times of oman - august 23, 2015
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Times of Oman - August 23, 2015TRANSCRIPT
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SUNDAY, August 23, 2015 / 8 Dhul Qa’ada 1436 AH timesofoman.com wtimesofoman.com facebook.com/timesofoman twitter.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com ISO 9001:2008 Certifi ed Company
Oman ranks among lowest in suicide rate in Arab countries
TARIQ AL [email protected]
MUSCAT: While Oman ranks low in the suicide rate among Arab countries, the number of expatriates who kill themselves outnumber the nationals.
In 2014, Oman recorded an an-nual suicide ratio of 1 per 100,000 people, which makes it 12th low-est among the Middle East and North African (MENA) coun-tries and second lowest in the Gulf Cooperation Council. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Syria recorded the lowest ratio among Arabs with 0.4 suicides per 100,000, while Sudan re-corded 17.9 suicides per 100,000
among the Arabs.According to the World Health
Organisation (WHO), Oman is ranked among the lowest in the suicide ratio among Arab nations.
Lowest ratios“We have one of the lowest suicide ratios, but most of the recorded cases involve expa-triates,” said a source from the Royal Oman Police (ROP).
“You do not fi nd many Omanis choosing that path,” he added.
Among expatriates there are several causes that drive people to the extreme. These include poor living conditions, disputes and homesickness, according to the source. >A6
W O R L D H E A L T H O R G A N I S A T I O N
Do fathers in Sultanate deserve paternity leave?
ELHAM [email protected]
MUSCAT: While there is a pre-vailing view in society that mater-nity leave should be longer, there are diff ering views about the costs and benefi ts of introducing pater-nity leave in Oman.
According to the World Bank, the law in Oman does not ‘man-date paid or unpaid paternity leave’, and the question of wheth-er or not the father of a new baby should be allowed away from work calls for a better understanding of the social fabric.
While it is acknowledged that paternity leave would allow the man to support the mother and bond with the baby, some are of the opinion that it is not necessary and would not completely suit the pre-vailing culture in Omani society.
Saada Mohammed Al Mamari, from the nutrition department of
the Ministry of Health, has been calling for longer maternity leave but believes that introducing pa-ternity leave wouldn’t be a good idea. “Men may misuse it and do other activities instead of stay-ing with the mother and helping her,” Al Mamari told the Times of Oman, and added that it is not necessary given the help provid-ed by maids to mothers at home these days.
Hasna Fahim Al Said, co-found-er of the Women Organisation, says that Arab fathers are not at-tracted to paternity leave for sev-eral reasons and therefore it has
been deemed unnecessary.“Firstly, most traditional Arab
fathers are pushed to earn an in-come to support the family while mothers handle babies and all the housework,” she said.
In addition, the culture of Arab men is not supportive of the idea of taking care of babies, she said, noting that another reason is the fact that mothers usually can get support from their relatives.
Susan Flower, president of the Women’s Guild in Oman (WGO), says the issue of paternity leave is multifaceted and the pros and cons should be taken into account.
“I can understand the benefi ts of paternity leave, especially for expatriate families where a new mother may not have support from an extended family close at hand and needs help from her husband, especially in the fi rst few days with a new baby, if there are any complications during birth. It is also nice for new fathers to be able to have time to bond with their children, irrespective of na-tionality,” she said.
However, there is a wider question as to how this might be funded, particularly for Omanis, as they have large families and as
such there would be signifi cant cost implications if employees regularly take paternity leave, added Flower.
“Conversely, in Omani cul-ture, young families often live with their parents and/or other relatives or have extended family members close to hand, so in that respect paternity leave might not be necessary for the wider popula-tion,” she noted.
“In addition, there is a separate but related debate about child care arrangements, and I can also see a benefi t in a more fl exible system with mothers and fathers free to divide a set amount of paid leave between themselves, which could be better for busi-nesses. If women, for example, could hand baby over to her hus-band rather than rely on child care, she may be encouraged to return to work sooner,” said the president of WGO.
Tonia Gray, general manager at Competence HR, says that it is ‘vital’ for fathers to be able to support the mother at the time of birth and immediately after.
“Often, there are other children in the family that need the pres-ence of a parent and if the mother is in hospital then this would pos-sibly fall to the father, depending on whether there are other suita-ble family members to help. Even if there are, the father’s role is still critical to the mother and baby. Omani families are very close and there is likely to be an eff ective support network in place, but this is unlikely in the case for expatri-ates,” she said. >A6 Three-month maternity leave for women urged >A6
While some say men
may misuse paternity
benefi ts, others say
it is ‘vital’ for fathers
to be able to support
the mother at the
time of birth and
immediately after
SALEH AL [email protected]
MUSCAT: Travel agencies have reported numerous can-cellations this month, and in September, from Omani visi-tors to Thailand due to safety concerns after last week’s bomb blast in Bangkok.
Thousands of people from Oman spend their summer holi-days in Thailand every year. The Far East nation also attracts medical tourists as well as busi-ness people from the Sultanate throughout the year.
“Out of the 207 people booked to fl y out to Bangkok, 146 can-celled their fl ights after the bomb blast. They did not mind losing the 10 per cent booking charges and preferred to stay at home,” Nitin Shekhar, a travel agent from Capital Travels, told the Times of Oman.
On August 17, a bomb blast at the Erawan Shrine in the heart of Thailand’s capital Bangkok, killed 20 people and injured more than 120. Authorities say they are hunting for a foreign-er who planted a backpack un-der the bench near the shrine and walked away just before the blast.
Some travellers from Oman changed their bookings to desti-nations such as Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and the Maldives.
“Some 30 per cent of travel-lers who were due to travel to Bangkok asked for a refund, while over 50 per cent changed their destinations,” said Salam Al Haremi, a booking agent at Majan World Travels. >A6
S A F E T Y C O N C E R N S
No sleep for the weary
REGIONTop IS rebel killedin US air strike
2 The second-in-command of the IS extremist group has been killed in a US
air strike in northern Iraq. The National Security Council identifi ed the slain militant as Fadhil Ahmad Al Hayali, also known as Haji Mutaz, and said he was IS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi’s senior deputy.>A7
MARKETOMR520m lost by investors this month
3Local and foreign investors on the MSM have lost a whopping
OMR520 million in the last twenty-two days following a severe fall in share values as oil prices touched a six-year low. The local bourse plummeted 7.14 per cent or 468 points. >B1
OMANDo consumers get a fair deal in Oman?
1Many consumers now feel that they are short changed and powerless as prices
are infl ated or customers end up paying for something they have not ordered. There is no comprehensive consumer guide to help customers understand their rights or clear cut policies to ensure a fair deal. >A2
T O P T H R E E I N S I D E S T O R I E S
Omani visitors shun Thailand travel plans after blast
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Source:International Labour Organisation
Graphics
BahrainNo
paternityleave
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Palestine
QatarSaudi
Arabia
Syria
UAE
1
6
Yemen
Private sector*
60
62
70
70
49
70
50*
50
70
120
45
60
Maternity leave Paternity leave
PARENTAL LEAVE IN MIDDLE EAST(In days)
Forthe first
child
Oman
GraphicsSource: WHO
SUICIDE RATE
OMAN: 1.0
GDP per capita (thousand dollars)
Oman ranked second lowest in GCC
Suic
ides
per
100,
000
inha
bita
nts
0
0
5
10
15
20
2520 40 60 80 100
Kuwait: 1.0
UAE: 3.0
Saudi Arabia: 0.3
Bahrain: 7.3
India: 20.9
Qatar: 4.7
Four injured in
building collapse
REJIMON K
MUSCAT: Four people sustained injuries following a building col-lapse in Seeb on Saturday, civil defence offi cials tweeted.
“A building under construc-tion collapsed in Seeb in which four people were injured,” Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances (PACDA) tweeted on its official Twitter handle.
S E E B
C7
A2 S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
OMAN
Many consum-ers now feel short changed and powerless
as prices are infl ated and they feel they end up paying for something they have not ordered.
There is no comprehen-sive consumer guide to help customers understand their rights or clear cut policies to ensure a fair deal. From street retail to banking and all the way to real estate, consumers are sometimes baffl ed how business directors justify the exorbitant prices they put in the bill. Greater awareness about consumer rights cannot be emphasized more strongly at a time when pricing fl ex-ibility favours sellers and not buyers.
The complaints are end-less and obviously the local consumer protection laws are not yet fully equipped to deal with all of the problems. There are also many loopholes trad-ers exploit in greater length at the expense of consumers. Big local brands and now interna-tional franchises are jumping into the profi table route to dupe customers. For example, you go to a coff ee shop and they add the ‘extras’ which you have not ordered or buy a burger and they include the ‘upsize’ without asking you.
Tenants too are in a great dilemma when it comes to rental costs. Rents go up all the time and landlords get away with it from this loophole. They are not sure whether they are part of consumer-ism or outside the realms of its control. Landlords, on their part, feel they cannot be controlled by Public Author-ity for Consumer Protection (PACP) because they are not in the retail business. Property owners are also unsure of their
rights when they buy a house or an apartment in the Inte-grated Property Development projects when it comes to maintenance fees. The annual charges go up all the time and are set at exorbitant levels. The confusion is this: “If you don’t get it from a shop” then you are not protected from unfair trading.
Consumer harassment The laws are also vague about consumer harassment in a form of unsolicited market-ing campaigns bombarded to consumers. For example, thousands of fl yers and brochures that are circulated and delivered to our homes, stuck on the cars’ windshields or commercial text sent to our phones. The social media is
also another tool companies use to pester consumers and even mislead them with their advertisement campaigns. Companies widely abuse this mode of promotion by being opaque and even confusing with their products. Promo-tions are misleading and many times you pay more than what has been advertised because of hidden charges. The con-sumer laws are also vague on service providers such as the telecommunication industry, banking, health and education.
What is needed is a national campaign to advise the rights of customers and constantly encouraged them to lodge instant complaints without barriers and red tape. It should be stark clear that traders can be liable to compensation and hefty fi nes if they do not deliver what they promise.
What is more, it is not only about the price attached to the product but how traders can justify it in terms of quality and worth. How many times have we seen companies fail-ing to honour the guarantee they off er on the day of pur-chase on an item that might not perform according to the contract bought for.
For example, an air con-ditioner that has a 5-year warranty on the compressor or a car whose gear box can be replaced free of charge in three years in case of malfunction. Top brands in Oman always fi nd a way to wiggle out from their obligations to leave cus-tomers feeling cheated.
PACP needs to close all trad-ing loopholes that companies are now exploiting from hon-ouring their business obliga-tions. It also needs to broadly educate the consumers and their rights in all spheres of business not just laws that cover our shopping [email protected]
Is enough being done to protect consumer rights?
COMMENTARY
SALEH AL SHAIBANY
SUNDAYBEAT
The laws are vague
about consumer
harassment in a
form of unsolicited
marketing campaigns
bombarded to
consumers
There is no comprehensive consumer guide to help customers understand their rights or clear cut policies to ensure a fair deal.
Sunday Beat
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Expat workforce in Oman grows
MUSCAT: Total expatriate work-force in the Sultanate reached 1,631,560 at the end of July 2015, an increase of 0.5 per cent, as compared to 1,623,672 last June.
The statistics issued by the Na-tional Centre of Statistics and In-formation (NCSI) indicated that there were 1,442,177 male work-ers and 189,383 females.
The biggest chunk of the expa-triate workforce worked in the private sector with 30,111 females and 1,288,649 males, totalling 1,318,760 by the end of July 2015, a 0.6 per cent increase compared to fi gures recorded last June.
They were followed by work-ers in the family sector (workers with families and individuals at their own expense) who totalled 253,334. The majority of these workers were females number-ing 138,697 as against 114,637 re-corded in June, an increase of 0.2 per cent.
The government sector came third with 59,466 expatriates comprising 38,891 males and
20,575 females, a decrease of 0.2 per cent compared to fi gures re-corded last June.
As for the educational quali-fi cations of expatriates in the Sultanate, 599,831 of the labour workforce, which comprised 532,873 males and 66,958 fe-males, were holders of prepara-tory school certifi cates. This category was followed by labour-ers who could read and write, at 426,816 comprising 49,935 fe-males and 376,881 males.
The indices showed that the percentage of expatriate work-ers who hold primary school certifi cates numbering 148,012 increased 0.9 per cent in July as compared to fi gures in June. They comprised 19,630 females and 128,382 males.
The number of expatriate workers holding secondary school certifi cates totalled 248,123 comprising 17,204 females and 230,919 males. There were 9,025 females and 43,851 males with diplomas totalling 52,876.
On the other hand, expatriates with university degrees num-bered 91,580, comprising 15,565 females and 76,015 males.
Expatriates with higher di-plomas decreased 0.7 per cent to reach 4,860. Those with Master’s degrees decreased 0.5 per cent totalling 5,816, while the number of PhD holders also decreased 0.3 per cent to reach 2,748.
On the other hand, the per-centage of illiterate workers increased 0.6 per cent to reach 21,538, comprising 2,278 females and 19,260 males.
As for the nationalities, the ma-jority of expatriates were Indians numbering 641,225, compris-ing 34,726 females and 606,499 males, an increase of 1 per cent.
Bangladeshis registered an in-crease of 0.3 per cent with 561,301 workers, comprising 28,432 fe-males and 532,869 males. Paki-stani workers also increased 0.3 per cent, with 1,166 females and 215,001 males, totalling 216,167.–ONA
The majority of
expatriates were
Indians numbering
641,225, comprising
34,726 females and
606,499 males, an
increase of 1 per centLABOUR MARKET: The biggest chunk of the expatriate workforce
is employed in the private sector. –File photo
Oman to diversify economy by boosting fi sheries NEW YORK: Oman is trying to di-versify its economy beyond oil and as part of that initiative, is working to overhaul its fi sheries sector.
The World Bank is working with the country on a plan to revi-talise and better manage its fi sh-eries as a step toward boosting livelihood and making the sector ecologically sustainable.
In the past four decades, the Sultanate has grown into a middle-income country, and was ranked fi rst of 130 countries surveyed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in its 2010 Hu-man Development Report in areas including health and education. Yet the country is overly reliant on oil revenues, and fi sheries are not productive as they once were.
The report published by the World Bank said that the Sultan-ate’s government is committed to transforming the management of its fi sheries — one of its lagging, traditional sectors. The sector is again recognised as important to the future of Oman, as well-managed fi sheries can be a boun-tiful and renewable resource and
contribute to food security of the population. Today, many fi sher-men live in small villages where most family members work as or with artisanal fi shermen. But the ocean’s health is fragile, the fi sh are migratory, and stocks have been depleted over time.
As a starting point, the Omani government has begun the process
of overhauling the fi sheries sector, and has asked the World Bank to help devise a plan to boost the sus-tainable livelihoods and prosper-ity of fi shing communities.
“The government wants to im-prove every element of the value chain, from fish harvesting, to packaging and logistics, to mar-keting,” said World Bank’s sen-
ior environmental specialist, Banu Setlur.
The World Bank has helped lay the groundwork for revitalisa-tion, off ering expertise, bringing international good practices and engaging stakeholders on building a shared vision to renew fi sheries. The report added that during a series of workshops in 2014, eve-
ryone from ministers to fi sher-men to tribal elders huddled with technical trainers who conducted detailed analyses. “It was the fi rst time in Oman that various stake-holders including fi shermen from the seven coastal governorates were involved in decision-mak-ing,” said Jamal Al Kibbi, World Bank programme manager .–ONA
W O R L D B A N K R E P O R T
ROP parade marks graduation of officers
NIZWA: To mark the graduation of the 35th batch of offi cer ca-dets and the 64th batch of police recruits, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) held a parade at the Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sci-ences in the Wilayat of Nizwa.
The parade was held under the auspices of Maj Gen Ahmed bin Ali Kashoob, Secretary General
of the National Security Council at the Royal Court in the presence of Maj Gen Hamad bin Sulaiman Al Hatmi, Assistant Inspector General of Police and Customs for Operations.
The graduation ceremony be-gan by performing the military salute to the chief guest. Then, the leader of the parade took per-
mission from the chief guest to inspect the front column of grad-uates. After that, the graduates marched before the main dais.
Then, the graduates chanted the ROP anthem and proclaimed thrice Long Live His Majesty Sul-tan Qaboos Bin Said, the Supreme Commander.
The graduation ceremony was
attended by Dr. Khalifa bin Ham-ad Al Sa’adi, Governor of Dakhili-yah, ROP senior offi cers, as well as senior offi cers at the Sultan Armed Forces (SAF), military and security units, commanders of the ROP formations, the Teaching and Training Authority at the Sul-tan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences and local offi cials.– ONA
T R A I N I N G P R O G R A M M E
TRADITIONAL WEALTH: A report published by the World Bank says that the Sultanate’s government is committed to transforming the
management of its fi sheries — one of its traditional sectors.–ONA
SECURITY COMMANDERS: The graduation ceremony was attended by Dr Khalifa bin Hamad Al Sa’adi, Governor of Dakhiliyah.– ONA
ROP calls for caution as schools open
REJIMON [email protected]
MUSCAT: Motorists have been asked by the police to be attentive and careful of the ad-ditional traffi c in residential and school zones as the schools reopen on Sunday.
“Motorists should follow the traffi c rules strictly. As schools are reopening, the roads will be busy. However, for the safety of the children, motorists should follow the traffi c rules strictly and cooperate with the police,” Royal Oman Police traffi c de-partment tweeted on its offi cial Twitter handle at around 8pm.
Police have also sought co-operation from the school bus drivers, supervisors, school au-thorities and parents in ensuring safety of the children. “Extra care should be taken while children are boarding and disembarking the bus,” police tweet added.
T R A F F I C R U L E S
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OMAN 115forts and castles in the wilayat of Sumail have added to its growing tourism charm
‘Young Explorer’ programme a boost for academics, skillsTimes News Service
MUSCAT: It was a programme aimed at providing a good learn-ing environment to students to help improve their academic knowledge on one hand and re-fi ne their skills on the other hand.
Sultan Qaboos University and German University of Technol-ogy in Oman (GUTech) hosted student participants of the sum-mer programme, ‘Young Explorer 2015’, related to the Oman Uni-versity project. The programme targeted 220 outstanding stu-dents in mathematics at grade nine in the public schools.
The programme is marked by the diverse kinds of knowledge it imparts.
In addition to the morning aca-demic programme which includ-ed lessons in English language, IT and mathematics, there was an evening programme which con-tained several applied scientifi c activities, cultural, recreational and sports events and trips.
To ensure that the programme is of the highest quality, both universities have set up teams of instructors and qualifi ed spe-cialists who have been selected carefully to implement the pro-gramme and supervise it. Fur-ther, they provided logistical ser-vices and required facilities such as classrooms, computer labs and gyms.
Business group internshipThe Qurum Business Group (QBG) celebrated the graduation of its fi rst batch of talented in-terns from the 2015 edition of the company’s in-depth internship programme.
The students, hailing from diff erent parts of Oman and cur-rently attending the Sultan Qa-boos University’s (SQU) College of Economics and Political Sci-ence, gained a wealth of knowl-edge from working in diff erent divisions of the group during an eight-week course designed to familiarise them with the work-
place environment and learn hands-on skills from the compa-ny’s team of professionals.
Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Hosni, vice chairman and group managing director of QBG, said, “As an organisation deeply rooted in Oman, we at QBG see it as our duty to support the growth of tomorrow’s national workforce by developing the youth of today. The internship programme is part of our long-term strategy to train students to provide them with the competence and valu-able insight they will need to be successful in the future.”
U N I V E R S I T Y P R O J E C T
Young Indian artist holds first solo show
SARAH [email protected]
MUSCAT: He’s just 13 years old but Avigyan Bhattacharya has already had his first solo art exhibition in which he show-cased an impressive collection of paintings.
The young artist’s exhibition was held Saturday evening at Al Maasa Hall in Ruwi, with special guests Ibrahim Gailani, a Paki-stani artist who lives in Mus-cat, and Sheff y Tattarath, an art teacher here in Muscat. Avigyan shared a variety of paintings in-cluding landscapes, abstracts, Hindu gods, and portraits, in-cluding one of His Majesty Sul-tan Qaboos bin Said.
“I thought it would be some-thing good to give in the exhibi-tion as a major attraction. His Majesty is a great personality for me. He’s like an ideal for me. The developments and all he has done in Oman is a wonderful thing,” Avigyan said of the royal portrait.
Avigyan learned many of his art skills at school, including paint-ing with watercolours, drawing with coloured pencils, and using oil pastels.
He has also taken painting les-sons from Muscat-based artist Aparna Shere and now focuses primarily on acrylic and oil paint-ing, oil being a medium he par-ticularly enjoys because of the smooth application of the paint.
He is also the youngest artist who participates in the Paragon Arts events at The Wave Muscat, where artists gather once a month to hear from a special guest artist
and paint together in public. “I like painting a lot. I paint
maximum during the weekends. I don’t sleep much so I can paint late night,” said Avigyan, who spends hour upon hour at home painting, sometimes till 11:30pm on weeknights, too.
He is inspired by Oman’s land-scapes and his vivid imagina-tion, which often takes over as he begins to paint, even when he is working from a photograph.
“I always use my imagination because I’m not that good at copy-ing. I try to copy and then I think of something else so that gives me another idea for it,” he explained.
One painting that began as a simple image of Radha Krishna, who represents the feminine and masculine aspects of God in Hin-
duism, soon became a vibrant abstract work with ribbons and fl ames of colours fi lling the can-vas around the male and female fi gures. Avigyan began painting it based on an image of Radha Krishna he’d found but soon let his imagination take over.
Inspiring OmanAvigyan also loves painting landscapes and fi nds the scenes around Oman very inspiring. Un-til now he has based his scenes of Oman on images he’s found on the internet but hopes to start taking his own photographs and working from them, too, so the work would be 100 percent his own.
Though he was born in Cal-cutta, he has lived in Oman for nearly seven years and has been
drawing and painting since he got here. When he’s not paint-ing he also loves playing tennis, a sport for which he has won several trophies, and reading. He is also a good student, getting a Merit Award in 2013 at Indian School Muscat.
Though he’s a well-rounded young student who hopes to study medicine in university, his com-mitment and passion for the arts are especially strong, and Avigyan hopes one day he can share his talents with others. “After I grow, after I get a job, I want to help those poor children who have a passion for arts but don’t have the materials or don’t have their par-ents’ (support). I will try my best to teach them and give them their materials,” he said.
The exhibition
was held in Ruwi,
with special guests
Ibrahim Gailani, a
Pakistani artist who
lives in Muscat, and
Sheff y Tattarath, an
art teacher in Muscat,
attending the event
STUDENT CREATIVITY: The ‘Young Explorer’ programme
involved several applied scientifi c activities, cultural,
recreational and sports events and trips.– Supplied photo
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Forts, castles addto Sumail’s charmSUMAIL: With 115 forts and castles, the wilayat of Sumail is renowned for its oases, castles and forts.
The most important castles are the Sumail Castle, the Al Shahbaa Castle and the Al Dawaa Tower.
Sumail Castle was built almost 380 years ago between the eras of Imam Abdullah bin Moham-med, who became Imam in 1560 and Imam Nasser bin Murshid Al Ya’arubi, who became Imam in 1624.
The castle has many external walls, in addition to the façade and the gate, which has many de-fensive components, such as the arrow launch sites that were used for its defence.
The castle consists of many architectural wonders, the most important of which is the Wali House (a two-storey building), which was built completely of “Sarooj” and gravel. It has two entrances, the fi rst one is oppo-site the mosque and the Sable or “Majlis” and the other leads to a yard that has several rooms which were dedicated for other purposes. There is also a three-room build-
ing behind the Wali House, in ad-dition to another building directly beside the Wali House.
The castle has three store-rooms for storing Omani dates, in addition to rooms for soldiers, a kitchen and water wells that have been engraved in the rock to avoid leakage.
The castle has eight round, semi-round and square towers that are distributed between the castle’s walls.
The castle has many histori-cal buildings, such as the soldiers’ barracks and a small building west of the barracks. There are also two rectangular buildings, one of which is believed to be a jail.
Many cultural events are organ-ised in the yard of the castle, as is the case with Al Shahbaa Castle in Nizwa Wilayat.
In response to the Royal Direc-tives of His Majesty Sultan Qa-boos Bin Said, the castle, which is spread over more than 10,000 square metres, has been restored by using the local building mate-rials, Omani ‘Sarooj’ and gravel. Mud and fronds were also used in the restoration process.–ONA
T O U R I S M S E C T O R
RICH HERITAGE: Sumail Castle was built almost 380 years ago and
consists of many architectural wonders.–ONA
MAGICAL COLOURS: Avigyan learned many of his art skills at school, including painting with water-
colours, drawing with coloured pencils, and using oil pastels.–Jun Estrada/TIMES OF OMAN
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SQU admits 3,325 students through e-station ‘Meelad’Times News Service
MUSCAT: Through its electron-ic admission station ‘Meelad’, the Deanship of Admissions and Registration at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) is in the pro-cess of completing the admission and registration formalities of as many as 3,325 students belonging to its 30th batch of undergraduate students for the academic year 2015-2016.
On completing the admission formalities, the students will be sent to various undergraduate programmes off ered by the nine colleges at the university. SQU is in the process of completing aptitude tests for those students who seek admission to degree courses in physical education, art education, and music and musicology majors.
Dr Mohammed Hamed Al Saadi, assistant dean for under-graduate admissions and techni-cal support at the Deanship of Admissions and Registration, said that through the virtual sta-tion ‘Meelad’ (URL: http://adm.squ.edu.om) the new group of stu-dents can update their data and complete the admission and reg-istration procedures.
“They do not have to come to the university to complete the admission process. Apart from the virtual station, the university also provides a hotline to answer to any questions from students and their parents about the ad-mission and registration pro-cesses. Once the registration pro-cess is completed, the students will receive text messages (SMS) stating that the process was suc-cessfully completed. The mes-sage will also contain the student ID number,” said Al Saadi.
Ahmed Hassan Al Bahrani,
director of undergraduate ad-missions and transfers at the Deanship said that the new reg-istration website fulfi ls all the re-quirements of students.
“The virtual e-station ‘Mee-lad’ provides the programme for the induction week, informa-tion about the colleges and ser-vices centres, a short fi lm on the e-admission system, as well as a hotline that receives inquiries on completing the admission proce-dure electronically.
“Till now, as many as 2600 stu-dents have completed their reg-istration formalities through the e-admission station and this re-fl ects the acceptance of new sys-tem. The Deanship will provide ID cards to admitted students before the commencement of the induction week. This new admis-sions system helps the students and their parents to save time, eff ort and eliminates the need to come to the university to com-plete admission procedures,” said Al Bahrani.
Dr Al Saadi said that the SQU
will receive new students on campus at the Grand Hall for the induction programme from August 23 to September 6, dur-ing which several meetings will be set, including meetings with the Deanship of Admissions and Registrations, the Deanship of Student Aff airs, the Foundation Programme Administration and other units such as the Inde-pendent learning Centre, stu-dents’ clinic, student counsel-ling centre, the main library, the blood bank, the Centre for Career Guidance and the Centre for In-formation Systems.
The placement tests in Math-ematics, English and Informa-tion Technology for the new batch of students will be held from August 26 to 30. Moreover, the vice chancellor, the deputy vice chancellors, and the deans will meet the students during the orientation programme. The vice chancellor will address the 30th batch of new students at the uni-versity’s amphitheatre at 7:30pm on September 6.
A C A D E M I C S
TECH FACILITIES: SQU is in the process of completing the regis-
tration formalities of as many as 3,325 students of its 30th batch
of undergraduate students.
Multi-country live surgery highlights latest techniques
ELHAM [email protected]
MUSCAT: A multi-country live surgery medical conference, conducted by Lama Polyclinic on Thursday, updated doctors in Oman on the latest techniques and developments in the fi eld of gastroenterology.
The conference, held in associa-tion with India’s non-profi t Kread Foundation, provided a platform
for members of the medical com-munity to learn and ask questions from world-renowned Indian speakers and surgeons perform-ing the operations.
The interactive conference, entitled ‘Basic and Advanced Techniques in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy’ was transmitted live in several other countries at the
same time, namely Kuwait, Ne-pal, and Uzbekistan, in addition to Turkmenistan and Armenia.
In the last two years, Kread Foundation has completed more than 260 CME (continuing medi-cal education) workshops and has educated more than 35,000 doc-tors along with its technological partner WatchWitz Technologies
Private Limited. Speaking to the Times of Oman,
Dr Hisham Al Dhahab, the guest of honour, said that participation in medical conferences is ‘crucial’ for doctors and this kind of initia-tives can bring education closer to them while helping them avoid travel costs and save time.
“I encourage all health in-
stitutes to develop the idea of medical conferences,” said Dr Al Dhahab, senior consultant gastro-enterologist and head of endos-copy unit at Royal Hospital, who is also the chairman of Oman Gas-troenterology Society.
GastroenterologistsRedha Juma Al Saleh, managing director of Lama Polyclinic, one of the oldest clinics in the Sultan-ate, said that the purpose of the conference was to update gastro-enterologists, surgeons and in-ternal medicine doctors in Oman on the latest developments in the medical fi eld.
Medical experts from the Sul-tan Qaboos University, Royal Hospital and some private health institutes attended the event, said Al Saleh.
It was a day-long conference held from 9am to 4pm so doctors could attend the event accord-ing to their preferred schedule, he added.
He also stated that the next conference will be about cardiol-ogy and is scheduled to be held in early September.
Commenting on Lama Polyclin-ic’s plan to expand and transform into a hospital, Al Saleh said that the project is expected to start by the end of the year.
The conference,
held in association
with India’s Kread
Foundation, provided
a platform to learn
and ask questions
from surgeons
performing the
operations
TECH CONNECTIVITY: The interactive conference, titled ‘Basic and Advanced Techniques in Gastro-
intestinal Endoscopy’, was transmitted live in several countries at same time –Jun Estrada/TIMES OF OMAN
USA honours general supervisor of Oman-Qaboos websiteTimes News Service
WASHINGTON: In support of the work and dedication of Ham-oud Al Azri, general supervi-sor of Oman-Qaboos, a website that showcases the remarkable achievements of His Majesty Sul-tan Qaboos bin Said in 25 languag-es, Al Azri was selected to partici-pate in the International Visitor Leadership Programme organised by the US State Department with active support from the US em-bassy in the Sultanate.
The International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) is the US State Department’s pre-mier professional exchange pro-gramme. Through short-term vis-its to the United States of America
(USA), current and emerging for-eign leaders in a variety of fi elds experience the US fi rst-hand and cultivate lasting relationships with their American counterparts. The intensive programme, lasting over three weeks, is designed to re-fl ect the participants’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the USA.
Titled ‘Social Media: Crea-tively Connecting Communities’, the programme focussed on how Americans use social media plat-forms for digital engagement, public advocacy and civic involve-ment. Participants explored how businesses, advocacy organisa-tions, non-profi t organisations, government agencies, and univer-sities have adopted social media
strategies to reach and interact with their target audiences.
“It was great pleasure to be se-lected for this professional pro-gramme,” said Al Azri, who recent-ly returned to Oman.
“It was extremely well organised by the State Department, and I was very lucky to visit six of the biggest cities in the US such as Washing-ton DC, New York, Raleigh, and Sacramento, along with San Fran-cisco and Minneapolis.
At the beginning of his visit Al Azri went to the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Centre (SQCC) in Wash-ington, which is dedicated to educating the peoples of the US and Oman about the breadth and richness of their two cultures. He met with organisations that cre-
ate, fi nance and market digital content, and studied how groups leverage new digital tools to cre-ate and support their message and empower their ‘followers’ to act as agents of change.
“I gained experience in skills to integrate new media campaign tactics into our work. I also had an opportunity to examine US commitment to the issue of In-ternet freedom and the free ex-change of ideas.
“Additionally, I was given op-portunities to meet social media experts, fi lmmakers, and bloggers, in addition to activists and jour-nalists. I was delighted to visit the offi ces of Google and Facebook during my visit to San Francisco,” said Al Azri.
G L O B A L C O N N E C T I O N S
MEDIA REACH: Hamoud Al Azri during his meeting with the Media
Advisor to the Sacramento Government.–Supplied photo
Global brands to participate in food show
MUSCAT: Focus will be on food industry and marketing, and ho-tel service aff airs, as the 10th Food and Hospitality Exhibition kicks off on September 7. The three-day exhibition will be or-ganised at Oman International Exhibition Centre.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition will be held under the patronage of Said bin Saleh Al Ki-youmi, Chairman of Oman Cham-ber of Commerce and Industry.
The exhibition, which will in-volve about 300 international trademarks will provide a suitable environment for these companies to expand their activities in the Omani market. Domestic enter-prises will also benefi t from their experience, besides providing opportunities to the Omani busi-nessmen to meet businessmen from around the world.
The exhibition, which will be organised by Oman Expo, National Hospitality Institute and Oman Chefs Society (OCS), is a good chance for small and medium en-terprises (SMEs) in the Sultanate to strike new trade partnerships and acquire local representation of the international brands.
Last year the exhibition wit-nessed the participation of more than 4,000 specialists in hospi-tality and food sectors. Diff erent types of food equipment and hotel services were also showcased.-ONA
H O S P I T A L I T Y E X H I B I T I O N
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There are many working mothers who want more time off to spend with their new-borns, and they are hoping that maternity leave is increased to 60 days
Hasna Fahim Al Said, Co-founder of the Women Organisation
Three-month maternity leave for women urged
ELHAM [email protected]
MUSCAT: Maternity leave pe-riod in Oman should be of at least three months, says the women’s community in Oman, as the draft of new labour law has proposed increasing the leave to 60 days.
At present, women working in the private sector are entitled to 50 days of maternity leave, while those in the government sector get 60.
An offi cial from the General Federation for Oman Trade Un-ions recently said that apart from an increase in maternity leave, the new law would allow working woman to take an hour off in a day for breast-feeding. A nursery at the workplace is also among the proposals.
Saada Mohammed Al Mamari, from the nutrition department of the Ministry of Health, has been calling for longer maternity leave, and says that mothers should be entitled to ‘at least three months of leave’ after childbirth.
Also, a one-hour breast-feeding break is a must for mothers, she told the Times of Oman.
AmendmentsHasna Fahim Al Said, co-founder of the Women Organisation, says that the Omani law allows 50 days of maternity leave with full salary payment, only three times during the employment.
“There are many working mothers who want more time off to spend with their new-borns, and they are hoping that mater-nity leave is increased to 60 days. Some mothers prefer 90 days,” she said, adding that amendments to the law would be welcome.
According to her, it was a great step forward when the law was amended several years ago and maternity leave was increased from 40 days to 50.
She said that changes may hap-pen if the country’s economy is strong enough to provide such support for working mothers as the number of working mothers has increased in both the private and public sectors.
One-hour breakIn addition, the co-founder of the Women Organisation noted that she supports a one-hour break for breast-feeding.
Tonia Gray, general manager at Competence HR, says that stud-ies show that three months is the minimum time that a mother should be at home to ensure her own health and the health and de-velopment of her baby.
“Studies show that there are developmental and behavioural issues related to shorter peri-ods of time spent on maternity
leave which impact negatively throughout the child’s develop-ment years. They also show in-creased sickness with babies whose mothers return before the three-month period. Even more importantly, infant deaths decrease by 20 per cent, accord-ing to studies published in the Economic Journal in 2005, when mothers remain at home beyond this period,” she said.
European statisticsShe explained that these studies are based on European statistics where records have been kept since the 19th century monitor-ing the trends related to child-birth and leave and surveys in the United States.
“Of course these statistics may not apply to Oman, but I have not seen any research here in this regard. However, speaking from personal experience, I believe that returning to work in under three months is extremely dif-fi cult and absolutely exhaust-ing,” said the general manager at Competence HR.
FundingSusan Flower, president of the Women’s Guild in Oman (WGO), believes that the issue of funding and potential cost to businesses
should be taken into considera-tion when speaking about the length of maternity leave, particu-larly as Omani women may have many babies.
“Mothers should be given a minimum of six months off work if they wish to take it, with no loss of employment rights etc., perhaps with a qualifying period in between each birth to avoid companies regularly having to pay out for long periods of maternity leave,” she said.
Sharing the United Kingdom (UK) experience, Flower said that companies should have the option to off er longer leave at their discretion.
“In the UK, an employee may have up to one year of maternity leave (subject to having been em-ployed for a minimum period to qualify). A statutory maternity allowance should be payable dur-ing the period of maternity leave,” she added.
Other countriesAl Raisi, a mother of two, says that a minimum of three months of ma-ternity leave is ‘defi nitely neces-sary’ and authorities should even consider increasing it further, fol-lowing the example of countries which provide commendable sup-port to working mothers.
Currently, women
working in the
private sector are
entitled to 50 days
of maternity leave,
while those in the
government sector
get 60 days leave
Mothers should be
entitled to ‘at least three
months of leave’ after
childbirth and one-hour
breast-feeding break is
also a must for mothers
Saada Mohammed Al MamariNutrition department, Ministry of Health
95,000 people from
Oman travelled to
Thailand in 2014
According to statistics, more than 95,000 people from Oman trav-elled to Thailand in 2014, 9 per cent more than in the previous year. Thailand was the second top destination for Omani travellers after the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, last year.
Said Al Jahdhami, one of the tourists who cancelled his fl ight to Bangkok and chose to fl y to Kuala Lumpur instead, said he did so as he was concerned for the safety of his family.
“I was due to travel to Thailand on August 30 with my family for ten days, but I have asked the travel agent to cancel our tickets and is-sue new ones to Kuala Lumpur. I cannot take the risk. The bombing is still fresh in my mind,” explained Al Jahdhami.
However, travel experts say booking cancellations will not have a signifi cant impact on the number of Omani tourists travel-ling to Thailand in the near future.
“It is late in the year and thou-sands have already been to Thai-land so far this year. The number of tourists travelling to Thailand may not be the same in 2016, but the drop in numbers will not be signifi cant. Those who normally head for Bangkok may well opt for
other destinations in the Far East as an alternative but only in the short-term,” Roland Bhatnagar, a tourism expert, told the Times of Oman.
Meanwhile the Royal Thai Gov-ernment has reaffi rmed that all tourist security and assistance are in place.
Security beefed upSecurity has been tightened across the country to ensure the public safety, particularly at destinations and venues popular with tourists or densely populated, as well as at international airports and on public transport systems, includ-ing the mass transit systems – BTS Skytrain and MRT services, and bus and rail services.
The number of offi cers on foot patrol has also been increased at tourist locations and important venues. Extra security, including more road checkpoints and strict checks, are also in place, according to an offi cial statement.
S E C O N D T O P D E S T I N A T I O N
2,000 Arabs attempt suicide annually“Omani suicides are mostly linked to social and communal diff erenc-es as well as fi nancial diffi culties,” said the ROP source.
“The most common method of suicide in Oman is by throwing oneself off a high place or by hang-ing. Most of the time it is by hang-ing,” said the source.
In 2014, an Omani girl in her 20s from Musanaah committed suicide by hanging herself after being tormented for a failed re-lationship. She hanged herself from a fan in her room using her own scarf.
The average age of suicide vic-tims in the Sultanate ranges be-tween 25 and 45 years old.
There were 599 suicide cases in Oman between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the ROP forensic department.
A local, not wishing to be iden-tifi ed, recalled the incident of his friend’s relative.
