Y - Issue 155 - February 1, 2011 - Y-oman.com

Dear Reader,Women in Oman have been a top priority in thevisions of the Sultanate, and provided with ampleopportunities and tremendous respect in order toachieve and prosper in both professional and socialfields. However, there is still one barrier whichaffects Omani women, and which is more oftenthan not overlooked. Y digs a little deeper and findsout what happens if an Omani woman chooses tomarry a foreign man with interviews of two womenwho have experienced this first-hand.We also provide our car enthusiasts with a closerlook at the delectable Aston Martin Rapide, nourishour sports fans with the latest in sports news, giveour ladies reason to shop in Yin Yang, venture outto yet another beautiful destination and supply allour readers with the latest in local and internationalnews.We hope you enjoy the issue.Y Team

This week inFebruary 01, 2011 Issue 15510SultanTwentyfour SevenQaboos Awards, Towell, Indian Republic Day, ahlibank15 Check This outHSBC New Branch, Caramel, Valentine Gifts, Muscat Festival18 VentureMasirah Island20Y-ratedA BEAUTIFULMIX24SpotlightSheikh Khalfan Al Esry and Abdullah Al Shekaili28 Yin-YangGautier31AutoBAHNAston Martin Rapide34 X-tra TimeTennis, F1, Kolkata626SpotlightH.E. ANILWADHWA45 ChillaxativeCrosswords, Social MediaSayyida Iman bint Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi Editor-in-Chief | Kiran Jay Haslam Managing EditorPaul McLoughlin Work Editor | Karima Farid Chief Reporter | Clint Derric Egbert Sports Writer/Photographer | Jerzy Wierzbicki PhotographerEihab Abutaha General Manager | Feroz Khan Director of Sales & Marketing | Ayman Canawati Logistics ManagerFor editorial enquiries, email info@y-oman.com | Published by SABCO Press, Publishing & Advertising LLC | Y is a SABCO Media Product.

WINNINGLETTERNEED A SoLuTIoNGreetings to the Y teamThis letter is regarding the cover story “Plastic, There’s bags of it”. Let me begin withpraising the Y team for enormous efforts put by one and all to make such a wonderfulmagazine. The regular awareness about using reusable bags and avoiding plastic bagsthat suffocate our earth is a very good step towards saving our precious planet earth.Everyday there is a basket full of trash thrown out from all the kitchens. Some of themare dry and some in the liquid form as leftovers or curries. What we usually do is wrapour bin with a plastic bag and throw the thrash into it. Then this plastic bag is throwneasily into the public dustbins.But I would like to put forward a very important question. The issue arises here if theproduction of the plastic bags is stopped then the throwing away of thrash from thekitchen to the public bins would create a big problem. I would like some quick andinnovative ideas that would provide me with a perfect solution that would help protectthe environment.Regards,Syeda SumayyaREADER'SLETTERSLoVE THE STRESSDear Ed,It's lovely to read article like that one in 'Y rated' section; in additionto being timely, it also serves as inspiration and a challenge tothose people who are working in this country. "Tick Tock" articleis a clear indication that humans struggles for survival; it is a kindof" win-win or win-lose" strategy. It comes in different levels,phases and situations.Some people are feeling stressed in the workplace, I believethat we are all part of the warfare, including myself. Workingin a long time basis particularly in private companies is a kind ofacceptance. Employees can't do nothing but to conform to someother rules and serve with loyalty. Similarly, the time we spend inworking long hours can reap a bountiful harvest for some time.There are many rules to observe and abide here and even in ourvery own country, we also experienced the same stuff everywhereand anywhere, so love the stress and alleviate a bit through thingsthat can make us happy even in a short moment.Susana A. CochingcoCCE, Oman[Ed: Dear Syeda Sumayya, there are lots of ways in which kitchen and householdwaste can be disposed of. The most obvious method involves the separation of plastic,glass, paper and organic matter. Several bins, or one with enough dividers, is all that isrequired from each household. However, the rubbish collection operation in Oman mustthen be equipped to collect, separate and process the waste accordingly. Recently, wesaw a report surface from the UAE of one such waste disposal company. Perhaps youcan write directly to the municipality to request a similar setup? In the meantime we willbe looking into the country's future plans to improve waste collection and managementthroughout the Sultanate.]BE A WINNER!Each week we are selecting our bestreader’s letter or image, and giving awayfantastic prizes care of Noodle House!Simply email us at info@y-oman.comWATCH YouR HEADSDear Y,I have noticed many a time in the past few months, that thereappears to be a new trend of youngsters sticking their headsout the top of their sun roofs in their cars whilst the vehicle isin motion, and sometimes even sitting on the roof of the caras well while driving down the beach road in Seeb. This is avery dangerous thing to do and could almost certainly resultin them injuring themselves very drastically. This is somethingthis that I feel is being ignored and should be looked into atthe earliest, in order to avoid unnecessary life threateningaccidents. I also believe it is the role of the parents to makesure their kids don’t go out of hand, and cause problems forthemselves and others. I love reading Y and I thank you’ll forthe great news and stories you’ll provide for us readers everyweek.Sidharth. V. K. SinhaValue of prizes may vary each week. This prize is not redeemable for cash or alternatives.Only one winner is selected at the discretion of Y magazine. *Proof of Identity is required to claim your prize.

February 01, 2011 Issue 155WAYS To BEAT THE STRESSDear Editor,Clean and green Oman has attracted expats over a considerable period of time withthe promise of a peaceful and easy family oriented life. But “TICK-TOCK and YA DON’TSTOP” made an interesting read as it has thrown light on the difficulties frequented byexpatriate professionals and their stressful life. Many useful ways to beat the stress hasbeen suggested, although I wonder how many of us are left with the energy or the will toimplement these in our lives at the end of the daily professional grind.For instance, my husband, who happens to be in the Construction sector, gets served witha notice before almost all the government holidays stating that there will be usual officetimings due to work exigencies. “Fridays” have also become vulnerable owing to the useof emails and calls from office. Thus annual vacations are the only escape left in our livesfrom such miserable situations.and if we want to pursue a healthy and enjoyable life, we will needto find out ways to beat the stress. Exercising regularly, listening torelaxing music, having a hobby, meditating etc as discussed in thearticle are really helpful stress busters.“Y” is surely a delicious treat to fight our midweek blues……hatsoff to the team for being the voice of the mass by either publishingtheir views via its Facebook page or by designing a cover story onsuch usually ignored slices of our life in Oman.Paroma Banerjee DasguptaAl Khuwair, MuscatSuch stresses have to be endured by today’s professionals in almost any country, Omanbeing no exception. And it is for all of us to understand that stress will be a part of our lives9

February 01, 2011 Issue 155Sultan Qaboos AwardsThe prestigious award ceremony for the Sultan Qaboos Awardfor Excellence in eGovernment was presided over last week,by guest of honour H.H. Sayyid Asaad Bin Tariq Bin Taimur AlSaid, and held at the Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort. HEMohammed Nasser Al Khasibi, Secretary General Ministry ofNational Economy and Chairman of ITA; Dr. Salim Sultan AlRuzaiqi, CEO of ITA; in addition, other officials and dignitarieswere also in attendance.The Sultan Qaboos Award for Excellence in eGovernmentServices aspires to make a qualitative transformation in thefield of eGovernment services by honouring digital projects thatdeliver exceptional innovation and achievement in the field ofinformation technology. The Award aims also to honour excellentperformance, apply international standards in evaluating thedegree of development in eServices, support the Digital OmanStrategy, as well as strengthen IT and telecommunications inthe fields of economic, social and cultural development.The winning projects and government organisations for theSultan Qaboos Award for Excellence in eGovernment are asfollows:• eContent Award – Muscat Municipality Portal• eService Award• Government to Government – National Manpower Registration(NMR) – Ministry of Manpower• Government to Business – eBuilding Permit – MuscatMunicipality• Government to Citizen – e Traffic Offence Payment – RoyalOman Police• eReadiness Award – Ministry of Education• eProject Award – ALSHIFA System – Ministry of Health• eEconomy Award – Manpower IT enable Service Centers –(Sanad offices) Ministry of ManpowerCustomer commends TAC’sservice and professionalismTowell Auto Centre (TAC) was delightedto receive a note of appreciation fromDr. Ravi, an Orthopedic Surgeon fromIbri Regional Hospital. The letter,personally written by Dr. Ravi expressedhis gratitude for the excellent serviceand professional help rendered by TACsince his first experience of purchasinga Mazda 323, way back in 1998.In his letter, Dr. Ravi says, “I would like to thank Towell Auto Centre – the distributors ofMazda in the Sultanate of Oman for their excellent service during my tenure in Oman. Ibought my Mazda 323 from TAC during the Ramadan offer in December 1998 and due toits magnificent performance there has been no looking back for me ever since. The periodicmaintenance support that I received from TAC has been remarkable and trustworthythroughout, and I would also like to mention here that the vehicles maintenance cost wasrelatively low, and I did not feel cheated at any point in time.”10

