Times of Oman - July 1, 2015 by Muscat Media Group

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RAMADAN PRAYER TIMINGS IFTAR 7.03PM FAJR 3.56AM

WEDNESDAY, July 1, 2015 / 14 Ramadan 1436 AH

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F R O M T O D AY

OMAN DRAWS UP NEW PLAN TO TACKLE DRUGS

MUSCAT: Beginning from today, the price of 1,180 new prescription drugs will be reduced at private pharmacies as part of the second stage of the drug price review conducted by the Directorate General of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Drug Control at the Ministry of Health. The ﬁrst phase of the project began in October 2014, with a reduction in prices of 1,400 drugs. The D-G has reviewed and ordered to lower the prices of 1,180 drugs, including antibiotics, respiratory medication, psychological medications, eye and ENT medications, in addition to medicines for cancer and bloodrelated disorders. The Directorate will continue to monitor the prices in all phar-

macies in the Sultanate through regular inspections in association with the Directorate General of Health Services. Price display The ministry has stated that the prices must be displayed by the official agent on all registered drugs. In case of cut in prices, the agent must initiate a change in the prices at all pharmacies. The ministry updates the price list on its website regularly and whenever the need arises. The Ministry of Health has urged locals and residents to refer to the website (www.moh. gov.om) to know more about the new price, and if they have complaints about the difference in price or unfair conduct, they can call 24441999.

tackle drug

Until end of 2005

20062007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

693

addiction is

550

needed as the

281

423

365

326

478

number of cases is on the rise

Total

Type of substances

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

Alcohol

elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: As the number of drug addicts in Oman increases, a national strategic plan is being prepared to tackle the scourge of drug abuse, says an official. The draft of the plan is ‘ready’ and needs to be revised and approved, said Dr Mahmoud Zaher Al Abri, secretary of the National Commission on Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Affairs. Speaking to the Times of Oman, Al Abri said that the plan is being drawn up in a joint effort by a number of authorities and is expected to be ﬁnalised in the coming months. Multi-factorial issue The issue of drug addiction is a ‘multi-factorial’ issue which requires a ‘multisectoral’ approach, he said,

4,079 Injection

31%

adding that the co-operation of all the sectors is required. The national strategic plan is aimed at addressing a wide range of issues related to drug abuse in Oman, including prevention, demand reduction, treatment and rehabilitation as well as research and study, added Al Abri. Increasing numbers According to him, the total number of drug addicts registered by the end of 2013 was 4,079 and the ﬁgure reached around 5,000 in 2014. However, the actual ﬁgure could be higher, he added.

Average age The official explained that 25 is the average age of addicts admitted to hospitals when their situation deteriorates, which suggests that the starting age could be lower. Heroin and morphine are the ‘most problematic’ substances but are not necessarily the most widely used drugs, Al Abri said, adding that other substances such as hashish may be used more. >A6

MINISTRY CIRCULAR

Auto institute to open job avenues

Thousands of Omani youths will be able to find jobs in the automotive industry with the launch of the National Automotive Higher Institute (NAHI), Oman’s first specialised automotive institute, which opens its first semester from September 2015. The institute is dedicated to teaching, training, graduating and employing Omani youths in the automotive industry in both the private and public sectors. The institute will provide hands-on training. >A2

MARKET

Kuwait detains 60 for Oman’s oil trading alleged terror links firm eyes expansion

Graphics

Al Abri said that the number of addicts is increasing and the average age of those affected is coming down.

OMAN

Kuwait has detained 60 people and closed a local charity for alleged violations in raising funds for Syrians, local media said on Tuesday, as part of a crackdown on suspected militant links after the Gulf state’s worst ever suicide bombing. >A7

Source: National Commission on Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Affairs

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Others 67%

Oman, the largest oil producer in the Middle East outside of Opec, plans to buy, lease or build fuelstorage tanks in East Africa to boost sales on the continent and open a US office to trade reﬁned products and Latin American crude. >B1

‘Pay public sector staff salary by July 14’ Times News Service MUSCAT: Salaries for public sector employees for the month of July will be paid earlier than usual due to Eid Al Fitr, Dr Darwish Al Balushi, Minister Responsible for Finance, announced in a circular. Process salaries The notice stated that due to holiday the government bodies should process salaries for July earlier so employees could receive their salaries by July 14. >A6

MUSCAT: The Sultanate has condemned the terrorist attack on Hisham Barkat, the Egyptian top public prosecutor, which claimed his life. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that ‘this terrorist act calls for the collaboration of international community to combat terrorism and eradicate its sources. The Sultanate also expressed its solidarity with the government of the Arab Republic of Egypt. -ONA

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Number of addicts registered A strategy to

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1,180 medicines set to become cheaper Times News Service

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OMAN

For household water supply 21 per cent of the population depend on wells. This includes 11 per cent who own private wells and 10 per cent who use wells outside the house. Wells provide water to 21% people in Oman >A5

CHARITY DRIVE

Donation portal collects OMR39,549 during Ramadan Times News Service

The ITA started its promotional campaign for the portal at the onset of the Holy Month.