“My friend’s cousin was going through a rough time. He was go-ing through a drug withdrawal phase and the pain he suff ered sent him into deep depression. Eventually, he could not handle
the pain and hanged himself,” he said. Some 75 per cent of suicides occur in low or middle income countries and communities, ac-cording to the WHO. Ingestion of pesticides, hanging and fi rearms, are among the most common methods used to commit suicide.
According to statistics gained by the WHO, 2,000 people at-tempt suicide annually from Arab nations and 1 in 20 attempts are successful.
Three thousand Egyptians be-low the age of 40 annually attempt suicide while three Algerians
commit suicide every day. There are 1,108 recorded suicides most-ly among youths and adolescents, especially females. Some 41 per cent of Syrian youths in Lebanon thought of committing suicide .
Between 2009 and 2013, Mo-rocco recorded 2,894 failed and successful suicide attempts.
More than 800,000 people commit suicide every year, and many more attempted it to make it the second most leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 29 globally in 2012, according to the WHO.
W H O R E P O R T
< FROM
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LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING BEFORE SCHOOL OPENINGAfter a three-month-long break, schools are reopening on Sunday. Parents and children
were seen searching for school items at stores in souqs. ‘The business was good this
time. Trends are changing. Children love innovative designs,’ a shop owner in Muttrah
Souq said. — Purushothaman K
Paternity leave vital
Paternity leave is not just impor-tant for the father to bond with his new son or daughter but to sup-port the mother who will probably be exhausted and will need all the support she can get, said Gray, and added that personally she thinks a period of paid paternity leave is es-sential to support the family unit during this time.
Ahmed Al Muqbali, an Omani national who is a father of three, says that introducing paternity leave can help promote the cul-ture of men helping their wives throughout motherhood and would make fathers more respon-sible. “Paid paternity leave can also be a great support for families who cannot aff ord to hire housemaids,” he said.
Expatriate familiesAlauddin Shah, an Indian expatri-ate, says that non-Omanis should also be entitled to paternity leave if a law is introduced because most expatriate families are far away from their close relatives and can use the opportunity to support the mother and the new-born.
N E E D F O R B O N D I N G
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HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com [email protected]
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80%of Yemen’s population of 26 million are in desperate need of aid, and more than a million have been driven from their homes in the nearly fi ve-month war, said UN aid chief Stephen O’Brien
US air strike kills ‘IS number two’, says White HouseWASHINGTON: The second-in-command of the IS extremist group has been killed in a US air strike in northern Iraq, the White House said on Friday.
The National Security Council identifi ed the slain militant as Fa-dhil Ahmad Al Hayali, also known as Haji Mutaz, and said he was IS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi’s senior deputy.
This is not the fi rst time that US offi cials have announced Hayali’s death. In December, US defence offi cials, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said he was one of several senior fi gures killed in coalition strikes, giving another of his pseudonyms, Abu Muslim Al Turkmani.
But US forces now say they were able to kill him, along with an IS “media operative” known as Abu Abdullah, on August 18 in a strike on a vehicle near the city of Mosul.
The White House described Hayali as a member of the IS’s rul-ing council, and “a primary coordi-nator for moving large amounts of
weapons, explosives, vehicles and people between Iraq and Syria”.
“He supported ISIL opera-tions in both countries and was in charge of ISIL operations in Iraq, where he was instrumental in planning operations over the past two years, including the ISIL off ensive in Mosul in the month of June 2014,” it said, using another name for the IS group.
Like many senior Iraqi extrem-ists, before joining the IS group, Hayali had been a member of Al Qaeda’s Iraqi faction.
He was reportedly a former Ira-qi offi cer from the era of Saddam Hussein. IS militants launched a devastating off ensive in Iraq in June 2014.
Beginning in Mosul, the coun-try’s second city and capital of Nineveh province, they swept security forces aside and eventu-ally overran around a third of the country. A parliamentary inquiry said this week that Iraqi offi cials had disastrously mismanaged the Mosul crisis, ignoring ample
warnings of an impending attack. Offi cials said earlier this month that more than 2,000 people had been executed in and around the city since the extremists took it over, accused by the militants of “promoting ideas that distort Is-lam.” Their names were posted on a list compiled by IS along with an order for health ministry staff to deliver death certifi cates.
The names included police-men, former army offi cers, local offi cials, journalists, doctors and rights activists. The Iraqi army, which the United States spent bil-lions of dollars to train and equip, performed dismally in the early days of the IS off ensive.
Baghdad’s forces have since re-gained signifi cant ground north of the capital from IS, but Mosul re-mains under extremist control, as does much of western Iraq.
The group also holds signifi -cant territory inside Syria, and has drawn in thousands of foreign re-cruits, including from Europe and the United States. -AFP
I R A Q
DESTRUCTION: An image published by the media branch of the IS group in the Damascus province
(Welayat Dimashq) on Friday, allegedly shows IS extremists using a bulldozer to destroy the ancient
monastery of Mar Elian in the central Syrian town of Al Qaryatain, which lies at the crossroads
between IS territory in the eastern countryside of Homs and areas further west in the Qalamun area.
Al Qaryatain, which IS extremists seized earlier this month, had a pre-war population of 18,000,
including Muslims and Syriac Catholics and Orthodox Christians. -AFP
‘Fighting, air strikes kill dozens in Yemen’s Taez’
SANAA: Dozens of people, mostly civilians, have been killed in fi ght-ing and air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen’s rebel-held third city Taez, seen as the gate-way to recapturing the capital.
Backed by the coalition, loyal-ists to exiled President Abedrab-bo Mansour Hadi have recently made sweeping advances against the rebels known as Houthis. They retook the southern port and second city Aden last month, and have seized four additional south-ern provinces in their advance to-wards Taez, some 330 kilometres south of Sanaa.
Rima Kamal, spokeswoman in Yemen for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said the violence on Friday had killed 80 people by late evening, adding that it was unknown if people in the city were “dead or alive under the rubble”. “My colleague was told that by noon yesterday, there were 50 killed; in the evening it went up to 80.
These are fi gures we are receiv-ing from various sides,” she told AFP. Doctors Without Borders said on Friday that 65 civilians had been killed and several hurt in bombing runs in Taez’s Salah
neighbourhood. The rebel-con-trolled Saba news agency said the raids had killed 63 civilians and wounded 50.
Intensifying clashesThe two sides have fought over Taez for months, but clashes there began intensifying in mid-August as the loyalists pushed north after consolidating their gains in the south. Heavy fi ghting that began on Sunday killed more than 80 fi ghters from both sides people in 24 hours, military sources said.
Kamal said Saturday that “ci-vilians are suff ering on multiple fronts. There was an overwhelm-ing number of civilians killed yesterday.” She said shelling and clashes were ongoing Saturday, with residents saying fi ghting around a presidential palace in Taez had killed three civilians.
Intelligence headquarters In Aden, meanwhile, a bomb
destroyed the secret police head-quarters early Saturday, resi-
dents said, in an attack one offi cial blamed on Al Qaeda. The four-storey building in the Tawahi neighbourhood collapsed under the force of the blast, which was heard across the city.
The offi cial blamed the attack, which caused no casualties, on Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
He claimed AQAP militants had entered the city just two weeks af-ter it was retaken from rebels on July 17.
AQAP, which the United States says is the global extremist net-work’s most dangerous branch, has taken advantage of months of vio-lence and chaos in Yemen to make territorial gains, overrunning the port of Mukalla, capital of the east-ern Hadramawt province, in April. Elsewhere, a Saudi Apache heli-copter crashed, and its two pilots were killed, as it patrolled in the Jazan region on the border with Yemen, the coalition said Saturday.
On Friday night, the Hou-this said they had shot down an
Apache in the same area. Yemen has been wracked by confl ict since March, when the Saudi-led coali-tion launched air strikes against the rebels as they advanced on and eventually took Aden after seizing the capital in September. The war has killed nearly 4,500 people, many of them civilians, according to the United Nations.
UN aid chief Stephen O’Brien said he was concerned the air strikes could have a severe impact on an already dire humanitarian situation. Some 80 percent of the population of 26 million are in desperate need of aid, and more than a million have been driven from their homes in the nearly fi ve-month war.
On Friday, a freighter docked in Aden, the first to reach the city since war came to the city in March. It was carrying 350 containers of products ordered by local businesses. Other ships are expected to arrive in coming days.-AFP
Rima Kamal, Red Cross spokeswoman in
Yemen, said the violence on Friday had killed
80 people by late evening
Iran unveils new short range ballistic missile Fateh 313TEHRAN: Iran’s President Has-san Rouhani unveiled the coun-try’s latest domestically pro-duced surface to surface missile on Saturday, saying such weap-ons are necessary for defence in the Middle East.
The Fateh (Winner) 313 bal-listic missile has a 500-kilometre (300 miles) range and features more advanced sensors and tech-nology, according to Sepah News, the website of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards.
It was rolled out little more than a month after Iran and world powers concluded a deal that re-quires Iran to curb key parts of its nuclear programme in exchange for a lifting of economic sanc-tions. The missile was displayed as part of Defence Industry Day, an annual event that showcases Iran’s hardware.
“A weak country incapable of confronting and defending against the military power of its neighbours and enemies cannot claim to seek peace,” the presi-dent said in a televised speech, citing the need for diplomacy and military eff orts to stand side by side. “Iran’s strategy is based on defence and deterrence. The fi rst line is diplomats and the sec-ond line is generals. Diplomats should be backed by generals. If they fail, it is the generals’ turn to come forward.”
Several versions of the Fateh missile have been produced in the past few years. The 313 model has been successfully tested and is scheduled for mass production, the Sepah News report said. Iran’s ballistic missile programme was a contentious issue in the talks that led to the nuclear deal in Vienna on July 14.
To ensure a lifting of sanctions
Iran must implement changes to its atomic activities and guaran-tee they are for energy and medi-cal purposes. Iran has always de-nied seeking a nuclear bomb.
However critics of the nuclear deal in Tehran said that a recent UN resolution regarding missiles, albeit a non-binding measure, placed unacceptable curbs on Iran’s military capabilities.
The latest UN Security Council resolution adopting the nuclear agreement bars Iran from owning missiles “designed to carry nucle-ar warheads”.
It also stipulates that transfer to Iran of ballistic missile tech-nology during the next eight years will be subject to the approval of the council. The US has said it
would veto such requests.Meanwhile, a Reuters report
from Dubai said that Iran recently shot down an unknown surveil-lance drone on its western border, the state news agency said on Sat-urday. “After spotting the drone, our air defence system missiles shot it down,” Farzad Fereidooni, commander of Anti-aircraft sys-tem in Kermanshah province was quoted as saying by IRNA.
“We have given warning to 12 unknown fl ights last year and they have left Iran’s air space.” He did not mention which country the shot-down drone belonged to. Iran has brought down U.S. surveillance and what it claims to be Israeli drones in recent years. -Reuters
A R M A M E N T
HOME-GROWN: A handout picture released by the offi cial website
of Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani shows him, second left, and
Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan, centre, during the Defence
Industry Day ceremony to unveil the country’s latest surface-to-
surface Fateh 313 missile on Saturday in Tehran. -AFP
Sixth life term for
Mohamed Badie
CAIRO: Egyptian Muslim Broth-erhood leader Mohamed Badie and several other prominent hard-liners were sentenced to life in prison on Saturday for murder and inciting violence, judicial sources said, part of an ongoing crackdown on the outlawed group.
Badie has faced numerous tri-als and has accumulated two death sentences and fi ve sentences to life in prison in separate cases, which still may be appealed. Saturday’s sentencing related to an attack on a police station in the city of Port Said in 2013 in which fi ve people were killed.
Senior Brotherhood leader Mo-hamed El Beltagy, hardliner cleric Safwat Hegazy, and 16 others were also sentenced to life in prison and 68 others acquitted. Another 76 people were given life sentences in absentia. -Reuters
E G Y P T
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Swaraj’s Egypt visit to provide an opportunity to boost bilateral tiesCAIRO: The two-day visit of Ex-ternal Aff airs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Egypt will provide an opportunity to review bilateral relations between the two na-tions and will also promote vari-ous aspects of mutual interest, in-cluding fi ghting terrorism, India’s Ambassador to Egypt has said.
“The visit of the External Af-fairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is the fi rst to Egypt. She is coming for a standalone visit in view of the very close relations that we have had over a very long period of time and our desire and commit-ment is to take this relationship to a higher level to build a new part-nership,” Ambassador Sanjay Bh-attacharyya said in an interview.
Ambassador Bhattacharyya said the upcoming visit of the Ex-ternal Aff airs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Cairo will provide an opportunity to review the entire gamut of the bilateral and multi-lateral relations and to exchange views with the Egyptian leader-ship covering whole range of is-sues of mutual interest.
The External Aff airs Minister will be on a two-day visit to Egypt from Monday which is expected to help bilateral ties gain traction.
During her visit, she will call on Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, hold bilateral talks with her counterpart Sameh Shoukry and meet Nabil El Araby, the Secre-tary General of the League of Arab States, besides other leaders.
Bhattacharyya said both coun-tries have very similar situations and are committing to sharing their experiences.
“India and Egypt are both de-veloping countries. And just as we shared our experience in the past we will continue to do so,” Bhat-tacharyya said.
“India and Egypt have tradi-tionally enjoyed close and friend-ly relations since long ago. There are many aspects in which we can extend and promote our coopera-tion,” he said.
“In the fi elds of politics and
security we can combine our dis-cussions and coordination to fi ght terrorism which is a challenge that we all face across the world.
Terrorism is not something that is related to ideology or re-ligion and it must be fought at all costs,” Bhattacharyya said.
The Ambassador also added that there are many opportunities for India and Egypt particularly in the economic engagement.
“We believe that we already have a very strong economic en-gagement in terms of bilateral trade and investment. But we can actually reach a much greater po-tential. This will be our objective,” he said.
India is the sixth largest trad-ing partner of Egypt — the second largest export destination.
Trade between India and Egypt during the last fi nancial year (April 2014 - March 2015) has been recorded at $4.76 billion.
India’s imports from Egypt were worth $1.74 billion during 2014-15.
There has been diversifi cation in the export basket of Egyptian products to India.
Indian exports to Egypt during 2014-15 have been recorded at $3.02 billion.
“We believe that as Egypt ex-pands its economy and increases its engagement in the region, Afri-ca and Europe, India can be strong part in that,” Bhattacharyya said. - PTI
S T A N D A L O N E V I S I T
India and Egypt are both
developing countries.
And just as we shared
our experience in the
past we will continue
to do so
Sanjay BhattacharyyaIndian ambassador to Egypt
Pakistan calls off talks over Hurriyat meeting
ISLAMABAD: Ending the sus-pense, Pakistan on Saturday night called off the India-Pakistan NSA-level talks, hours after India made it clear that discussions on Kashmir and a meeting with sepa-ratists will not be acceptable.
“Pakistan reiterates that the scheduled NSA level talks can-not be held on the basis of the preconditions set by India,” a statement by the Pakistani For-eign Offi ce said. Pakistan’s an-nouncement brought to an end the battle of attrition as to who would blink fi rst.
Virtual ultimatumThat the talks was a non-starter was evident in the last two days in view of the acrimonious exchang-es between the two sides but the last straw appeared to be External Aff airs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s virtual ultimatum to Pakistan to give a clear commitment by mid-night that it would not go ahead with meeting the separatists.
“There will be no talks,” Swaraj declared when asked what would happen if Pakistan did not accept the position outlined by her on separatists and Kashmir though she maintained these were not pre-conditions.
The minister was reacting to Pakistan National Security Ad-
viser Sartaj Aziz’s remarks earlier in the day that he was willing to come to India for talks without any pre-conditions.
Aziz’s talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on terror-related issues was scheduled to have taken place in Delhi on Mon-day. What became a red rag for New Delhi was the invitation by the Pakistan High Commission to Hurriyat leaders to meet Aziz ahead of the fi rst-ever NSA-level talks, which was agreed upon in Ufa in Russia in July during the meeting between the two prime ministers — Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif.
India was also upset over Paki-stan including Kashmir as part of the agenda for the NSA talks that was mainly scheduled to discuss terror. The Foreign Offi ce state-ment said Pakistan has “care-fully analysed” the contents of the press conference of Swaraj.
“We have come to the conclu-sion that the proposed NSA level talks between the two countries would not serve any purpose, if conducted on the basis of the two conditions laid down by the minister,” it said.
StatementReferring to Swaraj’s statement, it said that while she accepts that, to ensure durable peace between the two countries, there is a need
to discuss all outstanding issues, she then unilaterally restricts the agenda to only two items: creating an atmosphere free from terror-ism and tranquillity on the Line of Control (LoC).
“Considering that many terror ‘incidents’ blamed initially by In-dia on Pakistan eventually turned out to be fake, it is not improbable that India can delay the Resumed Dialogue indefi nitely by concoct-ing one or two incidents and keep-ing the LoC hot.
“It is equally important to recall that terrorism was always a part of the eight point composite dia-logue and it was always discussed simultaneously with other issues between the Interior Secretaries.
It is not reasonable for India to now assume the right to de-cide unilaterally that from now onwards, other issues will be dis-cussed after terrorism has been discussed and eliminated.”
The statement noted that the main purpose of any dialogue be-tween India and Pakistan is to re-duce tensions and restore trust as a fi rst step towards normalisation.
“If the only purpose of NSA level talks is to discuss terrorism, then instead of improving the prospects for peace it will only intensify the blame game and fur-ther vitiate the atmosphere.
“That is why Pakistan had sug-gested that apart from discus-
sion on terrorism related issues, the two sides should also discuss modalities and if possible a time schedule, for discussions on all outstanding issues including Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek, in keeping with the understand-ing of the Ufa statement,”
Pakistan said this is the only way to improve the prospects for peace between the two countries.
“The External Aff airs Minis-try’s attempt to draw a distinc-tion between preambular and operative paragraphs in the Ufa statement appears to be an after-thought to justify a position that is counterproductive in terms of the ultimate objective of reducing tensions and improving trust.”
PracticeAs regards the second pre-condi-tion regarding meeting with Hur-riyat leaders, the statement said it has been pointed out repeatedly that it has been a long-standing practice that whenever Pakistani leaders visited India during the past twenty years, they have been meeting Hurriyat leaders.
“It would be inappropriate for India to now impose the condi-tion of changing this longstand-ing practice. Pakistan, therefore, reiterates that the scheduled NSA level talks cannot be held on the basis of the preconditions set by India,” it added. - PTI
That the talks was
a non-starter was
evident in the last
two days in view
of the acrimonious
exchanges between
the two sides but
the last straw
appeared to be
Sushma Swaraj’s
virtual ultimatum
to Pakistan to give
a clear commitment
by midnight that it
would not go ahead
with meeting the
separatists
MAKING HER POINT: External Aff airs Minister Sushma Swaraj gestures as she arrives to address a
news conference in New Delhi on Saturday. - PTI
Dawood Ibrahim is permanent resident of Pakistan: RajnathLUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: Terror mastermind Dawood Ibrahim is permanently living in Pakistan though he may be changing locations in that coun-try, Indian Home Minister Ra-jnath Singh said on Saturday.
“Such people keep changing their location...but he is perma-nently living in Pakistan,” Singh told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
His remarks came as media published a purported recent photograph of the underworld don claiming that Indian intel-ligence agencies have evidence that the terrorist and his family were living in Karachi.
Asked about the picture, Singh replied that he would not say any-thing without verifying it “I don’t want to comment on any news,” he said.
Dawood Ibrahim has nine resi-dences in Pakistan, including one bought near the house of Bila-wal Bhutto Zardari, son of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, two years ago, and has three Pa-kistani passports which he fre-quently uses to travel.
DossierAccording to a dossier prepared by India to be handed over to Pakistan, there are nine places where Dawood Ibrahim, who is known to frequently change his locations, stays in Pakistan.
The new residence Dawood bought is located at Shireen Ji-nah Colony near Ziauddin Hospi-tal, Cliff ton, Karachi.
“This accommodation was purchased in September, 2013 and is located near the hospital where medical treatment could be provided to Dawood whenever required. This place is close to the residence of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, son of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto,” the dossier reads.
Apart from this house, the other places where he regular-ly frequents are: Moin Palace, near Abdullah Shah Gazi Dar-gah, Cliff ton, Karachi, 6A Khya-bar Tanzeem, Phase V, Defence Housing area, Karachi, located on Bhoubhan Hill, around 20km from Islamabad on Islamabad-Muree Road, P 6/2, street no.22, House no. 29, Maragalla Road, Islamabad, 17 C. P. Bazar Soci-ety, Block 7-8, Amir Khan Road, Karachi, 30th street in Phase 6 extension of DHA in Karachi, 8th fl oor of Mohran Square near Pardesi House 3, Tawar area, Cliff ton, Karachi and a palatial bunglow in the hilly area of Noo-riabad, Karachi.
According to the dossier, Da-
wood has three Pakistani pass-ports — fi rst one issued in Raw-alpindi (No.G-866537), second in Karachi (No. C-267185) and a third one which was also issued in Karachi (No. KC-285901).
Dawood’s wife Mahajabeen holds a Pakistani passport No. J-589103, son Moeen’s Paki-stani passport No. J-588518 and daughter Mehrukh’s passport No. J-563473.
Mehrukh is married to former Pakistani cricketer Javed Mian-dad’s son Junaid. Dawood daugh-ter Mehreen’s another Pakistani Passport No. is J-563439.
Dawood’s brother Anees and Mustaqim too have Pakistani passports with the Nos. H 144394 and KA-713357 respectively.
The dossier says that Dawood was declared a global terrorist by the US State Department on October 16, 2003 and he was in-cluded in the UN list as an asso-ciate of Al Qaeda on November 3, 2003 under the UNSC resolution no. 1267
Accused“Pakistan has failed to issue a red corner notice and take action as per UN notice against Dawood,” the dossier says.
Dawood Ibrahim is wanted in India for the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai in which 257 people were killed and nearly a thousand injured.
He is also accused of master-minding other terror attacks and of money laundering and extor-tion. There is an Interpol red cor-ner notice against Dawood for his role in the 1993 blasts. - PTI
T E R R O R M A S T E R M I N D
Dawood Ibrahim is
wanted in India for
the 1993 serial bomb
blasts in Mumbai in
which 257 people were
killed and nearly a
thousand injured.
He is also accused of
masterminding other
terror attacks and of
money laundering and
extortion
A9
INDIAS U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
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E-tickets for tourists visiting Taj Mahal at night soonAGRA: Tourists visiting the Taj Mahal at night would soon be able to buy tickets online till 3pm of the day of their visit, instead of booking in advance.
A proposal in this matter has already been cleared and an order would soon be issued, Union Min-ister of State for Tourism Mahesh Sharma told news persons here.
Currently tickets need to be pur-chased manually in advance, ASI offi cials said adding night view is allowed between 8:30pm to 00:30 am and the duration of visit is 30 minutes. The night viewing facil-ity is available for fi ve nights, two before and two after the full the moon night.
Arrangements were also being made to allow night time visitors’
entry to the 17th century monu-ment through the western gate in the compound, the minister said.
Presently tourists for night viewing are permitted entry from the eastern gate, which creates problem for the locals, whose movements gets restricted.
Eff orts are also being made to develop infrastructure at Mehtab Bagh opposite to the Taj Mahal, so that tourists can see the Taj Mahal at night according to their convenience, tourism ministry sources said.
“A large number of tourists are denied from seeing the Taj Mahal after sunset for various reasons in-cluding security concerns,” said K. C. Jain, president of the Agra Devel-opment Foundation, an NGO trying
to promote tourism in the city.“If the facilities are developed
at Mehtab Bagh, the visitors would benefi t and there would be an additional attraction in the city,” he said.
Meanwhile, a 60-kg British-era copper chandelier at the main en-trance of 17th century Taj Mahal crashed down recently, prompt-ing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to initiate a probe into the matter.
The six-feet high and four-feet wide chandelier, gifted by Lord Curzon and installed at the Royal Gate of Taj Mahal in 1905, fell down on Wednesday, sources said.
A probe under ASI’s superin-tending archaeologist Bhuvan Vikram has been initiated into
the matter, they said. Though there was no offi cial word as to what caused the chandelier to fall, the sources said it prob-ably came down due to “aging and wear and tear”.
“Luckily, there was no one around or else it would have re-sulted in a major tragedy,” a tourist guide Ved Gautam said.
On Thursday, Agra ASI chief Bhuvan Vikram Singh had said that the decision to fi x the chande-lier would be taken only after care-fully examining its structure and its present state.
Meanwhile, some tourist guides have accused the ASI offi cials of “gross negligence” and questioned their expertise in handling the monument’s artifacts. -PTI
P R O P O S A L
MAJESTIC: Night viewing facility at Taj Mahal is available for fi ve
nights, two before and two after the full moon night. - AFP fi le photo
Raja alleges ‘hidden agenda’ behind new case filed by CBI
CHENNAI: Former Indian Tel-ecom Minister A Raja on Satur-day said there “seemed” a “hidden agenda and politics” behind CBI lodging a fresh disproportionate assets case against him.
Five years after registering a case in the 2G Spectrum alloca-tion scam against Raja, the agency had lodged a fresh case against him on August 19 for allegedly
amassing disproportionate assets worth Rs27.92 crore during the 11-year period between 1999 and 2010.
Raja said “... CBI Investigating Offi cer Vijay Priyadarshini ac-cepted in a Court on November 13, 2013 that there was no dispropor-tionate assets after investigating my income and the income of my family members and relatives.”
He alleged that the Chennai unit of the CBI had fi led an FIR now stating that the properties of the late Sadhiq Basha-owned
Green House Promoters Limited belonged to him. Basha, an alleged associate of Raja, had committed suicide in 2011.
“CBI Delhi unit says there is no culpability in the Green House Promoters Ltd. Whereas Chen-nai CBI says that all the properties accumulated by the Green House Promoters is my property,” Raja told reporters here.
“There is not only inconsist-ency on the part of CBI, Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate offi cials, it seems there is a hidden
agenda and politics behind it.Therefore I have written a let-
ter to the investigating offi cer, CBI Chennai, today revealing all the details,” he said.
Noting that the affi davit de-clared by him when he contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from the Nilgiris constituency was still available on the Internet, Raja said, “whoever wants to see those details can download it from the Internet. The question is whether I have assets more than the assets declared in it.”
‘Political vendetta’DMK chief Karunanidhi had al-leged that the case had been fi led out of “political vendetta.”
“Continuously, steps smack-ing of political vendetta are be-ing taken against DMK men who were ministers in the UPA gov-ernment,” Karunanidhi had said, indicating his support for not only Raja but also for his grand-neph-ew Dayanidhi Maran who, too, is facing CBI action.
Meanwhile, a special court had on Thursday fi xed October 8 for hearing remaining fi nal ar-guments in a 2G scam-related money laundering case in which former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and
17 others are facing trial.Special CBI Judge O. P. Saini,
who was scheduled to hear the fi nal arguments on Thursday, de-ferred it for the next date as the court was busy hearing arguments in the additional spectrum case.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier told the court that Rs 200 crore as “illegal gratifi ca-tion” was transferred to DMK-run Kalaignar TV by DB group fi rm through a “circuitous route” in return for grant of 2G spectrum to Swan Telecom by Raja.
The prosecutor had claimed that the money was transferred back to DB group fi rm by Kalaig-nar TV once Raja was about to be called for questioning by CBI in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation case.
ED had alleged that Raja had “illegally” granted 2G spectrum licences to ineligible fi rms for which Rs 200 crore was trans-ferred to Kalaignar TV.
It had alleged that a conspiracy was hatched by Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi, DMK supremo M. Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Am-mal and other accused and Rs 200 crore was the “proceed of crime”.
Raja, Kanimozhi, Dayalu Ammal and 16 others, including nine fi rms, are facing trial in the case.- PTI
Five years after
registering a case in
2G scam against the
former minister, the
agency has lodged
a fresh case against
him for amassing
disproportionate
assets worth Rs27.92
crore
BRIEFING: Former telecom minister A. Raja addresses media
persons at his party offi ce in Chennai on Saturday. - PTI
List of 100 smart
cities to be out
by September 1
HYDERABAD: The Government is set to announce by September 1 the names of urban centres that would fi gure on the list of 100 smart cities, a fl agship scheme of the Modi administration.
“By September 1, the list of 100 cities will be announced offi cially. It is almost ready,” Union Min-ister of Urban Development and Housing M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Saturday.
“Initially, only 20 cities will be taken up on priority. These 20 cit-ies will be selected on certain pa-rameters, which have already been communicated to the 100 cities.
“Not only 100 cities, those guidelines had been sent to other aspirant cities also,” he said.
Naidu was speaking to report-ers on the sidelines of ‘National Conclave on Smart Technologies’ organised by Smart Cities Coun-cil India. Explaining further, he said the competition among cities will be in terms of providing better amenities to citizens and admin-istration, including accountability and transparency,based on which ranking would be provided.
He said the implementation of the mission will be done by a Spe-cial Purpose Vehicle. The SPV will plan, appraise, approve, release funds, implement, manage, oper-ate, monitor and evaluate the Smart City development projects. - PTI
F L A G S H I P S C H E M E
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PAKISTAN S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
Three held in raid for ‘role’ in minister’s assassination
ISLAMABAD: Law-enforce-ment agencies raided a seminary late Thursday night and took three men into custody for their alleged role in facilitating the assassina-tion of Punjab Home Minister Colonel Shuja Khanzada, police sources said.
The suspects, identified as Qari Imdadullah, Qari Irshad and Shaukat, were arrested from the Madrassa Haqqania Madina in Sector F-8/3 of Islamabad on information provided by in-telligence agencies, the police sources informed.
The joint raid of Punjab Coun-ter-Terrorism Department and Pakistan Rangers was carried out around midnight.
The suspects were subsequent-ly taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, it was learnt.
Offi cials of the Islamabad Po-lice did not confi rm the raid on re-cord saying they were completely unaware about it.
However, the administrator of the seminary, Qari Ahsanullah Hazarvi, said the raiding authori-ties were accompanied by the Margalla police Station House Offi cer (SHO).
Hazarvi claimed Imdadullah
was his son, Irshad a teacher at the seminary while the teenager Shaukat was a guest.
He said Shaukat had come to collect the belongings of his brother — a former student — and stayed at the seminary as it was raining. “Shaukat is a teenager and doesn’t even have an identity card,” he said.
Unable to traceHazarvi said the authorities did not say on what charges they ap-prehended the men, adding he was unable to trace them in any of the city’s police stations.
He clarifi ed that all students were enrolled at the seminary after proper scrutiny and have no relation with any sectarian or banned outfi t. “We are affi liated with the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl and have informed the party lead-ership about the incident,” he said.
Margalla SHO Malik Bashir rejected Hazarvi’s claim saying he was not present at the time of the raid. Bashir abstained from identifying the suspects as well as their alleged link with the At-tock attack.
The seminary raided by the law-enforcement agencies is one of the few in Islamabad for which land was allotted by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on “special” directions of late Gener-al Ziaul Haq in the mid-80’s, said a senior CDA offi cial, who declined to be named.
The seminary is located at a greenbelt between Ismail Zabeeh Road and Faisal Avenue, close to Shah Faisal mosque.
According to CDA’s Master Plan, greenbelts are protected green patches and any construc-tion on them is “strictly prohib-ited and liable to be demolished”.
“The administrator of the semi-nary is the rightful owner of the land in the authority’s record. But it remains a question if the CDA violated the city’s master plan and other municipal by-laws govern-ing the city by allotting land out of a greenbelt on Zia’s request,” the offi cial added.
Subject to demolitionHe shared that the seminary administration constructed ad-ditional structures in adjoining areas over time, much beyond permissible limits. “In the CDA record the additional construc-tions are illegal and subject to demolition,” he said.
There are as many as 329 semi-naries in rural and urban areas of the capital, according to a re-cent police survey carried out in collaboration with the CDA and Islamabad Capital Territory Ad-
ministration as part of the Na-tional Action Plan.
Of the total seminaries, 160 are illegally constructed as they have encroached on state or private land and are not registered with any government department.
The survey stated that some 31,796 students are enrolled at these seminaries. Of them, 17,419 belong to Islamabad and Rawal-pindi, while 14,377 hail from other parts of the country.
Earlier, there was a suggestion within the Ministry of Interior that the administrations of semi-naries in Islamabad would be re-stricted to only enroll students from the twin cities.
However, the suggestion re-ceived severe criticism from reli-gious parties and was dubbed “un-constitutional” and against the “fundamental right to education.” — Express Tribune
The suspects,
identifi ed as Qari
Imdadullah, Qari
Irshad and Shaukat,
were arrested
from the Madrassa
Haqqania Madina
in Islamabad on
information provided
by intelligence
agencies, the police
sources informed
ANGER: Activists of Civil Society Network hold a banner against the murder of a Pakistani provincial minister following a suicide attack
in Shadi Khan village, during a protest in Lahore on August 16, 2015.— AFP fi le photo
Commission to probe human traffi ckingISLAMABAD: The top court has formed a commission to visit Torkham and Chaman borders and submit report reviewing the overall situation. The pro-cess of immigration as well as reasons of human trafficking will be reviewed.
The Supreme Court, headed by chief justice Jawwad S. Khawaja while hearing case regarding the human traffi cking had observed that the commission is headed by Additional Attorney General Waqar Ahmad Rana.
He also noted that other mem-bers are Federal Investigation Agency’s law director, Jafar Shah, Additional Advocate General Ky-ber Pakhtunkhwa Umar Farooq, Assistant Attorney General Ba-lochistan and a representative of customs department.
The commission will visit sites of both borders and examine the security situation and immigra-tion process. The commission is asked to submit report along with photos on September 1.
The bench has observed that the facts show that there is a con-tradiction in the government’s statements and actions regarding fi ght against terrorism.
During the hearing, Shah told the bench that people visit Af-ghanistan without visa immigra-tion, adding that FIA has no au-thority on Torkham border.
A member of the bench Jus-tice Faez Isa remarked that due to weak monitoring system, anyone can illegally cross the Torkham border.
Who also questioned wheth-er the government was aware that terrorists are continuously crossing that border easily. The judge observed that it is a mat-ter of surprise that the immigra-tion laws are inactive at Torkham border. He added that biometric system was enforced on that bor-der but intentionally it has been out of order.
Justice Isa also said that if the situation will remain the same
then the war on terror would not be a success as people are crossing borders easily.
The bench observed that there is no record of people, who enter in Pakistan’s territory, adding that a number of Somalis are illegally residing in Islamabad.
The court said that the govern-ment is not serious regarding the repatriation of hundreds of Pa-kistanis. They are languishing in foreign jails, adding that most of them lost their lives.
A senior FIA offi cial has said the most wanted human traf-fi ckers have illegally sent around 13,201 Pakistani nationals through various routes.
It has already been reported that with an alarming rise in hu-man traffi cking, Pakistan may devolve to the ‘Tier-3 List’. This is a group of 23 countries that face various sanctions due to
their failure to comply with the minimum standards to prevent human smuggling.
If this happens Pakistan will be the fi rst South Asian country to be put on the list.
In June, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Akbar Khan Hoti informed the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control, “If Pakistan fails to improve its performance to curb human traf-fi cking [this year], it would be de-graded to ‘Tier-3’ with possibility of new sanctions,”
“The country may face aid cut, travel restrictions – there is a pos-sibility of sanctions that could only be waived by the US presi-dent,” he added
He said the Traffi cking in Per-sons (TIP) Report 2014 issued by the US Department of State revealed that the number of most-
wanted human traffi ckers in Pa-kistan has jumped from 78 to 95. The country is currently on ‘Tier-2 Watch List’.
“The FIA, being the focal agen-cy, has taken up the issue of hu-man traffi cking with the provinc-es. This includes cases of bonded labour, slavery, prostitution, do-mestic servitude and child labour, which need major improvement on drastic grounds,” he said.
Talking to The Express Trib-une, FIA’s former DG Zafarul-lah Khan said Pakistan needs to review its laws to tighten noose around most wanted human traffi ckers.
“The Prevention and Control of Human Traffi cking Ordinance 2002 and other related laws of the FIA need to be upgraded. This would be helpful to scan all routes leading towards borders of other countries,” he said. — Express Tribune
S U P R E M E C O U R T D I R E C T I V E
PEOPLE SMUGGLING: Afghan refugees travel on a truck as they cross the border between Pakistan
and Afghanistan at Torkham on May 20, 2012. A senior FIA offi cial has said the most wanted human
traffi ckers have illegally sent around 13,201 Pakistani nationals through various routes. — AFP fi le photo
Speaker Sadiq’s election deemed null and voidLAHORE: After hours of delay, an election tribunal fi nally an-nounced its verdict on Saturday, approving chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) claims that systematic rigging had taken place in the National Assembly’s NA-122 seat and Punjab Assem-bly’s PP-147 seat constituencies and announced a re-election.
The tribunal’s judge, Kazim Malik termed the result of both – National Assembly constitu-ency NA-122 Lahore and Punjab Assembly constituency PP-147 Lahore – as null and void and or-dered the Election Commission to hold re-polling.
Later on, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that he accepts the tribunal’s judgment, adding that the tribu-nal had put the blame on election machinery.
“I respect the judgment and ac-cept it but due to our reservations we will go to the Supreme Court,” he said.
He also said that the judgment was not about victory or defeat as he had also won the election in 2002.
Sadiq further said that Mutta-hida Qaumi Movement leaders’ resignations will now be taken by the Deputy Speaker Assembly af-ter the tribunal judgment.
Rigging not mentionedMeanwhile, Sadiq’s son Ali Ayaz Sadiq said that there was no mention of “rigging” in the tri-bunal’s report. He hinted that his father may appeal the verdict in Supreme Court.
Sadiq’s lawyer too contended that contrary to what Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan was claiming, the ver-dict did not rule that rigging took place in NA-122.
Imran had challenged National
Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s victory from the constitu-ency in the 2013 general elections.
Earlier, security around the Election Commission office was tightened and roads towards the commission sealed. Entry of any unauthorised person was also prohibited.
Sadiq had defeated Imran in the NA-122 constituency after which a complaint was filed in the Election Commission, al-leging massive rigging in favour of Sadiq.
Several PTI and Pakistan Mus-lim League-Nawaz (PML-N) work-ers were injured in a clash with the police outside the Election Com-mission offi ce as they waited for the result to be announced.
According to reports, party workers became violent and re-moved the barriers set up by the police outside the main entrance to the offi ce.
PTI leader Naeemul Haque said they will hold the province’s admin-istration and police responsible in case of any untoward incident out-side the tribunal’s building.
“Such inadequate arrangements have been made to counter the situation and maintain law and or-der,” he said. — Express Tribune
T R I B U N A L ’ S V E R D I C T
4 labourers working on Turbat road kidnapped
QUETTA: At least four labourers of Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) were kidnapped along with their vehicle in Dasht area of Tur-bat district on Friday.
According to the Balochistan Levies offi cial Mohmood Ahmed, a vehicle carrying the FWO la-bourers was on its way from Turbat city to Mirani dam when unknown armed men stopped the vehicle in Dasht area at gunpoint and abducted them with along with their vehicle.
“The labourers were working on the Gwadar-Kashgar route in Tur-bat,” sources said.
The labourers were identifi ed as Yahyah Khan and Jumma Khan, residents of Quetta, while other two were identifi ed as Gull Khan and Bakht Khan of Wazir Khan. All four were working with contractor Agha Gull.
Till the fi ling of this report, no group had claimed the responsibil-ity for the kidnapping.
Three bullet riddled bodies were found in diff erent parts of the province on Friday.
In fi rst incident, two bullet rid-dled bodies were found in Rehman Kahol area of Chaman district of Killa Abdullah.
