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TUESDAY, October 29, 2013 / 24 DHUL HIJJA 1434 AH timesofoman.com facebook.com/timesofoman twitter.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com ISO 9001:2008 Certifi ed Company

In a bid to boost the relations between the Sultanate and the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, is arriving on a two-day visit to the Sultanate today during which he will meet His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The visit comes within the framework of the two leaders’ keenness to boost the cooperation and further realising the aspirations of the Omani and Qatari people. The Emir of Qatar will be accompanied by an offi cial delegation.

QATAR’S EMIR ARRIVES TODAY

209

Spain raps US eavesdropping amid outrage across world

MADRID: Spain yesterday de-nounced newly reported mass US eavesdropping on its citizens’ tel-ephone calls, calling it “inappro-priate and unacceptable” as out-rage spread over the worldwide espionage programme.

The Spanish government deliv-ered the message to US Ambassa-dor James Costos, summoned to explain the latest revelations in a growing scandal over US snoop-ing on telephone and online com-munications of ordinary citizens and world leaders including Ger-man Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The news emerged just as a European Parliament delega-tion began a three-day mission to Washington to probe the impact of the surveillance on EU citi-zens’ “fundamental rights” and to discuss a threat to suspend an EU-US agreement on the transfer of banking data.

Spanish Foreign Ministry offi -cials met the US envoy hours af-ter the El Mundo daily published a classifi ed document purport-edly showing that the US secu-rity services tracked 60.5 million Spanish telephone calls in a sin-gle month.

The National Security Agency (NSA) recorded the origin and destination of the calls and their duration but not the content, said El Mundo, which printed a classi-fi ed graph showing 30 days of call tracing up to January 8 this year. The graph illustrated the daily volume of calls monitored in the period, peaking at 3.5 million on December 11.

The article was jointly authored by US blogger Glenn Greenwald, who said he had access to previ-ously secret documents obtained by former US intelligence con-

tractor Edward Snowden. The Spanish Foreign Ministry

said it had underscored with the US ambassador its concern over the reported snooping.

Climate of trust“Spain conveyed to the United States the importance of pre-serving the climate of trust that governs bilateral relations and of knowing the scale of practices that, if true, are inappropriate and unacceptable between countries that are partners and friends,” it said in a statement.

Spain’s state secretary for the

European Union, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, “urged the US authorities to provide all necessary informa-tion about the supposed tapping in Spain”, it said.

The US ambassador said in a separate statement that some of the security programmes played a “critical role” in protecting Amer-icans and were also instrumental in protecting allied interests. He promised to work diplomatically to address Spain’s concerns.

El Mundo urged Spanish pros-ecutors to charge the NSA with spying, saying such tracing of tel-ephone calls without the proper judicial authority amounted to a criminal off ence.

In Washington, US lawmakers sought to soothe injured Euro-pean feelings as they held talks with the parliamentary mission from Brussels. “We hope for an open dialogue,” US House of Rep-resentatives intelligence commit-tee chairman Mike Rogers said.

The Wall Street Journal said the NSA had tapped the phones of some 35 world leaders including close ally Merkel, who last week branded the snooping as unac-ceptable between friends. — AFP

A classifi ed document

purportedly shows

that the US security

services tracked

60.5 million Spanish

telephone calls

in a single month

SUMMONED: US Ambassador to Spain Andorra James Costos,

right, leaves the Spanish Foreign Aff airs Ministry in Madrid,

yesterday. – AFP

Burning trawler towed away to avert disasterREJIMON Kreji@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Timely intervention by Salalah Port offi cials and fi re fi ghting rescue team averted a major disaster at the Salalah port yesterday after a Korean fl agged fi shing trawler caught fi re. Ac-cording to sources at the port, the trawler, ‘BAEKYANG 29’, which was docked at Berth No. 24, caught fi re at around 2:30am.

“As soon as the fi re was noticed, offi cials and rescue team sprang into action. The entire crew was fi rst evacuated safely. Then we noticed the trawler carrying am-monia, an infl ammable item, used to preserve fi sh. There-

fore, it was decided to tow the trawler to outer sea to avoid any disaster at the port. The tug boat towed the trawler 12 miles away from the port and just as they were trying to disconnect, the trawler sank,” sources told the Times of Oman.

S A L A L A H P O R T

His Majesty congratulates Abdullah Gul

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Abdullah Gul of the Republic of Turkey on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Decla-ration of the Republic.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes of health and hap-piness to President Gul and the people of Turkey further pro-gress and prosperity. - ONA

T U R K E Y

A5Oman free of polio, but watchful

OMANWoman arrested

1An Indian woman is in police custody since Friday in connection with her

husband’s “unnatural death” that morning in Sur. >A3

REGIONJordanian MP held

2A Jordanian Member of Parliament (MP) was arrested yesterday for his

alleged role in a September fi ght in parliament. >A7

MARKETIslamic fi nance hub

3London is striving to position itself as a major centre for Islamic fi nance,

with a series of measures that have been undertaken. >B1

T O P T H R E E I N S I D E S T O R I E S

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY

8-PAGE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT ON 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE

PROCLAMATION OF THE

WITH TODAY’S EDITOIN

world leaders including

close ally German

chancellor Angela

Merkel’s phones were

tapped by the NSA, said

the Wall Street Journal

35

in e he

Y

A2 T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

OMANSteps are being taken to make visas available online to Omanis by the end of this year

UK to ease visa norms for locals >A3

Oman, Switzerland review bilateral cooperationMUSCAT: On behalf of His Maj-esty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Min-isters yesterday received Filippo Lombardi, President of the Swiss Council of States who conveyed the greetings and best wishes of the Swiss leadership to His Maj-esty the Sultan, his government and the Omani people.

The president of the Swiss Council of States and Sayyid Fahd reviewed the growing relations between the two countries.

Lombardi hailed the progress made in the Sultanate under the leadership of His Majesty the Sultan at all levels, and pointed to Oman’s balanced policies in its for-eign relations and its eff orts to es-tablish the rule of law. During the meeting, they reviewed the bilat-eral cooperation between the two countries in economic and techni-cal fi elds, as well as exchange of ex-pertise and consultation on issues of concern to the two sides.

Majlis Al ShuraKhalid bin Hilal Al Ma’awali, Chairman of Majlis Al Shura, met Lombardi within the frame-work of his current visit to the Sultanate. During the meeting, Al

Ma’awali affi rmed that this visit would contribute in strength-ening and enhancing the rela-tions between the Omani and Swiss people, besides sharing the Swiss experience in the parlia-mentary fi eld.

State CouncilDr Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Man-theri, Chairman of the State Council, met Lombardi and his accompanying delegation yesterday.

Al Mantheri pointed to the Shura’s march in the Sultan-ate and the stages it has passed, as well as the progress it has witnessed, which gained the Royal confi dence by provid-ing it with the legislative and oversight powers.

Al Mantheri affi rmed the Royal attention and care accorded by His Majesty the Sultan to this march at each stage of develop-ment, which is crowned by the parliamentary duality under Ma-jlis Oman. -ONA

G R O W I N G R E L A T I O N S

AUGUST MEETING: His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the

Council of Ministers, with Filippo Lombardi, President of the Swiss Council of States, yesterday.

– Mohamed Al Rashdi

MUSCAT: Filippo Lombardi, President of the Swiss Council of States, said Switzerland has decided to open a new embassy in Mus-cat, within the frame-work of the bilateral ties that bind the two friendly countries. -ONA

Switzerland to open embassy

A3

OMANT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

Oman seeks Automatic Identifi cation System transponders on small boats to improve maritime security.

Sultanate has best record in fi ghting piracy >A4

UK to ease visa norms for locals

REJIMON Kreji@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Sayyid Badr bin Ham-ad Al Bu Said, secretary-general at Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, urged citizens through a tweet yesterday to wait for an offi -cial announcement regarding the easing of UK visa procedures for Omani citizens.

“Yes, it is true but wait for the formal announcement by the

British authority as there is a mechanism that will have to be followed,” the offi cial tweeted in reply to a query on the microblog-ging portal.

Last week, while attending the ‘Oman and Sea’ exhibition in Paris, the Omani offi cial said that Omanis would soon get visas on-line to visit the UK. “The British government hopes to set in place easier procedures for the Omanis to obtain British visas,” he said

on the sidelines of the exhibition. Al Busaidi added that steps were being taken to make visas avail-able online to the Omanis by the end of this year without requir-ing them to visit the British Em-bassy for this purpose.

Meanwhile, according to me-dia reports in London, the Brit-ish government has decided to signifi cantly ease visa application procedures for Omanis intending to visit the country for medical treatment or tourism purposes. Those who wish to study or work in the country will still need to fol-low the conventional procedures.

ApprovalThe reports claimed that Omanis travelling to the UK for tourism or treatment will need to send an e-mail to the website of the British Embassy in Muscat and wait for approval that will come within a period of 48 hours.

The traveller then has to take a printout of the approval, which will be considered as a visa, when travelling to the UK. Upon arrival at any of the UK airports, fi nger-prints will be taken.

This new facility is also ap-plicable for citizens of Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait, the media re-ports added.

Steps are being

taken to make visas

available online to

Omanis by the end

of this year, and

they will no longer

require to visit the

British Embassy

for this purpose

Woman held over husband’s death

REJIMON Kreji@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: An Indian woman is in police custody since Friday in con-nection with her husband’s “unnat-ural death” that morning in Sur.

The 40-year-old woman, who teaches at Indian School Sur and is a mother of two girls studying in the same school, was taken into custody by the police for question-ing about her 49-year-old hus-band’s death.

According to sources, the teach-er had reportedly stabbed her hus-band who was in a drunken state, following a brawl.

The sources suspect that it might be an accidental death.

“He was found dead in the room

when the police came. The offi cials conducted the initial probe and re-quested for her custody,” family friends said.

“The victim was reportedly an alcoholic. We helped him fre-quently in reaching home since he used to be heavily drunk. He had

landed in trouble many times after being caught for drunken driving,” said the family friends, who have sought the embassy’s help to take up the case and help the accused.

ShelterThe couple’s children are now be-ing given shelter by one of the fam-ily friends. Eff orts are being made to send the two daughters, aged 11 and 13, to India as their mother is in police custody.

According to sources, the ac-cused has been lodged in women’s cell in Jalan, about 80km south-east of Sur.

“That is the nearest place from Sur where they have facilities to keep women detainees,” the source added.

SUR

The tweet of Sayyid Badr bin

Hamad Al Bu Said, secretary-

general at Oman’s Ministry of

Foreign Aff airs, on the easing

of UK visa procedures.

The deceased, left, and the ac-

cused woman in custody.

Oman transp

Sultan

A4 T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

OMAN

Sultanate has best record in fighting piracy

Times News Service

MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman has proposed installing high-tech Automatic Identifi cation System (AIS) transponders on small boats to improve maritime security.

Said bin Hamdoon Al Harthy, the undersecretary for Ports and Maritime Aff airs at the Ministry of Transport and Communications, said offi cials are talking to all GCC countries about installing AIS on small boats.

“We are still putting together a law on AIS for small boats. As for the big ships, we have no problem. The problem is only with small boats,” he said at the fi rst annual Port Security Middle East confer-ence at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

He added that Oman has the re-gion’s best record in combating pi-racy. “The number of incidents re-garding piracy have been reduced drastically this year and we hope

this will go down even further in the coming months,” he said.

Experts, meanwhile, said that the AIS system would bring uniform-ity in the registration of all types of vessels.

“The new practice may remove ambiguity and help in keeping com-mon records on all vessels and their owners in one centralised data sys-tem,” an expert said.

The AIS transponders, which automatically broadcast infor-mation such as a ship’s position, speed and navigational status at regular intervals to a central-ised control room, will be used by

these vessels for identifi cation and to display their locations. Cur-rently, only larger ships use such transponders.

Meanwhile, experts in sea-port security from both regional and international authorities met in Muscat yesterday for the fi rst annual Port Security Middle East conference at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

The conference, organised by IQPC (International Quality & Productivity Centre) and GEC (Global Exhibitions & Conferenc-es), was formally opened by Said bin Hamdoon Al Harthy.

Oman seeks Automatic

Identifi cation System

transponders on small

boats to improve

maritime security

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Khalil Abdullah Al

Khonji inaugurates Italian Solo exhibition in Muscat, yesterday. – Jun Estrada/Times of Oman

Italian exhibition to cement trade ties with Oman: Envoy STAFF REPORTER

MUSCAT: The Chairman of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Khalil Abdullah Al Khonji, inaugurated the Italian Solo Exhibition, a three-day trade show, at the Intercontinental Ho-tel yesterday.

The event, supported by the Italian Embassy, is the fi rst and only country trade exhibition in Oman that off ers an exclusive trade and business, networking and purchasing platform for man-ufacturers, distributors, dealers, traders, suppliers, entrepreneurs and those seeking to source and procure “Made in Italy” products.

Interested shoppers have the opportunity to buy the products

on display during the event, which will continue until October 31.

“It is a good opportunity. We managed to have some compa-nies from diff erent sectors. These fi rms provide design, art, technol-ogy, and beauty,” Paola Amadei, Ambassador of Italy to Oman, told the Times of Oman.

Amadei said the event was good for fostering trade relations between Oman and Italy and sug-gested that Omanis could benefi t from good quality, nice designs, and advanced technology when doing business with Italian com-panies. For Italian business peo-ple, Oman has good investment opportunities too, she added.

“We encourage Italians to look at Oman because this country

really off ers a great variety of op-portunities and is open to trade. It is investing in its infrastructure,” Amadei said.

The exhibition, which featured companies in sectors ranging from silver, food, and furniture to marble, marines and shipyards, and engineering, was organised with Easy Business LLC, a group of experts and professional advis-ers who bring together Omani and Italian businesses.

The sponsors of the event in-cluded National Bank of Oman, Messung Global Connect and Intercontinental Hotel Muscat. It was supported by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and In-dustry, Turin Chamber of Com-merce, and the Italian Embassy.

M A D E I N I T A L Y P R O D U C T S

We are still putting

together a law on AIS for

small boats. As for the

big ships, we have no

problem

Said bin Hamdoon Al HarthyPorts and maritime aff airs undersecretary

Minister of civil service leaves for MoroccoMUSCAT: Sheikh Khalid bin Omar Al Marhoon, the Minis-ter of Civil Service, yesterday left for Morocco to take part in the 98th regular session of the Executive Council of the Arab Administrative Development Organisation (ARADO) to be held at Rabat next Tuesday and Wednesday. The decisions made in Egypt would be discussed at the meeting and a new auditing offi ce for the ARADO accounts for 2014-2015 would also be chosen.

292 illegal workers heldMUSCAT: The weekly report of the joint inspection team at the Ministry of Manpower said that 292 workers were held for violating the Labour Law between October 20 and October 26, including 219 commercial workers, 42 farm workers and 31 housemaids and their equivalents. The statistics showed that 259 workers were caught including 139 absconding workers, 109 astray workers and 11 workers referred from other depart-ments. The Governorate of Muscat witnessed the largest num-ber of workers violating the law with 115, followed by the Gover-norate of North Al Batinah with 76 workers.

3,850 cosmetics boxes seized

MUSCAT: Personnel of the Judicial Control at the Public Au-thority for Consumer Protection seized 3,850 boxes of cosmet-ics for violating the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law at one of the outlets taking part in an exhibition organised at Oman International Exhibitions Centre. -ONA

B R I E F S

Over 60% of QMS project completed

MUSCAT: The Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources has com-pleted more than 60 per cent of the Quality Management System (QMS) project.

The current stage involves implementation of processes and procedures that were verifi ed at the ministry’s headquarters and the mu-nicipalities implementing the system.

This stage will be followed by a training programme for the internal auditors in December.

The ministry will initiate the internal audit and as-sessment of the system next January.

The project was initiated in March 2012 with the as-sistance of some quality management experts from the Tunisian Republic. The project is implemented in co-operation with the Ministry of Civil Service. -ONA

M U N I C I P A L I T I E S

A15

WORLDT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

SMARTEN UPDRIVE SAFE

A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

The question today is why couldn’t the Obamacare system be made simpler? Well, if we are to answer this in one word we can only say that it couldn’t made made simpler mainly because of politics

Read the column by Paul Krugman >A13

Michael Jackson’s doctor released from prison

LOS ANGELES: Michael Jackson’s per-sonal physician, convicted for manslaugh-ter by administering a lethal dose of an-aesthetic to the pop singer, was released from a Los Angeles prison yesterday after serving half of his four-year sentence. Conrad Murray was released to his rep-resentatives, Los Angeles County Sheriff

spokesman Steve Whitmore said shortly after Murray left the county jail. The release came under a California state plan to reduce prison overcrowding. Murray’s six-week trial grabbed global attention after Jackson, preparing for a series of come-back concerts in London, died unexpectedly in 2009 at age 50.

Poland’s fi rst non-left PM Mazowiecki passes away WARSAW: Poland’s Tadeusz Ma-zowiecki, the fi rst non-Communist pre-mier in eastern Europe who was hailed as a father of Polish liberty, died yesterday aged 86. He died in a Warsaw hospital fol-lowing a long illness, close friend and Sen-ate speaker Bogdan Boruzewicz confi rmed. Mazowiecki was “one of the fathers of Pol-ish liberty and independence”, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told Polish Radio. One of the early members of the Solidarity movement, he became prime minister in August 1989, two months after Solidarity won elections and its iconic leader Lech Walesa tapped him for the job. “He was really one of the outstanding people I met on this journey,” of transition, Walesa told Poland’s TVN24 news channel.

Trial in News of the World phone-hacking case startsLONDON: The fi rst trial in the phone-hacking scandal that sank Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World opened yesterday with the tycoon’s key aide Rebekah Brooks in the dock along-side the British prime minister’s former media chief Andy Coulson. The two former editors of the tabloid are among eight defendants facing a jury for the fi rst time over the scandal that sent shockwaves through British politics. The defendants face charges ranging from illegally hacking the mobile phone voicemails of a murdered schoolgirl and celebrities such as Paul McCartney, to bribing public offi cials for stories and hid-ing evidence. They all deny the allegations against them.

40 migrants found dead NIAMEY: Dozens of Nigerien migrants heading for Algeria died of thirst in the desert after their vehicle broke down, local offi cials said yesterday, while police said 19 survived. “About 40 Nigerians, who were attempting to emigrate to Algeria, died of thirst in mid-October,” Rhissa Feltou, the mayor of Agadez, said. “Many others have been reported missing since their vehicle broke down in the desert,” he said. “Travellers told us that they saw and counted up to 35 bodies, mostly those of women and children, by the road,” said Abdourahmane Ma-ouli, the mayor of Arlit. — Agencies

B R I E F S

JUSTICE SOUGHT: Turkish protestors run for cover as po-

licemen fi re water cannon and tear gas to disperse them

yesterday during a demonstration in Ankara against a

court’s refusal to detain a policeman accused of killing a

demonstrator during the popular unrest in June. A police

offi cer identifi ed only as Ahmet S. is on trial accused of

shooting to death 26-year-old Ethem Sarisuluk during

mass anti-government street protests in Ankara in June.

The Ankara court rejected a demand by the victim’s

lawyers that the defendant be detained and ruled instead

that he could take part in hearings via video conference

for security reasons. — AFP

Smartphones become visual sharing hubs

NEW YORK: Smartphones are giving a big boost to posting of photos and videos, according to a study released yesterday.

The Pew Research Centre sur-vey found 54 per cent of US Inter-net users now post original pic-tures or videos online, up from 46 percent last year.

And 47 per cent re-post images or videos they discover online, the survey found.

Much of this growth came from people using smartphone apps like Instagram or Snapchat, ac-

cording to Pew researchers.This survey found that 92 per

cent of Americans own a cell phone and 58 per cent own a smartphone. Some 18 per cent of cell phone owners use Instagram and nine percent use Snapchat to share images or videos.

‘People’s interactions’“Sharing photos and videos on-line adds texture, play, and drama to people’s interactions in their social networks,” said Pew Inter-net’s Maeve Duggan, author of the

report. “This all adds up to a new kind of collective digital scrap-book with fresh forms of storytell-ing and social bonding.”

Women are more active sharers than men, according to the survey: Some 59 per cent of online women

post photos and videos they have taken themselves, compared with 50 per cent of men.

Likewise, 53 per cent of women share some of the content they found elsewhere, compared with 42 per cent of men.

Among those in the 18-29 age group, 81 per cent have uploaded original content and 68 per cent have re-posted photos or videos.

Some 26 per cent of cell own-ers in this age group use Snapchat, while 43 per cent use Instagram.

‘Eager adopters’“A lot of photo- and video-sharing is happening on social media, where women are his-torically more likely to be users,” said Duggan.

“In terms of mobile, young peo-ple have always been early and eager adopters of new applica-tions and platforms for sharing,” she added. — AFP

The Pew Research Centre survey found 54% of

US Internet users now post original pictures or

videos online, up from 46% last year

Some 59 per cent

of online women

post photos and

videos they have

taken themselves,

compared with

50 per cent of men

A6

REGIONT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

It was ‘necessary’ for Iran to take part in the Geneva conference slated for next month

Lakhdar Brahimi, UN-Arab League envoy

DRIVE SLOWER LIVE LONGER

END CALL

SAVE LIVESA TIMES OF OMANHANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

18-month jail term for Iranian actress

TEHRAN: An Iranian court has sentenced fi lmmaker and actress Pegah Ahangarani to 18 months in prison, her mother told Isna news agency yester-day, apparently for her social ac-tivities, political comments and interviews with foreign media.

“She has been sentenced to 18 months in the trial court,” Manijeh Hekmat, who is also a director, told Isna without giv-ing further details.

Ahangarani, 29, was arrest-ed in her fl at in July 2011 and was released on bail later that month. Currently, she is not in detention, as an appeals court must confi rm the sentence be-fore it is applied under the Ira-nian system.

Judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie mean-while told Isna Ahangarani was free and “had not been arrested”.

But Hekmat said that her daughter has been prevented from leaving Iran for nearly three years. “We hope with the new climate in the country (fol-lowing the election of moder-ate President Hassan Rowhani in June) leads to the reduction of her restrictions and her sen-tence would be reviewed,” Hek-mat said in a letter to the offi cial news agency, Irna.

According to Irna the sen-tence was issued because of her social activities, political comments she made and inter-views with she gave to certain foreign media.

Hekmat also said they would appeal the sentence. Even be-fore her arrest, the authorities had barred Ahangarani from leaving the country. She had been due to travel to Germany in 2011 to write her impressions of the Women’s World Cup in an Internet blog for German broad-caster Deutsche Welle.

Ahangarani won the award for a supporting role at the Ira-nian Fajr Festival in February 2013 for the movie Dar Band (Trapped). — AFP

S E N T E N C E D

IN TROUBLED WATERS: Ira-

nian fi lmmaker and actress

Pegah Ahangarani.

Arab foreign ministers to meet on Syria

CAIRO: Arab foreign ministers will meet in Cairo on November 3 to discuss backing the Syrian opposition at a proposed Geneva peace conference, a top Arab dip-lomat said yesterday.

Also UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi arrived in Da-mascus to seek support for a Syria peace conference, as Russia slammed rebels for threatening those planning to attend the so-called Geneva II talks.

Asked whether the ministers would discuss providing backing for the opposition groups, Arab League deputy chief Ahmed Ben Hilli told reporters “the meeting on Sunday will look into this mat-ter”. Ben Hilli said an offi cial date for the Geneva meeting has not been set. Arab League chief Na-bil Al Arabi had said the meeting would take place on November 23.

Brahimi, who travelled over-land to the Syrian capital after fl ying in to Beirut airport from Tehran, arrived at the Sheraton hotel accompanied by Syrian deputy foreign minister Faisal Moqdad. The envoy has been on a regional tour. The Syria leg of his mission to drum up support for Geneva II is the most sensitive

as he needs to persuade a wary re-gime and its hostile opponents to attend the talks. It is his fi rst visit to Syria since last December.

In Tehran, Brahimi said it was “necessary” for Iran to take part in the Geneva conference slated for next month and aimed at end-ing Syria’s confl ict.

Struggling for supportThe initiative’s backers, Washing-ton and Moscow, have struggled to win the support of the warring parties in Syria, where more than 115,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the 31-month confl ict. In the latest blow, 19 groups fi ghting to topple Assad issued a statement saying the Ge-neva conference “is not, nor will it ever be our people’s choice or our revolution’s demand”.

Russian Foreign Minister

Sergei Lavrov issued a stinging rebuke to the rebels. “It is outra-geous that some of these extrem-ist, terrorist organisations fi ght-ing government forces in Syria are starting to make threats,” Lav-rov said in televised comments.

“The threats are directed at those who have the courage to at-tend the proposed Geneva confer-ence being off ered by Russia and the United States with the entire world’s support.”

Under pressure from its back-ers to attend, the National Coali-tion opposition group is to meet on November 9 to decide whether to take part. But it has insisted it will only do so if there are guaran-tees Assad will step down, and its leader Ahmad Jarba has also said no talks can take place unless the regime frees women and children from its jails. — Agencies

The ministers will

hold meeting in Cairo

to discuss backing

the Syrian opposition

at a proposed Geneva

peace conference

BRUSSELS: The European Commission said it would provide 85 million euros ($120 million) in humanitar-ian aid to help people caught up in Syria’s civil war.

The funds are part of a 400-million-euro pledge following a UN appeal made in June, which has proved diffi cult to fi nance amid problems with a European Union budget over-run.

Nearly half the money (40 million euros) is to go on Unicef-led health and educa-tion programmes in Syria,

another 40 million euros will go towards helping some 500,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan.

The remaining fi ve mil-lion euros will allow Syrian students to follow Erasmus degrees at European universities.

The EU says it has so far mobilised 1.9 billion euros in relief aid since the Syrian crisis began in March 2011.

It says fi ve million Syrians are internally displaced, with another two million having fl ed the country. — AFP

EU vows $120m in aid

A7

REGIONT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

Jordanian MP held over shooting in parliamentAMMAN: A Jordanian MP was arrested yesterday for his alleged role in a September fi ght in parlia-ment, where another lawmaker fi red a Kalashnikov assault rifl e at a third colleague, an offi cial said.

“Yahia Al Saud was detained today after prosecutors charged him with inciting murder, defa-mation and slander,” the judicial offi cial said. “He was remanded in custody for 14 days pending fur-ther investigation,” he added.

On September 10, MP Talal Al Sharif shot a Kalashnikov at his colleague Qusay Al Dumaisi dur-ing an altercation in the lower

house, without hitting him. The shooting came two days

after an argument broke out in parliament between Dumaisi and Saud. Video footage showed Dumaisi removing his shoes and Saud his belt during the dispute, which fl ared due to diff erences over parliamentary procedure, before they were separated. “Pro-sectors found evidence that Saud incited Sharif to shoot at Dumai-si,” another judicial offi cial said.

MP Khalil Atiyeh, deputy house speaker, confi rmed the detention of Saud.

“Saud at the moment does not

enjoy immunity because parlia-ment is in recess,” Atiyeh said.

Saud, who faces up to three years in prison “could be expelled if convicted”, Atiyeh said. Sharif was expelled from parliament and Dumaisi suspended for one year.

Sharif, currently in jail, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of unlicensed fi rearms and resisting the secu-rity forces. In July 2012, a live television debate on domestic is-sues between two deputies also degenerated into fi sticuff s before one of them pulled out a gun and was overpowered. — AFP

CHARGED

The debate over one or two states rages on the one side, while liberals, who by now have embraced the notion of a two state solution, continue to shy away from any controversy and refuse to address Palestinian human rights

Read the column by Dr James J. Zogby >A12

A8

INDIAT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

It is premature to say anything about the blast now as investigation is still going on

Sushilkumar Shinde, Home minister

Mastermind identified as Patna blasts toll is 6

PATNA: Tahseen Akhtar, alleg-edly a member of Indian Mujahi-deen (IM), is the brain behind the string of explosions in Patna yes-terday that left six dead, authori-ties said yesterday.

“Tahseen Akhtar alias Monu, accused of several terrorist at-tacks, is man behind serial blasts in Patna,” an Intelligence Bureau (IB) offi cial here said.

“Initial investigation suggested the involvement of IM in serial blasts in Patna. The modus oper-andi and low-intensity bomb blasts are part of IM operation,” the IB of-fi cial said declining to be named.

The IB offi cial said that one of the suspects who was arrested has confessed to the involvement of IM in Sunday’s seven blasts — six of which took place in and around the Gandhi Maidan where BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Nar-endra Modi later addressed a rally.

“More information will come out after likely arrest of three or four suspects involved in the blasts,” the IB offi cial said.

Tahseen Akhtar, considered to be close to Yasin Bhatkal, the man who co-founded Indian Mujahi-deen, hails from a village in Sa-mastipur. In the last few months, the National Investigation Agen-

cy (NIA) on more than 10 occa-sions raided his native village but failed to fi nd him.

Earlier, the NIA issued an arrest warrant against Tahseen Akhtar, and also announced a reward of Rs1 million for information that could lead to his arrest.

Intelligence failureMeanwhile, the opposition slammed security arrangements yesterday after six people were killed by bombs at a rally by their leader Narendra Modi, fuelling fears of a bloody build-up to next year’s elections.

While Modi himself was not injured by the blasts in Patna, lead-ers of his party expressed outrage yesterday that such an attack could take place at a high-profi le event.

Sushma Swaraj, the party’s lead-er in parliament, tweeted that the attack represented a “gross intelli-gence failure”, while BJP president Rajnath Singh said “extra precau-tions should have been taken” given Modi’s status as BJP candidate in next year’s general elections.

“It is a case of gross under pre-paredness by the state, not even the minimum was done,” BJP spokes-woman Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Leader of Opposition in the Ra-jya Sabha Arun Jaitley said the blasts came as a reminder of “vul-nerability”, as mass gatherings oc-cur in the run-up to elections.

“These blasts are a grim re-minder of the vulnerability of the security of both senior leaders and political events being organised in the run-up to the elections,” Jaitley said.

“India cannot aff ord to be either soft on terror or soft on security. A policy against terror and the need for security cannot be relatable to the policy of vote bank politics of a given government,” he said. - Agencies

Initial investigation

suggested the

involvement of IM in

the Patna serial blasts.

The modus operandi

and low-intensity

bomb blasts are part

of IM operation, an IB

offi cial said

It is a case of gross

under preparedness by

the state, not even the

minimum was done

Nirmala SitharamanBJP spokeswoman

UP IN ARMS: BJP leaders and workers stage a protest against

Patna bomb blasts, in Bengaluru, yesterday. – PTI

NEW DELHI: A day after Gujarat Chief Minister Naren-dra Modi’s rally in Patna was targeted with multiple blasts, the government yesterday said adequate security is being provided to the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate.

“Central Government has

provided adequate security to Modi,” Home Minister Sushil-kumar Shinde told reporters.

Modi has been accorded Z-plus security with round-the- clock protection by elite National Security Guard com-mandos. Shinde said he would visit Patna today to assess the

situation there following the serial blasts in the city Sunday that has claimed six lives and injured more than 80 people.

“I will review the situation in Patna tomorrow. It is pre-mature to say anything about the blast now as investigation is still going on,” he said. - PTI

Adequate security given to Modi, says Shinde

ARMY DRONECRASHESMilitary personnel and

onlookers at the scene

of an Indian Army

drone crash in

Rajouri district close

to the India-Pakistan

border yesterday.

The unmanned aerial

vehicle (UAV) was on a

surveillance mission, a

report said. — AFP

Karunanidhi’s wife deposes for fi ve hours in 2G caseCHENNAI: DMK president M. Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Am-mal, a prosecution witness in the 2G spectrum allocation case, deposed before a magistrate for around fi ve hours here yester-day. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) M. Gopalan reached Karunanidhi’s residence around 9.40 am for the testimony. Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi, charged by the Central Bu-reau of Investigation (CBI) as a co-conspirator in the case, was present at the DMK chief’s residence. Speaking to reporters, K.K. Goel, senior public prosecutor for CBI, said the evidence had been recorded and Dayalu Ammal cooperated. He declined to share more details.

Charges against Kejriwal framed in defamation caseNEW DELHI: A court here yesterday framed charges against Aam Admi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal in a defamation case fi led against him by an aide of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for his alleged “derogatory remarks” against her during protests against the power tariff hike. Chief Metropolitan Mag-istrate (CMM) Sanjay Bansal fi xed January 18 for recording of evidence in the case. The court, framing charges against Kejri-wal, said prima facie defamation charges are made out against him and put him on trial after he pleaded not guilty.

24kg of heroin recovered in Punjab, four arrestedAMRITSAR: The State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) of Punjab Police arrested four men yesterday and recovered 24kgs of heroin estimated to be valued at $19.5 million on the inter-national market, a police offi cer said. Assistant Inspector Gen-eral (AIG) Ashwani Kumar said the arrested people were Jasbir Singh alias Jassa, the kingpin of the drugs racket, Kuldip Singh, Avtar Singh and Tarsem Singh. - Agencies

B R I E F S

‘New US

immigration

policy to hurt

IT industry’

NEW DELHI: Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Shar-ma yesterday said elements in the new US legislation on im-migration would undermine the competitiveness of Indian IT businesses.

During a meeting with US Chamber of Commerce chair-man Steve Van Andel here, Sharma raised India’s concern over the US policy and said some measures related to skilled non-immigrant visas in the Compre-hensive Immigration Reform Bill passed by the US Senate recently were discriminatory.

Andel said the US Chamber of Commerce is on the “same page” on the issue and there is a need to be more vocal about the ill-eff ects of the proposed legis-lation, said a commerce minis-try statement after the meeting.

Indian fi rms have made invest-ments of more than $5 billion in the US in the last fi ve years, by way of acquisitions. - IANS

C O N C E R N

A9

INDIAT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

BJP fi les complaint against Rahul’s ‘hate speeches’ to ECNEW DELHI: A delegation of BJP leaders yesterday submitted a com-plaint against Congress vice-pres-ident Rahul Gandhi at the Election Commission (EC) here, accusing him of delivering hate speeches.

The BJP leaders alleged that Rahul Gandhi made sensational speeches to spread communal ha-tred in society.

“Rahul Gandhi is no Digvijaya Singh... He is the topmost leader of Congress and their superstar cam-paigner. He said BJP incites com-munal violence, he said Muslims are in touch with ISI, and none of the statements has been de-nied by the Congress,” BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

“We have demanded that the EC

should take action against Rahul Gandhi and Congress,” he told re-porters after submitting the par-ty’s complaint to Chief Election Commissioner V. K. Sampath.

Apology demandedThe BJP also demanded an apol-ogy from the Gandhi scion for stat-ing that the Pakistani intelligence

had contacted Muslim youths af-fected by the Muzaff arnagar riots.

The party on Friday submitted a letter to the Election Commission that Rahul violated the Model Code of Conduct by his hate speeches.

Citing excerpts from Rahul’s speech made in Churu in Rajasthan last week, the Opposition party said its tone and tenor was to incite com-

munal hatred and tension between Hindu-Sikhs and Hindu-Muslims and make an appeal for votes in the favour of Congress on the basis of communal sentiments.

“A conscious attempt has been made by Rahul to mislead the pub-lic by trying to discredit the BJP by making absolutely false, baseless, unfounded allegations against

the BJP and its leaders, which is against the very spirit of the Model Code of Conduct as well as healthy democratic practices,” it said.

The Model Code of Conduct came into force on October 4, in the states of Delhi, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, where the polls to the state assemblies are to be held. - Agencies

A L L E G A T I O N

Medha: Not

seen a bigger

liar than Modi

MUMBAI: Social activist Med-ha Patkar yesterday attacked Gujarat Chief Minister Naren-dra Modi for “illegally” pursuing his agenda of raising the height of the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) by making false claims.

“I have not seen a bigger liar than Modi. He has again started to play the SSP card despite knowing that the project has failed to live up to the tall politi-cal claims and paper promises. Fully knowing that it will aff ect 250,000 people, he is illegally pushing to clear the fi nal height of the dam,” Patkar told media-persons here.

Patkar, who earlier held dem-onstration opposing the dam’s height, said Modi’s ambitious “Statue of Unity” project was actually a ploy to raise the dam to its full height of 138 metres from the current 122 metres.

She also alleged a nexus be-tween the BJP governments of Gujarat led by Modi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan in MP.

“Modi’s recent claim that MP shall receive 800 MW of free electricity is an absolute lie, as every unit of the power is to be purchased at Rs2.10. The claims are attempts by the Modi-Shivraj nexus to raise the hollow issue of delayed benefi ts due to the SSP,” said Patkar. - IANS

D A M ’ S H E I G H T

A10

PAKISTAN T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

‘Serial attacker’ targets women in Sahiwal district, stabs 25ISLAMABAD: A young man has stabbed at least 25 women this month in a small Pakistani town, police said yesterday, and many women and girls are afraid to leave their homes.

“Most of the incidents have happened after sunset, but some schoolgirls were also attacked while going back home after school,” said Haseebul Hassan, the

spokesman for Sahiwal District in eastern Punjab province.

“We cannot confi rm the total number of incidents, but its be-tween 25 to 30.”

Doctors say most of the women in the town of Chichawatni were stabbed on the legs, stomach or back. The attacker’s motives are unclear, although police said he may be insane.

“Most of the women were stabbed after sunset, while two of them were wearing a burka at the time they were attacked,” Dr Asim Waqar at Chichawatni hospital said by telephone.

His hospital received its fi rst case on October 6 and has seen two or three cases a day since. Some victims have required stitches or surgery.

Stabbed multiple timesIn the most recent attack, a man on a motorbike dismounted and stabbed a 22-year-old woman multiple times as she was standing outside her house with her sister, Waqar said.

The police are hunting a sin-gle attacker, Chichawatni Station House Offi cer Tahir Aijaz said. They have announced a reward

equivalent to $2,000 for his arrest. Many victims who sought treat-

ment have not reported the at-tacks because the police have a poor reputation and they are for-bidden by tradition to speak to strange men. Police said that many women or girls now feared to go out at night or to school. Violence against women is common in Pa-kistan and activists say several are

murdered each day. Underfunded police rarely solve the cases, which can take years to work their way through congested courts. — Reuters

P A N I C A N D F E A R

Pakistan is wary of a new ordinance

Read the column by Kamal Siddiqi >A13

DOWN MEMORY LANE Wasim Sajjad, who had served as the acting President of Pakistan twice, looks at his an-

cestral home in Jalandhar, India, yesterday. Sajjad is currently visiting India. — PTI

Sharif’s reform eff orts under IMF scanner

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faces the fi rst formal test of his economic policies this week during a visit by the International Monetary Fund. He has a long way to go.

Sharif swept to a landslide vic-tory in May after promising to fi x a sluggish economy.

Default avertedLast month, the IMF saved Pa-kistan from a possible default by agreeing to loan it $6.7 billion over three years, but its condition of quarterly reviews means the cash is not guaranteed.

A team led by the IMF’s region-al adviser, Jeff rey Franks, is visit-

ing this week to see if Pakistan is trying to meet conditions intend-ed to promote reforms.

The government has begun to tackle Pakistan’s fi scal problems, but diplomats say true success will come only when tax evaders are punished.

Yousaf Nazar, a former head of Citigroup’s equity investments unit, said previous governments had secured IMF help by em-phasising the country’s role as a vital ally in the Nato-led war in Afghanistan against Taleban insurgents.

Lack of intent“No government in Pakistan over the last 20 years has ever shown any intent to carry our serious re-forms,” Nazar said.

“The government is just ex-ploiting Pakistan’s position — playing the Taleban card — to get the US and IMF to continue to bail it out.”

Programmes scrappedEleven out of 12 IMF programmes since 1998 have been scrapped because Pakistan failed to insti-tute reforms.

“Governments have tried to ‘game’ the IMF, and achieved par-tial success each time,” two for-mer Fund offi cials concluded in a recent paper.

This time round, Sharif has promised the IMF to privatise loss-making state industries, re-form the energy sector, expand Pakistan’s tiny tax base and cut government borrowing. — Reuters

A delegation is

coming to see

whether Pakistan is

trying to meet the

conditions intended to

promote reforms after

the IMF agreed to a

$6.7 billion loan

The government is just exploiting Pakistan’s position

— playing the Taleban card — to get the US and IMF

to continue to bail it out

Yousaf NazarFormer head of Citigroup’s equity investments unit

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com haveyoursay@timesofoman.com

A11

ASIAT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

China to study smog’s impact on human healthBEIJING: China’s Health Ministry will set up a national network within fi ve years to provide a way of monitoring the long- term impact of chronic air pollution on human health, state media said yesterday. The network will gather data on PM2.5, or particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 microm-eters, in diff erent locations around the country, the report said, citing a ministry statement. “The document noted that the absence of a long-term, systematic monitoring system has prevented the country from uncovering the link between air pollution and human health,” the report said.

Former Thailand PM faces indictment over crackdownBANGKOK: Thailand’s attorney general has decided to pros-ecute former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva and his ex-deputy on murder charges related to a bloody crackdown on anti-gov-ernment protests in 2010, offi cials said yesterday. The opposi-tion slammed the move as an attempt to pressure it to support a controversial amnesty bill that could allow fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to return from self-imposed ex-ile. About 90 people died and nearly 1,900 were wounded in a series of street clashes in 2010 between mostly unarmed “Red Shirt” demonstrators and security forces fi ring live rounds in central Bangkok. Abhisit, who is now the opposition leader, and his former deputy Suthep Thaugsuban ordered security forces to reclaim areas of the capital and allowed authorities to use arms, said a spokesman for the attorney general’s offi ce.

Suspect stoned to death after Afghan bus blastKABUL: Angry villagers in Afghanistan stoned a man to death and riddled his body with bullets, believing he set off a bomb on a bus that killed 18 civilians, offi cials said yesterday. The roadside blast ripped through a minibus carrying wedding guests in the central province of Ghazni on Sunday, killing 18 people. Villagers hunted down a local man who was found hid-ing in a chicken coop next to his home, with the bomb’s remote control apparently found nearby, Ghazni deputy provincial governor Mohammad Ali Ahmadi said. A crowd of more than 100 people dragged the man out, beat him with sticks and then stoned him with rocks until he was dead.

Japan N-watchdog urges ‘bold’ Fukushima actionTOKYO: Japan’s nuclear watchdog yesterday urged “bold and drastic” action to fi x problems with radioactive water at Fuku-shima, as it warned of the growing risks over coming months. TEPCO is battling to clean up the mess caused when reactors went into meltdown after the March 2011 tsunami struck and knocked out cooling systems. - Agencies

B R I E F SFive die as car ploughs into Tiananmen crowd

BEIJING: Five people including a Philippine tourist were killed and 38 others injured after a vehicle ploughed into crowds in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square yesterday and caught fi re, police said.

The blaze sent clouds of smoke billowing into the air near a giant portrait of Mao Zedong that hangs at one end of the square, the site of pro-democracy protests in 1989.

Witnesses and reports said the SUV drove along the pavement outside the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace, before

crashing -- prompting speculation the incident was intentional.

