T28 10 2013 by Sahir Vayappat

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MASTERING TWEETING ART Twitter’s interface may look simple, but it is not, and its complexity has turned off many people who have tried the service. This is a problem, because one of the big questions facing Twitter is whether it can generate advertising revenue. >B5

MONDAY, October 28, 2013 / 23 DHUL HIJJA 1434 AH

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CZECH REPUBLIC

HM sends greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of greetings to President Milos Zeman of the Czech Republic on the occasion of his country’s National Day. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere greetings along with his best wishes to the president and the people of the Czech Republic. — ONA

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SPONSORS

OMAN

The Times of Oman Open Quiz Contest 2013 is powered by Bubchen. The major sponsors are Centrepoint and Al Seer. The co-sponsors are National Bank of Oman, Al Mudhish and Jindal Shadeed. The travel partner is Travel City, Travel Point while the official host is Oman Hotels. The venue sponsors are Sapil, Indomie and Oasis water. The event is brought to you by Page3 events.

The world has seen few quiz series that cross 10 years. In that sense, the Times of Oman quiz is in an exclusive league that has stood the test of time. This happens only when there is a strong commitment from the managers of the brand and also if the quiz stays relevant to the audience over time

Special quiz for audience MUSCAT: A dedicated quiz for the audience has been planned during the 17th edition of the Times of Oman Open Quiz Contest (TOOOQC) to be held on Friday, November 1, 2013, at the City Amphitheatre in Qurum. “This year we will have an exclusive audience round just before the action unfolds with the eight teams on stage. As always there will be lot of prizes to be won,” a spokesperson for the TOOOQC informed. The official informed that the audience quiz would be held from 7 to 7.30pm. “Not just the winners, even audiences have a chance to take home plenty of prizes at the contest,” organisers said. “We decided to have a special quiz for the audience considering that people turn out much before schedule waiting for the actual event to start. So it is only fair that we offer something for them to enjoy,” they added. “Audience also have chance to win exciting prizes likes TV, cameras and many more in a raffle draw to be conducted at the end. Audience has to be present at the venue to claim the raffle prize,” they said.

GIRI ‘PICKBRAIN’ BALASUBRAMANIAM

TIMES QUIZ

A feeling of nostalgia TIMES NEWS SERVICE

HAS STOOD TEST OF TIME TIMES NEWS SERVICE

MUSCAT: Strong commitment displayed by the organisers and the quiz staying relevant for the audience over a period of time has helped the Times of Oman Open Quiz Contest (TOOOQC) stand the test of time, says ace quizmaster Giri ‘Pickbrain’ Balasubramaniam. This is the 17th edition of the Times of Oman Open Quiz Contest. As a quizmaster, what is special about hosting this quiz? The world has seen few quiz series that cross 10 years. In that sense, the TOO quiz is in an exclusive league that has stood the test of time. This happens only when there is a strong commitment from the managers of the brand and also if the quiz stays relevant to the audience over time. I think this quiz has excelled on both these fronts. From the days of Derek O’Brien, it has been a huge quiz here and now as its custodian, I am merely taking that legacy forward and it is an honour to do that. What would be the highlights of this edition of the quiz? Now that the Times team has created an exclusive school quiz in April, it gives me the luxury to script a proper open quiz. What it does is

gives the schools two types of wickets to play on, one at the open quiz and another at their own quiz. Your formats are the biggest takeaway of your quiz? You have a knack of picking format themes that have popular resonance. How do you do it? If you look at quizzing closely, the quizmaster is like the curator of a pitch. All I can decide is the terrain which, to a large extent, is inﬂuenced by the format. On the one hand it adds value to the research that one does while on the other it keeps the teams on their toes. What kind of research goes into creating this kind of quiz? It is a long process that involves several rounds of research meetings, debating each question, arriving at a balance on what is tough and what is equally tough as questions in a quiz should have equilibrium to ensure that the seating position on the stage is not an added advantage for anyone. Research should have ingredients that sparks curiosity, yet allows the human mind to deduce the answer, so that brings thinking ability into play. The same should also be appreciated by the audience that comes to watch the best of minds battle c with w each other. You’ve been in the industry for Y so many years. How has the quizzing scene evolved? q Quizzing has transformed from Q aan intellectual community activity to a mass sport to being a tool for educab

tion in schools and colleges. In a sense, it is like computers that started out as an elite rich man’s device, to being a necessity for just about everyone today. Has access to information changed the quizzing scene? Technology and access to information has changed quizzing in a huge way. Take the TOO quiz for example. Two decades ago, it would have been very tough for a school team to win an open quiz, but that’s not true anymore and everyone has access to the same information. How big is the audience for quizzing across the world? Quizzing is still largely Asian and European but we are talking to countries like Australia and USA where the interest is high for such programmes and it could be a matter of a few years before we see it as a world learning tool. It is here that I see technology as a catalyst for such concepts as it blurs geographic distances and barriers and makes these activities global in quick time. How do you cope with this literally living out of a suitcase? Any popular sport will see its players and officials living out of suitcases. It could be cricket, soccer, tennis or quizzing! I strongly believe that nothing teaches you like travel. When I address school and college students, I always advise them to travel during vacations to new places to understand the world and learn from those experiences. Come to think of it, with all the research that we have done, seldom have we found success embracing those who choose not to move. How eagerly do you look forward to coming back to quiz in Muscat? Muscat is my second home... need I say more? It is a quiz where I feel overwhelmed and guilty while billing a client. It seems like I get entertained by the environment, the teams, the audience and am not the one providing it. Even at our office, everyone wants to see this quiz just as they would like to watch the Australian cricket team. We actually have a rotation system for the tech support teams that accompanies the host.

MUSCAT: The Times of Oman Open Quiz Contest (TOOOQC) is into its 17th edition and though it takes place in Oman, its admirers are spread across the globe. Tejaswi Raviraj Hegde, a former Indian School Muscat student and a keen quizzer now pursuing her astronautical engineering course at the Purdue University in the US, is one such person who misses not being part of the quiz anymore. “I truly miss not being part of the whole show. TOOOQC gives the perfect adrenaline rush to all quiz lovers in Oman. I believe it is an amazing platform to gain knowledge for both, participants and the audience. This is one such event where we, the ex-students, miss home terribly. Rustling together the team, ﬁnding an appropriate name, preparing for several weeks, the preliminary rounds and yes, if you’re lucky being on board – the excitement around the event used to be huge. Each of these stages was so exciting that one has to experience it to be able to explain it,” she says. Tejaswi feels, “Competitions like this one prepare young minds to achieve high end goals with a degree ease later in the future.” Congratulating the Times of Oman for continuing with the quiz event, she says, “You are a great contributor to the knowledge seekers and future generation.” Former TOOOQC participant Siddharth Gopakumar from the London School of Economics, who now works as Audit Associate, Deloitte in London, says, “I think the Times of Oman quiz, which has been running for so many years has helped create an event in Muscat, which residents eagerly look forward to every single year. That, in itself, shows the high proﬁle nature of the event, as I can’t think of

another event which helps bring together the people of Muscat in the same way the quiz does. “Community spirit is at its absolute peak on the day of the ﬁnals or the day after, when people across the city are discussing the quiz. I know how impressed they are with the quality of the questions that Pickbrain poses or the sharp answers that many contestants come up with. Being someone who grew up in Muscat, I have seen the quiz grow year after year and for me as young student, it was the one day in the calendar that I really looked forward to. I think an intellectually stimulating event like the TOOOQC is essential because it motivates students to go beyond their academics as it makes them sharper when it comes to general knowledge,” he added. He thinks the best part of the quiz is that, thanks to it being an annual ﬁxture, “it has created a strong culture of quizzing in Oman as people know an event like this is going to happen and therefore put in time well in advance to prepare for the quiz. Had the event been inconsistent or erratically held, the public wouldn’t necessarily have been so engaged.”

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 01 3

OMAN LEGAL COLUMN

No law permits employer to recover ﬁrm’s loss from staff Since you have indicated that specific achievable target has been clearly mentioned in the contract, failure of the employee to achieve the same can be interpreted as breach of contract on the part of the employee and the employer may terminate the services of employee

Times of Oman, in association with Khalifa Al Hinai Legal Consultants, will answer the legal queries of readers every Monday. Questions can be sent to readersclub@ timesofoman.com

We had employed a Business Development Executive under detailed contract which mentions all clauses including monthly sales targets to be achieved. The targets were based on the promises and assurances given to us by the person we have employed. However, after three months, he is not even achieving 20 per cent of the agreed sales target. We would like to recover our losses and would like to know the possibility of such an action. SANDEEP Employment contracts fall under a special category on the assumption that the employee is less privileged and always at the receiving end. This is an internationally recognised principle. Another special feature of the employments the world over is the inclusion of a probationary period during which the contracting parties (both the employer and the employee) may check their suitability or otherwise and take an appropriate decision after considering all factors.

employee or the employer), no party will be entitled to any special rights or compensation or damages. The probation period in Oman, as per Oman Labour Law, is three months and this is by all standards sufficient period to test the suitability or otherwise of an employee by the employer. You did not opt for this easy step for reasons best known to you. Consequently, you have complicated the whole issue by allowing the three months to pass and thereby indirectly conﬁrming and letting the continuation of the employee in your company’s service.

Performance If the employer finds that the employee does not fit into the frame or his/her performance is not satisfactory, the employer may terminate the contract. Similarly, if the employee finds the terms and conditions unsuitable for him/her or if he/she feels that the working environment is not as per his/her expectations, he/she may opt to walk out and end the contract. In both cases (whether termination by the

Achievable target Nevertheless, since you have indicated that speciﬁc achievable target has been clearly mentioned in the contract, failure of the employee to achieve the same can be interpreted as breach of contract on the part of the employee and the employer may terminate the services of the employee after following due procedure. The due procedure should include serving warning letters to the employee to improve his

performance within 30 calendar days failing which to serve him a final warning notice and to eventually terminate his services. If this procedure is not followed, the employee may claim compensation for unjustifiable termination. Recovering the so-called losses by the company from the employee is out of question since nowhere in the world it is recognised as a right per se of the employer. The maximum punishment you can give to an employee is to terminate his services and nothing more than that. The employment contract is not a commercial contract and therefore it cannot be interpreted on commercial terms. Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this column are for general guidance purposes only. They are based on facts presented to us and are not substituted for expert legal advice. Readers are advised to seek legal assistance for specific legal issues. Times of Oman and Khalifa Al Hinai Advocates & Legal Consultancy do not assume any responsibility towards anyone on this matter.

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

REGION

Jazeera Airways will start using the new airport, Al Maktoum International, from Thursday with daily ﬂights to and from Kuwait, while Bahrain’s Gulf Air will begin operations on December 8

Dubai opens second airport to passengers AL MAKTOUM INTERNATIONAL The airport situated in Dubai World Central

Airport will feature ﬁve runways after completion

It will be able to handle an annual capacity of 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo

is touted to be the world’s largest once it is completed

DUBAI: Dubai yesterday opened passenger operations at its second airport, Al Maktoum International, touted to be the world’s largest once it is completed. A Wizz Air plane from Budapest was the first passenger aircraft to land at the sprawling new facility, and it was welcomed on the tarmac with a water cannon salute. Jazeera Airways, another lowcost carrier, will follow suit on Thursday with daily flights to and from Kuwait, while Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, will begin operations on December 8. No other airlines have announced intentions to use the new airport, which lies some 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Dubai International, one of the world’s busiest hubs for air passengers. Paul Griffiths, chief executive officer of Dubai Airports, was confident that other companies would follow “in the coming months”. Dubai International He pointed out that 36 cargo carriers currently operate out of the new airport, compared to only two in 2010. Dubai International handled 57 million passengers in 2012, as it has become a major stop for air traffic between the West, Asia and Australasia. Al Maktoum International was opened only for cargo in June 2010, while passenger operations were repeatedly delayed. The new

WELCOMING THE FIRST COMMERCIAL FLIGHT:

(Top) The crew of the low cost Hungarian Wizz Air wait their turn to have their passports stamped at the newly opened Al Maktoum International airport, Dubai’s second airport in Dubai, yesterday. (Above left) Hungarian Wizz Air airliner receives a water salute after its landing and (left) passengers waiting to enter the new airport. – AFP

airport is situated in Dubai World Central, an economic zone the government hopes to turn into what it calls an “aerotropolis”. Once completed, it is to feature ﬁve runways that will be able to handle an annual capacity of 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo. It is built next to Dubai Jebel Ali Free Zone and its port, which is one of the world’s largest man-made harbours, and

a major containers terminal. It is part of a grand project announced during Dubai’s economic boom, but the pace of progress slowed during the ﬁnancial crisis that hit the emirate in 2009. The airport “will play a vital role in the future development of Dubai as a centre for trade, commerce, transport, logistics and tourism”, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chair-

man of Dubai Airports, said in a statement. The new airport is not aimed at replacing Dubai International, where expansion work is continuing, at least not for the time being, according to Griffiths. “If DXB (Dubai International) is to close, it isn’t a decision we have to make probably for the next 30, 40 years,” he told reporters. — AFP

DON’T DROP DEAD DROP YOUR PHONE

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 01 3

650

people have been killed so far this month, and more than 5,350 this year in Iraq violence that has reached a level not seen since 2008, when the country was just emerging from a sectarian conﬂict

16 Saudi women fined for driving Police stopped six women driving in Riyadh and ﬁned them $80 each

RIYADH: At least 16 Saudi women have received fines for taking the wheel on a day set by activists to defy the ban on female driving, police and reports said yesterday. Only few women braved official threats of punishment and drove on Saturday in response to an online campaign headlined “Women’s driving is a choice”. “Police stopped six women driving in Riyadh, and fined them 300 riyals ($80) each,” said the capital’s police deputy spokesman, Colonel Fawaz Al Miman. Each of the women, along with her male guardian—who could be a father, husband, brother, uncle, or grandson—had to “sign a pledge to respect the kingdom’s laws”, Miman said. In Jeddah, police also fined two women for driving, according to the Red Sea city’s police spokesman, Nawaf Al Bouq. Saudi newspapers, meanwhile, reported that six women were stopped by police in Eastern Province, and at least two others were stopped in other parts of the kingdom. Videos A dozen Saudi women posted videos on the Twitter account of the campaign, @oct26driving, showing themselves driving. On Wednesday, the ministry said it would act against anyone who attempts to “disturb public peace” by congregating or marching “under the pretext of an alleged day of female driving”. The next day ministry spokes-

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE: A

Saudi couple enters a shopping mall in Riyadh as women activists said they would keep up their campaign against the ban on driving. – AFP

man General Mansur Al Turki said: “It is known that women in Saudi are banned from driving and laws will be applied against violators and those who demonstrate in support” of this cause. Meanwhile, Saudi women said they would keep up their campaign. Activists are asking Saudi women to go on driving in public and posting online photographs or ﬁlms of themselves doing so. “The campaign continues, in order to normalise driving in our country, whose laws allow the practice of this right,” said a Tweet posted on the campaign’s Twitter feed. Those women who did drive were defying government admonitions backed up by a hefty police presence in the capital Riyadh. “Yesterday there were lots of police cars so I didn’t take the risk. I only took the wheel for a few minutes. Today I drove and nobody stopped me. For sure I will drive every day doing my normal tasks,” Azza Al Shamasi, the woman who ﬁlmed herself driving to the

It is known that women in Saudi are banned from driving and laws will be applied against violators and those who demonstrate in support of this cause General Mansur Al Turki Spokesman, Saudi Interior Ministry

hospital on Sunday, said. In Jeddah, Samia El Moslimany, a half-Egyptian half-American woman married to a Saudi for 27 years, said she was briefly held and made to sign a pledge that she would not drive again. “I drove around the neighbourhood in Jeddah,” she said. When she drove in the kingdom’s second city earlier in the evening, several cars followed with young men waving at her. Minutes after she relinquish the wheel to her driver, police surrounded her car and took her into detention, she said. A YouTube film made by comedians went viral on Saturday, parodying the Bob Marley song No Woman No Cry as No Woman No Drive, to support the women’s driving campaign. In the film, comedian Hisham Fageeh sang, whistled and danced with lyrics that included “I remember when you used to sit in the family car but backseat... in this bright future you can’t forget your past, so put your car key away”. — Agencies

REGION

RISING VIOLENCE

Bombings kill over 60 in Iraq BAGHDAD: Ten bombings targeting several areas of Baghdad province killed at least 41 people yesterday, while 20 died in bombings and shootings elsewhere in Iraq, officials said. The attacks are the latest in a surge in violence that has killed over 650 people so far this month, and more than 5,350 this year. Nine blasts hit different areas in and around Baghdad and also wounded more than 110 people, security and medical officials said. One of the worst-hit neighbourhoods was Shaab in north Baghdad, where two car bombs exploded in a commercial area, killing at least eight people and wounding at least 18.

Blasts also struck the areas of Bayaa, Baladiyat, Mashtal, Hurriyah and Dura in Baghdad, and Saba Al Bur, Nahrawan and Tarmiyah near the capital. The Mashtal blast hit a bus station while bombs in Bayaa, Dura, Saba Al Bur and Tarmiyah targeted commercial areas. Failed measures Militants often carry out attacks against members of majority community, whom they consider apostates. Iraq has since last month restricted many Baghdad residents to using their cars only every other day, but the measure has failed to prevent dozens of vehicle bombs exploding in the capital.

In the northern city of Mosul, a car bomb targeting soldiers waiting outside a bank to collect their wages killed at least 14 people, among them three soldiers, and wounded more than 30 people. Unknown gunmen also shot dead two soldiers and a civilian in two separate attacks in Mosul, while a car bomb exploded near an army checkpoint in the city, killing a woman and wounding eight people. And gunmen killed two civilians in the Muqdadiyah area, northeast of the city of Baquba. Violence in Iraq has reached a level not seen since 2008, when the country was just emerging from a brutal sectarian conﬂict. — AFP

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

INDIA Five killed as serial blasts rock Patna Seven small bombs exploded near the

It seems that today’s blasts were preplanned in Patna and I would like to assure everyone that no effort will be spared to solve the case

venue in Patna where tens of thousands were gathering to hear Modi launch the opposition’s campaign for the upcoming general elections

SEEKING SUPPORT: BJP president Rajnath Singh with Gujarat

Chief Minister and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and party leaders Shatrughan Sinha and Sushil Kumar Modi at the Hunkar rally in Patna, yesterday. – PTI

PATNA: A series of crude bombs killed ﬁve people and injured dozens in Patna yesterday, shortly before main opposition BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was due to address an election rally. Seven small bombs exploded near the venue in Patna where tens of thousands were gathering to hear Modi, a popular but divisive leader, launch the opposition’s campaign in Bihar state for upcoming general elections. The ﬁrst explosion occurred in a public toilet at a railway station in Patna, before more bombs exploded near and just outside the Gandhi Maidan ground where the large rally was held, police said. Five people were killed and 83 others injured, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar told a press conference later in the day. Conspiracy ruled out “It seems that today’s blasts were preplanned in Patna and I would like to assure everyone that no effort will be spared to solve the case,” Nitish said. “Making a guess on who did it would be premature at this stage. I

SLOW DOWN ENJOY THE RIDE

Nitish Kumar Bihar’s chief minister

‘Narendra Modi cannot lead India effectively’ NEW YORK: Narendra Modi, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, cannot hope to lead India effectively if he inspires “fear” and “antipathy” among many of its people, the New York Times has commented in an unusual move. “Modi has shown no ability to work with opposition parties or tolerate dissent,” the Editorial Board of the New

rule out any political conspiracy,” he said. Police said two people have been arrested and several others detained for questioning, while the central government dispatched anti-terrorism forces to Patna to investigate the case. Television footage showed peo-

York Times said in a stinging editorial on Modi. The editorial said that Modi has already “alienated” BJP’s political partners with Janata Dal (United), an important regional party breaking off its 17-year alliance with the “party because it found Modi unacceptable.” India was a country with multiple religions and “Modi

ple running from several explosions at the venue, with smoke rising above them. Police helped carry the injured to hospitals, where mostly men with bloodied bandages were seen lying on beds and connected to intravenous drips. “The condition of nearly half a dozen injured is critical,” said

cannot hope to lead it effectively if he inspires fear and antipathy among many of its people,” it said while recalling that nearly 1,000 people died in the 2002 riots in Gujarat. The editorial, published on Saturday also questioned Modi’s economic track record. The “economic record in Gujarat is not entirely admirable, either,” it said. -PTI

an official from the Patna Medical College and Hospital, adding that some people were injured in stampedes after the blasts. Modi, a polarising ﬁgure particularly among religious minorities, later took to the stage and urged Hindus and Muslims to unite to overcome poverty in Bihar. - AFP

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 01 3

INDIA As retail boom turns sour, malls struggle to stay aﬂoat The country’s retail sector is set to grow at an annual rate of 16 to 19 per cent, reaching $901 billion in 2016, the Images Research report shows

Analysts say the majority of India’s shopping centres are struggling with a potent mix of high real-estate prices, bad planning and sluggish demand as

EMPTY LOOKS: There is a huge mismatch between the demand for consumption and the pace at

which retail real estate is expanding. - Bloomberg News ﬁle photo

the economy slows

MUMBAI: The Centre One shopping mall on the outskirts of Mumbai is gloomy and bereft of customers, even during India’s annual festive and wedding season when retailers traditionally cash in. “Business is dull, usually weak,” said one bored-looking salesman. The shopping centre’s empty look is no exception. In the past decade, supermarkets and malls have spread across India’s large cities and towns, fuelled by fast

economic growth and excitement about middle-class buying power. A “Malls in India” report released by Images Research last month found 470 shopping centres were operational this year, up from just 50 malls in 2005, and expected to soar to 720 by 2016. Struggling “But over 90 per cent of India’s malls are struggling,” said Susil Dungarwal, founder of Beyond Squarefeet, a mall management and advisory ﬁrm based in Mumbai. “Just 15 of these can be counted

as running successfully.” India’s middle-classes with their rising disposable incomes have long been considered a dream for mall-builders. The country’s retail sector is set to grow at an annual rate of 16 to 19 per cent, reaching $901 billion in 2016, the Images Research report shows. The government has also relaxed foreign investment rules in a bid to attract international supermarkets and boost the economy through retail. But Dungarwal and other analysts say the majority of India’s

I N C L E M E N T W E AT H E R

Andhra rains toll climbs to 42, Odisha flood situation improves HYDERABAD: The death toll in the incessant rains lashing Andhra Pradesh for the last five days rose to 42 with the authorities yesterday reporting 10 more deaths. Five people were also missing while crops in about eight lakh hectares were damaged in the floods caused by heavy rains under the impact of low pressure area and northeast monsoon. Officials said the rains left thousands homeless, inundated hundreds of villages, damaged houses, roads and railway tracks. The loss is estimated to be Rs1,727 crore. The deaths in rain-related incidents like wall collapse and drowning were reported from 10 districts. Guntur district accounted for eight deaths, Nalgonda seven and Prakasam six. Four people were killed in Mahabubnagar and three each in Hyderabad, Kurnool, Vizianagaram, Chittoor and West Godavari districts. Two deaths were reported from Warangal district. Thousands evacuated According to disaster management department, 84,769 people have been evacuated to safer places. The authorities opened 225 relief camps. Over 21,000 houses were damaged in 19 districts. Nineteen teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in various districts for rescue and relief operations.

INUNDATED: A villager wades through ﬂoodwaters outside his

house at Khurda district in Odisha, yesterday. – Reuters

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation at a meeting with ministers and top officials in Hyderabad yesterday. He directed the officials to take up relief measures on war footing. He noted that though rains started receding yesterday, they damaged crops over 7.99 lakh hectares. The damaged crops include cotton over 4.07 lakh hectares and paddy 3.48 lakh hectares. Other crops like maize, groundnut, redgram, sugarcane, tobacco and blackgram were also damaged. The heavy rains caused breaches to 1,020 minor irrigation tanks and damaged roads up to a length of 4,047km. With water level in some rivers receding, except Subarnarekha

BRIEFS

Congress will win again in Delhi, says Rahul NEW DELHI: After ruling Delhi for 15 long years, the Congress is conﬁdent of retaining power in assembly elections scheduled on December 4, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi said yesterday. “I have full conﬁdence that the Congress will win again in Delhi,” Rahul told an election rally here. He counted the achievements of the Congress government, which has ruled Delhi since 1998, citing as examples the rapid expansion of Delhi Metro, regularization of unauthorised colonies and the food security bill.

CPI-M denies involvement in attack on Kerala CM THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) yesterday denied any involvement in the attack on Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the state’s Kannur district, that left him injured. Chandy’s car was stoned by suspected CPI-M activists in Kannur, as he was arriving to attend the annual athletics meet of Kerala Police. He was injured in the forehead when a piece of glass struck him.

Aakash 4 gets approval NEW DELHI: After much deliberation, the Human Resources and Development ministry has given the go ahead to its ambitious Aakash 4 project, and a cabinet note seeking permission for the production of the low-cost tablet is expected soon. The tablet will be provided to students at a subsidised rate. -Agencies

in Balasore district, Odisha government yesterday said the ﬂood situation has slightly improved though about one lakh people remained marooned in worst-hit Ganjam district and the death toll rose to 19. “All the deaths were caused by wall collapse and drowning,” Special Relief Commissioner P. K. Mohapatra said. The rains cut road links to many villages and disrupted traffic between various cities and towns. The movement of trains was also hit with railway tracks coming under ﬂood water in Nalgonda and Srikakulam districts. The state government has deployed 580 medical teams to provide aid to the victims. - Agencies

shopping centres are struggling with a potent mix of high real-estate prices, bad planning and sluggish demand as the economy slows. When it opened in 2003, the 150,000-square-foot, three-storeyed Centre One was billed as the ﬁrst world-class mall in Navi Mumbai, a satellite town that is ﬁlled with apartment and office towers. But competition from larger, better-designed malls such as Inorbit and Raghuleela, which sprung up nearby later, drew the crowds away. In the last year alone, Mum-

bai suburbs have seen the Milan Mall and the City Mall shut down, while others such as Evershine and Mega Mall are struggling to stay aﬂoat, analysts say. “There is a huge mismatch between the demand for consumption and the pace at which retail real estate is expanding,” says Saloni Nangia, president of consultancy Technopak. India’s slowing economy, with growth at a decade-low of 5.0 percent in the year to March 2013, has put a ﬁrm dampener on spending. But other factors are compounding the troubles at the tills. Over the past decade, builders and developers have rushed to build without paying sufficient attention to what a mall requires to survive. Until recently, most ignored the so-called “catchment” area, analysing the geographical area from which a mall attracts most of its visitors, experts say. In Gurgaon is the hyped “MallMile” — a vast stretch of nearly a dozen shopping malls, built almost one after another. “Not all of them are working out,” said Devangshu Dutta, chief executive with retail consultancy Third Eyesight, adding that they were all chasing too few shoppers. - AFP

A10

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

PAKISTAN

The Red Mosque case represents the general public. We would welcome lawyers to come forward and join us in the case Tariq Asad, Shohada Foundation of Pakistan lawyer

R A L LY

Thousands observe ‘black day’ in Kashmir MUZAFFARABAD: Thousands of Kashmiri people observed a “black day” in Pakistan-administred Kashmir yesterday, rallying at an event organised by United Jihad Council (UJC) against Indian “occupation” of the Himalayan region. The rally was set up by the UJC, which consists of 16 extremist groups and was attended by jihadi groups including Hizb-ulMujahidin and Lashkar-e-Taiba. A crowd of around 3,000 people shouted “We want freedom” as they gathered in Muzaffarabad, the capital of the region, said an eyewitness.

“Diplomacy, talks and negotiations spanned over several decades have not worked,” said Syed Salahuddin, chairman of the UJC. The protestors waved black ﬂags and shouted: “Our struggle will continue till Kashmir is freed”, and condemned Indian “brutalities”, as Salahuddin appealed to the government and people of Pakistan to fully support Kashmiri independence. Kashmiri people observe October 27 as “black day” every year to protest the arrival of Indian troops and their invasion of the Himalayan region in 1947. — AFP

WEAPONS CONFISCATED A Pakistani paramilitary officer shows to members of the media weapons and ammunition conﬁscated in operations against criminal activities, during a press conference in Karachi. A roadside bomb killed a soldier and wounded three others in North Waziristan yesterday, officials said. The explosion took place at Chashma Pul, two kilometres east of Miranshah, the capital of the tribal region. — Agencies

PTI in a bind over opposition leader Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf does not want Khursheed Shah of Pakistan People’s Party to continue as leader of the

Alliance with Muttahida Qaumi Movement would be like compromising on our stance Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf official

opposition in the National Assembly but is in no position to bring any change on its own

ISLAMABAD: As it appears to be part of an effort to discard Syed Khursheed Shah as opposition leader and look for a replacement, there is a hint that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is inclined to change it stance towards Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). PTI does not want Khursheed Shah of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to continue as leader of the opposition in the National Assembly but is in no position to bring any change on its own. Imran Khan has accused that Shah has failed to deliver as leader of the opposition. The PTI chief further accused the PPP of making an agreement with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and not

giving them tough time. The key for change in this respect lies with the MQM which holds 24 seats in the lower house whose support is a must to replace Shah. “Alliance with MQM would be like compromising on our stance,” a PTI official said. Although the party leaders have decided in a meeting to nominate someone from within, it is still in a ﬁx as nothing can be done without the support of MQM. Sheikh Rashid On Saturday, the PTI core committee held a session to weigh its options and decided that party would not nominate Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed for the slot of opposition leader in National Assembly. Sheikh Rashid had earlier held a meeting with the PTI chief seeking his party’s support to replace Shah, however, Imran remained noncommittal, sources had revealed. When contacted, Sheik Rasheed told The Express Tribune about extending his support

RED MOSQUE CASE

HEINOUS CRIME

Lawyers group in bid to prevent bail to Musharraf ISLAMABAD: In an effort to prevent former president General Pervez Musharraf from getting bail in Red Mosque case, Shohada Foundation of Pakistan (SFP) formed a three-member panel of lawyers on Saturday and invited other colleagues to join them. The three-member panel formed by the foundation representing Red Mosque is led by Advocate Tariq Asad. “The Red Mosque case represents the general public. We would welcome lawyers to come forward and join us in the case,” Asad said on Saturday. ‘Safe passage’ The panel was formed after the hearing in Musharraf’s bail plea was adjourned on Saturday till October 30, due to lawyers’ strike in the courts. The decision to increase the numerical strength of the legal team came in the wake of ‘rumours’ that former president might get a safe passage to exit Pakistan after getting bail in the Red Mosque case — the last criminal case against him in which he has not got a bail. The main complainant in the case is Haroonur Rashid Ghazi, son of Red Mosque’s deputy cler-

to Imran if he competes for the slot. However, sources privy to the matter informed that PTI chief will not stand in the race for new opposition leader. Responding to a question about his own chances of winning support from other parties in the opposition, Sheikh Rashid said, “I have got the indication that MQM will support me.” MQM, on the other hand, has not taken any decision in this regard. “The MQM will decide when the question of new leader of the opposition would arise in National Assembly.,” Haider Abbas Rizvi of the MQM said while talking to The Express Tribune. According to the rules, any member sitting on opposition benches can submit an application to Speaker of the National Assembly to be notified as leader of the opposition. Moreover, for that matter, the application should also include a list of opposition members with their signatures. The speaker, after confirmation, notifies the opposition leader. — Express Tribune

Six-year-old raped by neighbour

Pervez Musharraf

FAISALABAD: A six-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in the Raza Abad area on Saturday. Police said that Usman, alias Shani, a resident of Bilal Town, had abducted and raped the girl. Muhammad Naveed, the girl’s uncle said she had been playing outside her house when Usman kidnapped her and took her to his house in the same colony. “He raped her … she raised a hue and cry and neighbours gathered outside the house,” he said. Usman panicked and ﬂed, he said.

ic Abdur Rashid Ghazi who was killed in 2007’s military operation on the mosque. The initially formed threemember panel includes Advocate Supreme Court Malik Abdul Haq and Advocate High Court Wajihullah besides the team leader Advocate Asad. The two new members of the team submitted their papers on Saturday before the court hearing Musharraf’s bail plea. Asad said the case was one of a kind in world history. “Nowhere in the world do we ﬁnd an example of such large scale massacre of innocent students ordered by their own head of the state,” said the lawyer. — Express Tribune

‘Critical condition’ Neighbours ﬁnally entered the house and took her to a hospital. She passed out on the way. “She is undergoing treatment but the doctors say her condition is critical,” he said. The Raza Abad SHO later told The Express Tribune that they had arrested Usman and were waiting for the medial examination report. Meanwhile, a shopkeeper tried to rape a six-year-old girl in Sheeraz Park, in the Sargodha Road area, on Saturday. Police spokesman Ameer Nasir Javaid said, “The girl went to buy candy at Gulfam’s shop. He dragged the girl inside and tried to rape her.” — Express Tribune

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ASIA CHINESE DRONES

Japan’s PM warns China on use of force over disputed islands TOKYO: Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned China yesterday against forcibly changing the regional balance of power, as reports said Tokyo scrambled ﬁghter jets in response to Chinese military aircraft ﬂying near Okinawa. Verbal skirmishing between Asia’s two biggest economies, who dispute ownership of an island chain, escalated as Beijing warned Tokyo that any hostile action in the skies against Chinese drones would be construed as an “act of war”. “We will express our intention as a state not to tolerate a change in the status quo by force. We must conduct all sorts of activities such as surveillance and intelligence for that purpose,” Prime Minister

interview published on Saturday. “So it shouldn’t take that path, and many nations expect Japan to strongly express that view. “And they hope that as a result, China will take responsible action in the international community,” Abe added.