According to police, some pas-sers by spotted the bodies and in-formed the police. Soon after re-ceiving the information the police rushed to the spot soon after the information and cordoned off the area while bodies were shifted to the Civil Hospital, Chaman.
The deceased were shot in the head and chest, said hospital sources adding that bodies had not been identified yet. However, sources said both of the deceased look Afghan national from their appearance.
Meanwhile, another bullet rid-dled body was found in Killi Dehba area of provincial capital.
Police said they were informed after locals spotted the body. The body was shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta where he was identifi ed as 26-year-old Jumma Khan.
The cause of the murder could not be ascertained so far.
Separate cases have been reg-istered against the unknown per-sons and investigations are under-way. — Express Tribune
B A L O C H I S T A N
I respect the judgment
and accept it but due
to our reservations we
will go to the Supreme
Court, said Ayaz Sadiq
A11
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Three NATO contractors among 12 dead in Kabul attackKABUL: At least 12 people includ-ing three NATO contractors were killed Saturday when a suicide car bomber struck a foreign forces convoy, offi cials said, underlining the precarious security situation in the Afghan capital.
The Taliban denied responsi-bility for the blast, which struck outside a civilian hospital in Kabul following a wave of fa-tal bombings earlier this month that rattled the city. The piercing explosion in a residential neigh-bourhood reverberated around Kabul and left a trail of devasta-tion, including twisted wreckage of burning vehicles with offi cials seen piling up bloodied bodies in a police pickup truck.
A foreigner was among 12 peo-ple killed in the blast, with 66 oth-ers -- including women and chil-dren -- wounded, health ministry spokesman Wahidullah Mayar said on Twitter. He did not give the nationality of the foreigner.
Senior health offi cial Sayed Ka-bir Amiri confi rmed that toll from the attack, which comes as Tali-ban insurgents escalate their an-
nual summer off ensive against the US-backed Afghan government.
“One Resolute Support (NATO) contracted civilian was killed in the attack and two others died of wounds as a result of the attack,” NATO said in a statement.
A NATO spokeswoman told AFP that the contractors were not Afghan nationals, but did not spec-ify their nationalities.
US-led NATO forces ended their combat mission in Afghani-stan in December last year, al-though a 13,000-strong residual force remains for training and counter-terrorism operations.
Taliban denialTaliban spokesman Zabiullah Mu-jahid said the group was not be-hind the attack, which prompted the heavily-fortifi ed US embassy, located a few kilometres (miles) away in the centre of Kabul, to sound its emergency sirens and a “duck and cover” alarm warning.
The insurgents are known to distance themselves from attacks that result in a large number of ci-vilian casualties.
Saturday’s blast comes amid heightened security in Kabul af-ter a wave of bombings earlier this month that killed more than 50 people and wounded hundreds, prompting fury from President Ashraf Ghani who blamed Paki-stan for failing to rein in Taliban insurgents. The surge in lethal attacks has left the war-scarred city on edge. Tempers fl ared at the scene of Saturday’s bombing, with a young Afghan man fi ghting back tears as he screamed: “Why are they killing us?”
The Taliban are stepping up their summer off ensive, launched in late April, amid a bitter lead-ership dispute following the an-nouncement of the death of long-time leader Mullah Omar. Mullah Akhtar Mansour, Omar’s longtime trusted deputy, was named as the new Taliban chief in late July in an acrimonious power transition. Al-Qaeda chief Ayman Al Zawa-hiri recently pledged his group’s allegiance to Mansour, in a move which could bolster his accession amid the growing infi ghting within the Afghan militant movement. -AFP
E X T R E M I S M
LOOKING FOR CLUES: NATO soldiers work at the site of a car bomb blast in Kabul, Afghanistan on
Saturday. A car bomb outside a Kabul hospital killed at least 12 people and caused widespread
casualties among Afghan civilians, although it appeared to have targeted a vehicle carrying foreign
citizens, witnesses and security sources said. -Reuters
Typhoon Goni leaves 10 dead in Philippines
MANILA: Ten people were killed while thousands fl ed to higher ground as powerful typhoon Goni brought torrential rains to the northern Philippines, triggering landslides and fl oods, offi cials said on Saturday.
Nine people died in Moun-tain Province and Benguet in the northern highlands after their houses were buried in rocks and mud. A man was killed in nearby Ilocos Norte province after he was hit by a falling tree, the na-tional disaster council said in a report. Three people were report-ed missing in fl ooded areas while seven others were injured. Close to 13,000 people had been evacu-ated by nightfall, the report said.
Typhoon Goni was 130 kilo-metres northeast of the Batanes island chain on Saturday even-ing, with winds of up to 185kph (115mph), according to the state weather bureau.
In the northern province of Abra, two straight days of heavy rains caused a major river to over-fl ow, governor Eustaquio Ber-samin said. “The Abra river has turned into an ocean,” Bersamin told DZMM radio. “The rains were much stronger than we ex-pected,” he said. Thirteen domes-tic fl ights were cancelled on Sat-urday, the disaster council said.
The storm is the ninth out of an average of 20 that hit the Phil-ippines each year and is now heading to Taiwan, the weather bureau said. Taiwan has evacu-ated people from outlying is-lands and troops are on standby for disaster relief as it takes pre-cautions against heavy rains ex-pected this weekend.
Tourists evacuated While the chance of Goni mak-ing landfall in Taiwan has di-minished, the typhoon will bring heavy rains to most of the island Saturday and Sunday, with moun-
tainous areas in eastern Hualien and Yilan counties expected to see torrential downpours.
Areas at riskAreas at risk included the hot spring town of Wulai that was devastated by Typhoon Soudelor just two weeks ago. The popular tourist destination is still strug-gling to repair roads damaged by mudslides and the town remains cut off from regular water and power supplies. Wulai residents piled large sandbags along the river to prevent fl ooding from the expected rains and local offi cials said may evacuate residents from at-risk areas. At least 1,700 tour-ists have already been evacuated from Taiwan’s outlying Green and Orchid islands.
Offi ces and schools have been closed there since Friday. Some ferry services and domestic fl ights have been cancelled, but international fl ights have yet to be aff ected. -AFP
Nine people died in
Mountain Province
and Benguet in the
northern highlands
after their houses
were buried in rocks
and mud and one
man was killed in
nearby Ilocos
Norte province
North, South Korea offi cials meet in bid to end tensionSEOUL: Top aides to the leaders of North and South Korea held talks at the Panmunjom truce village straddling their border late on Saturday, raising hopes for an end to a standoff that put the rivals on the brink of armed conflict.
The meeting at the Demilita-rised Zone (DMZ) village, known for its sky-blue huts and grim-faced soldiers, began soon after the deadline for North Korea’s previously set ultimatum de-manding that the South halt its loudspeaker propaganda broad-casts along the border or face military action.
That deadline passed without any reported incidents. The ne-gotiations continued after rough-ly three hours, according to the South’s Unifi cation Ministry.
An exchange of artillery fi re on Thursday prompted calls for calm from the United Nations, the United States and the North’s lone major ally, China. South Korea’s military remained on high alert despite the announced talks, a defence offi cial said.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s national security ad-viser and her unifi cation minister met with Hwang Pyong So, the
top military aide to the North’s leader Kim Jong Un, and Kim Yang Gon, a veteran offi cial in inter-Korean aff airs.
“The South and the North agreed to hold contact related to the ongoing situation in South-North relations,” Kim Kyou-hyun, the presidential Blue House’s deputy national secu-rity adviser, said earlier in a tel-evised briefi ng. Pyongyang made an initial proposal on Friday for a meeting, and Seoul made a revised proposal on Saturday seeking Hwang’s attendance, Kim said.
The North’s KCNA news agen-cy also announced the meeting, referring to the South as the Re-public of Korea, a rare formal rec-ognition of its rival state, in sharp contrast to the bellicose rhetoric in recent days.
“They need to come up with some sort of an agreement where both sides have saved face. That would be the trick,” said James Kim, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul.
“North Korea will probably de-mand that the broadcasts be cut, and they may even come to an im-passe on that issue.” -Reuters
S T A N D O F F
Thai police probing new footage in search for Bangkok blast cluesBANGKOK: Thai police on Sat-urday said they were investigat-ing new security camera footage showing a man dropping a pack-age into a canal as the hunt for those behind Monday’s deadly Bangkok bomb blast entered its fi fth day without arrests.
CCTV video widely circulated by local media Saturday showed a man in a blue T-shirt kicking the package off a footbridge in the same spot where a device explod-ed on Tuesday without injuries.
That second blast intensifi ed anxiety in an already rattled city, following Monday’s bomb attack on a religious shrine in Bangkok’s commercial heart that cut down 20 people and wounded scores more. Authorities have not ruled
out a link between the two explo-sions. The shrine bomb killed mostly ethnic Chinese tourists from across Asia, and has left police scrambling to find the assailants. Police are convinced that the attack was planned and coordinated by a network and insist that their investigation is making progress despite days of unclear and sometimes confl ict-ing statements.
National police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri confi rmed that the new footage was being examined to decide whether the man dropping the package into the water near Saphan Thaksin pier was a suspect.
“We have to verify the informa-tion,” he said adding the situation
was “still confusing”. The unveri-fi ed footage is time-stamped just a few minutes after Monday’s blast, which struck at 18.55pm (1155 GMT).
Man in the blueIt shows the man in the blue T-shirt carrying something heavy in a plastic bag. He goes to the side of a footbridge, places the bag down and then uses his mobile phone. Around a minute later he pushes the bag into the canal with his foot, kicking up a visible splash of water. The following day, shortly after 1:00 pm on Tuesday, an explosion went off in the canal, which is near a popular tourist pier, sending people scurrying for cover but causing no injuries. -AFP
M I L I T A N C Y
Japan protests Medvedev visit to disputed Pacifi c island
TOKYO/ITURUP: Japan on Saturday lodged a protest over Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to one of four disputed Pacifi c islands which have strained ties between the two countries since the end of World War Two.
The decades-old argument over the territory, claimed by both states, could set back Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ef-forts to court resource-rich Russia and keep the door open to dialogue, despite the Ukraine crisis.
The islands are known in Rus-sia as the Southern Kuriles and re-ferred to as the Northern Territo-ries in Japan. Russia seized them in the last days of World War Two and the dispute has kept the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty since. After Medve-dev visited Iturup island on Sat-urday, senior Japanese foreign ministry offi cial Hajime Hayashi lodged the protest with the Rus-sian ambassador to Japan, Evg-eny Afanasiev, by telephone, the ministry said.
Trip to be delayedJapanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will delay a visit to Rus-sia, the Nikkei business daily said, but did not elaborate. Japan had been hoping for a visit this year by Russian President Vladimir Putin for summit talks with Abe, Kyodo news agency said. While on the island, Medvedev said Japan’s at-titude would not stop more such visits. “Our position is simple: We want to be friends with Japan, Ja-pan is our neighbour. We have a good attitude towards Japan, but this shouldn’t be linked in any way with the Kurile islands, which are part of the Russian Federation,” he said. “Therefore we have made visits, we are visiting and we will make visits to the Kuriles.”
Medvedev emphasised econom-ic development plans for a region potentially rich in oil and gas and invited foreign investors. -Reuters
W O R L D W A R T W O L E G A C Y
TYPHOON TROUBLE: Residents wade across fl oodwaters caused
by Typhoon Goni in Bacnotan, La Union, in northern Philippines
on Saturday. -Reuters
DIFFUSING TENSION: South Korean president’s national security
adviser, Kim Kwan-Jin, right, shakes hands with the North Korean
military’s top political offi cer Hwang Pyong-So. -AFP
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E D I T O R I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
C I R C U L A T I O N
Essa bin Mohammed Al ZedjaliMohamed Issa Al ZadjaliAnees bin Essa Al Zedjali Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali
Muscat Media Group 770112
#TRENDING
Mohammed Mahfoodh Al Ardhi
Since the beginning of 2015, there has been a lot of talk about the fi rst set of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), given that
their time frame offi cially comes to an end this year. The MDGs were established by the United Nations at the beginning of the millennium, an important move to set benchmarks for all nations in an increasingly global context.
The media has been inundated with articles, debates and opinions which weigh out the results of these goals. As Omanis, I believe we need to measure the progress of our nation and society against these global benchmarks in order to plan the best way forward.
One very crucial MDG was to achieve primary education, and I am proud to see that between the years 1999 and 2012, enrolment in Oman’s primary schools has increased by an impressive 83 per cent. As of 2013, the net enrolment ratio was 98.4 per cent for boys and 96.8 per cent for girls, according to statistics published by UNICEF.
Although we have made great strides in this area, in the coming years we must work still harder to bring this number up to a 100 per cent, as every child is entitled to a decent primary education, at the very least. Building on this goal, we must also work to grow the net enrolment ratio for secondary school, which is slightly lower at 93.9 per cent for boys and 93.6 per cent for girls as of 2013.
With regard to addressing the MDG concerning gender equality and women’s empowerment, the Sultanate of Oman has advanced well. We have evolved to increase women’s participation in both civil society and business, decreasing the gender gap over time and off ering equal career opportunities, in both the government and private sectors. Formal legislation is in place today that protects women and enhances their opportunities, including the Civil Service Law for government employees and the Labor Law for the private sector. Now that we have such supportive systems and growing awareness about the importance of women’s empowerment, I anticipate that we will improve on our strengths in the recent future to further increase gender equality in Oman.
In reducing child morality, Oman has played an exemplary role, and is currently listed in UNESCO’s Education for All Global Monitoring
Report 2015 among Arab countries where child mortality has dropped by over 50 per cent.
Oman’s maternal mortality rates decreased by a remarkable 38 per cent between 2002 and 2008, according to the Oman Medical Journal.
Healthcare as a whole has registered signifi cant improvement in Oman, in addition to reduced child mortality rates and enhanced maternal health standards. The Ministry of Health has encouraged private sector hospitals to upgrade, as well as step-up the establishment of hospitals throughout the country, thereby enabling residents with easy access to facilities and information.
Ensuring environmental stability was an important MDG, and with the establishment of the Environment Society of Oman (ESO) in 2004, we have put in place an organisation dedicated to this critical area. The ESO has worked actively to promote conservation and awareness about the environment across all sectors of our society.
Some creditable achievements by ESO include Project Shajar - dedicated to conserving Oman’s plant life and maintaining biodiversity, and the ‘no to plastic bags’ campaign that was launched across a chain of supermarkets back in 2008.
I see great opportunity here for Omani citizens to engage more closely with the ESO and determine how they can contribute to a healthy and sustainable environment. We are certain to see more initiatives in future that deliver tangible improvements and increased sustainability.
Indeed, Oman has a lot of work to do overall towards the next phase of development, although we are already witnessing marked progress across key areas. Given our accomplishments in the key areas that were defi ned by the United Nations at the turn of the millennium, it is reasonable to believe that we are moving ahead in the right direction. The MDGs are an eff ective benchmark and I recommend all Omanis use them as a reference point within their respective industries and contexts. A new development agenda has been announced in 2015, and I am certain it will play a defi ning role in shaping our future.
The author is the Chairman of National Bank of Oman and an International Advisor to the Brookings Instituition. 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.
Source:National Centre for Statistics & Information
OMANIS WORKINGIN PRIVATE SECTOR
206,348
As of July 2015
Muscat
Dhofar
Musandam
Al Buraimi
Ad Dakhiliyah
Al Batinah
Sharqiyah
Ad Dhahirah
Al Wusta
Unknown
TOTAL
24,490
3,981
159
737
3,149
9,749
3,686
1,069
100
278
47,398
47,102
8,334
941
2,730
20,686
48,551
20,727
8,036
1,080
763
GovernorateFemale Male
158,950
The success of this surgery a big hope for patientsCongratulations to the Omani medical team at the Royal Hospital in Muscat for successfully performing the surgery to implant a device in the left atrial appendage of a heart patient, last week. I read that the new catheter procedure avoids open-heart surgery and the pa-tient can lead a normal life just two days after the surgery. The suc-cess of this surgery is big hope for patients. — Rana Banori, Sur
Malala’s laurels will continue to inspire girls all across the worldHappy to read that Malala Yousafzai, the teenage education rights campaigner who came to Britain after the Pakistani Taliban tried to kill her, has scored high marks in national school exams. Malala’s achievement proves that where there is a will there is a way. Let Malala achieve more laurels and inspire girls worldwide to fi ght the odds and prove their mettle. — Allison Stone, Muscat
India-Iran ties improve further India’s decision to remove Iran from the list of countries in the restricted visa cat-egory is another indication of New Delhi’s resolve to reinvigorate its engagement with the country. The move will not only liberalise the visa approval process for Iranian citizens but also deepen partner-ship with Iran. Ties with Iran are vital for India’s economic and strategic interests.
India has to seize the momentum provided by the nuclear deal to step up energy trade with Iran. — Zoya Butt, Muttrah
T I M E S O F O M A NS U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5A12
Millennium benchmark for Sultanate’s growth
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Modernisation of industrial estates on anvil: PEIEMUSCAT: The Public Establishment for Industrial Es-tates (PEIE) mulls expansion, renovation and modernisa-tion of some industrial estates. Mohammed bin Juma’a Al Ghylani, secretary general of the PEIE’s board of directors, said agreements have been made with consultancy firms to make the necessary designs and conduct studies in some of the existing estates.
1794 France surrenders the island of Corsica to the British. 1944: The Dumbarton Oaks conference, which lays the foun-dation for the establishment of the United Nations, is held in Washington, D.C.
1968: Soviet forces invade Czechoslovakia because of the coun-try’s experiments with a more liberal government.
1989: Voyager 2 begins a fl yby of planet Neptune.
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Taking the UK out of NATO would be disastrous. Not only is Britain’s army so materially super integrated it would soon
struggle to function, our exit would pointlessly destabilise Europe – sending a very clear message to Putin and Russia
bit.ly/corbynforukoutofnato
BEN JUDAH
Nawaz Sharif, in third stint as prime minister of Pakistan,
has been marked by the unwillingness to fi ll in important positions in the government in an attempt to concentrate maximum
power in the House of Sharifs
bit.ly/pakistannoforeignminister
KAMRAN REHMAT
Anti-immigrant sentiment is roiling the Republican
presidential primary, with most candidates taking
aggressive stands against illegal immigration and Donald Trump now raising the ante with a plan for stark limits on legal entry, as
wellbit.ly/goponusimmigration
FRANCIS WILKINSON
F R O M O U R A R C H I V E S
T O D A Y I N H I S T O R Y
Dump truck driving in the up position slams overhead sign. CNN’s Jeanne Moos tells tall tales about trucks. Watch the video
AUGUST 2000
Scan this QR code to send letters to the Readers’ Forum, 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).
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5 The beaches of Ras Al Hadd, a unique experiencebit.ly/beachrasalhaddunique
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2 More than 28 per cent hike in duty free limit by India delights expats in Omanbit.ly/indiadutyfreelimit
3 Royal Hospital performs novel heart surgerybit.ly/novelheartsurgery
4 Self-medication from Internet dangerous, warn medics in Omanbit.ly/selfmedicationnetwarn
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SPECIALS U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
Recalling New Orleans horror: When buildings shook like speeding trains
CHICAGO: Ten years ago, my New Orleans hotel shook like a speeding freight train.
Hurricane Katrina’s deadly winds tore up roofs, yanked trees from the ground, and pushed tow-ering walls of seawater miles past the coast.
I am still haunted by what I saw as the Big Easy collapsed into chaos. A dead man lay slumped in a chair outside the New Orleans convention centre, his elderly body covered in a yellow blanket.
A sea of hungry and thirsty peo-ple sat nearby, their faces sunken in defeat and despair as they wait-ed day after day for help to arrive.
An exhausted mother limped barefoot across a metal bridge as she clutched her fi ve-day-old baby and told me of a frantic es-cape across a plank and through a neighbour’s window as the fl ood-waters swallowed her home.
A squad of heavily-armed sol-diers — who had been given shoot-to-kill orders — marched into the glow of our headlights as we drove through the pitch-black French Quarter. More than 1,800 people were killed after Katrina ravaged the US Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. Most of the dead were in New Orleans.
Some 80 per cent of the low-ly-ing city was engulfed by fi lthy wa-ter that rose as high as 20 feet (six meters) after poorly-maintained levees burst. Tens of thousands of people were trapped when the city became a sweltering swamp.
Supply trucks didn’t arrive with food and fresh water until the fi fth day. Those fi ve days felt like fi ve years.
Rooftops barely visible Freelance photographer James Nielsen and I slipped out of our hotel not long after the eye of the storm passed on the morning of August 29, a Monday -- brac-ing ourselves against buildings as we looked for signs of dam-age amid the pounding rain and powerful wind.
The older parts of New Orleans — the French Quarter, Garden Dis-trict and central business district — escaped the worst of Katrina’s wrath because they were built on higher ground.
So it took a few hours for us to understand how bad things were.
My heart sank when we pulled up behind an ambulance parked on a freeway overpass and I real-ized the triangles poking out of the water were rooftops.
We watched a boat pull up to a
nearly submerged house where an elderly man needed help getting out through his window.
We woke Tuesday to fi nd that the water had risen even higher af-ter a canal was breached.
Nielsen and I followed a mili-tary convoy to a bridge leading into the fl ooded Lower Ninth Ward, where I met the young mother and a woman who saw her husband get swept away by the storm surge as they tried to reach shelter.
We saw some looting in the French Quarter, but the mood re-mained relatively festive that day.
I found a restaurant that was serving warm beer and hot gum-bo: the power was out, but the gas stove was still working and they wanted to cook up all their food be-fore it spoiled. I spoke to residents with barbecues who were doing the same that night.
The mood darkened on Wednes-day. People grateful to be rescued from their fl ooded homes had found themselves dumped at the
downtown convention center with no food, water, medical attention or functioning toilets.
Despair, desperation, fearA fi re broke out in a looted shoe store on fl ooded Canal Street.
Hotels were kicking out their guests. Frightened, thirsty people fl ed rumours — mostly false — of mayhem and violence and camped out on the freeways under a pun-ishingly hot sun.
A shell-shocked intensive care nurse told me how medical evacuation helicopters carry-ing babies were grounded by the sound of gunfi re. Thursday was a nightmare.
I spent the morning talking to refugees on the freeway who kept asking me how the US government could send help across the world but could not manage to take care of its own citizens.
Then I waded through the foul fl oodwaters to check on the evacu-ation of the Superdome, a sports
arena used as an emergency shel-ter where 26,000 people had been trapped with scant supplies.
The stench of urine and feces was unbearable.
People were so desperate for help that babies were being passed forward over the throngs pressing up against the barri-cades to get out.
I wept at that memory this week and still cannot believe I saw it happen in America.
On Friday, a tough-looking sheriff ’s deputy broke down into tears as he told me of inmates who drowned in their cells or got caught in razor wire after trying to jump out of the fl ooded prison.
He could not understand why the deputies and their families were left behind to spend Thurs-day night on a freeway after the prisoners were evacuated.
While we were talking, a heli-copter landed nearby.
Help had fi nally reached him. I stayed another week as the mili-
tary managed to restore order and evacuate all but the most stubborn residents.
Life-changing experience I have returned to New Orleans many times to report on its recov-ery from Katrina and then on the impact of the BP oil spill.
I even managed to learn to love the Big Easy.
But those fi rst fi ve days changed me. I was a cub reporter when my
editors sent me to cover Katrina.I lost my faith in government
and am still angry about the people who suff ered or died because of the botched response.
I found my faith in humanity deepened by the countless acts of selfl ess bravery and kindness that I witnessed — like the man who spent days ferrying his neighbors out of the fl ood zone and wouldn’t waste a minute to talk to a reporter.
I never learned his name. - AFP
More than 1,800
people were killed
after Katrina ravaged
the US Gulf Coast
on August 29, 2005.
Most of the deaths
were in New Orleans
FLOODED: A street in the northern part of New Orleans still lies under water, three weeks after hurricane Katrina hit the city in this picture taken on September 19, 2005. Ten
years ago, Hurricane Katrina swept buildings off their foundations and deluged nearly all of New Orleans with fl oodwaters which rose so fast some people drowned in their
homes. Those who made it to their rooftops or the relative safety of dry land waited days to be rescued as the Big Easy descended into chaos. Today, colourful homes on stilts
have replaced many of the rotting hulks left behind after the low-lying coastal city in the southern United States was fi nally drained. - AFP fi le photo
LONG WAIT: A fi le picture taken on September 2, 2005, as Hurricane Katrina refugees wait to be
evacuated while a helicopter brings National Guard troops. - AFP fi le photo
RESCUED: This September 1, 2005 fi le photo shows a baby carried
above the crowd as people wait to leave the Superdome in New
Orleans, Louisiana. - AFP fi le photo
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REFUGEES: New Orleans area residents, seeking refuge from oncoming Hurricane Katrina, as they wait
for offi cials to let them into the Superdome, which has been set up as an emergency shelter, in New
Orleans, Louisiana in this photo taken on August 28, 2005. Ten years ago. Hurricane Katrina’s deadly
winds tore up roofs, yanked trees from the ground, and pushed towering walls of seawater miles past
the coast. People are still haunted by what they saw as the Big Easy collapsed into chaos. - AFP fi le photo
INUNDATED: Flood submerged New Orleans is viewed eights days after Hurricane Katrina struck the
Gulf Coast in this picture taken on September 6, 2005. - AFP fi le photo
Some 80 per cent of the low-lying city was engulfed by fi lthy water that rose as high as 20 feet (six meters) after poorly-maintained levees burst. Tens of thousands of people were trapped when the city became a sweltering swamp
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AMPHIBIAN VEHICLES People drive amphibian vehicles at the start of the 9th Maritime Vehicle Meeting on Saturday at the technical museum at the
former Russian airport Puetnitz near Ribnitz-Dammgarten, eastern Germany. — AFP/DPA/JENS BTTNER
Syria’s Zaina awarded for ‘courageous journalism’
WASHINGTON: A Syrian-based journalist who has trained citi-zen reporters in the war-ravaged country has been named the re-cipient of the 2015 Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethi-cal Journalism, organisers said on Saturday.
The prize from Reporters With-out Borders and Agence France-Presse was awarded to Zaina Erhaim, who lives and works in Aleppo, Syria.
Over the last two years, Erhaim has trained about 100 citizen re-porters from inside Syria, approx-imately a third of them women, in print and TV journalism, and helped establish new, independ-ent newspapers and magazines in the country.
The 30-year-old Erhaim is also
the Syria project coordinator for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), an interna-tional organization that supports journalists in countries undergo-ing confl ict, crisis or transition.
Force multiplierThe work of some of her students has been published in major in-ternational news outlets. “Zaina Erhaim is a force multiplier of journalistic values in a country
torn by violence and irrationality,” said Camille Mackler, the Peter Mackler Award’s project director. “We salute her courage, upholding professional ethics and bringing them to the service of those left to write history.” David Millikin, AFP’s director for North America, said Erhaim “embodies the ideals which the Peter Mackler Award was created to honour.”
He added that Erhaim “has done extraordinary work both in
training local residents and jour-nalists who have become nearly the only fi rst-hand source of news on the Syrian confl ict and in supporting Syrian women liv-ing under siege.”
With the award, “we pay tribute to the courage of those in Syria who fi ght for the freedom of infor-mation,” added Delphine Halgand, director of Reporters Without Borders USA. The media rights group noted that Syria has been
the deadliest country for journal-ists since 2011.
“Facing harsh oppression, Erhaim is an outstanding jour-nalist and journalism teacher,” Halgand said.
The award, named for the late Agence France-Presse journalist Peter Mackler, will be present-ed at a ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington on October 22.
The prize was created in 2008 to honor the memory of Mackler, who died of a heart attack that year at the age of 58. — AFP
Zaina Erhaim, living
in war-torn Aleppo,
has trained about
100 citizen reporters
from inside Syria,
approximately a
third of them women,
in print and TV
journalism
HONOUR: Undated photo obtained from the PM Award organisation shows Zaina Erhaim. Erhaim,
a Syrian-based journalist who has trained citizen reporters in the war-ravaged country has been
named the recipient of the Peter Mackler Award, organisers said on Saturday. — AFP/PM AWARD-HO
The 30-year-old Zaina
Erhaim is also the Syria
project coordinator for
the Institute for War
and Peace Reporting,
an international
organisation that
supports journalists in
countries undergoing
conflict, crisis or
transition
Refugees break past police line into MacedoniaGEVGELIJA (MACEDONIA): Hundreds of refugees broke through barbed wire fencing bor-dering Macedonia despite a heavy police presence Saturday in anoth-er dramatic chapter of Europe’s es-calating migrant crisis.
And in Italy, rescuers scrambled to save up to 3,000 migrants from waters off Libya after the coast-guard was deluged Saturday with SOS calls from 18 diff erent over-crowded boats.
On the Macedonian border, po-lice hurled stun grenades and used batons in a failed bid to stop the refugees from breaking through.
At least four people were lightly injured in the incident, an AFP correspondent reported.
Police appeared to regain con-trol of the situation in about 30 minutes, stopping the fl ow of peo-ple with a dozen stun grenades. Those who managed to cross into Macedonia rushed to the town of Gevgelija and sought taxis or other transportation toward Serbia on their way through the Balkans to the European Union border.
Earlier Saturday hundreds of refugees seeking to reach western Europe arrived at the Greek-Macedonian border join-ing around 2,000 others who
have been stranded there since Thursday after being stopped by Macedonian police.
The refugees and migrants, who spent the night sleeping out in the
open despite heavy rain and chilly overnight temperatures, were al-lowed by the police in groups of about a dozen to enter the country, but that was not fast enough for exhausted people stuck for days in this no-man’s land, without proper shelter, food and water.
Meanwhile, the Italian coast-guard Saturday coordinated a massive rescue operation at sea for an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people. At least seven boats - six Italian and one from Norway - were involved in the operation to get the migrants safely off 14 over-crowded rubber dinghies and four other vessels.
More than 104,000 migrants from Africa, the Middle East and South Asia have landed at Italy’s southern ports so far this year af-ter being rescued in the Mediter-ranean. Italian police said they had arrested six Egyptian nationals on suspicion of people smuggling following the rescue of a stricken boat on Wednesday.
Testimony from the 432 mi-grants on board suggest the vessel
had been packed with more than 10 times the number of people it was designed for, with many of the passengers, including a number of women and children, locked below deck. They had each paid the traf-fi ckers 2,000 euros for the passage from Egypt to Italy, according to statements given to police.
As the humanitarian crisis worsens, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has voiced concern over the deteriorating situation on the Macedonian border.
Not to close borderMacedonian Foreign Minis-ter Nikola Poposki assured UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres “that the border will not be closed in the future,” an agency statement said. It called on the European Union to “step up support for countries aff ected” by the movement of refugees and mi-grants in southeastern Europe.
Figures from the UNHCR show thousands of desperate people, most of them from Syria, Afghan-istan and Iraq, have been pour-
ing into Greece on a weekly basis with the aim of travelling through Macedonia and Serbia to reach the European Union.
Some 42,000 people, including more than 7,000 children, have en-tered Macedonia since mid-June, the government in Skopje said.
Those stranded in makeshift camps inside the no-man’s land between Macedonia and Greece voiced feelings of desperation as some wandered through piles of rubbish, gazing towards the Mac-edonian border.
Overnight police had doubled the barbed wire fence at the bor-der, while some refugees pleaded with them, shouting “Help us!” “It rained and many people couldn’t protect themselves.
One mother lost her daughter and was calling for her all through the night,” said Samer Moin, a 49-year-old doctor from Syria who crossed from Turkey to the Greek island of Halki, before managing to reach the Macedonian border.
“I’ve been here for days. I want go to Norway,” he said. — AFP
U N P R E C E D E N T E D I N F L U X
MIGRANT CRISIS: Macedonian police stand guard in front of mi-
grants close to the border crossing between Greece and Macedonia,
near the village of Idomeni, Greece, Saturday. — Reuters
PKK rebels urged to halt violenceI S TA N B U L / D I YA R B A K I R (TURKEY): The leader of Tur-key’s main pro-Kurdish political party on Saturday called on Kurd-ish militants to halt a month of vi-olence against the security forces “without if or buts”.
The comments were the clear-est call yet from Selahattin Demir-tas — the charismatic young leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) — for the Kurdistan Work-ers Party (PKK) to agree an uncon-ditional ceasefi re.
“The PKK has to stop its armed attacks and bombings in the towns and the mountains without ifs or buts,” the Dogan news agency quoted Demirtas, 42, as saying in a speech in the western city of Izmir.
“There is no alternative for us,” said Demirtas.
Deaths must be stopped““More deaths of Kurds, Turks, soldiers, guerillas and police must be stopped.” The govern-ment accuses the HDP of be-ing the PKK’s political wing but Demirtas has repeatedly insisted that there is distance between the two organisations.
It is unclear if Demirtas’ call for an end to violence will have any impact on the PKK, whose leader Abdullah Ocalan is serv-ing a life sentence on a Turkish prison island.
With Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan now planning to call snap polls for November 1, the HDP is mindful of not putting off its non-Kurdish secular support-ers who opted for the party in in-conclusive June 7 polls.
The HDP then easily broke though the 10 per cent threshold needed to win seats in the parlia-ment largely thanks to its success in expanding its support base.
The PKK has been staging daily attacks against the Turkish armed forces as the military keeps up air raids and operations against the group’s strongholds in southeast Turkey as well as northern Iraq.
Meanwhile, Kurdish militants armed with rocket launchers and assault rifl es killed a Turkish army captain in an attack on a military outpost in the southeast late on Friday, the latest in clashes which have brought a peace process to the brink of collapse. — Agencies
P E O P L E S ’ D E M O C R A T I C P A R T Y L E A D E R
Seven killed as jet crashes into cars
LONDON: A jet aircraft ploughed into several cars on a road near an airshow in southern England on Saturday, killing seven people, police said.
The Hawker Hunter fi ghter jet crashed onto the A27 road, close to an airport in Shoreham where the airshow was taking place, near the city of Brighton.
One person was being treated for life-threatening injuries and a further 14 people were being treat-ed for minor injuries, police said in a statement.
Video footage posted online showed the plane in the process of executing an acrobatic loop before it hit the ground, causing an ex-plosion which appeared to engulf some cars on a road.
“He’d gone up into a loop and as he was coming out of the loop I just thought, you’re too low, you’re too low, pull up,” the BBC quoted an eyewitness, Stephen Jones, as saying. “And he fl ew straight into the ground either on or very close to the A27, which runs past the airport.”
Media reports said the pilot of the plane was pulled from burning wreckage.
The crash happened at around 1:20 pm (1220 GMT).
The Hawker Hunter is a single-seater jet which was developed by Britain in the 1950s.
Seven people were killed when two planes practising for an air show collided in Slovakia on Thursday. A US Army parachut-ist died after he was involved in a mid-air collision with another parachutist at a Chicago air show last Saturday. — Reuters
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New monkey species emerges from Peru forest canopy shadowsPARIS: For nearly a century the carcass of a small, reddish-brown monkey from South America gath-ered dust in a windowless back-room of the American Natural His-tory Museum in New York City.
Like a morgue corpse in a draw-er with the wrong toe tag, it was a victim of mistaken identity. No one realised during all those years that it was, in fact, a specimen of an unknown species.
That taxonomical injustice will be rectifi ed at the end of this month when the newly-minted Latin name of the overlooked monkey -- rediscovered in 2013 during a jungle expedition through central Peru mounted by a Dutch prima-tologist -- is offi cially published in a peer-reviewed scientifi c journal.
To wit, Primate Conservation, a reference in the fi eld. Then and only then, according to the rules of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, will Callicebus urubambensis, named for the river along which it lives, fi -nally exist in the annals of biology.
The discovery of new primates,
especially monkeys, is a pretty big deal. Excluding prosimians (those tiny tree huggers with freakily human-like fi ngers and saucers for eyes), only 21 new species have been identifi ed since 2000, ac-
cording to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), whose Primate Specialist Group is the ultimate authority on these questions.
“Several of those are titis,” said
Jan Vermeer, a member of that group and the man whose fi ve-year quest brought C. urubambensis out from the forest canopy shadows.
Mate for life The name titi is informally applied to 30-odd types of monkeys fall-ing under the genus Callicebus, all of them indigenous to the South American jungle. Smaller than a domestic cat, titis mainly eat fruit, mate for life, and are known to adopt the infants of other couples when survival is at stake. Males generally take charge of raising the young, handing them off to females for nursing.
Vermeer, who is also the zoo-logical director of a wildlife park in France, long suspected that there were additional species in the jun-gles of south central Peru apart from C. brunneus, named for its darker brown colour, and another monkey called Toppin’s Titi.
As part of his search for new species, Vermeer paid a visit to the American Natural History Mu-seum in order to peruse the mon-
keys in its collection. One that was labelled as a C. brunneus caught his eye. “When I saw the speci-men at the museum in New York in 2008, I began to have doubts,” he told AFP. “It didn’t quite look like what I expected.” Improbably, he launched his search on the Web.
“The Internet is full of pictures of titi monkeys, often posted by tourists that have been in the jun-gle and who want to share their ex-perience with the world,” he said.
When he noticed some from the region in question were also slight-ly reddish, like the one in the mu-seum, he knew what he had to do.
His fi rst expedition in 2009 -- undertaken with a group of young Peruvian conservationists from
the NGO Proyecto Mono Tocon -- was more for reconnaissance.
When Vermeer returned again in 2013 with Julio Tello-Alvarado, the NGO’s head of research, they spent several weeks before hitting pay dirt. “As soon as we crossed to the western side of the Urubamba River, we almost immediately discovered the new species of titi monkey,” Vermeer recalls.
A lucky encounter with a hunter who had just bagged one of these mystery monkeys allowed the sci-entists to confi rm their hunch: they had, indeed, found a new species. C. urubambensis is prob-ably not endangered, though the IUCN has not had time to make an assessment. -AFP
T A X O N O M I C A L I N J U S T I C E
EXOTIC SPECIES: An illustration obtained on Friday shows a
Callicebus urubambensis or Urubamba brown titi monkey. -AFP
US probes mass die-off of 30 whales
SEATTLE: US marine biolo-gists have started probe into the mass die-off of 30 whales found washed ashore along Alaska’s southern coast this summer, nearly three times the region’s average for this time of year, a federal offi cial said on Friday.
Since May 2015, the carcasses of 11 fi n whales, 14 humpback whales, one gray whale, and four other whales of indetermi-nate species turned up along the western Gulf of Alaska, accord-ing to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA called it “an un-usual mortality event” on Thurs-day, triggering a formal agency inquiry into the strandings that will bring together federal and local experts one team.
“While we do not yet know the cause of these strandings, our investigations will give us important information on the health of whales and the eco-systems where they live,” said Teri Rowles, a NOAA marine mammal health and stranding response coordinator.
A hypothesis for the cause of the deaths, NOAA fi sheries spokeswoman Julie Speegle said, is they may be linked to a toxic algae bloom in the Pacifi c Ocean along the U.S. West Coast leading to the closure of shellfi sh harvests in Washington state, Oregon and California. -Reuters
U N U S U A L E V E N T
‘France gunman known militant’
PARIS/MADRID: A gunman overpowered by passengers on a train in France is known to Euro-pean authorities as a suspected ex-tremist militant if the identity he has given is correct, France’s inte-rior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Saturday.
Two people were wounded in the struggle to subdue the Kalash-nikov-toting attacker aboard the high-speed train from Amsterdam to Paris on Friday. Two U.S. service-men, one of whom suff ered knife wounds, were among the passen-gers who stopped the gunman.
