtually by around 100 centimetres, reducing the turning circle to roughly 10 metres. Handling also becomes more agile. The Audi nanuk quattro concept turns in even more eagerly and is essentially neutral in corners. At higher speeds the system turns the rear wheels by as much as 2.5 degrees in the same direction as the front wheels. This extends the wheelbase virtually by around 140 centimetres for better stability. On the highway, the show car is firmly seated on the road and masters fast corners and avoidance manoeuvres with aplomb. Components made of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) comprise the outer skin and are finished in extreme red. Dynamic daytime running lights accentuate the Audi signature when the car is started and also serve as dynamic turn signals. Particularly distinctive, however, is the switch between the low beams and high beams made possible by the new Audi Matrix LED technology. When driving with the low beams, the show car appears clean and open, but hunkered down and focused when driving with the high beams.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

ROUND-UP MEDC urges contractors to adhere to HSE guidelines Muscat Electricity Distribution Company has been carrying out periodic awareness campaigns utilising various media channels including radio and print media

MUSCAT: Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC) has called upon contractors, whose nature of business involves the use of scaffolding, to take caution and adhere to safety procedures when working near electrical lines. This comes in light of a growing number of fatal incidents from falling scaffolding on live power lines. The company has recorded in the past two years an increasing number of incidents of electrocution, resulting from scaffolding falling on live power lines and the subsequent exposure of workers to electric shocks. These incidents

occur especially due to the lack of compliance with safety procedures when construction contractors are involved with the installation of scaffoldings and their proximity to unprotected power lines. This is also attributed to the failure of contractors to provide workers with the instructions and the necessary equipment, resulting in incidents of electric shocks that often lead to death. Muscat Electricity Distribution Company has formed a special team to look into these incidents to ﬁnd solutions to reduce the occurrence of such incidents. From the initial investigations, it appears that this is due to the failure to follow safety requirements for scaffolding erection and the lack of a culture of safety protection and risk avoidance procedures when working near high-voltage overhead electrical lines. This is also due to the fact that workers attempt to move the scaffolding without dismantling them as they shift them from one place to another. Also, the lack of training, experience and a lack of protective equipment/personal protection have been contributing to this. Sometimes the absence of direct supervision of the site supervisors of construction companies is a contributing factor, as they tend to leave the sites at the disposal

of non-qualiﬁed expats who are not aware of safety matters during construction. This also can be traced to the need to improve the level of coordination between the agencies authorised to issue construction permits; the Ministry of Housing and the Muscat Municipality, particularly in areas related to extensions of existing land near power lines. In addition, the limited knowledge of the workers on HSE procedures and the importance attached to safety is usually met with an indifferent attitude. Most workers do not wear protective electric insulation gear that is required when working within reach of power lines. Muscat Electricity Distribution Company has been carrying out periodic awareness campaigns

utilising various media channels including radio and print media. MEDC also works jointly with other sister companies to discuss issues and exchange experiences on best approaches to address this issue. MEDC HSE teams have structured, consistent field visits to construction sites and is planning to coordinate with the Muscat Municipality to use construction sites to post cautionary ads on the dangers and other HSE instructions using illustrations and images to make it easier for workers to understand the message as some workers maybe be illiterate or cannot read English. According to Dr Juma Said Al Obeidani, HSE manager at MEDC, “The five year plan of MEDC considers HSE as one of its five pillars reflecting the importance attached to HSE issues and this area will witness further improvement, as MEDC implements its business plan for the years ahead.” He added that there are guidelines issued by his department that are at the disposal of any contractor. MEDC is a government-owned subsidiary of the Electricity Holding Company and is the sole licensed company to distribute and supply electricity to all sectors in the Governorate of Muscat with a customer base nearing quarter of a million.

STYLISH

Honda announces new ‘Exciting H Design!!!’ MUSCAT: The Honda Motor Co., announced a new design concept, ‘Exciting H Design!!!,’ that will be applied to all Honda automobiles globally to promote a more unique character and stronger presence around the world. The three exclamation marks in “Exciting H Design!!!” represent three design factors, namely ‘High Tech’ which represents an innovative spirit, ‘High Tension’ which represents the pursuit of a beautiful body structure and layout, and ‘High Touch’ which represents ﬁnely-honed surfacing and texture. By incorporating these three factors into exterior and interior design, more unique and exciting Honda designs will be realised. This new design concept has

been first applied to the all-new fit model, with the application to be expanded in stages to other Honda vehicles around the world. Exterior design High Tech: Honda’s new design identity, ‘Solid Wing Face’, is adopted. While positioning the “H” mark in the centre, the area from the front grill to the headlights will be designed in an advanced style as one uninterrupted flow. High Tension: A well-toned body with beautiful proportion, ‘Athlete Form’, is realised. High Touch: Honda strives to realise ‘Dramatic Surfacing’, wellelaborated form that provides an emotional attraction.

B U S I N E S S D E L E G AT I O N

emotional ‘Personal Cockpit’ is realised. High Touch: Honda expresses its ‘Craftsmanship’ by creating thoughtful interiors with an emphasis on the texture of materials.

SIXT Rent-A-Car company chooses Nissan X-Terra

MUSCAT: The Nissan X-Terra is designed with the intent of being a tough, essential SUV that inspires and facilitate outdoor enthusiasts’ active lifestyles. All X-Terra models feature an advanced 4.0-litre straight-six engine, rated at a muscular 291 horsepower, along with Nissan’s rugged “F-Alpha” ladder frame platform for adventure-ready performance. The 2013 model boasts of enhanced features like navigation system, rear view camera, centre mirror with auto glare, digital compass and outside temperature recording and USB /I-POD/AUX Connectivity. Exclusive partnership Now with the new 2013 Nissan X-Terra a hit amongst outdoor enthusiasts, it will make its presence felt on the roads of the Sultanate through its exclusive partnership with SIXT Rent-A-Car within the region. Nissan Oman strives to achieve pioneering success through its services and activities offered to its valued customers. Through a relentless pursuit of excellence and adopting aggressive marketing style with an emphasis on customer satisfaction, backing it up with strong after-sales service network across the Sultanate, Nissan Oman has built a name on trust, superior customer services and value for money. Nissan Oman boasts of a niche premium clientele comprising leading corporate houses and businesses, international businessmen and tourists visiting the Sultanate of Oman and thus, the promise of Nissan X-Terra is to allow a broad but discerning car buying audience and tourists vis-

iting the city to ‘experience lavishness’. Many of X-Terra’s technologies have never been seen in cars of this class before, reflecting its aspirational and upscale SUV positioning. Fleet vehicles With almost 60 Nissan X-Terras making up the major line-up of vehicles at SIXT RAC, Gururaj, deputy general manager, commented, “Performance of a vehicle has always been of key importance to a discerning customer and Nissan boasts of high performance parameters in each of their models. “Even their after-sales service is a key component, underpinned by service principles to guide development and actual delivery. Not only does Nissan boast of having highly skilled certified technicians, but they also use the latest approved equipment to ensure all Nissan vehicles are repaired to the highest standards. It gives us a great opportunity to be associated with such a world class brand like Nissan Oman.” The Nissan X-Terra offers drivers today a long list of advanced technological features including a booming sound system and bluetooth hands-free phone system. X-Terra’s list of safety features and equipment includes Nissan Advanced Air Bag System with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors, driver and front passenger side-impact supplemental air bags and three-point front/rear seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, tire pressure warning system and adjustable upper anchors.

H O S T I N G T R AV E L A G E N T S

State Bank of India delegates visit Oman MUSCAT: Hemant G. Contractor, managing director and group executive (International Banking) and R. Karthikeyan, chief general manager (International Banking), State Bank of India (SBI), Corporate Centre, Mumbai, India, are on a visit to Oman for strengthening the IndiaOman ties, particularly related to business and commerce and banking and finance. They will be attending several meetings in Muscat today, which includes meetings at the Central Bank of Oman and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. SBI has a full fledged branch in CBD since 2004, offering Corporate Finance, SME finance, Trade Credit and Retail Deposit schemes, with ATM services linked with Omannet, accessible from anywhere, any time. State Bank of India, with a 200 year history, is the largest commercial bank in India in terms of assets, deposits, profit, branches, customers and employees. The Government

Interior design High Tech: Honda pursues an easy-to-see/easy-to-use ‘Advanced Interface’ by adopting advanced technologies. High Tension: A sporty and

IDEAL CHOICE

of India is the single largest shareholder of this Fortune 500 entity with 61.58 per cent ownership. SBI was ranked 60th in the list of top 1,000 banks in the world by ‘The Banker’ in July 2012.

Tour Oman lauded by Indian travel industry decision-makers MUSCAT: Tour Oman, Oman’s leading Destination Management Company and the inbound tours division of Travel Point, hosted a contingent of 14 decision-makers from the Indian travel market for a short FAM trip of the city, during their transit stop in Muscat en route to Europe. The guests were welcomed at the Muscat International Airport in traditional style by Omani ladies holding bukhoor and dates, which enveloped the guests with authentic Omani hospitality from the moment they set foot in the Sultanate. The delegates were then escorted to a short guided tour of the Grand Mosque with the DMC’s English speaking Omani guide, which was followed by a private chartered tour of the city atop the Big Bus Tours Muscat. “I can only describe Oman in two words — Destination Unexplored,” said an elated managing director of India’s renowned travel organisation, who was awestruck at the enchanting beauty of Muscat. “We’re certain that tourists, who visit Oman, will fall in love with this destination. It has everything that caters

to the travellers, including the MICE industry,” he added. “Oman is sure to become a big hit as a holiday destination in the Indian market,” observed another lady delegate who is the regional representative of a famous Indian travel business ﬁrm. The guests who had not visited the destination before were remarkably thrilled to experience a Middle Eastern destination that was bountiful of nature’s best treasures as well as meet local Omani people who were so warm and cordial. The panoramic tour of Muscat on the Big Bus lasted for a routine two hours, halting for short visits to the Muttrah Souq, Al Alam Palace which were the highlights of the quick stopover city tour for the guests.

The delegates were then hosted by Tour Oman to an exclusive Indian buffet lunch in a traditional Arabic Majlis (tent) seating arrangement, which further augmented the Omani experience for the delegates. “With the featuring of the Sultanate in the recent Bollywood movie, Oman is potent as a distinctive holiday destination for the Indian market. Inviting the delegates from the Indian travel industry to experience the essence of the Sultanate during their transit stop in Muscat was an attempt to promote a destination like Oman to thousands of travellers from India,” said Sunil Prabhakar, CEO, Travel Point. The guests maintained that Oman being a short-haul, convenient and palatable destination for

Indians, can soon become the new transit stop for passengers going to Europe or other destinations on Oman Air. “With exciting places to see and interesting things to do even during a short transit experience like ours, can be refreshing, eternal and unique,” said the director of a leading travel company in India, who was on the trip. Tour Oman intends to promote the destination vigorously in India, from where they foresee prospective tourists. On the occasion Manoj Dass, head, Tour Oman said, “We have been successful in reaching out to travel and tour operators in many cities in India during the recently attended roadshow organised by the Ministry of Tourism. Being able to host key players of the Indian travel trade here in Oman has helped us to further strengthen our positioning as a DMC for Oman in the Indian market, with a potential to cater to the taste and requirements of all Indian travellers.” The delegates looked forward to experience more of the Sultanate and conveyed positivity in bringing more tourists into nature’s haven — the Sultanate of Oman.

CHEF’S CHOICE

Khafeef is ‘lightest frying oil’, say participants of ‘Best Chef Oman’ MUSCAT: Participants of the recently concluded — ‘Best Chef Oman’ competition affirm that ‘Khafeef’ is indeed the lightest frying oil they have used to date. Omanexpo, in association with Oman’s celebrity Chef Issa Al Lamki, organised ‘Best Chef Oman’, the first culinary competition for traditional Omani cuisine recently. “It is every chef’s endeavour to ensure that their meal is cooked in the healthiest possible manner,

and using ‘Khafeef — the lightest frying oil’ made that possible for us at the ‘Best Chef Oman’ competition. We hope to use ‘Khafeef’ while preparing our day to day meals and will be recommending it to our family and friends as well,” said a few of the participants. Salem Al Bortmany, DGM, Areej Vegetable Oils & Derivatives, manufacturers of Khafeef in Oman said, “It is no secret that Chef Lamki is a pioneer in the local culinary industry and well-known

for his expertise in cooking delectable dishes. ‘Best Chef Oman’ was his vision of taking Omani cuisine to the next level, and our association with the competition hence became natural. “Being the ﬁrst-ever culinary competition promoting traditional Omani cuisine, we are happy to have been able to support the event as we understand ‘frying’ is an important process in Omani cooking, and are glad that the chefs enjoyed cooking their dishes with

‘Khafeef’. We hope to continue to be a part of Chef Lamki’s delightful gastronomical endeavours in the years to come as well.” Following its participation at the ‘Gulfood’ and ‘Omani Food Festival’ (a highlight of the Muscat Festival) this year, ‘Khafeef’ has demonstrated its commitment to showcasing the rich culture of Omani food as well as promoting the local food industry yet again through its association with the ‘Best Chef Oman’ competition.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

ROUND-UP New Ford Focus Titanium in Oman The Titanium’s classy cabin impresses with its high-quality materials and a distinctive design

MUSCAT: At first glance, it looks exactly like the exciting Ford Focus. But the similarities end there. A closer look will reveal noteworthy differences between this model and its predecessors. Ford has taken exceptional efforts to load the Focus Titanium with features that are arguably the first in its segment. This way Ford aspires to present its customers with the finest technologies that usually feature on high-end luxury vehicles, for a price that will put a smile across their faces. The German built Ford Focus Titanium is one of the top offerings in its segment with its precise, enjoyable handling, a useful array of high-tech features and a refined interior. The Titanium’s classy cabin charms with high-quality materials and a distinctive design. There’s plenty of technology inside. The Titanium comes standard with SYNC, Ford’s bluetoothbased connectivity system that allows smartphone users to place calls and stream music by using voice commands or steering wheel-mounted buttons. SYNC can also read incoming texts aloud to help the driver keep his or her eyes on the road. Another feature that is set to change the future of cars in this segment is the Active Park Assist. This one-of-a-kind feature is all set to take away parallel parking woes. Compared with competitive systems, Active Park Assist is easy to use and requires less driver in-

terface. It uses an ultrasonic-based sensing system and Electric Power Assisted Steering to position the vehicle for parallel parking, calculate the optimal steering angle and quickly steer the vehicle into a parking spot. Drivers can operate the system with the touch of a button and without ever touching the steering wheel. This feature is simply marvellous and a blessing for those who still have a tough time mastering parallel parking. The Focus’ European heritage is also reﬂected in its sturdy platform and well-executed mechanicals, which make for a surprisingly fun small car. With a multi-link suspension — that’s a sophisticated touch for this price point — and a wellweighted, communicative electric power steering system, the Focus Titanium is truly exceptional. Handling is further focused by a standard Torque Vectoring Control system that automatically brakes the inside front wheel to reduce understeer. When the driver is in the mood for a mellow cruise, the Focus obliges with a comfortable ride

QUATT R O P O R T E E R M E N E G I L D O Z E G NA L I M I T E D E D I T I O N

and good uneven road impact absorption. Power comes from a 2.0-litre Gasoline direct-injection fourcylinder that produces 167 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is Standard. The Focus Titanium comes standard with a 9-Speaker AM/ FM/CD stereo with an aux input, SYNC, cruise control, a trip computer, steering wheel-mounted audio controls. The Titanium is equipped with dual-zone automatic climate control, a proximity key, auto folding mirrors, push start button, rear parking sensors, 17-inch aluminium wheels, hill start assist, rear disc brakes, fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, a 60/40 split folding rear seat and an antitheft alarm. The Focus Titanium is also equipped with dual front, front side and full-length side curtain airbags in addition to traction and stability control systems. In Oman, Ford vehicles are brought to you by Arabian Car Marketing Co.

EVENT PRESENCE

Oman Air participation at Salalah fest a big success MUSCAT: Oman Air announced its successful participation at the recently concluded Salalah Tourism Festival (STF), which is considered to be one of the region’s premier events. Oman Air held many events and weekly raffles at its site at the festival to add more colour and gaiety to the festive atmosphere, hence offered visitors the opportunity to take part in a range of activities and to win prizes — which for the lucky winners meant taking home return tickets between two of Oman Air’s 43 destinations. Head, corporate communications and media, Oman Air, Usama bin Karim Al Haremi commented, “This event has been a wonderful opportunity for us to join up with our customers and the general public to celebrate the exceptional natural phenomena called ‘khareef’, also to participate fully in the Salalah Tourism Festival of which Oman Air is proud to be the official carrier and major sponsor. “Apart from entertaining activities, the festival attractions included exhibitions, child and traditional villages and theatre shows. Most of the activities

Connect global ration with Mini’s in-car Webradio MUSCAT: The ‘Not Normal’ car with the big attitude has wowed fans through a series of hi-tech, in-car infotainment offerings. This time, using Mini connected technology, drivers and passengers alike can beneﬁt from the brand’s revolutionary Webradio, which connects them to global radio stations on-the-go. So whether you are looking to tune in to a local news station

FA N F O L L O W I N G

Mitsubishi thanks over 7,000 FB fans

MUSCAT: The Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition concept car to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show features a unique new look in colour scheme, materials and ﬁnish. The car, presented as a limited edition concept, is intended for development into a production version in 2014 and will maintain the same personality and quality of the current Quattroporte range. Ermenegildo Zegna’s concept for the Maserati Quattroporte limited edition is the result of a close collaboration between two companies that are linked by history, tradition and exclusiveness.

MUSCAT: Celebrating yet another milestone for Mitsubishi in the Sultanate, General Automotive Company announced that the recently launched Facebook page for the brand has crossed the 7,000 fan mark, in just two months. Mark Tomlinson, GM of General Automotive Company said, “Facebook is one of the most dynamic mediums on the social platform and since the launch of the dedicated Facebook page we have been able to engage directly with owners and fans. We are overwhelmed by the response we have received from the online community in Oman, and look forward to growing fan engagement through social media in integration with the brand.” He also added, “As a customer-centric brand, it is essential for us at General Automotive Company to ensure that our fans can reach out to us at any time, across a number of mediums — hence the decision to establish a presence on Facebook and Twitter.

Exterior styling The exterior of the Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition concept car features a special effect paint finish that simulates the fluidity and purity of metal, by using ultra-fine aluminium pigments. A gloss black primer ampliﬁes the brilliance of the aluminium pigments and creates a sensation of depth. The platinum metal colour effect ﬁnish is warmly nuanced to express the car’s classic and sophisticated yet technically advanced character.

Luxurious cabin Interior components such as seats, door panels and roof lining are ﬁnished in genuine soft leather, in addition to a velvetsmooth, bright fabric that, due to Zegna’s vast experience and know-how, guarantees the level of performance needed for automotive applications.

Phenomenal growth “Having crossed the 7,000 mark, we are very encouraged to see the phenomenal growth and would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has chosen to like us and follow our journey.”

Great opportunity “As well as being a lot of fun, the event has been a great opportunity for us to engage with locals, and to show our appreciation for all their support and encouragement. We would like to thank all those who joined us and we look forward to continuing our support of the Salalah Tourism Festival, as well as other events that play a key part in the life of the Sultanate of Oman,” added Al Haremi. The Salalah Tourism Festival

is held every year to coincide with the khareef, the monsoon season, which is unique to this southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, bringing cool relief from the heat of the Gulf summer. It has always been a practice with Oman Air to provide additional flights to Salalah during the khareef season and the Salalah Tourism Festival, hence increased flights between the two cities during the months from June to September significantly, resulting in a total of 88, 536 additional seats being offered during the mentioned period.

C A R E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Maserati concept car to debut at Frankfurt

The material and chromatic research behind the Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition is based on a play between the classical and the contemporary. A leading role in the Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition concept car is played by its interior. Classical warm hues like moka and greige are reinterpreted in a modern key to emulate Zegna’s latest men’s fashion collections, conveying a formal, sophisticated character.

were staged in the municipality’s entertainment centre.”

Visitors to the Mitsubishi Oman Facebook page have access to a large variety of interesting content, from special offers to the latest brand activities, service promotions, contests and product news. And, by tying in their offline activities with their social media efforts, fans and owners are able to continuously stay up-to-date with everything Mitsubishi. Official page The official Mitsubishi Oman Facebook page, powered by TBWA\Zeenah\Digital, also allows the brand to keep in touch with customers and fans on a continual basis, providing the opportunity to take onboard feedback given and support customers before, during and after every purchase. Engagement is especially high when fans and visitors can showcase their brand knowledge by entering one of the many contests on Mitsubishi Oman. In line with General Automotive Company’s industry-leading technology and integrated service standards, Mitsubishi Oman will soon launch on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn as well, providing the public with even more channels to easily access information about the company, its products and services.

you can do so thanks to Mini Webradio. Available across all seven Mini family members, including the newly-launched Mini Paceman, Mini connected is an optional in-car infotainment system that allows iPhone users to go through the Mini connected app to connect and beneﬁt from a whole host of onboard functionality.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

ROUND-UP Al Maimani inaugurates one-stop office solutions, workplaces fair Oman Office Show 2013 has attracted the widest array of brands, products and services catering to the diverse and rapidly evolving requirements of the office environment

MUSCAT: Oman Office Show 2013, the Sultanate’s deﬁnitive trade fair for people passionate about innovative office solutions and productive workspaces, began at the Oman International Exhibition Centre yesterday. The three-day event was formally inaugurated by Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al Maimani, undersec-

retary for Administrative, Financial and Regional Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Also in attendance at the ribbon-cutting ceremony were a number of government and private sector dignitaries. Now in its second year, the annual show has been organised by well-known events management ﬁrm Global Exhibitions and Conferences (GEC). As can be expected of the country’s signature trade event on the office workspace, this year’s show has attracted the widest array of brands, products and services catering to the diverse and rapidly evolving requirements of the office environment. Exhibits spanning a wide range of product and service categories are showcased at the event, making it an unparalleled one-stop platform focused on this segment of the furnishing industry. Leading players from the region’s thriving ﬁt-out industry, as well as the global furnishing and equipment supply market are represented as well. Exhibits on display span the following product categories: Board-

room furniture, audiovisual equipment, filing and storage systems, modular systems, fit-outs and interior designs, office automation and solutions, partitions and screens, paints, wall coverings and floorings, and security solutions. Showcasing their latest offerings are some of Oman’s bestknown office equipment and furni-

ture suppliers, including Sharikah Fanniyah Omaniyah (SFO), Teejan Furnishing, Fahmy Furniture, Mohsin Haider Darwish (MHD), Office Supplies, Bahwan Furnishings, Al Hajiry Furnishing and Hillion Furniture. Also showcasing their leading brands and services are Bahwan Electronics, Saeed bin Nasser Al Hashar, Al Saleh

Enterprises, Blue Rhine General Trading, Desert Dreams, Materials Plus, Super Granite and Marble, Power Infotech, Al Sinawi Engineering Services, Advance Technology and Modern Engineering Designs amongst others. Show participation also includes international companies like Bond Interiors, Krost Marketing, Art-

matrix, Kottoor International, Kiyo Office Equipment, DS Naiki, Napoli Furniture and Messara Trading Company. Oman Office Show 2013 is also a must-attend event for retail and bulk customers, developers, interior furnishers, and all manner of industry professionals. Visitors too will ﬁnd the fair an inspiring, invigorating and rewarding exercise in light of the plethora of environment-friendly, energy-efficient and productivity-enhancing exhibits on display. “Our annual Office Shows have gone from strength to strength in terms of their vigorous exhibitor and customer appeal. This time around, we have not only pulled in an unprecedented number of participants, but also attracted the widest cross-section of products and services targeted at the office environment. Given this strength of interest in the event, we expect visitor turnouts to be equally robust on all three days of the exhibition,” commented C. J. Paul, chief executive officer, Global Exhibitions and Conferences (GEC).