Shinzo Abe said in an address to the military. “The security environment surrounding Japan is becoming increasingly severe. This is the reality,” he said. “You will have to completely rid yourselves of the conventional notion that just the existence of a defence force could act as a deterrent.” Concerns Abe presided over an inspection of the military at which a US amphibious assault vehicle was displayed for the ﬁrst time, an apparent sign of Japan’s intention to strengthen its ability to protect remote islands. The defence ministry plans to create a special amphibious unit to protect the southern islands and retake them in case of an invasion.

BONE OF CONTENTION: This handout picture taken by Japan’s

Joint Staff on Saturday shows a Chinese H6 bomber ﬂying between Okinawa island and Miyako island in Japan’s southern Okinawa islands chain. – AFP

“There are concerns that China is attempting to change the status quo by force, rather than by rule of law,” Abe earlier told the Wall Street Journal in an interview fol-

Five killed as Bangladesh stir turns violent

VENTING IRE: Villagers look at a motor bike set alight by

opposition supporters during a nationwide strike called by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party in Ishurdi, some 200km from Dhaka, yesterday. – AFP

Police said officers opened ﬁre at protestors in Nagarkanda after some 3,000 supporters of the main opposition BNP ransacked a rural market and attacked police with bricks

DHAKA: At least five people were killed in nationwide clashes and trains were attacked as Bangladesh’s opposition on Sunday began a strike to demand the prime minister quit and make way for polls under a caretaker government. Police said officers opened fire at protesters in the western town of Nagarkanda after some 3,000 supporters of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ransacked a rural market and attacked police with bricks. “We opened fire in self-defence,” district police chief Jamil Ahsan told AFP, adding that one opposition activist was killed in

the ﬁring and ﬁve were wounded. Four other people were killed elsewhere as the three-day strike got under way, with protests erupting across the country and thousands of extra police and paramilitary officers deployed. School, businesses shut In Dhaka opposition supporters torched buses and exploded more than a dozen home-made bombs, while police retaliated with tear gas and rubber bullets. Shops, businesses and schools were shut for fear of the violence. The BNP and its Islamist allies ordered the strike after last-

BRIEFS

Karzai to push Pakistan on Taleban commander KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai will push Pakistan to reveal the location of key Taleban commander Mullah Baradar during trilateral talks to be held in Britain on Tuesday, officials in Kabul said. Baradar was released from jail in Pakistan as part of efforts to kickstart Afghanistan’s peace process, but he has since been kept under house arrest, reportedly in Karachi or Peshawar, to the fury of Afghanistan.

Nepal arrests politician over candidate’s killing KATHMANDU: Nepalese police have arrested a politician and two other men over the fatal drive-by shooting of a candidate slated to run in next month’s national elections, an ofﬁcial said yesterday. The killing was the ﬁrst since candidates began campaigning earlier this month for only the second national polls since a decade-long civil war ended in 2006.

South Korea rescues and returns North’s ﬁshing boat SEOUL: Seoul returned four North Korean ﬁshermen and their boat yesterday after it drifted into southern waters, military authorities said, two days after Pyongyang handed back six detained South Koreans. The vessel was picked up by a South Korean navy ship on Saturday after being spotted stranded off the country’s east coast, officials said. - Agencies

The opposition has called the strike and protests in a bid to force Hasina’s government to resign ahead of elections due in January 2014, and set up a caretaker administration of technocrats to oversee the polls minute talks between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia late on Saturday failed to defuse the mounting crisis. Zia rejected Hasina’s appeal to call off the strike during a 40-minute phone conversation — believed to be the ﬁrst time in at least a decade that the two have spoken. The opposition has called the strike and protests in a bid to force Hasina’s government to resign ahead of elections due in January 2014, and set up a caretaker administration of technocrats to oversee the polls. Zia, who has twice served as premier, has branded the government “illegal”, citing a legal provision that requires a neutral government to be set up three months before elections. Hasina said such an arrangement is unconstitutional, proposing instead an all-party interim government led by her to oversee the January polls. But the BNP rejected the proposal, claiming it would allow Hasina to rig results. -AFP PHILIPPINES

‘Stunt’ at heritage site draws ire MANILA: Philippine conservationists hit out yesterday at a wakeskating “stunt” that took place at an ancient mountain rice terrace, accusing sponsors of exploiting the Unesco World Heritage site. Professional wakeskaters Brian Grubb of the US and Dominik Preisner of Germany are shown on a video on YouTube skimming on the waters of the Banaue rice terraces in the Philippines’ northern mountain region. Reactions Although they said they obtained permission from local tribal leaders, the video quickly spread on social media, drawing mixed reactions from Filipinos. “Wakeboarding at the terraces? It is a stunt totally inappropriate to the site. And stunt it is,” Augusto Villalon, president of the Heritage Society,said. “The world heritage property and the local residents should not be exploited.” - AFP

lowing a series of summits this month with regional leaders. “But if China opts to take that path, then it won’t be able to emerge peacefully,” he said in the

Jets deployed Yesterday Jiji Press and Kyodo News reported that Japan had deployed jets for two days running in response to four Chinese military aircraft flying over international waters near the Okinawa island chain. Two Y8 early-warning aircraft and two H6 bombers flew from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean and back again but did not

violate Japan’s airspace, the reports said. The Japanese defence ministry was not immediately available for conﬁrmation. Japan’s military is on increased alert as Tokyo and Beijing pursue a war of words over the disputed islands in the East China Sea that lie between Okinawa and Taiwan. On Saturday, China responded angrily after a report said Japan had drafted plans to shoot down foreign drones that encroach on its airspace if warnings to leave are ignored. Tokyo drew up the proposals after a Chinese military drone entered Japan’s air defence identiﬁcation zone near the disputed islands in the East China Sea last month, Kyodo said. - AFP

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America’s row with Europe over spying

hese are grim times for American diplomacy and also for the country’s international standing. Washington’s policy in the Middle East is a muddle that dismays its friends in the region. The row over the electronic spying on foreign governments and leaders, with not a visible sign of remorse, suggests an intelligence apparatus out of control and an uncaring arrogance on the part of those supposedly in charge of it. Throw in a ridiculous government shutdown and a narrowly averted debt default, and you have a country that contrives to look feckless and vacillating, politically dysfunctional and morally duplicitous, all at once. Not exactly the ideal visiting-card for the superpower that, despite everything, in many respects remains the “indispensable nation” on the world’s stage. Of these issues, the controversy over the National Security Agency’s snooping on billions of phone calls and electronic communications overseas, as revealed by the documents provided by Edward Snowden, is both the least serious and also the most worrying — and not merely because one of the targets of the runaway programme appears to have been the personal mobile of the leader of Germany, the economic powerhouse of the European end of the Atlantic alliance. The row over spying is the least serious of America’s many issues, it may be argued, because espionage is, like it nor not, a fact of life. Every government with the wherewithal indulges in it, and always has. The behaviour of the NSA is not new, only the technology. Yes, Angela Merkel’s anger, stemming from personal memories of the Stasi in the former East Germany, is amply justified. But the outrage in Paris has a somewhat synthetic and hypocritical ring, given what is known about the activities of French intelligence. The silence of the British authorities meanwhile is more eloquent than words. What is more worrying is the damage to the trust in America among many of its oldest and most important allies. Transatlantic ties will survive, both because of history and because too much is at stake: negotiations over a sweeping and mutually beneficial trade pact, cooperation in fighting terrorism, and the need for a coherent Western policy on the world’s troublespots will all go on as before. The US/European partnership embodied in Nato may be in relative decline in a changing world, but it is still the most effective and powerful of all international alliances. It is vital, therefore, that the poison of the spying row be purged from the system by a cast-iron agreement between the US and the EU, setting parameters for internet privacy and banning such indiscriminate foreign data trawling. - The Independent

STRONG STATEMENT

Palestinians boycott Jerusalem civic polls Special to Times of Oman

O DAOUD KUTTAB

Countering terrorism

ecently, in a meeting, the prime minister approved the merger of the Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) with the soon-to-be-formed Anti-terrorism Force (ATF) for the province. Behind the merger lies a tale of failure, the wastage of untold millions of rupees, and in all likelihood, the deaths and injuries that are a consequence of successful terrorist acts. The meeting noted that the CTD had failed in its primary purpose of identifying and arresting high-proﬁle terrorists, those who support them and those who raise or provide their funding. The prime minister and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took to task the head of the department who was unable to present a single instance where the CTD had found or arrested any terrorist, nor was he able to cite a single instance where it had averted a terrorist act. The counter-terrorism department has clearly failed in its job and failed the people of Punjab as well, who have seen no beneﬁt from its existence. The prime minister has now ordered the speeding up of the formation of the force, though, with the officers who have already a proven record of failure under their belts to be a part of the new force, the auguries for its future performance are mixed at best. There is still no effective provincial or national counterterrorism strategy to speak of. The decision of the All Parties Conference to talk to the Tehreeke-Taliban Pakistan and other terrorist organisations still hangs in the air. The various terrorist groups continue to operate seemingly with something close to impunity. Punjab should have provided rich pickings for the counter-terrorism department as there is no shortage of centres at which terrorists and their supporters gather. Fund-raising is often open for all to see, banners and wall-chalkings give any number of clues and leads to follow up on. It might be reasonably asked what all those working in the CTD were doing all this time, because they were most certainly not going about the business of catching terrorists and making Punjab and the country a safer place. Let us hope that the ATF has better luck. - The Express Tribune

Phasing out incandescent bulbs does make sense This refers to the letter, Incandescent bulbs are now antiques in Britain (October 27). Incandescent electric bulbs, in fact, have been banned in the whole of European Union to make way for more environment-friendly, compact, fluorescent lamps. For the environment, phasing out the light bulbs, which have been around for over a century, certainly makes sense. The energy-saving fluorescent lamps use 80 per cent less energy and save at least 60 per cent in energy bills while emitting 70 per cent less carbon in the atmosphere. The UK’s Energy Saving Trust has come out in a big way in support of the EU ban saying the vast majority of the 600m light bulbs in British homes are inefficient tungsten filament

bulbs, and phasing them out will make a real difference to national energy consumption. Anu Shaikh Wadi Kabir

Do the politicians want the masses to remain hungry? The picture of global hunger is too big to be ignored or shoved aside because it’s not just a story of crisis but about people who are victimised, tortured and kept starving like animals in cages. Across the world hunger is a calculated creation and I am convinced that the world today produces enough food for everyone. What’s sad is that the story of hunger that we see today is not what it should have been. Governments want hunger to remain, starvation to continue and poverty to linger on

The leaderless Palestinian population in Jerusalem has had to create local national committees. Their leaders are often arrested and their travel is restricted but they are still very powerful when it comes to making decisions about the future of the city

nce again Palestinians living in Jerusalem have made a powerful political statement about the future of the holy city by staying away from the municipal polls. Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot reported that Palestinians avoided the elections of what Israelis call the united city of Jerusalem. “Less than 1 per cent of Palestinians in East Jerusalem voted in the Jerusalem municipal elections,” the daily said on its Ynet website. The absence of participation in neighbourhoods such as Sur Baher, Beit Hanina, Shufat, Issawia Abu Tur as well as the old city of Jerusalem is not new. Since the 1967 occupation of the city and its unilateral annexation, Palestinians have publicly opposed participation in the municipal elections, which combined West Jerusalem to that of East Jerusalem. Municipal elections in Israel include voting for both mayor and city council. Running for mayor were three Israeli right-wing, ultraright-wing and religious candidates. City council elections include 31 seats and members are not elected by neighbourhoods or location but based on political party slates. Usually one or two council members are elected from the left-wing Meretz Party, while the majority council is divided between Likud, Labour and religious parties. Usually no Arab parties or candidates run for the Jerusalem municipal elections. Palestinians and most of the world support the creation of a Palestinian state on all areas occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem, which is considered by Palestinians as their future capital. Former US president Bill Clinton had suggested during and after the 2000 Camp David summit that Arab neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem be part of the Palestinian state while Jewish areas belong to the state of Israel. Both parties publicly agree that the city shouldn’t be divided but fail to explain how that will exist in reality if two independent and sovereign states are created. The Clinton parameters, which are widely seen as the closest suggestion for sharing the city of Jerusalem, call for unhindered access to the holy sites, especially those in the old city. The Palestinians’ nonappearance at the ballot box sends a powerful message to negotiators, who have stepped up their talks, according to US Secretary of State John Kerry. Apparently three out of the 13 face-to-face meetings held in secret by Palestinian and Israeli negotiators took place in the past week. The ongoing talks are meant to deal with all outstanding issues, including the status of Jerusalem. No leak or commentary has mentioned any discussions yet on the holy city or its future. Most of the leaks from the talks have focused on the status of the eastern borders of the future Palestinian state. Apparently, Israeli Prime Minister

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

It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

Benjamin Netanyahu is opposed to withdrawing Israeli troops from the Jordan Valley while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has insisted that not a single Israeli soldier should be allowed to stay in the Palestinian state, including the Jordan Valley. While the political showing of Jerusalem’s Palestinians gives a big boost to their negotiators, the absence of Palestinians from city hall does little to ease the living conditions in the city, which houses more than 250,000 Palestinians. City budgets, city plans and educational programming are all decided by the entirely Israeli Jewish city council with little or no consultation or attention to the lives of Palestinians. Even symbolic institutions in East Jerusalem that acted as a meeting point for Palestinians have been closed by Israeli orders. This includes Orient House, which acted as a launching point for the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid peace talks and the Palestinian Chamber of Commerce. Israel has used emergency laws to justify the closure of Palestinian civil societies. Last spring, Israeli police closed the Palestinian national theatre for a week because a children’s puppet festival was funded by the Norwegian government through the Ramallah-based Palestinian government. The leaderless Palestinian population in Jerusalem has had to create local national committees that are largely aligned with the PLO and the various movements. Their leaders are often arrested and their travel is restricted but they are still very powerful when it comes to making decisions about the future of the city. The PLO and other movements, as well as these committees, issued statements weeks ago calling on the city’s Palestinian inhabitants not to participate in the municipal elections held on Tuesday. The no-show of 99 per cent of the population is due largely to the power and effectiveness of these groups. Life goes on in the city, however, with its Palestinian residents generally feeling abandoned and helpless. For now the big struggle is not about municipal elections but Israeli attempts to change the status quo in the Haram Al Sharif compound that includes Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest mosque in Islam, and the Dome of the Rock. Israeli groups and leaders are demanding a right to pray on these premises, which Jews call the Temple Mount. Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, have stated — as recently as last week in a congratulatory message on the occasion of Eid Al Adha — that the religious status quo in Jerusalem will not change. Few Palestinians believe Netanyahu’s position, but for now they feel that they have made a strong statement by abstaining from the Israelirun municipal elections. The author is a veteran Palestinian journalist and the director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reﬂect those of Times of Oman.

not for the reasons they say but for reasons they don’t say. Hunger is politics to politicians and hunger is a good business to businessmen who bankroll politics and politicians. They together work to keep hunger alive for their own survival and relevance. Kaveri Chakladar Azaiba

to drastically scale back. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the US government is planning to expand its ﬂeet of unmanned drones by around 30 per cent over the next 10 years. Ashoke Panicker Seeb

No one wants journalists, media to speak the truth The US will never scale back the drone attacks If we take a step back and observe the drone programme from every possible angle with perfect objectivity, we can be absolutely sure of one thing: the results of our observations on drones and our anger wouldn’t matter. Unmanned drone attacks are simply too popular, too effective, and too easy for any American president

In countries like Belarus, Russia attacks on journalists are common. Across Americas — Mexico to Colombia, Cuba, Honduras and Venezuela — the authorities or criminal gangs regularly target journalists who report on human rights issues, abuse of power and corruption. The freedom of media is in chains everywhere. Anindita Basu Ghala

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

TIMES OF OMAN

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PERSPEC IVE More women in media and politics will be good for all T

witter is on schedule to go public as a company next month, a sparkling symbol of innovation, technology — and stale, old thinking reflected in a board of seven white men. Twitter users are reportedly more likely to be female, so it’s bizarre to have no women on the board. But the main reason to add women — not just on Twitter’s board, but in politics, business and the news media — isn’t just equity. This shouldn’t be seen as a favour to women but as a step that would be good for all of us. In business, there’s abundant evidence that inclusion of women in senior positions is linked to better results. Catalyst, a research organization, found that the companies with the most women board directors earned a 26 per cent higher return on invested capital than the companies with the least women. Likewise, McKinsey & Company found that the international companies with more women on their corporate boards far outperformed the average company in return on equity and other measures. Operating profit was 56 per cent higher. This isn’t just about boardrooms, though. In the recent government shutdown debacle, some of the first efforts at hammering out a deal to end the crisis came from a group of women in the Senate who were disheartened by the political paralysis. Time magazine’s headline online was: “Women Are the Only Adults Left in Washington.” That’s progress: The Senate built a restroom off the floor for female members only in 1993, and now, a couple decades later, women are providing adult supervision in the “old boys’ club.” Still, there’s a long way to go. The World Economic Forum plans to release its annual Global Gender Gap Report on Thursday, and the United States ranks an embarrassing 23rd out of 136 countries in the status of women. The United States has actually slipped one slot since a year ago and does particularly poorly by international standards in wage equality and in numbers of women in the legislative branch. Hard-nosed business executives seem to get that this is more than a social justice issue. In a survey by Spencer Stuart, the executive search firm, and Corporate Board Member, a company that researches corporate boards, four out of five board members said that they believed that boardroom diversity “generally results in increased value for shareholders.” Yet of Fortune 500 companies, roughly 18 per

NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Catalyst, a research organization, found that the companies with the most women board directors earned a 26 per cent higher return on invested capital than the companies with the least women

cent of board members are female. At this rate, it’ll be after 2050 before women hold half of board seats. So what do women bring to the board table? Scholarly research suggests that the best problem-solving doesn’t come from a group of the best individual problem-solvers, but from a diverse team whose members complement each other. That’s an argument for leadership that is varied in every way — in gender, race, economic background and ideology. Another reason companies with senior women may thrive might have little to do with gender. The promotion of women may just be a proxy for those companies that are most open-minded and forward-looking, and those perhaps are the qualities that are mainly driving profits. Companies sometimes protest that they can’t find qualified women. Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a professor at Harvard Business School, said that the real problem is boards trying to replicate themselves and that plenty of women would add value to the Twitter board. “I could come up with 30 names without thinking too hard,” she said, adding that the challenge is to “look more broadly for talent, and be more welcoming to people not identical to those in power.” And, sorry, Twitter, but how about adding not just one woman to your board, but three? Research suggests that what matters is having a critical mass of about 30 per cent women. In Twitter’s case, if it added three women, its board would still have as many men named Peter as it had women. I also realize that I live in a glass house, because my world of punditry is a cacophony of mostly white male voices. Gender imbalance isn’t just Twitter’s problem, but a global challenge across many sectors. In the midst of the 2008 economic cataclysm, there was introspection about whether the overwhelmingly male leadership in finance led to a macho culture of excessive risk-taking. A British study found that trading behaviour reflected testosterone levels in employees’ saliva: The more testosterone, the more risky the trades. So would it all have been different if it had been Lehman Sisters? Maybe not: Lehman Sisters, equally non-diverse, might also have been prone to herd behaviour of a different kind. The smart bet would have been on an inclusive and diverse Lehman Brothers & Sisters — and there’s a lesson there for Twitter, for our government, and for all of us. - The New York Times News Service

Why Nick Clegg should try to relax

JANE MERRICK

n many ways, Nick Clegg is like Prince Charles. Not that the Deputy Prime Minister will soon be inheriting the Prime Minister’s crown, but both men are in a hurry to do more with their current jobs out of fear for the next phase: for Charles, it is the “prison shades” closing on the comparatively easy life of being heir to the throne before becoming monarch; for Clegg, there is a sense that a window is also closing — he may only have 18 months left as a minister before the

Lib Dems are out of government for another 60 years. And in his apparent urgency, odd things are happening. Clegg sacked one of his closest political allies, Jeremy Browne — possibly the ﬁrst minister ever to be ﬁred for being too loyal to the Government — and replacing him with Norman Baker. Clegg has torn up a coalition consensus on free schools, without warning David Cameron. On Europe, in a speech next month, he will ramp up the differences between his party and the Conservatives yet further. On the environment, tax, votes at 16, the noise of differentiation will get louder. Despite all the talk at Lib Dem conference that Clegg will not decouple from the Tories until the 2015 election campaign officially starts, the decoupling strategy is already under way. It is fair to ask at this juncture: what do the Lib Dems stand for? Is it simply for equidistance, splitting the difference, and remaining in government, no matter who the coalition partner is? Is the party that Clegg leads truer to its Social Democrat grassroots or to the Orange Book, economi-

cally liberal reworking of the past decade? If he stands down after the next election, does he care that his successor is from his wing of the party, like Ed Davey, or someone like Tim Farron, from the left? When the Lib Dems lost around 13 percentage points of their share of the vote after the election, Clegg said it did not matter, that this group were protest voters or to the left of Labour, or both. The left-wing voters are staying with Labour, the protest voters have switched to Ukip. They are not coming back to the Lib Dems in a hurry. So the 10 per cent his party now counts on for support are, presumably, centre-right Lib Dems who like how they’ve worked with the Tories on the economy. Now that Clegg is making a new pitch to the left, that 10 per cent risks shrinking further still. Clegg’s aides will say he has always been concerned about core standards in education, that the position on green taxes and Europe has remained unchanged. Clegg removed Browne from the Home Office for not having sharp enough elbows to block things like the “Go Home” immigration vans.

His relationship with Theresa May was too “coalicious”. They expect Baker’s elbows to be jutting outwards the minute he walked in the door at Marsham Street. But there are signs that the Lib Dem leadership is becoming too insular. I understand that, although he holds weekly Lib Dem ministerial group meetings, Clegg has not seen many junior ministers for one-toone talks for many months. And under his attempts to give his party deﬁnition from the Conservatives, the Lib Dems are, paradoxically, less deﬁned. Are they natural partners with Labour or the Conservatives? Are they small-state liberals with social consciences or pragmatist centrists? Maybe Clegg does not need to care what the answer is: every internal poll for each party shows how improbable it seems that the Tories will win the election outright. Clegg has the greatest chance of all three leaders in remaining in power, in some form. Maybe he, like Prince Charles, should relax. - The Independent

Europe’s ﬂight from futility

HUBERT VÉDRINE

n the next 25 years, Europe’s share of the world population and global GDP is expected to fall considerably. Does that mean that a weakened Europe will fall prey to the rising powers of 2040? Given that Europe’s prospects are highly dependent on external factors, any speculation about its future must account for global conditions. One thing seems certain: although the 2008 global financial crisis exposed dangerous flaws in the free-market system, the market economy appears likely to remain the norm in the coming decades. Moreover, in view of the difficulty of opting out of international markets, large-scale protectionism is unlikely. But there is little doubt that new regulations – including financial and commercial regulations, as well as social-welfare rules and tax reforms – will include protective measures for some countries and blocs. At the same time, the need to counter the economic crisis and fight climate change, together with an array of fresh incentives, new directives, and scientific breakthroughs, will lead to substantial progress toward “greening” agriculture, industry, transport, construction, energy, and so on. Indeed, by 2040, environmental standards will become an indicator of an economy’s overall competitiveness. In this sense, Europe seems well positioned to compete in the future global economy. But, as it struggles to overcome crisis, dynamic emerging economies may well surpass it. After all, in 2040, many emerging markets – those that have managed to avoid stagnation or collapse by addressing effectively the considerable challenges currently facing them – will have “emerged.” The divide between developed and developing countries will be replaced by a distinction between weak and strong economies, with Russia remaining a special case. In geopolitical terms, many scenarios are possible. According to a report published by the US National Intelligence Council, Western countries’ share of global income should fall to “well under half by 2030,” from 56n per cent today, suggesting that Europe

will continue to struggle in the coming years. Of course, there is also the possibility of an American decline and a European renewal, although that seems highly unlikely. Even so, the European Union could enhance its global clout through a strategic alliance with Russia, or by negotiating a Euro-Mediterranean partnership with Turkey and with the transition countries of the southern Mediterranean and Africa. Another scenario is that the United States and China form a G-2, or include the EU to form a G-3, that balances out the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, Indian, China, and South Africa). But either of these outcomes would risk geopolitical destabilization, given that each would require a major democratization effort in China. Furthermore, there is the possibility of a multipolar system accommodating 1215 powers (including the US, China, Japan, Russia, Europe, India, Brazil, Mexico, the Paciﬁc Alliance, ASEAN, South Africa, and Nigeria). But, while such a system could balance competition with cooperation, it would lack an anchor to ensure stability. Finally, there is the chaos scenario. For example, a cyber superbug destroys the networks on which our way of life has come to depend, leading to economic, demographic, and environmental collapse. In this set of possible outcomes, one point stands out: the uncertainty of Europe’s role in the future global system. To prevent inexorable decline, Europe must reach clear decisions on three fundamental issues. First, EU leaders must determine how to resolve the eurozone crisis. Any plan must involve the pursuit of a stronger and more integrated Europe, though not necessarily a truly federal arrangement, which would be met with widespread popular resistance. The United Kingdom would undoubtedly choose to remain a member of a 28or 30-member EU; Turkey might also wish to join. Second, leaders of member countries must agree on exactly how much national sovereignty would be transferred to the EU – and win voters’ approval for their plan. And, third, they must determine how far enlargement should be taken, including establishing a clearer distinction between the EU and the eurozone. If these issues are not resolved – with EU leaders continually failing to achieve “more Europe” and Europeans increasingly rejecting the notion – Europe will simply move from one crisis to another. It may not collapse, but it would not thrive, owing to the lack of a stable, viable, and effective institutional structure with ﬁxed and accepted limits. - Project Syndicate

Multi-National force launches Mali offensive Provinces with rebels presence

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MUSCAT: – Abdullah bin Abbas bin Ahmed, president of the Muscat Municipality, left for New Delhi yesterday on a ﬁve-day official visit to India. Abdullah bin Abbas told Oman News Agency that the visit would help team from India’s long experience in engineering as well as agricultural technical consultancy. Abbas and the delegation accompanying him will visit the New Delhi and Bangalore municipalities. Abbas said he would hold talks with the Indian officials on a number of issues.

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M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

WORLD

We will introduce a new technology in the coming days or weeks, (which) will improve security in the government Ueli Maurer, President of Switzerland

‘Obama knew of Merkel phone tap’ The Bild am Sonntag newspaper quoted US intelligence sources as saying that National Security Agency chief Keith Alexander had briefed Obama on the operation against Merkel in 2010

BERLIN: US President Barack Obama was personally informed about the tapping of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone which may have begun as early as 2002, according to media reports stoking anger over a spiralling espionage scandal. The German Bild am Sonntag newspaper quoted US intelligence sources as saying that National Security Agency (NSA) chief Keith Alexander had briefed Obama on the operation against Merkel in 2010. “Obama did not halt the operation but rather let it continue,” the newspaper quoted a highranking NSA official as saying.

AT ODDS: Angela Merkel and Barack Obama

News weekly Der Spiegel reported that leaked NSA documents showed that Merkel’s phone had appeared on a list of spying targets since 2002, and was still under surveillance weeks before Obama visited Berlin in June.

protestors gathered in Washington on Saturday to push for new US legislation to curb the NSA’s activities. As anger simmered in Berlin, Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich sharpened his tone.

Sense of betrayal As a sense of betrayal spread in many world capitals allegedly monitored by the NSA, European leaders were calling for a new deal with Washington on intelligence gathering that would maintain an essential alliance while keeping the ﬁght against terrorism on track. Germany will send its own spy chiefs to Washington soon to demand answers. Meanwhile several thousand

‘Brought to justice’ “Surveillance is a crime and those responsible must be brought to justice,” he told Bild, as Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called spying among friends “highly damaging”. “It threatens to undermine ties that bind us and that we need more than ever to jointly shape the future in the globalised world of the 21st century,” he said in a statement. Merkel confronted Obama with the snooping allegations in a

phone call Wednesday saying that such spying would be a “breach of trust”. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported without citing its sources that Obama had told Merkel during their call that he had been unaware of any spying against her, while Spiegel said he assured her that he would have stopped the operation at once. Merkel’s office declined to comment on what Obama told her. The White House has said it is not monitoring Merkel’s phone calls and will not do so in future, but it has refused to say whether it did previously. Eurozone debt crisis Bild said Obama wanted to be informed in detail about Merkel, who has played a decisive role in the eurozone debt crisis and is widely seen as Europe’s most powerful leader. As a result, the NSA stepped up its surveillance of her communications, targeting not only the mobile phone she uses to conduct business for her conservative Christian Democratic Union party but also her encrypted official device. Merkel only acquired the latter handset over the summer. Bild said US specialists were then able to monitor the content of her conversations as well as text messages, which Merkel sends by the dozen each day to key associates. MOUNT EVEREST

Skydive success for disabled man KATHMANDU: A French multiple sclerosis sufferer yesterday became the ﬁrst disabled person to skydive over Mount Everest, successfully completing his landing before being taken to hospital as a precaution. “I feel very happy. I am exhausted but very happy,” Marc Kopp said from a hospital bed in Kathmandu where doctors examined him for any injuries sustained during the jump. The 55-year-old Kopp, who lives in Longwy northeast of Paris, has suffered for more than a decade from multiple sclerosis, the degenerative disease of the nervous system which disrupts the brain’s ability to communicate with the body. Tandem skydive Muscles weaken, lesions emerge on the brain and spinal cord and in the worst cases, patients can lose the ability to speak or walk. The tandem skydive saw Kopp jump out of a helicopter hovering 10,000 metres (32,800 feet) above the mountain, acompanied by his friend, champion skydiver Mario Gervasi. “I hope my action will inspire others living with this illness. I hope many more will follow in my footsteps,” Kopp said. — AFP

Only the specially secured land line in her office was out of the reach of the NSA, which sent the intelligence gathered straight to the White House bypassing the agency’s headquarters, according to the report. Spy activity Bild and Spiegel described a hive of spy activity on the fourth ﬂoor of the US embassy in central Berlin, a stone’s throw from the government quarter, from which the United States kept tabs on Mwerkel and other German officials. Spiegel cited a classiﬁed 2010 document indicating that US intelligence had 80 high-tech surveillance offices worldwide in cities including Paris, Madrid, Rome, Prague, Geneva and Frankfurt. If the spying against Merkel began in 2002, it would mean the United States under then president George W. Bush targeted her while she was still the country’s chief opposition leader, three years before she became chancellor. Bild said Merkel’s predecessor Gerhard Schroeder was also in the NSA’s sights because of his vocal opposition to the US invasion of Iraq. — AFP

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‘New tech to withstand snooping to be unveiled’ ZURICH: Switzerland will soon roll out a new technology to better shield communications within the government from prying eyes, President Ueli Maurer said in an interview published yesterday. “We will introduce a new technology in the coming days or weeks, (which) will improve security in the government,” Maurer told the Schweiz am Sonntag weekly. No more details Refusing to provide more details on what the new technology consisted of and how it would work, Maurer said the decision to deploy it was made before the latest reports of US spying. — AFP

BRIEFS

Voice to Bart Simpson’s teacher goes quiet LOS ANGELES: Marcia Wallace, the voice of Edna Krabappel — Bart Simpson’s jaded, chain-smoking schoolteacher on the animated show The Simpsons — has died, the show producers said on Saturday. She was 70. Marcia died in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia, her son Michael Hawley told the Los Angeles Times. As Mrs Krabappel, Bart’s fourth-grade teacher since 1990, Wallace was best known for her animated character’s sarcastic cackle. “I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace,” read a statement from the show’s executive producer Al Jean posted on Facebook.

Heavy rain, winds all set to hit southern Britain LONDON: Britain was braced yesterday for its worst storm in a decade, with heavy rain and winds of more than 130 kilometres an hour set to batter the south of the country. The Met Office national weather centre warned of falling trees, damage to buildings and disruption to power supplies and transport when the storm was to hit late on yesterday to today. Between 20 to 40 millimetres of rain is predicted to fall within six to nine hours, likely leading to localised ﬂooding, the Met Office said.