Cazeneuve said the man’s identity was not confi rmed, but if he was telling the truth “he is a 26-year-old man of Moroccan na-
tionality identifi ed by the Spanish authorities to French intelligence services in February 2014 because of his connections to a radical movement”. The man Spanish au-thorities had under surveillance left Spain for France in 2014, trav-elled to Syria, and then back to France, a Spanish counter-terror-ism source said on Saturday.
In Spain, he lived in the south-ern port of Algeciras and appeared to have stayed in the country for about a year, the source said.
Cazeneuve did not mention any visit to Syria or France, only naming Spain and Belgium as the suspected militant’s places of res-idence, this year and last.
He said inquiries in collabora-
tion with other European author-ities “should establish precisely the activities and travels of this terrorist”. French newspaper Le Voix du Nord said the suspect may have had connections to a group involved in a suspected extremist shooting in Belgium in January.
The Belgian government con-fi rmed an inquiry but would not comment further. French author-ities have been on high alert since January, when 17 people were killed in shootings by exteremist militants in and around Paris.
The attacker was armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifl e and an automatic pistol, both with ac-companying ammunition clips. He also had a box cutter knife. Cazeneuve said the struggle started when a Frenchman on his way to the toilet tried to stop the man entering a carriage. The wounded U.S. serviceman, air-man Spencer Stone of Lajes Air Base, Azores, was expected to be treated at a specialist hospital for people with hand injuries in the northern French city of Lille. -Reuters
If he was telling the truth ‘he is a 26-year-old
man of Moroccan nationality identifi ed by
the Spanish authorities to French intelligence
services in February 2014 because of his
connections to a radical movement’, said
France’s interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve
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Investors on local bourse lose OMR520 million this month
MUSCAT: Local and foreign investors on the Muscat Securi-ties Market (MSM) have lost a whopping OMR520 million in the last twenty-two days following a severe fall in share values as oil prices touched a six year low.
The local bourse plummeted 7.14 per cent or 468 points since the beginning of the month to close at 6,089.87 on Thursday, from as high as 6,558.18 points on July 30.
As a result, the market capitali-sation (value of shares of all com-panies) of listed stocks, exclud-ing bonds, on the bourse dipped by OMR519.55 million — from OMR13.742 billion on July 30 to OMR13.223 billion on Thursday.
The reasons are not far to seek. Crude oil prices in the interna-
tional market plummeted in the last couple of weeks, signifi cantly impacting the government’s abil-ity to meet development expendi-ture since 79 per cent of budget revenue comes from hydrocarbon resources.
Oman’s budget defi cit for the fi rst half of this year surged to OMR1,918.5 million, against a sur-plus of OMR250 million for the same period of 2014, mainly due to a plunge in oil prices.
Most of the Middle East mar-kets plummeted last week in the aftermath of plunge in crude oil
prices, with panic selling gripping the Saudi bourse.
About $50 billion of market capitalisation has been eroded in Saudi Arabia so far this month as investors dumped stocks.
“The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets, including Oman, started falling with oil prices showing a sluggish trend. Regional markets and subsequently global markets started the decline,” Kanaga Sundar, head of research at Gulf Baader Capital Markets, told the Times of Oman.
“There was an outfl ow of funds
from GCC and Oman markets as well since foreign institutional investors started selling their stakes,” he added.
Institutional investors“Foreign institutional investors were net sellers during the period of market decline,” added S Suresh Kumar, head of research at Al Maha Financial Services.
Most investors are losing con-fi dence, resulting in dumping of shares across the board, and there is hardly any sign of an immediate recovery across the region.
“We are going to see a volatile period in the coming months due to prevailing low oil prices,” said Sundar, adding,
“The macro-economic chal-lenges for regional economies will remain, which, in turn, will refl ect in the market performance as well,” he further added.
Suresh Kumar said that oil price is near its bottom and there could be a growth in demand.
Crude oil (WTI), which is at $39.58 a barrel, must have lost ap-proximately 20 per cent since the fall in prices started.
Referring to the soaring budget defi cit, Sundar said Oman gov-ernment would be able to manage defi cit with borrowed money and by transferring funds from re-serves this year.
However, in the long run, the government will have to priori-tise expenditure, besides coming up with long-term programme for defi cit fi nancing. “Budget for all Gulf Cooperation Council coun-tries will be critical next year.”
Opportunity for investorsSundar also said that the global economy is likely to witness an-other round of economic slow-down, which will also impact the region. As share prices have touched a recent low, market ana-lysts see it as an opportunity for value investors.
However, investors may divert their investment to real estate market in view of the uncertainty in equity market.
Market capitalisation
of listed stocks,
excluding bonds, on
the bourse dipped by
OMR519.55 million
— from OMR13.742
billion on July 30 to
OMR13.223 billion
on Thursday
LOSING CONFIDENCE: Most investors are losing confi dence, resulting in dumping of shares across the board, and there is hardly any sign
of an immediate recovery across the region. — Times fi le picture
GraphicsSource:Muscat Securities Market
(Billion rials)STOCK MARKET FALL
13.7
6,558
13.2
6,090
July30
August20
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
MSM30 Index
-7.14%
Marketcapitalisation
-3.78%
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Bank Muscat offers repayment holiday on baituna home finance
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the fl ag-ship fi nancial services provider in the Sultanate, as part of its com-mitment to facilitate a home for every family, has launched an at-tractive baituna home fi nance of-fer granting customers an option to buy their dream home and start repayment after six months.
The fi rst-of-its-kind, limited period off er from the bank, is available for purchasing ready homes and apartments across
Oman. The add-on benefi ts in-clude free home contents insur-ance worth OMR13,500.
baituna facilitates access to prime residential projects in Oman as all leading property de-velopers are associated with the bank. The attractive features of baituna home fi nance include low interest rates with maximum loan tenure up to 25 years for Omani customers. The low interest rate facilitates the best home fi nance deals in Oman. Citizens and resi-dents can avail easy and conveni-
ent credit approval across the bank’s 140 branches and dedicated baituna centres in the Sultanate.
Said Al Badai, DGM (Branches), said: “Bank Muscat is proud to launch the baituna home fi nance
off er with repayment holiday for six months which paves the way for one of the best fi nance options in Oman for prospective home buyers. The real estate sector is a major component of the national
economy and Bank Muscat is com-mitted to extending all possible support to achieve the objective of a ‘home for every family’, espe-cially youth.”
Insurance coverage“baituna home fi nance is aimed at off ering citizens and residents easy access to mortgage fi nance, thereby contributing to revitalisa-tion of the real estate sector and enhancing its role in the national economy. The attractive home fi -nance will give a boost to the real estate sector and benefi t citizens across Oman to fulfi ll their dream homes,” he added.
baituna home fi nance off ers convenient mortgage plans to suit everyone’s needs with simplifi ed documentation, fl exible repay-ment options, insurance coverage and processing across the bank’s extensive network of branches and dedicated centres.
Omani and GCC nationals can avail baituna fi nance for purchase and construction of new homes as well as land for residential use while expatriate customers can avail mortgage fi nance for prop-erties in integrated tourism com-plex. The bank also undertakes refi nancing of housing fi nance.
The baituna tie-up with leading property developers include The Wave Muscat, Al Argan, Bader Al Qurum, Bader Al Hamra, The Links, Dar Al Zain, Zain Proper-ties, Yassmin Complex Taameer, Muscat Hills, National Mass, Vin-tage Modern, Evening Homes, Omani Homes, Palm Residence, Bait Yousif, Arabian Properties, Al Nujoom and Al Firdous.
Off ering fi nance for a gamut of requirements, Bank Muscat ful-fi lls the needs of people. Notable is the attractive short-term personal fi nance available at one of the low-est rates starting from 3.5 per cent.
First of its kind, limited period off er, grants
customers an option to buy their dream
homes and start repayment after six months
Airbnb signs up 1,000 fi rms for business travelSAN FRANCISCO: Airbnb has said more than 1,000 companies have joined its new programme allowing business travellers to use the peer-to-peer-lodging service.
The San Francisco-based start-up shaking up the hospital-ity industry said it signed up 500 companies to its ‘Airbnb for Busi-ness’ programme within 24 hours of launch on July 20.
Now, more than 1,000 fi rms from at least 35 countries have in-tegrated the programme into their corporate travel plans, it said.
“The corporate community’s response to our Business Travel program has been staggering and confi rms our fi ndings that busi-ness travellers increasingly want
to redefi ne the business trip,” said Marc McCabe, who heads the programme.
“The average business travel stay on Airbnb is 6.8 days, which shows how customers are look-ing for a mix of business and lei-sure, and often adding a weekend to explore a new destination.”
Among the companies joining the programme are online stor-age fi rm Box, which now allows employees to use Airbnb accom-modations, available in more than 190 countries.
Facebook, Google, Salesforce and Eventbrite are also using Airbnb for corporate travel.
Airbnb allows people to rent a room or an entire home. - AFP
CORPORATE
Attractive features
of baituna home
finance include
low interest rates
with maximum loan
tenure up to 25 years
for Omani customersSaid Al Badai, DGM (Branches)
of Bank Muscat. – Supplied photo
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Ministry okaysOminvest andONIC merger
MUSCAT: Oman’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday approved the merg-er between Oman International Development and Investment Company (Ominvest) and Oman National Investment Corpora-tion (ONIC) Holding, according to a stock market fi ling.
As a result, ONIC has been de-registered from the records of the commercial registry of the ministry and its shares will be suspended from trading on the Muscat Securities Market.
As per the merger term, ONIC shareholders received 1.052 shares of Ominvest shares for every share held. - Times News Service
M E R G E R
Ministry speeds
up eff orts for
electronic
transformation
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Oman’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry is hastening to develop its com-plete electronic transformation through ‘The Invest Easy’ (One Stop Shop) web portal in order to rapidly execute all the busi-ness transactions and provide a higher level of accuracy in information exchange between the concerned bodies.
This mechanism helps the concerned offi cials take deci-sions based on high-quality data, handle the issue of the multiple registers for individu-als and put an end to the clan-destine trade. At the end of this government project, the elec-tronic transactions will have covered all the procedures car-ried out by the Investor Service Department. This will have a great eff ect on improving the service level.
High-standard servicesAli bin Sulaiman Al Hawsani, head of the database depart-ment at the Ministry of Com-merce and Industry, said the ministry, through ‘Invest Easy’ online portal, seeks to provide high-standard services to citi-zens, businessmen, investors and future businesses to com-plete their offi cial dealings with the government. This comes in line with the Sultanate’s move-ment to become a competitive state that enjoys diversifi ed and attractive investment climate and moves away from paper dealings to electronic services distinguished with speed, ease and transparency.
“Since the portal was launched, we noticed that the number of investors and visi-tors of the Investor Service Department has declined.” Al Hawsani said while the elec-tronic dealings have notably in-creased,” Al Hawsani said.
W E B P O R T A L
Electricity sector gearing upto meet growing future needs
MUSCAT: Electricity sector is expected to witness certain new developments that will help meet the growing demand for energy, currently rising by 10 per cent per annum and expected to grow by 11 per cent in 2020.
Oman Power and Water Pro-curement (OPWP) announced early this year that it intends to introduce new arrangements in the future for energy and water through independent producers.
These arrangements include introduction of energy market in 2017 when the existing long-term contracts, signed in the past with power plants, expire. The new sys-tem will be operational and will run in parallel to the existing sys-tem of long-term power procure-ment agreements.
The new arrangements also in-clude a more fl exible approach in concluding power purchase pacts on the part of the OPWP and will be aimed at enhancing competition among the existing and new plants.
The Sultanate’s electricity pro-
duction grew by 9.6 per cent in 2014 to hit 28,700 GW/H, com-pared to 26,200 GW/H in 2013. The OPWP expects that the de-mand for electricity from the main grid during the peak hour will in-crease from 5,886 MW in 2015 to about 9,133 MW in 2020, an aver-age annual growth of 11 per cent.
The power plants in the Sultan-ate currently produce 7,594 MW, after the operation of Sur Power Plant in South Al Sharqiyah Gov-ernorate early this year with a ca-pacity of 2,000 MW. The main grid, which covers the northern parts of the Sultanate, has 11 power plants or power and water plants that produce together 7,200 MW.
There are two more grids, name-
ly Salalah Electricity Grid in Dho-far Governorate and Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAEC) grid.
Power plantsWhile the agreement with Al Kamil Power, which operates Al Kamil Power Plant with a capacity of 282 MW, will expire in 2017, the agreements with Al Ghubra Power and Water Desalination Plant in Muscat Governorate and Barka “1” Power Plant will expire in 2018.
As per the information, a new independent power plant that will produce between 2,850 MW to 3,150 MW will be set up in two phases: the fi rst in 2017 to produce 960 MW–1160 MW and the sec-ond phase in 2019 to produce the
remaining capacity. Oman is also considering the construction of a new power plant in the wilayat of Duqm to meet the needs of the heavy industries projects that will be set up at Sezad.
In the fi eld of renewable energy, the Sultanate started in 2014 the commercial operation of the fi rst solar power plant in the wilayat of Al Mazyounnah in Dhofar Gov-ernorate, which produces 1,667 KW/H per day.
In July 2015, the Sultanate signed a contract to set up the big-gest solar plant in the world that will produce 1,021 MW. The plant is a joint venture between Petro-leum Development Oman (PDO) and GlassPoint Solar Company.
Work is also underway at the wind power plant in Harweel in the wilayat of Shaleem abd Halaniyat islands to produce 50 MW. After completion of the con-struction work, the project will be managed by the RAEC.
Studies point out that the sun rises over the Sultanate 342 days a year on an average. The Sultan-ate consumes 5,500 MW per year. The solar energy can produce double this amount of power. — ONA
Demand for energy
in Oman, currently
rising by 10 per
cent per annum, is
expected to grow by
11 per cent in 2020
HIGH DEMAND: Oman Power and Water Procurement Company expects that the demand for electricity from the main grid during the peak
hour will increase from 5,886 MW in 2015 to about 9,133 MW in 2020, an average annual growth of 11 per cent. – File photo
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MARKETS U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
US banks have moved billions in trades beyond regulator’s reach
NEW YORK: This spring, trad-ers and analysts working deep in the global swaps markets be-gan picking up peculiar readings: Hundreds of billions of dollars of trades by US banks had seemingly vanished.
“We saw strange things in the data,” said Chris Barnes, a former swaps trader now with ClarusFT, a London-based data fi rm.
The vanishing of the trades was little noted outside a circle of spe-cialists.
But the implications were big.The missing transactions re-
fl ected an eff ort by some of the largest US banks — including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America, and Morgan Stanley — to get around new regulations on derivatives enacted in the wake of the fi nan-cial crisis, say current and former fi nancial regulators.
The trades hadn’t really disap-peared. Instead, the major banks had tweaked a few key words in swaps contracts and shifted some other trades to affi liates in Lon-don, where regulations are far more lenient.
Those affi liates remain largely
outside the jurisdiction of US regulators, thanks to a loophole in swaps rules that banks suc-cessfully won from the Commod-ity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in 2013.
Lobbying blitzThe products aff ected by that loophole include some of the most widely traded fi nancial derivatives in the world — such as interest rate swaps, where a bank takes a fee for exchanging a variable-rate inter-est payment for a fi xed rate with a client, and credit default swaps, a sort of insurance where one party, often a bank, agrees to pay another party in the event of a bond default.
For large investors, the products are an important tool to hedge risk.
But in times of crisis, they can turn toxic. In 2008, some of these instruments helped topple major fi nancial institutions, crashing the US economy and leading to gov-ernment bailouts.
After the crisis, Congress and regulators sought to rein in this risk, and the banks fought back.
From 2010 to 2013, when the CFTC was drafting new rules, representatives of the fi ve largest
US banks met with the regulator more than 300 times, according to CFTC records.
Goldman Sachs attended at least 160 of those meetings. “Con-sistent rules around the world are better for investors and markets,” said Andrew Williams, a spokes-man for Goldman Sachs.”That is what we advocated for then and continue to do so now.”
Many of the CFTC employees who were lobbied in these meet-ings went on to work for banks.
Between 2010 and 2013, there were 50 CFTC staff ers who met with the top fi ve US banks 10 or more times. Of those 50 staff ers, at least 25 now work for the big fi ve or other top swaps-dealing banks, or for law fi rms and lobbyists rep-resenting these banks.
The lobbying blitz helped win a ruling from the CFTC that left US banks’ overseas operations largely outside the jurisdiction of US regulators. After that rule passed, US banks simply shipped more
trades overseas. By December of 2014, certain US swaps markets had seen 95 per cent of their trad-ing volume disappear in less than two years.
'The shadows that do you in'While many swaps trades are now booked abroad, some people in the markets believe the risk remains fi rmly on US shores.
They say the big American banks are still on the hook for swaps they’re parking off shore with subsidiaries.
This worries some regulators, who fear that Washington, in turn, will be on the hook for an-other bailout if these “too big to fail” banks are hit by a fresh shock — such as a rash of defaults in a recession. “These are the shad-ows that do you in during a crisis, when there is almost always that link back to the core money cen-tre banks at home,” said Simon Johnson, an adviser to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which regulates govern-ment insured banks, and a former chief economist at the IMF. To be sure, some post-crisis regulations have reduced certain kinds of risk-taking by major institutions, regu-lators and lawmakers say. Cer-tain CFTC rules still apply to US banks’ operations abroad, such as requirements that swaps trades be reported to a central data centre.
Other regulators, such as the Federal Reserve, have jurisdic-tion over US banks’ global opera-tions. Still, the banks’ victory on the swaps loophole leaves a con-centrated knot of risk at the heart of the fi nancial system. The US derivatives market has shrunk but remains large, with outstand-ing contracts worth $220 trillion at face value. And the top fi ve top banks account for 92 per cent of that. In late 2010, the CFTC began drafting new rules regulating de-rivatives markets as mandated by Congress in the landmark Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act.
Lawmakers were doing an about-face: In 2000, Congress had passed a law barring the regulation of derivatives.
The notional value of deriva-tives holdings on banks’ balance sheets had ballooned from $88 trillion globally in 1999 to $672 trillion in 2008, when the fi nancial crisis hit. Those barely regulated
products, including certain types of swaps, brought many giant fi -nancial institutions to their knees.
The Dodd-Frank Act required better reporting and record keep-ing to keep tabs on risk, and it im-plemented trading rules aimed at minimizing the chance that a col-lapsing bank would bring down others. The most commonly used swaps were required to be traded on an electronic exchange open to all buyers and sellers, much like the stock market is today.
The rules would make it easier for new competitors to enter the swaps-dealing market, worth an estimated $40 billion to $60 bil-lion a year to the 16 large global banks that dominate the market.
Fees would fall — and most important to regulators worried about another meltdown, risk would be dispersed among more institutions.
In 2009, President Barack Obama tapped Gary Gensler, then 51 years old, to chair the CFTC.
Liberals grumbled about Gensler’s résumé.The son of a cigarette and pinball-machine salesman in working class Balti-more, Gensler, at 30, had become the youngest banker ever to make partner at Goldman Sachs.
Among other jobs, he oversaw the bank’s derivatives trading in Asia. Later, as an undersecretary of the Treasury, Gensler helped push through the 2000 law that had banned regulation of deriva-tives markets.
Inside knowledgeBut he had an insider’s knowledge.
At Goldman, he had seen how US banks took advantage of dif-ferences in regulations in diff erent countries.
London, for example, increased its appeal as a global fi nance hub, in part, by touting its “light touch” regulation to woo banks.
That practice — known as regu-latory arbitrage — had a history of landing the economy in trouble.
AIG, a Connecticut-based insur-ance giant, buckled in 2008 under trades made by its offi ce in London. US taxpayers footed the bill with a $182 billion bailout. Gensler often told people how, at the Treasury, he was stuck with the task of brief-ing then-Secretary Robert Rubin about Long-Term Capital Manage-ment in 1998. — Reuters
Missing transactions
refl ected an eff ort
by some of the
largest US banks —
including Goldman
Sachs, JP Morgan
Chase, Citigroup,
Bank of America,
and Morgan Stanley
— to get around
new regulations on
derivatives enacted
in the wake of the
fi nancial crisis
Emerging market worries prompt steep share sell-off NEW YORK: Steep selloff that pushed down the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 index fi ve per cent over three days may say more about the outlook for emerging markets than US com-panies in the fourth quarter, fund managers and analysts say.
China’s economic slowdown, recessions in Latin American countries such as Brazil and Chile, and a breakdown in com-modity prices — combined with a thinly-traded market as many investors become more focused on tide charts than trading termi-nals — are prompting traders to overlook improving US economic data, said Alan Gayle, portfolio manager at RidgeWorth Invest-ments. “There’s a great deal of nervousness around the weak-ness in China, and that’s over-shadowing the fact that the US economy is sound and the Eu-ropean Union economy is fi rm-ing,” he said. Sales of existing US homes rose in July to their high-est level since 2007.
US auto sales, meanwhile, are on track for their best year in a decade. Attention will return to those domestic metrics as the Federal Reserve begins its annual meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyo-ming, next week. Investors will be looking for any signs that the cen-tral bank is increasingly worried about global issues or whether it is going ahead with what had been a widely-expected interest rate hike in September. The Fed has said its decision to raise rates will depend on data such as an improving jobs market and hous-ing market. Should the Fed signal that it plans to raise rates, inves-tor sentiment towards the United States and emerging markets may further diverge.
Minutes released on Wednes-day of the central bank’s most recent meeting revealed Fed of-fi cials were concerned about “recent decreases in oil prices and the possibility of adverse spillovers from slower economic growth in China,” a detail which helped spark the selling.
At the same time, North Korea put its troops on war footing on Friday after South Korea rejected an ultimatum to halt anti-Pyong-yang broadcasts. The prospect of war, or signs of more global wor-ries, could further dampen US stocks in the week ahead.
The slowdown in China and other emerging markets such as Brazil is hurting commodity-related companies, but it is not enough to aff ect either 2015 or 2016 earnings estimates for the S&P 500 as a whole, said Gina Martin Adams, equity strategist at Wells Fargo.
Second-quarter earnings rose 0.1 per cent from a year earlier, an
improvement from the expected decline of 3.4 per cent.
Low energy costs should ben-efi t consumer discretionary com-panies, which Martin Adams ex-pects to grow earnings by 12 per cent for the year, up from her pre-vious forecast of eight per cent.
Mutual fund managers are also making bets on US companies that get the majority of their rev-enues from the domestic market.
The average large-cap fund is overweight in US-focused com-panies, including JPMorgan Chase, railroad Union Pacifi c Corp, American Express, and Comcast, according to research by Goldman Sachs.
Martin Adams estimates the S&P 500 will reach 2,222 over the next 12 months, an 11 per cent gain from the 1,997 the index reached on midday Friday, after commodity prices bottom and earnings improve. “The direction of the market is ultimately high-er,” she further added. — Reuters
U S S T O C K S
MAKING A POINT: Mary Schapiro, chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, left, and
Gary Gensler, chairman of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), prepare to testify
at a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. — Bloomberg fi le picture
These are the shadows that do you in during a crisis,
when there is almost always that link back to the core
money centre banks at home
Simon JohnsonAdviser, FDIC
CLOSE WATCH: Investors will be looking for any signs that the
central bank is increasingly worried about global issues or
whether it is going ahead with what had been a widely-expected
interest rate hike in September. - Bloomberg fi le picture
B6 S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
ROUND-UP
Nissan unveils exciting seasonal off ers on its wide range of sedans
MUSCAT: Nissan from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles introduces brand new seasonal off ers on sedan models until Oc-tober 16. Their exclusive vehicle promotions are enticing and one-of-a-kind promising unlimited benefi ts to valued patrons.
Nissan has a heritage of show-casing some of the most amaz-ing benefi ts for its customers by introducing unique off ers on its prestigious line up of vehicles.
In an eff ort to make Nissan ve-hicles aff ordable and accessible to all, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles has taken up this unique initia-tive, says a press release.
What’s on off er? Auto enthusiasts can now avail exciting benefi ts on Nissan’s se-dan range of vehicles as their sea-sonal off ers include cash gift upto OMR1,000, free service for two years or 20,000km (periodic main-tenance only), free registration, six years unlimited mileage warranty and easy and convenient fi nancing options. Flexible EMI’s can also be tailor made for any individual requirement from in-house Auto Finance team.
Interactive social media Customers can also get unlim-
ited access to Nissan’s prestigious vehicle line up at the comfort of their homes or offi ces. Simply visit Nissan Oman’s Facebook page i.e http://www.facebook.com/Sban-issanoman or send an SMS to get updated information on any of the vehicles from the house of Nissan.
Product line-up The Nissan sedan range provides customers with a comprehen-sive product line-up and an op-portunity to choose from. Nissan Oman’s world-class service facili-ties, equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and trained manpower enable them to fulfi l the promise of ultimate owner-ship experience towards their val-ued customers.
Nissan Micra The Nissan Micra1.5 litre engine aims to attract a wider audience with its contemporary good looks, eye-catching exterior colour range, spacious and fashionable interior, in addition to a powerful high performance engine and a range of other options to make city driving easier. The new keyless entry feature makes the Micra an appealing choice for its customers.
Key features of the new Micra include a characterful, sleek exte-rior design, eye-catching exterior colour range, user-friendly equip-ment and interior designed with convenience in mind, highly-ver-satile interior seat/stowage confi g-urations, effi cient, largest-in-class
1.5-litre engine, nimble handling with best-in-class turning circle – ideal for city driving, high levels of safety equipment including dual airbags, ABS, EBD & Brake Assist. The new Micra with trim level ‘SV’ is available in Oman.
Nissan Sunny The Nissan Sunny SL Grade comes with a unique feature like the NissanConnect that uses hands-free technology, smart-phone, and the Nissan’s display screen to help customers stay in touch with the outside world from inside their vehicle. It’s loaded with features and compatibility with a growing list of apps that al-lows customers play music, keep tabs on social network, and navi-gate any city like a local.
With the NissanConnect Apps, the car becomes a smartphone’s best friend. Music, information and the apps that keep car owners connected to the world all work to-gether seamlessly through the au-dio system. And it keeps on getting better; the app alerts the owner with updates to the latest version, and the basic app package is free for the fi rst three years.
Nissan Tiida The Nissan Tiida has won ‘Best Hatchback of the year’ in the ‘Mid-dle East Car of the Year’ awards, bringing another prestigious tro-phy to the Japanese automaker’s bulging showcase. With dynamic styling looksand class-leading spa-
ciousness, the second generation of the Middle East’s best-selling compact hatchback has everything to build on the Tiida nameplate’s established success.
Nissan Sentra The Nissan Sentra focuses on class-above design standards in-side and out. Automatic dual-zone climate control system with rear passenger air vents, navigation system, rearview camera, intel-ligent key and Push engine start, and leather seats on selected mod-els are just some of the features Sentra introduces to the segment.
The models also come with ex-clusive LED headlights that make it a notch superior than the other models in its segment. However, all models benefi t from the stand-ard fi tment of soft interior trims, and a wide range of safety equip-ment including dual airbags, ABS (anti-lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brake- force Distribu-tion), and BA (Brake Assist).
Nissan Altima The Nissan Altima, which breaks new ground for the mid-size sedan segment is hands-down the most engaging vehicle in its class. And if you’ve never driven an Altima before, get ready to have your no-tion of a mid-size sedan redefi ned. The Altima’s many new features, perhaps the one that stands out most is its ‘class above’ appeal. The Altima’s exterior design starts with its wide, aggressive stance
and dramatic front end styling. This technology allows owners to lock and unlock the door just by pressing the ‘Request Switch’ on the door while just simply carrying the key. Drivers can also open and close the trunk, and can start the engine without having to insert the key, making departure seam-less. By cutting out the trouble of putting in the key, there is no need to search for the key inside a bag or pocket. It also eliminates the fear of accidentally shutting the key in-side the vehicle or trunk.
Nissan Maxima The Nissan Maxima is a great fu-sion between a sedan and the soul of a sports car. And this combina-tion of sports sedan styling along with ample comfort and luxury that the Maxima provides has made it a favourite among the youngsters in the Sultanate.
The breakthrough exterior de-sign of the Maxima imparts a feel-ing of powerful driving motion which combines an aggressive stance and the powerful 3.5L, V6 engine with 290 HP/64000 RPM Xtronic CVT transmission. The new Nissan Maxima delivers quick acceleration and lasting euphoria with Paddle shifter, Cruise con-trol and Bluetooth technology for a better driving experience. Tak-ing into consideration the driver’s comfort, the vehicles comes with auto A/C with dual zone climate control, stylish sunroof and 19” alloy wheels. The vehicle is en-
hanced by features like intelligent key push start button, ABS, EBD, BA, Vehicle dynamic control with Traction control system and xe-non lights. Lastly, it comes with striking front and rear parking sensors and 6 SRS air bags.
A decade of promise Suhail Bahwan Automobiles is largely committed to supporting Nissan’s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on cus-tomer satisfaction and by providing world-class after-sales services in Oman. With a national network of more than 19 showrooms, 22 ser-vice centres and 35 spare parts out-lets, SBA has further built upon its legacy of trust, excellent customer service and providing value for money to each of its customers.
Nationwide presence Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, the exclusive importers and dis-tributors of all Nissan vehicles in Oman, have their Nissan show-rooms spread across the Sultanate. Their showrooms are strategically located all across the country in Muscat, Sohar, Sur, Salalah, Shi-nas, Samail, Ibra, Ibri, Nizwa, Buraimi, Barka, Bahla, Jalan Bani Bu Ali, Seeb, Mabelah, Sinaw and Bidaya. This goes to show that Nissan Oman has been success-fully growing in operations and is consistently spreading its network throughout the Sultanate of Oman.
Reliability of Nissan carsFor every customer purchasing a Nissan vehicle, it is the begin-ning of a fulfi lling experience as Nissan’s top class after sales ser-vice makes sure every customer is happy and satisfi ed. Nissan’s after sales service provider for all Nissan cars in Oman ensures cus-tomers get the advantage of fac-tory trained expertise and genuine Nissan replacement parts always. Customers can expect reliability and assistance, which will help re-tain Nissan’s performance and re-sale value for years to come.
In an eff ort to make
Nissan vehicles
aff ordable and
accessible to all,
Suhail Bahwan
Automobiles has
taken up this
unique initiative
Riyada’s Entrepreneurship Award team holds workshopMUSCAT: The organising com-mittee of the Entrepreneurship Award 2015 recently held a work-shop on the second edition of the Entrepreneurship Award at Hor-muz Grand Hotel, Muscat.
The workshop was attended by senior representatives of public and private sector organisations, says a press release.
The Entrepreneurship Award is an annual event managed by Riyada, the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises.
The workshop discussed the new developments in the award and how the organising commit-tee benefi ted from the feedback it received from last year’s edition.
In addition, main and sub cat-egories of the award which cover both individuals and public and private institutions were ex-plained to the participants.
The workshop was delivered by Fahad Al Harthi and Abeer Abdullah, members of the organ-ising committee.
During the workshop, the pre-senters explained the assessment processes and the value they bring to all participants and not only the winners.
“The assessment tools are of high standards and credibility as they are based on the European excellence standards.” Fahad said.
“The participating institutions
under the category of support-ing organisations for instance, will be given a comprehensive evaluation of their activities; the strengths, weakness, and ar-eas for improvement, which is an exercise that organisations usually pay good deals of money to do while they get it here as part of the assessment process of their applications for the award,” Abeer explained.
Earlier two workshops were organised on the award in So-har and Buraimi as part of the regional awareness campaign. The workshops were delivered by Badriya Al Hinai, the award’s manager, and Abeer Abdullah.
In her presentation, Badriya said: “One of the greatest benefi ts participants get from the award is its comprehensive and profes-sional assessment activity. The participants are given access to in depth fi ndings and analysis of their activities that will help them develop their performance.”
“Through it is diff erent activi-ties, the award develops the ca-pacities and skills of the Omani entrepreneurs,” added Al Hinai.
The workshop also highlighted the registration processes and how the applicants should fi ll the forms and submit the required documents though the award’s website www.theaward.om.
N E W D E V E L O P M E N T S
alizz Islamic inks fi nancial agreement with MedcoEnergiMUSCAT: alizz Islamic bank signed a strategic fi nancial agree-ment with Medco (Oman), sub-sidiary of PT Medco Energi In-ternasional Tbk (MedcoEnergi), a leading Indonesian energy compa-ny, with focus on exploration and production of oil and gas.
The bank provided MedcoEner-gi a guarantee under the Islamic fi -nance principle of kafalah, favour-ing Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) for the Karim Small Field Project. alizz Islamic bank is the fi rst Islamic bank to not only issue a sharia compliant guarantee for Medco favouring PDO but to also extend Islamic banking facilities to Medco throughout their history, says a press release.
The signing ceremony at Grand Hyatt Muscat held recently, was attended by Salaam Al Shaksy, CEO of alizz Islamic bank and Lukman Ahmad Mahfoedz, presi-dent director and CEO of PT Med-co Energi Internasional Tbk.
The signing ceremony was also attended by Ehab Hashish, DGM-Head of Wholesale Bank-ing of alizz Islamic bank and Faiz Shahab, director of International E&P Operation and New Venture of MedcoEnergi, alongside senior offi cials from PDO, Intaj, Biyaq Oil and Oman Oil Company Ex-ploration & Production.
Commenting on the bank’s
support for a key segment of the Sultanate’s economy, Salaam Al Shaksy, CEO of alizz Islamic bank, said: “The Sultanate’s oil and gas industry continues to play a vital role as a key driver of the country’s economic development.
“Through our superior Sha-ria compliant fi nancial solutions, industry insight, cutting edge technology and commitment to pro-active customer service, alizz Islamic bank is well positioned to fi nance the energy sector in the country. We are looking forward to working with MedcoEnergi and contributing to their success.”
Lukman cited, “We are very pleased with this agreement, that was done in relatively short time,
as it demonstrates our continu-ous commitment in enhancing In-Country Value for Oman. We look forward to working together with alizz Islamic bank, not only for KSF but also for other opportunity in the future.
alizz Islamic bank off ers a com-prehensive suite of sharia compli-ant corporate solutions in various sectors and industries to meet the requirements for both short and long term banking businesses. The bank provides guarantees based on the Islamic principles of Kafalah, including tender bonds, performance bonds, advance pay-ment bonds, payment / fi nancial guarantees, retention guarantees, and shipping guarantees.
S T R A T E G I C D E A L
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Oman’s much awaited career, higher education expo EduTraC on Oct. 12
MUSCAT: Following the success of the fi rst edition held in Sep-tember 2014 the second edition of EduTraC Oman will be held from October 12-14 at Oman Interna-tional Exhibition Centre.
The three-day event will take place under the patronage of Min-istry of Higher Education, Minis-try of Civil Services and Ministry of Manpower, says a press release.
As Oman’s investments on higher education and training con-tinue to grow, EduTraC Oman will provide a direct gateway and an ideal platform for leading local and foreign universities and training institutions to network with stu-dents, parents and working execu-tives interested in education and training at all levels.
The expo will off er a strategic awareness opportunity to higher education and training providers to strengthen their presence in
Oman’s vibrant education market. The expo will also feature a pa-
vilion for job seekers to meet HR personnel from diff erent industry sectors, associations, government organisations and private sector companies who will promote the available on-the-job training and
job vacancies for prospective can-didates. A dedicated pavilion for banking and fi nance institutions will provide an excellent oppor-tunity to job seekers interested in hunting job opportunities in bank-ing and fi nance sector and young entrepreneurs in obtaining fi nanc-
ing information to start their new business as well as for the needs of their existing business.
Commenting on the upcoming expo Said Amur Al Rahbi, director of Qualifi cations, Equivalence and Recognition at Ministry of Higher Education, said, “EduTraC Oman has established as the benchmark event and the Ministry of Higher Education is delighted to organise the second edition under its pa-tronage. EduTraC Oman, a much anticipated education exhibition will gather professionals from the global education domain and representatives from reputed uni-versities under one roof opening doors of opportunity for students wanting to study in local and inter-national universities.”
Salim Omar Al Hashmi, chair-man, Al Nimr Expo acknowledged his sincere thanks and apprecia-tion to the Ministry of Higher Ed-
ucation, Ministry of Civil Services and Ministry of Manpower to come forward and support this im-portant event. He also expressed his gratitude to the supporters and sponsors at EduTraC Oman. More than 150 organisations including universities, colleges, training in-stitutions and companies from dif-ferent countries are participating, he concluded.
EduTraC Oman is organised by Al Nimr International Exhibition Organisers – Sultanate’s leading organiser in the exhibitions and conferences industry. The three-day event will be open for visitors from Monday October 12 from 10am to 1pm and 4:30pm to 9pm until Wednesday October 14. A series of lectures, presentations and workshops will be organised on the sidelines of the exhibition at the Oman International Exhibi-tion Centre.
The three-day
event will off er a
strategic awareness
opportunity to
higher education and
training providers
to strengthen their
presence in Oman’s
vibrant education
market
‘Tell A Friend’ campaign celebrates success at Salalah Tourism FestivalSALALAH: Organisers of the na-tionwide ‘Tell A Friend’ road safety campaign spearheaded by Petro-leum Development Oman (PDO) engaged with almost 1,000 visitors at the Salalah Tourism Festival.
Over a six-day period, around 150 members of the public visited the campaign stand each day to learn more about staying safe on Oman’s roads. The stand off ered a mixed programme targeting all age groups which included live discussions, competitions and short plays, says a press release.
On average, 100 people each day also tried out a seatbelt con-vincer machine which simulates
the impact of a slow-speed traf-fi c accident, and campaign vol-unteers gave away free child car seats to a number of parents at-tending the event.
Strong interestMunira Al Balushi, coordinator, Tell A Friend Campaign, said: “We were delighted with the strong interest in road safety shown by visitors to our stand at Salalah. ‘Tell A Friend’ is all about engag-ing hearts and minds so people can learn more about driving their cars in a safe, respectful manner, maintaining their vehicles prop-erly and ensuring motorists and
passengers behave responsibly, by wearing seatbelts, for exam-ple – and then raising awareness by passing on what they have learned. It is clear from our en-gagement with the public that momentum is growing behind the campaign and that people want to do more to make sure Oman’s roads become safer and reduce the terrible casualty toll.”
The fi ve-year ‘Tell A Friend’ campaign was offi cially launched by PDO in Muscat in January 2013 with the aim of lowering the number of road accidents in the Sultanate. It targets important areas of road safety such as re-
sponsible driving, speed manage-ment, vehicle safety, proper seat belt usage and fatigue and has used a multi-media approach, in-cluding television, cinema, radio, newspapers, Facebook and Twit-ter to get its message across to all generations.
The ‘Tell A Friend’ campaign roadshow has travelled all over the country including to Ibri, Nizwa, Khasab, Shaleem and Al Jazir.
At Salalah, PDO also erected a mobile Planetarium next to the ‘Tell A Friend’ stand which at-tracted more than 1,200 visitors to almost 40 shows.
R O A D S A F E T Y I N I T I A T I V E
Costa Coff ee at Shatti now wears a fresh, modern look
MUSCAT: London’s favourite cof-fee shop welcomes you back to its new and improved store at Shatti. Costa Coff ee at Shatti now presents a more modern and fresh look with its new store design. In an independent survey of 5,000 people published in December 2014 by Allegra Strategies, 50 per cent of Londoners voted Costa their favourite coff ee shop brand, says a press release.