DELICIOUS MENU

SALES AGENT

Savills Oman appointed as agents for Badr Al Qurum

360° launches fresh new ﬂavours with updated menu STAFF REPORTER

MUSCAT: With Savills having sold all properties at the landmark real estate project, Badr Muscat Hills, the developers have selected them as sales agents for their next project, Badr Al Qurum. The Badr Group is a relative newcomer to the real estate market in Oman but is already making its mark with innovative projects to reflect the needs of today’s buyers. To be launched before the end of the year, Badr Al Qurum will boast 92 luxury one and two bedroom apartments in a prominent location in Qurum. The facilities on offer reflect the needs of Muscat’s home-buyers and include a swimming pool, multi-gym and children’s play area. Underground parking will also be available for all tenants. The building will be an iconic landmark in the upmarket Qurum neighbourhood and will showcase contemporary design throughout with a finish and specification that will set the standard for buildings that follow. With completion targeted within the next 18 months, Shiji Thomas, head of Sales at Savills Oman,

is already seeing genuine enthusiasm from the market. “Savills Oman is delighted to continue the relationship it developed with the Badr Group. After the success of the Badr Muscat Hills project where the quality of the homes was a reflection of them listening to what the market wanted and supplying world-class properties, we are confident that this new venture will be equally successful. They are continuing this model with Badr Al Qurum by building a property that will fill a growing need for apartments that are spacious and well thought out with

amenities that will ensure residents are very happy with their investment,” he said. The appointment was finalised in the Savills offices with a document signing and handshake between Shiji Thomas and Yasir A. Karim, project director of Badr Group. Savills is currently finalising all marketing materials in anticipation of the launch, scheduled for the first half of October this year. Pricing will also be released at the launch with early indications showing that the costs will be a further incentive for the first-time buyer as well as the seasoned investor.

MUSCAT: Customers are sure to be impressed with the new options at 360° after the restaurant launched its new menu on September 14. The penthouse restaurant in Ghala, known for its great rooftop terrace views and its international cuisine, has made some additions to its menu to increase its variety and fill in a few missing flavours, explained Kishore Singh, spokesperson for 360°. “We’re extending the menu based on customer feedback. We didn’t have any Thai or Chinese items, for example. We’re also adding more vegetarian options,” said Kishore. While many existing favourites remain, there are numerous delicious new dishes to try. The northwestern region of India finds its place with dishes like succulent lamb chops with mint sauce from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Malaysia gets a nod with wokfried Kueyteow noodles served with prawns and chicken sausage in a spicy sauce, an ideal

comfort-food kind of dish that is rich and satisfying. Chef Allan Zarandin, master of the Japanese teppanyaki station, created interesting new sushi rolls, too. His Dynamite rolls feature soft-shell crab and a wasabi sauce, with the outer layer rolled in crispy yellow dried Bonito fish flakes. The flavours build from slightly salty and fishy to fiery to give customers some excitement in each bite. “Our chefs are going out of their ways to be innovative. They want to delight the customers even

more,” added Kishore, noting that the aim of the revamped menu was to keep the best items and add more options. Other additions to the menu include a fresh Caprese salad with fresh basil, tomato and buffalo mozzarella, a spicy stir-fried beef dish, a refreshing strawberry lemonade, and ﬂuffy tiramisu. “I’m sure our customers will feel good and positive because we’re trying to live up to their expectations. The menu is based on their choices. They’ll be excited,” Kishore added.

TRAINING PROGRAMME

I N S TA N T S E RV I C E

BankDhofar issues payment cards at MGM and Muscat International Airport branches MUSCAT: The award winning BankDhofar is the first commercial bank to launch an innovative banking service aimed at providing cutting edge technology and the best customer service by reducing wait time significantly. Instant Card Issuance Service is personalising customer payment cards whereby customers can collect their debit cards instantly at the same time they open their account, and start using them immediately anywhere. BankDhofar has enriched its debit card portfolio with a specially tailored all-in-one instant issuance system that allows customers to receive their new cards on the spot. The solution is outstandingly user-friendly and offers customers the highest level of security thanks to a wide range of encryption methods and online-only personalisation. Furthermore, this service is currently being rolled out to remaining branches as well as BankDhofar kiosks in malls around Oman — giving customers the flexibility of conducting banking transactions over the weekend or in the evenings. Issuing magnetic strip enabled card in addition to issuing cards to new account holders, the service is also offered for reissuance of cards as well as PIN numbers. “This definitely represents added value for our customers — customers having to come back to the branch for a second time to collect their debit cards will become a thing of the past, and enables us to reduce our costs by re-

ducing paperwork as well as back end operations at each branch. By providing technologically driven value added services, we can increase overall efficiency in our branches,” said Abdel Hakeem bin Omar Al Ojaili, GM of Corporate Services at BankDhofar. Mohammed Al Beraiki, MGM branch’s customer commented: “I walked into the branch to open a new account at MGM branch, where I was amazed that my debit card was issued instantly. I was able to utilise the card through online shopping, CDM/ATM, etc. The standard delivery of the experience was extraordinary; no more waiting for instant card issuance has fulﬁlled my need. I was also able to register for mobile banking immediately and transferred funds between my two accounts.” This new service in addition to their extensive branch network

and highly trained staff will provide a truly exceptional experience as part of BankDhofar’s commitment to becoming the best bank in the Gulf and providing stateof-the-art technology and custom made services to their customers. Commenting on the occasion, Faisal Al Wahaibi, DGM of Retail Banking said “We are extremely proud of our team that has ensured our services are consistent, reliable and at the forefront of what the best technology has to offer. We at BankDhofar make every effort to enhance customer experience by researching and developing products that are in line with their need. This service is offered for the ﬁrst time to customers of conventional banks in Oman, a milestone BankDhofar is proud to achieve in aiding it to become the best bank in the Gulf, and the best bank for you.”

NBO hosts training on ‘effective selling aspects’ for frontline staff MUSCAT: Academy of Excellence, the learning and development arm of National Bank of Oman (NBO), recently conducted a training course called ‘National Bank of Oman Sales Star’ for its frontline staff. The course is among the many new and custom-made offerings of the National Bank of Oman Academy of Excellence. As part of its continuous efforts to makeover and transform the bank, the academy is steadily and positively building a sales character in the organisation by developing its workforce on knowledge, skills and techniques related to selling. The training course is developed to empower bank employees to hone their skills in selling and cross-selling the bank’s products

and services so as to grow the business volumes and increase the bank’s proﬁtability. The threeday practical and demonstrative workshop containing the bank’s home-grown ‘National Bank of Oman Sales Model’, included lots of activities and exercises that can be done and easily employed at the workplace. The bespoke course has been built through signiﬁcant inputs from the staff and management of the bank. The participants found the course to be greatly useful in their daily work. One of the trainees commented, “The National Bank of Oman Sales Model that was discussed and demonstrated during the programme was something unique to the bank and its implementation will surely enhance our sales ef-

ﬁciency and productivity.” Moosa Al Jadidi, National Bank of Oman’s acting head, Retail and Private Banking said, “In the dynamic and ever-changing banking environment, the key to success will be through consistent and systematic selling system at all levels of the organisation. The staff at the frontline are the key towards executing the strategy of the organisation. The bank has been building a sales ethos through various initiatives and the performance and results have proved that we are on the right track. Learning interventions such as these have been developed based on the strategic objectives and the emerging needs of the bank. Through such initiatives we are distinguishing ourselves from the competition.”

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM SOFOMAN.COM TU ES DAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

SECTION

SPOR YOUR GAME

T20 OR TESTS, ESTS, ART REMAINS SAME: BHAJJI Deprived of a place ace in the India A squads, Harbhajan jan ﬁnds himself with limited opportunities portunities to stage a comeback, ck, but the spinner is determined too make an impact in the upcomingg Champions League Twenty20. 20. >C3

Big three ready for opening night Each with two Champions League triumphs on their managerial CVs, Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti are attempting to work their European magic in new surroundings while Jose Mourinho has returned to the club at which the continent’s biggest club prize proved elusive

LONDON: Experienced as they are there will still be a few firstnight nerves this week as Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho set off on new Champions League journeys with plenty to prove and reputations to polish. Each with two Champions League triumphs on their managerial CVs, two of them are attempting to work their European magic in new surroundings while the third has returned to the club at which the continent’s biggest club prize proved elusive. After a year-long sabbatical, having twice taken Barcelona to European glory in a glittering reign, Guardiola has arrived at Bayern Munich tasked with retaining the trophy won in such style by Jupp Heynckes in May. Ancelotti, after his brief stay at Paris St Germain, will be expected to deliver Real Madrid’s 10th European Cup without delay, having twice led Milan to the summit. Mourinho, who Ancelotti has replaced in the Spanish capital, will seek to steer Chelsea all the way to the final in Lisbon having returned to London determined to win club football’s biggest prize with a third club. Guardiola’s Bayern open the defence of their crown at home to CSKA Moscow, Real Madrid will unleash Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in Turkey against Galatasaray while Chelsea face Swiss side FC Basel at Stamford Bridge. Rafa Benitez, another manager with a proven Champions League pedigree, will have to hit the ground running as his Napoli side host last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund in what looks like being a devilishly difficult Group F. With so many Champions League masterminds among the 32 coaches setting off this week, Manchester United’s David Moyes and Barcelona’s new coach Gerardo Martino look like rookies in comparison as they prepare for their first ventures in the groups stages of the tournament. Moyes will need all his steely calm and self belief as he plots United’s first Champions League campaign in the post-Alex Fergsuon era. The Scot will have a tough baptism with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen first up today in a group that also contains Real Sociedad and Ukraine champions Shakhtar Donetsk. A good start in Europe will go a long way to helping Moyes establish himself but the Champions League, as even Fergsuon would testify to, can be an unforgiving place. “(Ferguson) said he thinks this is one of the hardest draws United have had in the Champions League,” Moyes, whose only flirtation with the competition was a final qualifying round defeat while in charge at Everton, said. “If that’s coming from him it must be tough.” Martino has started life confidently at the Nou Camp and with Lionel Messi already having scored six league goals and with Brazilian Neymar about to

ALL SMILES: Wayne Rooney, third right, and his Manchester United teammates snapped during training on eve of their Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen. – Reuters

Young may not change his diving ways, says Moyes

MOYES’ VIEW: Manchester United coach asks Ashley Young to

stop diving. – Reuters

make his Champions League bow, Barca will again start as one of the favourites. The Catalans are in Group H the only section comprised of all former winners — with Celtic, Milan and Ajax Amsterdam who they begin against tomorrow in one of the ties of the week. While Moyes may be a novice at this level, albeit with a team containing the likes of Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney, rivals Manchester City have recruited a vastly-experienced European

coach in Manuel Pellegrini. City’s away tie against Group D minnows Viktoria Plzen today will be the Chilean’s 45th in the Champions League and the club’s owners will be expecting a vast improvement on the previous two seasons in which they have managed only three wins in 12 group games. Bayern are also in City’s group, but Pellegrini, who steered Malaga to the quarter-ﬁnals last season, has warned against taking Czech side Plzen or CSKA Moscow lightly. “If we think we are going to qual-

MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager David Moyes has warned his own player Ashley Young to stop diving but said yesterday he could not guarantee the winger would change his ways. England international Young was booked for tumbling over after a challenge by Crystal Palace’s Kagisho Dikgacoi in United’s 2-0 win at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday. Later in the ﬁrst half, the referee awarded the home side a penalty and sent off Dikgacoi after the pair clashed again, although television replays suggested Young had fallen easily under minimal challenge. The London club’s chairman Steve Parish said Young should have been sent off, while Moyes said he had spoken to the winger over the matter and reiterated his long-held view that there should be retrospective action for diving to clamp down on it. “You can never be sure it won’t happen again, but I’ve had a word with him privately,” Moyes told a news conference on the eve of United’s Champions League Group A opener at home to Bayer Leverkusen. “I’ve said for many years... we should have retrospective video for diving, I think it would help referees no end.” It will come as little comfort to Parish that even Moyes was

ify for the last 16 because the other teams are weak we will be making a mistake,” he said. Mourinho, who announced himself as a coaching heavyweight by taking Porto all the way and repeated the feat with Inter Milan, will be taking charge of his 108th Champions League game when Chelsea host Basel today. The Portuguese’s last Champions League game in charge of Chelsea was a 1-1 draw against Rosenborg in 2007 — a result that signalled the end of his ﬁrst

unhappy with his own player over diving. “The only player in the incidents that was honest was Kagisho Dikgacoi and he’s sent off and banned for the next match,” Parish told the BBC on Sunday. “Ashley Young has a yellow card and three points and we have no points and one less player to pick from for the next game. “If preventing a goal-scoring opportunity is a straight red then trying to create one by cheating should be a straight red also. It might have cost us a point that might keep us up. “(We) need to get some momentum behind a straight red for a dive.” United defender Rio Ferdinand said if there were to be changes to the ways in which diving was handled, the measures would have to be implemented across the world. “For instance, you go into the Champions League and we’re being told in the Premier League that you’re not meant to dive but you go in the Champions League and you’ve got other countries that simulate,” he told a news conference. “It’s difficult and obviously as a defender you don’t want people to just try and con the referee. “If there’s contact, in today’s game the player has got the right to appreciate that he’s been con-

spell in charge of the club. Chelsea bowed out of the Champions League at the group stage last season when they were the holders, but with Mourinho back at the helm and a kind group which also includes Steaua Bucharest and Schalke a strong run is expected. Ancelotti, who like Mourinho suffered Champions League disappointment while at Chelsea, has a mouthwatering array of talent at his disposal but ﬁnding the best system to incorporate the likes of

tacted and maybe go down. “You’ve got to defend a little bit more with your head and think about how you try and combat the forward because they are cute and know how to do this type of stuff,” he added. “It’s a difficult thing for the referee to look at so retrospective viewing and punishments may be the way to go.” Young has gained an unenviable reputation as a player prone to falling over in the penalty area and the latest incident has led to calls for him to be banned. Former Premier League referee Graham Poll, writing in his column in the Daily Mail, accused Young of cheating. “He should be banned for ﬁve games, then he might stop diving to try and con referees,” he said. Former United manager Alex Ferguson said he had “had a word” with Young last year after several high-proﬁle incidents in which the former Aston Villa player had fallen over. Last season in the Premier League, 34 yellow cards were shown for diving with former Tottenham Hotspur forward Gareth Bale the worst culprit, picking up six of them. The Football Association can take retrospective action against players they feel were guilty of simulation, even if the referee deemed nothing was wrong at the time. — Reuters

Ronaldo, Bale, Luka Modric and Isco will be key to his chances of succeeding where others failed. An away match at Galatasaray will offer some early clues. The Italian clubs are not being touted as potential champions this year but Napoli, Juventus and Milan will all bring plenty to the party in the coming months. Paris St Germain, one of only two French clubs in the group phase, begin away to Olympiakos today while Marseille host English regulars Arsenal tomorrow. - Reuters

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

SPORTS Just how good is Mayweather? An easy win over Alvarez earned the

Floyd’s plan now seems to be that he will meet Bolton’s Amir Khan in May next year, but Khan has first to beat world champion Devon Alexander in their December fight

champ $3.46m per round, but leaves the big question still unanswered, writes Steve Bunce of ‘The Independent’

T was not even close on Saturday night at the MGM in Las Vegas when Floyd Mayweather expertly tamed Saul Alvarez over 12 repetitive rounds to claim a couple of pure gold light-middleweight world title belts. Mayweather made $19,213 per second, cleared $3.4m per round and collected a record guarantee of $41.5m (£26m) when he improved his record to 45 fights without defeat. He also raised a few questions after his punches took Alvarez to the very tipping point of quitting and the main two are: how good is he and who is next? “I could have pressed it and got the late stoppage but experience played a major key,” Mayweather said at the end of a fight that had the type of crossover appeal that has eluded the sport since Mike Tyson’s best and worst days. However, the brutal truth is that Tyson delivered something easily digestible in his controversies and violence, but Mayweather is far more difficult to understand because of his aversion to risk. There was a clear sense of confusion inside the arena on Saturday night and the crowd became less vocal as Mayweather won without too much glitz. Some veteran Vegas hacks insisted that the crowd was too “white collar” to appreciate the fight, claiming the traditional fans had packed the city’s sold-out big screenings, where 25,000 watched for $100 each. In the hours after the fight Alvarez looked like a man who would gladly have traded the cash for what Mayweather had robbed him of during the 36-minute boxing lesson. The Mexican, who lost his unbeaten record, is only 23 but he looked desolate as he slumped through the obligatory post-fight search for an answer to the Mayweather enigma.

More needed from Khan, trainer believes LONDON: Amir Khan needs to re-dedicate himself to boxing if he is to have any hope of achieving his stated ambition of defeating the sport’s superstar Floyd Mayweather, his trainer believes. The British boxer is down to take on IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander in December with a potential bout against Mayweather in his sights after that. Khan, 26, was ringside in Las Vegas at the weekend to see

“I didn’t know how to get to him,” admitted Alvarez. “It’s as simple as that and the frustration was getting to me in there.” It is the latest typical dejected, savage and pitiless assessment from one of Mayweather’s broken opponents; it has become a familiar lament, a weary offering in the fading glow of a losing ﬁght. It is also a lame excuse for a seasoned prizeﬁghter to use, knowing that he is about to trouser in excess of $12m. May-

Mayweather stretch his record to 45-0 with a majority decision win over Saul Alvarez for the WBC and WBA light-middleweight titles. He is on record as saying he believes his speed in the ring could cause problems for the American and he was touted as a possible opponent when the pound-for-pound king next steps into the ring in May 2014. But Virgil Hunter, who has trained the Briton for his last two ﬁghts, thinks his

weather took his heart and that is a pact that no ﬁghter agrees to. Alvarez was, let us not conceal the truth, poor and came close in my opinion to walking away during the ﬁght in what would have been a spectacular repeat of what the great Roberto Duran did in his rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980. Duran simply waved it off, uttered the deathless cry of “no mas” in round eight and walked to his corner; Leonard was not hurt-

charge needs to show a greater dedication to boxing before any possible showdown with Mayweather. “If he is going to be really competitive, he has to show the same dedication and desire Floyd Mayweather shows. If he doesn’t he will have a tough night,” Hunter said in the Times. “If he changes his ideas and really commits to boxing and really becomes driven to be great in the sport, then I think

ing Duran but the iconic Panamanian simply could not get close enough to connect. On Saturday I saw that same look of total hatred a couple of times on Alvarez’s broken face as he found his heavy legs in bad positions and was made to look clueless for most of the fight. Mayweather never wasted a punch, clearly held back several times, and it is this seeming reluctance to finish fights that creates the one potentially damning blot

he could grow very quickly. “Amir has a lot of potential and a lot of ability and he has to maximise what he has and make it his priority if he wants to be great. You can’t take months off boxing, running here and there and there, and think you can come into an eightweek camp and perform at the best of your ability. “You have to live the life, I am not afraid to tell him that because I am trying to get the best out of him.” - AFP

on his brilliant resumé. The great boxers ﬁnish ﬁghts and the very best, such as Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, do it with an instant savagery that just seems to appear from a secret place once an opponent has been broken. On Saturday Alvarez was broken, his choristers in the building had packed away their hopes, and yet Mayweather let him survive. In private some of the best welterweights and light-middleweights

from the last 30 years can barely contain their resentment at Mayweather and dismiss any claims that he belongs in their company. Also, critics — and there are many in the boxing business —point out that at various times in the last 10 years Mayweather has chosen to avoid certain fighters. He has often, as a sensible businessman, waited a few years before agreeing terms and only then when it seemed that the fighter was no longer at his peak. It is a claim that has definite legitimacy but there are dozens of other similar instances in the boxing record books. It is the fights involving Leonard, Duran, Tommy Hearns and Marvin Hagler, a quartet dubbed the four kings, that cause so much confusion in any debate about Mayweather’s place in history. It is the lingering memory of their sensational and fearless fights which casts a historical shadow over Mayweather’s greatness. Perhaps it is also the case that there are just so few moments of raw excitement in a Mayweather fight that his ring brilliance is continually neglected. However, there was some real drama on Saturday when it was revealed that one judge – who, by the way, was paid $8,000 for her night’s work – returned a scorecard of 114-114. This was gross in every way and a simple glance in Alvarez’s direction at the final bell told the real story of what was a ridiculously easy night for Mayweather. The American, who is 36, must now plan a potentially tricky future and an end to his glittering career, knowing that his last natural and genuine opponent, Alvarez, has just been exposed. The boxer has four fights left on a six-fight contract, worth $200m, that he signed with ShowTime earlier this year; there is the very real chance that he will fight until he is 40. The plan now seems to be that he will meet Bolton’s Amir Khan in May next year, but Khan has first to beat world champion Devon Alexander in their December fight. Mayweather plans to have another payday in November. There is a chance that the middleweights Gennady Golovkin and Sergio Martinez are on Mayweather’s shopping list for his farewell tour. However, any attempt to boil the pair down to a suitable weight should be discouraged. Mayweather truly is a victim of his time and his ability, and pointing that out should not be considered a slight. He is a great fighter; he just needs a great fight and perhaps it is too late. — The Independent

FOOTBALL

Unrest in the Bavarian club over Sammer’s outburst MUNICH: Bayern Munich begin the defence of their Champions League title today with unrest in the Bavarian club after director of sport Matthias Sammer slammed the team for “emotionless” football. Bayern warmed up for today’s visit of Russian champions CSKA Moscow with a 2-0 home win over Hanover 96 on Saturday with Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic and France’s Franck Ribery scoring second-half goals. But Sammer was scathing in his appraisal, accusing Bayern of playing “lethargic football”, “going through the motions” and “playing without emotion”. His comments raised eyebrows as Bayern have won four of their five league games, only dropping points at Freiburg a fortnight ago when Pep Guardiola’s side drew 1-1 and are second in the league. “I understand Matthias wants to pour oil on the fire, but I don’t think we need to fire things up at the moment,” Bayern president Uli Hoeness told German daily Bild.

Matthias Sammer was scathing in his appraisal, accusing Bayern of playing ‘lethargic football’, ‘going through the motions’ and ‘playing without emotion’

“We will certainly talk about it, because it gives a bad impression of Bayern Munich. “You get the feeling as if we’ve lost three of our ﬁve games and drawn the other two.” Guardiola said Sammer was entitled to his opinion.

“Matthias is very emotional, like me,” said the Bayern coach. “It’s the culture here in Germany for people who work in the club to give their opinion. “We’d have a problem if that happened in Spain, but it’s normal here.”

League leaders Borussia Dortmund hammered Hamburg 6-2 on Saturday and after ﬁve victories they are the only Bundesliga side with a 100 per cent record — which has not escaped their Bavarian rivals’ attention.

“They must be laughing themselves to death in Dortmund. Our position in the Bundesliga is not dramatic,” added Hoeness. “He shouldn’t stir things up. Matthias needs to take care not to overstep the mark.