February 01, 2011 Issue 155Indian EmbassyCelebrates 62ndRepublic DayOn the occasion of the 62nd Republic Dayof India, the anniversary of Adaptation ofthe Constitution of India on 26th January1950, HE Mr. Anil Wadhwa, Ambassadorof India to the Sultanate, hoisted the IndianNational Flag and read out the ‘Address ofPresident of India’ at the ceremony heldat Indian School Al Ghubra and EmbassyPremises in the morning. The ceremony atthe Embassy was attended by more than500 members of Indian community from allwalks of life, while around 800 membersof Indian community were present at theIndian School Muscat. In his remarks onthis occasion the Ambassador said, “Indianpresence has become an observable factin the international arena. At the politicallevel, India has recently stepped into theUN Security Council for the next two years,and promises the world a performancethat will showcase its ability to shoulderresponsibilities of a permanent member.On the commercial front, India now hasthe eighth largest quota in the InternationalMonetary Fund (IMF).”NEVER HAS VALUE BEENSO LUXURIOUS.Get a 206 from only Rial Omani 69 per month.*Get a 407 from only Rial Omani 134 per month.*www.peugeot.comWhen you get behind the wheel of a Peugeot, you will not only be inspiredby the advanced technology, sleek styling but also unrelenting performance.* Monthly installment for 5 years calculated at 20% down payment and special interest ratesfor both 206 MT and 407 SRC.Showrooms open from 8.00am to 1.00pm and 4.00pm to 8.00pm.Email: peugeot@em-oman.comFor more information call our Customer Relations Centre on 24 500 000between Saturday - Wednesday 8.00am till 8.00pm andThursday 8.00am till 4.00pm. You may also Email us your enquiryto crc@zubairautomotive.com or simply send us an SMS on 80110.For personal assistance, please call ourCustomer Relation Officers: Salalah, Mr. Alwyn D’silva - 99294907 /Nizwa, Mr. Sami Al Abri - 99761812 / Sohar, Mr. Hari Changat - 99470639.With Love From the Hyatt"L'amour est la poésie des sens"- 'Love is poetry for the senses' at Grand Hyatt this Valentine’s Day, on 14thFebruary, with the ‘With Love from Hyatt’ specials sure to create an unforgettable evening for you and your beloved.Guests can choose from a number of dining experiences to savour exquisite cuisine prepared especially for themost romantic night of the year.For a night like no other, Tuscany offers traditional Italian fare prepared by Chef de Cuisine Fabrzio Valdetara in aclassically romantic setting. An extravagant five-course dining experience has been prepared for this Valentine’seve. An indulgent buffet is on offer at Mokha Café under the starlit sky, with music from a live pianist to set themood. Executive Chef Marin Leuthard will be serving delicacies from the Hyatt’s exclusive oyster bar, along with adecadent chocolate fountain for guests to enjoy.11

February 01, 2011 Issue 155ahlibankProfitsAnnouncedahlibank, one of the leading financialinstitutions of the Sultanate todayannounced its results for the year ending31st December, 2010. The Bank achieveda net profit of 14.1 million rials against a netprofit of 8.5 million rials reported during thesame period in 2009, which indicates animpressive growth of 65 percent.Net Operating Income has increased byover 44 percent to 25.83 million rialsand Operating Expenses (excluding loanimpairment charge/recoveries) werecontrolled at 9.27 million rials resulting in alower cost to income ratio of 36 percent.The total assets at the end of year 2010have reached 806 million rials representinga growth of 31 percent as compared to thesame period last year. The loan & advancesgrew by 48 percent from 444 million rials in2009 to 656 million rials in 2010.oman Air provides luxuryOman Air, the national carrier of theSultanate of Oman, has unveiled spectacularnew First Class and Business Class loungesat Muscat International Airport. The loungescontinue the themes of luxury, comfort andoutstanding hospitality found on Oman Air’saircraft, ensuring a seamless passengerexperience.The two lounges are located on the first floorof the terminal and combine the ultimate inmodern and elegant interior design, stateof-the-artmaterials and technology and thegenerous hospitality for which Oman and Oman Air are renowned. Each lounge is open 24 hours a day and offersdedicated dining facilities, quiet rooms, men’s and women’s prayer rooms, wash and shower rooms, a businesscentre, and a ‘Chedi’ spa with massage rooms, offering 15 minute complimentary treatments.For those travelling with children, a heaven of toys and computer games awaits to keep them occupied within thededicated playroom.Excusive for Oman Air’s First Class passengers are dedicated lifts and staircases to the limousine pick-up pointwhere chauffeurs will take passengers to their aircraft in complete comfort and luxury.Sony Launches New SDHC Memory Cardwith World’s-first AVCHD Supporting FileRescue SoftwareBlending quality, reliabilityand performance, theSDHC Memory Card Class10 features software forrecovering accidentally deletedpictures. It also enables fastdata transfer of upto 22MB/sthat is ideal for burst shootingwith a DSLR or shooting largesizedHD movies. Playback ofmovies and photos stored onthe SDHC Memory Card Class10 are easily powered whenthe card is used together withthe MRW-F3 memory card reader and connected via USB to a television or Blu-ray player. The SDHC Memory CardClass 10 will also permit the download of x-Pict Story, a free and easy-to-use software that lets users create andshare slideshows of their favourite pictures and music. Featuring storage capacities of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB, thenew SDHC Memory Card Class 10 are currently available in all leading electronics’ outlets in the Middle East.12

February 01, 2011 Issue 155Zubair SponsorMuscat FestivalThe Zubair Corporation has announced it will be a mainsponsor of this year’s Muscat Festival that commenced lastweek on the 27th January and will last until February 24th,as the company pledges its continued support to Oman’sbiggest cultural occasions.Commenting on the sponsorship agreement with theMuscat Festival, The Zubair Corporation Chairman Mr.Rashad Al Zubair said: “We are very proud to be a mainsponsor of this year’s Muscat Festival. The support thatThe Zubair Corporation gives an event of this magnitudeplays an important part in ensuring the financial viabilityof the Festival and helping provide funding to bring in thevery best quality entertainment from across the nation andinternationally.OZONEMEDICALSAUNAFor Skin Vitality& ElasticityAchieving smartattractive bodyControllingpains, mentaland physicalexhaustionOZONETHERAPYFor Joint Pains,Prolapsed DiscVascularDiseases,BronchialAsthma,Hepatitis,DiabeticComplications“As a leading business in Oman, we have a responsibilityto support and participate in events of this stature that helpto promote not just Muscat but the nation as a whole to anincreasingly large regional and international audience whoare attracted to the event.Supervised by:PROFESSOR DR. NABIL MAWSOUFChairman of The Egyptian Society for Ozone TherapyVice President of International Scientific Committee for Ozone TherapyQurum Commercial AreaTel: 24571800 | www.elixir-oman.comApproved by Ministry of HealthArt NewsEmirates NBD, a leading bank in the region,announced today that it had signed anagreement with the Fine Art Fund Group(FAFG) to launch Art Advisory services.According to the agreement, experts fromthe FAFG will work closely with Emirates NBD Private Banking to provide advisory services to thebank’s High Net Worth clients who wish to invest in art as an asset class. Emirates NBD PrivateBanking clients will also gain privileged access to art events, regionally and globally.“Art as a tangible asset continues to attract international investor attention in the post-recessionworld and the market for art has remained strong in 2010,” said Gary Dugan, Acting GeneralManager and Chief Investment Officer, Private Banking, Emirates NBD. “Middle East investors arealso expressing greater interest in art, and recent estimates show that last year, approximately25 percent by value of the 100,000 plus works of art sold went to buyers from Russia, Asia andthe Middle East.”The international art market is worth more than 3 trillion US Dollars and has an annual turnoverof 50 billion US Dollars.13