MUSCAT: With the spirit of charity and giving in the air, the latest statistics from the donation portal www.donate.om recorded collection of more than OMR39,549 from 1,205 donors since the beginning of the Holy Month. Out of the 13 organisations and associations in the portal, the one

that raised the highest amount was the Oman Charitable Organisation (OCO) followed by Al Rahma Charity Team — Seeb, Dar Al Atta Charity and Omani Bahjah Orphan Society. The ITA started its promotional campaign for the portal at the onset of the Homy Month of Ramadan encouraging more people to log on to the website or use the

mobile app available in Android or IOs. The portal 'www.donate.om' as an alternative is secure, transparent and easy to use. The portal serves 13 organisations, including Dar Al Atta, Oman Association for Disabled, Environment Society of Oman, and The Association of the Welfare of the Handicapped, in addition to Al Noor Association for the Blind,

Association of Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs, Oman Cancer Association, and Oman Hereditary Blood Disorder Association. The others are Al Rahma Charity Team, House of Funds and Zakah, Omani Association for Elderly Friends, and Oman Diabetes Association, apart from Omani Bahjah Orphan Society, and the Oman Charitable Organisation.

When donors visit the portal, they can choose to donate either by cause or by charitable organisation. There are up to 30 different causes one can choose from such as Pay your Zakah, Zakat Al Fitr, Fasting Fidyah Expiation, and Ramadan Iftar Meal, in addition to Donation for Eid Clothes, Sadaqa, Syria Help Campaign, and Orphans Care.

Auto institute to open job avenues The National Automotive Higher

The demand (for specialised technicians) in the automotive industry is growing with an approximate 10 per cent annual growth rate

Institute will provide handson training and academic input on multiple automotive specialisations

Maqbool Ali Sultan Chairman of NAHI TARIQ AL HAREMI tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Thousands of Omani youths will be able to find jobs in the automotive industry with the launching of the National Automotive Higher Institute (NAHI), Oman’s first specialised automotive institute, which opens its first semester from September, 2015. The institute will provide hands-on training and academic input on multiple automotive specialisations to Omani students to meet the demand and create job opportunities in the automotive sector. “The number of employees currently in the automotive sector is more than 50,000 spread over all the companies and their entities across varying designations. However, Omanis cover less than 30 per cent of that total number,” said Maqbool Ali Sultan, chairman of NAHI, during its launch on Tuesday morning. According to Maqbool, analysing the research results from economic indicators and feasibility studies, confirmed the pressing need to empower 1,500 citizens annually as specialised technicians in the automotive industry. “The demand (for specialised

technicians) in the automotive industry is growing with an approximate 10 per cent annual growth rate in licenced vehicles,” said Maqbool. Partnership with GUtech NAHI also cemented a partnership with GUtech during the signing ceremony at the launch. The partnership with GUtech will assist in designing NAHI’s curriculum, programme evaluations and assisting in recruiting trainees. Students will also have the opportunity to complete their higher education at GUtech on graduating from NAHI. When asked how GUtech would partner with the automotive industry, Dr Michael Modigell, GUtech rector, said, “We have the faculty and department for engineering science and from it we educate mechanical engineers. One of the major subjects of mechanical engineering is automobiles. From the point of view of higher education, GUtech has a natural connection to automobile technology, and for sure we are interested in transferring this experience and knowledge to the lower level.”

NAHI is accredited by the Institute for Motor Industries and City and Guilds which offers advanced diploma programmes, competency based training and short courses. The institute will admit 390 students in the ﬁrst batch of its graduating class by September of 2015 and are looking to continue admitting over 390 students every semester. NAHI’s founding members are Royal Court Affairs, Bahwan International Group Holding, Zubair Automotive Group, and Mohsin Haider Darwish, apart from Saud Bahwan Automotive, Towell Auto Center, Zawawi Trading Company, and Moosa Abdul Rahman Hassan and Company. Unique initiative Mohammad Saud Bahwan, chairman of Bahwan Group said, “NAHI is a unique joint initiative by the founding members to develop professional training based on international practices. The graduates will be met with excellent job opportunities and career prospects in the automotive sector upon successfully completing their training.” RAMADAN PROJECT

Bait Al Zubair set for 'Hubta' Times News Service MUSCAT: Bait Al Zubair would be holding the second round of Hubta during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The word ‘Hubta’ itself means a traditional market which is held before Eid in a number of wilayats of the Sultanate. People offer a range of products and materials for sale in preparation for Eid. ‘Hubta’ is a large gathering where people offer the finest products for others to buy for Eid. The ‘Hubtat Al Afkar’ is inspired by the traditional Omani market in which the produce of the market is turned into an artistic project for young people to showcase their talents, abilities and ideas. Anyone who is interested can participate to develop a cultural and artistic view of the Sultanate. The first ‘Hubatat Al Afkar’ was held on the February 23 at Bait Al Zubair, where five of the participants displayed their talent. To participate in this project, people can submit a request through bazm@baitalzubair.com and an application will be sent that must be filled out and returned to them. For more information about Bait Al Zubair events and activities join them on Facebook www.facebook.com/bait.alzubair and Twitter and Instagram on: @Bait_Al Zubair.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015

W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015

TODAY’S DUAA ‘Our Lord! Bestow on us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders of the Muttaqun (the righteous).’