“If you do things like that every week, you are going to get your ﬁngers burnt at some point. “The enemy is outside the walls, not within. The players are people who are sometimes careless. “If we just want robots on the pitch, then there is no need to go to the stadium.” But Bayern’s expresident Franz Beckenbauer, who coached and captained Germany to World Cup titles, said Sammer’s rant was in order. “I think Matthias is working under the motto: Fight from the start! I think his comments are called for. He had a legitimate point,” said Beckenbauer. But ex-Bayern and Germany midﬁelder Lothar Matthaeus said he was “really shocked” by Sammer’s outburst. “The players need trust, not criticism,” Matthaeus, a pundit for Germany’s Sky Sports, told Munich newspaper TZ. “Comments like that just lead to a greater uncertainty, but that’s Matthias. “I’m not sure whether it’s the right time to say something like that.” — AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

SPORTS

Yuvi’s India A eyeing an encore India A, a team on a roll after the clean sweep against New Zealand A, would be hoping to carry on the winning momentum in their future matches

BANGALORE: Their conﬁdence on high after the comprehensive win in the opener, India A would look to seal the three-match unofﬁcial ODI series against West Indies A in the second 50-over game between the two sides at the Chinnaswamy Stadium today. Skipper Yuvraj Singh stole the limelight with a breathtaking century to guide India A to a thumping 77-run win over the visitors in the opening match of the series on Sunday, and come today the hosts would be looking for an encore. All eyes were trained on Yuvraj on Sunday after he was handed a

lifeline to return to the ODI team by being named captain of the India A team. And the dashing left-hander grabbed the opportunity with both hands and staked his claim for a national berth by scoring a brutal 89-ball 123 against the hapless Caribbeans in the opening match. Yuvraj produced a sensational exhibition of strokeplay by hitting eight fours and seven sixes in his scintillating innings to help India raise 312 for four after being put to bat in the match which was reduced to 42-over-a-side affair due to two-hour delayed start on ac-

count of wet outﬁeld. India A then bowled out the visitors for 235 in 39.1 overs, giving the home side a 1-0 lead in the series. Come today, India A, a team on a roll after the clean sweep against New Zealand A, would be hoping to carry on the winning momentum in their future matches. During his dazzling knock on Sunday, Yuvraj shared two hundred runs partnerships with Mandeep Singh (67) and Yusuf Pathan (70 not out), who played perfect second ﬁddle to the left-hander. Just like Yuvraj, Yusuf — who is also looking for a comeback to the ODI team — displayed his attacking skills and tore apart the West Indies bowling attack to score his runs off just 32 balls with the help of four boundaries and six hits over the fence. And today, both Yuvraj and Yusuf would be hoping for repeat performances to catch the eyes of national selectors. But openers Robin Uthappa and Unmukt Chand, both of whom excelled against New Zealand A, failed

to replicate their form in the opening match against the Caribbeans. And the duo would be hoping to return among runs which will ensure a rollicking start for the hosts. Uthappa, who is in ODI exile, in particular would be hoping an improved showing with the bat to catch the eyes of national selectors ahead of the limited overs series against West Indies and South Africa. In experienced Irfan Pathan and Praveen Kumar’s absence, the Indian bowling attack led by R Vinay Kumar lived up to expectations in Sunday’s match. With a cushion of 312 runs to defend, the pressureless Indian bowlers stuck to a disciplined line and length against Caribbean batsmen on Sunday. The quartet of Vinay Kumar, Sumit Narwal, Rahul Sharma and Yusuf Pathan scalped two wickets apiece to bowl out West Indies A for 235 runs. And Yuvraj would be expecting similar performances from his bowlers today. The West Indies A, on the other hand, who performed well during their home series against Sri

Lanka-A in June, will look for improvement. The Caribbean side would be hoping for a better show from their top-order batsmen, especially Kirk Edward, who became the 14th West Indian batsman to score a century on debut and third West Indian to score a debut hundred against India. The West Indies A top order — Nkruma Bonner (16), captain Kieran Powell (17) and Edwards (19) would be hoping to utilise their starts in the remainder of the series. Narsingh Deonaraine (57) and Ashley Nurse (57) were the only two batsmen who showed intent with fighting half centuries while chasing India’s mammoth total on Sunday. The visitors would also be hoping for fireworks from all-rounder Andre Russell, who has a reputation of winning matches on his own.The West Indies A bowling attack cut a sorry figure against the ruthless Indian batting line-up on Sunday. All the West Indian bowlers, including pace duo of Miguel Cum-

mins and Ronsford Beaton bled runs in the ﬁrst match. The series is an opportunity for a number of young West Indian players to show their skills, especially with the senior team set to tour India next month. And the likes of skipper Powell, vice-captain Veerasammy Permaul, Russell, Andre Fletcher, Devon Thomas, Edwards, Nikita Miller and Deonarine, all of whom have featured in the senior team, would be hoping to impress upon the selectors. India A: Yuvraj Singh (Capt.), Unmukt Chand, Robin Uthappa, Baba Aparajith, Kedar Jadhav, Naman Ojha, Yusuf Pathan, R Vinay Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Siddharth Kaul, Sumit Narwal, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mandeep Singh, Rahul Sharma. West Indies A: Kieran Powell (Capt.), Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Nkrumah Bonner, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Miguel Cummins, Narsingh Deonarine, Kirk Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Leon Johnson, Nikita Miller, Ashley Nurse, Andre Russell, Devon Thomas. — PTI

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE T20

T20 or Tests, the art of picking wickets remains same: Bhajji

HAPPY BUNCH FROM PAKISTAN: File picture of Faisalabad Wolves after their triumph in home league.

Spotlight on the Wolves MOHALI: Still trying to find its foothold in the cricketing landscape, the Champions League Twenty20 will enter its fourth season today with the qualifying matches during which Pakistan’s domestic champions Faisalabad Wolves are likely to hog the limelight. A league which was born out of the hugely successful IPL, CLT20 is gradually establishing its identity but it would take some time for it to truly find a connect with the fans. The event will kick off with Faisalabad Wolves, led by Pakistan’s Terst skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, taking on New Zealand’s Otago Volts in the first qualifier today. This would be followed by a starstudded Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Delhi-dasher Shikhar Dhawan, squaring off against Sri Lanka’s Kandurata Maroons in the second qualifier at the PCA stadium. Barring Volts, the other three teams in the qualifiers come from the sub-continent, but none among the four feels that either has any big advantage in the event. The top two teams will advance to the main draw, which has three Indian teams in fray — IPL champions Mumbai Indians, runners-up Chennai Super Kings and third-place finishers Rajasthan Royals. In today’s opening match, the Wolves would mainly rely on their young players including promising medium-pacer Ehsan Adil, Ali Waqas, Khuram Shahzad, Asad Ali, besides banking on the experience of skipper Misbah and Saeed Ajmal, who has been a national asset in all three formats after his Test debut four years back. The Wolves, who had some visa issues when they landed in India,

will draw strength from the fact that at the domestic level, they beat teams that had many stars. The Wolves are only the second team from Pakistan to compete in the event after Sialkot Stallions last year. Their presence in the event was ensured after much speculation that arose out of rising border tensions between India and Pakistan. “Barring Misbah and Ajmal, we are mainly a young squad, but there is lot of potential in our young players. We are conﬁdent that they will deliver at the big stage,” the team’s wicketkeeper and vice-captain, Mohamed Salman said. “Even though we don’t have international cricket happening in our country, the standard of our domestic cricket is very high...I don’t see the lack of international cricket in Pakistan making any difference to our performance,” he said. Salman and coach Naveed Anjum feel that Misbah brings with him wealth of experience and has also performed brilliantly in the shorter version of the game. “Misbah performed brilliantly for us in the shorter versions, especially in the last season. He was the highest run-getter for us in our domestic T20 tournament. Besides being highly important to the team as a batsman, he plays a very crucial role as the leader,” said Anjum. The team has been practising hard back home for the tournament and familiar surfaces of the sub-continent would be a bonus for it. Volts, who crashed out of the 2009 season by losing their ﬁrst two matches, have the likes of swashbuckling skipper Brendon

McCullum and brother Nathan McCullum to negate any advantage the other teams may get by virtue of familiar surfaces. The Kiwis arrived here after a training camp in Sri Lanka to get used to the conditions. “This is a tough qualifiers round. Look at all the teams, they are all good on the paper. We know it is going to be tough for us to get past the qualifiers,” McCullum said. The Kiwi wicketkeeper-batsman said beating tough opponents will surely give them the confidence as they go ahead in the tournament. Today’s second game Shikhar Dhawan’s star-studded Sunrisers Hyderabad, featuring the likes of Parthiv Patel, Cameron White, Darren Sammy, Dale Steyn, Thisara Perera and Ishant Sharma, would aim for a win. Dhawan, who was named as the side’s captain after Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara opted to play for the Maroons, has been in rollicking form, earning the Man of the Series in the Champions Trophy in England. The 27-year-old lefthanded batsman feels captaincy is a new challenge and he is looking forward to it. Sri Lankan Lahiru Thirimanne, captaining Kandurata Maroons, will take solace from the fact that the presence of international cricketers such as Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis and Nuwan Kulasekara besides Rangana Herath, give his team a good balance of youth and experience. “We are a young team but some of our players are very experienced and that makes for a very good combination,” the Maroons skipper said. — PTI

NEW DELHI: Deprived of a place in the India A squads, Harbhajan Singh ﬁnds himself with limited opportunities to stage a comeback, but the out-of-favour spinner is determined to make an impact in the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 to force his way into national reckoning. Unlike some of the other seniors like Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan who have been drafted into the India ‘A’ team for the series against West Indies A for their comeback trail, Harbhajan has no choice but to prove his worth in the T20 event. “I am always happy to play any format, be it days cricket, one-dayers or T20. Whatever adjustments you make, the basic principles of success do not change. Whether it’s Tests or T20s, the art of picking up wickets remains the same,” Harbhajan said phone from Ahmedabad, where he is training with Mumbai Indians squad for CLT20. “You can think about being restrictive in T20 format, whereas you can afford to experiment in Tests. But in both formats, you need to bowl those wicket-taking deliveries that win you matches. At this point of time, I am totally focussed on doing well for Mumbai Indians in the Champions League T20,” the 33-year-old bowler, who played a pivotal role in MI’s IPL triumph with 24 wickets, said. Harbhajan, who has taken 694 international wickets across the three formats, reckons that he still has the hunger and the ability to perform at the highest level. “There is a lot of hunger left in me to perform at the

international level. But I would like to concentrate on what I have at hand. I would like to take one match at a time and give my hundred percent. My job is to perform in whatever matches I am playing. I would be happy to play more longer format games but would like to wait till Ranji Trophy for that,” said Harbhajan, who last played against Australia in Hyderabad, in March this year. Asked about whether he worked on anything speciﬁc

during the off-season, Harbhajan stated, “I was in Jalandhar where I trained at my own academy under my childhood coach (Davinder Arora). I focussed on the basics and that’s most important. Then I took a few days off and now I am again training with MI.” On whether he faced competition from current Team India regular Ravichandran Ashwin or the upcoming Pervez Rasool, Harbhajan said, “I only love to compete with myself. That has always been the case in my 14 years in international cricket and would like to keep it like that.” MI had won the Champions League Twenty20 in 2011 under his captaincy and those happy memories certainly give him a lot of boost. “Winning the Champions League T20 in 2011 was a great feeling. Whether CLT20 or IPL, any victory gives you that conﬁdence. But that’s past and I would like to focus on the present. I am happy that we won then but to win this time, we need to perform even better. That’s our endeavour.” Asked whether he watched one of his closest friend Yuvraj Singh’s breathtaking century against West Indies A, Harbhajan said he did not watch cricket on television. “I don’t watch cricket on television. It’s not about Yuvi but I have never liked to watch the highlights of my past matches also. May be when I become a retired cricketer, I would love to sit back and reﬂect on my achievements and may be watch those recordings,” he concluded. — PTI

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

SPORTS

Czechs rely on time-tested team for double success in Davis Cup Czechs top seeds for 2014 Cup LONDON: Czech Republic will be the top seeds when the draw for the 2014 Davis Cup is made this week, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said yesterday. Winners last year, the Czechs have again reached the ﬁnal and will play Serbia in Belgrade next month. Serbia’s run to the ﬁnal earns them the second seeding, followed by Spain and Argentina. France, United States, Canada and Kazakhstan make up the eight seeded nations who will be kept apart in round one of the tournament. The other eight teams in next year’s World Group are Australia, Belgium, Germany, Britain, Italy, Japan, Netherlands and Switzerland. The draw takes place in London tomorrow. - Reuters FAITHFUL TO THE TEAM: Tomas Berdych, left, and Radek Stepanek, centre, typically skip Davis Cup ties only when they are injured. – Reuters

Berdych, the world No 5, and Stepanek, ranked 61st in singles and fifth in doubles, led the Czechs to their third final in five years at the weekend, having won the 13th of their 14 Davis Cup doubles rubbers together

PRAGUE: The Czech Republic will bet on a time-tested successful team of Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych when they face Novak Djokovic-led Serbia in the Davis Cup finals from November 15 to 17. Defending champions, the Czechs won their eighth Davis Cup tie in a row when they swept Argentina in the semifinals in Prague, while 2010 champions Serbia, led by world No 1 Djokovic, saw off Canada. The Czech Republic and Serbia last clashed in the 2012 quarterfinals, which the Czechs won 4-1 on their way to the victory. Two years earlier, Serbia had beaten the Czechs in the semifinals in Belgrade 3-2 to lift the trophy in the end too.

Against Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic, the Czechs will pit a duo that has a stunning record since teaming up in 2007. Berdych, the world No 5, and Stepanek, ranked 61st in singles and fifth in doubles, led the Czechs to their third final in five years at the weekend, having won the 13th of their 14 Davis Cup doubles rubbers together. Experts praise their faithfulness to the team — unlike others, Berdych and Stepanek typically skip Davis Cup ties only when they are injured. “Radek and Tomas are a great team, they have been doing great for five years and I hope we will take it to a successful end this year too,” Czech team captain Jaroslav Navratil said.

“The away game will deﬁnitely be more difficult, we saw this in Belgrade three years ago. But we’re not afraid, experience is on our side,” he added. “The opponents are incredibly strong, but if we focus on ourselves and stay in the best shape, there is a chance,” said Berdych. Still, Djokovic remains a concern given his record against the Czechs — 14-2 with Berdych, 8-1 with Stepanek. “It’s terribly hard to travel to Serbia with minus two points,” said Navratil. He added 23rd-ranked Tipsarevic might be easier to beat and “we could win two points against him.” In their home ties so far, the Czechs have relied on a superfast

court at Prague’s O2 Arena filled with thousands of frantic fans. Now they know the surface will be different. “Neither Tipsarevic nor their doubles players can play on clay. They will choose a hard surface but a slower one,” Navratil said. The crowd will be very different, too. “It’s one of the worst environments, those are not tennis fans, those are football fans, we have already seen that,” said Navratil. “We have to fight with that and the boys must close ranks and get ready so we could succeed.” Famous for wild fist-pumping and determined self-motivation when playing for the Czech team, Stepanek said a victory was “realistic.”

TO PROVE FITNESS

WRONG DECISION

Wallabies expect Horwill back for South Africa trip SYDNEY: Australia coach Ewen McKenzie expects James Horwill to rejoin his squad for next week’s trip to South Africa but has offered no assurances that the big lock will resume the captaincy. Horwill suffered a hamstring injury two weeks ago which ruled him out of the home Rugby Championship Tests against South Africa and Argentina. The Wallabies missed both his leadership and physicality in the 38-12 drubbing at the hands of the Springboks and could do with both back for the return match in Cape Town on September 28. Australia go on from South Africa for a re-match with Argentina, who they edged 14-13 at the weekend, and McKenzie said Horwill would have to be fit to train if he was to embark on the flight to Cape Town. “There’s no evidence to say (he) wouldn’t be fit by the weekend,” McKenzie told reporters in Perth

“We’ve been doing well and I believe we have one more step ahead of us to make things even nicer,” he said. “We would like to keep the trophy because it’s beautiful.” World number one Djokovic won both his singles rubbers at the weekend to down Canada and believes home advantage in Belgrade will be crucial in the ﬁnal. “Winning the 2010 trophy was an inspiration to all of us to excel the following season on the ATP Tour and that’s why the Davis Cup has a very special place in my heart,” said Djokovic. “I’ve won a number of Grand Slams but nothing compares to sharing the joy of victory with your team mates, who are there for you and cheer on every shot you take on the court in the Davis Cup.” - AFP

before the squad dispersed for a week off. “I think James would know he has to be right to train 100 per cent on Saturday. That’s what we’ll look at and we’ll work it out. I think he is tracking well.” When ﬁt, Horwill has been Australia’s captain since replacing Rocky Elsom in a shock move on the eve of the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. Having also led the Queensland Reds to Super Rugby success for the last few years under McKenzie, his place as team leader looked assured when Robbie Deans resigned in the wake of the British and Irish Lions series defeat. McKenzie, though, has displayed a distinct lack of sentiment with regard to his former Reds players since taking the reins at the Wallabies. Firstly, against all predictions, he failed to restore ﬂyhalf Quade Cooper to a starting role for the

first two tests of the championship against New Zealand, which both ended in defeat. In an even more stunning decision last week, McKenzie dropped scrumhalf Will Genia to the bench for the match against the Pumas in Perth. Given those decisions, it should come as no surprise that McKenzie would not confirm that Ben Mowen would hand back the team captaincy when Horwill returns. “I haven’t thought about it,” he added. “I’ll work out where he is up to on the injury. I have to see if he is fit enough to join the group first.” Given the problems at the scrum that have been exposed by the Springboks and Pumas over the last two weeks, it was no surprise either to hear that 59-cap loosehead prop Benn Robinson was under consideration for a return for the two-match tour. - Reuters

Du Plessis has red card expunged SYDNEY: South Africa hooker Bismark du Plessis has had the red card he received during last weekend’s match against New Zealand expunged from his record after a judicial hearing decided his first yellow card had been wrongly awarded. Du Plessis was shown two yellow cards in the match, the first in the 17th minute for a tackle on All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter that French referee Romain Poite adjudged was high and illegally executed without the use of his arms. “Judicial Officer Terry Willis from Australia has removed a red card from the disciplinary record of Bismarck du Plessis,” read a statement from Sanzar yesterday. “(He) found that the decision made by referee Romain Poite to issue a yellow card as a result of the tackle by du Plessis on Dan Carter was wrong, as it was within the laws of the game.” - Reuters

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

SPORTS Ronaldo, Bale ‘will help each other’ Despite the highproﬁle of both players assissant manager Paul Clement, who also worked with Real coach Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea and Paris St Germain, says there will be no ego clash

LONDON: Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s two most expensive footballers, will have no trouble forming a potent partnership at Real Madrid, according to assistant manager Paul Clement. Both scored in Real’s 2-2 draw with Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday as Bale made his eagerlyawaited debut having signed from Tottenham Hotspur in a record 100 million euro deal. Portuguese forward Ronaldo, who signed a new ﬁve-year deal with Real worth a reported 17 million euros each year, remains the fulcrum of the side and is unlikely to be handing over freekick responsibility to the Welshman. However, despite the highproﬁle of both players Englishman Clement, who also worked with Real coach Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea and Paris St Germain, says there will be no ego clash. “There’ll be no issue between those two, none at all,” Clement was quoted in British newspapers which carried extensive coverage of Bale’s opening game in La Liga. “Good players like to work with good players. They’ll help each other to achieve things for the club, I’m sure, and if they keep scoring, everyone will be happy.” Bale lasted an hour before being

NO ISSUES: Gareth Bale, left, and Cristiano Ronaldo are expected to be tandem again against Galatasaray today. – Reuters

substituted and Clement said fans should be patient with the Welshman whose pre-season has been disrupted by the drawn-out transfer to Madrid. “He seemed to grow when that goal went in,” Clement, who is helping Bale communicate with the non English speaking players in the squad, said. “I’m sure it was quite a relief. The transfer was a long saga and ate into his pre-season, and I’m sure he’s glad to get that game out of the

PRODIGY

Nine-year-old Swedish starlet joins Barcelona MALMO: A Swedish club announced yesterday the transfer of their nine-year-old prodigy, Zico Jr Marecaldi, to Spanish giants Barcelona. “On Wednesday Zico leaves for Barcelona for new challenges,” BK Olympic, a Swedish ﬁfth-tier club based in Malmo, announced on their website. Following his appearance at a Barca recruitment camp, the Swedish press have kept tabs on the young midﬁelder, whose idol is Lionel Messi.

He is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic by becoming just the third Swede to wear the Barca colours. “It’s going to be cool,” the youngster told Swedish daily Skaanska Dagbladet. His father Antonio, who is the coach at BK Olympic, told the newspaper he would send his talented son to boarding school initially, with the family moving to Spain as soon as possible. - AFP

way. “This is not easy for him but he’s got a lot of support here. He’s got a good friend here in Luka Modric who played with him at Spurs and is almost acting as an interpreter. “Carlo speaks good English too but Gareth seems relaxed already in the dressing room.” Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo are expected to be in tandem again when Real begin their Champions League campaign against Galatasaray today.

Media speculation Meanwhile, Spain’s press said yesterday Ronaldo’s unstoppable goal-scoring netted him a world record pay packet when he signed a contract renewal tying him to Real Madrid until 2018. Real gave no ﬁnancial details of the 28-year-old striker’s contract and estimates in the Spanish press varied widely. Top-selling sports paper Marca said he would earn 17 million euros ($23 million) net a year; El

Mundo said he secured 18 million euros net including easily reached bonuses; and sports daily AS said he would receive 21 million euros net. “How could I not love you?” ran the headline on Marca’s front page across a photograph of Real Madrid President Florentino Perez embracing a grinning Ronaldo after the deal was signed on Sunday. The agreement extinguished rumours that Ronaldo could make a sensational return to Manchester

United when his former contract expired in 2015. He had left Old Trafford to join Madrid in 2009 for a then world record 94 million euros. “When a footballer spends four years scoring a goal in every one of the 200 games he plays and one day he sits down to discuss his contract, you are talking about capitulation more than renewal,” analyst Carlos Carpio wrote in Marca. “It is easy. The player asks and the club pays.” - Reuters/AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

SPORTS SMARTEN UP DRIVE SAFE A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

Mannan to race for Fia Academy spot Mannan Al Rawahi represents the Oman Automobile Association in the four-day Middle East and Mediterranean qualifying event at Yas Marina Circuit for the revamped Fia Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy

DUBAI: Oman’s Mannan Al Rawahi will compete against 15 other rising stars of motorsport next week for the chance to earn recognition as one of the world’s most talented young drivers. Al Rawahi represents the Oman Automobile Association (OAA) in the four-day Middle East and Mediterranean qualifying event at Yas Marina Circuit — home of November’s FI Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — for the revamped Fia Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy. Hosted by the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, it is one of ﬁve selection events being staged globally to deliver eight

DRIVING INTO FUTURE: Mannan Al Rawahi (inset) in action at

a recent rally event. – Supplied photos

of the best young drivers into the Academy, with the ultimate aim to turn them into future world champions. One of the up and coming young drivers in Oman motorsport, the 19-year-old Al Rawahi is looking to make his mark on the Oman Rally Championship after ﬁrst catching attention on the national karting scene in the Sultanate. “This is a great opportunity for all the drivers to display their

driving talent on one of the world’s best F1 circuits,and show they have other qualities needed to make it to the top in motor sport,” said Dr Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the ATCUAE and Fia Vice-President for Sport. “We’re proud to be hosting the regional selection event on behalf of the Fia Institute for the new and improved Young Driver Excellence Academy, which is there to develop future world champi-

ons in the right way, with safety as a focus.” Getting under way next Sunday at Yas Marina Circuit, the regional selection event will set a series of tests on the track, and in the classroom, for the 16 drivers who have been nominated by their respective national motorsport authorities. The programme, using Abu Dhabi’s Grand Prix facility, is being run by former F1 racer and double Le Mans winner, Alex Wurz, and 2001 World Rally Champion co-driver Robert Reid. On the ﬁnal day, the group will be cut to the top six who will compete in a shoot-out on track. The winner enters the full Academy programme with winners from the other selection events in Europe, Africa, Asia-Paciﬁc and the Americas, along with three wild card selections. Featuring events at locations across Europe over the following season, the Academywill deliver a fully-funded training programme to help drivers develop their motor sport careers, also increasing safety skills and promoting fairness and responsibility on and off the track. Other drivers taking part in Abu Dhabi include the UAE’s Mansour Al Helei, Bahraini Abdulla Althawadi, Kuwait’s ZaidAshkanani, Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Bamogaddam, Egypt’s Ahmed Sherif and Syrian Yazan Hamadeh. The event was expanded for geographical and logistical reasons, and the line-up also includes drivers from Jordan, Cyprus, Palestine, Morocco, Sudan, Turkey, Iran, Georgia and Germany. CRICKET

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ISC to provide coaching for children MUSCAT: The Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat has roped in Shiv Gupta to conduct cricket coaching for children at the club’s facility in Darsait. According to a press release issued by ISC yesterday, Shiv represented his school team at the age of 15 at district level before making his presence at the university level in 19951997 and then turned out for Sherwood management team in 2000-2001. He joined PDORC in 2005 and was the vice-captain of PDORC Cricket Team in 2012 Oman Cricket League. Shiv has also played in the Cricket League New Jersey, New York Fare Buzz, New York Cricket, West Indies Boys Club Newyork; UPC, Sherwood Cricket Club (India) and Mauritius Cricket Academy. Cricket coaching at the ISC will be open to members as well as non-members.

