Times of Oman - February 1, 2016

MONDAY February 1, 2016 22 Rabi Al Thani 1437 AH

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

On the occasion of the 28th National Day, 1998

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ All countries should work to fight tyranny and despotism, confront the policies of ethnic cleansing and the humiliation of human dignity. They should work, as well, to oppose the occupation of others lands and denial of legitimate rights. Also, they should strive to balance the scales of justice so that security, peace and tranquillity shall be established throughout the world.

Founded 1975 . Volume 40 No. 291 | 40 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

Oman firms sending expat bosses home

N I Z WA A C C I D E N T

OMAN

Ancient Omani ruler’s tomb found in UAE

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An archaeological team at Mleiha in Sharjah has discovered a tomb dating back to 216-215 BC, making it the oldest historical discovery that refers to Oman and also proves that the ancient Kingdom of Oman existed in the late 3rd century BC. >A2

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Companies in Oman are taking all steps,

Indonesia stops sending domestics

including cutting workforce, bonus, foreign training, air tickets to survive the downturn

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Indonesia has stopped sending its domestic workers to Oman, according to a senior official of the Indonesian Embassy in Muscat. An Indonesian official said instead of domestic workers, they are now sending skilled workers. >A2

MARKET

Major recovery at Muscat bourse

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Share prices on the MSM staged a major recovery, with the general index climbing by 3.25 per cent or 162.85 points to close at 5,179.36 points. The market continued its rebound journey, as a result of which investors gained OMR203 million.>B1

MORNING MINUTE

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com

IRREPARABLE LOSS: Siya Sabu, the Class II Indian School Nizwa student, who died from her injuries. Photo– Supplied

‘Angel’ dies from bus crash injuries REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: “She was like an angel for us. She was smart in studies and playful. We can’t believe even now the truth that we have lost her.”

These were the words of Siya Elizabeth Sabu’s uncle who has booked tickets to travel along with her body to India.

Siya Sabu, the Class II Indian School Nizwa student, died from the injuries following Thursday’s bus accident which has so far claimed six lives, including Siya’s who passed away on Sunday morning.

Jaden Jaison, another Class II student, is still fighting for his life in the intensive care unit at the Nizwa Hospital.

Siya, Shammas, Ruya, all

Class II students, and Deepal Seth, a teacher at the Indian school apart from two Omani drivers lost their lives in the accident. They were travelling in the bus which was returning to Nizwa after a trip from Bahala.

Repatriated to India While, Shammas’ body was buried in Bisiya, a town near Nizwa, Ruya’s and Deepal’s bodies were repatriated to India on Saturday evening.

“Siya’s body will be flown to India tonight from Muscat. We all are travelling with the body,” her uncle added.

Meanwhile, a message to parents from the Indian School Nizwa read that the school will remain closed until February 3 to mourn the loss of three children and a teacher. >A7

MUSCAT: Companies have begun repatriating expatriates from highly-paid positions and tightening their spend on nationals as oil-driven austerity starts to dig into staff budgets.

“Many companies are centralising their offices to reduce the workforce, cutting down bonuses, adjusting annual leave plans and air ticket provisions and also dropping off training opportunities abroad,” Dr Anchan CK, an investment advisor and financial expert, said.

“While big companies are into austerity measures, small companies are looking for merger op-

tions to survive,” Anchan added.

Due to the global oil price crisis since the middle of 2015, Oman’s government announced an OMR3.3b deficit budget in 2016 with plans to dramatically lower spending and slash subsidies.

This has already seen petrol prices rise and visa fees increase with more measures expected, and so companies are planning to cut their costs to survive in 2016.

Talking to Times of Oman on the condition of anonymity, two senior expatriate managers said that they were told to leave due to cost cutting measures.

“I was told to quit as part of cost cutting measures. I have been a long time employee in the company. However, I don’t feel

Young BSM talents enthral visitors

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sad,” a general manager in one of the companies in Muscat who was forced to leave Oman a few days ago, said.

Another senior manager in engineering firm also said that he was forced to leave as part of the cost cutting exercise.

“The company was centralising the departments to save money.

The company offered me a golden handshake and I agreed to it,” the senior manager said.

According to a finance advisor in a government driven initiative, cost cutting measures have already come into effect.

“This time, the plan is to cut bonus by 50 per cent for the employees. Tight control over air tickets, visa for maids and abroad training options are in place already,” the finance advisor said.

Tonia Gray, general manager at Competence HR, said, “Companies have cancelled the payment of bonuses and allowances (including field/special allowances) and in some cases employees have accepted reduced pay during this time to avoid the need for redundancies. >A6

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

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This is being done to regulate the recruitment process, and to protect the Indonesian workers in Oman.

Bambang Daranindra, Minister Counsellor of the Indonesian Embassy in Muscat

Ancient Omani ruler’s tomb found in the UAE

R E G U L AT I N G R E C RU I T M E N T

Indonesia stops sending domestic workers to Oman Times News Service

The recovered treasure features inscriptions engraved on a huge grave consisting of an underground burial chamber measuring 5.2X5.2 square metres

REJIMON K

RARE FIND: Eisa Yousef of the Sharjah Department of Antiquities and Dr Bruno Overlaet, director of the Belgian team, examining the funerary inscription. -Supplied photos

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: An archaeological team at Mleiha in Sharjah has discovered a tomb dating back to 216-215 BC, making it the oldest historical discovery that refers to Oman and also proves that the ancient Kingdom of Oman existed in the late 3rd century BC. “The recovered treasure features inscriptions engraved on a huge grave consisting of an underground burial chamber measuring 5.2X5.2 square metres. The inscription, written in Aramaic and a southern Arabic language, states that the tomb was built by the son of a certain Amid, who was in the service of the king of Oman,” Dr Bruno Overlaet, Curator, Ancient Near East, Iran and Islam collections at Royal Museums of Art and History, Brussels, wrote in an email interview he gave to the Times of Oman.

“The local Abiel dynasty, known from its coins minted at Mleiha, can in all probability be associated with this title of “King of Oman”. Their kingdom was apparently centred around

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Mleiha and probably consisted of the territory of the UAE and the northern parts of Oman,” the curator added.

The Belgian team directed by Dr Bruno working in close collaboration with Sharjah’s Department of Antiquities made the discovery on December 17 last year.

According to the curator, a square building of lime-bricks once stood on top of two underground burial chambers. These chambers, which once contained the deceased and the grave-related goods, had walls constructed with large boulders.

“The passage between the rooms was blocked with bricks and a large monumental inscription that had fallen down from the upper structure.

“The bi-lingual inscription is written in Aramaic and Ancient

MUSCAT: Indonesia has stopped sending its domestic workers to Oman, according to a senior official of the Indonesian Embassy in Muscat.

Speaking to the Times of Oman, Bambang Daranindra, Minister Counsellor of the Indonesian Embassy in Muscat, said instead of domestic workers, they are now sending skilled workers from Indonesia to Oman.

“This is being done to regulate the recruitment process, and to protect the Indonesian workers in Oman. It will also end certain malpractices which agencies in Indonesia indulge in while recruiting domestic workers from various regions in Indonesia,” he said.

The decision was made last year but is rigorously being followed only now. “We have informed all the concerned authorities in this regard,” he added. The current salary of untrained housemaids from Indonesia in Oman is OMR120 to OMR150 per month, while trained housemaids receive a salary of OMR200 a month.

Officials said they are currently studying the living conditions in each of the GCC states and are in the process of revising the salaries to meet the growing requirements of the workers.

“But right now we are keen on sending only more skilled workers to the Sultanate of Oman as there is a huge demand here,” Bambang Daranindra said.

According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the number of Indonesian nationals in the private sector in Oman was 32,535 in January 2016, including 31,891 females and 644 males.

“Our focus today is to reduce the number of Indonesia housemaids and, instead, to increase the number of professionals in other sectors including oil and gas, health and hospitality,” he said.

In November 2014, there were 35,738 including 35,111 women and 627 males among workers.

The Indonesian government has already imposed a temporary ban on letting domestic workers travel to several countries in the world, including some GCC countries.

ACCIDENT

Man dies after fall from mountain A view of the tomb with the inscription.

Times News Service South Arabian,” the curator added.

Up to now, the oldest mention of the name Oman was in classical sources from the 1st century CE, where Omana refers to a harbour on the Oman peninsula.

Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, made the announcement of the

findings when he inaugurated the first phase of the Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project.

Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project has been nominated by Unesco as a World Heritage site, reflecting a rich archaeological and cultural heritage and attracting more visitors and investors.

MUSCAT: One person has died after falling from a mountain in Rustaq, the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances (PACDA) tweeted on their official Twitter handle.

“We rushed to the accident spot in Yaqa area as soon as we were alerted. However, we couldn’t rescue him. The deceased’s body has

been shifted to the hospital,” the PACDA tweeted.

Last year in August, a British woman in her thirties was found dead in Wadi Al Sameeh in the province of Mahda. The woman was hiking with 11 other tourists on the Wadi Al Sameenah Mountain. She had lost her track and was later found dead by Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances rescue team.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

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Avoid Zika-hit areas, pregnant women advised Pregnant women from Oman, who have recently travelled to Zikaaffected countries, have been urged by Dr Ahmed Al Saidi, Minister of Health to seek medical advice AFFECTED: Dominican Air Force personnel fumigate various locations in Santo Domingo against the Aedes aegypti mosquito, vector of the Zika virus, recently. -AFP

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Pregnant women should avoid visiting Zika-affected countries, Oman’s minister of health said on Sunday.

“I urge all the pregnant women in Oman to seek medical advice if they have recently travelled to countries from where active Zika virus transmission cases are being reported,” Dr Ahmed Al Saidi, the Minister of Health, said.

While there are no cases reported in the MENA region so far, Dr Ahmed Al Saidi said Oman, however, is fully prepared to deal with any epidemic virus cases, including that of Zika.

“We are fully prepared,” he told the media on the sidelines of a conference on Sunday.

The virus, carried by mosquitoes, has been recently active across the Caribbean and Latin American countries.

Doctors at the private hospi-

tals also said citizens and residents should not visit Zika-hit countries unless it becomes absolutely necessary.

“People visiting these countries, if it is too necessary, should take adequate precautions to prevent any types of mosquito bites and should protect themselves by using insect repellents and wearing long sleeves and using mosquito nets,” said Dr V.C.P. Mohammed, specialist in Internal Medicine at Atlas Hospital, Ruwi.

The mosquito-borne Zika virus, thought to cause a birth defect where the brain does not develop properly, has been rampaging through the Caribbean and Latin America.

“It is a new virus, so people should take as much precaution as possible,” Mohammed said.

Zika virus is common in parts of Africa and South East Asia, but since 2007, there have been vari-

ous outbreaks outside Africa and South East Asian countries.

“Under these circumstances, people should avoid travelling and if you have already booked your tickets, then you should reconsider your travel plans to areas where the outbreak has been reported,” opined another expert.

Zika, which causes symptoms including rashes, fever, conjunctivitis and headache, has now been linked to birth defects in children born to mothers infected while they are pregnant.

“If you have just returned from Latin American countries and if you experience similar symptoms, then people should consult the doctors immediately,” the experts said. Zika is transmitted through bites from the same kind of mosquitoes that can spread other tropical diseases, like dengue fever, chikungunya and yellow fever.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

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Performances of

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traditional Omani music bands are attracting large crowds at Heritage Village in Al Amerat Park

MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Traditional Omani music bands are taking center stage at Muscat Festival 2016, fascinating Omanis and tourists with their variety of music.

The festival provides an opportunity for the musicians to perform, especially at Heritage Village in Al Amerat Park. Their performances have attractedlarge crowds, who have come to listen to traditional music of the Sultanate.

According to Barnard, a German tourist, such Arab music is exciting to hear, and also helps tourists learn about the country.

“The rhythms of this music makes us dance,” he said.

Traditional music and dance is performed by both men and women, in groups or individually.

Enthralling performances They perform different kinds of traditional musical compositions to enthrall audiences at the festival, such as Al Razfah, Al Aazi, Al Tagroodah and Al Dan, in addition to Al Weeliah, Al Munanah, Al Rababah and Al Yoolah. There is also Al Habban, Al Liwah, Al Qurbah and wedding music, such as Al Tahteeb, Al Ruqat, Al Taseef, Al Mulalah and others.

“We feel really good about seeing the performances of these bands because, as expats, this music helps us to know more about our second home and its traditions,” Rishikesh told Times of Oman. Muscat Festival has been transformed into a celebration that brings together people from different nationalities. So far, the festival has seen visitors from various parts of the Sultanate who have come to hear traditional music and enjoy the dances.

Hundreds of people await these performances, especially the new generations of the Sultanate who get an opportunity to witness Oman’s early culture through these performances.

“This traditional event helps our children know more about our country, and they can also see the traditional games played by their parents and grandparents,” an Omani resident said.

RHYTHMS OF MUSIC: Hundreds of people await these performances, especially the new generations of the Sultanate. -Talib Al Wahibi

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

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Cigarettes and shisha fuelling lung cancer rise

OMAN ECONOMY

Muscat, Salalah airports exceed growth targets

The number of passengers at Muscat International Airport rose by 18 percent during 2015. – ONA

DELIBERATIONS: The first GCC Cancer Awareness Week will kick off on Monday in Nizwa. – Jun Estrada

According to the ministry of health, cancer is the third leading cause of death in Oman after car accidents and heart ailments

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Lung cancer, a disease with which 97 per cent of the smokers are diagnosed, is expected to become the most common cancer in Oman in the next five years, said Dr. Basim Al Bahrani, director of oncology and head of medical oncology at the Royal Hospital.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference on the first GCC Cancer Awareness Week which will kick off on Monday in Nizwa.

Cancer treatment consumes more than 30 per cent of the drug budget of the Royal Hospital.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health (MoH), the monthly cost of cancer treatment in Oman government hospitals can reach OMR30,000 per year for each patient.

The latest statistics of the National Oncology Centre showed that number of visits in the outpatient clinics reached 19,103 in 2015, recording an increase of 10 per cent compared to 2014.

In Oman, there are 600 cancer patients for each one million population, said Al Bahrani while adding that number of cancer patients in the Sultanate is expected to increase in the forthcoming years due to several factors, including wrong food habits, obesity, lack of exercise, smoking and drinking alcohol.

“By 2040, we will be likely expecting more than 3,500 cases of cancer every year,” he added.

Meanwhile, the detected cancer cases in Oman stood at 1,314 (1,212 Omanis and 102 expatriates), according to latest figures by the National Registry of Tumours.

The median age at diagnosis was 53 years while 87 cases were reported among children aged 14 and below, accounting for 7.3 per cent of the total number of patients. Oman is the fourth country among the GCC nations in registered cases of cancer.

Till date, breast cancer is the most common among females while prostate cancer is the most common cancer among males in Oman. According to the MoH, cancer is the third leading cause of death in Oman after car accidents and heart diseases.

The Sultanate is taking part in the Gulf Cancer Awareness Week planned to be held in the first week of February every year.

The celebration of Cancer Week comes according to the recommendations of the Executive Board of Health Ministers’ Council for GCC States.

The aim of this Gulf Cancer Week was to raise health awareness about risk factors leading to cancer, encouraging people to follow a healthy diet and indulge in physical activity, apart from raising awareness about early cancer detection and chances of recovery.

40/40 is the logo for the year 2016 based on a scientific concept. It refers to the fact that 40 per cent of cancer diseases can be prevented by following healthy lifestyle, adopting sound nutritional habits, adhering to physical activity regularly and maintaining an ideal weight, whereas 40 types of cancer can be cured through early diagnosis and providing appropriate treatment in time.

MUSCAT: Muscat and Salalah airports have exceeded growth expectations in terms of the number of passengers, Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC) announced yesterday. The company said the number of passengers at Muscat International Airport rose by 18 percent during 2015, surpassing the 10 million passengers mark for the first time.

The recently launched Salalah Airport has also seen a rise in the passenger traffic by 22 per cent to more than one million passengers, as a result of domestic and foreign tourists.

Air traffic in the Sultanate has also seen strong growth as the number of flights at Muscat International Airport exceeded 95,000, an increase of 15 per cent, while air traffic at Salalah Airport rose by 21 per cent.

Said Abdul Wahab bin Abdul Karim Baloch, acting DirectorGeneral of Muscat International Airport said that the company was able to achieve much in 2015 reflecting the growth as the number of passengers at Muscat International Airport in December exceeded last years figure. -ONA

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016 We feel blessed to be able to work with such a wonderful group of young people. It’s fantastic to see how they develop over the years and grow to become accomplished performers Kai Vacher, principal of BSM

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Young talents enthral visitors at British School Muscat show British School Muscat students performed scenes from a range of world famous musicals,

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including ‘Les

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Misérables’, ‘Oliver’,

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‘Chicago’ and the ENTHRALLING PERFORMANCE: Young performers were the stars

‘Sound of Music’

of the night during ‘A Night at the Musicals,’ a show organised by the British School Muscat. - Photo: A R Rajkumar

ERIK PRINS

Katie Bamforth, head of dance in BSM Senior School, told the Times of Oman that they chose a medley of the most famous shows, which allowed the students to show how versatile they are on the stage and play a variety of roles.

“It’s all about them. A lot of them like to challenge themselves and do things they haven’t done before,” Bamforth said.

Deborah El Alwan, director and producer and head of drama at BSM, said they gave students

erik@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Young performing talents were the stars of the night during ‘A Night at the Musicals,’ a show organised by the British School Muscat (BSM) last Thursday.

The students of BSM performed scenes from a range of world famous musicals, including Les Misérables, Oliver, Chicago and the Sound of Music.

all the chance to showcase their talent. “We have such a talented bunch of students here. We give them all the chance to let the community see how talented they are”, she said.

She said that the older boys and girls had the chance to choose the musicals they like and where they could excel in their singing and dancing skills.

Commenting on the ambitions of some of their students, El Alwan said some of the older stu-

dents will soon enroll in musical theatre in the UK. Proud, but sad on the other hand, she added that the younger students will be there to take it over. “We want to inculcate in them a passion for dance, music and drama. That’s our responsibility,” she said.

Ayah El Alwan, in year eight and one of the rising stars of the night, and is performing as Artful Dodger in ‘Oliver!’ said: “I’m really keen on drama and I think I’ll become an actor playing the bigger roles in singing and dancing.”

Alex Pereyra, who is in year eleven and played Bernado in ‘West Side Story,’ said it was the first time he was acting and sing-

ing in this show. “I really enjoyed it a lot,” he said. The response of the audience was overwhelming.

Alex’ mother Sonia said, “It was a great performance. I think these children have a great talent.”

Other spectators also said they very much appreciated the singing and dancing skills of the young performers.

“I absolutely loved it,” said Anis Bekir from Tunisia. “I’m so proud and I’m sure I’m speaking on behalf of everyone. And it gets better every year,” he said.

“Spectacular, we really enjoyed it. It would be nice to see more of those musicals,” said Rikke Nielsen from Denmark.

After the end of the show, Kai Vacher, principal of BSM, lauded the talent of the performers.

“We feel blessed to be able to work with such a wonderful group of young people. It’s fantastic to see how they develop over the years and grow to become accomplished performers,” he said.

The performers received a standing ovation after they performed their last chorus in which they chanted, “Everyone deserves a chance to fly.”

It was precisely such a chance that they got during last Thursday’s show, whether performing for the first time or not.

MINISTERIAL DECISION

Five per cent fee on land transactions, property lease MUSCAT: A ministerial decision to collect 5 per cent of land value on specified registrations was issued yesterday.

Sheikh Saif bin Mohammed Al Shabibi, Minister of Housing issued the Ministerial Decision No. 13/2016 which replaces para “1” and para “3” of the annex “7” regarding registration and authentication fees for some legal transactions.

Article “1” of the decision stipulates that 5 per cent of the value of the land will be collected as fees upon registration of the sale and grant contracts from others and from non-first-kin relatives.

Article “3” states that 5 per cent of the value of the land will be collected upon registration of the granted land plots.

As per the provision of article “2” all that contradicts and contravenes with this decision will be cancelled. The decision comes into force on February 1, 2016.

Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Shihi, Minister of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources issued a ministerial decision.

Article “1” stipulates that the landlord of any property or part of it, or the tenant, if so agreed with the landlord, shall pay 5 per cent of the total lease value shown in the lease contract. -ONA

CUTTING COSTS

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in austerity mode

“Some have cancelled the medical insurance for nationals as they have access to government health services. These measures are an attempt to save the company and therefore the employees’ jobs in the longer term. While no-one likes to be on the receiving end of such cuts, the alternative of loss of jobs or company closure would be far worse.”

An official in one of the leading health insurance firms said that they are seeing reduced price requests from companies during the time of policy renewal.

“We may have to wait a little more to link it with bad economy. However, it’s happening. We are also seeing that some companies are willing to pull out from insurance coverage for their employees,” the insurance company official said.

Tonia also added that other than restructuring their organisations resulting in redundancy of employees and the remaining employees undertaking more work and responsibility, other companies are reducing benefits.

“Restructuring has to be done in such a way that key skills and experience are kept to ensure the company can deliver its services, whatever those services may be,” Tonia added.

A board member from general federation of Oman trade union said, “We are hearing about it.

However, we are confident that companies won’t surpass the conditions set by the Labour Law. If somebody are being denied the facilities agreed in the job contract, they have to come forward. If they come forward with official complaints, then we will be able to take it up to government authorities,” Mohammed Khaldi, the trade union federation board member, said.

An economist and business consultant said that the tightening of the belt is necessary as the cash inflows have reduced and thereby the cash availability.

“Every responsible employee shall understand the situation and appreciate the need to cut down on all ‘extras’,” Krishnan MAK, the business consultant in Muscat, said.

ALAWI RECEIVES THAILAND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER Dr. Somkid Jatusripitak, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand arrived on a two-day visit to the Sultanate yesterday. The guest was received by Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, Darwish bin Ismail Al Balushi, Minister Responsible for Financial Affairs, Dr. Ali bin Mas’oud Al Sunaidi, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Dr Salim bin Nasser Al Ismaili, Chairman of the Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development. -ONA

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Empty Quarter expedition team back MUSCAT: ‘Crossing the Empty Quarter’ expedition team returned to the Sultanate this morning after its historic achievement of crossing the desert of the Empty Quarter in 49 days, starting from the Sultanate to the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and then reaching Doha in the sisterly State of Qatar.

The team was received at the Muscat International Airport upon its return from Qatar by Ali bin Khalfan Al Jabri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information.

The tired and weary expedition team, which included two Omani explorers, Mohammed Al Zedjali and Amour Al Wahaibi, and British explorer Mark Evans, successfully crossed the Empty Quarter desert, the largest sand desert in the world.

Wilayat of Salalah The expedition first set off on foot from the Wilayat of Salalah in the Governorate of Dhofar last December 2015 to cross the Empty Quarter desert, traversing through the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reach Doha in Qatar.

The expedition was originally expected to take 60 days. However, the rigorous desert crossing took just 49 days due to the fast pace set by the expedition team members.

The ‘Crossing the Empty Quarter’ expedition aimed at enhanc-

HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT: The ‘Crossing the Empty Quarter’ expedition aimed at enhancing the concepts of responsibility and self-reliance among the Arab youth. – Supplied picture

ing the concepts of responsibility and self-reliance among the Arab youth, and for them to be able to bear hardships to achieve their goals.

To underline the principles of determination and self-reliance, the team crossed 1,300km, walking and riding camels in only the second ever documented expedition across the Empty Quarter in modern history.

The expedition re-traced the

footprints of the first ever recorded crossing of the Empty Quarter in 1930, in which the British explorer Bertram Thomas and Sheikh Saleh bin Kalut spent 60 days traversing the tribal areas in the desert, facing huge sand storms, harsh nature, changing weather conditions with limited amounts of food and water, to cross this dangerous desert, starting from Salalah in the Sultanate of Oman and passing by the King-

dom Saudi Arabia to reach Doha.

Forbidding areas The Empty Quarter Desert is considered one of most forbidding areas in the world, covering 650,000 square kilometres of the Arab Peninsula, which is equal to the area of France, Belgium and Netherlands put together.

The temperature in summer reaches 50 degrees and hits subzero in the winter.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016 Oman Air is committed to providing its business class flyers with an exceptionally comfortable and pleasurable journey, and our luxury Aerospace Serenity Suite is evidence of this Paul Gregorowitsch, Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer

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CUT JOB DEPENDENCE

Sharakah to boost self-employment opportunities SALEH AL SHAIBANY

saleh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Sharakah aims to cut down the dependence on jobs by creating self-employment opportunities to help people in Oman set up profitable businesses or expand their existing trades.

Sharakah General Manager Abdulla Al Jufaili said in an exclusive interview with the Times of Oman that the vision of the company is to help people establish their own businesses to reduce reliance on job seeking and boost the economy of the Sultanate.

“Indeed, our mission, vision and

objectives recognise the importance of entrepreneurship in society, its key role in economic development and the benefits that flow from it. We are proud that our work in this regard creates jobs, powers the economy and contributes to Oman’s international competitiveness,” Al Jufaili explained.

Sharakah, which was established in 1998 through a Royal Decree, funds individuals, who want to set trades with the aim of contributing to the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The projects financed by Sharakah represent different sectors, including information technology, engineer-

ing, manufacturing, services and food industries. The company supports both start-ups and business owners in different regions of the country. He said the total number of projects Sharakah has supported so far has reached 76 nationwide.

“Till date, Sharakah has invested a total of OMR4.8 million, which is the equivalent of 90 per cent of our capital. We believe that such investment has been utilised the right way and we are expecting more outcomes in the near future,” Al Jufaili added.

Though Sharakah supports projects from different sectors, its emphasis is on the hospitality industry, manufacturing, education and

training and entertainment. He said such sectors add value to the local market. However, most applications are for the food and beverage business. “We have crossed check this with our counterparts in the region and found out that this is the current trend,” Al Jufaili pointed out.

Rigorous rules But Sharakah has rigorous rules to screen applications that suit eligibility of the companies to ensure the long-term survival of the business. The top considerations include entrepreneurship with viable business plans. Trades that will provide employment opportuni-

Design award for Oman Air business class seats

Times News Service

INNOVATION AND LUXURY: Oman Air’s Business Class Aerospace Serenity Suite features premium-size specifications on their seats, armrests, and fully flat beds. -Photo supplied

prestigious award. Oman Air is committed to providing its business class flyers with an exceptionally comfortable and pleasurable journey, and our luxury Aerospace Serenity Suite is evidence of this.”

Further, Abdul Aziz Al Raisi, Oman Air’s Chief Officer for Management Affairs, noted, “We are extremely proud of this achievement, and it is an honour to accept the award as a further manifestation that Oman Air is setting the highest standards in on-board luxury and comfort. For Oman Air, excellence in design is something that is very important.”

MUSCAT: Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, was named an award-winner in the Transportation category of the prestigious 2015 Good Design Awards for their luxury Business Class Seat BE Aerospace Serenity Suite designed by TEAGUE. The Good Design Awards Program was established in 1950 and is hosted annually by the Chicago

Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, whose stated mission is to educate the public about the value of good design and explain how design can positively impact upon the quality of life.

One of the main criteria for selection is based on whether a product can enrich society and people’s lives through its design,

Business class Oman Air’s Business Class Aerospace Serenity Suite features premium-size specifications on their seats, armrests, and fully flat beds.

Each seat includes features, such as an electronically controlled backrest, legrest, and seat depth, adjustable armrests, along with a meal table and cocktail table.

Oman Air’s Serenity Suite was awarded for combining innovation and luxury for business class travellers

and Oman Air’s Serenity Suite was awarded due to it combining innovation and luxury to offer business class travellers an exceptionally comfortable flying experience.

Regarding the recognition, Paul Gregorowitsch, Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are thrilled and excited to receive this

ties and contribute to community development also receive top consideration. “We are also looking for projects that are able to produce products and services that have a competitive advantage and have potential for significant sales growth,” Al Jufaili explained further.

Sharakah funds start-up companies, which are willing to contribute 33 per cent of the investment amount. For existing businesses, it has to be 20 per cent of the total investment. But Al Jufaili said Sharkah’s initiatives are not without challenges.

“The challenges that we specifically face are mostly related to not

receiving supportive documents or poor business plans. It is of utmost importance not only for us as financiers, but also the SMEs themselves to have accurate data about the market they plan to venture into,” the Sharakah General Manager concluded. Sharakah provides financial support in the form of loans, equity support and discounting facilities and provides technical and management consulting for projects after analysing feasibility studies and project plans.

It also participates in local, regional, and international events and conferences, which discuss issues connected with SMEs.

AC C I D E N T A FT E R M AT H

< FROM

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Nizwa school to remain closed

The message sent by the school reads: “In view of the recent tragic accident the school will remain closed from January 31 to February 2.” “Till February 2, all the school activities have been suspended. The school will reopen on February 3 for Classes VI to XII and on February 4, for Classes LKG to V. On their first day at school, special counselling ses-

sions and activities are being arranged. Looking forward to your active support. Please do not believe rumours,” the message read.

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

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

REGION

The suicide bombers had targeted a military bus carrying militias who were changing guard near a public transport garage in the neighbourhood’s Koua Sudan area in Syria.

$861m urged to help Iraq meet humanitarian bill The United Nations expects huge numbers of civilians to flee Mosul when Iraqi forces mount an offensive to retake the northern city from IS as Baghdad’s finances are hit by falling oil prices

BAGHDAD: The United Nations appealed on Sunday for $861 million to help Iraq meet a big funding gap in its 2016 emergency response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the war against IS. Baghdad, whose revenues have fallen as oil prices have plunged, has said it would manage to finance less than half of its $1.56 billion plan to assist 10 million people in need. “With the expanding needs, the allocation through the federal budget will not be sufficient. We expect that the highly prioritised (UN) Humanitarian Response Plan will help cover part of the gap,” Minister of Migration and Displacement Jassim Mohammed Al Jaff said in a statement.

UN humanitarian coordinator

APPEAL FOR HELP: Minister of Migration and Displacement Jassim Mohammed Al Jaff, right, delivers a joint statement to the media with UN humanitarian coordinator in Iraq Lise Grande in Baghdad, Iraq on Sunday. – Reuters

in Iraq Lise Grande said she expected the crisis in Iraq “to widen and worsen” in coming months.

The United Nations expects huge numbers of civilians to flee Mosul when Iraqi forces mount an offensive to retake the northern city from IS, which the authorities have pledged to do this year.

Depleting resources “The number of people who need help is going up, the amount of resources is going down and that’s why you have a really big gap.

What we’re trying to do in a very

TERROR CHARGES

clear way is to prioritise,” she told Reuters after launching the appeal in Baghdad.

Among the 10 million Iraqis requiring urgent assistance are more than 3.3 million people displaced by the conflict with IS since 2014 and a quarter million people from neighbouring Syria who have fled from their country’s nearly five-year-old war, according to the United Nations.

Children make up half of the displaced population. The Iraqi government allocated around $850 million last year for efforts

to shelter such families and help them return to recaptured areas, but it ended up funding less than 60 per cent of that, according to a government report. The UN plan said it was only asking for a fraction of the $4.5 billion deemed necessary to meet humanitarian needs in an acknowledgment of security and funding constraints on its operations.

“The amount being requested is not commensurate with the overall humanitarian needs in Iraq... (but) accurately reflects the absolute minimum required to

help Iraqis survive the crisis,” the plan said. IS seized about a third of Iraq’s territory in the north and west in 2014, but has slowly been pushed back by Iraqi forces, militias and Kurdish peshmerga fighters - backed by US-led coalition air strikes. Most of the displaced people, living in makeshift camps, disused buildings and homes in Baghdad, the northern Kurdistan region and other areas, are from Iraq’s minority community.

Jaff said he expected 200,000 families could return home this year. — Reuters

ECONOMIC CRISIS

Iraqi Kurds hold talks in Baghdad ARBIL: A senior delegation from Iraq’s Kurdish north held talks in Baghdad with the government on Sunday, a spokesman said, after weeks of warnings from officials in the autonomous region that it faced an economic collapse.

Both Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) rely heavily on oil export revenue and have been hit hard by the global slump in crude prices.

Relations between the two sides have been strained in recent years by disputes over the budget and revenue sharing. The delegation led by KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani met with Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi and other senior Iraqi government officials.

KRG spokesman Safeen Dizayee, who is part of the delegation, said “a wide range of issues, including security, finance, political and military” were on the agenda. Earlier this month, the KRG deputy prime minister said the region was in danger of being drowned by an economic “tsunami”.

Kurdistan enjoyed an economic boom in the wake of the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, receiving a share of the revenue from Iraq’s rising oil exports. But Baghdad cut funding to the region in 2014 after the Kurds built their own pipeline to Turkey and began exporting oil without federal government approval in pursuit of economic independence. The KRG has since increased independent oil sales to more than 600,000 barrels per day (bpd), but with depresses prices and a bloated public payroll is now five months in arrears and deeply in debt. — Reuters

WA R W I T H I N NAT I O N

Nine Americans Blasts claimed by IS kill 60 in Syria among 33 suspects held in Saudi Arabia RIYADH: Nine Americans are among 33 suspects detained on terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia over the past week, the English-language daily Saudi Gazette reported on Sunday citing an unnamed source.

It reported that four Americans were detained on Monday and another five in the following days, along with 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, a United Arab Emirates citizen, a Palestinian and a citizen of Kazakhstan.

The American embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Saudi Arabia in 2014 declared IS a terrorist organisation and has detained hundreds of its supporters. The group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom.

On Friday an attack at a mosque in Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahsa district in Eastern Province killed four people and injured 18,

the latest in a string of attacks.