Protest held against Putin MOSCOW: Several thousand Russians marched through central Moscow yesterday in a new protest at President Vladimir Putin’s rule and a judicial crackdown against opponents. Chanting “Freedom to political prisoners!”, protestors marched with ﬂags and portraits of people seen as victims of political persecution, such as jailed former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. — AFP

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M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

WORLD Indonesians turn to social media to beat traffic blues Road users in Jakarta, the world’s most active city in terms of posted tweets, are using the Twitter to warn fellow travellers of traffic-choked roads or arrange car pooling

JAKARTA: Fed up with spending hours stuck in the gridlocked Indonesian capital Jakarta, hundreds of thousands of social media-savvy commuters are tweeting to beat the traffic. The threadbare public transport system in the capital of Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, combined with growing spending power, has spawned vast numbers of motorists who are increasingly turning to Twitter to conquer jams. Road users in Jakarta, the world’s most active city in terms of posted tweets, are using the microblogging service to warn fellow travellers of traffic-choked roads or arrange car pooling. Hendry Soelistyo was an early pioneer of online tools to tackle traffic in Jakarta, where commuters often spend up to ﬁve hours a day in a slow-moving sea of cars and motorbikes to get to work. Four years ago the IT entrepreneur set up lewatmana.com,

BEATING THE ODDS: Commuters in Jakarta often spend up to ﬁve

hours a day in a slow-moving traffic to get to work. — AFP

a website and associated Twitter account through which commuters can share real-time information about traffic conditions. ‘Share information’ “Indonesians update their status on Facebook and Twitter all the time, so we thought, why not share information about traffic jams?” Soelistyo said. Lewatmana, which means “via where” in Indonesian, mainly provides information about jams, but also ﬂags up ﬂooded roads or areas affected by the city’s frequent demonstrations. The platform relies on its users as well as 100 CCTV cameras

installed in office windows across the city to monitor traffic and send out pictures via Twitter. The service, which ﬁres out more than 14,000 tweets a month, has proved a hit and now has around 200,000 followers. Another attempt to solve Jakarta’s traffic woes through Twitter is a car-pooling community called Nebengers, which translates as “hitchhikers” and aims to reduce the number of vehicles in the city centre. “Nebengers is like a virtual car terminal, where we can hitch a ride to go to school or the office,” said founder Andreas Aditya Swasti, 27. — AFP

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

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M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

MARKET THIRD-QUARTER

Sabic logs 2.5% profit rise RIYADH: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), the world’s biggest petrochemicals maker, reported a 2.5 per cent increase in third-quarter profit, missing analysts’ estimates. The shares dropped. Net income rose to 6.47 billion Saudi riyals ($1.73 billion) from 6.31 billion riyals a year earlier, the Riyadh-based company known as Sabic said in a statement to the Saudi stock market yesterday. The mean estimate of 10 analysts was for a profit of 6.56 billion riyals, according to data. “The increase in net income is attributable to an increase in quantities sold, favourable prices for certain products and lower finan-

cial charges despite lower other income,” according to the company. Third-quarter sales 48.8 billion riyals compared with 44.8 billion a year earlier, chief financial officer Mutlaq Al Morished told reporters. Sluggish demand Lower petrochemicals prices linked to sluggish demand in a struggling global economy affected profit at Sabic affiliates. Saudi Arabian Fertiliser reported a 36 per cent decline in third-quarter profit as urea prices fell. Sabic, which in 2007 bought General Electric’s plastics unit for $11.6 billion, said in April it plans to cut about 1,050 positions and close some assets in Europe because of

lower demand. Chief executive officer Mohamed Al Mady told reporters in the same month that Sabic is interested in investment possibilities in North America. The company last month raised $1 billion in its first dollar-bond deal since 2010 after investors placed orders worth more than fivetimes the issue’s size. Sabic’s credit default swaps, or contracts insuring the company’s debt against default for five years, are at a record low, having fallen 24 basis points this year to 79 last week. The shares dropped as much as 2.9 per cent, the biggest intra-day decline since July. The stock has climbed 14 per cent this year. - Bloomberg News

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 01 3

MARKET CONFERENCE

C O R P O R AT E

Egypt set to lure Gulf investors CAIRO: Egypt is planning a charm offensive to persuade Gulf Arab entrepreneurs to invest in its economy, battered by political upheaval, protests and violence. Investment Minister Osama Saleh said Cairo would host a conference in early December, and had already contacted thousands of businessmen, to try to sell the region’s most populous nation to wealthy Arabs. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates promised Egypt more than $12 billion in loans, grants and petroleum product shipments after President Mohamed Mursi was deposed by the army on July 3. Now Egypt is hoping private investors from the Gulf will pour in money as well, Saleh said, despite ongoing unrest. “All of the Gulf in general is standing by Egypt ... We are already discussing the projects they will bring,” Saleh said in

an interview. He said his ministry had set up country-speciﬁc desk officers to deal with interested investors. Delegations from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and possibly Oman would attend the conference he added. Ministry officials face a tough sell. Gulf Arab tourists who once spent big money at hotels are now rarely seen in Cairo. Obstacles Cairo has run through more than $20 billion in reserves and delayed payments to oil companies since an uprising toppled Mursi’s predecessor, veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak, in 2011, scaring off tourists and investors. Other potential obstacles to investment include cumbersome and shifting regulations, fears the Egyptian pound may be devalued and protracted lawsuits against local and foreign ﬁrms. - Reuters

Currency turbulence hits proﬁtability WASHINGTON: Emerging markets have helped rake in a corporate earnings bonanza in recent years, but a sudden plunge in their currencies in mid-2013 due to an expected cut in United States stimulus has sorely hit sales and proﬁt. Quarterly results at companies from Coca-Cola to IBM, Unilever to Casino and luxury group LVMH show that currency volatility has

hit the bottom line. “The ‘emerging risk’ is a source of concern in the ﬁrst release of third quarter results,” economists at broker Aurel BGC said. The Brazilian real, South African rand, Turkish lira, Indian rupee and Indonesian rupiah lost up to a ﬁfth of their value in August as investors pulled out funds in anticipation the US Federal Re-

serve would soon begin to taper the amount of monetary stimulus it injects into the economy. “Across the range of ﬁrms missing revenue targets for the third quarter, one factor increasingly blamed is the impact of a higher euro,” said CMC Markets trader Toby Morris. “...Firms with an active client base in emerging economies are hit the hardest, with weaker

currencies magniﬁed in South America and India,” he added in a note to clients. The euro has not only risen sharply against emerging market currencies, it has also reached its highest levels since 2011 against the dollar due to disappointing economic data from the United States and the prospect of more monetary stimulus. - AFP

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MSM Index declines marginally MUSCAT: MSM 30 index ended on a negative note amid low trading activity and closed at 6651.19 points, down by 0.25 per cent. MSM Shariah Index also closed marginally down by 0.01 per cent at 1047.35 points. Oman& Emirates was the most active in terms of volume, while Sembcorp Salalah was the most active in terms turnover. Oman Education Training Investment was the top gainer, closing up by 5.14 per cent. Oman United Insurance was the top loser and declined by 1.75 per cent. Altogether 2,082 trades were executed in yesterday’s session generating a turnover of OMR4.19 million with over 13.7 million shares traded. Out of 53 traded stocks, 13 advanced, 21declined and 20 were unchanged. At the close of the session, foreign investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR82,000 shares. GCC & Arab investors and Omani investors were net sellers, who sold shares worth OMR42,000 and OMR40,000, respectively. Financial Sector Index down by 0.19 per cent at 8146.05 points. DIDIC, ONIC Holding, Taageer Finance, Financial Services and Gulf Investment Services increased by 2.63 per cent, 1.03 per cent, 0.62 per cent, 0.61 per cent and 0.51 per cent respectively. Oman United Insurance, Al Sharqiyah Investment, Transgulf Holding, Bank Sohar and Bank Nizwa declined by 1.75 per cent, 1.55 per cent, 1.16 per cent , 0.97 per cent and 0.93 per cent respectively. The Industrial Sector Index down by 0.17 per cent at 9841.48 points. Al Anwar Ceramic and ASaffa Foods increased by 0.76 per cent and 0.41 per cent respectively. Al Hassan Engineering, Gulf International Chemicals, Oman Cables and Jazeera Products declined by 1.12 per cent, 1.03 per cent,0.99 per cent and 0.64 per cent respectively. Services Sector Index marginally down by 0.01 per cent at 3489.15 points. Oman Education, ACWA Power Barka, Al Kamel Power and Port Services Corp increased by 5.14 per cent, 3.07 per cent, 1.89 per cent, 1.15 per cent and 0.02 per cent respectively. OIFC, Sharqiyah Desalination, Oman Telecom and Sembcorp Salalah declined by 1.41 per cent, 0.99 per cent, 0.64 per cent and 0.41 per cent respectively. – United Securities

Topaz Marine successfully prices $350m Senior Notes The gross proceeds from the issue and sale of the Notes will be used to repay certain

I believe this is a landmark transaction in the oil and gas services space in Oman, the UAE, and in the GCC region in general and particularly in relation to structure, pricing, and demand

facilities, fund capital expenditure, increase cash on balance sheet and pay the fees and expenses related to the Notes

Times News Service MUSCAT: Topaz Marine has announced that it has successfully priced an offering of $350 million Senior Notes due in 2018 at a ﬁxed coupon of 8.625 per cent per annum and at an issue price of 100 per cent. The offering is expected to close on November 4, subject to customary closing conditions. Topaz Marine is a subsidiary of Topaz Energy and Marine Limited, the oil and gas Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) ﬂeet operator owned by MSM-listed Renaissance Services. The gross proceeds from the issue and sale of the Notes will be used to repay certain facilities, fund capital expenditure, increase cash on balance sheet and pay the fees and expenses related to the offering and sale of the Notes.

René Kofod-Olsen, CEO of Topaz Energy and Marine, commented: “We are pleased to have successfully completed our inaugural offering which provides us with a solid platform for growth. We have been encouraged by investor demand and the market’s appreciation of our model including key credit strengths such as stable and healthy operating margins, a $1 billion contract backlog and our excellent operational- and safety track-record with large international clients. The proceeds will support our strategy of measured expansion and will allow us to pursue selective vessel purchases adding to our already technologically advanced and modern ﬂeet of Offshore Support Vessels.” The Notes, which were oversubscribed, were rated B3 by

Samir Fancy Chairman, Renaissance

Moody’s and B- by S&P and are being offered only to qualiﬁed institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, and outside the United States in ac-

cordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes are expected to be admitted to trading on the Global Exchange Market of the Irish Stock Exchange. The Notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Nico Middle East Limited (NMEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Topaz and the direct parent of the Issuer, Topaz Marine. Speaking to the media, Renaissance chairman, Samir Fancy commented: “I believe this is a landmark transaction in the oil and gas services space in Oman, the UAE, and in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region in general and particularly in relation to structure, pricing, and demand.” Earlier in the year, Renaissance completed a refinancing programme for OMR200.5 million ($521.3 million). Asked how the new funds would complement the re-financing initiative, the Renaissance chairman commented: “The re-financing re-calibrated the company’s balance sheet and achieved 13-year funding at attractive low cost. That amazing outcome was testament to the company’s financial stability and strong cash flows. This new Topaz bond is primarily focused on capital for growth. The difference from conventional bank funding is that this bond does not require

annual principal repayments (non-amortising) and the company has the option to reinvest the relevant free cash for the entire period of the bond. This came at a cost approximately 2 per cent over the blended cost of borrowings. Given that we have a capital hungry model and buy assets with a 30 year life this addition to our tool box is a potential game changer with the potential of future longer tenure offerings. This further gives us access to the deepest capital markets of the world where we will now have a track record and easier access to both the debt and equity markets.” Asked about the level of interest and over-subscription, Fancy replied: “We are delighted by the level of investor interest from all the markets including London, the United States and the Middle East. More than $2 billion pledged shows great trust and conﬁdence in our business and in our management team. These are sophisticated markets giving a major thumbs up to a Middle East enterprise with global operations.

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D E L E G AT I O N V I S I T

Lithuania keen for closer ties with Oman’s ITA Times News Service MUSCAT: A delegation from Lithunia headed by Neres Germanas, vice-minister of foreign affairs of Lithuania, visited the headquarters of Information Technology Authority (ITA) at the Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) as a part of the larger Oman-Lithuania cooperation to strengthen ties, yesterday. On hand to receive the Lithuanian delegation was Dr Salim Sultan Al Ruzaiqi, chief executive officer of ITA alongwith Yaqoob Al Balushi, the deputy CEO of Infrastructure and eServices, , and Omar Al Shanfari, the deputy

CEO of Operations. During the official visit, the delegation was briefed on the role of ITA, the e.oman strategy and its role in executing the national strategy for Oman’s Digital Society and eGovernment. A special focus was placed on the three strategic pillars: Society and human capital development, enhance eGovernment and eServices, and enable the ICT industry. Some of the e.oman achievements highlighted included the official eGovernment services portal, human capacity building successes and Oman’s global ranking. The Lithuanian delegation then toured Oman’s National CERT

BILATERAL TIES

A Lithunian delegation headed by Neres Germanas, vice-minister of foreign affairs, visited the ITA headquarters as a part of the larger OmanLithuania cooperation to cement ties

and was apprised of the role played by the centre to protect the security of information in the Sultanate. The CERT aims to analyse and treat information security in-

cidents on the internet, enhance information security awareness and culture in the community, whether individuals or institutions, and ultimately help build conﬁdence in the use of eGovernment services on the internet. Notably, OCERT has been designated as the Arab Regional Cyber Security Centre, in cooperation with both the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the organisation of IMPACT (The International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threat), and works also to ensure the protection of security for the Arab countries under its mandate. The last stop on the agenda

included a delegation visit to the Sas Programme and Centre for entrepreneurship. The Sas Programme is designed to provide the foundation for creating a new and vibrant ICT industry, thereby fostering an entrepreneurial spirit in the ICT sector in Oman. Targeting small and medium ICT businesses, students, and jobseekers of any age interested in starting a business, the Sas Programme seeks to develop an internationally competitive ICT industry in Oman, attract more foreign and local investment in the ICT sector, encourage and support innovation by contributing to new technologies.

STOCK MARKET

Dubai stocks rise to five-year high DUBAI: Dubai’s benchmark stock index closed at its highest in almost five years after Emaar Properties, the emirate’s biggest publicly traded real-estate developer, reported better-thanexpected third-quarter profit. The DFM General Index advanced 0.5 per cent to 2,923.98 at close, the highest since November 2008. The measure has jumped 80 per cent this year, making it the best performer among the 50 biggest equity markets globally. Emaar, which, at 20 per cent, has the heaviest weighting in the gauge, climbed to the highest in two months. Arabtec Holding, the biggest listed construction company, climbed to a more than a five-month high. Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, the Middle East’s biggest petrochemicals maker, dropped the most in more than six months after reporting third-quarter profit that missed estimates. Emaar, the developer of the world’s tallest tower in Dubai,

reported a 50 per cent increase in third-quarter profit as evidence mounts that the desert sheikhdom’s property crisis is waning. Real estate in the emirate is benefiting from a revival of Dubai’s economy, which is set to expand 4.6 per cent per year, on average, between 2012 and 2015, more than twice the growth of the previous four years, according to government forecasts. “Emaar’s results will be a catalyst for the market,” Sebastien Henin, an Abu Dhabi-based portfolio manager at The National Investor, said by phone. “The revival of the Dubai real-estate market wasn’t expected at such a level and Emaar is extremely well-positioned as one of the key brands.” The emirate’s biggest listed developer was at the center of Dubai’s real-estate drive over the past decade. Now Emaar is seeing higher profits as a surge in home prices followed a rebound in trade and tourism. Dubai home values climbed. - Bloomberg Ness

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

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Mastering tweeting art Twitter’s interface may look simple, but it is not, and its complexity has turned off many people who have tried the service. This is a problem, because one of the big questions facing Twitter is whether it can generate advertising revenue

sing Twitter sounds so simple. Type out no more than 140 characters — the maximum allowed in a single tweet — and hit send. That’s all, right? Not quite. Twitter’s interface may look simple, but it is not, and its complexity has turned off many people who have tried the service. This is a problem, because one of the big questions facing Twitter before it starts trading as a public company, perhaps as early as next month, is whether it can attract enough users to become a robust outlet for advertising dollars. Although Twitter brings in money from advertising, it does not yet sell enough ads to make a proﬁt. Still, in the few years since it started, Twitter has quickly gained users. People and organisations of many stripes — celebrities such as Justin Bieber, brands like Oreo, even the economist Jeffrey Sachs — have ﬂocked to Twitter to share information and thoughts. In a prospectus released for investors last week, the company said its worldwide monthly users had grown to 232 million in the third quarter, up from closer to 200 million early this year. According to a Pew survey, the percentage of American Internet us-

ers on Twitter as of May was 18 percent, more than double the percentage in November 2010. But those numbers are a far cry from those attained by Facebook, a top rival. Facebook has more than a billion users, and according to a Pew survey, Facebook was used by 67 per cent of United States Internet users as of late last year. Will Twitter become a platform used by the masses? Maybe the best way to answer that question is to use the service yourself. Here’s a primer. Set up an account Signing up to Twitter is simple. Just choose a username, known as a handle, and a password. Most people try to use their name or a variation of it as a handle, like @BillGates. Try to keep it short. You don’t want your handle taking up too many of the 140 characters if someone mentions you in a tweet. Next, give other Twitter users some sense of who you are. People who don’t know you but ﬁnd themselves interested in your Twitter feed will want some clues about whether they should ‘follow’ you — meaning add your Twitter messages to the ones that they see in their unique feed. Unlike on Facebook,

where people connect with their friends and family, on Twitter most people follow others with similar interests or professions. Start by adding a proﬁle picture to your account. A headshot, cartoon, image of your puppy — anything is better than the default egg, which screams Twitter newbie. And ﬁll out your bio. Use the 140 characters available for your bio to explain who you are and try to give a sense of what topics you will tweet

about. You can also include a link to a website, maybe of the company you work for or a personal site. Here’s an example of a strong bio from Laura Seay, a political scientist: Build a community Next, ﬁnd people to follow. The Twitter messages written by accounts you follow will show up in your feed, also called your timeline. It’s easy to get deluged with tweets, so be selective about which ac-

counts you follow. You want your timeline to feel alive with smart, interesting, informative and entertaining tweets. But remember that ‘unfollowing’ an account is only a click away, too. Decide what topics you’re most interested in, like college football or Canadian politics or New York restaurants, and then search by name for writers or commentators on those topics. You can also search by topic or geographic area on https:// twitter.com/search-advanced. Once you ﬁnd an account that tweets regularly on a topic you’re passionate about, see what that account follows. For example, if you’re a fan of Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti), a feminist author and speaker, you can follow her and then discover others interested in gender issues by looking at her feed. To see everyone a person is following, click on the person’s name and then click ‘Following’. Once you’ve found people to follow, engage them. Send them a link to an interesting article. Interact with them: Respond to their tweets by hitting ‘reply’, mention the articles they share, show that you like a tweet by hitting the ;favourite’ button. When all else fails, try a compliment. Learn the language To engage with people, it helps to know some of Twitter’s insider language and etiquette, which is a big part of what can make the service confusing for new users. ‘RT’ means retweet; it is used when repeating what someone else said. If you want to add commentary, place it before the RT. Here’s an example of Cory Booker, the senator-elect from New

Jersey, retweeting and adding commentary to the Twitter user @LindsCarter on Election Day last week: “I did. And thank you! RT @LindsCarter: I voted for Cory Booker! Did you vote today?” Twitter pros often amend their tweets with “via” or “h/t,” which stands for hat tip. These are ways to give credit to someone who shared the information first. Understand the symbols Twitter users often add hashtags, like #Brooklyn or #SuperBowl, to enable others searching for that topic to find their tweet. They work well in specific instances — during events like professional conferences, for example, when you want to know what others are saying about a panel. But hashtags, while a nice idea, often feel so #2012. They’ve been overused and aren’t terribly useful for searching. Hashtag fans will disagree, but my advice: Use them sparingly. An important technical rule governs the use of the “@” sign, which is the beginning of every account’s handle. If you start a tweet to someone with “@,” only that person and those who follow both of you will see the tweet. This is so you can have a semiprivate conversation with that person without cluttering up others’ timelines. To make the tweet appear in the timelines of everyone who follows you, add a word or character before the “@” sign, even just a period. Here’s an example from Dan Nowicki, a reporter at The Arizona Republic: “.@ SenJohnMcCain tells critics that immigrants fill jobs Americans won’t do. ‘The immigrant has always grabbed the bottom rung,’ McCain says.”

GADGET GALLERY

Vacuum tubes in a speaker, but lacking old-time warmth SAMSUNG’S NEW SOUND BAR has a number of advanced features and one antiquated one, but it’s the Edisonera technology that sets this speaker apart. The new 47-inch sound bar, the HW-F850, has good old-fashioned vacuum tubes, first popularised in radios of the 1920s. Samsung has already put these tubes in a 37-inch sound bar and is now adding them to other home theater gear, including the flagship HW-F850. Tubes typically give sound a richer, warmer tone, and have long been mixed into systems by audiophiles who want to soften the sanitary sound of solid-state amps. The tubes in the HW-F850 preamplifier are visible through a window in the front of the sound bar, casting a glow like hot coals. Also like coals, they pump out heat, more than a solid-state sound bar, if

that is a consideration. The HW-F850 has plenty of modern conveniences, such as a wireless connection to an included 8-inch powered subwoofer, and the capability to connect wirelessly with any Samsung TV for a cable-free system (and through an HDMI slot for other TVs). It also has Bluetooth, so users can listen to music from a phone or tablet, and if the phone has NFC, it can connect to the sound bar with just a tap. Set in the ‘drama’ mode, the sound bar produced clear sound and dialogue was easy to make out. There are other modes, like ‘cinema’, which added reverb and made it hard to hear. In ‘music’ mode, acoustic instruments fared better than classic threechord rock. Overall, though, the characteristics normally associated with the tube sound - warmth, richness, maybe a little fuzziness — were not very apparent. The HW-F850 does not simulate surround sound like some sound bars; it is two-channel only, and with the speakers so close together, there isn’t much stereo effect. The HW-F850 lists for $1,300, although it can be found signiﬁcantly discounted online.

Earbuds built of sterner stuff, with a few quirks EVERYONE HAS HAD THAT sickening moment when you realise the crunch underfoot came from stepping on your earbuds. If you experience that

static noise is generated when the cables rubbed against a sweater, but that wasn’t a problem with a cotton shirt. You may do better taking them on a vacation to Florida than on a skiing trip to Colorado. The 750i model includes a microphone and a control made to work with the iPhone. While RHA doesn’t promise that the earbuds will stand up to a stomping, it does offer a three-year guarantee against defects, which is more than most.

moment frequently, you might consider the RHA 750i in-ear headphones — they are one durable set. Although not built specifically for abuse, the earbuds’ housings, fittings and plug are made from stainless steel, not plastic. And they come with heavierthan-average thermoplastic cables. At an intermediate price of $130, the RHA 750is include a wide selection of inear tips, in both silicone and memory foam, which is critical. The fit makes a remarkable difference in the quality of the sound. With tips that were too small, the sound was tinny. With the right tips, the earbuds had healthy bass, although not the whomping variety found in headphones made for listening to hip-hop. They were also somewhat lacking in detail and clarity - subtleties in some music didn’t come through — but maybe trying other ear tips would have helped. One peculiarity: A fair amount of

Tap and swipe, and spend in-app cash, for a good cause MOBILE GAMES ARE intended to be simple endeavours, something to pass the time while waiting in a doctor’s office or for a train. But the Global Gaming Initiative wants to elevate them to a higher purpose. Founded in 2010, the Global Gaming Initiative is an organisation of game developers that seeks to connect mobile games and philanthropy. The group selects charities and then develops a mobile game that can provide support to the charity through in-app purchases. The hope is that, if each player spends a couple of dollars in the game, it can add up to thousands of dollars for the charity. The group’s ﬁrst project is Sidekick Cycle, which raises money to buy bicycles for impoverished communities. The game is free to download for iOS devices (an Android game is coming later this year), and 50 per cent of the proceeds

from in-app purchases go to the organization’s partner, World Bicycle Relief, a nonproﬁt organization that provides bicycles in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. The game is easy to play: Tap on the screen to trek through Africa’s rugged landscape on a bike, performing jumps and other stunts to collect coins and gears as you race down mountains and across savannas. Along the way, you can spend to customise the bike, upgrade your gear and add a sidekick, like a rhino or a rabbit, to increase your strength or speed. At its release, the game had about 35 levels, which isn’t much compared with popular and addictive mobile games like Angry Birds and Cut the Rope, but the Global Gaming Initiative has promised to update the game with more action, including adding terrains from North America. Sidekick Cycle is not quite as engaging as it could be, but at least your tapping and swiping skills could help a good cause.

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

E-TIMES

TECH TIP

Some websites offer previews of new designs Some sites offer previews of new designs, and Google’s Gmail is known for its Labs — experimental features you can try out —if you want to tinker. Likewise, Google’s YouTube site has TestTube, its own ‘ideas incubator’ page. Some projects are experimental, like the MoodWall, where a batch of videos can be selected on a theme, like “Touching,” “Fail” or “Inspiring.” Other works in progress include the company’s HTML 5 video player and a feature that lets video creators add on-screen questions for their audiences. The TestTube page can be found at www.youtube.com/testtube.

HELP FILES

Sorting out Yahoo mail

WORTHY APPS FOR NEW iPADS The app is mainly for playing video when you have a network connection, so it won’t be useful at all times. Google will soon add the ability to download videos for watching when your iPad is offline. The YouTube app is free and worth trying

ablets have altered the barriers of the computer world, shattering the belief that a personal computer must have a keyboard. And while laptops have become associated with boring Excel documents and the other digital trappings of work, tablets are making computing fun again. Although Android tablets are getting better all the time, Apple is still leading the tablet charge — and the new iPads the company has announced look as if they will keep the company in front. A major reason for that is the number of great iPad apps available. These recommendations are for apps that showcase tablets, and they all work with the new iPad versions. Video is something iPads do better than iPhones, thanks to the larger screen. YouTube is wellknown for viral videos of all sorts, and YouTube has an official iPad app that works a lot like the traditional website, with extras like gesture controls. The app is mainly for playing video when you have a network connection, so it won’t be useful at all times. Google will soon add the ability to download videos for watching when your iPad is offline. The YouTube app is free and worth trying, but I dislike its menus and ﬁnd its gesture controls a little ﬂaky — they don’t always seem to do what you want. For a better online video expe-

rience, you may prefer Rockpack. The app is easy to use, and its design is excellent. Rockpack shows you an array of great videos drawn from across the Web and recommended by your social media friends as well as celebrities. Sharing your own video discoveries with friends on Twitter or Facebook is also a breeze. Rockpack, too, is free. My favourite iPad video player is VLC. This free app plays video files that you have downloaded on a computer, and its strength is that it can play pretty much any file format you can think of. But it does require an extra step: Before playing the downloaded videos, you must transfer the video files to the app from your computer via Dropbox, iTunes or a Web server system. VLC is handy for catching up on movies during a weekend away or perhaps a long flight. But learning to master its somewhat technical controls can take time. Game apps also go well with iPads, and there are thousands. Real Racing 3 is one great game that combines amazing graphics and a type of motion-control gameplay that you can really get only on tablets. It’s a car racing game that you control by steering your iPad as if it were a car’s wheel. The graphics will impress you, as they’re what you’d normally expect to see on a game on a console like a PlayStation or Xbox, and the gameplay is

Q: A week ago Yahoo changed my email format. I hate it! I tried to sort my contacts list by first name the way I used to be able to do, but they stayed mixed up. How can I sort them the way I wish on my Windows 7 computer? A: The recent overhaul of Yahoo Mail has frustrated many users, who have complained about the new look, revamped features and assorted bugs in the service. The Yahoo Contacts list, however, should still let you set your preferences to sort the list by first names. As the Yahoo Contacts guide at yhoo.it/1fG9qKl explains, go to the Actions menu on the Contacts screen and choose ‘Sort by First Name’ from the list. If you find this does not work, click the Send Feedback link at the bottom of the left column and describe the problem to Yahoo. Several people have complained of issues with the sorting feature on Yahoo’s error- and bug-reporting page (bit.ly/17phZRA), so there may be a problem in the software. Many of Yahoo Mail’s rollout woes will perhaps be resolved with time and user feedback. You should also check your Web browser to make sure it meets the requirements for Yahoo Mail. For full functionality on a Windows 7 machine, you need at least Internet Explorer 8, Firefox 19, Safari 4 or Google Chrome 25 with JavaScript enabled.

How to turn off iPhone tracking

For a better online video experience, you may prefer Rockpack. The app is easy to use, and its design is excellent. Rockpack shows you an array of great videos drawn from across the Web and recommended by your social media friends as well as celebrities. Sharing your own video discoveries with friends on Twitter or Facebook is also a breeze. Rockpack, too, is free

entertaining. The segments between races for upgrading your car and selecting tracks can drag on too long, but the game is free, so it’s hard to complain. For a totally different kind of game experience, try zipping way back to 1980 with the official PacMan app. It’s the classic arcade game lovingly remade for the iPad, with great graphics and sound and a few new tricks. You won’t have to feed quarters into the game to keep playing. And if you’re into ﬁghting games, then Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the one for you. It’s a role-playing/ﬁghting game with fabulous imagery and all the Star Wars paraphernalia you love. It will gobble up a lot of your iPad’s storage space. Talking of planets and space, a completely different app worth trying is Google Earth. Although this looks simply like an app version of Google’s Web app, the tablet’s screen is absolutely the best way to experience Earth. Zooming and diving by swiping the screen to see beautiful satellite imagery of the world and 3-D graphics of famous buildings feels wonderful. The app is free. Another iPad app that could amaze you is Shazam. This free app, with graphics that make the most of the big display on an iPad, recognises music that you hear playing, perhaps on the radio or in a coffee shop.

It will automatically tell you what the track is called, show you lyrics and give you the chance to buy it. If you let it, Shazam can also listen all the time — so it will automatically ‘tag’ every song it hears playing near your iPad, perhaps during a movie or TV show, without your having to interact with it. This automatic feature is, for now, something only the iPad app can do. For learning languages with your iPad, Duolingo is a free app that makes the most of the tablet’s screen with a clear interface. And for learning everything a TED talk has to offer, the free and amazing TED videos really are more convenient via the iPad app — because you can watch when you’re out and about. Hopefully by trying these apps you will see that your iPad is much more than a device for browsing the Web or reading documents or books. Have fun! Quick calls Microsoft has released a new app to let you remotely connect your 21st-century iOS or Android device to your old-fashioned PC — it is free and lets you control what is on the PC screen. ... Dream of Pixels, a successful iOS game, is now on Android too. It’s like a backward Tetris, where you unpack a grid of shaped pieces instead of stacking them up. Fun, and free. -Kit Eaton/ The New York Times News Service

Q: Where in iOS 7 does iPhone keep the list of places you’ve been? A: When the tool is enabled, the Location Services settings in iOS 7 keep a log of places you visit (and how often you go back). This feature is called Frequent Locations, and as an Apple support page states, “Your iPhone will keep track of places you have recently been, as well as how often and when you visited them, in order to learn places that are significant to you.” If this sort of thing feels more invasive than helpful, you can turn off the Frequent Locations feature. From the iPhone’s Home screen, tap the Settings icon, then tap Privacy and then select Location Services. If Location Services is on, flick down to the bottom of the screen and tap System Services. On the System Services screen, tap Frequent Locations. On the next screen, the History area displays locations you have visited; tap one to see a map and more information, like the date and time you were there. The Frequent Locations screen has a button to turn off the feature, as well as a Clear History button to wipe out the saved location information. As for the confidentiality of the personal data, Apple’s Location Services support page states: “This data is kept solely on your device and won’t be sent to Apple without your consent. It will be used to provide you with personalised services, such as predictive traffic routing.” The company does say information it collects from its users will be treated in accordance with the company’s privacy policy, which can be read online at www.apple.com/privacy.