SECTION

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LIFE & STYLE

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

How they met

Zaha Hadid , 62 Born in Baghdad, the Anglo-Iraqi Hadid is one of the world’s most celebrated architects. London has been her base for the past 40 years, her most recent project being the Sackler Gallery, an undulating white canopy to the side of a Grade II-listed former gunpowder depot, as the latest extension to the Serpentine Gallery. Julia says we met in about 1994. I’m not very good with dates, but I do know that I became involved with the Serpentine in about 1995, 1996, when Lord Palumbo (former chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain) invited me on to the Board of Trustees. I recall that I was asked to design a temporary space for a bookshop of theirs. It didn’t happen, but then my role there was as an adviser. It was never part of my remit to design things for them. But I have done just that now; in fact, three times over the years. The Serpentine is a very beautiful space for artists to exhibit their work. I think it’s invaluable, actually. In many ways, Julia and I are quite formal and professional with each

other, but I do consider her my friend. We also have lots of friends in common, and we often all have dinner together. She’s a tough lady, and very good at what she does. I’m sorry to say this, as I wouldn’t want the Serpentine to lose her, but I do think she should be running a very major institution, whether in this country or abroad. The work she does at the Serpentine is wonderful. I remember ﬁrst being approached to design what became the Sackler Gallery many years ago by somebody else, but that never happened. So when the offer came again, I was very interested. It’s quite a small space, and the scale is modest, but it is an important message, I think, to show that you can achieve beauty through modesty. The whole design and build took about two years. It’s always a tense time, full of budgetary concerns, time schedules, and so on. And we are both very opinionated people, but we do respect each other’s opinion. There is no point having an adviser if you are not going to listen to them; they are the experts. If I go to a doctor, I’m

Over the past 20 years,

Zaha Hadid and

Julia Peyton-Jones

collaborated together

conﬁdent he will give me the correct advice. Well, the same was true here. As architects, we rarely go in with carte blanche, but we do have a lot of privileges. At the same time, however, you always have to address the client – in this case, Julia — and what is exciting about this profession is that, despite all the constraints, it’s also a lot of fun. It’s always nice to complete a project. I tend to like to go somewhere hot and relax for a few months immediately afterwards. I haven’t gone away yet, but then we haven’t opened to the public yet, and that’s why Julia and I haven’t celebrated. The moment of reckoning comes when the public arrives. Over the past 20 years, we have collaborated together three times. I expect and hope we will work together again.

thrice and wish to

collaborate more often

Julia Peyton-Jones, 60 Formerly a curator at the Hayward Gallery, Peyton-Jones has been a co-director of the Serpentine Gallery in London since 1991. She lives in London Back when I ﬁrst joined the Serpentine Gallery, the art

world was a very different place. There simply wasn’t the appetite for culture the way there is now, and certainly not for modern art. People would look at it and say that a child of three could do it; they don’t say that now. Redeveloping the Sackler Gallery here has been a twinkle in my eye for 15 years. I felt it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create not only a beautiful exhibition space thanks to Zaha, but also a restaurant that will surely come to be seen as one of London’s best. I must have ﬁrst met Zaha in about 1995 or 1996. She is a brilliant woman, and she is always very clear about what she wants. She is also incredibly supportive. I remember when my father died, she rang not only to express her sadness, but also to ask whether there was anything she could do. I thought that was enormously touching. Her loyalty is notable. You can go to any opening of hers around the world, and you are quite likely to ﬁnd friends that she has had for years. —Nick Duerden/The Independent

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

EXTRA

MORNINGS DON’T HAVE TO BE HECTIC Mornings area madcap time in many households and this is a key reason most of us believe we have no time. The truth is we do but it’s consumed by chaos culminating in few accomplishments beyond getting out of the door. Mornings don’t have to be like this. They can be joyous, productive times used for developing habits that help you grow into a better person. Learning to use mornings well can be what separates constant, regular achievement from being too stressed to get anything done. Before the rest of the world is even eating breakfast the most successful people have already scored daily victories that are helping them to create the lives they want.

NURTURE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS If you work outside the home and don’t see your family during the day take advantage of the fact that many small children wake up at the crack of dawn. People always pontiﬁcate about how important a family dinner is but this is not a reality for families with children who want to eat at 5.30pm, especially if one or both parents work later hours. Family breakfasts when treated as relaxed, fun affairs are a great substitute for the evening meal. Put off watching breakfast television or checking your phone and talk to the children about what’s going to happen during the day or anything they happen to be thinking about.

Make over your mornings Instead of despairing at early starts, use those hours to achieve what you want

TRACK YOUR TIME Part of using your time better is knowing exactly how you’re using it now. If you’ve ever tried to lose weight you know that nutritionists tell you to keep a food journal. It’s the same with your time. Write down what you’re doing as often as you can, in as much detail as you think will be helpful and try tracking a whole week. The solution to morning dilemmas often lies at other times of the day. For example, you may be too tired in the mornings because you’re staying up late. If you look at how you’re spending your nights you’ll notice you’re not always doing anything urgent or even enjoyable. As for the morning you can be very organised but still not spend the time in a way that is in keeping with what you’d really like to achieve. Track time carefully and question your assumptions about what you should be doing. You may believe a good mother makes her children’s lunches but I bet you could ﬁnd several women you believe are incredible mums who give their children lunch money.

PICTURE THE PERFECT START Ask yourself what a great morning would look like. Would it start with a run and a hearty breakfast or with good coffee and a longterm project such as writing a book or a blog? Think about how this vision could fit in with the life you have. The good thing about filling the morning hours with important activities is you’ll cut down on the things that are more time intensive than they need to be. Allow 15 minutes for a shower and you’ll take 15. Give yourself five and you’ll be out in five. People used to late nights may find that counting back eight hours from the time they’d like to get up suggests an improbably early bedtime but there are plenty of ways to wind down. Stop watching TV and checking email an hour before bed. Make sure your room is dark and cool. Try deep breathing, meditating or read something relaxing. Come up with a plan to make your bedtime ritual easier and assemble what you need and don’t label this vision as impossible. —The Daily Express

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA Turbo 3D (Animation/Comedy) (PG) Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson 1:30, 5:30pm; CP No: 734 Getaway (Action/Crime) (12+) Cast: Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight 3:30, 9:45, 11:45pm; CP No:796 Kick Ass 2 (Action/Crime) (15+) Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz - Plasse 7:30pm; CP No: 769 Planes (3D) (Animation/Comedy/Adventure) (PG) Cast: Carlos Alazraqui, Dane Cook 1:30, 3:15, 5:15pm; CP No:808 We’re The Millers (Comedy) (15+) Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts 7:15pm; CP No:743 Riddick (Action/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Kate Sackhoff 7:30, 9:30, 11:45pm; CP No:777 Percy Jackson 2 : Sea of Monsters (3D) (Adventure/Fantasy) (PG) Cast: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30pm; CP No:802 The Colony (Action/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton 9:30, 11:30pm; CP No:792

The Colony (Action/Thriller) (15+) 2:30pm; CP No:793 Percy Jackson 2 : Sea of Monsters (Adventure/Fantasy) (PG) 4:15pm; CP No:803 Grand Masti (Comedy) 6:30pm; CP No: 814 Getaway (Action/Crime) (12+) 9:15, 11:45pm; CP No:797

Planes (3D) (Animation/ Adventure) (PG) Cast: Carlos Alazraqui, Dane Cook 11:30 am, 1:30, 3:30pm; CP No:809 Riddick (Action/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Kate Sackhoff 5:15, 9:30pm; CP No:778 Getaway (Action/Crime) (12+) Cast: Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight 7:30, 11:45pm; CP No:797 We’re The Millers (Comedy) (15+) Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston 1:30 pm; CP No:743 Percy Jackson 2 : Sea of Monsters (Adventure/Fantasy) (PG) Cast: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario 3:30, 7:30 pm; CP No:803 THAI FILM FESTIVAL Timings: 5:30 pm Grand Masti (Comedy) (18+) Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Ritesh Deshmukh 9:00pm; CP No:814 The Colony (Action/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton 11:45pm; CP No:793

PLAZA 3 Chennai Express (Action) (PG) Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, 3:30, 6:30pm; CP No:692 Zanjeer (Action/Thriller) (PG) Cast: Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra 6:30pm; CP No:786

Pullipullikalum Attinkuttiyum (Malyalam) (Comedy) (PG) CP No:817 Cast: Kunchako Bhoban, Namitha Pramod 7:30, 10:30pm

Getaway (Action/Crime) (12+) Cast: Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight 3:00, 9:30, 11:30pm; CP No:798 Percy Jackson 2 : Sea of Monsters (Adventure/Fantasy) (PG) Cast: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario 5:00, 7:00pm; CP No:804 Planes (3D) (Animation/Adventure) (PG) 3:30, 5:30pm; CP No:810 Riddick (Action/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Kate Sackhoff 7:15, 9:30pm; CP No:779 The Colony (Action/Thriller) (15+) 11:45pm; CP No:794 Kick Ass 2 (Action/Crime) (15+) 2:00pm; CP No:766 Zanjeer (Action/Thriller) (12+) Cast: Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra 4:00pm; CP No:784 Shuddh Desi Romance (Hindi) (Comedy/ Romance) (PG) Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Sushant Singh Rajput 6:30pm; CP No:787 Percy Jackson 2 : Sea of Monsters (Adventure/Fantasy) (PG) 9:00pm; CP No:804 Riddick (Action/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Kate Sackhoff 11:30pm; CP No:779 The Colony (Action/Thriller) (15+) 3:30pm; CP No:794 One Direction: This Is Us (Documentary/ Music) (PG) 5:30pm ; CP No:821

PLAZA 1 Grand Masti (Comedy) (18+) Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Ritesh Deshmukh 3:30, 6:30, 9:30pm; CP No:815 PLAZA 2 John Day (Hindi) (Thriller) (15+) Cast: Randeep Hooda, Naseeruddin Shah 3:30 pm; CP No:816 Zanjeer (Action/Thriller) (PG) Cast: Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra, Sanjay Dutt 6:30pm; CP No:786 Shuddh Desi Romance (Hindi) (Comedy/ Romance) Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Sushant Singh Rajput, Vaani Kapoor 9:30pm; CP No:790

Riddick (Action/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Kate Sackhoff 3:30, 11:30pm; CP No:780 Getaway (Action/Crime) (12+) Cast: Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight 7:30, 9:30, 11:30pm; CP No: 799 Planes (3D) (Animation/Adventure) (PG) Cast: Carlos Alazraqui, Dane Cook 3:30, 5:30, 7:15 pm Percy Jackson 2 : Sea of Monsters (Adventure/Fantasy) (PG) Cast: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario 5:30, 9:45, 11:45 pm; CP No:805 Kick Ass 2 (Action/Crime) (15+) Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz - Plasse 4:00pm; CP No: 769 Zanjeer (Action/Thriller) (PG) Cast: Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra 6:00pm; CP No: 785 Pullipullikalum Attinkuttiyum (Malyalam) (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Kunchako Bhoban, Namitha Pramod 8:30pm; CP No: 818

Planes (3D) (Animation/Adventure) (PG) ) Cast: Carlos Alazraqui, Dane Cook, Stacey Keach 5:30pm; CP No:812 Percy Jackson 2 : Sea of Monsters (Adventure/Fantasy) (PG) ) Cast: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario,

Brandon T. Jackson 7:30, 9:30pm; CP No:806 Riddick (Action/Thriller) (15+) ) Cast: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Kate Sackhoff 11:30pm; CP No:781 Getaway (Action/Crime) (12+) ) Cast: Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight 5:15, 7:15, 11:55pm; CP No:800 Pullipullikalum Attinkuttiyum (Malyalam) (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Kunchako Bhoban, Namitha Pramod

Planes (3D) (Animation/Adventure) (PG) ) Cast: Carlos Alazraqui, Dane Cook 11:30, 1:30, 3:30pm; CP No:813 Percy Jackson 2 : Sea of Monsters (Adventure/Fantasy) (PG) Cast: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson 5:30, 7:30pm; CP No:807 Getaway (Action/Crime) (12+) ) CP No:801 Cast: Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight 9:30, 11:30pm Kick Ass 2 (Action / Crime) (15+) Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz - Plasse 12:30pm; CP No:766 Riddick (Action/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Kate Sackhoff 2:30, 4:30, 6:45, 11:45 pm ; CP No:782 Pullipullikalum Attinkuttiyum (Malyalam) (Comedy) (PG) ) Cast: Kunchako Bhoban, Namitha Pramod, Irshad 9:00pm; CP No:820

Getaway (Action /Crime) Cast: Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight 4:00, 8:00, 10:00 & 11:55pm CP No: 1022 (12+) The Colony (Action/Sci-Fi/Thriller) Cast: Kevin Zegers, Laurence Fishburne 4:00, 8:15, 10:00 & 11:55pm CP No: 1023 (15+) Kick-Ass 2 (Action/Comedy/Crime) Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace 2:00pm; CP No: 994 (15+) We’re the Millers (Comedy/Crime) Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts 2:00pm; CP No: 995 (12+) The Conjuring (Horror/Thriller) Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor 6:00pm; CP No : 917 (15+) Shuddh Desi Romance (Romance) Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Parineeti Chopra, Rishi Kapoor 6:00pm; CP No: 997 (PG)

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinema.net

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Thoofan (2D)(Telugu) (Action/Romance) Cast: Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra and Prakash Raj 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45pm (Cinema 3) Varutha Padatha Valibar Sangam (2D) (Tamil) Cast: Karthikeyan, Sri Divya and Sathya Raj 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45 (Cinema 2) Pullipullikalum Attinkuttiyum(2D) (Mal) (Comedy/Romance) Cast: Kunchako Boban, Namitha Pramod, Suraj and Joju 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30pm (Cinema Main) Neelaksham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (Mal) (Comedy/Romance) Cast: Dulqar Salman, Sunny Wayne 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45pm (Cinema 4)

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

ACES ON BRIDGE

Use the bidding to aid the play

SUDOKU

3 9 6 2 1

2 9 4

9 8 5 1 7 9 5 8 4 1 9 6

6 4 9 7 5 8

7 8 3 4 1 2

1 2 5 6 9 3

9 1 8 2 4 5

MARMADUKE

B I G NAT E

52 TV genie portrayer 53 Lyric poem 54 Venetian-blind unit 55 Insect repellent DOWN 1 Greer and Roach 2 Checkup 3 Opera by Verdi 4 Mind 5 Prime time hour 6 Like good brandy 7 Provide staff 8 Circular currents 9 Campus org. 10 Four-letter word 11 All right 17 Sundance Kid’s girl 19 Round Table knight 22 Lobster-house wear 23 Let ‘er —! 24 Before, to bards 25 Large green parrot 26 Haegar’s creator — Browne 27 Narrow inlet 28 Chow mein

29 31 34 35 36 37 39 40

additive Sault — Marie Arith. term Masticate Lots and lots Focus Rang up Picture in a picture Springﬁeld bus driver

4 3 7 1 8 6

8 9 4 5 3 7

3 7 6 9 2 1

Previous puzzle Solution

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Stack 5 Likewise 9 Outback jumper 12 Poles’ connector 13 By Jove! 14 Furniture wood 15 — Jane Grey 16 Blood feud 18 Kissed loudly 20 Like a bug bite 21 Chinese dynasty 22 Patronise Harrah’s 23 Type in again 26 Charms 30 Pique 31 Ad — (wing it) 32 Is, to Klaus 33 Fan spreader 36 “Measure twice, cut once,” e.g. 38 Coal scuttle 39 Livy’s trio 40 Looked at amorously 43 Reveals 47 Fishing boats 49 — of scrimmage 50 Nervous twitch 51 End of a threat

5 6 2 3 7 9

2 5 1 8 6 4

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

41 Graph paper pattern 42 Draw together 43 Bear constellation 44 Fries, maybe 45 Toddler’s perch 46 Dropped in the mail 48 Angled pipe

Answer to previous puzzle

H.E. Martz said, “He who builds a better mousetrap these days runs into material shortages, patentinfringement suits, work stoppages, collusive bidding, discount discrimination — and taxes.” At the bridge table, when your contract appears hopeless, be a man, not a mouse, and see if you can trap an opponent into helping you. South blazes into six hearts despite West’s one-spade overcall. West leads the spade king. After winning with his ace, how should declarer continue? After North made a limit raise, South bid what he hoped he could make. (Yes, a tournament player would have treated North’s three hearts as pre-emptive; he would have cue-bid two spades to show heart support and at least gameinvitational values.) At ﬁrst glance, South has two unavoidable spade losers. He also has only 11 top tricks: one spade, six hearts, one diamond and three clubs. Yes, the bidding tells declarer that East started with a singleton spade, but how does that help? Declarer cashes his diamond ace and heart queen. When the trumps are 2-1, South plays a trump to the dummy, ruffs the last diamond, unblocks his two club honors, returns to dummy with a trump, and discards a spade on the club queen. Then comes the taxing play: Declarer leads dummy’s last club, and when East follows suit, South does not ruff; instead, he discards another spade. East is trapped. He has only diamonds left, and on this trick, declarer sluffs his last spade and ruffs on the board. — By Phillip Alder

WITH LOVE

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

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

BORN LOSER

MARIAM KHAZAR September 17

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

KIDSPOT

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

C10

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

FIND-IT-ALL Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you are sometimes so fun-loving that those around you fail to realise that you also take things very seriously, especially when it comes to your work. You love to laugh, carouse and carry on, yet there is always a method to your particular madness. Underneath the surface you are always considering how you can do something better, with more efficiency. You may, when young, have trouble determining your true place in the scheme of things. While you may never truly know for sure, you will at least get used to feeling somewhat like a drifter! You are no stranger to love, but what is more important to you than feeling in love yourself is the fact that others are sure to fall in love with you again and again with remarkable frequency. The word you need to learn, of course, is “no” — believe it or not, your life is not always best served by romantic entanglements. Also born on this date are: John Ritter, actor; Ken Kesey, author; Anne Bancroft, actress; Roddy McDowall, actor; Hank Williams Sr., singer and songwriter; Nate Berkus, interior designer.

PRAYER TIMINGS

W E AT H E R

Max

OMAN WORLD Max 37 Min 32 Max 19 Min 11

Max 36 Min 24

Max 36 Min 28 Max 11 Min 5

Max 35 Min 29

Max 16 Min 8

Max 39 Min 24

Max 42 Min 27

Max 39 Min 24

Max 38 Min 29

Max 34 Min 26

Max 31 Min 26

Max 29 Min 17

Max 29 Min 25 Max 28 Min 12

—www.met.gov.om

LIBRA L You may have to change your plans after certain environmental details are brought to your attention. You have an alternative ready to go.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You may have trouble getting started, but once you’ve made that ﬁrst move, it will be even harder for you to stop!

SAGITTARIUS S

Min

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

40 40 39 40 41 44

28 31 29 31 27 28

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

26 38 27 16 17 33 29 16 29 26 27 34 24 15 17 32 29 21

21 22 19 8 8 24 25 10 24 20 17 23 19 14 11 26 21 12

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

[[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22]

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI) QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Time Time 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 15:00 Sur 18:00 15:00 Jaalan 19:30 TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 06:30 Sohar 06:30 Buraimi 08:00 Buraimi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Buraimi 16.00 Sohar 16.00 Buraimi TO SINAW (Route 52) 17:30 Sinaw

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

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

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

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

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

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

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

[[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] You may have everything arranged down to the last possible detail, but it’s not possible to control all external inﬂuences.

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

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

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

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

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

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

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

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

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

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

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

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

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

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

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

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

Daily Daily Daily Daily

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

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

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

Daily

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] The way things develop will tell you a great deal about yourself and the way you ﬁt into the overall scheme.

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] You may experience a minor setback, but recovery should be quick and easy. You can use this as a learning experience, certainly.

16:50

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

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] You have been grappling with questions of right and wrong, but you’ll realise that certain issues are more complicated than that.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] You are feeling conﬁdent and capable, yet you may not be able to make the kind of headway you had hoped for until quite late in the day.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] Something is standing in your way. Is it merely an unexpected circumstance, or is someone actively trying to halt your progress?

GEMINI [MAY 21-JUNE 20] You may have to think about things in a different way in order to rise above a current fray and see where you are really going.

CANCER [JUNE 21-JULY 22] No good can come of conﬂict at this time. See if you can’t avoid running afoul of someone who insists on being negative and aggressive.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] You may be in need of a little pickme-up, and a friend or loved one knows just what to do to help out. This is a special opportunity.

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow)

6.10pm 5.54am

High tide Low tide

6:48pm 1:15am

7:09am 1:11pm

will be easterly to northeasterly light to moderate during day becoming variable light at night and over the rest of the Sultanate wind will be southeasterly light to moderate. SEA STATE: Slight to moderate along the southeastern coast with a maximum wave height of 1.5 metres and slight along the rest of Oman’s coasts with maximum wave height of 1.0 metre. HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during thundershowers, and fog.

[AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You may ﬁnd yourself in the best position to accomplish something that others are eager to accomplish as well. You can lead the way.

