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Remittance tax on expats back in focus Taxing expats and cutting defence expenditure are among the proposed steps to meet the deficit due to drop in oil prices

REJIMON K reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A tax on the billions of rials expatriates send home every year would add OMR60 million to Oman’s coffers, say Majlis Al Shura members who have called for a 2 per cent levy on remittances.

Yesterday, the Majlis Al Shura approved an advisory committee’s proposal to help the Sultanate overcome a budget deficit due to drop in oil prices.

There has already been mixed reaction to the move which would hit 1.9 million expats, with some fearing it would drive an increase in black market money transfers.

The economic and financial committee of the Shura Council, a consultative body, recommended imposing a tax of 2 per cent on the remittances while discussing the draft budget.

“The approval to tax expatriate remittances is one of the several steps proposed to overcome the budget deficit, which the Sultanate will face while adjusting the oil

price,” Tawfiq Al Lawati, a Shura member who took part in the meeting, told Times of Oman.

Remittances from the expatriate community in Oman stood at OMR3.502 billion in 2013, compared to OMR3.109 in 2012; an increase of 12.6 per cent. According to the Shura committee around OMR60 million could be earned by taxing expat remittances per year.

“The budget is based on oil price set on $85. The global average is $75. So, we have proposed to revise it to $80. While revising it, the budget will face a deficit of OMR500 million to OMR700 million. So, to overcome the deficit we have proposed several measures, including taxing the remittances,” the Shura member added.

In a report issued by Central Bank of Oman in July this year, the remittances over the past five years were OMR13,621 billion, including OMR2.04b in 2009, OMR2.193b, in 2010, OMR2.774b in 2011, OMR 3.109b in 2012 and OMR3.502b in 2013.

The report attributes the rise to the increase in the number of

expatriate workers in the private sector, some 1,527,000 workers in 2013 compared to 1,316,000 in 2012. Apart from remittances by migrant workers, who are mostly working in the private sector, the report also takes into account outflows from expats employed in the public sector.

Commenting on the tax proposal, the CEO of Oman UAE Exchange said that it might encourage illegal money transfer.

“If it is a government decision, we have to follow it. But our concern is that this may encourage illegal money transfer,” Tonny George Alexander, CEO of Oman UAE Exchange, said.

“Every country has right to mobilise income for its development.

We cannot say no to their plans.

As majority of the expat workers belong to the low-income group, they should be exempted from tax,” Umesh Kumar, Chairman of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India Muscat Chapter, said.

Other than the move to impose tax on remittances to overcome the budget deficit, the Shura has suggested cutting the defence budget by 5 per cent, spending on certain government projects, rationalisation of the oil expenditure in line with production and also revision of the royalty fee on minerals trade.

“The royalty fee was reduced from 10 per cent to 5 per cent three years ago. We have proposed to make it again 10 per cent,” the Shura member added.

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

OMAN

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No cancellation of traffic fines

Wife to lose resident status if out of Oman

Omanis set to get e-visas in India

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For easing visa processing and help increase tourist inflow, India is all set to launch e-visa facility from November 27 for 40 countries, including Oman. >A4

On its Twitter account, Royal Oman Police (ROP) has scotched the rumours about traffic fines being cancelled on the occasion of 44th National Day. >A2

Since your wife is out of Oman and if she exceeds her stay beyond 180 days, she will lose her resident status and will not be able to re-enter the country. >A3

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4.5-MAGNITUDE

Earthquake hits Khasab Municipality considers ban on quad bikes

Times News Service MUSCAT: A 4.5-magnitude earthquake struck 68km off Khasab coast in the governorate of Musandam in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday evening, the Seismological Centre at Sultan Qaboos University said, adding that the epicentre was 26.47N and 56.59E with a depth of 10 kilometres.

A4 GULF CUP

Fans disappointed at Oman loss FAHAD AL GHADANI

fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Expectations of Omani fans had soared sky-high after their team thrashed Kuwait 5-0 in the quarterfinal encounter in Riyadh, but the soccer aficionados were left fuming at the team’s disappointing 3-1 loss to Qatar on Sunday in the Gulf Cup semifinal.

They were raising questions on the tactics used by national coach Paul Le Guen against Qatar.

Thanks to the hype created after the victory over Kuwait, life in Muscat virtually came to a standstill before the kick-off on Sunday evening with supporters glued to their TV sets at home and on the big screens at hotels in the city.

But what disheartened the Omani supporters more was the way the team gave in after taking a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute of the match.

“I am more disappointed with the way we lost the game,” said Ali Al Nabi. “They did not show any desire to win the match. There was no urgency. They did not play as they did against Kuwait and that is very disappointing,” he said.

Complacency Some fans attributed Oman’s failure to the complacency of the entire team.

“The players got carried away by the attention they got after the victory over Kuwait. All those involved with the game — fans, players and everybody went overboard with the celebrations,” said one fan.

“I felt as if we have won our second Gulf Cup. That was the kind of hype created after the Kuwait match,” another supporter said sarcastically. Some supporters questioned the strategy of coach Paul Le Guen and

some went to the extent of asking for his scalp.

Substitute “Any coach will field his best in an important match like a semifinal. But we have a coach who preferred not start with a player who scored a hat-trick in the previous match,” said another fan, Omar Nasir, referring to substitute Said Salim Al Ruzaiqi, who scored thrice in Oman’s 5-0 win over Kuwait.

“We were supposed to play the same way we played the last match with the same players. But unfortunately that was not the case. Said Salim was sent in with just 30 minutes left and by that time all was over for us,” he added.

He summed up the mood of fans saying: “The entire team and their performance was really disappointing. We are all sad.”

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DECISION

HM issues four Royal Decrees SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

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

Remittances 2009-2013

3.5

In billion OMR

3.1 3

2

2.8 2.2

2.0

12.6%

12.1%

26.5%

7.5%

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0 Source: Central Bank of Oman

Graphics

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has issued four Royal Decrees as follows: Royal Decree No. 62/2014 promulgates a law fixing fees for the hydrocarbon materials and petroleum products shipping port. Article (1) stipulates that the provisions of the attached “Law on Fixing Fees for the Hydrocarbon Materials and Petroleum Products’ Shipping Port” shall be enforced.

Article (2) cancels all that contravenes or contradicts the provisions of this Decree.

Article (3) states that the Decree shall be published in the gazette and that it shall be enforced with effect from the day following its date of issue.

Issued on November 23, 2014.

Royal Decree No. 63/2014 endorses the organisational structure of the Directorate General of the Supreme Council for Planning.

Article (1) approves the organisational structure of the Secretariat General of the Supreme Council for Planning in accordance with the procedure stated in the annex attached to the Decree.

Article (2) cancels all that contravenes or contradicts the provisions of this Decree.

Article (3) states that this decree shall be published in the gazette and that it shall take effect on its date of issue. Issued on November 23, 2014. >A6

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M O N DAY, NOVEMB ER 24, 2014

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The ROP might think of exempting motorists with limited traffic fines from paying renewal fees of their vehicles ROP official

No cancellation of traffic fines

CLARIFICATION: An official source said that cancelling traffic fines of defaulters would be unfair to those motorists who adhere to the traffic laws and regulations.–File photo

The ROP has denied the rumours doing the rounds that all traffic fines would be waived off on National Day

FAHAD AL GHADANI fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: On its Twitter account, Royal Oman Police (ROP) has scotched the rumours about traffic fines being cancelled on the occasion of 44th National Day. The rumours had begun doing the rounds earlier that the ROP would be cancelling all traffic fines recorded in the system on account of National Day. However, an ROP official nipped all such rumours in the bud, stating that there were no reasons to cancel any traffic fines.

“The official explained that cancelling traffic fines of default-

ers would be unfair to those motorists who adhere to traffic laws and regulations,” said the source.

Instead, a reward could be given in terms of some facilities to those with clean record, he added.

Reason behind rumour The reason behind the spread of the rumour was upgrade of the immigration system, due to which all electronic transactions had been stopped, according to the source.

“Individuals who visited the immigration department last week to process their transactions found that the system was down due to the upgrade,” said

the source, while adding that the ROP official revealed that all electronic transactions, including payment of traffic fines online, had been stopped until the system was upgraded.

“People were under the impression that once the electronic pay system stopped, the ROP had decided to cancel traffic fines,” said the source.

“The ROP might think of exempting motorists with limited traffic fines from paying renewal fees of their vehicles,” the source said, but cautioned that even this was just a possibility and there was nothing definite.

The ROP has also advised the public to verify all information from them.

“People must not believe anyone and must instantly revert to the concerned authority,” said the official.

He added that in any such cases there will be a clear announcement from ROP through Oman TV, radio channels or at the ROP account on the social media.

MO N DAY, N OV E MB E R 24, 2 0 14

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T R A F F I C FA C I L I T Y

LEGAL COLUMN

Working wife will lose resident status if she stays out of the country beyond 180 days My wife is working with a private school as a foreign language teacher and she is out of country for the last four months. As she cannot fly back due to doctor’s advice, we fear her visa may get cancelled after 180 days of her departure. The school management is ready to give her NOC to change her visa to my company’s family visa. Is it possible to change the visa in her absence if we bring her passport and residence card here and get the new visa stamped and residence card changed, so that she can fly back to her home country later without any issues?

Since your wife is out of the country and if she exceeds her stay beyond the permitted 180 days, she will lose her resident status and will not be able to re-enter the country

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

Times News Service MUSCAT: It’s a special occasion for Malayalee Christian Congregation (MCC) as it’s celebrating its 45th anniversary on Wednesday, at the Protestant Church in Oman (PCO) Complex in Ruwi.

The congregation is one of the oldest Christian congregations functioning in Oman, which also serves as an inter-denominational organisation since its inception on July 3, 1970. From a small beginning with few members, the congregation has grown in strength over the last four-and-a-half decades with hundreds of members.

MCC extends financial help to various charitable organisations in India from time to time, besides striving to render financial help to needy Indians in Oman and in India. The congregation has a team, which regularly visits hospitals to offer financial support and consolation to needy sick people.

Coinciding with the 30th anniversary, MCC provided aid to build houses for five homeless families In India. A ‘Marriage Aid Scheme,’ which commenced in connection with the thirtyfifth anniversary, has provided financial support to 35 poor girls.

use this flyover. – Jun Estrada/TIMES OF OMAN

Stars Cinema-Darsait flyover opens partially STAFF REPORTER

on the same visa. Please note that even after the expiry of 180 days, her visa will remain valid in the official records (computer) and this needs to be cancelled and removed by the authorities. Please request your wife’s employer to approach the Manpower and Immigration authorities to physically cancel the visa and resident permit from the records.

You may also surrender the resident card to the employer

for submission to the concerned authorities.

Once this procedure is done, you may apply for a family joining visa for your wife. There is no need for her to be in Oman to carry out these procedures.

You can apply for family visa even without a no-objection letter from your wife’s employer as NOC is mandatory only for change of employment visas and not for other type of visas (visit, family joining, investor etc.)

E X PAT A F FA I R S

Malayalee Christians to hold function

STRAIGHT RUN: Those going to Darsait from Wadi Kabir can now

DRIVE SLOWER LIVE LONGER

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.

MUSCAT: Motorists in Ruwi got a boost yesterday morning after partial opening of the flyover near Stars Cinema. “Those going to Darsait from Wadi Kabir can now use the flyover,” Jose Chacko, whose office is located near Stars Cinema, said.

However, the flyover for motorists coming from Darsait towards Wadi Kabir has not yet been opened. Due to the road expansion works, motorists heading to Darsait previously had to use the

narrow, congested road running alongside the flyover.

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Now the motorists can go straight over, but if heading towards Ruwi, they have to take a U-turn, underneath the flyover, in front of Stars Cinema and then come again to Sheraton junction and take the right turn to Ruwi.

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M O N DAY, NOVEMB ER 24, 2014

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years of the Renaissance era and the good news of His Majesty’s good health will be celebrated at Bait Al Zubair

SAFETY ISSUES

Muscat Municipality suggests banning quad bikes on roads Times News Service MUSCAT: At the 10th meeting of Muscat Municipality Council, the Municipality suggested a complete ban on those driving quad bikes in residential areas, roads and highways, and even proposed a fine on anyone violating such a ban.

The meeting was chaired

by Mohsin bin Mohammed Al Sheikh, chairman of the Council, and was attended by members and officials from the Directorate General for Environment Affairs at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs.

The Council also decided on developing the Bausher sand area and banning the unlicensed shops

which rent out motorbikes illegally. The Council also discussed that there should be a specific place for the quad bikers for pursuing the hobby. They also urged the Ministry of Housing to look into the issue.

Lack of safety measures Earlier this year, a large number of people had gathered in Bausher Sands to voice their concern over the lack of safety measures observed by quad bike rental shops in the area after a 16-year-old boy met with an accident while dune bashing with friends.

“Younger drivers must be accompanied by an adult and must wear protective gear,” Sudipta

DANGER AHEAD: Residents called for spreading awareness among people about the dangerous sport and flouting of safety rules by quad bike rental shops.–File photo

NATIONAL MUSEUM’S SOFT OPENING IN MUSCAT The Ministry of Heritage and Culture yesterday unveiled the soft opening of the National Museum, under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tareq Al Said, Minister of Heritage & Culture and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum. The official opening of National Museum is scheduled in the first half of 2015, said Jamal bin Hassan Al Mosawi, director of the museum.—ONA

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Kumar, an Indian expat in Bausher, said. Residents also called for spreading awareness among people about the dangerous sport and flouting of safety rules by quad bike rental shops.

“I visited the Bausher dunes this weekend and noticed several teenagers risking their lives by riding without helmets. Although rental shops ask for age proof, but children below 16 years are allowed to ride the bikes if a guardian accepts to sign the declaration form for them. The ride should be better organised,” a road safety expert said.

He also said that wearing a helmet decreases the risk of injuries by more than 70 per cent.

Statistics from the World Health Organisation state that people riding bicycles or motorcycles who were killed in road accidents in Oman accounted for five per cent of the total number of accident fatalities.

In 2013, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) registered more than 300 bicycle and motorcycle accidents.

In the past 10 years, between 2004 and 2013, there were 2,609 twowheeler accidents which left 177 riders dead and 2,684 injured.

“In Oman, we don’t have too many bikes or motorcycles. So considering not too many people ride motorcycles or bikes here, the number is quite high,” the road safety expert added.

Omanis set to get e-visas for India Last year, Oman was included on visa-onarrival list (VOA) and countries which are currently having VOA facility in India will also be covered under the new scheme TRAVEL CONVENIENCE: Once implemented, the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) will allow foreign travellers to apply for a visa and receive an online confirmation.

REJIMON K reji@timesofoman.com P U B L I C A F FA I R S

Survey on services under way Times News Service MUSCAT: Household survey of citizens which is under way in Oman would be collecting data researchers and policy makers for better governance.

The National Centre for Statistics and Information’s (NCSI) survey, which ends on December 15, comes as a part of NCSI’s strategy to collect accurate and reliable data.

The surveyors will be canvassing the opinion and assessment of the citizens regarding a number of

key issues related to the services provided by the government like health-care, education, security among others.

“Conducting this survey of Omani citizens is a part of NCSI’s efforts to provide decision makers in Oman with reliable data covering the different aspects of Omani daily life, including the various services provided by different government institutions,” said Hisham bin Mohammed Al Hashmi, acting director of Department of Measuring Public Opinion at NCSI.

“The survey will take place over the phone whereby subjects will receive calls from NCSI representatives. The NCSI call centre is fully equipped to conduct such surveys and it is an effective and time saving way to collect valuable data and feedback from citizens in Sultanate. NCSI representatives are trained to interview the survey participants, review the data and ensure quality record keeping. The survey sample covers some 1,200 Omanis all over the country who are above 18 years of age,” he added.

MUSCAT: In a step that will ease visa processing and help increase the inflow of tourists, the Indian government is all set to launch electronic visa (e-visa) facility on Thursday for about 40 countries, including Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, the USA and the UK, among others.

In October 2013, Oman was included in visa-on-arrival (VOA) list and according to the latest reports, countries which are currently having VOA facility in India will also be covered under the new scheme. According to Indian media reports quoting Indian tourism ministry officials, the e-visa facility for 43 countries would be rolled out by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh along with Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma.

Once implemented, the electronic

travel authorisation (ETA) will allow foreign travellers to apply for a visa and receive an online confirmation within three to five working days.

30-day period The ETA will be available for a 30-day period from the date of the tourist’s arrival in India. The government plans to establish a separate website to extend the facility to foreigners intending to visit India as tourists. To obtain the visa, they would need to apply through the designated website along with the required fees.

The e-visa scheme received the PMO’s nod in June and is expected to be implemented in time for the country’s tourist season.

The countries that are unlikely to be on the list include those on “prior reference’’ list which in-

clude Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Afghanistan.

This is the first time that electronic visas will be implemented in the country. According to the Indian officials, plans were afoot to include all 109 countries in a phased manner.

International tourist inflow to India has been growing at about six to seven per cent annually.

The foreign tourist arrival in India during 2013 was about seven million, with growth of 5.9 per cent as compared to the year 2012.

This year, till September 2014, there has been growth of 7.6 per cent in foreign tourist arrival.

Between January and September 2014, 19,290 visas on arrival were issued, compared to 13,859 during the same time last year, reflecting an increase of 39.2 per cent.

N AT I O N A L D AY C E L E B R AT I O N S

Bait Al Zubair to celebrate National Day with poetry Times News Service MUSCAT: As part of the 44th National Day celebrations, Bait Al Zubair is organising an evening of poetry under the auspices of Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al Rawas, Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan for Cultural Affairs.

The event will be held at Bait Al Zubair Auditorium today.

Titled ‘A Tribute to Our Leader,’ the evening of poetry will be an occasion to pay tributes to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, for Oman’s achievements under his wise leadership and patronage. The poets’ recitations will also convey their happiness with His Majesty’s recent speech to the citizens, and will reflect the poets’ reassurance about his good health. Many renowned Omani poets will participate in the evening, including Said Al Saqlawy, Hasan al Matrooshi, Mohammed Qaratas and Hisham al Saqri.

Commenting on his participation, Said Al Saqlawy said, “It was my pleasure to receive the invitation from Bait Al Zubair to be part of this event. Patriotic events like this give us the opportunity to express our gratitude and love towards His Majesty and our beloved country. Every citizen of our country shares the mutual feeling of love and appreciation for His Majesty.”

Mohammed Qaratas, on his

EVENING OF POETRY: Many renowned Omani poets will

participate in the evening, including Said Al Saqlawy, Hasan al Matrooshi, Mohammed Qaratas and Hisham al Saqri.

part, said, “I’m honoured to be one of the participants at this event that has gathered some of the most eminent Omani poets to express their thoughts through poetry. I would also take the opportunity to thank Mohammed Al Zubair, Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan for Economic Planning, for his support for various national, cultural social events like these.”

Commenting on the special evening of poetry being held as a tribute to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Abdullah al Zubair of the Zubair Corporation said, “November 18 is the date that every citizen of Oman awaits with pride. It is a time to celebrate the

strides and achievements under the wise leadership of His Majesty, and an occasion to express love for our country and our beloved Sultan. This event is a tribute to our achievements during the 44 years of the Renaissance era and the good news of His Majesty’s good health.”

Abdullah Al Zubair added, “We named the event ‘A Tribute to Our Leader’ to express our deep gratitude and warm feelings towards our wise leader His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. During the renaissance period, Oman has witnessed progress in various fields, and it is our way of showing reverence to our leader and celebrating our achievements as a nation.”

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M O N DAY, NOVEMB ER 24, 2014

OMAN TURKEY

HM receives thanks MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of thanks from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey in reply to His Majesty’s congratulatory cable on the occasion of his country’s 91st Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic.

In his cable, President Erdogan expressed his thanks for His

Majesty the Sultan’s generous congratulations.

He affirmed to His Majesty his complete confidence that the mutual cooperation and the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries are in continuous progress, wishing His Majesty good health and wellbeing and the Omani people further progress and welfare. -ONA

I think many of those companies which have received visas did not avail these for contracting.

Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry

Misuse of ‘contracting firm’ tag to be curbed The new regulations for the contracting

They (companies) have misused that and I (would) say they have misused that greatly

sector in Sultanate would help identify ‘genuine’ contractors from those misusing

Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy

this title

Minister of Commerce and Industry ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Major initiatives are under way to curb the misuse of the label of ‘contracting firm’ to easily obtain visas for foreign workers.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is set to implement a recent ministerial decision to reclassify professions in the contracting sector, a move aimed at curbing an unhealthy practice that has been prevailing in the country for decades.

Minister of Commerce and Industry Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy said on Sunday that the new regulations introduced for the contracting sector in Oman will help identify ‘true’ contractors from those misusing this title.

Al Sunaidy made the remarks on the sidelines of a conference held to brief the contracting companies on the new ministerial decision, under which contracting companies have one year to register with the Oman Society of Contractors (OSC) after receiving their commercial registration. The decision includes other articles as well.

Speaking to the reporters, the minister said that the contract-

ing sector is an important sector which has fuelled the economy for many years but the lack of strict regulations has led to a situation where many people only pretend to be into ‘contracting.’

Al Sunaidy said, “I think many of those companies which have received visas did not avail these for contracting but because they thought that we give leverage for contracting and they can use it to bring in as many employees as they want in the name of not stopping our development plans.

“They have misused that and I (would) say they have misused that greatly. Now, that is affecting the actual contractors because when the actual contractors come to recruit (workers) they always have to listen to a ‘No’ because we do not want to inflate the numbers in that sector.”

Job reclassification He said that the ministerial decision, which will be implemented in cooperation with the OSC, will help regulate the market through reclassification of the jobs within the sector.

“In terms of Omanisation, I think it is unfair that there are around 700,000 non-Om-

anis in the sector and there are about 50,000 Omanis,” the minister said.

“This is why we now would like to work very closely with the society … to put a clear explanation about this and if you clearly define it and say this is what contracting is, the movement of the labour would be only within the sector and not outside the sector,” Al Sunaidy added.

“Then you need to check how the jobs of those working in the sector are classified and see whether it is indeed true that we have 700,000 people contributing to the well-being via contracting in Oman? I personally do not think so.”

Financial statement The official added that there are also companies which called themselves contracting companies but have never contracted and do not issue any financial statements at the end of the year.

“We will then start asking them for financial statements (and) their activities. If these people are not ‘true’ contracting people, then let’s not call them contracting people,” said the minister.

Those who have misused the ti-

tle of ‘contractor’ all these years need to be treated accordingly, he noted.

Commenting on small and medium enterprises, Al Sunaidy said that many businesses involved in contracting activities are not truly owned and managed by Omanis who can bring added value.

Also, he said, “If you look at what the contractors are doing today, they are doing far more than contracting.”

“Look at, for example, a contractor who also runs a catering company? Look at contractors who have delivery vans, who also run housing (services). These are things that are not really the core business of contractors. They could have dealt with SMEs to do that,” the minister said.

Hamed Hashim Al Dhahab, OSC’s chairman, said that the new ministerial decision will add value to the sector by introducing classification and will help the companies, especially SMEs, to improve their standards.

He said that according to his interpretation of the decision, it is ‘mandatory’ for the contracting companies to register with the OSC one year after having obtained their commercial registration and those who do not abide by the decision may face problems when they want to renew their registration.

Simon Karam, a board member of the society, lamented the fact that the contracting sector has remained ‘chaotic’ and ‘unorganised,’ noting that 60 per cent of the workforce in this sector comprises those employed in grade 3 and 4 companies which are not supervised properly.

Karam also called for ‘practical’ Omanisation target to be introduced for this sector, saying that while it may be said that 30 per cent of the workforce in the contracting sector is Omani, in reality they may be only 10 per cent.

D E L E G AT I O N ’ S V I S I T

PDO focuses on job creation, training avenues Times News Service MUSCAT: To learn more about the company’s approach for supporting the Omani economy and society, Minister of State and Governor of Muscat, Sayyid Saoud bin Hilal Al Busaidi visited the headquarters of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) The delegation also included Sayyid Said bin Ibrahim Al Busaidi, Deputy Governor, and the walis of the Governorate’s wilayats of Muttrah, Bausher, Seeb, Quriyat and Amerat.

The group was received updates on PDO’s In-Country Value (ICV) programme and strategy, which focuses on retaining more of the industry’s wealth in the Sultanate by creating more jobs and providing more training opportunities for nationals and encouraging the

UPDATES: Visitors had an overview of PDO’s Social Investment

Programme which supports the Omani community.

growth of Omani businesses.

In addition, the visitors had an overview of the company’s Social Investment Programme which supports the community by undertaking different projects in health, education and infrastruc-

ture, funding vocational training and scholarships for those from low-income backgrounds and giving grants and donations to worthy causes.

The PDO’s External Affairs Director, Abdul-Amir bin Abdul-

Hussein Al Ajmi, said, “We were delighted to receive the Governor of Muscat and his colleagues.

“They were keen to learn more about how PDO, under the guidance of the Ministry of Oil and Gas, is making a real difference to thousands of lives through our targeted economic and social investment.”

Sayyid Saoud bin Hilal Al Busaidi said, “It is no secret what PDO has accomplished for Oman’s economy and the tremendous support it has given to the community.

“I am impressed with PDO’s Omanisation level and the efforts put into the Social Investment Programme. We look forward to future co-operation with PDO.” The guests also heard about other key PDO priorities including health and safety etc.

ENVOY APPOINTED

< FROM

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Housing Ministry

Royal Decree No. 64/2014 defines the prerogatives of the and approves its organisational structure. Article (1) states that the prerogatives of the Ministry of Housing shall be defined in accordance with Annex (1) attached to the Decree. Article (2) approves the organisational structure of the Ministry of Housing in accordance with Annex (2) attached to the Decree. Article (3) cancels all that contravenes or contradicts the provisions of this Decree.

Article (4) stipulates that the Decree shall be published in the gazette and that it shall be enforced on the day following its date of publishing.

Royal Decree No. 65/2014 appointing non-resident ambassador . Article (1) appoints Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Zahir Al Hinai, Oman’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the Sultanate’s nonresident ambassador to the Republic of Latvia.

Article (2) states that the Decree shall be published in the gazette and that it shall take effect on its date of issue. Issued on November 23, 2014. -ONA

MO N DAY, N OV E MB E R 24, 2 0 14 Sunday’s vote in Tunisia follows the general election in October when the main secular Nidaa Tounes party won the most seats in the parliament, beating the Ennahda party that had won the first free poll in 2011

Tunisians vote for first directly elected president Nidaa Tounes leader Beji Caid Essebsi is the frontrunner alongside the current president Moncef Marzouki

TUNIS: Tunisians went to the polls on Sunday to vote for their first directly elected president, in the final step to be taken to full democracy after the 2011 protests that ended the rule of former leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. More than three years since overturning Ben Ali’s one-party rule, Tunisia has become a model of transition for the region by adopting a new constitution, the politics of compromise and avoiding the turmoil facing its neighbours. “Another distinguished day in the history of Tunisia,” said Mouna Jeballi, voting in Soukra district in Tunis. “Now we are the only country in the Arab world who does not know who their president will be until after the vote is finished.”

Sunday’s vote follows the general election in October when the main secular Nidaa Tounes party won the most seats in the parliament, beating the Ennahda party that had won the first free poll in 2011. After its protests Tunisia needs stability, with the new government facing the need to make the tough reforms in public spending demanded by international lenders to boost growth and

DISTINGUISHED DAY: Daughters of judge and presidential

candidate Kalthoum Kannou, Sarra, right and Mariam, raise their ink-stained fingers after casting their votes at a polling station in Tunis on Sunday. – Reuters

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create jobs, while also managing a crackdown on militants.

Nearly 30 presidential candidates are running but the Nidaa Tounes leader, Beji Caid Essebsi, an 87-year-old former Ben Ali official, has emerged as a frontrunner alongside the current president, Moncef Marzouki, who warns against the rise of one-party era figures like Essebsi.

Turnout looked lighter than the legislative election at polling stations around Tunis early on Sunday. Election officials said around 12 per cent of the registered electorate had voted two hours after polling started.

Results will be released within 48 hours. But most analysts predict neither Essebsi nor Marzouki will win enough votes to avoid a second round of voting in December. “Tunisians will have their say and I will accept their

choice to consolidate Tunisia’s transition,” Essebsi told reporters after voting.

Deal-making between secular and hardline rivals has been a feature of Tunisia’s political success, including hardliners taking a more flexible approach to allowing officials in the Ben Ali era to return to politics.

But the ascent of former ministers and members of Ben Ali’s RCD party is worrying some critics who say they fear their return will be a setback for the revolt against one-party rule and rife corruption.

Essebsi and other former officials say they were not involved in the abuses of the former regime, presenting themselves instead as technocrats having the skills which the country now needs in government.

A new Nidaa Tounes-led government will be formed after the presidential ballot. But the narrow lead it holds over the hardliners of Ennahda in parliament will mean tough post-election negotiations over the new administration. — Reuters

REGION

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M O N DAY, NOVEMB ER 24, 2014

INDIA

One thing I will promise. I have being given a task. I will see that my task of strengthening India, the position where where people should not dare see eye to eye with India...we don’t intend to be offensive Manohar Parrikar, Defence minister

Parrikar aims for zero error defence systems Parrikar says energy security and your own security cannot be dependent on others. You can’t depend on some foreign countries for all your procurements UPBEAT: Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar with minister of

GURGAON: Promising a “lot of things”, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday outlined a multi-pronged approach of a non-offensive but strong India while making it clear that there will be “zero tolerance to error” in defence-related issues.

“One thing I will promise. I have being given a task. I will see that my task of strengthening India, the position where where people should not dare see eye to eye with India...we don’t intend to be offensive,” Parrikar said addressing

state for defence, Rao Inderjit Singh during the inauguration of the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) of the Indian Navy in Gurgaon on Sunday. - PTI

Navy personnel at the inauguration of the Information Management and Analysis centre (IMAC) of Navy here.

He said India has not ruled any other country which he said was “probably unique to India and probably to some extent to China”.

“Even in Ramayana, when deity Rama went to Lanka he did not rule it. He gave it to Vibhishan to rule it. This nation does not have

the history of ruling other countries,” he said, adding, the country cannot be weak.

Parrikar said the biggest defence is to be strong.

“I promise the task given to me, I will fulfil...You can expect lot of things,” he said.

Asked what was the specific task given to him by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Parrikar said, “defence is one field which requires a

lot of secrecy,” but added that the outcome of the task is to assure that the defence sector gets its due and becomes a cohesive strong force making India self- sufficient.

“Energy security and your own security cannot be dependent on others. You can’t depend on some foreign countries for all your procurements,” he said.

Parrikar noted that defence equipment are purchased for a period of 20-30 years.

“You can’t suddenly find yourself trapped in a condition that the party which has supplied you the material faces some blockade or some sanctions for supply to conflict zone,” he said.

Parrikar praised the IMAC and said he appreciates the “quick and fast delivery” of system because he thinks it should ensure “99.99 per cent” against incidents like the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks by earlier detection.

He underlined that there should be “zero tolerance to error”. - PTI

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LANGUAGE ROW

Smriti turns down demands to make Sanskrit compulsory NEW DELHI: Taking on her critics, Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday dismissed charges that education was being saffronised even as she turned down demands that Sanskrit be made compulsory in the curriculum.

“Those who accuse me of being a RSS mascot or RSS representative possibly want to deflect the attention from the good work that we have done... this agenda will be flagged and I will be whipped for as long as there is a need to keep attention diverted away from the good work. I am ready for it.