February 01, 2011 Issue 155Motorbike Festival with ZubairZubair Automotive Group, the official distributers of Yamaha inOman, were the main sponsors of the Sultanate’s annual motorbikeshow which took place in Muscat recently in the presence ofthe special chief guest Brigadier Salim Al Maskari of the OmanAutomotive Association.The two day event attracted over 200 riders from Riyadh, Dubaiand Qatar which hosted a series of activities aimed at promotingYamaha motorbikes to the public as well as responsible riding,which was fully supported by the Royal Oman Police according to the Oman Riders Club Chairman, Mr Mohammed Hamad Al Yahmedi.Visitors to the show were able to check out the latest Yamaha bikes and all terrain vehicles and interacted with Yamaha sales consultants who used the show asa platform to communicate road safety messages to bikers and youngsters visiting the show.Radisson Blu and ParkInn General Managersparticipate in StandardChartered Dubai MarathonThe Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is one of the best known runs in theworld attracting runners of international repute once a year in January. Started inthe year 2000, the marathon has become a life goal of many with thousands ofresidents and visitors participating every year in the gruelling yet fun filled event.General Manager of the Park Inn and third time participant Francois Galoisy wasaccompanied by another enthusiastic runner Michael Jacobi, General Managerof the Radisson Blu. The duo was the Oman representation of the Rezidor HotelGroup, the company to which both the Radisson Blu and the Park Inn belong. Atthe company a ‘Responsible Business’ policy is followed within the chain. Thefirst quarter of the year is dedicated to ‘healthy living’ and the two hotel GeneralManagers thought it was apt for them to set an example together with theirparticipation in the 10 kilometre competition.Qatar Motor Show aSuccessQatar Motor Show was held last week at the Doha Exhibitions Center whichwas attended by ambassadors from several nations. The opening eventshave shown that the Qatar Motor Show will be more than just a car show,as thousands of car-lovers and automotive enthusiasts came to mark theopening of this first-of-its-kind event in the region. The day began withthe 1st Middle East Automotive Summit, which brought together globalindustry leaders in Qatar to discuss and debate the future of mobility andthe transformation of the automotive industry with a focus on intelligenttransport systems, urban infrastructure planning, meeting mobilitydemands and evolvement in the future and what it means to the MiddleEast.For more information about the Qatar Motor Show,visit www.qatarmotorshow.gov.qa.14

February 01, 2011 Issue 155EventsThe Muscat Festival:It’s here!27th January to 24th February 2011• The Festival grounds are located in Qurum Natural Parkand Naseem Park.• Opening times are 4-11pm daily, including weekends.• Entry fee is 200 bzs for adults; 100 bzs for children.• There will be a number of key highlights includingthe Tour of Oman cycle race; The Oman Heritage andCultural Village; The Oman Food Festival; The MuscatFashion Week; The Extreme Sailing Series; ShakrukhKhan live in Muscat, as well as lectures, poetry reading,carnival displays and fireworks. A full list of events andinformation on timings, venues and how to buy ticketscan be found on the website www.muscat-festival.com.As if there wasn’t enough excitement already, this year’sMuscat Festival brings some of the most renownedartists of the Indian scene into Qurum Natural Park. Oftenreferred to as ‘The Golden Voice of Indipop’, India’s bestplayback singer Sonu Nigam will be performing alongsidetalented Bollywood actress Larra Dutta, on 10th February,in a combination which promises to be nothing less thanelectrifying. 17th February also sees award winningBollywood actor and producer Sharukh Khan perform ina highly anticipated concert alongside Priyanka Chopra,which should excite audiences from all over the world.Step to itK Corner, the retail store chainspecialising in quality footwear,is proud to be celebrating theopening of their new franchiseshop in Oman’s prestigiousMuscat City Centre, Seeb on22nd January 2011. It will bea milestone for the company,which has been selling footwearsince 1971, all over the UAE, andhas steadily grown to a 27-shop strong retail chain in the GCC.Located on the Ground level Unit U150 at Muscat City Centre, the store will provide aplethora of choice for all types of needs, from the comfortable to the trendy. Customerswill have a choice from prime fashion brands and collections in Arabic sandals and slippersfor men and women, made by leaders in the category including Josef Seibel, Sperry, Vital,Sofft & Barjeel, Gabor, Schutz, Michelle Morgan, CAT, Democrata, Romika and Fidelio.15

Valentine GiftsJewellery optionsLooking for the perfect jewellery piece for yourfiancé? Having trouble picking out a nice giftfor your wife? Is it time for a marriage proposal,and you are in search of the perfect ring? Hereare a few options that might just save you sometime. You can call them, or simply head down towhere they are located and pick out somethingpretty, unique or even ravishing.Tiffany & Co.One of Muscat’s most loved jewellery retailersalways have something beautiful to offer. Theyare located in Qurum Commercial Area and youmay call them on 2456 5301 or check out theirwebsite www.tiffany.com.Rideshare omanPerhaps it takes petrol prices to beover 700 baisas a litre before peopletake fuel compensation seriously.In Europe, where petrol prices arenothing short of astronomical, carpoolinghas become a commonpractice to combat the high costof travel. The system works on theidea that if you have a spare seatwhen travelling long distances, thenyou’re doing something wrong. Viathe internet, individuals meet andorganise trips together, sharing thecost of petrol. It’s a simple solution which is not only saving travellers’ huge amounts of money, but alsohelping to conserve the environment and hooking people up with new friends. This idea comes to Omanwith the new Facebook page ‘Rideshare Oman’ which offers a platform for car-poolers to save a fewbaisas in travel, and create a community of like-minded peeps.Type in ‘Rideshare Oman’ in Facebook and join the page... this community is just at a start.DamasDamas: The Art of Beauty is operating in around14 countries and in Oman alone the retailerhas nearly 30 stores in different locations. Forany of their gorgeous collections, please visitwww.damasjewel.com.Pure Gold JewellersThis company has already launched a beautifulValentine’s Day collection; so to see it pleasevisit www.pugold.com or cehck out QCC,MCC or even on your way in and out of thecountry from the duty free section of MuscatInternational Airport Please call either24558051 or 24470523, for more information.DeemaDeema was created to adjoin charm, to simplifyand to turn Omani jewellery into beautifulexotic pieces. Check out ‘Deema Collection’ onFacebook to pick a unique set for a loved one.The website is www.deemacollection.comand will be launched soon.HSBC opens new branchHSBC’s first comprehensive branchsituated within a shopping mall inthe Middle East was inaugurated byH.E. Hamood bin Sangour Al Zadjali,Executive President, The CentralBank of Oman. Located in MuscatCity Centre, the new branch will caterto HSBC Oman’s growing personaland business banking customers ina strategically located multipurposeenvironment, offering a full rangeof services, seven days a week atextended working hours, including anHSBC Premiere Centre and lounge, adedicated Business Banking section,Internet and Phone Banking, ATM’sas well as Instant Cash DepositMachines.For a limited time period, any customeropening an HSBC account at the new branch will have the chance to win trips to Turkey or Italy, MotorInsurance, to win their monthly salary back, a “HSBC Premier” or ‘HSBC Advance’ account in the newlyopened facility, on a one night stay at the Grand Hyatt Muscat. HSBC’s City Centre branch’s counter cashtransactions will operate Sunday to Thursday from 9am to 2pm, with the Branch operating up until 10pmfor non cash services including 4pm to 10pm on Fridays and 9am to 10pm on Saturdays.16