Immediately afterwards a secu-rity operation swung into force on the vast plaza, the symbolic centre of the Chinese state.

Explosion and fi re“I saw a car turn a bend and sud-denly it was driving on the pave-ment. It happened fast but looked like it knocked people over,” one eyewitness, said.

“I heard an explosion and saw fi re. The scene was very frighten-ing,” he added. “There were para-

military police who told people to get back into their cars and stop taking pictures.”

Images posted on Chinese social media sites showed the blazing shell of the SUV and a plume of black smoke rising near a portrait of communist China’s founder that hangs on the Forbidden City’s tow-ering wall, while crowds looked on.

Several pictures posted online were deleted within minutes, streets leading to the square were blocked off and barriers were erected.

Two AFP reporters were tempo-rarily detained close to the site and

images were deleted from their digital equipment.

“The incident led to fi ve deaths and 38 injuries,” Beijing police said on their verifi ed account on Sina Weibo, a Chinese equivalent of Twitter.

The driver of the vehicle and two passengers were killed, along with two tourists, one a woman from the Philippines and the other a man from Guangdong province in southern China, they said.

Three Philippine tourists and one Japanese were among the injured, police added, saying the vehicle had crashed into the guardrail on Jinshui Bridge, which crosses the moat around the For-bidden City, and then caught fi re.

The Southern Metropolis Dai-ly quoted an injured Philippine woman named Francesca as say-ing: “I heard the car’s horn honk-ing, but I noticed it too late. My mind went completely blank, and when I woke again I was complete-ly on the ground.”

Tiananmen Square is gener-ally kept under tight security, with both uniformed and plain-clothes personnel deployed. Many are equipped with fi re extinguishers.

Social media users speculated that the car was crashed inten-tionally. - AFP

Witnesses said the

SUV drove along the

pavement outside

the Forbidden City,

before crashing —

prompting speculation

that the incident was

intentional

MISHAP: Vehicles travel along Chang’an Avenue as smoke rises in

front of a portrait of late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong at Tianan-

men Square in Beijing, yesterday. – Reuters

Four dead in fresh Bangladesh violenceDHAKA: Fresh violence erupted across Bangladesh yesterday, leaving at least four people dead as rival party activists clashed on the second day of a strike amid a mounting political crisis.

Police said street battles broke out throughout Bangladesh between thousands of supporters of the rul-ing party and the opposition, which is demanding the prime minister quit and make way for elections un-

der a caretaker government. A bomb blast in the western Ha-

rina Kundu town killed a local op-position offi cial, while elsewhere two activists were killed in separate clashes and a truck driver died after being pelted with bricks, police said.

Local offi cial targeted“Apparently the bomb was hurled, targeting him (the local offi cial). He died on his way to the hospi-

tal,” local police chief Mohibul Islam said.

At least 16 people in total have now died in the unrest that has es-calated since Friday, when the op-position Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies staged mass rallies over arrangements for the elections.

Television footage yesterday showed protestors barricading highways, exploding crude bombs

and attacking political party of-fi ces in dozens of towns, with po-lice responding in some cases with tear gas and rubber bullets.

Schools, shops and other busi-nesses remained closed yester-day in towns and cities for the strike, which started on Sunday, while thousands of extra police and paramilitary offi cers have been deployed on the streets, po-lice said. - AFP

P O L I T I C A L C R I S I S

COMMEN ARYT I M E S O F O M A NT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

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T I M E S O F O M A NA12

Special to Times of Oman

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are meeting in the latest chapter of the de-cades-long saga of on-again, off -again peace talks. With no leaks, and even less optimism, there is no shortage of specu-lation as to how the talks are going or whether any agreement is even possible.

Here in the US, supporters of the Palestinians are engaged in a sometimes heated but rather point-less debate as to what the “deal” should include or whether no deal is the best outcome — since that, it is projected, might lead inevitably to a one-state solution. This entire discussion is not only unedify-ing, it is a waste of energy and a cop-out.

This is not to say that the outcome doesn’t mat-ter. Rather it is an acknowledgment of the fact that the ultimate resolution of the confl ict won’t be impacted by the debates. Instead of exhaust-ing ourselves arguing about what we can’t control, we should be focused on what we can do to shine a light on the daily injustices visited upon Pales-tinians and mobilizing support for those whose human rights are being abused. It is here that an impact can be made.

There are human rights groups in Israel and Palestine that are engaged in this eff ort. They are documenting: cases of land confi scation and home demolitions; prisoners held without charges or tri-al; instances where vigilante gangs of settlers have desecrated mosques, cut down olive trees, beaten or killed Palestinian youngsters; and where the military has used collective punishment, excessive force, or acted to humiliate Palestinian civilians.

The victims of these illegal and immoral behav-iours deserve our attention. Their cases should be adopted, their names need to be known, and they should be supported until the injustice ends.

Thirty-six years ago we formed the Palestine Hu-man Rights Campaign (PHRC). Because none of the existing human rights groups would adopt Pal-estinian cases, we took it upon ourselves to adopt individual cases of Palestinians who: had been tortured; had their homes demolished; had been detained for prolonged periods without charges; or expelled from their homeland.

Back then, in the American discussion about the Israeli/Palestinian confl ict, Israelis were under-stood to be full human beings, Palestinians were not known. Americans knew Israelis as real people who had hopes and fears. Palestinians, on the other hand, were an abstraction with whom most Ameri-cans could not identify. And so Palestinians were presented either in negative stereotypes, or merely as a problem to be solved. We hoped to remedy this, by putting a human face on the Palestinian people.

Many of the Arab American and Palestine sup-port groups that existed back then were engaged, like now, in endless arguments about issues over which they had no control: which “political line”

was the most correct or what should be the form of governance for the future Palestinian state.

And back then, much of the American liberal left was largely silent on Palestinian issues. Those that were engaged, focused their eff orts on setting up “dialogues” in the vain attempt to promote recon-ciliation between Arabs and Jews.

When the PHRC came into existence, we were denounced by both groups. On the one hand we were told that we had “sold out” because we ig-nored the ideological debates and weren’t “pure” enough. The peace groups kept us at an arms-length saying that by challenging Israel’s behaviour we made Jewish groups defensive and uncom-fortable, thereby frustrating the eff ort to create a “no fault” dialogue.

More than three decades later, the situation is much the same.

The debate over one or two states rages on the one side, while liberals, who by now have embraced the notion of a two state solution, continue to shy away from any controversy and refuse to address Palestinian human rights. The former eff ort is wasted time and energy. The latter is an abdication of morality. Meanwhile Palestinians are still un-known and their rights are still violated.

As long as Palestinians are not known, the Amer-ican discourse about peace will remain hopelessly one-sided. When Israeli humanity is presented as confronting the Palestinian “problem” — guess who wins. If Americans can’t see or identify with the Palestinians: who lost their homes and lands; who were humiliated at check points in front of their children; or who were abused and denied ba-sic rights as prisoners - then all they will care about is how to insure security for Israelis.

To correct this situation, what is required is an embrace of justice and human rights, or as one of my early mentors, Dr. Israel Shahak (founder of the Israeli League for Human and Civil Rights) would say “to fi ght for equal rights for every human being”.

Whether there will be one state or two states will be decided, if it even can be, by the negotiators. But meanwhile, what of the victims? Who will speak for them? Who will give those who suff er the hope that their cries for justice are heard? And who will inform the US public that it is not only Israeli hu-manity that is threatened by the absence of peace? In fact, it is Palestinians who have paid and contin-ue to pay an enormous price.

Recognition of this reality is a key ingredient in the search for a just peace, because only when Pal-estinians are known and their rights are fully rec-ognized will the US feel the need to press for bal-anced peace that recognizes the rights and needs of Israelis and Palestinians alike.

The author is the president of Arab American Institute. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not refl ect those of Times of Oman.

Who’ll speak for the Palestinian victims?

The debate over one

or two states rages

on the one side, while

liberals, who by now

have embraced the

notion of a two state

solution, continue to

shy away from any

controversy and refuse

to address Palestinian

human rights

Phasing out incandescent bulbs has stirred emotions This refers to the letter, Phasing the incandescent bulbs out makes sense (October 28). The move to phase out incandescent bulbs in Britain has created very strong emotions among Britons, said a section of the British media. A large number of them, especially a whole generation that has grown up with incandescent light bulbs, are indeed very sad to see the end of an item they grew up with. An English daily even vouched to distribute incandescent electric bulbs in thousands. Many, in fact, collected the bulbs as souvenirs. And a few others stockpiled old-fashioned electric bulbs of diff erent watts to sell them at a premium to souvenir and antique collectors. Reports in British newspapers suggested that the

price of 100w bulbs had already soared to £40. Amrita TalwarMumtaz

The furore was created more by nostalgia This refers to the letter, Phasing the incandescent bulbs out makes sense (October 28). There was a Facebook page titled ‘I Hate Energy Saving Light Bulbs’, where Britons poured out all their curses against the new bulbs. Someone announced to wear a dark glass all 24 hours and pretend being blinded by the EU ban. And yet another dedicated fan of incan-descent bulbs decided to burn 100 candles in her kitchen in addition to the new energy-saving bulbs which were being promoted by the European Union. The low

energy lights, however, took a bit more time to warm up and to get fully lit. What’s more, it was also not the brightest or even brighter than the one being replaced. But the moot question was whether the move to withdraw or ban the incandescent bulbs warrant so much of furore? At the root of the intense feelings generated by the extinction of the 100w light bulb there actually was sheer nostalgia and nothing more or less.Sumit ChatterjeeQurum

Sting operations of Indian TV channels lack ethicsThe sting operations carried out by the Indian television news channels is an example unethi-cal journalism where, unlike the investigative journalism of print

media, the television reporters resort to guiles and false imper-sonations. Viewed from the ethics of journalism, these sting opera-tions are absolutely unethical and deserve a blanket ban. K. R. SrinivasSeeb

Democracy, pluralism are in peril in Europe todayThe great gulf between Northern and Southern Europe is widening by the day. As it does so, resent-ment increases as the eff orts to save the eurozone infl ict ever greater pain upon the feckless, unhappy countries on the Medi-terranean littoral. Democracy and pluralism in the continent are in an unprecedented peril.Sumitra DasguptaQurum

READERS’ FORUM

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)

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

WASHINGTON WATCH

“Insure with

New India and

be secure”

Humans are biological survivors, part of an unbroken genetic stream linked to the remote past. Yet the history of civiliza-tions — rising, fl ourishing, crashing — is episodic. Why do

prosperous civilizations vanish? One team of scientists, studying an-cient pollens in the Middle East, believes it can explain the sudden col-lapse of the grand cultures that fl ourished there some 3,200 years ago. The cause — so the pollen says — was long-term drought. The strength of those vanished civilizations — Egyptian, Hittite, Mycenaean, a dense network of trading cultures in the eastern Mediterranean — can hardly be disputed. Until now, no one has been certain what caused them to collapse. As part of a new, comprehensive eff ort to reconstruct the nature of life in ancient Israel, a team of scientists in 2010 began studying core samples taken from beneath the Sea of Galilee.

They analyzed pollen samples from those cores at 40-year intervals, creating a fi ne-grained portrait of climatic changes during the period in question. What the pollen samples showed was a broad shift in veg-etation consistent with drought at its most intense around 1250 to 1100 BC. Drought is both a cause of cultural disturbance and a cause of other causes. It induces a cascade of changes, disrupting agriculture, trade and social cohesion. The coherence that produces a civilization can swiftly fall apart under those pressures, whether it occurs in the Middle East in the Late Bronze Age or in the American Southwest in the 12th century, when the people known as the Anasazi reached their cultural peak and then collapsed. The pollen fi ndings from the Sea of Galilee are interesting in and of themselves, but now, in an era of in-tensifying drought in so many places, they require more attention as reminders of how vulnerable even the strongest human societies may be to natural forces. - The Express Tribune

What the pollen says

As Britain prepares for the storms of winter, the Prime Minister must be wishing he had prepared better for the political bat-tering that his Government is taking over heating bills. This

wasn’t the kind of political weather he anticipated this autumn. Cam-eron and the Chancellor, George Osborne, had banked on having a rela-tively easy time of it, telling the country that austerity had paid off , that growth levels were rising and that the economy had turned a corner. Instead, ministers are fumbling for answers as Labour makes the run-ning with pledges to bring unpopular energy giants to heel. Rising GDP is almost forgotten. Nor does the storm over energy show any sign of abating. In the latest salvo, the charity Age UK says its latest research suggests more than three million elderly people fear they will be not be able to stay warm this winter, largely because of rising energy bills. A mass of contradictory-sounding advice is not easing the fears of older people. The Government’s Cold Weather Plan urges the elderly to keep the heating on all the time. Other voices insist that heating ought to be turned off by day, except in the living room. Cameron urges us to shop around for energy providers. The Energy Secretary, Ed Davey, among other things, counsels thicker jumpers, a piece of advice that has met considerable derision, inviting comparisons to the saying attributed, perhaps unfairly, to Marie Antoinette – that hungry Parisians should eat cake, if they can’t aff ord bread.

Cameron is weary of being called a posh boy who doesn’t know the price of milk. But it is his own fault if the stinging words of the dissi-dent Tory MP Nadine Dorries now come back to haunt him. It is re-miss of him that he failed to anticipate the level of outrage felt over the recent energy price rises. Worries about these bills are now one of people’s most pressing concerns, surveys show. A real fear of shiver-ing through the coming winter is no longer limited to old people, or the poor. It now embraces a good portion of the middle class as well.

This is an alarming development for the Tories, as the votes of that “squeezed middle” section of society may prove decisive in deciding what is likely to be a tight election. The Government will have to do more than write off Ed Miliband’s call for an energy price freeze as Marxist. It should have given Sir John Major’s call for a one-off wind-fall tax on the energy companies a more respectful hearing. Above all, it has got to stop rewacting and show some sign it is taking control of the energy issue. If it fails to do so, the idea will gain ground that the Government does not care about energy bills, or any other kind of bill, and Labour’s charge that the Tories are just the party of the rich will start to stick. If that happens, no amount of good GDP news will help Cameron in 2015. At roughly double the current price of electricity, the fi gure is bound to stir complaints that ministers have given in to a for-eign energy giant at the expense of hard-pressed British consumers by whom the subsidy will inevitably be paid over time in the form of yet higher bills.- The Independent

Rising anger over fuel bills in Britain

D R J A M E S J . Z O G B Y

PERSPEC IVET I M E S O F O M A N T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3T I M E S O F O M A N A13

There has, in the last couple of years, been a rising inter-est in teaching children as

young as fi ve how to program com-puters. A new computer science curriculum has been introduced into schools in England and there are many of out-of-school cod-ing clubs up and down the country aimed at boosting programming skills. A £25 bare bones computer called the Raspberry Pi has soared in popularity and is helping chil-dren to code using a language

called Scratch. Even the BBC is wading into this space. Director General Tony Hall said he had plans to “bring coding into every home, business and school in the UK” in an initiative that will launch in 2015.

But the Beeb has form in this area: it put its name to a series of micro computers in the 1980s and they were taken up by pretty much every school in the land.

There are some people, however, who believe teaching children to code is pointless. Journalist Wil-lard Foxton wrote a blog on the Daily Telegraph website claiming “coding is a niche, mechanical skill, a bit like plumbing or car repair”.

He made his argument personal, calling the bulk of developers “ex-ceptionally dull weirdos” and said ICT was taught by “the runts of the teaching litter and seen as pointless by pupils”. But you only have to go back to the 1980s to see just why an apathetic approach to coding can be very damaging, more so now that we live in an age when children are surrounding by technology and use it every day. Thirty years ago, the Sinclair ZX81 was the height

of technology or at least it was for a lot of people. It cost £125 and those children who had parents who could aff ord this were very lucky. The same goes for children who had any form of computer at home, be it a Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC or, God forbid, a Dragon32.

It meant they had a chance to get to grips with the workings of a com-puter and an opportunity to code.

Many children did indeed turn their hands to programming. Whereas their parents’ battles with technology usually extended no further than trying to decipher the VCR, the kids, having hoodwinked parents into buying them a comput-er “for their education”, were play-ing games with titles as diverse as Jet Set Willy and Sgrizam, as well as managing to code their own.

It was not uncommon for teenag-ers to spend time after school tap-ping away. Some became rich doing so. It’s no accident Britain became a hotbed of games development tal-ent (an industry now worth £1 bil-lion to UK GDP).

But even though schools had those BBC Micros, not everyone got the chance to use them. They were

so expensive that schools could only aff ord to buy a small number. At my primary school they sat idle most of the time. I remember a group of us looking at them in awe, unable to turn them on because no-one had shown us how. For some, they were scary objects.

It caused a split. Those who had computers at home were very comfortable with the machines. Those who didn’t could barely tap two keys without spending an eternity scouring the keyboard wondering why someone had placed them all higgledy-piggledy. Computer-less children grew up computer illiterate. Worse, some became technophobes.

Today, we have a chance to rec-tify the mistakes of the past and en-sure that every child has the same start. By introducing all children to programming, it whets their ap-petite, opens up fresh possibilities, turns them from consumers into creators and aids their thought pro-cesses. Even if children do not go on to become programmers later in life, they will have learnt to express logic in a form that can be processed automatically. - The Independent

TODAY IN HISTORY

OPINION POLL

1618 Sir Walter Raleigh is executed. After the death of Queen Elizabeth, Raleigh’s enemies spread rumors that he was opposed the accession of King James.

1787 Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni opens in Prague.

1814 The Demologos, the fi rst steam-

powered warship, launched in New York City.

1927 Russian archaeologist Peter Kozloff

apparently uncovers the tomb of Genghis Khan in the Gobi Desert, a claim still in dispute.

1952 French forces launch Operation

Lorraine against Viet Minh supply bases in Indochina.

COUNCIL OF STATE OFFICE MEETSMUSCAT: – The Council of State offi ce held its 17th meeting of this year yesterday under the chairmanship of Sheikh Hamoud bin Abdullah Al Harthy, president of the council. The meeting approved minutes of the last meeting and reviewed the procedural list prepared by an apparatus of the council to implement the decisions by the offi ce of the Council of State. The offi ce also reviewed issues on the agenda of the fourth session of the council scheduled for October 31.

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

The question today

is why couldn’t the

Obamacare system

be made simpler?

Well, if we are to

answer this in one

word we can only

say that it couldn’t

made made

simpler mainly

because of politics

The good news about HealthCare.gov, the portal to Obamacare’s health exchange, is that the administration is no longer mini-

mising its problems. That’s the fi rst step toward fi xing the mess —

and it will get fi xed, although it’s anyone’s guess whether the new promise of a smoothly function-ing system by the end of November will be met. We know, after all, that Obamacare is workable, since many states that chose to run their own ex-changes are doing quite well.

But while we wait for the geeks to do their stuff , let’s ask a related question: Why did this thing have to be so complicated in the fi rst place?

It’s true that the Aff ordable Care Act isn’t as complex as opponents make it out to be. Basical-ly, it requires that insurance companies off er the same policies to everyone; it requires that each individual then buy one of these policies (the in-dividual mandate); and it off ers subsidies, depend-ing on income, to keep insurance aff ordable.

Still, there’s a lot for people to go through. Not only do they have to choose insurers and plans, they have to submit a lot of personal information so the government can determine the size of their subsidies. And the software has to integrate all this information, getting it to all the relevant parties — which isn’t happening yet on the federal site.

Imagine, now, a much simpler system in which the government just pays your major medical ex-penses. In this hypothetical system you wouldn’t have to shop for insurance, nor would you have to provide lots of personal details. The government would be your insurer, and you’d be covered auto-matically by virtue of being an American.

Of course, we don’t have to imagine such a sys-tem, because it already exists. It’s called Medicare, it covers all Americans 65 and older, and it’s enor-mously popular. So why didn’t we just extend that system to cover everyone?

The proximate answer was politics: Medicare for all just wasn’t going to happen, given both the power of the insurance industry and the reluc-tance of workers who currently have good insur-ance through their employers to trade that insur-ance for something new.

Given these political realities, the Aff ordable Care Act was probably all we could get — and make no mistake, it will vastly improve the lives of tens of millions of Americans.

Still, the fact remains that Obamacare is an im-mense kludge — a clumsy, ugly structure that more or less deals with a problem, but in an ineffi cient

way. The thing is, such better-than-nothing-but-pretty-bad solutions have become the norm in American governance. As Steven Teles of Johns Hopkins University put it in a recent essay, we’ve become a “kludgeocracy.” And the main reason that is happening, I’d argue, is ideology.

To see what I mean, look at the constant de-mands that we make Medicare — which needs to work harder on cost control but does a better job even on that front than private insurers — both more complicated and worse.

There are demands for means-testing, which would involve collecting all the personal infor-mation Obamacare needs but Medicare doesn’t. There is pressure to raise the Medicare age, forc-ing 65- and 66-year-old Americans to deal with private insurers instead.

And Republicans still dream of dismantling Medicare as we know it, instead giving seniors vouchers to buy private insurance. In eff ect, al-though they never say this, they want to convert Medicare into Obamacare.

Why would we want to do any of these things? You might say, to reduce the burden on taxpayers — but Medicare is cheaper than private insur-ance, so anything taxpayers might gain by hack-ing away at the program would be more than lost in higher premiums.

And it’s not even clear that government spend-ing would fall: the Congressional Budget Offi ce recently concluded that raising the Medicare age would produce almost no federal savings.

No, the assault on Medicare is really about an ideology that is fundamentally hostile to the no-tion of the government helping people, and tries to make whatever help is given as limited and indi-rect as possible, restricting its scope and running it through private corporations. And this ideology, at a fundamental level — more fundamental, even, than vested interests — is why Obamacare ended up being a big kludge.

In saying this I don’t mean to excuse the offi cials and contractors who made such a mess of health reform’s fi rst month. Nor, on the other side, am I suggesting that health reform should have waited until the political system was ready for single-payer. For now, the priority is to get this kludge working, and once that’s done, America will be-come a better place. In the longer run, however, we have to tackle that ideology. A society commit-ted to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn’t have to be that way. - The New York Times News Service

Obamacare is workable but rather clumsy and ugly

HISTORYNET.COM

Rare hybrid solar eclipse excites astronomers

GraphicsGraphic News /

A rare hybrid eclipse takes place on Nov 3 when the Moon passes directly across the Sun, producing a fleeting annular eclipse along the US east coast, followed by a total eclipse across the Atlantic & central Africa

Source: NASA

EA

RT

H

Umbra

SUN

SUN

Penumbra

Umbra

Moon

SUN

11:3012:00

12:3013:00 13:30 14:00

Path Of Total EclipsePath OfAnnular

Eclipse

% 100

% 80

% 60

% 40

% 20

% 20

% 40

% 60

% 80

% 100

Greatest totaleclipse

All timesGMT

Occurs at 12:47:36 GMT, lasts for 1 minute and 39seconds. Path width 57km

Never look directly ateclipse with naked eye, binoculars, cameras or

telescopes withoutspecialized solar filters

Total EclipseMoon’s umbral shadow obscures Sun completely

Annular EclipseMoon is further away from Earth than in total eclipse, so outeredge of Sun (annulus) is visible

Hybrid eclipse occurs when, due to curvature of Earth’s surface, it appears as total eclipse in some locations, and annular eclipsein othersSUN

LAST POLL RESULT

Will the NSA spying scandal aff ect and disrupt Nato alliance?

Should Egypt reopen the Rafah tunnels with Gaza on humanitarian grounds?

Visit timesofoman.com to cast your vote

No76.5%

Can’t say5.9%

Yes17.6%

This week, President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain promulgated

the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance. We are told by the government’s PR section that this ordinance maintains that the writ of the state would be established at all costs. It is a lofty thought. But one is unclear why an ordinance is needed for this purpose. Such questions are possibly some-what unfashionable to ask in this charged environment so maybe best to let it go.

According to the govern-ment, the ordinance ensures that security and law enforce-ment agencies would jointly investigate incidents of ter-rorism and elements creat-ing terror and fear would be considered as enemies of the state. So far so good.

The draft of the ordinance also states that Pakistan and its people have been exposed to undeclared and thankless wars that proliferated in the country’s neighbourhood since 1979. It says elements hostile to its existence, in col-laboration with unscrupulous locals have since claimed the lives of 40, 000 people of all ages and religious denomina-tions in the second campaign that began in 2001.

Both 1979 and 2001 are sig-nifi cant in terms of the history of the region. 1979 was the year of the Iranian revolution as well as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

The year 2001 we all know was when the September 11 attacks happened in the US. But one is unclear why the two are being linked.

Possibly because in 1979, Pakistan government started sowing what it then went on to start reaping in the post 2001 scenario.

The ordinance reads “ex-traordinary disposition dic-tates unusual dispensation.” This should raise some red fl ags. The ordinance gives extraordinary powers to the law enforcers and security establishment.

This possibly goes against the spirit of Pakistan’s consti-tution. For example, one such power that may be given is to hold a person without fram-ing any charges for more than

three months. Such strong-arm measures did not help in the past. In most instances, they have made things worse.

Mindful of the furore it will create, the government insists that the new legislative initia-tives have been proposed in line with international best practices, to declare that the constitution and rule of law shall be the overarching um-brella. But this is a claim that needs to be tested. All evi-dence suggests otherwise.

The powers that be, how-ever, feel this is the way to go. There is a belief that one of the reasons why Pakistan is los-ing the war against militants is because it is not punishing them hard enough. There is a point there.

But whether this is being addressed through this pro-posed legislation remains to be seen. It is one thing to ar-rest the terrorists, another to follow up and see them through to their convictions.

Freshly back from the US, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will want all political par-ties to vote in favour of the ordinance when it is tabled in parliament. One fears that as has happened in the past with legislation that give ex-traordinary powers to govern-ment agencies, this too will be passed without much debate.

One remembers how in the US, no one wanted to be seen to be unpatriotic and all sorts of legislation that curtailed personal freedoms was passed.

The problem is that such moves may end up backfi ring, more so in Pakistan where the ability and the system are both under question. There is even less accountability. One is afraid that innocent people will bear the brunt of this. Pakistan needs to have more transparency.

Take for example the opera-tion being conducted by the Rangers in Karachi. While it claims success, one needs to look at the long term. The na-tion is still unclear why the prime minister decided to do away with an independent body to oversee the whole operation. He had announced this earlier. Today no one knows for sure how many people are being caught every day, how many released and what is happening in between.

The Islamabad-appointed Karachi police chief has also announced that more than a thousand ex-servicemen will be hired by the city police soon. This is outra-geous. What is even more deafening is the silence of all parties concerned.

At a time when such ap-pointments should be made on merit and of people who belong to Karachi, to decide to hire more outsiders will only add to the problems of the city. - The Express Tribune

Pakistan is wary of a new ordinance

Storms just don’t tear down

K A M A L S I D D I Q I

D AV I D C R O O K E S

PA U L K R U G M A N

A14

WORLDT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

Clearly this has been a diffi cult night for many Londoners, and continues to be an incredibly trying morning

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London

Eight lives lost as storm lashes northern Europe

LONDON: At least eight peo-ple died and more than 300,000 homes were left without power yesterday as a fi erce storm swept across northern Europe.

Four people were killed in Britain, two in Germany, one in The Netherlands and another in France as heavy rain and high winds battered the region over-night and into the morning.

The rough conditions at sea also forced rescuers to abandon the search for a 14-year-old boy who disappeared while playing in the surf on a southern English beach on Sunday.

British Prime Minister David Cameron described the loss of life as “hugely regrettable”.

Winds reached 99 miles per hour on the Isle of Wight off the southern English coast, according to Britain’s Met Offi ce national weather centre.

Heavy rain and winds of 80 mph elsewhere brought down thousands of trees and caused the mass cancellation of train ser-vices across southern England and The Netherlands, as well as in parts of Germany.

In Britain, a 17-year-old girl died after a tree fell onto the parked caravan where she was

sleeping, while a man in his fi fties died when a tree fell on his car, po-lice said.

Gas pipe explosionThe bodies of a man and a woman were later found in the rubble of three houses in London that col-lapsed in an explosion thought to have been caused after a gas pipe was ruptured in the storm.

A woman in Amsterdam was killed by a falling tree as she walked along a canal, while a woman in her fi fties was pre-sumed dead after being swept away by waves in the western French region of Brittany, author-ities in those countries said.

And in western Germany, two people were killed when a tree fell on their car.

Some 270,000 homes lost pow-er across Britain, with a further 75,000 homes aff ected in north-ern France, according to industry

organisations. Thousands were later re-connected.

The electricity also went down at a nuclear power station in southeast England. Dungeness B station automatically closed down both its reactors, leaving its diesel generators to provide pow-er for essential safety systems.

Even Buckingham Palace in London was aff ected, although Queen Elizabeth II was not stay-ing there at the time.

A spokeswoman said several slates fell off the roof and two of the windows were cracked.

Train operators across south-ern England had on Sunday can-celled services for the next morn-ing in anticipation of bad weather, following warnings by forecasters and the media.

Many commuters delayed their journeys until the storm passed mid-morning, leaving central London stations eerily quiet dur-

ing what normally would have been the rush hour.

London’s Heathrow airport cancelled 130 fl ights, about 10 percent, while delays were reported on the Eurostar cross-Channel train service due to speed restrictions.

‘Trying morning’“Clearly this has been a diffi cult night for many Londoners, and continues to be an incredibly try-ing morning,” said London Mayor Boris Johnson.

More than 450 people were stranded on two ferries outside the port of Dover after it closed for more than two hours, fi nally dock-ing shortly after 0900 GMT.The Met Offi ce said 50 millime-tres (almost two inches) of rain fell in some areas of Britain over-night, while the Environment Agency issued around 130 fl ood alerts. — AFP

Four people were

killed in Britain, two

in Germany, one in

The Netherlands

and another in France

as heavy rain and

high winds battered

the region

AFTERMATH: Contractors work on clearing the debris after a tree fell on a car during a storm in

London, yesterday. More than 300,000 homes were left without power across northern Europe and

trains and planes were cancelled as a fi erce storm battered the region. — AFP

Lenient sentence in gang rape case sparks protestNAIROBI: Over one million fu-rious campaigners have signed a petition demanding justice after three men accused of brutally gang raping a Kenyan school-girl were ordered to cut grass as punishment.

The ferocious attack on the teenage girl and lack of ac-tion against those who carried it out has sparked outrage in the country.

The 16-year-old, known by the pseudonym Liz, was report-edly attacked, beaten and then raped by six men as she returned from her grandfather’s funeral in western Kenya in June, be-fore the gang dumped her, bleed-ing and unconscious, in a deep sewage ditch.

Yesterday, the number of those who signed an online petition started by Kenyan woman Nebila Abdulmelik and publicised by the campaign group Avaaz passed the million mark and was contin-uing to grow.

‘Worst punishment’“Letting rapists walk free after making them cut grass has to be the world’s worst punishment for rape,” Abdulmelik said. “It’s an absolute failure of the entire sys-tem and an absolutely shameful response by Kenya’s police.”

The victim knew some of the

attackers, and three of them were taken by villagers to the local po-lice station, the girl’s mother ear-lier told Kenyan media.

“The three... were only or-dered to cut grass around the police camp and set free shortly after,” the girl’s mother told the paper.

She is now wheelchair-bound with a broken back, caused either by the beating or by being hurled down into the pit, and also suf-fered serious internal injuries from the rape.

“My wish is to see justice done,” the girl told The Nation newspaper, which fi rst reported the story and has led a campaign including raising funds to cover medical costs.

“I want my attackers arrested and punished.”

Police failuresLawmakers have condemned the attack and subsequent police fail-ures, ordering action to be taken.

“Liz’s ordeal is unbearable to imagine, but the only way to stop police dealing with victims with such heartless negligence is by holding them to account,” said Dalia Hashad, campaign director for Avaaz.

Kenya’s police chief David Ki-maiyo said in a statement at the weekend that “investigations are complete”, and that the force was awaiting only instructions from the offi ce of the director of public prosecutions.

He gave no further details.Rape is a major problem in

Kenya, and is often not taken se-riously by the police, according to studies.

One government study in 2009 found that as many as a fi fth of women and girls were victims of sexual violence, although other later studies have put the rate even higher. — AFP

K E N Y A

GROWING ANGER: African

Women’s Development and

Communication Network

Communication head Nebila

Abdulmelik points at a page of

the campaign group Avaaz’s

website yesterday in Nairobi

showing the number of over

a million campaigners who

signed a petition to demand

justice for a Kenyan schoolgirl

who was gang raped. — AFP

Cypriot police hunt for man kidnapped as toddler NICOSIA: Cypriot police said yesterday they were investigating claims that a British man believed kidnapped as a toddler on the Greek island of Kos in 1991 was sighted in Cyprus recently. “An investigation has started and it was launched after we received a message from Interpol,” a police spokesman said. “But as yet there is nothing concrete to announce,” he added. The case of Ben Needham was re-ignited after Greek authorities were hand-ed a video of a man seen in Cyprus who resembles a computer generated image of how he would look now, aged 23.

Six killed in Spain gas leakMADRID: A gas leak at a coal mine in northwestern Spain killed six people yesterday, an emergency services spokesman said. Five others were taken to hospital in Leon in northwest-ern Spain after the gas leak at the Santa Lucia mine, the spokes-man said. Emergency services had initially reported that fi ve people had died.

Sugar factory fi re put outRIO DE JANEIRO: A fi re at a sugar warehouse in Brazil has been put out after unleashing a fl ood of caramel that threatened nearby homes, the company said yesterday. “It is now under con-trol,” a spokesman for the Agrovia sugar company said. The blaze erupted on Friday triggering a fl ow of melted sugar that spread into the town. — AFP

B R I E F S

A15

WORLDT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

SMARTEN UPDRIVE SAFE

A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

The question today is why couldn’t the Obamacare system be made simpler? Well, if we are to answer this in one word we can only say that it couldn’t made made simpler mainly because of politics

Read the column by Paul Krugman >A13

Michael Jackson’s doctor released from prison

LOS ANGELES: Michael Jackson’s per-sonal physician, convicted for manslaugh-ter by administering a lethal dose of an-aesthetic to the pop singer, was released from a Los Angeles prison yesterday after serving half of his four-year sentence. Conrad Murray was released to his rep-resentatives, Los Angeles County Sheriff

spokesman Steve Whitmore said shortly after Murray left the county jail. The release came under a California state plan to reduce prison overcrowding. Murray’s six-week trial grabbed global attention after Jackson, preparing for a series of come-back concerts in London, died unexpectedly in 2009 at age 50.

Poland’s fi rst non-left PM Mazowiecki passes away WARSAW: Poland’s Tadeusz Ma-zowiecki, the fi rst non-Communist pre-mier in eastern Europe who was hailed as a father of Polish liberty, died yesterday aged 86. He died in a Warsaw hospital fol-lowing a long illness, close friend and Sen-ate speaker Bogdan Boruzewicz confi rmed. Mazowiecki was “one of the fathers of Pol-ish liberty and independence”, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told Polish Radio. One of the early members of the Solidarity movement, he became prime minister in August 1989, two months after Solidarity won elections and its iconic leader Lech Walesa tapped him for the job. “He was really one of the outstanding people I met on this journey,” of transition, Walesa told Poland’s TVN24 news channel.

Trial in News of the World phone-hacking case startsLONDON: The fi rst trial in the phone-hacking scandal that sank Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World opened yesterday with the tycoon’s key aide Rebekah Brooks in the dock along-side the British prime minister’s former media chief Andy Coulson. The two former editors of the tabloid are among eight defendants facing a jury for the fi rst time over the scandal that sent shockwaves through British politics. The defendants face charges ranging from illegally hacking the mobile phone voicemails of a murdered schoolgirl and celebrities such as Paul McCartney, to bribing public offi cials for stories and hid-ing evidence. They all deny the allegations against them.

40 migrants found dead NIAMEY: Dozens of Nigerien migrants heading for Algeria died of thirst in the desert after their vehicle broke down, local offi cials said yesterday, while police said 19 survived. “About 40 Nigerians, who were attempting to emigrate to Algeria, died of thirst in mid-October,” Rhissa Feltou, the mayor of Agadez, said. “Many others have been reported missing since their vehicle broke down in the desert,” he said. “Travellers told us that they saw and counted up to 35 bodies, mostly those of women and children, by the road,” said Abdourahmane Ma-ouli, the mayor of Arlit. — Agencies

B R I E F S

JUSTICE SOUGHT: Turkish protestors run for cover as po-

licemen fi re water cannon and tear gas to disperse them

yesterday during a demonstration in Ankara against a

court’s refusal to detain a policeman accused of killing a

demonstrator during the popular unrest in June. A police

offi cer identifi ed only as Ahmet S. is on trial accused of

shooting to death 26-year-old Ethem Sarisuluk during

mass anti-government street protests in Ankara in June.

The Ankara court rejected a demand by the victim’s

lawyers that the defendant be detained and ruled instead

that he could take part in hearings via video conference

for security reasons. — AFP

Smartphones become visual sharing hubs

NEW YORK: Smartphones are giving a big boost to posting of photos and videos, according to a study released yesterday.

The Pew Research Centre sur-vey found 54 per cent of US Inter-net users now post original pic-tures or videos online, up from 46 percent last year.

And 47 per cent re-post images or videos they discover online, the survey found.

Much of this growth came from people using smartphone apps like Instagram or Snapchat, ac-

cording to Pew researchers.This survey found that 92 per

cent of Americans own a cell phone and 58 per cent own a smartphone. Some 18 per cent of cell phone owners use Instagram and nine percent use Snapchat to share images or videos.

‘People’s interactions’“Sharing photos and videos on-line adds texture, play, and drama to people’s interactions in their social networks,” said Pew Inter-net’s Maeve Duggan, author of the

report. “This all adds up to a new kind of collective digital scrap-book with fresh forms of storytell-ing and social bonding.”

Women are more active sharers than men, according to the survey: Some 59 per cent of online women

post photos and videos they have taken themselves, compared with 50 per cent of men.

Likewise, 53 per cent of women share some of the content they found elsewhere, compared with 42 per cent of men.

Among those in the 18-29 age group, 81 per cent have uploaded original content and 68 per cent have re-posted photos or videos.

Some 26 per cent of cell own-ers in this age group use Snapchat, while 43 per cent use Instagram.

‘Eager adopters’“A lot of photo- and video-sharing is happening on social media, where women are his-torically more likely to be users,” said Duggan.

“In terms of mobile, young peo-ple have always been early and eager adopters of new applica-tions and platforms for sharing,” she added. — AFP

The Pew Research Centre survey found 54% of

US Internet users now post original pictures or

videos online, up from 46% last year

Some 59 per cent

of online women

post photos and

videos they have

taken themselves,

compared with

50 per cent of men

SYDNEY: An expedition to a re-mote part of northern Australia has uncovered three new verte-brate species isolated for millions of years, with scientists yesterday calling the area a “lost world”.

Conrad Hoskin from James Cook University and a Nation-al Geographic fi lm crew were dropped by helicopter onto the rugged Cape Melville mountain range on Cape York Peninsula earlier this year and were amazed at what they found.

It included a bizarre looking leaf-tail gecko, a gold-coloured skink — a type of lizard — and a brown-spotted, yellow boulder-dwelling frog, none of them ever seen before.

“The top of Cape Melville is a lost world. Finding these new species up there is the discovery of a lifetime -- I’m still amazed and buzzing from it,” said Hoskin, a tropical biologist from the Queensland-based university.

“Finding three new, obvi-ously distinct vertebrates would

be surprising enough in some-where poorly explored like New Guinea, let alone in Australia, a country we think we’ve explored pretty well.”

Within days of arriving, the team had discovered the three new species as well as a host of other interesting fi nds that Hoskin said may also be new to science.

The highlight was the leaf-tailed gecko, a “primitive-look-ing” 20 centimetre-long creature that is an ancient relic from a time when rainforest was more wide-spread in Australia.

The Cape Melville Leaf-tailed Gecko, which has huge eyes and a long, slender body, is highly dis-tinct from its relatives and has been named Saltuarius eximius,

Hoskin said, with the fi ndings de-tailed in the latest edition of the international journal Zootaxa.

“The second I saw the gecko I knew it was a new species. Every-thing about it was obviously dis-tinct,” he said.

The Cape Melville Shade Skink is also restricted to moist rocky rainforest on the plateau, and is highly distinct from its relatives, which are found in rainforests to the south.

Also discovered was a small boulder-dwelling frog, the Blotched Boulder-frog, which during the dry season lives deep in the labyrinth of the boulder-fi eld where conditions are cool and moist, allowing female frogs to lay their eggs in wet cracks in the rocks. — AFP

A16

WORLDT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

Berlusconi daughter ‘not to replace’ embattled fatherROME: Silvio Berlusconi’s oldest daughter Marina yesterday denied speculation within her father’s party that she could replace him as centre-right leader due to the billionaire former prime minis-ter’s legal diffi culties.

Berlusconi, 77, is embroiled in a series of court cases, and the approach of a Senate vote on

whether to expel the media mag-nate from parliament, possibly exposing him to the risk of arrest, has intensifi ed talk in his party of Marina taking over.

Several party members told Ital-ian media over the weekend that Marina might enter politics, while others said such decisions should be made democratically.

“Once again I am forced to deny this in the most absolute manner: I have never had and have no inten-tion of engaging in politics,” said a statement from the 47-year-old Marina, who heads her father’s business empire.

The statement comes amid deepening divisions in his centre-right party as Berlusconi’s convic-

tion for tax fraud at his Mediaset empire threatens the career of a man who has dominated Italian politics for the last two decades.

Berlusconi’s decision to sus-pend the activities of his People of Freedom (PDL) party and revive his old Forza Italia group last week has exacerbated a rift between loy-alist supporters of the four-times

prime minister and a rebel group who back Interior Minister Ange-lino Alfano.