I have no problem,” she told PTI journalists at the agency headquarters here.

Answering questions on the controversial decision to replace German with Sanskrit as the third language in some 500 Centrally-run Kendriya Vidyalayas, Irani said that teaching of German under an MoU signed in 2011 had been in violation of the Constitution.

An investigation has already been launched to find out how the MoU came to be signed.

Responding to demands that Sanskrit be made a compulsory language, the minister said that

Smriti Irani

the three language formula was very clear that any of the 23 Indian languages listed in Schedule 8 of the Constitution could be opted for. But she reiterated that German will continue to be taught as a foreign language. “...we are teaching French, we are teaching Mandarin, we teach German in the same way. For the life in me, I can’t understand why people are not understanding what I am saying,” she said.

Irani had earlier strongly defended the decision to replace German with Sanskrit as the third language, saying the existing arrangement was in violation of the Constitution. - PTI

C A N O N I S AT I O N

Special Vatican honour for two Syro Malabar Church pioneers VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Sunday declared Fr Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia Eluventhinkal from India as Saints at Vatican.

With their Canonisation, as the finale of the long-drawn process is known in Catholic parlance, the centuries old Syro Malabar Catholic Church has three Saints, the first being Sister Alphonsa raised to the revered rank in 2008.

The two from southern Indian state Kerala were declared as Saints during a special mass at St Peter’s Square at Vatican, Syro Malabar Catholic Church sources said here.

According to church scholars, Syro Malabar Church, which

traces its origin to the visit of Apostle St Thomas to the Kerala coast in the first century AD, is one of the 22 Eastern Churches in Full Communion with Rome.

The Pope declared Chavara and Euphrasia as Saints during a special mass at St Peter’s Square at Vatican, a moment shared in elation and spiritual fervour by churches across Kerala where the faithful throng in large numbers for thanks giving service and prayers.

A large number of devotees, two Cardinals, bishops and clergy and nuns from Kerala attended the ceremony at Vatican also.

Three places closely associated to the lives of Chavara and

Euprhasia at Mannman in Kottayam, Koonammavu in Ernakulam and Ollur in Thrissur have already been in a jubilant mood for the last several days.

Founder of the congregation Carmalites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), F Kuriakose Elias Chavara (1805-1871) was more than a spiritual leader of Syro Malabar Catholic community.

Historians and church chroniclers consider him as a social reformer who gave thrust to secular education of not only Catholics but also of children other communities, especially the depressed classes. Incidentally, one of the first institutions he founded was a Sanskrit school. - PTI

MO N DAY, N OV E MB E R 24, 2 0 14

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Second-generation reforms promised

AMBITIOUS PROJECT

MoU signed to set up Entertainment City in Visakhapatnam AFTAB H. KOLA

Our Correspondent

The finance minister said the economic reforms to be unveiled in the budget early next year would help kickstart the stuttering economy

NEW DELHI: India’s Finance Minister Arun Jaitley promised on Sunday to unveil a whole series of “second-generation” reforms to try to kickstart the stuttering economy.

In an interview with the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency, Jaitley said the reforms that would be unveiled in the budget early next year would help the country cross the six per cent growth mark in 2015-16. “The country needs a larger opening out in more sectors... I think we have a lot of exciting times ahead of us and I do see investments coming into India,” he told the agency.

Second-generation reforms Asked about the broad contours of the budget, Jaitley said there was “a whole set of second-generation reforms”. The first generation in 1991 opened up India’s economy to foreign investment while introducing major trade liberalisation and tax reforms.

The economy grew by 5.7 per cent in the first financial quarter, its best pace since early 2012, spurred by growing business confidence following the landslide election victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

MAKING HIS POINT: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during an interaction with PTI journalists in

New Delhi, on Sunday. - PTI

Although the right-wing government has introduced some reforms, it has so far steered clear of “big bang” initiatives that economists say are needed to boost investment and manufacturing.

Jaitley also hinted that the government might reconsider its subsidy policy. A reduction of the scope of subsidies currently being provided to well-off people appears to be on the anvil with the finance minister questioning the justification of “unquantified” subsidy amounts to “unidentifiable” sections.

However, he maintained that some element of subsidy will have to remain for a large section who are entitled to it since the country has lot of poor people who need state support.

“Yesterday I had said why should people like you and me get an LPG subsidy and look at the kind of burden it is having on the budget. We have started living with the deficit budget. We just make sure that our

fiscal deficit is not beyond a particular point,” he said at an interaction with PTI journalists at the agency’s headquarters here.

Some element of subsidy, he said, would always be required because there were lot of poor people who need support. “But then you cannot have such sections enjoying the benefit who are not entitled to,” he added.

Under the current dispensation, the minister said the government targets a specific number for deficit and in turn borrows from the market to fund current expenditure.

“You cannot have a subsidy, an unquantified amount given to an unidentified section of people.

So subsidy must be a quantified amount given to an identifiable section. It cannot be made for unidentifiable section of people,” he said, adding duplication of subsidy benefits results in losses to the exchequer to the tune of “thousands of crores”.

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“We will leave the next generation in debt so that they (next generation) levy higher taxes to pay back the loan of subsidising me, when I am not entitled to the subsidy. So this kind of an economy will keep the country in a trap,” he said.

India’s subsidy bill increased fivefold under the previous leftleaning Congress government, which implemented policies to buy agricultural produce at guaranteed prices and distribute cheap grain to the poor. Modi’s government has held back from dismantling many populist schemes. But it did recently lift diesel price controls in a move to reduce India’s energy bill. - Agencies

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HYDERABAD: Visakhapatnam, the largest city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, has yet another good news after being declared a Smart City.

The Andhra Pradesh government and Eros Investments Limited (EIL) of the Isle of Man, the UK, has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up an Entertainment City with an investment of between Rs300 billion and Rs60,000 billion.

The Entertainment City will house hospitality clusters and attract a large number of tourists, bringing in revenue to the service sector in the State. It will consist of a media city, an amusement park, commercial and residential spaces, hotels and leisure and healthcare facilities. The project proposal submitted by EIL would be taken forward by the state tourism department.

To generate employment Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said this will raise the tourism profile of the state and help generate employment. Special Chief Secretary (Tourism)

Chandana Khan signed the MoU on behalf of the Andhra Pradesh government while Subodh Agarwal from the EIL signed the deal.

The Chief Minister was present on this occasion.

The EIL, which co-produces, acquires and distributes Indian language films in multiple formats worldwide, stated that it would create the EC in association with Euromax Capital Limited, a boutique investment banking firm. It would also form strategic partnerships and collaborations with leading experts and organisations for the city’s development.

Eros Investment Limited is a subsidiary of Eros International PLC. The Entertainment City will comprise a media city, an amusement park, commercial and residential spaces, hotels and leisure and healthcare facilities. The integrated media city will have preproduction, production and postproduction facilities for film, TV and advertising industries.

The project would come up on 5,000 acres, most of which would be beachfront. Sources also said Naidu briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the project and sought the Centre’s help.

PAY D I S P U T E

Workers kill plantation owner NEW DELHI: Angry workers have hacked to death the owner of a tea plantation in eastern India over a payment dispute, police said on Sunday, underscoring festering labour unrest in the region.

Rajesh Jhunjhunwala, 45, was dragged out in the middle of discussions and attacked by the irate mob at the Sonali tea estate in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal state, a local police officer said.

“Our preliminary investiga-

tions have revealed that there was some issue of payments. It appears he was attacked by some sharp weapons,” P.T. Bhutia said.

Police were also searching the neighbouring villages as the culprits fled after the incident at the estate, which is spread over some 400 acres of land in the Dooars region, he added Tea workers are notoriously badly paid and often housed in poor accommodation in remote areas. - AFP

MO N DAY, N OV E MB E R 24, 2 0 14

Government ‘not to challenge’ Pervez verdict Despite Friday’s decision of the special court, Musahrraf’s legal team’s worries are not over as the former military ruler is still the prime accused in the case

The court directed the government to include the names of then prime minister Shaukat Aziz, his law minister Zahid Hamid and exchief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar — in

Pervez Musharraf

the charge sheet ISLAMABAD: The government has decided not to challenge Friday’s order of the special court trying former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf on treason charges for subverting the Constitution by promulgating emergency rule on November 3, 2007, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The three-judge special court directed the government to include the names of three former top civilian officials — then prime minister Shaukat Aziz, his law minister Zahid Hamid and exchief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar — in the charge sheet.

A source, however, said that Zahid Hamid, who resigned as minister for science and technology in the incumbent cabinet after the court order, and Abdul Hameed Dogar will challenge the decision independently. There has been no reaction from Shaukat Aziz, who has been living in self-exile for the last six years.

“The court will take up this case on December 9. However, the government has so far not given permission to the prosecution team to challenge Friday’s decision in the Supreme Court,” a member of the prosecution team said, adding that there was still enough time to take any decision.

He said that it was a difficult

PAKISTAN

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decision to move the Supreme Court this time because in the past Musharraf’s petitions were not entertained against interim orders of the special court.

The prosecution team also argued at different times that only the final order of the special court could be challenged in the apex court. “Yes, it is difficult for us to swallow our own argument at this juncture,” said another senior member of the prosecution team.

Despite his resignation from the cabinet slot, it is not yet clear whether Zahid Hamid will continue his role as a member of different parliamentary panels and head of a key parliamentary committee on electoral reforms. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has not accepted his resignation thus far.

Zahid Hamid is recognised for his ability to deal with documents. This quality has brought him closer to both Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. According to insiders, the prime minister would take a decision after consulting these two key cabinet members.

According to a government minister, Zahid Hamid will argue before the apex court that the law ministry had merely played the role of post office while process-

ing summaries and orders related to the 2007 emergency and that no formal comments had been sought from the ministry in this regard.

Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that he was considering challenging the decision which, he said, was being reviewed by his friends. Dogar is currently living in Islamabad.

Despite Friday’s decision of the special court, Musahrraf’s legal team’s worries are not over as the former military ruler is still the prime accused in the case, a member of his defence team said. The judgment has also exonerated Musharraf’s military aiders.

Fresh investigation “We will convince the court to pass an order for fresh investigation against all military officials, who were part and parcel in every decision of Musharraf,” he added.

He said the court has already found investigation in the case faulty and inaccurate. “The prime minister also did not constitute a commission to oversee the investigation,” he added. When approached, Musharraf’s lead counsel Dr Farogh Naseem refused to comment on this judgment.

— Express Tribune

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BLAME GAME

Rashid accuses Imran of ‘misusing public money’ ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid has accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan of using public money to pursue his political campaigning.

Rashid, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Sunday, said the airplane used by Imran for his ongoing political campaign across the country belongs to JWD Sugar Mills.

“JDW is a public limited company and the PTI secretary general Jahangir Tareen only has 29.76 per cent shares in the company,” he said.

“The other 70.24 per cent shares are owned by other financial institutions and shareholders.”

He added that using the aircraft for political motives is an illegal act as per company laws.

Company law “Company laws say any public company limited company cannot give donations to a political party and cannot contribute in monetary terms.”

Rashid further said the airplane was bought for company interests but was being used for politics.

“I haven’t heard if the majority of

shareholders decided to use their airplane for PTI’s political campaign,” he said.

Rashid said such misuse of funds was being carried out by a person who gives lectures the public on integrity and uprightness on a daily basis.

Tareen, while talking to Express News, accused Rashid of blatantly lying.

“Whenever Imran Khan has travelled in the plane, I have paid all the expenses myself,” he said.

“I have all the documents since the day he has started using the aircraft.” — Express Tribune

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Rochester by-polls hint at rainbow parliament

B

ritish by-elections sometimes become collector’s items – “earthquakes” that “break the mould” of politics. Is Rochester such a collectable? In some ways it was a less than classic performance from Ukip. A 7 per cent lead is not something that Mark Reckless should feel entirely comfortable with. On the other hand, when the by-election was called David Cameron unwisely declared that he would stop Ukip in its tracks. Had he managed to do so, the coverage would have been far less positive for Nigel Farage. So the Ukip win in Rochester and Strood should be kept in perspective. One striking feature is the way that the vote share enjoyed by the three main parties collapsed in roughly the same degree; Labour down 12 percentage points, the Conservatives down 14, and the Liberal Democrats by 15. This is not a great place to be for any of the three mainstream parties; Ukip is a problem for all of them. That protest vote should sustain it between now and the election, the product of deep disillusionment with politics. But there were hints at the end of the campaign that Ukip has its own vulnerabilities. When Reckless apparently called for EU migrants to be deported it raised eyebrows even in Ukip, and a “clarification” was swiftly issued. It gave an obvious clue to what Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg should do about Ukip – attack it relentlessly on the, admittedly often non-existent, detail of its policies. How would it reduce the deficit? Fund the NHS? Create jobs? Counter religious extremism? What would a new free trade treaty with the EU look like?

Still, Ukip will probably garner 10 to 20 per cent of the popular vote next year. The Lib Dems, if they are lucky, will drag themselves back up to that sort of level – itself poor by the standards of the past 20 years or so. The Greens will grab a better result than many have predicted, and the SNP will continue to make inroads into Labour’s Scottish core. Meanwhile, the public will remain stubbornly out of love with Cameron and Miliband. The upshot is that next year a multihued House of Commons will be more fragmented than at any time since universal suffrage. Neither Tories nor Labour will find it easy to form a government, and, to use a much overused phrase, it will become obvious that the current electoral system is not “fit for purpose”.

The British electorate, collectively, is telling its rulers that it doesn’t like the way politics has been played, and that it wants more choice. It ought to be allowed to exercise that choice through a rational system that is much more proportional. That would remove the random nature of the present system, and offer something new. The next parliament has important work to do; not least reducing the deficit in a fair manner. It cannot work without reform. -The Independent

HUMAN HEALTH

Politics and pathology of the Ebola epidemic

T

PAUL VALLELY

Missed economic targets

T

he Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ( PML-N) government has missed most of the economic targets it had set for itself, marking its first year in power with overstated numbers, rejoicing on one-time investment inflows and celebrating multibillion-dollar deals with China. The Institute for Policy Reforms (IPR), an independent think tank established to support policymaking in Pakistan, has found that the PML-N fell short on most of its promises made in the election manifesto, adding that the outlook for the current year also remains uncertain. Dr Hafiz Pasha, the managing director at the IPR and a former finance minister, said that reduction in the budget deficit was the only target met by the government. While there was some improvement in certain areas, including the tax-to-GDP ratio, progress remained below the desired level. The fiscal deficit had been reduced substantially, but according to Dr Pasha, the “work of creative accounting cannot be ruled out”. Additionally, there was a decline in economic growth, as well as persistent inflation, low recovery of electricity bills and high unemployment that shaped Pakistan’s economic performance. It is clear that the government has a short-term approach towards solving problems facing the economy: relying on loans, as well as grants from friendly countries, and a one-time inflow of investment through the spectrum auction.

When the PML-N came to power, armed with a reputation of being business-friendly, much was expected. But very little has been delivered. Foreign exchange reserves may have increased, but they are nowhere near the desired level. The government has even asked for a $400 million loan from the Asian Development Bank to finance layoffs after privatisation, reflecting the country’s willingness to add to its external debt. It is true that the floods, the military operation and the sitins have come in the government’s way, but that still does not justify its inability to bring more people into the tax net. There has been little improvement in decreasing load-shedding. The decline in investment means there is an absence of a trigger that will drive growth. The IPR’s findings may have been critical, but they reflected the government’s inefficiency, which has a long way to go before it begins to solve the economic woes of the common man. -The Express Tribune

As Bob Geldof is at pains to point out, the purpose of the Band Aid single is to maximise pressure on politicians

here has been a tsunami of sneering over the Band Aid record to raise money for the fight against Ebola in West Africa. The fundraising effort, it is said, is “aid pornography” filled with unremitting negative stereotypes. Everyone has forgotten that the real story is Ebola.” Not quite everyone. Kevin Watkins is perhaps the UK’s most authoritative analyst of global aid policy. Now director of the Overseas Development Institute, he is a former head of research at Oxfam and the United Nations Development Programme. “There still isn’t a recognition of how serious the threat is,” he said. “There are small bits of good news – the rate of increase has started to slow in Liberia and Guinea. But the situation in Sierra Leone, where Ebola has got a grip in two urban centres, is really scary. Last week there was again an increase in new cases. This could still skyrocket.” It is not just Ebola. Medics on the ground report a big increase in measles and pneumonia, two of Africa’s biggest killers. Vaccination systems are breaking down.

More mothers are dying in childbirth because clinics have diverted to Ebola. Food prices have rocketed.

Hunger is widespread. Child malnutrition is rising.

Joblessness has doubled. All this threatens to reverse decades of progress.

Bob Geldof is not just a celebrity fundraiser. After three decades of work on Africa he has a nose for the politics and he has unerringly scented that Ebola is a political not just a medical problem. Ebola is about poverty. If Ebola killed rich people there would have been vaccines 10 years ago. But the affected countries are at the bottom of the UN’s Human Development Index. More than 60 per cent of people are below the poverty line. Health budgets are a paltry $20 (£13) per person per year. There are just 187 doctors and 2,000 nurses in all Liberia and Sierra Leone – for a population of 10 million. That’s a 10th of what the World Health Organisation says is the absolute minimum. Health services, which are appallingly overstretched ordinarily, collapse under an epidemic on this scale. The politics is this: the region’s health services ought to have been strengthened – and Sierra Leone’s totally rebuilt after its civil war ended 12 years ago. A massive aid deal was agreed by the G8 at Gleneagles after global anti-poverty campaigns including Make Poverty History and Live 8 in 2005.

Great advances were made on debt and improved governance as a result. And Gleneagles put 40 million more children in school, gave life-saving drugs to six million people with HIV/Aids and halved malaria in eight countries.

But not all the promises were delivered. And West African health services were at the bottom of the list.

This refers to the report, ‘Cruise industry booming as tourists flock to Oman’, published in Times of Oman. It was nice to know that Oman attracted more than 300,000 cruise passengers between October and June this year against just 3,500 in the year 2003. The fact that in the coming season alone it’s expected to grow another 50 per cent on last year with up to 450,000 visitors predicted in Sultanate, made the news even sweeter.

K. R. Nayak Ruwi

the face behind the hidden mask.

I refer to the unfortunate negative mind-set of certain readers in Readers Forum towards the articles written by esteemed journalists which are very much true. If you cannot swallow the bitter pill then it is not anyone but yourself to blame for your shortsighted outlook. You will find the same in the Indian media but there are no such comments. Just the fact that some readers do not concur with their views does not make the journalists unworthy.

Sayyed Kadri Rusayl

READERS’ FORUM

Negative thinking does no good to anyone

Timely reminder of the benefits of blood donation

Kudos to Times of Oman for publishing articles which reveal

Besides being a clarion call, ‘Voluntary blood donations ris-

Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.

Cruise passengers give a big boost to Oman tourism

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ALDOUS HUXLEY

It is true, as Geldof’s critics declare, that seven of Africa’s economies are among the world’s fastest growing. Ironically, few individuals have done more than Geldof to build up consortia of Western and African private equity investors in the continent. Yet though parts of Africa are booming, it still has the highest child mortality rate in the world. “If the promises made in 2005 had been kept, these healthcare systems would’ve been more effective and might have been able to contain the disease as has been done in Nigeria and Uganda,” said Adrian Lovett, a leading campaigner with Jubilee 2000, Make Poverty History, Save the Children and now with the global aid advocacy lobby, ONE, which has six million members around the world. “Geldof is putting those broken promises back on the political agenda.”

You will not hear much of that in the UK, since Britain has honoured its Gleneagles pledges. But Geldof was in France on Friday and in Germany earlier in the week launching Band Aid records there. In Berlin he caused a huge stir by publicly lambasting Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany has no right to think of itself as the leader of the G7 when it cannot fulfil its promises to the world’s poor; German spending on Ebola is less than half what it spent on one football stadium during the World Cup in 2006, Geldof blasted. “He was firing straight at the political target,” said Lovett.

No doubt it would have helped had Geldof displayed a bit more cultural sensitivity with the tweaked lyrics of the Band Aid 30 record, and if he had included more African artists in the line-up. But, he countered yesterday: “It’s not about culture, it’s about politics. It’s not about being representative, or including artists I personally like, it’s about getting the biggest names to maximise sales which maximises pressure on the politicians in each place.”

He is happy to endorse the dozen or more Ebola records by African artists with their various messages to maintain good hygiene, change traditional funeral practices and trust doctors. “Each is aimed at their own market, which is right,” Geldof said, “as our record is aimed at ours.” Unlike most of his critics, Geldof understands that market, which is why the single made £1m from downloads within five minutes of its release on prime-time UK television.

But it is not about money. Even the most successful record will raise only a tiny fraction of the substantial amounts needed from the world’s governments to control Ebola.

“But the record has a halo effect,” Lovett said. “It puts the issue of the chronic underfunding of these African health services in the news.” The music is incidental to Geldof. His real task is to hold the politicians’ feet to the fire. -The Independent

ing’ is a timely reminder in the direction of educating the people to turn to voluntary blood donation periodically and bringing in much needed awareness among the general people, who, due to certain misconceptions, desist from it (Times of Oman November 22). Oman is moving in the right direction in this regard and is certain to become one of the countries to meet WHO’s goal of meeting all their blood requirements by 2020. Blood is a gift of life and is critical to the survival of patients and voluntary blood donation is an important part of health care. Besides, blood so far is not made artificially, though some synthetic blood products are on the anvil. Every minute and every day, someone somewhere in the world is in dire need of blood that is preferably

contributed by voluntary donors, for a host of reasons. For nearly 16 years, I have been following this activity, through a willing Indian volunteer Chandika Ramadoss, who is leaving no stone unturned to see voluntary blood donors are encouraged to donate blood every year, using the umbrella organisation Chirajeevi Mega Youth Force, which has organised blood and eye bank services in India.

Ramadoss and the organisation’s yeoman service has been recognised by the Sultanate of Oman.

He remains a guiding force in convincing the Indian expatriates to donate blood. I place on record my heartfelt gratitude to Ramadoss and his team for their great contribution.

Usha Devi Rao Suddapalli Ruwi

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)

T I M E S OF OM AN

MO N DAY, N OV E MB E R 24, 2 0 14

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PERSPEC IVE Disunity and leadership vacuum in Islamic world

I AIJAZ ZAKA SYED

If Arab and Muslim nations recognise that they all face the same monsters and common existential threats, what prevents them from coming together and putting together a collective front?

n a tribute to the inimitable Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on his 10th death anniversary last week (November 11), veteran Palestinian journalist and analyst Abdel Bari Atwan lamented the fact that the Palestinians today cannot claim a leader of his stature, charisma and vision, and above all, commitment to the cause.

In his Gulf News piece, Atwan writes: “With every passing year since we lost Yasser Arafat, the lack of a powerful, charismatic Palestinian leader stands in ever sharper relief and compounds the nation’s misfortune. Under Arafat’s watch, the Palestinian cause was constantly under the global media spotlight and we Palestinians were perceived by the rest of the world as wronged, proud and tough... He had only one real ambition in life: To liberate Palestine from Israeli occupation.”

Referring to the heightened tensions and recent attempts by the Zionist extremists to target Al Aqsa, Islam’s third holiest mosque, Atwan notes: “Unlike Abbas, Arafat would never have accepted last week’s storming of Al Aqsa Mosque by Israeli colonists, backed by police, without a fight.”

The observations by Atwan, reminded me of the words of Palestinian scholar, Dr Mahdi Abdul Hadi, who had complained with some bitterness some years ago that Palestinians have no leaders; only representatives! But then this is not a problem exclusive to the Palestinians Indeed, this is the fate of the whole of Arab and Islamic world.

Even in the face of great adversity and threats to our collective existence, if you cannot speak in one voice, let alone join hands to confront the dangers staring us in the face, there’s something seriously wrong with us. Look at the Islamic world today.

It presents the picture of a house hopelessly divided and broken into many parts. While the goal of glorious unity of the Ummah has long remained elusive, never in its history has it fought so many firestorms all at the same time.

As though long years of economic and political exploitation and machinations by world powers, coupled with the self-serving timidity and corruption of our own, weren’t enough, in the casual savagery of groups like Daesh and Boko Haram and a million sectarian and tribal conflicts, we are now faced with a challenge never before seen in Islamic history. Not a day passes without some spinechilling execution, suicide bombing or some such abomination, making all Muslims cringe in shame and withdraw into their collective shell. Our scholars of course dutifully condemn the violence, rejecting it as ‘un-Islamic’ and “against the teachings of the faith.” But who cares? As far as the world is concerned, these denunciations are not worth the paper they are printed on. Meanwhile, the tenta-

cles of the empire continue to grow far and wide and deep into the heart of the Islamic world.

On the sidelines, Israel is busy expanding its own little evil empire. The battle for global control and resources proceeds apace uninterrupted under one pretext or another. If our elites are alive to the deepening shadows and noise of sharpening knives, they are yet to show it.

The Arabs are pitted against fellow Arabs. The majority sect is ranged against the minority sect and extremist against secular militants and Baathists. Iran, Assad and Hezbollah seemingly belong in one camp. Turkey and Iran, on the one hand, and Turkey and Arabs on the other cannot see eye to eye on a host of issues, from the Muslim Brotherhood to Hamas. The Turks and Kurds are facing each other even as they all take on the ISIS. There are turf battles going on even within the Gulf Cooperation Council grouping. Next door, it is routine for Iran and Pakistan to exchange fireworks and casualties from time to time. Pakistan and Afghanistan accuse each other of conspiracies and sponsoring terror. The so-called Ummah bleeds from a million wounds.

And it’s not just the ruling elites and political and military establishments that are engaged in these low-intensity, debilitating battles for geopolitical clout; their media, intellectuals, public figures are all expending all their energy battling it out in open.

In the words of Naipaul, it is a million mutinies among the believers. And with so many wars to fight within and settle scores with your own brethren, who needs the services of external foes? No wonder Netanyahu cannot stop grinning. To an external observer, especially a non-Arab Muslim, all this is truly bewildering. In the last century, a sage asked: ‘Tum sabhi kuch ho, batao ke Musalman bhi hoe?’

(You boast myriad identities but are you Muslim too?) The question has never been more relevant.

If Arab and Muslim nations recognise that they all face the same monsters and common existential threats, what prevents them from coming together and putting together a collective front? Instead of endlessly bickering and fighting among themselves, wouldn’t it make sense to save their energy and resources to confront the common enemy?

They say great necessities call forth great leaders. And, as Truman warned, in periods of great crises where there is no leadership, society stands still. Perhaps that explains our drifting and aimlessness as a people. Where are our leaders when we need them the most?

The author is an award-winning journalist based in Dubai. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman

The times they ain’t a’changing…

AMINA JILANI

A

s some sort of comparison, in the same way that my good old friend, columnist Ayaz Amir, bangs on and on (of course with no result) about the ubiquitous plastic ‘shoppers’ that, for far too long, have littered this country from end to end, clogging up sewers, drains and streets, this column tends to bang on about the political beings who, for far too

long, have littered the ‘system’, clogging up all available means of 21st century progress.

Circulating on the net is a list of eight beings, probably just the tip of the heap, who in their own way, are relics of what undeniably and universally acknowledged was the worst of the worst eras Pakistan has seen. From 1985 to 1988 — count, we are now in 2014 — whilst General Ziaul Haq was president and CMLA, Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s father, Makhdoom Sajjad Qureshi, was governor of Punjab; Nawaz Sharif was chief minister of that same province; Javed Hashmi was an honourable member of ZuH’s ‘shura’; minister Khwaja Asif’s father, Khwaja Safdar, was speaker of the ‘shura’; Senator and PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq was ZuH’s ‘opening batsman’ and his information minister; minister Khurram Dastigir’s father, Dastigir Khan, was a minister; minister Iqbal Ahsan’s mother, Aapa Nisar Fatima, sat in

the ‘shura’; and Tahirul Qadri was khateeb of the Ittefaq mosque and Sharif family’s pir.

Most readers have probably seen this and laughed. The point is that like the plastic ‘shopper’, it is no cause for mirth; it is just an indication of how stagnant is politics and how the stagnation grows from strength to strength, literally getting us nowhere. The PML-N and the PPP (Zardari dates back to 1988) are brothers-in-arms; they would be quite content to produce the same jaded faces over and over again and play their twosome game of musical chairs for as long as they remain standing.

Something has to give, there must be some way of breaking out, of clearing up the clogging. Military takeovers are not the answer as we have seen with Pervez Musharraf; they merely perpetuate the mess by turning to old politicos as a means of propping up and attempting to legitimise military rule. So what is needed? The most

popular solution now put forth by those who realise that the constant revival of old and failed ‘has-beens’ must be stemmed if the country is to move onwards is massive, all encompassing electoral reforms in the hope that they will usher in new, fresh, untainted blood.

Why are we where we are?

Well, think back to the appointment of Justice Fakhruddin Ebrahim as chief election commissioner, and to that ludicrous caretaker government installed to oversee the 2013 elections. Who put them where they were and why? They were there simply because their capabilities and incapabilities were known and recognised. We knew the result of the elections long before they took place.

The crimes committed in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the name of democracy tempered with religiosity are multiple, divisive and destructive. For as long as the relics of the 1980s remain, so will it be. -The Express Tribune

US economy’s handsome gains from immigrants

NICHOLAS KRISTOF

A

book, “The Christian Examiner,” warns that “ill-clad and destitute” immigrants are “repulsive to our habits and our tastes.” A former mayor of New York City cautions that they bring disease, “wretchedness and want” to America.

And Harper’s Weekly despairs that these immigrants are “steeped in ignorance” and account for a disproportionate share of criminals. Boy, those foreigners were threatening back in the mid-1800s when those statements were made about Irish immigrants.

Once again, the United States is split by vitriolic debates about how to handle immigrants, following President Barack Obama’s executive action to shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation.

To me, the outrage seems driven by three myths: - Immigrants threaten our way of life.

Many Americans see foreigners moving into their towns, see signs in Spanish, and fret about changes to the traditional fabric of society.

That’s an echo of the anxiety Theodore Roosevelt felt in 1918 when, referring to German and other non-Anglo European immigrants, he declared, “Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country.”

It’s true that undocumented immigrants may lower wages in some sectors, harming lowskilled native-born Americans who compete with them. One study suggests that a 10 percent increase in the size of a skill group lowers the wages of blacks in that group by 2.5 percent.

Yet just look around. Immigration has hugely enriched our country. For starters, unless you are a full-blooded American Indian, we have you.

Immigrants today are different because they’re illegals.

They’re parasites. Look, people aren’t legal or illegal, behaviours are. If an investment banker is convicted of insider trading, he doesn’t become an illegal. So let’s refer not to “illegal immigrants” but to “undocumented immigrants.”