Caramel proudly opened its first boutiqueand kiosk in Muscat last monthBorn from an idea of Eloise Traboulsi, a French citizen living in the Gulf for over seven years, Caramel synchronises Eloise’spassion for the art of pastries and bakery. To enable such unprecedented creation and produce the very best of traditionalFrench bakery and pastry products, Eloise has brought top of therange equipment, the finest ingredients coupled with life longexperience of Caramel’s professional team and master pastrychefs.Eloise’s passion extends to many varieties of baked goods — the cakes and macaroons originate from Caramel’s professional team. Get an individual dessert, ororder for a special event, Caramel’s intimate settings will always make you feel at home. Please call either their location at Ghubra (next to the Chedi) 99484980/ 24496241 or at Markaz Al Bahja on 99484980 / 24496241, or simply check out www.carameloman.com for more information.Big Gifts For Your Big DayThose visiting The Bride Show Abu Dhabi from 2nd to 5thFebruary will be able to source haute couture fashion –bridal gowns, evening wear and exquisitely embellishedabayas – as well as try out a range of make-up and beautyideas, select sparkling diamonds and fine jewellery as wellas choose honeymoon options, flower arrangements andmeet wedding planners who can take the stress out oforganising the big day. One lucky couple will win the chanceto have their special day organised by La Fete Weddings toan individual theme worth AED100,000 (10,474 rials).There is a honeymoon win courtesy of Korean National Tourism Organization, a wedding dressto be won too from Dar Sara! Also, with ‘Happily Ever After’ packages from Laser MedicalCentre, a bride will worry no more! Also, a special VALENTINE'S cocktail dress by Arushi!Please check out www.facebook.com/TheBrideShow for more information.Muscat:24564488Sohar:2684666217

Masirah islandWords & Photography Jerzy WierzbickiTwo weeks ago I checked out the weather inthe Sultanate. I found information that theconditions for the rugged south coastlineof Oman would be ideal for angling. Great!That meant that the ferryboats in ShennahHarbour will be operating without delay. I setoff on Wednesday night and by 3am I was onthe Shennah peer. The first ferry moved atsunrise. Cold, fresh and salty air and a cup ofstrong coffee put me in good spirits for the16-kilometre journey to Hilf on Masirah Island.An hour later I was on the island, and set offsouth. My favorite spot is Ras Abu Rasas, whereopen ocean waves meet with quiet, warmand shallow water from the channel betweenMasirah and the mainland.This time I ventured further down the easternshore where thousands of rocks divide thewhite sandy beaches to form small bays filledwith turquoise water. It is a fantastic place forcamping. In the shallow, warm waters, livesmall colourful fishes, but is not easy to catchthem! My efforts were rewarded with a fewShari and the odd Hammour.Masirah is desolate. There’s small town calledRas Hilf in the north, with a few small hotels.The whole island can be traversed on a blacktop road. The distance from Hilf to Abu Rasasis approximately 75km.how to get there:From Muscat to Mahoot (road nr. 32). inMahoot there is a road sign with directionsto shennah harbour. the cost of the ferry is10 ro one way.Check the weather before trip. if the seaconditions are hazardous the ferryboatswill not operate.18

Here at Y, we practice 'catch and release' sport fishing.We encourage our readers to do the same!

y-ratedA Beautiful MixWords Paul McLoughlin | Photography Jerzy WierzbickiFor centuries, dhows loaded with cargo ventured into theArabian Gulf and headed for distant ports in Africa, Indiaand China. They returned packed with the riches from thesecontinents - rice, fruits and intricately designed ornamentswere adopted and unknowingly became part of Omaniculture. Others came and settled in Oman, and remnantsof these people can still be found today, with the footprintsof Persia, India and Portugal palpable along the coastalstretches of the country. Omani territory reached overseaswith territories in Africa, India and modern day Pakistan andtoday the Sultanate is a thriving multicultural hub with peoplefrom the interior mixing freely with those of Zanzibari andBaluchi descent, along with others from India and other partsof the Arab world. This has given Oman one of the richestcultures in the region. Today, many Omani women face aproblem with their choice in marrying foreign men and thisextends further than a simple culture clash. Oman remainsone of the few countries in the world where authorities holdpower over who its citizens may marry.Salma is a confident, successful Omani woman who hasbeen happily married for 13 years. Her husband is a slim,white-skinned European man hailing from Italy who shemet in Ireland. He converted to Islam, the couple got thenecessary approval from the authorities, shared the happiestday of their lives together, but when they came to starta new life, and eventually a family, amongst the familiarsurroundings of Oman, things took an unpleasant turn. Salmasays, “I arranged for him to get a permit or a visa under mysponsorship so he can move and live with me in Oman, aswe agreed. I wanted to be in my country with my family. PlusI hoped for better opportunities for work for him here as thecountry is developing and in need of experienced people.”As Omani women are unable to sponsor their husbands,her husband was welcomed into the country on a touristvisa, while Salma scoured the country in search of a job andsponsor for him. They were met by disappointment followedby disappointment until an idea came to her mind. Salmaset up her own company, helped with money fromher husband’s savings, which would provide himwith a regular job and steady source of income, butmore importantly, a work permit and residency card.However, the application for a visa was refused,stating that as an Omani woman she was prohibitedfrom sponsoring her husband, even on a professionalbasis. She says, “It was very devastating what wewent through and not knowing to whom to turnto as everywhere I went between ministries andimmigration, no one could find a solution to what weare facing. I felt so lonely and very much down withstress.” Salma, who had worked so hard to contributeto her country, had no other option but to close herventure, sell off her brand-new furniture for her familyhome and quit her job in a ministry, before headingout to Europe to begin a new life with her husband inItaly.20

y-ratedMrs. Y (name has been changed tp protect her identity)is an Omani woman who was to learn first-hand theconsequences of marrying a foreigner without theauthority’s permission. After her American husbandconverted to Islam, the couple married in an Islamicceremony in the UAE and USA. Newly married andbrimming with excitement, she entered Oman and wasmet by the authorities who confiscated her passport atthe airport, for three days, while her husband was barredfrom entering the country. She says, “I was summonedto appear in court, face my charges, fined and it all gotsorted out. I would never advise or encourage anyoneto break the law because now it is much easier to getapproval to marry the person you want.” However, therewere to be additional challenges for the couple whotried to start a new life in Oman. She says, “The biggestproblem facing Omani women with foreign spouses isthat we cannot sponsor our husbands and get them, forinstance, a two year residence permit, the way Omanimen can with their foreign wives. Our husbands becameMuslims and our children are raised Muslims and sadlyinstead of welcoming them into the Islamic fold, andencourage them to live within Omani society, we pushthem away.”The law is very clear on the position of Omaniwomen in marriage. Although Omani women maymarry foreign Muslim men after approval from thegovernment, they are not allowed to pass theircitizenship onto their husband or child. Even gettingpermission to marry a foreigner is complex. Omaniscan ask for permission to marry a foreigner if shehas health problems (i.e. is disabled or has a longterm illness), if she is married or divorced from anOmani husband and has children, she has studiedabroad for a long period of time, is over 30 or is anaturalised Omani. An investigation into her personalinformation, financial and health conditions, socialstatus and also information about the man she wantsto marry is gathered. She must also state the reasonwhy she wants to marry a foreigner, along withproviding information from her employer, medicalreports, documents from the Wali, while visits to herfamily are made. Penalties for ignoring this includea fine not exceeding 2,000 rials and can also bedeprived of her job if she works in the government.Both women were to face mixed responses from theircommunity, when they introduced their new husbandsto the country. Salma says, “Our society of 13 yearsback then did not like or look at our marriage in a goodway or show acceptance. We felt that people werelooking at us when we were out together. Some of themwill even point out why I did not marry an Omani orwhy I couldn't find even an Arab national rather than aEuropean. It was a bit hard and hurting to hear someof these comments.” She adds that younger Omanisare much more accepting of their relationship, althoughthis lack of mutual understanding still exists. Mrs. Yfaced similar incidents although she states, “That didnot bother me then or now. What mattered to me wasmy family’s approval, especially my mother’s. My familywas very understanding and supportive and acceptedthe man I love and chose to marry.” She adds, “Our loveand relationship goes beyond all cultural boundaries.We have a great marriage and we understand eachother very well.” Salma adds, “Thanks to my family andtheir support from day till now, 13 years later, I am proudto have been married to my husband who they havetreated my husband so well.”21