A team of professional baristas is behind the counter to prepare and serve your choice of hand-crafted coff ee hot or shaken with ice, all created by using Costa’s
famous Mocha Italia coff ee blend.Now you can also create your
own cupful of indulgence. Costa has launched the all-new Frostino — the indulgent, cool and creamy iced blended drink you can design to fi t your mood, with a range of de-licious toppings and extras.
R E N O V A T I O N
Trattoria pasta festival to
tantalise your taste buds
MUSCAT: Trattoria, an Italian Restaurant located at Al Assalah Towers in Ghubra, Muscat will be conducting ‘Pasta Festival’ from August 25 to September 5.
A new short and crisp menu has been made especially for this festival which is being organised in-house comprising the follow-ing categories: chicken, meat, vegetable, cheese and seafood, says a press release.
“Altogether, there are more than 12 varieties of pasta which are favourite and popular among the customers in addition to the special pastas that will be served to all the guests during this fes-tival. These pastas will be served right from the pan on to your ta-ble. Our Italian Chefs have com-
bined the fi nest pasta with sim-ple but special sauces to tantalise your taste buds.
It will be a family, friendly and aff ordable event,” stated Law-rence D’sa, general manager of Four Seasons Tourism.
I T A L I A N R E S T A U R A N T
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Top Indian builders at Home Fair
MUSCAT: India’s top and reputed builders will be participating in this year’s India Home Fair, which will be held here at Al Falaj Hotel from September 4. The two-day exhibition is presented by HDFC,
India’s largest home loan bank, says a press release.
“For the benefi t of Non-resident Indians (NRIs) in the Sultanate, we have roped in all the major builders from various states in In-dia. They will be showcasing their projects which are already com-pleted and those projects which are in the pipeline.
“Besides, the presence of HDFC as the lead supporter also ensures customers the benefi ts of hassle-free home loan facilities. The par-ticipation by major builders with their projects spread over diff erent states ensures a pan-India pres-ence at the exhibition.
“While selecting the builders, we had taken special care so that only those developers who have
a reputed name in the market are allowed to participate in this exhi-bition,” said Abhimanyu Kukreja, Oman Country head of HDFC.
Some of the major builders who will take part in the annual exhi-bition at Al Falaj Hotel include Godrej Properties, Tata Homes,
Hiranandani, Kalpataru, Brigade Group, Puravankara, Shoba, Om-kar, Crescent Calicut, Fortuna, to name a few. Another attraction of this year’s exhibition is the pres-ence of all the major builders from Kerala state, who have projects in all the major cities like Kochi and
Trivandrum, Calicut, Kottayam in the state.
Established in 1990, Godrej Properties is the fi rst real estate company in India to have ISO cer-tifi cation. With projects spread all over the country, the company’s upcoming development covers over 8 million square metres.
Shoba Developers, which is a house-hold name, is also par-ticipating in the India Home Fair Exhibition. With over 35 years of operational experience, Shoba De-velopers made a sea change to the real estate sector in India.
Another major real estate de-veloper participating in this year’s fair is Hiranandani, which has pi-oneered newer technologies, bold design and precision engineering
to create landmark residential townships and commercial com-plexes. Hiranandani has got the AA ratings by Crisil, the highest ever rating given to any real estate company in India.
Kalpataru is another builder which is showcasing its projects at India Home Fair. Some of its pro-jects include in Mmubai include Kalpataru Aura, Kalpataru Avana, Kalpataru Crest, Kalpataru In-spire, Kalpataru Pinnacle, Kalpa-taru Radiance and Primus Court.
Kerala’s well-known real es-tate major Crescent Group is also taking part in the exhibition. The group has projects such as Cres-cent Zinnia, Crescent Tulip, Plati-num Crescent, and Crescent Aster at the property event in Muscat.
The two-day expo,
starting on Sept. 4,
is presented by
HDFC, India’s largest
home loan bank
ahlibank picks MyHassad daily winners
MUSCAT: ahlibank has an-nounced the names of the My-Hassad daily prize draw winners.
Mohammed Abdulla Moham-med Al Kindi from Nizwa branch, Ahmed Abdulla Salim Al Balushi from Barka branch, Salim Said Al Bakhet Fadhil from Salalah branch, Amal Yousuf Ahmed Al Raisi from Main Branch and Mo-hammed Khamis Fadhil Al Fazari from Sohar branch were the lucky
winners of OMR 1,000 each for the week, says a press release.
MyHassad savings account continues to successfully satisfy the existing customers and at-tract new ones.
MyHassad Saving Scheme was introduced in July 2008 as an extension of the bank’s tradition of product innovation. Open-ing MyHassad Saving account is simple and easy.
Customers need only to open their MyHassad account with OMR100 for their chance to win OMR1,000 in the next working day’s draw hence their chance to “open today and win tomor-row” continues. Further en-hancements in March 2009 al-lows customers to participate in the OMR10,000 monthly draw, by maintaining a minimum OMR250 during the month.
S A V I N G S S C H E M E
OAB conducts 1st regional draw at Salalah FestivalSALALAH: Oman Arab Bank (OAB), the main sponsor for the Salalah Tourism Festival 2015, conducted its fi rst regional draw, along with its segment draws for children and females recently, in the theatre site at the Salalah Tourism Festival in the presence of customers, general public, OAB senior management and staff .
The exciting and fun-fi lled evening was well attended by over 500 guests. The vibrant and en-tertaining venue attracted large crowds to join and enjoy OAB’s carnival activities at the Salalah festival, says a press release.
The main highlight of the even-ing was the OAB Hassad fi rst re-gional draw of OMR20,000 for one lucky customer. Five female winners receiving OMR1,000 each and 10 child account hold-ers receiving OMR500 each were also among the lucky winners that evening.
All guests eagerly waited to witness the draw proceedings, which declared the lucky winner of OMR20,000 among the other segments.
The Hassad Carnival show-cased an integrated entertain-ment programme that included a live traditional band, Asian act, magic show, football talent per-formance along with several di-verse competitions for children and adults alike.
Numerous gifts were given at the event, which were well re-ceived by the guests along with cash prizes for the children that participated in the event’s com-petitions and games. Ten cash prizes of OMR50 each were given to the winners of the competition to help them start their future savings with Hassad savings ac-count at OAB.
Speaking on the occasion of the fi rst regional draw conducted at the Salalah Tourism Festival, Hanaa bint Fahd Al Hinai, as-sistant general manager, head of Wealth Management, Liabilities & Bancassurance, said: “OAB takes pride in organising exciting
events for the community, as the bank believes it is very important to provide opportunities for cus-tomers to meet and interact in a casual and fun atmosphere. OAB carnivals deliver to our custom-ers and the public the perfect fun and entertaining evening out with family and friends.”
The event was held in the presence of Hanaa and Ahmad bin Amer Al Kharusi, head of Branches along with OAB Dhofar regional and branch managers, in addition to Oman Arab Bank staff and general public at the Salalah tourism Festival.
OAB is a leading bank in Oman where it owns a wide network of branches consisting of 67 branches and 120 ATMs and CDMs spread over the various provinces of the Sultanate.
C A R N I V A L
OAB takes pride in
organising exciting
events for the
community, as the
bank believes it is very
important to provide
opportunities for
customers to meet and
interact in a casual
and fun atmosphere
Hanaa Al HinaiAssistant general manager,head of Wealth Management,Liabilities & Bancassurance
WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM
SPOR SY O U R G A M E
SECTIONC S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
HAMILTON SECURES POLE WITH FLAWLESS LAPDouble world champion Lewis Hamilton clinched the Formula One pole trophy at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday with a fl awless lap to take top slot on the starting grid for the 10th time in 11 races. >C4
LE on at ith a ing
BARAKAT RECORDS SEASON’S BEST BUT FAILS TO QUALIFYOmani sprint ace Barakat Al Harthi achieved his season’s best time but failed to advance
from the 100m Heats at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing on Saturday.
Running in Heat 4, Barakat clocked 10.24 seconds for his season’s best time but fi nished
fi fth in the heat, from which Trayvon Bromell (9.91) of U.S., Chijindu Ujah (10.05) of Great
Britain and Julian Reus (10.14) of Germany qualifi ed for the semifi nals. Earlier in the day,
Barakat was quick of the blocks while taking part in the preliminary round and won the
race in 10.31 seconds to make it to the fi rst round heats. — Reuters
Farah makes history as sprintrivals Bolt, Gatlin flex muscles
BEIJING: Mo Farah made history defending his 10,000m title at the World Athletic Championships on Saturday as sprint arch-rivals Us-ain Bolt and Justin Gatlin fl exed their muscles to advance easily to semifi nals of the 100m.
Farah’s victory was his sixth consecutive global track distance title, an unprecedented feat that saw him better the likes of Ethio-pian legends Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie.
“It’s nice to be known as some-one who has won the most medals for my country,” Farah said. “It’s great to make history.”
The 32-year-old, who clocked 27 minutes and 01.13 seconds for gold ahead of Kenyans Geoff rey Kamworor (27:01.76) and Paul Ta-nui (27.02.83), will have a chance to make it seven global titles in the 5,000m, scheduled for next Satur-day. Farah, known for his blister-ing last-lap pace, made his move with 500m to go, moving slickly to the front and peeling away.
Although tracked by the fast-fi n-ishing Kamworor and Tanui, the Londoner held on for victory that made up for his Bird’s Nest out-ing at the 2008 Olympics, when he failed to qualify and suff ered what he described as the “biggest disap-pointment” in his career.
The comprehensive win will also help Farah bury some head-lines he made for all the wrong reasons in recent months, with his renowned American coach Al-berto Salazar accused of violating several anti-doping rules.
Salazar has strenuously denied all the accusations against him and Farah, who was not accused of any wrongdoing, has vowed to stick by his coach unless any allegations are proven.
“It hasn’t been an easy year, but it’s nice to get the team started well,” acknowledged Farah.
Sailed into semis Sprint rivals Bolt and Gatlin sailed into the semifi nals of the men’s 100 metres.
Boos rang round a packed Bird’s Nest when Gatlin, who has served two doping bans, was introduced to the crowd over the loudspeaker.
But the 33-year-old American roared home in the fastest quali-fying time of 9.83 seconds while defending champion Bolt, greeted with whoops at the stadium in which he took the world by storm at the 2008 Olympics, cruised home
in a very comfortable 9.96 seconds.The semifi nals and fi nal are
scheduled for Sunday and Bolt was under no illusion what was in store.
“I know tomorrow, just watch-ing the guys and how fast they’re running, the semifi nals are going to be pretty fast,” said the towering Jamaican, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Friday.
“I know Gatlin was running very easy but that is how it is. I’m not worried, I want to get faster in the semifi nal and get something more in the fi nal.”
Gatlin, who has clocked the quickest time in the world this year of 9.74, added: “I’m not going to lie. When it gets to the fi nals I’m going to go out there and execute my race and see what happens.”
Such has been Bolt’s complete dominance of sprinting since 2008 that astonishingly the only time he has failed to land a major title
was when he was disqualifi ed for a false start in the 100m in Daegu four years ago.
With allegations of widespread doping engulfi ng athletics, his showdown with the sport’s pan-tomime villain Gatlin is being viewed by some as a symbolic struggle of light versus dark.
Asked about Bolt shutting his race down at around 60 metres and coasting to the fi nish, Gatlin shrugged: “You look at Bolt, he did the same thing in 2012 (at the Lon-don Olympics). He ran kind of slow in the fi rst round, picked up in the semis and crushed it in the fi nal.”
German, Eritrean gold The fi rst of the three golds on of-fer went the way of unheralded Eritrean teenager Ghirmay Ghe-breslassie, who stormed to a shock victory in the men’s marathon.
In hot, clear conditions, Ugan-da’s defending champion Stephen Kiprotich could only fi nish sixth as 19-year-old Ghebreslassie took the lead on the 36km mark and saw off pressure from Ethiopian Yemane Tsegay for a memorable win in two hour, 12 minutes and 27 seconds.
“This is my fi rst gold medal in my fi rst marathon championship,” said the Eritrean, winning his coun-try’s fi rst-ever gold and crowned the youngest ever world marathon winner in just his fourth race.
In the absence of New Zealand’s four-time world champion Valerie Adams, Germany’s Christina Schwanitz claimed victory in the women’s shot put, a best of 20.37 metres trumping early leader and home hope Gong Lijiao.
The Chinese thrower sealed sil-ver this time around with 20.30m, American Michelle Carter taking bronze (19.76). - AFP
Farah’s victory was
his sixth consecutive
global track
distance title, an
unprecedented feat
that saw him better
the likes of Ethiopian
legends Kenenisa
Bekele and Haile
Gebrselassie
IN ELITE COMPANY: Britain’s Mo Farah celebrates after winning the men’s 10,000m race at at the World Athletic Championships at the
“Bird’s Nest” National Stadium in Beijing on Saturday. – AFP
WHOOPS AND BOOS: Usain Bolt,
top, and his rival Justin Gatlin
were greeted in contrasting
styles by fans durig 100m heats
on Saturday. – Agencies
C2
SPORTSS U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
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the curve with
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‘Invincibles’ opener Morris dies aged 93SYDNEY: Arthur Morris, one of Australia’s fi nest opening bats-men and a key member of Don Bradman’s ‘Invincibles’ side, has died aged 93.
Left-hander Morris scored 3,533 runs in 46 Tests at an av-erage of 46.48 and was named in Australia’s team of the century in 2000. It was the 1948 tour of England where Morris had his crowning moment, scoring the most runs as the “Invincibles” went unbeaten throughout.
The 196 he scored at The Oval, in the fi fth and fi nal Test of the Ashes series, was famously over-shadowed by Bradman’s second ball duck in his farewell innings.
True greatMorris was at the non-striker’s end when leg-spinner Eric Hol-lies bowled the Australian great, who needed only four runs to fi n-ish with a career batting average of 100.
“We have sadly lost a cherished link with our past,” Cricket Aus-tralia chairman Wally Edwards said in a media release on Saturday. “Arthur Morris was a great man and one of the true greats of Aus-tralian cricket who until now had been a treasured connection to an
extraordinary era of the game.“When Australia’s best
openers are discussed his name will always be one of the first mentioned.”
Morris was the oldest of the two surviving members of the ‘Invincibles’. Neil Harvey, 86, an-other brilliant left-handed bats-man, is the only remaining player from that tour squad.
Twin centuriesBorn in Sydney’s renowned beachside suburb of Bondi, Mor-ris was the fi rst batsman to score centuries in both innings of his fi rst class debut as an 18-year-old for New South Wales.
His international career was stalled by the outbreak of World War Two but after the resump-tion of cricket in 1946, he made his Test debut against England in Brisbane and would score his fi rst century in the third match of the series in Melbourne.
That breakthrough was fol-lowed by twin centuries in the next match in Adelaide. Morris, who captained Australia twice, would fi nish with 12 tons in his career, including an imperious 206 against England in the Ade-laide test of the 1951 series. - Reuters
C H E R I S H E D L I N K
Sri Lanka’s batsman Thirimanne fi nedCOLOMBO: Sri Lankan bats-man Lahiru Thirimanne was on Saturday fi ned 30 percent of his match fees for showing dissent after being given out in the second Test against India in Colombo.
The left-hander, who made 62, stood his ground for a “prolonged period of time before leaving shaking his head after being ad-judged caught behind off Ishant Sharma” on the third day, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement.
“Thirimanne was found to have breached article 2.1.5 of the Code of Conduct which relates to showing dissent at an umpire’s
decision during an international match,” the ICC said.
Thirimanne admitted the of-fence and accepted the sanction proposed by ICC match referee Andy Pycroft, the ICC added.
The exact amount of the fi ne was not disclosed since players’ match fees are not made public.
Thirimanne added 127 runs for the fourth wicket with skip-per Angelo Mathews, before his dismissal triggered a collapse in which Sri Lanka lost their last seven wickets for 65 runs. Sri Lan-ka lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the fi rst Test match in Galle by 63 runs. - AFP
F O R D I S S E N T
OMAN BLANK BAHRAIN TO ENTER SEMIFINALS OF GCC U-17 TOURNEYThe Sultanate’s junior team blanked Bahrain in their second and fi nal Group A match of the ongoing GCC Under-17 Football
Championship in Doha on Saturday. The Omanis, who began their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Kuwait on Thursday,
defeated Bahrain 2-0 to top the group. Yacoub Al Sabahi-coached Omanis scored a goal in each half in their dominant victory
over Bahrain. Nazi Al Gilani opened Oman’s account as early as 11th minute before Sanad Al Araimi put the match beyond
Bahrain’s reach with a 70th minute strike. Bahrain are scheduled to complete their group engagements with a match against
Kuwait on Monday. The championship semifi nals are slated for August 27. The tournament concludes on August 28. — OFA
Smith ends Cook stay, Australia eye victory
LONDON: Australia reduced England to 203 for six to move to the brink of a consolation victory on the third day of the fi nal Ashes Test at The Oval on Saturday.
England captain Alastair Cook made a brave 85 before falling to Steve Smith shortly before the close and the touring side, 129 runs ahead, need four more wick-ets to end the series on a high after relinquishing the urn. England,
following on 332 runs behind, lost Adam Lyth (10), Ian Bell (13) and Joe Root (11) cheaply in warm sunshine in south London.
Jonny Bairstow made 26 but he and Ben Stokes (0) fell in the same over from spinner Nathan Lyon to leave Australia on course to win inside three days.
Cook, however, had other ideas and he and Jos Buttler added 59 to give the hosts an outside chance of saving the match with rain fore-cast over the next two days.
Just 15 runs short of his fi rst century of the series, Cook pushed tentatively forward to part-time
leg-spinner Smith and Voges pouched the catch at short leg to end the England captain’s fi ve-hour stay at the crease.
Fire-up AussiesAustralia’s fi red-up pace attack had ripped through England’s top order. Lyth was caught by Michael Clarke at second slip off Peter Sid-dle, continuing a wretched run of form for the England opener who will surely be dropped after failing to pass fi fty in the series.
Bell never looked comfortable be-fore fending a snorting delivery from Mitchell Marsh to captain Clarke.
Root also struggled to cope with Australia’s pace attack and hooked a short ball from Mitchell Johnson to Mitchell Starc at long leg.
Cook took 27 balls to score his fi rst run and batted with watch-ful intent, determined to avoid a repeat of the collapse England suf-fered on Friday when they lost sev-en wickets in the evening session.
He was quick to punish the rare bad balls, however, and hit nine fours on the way to a half century off 119 deliveries. Bairstow rode his luck in a stand of 41 with Cook but he was deceived by a ball from Lyon which bounced awkwardly and was well caught at the second attempt by Voges at short leg.
Stokes survived only four deliv-eries before tamely edging Lyon to Clarke at slip.
Buttler was 33 not out at the close with Mark Wood on nought.
Earlier, Moeen Ali and Wood extended their ninth-wicket part-nership in England’s fi rst innings to 57 with a fl urry of boundaries in the morning. Wood struck six fours in his 24 before he attempt-ed to pull Johnson and spooned a catch to Starc at mid-on.
Moeen, England’s top scorer with 30, edged Johnson’s next delivery to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill to end the innings on 149 and Clarke, play-ing his fi nal Test, had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on. England lead the series 3-1. - Reuters
England captain
Alastair Cook made
a brave 85 before
falling to Steve Smith
shortly before the
close and the touring
side, 129 runs ahead,
need four more
wickets to end the
series on a high after
relinquishing the urn
Australia 1st innings: 481England 1st innings:A. Lyth c Starc b Siddle 19A. Cook b Lyon 22I. Bell b Siddle 10 J. Root c Nevill b Marsh 6J. Bairstow c Lyon b Johnson 13B. Stokes c Nevill b Marsh 15J. Buttler b Lyon 1M. Ali c Nevill b Johnson 30S. Broad c Voges b Marsh 0M. Wood c Starc b Johnson 24S. Finn not out 0Extras (b-1, lb-7, nb-1) 9Total (all out, 48.4 overs) 149Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-46, 3-60, 4-64, 5-83, 6-84, 7-92, 8-92, 9-149.Bowling: Starc 8-3-18-0; Johnson 8.4-4-21-
3; Lyon 10-2-40-2; Siddle 13-5-32-2; Marsh 9-2-30-3 (nb-1).England 2nd innings (following-on)A. Lyth c Clarke b Siddle 10A. Cook c Voges b Smith 85I. Bell c Clarke b Marsh 13J. Root c Starc b Johnson 11J. Bairstow c Voges b Lyon 26B. Stokes c Clarke b Lyon 0J. Buttler not out 33M. Wood not out 0Extras (b-5, lb-14, w-5, nb-1) 25Total (6 wkts, 79 overs) 203Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-62, 3-99, 4-140, 5-140, 6-199.Bowling: Johnson 13-2-51-1; Starc 14-4-32-0 (nb-1); Lyon 25-5-52-2; Siddle 16-10-14-1; Marsh 10-4-28-1 (w-5); Smith 1-0-7-1.
S C O R E B O A R D
KEY WICKET: Australia’s Steve Smith, second right, celebrates after dismissing England captain Alastair Cook at The Oval on Saturday. – Reuters
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SPORTSS U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
India have given them-selves a good chance of levelling the series by
taking a healthy lead over the Lankans and with two more days play left they could win the Test match. The pitch is still playing well and does not have the turn or the variable bounce that the pitch at Galle had, so it won’t be easy but pres-sure is known to make even experienced players do silly things and that is what the Indians will be hoping to get the Lankans to do.
Of course its important for them to bat well in the second innings too and score enough runs so that Kohli is able to declare and also give his bowlers enough time to bowl Sri Lanka out in the second innings.
The pitch seemed to have more of a bounce than on the fi rst day when perhaps the moisture under the surface had made it slower and lower. Ishant was get-ting the ball to thud into keeper Saha’s gloves and even Binny bowling around the 125 kph speed was get-ting the ball to carry nicely to the keeper whenever the ball was a fuller length.
The pre-lunch session belonged to the Lankans and especially their skipper Angleo Mathews whose aggressive batting kept the scoreboard moving nicely. That gave Thirimanne the confi dence to take his time to settle down and play himself in and get a half century.
The second new ball was the undoing of Thirimanne as he went for a fl ashy drive off Ishant and was caught behind. Ishant then pro-duced a snorter that had the fi rst Test centurion Dinesh Chandimal taking evasive action and followed that up with the perfect delivery that left him ever so slightly and the resultant edge was taken on the second at-tempt by Rahul.
Amit Mishra then joined the party and cleaned up the tail capturing four wick-ets in the bargain. Angelo
Mathews’ superb innings was ended when Binny got the ball to move away and then asked the question of the umpire if he had over-stepped the bowling mark which had deprived him off the wicket of Silva on the second day.
Fortunately he hadn’t this time around so his fi rst wicket in Test cricket was that of the Sri Lankan skip-per. It also came at a time when it was needed else the Lankan skipper could have taken his team closer to the Indian total.
India lost the fi rst innings centurion Rahul early but Vijay and Rahane have bat-ted well without taking too many risks. They will have to up the scoring rate if they are hoping to declare after tea time on day four and leave the Lankans around four sessions to survive.
The pitch is still pretty good to bat on so India will have to live up to it’s intent of playing aggressively with the bat to get enough runs for the declaration. - PMG
India will have to live up to it’s intent of playing aggressively
C O M M E N T A R Y India fight back after Mathews hits fine ton
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews hit a century be-fore India fought back to assume control of the second Test at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo on Saturday.The tourists, seeking a series-lev-elling win after losing the fi rst Test in Galle, ended Sri Lanka’s fi rst in-nings at 306 after tea on the third day in reply to their own 393.
India closed the day at 70 for one in their second knock, an overall lead of 157 runs with nine wickets in hand on the slow, wearing pitch that promises to help spinners on the last two days.
Murali Vijay was unbeaten on 39 and Ajinkya Rahane was on 28, the pair having put on 67 runs for the second wicket after Lokesh Rahul was bowled by Dhammika Prasad off the fi fth ball.
The duo saw off the last fi ve overs in fading light as play was ex-tended by more than an hour due to a rain interruption after lunch.
Mathews hit a glorious 102 to lift his team to a strong position before India turned the tables after a barren morning session.
Sri Lanka, who started the day at 140 for three, were cruising at 241 for three soon after lunch when In-dia hit back to take the last seven wickets for 65 runs.
The collapse started soon after Mathews notched up his sixth Test century with a reverse-hit bound-ary against off -spinner Ravichan-dran Ashwin.
Leg-spinner Amit Mishra fi n-ished with four wickets, while seamer Ishant Sharma and Ash-win claimed two each.
“350 tough to chase” Mishra said any target over 350 will be tough to chase, but added
Indian bowlers will need a mini-mum of 100 overs to bowl Sri Lan-ka out a second time.
“It has started to spin a bit, but even now the wicket is good for batting because it is still a bit slow,” he said. “It is possible the pitch will be diffi cult to bat on the last day.
“Anything over 350 is a good tar-get. Already the lead is more than 150, so another 200-250 runs will make it a very good total. You need at least 100 overs to bowl them out.”
Mathews and his overnight partner Lahiru Thirimanne bat-ted through the morning session to put on 127 for the fourth wicket be-fore Sharma claimed two wickets in the space of three overs with the second new ball after the break.
Sharma had left-handed Thiri-manne caught behind by Wrid-dhiman Saha for 62 and then dismissed fi rst Test hero Dinesh Chandimal for 11, caught at second slip by Rahul.
Thirimanne admitted Sri Lanka “threw away” the advantage after a good start, but said the door was not shut for the hosts in the match.
“As the day went on there was some turn for the spinners, but when they took the second new ball we threw away the advantage by losing quick wickets,” he said.
“We knew we had to get a 350-plus score in the fi rst innings but we couldn’t do that. It happens in cricket. Hopefully we can get some early wickets tomorrow morning and restrict the Indians.”
All-rounder Stuart Binny, who was added to the touring squad before this match, claimed his fi rst success after going wicketless in three previous Tests when he forced Mathews to edge a catch to the slips.
Mathews, one of modern cricket’s leading all-rounders, fol-lowed his fi ne spell of two for 24 in 15 overs of steady medium-pace bowling during India’s innings with a century that was studded with 12 boundaries. Sri Lanka, who went to tea at 298-7, lost their last three wickets for the addition of eight runs, with Mishra taking two of those wickets. - AFP
Mathews hit a
glorious 102 to lift
his team to a strong
position before
India turned the
tables after a barren
morning session
India 1st innings: 393 Sri Lanka 1st innings D. Karunaratne lbw Yadav 1K. Silva c Ashwin b Mishra 51K. Sangakkara c Rahane b Ashwin 32L. Thirimanne c Saha b I. Sharma 62A. Mathews c Vijay b Binny 102D. Chandimal c Rahul b I. Sharma 11J. Mubarak b Mishra 22D. Prasad c Rahane b Mishra 5R. Herath lbw Ashwin 1T. Kaushal st Saha b Mishra 6D. Chameera not out 0Extras (b-2, lb-6, nb-5) 13Total (all out, 108 overs) 306Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-75, 3-114, 4-241, 5-259, 6-284, 7-289, 8-300, 9-306.Bowling: I. Sharma 21-3-68-2 (nb-4), Yadav 19-5-67-1, Binny 18-4-44-1 (nb-1), Ashwin 29-3-76-2, Mishra 21-3-43-4.India 2nd inningsM. Vijay not out 39L. Rahul b Prasad 2A. Rahane not out 28Extras (w-1) 1Total (1 wikt, 29.2 overs) 70Fall of wicket: 1-3.Bowling: Prasad 4-0-12-1, Herath 11.2-3-23-0, Chameera 4-0-14-0 (w-1), Mathews 2-1-1-0, Kaushal 8-0-20-0.
S C O R E B O A R D
GLORIOUS CENTURY: Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews cel-
ebrates after completing his century during the third day of
their second Test match against India at the P. Sara Oval in Co-
lombo on Saturday. – AFP
Its important for
them to bat well
in the second
innings too and
score enough
runs so that Kohli
is able to declare
and also give his
bowlers enough
time to bowl Sri
Lanka out
Mary Kom determined to win gold at Rio OlympicsMUMBAI: Five-time World box-ing champion M.C. Mary Kom claims she is physically and men-tally determined to win gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, fulfi lling the expectations of her country.
Mary Kom, the only Indian boxer to have a bio-pic made on her, also said after her retirement post the Olympics, she wants to invest her experience in training talented youths to create boxers like herself.
Mary Kom, who bagged a bronze in the fl yweight (51kg category at the 2012 London Olympics, has already announced her decision to quit after the Rio mega event.
“I am back to my normal shape and ready physically and mentally. I am determined to clinch gold this time and this way I will fulfi ll the expectation of millions of people,” Mary Kom told in an interview.
“I want to invest my experience to the budding and talented youth and create more Mary Kom and champions for the country,” the Manipuri said.
The 32-year-old is currently training in Bengaluru to prepare
herself for the 2016 World Cham-pionships, the fi rst Olympic quali-fying event scheduled to be held next February.
She said the championships will be very tough contest as contest-ants around the world will fi ght to qualify for the Olympics.
“This championship will decide our fate to reach Olympic podium. This will be a qualifying round for all boxers around the world to-wards the long awaited Rio Olym-pics 2016. This championship will be very tough mentally, physically and technically. This will remain a big challenge for all,” Mary said.
After winning bronze at London, Mary Kom gave birth to a baby. She returned to training last year after a long gap. She failed to qualify for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in May, but became the fi rst In-dian boxer to win gold at the Asian Games last October.
Asked how she stayed fi t despite taking regular breaks from train-ing, she said it was because of her determination to return to the ring.
“It is a miracle that after several
cuts, I still am fi t enough to train hard and continue to play this far. All glory to God, who healed my wounds. It is also partly because of my faith and strong determination not to give up,” Mary Kom said.
She is seeking help from the gov-
ernment and corporate houses to build a full-fl edged sports complex to train boxers post her retirement.
“I want to have a full-fl edged sports complex with world class facilities, accommodate 50 boys and 50 girls with residential fa-
cilities so that they can fully con-centrate on their training apart from other responsibilities and demands,” she said.
“Also provide them a cohesive sports environment with all re-quirements so as to produce cham-
pions for the country in the world’s arena. For this, I will require sup-port from our people, government and corporate sectors.”
Mary Kom also extended her best wishes to fellow Indian boxer and Olympic middleweight bronze medallist Vijender Singh for turn-ing professional and hoped he would excel in his new endeavour.
Speaking on the launch of In-dia’s fi rst professional boxing body Indian Boxing Council (IBC), she said: “I appreciate the formation; may it bring good to the country and especially to those talented boxers who intend to go pro.”
When asked about the future of boxing in the country, she said updating training procedures and facilities would facilitate the sport.
“Future cannot be told. No doubt, we have loads of potentials in us but how we deal and guide those potentials matter. Competi-tions are tough now,” she opined.
“We really need to work really hard, update our training proce-dures, systems, techniques, strate-gies and facilities.” - IANS
B O X I N G
I am back to my
normal shape and
ready physically
and mentally
Mary KomIndian boxer
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Happy Hamilton grabs pole with flawless lap
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS: Dou-ble world champion Lewis Hamil-ton clinched the Formula One pole trophy at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday with a fl awless lap to take top slot on the starting grid for the 10th time in 11 races.
The Mercedes driver will have his closest rival and teammate Nico Rosberg, last year’s inaugural pole trophy winner, alongside on the front row.
The Mercedes pair will be de-termined not to repeat the fi asco of 2014, when Rosberg was on pole and they collided on the second lap. Hamilton kicked off a controversy after that race by accusing Rosberg of driving into him deliberately.
Rosberg, who had led the cham-pionship at the same stage last year, is 21 points behind Hamilton with nine races remaining including Sun-day’s. The German had been quick-est in Friday practice but Hamilton banged in the quickest laps when it mattered to seize pole with a time of one minute 47.197 seconds and nearly half a second faster.
“I’m really happy today with the performance of the car,” the Briton said after his sixth successive pole and 48th of his increasingly stellar grand prix career. The car’s been feeling great on the circuit... Nico was very close but my last two laps were the best I’ve had all weekend.”
It was the fi rst time since Mi-chael Schumacher’s domination with Ferrari in 2000-01 that a driver has chalked up six poles in a row. Hamilton’s main concern now will be a clean and quick geta-way on Sunday, with the champi-on’s last three races being marred by poor starts.
To add to the uncertainty, the
starting rules have changed since the last race with the onus more on the man behind the wheel now that engineers are no longer allowed to advise the drivers remotely on the grid. A disappointed Rosberg, who suff ered an explosive blowout on Friday and recognised Hamilton had been just too quick on Satur-day, hoped the new procedures
might mix things up.“With the new start situation, and
we’re having to do everything our-selves now, there’s a lot more oppor-tunity tomorrow even at the start,” he said. “On the run down to turn fi ve here it is possible to overtake so my hopes are for sure still alive.”
Finland’s Valtteri Bottas quali-fi ed third for Williams and will be
joined on the second row by Force India’s Mexican Sergio Perez due to a fi ve-place grid penalty for Lotus’s Romain Grosjean ahead of him.
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen failed to make it into the fi nal phase of qualifying, for his team’s 900th race, after his engine died and the car ground to a halt on the track.
The Finn’s German teammate and four-time champion Sebas-tian Vettel, winner of the previous race in Hungary, qualifi ed ninth but will start eighth thanks to Grosjean’s demotion from fourth.
Australian Daniel Ricciardowill start in fi fth place with the Wil-liams of Brazilian Felipe Massa in sixth. Toro Rosso’s Belgian-born Dutch 17-year-old Max Verstappen qualifi ed 15th but will drop down after being penalised for an engine change. McLaren duo Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will start at the back after collecting a com-bined 105 place drop — on a grid of just 20 places — due to multiple changes of their Honda engines.
With the rules changed last month so that time penalties could no longer be imposed for untaken grid drops, McLaren took advan-tage of the situation by carrying out two engine swaps per car to stack up units for use without pen-alty at future races. - Reuters
Hamilton’s main
concern now will be
a clean and quick
getaway on Sunday,
with the champion’s
last three races being
marred by poor starts
10TH POLE IN 11 RACES: Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, centre, teammate Nico Rosberg, left, and Williams’
Valtteri Bottas celebrate in the parc ferme after the qualifying session at the Spa-Francorchamps ciruit
in Spa ahead of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix on Saturday. – AFP
Pirelli pin Rosberg tyre
failure on external cut
S PA - F R A N C O R C H A M PS : Nico Rosberg’s high-speed blowout in Belgian Grand Prix practice was likely caused by an external cut to the tyre and any structural problem can be ruled out, Formula One supplier Pirelli said on Saturday.
“We have conducted a thor-ough investigation to fi nd out ex-actly what happened with Nico’s tyre,” said Pirelli motorsport head Paul Hembery.
“This investigation now ex-cludes any structural integrity issues. Based on the information and data available an external source of damage is the conclu-sion made.”
Pirelli said they had checked tyres used by other teams as well as Mercedes and also found noth-ing of any concern.
The Italian company said video footage had showed a tyre problem on the German’s car “consistent with an external cut into the tyre structure”.
Rosberg was fastest in Friday practice but suff ered the explo-sive blowout in the afternoon ses-sion as he approached Blanchi-mont at full throttle.
“That was defi nitely not fun,” he told reporters after escaping unscathed from the heartstop-ping incident in which the right rear tyre shredded in seconds.
“Luckily I did not hit the wall. I didn’t feel anything before, there was no warning.
“There will be a big analysis. I was feeling quick before then, comfortable.”
Mercedes executive director Paddy Lowe told reporters after-wards that “there seemed to be some bits of tyre structure com-ing out up to a minute before the actual terminal failure of the tyre.”
The tyres were discussed by drivers in a meeting with FIA technical delegate Charlie Whit-ing on Friday evening, with re-ports suggesting Rosberg’s world champion team mate Lewis Ham-ilton had raised safety concerns.
Whiting reportedly pointed out that Pirelli, whose contract runs out at the end of 2016, had not experienced any structural fail-ures since a spate in 2013 forced changes to the tyre construction.
High-speed Spa is the longest and one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar. - Reuters
T H O R O U G H P R O B E
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS: Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone met disgruntled Belgian dairy farmers on Sat-urday after fears they could blockade the country’s grand prix circuit in a campaign for higher milk prices.
The 84-year-old Briton talked to a farmers’ leader in front of a plastic cow in the fan village at the Spa circuit and then chugged from a litre of milk — jokingly pretending
to faint as he did so. A police spokesman said the farm-ers had agreed not to stage a more serious protest, such as blocking access roads, in return for being allowed to make a symbolic gesture and meet Ecclestone.
“They wouldn’t block the roads,” Ecclestone told reporters when asked about the threat, also expressing sympathy with the farmers’ grievance. - Reuters
Ecclestone meets Belgian farmers after blockade fears No cut-price deal for
Monza, says F1 chief
S PA - F R A N C O R C H A M PS : Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has warned Italian Grand Prix organisers there can be no cut-price deal to keep Mon-za on the calendar after 2016.
“They’ve got a contract, all they’ve got to do is fi nd a pen,” he said at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday. “It’s easy. We had a deal with them two years ago, if they just continue with that it’s all OK.
“We are happy to be at Mon-za, obviously,” continued the 84-year-old Briton. “But we are not doing cut-price things.”
Asked whether he felt the or-ganisers would sign up to the deal on the table, Ecclestone replied: “No idea. Haven’t got a clue.”
He will have further talks with offi cials at the circuit next month, during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, but the lack of progress
to extending Ferrari’s home race has caused concern within the sport and throughout Italy.
“I don’t think we’ll do another contract, the old one was a dis-aster for us from the commercial point of view. After 2016, bye bye,” Ecclestone had said last year, ratcheting up the pressure.
“It’s useless to keep on talk-ing. In order to have a grand prix, you need money. If the money is there, the race takes place.”
Monza, the fastest track in F1, has been on the calendar since the championship started in 1950 and is loved by Italians as the ‘Pista Magica’. However while new circuits such as Bahrain, Russia and Abu Dhabi contribute tens of millions of dollars to Ec-clestone’s coff ers in race hosting fees, Europe’s historic circuits have struggled fi nancially. - Reuters
F I N D A P E N
It’s war, Gerrard tells LampardLOS ANGELES: Steven Ger-rard warned Frank Lampard to be ready for “war” as the two for-mer Liverpool and Chelsea mid-fi eld adversaries prepared to lock horns once more for their Major League Soccer (MLS) sides here on Sunday.
Gerrard’s Los Angeles Galaxy and Lampard’s New York City FC meet in Carson on Sunday in a game being hyped as the most star-studded clash in MLS histo-ry, pitting two of the league’s big-spending sides against each other.
The Galaxy’s StubHub Center will be the backdrop for one of the last meetings between Ger-rard and Lampard, who regularly featured in the fi erce rivalry that developed between Liverpool and Chelsea over the last decade.
Gerrard, who joined the Galaxy in July, played down suggestions that Sunday’s game would be a personal duel with former Eng-land midfi eld partner Lampard, who remains a friend off the pitch.
Promotional posters for Sun-day’s game styled the contest as a boxing bout, billing the meet-ing as “The British Invasion” and
featuring Gerrard and Lampard set against the background of a Union fl ag.
It’s realThe 35-year-old admitted, how-ever, that no quarter would be giv-en against Lampard and his City teammates.
“I’m sure Frank agrees it’s slightly embarrassing to have all the focus on you when it’s Los An-geles Galaxy versus New York,” Gerrard told reporters on Friday.
“It’s about the game and the three points. But we understand it — we’ve played together for so many years. (The rivalry) it’s real.