12.06pm 3.33pm 6.14pm 7.25pm 4.38am

AIRLINES

lear to partly cloudy skies along the coastal areas of Dhofar governorate and adjoining mountains. Mainly clear skies over the rest of the Sultanate with chance of convective clouds development and thundershowers over Al-Hajar mountains and adjoining areas towards afternoon associated with fresh downdraft wind. Chance of early morning low clouds or fog patches along the coastal areas of south Al-Sharqiya and Al-Wusta governorates. EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal areas of Oman sea wind

VIRGO

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

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

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

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

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

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

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

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

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

LISTINGS

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766 Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691 Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740 Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 24537080 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah. Tel: 23291635 HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000 Al Musaﬁr Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic: 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740 Ceregem National Raak: 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217 Elixir Health Centre: 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre: 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

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

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

24784545, Swiss International Airlines: 24796692, Thai Airways: 24705934, Turkish Airlines: 24703033 MUSEUMS Bait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp ﬁsh market), Open from Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm Natural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm; Thursday: 9am to 1pm Museum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946 Armed Forces Museum: Bait Al Falaj, Tel: 24312651, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thurs 9-12pm and 3-6pm; Fri 9-11am and 3-6pm. Al Hoota Caves 24498258; Turtle Beach 96550606/96550707 Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Oman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pm Bait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., Muscat museum@baitalzubairmuseum.com Open from Sat to Thurs: 9:30am to 6pm. National Museum Ruwi: Tel: 24701289, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Sohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pm Muscat Gate Museum: at Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

WY313 WY676 BG021 4H583 NL768 WY3908 EY384 ET624 QR170 EK866 FZ041 GF560 MS930 TK778 WY412 WY904 WY122 WY658 WY686 WY674 WY638 WY142 WY154 WY114 WY692 WY668 WY644 WY102 WY132 FZ043 WY602 WY432 WY274 WY202 WY3902 G9114 WY242 WY236 WY252 EK862 WY226 WY268 EY382 QR166 9W530 WY3302 WY604 WY918 WY902 WY314 IX549 WY3904 GF562 PK191 WY324 WY606 WY632 WY328 IX817 WY906 WY3304 QR6162 FZ045 WY346 KU677 WY204 WY3922 WY246 WY910 WY292 WY664 WY232 WY656 WY908 WY284 WY216 GF564 EY386 WY338 WY3306 TG507 SV534 G9116 WY910 FZ047 WY614 WY254 9W534 AI973 WY374 6.00E+81 BA073 QR168 WY624 UL205 AI907 LH618 WY814 WY386 WY672 LX242 EY388 GF566 WY912 WY636 WY3910 AI985 9W540 WY916 QR172 WY654 WY3912 WY816 WY662 WY717 WY612 WY696 WY648

RIYADH 0005 JEDDAH 0005 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 0130 DACCA 0130 LAHORE 0130 SALALAH 0235 ABU DHABI 0310 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DOHA 0355 DUBAI 0355 DUBAI 0415 BAHRAIN 0425 CAIRO 0500 ISTANBUL-BAHRAIN 0510 AMMAN 0615 SALALAH 0620 MUNICH 0620 BAHRAIN 0640 RIYADH 0640 JEDDAH 0640 ABU DHABI 0640 MALPENSA 0650 ZURICH 0650 FRANKFURT 0650 DAMMAM 0705 DOHA 0715 KUWAIT 0720 LONDON HEATHROW 0730 PARIS 0745 DUBAI 0800 DUBAI 0800 TEHRAN 0800 JAIPUR 0820 BOMBAY 0825 SALALAH 0900 SHARJAH 0915 DELHI 0925 HYDERABAD 0925 MADRAS 0930 DUBAI 0930 COCHIN 0935 LUCKNOW 0935 ABU DHABI 0950 DOHA 1010 TRIVANDRUM 1045 MUKHAIZNA 1045 DUBAI 1100 KHASAB 1125 SALALAH 1140 CHITTAGONG 1155 TRIVANDRUM 1215 SALALAH 1225 BAHRAIN 1230 GWADUR 1245 KARACHI 1250 DUBAI 1330 ABU DHABI 1345 LAHORE 1415 MANGALORE-ABU DHABI 1425 SALALAH 1440 MUKHAIZNA 1445 DOHA 1530 DUBAI 1545 ISLAM ABBAD 1545 KUWAIT 1605 BOMBAY 1645 JAALUNI 1700 DELHI 1700 DUBAI 1710 CALICUT 1715 DOHA 1740 HYDERABAD 1740 BAHRAIN 1745 SALALAH 1750 BANGALORE 1750 TRIVANDRUM 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 ABU DHABI 1815 KATHMANDU 1830 MUKHAIZNA 1845 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1900 RIYADH 1900 SHARJAH 1915 SALALAH 1940 DUBAI 2020 DUBAI 2020 MADRAS 2110 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 COLOMBO 2130 BOMBAY 2130 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2130 DOHA 2135 DUBAI 2145 COLOMBO 2155 MADRAS 2200 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2225 BANGKOK 2230 MALE 2230 MEDINA 2235 ZURICH-DUBAI 2235 ABU DHABI 2235 BAHRAIN 2240 SALALAH 2240 ABU DHABI 2240 SALALAH 2255 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310 BOMBAY 2315 SALALAH 2315 DOHA 2325 BAHRAIN 2335 SALALAH 2335 BANGKOK 2340 DOHA 2340 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2345 DUBAI 2345 DAMMAM 2350 KUWAIT 2355

ETA

WY676 WY682 WY406 WY824 BG021 4H581 TK776 EY384 ET624 EK866 QR170 FZ041 GF560 WY904 WY674 WY686 WY638 WY658 WY692 WY668 WY644 WY102 WY602 FZ043 WY274 WY202 NL768 WY342 G9114 WY242 WY236 WY3902 EK862 WY252 WY268 WY212 WY226 EY382 QR166 9W530 WY604 WY902 WY918 GF562 WY3302 WY826 WY826 WY324 IX337 WY606 WY632 WY906 WY610 WY346 FZ045 SV530 WY3304 PA450 WY204 WY246 WY292 QR164 WY664 WY254 WY232 WY656 WY908 WY284 GF564 G9116 WY144 WY910 WY614 FZ047 WY152 WY434 AI977 KL441 9W534 WY312 AI973 BA073 6.00E+81 QR168 WY624 UL205 WY914 AI907 LH618 LX242 EY388 WY912 GF566 WY636 WY124 WY414 WY116 AI985 WY134 WY916 9W540 QR172 WY3908 WY654 WY662 WY816 WY612 WY717 WY696 WY406 WY648

JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0005 CAIRO 0030 KUALA LUMPUR 0105 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 0130 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 0130 ISTANBUL-BAHRAIN 0210 ABU DHABI 0310 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0355 DOHA 0355 DUBAI 0415 BAHRAIN 0425 SALALAH 0635 JEDDAH 0640 RIYADH 0640 ABU DHABI 0640 BAHRAIN 0640 DAMMAM 0705 DOHA 0715 KUWAIT 0720 LONDON HEATHROW 0730 DUBAI 0800 DUBAI 0800 JAIPUR 0820 BOMBAY 0825 LAHORE 0830 LAHORE 0900 SHARJAH 0915 DELHI 0925 HYDERABAD 0925 SALALAH 0925 DUBAI 0930 MADRAS 0930 LUCKNOW 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0935 COCHIN 0935 ABU DHABI 0950 DOHA 1010 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUBAI 1100 SALALAH 1140 KHASAB 1225 BAHRAIN 1230 MUKHAIZNA 1230 KUALA LUMPUR 1230 KUALA LUMPUR 1245 KARACHI 1250 CALICUT 1305 DUBAI 1330 ABU DHABI 1345 SALALAH 1440 DUBAI 1525 ISLAM ABBAD 1545 DUBAI 1545 JEDDAH 1550 MUKHAIZNA 1630 LAHORE 1645 BOMBAY 1645 DELHI 1700 CALICUT 1715 DOHA 1725 DOHA 1740 MADRAS 1740 HYDERABAD 1740 BAHRAIN 1745 SALALAH 1750 BANGALORE 1750 BAHRAIN 1810 SHARJAH 1915 MALPENSA 1930 SALALAH 1940 DUBAI 2020 DUBAI 2020 ZURICH 2030 TEHRAN 2045 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2115 COCHIN 2115 CHITTAGONG 2115 DELHI 2125 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2130 BOMBAY 2130 DOHA 2135 DUBAI 2145 COLOMBO 2155 SALALAH 2200 MADRAS 2200 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2225 ZURICH-DUBAI 2235 ABU DHABI 2235 SALALAH 2240 BAHRAIN 2240 ABU DHABI 2240 MUNICH 2255 AMMAN 2300 FRANKFURT 2305 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310 PARIS 2315 SALALAH 2315 BOMBAY 2315 DOHA 2325 SALALAH 2335 BAHRAIN 2335 DOHA 2340 BANGKOK 2340 DUBAI 2345 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2345 DAMMAM 2350 CAIRO 2355 KUWAIT 2355

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

BA072 AI986 QR173 9W539 SG062 WY685 WY251 WY201 WY225 WY313 WY601 WY273 WY267 WY235 WY431 WY643 WY637 WY903 WY241 WY657 NL769 WY691 WY667 4H584 BG022 ET625 EK867 FZ042 WY3901 EY385 QR171 MS931 TK779 WY3301 GF561 WY901 WY813 WY327 WY603 WY3903 WY323 WY917 FZ044 WY345 WY337 WY291 WY215 WY815 WY823 G9115 WY283 WY245 WY231 WY203 WY605 WY373 WY905 WY385 EK863 WY631 EY383 WY3303 QR167 9W533 WY253 IX554 WY3921 GF563 PK192 WY655 WY907 WY663 WY101 WY609 WY3305 IX818 WY405 WY671 WY909 FZ046 WY675 QR6163 KU678 WY613 WY623 WY911 WY3909 WY681 WY647 GF565 EY387 WY915 WY695 WY3911 WY653 WY635 WY661 G9117 SV535 TG508 WY611 FZ048 WY825 9W529 WY673 QR169 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 GF567 EY381 LX243 LH619

ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0001 BOMBAY 0005 DOHA 0025 BOMBAY 0030 AHMEDABAD 0030 RIYADH 0050 MADRAS 0110 BOMBAY 0115 COCHIN 0120 CHITTAGONG 0125 DUBAI 0140 JAIPUR 0145 LUCKNOW 0150 HYDERABAD 0155 TEHRAN 0200 KUWAIT 0210 ABU DHABI 0215 SALALAH 0220 DELHI 0225 BAHRAIN 0230 LAHORE 0230 DAMMAM 0235 DOHA 0235 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 0300 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 0300 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0500 DUBAI 0500 SALALAH 0500 ABU DHABI 0525 DOHA 0540 CAIRO 0600 BAHRAIN-ISTANBUL 0600 MUKHAIZNA 0715 BAHRAIN 0730 SALALAH 0740 BANGKOK 0750 LAHORE 0750 DUBAI 0800 SALALAH 0820 KARACHI 0830 KHASAB 0830 DUBAI 0840 ISLAM ABBAD 0915 KATHMANDU 0930 CALICUT 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0940 BANGKOK 0940 KUALA LUMPUR 0950 SHARJAH 0955 BANGALORE 1000 DELHI 1000 HYDERABAD 1010 BOMBAY 1025 DUBAI 1035 COLOMBO 1040 SALALAH 1040 MALE 1040 DUBAI 1045 ABU DHABI 1045 ABU DHABI 1050 MUKHAIZNA 1115 DOHA 1115 COCHIN 1145 MADRAS 1255 TRIVANDRUM 1305 JAALUNI 1315 BAHRAIN 1315 GWADUR-TURBAT 1330 BAHRAIN 1345 SALALAH 1350 DOHA 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 DUBAI 1410 MUKHAIZNA 1515 MANGALORE 1515 CAIRO 1515 MEDINA 1540 SALALAH 1540 DUBAI 1630 JEDDAH 1645 DOHA 1700 ABU DHABI-KUWAIT 1705 DUBAI 1715 DUBAI 1805 SALALAH 1840 SALALAH 1850 RIYADH 1850 KUWAIT 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 ABU DHABI 1915 SALALAH 1915 DAMMAM 1930 SALALAH 1930 BAHRAIN 1935 ABU DHABI 1940 DOHA 1950 SHARJAH 1955 RIYADH 2000 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2005 DUBAI 2045 DUBAI 2105 KUALA LUMPUR 2115 TRIVANDRUM 2230 JEDDAH 2235 DOHA 2235 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 ABU DHABI 2330 DUBAI-ZURICH 2335 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 2345

BA072 AI986 QR173 9W539 WY685 WY251 WY201 WY225 WY211 WY601 WY273 WY267 WY235 WY115 WY123 WY643 WY133 WY151 WY637 WY903 WY241 WY657 WY691 WY667 WY143 WY341 TK777 4H582 BG022 ET625 FZ042 EK867 QR171 WY3901 EY385 GF561 WY901 WY603 WY3301 WY323 FZ044 WY345 WY253 WY917 NL769 WY291 WY815 G9115 WY245 WY283 WY231 WY203 WY605 WY905 WY311 WY631 WY717 EK863 EY383 QR167 9W533 WY331 WY609 WY913 WY3303 GF563 WY655 WY413 WY663 WY907 WY101 IX350 WY405 WY433 WY909 FZ046 WY675 SV531 WY613 PA451 WY623 QR165 WY911 WY647 WY681 GF565 WY915 WY3907 WY695 WY653 WY635 WY661 G9117 WY611 FZ048 WY825 AI978 KL442 9W529 WY673 QR169 WY817 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 GF567 WY817 EY381 LX243 LH619

ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0001 BOMBAY 0005 DOHA 0025 BOMBAY 0030 RIYADH 0050 MADRAS 0110 BOMBAY 0115 COCHIN 0120 TRIVANDRUM 0120 DUBAI 0140 JAIPUR 0145 LUCKNOW 0150 HYDERABAD 0155 FRANKFURT 0205 MUNICH 0205 KUWAIT 0210 PARIS 0210 ZURICH 0210 ABU DHABI 0215 SALALAH 0220 DELHI 0225 BAHRAIN 0230 DAMMAM 0235 DOHA 0235 MALPENSA 0235 LAHORE 0240 BAHRAIN-ISTANBUL 0300 DACCA 0300 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 0300 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0500 DUBAI 0500 DOHA 0515 SALALAH 0525 ABU DHABI 0525 BAHRAIN 0730 SALALAH 0740 DUBAI 0800 MUKHAIZNA 0800 KARACHI 0830 DUBAI 0840 ISLAM ABBAD 0915 MADRAS 0920 KHASAB 0930 LAHORE 0930 CALICUT 0935 BANGKOK 0940 SHARJAH 0955 DELHI 1000 BANGALORE 1000 HYDERABAD 1010 BOMBAY 1025 DUBAI 1035 SALALAH 1040 CHITTAGONG 1040 ABU DHABI 1045 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045 DUBAI 1045 ABU DHABI 1050 DOHA 1115 COCHIN 1145 KATHMANDU 1225 DUBAI 1235 SALALAH 1240 MUKHAIZNA 1300 BAHRAIN 1315 BAHRAIN 1345 AMMAN 1345 DOHA 1350 SALALAH 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 CALICUT 1405 CAIRO 1440 TEHRAN 1445 SALALAH 1540 DUBAI 1630 JEDDAH 1645 MEDINA-JEDDAH 1650 DUBAI 1715 LAHORE 1730 DUBAI 1805 DOHA 1825 SALALAH 1840 KUWAIT 1850 RIYADH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 SALALAH 1915 SALALAH 1930 DAMMAM 1930 BAHRAIN 1935 ABU DHABI 1940 DOHA 1950 SHARJAH 1955 DUBAI 2045 DUBAI 2105 KUALA LUMPUR 2115 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2230 TRIVANDRUM 2230 JEDDAH 2235 DOHA 2235 BANGKOK 2240 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 BANGKOK 2325 ABU DHABI 2330 DUBAI-ZURICH 2335 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 2345

ETD

ETA

ETD

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

C1 1

EXTRA B O L LY W O O D

Glad Ayushmann not over-the-top, says wife HIS ROMANTIC number Paani da rang may be high on romance and fetched Ayushmann Khurrana a lot of awards, but his wife Tahira says that in real life he is not a very expressive and romantic person. “Beyond the screen he is a real person. I don’t think anyone sings for a girl like this in real life. So he is a very real person and I am in love with the real Ayushmann. I am happy he is not over-the-top romantic,” Tahira said at the launch of Ayushmann’s single O Heeriye. Ayushmann and Tahira are childhood lovers and they have know each other since he was 16. She says Ayushmann hasn’t composed any special song for her yet.

Amol Gupte impressed with Saqib’s performance

World’s ﬁrst ‘ethical’ smartphone unveiled Fairphone’s maker uses minerals from ‘conﬂict-free’ mines and looks after its workers.

‘Revolver Rani’ toughest role so far, admits Kangna

It will be on show in London this week

he world’s first fairtrade smartphone will be unveiled to the public in London this week, marking a leap forward in ethical technology. The Dutch firm behind the phone said it had worked closely with pressure groups to ensure the smartphone, called Fairphone, was the most ethically sourced product available. Smartphone makers such as Apple and Samsung have in the past been criticised for failing to reveal that their products were made from resources mined in conflict zones and manufactured in Far East factories where labour practices have been called into question. The new handset, with a screen size of 4.3 inches (10.9cm), halfway between the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy SIII, will retail at £272, but is not available until December. Almost 15,000 have already been pre-ordered. Potential customers will be able to handle the new product at the London

Design Festival on Wednesday. A number of minerals used in smartphones often come from conflict zones, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The three Ts — tantalum, tin and tungsten — in particular, are extracted from mines in the region and armed groups controlling them are alleged to benefit, with profits fuelling the fighting. Fairphone’s tin and tantalum are extracted from conflict-free mines — those where profits aren’t used for the purchase of

arms. Product manager Miquel Ballester said he decided to start building a fair-trade phone rather than simply campaigning against existing phones because “it would be too easy to stand by and criticise others”. The business started out as a campaign for fair wages and working conditions across the supply chain of smartphone makers, but evolved into a social enterprise. “It’s only as a manufacturer that you’re playing by the same rules as the big brands. Then you can have real impact,” he said. Ballester is using tin from mines in South Kivu, in eastern DRC, despite on-going ﬁghting among militias for control of the mineral trade, but insists that the company is working hard to ensure its workers are fairly treated and the proﬁts don’t get into the hands of the militias. “The whole point of the Fairphone social enterprise and the campaign that came before it is to intervene on the ground where the problems have originated,” he explained.

FILMMAKER Amol Gupte, who is working with Saqib Saleem in his next film Hawaa Hawaai, is impressed with the actor’s performance. “Frankly, I was not prepared for it, but I am proud to have Saqib on board. Whatever little we have shot has left me impressed,” Gupte said in a statement. Saqib plays the prominent character of a skating coach in the film and is getting himself trained for the role. The actor feels honoured to work with Gupte and says: “Amole and I spent a lot of time together before the shoot so that I could become familiar with his style of filmmaking.” Saqib, who made his Bollywood debut in 2011 with film Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge, has also played lead role in Mere Dad Ki Maruti, made by Y-Films, an arm of Yash Raj Films. He also worked with filmmaker Karan Johar for his 20-minute film in Bombay Talkies.

In contrast to Apple’s sealed devices, the Fairphone handset can be opened by consumers and is easy to repair, extending its lifespan. It runs a custom version of Google’s Android operating system, built by the London-based developers Kwame Corporation. One innovative feature is a dual SIM card slot, which allows for business and personal phones to be merged into one, reducing the number of devices in circulation. This is a common feature of phones in Africa and Asia. Ballester admitted that Fairphone is not fully ethical, but claimed this was not the point. “With the classical social auditing of manufacturers that’s been done for the past 20 years, you can tick a few boxes and earn a certiﬁcation, but once you turn around and leave the factory there’s nothing to stop things from changing. For us, it’s about creating a business environment that favours ethical treatment from the outset.” — Sebastian Salek/The Independent

FROM a gangster’s girlfriend to schizophrenic to spunky small town girl — actress Kangna Ranaut has portrayed a variety of characters on the screen in the past seven years, but she says her role in Revolver Rani is her toughest so far. “My role in Revolver Rani is very difficult to portray. I think ‘Revolver Rani is my toughest role so far,” Kangna told IANS. “It’s a very unusual film, in which my looks are very different. I have to look unattractive in the film and for the first time I have to take care that I do not look beautiful,” added the actress who apparently took training to use the revolver to make her role believable. Reportedly, Tabu was approached for the role before Kangna.

Not a feminist messiah, asserts Aparna Sen ACCLAIMED actress-filmmaker Aparna Sen says she is no feminist messiah and that she doesn’t believe that women can only make “delicate”, “women-oriented” films which always show the gender in a positive light. “When a woman makes a film, I don’t know why people think it will be about women only. I am not a feminist messiah that I will only talk about women’s issues if I am a woman. I think we should, like men, talk about human beings in our films. And as a woman, I see no wrong in showing a woman as evil and corrupt. Why must we always show women as glorified beings,” Sen said. —IANS

C12

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

EXTRA Why is it so hard to swat a houseﬂy? New research claims that for some animals, such as a ﬂy and a dog, time moves at a slower rate

rying to swat a fly is like trying to shoot Keanu Reeves in The Matrix because time appears to move more slowly in the minds of smaller animals, a new study has claimed. The ultra-nimble fly is capable of processing nearly seven times as much information in a second as a human. This means a rolled-up piece of newspaper that is moving so fast that it appears as a blur to our eyes is, to the fly, more like the slow-motion bullets that are easily dodged by Neo, Reeves’ character in The Matrix. A paper published in Animal Behaviour journal today found the perception of time was linked to the size of an animal’s body and metabolic rate. But it can also change depending

on the circumstances: time appears to slow down during stressful situations like a car crash because in an attempt to avoid disaster, the brain increases the amount of information it is taking in. Dogs are able to process information at twice the rate of humans and so tend not to be interested in television. All they see is a flickering image, as if a projector had broken and the film slowed. The scientists used the point at which a flickering light appears as a solid beam as a way to examine how different animals perceive time. Houseflies can see a light flickering at a rate nearly seven times faster than we can. “That’s because they are getting much more information per second through their visual system — so that second

feels longer,” one of the researchers, Dr Luke McNally, of Edinburgh University, said. “These animals are perceiving the world in a very, very different way.” This explains why ﬂies seem so hard to hit. “For the ﬂy it feels like you are moving so slowly towards them. It’s the same as the famous bullet-time scene where the bullets are moving at this incredibly slow rate as far as Keanu is concerned,” Dr McNally said. At the other end of the scale, time rushes by for the slow-moving leatherback turtle because it gets only about a third of the amount of information that humans do in a second. “This perception of time co-evolved with how fast you can move, how fast your metabolism is and how small you are,” Dr McNally said. “There’s very little point in

gaining all this information if you cannot react to it.” However, there is at least one animal whose perception of time is at odds with its physical characteristics. “Tiger beetles can run faster than their eyes can keep up,” Dr McNally said. “They run towards their prey, then they have to stop, and then sprint again and hope they’ll hit into it.” Dr Andrew Jackson, from Trinity College Dublin, who led the study, said the effect may also account for the way time seems to speed up as we get older: “It’s tempting to think that for children time moves more slowly than it does for grown ups, and there is some evidence that it might.” —Ian Johnston/The Independent

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 1 7, 2 0 1 3

SECTION

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

RENT

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T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

Fully furnished apartments for Rent in Al-Khuwair and Ghubra. Contact 95113252 or 91138757 Plot Area: 400 Mtr Sq. Barka Near Mazoon Electricity Station (Qarhat Baloosh), Shops: 6 Nos, Store: 260 Mtr Sq, One Room with Kitchen and Toilet. Co-ordination - N:2621745, E:588876. Contact No: 92165165 Villa 4 rooms + 2 hall+ Majlis + 5 toilets & servant room, in Khuwair opp. Grand Mall RO 900. Contact 99738881 1 BHK without AC Ghubra near to Indian School RO 250/-last. Contact 92144045 We have 2 BHK, 3 BHK in Azaiba, Ghubra, Qurum, Al Khoud. Contact 93782735 Premium office & Flats with A/c’s in Al Khuwair-33. Contact 94268564 2 bedroom flats in Salalah Jadeedah new building for rent on daily or monthly basis. (Fully Furnished) Contact 92760281 2 Bedrooms Flat with 1 family Hall, 1 Bathroom, fully furnished & Open terrace in Al Khuwair. Contact: 98885043/ 96360064 2BHK available Ghubra near Indian School. Contact 99269751 Furnished 1BKT Darsait Indian bachelors RO.180/-. Contact 93289652 Room & flat for rent at Ruwi Rex Rood 1 room, 3 rooms, 2 toilets residential & commercial. Contact 95490049 / 91290464 2 BHK with AC near ISM school 350 RO last. Contact 92144045 Furnished flat in Al Khuwair 1 Bedroom, sitting room, 2 WS kitchen, Balcony. Contact 98003444 / 99341138 1 and 2 BR Brand New Flats in Azaiba. Contact: 96793675