The problem is greater than simply getting family approval, officialsanctions or societal acceptance. As Omani women, they face theadditional heartbreaking challenge of gaining acceptance for theirchildren. Children of Omani women are not granted citizenship, placingthem in limbo in a country they feel is their own, often knowing no othercountry but Oman. With a young son dressed proudly in a dish dash,he looks every bit the young confident Omani looking forward to abright and beautiful future but Salma remains sceptical about the future.She says, “The fear is that our children, when they reach the age of 18or 21, if they can’t find jobs or are not studying in universities here, thentheir permits will not be renewed again, which means they have to leavethe country.” Frustrated she adds, “Why is there no rule that allows usparents to choose the nationality of our children, or to have both sincethey are children with different parents?”Although Ibtisam does not have children with her Americanhusband, she is still passionate about the subject. She says,“How can you expect a mother to be separated from herchildren because of citizenship? Why shouldn’t children bornin Oman or outside Oman, whose mothers are Omani, not begiven the same opportunities (as her)? I truly and sincerelyhope that this matter will be addressed and the right thing isdone.” Both expressed their pride in the emancipation of Omaniwomen, and the huge successes this group have achievedin building a prosperous society. Still, they do feel that beingOmani citizens, the fact that they cannot pass citizenship ontotheir children, while Omani men can, to be unfair.22What I have learnt from these two women is justhow much can be achieved with mixed marriages.When I ask Salma about the cultural differencesshe faces in her marriage to a foreigner, she halfjokesthat she has learnt to cook Italian food. Shesays, “Some will say that we are mixing our Omaniblood and so our country will not be pure Omani,and I will tell them, well, we are already mixedfor so many years ago. When our parents movedfrom Oman to other parts of the world for tradeand other reasons they got married to nationals ofthose countries.” She adds, “It is very sad that wedon't have any kind of support or organisation tofight for our rights and the rights of our husbandsand children.” As Salma has learnt from cooking,the patience and clever balance ofingredients required in Italian cuisine isdelicate but this fusion creates harmonyand refinement. Oman, like other countriesin the world, has benefited hugely from thisshared experience and cohesion with othernations and cultures. Through exploration,trade and transactions, the Sultanate isnow a country brimming with rich traditionsand fresh ideas. All these two inspirationalOmani women want now is acceptance fortheir family.

The only media guideyou’ll ever need…mediate[v. mee-dee-eyt; adj. mee-dee-it]The act of connecting two or moreparties to develop a mutuallybeneficial outcome or goal.Introducing MEDIATE 2011Your concise guide to the media scene and a reference guidefor Advertising Agencies, Media Houses, Audio and Video Production,Multimedia, Events and Entertainment, Photography and Modeling,Market Research and Statistics, PR Services, Media Buying and Planning,Printing Services, and more...If you wish to advertise or be listed in MEDIATE 2011,please call 244 26900 or email advertise@mediate–oman.com23

Minds on the RoadWords Karima Farid | Photography Jerzy WierzbickiAt Y, we highly appreciate individuals and companies who are contributing to society,especially when it comes to saving lives. It was our pleasure to carry out this followinginterview this week. In Oman, it is unfortunate and sad to hear about accidents, especially ifthey were caused by the negligent act of not wearing a seatbelt, or the use of a mobile phonein a moving vehicle. This week, we speak to individuals who shed light on the NationwideRoad Safety Awareness Sessions Campaign that was initiated by Shell Development Omanand Oman LNG in cooperation with Royal Oman Police and The Coach.The campaign kicked off on 18th December, 2010, and is running until 5th February, 2011.The aim was not only to spread road safety awareness, but also to encourage a cultureof responsibility on the roads, among all parts of society. The series included a total of 60engaging sessions across different regions and Wilayats of the Sultanate. We spoke toSuhail Batooq, Communications Advisor for Shell Development Oman, who is looking afterthe road safety session campaign project at Shell, and I must add, he is doing a tremendousjob so far.Sheikh Khalfan Al Esry is the Executive Coach and founder of The Coach Company. He isalso known to be one of the most inspirational public speakers in Oman. He and his teamwere interested in communicating the message of this campaign, so they conducted lectures– and not your typical lectures – in an engaging and inspiring manner. We also had OmanLNG join us via telephone, represented by Abdullah Al Shekaili, National Fund Supervisor atLNG, as he was in Sur at the time so couldn’t join us physically.As soon as we started, Suhail accurately put in plain words the reasons why the campaignbegan, saying: “Well, as you know, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has called uponthe people of Oman in 2009, in Saih Al Makarim in Sohar, to join efforts to react and startacting against the rising phenomenon which is traffic accidents. That basically inspired us toreact too, and start off a campaign that is broad and covers the whole geographic locationsof Oman, covering most of the wilayats around the Sultanate. At Shell, we have been doingroad safety campaigns in Oman for many years now, as it is part of our social investmentprogramme, but yet this kind of campaign is a first of its kind as it is aimed for the public andis delivered to them in a dynamic way.”Suhail tells me that the campaign reaches the public through 60 engaging sessions, targetingvarious groups of society including schools, colleges, universities, institutes, and also makesure they also go to wali offices. Also, they have been to women’s associations as well asdifferent sport clubs. This way, they tried to penetrate different communities and society as awhole, in order to spread the message to all walks of life, in a very effective way.We threw a few questions exclusively to Sheikh Khalfan, which he answered in a veryinspirational tone throughout the session; his message aims to inspire individuals to be apart of the solution, rather than the problem:Sheikh Khalfan, what do you think of the road conditions in Oman?We have some of the best road conditions not only from the engineering point of view, but indesign and also construction point of view. But also in terms of the roads that we have withthe number of vehicles we have, the ratio we have is amongst the best in the world. Thisissue is not with the roads, not with the weather conditions, the issue is with the people; HisMajesty did mention that ‘human error plays the biggest part in what is happening’.What are the misconceptions that people have about caraccidents?In our industry, safety, we say that 96 percent of accidents are causedby people. And in my experience of leading and participating insafety, while trying to understand the Omani environment, includingthe GCC region, I came to find out that three misconceptions that arecausing all the problems that we have are:First, people think that accidents only happen to others, not to them.And because they think like that, they don’t take the necessaryprecautions, they don’t wear seatbelts, they don’t stop using mobiles,they don’t focus on the road; they think nothing is going to happento them.Second, what happens in the first FIVE seconds of an accident?Very few people understand EXACTLY what happens in the first fiveseconds.24