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 01 3

ROUND-UP Bentley Oman opens OCCI chairman to open Italian Solo new showroom Exhibition today I TA L I A N P R O D U C T S

The new and signiﬁcantly larger facility will be the new home for the brand in Oman and will be focused on delivering excellent quality service to its esteemed clientele

MUSCAT: Wattayah Motors, the official dealership for Bentley in Oman, has announced the opening of its Bentley Motors facility located in Athaibah. The new and signiﬁcantly larger, facility will be the new home for the brand in Oman and will be focused on delivering excellent quality service to its esteemed clientele. The new facility also represents the dealership’s expanded commitment towards the brand

and its customers. The launch of the new showroom also marks the appointment of a fresh management team for Bentley at Wattayah Motors heralding a new era for Bentley in the country. Heralding the launch of the new showroom, Wattayah Motors announced the appointment of Fahad Khalifa Al Wahaibi as the new brand manager. Leading the new team will be Ahmed Sharieﬁ, as the general manager for the illustrious Marque. Commenting on the launch of the new facility Ahmed Sharieﬁ said, “The new facility is part of our long term goal to become

known not only as the top luxury automotive brand in Oman but also be recognised as one that listens to its customers, understanding what they want from us and providing them with the quality products and services that one can expect from such an exquisite brand as Bentley. I am looking forward to working with the team to implement and further develop the successful growth strategy for the Bentley Motors brand in the Sultanate.” The showroom is ideally located in Athaiba with direct access from the main highway. The management is conﬁdent that with the

E D UC AT I O NA L E X P O

FREE CHECK-UP

GHEDEX Autumn kicks off MUSCAT: Taking place for the ﬁrst time ever, GHEDEX Autumn 2013 was inaugurated yesterday by Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Sarmi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education at the Oman International Exhibition Centre. Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Higher Education, the event will take place till October 28 from 9:30 am to 1:00pm and 4:30pm to 9:00pm at the centre. The event is held under the banner of Oman’s preferred higher education event GHEDEX. GHEDEX Autumn 2013 invites students to choose from top universities from top 7 countries! Top-notch professional grade universities and colleges from top 7 higher education destinations are making their presence felt at GHEDEX Autumn 2013 including international participation from UK, USA, Malaysia, Australia, India and Germany and local participation from Oman. The event will see strong participation from Malaysia and Oman in particular, with healthy participation from the remaining countries. With the year 2013 almost at an end, students and parents will no

significant investment in the facility they will be able to provide their customers a truly first class Bentley experience and enable the luxury car maker to strengthen its presence in Oman. “This is one of the first stages in a long term growth plan that will see Bentley improve its commitment to deliver luxury brands and luxury services to all its customers in Oman,” added Shariefi. “We are currently developing an all new and even better facility at Wattayah, which is to be the official home of Bentley in Oman, and plan to open it in 2015,” he concluded.

MUSCAT: The chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Khalil bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Khonji, will formally open the inaugural edition of Italian Solo Exhibition at the InterContinental Muscat Hotel today. Italian Ambassador Paola Amadei will also be present at the inauguration ceremony. Italian Solo Exhibition 2013 is the ﬁrst and only country trade exhibition in Oman that offers an exclusive trade and business, networking and purchasing platform for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, traders, suppliers, entrepreneurs, and those seeking to source and procure ‘Made in Italy’ products. Interested shoppers will have the unique opportunity to purchase the products on display during the four-day event. The exhibition, which will be from October 28 to 31, is jointly organised with Easy Business LLC, a group of experts and professional advisers providing growth opportunities for companies in Oman that are seeking to invest and create partnerships in Italy, as well as business opportunities for Italian companies who wish to establish their own com-

doubt be getting ready to gear up for the new academic year, with plans to seek and ﬁnd the best possible college or university that will best serve the student’s chosen career path. GHEDEX Autumn 2013 will give students and parents the perfect opportunity to seek information on admissions and put in their applications for admissions into institutions of their choice for the academic year 2014-15. It will also present the ideal occasion to visit or revisit select institutions which they may have missed at GHEDEX 2013. GHEDEX Autumn 2013 is supported by British Council,

F E S T I VA L O F L I G H T S

AMIDEAST and EducationUSA. Sponsors for the event include Higher College of Technology as Lead Sponsor; BIGCHOICE Group, Times of Oman and Al Shabiba as Media Partners; and GAC as Official Clearing & Forwarding Agent. Keeping in mind the unprecedented demand from prospective students and picking up where GHEDEX 2013 left off, GHEDEX Autumn offers students another opportunity to enroll for courses with preferred higher education institutions of their choice and for those parents and students who missed the chance to visit GHEDEX 2013 this year.

panies in Oman through the cooperation of Omani institutions and partners. Italian Solo Exhibition will feature companies who will be exhibiting products that cover segments ranging from construction, interior design and furniture manufacturing, to plant nursery and landscaping, engineering, marble and building materials, marina and shipyard, ICT and food and fashion. Italian Solo Exhibition’s sponsors are National Bank of Oman, Messung Global Connect and InterContinental Muscat Hotel. It is supported by the Oman Chamber of Commerce, Turin Chamber of Commerce, and the Italian Embassy. D A I LY W I N N E R S

Lifeline holds breast cancer ahlibank awareness programme announces MyHassad MUSCAT: With a view to spreading consultants at Sohar and Salaawareness about breast cancer and lah. They handle antenatal cases, winners the advantages of regular examina- child birth, infertility, bleeding tion to detect the tumour before it spreads to other organs, Lifeline Hospital is offering free breast screening for ladies from October 27 to 31 from 9 am to 12 noon and 5 pm to 8 pm. The dreaded disease is the second leading cause of death among women. This is one of the diseases where early detection can lead to complete cure. October has been designated as breast cancer awareness month worldwide. Educating people Leaﬂets with illustrations on the correct method of breast self examination will be distributed to ladies who visit the hospital. Advice on other obstetric and gynaecological problems will also be offered for free during this period. This promotion will be available at all branches of Lifeline group in Sohar, Salalah and Muscat. Lifeline Hospital boasts of full time gynaecologists and visiting

and other gynaecological problems and health screening. Labour rooms, delivery suites and operation theatres capable of handling all obstetrics and gynaecology surgeries including laparoscopic procedures, ultra sound scans for antenatal and gynaecological screening and infertility treatment for couples are available here. Lifeline Medical Centre in Darsait, Muscat, offers outpatient facilities for obstetrics and gynaecology complaints. Dr. Rohil Raghavan, the hospital director, advised all ladies to utilize this opportunity to undergo free check up by highly qualiﬁed and experienced gynaecologists at Sohar, Salalah and Darsait branches of Lifeline Hospital. “Lifeline group has always been in the forefront in Oman in supporting the cause of health screening for early detection of medical problems in order to avoid major complications later,” he added.

MUSCAT: ahlibank announced the names of the MyHassad daily prize draw winners, Ali Sultan Ali Al Mubaihsi from Barka branch, Moza Yousuf Salim Al Kendi from Nizwa branch, Nasser Mohmmed Amur Al Maskri from Ibra branch and Salim Rashid Humaid Al Shamakhi from Barka branch, were the lucky winners of OMR1,000 each for the week. MyHassad Saving Scheme was introduced in July 2008 as an extension of the bank’s tradition of product innovation. Customers need only to open their MyHassad account with OMR100 for their chance to win OMR1000 in the next working day’s draw hence their chance to “open today and win tomorrow” continues. Further enhancements in March 2009 allows customers to participate in the OMR10,000 monthly draw, by maintaining a minimum OMR250 during the month.

MEMORIAL

Diwali contests at Bait Al Zubair Museum to open Gallery Sarah Lulu Hypermarkets MUSCAT: The festival of lights, Diwali is just around the corner and Lulu Hypermarkets, the region’s largest retail chain is all set to celebrate this auspicious Indian festival which also marks the start of a new year for many. After lights, the festival is most popular for the variety of sweets associated with it and colourful decorations. To make it a memorable and fun experience, Lulu will be holding a sweet making contest and a rangoli contest at selected outlets. Commenting on the upcoming string of celebrations, Ananth AV, regional director of Lulu Hypermarkets, Oman said, “Diwali as a festival holds a lot of signiﬁcance for many of our customers. It is the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over darkness; it honours the goddess of wealth and marks the New Year for many communities. The contest, decorations and various other activities and promotions is Lulu’s way of wishing our customers a Happy Diwali.” The sweet making contest’s last date for registration is October 29, 2013. The contest will be held on October 31, 2013 at the Lulu outlets in Bausher, Darsait and Salalah. The contestants can prepare their favourite Diwali sweet recipe at home and bring it to the Lulu outlet where it will

be judged by a special panel of judges. As with every Lulu contest, the winners get to take home exciting prizes. The rangoli contest too will be held on 31st October, 2013 at the same selected Lulu outlets. Participants can form teams with maximum three members and unleash their creativity with colours that they will have to carry along. The time limit for drawing the rangoli is 1 hour after which the designs will be judged by a panel of judges. The Lulu outlets have been specially decorated for the festival and look nothing short of spectacular with all the lights and traditional Indian lamps called diyas. Also available are a string of products that make sure customers celebrating Diwali at home miss out on nothing. A name to be reckoned with not only as a retail giant but more as a brand that everybody relies upon and trusts, Lulu Hypermarkets has become a symbol of quality and trust in Oman. While Lulu has ﬁrmly captured the spot for the preferred place to shop, it has also, since inception, demonstrated swift responsiveness to seasonal shopping trends. With over a decade’s presence in Oman, Lulu has become a shopping destination that has integrated all conceivable needs of the consumer under one roof.

MUSCAT: In memory of the eclectic Sarah White, who was Arts advisor and museum director of the Bait Al Zubair Museum, a new gallery which adjoins the museum will be officially opened on Wednesday October 30 at 7:00 pm. Named Gallery Sarah in honour of her life’s work and contribution to the Omani art and culture space, the gallery is the ﬁrst of its kind in Oman, and will house a range of Omani paintings and photographs. Gallery Sarah will offer a comprehensive array of paintings and a huge collection of photographs which can be purchased and

framed at the gallery. The new gallery will be a shining beacon for the growing arts movement in the Sultanate and will support the cause of young artists within the

emerging art scene. The new gallery will act as a window to Oman by showcasing local artist to the world and will also host international artists. In

conjunction with the gallery opening, a fully functional e-commerce website will also be launched to enable artists and photographers to sell their work locally and internationally. The website has been built with the latest technology and is considered to be the ﬁrst Omani e-commerce site to offer fully automated online shopping for delivery around the world. Gallery Sarah is working with collaborating local artists and photographers, and invites them to register and exhibit their work at the gallery and online to an international audience.

C A R D C A M PA I G N

Pirelli launches prepaid Visa card campaign in Oman MUSCAT: Following the successful summer iPad campaign, Pirelli Middle East has launched its post-summer campaign across the GCC including Oman that will run through to November 10. Prepaid Cards The campaign entitles all customers who purchase two or four Pirelli tyres of 17 inches or above, to receive a prepaid Visa card that can be redeemed at any outlet where Visa cards are accepted. The amount will be the equivalent in local currency of $26 or $64 (a complete list of partici-

pating outlets can be found at www.pirelliwin.com). Karim Gaddas, CEO Pirelli, Middle East is excited to see the success of the new campaign after creating yet another alliance with a premium brand, “The goal is to constantly reward our clientele with premium propositions in line with the quality of Pirelli products in terms of performance, safety and environmental impact, all in-line with the company’s ‘green performance’ strategy.” All cards are branded with the new Pirelli 2013 ‘Engineered to Excite’ campaign. The eye-

catching design ensures these cards would not go un-noticed in your wallet, take them on your spending spree and have your shopping prepaid! Wide range Pirelli has designed and produced the highest number of OE markings in tyres that are developed with the most prestigious car manufacturers. A premium car owner will always ﬁnd the perfect tyre within the Pirelli range, designed on purpose to enhance a cars performance whilst assuring a unique

driving experience. Founded in 1872, Pirelli is the world’s ﬁfth largest tyre manufacturer based on revenues and one of the leading manufacturers of highend and performance tyres. With a presence in over 160 countries, the company now has 22 tyre manufacturing facilities on ﬁve continents. Pirelli has a wide range of car, SUV, bus and truck tyres and are available across Oman. OTE Group is the sole authorised distributor for Pirelli Tires in Oman with showrooms spread across the Sultanate.

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

ROUND-UP New India Assurance set to step into Qatar Sharing information about Oman, he said, ‘We are the second in the non life segment. One third of the foreigners’ business here is with us’

MRUDU NAIK mrudu@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: New India Assurance, a leading global insurance group with a network of 1,600 offices spread over 27 countries in ﬁve continents, is keen on being a part of the GCC growth story. Speaking to the Times of Oman, G. Srinivasan, chairman and managing director, New India Assurance, who was recently on a visit to Oman, said, “The GCC markets have been growing with many infrastructure projects in the offing. Non-life insurance is closely linked to the economic development of the countries. So insurance will continue to grow in this part of the world and we would like to be part of this growth story.” New India Assurance is also planning expansion in the region. “In the GCC, the only market we don’t operate in is Qatar, and we actually have plans to enter Qatar shortly. We are going through the approval process,” he said. In addition New India Assurance is looking at entering Canada and Myanmar. Asked about the company’s plans for Oman he said that the company was well represented in the country with three branches and 18 sub agencies.

“As it is, we are a large player,” Srinivasan informed, adding that the company had no big expansion plans for Oman. About his meeting with the Capital Market Authority’s insurance authorities, he said, “It was a good meeting. They were happy with the performance of New India Assurance from the regulatory perspective. That is what we want to hear from a regulator.” Talking about the overall performance of the company since he took over its reins last year, he said, “It has been a good year. During the ﬁnancial year, we did very well and clocked a premium of $2.1 billion. We now have recorded an asset base of $8 billion. Both the Indian and overseas operations performed well. We made decent proﬁts in both the sectors. Eighty per cent of the business comes from the Indian market and 20 per cent from overseas market.” “We continue to be the market leader in India,” he said. Sharing information about Oman, he said, “We are the second in the non-life segment. One third of the foreigners business is with New India Assurance here.” Talking about the company’s performance in Oman, he said, “The company has been growing steadily over the years. What is important is

that the company has established for itself a very good reputation.” He added that the company brought out good products into the market and provided good service, especially in times of natural catastrophe like Gonu and Phet. “The country had a large number of claims and we were able to settle those quickly to the satisfaction of our customers. That has given us a lot of trust and conﬁdence in the market. We have been able to maintain ourselves as a major player in this market for many years,” he averred. Talking about the challenges of health insurance, Srinivasan said, “In India, health insurance is big business and is growing. It is a challenging business in terms of maintaining proﬁtability. That is the position all over the world.” Advising how the health insurance segment can be better managed, he said, “What is important is that you need good products and you need to adequately price the products. You should not only manage your claims well by having proper negotiations with the hospitals but also have control on claims whenever someone gets admitted to the hospital. This is the only way health insurance can be managed all over the world.” Stating that the segment has

BUSINESS WEEK

Lulu Darsait holds eighth anniversary celebrations MUSCAT: Lulu Hypermarkets celebrates the eighth anniversary of their Darsait outlet. Lulu has risen to become one of the most popular brands in the country and now operates more than 11 stores in Oman with Ibri being the latest addition. Commenting on eighth successful years, Ananth AV, regional director of Lulu Hypermarkets, Oman said, “Looking back over these eight years for the Darsait outlet, we are celebrating a successful journey. This journey has been made possible by the trust placed in us by our customers and the effort put in by the staff at the Darsait outlet to ensure this never waivers. I would like to thank each and every one of our customers for all the support. It is you who inspire us to create per-

sonal and unique moments every day as you shop at Lulu.” The celebration was marked with a special cake cutting ceremony and various activities for the customers present at the outlet. As always, it had various ongoing promotions and deals that customers could beneﬁt from. The Lulu outlet at Darsait has gone on to become a landmark in the area and caters to all the shopping needs of the local residents. Lulu has changed the face of retail not just in local areas such as Darsait but the whole of Oman with their diverse highquality product range that offers the best possible value for money. They further redeﬁned the retail experience with innovative and unique promotions that make shopping a whole lot more of fun.

FRENCH CINEMA

French Omani Centre to show children’s ﬁlms MUSCAT: The Omani French Centre in MSQ has organised three cartoon screenings to be held this week for children. The cartoons will be aired at 6pm on October 29, 30 and 31, 2013. Entrance is free. On October 29, the ﬁlm is Couleur de peau: miel (Colour of

Skin: Honey), which will have English subtitles. On October 30, it is Le jour des corneilles (The Day of the Crows), also screened with English subtitles. The October 31 ﬁll which is only in French, is Les contes de la nuit (Tails of the Night).

B U S I N E S S AWA R D S

Sultanate to host GEW from November 17 to 21 MUSCAT: The Sultanate represented by the National Business Center (NBC) will host the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) from November 17 - 21. The hosting of the respective event by the NBC is designed at advancing the economic growth and to promote investment opportunities for development of Omani society through such entrepreneurship awareness programmes. The event is also intended at inspiring the new generation of young Omanis to explore their potentials and to exhibit their abilities by establishing their own ventures. The week, which on global scale is marked during the month of November annually -- in nearly 138 countries, is aimed at establishing channels of dialogue and communication between communities and owners of business enterprises. The week is also aimed encouraging the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within the local and global markets and to encourage the observation of the Entrepreneurship Week in order to attract and offer more business and investment ideas to the community. Other objectives incorporate to establish business and commercial initiatives of small and up to the economic well-being of

been a challenge with health costs going up, he said, “There are more and more diagnostic facilities coming, so there is always a temptation on the part of the hospitals to put you through a lot of investigative procedures which may or may not be required. At the end of the day, these are expensive and the cost to the company or the insurance company can be high.” Talking about motor insurance, Srinivasan said, “With accidents, cost of repairs and third party claims is increasing and this has become a challenging portfolio. It is important that we need to do some good underwriting and also manage claims more effectively to make this portfolio more profitable.” Expressing satisfaction with New India’s performance in Oman, he said, “We would like to be a very big player than what we are today. Basically, our philosophy is that wherever we operate, we would like to give good products to the customers, provide good customer service, come to the rescue of our customers in times of any accidents or contingency. This is our core philosophy and has kept us in good stead all over the world. We will continue to be strong players wherever we operate. We would like to bring in financial strength to the table.” “In Oman today, we are the second largest and I wish we become the largest in a short period of time. Our core philosophy is to make our customer happy and provide good customer service. If that is done, everything else follows,” he said. Talking about the various accolades received, he said, “New India has received a large number of awards including the best general insurance firm in India for claims settlement processes, underwriting initiative and technology. The latest award we received was in London for the best corporate governance initiatives. In Oman, we have been rated as the best general insurance company since 2010.”

MILESTONE

society to ﬁnd sources of income by setting up special projects and enhance dialogue between enterprises as well as to connect entrepreneurs and deepen their communication with decisionmakers in the Sultanate. The week also targets participants form government and private sector along with universities graduates. Many national organizations are taking part in organizing this week such as ,Public Authority for SAM Development , information technology Authority, Sharaka , Mithaq , Injaz Oman and some other governmental and private sector’s institution’s. Remarking on the occasion, Mulkie Al Hashemite, Marketing Manager at NBC said: The

hosting of this GEW initiative in the Sultanate is designed ‘to help entrepreneurs and innovators to develop their commercial ideas through development of professional network of relationships with owners’ diverse projects. It is further designed to disseminate knowledge, skills and techniques, which is essential for achieving success in the business environment and the development of innovative investment ideas, she noted. The event will comprise of specialised workshops, which will be presented by experts in the ﬁelds of legislation and laws in the Sultanate in aspects of trade and how to establish business ventures through the investment components of the Omani environment. The workshops will focus on raising awareness on how to attract investments and to generate innovative ideas, and the means of transforming commercial ideas into reality. Participation is open Omanis who have innovative ideas and desire to learn more on how to develop private enterprises. On the global level, the GEW initiative is designed to encourage millions of young people all over the world to join the growing movement for entrepreneurship around the world.

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller collects nine business awards DUBAI: ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller has scooped nine awards at the International Business Awards 2013, including the prestigious gold Stevie for the Public Relations Agency of the Year in the Middle East and Africa for the third year. The Dubai-headquartered agency, part of the WPP Group, which counts Emaar, Emirates NBD, Ford Middle East, McDonalds Arabia, and Nestlé Middle East amongst its clientele, was awarded a record two gold, four silver, and three bronze Stevies for PR campaigns for its clients including the UAE Government, the Dubai Expo 2020 bid, Emaar Properties, McDonald’s Arabia, and Reed Exhibitions. With entrants from over 50 countries, the International Business Awards – or Stevies – are the world’s leading business awards and a benchmark for the industry. The awards, which were presented at a gala dinner at the W Hotel in Barcelona, Spain, were selected by a judging panel of more than 250 leading business executives. “The record-breaking success of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller at the International Business Awards is a true testament to the thought leadership of the agency in executing compelling and results-oriented communications campaigns. This year’s achievements, topped by the Public Relations Agency of the

Year in the Middle East and Africa, reﬂects the extraordinary breadth of communications strategies rolled out by the ﬁrm. This success would not have been possible without the implicit trust of our clients in our competencies,” said Joseph Ghossoub, chairman and CEO of the MENACOM Group, the regional parent company of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller. ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller’s silver Stevies included PR Campaign of the Year – Community Relations for the ‘Be part of it’ Dubai Expo 2020 Ambassador Campaign for work undertaken for Falcon Associates and PR Campaign of the Year – Events & Observances for the 6th World Future Energy Summit 2013 and the 1st International Water Summit 2013 for

Reed Exhibitions. The ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey 2013, which polls more than 3,000 youngsters across the Arab world to present evidence based insights into the attitudes of Arab youth, was awarded a silver Stevie in the PR Campaign of the Year – Public Service category. Other awards include a bronze honour for the PR Campaign of the Year – Public Affairs for the inaugural Government Summit 2013, which brought together leading public sector stakeholders from across the region to discuss best government practices, and the PR Campaign of the Year – Public Service and PR Campaign of the Year – Issues Management for McDonald’s Arabia’s launch of nutrition labelling on its packaging.

BARNEY WITH KIDS

Mitsubishi Oman welcomes Barney to meet special needs children MUSCAT: In Oman, Mitsubishi has been recognised as a brand that has always participated in bringing family oriented initiatives and activities to its customers. As part of their on-going efforts, General Automotive Company – the official dealers for Mitsubishi in Oman organised a special showcase of the lovable purple dinosaur Barney, for children from the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs. The lovable purple dinosaur vis-

ited the Mitsubishi Showroom in Azaiba on October 22 and the children were thrilled to meet Barney ﬁrst-hand. Special welcome Mark Tomlinson, general manager of General Automotive Company, official dealers of Mitsubishi in Oman noted, “At Mitsubishi Oman, we place customers are the heart of everything we do, so we were thrilled to help make Barney’s visit to Oman possible. We

wanted to make it all the more special by welcoming Barney and his friends to visit the Mitsubishi showroom where the children from Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability came for a special visit. We are glad the children had such a great time, and we look forward to organising many such events in the future.” The Association of Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs serves children from birth

to 6 years, who are at risk or disabled, with a comprehensive early intervention programme that covers social, medical, physical, academic and therapeutic services. Through the years, the Association has worked towards providing children with special needs with every possible opportunity to enjoy their rights and to fully integrate in society as individuals to beneﬁt from the services provided by the association and community at large to live a digniﬁed life.

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ROUND-UP A musical journey that left music lovers in Muscat mesmerised The audience, most of whom were also the part of the Musical Journey – I, held last year, was gearing up with high expectation of quality entertainment and they were not disappointed

MUSCAT: Presented by NOVA Medical Center and organised by Talent Hunters Oman the long awaited Musical Journey II – Golden Greats, was held recently at grand hall at Hotel Al Falaj. Musical Journey II started exactly on time at 7.30pm, a hallmark of all the shows organised by Talent Hunters Oman, with a full house. As the seats were available on ﬁrst come ﬁrst basis, people started pouring in as soon as the gates opened at 6.00pm, to avoid disappointment. The audience, most of whom were also the part of the Musical Journey – I, held last year, had high expectations of quality entertainment and they were

not disappointed. The show started with a commentary on Hindi cinema’s golden era (1965 – 1975) by Dr Sunil Malani, containing interesting information, followed by medley of fast songs from the golden era. Murali started the chain of golden greats with Musaﬁr Hoon Yaron. Kahin Door Jab by Vineet, Tu Jahan Jahan Chalega by Peeyali, Kuchh to log Kahenge by Shehneel and Mujhe Ishque hai tujhi se by Haider Naqvi, set the ball rolling, mesmerising and captivating the audience with excellent singing and projections. They all were cheered by the appreciative audience. Then came the sweet duet Sawan ka Mahina by Vineet and Ritika. They won great accolades not only for singing but bringing alive the four decade old song by brilliant enacting. Swapna with Aji Rooth kar, Shekhar with Pukarta Chala hoon main, Shubhashish with Ya Dil Ki Suno and Sarfaraz’s singing and enacting Akele hai chale aao,

brought the show to the pinnacle. By wearing costume similar to the original actors, matching their hair style and apparels, they were able to recreate the magic of the golden era. Haider Naqvi and Swapna singing the evergreen duet Chhup Gaye saare Nazare oye kya baat ho gayi supported by dancing duo Delicious and Shivani, brought the audience on their feet, bringing back the memories of Rajesh Khanna. This followed by Akhilesh mesmerising audience with one of the most romantic songs Rukh se zara naqab uthaa do from the ﬁlm Mere Huzoor. Piya tu ab to aaja sung by Sreelakshmy and supported by excellent dance by Gowripriya, Nikhil, Sharuk, Vaishnav, Nixon compelled the audience to swing and dance. Sad song Ruk Ja Raat ﬁlmed on tragedy queen Meena Kumari sung by Ritika, echoed in the darkness of the theatre with pin drop silence. Chand si Mehbooba ho by Vineet backed up by innovative shadow dance won hearts

of all present. Tere bina zindagi se koi sung and enacted live by Peeyali and Shehneel, Tum Agar Saath Dene ka by Haider Naqvi and Teri Bindiya re by Shekar and Peeyali brought alive the feeling of the complex relationship between husband and wife. Main Shayar to Nahin, the evergreen song from Bobby, by Sheneel, ushered the mood to the party mood with excellent dancing and enacting. The show ended on a sad note with a medley of sad songs. The show concluded exactly in two hours though the audience still wanting more. The show was hosted by Gajesh Dhariwal with high quality, interesting and informative script delivered immaculately in his powerful voice. The volunteers led by Ashish and Divya Tewari made the audience feel comfortable. It was indeed a high quality, entertaining, nostalgic, mesmerizing musical evening. It was like living through the golden era of

MEDICAL ADVICE

more brilliant. Never the less the simplicity of the show impressed many in the audience. That is our strength,” said Haider Naqvi, a singer and technical director. “Hard work, dedication, passion and coordination are needed to bring out such results. All the singers, dancers and technical personnel worked tirelessly for the last 3 months. It will be cherished by everyone present for a long time to come” Dr Sateja Dalal, programme coordinator said

SOCIAL MEDIA

Regular exercise best way to combat age related injuries, says expert Times News Service MUSCAT: Regular exercise is the best way to combat age related injuries of the spine and knee, said Dr Harshvardhan Hegde, senior consultant for spine and orthopaedic surgeon, Nova (India). Dr Hegde who has an experience of more than 20 years in the ﬁeld of Joint Arthroplasty surgeries, spinal surgeries, and treating trauma cases, was recently on a visit to Muscat. He started his journey from the University of Baroda, Gujarat, where he acquired an MS in Orthopaedics and completed ATLS from Norwich U.K. Dr Hegde has an extensive experience in all aspects of orthopaedics. He also has advanced training in Arthroplasty from the UK. Highlighting

Hindi ﬁlms. “With limited budget, support and resources, to organise such high quality program is not easy. To be able to give platform to perform to the local talents, presenting them in a very professional manner gives us a lot of satisfaction. Response to the show was overwhelming. We feel we achieved our goal,” quoted Dr Sanjay Dalal, director of the show. “If we get more support we can make the same show technically

the importance of staying healthy and avoiding potential injuries for sportsmen and people in general, he shared some useful tips. Talking about the importance of exercise, he said, “As we get older, we become more prone to injuries. Regular exercise is the best way to combat age related injuries of the spine and knee. Sports related injuries are prone to the back or the knee. If we can follow a good diet,

RECRUIT

avoid smoking and have a good calcium intake, damage can be avoided. One would ideally like to see the bone density remain the same.” Talking about knee or joint replacement, he said, “The right time to consider a knee replacement and joint replacement is when one has acute pain in the knee. That should be the deciding reason for one to consider joint replacements or any surgery after the appropriate tests.” According to the doctor football, rugby, basketball, ice hockey, gymnastics are some of the most difficult sports in the world. “If we the take the average or the maximum number of accidents in any sports, it would be football followed by rugby and ice hockey. But all other sports have high incidents of injuries too; including rock climbing, para-diving and other extreme

sports. Sports is a career and it needs to be followed the right way, like gymnasts who start young to achieve the body postures,” he said. He added, age is no criteria to retire from any sports. “Chronologically ‘age’ does not reflect on fitness. It is the level of activity and it is the kind of training and exercises which determine one’s fitness level. The level of fitness and regular injuries should probably determine the decision to retire. We see a lot of fit people who are old and many young ones who are not fit,” he informed. Praising the health sector in Oman, Dr Hegde said, “The average life of people in Oman has increased over the last few decades because of the developments in medical care which is comparable to the west and deserves recognition.”

Bank Sohar thanks over 10,000 Facebook Fans MUSCAT: In less than three months since Bank Sohar made its presence felt on Facebook, the bank announced that their ofﬁcial Facebook page has crossed 10,000 fans and is growing at an impressive rate. Munira Abdulnabi Macki, DGM of Human Resources and Corporate Support, Bank Sohar said, “At Bank Sohar, we recognise that Facebook is one of the most dynamic mediums through which we can directly connect with our customers. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our followers and fans for their continual support and feedback, which has been invaluable in delivering excellence in our products and services.” Having started the official Facebook page and Twitter account in June 2013, Bank Sohar

has come a long way in taking the bank closer to its customers and responding to queries on a real time basis. In the past three months, the page has crossed the 10,000 fan mark with a high engagement ratio which determines the actual conversations taking place between the bank and customers. Fans of the official Bank Sohar Facebook Page have exclusive access to a wide range of engaging content, from special offers to the latest brand activities, promotions, product news and also announcements of the daily winners of OMR1,000 under the Al Mumayaz Savings Scheme 2013. As a result of its popularity it has become a powerful marketing tool for the bank and provides the bank direct feedback from customers.

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RECRUI JOB POSTINGS

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

Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless. — Thomas A. Edison

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 01 3

RECRUIT

QUOTES Business is never so healthy as when, like a chicken, it must do a certain amount of scratching around for what it gets. — Henry Ford Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations. — Steve Jobs There is only one boss. The customer. And he can ﬁre everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else. — Sam Walton

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ROUND-UP No-break days at Ford Wattayah showroom Ford Motor Company has in its range some of the most technologically advanced, segmentﬁrst and feature-packed vehicles in the world

MUSCAT: With a singular objective of serving its customers better and to cope with increasing walk-ins, Arabian Car Marketing (sole distributors for Ford vehicles in Oman) announced their new showroom timings for Wattayah, which extend from 8.30am to 8.00pm from Saturday to Thursday, without a break in between. On Fridays the showrooms will remain closed. This is the ﬁrstof-its-kind initiative to be undertaken in Oman raising the bar on the policy of ‘Customer First’ to

an entirely new level. “Our customers have been stretching their schedules to include visits to the Ford showroom in Muscat. We decided to show them we care,” said a representative from ACM. “The changed showroom timings have come as a pleasant surprise to many of our customers.” “I have a business and it is important for me to be in my office most of the time”, said an entrepreneur and an ardent fan of Ford. “Often I have to reschedule my

day’s appointments to accommodate a visit to the Ford showroom. This new move has come as a huge relief to me and now I can easily pay a visit to the Ford showroom even during my lunch hour,” he exclaimed. Ford Motor Company has designed and engineered some of the most appealing, affordable and exciting vehicles that are

increasingly being preferred by millions across the world. In Oman too Ford has become a favourite with its amazing range of vehicles. Its segment-leading features and technologies have drawn many to visit their closest showroom and experience a Ford. In Oman, Ford vehicles are brought by Arabian Car Marketing Co. LLC.

D I WA L I C A M PA I G N

Nargis Fakhri named new Damas brand ambassador MUSCAT: Popular Bollywood actress Nargis Fakhri has been named Damas’ newest brand ambassador, and will debut as the face of Damas during the company’s upcoming Diwali campaign. The Middle East’s leading jewellery and watch retailer has signed the Indian beauty for the year to represent its portfolio of well known brands, which include Legacy, Gehna, Mira, Harmony and Ananya. The starlet will appear in print ads, recently shot in Mumbai, and a television commercial that was filmed under the direction of renowned director Fabien Lambert. “In selecting an ambassador, we wanted to find someone who was a representation of classic beauty; but who would also give a modern take on traditional style, and we feel we have definitely hit the mark with Nargis Fakhri,” said Ajit George, deputy COO – Damas. “We are certain that this Diwali, customers will be pleased with what Damas has to offer. As

always, we have stunning jewellery, exciting promotions, and a wonderful campaign with a great face for our brand,” he added. Damas will be rolling out its new Diwali campaign, featuring Nargis Fakhri, from September 25, 2013 onwards across the GCC region. The company is set to unveil its most exciting Diwali campaign yet featuring new designs and promotions.