The Night of Power It is the crowning glory of this season of worship, writes AFTAB H. KOLA

e are approaching the last ashra of Ramadan and it is time to augment our prayers and good deeds as we prepare to encounter the Lailat Al Qadr, or the Night of Decree, or the Night of Power. Lailat Al Qadr marks the night in which the Holy Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) by Allah. Muslims regard this as the most important event in history, and the Holy Quran says that this night is better than a thousand months (97:3), and that on this night the angels descend to earth. Allah the Almighty declares: “Verily, We have sent it (Holy Quran) down in the night of Al Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know what the night of Al Qadr is? The night of Al Qadr is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels including Angel Gabriel by Allah’s permission with all Decrees. (All that night), there is peace (and Goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.” (Holy Quran). The Night of Power is the crowning glory of this season of worship. It is most likely to take place in the last 10 days of the month when a Muslim’s devotion reaches its zenith. As mentioned in our earlier article, one way of doing this is to stay in a mosque for Itikaaf, following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It was on this night that the Holy Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by Allah. That was a defining event because it meant that Allah chose to show man the way to his happiness in this present life and the life hereafter, providing him with a constitution to implement. Little wonder that this beautiful night is regarded by Mus-

lims as the most important event in history. It is a night that every living Muslim craves to stand/sit before the Creator, supplicate Him, and seek for better days ahead. Since Allah decrees whatever is ahead of his servants on that night, it is therefore apparent that whoever is fortunate to be alive on that night and be in prayers, crying to Allah in submissiveness with sincere heart, and being repentant as well as remorseful of his sins, Allah would surely listen to him and decree better life for him. Tradition says that whoever establishes the prayers on the night of Al Qadr out of sincere faith hoping to attain Allah’s rewards (not to show off ), then all his past sins will be forgiven. Ibrahim Yahaya, a senior English lecturer at British Academic Centre in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, writes, “Because of the special nature and importance of this night, Allah has intentionally hidden the exact day from Muslims. This is because Allah in His inestimable wisdom wants people to strive in achieving something better in life. “He has concealed the exact day of the Qadr night so that we may double our efforts in the whole month of Ramadan or at least in the last 10 days. The true believer will search for the night of Qadr at late night and in the early hours until he or she attains it, regardless of the hardship.” Some people, however, take Ramadan 27 as a traditional date to observe this night. But we stress that the Prophet (PBUH) did not mention any such day of Ramadan as the Night of Power. There are some scholars who believe Lailatul Qadr falls on the ﬁrst two ashras of Ramadan but there is an overwhelming consensus that the night falls on the last 10 days of Ramadan, speciﬁcally on the odd-numbered nights. This is supported by Bukhari Hadith which says, “The Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: ‘Seek it (the

Hadith of the day SALMAN IBN AMIR Dhabi related that the Prophet said: Break your fast with dates, or else with water, for it is pure (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi). 11 Aisha related that Rasulullah was asked whether one should fast when on a journey, and he replied: Fast if you like, or postpone it if you like. (Bukhari, Muslim).

Qadr Night) on the odd nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan’.” Aishah reports: “When it was the (last) third of the month (of Ramadan), the Prophet (PBUH) used to strengthen his resolve, spend the nights in worship and wake up his household.” (Related by Bukhari). It is on this night that destinies of individuals are decided. The Holy Quran says, “Therein [that night] is decreed every matter of ordainment.” Eminent Islamic scholar Adil Salahi writes, “The Prophet (PBUH) who has taught us all good things has shown us the way to make the best beneﬁt of this night and to ensure that we receive its blessings. “He has indicated that spending the night, or most of it, in worship ensures the forgiveness of all of one’s past sins. One may alternate between different types of worship: prayer, reciting the Holy Quran, gloriﬁcation of God and supplication. It extends from the time when the obligatory prayer of Isha has been offered to the time when Fajr prayer is due at dawn. “What is important is the sincerity that must be characteristic of one’s action. It should be in complete devotion to God and seeking His acceptance.” Muslims are encouraged to seek this night and spend it diligently in devotion, including performing Salah, reciting the Holy Quran, supplicating and making Dhikr. If such a mighty opportunity is coming our way to earn rewards, then should we neglect this event? The Prophet (PBUH) has taught us an easy and enjoyable way to commemorate that night, so that our souls may always be in close communion with it and with the universal event which took place in it. He has urged us to spend this night of each year in devotion. He said, “Seek the Night of Power in the last ten nights of Ramadan.” He who spends the night of Power in worship, with a pure motive of faith and devotion, will have all his past sins forgiven.”