The website of the Interior Ministry’s militant rehabilitation centre listed four US citizens as having been detained on January 25 and four more over the previous three months. It did not yet list any more recent detentions.

The Interior Ministry spokesman pointed Reuters towards that website, which gives information on all people detained as militant suspects, but gave no further comment.

The ministry on Saturday identified one of the attackers in Al Ahsa as 22-year-old Abdulrahman Al Tuwaijri, a Saudi citizen, who detonated an explosive vest outside the Imam Rida mosque in the Mahasen district of Hofuf in Al Ahsa. A 27-year-old was also arrested wearing an explosive vest and carrying hand grenades after members of the mosque’s congregation seized him after he fired shots at them during the attack, the ministry said. — Reuters

AMMAN: At least 60 people were killed, including 25 fighters, and dozens wounded on Sunday by a car bomb and two suicide bombers in a district of Damascus where shrine is located, a monitor said.

IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the group. It said two operations “hit the most important stronghold of militias in Damascus”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the casualties were expected to rise from the suicide attacks in Sayeda Zeinaba, a district of southern Damascus where militias have a strong presence. Rami Abdulrahman, head of the British-based Observatory, said the suicide bombers had targeted a military bus carrying militias who were changing guard there. The explosions occurred as representatives of Syria’s government and its divided opposition began convening in Geneva for the first UN-mediated peace talks in two years.

Syrian Ambassador Ibrahim Jaafari, head of the government delegation at Geneva, said the blasts in Damascus just confirmed

DEADLY BOMBING: Syrian pro-government forces inspect the damage following suicide bombings in the town of Sayeda Zeinaba, on the outskirts of the capital Damascus on Sunday. – AFP

the link between what the government says are a foreign funded “opposition” and terrorism.

State television showed footage of burning buildings and wrecked cars in the neighbourhood.

Syrian state news agency SANA, quoting an interior ministry source, said a group of militants had detonated a car bomb near

a public transport garage in the neighbourhood’s Koua Sudan area.

Two suicide bombers then blew themselves up nearby as people were being rescued. The authorities put the dead at 45 people.

“Bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage,” a witness told state news channel Ikhbariyah.

The heavily populated area

in the south of the city is a site of pilgrimage.

Syrian Prime Minister Wael Al Halaki was quoted as saying the attacks were prompted by “terror groups” who sought to “raise their morale after a string of defeats” by the army.

The United Nations has said it is aiming for six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire and later working toward a political settlement for Syria. The nearly five-year conflict has killed more than 250,000 people, driven more than 10 million from their homes and drawn in global powers.

The Sayeda Zeinab shrine area witnessed heavy clashes in the first few years of the war but has since been secured by the Syrian army and militias, which has set up protective roadblocks around it. Rebels says the area is the first destination of thousands of militias before heading to fight in battlefields across the country.

Militias from the region have played a crucial role in covering the shortfall in manpower faced

by Syrian President Assad’s overstretched army during nearly five years of conflict. — Reuters

O N PA L E S T I N I A N S TAT E H O O D

Netanyahu rejects French ultimatum OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Sunday for a more “sober” approach towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in dismissing a French peace initiative as only encouraging Palestinians to shun compromise.

The proposal on Friday by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius for an international peace conference was the latest sign of Western frustration over the absence of movement toward a twostate solution since the collapse of US-brokered negotiations in 2014.

Fabius said that if the French plan did not break the deadlock, Paris would recognise a Palestinian state. In public remarks to his cabinet, Netanyahu did not explicitly reject the notion of an international conference - an aide said Israel would examine such a request once it was received - but he made clear that reported details of the plan made it a non-starter.

Netanyahu said a “threat” to recognise a Palestinian state if France’s peace efforts did not succeed constituted “an incentive to the Palestinians to come

STRICT VIGIL: Israeli soldiers keep guard near the scene of a shooting attack at an Israeli military checkpoint near the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. – Reuters

along and not compromise”. “I assess that there will be a sobering up regarding this matter,” Netanyahu added. “In any event, we will make effort so that there is a sobering up here, and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter direct negotiation without preconditions and without dictated terms.”

On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the French proposal, telling an African summit in Ethiopia that “the status quo cannot continue”.

While aware the initiative may struggle to get off the ground, French officials said Paris had a responsibility to act now in the face of ongoing Israeli settlement activity and the prospect of continued diplomatic inaction as the United States focuses on a presidential election in November.

The US, European Union have also issued unusually stern criticism of Israel in recent weeks, reflecting their own frustration with the policies of Netanyahu’s right-wing government. — Reuters

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INDIA

2 0 17 A S S E M B LY E L E C T I O N S

JD(U) exploring umbrella alliance with RLD, Congress in UP NEW DELHI: Janata Dal(United) and Rashtriya Lok Dal(RLD) are exploring the possibility of an umbrella alliance with Congress and some smaller parties in northernIndian state of Uttar Pradesh for the 2017 Assembly elections after the JD(U)-RJD-Congress coalition inflicted a humiliating defeat on BJP-led NDA in the Bihar polls.

Sources said RLD chief Ajit Singh had a meeting with JD(U) President Sharad Yadav a couple of days back during which the two leaders discussed the broad con-

tours of a larger coalition against the BJP at a time when both SP and BSP, the two major parties in the state, have ruled out forging any alliance.

Discussed The RLD chief had also discussed the issue with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Delhi last month when the latter was here for the launch of Yadav’s autobiography.

Peace Party chief Ayub Ansari had also met Nitish Kumar and

JD(U) general secretary K. C. Tyagi to discuss the issue, sources said. Peace Party has its presence in Eastern UP, mainly in areas around Gorakhpur.

Some clarity on such an alliance is likely to emerge in a day or two after JD(U)’s state executive meeting in Lucknow on Sunday, they said. Tyagi, a senior party leader from Uttar Pradesh who has been assigned the task of organising a joint rally of the RLD and JD(U) in western Uttar Pradesh said, “We are keen to be part of any

anti-BJP campaign or front. In any such campaign in western Uttar Pradesh, RLD is an important element. Any grand alliance minus RLD will not be successful in Western UP,” he said.

When asked whether the party is in talks with RLD on the issue of an alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Tyagi said, “We keep talking to RLD leaders. Nitishji and Sharadji have spoken to the RLD leadership”.

Sources in JD(U) said the party was also keen on forging an alliance with Congress in Assam,

but the latter’s state unit was not inclined.

Janata Dal had 22 MPs in Uttar Pradesh in 1991, when Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chandra Shekhar parted ways with V. P. Singh and formed Samajwadi Janata Party.

Since then Janata Dal and later Janata Dal (United) have been on decline there.

In 1996, the party headed

by Sharad Yadav had 6 MLAs, which came down to two in 2002 Assembly polls.

Buoyed by the victory in Bihar,

‘Congress creating hurdles in country’s development’ Naidu said NDA government is

You are not stopping Modi, but creating hurdles in the development of this country.

You are causing loss to the poor people. Congress should know this and I am hopeful that the party will realise it shortly

doing good work.

The country is progressing. Market is also picking up and there will be more measures for welfare of the poor

HYDERABAD/NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday alleged that by not allowing Parliament to function, Congress was not stopping the Narendra Modi government but “creating hurdles” in the country’s development.

“You (Congress) are reduced to 40 seats in the Lok Sabha. You don’t know what to do and don’t allow Parliament to function. You are not allowing the Goods and Services Tax and real estate bill to pass and even stall efforts to reform the labour laws,” he said, addressing a public meeting ahead of civic polls here.

Hopeful “You are not stopping Modi, but creating hurdles in the development of this country. You are causing loss to the poor people. Congress should know this and I am hopeful that the party will realise it shortly,” the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.

“NDA government is doing good

Venkaiah Naidu PUBLIC MEETING: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Venkaiah Naidu along with Minister

work. The country is progressing.

Market is also picking up and there will be more measures for welfare of the poor,” Venkaiah said.

“Good days (‘achche din’) have come and better days are ahead.

Congress asked where are the good days. I said there are no good days for you, but bad days,” he said, adding, people gave Congress the mandate to sit in the opposition, “but you are not ready”.

Over Congress’ attacks on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Venkaiah said, RSS means “Ready for Selfless Service”.

“RSS is the most upright and patriotic organisation in the country. We are all proud (of it). Yes, we were all brought up by RSS and that is why we got this character, calibre, conduct, discipline, dy-

namism and devotion,” the senior BJP leader said.

He also said Congress, which had followed “divisive and votebank agenda” and encouraged parties such as MIM and Muslim League, has no “moral right” to criticise RSS. “We in BJP believe in unity and integrity of the country. People have come to Hyderabad from different parts of the country and all are Hyderabadis. No one is a settler here and all are Indians,” Venkaiah said.

“Some people” have no objection to those entering the country illegally from Bangladesh and Pakistan, he said, adding, some people sympathise with Yakub Memon and Ajmal Kasab.

“They have love for IS and ha-

I M PA S S E OV E R G OV E R N M E N T F O R M AT I O N

No government until BJP assures on Mufti’s vision, says Mehbooba

DELIBERATIONS: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti along with party leaders during a party meeting at Mufti residence in Srinagar on Sunday. - PTI

SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday told her party’s core group that she was not averse to forming the government in Indian-administeredKashmir but this cannot happen unless she has assurances from the ally BJP that her late father’s vision would be fulfilled.

Presiding over the meeting of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders, Mehbooba Mufti, according to party sources, said she needed concrete assurances from the coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party that the vision of late chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed about equitable development and peace in the state would

Union parliamentary affairs minister

of Labour and Employment, Bandaru Dattatreya during an Agarwal Samaj event at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad on Saturday. - PTI

be fulfilled. “The core group meeting was called today (on Sunday) to basically discuss party affairs like its membership campaign and reaching out to people. However, some leaders and legislators wanted to know Mehboobaji’s views on government formation,” a party leader said.

Not averse “She told them she was not averse to government formation, but she won’t burn her fingers for nothing. She spoke about Mufti Sahib taking a big decision by deciding to form an alliance with the BJP but his dream remained largely unad-

dressed during his 10-month tenure,” said the source.

According to him, Mehbooba Mufti said that she cannot decide to claim power in the state simply because that would make her the chief minister. From Sunday’s closed-door PDP deliberations, it has become clear that the impasse over the government formation in the state will continue.

Jammu and Kashmir was placed under the Governor’s rule on January 8 after Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away on January 7 in New Delhi after a brief illness, and Mehbooba Mufti did not step forward to stake claim to form the government. - IANS

tred for RSS because it speaks for the nation, and this is the irony of this country,” the senior BJP leader said.

Achievements Meanwhile, listing the achievements of the Modi government during 2015, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said while GDP has grown, inflation has come down, foreign exchange reserves have grown along with FDI, the country has done maximum production of ethanol and urea while providing relief to farmers.

He said Modi is aiming to take the country among the fastest growing economies and where people can live with dignity.

Sharma said that the “zero tolerance” policy towards terrorism

adopted by the Modi government has proved to be effective and the outlook of the world towards India and Indians has now changed.

He said that the government has put an end to corruption and the recent spectrum and coal auction in a transparent manner is an example.

It has also put a stop to leakages in different schemes and now the subsidy is reaching the poor.

He said that while in 2015, there was highest coal and electricity production, the export of software from India too reached a new high.

Sharma said that while during the previous UPA regime, the pace of construction of national highways was around 2-3 kilometres per day, the present government has fixed the target of 18km per day. -PTI

the party feels it can rejuvenate its moribund unit in Uttar Pradesh in alliance with parties like RLD and Congress.

JD(U), which is running a coalition government with Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar, is hopeful that Lalu Prasad will campaign for the secular umbrella alliance, if it comes about, despite SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav being his relative. The SP chief had walked out of the JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar and formed a third front to contest the polls. - PTI ON HIGH ALERT

Ammunition cache found dumped in canal in Pathankot PATHANKOT: A cache of ammunition was on Sunday found dumped in UBD canal at Malikpur in the district which is on high alert since the attack on the airbase earlier this month.

A few boys, who were taking bath in the Upper Bari Doab canal here, accidentally found the ammunition, police said.

“As the water level was low, the boys discovered the ammunition lying at the bottom of the canal and then they raised an alarm,” Pathankot DSP (Rural) Kuldeep Singh said.

Two magazines along with 59 live cartridges of AK-47 rifle, two magazines and 29 live cartridges of INSAS rifle and 16 rounds and two shells of .315 rifle were recovered, he said.

The investigations are underway, the DSP said. Security had already been stepped up here and surrounding areas following a terror attack at Pathankot Airforce station on January 2 in which seven security personnel were killed.

Meanwhile, in separate incident a huge cache of explosives including detonators and gelatin sticks was seized by police near Vizianagaram in south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Illegally kept The explosives, illegally kept in Bobbili village, was seized during a raid and two godown owners were arrested in this regard, police said. Police Sub-Inspector S Naidu said. Over 700 gelatin sticks, nearly 900 electric detonators, 4,000 non-electric detonators and 600 metres of safety fuse were seized from the godown of one G. Lakshmi Narayana. - PTI

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

INDIA

Can we take a pledge that we should connect at least 50 per cent of the farmers to this scheme in two years? I need this help from you. Because if a farmer joins the scheme, he will get huge help during a natural calamity Narendra Modi, Prime minister

Modi behind confrontation with opposition: Congress Sharma claimed that the Prime Minister

cooperation by taking

His style of functioning, his concentration of decision making is proving detrimental to parliamentary democracy

into confidence

Anand Sharma

has not made any effort in the past 20 months since coming to power to usher in an atmosphere of constructive

Congress spokersperson

the opposition and its leaders

NEW DELHI: Signalling that Budget session is unlikely to be a smooth affair, Congress on Sunday latched on to BJP leader Yashwant Sinha’s comments to accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “not believing in dialogue” and blamed it for the “confrontation” between the government and opposition.

“The Prime Minister does not believe in dialogue. He likes one way communication, be it with his organisation or with the media.

Even inside Parliament, he does not believe in discussion...,” sen-

ior Congress spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters “His mindset is responsible for the atmosphere of confrontation.

His arrogance and obstinacy are responsible for the situation of confrontation between the government and the opposition,” he alleged.

Sharma, who is also the deputy leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha, claimed that the Prime Minister has not made any effort in the past 20 months since coming to power to usher in an atmosphere of constructive cooperation by taking into confidence the opposition and its leaders.

“His style of functioning, his

concentration of decision making is proving detrimental to parliamentary democracy,” he said, adding that it was a matter of concern.

Remarks Sharma’s remarks came in response to queries on senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha comments made at a conference in Goa on Saturday which indicated that he was critical of Modi though Sinha on Sunday contended that his remarks had been “completely misunderstood” and misinterpreted.

During the discussion, Sinha was asked about the present day culture of “I, me, myself” and what was the use for dialogue in such

case. The former minister in the Atal Behari Vajpayee government replied that elected representatives including to Parliament and Assemblies have to continuously go back to the people who elect them. Sinha then referred to the Emergency of 1975 and said the country knew what happened to the “most concerted effort in our country to still the voice of dissent”.

“We all know how the people of India reacted.

So, there would be aberrations here, aberrations there, we might be very concerned about the present situation because some of these things according to us are

taking place. “But the great Indian society will take care of it and will consign to the dust those who do not believe in dialogue in India. The people of India will consign him to the dust, you just have to wait for the next elections,” Sinha said on Saturday, without naming Modi.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi took to twitter to take a dig at the BJP over Sinha’s remarks.

“A party which has people like Shatru, Kirti, Yashwant and Joshi, does not need any opposition,” he remarked in apparent reference to Shatrughan Sinha, Kirti Azad, Yashwant Sinha and Murli Manohar Joshi.

In an apparent dig at the Prime Minister, he said in another tweet, “Due to the democratic structure put up by Congress in 68 years, people not believing in democracy are today occupying the top posts”.

Replying to a question on forming an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the Assembly polls next year, Sharma said that the party is making efforts to strengthen itself on the ground and suggested that there was still time to decide such issues. He said that the Congress attempt would be to defeat BJP and bring together progressive forces. According to sources, JD(U) and RLD are exploring the possibility of an umbrella alliance with Congress and some smaller parties in UP for the 2017 Assembly elections after the JD(U)RJD-Congress coalition inflicted a humiliating defeat on BJP-led NDA in the Bihar polls. - PTI

B I L AT E R A L R E L AT I O N S

Ontario premier on six-day visit to boost trade

ELATED: Premier of Canada’s

Ontario state Kathleen Wynne poses along with people in-front of Golden Temple in Amritsar during her visit on Sunday. -PTI

NEW DELHI: Premier Kathleen Wynne of Ontario arrived on Sunday on a six-day visit leading a 100-member business delegation in a bid to boost the province’s trade relations with India, the Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC) said in a statement here.

“Wynne’s delegation will visit four cities — New Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Mumbai —and will formalize agreements and memorandums of understanding within the research, infrastructure, technology, science, health and education sectors,” the statement said.

“Wynne will also meet with political and cultural leaders to build new relationships, strengthen existing ones and examine areas for future cooperation,” it added.

In December last year, the first consignment of Canadian uranium was delivered in Mumbai marking the first commercial outcome the Canada-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement that came into force in September 2013.

The India-Canada bilateral trade last year in goods amounted to over $6 billion. - IANS

‘ M A N N K I B A AT ’ R A D I O P R O G R A M M E

Modi wants 50% farmers to join Crop Insurance Scheme NEW DELHI: Highlighting benefits of the just-announced Crop Insurance Scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi om Sunday said awareness about it should be spread across the country so that at least 50 per cent of the farmers join it within two years.

In his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, he also pitched for continued efforts to popularise Khadi and awareness to save girl child, mentioned about the recently launched ‘Start-Up India’ programme and talked about the upcoming International Fleet Review to be held in Visakhapatnam.

Modi said he needs the “maximum help” from people about spreading awareness regarding the Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance Scheme which was launched earlier this month.

Natural calamity “In our country, a lot is said in the name of farmers. I don’t want to get involved in that debate. But farmers face a major crisis. In natural calamity, their entire effort goes waste. His one year goes waste. To give him security, only one thing comes to mind and that is crop insurance,” he said in this

year’s first edition of the monthly radio programme.

“In (the New Year) 2016, the central government has given a big gift to the farmers — Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance Scheme.

This scheme has been brought not for the purpose that it should be praised or the Prime Minister should be hailed,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that for so many years, there has been a talk regarding crop insurance but “not more than 20-25 per cent” of the country’s farmers had been able to benefit from such schemes.

“Can we take a pledge that we should connect at least 50 per cent of the farmers to this scheme in two years? I need this help from you. Because if a farmer joins the scheme, he will get huge help during a natural calamity,” he said.

Modi said this time, the scheme has got “wide acceptability because it has been made quite extensive and easy and involves use of technology. Not only this. If something happens to the crop within 15 days after harvest, even then help is assured.”

Usage of technology will ensure speedy assessment and disbursement of compensation, he said.

MAKING A POINT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at ET Global Business Summit in New Delhi, India, on Friday. - Bloomberg

“The biggest thing is that the rate of premium has been kept so low which nobody would have imagined. The rate of premium for Kharif crop has been kept 2 per cent while for Rabi crop it is oneand-a-half per cent.

“Now tell me, if any farmer is deprived of the benefits of this scheme, will he not suffer loss?

I want the awareness about this scheme to spread,” he said.

The Prime Minister also referred to the ‘Start-Up India’ scheme rolled out on January 16 and said it had infused new energy among the youth.

He said there was a wrong notion earlier that the initiative is limited to the sophisticated area of Information Technology and now it has become clear that there are enormous opportunities under this programme in all kinds of sec-

tors and areas, including farming.

In this regard, he gave some examples of StartUp in farming sector in Sikkim which was recently declared an Organic State.

He invited more examples of StartUp initiatives. In his nearly 30-minute radio broadcast, Modi also talked about cleanliness and beautification efforts being made in the country as also the upcoming South Asian games to be held in Guwahati and board examinations for Class X and XII. Referring to efforts to beautify places like railway stations, bus stands, temples, mosques, churches, besides keeping them clean, he asked people to send photos to him displaying this endeavour.

He also appealed to the people to keep statues clean as a mark of respect to departed leaders.

Modi also underlined the importance of duty of citizens along with their rights.

He referred to the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi which was on Saturday and said people should every year observe a two-minute silence at 11am in the memory of the country’s martyrs.

Talking about popularising of Khadi regarding which he had is-

sued an appeal in his first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme in October 2014, the Prime Minister said more and more youths are now using Khadi products.

He, once again, asked people to have at least one set of Khadi clothing as part of their wardrobe.

With regard to the International Fleet Review being held from February 4 to 8 in Visakhapatnam, Modi said naval assets of several countries across the world will participate in the event being hosted by India.

He said the event is of major significance and importance in the maritime history. While talking about the upcoming board examinations, Modi asked the students to appear without tension or anxiety. He asked the successful students of last year to send their examples to him so that he could publicise them and the students appearing now could learn how to appear without tension. - PTI

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STRIKE

AAP ministers, MLAs hit the streets to clear garbage mess NEW DELHI: Delhi Ministers, AAP MLAs and hundreds of party workers on Sunday hit the streets to clear the garbage dumps in several areas of the capital as the strike by over 60,000 sanitation workers of BJP-ruled municipal bodies demanding payment of their dues entered the fifth day.

The sanitation workers on their part maintained they will continue with their protest until their “just” demands were met.

They warned that the situation in the city may “deteriorate” after the government engaged Public Works Department(PWD) teams in the cleanliness drive.

AAP legislators and workers joined the PWD taskforce, which has been pressed into action on Saturday to shift garbage to landfill sites, particularly in East and North Delhi where the strike has had maximum impact.

Kejriwal, who is in Bengaluru for naturopathy treatment,lauded the PWD staff for working through the night to clear garbage

CLEANLINESS DRIVE: Aam Aadmi Party volunteers cleaning a garbage dumping place in a street in East Delhi on Sunday. - PTI

and urged AAP functionaries to help the department personnel.

“I am told PWD people and trucks worked whole night to clean up garbage. I would urge all AAP volunteers to help PWD,” he tweeted, urging them to “keep it up”.

Hospitals run by the civic bodies were also hit hard as around 7,000 doctors and 12,000 nurses joined the strike on Saturday

seeking payment of their dues.

The nearly 12,000 strong engineering staff of the civic bodies has also struck work since on Saturday. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who took part in cleanliness drive in his Patparganj constituency, alleged a “salary scam” in the corporations.

He said the government is looking for a “permanent solution” to the problem. - PTI

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TERROR FIGHT

Pakistan and Iran agree to up border supervision ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran have decided that terrorists will not be allowed to use the soil of either country to launch crossborder terror attacks.

In a meeting between Balochistan Chief Secretary Saifullah Chatta and Deputy Governor of Iran’s Sistan-Balochestan province, Ali Asghar Shikari on Saturday, the two countries agreed to enhance joint border supervision through latest vigilance equipment to check cross border activities.

The agreement comes after a three-day meeting of PakistanIran Joint Border Commission in Quetta. Chattah and Shekari signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in connection with border activities.

Border markets The Pakistan-Iran Joint Border Commission also agreed to establish five border markets, including Gabd Gwadar, Taftan, Panjgur, Washuk and Mand.

Further, the two nations also discussed proposal for rail-link between Pakistani port city of Gwadar and Iranian port city of Chahbahar.

“The proposed rail-link between Gwadar and Chahbahar would provide Pakistan access up to Europe,” Deputy Governor of SistanBalochestan Ali Asghar Mir Shekari said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chatta said that the friendship between Pakistan and Iran was durable and diverse and both value the interests of each other highly.

Porous border Last week, the Pakistan-Iran Joint Border Commission underlined the need for securing their porous border in an attempt to effectively check trafficking in drugs, weapons and illegal immigrants that triggers cross-border incursions and hence tensions between the two countries. — Express Tribune

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PAKISTAN

MQM ‘supreme council’ to issue orders in Altaf absence The decision comes at a time when the Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader is to appear for his hearing in a money laundering case due on February 2 when his bail ends

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has appointed senior leader Nadeem Nusrat as a permanent convener of the party, while forming a ninemember supreme council during an emergency meeting of the London-based Rabita Committee; under the chair of party supremo Altaf Hussain.

The decision comes at a time when the party supremo is to appear for his hearing in a money laundering case due on February 2 when his bail ends.

Altaf endorsed the formation of supreme council which will be empowered to issue guidelines to all the leaders and workers of the party in any “extraordinary circumstances including the absence of the party chief,” a press statement said on Sunday.

Rabita Committee Further, the formation of the supreme council will not affect the working of the Rabita Committee, which will continue its activities without any hindrances, it added.

The party head also directed the leadership and the workers of the MQM to remain united and carry out their responsibilities with utmost sincerity and diligence.

TESTING TIMES: Pakistani supporters of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) political party celebrate the news that MQM leader Altaf Hussain has been released on bail following his arrest, during a protest in Karachi on June 7, 2014. — AFP file photo

The nine-member council include party convener Nadeem Nusrat, senior deputy convener Dr Farooq Sattar, Barrister Dr Farogh Naseem, Senator Nasreen Jalil, Kunwar Naveed, Rauf Siddiqui, Babar Ghauri, Kishwar Zehra and Iftikhar Hussain Qureshi

Meanwhile, some party leaders are being called to London in relation with Altaf’s appearance before investigators, MQM leader Wasay Jalil who was earlier ques-

tioned by Rangers, has left for London while Dr Farooq Sattar and Rauf Siddiqui will soon leave.

Earlier this month, the party had announced to change its in-

EMAILS OF HILLARY CLINTON

ternal organisational structure and renaming of various tiers in an apparent bid to get rid of the bad image associated with its units and sectors.

Teams of militants The move came following directives by law enforcement agencies, who had shared their concerns about the party’s units and sectors, which are accused of running teams of militants involved in corruption and criminal activities.

During the ongoing Rangers operation, a large number of men heading these units and sectors have been arrested on charges of target killing, ‘china-cutting’,

extortion and arson, such as the Baldia factory fire that claimed 259 lives.

The MQM has more than 200 units and 26 sectors in the city.

Every unit will be equal to a union committee, which will report to the central executive committee.

Grassroots level The MQM’s organisational system of unit and sectors, aimed at reaching people at the grassroots level, goes back to the 1980s when it was formed as the Mohajir Qaumi Movement.

These units and sectors reported to the Central Committee then, which was disbanded after the operation in the 1990s. — Express Tribune

P R I VAT E I N S T I T U T I O N S I N P U N JA B

‘General Kayani used secret messenger ‘Schools will reopen to communicate with US administration’ after conditions met’

Ashfaq Parvez Kayani

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s current envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi apparently acted as an informal messenger between the Obama administration and former army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, some emails of Hillary Clinton indicate.

On Saturday, the US State Department released some 1,000 pages of emails of Hillary when she was the secretary of state and for a while used a private email account and a private server for online communication.

But the entire message delivered by Maleeha, who has also served on the same deputation in

the US and Britain, on behalf of Kayani to the US State Department has been edited out.

Maleeha Lodhi “I got a call from Maleeha Lodhi, who is in London. She gave a message from Kayani,” Vali Nasr, who was then a senior adviser in the Office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, wrote on January 21, 2011.

The readout of Kayani’s message through Maleeha — running into two paragraphs — was then sent to Hillary the same day. She asked this message to be printed on January 30 – three days after

Raymond Davis was arrested on charges of killing two men in Lahore. The incident had resulted in a crisis in the US-Pak ties.

“Please print,” Hillary wrote to her aide Lauren C Jiloty on the email with the subject “latest from Pakistan on Kayani 3.0”.

The emails are being released in phases on the directions of a US court. While most of the portions of the email related to Pakistan have been heavily redacted, it does contain in full the text of the phone call between Clinton and Pakistan’s then foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar on July 3, 2012. — Express Tribune

LAHORE: The All-Pakistan Private Schools Federation (APPSF) announced on Sunday that private schools would reopen across Punjab on Monday if the provincial government met two key demands by the association.

Announcing the ‘conditional’ offer after meeting Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood, APPSF president Kashif Mirza said, “We have asked the government of Punjab to withdraw all the first information reports against private school owners and to provide security to all private schools across the province.”

Public and private schools were

scheduled to reopen on Monday after the Punjab government had announced their closure from Jan 26 to 31 due to ‘extreme cold weather’.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood claimed APPSF had agreed to reopen the schools across the province.

“We are striving to introduce a strategy for the security of private schools and a committee has been set up for its implementation,” Mashhood told the media after meeting with the association’s delegation in Lahore. — Express Tribune

G L O B A L F E S T I VA L

Punjab’s Khewra salt mines comes alive with bustling crowds ISLAMABAD: The picturesque Khewra salt mines came alive this Friday as bustling crowds came to attend the First International Rock Salt Trade and Tourism Festival.

The place was abuzz with cordons and high-profile convoys.

The narrow road leading to the salt range was crammed with stalls displaying rock salt lamps, a children’s play area with jumping castles, and of course, cars.

A rubab player welcomed visitors with the tunes of famous Pushto songs, while a flutist sitting nearby chose to stay closer to the town’s own culture, playing famous Punjabi songs.

The famous mosque made out of salt bricks and the miniature Minar-e-Pakistan stood in their full glory, awing visitors, many of whom had not been to the world’s second largest salt mine before.

“We drove up from Sargodha to visit the mines. The journey was worth it,” said Mrs Adnan. She also appreciated the provincial government’s initiative.

The festival has proven to be a ray of hope for residents of Khewra, who believe that the

The Punjab government, in an effort to attract international tourists to the salt range, launched the First International Rock Salt Trade and Tourism Festival at Khewra Salt Mines event will not only help highlight the area, but would also draw attention of the high-ups to assist in its development.

Positive impact “The event will have a positive impact on the people living in Khewra. Since most of these people are either labourers or artisans, the festival provides them with an opportunity to display their products and attract foreign tourists,” said Ali Sabih, a local resident.

He further said that it was the need of the hour for the government to make efforts to improve

the living conditions in the area and the festival would serve as a stepping stone. Another local trader, Muhammad Zubair, believed the festival would help attract more tourists. “We get a good number of local tourists, but after the event, we expect foreign tourists to visit the area as well.”

He was of the opinion that highlighting Khewra Salt Mines would eventually lead to foreign investment, consequently assisting in the development of the area.

The government envisions Khewra as a tourist spot and is also banking on the decorative items produced from the mines to become important trade products.

Federal Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan stated that one of the purposes of the festival was to highlight the products of the salt mine n the international market.

“We want to develop Khewra and export products from the mine,” Khurram said.

“God has given us a lot of resources. What we lack is good governance that can help us utilise our resources to their full potential,” he added. — Express Tribune

ATTRACTION: A pond in the Khewra Salt Mines during the first Rock Salt Trade, Tourism Festival at Khewra Salt Mines. — Express Tribune

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READERS’ FORUM Do not blame Nizwa school teachers for the accident This refers to the story Call for laws to govern school bus drivers in the Sultanate (January 31). After visiting Nizwa hospital and interacting with the parents the other day, I had found that many parents are still worried about the transport system provided by the school. The biggest problem every Indian school in Oman is facing is that even important decisions like having better transport system are not implemented quickly. When the bylaw was changed couple of years back, the embassy of India was removed as the patron, which was a huge blow for the Indian expatriates Scan this QR code living in the Sultanate. It would be wrong to to send letters to the blame either the principal or the teachers Readers’ Forum, of the Nizwa school for the tragic accident containing not more than 200 words with and I feel shocked to read that the school full name, address management are not willing to react on this and telephone matter. — Salih Thacher, Seeb number, may be sent

JUSTIN FOX

Urban resurgence is real, and public transit investment appears to have played a part in it. People who could afford a couple of cars and a nice house in the suburbs are opting instead for shorter commutes. But on the whole, cars are still the way most Americans get around even in big, crowded metropolitan areas bit.ly/carstransportus

by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com).

T20 format dark stain on cricket This refers to the story‚ India complete T20 sweep over Australia (January 31). Team India’s performance was sublime in the shortest form of international cricket. That said, the T20 format is a dark stain on the game of cricket. For Test cricket aficionados this form has greatly diminished the importance of technique in batting as the bowlers are constrained by ridiculous laws like limits on bouncers. — Erum Mehdi, Qurum

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JONATHAN SWIFT

A

ll of the pieces are in place for a financial crisis in China. The currency is weakening and, if left to the market, would likely plunge further. Capital outflows have hit record levels. Reserves are in retreat. A dramatic selloff on Shanghai’s stock market has wiped out all the gains from 2015’s bull run. The leadership, usually lauded for its sagacity, has at times seemed befuddled about what to do.

Such a nasty combination of woes could easily topple many emerging economies. They can cause banks to collapse and growth to evaporate, even national insolvency. Yet so far China has avoided the kind of edge-of-your-seat financial meltdown Wall Street experienced in 2008, and Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea did in 1997. Indeed, there’s a good case to be made China never will.

The state commands such tremendous power over everything from capital movements to the banking system that policymakers might be able to prevent the world’s second-largest economy from flying completely off the rails.

Even if China doesn’t display the standard trappings of a financial crisis, however, that doesn’t mean it can avoid the pain of one. No matter what levers its bureaucrats may pull, the country can’t forever escape the economic consequences of its deep-rooted problems.

First of all, China would have to defy decades of history to avoid being crushed by its mountain of debt. Research firm Capital Economics analysed 30 years of emerging-market crises and concluded that “no country has experienced an increase in its private debt-to-GDP ratio of 30 (percentage points) within the space of a decade and not experienced problems.” At best such countries endured significant, and often protracted, slowdowns in growth. China has seen an 80 percentage point jump in that ratio over the past decade, to more than 200 per cent. A reckoning seems inevitable.