ACCOLADE

Nikon D7100 digital SLR camera receives EISA award MUSCAT: Nikon Corporation has announced that the Nikon D7100 DX-format digital SLR camera is the recipient of the European Camera 2013-2014 award presented by the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA). The D7100 was also the recipient of the TIPA Awards 2013, selected in May this year. “The D7100 is the current ﬂagship model in Nikon’s family of DX-format cameras, combining excellent image quality and advanced features. Its APS-C sensor is designed without an optical low-pass ﬁlter, which allows users to take full advantage of its 24.1-million-pixel resolution with no loss of sharpness. The fast 51-point AF system and high-speed continuous shoot-

ing are perfect for capturing action, while the reliable metering system delivers consistently accurate exposures. The bright optical viewﬁnder and crisp LCD monitor allow for both traditional viewﬁnder and ‘live view’ framing

with shooting. Those who record movies will appreciate the clean, uncompressed HDMI output, which can be recorded directly to an external storage device. EISA is the association of 50 magazines in photo, video, audio,

home theatre, and mobile electronics, from 20 European countries. Each year, EISA chooses the best products released in Europe over the past year from a number of categories of imaging, audio and mobile devices. “The Nikon D7100 has been doing very well in the market, and the receipt of the award further reinforces our dedication to introducing class leading products.” “Khimji Ramdas is the authorized distributors for Nikon cameras, lenses and accessories in Oman. The Nikon D7100 is available at various Khimji’s Luxury and Lifestyle stores, apart from leading retailers like Lulu, Carrefour and eXtra,” said Rohit Shah, GM, Khimji’s Luxury and Lifestyle Stores.

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SPOR YOUR GAME

VETTEL JOINS GREATS WITH FOURTH TITLE Germany’s Sebastian Vettel roared into the record books as Formula One’s youngest four-times world champion after winning the Indian Grand Prix forr the third year in a row yesterday. >C5

Kakko seals European Tour card Finland’s Rooke Kakko won the inaugural edition of National Bank of Oman Golf Classic at the Almouj Golf at The Wave Muscat to take home US$48,000 purse

TIMES NEWS SERVICE

MUSCAT: Rooke Kakko sealed his card for the 2014 European Tour season as the Finn claimed his first title as a professional with a nerveless performance and a two-shot win in the inaugural National Bank of Oman Golf Classic to take home the prize-money of US$48,000, yesterday. In searing hot conditions at the majestic Almouj Golf, The Wave, Muscat, the 31 year old produced a final round worthy of the occasion in the penultimate event of the European Challenge Tour season. The victory, courtesy of a three under par final round 69, elevated the Orlando-based player from 17th to sixth in the rankings, guaranteeing him one of the 15 cards available for The European Tour at the conclusion of next week’s Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club. While Kakko began with two birdies to extent his one shot overnight lead to three before moving four clear at one point, it was no walk in the park for the man whose

THE WINNER: Finland’s Rooke Kakko with the NBO Classic trophy.

only previous victory on the Challenge Tour came as an amateur and on home soil back in 2004. Dane Lucas Bjerregaard made an almighty push for the title midway through the day when he carded three consecutive birdies from the tenth hole to get within one of Kakko. A bogey for Bjerregaard at the 13th and a birdie for Kakko at the 14th meant the gap was back to three and, while the Dane picked up one more shot at the par five 16th to ensure a nervy finish, Kakko pierced the middle of the fairway with his drive down the 18th before finishing with a solid par to clinch the title on 14 under. “I felt like this was my moment, when I was going to grab hold of it, so it feels amazing,” said Kakko,

who let out an almighty roar when he holed the final putt. “What an accomplishment. I’m just so proud of how I handled myself on the golf course and how I kept hitting good shots and good putts. “After I hit that tee shot at 18 I figured that had to be pretty much it. I saw that Bjerregaard made par on the last so the drive was the big one, not the putt. I haven’t won as a professional and that’s why we’re here every week. We want to win these tournaments and I’ve had a couple of chances. “It’s unbelievable to have a European Tour card secured. When you set yourself a goal for top 15 and then accomplish that, it’s such a fulfilling feeling. “I don’t have words for it. I’m so happy, just delighted. I get to

go home now to my family after Grand Final and I don’t have to go to Qualifying School, so that’s such a big plus. I think I get to play the World Cup with Mikko Korhonen too so that’s going to be a nice Christmas present.” Bjerregaard, meanwhile, was disappointed to have missed out having come close, but having needed a huge result this week just to secure a place in the season-ending Grand Final, he was delighted to have achieved that goal by moving from 57th in the Rankings to 35th. “It was a day of mixed emotions alright,” said the 22 year old, who signed for a five under 67 to finish on 12 under. “I needed a second place or maybe third alone. I went out there and knew what I had to do and I did it so I’m feeling very good right now.” Daniel Im, meanwhile, struggled to keep up with his playing partner Kakko throughout the day and could only manage a level par 72 to finish in third place on ten under par, but that was enough to move him inside the top 15 of the rankings — from 21st to 13th — heading into the crucial finale. His Highness Sayyid Taimur bin Assad bin Tarik Al Said who was the chief guest presented the trophies to the winners. Speaking to the media, His Highness Sayyid Taimur said the NBO Classic will encourage the Omani youths to take up the sport in the country. “This has been a great tournament and I am sure in the coming years the Omani youths will be encouraged to take up the game,” he said. Mohammed Mahfoudh Al Ardhi, deputy chairman of NBO said the tournament has surpassed the expectations. “Our aim is to put Oman on the golfing map and we have shown to the world that Oman has the expertise to organise a world class tournament,” he added.

Patience is key: Zamora SPORTS REPORTER

MUSCAT: Omani players require immense patience before they reach the world stage of golf, according to a top European Tour official Speaking to Times Sport yesterday on the sidelines of the National Bank of Oman (NBO) Golf Classic that concluded at the Almouj Golf, Jose Maria Zamora, European Tour Tournament Director said the Omani players have the ability to compete abroad in the future. “With this Challenge Tour, we have given them the best opportunity to play the game against some of the best players from Europe. When it comes to golf, Oman is quite young and will take time before these players (Omanis) reach the world stage but they need patience for that,” Zamora said. The two stalwarts of the Oman national team, Azzan Al Rumhy and Ali Hameed, didn’t make it into the weekend of the Golf Classic but Zamora was full of praise for the two. “I think they know their game well and I am sure next year they will come back strongly. I guess there were too many expectations from these two players,” Zamora said. Heaping praise on the NBO Golf Classic, Zamora said the tournament was a complete success. “Everyone loved coming to Oman. We were not expecting such great hospital-

Jose Maria Zamora.

ity but what we got was just fabulous reception. I think everyone contributed to the success of this tournament. We cannot wait to come back next year,” he said. Rating the Greg Norman designed Almouj Golf course nine out of ten, Zamora said the players have to put an extra effort to play at the course. “You have to be a complete player to win here. Even though the course is new, it is quite challenging. Roope Kakko has played aggressively here and he is becoming a world-class player,” Zamora added. Meanwhile, Azzan said the experience of playing with the European players has boosted his conﬁdence ahead of the MENA Golf Tour scheduled to be held at the Ghala Valley Open from November 3-6. “There were high expectations from us but we couldn’t be our best. However, it was a great experience to play with some of the best players from Europe and this has motivated me to play in the MENA tour next week,” Azzan said.

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

SPORTS Oman ‘becoming’ golfing hot spot The inaugural NBO Golf Classic is not just a golf tournament for Bill Longmuir. It is the ﬁrst giant step in putting Oman on the world golf map

MUSCAT: This week’s inaugural National Bank of Oman Golf Classic is not just one of the biggest sporting events the Sultanate has ever seen, it is also the culmination of decades of collective and continuous hard work by golf enthusiasts and professionals to develop the game and prominent among them being Scottish veteran Bill Longmuir who has been there from the very beginning. And it was a ﬁtting tribute that the eight-time European Senior Tour winner received a sponsor’s invite from the National Bank of Oman (NBO) to play in the tournament and he took full advantage, making the weekend cut before a superb three under par third round 69 shot him up the ladder for the ﬁnal round where he notched a 73 for 290 gross.

The NBO Golf Classic, however, is not just a golf tournament for Longmuir. It is the first giant step in putting Oman on the world golf map after 30 years of involvement in building the game. It’s a fascinating story of literally building the game in Oman from foundations made of sand. Longmuir explains: “The link started about 30 years ago when I met Oman’s late His Highness Sayyid Kais bin Tariq Al Said. I happened to meet His Highness through a horse trainer friend of mine at Newmarket racecourse. I was keen on horseracing and so was His Highness. “We got on like a house on fire from the outset. He enjoyed the banter, so to speak, and I got him into golf. Between myself and my friend Pip Elson we got him into playing in Pro-Ams and he sponsored a few Pro-Ams in Dubai. “Then I came over here to visit Oman around 20 years ago. At that time, Muscat had one sand course which was reclaimed by the Government to build a hospital and they gave them a site upon which I then designed and built a sand course called Ghala Wentworth. “The course was finished very quickly, all done with virtually no budget, just volunteers. The course turned out to be very successful and recently it was turned into an 18-hole grass course called Ghala Valley, and the club is going from strength to strength. “HH Sayyid Kais and I wanted

It’s not just an expat community playing golf here, it’s really all about the nationals who love to come out and play Bill Longmuir to create Oman’s first grass course so we started with Muscat Hills. It took over five years to build and it was quite a complicated job. Paul Thomas designed it and I helped with a couple of holes but it was really Paul’s design. “We were thrilled with the course which features dry wadi river beds. HH Sayyid Kais and I hoped that one day Oman would stage a tournament there. It’s certainly a good contrast to Almouj Golf The Wave, which was designed by my good friend Greg Norman, who rates the course one of the finest he has ever created. “Muscat Hills is more in line with the mountainous, rocky landscape that you can see around

Muscat, whereas Almouj Golf is more of a links-style course, so they complement each other. “What I did notice when I ﬁrst came to Muscat was that a lot of the Omani nationals wanted to play golf. There was, of course no tradition of golf in Oman but there was a lot of enthusiasm. Unlike some countries, the Omani nationals love their golf and I was encouraged by that, I must admit. Over the years I have watched the game grow and grow. It’s not just an expat community playing golf here, as it is in many Gulf states, it’s really all about the nationals who love to come out and play. That’s what has been so good about golf out here in Oman.

“During the NBO Classic this week it’s been good to hear people talking about golf. With three diverse grass golf courses already well established in Muscat and another 18-hole grass course to be opened here next year, Oman is moving rapidly towards becoming a genuine golﬁng destination. “They’re rebuilding the airport nearby which will encourage tourists to come to Oman and enjoy a totally different experience to Dubai.” To host such an illustrious event in Oman is something Longmuir is immensely proud of and he believes it is a ﬁtting tribute to his friend, His Highness Sayyid Kais. “I am thrilled with the initiative of the National Bank of Oman creating this tournament,” says Longmuir. “For me it is HH Sayyid Kais’ legacy. It means a lot for me to be here competing and see it happen on Greg Norman’s spectacular layout and the equally spectacular manner in which it has been staged this week is simply wonderful. The relaxed, friendly atmosphere of this event has made this one of the most enjoyable and memorable weeks of my career. “Although I’m 60, it’s great for me to have been invited to play in the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic and see these young players competing. They are so strong and the standard on the European Challenge Tour is excellent. It’s been an eye-opener for me and I’m really enjoying every minute of it.”

PREMIER LEAGUE

Torres’ late effort sends Chelsea 2nd LONDON: Fernando Torres exploited a 90th-minute horror show from Manchester City to earn Chelsea a 2-1 win yesterday that sent them up to second place in the Premier League. City looked on course for a draw at Stamford Bridge after a Sergio Aguero thunderbolt cancelled out Andre Schurrle’s opener, only for Torres to pounce at the death after a mix-up between Matija Nastasic and Joe Hart. It was the latest in a series of blunders by England goalkeeper Hart, who came to the edge of his area but did not clam the ball, and he could be seen venting his disbelief as Torres wheeled away to celebrate. Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea have now won ﬁve consecutive games in all competitions and trail leaders Arsenal by just two points. Roberto Soldado’s 80th minute penalty secured Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 home win over Hull City and moved them up to fourth, while Sunderland moved off the foot of the table after substitute Fabio Borini lashed in a superb late winner in a 2-1 derby victory over Newcastle United. Swansea City and West Ham United drew 0-0 in yesterday’s other game. — Agencies

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

SPORTS

OCT Seeb post seven-wicket win OCT Seeb trounced Powetech by seven wickets to register their third victory in as many outings

MUSCAT: OCT Seeb made it three out of three when they trounced Powertech by seven wickets in an Al Ansari Group of Companies sponsored ‘C’ Division T20 match during the weekend. Electing to bat ﬁrst, Powertech playing with 10 men were bundled out for 84 off 13.5 overs. OCT Seeb in reply raced to 85 for the loss of three wickets in nine overs. Brief scores: Powertech 84 all out in 13.5 overs (Abunathan Ganesan 24; Abbas Abdul Aziz 4/19) lost to OCT Seeb 85 for 3 in 9 overs (Sufyan Mahmood 34, Yousif Rahim Bakhsh 25 n.o., Issa Rahim Bakhsh 20). Points: OCT Seeb - 2 pts (3 games, 6 pts), Powertech - Nil (3 games – Nil).

Focus National on track Focus National defeated Ahli Bank by 19 runs in a ‘H’ Division T20 match. Batting ﬁrst, Focus National scored 168 for the loss of six wickets at the end of the 20th over. Ahli

Abbas Abdul Aziz of OCT Seeb

J DIVISION: Al Ittihad Car Showroom after their victory over Ibrahim Al Kirshri. – Supplied photos

Bank in reply were bowled out for 149 off 19.2 overs.

Brief scores: Bank Sohar 133 for 9 in 20 overs (Md Ansar Salam 25 n.o., Praveen Kumar 23, Nadeem Iqbal 22, Fahad Khan 21; Jaleel 4/20, Shameer C.K. 3/20) lost to Beatrice 134 for 5 in 18 overs (Shameer C.K. 39, Mohammed Afnas 25 n.o.; Shanid 24 n.o., Feroze 23; Md Ansar Salam 2/17). Points: Beatrice – 2 pts (3 games, 4 pts), Bank Sohar - Nil ( 3 games, 2 pts).

Brief scores: Focus National 168 for 6 in 20 overs (Dipu Ramachandran 52, Raj Kumar 32, Sasi Bibin 29, Shereef Majeed 28 n.o.; Shakeel Mahmood 2/26) bt Ahli Bank 149 all out in 19.2 overs (Taimur 39, Manoj A. 28, Sarwar 28, Tony 26; Santosh Rajan 3/17, Raj Kumar 2/27, Shajeevan Karayala 2/35). Points: Focus National - 2 pts (2 games, 4 pts), Ahli Bank - Nil.

Big win for Beatice Beatrice Cricket Team crushed Bank Sohar by a margin of five wickets in an ‘I’ Division T20 match. Batting first, Bank Sohar were restricted to 133 for nine wickets in 20 overs. Beatrice CT in reply made 134 for the loss of five wickets off 18 overs.

Easy for Bank Dhofar In an ‘I’ Division T20 match, Bank Dhofar defeated Dhofar Automotives by 62 runs. Invited to bat Bank Dhofar piled up 195 for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. Dhofar Automotive in their turn were restricted to 133 for the loss of six wickets at the end of their quota of 20 overs. Brief scores: Bank Dhofar 195 for 4 in 20 overs (Kowligi Krishna Kumar

59, Sparsh Aggarwal 53; Shafeek 2/26) bt Dhofar Automotive 133 for 6 in 20 overs (Shafeer 27, Biju 23, Shafeek 23 and Sanoop 20; Shaﬁ Pasha Pahadkani 2/27). Points: Dhofar Bank – 2 pts (2 games, 4 pts), Dhofar Automotive - Nil (3 games – Nil).

Al Ittihad win In a ‘J’ Division T20 match, Al Ittihad Car Showroom defeated Ibahim Al Kishri by 66 runs. Electing to ﬁeld ﬁrst, Ibrahim Al Kishri did well to restrict Al Ittihad to 139 for eight in 20 overs but in reply they were bundled out for 73 off 12.5 overs. Brief scores: Al Ittihad 139 for 8 in 20 overs (Wasim Abbas 25; Asif Khan Qalam 2/16, Mohammed Tahir Akbar 2 for 28 and Mohammed Shakil 2/35) lost to Ibrahim Al Kishri 73 all out in 12.5 overs (Mohammed Sohil 25; Dilip Patel 3/16, Wasim Abbas 2/8, Libin Var-

NBO star Abhishek Prafull

ghese 2/10 and Jinesh Scaria 2/23). Points: Al Itthad Car Showroom – 2 pts (2 games, 2 pts), Ibrahim Al Kishri - Nil (2 games – Nil).

ram Bilal 21; K.G. Bentick 3/34, Deepak Radhakrishnan 2/23). Points: NBO ‘A’ – 2 pts (4 games, 8 pts), Muscat Electronics Nil (3 games – 6 pts).

NBO A unbeaten National Bank of Oman ‘A’ (NBO ‘A’) recorded a thrilling last ball win against Muscat Electronics to stay unbeaten in the Raha Poly Products sponsored ‘D’ Division T20 tournament. Opting to bat ﬁrst, Muscat Electronics managed to reach 162 for the loss of nine wickets at the end of the 20th over. NBO ‘A’ reached their target losing eight wickets in the process.

Sarco down Tamil Wing In an ‘F’ Division T20 match, Sarco defeated ISC Tamil Wing by 26 runs. Batting ﬁrst, Sarco playing with 10 men were bowled out for 143 off 17.5 overs. But they bowled well to bundle out ISC Tamil Wing for 117 in 18.4 overs.

Brief scores: Muscat Electronics 162 for 9 in 20 overs (Vijeesh C.V. 41, Nowfal Raymarakar 37, K.G. Bentick 30; Ramesh V. 4/30, Zafar Iqbal 2/24) lost to NBO ‘A’ 163 for 8 in 20 overs (Abhishek Prafull 66, Khur-

Brief scores: Sarco 143 all out in 17.5 overs (Salim 47, Zaheer 34; P. Balasubramanian 2/21, Raja Gunasekar 2/27, Pushparaj Manoharan 2/28) bt ISC Tamil Wing 117 all out in 18.4 overs (Kaja Mohideen 40; Salim 3/15, Saeed 3/17, Hafeez Zahid 3/19). Points: Sarco– 2 pts (3 games, 6 pts), ISC Tamil Wing - Nil (2 games – Nil).

I S C TA B L E T E N N I S

Yash downs Sai to claim U-13 crown MUSCAT: Yash Tanna clinched the boys’ under-13 single titles at the New Makha Enterprises-sponsored second Junior Table Tennis Tournament organaised by Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat. In the final, Yash fired with all guns blazing to stun fancied P. Sai Saran in straight games 11-7, 11-7, 11-5, 11-1. Yash made his intentions clear from the word go and faced overcame some resistance to win the first two games. He went on the offensive as Saran looked tentative and made many unforced errors. Having gained a 3-0 lead in the best-of–seven-games final, Yash was relentless and opened up a

7-0 lead in the fourth game before Sai Saran opened his account. Sai Saran’s body language said it all as Yash completed the formalities to lift the boys’ under-13 singles crown. N. Hridhay won the boy’s under-13 plate event after overcoming Anirudh Hariharan 11-9, 11-9, 11-8. Armaan Sattikar who earned a place in the final of the boys’ under-15 singles, booked his second final spot after winning his boys’ under-17 singles semifinal when he rallied from a game down to defeat Yash Tanna 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9. The second semifinal was to be played between Avinash Mukund and Subash Pillai.

FINALISTS: Yash Tanna, right, and Sai Saran. – Supplied photo

MOTORSPORT

Red Bull Car Park Drift on Nov 2 MUSCAT: Oman is gearing up for the Red Bull Car Park Drift Oman qualifier for the fourth consecutive year. To be held at Oman Automobile Association (OAA) facility from 2.00 pm on November 2, Oman round is the final stop before the regional final which will be held in Dubai on November 8. After the tremendous success of the past three years, two Oman representatives will be selected this year for the regional finals. Preliminary rounds will take place on November 1 to select the best of the Omani drivers for the title round. Last year’s competition saw Mohammed Al Asmi retain his crown as the ‘King of Drift’, for the second year and compete in the regional finals in Jordan. This year’s event is being held in partnership with the OAA and with support from Chevrolet, Total, Bridgestone, Nawras, Merge 104.8 and Al Wisal 96.5.

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 01 3

SPORTS BRIEFS

India to play Pakistan in World T20 opening clash DHAKA: Rivals India and Pakistan were drawn against each other yesterday for next year’s World Twenty20, marking an explosive start to the competition, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced in Dhaka. Former champions India will meet Pakistan as part of the 22-day tournament played in several locations in Bangladesh, featuring 16 countries and starting on March 16 next year. India and Pakistan are among eight sides which have been given direct entry into the Super 10 stage of the competition, based on the ICC’s T20 team rankings. The Super 10 stage will start with a match between India and Pakistan in Mirpur on March 21, while the West Indies will begin their title defence on March 23 against India also in Mirpur.

Steyn to miss first two Pakistan ODIs DUBAI: Paceman Dale Steyn will miss the first two of the five-match one-day series against Pakistan to rest his body, South African team management said yesterday. The 30-year-old Steyn featured in the second Test, which South Africa won by an innings and 92 runs on Saturday, despite suffering from a hamstring injury three days before the match. He showed no signs of discomfort and took four wickets in the match but the team management decided to rest Steyn in the first two matches in Sharjah (October 30) and in Dubai (November 1). Steyn will be available for the third match in Abu Dhabi on November 6, the fourth match (also in Abu Dhabi on November 8) and the fifth match in Sharjah (November 11). .

Misbah demands hard work as well as talent DUBAI: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq demanded his side put in the hard yards to supplement their undoubted talent after they squandered the opportunity of winning a Test series against South Africa. “I think the lack of consistency is because we depend on talent and talent can help you once or twice but for consistency you need commitment, hard work and attitude,” said Misbah. “We must accept that after one or two good performances we get relaxed. We need to work hard on mental strength.” — Agencies

FORMULA ONE

Vettel joins the F1 greats with fourth title GREATER NOIDA: Germany’s Sebastian Vettel roared into the record books as Formula One’s youngest four-times world champion after winning the Indian Grand Prix for the third year in a row yesterday. The 26-year-old’s Red Bull team also took the constructors’ world championship for the fourth successive year. “You’ve done it in style,” Red Bull principal Christian Horner shouted over the team radio as Vettel took the chequered ﬂag with a massive 29.8-second lead over compatriot Nico Rosberg for Mercedes. “Brilliant drive. You join the greats, mate. You’re up there.” The victory from pole position was Vettel’s sixth in a row and com-

pleted a hat-trick in India where no other driver has won since the race, which may be making its ﬁnal appearance on the calendar, made its debut in 2011. Vettel becames the fourth quadruple champion and only the third driver to land four titles in a row after Germany’s seven-times winner Michael Schumacher and the late Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio. He is also the the only one to have won his ﬁrst four consecutively. The German celebrated by adding some tyre smoke to the haze of polllution hanging over the Buddh International circuit, slowing the car on the pit straight and then spinning it around with some ‘donuts’ for the fans.

MOTOGP

Lorenzo wins in Japan MOTEGI: World champion Jorge Lorenzo won the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of championship leader Marc Marquez yesterday to ensure the MotoGP title race goes down to the ﬁnal round of the season at Valencia next month. The Yamaha rider rode a brilliant race from pole position, holding off rookie Marquez for 22 laps at the Motegi Twin Ring

track and frustrating his fellow Spaniard’s championship ambitions for the second week in a row. Honda rider Marquez still leads the championship by 13 points, however, and a fourth place ﬁnish in Spain on November 10 would guarantee he becomes the youngest champion in the 64 years of the premier class of grand prix racing. — Reuters

SO SWEET: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel kisses the trophy after win-

ning the Indian GP at the Buddh International Circuit in Noida. – PTI

Vettel got out, standing up on the car before crouching to kiss the front in a gesture of worship. Clambering up the wire fence, he threw his gloves into the grandstand be-

fore scaling the pitwall to embrace Horner and designer Adrian Newey. “How do I feel? I’m overwhelmed. One of the best days of my life so far,” he said in a podium

interview alongside Rosberg and third-placed Frenchman Romain Grosjean, who had roared through from 17th on the grid for Lotus and ran as high as second. “I am speechless and I was empty when I crossed the line. I spent ages thinking what to say, there is so much you want to say at a time like that. The boos that marked some of his earlier wins were absent yesterday, with the German’s title a foregone conclusion and the crowd happy to witness history in the making. Vettel had led Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso by 90 points before the start. He now has 322 to Alonso’s 207. — Reuters

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

SPORTS GCC SWIMMING MEET

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

Oman bag 11 medals on inaugural day

FLYING START: Oman’s Mohammed Al Habsi, left, and Khalid Al Qulaibi, right, pose on the podium

along with Kuwait’s Abdullah Al Fahad after the 800m ﬁnal on the opening day of the GCC Swimming Championships at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex yesterday. – Supplied photo

MUSCAT: Sultanate swimmers bagged 11 medals, including five silver and six bronze, as the 23rd GCC Swimming Championships got off to a flying start at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex yesterday. The four-day meet, which concludes on Wednesday, was officially inaugurated by Ministry of Sports Affairs Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed Al Saadi in the morning in the presence of the Oman Swimming Association chief Taha Al Kishry and officials of the GCC Swimming Organising Committee as well as the dignitaries from the participating nations. The hosts started their campaign on a positive note winning four medals, two silver and two bronze, in the morning session. The Sultanate won the first silver in the 800m freestyle competition thanks to a 8:49:11 effort by Mohammed Said Al Habsi, finishing ahead of his Omani team-mate Khalid Mohammed Al Kulaibi, who clocked 8:56:09 to clinch the bronze medal. The event’s gold went to Kuwait’s Abdullah Al Fahad Al Bader (8:48:58). Oman’s second silver came in the 50m backstroke where Ayman Hamad Al Kulaibi clocked 28:02 to settle for second place behind UAE’s Yaqoob Khamis Al Saadi (27:80) while Kuwait’s Saud Ab-

dulaziz took bronze in 28:22. Oman Yusuf Hassan Al Balushi bagged Oman’s second bronze when he third place in the under-10 50m backstroke in a time of 39:88. Kuwait’s Ramadan Mohammed (36:33) and Isa Abdulaziz (38:23) won gold and silver respectively. Four more finals took place in the morning with Kuwait clinching three gold medals. In the 200m butterfly, Kuwait’s Ali Hussein timed 2:12:81 to bag gold followed by UAE’s Ali Saeed (2:14:01) and Bahrain’s Khalid Abdullah Baba (2:18:35) in that order. In 100m freestyle, UAE’s Mohammed Jassim won gold in 54:01 while Farhan Saleh Faraj (54:86) of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia’s Ali Habib Al Issa (55:33) took silver and bronze respectively. In under-10 100m freestyle category, Kuwaiti boys Saud Thamer (1:09:51) and Badr Majdi ((1:10:05) finished one-two while Qatar’s Rahim Abdulali (1:12:44) settled for bronze. In 200m individual medley too, Kuwait took gold and silver with Ahmad Fahad clocking 2:11:75 and Marzouk Faisal timing 2:13:62. Mubarak Mohammed (2:18:48) of the UAE won the bronze. In the evening, Omani swimmers won seven medals, including three silver and four bronze medals. In the 400m freestyle, local lad

Mohammed Al Habsi (4:18:92) settled for bronze while Kuwaiti Abdullah Al Fahad Al Bader (08:04:85) and Marzouk Faisal (4:12:29) took gold and silver respectively. The 100m backstroke gold also went to Kuwait’s Saud Abdulaziz (59.78) while Oman’s Aiyman bin Hamad Al Kulaibi (59.93) bagged silver followed UAE’s Yaqoob Yousef al Saadi (1:00:28). In under-10 50m butterfly, Saleh Abdullah Mohammed (34.02) won gold and his Kuwaiti teammate Isa Abdul Aziz (34.89) won the silver. Oman’s Abdullah Khalid Mohammed Al Hinai took bronze in 37.97 seconds. In 50m butterfly final, UAE’s Obaid Ahmed Obaid Al Jasmi clocked 26.13 for gold while Oman’s Mohammed Abdullah (26.24) and Nawaf bin Munir Al Qasimi (26.55) took silver and bronze respectively. In 50m breaststroke, gold medal went to Kuwait’s Abdulrahman Fahad Al Bader (29.23), silver to UAE’s Mubarak Mohammed Salem (29.24) and bronze to Saudi Arabia’s Sultan Mansour. In the under-10 4x50 medley, Kuwait (2:27:40) won gold while Oman (2.40.77) and Bahraini (2:41:50) silver and bronze respectively. In the 4x200m freestyle, Kuwaiti took top position followed by the UAE and Oman in that order.