“When that whistle goes and we’re competing for 90 minutes against each other, it’s war.
“We fi ght against each other, we always have. When the whis-tle goes to fi nish there’s a mutual respect there. We’ve always got on off the pitch regardless of what other people say. So if Frank plays from the beginning or if he comes on we become enemies, and when the game’s over we become friends again.
“I’ve got nothing but respect
and admiration for him as a play-er. We’re both winners we’re both professional. But he’s coming into town for three points and I want the three points to stay here so that’s where the rivalry begins.”
Gerrard and Lampard have faced each other on 33 occasions, with Lampard winning 15 to 11. However the 37-year-old has en-dured a patch start to his MLS ca-reer, with injuries restricting his appearances for New York.
Gerrard has steadily settled into California since arriving last month, making fi ve starts and scoring a goal in a thrilling win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the California Clasico on July 17.
The Liverpool legend said he had been taken by surprise at the standard of the MLS, stating the Galaxy would give a good account of themselves if they were playing in English competitions.
“For sure,” said Gerrard. “The level is a lot stronger than what other people suggested when I came. I’ve been really surprised. We’ve got a very good team here, I’m playing for the champions and they know how to win.” - AFP
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The Wave, Muscat on top in Russia, Oman Air find form
MUSCAT: The Wave, Muscat fought their way to the top of the leaderboard with fi ve podium places from seven races while Oman Air hit form late in the day to claim two more on Day two of the Extreme Sailing Series in St Petersburg, Russia.
The River Neva in St Petersburg lived up to its reputation for asking stiff questions of the Extreme 40 crews and the opening two days of racing can be characterised by the light winds and strong current com-bining to upset the best laid plans.
Regarded as one of the most diffi cult venues on the Extreme Sailing Series circuit, St Peters-burg has delivered the customary wind-against-tide challenge for the fl eet with a strong current tak-ing any punch out of a shifty 10-knot breeze. But Leigh McMillan and his team on The Wave, Muscat were, by their own admission, feel-ing more relaxed and reeled off a string of impressive results.
They posted back-to-back wins
then added another for good meas-ure to lift them above Red Bull in the rankings with a fi ve point cush-ion and two days remaining. Ac-cording to Nasser Al Mashari, the Omani bowman and a key member of this double championship win-ning crew, everyone settled in to their roles quickly today and were extra watchful to make sure they stayed on top of the shifts.
“We felt quite relaxed today and it showed in our performance be-cause we were thinking ahead and focussing more on our boat han-dling,” said Al Mashari, referring to his teammates, Sarah Ayton, Pete Greenhalgh, Ed Smyth, and of course his skipper.
“That was our aim after our de-
brief on Thursday night and eve-ryone worked hard to make it hap-pen. There are still two days to go, so our next aim is to keep up the momentum.”
Skipper McMillan was delight-ed by today’s scoreline but cau-tioned against getting overexcited since there are still two days to go and plenty of hard work ahead.
“It was a pretty good day with conditions similar to Thursday and we were successful in putting into practice the things we learned on the fi rst day,” he said. “There was a good tempo among the crew and we had a reasonable handle on the conditions and reacted well to eve-ry situation. It was a good all round performance and it felt really good.”
Oman Air made a fi ery debut in St Petersburg by winning the opening race of the Act but then the welcome cooled as the testing conditions took their toll, and by the close of racing on Day One, Ste-vie Morrison’s team were lying in sixth place in a tight fl eet – where just eight points separated the third and seventh placed teams.
Day two proved challenging as the Oman Air crew battled adver-sity in the early races, suff ering technical issues with the boat and incurring a couple of penalties from the umpires, but they fought back and scored two second plac-es in the last three races which earned the crew high praise from skipper Stevie Morrison.
“It was a frustrating day for us but for the guys to come back at the end to post those results was a real testimony to their patience and teamwork.
“We all stayed calm through the diffi culties and managed to fi nish the day well.
“When we are good, we are very good, and when the chips are down, there is a very strong team bond. When things are happen-ing fast, our communication loops get a bit blurred so we have to work on that.
“We are on the right track as those two back to back second place fi nishes showed and we will be looking to build on that over the next two days.”
St Petersburg is
regarded one of
the most diffi cult
venues on the
Extreme Sailing
Series circuit, but The
Wave, Muscat were
reeled off a string of
impressive results
IN THE LEAD: The Wave, Muscat and Oman Air pictured during the Act 6 of the Extreme Sailing Series in St Petersburg. – Supplied photo
Indian milkman’s son chases dream in greener pasturesNEW DELHI: Golfi ng prodigy Shubham Jaglan turned 11 last week but the only son of a milkman from rural India is aloof to the car-toons and toys that usually draw boys of his age.
The winner of back-to-back ti-tles on the world junior golf circuit in the United States last month knows he must make sacrifi ces to achieve his dreams.
Golf is a rich man’s sport in In-dia and as a kid from a poor fam-ily, Shubham started off swinging shabby clubs in the mustard fi eld of his village in the north Indian state of Haryana.
“He had to make a lot of sacrifi ce to chase that dream and he is hap-py to make that sacrifi ce, which is the best things about him,” coach Nonita Lal Qureshi said.
“His day is very structured, he hardly gets to do what boys his age do but he has a passion for golf and he is doing it happily.”
The passion can be seen in his results. “I won two but missed the third in the U.S. Kids World Cham-pionship where I came sixth,” Shubham said by telephone. “I
want to win all three next year.”The pristine American courses
hosting the elite junior tourna-ments are a far cry from Shub-ham’s beginnings.
When a golf academy opened near his home in India, it seemed a godsend to the family but the facil-ity shut down in three months.
Shubham would pile up sands
on the rooftop and practise his bunker shots there, while his fa-ther Jagpal cleared the area behind their house to carve out a three-hole course for his son. Jagpal also got his son a computer.
Bold move “I started watching top golfers on YouTube,” Shubham said. “Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen...I’dtry their swing and see if it works for me.”
His name featured regularly enough in local tournaments to in-terest the Golf Foundation, run by former Asian Games gold medal-list Amit Luthra.
Promised free education and free practice at the Delhi Golf Club, the Jaglans, a family boast-ing a number of elite wrestlers, sold off dairy cattle and moved to Delhi to help their son pursue his dream. It was a bold move by
a family still struggling to adjust to city life but Shubham’s single-minded devotion has been reas-suring, even if it means long spells away from home.
“I don’t miss family. I talk to them every day, sometimes twice a day,” said Shubham. “I know I will be back after a month or two.”
Jagpal’s phone has not stopped ringing since his son’s recent suc-cess but coach Qureshi sounded a warning for the budding golfer.
“In the two-and-half years since moving to Delhi, he has blossomed but we must remember that he is very young.
“It is very early days in his career and we must not lose sight of what he needs to do.
“He has shown all the promise to be a really good player but many things can go wrong from here. He has just begun a journey and these victories are only milestones that he is on the right track.” - Reuters
G O L F
I won two but
missed the third in
the U.S. Kids World
Championship
Shubham JaglanIndian golf prodigy
Swiss FIFA
inquiry receives
more than 100
‘suspicious
activity’ reports
ZURICH: Swiss authorities have received more than 100 re-ports of suspicious fi nancial ac-tivity linked to FIFA’s decisions to let Russia and Qatar host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tour-naments, the Swiss attorney general’s offi ce said on Saturday.
Switzerland’s Offi ce of the At-torney General (OAG) is inves-tigating corruption at Zurich-based FIFA and its decisions on who would stage the World Cup. Both Russia and Qatar have pre-viously denied wrongdoing.
“I can confi rm that the OAG received so far 103 suspicious fi nancial activity reports re-garding the allocation of the Football World Cup 2018 and 2022,” an OAG spokesman said in an email.
In July, the OAG said it had received 81 reports of suspicious fi nancial activity for its investi-gation. News of the additional re-ports was fi rst reported by Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.
On Friday, Reuters exclu-sively reported that the Swiss investigation had hit some roadblocks, according to U.S. and European sources familiar with the matter.
Leoz ‘under investigation’Meanwhile, Swiss investiga-tors are probing Nicolas Leoz, a veteran FIFA offi cial in South America, in their widening in-quiry into alleged corruption in world football, a Swiss newspa-per said on Saturday.
Leoz, an 86-year-old Para-guayan, headed the regional football organisation Conme-bol from 1986 to 2013 and was a member of FIFA’s executive committee for 15 years. - Agencies
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Man United held at home, Bournemouth post win
LONDON: Manchester United’s winning start to the Premier League season ended on Saturday as they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Newcastle United at a sun-soaked Old Traff ord.
The hosts, who gave Bastian Schweinsteiger a full debut, domi-nated the early stages and Wayne Rooney saw a goal ruled out for a tight off side, but Newcastle went close when Aleksandar Mitrovic headed against the bar.
Louis van Gaal’s side laid siege to the Newcastle goal in the second half, Tim Krul saving from substi-tute Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling heading against the post, but Newcastle debutant Florian Thauvin was inches away from toe-ing in a late winner at the other end.
“We can be satisfi ed with the performance, but not with the re-sult. We were unlucky,” said Unit-ed manager Van Gaal, whose side have scored only two goals in their three league games to date.
“We did not make the right choices in the fi nal third, but we played fantastic as a team. I like these kind of games when we work like this, but not this result.
“The performance was one of the best in my period, but we don’t reward ourselves. There was only one club that wanted to win and that was us.”
United had won their opening two league games 1-0, against Tot-tenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, before beating Club Brugge 3-1 in the fi rst leg of their Champions League play-off in mid-week.
But they were let down by both their fi nal ball and their fi nishing against Steve McClaren’s Newcas-tle, leaving captain Wayne Rooney without a goal in his last 10 club games.
After Rooney had seen his ef-fort disallowed, Krul saved from Memphis Depay, Rooney and Juan Mata, before Mitrovic, making his fully debut, outjumped Mat-teo Darmian and headed Chancel Mbemba’s cross against the bar.
Van Gaal introduced Michael Carrick, Hernandez and Antonio Valencia in the second half and Krul had to save from Luke Shaw before spreading himself bril-liantly to block a close-range ef-fort from Hernandez.
Mahrez rescues Leicester A stoppage-time fl urry saw Small-ing hit the post and substitute Thauvin narrowly fail to make contact with Papiss Cisse’s low cross, while Carrick’s defl ected shot fl ashed fractionally wide.
United conceded top spot to Leicester City, who moved above them on goal diff erence after a 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham.
Delle Ali headed in a cross from Nacer Chadli to give Spurs an 81st minute lead at the King Power Stadium, but within a minute Ri-yad Mahrez had cut in from the right and curled home his fourth goal of the season to level.
Callum Wilson plundered a hat-trick as promoted Bournemouth
won 4-3 at West Ham United in an incident-packed game to claim a fi rst ever top-fl ight victory.
Wilson exploited a pair of errors by Aaron Cresswell to score twice in the opening 28 minutes, only for a Mark Noble penalty and a Cheik-hou Kouyate rebound to draw West Ham level early in the second period. But substitute Marc Pugh restored Bournemouth’s lead and Wilson completed his hat-trick from the spot after Carl Jenkinson had been sent off , before Modibo Maiga hit back for West Ham.
Debutant Bakary Sako struck in the 87th minute to give Crystal Palace a 2-1 win at home to Villa, who had been in line for a point after a Pape Souare own goal can-
celled out Scott Dann’s header.Bottom club Sunderland
stopped the rot after two straight defeats by drawing 1-1 at home to Swansea City, with Jermain De-foe equalising for the hosts after Bafetimbi Gomis had scored his third goal of the campaign.
Record signing Xherdan Shaqiri created an early goal for Mame Bi-ram Diouf on his Stoke City debut, but his side had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Norwich City due to Rus-sell Martin’s 28th minute equaliser.
In-form Manchester City go in search of a third straight win at Everton on Sunday, while cham-pions Chelsea, beaten 3-1 at City last weekend, travel to West Bro-mwich Albion. - AFP
Manchester United
were let down by
both their fi nal ball
and their fi nishing
against Newcastle,
leaving captain
Rooney without a
goal in his last 10
club games
AERIAL DUEL: Newcastle United’s Chancel Mbemba, left, and Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney jump for the ball during their English
Premier League match at Old Traff ord in Manchester on Saturday. – AFP
Scandal-hit FIFA cannot be dominated by one ‘confederation’, warns BlatterULRICHEN: Scandal-hit FIFA can never be dominated by one continent, outgoing president Sepp Blatter said on Saturday.
Without going into details or naming anyone, Blatter said that in the past one continental fed-eration had tried to exert a domi-nance over the others, using pro-posed reforms as an attempt to grab the presidency.
“This is the key point which has (taken place) in the past years ... the takeover of one confedera-tion towards the others,” he told a news conference. “But this cannot work in FIFA.”
Blatter did not make clear wheth-er that meant it would never hap-pen or that soccer’s governing body would not survive if it did occur.
He then added: “This was a movement, this was a movement to get back the presidency”.
That remark may have referred to proposals drafted by European soccer’s ruling body UEFA in the mid-1990s for a radical reform of FIFA, which at the time was run
by Brazilian Joao Havelange who had been in charge since 1974.
Amid bitter criticism of Havel-ange, UEFA produced documents known as Vision 1 and Vision 2 with proposals that included ro-tating FIFA’s presidency.
Blatter’s comments came amid an increasing rift between FIFA and UEFA. Almost all of Eu-rope’s national associations voted against the Swiss when he was re-elected for a fi fth term at the FIFA Congress on May 29.
He won the election against Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al Hus-sein with the backing of votes from Africa, Asia and Oceania.
Blatter announced four days later he would step down as the or-
ganisation lurched into the worst crisis in its 111-year history with 14 sports marketing executives and soccer offi cials, including sev-eral from FIFA, were indicted in the U.S. on bribery, money laun-dering and wire fraud charges.
His successor will be elected at an extraordinary Congress on February 26 and UEFA President Michel Platini, who has become a bitter foe of Blatter, is among the candidates.
European media have been critical of the system where each of FIFA’s 209 national associa-tions hold one vote, meaning that four-time world champions Ger-many hold the same infl uence as Liechtenstein, the Cook Islands
and St Lucia. In June, German fed-eration president Wolfgang Niers-bach proposed that votes should be weighted, based on “size and sporting relevance of the federa-tions”.
One of Blatter’s achievements as FIFA secretary general and president has been the creation of a match calendar that guarantees a set number of dates for interna-tional games each year.
The calendar ended a tug-of-war between European clubs and South American and African na-tional teams over who got priority when there was a clash of dates.
However, European club man-agers still complain at having to release players for the biennial African Nations Cup.
European clubs scored a victo-ry recently when FIFA abolished an international date for friend-lies in August. Blatter was speak-ing on Saturday at an annual soc-cer tournament he organises near his ancestral home in an Alpine valley. - Reuters
F O O T B A L L
Blatter said ‘this was a movement, this was
a movement to get back the presidency’
Report of FIFA probe proof of Blatter sabotage, says Chung
MIAMI: FIFA presidential can-didate Chung Mong-Joon said on Saturday that a report he was being investigated by the soccer body’s ethics committee was proof that outgoing president Sepp Blat-ter was trying to interfere in his campaign and should step down.
German newspaper Die Welt re-ported on Friday that South Korean Chung was facing an investigation into his involvement in a 2010 plan to set up a global football develop-ment fund related to South Korea’s bid for the 2022 World Cup.
It was the latest in a series of al-legations and counter-allegations surrounding candidates in the in-creasingly heated race to replace Blatter amid the worst crisis in FIFA’s history.
No one was available for com-ment from soccer’s global govern-ing body which was thrown into turmoil when U.S. prosecutors in-dicted nine soccer offi cials and fi ve marketing and broadcasting com-pany executives in May over alleged off ences, including fraud, money-laundering and racketeering.
Chung’s offi ce said on Saturday South Korea had submitted plans for a development fund linked to its bid, as all countries applying to host the world cup were required to do.
The statement from Chung’s spokesman, Lin Byung-Taik, said FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke had assured Chung in 2010 that the development fund was not being investigated.
“This (media report) is yet an-other clear proof that President Blatter is interfering in the upcom-ing FIFA presidential election,” he added, without spelling out how he thought Blatter was involved.
“FIFA is engaged in a self-de-feating attempt to sabotage Dr. Chung’s candidacy ... President Blatter should stop intervening in the election and resign immedi-ately,” he added.
Current regulations bar FIFA’s Ethics Committee from comment-ing on any cases. But a FIFA ethics report in November last year said Chung had sent letters relating to South Korean intentions to raise $777 million to build new infra-structure and renovate existing fa-cilities, without alleging any wrong-doing relating to that bid. - Reuters
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HealthSECTIONC L I F E STY L E S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
Sleep deprivation has many causes but just
one dangerous result –a cycle of exhaustion,
depression, decreased mental function, and an
array of serious long-term health consequences
N O S L E E P
F O R T H E W E A R Y
S T O R Y | M O H A M M E D S H A F E E Q E
LIFESTYLEC8 S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
I don’t need to sleep. I can function just fi ne on three or four hours of rest. You might have heard this in-creasingly popular refrain
from friends or co-workers. Maybe you’ve even said it yourself. Some of us are proud that we don’t “waste time resting”, instead spending our hours working late, keeping a full social calendar, or perhaps both. But the truth is, we could be doing long-term damage to our health. While an occasional late night and lack of sleep will cause noth-ing but temporary fatigue the fol-lowing day, chronic sleep depriva-tion greatly increases the risk of numerous lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression.
“Sleep deprivation is a serious problem of our modern society. If it is acute,it lasts for a couple of days and is usually not associated with long-term consequences. Chronic (long-term) sleep deprivation, how-ever, can lead to serious, negative health consequences, both physical and mental.An ongoing sleep prob-lem increases the risk of developing medical conditions such diabetes and hypertension, both of which can have serious complications, reduce quality of life, and, without proper management, lead to re-duced life expectancy,” explained Dr Hassan Mirza, a psychiatrist at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital and an honorary psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital in London.
While doctors agreed that the amount of sleep required varies from one individual to an-other, there are some guidelines that apply across the board. “The National Sleep Foun-dation (USA) recom-mends 7-8 hours of sleep for an adult, 8-10 hours for teenag-ers, 10-13 hours for preschool children and 14-17 hours for newborns,” said Dr Shashiraj Eswarappa, an internal medicine consultant and medical superintendent at KIMS Oman Hospital in Muscat.
According to Dr Shashiraj Eswarappa, there are many rea-sons for sleep deprivation. “These include personal obligations, odd working hours, extreme tempera-ture, and medical problems that may disturb sleep. It is common among some professions such people with shift duties, nurses, doctors, police, and armed forces personnel. In Oman, extreme temperatures, sedentary life style, and obesity are the major causes of sleeplessness.”
External factors that can keep prevent a good night’s rest in-clude, stimulants, pain, breath-ing problems,menstrual cycle hormones for women,and life-style choices like eating large meals, exercising,or watch-ing TV just before bed. Though some of these issues cannot be changed – such as menstrual cy-cle hormones for women – others can be easily modifi ed.
“There isn’t a quick fi x for sleep deprivation. One must seek medi-cal help if poor sleep is a result of a treatable medical or psychologi-cal condition. Otherwise, the best management for lack of sleep is cutting the bad sleeping habit. One of the most crucial elements is establishing a bedtime routine, and “associating the bed with sleep” by fully avoiding watching TV, using Smartphone, and other forms of entertainment while in bed. Maintaining a healthy life-style by regular exercise, cutting the long daytime naps, and avoid-ing coffee, cigarettes, and heavy
meals before sleep,” Dr Hassan Mirza said.
To overcome sleep deprivation, you must increase the time you allot for rest as there is no substi-tute for sufficient sleep. “Catch-ing up on sleep on the weekends is not a good solution. In order to sleep well, we should have good sleep habits or in other words “good sleep hygiene” every night,” said Dr Shashiraj Eswarappa.
Whether sources of sleep depri-vation are personal lifestyle choic-es or a psychological or physiologi-cal issue with staying asleep, it is vital to address this problem as you would any other physical ailment, as sleep defi ciency poses a very real health hazard. The main side eff ect of sleep deprivation is excessive daytime sleepiness.
“Sleep deprivation (less than 7 hours of sleep per night) can af-fect many organs in the body in the long run. The diseases that are linked to sleep deprivation include obesity, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, hypertension, anxiety, men-tal distress, depressed mood, and alcohol abuse,” said Dr Shashiraj Eswarappa.“Insuffi cient sleep is as-sociated with obesity, as sleep de-prived people tend to have lower levels of leptin, an appetite suppres-sant hormone, and higher levels of ghrelin, an appetite stimulant. Sleep defi ciency can also aff ect the performance of the brain lead-ing to slower reactions, impaired memory, and diffi culties in keeping concentration. If an individual is sleepless for 20-25 hours, his per-
formance will be aff ected signifi -cantly, to a level comparable to al-cohol intoxication. Even the risk of mortality (death) increases by 15% among those who sleep for less than 5 hours daily. Heart attack is the most common cause of death among sleep deprived individuals,” he said.
“From a mental perspective, chronic sleep deprivation leads to grumpiness, irritability, depres-sion, inability to focus and con-centrate, and poor memory. For example, someone suff ering from lack of sleep may require a much longer time to complete a given task, be forgetful, and struggle tore-membering things. This may lead to poor performance in studies or at work and could lead to excessive consumption of coff ee and smoking in order to stay focused and alert. And in children, it is well known to cause behavioral problems and poor focus in the classroom, re-sulting in academic underachieve-ment,” Dr Hassan Mirza explained. “A point worthy of note regarding poor sleep is the serious issue of road traffi c accidents, as poor sleep increases the likelihood of falling asleep behind the wheel and mak-ing mistakes while driving due to lack of focus.”
When it comes to children, it is especially important to cultivate good sleeping habits to give them a strong foundation for a healthy “sleep life” and to guard against these physical and mental issues, which can have an exaggerated effect on youngsters. Be sure chil-dren get eight hours of sleep or more, even if it means going to bed earlier than usual.
THE BENEFITS OF A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
Mental Health: Studies have also found that there is a higher incidence of depression, anxiety disorders and problems of low self-esteem among individuals who receive inadequate sleep. Sleep deprivation has a dra-matic eff ect on your mental and emo-tional wellbeing. Individuals who get an adequate night’s sleep report feelingless stressed and happier than their weary counterpoints, regard-less of external factors like income.
Weight Loss: Getting enough sleep isn’t going to magically make you lighter, but a lack of adequate sleep can derail your eff orts as it slows down your body metabolism and increases your hunger hormones. Being well-rested will give you the mental stamina to stay disciplined in your diet and exercise choices, making the weight-loss process much more comfortable and eff ec-tive.
Better Focus: Lack of sleep can signifi cantly impact your problem solving skills and cognitive function. A rested person is less likely to be distracted and make poor choices, which will contribute to an increase in overall productivity.
Improved Performance: Lack of sleep can be quite a serious problem for anyone engaged in a high-risk job, such as those working with heavy machinery or transportation, and it’s also critical to athletic performance and functioning as well as motor skillsand mental agility. So get your eight hours to ensure top perfor-mance in the offi ce or on the fi eld.
Look Good: Individuals who get enough rest appear healthier and more fi t, as exhaustion is refl ected physically in everything from your posture to your eyes and skin.
Build Muscle: Exercise promotes muscle growth as the strain that muscles are subjected to causes mi-cro tears and this facilitates muscle growth as part of tissue repair. This repair and thickening or growth of muscles can only occur during sleep as this is when the growth hormones are released. So cutting down on your sleep time to make time for the gym and longer workout sessions might actually be counterproduc-tive, instead reduce time spent on other leisure activities like watching television.
Improved Learning: Adequate sleep is essential for a child’s growth and development. During sleep the brain converts things we learn during the day into knowledge or retrievable memories.
Diabetes Protection: Sleeping more doesn’t actually mean that you’re not going to get diabetes, but inadequate sleep greatly increases the risk of diabetes.
Addiction Problems: Studies have shown that adolescents who get less sleep are more likely to develop alco-hol and drug addiction problems, and it is a vicious cycle as, in many cases, the sleep problems are also a result of dependence.Keep a healthy, well-rested mind to help guard against the cycle of substance dependence.
WHEN LIFESTYLE CHANGES AREN’T ENOUGH
For some, sleep issues go beyond having too much coff ee after dinner or habitual late-night television view-ing. If you are concerned that your inability to sleep stems from a deeper physiological or psychological issue, get in touch with one of these sleep specialists for a consultation.
Sleep Study Clinic at KIMS Oman HospitalRuwi+968 9925 5292 kimsoman.com
Fatigue Assessments at Optimal Health CenterAl Maha Street, Al Khuwair+968 2448 7886, +968 9448 8580, [email protected]
Sleep Disorder Diagnosis Laboratory at Al Hayat Polyclinic Ali Shaihani Complex, Al Ghubra+968 94267068alhayathospital.com
Sleep Clinic at Sultan Qaboos University HospitalSQU, Al Khoudh+968 2414 4708squh.edu.om
There isn’t a quick fix for sleep
deprivation. One must seek
medical help if poor sleep is a
result of a treatable medical or
psychological condition
LIFESTYLEC9S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
Eat Cucumber for Fresh BreathCucumbers have 95 per cent water content which helps keep the body hydrated while eliminating toxins, on top of that, they are very eff ective in fi ghting bad breath. Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds and the phyto-chemicals in the cucumber will instantly kill the bacteria responsible for causing bad breath.
Blink Frequently to Relieve Eye StrainOur eyes need regular exercise, like any other part of the body, so when you fi nd yourself straining to focus on your computer screen, try an intentional blink-ing exercise: time yourself while staring at your computer for 2 minutes, take care to blink only every 30 seconds. Note how strained your eyes feel. Now, continue reading the monitor, and consciously blink every 4-5 seconds. You should feel a positive diff erence.
Here are a few simple, time-tested foods, techniques,
and remedies to try, and a bit about why. Have you tried any of these
tricks? How did you like them? Do you have a favourite remedy of
your own? Tell us about it at [email protected]
TryWhy
DECODINGDOCTOR
Hubert Vaz talks about acid refl ux with Dr Mathew Raphael,a Gastroenterologistat Al Hayat International Hospital Burning, Churning Stomach Pain
EVERYDAY, scores of people suf-fer from several digestive disorders, some of which subside after a short time, like simple heartburn, while other conditions linger on and need medical attention. Dr Mathew Raphael, Physician and Gastroen-terologist, Al Hayat International Hospital, provides answers to some key queries about the most com-mon digestive disorder, acid refl ux, popularly known as acidity.
What is acidity or acid refl ux?Acidity is the most common diges-tive disorder suff ered by people all over the world. Acidity is chiefl y caused by the presence of helico-
bacter pylori bacteria in the stom-ach, which increase acid produc-tion and present acid levels. This is uncomfortable and can lead to ulcers in the stomach or intestines.
What are the symptomsof acidity?Patients suff ering from acidity usually experience heartburn (a burning sensation in the chest), uneasiness in the stomach, and nausea after eating. Often, these symptoms are accompanied by sour belches and pungent burps.
What causes acidity?Symptoms of acidity are often no-
ticed after the consumption of oily or spicy food, other acidic foods, or milk. Even the lack of food for long period can cause acidity. Acidity can also be a warning sign of other digestive disorders, depending on the age and health of the patient.
Is it bacteria-induced acidity or just an upset stomach?There are diff erent tests to check for the presence of the helicobac-ter pylori bacteria, like the Urea-Breath test for general patients. If the patient has long standing symptoms, they should come in for a check-up, and for serious cases, an endoscopy can be done to check
for ulcers in the stomach.
How can I avoid acid refl ux?The Helicobacter Pylori bacteria responsible for acidity is present all over the world and it can enter the body through the food even if very high standards of hygiene are maintained. As the age of a patient increases, the bacteria can present symptoms of acidity more fre-quently. However, for some people, judicious use of medication as well as limited alcohol consumption can reduce the incidence of acid-ity. For common heartburn, avoid trigger foods or take an antacid be-fore your meal.
BR I E FS
Brain gamesharpens focus,reduces anxietyNEW YORK: Playing a sim-ple brain game that involves identifying shapes can sharp-en your focus and reduce anxi-ety, new research has found.
Study participants who completed the video game-like exercise that targets distraction stayed more fo-cused and showed less anxi-ety, showed the fi ndings that could lead to an everyday solution to ease the eff ects of distraction.
“Down the line we could roll out an online or mobile game based on this research that specifi cally targets distraction and helps peo-ple stay focused and feel less anxious,“ said lead re-searcher Jason Moser, as-sociate professor of clini-cal psychology at Michigan State University in the US.
Use Sandalwood for SkincareSandalwood paste is a time-tested home remedy for soothing harsh sun-burns and the natural oils in sandalwood are great for clearing up the complexion and adding healthy glow. It also has a toning eff ect, tighten-ing drooping skin tissues for a fresher appearance.
PHOT
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Physical fi tnessenhances mathsskills in childrenNEW YORK: If you want your children to shine in maths, allow them play time as researchers have found that fi tness enhances math skills by aiding the develop-ment of brain structures that contribute to mathematics achievement. Children who are aerobically fi t tend to have signifi cantly thinner grey matter — the outermost layer of brain cells in the cerebrum — associated with better mathematics perfor-mance, the fi ndings showed.
“Grey matter thinning is the sculpting of a fully formed, healthy brain. The theory is that the brain is pruning away unnecessary connections and strengthen-ing useful connections,“ said lead researcher Laura Chad-dock-Heyman from the Uni-versity of Illinois in the US.
The researchers imaged the children‘s brains using MRI and tested their math, reading and spelling skills. The team found diff erences in math skills and cortical brain structure between the higher fi t and lower fi t children. -IANS
FIND-IT-ALLC10 S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
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SHATTI
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (Action)(12+)Cast : Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer3:00, 7:15, 9:30, 11:45 pmFantastic Four (2D)(Action)(PG12)Cast: Miles Teller, Kate Mara, 1:00, 5:15, 11:45 pmMission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2D)(Action, Adventure) (PG12)Cast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy 4:45, 9:15 pm The Nutcracker Sweet (Animation)(PG)1:00, 3:00 pmAll Is Well (Comedy, Drama)(PG)Cast : Rishi Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Asin9:30 pmSinister 2 (Horror)(15+)Cast : James Ransone, Shannyn Sossamon 1:00, 11:55 pmWelad Risk (Action, Crime)(18+)Cast : Ahmed Ezz, Amr Youssef, Karim Qassem3:00, 7:15 pmSelf/Less (Mystery,Sci fi)(18+)Cast : Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez, Matthew Goode5:00, 7:15 pm
MUSCAT GRAND MALLThe Man from U.N.C.L.E. 2D (Action ) (12+)Cast : Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer10:15AM, 9:45 & 11:55PMGold Class: 4:15, 9:00 & 11:15PMThe Nutcracker Sweet 2D (Animation) (PG)10:00AM, 1:45 & 3:30PMThe Love Affair 2D (Drama, Romance ) (TBC)Cast: Bea Alonzo, Richard Gomez, Eda Nolan5:15 & 7:30PMAll Is Well 2D (Comedy, Drama) (TBC)Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Asin12:30 & 7:15PMFantastic Four 2D (Action, Sci-Fi ) (PG12)Cast: Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael Jordan5:15PM & 9:45PMGold Class : 12:15 & 2:15PM
Inside Out 3D (Animation) (PG)11:15PMMission: Impossible - Rogue Nation 2D 2:45PM & 11:45PMGold Class: 6:30PM
AZAIBA
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. – 2D (12+) Action-Cast - Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer4:30, 6:45, 9:00, 11:15 PMKick 2 – 2D (PG12) Action, Romance Cast: Ravi Teja, Rakul Preeti singh, Ravi Kishan12:45, 07:45, 10:30 PMVaalu – 2D (PG) Action, Comedy, RomanceCast - Hansika Motwani, TR Silambarasan, 12:00 PMSelf/Less – 2D (18+) Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller Cast - Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez, Matthew Goode2:50, 8:00 PMThe Love Affair - 2D (…..) Drama, Romance Cast - Bea Alonzo, Richard Gomez, Eda Nolan5:00 PMAll Is Well 2D (….) Comedy, Drama, RomanceCast - Rishi Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Asin
7:15, 9:35 PMMission: Impossible - Rogue Nation – 2D2:00, 11:55 PM (PG12)The Nutcracker Sweet – 2D (PG) Animation1:00, 4:30 PMSinister 2 – 2D (15+) Horror Cast - James Ransone, Shannyn Sossamon 2:30, 10:10 PMWaled Rizk– 2D (18+) Crime, Action, Thriller Cast - Ahmed Ezz, Amr Youssef, Karim6:00 PMFantastic Four – 2D (PG12) (Action)12:00, 5:45, 11:55 pmMadhura Naranga – 2D (PG) Comedy, Cast - Kunchacko Boban, Biju Menon 3:00 PM
RUWISCREEN 1All Is Well (Drama/ Comedy) – PGCast: Abhishek Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Asin and Supriya Pathak3.30, 9.30 PMDrishyam (Thriller/Drama ) – PG126.30 PM SCREEN 2Brothers (Drama) – 12+Cast: Akshay Kumar, Jackie Shroff, Sidharth
3.45, 9.45 PMBajrangi Bhaijaan (Action/Drama ) – PG6.45 PMSCREEN 3Karachi To Lahore - Urdu (Comedy) – PGCast: Shehzad Sheikh, Ayesha Omer3.45, 9.45 PMBaahubali: The Beginning (Act ) – 12+6.45 PM
SOHARMission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - 2D (PG12) Action; 04:20 , 11:55 PMFantastic Four-2D (PG12) (Action )2:30, 5:15, 11:45 PMBrothers - 2D (TBC) Action, Drama 11:30 PMThe Man from U.N.C.L.E. - 2D (12+) Action, Cast: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia3:00, 7:15, 9:30, 11:45 PMSelf/less - 2D (18+) Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez, 2:15, 7:45 PMThe Nutcracker Sweet - 2D (PG) AnimationCast: Alicia Silverstone, Edward Asner2:30, 4:30 PMSinister 2 - 2D (15+) Horror Cast: James Ransone, Shannyn Sossamon,
4:00, 10:00 PMAll Is Well - 2D (TBC) Comedy, Drama, Cast : Rishi Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Asin9:35 PMWelad Rizk - 2D (Arb) (18+) Action, Crime, Cast: Ahmed Ezz, Amr Youssef, Karim Qassem5:45 PMMadhura Naranga - 2D (M) (PG) Comedy, Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Biju Menon 6:00 PMKick 2 - 2D (Telugu) (TBC) Action, Romance6:45, 8:45 PM
BURAIMI
The Man from U.N.C.L.E – 2D (Animation) 7:15, 9:30, 11:45PM (12+)Return to Sender – 2D (Thriller) (TBC)Cast: Rosamund Pike, Nick Nolte,5:30, 10:00PMThe Nutcracker Sweet – 2D (Animation) 5:45PM (PG)Fantastic Four -2D (PG12) (Action) 4:30, 7:15PMMission Impossible: Rogue Nation - 2D11:30PM (Action) (PG12)All is Well – 2D (Comedy, Romance) (PG)Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Asin 9:15PMBrothers (Hindi) (Thriller) 2D
11:45PMMadura Naranga – 2D (Action) (PG)7:15PM
SURThe Man From U.N.C.L.E (Action ) (12+) Cast: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, 9:45, 11:55 PMFantastic Four (Action|Sci - Fi) (PG12) 7:45 PMMission Impossible - Rogue Nation 6:00 PM (Action) (PG12)Brothers (Hindi) (Thriller) (12+) CP#Cast: Akshay Kumar, Jackie Shroff, Sidharth5:00 PMThe Nutcracker Sweet ( Animation) (PG) 4:30 PMMadura Naranga (Mal)( Comedy ) (PG)Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Biju Menon, Parvathy10:45 PMAll Is Well (Hindi)(Comedy ) (PG)Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Asin.8:30 PM
SALALAH
Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation (2D) 10:15AM, 5:00, 11:30PM (PG12) Fantastic Four (2D)(PG12) (Action) 12:45, 3:45, 9:45PMThe Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2D)(12+) (Action) 10:15AM, 2:45, 7:30, 9:45, 11:55PM Return to Sender (2D) (12+) (Thriller) Cast: Rosamund Pike, Shiloh Fernandez, Nick Nolte2:00PMThe Nutcracker Sweet (2D)(PG)(Arabic) (Animation) Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Edward Asner, Drake Bell10:30AM, 3:15PMPound of Flesh (2D) (15+) (Action/Thriller) Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Darren12:00, 11:35PMAll Is Well (2D) (PG) (Comedy/Drama) Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Asin 7:30PMBrothers (2D) (12+) (Action/Drama) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Jackie Shroff, Sidharth M12:30PMMadhura Naranga (2D) (PG) (Mal) (Comedy) Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Biju Menon, Parvathy4:45PMKick 2 (2D) (TBC) (Telugu) (Action/Romance) 5:45, 8:35PM
BAHJA CINEMAFilm information 24540856 / Advance Booking
24540855
Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation 2D (Action, Adventure, Thriller) (PG12)Cast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy9.30 pm
CP No: 1953 (PG12)
Return To Sender ( Thriller )
Cast: Rosamund Pike, Nike Nolte
2.00, 4.00 & 11.55 pm
CP No: 2112 ( 12+ )
The Nutcracker Sweet (Animation)
Voice Overs: Alicia Silver stone, Edward
2.00 & 6.00 pm
CP No: 2119 (PG )
Brothers (Hindi )( Thriller )
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Jackie Shrof
6.30 pm
CP No: 2110 (PG)
MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. : (Action /Adventure)
Cast: Alicia Vikander, Henry Cavil
4.00, 7.45, 9.45 & 11.55 p.m.
CP NO: 2121 (12+)
STAR CINEMAFilm information 24791641 / 24786776
Website: www.isurf.co.om
Madura Naranga (Mal) ( Rom/com )
Cast : Kunchako Boban, Biju Menon &
3-45 pm at Cinema-4; 6-30 & 9:30 pm at Cinema
Main
Vasuvum Saravananum ( Tamil ) ( Com )
Cast: Arya, Tamanna & Santhanam
3-30 & 9-30 pm at Cinema -2
All Is Well (Hindi ) ( Com/Drama)
Cast: Abhishek Bachan, Rishi Kapoor & Asin
6-45 & 9-45 pm at Cinema - 3
Kick 2 ( Telugu ) ( Rom/Act) ( From Friday )
Cast : Ravi Teja & Rakul Preet Singh
3-00 pm At Cinema Main 6-45 & 9-45 at Cinema-4
NEXT CHANGE: Thani Oruvan (Tamil) Loham (Mal)
Programmes are subject to change
5:00 , 7:15 PM 6:00 PM 3.30, 9.30 PM
@MGM @SHATTI @SOHAR @RUWI
Self/Less (Mystery,Sci fi)(18+)Cast : Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez, Matthew Goode
10:15AM, 9:45PM & 11:55 PM
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (Action)(12+)Cast : Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer
Madhura Naranga - 2D (M) (PG) Comedy, Cast : Kunchacko Boban, Biju Menon
All Is Well (Drama/ Comedy) – PGCast: Abhishek Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Asin and Supriya Pathak
PRAYER TIMINGS
Dhuhr 12.15pm
Asr 3.42pm
Maghrib 6.39pm
Isha 7.53pm Fajr (Tomorrow) 4.27am
WEATHER
400
Maximum
310
Minimum
TEMPERATURE
30-42%RELATIVE HUMIDITY
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 [email protected]
WITH LOVE
DHANUSHKA August 23, 2014
B. VISHVESHVAR August 23, 2000
Safe-to-eat SpinachS c i e n t i s t s have reported a new, easy-to-implement method to dis-infect green leafy vegetables like spinach to reduce outbreaks of ill-ness. Leafy vegeta-bles are washed by com-mercial processes before they head to the grocery store.