Alfano led a revolt earlier this month that thwarted the tycoon’s attempt to bring down the govern-ment of Enrico Letta, a coalition that includes the centre-right and their traditional rivals the centre-left Democratic Party. — Reuters

R U M O U R S T R A S H E D

Marina Berlusconi

Species isolated for millions of years discovered An expedition to

a remote part of

northern Australia

found a bizarre

looking leaf-tail

gecko, a gold-coloured

skink and a brown-

spotted, yellow

boulder-dwelling frog

LOST WORLD: Finding three new, obviously distinct vertebrates

would be surprising enough in a poorly explored place like New

Guinea, let alone in Australia, a country explored pretty well, said

expedition member Conrad Hoskin. — AFP/CONRAD HOSKIN/JAMES COOK UNI-

VERSITY QUEENSLAND

The top of Cape Melville is a lost world. Finding these new species up there is the discovery of a lifetime — I’m still amazed and buzzing from it

Conrad Hoskin, Scientifi c expedition member

MARKEWWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COMT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3B

Muscat

6,652.72 + 1.53

+ 0.02%

Dubai

2,912.83- 11.15

- 0.38%

Abu Dhabi

3,884.94 - 6.20

- 0.16%

Saudi Arabia

8,059.21 - 66.19

- 0.81%

Kuwait

7,938.80 - 50.75

- 0.64%

Bahrain

1,198.36 + 1.54

+ 0.13%

Qatar

9,643.50- 26.19

- 0.27%

CURRENCY RATES* DRAFT RATES (RO1)* GOLD PRICES*Forex rates vs RO1*

US Dollar ................................. 2.58

Euro .............................................1.86

Pound ...........................................1.59

Indian Rs ............................. 158.73

Pak Rs ................................... 273.22

Bangla Taka........................198.81* Rates are as of Oct . 28

Source: BankMuscat

Indian Rs .................................. 159.00

Pakistan Rs ............................. 273.75

Sri Lanka Rs ...........................335.35

Bangla Taka...........................200.50

Phil Peso ..................................... 111.30

* Rates as of Oct. 28 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 24ct per gm (RO) .............16.91

Muscat 22ct per gm (RO) ............16.35

10 Tola Bar Muscat (RO) ................. N/A

Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............163.50

Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 154.75

10 Tola Bar Dubai (Dh) ..................... N/A* Rates as of Oct. 28

Source: Atlas Jewellery

Type ............................Delivery...........Price

Oman Crude ............. (Spot) ...... $106.13

Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ......$103.39

Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ...... $110.98

Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ......$109.25

Arabian Heavy ....... (Spot) ................N/A

N.Sea Brent ............... (Spot) ......$107.96

West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........ $97.98

CRUDE OIL PRICE

Toyota’s recent success — analysts estimate it will post record profi t this fi scal year — illustrates how Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s policies that have weakened the yen are benefi ting Japan’s exporters >B3

‘ABENOMICS’ HELPS TOYOTA OUTSELL GM

London is striving to position itself as Islamic fi nance hub

A. E. JAMESbusinesseditor@timesofoman.com

LONDON: London is striving to position itself as a major centre for Islamic fi nance, with a series of measures that have been under-taken in the recent past.

The capital city of United King-dom, which is traditionally con-sidered as a major fi nancial hub in the world, has five special-ised Islamic banks, 22 law firms specialised in Islamic fi nance

business and four international accounting fi rms to provide all professional services needed for Islamic fi nancial institutions.

Three-day conferenceDavid Cameron, prime minister of the United Kingdom, recently announced that the London Stock Exchange will be launching a FTSE Sharia Index, which is also in line with the set strategy.

“This is the fi rst time that World Islamic Economic Forum (WIFE)

is held in a non-Muslim Euro-pean capital. The choice of this vibrant, cosmopolitan, yet ancient city is no coincidence. London is home to a vast multicultural popu-lation and a great gateway for trade and commerce, fi nance, culture and philosophy,” said Tun Musa Hitam, chairman of WIFE, ahead of the three-day conference here between October 29 and 31.

Islamic fi nance“I am delighted that the FTSE has taken forward this innovative idea to launch a Sharia Index. I hope it will stimulate further business be-tween the Islamic and non-Islamic world in the years ahead, deliver-ing growth and prosperity for people all over the world. By doing business together can we build bridges world-wide for the greater god of mankind,” he added.

“London is a unique city and adaptable. We have a large domes-tic population (who need Islamic

fi nance),” noted Kit Malthouse, chairman of London Partners, an agency working to attract overseas investment. He said there has been huge investment into London for developing transport infrastructure.

The World Islamic Economic Forum, which is taking place at Lon-don Excel, has attracted over 2,600 delegates from 130 countries. The forum, titled ‘Changing worlds, new relationships’, is jointly hosted by the governments of the UK and Malaysia, 18 global lenders, fi ve central bank governors and more than 2,300 chief executive of-fi cers, captains of industry, aca-demic scholars, regional experts, professionals, corporate managers, policy makers and business leaders.

The World Islamic Economic Forum, which is

taking place at London Excel, has attracted over

2,600 delegates from 130 countries. The forum

is titled ‘Changing worlds, new relationships’

Forum to devise roadmap for SMEs in OmanBUSINESS REPORTER

MUSCAT: As the MEED Oman Projects Forum 2013 took off yes-terday, all indications pointed to the fact that the small and medium en-terprises (SME) sector will emerge as an engine of growth for the pri-vate sector. The three-day MEED Oman Projects Forum 2013 is fo-cussing on SMEs and exploring op-portunities in Oman’s $112 billion market for major projects.

Delivering the opening re-marks, MEED Events chairman Edmund O’Sullivan said Oman is a trading nation and has enjoyed decades of peace and stability. He said the forum will come up with a comprehensive roadmap for set-ting up and running successful SME businesses in the Sultanate.

Edmund further said, “GCC is the starting point for your strat-egy in the Middle East. The fi ve factors that support GCC growth are oil and gas, economic diversi-fi cation, population growth, glo-balisation and governance.”

Participating in a panel discus-sion on ‘International and local case studies on developing suc-cessful SMEs’, Issa Al Ismaili, executive director of Oman World Tourism, said, “We began with a start-up capital of OMR20,000 and it took us fi ve years to sustain. We sell Oman as a destination. A good team with just the right skills

is very important for any service industry. We are also involved in many tourism investment pro-jects. We all need to support the SME sector for the over-all devel-opment of the country.”

diversifi ed economyRaphael V. Parambi, CEO of Na-tional Company for Projects & Management, observed that the SME Development Fund is aimed at supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). “Our survey reveals that to promote SMEs, there are four identifi ed factors — crea-tion of entrepreneurial culture; nur-turing; fi nancing and legitimising.”

He said that senior people need

to guide younger entrepreneurs who are not mature enough to take correct decisions.

Speakers reviewed Oman’s ini-tiatives to promote growth of the SMEs, highlighting the role of the Public Authority of Small and Medium Enterprises in driving development in the sector; initia-tives to facilitate the development of the SMEs to create a more di-versifi ed economy and updates on Oman’s comprehensive infra-structure plans to support entre-preneurial ventures, champion innovation and foster the growth of a business culture.

Figures compiled by the MEED Projects show that 40 major projects

are being executed or planned in the Sultanate. Of these, almost 25 per cent are in the construction sec-tor, which is dominated by plans to build a new town in Duqm.

National rail programmeA similar amount of capital in-vestment is planned in the trans-port sector. This includes the $15 billion national rail programme. Oil and gas projects combined ac-count for almost $40 billion of the major projects being executed or planned in Oman.

Oman is already pushing ahead with many major projects. Around $40 billion worth of them are under execution, though some of the larger

ones are at an early stage of develop-ment. But the largest portion of the Omani major project programme is yet to come to the market.

More than $50 billion of major projects are under design or study. Some $56 billion of major projects under execution or planned are due for completion by the end of 2017. All $112 billion of projects are due for completion by the end of 2022, MEED’s fi gures show.

M E E D O M A N P R O J E C T S F O R U M 2 0 1 3

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com haveyoursay@timesofoman.com

INNOVATIVE IDEA: David Cameron, prime minister of the UK, has

announced that the London Stock Exchange will launch FTSE

Shaira Index, which is also in line with the set strategy. – Bloomberg News

EXPLORING BUSINESS: The three-day MEED Oman Projects Forum 2013 is focussing on SMEs and

exploring opportunities in Oman’s $112 billion market for major projects. -A. R. Rajkumar/TIMES OF OMAN

The five factors that

support GCC growth are

oil and gas, economic

diversification,

population growth,

globalisation and

governance

Edmund O’Sullivan Chairman, MEED Events

Kuwait wealth fund hires ex-BofA banker

DUBAI: Kuwait Investment Au-thority (KIA), the Gulf state’s sov-ereign wealth fund, has appointed a head for its newly-created infra-structure arm, seeking to bolster its investments in the sector, two sources familiar with the matter said.

Hakim Drissi-Kaitouni, previ-ously a vice-president at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in London, has joined as a managing direc-tor of Wren House Infrastructure Management, a fully-owned unit of KIA, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter is not public.

The Wren House arm, which was set up in April by the wealth fund and housed under its Lon-don-based Kuwait Investment Of-fi ce (KIO), also hired Marc Keller, another BofA Merrill banker, to assist Drissi-Kaitouni in identify-ing investments in the sector, one of the sources said.

Both Kuwait Investment Offi ce and BofA were not immediately available for comment.

Sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf Arab region, which hold about $2 trillion in assets, are beefi ng up their infrastructure investments, lured by stable returns and seeking to diversify their investment port-folios which have been traditionally heavy on equities. - Reuters

I N F R A S T R U C T U R E H E A D

B2

MARKETT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

Cheraman Financial eyes investment from NRIs

BUSINESS REPORTER

MUSCAT: The Kerala-based Che-raman Financial Services, India’s fi rst interest-free non-banking fi -nancial services company (NBFC), is looking to channel Gulf NRIs’ money into India’s infrastruc-ture development, equity partic-ipation and developing wakf (re-ligious endowments) properties.

In Oman to identify a section of Indians in the Gulf who are keen to invest but were averse to the idea of interest, A. P. M. Moham-med Hanish, managing director of Cheraman Financial Services, said that the government of Ker-ala has 11 per cent equity stake in the company. The company will be investing in Sharia-compliant companies and participating in equity as well as leasing in con-struction and medical sector and also developing wakf properties.

The company, with an authorised

capital of Indian Rs10 billion, has already taken off with a small wakf project in Kannur in Kerala and will follow suit in other parts of Kerala and across India.

Says Hanish, “After our com-pany’s inception in 2009, the Reserve Bank of India fi nally is-sued the licence to us on July 20, 2013 following months of discus-sions and clarifi cations. We have been allowed to operate in equity fi nance and leasing. We also in-tend to focus on infrastructure development, especially on wakf lands, in association with state wakf boards and local muttawalis (caretakers) of the wakf land.

“About 6,00,000 acres of wakf land is lying idle according to the Sachar committee report,” he added.

As far as equity fi nance is con-cerned, Hanish said, “Major infra-structure projects initiated by the state government and government of India are intended to be taken

up. Also, major commercial pro-jects in the private sector which require equity fi nance will also be provided with such fi nance. In case of leasing, we will primarily focus on construction equipment and medical equipment sectors, since lease returns are faster.”

Dr P. Mohammed Ali, chair-man of the Cheraman Financial Services, said, “The source for mobilising fi nance is by way of share capital since deposits are not allowed. Major sources of funding would come from non-

resident Indians, the various sov-ereign funds in the Middle East, banks, institutional investors and family businesses being run by Arab nationals.”

Sustainable returnsAdds Dr Mohammed Ali, “This initiative would give people an op-portunity to invest in India on non-interest terms with sustainable returns. In India, a section of the community does not use the con-ventional banks because of their faith and for them it is a blessing to

use fi nancial instruments which comply with their faiths.”

Adds Hanish, “We had exten-sive discussions that have result-ed in commitments to the tune of Rs1 billion, apart from the 11 per cent equity of the Kerala gov-ernment. Promoters’ equity will come to around 26 per cent. In this sector, foreign investments are allowed to the tune of 49 per cent of the authorised share capi-tal. We had serious discussions at the highest levels with the UAE banks and some of them evinced a keen interest to become part-ners. Following our experience in the UAE, we had discussions with high networked individuals and organisations in Oman.”

Hanish, who is also the manag-ing director of Roads and Bridges Development Corp. of Kerala, further said, “People in the GCC countries have invested huge amounts of sovereign and indi-vidual funds abroad and a sizeable chunk of these were in IFF (inter-est-free fi nancing) businesses. We intend to woo a portion of these funds so that Kerala’s and India’s infrastructure can be developed.”

India’s fi rst interest-free NBFC, is looking

to channel Gulf NRIs’ money into India’s

infrastructure development, equity

participation and developing wakf properties

WOOING INVESTORS: A. P. M. Mohammed Hanish, left; and P.

Mohammed Ali are in the process of indetifying a section

of Indians in the Gulf who are keen to invest.

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com haveyoursay@timesofoman.com

EFG-Hermes targets Gulf investment bank deals

CAIRO: EFG-Hermes, the Egyptian investment bank whose deal to merge with Qatar’s Qinvest col-lapsed in May, said it’s seeking deals in the Gulf as political turmoil at home discourages foreign investors.

The Cairo-based bank is in the ‘fi nal stages’ of closing three in-vestment banking deals in the United Arab Emirates and is build-ing a ‘good pipeline’ of mandates in Saudi Arabia, Karim Awad, chief executive offi cer of EFG-Hermes investment bank, said in an e-mailed response to questions. The bank declined to name the companies involved in the deals.

The Arab world’s most popu-lous country, which has yet to hold presidential and legislative elec-tions following the ouster of for-mer President Mohamed Mursi, has experienced its worst econom-ic slowdown in two years amid the political upheaval. That comes as Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar report accelerating growth.

“Our home market has been impacted by political events that are out of our hands and we have therefore focused a lot of our en-ergy on building a market share in the other regional markets where we are present,” Awad said.

“The political situation is making a number of our clients bearish on Egypt.” - Bloomberg News

E G Y P T

Indian cental bank may hike rates

NEW DELHI: India’s central bank hinted in a report yester-day that it would further raise interest rates this week as infl ation remains high.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which holds its monetary policy meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday, said in its macroeco-nomic report on the eve of the decision that infl ation remains ‘above comfort levels’.

Annual infl ation in September jumped to a seven-month-high of 6.46 per cent, led by surging food and fuel prices.

“Various surveys, including those by the RBI, show that busi-ness confi dence remains weak,

while infl ation expectations have risen again,” the central bank report said.

“The monetary policy will need to aim at anchoring infl ation ex-pectations, while appropriately addressing growth risks,” it added.

Second riseThe report supports the widely held expectations of economists that the RBI will raise interest rates today, in what would be its second rise in two months.

The RBI said it expects “a mod-est improvement in growth” in the second half of the fi scal year to March 2013 “on the back of a good monsoon and some improvements

in industrial growth”. The economy grew by 4.4 per

cent year-on-year in the April to June quarter, the slowest quarterly expansion in four years.

Last month new central bank gov-ernor Raghuram Rajan — who had warned he was prepared to take un-popular steps to bring the econ-omy back on track — surprised markets by increasing interest rates to help control infl ation.

Wholesale infl ation has been above the RBI’s comfort zone of 5 per cent for four successive months. But business leaders have long been seeking a cut in rates to help revive sluggish do-mestic growth. - AFP

I N F L A T I O N C O N C E R N

Barclays expects Asia boost for euro bonds amid record sales HONG KONG: Barclays, the UK’s second- largest bank by assets, pre-dicts Asian companies will further increase sales of euro-denomi-nated bonds after issuing a record amount of debt in the currency.

Companies from Asia outside Japan have sold €5.5 billion ($7.6 billion) of bonds in the shared currency since December 31, more than any previous year and double 2012 volumes, data shows. China Petrochemical, Asia’s larg-est refi ner, led €1.55 billion of note off erings this month, the most by the region’s issuers since May, data shows.

“Issuers here are fi nding that the euro market is increasingly competitive,” said Jon Pratt, head of debt capital markets for Asia at Barclays. “We have introduced a range of European insurance companies and pension funds to Asian companies this year. These investors have previously never bought Asian credits.”

Money fl ows into European bond funds hit a 25-week high in the period to October 23, even as total debt funds took in just $527 million, according to data pro-vider EPFR Global. The political impasse in the United States as Congress struggled to reach an agreement on raising the debt ceiling sapped appetite for the nation’s assets while favoring Eu-rope, EPFR wrote in an e-mailed note dated October 11.

High-yield bond fundAbout 35 per cent of a global high-yield bond fund run by Brandy-wine Global Investment Man-agement, a unit of Legg Mason, is already invested in Europe, according to Brian Kloss, a Phil-adelphia-based money manager at the company, which oversees about $48 billion. The fund will increase its holdings as the region returns to growth, he said in an in-terview last week in Hong Kong.

Globally, borrowers pay an av-erage 1.91 per cent for euro debt,

29 basis points less than for dol-lar notes, Bank of America Merrill Lynch indexes show. Euro-denom-inated notes gained 1.22 per cent this year as of the end of last month, beating Asian dollar-denominated bonds, the indexes show.

“Some Asian investors are shifting some of their invest-

ments into euro currency as they are getting more comfortable with the currency fundamentals and are seeing more supply from the region,” said Pratt. These funds view it as a way to “partially mitigate the risks of US dollar currency depreciation and rising US interest rates.” - Bloomberg News

E C O N O M Y

Issuers here are finding that the euro market is

increasingly competitive. We have introduced a

range of European insurance companies and pension

funds to Asian companies this year. These investors

have previously never bought Asian credits

Jon PrattHead (Debt capital markets for Asia), Barclays

B3T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

MARKET

Japanese premier’s policies work as Toyota outsells General Motors

TOKYO: Toyota Motor outsold General Motors (GM) and all other carmakers for the second time in three quarters, in the lat-est example of how Japan’s larg-est manufacturers are benefi ting from Abenomics.

Japan’s biggest company and its subsidiaries sold 2.5 million vehicles in the July-to-September period, up 2.8 per cent from a year earlier, according to fi gures re-leased yesterday by the Toyota City-based carmaker. Third-quarter

sales at Detroit-based GM, report-ed earlier this month, rose 5.5 per cent to 2.4 million vehicles while Volkswagen boosted deliveries, excluding heavy trucks, to about 2.33 million, according to data from the companies.

Toyota’s recent success — ana-lysts estimate it will post record profi t this fi scal year — illustrates how Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s policies that have weakened the yen are benefi ting Japan’s exporters and helping revive an economy that’s

been through three recessions in fi ve years. Large manufacturers are more confi dent than they’ve been since 2007, and share prices are near the highest in half a decade.

“In the past few months, Abe-nomics has pushed up sales of Jap-anese carmakers by weakening the yen,” said Yuuki Sakurai, president of Fukoku Capital Management. “The selling prices of some Japa-nese cars in the United States have been lowered to make them more competitive.”

Toyota shares have gained 58 per cent this year, compared to GM’s 23 per cent. Volkswagen’s stock has been little changed.

Toyota outsold GM in the fi rst nine months of 2013, putting the company on track to lead the in-dustry for a second straight year. Toyota sold 7.41 million vehi-cles versus GM’s 7.25 million and VW’s 7.03 million, according to the companies.

Yen reversalThe yen has fallen about 11 per cent against the dollar in 2013, creating a tailwind for Japanese brands as they face the most competitive lineup of vehicles from GM, Ford Motor and

Chrysler in a generation.Before Abe, the Japanese cur-

rency hobbled exporters for years, appreciating to a postwar high of 75.35 to the dollar in October 2011 from about 115 four years earlier. The yen began tumbling in late 2012 as polls showed Abe, who called for unprecedented mon-etary-easing policies that would weaken the currency, was going to be Japan’s next head of state. The yen traded at 97.67 to the dollar.

Currency manipulatorIn the US, Toyota’s deliveries rose 12 per cent in the July-to-Sep-tember period, enough to outsell Ford for the fi rst time in 15 quar-ters as the weaker yen gave the

Japanese company room to off er higher incentives for its best-selling Camry model.

Toyota sold 586,016 vehicles in the US last quarter, second only to GM’s 697,113.

Honda Motor’s US deliveries rose 13 per cent to the highest in 21 quarters, Nissan’s climbed 10 per cent and Fuji Heavy Indus-tries’ Subaru saw deliveries surge more than 30 per cent for a second straight quarter.

The total US market expanded 9 per cent and GM posted 6.9 per cent growth, according to data.

The benefi ts from the yen have prompted Ford chief executive offi cer Alan Mulally to call Japan a currency manipulator that’s giving local exporters an unfair edge. US automakers have hired lobbyists to oppose Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacifi c Partnership, a US-led free-trade agreement that’s being negotiated.

While Toyota saw its smallest drop in Japan deliveries in four quarters, falling deliveries in the domestic market contributed to Toyota posting slower sales growth than GM. - Bloomberg News

Japan’s biggest company and its subsidiaries

sold 2.5m vehicles in the July-to-September

period, up 2.8% from a year earlier

Apple sales may show mobile shift lifting Google to FacebookSAN FRANCISCO: Apple and Facebook will report quarterly earnings this week that under-score the technology industry’s division into two camps: provid-ers that are adapting to shifting mobile and Web tastes, and those that have lagged behind.

Apple is predicted to report a rise in iPhone sales after last month’s release of new models, while Face-book follows on October 30 with some analysts projecting a bigger chunk of its revenue to come from mobile advertising.

Google, Amazon.com and Sam-sung — companies that have helped pioneer mobile and Internet-based services — have released results that have surpassed estimates in the past two weeks. By contrast, those struggling to adapt to the changes have reported earnings that disappointed investors. They include International Business Machines, Yahoo, and security-software company Symantec.

“Many of the old-guard com-panies are being displaced and the companies that are at the ad-vent of these forces are becoming dominant,” said Van Baker, direc-tor of research at Gartner.

Microsoft’s results last week show that the divide between haves and have-nots can exist within the same company. The Redmond, Washington-based software maker made up for the shortcomings in its consumer personal-computer business with better-than-predicted numbers for corporate programs like In-ternet telephone and messaging software, and by more than dou-bling sales from business cloud services like online versions of Offi ce and the Azure service for hosting applications on the Web.

Diverging trendsInvestors are rewarding the companies disrupting their in-dustries and leading the new trends. Google surpassed $1,000 a share for the fi rst time after re-porting results, and Amazon also jumped 9.4 per cent a day after posting its earnings.

“The new tech companies like Google and Amazon did well, while companies that rely on old tech, like IBM, didn’t,” said Daniel Morgan, a fund manager at Syno-vus Trust in Atlanta, which owns Microsoft shares.

The popularity of smartphones, tablets and tools that let people to work, shop or watch videos from anywhere with an Internet connection has upended a tech-nology industry that long profi ted from a model of selling PCs and accompanying software.

That divergence is refl ected in technology-spending forecasts. Market-research fi rm IDC pre-dicts personal computers (PC) shipments will fall almost 10 per cent this year worldwide.

By contrast, mobilephone ship-ments are projected to increase by 7.3 per cent in the same pe-riod, fueled by demand for smart-phones, with tablet unit sales growing an estimated 59 per cent, IDC said in August.

Much of the disruption has been led by Apple, whose co- founder Steve Jobs coined this the ‘post PC’ era. - Bloomberg News

P E R F O R M A N C E

Emirates negotiating

big deal with BoeingDUBAI: Emirates Airline is ne-gotiating over a potentially ‘sub-stantive’ order for United States Boeing’s B777 new-generation airliner, the airline’s chief executive Tim Clark said yesterday.

Clark told the Financial Times newspaper: “We are in a relatively advanced stage of commercial negotiations... I think whatever

happens there will be a substantive order for the new 777.”

The newspaper estimated that the fast-growing airline needed between 100-175 aircraft of the 777x type which would represent an order exceeding $30.0 billion (21.7 billion euros).

The 777x is to replace the current Boeing 777 model. - AFP

B 7 7 7 O R D E R S

TREND SETTERS: Apple is predicted to report a rise in iPhone

sales after last month’s release of new models, while Facebook

follows with some analysts projecting a bigger chunk of its

revenue to come from mobile advertising. – Bloomberg News

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com haveyoursay@timesofoman.com

STRATEGY Toyota’s recent success

— analysts estimate it

will post record profi t this

fi scal year — illustrates

how Prime Minister

Shinzo Abe’s policies that

have weakened the yen

are benefi ting Japan’s

exporters and helping

revive an economy that’s

been through three

recessions in fi ve years

MUSCAT: MSM 30 index trad-ed on a fl at note and closed at 6652.72 points, marginally up by 0.02 per cent. MSM Shariah Index also closed up by 0.13 per cent at 1048.67 points.

Gulf Investment Services was the most active in terms of vol-ume as well as turnover. Oman Education Training Investment was the top gainer and closed up by 9.24 per cent, while National Securities was the top loser, clos-ing down by 9.09 per cent.

Altogether 1,153 trades were ex-ecuted in yesterday’s session gen-erating a turnover of OMR4.73 mil-lion with over 17.5 million shares traded. Out of 57 traded stocks, 12 advanced, 23 declined and 22 were unchanged. At the close of the ses-sion, Omani investors switched to net buyers for OMR85,000. GCC & Arab investors were net sell-ers for OMR76,000 followed by Omani investors who sold shares worth OMR9,000.

Financial Sector Index mar-ginally up by 0.01 per cent at 8146.73 points. DIDIC, Financial Services and Gulf Investment Ser-vices increased by 1.92 per cent, 0.61 per cent and 0.50 per cent respectively. National Securities, DBIH, United Finance, Al Izz Is-lamic Bank and Taageer Finance declined by 9.09 per cent, 2.13 per cent, 1.91 per cent, 1.82 per cent and 1.23 per cent respectively.

The Industrial Sector Index down by 0.21 per cent at 9820.30 points. Salalah Mills, Oman Ce-ment and Al Anwar Ceramic in-creased by 1.85 per cent, 0.51 per cent and 0.38 per cent % respec-tively. Oman Fisheries, Voltamp Energy, Al Hassan Engineering , Construction Material Indus-tries and Jazeera Steel Product declined by 2.70 per cent, 2.27 per cent , 1.88 per cent, 1.35 per cent and 1.29 per cent respectively.

Services Sector Index margin-ally up by 0.04 per cent at 3490.67

points. Oman Education & Train-ing Institute, Al Kamel Power, Shell Oman Marketing, ACWA Power Barka and Renaissance Services increased by 9.24 per cent, 3.70 per cent,1.13 per cent, 0.66 per cent and 0.57 per cent respectively. OIFC, Al Jazeira Services and Nawras declined by 1.08 per cent, 0.82 per cent and 0.38 per cent respectively.

Emerging market stocks upEmerging-market stocks rose for the fi rst time in four days as Samsung Electronics led a surge in technology shares. Malaysia’s ringgit climbed to the highest level in four months amid defi cit reduction measures.

The MSCI Emerging Mar-kets Index added 0.6 percent to 1,033.36 in New York. Samsung, the world’s biggest seller of smart-phones and TVs, gained 2.3 per cent after two brokerages raised their share-price estimates. Petro-leo Brasileiro climbed to the high-est level in four months after the Brazilian state-run energy compa-ny said it’s asking the government to raise local fuel prices to inter-national levels.

The ringgit advanced after Prime Minister Najib Razak an-nounced a goods and services tax to help cut the fi scal defi cit.

Nine out of 10 groups in the meas-ure for developing-nation stocks gained today, led by a 1.4 per cent ad-vance in technology companies. The industry, which surged to the highest level on record last week, is also driv-ing gains in the broader emerging-market gauge this month. Sam-sung is introducing software to help share content across devices, inviting developers to create more applications for its products.

The gauge for developing na-tions has climbed 4.7 per cent in October, poised for a second monthly advance. - United Securities/

Bloomberg News

B4

MARKETT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

MSM index moves upGulf Investment Services was the most

active in terms of volume as well as

turnover. Oman Education Training

Investment gained the most

MUSCATSECURITIES MARKET

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

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

Security Name .................................................... Volume .....Turnover ... Trades ......... High .........Low ..........Close ......... Prev. .......... Diff . ............ Diff .............Last ..........Last ............ Last ................ Market Cap .........Par........................................................................................................................................................................................ Pr. ............ Close ........... RO ............... % .................Pr ..............Bid ............ Off er ............................................value

O M A N S T O C K S

INDICESIndex .................................................High .................Low ..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff %MSM30 Index ....................................... 6,656.23 .............. 6,649.88 ................... 6,652.72 ....................6,651.19 .................... 1.53 ...................0.02Financial Index .....................................8,160.03 ............... 8,135.76 ....................8,146.73 ................... 8,146.05 ....................0.68 ................... 0.01Industrial Index ................................... 9,843.28 .............. 9,806.09 ...................9,820.30 ................... 9,841.48 ................ -21.18 .................. -0.22Services Index ...................................... 3,492.85 .............. 3,489.20 ................... 3,490.67 ................... 3,489.15 .................... 1.52 ...................0.04MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................1,049.47 ...............1,048.13 ................... 1,048.67 ................... 1,047.35 .................... 1.32 ................... 0.13

Trading SummaryVolume ................ Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up ............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded17,523,219 .................. 4,735,848 .................. 1,153 ............... 13,712,604,349 .................11 ..................... 23 .................... 23 .........................57

DHOFAR INT.DEV.AND INV. HOLD. .........................39,587 ..............25,129.................6 ............0.636 ......... 0.632 ............ 0.636 .............0.624 ............ 0.012 ............. 1.923.............. 0.632 ............ 0.632 ..............0.636 ............ 127,200,000.000 ......0.100SALALAH MILLS .................................................16,978 ............. 23,345.................2 ............ 1.375 .......... 1.375 ............ 1.375 ..............1.350 ............ 0.025 ............. 1.852...............1.375 ............ 1.300 ..............1.375 ...............66,224,213.000 ......0.100ACWA POWER BARKA ..........................................5,500 ................3,344.................4 ............0.608 ......... 0.608 ............0.608 ............ 0.604 ............ 0.004 .............0.662 ............. 0.608 ............ 0.604 ............. 0.608 .............. 97,280,000.000 ......0.100RENAISSANCE SERVICES .................................. 52,800 .............. 37,168.................6 ............0.704 ......... 0.700 ............ 0.704 .............0.700 ............ 0.004 ............. 0.571 .............. 0.700 ............ 0.700 ..............0.704 ............. 198,594,495.616 ......0.100OMAN CEMENT ............................................. 110,000 ..............87,120............... 11 ............0.792.......... 0.792 ............ 0.792 .............0.788 ............ 0.004 .............0.508 ............. 0.792 ............ 0.784 ..............0.792 .............262,051,186.320 ......0.100GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ....................5,361,988 ........ 1,071,881.............151 ............0.201 ......... 0.198 ............0.200 .............0.199 ............ 0.001 .............0.503 ............. 0.201 ............0.200 ..............0.201 ................11,768,643.400 ......0.100AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ..............................109,481 ..............58,123.............. 26 ............0.532 ......... 0.528 ............0.530 .............0.528 ............ 0.002 .............0.379 ............. 0.532 ............ 0.530 ..............0.532 ............. 124,597,818.720 ......0.100ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. .............2,300 ............. 48,530.................3 ...........21.100 ....... 21.100 ..........21.100 ...........21.100 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ............ 21.100 .......... 21.100 ........... 23.210 ........... 145,590,000.000 ......1.000AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ..................... 500 ......................96................. 1 ............ 0.192.......... 0.192 ............ 0.191 ..............0.191 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.192 ............ 0.188 ..............0.190 .............. 16,044,000.000 ......0.100BANK SOHAR .............................................. 1,242,600 ........... 254,725...............21 ............0.206 ......... 0.204 ............0.205 ............ 0.205 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.204 ............0.204 ............. 0.205 ............225,500,000.000 ......0.100GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ...................1,000 ....................196................. 1 ............ 0.196 .......... 0.196 ............ 0.193..............0.193 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............0.196 ............ 0.193 ..............0.196 .................4,053,000.000 ......0.100OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING ...........1,395,529 ...........267,802.............. 96 ............ 0.193 .......... 0.189 ............ 0.192 .............0.192 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............0.191 ............ 0.191...............0.192 .............. 23,400,000.000 ......0.100OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY ................................. 22,845 ..............45,601.................9 ............2.000 ......... 1.995 ............ 1.995..............1.995 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............1.995 ............ 1.990 ..............1.995 .............178,951,500.000 ......0.100OMAN CHLORINE ................................................... 468 ................... 309................. 1 ............0.660 ......... 0.660 ............0.660 .............0.660 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.660 ............ 0.660 ..............0.720 ............... 40,769,537.820 ......0.100OMAN FLOUR MILLS ............................................2,645 ................ 1,672................. 1 ............0.632 ......... 0.632 ............0.640 ............ 0.640 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.632 ............ 0.632 ..............0.636 ............100,800,000.000 ......0.100OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ......................137,887 ...........213,902.............. 43 ............ 1.560.......... 1.550 ............ 1.550..............1.550 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 1.560 ............ 1.555 ..............1.565 .........1,162,500,000.000 ......0.100OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ........................... 831,040 ...........278,867.............. 47 ............0.338 ......... 0.334 ............0.336 .............0.336 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.334 ............ 0.334 ..............0.336 .............. 33,600,000.000 ......0.100PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ........................ 90,420 ..............47,923...............12 ............0.530 ......... 0.530 ............0.530 .............0.530 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.530 ............ 0.528 ..............0.530 ...............50,371,200.000 ......0.100RAYSUT CEMENT ..............................................12,985 ............. 25,905.................4 ............ 1.995 .......... 1.995 ............ 1.995..............1.995 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............1.995 ............ 1.980 ..............1.995 ............399,000,000.000 ......0.100SMN POWER HOLDING ............................................180 ................1,026................. 1 ............5.700.......... 5.700 ............ 5.745 ..............5.745 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 5.700 ............ 5.200 ..............5.700 .............114,690,652.200 ......1.000SOHAR POWER .....................................................1,196 ................2,769...............10 ............2.320 ......... 2.315 ............ 2.315..............2.315 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............2.315 ............ 2.315 ............. 2.405 ................51,163,815.000 ......1.000BANK MUSCAT ................................................. 28,008 ..............16,496.................9 ............0.590 ......... 0.588 ............0.588 .............0.590 ........... -0.002 ........... -0.339............. 0.590 ............ 0.588 ............. 0.590 ......... 1,265,529,282.192 ......0.100NAWRAS .........................................................253,000 ........... 133,078...............12 ............0.526 ......... 0.526 ............0.526 .............0.528 ........... -0.002 ........... -0.379............. 0.526 ............ 0.524 ..............0.526 ............342,396,664.980 ......0.100ONIC. HOLDING ..................................................95,061 .............. 37,143...............13 ............0.396 ......... 0.388 ............0.390 .............0.392 ........... -0.002 ........... -0.510 ............. 0.390 ............ 0.390 ............. 0.392 ............... 67,635,067.500 ......0.100HSBC BANK OMAN ...........................................119,863 ............. 21,329............... 11 ............ 0.178 .......... 0.177 ............ 0.178..............0.179 ............-0.001 ........... -0.559..............0.177 ............ 0.177 ..............0.178 .............356,055,676.620 ......0.100AL ANWAR HOLDING ......................................290,688 ............. 95,508.............. 30 ............0.330 ......... 0.328 ............0.328 .............0.330 ........... -0.002 ........... -0.606 ............ 0.330 ............ 0.328 ............. 0.330 .............. 39,360,000.000 ......0.100AL JAZEERA SERVICES .................................... 131,000 ............. 63,666............... 11 ............0.486 ......... 0.486 ............0.486 ............ 0.490 ........... -0.004 ........... -0.816 ............. 0.486 ............ 0.474 ..............0.486 ................29,745,276.678 ......0.100OMINVEST ........................................................85,813 ..............38,101...............10 ............0.444 ......... 0.444 ............0.444 ............ 0.448 ........... -0.004 ........... -0.893............. 0.444 ............ 0.442 ............. 0.446 .............135,921,720.000 ......0.100OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE ...........1,608,255 ...........443,466............ 107 ............ 0.281.......... 0.275 ............0.276 .............0.279 ........... -0.003 ........... -1.075 ............. 0.275 ............ 0.275 ..............0.276 .............. 55,200,000.000 ......0.100NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ...............290,570 ............. 99,378...............31 ............0.344 ......... 0.340 ............0.342 ............ 0.346 ........... -0.004 ........... -1.156 ............. 0.340 ............0.340 ............. 0.342 ................11,481,435.900 ......0.100TRANSGULF IND. INV. HOLDING .....................1,219,739 ...........205,504.............. 76 ............ 0.171 .......... 0.168 ............ 0.168 .............0.170 ........... -0.002 ............-1.176 ..............0.168 ............ 0.168 ..............0.170 ............... 11,235,000.000 ......0.100GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT .................870,622 ........... 140,885.............. 34 ............ 0.163 ...........0.161 ............ 0.162 .............0.164 ........... -0.002 ........... -1.220............. 0.162 ............ 0.161...............0.162 .............. 32,400,000.000 ......0.100TAAGEER FINANCE ...........................................75,550 ..............12,130...............17 ............ 0.163 .......... 0.160 ............ 0.161 ..............0.163 ........... -0.002 ........... -1.227 ............. 0.160 ............ 0.159 ..............0.161 ............... 38,157,000.000 ......0.100GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. ................... 132,082 ............. 41,020...............21 ............ 0.312.......... 0.310 ............ 0.310 .............0.314 ........... -0.004 ........... -1.274 ............. 0.312 ............ 0.310 ..............0.312 ................ 81,721,815.910 ......0.100AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS .......................... 50,500 ..............15,454.................4 ............0.308 ......... 0.306 ............0.306 .............0.310 ........... -0.004 ........... -1.290 ............. 0.306 ............ 0.306 ..............0.310 ................38,218,775.760 ......0.100AL HASSAN ENGINEERING ......................... 1,202,290 ...........314,229.............. 75 ............0.268 ......... 0.260 ............ 0.261 ............ 0.266 ........... -0.005 ........... -1.880 ............. 0.260 ............0.260 ............. 0.262 ...............19,629,288.000 ......0.100UNITED FINANCE ............................................142,561 ............. 21,984.................6 ............ 0.155 .......... 0.152 ............ 0.154 .............0.157 ........... -0.003 ............-1.911 ..............0.154 ............ 0.154 ..............0.155 ...............42,352,036.188 ......0.100VOLTAMP ENERGY ......................................... 190,382 ..............81,873...............10 ............0.432 ......... 0.430 ............0.430 ............ 0.440 ............-0.010 ........... -2.273 ............ 0.430 ............ 0.430 ............. 0.440 ...............26,015,000.000 ......0.100OMAN FISHERIES ........................................... 129,888 ..............13,968.................8 ............ 0.110 .......... 0.107 ............ 0.108 ............. 0.111 ........... -0.003 ........... -2.703 ............. 0.108 ............ 0.108 ..............0.109 ...............13,500,000.000 ......0.100SUM: ................................................................................16,353,801 ....... 4,290,645............ 941 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......................39.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................PARALLEL MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................OMAN EDUCATION TRAINING INV. ...................117,600 ............. 23,696.............. 25 ............0.202 ......... 0.195 ............ 0.201 .............0.184 .............0.017 .............9.239 ............. 0.202 ............ 0.201 ............. 0.202 ...............14,070,000.000 ......0.100AL KAMIL POWER COMPANY ............................... 2,510 ................ 7,028.................4 ............2.800 ......... 2.800 ............2.800 .............2.700 ............ 0.100 ............. 3.704 ............. 2.800 ............ 2.780 ............. 2.800 .............. 26,950,000.000 ......1.000SHELL OMAN MARKETING ...............................25,255 ............. 56,567.................5 ............2.240 ......... 2.225 ............2.240 .............2.215 ............ 0.025 ............. 1.129 .............. 2.225 ............ 2.225 ............. 2.240............212,800,000.000 ......0.100FINANCIAL SERVICES ........................................ 51,019 ................8,494...............10 ............ 0.168 ...........0.161 ............ 0.166 .............0.165 ............ 0.001 .............0.606 ..............0.161 ............ 0.161...............0.165 ...............10,790,000.000 ......0.100BANK NIZWA .................................................. 581,856 ............. 62,210.............. 42 ............ 0.107.......... 0.106 ............ 0.107 .............0.107 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.107 ............ 0.106 ..............0.107 ............160,500,000.000 ......0.100MUSCAT FINANCE .................................................. 956 ................... 148................. 1 ............ 0.155 .......... 0.155 ............ 0.155..............0.155 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............0.155 ............ 0.155 ............. 0.000 ............... 33,436,953.865 ......0.100OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ..........................1,000 ...................340................. 1 ............0.340 ......... 0.340 ............0.346 ............ 0.346 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.340 ............0.340 ............. 0.000 ...............27,680,000.000 ......0.100OMAN ORIX LEASING .........................................15,000 ................2,250................. 1 ............ 0.150.......... 0.150 ............ 0.150 .............0.150 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.150 ............ 0.148 ..............0.150 ...............33,479,062.500 ......0.100SALALAH PORT SERVICES ..........................................50 ......................28................. 1 ............0.550 ......... 0.550 ............0.530 .............0.530 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ............. 0.550 ............ 0.550 ..............0.570 ...............95,313,822.000 ......0.100SEMBCORP SALALAH ......................................130,726 ...........253,359.............. 88 ............ 1.945.......... 1.935 ............ 1.940 .............1.940 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ..............1.935 ............ 1.935 ..............1.940 .............185,186,958.300 ......1.000SHARQIYAH DESALINATION ................................... 743 ................3,678.................2 ............4.950 ......... 4.950 ............4.950 ............ 5.000 ........... -0.050 ........... -1.000............. 4.950 ............ 4.810 ............. 4.950 ...............32,274,712.800 ......1.000CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ..................... 70,650 ................ 5,160.................9 ............0.074 ......... 0.073 ............0.073 .............0.074 ............-0.001 ............-1.351 ............. 0.073 ............ 0.072 ..............0.073 .................6,205,000.000 ......0.100ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK ......................................... 75,300 ................ 8,125.................6 ............0.108.......... 0.107 ............ 0.108 .............0.110 ........... -0.002 ........... -1.818 ............. 0.108 ............ 0.106 ..............0.108 ............108,000,000.000 ......0.100AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...........................54,251 ................5,000.................6 ............0.093 ......... 0.092 ............0.092 ............ 0.094 ........... -0.002 ........... -2.128 ............. 0.092 ............ 0.092 ..............0.095 .................2,760,000.000 ......0.100NATIONAL SECURITIES .....................................21,150 ................ 1,486.................6 ............0.074 ......... 0.070 ............0.070 .............0.077 ........... -0.007 ........... -9.091 ............. 0.070 ............ 0.072 ..............0.074 ................. 1,750,000.000 ......0.100SUM: .................................................................................. 1,148,066 ........... 437,569............207 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ...................... 15.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

RBI expected rate hike aff ects rupeeMUMBAI: In a range-bound ses-sion, the rupee trimmed initial gains and ended six paise lower at 61.52 against the dollar yesterday, in line with a fall in local equities ahead of the RBI’s policy review meeting.

Month-end dollar demand from importers, mainly oil refi ners, also put pressure on the rupee, a forex dealer said.

The rupee resumed higher at 61.35 per dollar against the previ-ous close of 61.46 at the interbank

foreign exchange market and hov-ered in a range of 61.37 to 61.60 per dollar before settling at 61.52, a fall of six paise or 0.1 per cent.

“Since the last one week, the ru-pee has been trading in the range of 61.20-61.80...This shows that there is a lack of direction,” said Abhishek Goenka, CEO of India Forex Advisors.

“Today’s RBI monetary policy will be keenly watched, where a 25 bps repo rate hike is widely expected.”

According to some banks, the Reserve Bank of India may in-crease a key interest rate to 7.75 percent from 7.5 per cent in its Second Quarter Review of Mon-etary Policy today to contain ris-ing prices, while also announcing steps to ease liquidity.