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OMAN

Wells provide water to 21% people Roughly 24 per cent of the population prefers bottled water and it is the ﬁrst choice in the Muscat governorate with 39 per cent of the population opting for it. The use of bottled water has its economic and environmental effects on the communities. They constitute a burden for the budgets of families. In addition, disposal of plastic bottles, labels and ink poses great risks for the environment.

Roughly 24 per cent of the population prefers bottled water and it is the ﬁrst choice in the Muscat governorate

WATER LIFELINE: An official study showed that 53 per cent of the Sultanate’s population uses the government network as a source of household water, while 21 per cent of the people depend on wells.–ONA

MUSCAT: Increasing population has resulted in the rising demand for water supply services that include drinking water equipment. Household drinking water sources have increased 24.3 per cent from 2003 to 2010, according to the study on ‘Drinking Water Sources and Household Water’ issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The public water network had been used by the highest percentage of drinking water users in

urban areas, or about 41 per cent. The same applies to household water sources. Public network The public network was the most used source of drinking water or household usage in the different kinds of residential units and constituted an increase of 37.4 per cent and 54.7 per cent, respectively. Roughly 51.4 per cent of Omanis and 55.7 per cent expatriates use the public water network as a

L E G I S L AT U R E

State Council okays report on transport, wastewater laws MUSCAT: State Council on Tuesday approved the report of the Legal Committee on the Land Transport Law and the review of legislations on the wastewater sector, under the chairmanship of Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, chairman, at the Council building. The report of the Legal Committee on Land Transport Law, was sent to the State Council by the Council of Ministers. The chairman of the State Council opened the meeting with warmest congratulations and blessings to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan. The Chairman of the State Council said the agenda of the meeting included the discus-

sion of the Land Transport Law, and on the proposal by the Social Committee on the review of the governing legislations of the wastewater sector. The Council then discussed the report on the Land Transport Law and approved it, while the proposal to review the legislations of the wastewater sector was approved after adding amendments and taking the remarks of members into consideration. The Chairman of the State Council said that the Council will conclude on Wednesday by discussing the proposal submitted by the Education Committee on the study of the learning status of persons with disabilities (blended learning), and discuss the rest of the items on the agenda.–ONA

AV I AT I O N PA C K A G E

Oman Air, Mercedes in partnership for new luxury service

LUXURY ABOARD: First Class passengers will now be able to make use of the chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz S400 L AMG limousines between Oman Air’s First Class lounge at Muscat International Airport and their aircraft.– Supplied photo

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Air will be offering its premium passengers in Muscat, who are ﬂying in First Class, an even greater comfort and convenience. First Class passengers will now be able to make use of the brand new, chauffeur-driven MercedesBenz S400 L AMG limousines between Oman Air’s First Class lounge at Muscat International Airport and their aircraft. In addition, upon landing at Muscat, First Class customers will also be met with the limousines at the aircraft and whisked away to the arrivals in style and elegance. The service is the result of a new partnership between Oman Air and Mercedes-Benz Oman. The service was launched at an official handover ceremony at the Oman Air Headquarters recently. The ceremony was attended by Paul Gregorowitsch, Oman Air’s chief executive officer, and Clive Hammond, Mercedes-Benz Oman’s chief executive officer Automotive. Gregorowitsch welcomed the new service, saying, “This part-

nership reﬂects the very high quality that Oman Air is committed to offering all our customers. It also reinforces the powerful brand image of our national airline. “Our First Class passengers deserve only the best and they can now enjoy the luxury of an exclusive transportation service using Mercedes-Benz limousines between the First Class lounge and the aircraft,” he said. “We look forward to a lasting and productive partnership with Mercedes-Benz Oman, and to exceeding the expectations of our invaluable customers,” added Gregorowitsch. Hammond added, “I am delighted that Mercedes-Benz S400 L AMG limousines will now be part of the service for Oman Air’s premium customers at Muscat International Airport.” “The S-Class embodies the ‘Essence of Luxury’ of MercedesBenz like no other model series, and it will complement Oman Air’s renowned high standards and award winning service. I look forward to a close working relationship with Oman Air through this luxurious service to their customers,” he added.

source of drinking water. The results of the study showed that 53 per cent of the Sultanate’s population uses the government network as a source of household water, while 21 per cent of the population depend on wells. This includes 11 per cent who own private wells and 10 per cent who use wells outside the house. Twenty per cent of people use public water outlets, the third source of household water. About 37.4 per cent of the population in the governorates and

wilayats received drinking water in their homes from government water pipelines, and it was also their preferred source of water. The study showed that bottled water came second at 24 per cent on the list of sources for drinking water in the Sultanate. Public water outlets came in third with 22.8 per cent of the population using it for drinking water. People who used other sources of water such as wells outside the houses constituted 6.6 per cent of

the population and users of private wells touched 3.7 per cent. Unclassified sources According 2010 census data, five per cent of the Sultanate’s population relies on unclassified water sources. That increases to more than 6 per cent if other sources are added to it. This raises concerns because unknown sources of water could cause health problems, particularly if the water includes organic and chemical pollutants.