And the chances of that debt bomb exploding are rising, since the government, rather than defusing it, is throwing on extra TNT. Terrified of the political fallout from a slowing economy, the central bank has been loosening money; credit growth is accelerating. Meanwhile, the stimulating effect from this renewed flood of lending appears muted, a sure sign that the new cash is being used unpro-

ductively. That means the weight of China’s debt burden will continue to increase and the inevitable damage will be even greater.

Nor does it seem possible for China to avoid a monstrous downsizing of industry. Chinese companies simply churn out too much steel, coal, cement and other stuff, no matter how many roads and railways the government builds at home and abroad. That reality is slowly sinking in.

The State Council announced in late January it would speed up the elimination of steel capacity, a step analysts consider necessary to repair the sector. But the cost will be heavy. The China Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute has estimated that the cuts could cause as many as 400,000 steel workers to lose their jobs. Now imagine those layoffs repeated across old-line manufacturing industries.

All of these problems will eventually show up on banks’ balance sheets. Officially, the government claims that the slowdown has barely dented the stability of Chinese banks, with nonperforming loans at a mere 1.6 per cent of the total. If you believe that, I’ve got some subprime mortgages to sell you. Private estimates place the potential NPL ratio somewhere between the high single-digits and as much as 20 per cent.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the banks will pancake Lehman-style. Backed by the state, they’d almost certainly be rescued. But policymakers should prepare for sticker shock. By one estimate, the price tag to support the banks could reach $7.7 trillion -- or the equivalent of three-fourths of China’s 2014 gross domestic product.

Such figures may seem outrageous, but history tells us they’re not. Indonesia’s bank bailout cost the government nearly 57 per cent of the nation’s GDP, while Korea spent 31 per cent. If we extrapolate from Korea’s experience — which isn’t unreasonable, since the country had adopted a similar investment-led growth model — China would end up spending some $3 trillion rebuilding its banking system. Perhaps Beijing’s mandarins believe that by keeping growth aloft some of these problems will solve themselves. More likely, delaying hard choices will make the hit to future growth more damaging and the costs larger.

Call China’s problems whatever you wish, but in the end, a crisis by any other name still smells pretty bad. - Bloomberg View

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES FEBRUARY 2001 Rajiha to attend workshop on e-government MUSCAT: Rajiha bint Abdul Amir, undersecretary for development affairs at the Ministry of National Economy, will head the Sultanate’s delegation to a two-day workshop on e-government in the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) states, which begins tomorrow in Bahrain. The workshop will look into the meaning and implications of egovernance and will examine its role in promoting e-commerce. The workshop will also discuss the technological, legal ad security conditions required for setting up an e-government system, as well as progress on the application of e-government programmes in the states of the region.

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1902: US Secretary of State John Hay protests Russian privileges in China as a violation of the “open door policy.”

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A13

SPECIAL

Ethiopia’s failed rains, which meteorologists blame on the El Nino weather phenomenon, have created a drought in some areas of the country worse than the 1984 crisis. Back then, water shortages and conflict combined to cause a famine that killed an estimated one million people.

WAITING FOR RAINS: Woman wait to collect water in the drought stricken Somali region in Ethiopia. More than 10 million people are now critically short of food, according to figures compiled by the government with its humanitarian partners. That is putting a strain on the government as well as the budgets of international aid groups and donors. – Reuters

Drought tests Ethiopia’s ambitions Ethiopia is facing drought worse than 1984 crisis as donors struggle to keep pace with relief needs and government’s rural projects help contain crisis

FEDETO/ADDIS ABABA: On a treeless plain in eastern Ethiopia, thousands of destitute pastoralists have set up camp outside the tiny village of Fedeto. Over the past six months the camp has swelled as one of the worst droughts in decades has decimated herds, dried up pasture and made even drinking water scarce.

“We wandered for three months, losing every single animal apart from two donkeys,” said Saido Ahmed Keyat, a 29-year-old mother of five, whose family had boasted 200 sheep and goats, 15 cattle, eight camels and seven donkeys.

“All my children are malnourished. They need milk, they need many things.”

Ethiopia’s failed rains, which meteorologists blame on the El Nino weather phenomenon, have created a drought in some areas of the country worse than the 1984 crisis. Back then, water shortages and conflict combined to cause a famine that killed an estimated one million people.

In the years since, Ethiopia has transformed under a government that promotes rapid economic development, although it is criticised for limiting many political freedoms. One of its signature schemes is a rural support programme designed to keep Ethiopians from starvation.

The new drought is putting that model to the test. More than 10 million people are now critically short of food, according to figures compiled by the government with its humanitarian partners. That is putting a strain on the government as well as the budgets of international aid groups and donors.

“The scale of the need is really huge and has outstripped the Ethiopian government’s ability to do this on their own,” Carolyn Wilson, chief executive of charity Save the Children told Reuters after touring some of the afflicted regions in

TESTING TIMES: A small village is seen at a distance in Farado Kebele, one of drought stricken Somali region in Ethiopia. – Reuters

the country’s north and east.

In all, an estimated $1.4 billion is needed for food and other resources in 2016, according to the government and aid partners.

The government said about 30 per cent of that had been raised from donors so far. The WFP said last week about $500 million was needed by the end of February to extend the aid effort beyond April.

Lagging behind In a world facing the demands of the migrant crisis and conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, that won’t be easy. “It’s not that donors have not responded,” said WFP Country Director John Aylieff. “But they have not managed to keep pace.”

Today’s needs would be far greater were it not for the massive changes in Ethiopia over the past three decades.

In 1984, the then-communist government known as the Derg tried to hide the famine, while conflict and social engineering projects like farm collectivisation exacerbated the scale of hunger.

Rebels toppled the Derg in 1991 and the government that followed has delivered stellar economic

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growth rates, hitting double digits in some years, visible from endless construction in the capital and new highways crossing the nation.

In 2005, Ethiopia started the Productive Safety Net Programme, which was helping 7.9 million people facing chronic food insecurity even before the latest drought. Those people receive food or cash transfers in return for community work.

To deal with the drought, the government allocated $272 million extra spending in 2015 and a further $109 million this year, Mikitu Kassa, head of the National Disaster Risk Management Commission, told Reuters. To put that extra spending in perspective, it is roughly equivalent to Ethiopia’s entire state budget two decades ago, he said.

The government says no one has so far died from starvation.

Some of those in the worst af-

fected area contradict this.

One woman in Fedeto said 20 had died in the past two months, though it was not possible to verify this. Mikitu said the government would spend what it takes if aid did not flow, although he said it could mean cutbacks on other projects. But he said the government’s “mega projects” - new national railways, roads and dams - would go ahead.

Those projects are part of plans to industrialise Ethiopia. Eighty percent of the nation still relies on agriculture, mostly rain-fed pastures or subsistence smallholdings. The better transport links have already proved vital, allowing easier access for relief workers.

“The nature of the government that we had in 1984 is quite different from the current government,” Mikitu said in Addis Ababa, where Sub-Saharan Africa’s first metro system opened last year and

now snakes its way above trafficclogged streets.

The architect of modern Ethiopia, rebel leader-turned-prime minister Meles Zenawi, told a 1991 news conference in Addis Ababa that his gauge of success would be “if Ethiopians were able to eat three meals a day”.

Ethiopia has not yet achieved that goal. Critics of the government - Meles died in 2012 but many of his policies continue under successor Hailemariam Desalegn - say it is authoritarian and stifles opponents. No opposition party won a seat in last year’s parliamentary election.

The US State Department said then that it remained “deeply concerned by continued restrictions on civil society, media, opposition parties, and independent voices and views.” Ethiopian officials deny restricting freedoms.

But in their determination not to let fresh images of hunger overshadow the government’s development credentials, some ministers sent conflicting signals early in the crisis about how bad it was and how much help was needed, aid workers say.

“We have to walk on egg shells in terms of what we can say,” said one international aid worker, who has followed Ethiopia’s progress since the 1980s.

Disaster management chief Mikitu blamed any confusion on the speed at which numbers of those facing critical food shortages grew. In January 2015 it was 2.9 million but swiftly rose - often in increments of several million to 10.2 million by December. But even the government’s ability to gather such figures is testament to the way Ethiopia has changed.

Fedeto, in a remote area of the hard-hit Sitti region, has benefited from that change. A tiny clinic, one of thousands built around the country over the past two decades, doles out rations and treats the malnourished. The village also has a water tower and a school.

That helps, though only up to a point. The administrator of the village of 600 people said he was struggling to meet the needs of 7,500 exhausted arrivals who are now camped nearby.

“There is a lot of pressure on us,” Dahir Omar Hosh said. “People are still coming.” — Reuters

A 14

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

GLOBAL EYE

AFGHANISTAN: A girl holds onto a railing overlooking Kabul city, Afghanistan on Sunday. — Reuters

SENEGAL: A model presents a hijab and a dress on Saturday, during the first Muslim Woman show in Dakar, Senegal,on the eve of the World Hijab Day. — AFP

JAPAN: Japanese teams use their hacking skills as they compete among 70 participants of 18 teams from Japan, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the US and Vietnam in the final rounds of the SECCON 2015 final competition security contest in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday. — AFP

FRANCE: Roms people walk in an alley between makeshift shelters SPAIN: Children look at “NAO” a programmable humanoid robot developed by French robotics company Aldebaran Robotics during the

Global Robot Expo in Madrid, Spain, on Sunday. — AFP

in a Rom camp on Sunday, on the boulevard Ney in northern Paris, France. — AFP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

A15

WORLD German conservatives in bid to allay fears over migrants Some 1.1 million migrants streamed into Germany last year, and regions and communities have complained that they are being overwhelmed CHANGE OF HEART: Refugees wait to register at a German air base in Erding, southern Germany, on Sunday. — AFP/dpa/Andreas Gebert

BERLIN: Senior conservative German politicians sought at the weekend to reassure citizens concerned about a record influx of migrants, saying their numbers must go down and criminal refugees could be deported.

They spoke as an Emnid survey showed support for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) allies down by 2 percentage points to 34 per cent, its lowest level in that survey since July 2012.

Some 1.1 million migrants streamed into Germany last year, and regions and communities have complained that they are being overwhelmed.

Concerns about crime and security have also mounted since men of North African and Arab appearance assaulted women in Cologne and other cities at New Year.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said most refugees from Syria and Iraq would go home once the conflicts

INSURGENCY

Suicide bombers kill 65 in Nigeria MAIDUGURI (NIGERIA): At least 65 people were killed during an attack by militant group Boko Haram near Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri, a Reuters reporter said after counting bodies at a hospital morgue.

The remains of a dozen victims were burnt beyond recognition in Saturday’s attack when militants opened fire on residents, set fire to houses and targeted a crowd with suicide bombers, security and medical officials said.

A Nigerian military spokesman, Colonel Mustapha Ankas, said that Boko Haram militants attacked the community of Dalori, about 5 km (3 miles) east of Maiduguri in Borno state.

It was the third attack this week suspected to have been carried out by the insurgent group and the most deadly.

Since it started losing control of territory, Boko Haram has reverted to hit-and-run attacks on villages as well as suicide bombings on places of worship or markets.

In neighbouring Adamawa state, a suicide bomber believed to be a Boko Haram militant killed about 10 people on Friday and at least 12 were killed on Wednesday in an attack on the Borno state village of Chibok, from where over 200 schoolgirls were abducted in 2014.

It was the third attack this week suspected to have been carried out by the Boko Haram insurgent group - and the most deadly

Ankas said insurgents entered Dalori in two cars and on motorcycles and opened fire on residents and burned down houses.

“While people were running for their dear lives...three female suicide bombers attempted to make their way into the crowd... and subsequently got blown up,” he said without providing a casualty figure.

An official of the state emergency agency who was at the scene said there were 12 bodies burnt beyond recognition.”We can’t even pick those ones, they were seriously burnt,” the official who declined to be named said.

Borno state capital Maiduguri was struck by several bombs at the end of December that killed at least 48 people. — Reuters

SOMALIA CONFLICT SPILLOVER

Al Shebaab kills 3 in Kenya attack MOMBASA: At least three men were killed in a village in Kenya’s coastal Lamu county in the early hours of Sunday during a raid by Al Shebaab extremist militants, police and the group said.

Gunmen speaking Somali came to Pandanguo village searching for men, a survivor said.

They interrogated those they found and killed some, he said from a local hospital.

The village sits about 40 km (25 miles) inland from the Indian Ocean town of Lamu, which is popular with Western tourists, and is 100 km from the border with Somalia.

“They asked me questions in the Somali language.

When I struggled to respond, they shot me but hit my hand,” said the victim, who asked not to be named.

Al Shebaab’s military operation spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab said in a statement the group was behind the Lamu attack.

Al Shebaab’s military operation spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab said in a statement the group was behind the Lamu attack Al Shebaab has said in the past its frequent attacks in Kenya are punishment for Kenya sending its troops into Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping force.

Spate of attacks In 2014, at least 60 people were killed in the area in a spate of attacks that targeted non-Muslim men. Al Shebaab claimed responsibility for those attacks.

Like the attack on Sunday, those attacks took place inland from the coast. — Reuters

there had ended and urged other European countries to offer more help “because the numbers need to be reduced even further and must not start to rise again, especially in spring”.

Merkel’s chief of staff Peter Altmaier told Bild am Sonntag, the newspaper that published the opinion poll, that Berlin was negotiating with countries including Turkey about taking back criminal refugees who arrived via nonEuropean Union countries.

“That can then mean that such refugees are not deported to their home countries - if civil war is raging there, for example - but rather to the country via which they came into the EU,” said Altmaier, who Merkel has tasked with overseeing the government’s handling of the refugee crisis.

Altmaier said Germany was working closely with Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon so that most of the refugees could stay in that region until there was peace in Syria and Iraq.

A spokesman for his office declined to comment on the state of negotiations.

Simone Peter, leader of the opposition Greens party, told Deutschlandradio Kultur the government, Altmaier and Merkel were “gradually moving away from a welcoming culture” for refugees.

On Wednesday, Merkel’s coalition government backed a new law to make it easier to deport foreign nationals who commit crimes.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere suggested that Germany could not accept economic migrants.

“It is impossible for Germany to take in all the refugees from the world’s crisis regions.

And this especially applies to those people not from Syria who are coming here for a better life,” he told Der Spiegel magazine.

Reiner Haseloff, the CDU state premier of Saxony-Anhalt state, told Welt am Sonntag newspaper that Germany could no longer accept the “loss of control” at its borders.

Ordinary Germans would only remain prepared to help if there was a “strict reduction” of numbers arriving, he said.

Concerns about migrants have boosted support for the rightwing Alternative for Germany (AfD), which the Emnid survey put on 12 per cent.

That marked it as the third strongest political force in Germany after Merkel’s CDU/ CSU bloc and their junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD).

The AfD has struck a tough tone on immigration.

Leader Frauke Petry attracted widespread criticism for saying, in an interview published on Saturday, that migrants entering illegally should be shot if necessary.

Around 50,000 refugees have left Germany since the start of 2015, either voluntarily or by deportation, Altmaier said. — Reuters

FRANCISCO FLORES

Ex-president of El Salvador dies facing graft charges SAN SALVADOR: The former president of El Salvador, Francisco Flores, 56, died on Saturday after suffering a stroke as he waited to face trial over embezzlement charges.

Flores ruled the Central American nation from 1999 to 2004 and he had been operated on last Sunday after suffering a stroke.

Regret death “We regret the death of President Francisco Flores and we sympathise with his family at this time,” his far-right Nationalist Republican Party (Arena) said in a statement.

Flores was accused of embezzling $15 million of aid from Taiwan that was donated after two devastating earthquakes hit the country in 2001.

He had siphoned $10 million to give to his party and kept $5 million, according to prosecutors.

House arrest Flores maintained his innocence and was under house arrest for the charges.

“He suffered a terrible health crisis, provoked by this unjust political attack,” his wife Lourdes de Flores told local media. — Reuters

A 16

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

WORLD

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More than 2,100 Colombian women infected with Zika

B B C ’ S FA C E

AN END OF ERA: TV and radio presenter Terry Wogan – AFP Files

There are 20,297

Broadcaster Terry Wogan dies of cancer

confirmed cases of the disease in Colombia, according to the national health institute

BOGOTA: More than 2,100 pregnant Colombian women are infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the country’s national health institute said on Saturday, as the disease continues its spread across the Americas.

The virus has been linked to the devastating birth defect microcephaly, which prevents fetus’ brains from developing properly.

There is no vaccine or treatment.

There are 20,297 confirmed cases of the disease in Colombia, the national health institute said in a epidemiology bulletin, among them 2,116 pregnant women.

There are so far no reported cases of microcephaly or deaths from

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES: Health Secretariat workers fumigate against the ‘Aedes Aegypti’ mosquito, which transmits the Zika virus, in Cucuta, Colombia, on Saturday. – AFP

the virus in Colombia. The institute said 37.2 per cent of pregnant women with Zika live in Norte de Santander province, along the eastern border with Venezuela.

Earlier figures from the health ministry showed 560 pregnant women had the disease, out of

more than 13,500 infections.

Zika cases have been confirmed in 23 countries and territories in the Americas and scientists are racing to develop a vaccine for the virus.

Nearly half of Colombia’s Zika cases have been reported in the

country’s Caribbean region, the bulletin said. More than 60 per cent of those infected are women.

The government has urged women to delay pregnancy for six to eight months to avoid potential infection. Officials expect up to 700,000 cases. Brazil is the coun-

try hit hardest by the disease. It has reported around 3,700 cases of microcephaly strongly suspected to be related to Zika.

The World Health Organisation has said as many as 4 million people in the Americas may become infected. — Reuters

LONDON: British television and radio personality Terry Wogan died of cancer aged 77 on Sunday, his family said.

Irish-born Wogan, one of the BBC’s most recognisable faces and voices, was granted a British knighthood in 2005.

“Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer. He passed away surrounded by his family,” a statement on behalf of his family said.

Wogan began his broadcasting career with Irish state broadcaster RTE before joining the BBC in 1966. He went on to become a national institution as a disc jockey, chat show host and presenter, known for his gently mocking wit and Irish brogue.

He hosted the BBC’s coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest from 1980 to 2008. — Reuters

M YA N M A R

Suu Kyi allies to form ruling party after decades of struggle NAYPYITAW: After decades of struggle, hundreds of lawmakers from Aung San Suu Kyi’s camp will form Myanmar’s ruling party on Monday, with enough seats in parliament to choose the first democratically elected government since the military took power in 1962.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) won some 80 per cent of elected seats in Novem-

ber’s historic vote, but the juntadrafted constitution means it will have to share power with the army that for years has suppressed, often brutally, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and her allies.

The first sitting of the NLDdominated parliament is another step in Myanmar’s drawn-out transition which started with the election and will go on until the NLD government officially starts

its term in April. “We are likely to announce the president in the second week of February,” said Win Htein, a senior member of the party. Other NLD officials said the presidential nomination process may begin towards the end of the month. This week, the party will focus on appointing parliamentary speakers, who were announced last week. It will also prepare for the start of state and regional as-

semblies on February 8, some in places dominated by large ethnic minorities such as Shan State in the east or Rakhine in the west.

Presidential candidate Each of the parliament’s two chambers will appoint its presidential candidate and the military officials who hold a quarter of seats will put forward their nominee.

Combined chambers will then

vote on the candidates. The winner will become president. The other two will serve as vice presidents.

Expectations are towering for Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest after the NLD swept to power in 1990 but was barred from taking office, and is regarded with an almost religious-like zeal in the Southeast Asian nation.

Myanmar’s 51.5 million people expect the NLD to quickly fix

everything from bringing peace to fractured ethnic states to stopping the abuse of the Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine by the Buddhist majority. “They (people) hope that every problem will be solved automatically after the NLD becomes the government, FDI will come in,” said Shwe Mann, the outgoing speaker of parliament who is close to Suu Kyi, referring to foreign investment. - Reuters

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM M ON DAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES Distressed investment opportunities in the UAE and the Gulf will rise this year as stock markets and companies in the region buckle under pressure of oil trading at around $30 a barrel, according to Sancta Capital. — Bloomberg News

MARKE

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH THE VIDEO

DIGEST VIDEO Top stories in one minute with our new daily Digest

Muscat bourse stages major recovery on surging oil prices Suresh Kumar, head of research at Al Maha Financial Services.

Main reason for the recovery was a surge in oil prices, which recovered by almost 25% from $26 a barrel to $34 per barrel last week.

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Share prices on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) staged a major recovery on Sunday, with the general index climbing by

3.25 per cent or 162.85 points to close at 5,179.36 points.

“The main reason for the market recovery was a surge in the crude oil prices, which recovered by almost 25 per cent from $26 a barrel to $34 per barrel last week,” said

SHIPPING SERVICE

WOOING OMANI INVESTORS: (From left to right) Mohammad Mohammadzadeh, chairman of Rah Abrisham Marine Shipping Agency, and Abdolhossein Khedri, chairman of Khedri Jahan Darya Company. — Shabin E/Times of Oman

Omani investment in Iranian ports key to plug links in vital transit chain ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Omani investment is required in Iranian ports to make direct cargo shipping services between the two countries efficient and complete, said an Iranian official who believes the reexport structure in Oman needs to be improved.

In order to establish an ‘actual’ connection, Omani investors should definitely invest in Iranian ports such as Port of Chabahar and Shahid Rajaee Port, otherwise some links will always remain missing in the transit chain, said Abdolhossein Khedri, chairman of the Khedri Jahan Darya Company.

Khedri Jahan Darya Company, affiliated with Marine Silk Road Holding, has been providing the first-ever regular, direct shipping services for cargo transport between Iran and Oman since a few months after an agreement was signed between the company and Iranian and Omani authorities.

The company participated in Iran’s second solo exhibition, which was held in Muscat from January 26 to 30.

In an exclusive interview with the Times of Oman, the official said the current frequency of the direct shipping services between Shahid Rajaee Port and Sohar Port is every 14 days.

However, there are plans to of-

fer these services every 10 days and then every week in later stages, given the expected increase in demand, he added.

Asked about the response to the shipping services so far, Khedri said the Iranian market was facing certain challenges in 2015 due to the sanctions and the uncertainty about these being lifted.

However, the situation is improving and more people are welcoming the services day by day. Another challenge is the fact that many Iranian businessmen are still not very familiar with Oman’s market, he noted.

According to Khedri, the re-export structure and infrastructure in Oman need to be improved as Iran needs re-export of products.

Asked if the company has any plans to connect more Iranian and Omani ports, he said the company has been approached by several parties and the services can be started if the minimum amount of cargo is available.

He said comprehensive support has been provided by the Iranian authorities, including the Iranian Embassy in Oman, the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade as well as the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.

However, the most important thing is that cargos should be available for transport which necessitates that Iranian traders become familiar with Oman’s market, he stated. > B3

Rebound journey The market continued its rebound journey, as a result of which investors gained OMR203 million (notionally) in terms of market capitalisation, mainly due to better investor sentiment.

Broad-based buying “There has been a broad-based buying in the last three to four trading sessions and the frontrunners were blue chip stocks or bank shares,” added Suresh Kumar.

The market is recovering after

the bourse touched a seven-year low on January 17 in the aftermath of a steep fall in crude oil prices, and started to recover in the following week. The bourse is still lower by 4.19 per cent or 226.67 points, when compared to its last year close of 5,406.22 points.

Blue chip stocks The blue chip stocks (especially bank shares) are available at attractive valuations, which attracted buying support from both local and foreign investors.

“Also, dividend announcements of banks last week were in line with market expectations,” noted

Suresh Kumar.

Bank stocks, which touched recent lows, led the market rally.

The traded volumes on the local market also recovered. Market turnover on Sunday at OMR7.15 million (on a volume of 37.9 million shares) was almost double, when compared to the average daily volume in the previous weeks.

The major gainers on the Muscat bourse on Sunday were Al Madina Investment, Bank Sohar, Takaful Oman Insurance, United Finance, Al Jazeera Services and Al Anwar Holding.

The trend on the local bourse in the coming days will largely

depend on the recovery in crude oil prices, said another market source. Recent indications of Opec and Russia to discuss output cut are likely to prop up the market sentiment in GCC region.

Like the Omani bourse, stocks across the Gulf also surged aheadon oil price recovery.

Other regional bourses recovered substantially, with Dubai leading the recovery with over 4.92 per cent gain, followed by Abu Dhabi (3.68 per cent), Qatar (2.26 per cent), Kuwait (2.08 per cent), Saudi (1.98 per cent) and Bahrain (1.32 per cent).

Related story in B4

B2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

MARKET Ministry issues 21 licences for filling stations in Oman

Times News Service

against the combined filling station network of three oil marketing companies — Oman Oil, Shell and Al Maha – at 521 in 2014.

Muscat and Batinah North Governorates topped the list in terms of construction of fuel stations with 130 and 91 respectively.

Dakhiliyyah Governorate had 57 stations, Dhofar 56, Batinah South 46, Sharqiyyah South 39, Sharqiyyah North 36, Dhahirah 29, Wusta 29, and Buraimi 19 while Musandam had 10 stations.

This is an indicator of the economic development witnessed by all governorates of the Sultanate, the ministry said.

MUSCAT: As many as 21 licences for commercial filling stations have been issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2015, taking the total number to 542 in various governorates and wilayats of the Sultanate. This is

Temporary licences The temporary licences for fuel stations under implementation in all the governorates of the Sultanate in 2015 totaled 29 while the Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued the same number of forms pending

Number of licences for fuel stations in various governorates and wilayats by the end of 2015 has reached 542

FUELLING GROWTH: The number of licences of private filling stations currently under construction has reached 18. – Times file picture

SCIENCE-FOR-ALL

approval of the relevant authorities during the same year.

The licences for commercial filling stations granted by the ministry in 2015 in various governorates of the were 21 — seven in Muscat, three in Dhofar, three in Dakhiliyyah, two in Batinah North, two in Wusta and one in each of Batinah South, Sharqiyyah North, Sharqiyyah and Dhahirah.

The number of licences of private filling stations currently under construction has reached 18 — two of Shell Oman Marketing Company, 12 of Oman Oil Marketing Company and four of the Omani Al Maha Petroleum Products Marketing Company.

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

INVESTMENT

First Gulf Bank investor cancels Dh1.2b share sale DUBAI: A shareholder in First Gulf Bank, the Abu Dhabi-based bank partly owned by the government and the Al Nahyan ruling family, cancelled a share sale valued at Dh1.2 billion ($330 million), said people familiar with the matter.

The investor pulled the sale after it was priced and allocated to investors, the people said, asking not to be named because the details aren’t public. The share owner wanted to use the proceeds to pay off a margin loan — a vehicle often backed by shares where the borrower agrees to pay extra if the collateral’s value declines, they said.

Deutsche Bank was the sole bookrunner on the sale of 120.6 million shares, or about 2.7 per cent of the lender. The bank’s top shareholder is the Mubadala Development, the United Arab Emirates government’s investment company, which owns more than 7 per cent. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the bank’s chairman, owns 5.4 per cent. - Bloomberg News

C O M PA N Y R E S U LT S

Top Indian IT firms join US initative WASHINGTON: Three major Indian IT companies — Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Wipro — have joined United States President Barack Obama’s ambitious computer science-for-all initiative as part of a public-private collaboration, pledging thousands of dollars in grants.

Obama announced his ‘Computer Sciences for All’ plan in his weekly address as he emphasised on the need for teaching the subject as a “basic skill” to all children across schools in the country in a changing economy.

While Infosys has pledged a $1 million in donation, Tata Consultancy Services is providing support in the form of grants to teachers in 27 US cities, the White House said in a fact sheet, also issued on Saturday.

Wipro announced a $2.8 million grant for multi-year project in partnership with the Michigan University. - PTI

GLOBAL CONTRACTS: The highlight of Nuhas Oman Cables and Wires performance has been its ability to bag project orders from global clients against stiff competition for a wide range of specialty and custom cables.– Supplied picture

Nuhas achieves robust growth in sales revenue Times News Service MUSCAT: Nuhas Oman Cables and Wires, the only 100 per cent Omani-owned and managed cable company in the Sultanate, is on a blazing trail. The company has achieved a 29 per cent increase in turnover for the year ended 2015.

The highlight of the performance has been its ability to bag project orders from global clients against stiff competition for a wide range of specialty and custom cables. This is testimony to the growing strengths of the company, which has been at the forefront of technological innovation and new product launches since it commenced production at the facility in Rusayl Industrial Estate, said a company release.

Raw materials The company has set itself stiff targets for new product development which serve as import substitutes for Oman and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

This gains importance in the current economic environment where it is necessary for every country to conserve foreign exchange reserves by sourcing raw materials from within, reducing terminal product imports and increasing exports.

Nuhas Oman has been active on all these fronts, as it is an integrated producer by sourcing refined copper from within the country (Government-owned Oman Mining Company), selling 95 per cent of the production in Oman and introducing new

products for the indigenous and export markets.

The revenues generated are ploughed back into operations for adding capacity through additional investments in plant and machinery, thereby further reducing dependency on imports and increasing employment opportunities. This has led to the doubling of medium voltage cable capacity and tripling low voltage (LV) cable capacity within seven years of commencing cable production. A formidable task achieved from 2009 to 2015, a period when the world was faced with the worst recession with industries facing closure.

Domestic market Since its inception in 2004, the company has been on a blazing a trail. Initially as suppliers to the global cable industry and after commissioning of the in-house cable manufacturing facility as suppliers of low voltage and medium voltage cables targeting and bridging the shortages in the domestic market which were affecting project schedules.

The distribution segment companies under EHCO – Mazoon, Majan, Muscat Electricity Distribution Company, Rural Areas Electricity Company and Dhofar Power Company as also the various contractors breathed a sigh of relief with the launch of Nuhas Oman Cables. They could now reap the benefits of competition – attractive prices, lower lead times, consistency and focus on quality, viable alternative source of supply.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

B3

MARKET Iran, Japan orders provide boost to Airbus’ struggling superjumbo MORE COMPANIES RUSHING TO IRAN While two new orders save the world’s biggest commercial aircraft, the deal signed

by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani points to new opportunities

TEHRAN: Iran’s surprise agreement to buy the Airbus A380 marks the second new deal for the superjumbo in three weeks and will help the planemaker paper over the cracks in its flagship programme - for now.

The Iranian accord for 12 A380s, together with the sale of three of the double-deckers to Japan’s All Nippon Airways, disclosed in order data on January 12 and confirmed on Friday, provides some

Condotte D‘acqua: Italian infrastructure firm will sign deals for projects with Iranian firms worth €4 billion Hellenic Petroleum: Greece‘s biggest oil refiner agreed to buy crude oil from Iranian state company Peugeot Citroen: French car maker and Iran Khodro formed a joint venture to build Peugeot cars in Iran

cheer for Airbus after the model failed to find a single new airline buyer in three years.

The 15 jets, worth $6.5 billion at list prices, will provide a vital breathing space as the Toulouse, France-based manufacturer seeks to drum up further orders and determine whether a life-extending upgrade of the jet sought by leading buyer Emirates of Dubai is viable.

The planes will provide at least six months of work for the A380

Norinco International: This Chinese firm said its consortium had signed an agreement for a railway project in Iran for $350 million International airlines group: British Airways, part of IAG, hopes to start flying to Tehran in the near future Lukoil: Russia‘s oil major reached an agreement on the firm‘s possible participation in several oil projects National Aluminium: India‘s state-run firm is interested in setting up a $2 billion-smelter complex

INSURANCE

Al Anwar board approves sale of Falcon stake Times News Service MUSCAT: Al Anwar Holding on Sunday said that the company’s board has approved an offer to sell a substantial stake in Falcon Insurance Company.

“The transaction is subject to completion of due diligence by the buyer and approval from regulatory authorities concerned,” the company noted in a stock market filing on the MSM website.

“The transaction price would be

1.2 multiples of book value, subject to due diligence and audited financial statements, as of December 2015,” the report stated.

On January 13, Al Anwar said the company received, through Oman Arab Bank, a preliminary offer from a party to acquire a substantial stake of Al Anwar Holdings in Falcon Insurance.

In another disclosure statement, Al Anwar Holding said the company’s board approved the purchase of a plot of land at

EXPORT FIRMS

Supporting small B1 companies in Iran < FROM

Khedri Jahan Darya Company provides marine transportation services in Iran’s territorial waters, the Gulf, the Caspian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. It also offers customs clearance and multimodal transportation services.

The company owns a fleet capable of transporting dry and refrigerated containers and can handle hazardous and bulk cargos.

Khedri said the company has launched an export management company to support small and medium-sized companies.

Stress on exports These companies account for around 70 per cent of Iran’s market and their products need to be exported, he said, adding that they do not have many employees and it may not be financially viable for them to export their products directly given the size of their budget.

“So we are paving the way to do marketing for these companies so that they can sell their products in Oman,” he stated.

Asked about other projects that have been implemented in cooperation with Oman, Khedri said the company has helped Oman establish a first-of-itskind hydroponic greenhouse, which allows for growing plants using only water, without soil.

It has been a successful project and will hopefully be expanded with the cooperation of the Omanis, he added.

New opportunities In addition, Mohammad Mohammadzadeh, chairman of Rah Abrisham Marine Shipping Agency, which is affiliated with Marine Silk Road Holding, said the existing opportunities in Iran and Oman need to be introduced to both sides. There is great untapped potential for cooperation between the two countries in various areas which should be utilised, he noted.

Rah Abrisham Marine Shipping Agency is a representative of liner shipping services between Iran and Oman.