SECTION

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

LIFE & STYLE

M ONDAY, OCTOB E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

F A T IAGE G I B R R

ome of the research is overall correlation, while other studies look at speciﬁc diseases and possible mechanisms. Doctors at Harvard tossed some more data on the pile last month, showing that married patients were more likely to identify cancer in its early stages and less likely to die from the disease than their unmarried peers. Epidemiologists refer to the well-established correlation between marriage and longevity as the “marriage protection hypothesis.” The marriage protection hypothesis isn’t entirely surprising. Unlike the connection between alcohol and longevity, which still lacks a fully coherent explanation, there are a handful of intuitive and attractive reasons why marriage might extend your life. Having a family gives people something to live for, which may discourage risky behaviours like smoking and riding a motorcycle. Married men commit suicide at lower rates than singles, possibly for the same reason. Your spouse may urge you to get a mammogram, wear sunscreen or have that worrisome mole checked out. A life partner provides an outlet to discuss personal stresses. Married people may remain more intellectually engaged with others, which helps

THE

avoid dementia. And healthy people may be more likely to attract a mate and marry than unhealthy people. It’s not all good news for married people, though — Marriage also increases obesity rates. Getting married raises the risk of a woman becoming overweight by 3.9 percentage points compared to peers who did not marry, and marriage increases her risk of obesity by 1.4 percentage points. The effect is more pronounced for men. Married men see a 6.1 percentage point rise in the risk of becoming overweight and a 3.3 percentage point increase in the risk of obesity. Obesity likely takes a sizable cut out of any longevity beneﬁts of marriage. More than one-third of Americans are obese. It is a major risk factor for the leading cause of death, heart disease. The number of Americans living with diabetes, another illness linked to obesity, doubled from 1998 to 2013. The proportion of adults who are obese increases with age; obesity can be caused by the cumulative effect of years of eating just a little more than we should. While less than 33 per cent of us are obese between the ages of 20 and 39, nearly 40 per cent of Americans older than 60 are obese. It’s a bit of a paradox that marriage is connected to

Study after study has shown that married people, live signiﬁcantly longer than their single friends and are fatter when they are happier

both longevity and obesity, one of the primary contributors to early death. The nature of the connection between marriage and weight gain is a matter of conjecture. One plausible explanation is the “marriage market hypothesis”: Single people remain thin for no other reason than to attract a mate. Once you’ve legally obligated someone to stick with you through sickness and health, there’s no compelling reason to eat right and exercise. But that theory ﬂies in the face of the overall marriage protection hypothesis. If people quit smoking, wear sunscreen, and eschew suicide for the sake of their families, why would they allow themselves to become obese? (It’s important to note that mere age is not the explanation for the link between obesity and marriage. Researchers control for our tendency to gain weight as we get older, and the correlation is still easily detectable.) There may be a simple explanation — People eat more when they’re together. A 1992 study that asked participants to record their food consumption for a week found that eating with one companion increased meal size by 41 per cent compared with eating alone, while breaking bread with six or more people increased

an individual’s caloric intake by a whopping 76 per cent. Other studies have found somewhat more modest increases, but the effect is remarkably consistent. Why do we eat more when we eat with others? It may be a result of social norms. Communal meals tend to last longer than eating solo, and people who sit in front of food can’t resist eating it. Another possible explanation is our habit of mimicking our dining companions: When they take a bite, we take a bite. More people means more cues to eat. The habit may, alternatively, lie deep in evolutionary history. Chimpanzees and marmosets spontaneously share food, probably to help form social bonds. From the innocent, altruistic act grew a regrettable human custom. Perhaps you feed (and feed, and feed) your spouse to strengthen your marital bond, even if you’re ultimately shortening its duration. Sharing food may be a harmless gesture of friendship for marmosets, and it may have made sense for our hunter-gatherer ancestors, who were far more likely to die from scarcity than from the sequelae of diabetes. Our social customs, however, must evolve with us. There are better things to share with your spouse than dessert. —Brian Palmer/The Washington Post

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

EXTRA New techniques hold promise for hair growth Scientists have found a new way to grow hair, one that they say may lead to better treatments for baldness

o far, the technique has been tested only in mice, but it has managed to grow hairs on human skin grafted onto the animals. If the research pans out, the scientists say, it could produce a treatment for hair loss that would be more effective and useful to more people than current remedies like drugs or hair transplants. Present methods are not much help to women, but a treatment based on the new technique could be, the researchers reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Currently, transplants move hair follicles from the back of the head to the front, relocating hair but not increasing the amount. The procedure can take eight hours, and leave a large scar on the back of the head. The new technique would remove a smaller patch of cells involved in hair formation from the scalp, culture them in the laboratory to increase their numbers, and then inject them back into the person’s head

to ﬁll in bald or thinning spots. Instead of just shifting hair from one spot to another, the new approach would actually add hair. The senior author of the study is Dr. Angela Christiano, a hair geneticist and dermatology professor at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, who has become known for her creative approach to research. Science of hair Christiano’s interest in the science of hair was inspired in part by her own experience early in her career with a type of hair loss called alopecia areata. She has a luxuriant amount of hair in the front of her head, but periodically develops bald spots in the back. The condition runs in her family. In the mid-1990s, she sent photographs of her bald spots to researchers in Pakistan, hoping her plight would persuade them to collaborate with her on a study of a rare genetic disorder there that left people with no hair at all on their heads or bodies. Her strategy worked, and the joint effort

identiﬁed the gene. In subsequent studies, Christiano and other colleagues identiﬁed multiple genes that play an important role in alopecia areata. The study In the current study, Christiano worked with researchers from Durham University in Britain. They focused on dermal papillae, groups of cells at the base of hair follicles that give rise to the follicles. Researchers have known for more than 40 years that papilla cells from rodents could be transplanted and would lead to new hair growth. The cells from the papillae have the ability to reprogram the surrounding . skin cells to form hair follicles. But human papilla cells, grown in culture, mysteriously lose the ability to make hair follicles form. A breakthrough came when the researchers realised they might be growing the cells the wrong way. One of Christiano’s partners from Durham University, Dr. Colin Jahoda, noticed that the rodent

papilla cells formed clumps in culture, but the human cells did not. Maybe the clumps were important, he reasoned. So, instead of trying to grow the cells the usual way, in a ﬂat, one-cell layer on a petri dish, he turned to an older method called the “hanging drop culture.” That method involves putting about 3,000 papilla cells — the number in a typical papilla — into a drop of culture medium on the lid of a dish, and then ﬂipping the lid over so that the drops are hanging upside down. “The droplets aren’t so heavy that they drip off,” Christiano said. “The force of gravity just takes the 3,000 cells and draws them into an aggregate at the bottom of the drop.” Technique The technique made all the difference. The cells seem to need to touch one another in three dimensions rather than two, to send and receive the signals they need to induce hair formation. The researchers took papilla cells from seven men who were undergoing hair transplants, cul-

tured them in hanging drops and then injected them into human skin grafted onto mice. Not just any human skin: to put their ideas to a rigorous test, the researchers made the grafts from a type of skin that is normally 100 per cent hairless — foreskins from circumcised infants. A technique that can grow hair on a foreskin has a pretty good chance of growing it on a person’s head, they reasoned. The success, though encouraging, is just a ﬁrst step, Christiano cautioned. One avenue for further research will be to look at why, in the papilla cells that produced the hair follicles, molecular proﬁling found that only 22 per cent of the genes that normally function in these cells were turned on. “We were a little surprised by how few,” Christiano said. “We thought more would be needed.” Perhaps, she said, if more genes could be turned on in the transplanted cells, more hairs, or better quality ones, might result. —Denise Grady/The New York Times News Service

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 01 3

ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA 1911 Revolution (Action /Adventure ) Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao and Bingbing L 11:30am & 11:45pm; CP No: 966 Escape Plan (Action/Thriller) (12+) 1:30, 7:30pm; CP No: 915 Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin 3:45, 9:45pm; CP No: 944 Gallowwalker ( Action /Fantasy ) Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kevin Howarth 5:45 & 11:30pm; CP No: 989 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/Family) (PG) Cast: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Will Forte 11:45am & 3:15pm; CP No: 927 Gravity 3D (Sci-ﬁ /Thriller) Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock 1:30 & 9:45pm; CP No: 948 The Fifth Estate (Biography/Thriller) Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl and Carice van Houten 5:00 & 7:15pm; CP No: 971

1911 Revolution (Action /Adventure) Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao 2:30, 9:15, 11:30 pm; CP No: 965 Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin, Jingchu Zhang 7:00pm; CP No: 943 Upside Down (Drama/Fantasy ) (12+) Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kirsten Dunst 5:00 pm; CP No: 964 Gravity 3D (Drama/ Sci-ﬁ /Thriller) Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock 3:00, 10:00, 11:45 pm; CP No: 947 The Fifth Estate (Biography ) (12+) Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl and Carice van Houten 5:00 & 7:30pm; CP No: 970 The Fourth State (Thriller) (12+) Cast: Moritz Bleibtreu, Kasia Smutniak 3:00 pm; CP NO: 969 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/Family) (PG) Voice Overs: Anna Faris, Bill Hader 5:15 pm; CP No: 926 Gallowwalker ( Action/Fantasy ) (12+) Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kevin Howarth 11:45 pm CP No: 988 The Butler ( Biography/Drama) (15+) Cast: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey 7:00pm; CP No: 961 Escape Plan (Action/Mystery) (12+) Cast: Sylvester, Arnold, 50 Cent 9:30pm; CP No:914

Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin, Jingchu Zhang 3:30, 5:15, 9:30 & 11:30pm; CP No: 985 Escape Plan (Action/Thriller) (12+) Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Shwarzenegger, 50 Cent 5:00, 7:15, 11:45pm; CP NO:917 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/) (PG) Voice Overs: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Will Forte 3:00, 4:45pm; CP NO: 929 Gravity 3D (Drama/Sci-ﬁ) Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock 3:15, 6:30, 9:45pm; CP NO: 950 Sringara Velan (M) (Malayalam / Romance) (PG) Cast: Dileep, Lal, Vedika, Babu Namboothiri and Kalabhavan Shajon 8:15pm; CP No: 977 Boss (Hindi) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Aditi Hydari 7:15 & 11:15pm; CP No: 956

Gravity 3D (Drama/Sci-ﬁ ) Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock 3:30 & 7:30pm; CP No:949 Gallowwalker ( Action /Horror ) (12+) Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kevin Howarth 5:30, 9:30 & 11:30pm; CP No: 990 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/Family) (PG) Voice Overs: Anna Faris, Bill Hader 3:00pm; CP No: 928 1911 Revolution (Adventure) (12+) Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao, Bingbing L 9:30 & 11:45 pm; CP No: 967 The Fifth Estate (Biography ) (12+) Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Carice van Houten 5:00, 7:15 pm; CP No: 972 Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin, Jingchu Zhang 3:30 & 11:45pm; CP No: 984 Escape Plan (Action/Mystery ) (12+) Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Shwarzenegger and 50 Cent 4:45, 9:30pm; CP No: 916 Boss (H) (Action) (PG) Cast: Akshay Kumar,Mithun Chakraborty,Aditi Rao 7:00pm; CP No: 955 Sringara Velan (M) (Malayalam/ Comedy/Romance) (PG) Cast: Dileep, Lal, Vedika, Babu Namboothiri, Kalabhavan Shajon

PLAZA 1 Satya 2 (H) (Action) (PG) Cast: Puneet Singh Ratn, Anaika Soti 3:30, 9:30; CP No: 975 Mickey Virus (H) (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Manish Paul, Elli Avram and Manish Choudhary 6:30 pm; CP No: 974

Switch (Action) (15+) 1:45pm; CP No: 944 Gravity 3D (Sci-ﬁ /Thriller) 4:00pm The Fifth Estate (Biography) Timings:6:00pm; CP No: 971 The Butler (Biography ) (15+) Timings:8:30pm; CP No: 960 Escape Plan (Action /Mystery ) (12+) Timings:11:00pm CP No: 915

4:30, 10:30pm; CP No: 976 Vanakkam Chennai (T) (Comedy/ Romance) (PG) Cast: Priya Anand, Shiva, Santhanam 7:30pm; CP No: 980

PLAZA 3 Boss (H) (Action) (PG) Cast: Akshay Kumar and Aditi Rao 3:30, 9:30 pm; CP No: 953 Besharam (H) (Comedy) (12+) Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh 6:30pm; CP No: 908

PLAZA 2 Mickey Virus (H) (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Manish Paul, Elli Avram and Manish Choudhary 3:30, 9:30pm; CP No: 974 Boss (H) (Action) (PG) Cast: Akshay Kumar and Aditi Rao 6:30pm; CP No: 953

Boss (Action -Hindi) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Aditi Hydari 5:30 & 9:00pm; CP NO: 957 Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin and Jingchu Zhang 8:30, 11:45pm; CP No: 986

Sringara Velan (M) (Malayalam / Comedy /Romance) (PG) Cast: Dileep, Lal, Vedika, Babu 10:30pm; CP No: 978 Gravity 3D (Drama/ Sci-ﬁ) Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock and Ed Harris 5:00pm; CP NO: 951 Escape Plan (Action/Thriller) (12+) 6:45pm; CP NO: 918

1911 Revolution (Action /Drama) (12+) Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao and Bingbing L 11:30 am, 9:15, 11:15pm; CP No: 968 Gravity 3D (Drama/Sci-ﬁ /Thriller) Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock 1:30 & 7:30pm; CP NO: 952 Escape Plan (Action/Mystery) (12+) 3:15 & 9:30pm; CP NO: 919 Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin 11:45am, 5:30 & 11:45 pm; CP No: 987 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/Family/Comedy) (PG) Voice Overs: Anna Faris, Bill Hader 1:30 & 5:30pm; CP NO: 931 The Fifth Estate (Biography) (12+) Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Carice van Houten 3:15, 7:15 pm; CP No: 973 Gallowwalker ( Action/Horror ) (12+) Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kevin Howarth 11:30am, 7:00, 11:30pm; CP No: 991 Sringara Velan (M) (MalayalamComedy/Romance) (PG); CP No: 979 1:30 & 8:45 pm Boss (Hindi) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Aditi Hydari 4:30pm; CP NO: 958

1911 Revolution (Action/Adv/Drama) Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao and Bingbing Li 8:00, 10:00 & 11:55pm; CP No: 1199 (12+) The Fourth State (Thriller) Cast: Moritz Bleibtreu, Kasia Smutniak, Max Riemelt 4:00, 10:00 & 11:55pm; CP No: 1214 (12+) Gravity (Drama/Sci-ﬁ /Thriller) Cast: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, 6:00pm; CP No: 1174 (12+) Escape Plan (Action /Thriller) (12+) Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Shwarzenegger, 50 Cent 2:00 & 8:00pm; CP No: 1175 (12+) Upside Down (Drama/Fantasy/ Romance) Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kirsten Dunst and Timothy Spall 2:00 & 6:00pm; CP No: 1215 (PG) Switch (III) (Action) Cast: Andy Lau and Chiling Lin 4:00pm; CP No: 1182 (12+)

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

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Neelaksham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (Mal) (Comedy/Romance) Cast: Dulqar Salman, Sunny Wayne 3:30 & 9:30pm (Cinema Main) 6: 30pm (Cinema 3) CP No: 964 Kadal Kadannu Oru Mathukutty (2D) (Mal) (Action/Comedy) CP No: 965 Cast: Mammootty, Dileep, Meera Nandan and Sidique 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45pm (Cinema 2) Varutha Padatha Valibar Sanam (Tamil-Comedy) Cast: Shiva Karthikeyan, Sri Divya 3:45 & 9:45 (Cinema 3) 6:30pm (Cinema Main) Honey Bee (Mal) (Comedy/Drama) (2D) Cast: Asif Ali, Bhavana, Lal and Biju Menon 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45pm (Cinema 4)

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

ACES ON BRIDGE

SUDOKU

With two chances, is one preferable?

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

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

5 8

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

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

MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

1 5 8 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 21 24 26 28 29 32 33 35 36 37 38 40 42 43 46

Amphibian The nearest star For fear that Encourage strongly Erstwhile airline Foul callers Insect mishap (2 wds.) Costa — Popeye’s sweetie Lute successor Toe pain Large antelope Committee type (2 wds.) Birthday no. Exhaust Sign before Virgo Zinc — ointment Pub order Volcanic emission Tall vase First name in game shows Catches on Miss Kitty’s friend Reward Sci-ﬁ Doctor

48 She, in Paris 49 It glazes over (2 wds.) 54 Enjoy a feast 55 Maiden-name indicator 56 Touche provoker 57 Glide like an eagle 58 Fetched 59 Mortgage DOWN 1 Movie popcorn container 2 Miners dig it 3 Improve, as wine 4 Old Chrysler model (2 wds.) 5 Pasture entrance 6 Have 7 Slowpoke 8 Like the tabloids 9 Give off heat 10 Pet lovers’ grp. 11 Romanov title (var.) 16 — Cobb 20 Al of Indy fame 21 Dressy event 22 Byron’s works

23 25 27 29 30 31 34

Oops! (hyph.) Deceitful Recite numbers Lengthy story Found a perch Ant at a picnic Radiology task (hyph.) 39 Chewed the scenery

40 41 43 44 45 47 50 51 52 53

Dirty look Fragrant Truck bodies Hodgepodge Humerus neighbor Gym locale Co. honcho Unfold, in poetry Gray-clad soldier Shook hands

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS

SOPHIA BIJU

VARALAKSHMI NAMBIAR

October 28, 2010

October 28, 2007

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

Previous puzzle Solution

GEORGE Ade, a columnist and playwright who died in 1944, said, “If it were not for the presents, an elopement would be preferable.” That is a distinctly materialistic attitude. In bridge, though, you will get presents, especially from defenders. And there is an elopement play — it is featured in this deal. First, though, look at the North hand. South opens two spades, a weak two-bid showing a respectable six-card suit and some 5-10 high-card points. What should North respond? Second, how should South play in four spades after West leads the diamond queen? In the bidding, there is an instinct to head for no-trump in the face of a misfit. But how will three no-trump ever make? Even if East ducks the first round of spades, North has only seven tricks — one spade, one heart, three diamonds (benefiting from the 3-3 break) and two clubs. Instead, North should raise to four spades. At first glance, it looks as though declarer will lose two spades, one diamond and one club. But perhaps he can take 10 tricks. To be honest, working out what to do in this deal requires some guesswork. However, with this layout, South can score his three low trumps with an elopement. He wins the first trick on the board and plays a trump to his king. When that wins, he continues with the spade queen. Suppose East takes his ace and returns the spade 10. South wins, plays a heart to dummy’s ace, ruffs a heart in his hand, plays a diamond to the ace, ruffs another heart, takes dummy’s top clubs, and ruffs the last heart to make his contract. — By Phillip Alder

WITH LOVE

BORN LOSER

JOBEN M. ROBIN

VITI TANKHA

SAUBHAGYA SREEKUMAR

October 28, 2005

October 28

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

M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3

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

BORN today, you are not one with a clear and detailed path to follow at an early age. In fact, it may seem to some — relatives, friends and those who know you only casually — that you are not really destined for much, but such is not the case! As you near maturity, it is likely to dawn on you that you are, indeed, meant for something quite speciﬁc — you will know not only what it is, but also how it is likely to be accomplished, and when. You know how to spot even the most disguised of opportunities, and you know how to take advantage of it in such a way that your own agenda is served in one way or another. You don’t necessarily prescribe to the common notions of success or happiness, and you understand that others may wonder, often vocally, how it is that you could possibly be content doing what you are doing. But your choices are for you, and you don’t let others’ reactions hold you back or dampen your enjoyment in life. Also born on this date are: Julia Roberts, actress; Edith Head, costume designer; Cleo Laine, actress; Jane Alexander, actress; Joaquin Phoenix, actor; Bill Gates, computer mogul; Jonas Salk, medical researcher; Dennis Franz, actor; Charlie Daniels, singer.

PRAYER TIMINGS

W E AT H E R

Max

OMAN

WORLD

Max 36 Min 27 Max 15 Min 6

Max 31 Min 18

Max 34 Min 25 Max 14 Min 6

Max 34 Min 25

Max 12 Min 9

Max 35 Min 22

Max 35 Min 26

Max 35 Min 21

Max 34 Min 24

Max 34 Min 25

Max 31 Min 25

Max 15 Min 12

Max 31 Min 24 Max 26 Min 15

—www.met.gov.om

SAGITTARIUS S An issue arises requiring you to see things from a different perspective, but much that you’ve learned will be helpful.

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] Not everyone is as conﬁdent as you are that a certain endeavor will end well, but only you know where it is really going.

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] You may not fully understand what it is that you are after, but today, as if by magic, you’ll be much, much closer to it.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] You may be setting yourself up for disappointment, but there is nothing that can dissuade you from your current course.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] A message to a friend may get lost in transit, but when you hear of the mishap, you can surely make things right with little effort.

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

[APRIL 20-MAY 20] You don’t want to trust another with an endeavour that requires a certain touch; you are conﬁdent that you’re the one for the job.

GEMINI [MAY 21-JUNE 20] You can make any necessary changes to your routine in order to maximise the odds and virtually guarantee your success.

CANCER [JUNE 21-JULY 22] You can look back and enjoy the memories that a past accomplishment affords you. You made a big difference in the lives of others, too!

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] You’re likely to be rather insistent that certain things be done in a certain way — and in a certain order, too.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You may have to miss out on something that has become a tradition in your family, but the reason is a good one. Don’t miss out next time!

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You may be wondering when a friend is going to give you what you recently asked for. He or she may be waiting for the right moment.

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

34 34 34 28 31 37

23 25 26 20 25 20

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

23 28 19 20 14 25 32 20 27 18 20 33 19 18 28 32 19 7

16 14 9 12 2 15 25 11 21 13 12 24 14 11 16 25 14 1

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

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

16:50

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

TAURUS

5:31pm 6.10am

High tide Low tide

4:37am 8:58pm

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:

MONDAY

Min

L O N G D I S TA N C E B U S T I M I N G S ( O M A N 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

[[NOV. 22-DEC. 21]

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow) 2:05pm 9:56am

SEA STATE: Slight over the most of Oman’s coasts with maximum wave height of 1.25 metres. HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate. THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Mainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate. Cloud developments over Al-Hajar mountains and adjoining areas during afternoon. Chances of early morning low level clouds or fog patches over the coastal areas of south Al-Sharqiya and Al-Wusta governorates.

[[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You may not expect a rival to come up with such a potent way of catching up with you, but by day’s end it will be a close race!

11.56pm 3.11pm 5.36pm 6.47pm 4.54am

AIRLINES

ainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate with chance of cloud developments over Al-Hajar mountains and adjoining areas during afternoon may gives some rain, early morning low level clouds at the governorates of south AlSharqiya and Al-Wusta. EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal areas of Oman sea wind will be northeasterly light to moderate during day becoming variable light at night, and southeasterly light to moderate over the rest of the Sultanate.

SCORPIO S

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

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

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JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0005 TEHRAN 0040 SALALAH 0055 DACCA 0130 ISTANBUL-BAHRAIN 0210 SALALAH 0245 ABU DHABI 0310 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0355 DOHA 0355 CAIRO 0400 DUBAI 0415 BAHRAIN 0425 SALALAH 0635 JEDDAH 0640 BAHRAIN 0640 RIYADH 0640 ABU DHABI 0640 SHIRAZ 0710 DOHA 0715 LONDON HEATHROW 0730 DUBAI 0800 DUBAI 0800 JAIPUR 0820 BOMBAY 0825 BANGALORE 0910 BEIRUT 0910 SHARJAH 0915 DELHI 0925 HYDERABAD 0925 MADRAS 0930 DUBAI 0930 TRIVANDRUM 0935 SALALAH 0935 COCHIN 0935 ABU DHABI 0950 ISLAM ABBAD 1000 DOHA 1010 TRIVANDRUM 1045 COCHIN 1050 DUBAI 1100 COLOMBO 1115 LAHORE 1125 KHASAB 1125 KATHMANDU 1130 SALALAH 1140 MALE 1200 BANGKOK 1230 MUKHAIZNA 1230 KUALA LUMPUR 1245 ABU DHABI 1245 DUBAI 1330 ISLAM ABBAD-SIALKOT 1430 SALALAH 1440 BANGKOK 1440 KARACHI 1450 DUBAI 1525 DUBAI 1545 LAHORE 1645 BOMBAY 1645 DELHI 1700 CALICUT 1715 LUCKNOW 1725 MUKHAIZNA 1730 MADRAS 1740 DOHA 1740 HYDERABAD 1740 BAHRAIN 1745 BAHRAIN 1810 KUWAIT 1840 SHARJAH 1915 SALALAH 1940 DUBAI 2020 DUBAI 2020 TEHRAN 2045 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105 CHITTAGONG 2115 COCHIN 2115 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2115 KATHMANDU 2125 DELHI 2125 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2130 BOMBAY 2130 DOHA 2135 DUBAI 2145 COLOMBO 2155 MADRAS 2200 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2225 ZURICH-DUBAI 2235 SALALAH 2235 ABU DHABI 2235 SALALAH 2240 ABU DHABI 2240 BAHRAIN 2240 AHMEDABAD 2300 AMMAN 2300 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310 BOMBAY 2315 SALALAH 2315 DOHA 2325 BAHRAIN 2335 BANGKOK 2340 DOHA 2340 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2345 DUBAI 2345 DAMMAM 2350 CAIRO 2355 BEIRUT 2355 KUWAIT 2355

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 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 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

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BA072 AI986 QR173 9W539 WY685 WY811 WY251 WY201 WY225 WY211 WY281 WY601 WY371 WY273 WY235 WY637 WY903 WY241 WY657 WY325 WY667 WY383 WY341 TK777 4H584 ET625 EK867 MS931 FZ042 QR171 EY385 WY3901 GF561 WY901 WY603 WY3301 EP6556 WY917 FZ044 WY253 WY263 WY291 WY815 WY631 G9115 WY245 WY231 WY203 WY323 WY605 WY311 WY905 WY717 EK863 EY383 QR167 9W533 IX442 WY337 WY609 WY645 WY3303 WY423 WY655 WY413 WY153 WY131 WY663 WY113 WY101 WY121 WY405 WY433 PK260 WY909 WY141 FZ046 WY675 WY613 PA451 WY623 WY3905 WY911 WY681 WY647 GF565 WY915 WY695 WY653 WY635 WY661 G9117 WY611 FZ048 AI978 WY411 WY3907 9W529 KL442 WY673 QR169 6.00E+82 WY421 AI908 UL206 AI974 GF567 EY381 LX243 LH619

ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0001 BOMBAY 0005 DOHA 0025 BOMBAY 0030 RIYADH 0050 BANGKOK 0100 MADRAS 0110 BOMBAY 0115 COCHIN 0120 TRIVANDRUM 0120 BANGALORE 0120 DUBAI 0140 COLOMBO 0145 JAIPUR 0145 HYDERABAD 0155 ABU DHABI 0215 SALALAH 0220 DELHI 0225 BAHRAIN 0230 ISLAM ABBAD 0230 DOHA 0235 MALE 0235 LAHORE 0240 BAHRAIN-ISTANBUL 0300 DUBAI-DACCA 0300 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0500 CAIRO 0500 DUBAI 0500 DOHA 0515 ABU DHABI 0525 SALALAH 0530 BAHRAIN 0730 SALALAH 0740 DUBAI 0800 MUKHAIZNA 0800 SHIRAZ 0810 KHASAB 0830 DUBAI 0840 MADRAS 0920 LUCKNOW 0935 CALICUT 0935 BANGKOK 0940 ABU DHABI 0945 SHARJAH 0955 DELHI 1000 HYDERABAD 1010 BOMBAY 1025 KARACHI 1030 DUBAI 1035 CHITTAGONG 1040 SALALAH 1040 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045 DUBAI 1045 ABU DHABI 1050 DOHA 1115 COCHIN 1145 COCHIN 1150 KATHMANDU 1225 DUBAI 1235 KUWAIT 1330 MUKHAIZNA 1330 BEIRUT 1335 BAHRAIN 1345 AMMAN 1345 ZURICH 1350 PARIS 1350 DOHA 1350 FRANKFURT 1355 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 MUNICH 1415 CAIRO 1440 TEHRAN 1445 ISLAM ABBAD-SIALKOT 1530 SALALAH 1540 MALPENSA 1600 DUBAI 1630 JEDDAH 1645 DUBAI 1715 LAHORE 1730 DUBAI 1805 SALALAH 1830 SALALAH 1840 RIYADH 1850 KUWAIT 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 SALALAH 1915 DAMMAM 1930 BAHRAIN 1935 ABU DHABI 1940 DOHA 1950 SHARJAH 1955 DUBAI 2045 DUBAI 2105 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200 AMMAN 2215 SALALAH 2230 TRIVANDRUM 2230 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2230 JEDDAH 2235 DOHA 2235 BOMBAY 2245 BEIRUT 2250 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 ABU DHABI 2330 DUBAI-ZURICH 2335 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 2345

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 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 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

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WY676 WY682 WY434 WY916 4H583 TK776 WY3904 EY384 ET624 EK866 QR170 MS930 FZ041 GF560 WY904 WY674 WY658 WY686 WY638 EP6555 WY668 WY102 WY602 FZ043 WY274 WY202 WY282 WY422 G9114 WY242 WY236 WY252 EK862 WY212 WY3902 WY226 EY382 WY326 QR166 9W530 IX443 WY604 WY372 WY342 WY918 WY332 WY902 WY384 WY818 WY3302 WY826 WY632 WY606 PK259 WY906 WY812 WY324 WY610 FZ045 PA450 WY204 WY246 WY292 WY264 WY3304 WY254 WY664 WY232 WY656 GF564 WY646 G9116 WY910 WY614 FZ047 WY434 AI977 WY312 9W534 KL441 WY338 AI973 BA073 6.00E+81 QR168 WY624 UL205 AI907 LH618 LX242 WY3906 EY388 WY912 WY636 GF566 SG061 WY414 AI985 9W540 WY916 QR172 WY654 WY816 WY662 WY717 WY612 WY696 WY406 WY424 WY648

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M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 01 3

EXTRA The breakup email

new study from the Pew research shows that Americans are getting a lot more comfortable forging new relationships online. They’re also becoming quite adept at virtually ending them — Among Americans with recent dating experience, 17 per cent have “broken up with someone they were dating by text message, email or by sending a message online.” Among daters under 30, 22 per cent have leveraged the Internet to end a relationship. And women are slightly more likely to shoot off a breakup email than men are — 18 per cent of them have done it, compared to 15 per cent of men. And yet, in internet breakups aired publicly on the internet, the typical sender is male. In a recent xoJane “It Happened to Me,” Aly Walansky worked through feelings of shock and despair after an on-again, offagain boyfriend “dumped me via email after ten years together.” Nikki Metzgar mined similar territory in a How About We essay published last year. Jezebel’s (mild expletive) Email From a Dude series has highlighted the most offensive examples of the form for years. And before we texted our discontents, Carrie Bradshaw got dumped via a two-sentence Post-It note: “I’m sorry, I can’t. Don’t hate me.” As the new Pew numbers show, the breakup email is not a dude thing — it’s a human one. Women, after all, pioneered the Dear John genre. Both Britney Spears and Russell Brand have initiated divorces via text message. Perhaps we tend to hear more about male offenders because relationship writing is a rare online space dominated by straight women like me. Female writers have access to a host of women-branded platforms that prioritise introspective personal essays, while men have been typically

conscribed to dissecting their relationship insights in Tucker Maxian venues. Meanwhile, in anonymous advice columns — where it’s perhaps easier for men to air their feels — straight men write in wondering how to cope with digital breakups, too. It’s important that women have venues where they can talk about their distinct experiences among other women. But the gender segregation of these spaces can make it seem like it’s mostly men wielding the most punishing tools in our breakups. It can actually be helpful to know that some aspects of relationships don’t pose a unique burden to women, and in many cases, women and men actually have a lot more in common than we think. Now that we’re all on the same level — I’m not convinced that breaking up electronically is more traumatic than experi-

B O L LY W O O D

Angry Salman wants to end ‘Bigg Boss 7’ stint SALMAN KHAN was so upset with TV actor Kushal Tandol’s bad behaviour towards actress Tanisha Mukherjee on the show that he said it would be his last season with the reality show as the host. The 47-year-old on Saturday gave an earful to Kushal for insulting Tanisha last week. “If you are thinking that you can clean your image, it’s a misconception,” Salman told Kushal, and added he too had faced it and realised that one’s mistakes are engraved on people’s memories. On Sunday, Salman talked about the issue again on Tiwtter responding to queries from his followers. He wrote that according to Bigg Boss fans both should have been out, “but there was a lot more than what you saw”. “You see an hour, I see the whole deal. Guess some of you guys may not react when someone speaks to female members of your family or women in that manner,” Salman tweeted.

Adnan livid at reports suggesting trauma REPORTS of Pakistani singer Adnan Sami breaking down and pleading before the service tax officials who grilled him on Tuesday, have left the singer amused and livid too, not to mention extremely embarrassed. “First of all I wasn’t grilled at all. The questioning was very cordial and mellow. Yes, it took time because it involved scrutiny of a lot of paper work. I had gone with all my relevant papers prepared to answer all the questions,” said Sami. “And I have to say Sameer Wankhede (deputy commissioner, service tax department) was very gracious, polite and attentive. There was absolutely no stress. “It was a closed-door private governmental meeting. How could any journalist ever know what happened there, unless someone informs them? The Britain-born wonders if the person he read about on Wednesday morning was actually he!.