They have contributed $100 billion to Social Security over a decade without any inten-

Timeline of human flu-strain infections The European avian flu outbreak is caused by a H5N8 subtype of the Influenza Type A virus. Subtypes are categorised by two proteins on the surface of the virus – haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA)

1918-19: Spanish flu H1N1 pandemic kills 20-50 million people worldwide H3N2 H5N1

H7N9

1957-58: Asian flu originates H2N2 in China and spreads globally, killing 1.5 million people 1968-69: Hong Kong flu pandemic of “variant” of H2N2 kills up to 750,000 people worldwide 1997: First time an influenza virus is found to be transmitted directly from birds to people. 18 people infected in Hong Kong – six fatalities

H9N2

1999: New bird flu strain appears in humans – no fatalities

H7N2

2002: Infection found in one person in US following poultry outbreak

H7N7

2003: New bird flu strain infects 89 people in Netherlands – one fatality

H7N3

2004: New strain detected in humans – two poultry workers in Canada

H10N7

2004: New bird flu strain detected in humans – two infants in Egypt

H5N1

2007: 88 cases in Southeast Asia and Nigeria, 59 fatalities reported

H1N1

2009: Swine flu spreads to more than 70 countries, killing 23,500 people, 12,500 in US

TODAY IN HISTORY 1542

The English defeat the Scots at the Battle of Solway Moss in England.

1859

Charles Darwin publishes The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. The first printing of 1,250 copies sells out in a single day.

http://192.168.100.63/newspress/backup/files/images/2014/11/24/4236.eps?tmp=1416785128

2013: New avian flu crosses to humans. 443 cases in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia – unofficial death toll of 127

1949 The Iron and Steel Act nationalizes the steel industry in Britain.

1961

The United Nations adopts bans on nuclear arms over American protests.

1995

Ireland votes 50.28 per cent to 49.72 per cent to end its 70-year-old ban on divorce

HISTORYNET.COM Source: CDC, ECDC, NIAID, News-Medical.Net

Graphic News /

Graphics

tion of collecting benefits, thus shoring up the system, according to Stephen C. Goss, chief actuary for the Social Security Administration. At the state and local level, households headed by unauthorised immigrants paid another $11 billion in taxes in 2010 alone.

If these migrants are given work permits, they will contribute $45 billion over five years in payroll taxes, according to the Center for American Progress.

Parasites? No, they’re assets. Immigration reform is an unconstitutional power grab by a dictator. Sen. Ted Cruz compared Obama’s executive action to the Catiline conspirators seeking to overthrow the Roman Republic. House Speaker John Boehner suggested that it was the action of an “emperor.” Look, I’ve reported in many dictatorships.

And Obama is no dictator.

It’s difficult for me to judge the legality of Obama’s executive action, because I’m not an expert on legal issues like prosecutorial discretion. But neither are critics furious at Obama. We have a broken, byzantine immigration system - anybody who deals with it is staggered by the chaos - because politicians are too craven to reform it. At least Obama is attempting to modernize it.

Yes, it’s troubling that Obama previously argued he didn’t have this authority. Yes, his executive action is on a huge scale - but it is not entirely new. Obama’s action affects 45 percent of undocumented immigrants, compared with the 40 percent affected by President George H.W. Bush’s in 1990. Let’s leave the legal dispute for the experts to resolve.

I see a different hypocrisy in Obama’s action. He spoke eloquently Thursday evening about the need to treat migrants humanely - and yet this is the “deporter in chief ” who has deported more immigrants than any of his predecessors.

We as taxpayers have spent vast sums breaking up families and incarcerating honest men and women who just want to work.

We need empathy, and humility. My father, a refugee from Eastern Europe, was preparing a fraudulent marriage to an American citizen as a route to this country when he was sponsored, making fraud unnecessary.

My wife’s grandfather bought papers from another Chinese villager to be able to come to the United States.

So remember: What most defines the 11 million undocumented immigrants in America is not illegality but undaunted courage and ambition for a better life. What separates their families from most of ours is simply the passage of time - and the lottery of birth.- New York Times News Service

OPINION POLL FROM OUR ARCHIVES

OCCI HOLDS SEMINAR ON COMPUTER PROGRAMMES

MUSCAT: A seminar on computer programmes was held at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) under the chairmanship of Mohammed bin Ali Al Kiyumi. Mohammed Abdul Rahman Hijazi, from the Muscat Institute for Administration and Science, gave a lecture in which he outlined the various uses of computer and its importance in performing deals and customer service efficiently. It also included typing, publication and diagrams and the modern methods to avoid any technical failure in various computers.

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FRENCH ALPS WINTER FEST: Skiiers stand on the slopes of the Val Thorens ski resort on the opening weekend of the skiing season on Saturday at Val Thorens, in the French Alps. — AFP

CALL FOR PRESS FREEDOM IN THE PHILIPPINES: Journalists and relatives of victims take part in a candle-lighting ceremony for journalists killed in Maguindanao province in 2009, at the EDSA shrine in Mandaluyong city, Metro Manila on Sunday.

The journalists also protested against what they called growing press restrictions in the Philippines. — Reuters

TABLA COMPETITION IN INDIA: Students play the tabla, an Indian percussion instrument, during the annual tabla competition held in a park on the banks of the Sabarmati river in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Sunday. At least 120 tabla players performed during the competition which was organised by the Tabla Talim Sanstha, a Tabla training institute. — Reuters

BELARUS: A woman holds a dressed cat during the exhibition

“Autumn-2014” in Minsk, Belarus, on Sunday. — Reuters

ACCIDENT IN CHINA: A man looks at the bottom of a destroyed minivan after it collided with a truck and fell off a ramp on the side of a PICTURESQUE BERLIN: A Santa Claus puppet holding a Christmas

tree is pictured against the sun in Berlin, Germany. — Reuters

street, in Nanning, China, on Saturday. Eight people in the minivan, including a two-month-old baby and three young children, were killed in the accident on Saturday and a 14-year-old girl was injured and hospitalised, local media reported. — Reuters/Stringer

MO N DAY, N OV E MB E R 24, 2 0 14 Palestinians gather as Israeli military investigates the attack on the Hamayel home, that was burnt by suspected Jewish extremists using petrol bombs, in the village of Abu Falah, northeast of occupied Ramallah, on Sunday.

Netanyahu seeks powers to revoke Arabs’ residency The proposals would complement the policy of demolishing the family homes of those involved in attacks, said the PM

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: The Israeli government is to seek powers to strip Arabs of their residency and welfare rights if they or their relatives participate in unrest, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

His comments at the weekly cabinet meeting came as Interior Minister Gilad Erdan used existing powers to revoke the residency of a Palestinian who had already served 10 years in prison for his role in a 2001 bombing.

Netanyahu told ministers that the proposed change to the law would seek authority to revoke the rights of any Arab resident who took part in, or incited, violence, even stone-throwing.

Policy of demolition He said the proposals would complement the policy of demolishing the family homes of those involved in attacks on Israelis which his government adopted in annexed Arab east Jerusalem earlier this month despite condemnation by human rights watchdogs. “It cannot be that those who attack Israeli citizens and call for the elimination of the State of Israel will enjoy rights such as Na-

VICTIMS OF TERRORISM: Daughters, front and centre right, of

32-year-old Palestinian man Fadel Halawa, who medics said was shot dead by Israeli forces, cry in Gaza City, on Sunday. – Reuters

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tional Insurance—and their family members as well, who support them,” Netanyahu told ministers.

“This law is important in order to exact a price from those who engage in attacks and incitement, including the throwing of stones and firebombs,” his office quoted him as saying.

Annexed Arab east Jerusalem has been hit by months of unrest, which has spread across the occupied West Bank and to Arab communities inside Israel. Last Tues day, two Palestinians burst into a occupied Jerusalem synagogue with meat cleavers and a gun and killed four rabbis and a policeman who came to their aid, in the city’s deadliest violence in six years.

The following day, Israeli forc-

es demolished the annexed east Jerusalem home of a Palestinian who killed a young woman and a baby with his car last month before being shot dead by police.

Punitive house demolitions have been used by Israel for years in the occupied West Bank but the policy was halted in 2005 after the army said they had no proven deterrent effect.

Their introduction in annexed Arab east Jerusalem this month drew condemnation from human rights groups, which said the practice amounted to collective punishment as the victims were not the perpetrators of attacks but their families.

Palestinians in annexed east Jerusalem have residency rights but not Israeli citizenship. Their residency entitles them to freedom of movement as well as social benefits, such as national insurance or health insurance, and its revocation entails loss of those benefits. — AFP

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DEADLINE LOOMS

Diplomatic blitz to close big ‘gaps’ in Iran nuclear talks WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama warns that “significant gaps” remain with Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, as a deadline for a deal looms large.

Iran and world powers, including Washington, engaged on Sunday in a diplomatic blitz less than 36 hours before the cutoff time for an agreement, with officials on both sides insisting they were still pulling out all the stops in the Vienna talks.

Speaking to ABC News in comments broadcast Sunday, Obama said an interim deal with Tehran had been a success.

“Well, so, now the question is, can we get to a more permanent deal? And the gaps are still significant,” Obama said in the interview carried out Friday, before the talks intensified in Vienna.

Obama added that Tehran was isolated.

“The difference is I’ve got the entire international community

into a lasting agreement.

Such a deal is aimed at easing fears that Tehran could develop nuclear weapons under the guise of its civilian activities. It denies it wants to build an atomic bomb and insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.

RED LINE: An Iranian student

holds a placard reading ‘The Arak heavy water reactor is our red line’ during a demonstration outside the Tehran Research Reactor in the capital Tehran on Sunday. — AFP

on my side, and they’re sort of on their own,” he said.

The P5+1 — permanent UN SC members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany — have been locked in talks with Iran since February to turn the interim Geneva accord

Far-reaching benefit Obama said the nuclear talks, if successful, could ultimately have a far-reaching benefit.

“What a deal would do is take a big piece of business off the table and perhaps begin a long process in which the relationship not just between Iran and us but the relationship between Iran and the world, and the region begins to change,” he said.

Lot of sophistication “I think ultimately that would be good for the people of Iran.

“You know, it’s a big country with a lot of talent, a lot of sophistication.” — AFP

45 killed in Afghan bombing A spokesman for the governor of Paktika province, said 50 more were wounded in the attack in Yahya Khel district, where residents had gathered to watch a volleyball match

GARDEZ (AFGHANISTAN): A suicide bomber killed 45 people at a volleyball match in Afghanistan on Sunday, a provincial official said, as foreign troops withdraw from the country after more than a decade of fighting.

Mukhles Afghan, spokesman for the governor of Paktika province, said at least 50 more were wounded in the attack in Yahya Khel district, where residents had gathered to watch a tournament final.

He said most of the casualties were civilians.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack, in which provincial spokesman Afghan said the bomber walked into the crowd of spectators and detonated his explosive vest.

“Sadly we have 45 people killed and around 50 others wounded in this suicide attack,” the spokes-

man said. Casualties were high because the crowd was so dense, since many people had come from nearby districts to cheer on their team.

No other details were immediately available because of the remoteness of the location.

The Taliban and other extremist militants have unleashed waves of suicide attacks and assassinations in Afghanistan this year, as foreign forces pull out after 13 years of war.

About 12,000 international troops will remain in Afghanistan next year to train and support Afghanistan’s security forces.

Paktika was the site of one of this year’s deadliest attacks on civilians in July, when 89 people were killed by a bomb in a crowded market.

The province has an active Afghan Taliban insurgent presence and lies along the porous border with Pakistan’s lawless North Waziristan region, used as a base by both the Haqqani militant network and the Pakistani branch of the Taliban.

Pakistani offensive The Pakistani army for months has been waging an offensive against militants in North Waziristan, driving many refugees and militant fighters across the border into Afghanistan.

This year has been one of the bloodiest years of the war for Afghan civilians, according to the United Nations, which recorded nearly 5,000 deaths and injuries of civilians in the first half of the year.

About three-quarters of those were blamed on the Taliban and its allies. - Reuters

POSSIBLE CANDIDACY

Putin weighs running for new term in 2018 MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering running for a fourth Kremlin term in 2018, which would see him stay in power until 2024, the TASS news agency reported on Sunday.

“Yes, the possibility exists of my standing as a candidate again. Whether or not it will happen, I don’t know yet,” Putin said in an interview.

Inner feelings He said that although the constitution allows him to stand for another term, “that absolutely doesn’t mean that I will take such a decision. I will look at the general context, my inner feelings, my mood.”

“Is it really necessary to think about this now? 2014 isn’t yet

over and you’re talking about 2018,” Putin asked.

At the same time, he ruled out staying on as president forever.

“No, that’s wrong for the country, it’s harmful, and I don’t need it,” Putin said.

Putin is allowed to hold office for a maximum of two consecutive terms under the Russian constitution.

Swapping roles After completing his second consecutive term in office in 2008, Putin got round the constitutional limit by swapping roles with Dmitry Medvedev and serving as prime minister for one term, before returning to the presidency.

Now aged 62, Putin would turn 72 in 2024. —AFP

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CRUDE SUPPLIES

Opec divided on crude output cut before crucial meeting LONDON: Opec oil producers group will hold one of its toughest and most significant meetings in recent years as, faced with sliding prices, its members must contemplate whether to cut output.

Ahead of Thursday’s meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) in Vienna, home to the group’s headquarters, its dozen member coun-

tries are split on what direction to take after a 30 percent drop in crude prices since June has slashed revenues.

Opec’s poorer members, led

by Venezuela and Ecuador, have called publicly for a cut in output, while Iran has hinted at a need to reduce production.

But the group’s Gulf members, led by kingpin Saudi Arabia, are

rejecting calls to pump out less oil unless they are guaranteed market share in the highly competitive arena, according to analysts.

Separately, Russia -- which is not a member of Opec but is nevertheless a major crude producer -- declared on Friday that it was considering cutting its oil production in a bid to revive falling prices.

Opec produces about one third

Bigger role for contracting firms urged In Oman, only 27 per cent of contracting work is carried out by local companies. In other GCC countries, it is about 65 per cent.

The picture is not that good for the sector, said a senior official

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Local contracting firms need to play a bigger role in project implementation in the country, said a senior official of Oman Society of Contractors (OSC), the apex body of contracting firms in the Sultanate.

“In Oman, only 27 per cent of contracting work is carried out by local companies. In other GCC countries, best one is about 65 per cent. The picture is not that good for the sector,” said Simon Karam, director at Sarooj Construction and an advisor of OSC, while addressing the annual conference of OSC here on Sunday.

The event was organised under the patronage of Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidi, Minister of Commerce and Industry. He said

the Oman Society of Contractors wants to make the contracting field in Oman world-class. “Particularly, we want to give the Omani contractors a brand name.”

52,000 firms in Oman Around 52,000 companies in Oman have contracting as their core business activity. Of this, 20,000 companies never carried out a contracting work. Another 20,000 asked for labour clearance and got it, although they have no real project with them.

Another 10,000 have activities related to contracting and 1,500 companies have registered with the Tender Board, added Karam.

He added that contracting sector employs 750,000 workers and if government policy on heath, safety and environment is implemented in the sector, 35,000 jobs can be created for Omani youths.

Karam said OSC is trying to introduce best practices and provide technical assistance to member firms.

Highlighting the achievements of OSC, he said the society has managed to reduce bond fee from two per cent to one per cent in government contracts.

Shortlisting contractors He also asked for ‘special care or preference’ for local companies while shortlisting contractors for major projects.

The construction sector is important to the national economy in terms of investment and employment capacity. It is the right time for the stakeholders to engage and create the right environment for the sector to grow and compete locally and internationally.

The focus of the society next year will be to build OSC capacity in terms of executive team and members, engage with stakeholders, enhance benefits to members and address one or two of the key challenges. As many as 150 contractors attended the event to discuss a decision issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to regulate the sector.

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of global crude at more than 30 million barrels per day.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), which advises on energy policy, Opec pumped out 30.6 million barrels per day in October -- above its 30 million bpd target.

“The next meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries... should be the most in-

teresting since the change from individual quotas to a group target in early 2012,” said Tom Pugh, an analyst at Capital Economics research group.

“The key driver (behind tumbling prices) has been increasing supply, although other triggers for Brent’s slump from $115 in June have included weak demand, particularly from Europe and China,

and the strength of the US dollar.

The decline has probably also been compounded by panic selling by producers and investors.”

On Friday, the price of benchmark Brent North crude oil traded at $79.56 a barrel.

Rather than cut its official output ceiling, Opec could decide to reduce the amount it is over-producing. - AFP

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MARKET

Aqar sells entire units of Rimal2 amid strong demand for housing The success of Rimal2 project, located in Wilayat Bousher, is a natural reflection of the status of the project and its level of quality in terms of design and services it provided, said the company’s chairman and founder – Supplied picture

Times News Service MUSCAT: Al Khonji Real Estate Development Co (Aqar), on Sunday announced that it sold out the entire Rimal2 within two weeks of launching the project, which confirms the success of the project and the strong demand from all investors from within and outside.

This was announced by Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khonji, chairman and CEO of Al Khonji Real Estate Development Co. He said that the success of Rimal2 project, located in Wilayat Bousher, is a natural reflection of the status of the project and its level of quality in terms of design and services it provided. “One of the important aspects that contributed to the

selling of the project, in addition to what we have said, is the economic and commercial status of the Sultanate and the blessings of security and stability enjoyed by the Sultanate in this prosperous era of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, may Allah protect him,” he added.

“By virtue of its long experience and expertise in this aspect, Aqar is keen to provide distinctive quality projects in the field of real estate to meet the needs of all investors and be available in an appropriate environment in terms of the presence of commercial centers, cafes and various recreational facilities to make these projects an attractive and stimulating environment for real estate investment on the one hand and a place for everyone

to spend a good time with their families on the other. These key factors that have contributed to the sale of the Rimal2 project in a record time,” he added.

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khonji noted that the demand from foreign investors, especially the citizens of the Gulf countries, was good both for Rimal1 and Rimal2 projects. The large number of buyers was young people searching for stability and having no financial ability for the construction of housing in places close to their families and their businesses.

This is one of the main objectives that Aqar tries to achieve from the implementation of this type of projects. The social aspect of solving the housing problem is one of the

main interests in the Aqar, and the company will make sure of achieving this goal in the coming real estate projects through the development of ideas and finding alternatives that satisfy everyone. He stressed that Rimal1 and Rimal2 projects are considered as high profile projects for Aqar, which will be followed by other projects.

“We will make sure to take advantage of these two experiences in the next projects by benefiting from the views and ideas of all real estate clients.”

The project includes 148 luxury apartments designed on the latest Italian style, mixed with the traditional Omani architectural character, in addition to a shopping centre featuring the most

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khonji, chairman and CEO of Al Khonji Real Estate Development Company. — Supplied picture

luxurious brands of restaurants and cafes. The project consists of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments.

The area of the largest apartment amounts to 210 square meters and some apartments contain smallsized swimming pools.

The project includes a threestory underground car parking area working with the electronic gate system. The first floor has been allocated to the commercial centre, while the other two floors have been allocated for the inhabitants of the complex. The parking area and the commercial center of Rimal2 project will be integrated with Rimal1 project. The project contains also all the necessary facilities that meet the needs of

the residents and the residents of neighboring areas, in addition to the swimming pool for adults and children, games for children and a place for barbecues. He also pointed out that the health club and other services will be complementary to Rimal1 project.

Al Khonji Real Estate Development Company began its operations in 1998 and became a limited liability company LLC. Some of its projects are Al Wadi complex, which is a complex of detached villas in Bousher, “Al Qurm Terrace” project, which is a complex of detached villas and Al Qurm Hills project. In the year 2011 Rimal1 project has been floated, and is still under construction, and in December 2013, The Office project has been floated, which is an office complex, and was completely sold out within ten days of its launch and is located in Al Khuwair area near The Avenue and Grand Mall.

The demand for these projects was well above expectations.

Al Khonji said that Aqar was able in a short period of time to construct many projects, which formed an added value, particularly in the sectors of housing, offices, business centers and tourism. Today, Aqar aspires to build an investment real estate project named Integrated City, which the company hopes will be achieved in the next few years.

Al Khonji extended his congratulations to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on the occasion of the 44th National Day and the glorious appearance of His Majesty, by which he reassured his loyal people about his health, asking the Almighty to return His Majesty to his homeland in health and safety.

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MARKET BRIEFS

Taageer Finance board nominates new chairman MUSCAT: The board of directors of Taageer Finance Company unanimously nominated Eng. Ahmed Hamed Al Subhi as chairman of the company. The decision was taken at a board meeting on November 20, the company said in a statement posted on Muscat Securities Market website.

StanChart announces senior appointments MUSCAT: Standard Chartered has announced the appointment of Raheel Ahmed as the new global head – strategic transformation, retail clients. In his new role, Ahmed will focus on the re-alignment of the business to the refreshed strategy. In his previous role, Raheel was the regional head (retail clients) – MENAP, Europe and Islamic banking.

Raheel has been with the bank since 2004 and has held various other international senior roles in credit risk, distribution, and country and regional leadership. Jaydeep Gupta, currently head of Retail Clients in the UAE, will replace Raheel Ahmed as regional head of retail clients – UAE, MENAP and Europe. He will continue to be the head of UAE retail clients and will be based in Dubai. In his new role, Jaydeep will lead the retail clients strategy across the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and Europe. Jaydeep has over 20 years of experience working with Standard Chartered, holding senior roles within distribution and segments in India, Africa and the UAE.

Mobily suspends CEO after account errors RIYADH: Etihad Etisalat, the Saudi Arabian phone operator known as Mobily, suspended its chief executive officer (CEO) after auditing errors prompted a stock market sell-off that erased about $5 billion of its market value. The suspension of Khalid Omar Al Kaf took effect from November 21 and will last until the audit committee submits its report to the board. Deputy chief executive officer Serkan Okandan will take over as the committee seeks to identify responsibility for the mistakes in its financial statement. Mobily, whose biggest shareholder is Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Telecommunications, said that an error in the timing of revenue recognition from a promotional programme affected the financial statements. - Times New Service/Bloomberg News

Octal signs 20 contracts to encourage small enterprises services, including raw materials, packaging materials, spare parts and other fabrications.

Deals involve supply of raw materials and process chemicals, lab supplies, logistics services, training and administration to name a few

Times News Service

BOOST TO BUSINESSES: Since inception, Octal has been instrumental in supporting the progress of

businesses in Oman, prioritising the growth of sustainable and locally-sourced goods and services,

MUSCAT: Octal, the world’s including raw materials, packaging materials, spare parts and other fabrications. – Supplied photo leading clear rigid food packaging material supplier, was recognised for signing the largest number of and SMEs to supply various prod- new agreements demonstrate the strengthen the cooperation becontracts with local businesses ucts and services including raw wide range of rewarding opportu- tween large private sector compaand small and medium enterprises materials and process chemicals, nities for SMEs in the Sultanate to nies and SMEs in the Sultanate, (SMEs) during its participation at lab supplies, logistics services, ad- thrive and grow into major players and served as a melting pot for orthe recently concluded Business ministration and training, as well in the market. The contracts will ganisations of all sizes to network as information technology and of- allow Octal to reinforce its local and discover each other’s needs Opportunities Forum. supply chain support by sourcing and capabilities,” he added.

Held under the auspices of fice provisions among others.

Since inception, Octal has been Eng. Ahmed Al Najjar, director goods and services that help busiSayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, minister of heritage and culture, at of Government Affairs at Octal, nesses expand and create new instrumental in supporting the progress of businesses in Oman, Oman International Exhibitions said, “Each year, Octal procures employment prospects.”

“The Business Opportuni- prioritising the growth of sustainCentre, Octal signed a total of 20 nearly OMR500 million worth contracts with Omani businesses of materials and services and the ties Forum is an ideal platform to able and locally-sourced goods and

New strategy As a result of this prioritisation strategy, the company’s procurement from the local economy has increased between 2011 and 2014 by a staggering 1,000 per cent and constitutes a significant portion of Octal’s yearly spend. Moreover, Octal has become the number one exporter from the Port of Salalah, and this is creating new vistas for local companies to benefit at every stage of the supply chain.

The Business Opportunities Forum, now in its second year, provided a bridge between all segments of the private sector, allowing big companies to present available tenders and SMEs to showcase the wide-ranging possibilities for partnership. More than 200 SMEs took part in this year’s Business Opportunities Forum with contracts worth OMR44 million signed during the two day event.

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MARKET M U S C AT B OU R S E

Oman stock market closes in green terrain MUSCAT: Taking a cue from positive sentiment in the regional markets, the MSM 30 Index ended yesterday’s trading session at 7,138.97 points, up by 0.85 per cent. The MSM Shariah index also inched up by 0.26 per cent at 1,069.23 points.

Gulf Investment Services was the most active in terms of volume, while Bank Muscat was the most active in terms of turnover. The top gainer was Majan Glass, up by 7.69 per cent. Maha Ceramics, which declined by 1.29 per cent, lost the most.

Altogether 1,322 trades were executed in the day’s session generating a turnover of OMR6.5 million with more than 16.7 million shares changing hands. Out of 51 traded stocks, 35 advanced, 1 declined and 15 remained unchanged.

Omani investors remained net buyers to the tune of OMR537,000 worth of shares followed GCC & Arab investors at OMR441,000. Foreign investors, who were net sellers, sold stocks amounting to OMR978,000.

The financial Index was the best performing sub-index and closed at 8,544.35 points, up by 1.41 per ent. Industrial Index showed strong gains and ended at 9,714.62 points. - United Securities

Oman Oil supports small businesses Oman Oil Company’s subsidiaries and affiliates signed 35 contracts with local small and medium enterprises worth over OMR17 million

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Oil Company’s (OOC) subsidiaries and affiliates signed 35 contracts with local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) worth over OMR17 million at the recently concluded Business Opportunities Forum.

To provide new avenues for companies looking to establish a foothold in the oil, gas and energy sectors, the group presented over 142 additional contracts exceeding OMR500 million that are up for grabs in the coming year and highlighted the currently avail-

able business opportunities for SMEs within OOC and its group of companies’ portfolio of projects and their relevant details.

“The Business Opportunities Forum not only led to signing contracts with SMEs in the oil, gas and energy sectors, but offered a platform that will enhance the participation of new local and international entrants into the industry. Whether it meant facilitating knowledge transfer, sharing experiences or offering guidance, the event presented an opportunity to empower these enterprises and enhance their capabilities and resources,” said Eng. Isam Al Zadjali, chief executive officer of Oman Oil Company.

Organised by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) in partnership with OOC and the Public Authority

for Small & Medium Enterprises Development (PASMED), the Oman Opportunities Forum witnessed the participation of more than 160 local and international companies. In line with Oman Oil Company’s strategy, the two-day event aimed to support the Sultanate’s In-Country-Value (ICV) programme and deliver longterm sustainable development by stimulating growth across various sectors.

“We, along with our group of companies, support all national efforts that lead to developing a successful ICV programme and we are confident that the propositions we have introduced and tendered will boost the investment climate in Oman and increase the country’s competitiveness amongst developed countries,” Al Zadjali added.

ECONOMY

Weak yen saps

South Korean export muscle SEOUL: As Japan slips into recession, South Korea is keeping an increasingly wary eye on its export rival’s free-falling currency, which is honing a lasting competitive edge over South Korean products in a number of key markets.

The massive fiscal stimulus and flood of easy money unleashed by ‘Abenomics’ has sent the Japanese yen plunging to multi-year lows against a basket of major currencies.

In the past two years, the yen has lost around 33 per cent of its value against the United States dollar and 35 per cent against the Korean won — a depreciation that has triggered public expressions of concern in Seoul from industrialists, politicians and monetary policy-setters.

A weaker yen makes Japanese exports cheaper, which impacts countries such as South Korea that are direct competitors in a number of key sectors. Bank of Korea (BoK) governor Lee Ju-Yeol promised earlier this month that it would not “sit idle” despite the limited tools it can deploy to counter the falling yen.

At its monthly monetary meeting, the BoK kept its key interest rate unchanged at 2 per cent, but Lee underlined the “worrisome situation” regarding the Japanese currency. - AFP

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IMES TECH STUFF

NOW WIRELESSLY TRANSFER PHOTOS FROM iPOD TO MAC Apple’s wireless file-transfer technology has some specific system requirements for moving content between OS X and iOS. You need a fifth-generation iPod Touch running at least iOS 7, and a Mac from 2012 (or later) running OS X 10.10 (Yosemite). You also need to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth active on both the iPod and the computer. Apple has a full guide to using AirDrop between iOS devices and Macs at support.apple. com/en-us/HT6510. on.

Helpful tools to pick your car’s computerised brain Mojio, released in October, and Automatic, released last year, both use apps to offer a surprising, interesting and occasionally overwhelming look inside your car

MOLLY WOOD

E

ven with their high-tech gadgets and computerised machinery, most cars still do a pretty poor job of providing helpful information about things like mechanical problems and fuel use — and of connecting to the devices we use the most, our phones.

Improvements are on the horizon. Wireless connections are available in some new models, which could lead to more helpful tools. But even for many older models, there is an easy way to get better information about your car, including fuel usage, diagnostics and data about your driving habits.

I tried out two new devices that can connect almost any car, back to the 1996 model year, to a smartphone. Mojio, released in October, and Automatic, released last year, both use apps to offer a surprising, interesting and occasionally overwhelming look inside your car.

Neither offers entertainment, multimedia or navigation elements, but both can give you useful information about your car, especially if there are mechanical problems. Of the two devices, on the basis of cost and simplicity, Automatic is the one I’d recommend. The devices take advantage of a standard port that federal law has required every car since 1996 to have: the onboard diagnostics, or OBD-II, port.

The port is most often used by

mechanics and dealers. It outputs a standardised set of information about a car, like codes that indicate mechanical problems. It also uses sensors throughout the vehicle to gather data on power, emissions, fuel use and more.

Many consumer devices already use this port, including some that offer driving tips to help save gas or that can block cellphone signals inside the car to make driving safer. And a growing number of them integrate with your smartphone in some way. Mojio has grand ambitions to become an app store for cars. The company’s $150 device, which plugs into the port and uses Bluetooth to connect with a smartphone app, has both GPS and a 3G cellular connection, so it’s online practically everywhere. The device includes a free year of service; after that, it’s $5 a month.

The service does basic monitoring out of the box, including translating diagnostic codes and tracking trip mileage and fuel efficiency.

It can also remind you where you parked and can tell you whether the car has been towed or stolen.

And the app provides contextual information while you drive, like where you can find parking. When you approach to your destination, you’ll see a pop-up in the app offering nearby gas stations or parking.

The app can also, with just a tap, send a text message to friends whose contact information you add to the app. The text lets them

know if you’re on your way, with updates on your route so you can avoid texting while driving.

For all of Mojio’s potential, though, it feels unfinished. Its app is available only for iOS, so Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry users are out of luck.

It’s also bare-bones and often puts the burden on the user to figure out what to do — even when installing the device. There are

no instructions on where to find your OBD-II port, for example — and how many people are familiar with that?

By contrast, Automatic’s app shows you a diagram of common locations of the port in vehicles, putting emphasis on the three likeliest options. And when my Mojio device failed to connect to my phone, there was no indication of how I might try to reconnect

or why it failed. The Mojio app interface is a little clunky, too. The app tries to organise every event on your calendar into a “trip,” even if it’s a birthday or something without a location. And for navigation, you must switch to the Google Maps app.

Worse, Mojio is downright distracting while you’re driving.

The app requires you to look at it, to some extent, while you’re moving; otherwise you won’t see

things like pop-ups that direct you to parking. Moreover, the directions are tiny, the parking signs aren’t tappable and looking at them for any length of time could cause swerving or worse.

And although Mojio offers some neat features, paying $5 a month seems like a stretch, considering that other apps can do most of its tricks (other than telling me if my car is being towed). Google Now can tell me where I’m parked, Glympse can let people know I’m on my way home, and several apps can help me find parking nearby.

Sure, those apps are not organised into one interface as they are with Mojio, but those apps are free, not $60 a year.