The 30-share S&P BSE Sensex fell 113.24 points, or 0.55 per cent, extending losses for the fi fth straight trading day. The dollar in-dex was up 0.05 per cent against a

basket of six major global rivals. Forward dollar premiums ended

slightly better. The benchmark six-month forward dollar pre-mium payable in March edged up to 213-1/2-215-1/2 paise from 213-215 paise previously, while far-forward contracts maturing in September rose to 441-444 paise from 439-442 paise.

The RBI fi xed the reference rate for the dollar at 61.5030 and for the euro at 84.8825. - PTI

I N D I A N C U R R E N C Y

Sensex falls for fi fth day, down 113 points MUMBAI: The benchmark Sensex fell for the fi fth day in a row today, declining 113 points in a late sell-off as investors turned cautious ahead of the Reserve Bank of Indian (RBI) policy re-view meeting.

State Bank of India, the coun-try’s largest lender, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank were among the shares that dragged the Sensex lower. The fall would have been more pronounced but for gains in HDFC, Larsen & Toubro and Re-liance Industries shares. Sectors that fell were FMCG, realty, met-als and banks. ITC tumbled 3.63 per cent and was the top loser on the Sensex after CLSA cut its earnings per share estimates by around 2 per cent.

The 30-share S&P BSE Sensex opened on a positive note and touched a high of 20,771.38 be-fore profi t booking set in. The index closed down 113.24 points, or 0.55 per cent, at 20,570.28. It has lost 324 points in the past fi ve sessions. The 50-share CNX Nifty on the National Stock Ex-change dropped 43.80 points, or 0.71 per cent, to end at 6,101.10. The SX40 index of the MCX Stock Exchange closed almost 60 points down at 12,249.69.

“Nifty opened on a fl at note and witnessed selling pressure for rest of the trading day. Intraday volatility was seen ahead of the RBI’s monetary meet tomorrow and also as FO expiry day is ap-proaching this week,” said Nidhi Saraswat, senior research analyst at Bonanza Portfolio. “Further, profi t-booking aggravated the

selling sentiment.” The Reserve Bank of India may

increase a key interest rate to 7.75 per cent from 7.5 per cent in its Second Quarter Review of Mone-tary Policy on Tuesday to contain rising prices, while also announc-ing steps to ease liquidity, accord-ing to some banks.

The market may also remain volatile as investors in the fu-tures and options segment decide whether to roll over their posi-tions on the expiry of equity de-rivative contracts on Thursday, a broker said.

Key indices in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and South Korea rose after weaker-than-forecast United States con-sumer confi dence spurred bets the Federal Reserve will main-tain its stimulus programme.

European markets were mixed in early trade as indices in Ger-many and UK moved up, while France’s CAC was quoted lower. In the domestic market, 22 Sensex shares declined. Apart from ITC, the losers included Sesa Sterlite (-3.26 per cent), Tata Steel (-2.94 per cent), State Bank of India (-2.41 per cent), Hindalco Industries (-1.97 per cent) and Hero Moto-Corp (-1.86 per cent).

The gainers were Larsen, which rose 1.89 per cent, HDFC 1.35 per cent, ONGC 1.02 per cent and Reliance Industries 0.49 per cent. Among the S&P BSE sec-toral indices, FMCG dropped 2.56 per cent, followed by realty 2.1 per cent, metal 1.63 per cent, bankex 1.2 per cent and power 1.16 per cent. - PTI

I N D I A N S T O C K S

B5T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

ROUND-UP

After Muscat success, Redtag goes to Salalah

MUSCAT: After the huge success of the opening of its stores within the Muscat city, Redtag, one of Middle East’s fastest growing value retail brands, has now an-nounced the opening of its fourth store in Salalah, Oman signalling its continued expansion across the Sultanate.

Redtag, off ers high end design and premium quality at an aff ord-able price. Since its launch last year in Oman, it has been laying its own path and is now synony-mous as the brand favouring style over fashion.

Inaugurating the new outlet, Akram Hassan Abdulah Al Mu-razza, director general, Minis-try of Commerce and Industry, Dhofar Governorate, said that people in Salalah have improved their standard of living and there are many takers for products of-fered by such retailers. “The pres-ence of retailers catering to the mid-market segment helps Oman to position itself on the global front,” he said.

Ernest J. Hosking, CEO of the Redtag Group said, “We are very happy to be opening in Salalah and to be expanding further into the Sultanate of Oman. The city

is a popular destination for tour-ism due to the natural attractions of the nearby mountains and abundant stands of frankincense trees. The beautiful beaches and coastline is a major attrac-tion too. Thus, opening a Redtag outlet and catering to the needs of customers and tourists in Salalah was imperative.”

An introductory off er is up for grabs for customers shopping at the brand new Redtag outlet in Salalah where shoppers will be entitled to get a voucher worth OMR3 for every purchase of OMR10. Since the Redtag outlet in Salalah is a full concept store with fashion as well as home de-partments – customers will have a plethora of choices. Keeping in line with its current in-store layout, the Salalah outlet too will feature large aisles and bright and spacious setting that will enhance

the feel-good factor. Shoppers can look forward to a wide array of trendy clothes and accessories under one roof, which will make it truly a one-stop shop for all their shopping requirements.

Redtag’s expansion is a testa-ment of the fact that the brand stands for long-standing tradi-tions of exceptional customer service, great value and a broad assortment of merchandise for the Omani community off ering a unique experience for shoppers every time they shop with Redtag.

Ernest J. Hosking, CEO of the Redtag Group said, “By opening our fourth Redtag store, we have taken a signifi cant step forward in our plan to position Redtag as a fash-ion retailer who makes the shortlist of any price-sensitive shopper in Salalah. Redtag is already a force to be reckoned within KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Yemen, Iraq,

Egypt, Uzbekistan and Jordan and we want the brand to achieve the same stature in Salalah, Oman too. Shopper can expect to see new collections in the store regularly and frequently.”

With this latest launch Redtag has crossed more than 110 stores across all regions, and the brand has established fi rm footprints across the GCC. The Group retail philosophy of providing style-conscious customers with fashion and homeware at aff ordable pric-es has gained attraction across the Middle East with continued growth expected across the region in coming years.

The store features distinctive niches and departments off er-ing the latest fashion range with the hottest new international trends in textures and fabrics to guarantee its patrons an enjoyable shopping experience.

“Being a value-focused retailer off ering a range of fashions for the entire family and home-ware for budget-conscious shoppers, the Redtag brand off ers the latest in fashion and accessories for men, women, infants and newborns, supplemented by comprehen-sive range of merchandise for the home, dining, bed, bath as well as home décor items and toys.

Add a one-stop shopping destina-tion concept and the Redtag brand becomes a compelling proposition in the retail market. This proven by the fact that the company has grown from 29 stores to a chain of over 100 stores (including fran-chisees) in GCC within the past fi ve years,” commented Nasser Kunnu-mal, country manager for Redtag.

Redtag, off ers high

end design and

premium quality

at an aff ordable price

Genetco signs deal with ONEICMUSCAT: Genetco, Canon’s busi-ness partner in Oman, has been signed as a printing service provid-er for Oman’s National Engineer-ing & Investment Co. (ONEIC).

The deal is the fi rst signing of its kind for Canon in Oman and is fur-ther evidence of the brand’s grow-ing strong position among the top providers of professional business printing solutions in the region.

The deal with ONEIC involves the purchase of an imagePRESS 1110. Designed for print rooms that demand the highest stand-ards, the imagePRESS 1110 deliv-ers the sharpest prints and han-dles a diverse range of media for trouble-free operation. Equipped with Variable Data Printing soft-ware, the solution off ers the com-pany to print from a database with a master document template, and then output that document from the Canon printer, by employing a set of conditional business rules, so every page generated carries unique water/electric billing in-formation for each customer.

Naoshi Yamada, deputy manag-ing director, Canon Middle East, said; “Canon is an expert and trusted partner to its customers, helping them drive profi table busi-ness performance through contin-ued understanding of the needs of their customers. This deal repre-sents a significant breakthrough for the brand in the Sultanate and will redefine the current offering within the professional

print environment of ONEIC.”Adept at anything from fast

turnaround, short-runs to com-plex Variable Data Printing, the imagePRESS 1110 delivers im-pressive production speeds of 110 impressions per minute. The variety of in-line fi nishing possi-bilities available including perfect binding, multi-folding, saddle-stitching, punching, one or three edge trimming, and high capacity

stacking, makes it an ideal printer of choice for organisations such as ONEIC.

“Canon is a market-leading, cus-tomer focused company provid-ing a complete range of business imaging solutions. ONEIC was looking for ways to save a signifi -cant amount on their print-related costs and also increase productiv-ity. Our expert team studied the requirements of the company by looking at all factors involved and then recommended the industry-leading Canon imagePRESS 1110 solution which addressed all the diffi culties the company faced with their previous printing infra-structure,” said Dr. Muthanna Al Durrah, CEO, Genetco.

The imagePRESS 1110 is able to print images at a true 1200 x 1200dpi (with 256 halftones) reso-lution. At this high quality, it pro-duces sharp characters, smooth corners, clean gradient transi-tions, resulting in sharper text and images that are extremely clear and detailed.

S E R V I C E P R O V I D E R

The Zubair Corporation establishes new department for community engagement

MUSCAT: In line with its fi rm belief in the importance of col-laboration and engagement be-tween the community and private sector organizations, The Zubair Corporation has established a new department to champion the eff orts of community engagement within the Sultanate. The depart-ment will carry out the mission of strengthening channels of com-munication and engagement with diff erent segments of the society in order to achieve sustainable development in various fi elds.

The new Community Engage-ment department will be entrust-ed to study and analyse social de-velopment needs, and to develop social programs and community-based initiatives in various fi elds, targeting diff erent age groups. It will also be in charge of sup-porting Omani youth to enhance their skills and capabilities, and encourage positive initiatives in various fi elds in a way that better serves them for now and prepares them for the future.

The department will take the responsibility of opening chan-nels of dialogue between the cor-poration and diff erent segments of society in order to enhance the confi dence of the Omani youth in

working for the private sector.Stressing on the objectives of

the new department and urging other private sector establishment to follow its lead, Khalid bin Mo-hammed Al Zubair, Managing Di-rector of The Zubair Corporation, said: “This is a milestone for The Zubair Corporation in particular and for the private sector in gen-eral. I absolutely call on other companies and private sector institutions to make eff orts in this regard and to join hands with the public sector in order to achieve sustainable development

in all fi elds.”Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al-Salmi

has joined The Zubair Corpora-tion as the Social Communication Manager. He is one of the pioneers of social media and voluntary work in the Sultanate, and he has a long experience in the fi eld of commu-nity-based initiatives.

The Department will begin implementing its strategic plan to achieve further progress with the full support of The Zubair Corpo-ration, and will boost communica-tion with society through a range of community-based initiatives.

E X C L U S I V E A S S I G N M E N T

Ek Shaam Teray Naam evokes huge response

MUSCAT: Alpha Events, Oman organised a grand evening of poetry and prose entitled Ek Shaam Teray Naam (An evening devoted to you), at Al Falaj Hotel, recently, which was a huge suc-cess. World-renowned Pakistani Urdu poet Wasi Shah entertained a large number of poetry lovers from Pakistani, Indian and Omani communities, for more than an hour and a half with his loving and inspirational works and got big applause. Even at the end of the programme, audience, who gave Wasi Shah standing aviation, was still eager to listen to more ghaz-als and poems from the favourite poet and the hall remained packed to capacity.

Well-known Pakistani intellec-tual and writer, Dr Ayoub Shaikh added to the charm of the fam-ily oriented literary and cultural evening with his presence and was appreciated. The Chief Guest, K. K. Ahsan Wagan, chargé d’aff aires at Embassy of Pakistan, in his ad-dress, lauded the eff orts of the or-ganiser, Alpha Events, Oman and the presenter Ittfaq Travel & Tour-ism and Ittfaq Cargo & Courier and other sponsors, for providing assistance to the embassy to pro-mote the cultural diplomacy of Pakistan in the Sultanate of Oman.

He also urged his countrymen

to obey the rules and regulations of Oman and to develop more soft image of Pakistan here. Former Ambassador of Pakistan, Nawa-bzada Aminullah Khan Raisani also graced this memorable event as the guest of honour.

The local participants included Hafi z Faisal Sultan, Mohammad Afzal, Murtaza Qadri, Syed Jamil Zaidi, Zakir Hussain Zakir, Pushpa Negi, Azra Aleem, Muhammad Zakariya Babur, Qamar Riaz and Prof.Umeed Rafi que, who also paid tribute to famous guest poet and popular TV anchor, Wasi Shah.

Leading Pakistani businessmen, Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam,

Haji Muhammad Boota and Chaudhry Abid Majeed presented a memento to K. K. Ahsan Wagan in recognition of his meritori-ous services to boost the beauty and richness of Pakistani culture in Oman. On behalf of prominent Pakistanis, Sarfraz Mohammad Nawaz and Chaudhry Mohammad Ilyas and the host, Fahad Awais Munir, the chief guest, K. K. Ah-san Wagan gave away mementos to some distinguished guests and the presenter Mian Muhammad Munir, who also presented cash prizes to some lucky winners from the audience, who gave correct an-swers to the questions.

E N T E R T A I N I N G F A R E

Kia presents fi rst ever YouTube Music AwardsMUSCAT: Recently, YouTube, in partnership with Kia Motors Corporation, announced nomi-nations for the fi rst ever YouTube Music Awards, a global event cul-minating in a live show from New York City on November 3.

Six categories, including Vid-eo, Artist, and YouTube Phenom-enon of the Year, are now open for voting to fans around the world.

The lineup of top performers at the YouTube Music Awards con-tinues to grow. Avicii, M.I.A., Earl Sweatshirt, and Tyler the Creator join previously announced acts Eminem, Lady Gaga, and Arcade Fire for the live show, with You-Tube sensations Lindsey Stirling and CDZA also on tap to per-form. Actor and musician Jason Schwartzman is joined by come-dian and musician Reggie Watts to host this live event presented in partnership with Kia Motors Corporation. Music video vi-sionary Spike Jonze is creative director, with executive produc-ers VICE Media and Sunset Lane Entertainment.

Nominations for the YouTube Music Awards have been deter-mined based on YouTube data over the last 12 months, with nominees representing the artists and vide-os with the highest levels of You-Tube fan engagement, including views, likes, shares, comments, and subscriptions.

The six nomination categories and nominees for this year’s You-Tube Music Awards are Video of the Year: Honouring the world’s

most loved music videos, these nominees represent the videos with the most fan engagement on YouTube over the last year. Artist of the Year: Honoring YouTube’s most loved acts, nominees rep-resent the most watched, shared, liked, and subscribed to artists over the last year. Response of the Year: Honoring the best fan remix, parody or response video, these nominees represent the top “unoffi cial” fan videos on You-Tube based on the videos fans watched, shared or liked. You-Tube Phenomenon: Recogniz-ing the YouTube trends that the world could not get enough of, nominees are based on the songs that generated the most fan vid-eos. YouTube Breakthrough: Honoring music’s breakout new acts, nominees represent the art-ists who experienced the biggest growth in views and subscribers over the last year. Innovation: Rec-ognizing the groundbreaking crea-tivity of music videos on YouTube, these nominees were selected by an international panel of artists and creators to represent the most creative and innovative vid-eos from the last 12 months.

In the run up to the YouTube Music Awards, fi ve music events will be streamed from around the world on YouTube, culminating in the live awards celebration in New York City. The shows from Seoul, Tokyo, Moscow, London and Rio will kick off at 5am ET on November 3, and fans can tune in at youtube.com/YouTube.

T I T L E S P O N S O R

Create pleasant ambience at home with Reed Diff users

MUSCAT: A pleasant or foul smell creates the fi rst impres-sion when we enter a room. A quick whiff of a space will di-rectly infl uence our frame of mind for better or worse.

Fill your home with a fresh, clean scent with reed diff users from Adore, now exclusively available across Lifestyle stores.

Indulge in the gorgeous new scents by Adore - Arabian Nights and Luxury Tempta-tions, ideal for any room at home. These stylish diff users fi ll your home with a sublime fragrance to relax, indulge and exhilarate your senses. With a scalloped edge bottle present-ed in a luxury gift box, this will make a wonderful gift for your loved ones.

Lifestyle’s in-house brand Adore specializes in innovative and quality products ranging from decorative gift candles, reed diff user, and potpourri.

A D O R E B R A N D

B6

ROUND-UPT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

‘Kerala offers an idyllic getaway for holiday travellers from Oman’

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Kerala is a holiday destination travellers from Oman should explore, advises Ramesh Nair, director, The Explore Holi-days. He says besides the diver-sity of the land, Kerala is an idyl-lic and convenient getaway for outbound tourists from Oman. Explore Holidays with its head-quarters in Kerala recently opened their offi ce in Oman.

Share with us briefl y how was Explore Holidays conceived? What inspired you to get into the travel industry?

I belong to Kerala which was hardly known as a tourist desti-nation till the 1980s. In the 1990s, thanks to aggressive promotion by the state, the ‘Gods Own Country’ tagline of the state tourism board, and accommodation infrastruc-ture created by Taj, the home-grown CGH Group of the Casino Hotels and other hoteliers/groups, Kerala began to fl ower as a tourist destination. People began to wake up to the beauty of Kerala – its beaches, its backwaters, its green-ery, its hills, its wildlife, its rich culture, arts like Kathakali, Kalari-payettu, Teyyam, woodcarving and silk weaving, its architecture, and other attractions. Kerala is also a leader in ayurveda and yoga. Many

tour operators and travel agents from northern India and overseas began operating tours to Kerala. I felt that I could leverage my knowledge of Kerala’s language, culture and lifestyle to provide ground handling services for their groups and FIT clients. This led to my starting Explore Holidays which focuses largely on Kerala and its neighbouring states of Ta-mil Nadu and Karnataka.

How do you propose to mould yourself as leader in the tour-ism industry considering there are so many players?

We are a very specialised opera-tor with a focus on places we know well. We have drivers who know the terrain, language and destina-tions of Kerala, and they have also been oriented in dealing with tour-ists of diff erent profi les.

Which are the segments you cater to currently? Which oth-er segments do you plan to tap?

Currently, most of our clients come for houseboat stays, back-waters cruise, relaxing holidays at beach, waterfront and hill resorts, and ayurvedic resorts. There are some who visit religious pilgrim-

age places, wildlife reserves or architectural sights like forts, tem-ples and palaces. Some business travellers also come to Kerala. MICE tourism like conferences and incentives is big here. We are always looking for new openings – for instance, wildlife/birdwatch-ing/ecotourism in Kerala is a new fi eld we have entered. We are mentioned in http://www.mam-malwatching.com/Oriental/ori-entindia2011.html as an operator for the Kerala – Tamil Nadu wild-life reserves, and this has inspired us to research deeper into starting specialised mammal or birdwatch-ing tours in this part of India.

Name some of the initiatives you have taken to engage with the Omani market?

Recently we have started an of-fi ce at Oman. Our counterpart, Venu Vasudevan (ex-country man-ager KLM) who has much experi-ence of doing business in the Gulf region will represent the company.

What are some of the popular packages that Explore Holi-days off ers?

We have various packages like Marvellous Kerala, Amazing

Kerala, Enchanting South India, among others. We do have Ayur-veda Package too.

Which are some of the top spots you recommend to the Omani travellers and why?

Kerala is one of India’s greenest states and enjoys high rainfall – therefore, superb waterfalls, lush green forests full of big wildlife like elephants, tigers and bears, tea and spice plantations, paddy fi elds, backwaters and lakes lined with greenery, cool hill resorts and a lovely misty monsoon are some of the hall marks of the state. Since there are fl ights from Oman including the national car-rier’s to Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, this is a convenient destination for travel-lers from Oman to get into a very diff erent environment.

The top destinations we recom-mend are Munnar, Wayanad dis-trict and Periyar lake for enjoying forests, green hills, plantations and wildlife, and Kumarakom,

Alapuzha and Kolam for cruises on the backwaters. Those who like architecture and cultural heritage may be interested in the mosques of Kozhikode and Kasaragod, the Bekal fort, the palace and Syna-gogue of Kochi, the monuments of Thiruvananthapuram, the church-es of Kottayam, and the cultural highlights of Thrissur district which has famous performing arts academies.

In the monsoon, Athirapally is a delightful place to enjoy water-falls and rainforests. Those who prefer beach holidays can choose from Kovalam, Marari and Bekal. Since Indians comprise a large expat population of Oman, Hindu pilgrimage tours to Sabarimala, Ettumanoor, Guruvayoor, Thiru-vananthapuram, etc also have a signifi cant market.

At these destinations, there are good hotels and resorts, and at some places even heritage houses or plantation properties off er unu-sual accommodations. Halal food is easily available everywhere in

Kerala. The fi sh, seafood and veg-etarian food here is also exempla-ry. Thus, we feel that Kerala is an idyllic and convenient getaway for outbound tourists from Oman.

Are you open to custom-made packages? Could you elaborate?

We are extremely well posi-tioned to off er custom-made packages. Many tour operators and individual clients send us details of their interests, budgets and special requirements, and we make the itinerary for them. Whether it is a medical and wellness trip with accommoda-tions in ayurvedic resorts and yoga ashrams, a recreational hol-iday, a honeymoon, a beach holi-day, a wildlife tour, a pilgrimage, we plan the itinerary and work out costing for the client. We are open to handling specialised tours like agriculture, birdwatching, arts, handicrafts, martial arts/music/dance, cooking lessons, cuisine, etc if we get enough time to plan the package.

Explore Holidays with

its headquarters in

Kerala recently opened

their offi ce in Oman

Bank Sohar reiterates support to women on Omani Women’s Day MUSCAT: Inspired by the Royal vision of His Majesty Sultan Qa-boos bin Said for the empower-ment of Omani women, Bank Sohar continues to play a com-mendable part in the realisation of this strategic national goal and be a leader in gender diversity; supporting women in the work-place, as customers and in the community. Through a multi-pronged eff ort that combines fe-male recruitment, skills develop-ment, leadership training, as well as entrepreneurship promotion, Bank Sohar is determined to make a diff erence not only to help wom-en fulfi ll their potential as lead-ers in the bank, but to also play a critical role with its customers and communities in supporting and furthering the role and growth of women as partners alongside men in national development.

“Bank Sohar is committed to be-ing a leader in the advancement of women in the Sultanate and aside from our own eff orts we are a proud supporter of many local organisations focused on helping women on a personal and profes-sional level. A key example of such a contribution is the bank’s spon-sorship of the Al Mara Excellence Awards which is planned to be or-ganised November 17th,” said Ms. Munira Abdulnabi Macki, DGM of Human Resources and Corpo-

rate Support. “Furthermore, as a community focused organisation, we will always join Oman to com-memorate Omani Women’s Day, a day set aside to celebrate the suc-cess and contribution of women in the Sultanate.”

Bank Sohar has, since its in-ception in 2007, made impressive strides in empowering Omani women both within the bank and in the community, as key driv-ers of economic development. Thanks to a comprehensive pro-gramme adopted by the Bank since its launch, women now account for a creditable 28 per cent of its workforce. They hold positions of signifi cant responsibility, author-

ity and leadership across the vari-ous departments including Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking, Hu-man Resources and many more.

“As an organization where women make up more than 28 per cent of our employee base, we take a keen interest in women’s issues, because these are topics of concern and interest to our em-ployees, our community and to our customers across our bank-ing network,” added Ms. Munira Abdulnabi Macki.

Thus, in the context of this year’s Omani Women’s Day, which was celebrated across the nation on October 17, Bank Sohar has a lot to be proud of in terms of its ongo-ing policy of engaging women as partners in the Banking Sector.

At Bank Sohar over 171 women currently work alongside men to-wards the unifi ed goal of achieving the Bank’s growth objectives. They have made impressive strides in all aspects of their jobs, with sev-eral of them already holding posi-tions of authority by virtue of their professional performance and tal-ent. They have demonstrated their indispensability to the success of the bank’s operations by shoul-dering their responsibilities with remarkable confi dence, effi ciency and poise. Clearly, they represent a vital part of the Bank Sohar family and the community.

P R O U D T O B E C O M M I T T E D

KR Group sponsors women empowerment workshopMUSCAT: The Khimji Ramdas Group is always at the forefront of corporate social responsibility activities and people empower-ment endeavours. Recently the Group concentrated its eff orts on one of the country’s most vital human resources – its women.

Through two of its business units, The Watches Division and P&G Division (Wella Koleston brand), KR lent its support to a fi ve-day workshop titled “Devel-oping Women Entrepreneurs” aimed at Omani women, to help them successfully manage their business ventures. Conducted free of charge for the participants, at the Oman Chambers of Com-merce & Industry, the sympo-sium was KR’s way of recognising women’s aspirations of steering their own destiny through eco-nomic independence and es-tablishing their own identity as successful businesswomen.

The seminar was divided into two main components handled individually by the Art of Living Foundation and Matrix Oman. Together they focused on the best ways to develop skill sets for at-taining success in private busi-ness and ventures

Commenting on the workshop, Asma Khalis, Art of Living, In-ternational Faculty member said, “We thank the Khimji Ramdas

Group for their support of our ini-tiatives. The KR Group is always recognized for their unwavering commitment to social causes and their support of this workshop, through their businesses like Khimji’s Watches and P & G Divi-sion, proves just how committed they are.”

Suleiman Al Rahbi, National Director of Matrix Oman said, “We are extremely grateful to the Khimji Ramdas Group for extend-ing whole hearted support to the workshop. We can think of no bet-ter corporate partner to represent the cause of the Omani woman than KR. Their unequivocal sup-port refl ects the company’s high regard and respect for one of the country’s most valued resources – its women.”

The Art of Living session

taught women how to eliminate and deal with stress through meditation, yoga and other tech-niques. Women, especially those juggling home and work, were introduced to de-stressing ac-tivities designed to develop self-confi dence and help them take fi rmer charge of their daily lives without the added pressure.

The second component, deliv-ered by Matrix Oman, focused on developing business skills of ac-counting, book-keeping, market-ing and encouraging women to be more open to challenges in the entrepreneurial fi eld.

The workshop was held at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI); on its con-clusion all participants received certificates recognising their active participation.

C S R I N I T I A T I V E

Vasudevan Ramesh Nair

T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

ROUND-UPB7

al Mazyona campaign celebrated in Sohar

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat marked a celebration in Sohar as part of the OMR1 million al Mazyona year-end grand prize campaign across the Sultanate. The grand prize will be shared by 10 customers cover-ing all the governorates, including one Priority Banking customer, who will receive OMR100,000 each. Customers maintaining a minimum balance of OMR1000 for the last quarter of the year are eligible for the grand prize draw. A large turn-out of customers and senior bank offi cials attend-ed the al Mazyona family event held in Crowne Plaza Hotel. The highlight was al Mazyona operetta,

which evocatively conveyed the message of prudent savings hab-its through the folklore song and dance programme.

Ali Jama, senior regional man-ager – North Batinah, said: “al Ma-zyona reaffi rms the bank’s vision and constant eff orts to fulfi ll the aspirations and ambitions of the largest banking family in Oman. The fl agship savings scheme has won the hearts of people and suc-ceeded in realising the dreams of thousands of customers. The bank attaches great importance to inculcating prudent savings and spending habits and has tailored al Mazyona scheme with this ob-jective in mind. The series of big prizes from Bank Muscat is the major attraction of al Mazyona which off ers fair and transpar-ent winning chances for all seg-ments of customers.” al Mazyona

2013 scheme off ers a total prize money of over RO 7 million. As on date, the scheme off ers the biggest prize money in Oman and the re-gion. Notably, the enhanced prize money is shared by more win-ners as customers from all gov-ernorates are guaranteed to win prizes ranging from OMR1000 a week, OMR50,000 every quarter to OMR100,000 at the end of the year. The 2013 al Mazyona scheme reaches out to all individual seg-ments with exclusive prizes ear-marked for ladies, youth, children and high savings balance custom-ers in all regions. al Mazyona has consistently been a huge success. The objective of al Mazyona is to create a lifetime change for win-ners and allow them to invest their prize money in things that will make a lasting diff erence and the well-being of their families.

An added attraction is that the winning chances get multiplied by the number of years customers are associated with al Mazyona savings scheme. For example, if a customer has been saving for 5 years, his chances of winning get multiplied by 5 times and simi-larly if he has been maintaining al Mazyona savings account for 20 years, his chances get multiplied 20 times and so on. This benefi t is unique only to al Mazyona savings scheme and no other bank off ers this, as on date. This provides high savers with the best chance to win the year-end RO 1 million prizes.

Over the years, al Mazyona has succeeded in inculcating a strong savings culture in Oman. The fl exible scheme makes regular saving easier and is available across the largest network of 138 branches in Oman.

The grand prize

will be shared by 10

customers covering

all the governorates,

including one Priority

Banking customer,

who will receive

OMR100,000 each

Seasons promotion on Nissan Maxima MUSCAT: Nissan Oman from the house of Suhail Bahwan Au-tomobiles has introduced an ex-citing line up of off ers on all their SUV, Crossover, Sedan and LCV models. Their special ‘seasons promotions’ are not to be missed until October 31, 2013 which have been launched for Nissan’s most valued patrons.

Nissan has a heritage of show-casing some of the most amazing benefi ts for their customers by introducing unique off ers on their prestigious line up of vehicles. In an eff ort to make Nissan vehicles aff ordable and accessible to all, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles has taken up this unique initiative. The Nissan Maxima is a great fusion between a sedan and the soul of a sports car. And this combination of sports sedan styling along with ample comfort and luxury that the Maxima provides has made it a favorite among the youngsters in the Sultanate. Customers buying

the sporty Nissan Maxima will be eligible for several benefi ts that include free registration, free in-surance, free 6 years extended war-ranty and free 1 year or 10,000 kms (whichever comes fi rst) periodic maintenance. One of the major highlights include that customers will be eligible to avail all the above benefi ts along with guaranteed cash back of OMR500.

The breakthrough exterior design of the Maxima imparts a feeling of powerful driving mo-tion which combines an ag-gressive stance and the power-ful 3.5L, V6 engine with 290 HP/64000 RPM Xtronic CVT transmission. The new Nissan Maxima delivers quick accel-eration and lasting euphoria with Paddle shifter, Cruise control and Bluetooth technology for a better driving experience.

Apart from its performance, Nissan Maxima also off ers maxi-mum comfort and safety.

A T T R A C T I V E O F F E R S

Malabar Gold announces online shopping, Mine Diwali collectionMUSCAT: Malabar Gold & Dia-monds announced their foray into online shopping with launch of www.shopmgd.com along with launch of their price friendly Mine Diamond Diwali collection. Both the launches were done by Brand Ambassador Kareena Ka-poor in a glittering function held at JW Marriot, Mumbai, in the presence of many dignitaries and senior directors of Malabar Gold & Diamonds.

The products purchased through shopmgd.com has various features which includes return within 14 days, free insurance cov-erage, life long free maintenance, detailed break up of pricing with gold rate, labour charges, stone weight among others. Since they are certifi ed products, they can easily be exchanged at its stores.

Brand Ambassador Kareena Kapoor added “I am very happy to be here at the launch. My schedule

has always been very hectic and with Diwali around the corner, I always need to purchase gifts for my friends and family. Malabar Gold and Diamonds E commerce site launch comes at a perfect tim-ing. I can shop for my favorite piec-es at my convenience and get it de-livered at home. And if it is coming from a trusted group like Malabar Gold & Diamonds, then we don’t have to worry about the quality”.

Company also launched ‘Mine

Diamonds Diwali Collection’ an-other exclusive and price friendly product off ering from the brand. This collection has a range of necklaces crafted by the talented designers of Malabar Gold & Dia-monds in association with The R&D team.

These diamond necklaces are of premium quality diamond certi-fi ed by IGI, and has the character-istic product off ering of Malabar Gold & Diamonds.

S H O P O N L I N E

Modify lifestyle, prevent kidney stone formation, says expertMUSCAT: Modifi cation of life-style can prevent formation of kidney stones to a certain ex-tent. Often, stone patients, after the surgery, take it for granted that they are completely free from possible stone formation in future.

In fact, the risk of stone for-mation for patients who had suf-fered from stones before is very much likely, says Dr Arun Panackal (M.B.B.S, M.D, FCS – Urology), urologist at KIMS Oman Hospital. Lifestyle modifi -cations include enough water in-take, a diet low in salt and animal protein, caution with calcium supplements and oxalate-rich food items and moderate exer-cise. Indeed, one must ensure that he/she drinks enough water, and avoid chocolates.

Kidney stones that remain in-side the body can lead to many conditions, including severe pain and ureter (the tube connecting the kidney and bladder) blockage that obstructs the path urine uses to leave the body. It is a must for stone patients to undergo follow up with their urologist regularly, Dr Panackal added.

CausesAbout 25 per cent of patients with kidney stones have a family history of stones. The peak inci-dence of urinary calculi is from the twenties to the forties. The prevalence of urinary calculi is higher in those who live in moun-tainous, desert, or tropical areas. Dietary factors that increase the risk of stone formation include low fl uid intake and high dietary intake of animal proteins, sodi-um, refi ned sugars, fructose etc.

In Oman, risk of stones is pri-marily due to less water intake and more animal protein. Water intake plays a major role in the prevention of stones. It acts by two ways. First, it causes me-chanical expulsion of stones, second it prevents saturation of

urinary minerals that can cause stone formation. The presence or absence of certain trace ele-ments in water has been impli-cated in the formation of urinary calculi. For example, zinc is an inhibitor of calcium crystalliza-tion. There are certain diseases that can result in stone forma-tion hyperparathyroidism, in-testinal diseases, post intestinal surgeries, gout, cancers, bed rid-den patients, urinary tract infec-tions and patient on long time catheters.

SymptomsKidney stones typically leave the body by passage in the urine stream, and many stones are formed and passed without caus-ing symptoms. If stones grow to suffi cient size (usually at least 3mm) they can cause obstruc-tion of the ureter.

This leads to pain, most com-monly felt in the fl ank (the area between the ribs and hip), lower abdomen, and groin (a condi-tion called renal colic) is often described as one of the strongest pain sensations known. Renal colic can be associated with nau-sea, vomiting, fever, blood in the urine, pus in the urine, and pain-

ful urination. Renal colic typical-ly comes in waves lasting 20 to 60 minutes, peristaltic contrac-tions of the ureter as it attempts to expel the stone, beginning in the fl ank or lower back and often radiating to the groin or genitals.

Pain from renal stones comes only when they move down or causes obstructions. That is why stone can remain in the kidneys for years without causing problems.

DiagnosisThe diagnosis of kidney stones is made on the basis of information obtained from the history, physi-cal examination, urine analysis (pain with blood in the urine is striking sign of urinary stones) and Ultrasound examination and CT Scan also aid in the diagnosis. There are some stones that can-not be seen on X-rays (like uric acid stone which are common with gout patients).

Management Patients always have a concep-tion that medication can break the stone, there is no medication till now that can break the stone, except for the uric acid stone which can be dissolved by Citra soda. That is one of the reasons that surgical techniques are de-veloping so fast. Management of stones depends upon the size and the position of the stone in the urinary tract.

For kidney stones there is no medical management, but some herbal medications have shown some benefi t but it is diffi cult to comment on it. For ureteric stones depending upon the size and symptoms medical management are tried to help in the passage of stones. Surgery also depends on the size and the position of the stone; small stones less the 5mm in the kidneys can be left for observation.

Today, any size of stone irre-spective of the position can be taken out completely with endo-scopic techniques.

H E A L T H Y L I V I N G

Dr. Arun Panackal

B8

ROUND-UPT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

omanoil launches new brand of lubricants

MUSCAT: Oman Oil Market-ing Company (omanoil) has launched its own brand of lubri-cants in the Sultanate of Oman as part of its strategy to diversify the petroleum industry.

Announcing the launch, Engi-neer Omar Ahmed Salim Qatan, CEO, omanoil, said, “We are de-lighted to introduce our new lu-bricant products under the oma-noil brand and celebrate another milestone in our ten-year history. This range of lubricants marks the fi rst ever product of its kind to be manufactured by omanoil, and we are pleased to off er our specially designed range to better serve the

nation and people with local products of international standards.”

Engineer Nabeel Al Ruwaidhi, general manager for commercial, lubricants, marine, aviation and business development, Oman-oil said, “The products we are introducing to the Omani mar-ket include a range of lubricants starting with Optimo – a passen-ger car motor oil developed to pro-vide power and performance and Maximo – a diesel range catering to commercial vehicles.

“Also under the omanoil brand are Marino – an advanced for-mulation oil specially developed for fi shing and leisure outboard engines and Ancillary – a range that reduces wear and tear and includes cool guard, gear guard, power guard, speed guard and fric-tion guard. We manufacture these

products outside Oman. We export our products to many countries.”

Enhancing its comprehensive product off ering, omanoil’s range of high performance automotive, commercial and speciality lu-bricants and greases have been formulated to heighten all-round performance of vehicles and im-prove driving satisfaction. Pro-viding high quality lubricants to cater to every vehicle engine need, omanoil is keeping its promise to better serve the na-tion with local products of inter-national standards.

He further said, “In creating the lubricants range, we coupled our innate understanding of our customers’ lifestyles as well as our knowledge of Oman’s diverse terrain and weather conditions with extensive research and devel-

opment. We have adopted the most advanced global technology to produce lubricants especially tailored to Oman.”

Produced at state-of-the-art facilities, omanoil ensures its lu-bricants meet international qual-ity standards and the specifi ca-tions of the American Petroleum Institute. Engineer Al Ruwaidhi went on to say that with the vast development of vehicle engines, the applications for lubricants have increased by type and speci-ality. omanoil will keep abreast of this ever-changing development to formulate lubricants to supply modern day vehicles and all types of equipment needs. Shaukath Hussain Assadi, senior lubricants manager and Prakash Rangaraj, lubricants export manager, were present on the occasion.

Providing high quality

lubricants to cater to

every vehicle engine

need, omanoil is

keeping its promise to

better serve the nation

with local products

of international

standards

A’Saff a Foods launches Khayrat beef burger MUSCAT: A’ Saff a Foods has reinforced its brand promise by off ering customers one of their most tasty Khayrat beef burg-ers which are high in taste and quality. The launch of the new brand is a major step forward in A’Saff a Foods becoming one of the leading food producers in Oman and across the region as it diversifi es into new areas building on the success of its chicken products that use the best quality ingredients that are healthy, tasty and 100 per cent pure Halal. Leading the launch of the new range of Khayrat food products is the new 100 per cent natural and tasty beef burger, which has been made using only the best quality ingredients. The burger will be the fi rst of a long list of beef, meat and vegetable products introduced to A’Saff a customers which will continue to be produced us-ing A’Saff a’s principles with only the most natural ingredients and 100 per cent pure Halal preparation techniques. Sidhar-tha Lenka, Head Marketing & Sales of A’Saff a foods said “The name Khayrat means ‘the fi nest of crops’ or the ‘best quality ingredients’ and this is what we strive to provide for our cus-tomers in everything we produce, and the new range of meat and vegetable products planned to launch soon will not be any diff erent.” “Everything will be produced using the fi nest and healthiest of ingredients and will strictly adhering to the Halal procedures A’Saff a is famous for using across our range of poul-try products. Now we can bring families across the Sultanate a wide range of food choices that everyone can enjoy”.

PSC ladies wing cooking competition on Oct 31MUSCAT: Ladies wing of Pakistan Social Club Oman has announced that the Ladies Cooking Competition 2013 would be held on October 31, 2013 at Hotel Al-Falaj from 5 p.m. on-wards. Ladies from all communities are invited to visit and enjoy this family fi esta in Muscat. Naheed Ayaz, wife of Pa-kistan’s ambassador to Oman will be the chief guest of the festival. Three chefs from renowned hotels will judge the food prepared by the participants. Top three positions will be awarded. Other activities to add some sparkle to the event is live musical show performed by well-known singers. Henna and nail polish will be available. Stall displaying jewellery, la-dies textile, shoes, cosmetic items and a food court will be an attraction. Alongside, a quiz competition will be held and at-tractive prizes will be given away. This family fi esta is open to the ladies and girls of all communities residing in Oman.

Chopard’s vibrant range of handbags now in OmanMUSCAT: Chopard, an in-ternationally renowned lux-ury house, is off ering a new range of leather handbags and clutches which is chic, func-tional and boasts of vibrant colours and opulence. This range can be ordered in Oman at the Khimji’s Watches show-room, the one-stop destination for world class brands. Epony-mous with bright colours and luxurious textures, Chopard’s new range is the ultimate breath of fresh air intended for a re-fi ned, dynamic woman of today, who appreciates the discreet luxury of extremely beautiful objects. Known for its innova-tive use of precious skins and distinct colour palette, these new handbags combine exquisite Italian craftsmanship with legendary Chopard style. Madhursinh Jesrani, general man-ager, Khimji’s Watches comments: “The latest Chopard hand-bags are exclusive, authentic and timeless. Be it the Happy Day bag in orange calfskin or the Imperiale All Day Mini bag in soft light pink calfskin, the new range is the quintessence of classic elegance and makes for the ultimate luxury accessory. All day or all night, these beautiful bags are never out of place. Its fi nesse and quality of its materials with a spacious volume and beautiful colours meet the needs of today’s woman”.

B R I E F S

NEW OFFERING: Senior offi cials of omanoil launched the new products here on Sunday.

– Jun Estrada/ TIMES OF OMAN

Special off er on Renault FluenceMUSCAT: Suhail Bahwan Auto-mobiles has gained rave reviews from auto fanatics in the region for this year’s launch of their new Phase 2 Renault Fluence.

Now, the new Renault Flu-ence is available across Oman with the new 1.6 16V 112 CVT X-Tronic automatic gearbox and the 2.0 16V 143 CVT X-Tronic Automat-ic gearbox. With Renault’s growing popularity amongst all segments of people in town, Renault Oman has introduced a special pricing scheme for their valued customers where they can buy the stylish Renault Fluence at OMR89 on CVI (Con-tinuous Variable Instalment) basis with an initial 20 percent down payment only.

Customers also get to avail unlimited benefi ts like free reg-istration, free insurance, 6 years unlimited mileage warranty, free AAA road assistance and lastly free service for 20,000 kms/1 year (whichever is earlier). Eligi-

ble customers can now avail this unique off er that will make their purchasing convenient and easy. The Renault Fluence is packed with high-end technologies designed to make driving simpler. The vehicle also off ers a range of driver-assistance technologies, including the hands-free key card for no-touch locking and unlocking of doors, as well as push-button ignition.

On the higher equipment level,

the parking assist system of new Fluence features four rear-park-ing sensors neatly integrated into the rear bumper. Another intelli-gent feature is the automatic park-ing brake, which applies itself as soon as the ignition is turned off and released once the engine is running again.