Aﬂaj system Despite the spread of the Aﬂaj system that constitutes an important part of Omani communities, they are used by just 0.6 per cent of the population and only to provide household water. The Sultanate has two main water sources that are conventional and non-conventional. Conventional water resources include surface and underground water, which constitute 84 per cent of water resources, while the non-conventional water includes desalination water and treated wastewater that constitute about 16 per cent of the resources. –ONA

W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015

OMAN

LuLu has over the past years become an integral part of Oman’s landscape and ﬁrmly established itself as one of the most preferred retail destinations for locals and the expatriate communities in Oman Yusuff Ali M A, LuLu Group managing director

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DAMAGED CABLE

MINISTERIAL DECISIONS

Work on to restore Ruwi power supply

SOUTH AFRICAN ENVOY HOSTS IFTAR

Health officials reappointed

South Africa’s ambassador to Oman, Maj. Gen. Chris Pepani, in association with Grand Hyatt, hosted an Iftar for members of the diplomatic community and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. - Photo: AR Rajkumar

Times News Service Times News Service MUSCAT: A large part of Ruwi area was reeling under power crisis on Tuesday since 2am as a cable was damaged during a civil construction work in the area . When contacted at 6 pm, the Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC) call centre said that there has been a power cut in Ruwi since 1:59 am and engineers are working to restore the supply. An official at MEDC said despite all the precautions taken by the department, civil contractors continue to violate the norms. Power cut “We are hoping that power will be restored some time during the afternoon in the day,” he said. “The company was not careful, and unfortunately, this is not the ﬁrst time that such a thing has happened,” said the official. “We have assembled our emer-

MUSCAT: Dr Ahmed Mohammed Al Saidi, minister of health, reappointed a number of officials in the governorates, effective from August 2. Through several ministerial decisions, he re-appointed Ahmed Mohammed Al Washahi and Ahmed Mohammed Al Mahri as directors general of health services in Mussandam and Al Buraimi, respectively. Mohammed Khamis Al Farsi and Nasir Saif Al Sa’di were transferred to the Undersecretary’s Office of Health Affairs. In addition, the minister issued two decisions regarding secondment of Sultan Saif Al Sa’di and Khalifa Saif Al Ya’qoobi as directors general of health services in South Al Sharqiah and in Al Wusta governorates, respectively. Moreover, Dr Al Saidi reappointed Dr Ali Abd Al Husain Al Lawati as an advisor in Engineering Affairs at the minister’s office. This decision comes into force from the date of issue.

A cable was damaged during a civil construction work in Ruwi area.

gency teams and repairmen, and they have been working on restoring power since the breakdown was reported. They have not given us an exact time on when the power will be restored, but we are expecting the repairs to be completed by the afternoon,” he explained.

LuLu Group to open new Sohar store today

SHOPPING DELIGHT: The hypermarket will cater to all the needs of the consumers, ranging from fresh vegetables and fruits to hot food, bakery and grocery, in addition to garments, electronics and home appliance. – Supplied photo

country and contribute to the economic growth of the Sultanate.” “We are committed to further boosting our presence in Oman in the coming years. Guided by its core values and principles, the LuLu group aims to set a new benchmark for retail that everyone else can follow. The support from customers has always remained a driving force for us to strive and do better. The successful integration of several Omani nationals into our workforce has been helpful in further strengthening our presence in the region, and we will continue to ensure that there is adequate focus in this area,” said Yusuff Ali.

The new store in Sohar is the 117th hypermarket of the LuLu Group and is an initiative by the group to further expand its retail presence in the Sultanate

Times News Service SOHAR: A new hypermarket of the LuLu Group is set to open in Sohar, the major industrial hub of the Sultanate, on July 1, 2015. The new store in Sohar is the 117th hypermarket of the LuLu Group and is an initiative by the group to further expand its retail presence in the Sultanate. The hypermarket will be inaugurated by Eng Ahmed bin Hassan Al Dheeb, undersecretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in the presence of LuLu Group managing director, Yusuff Ali M A, dignitaries and top officials of the LuLu group. Spread over an area of 200,000 square feet, the new store is specially designed to offer the

residents of Sohar an all-new standard shopping experience at affordable prices. The hypermarket will cater to all the needs of the consumers, ranging from fresh vegetables and fruits to hot food, bakery and grocery, in addition to garments, electronics and home appliances. There are also special sections for dairy products, meat and ﬁsh. The hypermarket also has a huge area dedicated for department store items like electronics, home appliances, furnishing and furniture. It also offers a range of highquality products catering to all the needs of the entire family. The outlet also has the widest choice of world-class fashion brands and products for women, men and children under one roof. The new outlet also features extensively laid out counters, attentive services and ample

parking spaces to add to a hasslefree shopping experience. The hypermarket is also equipped with play areas for children, food court, money exchange and bank counters for the convenience of customers. Commenting on the latest project Yusuff Ali, said, “LuLu has over the past years become an integral part of Oman’s landscape and ﬁrmly established itself as one of the most preferred retail destinations for locals and the expatriate communities in Oman. “The new outlet in Sohar is yet another initiative by the group to provide residents a world-class shopping experience that also offers great value for money. We are very grateful to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the government for its vision and policies that encourage and provide a conducive environment for us to continue our endeavours in this