Automatic keeps it simpler: The device costs $99 and focuses primarily on improving things like fuel economy, tracking driving habits and providing car diagnostics — with no monthly fee. Setup is straightforward and took just a few seconds, and its app is available for Android and iOS. In terms of the data it provides, Automatic is a little like a wearable activity tracker. There’s information that’s interesting to look at, like how far a trip was and how much gas you used. But unless you drive for a living or are focused on minimising your fuel use, it’s not always obvious what to do with all that information.

You also get a driver score for good behaviour, like avoiding speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking. That sounds like a buzz kill for those who like to drive for sport, but it’s helpful if there’s a teenager in the house or if you’ve had a lot of speeding tickets. And both Mojio and Automatic would come in handy if you had a mechanical problem and needed a quick diagnosis.

— The New York Times News Service

GADGETWISE

Soundhawk smart listening system: A hearing helper MILLIONS of Americans have some degree of hearing difficulty, but only a small percentage regularly wear hearing aids. People in the hearing sciences have long argued that technology is partly to blame.

Hearing aids are expensive — they often sell for more than a thousand dollars per ear, and they are not usually covered by health insurance. Also, unlike eyeglasses, hearing aids have never been fashionable. Although some manufacturers are trying to change how hearing aids are perceived, they still carry a stigma of aging and infirmity, and many who have difficulty hearing would rather suffer than be seen with them.

The founders of a technology

ing System, which sells for $300, looks a bit like a Bluetooth headset, but instead of letting you just make phone calls, it is packed with microphones and advanced audio decoding chips to amplify the sound around you.

start-up named Soundhawk are on a mission to change that. This month, the company began shipping its first product, the Smart Listening System, a clever device and app meant to help improve sounds in certain noisy environments.

The Soundhawk Smart Listen-

Amplify sound It connects to a smartphone app that lets users customise how the device works in different sound environments. For instance, when you hit the Dining button in the app, the Soundhawk headset will cut down background noise and amplify sound from the person in front if you. In outdoor mode, it will reduce wind noise.

The Smart Listening System also comes with a wireless micro-

phone that can be positioned a few feet from the user. Clip it on the person across from you in a noisy restaurant, or position it next to the TV, and you will hear in your ear everything the mike picks up.

The company takes pains to note that the Smart Listening System is not a hearing aid and is not meant for people with impaired hearing.

Instead, the device is classified by the Food and Drug Administration as a “personal sound amplification product.”

There are already many of these on the market, but most of the devices are not very good; they’re the sort of devices advertised in late-night infomercials for under $50.

The Soundhawk Smart Listening System, by contrast, was designed by audio scientists who have worked at some of the world’s best hearing-aid companies. The company has also hired alums from Apple, Amazon and other tech hardware companies to make its device both stylish and easy to use.

Boost for your ears The result is a new kind of hearing device, a boost for your ears even if, most of the time, you can hear well enough. “The market that we’re going after is people who usually have fine-performing hearing, but they find themselves with situational needs, like noisy restaurants, or they having trouble hear-

ing something over a distance,” said Michael Kisch, Soundhawk’s chief executive.

You can think of the Soundhawk Smart Listening System as something like reading glasses for the ears. Unlike hearing aids, the Soundhawk does not need to be bought from and tuned by an audiologist, which explains why it is much cheaper than hearing aids despite its high-end electronics.

“We’ve replaced the professional component piece with an app, where people can select settings appropriate for themselves by subjectively evaluating the performance,” said Andrew Dundas, an audiologist who is Soundhawk’s chief scientific officer. — FARHAD MANJOO/The New York Times News Service

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2014

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RECRUI JOB POSTINGS

Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten. — B. F. Skinner

CAREER COACH

‘SMART’ GOALS

Don’t let fear scare you out of a new job TRUE, the economy is not at its high point, not even close; but that doesn’t mean it is all doom and gloom. It just means that perhaps it is time to dig in your heels and take a more realistic approach to your situation.

Job-seekers who take the statistics to heart and follow the jobless reports too closely set themselves up for psychological torment and a

sense of hopelessness.

Whether you are unemployed or want to change jobs, don’t let fear scare you away. After being turned down for job after job, rejection can really take a toll on your self-esteem. Shut the TV off, stop watching the news about the unemployment numbers, and start promoting yourself.

Take steps to package yourself

as attractively as possible.

If you are unemployed, think of creative ways to use your time and give your résumé an extra punch.

Let hiring managers know you haven’t been sitting at home licking your wounds. If you are currently employed, these job-search strategies can work for you as well: Consider part-time volunteer activities that still allow enough

time to mount a strong careersearch campaign.

Choose organisations that are relevant and can add value to your experience.

Participate in online courses or undertake a self-study programme if you can’t afford formal training.

Use some of the more proactive strategies to land a job. Don’t take the same approach as others

by simply applying online to postings. Most jobs are actually never posted on job boards or websites.

Instead, decide what jobs you can realistically attain, and go after those. Even if they aren’t in your previous salary range, consider swallowing your pride and weighing new alternatives, particularly if you have been unemployed for a while. — Debra Wheatman

How managers can be smart about job reviews THERE often is too much reliance on one-way communication from the manager, who simply tells the employee about his or her performance.

Managers often fail to establish what we call ‘SMART’ goals — specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic or reasonable, and time-bound, or with a clear endpoint.

If done correctly, performance reviews can be of tremendous benefit to an organisation. The session offers opportunities for employees to become aware of where they need to make changes or maintain behaviour, helps them develop accurate self-images, can improve communication between managers and employees, and can facilitate mutual problem-solving. It also reinforces and supports a learning culture by allowing managers to communicate what is expected of employees and clarify any misunderstandings. There are some things you can do to ensure you are effectively providing feedback: Plan ahead: Pick the right time and place to give feedback and prepare for the meeting.

Avoid giving feedback if you are angry, busy or tired. Provide detailed, written feedback and check to ensure the validity of your statements.

Be specific: Limit your feedback to specific skills the employee can do something about.

Focus on tasks and behaviours, not personalities, and use clear and recent examples. Describe what the person is doing and the effect the person is having. Focus on giving specific, observable, job-related, behavioural feedback vs. feedback based on inferences or ‘personality.’ After asking for the employee’s views, review his or her strengths and areas of past performance, as well as weaknesses or areas of unsatisfactory performance.

Discuss and set goals; have a time line for improvement and follow-up.

Make it a conversation: Start the meeting with some small talk and set an agenda.

Make sure there is two-way communication and give the employee a voice by developing an atmosphere of trust in which he or she will perceive the feedback as helpful. Ask questions and encourage the other person to ask questions. Do not rush or interrupt the employee. Listen to learn, not just to respond, and show empathy for what the employee is saying. Make sure you are actively engaged — make eye contact, nod, reflect on what he or she is saying and paraphrase to show you understand. Avoid ‘yes, but’ statements, and use ‘I’ rather than ‘you’ when making a point. Establish rapport and try to identify what ‘energises’ the employee — identify his or her values. Ask for ideas and suggestions. Thank the person for taking the time to share the feedback with you.

Be tactful: Avoid ‘saving up’ criticisms to deliver all at once.

Think about the feedback you are providing from the other person’s point of view, and make sure your comments are intended to help. Don’t be threatening or judgmental, certainly don’t use sarcasm to prove your point and don’t be defensive. Take responsibility for shared problems. Give feedback when the recipient is ready to accept it.

The goal is to establish a motivating climate and focus on maintaining and enhancing an employee’s self-esteem. Do this by always providing positive as well as negative feedback to motivate the employee.

Be sensitive: Help the employee understand the feedback you give, especially when the person is upset. Listen patiently to your employee’s needs. Use understandable language for giving directions or providing corrective feedback. Use nonverbal cues — smiles, nods, eye contact — as encouragement and speak directly and with feeling, based on trust. — Joyce E.A. Russell/ The Washington Post

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M O N DAY, NOVEMB ER 24, 2014

ROUND-UP Oman Air, Airbus brief OTC students on future of flying ‘Future by Airbus’ initiative promises sustainable aviation and the development of future talent MUSCAT: Oman Air and Airbus held ‘The Future by Airbus’ presentation at the Oman Tourism College (OTC) yesterday under the patronage of Mohsin Khamis Al Balushi, adviser to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Board Member of Oman Air. The interactive presentation aimed to challenge students to think more innovatively for the future of aviation, says a press release.

Sharing insight into air traffic trends, energy harvesting and breakthrough technologies, Airbus inspired students with its vision of sustainable aviation in 2050. More than 200 students from the Oman Tourism College were captivated

by Airbus’s predicted revolution of the aviation industry, taking away valuable information to transform the industry in the region.

Attendees also watched a special screening of Airbus’ Smarter

Skies movie, latest instalment in ‘The Future by Airbus’. Following the radical Concept Plane and Concept Cabin, Smarter Skies now looks beyond aircraft design, towards developing even more efficient operations both in the air and on the ground.

Smarter Skies breaks conventional boundaries to look at disruptive ideas that will enable Airbus to shape future travel — saving passengers’ time, minimising delays and lowering emissions.

“At Oman Air, we recognise the region’s aviation industry is at a turning point, and its success rides

with our future talent. It’s important for us to invest in the next generation of aviation experts, as innovation flourishes with inspiration,” said Paul Gregorowitsch, CEO of Oman Air. “The Future by Airbus has sparked a keen interest among the students today, and we look forward to seeing how they will drive the industry forward in the years to come,” he added.

Whilst some concepts remain an engineer’s dream, Airbus is already working on the development and use of alternative fuels and supporting plans for more efficient

air traffic management. Airbus believes that, in the future, more people should be able to share the benefits of air travel, that a more connected world can also be a more sustainable world, and that the right combination of technology and talent — along with the right investment, support and cooperation — can make this happen.

“At Airbus, we create and support initiatives to inspire young people from all backgrounds and profiles to develop the skills needed for the exciting opportunities available in the aviation industry,” said Fouad Attar, Managing Direc-

A L L - D AY D I N I N G O U T L E T

tor of Airbus Middle East.

“Investing in Oman’s human capital will create a more diversified and stronger economy, allowing the market to continue thriving,” he added.

Oman Air has had a long-standing policy of supporting Omani talent, enabling them to achieve their full potential, and this initiative aims to tangibly contribute to this objective. Partnering with Airbus, one of the leading manufacturers of aircraft in the world, demonstrates the airline’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in the aviation industry.

N AT I O N A L D AY H O L I D AY S

Sur Plaza Hotel offers attractive package MUSCAT: Sur Plaza Hotel is gearing up to receive many local visitors to the picturesque city of Sur after the announcement of National Day holidays.

One highlighting attraction

by Sur Plaza Hotel’s package is designed especially with families in mind. The inclusion of kids up to 12 years staying free with a maximum of two children per room will be the key highlights of this package, says a press release.

Sur is becoming one of the most sought after destinations during holidays and weekends.

The prospect of witnessing one of the nature’s miracles of turtles laying eggs and its magnificent beaches no doubt will attract many visitors to Sur. Apart from turtle watching, one could visit many other attractions in and around Sur. Tiwi beach, Wadi Arbaeen, Wadi Shab, Wadi bani Khalid are some of the natures creations that can be enjoyed during coming holidays. If all this does not excite enough, there are day tour trips to wadis and of course the dessert.

The latest additions to attractions in Sur are dhow tours enjoyable in the morning or at the sunset, water sporting activities such as banana boating, snorkelling, diving and kayaking.

N AT I O N A L D AY C E L E B R AT I O N

Walk into The Straits ... from heart of Hormuz al Mazyona fetes 15 MUSCAT: As you walk into The Straits, the first impression is that of a spacious restaurant with an aesthetic business-hotel styled décor having a beautiful view of the courtyard. This all-day dining outlet at the recently opened Hormuz Grand is becoming increasingly popular with a fresh concept of ‘a la carte buffet’ in Oman which isn’t a traditional buffet spread.

Central display is an entire stretch showcasing the fresh exotic vegetables, meat, chicken and fish, with live cooking stations.

You can choose from Mediterranean, Arabic, Italian, Asian or Oriental cuisine, the offering is vast and varied ranging from pizzas (base of which is rolled out only once the order is placed), pastas, grilled meats, stir fry, kebabs and freshly baked bread from the tandoor oven. There is a wide selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian (chicken, shrimp, lamb and vegetable) pickles prepared in-house, says a press release.

The stir-fry station gives you the option to pick your choice of vegetables and meat and hand it over the counter; tell the chef your preference of sauce and condiments and it will be cooked right

in front of you. Whether it is stir fry or grill, you will get your dish beautifully plated within minutes.

Apart from the live counter, other preparations are kept on the buffet in smaller quantities to keep the freshness of the ingredients intact.

Another aspect that has put The Straits in the limelight is the delicately prepared bite-sized sampler portions organised at the salad and dessert sections on either side of the live station. The miniature compound salads and desserts are masterpieces carefully prepared by chef. These are individu-

RECRUIT

ally portioned, garnished and presented in ramekins (small ceramic dishes)/shot glasses, it makes the display look amazing and you have more than 15 mouth-watering, colourful varieties to choose from!

In addition, there is ‘ice-cream teppanyaki’. As unique as the name might sound, it is a creative mix of ice cream with fruit, caramelised nuts, brownies/ cakes, sauces and syrups that is a burst of amazing textures and flavours.

All you need to do is to be creative yourself and ‘make your own ice-cream’ with your choice of in-

gredients and you can be assured that it’s out of this world!

“The concept behind The Straits is to offer something innovative without compromising on quality or freshness of the food. We offer something new for each meal that allows us to showcase our culinary range for an unforgettable dining experience. The buffet incorporates such a huge variety that it would be difficult to sample all that we have to offer in one go – tempting our customers to visit us again,” said Shafaque Ahsan, The Food & Beverage Director.

However, it is not just the customers but also the staff that the hotel that stays involved by doing things differently. The Hormuz team was invited 45 days before Christmas to join-in and celebrate the traditional ‘cake mixing ceremony’, where 20kg of dried fruit, tutti-frutti and spices such as cinnamon, ginger and all-spice were mixed together and soaked for preparing Christmas puddings and plum cakes. The participating team enjoyed this out of the ordinary activity that presented them with a light moment to spend time with colleagues over some snacks and refreshments.

lucky quarterly prize draw winners MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, hosted al Mazyona quarterly prize draw as part of the 44th National Day celebrations at the head office.

AbdulRazak Ali Issa, Chief Executive, picked the 15 winners, including one asalah Priority Banking customer, who won prizes totalling OMR750,000. al Mazyona customers maintaining a minimum balance of OMR1,000 for three months were eligible to participate in the prize draw for the quarter ending September, says a press release.

“Over the years, al Mazyona has succeeded in inculcating a strong savings culture in Oman.

The objective of al Mazyona is to create a lifetime change for winners and allow them to invest the prize money in things that will make a lasting difference and the well-being of their families,” said AbdulRazak Ali Issa while congratulating the winners.

With over OMR8 million prize money in 2014, al Mazyona savings scheme, offering more for everyone to share, is the biggest prize money in Oman and the region. Momentum has started building up for the grand yearend prizes totalling a whopping OMR1.9 million to be shared by 14 winners from the governorates and 1 winner from asalah Priority Banking.

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KOHLI READY FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CHALLENGE Indian star Virat Kohli said Sunday he was ready for the in-your-face pressure in store for his Test captaincy debut against Australia in next month’s opening Gabba Test. >C2

Qatar stun Oman to enter final The 2009 champions Oman will now play the third-place playoff on Tuesday to restore some pride before returning home

RIYADH: Qatar staged a stunning comeback to down Oman in a 3-1 semifinal victory at the 22nd Gulf Cup Football Championship at the King Fahad Stadium on Sunday.

While the result boosted Qatar’s hopes for the third crown, it shattered the Omanis dream of achieving their second title success at the regional football extravaganza.

Two second half goals by Ali Thaimin ended the Sultanate squad’s hopes, especially after the first half flourish saw Paul Le Guen’s Oman dominate the proceedings in the first half.

Both the second half goals came after serious defensive lapses, once on part of Oman skipper and experienced custodian Ali Al Habsi.

After the first half, Oman and Qatar were on even terms though the Sultanate team went into the break ruing a the missed opportunity by Abdulaziz Al Maqbali just before their rivals equalised.

Oman went ahead in the 24th TENNIS

Joy and tears for Federer as Swiss win Davis Cup

LILLE: Roger Federer gave Switzerland its first Davis Cup title on Sunday in Lille by pounding Richard Gasquet of France in straight sets in the first of the final’s reverse singles.

Federer romped to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win to hand the Swiss an unbeatable 3-1 lead after Stan Wawrinka had won the opening singles of the match and the world number two and four had teamed up to win the doubles on Saturday.

It was one of the greatest sporting triumphs for Switzerland, the 14th nation to win the Davis Cup, and a huge personal milestone for Federer to go with his 17 Grand Slam titles, six Masters titles and Olympic doubles gold.

It left him with just an Olympic singles gold to win in Rio in 2016 to become just the third man, after great rival Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi, to win all four Grand Slam titles, the Olympic title and the Davis Cup. “It’s an an enormous pleasure for me, I’ve waited 15 years for this,” Federer said. “This has been a perfect weekend in a crazy atmosphere and all the Swiss fans helped us enormously.

But he refused to accept that finally winning the Davis Cup made him the greatest player of all-time.

“That’s of no importance to me, what matters is that I enjoy playing tennis,” he added.

Federer had expected to play Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first of Sunday’s two rubbers, but the French number one, who lost to Wawrinka in four sets on Friday, was struggling with an arm injury and generally out of sorts.

In came Gasquet with the monumental task of defeating Federer and opening the door for the possibility of the in-form Gael Monfils defeating Wawrinka in the decider. -AFP

JUBILANT: Ecstatic Qatar players celebrate after beating Oman and qualifying for the final. – Times of Oman / Ismail Al Farsi

minute when a powerful Raed Ibrahim Saleh’s right footer beat Qatar goalkeeper Qasem Burham hands down.

Raed latched on to a deft cross from the left flank and powered the ball into the net with a first time shot.

However, the Oman jubilance was short lived Ali Al Habsi rushed out to make a save and in the pro-

cess committing a foul on a Qatari striker in the 36th minute.

While Ali was punished with a yellow card, more punishment was in store for the team as Hasan Al Haydos, taking the resultant penalty, curled the ball into the net after sending Ali the wrong side to bring the score to parity.

Soon after the break Ali Tahimin capitalised on defensive blunders

ONLY GOAL: Oman’s Raed Saleh celebrates after scoring Oman’s only goal in the semifinals.

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to shoot in a brace, in the 59th and 67th minutes, to deny any chance of an Oman recovery.

Oman, the 2009 champions, will now play the third-place play off

on Tuesday.

In his post-match comments, Paul Le Guen lamented that Oman failed to capitalise on the opportunities that came their way.

“The team played a very good game, especially in the first half.

But unfortunately we were unable to capitalise on the scoring opportunities we created,” he said.

“But I should say Qatar were de-

serving winners and they deserved to qualify for the final.

Their fitness was good and they were also physically superior to us.

And they took advantage of that aspect,” the Frenchman added.

“During the first half, the teams were evenly matched.

But in the second session individual errors crept in, which Qatar team were able to exploit,” he said.

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Kohli ready for the Australian challenge ADELAIDE: Indian star Virat Kohli said Sunday he was ready for the in-your-face pressure in store for his Test captaincy debut against Australia in next month’s opening Gabba Test.

Kohli will become India’s 32nd Test captain with regular skipper MS Dhoni missing the start of the four-Test series in Brisbane on December 4 against the Australians because of a wrist injury.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India said Dhoni would return to the helm for the remaining three Tests of the series. Responding to Australian paceman Peter Siddle’s taunt that he might find the rowdy crowd and added responsibilities “a bit daunting”, Kohli went straight on the front foot.

“Well that’s for me to know and for me to experience,” Kohli told reporters on Sunday ahead of the tourists’ opening hit-out against a Cricket Australia XI in Adelaide on Monday. “I’ve played against him, he’s quite a competitive guy so I’m not surprised there’s already some banter starting from that end.

I love leading the side.

I love being captain. I don’t see any issues on why I can’t be up to the challenge Virat Kohli

Stand-in India captain

..(and) I don’t mind all that.

“I love leading the side. I love being captain. I don’t see any issues on why I can’t be up to the challenge.”

Kohli has filled in for Dhoni in the limited-overs format, but is yet

to do so in a Test.

“I’m pretty confident of the ability the guys have.It’s up to me how I handle them, how I handle different situations,” he said.

“As long as the team backs me and puts in the performances we

want, I think I’m going to look good at the end of the day.”

Dhoni’s injury worries prompted India’s selectors to include two other wicket-keepers, Wriddhiman Saha and Naman Ojha, in the unusually large touring squad that

comprises eight specialist batsmen and five seamers.

Kohli was empathetic when asked about counterpart Michael Clarke’s injury-disrupted lead-up to the first Test.

“I’ve heard about Michael Clarke’s hamstring injury. I’m not in a position to comment on that because I don’t know how serious it is,” he said.

“It’s very unfortunate for a cricketer before a Test series to have that sort of an injury.”

The tour, which ends with the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in February and March, gives India a chance to improve their poor record overseas in recent years.

India have won just three and lost 14 of their 23 Tests away from the sub-continent in the last four years, enduring 4-0 routs in England and Australia in 2011 and a 3-1 drubbing in England earlier this year.

The series opener in Brisbane will be followed by Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. -AFP

Pacquiao retains welterweight title MACAU: Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao comprehensively dismantled American Chris Algieri to retain his World Boxing Organization welterweight title at the Cotai Arena in Macau on Sunday. Pacquiao dropped Algieri to the canvas six times during the 12-round contest in the southern Chinese city to win an overwhelming unanimous decision, 119-103, 119-103, 120-102 on the judges’ cards.

Algieri, the unbeaten WBO light welterweight champion, was outclassed from the start, with the eight-division world champion Pacquiao knocking the Long Islander down in the second round, twice in both the sixth and ninth rounds, and finally again in the 10th. Pacquiao was landing punches at will as the quick Algieri tried to run, slip and hide from the onslaught.

But the congressman from Sarangani province really turned it when he smashed Algieri to the canvas with a devastating straight left in the sixth. - AFP

Anamul, Tamim set up easy win Anamul made 80 off 110 balls while Tamim cracked 76 off 98 balls as Bangladesh posted 251-7 before dismissing Zimbabwe for 183 runs in 44.5 overs to take 2-0 lead in the five-match series

CHITTAGONG: Opening batsmen Anamul Haque and Tamim Iqbal each struck a half-century to set up an easy 68-run win for Bangladesh in the second one-day international against Zimbabwe in Chittagong on Sunday.

Anamul and Tamim provided Bangladesh the foundation putting on 158 runs in what was the side’s second best opening stand after Mehrab Hossain and Shahirar Hossain’s 170 against the same opponents in 1999.

Skipper Mashrafe Mortaza took three wickets in his opening spell to rattle Zimbabwe and left the visitors struggling at 3-40 and the side could never recover from the damage. — AFP

JUBILANT: Bangladesh cricketers celebrate after beating Zimba-

bwe at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. – AFP SCOREBOARD

Bangladesh Tamim Iqbal run out 76 Anamul Haque c Sibanda b Panyangara 80 Shakib Al Hasan b Sibanda 0 Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Kamungozi 27 S. Rahman c Kamungozi b Panyangara 0 Mahmudullah c Panyangara b Kamungozi 12 Mominul Haque not out 33 Mashrafe Mortaza b Chatara 6 Rubel Hossain not out 5 Extras (lb-3, w-8, nb-1) 12 Total (for seven wickets; 50 overs) 251 Fall of wickets: 1-158 (Tamim) , 2-158 (Shakib), 3- 173( Anamul ), 4- 173 (Sabbir), 5-204( Mahmudullah), 6-204 ( Rahim ), 7-225 ( Mortaza) Bowling: Panyangara 10-1-51-2 (w1, nb-1), Chatara 10-0-58-1(w1), Kamungozi 10-0-38-2 (w1), Nyumbu 10-0-56-0 (w2), Sibanda 10-0-45-1(w3) Zimbabwe H. Masakadza b Mortaza 0 S. Raza c Mahmudullah b Mortaza 16 V. Sibanda b Mortaza 21 B. Taylor c Mahmudullah b Sunny 8

S. Mire c Sunny b Shakib 50 R. Chakabva c Mortaza b Al-Amin 32 E. Chigumbura run out 38 T. Panyangara b Sunny 8 J. Nyumbu b Sunny 0 T. Chatara not out 1 T. Kamungozi b Sunny 0 Extras (lb-4, w-5) 9 Total ( all out; 44.5 overs) 183 Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Masakadza), 2-37 (Sibanda), 3-40 (Raza), 4- 50 (Taylor), 5-115 (Chakabva), 6-140 (Mire), 7-177 (Chigumbura), 8-181 (Panyangara), 9-182 (Nyumbu), 10-183 (Kamungozi) Bowling: Mortaza 8-0-34-3 (w2), Al-Amin 8-0-44-1(w1), Rubel 6-1-28-0, Sunny 9.5-0-29-4 (w1), Shakib 8-2-18-1(w1), Mahmudullah 2-0-12-0, Sabbir 3-0-14-0 Result: Bangladesh won by 68 runs and lead the five-match series 2-0 Toss: Bangladesh Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL) and Sharfuddoula (BAN) TV Umpire: Anisur Rahman (BAN) Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)

MO N DAY, N OV E MB E R 24, 2 0 14

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Australia secured a

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4-1 series win and nudged ahead of India to top the oneday rankings, less than three months before the start of the World Cup

SYDNEY: James Faulkner hit the winning boundary with five balls to spare to give Australia a thrilling two-wicket victory over South Africa on Sunday and push them to the top of the ICC oneday rankings.

The Australians were cruising towards a rain-reduced victory target of 275 in Sydney but then lost four wickets for three runs to give the Proteas a late chance of victory.

But Faulkner (six not out) got Australia over the line with a sweep for four off spinner Robin Peterson, who had bowled the Proteas into contention with four wickets.

Australia secured a 4-1 series CRICKET

Parvez targets World Cup selection NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir cricketer Parvez Rasool is targeting a spot in the Indian team which will play in the 2015 ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. “The target now is selection for the World Cup. There are multi-day matches coming up and the aim is to do well in those. I have to do well as a team and individually as well. The target is to get back to the Indian team,” Rasool was quoted as saying by bcci.tv.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Nov 21 presented the 25-year-old with the Lala Amarnath Award for the best all-rounder in Ranji Trophy for the 2013-14 season.

Rasool said the honour now increases his responsibility.

“Getting the Lala Amarnath award is a huge honour for any cricketer. Best all-rounder! My responsibility increases.

“This will be a morale booster for me as well as the team, that our performances are getting recognition which will lead to calls in India A, India, Indian Premier League (IPL),” said Rasool.

“The award is very important and especially for me because for the first time in the history a player from Jammu and Kashmir has received an award.” Rasool. - IANS

ALL SMILES: Victorious Australian team pose with the trophy after

beating South Africa on Sunday. – AFP

win and nudged ahead of India to top the one-day rankings, less than three months before the start of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock was named man-of-the-match in a losing side for his 107 off 123 balls in South Africa’s innings after they had won the toss.

The Australians seemed in control of the run chase with Aaron Finch scoring 76 (67 balls), Shane Watson 82 (93 balls) and man of the series Steve Smith 67 (74 balls).

But some reckless batting coupled with Peterson’s mesmerising spin brought South Africa back into contention after the

loss of Glenn Maxwell, Smith, skipper George Bailey, Matt Wade and Pat Cummins.

Faulkner got the Australians home in the final over.

“We made it a bit difficult for ourselves in the end and Jimmy (Faulkner) again got us home so it’s nice to win the series 4-1,” Smith said.

“We were a bit nervous sitting and watching and we were actually feeling a little bit sick, I don’t know what happened, and luckily Jimmy came out and rescued us again.”

The South Africans never gave in and coupled with Peterson’s bowling, Rilee Rossouw took four catches, including a sprawling effort to dismiss Smith in the outfield at a pivotal time in the match.

De Kock hit the first one-day century by a South African at the Sydney Cricket Ground to help his team to 280 for six.

The wicketkeeper’s 107 off 123 balls with 14 fours was his sixth ODI hundred but first against Australia. In the absence of injured skipper AB de Villiers, de Kock stepped up to play a valuable innings for the Proteas, who were looking to avoid a fourth defeat in the five-game ODI series.

De Kock survived a close shave

SCOREBOARD

SOUTH AFRICA Q. de Kock c Wade b Cummins 107 H. Amla c Wade b Maxwell 18 R. Rossouw c Bailey b Cummins 51 F. du Plessis c Bailey b Cummins 2 D. Miller c Cummins b Smith 5 F. Behardien c Smith b Faulkner 63 W. Parnell not out 18 R. McLaren not out 1 Extras (lb-5, w-9, nb-1) 15 Total (6 wickets; 50 overs) 280 Fall of wickets: 1-54 (Amla), 2-161 (Rossouw), 3-164 (du Plessis), 4-187 (Miller), 5-206 (de Kock), 6-279 (Behardien) Did not bat: R. Peterson, M. Morkel, K. Abbott Bowling: Hazlewood 9-1-52-0, Starc 10-1-60-0 (4w), Cummins 9-0-54-3 (4w), Faulkner 8-0-51-1 (1nb), Maxwell 8-0-30-1, Watson 1-0-11-0 (1w), Smith 5-1-17-1 AUSTRALIA D. Warner c Peterson b Parnell 21 A. Finch c Rossouw b Peterson 76 S. Watson c Rossouw b Morkel 82 S. Smith c Rossouw b Peterson 67

on 98 as Smith’s throw narrowly missed the stumps when the batsman was well out of hi ground.

He went on to reach his century before being caught off his glove going for a uppercut off paceman Pat Cummins in the 41st over.

De Kock put on 107 for the second wicket with Rossouw, who scored 51 off 71 balls as a replacement for de Villiers.

The skipper injured his ribs

G. Maxwell C Behardien b Morkel 7 G. Bailey c Rossouw b Abbott 4 M. Wade b Peterson 3 J. Faulkner not out 6 P. Cummins b Peterson 0 M. Starc not out 1 Extras (w4, nb4) 8 Total (8 wickets; 47.1 overs) 275 Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Warner), 2-137 (Finch), 3-218 (Watson), 4-246 (Maxwell), 5-264 (Smith), 6-264 (Bailey), 7-267 (Wade), 8-267 (Cummins) Did not bat: J. Hazlewood Bowling: Morkel 10-0-69-2 (1w), Abbott 100-59-1 (3nb, 1w), Parnell 9-0-54-1, McLaren 7-0-41-0 (1nb, 2w), Peterson 6.1-1-32-4, Behardien 5-0-20-0 Result: Australia won by 2 wickets (D/L) Series: Australia 4-1 Man of the match: Quinton de Kock (RSA) Toss: South Africa Umpires: Nigel Llong (ENG), Mick Martell (AUS) Third umpire: Billy Bowden (NZL) Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)

while fielding in Friday’s fourth ODI in Melbourne.

Farhaan Behardien provided late fireworks in his best knock of the series with 63 off 41 balls, including seven fours and two sixes.

He looked set for a third six only to be athletically caught above his head by Smith on the boundary rope.