The third misconception is about fate andpre-destination. We know in our culture andin our beliefs, that when people first have anaccident, people react that this is “fate andpre-destination, it is written”. Throughoutour lectures, we try to clarify by quoting theQur’an. So we bring verses from the Qur’anto refute all these misconceptions.So far, what is the reaction of the audiencewhen you are speaking to them?The reaction has been exceptionally well;in every area that we went to, peoplecommented that they really didn’tunderstand the impact of not wearing aseatbelt, or using a mobile phone etc. Fromthe decision makers, to parents, to students,to youngsters, and to both men and women,it was all well. The only comment thatwe repeatedly got was that the audiencewanted this campaign to go on.How creative do you need to get with theaudience?We combined four things:Number one: understanding (the concept of)seatbelts, speed, inertia etc...Number two: we show them through videosand movies, exactly the science behinddriving and accidents.Number three: through applied psychology;basically engaging their thoughts andemotions, so people can get to bind ittogether.Number four: we use our prevailing culturalvalues like the Qur’an and Sunna as wellas demonstrating through role playing howpowerful this is. A small example of this is anexercise showing what happens to people ifthey drive at 4km per hour, without a seatbelt.And that is about standing straight and fallingon their face and no one dares to do it. So ifyou cannot dare to fall on your face at 4kman hour, then how can you do it at 40, 80 or120 km per hour? That is how it begins toclick and they understand. In other words,everything we tell them becomes relevant,there is nothing foreign, it is all there, veryconvincing and nobody leaves the lecturenot convincedDoes age matter? How do you deal withdifferent age groups?Normally we pitch our message to the rightlevel. If the pitch is for children, then wetry to get to their level of understanding.With youth, the youngsters, we introducegraphical images to show them exactly whathappens to people who do not comply withsafety. If we speak to women, then we putmore emotional messages, sound effectsof mothers crying or of children crying andthat usually affects (them). If we speak todecision makers, we introduce numbers asit always ends up in the equation.The number of people that the campaignapproached, and reached out to, duringthis series was 100,000 people includingdifferent means of communication. Eachsession that they finished, they hand overthe material that was used during thesession to participants for them to go andshare it with their family and friends. So ifyou take all these facts into consideration,we can indeed multiply the number whowere affected by the campaign by a factorof 4 or 5. We are hoping that the campaignwill eventually reach half a million people,which I really believe they will manage. Notonly that, but they trained trainers, and thosetrainers are volunteers who have a passionfor road safety and the capability to reachpeople, and they will continue to spread the message. Some ofthese volunteers are teachers, so when they take the program totheir school, neighbouring schools also get affected.We all know Oman LNG’s direct involvement with the society allaround the Sultanate. Abdullah from Oman LNG specifically tells usabout their involvement with this campaign, he says: “We are bigcontributors to society - especially when it comes to road safety.After what His Majesty said about the road safety issue in Saih AlMakarim, we tried to give it more emphasis. There was no one betterperson to deal with this than Sheikh Khalfan, as we have alreadydealt with him in the past. So we decided to create a road safetycampaign which Shell was thinking about too. So both Shell andLNG went ahead with this joint project.”This impressive nationwide campaign is ending on 5th February inthe Qurum Amphitheatre at 8pm and YOU are all invited to attend.This lecture can definitely play a big role in changing your bad habitsso don’t miss the chance to listen to a truly inspirational speaker.This was my first sit-down with Sheikh Khalfan, and if I may add, heis a true inspiration and a genius by all means. Many of you probablyknow him already, but when you meet him in person, you will see hisgrit, determination and honesty and that is captivating. No wonderhe is always sought after!What a truly great opportunity to get to meet these people, and I wishyou all attend the final lecture as this campaign will really put things inperspective and make you aware on the safety measures you needto take. As Sheikh Khalfan finally mentioned, that the whole point ofthis campaign is to make it a sustainable campaign. The idea behindthis campaign is that the more they make people well informed of therisks on the road, as well as the right practices of driving, people willmake the right decisions. So eventually the people will take informeddecisions based on conviction.This campaign should be fully utilised in gatherings such as MuscatFestival, Khareef Salalah and the Annual Youth Summit. Pleasecontact Sheikh Khalfan on www.thecoach.com to reach out tohim and his team. I would like to thank Suhail, Sheikh Khalfan andAbdullah for their precious time, and also it was a pleasure to be apart of this campaign.25

A NewStatesmanWords Paul McLoughlin | Photography Jerzy WierzbickiAnil Wadhwa is a familiar face inMuscat. Kept busy with a seriesof lectures, cultural events andbusiness meetings, organised by theIndian Embassy, the ambassadorhas become one of the country’smost well known figures. Alarger than life character, HisExcellency is the epitome of theurbane ambassador, with a finelycut suit and well groomed visage,Anil Wadhwa is a frequent sightat social functions in the capital.Not only is His Excellency the faceof the Indian Embassy in Oman,but he is also a point of call for theestimated 450,000 Indian nationalsliving in the Sultanate. With sucha large percentage of this groupworking in manual and domesticblue-collared labour jobs, and oftenin the most vulnerable positions inthe country, the ambassador hasa tough job ensuring his peopleare protected from unscrupulousemployers and other threats. Thelevel of this success is hard to judge,but HE Wadhwa seems to be keptvery active in this task, along withhis role with uniting the Indiancommunity here in Oman.One of the major successes of theIndian Embassy was early last yearwhen thousands of illegal Indianworkers were repatriated back toIndia without having to pay finesfor their overstay. Anil says, “Thatwas quite an experience becausewe had 23,000 odd Indians who weregistered and we didn’t haveenough space in the Embassy sowe had to set up tents outside.Then the tents had to be madeinto a situation where fans andAC units had to be providedand some tea and coffee also,along with 100 local volunteerswho helped out to register them.13,000 were repatriated in theend, they had to fill in forms inArabic and then be taken downto the manpower office and fortheir fingerprinting in Seeb. Allthis was done with the help oflocal voluntary community andit took about six months.” Thiscolossal logistical operationwas testimony to the efficiencyand organisational ability ofthe Indian Embassy, along withtheir counterparts in the Omanigovernment.Omani-Indian relations are longand strong, stretching back tothe 7th Century the Ambassadortells me. “The King of India wasapproached by people, who weregoing on Hajj, and Kerala didn’thave Islam at the time, so heaccompanied them. On the wayback he stopped in Salalah, heliked the placed, he married a localwoman and died in Salalah. Hisburial place is still there. After thatwe had regular exchanges betweenthe maritime communities, whoused to trade in dhows... includingfrankincense.” This transactionsaw populations migrate from one country to another,becoming advisers and traders, setting up communitiesin the coastal towns of India and Oman. In recentyears, this relationship was only strengthened withcloser links between the two countries. “In those dayspeople could trade in difficult circumstances but I thinknow the world depends more on interdependence,and the more we cooperate together the better it is foreveryone.”It isn’t just the coastal region of Oman that shares acommon history with India. Today, tens of thousandsof Indian workers are now scattered across the country,particularly in domestic, construction and agriculturalwork in Oman’s interior regions. When things gowrong, how does the Indian Embassy reach out tothese people, who may find the distance between a26

huge barrier to them and consularassistance? HE Wadhwa says,“We have a system of what we callhonouree agents of the Embassy,which is voluntary work, so we justask someone to act on our behalfand this person works on a parttime,no payment basis. We alsowork through community welfarepersons and people they knowin the interior, on their behalf,identifying problems and reportingto us through the honouree consulagents.” He adds, “I have visitedmost places in the interior, andwhen I go we hold ‘open houses’,where people can come and we tellthem what we can do, how they canget in touch with their Embassy andwhat they can do if they need help.The best thing they can do is callour 24 hour helpline 24695981 orsee their honouree consular.”I am told that the Indian Embassyis still concentrating its efforts onimproving the living conditionsof Indian workers in the country.The Ambassador is keen to pointout, “We have strengthened ourown community welfare actions by reaching out to thecommunity for support and concentrating on theirstrengths. Some people, for example, can collect fundsfor the workers. Now we are about to convert that into the Community Welfare Resource Centre whichwill be based in the Embassy and will be completelycomputerised, which will mean that we can answer anyqueries at any time in the day.” HE also points out “Weare reaching out to all blue collar workers from India,and ensuring that all work contracts must be attestedby the Embassy. We are also talking to the Ministryof Manpower right now on the introduction of aminimum wage for all categories of workers, and thelevels of wages.”It appears that there are still numerouschallenges for the Embassy, andthe ambassador appears to be wellaware of what needs to be done toassist the hundreds of thousandsof Indian workers in the country.During his watch, he has beenexemplary in improving businessrelations and bringing together theIndian community through a series oftalks and cultural events. Just as theEmbassy achieved success through therepatriation of workers without visas,we can only hope that the Ambassadorwill be stalwart in his efforts toimprove the living conditions of thethousands of maids, constructionand agricultural workers in Omanwho have been the very backbone ofprogress in this country. From whatwe have seen, he already appears tobe part way to achieving this.Our photographer, JerzyWierzbicki was rather fittinglygiven a book on Indianphotography by His Excellency,which he would like to publicallythank the Ambassador for.27

Home DécorGautierIf you are looking for beautiful, contemporary furniture that demonstrates quality then you should immediately head down toStudio Gautier. Their goal is to help you create a stylish and impressive functional space within your home or office. Gautierstarted since 1958 in France, and since then they have become known in every corner of the world. Gautier has many rangeswhich cover bedrooms, living rooms, junior bedrooms and nurseries. You need to head down to their show room in Ruwi tosee for yourselves. Check out a few options this week, which Y brings to you.Words Karima Farid | Photography Jerzy WierzbickiWAVEThis bedroom set is stylish,neat and sleek. It’s perfectfor an adult range and sportsa French design, so whatelse would you expect?EXTREME WHITEWith Extreme White,you will never need tofind additional spacefor your TV essentialsand accessories.JET SOFA and MANHATTAN WALLUNITThe comfortable sofa set is not only easyon the eye, but also tempting to feel andtouch. The wall unit definitely completesthe set as you cannot possibly purchaseone without the other!28CALICOChildren have a vast range at Gautier, and this is one of theirdesigns. This bedroom range is fun and funky for your children.It will surely allow your kid a never ending fun experience withinthe walls of their own bedroom.