The Renault Fluence off ers more generous passenger space than other vehicles in the same class. Interior measurements are highly

impressive, with elbow room of 1,480mm in the front and 1,475mm at the rear. Rear passengers enjoy class-leading legroom, with 238mm of knee space, with access to more than 23 litres of in-cabin storage. The boot capacity of 530 litres is among the biggest in C-Sedan class, with a low loading sill (727mm) and wide aperture (1,020mm).

From its entry level model, the Renault Fluence off ers ABS with electronic brake force distribu-tion, emergency brake assist, three-point front safety belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, driver and front passenger air-bags, three-point Isofi x child seat anchorage for the outer rear seats and projector headlights.

Available as standard or option-al, depending on the equipment level, are safety key features such as stability control (ESP) with under steer control, front side airbags, as well as front and rear curtain airbags.

A T T R A C T I V E B E N E F I T S

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

SPOR SY O U R G A M E

SECTIONC T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

WMS’ YOUNG DRIVERS SHINE IN UAE SERIESThe Wahaibi Motorsport backed trio of Shihab Al Habsi, Khalid Al Wahaibi and Waheeb Al Kharusi have shown their mettle at the Round 2 and 3 of the UAE Rotax Max challenge Kart series at the Dubai Autodrome recently. >C6

Golfi ng gathers ‘huge momentum’ in Oman

SPORTS REPORTER

MUSCAT: National Finance, one of the leading fi nancial com-panies in the Sultanate, in asso-ciation with International Heavy Enterprises (IHE), offi cial deal-ers of Volvo Trucks & Buses, is all set to organise an Open Golf Tournament at the Ghala Valley on Friday.

Speaking to Times Sport in an interview, Robert Pancras, chief executive offi cer of National Fi-nance said with Oman becoming a top destination for golfers in the Middle East, the tournament will be an ideal platform.

“This inaugural tournament gives golfers, who are members of a local golf club, a real opportu-nity to up their game, and also en-courages the youth to get involved and experience the essence of this globally acclaimed sport,” Pancras said.

According to Pancras with the investments made in golf course development and associated infrastructure, there has been

a real upsurge in participation in the sport.

“In Oman, golf has been wit-nessing the game’s popularity increasing, with a number of pro-fessional courses sprouting and more people being enthused by the precision sport.

“Working in collaboration with our partners IHE and Ghala Valley Golf Club has allowed us to stage a signature golf tourna-ment — something exclusive for the local golfi ng community, and has increased awareness about the sport of golf in the Sultanate,” Pancras noted.

Pancras said with more tourna-

ments being organised, there has been a noticeable upsurge in tal-ent and interest in the sport.

“Our aim is to capitalise on this interest and contribute meaning-fully to raise the profi le of golf in the Sultanate, while recognis-ing some of the fi nest golfers here,” he said.

The organisers, according to Pancras, may plan on holding the event annually.

“We are hopeful that this tour-nament will be a great success and we defi nitely look forward to taking a decision about a possi-ble 2014 edition in consultation, of course, with our partners,” he said.

When asked if the company would support more such ini-tiatives in the future, Pancras had this to add: “National Finance has supported the development of a number of sports over the years, and more recently has sponsored junior football. We will continue to be supportive and look for the right opportunities where we be-lieve we can add value.”

G O L F

Our aim is to capitalise

on this interest

and contribute

meaningfully to raise

the profi le of golf in the

Sultanate

Robert PancrasCEO, National Finance

The National Finance

and International Heavy

Enterprises Open Golf

Tournament will be staged

at Ghala Valley on Friday

OOC board to meet on Nov 4MUSCAT: The Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) board mem-bers are scheduled to gather for the second meeting of the year under the chairmanship of com-mittee chief Khalid bin Moham-med Al Zubair on November 4.

According to a press release, the main agenda, however, will be reviewing of the programmes and activities held from May to September this year. The mem-bers will also assess the results of courses and international meet-ings prior to Oman’s participation

in the fourth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in South Ko-rean city of Incheon in June-July, second Asian Youth Games host-ed by Nanjing , China in August and September-October Islamic Solidarity Games organised in South Sumatra in Indonesia.

The board will also be briefed on Oman’s participation in the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) meeting where the Sultanate was repre-sented by OOC chief Khalid Al Zubair and General Secretary

Taha Al Kishry. Oman’s par-ticipation in the Arab National Olympic Committees meeting in Saudi Arabia, where Al Zubair was elected as a member, will also come up for discussion.

The board members are also scheduled to hold discussions on invitations received for the in-ternational events to be held in 2014 and possible participation in those events, the prominent be-ing the World Martial Arts Festi-val to be organised in Kish (Iran) from November 12 to 16 in 2014.

R E V I E W I N G A C T I V I T I E S

Aiyman strikes gold for Oman

MUSCAT: Aiyman Al Kulaibi turned the golden boy of the Sul-tanate winning the country’s fi rst medal of yellow colour in the on-going GCC Swimming Champion-ships at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex yesterday.

On the second day of the region’s premier swimming meet, Aiyman made a splash in the pool, delight-ing the local fans by winning the top honours in the 200m back-stroke competition.

The Omani swimer clocked two minutes and 9.55 seconds (2:09.55) to fi nish well ahead of Kuwait’s Salman Jabir Mandani (2:12.93) and UAE’s Yaqoob Yousef Al Saadi (2:13.70) to clinch the gold.

Aiyman’s eff ort helped Oman, who won 11 medals on the in-

augural day, to take their medal tally to 20.

After yesterday’s competitions in the open category, the medal winners were honoured during a colour ceremony presided over by Oman Olympic Committee chief Khalid bin Mohammed Al Zubair and attended by Oman Swimming Association chairman Taha Al Kishry and members of Arab and GCC swimming bodies.

In the morning, Omani swim-mers bagged four medals besides Aiyman’s gold. In the fi rst race of the day, Oman won both silver and bronze in the 1,500m freestyle.

Mohammed Al Habsi took sil-ver in clocking 17:16.14 to fi nish behind Kuwait’s Abdullah Al Fa-had (17:14.71) while fellow Omani

Khalid Al Kulaibi (17:26.79).In the 50m freestyle for un-

der-10 boys, Kuwait’s Bader Majdi (31.47) took gold ahead of compa-triot Saud Thamer (31.70) and Ra-him Abdulali Hussein (32.92).

Meanwhile, Oman’s Moham-

med Abdullah denied Kuwait a clean sweep in the 50m freestyle competition. He took silver in 24.44 seconds while

Mohammed Ahmad (23.56) and (24.49) took gold and bronze re-spectively.

The gold in 100m breaststroke went to UAE’s Mubarak Moham-ed Salem (1:04.17) who fi nished ahead of Kuwait pair of Abdulrah-man Fahad Al Badr (1:04.47) and Ahmad Fahad Al Bader (1:04.56).

In 200m individual medley, the Kuwaitis fi nished one-two with Saud Thamer Shamrookh (2:55.03) and Bader Majdi (2:59.35) taking gold and silver respectively. Qatar’s Rahim Abdullali Hussein (3:01.22) fi nished third.

In 4x100m medley, Kuwaiti team of Saud Abdulaziz, Abdul-rahman Fahad Bader, Marzouq Faisal Al Salem and Mohamed Ahmed (3:56.89) won gold ahead of UAE’s Yaqoob Yousef Al Saadi, Mubarak Mohammed Salim, Ali Ahmad Al Kaabi and Mohammed Jassim Al Muhairi (3:57.66) while Omani quartet of Aiyman Al Ku-laibi, Issa Sameer Al Adawi, Nid-hal Suleiman Al Harrassi and Mo-hammed bin Abdullah (4:20.47) clinched bronze.

The Kuwaiti swimmers contin-ued their dominance in the after-noon starting with a 200m free-style gold won by Saud Abdulaziz. Saudi Arabia’s Ali Habib Issa and

Kuwait’s Ahmed Hussein Ahmed won silver and bronze respectively.

In the 400m individual medley, Marzouk Faisal Al Salem won an-other old for Kuwait while Rahman Yahya Al Kulaibi bagged silver for Oman. The bronze medal went to Bahrain’s Khalid Abdulla Baba.

In 50m breaststroke for un-der-10 boys, Kuwait’s Fahim Mas-sad Fahim and Abdullah Ahmed Eid won gold and silver while Bahrain’s Abdulla Khalid Jamal won bronze.

In 100m butterfl y, UAE’s Obaid Ahmed Al Jasmi won gold medal and his compatriot Ali Saeed Al Kaabi took silver with Oman’s Nawaf Munir Al Qasimi bagging the bronze.

In 200m breaststroke, Kuwaiti’s Ahmad Fahad Al Bader took gold followed by fellow countryman Abdulrahman Fahad Bader and Oman’s Issa Samir Al Adawi.

Kuwait won two more gold med-als taking top honours in both 4x50m freestyle and 4x100m free-style events. In 4x50m, Qatar won silver ahead of Bahrain while in the 4x100m UAE pipped Oman for silver.

The Omani’s eff ort helped the hosts, who won

11 medals on the inaugural day, to boost their

medal tally to 20 on the second day

GOLDEN MOMENT: Oman’s Aiyman Al Kulaibi, who won the gold in

the 200m backstroke event, is fl anked by silver medalist Salman

Jabir Mandani of Kuwait and bronze medalist Yaqoob Yousef Al

Saadi of the UAE. – Supplied photo

C2

SPORTST U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

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‘I live to win Slams’

ISTANBUL: Serena Williams believes her best years may still be ahead of her after she ended 2013 in record-breaking style on Sunday. The 32-year-old American successfully defended her WTA Championships title, beating Li Na 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, to fi nish 2013 with a 78th victory against just four loss-es, and 11th title of the year.

Williams fi nished the campaign with prize-money of $12,385,572, shattering the all-time women’s record set last year by Victoria Azarenka, who won $7,923,920.

It’s also the third-highest single season prize-money total in tennis history, men’s and women’s, only Novak Djokovic’s 2011 and 2012 totals are higher.

She is the fourth player ever to win four or more titles at the season-ending event and the old-est champion. Williams is also the fi rst player to win 11 WTA titles in a season since 1997 when Martina Hingis won 12.

Worryingly for her fl agging ri-vals, she now boasts a record of winning 32 of her last 34 matches against top fi ve players.

Furthermore, Sunday’s triumph

may just persuade Williams that adding to her 17 Grand Slam titles during 2014 is certainly possible, and that winning another six, to overhaul Steffi Graf, might eventu-ally come within reach too.

But Williams declined to say whether or not 2013 was her best year. “I live to win Slams,” she said. “I am excited to win the WTA Championships, but I would say (this season is) only top three. I am not going to say that this is the best. I think some years I can do better and next year, I hope, look forward to it.”

Williams, who will turn 33 next

September, did agree, however, that she might reduce the number of tournaments on her schedule in 2014 after playing more than 80 matches this year.

“I think 15 is a bare minimum....defi nitely not more, maybe one or two fewer, maybe 13 or 14.”

Williams had needed three sets to beat Jelena Jankovic in a drain-ing semifi nal on Saturday and was in trouble on Sunday at a set down and 3-3 in the second before she reeled off nine games in succes-sion against her 31-year-old Chi-nese opponent.

“I’ve just had a really long year,

and I’m just really excited, hon-estly. I really didn’t expect to get through this match today,” admit-ted the American.

Asked how she had managed to refuel after her exhausting near-disaster against Jankovic, Wil-liams said: “My mum said maybe to get out of my room and have din-ner. “I didn’t do treatment and that got my mind off tennis altogether and I think it helped.”

As for Li Na, Williams said she felt some empathy. “Li is older and adding some things to her game,” she said. “And I defi nitely want to do the same.” - AFP

Worryingly for her

fl agging rivals,

Serena Williams now

boasts a record of

winning 32 of her last

34 matches against

top fi ve players

VICTORY NO. 78: Serena Williams, left, Li Na pose their trophies afte the WTA Championships fi nal in

Istanbul on Sunday. – Reuters

Age is no barrier as Li hits new heightsISTANBUL: Li Na’s fi ne perfor-mance in getting to the fi nal of the season-ending WTA Champion-ships was one in the eye for those who suggested that her best was behind her.

Instead, at the age of 31, Li has not only become the fi rst Asian to reach world No. 3 but her game is evolving cleverly enough to hope for further triumphs in 2014.

Although Li conceded the last nine games in a 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 loss to Serena Williams on Sunday, there was evidence of new tacti-cal options and growing self-con-fi dence as she overcame Victoria Azarenka, the world No. 2, and then troubled the world No. 1 in the fi nal.

At fi rst she downplayed her hopes and achievements, as perhaps she needed to, both for modesty’s sake and to avoid self-infl icted pressure.

“Number three was the goal at the beginning of the year. I don’t know, lucky or happy in the last tournament, I made it,” she said.

“So it’s a pretty good ending for 2013,” Li added, prompting the question whether she would now aim for world number two.

“Why not?” she said, shrugging her shoulders.

More importantly she will keep her focus to day-to-day mat-ters, like adding to her ability to take the ball early and dictate the pattern of the rallies, like improv-ing and mixing in more serve-vol-leys, and paying close attention to her schedule to avoid injury and exhaustion.

Li is also trying to access po-tential still contained within her and to release unused abilities.

Her coach Carlos Rodriguez

has, she says, been trying to get her to unlock herself, not get so tight inside, and to play more freely.

“I don’t know, I think maybe it’s diff erent between Chinese and Western, because I think West-ern people, they like to share how you are feeling now,” the woman from Wuhan said.

“For myself, if I feeling some-thing, I never try to talk to the team. I always block (the feeling). I always feel I’m strong enough, I can fi x everything.

“But this is I think a weakness. So I think the real strong person, for sure, they will speak out, be-cause they fi nd someone can help them to be even more stronger.

“So that’s why I was feeling ter-rible every time I talked to Carlos. But now I am feeling much better, because I try to open my mind a little bit to share the feeling.

“If he really want it, I can be more like Serena. Maybe he should teach me (that),” she said with a hint of the humour which has made her so popular.

As for how to beat Serena Wil-liams, something she has man-aged only once in 11 attempts, more than fi ve years ago, Li was more cautious.

“I don’t think any other player gives me the same feeling,” she admitted, referring to the Ameri-can’s ability to overwhelm not only with sheer power but with her presence.

One remedy Li attempted dur-ing the fi nal on Sunday against the 32-year-old American brought smiles both from her and her listeners.

“Yeah, don’t look at her at all, you know,” she said. - AFP

G O O D E N D T O 2 0 1 3

Federer doesn’t

care about top

spot: Nadal

PARIS: Been there, done that. Roger Federer does not need to be world No. 1 anymore and he might well be a top contender at next year’s Australian Open, his chief rival Rafa Nadal said.

Federer’s decline has been well documented since 2011 but the Swiss, however, does remain a formidable opponent, according to current world No. 1 Nadal.

“I don’t have any doubt that he will be playing better than what he did this year,” the Span-iard told a news conference at the Paris Masters, where the two could clash in the fi nal.

“No doubt about that. His tal-ent allows him to keep being one of the favourites, to keep win-ning the best tournaments of the year. So talking about if he’s able to be back or try to be back in the No. 1 (spot), I think it’s not his goal, because at the end he already has been there. He has been in the top positions of the ranking for a long time.” - Reuters

R A N K I N G

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SPORTST U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

Kiwis seek revenge in Bangladesh

DHAKA: New Zealand will be seeking to avenge a humiliating loss to Bangladesh three years ago when the One-day International (ODI) series against the hosts starts here today.

New Zealand were stunned in 2010 when they went down 4-0 to a young Bangladeshi side, a drub-bing that sparked repercussions back home with several team offi -cials forced to quit.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum insisted yesterday that the current side has learnt the les-sons from that defeat.

“We certainly haven’t forgotten it, 4-0 was a very one-sided con-

test which Bangladesh thoroughly deserved to win,” McCullum said ahead of the fi rst ODI.

“We played some bad shots, we weren’t prepared for the series and we have tried to plan against that by having guys prepare a lot better.

“From our point of view we want to carve out our own performanc-es, and it would be great for us to turn the tables from what hap-pened the last time,” he said.

New Zealand were frustrated in

the just fi nished Test series, with both matches against the hosts in Chittagong and Dhaka ending in a draw.

But McCullum said he was more confi dent of his side’s chances in the one-dayers, pointing to the ex-perience and success of the play-ers in the shorter game.

“We have got more experience in the one-day side,” he told a press conference in Dhaka.

“I think, now the Test team we

are developing as a Test team we are nowhere near the fi nished product. I think the one-day team is pretty set in how we play.”

“We have had more success in the one-day game of late, we prob-ably feel a lot more confi dent in the one-day format at this point of time.”

Bangladesh captain Mushfi qur Rahim was drawing inspiration from the Test series, which they dominated in phases, while also

remembering their stunning suc-cess three years ago.

“If you see the overall results, we have earned a lot of positive things in terms of individual per-formances and the team as well,” Mushfi qur said.

“So from this side, everyone is confi dent. The last time we played against them we won 4-0 in the ODIs, so we have good memo-ries, although that is three to four years ago.

“I think in our own ground we are a strong side in the one-day internationals. If we can play up to our potential in all the three departments then we will do well,” he said.

However, Bangladesh suf-fered an injury blow in the lead up to the series, with pace bowler Shafi ul Islam ruled out with a twisted ankle to be replaced by Al-Amin Hossain.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and batsman Mominul Haque were also suff ering from fever, but Mushfi qur said both should be available for Tuesday’s fi rst match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

The second and third matches will be held on October 31 and No-vember 3 in Dhaka and Fatullah respectively.

New Zealand (from): Bren-don McCullum (captain), Kane Williamson, Hamish Rutherford, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, An-ton Devcich, Grant Elliott, Tom Latham, Corey Anderson, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Kyle Mills.

Bangladesh (from): Mush-fi qur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Mominul Haque, Naeem Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain Ziaur Rah-man, Sohag Gazi, Abdur Razzak, Mashrafe Mortaza, Al-Amin Hos-sain, Rubel Hossain. - AFP

New Zealand were

stunned in 2010 when

they went down 4-0 to

a young Bangladeshi

side, a drubbing that

sparked repercussions

back home with

several team offi cials

forced to quit

GRUDGE SERIES: New Zealand’s Nathan McCullum, left, stretches during a training session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium

in Dhaka yesterday. Right, Bangladesh players pictured during their training session. – AFP

Broad stands his ground on decision not to walkLONDON: England’s Stuart Broad has defended his decision not to walk in the most controver-sial incident of the fi rst Ashes se-ries this year, suggesting the huge row blew up because Australia had “wasted” their two referrals.

In the fi rst Test at Trent Bridge, the fast bowler edged a ball from spinner Ashton Agar to Michael Clarke at fi rst slip but did not walk after umpire Aleem Dar gave him not out.

Australia had already used up all their reviews during England’s second innings in the opening Test so were unable to challenge the decision. Broad later admitted hitting the ball.

“My fi rst comment on that whole incident is I could name you 18 or 19 players who played in an Ashes series who nicked it and didn’t walk,” Broad told the BBC in an interview.

“We could be here all day if I named players from the past. I am trying to think of someone in the modern game who is consistently a walker.”

Broad rode his luck to make 65 and added 138 runs in a seventh-wicket stand with Ian Bell, which proved crucial for the hosts as they went on the win the Notting-ham Test by 14 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Captain Clarke and his team-

mates were left shaking their heads in disbelief at the decision which sparked a huge debate on Twitter about the spirit of cricket.

“It’s a really interesting debate and something that got blown so out of proportion maybe because the Australians were frustrated they had wasted two referrals,” Broad said.

“It was an important moment in the game because, let’s be hon-est, if Belly and I hadn’t put on those runs, we wouldn’t have won the Test match so we would only have won 3-1 or something.”

As it was, England won the series 3-0.

Australia coach Darren Leh-mann was handed a fi ne by the International Cricket Council af-ter he accused Broad of “blatant cheating”.

Lehmann later apologised to Broad for the verbal attack, which came in a radio interview.

“Ryan Harris came over to me and apologised,” Broad added. “First of all he said from the play-ers we have given him (Lehmann) a hard time and his comments were unacceptable.

“The he (Lehmann) came across and said: ‘I meant it in jest’ and I said, ‘in black and white it doesn’t look like jest to me’.

“He said something along the lines of, ‘listen to the interview’ and I said, ‘I have far better things to do with my time’, and that was about it.

“We shared a nice drink and I said, ‘see you in November’.”

Broad is expected to come un-der heavy fi re from the fans Down Under when the return Ashes se-ries starts with Brisbane Test on November 21. - Reuters

S I M M E R I N G R O W

Stuart Broad

Ryder scores ton on return from injury

WELLINGTON: New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder compiled a well-crafted century in his fi rst match since surviving an assault that left him in a coma with serious head injuries.

The 29-year-old hit 22 boundaries on his way to 117 on debut for Otago against his for-mer team Wellington yesterday.

Ryder, who averages almost 41 in Tests with three hundreds, has been in self-imposed exile from the New Zealand team since early 2012 following a breach of team discipline.

The burly left-hander spent almost a week in hospital in late March after an incident outside a Christchurch bar left him with a fractured skull and rib inju-ries. He was kept in an induced coma for more than two days.

While recovering from the as-sault, Ryder was suspended for six months for failing a drugs test for banned stimulants he said he took in a supplement to lose weight.

The ban ended this month and the cricketer with a his-tory of alcohol and disciplinary problems said he would turn over a new leaf in an attempt to break back into the New Zea-land team. Ryder has played 18 Tests and 39 One-day Interna-tionals for his country. - Reuters

R E M A R K A B L E

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SPORTST U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

Ensure proper disposal of garbage.

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN. TR Engineering down E&Y

MUSCAT: TR Engineering re-corded a 45-run win against Ernst & Young in a Raha Poly Products-sponsored D Division T20 match.

Electing to bat fi rst, TR Engi-neering piled on 214 for the loss of fi ve wickets in the 20 stipulated overs and then restricted Ernst & Young to 169 for fi ve in 20 overs.

Brief scores: TR Engineering 214 for 5 in 20 overs (Javed Sheikh 64, Sharif Pin-dook 47, Rashid Muhammad 33, Adil Amin 21 n.o.; Ankit Desai 2/25) bt Ernst & Young 169 for 5 in 20 overs (Saif Shamsuddin 47, Noman Yousaf 47 n.o., Nayaz Mohammed 43; Javed Sheikh 2/26, Adil Amin 2/26). Points: TR Engineering - 2 pts (3 games, 2 pts), Ernst & Young - Nil (3 games – 4 pts).

Al Faisal humble MajeesAl Faisal notched up an easy 93-run win against Majees to record their fourth consecutive win in the Enhance sponsored E Divi-sion T20 tournament.

Deciding to bat fi rst, Al Faisal piled on 221 runs for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs. Majees in their turn were restricted to 128 for eight in 20 overs.

Brief scores: Al Faisal 221 for 8 in 20 overs (Ihsan Mohammed 56, Mohammed Afrat 43, Mohammed Irfan 28; Moham-med Adnan 3/27, Adnan Mehboob 3/43 and Prakash Joshi 2/42) bt Majees 128 for 8 in 20 overs (Muhammad Adnan 28 n.o., Ali Akhtar 23 n.o.; Mohd Sufyan 3/11, Ab-dul Rauf 2/25). Points: Al Faisal - 2 pts (4 games, 8 pts), Majees - Nil (3 games – 2 pts).

ISC Urdu Wing winISC Urdu Wing defeated Al Re-hwan in a ‘G’ Division T20 match.

Opting to bat fi rst, ISC Urdu Wing scored 170 for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Al Re-hwan, after being docked one over for slow over rate, were bowled out for 127 off 15.4 overs.

Brief scores: ISC Urdu Wing 170 for 7 in 20 overs (Reyaz Zaidi 80 n.o., Manjit Singh 23; Aboo P.C. 2/20, Salih 2/26) bt Al Rehwan 127 all out in 15.4 overs (Shiraj N.A. 50, Salih 26; Syed Waseem Abbas 3/14, Syed Ahmad Salman 3/25, Dr. Wasam 2/12). Points: ISC Urdu Wing – 2 pts (3 games, 2 pts), Al Rehwan - Nil (4 games – 2 pts).

Easy for Landscape In an F Division T20 match, Seeb Landscape Architecture registered a 41-run win against Oasis Water.

Landscape Architecture, bat-ting fi rst, scored 185 for nine wickets in 20 overs and then re-stricted Oasis Water to 144 for eight wickets in 20 overs.

Brief scores: Landscape Architec-ture 185 for 9 in 20 overs (Prasad Peruli 54, Darwish Ellickal 40, Pradeep Rajan 24;

Ratheesh 2/29, Sriram 2/40) bt Oasis Wa-ter 144 for 8 in 20 overs (Ratheesh 42, Ash-faq Khalifa 33; Austin Movin 2/18, Moaaz Juned 2/21). Points: Landscape Architec-ture - 2 pts (2 games, 2 pts), Oasis Water - Nil (3 games, Nil).

Huawei fl ying highIn an I Division T20 match, Hua-wei recorded a three-wicket win against Oneic.

Deciding to bat fi rst, Oneic managed to score 141 for eight wickets in 20 overs. Huawei, de-spite losing wickets regularly, reached the victory target for the loss of seven wickets.

Brief scores: Oneic 141 for 8 in 20 overs (Atif Jalali 48, Kamal Haider 29; Sanjeev Ku-mar Bhandari 4/24) lost to Huawei 142 for 7 in 19 overs (Fazaludeen Shari 40, Nadir Ali 24

n.o., Mohammad Neyaz 22 n.o.; Nitin Sharma 3/38). Points: Huawei – 2 pts (3 games, 4 pts), ONEIC - Nil (3 games – 2 pts).

Abu Maather beat Al AnsariIn a J Division T20 match, Abu Maather registered a six-wicket win against Al Ansari. Opting to bat fi rst, Al Ansari were bowled out 87 in 14.4 overs. Abu Maather in reply raced to their target off 11.4 overs losing four wickets.

Brief scores: Al Ansari 87 all out in 14.4 overs (R. Manikandan 26; Shahid Sharif 3/4, Nazim Hamduley 2/11, Rizwan Butt 2/16 and Akhil Vijayan 2/19) lost to Abu Maather 90 for 4 in 11.4 overs (Na-zim Hamduley 29, Muzaff ar Shiralkar 28; Adnan Nalwala 3/22). Points: Abu Maather – 2 pts (3 games, 6 pts), Al Ansari - Nil (2 games – 1 pt).

O M A N C R I C K E T L E A G U E

J DIVISION: Abu Maather players celebrate win over Al Ansari.

I DIVISION: Team Huawei after their win over Oneic.

F DIVISION: The victorious Landscape Architecture team.

C5

SPORTST U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

Jazz Boys to host FRiENDi Mobile Challengers CupMUSCAT: The Jazz Boys Crick-et Club will host the seventh FRiENDi Mobile Challengers Cup from November 8.

According to a press release is-sued by the organisers yesterday, the matches will be played on two Fridays (November 8 and 15) at the Gubrah Power Plant lush green grounds. The tournament is open to all but the Oman Cricket’s A Division players are not allowed to participate in the event.

The organisers have also come out with a unique idea of accept-ing entries, 16 to be precise, from those teams who have not fea-tured in the fi nal of any of Jazz Boys-conducted tournaments.

This year’s tournament will be sponsored by FRiENDi Mo-bile, Danube, Abdul Fatah Mohd Noor Co, Al Hajiry Group and Tile Marine and supported by Pocari Sweat, The Body Shop, Palm Res-taurant and Red Bull.

The teams to register their entries so far are Unicorns, Tile Marine, Rain Riders DLP, OEC, Shanfari CT, United Metals, Rahil Sports, QAD, Tellicherians, Trust CT, Muscat Strikers, Ruwi Kings, Beatrice CT, Asfandyar CT, Mars XI and Al Khoud CC.

The tournament draw will take place at Palm Restaurant at 7.30 pm on November 4.

The members of champion and runners-up teams will be given trophies as well as gift hampers. There will also be individual priz-es with best batsman, best bowler, best fi elder, best wicketkeeper, best catch, the oldest player as well as the player to hit maxi-mum sixes to be presented with

FRiENDi modems. The best player of each match

will get a FRiENDi Mobile while player of series will be honoured with a modem and an LCD TV.

The best dressed and most col-ourful team will be get a colourful trophy and a modem. A modem will also be given to ‘best spectator’.

C R I C K E T

India bullish on F1 returnGREATER NODIA: Indian Grand Prix organisers were bull-ish about the troubled race’s future yesterday despite a drop in the estimated crowd fi gures and its disappearance from the schedule next year.

Organisers did not reveal how many people came to watch Sebas-tian Vettel’s coronation as world champion for the fourth time, but estimates varied from 50,000 to 60,000. While not confi rmed, the fi gures for Sunday are lower than the 95,000 who attended the in-augural race day in 2011 and the 65,000 who watched it last year.

Offi cials had been hoping for a strong turn-out to help ensure the Indian race returns, as promised,

on the 2015 calendar after surpris-ingly being dropped for 2014.

However, promoters Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) said the crowd fi gures were similar to attendances at other grands prix around the world.

“We were always confi dent of good crowd numbers,” a JPSI me-dia offi cer said. “Formula One is new to the country and it will take time for fans to warm up to it.”

“We are close to the average at-tendances worldwide on race days, except perhaps in Silverstone which attracts a bigger crowd,” he added. “We will defi nitely host the race again in 2015.”

The Indian GP has been hit by a troubled economy and sliding

rupee, government apathy, a lop-sided fi nancial arrangement and the lack of a home-grown driver to create local buzz.

on Sunday’s race even came un-der threat from a court petition seeking its cancellation over al-leged unpaid entertainment taxes, but the hearing was postponed.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone did not attend this weekend, despite Vettel entering the race as a near-certainty to seal a fourth straight world title.

Ecclestone has said India will be back in 2015, but many fear the worst as Formula One juggles increasing congestion with new races planned in America, Mexico and Russia. — AFP

M O T O R S P O R T S

India’s new league delayed

NEW DELHI: A new football tournament in India that was to feature former international stars of the game has been post-poned after opposition from domestic clubs, organisers said yesterday. The franchise-based event by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its com-mercial partners IMG-Reli-ance, which was due to be held from January to March next year has now been pushed back until September.

“Keeping in view of various key factors, including schedul-ing confl icts with the (national) I-League, it has been decided to launch the Indian Super League on a permanent window of September to November start-ing from year 2014,” an offi cial statement said. The Kolkata-based Telegraph quoted unnamed sources as saying that possible franchise owners had told AIFF that there was not enough time to prepare for such a league.

Former international stars such as Thierry Henry, Rob-ert Pires, Hernan Crespo, Fre-drik Ljungberg, Dwight Yorke and Louis Saha were reported to have been lined up for the league. Squads for the eight yet undecided city teams were to comprise nine foreign and 13 In-dian players each. — AFP

F O O T B A L L

This year’s tournament

will be sponsored

by FRiENDi Mobile,

Danube, Abdul Fatah

Mohd Noor Co, Al

Hajiry Group and Tile

Marine and supported

by Pocari Sweat,

The Body Shop,

Palm Restaurant

and Red Bull

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SPORTST U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

SMARTEN UPDRIVE SAFE

A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

WMS’ young drivers shine in UAE series

MUSCAT: The Wahaibi Mot-orsport (WMS) backed trio of Shihab Al Habsi, Khalid Al Wa-haibi and Waheeb Al Kharusi, aspiring to be the next generation of national and international mo-torsports champions, have shown their mettle at the Round 2 and 3 of the UAE Rotax Max challenge Kart series at the Dubai Auto-drome recently.

Guided by Oman rally legend Hamed Al Wahaibi, with sup-port from WMS technical man-ager Chris Hodgson, the boys are indeed proving to be the Omani champions in the making.

Ten-year-old Shihab Al Habsi built on his win from round 1, by winning every race he participat-ed in – be it the heats, pre-fi nals or fi nals in round 2 and 3 races. His exemplary performance belies the fact that the UAE Rotax Max Challenge 2013-14 is his fi rst ever competitive season.

The win fi rst time round, sur-prised his more experienced com-petitors, but this time double em-phasised the fact that his natural talent is indisputable.

Khalid Al Wahaibi, aged 13, qualifi ed third and fi nished fourth overall in his category. Waheeb Al Kharusi, 16, is the oldest among the emerging trio.

All three boys in the WMS team did an exhaustive 12-hour pre-event testing at the racing track. That helped the race team clock re-ally fast laps during the actual race.

Nine more rounds remain in the UAE Rotax Max Challenge over the 2013-14 season, so there is plenty of action to be seen from this emerging team.

Be it Shihab or teammates Khalid and Waheeb, who all on their racing overalls proudly sport a ‘Safety First’ badge, are keenly looking forward to further wins. The making of the next Omani champions has begun quite well.

Ten-year-old Shihab

Al Habsi’s exemplary

performance belies

the fact that the UAE

Rotax Max Challenge

is his fi rst ever

competitive season

THUMBS UP: Ten-year-old Shihab Al Habsi perched on Hamed Al

Wahaibi’s shoulders celebrate the great performance. – Supplied photo

Armaan lifts under-15 titleMUSCAT: Armaan Sattikar cap-tured the boys’ under-15 singles title at the New Makha Enter-prises-sponsored second Junior Table Tennis Tournament at the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat.

In the fi nal, Armaan who has been in tremendous form took on the other in-form player, Subash Pillai and the duo did not disap-point. After winning the fi rst two games, Armaan had to pull up his socks more due to Subash’s bril-liant off ensive ploy.

Subash made some astonishing returns and attacked on all cylin-ders before Armaan edged past to win the third game. Subash pulled back the fourth game but Armaan played with more purpose to wrap up the match with fi nal scores of 11-7, 11-5, 13-11, 11-13, 11-5.

Armaan is eyeing a double crown having qualifi ed to play in the fi nal of the boys’ under-17 sin-gles against the same opponent, Subash Pillai.

Subash defeated Avinash Mukund in a thrilling semi-fi nal

match to enter the fi nal. Subash showed doggedness and played with confi dence to down Avi-nash 12-10, 8-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 12-10 to line-up a repeat clash against Armaan Sattikar in the under-17 fi nal.

I S C T T

U-15 FINALISTS: Champion Armaan Sattikar, rightm abd Subash.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COMSECTIONC T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3LIFE & STYLE

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fairytale tra

il

We are standing backstage at the puppet theatre in Steinau, central Germany. It’s the town where the Brothers Grimm grew up and heard their fi rst fairy stories. Even today, it’s a magical place of half-timbered houses, with a stone foun-tain in the cobbled square carved with fairytale fi gures. I am here — with my two children — to enter that world of childhood stories on which we all grew up, in the places where they were found.

This year the region of Hesse is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the death of Jacob Grimm, the elder of the two remarkable brothers who collected German folktales and pub-

lished them in a series of books from 1812 to 1857. Steinau is the start of Hesse’s Fairytale Route, which follows the places where Jacob and Wilhelm lived, and where the tales were set.

Their journey, and ours, starts here, at their childhood home — a half-timbered manor house where they lived in the 1790s. Inside, it shows displays on their lives, and the garden has a

wooden cage with Hansel trapped inside. My daughter Sarah, aged 11, pokes a stick through the bars to see if he’s fat enough to eat. Benjamin, 12, shakes an apple out of the tree above — luckily it is not poisoned.

Fairytale worldWe enter the fairytale world more formally next day, 60 miles north, at the Märchenhaus in Alsfeld. A cathedral bell clangs above a tangle of 16th-century lanes. The Haus has ‘1628’ etched above its wooden door and a well with a frog perched on its rim. Its white walls and brown timbers look like icing sugar and gingerbread. We tiptoe in.

We leave fairly hastily and head for the safety of Snow White’s cottage. It’s an hour’s drive away, across rolling hills and woods, in a village called Bergfreiheit. The cottage fails to impress Benjamin, who says it is a fake. But Sarah is amused by its seven bunk beds, the seven chairs around its kitchen table and the photo we take of ourselves in dwarvish hoods.

But on the edge of the village is a piece of real folklore. The Kupferbergwerk mine is all that’s left of an industry that may explain those seven dwarves. Off to work they went, with picks and shovels to dig copper and gold in the wooded hillside here, which is rid-dled with copper mines from the 16th-century. These were often worked by children, whose short stature gained them a local nickname: “dwarves”.

You can go inside a disused shaft that dates back to 1552, with a hard hat and a guide. Wooden pitprops frame rough walls as you descend its long dark tunnel. “This is copper,” says the guide, pointing at a smear of green, “and this is Fool’s Gold,” by a wall of glittering crystals.

Miners here were given special freedoms and the village became a haven for out-laws and runaways. Bergfreiheit translates as “freedom mountain”. It’s the perfect setting for a tale of escape and transformation, such as Snow White’s.

Margarete’s castle of Waldeck is nearby, and that is where we’ll stay tonight. These days it’s an elegant hotel, a far cry from the humble village. Its towers and

battlements rise above a glittering lake and we enter through a Gothic hall. This is the world of princesses and kings, which fairytale fi gures might tame

through marriage or success, but which also oppress them – like Snow White or Cinderella. The heroes of the tales are seldom grand — more often they

are woodcutters, peasants, fi shermen and their fates impart the wisdom of the common folk.

To get a fi rmer grip on our history, we drive north to the city of Kas-sel, where the Grimm brothers moved from Steinau in 1798. They seem

always to have lived and worked close to each other, sharing a mission in life. In Kassel, they worked as librarians and published their classic

book of Kinder-und Hausmärchen — tales for children and house-holds — in 1812.

The city houses an elegant museum to the brothers and a spe-cial exhibition to mark Jacob’s anniversary year. We ramble

through the latter, past manuscripts and portraits and fi rst edi-tions of their books. Then we head to the edge of town, looking

for an 18th-century roadside inn, the Brauhaus-Knallhütte. Here Jacob and Wilhelm gathered stories from the inn-

keeper’s daughter, Dorothea Viehmann, who heard them from travellers.

Sleeping Beauty’s castleOur fi nal stop may or may not have a Grimm connec-

tion. But if it doesn’t, it should. Sababurg claims to be Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Its pepperpot towers from 1334 are surrounded by thickets of roses and magnifi cent beech woods that would deter many a prince. Inside the ruined great hall, we catch the daily performance of Sleeping Beauty. A young man in red velvet is woo-ing a pretty blonde, pink roses woven in her waist-length hair.

Walking onto the battlements, I spot a herd of deer on the slope below, like the strangely met animals of myths. Then we unlock a little door at the foot of a tower and clamber up a spiral stair. On a landing is a spinning wheel. At the top are our rooms for the night, each with a four-poster bed. For the castle has been transformed into a wildly romantic hotel.

But that night, as we hop into the great carved beds, the children are spooked by the ruins and the moonlight. We have stepped too far into the imaginative power of the tales.— Jonathan Lorie/The Inde-

pendent

Uncover the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty, Snow Whiteand Rumpelstiltskin on a family holiday in the land of the Brothers Grimm

C8

EXTRAT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

Hugely infl uential singer-songwriter Lou Reed who found fame with the ‘Velvet Underground’ dies aged 71 after liver transplant.

“Was it too quiet for you?” Lou Reed asked with acidic contempt, when I saw him play for the last time, at London’s Royal Festival Hall two summers ago. An unwary fan had just ironically shouted “Louder!” as he fi n-ished a brutally heavy version of “Branden-burg Gate”, from his typically reputation-abusing last album, Lulu.

That suite of songs immortalised by Lou-ise Brooks in the 1928 Weimar German fi lm Pandora’s Box, drawled by Reed over Metal-lica’s wildly inappropriate, uncompromised heavy metal, was despised in a way the latest releases by Paul McCartney and Neil Young never were.

The response was closer to when Reed fi rst announced himself, in the Velvet Under-ground’s Warhol-sponsored, 1967 debut album The Velvet Undergound and Nico. His deadpan voice, striking out from Dylan’s example into a Sinatra-murdering morgue for traditional vo-cal requirements, was one innovation.

His lyrics on I’m Waiting for the Man and Heroin were truly vital — literate reportage from the depths of drug addiction and sado-masochism, inspired by his association with New York writers Wallace Stegner, Hubert Selby Jr. and Nelson Algren. “Rock’n’roll had been treated as such a mutant idiot child me-dium, it made it easy for someone with even half a mind to just walk in and dominate that end of it,” he sneered to Cut magazine in 1989, when New York gave him his last wholly liked hit.

Sinatra had played Algren’s novel’s taboo-smashing junkie in the fi lm of The Man With the Golden Arm. Reed became him. A middle-class intellectual by background, too much parentally-approved ECT voltage meant to cure his rebel streak as a teenager in-stead carved an unsealable, bleeding scar of resentment. The trademark black leather jacket he rehabilitated from Marlon Brando’s 1950s rebel to the softer streets of Greenwich Village showed that his heart always had room for the original promise of rock’n’roll,

if nothing else.Metal Machine Music, 1975’s double-

album feedback screech of abuse at his major-label employers RCA, was one more, career-exploding atom bomb. Reed fan Da-vid Bowie’s prettifying production on 1972’s Transformer, with its further gorgeous standards. Perfect Day and Walk on the Wild Side, had made the label think they had a star. 1973’s follow-up, Berlin, confi rmed Reed was a black hole. Its portrait of a doomed rela-tionship included children weeping at their parents’ behaviour. Anyone else would have broken “both her arms”, Reed sang provoca-tively of his partner in the gruelling song-suite’s gorgeous, depraved Sad Song. Berlin came to stand for any personal apocalypse, and any rock musician’s refusal to bow to his label’s authority.

Reed didn’t seem happy for a day of his life; except when he was wrecking someone else’s day by being too entirely himself, which was rarely a likeable proposition. When I met him, his disdain for me was completed by the wet-fi sh hand he held out when we fi n-ished. No doubt he wiped it afterwards. The rock journalists who adored him were always treated as vermin, typically because, beneath the impeccably abusive surface, he cared too much. “He was heartbroken,” Melody Mak-er’s Allan Jones recalled of Reed’s attitude to Berlin’s journalistic dismissal. “He never forgave them.”

The anger I felt at his rudeness was any-way wiped away the next time I saw him, at that Royal Festival Hall gig. He could seem humourless, needlessly vicious, unforgiv-able. But that was the upside. He clung to rock’n’roll as a life-raft for his damaged soul, and threw out his literary brand of it for those who, similarly affl icted, needed such musical shock therapy. His last few records — 2000’s raging break-up album Ecstasy, 2003’s The Raven, another tauntingly ag-gravating double-album, adapted from Edgar Allen Poe, and that Metallica record — were not farewells. The outpouring of reverence and sorrow which will follow Reed’s death is deserved. It would also make him howl with hollow laughter. —Nick Hasted/THE INDEPENDENT

LIFE CAPSULE

MARCH 2, 1942 Lewis Allan Reed born in Brooklyn, New York

1961 - 1964 Studies journalism, fi lm, creative writing at Syracuse University

1964 Forms 'Velvet Underground' with John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker. Artist Andy Warhol becomes producer

1967 The Velvet Underground with Nico released. Album opens rock music to avant-garde — Punk, New Wave and alternative rock. Velvets become house band at Warhol’s seminal Factory studio

1972 Moves to UK. Releases debut solo album, Lou Reed. Second album, Transformer, co-produced with David Bowie, contains classic tracks Walk on

the Wild Side, Satellite of Love and Perfect

Day. Career continues until 2011

MAY 2013 After long battle with drink and drugs Reed suff ers liver failure, receives transplant

JEFF Foxworthy, famous for his redneck jokes, said, “The designated-driver program is not a desirable job. But if you ever get sucked into doing it, have fun with it. At the end of the night, drop them off at the wrong house.”