It offers comprehensive customs clearance and transportation services in the ports of Iran and Oman.

It provides specialised consultancy services for commercial activities in Iran, Oman and Northeast Africa as well as transport, customs clearance, warehousing and transit services in Iran and Oman.

The company also offers reexport services from and to Iran, break-bulk services, cruise services, cargo handling, husbandry services, clearing and forwarding and roll-on/roll-off (RORO) services.

Azaiba North, held in the books of its Falcon Insurance Company, for a cash consideration of OMR1.90 million.

“This being a related party transaction, is subject to approval from the board of directors and annual general meeting of Falcon Insurance,” the statement added.

Al Anwar Holding shares surged by 8.5 per cent to close at 166 baisas, amid 6.04 million shares changing hands on the Muscat Securities Market.

line at the current build rate of 30 aircraft a year, swelling a backlog that was sufficient to support output only through about 2018. Airbus is seeking cost cuts to drop the annual break-even level to 25 or fewer, further eking out production.

“The new orders may help push back the need for a new-engine version of the A380, thus encouraging potential airliner buyers to move forward more quickly with orders,” said Yan Derocles, an analyst at Oddo Securities in Paris with a ‘buy’ rating on Airbus stock.

Japan breakthrough The Iranian commitment, likely to be for flag-carrier Iran Air, is especially welcome since Airbus has been seeking to sell the A380 to companies beyond the bestknown first-tier operators for years, with only limited success.

The carrier was a global player in the 1970s and even placed an

order for the supersonic Concorde, which was canceled after the 1979 revolution.

The last new airline buyer for the A380, No. 2 Russian carrier Transaero, collapsed last year after agreeing to buy four planes.

Confirmation of Japan’s ANA deal also comes as a coup, with the Asian nation not only a long-established customer for Boeing but also a leading market for the 747 jumbo, which remains in production as the 747-8 Intercontinental.

A bid to penetrate Japan in the past failed when Skymark Airlines went in to bankruptcy protection with six A380s on order.

While two new orders received by themselves save the world’s biggest commercial aircraft, the deal signed by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani points to new opportunities. Airbus will now likely step up sales campaigns in other Islamic nations. - Bloomberg News

B4

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

MARKET Gulf stocks recover as crude rises

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................ 5,179.55 .............. 5,028.58 ....................5,179.36 ....................5,016.51............... 162.85 ................... 3.25 Financial Index .................................... 6,336.52 ...............6,081.47 ................... 6,336.52 ...................6,034.62...............301.90 ...................5.00 Industrial Index ....................................6,529.63 ...............6,447.59 ................... 6,529.53 ...................6,446.58................. 82.95 ................... 1.29 Services Index ......................................2,902.22 .............. 2,863.95 ...................2,902.21 ...................2,858.70..................43.51 ................... 1.52 MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................... 816.46 ..................805.63 .......................816.42 ......................803.26.................. 13.16 ................... 1.64 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 38,159,583................... 7,196,775 ..................1,673 ...............15,546,993,880 ................36 ........................ 1 ..................... 8 ..........................45

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 31 Dubai’s DFM General Index led gains in the region, climbing to the highest level in more

ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

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

OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 119,500 ............... 6,514........................8 ........... 0.053 ........... 0.055 ...........0.053........... 0.055 .............0.050 ........... 0.005............10.000 ...............0.055..............0.055...................0.000 .................. 11,393,326 .........0.100

than three weeks.

OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 1,624,100 ......232,246..................... 64 ............0.143 ........... 0.143 ...........0.143 ........... 0.143 .............0.130.............0.013 ............10.000 ...............0.143 ..............0.143...................0.000 .................206,125,920 .......0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ........................................................19,123 ...............2,347........................6 ............0.123 ........... 0.123 ...........0.122............0.123 ............. 0.112.............0.011 ............. 9.821 ................0.123 ..............0.123...................0.126...................38,224,088.........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ..............................................6,000 ...............1,500........................2 ........... 0.250 ...........0.250 ...........0.250........... 0.250 .............0.230 ........... 0.020............. 8.696 ................0.250..............0.250...................0.000 .................. 15,301,068 .........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 6,040,214...1,002,783...................205 ............0.163 ........... 0.168 ...........0.163 ............0.166 ............. 0.153.............0.013 ............. 8.497 ................0.168 ..............0.168...................0.000 ..................24,912,450.........0.100

DUBAI: Gulf equities trimmed their worst January in seven years after oil capped its second weekly advance.

Dubai’s DFM General Index led gains in the region, climbing to the highest in more than three weeks as the number of shares traded was almost double the six-month average. Abu Dhabi’s ADX General Index had the biggest increase in more than a year on a closing basis. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose a fourth day, the longest streak since November.

“We were sitting on the sidelines for most of January,” said Mohammed Shabbir, the Dubaibased head of equities and funds at Rasmala Investment Bank.

“We’re looking to enter the market again this week after the losses we’ve seen this month.

February could well shape up as a positive month.”

Equities across emerging markets rallied last week as risk appetite strengthened on bets the Federal Reserve will refrain from raising interest rates soon and as oil jumped on speculation an output cut may be on the way.

Governments in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, depend on energy revenue to fund spending.

Brent crude for March settlement, which expired last week, rose 2.5 per cent to $34.74 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange on Friday.

The more-active April contract increased to $35.99.

The Bloomberg GCC 200 Index, a gauge of 200 of the region’s biggest companies, added 2.9 percent in Dubai, gaining for a third day.

The measure has lost 8.6 per cent this month, poised for the worst start to a year since 2009.

Emirates NBD, Dubai’s biggest lender, led the emirate’s benchmark index as just 211,000 shares were exchanged. The bank’s weight on the gauge was increased this month as part of a regular index review.

Emaar Properties, which has the largest weighting, added 4.5 per cent to the highest level in three weeks. The developer, which is 30 per cent owned by the Dubai government, signed an agreement with Sharjah Investment & Development Authority, known as Shurooq, to form a real estate company, the state-run WAM news agency reported.

The DFM General Index increased 4.9 per cent to the highest level since January 6, taking its three-day gain to 11 per cent.

The measure’s 30-day volatility is near the highest in a year following the swings in January.

Abu Dhabi’s ADX General Index advanced 3.7 per cent. First Gulf Bank was the biggest contributor to gains with a 12.4 per cent jump, the most since May 2005. A shareholder in the UAE’s third-largest lender cancelled a share sale valued at Dh1.2 billion ($327 million).

Dana Gas reported a temporary interruption in gas flow in Iraq at the end of last week, the company said in statement to the Abu Dhabi stock market. The shares dropped 2.3 per cent.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark added 3.6 per cent, taking its four-day gain to 8.5 per cent.

Saudi Basic Industries Corpration (Sabic), rose 4.9 per cent, the most since August on a closing basis. - Bloomberg News

OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ...........................6,500 .................. 845........................2 ............0.130 ........... 0.130 ...........0.130........... 0.130 .............0.120 ............0.010 ............. 8.333 ................0.130 .............. 0.125...................0.129...................12,355,200 .........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 1,670,753....... 159,234..................... 49 ........... 0.094 ...........0.096 ...........0.094........... 0.095 .............0.088 ........... 0.007............. 7.955 ................0.095..............0.095...................0.000 ................... 5,590,106 ..........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 1,143,089 .........63,738..................... 62 ............0.055 ........... 0.057 ...........0.055........... 0.056 .............0.052 ........... 0.004............. 7.692 ................0.057..............0.057...................0.058................... 16,238,916 .........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 3,076,968 ...... 797,897...................109 ........... 0.250 ...........0.265 ...........0.250........... 0.259 .............0.241 ............0.018 ............. 7.469 ................0.265..............0.265...................0.000 .................347,243,955........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 862,609 ......... 160,573..................... 39 ............0.184 ........... 0.189 ...........0.184........... 0.186 ............. 0.174.............0.012 ............. 6.897 ................0.189 ..............0.189................... 0.191 ...................18,600,000.........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 344,893 ........... 43,807......................19 ............0.126 ........... 0.128 ...........0.125 ............0.127 ............. 0.119............ 0.008............. 6.723 ................0.127 ..............0.126...................0.127...................36,912,680 .........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 2,437,215 ......447,267................... 147 ............0.180 ........... 0.187 ...........0.180........... 0.184 ............. 0.173.............0.011 ............. 6.358 ................0.186 ..............0.186...................0.187...................36,800,000.........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ............................................................ 755,214..........180,502..................... 26 ........... 0.232 ...........0.247 ...........0.232........... 0.239 .............0.225 ............0.014 .............6.222 ................0.245..............0.245...................0.000 .................369,190,122 ........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 3,359,946 ... 1,470,162...................190 ........... 0.430 ...........0.448 ...........0.430........... 0.438 ............. 0.414............ 0.024............. 5.797 ................0.448..............0.440...................0.448 ............... 1,003,818,297 ......0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 1,916,522 ......300,087.....................90 ............0.150 ........... 0.163 ...........0.150 ............0.157 .............0.149............ 0.008............. 5.369 ................0.163 .............. 0.163...................0.000 ..................19,608,980 .........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS .................................................... 9,508 ...............3,572......................17 ............0.374 ........... 0.376 ...........0.374........... 0.376 .............0.358 ............0.018 ............. 5.028 ................0.376..............0.376...................0.388...................19,740,000 .........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY .....................................................10,000 ...............4,296........................9 ........... 0.428 ...........0.430 ...........0.428........... 0.430 .............0.410............ 0.020............. 4.878 ................0.430..............0.428...................0.430 ..................26,015,000 .........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ...............65,000 .............14,075........................8 ............0.210 ...........0.220 ...........0.210............0.217 .............0.207 ............0.010 ............. 4.831 ................0.220 ............. 0.215...................0.220 ................... 7,285,005 ..........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 961,409 ........... 90,522..................... 69 ........... 0.092 ........... 0.095 ...........0.092........... 0.094 .............0.090 ........... 0.004.............4.444 ................0.095..............0.095...................0.096....................8,460,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............ 145,700............ 39,999..................... 23 ........... 0.269 ...........0.280 ...........0.269........... 0.275 .............0.264 ............0.011 ............. 4.167 ................0.274..............0.273...................0.274.................... 5,775,000 ..........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 1,091,801.......699,834..................... 68 ........... 0.640 ...........0.648 ...........0.636........... 0.640 .............0.620 ........... 0.020............. 3.226 ................0.648..............0.648...................0.652..................416,604,307 .......0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 113,000............. 11,410........................7 ............0.101 ........... 0.101............0.100............0.101 .............0.098 ........... 0.003............. 3.061 ................0.101 ..............0.100...................0.101 ..................202,031,592 .......0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................ 115,841 .............12,374........................5 ............0.106 ........... 0.107 ...........0.106........... 0.107 .............0.104 ........... 0.003............. 2.885 ................0.107 ..............0.109................... 0.112 ...................21,400,000.........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...................... 316,761 ............22,884..................... 10 ............0.071 ........... 0.075 ...........0.071 ........... 0.072 .............0.070 ........... 0.002............. 2.857 ................0.075..............0.074...................0.075....................2,160,000 ..........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 194,572 .........284,038..................... 35 ............1.470 ........... 1.470 ...........1.455 ........... 1.460 ............. 1.425.............0.035 ............. 2.456 ................1.455 .............. 1.455...................1.460................1,095,000,000......0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER.................................................. 61,395 ............. 11,726........................8 ............0.191 ........... 0.191............0.191 ............0.191 .............0.190 ............0.001 ............. 0.526 ................0.191 .............. 0.191...................0.200 .................128,903,499........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ....................................................50,429 ...............9,632........................4 ............0.191 ........... 0.191............0.191 ............0.191 .............0.190 ............0.001 ............. 0.526 ................0.191 ..............0.192...................0.200 ................. 136,451,611 ........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING................1,133 .....................97........................1 ........... 0.086 ...........0.086 ...........0.086........... 0.084 .............0.084 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.086..............0.086...................0.092 ..................10,237,500 .........0.100 OM0000001822............UNITED POWER ................................................................... 63 ...................170........................1 ........... 2.700 ...........2.700 ...........2.700........... 2.580 .............2.580 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.700..............2.700...................0.000 ...................2,064,000..........1.000 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 181,000............ 33,825......................16 ............0.187 ........... 0.187 ...........0.185 ............0.187 ............. 0.187............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.185 .............. 0.181...................0.185..................266,481,759 ........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ................................. 127,762 .......... 251,052........................3 ............1.965 ........... 1.965 ...........1.965 ............1.965 ............. 1.965............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.965 .............. 1.965...................0.000 .................186,675,000........0.100 OM0000002341............OMAN CHLORINE..........................................................5,000 ...............2,520........................1 ........... 0.504 ...........0.504 ...........0.504........... 0.510 ............. 0.510............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.504............. 0.000...................0.504 ..................33,078,920.........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 1,405,374 ........ 98,877..................... 57 ........... 0.072 ...........0.072 ...........0.070........... 0.070 .............0.070 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.070..............0.070...................0.072...................12,250,000.........0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST ......................................................................30,980 .............13,964........................6 ........... 0.450 ...........0.454 ...........0.450........... 0.450 .............0.452 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.442 ...............0.454..............0.460...................0.470..................248,787,739 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 28,269,374.......6,474,373 .........1,366 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......34........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET .................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE ............................ 277,659.............30,763......................14 ............0.103 ............0.111 ............0.103............0.111.............. 0.101.............0.010 ............. 9.901 ................ 0.111 ...............0.111...................0.000 .................. 11,100,000 .........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 6,843,206 .... 464,604................... 123 ........... 0.065 ...........0.069 ...........0.065........... 0.068 .............0.063 ........... 0.005............. 7.937 ................0.069..............0.069...................0.070................. 102,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 785,562 ............47,038.....................40 ........... 0.057 ........... 0.061 ...........0.057........... 0.060 .............0.056 ........... 0.004..............7.143.................0.061 ..............0.060...................0.061...................60,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 263,900 ............12,580......................19 ........... 0.048 ...........0.049 ...........0.047........... 0.048 .............0.046 ........... 0.002.............4.348 ................0.048..............0.048...................0.049 ...................6,000,000..........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 632,516 ............18,438.....................20 ........... 0.030 ...........0.030 ...........0.029........... 0.029 .............0.028 ............0.001 ............. 3.571 ................0.029..............0.029...................0.030 ...................2,465,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002580 ...........OMAN EDU. & TRIN. INV. HOLDING....................21,507 ............... 3,441........................1 ............0.160 ........... 0.160 ...........0.160........... 0.160 ............. 0.155............ 0.005............. 3.226 ................0.160..............0.160...................0.170...................11,200,000 .........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 885,722 .........124,406..................... 68 ............0.139 ........... 0.142 ...........0.139 ........... 0.140 ............. 0.137............ 0.003............. 2.190 ................0.142.............. 0.141...................0.143................. 204,764,204 .......0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 142,000 ..............8,460..................... 10 ........... 0.060 ...........0.060 ...........0.059........... 0.060 .............0.059 ............0.001 ............. 1.695 ................0.060..............0.060...................0.062 ...................4,512,480 ..........0.100 OM0000001053 ............OMAN TEXTILE HOLDING ..................................... 34,815 .............12,329..................... 10 ........... 0.352 ........... 0.356 ...........0.352........... 0.354 .............0.350 ........... 0.004............. 1.143.................0.356..............0.352...................0.356....................2,124,000 ..........1.000 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 9,886,887 ......722,060...................305 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 9........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS AND SUKUK MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000004602 ...........BANK MUSCAT CONV. BONDS 4.5 ...........................1,784 ...................196........................1 ............0.110 ........... 0.110............0.110 ............0.110 ............. 0.110............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.110 .............. 0.110...................0.200 ..................33,302,402.........0.100 OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ........................1,538 ...................146........................1 ........... 0.095 ........... 0.095 ...........0.095........... 0.095 .............0.095 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.095..............0.095...................0.099...................30,795,353 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: ...................................................................................... 3,322 ..................342........................2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

FUNDING

CRUDE PRODUCTION

India’s Sahara uses small investors to keep afloat hill resort in Mumbai MUMBAI: India’s embattled Sahara conglomerate has been funnelling cash from small savers to fund one of its biggest projects, a luxury resort south of Mumbai, according to documents.

Sahara has ploughed at least Rs15 billion ($221 million) from two of its credit cooperatives into the Aamby Valley resort project through investments in preference shares, according to documents filed with India’s companies regulator.

It is doing so as some investors in its credit cooperatives complain they have struggled to get Sahara to pay out their matured time deposits — even for sums as low as Rs30,000 ($448.83).

The credit cooperatives investments into Aamby Valley are not illegal. Cooperatives are allowed to invest in shares and bonds of infrastructure and real estate companies after board approval, if they are in the interest of the cooperatives, according to the law under which these cooperatives operate.

Responding to queries, a spokesman for Sahara Credit Cooperative Society said in an emailed statement that ‘all required approvals’ were in place and the investments would not put investors at risk. He did not elaborate. Sahara Credit Cooperative had shares worth Rs10.39 billion in Aamby Valley, according to Aamby Valley’s 2014 annual report.

Risky investment?

Saharayn E-Multipurpose Society, which had shares worth Rs4.6 billion in the resort, did not respond to requests for comment.

But some experts say if Sahara is using deposits from the cooperative societies to finance Aamby Valley, members of the

EMBATTLED: Sahara has ploughed at least Rs15b from two of its credit cooperatives into the Aamby Valley resort project through investments in preference shares. – Reuters

cooperatives might face difficulty recouping their money. That’s because the conglomerate is under pressure to sell some of its prized assets to pay off investors in a savings deposit scheme India’s Supreme Court has declared illegal.

The two credit cooperatives could be hit “if Aamby Valley is monetised and the proceeds are given up to the investors of the earlier financial schemes, which is sitting in the Supreme Court,” said Prem Rajani, founding partner of Mumbai-based law firm Rajani Associates, which works in the areas of banking and finance, and corporate litigation.

Supreme Court will decide on Tuesday whether to appoint a receiver to auction off some of Sahara’s properties as part of efforts to refund investors in the banned savings deposit scheme.

A senior official from the Ministry of Agriculture’s credit cooperatives division, which regulates the cooperative societies that operate across state lines, said Sahara could be “misusing provisions of the law” that govern credit cooper-

atives by investing some of the cooperative funds into Aamby Valley.

The official said cooperative funds should not invested in a struggling company or project, or be used for any risky investment, the official said, declining to be named as the person was not authorised to speak to the media.

The division will look into the matter if they receive any complaint on this, the official said.

Investors not paid Over the past four decades, Sahara founder Subrata Roy used his series of small deposit plans to build Sahara into an empire that encompasses businesses ranging from New York’s Plaza hotel and London’s Grosvenor House, to television stations, property project’s and a stake in a Formula One racing team.

But Sahara has been struggling financially since the Supreme Court ordered the conglomerate in 2014 to repay investors in a 2008-11 Sahara time deposit plan that it declared was illegal.

Roy has been in jail for the past

22 months for not complying with the Court’s order to return Rs360 billion ($5.4 billion) to investors.

Credit cooperatives are widely used by the rural poor.

A lack of banking services in India - nearly two-fifths of its 1.27 billion people have no bank accounts — has helped shadow banks such as the credit cooperatives thrive for decades.

This correspondent has spoken to dozens of savers who said Sahara had not given them their money when their deposits matured. Instead, they complained, Sahara’s agents and branch officials tried to persuade them to switch their matured savings deposits into new schemes offered through credit cooperatives run by Sahara.

In the emailed response to Reuters, Sahara said it was not aware of this practice.

First planned city Spread over 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) in the hills of western India, Aamby Valley bills itself as India’s first planned city since independence: a sprawling resort of luxury chalets, manmade lakes and an airport, favoured by the business elite and Bollywood stars.

Sahara said in a statement to Reuters the Aamby Valley project was valued at about Rs1 trillion ($14.76 billion), citing a 2014 report of property consultant Knight Frank’s India unit.

India’s markets regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which had asked the Supreme Court to order Sahara to repay millions of investors in its 2008-11 time deposit plan, has pegged the valuation of lands owned by Aamby Valley and its units at about Rs405 billion ($5.95 billion). - Reuters

Venezuela faces uphill task to persuade Saudi, Russia on oil output cut CARACAS: Venezuela’s Oil Minister Eulogio Del Pino faces an uphill battle persuading Russia and Saudi Arabia to cooperate in cutting oil production amid a supply glut that has pushed prices down more than 30 per cent in the past year, according to analysts Robin Mills and Edward Bell.

Concern that U.S. shale producers would benefit from any increase in oil prices following a potential cut is one factor that will keep Saudi Arabia and Russia from agreeing to a reduction in output, according to Mills, chief executive officer of Dubai-based oil consultant Qamar Energy, and Bell, commodities analyst at lender Emirates NBD PJSC. Del Pino will meet Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak in Moscow Monday before traveling to Qatar, Iran and Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter.

“There’s a minimal chance the Venezuelans will get them to agree to anything,” Mills said by phone on Sunday. “I don’t think the conditions are there for an agreement.”

Possible meeting Venezuela approached Russia about a possible meeting between the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and producers such as Russia that are outside the group, Novak said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Thursday. Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro said on Union Radio Sunday that “Opec and non-Opec countries are close to an agreement,” without specifying what kind of agreement.

Venezuela has repeatedly called for Opec members to meet as slumping oil prices sap govern-

ment revenue. Brent crude has dropped from $115 a barrel in June 2014 to less than $30 this month.

Opec with its de facto leader Saudi Arabia supply about 40 per cent of the world’s oil. The group pumped in January at the highest level since 1996, as it reactivated Indonesia’s membership.

“The Saudis may want to take some oil off the market,” Mills said.

“They can talk to the Russians, they can talk to the Venezuelans, they can talk to the Nigerians, but they can’t talk to shale.”

Opec meetings Members of Opec hold twice-yearly meetings to discuss market conditions, whereas the United States shale industry involves thousands of private firms working alongside the world’s largest oil companies.

That makes it impossible for the US to agree on production cuts, Mills and Bell said.

Any decrease in output that results in higher oil prices would benefit the US, they said.

Opec decided last month to abandon its previous 30 millionbarrel-a-day production target.

The group is seeking to maintain market share by pushing highercost producers out of the market, Mills said.

Any effort to coordinate cuts is complicated by Saudi Arabia’s goal of defending sales and Russia’s inability to rein in production in winter months, when output cuts can damage fields. Bell sees signs that demand will rise this year and provide support for prices. “A fundamentals-driven re-balancing is going to have an effect, and markets will start to recover by the end of the year,” Bell said. - Bloomberg News

B

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M ON DAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

SECTION

SLOW DOWN ENJOY THE RIDE

E-

IMES TECH STUFF

Google computers now defeat human players

APPLE ACQUIRES EDUCATION TECH START-UP Apple said it acquired education-technology start-up LearnSprout, which creates software for schools and teachers to track students’ performance. Apple is working on education tools for iPad, which will allow students to see interactive lessons, track their progress, and share tablet computers with peers. “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,” said Colin Johnson, a spokesman for Apple. — Bloomberg News

T E C H U P D AT E S

Facebook’s sales surge by 52% in fourth quarter Facebook is turning into a welloiled advertisement machine.

The world’s biggest social network notched another record, with fourth-quarter sales jumping 52 per cent as the company capitalised on its reams of user information to serve up more ads. Fourth-quarter sales rose to $5.84 billion, compared with the $5.37 billion average analyst projection, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. About 80 per cent of that came from mobile devices. The company now has 1.59 billion users who log into the service every month, especially on smartphones and tablets. That expansion in turn generates more profit, giving Mark Zuckerberg leeway to invest in the company’s future. On a call with investors Wednesday, the chief executive officer spent most of his time talking about virtual reality, artificial intelligence and connecting the rest of the world to the Internet.

While those initiatives won’t contribute meaningfully for years, they’re aimed at making sure that more people put Facebook at the centre of their digital lives. “Our strategy is working and we have many more opportunities ahead,” Zuckerberg said. — Bloomberg News

Seagate sales top estimates in the second-quarter

C

omputers have learned to master backgammon, chess, and Atari’s Breakout, but one game has always eluded them. It’s a Chinese board game called Go invented more than 2,500 years ago. The artificial-intelligence (AI) challenge has piqued the interest of researchers at Google and Facebook, and the search giant has recently made a breakthrough.

Google has developed the first AI software that learns to play Go and is able to beat some professional human players, according to an article to be published on Wednesday in the science journal Nature. Google DeepMind, the London research group behind the project, is now getting the software ready for a competition in Seoul against the world’s best Go player in March.

The event harks back to the highly publicised chess match in 1996 when IBM’s Deep Blue computer defeated the world chess champion.

However, Go is a much more complex game. It typically consists of a 19-by-19-square board, where players attempt to capture empty areas and surround an opponent’s pieces.

Whereas chess offers some 20 possible choices per move, Go has about 200, said Demis Hassabis, co-founder of Google DeepMind. “There’s still a lot of uncertainty over this match, whether we win,” he said.

IBM demonstrated the phenomenal processing power available to modern computers. DeepMind should highlight how these phenomenally powerful machines are beginning to think in a more human way.

Computer scientists have been try-

Google’s AlphaGo learned to play at an expert level by watching people compete and then simulating millions of its own games against itself. It eventually became good enough to defeat even the best software that had been pre-programmed to play Go. In October, Google pitted AlphaGo against Fan Hui, the best player in Europe. They played five games. The computer won all of them. ing to crack Go for years. Facebook is working on a similar project using the same sorts of neural-network and search technology as Google.

The social networking company said on Tuesday that its software has also beaten humans. Google’s version, called AlphaGo, achieved higher scores than Facebook’s, according to data from the companies.

The research has implications beyond an old Chinese board game.

The systems used by Facebook and Google were not preprogrammed

with specific if-this-then-do-that code or explicitly told the rules. Instead, they learned to play at a very high level by themselves. These techniques can be adapted to any problem “where you have a large amount of data that you have to find insights in,” Hassabis said. Facebook said its Go research will be used to improve its Facebook M virtual assistant and accessibility services, said Ari Entin, a company spokesman.

Jon Diamond, president of the

British Go Association, said machines are five to 10 years ahead of where he expected them to be. “It’s really quite a large, sudden leap in strength,” he said. “This is a significantly better result than any other computer Go program has achieved up to now.”

Google’s AlphaGo learned to play at an expert level by watching people compete and then simulating millions of its own games against itself.

It eventually became good enough to defeat even the best software that had been preprogrammed to play Go. In October, Google pitted AlphaGo against Fan Hui, the best player in Europe. They played five games. The computer won all of them.

Google DeepMind employs more than 200 AI researchers and engineers. Over the 18 months or so it’s spent on AlphaGo, the team ballooned from two or three people to 15, Hassabis said. “Go is a pretty sizable project for us,” he said. DeepMind recently hired Matthew Lai, a London researcher who developed a system capable of playing chess at the grandmaster level. His software was able to reason in a way similar to how humans do, a more efficient method than IBM’s attempt to crunch every possible outcome before making a move in the 1990s.

Hassabis said Google may follow Facebook’s lead in making a version of its Go software available online for people to play against. But first, the company must worry about the match in Seoul. AlphaGo is going up against Lee Sedol, the world’s top player over the past decade.

The winner will receive $1 million.

— Bloomberg News

Seagate Technology, one of the two biggest makers of hard disk drives, rose the most in threeand-a-half years after reporting sales that beat some analysts’ predictions amid a tough market for computer components.

The Cupertino, California-based company reported sales of $2.99 billion for the fiscal second quarter ended on January 1. That compared with an average analyst estimate of $2.94 billion according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Seagate is dealing with a multiple-year decline in shipments of personal computers and a shift in storage technology away from the spinning magnetic disk-based devices it sells. It’s combating the changes by trying to lower its reliance on PCs and find new markets for storage such as video surveillance. “In the last several quarters, we have discussed our concerns over global economic conditions, particularly in Europe and China, which have proven accurate, and we believe will persist at least through June this calendar year,” Chief Executive Officer Stephen Luczo said on a conference call with analysts. In the current period the company is projecting sales of $2.7 billion, a target it says is at the high end of the typical range for this time of year. Earlier this month, market researchers said worldwide PC shipments dropped in 2015, ending the year at fewer than 300 million units for the first time since 2008. PC makers sold 75.7 million machines in the fourth quarter, a decline of 8.3 per cent from a year earlier, according to Gartner, failing to get a boost from holiday sales as more consumers opt to purchase smartphones and tablets. — Bloomberg News

Xerox plans to split into two for focusing on services Xerox is splitting into two publicly traded companies – essentially breaking out the operations acquired with its largest-ever purchase five years ago, and investor Carl Icahnwill be given three board seats. The division will create an $11 billion document technology company that includes the namesake copier and scanner hardware, and a $7 billion provider of services to government and industries such as health care and transportation, Xerox said on Friday in a statement. Leadership and the names of the two companies will be determined in the future, according to the statement, and the move is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Icahn, the billionaire investor who has been building a stake in Xerox since November and now holds more than eight per cent of the company, will select three directors on the service company’s board, according to separate statement. That business will also seek an external candidate to be chief executive officer. “Short-term Xerox should get some boost,” Anurag Rana, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, said. “The long-term value for these companies will be how it redefines its services in a cloud-first and mobile-first world. Xerox is not known to be at the forefront of those movements.” Moody’s Investors Service said Xerox’s corporate debt ratings are on review for a possible downgrade, reflecting the view that the split will result in two smaller companies with less business diversity and profitability than the current combined business. — Bloomberg News

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

ROUND-UP MHD unveils all-new Jaguar XF in Oman

D I S T R I B U T I O N PA R T N E R

Techana Saudi signs agreement with Stanley Healthcare All-new aluminiumintensive Jaguar XF represents another innovative stepchange within the business car segment

MUSCAT: Mohsin Haider Darwish, the exclusive distributor of Jaguar cars in the Sultanate of Oman, hosted the unveiling of Jaguar’s dynamic, coupé-like, aluminium-intensive, lightweight all-new Jaguar XF, in the Omani capital.

The all-new Jaguar XF joins the Jaguar saloon car range between the XE and XJ model lines, sitting at the very heart of Jaguar.

Underpinned by class-leading driving dynamics and refinement, the all-new Jaguar XF brings an

unrivalled blend of design, luxury, technology and efficiency to lead the business car segment, says a press release.

Exclusively unveiled to a gathering of the media, valued customers and business associates, the allnew Jaguar XF was launched at a private evening event held in the concert gardens of the InterContinental Muscat. The Jaguar XF 3.0 Litre V6 Supercharged Portfolio was showcased at the event, giving guests a closer look at the outstanding proportions, elegant surfaces and perfect lines which define all Jaguar cars.

Speaking at the launch, David Aziz, CEO, Automotive Products MHD, said: “Jaguar has a rich 80-year history that spans key historic events and sporting triumphs, a history of producing stunningly designed cars which deliver uncompromised form and function. The all-new Jaguar XF is the latest addition to this extraordinary heritage.”

Johnny Amiouni, regional business manager, Jaguar Land Rover MENAP region, added: “The all-

FREE OF COST SERVICE

DUBAI: Techana Saudi for Information and Communication Technologies announced that it has entered into an agreement with Stanley Healthcare, a market leading provider of visibility solutions and analytics for the healthcare industry, to act as a distribution partner for Stanley Healthcare’s Real-Time Location System (RTLS) solutions in Saudi Arabia.

The agreement was finalised during the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress (AHEC) held recently at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event is one of the biggest in the Middle East and attended every year by over 13,000 healthcare representatives and professionals from all over the world, says a press release.

Market-leading solutions “We are very pleased to be working with Techana to bring our market-leading solutions to more hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

Techana combines impressive IT expertise and deep knowledge of healthcare, and we are confident that they will deliver

an excellent customer experience,” said Marty Guay, president of Stanley Healthcare.

Main goal Shadi Noori, CEO of Techana, said: “Our main goal is to select the best healthcare IT solutions that ensure our clients’ needs will be met properly. We provide highquality consultation services and 24-hour after-sale support and maintenance to all healthcare facilities. This agreement with Stanley Healthcare will allow us to offer even more solutions to our healthcare customers.”

The agreement will give Techana full distribution rights for selected Stanley Healthcare solutions that enable hospitals to increase patient safety, security and operational efficiency.

Among the products that will be available in the Saudi market are Hugs and Kisses Infant Protection, which protects infants from the threat of abduction and mother/infant matching; temperature and humidity monitoring; asset management; patient elopement; and hand hygiene compliance monitoring.

ing for their board examination in March 2016 and their parents who require any counselling services may avail of this voluntary, free of cost service and may reach the principal at cbsecounsellor@ isdoman.com or 99432243.

The first phase of counselling will begin today and will continue till April 22 from 4pm to 8pm on all working days.

Annual Cadillac sales soar despite tough Middle East luxury market DUBAI: In a year that saw a distinct softening of the Middle East luxury car market, Cadillac bucked the trend, reporting 20 per cent annual growth.

“Last year the luxury car industry saw a slowdown in terms of sales and growth. This was due, in part, to geopolitical factors in the region and consumers’ views towards major purchases,” said Felix Weller, managing director, Cadillac Middle East.

Weller said Cadillac has been setting itself apart from the competition in terms of its unique vehicle lineup and by growing, even in a contracting market, says a press release.

“Cadillac is a leader in terms of last year’s the fastest growing pre-

I N F O R M AT I V E S E S S I O N

mium car brands,” Weller said.