Priyanka’s new number crosses one million hits ACTRESS Priyanka Chopra seems to be on a roll with her latest Ram Leela item number Ram chahe leela crossing over one million hits in just three days. She says she is overwhelmed by the love and loyalty which her fans have bestowed upon her. Priyanka took to Twitter to thank fans for liking her new dance number in the Sanjay Leela Bhansalidirectorial as well as her international single Exotic. She is also happy with the viewership of the trailer of her next ﬁlm Krrish 3 which releases on November 1. “Milestones..Yesterday Exotic sales! Today Ram chahe leela (crosses) one million (hits) in just three days and Krrish 3 trailer (crosses) 17 million hits! Thank you all so much,” she posted. —IANS

encing it in person. Getting dumped is awful, no matter the medium. We can blame technology, but the problem is usually a lot more human. Walansky’s essay is ostensibly about the pain of losing someone over email, but she lost her boyfriend well before he hit send: “Last year, I nearly died and he didn’t visit me in the hospital,” she wrote. “When I expressed my hurt over it, he accused me of ‘playing the death card’ to manipulate him and we didn’t talk for weeks.” Walansky went on to write that the email breakup robbed her of her ability to communicate her own feelings about the situation to him, and “that’s possibly the worst part of all.” But airing your opinion to your all-of-a-sudden-ex in person doesn’t guarantee that they’ll actually listen — and if you’d still like to have that experience, you’re free to send off an email of your own. —Amanda Hess/The Washington Post

SLOW DOWN ENJOY THE RIDE

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M O N DAY, O CTO B E R 2 8, 2 0 1 3 MO

EXTRA

India’s best bet cost it the Oscars: Danis Tanovic Academy Award winning Bosnian ﬁlmmaker Danis Tavonic is upset with decision makers for choosing a good ﬁlm like ‘The Good Road’ over its best horse, ‘The Lunchbox’

nd he is not saying it because he is one of the around 20 co-producers of the Irrfan Khan-starrer. The Film Federation of India (FFI) picked The Good Road, a Gujarati travel drama, which the federation felt reflects an India that dra our movies usually don’t showcase. ““You had a chance and you don’t have it anymore,” Tanovic said, and added: “If I could give my place to The Tan Lunchbox, I would give it.” Lun His 2001 movie No Man’s Land won an Oscar in the H best foreign language film category and this year his bes movie An Episode In The Life Of An Iron Picker will mo represent his country and compete for the golden statrep uette. But instead of talking about it, in a chat, Tanovic, uet chose to express his disappointment over The Lunchcho box not being selected. ““It’s still stuck in my throat — the decision. If you ought to win an Oscar, then you put the better horse in oug the race. The best horse was The Lunchbox,” Tanovic said during a tete-a-tete at the ongoing Abu Dhabi Film sai Festival (ADFF). Fes The Lunchbox is a simple tale of a unique relationT ship that develops via a lunchbox between two lonely shi individuals — one, a lady (Nimrat Kaur) surviving a ind loveless marriage, and the other, a widower (Irrfan lov Khan) living with memories of his dead wife. Kh The movie, directed by first-timer Ritesh Batra, not T just won its share of eyeballs in international festival jus circuit, but was also appreciated at the box office, with cir many stepping in to watch a movie devoid of Bollyma wood’s bling and song-and-dance routines and yet one wo that touched several hearts. tha Tanovic feels a movie, which was lauded at the film T galas in the US, Toronto and in Telluride, stood a betgal ter chance. “They should know it from Lagaan. Lagaan was the last Indian film in the Oscar shortlist and it had wa the backing of Sony Pictures Classics, due to which they managed it. I spoke to somebody in India and the asked them, ‘Why did you send The Good Road? The ask person responded — ‘It is a good film’.” per ““It’s not a question of a good film. It’s about whether you really want to win an Oscar, or do you want to send a film which you think is great,” said Tanovic. He is confident that The Lunchbox would have at H least made it to the shortlist, but says he now knows lea that his own film Iron Picker stands “10 times more tha chances” than The Good Road for the feat. cha Tanovic hopes India can learn lessons and “next year T they put in people who know how the Oscar nominathe tion process works”. The need of the hour, he said, is benchmarks. “If a film goes to three big festivals - like ben Berlin, Cannes and Venice, I think that film immediateBer a chance, and then if there is an American ly deserves d distributor or studio like Sony Pictures Classics, who dis can push it there, you go,” said the filmmaker. ““They (the committee) made a bad decision. They should really rethink the way they are dealing with sho things. If you want to win an Oscar anytime in the futhi ture, send a film that really stands a chance. Or just play tur your thing or choose the artistic thing. It’s not about you the good film.” “You just blew it,” he said about India’s chance at the Oscar. —IANS cha

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M O N DAY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 3

SECTION

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

RENT

VACANCY

CARGO

M O N D AY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

New Building in Wadikabir (near Indian Primary School) 2 bedrooms RO 300/-, 1 Bedroom RO 270/-. Contact 93333352 Commercial/ Residential 2 BHK at Honda Road. Contact 98087644

For Rent 1500 Sqm Industrial land in Rusail Industrial area, behind Rusail Hotel. Contact 99729858 / 99717791 Ready to use office/Showroom space in Qurum, main road facing & excellent location available for rent. Contact: 92944717

Shop at Mawalah, behind City Center. Contact 98087644 Full furnished room for rent weekly 70 OMR, Monthly 250 OMR. Contact 99251975

2 Bedrooms, Kitchen and Bath for families or Executive bachelors in Ruwi Market. Contact Saidalavi 94109909 (evening)

Flat for rent in Wadikabir. Contact 96440598

Spacious 2 BR ﬂat in Wadikabir. Contact 99713489

Showroom / Office space in MBD. Contact 99713489

3 BHK ﬂat for rent @ Grand Mall. Contact 99855795

2 BHK for rent in North Darsait. Contact 94101134

Office Space for rent near Royal Hospital Ghala. Contact 99855795

Room for rent near Al Khuwair r/a executive, Indian bachelor. Contact 96570364

Twin Villa in Al Mabela South near the Health center, 2 Majlis, 4 Sitting rooms, 12 Bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 2 stores. Handover 1/1/2014. Contact 99383359 2 BHK with Split AC in Bariq Al Shatti. Contact 96708000 1BHK / 2BHK, flats at Muttrah, near Oman House. Contact 93231403 2 big new flat in Al Amerat (Al Mahaj) 1 flat 4 BR, 4 toilet & kitchen with AC, Second flat 3BR, 3 toilets, kitchen with AC. #99339735

House for rent in ruwi 2 bedroom 2 bathroom, kitchen, Majlis, for 330 RO. Contact 96306242 1, 2 BHK, opp. Oman House R.O200/- &260/-. Contact 95076261 Villa in Al Amerat, 1/5, one ﬂoor, contains 3 bedrooms + Majlis + kitchen + 3 toilets. Contact 95522405 3BHK ﬂat for rent in Ghubra. Contact 99792181

1 BHK Flat in Ghubra, near sea prime Location. Contact 93782735 2BHK flat for rent in Wadi Adai, main road. Contact 99792181 Studio flat for rent in Ruwi. Contact 99792181 2 BHK flat for rent in Ruwi. Contact 99792181 2 BR luxury fully furnished in Azaiba, Al Khuwair 33, Madinat Qaboos. 1 BR luxury fully furnished at Madinat Qaboos, Al Khuwair. 5 BR fully furnished at Madinat Al Ilam. Contact Atlas Real Estate & Rent a Car LLC : 99429069 / 99436312 / 92888376, email : info@alshahiintl.com 2 Brand New Luxurious Villas (no 411 and 413) for rent in Azaiba. Each Villa with 6 bedrooms, servant Quarters, 2 kitchens with all modern Amenities which includes split A/C, Dish washers, oven etc, Way no 4491 / 4405. Contact 99462980 2 rooms flat Ghoubrah near Muscat Grand mall, opp Oasis rental RO 280/- Monthly. Contact 95395480 170 sqm covered workshop Ideal for Carpentry/ Aluminum/ Steel workshop at Wadikabir (near Al Ansari Ware House). Contact 93216645 / 99375638

Fully furnished apartments for Rent in Al-Khuwair and Ghubra. Contact 95113252 or 91138757

Residential Commercial building in Al Ghubra South (34) Flats and 2 showrooms. Contact 95202430 Residential Building in Al Khuwair 42 (16) ﬂats look for one contract. Contact 95202430

Flat two bedroom and sitting, 2 toilet with a/c, rent 350/-R.O in Walja new building. Contact 99622885

Are you looking for people to staff, we have a new Villa in Bausher 7 BHK. Contact 95202430

Office & Retail Space available – Alasfoor Plaza, Qurum. Contact 24566217/ 24564686

1 BHK Ghubra 250 RO. Contact 92144045

3 Bedroom Villa with Maid room at Qurum 16. Contact 24566217 / 24564686

2 BHK at North Azaiba 2 bedrooms, 1 hall & dining, kitchen 3 bathrooms from 1st November. Contact 99224748 / 99425665 Flat for rent in Wadi Kabir, opp. Srilankan School R.O 260/-. Contact 96674891 1 Bedroom RO100, 1 Bedroom attached toilet RO 140, 2 Bedrooms attached kitchen & toilet RO 200 in Al Khuwair. Contact 95154331 Spacious Villa at MSQ- 4 Bedrooms, 2 Majlis, 2 Kitchens, 2 External room, Spacious Garden area- Ideal for Kinter Garden School. Contact 24566217 / 24564686 3 BHK big ﬂat in Qurum. Contact 92144045 1 BHK with AC MBD area. Contact 92144045

Flat for rent with 2 Bedroom + Majlis+2 toilets in South Ghubra. Contact 99373728 2 BHK ﬂats available at MBD area and shop space available in Al Khoudh market area & Wadi Adi areas. Contact 24834644 / 93994402 / 93994403

2 BHK with split AC, near ISM Darsait. Contact 92144045 1 BHK flat Wadi kabeer 160/-. Contact 99358589 / 97079146 1 BHK flat available for rent on Honda Road, Ruwi. Contact 99367448 1ST class, 1BHK in Al Khoudh 3. Contact 93366421 New flat in Azaiba. Contact 24485240 / 24485241 Deluxe 2BHK R.O 400 and 4BHK RO 650 in Al falaj Area {OPP KIMS}. Cont. 9901 5614 New Villa at Baushar 6 BHK. Contact 95202430 Shops at Wadikabir. #99893363

1 BHK ﬂat Wadikabeer 240/-. Contact 99358589 / 97079146 Extension for rent in South of AlMabalh 110 RO Comprehensive electricity and water. Contact 99227192

Store at Wadikabir. # 92844996 2 & 3 BHK ﬂat near Srilanka School in Wadi kaber 230 & 270 RO. Contact 92222922

1 , 2,3 BHK Flats & Villa from Wadikabir to Azaiba. Contact 91162431

Free Wi-Fi CBD area furnished room for non cooking bachelor, advance deposit. Contact - 99078540

Flat to rent Al Khuwair, Majlis, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Contact 99242119

Land for rent in fanja (16000 m2) opposite police station for information contact: 92823100

M O N DAY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

FOR RENT Flats, shops, basement location Ruwi area to MBD area, Honda road Hamriya.Contact 92433127 / 97293708 4 Villas in Azaiba sitting room, hall, kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 6 toilets with AC 750 RO. Contact 99548999 Shops and showroom on rent in prime location Ruwi .# 97115920 Shop in Al - Khuwair for sale 2700 RO and low rent at prime location. Contact : 95407510 & 92932809 2 BHK near Oman House behind Khimji H.O. Contact 95865686 Shops basement-for rent location Ruwi area Honda road, Hamriya. Contact 92433127 /96942749

FOR SALE

New villa at Al Khuwair 33, 6 bed rooms RO950/-Monthly. Contact 99443834 Available 5 bedroom ﬂat with 5 toilets & kitchen for rent in Ruwi. Contact 99316402 Shop near Fathima supermarket building Rex road. #99070860

Office space 136m in Ruwi. Contact 99316402

Well established beauty parlor running successfully for 10+ years and refurbished 1 year back located at prime location in Al Khoudh main street for sale. Contact 98918189

Available 2 bedroom ﬂat & 160 m warehouse & 1 showroom for rent at Honda Road. Contact 99316402 1 and 2 BR Brand New Flats in Azaiba. Contact: 96793675

3 Phase Hydraulic Hose pressing Machine, Brand new Finland P-32 RO 4500/-. Contact 96117690

Sale for Beauty Parlor Mawalih. Contact 95020852

Well furnished big shop for sale in Ghala. Contact 96653000

Dental set up for sale. Contact Urgently on 99359850 / 94003880

Mobile shop for sales includes, cupboards, display units, cash counter, CCTV, six cameras, furnish store, split A/Cs and mobile accessories stock also available for sale. Location Al Hail. Contact 97366673 /94169912/ 24551196

Wallpapers, Carpet, Curtains, all blinds. Contact 99834373/ 96642500

FOR SALE Oil paintings For sale.# 99737812

2/3BHK ﬂat at Al Khuwair/ Al Azaiba/Baushar. Contact 99776071 / 99057348 2BHK ﬂat available on lease, rental subject to buy all furniture for sale. Contact 99412790 Shops in Al Ghubrah next to Indian school Ghubrah, Ideal for office space/ warehouse/ Showroom. Contact 99737562 2 BHK Wadikabir & Ruwi. Contact 99024730

Shops with Built in Mezzanine, Ideal for Wholesale, Showroom facility for immediate sale: location Al Ghubra. # 99345554 / 92955874 Shop for sale in Al Hamriyah. Contact 97333005 Attractive furnished shop for sale in Ruwi. Contact 92260186 / 92292490 Industrial Land 5000 SQT. Contact 99323957 / 95490842

Successful running business company for sale. Contact 97240992 Email : meena20004@yahoo.com Three window A/Cs, furniture, kid’s cycle, Samsung home theatre for sale. Contact 95647872

Carpenter work shop sale, Wadi Kabir. Contact 96231700

Industrial Land 5000 SQT with an Empty space in front of (opposite to Mountain). Contact 99323957/ 95490842 Furnished Shop for sale in Ruwi. Contact 91143284 / 92260186 / 92292490

Shop for sale. Contact 96260037 Shop for at Darsait in premier location two shutter 3.8 meters width, and length 11 meters each shutter space suitable for office show room and store. Contact 93676713 / 94333453

An Electrical Tools Shop in Al M’abeela Industrial area is for investment or sale. It has different stuff like fans, Lights and sockets. The shop has 2 new Labour clearances. Contact 98949690 / 92365667

1 Month old brand new furniture for sale in Sohar. Contact 91026506

For sale Electrical company Grade D. Contact 93204143

Warehouse area 1800 sqmt in Wadi Al Kabir for sale. Residential building in Al Ghobra for sale 250.000/R.O. Commercial building in new Ghala for sale 2,500,000/- R.O. Contact 91155779 Electronics shop for sale at Ruwi. Contact 24786370 / 96737199 Camp for sale Including Porta cabin, kitchen & Dining facilities with RO plant. For more information. Contact Nasser 99808067 Electrical, building material shop, behind Bank Sohar Ruwi. Contact 99359698 / 92139418 Porta cabin and Container for sale. Contact 99373256

M O N D AY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Over 10 years experience (Oman) in operations / SLA Management BD Project Management with MBA – Ops PMP trained ITIL certiﬁed ISO auditor seeks suitable placement. Contact 95490577 Indian Female 30 Yrs. MBA Finance, 3.5 years experience, seeking suitable positions Now in family visa. Contact - 93179101

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Urgently required Accountant cum Office Admin (female), Sales Executive (female). E-mail: fancyworld@live.com Tel: +968 99776650, 97772502 A leading foodstuff company requires the following: Accounts Assistant with 3 years minimum experience in relevant ﬁeld, willing to be assigned in Muscat area. Interested candidates may send their resumes at amcs.om@hotmail.com

SALES / MARKETING We are looking a Transport Manager (Trailers) and Sales Assistant for our company. Both candidates should got Oman D/L and GCC Exp. Pl. Contact 96788082 or hamood@omankmtc.com.

Urgently required Light vehicle driver (Omani) – 2 nos. with min. 3 yrs experience, Cashier (Omani) - 1 no. with min. 1 yr experience, Designer (any Nationality) with min. 1 yr. experience, Administrative Officer, Omani, 1 yr experience. Candidate who wish to apply requested to send their CVs+ photo ID e-mail : hroman2013@outlook.com Looking for entry-level / executive HR candidate w/ min 6 mos exp. Eng (req) + Arab (asset). Medical exp / JCI accred / DHA MOH reg knowledge (preferred). Email resume to admin@rochesterwellness.com

BEAUTY Wanted Filipino or Indian professional for salon. Contact 99892289 Required Experienced Lady Beauticians And Hairdressers. Call: 95724106. Send CV ediedem@gmail.com

CATERING

ENGINEERS/TECH

MISC

A reputed construction Co. having projects in Govt & Private Sectors require: Project Engineer, Site Engineer, Civil Foreman. All should have Oman experience. Send CV : jobanestllc@gmail.com

Camp Boss, Qualiﬁcation : Any Degree, Experience : Minimum 3 years. The candidates have hotel maintenance, Health & Hygiene, Food & Safety Experience. Candidate must speak & write English, must be Computer Literate. Contact : 92503125 & 92048058 Land line : 23279474 , Email : hralezco@ hotmail.com

IT Wanted Web Designer with minimum 2 years experience in ASP.Net, C#, Ajax, Jquery, Telerik control & Ms SQL. mail: info@hs-solutions.com Wanted Salesman cum Computer Hardware Engineer for Computer shop with minimum 2 years experience. mail info@hs-solutions.com

Urgently required for a Hotel apartment in Sohar : (1) Operations Manager - experienced with GCC driving license.(2) Receptionist (male), (3) House-keeping Supervisor. E- mail: noronhagj27@gmail.com

Wanted Software Engineer with minimum 2 years experience in VB.Net, C# and SQI. Contact: info@hs-solutions.com

Urgently wanted Waiters & Waitress, Secretary, Painters, Chefs for Hotel in Salalah. Send CV : roy1860@yahoo.com

Vacant for interior decoration ﬁeld, Interior decoration Engineer, decoration foreman, artist, painters.# 95540786. Email: md@alrasen.com

DOMESTIC HELP Looking for a Maid from 8 AM 4.30 PM for a family in Al Khuwair 33. Serious candidate can call in evening. Contact 92289437 Full time Housemaid wanted for a Tamil family in Al Khuwair preferred Tamil /Karela Housemaid. Contact 96595230

DRIVER Wanted Indian Driver/ Sales Executive with GCC driving license, visa clearance available. Contact 99215560, Email: bvcsmuscat@gmail.com

EDUCATION Required English language teachers Mathematics and Science in English required to provide educational qualiﬁcation, experience. Email: aleithar@hotmail.com Qualiﬁcation: B. A. English & B.Ed. English & experience interviews from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm.# 24705605 Private school in Al Hail North, looking for computer teacher (female), excellent computer skills. Contact 95339066

ENGINEERS/TECH Urgently required a leading Electro Mechanical Contracting company required - MEP Quantity Surveyor with 5 to 7 years GCC experience, MEP Maintenance Supervisor with 7 to 10 years experience and driving license. Email: amitco@omantel.net. om Fax: 0968 – 24489667. Urgently required Electrician with DCRP license. Send CV to recruitmentoman001@gmail.com / Contact 99545470

INTERIOR DESIGNER

MEDICAL Male/ Female Nurses required for a rehabilitation clinic. MOH licensed preferred but nonlicensed can also apply. Attractive Salary. Good English command. Kindly send CV to celestinabartolome@yahoo.com GP Doctor with MOH license wanted for Polyclinic at Maabela South. Contact 98115439 A Leading Polyclinic in Oman looking for a G.P Doctor or any Specialist Doctor with M.O.H License. Interested candidates can send their resume to our email ID: jobsoman0@gmail.com or Fax 24810772 or call 95762646 Required Nurse and Laboratory Technologist for clinic in Al Buraimi. Send CV to drpkabbas@yahoo.co.in Need a Dentist with M.O.H license in Oman to work in new dental clinic in Shinas. Contact: 99439989 Required Asst. Pharmacist with MOH license for a Pharmacy in Capital area. Contact 92820570 Wanted Pharmacist (B-Pharm) for Sohar. Contact: 97832020 Looking for a GP with or without MOH license to work in a clinic in Saham interested candidate can Contact: 99705760 / 95471402 Wanted Staff Nurses (female) with or without MOH license for a polyclinic near Sohar, excellent Sohar Package. Contact 99006915, dxbclinic@yahoo.com

MANAGER Required a young female Omani temporary art gallery Manager. Fluent in spoken, written and reading English. Should possess good communication skill. # 24566130 / mobile 94359088

Required Marketing Executive for a Art Gallery / Picture framing company. Should be Young & energetic (fresh or experienced) having interest in Art & Photography. Send your CV : lecarde@omantel.net.om Urgently required Field Sales Executives with Omani D/L, good Communication and sales experience. Contact : 96545020 Urgently required Outdoor Sales Executive with Oman D/L for furniture show room. Contact 93231403

Urgently required welder for metal furniture. Contact 93231403

SITUATION WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Experienced Indian male looking for part time accounting job based on Tally ERP9. Contact 96934161 24 yrs female with driving license, BBA+ I.A.T.A,3 years experience seeking suitable position in secretarial ,admin, HR, procurement , travel. Contact 95337828 or e-mail at hibhak@gmail.com. INDIAN male, B .Tech Electronics & Communication with computer networking knowledge(CISCO R&S, Security, Windows server) being able to implement, maintains & troubleshoot LAN/WAN systems seeks suitable placement Contact: 92180401, riyaznazir@yahoo.com 15 years Oman experienced Keralite light duty driver with valid driving license. Please contact: 97413721 Hotel apartment maintenance incharge elect, plumbing and a/c gulf exp 12.years. Contact 95452204 Indian female (MBA in HR and Finance) 4yrs of experience, Good in MS Office, Fluency in English. Seeking suitable placement. please contact: 95716128, E. Mail: malavisu@gmail.com Indian Female, 24 years, M-Tec in Bio-Technology with good practical knowledge in Molecular Biology, seeking a suitable position. Contact: 91262412/99502416 Email: s.aswathi88@gmail.com Indian male 25, having CA inter cleared with B.com having five years of experience in accounts and auditing, presently working in oman looking for a better placement. Mob 98097009, Email: rameesnm@gmail.com Indian male 26 having 5.5 years experience in oil & gas field with 2 years gulf experience and valid oman driving license. Contact Ashok kumar, BE Mechanical Gsm. +968 95262241 Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 24, 2+ yrs of exp in Accounting field, currently on visit visa looking for suitable placements. Contact: 94255149 Accountant Indian male B. Com having two years experience in tally ERP 9. Ready to join immediately, Contact 95534746.

SALES / MARKETING Indian male 22 years, Bachelor of Mass Media BMM (in Adverting) (on visit visa), seeking suitable placements in any Advertising/ Marketing/ Media firm or in any Organization for suitable post or Sales Executive. Contact 92564934 / 99333752 Email tehseen_khan34@yahoo.com sg_khan786@yahoo.com 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 Experienced shop cashier + salesman looking for job with visa. Contact 92495952 Young dynamic MBA Marketing Graduate, seeking suitable post. Contact 98744427 / 96909495 B.Com Graduate Indian male age 22 yrs, good communication skills is looking for suitable placement in the fields of store marketing sales and admin. Contact 91092213 Email: azharmct@yahoo.com Indian, male, B.Sc having 16 years experience in marketing with valid Oman driving license seeks suitable placement. Contact 92722408 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 Indian male IT Based having over 12 years of experience in Sales, 1 year in Oman, holding Oman D/L, looking for sales / Admin job. Contact 96543983 Male, 32 yrs, 10 years experience sales, events, administration, graphic designing seeking suitable job. Contact 93850612 MBA (Marketing and HR) & B.Tech (Electronics and Biomedical Engineering) with 1.5 years experience in marketing and media field. Contact 96175799 Email: aadil.azis@gmail.com

Indian male M.Com CA Inter 1st group passed Accountant 3 years in Oman 12 years India, tally knowledge. Contact 98334532 Male 27 yrs, MBA ( Finance), seeks placement fresher. Contact 95130366 Email dolphy1963@hotmail.com

Indian Male 31 Yrs, MBA (Finance & marketing) & B. Com ,Around 4 Yrs Experience as an Accountant in Muscat, Knowledge up to ﬁnalization & Audit, Omani D/L, Seeking suitable position.Mob-91157952

Indian female, having 4 yrs of experience in Accounts Customer Care & Administration, seeks suitable placement. Contact 92801607

Chief Accountant well experienced with reputed Group, seeks placement. Contact 95598477 / 98803439

Male, 23, completed B.Com, Diploma in Accounts & ﬁnance, urgently looking for suitable placement in a company in Accounts & ﬁnance dept, marketing or human resource depts. Contact 96990810

Part time Accountant available. Contact 99013963

ADMIN

Accountant & audit services. Gsm 99761216

Indian male 33 yrs M.Com, Finance having 7+ yrs experience as an Accountant in Muscat, knowledge up to finalization, Audit, debt Collection, A/R Omani D/L, seeking senior level position. Contact 93088436 Accountant Indian female B.Com PGDCA 8 years exp in Oman. Contact 99058722 / 98896522 2 years experience Accounts Assistant B.Com / MBA Finance knowing Tally seeks suitable placement in Accounts/Admin /Commercial. Contact 98250349 Canadian Educated Citizen, Male 45, With 17 years of experience in Finance & Accounts including 3 years of GCC Experience, is looking for a suitable Job in Finance. Contact- 98711999 Email- bijou.thomas@yahoo.com Chartered Accountant from India with 20 +years of progressive experience corporate financing accounting audit treasury management Forex fund mobile-station in diverse industries across Geographies Asia &Africa relocation immediate seeks suitable placement. Contact 94374729 / +91 9940001123 Email mnksamuel@hotmail.com MBA finance with 4 years experience in finance and oil field industry looking for a suitable opportunity, holding Omani driving license. Contact 95696446 Email: dhaneeshgvr@yahoo.com 20 years Oman experienced, Finance, Accounts up to finalization, Control credit & collection preparation of various kinds of MIS, All schedules, valid Oman driving license, seeking suitable position in senior level. Contact 91120795 Accountant Pakistani male, 28 years M.Com, 7 years experience in accounts, finance seeking suitable placement. Contact 91259190 Seeking for Appropriate job status MBA (finance) experience 8.5 years functional area: finance & management. Email: m25fh2015@yahoo. com, 93633590 Indian male 39 yrs, having 15 years experience (7 years in Oman) in Accounts Audit finance, looking for a senior position in Accounts. Contact 98870042 Indian male Accountant 8 yrs experience, 4yrs Gulf experience, seeking suitable placement. Contact 95619243 Indian male MBA specialized in finance & HR 2 yrs exp in accounting field package tally, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 91192342, Email: bijoyvilangara@gmail.com Indian male B.Com, 5 years experience in Oman seeks suitable placement. Contact 98162671 Email: prasantbs3@gmail.com Accountant female Indian MBA finance worked with reputed company in Oman, UAE & India. Contact 97197683 Chartered 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 Accountant Indian male 35 yrs B.Com Graduate with 10 yrs experience tally ERP9, MS office seeking suitable position. Contact 96073232 Accountant Indian female B.Com PGDCA 8 Years exp in Oman. Contact 99058722 / 98896522

Pakistani male, 26 Qualification MBA(Finance) have Omani Driving license, seeking for vacancy. Contact 94005442 Email hkhan036@gmail.com Chartered Accountant Indian male with 5 years of post qualification experience (4 in Oman) seeks suitable placement. Contact 93791700 Part time accountant with 13 yrs of experience in accounts, finance & audit management. # 95380650 Indian male, 31, Accountant 5 years exp in Oman (total 10), seeking suitable placement. Contact 99021031 29 yrs Indian male, Double postgraduate in finance with 8+yrs of experience in Oman and valid Driving License seeking suitable opportunities in Accounts, Finance and Audit. Contact :98693256 Document controller, Indian male, 2 yrs experience in Saudi Arabia also experienced in Networking and MS Office seeks for suitable position, currently on visiting visa. Contact 97187998 Email: nigilali@gmail.com Indian male B.Com having 10 years Oman experience Accounting field, looking for new job, having release, independent handing accounts. Contact 92258853 MBA Finance 4 years Audit & Accounts experience, seeks placement. Contact 91073728, Email prth4111@gmail.com Indian Male 23 years Qualification in NCVT Mechanical Course and Professional Diploma in finance Accounting requires a suitable placement any field. Contact 91031950 Email sinojmukundan@gmail.com Indian male, Chartered Accountant & Cost Accountant; 24 years of experience (10 Years in UAE). Has worked as Financial Controller and Accounts Manager. E mail is raza_shuab@hotmail.com, Please Contact +968 99857838 or +971 50 8686746. Capital Market Professional, 13+ yrs experience Finance trading, Operations, portfolio Management, Achieved target on revenue generation, Investment Goals. #91136521 Indian Accountant with more than 32 years experience in Construction (can handle both Financial & Cost Accounting) seeks suitable placement. Contact.98962945 Indian male, 23 yrs B. Com Graduate having 2 years experience in Account and logistics (export & import) knowledge in Tally 9, SAP, FICO M.S Office seeking suitable placement. Contact 95426454 Accountant Indian female 10 year’s experience 6 years in Oman seeking suitable placement. # 97123002 email: premar@live.com Indian male, Accountant - Tally MS Office presently working in Muscat, driving license, seeks placement. Contact 95791905 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 Indian female MBA Finance B.Com CA Articles 4 years experience in Accounts, Auditing, Tally (ERP 9), looking for suitable vacancies. Contact 93023103, Email shamlashajuji@gmail.com ACCA Graduation (U.K) 5 years experience, 1 year Oman experience, tally ERP-9 & MS Office looking for suitable placement. #95174220

M O N DAY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

ENGG. / TECHNICAL QC Civil Engr 11 yrs experience in Highway 8 yrs in Oman, Valid GCC D/L. Contact 93590464

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

Project consultant Engineer Bangladeshi male B. Sc Civil Engineer 4 yrs exp as a Project Engineer in Oman also know etabes, Autocad, MS project. Contact 97145139

Indian male having BE Chemical Engg with 1year experience looking for suitable position. Contact 98466650

Indian male 28, DME with 7 year experience (4year Oman) in automobile sales & service, seeking suitable job from mechanical/automobile ﬁeld, Valid D/L. Contact 95566186.

Indian female MSc BEd Physics having 2 years experience of teaching physics & Maths to Grades up to X, seeking for part time job. Contact 93863317

B. Sc Civil Engineer Pakistani total 6 yrs exp 2 & have yrs exp in Oman valid Omani D/L. Contact : 97166543 Email: engr.mazik@yahoo.com

Indian Civil Diploma AutoCAD Architectural 23 yrs, experience Oman 2 yrs male, single. Contact 96309295 Email shihabpspu@gmail.com

Indian female M.Sc Physics, B.Ed 5 yrs experience in teaching, seeking for suitable job. Contact 97367389

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

Indian male Diploma in Electronics seeking an opportunity for highly skilled Electronic technician with 10 years experience. Contact 93269820 Resi: +914802734079 / +919946888723, Email: davis.dinosh3@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer with 5+ years experience in project management and estimation of oil and gas projects. Looking for suitable change. Contact: 95974435

Indian male Mechanical Engineer exp 3 yrs driving license Oman. Contact 92372406 Email meet.harshadharoon@gmail.com

ARCH/ INTERIOR

Indian female B.Com, 6 yrs experience (3 yrs Gulf) experience as Office Assistant, Arabic speaking. Contact 94376201 Accounts Manager, MBA Finance & PG Diploma in HR, total 24 yrs experience, working in Oman since 14 yrs now working in Oman forconstruction co. in Muscat, can join immediately. Contact 91387354, accounts242013@yahoo.com ACCA finalist male 24 years looking for suitable position in accounts, finance, audit, currently available in Muscat. Contact 93864423 Indian male Accountant,B.Com with 6 yrs experience in Oman, seeks suitable placement. # 91057862. e_mail umct777@ gmail.com Indian male B Com looking for suitable placement in Accounts. Contact 92576275 Indian male 21, B.Com Graduate, knowledge in Accounts ( packages: Tally, Peachtree) seeking for a suitable post. Tel : +968-94123495, E-mail : zameelpv@gmail.com Accounts part time / full time work, finalization works. Contact 96247295 Indian male 13 years working in Oman as Senior Accountant with MBA in Finance seeking for suitable placement. Contact 95319707

Architect 6 yrs experience knowledge 2D-3D drawing, having D/L (Omani) looking for suitable job. Contact 98928458 Email: joydeep736@yahoo.com Cad Drawings Architectural detail drawings, interior exterior drawings 3D views. Contact 99610110 Civil 2d & 3d designer Indian male 4 yrs exp in (3d designing , auto CAD drawing , photoshop , Ms ofﬁce) ﬁnished architectural design & model course & draughtsman civil (1 yr exp in Oman) Urgently seeking for suitable job. Mob: 97294321 Email: sreejithsvtm@gmail.com Iraqi Architect 23 years, experience 7 years in Oman, seeking for suitable replacement. Contact 97608513

DRAUGHTSMAN AutoCAD draftsman 4 yrs experience in darting & designing urgently seeking suitable placement NOC available. Contact 95208203 Email: anvarkhan848@gmail.com Architectural & Interior Draughtsman. 4years Gulf Experienced. Knows 3dsMax&Photoshop. Ph:98310977 Interior Draughtsman 7 years experience in AutoCAD & CNC, Seeks suitable placement. Contact 94238546

DESIGNER ADMIN/HR Indian Male, B.Tech, 8 years Experience in Teaching & Admin, web developing ,c,c++,java,HTML,DHTM L,programming,looking for suitable position 98290053, 97068258 Email: vasanth.blessy@gmail.com Over 14 years of experience in admin/ HR/ Office Manager ﬂuent in Arabic & English languages valid driving license. Contact 95824598 Indian Male 29yrs, Graduate, Diploma in Computer, Having 7yrs experience as Office Administrator/ Backend in India, Looking for suitable position in Oman, Contact:Mob. No. +91-9899308271, akmalhussain84@gmail.com Electronics & Communication Engineer. MBA (HR & Marketing) with experience, female, seeks job. Contact 96963961 Indian male, 31 yrs, Commerce Graduate (B.Com) with 9.5 yrs of varied experience in Administration, operations, client relationship & team management seeking suitable placement. Contact 97268311, loyedfernandes@gmail.com 31, Indian male, MBA having 8 years experience in logistics, Sales & Admin, Presently working in Oman with valid GCC Driving license. Contact 93051506 Email fortune2210@gmail.com Logistics/ Commercial Executive 6 yrs experience in trading & shipping/ logistics companies, looking for suitable position. Contact 95687253 Indian male, 28 yrs, 5 yrs working experience in Oman as Admin / personal dept officer with valid Omani driving license, seeking suitable in similar ﬁeld or in any applicable jobs. Contact 91309317

Indian male 29 yrs, looking for a 3D job in MAYA/Max and Graphic designing having a experience of 8 years, currently working in Oman, Available to join immediately. Contact 98567624/ +91 9886712424 Email : sandeepsharmasolid@gmail.com Web / Graphic/ UX Designer with 3+ years of experience from a leading IT Company in India, looking for a job at Muscat. Contact +968 95962963 Email - mohanasok@live.com

DRIVERS ‘Driver with Pajero and car available. Contact 93262460 Driver looking for job, 10 years experience. Contact 99501396 / 93956395 Wanted Driver with knowledge of electrical and plumbing work. Contact # 99451845 Looking for job Driver, 20 years experience. Contact 98109185 Driver urgently looking for job having valid Oman driving license. Contact - 96502026 Wanted Driving job. Contact 96741993 Driver job. Contact 95387829 / 98537756 Light Driver looking for job, 30 yrs. Experience 7 years KSA valid D/L Oman 1.5 years education HSC. Contact 93940319 Corolla 2013 with driver. Contact 96772324 Light Driver. Contact 98077981 / 98946925

Indian male 34, PGDBA in Opns management with 14+yrs experience in office administration, sales, EA, to top management, with Oman D/L seeks immediate placement. Contact 92769725