Cummins was the best Australian bowler with three for 54. - AFP

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M O N DAY, NOVEMB ER 24, 2014

SPORTS Team Nika extend lead, Aqua in second at RC44 Oman Cup The defending champions did not have to win in Oman to be crowned 2014 RC44 Championship Tour winners, but as owner Chris Bake said, they will be trying: “Nika have had an unbelievable regatta, they have been very constant and very strong all week, they should be proud of what they have done. We have got our work cut out tomorrow to close the nine point gap, I am not sure if we can or not but we will give it our best shot.”

In the overall standings, Team Nika has a nine-point lead over second placed Team Aqua. Charisma team is four-points off Team Aqua, second to fifth split by just eight-points. With no discard and three races expected to be sailed, there are no guaranteed spots on the podium as yet.

Team Nika continued their great form, extending their lead in the overall standings, adding another race win to their scoreline

MUSCAT: The ten competing teams at the RC44 Oman Cup, hosted by Oman Sail and sponsored by Mercedes Benz Oman, enjoyed a great sailing day at The Wave, Muscat on the penultimate day of the 2014 Championship Tour on Saturday.

Racing commenced with young Optimists, members of Omantel’s Youth Programme, joining each RC44 boat as “ninth men” to share the thrill of sailing alongside a mixture of amateur and seasoned sailors. With fast and furious racing building steadily throughout the day, this experience gave the youngsters a glimpse of what to expect as they carve their way towards professional sailing careers.

Starting with a seven-knot north-westerly breeze, Team Nika continued their great form, extending their lead in the overall standings, adding another race win to their scoreline.

Team Aqua stayed second with

Charisma hanging onto third. Peninsula Petroleum nailed the pin end of the line in the opening race of the day, stayed left and led at the first mark. Katusha made a safe start in the middle of the line, ducked Peninsula Petroleum coming into the top mark to round second, with Nika and Aqua just behind.

A big left shift made the run a one way track, but Team Aqua soaked down and snuck past Nika at the leeward gate. John Bassadone’s team sailed a perfect race to take their second win.

With such tight racing, collisions are not unusual in the RC44 fleet. Coming into the offset mark at top of the course, Bronenesec didn’t give enough water for Artemis Racing and Gazprom Youth,

the result – a three boat collision. Artemis had to replace their bow between races. Damage to Gazprom Youth’s transom took them out of racing for the rest of the day. Vladimir Liubomirov’s Bronenosec were penalised, with two penalty points for the incident.

Chris Bake’s Team Aqua had made it up to second overall on equal points with Katusha after seven races and were eager to get started again. Both teams were called over the line in race eight, having to restart. Nika, Artemis and Peninsula Petroleum started at the pin end of the line and headed up the favoured left hand side of the course.

The trio rounded the windward mark ahead of the fleet. Nika and Artemis held their places until

the finish, Nico Poon’s Charisma pulling themselves up through the fleet to finish third, just ahead of Peninsula Petroleum.

The final race on Saturday gave some great sailing conditions as the wind increased to 14 knots.

Aqua made a safe start in the middle of the line, played the shifts and led Bronenosec by the smallest of margin at the top mark.

Peninsula Petroleum was up in the top three again. Team Aqua kept out of trouble and sailed away from the fleet to take the win, Bronenosec second, with Team Nika third, whose owner Vladimir Prosikhin described the race: “The best race I have ever sailed, it was a very good recovery, very hard work and we did everything perfect.”

RC44 Oman Cup overall ranking (after nine races): 1. Team Nika 3 1 2 6 2 4 4 1 3 – 26; 2. Team Aqua 4 3 7 2 8 1 3 6 1 – 35; 3. Charisma 1 5 5 9 1 2 6 3 7 – 39; 4. Artemis Racing 5 4 8 1 4 7 7 2 5 – 43; 5.

Katusha 2 6 4 5 3 6 2 9 6 – 43; 6. Synergy Russian Sailing Team 9 2 3 4 7 3 5 5 9 – 47; 7. Peninsula Petroleum Sailing Team 10 9 1 10 6 8 1 4 4 – 53; 8. Gazprom Youth Sailing Challenge 7 8 6 8 5 9 8 5RDG 11DNS – 67; 9. Bronenosec Sailing Team 6 10 9 3 10 10 10 8 2 (2) – 70; 10. Aleph Racing 8 7 10 7 9 5 9 7 8 – 70.

2014 RC44 Championship Tour overall fleet race ranking (After four events with one discard): 1. Team Aqua – 6; 2. Peninsula Petroleum Sailing Team – 7; 3. Bronenosec Sailing Team – 9; 4. Charisma – 14; 5. Synergy Russian Sailing Team – 16; 6. Artemis Racing – 16; 7. Team Nika – 17; 8. Bombarda Racing - 21; 9. Gazprom Youth Sailing Challenge – 21; 10. Katusha – 24; 11. Aleph Racing – 25; 12. MAG Racing – 34; 13. Artemis Racing Youth – 36.

ISC TENNIS

Vivek, Kapil, Vatsal and Siddhant in semifinals MUSCAT: The top four seeds, Vivek Kolluru, Kapil Mansinghani, J. Siddhant and Vatsal Manikandan, advanced to the semifinals of the under-10 singles at the Falcon Insurance Companysponsored annual tennis tournament organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat.

Ibri-based Vivek Kolluru asserted his supremacy with a fluent 6-0 blanking of H. Aniketh in the quarterfinal.

The top seed was joined in the last four by second seed Kapil Mansinghani who registered a confident 6-0 win over Adarsh Srinivasan.

Third seed J. Siddhant was also in his elements and routed Praneeth Raj 6-0 while fourth seed Vatsal Manikandan defeated Zain Ashfaq 6-2 to enter the semifinals.

In the earlier round of the same event, H. Anieth struggled before overcoming Mikhail Sarit 6-4, Zain Ashfaque beat kshita AR 6-2, Praneeth Raj had advanced with a 6-3 win over Amritya Singh and Adarsh Srinivasan defeated J. Kavya 6-3.

Viswanathan scored a hardfought 8-6 win to emerge into the second round of the men’s singles. So did Prasad who defeated Venkatesa Babu 8-1.

Also moving into the second round of the men’s singles are Subash Pillai who won the battle of hard-hitters with a 8-2 win over Ronnie Pereira while Percy Pereira outlasted Vivek Lad 8-1 and Yash Tanna routed Hemachandra Ail 8-0.

ITPF’S PLANS TO DEVELOP TENT PEGGING

Mohammed bin Issa Al Fairuz, the chairman of the International Tent Pegging Federation (ITPF), met the members of the various committees of the world body at Al Rahba Farm on Sunday on the sidelines of tent pegging training programme being organised.

The meeting discussed the significance of the first training programme, which began on November 19 and runs till November 26. The programme includes both theoretical and practical sessions and are being organised under the supervision of Omani trainers. The meeting also assessed the present tent pegging scenario and put forward suggestions for a clear strategy to spread and develop the sport. The ITPF is set to also finalise 2015 programme of events, including the tournaments to be organised, during a meeting on Thursday. — Supplied photo

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Barry clinches title at A’Saffa golf tourney Barry Furlong carded an impressive 68 nett score, same as Nasser Al Touqi but the former was declared the winner on count back

MUSCAT: Barry Furlong beat Nasser Al Touqi on the count back to emerge the champion at the A’Saffa Golf Tournament organised at the Ghala Valley Golf Club here recently.

Organised by A’Saffa Foods, Oman’s largest fully integrated poultry project and producers of 100 percent natural and tasty healthy food range, attracted over 100 avid golfers.

After a fierce competition, Barry Furlong carded an impressive 68 nett score, same as Nasser Al Touqi but the former was declared the winner on count back.

Jeff Campbell bagged the best gross trophy with a gross score of 74. The ladies division was won by

Rachel Connor with a nett score of 73. Siddhant Dhawan, who finished with a nett score of 75, won the junior division title.

‘Nearest to the Pin’ prize went to Nasser Al Touqi and ‘Longest Drive’ to Ali Hameed, a member of the Oman National Golf Team.

Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy, Minister of Oil and Gas, presided over an impressive prize-giving ceremony and handed over the trophies.

Saleh Mohammed Shanfari, Chairman at A’Saffa Foods, said: “As golfing facilities have rapidly improved in recent years, the

number of golfers continues to grow as well.

“With the A’Saffa Golf Tournament it has been our aim to do our bit towards increasing the scope of the game in Oman, along with using the event as a platform to showcase our range of healthy and tasty savories.”

“Apart from thanking those who participated and made this year’s event a success, I would also like to thank the Ghala Valley Golf Club for hosting the game at their world-class facility,” A’Saffa Foods’ CEO Dr. Nasser Al Mauly said.

“As the market leader, it is

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FOOTBALL

Oman LNG inaugurates football pitches in Sur, Tiwi

MUSCAT: The Sultanate’s aspirations to develop a cadre of professional footballers to compete in the local and regional tournaments, has received a boost, with the formal opening of football pitches in Sur and Tiwi in South Sharqiyah Governorate.

In what could serve as a tangible and promising prototype of how private organisations can forge strong alliances to promote public initiatives, the new football pitches have been built on the back of a partnership between Oman LNG, one of the country’s TENNIS

Azarenka and Ivanovic to play in Brisbane SYDNEY: Victoria Azarenka and Ana Ivanovic will play in the Brisbane International joining Maria Sharapova in a strong field, organisers said on Sunday.

Dual Australian Open champion Azarenka and 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic confirmed their entry alongside five-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova and Australia’s 2011 U.S. Open title-holder Sam Stosur.

Their entry takes the number of Grand Slam champions set to play in Brisbane in January to seven, with the four women’s champions to be joined by 17time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, two-time major winner Lleyton Hewitt and this year’s U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic.

Azarenka returns to Brisbane where she won her first-ever career singles title.

The Brisbane International will be held at Queensland Tennis Centre from January 4 to 11. - AFP

our promise to provide consumers with food products that are wholesome and processed hygienically from natural, pure, halal, healthy, premium ingredients and aromatic spices. Being pioneers in fully integrated poultry production and farm management systems we have built our competence and expertise in food production, processed food technology, and innovative food recipes helping us to deliver new, flavorful choices that consumers can enjoy anytime,” Sidhartha Lenka, Head Marketing and Sales at A’Saffa Foods, said.

main revenue generators, and the Ministry of Sports Affairs.

The ceremony was under the patronage of Shaikh Saud bin Mohammed Al Hinai, Deputy Wali of Sur in Tiwi, and was attended by senior representatives from Ministry of Sports Affairs and Oman LNG, and a large turn-out of football enthusiasts.

The event included a football match between two local teams followed by traditional music.

With a three-train natural gas liquefaction facility in Sur that has converted over 1,700 cargoes

of the fuel to high foreign exchange earnings for the country, Oman LNG has become widely respected at home and abroad as one of the country’s main benefactors, supporting a large basket of well-meaning welfare projects that have improved the quality of life for citizens and residents alike.

In 2010, the Council of Ministers for Social Affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) adjudged the company to be the Best Company in Corporate Social Responsibility in Oman.

New I-League team PUNE: The Kalyani Group on Sunday launched their football club ‘Bharat FC’ with an aim of performing well in their maiden appearance in the I-league staring in January next year. Headcoach Stuart Watkiss said it was the Kalyani Group’s pursuit of excellence that drew him towards the club. - IANS

KR PLAYS GOLF FOR A CAUSE

The KR Group once again supported the endeavours of Dar Al Atta, this time participating in the Texas Scramble Golf Tournament organised under the auspices of Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy, Minister of Oil and Gas. “We applaud Dar Al Atta for their ceaseless efforts to enrich lives and we thank them for yet another opportunity to show our support,” said Hritik Khimji, Director, Khimji Ramdas. — Supplied photo

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M O N DAY, NOVEMB ER 24, 2014

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Hamilton makes history Hamilton powered to his 11th win in 19 races to seal the title and join the elite ranks of double Formula One world champions ABU DHABI: A tearful Lewis Hamilton joined the elite ranks of double Formula One world champions on Sunday after a nerveracking drive to victory in the floodlit season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

In a race overshadowed by the ever-present spectre of mechanical failure after the Briton’s Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg suffered an early loss of power, Hamilton powered to his 11th win in 19 races.

The 29-year-old, who took his first title with McLaren in 2008, became Britain’s first multiple champion since Jackie Stewart in 1971 and only the country’s fourth.

DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPION: Lewis Hamilton. – AFP

“Lewis, thank you very much for not letting the British public down,” Britain’s Prince Harry told him over the radio from the pit wall as the chequered flag came down.

“You are an absolute legend.”

Hamilton, crying on the podium as the anthem sounded and with his voice cracking in later interviews, performed a slowing down lap with the British flag fluttering from the cockpit and the words

CHESS

‘Hammer Time’ written on it.

“World champion. Oh my God, I can’t believe it, thanks everyone,” he had shouted over the radio before parking up and embracing his father, pop star girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger and family.

The victory was a record 16th of the season for Mercedes, who had already collected the constructors’ crown, and for the first time the winner took 50 points in an

unprecedented and controversial double points finale.

“This has been just an incredible year. I can’t believe how amazing,” said Hamilton. “This is the greatest moment in my life. It feels very surreal. (Winning in) 2008 was special but the feeling I have now is above and beyond. It’s the greatest feeling I’ve ever had. Thanks so much everyone.”

Rosberg finished 14th after starting on pole position and 17 points adrift, the much-vaunted ‘duel in the desert’ becoming a nightmare after dark for the German son of Finland’s 1982 champion Keke.

He had suffered problems from the 25th of 55 laps, then complained about losing brakes as he fell down the order, still hoping against hope that a similar misfortune might befall Hamilton and revive his chances.

When the team asked him to pit and retire with only a handful of laps to go, Rosberg asked to stay out so he could at least end the season on track.

“Sorry it didn’t work out but you drove like a champion,” said Mercedes technical head Paddy Lowe.

“We come back next year to have another go.”

Rosberg, who gallantly shook Hamilton’s hand afterwards, did not need to tell anyone that he was

disappointed but he said it anyway.

“All in all, Lewis deserved to win the championship. What happened to me had no impact, it did not change anything so there is no point focusing on that,” he said.

“He did just a little bit better than me. The positive is I’ve been the better qualifier over the last two years and that gives me a good base. I came very close and it is a pity it did not work out.”

Brazilian Felipe Massa finished second for Williams in the race, after looking like he could win it, with Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas third.

“Not bad for an old man,” said a delighted Massa after his best result since 2012, when he was at Ferrari.

Behind them, Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth for Red Bull with Hamilton’s former McLaren teammate Jenson Button fifth in what may have been his last race in Formula One. Force India duo Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez were sixth and seventh while outgoing fourtimes champion Sebastian Vettel was eighth in his last race for Red Bull before moving to Ferrari.

The man he will replace at the Italian team, double world champion Fernando Alonso, was ninth and ahead of Finnish team mate Kimi Raikkonen. - Reuters

ISL

Chennayin rout Mumbai MUMBAI: Chennaiyin FC produced a clinical performance and pumped in goals in the second half to thrash Mumbai City FC 3-0 to consolidate their position at the top of the table in Indian Super League (ISL) at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday.

After much prodding and probing, Bruno Pelissari gave his side the lead in the 71st minute when he slotted the ball home.

Pelissari made the stride after a blunder from Mumbai midfielder Jan Stohanzl, who gave away the ball from the edge of the box before Chennai’s Balwant Singh failed to get a touch.

The Marco Materazzicoached side extended the lead 10 minutes later when Dhanachandra Singh’s shot found the back of the net after capitalising on a error from Mumbai custodian Subrata Paul.

Chennai took an unsailable 3-0 lead in the 89th minute when Cristian Hidalgo, who came in for Pelissari in the 73rd minute, smashed a brilliant freekick past to the right of a flying Paul in the Mumbai goal.

Chennai consolidate their position at the top with 19 points, while with 12 points Mumbai are in sixth place. - PTI

I N S P I R AT I O NA L TA L E N T S

Carlsen beats Anand Ooredoo’s ‘Simply Do Wonders’ winners meet Messi to retain world title SOCHI: Magnus Carlsen asserted his supremacy over Viswanathan Anand for the second year in running as the Norwegian retained his World Chess Championship title after defeating the Indian Challenger in the 11th game, here on Sunday.

The Norwegian world champion closed the 12-game match with a 6.5-4.5 scoreline, courtesy his win in the penultimate game.

While this may have been closely fought in the eyes of the experts, the fact remains that Anand lasted only one extra game compared to the 2013 match at Chennai when it was all over in the tenth game of the match itself.

For Anand, there were a lot of lessons to be learnt and it is clear that the five-time world cham-

pion will probably like to get another shy at the title during the next Candidates tournament.

Anand knew that a draw would keep him in the match but expectedly the Indian ace was not hooked to the idea of staying on till the last game of the 12-game match, and tried to complicate when he got the first opportunity.

After the match Anand said in a battle of nerves Carlsen held up his own better. “I played much better. I got interesting positions to play which were not there in Chennai last year,” Anand said.

Speaking of his exchange sacrifice in the 11th game, Anand said it was a bad gamble.

Anand categorically said he will not be quitting the game following his defeat. - Agencies

DOHA: A group of 12 talented young people had the chance to meet sporting hero and Ooredoo brand ambassador Leo Messi in Barcelona this week, as Ooredoo’s successful “Simply Do Wonders” competition concluded.

The young sports fans won the competition after uploading videos of themselves displaying their football skills to the dedicated website simplydowonders.com.

They were flown from countries across Ooredoo’s footprint on an all-expenses-paid trip to meet and show their football skills to Leo Messi at training facilities in Barcelona.

While visiting Barcelona, the children also saw Leo Messi playing football during an official match. The winners came from Tunisia, The Maldives, Qatar, Indonesia, Algeria, Kuwait, and Palestine. The company also ex-

tended two additional places for children from Gaza.

Leo Messi said: “This talented group of young people are an inspiration. Despite the challenges many of them face, they are passionate

about football and the life opportunities that sport can provide.

“The reason I began the Leo Messi Foundation and teamed with Ooredoo is to let children know if they work hard, they really can do

wonders. Ooredoo’s support for this contest and their on-going work to promote sport and healthy lifestyles is a great example of how leading companies can make a difference.”

Dr. Nasser Marafih, Group CEO, Ooredoo, said: “This competition has brought football fans around the world together and showcased the skills and aspirations of young people. Working with Leo Messi has enabled us to reach a whole new audience, and we hope together we can keep them engaged and supported through our initiatives for young people.”

Simply Do Wonders was Ooredoo’s first-ever global communication campaign with Leo Messi and involved a television commercial as well as advertising across media. During its run, over 11 million people viewed the advert online, making it the most-seen video ever from an Arab brand on YouTube.

EPL

Palace down Liverpool LONDON: Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock saw a lot of himself in his players as they shrugged off rumours of disharmony in the camp to beat Liverpool 3-1 at home in the Premier League on Sunday.

After a poor start to the season with nine points from their opening 11 games, the pressure had been mounting on Warnock and his team before the visit of last season’s runners-up.

British media reports said the manager, who began his second spell in charge at Palace in August, was struggling to inspire a squad who finished an impressive 11th under former boss Tony Pulis last season.

That looked to be the case when Liverpool took the lead at Selhurst Park after two minutes through a Rickie Lambert strike, but goals from Dwight Gayle, Joe Ledley and Mile Jedinak secured a third win of the season.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspurs edged Hull City 2-1. — Reuters

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SECTION

LIFE & STYLE

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM MON DAY, N OV EMB ER 24 , 2 0 14

Safety razor, the 150-year-old invention, is back

A

fter 13 years of creating products to combat razor burn, bumps on the neck and other shaving woes, the men’s grooming company Jack Black decided it was time to attack the problem at the source. And so last year, the company, instead of embracing new technology, began selling a nearly 150-year-old invention — the safety razor.

“You can be using all the right skin-care products, but if you’re not using the right razor, you’re not going to get the best results,” said Emily Dalton, a co-founder of Jack Black. “Shaving with multiblade cartridges is very irritating.”

The venerable safety razor — often a double-edged razor (a single blade with two sharp sides) — is having a renaissance. Baxter of California, a nearly 50-year-old brand, began selling the razor in 2009; sales grew steadily by 40 to 60 percent a year, then tripled in the last year, according to company figures.

At the Art of Shaving, which has 155 stores nationwide, sales of safety razors have increased 1,000 per cent from 2009 to 2014, a company spokesman said.

And when Mercer & James, a two-year-old company selling classic razors, appears at the Brooklyn Flea, “people come over and start selling our products for us,” said Michael Schlotfeldt, a founder, who himself made the switch to a safety razor 10 years ago to stop his breakouts. “They start telling everyone how much better shaving with a safety razor is.”

Part of the resurgence of Grandpa’s razor is a post-recession focus on heritage brands and durable goods. Well-made safety razors last long enough to be handed down generations, said J.P. Mastey, a creative adviser to Baxter and the former chief executive.

But mostly it’s because a new demographic has discovered that low-tech is both cheaper in the long run (the initial investment is higher, but replacement blades cost pennies), less painful and arguably more satisfying, since it requires a bit more technique.

On Reddit, where the typical user is a 35-year-old man, a fouryear-old wet shaving forum called the Wicked Edge offers recommendations, tutorials and discus-

sions of the merits of various handles and blades. It receives about 800,000 page views a month and 50 new subscribers a day, a Reddit spokeswoman said.

Shaving became big business during World War I, when the Gillette Safety Razor company, as it was then called, won a contract to supply safety razors to the entire United States armed forces — some 3.5 million razors and 32 million blades. (An oft-repeated story is that the razors were issued because men needed to be cleanshaven for gas masks to fit, but Richard Stewart, the army’s chief historian, said that’s unlikely because the masks were canvas and beards weren’t prohibited until the 1950s. Promoting military bearing and avoiding lice were more likely reasons, he said.)

Since then, something of a research-and-development arms race has ensued, with companies vying to stack on the most blades for the closest shave.

Terrence Keaney, a dermatologist in Washington D.C., said he frequently recommends that patients “reverse time,” forgoing cartridge styles for safety razors.

“These companies have done too good of a job of creating all these new devices,” said Keaney, the founder of W for Men, thought to be the country’s first cosmetic practice focused on men.

“We’re almost getting too close of a shave, and a lot of men can’t tolerate it.”

Too-close shaves start an unforgiving cycle. The skin is not a smooth surface; it has peaks and valleys, like mountain ranges.

With multiple blades so close to the skin, there are more tiny nicks (hence the burning sensation when alcohol is applied) and the skin becomes less smooth, thus more prone to being cut or injured.

Don’t safety razors, which lack pivoting heads and other innovations, also cause injury?

“Not if you take it slowly,” said Schlotfeldt, who speaks in yogainflected cadences about feeling the weight of the tool in one’s hand.

“It starts your day off at the right pace and the right tone.”

Don’t let the term safety razor lull you into a false sense of security. It’s safer than the old bladeright-on-the-neck “cutthroat” straight razor — hence the word

“safety” - but less so than cartridge razors, which are designed to protect you from yourself.

To avoid needing another tool from Grandpa’s shaving kit (the old styptic pencil), pay particular care at the jawline.

“If you’re used to a pivoting head, which is what most cartridges do, when you come down from the sideburn and then start to turn, you’re going to cut yourself,” said J.P. Mastey, a creative adviser to Baxter of California, who did exactly that on his own inaugural safety-razor shave. Instead, use very short, straight strokes.

Terrence Keaney, a dermatologist, advised shaving in the direction the hair grows, instead of against it, at least until you learn the technique. (If you’re prone to irritation, you should always shave with the angle of the hair, he said, because the shave isn’t as close.) On the neck, work top to bottom. And above all, take it slow.

“We’re used to whipping around with razors,” he said. “We forget that we’re taking a sharp object across our skin.” -Courtney Rubin/The New York Times News Service

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Reese Witherspoon and Megan Ellison are changing the movies Witherspoon, who was part of the ‘Hollywood Reporter’s’ annual actress roundtable, says her success was the result of a recent decision — to stop waiting for other people to start making movies about interesting female characters

L

ast week, I wrote about how hard it was going to be to fill the slate of Best Actress nominees at the Academy Awards, given how few movies this year gave women significant screen time and rich, complex parts. But two of the movies that have produced genuine contenders — David Fincher’s Gone Girl and Jean-Marc Vallée’s Wild — have one thing in common — Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Pacific Standard.

Witherspoon, who was part of the Hollywood Reporter’s annual actress roundtable, told the magazine that her success as both a producer and a potential Best Actress contender (she stars as memoirist Cheryl Strayed in Wild) were the result of a recent decision — to stop waiting for other people to start making movies about interesting female characters.

“I can’t speak for other people. I just recognise that about three years ago, I started seeing this complete lack of interesting female leads in film. First I got mad, really mad. And then I was like, “It’s nobody’s fault; if you’re not proactive about things.” I’d had a company before, but it was basically about trying to develop things that I would eventually be in,” Witherspoon explained. “So I just switched the idea — If I can develop anything for any other women, I don’t care who it is; I just want my daughter to grow up seeing complex, interesting, nuanced women in film. So I started it with my own money — you know, the first thing people tell you is, “Don’t put your own money into anything” — so I was like, is this really dumb? But I got a great partner (Bruna Papandrea) and the first two things I sent her were Gone Girl and Wild. And those were the

first books that we optioned.”

Gone Girl and Wild are tremendously different books, but the women at the centre of both are undeniably different from almost anything anyone else in Hollywood regularly escorts to the screen. Lead female characters in each book — Amy Elliot Dunne and Cheryl Strayed — have gotten lost. Amy, the brilliant, amoral creation of novelist Gillian Flynn, finds herself in Missouri, exiled from New York by an economic downturn that eliminated both her job and that of her husband Nick, and Nick’s mother’s terminal illness, which drew him home.

Cheryl, devastated by the death of her mother, wrecks her young marriage and loses herself in heroin and a series of doomed affairs.

Gone Girl is the story of how Amy finds her way back to herself by framing first her husband for her murder. Wild is Cheryl Strayed’s

rather more sedate story of a restorative hike on the Pacific Coast Trail, a trek that re-centred Cheryl in her own body and mind. Amy is a monster, while Cheryl is a literary book club heroine, but both books — and both movies — place their perspectives and opinions, uncomfortable and jarring as they may be, squarely at the centre. It is women’s experiences who matter here.

Witherspoon is hardly the first woman to make this hike, of course. Her potential awardsseason dominance recalls that of Megan Ellison (daughter of billionaire Larry Ellison), whose Annapurna Pictures production company has also turned out a reliable series of contenders and intelligent provocations. Annapurna Pictures movies tend to be less intrigued by the inner lives of women, and they are more likely than Pacific Standard films to have male main characters.

But the women in movies Ellison makes never seem less than formidable and fascinating, even when they have to swipe the movie from a male co-star or lead.

In Zero Dark Thirty, Kathryn Bigelow’s exploration of the hunt for Osama bin Laden, Jessica Chastain turns in a similarly rigid, compelling performance as Maya, the lead analyst on the case. Maya is personally unpleasant and professionally excellent. At the end of the movie, it is impossible not to wonder what Maya will be without her quarry.

Even in less self-serious Annapurna-produced movies, women transcend stereotypes.

The young hooligans of Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers have turned an over-marketed college experience into a kind of consumerist religion that they pursue with fundamental zeal. And as Samantha, the artificial intelligence in Spike Jonze’s Her, Scarlett Johans-

son provides a beautiful example of what it means to come intellectually alive, using only her voice.

That Ellison and Witherspoon’s companies have produced so many important movies so quickly says a great deal about the opportunities the rest of Hollywood is missing.

And it is a sobering reminder of how little — and how much — it takes to make a quick and visible difference in pop culture. An actress’s long-percolating revelation, or the daughter of a tech titan’s good financial fortune end up being the difference between a Hollywood that has few good roles for women and one that has almost none. These are slim reeds on which to hang creative revolutions. If we want more good movies about female characters, it seems we are going to need more women with access to money and serious directors to get those projects rolling themselves.

-Alyssa RosenbergThe Washington Post

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SCREEN 1 Happy Ending (Comedy) (12+ ) Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Lieana, Kalki Koechlin 3.30, 6.30, 9.30pm Dumb And Dumber (2D) (Com) Cast: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels 5:00 pm; (PG12) The Hunger Games-Mockingjay Part 1 (2D) (Adv/Sci-Fi) (PG12) Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth 11:00 am, 3:30 pm, 9:30 pm & 11:45 pm

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71 (Action | Drama | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Jack Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell, Sam Reid 3:00, 5:15, 8:00 pm The Hunger Game: Mockingjay - Part 1 (Adventure | Sci-Fi) (PG12) Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth 3:00, 4:45, 7:00, 9:30, 11:45 pm Happy Ending (Com | Rom) (12+) Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Ileana, Kalki Koechlin 7:00, 9:15 pm Babadook (Drama | Horror) (15+) Cast: Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall 3:00, 6:15, 10:00, 11:45 pm Catch Hell (Drama | Thriller) (12+) Cast: Ryan Phillippe, Tig Notaro, James DuMont 4:30, 11:45 pm

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The Babadook (Drama| Horror) (15+) Cast: Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall 5:30, 9:15 pm Happy Ending (Hindi) (Com) (12+) Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Ileana, Kalki Koechlin 11:00 pm Catch Hell (Drama | Thriller) (12+) Cast: Ryan Phillippe, Tig Notaro 5:00 pm 71 (Act | Drama | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Jack Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell, Sam Reid 7:15 pm

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CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

1 Coin-toss word 6 Agressive vine 11 Bookkeeperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book 12 Travel pros 14 Sopranoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s piece 15 Tellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s target 17 Registered co. symbol 18 Compost 19 007â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job 20 Maude of TV 21 Fat ďŹ ddle 23 Vega rocket org.

24 Botches 25 Tumbler 27 Grind, as teeth 28 Understood 29 Runway sight 30 Domed residence 33 Sinister 37 Drowses off 38 Periscopeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s place 39 Viking letter 40 Hirt and Pacino 41 Freight weight 42 Hosp. staffer

43 44 46 47 49

Sodium, in chem.

One-moon planet Moved with ease All but Cream cheese partners 51 Links 52 Unconventional DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 16 20 22 23 24 26

Lionhearted Reporterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boss â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Khan Atlantic Coast st.

Mexican Mrs. Phi Beta -Like gargoyles Poor grade Fe galvaniser Says Insect stage Shatter Attention getter Halter Trademarks Absorb, as costs Gain admission Opposite of

applaud Congeal Poke Banal â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hitchhikerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to the â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;?

32 CD predecessors 33 Batterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ploy 34 Architect Buckminster â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 27 29 30 31

35 Clean oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desk 36 Provides temporarily 38 Kinds 41 Package sealer 44 Mouse alert 45 Cable network 46 Bilkoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rank 48 AR neighbour 50 Cafe â&#x20AC;&#x201D; lait

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS

HOOR

November 24

Previous puzzle Solution

ALFRED North Whitehead, an English mathematician and philosopher who died in 1947, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It requires a very unusual mind to make an analysis of the obvious.â&#x20AC;?

If that is true, bridge players need unusual minds because sometimes the obvious is wrong and the unobvious is correct. And deals in which that is true are among the hardest to get right.

In this example, South is in three no-trump. West leads a fourthhighest heart six. What should declarer do after taking Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10 with his jack?

The auction is straightforward.

Remember, responder does not show his ďŹ ve-card minor with game-going values and no singleton.

It is so unlikely that ďŹ ve of the minor will make and three notrump fail.