He attributes the increasing popularity of Cadillac to its strong foundation of vehicles packed with

modern technologies, sophisticated design, and advanced driving dynamics. The range starts with the ATS sedan and coupe, which

saw 17 year on year growth, and continues up to Cadillac’s flagship, the Escalade, which posted an impressive 63 per cent increase in sales. As for the year ahead, Weller predicts the luxury market to continue to face some challenges, but expects Cadillac to continue its growth story, buoyed by its expanding lineup of vehicles.

“We have made no secret about the fact that we’re looking at strengthening our portfolio by introducing eight all-new vehicles over a two year period. This starts with the performance ATS-V and CTS-V Series which is now in showrooms, and the introduction of the first ever XT5 crossover and CT6 prestige sedan later in the year,” said Weller.

CAMPUS TOUR

Competence HR set to organise major conference on government excellence MUSCAT: Oman-based human resource and training organisation – Competence HR – will be organising a conference on government excellence in February.

The event is being jointly held in collaboration with the International Advisory Group (IAG), the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the Ministry of Civil Services (MoCS), says a press release.

The conference is part of the Leadership Development Programme (LDP) that began in September 2015 for 45 directorate generals from various ministries and government organisations.

Amer Al Fadhil of Competence HR, said: “It is a pleasure to partner with the IAG and work with government bodies such as the IPA and MOCS in an event that reflects a true partnership between the private and public sectors.

“This is the right time for our government to take such initiatives to improve functional efficiencies in the public sector. We are more than satisfied to report overwhelming support and participation from candidates who at-

aerodynamic drag.

The all-new Jaguar XF retains its predecessor’s core attributes while using Jaguar’s aluminiumintensive architecture to enable weight savings of up to 190kg and an increase in torsional stiffness of up to 28 per cent.

The architecture also delivers dramatic improvements in packaging and the proportions, essential to Jaguar design.

The cabin is a seamless blend of contemporary luxury materials and finishes, traditional Jaguar craftsmanship and state-of-the art technology, with features such as a reconfigurable 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster, laser head-up display and the InControl Touch Pro premium infotainment system.

The all-new Jaguar XF range consists of: XF Pure, XF Prestige, XF R-Sport, XF Portfolio and XF-S. It will be available exclusively at Mohsin Haider Darwish showrooms across the Sultanate of Oman with prices starting from OMR18,950 along with five years/250,000km warranty and five years/65,000km service package.

20 PERCENT GROWTH

ISD principal to give annual pre examination telephone counselling MUSCAT: Dr Sridevi P. Thashnath, the principal of Indian School Darsait (ISD), has once again been appointed as CBSE Pre Exam Tele Counsellor to provide counselling services to the students to overcome common psychological problems and exam related stress with regard to Class X and XII Board examinations.

These services are extended to their parents as well to clear their doubts and queries regarding the same. Dr Sridevi, a renowned educationist and counsellor par excellence, has been a part of CBSE pre and post exam counselling for the last two years, says a press release.

The students who are appear-

new Jaguar XF’s elegant and progressive design stands out from the crowd and makes it instantly recognisable as a Jaguar from any angle. Setting the benchmark for steering response and feel, and exceptional ride comfort combined with refinement and performance, this dynamic luxury business saloon offers our customers a compelling package defined

by Jaguar’s dynamics DNA. The all-new Jaguar XF has been very well-received since its launch at the New York International Auto Show, and I am very pleased to be launching it here today in the Sultanate of Oman alongside Mohsin Haider Darwish.”

Staying true to the principles of elegant lines and disciplined surfacing, the all-new Jaguar XF is the most visually dynamic car in the executive segment. The car’s dynamic design is formed around Jaguar’s aluminium-intensive architecture and combines the outstanding proportions, surfaces and lines which define all Jaguar cars, with a longer wheelbase, more interior space and exceptionally low

tended the programme.”

Among the chief sponsors of the event are the Ministry of Oil and Gas, Omantel, Oman Gas Company, Omran and Bank Muscat.

A major component of the programme’s mass appeal is its combination of lecture-based teaching, executive interaction, discussion forums, book reviews and ‘meet-

the-leaders’ sessions.

The event registered active participation from attendees who were widely receptive to its practice oriented approach and interactive associations. February’s conference will bring together local and internationally renowned speakers and experts in the field of government excellence.

ODC receives Higher Education Minister

MUSCAT: Dr Rawya bint Saud Al Busaidiyah, Minister of Higher Education, visited Oman Dental College (ODC) recently, and met with the dean, board of directors, student council representatives, and academic council of the college.

The objective of this visit was to give the Ministry of Higher Education officials an overview of Oman Dental College and to illustrate the role of higher education institutions in helping the country progress, says a press release.

Rawya toured the campus and visited the clinical facilities. She praised Oman Dental College for providing dental treatment and care to public patients, and for creating an environment in

which students can enhance their educational and training knowledge by practising on the college premises.

She met with Dr Rahul Arora, the dean of the college, and D. Mohammed Al Ismaily, chairman of the Board of Directors, to discuss the college’s achievements and academic programmes.

Saleh Al Harthy, director of Administration at Oman Dental College, said: “Rawya al Busaidiyah’s visit to Oman Dental College was very important for us, and we appreciate the ongoing support by her ministry.

“We were happy that she appreciated the college’s efforts in providing Omani residents with free treatments alongside educat-

The objective of this visit was to give the Ministry of Higher Education officials an overview of Oman Dental College and to illustrate the role of higher education institutions in helping the country progress ing a new generation of dentists.

Her visit reinforced that Oman Dental College is a one-of-a-kind institution which illustrates the partnership between the government and the private sector.”

The Ministry of Higher Education will continue to provide all necessary resources and support for students and graduates to enable them to participate in the development process in Oman.

She concluded the visit by meeting with the college academic council members and discussing the best ways to improve the quality of education in the college.

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RECRUI

The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work. — Harry Golden

JOB POSTINGS

QUOTES It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.

— Vince Lombardi If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed.

The vision pulls you.

— Steve Jobs Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.

— Og Mandino Entrepreneurs are great at dealing with uncertainty and also very good at minimizing risk. That’s the classic entrepreneur.

— Mohnish Pabrai Creativity is intelligence having fun.

— Albert Einstein

B8

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

ROUND-UP

Bank Muscat celebrates half a million milestone Bank Muscat hosted a ceremony to mark the distribution of 500,000 Chip and PIN debit cards

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, hosted a ceremony to mark the distribution of 500,000 Chip and PIN debit cards featuring advanced security for day-to-day payments and cash withdrawals.

Packed with an array of features and benefits, the new card is designed to make everyday purchases and payments easier. Offering greater flexibility and convenience, the card provides access to the bank’s largest network of 153 branches, ATMs and CDMs across Oman, says a press release.

The innovative chip-based cards provide additional security

for transactions through Personal Identification Number (PIN). The initiative heralding the future cards in Oman is in line with the Omani government’s ambitious eGovernment project.

The cards are in conformity with international standards and reflect the bank’s commitment to ensure convenience and security for all card transactions.

While new customers directly receive the Chip and PIN card, all Bank Muscat debit cardholders will automatically migrate to the new card at the time of renewal.

With the new technology, card-

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holders are required to enter a four digit PIN, known only to them, instead of signature to verify payments at terminals that are Chip and PIN compliant. Cardholders must enter their PIN as in ATM transactions to use the cards at PoS terminals.

The attractive features of the card include payment convenience, facilitating shopping at millions of retail outlets across the world. Customers enjoy cash withdrawal from ATMs within and outside Oman.

With global acceptance, the card provides easy access to bank ac-

count across millions of ATMs and retail outlets all over the world.

Using the card, customers can shop on the Internet with confidence as the card is protected with the additional Verified by Visa (VbV) security.

Customers also receive alerts on mobile phones for transactions made using the card. Cardholders can avail this service by registering their mobile number with the bank. The services available for cardholders include 24-hour Call Centre support, convenience of phone banking and Internet banking 24x7. Time and again, Bank Muscat launches novel campaigns and promotions that continuously enhance value as well as create unique opportunities that enrich life for cardholders.

Bank Muscat cards, which spell convenience and security, is the preferred mode of payment in Oman. The wide range of Bank Muscat cards provide a secure option to pay for a host of day-to-day transactions at shopping malls, restaurants or holiday abroad.

Embedded with the electronic chip, the cards ensure maximum protection and peace of mind.

TESTING CULINARY SKILLS

Grand Hyatt Muscat claims first place in Oman Chef contest MUSCAT: Grand Hyatt Muscat recently participated in the Oman Chef Mystery Box Competition, which was held at the National Hospitality Institute recently.

Three members of Grand Hyatt Muscat’s culinary and service team — Shyrrvin Magaway, Adil Al Shukairi and Shanmugavel Chellaiah — took part in the NHI’s acclaimed competition, winning first place and taking home the gold medal, says a press release.

The purpose of the competition is to highlight the culinary skills of chefs and raise awareness of the culinary arts among

industry professionals and the wider public. The Grand Hyatt Muscat team was up against several industry peers from other five-star hotels, and the exciting trio was proud to have an Omani chef on the team.

“Adil, Shyrrvin and Shanmugavel have demonstrated great talent in this competition, and we are delighted to have them as part of our team. Through our efforts to care for our associates and provide them with the highestquality training, we continue to collectively reap the benefits of our hard work,” said Stefan Radstrom, general manager.

Q UA L I T Y S TA N D A R D S

Kims Oman becomes first hospital in Oman to receive ACHSI accreditation MUSCAT: Kims Oman Hospital (KOH) has raised the bar in healthcare quality standards by achieving the prestigious ACHSI (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International) Accreditation. The official certificate presentation ceremony was held at Grand Hyatt Hotel Muscat, yesterday.

With this accreditation, KOH has become the first hospital in the Sultanate to achieve this quality milestone. The ACHSI accreditation for Kims Oman hospital, demonstrates the Kims group’s commitment to people of Oman in providing the highest quality of healthcare in a cost effective manner, says a press release.

The Australian Council on

Healthcare Standards International (ACHSI) was represented

by Dr Desmond Yen, executive director and Dr Yannis Skalkidis, regional representative, in the ceremony that was held in the presence of a number of dignitaries including the deputy of Dr Mazin Bin Jawad Al Khabouri, director general of Private Healthcare Establishments in Oman, Engineer Saeed bin Nasser Al Saadi, Ministry of Manpower, Dr Mohammed Sahadulla, chairman of Kims Group, Dr Sheriff Sahadulla, executive director-Medical & Group CMO, Jacob Thomas, director Operations, in addition to local and regional media representatives.

The event featured, speeches presented by Dr Mohammed Sa-

RECOGNITION: The award presentation ceremony being held in the presence of dignitaries. – A. R. Raj Kumar/TIMES OF OMAN

P R O M O T I N G ‘ D E S T I NAT I O N O M A N ’

hadulla, Dr Sheriff Sahadulla, and Dr Desmond Yen highlighting the importance and benefits of achieving this accreditation to various stakeholders. The award presentation ceremony concluded with an interactive Q&A session.

Commenting on ACHSI accreditation, Dr Mohammed Sahadulla, chairman of Kims Group, said, “Since its inception, Kims Oman Hospital strives to serve the Omani community with the highest standards of medical care and health services. Today, with the joint efforts and the incredible dedication of our medical and administrative teams, we have proudly achieved this significant milestone.”

In his address, Dr Sheriff Saha-

dulla, said, “It is our great pleasure and privilege to be awarded this accreditation by ACHSI. “This is recognition of Kims Oman Hospital’s highest quality services that are specially tailored for our patients.

“We strive to give our very best to our patients in clinical as well as non-clinical aspects of health care and we reciprocate the faith and trust that patient’s exhibit in our brand.”

Dr Desmond Yen, expressed his admiration for the hospital’s stateof-the-art facilities and praised their high quality medical care and services, wishing them to keep their position as a pioneer institution in providing distinguished healthcare services in the region.

SUPPORTING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Almouj Golf, British Airways tee-up packages for golfers and travellers

Zubair SEC to name Direct Support Programme winners on February 3

MUSCAT: Promoting ‘Destination Oman’, Almouj Golf has teed-up an exciting partnership with British Airways, one of the world’s largest international airlines, to offer added benefits to golfers and travellers.

The deal offers all British Airways passengers 50 per cent off on a weekday booking at Almouj Golf and one complimentary game when purchasing an 18-hole round of play during the weekend, says a press release.

In addition, members of Almouj Golf can take advantage of a 10 per cent discount when booking their next flight with British Airways before June 30 with travel until December 31. A discount will also be available on the seasonal sale and promotional fares for Almouj golf members.

“Almouj Golf and British Airways share a vision and a passion for providing golfers with the best-possible golf and lifestyle experiences. Therefore, we are committed to building initiatives that provide one-of-a-kind experiences to golf lovers and enthusiasts,” said Mubarak Hill, Club manager at Almouj Golf. “Our partnership will

MUSCAT: Officials at the Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC), the social responsibility initiative of the Zubair Corporation, are in the process of selecting and finalising the winners of the Direct Support Programme for the year 2016.

The winners of the third edition of Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme will be announced on February 3, says a press release.

The two previous editions of the Direct Support Programme received huge response and registered remarkable success. The programme provided support and mentorship to high-potential novice entrepreneurs and young business owners.

Apprising that the 2016 edition of Direct Support Programme has received an enormous response, Adel Al Hubaishi, senior adviser at Zubair SEC, said, “In every part of the world, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) hold the key to sustained economic growth. Our programme’s objective is to help young entrepreneurs pursue their passion, give them the skills and knowledge to actively contribute to Oman’s economy. This programme is in tune with the Oman’s government’s objective to achieve success in the development of the small and medium enterprises sector.”

Talking about the new elements added to the 2016 Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme, Al Hubaishi, “This year we have included a new category /seat for Social Entrepreneurship Project. Individuals pursuing outstanding social entrepreneurship projects will be selected under this category.”

Zubair SEC’s 2016 Direct Support Programme will provide an opportunity for those pursuing wholesale business too.

Stressing that the aim of Direct Support Programme is to

allow us to further grow the sport in Oman, through expanding our reach to golf travellers from over 180 cities around the world and position the Sultanate as a global golfing destination.”

Paolo De Renzis, head of Middle East, Africa and Central Asia Sales for British Airways said, “Teaming up with Almouj Golf provides us with the opportunity to further connect with our customers in Oman who have a passion for travel and golf. We recently launched our new 787-9 Dreamliner on our Muscat to London Heathrow route, which includes our luxurious new first class cabin. We hope our customers in Oman will enjoy experiencing our new generation aircraft on their next flight to

London or further afield.”

Designed by Greg Norman and since inception, Almouj Golf, home to the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, has been receiving worldwide acclaim. Offering majestic views of the Al Hajar Mountains and the Indian Ocean, the course has recently been ranked 2nd on the 2015 Golf Digest Middle East Top 10 Golf Courses published by Golf Digest Middle East magazine.

British Airways flies to 188 destinations, 9 destinations in the UK, 97 in Europe and 82 in the rest of the world. The flag carrier was named Britain’s leading consumer super brand in 2015, beating over 1,500 companies to top the grouping of favourite brands.

Personality, business plan, product/service specifications, targeted market specifications, financial considerations, innovation and social impact are criteria considered while selecting the winners bring about long-term economic growth by selecting and mentoring the best young entrepreneurs in Oman, Al Hubaishi said, “In the last two years, we have helped the winners overcome obstacles by providing them strategic advice, logistical support, consultancy service and access to financial grant. Additionally, we have helped them with skills and training needed to find success. The large number of applicants this year indicates that we are in the right path.”

He also added, “The feedback we have got from previous winners shows that we have helped cultivate a culture of entrepreneurship which encouraged them to think big. Zubair SEC is proud of the progress and achievements registered by the previous winners of the programmes.”

Four-stage evaluation The Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme witnesses a fourstage evaluation. Once applications are evaluated, applicants go through interviews and their projects are reviewed thrice.

Applications for the 2016 programme opened in early October 2015, and remained open until the

end of November 2015.

The number of applicants for Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme grew up from 94 in 2015 to 214 in 2016.

A total number of 122 applicants were shortlisted for the first round of interview in 2016 while 63 were shortlisted in 2015.

In 2016, 70 business enterprises were shortlisted in the second round of review while 2015 saw 40 business enterprises being shortlisted.

With new categories being added to the 2016 programme, 12 were shortlisted for the second round of review under the social entrepreneurship category and 13 in the wholesale business by Oasis category. After the third round of review, 21 were shortlisted in the business enterprise category, seven in the social enterprise category and six in the wholesale business by Oasis category for the 2016 edition.

As a run-up to the winners’ announcement, 18 business enterprises, four social enterprises and six wholesale businesses by Oasis have been announced as finalists.

It may be noted that in 2015, 22 business enterprises were selected after the third review and 15 were selected as finalists.

Considered one of the most important contests in the field of entrepreneurship, Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme aims to create a spirit of positive competition between its members to qualify as winners.

Personality, business plan, product/service specifications, targeted market specifications, financial considerations, innovation and social impact are criteria considered while selecting the winners. The winning projects should have a clear strategic plan and feasibility study done which reflects the owners’ willingness to apply best business practices with the support of Zubair SEC.

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Dominant Djokovic

O N E - D AY I N T E R N AT I O N A L S

The Serbian’s fifth crown in six years on his favourite court not only allowed

SERIES IN POCKET: New Zealand players celebrate winning the ODI series against Pakistan 2-0 at Eden Park in Auckland. – AFP

him to match Roy

Kiwis win rain-hit match, bag series

Emerson’s record Australian Open tally but also brought him level with Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg on 11 Grand Slam titles

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic vanquished Andy Murray for the fourth time in an Australian Open final on Sunday to win a recordequalling sixth title and serve notice to his rivals that he could surpass even his stellar 2015 this year.

The Serbian’s fifth crown in six years on his favourite court not only allowed him to match Roy Emerson’s record Australian Open tally but also brought him level with Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg on 11 Grand Slam titles.

He has won four of the last five slams, 38 of his last 39 matches, and at this rate Roger Federer’s record 17 is within range of the 28-year-old.

Although world number two Murray battled hard after losing the opening five games in the blink of an eye, the dominant manner of Sunday’s 6-1 7-5 7-6(3) victory vindicated Djokovic’s opinion that he was at the zenith of his powers.

“There’s no doubt I’m playing the best tennis of my life over the last 15 months,” the 28-year-old, who topped the ATP rankings for the whole of 2015, said.

“I do feel that I’m at the peak of my abilities and my career. I don’t think about limiting my ambitions or what I might be able to achieve.”

For Murray, distracted on his 11th visit to Melbourne Park by the illness of his father-in-law and the impending arrival of his first child, a dispiriting night ended up with a record of the wrong sort.

The Briton’s defeat was his fifth in five finals at the Australian Open. Only his former coach Ivan Lendl has lost as many at one Grand Slam and he at least wedged three U.S. Open titles in between the defeats.

Murray gave it everything he had in the two-hour, 53-minute baseline battle that was compelling viewing throughout an engrossing and pivotal 80-minute second set.

SO SWEET: Serbia’s Novak Djokovic kisses The Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after his victory during the men’s singles final against Britain’s Andy Murray of the 2016 Australian Open. – AFP

Delay inevitable He was only able to delay the inevitable though.

“A lot’s been going on,” twice Grand Slam champion Murray, who was catching the first flight home, told reporters.

“I started the last couple of matches quite slowly, understandable in some respects.

“Obviously it’s not good to begin matches like that against someone like Novak. But I’m proud of the way I fought and managed to get myself back into the match.

“Now I just want to get home.”

Djokovic reprised the two sets of flawless tennis he played in his semi-final against Roger Federer to race to a 5-0 lead in just 19 minutes.

Murray contributed to his downfall, a double-fault handed his first service game to his opponent, but the depth and accuracy of Djokovic’s groundstrokes had the Scot chasing shadows on the Rod Laver Arena.

To his credit Murray, who beat Djokovic to win the U.S. Open and Wimbledon titles and probably would have claimed several more but for the Serb, rose to the challenge. He had chances too. He was 5-5 40-0 ahead in the second set with Djokovic under pressure before he came off second best in a spellbinding 36-stroke rally as Djokovic roared back to break before clinching a two-set lead despite two double faults.

Murray even fought back from 2-0 down in the third, but his resistance snapped in the tiebreak and Djokovic fired down his seventh ace to secure victory.

“Every Grand Slam title is very significant in its own way,” Djokovic said. “Here, I managed to make history tonight and equal Roy Emerson’s six Australian Open titles.

“I’m honoured to be mentioned

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ALL SMILES: Elena Vesnina of Russia, right, and partner Bruno Soares of Brazil, left, pose with the winner’s trophy following their victory over Coco Vandeweghe of the US and Horia Tecau of Romania in the mixed doubles final. – AFP

alongside legends of our sport.”

While Emerson’s triumphs came in the pre-professional era of the 1960s when few players from the rest of the world made the long journey Down Under, Djokovic’s dominance is international.

He won 11 titles including three of the four majors last year and already has a 12-0 record this season, having thrashed the other members of the “Big Four” — Rafa Nadal, Federer and Murray — to win in Doha and Melbourne.

Only Australian Laver, who was on the court named after him watching the final, has managed to win all four Grand Slams in one year and Djokovic would have to break his Roland Garros duck to match

the feat and make more history.

He said he thought he was getting closer to winning the French Open title every time he played the claycourt Grand Slam but had learned not to think too far ahead. “(I’m) very hungry (for Paris),” he concluded. “But the wolf needs to eat a lot of different meals to get to Paris. Paris is a dessert.”

Double for Soares Brazil’s Bruno Soares, fuelled by numerous cups of coffee, produced a doubles double on Sunday when he and Russian partner Elena Vesnina won the Australian Open mixed doubles title on Rod Laver Arena. Soares, who won the men’s doubles title with Britain’s Jamie Murray that finished early on Sunday, clinched his second title in a little over 16 hours when he and Vesnina beat American Coco Vandeweghe and her Romanian partner Horia Tecau 6-4, 4-6, 10-5.

The Brazilian said after they clinched the trophy in the super tie-break that he had not slept well after he finished his official duties at 0400 local time (1700 GMT) and had sent Vesnina a text message at 0430 saying he was ‘ready to go’.

“Been living on coffee ever since.

So I had 22 coffees already today.

But now it’s all worth it,” Soares told reporters.

“It feels amazing. It was long days, tough days. Last night I finished really late. It’s tough.

A lot of adrenaline going on.

Tough to sleep.

“But I knew I had another important day. You don’t get the chance to play many grand slam finals. I think you got to make the most of it.

“To get the chance to play one and win one, it’s already extremely special. I mean, I got two in the same day, so... it’s special.” - Reuters

AUCKLAND: Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson hit brisk fifties and combined in a record stand of 159 to power New Zealand to a thrilling series-clinching three-wicket win against Pakistan in the third and final one-day international in Auckland on Sunday.

Babar Azam (83) and Mohammad Hafeez (76) laid the platform for a big total with a stand of 134 for the third wicket after Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat. But the touring side, needing to win the match to tie the series at 1-1, suffered a mid-innings collapse to be shot out for 290 in the 48th over.

Brendon McCullum, returning from a back injury to lead the side, fell on the first delivery he faced from Mohammad Amir but Guptill (82) and Williamson (84) steadied the chase with their stand, the highest for the second wicket for the hosts.

Pakistan captain Azhar Ali dismissed both batsmen in quick succession with his part-time leg spin to bring his side back into the match and New Zealand were quickly reduced to 210-5.

But a rain interruption disrupted play and when New Zealand returned their target had been

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revised to 263 off 43 overs by the Duckworth-Lewis method.

All-rounder Corey Anderson (35) was given not out by umpire Billy Bowden off Rahat Ali after a confident appeal for caught behind and the powerful lefthander made most of his fortune by smashing the paceman for two sixes on the next two balls.

New Zealand, needing six to win off the last over, got over the mark with two balls to spare with Mitchell Santner hitting Wahab Riaz for two boundaries.

Earlier, Pakistan were comfortably placed on 215-3 in the 31st over, riding on half-centuries from Hafeez and Azam but lost their remaining seven wickets for just 75 runs to fall short of the target they would have liked to set New Zealand.

They would have folded for even less had wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed not scored 41. Adam Milne accounted for Pakistan’s tail, picking up 3-49 while Trent Boult and Matt Henry picked up two wickets each. - Reuters

SCOREBOARD

PAKISTAN A. Ali c Guptill b Henry 3 A. Shehzad c Guptill b Boult 12 M. Hafeez c Milne b Santner 76 B. Azam c Guptill b Henry 83 S. Malik c Ronchi b Boult 32 S. Ahmed c Ronchi b Milne 41 M. Rizwan run out (Elliott) 16 W. Riaz c Guptill b Anderson 11 M. Amir c Ronchi b Milne 1 R. Ali c Ronchi b Milne 0 M. Irfan not out 0 Extras (nb-1, w-14) 15 Total (all out, 47.3 overs) 290 Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-20, 3-154, 4-215, 5-227, 6-256, 7-279, 8-284, 9-284, 10-290 Bowling: T. Boult 9-0-60-2 (nb-1, w-3); M. Henry 10-0-44-2 (w-3); C. Anderson 4-0-26-1 (w-1); M. Santner 5-0-56-1 (w-1); A. Milne 9.3-0-49-3 (w-2); G. Elliott 10-0-55-0

NEW ZEALAND (D/L Target: 263 off 43) M. Guptill c Hafeez b A. Ali 82 B. McCullum c Irfan b Amir 0 K. Williamson st S. Ahmed b A. Ali 84 H. Nicholls lbw b Amir 5 G. Elliott c B. Azam b Malik 10 C. Anderson c B. Azam b Irfan 35 L. Ronchi b Riaz 20 M. Santner not out 10 A. Milne not out 0 Extras (lb-5, w-14) 19 Total (for 7 wickets, 42.4 overs) 265 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-165, 3-180, 4-188, 5-210, 6-253, 7-256 Bowling: M. Irfan 8-0-60-1 (w-5), M. Amir 9-0-39-2 (w-2), R. Ali 7-0-54-0 (w-2), W. Riaz 8.4-0-51-1 (w-3), S. Malik 3-0-19-1, A. Ali 7-0-37-2 (w-2) Umpires: Billy Bowden and Nigel Llong TV umpire: Bruce Oxenford Match referee: David Boon

T W E N T Y 2 0 I N T E R NAT I O NA L S

India clinch thriller to complete sweep over Australia SYDNEY: Shane Watson’s unbeaten hundred could not prevent Australia falling to a seven-wicket defeat to India in the third and final Twenty20 match on Sunday as Suresh Raina hit a four on the last ball to complete a 3-0 clean sweep in the series.

India were chasing 198 to win and needed 17 runs in the final over as Yuvraj Singh hit a four and a six off the first two balls from paceman Andrew Tye and Raina hit the final ball through point with his team needing two.

All-rounder Watson, leading Australia in the absence of the injured Aaron Finch, powered the hosts to 197-5 with an unbeaten 124 after winning the toss and opting to bat.

Australia made five changes to the side that lost the last match in Melbourne to concede an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, handing debuts to batsman Usman Khawaja and part-time wicketkeeper Cameron Bancroft.

Watson, named player of the match, was the fulcrum around which the hosts’ batting revolved and it was due to his 71-ball knock, which was studded with 10 fours and six sixes, that Australia posted a strong total.

SCOREBOARD

AUSTRALIA U. Khawaja c Dhoni b Nehra 14 S. Watson not out 124 S. Marsh b Ashwin 9 G. Maxwell c Raina b Yuvraj 3 T. Head b Jadeja 26 C. Lynn c Jadeja b Bumrah 13 C. Bancroft not out 0 Extras (lb-2, w-4, nb-2) 8 Total (5 wickets; 20 overs) 197 Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-69, 3-75, 4-168, 5-193 Bowling: Asish Nehra 4-0-32-1; Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-43-1; Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-36-1; Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-41-1; Yuvraj Singh 2-0-19-1; Hardik Pandya 2-0-24-0 INDIA R. Sharma c Watson b Boyce

52

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India replied with half-centuries from in-form opener Rohit Sharma (52) and Virat Kohli (50), who was named the player of the series, and then Rai-

na’s 25-ball 49 to chase down the steep target.

Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan got India off to a rollicking start, scoring 46 in just 3.2 overs, with

fast bowler Shaun Tait going for 24 runs in the third over.

Rohit and Kohli then added 78 for the second wicket to keep India strongly on course, before both

batsmen fell to leg spinner Cameron Boyce.

Yuvraj, who did not get an opportunity to bat in the last two matches, was sent in ahead of

S. Dhawan c Bancroft b Watson 26 V. Kohli b Boyce 50 S. Raina not out 49 Y. Singh not out 15 Extras (b-1, w-7) 8 Total (3 wickets; 20 overs) 200 Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-124, 3-147 Bowling: Shaun Tait 4-0-46-0; Scott Boland 3-0-34-0; Shane Watson 4-0-30-1; Andrew Tye 4-0-51-0; Cameron Boyce 4-0-28-2; Glenn Maxwell 1-0-10-0 Toss: Australia, chose to bat T20I debuts: Cameron Bancroft and Usman Khawaja (Australia) Umpires: Simon Fry and John Ward TV umpire: Paul Wilson Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand) Reserve umpire: Geoff Joshua

captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni at number five and though the lefthander struggled initially to put bat on ball, he produced the goods when his team needed.

Raina and Yuvraj added 53 for the unbroken fourth wicket.

The 3-0 sweep in Australia took India to the top of the T20 rankings in a timely boost ahead of the World Twenty20 at home from March 8-April 3. - Reuters

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

SPORTS

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Bienne Voile set sights on points at EFG SATT

TENNIS

Competing for the second time, the team of 12 have come from a variety of SET FOR DEBUT: Aisha Al Suleimani and Maryam Al Balushi.

sailing backgrounds with skills spread

Omani girls to make debut at Junior Fed Cup

across Olympic and match racing classes with a glittering collection of national championship and Tour de France a Voile medals alongside badges from most of the classic races around the globe

MUSCAT: The sailing crew of Swiss entry Bienne Voile includes a physicist, mathematician, physiotherapist, architect and a sailing ace who happens to be 17 years old and still at school. Strictly amateur but with a flair for inshore racing and high hopes of piling up points in port at EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2016 (SATT), the longest off shore race in the GCC region organised by Oman Sail.

Competing for the second time, the team of 12 have come from a variety of sailing backgrounds with skills spread across Olympic and match racing classes with a glittering collection of national championship and Tour de France

FLAIR FOR INSHORE RACING: Bienne Voile in action during last year’s race. – Supplied photo

a Voile medals alongside badges from most of the classic races around the globe.

Among them is Tobias Etter who competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympics for Switzerland in the 470 class and veteran Thierry Bosshart, a member of the Bienne Voile crew in 2015 and the highly rated Flurina Schneider, who is just 17 years old and one of the four talented women who have been selected for EFG Sailing Arabia —The Tour.

There is a lot of experience in the crew, says skipper Lorenz Muller, with 15 Tour de France a Voile caps between them and as much ambition as any of the professional teams. They have spent months training and preparing on the lake at Neuchatel which should put them in contention for honours at all three in-port races at Dubai.

Abu Dhabi and Doha.

“We have a lot of experience

in freshwater sailing and a good combination of skills so we think our main strength will be in tactics and positioning in the short races,” explained Muller. “We should be able to win some points in the port races and although we think speed might be an issue in the offshore legs we will try to improve our results compared to last year.

“EFG Sailing Arabia — The Tour is now the only race with inshore and offshore races where everyone competes in one design boats.

For us it replaces the former Tour de France a Voile and although we are unlikely to gain a podium place overall, because we are an amateur team competing against professionals, we are all very ambitious.”

Last year, Bienne Voile came seventh despite threatening to upset the form guide in the early stages against some of the professional crews.

“We started well in 2015 but lost places on the last couple of legs due to some tactical errors and problems with our navigation system which wasn’t working properly,” said Muller.

“This time the long legs will be certainly main challenges for the endurance of the sailors and the performance of the navigator but we are looking forward to them.”

“All the legs will be tricky – the wind tends to be shifty in the Straits of Hormuz and of course the new long leg from Doha to Khasab could be a test of stamina.

“Our main aim is to achieve an enriching sailing experience and hopefully some good results. We anticipate a challenging and very interesting sail racing series and are looking forward to meeting all the friendly people within the EFG Sailing Arabia — The Tour organisation and among the competitors.”

Suleiman Al Rawahi

Salem Abu Baker

MUSCAT: The Oman Tennis Association (OTA) has decided to send a two-member Omani girls team to the Junior Fed Cup PreQualifying event to be organised in Sri Lanka later this year.

According to information received from OTA on Sunday, ‘the Omani tennis fans will cherish the news of the Sultanate’s girls taking part in the ITF Junior Fed Cup event in Sri Lanka’.

The Junior Fed Cup Qualifying event will take place in Sri Lanka from March 11 to 16.

The OTA has selected two ris-

ing talents Maryam Al Balushi and Aisha Al Suleimani for the Sri Lanka sojourn.

The OTA, meanwhile, informed that the association has received a special exemption from the ITF to field two players instead of three. The Omani team will be accompanied by the national team captain Suleiman Al Rawahi.

Salem Abu Baker, vice-president of the OTA, will head the Sultanate’s delegation.

The Omani girls will be training at Grand Hyatt tennis courts till they leave for Sri Lanka.

FOOTBALL

FA C U P

Sur edge Dhofar, Al Nahda and Muscat in 1-1 draw

Chelsea and Everton crush minnows

Nahda are in eighth place with 21 points, behind fifth-placed Sohar (24), sixth-placed Al Musannah (24) and seventh on the ladder Al Nasr (23).