CHALLENGES

< FROM

GOVERNMENT CIRCULAR

Drug abuse

Asked about the challenges facing the efforts to combat drug abuse in Oman, he noted that one of them is the fact that the actual number of addicts is not known. Challenge The other challenge is that it is difficult to specify the reasons behind drug abuse in Oman, which requires the collaboration of different authorities, he added.

Symbol of quality LuLu Hypermarkets have stood out as a symbol of quality and services in retailing. The group aims to set international standards in all their outlets to offer customers a shopping experience like never before. With each new project, LuLu strives for excellence by providing customers a pleasant and novel shopping ambience by integrating all conceivable needs. A genuine symbol of quality retailing with over 116 stores, LuLu Hypermarkets have been known as an innovator of the retail industry in the region. Today, their hypermarkets are immensely popular among the discerning shoppers across the Gulf region as a one-stop shop for all their needs, aptly justifying its tagline, “LuLu, where the world comes to shop”.

Al Abri also noted that another problematic factor is the high relapse rate for drug-addict patients, which is over 50 per cent and sometimes reaches to as high as 70 or even 80 per cent. In addition, more educational campaigns are required to raise awareness among the youth and their families about the issue of drug abuse, concluded the official.

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A1 July salary The circular also states that the deadline for registering salaries in the government system is July 8 as the IT department in each organisation has to register the daily and monthly updates in the system as well. The circular states that all the government organisations should review the daily and monthly updates of their audit departments. It gave July 12 the deadline for approving salaries by each government body. The circular also stressed that each government body should transfer the salaries by July 14.

WE DNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015 We are in a state of war. It’s a war that had been decided with this cell. But there are other cells, and we will not wait for them to try their luck with us. Sheikh Mohammad Al Khaled Al Sabah, Kuwait’s Interior Minister

REGION

Eight women among 28 killed in attack on Houthis claimed by IS Late on Monday, a car bomb targeted two brothers, both rebel chiefs, during a gathering to mourn the death of a relative

SANAA: An attack on Houthi rebel leaders in Yemen’s capital claimed by the IS militant group has killed at least 28 people, medics said on Tuesday, in the latest anti-rebel assault by the extremists. Yemen was previously the preserve of IS’s militant rival Al Qaeda, which controls swathes of the south and east, but since March the group has claimed a string of high-proﬁle attacks. The car bomb late on Monday targeted two brothers, both rebel chiefs, during a gathering to mourn the death of a relative, a security source said. Eight women were among the dead. The explosion blew a crater in the road, took chunks out of nearby walls and left debris strewn across the street. Online statement IS said in an online statement it had organised the attack on what it called a “nest”. The group has repeatedly targeted Houthis in Yemen.

DESTROYED: Police officers inspect the site of a car bomb attack in Yemen’s capital Sanaa late on Monday. A car bomb claimed by IS mili-

tant group exploded in the Yemeni capital Sanaa overnight, medics said, wounding at least 28 people gathered to mourn another attack earlier this month. – Reuters

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IS claimed a car bombing that killed two people outside a mosque in Sanaa on June 20 and a series of attacks in the capital four days earlier that killed 31. The group launched its Yemen

campaign in March with a series of bombings of mosques that killed 142 people. The attacks have overshadowed the operations of rival Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula which overran Mukalla, capital of Hadramawt province in southeast Yemen, in March. Washington still regards AQAP as the network’s most dangerous branch by Washington, and has kept up a drone war against its leaders inside Yemen.

But analysts say IS is now clearly in the ascendant. IS is “in the process of supplanting AQAP, which is becoming just one of a number of forces in the tribal camp in southern Yemen,” said Mathieu Guidere, professor at France’s University of Toulouse. The Houthi rebels have seized vast swathes of the country since launching an offensive last July, forcing President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to ﬂee to Saudi