South starts with eight top tricks â&#x20AC;&#x201D; three spades, one heart (the ďŹ rst trick), three diamonds and one club. It looks so obvious to bash out those top diamonds. Surely the jack will drop. And if it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, perhaps West has jack-fourth and can be given a trick, leaving the heart king safe from attack. Finally, if East has jack-fourth of diamonds, then maybe the club ďŹ nesse will work.

All very easy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but the contract fails here if East has the diamond jack.

East will gain the lead in one of the minors and return his last heart.

Instead, declarer should be willing to guarantee four diamond tricks while making sure that East never gains the lead. At trick two, South should play a diamond to dummyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ace, then he should lead a diamond to his 10. If the ďŹ nesse loses, the contract is safe. If the ďŹ nesse wins and West follows suit both times, declarer will rake in at least one overtrick. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; By Phillip Alder

WITH LOVE

BORN LOSER

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 parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;/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

MON DAY, NOVEMB ER 24, 2014

PRAYER TIMINGS

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

BORN today, you have been endowed with a great many seemingly contradictory traits, yet you are able to balance these quite well to promote your own agenda successfully and pursue the things you want with confidence and style. You are also an unusually lucky individual, and you may enjoy several major successes in life that you cannot explain in any other way than to say, “I was lucky.” You must take care, however, that you never brag about your good fortune; you must speak of it in a down-to-earth, though never self-deprecating, manner in order to keep others from becoming envious of what comes your way — or of you in general. No matter how good things may be for you, you must try to remain modest.

You aren’t likely to go unnoticed; indeed, you have what it takes to attract a great many admirers into your circle. Most of these may be people who hardly know you at all, yet they feel some kind of kinship with you that is, to you, perhaps quite a mystery.

Also born on this date are: Katherine Heigl, actress; Colin Hanks, actor; Stephen Merchant, screenwriter, actor, and comedian; William F. Buckley Jr., writer and publisher; Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Mafia boss; Scott Joplin, composer; Zachary Taylor, US president.

W E AT H E R

M

WORLD

Max 30 Min 21 Max 19 Min 9

Max 26 Min 11

Max 29 Min 22 Max 8 Min 3

Max 28 Min 21

Max -2 Min -6

Max 30 Min 19

Max 31 Min 17

Max 29 Min 18

Max 28 Min 21

Max 33 Min 18

[[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] Max 31 Min 22

Max 26 Min 13

Max 30 Min 25 Max 29 Min 22

—www.met.gov.om

Min

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

31 27 32 23 28 24

22 24 21 17 23 12

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

14 21 9 8 17 20 30 11 26 11 26 32 18 11 28 31 17 11

9 11 2 3 9 13 23 2 21 9 14 24 13 10 16 26 10 1

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

[DEC. 22-JAN 19] It may not take you any time at all to realise what you are up against. Once that is known, your course becomes clear.

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] The process is far more important to you than the result. Consider going back to take another try at something difficult.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] You will discern some significant differences between you and someone who claims to be an ally — or even a friend.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] There is helping, and then there is standing in the way. You may not be able to tell one from the other as easily as usual.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] You are interested in someone else’s affairs, but you are not the kind to intrude. Later, you may be asked to join in.

GEMINI [MAY 21-JUNE 20] There’s very little room for guesswork. You must look at the facts, assess their import and formulate a solid hypothesis.

CANCER [JUNE 21-JULY 22] What is different between what you are currently doing and what you want to be doing? Answer that, and you’ll be making real progress.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] Things are likely to go your way throughout much of the day, but when they don’t, you may have reason to fear coming to a complete standstill.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You’re likely to catch a great many lucky breaks, though a rival may enjoy the same kind of good fortune as well.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You’re likely to be remembered for something you do that you may not even remember yourself — until you are reminded of it.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] Once you get someone else’s attention, you can get the ball rolling very quickly. Decisions must be made on the spot.

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow) High tide Low tide

9:08am 3:55pm

5:20pm 6.27am 10:42pm 4:27am

becoming poor during fog formation.

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Mainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate with chance of cloud development over Al-Hajar mountains and chances of cloud development over the governorate of Musandam may give some rain. Clear to partly cloudy skies along the coastal area of Oman coasts with chances of late night to early morning fog formation along the southeastern coasts of the Sultanate. Moderate to rough sea state along the western coast governorate of Musandam with maximum wave height of 2.5 metres.

Max

OMAN

CAPRICORN

11.58am 3.04pm 5.25pm 6.39pm 5.08am

AIRLINES

ainly clear skies over the Sultanate with chances of late night to early morning low level clouds or fog patches over the coastal areas of the southeastern coast.

EXPECTED WIND: The wind will blow southerly to southeasterly light to moderate along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea while it will be northerly to northeasterly light to moderate becoming variable light during night over rest of the Sultanate.

SEA STATE: Slight over most of Oman coasts with maximum wave height of 1.25 metres.

HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate

SAGITTARIUS S The alternatives you have to consider are alike in one respect: Neither really has you anticipating an exciting result.

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

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

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

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

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

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

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

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

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

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

10:20 12:30

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

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

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

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

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Daily Daily

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

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

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

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

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

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

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

Daily Daily Daily Daily

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

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

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

Daily

16:50

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

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

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

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

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

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

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

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

LISTINGS

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766 Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691 Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740 Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 24537080 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah.

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

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

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

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

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

MONDAY

TUESDAY FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

RIYADH 0005 CAIRO 0005 JEDDAH 0005 ABU DHABI 0010 KUWAIT 0010 BANGKOK 0015 DACCA/CHITTAGONG 0100 SALALAH 0105 DACCA 0115 AMMAN 0125 ISTANBUL/BAHRAIN 0300 DOHA 0345 DUBAI 0355 BAHRAIN 0405 ABU DHABI 0405 DUBAI 0415 MALPENSA 0630 SALALAH 0630 LUXORE 0635 ABU DHABI 0650 BAHRAIN 0700 RIYADH 0700 AMMAN 0705 DOHA 0710 FRANKFURT 0715 KUWAIT 0715 MUNICH 0715 ZURICH 0720 DAMMAM 0725 JEDDAH 0730 PARIS 0800 DUBAI 0805 TEHRAN 0815 BOMBAY 0815 LONDON-HEATHROW 0820 DUBAI 0850 SHARJAH 0915 HYDERABAD 0920 DELHI 0935 DUBAI 0940 MADRAS 0940 DOHA 1010 ABU DHABI 1015 TRIVANDRUM 1035 MUKHAIZNA 1045 JAIPUR 1100 DUBAI 1110 CALICUT 1155 DUBAI 1200 CHITTAGONG 1210 LUCKNOW 1210 LAHORE 1215 SALALAH 1215 SALALAH 1325 DUBAI 1330 KARACHI 1355 KHASAB 1440 MUKHAIZNA 1445 BANGKOK 1525 BAHRAIN 1530 LAHORE 1550 DUBAI 1555 ABU DHABI 1635 BOMBAY 1710 CALICUT 1720 DUBAI 1730 DELHI 1730 HYDERABAD 1740 TRIVANDRUM 1740 DOHA 1745 ISLAM ABBAD 1745 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 BANGALORE 1810 MUKHAIZNA 1845 SHARJAH 1915 BATEEN AIRPORT OF AUH 1930 DUBAI 1945 DUBAI 2030 BANGALORE/HYDERABAD 2105 MALE 2110 AMSTERDAM/DOHA 2120 DELHI 2125 DUBAI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 SALALAH 2130 COCHIN 2140 COCHIN 2140 COLOMBO 2150 MADRAS 2155 BANGKOK 2200 MADRAS 2200 DOHA 2210 COLOMBO 2225 KATHMANDU 2235 BAHRAIN 2240 ABU DHABI 2250 LONDON-HEATHROW/ABU DHABI 2250 SALALAH 2255 AHMEDABAD 2300 AHMEDABAD/BOMBAY 2310 DOHA 2315 ZURICH/DUBAI 2320 BOMBAY 2325 BAHRAIN 2330 FRANKFURT/ABU DHABI 2330 DUBAI 2335 ABU DHABI 2350 DAMMAM 2350 SALALAH 2355

WY682 WY406 WY676 WY648 WY816 WY824 WY916 4H583 NL768 TK774 PK281 PK225 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 GF560 FZ041 WY902 WY638 WY658 WY686 WY668 WY644 WY692 WY674 WY602 WY202 WY432 WY102 WY342 FZ043 G9114 WY236 WY226 WY242 EK862 WY346 WY252 QR8550 QR1128 EY382 9W530 WY3922 WY904 WY822 G9841 IX337 FZ037 WY314 WY268 WY904 WY3302 PK191 BG023 WY906 WY606 WY326 WY918 IX817 KU677 WY656 WY632 FZ045 WY3304 WY274 WY216 WY204 WY292 WY610 WY246 WY284 WY232 QR1126 WY664 EK864 GF564 SV534 G9116 WY254 RG125 WY144 TG507 FZ047 WY614 WY152 WY124 WY624 AI973 WY134 6.00E+81 WY914 WY414 9W534 AI907 QR1134 UL205 BA073 GF566 EY388 WY908 AI985 WY662 LX242 9W540 WY654 LH618 WY612 WY116 WY696 WY928 WY636 WY717 WY910

RIYADH 0005 CAIRO 0005 JEDDAH 0005 KUWAIT 0010 BANGKOK 0015 KUALA LUMPUR 0055 SALALAH 0105 DACCA 0115 LAHORE 0130 ISTANBUL 0215 ISLAM ABBAD/SIALKOT 0225 LAHORE 0230 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0355 ABU DHABI 0405 BAHRAIN 0405 DUBAI 0415 SALALAH 0630 ABU DHABI 0650 BAHRAIN 0700 RIYADH 0700 DOHA 0710 KUWAIT 0715 DAMMAM 0725 JEDDAH 0730 DUBAI 0805 BOMBAY 0815 TEHRAN 0815 LONDON-HEATHROW 0820 LAHORE 0835 DUBAI 0850 SHARJAH 0915 HYDERABAD 0920 COCHIN 0930 DELHI 0935 DUBAI 0940 ISLAM ABBAD 0940 MADRAS 0940 DOHA 1000 DOHA 1010 ABU DHABI 1015 TRIVANDRUM 1035 DUQUM OMAN 1055 DUBAI 1110 KUALA LUMPUR 1115 RAS AL KHAIMA 1120 CALICUT 1155 DUBAI 1200 CHITTAGONG 1210 LUCKNOW 1210 SALALAH 1215 MUKHAIZNA 1230 GWADUR 1240 CHITTAGONG 1245 SALALAH 1325 DUBAI 1330 KARACHI 1355 KHASAB 1440 MANGALORE/ABU DHABI 1440 KUWAIT 1525 BAHRAIN 1530 ABU DHABI 1535 DUBAI 1555 MUKHAIZNA 1630 JAIPUR 1640 TRIVANDRUM 1705 BOMBAY 1710 CALICUT 1720 DUBAI 1730 DELHI 1730 BANGALORE 1740 HYDERABAD 1740 DOHA 1745 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 RIYADH 1900 SHARJAH 1915 MADRAS 1920 BATEEN AIRPORT OF AUH 1930 MALPENSA 1930 BANGKOK/KARACHI 1935 DUBAI 1945 DUBAI 2030 ZURICH 2110 MUNICH 2115 DUBAI 2125 DELHI 2125 PARIS 2130 BOMBAY 2130 SALALAH 2130 AMMAN 2135 COCHIN 2140 MADRAS 2200 DOHA 2210 COLOMBO 2225 LONDON-HEATHROW/ABU DHABI 2240 BAHRAIN 2240 ABU DHABI 2250 SALALAH 2255 AHMEDABAD/BOMBAY 2310 DOHA 2315 ZURICH/DUBAI 2320 BOMBAY 2325 BAHRAIN 2330 FRANKFURT/ABU DHABI 2330 DUBAI 2335 FRANKFURT 2345 DAMMAM 2350 SALALAH 2350 ABU DHABI 2350 ZANZIBAR/DARESSLAM 2355 SALALAH 2355

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

ETD

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

ETD

AI986 LX243 BA072

BOMBAY DUBAI/ZURICH ABU DHABI/LONDONHEATHROW BOMBAY ABU DHABI/FRANKFURT RIYADH MADRAS BOMBAY BANGKOK HYDERABAD DUBAI DELHI TEHRAN KUWAIT CHITTAGONG ABU DHABI BAHRAIN DOHA DAMMAM DACCA CHITTAGONG/DACCA JAIPUR BAHRAIN/ISTANBUL LUCKNOW LUCKNOW DUBAI DUBAI DOHA ABU DHABI MUKHAIZNA BAHRAIN DUBAI SALALAH HONG KONG BANGKOK KARACHI LAHORE SALALAH TRIVANDRUM CALICUT KUALA LUMPUR DUBAI MALE HYDERABAD DELHI SHARJAH BANGALORE BANGKOK COLOMBO DUBAI BOMBAY ISLAM ABBAD DUBAI ABU DHABI BAHRAIN MUKHAIZNA DOHA COCHIN KHASAB CALICUT KATHMANDU MADRAS LAHORE ABU DHABI LONDON-HEATHROW COCHIN DOHA DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO MUKHAIZNA JEDDAH DUBAI DUBAI SALALAH DUBAI SALALAH DOHA RIYADH BAHRAIN DOHA KUWAIT DAMMAM BAHRAIN DUBAI KUALA LUMPUR SALALAH SHARJAH BATEEN AIRPORT OF AUH DUBAI ABU DHABI DUBAI SALALAH HYDERABAD/BANGALORE DOHA/AMSTERDAM TRIVANDRUM BOMBAY MADRAS DELHI DOHA BAHRAIN COLOMBO JEDDAH SALALAH ABU DHABI

0005 0020

AI986 LX243 BA072

0005 0020

0025 0025 0050 0105 0110 0120 0120 0135 0150 0155 0155 0200 0205 0205 0205 0220 0235 0245 0250 0350 0350 0355 0355 0455 0510 0520 0525 0715 0745 0800 0800 0805 0805 0920 0920 0920 0920 0920 0930 0935 0940 0955 0955 1005 1010 1010 1020 1030 1030 1040 1055 1105 1110 1115 1115 1135 1140 1255 1310 1315 1315 1325 1325 1325 1330 1415 1420 1430 1515 1630 1700 1700 1735 1820 1840 1845 1845 1855 1900 1900 1910 1910 1915 1930 1940 2005 2015 2025 2030 2040 2050 2200 2230 2240 2245 2300 2310 2320 2325 2335 2350 2350 2350

9W539 SG062 LH619 WY685 WY251 WY201 WY225 WY235 WY341 WY345 WY601 WY241 WY431 WY151 WY643 WY637 WY313 WY657 WY123 WY133 WY115 WY667 WY143 NL769 WY691 4H584 TK775 PK282 PK230 ET625 EK867 FZ042 QR1133 EY385 WY3921 GF561 WY903 WY3301 WY603 WY215 WY325 WY905 WY291 WY273 FZ044 WY283 WY245 WY231 G9115 WY815 WY605 WY203 WY253 WY717 EK863 EY383 WY655 QR1129 QR8551 9W533 WY917 WY331 G9842 WY631 IX350 WY3303 WY101 PK192 WY663 WY413 WY927 BG024 FZ048 WY609 WY405 IX818 KU678 WY675 FZ046 WY613 WY913 WY623 WY907 WY681 QR1127 GF565 WY661 WY647 WY653 WY695 EK865 WY909 SV535 G9117 RG126 WY611 WY635 TG508 FZ048 WY915 WY825 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 AI974 QR1135 GF567 UL206 WY673 WY901 EY381

BOMBAY DUBAI/ZURICH ABU DHABI/LONDONHEATHROW BOMBAY AHMEDABAD ABU DHABI/FRANKFURT RIYADH MADRAS BOMBAY COCHIN HYDERABAD LAHORE ISLAM ABBAD DUBAI DELHI TEHRAN ZURICH KUWAIT ABU DHABI CHITTAGONG BAHRAIN MUNICH PARIS FRANKFURT DOHA MALPENSA LAHORE DAMMAM DACCA ISTANBUL SIALKOT LAHORE ADDIS ABABA DUBAI DUBAI DOHA ABU DHABI DUQUM OMAN BAHRAIN SALALAH MUKHAIZNA DUBAI TRIVANDRUM KARACHI SALALAH CALICUT JAIPUR DUBAI BANGALORE DELHI HYDERABAD SHARJAH BANGKOK DUBAI BOMBAY MADRAS ZANZIBAR/DARESSLAM DUBAI ABU DHABI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI WORLD CENTRE/DOHA COCHIN KHASAB KATHMANDU RAS AL KHAIMA ABU DHABI CALICUT MUKHAIZNA LONDON-HEATHROW GWADUR/TURBAT DOHA AMMAN SALALAH CHITTAGONG DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO MANGALORE ABU DHABI/KUWAIT JEDDAH DUBAI DUBAI SALALAH DUBAI SALALAH RIYADH DOHA BAHRAIN DOHA KUWAIT BAHRAIN DAMMAM DUBAI SALALAH RIYADH SHARJAH BATEEN AIRPORT OF AUH DUBAI ABU DHABI KARACHI/BANGKOK DUBAI SALALAH KUALA LUMPUR BANGKOK TRIVANDRUM BOMBAY MADRAS DELHI DOHA BAHRAIN COLOMBO JEDDAH SALALAH ABU DHABI

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

WY682 WY406 WY676 WY636 WY648 WY816 BG021 WY916 4H583 WY414 TK776 QR1132 EK866 GF560 EY384 FZ041 WY142 WY902 CLX732 WY638 WY658 WY686 WY412 WY668 WY114 WY644 WY122 WY154 WY692 WY674 WY132 WY602 WY432 WY202 WY102 FZ043 G9114 WY236 WY242 EK862 WY252 QR1128 EY382 9W530 WY3302 WY272 WY604 IX337 FZ037 WY314 WY268 PA450 WY904 WY906 WY606 WY326 WY918 WY3304 WY812 WY656 WY328 FZ045 WY632 WY204 WY292 WY610 WY246 WY232 WY216 WY664 WY348 QR1126 EK864 GF564 WY284 WY3306 G9116 RG125 FZ047 WY614 AI977 WY386 KL441 AI973 WY624 6.00E+81 WY914 WY224 9W534 WY374 WY254 WY814 AI907 QR1134 UL205 WY338 GF566 EY388 BA073 WY908 SG061 AI985 WY662 LX242 9W540 WY654 LH618 WY612 WY636 WY696 WY910

9W539 LH619 WY685 WY251 WY201 WY811 WY235 WY601 WY241 WY431 WY643 WY313 WY637 WY657 WY667 WY691 4H584 BG022 WY271 TK777 WY267 WY267 EK867 FZ042 QR1133 EY385 WY3301 GF561 WY603 WY903 CLX732 WY813 WY325 WY327 WY905 WY215 WY291 WY823 FZ044 WY385 WY231 WY245 G9115 WY283 WY815 WY373 WY605 WY203 WY347 EK863 EY383 WY655 WY3303 QR1129 9W533 WY917 IX350 WY337 WY253 PA451 WY631 WY101 WY223 WY663 FZ048 WY609 WY405 WY3305 WY675 WY613 FZ046 WY913 WY623 WY907 QR1127 WY681 GF565 WY661 WY647 WY695 WY653 EK865 WY821 WY909 G9117 RG126 WY611 WY635 FZ048 WY915 AI978 KL442 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 AI974 QR1135 GF567 UL206 WY673 WY901 EY381

ETA

ETA

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MO N DAY, N OV E MB E R 24, 2 0 14

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EXTRA

The American chestnut lives on

N

early 400 years ago the Pilgrims sat down with the Wampanoag to share the feast immortalised as Thanksgiving. We don’t know the exact menu. According to Kathleen Wall, foodways culinarian at Plimoth Plantation, venison, fowl and corn were documented by attendees, but, beyond that, we can only speculate. I asked if we could speculate about chestnuts.

‘We can’t say for sure, but the odds are pretty good,’ she says.

‘They’re right in season. Both cultures knew them and used them.’

Susan Freinkel, in her excellent book American Chestnut: The Life, Death and Rebirth of a Perfect Tree, describes how, in the fall, when the nuts were sometimes inches deep on the ground, families used to gather them for their own use and to sell. Livestock was let loose to forage for them.

People who didn’t eat chestnuts often ate chestnut-fed venison or squirrel. Furniture, fence posts and utility poles were made of the long, straight, rot-resistant timber. In some places, one in four forest trees was a chestnut, and the tallest stood 12 stories high.

Then a fungus killed almost all of them. The chestnut blight was first spotted in 1904 and is believed to have arrived here in Asian chestnut trees, which have

some resistance to it. American chestnuts have none, and all but a few hundred of the 3 to 4 billion trees were wiped out in just a couple of decades.

Three to 4 billion. It’s hard to get your arms around a number that big, so let’s convert it to something useful — food. A mature tree can produce several hundred pounds of nuts (the record is more than 1,000 pounds); about 70 per cent of that weight is actual nutmeat.

For the sake of being conservative and working with round numbers, let’s call it 100 pounds of nutmeat per tree, at about 1,000 calories per pound, or 100,000 calories per tree. So 10 trees would provide the million calories (give or take) one person eats in a year.

Here’s what that means — If we still had those 3 to 4 billion trees, they would meet 100 per cent of the caloric needs of today’s American population of just over 300 million. They could feed every last one of us.

Of course, even without the blight, we’d have lost a good portion of the trees as development encroached on forests. And living exclusively on chestnuts would get old fast, anyhow, despite their versatility as a foodstuff — They can be roasted, fried, candied, steamed, grilled and even turned into flour.

Those numbers are just a way to imagine how significant a food

There has been an effort — ongoing in the 100 years since the blight — to create blight-resistant American chestnuts by cross-breeding with Chinese chestnuts

TEETH GROWTH

British researchers find tooth enamel fast-track in humans RESEARCHERS in Britain have found a link between prenatal enamel growth rates in teeth and weaning in human babies. The incisor teeth grow quickly in the early stages of the second trimester of a baby’s development, while molars grow at a slower rate in the third trimester.

Incisors are ready to erupt after birth, at approximately six months of age, when a baby makes the transition from breast-feeding to weaning, showed the study.

Weaning in humans takes place relatively early compared to some primates, such as chimpanzees.

So, there is less time available for human incisors to form, so

the enamel grows rapidly to compensate. Exactly when the early weaning in humans first began is a debatable issue among anthropologists. “Anthropologists will now be able to explore the start of weaning in an entirely new way because ‘milk teeth’ preserve a

record of prenatal enamel growth after they have erupted and for millennia after death,” said Patrick Mahoney from Human Osteology Research Lab in University of Kent, in Britain.

Enamel cells deposit new tissue at different times and rates, depending on the tooth type.

The present dental approaches depend on finding fossil skulls with teeth that are still erupting — which is an extremely rare find.

“This research can increase our understanding of weaning in our fossil ancestors and could also help dentists as dental problems do not register in all teeth in the same way,” said Mahoney. —IANS

bABY tEETH bABY tEETH

source American chestnut trees were, and could be again.

Over the past century, chestnut blight wasn’t the only thing that distanced us from the source of our food. Farming technology improved, and feeding our population required fewer and fewer people working the land. After World War II, it took half of us to feed all of us. Today, only 1 to 2 per cent of Americans farm. Most of us seldom see our food in the ground or on the hoof, let alone grow it, hunt it or gather it.

My theory, based entirely on personal experience, is that spending time with the plants and animals you eat makes you internalise the idea that what you’re eating is plants and animals, and then the stuff in the brightly coloured boxes starts to look a lot less like food.

Thanks to a group of scientists at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, headed by Bill Powell and Chuck Maynard, it could happen. On November 4, they announced that they had bred a blight-resistant American chestnut by introducing a gene from wheat.

Blight kills trees by producing oxalic acid. Wheat has a natural defence against oxalic acid; the plant can break it down into benign components. It turns out that a single gene is responsible

for that function, and inserting that single gene into the American chestnut genome made the tree resistant.

Unlike the controversy of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in commerical foodstuff, the gene that might save the American chestnut wasn’t created for personal profit or for the benefit of corporations or farmers.

It contributes to a wholesome, healthful diet.

There has been an effort — ongoing in the 100 years since the blight — to create blight-resistant American chestnuts by crossbreeding with Chinese chestnuts, and the American Chestnut Foundation has had some success on that front, but it hasn’t yet achieved its goal.

Powell said he’s glad others are taking a different approach, because having the trees from both programs out there in the forest would increase the genetic diversity and the chance that American chestnuts will thrive. (Chinese chestnut trees can grow in some parts of the country, but they don’t have the cold-resistance for the American chestnut’s range).

Repopulating our woods — and even our yards, our commons and our courthouse lawns — with American chestnuts would put a versatile, nutritious, easily harvested food source within reach - Tamar Haspel/The Washington Post.

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M O N DAY, NOVEMB ER 24, 2014

EXTRA

HELLO KITTY HAS TURNED 40 Since making its debut on November 1, 1974, the iconic character produced

by Sanrio Co. has been loved by millions of people all across the world,

and age

K

Self-regulation skills prepare children for school EFFORTS TO utilise music and games to help pre-schoolers learn self-regulation skills could help prepare at-risk children for kindergarten education, a new study says. The intervention was most effective among children who are considered to be at the highest risk of struggling in school — those belonging to low-income backgrounds and learning English as a second language. Selfregulation skills that help children pay attention, follow directions, stay on task and persist through difficulty are critical to a child’s success in kindergarten and beyond. “Most children do just fine in the transition to kindergarten, but 20 to 25 percent of them experience difficulties — those difficulties have a lot to do with self-regulation,” said Megan McClelland from the Oregon State University in the US. “Any intervention you can develop to make that transition easier can be beneficial,” McClelland added. The study was published recently in Early Childhood Research Quarterly.

Sound training helps brain keep distractions at bay

regardless of gender

itty, whose real name supposedly is Kitty White, is a girl who is five apples tall, weighs three apples and has blood type A. She lives in the London suburbs with her parents and her twin sister Mimmy, according to Sanrio. Her favourite food is the apple pies her mother bakes, and she dreams of becoming a pianist or poet in the future.

To celebrate the occasion, “Arigato Everyone! Birthday Celebration” parades are being held at the Sanrio Puroland, an amusement park featuring Sanrio characters in Tokyo.

The 30-minute parades, supposed to be Kitty’s birthday party, feature 49 Sanrio characters and dancers, including Mimmy, her Dad and Mom, and boyfriend Daniel, as well as other representative Sanrio characters such as My Melody and Little Twin Stars (Kiki and Lala).

When I visited the amusement park, many children and their mothers were waiting for the opening of the show around the Chie no Ki stage on the first floor.

One mother, Nao Yoshida, a

SCIENCE

HELLO KITTY creator Yuko Yamaguchi. ‘I’m certain she is a character that will continue to grow,’ she says of her creation. -The Yomiuri Shimbun photo

36-year-old homemaker from Tokyo, explained why Kitty captivated people so much.

“She looks round and gentle, and above all, she’s so cute. She is exactly the type of character that mesmerizes girls’ heart,” she said.

Hello Kitty designer Yuko Yamaguchi believes Kitty is a character that will continue to grow.

“Regarding the 40th birthday, my sincere feelings are just that long,” Yamaguchi said in an interview.

“Looking around both at home and abroad, many characters have been loved for much longer.”

“There are so many things we haven’t done yet, and we don’t know what to do first. But I’m certain she is a character that will continue to grow,” she added.

As the first step, the company plans to launch a Kitty-themed fashion brand for young men, to be called Hello Kitty Men, by the character’s 45th anniversary in 2019. The plan was announced in September.

“We’d like to start with such products as T-shirts, jerseys and hoodies, mainly targeting young men in their 20s,” she said.

She also is dreaming of developing Kitty into an entertainer.

“One of my future dreams is to have her perform in NHK’s Red & White Year-end Song Festival,” Yamaguchi said. “I also would like to produce a film featuring Kitty as a lead actress who can sing and dance.”

- Shoji Ichihara/The Washington Post

THE ABILITY to sustain focus on a goal goes down with age but researchers, including of an Indian-origin, have discovered that with the help of a sound training, even the elderly can learn to ignore distractions. Distractibility, or the inability to sustain focus on a goal due to attention to irrelevant stimuli, can have a negative effect on basic daily activities and is a hallmark of the ageing mind. It is possible to diminish distractibility by learning to distinguish a target sound from other distractions, the findings showed. A similar strategy might also help children with attention deficits or individuals with other mental challenges. “We show that by learning to discriminate amidst progressively more challenging distractions, we can diminish distractibility in rat and human brains,” stressed lead author Jyoti Mishra from University of California, San Francisco. The study appeared in the journal Neuron.

Workers of locally-owned firms show more loyalty A RESEARCH reveals that employees who work at small, locally-owned businesses have the highest level of loyalty towards their employers. Such workers tend to stay committed to their company even in the face of low job satisfaction.

“When it comes to your job, it is usually not just one thing that affects your commitment. You may say ‘I like my boss’ or ‘I am satisfied with what I do’,” said lead author Katie Halbesleben, a doctoral student at the Baylor University in the US. “Our study re-affirms that working for a small and local company is also an important factor that contributes to a worker’s commitment,” Halbesleben added. Higher levels of commitment are associated with less absenteeism, lower turnover and less seeking of jobs outside the company. –IANS

D

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M O N DAY, N O V E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4

SECTION

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

RENT

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VACANCY

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CARGO

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M O N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

FOR RENT

For rent apartments: An apartment in old Muscat at Oman Arab Bank’s building. 3 bedrooms + 3 bathrooms, dining room, living room and a kitchen. Air conditioned apartments. 2 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms, living room, dining room area and kitchen in an excellent location in Al Khuwair opposite the court of first instance. For further information call 97072976 A Building for rent: for workmen and companies at Al Wadi Al Kabir.

Contact 99388994 Flat for rent RO 80/-. Wattaya.

Contact 99542393 2 bedroom flat opposite Al Nahdha Hospital, 1 bedroom & studio flat at Wadi Kabir Sanaya.

Contact 93666944 Flat for rent Al Amerat Al Hajer, 2 bedrooms, 1 hall, 1 Majlis without A/C. Contact 99425184 Double & single bedroom flat near Wadi Kabir Lulu. Contact 99719471, 99639102 Flats 2 bedrooms hall in Mumtaz Area. Contact 98003444 Single furnished room in Ruwi.

Contact 24833609 Two flats in Hamriya new bldg with split A/C. contact 99639909

Readymade office space for rent (110 & 130SM) fully or separate, with partition) in Bank Melli Iran Building, MBD area, Ruwi, Opposite center point. Contact 99011352 One/two bedroom new flats at Bausher from owner directly.

Contact 92158031

Contact: FIRST CHOICE LLC GSM: 99388170 / 93878787 (2)- Room bathroom kitchen near Kuwaiti Mosque, Wadi Kabir, RO 200. Contact 95094028 Exclusive offer for family on Visit Visa Fully furnished fully equipped flat for Rent on Al Hail north Main Road please contact 96609381 93199299.

Furnished single bed attached bath for executive bachelors RO. 150/- pm near ISG- Ghobrah. Contact - 95259322 Villa in Al Azaiba with area of 1200 m, contains from (2 halls + 2 living rooms +5 bedrooms with bathrooms+maids room+7 car parkings+garden) for RO 2300, 92161111

Apartments in Al Khuwair new area each apartment contains (2 bedrooms + living room) for RO 365.