DOLCE WENGEThis bedroom set is extremely elegant. Withthe dark colours, you will be able to playaround with the rest of the room in a moreamusing manner.ORIADEAn adult range option that is definitelyperfect for the smart kind. It is smooth andalso embraces warm colours.LOLAA room fit forlittle princesand princesses.With soft andcalm colours,this room canbe fit for a childfor many years.POWERFor the more powerful and bravechildren, this room is bold andhas a unique expression. Gautieris definitely a winner with theirranges.QUARTZWith Quartz, adults will feeldaring, excited and at ease. Theroom looks cosy and has a goodsized wardrobe too.

STUFFClint Derric EgberthammacheR tV RemotewatchI’ve always been a fan of spy movies,mimicking James Bond was a commonpractice in my adolescent years. Afascination that for some reason has stuckthrough the years, is why when I laid myeyes on the Hammacher TV Remote WatchI suddenly felt like I was 10 again. In reality,however, this watch is no child’s play, but insteada great reason never to have to get off the couchfor anything anymore. Now, a remote watch is nonew invention, but most older devices like thisappear to be like something out of Star Trek, bigand bulky, in short – just downright ugly. Withjust six buttons on the watch this bad boy looksvery much like all the designer watches you seein the market, but can also control a TV, DVD andDecoder. Priced reasonably at $100 (39 rials),this is definitely a product anyone could makeuse of. Log onto www.gadgetlite.com for furtherinformation.Jawbone eRa bluetoothheadsetBluetooth hands-free kits are a musthave for people who spend most of theirday driving around through traffic, andas much as I’m for this device, theresomehow always seems to be a problemwith most headsets found in the markettoday; whether it’s the speaker or themicrophone, most headsets are justnot fit enough to give users the qualitythey expect. But with the Jawbone ERABluetooth headset communication via ahands-free set, it has become a breeze.Sporting HD (High Definition) audio, theuse of integrated sensors, intelligence,built-in accelerometer, MotionX and 25percent larger wideband speaker, thisdevice is an absolute pleasure to use.Priced at just $129 (50 rials) a pieceof this baby is sure to make of a worthycompanion.technologY newsmelting bookshelf clockFor those looking to decorate their homeswith something slightly out of the ordinary, theMelting Bookshelf Clock is sure to tickle yourfancy. As the name suggests, this clock not onlyappears like it is actually melting of the shelf,but is made with such precision that it truly is awork of art. Powered by a single AA battery youcan now awe guests with a timepiece that issure to melt their hearts. Priced at just $14.99(6 rials) this baby is definitely worth every penny,so go to www.coolest-gadgets.com for moreinformation.XBOX 360THE FIGHT AGAINST PIRACYThe battle against piracy has beenlong and hard, and in many casesa lost cause. Microsoft is determined to put a stop to this trendby updating the Xbox 360 make it all but impossible to piratethese games. As of now, Xbox 360's hottest games ‘Call Of Duty:Black Ops’ and ‘Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’ are the onlytwo games to have been protected, disallowing users the unfairadvantage of running pirated versions of the game. These arethe only two games to have received treatment to date, but itshouldn’t be long before Xbox games are pirate-free.30

Hailed as the “spiritual successor” to thecompany’s mid-70s Lagonda four-door, theRapide retains the low stance and beautifulcurves that the marque is renowned for,but it is more elongate than one wouldexpect. At over 5 metres in length, it is254mm longer than the DB9, with an extra63.5mm in height, so there is sufficientlegroom and headroom to seat adults inthe back.The rear seats fold down creating an886 litre “flat bed” that could easily holdseveral suitcases and two golf bags -should you wish to indulge in a weekendputt in a neighbouring country. The1000watt BeoSound Rapide package,developed by Bang & Olufsen, is soadvanced that it utilises sensors on theseatbelts to identify the number ofoccupants and to tailor the sound in thecabin accordingly. It is crystal clear andprecise, yet retains tremendous warmthand depth. It is impossible to fault.Aston’s “swan wing” doors are a superbfeature here in the Middle East. Designedto avoid nasty scuffs from curbs, they openup (and out) at an angle of 12 degrees,which really helps given the ridiculousheight of some curbs and footpaths inthese parts. A lot of the technical aspectsof this car have been carefully consideredand strikingly implemented. In fact, there’sa great blurb on the Aston Martin websitewhere the company’s Vehicle EngineeringManager, Simon Barnes, speaks openlyabout the real world tests conductedin the middle of summer in the harshKuwaiti desert. And if that isn’t enoughto implant the term “reliability” on yourimpressionable motoring minds, the Rapidetook part in the gruelling Nürburgring24 Hours last year, where, in standardproduction guise, it accelerated through itsgears 13,534 times over 3,397 kilometresto complete the race without fault. TheAston Martins of today are indeed special.The fit and finish is stunning, bordering onexorbitant. The exterior? Evocative; if youlove the DB9, DBS or Vantage, you willstand beside this car, scratch your head,drool, and ask: “How did they manage todesign four doors into this incredibly sleek,incredibly chic, car?”Well, they did manage. There are a coupleof key attributes to this car that define thevehicle’s niche: One - effortless powercomes from a segment leading 6.0-litre V12that belts out 470hp and 601Nm of torque.Two - the vehicle is practical yet retainsthe elegant styling of a true sports car. Andthree - there has been no compromisewhen it comes to handling.Fully laden, it has a uniquely neutralbalance, with no weight felt fore or aft ofthe driver. Splendid 390mm brakes torturethe tyres to ensure this car stops as fastas it accelerates. The sumptuous interiorbefits the purposeful character of the car,and the waves of thrust that wash over youunder hard acceleration are like a cerebralmassage. The car is so refined you don’tfeel any jerkiness or discomfort. 5 secondsgets you over the speed limit, and a fewmoments later the world goes whizzing by,and the grunting, 200+ madness, begins.Carrying excessive speed into a tight turn isa sheer delight, with the vehicle remainingflat no matter how hard you brake or howfast you wrench the wheel. Lateral grip isfantastic and defies the supreme levels ofcomfort and sheer serenity of being insidethe quiet cabin. The “international superspy” quality of the Rapide puts a hugegrin on my face. OK, so I am NOT PierceBrosnan, but heck; I feel like I am. Oman’s“old road” behind Hamriya towards Sifais tricky to handle in any vehicle, but theRapide makes light work of the twistytarmac. With excellent feedback throughthe steering, I weave like a ferret, dartingleft and right, up and down. Red-hot brakesinto each turn and repeated gear flickingthrough to the redline out of each cornerequate to motoring bliss: “vvvsssVVVZZZ…cloonck”.And so if I were to break the new Rapidedown for you, with simplicity, I wouldhave to say: “As promised at the time ofconception, this car has painstakinglybeen developed to deliver a truly engagingdriving experience… while seating fouradults, comfortably.”kiran@y-oman.comSpecial thanks to Paul Varleyof Aston Martin Oman