Bridge players drop tricks with wrong plays, both as declarer and — much more often — on defence. Also, key-cards can drop. For example, you have nine cards missing only the queen. The percentage play (just) is to cash the ace and king, hoping the queen will drop.

In this deal, where is the drop? South is in three no-trump. West leads the heart queen. What should declarer do?

North used Stayman to try to fi nd a 4-4 spade fi t, then settled for three no-trump.

South starts with six top tricks: one spade, one heart, two diamonds and two clubs. But since the heart ace will have been dislodged by trick two, declarer must take the next eight tricks after that. He is faced with three fi nesses — in spades, diamonds and clubs. Which should he take?

The typical deal has only two fi nesses. Then you should play for the drop in the suit with the greater number of cards (or more top tricks). If the missing honour appears, fi ne; if not, fi nesse in the other suit. Here, South has even more chances. He should cash the four minor-suit tops ending in his hand. If either queen drops, the contract is home. Here, though, neither appears. So South fi nesses in spades, running the 10, then running the queen, then playing low to dummy’s jack. Finally, something works.

— By Phillip Alder

C9

ENTERTAINMENT

Two chances; did the card drop?

B I G N A T E

B O R N L O S E R

M A R M A D U K E

A C E S O N B R I D G E

C I N E M A S C H E D U L E

K I D S P O T H E A L T H C A P S U L EC R O S S W O R D

ACROSS 1 Mid-Atlantic st. 4 Emerald or topaz 7 The original Stoic11 Sherpa’s sighting12 Pitcher’s stat13 Suffi cient, in verse14 Luau strummers16 They let you bank

on Sun.17 Change colours18 Wire20 Half a dangerous

fl y21 Math fi gure23 Signal one’s

consent26 Samples soup27 House timber28 Mollycoddle31 Pub brews33 Comply with a

command34 Fissure35 Cave, perhaps36 Conform38 For shame!41 Rome’s river43 Jazz pianist —

Blake

45 Geishas’ sashes47 Very alarming49 Gloom’s partner50 PC key51 Familiar auth.52 Oxbridge

academics53 Rural addr.54 Wetland

DOWN 1 Fakes out, on the

rink 2 Chopin piece 3 Floating fl ower 4 Toothpaste type 5 Puts up 6 African tribe 7 Enthusiasm, plus 8 Political alliance 9 — de plume10 Startled cries11 Nomad dwelling15 Like “The

Twilight Zone”19 “10” actress22 Spring mo.24 Not just my25 Tooth pro’s deg.26 Mole, sometimes

27 Pfc. boss28 Bean hull29 Vigoda or Fortas30 Bring up31 Teacup rim32 Last word in fairy

tales34 Most unusual36 Tummy muscle37 Table

38 Steakhouse order (hyph.)

39 Pop’s Carly or Paul

40 Lament loudly42 Dogmas44 Mil. branch45 Peculiar46 Opposite of cheer48 Poker card

Ans

wer

to p

revi

ous

puzz

le

WITH LOVE 4 6

9 5 2 3

7 8 2 1

7

6 8 2 3

8 4 6 1

6 4 3 1 9 5

9 6 4 1 7

7 1 9 4 2

7 6 3 2 9 1 8 4 5

1 5 4 3 6 8 7 2 9

8 2 9 5 7 4 3 6 1

4 9 8 7 5 6 1 3 2

6 3 2 8 1 9 5 7 4

5 7 1 4 2 3 9 8 6

3 8 6 9 4 5 2 1 7

9 1 7 6 3 2 4 5 8

2 4 5 1 8 7 6 9 3

Previous puzzle Solution

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

S U D O K U

T U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

BAHJA CINEMA

STARS CINEMA

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855

Website: www.albahjacinema.net

For More Information 24789032, 24786776

Website: www.isurf.co.om

Film information 24791641 / 24786776

1911 Revolution (Action/Adv/Drama)Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao and Bingbing Li8:00, 10:00 & 11:55pm; CP No: 1199 (12+)The Fourth State (Thriller) Cast: Moritz Bleibtreu, Kasia Smutniak, Max Riemelt4:00, 10:00 & 11:55pm; CP No: 1214 (12+)Gravity (Drama/Sci-fi /Thriller)Cast: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney,6:00pm; CP No: 1174 (12+)Escape Plan (Action /Thriller) (12+)Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Shwarzenegger, 50 Cent 2:00 & 8:00pm; CP No: 1175 (12+)Upside Down (Drama/Fantasy/Romance)Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kirsten Dunst and Timothy Spall2:00 & 6:00pm; CP No: 1215 (PG)Switch (III) (Action) Cast: Andy Lau and Chiling Lin4:00pm; CP No: 1182 (12+)

Bhai (Telugu) (Action/Comedy/Drama) Cast: Nagarjuna, Gangopadayay, Sonu Sood & Kamna 3:30pm (Cinema 1) 6:45 & 9:45pm (Cinema 2)Sringara Velan (Mal) (Comedy/Romance)Cast: Dileep, Vedhika, Lal, Baburaj, Ambika Mohan6:30 & 9:30pm (Cinema 1) 3:45pm (Cinema 2) Vanakkam Chennai (Tamil) Cast: Shiva, Santhanam, Priya, Urvashi, 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45pm (Cinema 3) Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus (Mal) Cast: Mammootty, Honey Rose 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45pm (Cinema 4)

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are

celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number

and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi

or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

1911 Revolution (Action /Adventure) Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao 2:30, 9:15, 11:30 pm; CP No: 965Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin, Jingchu Zhang7:00pm; CP No: 943 Upside Down (Drama/Fantasy ) (12+) Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kirsten Dunst 5:00 pm; CP No: 964Gravity 3D (Drama/ Sci-fi /Thriller)Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock3:00, 10:00, 11:45 pm; CP No: 947The Fifth Estate (Biography ) (12+) Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl 5:00 & 7:30pm; CP No: 970The Fourth State (Thriller) (12+) Cast: Moritz Bleibtreu, Kasia Smutniak3:00 pm; CP NO: 969Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/Family) (PG)Voice Overs: Anna Faris, Bill Hader5:15 pm; CP No: 926Gallowwalker (Action/Fantasy) (12+) Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kevin Howarth 11:45 pm CP No: 988The Butler (Biography/Drama) (15+) Cast: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack7:00pm; CP No: 961Escape Plan (Action/Mystery) (12+)Cast: Sylvester, Arnold, 50 Cent 9:30pm; CP No: 914

Escape Plan (Action/Thriller) (12+) Timings: 11:00pm; CP No:915

1911 Revolution (Action /Adventure ) Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao and Bingbing L11:30am & 11:45pm; CP No: 966Escape Plan (Action/Thriller) (12+) 1:30, 7:30pm; CP No: 915 Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin 3:45, 9:45pm; CP No: 944 Gallowwalker ( Action /Fantasy ) Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kevin Howarth 5:45 & 11:30pm; CP No: 989Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/Family) (PG) Cast: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Will Forte11:45am & 3:15pm; CP No: 927Gravity 3D (Sci-fi /Thriller) Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock 1:30 & 9:45pm; CP No: 948The Fifth Estate (Biography/Thriller)Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl and Carice van Houten5:00 & 7:15pm; CP No: 971

Switch (Action) (15+) Timings: 1:45pm; CP No:944Gravity 3D (Drama /Sci-fi ) Timings: 4:00pm; CP No: 948The Fifth Estate (Biography/Thriller )Timings: 6:00pm; CP No:971The Butler ( Biography/Drama) (15+) Timings: 8:30pm; CP No:960

PLAZA 1Satya 2 (H) (Action) (PG) Cast: Puneet Singh Ratn, Anaika Soti 3:30, 9:30; CP No: 975Mickey Virus (H) (Comedy) (PG)Cast: Manish Paul, Elli Avram and Manish Choudhary6:30 pm; CP No: 974 PLAZA 2Boss (H) (Action) (PG) Cast: Akshay Kumar and Aditi Rao3:30, 6:30 & 9:30pm; CP No: 953

PLAZA 3Besharam (H) (Comedy) (12+) Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor

Gravity 3D (Drama/Sci-fi )Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock3:30 & 7:30pm; CP No:949Gallowwalker ( Action /Horror ) (12+) Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kevin Howarth 5:30, 9:30 & 11:30pm; CP No: 990Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/Family) (PG)Voice Overs: Anna Faris, Bill Hader3:00pm; CP No: 9281911 Revolution (Adventure) (12+) Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao, Bingbing L9:30 & 11:45 pm; CP No: 967The Fifth Estate (Biography ) (12+) Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Carice van Houten5:00, 7:15 pm; CP No: 972Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin, Jingchu Zhang3:30 & 11:45pm; CP No: 984Escape Plan (Action/Mystery ) (12+) Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Shwarzenegger and 50 Cent4:45, 9:30pm; CP No: 916Boss (H) (Action) (PG) Cast: Akshay Kumar,Mithun Chakraborty,Aditi Rao7:00pm; CP No: 955Sringara Velan (M) (Malayalam/Comedy/Romance) (PG) Cast: Dileep, Lal, Vedika, Babu Namboothiri, Kalabhavan Shajon

Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin, Jingchu Zhang3:30, 5:15, 9:30 & 11:30pm; CP No: 985Escape Plan (Action/Thriller) (12+)Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Shwarzenegger, 50 Cent 5:00, 7:15, 11:45pm; CP NO:917Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/) (PG)Voice Overs: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Will Forte 3:00, 4:45pm; CP NO: 929Gravity 3D (Drama/Sci-fi )Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock3:15, 6:30, 9:45pm; CP NO: 950Sringara Velan (M) (Malayalam / Romance) (PG) Cast: Dileep, Lal, Vedika, Babu Namboothiri and Kalabhavan Shajon8:15pm; CP No: 977Boss (Hindi) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Aditi Hydari7:15 & 11:15pm; CP No: 956

Boss (Action -Hindi)Cast: Akshay Kumar, Aditi Hydari5:30 & 9:00pm; CP NO: 957Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin and Jingchu Zhang8:30, 11:45pm; CP No: 986

1911 Revolution (Action /Drama) (12+) Cast: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao and Bingbing L11:30am, 9:15, 11:15pm; CP No: 968Gravity 3D (Drama/Sci-fi /Thriller)Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock 1:30 & 7:30pm; CP NO: 952Escape Plan (Action/Mystery) (12+)3:15 & 9:30pm; CP NO: 919Switch (Action) (15+) Cast: Andy Lau, Chiling Lin11:45am, 5:30 & 11:45 pm; CP No: 987Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3D) (Animation/Family/Comedy) (PG)Voice Overs: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Will Forte 1:30 & 5:30pm; CP NO: 931 The Fifth Estate (Biography) (12+) Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Carice van Houten3:15 & 7:15 pm; CP No: 973Gallowwalker (Action/Horror) (12+) Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kevin Howarth 11:30am, 7:00 & 11:30pm; CP No: 991Sringara Velan (M) (Malayalam-Comedy/Romance) (PG); CP No: 9791:30 & 8:45 pm Boss (Hindi)Cast: Akshay Kumar, Aditi Hydari4:30pm; CP NO: 958

Sringara Velan (M) (Malayalam / Comedy /Romance) (PG) Cast: Dileep, Lal, Vedika, Babu 10:30pm; CP No: 978Gravity 3D (Drama/ Sci-fi )Cast: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock and Ed Harris5:00pm; CP NO: 951 Escape Plan (Action/Thriller) (12+)6:45pm; CP NO: 918

6:30pm; CP No: 908

Mickey Virus (H) (Comedy) (PG)

Cast: Manish Paul, Elli Avram and Manish

Choudhary

9:30pm; CP No: 974

4:30, 10:30pm; CP No: 976Vanakkam Chennai (T) (Comedy/Romance) (PG) Cast: Priya Anand, Shiva, Santhanam7:30pm; CP No: 980

CHARUMITHRA RAVISANKAROctober 29, 2012

NANDHU SHYJUOctober 29, 2009

FEMIDA SALIM October 29, 2007

MUSKAN WASEEMOctober 28

ALISBA AKMALOctober 29, 2011

C10

FIND-IT-ALLT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

PHARMACIESRound the clockAl Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat RegionApollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 24537080Dhofar RegionMuscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah. Tel: 23291635

HOSPITALSAl Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000Al Musafi r Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453Hatat Polyclinic LLC,Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006Al Raff ah Hospital: 24618900/1/2Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780Capital Polyclinic: 24707549Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740Ceregem National Raak: 24485633Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217Elixir Health Centre: 24565802Emirates Medical Centre: 246045401st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274Hamdan Hospital: 23212340International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128, MBD: 24799077, Al Khuwair: 24478818Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital: 24568870Muscat Private Hospital: 24583600Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair: 24477666Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC: 22004000

ROYAL OMAN POLICEEmergencies and inquiries: 9999General Directorate of Passport and Residence: 24569603Directorate General of Customs: 24521109Traffi c violations inquiries: 24510228Public Relations Admin: 24560099

ACCOMMODATIONAl Bahjah Hotel: 24424400Al Bustan Palace: 24764000 Al Khuwair Hotel Apartments: 24478171Al Madina Holiday Inn: 24596400Al Maha International Hotel: 24494949Al Fanar Hotel: 24712385Al Falaj Hotel: 24702311Al Qurum Resort: 24605945Azaiba Hotel Apartments: 24490979Beach Hotel: 24696601Bowshar Hotel: 24491105Coral Hotel Muscat: 24692121Crowne Plaza Muscat: 24660660Crystal Suites: 24826100Golden Tulip Seeb: 24510300Grand Hyatt Muscat: 24641234Haff a House Hotel: 24707207Hotel Muscat Holiday: 24487123InterContinental Muscat: 24680000Majan Continental Hotel: 24592900Marina Hotel: 24711711Midan Hotel Suites: 24499565Mina Hotel: 24711828Muttrah Hotel: 24798401

Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199Oman Dive Centre: 24824240Park Inn: 24507888Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443Ruwi Hotel: 24704244Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666The Chedi Muscat: 24524400The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570

AIRLINE OFFICESMuscat Airport Flight information (24 hours): 24519456/24519223Aerofl ot: 24704455, Air Arabia: 24700828, Air France: 24562153, Air India: 24799801, Air New Zealand: 24700732, Biman Bangladesh Airlines: 24701128, British Airways: 24568777, Cathay Pacifi c: 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

MUSEUMSBait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp fi sh market), Open from Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pmNatural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm; Thursday: 9am to 1pmMuseum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday - 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946Armed 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 96550606/96550707Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pmOman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pmBait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., Muscatmuseum@baitalzubairmuseum.comOpen 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 1pmSohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pmMuscat Gate Museum: at Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr 11.56pm

Asr 3.10pm

Maghrib 5.35pm

Isha 6.47pm Fajr (Tomorrow) 4.55am

Sunset 5.37pm

Sunrise (Tomorrow) 6.11am

High tide 11:32pm 10:38am

Low tide 4:52pm 5:20am

W E A T H E R

OMAN

Max 38Min 28

Max 34Min 29

Max 35Min 28

Max 42Min 29

Max 36Min 29Max 41

Min 26

Max 41Min 26

Max 28 Min 25

Mainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate with chance of cloud developments over Al-Hajar mountains and

adjoining areas during afternoon. And chances of early morning low level clouds or fog patches over the coastal areas of southeastern coast and Al-Wusta governorate.EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal areas of Oman sea wind will be northeasterly light to moderate during day becoming variable light at night, and southeasterly light to moderate over the rest of the Sultanate.

SEA STATE: Slight over the most of Oman’s coasts with maximum wave height of 1.0 metre.HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate.THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Mainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate. Chances of early morning low level clouds or fog patches over the coastal areas of southeastern coast and Al-Wusta governorate.

Max Min

GULFAbu Dhabi 32 23Doha 32 22Dubai 33 25Kuwait 30 16Manama 27 23Riyadh 22 16

WORLDAthens 19 10Baghdad 27 12Beijing 15 3Berlin 15 3Boston 26 12Cairo 27 13Colombo 30 23Frankfurt 12 3Hong Kong 27 22Istanbul 21 15Johannesburg 15 3Kuala Lumpur 31 23Lisbon 11 1Paris 23 13Perth 34 16Singapore 31 23Tokyo 18 14Toronto 22 13

WORLD

Max 15Min 5

Max 31Min 16

Max 23Min 12

Max 33Min 22

Max 18Min 12

Max 26Min 15

Max 21Min 13

Max 21Min 12

LONG DISTANCE BUS TIMINGS (OMAN NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMPANY SAOC) *SUBJECT TO CHANGE

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36)Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 Daily15:00 Sur 18:00 Daily15:00 Jaalan 19:30 Daily

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (Route 36)Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41)06:30 Sohar 08:50 Daily06:30 Buraimi 11:00 Daily08:00 Buraimi 14:30 Daily via Ibri13:00 Sohar 15:45 Daily13:00 Buraimi 17:40 Daily16.00 Sohar 18.35 Daily16.00 Buraimi 20:20 Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41)07:00 Sohar 08:55 Daily07:00 Ruwi 11:40 Daily13:30 Ruwi 20:20 Daily via Ibri13:00 Sohar 14:55 Daily13:00 Ruwi 17:40 Daily13:00 Sohar 19:20 Daily17:00 Ruwi 22:15 Daily

TO SINAW (Route 52)17:30 Sinaw 20:50 Daily

TO SINAW (Route 52)07:00 Ruwi 10:25 Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54)14:30 Nizwa 16:50 Daily14:30 Yanqul 19:30 Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54)06:00 Nizwa 08:40 Daily06:00 Ruwi 11:00 Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54)08:00 Nizwa 10:20 Daily08:00 Al Araqi 12:30 Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54)15:40 Nizwa 17:55 Daily15:40 Ruwi 20:20 Daily

TO SUR (Route 55)07:30 Sur 12:00 Daily14:30 Sur 18:45 Daily

TO SUR (Route 55)06:00 Ruwi 10:45 Daily14:30 Ruwi 19:00 Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62)06:30 Fahud 10:30 Daily06:30 Yibal 11:15 Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62)12:30 Fahud 13:15 Daily12:30 Ruwi 17:30 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201)06:00 Sohar 08:30 Daily06:00 Dubai 11:30 Daily13:00 Sohar 15:30 Wed,Thur13:00 Dubai 18:30 Wed,Thur15:00 Sohar 17:35 Daily15:00 Dubai 20:55 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201)07:30 Sohar 10:50 Daily07:30 Ruwi 13:40 Daily13:00 Sohar 16:15 Thur-Fri13:00 Ruwi 19:10 Thur-Fri15:30 Sohar 18:45 Daily15:30 Ruwi 21:35 Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100)07:00 Salalah 20:00 Daily10:00 Marmul 20:30 Daily10:00 Salalah 23:30 Daily19:00 Salalah 07:40 Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100)07:00 Ruwi 19:50 Daily10:00 Marmul 13:15 Daily10:00 Ruwi 22:30 Daily19:00 Ruwi 07:30 Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101)06:00 Marmul 16:50 Daily

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

TO MARMUL (Route 101)06:00 Marmul 16:30 Daily

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

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204)Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204)Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI) TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

LISTINGS

TUESDAY

FLT NO ARRIVALS FROM ETA

WY676 JEDDAH  0005WY682 RIYADH  0010WY816 BANGKOK  0010WY924 SALALAH  0035BG021 DACCA/CHITTAGONG  0130NL768 LAHORE  01304H583 DACCA  0130EY384 ABU DHABI  0330GF560 BAHRAIN  0335ET624 ADDIS ABABA  0350EK866 DUBAI  0355QR1132 DOHA  0405FZ041 DUBAI  0415TK778 ISLAM ABBAD/BAHRAIN  0605WY412 AMMAN  0610WY686 RIYADH  0645WY638 ABU DHABI  0645WY902 SALALAH  0655WY658 BAHRAIN  0700WY668 DOHA  0700WY644 KUWAIT  0705WY114 FRANKFURT  0705WY122 MUNICH  0705WY692 DAMMAM  0715WY154 ZURICH  0720WY324 KARACHI  0720WY674 JEDDAH  0725WY432 TEHRAN  0730WY142 MALPENSA  0740WY132 PARIS  0750FZ043 DUBAI  0800WY602 DUBAI  0800WY202 BOMBAY  0805WY422 BEIRUT  0820WY102 LONDON-HEATHROW  0820WY274 JAIPUR  0850PK191 GWADUR  0910WY236 HYDERABAD  0910WY268 LUCKNOW  0915G9113 SHARJAH  0915TG507 BANGKOK/KARACHI  0935EK862 DUBAI  0940WY252 MADRAS  0940EY382 ABU DHABI  0955QR1128 DOHA  10109W530 TRIVANDRUM  1035WY918 KHASAB  1045WY3302 MUKHAIZNA  1045WY604 DUBAI  1105WY242 DELHI  1220WY904 SALALAH  1225IX549 TRIVANDRUM  1230IX337 CALICUT  1305WY606 DUBAI  1330WY632 ABU DHABI  1345WY632 ABU DHABI  1345WY906 SALALAH  1425IX817 MANGALORE/ABU DHABI  1440WY3304 MUKHAIZNA  1445KU677 KUWAIT  1525QR8550 DOHA  1530FZ045 DUBAI  1545WY656 BAHRAIN  1555WY346 ISLAM ABBAD  1600WY3922 JAALUNI  1700WY204 BOMBAY  1700WY292 CALICUT  1705WY328 LAHORE  1715WY664 DOHA  1725WY232 HYDERABAD  1740WY610 DUBAI  1740WY246 DELHI  1745WY216 TRIVANDRUM  1750WY284 BANGALORE  1805EY386 ABU DHABI  1810GF564 BAHRAIN  1810WY3306 MUKHAIZNA  1845SV534 RIYADH  1900G9117 SHARJAH  1915WY914 SALALAH  1930WY614 DUBAI  2025FZ047 DUBAI  2055WY312 CHITTAGONG  2115WY224 COCHIN  2120WY624 DUBAI  2120AI973 DELHI  21256.00E+81 BOMBAY  2130QR1130 DOHA  2135WY386 MALE  21359W534 COCHIN  2140WY254 MADRAS  2145WY814 BANGKOK  2150AI907 MADRAS  2200WY374 COLOMBO  2210UL205 COLOMBO  2225WY338 KATHMANDU  2235BA073 LONDON-HEATHROW/ABU DHABI  2240GF566 BAHRAIN  2240WY916 SALALAH  2245EY388 ABU DHABI  2300AI985 AHMEDABAD/BOMBAY  2310WY662 DOHA  2315QR1134 DOHA  2320LX242 ZURICH/DUBAI  2320WY717 ZANZIBAR/DARESSLAM  2325WY654 BAHRAIN  2325LH618 FRANKFURT/ABU DHABI  2330WY612 DUBAI  23309W540 BOMBAY  2340WY696 DAMMAM  2355WY406 CAIRO  2355WY636 ABU DHABI  2355WY648 KUWAIT  2355

WEDNESDAY

FLT NO ARRIVALS FROM ETA

WY676 JEDDAH  0005WY682 RIYADH  0010WY816 BANGKOK  0010WY924 SALALAH  0035WY824 KUALA LUMPUR  0045BG021 DACCA/CHITTAGONG  01304H581 DACCA/CHITTAGONG  0130TK776 ISTANBUL/BAHRAIN  0300EY384 ABU DHABI  0330GF560 BAHRAIN  0335ET624 ADDIS ABABA  0350EK866 DUBAI  0355QR1132 DOHA  0405FZ041 DUBAI  0415WY686 RIYADH  0645WY638 ABU DHABI  0650WY902 SALALAH  0655WY658 BAHRAIN  0700WY668 DOHA  0700WY672 MEDINA  0705WY644 KUWAIT  0705CV856 LUXORE  0715WY692 DAMMAM  0715WY324 KARACHI  0720WY674 JEDDAH  0725FZ043 DUBAI  0800WY602 DUBAI  0800WY202 BOMBAY  0805WY102 LONDON-HEATHROW  0820NL768 LAHORE  0830WY274 JAIPUR  0850WY236 HYDERABAD  0910G9113 SHARJAH  0915WY342 LAHORE  0920WY226 COCHIN  0925WY212 TRIVANDRUM  0930WY252 MADRAS  0940EK862 DUBAI  0940EY382 ABU DHABI  0955QR1128 DOHA  10109W530 TRIVANDRUM  1035WY604 DUBAI  1105WY822 KUALA LUMPUR  1105WY332 KATHMANDU  1210WY242 DELHI  1220WY904 SALALAH  1225WY3302 MUKHAIZNA  1230WY918 KHASAB  1230IX337 CALICUT  1305WY606 DUBAI  1330WY632 ABU DHABI  1345WY906 SALALAH  1425FZ045 DUBAI  1545WY346 ISLAM ABBAD  1600PA450 LAHORE  1630WY3304 MUKHAIZNA  1630WY204 BOMBAY  1700WY292 CALICUT  1705WY264 LUCKNOW  1715WY664 DOHA  1725WY610 DUBAI  1740WY284 BANGALORE  1740WY232 HYDERABAD  1740QR1126 DOHA  1745WY246 DELHI  1745WY434 TEHRAN  1805GF564 BAHRAIN  1810WY144 MALPENSA  1900G9117 SHARJAH  1915WY614 DUBAI  2025FZ047 DUBAI  2055AI977 BANGALORE/HYDERABAD  2105WY152 ZURICH  2110KL441 AMSTERDAM/DOHA  2115WY312 CHITTAGONG  2115WY624 DUBAI  2120AI973 DELHI  21256.00E+81 BOMBAY  2130QR1130 DOHA  21359W534 COCHIN  2140WY254 MADRAS  2145AI907 MADRAS  2200WY414 AMMAN  2200WY914 SALALAH  2205UL205 COLOMBO  2225GF566 BAHRAIN  2240BA073 LONDON-HEATHROW/ABU DHABI  2240WY916 SALALAH  2245WY134 PARIS  2250WY406 CAIRO  2250EY388 ABU DHABI  2300AI985 AHMEDABAD/BOMBAY  2310WY124 MUNICH  2310WY662 DOHA  2315QR1134 DOHA  2320LX242 ZURICH/DUBAI  2320WY717 ZANZIBAR/DARESSLAM  2325WY654 BAHRAIN  2325WY116 FRANKFURT  2325WY612 DUBAI  2330LH618 FRANKFURT/ABU DHABI  23309W540 BOMBAY  2340WY928 SALALAH  2350WY648 KUWAIT  2355WY636 ABU DHABI  2355WY696 DAMMAM  2355

FLT NO DEPARTURES TO ETD AI986 BOMBAY  0005QR1135 DOHA  0020LX243 DUBAI/ZURICH  0020BA072 ABU DHABI/LONDON-HEATHROW  0025SG062 AHMEDABAD  00309W539 BOMBAY  0040LH619 ABU DHABI/FRANKFURT  0050WY251 MADRAS  0115WY267 LUCKNOW  0120WY685 RIYADH  0120WY201 BOMBAY  0130WY431 TEHRAN  0130WY235 HYDERABAD  0145WY691 DAMMAM  0150WY643 KUWAIT  0150WY273 JAIPUR  0155WY601 DUBAI  0155WY901 SALALAH  0200WY657 BAHRAIN  0220WY323 KARACHI  0220WY637 ABU DHABI  0230NL769 LAHORE  0230WY667 DOHA  02304H584 CHITTAGONG/DACCA  0245BG022 CHITTAGONG/DACCA  0300ET625 ADDIS ABABA  0450EK867 DUBAI  0455FZ042 DUBAI  0500WY241 DELHI  0510QR1133 DOHA  0520EY385 ABU DHABI  0525TK779 BAHRAIN/ISTANBUL  0655WY3301 MUKHAIZNA  0715GF561 BAHRAIN  0745WY917 KHASAB  0745WY813 BILLUND  0805WY603 DUBAI  0805WY903 SALALAH  0820FZ044 DUBAI  0840WY345 ISLAM ABBAD  0920WY823 KUALA LUMPUR  0925WY291 CALICUT  0925WY215 TRIVANDRUM  0930PK192 GWADUR/TURBAT  0955G9114 SHARJAH  0955WY815 BANGKOK  1010WY231 HYDERABAD  1015WY327 LAHORE  1020WY905 SALALAH  1020WY283 BANGALORE  1020WY385 MALE  1025WY373 COLOMBO  1025WY605 DUBAI  1030WY631 ABU DHABI  1035WY245 DELHI  1035WY717 ZANZIBAR/DARESSLAM  1040WY203 BOMBAY  1040WY311 CHITTAGONG  1040EY383 ABU DHABI  1055EK863 DUBAI  1055WY3303 MUKHAIZNA  1115QR1129 DOHA  11159W533 COCHIN  1135WY655 BAHRAIN  1150WY337 KATHMANDU  1205WY3921 JAALUNI  1315WY223 COCHIN  1320WY253 MADRAS  1320WY663 DOHA  1330IX554 TRIVANDRUM  1330WY101 LONDON-HEATHROW  1340IX350 CALICUT  1405WY609 DUBAI  1440WY609 DUBAI  1440WY405 CAIRO  1440WY3305 MUKHAIZNA  1515WY913 SALALAH  1525IX818 MANGALORE  1530KU678 ABU DHABI/KUWAIT  1625FZ046 DUBAI  1630WY675 JEDDAH  1635QR8551 DOHA  1700WY613 DUBAI  1705WY623 DUBAI  1820WY915 SALALAH  1840WY647 KUWAIT  1840WY681 RIYADH  1845GF565 BAHRAIN  1855EY387 ABU DHABI  1910WY653 BAHRAIN  1920WY661 DOHA  1920WY695 DAMMAM  1930WY821 KUALA LUMPUR  1935G9118 SHARJAH  1955SV534 RIYADH  2000WY923 SALALAH  2030WY611 DUBAI  2030TG508 KARACHI/BANGKOK  2040WY635 ABU DHABI  2050FZ048 DUBAI  2140WY671 MEDINA  22309W529 TRIVANDRUM  2240QR1131 DOHA  22456.00E+82 BOMBAY  2245WY673 JEDDAH  2250AI908 MADRAS  2300AI974 DELHI  2310GF567 BAHRAIN  2325UL206 COLOMBO  2335EY381 ABU DHABI  2350

FLT NO DEPARTURES TO ETD AI986 BOMBAY  0005QR1135 DOHA  0020LX243 DUBAI/ZURICH  0020BA072 ABU DHABI/LONDON-HEATHROW  00259W539 BOMBAY  0040LH619 ABU DHABI/FRANKFURT  0050WY251 MADRAS  0115WY685 RIYADH  0120WY211 TRIVANDRUM  0120WY225 COCHIN  0125WY201 BOMBAY  0130WY151 ZURICH  0145WY235 HYDERABAD  0145WY643 KUWAIT  0150WY691 DAMMAM  0150WY601 DUBAI  0155WY273 JAIPUR  0155WY901 SALALAH  0200WY133 PARIS  0210WY115 FRANKFURT  0210WY123 MUNICH  0215WY657 BAHRAIN  0220WY341 LAHORE  0220WY323 KARACHI  0220WY637 ABU DHABI  0230WY667 DOHA  0230WY143 MALPENSA  02304H582 DACCA  0245BG022 CHITTAGONG/DACCA  0300TK777 BAHRAIN/ISTANBUL  0350ET625 ADDIS ABABA  0450EK867 DUBAI  0455FZ042 DUBAI  0500WY241 DELHI  0510QR1133 DOHA  0520EY385 ABU DHABI  0525GF561 BAHRAIN  0745WY3301 MUKHAIZNA  0800WY603 DUBAI  0805WY903 SALALAH  0820FZ044 DUBAI  0840CV856 HONG KONG  0845WY263 LUCKNOW  0920WY345 ISLAM ABBAD  0920WY291 CALICUT  0925NL769 LAHORE  0930WY917 KHASAB  0930G9114 SHARJAH  0955WY283 BANGALORE  1000WY815 BANGKOK  1010WY231 HYDERABAD  1015WY905 SALALAH  1020WY605 DUBAI  1030WY631 ABU DHABI  1035WY245 DELHI  1035WY311 CHITTAGONG  1040WY717 ZANZIBAR/DARESSLAM  1040WY203 BOMBAY  1040EY383 ABU DHABI  1055EK863 DUBAI  1055QR1129 DOHA  11159W533 COCHIN  1135WY331 KATHMANDU  1205WY433 TEHRAN  1205WY3303 MUKHAIZNA  1300WY253 MADRAS  1320WY405 CAIRO  1325WY413 AMMAN  1325WY663 DOHA  1330WY663 DOHA  1330WY101 LONDON-HEATHROW  1340IX350 CALICUT  1405WY927 SALALAH  1430WY609 DUBAI  1440FZ046 DUBAI  1630WY675 JEDDAH  1635WY613 DUBAI  1705PA451 LAHORE  1730WY913 SALALAH  1800WY623 DUBAI  1820WY647 KUWAIT  1840WY915 SALALAH  1840QR1127 DOHA  1845WY681 RIYADH  1845GF565 BAHRAIN  1855WY661 DOHA  1920WY654 BAHRAIN  1920WY695 DAMMAM  1930G9118 SHARJAH  1955WY825 KUALA LUMPUR  2030WY611 DUBAI  2030WY635 ABU DHABI  2050WY923 SALALAH  2125FZ048 DUBAI  2140AI978 HYDERABAD  2200KL442 DOHA/AMSTERDAM  2225WY817 BANGKOK  22359W529 TRIVANDRUM  2240QR1131 DOHA  22456.00E+82 BOMBAY  2245WY673 JEDDAH  2250AI908 MADRAS  2300AI974 DELHI  2310GF567 BAHRAIN  2325UL206 COLOMBO  2335EY381 ABU DHABI  2350

A I R L I N E S

—www.met.gov.om

BORN today, you are not always wise enough to keep your mouth shut when you are supposed to, nor are you the kind to keep mum when your feelings or opinions are bubbling the surface, begging to be let free into the world. While this may cause you some trouble in life, the truth is that your honesty — called “bluntness” by many — will be one of your single greatest tools in life, and you can maximise your chances of success simply by remaining true to your nature and voicing your opinions at nearly every opportunity. You cling to your instincts at all times, and trust them always.

You don’t always say things that are inappropriate, however. Often you share not only what others want to hear, but what they need to hear as well. You have a knack for identifying the central issue in almost any situation, and you can instruct others accordingly.

Also born on this date are: Winona Ryder, actress; Finola Hughes, actress; Fanny Brice, comedian; Melba Moore, singer; Kate Jackson, actress; Richard Dreyfuss, actor; Bill Mauldin, political and military cartoonist.

You will want to have an alternative plan ready to go, just in case your primary plan of attack goes awry for any reason.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22]

LIBRA [SEPT. 23-OCT. 22] LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL[S[S[[S[[[S[[SSSSSS[[S[S[[S[S[SSSSSS

SCORPIO [OCT. 23-NOV. 21] S[

SAGITTARIUS [NOV. 22-DEC. 21] S[[[[[[[[[[[

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18]

Your endeavors are sure to be compared with those of someone very much like you, especially when they begin to yield results.

You want something that has been denied you in the past, but things change. Today you have a feeling the odds are in your favour.

You have the feeling that someone near you can teach you a great deal about something that could prove quite lucrative.

Something new begins in a way that has you wondering why you haven’t been doing this all along! Prospects are bright and bounteous.

You may have to hide one or two personal facts until you have won someone else’s trust and confi dence. Then you can let it all out.

You’ll be asked to do more than you had originally agreed to, but your involvement is sure to be rewarding for all.

You may not feel as though you are playing up to par, but in fact you are doing better than most others expected under the circumstances.

You are able to communicate quite well with someone whom others fi nd rather distant and mysterious. You have a great deal in common!

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20]

You may fi nd it diffi cult to support someone whose methods are so diff erent from your own, even though your motives are identical.

GEMINI [MAY 21-JUNE 20]

CANCER [JUNE 21-JULY 22]

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22]

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19]

Y O U R B I R T H D A Y

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19]

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20]

You must be honest and straightforward if you expect others to trust you and join in a communal eff ort you are leading.

You may have a long drive ahead of you. There’s no reason, however, you can’t take the scenic route.

It is the dinosaur version of grave robbing — fossil poachers plundering a pal-aeontological dig, frequently smashing ancient skulls

and stealing valuable teeth, claws and feet. Often, all that remain are shards of fossilised bone and a wrecked, irreplaceable scientifi c record. And in cases where poachers excavate an entire skeleton and spir-it it away to illicit entrepreneurs or collectors, it is as if the bones, buried for millions of years, were being dug up only to be hidden away again in private collections.

“This is huge,” said Catherine A. Forster, a palaeontologist at George Washington University who is president of the Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology. “It isn’t just one or two specimens. A fair proportion of very good fossils just disappear from knowledge, and few are ever seen again.”

And while some scientists hoped that a high-profi le legal case in New York last year over the $ 1 million sale of a rare Mon-golian dinosaur would curb the il-legal digging, that does not appear to have happened. Mark A. Norell, chairman of paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, said a visit to the Gobi Desert over the summer made clear that poaching contin-ues “in a big way.”

Philip J. Currie, a palaeontologist at the University of Alberta, says he has determined that 98 skeletons of the dinosaur Tarbosaurus bataar (sometimes called Tyrannosaurus bataar) were destroyed or removed by poachers in Mongolia. Fewer than a dozen are in scientifi c hands,

he says. And he has counted many other plundered fossil skeletons from the Gobi, including 86 ostrich-like dinosaurs. (It has been illegal to remove fossils from Mongolia since the 1920s.)

Although the age of the dino-saurs lasted about 165 million years, their skeletons are relative-ly uncommon: only about 3,000 are known to exist. About 1,300 dinosaur species have been iden-tifi ed, Norell said. Palaeontologists say they are not taking aim at pro-fessional fossil fi nders, who work within the law and dig carefully. They are calling for the patchwork of laws on dinosaur stealing and smuggling to be enforced and tight-ened around the world, and they are pleading with private collectors to demand proof of a fossil’s origins before they buy — just as they would question the pedigree of a painting or an antique.

Otherwise, the scientists say, valuable entries in the Earth’s

book of life will be lost forever, in-cluding information about exactly where the fossils were found, what geological formation the creatures were in, how they were lying in the ground, how they were discovered and precisely when they lived, not to mention what surrounded them at death. “I’m saying, ‘Ask for prov-enance’,” Norell said.

The Association of Applied Pal-aeontological Sciences, a profes-sional group representing private commercial fossil collectors and dealers, is also encouraging its members to educate themselves and the public on the legality of the specimens. The modern-day fossil rush began in earnest after the Field Museum in Chicago paid $ 8.36 million in 1997 for Sue, the most complete T. rex skeleton ever found, said Kenshu Shimada, a professor at DePaul University in Chicago who is chairman of government aff airs at the palae-ontology society. Shortly after, the phenomenon of online buying and selling through sites like eBay took off , opening up global mar-kets for fossils.

Shimada said the society be-came so concerned about the ex-tent of the illegal dinosaur trade that it made a survey of “palaeo hot spots,” gathering information from 20 countries about where fossils are, what laws govern them and how the laws are enforced.

Currie said the Nemegt Basin, in the Gobi Desert, is a particular concern. It is one of the two best dinosaur sites on the planet, he said, with a diverse range of fossils and thousands of footprints. The 70 million-year-old T. bataar, for

example, was an Asian relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, and was one of the last dinosaurs to evolve, one of the most sophisticated and one of the most dangerous — yet much of its life cycle remains unknown.

“One of the most spectacular sites for understanding dinosaurs in the world is now being de-stroyed by poachers,” Currie said. The dream, he said, is to explore the basin as an ancient ecosystem, learning how dinosaurs interacted with one another and their envi-ronment. Many puzzles remain. For example, scientists would ex-pect to fi nd far more plant-eating dinosaurs than meat eaters in one layer of the basin, yet the remains of carnivores predominate. Why?

While the Mongolian govern-ment’s successful lawsuit over the T. bataar skeleton did not end poaching, it has had other eff ects. The sale was voided, and the smug-gler, Eric Prokopi, a fossil dealer from Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty in a criminal proceeding and awaits sentencing. The skeleton was returned to Mongolia in May.

As a result, the country has set up its fi rst dinosaur museum, in the capital, Ulan Bator, with the repatri-ated skeleton as the starring attrac-tion, said Minjin Bolortsetseg, its new chief palaeontologist. Twenty-two more Mongolian fossils are due to be repatriated soon.

But Bolortsetseg said that un-til the Mongolian government protects fossil sites, involves lo-cal governments in policing them and educates the public about the historical value of the fossils, the looting is unlikely to stop. —ALANNA

MITCHELL/The New York Times News Service

C12

EXTRAT U E S DAY, O CTO B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

PLUNDERING SCIENCE, BONE BY BONE

At 71, Bachchan hits the gym everyday

AMITABH BACHCHAN does not associate himself with lethargy and the exhaustion that comes with age. He still makes it a point to workout at the gym every day. In a post on his blog Sunday, Big B talked about the strug-gle behind him going to the gym and how he tries not to miss it. “Despite the pain, despite the inconsistency, despite the ‘aalasya’ — the lethargy of human, despite all else — the push to gym, come what may,” Bachchan

posted late Sunday night. “Bear it, struggle with it, allow it to tear into the body, scream out the music with eff ort —and conclude with that something satisfaction of fi ghting an odd-ity,” the 71-year-old added. The pain and the struggle of going to the gym motivates him to go back the next day as well. “Be that as it may, the following day there shall be eff ort again. Stubbornness — yes! At least in some respects, but the ulti-mate gain shall remain - of having continued even when there was no evidence of any prescribed continuity,” he said. On the work front, Bachchan is currently hosting the seventh season of quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati that comes on Sony.

‘Neecha Nagar’ ignored, Kamini Kaushal upsetVETERAN ACTRESS Kamini Kaushal is deeply disturbed by the fact that despite Neecha Nagar being the fi rst Indian fi lm to get the Palme d’Or at the Cannes fi lm festival, it was not mentioned in the 100 years celebrations of Indian cinema pre-sented at the prestigious fi lm fest in French Riviera this year. “My fi rst Film Neecha Nagar is India’s fi rst fi lm to get awarded at Cannes fi lm festival but I really felt bad when Bollywood celebrated its 100 golden years and didn’t even mention its name,” Kamini said Sunday at an event organised to pay trib-ute to late singer Manna Dey. Director Chetan Anand’s Neecha Nagar won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1946. The actress claims that Bollywood seems to have forgotten the veterans and their contribution to cinema. “If Bollywood has forgotten its base, which contributed in the making of this golden era, it’s regretful,” the 86-year-old said. With almost 90 fi lms in her fi lmography, the actress teamed up with top actors like Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar in her heydays and featured in fi lms like Shaheed, Nadiya Ke Paar, and Biraj Bahu. She was last seen in Rohit Shetty’s Chennai Express.