Contact 93181111 Building in Ghala for rent with 24 apartments near Bank Muscat, 93181111 Villa in Bousher contains (5 bedrooms + living room + hall) for RO 900, 93161111.

Stores in Industrial Ghala opposite Al Ghobrah garage with 550 m, RO 4 for each meter, 93161111 Studio Apartment Madinat Qaboos RO 200 including water & electricity. 3 BHK part villa Al Khuwair RO 500. 1 & 2 BHK Wattaya. Contact 95178930

Office space (125 SQM) located in prime area at 18 November street, Al Azaiba. Contact 99261522

5 bedrooms villa with 2 halls, 4 bathrooms in Darsait behind Khimjis Mart. Contact 24700120 / 92584715

Villa in Al Azaiba contains (5 bedrooms + living room + hall) for RO 900 located near Al Fair Supermarket. 93161111

New flat in a new building at a prime location at Al Khuwair, 2 bedrooms and Majlis.

Contact 99109094

Room in Al Ghobrah. RO 120/-.

Contact 99370328

1 BHK with A/C, Mumtaz area, RO 250. Contact 92144045

Luxury villa in al Azaiba inside a compound each villa contains (5 bedrooms living room dining room car parking) each villa RO 1200, 93161111

2 BHK Al Ghobrah without A/C RO 300/-. Contact 92144045

2 bedroom flat for rent at Mumtaz Area near Al Burj Hotel. Contact 99104418, 99345914, 99884924

1 & 2 BHK Al Khuwair.

Contact 99024730

7 Rooms villa at Al Azaiba, 18 November Road opposite Bank Muscat.

Contact 99224748, 99332297 2 BHK at Al Azaiba, Building No.5145 Way 4470. Contact 99224748, 99425665

Flats, Amerat Souk. Contact 98026234 / 99647903

2 rooms Majlis and kitchen in Al Khuwair 33. Price: RO 380/-.

Contact 96961306 Room with attached bath available for Filipino. Al Khuwair 33 opposite 2 Hour Al Maya Supermarket. Contact: 97607198

2 BHK flat, brand new building Ghala, 100 SQM open space offices, Ghala, 40 SQM shop in Ghala, full furnished business Centre, small offices available in Ghala, 20 SQM, 25 SQM, 2 BHK in Ruwi, Mumtaz, Darsait, Wadi Al Kabir, Rex Road. #93782735 / 99208033 Looking for building in (Al Ghobrah, Al Khuwair, Al Azaiba, Bousher, Al Qurum and MQ) for sale. New buildings in Al Ghobrah, Ghala, Wadi Al Kabir, Al Mabela, Al Amerat for sale.

If you have any properties/ enquiries Contact us 91155779, 24507072.

Email: gk@goldenkeyreal-estate.com 1 & 2 BR flats in Amerat (New Building). 2 BR flats in Mabela (New Building, Near Faisal Bin Timor Mosque).

1 BR flat in Al Khuwair (Near Mars Hypermarket). Contact: - 96092332 / 99368876 /24480777. Email: - properties@rgoman.com 1 BHK Ruwi. Contact 99024730 Looking for commercial lands/res.

Lands/ in (Al Ghobrah/Al Khuwair/ Al Azaiba/Bousher/Al Qurum/MQ) for sale. Looking for villas/lands for sale in Ruwi Al Mumtaz Area. New building in Al Ansab high quality, yearly income more than 90,000/sale price only 75,000/-. More than 17,000 SQM commercial land in Ghala, 275/ per SQM. Contact 91155779, 24507072

M O N DAY, N O V E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4

D3

DAILY GUIDE

FOR RENT

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished Single BHK available near ISM, Darsait for immediate takeover #99477514 / 94288397

FOR SALE

FOR SALE A running Supermarket for sale in Wadi Kabir. Contact 95113037 Running Business Marble, Granite & Tiles cutting & polishing, carpentry & Aluminium Workshop in Wadi Kabir for immediate sale.

Contact 99105492 Two Bungalows plot area 1578 SQM, Bait Ras Beach Zanzibar, RO 91000, Bousher plot area 891 SQM, residential RO 118000, Buraimi plot area 600 SQM RO 18000. Contact owner 99348943 or 92269749 1 BHK flat in Wadi Kabir. RO 180/-.

Contact 99376454 1+2+3 BHK, Darsait, near ISM. Contact 99024730 Industrial Land 3,600 SQM with all facilities near Khimji Workshop, Ghala. Contact 99349311

2 BHK, Wadi Kabir. #99024730

Commercial land in Honda Road for sale. Contact 91155779, 24507072

2 BHK 7 flats in Mabela, Road No.2 for rent. Contact 99420591, 94354545, 99354340

3 BHK flat Ghobrah close to ISG way – 4041, building – 4390.

Contact 99319880 Show room on the main road Saham center total area 450 m sq. Contact: 99366558 / 99334226 Flat near Oman House. Contact 92815855, 95181077 For rent two bedrooms hall kitchen, three bathrooms balcony, complete split units, brand new deluxe flats near Seeb flyover main road side.

Contact 97755586 Spacious room, separate bathroom, sharing kitchen at Wadi Kabir, shell pump rent RO 90/- & E/W RO 120/- per month for Muslim family.

Contact 97887620 1 BHK near Medical Darsait.

RO 190/-. Contact 98748925 1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khanco. OMR 1,500 Monthly. Electricity and Boundary wall will be provided.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 New flat, Ghala near Royal Hospital, 3 BHK, hall, split A/C, RO 425/-.

Contact 92479515

Big showroom (two floors) for sale opposite Oman house & Muttrah Hotel. Total 600 square meter.

Contact 92827734 / 93206400 Running Engineering Consulting Office on prime location for immediate lease. Contact 99854384

2 BHK, Al Khuwair. # 99024730 For sale: shfandishs.

Contact 99368907

2 BHK 2 flats at Muscat Hill for rent. #99420591, 94354545, 99354340

Turkish MDF Classic door with frame full quantity for sale by discount price. Contact 92858025, 95643086, 99208798

LABOUR CAMP Space for rent at YETI. # 99221683/92830110

SHOP FOR SALE AT HONDA RD. CONTACT 99221683 / 92830110

Flat/rooms for rent in Mumtaz Area.

Contact 92502241 / 92245110

Used containers for sale.

Contact 95539929

Furnished / unfurnished apartments available for rent on long term /short term basis, near Vacha’s hypermarket in Ghala. Contact 97677211

A very well established branded lighting trading company having business with hotels, buildings & schools retail for sale in UAE Asking price: $ 3 millions. Interested persons may email with complete details to evershinedxb2015@gmail.com”

Flat, 3 BHK, hall, Al Khuwair near Centre point, RO 425/-, family only.

Contact 92479515 Flat, Ghubrah, 2 BHK, hall, split AC, RO 350, family only near Beiret Bank.

Contact 92479515

We sell ready mix concrete.

Contact 99054673

For rent flat and showroom, Al Azaiba, Ghala, Ghubrah, Al Khuwair-33 and Mabelah. Contact 93651633, 24485240, 24485241

Coastal fishing vessel 15 meter length manufactured in Greece contains two motors and registered in Ministry of Fishest and Ministry of Transport. Contact 99878847, 97078884

Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat.

Contact 99349526

New & Refurbished portable cabins, Fabrication of car parks & all types of fabric shade. Contact 94475705

Excellent flat for rent in Ruwi, Mumtaz Area and Al-Hail South.

Contact 98051159

Forklift with clamp for sale: MakeCater Pillar-4 ton Model-2007.

Contact 99352790

Sharing for executive bachelor or working lady near ROP Welfare Shopping Wattaya.

Contact 95729931

Porta cabin containers used for sale. Contact 99199374 / 94252527 Industrial Kitchen for Lease/Sale: Fully Equipped Industrial Catering Kitchen with Restaurant space and Outdoor sitting area on Lease/Sale at Mawaleh near vegetable market.

Call- 9954 1671 6 Seater sofa set & dining table with chairs, good condition.

Contact 99327247 / 99348012 23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka. OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Leather sofa 3+1+1+1 with Centre table. Contact 99349311 3 floor building in Muttrah behind Police. Generating income of OMR 20 Thousand annually. Neat and well maintained. Built on 197 sq mtrs. 2 tailor shops on ground floor and 6 flats total. OMR 269 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Industrial Area land in Rusayl 5000 SQM and building with 8 shops.

Contact 95490842, 99323957 Flats For Sale in Boushar: OMR 35 Thousand 1 bedroom. OMR 45 Thousand 2 bedroom. Monthly income 1 bedroom OMR 270 and 2 bedroom OMR 350. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

WANTED Wanted transport near City Centre Seeb till Al Khuwair KFC drop at 8 pm pick at 5.

Contact 98528062

BUYING/SELLING Looking for purchase of a residential building with minimum 25 unoccupied flats in Ghala, Bousher, Azaiba and Ghobrah. Kindly contact 99261522 Household & office furniture and electronic items. Contact 99834373, 97102699 Looking for purchase of Used Portable Compressor (350 CFM, 7 Bar Pressure) powered with Diesel run Generator.

Kindly Contact 99014686 or operation@khancogroup.com

Furnished unfurnished attached bath & kitchen at Mumtaz Area.

Contact 93103337, 96916398

AVAILABLE Established Restaurant for rent with sponsorship. #97628242 Party & Wedding equipment rentals.

Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting.

Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. www.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

ACC. AVAILABLE Semi-furnished spacious room with separate entrance attached washroom for non-cooking Indian Executive Bachelor near ISG, Ghobrah. Contact 95146361, 92657598 Sharing flat with AC for Executive Bachelor, Christian preferred in Wadi Kabir. Contact 93182705 after 5 pm Single bedroom with A/C and sharing kitchen at Al Khuwair.

Contact 99636550 Bachelor Sharing Accommodation available in villa, Rex Road RuwiContact- 94442157 Attached rooms at Al Khuwair opp Rawasco behind Pizza Muscat.

Contact - 99361589 Furnished room with bathroom for a non cooking executive bachelor at Al Khuwair. Contact 95875735 Furnished room available for rent in Darsait with separate bathroom and parking. Contact 97883616 Sharing new flat, furnished separate bedroom attached bathroom & kitchen for small family / executive bachelor, Honda Road near NBO Bank. Contact 98582078 Furnished single room with bathroom Al Khuwair. Contact 95765719 Sharing accommodation available for a small veg. Family/bachelor at Wadi Kabir. 99877845

2 Rooms acc. with kitchen for rent in Mumtaz Area. 95953700.

Ground floor bed, living, kitchen, bathroom, dressing, Al Khuwair.

Contact 99743569, 97004265 Sharing accommodation available in Qurum. Contact 93155369 Fully furnished accommodation for executive bachelor near Lulu Darsait. Contact 93513986 Sharing accommodation available for Executive bachelor near to Muttrah hotel. Contact 98132389 1 BR accommodation available at Rex Road, suitable for bachelors.

Contact 99889590 Spacious room, separate bathroom, sharing kitchen at Wadi Kabir, Shell Pump rent RO 90/- & E/W RO 20/- per month for Muslim family. Contact 97887620

ACC. WANTED Urgently required 3 BK flat or villa at Wadi Al Kabir. # 99246503.

MATRIMONIAL Keralite Hindu Ezhava – Upper Middle Class family. Alappuzha seeking alliance for their daughter, 24 years, 152 cm height, working in Oman. Star-Chothi preference for boys working in Oman. Contact 98687021 Kerala Nair boy, 31, B.Tech, star Bharani, working in Oman, 98212058 Kerala RC boy, 29, 5.9. Contact 98917545 Hindu Ezhava, family settled in Muscat looking for suitable groom for their daughter, 24 yrs, MBA-HR presently working (preferably BE, B.Tech, MBA Professional).

Contact 95693133 Indian Doctor, Businessman looking for working lady in Oman for marriage, any nationality, Muslim preference self. Contact 96290792

D4

M O N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT MEDICAL Pharmacist and Assistant Pharmacist with MOH license are required.

Interested candidates contact 97091664 or mmcmuscat@gmail.com.

Good payment with incentives.

MECHANICAL/ TECH A/C duct man cum fabricator, A/C technician. Visa available.

Contact-95271668

SKILLED / UN SKILLED

ADMIN/HR Young Indian male with British graduation & post graduation with relevant Muscat experience in business admin & purchase seeks placement. Posses NOC & Driving License.Ph:94400671

Indian Female, 25 yrs, B.Com Graduate, presently on visit visa having 6 yrs experience seeking good opportunity in HR Admin, HR Recruiter or Office Secretary.

Contact 91762061

Indian Female, 30 Years, B.Com, 3 years Oman experience in Banking and 5 Years India. Contact 96727030/96253400

Indian male, B.Com, 5 years Office Executive experience sector Agency seeking job in office/Company for administration. Email : aneeshjohn28@gmail.com, currently on visit visa. Contact 99846801

Indian male MBA 32 yrs having 10 yrs of exp seeking suitable placement in Admin/ HR/ Operations/ Coordination/ Logistics etc. Holding valid Oman D/L .Contact - 99054786

Required Tailor. Contact 95204145

SECRETARIAL Urgently required Omani Receptionist for a reputed Medical Centre in capital area.

Contact 24613136, 92724345

SALES / MARKETING Need a Salesman for marketing job for printing Company. Indian nationality who has the ability to work hard and has experience of minimum 3 years with Omani Driving License.

We offer attractive package.

Contact 93645550, email: hfms14@hotmail.com Required Sales Engineer having 1-2 year experience with Oman driving license for an Oilfield trading company, please send CV to info@patron-energy.com

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Leading Construction Company requires – 1) Civil Maintenance Foreman with 3-5 years Gulf experience, 2) Accountant with 5 years experience for Oman/UAE. The candidate should be able to manage the Company’s A/C’s department independently and capable to handle / co-ordinate independently with internal and external auditors.

Email: realconsco@gmail.com or fax 24210016 or contact 99273774 / 99202278 Wanted – Accountant 8 years experience in construction, Surveyor 5 years experience in pipe line, draftsman 5 years experience to work at Salalah. Email: greatconstruction14@gmail.com A reputed LLC in Muttrah urgently required an Accountant Assistant, 2 years experience. Those who are interested please forward your resume to silverworld2006@gmail. com or contact 99364735, 91214849

ARCHITECT Required a junior Architect for a Consultancy Office.

Email: staffcareoman@gmail.com

BEAUTY

DOMESTIC HELP House Maid (full time) required for Keralite family near in Sohar. Contact: 97034674, 93558111 Looking for a professional Gardener to work in Madinat Qaboos, good salary, visa & accommodation will be provided.

Contact if you have NOC/Release or visa. Contact 92447365

EDUCATION A School requested a qualified expert teaching English as a foreign language, a Science Teacher with a master degree. Maths teacher and a laboratory technician.

Contact - 96606121 English medium school in Sinaw, Oman required experienced Kindergarten / Primary teachers (English, Maths), attractive salary + accommodation. Send CV on saminternationalschoolsinaw@ gmail.com .Contact 92815209

MISCELLANEOUS Excellent Grade Construction Company urgently requires. 1. Civil Draughtsman. & Civil Engineers (Min 5 years experience in buildings) 2. Sr. Planning Engineer & Sr Quantity Surveyor (Min 8 years experience). 3. Accountant (Omani & Expat) 4. PRO / Secretary / Admin Assistant (Omani). Candidates with NOC experience preferable for immediate joining. Mail CV to hrd.hasjv@gmail.com Urgently required experienced young Boat Man. Language proficiency in English is must. Please contact 99466062

MANAGER / SUPERVISOR Grade 1 Civil Construction Company urgently requires the following personnel : - 1. Project Coordinator, 2.Construction Manager, 3. Project Manager, 4.Civil Engineer, 5. Civil Supervisor, 6.Building Materials Purchaser, 7.Accountant.

Interested candidates mail CV to azatllc@gmail.com or fax to 24422458

ENGINEERS MEDICAL

Need an Indian Beautician in a Salon at Amerat. Contact 94082319

CATERING Staff wanted for hotel, Salalah, front office, marketing chefs (Arabic/Asian/Continental), waiters and waitress, stewarding.

Send CV with picture to salalahph@salalahph.com

DRIVER Required Indian Driver holding Omani Driving License with 5 years experience. Please contact 99273774 / 99202278 Light duty driver Kerala for a Construction company.

Contact 98294692 Required Indian house driver with Oman / UAE experience.

Contact – 24631442 Need driver. Contact 91310107 Wanted driver for part. Contact 95112461 Telugu Driver WantedContact 95450157 Urgently driver wanted, Omani (private light). Contact 99173812, Star life Co.LLC

DOMESTIC HELP Urgently required a cook for a respectable Omani family. Contact 24566754/ 24566986 Kerala Housemaid required for Keralite Family. Visa available, who can get NOC please contact 99703788

Consultancy Office requires a Structural Engineer 3 years experience in Oman. Submit CV to edsubmit@yahoo.com One sight Engineer & One Quantity Surveyor required with 10 years of Oman experience in civil for grade 1 Construction Company.

Email: omaniantrad@gmail.com Required for Al Shirawi Equipment Company LLC, Sales Engineer with fabrication experience, 5 to 7 years (1 No.), experience in Tipping Trailer, Flat bed, low bed, water tanker, tipper. Contact 94226924

FOREMAN Required for leading company – one foreman (Indian). Email : r.yass2020@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY Wanted experienced Indian Chef, age between 30-35, experience in Indian & Continental food is must.

Good salary package.

Contact 99466062 Business Development cum Outlet Manager required for reputed Asian Franchise in Muscat. 5 to 7 years of experience in restaurant/catering business with 2 years in supervisory position. Self-driven people with pleasing personality and good communication skills.

Call 93977533

MISCELLANEOUS Company requires smart Philipino driver and Call Center operator (Indian) to work on shifts. Please email CV to calcentr24600100@gmail.com.

Wanted MBBS Doctor with MOH license to work in a Polyclinic. Attractive salary with commission offered.

Contact 92788334 email: ap_sdsudhi@yahoo.com A reputed Clinic in Mabela is looking for a GP circumcision license.

Email CV to vacancyahh@gmail.com Required female Nurse holding license & resident card for locum basis to work for Mabelah and April 2015 in a private Clinic in Ruwi.

Contact 99367223 / 92436896 Required orthodontist – full time in Muscat. BDS, MDS and Morth qualified or with MOH license and NOC. Contact 99010755, email : sundentalghubra@hotmail.com Required Nurse for a Clinic in Al Buraimi S.Of.Oman.

Contact 00968 92737149. CV to drpkabbas@yahoo.co.in Wanted Ophthalmologists, Dentist and Nurses with MOH License for Nizwa. Please contact medicalvacancy2015@gmail.com Immediate placement for Pharmacist and Asst.Pharmacist, 2 nos each with MOH or prometric pass.

Contact: 99338219 Vacancy for staff nurse with MOH License, capital area.

Contact 99013372 Wanted Doctor with MOH license for a Polyclinic. Excellent salary with accommodation and commission.

Contact 99752442, email : mmcmuscat@gmail.com MOH licensed female nurse required for clinic in Muscat for immediate placement. Contact 93538672

Required senior Sales Executive with experience in stationery business with driving license.

Forward your resume to alananukthomas@gmail.com Sales & Marketing job with very good commission, for expats only in Muscat, Salalah & Sohar.

Contact - 92760281 Urgently required Marketing Executive, minimum 5 years experience with Omani Driving License.

Contact 24498508, Email: safeersurtrading@gmail.com Exciting career opportunities for accomplished Media & Advertising Business Development Executives/ Graphic Designers/Web Designers. jobs@interacoman.com

Experience PRO Oman Male, 36 Yrs, 16 yrs experience in PRO/ HR & Administration, Prefect English language speaking & writing with D/L, Seeks suitable placement, Can join immediate. #91221773 Omani 14 years experienced candidate looking for HR Manager position in Muscat. Contact 92817182 Omani female with 9 yrs exp looking for PRO job with Oman D/L. Contact 97917333

Indian Male: B.COM, 4 years experience in Accounts, in Manufacturing Co Oman, Working Knowledge With Tally ERP- With Oman valid D/L,Presently working in Muscat NOC Available Looking for Suitable position in Reputed Company, Contact; 95745287 and Email: raiforeveryone@rediffmail.com Accountant BCom. 2yrs Oman experience. NOC available. Joing immediatley-93089367 Accountant, indian male, 31yrs, M.com, 4 yrs experince in oman, NOC available, Cont-93376130 , 92398040 Sudanese, Bachelor of Computer Science, 6 years experience in Accounting and Marketing and Management in the field of Insurance and Underwriting, valid vehicle license. Contact 97269293 ACCOUNTANT, M com, TALLY & ERP, 10 yrs Gulf Exp , NOC available PH 99035707

REQUIRED: Marketing Executive.

DL MUST. 91120552.

Marketing Executive required for 2 months corporate promotion campaign with attractive benefits.

Email: teamingteam@gmail.com

Part time Accountant services available to handle all accounts related work up to finalization.

Contact 94105477

Urgently required Sales Executives, Senior Sales Managers, Sales Promoters, 3D-AutoCAD Designer.

Candidates with minimum 2 years experience in Oman and Driving License may only apply – Contact: 94151791, Email: sales @dewdropoman.com

7 years experience in Accounts (Oman), Indian Male, B.Com, MBA (Finance), holding valid Omani Driving License seeks suitable placement in Accounts, Administration.

Contact 93683297

Urgently required Sales & Marketing Executive for an Engineering company, minimum 2 year experienced, with good communication skill & driving license. Email : info@4dengineering.net

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED

Quality Assurance officer, ISO Quality system internal Auditor, female 27, with 4 years experience, seeks suitable placement.

Email: nipuni.d.silva@gmail.com Accounts Manager, Indian MaleHindu, 22 yrs experience (including 9 yrs in Gulf), B.Com, MBA, pursuing CMA (US), Oman D/L, visa expires, NOC available. Contact 97438194, Email: njansun@gmail.com Indian Male, 24 yrs, M.Com, 2 years exp in Accounts & Admin looking for suitable placement.

Contact 96351341, Email: mail2ajithpc@gmail.com

ADMIN/HR Accounts part time works and finalization works. Contact 96247295 Over 14 years of Gulf experience as Administration/HR specialist fluent in Arabic / English with driving license, looking for suitable position.

Contact 95824598 Young Omani male have experience 10 years as P.R.O , CLERK, helper supervisor, admin supervisor, H.R Manager have diploma in H.S.E , IT , and P.D.O license looking for H.R position or P.R.O part time or full time.

Contact 95933288 Indian Male B.Com with 14+ yrs experience in HR and Recruitment looking for suitable opening, can join immediately. Contact 97100419 Indian male age 48 yrs Hr. & Admin Assistant 6 yrs experience in gulf seeking employment for suitable position. Release and NOC Available.

Contact: 95305425.

Indian 17 years Oman experience with driving license in Administration / Accounts looking for suitable placement. Contact 92926184

HR & Admin Assistant, 26 yrs Indian Male having 6Years of experience looking for suitable position.

Contact No: +968-93264616 Male, 27 years with MBA in HR/ MKT having 2 years exp in respective field looking for suitable placement in leading organization.

Contact 91705051

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Indian Male, 15 years GCC experience in Accounts & Sales on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact 93897395

Urgently required Sales Executive IT Company with 2 years experience, driving license preferred info@ibsoman.com

Indian Male 32 yrs( MBA-HR) 9 yrs of Exp (GCC,AFRICA) in EPC, Diversified industries, Seeking Suitable placement in HR/Admin. Currently on visit visa, NOC available, join immediately. Contact 94535618 Email:mdakhter5219@gmail.com

Accountant, B.Com 8 yrs experience Dubai. Contact +971 559429220, email: sharath553@yahoo.com, 99899102 Part time Accountant with 19 yrs exp in Accounting Management.

Contact 95857199 Indian Male, 26 yrs, MBA-Finance, SAP certified, 2 years experience in finance, accounting and banking, well versed in SAP-FIECC 6.0, ERP tally 9 and MS Office currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact Raju – 97469920 Female expat 22 ACCA - pursuing final paper, 6 months experience in tally, tax & audit in an audit firm looking for suitable placements preferably in audit firm. Ph: 98428098 Indian female, MBA in HR & Finance, 3 yrs experience in Accounts & Administration seeking suitable placement. Contact 93685717.

Email : anulins7@gmail.com

Indian B.Sc. Maths+PGDCA - well experienced, seeks suitable placement as Commercial/Logistic Executive or Document Controller/Customer Service Executive; expected on short visit by Nov. 1st Week; #99702383.

Email: prabhapisharody@yahoo.com Accountant 3.5yrs.noc available. joingimmediatly.mba(hr).98772358 hellogoush@gmail.com Chief Accountant, M.Com + CA articles completed.Having 5 yrs of experience in Oman.Excellent command in IAS and IFRS.seeks proper placement. GSM # 94387066 Senior Position for CA with 24 years of experience: Managing Finance, Accounts, Audit, Bank Loans, Budgeting, Business planning, Strategy, Purchase and Sale management of group of companies.

SAOG Mobile 91799262 Chartered Accountant Indian (Female) having valid Omani DL and work experience of 1 year in a Big 4 Audit firm (India) seeks suitable placement. GSM: 99484368 Seeking jobs in Accounts/Office Staff Indian-completed B.Com, 6 years experience in UAE as Accountant on visiting visa till Jan 1st.

Contact 97927167 Accountant, Indian B.Com, 1 year experience in India seeking suitable placement in Accounts, finance, Audit. Contact 95518079 Pakistani MBA (Finance) male looking for suitable position. Experienced in accounts. Contact no: 96351655. sheikhsalman120@gmail.com Sr. Accountant M.Com (Finance) 14 yrs exp (1 year in Oman) in finance & accounts. NOC available, immediately joining. Contact – 92404608 / jin_75@rediffmail.com 20 yrs experienced Accountant seeks employment, ACCA (UK), CPA/MBA + Oracle Financials ERP, Hyperion Planning, SAP & Advanced Excel. Contact sanjeevcga@gmail. com or 98934705 Part Time Accounting, Accounts Finalization, Audit Preparation, Internal Audit, Onsite Tally Training, Onsite Training for Accountants, Inventory Management, Feasibility Study and Project Reports. Contact: 96975454, email: ibfcoman@hotmail.com Male 27, 7+ years of experience in Accounts and Administration, out of 4 years experience in Oman looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 93531602 Indian Female, Senior Accountant with 10 years experience in Accounts, Finance, Audit & Tax Management. Contact 96263157 Chartered Accountant with 10 yrs of Gulf & MNC experience, in depth knowledge in Financial statements including consolidation, treasury, MIS, AR/AP, Insurance, Taxation, Payroll etc looking for Senior position in finance, NOC available.

Email : prds1406@gmail.com.

Contact : 96293649 Indian Female 29 Yrs, B-Com Graduate with Basic Computer Knowledge and Tally, having 6 yrs experience in accounting seeking for the placement in Account Assistant, currently on visit visa in Oman Contact: 95478149 Email: tnaik15@gmail.com

M O N DAY, N O V E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian female Senior Accountant with 10 years experience in Accounts, Finance, Audit & Tax Management. Contact 96263157 Indian male age 30 having 10 yrs experience in Finance & Accounts seeking suitable placement.

Contact 93675399 Pakistani Male, ACCA Fundamental Level qualified, advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business certified accounting technician, 3 years experience as Accounts Officer. #99860453, Email: khalid.ikram08@gmail.com

DRIVER Light driver for job, 2 years experience. Contact 93181200 Driver HD, Pakistani. Contact 93873120 Experienced driver with car is looking for job. Contact 92481082 Bangladeshi Male having 6 months experience till date at light vehicle driving looking for job in any company any office. Contact 98596728, 96271222 Driver looking for job.

Contact 93051674 Bangladeshi male having 2 yrs exp in Light Vehicle Driving.

Contact 98487511 Experienced Driver available.

Contact 95076476 Exp driver with own car seeks job.

Contact 91145856 Pakistani driver looking for job light motor vehicle. Contact 96534239, 92117837 Bangladeshi male, 27 years looking for driving job, 5 years Qatar and 2 years Oman experience.

Contact 96692774 15 years experienced driver Indian.

Contact 98993526 Want job as a Personal driver or delivery boy 2 yrs experience in Oman as personal driver, NOC is ready is fluent in English, Arabic and Hindi.

Contact 95842107 Experienced Indian light driver looking for suitable placement.

Contact 99066408 Looking for job light driver, experience 15 years. Contact 94436276 / 93183817 I have experience, 8 years for Saudi Arabia and Oman – 2 years. Contact 95382465 / 98939925 Bangladeshi driver looking for suitable job, KSA 12 years + Oman 3 years experience, 42 years.

Contact 95796030 Driver looking for job. #92715713 Driver looking for job. #96964634 Indian Female, Software tester, 5 years experience in Oracle India and Wipro Technologies having knowledge in SQL and Data Warehouse concepts looking for suitable job vacancies. Contact 98605362, Email : suma.s2t3@gmail.com Indian driver looking for job, 2 yrs exp. Contact 95151738 Sri Lankan driver looking for job.

Contact - 97387112 Light driver looking for job, 5 years exp in Saudi Arabia + Oman 2 yrs.

Contact 96088707

DOMESTIC HELP Part time or full time housemaid looking for job.preferably Kerala family.phone number 94017485.

DRAUGHTSMAN AutoCAD Draughtsman, Architecture, Structure looking for suitable position.

Contact 94436180, 98147600 Piping Design and Drafting Diploma with AutoCAD and Mechanical Draughtsman in oil and gas sector.

Email id : ayaz.pangarkar@gmail.com GSM: 94515084

DIETICIAN Indian Female Dietician with an experience of 3 yrs looking for suitable opportunity. Contact 94291727 or epsisekar@gmail.com.

Presently in Muscat.

DESIGNER Tunisian interior and furniture designer, 8 yrs exp in Oman looking for suitable placement.

Local release available (NOC).

Contact 92038385

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Telecom Engineer with 8 yrs exp from India in IT Networking seeks suitable opportunities now in Oman.

Contact 99002635 Emal : sibinkumar.acharya@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer (B.Tech), Indian Male, with Oil Engg & Quality Control Systems, NDT-Level 2 qualified as per ASNT, one year experience as Site Engineer. Presently on visit visa, seeking suitable placement. Contact # 91260427, 95147671, Email: akhilanandan@gmail.com Telecom Engineer, Master Degree in UK with seven years, UK, Gulf and Sri Lanka experiences, Installation Operations maintains and Project Management. Presently on visit visa looking for a telecom related role.

Contact 94626136, Email: firnazmo@gmail.com Asst. Quantity Surveyor (4 years experience in Oman) looking job (NOC available) Contact 96785025 Mechanical Engineer 21m Indian fresher, seeking job, visit visa.

Contact: 99027468 Email: anshul493@gmail.com Pakistani male age 30 years technical supervisor (3 yrs diploma Civil) 5 yrs exp in Oman seeking employment for suitable position. Release and NOC Available Contact 99765361 Indian Male, Diploma Instrumentation BBM, experience 5 years valid Oman Driving License looking sales. pradeep82gem@gmail.com.

Contact 96695098 / 98280591 Civil Engineer, Palestinian, 5+ years experience in various fields-Supervision, design, QS and Projects Management, has very good knowledge of MS-Project, AutoCAD, SAP, STAD with valid Omani Driving License.