Meanwhile, lowly Salalah stunned Al Musannah for a 2-0 vitory with veteran Hashim Saleh and Abdulmajeed Dada scoring a goal each.

Despite the victory, Salalah are rooted at the bottom of the table with 11 points.

On Saturday, Fanja defeated Al Khabourah 3-1, Suwaiq played out a 1-1 draw with Al Shabab while Sohar and Saham were involved in a goalless draw.

LONDON: Chelsea banished any fears of a repeat of last season’s shock FA Cup fourth-round exit to Bradford City when they crushed Championship side Milton Keynes Dons 5-1 away to reach the fifth round on Sunday.

Everton comfortably won 3-0 at League Two Carlisle United, with the fourth-tier club playing at home for only the second time after floods damaged their Brunton Park home in December.

Police said they were investigating allegations of racist chanting from a section of the home fans following Everton’s first goal scored by Kone. - Reuters

MUSCAT: Sur recorded a narrow 1-0 victory over Dhofar while Al Nahda and Muscat played out a 1-1 draw in Week 17 action of the ongoing Omantel Professional League on Sunday.

Sur Club, playing on home turf at Sur Sports Complex, upset formidable Dhofar, who are in the top half of the league table while their hosts are just above the danger zone.

However, Sur had to thank Saud Al Farsi for his 25th minute goal that helped them earn full points in their only third victory in 17 outings in the league.

Despite the loss, Dhofar are

in fourth place with 27 points, behind defending champions Al Arouba (30), who played a game lesss, Suwaiq (30) and Fanja (29) in that order.

Muscat, who travelled to Buraimi Sports Complex, were denied their fourth victory of the season by a battling Al Nahda.

The team from the capital city went ahead in the 66th minute when Mohammed Al Habsi came up with a fine effort.

However, Muscat were denied the full points as foreign recruit Frank’s equaliser two minutes from the final whistle helped Al Nahda to escape with a point. Al

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

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SPORTS AFTER T20 WIN

Yuvraj will feel lesser pressure as he plays more matches: Dhoni SYDNEY: Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni seemed to be satisfied with Yuvraj Singh’s cameo and expects that the veteran left-hander would only get better as he plays more and more matches in the lead upto the ICC World T20 starting in just over a month’s time. The skipper also termed the team combination as the right mix of players going into marquee event.

“I think we have the right mix.

Also, Yuvraj can just go and express himself batting at No 5.

There will be less pressure on him and as he plays more and more games he will just open up more. I have never believed in a set batting order and according to situations and bowlers, we might need to create a gap in between the two left-handed batsmen (Yuvraj and Suresh Raina).

At the moment,this seems like what will be a very good batting line-up,” the skipper exuded confidence in the batting line-up.

Dhoni also said that Raina is the only player in this set-up who has done well batting at No. 3 for Chennai Super Kings as well as batting at Nos 5 or 6 for India. — PTI AFTER T20 WIN

‘India favourites for World T20’ SYDNEY: Australian stand-in skipper Shane Watson has said that there are no doubts about hosts India being the favourites for the 2016 World T20, besides adding that his side has its work cut out in the build-up to the March-April tournament.

“I think, no matter what, they would have always been the favourites,” said Watson after the loss on Sunday.

“Obviously conditions are different in India and they have so many world class players, especially in the batting and spinbowling point of view. There’s no surprise with them going in as favourites.” — PTI

Sanjoli supreme in historic Sayyid Kais golf tourney At the historic tournament at the Ghala Golf Club, Sanjoli Singh not only emerged victorious as overall winner but also became the first women to have won the competition

MUSCAT: In honour of His Highness Sayyid Kais bin Tariq Al Said, Ghala Golf Club made history last weekend, holding the largest single stableford tournament ever seen in Oman. The event saw 165 players from Europe, Asia and Africa take to the green with flare, representing the sporting passion inspired by late HH Kais Al Said, affectionately known as the ‘Godfather of Golf’.

Under the patronage of HH Sayyid Taimur bin Assad Al Said, the event further saw the celebratory attendance of HH Sayyid Al Rawy bin Kais Al Said and HH

Sayyid Azaan bin Kais Al Said.

Representing regions from across Oman, golfers aged between 15 and 76 fired up the fairway as they teed-off with multiple shotgun starts.

Hailing with a delightful score of 41, Sanjoli Singh not only emerged victorious as overall winner of 2016, but also became the first women to have won the competition.

“The turnout, the atmosphere, the enthusiam and performance of players at this tournament were an exemplary display of how much key contributors - such as His Highness Kais Al Said - have done for the game of golf in Oman. Being able to host golfers from so far afield in our celebration was truly an honour, and exactly what we wanted to achieve,” said Ahmed Al Farsi, Operations Manager at Ghala Golf Club.

A presentation ceremony was held at the club after the event, featuring a speech by Club captain Salim Al Harthy, in addition to a number of catergory-based

awards. Just one point behind overall winner Singh was Massoud Al Barwani, who hit an even 40 to come top of the men’s division. He was followed by Paresh Sahai and Barath Gopal in second and third place respectively.

In the Ladies Division, Minke Gijiselman and Helen Robinson won the second and third places respectively.

Youngster Fahad Al Kitani proved worthy of recognition at the event in an admirable display of golfing prowess, featured alongside other spectacular performances from local youth, demonstrating Oman’s growing talents in the sport. A further and final award went to Puli Sharma, who skillfully concluded the event with the best gross score.

The tournament sought to bring the golfing community, its spectators and other parties together in celebration of what Oman has achieved to date as a regional flagship destination for the game of golf.

PROUD WINNER: Champion Sanjoli Singh proudly displays her trophy in front of a portrait of His Highness Sayyid Kais bin Tariq Al Said at the Ghala Golf Club. – Supplied photo

GOLF

WOMEN’S CRICKET

OGC picks six for GCC junior golf MUSCAT: A six-member Oman team will be taking part in the GCC Under-15 Golf Championships for Boys and Girls to be organised in Bahrain from February 2 to 5. The Oman Golf Committee (OGC) has picked four boys and two girls for the Bahrain tournament.

The Omani boys picked for the Bahrain tournament are Qusay bin Masood Al Barwani, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Baluchi, Ayman bin Ghalib Al Busaidi and Nasser bin Masood Al Barwani. The two Omani girls who will be representing the Sultanate are Huwaida Al Barwani and Asma Al Rashidiy.

Four boys and two girls will be representing Oman at the GCC U-15 Championships The Omani delegation will be headed by OGC chief Munther bin Salem Al Barwani and vice-chairman Ahmed bin Faisal Al Jahdami will accompany the squad as the team manager.

The team will be accompanied

by OGC National Teams’ German Milo Breitenwsher.

PICTURE FROM THE PAST: A file photo of Oman junior golf team with Oman Golf Committee officials. – Supplied photo

India lose but clinch series SYDNEY: A historic series triumph already sealed, the Indian women’s cricket team faltered in its quest for a clean-sweep as it went down by 15 runs to Australia in the third and final Twenty20 International following a spectacular batting collapse here on Sunday. Chasing a victory target of 137, the Indians, who pocketed the series after winning the first two games, were comfortably placed at 94 for 3 in 13.3 overs before a middle- order collapse led them to end at 121 for 8 at the SCG. - PTI

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

SPORTS Future Oilfield outplay Attic Outdoors Batting first, Future Oilfield amassed 238 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. In reply, Attic Outdoors were bundled out for 165 in 16.5 overs

MUSCAT: Future Oilfield recorded a 73-run victory over Attic Outdoors in an Enhance-sponsored D Division cricket match at the Muscat Municipality Ground on Friday.

Batting first, Future Oilfield amassed 238 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. Syed Arfan Ali top scored with 107 and Muhammed Amjad chipped in with 77 runs. In reply, Attic Outdoors were bundled out for 165 in 16.5 overs.

Waseem, Imran, Arfan and Amjad took two wickets apiece.

Brief scores: Future Oilfield 238 for 4 in 20 overs (Syed Arfan Ali 107) bt Attic Outdoors 165 in 16.5 overs (Vikas Sharma 31; Waseem 2/13). Points: Future Oilfield – 3, Attic Outdoors - 0.

Easy for OCT Al Hail A In another D Division match, OCT Al Hail A defeated Al Meer by seven wickets. Batting first, Al Meer managed to score 162 for four in 20 overs. Sanket S. and Shankar M scored 64 and 47 respectively. In reply, OCT Al Hail A scored 163 for three in 19 overs. Jamsheer Raisi top scored with 41.

Brief scores: Al Meer 162 for 4 in 20 overs (Sanket S 64) lost to OCT Al Hail A 163 for 3 in 19 overs (Jamsheer Raisi 41). Points: OCT Al Hail A – 2, Al Meer - 0.

Enhance Falcons win In an E Division match, Enhance Falcons defeated MARH by four wickets. Batting first, MARH scored 155 for eight in 19 overs. Vishal Shetty top scored with an unbeaten 84. Muhammed Sajid claimed two wickets for Enhance Falcons. In reply, Enhance Falcons scored 158 for six in 17.2 overs. Shams-ul Haq top scored with 52. Anwar-ul Haq and Sharmad Ali bagged two wickets each for MARH. Brief scores: MARH 155 for 8 in 19 overs (Vishal Shetty 84 n.o.; Muhammed Sajid 2/22) lost to Enhance Falcons 158 for 6 in 19 overs (Shamsul Haq 52). Points: Enhance Falcons – 2, MARH - 0.

GME beat Abu Maather In another E Division match, Global Money Exchange (GME) registered a four-wicket win over Abu Maather. Batting first, Abu

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mar 2/34) bt Starcare 172 for 7 in 18 overs (Rageesh O.K. 63; Vishnu Unnikrishnan 2/19). Points: MSE – 2, Starcare - 0.

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

for 9 in 20 overs (Rohan 36; Jeason Jacob 3/8). Points: Kairali – 3, Oasis Water - 0.

FUTURE OILFIELD HEROES: From left, Afran Ali, Mohammed Amjad, Wasim and Imran Ali. – Supplied photo

Maather were bundled out for 99 in 17.1 overs. Dilip Bhai R. claimed four scalps for GME. In reply, GME raced to 102 for six in 9.2 overs. Tahir Khan claimed three wickets for Abu Maather.

Brief scores: Abu Maather 99 in 17.1 overs (Dilip Bhai 4/24) lost to GME 102 for 6 in 9.2 overs. (Tahir Khan 3/33). Points: Global Money Exchange – 2, Abu Maather - 0.

Khurshid CT edge Al Daam In an F Division match, Khurshid CT recorded a thrilling one run victory over Al Daam. Batting first, Khurshid CT scored 173 for nine in 20 overs. Firoz OV top scored with an unbeaten 97. In reply, Al Daam scored 172 for nine in 20 overs. Abhilash Gopi and Jothish Kumar made 36 and 39 respectively. Saif Rahman claimed two

wickets for Khurshid.

Brief scores: Khurshid CT 173 for 9 in 20 overs (Firoz OV 97 n.o.) bt Al Daam 172 for 9 in 20 overs (Jothish Kumar 39; Saif Rahman 2/24). Points: Khurshid CT – 2, Al Daam - 0.

Kairali beat Oasis Water In another F Division match, Kairali defeated Al Daam by 43 runs.

Batting first, Kairali were all out for 166 in 17.3 overs with Praveen K. and Jeason Jacob scoring with 56 and 52 not out respectively.

Rohan claimed three wickets for Oasis Water. In reply, Oasis Water scored 123 for nine in 20 overs.

Rohan top scored with 36 for Oasis Water. Jeason Jacob claimed three wickets for Kairali.

Brief scores: Kairali 166 in 17.3 overs (Praveen K. 56, Jeason Jacob 52 n.o.; Rohan 3/24) bt Oasis Water 123

Big win for OCT Mabellah In a G Division match, OCT Mabellah defeated Al Rehwan by 63 runs.

Batting first, OCT Mabellah scored 188 for four in 20 overs. Zaafar Ghulam and Asif Balushi scored 75 and 60 respectively. In reply, Al Rehwan scored 125 for nine in 20 overs.

Waseem Mohammed claimed four wickets for OCT Mabellah.

Brief scores: OCT Mabellah 188 for 4 in 20 overs (Zafar Ghulam 75, Asif Balushi 60) bt Al Rehwan 129 in 18.5 overs (Gireesh 35; Waseem Mohammed 4/18). Points: OCT Mabellah – 3, Al Rehwan - 0.

MSE win thriller In a thrilling H Division match, MSE defeated Starcare by a solitary run. Batting first, MSE scored 173 for six in 20 overs with Abdul Suhan top scoring with 45. Sujith Kumar claimed two scalps for Starcare. In reply, MSE scored 172 for seven in 18 overs. Rageesh O.K. top scored with 63. Vishnu Unnikrishnan and Hillary D’Souza claimed two wickets each for Star Care.

Brief scores: MSE 173 for 6 in 20 overs (Abdul Suhan 45; Sujith Ku-

Axis defeat RAHRC In another H Division match, Axis Group defeated RAHRC by three wickets. Batting first, RAHRC were 141 all out in 19.5 overs. Sujith Kottala top scored with 55. Sameer Hameed claimed six wickets for Axis. In reply, Axis Group scored 142 for seven in 19.2 overs. Sameer top scored with 33. Pranav G. claimed three wickets for RAHRC. Brief scores: RAHRC 141 in 19.5 overs (Sujith Kottala 55; Sameer Hameed 6/20) lost to Axis Group 142 for 7 in 19.2 overs (Sameer Hameed 33; Pranav G. 3/27). Points: RAHRC – 2, AXIS GROUP - 0.

ONEIC beat Trust Doosan In an I Division match, ONEIC defeated Trust Doosan by 57 runs.

Batting first, ONEIC scored 219 for nine in 20 overs with Kamal Haider top scoring with 70. Nithin Sasi claimed four wickets for Trust Doosan. In reply, Trust Doosan managed 162 for seven in 20 overs.

Sinu Thankachan top scored with 64 not out. Syed Osama and Zubair Ahmed claimed two wickets each.

Brief scores: ONEIC 219 for 9 in 20 overs (Kamal Haider 70; Nithin Sasi 4/33) bt Trust Doosan 162 for 7 in 20 overs (Sinu Thankachan 64 n.o; Zubair Ahmed 2/22). Points: ONEIC – 2, Trust Doosan - 0.

TENNIS

Abdullah, Issa top seeds at ISC Open MUSCAT: Talented Omani players have received top billing at the ISC-Muscat Pharmacy Open Junior Tennis Tournament which gets underway on Monday evening.

The tournament is organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat, sponsored by Muscat Pharmacy & Stores LLC and powered by Horlicks and Pocari Sweat.

Abdullah Al Barwani is the top seed in the boys under-18 singles while Younis Al Rawahi is seeded second. Subash Pillai of the ISC is seeded third and Amaan Kazi fourth.

Upcoming prospect Issa Al Suleimani is the top seed in the under-10 singles and Praneeth Raj is No. 2. Vivek Kolluru is No. 1 seed in the boys under-12 event with Omani player Marwan Al Khanjari second. In the boys under-14 singles, ISC’s Hassan Haider gets the top seeding with talented Omani player Muneer Al Rawahi seeded second.

Maryam Al Balushi, Samar Al Bakri, Aisha Al Suleimani and Sanjana Girish, Yashica Jain and Anusha Ravishankar are the girls favoured to claim top positions.

C

LIFESTYLE

SECTION

MONDAY, FEBRUA RY 1, 2016

Gear WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

PICTURE THIS Superb picture, revamped smart interface, and stylish design, the Samsung JU7000 is a seriously tempting proposition in the mid-level 4K LEDs Story Faisal Mohammed Naim

S

amsung, at the moment, seems to be flooding the TV market, with a new model launch every now and then. And though the brand’s intention behind doing so could be providing customers with ample choice (not one TV customer must be left out, seems to be the dictum), the outpour has caused much confusion as well, with many models almost identical, having very minute difference (that the sales guy are mostly unable to tell). Then the coded model names further fuel the confusion (sounding like some fighter jet label).

After much window shopping and hanging around the Samsung display areas, we were finally able to pick out one superb offering better than most in its segment, and yet priced quite reasonably: The JU7000.

The series sits in Samsung’s current mid-range of 4K televisions, and though it might not pack in all the future-proofing benchmarks as Samsung’s premium SUHDTV range, such as HDR or a wider colour gamut – it does have some enticing features, including local dimming, and 4K video streaming services from Netflix and Amazon.

The LED backlit flat screen JU7000 incorporates all the latest

picture features found on Samsung’s UHD range of TVs. Featuring Ultra HD 4K resolution (3840 x 2160) and Active 3D with Quad-Core picture processing, the JU7000 also features Peak Illuminator, designed to boost the brightness of the image by taking energy not being used in dark parts of the image and using it to boost the brighter parts.

Having all the ingredients necessary to produce super pictures, the series has a precisely correct contrast performance. Dark screen uniformity is also much better than the average. Though errant lighting maybe visible sometimes, but only during very black scenes.

The 3 mode ‘Smart LED’ feature (set at low mode), also works wonders, retaining most of the detail in the shadows without producing obtrusive haloing effects, aided further by the ‘Auto Motion Plus’ feature that effectively reduces motion blur.

The standard of video processing is quite high; even the standard definition material looks very presentable. Though no miracles are to be expected with the ultralow bit rate material broadcasters often inflict upon us but a decent DVD plays superb, thanks to top-notch scaling.

The video deinterlacing is also strong, and the up-scaled content remains perfectly watchable, though the full HD 1080p TVs still do a better job at it. But that’s the case with all the 4Ks, and not just the JU7000.

The only notable picture issue with the series is some visible panel banding, most noticeable on fast panning brighter colour shots, which might not sound good to sports lovers. But again the uniformity issue is evident in most TVs with similar tech, and considering brand switch won’t help much, or at all.

That said; the Samsung JU7000 is one of the best options in midlevel 4K TVs, delivering excellent results. The colours are really pleasing and they combine with those good black levels and competent dimming system to produce very punchy pictures, whilst remaining natural.

Also, though not HDR capable, it still has plenty of dynamic range and those Ultra HD streams from Netflix and Amazon play superbly.

The icing on the top will be Ultra HD Blu-ray, and we could only wonder how it would look on the 7000.

Samsung has also gifted the gamers a real delight with the JU series, delivering superfine performance having a measured lag

KEY FEATURES Samsung JU7000 • Display technology: LCD • LED backlight: Backlit with local dimming • Resolution: 4K • Refresh rate: 120Hz • Screen shape: Flat • Screen finish: Glossy • Smart TV: Tizen • Remote: General + Motion • 3D technology: Active • 3D glasses included: No • Sizes available (inch): 50, 55, 65, 78 • Price: OMR 629 (55inch), OMR 1199 (65inch)

Available at SARCO Centre, Extra, Emax, Sharaf DG

of just 24.2 milliseconds, which is less than a one frame delay for a 30 frames per second title.

On the design front, the JU7000 series is quite sleek, with a pleasingly dark metallic bezel angling forward from the screen like a sharp-edged picture frame, propped on an elegant T-shaped stand making the TV appear as if

floating above the tabletop. It is however not the slimmest TV out there with a maximum depth of approx. 7cm.

Typical of the Samsung, the JU7000 also comes with two remote controls; regular and smart.

Bringing you next gen TV control, the smart controller includes navigation buttons and a pointer for effective motion control of all the smart features, plus a range of practical voice controls that actually work (talk to the remote if not thumb).

The new menu is also much more convenient and easy to operate. Simply laying your finger on the capacitive button summons the pointer and basic menu. Icons appear on the top, bottom and left of the screen for “Menu/123,” “Smart Hub” and volume, respectively, allowing you to dive into overlays for each while the main video continues playing.

With the new the Tizen operating system, the ‘Smart Hub’ is also very neat, with a clean, simple, horizontal overlay of icons, with recently used apps and other items, like inputs, lined up along the bottom of the screen.

The app selection is also solid, with most of the major apps covered. However, the OS is still behind LG’s Web OS and Google’s

Android TV, employed by Sony and Sharp TVs. The Samsung exclusive ‘Multi Link Screen’ feature lets you split the screen and share it between TV and apps or browser simultaneously.

Another interesting feature is the OneConnect Mini connection box, which houses most of the inputs, and the TV needs not to be bothered time and again to connect all those cables. Just connect the Mini to the TV once, and then all the devices could be plugged into the conveniently placed connection box to connect with the TV. Last but not least, for such a large TV, energy consumption figures are also very impressive with the 65-inch JU7000 consuming 135.4w on a 50% grey pattern and the calibrated movie mode used just 89.5w, much lesser than what others are munching.

Definitely ‘One’ of the best, if not ‘The’ best: the Samsung JU7000.

— faisal@timesofoman.com

(Confused with all those supertech terms you came across in the article — colour gamut, dimming, HDR, and so on?

Turn to page C7 to know exactly what they mean)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

C6

PRAYER TIMINGS

FIND-IT-ALL @RUWI

@BURAIMI

9.55, 11.35PM Airlift - (Hindi)( Drama ) ( 12+ ) CP# Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, 7.40PM Aranmanai 2 (Tamil) (Horror) (15+) CP # Cast: Sidharth, Trisha Krishnan 7.40PM Standoff (Action | Thriller) ( 12+) CP# Cast : Laurence Fishburne, Thomas Jane 10.05, 4.30, 6.10, 11.40PM Alvin and the Chipmonk (Animation | Adventure |Comedy) ( PG) CP# Voice over : Jason Lee, Jesica Ahlberg.

4.30, 6.00PM

@BAHJA

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI Alvin & the Chipmunks:The Road Chip (2D) (Animation ) (PG) Voice over: Jason Lee, Jesica Ahlberg.

2:30, 4:30, 6:30 PM American Hero (2D) (Action) (15+) Cast: Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Bill Billions 2:45, 8:15, 11:45 PM Ride Along 2 (2D) (Action) (15+) Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 11:30 PM Standoff (2D) (Thriller) (12+) Cast: Thomas Jane, Laurence Fishburne.

5:00, 10:00, 11:30 PM Concussion (2D) (Biography) (12+) Cast: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks 6:30, 8:45 PM Sisters (2D) (Comedy) (18+) Cast: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph 4:45 PM Ocean 14 (Arabic) (2D) (Drama) (15+) Cast: Amr Mostafa Metwally, Nermine Maher.

7:00 PM Airlift (2D) (Drama) (12+) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 9:00 PM MUSCAT GRAND MALL Concussion (Biography | Drama | Sport) 12+ Cast : Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks 3:00& 9:15PM Gold Class -8:45PM Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (Animation) PG Voice over : Jason Lee, Jesica Ahlberg.

12:00, 1:45, 3:30 & 7:15PM Gold Class - 5:15PM American Hero (Action | Sci-Fi) 15+ Cast : Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Bill Billions 1:00,9:30 &11:30PM Gold Class - 3:30,7:00 & 8:45PM Brooklyn (Drama) TBC Cast : Saoirse Úna Ronan, Emory Isaac Cohen 5:15PM

Aranmanai 2 (Tamil) (Horror | Comedy) – 15+ Cast :Sidharth, Trisha Krishnan 6.45 PM

American Hero (2D) (15+) (Action | Sci-Fi) Cast: Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Bill Billions 3:15, 7:15, 9:30, 11:30PM

Ride Along 2 (Action | Comedy) 15+ Cast : Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 7:30 &11:30PM The Good Dinosaur-3D (Animation) U 5:15PM

Ocean 14: (Arabic / Comedy) Cast : Omar Mustafa Metwally, Nirmen Maher 2.00. & 6.00 PM CP NO: 140 (15+)

Cast: Sidharth, Trisha Krishnan.

6:45, 9:15 PM

Airlift (2D)(12+) Cast : Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 2:45, 6:15, 8:45, 11:15 PM The Revenant (Adventure, Drama)(2D)(12+) Cast : Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy 8:45PM

PANORAMA MALL Alvin & the Chipmunks – The Road Chip (MX4D)(PG) Voice over: Jason Lee, Jesica Ahlberg.

3:00, 5:00, 6:45, 8:45, 10:30PM Alvin & the Chipmunks – The Road Chip (2D)(PG) 2:30, 5:15PM Concussion (Biography, Drama)( (2D)(12+) Cast: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks 2:30, 7:00, 11:30 PM Concussion (12+)-VIP LOUNGE 6:30 PM Exposed (Drama)(2D)(12+) Cast: Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves.

5:00, 9:15 PM Exposed (Drama)(2D)(12+)-VIP LOUNGE 11:00 PM American Hero (Action, Comedy)(2D)(15+) Cast : Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Bill Billions 4:30, 7:00, 11:45 PM American Hero (2D)(15+)-VIP LOUNGE 3:30, 9:00PM

RUWI Screen 1 Airlift (Action / Thriller) –12+ Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 3.30, 9.30 PM Saala Khadoos (Drama / Sports) –12+ Cast: R.Madhavan, Nasser, Radha Ravi 6.30 PM Screen 2 Saala Khadoos (Drama / Sports) –12+ Cast: R.Madhavan, Nasser, Radha Ravi 4.00, 9.45 PM Airlift (Action / Thriller) –12+ Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 6.45 PM Screen 3 Wazir (Action / Thriller) – PG12 Cast: Amitabh Bacchan, Farhan Akhtar 3.45, 9.45 PM Aranmanai 2 (Tamil) (Horror | Comedy) – 15+ Cast :Sidharth, Trisha Krishnan 6.45 PM

AZAIBA Saala Khadoos – 2D (12+) Drama/ Sport Cast: R Madhavan, Nasser, Radha Ravi 2:30, 4:45, 7:00, 9:20, 11:30 PM Airlift – 2D (PG12) Drama/ History/ Thriller Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur.

2:45, 4:40, 6:55, 9:10, 11:30 PM Standoff – 2D (12+) Thriller Cast: Thomas Jane, Laurence Fishburne.

3:15, 10:00, 11:45 PM Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Road Chip – 2D (PG) Animation Voice over: Jason Lee, Jesica Ahlberg.

2:45, 5:00 PM American Hero – 2D (15+) Action| Comedy Cast: Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Bill Billions 5:15, 11:45 PM 2 Countries (Malaylam) – 2D (PG12) Comedy Cast: Dilip, Mamta Mohandas, 7:00 PM Aranmanai 2 (Tamil) – 2D (15+) Horror

SUR American Hero ( Action) (15+) CP# Cast: Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Bill Billions.

SOHAR The Fifth Wave - 2D (PG12) Adventure Cast : Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson 4:30, 11:30 PM Airlift - 2D (12+) Drama | History | Thriller Cast : Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 8:45, 11:15 PM 2 Countries- 2D (M) (PG) Comedy Cast : Dilip, Mamta Mohandas 6:45 PM American Hero - 2D (15+) Action | Sci-Fi Cast : Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Bill Billions 3:00, 7:00, 11:45 PM Standoff - 2D (12+) Thriller Cast : Thomas Jane, Laurence Fishburne 2:45, 5:15, 9:45, 11:30 PM Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Road Chip 2D (PG) Animation Voice over : Jason Lee, Jesica Ahlberg.

3:00, 5:00PM Sisters - 2D (18+) Comedy Cast : Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph 5:00 PM Saala Khadoos - 2D (12+) Drama/ Sport Cast : R Madhavan, Nasser, Radha Ravi 7:00 PM Concussion - 2D (12+) Biography | Drama Cast : Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks 2:45, 9:25 PM Ocean 14 - 2D (Arb) (15+) Drama Cast : Amr Mostafa Metwally, Nermine Maher 6:45 PM Aranmanai 2- 2D (T) (15+) Horror | Comedy Cast : Sidharth, Trisha Krishnan 8:45 PM BURAIMI Standoff – 2D (Thriller) (12+) Cast: Thomas Jane, Laurence Fishburne 5:00, 7:00, 11:30PM

Exposed– 2D (Drama) (12+) Cast: Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves 3:45, 7:30PM Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Road Chip – 2D (Animation) (PG) 3:15, 5:45, 8:45PM American Hero – 2D (Action/Sci-Fi) (15+) Cast: Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Bill Billions 3:15, 7:15, 9:30, 11:30PM Airlift – 2D (Drama, History, Thriller) (12+) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 5:00, 9:00, 11:15PM Aranmanai 2– 2D (Horror/Comedy) (15+) Cast: Sidharth, Trisha Krishnan.

8:45PM

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

Dept time

Destination

Arrival Operating time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

TEMPERATURE

05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

Daily Daily Daily

Sur Quriyat Ruwi

06:45 08:30 10:00

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

06:30 06:30 08:00 13:00 13:00 16.00 16.00

07:00 07:00 13:30 13:00 13:00 13:00 17:00

Sohar Buraimi Buraimi Sohar Buraimi Sohar Buraimi

08:50 Daily 11:00 Daily 14:30 Daily via Ibri 15:45 Daily 17:40 Daily 18.35 Daily 20:20 Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 17:30

Sinaw

Nizwa Yanqul

20:50

Daily

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

23 15

HARDIK UMESH SHAH February 1, 2007

0

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

50-80%

07:00

Ruwi

10:25

Daily

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 17 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 lifestyle@timesofoman.com

06:00 06:00

Nizwa Ruwi

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) Sur Sur

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (ROUTE 62) 06:30 06:30

Fahud Yibal

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

20:00 20:30 23:30 07:40

Daily Daily

Marmul

Dubai

16:50

Daily

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

19:50 13:15 22:30 07:30

LISTINGS

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

15:00

Salalah

Daily

07:00

Daily

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 07:30 07:30 13:00 13:00 15:30 15:30

Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH/SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

07:00 07:00 07:00

16:00 16.00 16.00

Fujairah Sharjah Dubai

11.45 13.30 14.00

Daily Daily Daily

Sharjah Fujairah Ruwi

16:30 18.15 23.00

Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence 24569603 Directorate General of Customs 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries 24510228 Public Relations Admin 24560099 EMBASSIES IN OMAN

Daily Daily Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

07:00

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 06:00 06:00 13:00 13:00 15:00 15:00

10:45 19:00

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

Ruwi Ruwi

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100) Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

06:00 14:30

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

10:30 11:15

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (ROUTE 100) 07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

2 Countries( Mal) ( Drama/Comedy) Cast : Dileep & Mamta Mohandas 3:00, 6:30 & 10:00 PM Cinema Main Irudhi Suttru ( Tamil) (Sports/Drama) Cast: R.Madhavan, Ritika Singh & Nassar 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30PM Cinema - 2 Aranmanai 2 (Tamil) (Horror/Comedy) Cast: Sidarth, Trisha & Hansika Motwani 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45PM Cinema -3 Airlift ( Hindi) ( Act/Thriller) Cast : Akshay Kumar & Nimrat Kaur 6:45 & 9:45PM Cinema- 4 Soggade Chinninayana ( Telugu) ( Drama/ Comedy) Cast : Nagarjuna & Ramya Krishna 3:45PM Cinema -4 NEXT CHANGE: ADI KAPYARE ( Mal) GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN ( HINDI), BANGALORE NAATKAL (TAMIL) Programmes are subject to change

Minimum

ROYAL OMAN POLICE 07:30 14:30

Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

0

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54) 08:00 08:00

08:55 Daily 11:40 Daily 20:20 Daily via Ibri 14:55 Daily 17:40 Daily 19:20 Daily 22:15 Daily

STAR CINEMA

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54) 14:30 14:30

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

Standoff: (Thriller) cast:: Thomas Jane, Laurence Fishburne 4.00, 8.00, 10.00 & 11.55 PM CP No: 138 (12+) Exposed: (Drama) Cast: Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves 4.00., 10.00. & 11.55 PM CP NO: 139 (12+) Sisters: (Comedy) Cast : Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph 2.00. & 6.00 PM. CP NO: 137 (18+) Ocean 14: (Arabic / Comedy) Cast : Omar Mustafa Metwally, Nirmen Maher 2.00. & 6.00 PM CP NO: 140 (15+) Ride Along 2: (Action / Comedy) Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 8.00 PM CP NO: 112 (15+)

WEATHER

15:00 15:00 15:00

16:30 18:00 19:30

Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

WITH LOVE

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (ROUTE 36) Quriyat Sur Jaalan

BAHJA CINEMA

SALALAH Standoff (2D) (12+) (Thriller) Cast: Thomas Jane, Laurence Fishburne 2:00, 7:00, 11:45PM American Hero (2D) (15+) (Action | Sci-Fi) Cast: Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Bill Billions 11:15AM,3:45,7:30,11:55PM Ride Along 2 (2D) (15+) (Action | Comedy) Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 5:30PM Exposed (2D) (12+) (Drama) Cast: Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves 12:45, 4:50PM Sisters (2D) (18+) (Comedy) Cast: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph 11:45AM, 2:40PM Concussion (2D) (12+) (Biography) Cast: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks 2:45, 9:15PM Airlift (2D) (12+) (Drama, History, Thriller) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 8:45, 11:15PM 2 Countries (2D) (PG12) (Malayalam) Cast: Dileep, Mamta Mohandas 8:40PM Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) (PG) ( Animation | Adventure | Comedy) Voice over:Jason Lee, Jesica Ahlberg.

11:00AM,1:00,5:15PM Ocean 14 (2D) (TBC) (Arabic )(Drama) Cast: Amr Mostafa Metwally, Nermine Maher.