4 yrs Experienced Indian Driver (Exp..in sales ﬁeld ) looking for job as driver. 93079087

Indian male, 24 yrs MBA, 2 yrs exp seeks a suitable position in Administration. Contact 97138676

HSE 10 yrs exp in Oman, Seeking placement valid Omani D/L. Contact 92825053 IOSH NEBOSH

Qualiﬁed female HR professional with MBA(HR),BE,PGDBM 5 years work experience seeking suitable role in HR proﬁle. valid oman D/L contact 94129462

BEAUTY & HEALTH Indian female Fitness Trainer looking for job. Contact 95978449 Email : godwithbless@yahoo.com

EDUCATION

32 Indian female, B.Com, M.com B. ED, M.ED, NET, PGDCA with 5 years experience seeking placement as Lecturer / Teacher etc. Contact 98846820 /97199457 Pakistani female M.SC (Master) Biology having 15 years of experience of teaching biology & chemistry to grades IX to XII seeking for part time job .Contact 91280346

EDUCATION

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Indian male, 25 years, B. Tech Civil Engineer with 1.5 years experience, seeking job in Oman available for interview. Contact 93319697 email: solaman.t@gmail.com Indian BE (E & C) Engineer 1.5 years experience in maintenance & trouble shooting of PLC/ PID/ VFD/ DCS, PG Diploma in Industrial Automation, well versed in PLC/ SCADA/ DCS 22 Years in Oman, seeking placement. Contact 93279796

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

12 Years Experienced Projects and Operations professional with experience of Electrical, ELV and IT projects in Oman and Other countries, Seeking senior position job. Contact 98823248

B.Tech Mechanical, 26yr Indian male having 4 yr experience in plant construction,structural fabrication & erection in India. # 0091 9546418417 E-mailmail2umesh89@gmail.com

Indian female B Tech (CSE) with around 2.5 years teaching and administrative experience in Engg College, Looking suitable teaching/ technical/office admin jobs. Proﬁcient in C/ Java/C++ Programming and Microsoft office suite. Contact 97268414 Email : mejaida@gmail.com

Civil Quantity Surveryor, Diploma in Civil Engineering, 2 years QS and site experience in building projects, looking for suitable post in Oman. Contact: 91378212/92959092. Email: mohamednishil@gmail.com

26 years male, BE Electronics Engineer, 2+ years experience in Saudi Arabia & 6+ months in Pakistan with valid Saudi driving license, seeks suitable position. Contact 97453326 Email naveedhasan388@hotmail.com Structural Civil Engineer, BE, Indian male, 10 yrs exp in Infrastructure road, Bridges, ﬂy over. Contact for CV 95484776 Email joanjebaraj@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer with 12 +years exp.(7 years in Oman) in Oil ﬁeld & Construction heavy vehicles/ equipment. Presently working with a logistic company Muscat as workshop In charge. Available to join immediately. Contact : 95983518,sgk700@yahoo.com Indian male, 26 years, B.Tech Electronics Graduate, having 2 years experience with valid Oman D/L, seeks suitable placement. Contact 98622425E mail: shejinmathew@gmail.con

BE (Electronics & Communications Engineer) 23 yrs Indian male 1 yr experience, seeking suitable placement. Contact 92080713

Indian male, BE Civil Engineer 5 years experience, seeking suitable Vacancies with Oman driving license. Contact 95835537 Email : skklnet@gmail.com

Indian male; E&I Engineer, 4 years experience in petrochemical, oil & gas ﬁeld seeking suitable position. Contact : 92941392/95834965 ; email: vinodariez@gmail.com

Indian male BE Automobile 2013 MIT passout diploma Mechatronics (NTTF) visit visa, seeking suitable position. Contact 98901241 Email edwinjohn27@yahoo.com

Welding Inspector (CSWIP 3.1) with B-Tech in Production Engg, seeks suitable job. Contact 92711433

25 Years Indian male, BE Electronics & Communication Engineering Graduate, seeking suitable placement. Hold valid Oman driving license. Contact 97434543 Email drizzle77@gmail.com

Interior Designer, Site Engineer Egyptian 17 years experienced in designing different projects, retail shops, Hotels, Villa designed by 3D Max AutoCAD Photoshop, Seeking for suitable job. Contact 97332364 India male BE Civil Eng 20 year exp present working in India as Project Manager seeking suitable placement. Gsm 00919900666960 harshavardhana_mv@yahoo.com Civil Engineer 22 years Oman in Ministry Consultancy construction as Projects Manager Q.S. R.E, looking suitable senior position, D/L. Contact 99663090 BE Mechanical Engineer, Indian fresh Engineer presently in Oman, looking for suitable job. Contact 98040214 / 99086842 Email bonskey2010@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer (B Eng) male 24 yrs experienced in project & Site Engineering, marketing & Sales, recycling with a valid Omani driving license, looking for a position in manufacturing oil & gas, automotive, R & D. Contact 91165415 Email ja237le@gmail.com Indian female 25 yrs M.E Computer Science, 3.5 yrs experience as Asst. Professor looking for placement at Schools & Colleges. Contact 92449426 / 93254268 Email : praveennair_s@yahoo.com

Sudanese Electrical Engineer 4 years of experience, looking a job. Contact 95686723 Indian female 25 yrs B-Tech Civil Engineer 2 yrs experience good Knowledge Studd-pro AutoCAD, seeking suitable placement. Contact 95716424 B.Sc Civil Engineer, 2 years experience looking suitable placement in construction or structural design ﬁeld. Contact 93850440 Email: sdat33@yahoo.con Diploma in Civil Engineer with 1 year experience in Site supervising in India, now available in Oman. Contact 93816032 Indian male 27 yrs B.Tech Automobile, 5.5 yrs experience both in Toyota & Suzuki, Looking for Service Engineer jobs. Contact 92449426 Email: praveennair_s@yahoo.com Mechanical Engg with 6 yrs exp in electromechanical work D/L, seeks job. Contact:98520020 Electrical Engineer 7 yrs experience. Contact 94285868 Diploma Electrical Site Engineer 12 years experience in Oman available driving license in Oman. Contact 96570848 Email senthilkumar3081@gmail.com

Civil Engineer Diploma 8 years experience 3 years Oman, looking for suitable post. Contact 95648309 / 93477358 Email : mohammadtoslim@gmail.com BE Mech HVAC Engineer Indian male with 2 years experience, seeking suitable position. Contact 97122895 Indian male 25 years, B.Tech in Electronics & Communication Engineering (Automation or Instrumentation Engineer) with 1+ year India experience in Automation PLC, SCADA, DCS, HMI AC & DC Drives, Seeking suitable placement. Contact 92151143/ 92151143 09 Years Gulf experience in Automobile, Looking for Service Engineer or workshop Incharge. Age 34 yrs, working experience in Oman & having valid Driving license. Contact 93121310 Diploma Civil Engineering - 5 yrs experience in contracting & consulting ﬁeld with Autocad (D/L). Contact: 98434603 Indian male, 27 years, bachelors in Electrical & Electronics Engineering with 3 years experience in Oman holding valid driving seeks suitable placement. Contact 92156674 BE Mechanical, Indian male, 28 years currently on visit visa, having 6 years experience in piping PREfabrication, erection, testing and Re-instatement for oil and gas, petrochemical projects seeking suitable placement. # 96429096 / 98694369 BE Electrical Engineer having 2 years experience with valid Omani driving license, looking for suitable position. Contact 97434767 Indian male B.E (E&C) 1years experience in sales, seeking suitable job. Contact 91125082 Email: althafms.ms1@gmail.com B. Sc in Civil Engineer with Oman experience urgently seeking suitable placement. Contact +968 93523630 / +88 01728 199656, Email engg_shahalamce@yahoo.com Sri Lankan Quantity surveyor (male) with 7 years experience (including Gulf), looking for a suitable placement in Oman, available in Oman for personal interviews and discussions. Contact 91308391/ 96953676 Email msa.ifham@yahoo.com Indian female B.Tech Civil Engg, 3 years experience (6 months in Oman) in QS, estimation, cost control and planning, seeks suitable job. Contact 92047375 Email: vinujosephcm@gmail.com Planning Engineer having M Tech in Construction Management with 2 years experience. Currently employed for a reputed company construction company in Oman. Proﬁcient in Primavera P3 and P6. Mob; 98278801 / 99461643 e-mail id; asifkutiady@gmail.com Electronics & Mechatronics, skilled Engineer M.Tech (Nanotech) M.Sc (Electronics) B.Sc (Electronics) Indian male 35, with 9 years experience, seeks suitable placement in production, R&D product development, automation business management and coordination. Contact 92009640 / 97199457 Email: manojgilbert@gmail.com

INFORMATION TECH Systems Engineer (B. Tech), female 23 years with 2 years experience at Infosys, Looking for placement . ADO.NET, ASP.NET, Web Services, AJAX, Unix Commands & Utilities, Visual Studio, SQL Server. Contact 96206550 Email jobbforit@gmail.com Project Management professional (MBA, PMP, BE), 16+ years experience with leading MNC Banks and Technology companies and working in a leading bank in Muscat seeks suitable placement. 94336432 Welding Foreman, Indian Male, 18 years experience (Argon, Arc & Mig) offshore & onshore, worked with NPCC (Abu Dhabi), USA, & Cochin Shipyard India, Contact 98430843, mashamaga@yahoo.com Indian female - M.Sc, Computer Science 5 yrs experience in teaching and 1yr experience in programming (JAVA, VB, power builder, Mysql, Oracle) seeking suitable placement. Contact 99713021 Email ID: anjukaviraj@gmail.com IT Technical System support/ Hardware Engineer on visit visa. Contact 98221577 / 93320458 Indian male Computer Engineer MCSE, CCNA, Hardware and Networking 6+ experience 2+ yrs experience in Oman, seeking good job. Contact 92994651 Indian female, B.Tech + MBA, IT Engineer, 5+ yrs exp. as voice & video eng/ operation management, seeking appropriate placement. Contact 97712425 / 95749987, Email: rincy.raju21@gmail.com Indian female, Computer Engineer, 2 years exp in Programming & ERP, on Family Visa seeking placement in IT or Teaching 93406463 (Wadikabir). Sudanese Programmer having 2 years experience and certiﬁcate of the American University in Cairo. Contact 97273589 IT professional Indian male (ME/ CSE), 12 years experience (Oman, UAE, India) in IT project management , administration, software development in dot net, sales providing training, technical & customer support looking for suitable opportunity having valid D/L available immediately. Contact 96437794 Email: ephin0204@gmail.com Indian male 27 years old, Masters in Computer Applications with 4+ years experience, Key skills: Oracle Pl/sql and .net Seeking Suitable placement.# +919538345624 sujithchennat@gmail.com Indian 4 years experienced SAP ABAP & BI Consultant seeking suitable job. Contact # 94363446 Indian male 30 yrs, 7 years experience in Oman driving license experience in FMCG Media & Advertising web applications product & support MSC Graduate looks suitable job in IT Support Marketing. Contact 95679586 System Engineer with 6 yrs of exp as desktop/ IT Support Engineer currently in Muscat on visit visa, seeks suitable placement. Contact 92933523 / 91378150 Email : manumonm@hotmail.com IT Support Engineer Indian male, 27 yrs currently in Muscat on visit visa 6 yrs of exp as IT Support Engineer, seeking suitable placement.# 92933523 / 91378150 , Email : manojp14@gmail.com Indian, 22 yrs, Diploma in Hardware and Networking 2 years Hardware experiences., looking for Hardware and Networking job. Contact 94413006, Email abanaahil13@gmail.com IT Engineer Indian with 5 years Experience in support Engineer, IT Tech Support, Quality Analyst, IT Help desk, Customer Service and Sales, Worked in Dell International and in New Horizon Doha, seeking suitable position.Contact: 97320161, mohdazeezuddin24@gmail.com Indian male MBA with IT Enterprise level and System Networking exp 2 years Maldives exp in System Engineer, looking for immediate placement. Contact 94480837 Email pems4499@gmail.com Female 23 Indian Graduate in Computer application and Diploma in Java technology, seeking for a suitable placement in IT sector currently on visit visa. Contact 99809810 / 92105790

M O N D AY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED INFORMATION TECH

MEDICAL

9 yrs Exp IT Desktop/ Network support Filipino Male B.S. Comp Eng CCNA W/ 5 yrs exp in Qatar visit visa in Oman. Contact 91319643 Email hikaph2002@yahoo.com

Indian female Dentist age 28 yrs, 4 yrs experience, looking for suitable opening. Contact 92970882

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

MANAGER/ SUPER Indian female with 17 years Gulf experience as Executive Secretary / office Manager looking for suitable position. Contact 98587275 Purchase / procurement officer, gulf exp, having Oman driving license PH : 93243846 Indian male 27 years 7 years experience Electrical & Plumbing Supervisor in Oman valid Oman driving license. Contact 99165218 Email: alvinoth1985@gmail.com Sri Lankan female 25 yrs looking for suitable employment in customer service, secretarial, admin, and event management 5 years experience in customer service and administration for banking sector. Contact 94262290 Email: samurdhi077@yahoo.com

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male with 7 yrs experience working in Doha Qatar as HVAC designer, looking for suitable position. Contact +97470361931 Indian male 23, M.Sc in Biotechnology with excellent proficiency in English & computer, seeking suitable work opportunity in life science and Industrial field, Currently on visit visa. Contact 95166242 / Email jaykishan.parekh@live.co.uk Rigar Foreman, 6 yrs exp. looking for job. Contact 95628657 / 0091 9430161950 Indian male, 28 yrs, B.Com with over 8 years experience (4 years in Oman) in accounting up to finalization, experience in Tally Erp9, fox pro, smart pos and expert in MS Office, D/L seeking suitable placement. GSM : 93069890 Email : ammuknpy007@gmail.com, Female-26,BA qualified,6 years experience, can work from home, looking for suitable job. #-93060952 or email-devi.t2009@gmail.com Fisheries Graduate Indian male 28 years with certificate in F.S.M.S and 4 years experience in food processing Industry seeks suitable openings.# 92123983 Email: vikasvelayudhan@yahoo.com Indian female 25 years, MSC MICRO Biology, Looking for placement in food or medicine industry or laboratory experience one year in dairy farm. Contact 92255983 Indian male 20 yrs Gulf experience presently heading Oman Branch, seeking suitable placement. Contact 93690410

MEDICAL Indian female Keralite B.Sc Nursing with MOH license, 3 years experience. Contact 99658395 presently in Oman. Nursing caregiver, qualiﬁed & experienced Nurse & Assist Nurse seeks good placement at home / clinic. Contact 92989109 email: medicoport@gmail.com Obs/Gynae Medical Officer, MOH licence,8 years experience in gulf countries,searching suitable job in Muscat. Contact 96260671 Female Radiographer holding M.O.H License with 6 years experience, seeking suitable post. Contact 93017124 Male Nurse (BSc Nursing) with MOH License experience in Emergency Trauma care, looking for a suitable position. Contact 98435304 / 99657116 Male Nurse 8 years experience MOH license Oman BLS ACLS certiﬁcate, Currently in Muscat. Contact 97141787 Email sreejithks2006@yahoo.co.in Indian female Nursing professional M.O.H License 8 years experience. Contact 93441998/ 95886421 Email sheena.thomas14@yahoo.com

Junior Psychologist with MBA having 2 years experience in Behavioral & Counseling activities. Contact 96145006 Indian female Dentist age 29 yrs, exp 4 years, looking for suitable opening. Contact 93386632 Male Nurse with MOH license valid GCC driving license. Contact 93217438 / 91226236

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE 20 Years of experience in Secretarial job in Oman, seeking suitable placement. Contact 98987461 Egyptian female 25 yrs B.E ﬁne of arts, 2 yrs experience in photo shop, Illustrator, with v/visa looking for suitable position in design, secretarial, admin, HR, procurement. Contact 97078314 Email: melaart_88@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING 31 male, MBA (UK) with over 10 years experience in BD/OPS, sales and marketing with valid Omani D/L, seeks suitable placement. Contact 94480878 Indian male, 30 yrs, M.B.A 6 yrs experience in Indian in sales and customer service excellent in M.S. office and communication skills in Oman on visit visa. Contact 91380575 Indian male B.Tech MBA,4 years experience in sales & marketing on visit visa seeking suitable placement Ph 96010724, neonitinm@gmail.com Indian male 30 yrs, MBA marketing with 6+ yrs managerial experience (sales) seeks Managerial position in Marketing / Sales business development service retail / product manufacturing industry. Contact Avijit 96726408 Young dynamic / MBA Marketing having 8 years experience with Omani driving license seeking suitable position. Contact 91199054 / 94135599 Email: zeshan_84@yahoo.com 23 years Indian male BBA Marketing / Finance 1 year experience in Sales & Marketing, looking for suitable placement in Sales / Marketing / coordination / retail/ admin jobs. Contact 98418208 / 99229357 Aman Maheshwari Looking for Sales Executive job 28 years 5 years experience having D/L Oman experience in F.M.C.G. Contact 96075110 Indian female 28 yrs more than 2 years of professional experience in concept selling, worked with India Today Group as Executive in Space Marketing, seeks suitable placement in Muscat ready to join immediately. Contact 94210400 Email ID: susanpallathra@yahoo.co.in MBA, B.Tech Indian Male having 6 years experience Marketing/ Sales/ Business development/ promotional/ Branding in Oil & Gas, HVAC, Firms, seeks immediate placement. Contact 91256806 10 years experience on Sales with driving license needs placement. Contact 95266485 Indian National with 20 years experience in Sales/ Port operation with shipping line/ Freight forwarder, looking suitable positions, in Salalah/ Muscat. Contact 93751004 Email sreekumar_vnair@yahoo.com MBA, BSC advance certiﬁcate in marketing with 16 years of experience in marketing market research customer services purchasing supply chain management worked for customer like Nike Victoria’s Secret M&S looking for a challenging job. Contact 91233418 Email isthiaqalam@gmail.com Male 32 yrs, 10 yrs experience sales, events, administration, graphics looking for job. Contact 93850612 Indian male B.Com with 6 yrs experience in Sales, Holding valid Omani Driving license, seeks suitable placement. Contact 95330174 Male 28, B.Com, having over 8 years of experience in Sales & Marketing, Valid D/L, seeking for a suitable placement.Contact:96662739 or E-Mail at sidd9191@yahoo.com

SALES / MARKETING Sales & Marketing professional, GCC experienced, Indian male, 30 yrs, having Oman driving license, seeks suitable placement. Contact 97386097 Sales Exe with diploma / ITI in electrical / net working/ ﬁre Safety Engineering with D/L. Fax: 24787258 Email: orisonmct@gmail.com Indian male having 17 yrs Gulf experience in Sales and Marketing of various type of building materials tools machinery etc, currently heading Oman Branch, having valid driving license of Oman, looking for suitable placement. # 93690410 Indian male, MBA, 6 yrs exp in Sales, Marketing, Market research & operations, looking for opportunities. Contact 98823315

WANTED Al Mayar National Ent. Civil & Electro Mechanical Ent We are looking for building related Civil / Electrical Main contract/ Subcontract works, with/ without materials. Kindly contact Mr. Arun 99887451 Our Address: www.almayarllc.com Email mayarprojects@almayarllc.com

Indian male, (MBA Marketing) having Omani driving license and experience, seeking suitable job. Contact 92023666 15 years of Oman exposure. Smart Indian Male with MBA. Experienced in Oilfield Products (Upstream) & Security systems as Sales & Marketing Manager, seeks suitable placement in a senior position. Contact 99639375 Indian male 24 yrs MBA specialized in marketing, 2 yrs exp seeks a suitable position. Contact 97138676 Outdoor Salesman with 3 years experience in the field of Kitchen equipment and Branded wrist watches with valid Oman D/L, Contact 91117948 Email arjunjob@yahoo.com Indian Expat B.Com MBA( Finance) with 5.5 years in GCC having valid Oman driving license, seeking opening in Marketing/ Sales / Customer services. Contact 97881402 Indian, 4 years experience in purchase & marketing D/L, 3 years Dubai looking for immediate suitable placement. Contact 96325262 Indian (MBA) working in Oman for 12 years with reputed firm as Branch Manager handling 2 depots, looking for suitable position in Sales. Contact 99066046 Indian male, 25 years, B.Tech + MBA having Driving license with 2 years Oman experience in Sales & Marketing. Contact 95943787 Senior Sales Engineer BE, MBA 6+ Years experience with valid Oman driving license, seeking suitable post. Contact 91256806 Email rexi4u@gmail.com Indian male having 4 years experience in Sales & Marketing excellent knowledge of Oman Market currently in Banking Industry, Looking for Managerial position. Contact 99657804

MANPOWER

BUYING/SELLING Office & House hold Furniture & Electronics items. Contact 99834373/96642500

MATRIMONIAL

ACC. AVAILABLE

Brahmin family seeks a match for their 38, 5’-6”, beautiful, fair, US citizen daughter. Has MBBS and Law degrees. No bars. Highly qualiﬁed and well established professionals. Contact kashyapj1@yahoo.com

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

22 years, 160 cm height, Roman Catholic girl from Thrissur District, passed out MBA, seeking suitable alliance from Thrissur or Ernakulum district. Contact 92841175 Keralite Kannur Dist Viswakarma Girl 25 years Ayilyam Staff Nurse Banglore. Contact 98100371 Marriage proposal invited for Sunni Muslim girl from Andhra Pradesh. Please send particulars to mferoz_khan2003@yahoo.com

Sharing accommodation available for family or Bachelors in Wadikabir, Nr. Kuwaiti Mosque. Contact 92490397

28 years Keralite boy, working in a reputed medical company in Oman looking for a suitable alliance E mail : 923sas@gmail.com Contact 93469632

Single room with separate bathroom & bathroom & sharing for Executive bachelor (Keralites preferred), opp. to Makha Hotel Wadi Kabir, near to MBD Khimjis Mart. Contact 99544063

GOOD NEWS

Mohammad Elias Uddin has lost Bangladeshi Passport no. AB 4319307. Finder please handover to ROP Abdul Zameer has lost Indian Passport No. G 7962737. Finder please handover to ROP Hamza Ahmer Khan Lodhi has lost Pakistan Passport No. AF8448851. Finder please handover to ROP Ahmer Jamil Khan Lodhi has lost Pakistan Passport No. AD8445201. Finder please handover to ROP Talha Ahmer Khan Lodhi has lost Pakistan Passport No. AJ8445861. Finder please handover to ROP Saeeda Sabir has lost Pakistan Passport No. AW5020981. Finder please handover to ROP

Penthouse room for Executive. Contact 24713253/ 99187422

Spacious room independent bathroom in 2BHK ﬂat Darsait for sharing. Contact 96934161 Room for rent in Ruwi. Contact 95372192 1BHK near Indian Nursery-School WadiKabir - 95234062 Non-cooking Indian bachelor, opp. OK Centre. Contact 95246843

Sponsor ship with legal and shop for rent or sale. #99342763 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. Ideal Care Ayurvedic clinic, Azaiba. Contact 99639695 Ayurvedic treatment for backache paralysis arthritis etc. & massage All Season (Vaidyaratnam). # 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 Genuine Ayurvedic treatments &massage, ayuredic clinic Al Khuwair. Contact 24478618/ 97263637/ 97109295

ACC. AVAILABLE Oppo O.K. Centre. Single Bed space with attached Bathroom for Indian Non-cooking Exe. Bachelor. RO.75/incl. W&E. Contact 92605811

We Buy all types of Wooden Scraps. mail- ahastco123@yahoo. com , Ph: 24458759/ 98539316/ 99318152

NRI

Sharing room with attached bathroom for working ladies, near ISD Darsait. Contact 99526851

Nair boy 28 Makeeram from Palakkad B.Tech working as IT Engineer in Muscat seeks suitable alliance. Contact sudhask79@gmail.com

Hindu Ezhava Fair Girl. 30/163, BSC Nurse working in Oman, seeks suitable alliance. Contact 99079774

Wanted for purchase a medium size licensed poultery farm in Seeb or Barka areas. Contact + (968) 99315293/+ (968) 95884763

Single, non cooking, separate toilet opp Safeer Plaza Al Khuwair. Contact 99568122

Office rooms for rent. Contact 24713253 / 99187422

CHANGE OF NAME

LOST

Bath attached room with sharing kitchen for working lady or family in Ghubra. Contact 99342300

Kerala Cheramar Christian girl, 30, working in Oman us Nurse, proposal invited for suitable alliance. Contact 91312275 Email devasiachandi12@gmail.com

We can provide (supply) for 6 months or 1 year cleaners, ofﬁce boys and helpers. Contact : 94151939/ 95788339 Email: alkindi07@yahoo.com

Gulf Arabian Oil L.L.C company which is recorded under the commercial register in directorate general for trade industry number 1176103 is going to change its name to Ajwaa Gulf Arabian L.L.C company. This is to inform anybody who concerns about that.

Sharing accommodation one room with attached bathroom only for bachelor near Ghala khajoor round about. Contact 92248407 / 92830203

Good Quality Wooden Kicking blocks available 1.2 mtr & 2.6 mtr length. Contact ahastco123@yahoo. com , Ph: 99318152

Land for sale –Kerala 4 housing plots for sale (15cents each) in Kuzhoor (Kerala-Trichur District-near Mala – Valiaparambu) immediate sale for Rs. 1.75 lakhs per cent. Contact 99101676 Plot for sale adjacent seaport airport road plots also in Tripunithura Eroor Vennala Kakkandu Pallikara. Contact George 93577835 / 99363391 DBHK ﬂat for rent Ayanawaram, Chennai NRI. Contact 99354340 / 9840582788

ACC. AVAILABLE Independent room /Kitchen/Bathroom Accommodation available for Indian Executive Bachelor Behind Muscat Bakery-Al Hail North. Contact 93219776

Room for rent in Al Khuwair. Contact 92708300

Furnished 1BR with separate bath sharing kitchen with internet OMR 175/-plus maintenance. #93200170

One semi furnished room with bathroom & kitchen sharing & internet available, opp. Toyota Wathaya. Contact 91094044

Available Sharing Accommodation in Ruwi, next to K.M Centre separate room and bathroom RO 130/-. Contact 92619102

2 rooms with bathroom and sharing kitchen near ISWK couple or Executive bachelor. # 99330839

Room for Indian, Ruwi R/A. Contact 92581644

Spacious room with A/C for Executive bachelor /working lady in Wadi Kabir, near Kuwaiti mosque. Contact 99720561 Single furnished room in Ruwi. Contact 24833609 Independent Qurum/ Hail rooms. Contact 95529970 Sharing accommodation available for working lady (Kerala only) near Ruwi Church. #96031747 Sharing accommodation with attached bathroom, for a small family in Ruwi. (Near Grand Hyp). Contact 96656134 Sharing accommodation available in Al Khuwair area, near Hotel Platinum (opposite Mars Hypermarket). Single room with independent bathroom for Indian Executive bachelors. Contact 93049510

Sharing accom. available for keralite family in Hamariah nr School. Contact 95221165 Single room with toilet available near Darsait roundabout. #92120626 Rooms/ Store available in WK with attached bathroom for Labor/ Executive/ Bachelor/ Family. Contact 92384963 Single room, non cooking bachelor Rex road. Contact 95747799 Single Bedroom ﬂat near Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabeer with furniture rent RO 230/- month. Contact 99840085 Ghubra furnished room + attached bath available. Contact 98267157 Oppo O.K. Centre. Single Room with separate Bathroom for Indian Noncooking Exe. Bachelor. RO.120/- incl. W&E. Contact 99502581

M O N DAY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

TOURS

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

BUSINESS

RENT A CAR

Restaurant + coffee shop with seating capacity of 50 people and potential to make 90 (with mezzanine in running condition doing excellent business in a prime business location at Wattayah is available for purchase / investment. Interested parties may please call on 97414513 or 96344753 CANADIAN company. for immigration & manpower is looking for a partner in Oman with license !For contact evro21@gmail.com 0097333054453 A well running Civil contracting company LLC doing ministry work, looking for new sponsor and investor or partner. Contact 96726115

FOR HIRE Looking for Omani partner for business development services. Contact 93194825 Email: edumass4@gmail.com

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

MANPOWER We Supply Mason, Carpenter, Steel ﬁxer, Electrician, Plumber, Driver, Labours, Enggs, operators etc, All Categories. Contact 94034550/ 95059766 Email rubinaokp@gmail.com

Cranes and excavators available on hire. Contact 99209427 Crane Trailor Hiab. # 99354909

25/ 50 seater Buses for rent/ leasing with drivers in PDO Speciﬁcation. Contact 99839898

FOR HIRE For Rent Truck Tipper 18 m. Contact 95120774

FOR LADIES Indian ladies tailoring salwar khamees, saree, blouse stitching. Contact – 93694035

M O N D AY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

M.V. FOR SALE

Toyota Corolla 1.6 Xli 2012 like new, under warranty. Contact 93782735 Lancer 1.3 ltr, 150,000KM, 2006 model good condition Contact # 99659946 Yaris 2007 Automatic 198000 kms Interior, Exterior excellent condition dealer serviced insurance valid one year RO 2500. #99883991 New Mitsubishi Pajero 3.5 Cool Box 2013 for sale. Contact 97413418 / 93955020

2006 Nissan Maxima 85000 kms A/T full power options sunroof RO 2900/-. Expat owned well maintained. Contact 99339025 2009 Model Toyota /Nissan/TCM Diesel/Petrol 1.5/2 Ton fork Lifts in excellent conditions for Immediate sale. Contact 99371732

COMPUTER

SERVICES

Computer Service at your doorstep. Laptops desktops, and other hardware. Contact 93838100.

CLASSES

Toyota Corolla (black), 2008 last model, fully automatic, 11,4000 kms driven, valid mulkia (eight months). #95729549 / 95801101 Toyota Camry 2003 model1 year Mulkiya. Contact93806625

Daihatsu - Granmaz Van-Good condition. # 99545895 / 95451313

TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact 99509283

Transportation. Contact 95199733 Transportation. Contact 99508282 Transportation. Contact 99664703

Transportation. Contact 99664703 Transportation available. Contact 95068976

Transportation only. Contact 99751397

Transportation. Contact 93405941 Transportation. Contact 99077348 Transportation. Contact 98546606 Transportation. Contact 98178135 For transport. Contact 92548219 Graduate driver with car. Contact 98267157

Transportation Contact 95570429

WEBSITE

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. #24793614/ 99314807 GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 Subcontractor solutions. Contact 97163496 Split /window A/C SERVICING 5/10R.O. Contact 95084850

SERVICES For mess, North Indian food, birthday parties, company functions, all kinds of celebrations and Kerala Naadan special food. Contact Sun Caterings 98756615, 98756615 free home delivery around 20 to 25kms

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

CLASSES Learn Arabic in two months, spoken Arabic class for non Arabic speakers by Gulf experience post Graduate Teacher in Ruwi. Free introductory class. Satisfaction guaranteed. Contact 95244310

Electrical Works, Maintenance, Building Gas Pipelines, Fire Alarm & Security systems. Contact Amjad Majees Trading & Contracting: 99467936 For all your maintenance needs including, Painting, Plumbing, Electricity, Laying of interlock tiles, marbles etc. Tel: 99383574 Mr Chandran

Wallpaper, Furniture, Carpet ﬁxing, furniture upholstery, painting, shifting. Contact 99834373 / 96642500 A/C, Fridge & Washing Machine servicing & Repairing. Painting , Plumbing, Electrical & Carpentry Works. Contact 97014234/ 24504281 / 99447257 Carpet, sofa- cleaning, glue removing, shampooing, house cleaning, polishing & painting etc. Contact – 99542979 / 98855815 House shifting, packing and Transportation. Contact 99657644 / 98518013 Electrical Plumbing Painting Contract and Maintenance. Contact #98456535

GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC all kind of pest control. # 92326955 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722 Marble polishing & crystallization building cleaning floor, floor polishing, carpet, sofa shampooing pest control, anti termite, shifting, maintenance. Contact 99504275 A/ C maintenance, servicing & installation. Split A/C Servicing RO 10.000 Only. Contact 94217681 / 99210141 Marble polishing & crystallization building cleaning floor, floor polishing, carpet, sofa shampooing, pest control, anti termite, shifting, maintenance. Contact 99504275 Door to Door Computers repair specialist laptop software Website cartridges.Contact 99199376 SPLIT / WINDOW A/C servicing 5/10 RO. Contact 95084850 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

Catering and Other support Services anywhere in Oman for Companies. Staff / Labour Accomodation. available in Sohar, Barka and Nizwa. Telephone No.94104987, 97884967, 95740387, E-Mail : catering@gstoman.com Carpet, sofa- cleaning, glue removing, shampooing, house cleaning, polishing & painting etc. Contact – 99542979 / 98855815 Pest control water proof. Contact 99067923 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722 Painting Interlock plumbing maintenance. Contact 92142319 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130 A/C service RO7/- , repairing & installation, painting, building all maintenance.# 95563858 / 99326786