“But these methods, which can include water and bleach rinses or irradiation, are not completely eff ec-tive,” says Nichola Kinsinger from University of California-Riverside.
Scientists have estimated that 99 percent of food-borne ill-nesses from leafy greens can be
traced back to disin-fection issues.
As a result, the team has devel-
oped a differ-ent approach
to attacking the bacteria, most no-
tably E. coli, which is the cause of many outbreaks.
Using a parallel-plate fl ow chamber system that Walker developed, the researchers tested the real-time attachment and detachment of bacteria to the outer layer of spinach leaves.
At low-bleach concentrations, the bacteria fell off the leaves but remained alive. — IANS
F O O D S A F E T Y
LIFESTYLEC11S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
Sahaja Yoga was found-ed in 1970 in India by Dr Nirmala Devi Srivastava to harness the curative power
that resides in every human be-ing in order to provide a holistic, long-term treatment for various illnesses. The principle of the practice is based on awakening dormant primordial energy lo-cated at the base of the spine for the purpose of healing mind, body, and spirit. The daily ten-minute meditation programme is cur-rently practiced in over 100 coun-tries, including Oman, with clini-cally tested results.
More of a meditation tech-nique than exercise or traditional therapy, Sahaja Yoga can be per-
formed by anyone of any age, race or religious background at any time of the day, however, early morning is the best time to take up this meditation. One must fi nd a suitable quiet place and sit down with an intention of quiet-ening the mind. Don’t try to focus on any object, rather just let go and surrender to the inner si-lence. Specifi c gestures are then performed with the hands placed on the head and other parts of the body to channelise the central energy. A 30-minute meditative session brings on an immediate feeling of wellness.
Research studies have con-fi rmed an improvement in physi-cal, mental, and emotional health, and increased stress management,
which is a good preventative meas-ure against cardiovascular diseas-es. Other reported benefi ts have included aiding in the recovery of long-term addictions; improved family and social relationships, enhanced memory, and a greater overall sense of confi dence and contentment.
Once you learn the technique from a trained Sahaja Yogi, it can be performed alone as well as in a group, at home with family mem-bers, or with community members at a meditation centre.
You can join a free weekly prac-tice here in Muscat to explore the technique for yourself.
sahajayogaoman.com+968 9521 6198
ALTERNATIVEMEDICINE
By Hubert Vaz
ASK DR. GERRY
F A M I L Y A D V I C E
Dr Gerry D’Costa has an MD in psychiatry and a special interest in the areas of anxiety, depression, addiction, and children’s psychiatry. He has practiced as a specialised psychiatristat Badr Al Samaa hospital in Ruwi for the last 9 years.Dr D’Costa off ers his advice and professional insightsto the readers of Times of Oman.Send your mental health questions to [email protected]
Dear Dr. Gerry,I’m having a very tough time with my life. I am in my college and good in stud-ies and my mother has great expectations of me. But 2 years ago I met a boy and fell in love with him. My parents have no liking for him, but I am not able to forget him and constantly get dreams of spending my entire life with him. That boy himself is in a relationship and, in spite of that, my heart doesn’t accept this and I still believe that one day he will fall in love with me. Recently, I fared badly in my exams, too. I always had dreams that when I grow up I would do the best for my parents but now I only have dreams of spending my life with that boy who has no feelings for me. Please guide me and tell me what is right for me.— Lily
Dear Lily,You seem to be having a diffi cult time. Life is a journey and at diff erent times, diff erent challenges await us. In young adulthood it’s natural to feel attractions towards the opposite sex. However it’s important to realise that our heart can give us a lot of happiness and a lot of pain. Once we give it to someone, that person has a lot of power over us, to brighten our day or bring tears to our eyes. You’re a young person, there’s a long journey waiting. I would suggest trying to concentrate on your studies should be your fi rst priority because you really don’t want to mess it up. Whatever may come out of your relationship with this boy it’s important to keep your feet on the ground and pay mind to the studies that need to be done and parents that need your love. These are things that you know will be important through-out your life. You need to face reality. The boy is involved with someone else yet you’re hoping that it somehow works out for you? Come out of that fan-tasy world and focus on the tasks at hand, there’s a big, real world out there that needs conquering.— Dr Gerry
Sahaja Yoga
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LIFESTYLEC12 S U N DAY, AU G U S T 2 3, 2 0 1 5
tion for about three breaths, then come down and sit on your heels. Repeat 10 times.
Boat PoseSit tall on your bed, legs extended and hands at both sides. Then lift your feet off the bed with knees bent and shins parallel to the bed. Lean backwards but stay on your seat. Place your hands in line with your shoulders and breathe evenly. Stay for 10 seconds, then release legs. Repeat 10 times.
Hula HoopSpend time playing with a hula hoop for at least 10 minutes, holding the circular motion as long as you can. This not only strengthens your abs, but it also improves overall core strength.
Reverse CurlLie on your back. Bend your knees, bringing them in to your chest. Lift your legs so that your shins are parallel to the ground. Your thighs should be at a 90-de-gree angle to your torso. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
Recline Pull UpPlace a long broom handle across the base of two chairs. Lie on your back below the bar with your knees bent. Then, hold the bar, tighten your abs, and pull your body of the fl oor, trying to touch your chest to the bar. Hold as long as you can. Repeat 5 times.
Hip LiftsLie on your back with your arms by your sides, palms facing down, and legs held at 90 degrees. Then lift your hips off the fl oor using your core muscles, while point-
ing your legs towards the ceiling. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times.
Front BridgeWhen you fi nd it diffi cult to pull yourself out of bed, jumpstart your day by lying on your belly, clenching your fi sts and plac-ing your forearms fi rmly on the bed. Then raise your body to bal-ance it on your arms and toes in a straight line. Hold yourself in this position, then slowly drop back. Repeat 5 times.
Toe DipLie on your back with knees bent at 90-degrees, arms by your sides. Press your shoulders against the fl oor and slide them downwards. Inhale as you lower your toes to-ward the ground, then exhale as you return to starting position. Repeat fi ve times.
Roll UpLying on your back, extend your arms backwards and keep legs straight down. Inhale, bring your arms overhead, and begin to curl your upper body off the fl oor. Then, exhale when halfway up and continue rolling forward to reach your toes. Inhale and lower your body to starting position. Repeat 10 times.
Torso TwistSit cross-legged and stretch your arms out in front with your fi ngertips touching. Breathe in. Breathe out as you slowly rotate your upper body about 45 de-grees to the right. Return to the centre and repeat on your left side. Repeat 10 times.
AT HOME TUMMY TUCK
Workplace anxiety leads to poor job performanceHigh levels of emotional exhaustion that come from workplace anxiety can directly lead to lower job performance, says a study.
The eff ect of workplace anxiety on job performance is closely connected to the quality of relationships between employ-ees, their bosses and their co-workers, said researchers from the University of Toronto-Scarborough.
To reach this conclusion, professors Julie McCarthy and John Trougakos, along with Bonnie Cheng from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, explored the eff ects of workplace anxiety among offi cers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), a national police service.
They found that anxiety can lead to lower job performance.“Workplace anxiety is a serious concern not only for employee
health and well being, but also for an organisation’s bottom-line,” said Trougakos, an expert on organisational behaviour.
Supervisors and co-workers who are empathetic and pro-vide emotional support by listening to their peers go a long way in fostering a positive work environment.
These kinds of strong interpersonal relations are built on high levels of understanding and trust, which allow individual needs to be met. “Our fi ndings highlight the importance of programmes that allow employees to recover, build resilience and develop strong social support networks in the workplace,” she noted.
The research is published in the forthcoming Journal of Applied Psychology.
Chronic skin disorder triggers depression
People with the common skin condi-tion psoriasis may be at increased risk of depression, says a new study.
Psoriasis is a chronic infl ammatory dis-ease that results in thick, red skin with fl aky, silver-white patches called scales which can be itchy for suff erers. The researchers believe that the connection between psoriasis and depression may be linked to the public’s stigmatisation of the disease.
The condition is highly visible on the skin, especially in the summer months when more skin is exposed, and those who are unfamiliar with the disease may react unfavourably to people who have it. “The public should know that psoriasis is not contagious, so there is no need to act diff erently around psoriasis patients than you would around anyone else,” said Roger Ho, assistant professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine. The researchers studied cases of psoriasis and depression in 12,382 adult patients.
While the researchers initially expected that patients’ like-lihood of depression would be linked to the severity of their psoriasis, but his research indicated that this is not the case.
The fi ndings were presented at the American Academy of Dermatology’s ongoing summer academy meeting in New York, US.
Psychopaths will never catch a yawnYawning is contagious in humans we know that but selfi sh and manipulative people will not respond to yawning after spotting someone else yawn, an interest-ing study has revealed.
People with psychopathic characteris-tics - those with anti-social lifestyle and lacking in empathy are less likely to be aff ected by “contagious yawning” than those who are empathetic, according to re-searchers from Texas-based Baylor University.
Yawning after spotting someone else yawn is associated with empathy and bonding. “Catching” yawns happens with many social mammals, among them humans, chimpanzees and dogs. “You may yawn even if you do not have to,” said lead researcher Brian Rundle, doctoral student in psychology and neuroscience.“We all know it and always wonder why. I thought, ‘If it’s true that yawning is related to empathy, I’ll bet that psycho-paths yawn a lot less.’ So I put it to the test,” Rundle added. IANS
H E A L T H N O T E S
If you long to have a fl at tummy but can’t stand the
thought of rigorous gym routines, try adding these
simple exercises to your daily routine. Though there is
no substitute for cardiovascular training when it comes
to shedding pounds, these simple moves will help you
strengthen and tighten up your midsection.
Pike and Extend Lie on your back with your legs extended over your hips and your arms extended overhead. Now crunch up and try to reach your hands toward your feet. Lower your arms and legs slowly to the starting position. Repeat 10 times with both feet, then fi ve times al-ternating between each foot.
Downward-Facing DogCome down on all fours, then move your knees a little behind your hips. Inhale, tuck your toes and then slowly exhale, straight-ening your legs and pushing your hips upwards. Stay in this posi-
W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O MSECTION
CONNECT H E D A I LY G U I D E
D
D4 VACANCY CARGO D8
S U N D AY, A U G U S T 2 3 , 2 0 1 5
RENT D2
*Classifi ed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon
for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability
Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461
FOR RENT
3BR villa, sitting, dining & hall,
Azaiba behind Al Meera H- Market.
Contact: 99259977 / 95033008
1BHK, Darsait, walking distance to
ISM , neat and clean building, ground
fl oor, OMR 260/- per month rent
Call IQRAR on 99076557
4bedroom villa with 3 maid room,
big compound & parking area. Ideal
for kindergarten or expat tenants
residency. Contact:24566217 /
24564686
Offi ce & retail space available -
Alasfoor Plaza, Qurum.
Contact: 24566217 / 24564686
1BHK in Darsait, RO 220.
Contact: 99342661
2BHK in Ghubra South 330 R.O
with A/C. Contact: 99342661
2 BHK close to Indian School
Kindergarten Wadikabir RO 320.
Contact: 99476728 / 98484415
2 BHK pent-house having very spa-
cious balcony with sea & city view
RO 325 and 1BHK RO 240, adjacent
to Indian Nursery Darsait.
Contact : 99476728 / 98484415
Nice 1BHK penthouse, 2 bathrooms,
big terrace in CBD/MBD, OMR 250.
Should purchase ACs.
Contact: 99283938
1bedroom attached toilet, kitchen,
family in Al Khuwair RO 140.
Contact: 95154331
Flats in Al Khuwair 33 &
Wadi Al Kabir. Contact: 92800007
Showroom for rent at prime
location, Ruwi. Contact 94151791
Full fl edge workshop/warehouse &
yard with tools for rent/sales. Also
5 nos. Volvo/ Mercedes/ Man/Put-
smiester concrete pump 2004/2005
model for sale. Contact 93681107 /
96051565
4 bedrooms villa with 2 halls, 4
bathrooms in Darsait, behind Khimji
Mart. Contact 92584715 / 24700120
Flat for rent in Amerat.
Contact 99209264
Flat in Al Khuwair 3 rooms + Majlis
ground fl oor. Contact: 99242119
D2 S U N D AY, A U G U S T 2 3 , 2 0 1 5
DAILY GUIDE
Brand new 2 BHK fl ats/offi ces for
rent behind Honda Road.
Contact 91165807
1BHK R.O 185 + 2BHK R.O 230 before
Medical Darsait, Muttrah House.
Contact: 98748925
840 sqr mtrs Store & Staff accom-
modation for Rent in Misfah.
Contact 99792181
Flat for rent near Al Nahdha Hospi-
tal in Hamriya. Contact: 97380548 /
99680499
3 bedroom fl at with 3 attached toi-
lets, split A/C, brand Kims Hospital.
Contact: 95225662
1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in
Misfah Industrial area near to
Khanco. OMR 1,500 Monthly. It has
Electricity and boundary wall. Tel:
99333479 or 95215360
1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK new fl at available
at Mabela in front of Modern English
School Contact: 96239126
A fl at for rent in Al Khuwair 33, 2
rooms and sitting room and all the
necessary things. Contact:92277419
2BHK with A/Cs Muttrah, near
Oman House. Contact: 95915154
3 BHK, 3 bathrooms, 2 balcony,
nr. Al Hassan W/Kabir RO 330/-.
Contact :99384640
Villa for rent in Al Khuwair 33, 8
bedrooms, 5 bathrooms with parking
area near Taimur Mosque.
Contact 99366624
3 Bedroom fl at with 3 attached
toilets, split A/C, brand new available,
behind Kims Hospital.
Contact 95225662
2 BHK villa for rent in Azaiba, near
Sultan Centre. Contact 99792181
Flats shops & stores for rent at
Al Amerat. Contact: 96278724
Villa 2 bedrooms + hall + sitting
room in Al Hail South R.O 300/-
Monthly. Contact: 93993354
I BHK Flat -4 Nos at Hamriya – R.O.
200/- . 2 BHK - 2 Nos / 1 BHK- 2 Nos,
at Wattayya R/A near the mosque- for
Families. Contact 96457757 -
9 am to 7 Pm.
Shop at Azaiba. Contact 99024730
Fully furnished 2 bedroom luxury
fl at for rent at Ghala for short or
long term basis.
Contact 91786526 / 99881653
1 & two bedroom fl ats available for
rent in wadi-kabir (opp: pencil bldg),
ideal for company staff / families -
bulk corporate deal possible.
Contact 97677170
1 BHK, 2 BHK & shop at Wadi Kabir.
Contact 99024730
2 BHK, 3BHK at Qurum.
Contact 99024730
1 BHK Flat in Honda Road (Ruwi).
Contact 99792181
3BHK Flats & 6BHK Villa in Azaibah.
Contact : 96775026
250 sq mtrs restaurant for rent in
Plaza Hotel, Walja Ruwi.
Contact 99326339
1 BR fl at at Darsait, near ISM.
Contact 99237971 / 99320633
2 B/R res./comm. Flat directly from
owner near Oman Medical College
Bausher. Contact 92158031
Readymade offi ce space for rent
(100sm) in Bank Melli Iran building,
MBA area Ruwi opposite Center
Point. Contact: 99011352
Furnished room for rent at
Al Khuwair R.O 225/- for family only.
Contact: 99251975
Flats for rent in Al Khuwair, Al hail,
Wadi Kabir, Al Falaj, MBD, and Mut-
trah. Contact: 99119699 / 95250300
/ 24813002
Flat 2bedrooms+majlis in Ghubra.
Contact:99242119
4 bedrooms villa with 2 halls, 4
bathrooms in Darsait behind Khimjis
mart. Contact: 24700120 / 92584715
Single & double bedroom with
toilets at Ghala Industrial area, Coco
cola road (for family/ Exec bach-
elors). Interested parties contact on
92854747
5 BHK villa for Rent in Azaiba near
Sultan Centre. Contact 99792181
40,000 Sqr mtrs Open Land for Rent
in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99792181
Flat for rent 2BR at Wadi Adai.
Contact 94643380
Spacious 2 BR fl at in MBD.
Contact 99713489
Fully furnished 3 BHK accommo-
dation with all spacious rooms in a
villa at Darsait near ISD.
Contact: 9526 5289 / 9604 8422
DAILY GUIDES U N D AY, A U G U S T 2 3 , 2 0 1 5 D3
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
MOTOR VEHICLE FOR SALE
Company maintained cars & fur-
niture for sale. Toyota Yaris, 2009
model RO 1800/-, Mazda 6 model
2009 RO 2300/-. Contact 24636655
/ 24636666
Toyota Camry 2006, new tyre & new
engine, very good condition, location
Sohar. Contact 91110270
Jaguar 2004, X-type Expat driven
dealer maintained 1,66,000 km,
RO 1900, immediate sale.
Contact 99370565 / 97097545
Prado ,2012. Contact : 99336093
PAJERO 2015 km1400.
Contact 99336093
Mazda 3,1.6, 2008 Automatic,
accident free, single owner.
Contact: 92030516
Hummer H3,2006, Expat driven
dealer maintained 1,70,000 km,
RO 3900, immediate sale.
Contact 99370565 / 97097545
Honda Accord, 2010, No. 1, 105000
kms, expat lady driven, dealer
maintained, silver, expected price
RO 4700/-. Contact 99330509
Land Cruiser 2012.Contact
99336093
Sportage, 2013. Contact
99336093
AVAILABLE
ACC. AVAILABLE
FOR EXPATS
Fully furnished room with attached
bath for Executive bachelor, behind
Al Meera Hypermarket, Azaiba,
RO 150/-. Contact 99455735
Single room with separate bathroom
available near Divine Restaurant,
Ruwi. Contact 95149047 / 96567139
Semi furnished 2 BHK sharing in
Al Khuwair. Contact 92888337
Semi furnished 2 BHK in
Al Khuwair. Contact 92888337
Furnished sharing room with shar-
ing kitchen for Executive bachelor
or small family near Mars Hyper
market Ghubrah. Contact: 98472758
1 bedroom, hall, kitchen & toilet
available for family near ISD Darsait
(Indians only) with wi-fi facility.
RO 150/- per month + Electricity &
Water. Contact 93661570
Furnished room for rent at
Al Khuwair RO 225/- for family only.
Contact 99251975
Furnished master room Ruwi.
Contact : 99794399
Party & Wedding equipment rentals.
Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting,
Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crock-
ery, Glassware, Chafi ng 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: [email protected]
1 & 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair.
Contact 99792181
1 BHK, 2 BHK at Al Khuwair.
Contact 99024730
2BHK & 1BHK fl ats available
in Darsait. Contact : 99357586 /
97500025
3 BHK Flat in Azaiba.
Contact 99792181
Flats for rent at Darsait near to
Ministry of Sports.
Interested candidates please
Contact : 00968-92225523
House for rent in Sidab at
reasonable rent. Contact: 95555162
/ 95755953
SELL/BUY
Used furniture & Electronic items, offi ce & house. Contact: 99834373 /
96642500
From owner plot of land near
Zanzibar, airport price RO 15000.
Contact 99348943
Used supermarket Gandola
Shelving RO 40.00 per meter.
Contact 96441670
Marshal 1.5 ton A/C, Chest of draw-
ers, sofa set, Nikai AC 1.5 ton, Raha
Mattresses, fridge, cooking range,
cot 3 nos, dining table with chairs,
wardrobe, Samsung washing ma-
chine RO 950/-. Contact 24636655
/ 24636666
Running laundry CBD.
Contact 92841089 / 92868123
Newly built twin villa in Al Ansab
Phase 3 for rent or sale, each villa
consist of 5 bedrooms, 6 toilets,
drawing, dining, kitchen outside,
maid room with kitchen.
Contact 96917566
Used Fabrication machinery for
sale : Fabrication machinery and
tools in excellent condition for im-
mediate sale. Contact 94652485/
99273774/ 99202278
Shop for sale in Qurum.
Contact 96964767
Restaurant for-sale Very good
location, Al khuwayer, 300+sqm,
Equipped big kitchen (+bakery),
many parking, separate entrance.
OMR50,000 Call 99788291
Shrimps & prawns fi llet fi sh avail-
able wholesale & retail.
Contact 97990974
2,560 sq mtrs industrial land in
Wadi Kabir main road, First line on
way to Al Bustan hotel. Possible to
make petrol station or hotel. OMR
990 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or
95215360
Forklift sale. Contact: 99763831
Shop for sale in Ruwi High street,
Contact 96078411
Wall papers, grass carpets sale
& fi xing. Contact: 99834373 /
96642500
60,000 Sq Mtrs Agriculture Land in
Misfah, can be changed to Industrial
Land. OMR 29 Per Square Meter.
Tel: 99333479 or 95215360
5 Flats of 1 bedroom for Sale in
Boushar: OMR 35 Thousand each.
Monthly income OMR 270
Tel: 99333479 or 95215360
23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land
with water well in Al Salwa, Barka.
OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479
or 95215360
Permoglaze paint mixer (tinting
machine) – 6 months old – in good
condition for sale in Rustaq.
interested parties may pls call
93223382 / 99874936.
3 fl oor commercial building in
Muttrah behind Police. Generating
income of OMR 18 Thousand annu-
ally. Neat and well maintained. Built
on 197 sq mtrs land. 2 tailor shops
on ground fl oor and 6 fl ats. OMR
207 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or
95215360
400 sq mtrs Commercial/Resi-
dential land in Maabela Phase 5
Block 2. OMR 140 Thousand. Tel:
99333479 or 95215360
Restaurant for sale, Kadra Suwaiq.
Contact 97433012
A well settled/ well equipped ladies
beauty parlor in running position
located in Ghubra for sale. Contact
immediately on 97498898
FOR HIRE
Prime mover, 98, 4 wheel on hire.
Contact 95120774
Volvo 12 Ton Truck for monthly
rent. Contact: 98713900
4 & 5 BHK villa for rent in
Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181
3 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair 33.
Contact 99792181
1 Villa & 3 big Flats of 2/3 BHK with
hall, Kitchen & ACs Al Khoudh 6,
Close to express way, from owner.
Tel 97600322
Email: [email protected]
Flats for rent near Indian School in
Wadi Kabir. Contact 99777122
For rent if require fl ats for rent in
Wadi Kabir please send me mes-
sages through Whatsapp.
Contact: 99376454
1 &2 BHK fl ats for rent at Wadi Kabir,
Wadi Adai, Hamriya and Al Khoud
areas, shop for rent at Wadi Adai
Round about. Contact: 24834644,
GSM 93994401 /02/03 lines
3 Bedroom fl at in Wadi Kabeer and
2 bedroom villa in Sidab- Muscat.
Contact: 95755953
1bedroom in Al Hail South RO 150/-
monthly. Contact: 93993354
Fabulous AC fl at at Al Khoud 3 bed-
rooms, hall and kitchen RO 270/-
for rent. Contact: 99334699
4 BHK single villa in Al Khuwair.
Contact: 97616158
BHK Flat in Azaiba. Contact 99385835 / 99428143
600 sqr mtrs showroom in Wadi
Kabir. Contact: 99792181
Flat for rent with AC in Wadi Kabir.
Contact: 95555162 /95755953
Flat for rent in Mabellah 8th.
Contact: 97147240
Brand new villa Bosher 37, 4 BHK.
Contact: 91936034
Bath attached room for rent
Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569 Contd on Pg 6
Spacious 2BHK Flat with Split
A/c’s behind Sultan Center, Azaiba –
RO.425/- p.m. Contact: 99824803 /
99849325
2 fl ats single bedroom available in
Wadi Kabir, RO 100/- including Elec-
tricity & water. Contact 99441798
5 fl ats single bedroom available,
including Electricity & water RO 75/-
in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99441798
Shop/ offi ce, near Khimji H.O.
Muttrah. Contact 99233116
2 BHK near Khimji H.O. Muttrah.
Contact 99233116
2BK Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti
Mosque. Contact 97007934 /
92629232
Brand new bldg in Walja 1 BHK, 2
BHK & shops. Contact 98218279
2 rooms, 2 toilets, kitchen in Al
Ansab. Contact 94229023
Basement available in MBD, Ruwi.
Contact 99713489
Flat for rent in Wadi Kabir near
Indian Primary School 2 B & 1K.
Contact 92222922
Pent house for rent 1 sitting, 1
bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 1 kitchen
RO 225/-, location Al Khuwair, near
DHL Courier. Contact 95620900 /
92976722
Brand new fl at 2 bedrooms with
1 Majlis, 3 bathrooms, kitchen in
South Ghubra behind Oman oil RO
350/-. Contact 95367767
3 bedrooms villa excellent area at
Mobilah. Contact 99879872
3BHK, 3 bathrooms, 2 balconies,
nr Al Hassan Wadi Kabir RO 325/-.
Contact 99384640
ACC. AVAILABLE
Furnished room in new building for
working Muslim lady/muslim couple
only. Location: AINT, Darsait
Contact 99008069
Room for bachelor couples, Ruwi,
Mumtaz on main road. Ruwi
tower 80/100. Contact :95084850/
92230581
One room in a fl at for Indian
Exe - bachelor near Al Khuwair.
Contact: 99659513
Room attached bath & kitchen
Executive bachelor or couple, opp.
Khimji Mart Muttrah.
Contact 97477670
Single rooms with attached bath
available at Ruwi.
Contact 98049288 / 93431089
Furnished room available in Ruwi.
Contact 92435784
Large room with separate entrance,
furnished at Wadi Kabir.
Contact 99336206
Independent rooms in Qurum /
AL Hail. Contact 95529970
Single room with attached bath-
room for an Executive bachelor at
Rex road Ruwi. Contact: 99535300
Furnished room with attached bath
separate entrance in Mabela.
Contact :99634841
Sharing accommodation in CBD
area for non cooking Executive
bachelors, wifi free, advance deposit.
Contact 91852710
Sharing accommodation available
for working lady or couples near
Ruwi Church. Contact: 92837206
Room for rent with sharing
bathroom & kitchen at Al Khuwair,
behind Golden Spoon Restaurant.
Contact 92994415
Furnished room for Indian Bachelor
in Al Falaj area (Ruwi) & Lady in
Wadi Kabir (near Al Maya).
Contact 96761960
DAILY GUIDED4 S U N D AY, A U G U S T 2 3 , 2 0 1 5
SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION VACANT
Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461
DOMESTIC HELPER
ENGINEER
EDUCATION
SKILLED / UNSKILLED
ACCOUNTANT
BEAUTY
Housemaid required, part time, preferably Keralite for looking after
2 yr old child at Jibroo.
Contact 98162545
Urgently looking for an Expatriate House Boy with Cooking knowledge
and experience.
Contact Immediately: 99460564
Require qualify caregiver for an
orderly mother. Contact 99425200
Urgently required Junior Accountant. Please send CV:
DRIVER
ACCOUNT. & FINANCE
Required experienced Hairdressers / full beauticians with
exp in Ghubrah. Contact:97964519 /
94241385
Required HAIR DRESSERS / FULL BEAUTICIANS with Gulf experience.
Contact 96180078.
DRIVER
ADMIN
BEAUTICIAN
Experienced Expat Driver with
valid Oman driving license required
immediately for an Omani family in
MSQ. Contact 24607772 / 99054998
H.V. Driver for trailer. Contact 92131483
Driver heavy duty required urgent-ly for trailer. Oman / GCC experience
must. Those ready for immediate
joining. Contact: 99310859
MEDICAL
MEDICAL
MISCELLANEOUS
A private school located at
Al Mawaleh Seeb looking for an
English Teacher. Contact 98982088
Required female Science & IT Teachers from Pakistan, 4 grade
near Ibra. Contact 95810797
A well known private school require English, Mathematics, Science, Physics & Computer Teacher. Email : staffi [email protected],
ph: 96910649
Accomplished Sales/Business Development Executives & Lady Telemarketing Executives for lead-
ing digital media company. Send CV
A reputed printing & advertising fi rm in muscat urgently requires
male / female sales executives
Contact : 99619552 ,
email : [email protected]
Required urgently Energetic Marketing executive for acquiring
new customers. Should possess a
Valid Omani DL. Contact 96545020.
An excellent grade company wishes to recruit for the post of
Marketing Executive for science
products. Male candidates only,
preferred candidates with bachelors
degree in life sciences. Interested
candidates may send their CV’s to
Email : [email protected]
Looking for Outdoor Salesman for
heavy equipment spare parts.
Contact - 93292015,
Email: [email protected]
Sales Executive Industrial products
: 2-3 yrs of exp. with good commu-
nication & computer skills. D/L is
must. Send resume to
Accomplished Sales Executives/Telemarketing Executives for
leading Digital Media Enterprise.
Furniture fi eld experienced Salesman with license.
Contact - 99345159, 91398378 ,
E-Mail - [email protected]
Urgently required outdoor sales-man for building material, shop.
Contact 99867456 / 24501882
A logistics company wishes to
recruit experienced Marketing Executives for its clearing &
forwarding division. Interested
candidates may send their CV’s at
Email : [email protected]
Urgently require Indian male/
female Medical sales representative for Cosmetic Company. Email CV to
Salesman & Merchandisers urgently required for a reputed
FMCG Company engaged in manu-
facturing & trading in Oman. Candi-
date must have minimum
1-2 yrs experience in the similar
fi eld & valid Oman driving license.
Interested candidates may send
their CV to [email protected]
Required Smart, dynamic Sales & A reputed company in Muscat re-quires Sales Executive to promote
Oil engine products. Candidate must
have 2- 5 yrs experience in the re-
lated fi eld, with GCC driving license.
Send CV with expected salary at
Indian male 2+yrs oman exp in HR.
joing immediatly. release available.
Contact :93671437
14 years of Gulf experience in HR /
Admin & logistics fl uent in Arabic /
English with D/L looking for suitable
position. Contact: 95824598
Purchase, Admin, Indian male, 15
yrs Gulf experience.
Contact 95435370
Indian female MBA, 3 Year Experi-
ence in Admin MIS , Family Visa.
Contact 98234427,
An Indian lady, MBA in HR &
marketing with 4 yrs experience in
teaching, seeking suitable place-
ment. Contact 91108766 / 97447825
8 yrs exp in Admin & Accounts
(3 yrs in Oman), MBA, Indian female,
seeks placement. Contact 97243806
Oman/Qatar experienced Indian
lady available for immediate place-
ment HR / Admin/ front offi ce/
reception/document controller/
insurance coordinator.
Contact : 0097470057238
Indian 16 yrs exp in admin, Offi ce
management and have knowledge in
accounting looking for job. Release
available and have D/L.
Contact: 99573353
Chartered CIPD HR Professional
having 5 years of experience in
Oman seeking suitable job.
Call +971552071501.
Indian male having 17 yrs experi-
ence in Logistics, Purchase, payroll
processing & offi ce Admin, UAE D/L
seeks suitable position, valid visa till
24th August’15. . Contact 91219303
Purchase, Admin, Indian male,
15 yrs Gulf experience.
Contact: 95435370
HSE Admin experience for 10 years
in GCC with valid D/L seeking to
join a reputed fi rm. NOC available.
Contact: 99626821
Indian female, 29 yrs, MBA (HR)
4 yrs exp in HR & Admin seek-
ing suitable placement. Contact:
95619537
Master degree HRM professional
having excellent experience in fi -
nance and management and having
8 yrs experience looking for suitable
placement. Contact: 92955453 /
91213269
Urgently required for a Medical Centre GP doctor, Gynecologist, Male Nurse, female Nurses, Assis-tant Pharmacist with MOH license,
salary negotiable. Send your CV:
Contact 92681842
Urgently Required Experienced GP Doctor, Gynecologist, Female Nurses with MOH license & NOC for
a reputed specialized center based
in Muscat. Please forward your CV to
A private clinic in Oman requires a Staff Nurse & Lab Technician with
MOH license or prometric passed
(Indian female preferably) salary
negotiable. Interested candidates
kindly mail their resumes / CV with
contact details :
medicalclinic2014@gmail. Com
or call 00968 99049381
Wanted GP Doctor for clinic.
Ph 98115439
SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED
SITUATION WANT-
EDSIT. WANTED
K.Design LLC requires “2d & 3d Draftsman” with minimum 3 yrs
experience. Send CV to
Leading Civil construction com-pany requires “MEP DRAFTSMAN”
with 4-6 years gulf experience. Send
your CV to mep.oman2015@gmail.
com. (NOC required).
DRAFTSMAN
IT
Chinese/ Arab/ continental cook & helper wanted. Contact 95529970
A fast growing chain of omani
fusion restaurants in Muscat is look-
ing to hire experienced waiters and chefs (2 yrs exp).Applicants should
have NOCs if applicable.
Forward resume
Indian Cook required. Should know
Omani traditional foods.
Contact 99209264
CATERING
Leading IT Company in search of
computer professionals with hands
on experience in PC & laptop repair.
Send CV to
Indian male, 31 years, looking for
job IT/marketing. Experience 7 years
(Microsoft certifi cate) with Hardware
& networking. Contact no: 95693351,
Email: [email protected]
SALES / MARKETING
SALES / MARKETING
Business intelligence / Global Mar-keting management specialist with
9 years of experience developing
brand value & managing overall pro-
jects to achieve business objectives
seeking suitable position on family
visit. Contact: 91902154
Required Marketing Executive. Contact 24816774 / 99020458
Beautician from India looking for
job. Contact 93554741
Required Foreman (MEP) with 4
to 5 Years experience, for main-
tenance of Building, Having valid
Omani Driving License.
Contact 94422083
Wanted Civil Engineer with 7 yrs
and above experience. Email :
Automatic block factory requires qualifi ed Engineer (Electrome-
chanical) degree & diploma to
operate new stationary block
factory. Contact 97092070,
email : [email protected]
Urgently required for leading
company: Civil Engineer : 8 yrs experience, Planning Engineer : 8 yrs experience, Surveyor : 8 yrs experience, Draftsman & AutoCAD : 5 yrs experience. Fax: 24478522,
email : [email protected]
Civil construction company looking for fresh Civil Engineering degree holders. Send CV:
Smartphone Technician Required
GSM: 99110080/9669066
A grade Civil construction com-pany in Muscat urgently requires
the following person with minimum
3 yrs experience : 1) Electrical Engineer 2) AutoCAD Draughtsman 3) Purchaser.Send CV to [email protected]
MEP Engineer on urgent basis
required for immediate placement.
Please contact [email protected]
Filipino, 29 years, Male, BS Com-
merce major in Financial Account-
ing, 5years experience: Accounts
PAYABLE/RECEIVABLE/PAYROLL,
Excellent Communication/MS
Offi ce/Accounting Software skills.
Contact: 95057206/
Finance Manager, 22 yrs Oman
experience. NOC available. Contact
91302906 / 91335205
Indian male MBA Graduate 24 yrs, 1
yr. experienced Accountant seeking
suitable job. Contact: 94083260-
7 yrs experience as Store keeper
in Pakistan, 2 yrs experience as
Accounts Assistant, B.Com from
Karachi University, MS Offi ce,
operating system 98,2000, XP
professional Windows 7, Internet.
Contact 91235746
Certifi ed Public Accountant, Filipino Male 26 years, Bachelor
of Science in Accountancy with
5 yrs. of experience now on visit
visa, Looking for suitable opening.
Contact: +968 91409308 Email:
Female (Filipina) Accountant, Audit,
Finance, Bookkeeper, 15 yrs experi-
ence, on tourist visa, looking for suit-
able placement, contact: 96944976,
email: [email protected]
Accounts fi nance Indian male 35
yrs B.Com, M.B.A tally exp 9.7 yrs
exp 1.5 yr Oman family visa N.O.C
available. Contact : 93257426.
Email: [email protected]
Part time accountant services
available. Contact:93438100
Part Time Accounting, Accounts
Finalization, Audit Preparation,
Internal Audit, Monthly Profi tabil-
ity Reports, Onsite Tally Training,
Contact : 96975454,
email :[email protected]
Chief Financial Offi cer 16 yrs of
Management exp with MNCs in Pa-
kistan, expert in fi nancial reporting
sap/oracle implementing & optimi-
zation, Treasury, taxation, team work
and change Management.
Contact: 91936637/
Email : [email protected]
M.com, female, good knowledge
in computer & tally 1 yr experience
in Sales & Accounts seeks suitable
placement. Contact 99363721
Indian male, B.Com Diploma in
offi ce Automation, pursuing ICWA
having 6 yrs (India, Oman) exp in
Accounts, Audit Finance seeks suit-
able positions. Familiar with tally,
ERP & focus. NOC available
Contact : 94706954.
E mail:[email protected]
Indian 24 years MBA fi nance
2 years experience seeking suitable
placement. Contact: 98222753
Email - [email protected]
Finance/ Audit professional with 18
yrs Gulf experience can work inde-
pendently or head the division look-
ing for opening. Contact 92787747 /
92168401.
Management fi nance professional,
36 yrs experience, 20 yrs in Oman
with oil & gas & mining companies
can work independently or head
the division, Sudanese Nationality.
Contact 98531303
Fresh Graduate B.Com with CIMA .
U. K. (Partly Qualifi ed ) looking for a
suitable position in the Middle east.
Contact 9470 5767
Indian male, MBA, 27 yrs, 2 yrs exp.
in Oman in Accounts upto fi naliza-
tion of accounts, seeks suitable
placement. Contact 91208799,
Indian male,, MBA, Finance, 10
yrs exp as Branch Supervisor in a
reputed logistics company in Oman
with an overall experience of 21 yrs
in fi nance & logistics, with valid
Oman D/L, on visit looks for suit-
able placement. Contact 96567151,
FMCG professional with 18 yrs Gulf
experience in commercial / opera-
tions looking for opening.
Contact 92787747 / 92168401
Senior Document Controller, male,
Indian, MCA 9+ yrs experience as
Document controller in oil & gas
sector seeks job as Senior Document
controller. Contact 95388197, Email :
Part time accountant services avail-
able to handle all accounts related
work up to fi nalization.
Contact 96247295
Driver with car. Contact 91452930
Light Duty Driver with 2 yrs exp. in
Oman. Contact 96420742
Urgently required for an Insurance broker (preference will be given to
Nationals) General Manager, Accountant, Marketing Manager, Marketing Executives & underwriter. Send your CV’s to
Established real estate company looking for male or female property agents for leasing and sales of the
property. Applicant must be Graduate,
possess Omani or GCC driving license.
Having oman market experience.
Apply with NOC. Attractive salary
+commission. Send your CV:
property@ labdmarkmuscat.com
Required Salesman, Tailor & Barber. Contact 96964767
Wanted Diesel Mechanics, foreman for cement block factory, JCB & forklift operators. Salesman for
block factory, experienced salesman
for logistics, labors for block factory.
Email : [email protected],
Contact 94007259
C.C.T.V camera technician, Electri-cian & plumber, Driver, Mason. Contact: 99383044
Looking for a foreign staff with ex-
perience in Oman in real estate & real
estate valuation. Contact 99109094,
email : [email protected]
Required Indian or Pakistani calligrapher & Painter (staff accommodation)
Contact# 24480487/24483493
Rig Operator/Technician/Driver/Security Positions in Musandam.