6:45PM

LONG DISTANCE BUS TIMINGS (OMAN NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMPANY SAOC) *SUBJECT TO CHANGE

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI) Destination

12.25pm 3.35pm 5.58pm 7.10pm 5.30am

CHILDREN BELOW THE AGE OF 3 YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CINEMA | BOX-OFFICE COUNTER OPENS 30-MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCREENING OF THE FIRST SHOW

CINEMA SCHEDULE

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

Afghanistan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Brunei China Cyprus Egypt France Germany India Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya South Korea Kuwait

24698 791/4 24605 593 24 605 074/133 24 698 660 24640100 24 603533 24 696782 24 699815 24 600 982/411 24681 800 24835000 24684500 2469 1050 24 696 944/7 24603642 24693727 24 601 028 24692760/1/3 24 692418 24 697664 24 691490 24 699628

Lebanon Libya Malaysia Morocco Nepal Netherlands Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Senegal Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Switzerland Syria Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE United Kingdom United States Yemen

24 693208 24603466 24698329/643 24696152/3 24696177 24603706 24603439 24601312 24605335 24 691 153/2/4 24602894 24601705 24694139 24697977 24647300 24691101 24697841/2 24697875 24603267 24697904 24601 174 24 602684/5 24603486 24697050/1/2 24400000 24609000 24643400 24600815

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334

Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi Salalah Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya Muscat, A Seeb Market Muscat, Al Khuwair Muscat, Al Hail South Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre 24485052 Atlas Hospital Ruwi 24811743/ Ghubra 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi 24563641 Azaiba 24499269 Sohar 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre,

Hamriya 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 Lifeline Hospital Salalah 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar 26751128 MBD 24799077 Al Khuwair 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC 22004000 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

C7

LIFESTYLE

T

he world of television can be a confusing place, where several buzzwords and technospeak could be daunting to the uninitiated. Don’t worry, as here we are to bust the TV-tech jargon. We bet that next time you go TV hunting you are definitely going to go fully informed and the sales guy won’t take you to be just another layman.

Video Processing Scaling The TV has its own resolution, while the source has its own (the content to be displayed on the TV), and scaling is the process by which the TV matches the content’s resolution to its own. Your television will have a certain amount of pixels (tiny dots of light) that will form the overall picture at a certain resolution – the higher the resolution the more detailed and defined the picture will be, like UHD (3840 x 2160) Full HD (1080p) or HD Ready (720P) televisions. Regardless of what resolution the source material is, your TV will then process the video signal to match the number of pixels it has.

Screen Refresh Rate Refresh rate refers to the number of times a television scans the signal per second and is measured in Hertz (Hz). Having a higher number here is better as it means the image should exhibit no flicker and the perception of moving images will be smoother. You must have seen TVs with extremely high refresh rates – anything up to 3000Hz – but it is more a slightly confusing terminology on the manufacturer’s behalf and actually refers to the number of times the backlight can be switched on and off, per second, rather than the number of times the screen is actually refreshing. Still, bigger is generally better but don’t be misled by manufacturer claims of incredibly fast screen refresh rates.

Motion Resolution To display moving images at their full resolution with perfect clarity, manufacturers include optional motion processing to the TVs, which modifies the frame rate by inserting made-up (guessed) frames to give the impression of greater clarity. However, it is advisable to use the function only in moderate settings as over processing might actually ruin the picture quality.

Input Lag Input Lag is defined as the time between when the user presses a button on a game controller and when the action happens on the screen.

There are many factors that con-

TV Tech Decoded Out Buying the latest TV? But how well do you know it actually? All those catchy features might sound lucrative but it is essential to be aware exactly what and how they do, and whether it really serves your purpose.

Story Faisal Mohammed Naim

tribute to the amount of input lag, including whether you are using a wired or wireless controller, the network lag (if you are playing online) and the processing speed of the console itself.

Input lag is not to be confused with panel response time, which is the time measured for a pixel to go from grey to white and then back to grey again.

Calibration Colour Gamut This is the range of different colours that a TV can accurately display; the more colours, the wider the colour gamut and the more saturated and intense the colours will be. Most modern displays have a wide colour gamut available out of the box, which when displayed on

screen adds an artificial punch to the picture. However, if the gamut is over the accepted standards then picture quality will suffer with colour inaccuracies.

High Dynamic Range (HDR) HDR is a way of displaying the wider dynamic range inherent in the original capture of content. A film camera or a modern digital camera is capable of capturing a higher level of brightness (luminance) and a wider array of colours than the Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) content we more often see.

HDR doesn’t only increase the brightness of an image, it works on overall dynamic range between black and white by making the dark parts darker and the bright parts brighter, while retaining detail when both are in the frame.

HDR also adds greater expression and detail within colours too.

Connectivity HDMI 1.4/2.0/2.0a For regular High Definition (1080P) video, and for that matter 3D content, an HDMI 1.4 port on the back of your TV will be sufficient. If, however, you’re planning to take the leap in to 4K with an Ultra HD TV, you will want to check its ports are at least HDMI 2.0 compatible. The HDMI 1.4 is also capable of carrying a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, but only at low frame rates, so it is not future-proofed against advances in Ultra HD delivery technology. The HDMI 2.0a connection is also important for High Dynamic Range (HDR) capability and HDR data processing.

HDCP 2.2 The very latest version of Highbandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is 2.2 and you should get compatibility via any HDMI 2.0 labeled input for all that 4K Blu-ray and other UHD content.

T E C H TA L K

Facebook to add computer art to make your photos incredible

Other Terminologies Contrast Ratios The contrast ratio of a TV is simply calculated by measuring the brightness of white (peak luminance) and then dividing that by the black level (minimum luminance level) measurement. The higher the contrast level, the more striking the picture will be; higher the better.

Dynamic Range More the dynamic range in a TV, the more realistic images – closer to what we see in reality. While contrast is the difference between the darkest and brightest elements of the image, dynamic range is the expression of everything in between. A given colour has almost limitless shades (steps) that the eye can see but the content on TV is limited by compression techniques. Currently 4K delivers the best dynamic range with 10-bit video, providing 1,024 steps per colour.

Viewing Angles When moving to the sides, you may notice that colours and contrast are more washed out and ( just like laptop), depending on your room lay-out, this might be an important factor when considering a new TV. If you’re in the market for a new LED/LCD TV, look out for those having an IPS panel if wide viewing angles are a necessity. Or, if you have plenty to spend, OLED TVs offer the best off-axis viewing experience.

Dimming Systems Dimming systems improve the perceived contrast and black levels, and can be global or local. Where global refers to an overall dimming of the picture, local means that smaller portions or zones of the screen are dimmed, providing a better coloured picture.

Backlit vs Edge Lit An LED TV actually means LED LCD TV. LED or Light Emitting Diodes is simply the lighting source of the LCD Panel providing the white light, as the LCD itself cannot illuminate enough to create a vivid image. The LED illuminates the panel in two ways; directly behind regions of LCD screen known as backlit, or on the edges of it, known as edge lit. The backlit LED produces more uniform results.

—faisal@timesofoman.com

Social networking giant Facebook and its photo and video-sharing app Instagram are reportedly set to quietly make your photos incredible by adding computer art to them.

According to The Verge, it has been discovered that for every photo you upload to Facebook or Instagram, the company quietly makes an html page that replicates that photo using ASCII or text characters that lets you blow up your images to massive scale.

Mathias Bynens, a web standards enthusiast from Belgium, noticed it and tweeted about it. “Take any Facebook/Instagram photo URL… Append ‘.txt’ ? ASCII art … append ‘.html’ ? coloured ASCII art,” he wrote in his tweet.

Virtual reality headsets can trigger motion sickness, nausea Regular virtual reality (VR) headset-users who play motion-heavy videos suffer the most from motion sickness and nausea, researchers have found.

Researchers at the University of WisconsinMadison demonstrated this by making the participants watch motion-heavy videos through the Oculus Rift -- a 3D virtual reality headset worn like a pair of goggles. The results, published in the journal Entertainment Computing with Green, pointed out that nearly two-thirds of the study subjects quit watching the videos early, overcome by nausea in the virtual environment for much the same reason discomfort catches up to people in real-world situations.-IANS

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

LIFESTYLE

The Massive Growth of MENA Internet Users by 2016

72

Million Internet users

100 million Google searches everyday

R

A

B

I

C

A

2500% growth in Arabic language

Internet penetration: 150 million users in 2015

KSA will be leading 4G market in the Middle East by 2016

2 Hours Users spend online everyday

48.63%

GAMING

KSA has the highest rates in social gaming

KSA smartphones will increase by 48.63% by 2016 end

Arabic language will be the 4th most used language on the web

25 million handheld devices Source: smarttouch.me

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M O N DAY, F E B R UA RY 1 , 2 0 1 6

SECTION

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

RENT

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VACANCY

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CARGO

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*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

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M O N D AY, F E B R UA RY 1 , 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

*Tourist visa arranged

Luxury flat for rent in Bareeq Al Shatti building Spacious 2 BHK with sea view, split A/Cs, fixed wardrobes, kitchen appliance.

Near Opera Gallery.

Rent RO.900/- negotiable.

Contact - 94084335 / 96920789

Flat for rent in CBD area - Ruwi Two rooms and a large hall •Office spaces for rent in Al Hail on the main road On the same building of Al Khamis Shoes at Al Hail •2 bed room flats in Qurum 29 for rent next to ABA New building -split AC - Good location

Contact No: 96177505

Brand New 4-Bedroom Ground Floor House for Rent in Al-Ansab (Bousher) . Easy access to main road. House is constructed with high quality finishing and elegant doors design. 4 Bedrooms with in-situ bathrooms. Marble floor.

Specious kitchen. For rent @ 600 OMR/Month (Negotiable).

Please contact Mr. Ali 92755663.

FOR RENT RUWI : Ware House - 630 M2 SPACIOUS -2 B H K FLATS

NEAR AL FALAJ HOTEL: FURNISHED DELUXE 1 B/RM WITH 2 bathrooms, SPLIT A/C, BUILT IN ARDROBRE, PRIVARE TERRACE.

Contact : 24 70 30 60 2 bed rooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality.

Contact: 92584715 / 24700120 1000sqmtrs industrial land for rent in Ghala suitable for warehouse workshop etc.

Contact 24700120 / 92584715 Flat for rent in Wadi Al Kabir next 5 Al Hassan company, 2 bed room & 3 toilets. Contact: 99210008

RESTAURANT AVAILABLE FOR RENT Of area 500 Sq mts with well equipped kitchen and dining facility on Ground Floor at DARVESH Building, Near Royal Hospital.

Contact Person Mr.Mudassir :99314330 Mr.Joao Pereira: 99435952 Villa 2 room, 1 sitting room, 1 lobby, 2 bathrooms at South Mawalleh behind Discount Supermarket.

Contact: 92757673 / 99388138 Al Khuwair 17/2, 4 rooms, 4 bathrooms. Contact: 97300123 Al Khuwair 33, 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms. Contact: 97300123

STORE FOR RENT

FLATS FOR RENT

500 sqm store with 200 sqft office & 200 sqm covered shed for rent at Mabella Ind No-11 on main road, direct from owner.

1 BHK and 2BHK Flats with Split ACs Opp. to MOD Near Lulu Darsait

CONTACT - 99278002

93202733

Flat in Hamriya. Contact 99341112

CONTACT :

Flat in Wadi Al Kabir 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 family hall, kitchen & 3 bathrooms. Contact: 99277787

Luxurious villa for rent in Al Athaiba, a new luxurious G+2 floors villa in Al Azaibs. All rooms W/ Splt unit ACs, close to Wave Muscat & shopping centers.

Contact: 95965445

Flat for rent in Al Ansab 1, 2 rooms, living room, kitchen & A/C. Contact: 91256340

02 BHK Commercial / Residential (with split AC) flat at Honda road.

Contact: 99342733 / 99795241

Apartments & shops for rent in Al Amerat & brand new apartments & shops for rent in Al Amerat.

Contact: 95965445 Villa in Al Khoud for staff accommodation, like nurses or teachers can accommodate 30 to 35 people.

Rent RO.1200/-. Contact - 91178282 New flat in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact: 98185135 Flats shops & store for rent in Ruwi MBD Honda road.

Contact: 92433127 / 97293708

M O N DAY, F E B R UA RY 1 , 2 0 1 6

D3

DAILY GUIDE

USED VEHICLES FOR SALE 1. Toyota Land Cruiser. Model 2008 in good running condition.

Vehicle regularly serviced by authorized service dealer.

2. Hino 7T Tipper. Model 2010 regularly serviced and in running condition 3. Toyota Yaris. Model 2006 regularly serviced and in running condition Place of inspection: Barka.

Last date of submitting the quotation: 4th February 2016 Interested buyers may please contact on Phone: 26883543, Mobile : 99440306

CONTRACT BUSES REQUIRED FOR TRANSPORTATION OF WORKMEN One of the leading construction companies in Oman requires 65/30 seater buses on contract basis for transportation of their workmen from camps to various sites located in Muscat region. Those interested may please contact within one week from the date of this advertisement.

Contact Number : 97970935, 94306683 ACC. AVAILABLE

High quality Warehouses for rent at Mizfa 550 sqm to 3400 sqm.

FOR RENT

Contact

CALL:

OFFICES & SHOWROOMS MAIN ROAD PRIME LOCATION: BARKA - OPPOSITE MARS

99332242

CALL: 99332242

khamisco@alkhamis.com.om

Perfect 5 BHK villas in Azaiba RO 800/-. Contact: 94232344 2BHK flat at Darsait nearby Indian School RO 290/-. Contact: 94232344 4 BHK villa in AL Khuwair RO 525.

Contact: 94232344 Four bedrooms villa in Al Athaiba 300 m away from Shell Petrol Station in an excellent condition.

Contact: 97755586 Brand new deluxe flats located near Seeb flyover on the right hand side the main road coming from the Seeb palace round about, 2 bedrooms family, hall, kitchen, 3 toilets & split unit.

Contact: 97755586 1000 sqm industrial land with compound wall & two rooms at Misfah. Contact: 99342733 / 99795241 Newly build luxury residential villas for rent in Al Khoud.

Contact: 98116480 / 99447002 & 99358724 Single room attach bath with kitchen in Muscat 100/- R.O. Contact: 95094028 Villa for rent in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 96571151 Sharing accommodation at Ruwi near family shopping center, please call after 6:00 pm .

Contact: 93394653 02 BHK Residential flat opposite to Al Nahdha hospital.

Contact: 99342733 / 99795241 1& 2 BHK flats for rent at Hamriya Wadi Adai, Al Khoud, Mabela & shop at Al Khoud & land line Contact: 24834644 GSM 93994401/02/03 3 lines

khamisco@alkhamis.com.om

3 Bedroom flat in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact 95755953 / 95555162 4 BHK with terrace near Raymond Ruwi in market on road.

Contact: 99065900/99354975 Family flats in Wadi AL Kabir, Hamriya, Muttrah, Al Khuwair, Ghubrah, Bowshar, Al Hail North & Al Seeb.

Contact: 95250300 / 92125648 Empty plot at Al Wadi Al Kabir industrial area 550 sqm.

Contact: 95909020 Bosher Rimal 1, building appt for rent 2BR, Maid room, sitting room, full appliance, kitchen, 4 toilets.

Contact: 99349910 Flats shops & store for rent in Ruwi, MBD area & Honda road.

Contact: 92589235/ 94579531 Flats two bed room for rent in Al Khuwair. Contact: 96571151 1&2 BHK flat in Walja.

Contact: 98218279 New flats for rent at Darsait near to ministry of sports, Mumtaz area the flats include 1 living room, 2 Bedroom, kitchen, 3 toilets every room with split A/C & high Quality finishing, rent per flat is R.O 340/-.

Interested candidates please Contact: 00968- 92225523 3BHK flat for rent in Ghubra.

Contac: 99328070 Flats in Muttrah.

Contact - 94051789-97201688

FOR RENT

FOR RENT 3 BHK @ Ghobrah -18th November St 2 BHK @Bousher - Bousher Shabia Studio Flat - Alkuwair 33 Shop for Rent 156 SQM Bousher Shabia

GSM: 99 014 885 / 92 871 744

Offices in Ghala.

Contact - 94051789-97201688

FOR SALE

QSR OUTLET FOR SALE Capital Area in a well known Mall.

Interested buyers may contact

on 99077960 or 94306216

2BHK flat for rent Darsait near ISM. Contact: 95158570 / 99102255 2 bedrooms, kitchen, toilet, car park R.O 220/- & 1 bedroom, kitchen, toilet R.O 140 in Al Khuwair. Contact: 95154331

FOR SALE

Flats for rent in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99376454 Flat for Rent 1/2 BHK Flat at Muttrah, near Oman flour mills, 10 min. from Corniche.Equipped with split unit ACs, internet points, free-to-air dish connection, CCTV monitored, basement parking.

Rent RO.250/350 per month.

Contact:99229263; 93221054; 95215289

Household items & furniture in excellent condition for sale. Indian expat leaving for good.

Contact Ravi : 93380408 Beauty Salon for urgent sale in Azaiba prime location behind Al Fardan building. With sponsor and 1 staff and 1 ready visa clearance. Call: 95318629 / 95169411 Well running restaurant with 100 mess for sale at Misfa.

Contact: 95212017 / 99608600

3 BHK flat near Darsait ID medical.

RO 420/- Contact – 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288

Porta cabin for sale in Misfa.

Contact: 99442438 / 96578799

1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 97799175 / 92144045

Luxury Apartments in Bousher (35).# 95056808-97201688

7 Bedrooms villa in Ghobrah North.

Contact - 96420432

Marble factory for sale location Misfah. Contact: 98586828

1,2 BHK Ghubra R.O 300/-, 325/- & 350/-. Contact: 97799175

Supermarket for sale in Amerat (5) for part-time workers does not have required 35/000 retractable negotiate. Contact : 96656972 / 99719973

1BHK flat near Star Cinema 220/Contact 99358589 /95570288 Single BHK flat available in Honda road Ruwi. Contact: 24833972/ 24833974/ 99367448

Excavation contracts worth RO 2 million + Big Volvo Excavators & 2015 Astra 5 tippers for sale.

Contact: 99120532 / 98867530 Furniture for sale immediatly.

Contact:99738104 3Ton Forklift, Special made for Oman market, Japanese Isuze C240 Engine, Cascade side shifter, High amount exhaust, 3m lifting height, Solid tyres, One year warranty. Contact: 98883445

ACC. AVAILABLE

Restaurant items for sale.

Contact: 96772479 /98428507 Villas in Al Khoud. Contact 95056808-97201688

Spacious semi furnished room with separate bathroom for executive bachelor opposite OC centre Ruwi. Call: 92273779 Single room for expat Indian bachelors near Al Aktham restaurant Al khuwair for RO 120.

Water and electricity included.

Contact 98803261 Single bedroom flat behind German Embassy, near Al Nahdha Hospital. Contact 99203954 Room available in Mumtaz area 1 room, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen & 1 room, common bathroom. Interested please Contact: 92680041 Mr. Altaf

Accommodation available at Al Hail Keralite family only.

Contact: 96234708

Room for rent with furniture.

Al Bustan villeage.

Contact 93687466

Big room, attached bathroom, inbuilt cuboard, next to Sagar polyclinic Al Khuwair, available from Feb 7. Contact-97311413

Room , B/Room & Kitchen for Executive in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99336206

Furnished bedroom with attached bath and kitchen, separate entrance available for Executive bachelor for R.O 150/- per month all inclusive in a villa OPP star cinema. Contact: 99314807

One flats for rent 2 bedroom all with bath al Ghobrah north near Indian school (hot burger restaurant) Tel. 9976610

Profs/ Jack. Contact 93219378 600 SQT commercial flat for rent opposite Oman flourmill Darsait more details. Contact:91214849/ 99364735

Furnished room with a/bathroom in Al Khuwair33 for Indian Executive. Call: 95234062

96046951 / 99332291

FOR RENT FOR RENT OFFICES PRIME LOCATIONS: AT: WALJA - HAMRIYA – SEEB - BARKA

Furnished sharing accommodation in ruwi near O.K. Center for non-cooking indian bachelor.

Contact - 98805474

Hail Independent rooms RO 140/& 160/-. Contact 95529970 A big room available for Muslim couple / small family executive bachelor near Hamriya R/A rent 130/- OMR, including water / Electricity. Contact: 99495131 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room, hall, kitchen with parking space for rent in Mawalah, behind City Centre. Contact 93930352 Fully furnished room with attached bath for Executive bachelor behind Al Meera Hyper market, Azaiba 150/- R.O. Contact: 99455735 Ghubra. Beautiful Room. Indian Lady/Couple/Bachelor. Non-cooking, Vegetarians.

Contact 99283938 Accommodation available at Hamriya roundabout for executive bachelors (no kitchen, furniture and A/C) including water and electricity RO 130. # 98145825, 98949724.

Furnished room in new building for working Muslim lady/ Muslim couple only. Location AINT, Darsait. Contact - 99008069

Semi furnished spacious room with attached washroom separate entrance near Indian school Al Ghobrah for non cooking Executive Indian bachelor.

Contact: 95146361/92657598 Spacious semi furnished room with separate bathroom for executive bachelor opposite OC centre Ruwi. Call: 92273779

LOST Mohammad Sofiqul Islam has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. BE 6252041. Finder please handover to ROP Jehad Abdul Samad has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. BB 0908555. Finder please handover to ROP Ramjan Ali Mohammad has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AE 5623835. Finder please handover to ROP Qaisar Sajjad Ali has lost Pakistani passport No. FX1796002.

Finder please handover to ROP

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

D4

M O N D AY, F E B R UA RY 1 , 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT Wanted female GP, female Gynecologist, female Staff Nurse, female X- Ray Technician With MOH license for Al Saadi Specialized Medical Centre in Musanna.

Contact -91262604 Email: chillapalli76@gmail.com

Well reputed Marble Company looking for

3 SALESMEN Requires minimum 3 years experience and valid Omani driving license.

Interested candidates please Fax your CV to 24601724 or Email on saab2803@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Urgently required Experienced Sales Man for Al-Rawas Marble & Granite.

Located at Al Rusayl Industrial.

Please forward your cv at oure mail : mahmood@rmgoman.com

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE A leading facilities Management Junior Accountant, B.Com with 3 yrs experience. Communication skill in English. Send your CVs : hr@alyafeigroup.com

Senior Management Executive

REQUIRED PROJECT MANAGER

An Omani Road Construction Contracting Company Seeks GM/ Senior Contract Manager.

For an Infra/ Bldg project in Duqm/Oman Graduate Engineer with 20+ years experience preferably in Oman/ GCC with valid D/L and transferable visa, computer literate.

Send CV to Email :

Mail : info@anwaarfahud.com GSM 94293031

SITUATION VACANT

Leading Medical Services Company in Oman is looking for the following staff:1. General Practitioners (Male & Female) 2. Nurses (Male & Female) 3. X Ray Technician

athira@babylon-om.com, athirababylon@gmail.com, info@babylon-om.com.

Contact :24613069 for further details.

URGENTLY REQUIRED Qualified & experienced male B.SC holder

CIVIL ENGINEER With 10 -15 years experience for a Muscat based well known construction company.

Email: alfayafy@outlook.com Fax: 24479675

CATERING

Housemaid required for Keralite family. Contact 95405033 Looking for housemaid urgently clearance available good salary yearly ticket. TEL 24446920 / 99238121, mail: ravi.ztc@omzest.com

DRIVER Required a Filipino private/ Family Driver With Omani driving license, Age 27-40.

Contact 94446669 Wanted Driver. Contact 91025698 Required Full Time Light Driver for an Omani Family. Indian or Philippine national are preferred.

Send SMS only to 97711577 Reputed Construction Company require experienced light Vehicle Driver. Contact 95526871

ENGINEER/TECH/MECH Wanted: HEAD OF QA/QC & SALES ENGINEERS : Candidates with Minimum 5-7 Years Experience in one of the leading manufacturing company in Sohar Industrial Area, suitable candidates send their CV to the below email : soharcreative@gmail.com Wanted A/C Technician with local experience. Contact : 95779616 Require LAB TECHNICIAN ,The desired candidate must be a graduate/diploma in Civil Engineering with minimum experience of 3 to 5 years as Lab Technician having Experience of testing construction materials on Building/ Road projects. Send your CV to: rakesh@uniqueom.com.

IT Developers needed with experience in .net, C#, EF Code First, WCF, MVC 4/5, WebAPI, SQL and WF 4.5 must. Work from home role for an Australian company.

Send resume to Email: atif.saad@mis.technology

4. Lab Technician 5. Insurance Coordinators 6. Omani Receptionist

Preference given to candidates in Oman with MOH/Oman prometric for medical openings. Interested candidates kindly forward your resume to

Beauty expert required to work in Salon in Al Amerat.

Contact : 93336061

Urgently required House Boy for an Indian Business Family.

Call for Interview-99471085

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian male MBA finance / marketing 34 yrs, 7 years experience in India Accounts / Administration / office jobs currently in Muscat on family visa. Contact: 98104991 Email: sureshkr01@gmail.com Indian male 32 yrs having 8 years experience in Oman looking for suitable placement NOC & Oman D/L available (release available if required). Contact: 98093515 Part Time Accounting, Accounts Finalization as per IFRS, Audit Preparation, Cost Control and Management, Training for Accountants, Internal Audit, Accounting System for New Companies, Contact: 96975454, email:ibfc.gcc@gmail.com Indian male having good experience in accounts and in accounting and in accounting software’s ready to join immediately #+91 9444965126

Please send your CV to Khalid@eliteceramic.com

BEAUTY

DOMESTIC HELP

omanproject2011@gmail.com

Graduate with 3 to 5 years experience of successful and proven sales in selling ceramic, porcelain tiles, and sanitary ware products (Mixers, Washbasins, Water closet, etc...) self starter, initiative taker, must be backed by evidence and proved track record.

Having a proven network of corporate clients (contractors, architects, consultants, interior designers, etc...) and private clients, and being able to expand the companies business beyond that by acquiring and developing new leads in to profitable outcomes.

Able to achieve sales targets with a proven history of doing so.

Attractive package and commission Only Applicants With Relevant Experience & NOC Will Be Considered.

We are looking for Chief Financial Officer, Male 40- 45 years old, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy with 5 - 15 yrs. of experience. Contact: +968 24702133 Email: admin-dept@daud.om

Chinese / Arab/ Grill, Cooks.

Contact: 95529970

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED

MANAGER Required Manager who has experience in printing press call 92673716 or send ur CV to ishaq_alsalmi@yahoo.com

MEDICAL Urgently required for a Medical Centre in Muscat & Salalah GP Doctor, Pediatrician (male / female) Gynecology, Nurses (male / female) with or without MOH license, salary negotiable. Send your CV : moc.hrd2015@gmail. com or contact 92681842 Wanted female Ayurvedic therapist with or without MOH. Contact: 97263637 / 93309131 Required X RAY Technician, Lab Technician, General Practitioner, Gynecology, Staff Nurses.

Contact: 95133572 Email: kunoozghala@gmail.com Wanted GP Doctor with MOH license, job location in Muscat with good salary and benefits.

Drop your cv at 0careerhr1972@gmail.com.

Wanted urgently lady Doctor GP or DGO for immediate appointment. Contact : 99310590 Email: tjmaluke@gmail.com Wanted B- Pharmacist (female) for a pharmacy in Sohar.

Contact : 99767605

MISCELLANEOUS Urgently required for a reputed company in Oman (Tyre, Battery & Lubricant division) Sr. Executives/Executive-5 nos (Sohar, Nizwa & Muscat), Techno Commercial Professional-5nos, Driver (Omani)-1no. Required minimum 3-5 yrs experience in the same field with market exposure holding valid Omani driving license or GCC. Kindly fwd your CV’s to ashwin@taasintl.org Contact: (+968)93891700 Sales Ladies wanted for Ladies Boutique. Age: 20-35 yrs. Al Khoudh. Call -91159905 Send CV to sameer916@hotmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Employee marketing company engaged in the design, promotion and advertising is required.

Contact: 96656972 / 99719973 Urgently Required: Aluminum Doors & Windows Salesman with an experience in aluminum products, MUST have Oman driving license, and immediately join. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com Wanted marketing personnel for acquiring Premium customers for MNC. Should have communication/sales skills and must possess Oman DL. Contact 96545020 .

Urgently Required Steel Fabricated Products Salesman with an experience in steel fabrication, MUST have Oman driving license, and immediately join. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com Salesman for a printing press Whatsapp Only.

Contact: 95955729 Required Philippine Sales lady for women’s shoes and bags store.

Arabic speaking advantage.

Send CV with current picture.

Email: markato.fashion@gmail.com

SKILLED LABOR Immediate Requirements for experienced Tailors (Designer wears, casual clothing). Please call for interview 99471085

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian male, MBA (finance), 1 year experience in Oman having Oman D/L and NOC on visit visa looking for a suitable job.

Contact 94103975 Indian Male Accountant 10yrs Exp. in OMAN Retail & Furniture Co. (Release Available) GSM.92564955 Chartered Accountant with 1.5 years of experience looking for job.

Currently in Oman on visit visa.

Contact - 91520687 Email: murtazanmh@gmail.com

15 years experienced in finance & treasury management CPA, CMA, ACCA, MBA, qualified Chartered Accountant available for immediate joining as head of finance, financial advisor, financed consultant.

Contact: 94872345 Email: mfta27@gmail.com Indian male - M Com and More than 5 year experience in Finance and Accounting seeking suitable placement immediately. Now in Oman on visit visa. Contact:97724457 / 99886476 nidhink85@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ADMIN

Indian male, 28, Post Graduate, 6 years exp. in Oman in Sales and Credit Control , with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable placements.

NOC available. Ph: 9206 6523

Indian male MBA- UK 18 yrs Gulf exp in Administration/ HR & Public relationship. Fluent in Arabic/ English with D/L. Looking for suitable position. Contact - 99897280

A young CA (ACA & ACCA qualified) with 4 years experience in one of top audit firms in UK & KSA seeks suitable placement in Oman. Contact: Kamran hkamran112@gmail.com, +44 7480 1196 74/ +968 93595050

Indian male good experienced in Accounts, ERP Tally 9 & Admin in India & Oman, presently on visit visa, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94834687

Indian female Graduate 7 years as Secretary Office Assistant Admin seeks placement.

Contact: 99073789

Indian male 30 yrs, B. Com, 6 yrs accounts exp in East Africa & 1 yr exp in Oman, NOC available looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 94613626 Email: sharis.saheer@gmail.com

Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ finance field. On visit visa. Immediately available.

Contact – 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com

Indian female Accountant B.Com P.G.D.C.A Tally 8 years exp in Oman. Contact: 93726921

28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com

B. Com Diploma Computer 3 years experience as an Accountant Indian male (25) seeking placement Accountant / Admin / sales on visit visa. Contact: 98437731 Email: faisalcpsy@gmail.com Chief Accountant Indian male 44 years B.Com Graduate PGDVA total 13 years in GCC, 7 years in Oman & knowledge in Tally, ERP9, Peachtree MS Office having NOC seeks placement Contact: 97060826 Email: tomnedum71@yahoo.co.in Accountant MBA (finance) masters (accounting) 2 yrs Exp looking for suitable placement, having NOC & valid D/L .

Contact: 92491009, Email: rasubiswas4@gmail.com Young 24, ACCA affiliate, Advanced diploma in Accounting and Business, seeking suitable placement in Accounts, Finance or audit With valid driving license.

Contact - 92430152, Email - rau_dey@yahoo.com

Indian female, Masters in HR, having 4 + years Oman experience in media management and HR, looking for openings in HR, Education, Admin, Corporate communications. Contact 98252030

Part-time accounting, tax report, auditing & bank loan assistance.

Contact 91720465

Cooks (Arabic Indian) gulf exp looking job. Contact: 99531802

DOMESTIC HELP

Indian female diploma in architecture having 5 years of working experience in Oman (Engg Consultancy having valid Oman driving license. Contact: 96683293

ADMIN

Finance & Accounts Indian male 35 years B.Com MBA (F) 7 years experience tally ERP9 with valid D/L family visa.

Contact: 93257426 / 95230114 Email: sibigeorgep@gmail.com

Indian female, M.Tech electronics 6.5 IELTS experience as VLSI / Electronics project trainer & institute administration currently in family visa. Contact: 90195131 /24551290 Email: chinj.89@gmail.com

Indian male B.Com with 1 year experience in Oman as Account having driving license seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 93415880 Email: nithin_thomas1992@hotmail.com

Looking for H.R Admin Assistant post or any related position, currently on visit visa, available for immediate placement Qualification MBA H.R. Contact: 94665450 Email: paulwesleywilliaams@yahoo.com

Part time accounts qualified experience accountant.

Contact: 91126314 SENIOR ACCOUNTANT-M. Com Finance-Indian with 7 years experience in Finance & Accounts up to finalization. Currently employed in Oman. Having D/L & NOC. Mob: 94122464, Email: cammk13@gmail.com

CATERING

ARCHITECTURE

Indian female 27 yrs with 5 yrs HR /Admin experience seeking suitable placement with valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 98236033

Indian Accountant well experienced in construction accounts (Financial and Cost) and also administration and HR seek suitable placement (Full/Part time) in Oman or UAE. Contact 98598099

Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+ experience in Administration/ HR, Customer Support, Office Coordinator with good Computer skill, Now on Visit Visa,looking for suitable position.

Contact: 90196235

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, with 13yrs experience, 6 yrs Oman in manufacturing, trading & contracting Cos, capable of handling all accounting, finance, banking, L/C, import, export & finalization seeks placement. NOC Available.

Call+968-98932752, mail:jjohnmuscat@hotmail.com

Part time Accountant, up to finalization, looking for job after 5pm (location prefer – MSQ to Al Hail). Contact: 95694737

Accounting Assistant, BBA, M. Com (pursuing), tally, peach tree, valid visa available.

Contact: 98269281

Filipino male with 13 years HR and Administration managerial experience. MBA & CIPD holder.

Currently looking for job in Oman.