MOSQUE BOMBING

Kuwait in ‘state of war’ with militants KUWAIT: Kuwait’s interior minister said on Tuesday the Gulf country was at war with hardline militants and would strike out at cells believed to be on its soil. The ultra-radical IS group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing on Friday on a mosque in Kuwait City which killed 27 people, the worst attack of its kind in the country. Kuwaiti authorities have detained 60 people in connection with the bombing and closed a charity for alleged militant ties in raising funds for Syrians, local newspapers said on Tuesday. “We are in a state of war. It’s a war that had been decided with this cell. But there are other cells, and we will not wait for them to

try their luck with us,” Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al Khaled Al Sabah told parliament. The Kuwaiti newspaper Al Qabas reported on Tuesday that five people arrested for suspected involvement in the attack had been referred to the public prosecutor. The five, it said, had confessed to receiving financial transfers from abroad to carry out attacks targeting houses of worship. The cell had considered two other possible targets before deciding on the Al Imam Al Sadeq mosque, Al Sabah said. Kuwait has stepped up security after the bomber, a Saudi citizen named Fahd Suliman Abdul Muhsen Al Qabaa, flew in from the kingdom hours before detonating himself.

In a posthumous audio message stamped with IS’s logo and posted online, Al Qabaa called “enemies of Almighty everywhere, especially in Kuwait”. Kuwaiti officials said the attack was aimed at stirring up sectarian strife in the country. Since the suicide bombing, plainclothes officers have carried out arrest raids on the homes of ﬁve people for possession of illegal weapons. Al Qabas newspaper quoted security sources as saying that 60 people, including Kuwaiti citizens and nationals of other Gulf countries, in all were being held for investigation. Some had been found to have been in contact with militants while others were suspected of belonging to “extremist” groups,

PLEDGE

Sisi vows tougher laws after prosecutor’s assassination CAIRO: A visibly angry Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi pledged tougher laws against militants and suggested fast track executions at the funeral on Tuesday of the state prosecutor assassinated in a car bombing. Hisham Barakat died in hospital after a car bomb tore through his convoy in Cairo on Monday morning, the most senior official killed by hardline insurgents who have bedevilled the country. The attack, as Barakat was en route to his ofﬁce, was a blow to former army chief Sisi, who won elections after ousting former president Mohamed Morsi on July 3, 2013. Barakat’s funeral coincided with the second anniversary of mass protests that preceded Morsi’s overthrow. “The arm of justice is chained by the law. We’re not going to wait for this. We’re going to amend the law to allow us to implement justice as soon as possible,” Sisi said in a televised speech surrounded by Barakat’s mourning relatives. “Do courts in these circumstances work? Do these laws work? They work with normal people,” said Sisi, shaking a clenched ﬁst for emphasis. Hundreds of policemen and soldiers have been killed since Morsi’s ouster by militants based in the sparsely populated Sinai Peninsula. The IS militant group’s affiliate there has claimed responsibility for the deadliest attacks. At least 1,400 people, most of them Morsi supporters, have

SOLEMN VOW: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, centre, and ministers attend public prosecutor Hisham Barakat’s funeral service in Cairo, on Tuesday. – Reuters/The Egyptian Presidency/Handout

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been killed in a police crackdown on protests. Meanwhile, thousands of people, mostly hardliners but also including dissidents, have been jailed and hundreds sentenced to death. Morsi himself has been sentenced to death. Seven have been executed. Most of those sentenced to death are appealing the verdicts, a lengthy and convoluted process, but Sisi suggested it

would be fast tracked. “If there is a death sentence, a death sentence will be implemented,” Sisi said. “The law! The law! “We’re not going to wait ﬁve or 10 years to try the people killing us,” Sisi said. Outside the mosque where the funeral was held, a crowd of 50 protesters chanted: “The people demand the execution of the Muslim Brotherhood.” Inside, Justice Minister Ahmed Al Zind, a recently appointed hardliner, told judges to avenge Barakat’s killing. “The ball is now in the judges’ court. Take your revenge using the law. Effective, swift law that doesn’t take ﬁve years.” — AFP

Al Qabas reported, without elaborating. The newspaper did not name them but Kuwait’s interior ministry has said it had detained the driver of the vehicle that took Qabaa to the mosque, the owner of the car and the owner of the house where the driver went to hide after the attack. Kuwaiti authorities were not immediately available for comment on the Al Qabas report. Al Rai, another Arabic-language newspaper, said the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs permanently closed down the Fahd Al Ahmed charity due to “repeated violations despite the warnings” that funds be collected through official channels. Charity representatives were not immediately available for comment. — Reuters

Arabia. Neither peace talks in Geneva nor a Saudi-led air campaign begun in March have driven them from power and they remain locked in battle with pro-government ﬁghters, tribesmen and southern separatists. Yemen’s official Saba news agency, controlled by the Houthis, reported early Tuesday that the rebels had ﬁred a Scud missile at Al Salil military base in Riyadh province, deep inside Saudi Arabia.