Flat, shops, basement for rent location : Ruwi area, MBD area. Contact 92433127 / 97293708

Luxury 6 Villas for rent in Al Khoudh. Contact 98559565 3BHKﬂat close ISG N. Ghobra, Way 4041 building 4390. Contact 99319880

Shop for rent at Wadikabir Industrial area. Contact 99893363

Flats for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 96440598

2 BHK with AC for Commercial MBD area. Contact 91162431 2 BHK CBD. Contact 99024730

1BHK brand new Deluxe apartments available for rent in MSQ. Contact 99358724 / 99447002 2 BDR Flat Al Khuwair (fully furnished). Contact 99339078

Profs for rent. GSM : 98087644

400 sqm independent ware house space at Ghala. Contact 93731363

Coffee shop for rent in Adheiba and Business partner. Contact 96395822

300 sqm independent ware house space at Ghala. Contact 93731363

4 Bedroom Villa for rent in 18 Nov Street Azaiba 650/- Month. Contact 92447365

Commercial / Residential Flat at Honda Road, Shop at Mawalah, behind city center. Contact 98087644

2 BHK ﬂat available for rent in Honda road, Ruwi. Lift, security system and dish antenna are available. Contact: 99367448 / 24833972

Full furnished room for rent Weekly 70 OMR, Monthly 250 OMR. Contact 99251975

Flat in Al Ghoubra 2 Bedroom near Indian School. Contact 98003444/ 99341138 2 Shops for rent in Al Khoud Souq near Al Fair. Contact 99463310 Office room for rent at Muttrah. Contact 24713253 / 99187422

2 Extension rooms near Al Tawfeer Centre at Al Mawaleh the South in addition to a kitchen, water closet a court in front and behind the building 250 RO. Contact 98987495 2 bedrooms ﬂat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Ruwi near boys School. Contact 24700120 / 92584715

Flats for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 96440598

Shop and Office available for rent in CBD Ruwi. Contact 99861331

2/3 BR ﬂat near Indian School AL Ghoubra. Contact 99057348 / 99776071

3 bedroom ﬂat RO 280/- & studio ﬂat RO 130/- in Hail (North). Contact 97661432

New showroom 1750 sqm Busher on express road and open office space 1750 sqm same building. Contact 94300909

For rent Misfa 1000 sqm Sinaya 2 rooms, bath, kitchen, full boundary wall. Contact 92989071/ 92087781/ 92353939

Shop for rent in Darsait W/ Mezannine ﬂoor, total area 130 Sqm. Contact 95964066

Store Ghala behind Kumatsu 100 mtrs. Contact 99414644 / 93666201

Villa for rent at Amerat 5/1, 5 bedrooms + Majlis +hall+ 7 bathrooms + kitchen (with split A/Cs) for families. Contact 99203458

A beautifully presented family house located in highly desirable Qurum 16 opposite M.Q, reception, office , 2 family halls, 5 bedrooms. Contact 92883001

Flat for rent in Al Hail North new 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms, Kitchen. Contact 99353433 Deluxe Villa Al Khuwair 25, 6 Bedroom. Contact 98914157

Spacious 2 BHK Flat for rent, near ISG, N Ghubra. Contact 97624601

Flat for rent Mabailah Block no 8 near German University. Contact 99445177

2 BHK with 3 Toilets & A/C. Near ISM, Darsait. R.O 300. #95474731

Store for rent at Wadi kabir. Contact 99893363

Independent Qurum/ Hail rooms. Contact 95529970

1 and 2 BR Brand New Flats in Azaiba. Contact: 96793675

Nice villa for rent 1 kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 1 hall, 1 d. room, 3 toilets, full AC at Qurum heights. Contact : 99237827 / 95515152

New Offices for rent in Mumtaz area behind Al Buri Hotel. Please Contact 95453813

For rent Barka Land for rent Boundary wall & Security , accommodation, small store available 500, 1000 & 2000 sq.mtr.# 99321325 / 95538172 1 BHK flat Star cinema 240/RO. Contact 99358589/97079146 Commercial flat of 2 and 3 bedrooms in 18 November street 475 and 675 RO monthly. # 93191111 New 2BHK / 1 BHK flats with Ac spilt unit in Al Hail South 280, 250 RO. Contact 93121111 / 93191111 Villas for rent. Contact 95178930

2 BHK apartment in MSQ rent 450/- R.O. Contact 94300909 Deluxe 2,3 Bedroom Flats, Ruwi, Mumtaz, Al Falaj area. Contact 24707340 / 99472457 4 BHK villa in MSQ rent 950/- R.O. Contact 94300909 4BHK Commercial villa on express road. Contact 94300909 4 Villa with sitting room & hall & 4 bad room & 6 toilets with AC 850 RO. Contact 99548999

New Offices for rent in Mumtaz area, behind Al Burj Hotel. Contact 95453813. Store for rent 700m2 Barka Alharam. Contact 95643086

350 Sqm shop CBD. Contact 99024730 Shop in Mabailla phase 8 industrial area 36 sqm and cost is 350 RO. Contact 93191111 Flat in North Al Ghobra 3 bedrooms, 2 toilets and 1 kitchen. #95067716 2 BR, 2 toilet, kitchen at Al Mawaleh. Contact 99444786 / 99747560

Different sizes of shops in Wadi Al Kabir on main way, near Al Hassan company 300 RO and 400 RO monthly. Contact 93191111

2 showrooms for rent Al Amerat behind Sultan Center. Contact 97886169

2 BHK Mumtaz area RO 400/-. Contact 92144045

3 BHK Flat Darsait 450/RO. Contact 99358589 / 97079146

Flat for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99388994.

1 BHK Flat Wadikabir 250/RO. Contact 99358589 / 95570288

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

AVAILABLE

FOR SALE

GOOD NEWS

M.V. FOR SALE Fully equipped commercial kitchen with camp & storage facilities available at Ghala Industrial area. Interested Parties may Contact 99024519

BUYING/SELLING We Buy all types of Wooden Scraps. Contact ahastco123@yahoo. com , Ph: 24458759/ 98539316/ 99318152 Good Quality Wooden Kicking blocks available 1.2 mtr & 2.6 mtr length. Contact ahastco123@yahoo. com , Ph: 99318152

Toyota Corolla 1.6 Xli 2009 single owner. Contact 98180493 Luxus ES 350, 2007 model good condition. Contact 94480418 Oil paintings For sale. Contact 99737812 Complete Aluminum fabrication Machineries, as good as new for sale. Contact 99489100 / 99294095 8seated sofa set brand new one month old purchased for 800/- RO, now 400/- bed room set, cupboard, AC. Contact 99326339 2 textile running shop Seeb souq main road & 1textile shop in Dhofar building. Contact 99326339 Restaurant for sale in Plaza Hotel Ruwi, opp. Bank Muscat Ruwi high street. Contact 99326339 Coffee shop for sale in Sun City Hotel Ruwi. Contact 99326339 Full bedroom set (king size) show case. Contact 93569380

Industrial Land for sale at Barkha SAGSOOK 1400 m2 and 14 Nos Shops. Contact 99229062 / 95977100 For Sale Steel workshop Wadikabir near Al Khaili showroom. Contact 97235996

Subaru Impreza 2001 model for sale. Contact 99055410 Toyota Rav4, model 2009. Contact 96120459

TRANSPORTATION Sale of all kind of Household items including medicated double mattresses, furniture’s and Electronic items. Contact 92370923 / 94205904

Transportation available. Contact 95068976

Crane, 30Tons for sale. Contact 99209427

Transportation available from Ruwi to Ghubra. Call 96402727, 96761960

Shop for sale at Sohar Falaj Al Qabail. Contact : 99103077

Transportation available. Contact 95714934

2 bedroom ﬂat near Muscat private hospital, Bausher. Monthly income OMR 300, OMR 46,000. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Transportation. Contact 93400744 Transportation. Contact 98178135 Transportation. Contact 96954496

Restaurant with existing seating capacity of 50 people and potential for 90 people and lots of parking place in prime business location at Wattayah near Bank Muscat & Indian Passport Office (B.L.S) in running condition is available for partnership or sale. Contact 95213273 Shop for sale in Ghubrah, good location. Contact 99055410 Household shop in Al Koud, Wadi Lwami, well running. Contact 98972021 / 95251676 Shopping centre Sale or rent in Seeb Souq. Contact 95204145 Brand new parlour for sale in Ghubrah with equipments or partnership/ Lease. Interested parties only call 96761960 Camp for sale Including Porta cabin, kitchen & Dining facilities with RO plant. For more information. Contact Nasser 99808067 Used furniture dining table with chairs, cooking range, microwave oven, show case (big & small). Contact 96282677 Beauty Parlour for sale Mawaleh with license. Contact 95020852 Barber shop for sale Mawaleh with license. Contact 95020852 Porta cabin sale. Contact 96432604 Well running new Coffee shop at Hamariya for sale, with clearance. Contact 93660957 Running clinic with pharmacy for sale. Contact 95314738 Beauty Parlour for sale Contact 94062285.

FOR RENT Flat for rent at Qurum heights, ground ﬂoor, 3 bed rooms. Contact 95178930

Porta cabin and Container for sale. Contact 99373256 Door with frame for sale. Contact 99208798 / 95643086

For transport. Contact 92548219 Transportation. Contact 99509283

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished single room for executive bachelor near Safeer hypermarket, Azaiba. Gsm 99761216

Car with Graduate experienced driver. Contact +968 98267157

Sharing accommodation with attach bathroom and split A/C available near Al Hassan Mosque, Wadi Kabir. Contact 99577462 2 bedroom, hall, kitchen flat available for sharing in Ruwi. Contact 99446498 Room available for single Executive bachelor, behind Rawasco Supermarket Al Khuwair. Contact 97048700 Room for rent near Hamriya roundabout for Executive bachelor. Contact 93590332 1 Bedroom sharing K & T, family bachelor RO 100 in Al Khuwair. Contact 95154331 Furnished sharing accommodation available for Executive bachelor near Star cinema / Oman house. Contact 99886840 2 BR flat 6 months old in Ghala with gym, near Vasantha Bhavan / vachas Hyper market, from 10 Oct. rent RO 360. Contact 99860874 Furnished room with sharing bathroom and equipped kitchen immediately available in a flat in MBD area. Contact 95450250 Sharing accommodation with attached bath available at behind ISM, Darsait contact 94355675 Spacious room with A/C and attach bath for walking lady of executive bachelor in Wadi Kabir (Indian only). Contact 99720561

Acc available in Muttrah behind Oman house. Contact 99354340

NRI ONLY

Renault Clio well maintained 2006 model Manual Expat driven RO 1750/-. Contact 95764290

For Sale Yaris 2006 full Automatic type 2. Contact 99845155/ 99588572 Camry 2011. Contact 94261000 Jeep Cherokee 2008. Contact 99336093 Honda Civic model 2010 fully automatic pearl white, Expat driven. Contact 91275018 2006 Model, Toyota Battery Operated Excellent condition fork Lift suitable for store & rack system. Contact 99371732 Chevrolet Captiva 2008 GCC, 20,0000 KM, 4100/-RO. Contact 97646282 Excellent condition Toyota Camry 2007 beige colour, fully automatic, single owner maintained by Toyota KM 1,18,000 for sale. # 99315297 Toyota Fortuner model 2012, 2.7 LT, km 17000. Contact 99350092

Transport Pick & Drop. # 97581610 Inﬁniti M375 2011. # 92844996 Dodge Charger 2012. # 92844996

350 SQ MTS and plot, clear title, on 120 ft road near IIIT, Kalindipuram Allahabad, UP, India Serious buyers Contact 99236945 House for sale in Aynawaram Chennai G+3, plot for sale Maduranthagam 1200 sq ft, 1.75 lakhs. Contact 99354340 IND 00919840154225 3 bedroom villa for sale kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. Contact 92893243 Land for sale in Kollam Asramom 26.5 cent square plot with compound wall, 8.45 cent with 2 storey building in Umayanalloore near Industrial area, Ambalthumkala Ezhukone 9 cent with 2 storey building. Contact 00918086135254 / 92830626

MATRIMONIAL Thiyya girl, MBA, working in Dubai, Rohini, 27 seeks alliance from BTech/MBA holders working in Oman/Dubai. Contact 97270140

Transportation Contact 95570429 Pajero 2003 No-1 Automatic. Contact 99384640

ACC. AVAILABLE FOR HIRE Fully furnished Executive bachelor room with all facilities ac, washing etc in Mumtaz, Ruwi- Contact/ SMS 99459843

Big two rooms for sharing opposite Al Nahda Hospital. #98725208 Single room for bachelor or lady, opp. Al Nahdha Hospital. # 92563206 Room for rent in Ruwi. 95372192 Semi furnished studio ﬂat is available in MBD area. # 99037554 Furnished room in Al Falaj area with attached balcony & Wadi Kabir for Indian bachelor/Students single. Contact 96761960 Sharing acc. available for Executive bachelor in Muttrah, near Oman house. Contact 95915399 Sharing accommodation for Executive bachelor furnished room with separate bathroom, near Pencil building Wadiakabir. # 99251214 Shared bachelor accommodation available in villa Rex road area, Ruwi. Contact- 99013227 Furnished room in CBD area for Executive bachelors free wi-ﬁ, non-cooking, Advance deposit. Contact 95934642

37 Years, Christian widow, 2 kids, working in Medical ﬁeld in Oman, looking for suitable alliance from Christian Orthodox Marthomite Roman Catholic denominations, Preferably working in Muscat. Contact 99838349 Orthodox parents seeks alliance for daughter, 26/158, B. Tech working in MNC in Muscat from well placed professionals. Email : proposalindia1234@gmail.com

Pent House single room with bathroom and kitchen in Wadi Kabir (RO 150). Contact 93878793

Cranes and excavators available on hire. Contact 99209427 Party & Wedding equipment rentals. Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chaﬁng Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. www.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com Crane Trailor Hiab. #99354909 25/ 50 seater Buses for rent/ leasing with drivers in PDO Speciﬁcation. Contact 99839898

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

FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 96050000, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133. For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit: www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis etc. Free consutation, Ideal Care Ayurvedic clinic, Azaiba. Contact 99639695

Suzuki APV 7 Seater manual well maintained 2010 Expat driven RO 2750/-. Contact 95764290

Car with driver. Contact 95068976

Single furnished room.#24833609 New villa at Al Khuwair 33/ 6 bed rooms R.O 1000/- Monthly. Contact 99443834

Transportation. Contact98546606

For sale Lancer 2008 bought 2009 single driver 60000 kms 99636424

Onam special fresh ﬂowers Jasmine- Marigold & 5 different assorted colors ﬂowers available. Haridas Nensey SupermarketRuwi. Phone 24750784

Muslim Parents invite alliance for son, B.Tech doing Business, seek suitable Girl good family background age 21-23 Preferable Hyderabad / Bangalore. Contact 96731961/ Email skmahmed@arspowertech.com Sunni Muslim hand some boy Graduate, 24 years working as a Divisional Manager, well settled seeking Dini Namazi good family for suitable alliance. Contact 92876040 Hindu, 35 yrs lady from Mangalore, Working as beautician in Oman, seeks suitable alliance. Contact 95208305 Hindu Handsome boy Kerala Graduate 35 years working at Sales leading Automobile company at Muscat, seeking alliance from any cast or region. Contact 94176397 Email : aajesh98765@ gmail.com Keralite Hindu 28 yrs Biomedical Technician working in Oman need suitable proposal. CONTACT 99433516 Email: vinojrkrishnan@gmail. com

Genuine Ayurvedic treatments &massage, ayuredic clinic AL Khuwair. Contact 24478618/ 97263637/ 97109295 Ayurvedic treatment for backache paralysis arthritis etc. & massage All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980

LOST Rana Mohammed Islam has lost Pakistan passport No BD 1801032. Finder please handover to ROP. Abdur Rauf has lost Bangladeshi Passport no. AC 3900017. Finder please handover to ROP Muhammad Asif Muhammad Nawaz has lost Pakistani Passport No. CM1887601. Finder please handover to ROP Shah Sayed has lost Pakistani Passport No. SH 5144511. Finder please handover to ROP Akter Hossain Abdur Razzak has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AD 2155842. Finder please handover to ROP

CHANGE OF NAME I Ramakrishnan Venkatasethuraman (name exactly as in present passport) son of Venkatasethuraman permanent residence at the following address in Darsait, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, and having permanent address in India Plot No18 DoorNo.1/2,Moorthy Nagar,2 ND Street, Chettiar Agaram Chennai 600077,TN (as per present passport), holder of Indian passport No H 4409905 date of issue 10/08/2009 place of issue Chennai 600077, TN solemnly affirm and declare that I have changed my name as Raamakrishnan Venkatasethuraman (new name) for all purposes. Any objection towards this name change may please be communicated to Embassy of Indian, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P. Box No.1727, Postal Code112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

MATRIMONIAL Kerala boy 38 years Chartered Accountant in Sultanate of Oman Hindu Nair seeking suitable alliance. Contact 97133729, E mail : kunjumonaca@gmail.com

T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION VACANT

ADMIN Required for a leading international company in the ﬁeld of IT located in Ruwi, CBD Area, a female employee (Administrative Secretary) holding a diploma in IT and familiar with public relations and staying in Wilayat Muttrah. CVs to be sent to the email: anismaimani@gmail.com Office Administrator required for prestigious furnishings and design company, based in Qurum. Must have three years experience with Omani administration. Must have good bookkeeping and organizational skills. Must have Omani drivers license. Salary and bonuses. Email : tony@materialsplus.com

ACCOUNTANCY Urgently required Qualiﬁed & experienced Accountant, IT & Administration, for a Muscat based well known construction company. Email: khalbeeliz@gmail.com Fax 24488057

ARCHITECT / INTERIOR DECORATOR Required for Consultant Managing Director 15 yrs Arch & STR Eng 10 years. Email meceng111@hotmail.com

BEAUTY Required Indian lady beautician, Al Amerat, visa & accommodations available. Contact 92059502 Exclusive Ladies SPA & Saloon in Salalah has an opening for female Operation Executive exp. min. 3 yrs, energetic & independent to operate. Guest relationship & strong knowledge in ERP. Send CV info@ezrahlife.com Required General Beautician, Indian Nationality with local release for beauty parlour at Al Ghubrah. Contact 95134495 / 95622129 Required urgently experienced Beautician. Contact 99467033

CATERING Required one House Cook for Capital area. Contact 24493666/ 99228454 Wanted experienced Cooks. Contact 95529970 Urgently required North Indian part time cook in mutrah. Contact – 99100314 Required Continental Cook (1) 3-5 years experience. Contact +968 99364735 / 99652716

DRIVER Urgently wanted one experienced House Driver. Contact 24493666 / 99228454 A leading Frozen Foodstuff Company requires Heavy Duty Driver with valid Omani Driving license and having 5/10 years local experience in driving 40 ft. Trailer Trucks. Please Fax CV to: 24793305 / Contact 92880150 Wanted Light duty driver. Contact 92341826 Wanted JCB operator with local release. Contact Ashley 99257975 Pakistani Family requires Driver at Ghubrah South. Call 99101958 Expatriate driver with car for Omani family required to pick & drop children from school, middle aged person with at least 10 years clean Omani D/L. call - +968-95523416 Expatriate driver for Omani family required, middle aged person with at least 10 years clean Omani D/L. Contact +968-95523416 Wanted Driver. Call - 24170076 / 98936716. Send resume: tthrteam@gmail.com. Car Driver personal. Contact 96694954

DOMESTIC HELP Part-time housemaid (Tamil/Malayalam) required in the afternoon, near Star cinema, Ruwi. Contact after 5 pm - 99682680, 92934990 House maid required. Visa available. CONTACE Deepak 96500750

DOMESTIC HELP Required Housemaid Pilipino full time. Contact 98563312 Malayali Housemaid required for Indian (Keralite) family in Muscat. Full time for ONE (1) month (October) only. Contact immediately: 98988678”. Pakistani Family living at Ghubrah south is looking for house maid. Should be resident card holder and familiar with Pakistani cooking. Contact 99101958 / 93575206 Wanted full time Keralite Housemaid with Kids experience for a Keralite Family. Will provide visa and Accommodation. Contact immediately to 00968 99898741

DESIGNER Graphic designer with Arabic & English knowledge for a printing press. Contact 99244470 Email excelpress1@gmail.com

ENGINEERS/TECH

MEDICAL

A reputed Engineering Contracting Company requires Project Manager (Piping) for Oil&Gas ﬁeld. BE (Mech),min 12 yrs exp in managing cross country pipelines, industrial piping etc. Thorough knowledge on HSE, QA and Environmental systems essential. Mail detailed CV to:- recruitbmen@gmail.com

Omani Staff Wanted : A reputed hospital in Muscat urgently needs Omani HR Manager, Reception Staff, Nursing Assistants, Technicians, Security, Drivers for immediate recruitment. Please send your CV to vacancyahh@gmail.com or sms your name to 94267068, we will call you.

Testing & commissioning engineer required for lighting control & dimming system with 2 yrs of experience. Candidate with driving license will be preferred. Mail your CV : cdas@aaalkindi.com

Required Pharmacist/Assist. Pharmacist with MOH license for a pharmacy in capital area. saif695@yahoo.com

Urgently required Quantity Surveyors (for tendering) Project Managers, Project Coordinators for a reputed construction company/ Interested candidates can send their CVs to mohamed@oasisgrace.com Contact 99881459 Fax: 24812226 Required Electrical Foreman (DIP/ degree) preferably Gulf experienced, holding Oman electric license & ROP driving license. Fax or email your CVs at fax: 24505447 Email: sadanand@modernee.com Contact 99353859 Looking for an Indian well educated Construction Technician with at least 5-10 years experiences in Oman, willing to start working with a newly established construction company in Muscat. Contact 96961306 BE Civil Engineer with minimum 2 years Oman experience and driving license, only for immediate joining. Email CV: md@dirbasoman.com or Fax: 24495398 Required CCTV Technician with minimum 3 yrs experience. Email birdymaan@hotmail.com

MISC Required an Arabic spoken office boy from Kerala. Contact 92345861 Urgently required experienced Fabricators, Welders 6G, Riggers, Grinders and Construction workers. Contact 99776471 / 95205473 Email ardharab@gmail.com Urgently required Mobile Technician (good experience), Sales staff (Indian, Filipino), Accountant M/F, Out door Sales executive, Graphic Designer M/F. Contact : 95227500 , tv_shopom@yahoo.com .

MEDICAL Wanted Doctor-MBBS-MD-with MOH license –Saham. CONTACT 96941772 Required Asst. Pharmacist with MOH License for a pharmacy in capital area. GSM: 9282057 Wanted GP - Male & Female for well established clinic in Barka & Mabela. Call 99754628 / 95197358.