Interested employer pls call 97728418.

Indian female PGDHRM MSW having 5+ experience in HR Assistant Administration customer support good computer skill DOA, CIT Tally now on family visit visa looking for suitable position.

Contact: 95352527 Indian female 25 years Graduates in BBM (HR) currently on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 92065248 Email: bibinnj47@gmail.com young Omani male have experience 12 years as P.R.O , Clerk helper supervisor Admin supervisor , H.R Manager have diploma in H.S.E, IT and P.D.O license looking for H.R position or P.R.O license . Looking for H.R position or P.R.O part time or full time. Contact: 95933288

Looking full time job. Contact: 99153378

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Civil AutoCAD Draughts man 5 years experience on visit visa.

Contact: 99759284 Email: ahmedimran945@gmail.com A lady entrepreneur with BF Tech 1st Class (Fashion Technology) since 2006 in Kerala like to make change for better. Specialized in designing, Production Management, Fashion Art, Grading, Surface ornamentation, Garment Construction.

Email: prettyjinu08@gmail.com Mobile: +919539397097.

25 years male BA. English , Qualified as mast in digital animation having 5 yrs ex in character animation specialized Auto Desk mago and motion building software knowledge, seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 97917357

DRIVER Job for driving. Contact: 98982410 27 years, 1 year experience, with D/L. Contact: 97369716 Light driver Ruwi. Contact: 95779594 Pakistani male light driver 10 yrs in UAE & 1 yr in Oman.

Contact: 93709393 Driver (light & heavy duty) valid gulf /Indian) looking job.

Contact: 95175192 Driver with new car looking for job.contact: 95873286

M O N DAY, F E B R UA RY 1 , 2 0 1 6

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED DRIVER Experienced Light Duty Driver, Fluent in English, Arabic Well knowledge of Oman Areas Seeking Suitable placement Contact 97950869

EXPERIENCED TEAM TO PROVIDE TECHNO- COMMERCIAL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, FEASIBILITY, ERP WITH BI TOOLS, ADVISE ON FINANCIAL, HR, RISK Ι GENERAL MANAGEMENT, GUIDE STARTUPS Ι RESTRUCTURING, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. Contact – 96500729 Email: k.profitoman@ gmail.com

Bangladeshi male 31 years, Driver fresh currently in Muscat.

Contact: 97118292 Driver with car, full time / part time job. Contact: 96320385 Driver with land cruiser, Indian seeks placement.

Contact: 99725003 Bangladeshi driver want job. Contact: 93822195 Omani male need driver job for part time. Contact: 92296607 Light duty driver experience 4 years suitable job. Can speak English, Arabic & Hindi.

Contact 98393692 Driver with car looking for job or part time. Contact: 96023492 Light driver need job knows English, Hindi & Arabic.

Contact: 92820309

EDUCATION Looking for part time tutoring on Mathematical & Statistics.

Contact: 99229700 Indian : female – MBA in foreign trade ,BE Computer Science, sap trained bi/bw with one year experience seeking for job.

Contact 90228586 email:fathimasha16@gmail.com teaching also preferred.

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Diploma Engineer (Civil) looking for job 7 years experience in Oman.

Contact: 93017821 Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine. Available NOC release. Contact: 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com Indian female (B.Tech/ Mechanical Engineering) 4 yrs Oman experience in project coordination in water, sewerage and infrastructure sector , Having valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement.

Local release available.

Contact: 95297449 B.Tech Chartered Electrical Engineer, AMIEI with 5 years of experience in electrical power transmission and distribution in industrial, residential & commercial sectors. Expertise in load designing BOQ, Estimations, transformer and switchgear selections. Leadership skills in project execution & management.

Contact: 94638744 Email: ceng.shaz@gmail.com Electrical Engineer B.Tech with 4 yrs experience in India available on visit visa looking for suitable placement. Contact: 94741401 / 97239852 Email: sobinthomask05@gmail.com Indian male 5 years experience in piping (Site Engineer / Supervisor) Indian and Oman (PDO Project) & looking for suitable post currently on visiting visa, NOC available.

Contact: 94258289 Email: nidhishgopinathan@gmail.com Indian male diploma in Mechanical Engineering have 12 years experience in oil and gas in GCC on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 92932763 Email: pnpraveen@yahoo.co.in Male 38 yrs Graduate 07 years experience indoor / outdoor electronic field with D/License & NOC available (as per new rule).

Contact: 92453375 Indian male 23 years Mechanical Engineer, 1 year experience family visit, seeking placement.

Contact: 94203042 Mechanical Engineer with QA QC experience.

Email: jerrin4alex@gmail.com Networking Engineer having 10 years experience with 3 years in Oman having valid driving license and NOC, presently in Oman needs immediate placement.

Contact - 95783383 Electrical Engineer Indian (29) , 7 years exp in Oman, 33KV, 11 KV projects in MZEC & MEDC having CEP 1 & NOC with D/L. Contact: 99822373

Finance / Project/ Program Manager Professional Qualifications : MBA, PMP, Six Sigma Country Exposure Canada & Middle East, Industry any (experienced in Banks (Islamic) Telecom Transport Nationality Canadian, In Person Interview on Sundays Contact: 97203531, +923042955747

SPECIALIST AVAILABLE FOR EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN TERM OF RESTRUCTURING ALL MODULES OF BUSINESS WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, MANUFACTURING, TRADING, APPLICATIONS, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. CONTACT – 93343251 / profitoman@ gmail.com

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. UPS Technician Electronics, Electronic technician, Solar power products 11 years experience in power electronics looking for job Oman.

Contact: 99680821 Email: joshypulikkottil@gmail.com Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine. Available NOC release. Contact: 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com Indian male Electrical Engineer with MBA (Mktg) having 4 and half years experience in technical commercial and marketing fields with valid GCC D/L, NOC available seeking placement.

Contact: + 968 96547828 Email: deva0234@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer (B.Tech) with 2 and half years experience Indian male 24 years in visit visa. Contact: 96620482 / + 91 9605423272 Email: bijumonps@gmail.com Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp seeks suitable position ina reputed company. NOC available.

Contact – 96789711 Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912 Civil Engineer with 8 yrs exp in construction having license and NOC. Contact: 97986606 Telecom Engineer Sudanese on visit visa have 1 year experience in installation and have diploma in Tally ERP & excel and one year experience. Contact: 91991215 Indian female Computer Science Engineer having two years experience in teaching and programming C .CCP Java VB HTML, Sql, Php currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 91168733 Aeronautical Engineer with MBA in Operations Management having 4 yrs experience in reputed Aviation & Oil Companies, now on visit.

Contact 91864047 / 92791625 B.E .Mechanical Engineer Indian over 4 yrs of exp in HVAC design auto cad drafting on visit visa .

Contact 90305596. Email: shaikrizwan330@gmail.com Diploma in Mechanical Eng piping system in AutoCAD work, 21+ years experience with Driving license. Contact: 95267113 Email: rkakkaryil@gmail.com 7 years teaching experience in Political Science at University level, 5 years experience as Intellectual property lawer 20 years experience of Arabic / English visa versa , translation / interpretation / Editing , 20 years of experience in management, Tri lingual (Arabic / English / French) Contact : 92175153 Indian female civil engineer B.Tech having 3 years experience sound knowledge of software, REVIT STAD PRO structural detailing currently on family visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 95345591 B.Tech Civil, 25 yrs female, 3 yrs exp in qty survey have valid GCC license. Contact: 91309475 Road and Construction Engineer with 5 years exp in Oman.

Contact: 97667113 Civil Engineer / QS engineer, 9 years experience in Oman freelance visa, searching for a suitable job in Oman. Contact: 97299165 Sudanese Civil Structure Engineer, 3 years experience with residence and Omani license, good at AutoCAD Etabs Staad.

Pro looking for suitable job.

Contact: 97906770 Civil Engineer 3 years diploma holder having 7 years experience, building construction & oil & gas field with driving license.

Contact: 93294965 Indian Electrical Engineer Btech, female 24 seeking job, presently in oman having 2 year experience in design and estimation of Ht &Lt projects. Contact 968 97436557, Mail id : sibinanoop1@gmail.com

Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).Looking for a Suitable position. Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa.

Contact: 92835952. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in designing, assembling, commissioning execution etc having valid GCC license too looking for a suitable. Contact: 00968-98052942 Email: azamjeelani78@gmail.com Civil Engineer 11 years experience in construction having driving license & NOC. Contact: 94194399 Email: shiblyrock@gmail.com Indian male 26 yrs BE- Mechanical Engineering, CSWIP 3.1 certified welding inspector + ASNT level in UT, RT, MPT, LPT with 3.5 yrs experience in QC InspectorWelding. Looking for a suitable job.

E-mail: rahmanmech2@gmail.com Mechatronics Engineer 26, MSc with 3 years industrial experience, looking for suitable placement.

NOC available. Contact 94887665 Email: mechatron_mt@yahoo.com Sr.HSE Engineer (B.E Mech+ Diploma Safety + NEBOSH+OSHA) over 10yrs. Exp, (Visa Release/Transfer Letter (NOC) available), seeking suitable placement.

Contact - 97061817, Email: jayanammu1977@gmail.com Diploma in Electronics, 2 years exp in telecommunication.

Contact: 94519571 Email: telecommunicationvishnumadhull @gmail.com Syrian Civil Engineer graduated 2012, 1 year experience in Oman.

Contact: 92967785 10 years experience in Dubai & Bangladeshi as a BSC Engineer on structural designer & construction having Dubai municipality approval & driving license. Contact: 91206763 Future 008801758846027 Email: engr.masud.civil.@gmail.com Electrical Engineer with 18 years exp in UAE. Contact: 98148034 Email: shassalih66@gmail.com 7 Yrs Exp. PM in Mech. Engg in the field of Building Const. Oil & Gas Seeking Job.94625598 Indian male Diploma Civil Engineer have 1 yr. experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job (certificate attested).

Contact: 92667406 / 99210411, Email : manojgvh@gmail.com Indian Male 23 years B.Tech Civil having 2 years experience in quantity survey and site management looking for suitable placement. Contact:- 95042656 Sudanese Telecom Engineer, 5 years experience, 3 years in Oman PMP certificate.

Contact: 93391008 Email: momen.awadallam@gmail.com Need job for experienced mason, electrician & welder.

Contact: 93015630 M.Tech in Manufacturing Engineering with 2 years of experience, on visiting visa looking for a suitable job.

Contact: 91417949 Email: dannyrangde@gmail.com Civil Engineer (BE) having total 5 years experience in building construction looking for a suitable placement. D/L available Contact# 94450270 Civil Engineer 6 yrs Exp in Oman with license. Contact: 98975518 Mechanical Engineer M.Tech 2 years experience HVAC design & site Engg revit MEP Auto CAD. Contact: 90150913 Email: mahmanmechengg@yahoo.im Bachelor Civil Engineer 6 Years in Oman experience Valid Driving License seeks suitable placement Phone 97619722 Email – golamrob@yahoo.com

Mechanical Engineer male 26 yrs, with 4 yrs of experience in manufacturing oil & gas retail, brand promoting, marketing, logistics having valid Omani D/L seeking for a suitable placement. Contact: 97098676 Email: ja237le@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact:97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Procurement Engineer (27 years single male with Oman Driving License) having 7 years experience (UAE 2, Oman 3) with expertise in MEP, Water, Electromechanical, Instrumentation seeking suitable placements. Contact 95852033, mail: hemal1988@gmail.com HSE & Fire Safety Engineer 4 years experience air port operational safety, power & chemical industry. Contact: 94374241 Sudanese Structure Civil Engineer 2 years experience resident Omani license. Contact: 94393880 Civil Engineer (Diploma) having 11 years experience in building construction, looking for a suitable placement , having Oman driving license. Noc available.

Contact: 95075365 Email: azharraaz@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer with 3 Yrs experience in international Oil & Gas company looking for job Contacts: Tel: 90164236 Email: mustafaoshi-62@hotmail.com Electrical Engineer: Indian male, 30 yrs having 5 yrs of experience in industrial automation & utility maintenance in India (MRF tyres), holding valid Oman D/L. Contact 92789995, email : akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Sudanese Architectural Engineer 2 years experience in Oman, Revit, AutoCAD 3Ds max Archicad looking for suitable job.

Contact: 94722356 Email: maya40999@hotmail.com Sri Lankan Engineer (27 Years old) – B.Sc Engineering (Hon) Mining / Geotechnical Presently in Muscat, 1.5 years experience.

Contact 91295802 / acmfaslan123@gmail.com Indian female, 31 yrs, 7 yrs experienced as AutoCAD civil draftsman (2 yrs experience in Oman) currently in Oman seeks suitable.

Contact 96789441 Email: simi5304@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY Hospitality/Hotel/ Restaurants Dynamic result oriented hospitality professional with 20 years of international exp. MBA in Hotel Management, specializing in Hotel/Restaurant start ups, concepts & Franchise development with proven records. Seeking for Challenging positions in reputed groups as GM/COO/CEO/Business Head. (NOC available) Contact: 96059470

IT Indian male 3 years experience in IT as Linux Administrator and 1 year experience in Amazon EC2, cloud at Wipro technologies Bangalore looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 92889678 Email: amalpathikal@gmail.com Indian male, MCA, 15 years experience in Oracle, developer, Orion Sage ERP, 5 years in Oman working as IT In charge, with NOC release and transferable visa.

Contact: 95398567, Email: anasa4@gmail.com Hardware & networking, 2 years exp. Contact: 96244031 5yrs experience in software and 1yr in admin, looking for a part-time or work from home jobs Contact: 91711326 Sudanese Network Administrator 1 year experience with (MCSA, CCNA, CCNP) have valid driving license. Contact: 92394485

IT Network Engineer degree Computer Science CCNA, MCSA experience NOC. Content: 92346191 Indian Male, IT System Engineer having 4 yrs of experience in system administration.CCNA,MCSE, Linux. Looking for suitable job.

Contact :91272867

MEDICAL Male Indian Dentist BDS with 9 years experience, prometric exam cleared, looking for job.

Contact 97768187/ vermanikhil492@gmail.com.

Indian lady Pediatrician available immediately, Oman prometric exam (>60%) passed Indian Kerala lady pediatrician available immediately for appointment. now available in Muscat.MOBILE NO. 96276347, 94769455 EMAIL : nadakkavil1984@gmail.com Indian male GP Doctor looking for suitable post. Dataflow & prometric completed.

Contact: 90377433 An experienced Sudanese female Dentist with MOH license looking for job. Contact 96436517 /97396088 Indian female BDS with MOH license looking for job.

Contact 95347894

MANAGER Procurement Manager / Commercial Manager / G.M Indian male having 26 years of experience in Import, procurement, logistics, Commercial activities, Warehousing, TRD & Sales. Contact: 90502724 Email: tk.sasi@gmail.com Safety Manager B.Tech (safety & fire) M. Sc 8 years experience Indian 31 years presently occupied on notice period available with clean NOC, holds Oman driving license & owns car. Contact: 94616721 Email: aibelg19@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS A Filipina lady having experience in call center, airline booking and reservations, secretarial and real estate is now looking for a job in any fields. Contact: 93839304 Filipina lady very urgently looking job only in boutique, release available ready to join immediately.

Contact: 97122152 / 91240759 10 years experience in Oman in logistics / purchase have Oman D/L looking for suitable placement.

Contact- 96410767 Email: harishkts@yahoo.com Purchaser, experience 9.5 years in Oman, Indian male, Driving License available with own car.

Currently working with ARDISEIS Oman Branch (Seismic work for PDO Oman) as a purchaser. Handling all type purchase, logistic, petty cash, stock, dispatch. Working with SAP application. Educational qualification - Post Graduate in MA (Economics) Salary – Negotiable seeks suitable Placement.

Contact 99458569 Email : nitesh.rane2015@gmail.com.

Indian female on visit MBA (International Business- Marketing & Logistics), BE (Computers & Science Engg.) Trained in SAP-BI/ BW with 1 year experience seeking for job Contact: 90228586 Email:fathimasha16@gmail.com Graduate, computer literate, experienced in sales, credit control, accounts, Omani D/L , seeks suitable placement.

Gsm 98805474 Indian Female, 24 Years - MSc Biotechnology. Worked in International Crops Research Institute For The Semi Arid Tropics for project work as trainee. Looking for suitable job. Mobile: 92619048, Email: anusreeg1991@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING

Camp Supervising 6 years looking for a good job. Contact: 98178804 / 96703816

Indian male 32, MBA (Marketing & Finance) with 10 years experience in Marketing of Banking Products & Insurance Industry. Seeking for a Job in Oman. Contact: 93576980, 97750460 Email: senthil.cbe83@gmail.com

Stone Incharge / Store keeper 8 years experience in Oman, NOC & release is available looking for good job. Contact: 98178804 / 96703816

Indian sales marketing professional highly experienced in business development in ME India and Africa seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 97897611

Indian female having 17 years of Dubai work experience in Business Process Management & Quality Assurance (ISO 9001) is looking for job in Muscat (Full time/Part time/ Consultant). Experienced in developing, training & implementation of business process documentation, leading the organization to ISO 9001 certification, Quality Audits and Business process improvements & controls.

Contact: 97903127. Email : ravichandran.mangala@gmail.com

Indian male diploma in logistics management looking for an opening, presently in Oman on visit visa. Contact: 93373421

The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: construction(Very strong and qualified to bringing business for civil work Or any type of the construction work for many million per year with a good experience in pricing and collect payment and cash management of the company & marketing projects & investments& tenders & real estate. Contact 92385033 The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: tenders& real estate& construction & marketing projects& investments & transportation & Marine services& companies management& develop business.

Contact :- 92385033 MBA (marketing) with 17 years experience in freight forwarding/ logistics industry in GCC & Oman.

Presently working as branch manager in Muscat. Looking for a suitable position. Release and NOC available. Contact: 99856331 Indian male, with experience in operations management, information security, purchase & stores mgmt, hold UAE driving license, on visit visa, seeks suitable job.

Contact 91904541 Email: naushers@yahoo.com

MISCELLANEOUS Looking for job with car education O level exp 6 yrs English, Arabic & Hindi.

Contact : 99640986

Indian male plumbing sanitary ware & building materials experience in outdoor sales (9 years) with valid D/L UAE. Contact: 98723456 Indian male, MBA Marketing having 9 years’ experience in India in marketing is seeking suitable placement. Currently in Muscat on business visa. Contact: 92417523 Marketing exceutive BBA, MCOM, Tally, exp in accouting (can continue in current visa) ph : 98269281

A dynamic professional, Female, with 8 years of experience in PURCHASE,SALES COORDINATION ,OFFICE ASSISTANT, residing in Oman with valid NOC from current company,looking for a suitable job, Ready to join Immediately”.

Contact:-shiji4123@gmail.com Phone:- 94157662 South Indian hold 12 years Omani residency – B.E, MBA, PGDM, MCIM, result oriented self starter - Techno commercial Executive 15 years core experience in business development/ marketing oil & gas (all streams) & manufacturing. seeking suitable placement. Contact 99277816/ myakram@hotmail.com A dynamic professional, female, with 8 years of experience in PURCHASE, SALES COORDINATION , OFFICE ASSISTANT, residing in Oman with valid NOC from current company, looking for a suitable job, Ready to join Immediately.

Contact:- shiji4123@gmail.com, Phone:- 94157662 Indian male 28 yrs having 6 years experience in Oman in Sales & Marketing & Office Administration, looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 99142314 Indian male, BBM, MBA, having 3 years experience in Sales looking for suitable job. Contact: 92796046

D6

M O N D AY, F E B R UA RY 1 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED SALES / MARKETING Indian male B. Pharm 15 years sales experience MOH Pharmacist license driving license looking for opportunities in Pharmacy or Sales and marketing can get NOC. Contact: 99694865 Indian male, Graduate, 9 yrs experience in FMCG – UAE, valid GCC driving license on visit seeks suitable position. Contact 92419491 / 94881950, Email : pranilpp76@gmail.com 27 years old male MBA Graduate having 1.5 years experience in Marketing seeking for good opportunities in sales & marketing.

Contact: 90572132 Email: bibi4bibin@gmail.com MBA Indian male 2.5 yrs exp in marketing & sales presently on visit visa seeking immediate placement. contact :91725539.

Email: suhailahmad1489@gmail.com Indian male 26, with more than 4 years experience in Sales and Marketing having valid GCC license on visit visa seeks suitable position. Contact: 92423161 Indian male, MBA Marketing having 2.5 years Sales experience immediately looking for a suitable position. Contact: 91415145, Email: shariqs88@gmail.com MBA graduate having 6 years exp in Sales & Marketing, 4 years with PEPSI, India, having international driving license permit seeks suitable placement.

Contact : 95308167, Email : samir.pag@gmail.com B.Com male 2 yrs experience in sales Computer knowledge, seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 98371144 email: nabilnazar22@gmail.com

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Mason, SH / carpenter, steel fitter gulf & Indian exp looking job.

Contact: 95175192

TOURS/TRAVELS Bangladeshi Male, University M.Com.Working as an Administrator cum Accountant in Oman; searching better job. Phone:94864966, email: sunrisetoiqbal@gmail.com Indian Male, 26 years, With 7 years of experience in Sales Field in shipping company in “Dubai” , looking for suitable placement.

Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office. Contact: 90182494, Manojmallya999@gmail.com IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT/ networking/server support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support.

Contact 92607532.

Light Driver looking for job.

Contact:99594946 Sudanese Mechanical Engineer 26 years old (male) with 4 years experience as Mechanical engineer , Sales engineer and Call center agent seeking suitable placement.

Contact: +968.90644235 Bangladeshi Male, University M.Com Working as an Administrator cum Accountant in Oman; searching better job.

Phone:94864966, email: sunrisetoiqbal@gmail.com MBA - (F), M.Com, B.COM. Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for part time or full time job. Presently on family visa. Contact :- 91892264.

Email:- yv.dixit@yahoo.com Bangladeshi Male, University MA, Working as Sales administrator in Oman; searching better job.

Phone:91997605, email: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com 9 yrs exp Site Engineer in Civil & Shade Structure. 2d, 3d draughtsman (holding Oman driving license) seeking job. Contact : 90139903

TECHNICIAN /MECH.

Light Duty Driver Professional, Indian male having 5 years of experience with valid Oman driving licence.NOC Available.

Contact 91652481

Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years experience preferably in water sector and having valid driving license call Ph:+968 99450811 Send CV to shiju@spec-link.com

Indian Female, BE Electronics and Communication, having oman experience looking for full time or part time job. Ready to join immediately, currently on family visa.

Contact : 92115948 / 99327912

TOURS/TRAVELS Indian male 26, on vist visa, 2+ yrs of experience with UAE D/L, IATA-FIATA,BBA looking for any suitable job. Contact 91324567 Indian female 10 years exp as cook in Oman . South Indian & Gujarati special looking for parttime job. Contact 96710189 Indian female, 27, food technologist (MSc Food Technology), 2years experience in Research and Development -Instant foods, Snack, Noodles, Oats seasonings, Soups, Curry powders. Raw Material Quality Assurance and Analysis, HACCP. Contact -93987174 , email :mayacnair@outlook.com

Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT/networking/server, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/ Network/Server support.

Contact 92607532 22, Indian BBA graduate, 1 year experience, presently on visit visa, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 91881053 Highly experienced mechanical/ steel structural fabrication engineer looking for suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 99860714, hussain20173@gmail.com.

B.Com 5yrs experience good command on tally, Excel sheet on family visa. Contact: 98002428 Email: lubnakanwal36@gmail.com

B.TEC ( IT) . 24 years, 2 Years of experience in technical support, software development, networking, troubleshooting and managing. seek suitable placement.

Contact GSM- 98184170 Purchase Executive Professional, Indian male having 6 Years of Experience in Oman Having Valid Driving Licence working as a Purchase officer, Looking for a suitable Position, NOC/LR Available.

Contact: 95132564/96456071, E-mail: naji1988@gmail.com Electronics service Technician , 4 Years experience as Electronics service engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items. Looking for suitable placement. GSM- 99105043 Searching a land surveyor job fully know latest instrument of Survey GPS and Total station two year OMAN experience.NOC Available.

Contact +96894144052, Email- wasifnaz 313@yahoo.com Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439 Indian male experienced material segregation with D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact: 92715032 Email: santhoshgeorge99@gmail. com Indian male 26 years (MBA Finance) seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 92715032 Email: ajisd@yahoo.com D.M.E, Indian, 12 yrs experience in Oman, in Project Estimation, Execution, Quality & marketing working as Estimation Engineer in acid & water tanker, semi trailor company, with havin driving license & will get NOC, seeks suitable job in Oman.

Contact 98968495.

Indian male BE, (ECE) 18 months experience in Telecom Sector as installation and Commissioning Engineer, troubleshooting the bts, 3G and LTE equipments currently on visit. Contact: 95183497 Email: v.karthi984@gmail.com 27,male,ACCA finalist, have professional experience up to finalization of accounts, statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally, focus and oracle software, have 3.5 years experience in accounts till finalization ,seeking for permanent replacement in senior position, GSM-91324962, email-abdullah.nooralam@gmail.com Chief Accountant , 7 years experienced (out of 25 years experience in accounts) worked in reputed group companies. Currently procuring MBA finance and having Omani Driving License seeks suitable openings from reputed companies. Contact : 95598477 / 98803439 Female 5 years experienced Oman as Senior Accountant. SKILLS : ERP9, MS OFFICE, SAGE, ACCPAC. GSM # 95483804 / 9986 8330.

MAIL : sararowshan344@gmail. com Indian male 25 yrs, MBA (Finance, Marketing), Overall 2 yrs exp in Accounts/Finance field, On Visit Visa. Immediately available.

Contact – 92989197 / 94786544. mail: abdulqhizer2004@gmail.com.

Bangladeshi male, University MA, working as administrator in Oman; searching better job. #91997605 mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com Indian male 25 yrs, MBA in marketing on visit looking for a job in Sales and Marketing.

Contact 91270215 Email: nibuvarughese13@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED B.TECH ( IT) . 24 years, 2 Years of experience in technical support, software development, networking, troubleshooting and managing, seeks suitable placement.

Contact GSM- 98184170

Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT/ networking/ server, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/ Network/Server support.

Contact 92607532

Indian Male 4 years experience Chef. Indian, Chinese Cuisine seek suitable placement. # 99883019

Indian, male, 28, BBM degree holder. having 2 years experience.

1 year in banking industry & 1 year in hotel industry. good accounts knowledge also. seeking a suitable job. # 94678590, email: awesh.khokar@gmail.com

Indian male having 6 Years of Experience in Oman Having Valid Driving License working as a Purchase officer, looking for a suitable Position, NOC Available.

Contact: 95132564 / 96456071, E-mail:naji1988@gmail.com Indian female 22 years 1 year experience in Secretary & Accounting, Tally, looking for suitable job on visit visa. Contact: 97084473 Email: jumihasin10@gamil.com Relationship Manager, Indian male 28 yrs, BBA, MBA 5 year’s exp, currently working in India computer skilled. Contact: 0091 974710108 / 95071632

Indian male, 26 years, With 7 years of experience in Sales Field in shipping company in “Dubai” , looking for suitable placement. Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office. Contact: 90182494, manojmallya999@gmail.com

Indian Male, pursuing ACCA with knowledge in C++, Java looking for accounting job.

Contact 94743462.

Email: zabinbashu@gmail.com Indian, Keralite seeks cleaning job part time. Contact: 90169048

Bangladeshi Male, University MA, 5 years experience in IT sales & marketing working as sales coordinator in Oman; searching better job. Phone: 91997605, email: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com

Senior Accountant Indian male 35 Years with 13 Years of Experience (7 years in Oman) in Accounts & Finance having valid Omani Driving License. Looking for job in GCC Countries. Contact: 96001918

HR Manual, Employee Handbook, Recruitment, Training, HR Consultancy. Are you looking for freelancer HR professional? Please contact on 97914669

Indian Male 28yr age having 7year gulf+ Indian experience in HR/Admin field, looking for suitable placement. Contact:97914340, Email: rajkv3086@gmail.com

BE Mechanical Engineer / MBA Indian male 25 yrs, currently working in Qatar skills MEP designing surveying, Oracle, AutoCAD, SAP. Contact: 97474470866 & C/O in Oman 95071632

Indian Female Accountant, now in Oman on Visit Visa, looking for suitable placement. #94250871.

Indian male 34 Yrs., Dual MBA Finance and marketing With IT skills, 7+ yrs. of experience, looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com Indian male M. Com 10 years of experience looking for Part time Job can do finalization #97433387 or thodaforme@gmail.com Indian male 25yr B. Com 4 years experience in trading and contracting field in India looking for suitable accountant vacancies.

Please contact 96155921 or fysal.nellaya@gmail.com Indian male looking job part time driver. Contact: 93884951

Indian male, 23 years PG diploma in Petroleum Engineering and B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering holding UAE driving license seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 95880127 / 95084905 Email: vijith2573459@gmial.com Indian Female, Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Electronics & Communication Engineering, currently in Muscat with Family Visa,1+ year experience in Teaching seeks suitable placement in Muscat. Contact 96209509

Part- Time Accountant, well experienced senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact : 98803439 Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer seeks suitable placement. Contact : 99514286, Email : azimmohd@yahoo.co.in Sri Lankan Male, 23 years old with 3 years of Sales experience and basic accounting knowledge (AAT and Tally) Seeking for a suitable position. Contact-94864296

Indian female, 35 years, Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) with no experience and BSc & MA seeking suitable positions in pharmacy, pharmacy stores, hospital, polyclinic & pharmaceutical companies. Contact 90236481 Indian male, 26 years, With 7 years of experience in Sales Field in shipping company in “Dubai” , looking for suitable placement.

Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office.

Contact: 90182494 Sudanese male 31 years, 3 years Diploma in electrical engineer , 6 years and 1year in Oman experience in building construction and electrical plants, have oman drive license. Contact No : 94549609 Well-qualified Indian Female with 8 years of experience in Procurement Supply Chain from reputed Companies in Oman seeks placement. Contact 91374217 Indian Male, 26 years, With 7 years of experience in Sales Field in shipping company in “Dubai” , looking for suitable placement. Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office.

Contact: 90182494, Manojmallya999@gmail.com Indian female accountant, now in Oman on visit visa, looking for suitable placement, Contact 94250871.

Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3 yrs exp. in IT/ networking/ server, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support.

Contact 92607532

M O N DAY, F E B R UA RY 1 , 2 0 1 6

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

TOURS

TOURS

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

SITUATION WANTTOURS ED

DRIVING

RENT A CAR

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours contact 98029602, 92808636 We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

An Investing partner needed for a printing press.

Contact: 99498949

NRI Plot for sale Shadnagar Municipality, Mahboob Nagar District, walk able distance to existing colonies, national highway and basic amenities at reasonable price.

Contact – 0091 8686631669 One bedroom flat in Guruvayoor Kerala, 2 minutes walk to Guruvayoor temple direct owner.

Contact: 00968 99466800 Plot, propeties for sale in prime location in pune Contact 95272138, (+918390982975)

MATRIMONIAL Hindu nair age 64, looking for a suitable girl.

Contact: 0091 755900189

BUYING Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299 Buying cars for cash.

Contact: 90202090

MV SALE Hiace Toyota van for sale, model 2010. Contact: 94203204 Rav4 ,2015,38000 km No.2 O.R 8200. Contact : 96474787 Hummer H2 model 2006, 178000 km, Full options Number 1 Army edition.OMR 7200.

Contact -99466773 Chaverlet Epica 2004 model RO -700, for sale. Contact 92194205 BMW 318/ 2003 for sale.

Contact 96364990

TRANSPORTATION Transportation.Contact: 99099714 Transportation Al Khuwair.

Contact: 92711421 Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909 Transportation. Contact 92015894

MANPOWER

GOOD NEWS Genuine Ayurvedic treatments & massage, Ayurvedic clinic at AL Khuwair. Contact: 24478618 / 97263637 / 93309131 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 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact: 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

AVAILABLE Party & Wedding equipment rentals.

Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting.

Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. ww.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

WANTED IELTS Coaching (academic) required nearby wadi Kabir area. Please call on mobile or msg on Whats up. Mobile no: 92927880/99012165

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver.

Contact: 99839898

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M O N D AY, F E B R UA RY 1 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED EDUCATION/CLASSES/TRAINING/COMPUTER/WEBSITE

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES LEGAL SERVICE

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English class for Malayalam Speakers

An Indian lawyer Provides all legal services in company matters.

Labour issues, contracts, agreements, LLC formation, legal help for starting new business in Oman, Civil, criminal cases,.service issues.

Ibrahim Al Massalhi.legal consultancy Sarafudheen, LLB, MBA, Legal Advisor Muscat. GSM: 97351649

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

Karate and self defense classes at Azaiba 18 Nov Street. RO 10 per month twice a week Monday and Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM. CONTACT 98294551

SERVICES We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

FURNITURE SHIFTING Maintenance, Dismantling, Packing, Shifting & Fixing furniture with expert technicians.

Contact: 99041337 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble.Contact 24793614/ 99314807 GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

Split & window A/c servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517 Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 / 94285064 Building maintenance.

Contact: 96173326

Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting,Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. Contact: 24810137, 99450130 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

SITUATION WANTSERVICES Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 A/C maintenance & servicing, fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing, painting & cleaning services, electrical & plumbing. Contact: 99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

IELTS PREPARATION Target Band 8.0

Classes for Spoken English TOEFL / GRE / GMAT / SAT Excellent Guidance and Coaching Satisfaction Guaranteed EAGLES INSTITUTE 92325542 | 93657915 | 93657917 | Email: engominst@gmail.com