NOC available. Contact 91761364, Email: a-shaqfa@hotmail.com B.E Civil, 8yrs Experience, Expertise in Project Execution & Management, Proficient in MS Project, Primavera P6, AutoCAD & MS Office.

Release available. GSM: 92167523 Mechanical Engineer B.E with Oman experience in heavy construction equipments and vehicles, maintenance, services, hire, tower crane etc. Contact: 97458641 Planning Engr. 6 yrs exp. P6, Valid D/L seeks placement. 95196628 / planning.engr.mct@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer,(BTech in Mechanical) with Certified quality controller - NDT level 2 qualified as per ASNT - SNT-TC-I A, with 1 & half yr exp. as quality control engineer, presnetly in India seeks suitable placement Cont : 95405033 suhylehameed@gmail.com BE Biomedical Engineer + 2 years experience in India seeking suitable placement. Contact 93092484, Email: shehin.muhammed270@gmail.com Civil Engineer, Indian, 22 yrs experience (12 yrs in Oman) seeking suitable placement NOC available.

Contact 98314531 B.E. Civil Engineer having 9 years of experience in the Constructions of Building looking for a Sultanate job.

Contact 91078499 Electrical Engineer with ROP license, 4 years experience in Oman.

Contact 93513372 Pakistani Male, BS, Software Engineering having 1 year experience in Software house Pakistan, also IT and Admin seeks suitable placement.

Contact fahadahmad8@yahoo.com, fahadbtk@gmail.com.

Contact 92470174 Mechanical Engineer with Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and ASNT Level II (UT, RT, PT & MT), my qualification includes 5 years experience in Projects. Contact 94619432

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Indian B.E Mechanical Engineer with level 2 certification in QA/QC having experience in maintenance engineering,piping,pipe line engineering and welding inspection.

Looking for suitable job Contact : 91360997/99257867 Email: binukoshydaniel@gmail.com Indian Male Instrumentation / Automation Engineer with 4 yrs experience in Engg & Maintenance of PLC, DCS, SCADA and field instruments having valid PTW and Omani Driving License looking for a suitable job. NOC available. Contact - 92704787 Email: mishahed@yahoo.com Civil Engineer B.E, Indian, 6 years experience in Building Construction in Gulf holding driving license seeking for suitable post (Release NOC available). Contact 93616412 Mechanical Engineer, Indian Male, 30 yrs, 5 years exp (3 yrs in GCC) seeking suitable placement in Oil and Gas Sector. Have valid GCC driving License. Email: msfebco@gmail. com, Contact: 91228398 Electrical Engineer with 5 years Gulf Experience in HV and LV ,I/D and O/D substation,U/G cable ,Overhead line,valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 0096895054644, 00919488888464, Email: speninsam@gmail.com BSc Civil Engineer, over 19 years experience in Construction field with Project Management skills, seeks suitable placement. NOC available & can join immediately.

Kindly contact 92198264, Email: mdrana1970@gmail.com A Filipino National seeking for the job Vacancy as Safety Officer, Fire Engineer, Fire Inspector, Fire and Safety Instructor. Well experienced in Offshore and Petrochemical Plants with an IOSH Certificate. Please contact 91718309 or 26855037 Civil Engineer 12 years Gulf experience with driving license NOC available. Contact 91531213 Indian male B.Tech Civil Engineer with 5 yrs exp in Gulf & India. Presently on visit visa looking for suitable placement at capital region in Oman. Contact – 93453417 / Email – mohammed.tajuddin.ksa@gmail.com

Civil Engineer have 6 years Site experience in both structural and finishing works in Oman. Email : menaadel21@gmail.com, +968 95110820 Indian, M.Tech Electrical Engineer (Female), fresher in family visa seeking suitable placements in Oman.

Contact 94306164 Diploma in Electronics Engineering with 5 years experience in Oman as Customer Service Coordinator, Inventory Control and Indoor Sales Executive seeks suitable job. Speaks Arabic, English & Hindi. Contact 95681406.

Email nizampu@yahoo.co.in Civil Engineer B.E., 5 years experience with valid Driving License, consultancy job preference.

Contact 91693008 Project Engineer, 3 years experience in primary substation OHL oil & gas, AutoCAD, driving license available. Contact 95120225, 99410588 Civil Engineer with 8 years experience and valid Omani D/L looking for suitable placement. Ready to join immediately. Contact 95326194 / 99525367 Instrumentation Engineer, Indian male having 2 years experiences in process instruments seeks suitable placement. Contact 95954385 Electrical Engineer having 2 yrs of experience, substation/ maintenance seeking for suitable placement. Contact 97698493 / 99253909 Electrical Engineer, Indian, 2.5 years experience at Thermal Plant, (erection and commissioning). Now in Oman on visit seeking suitable job. Contact 95836714.

Email – sarat.thalappil@gmail.com BE Civil Engineer, fresh graduate, male 24 yrs, Indian looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 95117509

EDUCATION

HOSPITALITY Female 21 yrs, Tally 1 year experience, looking for visa.

Contact 95330720

MEDICAL Ayurvedic Doctor male total 5 yrs exp, 2 yrs in Oman looking for suitable position. Contact - 97944535

INFORMATION TECH

MISCELLANEOUS

Indian SAP Developer Computer expert on visit visa seeks job in Muscat. Contact 93167119

Indian male B.Tech in EC with CCNA MCSE certification, having 5yrs experience seeking suitable placements.mob:94575080/ afzalpa007@gmail.com

Female Computer Science and Engineering Graduate With ASP .NET Certification - Muscat 91706562 Desktop Support Technician, B.Sc Computer Science, Indian Male, 25 yrs. Contact 94525218, email: rameezkk@outlook.com.

ERP Consultant with 23 years of experience is available for taking up any ERP implementation project.

Can handle RFP preparation, till project sign off. Contact: 93200901, meitbuz@gmail.com .

Indian M/26, 2yr exp, MCSA certified, looking IT Admin/Networking jobs, on visit visa, can join soon, GSM 94513655 Indian Male, 29, MCA Master of Computer Applications, B.Sc having 6+ years experience in IT industry, Software implementation and technical support seeks suitable placement currently on visit visa.

Contact +968-94543668, Email: mdjaveed.it@gmail.com Indian Male, 4 years experience in Computer Hardware Networking Purchasing of MEP Materials seeking suitable placement.

Contact 98682726, Email: vhmfaisal@gmail.com Indian Female, Computer Engineer with 14 Years of IT Experience. Dual Expertise both in Business / System Analyst and Project Management role. Looking for any IT opportunity pertaining to Business Analyst / Project Manager / Software Quality Assurance role.# 968 92661857 Email : sknair7@hotmail.com Young and energetic Indian holding Oman driving license, having 6+ years experience in IT Industry (4+ years in Oman) seeks placement.

Contact : 92687056, 92228414

Indian Male seeks job, 13 yrs experience (Store Keeper) with Omani D/L visa expires Dec 25th 2014.

Contact 95355693 5 years surveyor for pipe line, 8 years Construction/Projects experienced Accountant, 5 years Draftsman to work in Salalah. Mail CV to greatcontruction14@gmail.com Female postgraduate Searching suitable Job Contact 97792820

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Indian Male 40 yrs, Legal advisor and coroprate in house lawyer currently working with a reputed legal firm in Muscat having 7 years gulf eperience looking for Legal Manager post in companies.

Experience in drafting agreements, contracts, negiotation and dispute settlement. Good knowledge in Oman Labour Law and other laws.

NOC available . GSM: 99137569 Electrical Supervisor having ROP license, 4 years experience in Oman.

Contact 96239342 Qualified Manager: (12+ yrs. Oman Exp.)Vast knowledge in A/c & Admin, Costing, Banking, Credit Control, Insurance, International Purchase/Logistics & Finance, With D/L looking for suitable position.

Contact: jskanchan01@gmail.com Gsm: 93826090 20 years experience Division Manager specialized in false ceiling & partition in Oman. Contact 93513986

Male Telecom Engineer experience in Gulf 5 years. Contact 95219822

A Computer System Engineer, female 26 looking for teaching job in a reputed Institute having teaching experience, Subjects: Kindergarten, IT, Mathematics and all 0’levels subjects. Contact 91679220

Indian BSc Male nurse having Oman MOH license, ACLS, BIS, 4.5 yrs experience in Emergency Department in India presently in Oman on visit visa, Praveen – 95790958

Indian Male 25 MBA in Sports Management; Looking for job in Sports administration/Sports events/sports facility management and Sports related Organisations.

Exp. as sports development officer in schools,Project Manager in Syncotts international Bangalore & part of World Hockey Series of India-2012 as Production Runner.

Presently on Visit visa in Oman.

Contact; 96398569.

Email : limshukachery@gmail.com

Project Electrical Engineer, 3 years experience primary substation OHL cables, driving license available (NOC) available. Contact 94372096

MSc. Chemistry Teacher (5 y EXP.) Pakistani female looking for a job in School/college.

Contact 96580101

Indian Male, Pharmacist, 11 years experience working in India. Contact 0091-9880583496, Email: pashavips@gmail.com, 97312111

Indian Male, 25 years in Oman, FMCG business in Senior Manager level looking for senior position.

Contact 99015946

Sudanese Female Communication Engineer with experience 2 years.

Contact 91780953

Civil Engineer B.Tech more than 20 years experience in which 10 years as Project Engineer in a reputed consultancy seeks suitable placement preferably in Consultancy.

Contact 91215799 Mechanical Engineer (B.E), 26 yrs, Indian Male with two years experience as Production Engineer in Manufacturing / Production presently on visit visa seeking suitable placement, has good knowledge of MS-Office, MS-Project and AutoCAD. Contact 91685141 / 93101922, email: siddiqui.taufiq@yahoo.com Civil Engineer, diploma, Indian Male, 8 years experience, Oman Driving License with local release.

Contact 95320570, Email: dipu.poulose@gmail.com Software Engineer looking for a suitable job. 2+ years experience in a Multi National Company, now looking for suitable position in software division of reputed organizations. Currently on Visit Visa. Please contact: 97463452, 97080684 Indian male 25 B.Tech (IT) Engineer 2.5 yrs exp in hardware networking, currently on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact - 94359564

M.A B.ED well experienced indian lady teacher of economics,social science & English looking for suitable job.Contact : 94365112

FOREMAN Pakistani male age 40 years electrical, plumbing & Civil foreman 16 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license(light) seeking employment for suitable position Contact:-99051257.

HOSPITALITY Indian male 28 completed B.H.M.CT, 4 yrs exp in food & beverages dept. looking for senior supervisor position. Contact – 91018857 / mirazhar.ali51@gmail.com Indian Male, 26 yrs, graduate in hospitality science, with New Zealand business diploma and previous Oman experience in Customer service seeks suitable placement in hospitality/salesmarketing/ logistics/ admin. Contact 91383167 Microbiologist & Quality Assurance Executive, female 27, with 4 years experience in food industry, looking for a suitable placement. Contact Email: nipuni.d.silva@gmail.com

Civil Engineer, 6+ years work experience in Oman, valid Omani D/L looking for suitable placement.

Contact 96936404

Having 7 years Europe experience in the field of Hotel Management, store keeper, Supervisor looking for a challenging opportunity in Muscat.

Contact +96897376612, Email: abdulshaks123@gmail.com

Male, Indian (now in Oman), fresher, B.E. Civil Engineer.

Contact 98907359

Male 22 Housekeeping front office Hotel management degree course.

Contact 96732520

MEDICAL

Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378 Pharmacist with MOH license and experience in Oman.

Contact 96535239 Female Pharmacist passed exam & viva PH: 95848971 Indian Male 34, MSW, M.Phil in social work (Medical and Psychiatry), 5 years experience in the field of social work, general and clinical counseling, teaching and administration seeking suitable placement.

Contact 92795472, email: nimson4u@gmail.com Indian Female Dentist, MOH license holder, with an experience of 6 yrs, looking for a suitable opportunity. Contact 94046651 or prachiarekar24@gmail.com Medical Laboratory Technologist, 4 years experience in UAE, Master Degree holder.

Contact 97007930

MECHANICAL /TECHIndian Male with 4 years experience in Optical Fiber Cable splicing and related equipments, presently in Oman on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact- 94525460 / 93257581.

Email: jidhinpius7@gmail.com Welder 6G, 3G, TIG, ARC, Fabrication, Gulf Exp. Contact : 97103168

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE Indian female with 8 years experience in Oman, seeking suitable placement as Travel Coordinator / Secretary / Admin position. Please contact 92985246.

SALES / MARKETING Indian male, 32yrs b.Com, 6.5 Yrs exp in purchase asst and store keeper seeking suitable placement.

Contact 95318192.

Indian Male GP with MOH License and NOC, having 10 years of excellent hands on experience in Oman with corporate culture.

Contact 98140024 Email: drgpoman@yahoo.com

10 yrs experienced in Sales Service Customer Care, Technical Support Person (Laptop, Desktop, consumer Electronics) seeking suitable job.

Contact 92315011

Nursing caregiver, qualified Nurse/ Asst. Nurse (male/ female) medical staff seeks placement for Hospital/ clinic. Contact 92989109 (Oman), 0091 – 9555427742 (India), medicoport@gmail.com

Filipino Female, 34 years Graduate in Business Management, 5 years experience as Sales Lady. Worked in FM Mall Philippine looking for suitable placement. Contact 91344837, email: imanulal@gmail.com

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M O N D AY, N OV E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4

DAILY GUIDE

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

EVERY FRIDAY 2.00PM ON INDIA’S KAIRALI PEOPLE TV

● Worldwide ● Air Ticket ● Car Rental ● Holiday Packages ● Hotel Reservations ● Travel Insurance Call: 0096824790400, 0096898569830 Email: info@omanorienttravels.com

SITUATION WANTED SALES / MARKETING 10 yrs experience in Sales Service Customer Care, Technical Support Person (laptop, desktop, consumer electronics) seeking suitable job.

Contact 92315011 Executive post, having 14 + years experience in Multinational Groups in Marketing & Management, MBA. Contact 93190806 Indian Male, 32 years having 11 yrs experience in car and FMCG Sales, diploma in Mechanical Engineering on visit visa till 30th November looking for suitable post. #97696546.

Email: abubakker2230@gmail.com Indian, Sales Representative on visit visa seeks urgent job in Building Material Trading Company.

Contact 93167119 Indian Male, MBA in Marketing and Finance, 10 years’ Sales & Business Development Experience with valid D/L of Oman & UAE looking for a suitable placement. NOC Available.

Contact: 93969961 e-mail abhilash.pvrk@gmail.com Indian Male, 27 yrs B.Com Graduate 3.5 yrs of experience, 1.5 yrs in Oman having Oman Driving License looking for a good suitable job in any field. Contact- Email: wassimmhusaini@yahoo.com Indian male B. Com having experience in Sales & Accounts. Looking for suitable placement.

Contact – 99069809 / faisalmuhammad37@gmail.com Indian male, 18 years experience in Catering supervisor as Sales Executive in Saudi holding valid D/L. Email: emialdheen@gmail.com.

Contact 96304501 Indian Male, B.Sc + MBA (Marketing) with 18 yrs experience including Oman in Sales & Marketing having driving license & NOC seeks suitable placement. Contact 97351283, Email: manomanu3@gmail.com Marketing Professional with 7 years Oman experience in Business Development and ATL advertising looking for a suitable placement. Valid D/L Oman. GSM 93466033.

Email - kavit_asher@yahoo.com, MBA Marketing Male, 27 having 8 years of experience including Oman and UK experience having Omani Driving License looking for a marketing opportunity, NOC available.

Contact 98338592 Indian Male, 10 years experience in Sales looking for job as Showroom Salesman, warehouse in charges etc.

Contact 94551229 MBA Graduate with 2 years of experience as working as Executive assistant in Dubai is looking for a job (full time) other than as an Executive Assistant / Office Assistant.

Contact 91615322 Indian male, 25 years Graduate, 3 years experience in Sales in Delhi (India) on visit seeking suitable placement. Contact 98914220 Indian Male, 28 yrs, having 5 years experience in FMCG Sales in visit visa, Looking for any suitable jobs in Oman. # 98531486/ 98988824 Indian male, MBA (USA) having 5 years of International experience in Sales and Marketing. #98853309.

Email : savincgnr@yahoo.com Indian female having 8 years experience in Sales & Marketing in oil and gas field as commercial manager, looking for a suitable placement-NOC available -Contact -Mob: 96311709 Email- mvrajagd_d@yahoo.com

Sales/ Marketing / customer service release / NOC available UK + Oman experience valid Oman D/L, excellent communication & organizing skills, can join immediately, Email : plavon_ctg@yahoo. com, gsm 92342060 / 96761225 Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 14 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: tenders& real estate& construction & marketing projects& investments& transportation & Marine services& companies management& develop business. Contact :- 93240027

TOURS & TRAVEL Indian Female: Bachelor in Travel & tourism.1 year experience in ticketing and 6 month in cargo (CIAL).

Looking suitable placement.

Contact 95883404

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Male, Post graduate with experience as Document controller on visit seeking a suitable job.

Please contact 97248144. samiullah_ar@yahoo.co.in MBA in HR, 6+ years work experience in HR & Admin in MNC, Indian Female, 26 Good communications skills seeking suitable placement.

Contact 97914669 26 years Indian male with MBA & PGDFM, Total 3.4 years experience in Administration seeking suitable placement in Muscat. Holding Oman valid driving license.

Contact: 93359371, Accountant, Indian male, 25 yrs, BBM CA, Computer proficiency: TALLY9, C+, 1 yrs Experience in Oman, Seeks suitable placements. mob: 97145531

SITUATION WANTED Indian Female, BSC Nurse, on visit having 4 years experience in Medical Surgical with Prometric Certificate looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 98329941/ Email: ancyanish2011@gmail.com

57 Yrs. Old healthy person seeking an opportunity in any area of works (Shop sales man, Painting, Store asst, traffic controller, Foremen, Controller) .Saudi experienced.

Contact-97239854-Asher

Indian Male, 23 yrs MBA Marketing & Finance, 6 months experience as a Sales and Operations Officer looking for suitable job. Contact 99106181, email : akram8145@gmail.com

Eight years experience in the field of Sales, Marketing & Branch in charge & Having Valid Oman Driving License with NOC.Presently in Oman.

Seeking for Placements Cont: Sumesh: 92718716 onsumesh@gmail.com

Indian Male, B.Sc Fashion & Apparel Design having 4+ yrs of experience (in Retail Sector as Designer-Visual Merchandising & Marketing) seeking suitable placement in any sections. Contact 94535866, Email: tomsjon@gmail.com

Indian female looking for a part time accounts job in capital area only. Knows Tally. # 95482970.

Manager-Organizational & Marketing Communication, Masters in Journalism, Finance, strong English writing skills, creative professional, Oman exp in corporate Communication, Marketing, Business Development, Media Relations, Ads etc. NOC available. Contact 98179887

MBA in HR, 6+ years work experience in HR & Admin in MNC, Indian Female, 26, Good communications skills seeking suitable placement.

Contact 97914669

Indian Male, 22 years, B.Tech Mechanical (Fresher) from NIT Calicut, Software skills – Ansys, Pro-E solid works. Contact 91294510 / 99437002.

Email: nsp1618@gmail.com

Required Accountant job 4years experience visa exp 3.dec.14 Holding D/L. Contact - 98283400

Merchandiser with Oman driving license. Contact 93798442

Indian Male 38 years, Electronic Engineer with 14 yrs of Oman experience and proven track record as Sales & Marketing Manager (Electronics, Electrical & ElectroMechanical Products) with valid Oman D/L looking for a suitable placement in a reputed Organization. Please contact 92208744, Email: ebpadmakumar@yahoo.com Indian Male, 22 years, B.Tech Mechanical (Fresher) from NIT Calicut, Software skills – ANSYS, PRO-E solid works. Contact 91294510 / 99437002. Email: nsp1618@gmail.com Diploma in civil Engineer, Male, 5 years experience in Oman as a Site Engineer, worked at Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company, JMB-1, 20 storied high rise building, Industrial building, substation, roads & highway at Indian Railway Construction Company, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 97140857 Male 30, 6 years Oman experience in Sales, Currently working with an UAE based Company operating in UAE and Oman Market with valid UAE and Oman D/L looking for suitable placement. # +968 91212407 (NOC not required)

Infosys experienced male with engineering degree in Electronics and communication from a reputed University seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 95786295/ azhar.mumtaz90@gmail.com Senior Accounts Professional, Indian Male, 35 years, M.Com, MBA (Fin) 8 years in Oman, with valid Oman DL and NOC available. Capable to handle accounts up to finalization.

Contact 9602 3965.

Marketing Executive male 23 years, 2 years exp with NOC available, GCC driving license, working in sales and warehouse management looking for suitable opening please #94030909 Indian Female, M.Sc Software Engineering having 2 yrs experience in IT & Admin seeks suitable placement. Contact 94391214, anucherian@gmail.com Indian Male, 24 years old on visit visa, 3 years Diploma in Civil Engineering, 3 yrs experience.

Contact 98515106 Indian male-26 having 2 years experience in Oman as a store keeper looking for the good placement, NOC available by the current company.

Contact 96671102, email: mohdparvez656@yahoo.com

B.Sc (Bio-Technology) & MBA having 4 years experience in Marketing and Sales currently on visit visa seeking suitable placement in Oman.

Email: meersameer768@gmail.com, GSM: 94517678 Civil Engineer, Diploma, Male 25, 3 years experience in site, CAD, 3d, MS Project, Seeking job in Oman.

Contact 92887561, jubincivileng@gmail.com Presales Engineer - IT 4yrs exp. engineering graduate (Indian female) currently on family visa looking for opportunities as Sales/Presales engineer or any suitable positions.

Contact: 0096895829278, kalpanasingh69@gmail.com Indian Male, 23 years MBA (Marketing) (6 months experience as a Sales and Operation Officer looking for suitable job. Contact 99106181, Email: akram8145@gmail.com IT software professional looking for a suitable position in Desktop/Web application development. Visit www. muhammedswafuvan.weebly.com for more details. Reach me on (+968) 98395032.

Part time accountant available.

Accounting experience up to finalization and tally also. #96423671 MBA, Indian Male, 28 yrs, HR & Admin, Marketing sales, 1 yr experience in India. I have release looking for any suitable job in Oman. #97484159 Pakistani male 32 years IT network + Computer Hardware professional A+ MCSE Termination Technician work Experience in Salalah airport.

10+ years experience in IT field and 2 years Oman working experience looking for a suitable placement contact no 96733205 Email faisalzaman24@gmail.com Indian Male, 38 years, Electronics Engineer with 14 years of Oman experience and proven track record as Sales & Marketing Manager (Electronics, electrical & electro mechanical products) with valid Oman D/L for a suitable placement in a reputed Organization. Contact 92208744, email : ebpadmakumar@yahoo.com

M.V. FOR SALE

Pajero Model 2008, fully automatic for sale. Contact 99325827 Honda Accord car – 2007 Model, 132000 KM well maintained. Very good condition. Contact: 92948999 Daihatsu Terios for sale: Excellent condition. ONLY 87,000 kms. Fully Automatic – transmission, s. New tires. New insurance and registration. V-KOOL window film. Car model is 2006 but first registered in 2008. First owner. Good 4 digit number to go with the car. RO 3500/- or nearest offer. CONTACT: 99759659

Jeep Grand Cherokee 2006 105000KM Expat Driven Contact 95218553 Subaru Impreza 2.0 ltr 2000 model, manual in super condition.

Contact: 99844601 PROTON GEN 2 FOR SALE: Manual Gear.Good condition. Single owner.

Silver colour. 1st registered August 2009. Full insurance till August 2015. Price OMR 1,680 Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Lexus GS300, 2006.

Contact 93218349

Honda Civic – 2010 model, 58000 km, expat owned well maintained, very good condition.

Contact 92640942

2013 November model Pajero, 38000 kilometers for sale. Price negotiable. Contact 96388496

2010 Toyota Yaris (automatic), excellent condition. # 99737879

Pajero 2013. Contact 9336093

CHANGE OF NAME I, SADIQUE PEEDIKA KANDY (name exactly as in present passport) son of ABOOBAKER N. presently residing at the following address in SHINAS P.B No. 221 P.C No. 324 Sultanate Of Oman and having following permanent address in India NEFSA A.K.G RODE , MADHAM MUZHAPPILANGAD, KANNUR DT. KERALA (as per present passport) holder of passport No. F 6263886 date of issue 15/04/2006 place of issue MUSCAT hereby solemnly affirm and declare that AYSHA SADIK name of my wife appearing as my passport ) and the name of my wife AYISHA SADIQUE appearing as per her Indian passport No H 7895790 are the same individuals and not two different indiviuals.

Any Objection towards Name Change of my wife my Please Be Communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P.Box .No.1727Postal Code 112, Ruwi Sultante of Oman We, Vivekanand Mathapati (name of father as per the passport, holder of Indian Passport No. H6685654) and Kavita Mathapati (name of mother as per the passport, holder of Indian Passport No. F7038035) having permanent address in Plot no.58, 3 Rd Cross, Manjunath Nagar, Haveri, Karnataka-581110 (complete postal address in India) and presently residing at the following address in Muscat, P.B.No 1151, P.C.No 133, Sultanate of Oman, hereby solemnly affirm and declare to change the name of our child Miss Shindu Mathapati (name as per present passport), holder of Indian Passport No. J5406456, date of issue 16/03/2011 issued at Muscat. The name of our child will be henceforth known as Sindhu Mathapati (new name) for all purposes. Any objection towards change of name of our minor child may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P.B.No 1727, Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

LOST Muhammad Javed has lost Pakistani Passport No. CB 8673322. Finder please handover to ROP Delos Santos Arnel has lost Filipino Passport No. EB 3519489. Finder please hand over to ROP

M O N DAY, N O V E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Hurry! RAMADHAN SAILING. Cargo for Zanzibar, Dar Es Salam & Mombasa. Door to door to India, Bangladesh & Pakistan. Maritime Shipping Agency. Al Jiffin, Rusayl on Fanja Road. Tel: 99323513 / 99118279.

Email: maritime@omantel.net.om

DRIVING TOURS

MANPOWER

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact98029602, 92808636

Learn Driving from professional instructors. Contact 94022250 Learn driving automatic from scratch. Contact 98599675

NRI Eight cents plot for sale in gated villa project Sathamugal Thivuvankulam, Cochin. #94211426 Plot for sale: 8 cents, Block 7, Kakkanad, 2 kms from Info park, Cochin. Contact - 968 92124098

BUSINESS

3 bedrooms flat for rent in Mather building, Chembumukku junction, Padivattom, Cochin.

Contact - 96892124098 Mantri Greens, behind Mantri Mall, Malleswaram, Bangalore.

3 Bedrooms with servants room on 8th Floor, car park, 2050 sqft, for sell, Rs 2.5 Crore, First Owner.

Contact 91375741, c_soumitra@hotmail.com

TRUCK FOR HIRE

9 Cents of residential vacant land in Valencia for immediate sale.

Contact menezesa@omantel.net. om of 92034072

Isuzu 10 ton cargo body truck (2012 FVR) with UAE experienced driver available for long term / short term rent.

Villa for sale 2200 sq ft in 8 cent.

Kottayam. Contact: 92652534

Contact: 95346950

For Astrological consultation, Jathakam. Contact: 99860435 / 97102599

Running truck wash for rent in Ouhi Sunia Sohar. Serious people can. Contact on 97864747

GOOD NEWS

50 seater bus with PDO specification for rent or lease.

Contact 99839898

Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steam bath, obesity, spondy hills, ideal care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Azaiba. Contact 99639695 / 99117987

TRANSPORTATION Pick & drop anytime in al Khuwair.

Contact 99764307

Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact 24475280 / 95371554 / 92504980 , www.siddhayur.com 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

1500 Gallon Diesel Tanker, excavators available for Hire or monthly basis. Contact 95943787 Transportation.

Contact 99515452

We assist in new business set up local sponsorship, real estate services, assist in company formation services. Contact - 93166088 Coffee shop business partner required in Muscat.

Contact; 94542865

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

RENT A CAR

FOR HIRE

Fully organized logistic (freight forwarding) Company seeking for an investor. Contact; 95088936 / 91404330

SERVICES Window & split unit A/C servicing & maintenance. Contact 96236476

Transportation availableContact - 95570429 Transportation. Contact 96248040 Transportation. Contact 98518979 Transportation. Contact 97838217 Transport. Contact 99664703

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation available.

Contact: 95068976

Transportation. Contact: 97897833

Transportation. Contact 96538078

Transportation Available Contact: 97180655

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M O N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

Contact: 91262820 / 96458007

CLASSES

WEBSITE

SERVICES

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

COMPUTER

Cargo Truck body fabrication.

Please contact 92326955. Bridge Gulfa llc, Misfah industrial area.

AutoCAD service available including drawings for Civil, Architecture, Structural, 3D Max, MEP Drawings, Joinery and Gypsum Interior Drawings. Contact 94069123 GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC all kind of pest control. #92326955 Civil maintenance, Electrical & Plumbing work. Contact 99557080 / 96236476 House shifting transport. Contact 99657644, 98518013

Electrical Plumbing Painting Contract and Maintenance.

Contact 98456535

House Shifting. Contact 99708138 Gypsum partition work. Data/ voice cabling work, telephone system, electrical work, security cameras. Koroun Trading – 92620968 P.R.O services. Contact 99368907 Contract general cleaning for offices. Ocean Center LLC Contact 99344723 Civil maintenance, electrical & plumbing work. # 99557080, 96236476 Split & window unit AC servicing & repairing. Contact 99557080 Human, Resource, Management, System & other Software we supply. sayeed@swiftsoftwareservices. com, contact 99199374

Window & split unit AC servicing & maintaining. Contact 96236476 Pest Control and cleaning best services – 1. Cockroach, ants, etc, 2. Tiles cleaning, marbles cleaning, floor cleaning, and carpet cleaning.

Contact 92108447, 99666505

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. # 24793614/ 99314807 For all your maintenance needs including, Painting, Plumbing, Electricity, Laying of Interlock Tiles, Marbles etc. Tel: 99383574 Mr Chandran Maintenance – A/C maintenance & servicing, fridge washing machine and dishwasher repairing, painting & cleaning services, electrical & plumbing. #99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281 Pest Control Treatments, termites, cockroaches, bedbugs. Ocean Center LLC - Contact 99344723

Waterproofing, light weight Screed, Antitermite and MS Fabrication.

Contact 92888337 Carpet and Sofa shampooing.

Ocean Center LLC – #99884591 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722 Door to Door Computers repair specialist laptop software Website cartridges. Contact 99199376 A.M Trading Pest control.

Contact 99067923 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

For All Your Maintenance Solutions, A/c Servicing & Fixing, Painting, Cleaning, Electric. Contact. 99002390 Civil Maintenance, Painting Electric, Plumbing, Decor, Tile Fixing, Lecithin Copra Board flat stifling , Carpet Cleaning and A/C Servicing.

Contact 97897831 (Indian keralite) Split & window A/C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 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

We provide loading helper for lounge term contract. #92817182 Catering services We do industrial catering service, Canteen/ mess, 3 times packed meals, and all types of catering events.

Contact 92188777/ 99249899 Painting Interlock plumbing maintenance. Contact 92142319 For HT cable jointing and termination works 33KV/11KV. Contact 99056438 / Email: npgoman@gmail.com Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722