No honour befi tting for SRK: Karan JoharFILMMAKER Karan Johar says his friend and colleague Shah Rukh Khan is such a dynamic personality that no matter how many honours he gets, they will never be enough. Shah Rukh was recently named India’s Most Attractive Personality in a survey carried out by the Trust Research Advisory. “He is dynamic, attractive and he is one of the fi nest actors this coun-try has seen. No matter how many honours he receives, they are less,” the 41-year-old said at the launch of Mandira Bedi’s sari store. Having completed 25 years in the industry, Shah Rukh will celebrate his 48th birthday on November 2. “He has reached the pinnacle and I think his love (love of his fans) just continues to grow with every passing year,” said the fi lmmaker. —IANS

BOLLYWOOD

Palaeontologists are calling for the patchwork of laws on dinosaur stealing

and smuggling to be enforced and tightened around the world

Although the age of the

dinosaurs lasted about

165 million years, their

skeletons are relatively

uncommon: only about

3,000 are known to exist

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Offi ce Space for rent near Royal

Hospital Ghala. Contact 99855795

Twin Villa in Al Mabela South near

the Health center, 2 Majlis, 4 Sitting

rooms, 12 Bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 2

stores. Handover 1/1/2014.

Contact 99383359

2 BHK with Split AC in Bariq Al

Shatti. Contact 96708000

1BHK / 2BHK, fl ats at Muttrah, near

Oman House. Contact 93231403

2 big new fl at in Al Amerat

(Al Mahaj) 1 fl at 4 BR, 4 toilet &

kitchen with AC, Second fl at 3BR, 3

toilets, kitchen with AC. #99339735

Flat for rent in Wadikabir.

Contact 96440598

Showroom / Offi ce space in MBD.

Contact 99713489

2 BHK for rent in North Darsait.

Contact 94101134

Room for rent near Al Khuwair r/a

executive, Indian bachelor.

Contact 96570364

House for rent in ruwi 2 bedroom

2 bathroom, kitchen, Majlis, for 330

RO. Contact 96306242

1, 2 BHK, opp. Oman House

R.O200/- &260/-.

Contact 95076261

Villa in Al Amerat, 1/5, one fl oor,

contains 3 bedrooms + Majlis

+ kitchen + 3 toilets. Contact

95522405

3BHK fl at for rent in Ghubra.

Contact 99792181

2BHK fl at for rent in Wadi Adai,

main road. Contact 99792181

Studio fl at for rent in Ruwi.

Contact 99792181

2 BHK fl at for rent in Ruwi.

Contact 99792181

2 BR luxury fully furnished in

Azaiba, Al Khuwair 33, Madinat

Qaboos. 1 BR luxury fully furnished

at Madinat Qaboos, Al Khuwair. 5 BR

fully furnished at Madinat Al Ilam.

Contact Atlas Real Estate & Rent a

Car LLC : 99429069 / 99436312 /

92888376,

email : info@alshahiintl.com

2 Brand New Luxurious Villas (no

411 and 413) for rent in Azaiba.

Each Villa with 6 bedrooms, servant

Quarters, 2 kitchens with all modern

Amenities which includes split A/C,

Dish washers, oven etc,

Way no 4491 / 4405.

Contact 99462980

2 rooms fl at Ghoubrah near Muscat

Grand mall, opp Oasis rental RO

280/- Monthly. Contact 95395480

170 sqm covered workshop Ideal

for Carpentry/ Aluminum/ Steel

workshop at Wadikabir (near

Al Ansari Ware House). Contact

93216645 / 99375638

D2 T U E S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

New fl at for rent, Wadi Adai, 2 bed-

rooms big, two big hall, big kitchens.

Contact 99345137

Big shop for rent at Wadi Adai.

Contact 99345137

Shop and store in Mabaila. Contact

99355330

2BHK available Ghubra near Indian

School. Contact 99269751

Flat near Muscat Indian School

Darsait. Contact 99344738

Shops, Basement Store, Wadi Al Ka-

beer. Contact 99441193 / 93004802

Fully furnished fl at at Al Khuwair

33. Contact 99339078

Newly constructed villa (4 bath at-

tached bedrooms + 1 bath attached

Majlis + 1 hall + 1 kitchen). All rooms

having split unit A/C, near Sultan

Qaboos Sports Complex, South

Ghubra. Contact 99277221

1 BHK Ghubra 250 RO.

Contact 92144045

2 BHK at North Azaiba 2 bedrooms,

1 hall & dining, kitchen 3 bath-

rooms from 1st November. Contact

99224748 / 99425665

Flat for rent in Wadi Kabir, opp.

Srilankan School R.O 260/-.

Contact 96674891

1 Bedroom RO100, 1 Bedroom at-

tached toilet RO 140, 2 Bedrooms

attached kitchen & toilet RO 200 in

Al Khuwair. Contact 95154331

Spacious Villa at MSQ- 4 Bed-

rooms, 2 Majlis, 2 Kitchens, 2

External room, Spacious Garden

area- Ideal for Kinter Garden School.

Contact 24566217 / 24564686

3 BHK big fl at in Qurum.

Contact 92144045

1 BHK with AC MBD area.

Contact 92144045

Flat two bedroom and sitting, 2 toi-

let with a/c, rent 350/-R.O in Walja

new building. Contact 99622885

Offi ce & Retail Space available

– Alasfoor Plaza, Qurum. Contact

24566217/ 24564686

3 Bedroom Villa with Maid room

at Qurum 16. Contact 24566217 /

24564686

Flat for rent with 2 Bedroom +

Majlis+2 toilets in South Ghubra.

Contact 99373728

2 BHK fl ats available at MBD area

and shop space available in Al

Khoudh market area & Wadi Adi ar-

eas. Contact 24834644 / 93994402

/ 93994403

1 BHK fl at Wadikabeer 240/-.

Contact 99358589 / 97079146

Extension for rent in South of

AlMabalh 110 RO Comprehensive

electricity and water.

Contact 99227192

Fully furnished apartments for

Rent in Al-Khuwair and Ghubra.

Contact 95113252 or 91138757

For Rent 1500 Sqm Industrial land

in Rusail Industrial area, behind

Rusail Hotel. Contact 99729858 /

99717791

Shop at Mawalah, behind City

Center. Contact 98087644

Full furnished room for rent weekly

70 OMR, Monthly 250 OMR.

Contact 99251975

New Building in Wadikabir (near

Indian Primary School) 2 bedrooms

RO 300/-, 1 Bedroom RO 270/-.

Contact 93333352

Commercial/ Residential 2 BHK at

Honda Road. Contact 98087644

1 , 2,3 BHK Flats & Villa from Wadi-

kabir to Azaiba. Contact 91162431

2 BHK with split AC, near ISM

Darsait. Contact 92144045

1 BHK fl at Wadi kabeer 160/-.

Contact 99358589 / 97079146

1 BHK fl at available for rent on Hon-

da Road, Ruwi. Contact 99367448

New fl at in Azaiba. Contact

24485240 / 24485241

Deluxe 2BHK R.O 400 and 4BHK

RO 650 in Al falaj Area {OPP KIMS}.

Cont. 9901 5614

Shops at Wadikabir. #99893363

Store at Wadikabir.

Contact 92844996

2 & 3 BHK fl at near Srilanka School

in Wadi kaber 230 & 270 RO.

Contact 92222922

Free Wi-Fi CBD area furnished room

for non cooking bachelor, advance

deposit. Contact - 99078540

Land for rent in fanja (16000 m2)

opposite police station for informa-

tion contact: 92823100

Flats, shops, basement location

Ruwi area to MBD area, Honda

road Hamriya.Contact 92433127 /

97293708

Shops and showroom on rent in

prime location Ruwi .# 97115920

Shop in Al - Khuwair for sale 2700

RO and low rent at prime location.

Contact : 95407510 & 92932809

2 BHK near Oman House behind

Khimji H.O. Contact 95865686

1 BHK Flat in Ghubra, near sea

prime Location. Contact 93782735

DAILY GUIDET U E S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3 D3

Oil paintings For sale.# 99737812

Shops with Built in Mezzanine,

Ideal for Wholesale, Showroom

facility for immediate sale: location

Al Ghubra. Contact 99345554 /

92955874

Fully furnished and installed CCTV,

Network shop at Fun Zone Centre,

Qurum ideal for computer mobile,

perfume shop. Also available 3 visa

clearance. Contact 99039650

Baby stroller 6 months old for sale.

Contact 99855203

Shop for sale in Al Hamriyah.

Contact 97333005

Attractive furnished shop for

sale in Ruwi. Contact 92260186 /

92292490

Industrial Land 5000 SQT.

Contact 99323957 / 95490842

3 Phase Hydraulic Hose pressing

Machine, Brand new Finland P-32

RO 4500/-. Contact 96117690

Well furnished big shop for sale in

Ghala. Contact 96653000

Mobile shop for sales includes,

cupboards, display units, cash

counter, CCTV, six cameras, furnish

store, split A/Cs and mobile acces-

sories stock also available for sale.

Location Al Hail. Contact 97366673

/94169912/ 24551196

Successful running business com-

pany for sale. Contact 97240992

Email : meena20004@yahoo.com

Three window A/Cs, furniture, kid’s

cycle, Samsung home theatre for

sale. Contact 95647872

Shop near Fathima supermarket

building Rex road.

Contact 99070860

Well established beauty parlor

running successfully for 10+ years

and refurbished 1 year back located

at prime location in Al Khoudh main

street for sale. Contact 98918189

Electrical, building material shop,

behind Bank Sohar Ruwi.

Contact 99359698 / 92139418

FOR RENT

FOR SALE

Shops basement-for rent location

Ruwi area Honda road, Hamriya.

Contact 92433127 /96942749

2/3BHK fl at at Al Khuwair/

Al Azaiba/Baushar.

Contact 99776071 / 99057348

Shops in Al Ghubrah next to Indian

school Ghubrah, Ideal for offi ce

space/ warehouse/ Showroom.

Contact 99737562

2 BHK Wadikabir & Ruwi.

Contact 99024730

New villa at Al Khuwair 33, 6 bed

rooms RO950/-Monthly.

Contact 99443834

Available 5 bedroom fl at with 5

toilets & kitchen for rent in Ruwi.

Contact 99316402

Offi ce space 136m in Ruwi.

Contact 99316402

Available 2 bedroom fl at & 160 m

warehouse & 1 showroom for rent at

Honda Road. Contact 99316402

1 and 2 BR Brand New Flats in

Azaiba. Contact: 96793675

WANTED

Al Mayar National Ent. Civil & Elec-

tro Mechanical Ent We are looking

for building related Civil / Electrical

Main contract/ Subcontract works,

with/ without materials. Kindly

contact Mr. Arun 99887451 Our Ad-

dress: www.almayarllc.com Email

mayarprojects@almayarllc.com

ACC. AVAILABLE

ACC. AVAILABLE

Furnished sharing accommodation

for family near Fathima shopping

Ruwi. Contact 99855203

Sharing accommodation one

room with attached bathroom only

for bachelor near Ghala khajoor

round about. Contact 92248407 /

92830203

Sharing accommodation available

for working lady or couple near

Ruwi Church (Kerala only).

Contact 96031747

Well furnished fl at for sharing with

Executive bachelor male / female

near Al Falaj Hotel Ruwi.

Contact 97163737

Single room in Muscat with A.C

R.O 65/-. Contact: 95094028

Sharing accommodation available

for family or Bachelors in Wadikabir,

Nr. Kuwaiti Mosque.

Contact 92490397

Furnished single room for execu-

tive bachelor near Safeer hyper-

market, Azaiba. Gsm 99761216

BUYING/SELLING

Offi ce & House hold Furniture

& Electronics items. Contact

99834373/96642500

Good Quality Wooden Kicking

blocks available 1.2 mtr & 2.6 mtr

length. Contact ahastco123@yahoo.

com , Ph: 99318152

Wanted for purchase a medium

size licensed poultery farm in Seeb

or Barka areas. Contact + (968)

99315293/+ (968) 95884763

We Buy all types of Wooden

Scraps. mail- ahastco123@yahoo.

com , Ph: 24458759/ 98539316/

99318152

MATRIMONIAL

Brahmin family seeks a match for

their 38, 5’-6”, beautiful, fair, US citi-

zen daughter. Has MBBS and Law

degrees. No bars. Highly qualifi ed

and well established professionals.

Contact kashyapj1@yahoo.com

22 years, 160 cm height, Roman

Catholic girl from Thrissur District,

passed out MBA, seeking suitable

alliance from Thrissur or Ernaku-

lum district. Contact 92841175

Keralite Kannur Dist Viswakarma

Girl 25 years Ayilyam Staff Nurse

Banglore. Contact 98100371

Marriage proposal invited for

Sunni Muslim girl from Andhra

Pradesh. Please send particulars to

mferoz_khan2003@yahoo.com

Kerala Cheramar Christian girl, 30,

working in Oman us Nurse, proposal

invited for suitable alliance.

Contact 91312275

Email devasiachandi12@gmail.com

Nair boy 28 Makeeram from Palak-

kad B.Tech working as IT Engineer

in Muscat seeks suitable alliance.

Contact sudhask79@gmail.com

GOOD NEWS

Sponsor ship with legal and

shop for rent or sale. #99342763

FREE INFORMATION ABOUT IS-LAM. If you would like to know more

about Islam, please call: 99425598,

96050000, 99353988, 99253818,

99341395, and 99379133. For ladies:

99415818, 99321360, 99730723

Orvisit: www.islamfact.com

Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain,

backache, paralysis, massage,

steam bath, obesity, spondylitis etc.

Ideal Care Ayurvedic clinic, Azaiba.

Contact 99639695

Ayurvedic treatment for backache

paralysis arthritis etc. & massage

All Season (Vaidyaratnam). #

24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980

Genuine Ayurvedic treatments

&massage, ayuredic clinic Al Khuwair.

#24478618/ 97263637/ 97109295

Bath attached room with sharing

kitchen for working lady or family

in Ghubra. Contact 99342300

Single, non cooking, separate toilet

opp Safeer Plaza Al Khuwair.

Contact 99568122

Sharing room with attached bath-

room for working ladies, near ISD

Darsait. Contact 99526851

Offi ce rooms for rent. Contact

24713253 / 99187422

Penthouse room for Executive.

Contact 24713253/ 99187422

Single room with separate

bathroom & bathroom & sharing

for Executive bachelor (Keralites

preferred), opp. to Makha Hotel Wadi

Kabir, near to MBD Khimjis Mart.

Contact 99544063

Spacious room independent

bathroom in 2BHK fl at Darsait for

sharing. Contact 96934161

Room for rent in Ruwi.

Contact 95372192

NRI

3 BHK fl at, 2400 sq ft, ready to

occupy at K.R.Puram Bangalore.

Contact- 96568583

Land for sale –Kerala 4 housing

plots for sale (15cents each) in Ku-

zhoor (Kerala-Trichur District-near

Mala – Valiaparambu) immediate

sale for Rs. 1.75 lakhs per cent.

Contact 99101676

Plot for sale adjacent seaport air-

port road plots also in Tripunithura

Eroor Vennala Kakkandu Pal-

likara. Contact George 93577835 /

99363391

DBHK fl at for rent Ayanawaram,

Chennai NRI. Contact 99354340 /

9840582788

3BHK brand new semi furnished

ready to occupy kakkanad kochi.

Contact 24700174

M.V. FOR SALE

Toyota Corolla 1.6 Xli 2012 like

new, under warranty.

Contact 93782735

Pajero 2003, no 1 Automatic RO

2800/-. Contact 99384640

Kia opirus 2009 model.

Contact 93307973

Lancer 1.3 ltr, 150,000KM, 2006

model good condition. # 99659946

Yaris 2007 Automatic 198000 kms

Interior, Exterior excellent condition

dealer serviced insurance valid one

year RO 2500. #99883991

New Mitsubishi Pajero 3.5 Cool Box 2013 for sale. Contact

97413418 / 93955020

Daihatsu - Granmaz Van-Good con-

dition. # 99545895 / 95451313

2006 Nissan Maxima 85000 kms

A/T full power options sunroof RO

2900/-. Expat owned well main-

tained. Contact 99339025

2009 Model Toyota /Nissan/TCM

Diesel/Petrol 1.5/2 Ton fork Lifts in

excellent conditions for Immediate

sale. Contact 99371732

Toyota Corolla (black), 2008 last

model, fully automatic, 11,4000

kms driven, valid mulkia (eight

months). . Contact 95729549 /

95801101

Toyota Camry 2003 model1 year

Mulkiya. Contact 93806625

Sale for Beauty Parlor Mawalih.

Contact 95020852

Wallpapers, Carpet, Curtains,

all blinds. Contact 99834373/

96642500

Shop for sale. Contact 96260037

Shop for at Darsait in premier loca-

tion two shutter 3.8 meters width,

and length 11 meters each shutter

space suitable for offi ce show room

and store. Contact 93676713 /

94333453

1 Month old brand new furniture

for sale in Sohar. Contact 91026506

Industrial Land 5000 SQT with an

Empty space in front of (opposite

to Mountain). Contact 99323957/

95490842

Furnished Shop for sale in Ruwi.

Contact 91143284 / 92260186 /

92292490

An Electrical Tools Shop in Al

M’abeela Industrial area is for

investment or sale. It has diff erent

stuff like fans, Lights and sock-

ets. The shop has 2 new Labour

clearances. Contact 98949690 /

92365667

For sale Electrical company Grade

D. Contact 93204143

Carpenter work shop sale, Wadi

Kabir. Contact 96231700

Warehouse area 1800 sqmt in Wadi

Al Kabir for sale. Residential build-

ing in Al Ghobra for sale 250.000/-

R.O. Commercial building in new

Ghala for sale 2,500,000/- R.O.

Contact 91155779

Camp for sale Including Porta -

cabin, kitchen & Dining facilities

with RO plant. For more informa-

tion. Contact Nasser 99808067

Porta cabin and Container for sale.

Contact 99373256

1BHK near Indian Nursery-School

WadiKabir - 95234062

Non-cooking Indian bachelor, opp.

OK Centre. Contact 95246843

Room for rent in Al Khuwair.

Contact 92708300

One semi furnished room with

bathroom & kitchen sharing &

internet available, opp. Toyota

Wathaya. Contact 91094044

2 rooms with bathroom and shar-

ing kitchen near ISWK couple or

Executive bachelor.

Contact 99330839

Spacious room with A/C for Execu-

tive bachelor /working lady in Wadi

Kabir, near Kuwaiti mosque.

Contact 99720561

Independent Qurum/ Hail rooms.

Contact 95529970

Sharing accommodation available

for working lady (Kerala only)

near Ruwi Church.

Contact 96031747

Sharing accommodation avail-

able in Al Khuwair area, near

Hotel Platinum (opposite Mars

Hypermarket). Single room with

independent bathroom for Indian

Executive bachelors.

Contact 93049510

Independent room /Kitchen/Bath-

room Accommodation available for

Indian Executive Bachelor Behind

Muscat Bakery-Al Hail North.

Contact 93219776

Furnished 1BR with separate bath

sharing kitchen with internet OMR

175/-plus maintenance.

Contact 93200170

Available Sharing Accommodation

in Ruwi, next to K.M Centre sepa-

rate room and bathroom RO 130/-.

Contact 92619102

Sharing accom. available for

keralite family in Hamariah

nr School. Contact 95221165

Single room with toilet avail-

able near Darsait roundabout.

#92120626

Rooms/ Store available in WK

with attached bathroom for Labor/

Executive/ Bachelor/ Family.

Contact 92384963

Single room, non cooking bachelor

Rex road. Contact 95747799

Ghubra furnished room + attached

bath available.

Contact 98267157

Oppo O.K. Centre. Single Room

with separate Bathroom for In-

dian Non-cooking Exe. Bachelor.

RO.120/- incl. W&E.

Contact 99502581

Oppo O.K. Centre. Single Bed space

with attached Bathroom for Indian

Non-cooking Exe. Bachelor. RO.75/-

incl. W&E. Contact 92605811

TRANSPORTATION

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation. Contact 99509283

Transportation. Contact 99664703

Transportation only. #99751397

Transportation. Contact 99077348

Graduate driver with car. #98267157

Transportation. Contact 98178135

Transportation. Contact 95199733

Transportation. Contact 99508282

Transportation. Contact 99664703

Transportation available.# 95068976

Transportation. Contact 93405941

Transportation. Contact 98546606

For transport. Contact 92548219

Transportation Contact 95570429

DAILY GUIDE Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com

D4 T U E S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Indian male 39, Senior Accounts

professional having 16+ years exp

in fi nance, accounting auditing, can

join immediately.

Contact 94207919

Chartered Accountant from India

with 20+ years of progressive

experience in Corporate Financing/

Accounting/Audit/Treasury Man-

agement/Forex/Fund Mobilization

in diverse industries across Geogra-

phies (Asia & Africa), seeks suitable

placement, Relocation Immediate.

Contact - 94374729,

+91 9940001123,

Email - mnksamuel@hotmail.com

Chartered Accountant from India,

Post Qualifi cation experience 21

years, working in Muscat since

July 2011, at a Senior position in

a group of SME’s, seeks suitable

change. Contact 94201290 Email

chakjain37@yahoo.com

15 years experienced Senior Ac-

countant looking for suitable posi-

tion presently at qatar. indian male

35 years MOB:0097455783515

bijoychamy@gmail.com

2 years experience Accounts As-

sistant B.Com / MBA Finance know-

ing Tally seeks suitable placement

in Accounts/Admin /Commercial.

Contact 98250349

ACCA member, adv Diploma Ac-

counting & Business (U.K) 24 yrs

male, 3 yrs experience tally ERP9,

peach tree focus ERP, MS offi ce

looking for immediate placement.

Contact 97268263

ACCA : 1 year working experience

as Accountant looking for suit-

able placement. Contact 93504713

Email: inaseem69@gmail.com

Accountant Indian male, 28 yrs,

MBA, B.Com having 5+ years exp

& D/L seeks immediate placement.

Contact 93397327

Email: rijurenuka@gmail.com

Canadian Female, CHRP certifi ed, 5

years experience Canada, Customer

services, recruitment, HR Policies

and Procedures. Contact 97385772

Email mathewsdliza@gmail.com

Indian female MBA (Finance) C.A

Articles, B.Com 4 years experience

in Accounts Auditing (Tally ERP

9), looking for suitable placement.

Contact 93023103 Email sham-

lashajui@gmail.com

Indian male, 28, MBA, with 8+

years experience Across Oman,

UAE, India & USA, Seeking suitable

opportunities in Accounting and

Finance, Business Analysis, Audit

Procurement and purchase. Contact

93290537

Indian male, B.Com 2+ years experi-

ence, looking for suitable place-

ment. Contact 97293942

Indian male, 23 yrs B.Com with

Tally ERP9 & expert in MS Offi ce,

seeking suitable placement.

Contact 94188632 Email

renjunairnagpur90@gmail.com

Over 10 years experience (Oman)

in operations / SLA Management

BD Project Management with MBA

– Ops PMP trained ITIL certifi ed ISO

auditor seeks suitable placement.

Contact 95490577

Indian Female 30 Yrs. MBA

Finance, 3.5 years experience,

seeking suitable positions Now in

family visa. Contact - 93179101

Chief Accountant well experi-

enced with reputed Group, seeks

placement. Contact 95598477 /

98803439

Indian male 33 yrs M.Com, Finance

having 7+ yrs experience as an Ac-

countant in Muscat, knowledge up

to fi nalization, Audit, debt Collec-

tion, A/R Omani D/L, seeking senior

level position. Contact 93088436

Accountant Indian female B.Com

PGDCA 8 years exp in Oman.

Contact 99058722 / 98896522

Canadian Educated Citizen, Male

45, With 17 years of experience in

Finance & Accounts including 3

years of GCC Experience, is looking

for a suitable Job in Finance.

Contact- 98711999

Email- bijou.thomas@yahoo.com

Accountant Pakistani male, 28

years M.Com, 7 years experience in

accounts, fi nance seeking suitable

placement. Contact 91259190

Seeking for Appropriate job status

MBA (fi nance) experience 8.5 years

functional area: fi nance & manage-

ment. Email: m25fh2015@yahoo.

com, 93633590

DOMESTIC HELP INTERIOR DESIGNER

ENGINEERS/TECH

ENGINEERS/TECH

EDUCATION

SALES / MARKETING

SALES / MARKETINGMANAGER

MISC

BEAUTY

ADMIN

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

CATERING

Wanted Filipino or Indian profes-

sional for salon. Contact 99892289

Required Experienced Lady Beau-ticians And Hairdressers. Call: 95724106.

Send CV ediedem@gmail.com

Looking for a Maid from 8 AM -

4.30 PM for a family in Al Khuwair

33. Serious candidate can call in

evening. Contact 92289437

Full time Housemaid wanted for a

Tamil family in Al Khuwair

preferred Tamil /Karela Housemaid.

Contact 96595230

Urgently required Light vehicle driver (Omani) – 2 nos. with min. 3

yrs experience, Cashier (Omani) - 1

no. with min. 1 yr experience, De-

signer (any Nationality) with min.

1 yr. experience, Administrative Offi cer, Omani, 1 yr experience.

Candidate who wish to apply re-

quested to send their CVs+ photo ID

e-mail : hroman2013@outlook.com

Looking for entry-level / executive HR candidate w/ min 6 mos exp.

Eng (req) + Arab (asset). Medical exp

/ JCI accred / DHA MOH reg knowl-

edge (preferred). Email resume to

admin@rochesterwellness.com

DRIVER

MEDICALSECRETARIAL

Urgently required for a Hotel apart-

ment in Sohar : (1) Operations Man-ager - experienced with GCC driv-

ing license.(2) Receptionist (male), (3) House-keeping Supervisor. E- mail: noronhagj27@gmail.com

Urgently wanted Waiters & Wait-ress, Secretary, Painters, Chefs for

Hotel in Salalah.

Send CV : roy1860@yahoo.com

Required English language teach-ers Mathematics and Science in English required to provide

educational qualifi cation, experi-

ence. Email: aleithar@hotmail.com

Required Teacher, Qualifi cation: B. A. English & B.Ed. English &

experience interviews from 8.00 am

to 1.00 pm. Contact 24705605

Private school in Al Hail North, look-

ing for computer teacher (female),

excellent computer skills.

Contact 95339066

Required a Pharmacist B Pharm. and Dentist (MOH License Holder)

for a reputed polyclinic in Oman.

Contact:

alrawdahpolyclinic@gmail.com

Mob. 99621372, 97076009

Male/ Female Nurses required for a rehabilitation clinic. MOH

licensed preferred but non-

licensed can also apply. Attractive

Salary. Good English command.

Kindly send CV to

celestinabartolome@yahoo.com

GP Doctor with MOH license

wanted for Polyclinic at Maabela

South. Contact 98115439

A Leading Polyclinic in Oman

looking for a G.P Doctor or any

Specialist Doctor with M.O.H

License. Interested candidates can

send their resume to our email ID:

jobsoman0@gmail.com or

Fax 24810772 or

call 95762646

Required Nurse and Labora-tory Technologist for clinic in Al

Buraimi. Send CV to

drpkabbas@yahoo.co.in

Need a Dentist with M.O.H license

in Oman to work in new dental

clinic in Shinas.

Contact: 99439989

Required Asst. Pharmacist with MOH license for a Pharmacy

in Capital area.

Contact 92820570

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION VACANT

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

Wanted Driver with knowledge of

electrical and plumbing work.

Contact # 99451845

Wanted Indian Driver/ Sales Ex-ecutive with GCC driving license,

visa clearance available.

Contact 99215560,

Email: bvcsmuscat@gmail.com

Female Advertising & Media Sales Executives with pleasing person-

ality, engaging communication

skills and Oman driving license.

Email: deemaild@gmail.com

A leading manufacturers of Build-

ing Chemicals in Dubai are looking

for a Stores/Purchase coordinator with min. 2 years experience in

manufacturing industry.

Please send your CVs:

pur.stores@gicoman.com

Required a young female Omani

temporary art gallery Manager. Fluent in spoken, written and

reading English. Should possess

good communication skill.

Contact 24566130 / mobile

94359088

Camp Boss, Qualifi cation : Any De-

gree, Experience : Minimum 3 years.

The candidates have hotel main-

tenance, Health & Hygiene, Food &

Safety Experience. Candidate must

speak & write English, must be Com-

puter Literate. Contact : 92503125

& 92048058 Land line : 23279474 ,

Email : hralezco@ hotmail.com

Urgently required welder for metal

furniture. Contact 93231403

SITUATION SIT. WANTED

SITUATION SIT. WANTED

Experienced Indian male looking

for part time accounting job based

on Tally ERP9. Contact 96934161

9 years of logistics experience in

operation s and marketing need

suitable post . Pls cont Sivashankar

at 97328086.

24 yrs female with driving license,

BBA+ I.A.T.A,3 years experience

seeking suitable position in sec-

retarial ,admin, HR, procurement ,

travel. Contact 95337828 or

e-mail at hibhak@gmail.com.

INDIAN male, B .Tech Electronics

& Communication with computer

networking knowledge(CISCO R&S,

Security, Windows server) being

able to implement, maintains &

troubleshoot LAN/WAN systems

seeks suitable placement Contact:

92180401, riyaznazir@yahoo.com

15 years Oman experienced

Keralite light duty driver with valid

driving license. Please contact:

97413721

Hotel apartment maintenance in-

charge elect, plumbing and a/c gulf

exp 12.years. Contact 95452204

Indian female (MBA in HR and

Finance) 4yrs of experience, Good

in MS Offi ce, Fluency in English.

Seeking suitable placement. please

contact: 95716128,

E. Mail: malavisu@gmail.com

Indian Female, 24 years, M-Tec in

Bio-Technology with good practical

knowledge in Molecular Biology,

seeking a suitable position.

Contact: 91262412/99502416

Email: s.aswathi88@gmail.com

Indian male 25, having CA inter

cleared with B.com having fi ve

years of experience in accounts and

auditing, presently working in oman

looking for a better placement.

Mob 98097009,

Email: rameesnm@gmail.com

Indian male 26 having 5.5 years

experience in oil & gas fi eld with 2

years gulf experience and

valid oman driving license. Contact

Ashok kumar, BE Mechanical

Gsm. +968 95262241

Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 24,

2+ yrs of exp in Accounting fi eld,

currently on visit visa looking for

suitable placements.

Contact: 94255149

Indian male 30 yrs having 5 yrs

exp in oil & gas maintenance dept

as fabricator in lamprell energy

Sharjah UAE looking for placement,

presently in visit visa.

Contact – 92084948

Email- sijojohn729@gmail.com

Chemist- Indian female, 3 years’

experience in analytical research,

seeking suitable placement. cur-

rently in Muscat on family visa. Can

joins immediately. Experience on

HPL, UV- VIS, IR, GC, Sprayview, PH

meter, KF titrator potentiometer etc.

Contact : 91044366

Urgently required Accountant cum Offi ce Admin (female), Sales Executive (female).

E-mail: fancyworld@live.com

Tel: +968 99776650, 97772502

A leading foodstuff company requires the following: Accounts Assistant with 3 years minimum

experience in relevant fi eld, willing

to be assigned in Muscat area. In-

terested candidates may send their

resumes at amcs.om@hotmail.com

Construction Company required Civil Engineer. Contact 93530756 /

94005668

Civil Engineer - Architect &

construction exp degree/diploma

in Civil Engineer with minimum 3

years Gulf experience & valid Omani

driving license, good computer.

Send your CV to email address:

info@albatnapp.com, Contact

99202531/ 24814132/ 24810133

A reputed Construction company

having roads & building projects

require: Project Manager, Site Engineer, Civil Foreman. All Should

have Oman experience. Send CV:

hr_grandlay@yahoo.com

Urgently required a leading Electro

Mechanical Contracting company

required - MEP Quantity Surveyor with 5 to 7 years GCC experience,

MEP Maintenance Supervisor with

7 to 10 years experience and driving

license. Email: amitco@omantel.net.

om Fax: 0968 – 24489667.

Urgently required Electrician with DCRP license. Send CV to

recruitmentoman001@gmail.com /

Contact 99545470

Vacant for interior decoration fi eld, Interior decoration Engineer,

decoration foreman, artist, paint-

ers. ontact 95540786.

Email: md@alrasen.com

Secretary required experienced

Secretary required for Ruwi of-

fi ce. Must have high standard of

competence in MS Offi ce suite and

excellent English communication

skills. Send CV and covering Email

to mj-co@omantel.net.om

A reputed construction Co. having

projects in Govt & Private Sectors

require: Project Engineer, Site Engineer, Civil Foreman. All should have Oman experience.

Send CV : jobanestllc@gmail.com

Required Marketing Executive for a Art Gallery / Picture framing

company. Should be Young & ener-

getic (fresh or experienced) having

interest in Art & Photography.

Send your CV :

lecarde@omantel.net.om

Urgently required Field Sales Executives with Omani D/L, good

Communication and sales experi-

ence. Contact : 96545020

Sales & Marketing Executive exp

bachelor degree in business mar-

keting, 3 years experience relation

& contacts in the Oman Market,

experience printing presses is

must, good computer, valid Omani

driving license. Send your CV to

email address:

info@albatnapp.com,

Contact 99202531/ 24814132/

24810133

Urgently required Outdoor Sales Executive with Oman D/L for

furniture show room.

Contact 93231403

32 yrs, Pakistani male, 7 years of

banking experience, MBA Market-

ing, B. Com Accounting

seeking for placement. Contact

99130285, 98856216

Indian Expat female, B. Sc Physics

and Tally ERP 9 educated with valid

Omani Driving license seeks suit-

able position.

Contact : 00968 97386005

Civil Project Manager, Graduate,

Indian, 28 years experience,

22 years in middle east and of

which 18 Years in Oman, is looking

for a new challenging opening.

Contact 00968 98501208

Indian Male 24 yrs, B.com having

2 years experience in Accounting,

Finance & Admin with good knowl-

edge in Tally & Computers looking

for suitable position . Currently in

Muscat. Contact: 97840863

Indian female 29, Diploma in Hotel

Management, having experience in

teaching and front offi ce, looking for

similar full time or part time jobs in

Muscat area.

E mail: manu12.mov@gmail.com;

95193173/ 96022648

BSC B.ED educated Indian, Keralite

Female seeking suitable placement

in Primary/ Nursery school. Imme-

diately available. #96128798

Indian female MCA., Mphil., 5 yrs

experience in software develop-

ment &programming lang., C, C++,

HTML, XML, Asp. NET,C#,SQL

Server, ORACLE and MySQL, seek-

ing suitable placement can join

immediately.Contact:97765173.

mail: dtkthillai@gmail.com

Indian female MCA., Mphil (Uni-

versity Rank Holder) in computer

Science having 5 yrs of experience

in teaching(Lecturer in college)

seeking for teaching position

(school or college).# :97765173.

mail: dtkthillai@gmail.com

Accountant Indian male B. Com

having two years experience in

tally ERP 9. Ready to join immedi-

ately, Contact 95534746.

Indian, Male, Commerce Gradu-

ate, 12 years experience in Foreign

Exchange, Secretarial, Administra-

tion, Finance & Accounts, seeks for

a suitable post. #+968-95962800.

E-mail: sumeshks007@gmail.com

DAILY GUIDET U E S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3 D5

DAILY GUIDESITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

DRIVERS

DRIVERS

DRAUGHTSMAN15 years of Oman exposure. Smart

Indian Male with MBA. Experienced

in Oilfi eld Products (Upstream)

& Security systems as Sales &

Marketing Manager, seeks suitable

placement in a senior position.

Contact 99639375

Indian male, 25 years, B. Tech Civil

Engineer with 1.5 years experience,

seeking job in Oman available for

interview. Contact 93319697

email: solaman.t@gmail.com

Indian BE (E & C) Engineer 1.5

years experience in maintenance

& trouble shooting of PLC/ PID/

VFD/ DCS, PG Diploma in Industrial

Automation, well versed in PLC/

SCADA/ DCS 22 Years in Oman,

seeking placement.

Contact 93279796

12 Years Experienced Projects

and Operations professional with

experience of Electrical, ELV and IT

projects in Oman and Other coun-

tries, Seeking senior position job.

Contact 98823248

Indian female B Tech (CSE) with

around 2.5 years teaching and

administrative experience in Engg

College, Looking suitable teaching/

technical/offi ce admin jobs. Profi -

cient in C/ Java/C++ Programming

and Microsoft offi ce suite.

Contact 97268414

Email : mejaida@gmail.com

29 yrs, male, B.Tech Civil, 2 years

experiences in Oman with D/L.

Contact 92657101

Indian male B.E Electrical Engi-

neer 12 years experience as MEP

Engineer in Construction company,

seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92532941

Indian male, 25 years BE

Computer Science and Engineer-

ing, CCNA, MCP certifi ed, 2 years

experience valid Oman D/L, Now in

Oman, seeking for suitable offi ce

jobs. Contact 98688414

Email ajeebcse@gmail.com

B.E Mechanical, Indian male, 26

yrs, on visiting visa, having 3 years

experience in Piping Projects as

QA/QC Engineer/ Site Engineer.

Contact 968 98766298 Email

nagesh.saps@gmail.com

B/E Electronics Engineer having

3.5 years of Indian experience in

Planning, Construction,

Telecommunication, Hardware

Networking, Marketing.

Contact 92629307

DESIGNER

Indian male 29 yrs, looking for a

3D job in MAYA/Max and Graphic

designing having a experience of 8

years, currently working in Oman,

Available to join immediately.

Contact 98567624/

+91 9886712424 Email :

sandeepsharmasolid@gmail.com

Web / Graphic/ UX Designer with

3+ years of experience from a lead-

ing IT Company in India, looking for

a job at Muscat. # +968 95962963

Email - mohanasok@live.com

EDUCATION

Indian female 25 yrs, Masters in

English and Bachelors in Business

Management (University Rank

Holder in Masters & Bachelors) with

excellent communication skills & 2

years exp. in Teaching & Adminis-

tration seeking for a suitable place-

ment. Contact - 99413704

Indian female MSc BEd Physics

having 2 years experience of teach-

ing physics & Maths to Grades up to

X, seeking for part time job.

Contact 93863317

Indian female M.Sc Physics, B.Ed 5

yrs experience in teaching, seeking

for suitable job. Contact 97367389

HSE 10 yrs exp in Oman, Seeking

placement valid Omani D/L.

Contact 92825053 IOSH NEBOSH

Pakistani female M.SC (Master) Bi-

ology having 15 years of experience

of teaching biology & chemistry

to grades IX to XII seeking for part

time job .Contact 91280346

Indian Female 23 years old,

Aeronautical Engineering graduate

with 1 year 6 months experience,

expert in MS Offi ce tools, Technical

documentation, reports and excel-

lent communication skill. mail:

sandhyamenon057@gmail.com

25 years Indian male, B.E

Aeronautical, 2 Years experience on

Maintenance repair and overhaul.

Hands on experience on Gas turbine

engine and Autocad 2007.

Contact 00919739656833

Email: midhu4u@gmail.com

AutoCAD draftsman 4 yrs experi-

ence in darting & designing

urgently seeking suitable place-

ment NOC available.

Contact 95208203

Email: anvarkhan848@gmail.com

Draughtsman Civil Diploma in

AutoCAD 7 years experience in

GCC, seeking suitable placement.

Contact 97332301

Architectural & Interior Draughts-

man. 4years Gulf Experienced.

Knows 3dsMax&Photoshop.

Ph:98310977

Indian Light Driver need job.

Contact 91254539

Driver 13 years experience in

GCC, seeking suitable placement.

Contact 95969613 Arabic, English,

Hindi speaking.

Driver looking for a job good

company. Contact 96989106/

92108447

Driver with Pajero and car avail-

able. Contact 93262460

Driver looking for job, 10 years

experience. Contact 99501396 /

93956395

Looking for job Driver, 20 years

experience. Contact 98109185

Driver urgently looking for job

having valid Oman driving license.

Contact - 96502026

Wanted Driving job. #96741993

Driver job. Contact 95387829 /

98537756

Accountant & audit services.

Gsm 99761216

ADMIN/HR

ADMIN/HR

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ARCH/ INTERIOR

Architect 6 yrs experience knowl-

edge 2D-3D drawing, having D/L

(Omani) looking for suitable job.

Contact 98928458

Email: joydeep736@yahoo.com

Cad Drawings Architectural detail

drawings, interior exterior drawings

3D views. Contact 99610110

Civil 2d & 3d designer Indian male

4 yrs exp in (3d designing , auto

CAD drawing , photoshop , Ms of-

fi ce) fi nished architectural design &

model course & draughtsman civil

(1 yr exp in Oman) Urgently seeking

for suitable job. Mob: 97294321

Email: sreejithsvtm@gmail.com

Iraqi Architect 23 years, experi-

ence 7 years in Oman, seeking for

suitable replacement.

Contact 97608513

MBA fi nance with 4 years experi-

ence in fi nance and oil fi eld industry

looking for a suitable opportunity,

holding Omani driving license. Con-

tact 95696446 Email: dhaneesh-

gvr@yahoo.com

Capital Market Professional, 13+

yrs experience Finance trading,

Operations, portfolio Management,

Achieved target on revenue genera-

tion, Investment Goals. #91136521

Indian male 39 yrs, having 15 years

experience (7 years in Oman) in Ac-

counts Audit fi nance, looking for a

senior position in Accounts.

Contact 98870042

Indian male Accountant 8 yrs

experience, 4yrs Gulf experience,

seeking suitable placement.

Contact 95619243

Indian male B.Com, 5 years ex-

perience in Oman seeks suitable

placement. Contact 98162671 Email:

prasantbs3@gmail.com

Accountant female Indian MBA

fi nance worked with reputed com-

pany in Oman, UAE & India.

Contact 97197683

Accountant Indian male 35 yrs

B.Com Graduate with 10 yrs experi-

ence tally ERP9, MS offi ce seeking

suitable position. Contact 96073232

Male 27 yrs, MBA ( Finance),

seeks placement fresher.

Contact 95130366

Email dolphy1963@hotmail.com

Indian female, having 4 yrs of ex-

perience in Accounts Customer Care

& Administration, seeks suitable

placement. Contact 92801607

Male, 23, completed B.Com, Diplo-

ma in Accounts & fi nance, urgently

looking for suitable placement in

a company in Accounts & fi nance

dept, marketing or human resource

depts. Contact 96990810

Pakistani male, 26 Qualifi cation

MBA(Finance) have Omani Driving

license, seeking for vacancy.