Must have Oil fi eld experience
Good Communication Skills. Please
email your resume in Arabic and
English to [email protected]
Interior design & fi t-out company
based on Muscat Grand Mall looking
for : (part/Fulltime) Project manager , Site Engineer , Site Supervisor CVs to be sent to :
INTERIOR DECORATING
Medical CARE Centre, Multi Speciality Clinic, Seeb, requires Gynecologist to work on Freelance
(Profi t Sharing) basis. Interested
candidates call- 97884856
Wanted Dental Technician (5-8) yrs experience. Good knowledge in
computer applications, preferably
with CAD/CAM system. Mail your
CV to [email protected]
Wanted female Nurse for clinic in
South Sharkiya. Contact 94783831,
Immediately required lady Doctor (DGO) or GP with Gynecology experi-ence & lab technician. #99310590.
Email : [email protected]
ACCOUNT. & FINANCE
Indian female B.Tech (EEE) MBA
fi nance with 1and half years experi-
ence as Bank Offi cer in India seeking
suitable placement.
Contact: 91358676 / 98157895
Email: [email protected]
An Indian Lady Chartered Accountant with fi ve years experi-
ence (including articleship), on family
visa in Oman looking for a suitable
job. Contact 9621 0347 / 9943 5346,
Jordanian Accountant (ACPA)
with more than 15 yrs experience
in Oman (Accounts, Purchase &
fi nance). Contact: 92881223
Email: [email protected]
Motivated and energetic male 25
having 4 years of experience in
fi nance with Master’s degree in Eco-
nomics and CAT Certifi ed seeking
opportunity in Accounts/fi nance/
audit in a reputable organization.
Cell no: 00968-94626209
E-Mail: [email protected]
Indian Female Chartered Account-
ant [ACCA] looking for suitable
placement. Contact: 99342077
Indian male, 10 yrs experience, 6
yrs in Oman, with Oman driving li-
cense, having NOC, seeking suitable
job. Contact 96012973
Accountant, Indian male, B.Com,
PGDSE with 12 yrs of experience cur-
rently on visiting visa seeks suitable
placement. Contact 92750853,
email : [email protected]
12 yrs of Oman experienced Chief
Accountant looking for immediate
placement. Contact 99513082
ENGG. / TECHNICAL
ENGG. / TECHNICAL
ENGG. / TECHNICAL
ENGG. / TECHNICAL
DAILY GUIDES U N D AY, A U G U S T 2 3 , 2 0 1 5 D5
SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED
DOMESTIC HELPER
MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR
PROJECTS
M.Sc Microbiologist, Indian female,
3 yrs experience seeking suitable
placement in Medical Lab food or
water. Contact 92302719
SALES / MARKETING
EDUCATION
IT
MEDICAL
MEDICAL
DRIVER
Indian female MCA,24 years seek-
ing suitable job. Contact 93439467
Indian female, B.Tech, IT (now in
Muscat on visit visa) with total
2 yrs experience (1.3 yrs in TCS,
India) seeks suitable placement.
Contact 93949541 / 93738083,
email : [email protected]
B.E (Computer) degree Engineer, complete schooling in Muscat, male,
Indian with 1 yr experience needs
job in software / networking / Java/
Web design or Marketing.
Contact 97136248 / 99313821
Sudanese female IT Tech. Support,
Demographic, English fl uent exp.
11.6 yrs. Contact: 96659392
Indian (f) with 7 yrs exp in software
development (2.5 yrs Oman exp)
good knowledge in .net and MSSQL
Server seeks suitable placement.
Contact : 93276784
email: [email protected]
Indian visit visa, Network / System
Engineer switches, routers, servers,
load balancers 5 yrs of exp holds B.E
(ECE), CCNA looking for good op-
portunity. Contact: 91911792
Email: [email protected]
MISCELLANEOUS
DRAUGHTSMAN
HOSPITALITY
Dynamic professional in consumer
business/ sales with over 20 yrs
of experience in Oman fi eld, FMCG
consumer electronics consumer tel-
ecom looking for suitable placement.
NOC available. Contact 99360975 /
99049536.
Sales and marketing - male 27 yrs,
2 years experience seeking suitable
placement with Oman D/L.
Contact: 95642740
Email: [email protected]
Indian male Post graduate 6+ yrs of
experience in credit controller mar-
keting looking for suitable job, valid
Oman driving license, own car. NOC
available. Contact 95327018
Indian male, MBA, Marketing
having 5 yrs experience in Sales/
Marketing in Oman seeks suitable
placement. D/L & NOC available.
Contact 93815477
Indian male 27 yrs, Diploma, 3 yrs
exp in Oman in Sales & Supervi-
sor, Oman driving license holder,
looking for suitable placements.noc
available. Contact 93725995
Marketing/Sales, having work
experience of 6 years in the hotel
sales and tour operations seeking
for immediate job placement.
Contact 98078305
Indian male, 30 yrs, 6 yrs Oman
exp. outdoor supplier & sales with
D/L. Contact 93100297 / 92547440
Indian male Graduate with 2 yrs
exp in sales advertising, presently
on visiting visa looking for suitable
opening. Contact: 95462921
Male, 29 yrs, MBA, Marketing
having 9 yrs experience in Sales,
Marketing, customer services seeks
job. Contact 98163254, Email :
Graduate, Indian male, 39 yrs, GCC
experienced 9 yrs in Sales logistics
with D/L. Contact 98826959
Indian male, Graduate with 18 yrs
experience in Sales & Marketing 3
yrs in UAE currently on visit visa,
seeks suitable placement.
Contact 91996486 / 99732070
Indian BE (Mech) Engineer hav-
ing P.G diploma in oil &gas piping
and level two NDT seeks immedi-
ate placement in any industry at
present on visit visa.
Contact: 92013757/ 99774956
Indian job in procurement & con-
tract have “13” years purchase &
contract experience in infrastructure
& energy sector. NOC is available.
Contact-91237036
Instrumentation Engineer, nearly
4 yrs experience in oil &
gas industry, seeks job in Oman.
Contact 90198210,
Email : [email protected]
Indian male 31yrs BE. Mech. 8 yrs
exp Sales & marketing. Valid D/L
NOC available. Contact : 97116858
Indian male, B.Tech, Mechanical En-
gineer having 2 yrs experience seek-
ing suitable job. Contact 94768977,
Indian Male, 24, UK Graduate - MSc
(Eng.) Environmental Engineering
and Project Management with B.Eng.
Biotechnology. Holding Valid Omani
Driving License, looking for suitable
placement. Contact +968 99452305
Civil Engineer Pakistani 12+ 2 yrs
Oman exp. Oman D/L seeks place-
ment. Contact: 94392616
Mechanical Engineer, 23 yrs, male,
having knowledge in HVAC seeks
suitable placement.
Contact 95434381, Email :
Sudanese Electrical Engineer.
Email : mohamedkarrar.mk@gmail.
com, contact 97452159
Diploma holder in Aviation Hospital-
ity & travel management, Indian male
seeking for suitable position, pres-
ently in Oman. Contact 97309707
4 Years experienced (Money
exchange services & Hospitality
services in Oman & India) - Indian
male 27 years, graduate in Hospital-
ity science, fl uent in English, Hindi
& Arabic seeks suitable placement.
Contact 91383167
17 yrs Oman experienced MEP/
Civil Senior Draftsman /
Designer seeking placement.
Contact 93130104,
Email : [email protected]
Draftsman (2D/3D) 3 yrs exp in
Oman with light Oman driving
license. Contact:95962384
NETWORK/NETWORK SECURITY ENGG. Graduate in B.Tech CS. Have 5.3
years of experience in Network and
Security devices. Certifi ed on CCNA,
CCNP, MCITP and CCIE Sec. Written
passed. NOC available. Can join imme-
diately. Contact +974-55297089,
e-mail: [email protected]
BE Mechanical Engineer, 22 yrs,
Indian male on permanent visa &
valid driving license looking for suit-
able job in Oman. Contact 91652927
/ 99680181,
Email : [email protected]
Bangladeshi male, BSC Engg in
Civil, total 3 years experience, 2
years in Oman, looking for job.
Contact: 00968 94038642 ;
email: [email protected]
Pakistani male, Diploma in civil,
total 6 years experience , 4 years in
Oman, with valid D/L, looking for job.
Contact: +968 98568934;
Emai: [email protected]
Indian male, 15 yrs experience in
GCC looking for HSE job, NOC, local
transfer available.
Contact 93099578, Email :
Indian male, 29 yrs, BE Electronics
& Communication Engg (5 yrs exp. in
Oman) with valid D/L.
Contact 96652145
Civil Engineer BSc -7 years experi-
ence with constructions companies
- 2 years in Oman - qualifi ed as a
project Engineer- Fluent in Arabic &
English - Contact 98078095
Civil Engineer Indian male 10 yrs
exp having Omani D/L looking
for suitable placement. Contact:
94194399 ([email protected])
Indian male, 30 yrs, Diploma in Civil
Engineer, 5 yrs exp. at building con-
struction & consulting company with
Oman driving license. NOC available
seeks suitable placement.
Contact 95989500,
Indian male 25MBA having 4years
Gulf experience in Coordination with
contracting company .NOC Available.
Looking for(Store,Coordination,Admin
,Backoffi ce) Jobs Ph:95405885
HSE Logistics Site Coordination
with 10 yrs exp. in Oman seeks
placement, with Oman D/L.
Contact 92825053 / 92565093
Mechanical Engineer, 2 yrs
experience in Automobile services.
Contact 98182081
Indian Mechanical Engineer (QA/
QC) Engineer with 5 yrs of experi-
ence in oil & gas, mining & manu-
facturing sector, keyskills – NDT,
Welding Inspection, Quality control,
inspection etc. Contact 91176122,
Email : [email protected]
Electrical Engg, suitable for offi ce
works, NOC available, experience in
maintenance for CB & relays, fl uent
in English. Contact 97891226 /
95268664
B Tech Mechanical Engineer
HVAC Plumbing with 2 yrs exp. in
India. Contact : 97654489
Indian Civil Engineer, B.Tech, 13
yrs experience in building pipes.
Contact 91342325
Indian male MBA 13 yrs exp in
Oman (8 yrs in Tech Documenta-
tion 5 yrs in Project coordination)
Administration, seeks suitable place-
ment. Visa transfer / NOC available.
Contact : 93069441
Civil Engg, B.Tech, Indian male,
having 3 yrs of experience in Con-
struction & EPB looking for suitable
placement. Contact 91430851.
Civil Engineer (B. Tech) Indian fe-
male, 2 yrs exp (1 yr in Oman) seeks
suitable position.
Contact: 93911895
Pakistani Civil Management En-
gineer, 12+ 2 yrs Oman experience,
Oman D/L seeks suitable placement.
Contact 94392616
Engineer with 3 yrs experience in
Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical
maintained fi eld on visit visa
looking for suitable job.
Contact 99191535
Email: [email protected]
Civil Engineer, more than 6 yrs
experience in Supervision, site man-
agement, QS, Engineering software
with valid Oman driving license.
NOC available. Contact 91761364,
Email : [email protected]
Indian male 26 yrs Graduate, 2 yrs
exp as logistics Coordinator looking
for suitable placement.
Contact: 96944298
Indian looking for Supervisor,
Safety offi cer, Camp boss or Sales
Executive. Contact 94003617
36 yrs, Indian, male, X Ray, Welder
looking for job, 8 yrs experience in
TIG & ARC Welding, presently on
visit visa.# 91360190 / 91843992
Management Professional account-
able, responsible for profi table man-
agement can handle the entire op-
erations, HR/Recruitment, Business
development & Sales & marketing &
etc, Great organizational skills with
over 23+yrs exp. in Bombay, Saudi
Arabia, Dubai-UAE & Oman(11yrs)
as General Manager - Publications,
Printing,Media. open to any industry,
can Join immediately w/NOC.
Contact : +968 98864706/99574638
Mail : [email protected]
TOURS & TRAVELS
SKILLED/ UNSKILLED
Five years experience in Travel
fi eld ,BCom., IATA & pursuing MBA,
Presently working in the Travel
Desk of (ITC managed) Five Star
Hotel in India, looking for a suitable
position in the Middleeast.
pls contact 9470 5767
11 yrs experience in travel fi eld
B.Com, IATA, MCSE working for
Qatar Airways, Sales reservation
ticketing driving license & NOC
available. Contact 92954613
SALES / MARKETING
MISCELLANEOUS
Car audio system technician with
package experience in car, fi bre
glass & wood work designing, sub-
woofer box repairing & accessories
installation. Contact 94346977.
Whatsapp 98818931
Building construction supervisor looking for small Omani company
to handle independently or suitable
placement in good company with
Oman D/L. Contact 93061107
TIG+ARC Welder Indian with 16 yrs
Middle East exp. in Copper Nickel,
Duplex, Inconel, S.S, CS Now on visit
visa seeks suitable placement..
Contact : 96502282.
Email: [email protected]
Indian male, with 8 yrs exp. in
Oman (BA- Graduate) working as
a project Sales Coordinator, with
Oman D/L, looking for suitable job,
ready to join immediately with NOC,
open for Sales & Marketing also.
Contact 95245057
Philippina Maid is looking for
Domestic job or Baby seater with
experience on Nursing age and all
work in the house. Call : 96369299
Housemaid (Madras tamil speak-
ing) from India looking job.
Contact 95175192
Supervisor fabrication. 30 years
experienced in oil and gas industry
with thorough knowledge of PDO
procedures. contact 99365694,
92362946, 99208102 email:
tapasroy21@yahoo . com
Supervisor / Forman interior / elec-
trical with Oman driving license.
Contact: 98767559
MIB Post Graduate /male – more
than 9 years of experience in
shipping & Logistics in middle
east (Liner Section) looking for a
suitable job in Oman. .Mob :( India)
91-9400043894, Oman 99899627
Email: [email protected]
Indian Male 13 years experience in
Purchase/Store seeks urgent place-
ment Contact -99609696
Civil foreman, Civil Engineer, In-
dian exp overseas looking for job.
Contact 95175192
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engi-
neer, 26 yrs, Masters from Singapore,
Bachelors from India. Having 2 yrs
work experience in Oman, with Valid
Oman driving license. available
immediately. Contact: 95498953
Mechanical Engineer with 5 yrs
exp in which 3 yrs in GCC with valid
D/L. looking for suitable placement.
Contact :94172136,
Email: [email protected]
Indian male 24 yrs B Tech Electron-
ics & communication looking for job,
having 6 months exp available in
Muscat on visit visa.
Contact: 94756280 / 95084905,
Email: [email protected]
Civil Engineer : Pakistani male hav-
ing 4 yrs experience in Oman. Well
handle site & guide workers, seeks
suitable placement.
All the documents available.
Contact 96470310.
Electrical and Electronics Engineer with one year experience and GCC
licence holder seeking a job
mail – [email protected]
Indian male Electronic Technician, 7 yrs experience, CCTV Technician
seeks suitable job, now on visit visa.
Contact 98353542 / 99179853
Indian male, B.Tech, B.Tech (Elec-
tronics) MBA (Marketing) having
1 yr experience as Deputy Manager
Sales in Fortune 100 MNC currently
on visit visa seeks suitable job.
Contact 96967234,
Email: [email protected]
SUPERVISOR: Indian male site
supervisor (AIR CONDITIONING) 25
years of experience with valid Oman
Driving license, seeking suitable
placement. Contact: 97498809,
93391910
Email: [email protected]
Civil Engineer BSc-Total Experience
6 years-2 years in Oman, experience
in site work & Structural Design &
Technical offi ce.
Contact 97983610
Indian male, Supervisor Electrician
Diploma 8 yrs in Oman. NOC avail-
able. Contact 95057068,
Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need
suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp.
Email: [email protected]
Civil Project Engineer exp 10 yrs.
Contact: 92673432
Email: [email protected]
Telecommunication Maintenance Engineer Sudanese male 2 years ex-
perience in HUAWEI hardware fi eld
cabins good communication English
& Arabic. Contact :+ 968 96433495 /
+968 94756295 Email:
Electrical Engineer, Indian male,
29 yrs having 5 yrs of experience in
industrial automation & utility
maintenance in India (MRF yres) seeks
suitable placement.
Contact 92789995,
Email : akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.
com
Indian Male, IT Support Engineer,
2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experi-
ence. Contact 97311847
Electrical Engineer 2 years experi-
ence (Indian) construction (build-
ing) looking suitable placement.
Contact 00968 92596672 Email:
Btech computer science graduate
2015 passout.. Android application
marketing.. Having good communi-
cation skills and mindset to work in
a team. Contact 91024385
Experienced Electrical Technician, with Oman driving license looking
for suitable placement.
Contact 96103843
Civil Engineer B.E, 5.5 years experi-
ence with Omani D/L.
Contact 96785311
Sudanese young man looking for
job with suitable fl uent in computers
& experience in Sales.
Contact 91318822
MBA Graduate with 1 yr experience
in Sales, having D/L seeks suitable
placement. Contact 97620084,
email : [email protected]
Bangladeshi male, looking job for
salesman. Contact 97756028
Indian male, 2 yrs exp. in Sales
with D/L seeks suitable placement.
Contact 92055093
MBA, HR & Marketing, Indian, male,
25 yrs, fresher, on visit visa seeks
placement. Contact 94736649 /
98207564,
Email : [email protected]
Marketing/Sales, 1 year experi-
ence/ Degree holder(BBA) / valid
Driving license. Contact;94122944,
mail; [email protected]
Indian on visit visa, having 5 yrs
exp. in procurement / purchase
in KSA with valid Saudi driving
license. Contact 95438201
Male, BA with D/L, 6 yrs exp. in
Oman seeks suitable job in Sales &
Inventory & procure.
Contact 92191026
Indian male 27 years, B.Tech Grad-
uate having good work experience
with valid Oman D/L looking for a
suitable opening as Sales Engineer.
Contact: 91472953 Email:
Looking for job as Salesman at any
shop. Contact 96930922
Indian female, B.Sc, B.Ed, 3 yrs
experience currently on visit visa
looking for suitable placement.
Contact 91330415
Male, 32 yrs, M.A English, M.Sc
Psychology & B.Ed in English having
4 yrs of experience in teaching. The
present company is ready to give the
release letter. Contact 99869535,
SALES MANAGER (MECHANICAL
ENGINEER)-Over 5 yrs in Oman, with
experience in Industrial Products &
Services with Noc & driving license
looking for the challenging oppor-
tunities. Notice period Ends on 27th
August -2015 . GSM - 95291830
ACCOUNTANT, Male, 8 years expe-
rience .Presently working in Oman
as a Senior Accountant with Oman
Driving license. NOC available seeks
suitable opportunity.
GSM: 98184170
Filipino (male), 37 yrs. old, having
8yrs. experience in Operation (Ship-
ping & Logistics) currently on visit
visa looking for suitable job.
GSM: 97121525
Sales Representative or Purchase
offi cer. Indian male 30 years,
Looking for suitable placement in
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRIES and
OILFIELD INDUSTRIES. Having 5
years of gulf experience in FASTEN-
ERS and BUILDING MATERIAL. with
good communication skills.
Contact: 00968 97756269,
Email: [email protected]
Male available for a part time
accounting & admin job,
Contact:99196621.
INDIAN MALE 23 YEARS,B. Tech
(Electrical & Electronic) having
4 years working experience as an
Electrical site Engineer, currently on
visit visa. Seeking suitable place-
ment. Contact no. 98045482
Driver available with car. Contact
96771598
Light Driver. Contact 95779594,
Ruwi
Light Driver with 2 yrs experience
looking for job with visa.
Contact 96794309
Driver, Indian Keralite, 4 yrs expe-
rience. Contact 93798442
Driver available, 24 hrs, pick &
drop. Contact 95154610
Indian light driver having 1 yr ex-
perience in Oman, knowing English,
Hindi, Arabic looking for job. Contact
95214332
Indian male, looking for Heavy
Driver job, holding Kuwait driving
license. Contact 98136170
H.T. V Driver, Pakistani experience,
6 yrs, seeks work in company only.
Contact 93985087
Indian male 2 yrs exp in (D/L in
sales seeker suitable placement.
Contact: 92055093
Light Driver, 9 yrs exp. (Keralite).
Contact 97313562
Looking for a job as Driver,
with 9 yrs experience in Oman,
language : Arabic/ English/ Hindi.
Contact 92517532
Light driver 5 years exp Education
B.A language English, Arabic & Hin-
di. Contact : 98522914 / 91615715
Heavy & light duty driver valid
GCC license looking job from India.
Contact 93554741
Light Driver, 5 yrs experience look-
ing for job. Contact 92617293
Sri Lankan driver. #97387112
Light duty driver, 8 yrs exp.
Contact: 96736744
Electrical Engineer bachelor degree
having 6+ years experience of Gulf
and professional license available to
join. Contact: 98063081
Email: [email protected]
SAP – SCM.MM Consultant B.Tech.
(Chemical), from NIT, working with
oil industry, seeks employment.
Contact: 98049288
Indian Dentist couple seeking for an
opportunity, both Prometric passed,
BDS male (80%), BDS female (81%).
Email [email protected],
Ph: 97985325
Veterinary Doctor with 10 yrs
experience, looking for job.
Contact 92533579
BA degree Nursing professional
having excellent looking for suitable
placement. Contact:: 92955453
/91213269
DAILY GUIDE Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624
Email: [email protected]
D6 S U N D AY, A U G U S T 2 3 , 2 0 1 5
Indian male, B.com, MBA, having
5 years experience (3 years in U.A.E)
is currently seeking suitable
opportunities within fi nance/
accounts/admin dept.
Contact:93953613,
B.Com graduate, 11 years experi-
ence in Accounts, 9 years Oman
experience , Oman valid driving
license, looking for suitable post.
Mob:92758404 NOC Available.
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, Indian
male,29 years.8 years experience
.Presently working in Oman as a
Senior Accountant with oman Driv-
ing license. NOC available. Seek suit-
able opportunity. GSM: 97705854
Two year experience in Oman,
experience in sales, purchase and
system admin, Having GCC license.
Contact number 97475860,
Indian Male, 32 yrs, MBA-HR, Train-
er & Faculty worked on Omanisation
& nationals development activities
with 10 yrs of experience seeking
suitable job. Contact : 93891401
Sudanese 29 male (Bsc computer
science,diploma computer engineer-
ing), 6 yrs. experience dba oracle pl-
sql , ms sql-server ,ms visual studio
vba,network Omani Driver licence
language English, Arabic
Tel: 91415886
Piping Design Engineer, Indian
male 27, looking for suitable place-
ment in Piping Design & Engineer-
ing. Having 7 years of experience in
AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS
(11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact :
97351786 / 96143708/97357143
Indian male 27 years B.E & MS Me-
chanical Engineer working in Delhi for
last 4 years inJcb India pvt. ltd., seeks
placement in Oman. #93393768
GOOD NEWS
SIT.WANTED
SIT.WANTED
21 years, B. Com, graduate male
‘fresher’ well versed in English,
Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam with
Driving license looking for a suitable
job. Contact: 96799287
24 years, ACCA affi liate, 2.5 years
of experience in audit, fi nance in
Big6 and oil industry, looking for
suitable placement, NOC release
available. Contact 95140445,
Email: [email protected]
Indian male, 29 yrs, B.Tech Elec-
tronics & Communication Eng. +
diploma in SAP, 7 years professional
experience, looking for a job in Oman
/ other GCC countries.
Contact: 0091 973 928 5790,
Email: [email protected]
Indian male MBA fi nance and mar-
keting having 2 year experienced in
accounting. Having good knowledge
in Tally ERP and advanced excel.
Looking for suitable job opportuni-
ties. Available on visit visa can join
immediately. Contact:94676974,
Email : [email protected]
Mechanical Engineer : Indian , male
23 years, 2 years experience, on visit
visa . Seeking suitable placement.
Contact : +968 91409712 ,
Email : [email protected]
Babar Ali Male, Pak, Exp 14 Years
in Accounts, IT & Administration,
looking for a better position in Oman,
No need of Visa, already working in
of the Omani Construction Company.
Contact:- 95983711.
Advertising/media executive with
15 years gulf experience with oman
driving license. Seeks good opening.
Contact 93031168
Masters in Information Systems
and IT with more than 12 years ex-
perience seeks suitable placement.
Contact: 98502793,
email:[email protected]
AutoCad Civil Draftsman – Having
3 years- experience, looking for a
placement.(Full- time or Part time)
99627427 / 96154564.
Indian Female, 25 years, M.Sc Elec-
tronics + Multimedia, having one year
teaching experience in Government
college in India, seeks suitable place-
ment. Contact GSM 99367448
Indian Male, 37 Years , B Tech
Graduate Electrical. Having 12 Years
Experience of DCRP Works / Jobs in
Oman with Driving License, Looking
for an suitable opening, NOC Avail-
able. Contact – 92122338, Email -
Part- Time Accountant, well experi-
ence senior accountant ,doing all
type of accounting works, Finaliza-
tion, Budgeting available.
Contact : 98803439
Indian Female Lawyer having 11
yrs experience presently working in
Oman seeks placement in Legal/HR/
Admin etc. NOC available
Contact-94436960
Email: [email protected]
INDIAN MALE 24 YEARS, B. Tech
(Electrical & Electronic).Having 2
years experience as Electrical Site
Engineer in Constructions. Done
IOSH & NEBOSH- IGC certifi cations.
Seeking for suitable placement in
constructions or in any
related industries.
Contact no: 98045482/
Filipino (male), 37 yrs. old, hav-
ing 8yrs. experience in Operation
(Shipping&Logistics) currently on
visit visa looking for suitable job.
GSM: 97121525
Quantity Surveyor-MEP (Estima-
tion/Project) ,Total 10 Years Experi-
ence (3 years in Oman).
Having NOC & Oman D/L, Looking for
suitable job, Contact - 97906551
ACC. AVAILABLE
Fully furnished room for a decent
expatriate. independent kitchen,
bathroom in Wadi Adai.
Contact 96243086 at 5p.m.
Room attached toilet and kitchen
near Indian School Wadi Kabir.
Contact: 95345537
Fully furnished 1BHK with all
household items in Darsait near
Lulu on monthly Basis. Contact :
99378397/99493500
SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED
SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED
Well qualifi ed Indian Female Bsc,
Computers diploma 9 years of
experience as Executive Secretary
seeks placement.
Contact 95423692,91374217
Indian female with MBA in fi nance
on visit visa seeking
immediate placement.
Contact :968-93316493
Sales Representative or Purchase
offi cer. Indian male 30 years ,
looking for suitable placement in
construction industries and oilfi eld
industries. Having 5 years of Gulf ex-
perience in FASTENERS and build-
ing material. with good communica-
tion skills. Contact: 97756269,
Email: [email protected]
Indian male 23 years Graduate,
working as a sales coordinator cum
purchase & offi ce coordination 2
YEARS in oman Having oman li-
cense & NOC looking for suitable job
in Muscat. GSM:97475860
Email:[email protected]
Pakistani male 32 years IT network
+ Computer Hardware professional
A+ MCSE Termination Technician
work Experience in salalah airport.
10+ years experience in IT fi eld and
2 years Oman working experience
valid GCC driving license available
looking for a suitable placement
contact no 96733205
Email - [email protected]
B.E Mechanical engineer,2 years
job experience in Oman in pipe-
line fi eld, having ASNT level ll in
UT,RT,MT and PT, fl uent in English,
Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi, with
valid Omani driving license (light)
searching for job.
Contact +968 92745691
ACCOUNTANT: Indian male senior
Accountant, Graduate & CA Article
ship completed. 18 Years of experi-
ence. Currently on visiting visa.
seeks suitable placement. Contact:
97498809, 99769743,
Email: [email protected]
Indian male executive secretary
having vast experience in admin,
logistics & procurement well versed
with computer seeks suitable place-
ment. Contact : 99514286
Indian male 35 yrs, 10 yrs UAE ex-
perience in FMCG, looking for a suit-
able position in sales and market-
ing, valid GCC license on visit visa.
Contact 93438747, 95723635.
Indian Male 28 years MSM, B. Com
having 6years experience in Gulf and
India as a HR and Admin looking for
suitable placement.
Contact : 97914340.
Email: [email protected]
Available for a part time accounting
job. Contact 99196621
Having exp in the following, MS
Windows Server 2003 & 2008, Red
Hat Enterprise Linux 5 & E-Mail Cli-
ent Administration,Linux Adminis-
tration, Service Desk Administration,
Network Management, Technical
Support. Presently the candidate in
India.Mob:97239854
Software Developer, Indian female,
B.Tech (AE & I), M.Tech (VLSI
Design), asp.net, C#,.net, C++, Core
Java, Android Java, looking for suit-
able placement. Contact 95906935,
Email : [email protected]
Electronics / Instrumentation En-
gineer, Indian female, M.Tech (VLSI
Design), B.Tech (applied Electronics
& Instrumentation), ASP.Net, C++.Net,
C++, Android Java, looking for suit-
able placement. Contact 95906935,
Email : [email protected]
Indian male 23 years Graduate,
working as a sales coordinator cum
purchase & offi ce coordination 2 yrs
in oman Having oman license & NOC
looking for suitable job in Muscat
Email:yadhukrishnan08@gmail.
com, GSM:97475860
Indian Male 22 Years , Graduation
In Electronics Seeking Jobs In Su-
pervisory , Sales & Sales Co-ordina-
tion Fields , Good Communication
Skill # 96141317,
E-mail: [email protected]
Driver looking for job exp 2 yrs.
Contact: 98522914
Female MBA gold medalist, with
computer profi ciency, Oman driving
license looking for job opportunity
in event management companies in
Muscat. Ph : 99012949
Indian female B. Com MBA fi nance
,5 years experience in oman as an
account seeking suitable placement.
Contact 99044292
DIPLOMA+B.E.(CIVIL ENGINEER),
Indian, 4 years of experience, cur-
rently on visit visa; Seeking Right
Position. GSM:91570703.
ME. Civil Engineer, Structural
Designer, 3 Years Structural Design,
6 Years Str. Engineer Experience,
Looking For Structural Designer
Position. Iranian Male. Contact:
93696929,
Email: [email protected]
B-tech Electrical Engineer with
more than 2 years of experience in
erection and designing of HT and LT
electrical systems. Seeking for
suitable job in Muscat.
Contact: 98269366.
Email: [email protected]
Male Graphic designer cum anima-
tion, non linear editing VFX, seeking
suitable position.
Contact: 97792661 / 96229406
Indian lady 30 years Graduate hav-
ing work experience in India and
Oman looking for Admin or any other
suitable job. Contact : 95676957
Indian Female Accountant, CA Final
(Group I cleared), 5+ year’s experi-
ence in the fi eld of Accounts, Audit
and Financial ERPs. Currently avail-
able in Muscat and seeking suitable
job opportunities.Ph:94704800
email id: [email protected]
Civil site coordinator, Diploma,
Male 25, now present in Oman, Seek-
ing job in Oman. # 92887561,
Data Entry operator cum Buyer,
Indian male,26years.BA, Computer
profi ciency :Operating system (Win-
dows 2000xp & Windows7) E plus
and Tally ERP9, 4 yrs Experience in
Oman seeks suitable placements.
Mob: 95360255
Indian Female BSC nurse with 8+
years of experience including 3
years of GCC exp. Oman Prometric
passed with 57 %. Currently in Oman.
Contact : 98034384
Senior Accounts Professional,
Indian Male, 36 years, M.Com, MBA
(Fin) 9 years in Oman, with valid
Oman DL and NOC available. Capable
to handle accounts up to fi nalization.
Contact 9602 3965.
Indian Male 24 years, Looking for a
Suitable Job in Telecom / Network-
ing, 1 year sales experience. M. Sc.
Communications Engineering &
Valid Driving license. Ph: 91280121.
Email: [email protected]
Indian female, 24yrs, M.COM (Ac-
counts) having 3 yrs experience
in Accounts, HR, Administration,
Customer Service. Good Computer
Profi ciency seeking Suitable Posi-
tion. Visa Transfer/NOC Available.
Contact: 99654913
Indian, presently on visit visa in
Salalah looking for job B.com failed
UAE experience in accounts, com-
mercial Admin & warehouse. Con-
tact: 92754071 /93346931 Email:
Indian male, 39 yrs, MSC Computer
Science 10 years experience IT sup-
port, FMS Engineer, bank experience
looking for suitable job.
Contact: 94276449
MBA (Marketing /HR) with 45 years
exp in business development and
marketing, having valid Oman driv-
ing license seeks suitable placement
currently available on family visa.
Contact 97618033
Email: [email protected]
Indian male 63 years have 30 years
Muscat experience all offi ce work
sales business development insur-
ance administration accounts with
Oman driving license. # 99249412
Ayurvedic treatment for backache,
paralysis, arthritis etc & massage,
All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact
24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980
www.siddhayur.com
FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know
more about Islam, please call:
99425598, 99250777, 99353988,
99253818, 99341395, and 99379133.
For ladies: 99415818, 99321360,
99730723 Orvisit:www.islamfact.
com
Indian female LLB (Advocate) 2
years experience looking for suitable
post legal advisor company secre-
tary etc. # 93343190 / 94476387
Email: [email protected]
Indian female, B.Sc, PGDCA, cur-
rently on family joining visa, 2 years
working experience in oman as
customer care / sales co-ordinator,
immediate joining seeks suitable
placements. Contact no. (968)
95573205 / 95949230 / 95800792
B.E (IT) 1 year exp complete school-
ing in Muscat needs job in software
/ net working / java/ WEB design or
marketing. #97136248 / 99313821
Indian male 22 years ACCA affi liate ,
BSc, Graduate in applied accounting 2
months working experience seeking
suitable placement in Finance / Ac-
counts / audit immediately. Contact:
97378607 / 92558734
B-tech Electrical Engineer with more
than 2 years of experience in erection
and designing of HT and LT electrical
systems. Seeking for suitable job in
Muscat. Contact: 98269366.
Email: [email protected]
DAILY GUIDES U N D AY, A U G U S T 2 3 , 2 0 1 5 D7
Looking for Investor to start steel
fabrication unit. Contact 98314531
Invite business proposals on profi t
sharing basis. Email :
[email protected]/ 99221683
Canadian Consultancy Company
is looking for a Partner in Oman. For
more information please contact
+973 39990830
New company seek partnership.
Contact: 96996938
General Investors. Gsm-99674870
SITUATION WANT-
ED
BUSINESS
SITUATION WANTEDSERVICES
Split & widow unit A.C servicing &
repairing. Contact: 99557080
Split & window unit A.C servicing
& maintenance. Contact: 96236476
Window & split unit A.C servicing
& maintenance.
Contact 93769089 / 95323517
House shifting & transporting.
Contact 92490422
MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of
your marble. Contact 24793614/
99314807
Split window cassette AC
unit servicing, maintenance.
Contact: 99540621
One stop shop business services : Public Relation (PRO) formation new
companies, LLC companies, Investor
visa, business setup, prepare
businesses & companies accounts,
legal services, representing
you and your company.
Contact: Saleh : 96723485
For AutoCAD drawings and Civil
Engg. Q.S works,
please contact.92758095
Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile
polishing, pest control & anti-ter-
mite treatment, general cleaning
painting, Plumbing, Electrical,
shifting. Contact Mundhir
Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C.
# 24810137, 99450130
Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles
polishing, carpet shampooing,
maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS-
99320217 /24788722
Split & window A.C servic-
ing & maintenance. Contact
93769089/95323517
GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet
& sofa shampooing, Contact
99314807/24792998
WEBSITE
WEB, ERP and Business Intel-
ligence (BI) creation and man-
agement at rock bottom price.
Contact: http//webviewoman
COMPUTER
CLASSES
Admission started in a private
school, Darsait (Mount Zion Group
of Institutions CBSE 1) for KG and
grade 1 to 4 please register soonest.
Contact: 92088325 / 24799938
CHANGE OF NAME
LOST
GOOD NEWS
MATRIMONIAL
Kerala Syro Malabar Catholic girl,
28 yrs, working in Salalah, MOH
from Palakkad, seeks suitable alli-
ance from Keralite professionals in
Muscat. Contact 99357901
Sunni Muslim girl, Indian origin,
20 yrs BA graduate from Oman,
good looking homely with good
religious values, seeking alliances
from Muslim professionals,
well settled in Oman or Middle East.
Contact: 99644760 or
Email: [email protected]
Water proofi ng ABUQABAS-
Contact 99320217/24788722
Civil maintenance - plumbing, elec-
trical, painting, and tiling, interior
decorations, shop furnishing and all
other maintenance works.
Contact: 97897831 / 92112094
(Indian, Keralite)
Pest control Treatments, Cockroaches, Ants ,Rodents &
Termites. Ocean Center LLC.
Contact: 99357908 / 99344723.
General cleaning & Shampooing.
Ocean Center LLC.
Contact: 99344723 / 99357908
Air condition maintenance split
and window A/C split a/c ducted and
package type units.
Contact: 98667326
General cleaning in buildings
villas all types interior, exterior,
polishing dry cleaning carpets,
rugs, marble etc. Contact 94134784
/ 98598280
Maintenance working interlocks,
tiles, fi xing painting & others work-
ing. Contact: 92179395
All maintenance & repairs. Contact
Rizwan: 99429071, RMPM Trading.
A/C Maintenance & servicing, fridge,
washing machine & dish washer
repairing, painting & cleaning ser-
vices, electrical & plumbing. Contact:
99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281
DRIVING
Driver for Automatic Transmis-
sion. Contact: 99040813
Plots for sale : 6 cents near UC
College Aluva, Kerala, 30 cents Pe-
runna West Changanacherry, Kerala.
Contact 99468907
Thiruvalla at Kattode 300 mtrs
.from T.K. Road, 10 cents square plot
for sale. Contact: 97229763
NRI
Fresh fl owers Jasmine Roses Mari-
gold & Garlands for Onam & other
festivals, advance booking accepted.
Haridas Nensey. Contact 24750784
I Sarabjit (holder of Indian Passport
No. F9955036) son of Sohan having
permanent residence in Vill Pandher
Teh Nakodar Dt Jalandhar Punjab
(complete postal address in India)
& presently residing in P.B.No. 537,
PC 132, Suwaiq, Oman (complete
address in Oman) intend to change
my name from Sarabjit (old name) to
Sarbjit Singh Mattu (new name) for
all practical purposes. Any objec-
tion towards my name change may
please be communicated to Embassy
of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quar-
ters, Al Khuwair, P. Box No. 1727, PC
112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.
Anjana Abhilash has lost Indian
Passport No. J3116195. Finder please
handover to ROP.
Faridul Alam has lost Bangladeshi
Passport No. E1182808. Finder please
handover to ROP.
Gul Behram Khan has lost Pakistani
Passport No. JZ4124731. Finder
please handover to ROP.
DAILY GUIDE Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624
Email: [email protected]
D8 S U N D AY, A U G U S T 2 3 , 2 0 1 5
Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise
with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain
Marine Tours Contact- 98029602,
92808636
RENT A CAR
TOURS
Car for rent. Contact: 92516090
Butter cup rent a car competitive
prices new car 2016. # 97249449
SITUATION WANTEDCARGO
SITUATION WANT-CARGO
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation. Contact 99664703
Transportation only in Muscat.
Contact 96736975
Transportation. Contact 98178135
Transportation available.
Contact 95570429
Transport. Contact: 95190627
Transportation. Contact: 96538078
Transportation. Contact:98522914
Transportation. Contact
99508282
Transportation. Contact:
98244078
Pick & Drop any time. Contact
97014786
Rent a car – Incharge 39 yrs, Indian
, 15 yrs experience in UAE with UAE
D/L seeks placement in any suitable
post. Contact 99431708