Shatti Al Qurum Medical Center is looking to employ qualiﬁed and registered nurses (Dentist hygienist and Gyno). If interested, please send your qualiﬁcations and experience to: hr71mb@hotmail.com Tel: 93655425 A licensed dentist is needed to rent a running dental clinic in Sohar (next to Sohar university). Contact : 95603395 Wanted Ophthalmologist (DO), Staff Nurses (female) with MOH license for a polyclinic. Excellent Salary package. Contact 99006915 Email alhinaee. clinic@yahoo.com Urgently require an Asst. Pharmacist with or without MOH license for a Pharmacy in Barka. Contact 93353186 / 26868839 Required a Nurse for a clinic in Al Khuwair with MOH license, Full time or Part time. Send CV ntestament@hotmail.com Contact 99355095

SALES / MARKETING

SALES / MARKETING Wanted Outdoor Sales Executive with D/L and helper, for importer and Wholesaler Company, dealing with sanitary ware in Muscat. Please post your CV to under mentioned email address. Contact 97443656 Email: gulfsanitary@ yahoo.com Sales Executive - experienced/ fresher in building material /structural steel. Apply to recruitments. muscat@gmail.com Wanted experienced Marketing Executives with (valid Oman D/L) for a leading printing press in Musanah. Contact: alqariyaprintingpress@gmail.com, Mobile 96557079 Marketing company requires Sales Executive salary + incentive, visa available send CV at bdmrightway@gmail.com Contact 95748080 Required Salesman cum Driver with Education certiﬁcate for trading company visa ready. Contact 99250248

Urgently required for our Salalah Branch. Operation cum Sales representative with valid driving license and knowledge of English and basic Arabic language. Minimum 3 years of experience in land transport and freight forwarding industry preferred. Email recruitjbc@gmail.com Urgently required PRO male or female Omani National minimum two years exp. in dealing with Govt. departments. Preferably female. Contact: 91375737 Email mian@mianandpartners.com A leading oil & Gas company is looking for active Sales Engineer with minimum of 2 years experience technical, sales marketing with valid license. Contact 99061232 / 99853353 Building material Salesman. Contact 95856070 Leading construction company requires Quality Assurance (QA) & quality control (QC) Electric Engineer, Personnel. Send CV to : nikunj@uniqueom.com

SALES / MARKETING

SIT.WANTED Job available with a leading food stuff Company at Seeb area: Salesmen, Light Drivers- For Omani National only, Sales Supervisors, prefer having frozen food stuff experience- all nationalities. Send your CV to : thekkutt@gmail.com

Driver with car seeking a job in Oman as a company’s or family driver, having experiences 12 years in Abu dhabi and 2 years in oman. Contact: 93043871.

Looking for efficient Sales Executives with experience. Omani driving license holders preferred. Fresher can also apply. Email : jobvaciuc@gmail.com

28 years, Male MBA in Marketing looking for suitable job on urgent bases, having valid Omani driving license and 2 years marketing experience in oman and 4 years marketing experience in Pakistan. Contact: 97136426

SIT.WANTED Indian female, 24 yrs, having 3 yrs experience in Hospiatlity & HR. Presently working as Customer Care Executive in a reputed ﬁrm. Seeks suitable post. # 94288397, email: rajeevrajan307@gmail.com Indian male Graduate, 26, 3 yrs exp in handling purchase in a reputed company in Oman looking for suitable placements.#95776353 Filipina graduate of computer programming looking for suitable job in Muscat Contact no: 96599254/95611624 Indian female with GCC experience in office admin, accounts and HR seeks suitable placement Contact : 95584732.

Indian, male, 26, Mechanical Engineer (HVAC) having 3 years experience as project engineer in Oman seeks suitable placement holding valid Omani D/L. Contact 98050877 Indian Male, MBA, 16 yrs in Oman. Experience in supply chain mgmt, logistics, import export mgmt, purchase, domestic and export sales seeks suitable placement in Bank or money exchange sector. Having 15 years experiences in related ﬁeld. Contact: 922 60 508. Seek Job, Driver have car pick & drop. Contact : 96136615. Male, 27, MBA specialized in marketing , looking for suitable position. Having valid oman driving license. Contact. 99590408, E mail. aneesteepee@gmail.com

5 years experience in Accounts, 1 year experience in Oman, age 25, gsm -91130227. Indian male, BBAM, 27 years, specialized in marketing & finance, 6 years of experience as transport coordinator in an earthmoving co. having valid Omani driving license seeking for suitable placement. #93213160 email: nikiniji86@gmail.com Videographer for filming any occasion or event, website videos, corporate profiles, promotional films, ad films. Also calendar, brochure, logo, poster designing. # 99631986 24 yrs female with driving license, b.b.a plus I.A.T.A,3 years experience seeking suitable position in secretarial ,admin,hr,procurement ,travel. please contact 95337828 or e-mail at hibhak@gmail.com. Indian Female, B.Tech-IT, Fresher, Currently in Resident Visa, having C and JAVA Knowledge, seeking Suitable Position in IT. CONTACT : 97232497,99108857, psharan24@ gmail.com,parthipan61@gmail.com 26 Years old Indian female Bachelor of Business Administration with 1.5 years experience, Looking for a Marketing Job, Contact # 96899068641

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED ADMIN Indian female 10 years experience in admin and customer care seeking for a suitable job. Contact 97132322 Email ID: chaisonline@gmail.com 29 Indian female MBA 2 years experience in Accounts and Administration skilled with MS Office, seeking for suitable position. Contact 96962240 Indian male 4 years of HR experience, looking for Admin, Recruitment job. Contact 99489496 Admin qualiﬁed female HR professional with MBA (HR), BE, PGDBM, 5 years of experience seeking suitable role in HR proﬁle, valid Oman D/L. Contact 94129462 HR & Administration officer 15 years experience, looking for a suitable opening. Contact 95893806 Sri Lankan female 27 years having 7years experience in Administration, customer service with excellent English and computer knowledge seeking suitable placement. Contact 96144390 Indian Male, 27 years, 5 years’ experience as a Customer/Client relation Manager in MNCs. Seeking suitable posts in Customer relations/Administration/HR. GSM: 93088407 Indian female Currently on Visit Visa, looking for a job in Oman. Total Work Experience of 6 Years, Worked as a senior technical associate and Senior Technical Support Officer with Bank of America & Mphasis Mumbai respectively. Diploma in MBA (HR MANAGEMENT), B. Com Graduate from Mumbai University. Email : beena.bhatia24@gmail.com, daswaniash_2001@yahoo.co.in, Mobile : 98682715 / 95257148 Indian female MA, MBA (HR) with 5 yrs GCC exp, presently working as HR Coordinator in groups of company, seeks suitable placement. Contact 93498876

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Part time accounts / audit services. Gsm 99761216 Indian Female, having over 5 yrs of experience in Customer Care, Accounts & Administration, seeks suitable placement.#92801607 Indian male Accountant B.Com, 6 yrs exp in oman.prof.in tally erp9, sap seek suitable placement. #98455490 mail-umct777@gmail.com Indian male 25 yrs B Com Accountant having experienced of 3 years looking for a good placement Contact 97803996 Accountant, Indian, with Qatar experience in Accounts, seeks suitable position in Muscat as an accounts Executive. Contact 94460349, E mail : jithutourism@gmail.com 14 Years exp Accountant Indian male. Contact 971506742791 UAE, 99337624 Oman Indian male 28 Chartered Accountant, looking for suitable placement in Finance and Audit department. Email ubaiskeeran@gmail.com Contact 96357827 M.COM, ACMA (ICWA) 35yrs, 12 yrs exp (2 yrs in Oman with valid D/L) in ﬁnance, costing, budgeting & business plan, accounts ﬁnalization, advanced excel presently at US MNC Chennai, India interested to relocate to Oman. Contact 919789900628 Email: costmanagement2012@yahoo.com Indian male Accountant B.Com 4 years exp in India prof in Tally ERP9 seeks suitable placement currently on visit visa. Contact 91377681 house Manager and Accountant, NOC available & can join immediately seeks suitable placement. Contact 92203972 Chartered Accountant young Indian Female 26 years with good knowledge and experience in Finance, Accounts and Audit of large corporate available for immediate joining. Contact 99887464 Email deepaj122@gmail.com Indian Male, MBA ( Finance) with 5 years experience as Senior Analyst at reputed company in India, Seeks job in Finance or Accounts. #91378950 Email ms.sharief@gmail.com Indian female 35 B.Com with 5 years experience & driving license, seeks suitable placement. Contact 95871492

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Manager Accounts & HR MBA ﬁnance PGDHRM 10 yrs experience in India 14 yrs experience in Muscat Presently working in Construction/ Earth works co. in Muscat available to join immediately. # 91103856 Email newjobs13@yahoo.com

Male Accountant MBA, ICMAP (ﬁnalist) 6.5 years experience in ﬁnance, accounting, payroll, audit, administration, ERP,SAP,TALLY, seeking for good opportunity Email: faisalsaeedrana@hotmail.com Faisal Saeed : 97268088

Chartered Accountant Young Indian female 25 years with Good knowledge and experience in Finance, Accounts and Audit of large corporate, available for immediate joining. Contact 92530131/ 24785757 Email muﬂihak@gmail.com

Indian, B. Com graduate with 9+ years experience, great exposure in Accounting/Administration job(TallyErp9), seeks suitable placement. Omani Driving License, Contact: 96001864

Part time Accountant / Internal Auditor computerized and Manual Accounts, Driving own car. Accounts up to ﬁnalization. Contact Kumar 96414305

Chartered Accountant, with B.Sc Accountancy (special) degree, more than seven years of experience, looking for a position in accounts, ﬁnance or auditing department. Contact 93957919

Chartered Accountant with ICWA Inter having 5 years experience in accounts, costing, budgeting, Insurance, treasury & Banking operations - Available for Immediate Joining. Contact : 96596380 Email-financecost2@gmail.com Indian male 39, Accounting professional 15+ years experience in Accounting, Auditing, available for immediate joining. #96675398 Charted Accountant from India, Post Qualification experience 21 years, working in Muscat since July 2011, at a Senior position in a group of SME’s, seeks suitable change. Contact 94201290 Email chakjain37@yahoo.com Indian male 40 yrs M.Com ICWAI (Inter) 12 yrs experience in Accounts and finance 7 yrs in Oman valid D/L. Good experience in IT and service Industry, looking for suitable in Finance. Contact 98334960 Part time Accountant with 15 yrs experience in Accounts Finance Audit & tax management. Contact 95857199 Finance Accounts Indian male B.Com MBA 31 years, Exp 6 years. Contact 93257426 / 92365310, Email : sibigeorgep@gmail.com Finance Controller 15+ years versatile experience in Oman, seeks immediate openings. Contact 92439941 Indian male, 27 yrs Accounts 4 years experience in Oman, seeks similar position. Contact 93770862 Email badarkkb@gmail.com Indian male, 27 yrs Sales Executive 4 years experience in Oman, with valid Oman driving license, seeks similar position. Contact 91161698 Email badarkkb@gmail.com Accounts Manager, MBA Finance & PG Diploma in HR, total 24 yrs experience, working in Oman since 14 yrs now working in Oman since 14 yrs now working for construction co. in Muscat can join immediately. Contact 91387354, accounts242013@yahoo.com ACCA finance professional 5 years experience including 1 yr in Oman experience, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95174220 5 years experienced M.Com Accountant looking for part time job. Contact 94109930 Indian Male 32, having over 10 yrs of experience in Finance & Accounts up-to finalization with complete admin knowledge, seeks suitable placement in middle management. Have valid Omani D/L. Contact 99881723 Chartered Accountant, Indian female 25 years, with good Knowledge and experience in Finance, Accounts, Audits, immediate joining. Contact 92530131 / 24785757 Email : muflihak@gmail.com Indian female 33 years 5 years experience in Muthoot Finance Ltd, Now on visit visa, seeks suitable jobs. Contact 96214105 Email bijibinu2003@gmail.com M.Com Accountant with 7 years experience, expert in Tally have driving license, seeks suitable placement. Contact 97283098 / 99711807 Indian male M.Com, Finance having 7 + yrs experience in Oman, Finalization, Audit, AR/ AP, Payroll with valid Oman D/L, seeks senior level position. Contact 93088436 Indian male 34 B.Com Senior Accountant 10 years experience (8 years in Oman) valid Omani driving license, seeks suitable placement ready to join immediately. Contact 91101645 Chief Accountant, 22 yrs. experienced, seeks immediate placement. Contact 95598477 / 99013963 Senior Accountant seeks part time job. Contact 99013963 / 98803439

Accountant: Indian male, 10 years experience, 6 years in Oman, with Oman driving license, seeking suitable placement. Contact 97123002 Email venetr@live.com CA, MBA (Finance) Indian male with 20+ years Oman experience seeks senior position in finance /Accounts in a reputed organization. Contact 99022386. Email: kaz1961_01@yahoo.com Accountant Indian male 2 years experience B.Com, Tally, Peachtree. Contact 93050561, Email rafikatoorans@gmail.com Accountant Indian Male, Having valid Omani driving license age 31, B.Com Graduate with 10 years of computerized Accounting experience in India, UAE & Oman, seeking suitable jobs. Contact +968 94058639 & +968 95704584 Accountant Indian male 13 years exp in Oman reporting up to finalization Payroll, immediate joining, Local release available having Omani D/L. Contact 97331967 Indian female 1 year experience profit Accounting MBA Finance, Tally, Peachtree. contact 98998186. Chartered Accountant , Indian Female 25 years , with good knowledge and experience in finance , accounts, audits. Immediate joining contact GSM : 92530131 , 24785757 Email : muflihak@gmail.com. B.Com 21 yrs with 1 yrs exp Indian male valid D/L. Contact: 95186796 Female 33, Indian B.Com looking for suitable placement as back office support. Contact 95256416

Male, Indian 26 yrs Accountant 4 yrs in Oman. Contact 95960600 Mumbai Born, male-24, PGPM + MBA (Finance) with one year experience as a ﬁnancial analyst in India. seeks job in ﬁnance. Tel: 98711999 email: sharancherian@gmail.co

ARCH/ INTERIOR Artist Masters of ﬁne Arts having 20 years experience of all kinds of Arts and decoration works in Oman, looking for suitable placement. Contact 92635029 Iraqi Architect 22 years experience. Contact 97608513 Indian female B. Arch (Architect) having 3 years Middle East experience with valid driving license on family joining visa. Contact 96908041 /99349047 Indian male, 3 yrs experience managing projects in interior designing & execution in Oman with valid Omani D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact 96678029 / 93285996 Email: kw251287@gmail.com

Accounts and administration or logistics, with 5 years of experience in Oman with valid driving license. Contact 93880414 Accounting & Finance ACCA, experience 5 years. contact 92436843 Accountant M.Com, MBA, with 7 years experience looking for suitable placement. Email heams.merlin@gmail.com Contact 93029334 Indian male Accountant with 7 years experience (Expert in Tally ERP-9) seeks suitable placement. Contact 94251297 Email : milan.muscat@gmail.com Jordanian Senior Accountant 11 Years Experience, Worked In Constructions, Tourism Company and Poly Clinic, Experience in Tally Erp9.Contact 96470036

Indian male BSc Hotel Management with 10 yrs experience and Oman D/L, seeking suitable replacement. Contact 95066454 Indian male 23 B.Com with Hotel Management one year experience Oman looking for hotel service vacancy. Contact 91172990

Srilankan Maid available, part time hard working, trustworthy good with Children & Animals, Cooking. Contact 98024739 Housemaid looking for part time job, good English experience. Contact 98024739 Housemaid looking for part-time/ full time job. Contact 93889545

DRIVERS Indian Driver required with 3 years experience with visa living in Ruwi area. Contact 96761960 Driver 6 years exp with car, have valid Oman driving license with AutoCAD knowledge. NOC available. Contact 95962384 Light Duty Driver more than 10 years experienced in Capital and interior areas of Oman well versed with every nook and corner of Oman looking for a placement. Knows English, Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil can speak and understand Arabic. Contact 99771205 Office Driver with car. #95615642

Indian female MBA (ﬁnance) working with reputed company in Muscat with valid Oman D/L seeking for suitable placement in ﬁnance / accounts. Contact 97197683

Indian male 24 yrs, looking for driver job, heavy duty 1year experience in Oman. Contact 92473490 Email kuttushaju@gmail.com

Indian male, 25 years, MBAFinance Graduate, 1 year experience with computer knowledge, on the lookout for suitable openings in Oman. Contact 93870465 and email : fahadhv@yahoo.com .

47 years Indian Heavy Driver 16 years experience in Oman, looking for suitable placement. Contact 93842371 / 99389268

Indian male B.Com Tally with 8 months experience in Accounting is looking for Accounts Assistant job. Contact 94103460

Experience driver, 4 years in Oman. Contact 92417566

Muslim Chartered Accountant and M.Com, 12 Years of Experience, At present in UAE, seeking good Job in Accounts, Finance, Audit etc. Contact 00971 50 9607654, 00968 9985 7838, E mail : chishtiaca@yahoo.com

Light driver available, experience Graduate. Contact : 98987475

ACCA Member, 3 yrs experience, Well Versed in Tally ERP-9, Quick Book & MS office, Currently on visit visa. Contact: 97268263 Accounts works up to ﬁnalization on part-time / fulltime. Contact 96247295

20 Yrs Exp Light Duty Driver. Contact 91210747 4 yrs Experienced Indian Driver looking for job as driver. #93079087 Driver with Car Pick & Drop. Contact 97581610

Light Driver. Contact 97020205

Corolla 2013 with driver. #96772324

Experience Light duty Driver. Contact 95592452 Experience Light Duty Driver, 6 years in Oman. Contact 96246001 Heavy Duty Driver with Oman license, now on visit visa in Oman, experience 4 years Oman. #92775607 Light driver. Contact 95387829 Driver light duty. Contact 94263433

ENGG. / TECHNICAL 25 years Indian male, B.E Aeronautical, 2 Years experience on Maintenance repair and overhaul. Hands on experience on Gas turbine engine and Autocad 2007. Contact 00919739656833 Email: midhu4u@gmail.com

DESIGNER

Bio-medical Engineer (B-Tech), 3 years experience in India, on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact : 92163918, saviojose111@gmail.com

3D Visualizers / designer having 2 D & 3 D experience in Oman, knowledge of interior & exterior, seeking for good place part time or fulltime, having Omani D/License. Contact 95268877

Indian male Biotechnology Engineer recently passed looking for a suitable opening and ready to join any time. Contact 95130163

Web designer with experience in application design for Android and iOS platforms available for full time and part time employment. Email: monishak12@gmail.com. Gsm: 96103465 AutoCAD 2D, 3D Technician 3 years exp with Oman driving license, NOC available. Contact 95962384 Indian female, 25yrs Bsc-FASHION DESIGNING, 3yers experience in designing ﬁeld and teaching. looking for a sutable placement. Contact: 98785310. Email: vinaya.m.nair@gmail.com Indian male B.Com 30 years 5 years experience in UAE, looking for Graphic designer job, visit visa. Contact 97166820

DRAUGHTSMAN BSc Interior designer with 6 years in Mumbai and 2 years in Oman, seeking a suitable job for Site Co ordination. Contact +968 95796137

CATERING

DOMESTIC HELP Accountant, Indian, with UAE & Oman working experience in accounts, seeks suitable position in Muscat as an Accounts Executive. Contact : 96950764. email manipv.pv@gmail.com

DRIVERS

AutoCAD electrical draughtsman (2D) IND/M 5+years Gulf exp urgently looking for a job currently on visit visa. Contact 94459806 / 98192825 Autocad d/man, gulf exp, exp in Arch, interior, structural, 3D, PH : 96722150 AutoCAD Civil Draughtsman 2D/3D IND/male 2 years Gulf experience & having Oman D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact 99147961 Email: ashratalikv786@gmail.com Electrical D/man, experienced, on visit visa. Contact :96516924 Looking for CAD Draftsman related jobs 6 years working experience in India. Also knowledge in Civil CAD Electrical CAD M/S Application Hardware and Networking Programming and Scripting and Web designing, looking for suitable job in Muscat. Contact +91 9835112958 AutoCAD MEP Draftsman IND/M, 10+ yrs Gulf exp presently working in Oman seeks immediate suitable placement having Omani D/L. Contact 97697861 / 95291403

EDUCATION 26 Years Indian female BA. B.Ed & MSW degree holder applying for Teaching & office administration post. Contact 94162888 Email sreelakshmi.kuttysree@gmail.com Indian female, BSc B.ED, fresher looking for a teacher’s job for secondary section from 5th to 8th for all subjects. # 97645135 / 93023379

ENGG. / TECHNICAL A BE Civil, 26 yrs male, with 4+ yrs of exp and having an ongoing exp in oil & gas with all HSE trainings, inductions and having defensive driving license is looking for urgent placement. Contact 93525766 Indian Female 23 years old, Aeronautical Engineering graduate with 1 year 6 months experience, expert in MS Office tools, Technical documentation, reports and excellent communication skill. mail: sandhyamenon057@gmail.com B.Tech Mechanical, 26yr Indian male having 4 yr experience in plant construction,structural fabrication & erection in India. Contact 0091 9546418417 E-mail-mail2umesh89@gmail. com Telecom Engineer 4 years experience in all Hnawei equipment MW& BTS of site survey maintenance. Contact 94462554

Male Computer Technician Diploma in applied 4 years exp Electronics & computer maintenance, language English, Arabic seeking suitable placement. #92501456 B. Tech in Electrical & Electronics Indian male 27 years single 4.5 years experience as Electrical quality inspector in reputed heavy industry abroad currently in Muscat placement. Contact 92521239 Email: electricalengineer.sk@gmail.com 5 Years experienced Network & CCTV Engineer, searching for job. Contact 98172626 / 93108249 Q.C. Inspector 25 yrs experience in Chemical and food. #92106143 Mobile Software Technician 2 years exp in Gulf, well known languages Hindi, Arabic & English. Contact 95330129 Computer Engineer (Indian), 21 yrs seeking a suitable job opportunities in Oman, Fresher on visit upto to 5th October. Contact 96306993 Civil Engineer 1 year Exp as (Design Engineer & Shop Drawing) professional @ AutoCAD ,ETABS, Revit, Robote structural analysis. Contact no : 91381068 Civil Engineer 6 years Exp as (Site Technical office Engineer, QS, Planning engineer & Site Engineer) Professional @ AutoCAD, Sap, P3 & office. Contact no: 91148708 Indian BE ( E & C) Engineer 5 months experience in maintenance & troubleshooting of PLC / PID/ VFD/ PG Diploma in industrial Automation, well versed in PLC/SCADA/ DCS, 22 years in Oman, seeking placement. Contact 99345911 Experienced 12 yrs Gulf 1yr Oman exp. as land surveyor in building / road construction seeks immediate placement. Contact 97850467 Project Manager B.E Civil Eng. 11 years experience (8 years in Oman) in Projects Management, development, Construction, Real Estate & Business development, Omani D/L. Contact 93813851 Indian male Diploma with 9 years of Instrumentation experience in Automation (SCADA, PLC &DCS) based Industry, seeking a suitable placement. Contact 95868048 Email ar13685@gmail.com 8 years experienced Civil Engineering diploma holder 5 years in Civil 3 years in PEB with valid Oman license seeking good opportunities. Contact 97408346 Project Engineer Micro tunneling sewerage Network with 18 years experience infrastructure with good skill also having valid Omani D/L, seeking suitable placement. Contact +968 94220778 / Email abidhusaindesai@yahoo.com Indian Keralite 33 years male ITI Electrician, 13 years exp, 5 years Gulf experience able to handle ﬁre alarm AVS PS system and Plumbing with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable placement in Muscat area. Contact 93367545 Indian female 30 yrs, Procurement Engineer having 9+ yrs experience in EPC sector, looking suitable job. #96682307 Email: bgeetha2004@gmail.com B.Sc in Civil Engineer 4 years experience in Oman and D/L, seeks suitable job. Contact 98475572 Email kkholifa@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer western educated, 25 years, male looking for suitable placement with valid Omani driving license. #99624582 Email aziz.qaiser@gmail.com Indian Civil Engineer (BE & Diploma) with 2.5 years experience in Oman, 6 years in India with valid Omani Driving license, looking for suitable placement on release. Contact 91229885