Contact 94005442

Email hkhan036@gmail.com

Chartered Accountant Indian male

with 5 years of post qualifi cation ex-

perience (4 in Oman) seeks suitable

placement. Contact 93791700

Indian male, 31, Accountant 5 years

exp in Oman (total 10), seeking suit-

able placement. Contact 99021031

29 yrs Indian male, Double post-

graduate in fi nance with 8+yrs of ex-

perience in Oman and valid Driving

License seeking suitable opportuni-

ties in Accounts, Finance and Audit.

Contact :98693256

Document controller, Indian male,

2 yrs experience in Saudi Arabia also

experienced in Networking and MS

Offi ce seeks for suitable position,

currently on visiting visa. Contact

97187998 Email: nigilali@gmail.com

Indian male B.Com having 10 years

Oman experience Accounting fi eld,

looking for new job, having release,

independent handing accounts.

Contact 92258853

MBA Finance 4 years Audit & Ac-

counts experience, seeks placement.

Contact 91073728,

Email prth4111@gmail.com

Indian Male 23 years Qualifi cation

in NCVT Mechanical Course and

Professional Diploma in fi nance Ac-

counting requires a suitable place-

ment any fi eld. Contact 91031950

Email sinojmukundan@gmail.com

Indian male, Chartered Account-

ant & Cost Accountant; 24 years of

experience (10 Years in UAE). Has

worked as Financial Controller and

Accounts Manager. E mail is

raza_shuab@hotmail.com,

Please Contact +968 99857838 or

+971 50 8686746.

Indian Accountant with more than

32 years experience in Construction

(can handle both Financial & Cost

Accounting) seeks suitable place-

ment. Contact.98962945

Over 14 years of experience in

admin/ HR/ Offi ce Manager fl uent

in Arabic & English languages valid

driving license. Contact 95824598

Indian female, MBA, Industrial

Management, 2 yrs experience,

profi cient in HR, Admin activities.

Contact 96145006

Masters in Communication,

Journalism, fi nance, excellent

English, writing skills, creative,

Arabic speaking Indian, Oman exp,

seeks Administration / Corporate

Communication/ Press Relations /

Advertising/ Operations role.

Contact 98179887

Indian Male 29yrs, Graduate,

Diploma in Computer, Having 7yrs

experience as Offi ce Administrator/

Backend in India, Looking for suit-

able position in Oman, Contact:-

Mob. No. +91-9899308271,

akmalhussain84@gmail.com

Electronics & Communication

Engineer. MBA (HR & Marketing)

with experience, female, seeks job.

Contact 96963961

Indian male, 31 yrs, Commerce

Graduate (B.Com) with 9.5 yrs of

varied experience in Administra-

tion, operations, client relationship

& team management seeking suit-

able placement.

Contact 97268311,

loyedfernandes@gmail.com

31, Indian male, MBA having

8 years experience in logistics,

Sales & Admin, Presently working

in Oman with valid GCC Driving

license. Contact 93051506

Email fortune2210@gmail.com

Logistics/ Commercial Executive

6 yrs experience in trading & ship-

ping/ logistics companies, looking

for suitable position.

Contact 95687253

Indian male M.Com CA Inter 1st

group passed Accountant 3 years

in Oman 12 years India, tally knowl-

edge. Contact 98334532

Indian male having BE Chemical

Engg with 1year experience look-

ing for suitable position. Contact

98466650

B. Sc Civil Engineer Pakistani total

6 yrs exp 2 & have yrs exp in Oman

valid Omani D/L. Contact : 97166543

Email: engr.mazik@yahoo.com

Autocad D/MAN, cum qs, 3 yrs

Diploma Civil Engg, 7 yrs exp,

architectural, structural, MEP.

PH : 99857698

26 years male, BE Electronics

Engineer, 2+ years experience

in Saudi Arabia & 6+ months in

Pakistan with valid Saudi driving

license, seeks suitable position.

Contact 97453326 Email

naveedhasan388@hotmail.com

Structural Civil Engineer, BE,

Indian male, 10 yrs exp in Infra-

structure road, Bridges, fl y over.

Contact for CV 95484776 Email

joanjebaraj@gmail.com

BE (Electronics & Communica-

tions Engineer) 23 yrs Indian male

1 yr experience, seeking suitable

placement. Contact 92080713

Indian male; E&I Engineer, 4 years

experience in petrochemical, oil &

gas fi eld seeking suitable position.

Contact : 92941392/95834965 ;

email: vinodariez@gmail.com

Welding Inspector (CSWIP 3.1)

with B-Tech in Production Engg,

seeks suitable job.

Contact 92711433

India male BE Civil Eng 20 year

exp present working in India as

Project Manager seeking suitable

placement.

Gsm 00919900666960

harshavardhana_mv@yahoo.com

BE Mechanical Engineer, Indian

fresh Engineer presently in Oman,

looking for suitable job. Contact

98040214 / 99086842

Email bonskey2010@yahoo.com

Mechanical Engineer (B Eng)

male 24 yrs experienced in project

& Site Engineering, marketing &

Sales, recycling with a valid Omani

driving license, looking for a posi-

tion in manufacturing oil & gas, au-

tomotive, R & D. Contact 91165415

Email ja237le@gmail.com

Indian female 25 yrs M.E Computer

Science, 3.5 yrs experience as Asst.

Professor looking for placement

at Schools & Colleges. Contact

92449426 / 93254268 Email :

praveennair_s@yahoo.com

Mechanical Engineer with 12

+years exp.(7 years in Oman) in Oil

fi eld & Construction heavy vehi-

cles/equipment. Presently working

with a logistic company Muscat

as workshop In charge. Avail-

able to join immediately. Contact :

95983518,sgk700@yahoo.com

Indian male, 26 years, B.Tech Elec-

tronics Graduate, having 2 years

experience with valid Oman D/L,

seeks suitable placement.

Contact 98622425E

mail: shejinmathew@gmail.con

Indian male, BE Civil Engineer 5

years experience, seeking suitable

Vacancies with Oman driving

license. Contact 95835537

Email : skklnet@gmail.com

Indian male BE Automobile 2013

MIT passout diploma Mechatron-

ics (NTTF) visit visa, seeking suit-

able position. Contact 98901241

Email edwinjohn27@yahoo.com

25 Years Indian male, BE Electron-

ics & Communication Engineering

Graduate, seeking suitable place-

ment. Hold valid Oman driving

license. Contact 97434543 Email

drizzle77@gmail.com

Sudanese Electrical Engineer

4 years of experience, looking a job.

Contact 95686723

Indian female 25 yrs B-Tech Civil

Engineer 2 yrs experience good

Knowledge Studd-pro AutoCAD,

seeking suitable placement.

Contact 95716424

B.Sc Civil Engineer, 2 years experi-

ence looking suitable placement in

construction or structural design

fi eld. Contact 93850440

Email: sdat33@yahoo.con

Diploma in Civil Engineer with 1

year experience in Site supervising

in India, now available in Oman.

Contact 93816032

Indian male 27 yrs B.Tech Auto-

mobile, 5.5 yrs experience both

in Toyota & Suzuki, Looking for

Service Engineer jobs.

Contact 92449426

Email: praveennair_s@yahoo.com

Mechanical Engg with 6 yrs exp in

electromechanical work D/L, seeks

job. Contact:98520020

Electrical Engineer 7 yrs experi-

ence. Contact 94285868

BEAUTY & HEALTH

An Indian Lady Spa Beautician,

seeks employment.

Contact 92863352

Indian female Fitness Trainer look-

ing for job. Contact 95978449

Email : godwithbless@yahoo.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

Indian Civil Quantity Surveyor –Total Exp(15yrs) GCC(4yrs)-

Diploma, D/L, Looking placement:

contact :khan.civilqs@gmail.com,

96608610

Indian male, 23 yrs B. Com Gradu-

ate having 2 years experience in

Account and logistics (export &

import) knowledge in Tally 9, SAP,

FICO M.S Offi ce seeking suitable

placement. Contact 95426454

Accountant Indian female 10 year’s

experience 6 years in Oman seek-

ing suitable placement.

Contact 97123002

email: premar@live.com

Manager Accounts & HR MBA

fi nance PGDHRM 10 yrs experience

in India 14 yrs experience in Muscat

Presently working in Construction/

Earth works co. in Muscat available

to join immediately. #91103856

Email: newjobs13@yahoo.com

Indian female B.Com, 6 yrs experi-

ence (3 yrs Gulf) experience as

Offi ce Assistant, Arabic speaking.

Contact 94376201

Accounts Manager, MBA Finance

& PG Diploma in HR, total 24 yrs

experience, working in Oman since

14 yrs now working in Oman for-

construction co. in Muscat, can join

immediately. Contact 91387354,

accounts242013@yahoo.com

Indian male Accountant,B.Com with

6 yrs experience in Oman, seeks

suitable placement. # 91057862.

e_mail umct777@ gmail.com

Indian male B Com looking for suit-

able placement in Accounts.

Contact 92576275

Indian male 21, B.Com Graduate,

knowledge in Accounts ( packages:

Tally, Peachtree) seeking for a suit-

able post. Tel : +968-94123495,

E-mail : zameelpv@gmail.com

Accounts part time / full time work,

fi nalization works.

Contact 96247295

Indian male 13 years working in

Oman as Senior Accountant with

MBA in Finance seeking for suitable

placement. Contact 95319707

Indian male, 28 yrs, 5 yrs working

experience in Oman as Admin /

personal dept offi cer with valid

Omani driving license, seeking

suitable in similar fi eld or in any

applicable jobs. Contact 91309317

Indian male 34, PGDBA in Opns

management with 14+yrs experi-

ence in offi ce administration,

sales, EA, to top management, with

Oman D/L seeks immediate place-

ment. Contact 92769725

Indian male, 24 yrs MBA, 2 yrs

exp seeks a suitable position in

Administration. Contact 97138676

Qualifi ed female HR professional

with MBA(HR),BE,PGDBM 5 years

work experience seeking suitable

role in HR profi le. valid oman D/L

contact 94129462

Corolla 2013 with driver.

Contact 96772324

Light Driver. Contact 98077981 /

98946925

4 yrs Experienced Indian Driver

(Exp..in sales fi eld ) looking for job

as driver. 93079087

Diploma Electrical Site Engineer 12

years experience in Oman available

driving license in Oman.

Contact 96570848 Email

senthilkumar3081@gmail.com

QC Civil Engr 11 yrs experience in

Highway 8 yrs in Oman, Valid GCC

D/L. Contact 93590464

Project consultant Engineer Bang-

ladeshi male B. Sc Civil Engineer

4 yrs exp as a Project Engineer in

Oman also know etabes, Autocad,

MS project. Contact 97145139

Indian male 28, DME with 7

year experience (4year Oman) in

automobile sales & service, seek-

ing suitable job from mechanical/

automobile fi eld, Valid D/L. Contact

95566186.

Indian male Diploma in Electron-

ics seeking an opportunity for

highly skilled Electronic technician

with 10 years experience. Contact

93269820 Resi: +914802734079 /

+919946888723, Email:

davis.dinosh3@gmail.com

Civil Engineer Diploma 8 years

experience 3 years Oman, looking

for suitable post. Contact 95648309

/ 93477358 Email :

mohammadtoslim@gmail.com

BE Mech HVAC Engineer Indian

male with 2 years experience, seek-

ing suitable position.

Contact 97122895

Indian male 25 years, B.Tech in

Electronics & Communication

Engineering (Automation or Instru-

mentation Engineer) with 1+ year

India experience in Automation PLC,

SCADA, DCS, HMI AC & DC Drives,

Seeking suitable placement.

Contact 92151143/ 92151143

09 Years Gulf experience in

Automobile, Looking for Service

Engineer or workshop Incharge. Age

34 yrs, working experience in Oman

& having valid Driving license.

Contact 93121310

Indian male B.E (E&C) 1years expe-

rience in sales, seeking suitable job.

Contact 91125082

Email: althafms.ms1@gmail.com

B. Sc in Civil Engineer with Oman

experience urgently

seeking suitable placement.

Contact +968 93523630 /

+88 01728 199656, Email

engg_shahalamce@yahoo.com

Sri Lankan Quantity surveyor (male) with 7 years experience

(including Gulf), looking for a suit-

able placement in Oman, available

in Oman for personal interviews

and discussions.

Contact 91308391/ 96953676

Email msa.ifham@yahoo.com

Indian female B.Tech Civil Engg,

3 years experience (6 months in

Oman) in QS, estimation, cost con-

trol and planning, seeks suitable job.

Contact 92047375

Email: vinujosephcm@gmail.com

INFORMATION TECH

Indian 4 years experienced SAP

ABAP & BI Consultant seeking suit-

able job. Contact # 94363446

IT Engineer Indian with 5 years Ex-

perience in support Engineer, IT Tech

Support, Quality Analyst, IT Help

desk, Customer Service and Sales,

Worked in Dell International and in

New Horizon Doha, seeking suitable

position.Contact: 97320161,

mohdazeezuddin24@gmail.com

9 yrs Exp IT Desktop/ Network

support Filipino Male B.S. Comp Eng

CCNA W/ 5 yrs exp in Qatar visit visa

in Oman. Contact 91319643

Email hikaph2002@yahoo.com

D6 T U E S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

MEDICAL

TOURS & TRAVELS

SALES / MARKETING

Indian female Keralite B.Sc Nurs-

ing with MOH license, 3 years

experience. Contact 99658395

presently in Oman.

Nursing caregiver, qualifi ed &

experienced Nurse & Assist Nurse

seeks good placement at home /

clinic. Contact 92989109 email:

medicoport@gmail.com

Obs/Gynae Medical Offi cer, MOH

licence,8 years experience in gulf

countries,searching suitable job in

Muscat. Contact 96260671

Female Radiographer holding

M.O.H License with 6 years experi-

ence, seeking suitable post. Contact

93017124

Male Nurse (BSc Nursing) with

MOH License experience in

Emergency Trauma care, looking

for a suitable position. Contact

98435304 / 99657116

Male Nurse 8 years experience MOH

license Oman BLS ACLS certifi cate,

Currently in Muscat. $ 97141787

Email sreejithks2006@yahoo.co.in

Indian female Nursing professional

M.O.H License 8 years experience.

Contact 93441998/ 95886421 Email

sheena.thomas14@yahoo.com

Indian female Dentist age 29 yrs,

exp 4 years, looking for suitable

opening. Contact 93386632

Male Nurse with MOH license valid

GCC driving license.

Contact 93217438 / 91226236

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE

MANAGER/ SUPER

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

31 male, MBA (UK) with over 10

years experience in BD/OPS, sales

and marketing with valid Omani

D/L, seeks suitable placement.

Contact 94480878

Indian male, 30 yrs, M.B.A 6 yrs ex-

perience in Indian in sales and cus-

tomer service excellent in M.S. offi ce

and communication skills in Oman

on visit visa. Contact 91380575

Indian male B.Tech MBA,4 years

experience in sales & marketing on

visit visa seeking suitable place-

ment Ph 96010724,

neonitinm@gmail.com

Business Development Executive 7

years in Experience, Currently with

Telecommunication Project Man-

agement with qualifi cation PGDM-

Marketing (UK) & BBA, Seeking for

opening in new threshold, logistics,

FMCG, Supply Chain Management

and Consumer Products. Available

to join immediately, D/L Oman.

Contact 93833276

Email bonamiereems@gmail.com

Purchaser, 10 years experience

with valid Omani Driving.

Contact 98226848

Indian male 30 yrs, MBA marketing

with 6+ yrs managerial experience

(sales) seeks Managerial position

in Marketing / Sales business de-

velopment service retail / product

manufacturing industry.

Contact Avijit 96726408

Young dynamic / MBA Marketing

having 8 years experience with

Omani driving license seeking

suitable position.

Contact 91199054 / 94135599

Email: zeshan_84@yahoo.com

23 years Indian male BBA Market-

ing / Finance 1 year experience in

Sales & Marketing, looking for suit-

able placement in Sales / Marketing

/ coordination / retail/ admin jobs.

Contact 98418208 / 99229357

Aman Maheshwari

Looking for Sales Executive job

28 years 5 years experience having

D/L Oman experience in F.M.C.G.

Contact 96075110

Indian female 28 yrs more than 2

years of professional experience in

concept selling, worked with India

Today Group as Executive in Space

Marketing, seeks suitable place-

ment in Muscat ready to join imme-

diately. Contact 94210400 Email ID:

susanpallathra@yahoo.co.in

MBA, B.Tech Indian Male having 6

years experience Marketing/ Sales/

Business development/ promo-

tional/ Branding in Oil & Gas, HVAC,

Firms, seeks immediate placement.

Contact 91256806

10 years experience on Sales with

driving license needs placement.

Contact 95266485

Indian National with 20 years

experience in Sales/ Port operation

with shipping line/ Freight forward-

er, looking suitable positions, in

Salalah/ Muscat. Contact 93751004

Email sreekumar_vnair@yahoo.com

MBA, BSC advance certifi cate in

marketing with 16 years of experi-

ence in marketing market research

customer services purchasing sup-

ply chain management worked for

customer like Nike Victoria’s Secret

M&S looking for a challenging job.

Contact 91233418

Email isthiaqalam@gmail.com

Male 32 yrs, 10 yrs experience

sales, events, administration,

graphics looking for job.

Contact 93850612

Indian male B.Com with 6 yrs expe-

rience in Sales, Holding valid Omani

Driving license, seeks suitable

placement. Contact 95330174

Male 28, B.Com, having over 8

years of experience in Sales & Mar-

keting, Valid D/L, seeking for a suit-

able placement.Contact:96662739

or E-Mail at sidd9191@yahoo.com

Sales & Marketing professional,

GCC experienced, Indian male, 30

yrs, having Oman driving license,

seeks suitable placement.

Contact 97386097

Sales Exe with diploma / ITI in

electrical / net working/ fi re Safety

Engineering with D/L. Fax: 24787258

Email: orisonmct@gmail.com

Indian male having 17 yrs Gulf

experience in Sales and Marketing

of various type of building materi-

als tools machinery etc, currently

heading Oman Branch, having valid

driving license of Oman, looking for

suitable placement. # 93690410

20 Years of experience in Secre-

tarial job in Oman, seeking suitable

placement. Contact 98987461

Imam /Mutawa from Kerala seeks

placement. Contact 91223853

Indian male with 7 yrs experience

working in Doha Qatar as HVAC de-

signer, looking for suitable position.

Contact +97470361931

Indian male 23, M.Sc in Biotech-

nology with excellent profi ciency

in English & computer, seeking

suitable work opportunity in life sci-

ence and Industrial fi eld, Currently

on visit visa. Contact 95166242 /

Email jaykishan.parekh@live.co.uk

Indian male, 28 yrs, B.Com with

over 8 years experience (4 years

in Oman) in accounting up to

fi nalization, experience in Tally

Erp9, fox pro, smart pos and expert

in MS Offi ce, D/L seeking suitable

placement. GSM : 93069890 Email :

ammuknpy007@gmail.com,

Female-26,BA qualifi ed,6 years ex-

perience, can work from home, look-

ing for suitable job. #-93060952 or

email-devi.t2009@gmail.com

Fisheries Graduate Indian male 28

years with certifi cate in F.S.M.S

and 4 years experience in food

processing Industry seeks suit-

able openings.# 92123983 Email:

vikasvelayudhan@yahoo.com

Indian female 25 years, MSC

MICRO Biology, Looking for place-

ment in food or medicine industry

or laboratory experience one year

in dairy farm. Contact 92255983

Indian female with 17 years Gulf

experience as Executive Secretary /

offi ce Manager looking for suitable

position. Contact 98587275

Indian Male 32, with academic

excellence (MBA) has 7.2 years of

high quality experience (includes

GCC) & professional achievements

in Business Administration, Cus-

tomer Services, Marketing & Sales.

Contact: 95899314;

todhanesh@gmail.com

Senior Manager, 20+ yrs experi-

ence in Purchase, Sales, Admin &

Accounts seeks immediate place-

ment. Contact 98942117

Indian male 27 years 7 years

experience Electrical & Plumbing

Supervisor in Oman valid Oman

driving license. Contact 99165218

Email: alvinoth1985@gmail.com

Sri Lankan female 25 yrs looking

for suitable employment in cus-

tomer service, secretarial, admin,

and event management 5 years

experience in customer service and

administration for banking sector.

Contact 94262290

Email: samurdhi077@yahoo.com

MANPOWER

Indian, 4 years experience in

purchase & marketing D/L, 3 years

Dubai looking for immediate suit-

able placement. Contact 96325262

Indian male having 4 years experi-

ence in Sales & Marketing excellent

knowledge of Oman Market cur-

rently in Banking Industry, Looking

for Managerial position.

Contact 99657804

Young dynamic MBA Marketing

Graduate, seeking suitable post.

Contact 98744427 / 96909495

Indian male, MBA, 6 yrs exp in

Sales, Marketing, Market research

& operations, looking for opportuni-

ties. Contact 98823315

Indian male 24 yrs MBA special-

ized in marketing, 2 yrs exp seeks a

suitable position. Contact 97138676

Outdoor Salesman with 3 years

experience in the fi eld of Kitchen

equipment and Branded wrist

watches with valid Oman D/L,

Contact 91117948

Email arjunjob@yahoo.com

Indian (MBA) working in Oman

for 12 years with reputed fi rm as

Branch Manager handling 2 depots,

looking for suitable position in

Sales. Contact 99066046

Indian male, 25 years, B.Tech +

MBA having Driving license with 2

years Oman experience in Sales &

Marketing. Contact 95943787

Senior Sales Engineer BE, MBA 6+

Years experience with valid Oman

driving license, seeking suitable

post. Contact 91256806

Email rexi4u@gmail.com

Indian male 22 years, Bachelor of

Mass Media BMM (in Adverting)

(on visit visa), seeking suitable

placements in any Advertising/

Marketing/ Media fi rm or in any

Organization for suitable post or

Sales Executive.

Contact 92564934 / 99333752

Email tehseen_khan34@yahoo.com

sg_khan786@yahoo.com

Experienced shop cashier + sales-

man looking for job with visa.

Contact 92495952

Male, 32 yrs, 10 years experi-

ence sales, events, administration,

graphic designing seeking suitable

job. Contact 93850612

B.Com Graduate Indian male age

22 yrs, good communication skills

is looking for suitable placement in

the fi elds of store marketing

sales and admin. Contact 91092213

Email: azharmct@yahoo.com

INFORMATION TECH

Systems Engineer (B. Tech), female

23 years with 2 years experience

at Infosys, Looking for placement

. ADO.NET, ASP.NET, Web Services,

AJAX, Unix Commands & Utilities,

Visual Studio, SQL Server.

Contact 96206550

Email jobbforit@gmail.com

Project Management professional

(MBA, PMP, BE), 16+ years experi-

ence with leading MNC Banks and

Technology companies and working

in a leading bank in Muscat seeks

suitable placement. 94336432

Welding Foreman, Indian Male,

18 years experience (Argon, Arc &

Mig) off shore & onshore, worked

with NPCC (Abu Dhabi), USA, &

Cochin Shipyard India,

Contact 98430843,

mashamaga@yahoo.com

System administrator with two

years experience in Bangalore

B-COM ,CCNA,MCSA, MCP AND A+

looking for a suitable post in Oman

Contact 91148576

shameer.alic@gmail.com

IT Professional Indian male 20

years IT & Finance experience Soft-

ware, Hardware Development ERP

Implementation & System, Network

Administration, seeks suitable

placement. Contact 93760896

Indian female 24 years MSc

Software Engineering working for

one year in Oman as Offi ce admin,

seeks suitable placement. Contact

93886547 / 95227395

Indian male, 24, having 2.5 yrs exp

in O & M - Network Operation Center

Engineer Telecom having certifi ca-

tion of CCNA & MCTS, looking for

suitable placement IT & Telecom.

Contact 99689445

Email thousi4jb@gmail.com

Indian female - M.Sc, Computer Sci-

ence 5 yrs experience in teaching

and 1yr experience in programming

(JAVA, VB, power builder, Mysql,

Oracle) seeking suitable placement.

Contact 99713021

Email ID: anjukaviraj@gmail.com

IT Technical System support/ Hard-

ware Engineer on visit visa. Contact

98221577 / 93320458

Indian male Computer Engi-

neer MCSE, CCNA, Hardware and

Networking 6+ experience 2+ yrs

experience in Oman, seeking good

job. Contact 92994651

Indian female, B.Tech + MBA, IT En-

gineer, 5+ yrs exp. as voice & video

eng/ operation management, seek-

ing appropriate placement. Contact

97712425 / 95749987,

Email: rincy.raju21@gmail.com

Indian female, Computer Engineer,

2 years exp in Programming & ERP,

on Family Visa seeking placement

in IT or Teaching 93406463

(Wadikabir).

Sudanese Programmer having 2

years experience and certifi cate of

the American University in Cairo.

Contact 97273589

IT professional Indian male (ME/

CSE), 12 years experience (Oman,

UAE, India) in IT project management

, administration, software develop-

ment in dot net, sales providing train-

ing, technical & customer support

looking for suitable opportunity hav-

ing valid D/L available immediately.

Contact 96437794

Email: ephin0204@gmail.com

Indian male 27 years old, Masters in

Computer Applications with 4+ years

experience, Key skills: Oracle Pl/sql

and .net Seeking Suitable place-

ment.# +919538345624

sujithchennat@gmail.com

System Engineer with 6 yrs of exp

as desktop/ IT Support Engineer

currently in Muscat on visit visa,

seeks suitable placement. Contact

92933523 / 91378150 Email :

manumonm@hotmail.com

IT Support Engineer Indian male,

27 yrs currently in Muscat on visit

visa 6 yrs of exp as IT Support

Engineer, seeking suitable place-

ment.# 92933523 / 91378150 ,

Email : manojp14@gmail.com

Indian, 22 yrs, Diploma in Hard-

ware and Networking 2 years

Hardware experiences., looking

for Hardware and Networking job.

Contact 94413006,

Email abanaahil13@gmail.com

Female 24yrs Indian Graduate

in BBA and IATA,1 yr experi-

ence Ticketing Clerk in Air India

Express Offi ce looking Suitable

position in Tours and Travels.

Contact97077215

MANAGER/ SUPER

Purchase / procurement offi cer, gulf

exp, having Oman driving license

PH : 93243846

We Supply Mason, Carpenter,

Steel fi xer, Electrician, Plumber,

Driver, Labours, Enggs, operators etc,

All Categories.

Contact 94034550/ 95059766

Email rubinaokp@gmail.com

We can provide (supply) for 6

months or 1 year cleaners, of-

fi ce boys and helpers. Contact :

94151939/ 95788339

Email: alkindi07@yahoo.com

26 year Indian Chartered Account-

ant male with 2yrs of experience

is seeking suitable placement in

Muscat. Contact him on 98201476

or email at venkat230684@gmail.

com

Chemical Engineer (certifi ed)

having experience of oil/gas and

various industries fl uent in English,

having sound knowledge of chemi-

cal processes seeking procurement

in a reputable company. Currently

available on visit visa.

Contact: 97455466

Indian Male, 30.Y. Looking for Job

of an Accountant having 9.5 years

of experience, having knowledge of

Tally, Oracle based ORION, Quick-

books Looking for suitable Position

very soon. Contact on : 92629133

IT Professional ,Indian female

MCA.,Mphil., 5 yrs experience in

software development &program-

ming lang., C, C++, HTML,XML,Asp.

NET,C#,SQL Server,ORACLE and

MySQL.Seeking suitable placement

can join immediately.

Contact: 97765173.

mail:dtkthillai@gmail.com

Indian Female, B.E(Electronics), 8

years exp. in coordination, service,

maintanence & support dept. for

electronics analytical/scientifi c

Lab instruments and good in report

preparation also.

Contact : 93236694

Indian Male, 30.Y. Looking for Job

of an Accountant having 9.5 years

of experience, having knowledge of

Tally, Oracle based ORION, Quick-

books Looking for suitable Position

very soon. Contact on: 92629133

Male, 27, MBA specialized in

marketing , looking for suitable po-

sition. Having valid oman driving

license. Contact. 99590408

Hotel and apartment maintenence

incharge, elect,plumbing,and,a/c,

Oman,exp,8,years

Contact 95452204

Indian Male. Having 7 years

experience in Electronics & home

appliances, IT products and fur-

niture Showroom in Oman GSM :

94043327 sadiksm@yahoo.com

Civil project manager, Civil Engi-

neering, Indian, 28 years experi-

enced, is looking for a challenging

new opening. Call 98501208.

Indian Male 36yrs, M.B.A with 12

yrs of Experience in Life and Non

life insurance fi eld 3yrs in oman

with Motor and non motor fi eld

Valid oman D/L, seeks suitable

position for same fi eld or any

sales and Marketing.

Contact +96898159932.

Indian male, M.Sc statistics with

13 years of GCC experience in

EXCH. & REMITTANCE as operation

manager/cheif teller seeks suitable

placement. Cont.94099066

Indian Male, MBA Marketing, 41

yrs. Experience in trading, export

and domestic sales and supply

chain management. Industries

handled : Marble & tyres, Seeks a

suitable career. Release available.

99823003

Indian Female - 2 years experi-

ence as Design Engineer/Interior

Designer. Experience and knowl-

edge in AutoCAD 2D and 3D, 3ds

Max, Revit Architecture, Sketch Up,

Adobe Photoshop. Qualifi cation -

B.Sc Interior Design and AutoCAD

Certifi ed. Contact -

padma31priya@gmail.com

Male Nurse with 8yrs experience

in emergency Department, MOH

License of Oman, ACLS, BLS Certifi -

cate, currently in Muscat seeking

suitable placement.

Contact 97141787, email

sreejithks2006@yahoo.co.in

Male Graduate 12 years experience

in Oman, seeks immediate place-

ment as offi ce coordinator or any

suitable job. contact 93393769

Male, 27, MBA specialized in Mar-

keting, looking for suitable position.

Having valid oman driving license.

Contact. 99590408

Male,25,ACCA finalist with driving

license, seeking for immediate

replacement,1 year accounting

and 3 month audit experience in

audit fi rm, expecting audit job

only. G.S.M. No. 97654769, email

id:abdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com

Indian female, GNIIT, B.Sc, 7 years

experience in IT, worked for Tata

group, India, seeks suitable IT re-

lated jobs in Muscat. #94470601/

rajalakshmi.sivaraman@gmail.com

Indian, male, B.Sc having 16 years

experience in marketing with valid

Oman driving license

seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92722408

Young Male Graduate BA Hons

(Marketing)- United Kingdom with

2 years experience & driving licence

seeks suitable placement in

Business development/Brand

management/Logistics.

Call – 96402727

MBA (Marketing and HR) & B.Tech (Electronics and Biomedical Engi-

neering) with 1.5 years experience in

marketing and media fi eld.

Contact 96175799

Email: aadil.azis@gmail.com

27 years Indian male 8 years’

Indian market experience in the

fi eld of Event Management, Sales

& Customer Service, looking for a

challenging opportunity in Muscat

in relevant fi eld.

Contact # 96167803

Indian Male, B.Tech, 8 years Experi-

ence in Teaching & Admin, web

developing ,c,c++,java,HTML,DHTM

L,programming,looking for suitable

position 98290053, 97068258

Email: vasanth.blessy@gmail.com

B.Tech Mechanical, 26yr Indian

male having 4 yr experience in

plant construction,structural fabri-

cation & erection in India.

# 0091 9546418417 E-mail-

mail2umesh89@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer with 5+ years

experience in project management

and estimation of oil and gas projects.

Looking for suitable change.

Contact: 95974435

Civil Quantity Surveryor, Diploma

in Civil Engineering, 2 years QS and

site experience in building projects,

looking for suitable post in Oman.

Contact: 91378212/92959092.

Email: mohamednishil@gmail.com

Planning Engineer having M Tech

in Construction Management with

2 years experience. Currently

employed for a reputed company

construction company in Oman.

Profi cient in Primavera P3 and P6.

Mob; 98278801 / 99461643

e-mail id; asifkutiady@gmail.com

Female 23 Indian Graduate in Com-

puter application and Diploma in

Java technology, seeking for a suita-

ble placement in IT sector currently

on visit visa. Contact 99809810 /

92105790

Indian male, MCA, MBA-HR, B.Com

with 9.5 yrs. Exp. looking for a suit-

able opportunity as IT Project Head

& SAP HR Consultant (Multi tasking)

presently come on visit visa in Oman,

Contact GSM : +968 92801761

E-mail : rishhi@msn.com

Rigar Foreman, 6 yrs exp. looking

for job. Contact 95628657 /

0091 9430161950

Indian female Dentist age 28 yrs, 4

yrs experience, looking for suitable

opening. Contact 92970882

Indian Expat B.Com MBA( Finance)

with 5.5 years in GCC having valid

Oman driving license, seeking open-

ing in Marketing/ Sales / Customer

services. Contact 97881402

Indian, young, male, Pre-univer-

sity educated looking for sales/

stores or related job call 96914222

Indian male 25, having CA Inter

cleared with B.com having fi ve

years of experience in accounts

and auditing, presently working in

Oman looking for a better place-

ment. Mob 98097009,

Email: rameesnm@gmail.com

Indian Female - 2 years experi-

ence as Design Engineer/Interior

Designer. Experience and knowl-

edge in AutoCAD 2D and 3D, 3ds

Max, Revit Architecture, Sketch Up,

Adobe Photoshop. Qualifi cation -

B.Sc Interior Design and AutoCAD

Certifi ed. Contact -

padma31priya@gmail.com

Indian Male, B.Tech, 8 years

Experience in Teaching

& Admin, web developing

,c,c++,java,HTML,DHTML,

programming,looking for suitable

position. # 98290053,97068258

Email: vasanth.blessy@gmail.com

Filipina, 29 years old nursing aide

graduate with 2 years experience

as hotel receptionist in oman and 7

yrs exp in Hospital administration..

contact number 97205586

Indian female, 24 yrs, having 3

yrs experience in Hospitality & HR.

Presently working as Customer

Care Executive in a reputed fi rm.

Seeks suitable post.

Contact - 94288397,

Email: rajeevrajan307@gmail.com

Lady wedding and event photogra-

pher/ designer with ten yrs experi-

ence in GCC looking for suitable job

in Muscat. contact 96439317

Accountant 25 yrs male hav-

ing bachelor degree, last 4 years

experience in Pakistan of UAE base

trading company, seeks suitable

position of accountant. Contact

00923453285697

Indian male 24 yrs Diploma in air

conditioning 3 yrs exp.

Contact 91045627

Indian male 28 years with more

than 6 years experience in sales

requires a suitable placement as

sales man in any fi eld.

Contact 94015209.

Email- babupezheril@yahoo.co.in

DAILY GUIDET U E S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3 D7

ADVERTISE NOW! 24726666

EXT: 461 / 413 /430 / 431 / 456

TOURS

TOURS

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with

Buffet, & Land Tours Al Ainain

Marine Tours-Contact 98029602,

92808636

We arrange Tours to Jabel

Alakhdar / Shames wahiba Sands.

Contact 99839898

RENT A CAR

FOR HIRE

FOR HIRE

Cranes and excavators available on

hire. Contact 99209427

Crane Trailor Hiab. # 99354909

Party & Wedding equipment rent-

als. Full line, from Tables, Linen

& Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers,

Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chaf-

ing 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

BUSINESS

Restaurant + coff ee shop with

seating capacity of 50 people and po-

tential to make 90 (with mezzanine

in running condition doing excellent

business in a prime

business location at Wattayah is

available for purchase / investment.

Interested parties may please call on

97414513 or 96344753

CANADIAN company. for

immigration & manpower is looking

for a partner in Oman with license

!For contact evro21@gmail.com

0097333054453

A well running Civil contracting

company LLC doing ministry work,

looking for new sponsor and inves-

tor or partner. Contact 96726115

SITUATION WANTEDCARGO

25/ 50 seater Buses for rent/ leas-

ing with drivers in PDO Specifi ca-

tion. Contact 99839898

For Rent Truck Tipper 18 m.

Contact 95120774

DAILY GUIDE

Looking for Omani partnerfor business development services.

Contact 93194825

Email: edumass4@gmail.com

FOR LADIES

Indian ladies tailoring salwar

khamees, saree, blouse stitching.

Contact – 93694035

D8 T U E S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 3

DAILY GUIDE

SERVICES

SERVICES

SERVICES

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your

marble. #24793614/ 99314807

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet

& sofa shampooing,

Contact 99314807/24792998

Subcontractor solutions.

Contact 97163496

Wallpaper, Furniture, Carpet fi xing,

furniture upholstery, painting,

shifting. Contact 99834373 /

96642500

A/C, Fridge & Washing Machine

servicing & Repairing. Painting

, Plumbing, Electrical & Carpen-

try Works. Contact 97014234/

24504281 / 99447257

Carpet, sofa- cleaning, glue remov-

ing, shampooing, house cleaning,

polishing & painting etc.

Contact – 99542979 / 98855815

House shifting, packing and

Transportation. Contact 99657644 /

98518013

Electrical Plumbing Painting

Contract and Maintenance.

Contact #98456535

GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC all

kind of pest control. # 92326955

Catering and Other support Ser-

vices anywhere in Oman for Compa-

nies. Staff / Labour Accomodation.

available in Sohar, Barka and Nizwa.

Telephone No.94104987, 97884967,

95740387,

E-Mail : catering@gstoman.com

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles

polishing, carpet shampooing,

maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS-

99320217 /24788722

Marble polishing & crystalliza-

tion building cleaning fl oor, fl oor

polishing, carpet, sofa shampooing

pest control, anti termite, shifting,

maintenance. Contact 99504275

Carpet, sofa- cleaning, glue remov-

ing, shampooing, house cleaning,

polishing & painting etc.

Contact – 99542979 / 98855815

A/ C maintenance, servicing &

installation. Split A/C Servicing RO

10.000 Only. Contact 94217681 /

99210141

Marble polishing & crystalliza-

tion building cleaning fl oor, fl oor

polishing, carpet, sofa shampooing,

pest control, anti termite, shifting,

maintenance. Contact 99504275

Door to Door Computers repair

specialist laptop software Website

cartridges.Contact 99199376

Water proofi ng ABUQABAS-

Contact 99320217/24788722

Pest control water proof.

Contact 99067923

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles

polishing, carpet shampooing,

maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS-

99320217 /24788722

Painting Interlock plumbing main-

tenance. Contact 92142319

Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile

polishing, pest control & anti-termite

treatment, general cleaning painting,

Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact

Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. #

24810137, 99450130

A/C service RO7/- , repairing & in-

stallation, painting, building all main-

tenance.# 95563858 / 99326786

Electrical Works, Maintenance,

Building Gas Pipelines, Fire Alarm

& Security systems. Contact Amjad

Majees Trading & Contracting:

99467936

For mess, North Indian food, birth-

day parties, company functions, all

kinds of celebrations and Kerala

Naadan special food. Contact Sun

Caterings 98756615, 98756615 free

home delivery around 20 to 25kms

WEBSITE

WEB, ERP and Business Intelli-

gence (BI) creation and

management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

CLASSES

Learn Arabic in two months,

spoken Arabic class for non Arabic

speakers by Gulf experience post

Graduate Teacher in Ruwi. Free

introductory class. Satisfaction

guaranteed. Contact 95244310

COMPUTER

For all your maintenance needs

including, Painting, Plumbing,

Electricity, Laying of interlock tiles,

marbles etc. Tel: 99383574

Mr Chandran

CLASSES

LOST

LOST

CHANGE OF NAME

Mohammad AlAmin has lost Bang-

ladeshi Passport no. X 0272004.

Finder please handover to ROP

Mohin Uddin Abu Taher has

lost Bangladeshi Passport no. C

0006815. Finder please handover

to ROP

Mohammed Asrful Hoque has

lost Bangladeshi Passport no. C

1510005. Finder please handover

to ROP

Nizam Uddin Yousuf has lost Bang-

ladeshi Passport no. A 0652202.

Finder please handover to ROP

Mohib Ullah Manir Uddin has

lost Bangladeshi Passport no. AB

8046944. Finder please handover

to ROP

Nurul Amin Osman Ali has

lost Bangladeshi Passport no. W

0982715. Finder please handover

to ROP

Walid Alhabeib Hamouda has lost

Tunisian Passport no. W449712.

Finder please handover to ROP

Abdul Awal has lost Bangladeshi

Passport no. B 1187489. Finder

please handover to ROP

Don Samaraweera has lost Srilan-

kan passport No. N 2390830. Finder

please handover to ROP

Abdul Sarajudeen Khan has lost In-

dian Passport No. G 5151964. Finder

please handover to ROP

Mohammed Shabir has lost Pa-

kistani Passport No. AS 5180742.

Finder please handover to ROP

Syed Kamran Ali Shah Syed Ehsan has lost Pakistani Passport No. DP

5144102. Finder please handover

to ROP

Abdul Khaliq Abul Aziz has lost

Pakistani Passport No. KJ 4109752.

Finder please handover to ROP

Rana Muhammad Tahir Moham-med Shafi has lost Pakistani Pass-

port No. AB 7123572. Finder please

handover to ROP

Soton Suttrador has lost Bang-

ladeshi Passport no. X 0318694.

Finder please handover to ROP

Mohammed Mehdi Hasaan has lost

Bangladeshi Passport no. C 1764212.

Finder please handover to ROP

Rajendran Ramakrishnan Chet-tiyar has lost Indian Passport No. J

2024774. Finder please handover

to ROP

Abdul Ghafoor has lost Pakistani

Passport No. AF 4183932. Finder

please handover to ROP

Manzoor Hussain Ahmed has lost

Pakistani Passport No. UZ 6897001.

Finder please handover to ROP

Kashif Allah has lost Pakistani

Passport No. AM 2742702. Finder

please handover to ROP

Constantino Lastimosa has lost

Filipino Passport No. EB 5503425.

Finder please handover to ROP

Muhammad Zubair Muhammad has lost Pakistani Passport No. KH

151687. Finder please handover to

ROP

I, Kalar Veetil Mohammed Nasir (Name exactly as in present

passport) son / daughter of Ummer

Pattery presently residing at the fol-

lowing address in Oman P.B No. 804

P.C No. 322 , Sultanate of Oman and

having permanent address in Indian

Kadeejavilla Ponewmahe Kannur,

Kerala 673311 ( as per present

passport) holder of passport No.

K6671556 date of issue 16-10-2012

place of issue Kozhikode solemnly

affi rm and declare that I have

changed my name as Kalarveetil

Mohammed Nasar (new name) for

all purposes. Any objection towards

this name change may please

be communicated to Embassy of

India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters,

Al Khuwair, P. Box No.1727, Postal

Code112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

Split /window A/C SERVICING

5/10R.O. Contact 95084850

Marble restoration Crystallization,

Cleaning carpets sofas, Villas, Flats.

Contact 24701281 / 97463079