Words Clint Derric EgbertBattle of the DuosIt’s been nine long years since the tennis world has witnessed themagic of India’s devastating duo Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi,who have over their time together in the sport earned themselves aseries of Grand Slam titles, all but the Australian Open title, one thatthey have yet to conquer, only managing to reach the second round ofthe tournament back in 2002.Thanks to Paes and Bhupathi’s, also known as the ‘Indian Express’,outstanding performance recently against second seed pair of MaxMirnyi and Daniel Nestor of Canada in the semi-final of the ongoingAustralian Open, beating the pair 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 at Melbourne, theyearned themselves a shot at the title they had for so long waited for.Going up against the top seeded American twins and double defendingchampions Mike and Bob Bryan in the final match of the tournament,the Indian Express knew right from the start that this feat was going tobe as hard as hard can get. But determined to give their best shot at thetitle Paes and Bhupathi prepared hard to face the quick footed twins,who recently managed a fairly easy 6-3, 6-2 victory over Eric Butoracand Jean-Julien Rojer in the semi-finals.The Bryan brothers were on top of their game right from the word ‘go’,blasting serves in with immaculate precision, achieving an exceptional83 percent of their first serves in during the match, nine of them aces.Clinching the first set in just under 30 minutes, Mike’s almost perfectfirst serve was proving to be the key to their success, inching themcloser to their fifth Australian Open and 10th Grand Slam title.The second set saw the Indians struggleto make their way back into the game, butBhupathi losing out on his serve in the ninthgame, provided Bob with the opportunity toserve out the set and match, winning thetitle 3-6, 4-6, at the same time crushingthe Indian Express’ dreams of adding thatmuch desired Australian Cup title to theiralmost full kitty.“There is a reason why Bob and Mike arethe top team in the world. If someone isgetting 83 percent of their first serves in,there is little you could do. But it is a goodsign that it took the best team on the planetto beat us,” said Bhupathi optimistically, “Ilook to play more with Leander and will be back next year.”The Bryans expressed their joy to see Paes and Bhupathi back together and said it was great for the sport of tennis. “They are two of the legends of the game; wehad to play our best match tonight. That was literally the best match we’ve played for a long time,” said Bob after the match.34

F1 makes way fordi RestaThe Formula 1 grid welcomes yet another British driver, Paul diResta, to race alongside fellow country champs Lewis Hamiltonand Jenson Button. Di Resta is now set to drive for Force India2011, partnering with German Adrian Sutil. "Now I'm going to livemy dream, and that's to be a Formula 1 driver. I've worked reallyhard for this opportunity throughout my career and to get it withForce India, a young team that's got ambitions as big as mine, isgenuinely exciting. I just hope this can continue on for a long time,”di Resta was reported as saying.The Scot, who impressed Force India while driving in practicesessions recently, gave the team no option but to give him a seat inthe team, where he will now join the elite class of F1 racers in 2011.Di Resta couldn’t contain his excitement to race with F1 champsLewis Hamilton and Jenson Button saying, “Britain has producedsome great drivers over the years and Lewis and Jenson have reallystood out in recent seasons as back-to-back world champions. Tobe on the grid with them is pretty special.”Kolkata Bowled OverWith one of the biggest sports events, the Cricket World Cup, inchingexcitingly closer, India once again proves to be on a back foot asKolkata’s Eden Gardens Stadium has been deemed unfit to hostone of the World Cup games. Fighting for the honour is Mumbai’sWankhede Stadium and three Sri Lankan venues, all of which havepassed the approval stages."Of particular concern was the fact that host venue obligations inrelation to cricket operations, media, broadcast and sponsorshipfacilities were not finalised and/or confirmed by the venue," an ICCstatement read.Kotkata, that was originally scheduled to host four group games,three of them being Ireland v South Africa on March 15th, Ireland vNetherlands on March 18th, and Kenya v Zimbabwe on March 20th,will particularly feel the pinch of not being able to host the India vEngland game on the 27th of February, as none of the later gamesare anywhere near as prestigious as this clash.There are other venues currently undergoing the final inspectionprocess, five of which are said to be slightly behind schedule, stillrequiring minor finishing work to be completed. Even though theMumbai Stadium has been approved, there are still concerns overwhether the venue will be ready for the final on the 2nd April, dueto the recent major renovations it has undergone.Stating that “all venues had ample time in which to prepare for World Cup matches”, ICCChief Executive Haroon Lorgat goes on to say, “The COC had provided venues with adeadline of 30th November 2010 to complete all construction work and then to be matchreadyby 31st of December.”This, however, did not happen, and so an extension was granted by the ICC for five venues,but unfortunately, Eden Gardens were unable to meet the deadline."Regrettably, Eden Gardens has not made sufficient progress to justify the level ofconfidence required to confirm that the venue would be ready in good time. This was noeasy decision to take and while it is most unfortunate, it is absolutely necessary," Lorgatwas reported saying.A new venue for the India v England game is currently being considered. All we can do ishope that India gets their act together before the World Cup bats off.35

February 01, 2011 Issue 155HSBC BranchOpening at MCC36

February 01, 2011 Issue 155HP Opening ofCommercial officein OmanIndian RepublicDay Celebrations37

February 01, 2011 Issue 155Majestic MuscatExhibition38

February 01, 2011 Issue 155Royal Caribbean –Brilliance of the Seas39

February 01, 2011 Issue 155Oman Oil Trip –Wahiba Sands40

February 01, 2011 Issue 15541

February 01, 2011 Issue 155Sultan QaboosAwards forExcellence ineGovernmentMuscatInternationalSchool Concert42

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KFWS • MindGySeptember 6SUDOKUPlace a number in the empty boxes in such a waythat each row across, each column down and eachsmall 9-box square contains all of the numbersfrom one to nine.Go FigureThe idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figuresgiven at the bottom and right-hand columns of thediagram by following the arithmetic signs in theorder they are given (that is, form left to right andtop to bottom). Use only the numbers below thediagram to complete its blank squares and useeach of the nine numbers only once.

Each week we are asking our readers to take part in a topical discussionvia Y Magazine's facebook page.Join the group and you might see your comments printed in next week'sissue!This week:What measures can be taken to empower womenin Oman?Kawther Fareed Well, most women in Oman have two full time jobs, working all day and after noon, and caring for her kids. Womenshould have the option to finish work at a certain time so thet can go ahead and do their second job at home! Withthis economy, women need to work, NOT to support their husbands, but to simply fullfill their own needs. What do youthink? (before answering, make sure you have witnessed a woman taking care of her child first)Jumana Abduwani Kawther you are absolutely right!!!It’s a struggle juggling two full time jobs, particularly when there is no good support system around. As for anyworking woman here who has to go back to work after 50 days maternity leave, the only option for leaving the babyis the Nanny.A lot of us don’t have the support of an extended family and there are no available standard quality day cares aroundwhere you can leave the baby, not that you want to!!In terms of responding to Paul I think few measures can be:Extended maternity leave 4 months at least.Protected time for breast feeding for at least one year.Custody of the child in case of divorce without the fear of losing him/her if she chose to re marry.Better financial compensation in case of divorce or death of husband.Full right to birth spacing and deciding size of the family.Paroma Banerjee Dasgupta Omani women have made considerable progress over the past decade in almost all walks of life owing to the immensesupport of HIS MAJESTY.But Oman is still among the few remaining members of the United Nations that has not yetratified the UN convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW).The personal status law which governs the matters of Muslim family such as marriage, inheritance, divorce, childcustody largely discriminate women from men. Even in the field of education female candidates face discriminationin enrollment process for higher education.IN 2004 HIS MAJESTY appointed the first woman minister as the head ofthe ministry of education but much change is still needed in social attitudes towards the role of women in positionsof power.17th October has been designated as Omani Women's Day but the government should organize literacy programsspecially in rural areas to enhance the awareness of women about their rights under the law. Oman has always beenin the active forefront for "equality and progress for all "compared to other regions in the gulf. To ensure the nation'sprogress they should steer now with renewed determination.SOLUTIONSCRoSSWoRDSuDoKuGo FIGuRE