T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED ENGG. / TECHNICAL Mechanical Engineer western educated 25 year old Male looking for suitable placement with valid Omani driving license. Email aziz.qaiser@gmail.com B-Tech Mechanical Fresh Engineer Indian male Presently in Oman, looking for suitable vacancy completed PDMS course. Contact +968 96332565 / +968 95786556 Email: ashiq.ptni@gmail.com BE Mechanical Engineer, also completed advance diploma in Oil & Gas, seeking suitable job. Contact 93056016 Email: mail2dayjustin@yahoo.com B.Tech Electronics and Instrumentation Indian male with 2 year experience and valid Omani driving license, seeking suitable placement. Contact 95127955 Email shemeerkmohd@yahoo.com Diploma-in- Civil Engineer, 4 years experience in Sultanate of Oman also having Omani driving license. GSM : +968 98899738, E-mail: hfiroz301009@yahoo.com Purchase / procurement officer, Gulf exp, exp in MEP Products. Contact 93243846 Electrical Engineer, Indian, Female, with 10 years experience, 4 years in consultancy firms in UAE seeks suitable job in Muscat. Mob: 91279796 B.Tech Mechanical Engineering with Diploma in CADD Fresher. Contact 92144704 Indian male B Tech Chemical Engineer, looking for suitable placement in Oman urgently. Email sarellayeshwanth@gmail.com/ vanabalaji@gmail.com Indian female B.Tech Mechanical Engineer, presently in Salalah (visit), looking for suitable placement in Salalah urgently . # 96613978 Email divyasarella7@gmail.com Land Surveyor 7 years experience 5 years in Oman know survey instruments, handle AutoCAD for call 96531364 email : eltamam-2003@yahoo.com Sudanese Civil Project Engineer with 15years +5 in Oman seeks suitable project works, consultant Office supervisor, projects Omani D/L seeking suitable position. Contact 96302025 / 92123375 MEP Project Manager with 9 years of experience in EPC sector seeking for a suitable placement. Contact:92858543,24626827 B.Sc Engineer (Civil), 5 Yrs experience with good construction skill, looking for suitable placement. Mobile: 93247929, Email: maislam03@hotmail.com Indian Male 35 yrs, Instrumentation Engineer, DEI, NTC, NAC, ATI-EPI. 14 yrs of Instrumentation Exp. in the field of Sales, Construction, Commissioning & Maintenance with Reputed Co’s in Oman, UAE, Qatar & India. Have Indian D/L, and Oman L/L. Seeking suitable Job, #93376354, Email: samuel.ndia@gmail.com Indian Male, B.E. in Electrical & Electronics Engg with valid CCNA certificate and 6 yrs experience in BMS, project management & maintenance seeks suitable placement. Currently in India. Pls call Muscat contact No. 99639375 Indian Civil Project Engineer with 10+years Gulf exp, suitable for Project works/ QS works, Omani D/L, seeking a suitable position. Contact 93476959 Male, 29 years, B. Tech in Electrical Engg having more than 5 years of experience in Electrical project Execution also having a valid Omani D/L seeking a good placement. Contact: 95583947 B.Tech (Electronics and Biomedical Engineering) and MBA (Marketing and HR) with 1.5 years experience in marketing and media field. Contact 96175799 Email: aadil.azis@gmail.com Service advisor, 5 years experience in Maruti Suzuki, Automobile Engineering. Contact-91038554, email: charancholakkil@gmail.com

MEP Supervisor exp 15 years, HT, LT (exper.) with D/L, dp maintenance. Contact 96297274 Project Engineer B.Sc (Civil) 7 years experience, looking for suitable placement. Contact 94422489 Email gmssohel.ee@gmail.com Indian male 24, B.Tech Electrical. #94460751 Email: alexpynadath@gmail.com Indian female, B-Tech Civil Engg, 3 years (6 months in Oman) experience in QS, Estimation, Cost control & planning, seeks suitable job. Contact 92047375 Email vinujosephcm@gmail.com

INFORMATION TECH.

INFORMATION TECH. Indian female, B.Tech, 5 yrs of exp, JAVA, J2EE, AJAX, Struts, Oracle, SQL. Contact 96200984 Email shiljyrajan@gmail.com

MEDICAL Female MBBS doctor with 3 years experience seeks suitable position in Muscat region. Contact 91218141 Pharmacist female with 5 years experience and MOH license require suitable placement in Store, Clinic or Hospital in Capital area. # 92363840 / 92694895 Indian Doctor female MD (Anesthesiology) with 3years post MBBS experience seeks suitable placement. Contact 96243418

IT Professional, 32, Indian Male, Graduate, CCNA, MCSA, Sun Solaris SA1, 9years of exp. in Hardware Networking,Wintel/Linux/Unix Servers, Data Centre Administration & Service of Printers/MFP & Copier, Now on Visit Visa looking for the suitable post. #98327017 Email-jsrbharat@gmail.com

Arabic Dentist with MOH License looking for suitable Placement, contact 91138009

B.Tech Information Technology male with 1 year of Oman experience currently working on SAP ERP, SQL server with one of the required company, looking for a suitable job. Contact 91057689, Email dennis. dane89@gmail.com

Female Staff Nurse having MOH license, looking for job. #93028381

Indian male 26 yrs, Graduate with CCNA, CCNP, MCSE and MCITP, Exchange server 2003 & 2013, 4.7 yrs experience in Networking, presently on visit visa. Contact 96157622 Indian male 33 years, with more than 10 years experience in hardware and networking specialization in network administration. Router configurations hands on experience in troubleshooting hardware networks & software related problems looking for suitable placement now on visit. Contact 96206320 CCNA male 28 years with 4 years experience in system and network support, looking for job. #98479807 ITIL, OCP, CRISC certified IT Professional with 20 yrs. exposure to Dubai & Oman markets having expertise in ERP, Cloud Computing, Virtualization, security, IT/Project Management, Citrix, Oracle etc. is looking for immediate placement. Contact: 95602424 Indian male 27 years old, Masters in Computer Applications with 4+ years experience, Key skills: Oracle Pl/sql and .net Seeking Suitable placement. Contact: +919538345624 sujithchennat@gmail.com IT Professional with 19 yrs. experience having expertize in ERP, Virtualization, Cloud Computing, Oracle Programming, Citrix, Microsoft, Lync is looking for immediate placement. Contact: 95602424 Indian male 29 BSc. IT CCNA with 3 yrs experience, looking for a suitable placement in Networking or IT service. Contact 98871199 Indian male, MBA (HR & IT), having 1.5 yrs. working experience as Asst: Mgr (HR & Admin), seeking for a suitable post. Contact 98031852 Email : sarathmalayil4u@gmail.com Indian male, MCA, MBA-HR, B.Com with 9.5 yrs. Exp. looking for a suitable opportunity as IT Project Head & SAP HR Consultant (Multi tasking) presently come on visit visa in Oman, Contact GSM : +968 92801761 E-mail : rishhi@msn.com Indian male, MCA, 8 yrs exp, JAVA, J2EE, Struts, AJAX, Oracle, SQL. Contact 93858967 Email nrawat01@yahoo.co.in 10 Years of Technical presales experience, Graduate from University of Huddersfield UK, previous experience of working with ZTE, looking for job. Contact 91379396 IT professional Indian Male ME in CSE, 12 years IT experience (6 months in Oman, 3 years in Dubai, Emirates Airlines/Project management, Software development in Dot Net, Training , Technical & Customer Support, Marketing) looking for suitable post, for immediate placement. #92664161 or 98261787. Email: sh8301@gmail.com

Male Nurse with MOH license and ACLS seeks placement. Contact 93262628 Email: robitjohn@gmail.com

Indian female 23, M.SC Bio Chemistry with experience in teaching and clinical lab work looking suitable placement in teaching/ laboratory technologist/ chemist. Email: ktkarthika22@gmail.com, contact 97200435 M.Sc Biotechnology Clinical Research Clinical Data management IPR 4 Years experience. Contact 92136290 Email ebinabraham@gmail.com Female physiotherapist with MOH Looking for suitable job. Contact 99545952,98147312 Indian female nurse with MOH license seeks suitable placement. Contact 94499120 Male Nurse Indian 26 years with 3 years experience & MOH license, ACLS, BLS & ITLS, seeking job. Contact +91007965, 99470508 Email: jomonthomas1313@gmail.com Indian male Nurse with MOH License, 1 year experience from Oman as company Nurse is Looking for a job, now on visit visa. Contact 93645954 Indian Female staff Nurse, 27, holder of MOH license( currently in Oman on visit visa), Looking for suitable placement. #95720390

MANAGER/ SUPER Commercial Manager (Contracts Specialist ) in Construction in Muscat till 30th September seeks placement 92829562 email: forwork283@gmail.com Indian total exp18 years with 10 years Gulf exp as a services center in charge in electronics & Gulf driving License, seeks suitable placement in Oman. Contact 96527926 Purchaser/Procurement: Indian* *Male,10* years experience as Purchaser/Procurement Head in a construction comp. D/L. Contact No:92501871 Indian auto parts store keeper 16 years exp Oman in a multinational co now on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact 97146910 Business Development Manager with 6 yrs experience in Oil & Gas, Business development, Sales & Marketing with Oman D/L, seeks a suitable placement. Contact 92961826 Email waseemprod@gmail.com Manager/Super 12+ yrs experienced Purchase Manager with D/L & release , seeks placement . Contact 97073942. Indian Male 42, B.Com Graduate, 19 years experience in AC,LCD, LED installation Manager seeking sales, service or Supervisor post, on visit visa. Contact 98044075 Mail markarmstrong20068@gmail.com

M.Sc Agriculture / Horticulture Sudanese Female looking for suitable job. Contact: 95498223

Indian female MCA ( Result Awaiting), seeking suitable placement in IT ﬁeld. Contact 99436069 Email ramanrami@rediffmail.com

Sales Manager having 15 years of experience in Retail management in Oman & Currently handling Electronics & home appliances, seeking suitable placement, Release available. Contact 93826379 Email marvelgeet@yahoo.com

Mechanical Engineer Indian male having 10 years GCC experience in HVAC & MEP with valid Omani D/L, seeks suitable job in a reputed company. Contact 96093552

Indian male 26 years MSC telecom (UK) B.Tech (EC) having 3 years experience in IT/Telecom seeks suitable placement. #95285710 Email : prajith5678@gmail.com

Indian female, 28, MBA looking for suitable placement. Contact 98435532

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

MISCELLANEOUS

29,Indian, female, NEBOSH IGC, PG in Marketing, BSC & MSC Microbiology, 1.5 years experience, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95117139

Indian male with GCC experience in Sales, Admin & Store, seeking suitable placement. Contact 92893273

Indian male Graduate, 26, 3 yrs exp in handling purchase in a reputed company in Oman looking for suitable placements. Phone: 95776353

LAND SERVEY, having 1 year exp. in Total Station, auto level, theodalite, on visit visa, 97249473 Indian Male, experience in Store/ Operation//Logistic/Coordinator having good communication skills, seeking suitable change. Contact: 94355675 Indian (M) with 11 yrs exp. (7-India & 4-Dubai) in Sales & Office support with Omani D/L need a job in Oman. Call 98267793

SALES / MARKETING A dynamic Sales & Mkt professional with 9 years of experience currently situated in Muscat, looking for suitable position. Contact 95304232 Indian male 2 years exp in Oman, looking for job as Marketing Executive in Van or mini truck. Contact 96148903 An Indian having rich Gulf experience in Sales Marketing ( in House) Procurement Admin, seeking suitable placement at Senior level. Contact parthinath123@gmail.com / Contact 93689602 Indian male MBA 6 years experience in IT Sales business development and training staff in telemarketing and customer service in Oman on visit. Contact 91380575 Indian male MBA Sales & Marketing, 7 years of experience holding Oman D/L, looking for a suitable position in the same. #95475833 Indian female, MBA( HR & Marketing) B.Tech ( Electronics & Communication) with experience. Contact 96963961 MBA, 30 Yrs, Indian Male with 7yrs of Marketing & Sales exp on visit visa. Contact 98823315 Indian male 25 yrs, Valid Oman driving license, 2 years experience, looking for suitable job. #98562921 India female, 26, MBA, experience in media marketing and market research, looking for suitable opportunities in Communication/PR/ Branding, Valid D/L. Contact details: greycentral86@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer: Presently working in Muscat with valid Oman DL. Having 10 Years of experience in Technical Marketing, Project Sales & Execution. Looking for a suitable placement. Contact:96295282 27 years Indian male 8 years’ Indian market experience in the field of Event Management, Sales & Customer Service, looking for a challenging opportunity in Muscat in relevant field. Contact 96167803 Indian male 27 yrs having 6 years experience in Sales & Marketing including FMCG Products in Kerala, Fluent in English and Hindi, looking for immediate placement, currently in visiting visa. Contact 94041305 Email : jibinrm@gmail.com 24 years female with D/L, BBA + BSc in Business & Management, 3 yrs work experience, seeking suitable position in Marketing/ HR or Office co-ordination. Contact 92462238/98123236 Email : hemapopat7@outlook.com Indian male MBA Sales & Marketing, 7 years of experience holding Oman D/L, looking for a suitable position in the same. #95475833 Indian male 25 yrs MBA Mrkt BSc Biotech 4 yrs exp in Sales & Mrkt experience in Oman with valid Omani D/L, looking for a suitable position. # 94080049/ 95138285 Email mataher786@gmail.com Indian male 2 years exp in Sales, Have a valid Oman driving license, seeks suitable placement. #98613038 Marketing Manager 25 years experience in Building materials in GCC/ Oman. Contact 94381598 Female European 31 yrs, Bachelor of Accounts, 13 yrs of Exp. as Showroom/Front Office Manager (Fashion Accessories/Jewellery)/Office Secretary (Educational Consultancy). Can speak, write, and read English, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Hindi and Telugu. Seeking suitable Job, Contact: 93376354, Email: samuel.ndia@gmail.com

Young Male Graduate BA Hons (Marketing)- United Kingdom with 2 years experience & driving licence seeks suitable placement in Business development/Brand management/Logistics. call – 96402727 Male 28,B.Com, Having over 7 years of experience in Sales & Marketing, valid D/L, seeking for a suitable position.Contact:96662739 or EMail-sidd9191@yahoo.com Male 36 Years 6 years experience in Oman as Sales Executive, Home appliances field with Driving License. Good Command in Arabic. Contact 94378787 Indian Counter Salesman experience, Omani D/L. Contact 97438780 MBA, Indian male (30 yrs), 6.5 years experience in Sales / Marketing / Admin with Omani D/L, seeking for suitable placement. Contact 95480402 Email dgjdp1982@gmail.com MBA in Marketing & Finance with 2 years work experience in Oman, with valid driving license and good communication skills, Seeks suitable placement. Contact 91181288 / Email george15386@gmail.com Indian male B Tech MBA with 4 years of marketing/sales experience on visit visa seeking suitable placement Ph 96010724 Indian male 27, 3 years experience in Sales & Marketing in Australia on visit, seeking suitable placement. Contact 93717152 Email engoor@gmail.com Indian male 24 MBA 2 yrs exp in Marketing on visiting visa. Contact 97138676 Email haris.hameedali@gmail.com Outdoor Salesman with 10 years Oman experience with valid driving license. Contact 93600795 Indian male MBA marketing / finance with 4 yrs of exp in sale & marketing looking suitable placement in sales/ marketing/ sales coordination/ customer care/ retail/ admin jobs. #98443722 / 92409198 Sudanese B.Sc Computer Engineer with 6 years experience, looking for Marketing, Sales, IT Jobs. Contact 97099676 Indian Male 30 having 5 yrs experience in Marketing having valid Oman driving license, Looking for a suitable position. Contact 93047608 29 Male MBA Marketing with 5 years experience in GCC. Holding valid Oman D/L, Seeking for suitable placement. Contact 97268004 Indian male age 25 MBA from England, 2 yrs exp in Marketing and Sales with valid Oman D/L, Looking for suitable placement. # 97267753 B.Tech E & I, 8+ yrs experience Sales, Marketing Procurement, etc, currently working in Oman valid D/L, looking for suitable placement. Contact 97233074 / 95140207 Indian male B.Com 33 years having 7 years experience in Sales Coordination, Office Administration and warehousing in Oman in the field of Furniture, EHA, IT Products. Contact 92786255 Indian male 6 yrs experience in Oman Sales field, having valid Omani Driving license, seeking suitable placement. Contact 92868522 15 yrs exp Purchase, Sales, Store & Admin, fluent English, Arabic, know computers, Omani D/L. Contact 99717061 Indian male 10 years experience in Sales with valid Oman driving license seeking for suitable replacement. Contact 98481925 MBA( MKTG)6 yrs exp Sales & Mktg valid OM D/L, Ind Male 30yrs currently working as an AQT manager. Contact 97757866 Indian male MBA (Sales & Marketing) 10+ yrs exp in Sales & Marketing, Purchase exp in Oman & Saudi with valid D/L, seeking suitable placement. Contact 95173538 Indian male 33, 12 years exp in marketing, D/L, excellent in Arabic. Contact 94243250 Indian male 37 yrs, having 6 yrs exp. in purchasing with D/L seeking suitable placement. #99345732

Indian Male with 8 yrs exp in Marketing, Branding, Business Development & Sales. Seeking job opportunities in Muscat. Currently on Visit Visa till 19th October , joining immediate. 99502772 ACCA tution for level 1 and 2 or related bachelors or master courses, gain effective training to pass, pleas send your requirements and subjects through email. Contact Abdullah-97654769,Email id:abdullah. nooralam@yahoo.com Indian male, experience in Store/ Operation//Logistic/Coordinator having good communication skills, seeking suitable change. Contact: 94355675 Indian Male experience 26 yrs in sales co-ordination, marketing & logistics, import export, purchase seeks suitable posting having D/L. Contact : 97129061 Indian Female MBA with 3 yrs of experience in the field of Business Development, HR and office administration on family visa seeks immediate placement. # 99179709 Male,25,ACCA finalist with driving license, seeking for permanent visa,1 year accounting and 2 month audit experience in audit firm, expected salary is 300 plus, expecting audit job only. G.S.M. No. 97654769, id: abdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com Indian male, Having 3years experience for furniture Sales in Oman and 5 years experience for electronics and Home appliances Sales in India with Valid Oman Driving License. GSM 96148228 , kmfiroz6@gmail.com

PROJECTS Looking for HSE Advisor job. Qualiﬁcation NEBOSH IGC and OSHA education masters in Geosciences age 28 years. Contact 93835938

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Indian Male 28 yrs Ms office T. FAP knowledge, DTP, looking for entry level position (Office Assistant). Contact 92648898 Email rchinchur@gmail.com Indian Female 36 yrs, 15 yrs exp as Secretary/Accounts Document Controller, Seeking suitable placement. Contact 96761271

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Pakistani Male on visit visa looking for job as any Helper/Office Boy Contact:- 99002390

TOURS & TRAVEL B.Sc Indian male 5.5 yrs exp Airline /Travels, Diploma in Travels. Contact 97099386 Indian Male, PG in tourism, 23 years, seek suitable job in travel & tourism. Available for immediate joining .ph 92409102 , akhilantony0303@yahoo.com

BUSINESS

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

TOURS

WEBSITE

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al Ainain Marine Tours- Contact: 98029602, 92808636 We arrange Tours to Jabel Alakhdar / Shames wahiba Sands. Contact 99839898

CLASSES

RENT A CAR

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

COMPUTER

MANPOWER Manpower supply maintenance & civil work contracting. Contact 98425389 Housemaid, male / female cleaner, driver, light and heavy gulf valid D/L, house boy, & skilled and unskilled categories, form Srilanka, India. Contact Mr jerry 95175192 Email: oman.manpower@yahoo.com

BUSINESS CANADIAN company .for immigration & manpower is looking for a partner in Oman with license !For contact evro21@gmail.com Looking for Omani partner for business development services. Contact 93194825 Email: edumass4@gmail.com

Learn Baking Cakes & Icing Decoration, sugarcraft, creative water falls & Handicraft classes. Contact 96761960 Learn Drawing & painting for children. (MBD area Ruwi) Contact 99737812

Morning Star Rent A car. Contact 94475478 / 24478505/ 24478589

T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

SERVICES

Carpet, sofa- cleaning, glue removing, shampooing, house cleaning, polishing & painting etc. Contact – 99542979 / 98855815 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble.# 24793614/ 99314807 Split & Window AC Servicing & repairing. Contact 99557080 Split & Window A.C Servicing & repairing. Contact 99380307

SERVICES GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC all kind of pest control. Contact 92326955 SPLIT / WINDOW A/C servicing 5/10 RO. Contact 95084850 House shifting and transporting. Contact 92490422

SERVICES

A/C service RO7/- , repairing & installation, painting, building all maintenance. Contact 95563858 / 99326786 Cleaning Service, Carpet & Sofa Shampooing Marble grinding & Tile polishing, pest control. Contact 99448057 / 95401996 Pest control water proof. Contact 99067923

Marble polishing & crystallization building cleaning ﬂoor, ﬂoor polishing, carpet, sofa shampooing, pest control, anti termite, shifting, maintenance. Contact 99504275 Civil Maintenance, painting, Electrical land scaping. # 96465032 GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 Door to Door Computers repair specialist laptop software Website cartridges.Contact 99199376 Split A/C window cassette type standing unit installation, maintenance servicing. Contact 97145652 / 99540621 House shifting, packing and Transportation. Contact 99657644 / 98518013

Accounting and audit services project feasibility study. Contact97133729 Email: omanaudits@gmail.com

Building maintenance, electrical, plumbing, painting cleaning, false ceiling, compound wall, interlock. Etc. Contact: 9408676

Building maintenance, electrical, plumbing, painting, cleaning, false ceiling, compound wall, interlock, lift maintenance etc. Contact 95885106 / 95829331

Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & antitermite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. Contact 24810137, 99450130

Electrical plumbing, Tiles interlock water prooﬁng maintenance & contract RIZWAN 99429071 / 91162345 Electrical Plumbing Painting Contract and Maintenance. Contact #98456535 1. A/C, Fridge & Washing Machine servicing & Repairing, 2. Painting , Plumbing, Electrical & Carpentry Works. Contact 97014234 / 24504281 Split & Window A/C, Servicing. Contact 99380307 Water prooﬁng ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Carpet, sofa- cleaning, glue removing, shampooing, house cleaning, polishing & painting etc. Contact – 99542979 / 98855815

Electrical Works, Maintenance, Building Gas Pipelines, Fire Alarm & Security systems. Contact Amjad Majees Trading & Contracting: 99467936 Dish Antenna Sales & Service, Dish TV, Tata Sky showtime & all other kind of satellite installation renewals. Contact 95779616 A/ C maintenance, servicing & installation. Split A/C Servicing RO 10.000 Only. #94217681 / 99210141 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722 Painting / building construction & maintenance. Contact 99057348