“This is another message to the forces of oppression,” a military spokesman was quoted as saying, promising “new surprises in the coming days”. Saudi Arabia denied a Scud had hit its territory. “We’re not aware of anything. Not a square metre (yard) was damaged in Saudi Arabia,” an official in Riyadh said, adding there had been no radar contact and no missile intercepted. A Scud intercepted in early June was the heaviest weapon fired by the Houthis, whose bombardments and skirmishes along the border have killed at least 45 Saudi troops and civilians, including a soldier hit by rebel fire on Monday. In the battleground southern port of Aden, Yemen’s second city, fighting raged on Tuesday between the rebels and their opponents. A pregnant woman and two children were among 13 people killed over the past 48 hours, medics said. Another 216 people were wounded. Oil tanks at the city’s refinery were still ablaze after being hit by rebel fire on Saturday. Saudi-led aircraft carried out 20 strikes in support of loyalists, a local official said. On Monday, UN chief Ban Kimoon called for an investigation after Saudi-led air strikes hit the UN Development Programme compound in the city, wounding a guard and causing serious damage. And a local official accused the rebels of firing on a Qatari aid ship preventing it from docking in the city, which is in desperate need of relief supplies. — AFP

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INDIA

The prime minister reiterated his vision of governance based on trust and simpliﬁcation of processes, and exhorted Indian Industry to work towards technological self-reliance PMO statement

Jaya scores landslide victory in by-election Expressing joy and thanking the electorate for giving her a huge victory, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said ‘it is a historic win, I assure that I will tirelessly work to fulﬁl the voters’ expectations, and needs’

CHENNAI/BHOPAL: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa scored a landslide victory today winning by a record margin of over 150,000 votes, as ruling parties won all the six seats where by-elections were held in five states which also included south Indian state Kerala and central Indian state Madhya Pradesh. With her victory a foregone conclusion, Jayalalithaa won the R K Nagar seat in Chennai by a margin of 150,722 votes trouncing her nearest Communist Party of India (CPI) rival C. Mahendran who forfeited his deposit like other contestants. Historic win Expressing joy and thanking the electorate for giving her a huge victory, Jayalalithaa said “it is a historic win, I assure that I will tirelessly work to fulfil the voters’ expectations, and needs.” Out of the total votes polled in the city constituency, a massive 88.43 per cent of the electorate had voted “for me which is historic,” she said. Jayalalithaa had to fulfil the constitutional requirement of getting elected as MLA within six months

JUBILANT: AIADMK supporters celebrate the party chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s victory in RK Nagar bypolls, at her Poes Garden Residence in Chennai on Tuesday. -PTI

of becoming Chief Minister. AIADMK’s P Vetrivel had vacated the seat to enable her to seek reelection. She returned to the top post on May 23 after being acquitted in a disproportionate assets case by the Karnataka High Court. Relief for UDF in Kerala In a shot in the arm for the United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala ahead of assembly polls next year, K. S. Sabarinadhan of Congress won from Aruvikkara in Thiruvananthapuram by a margin of 10,128 votes defeating his nearest Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) rival M Vijayakumar of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Sabarinadhan, son of former speaker G Karthikeyan, whose death in February necessitated the bypoll, polled 56,448 votes, while Vijayakumar, a former speaker and ex-state minister, bagged 46,320 votes and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and former Union Minister O Rajagopal got 34,145 votes in the ﬁerce triangular contest. The poll outcome in Kerala is a big relief for the four-year-old

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UDF government as the opposition had used every opportunity to corner the government on the solar and bar bribery scams. Attacking the CPI(M), a beaming Chief Minister Oomen Chandy said the party had insulted the electorate by alleging that the UDF had earned the victory by splurging money earned through corrupt deals and liquor. BJP retains Garoth seat BJP retained Garoth Assembly seat in MP’s Mandsaur district albeit with a reduced margin than in the 2013 Assembly polls. Chander Singh Sisodia defeated Congress’ Subhash Kumar Sojatia with a margin of 12,945 votes, an election officer said. The BJP had earlier won by a margin of 25,755 votes. The Congress, however, termed BJP’s win with a lower margin than earlier as a “moral defeat” for the ruling party.

CPI(M) victorious in Tripura CPI(M) won both the Pratapgarh (SC) and Surma (SC) assembly seats by a huge margin in Tripura. Ramu Das defeated his nearest BJP rival Mousami Das by a margin of 17,326 votes in Pratapgarh constituency while Anjan Das beat his nearest BJP rival Asish Das in Surma by a margin of 15,309 votes. Signiﬁcantly, BJP dislodged the Congress from the second position in both the seats. Congress wins in Chokpot In Meghalaya, Congress won the Chokpot seat by a margin of 2,550 votes with its candidate Blubell R. Sangma defeating her nearest rival Philipole Marak of National People’s Party. While Blubell R Sangma secured 8,042 votes, Philipole Marak secured 5,492 votes, state election office said. - PTI

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CONTROVERSIAL BILL

RSS affiliate slams NDA’s Land Bill NEW DELHI: Yet another RSSaffiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Tuesday slammed the Land Acquisition Bill brought by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, saying it contains “several detestable and unacceptable sections”. Appearing before the Joint Committee of Parliament which is examining the controversial legislation, SJM delegation led by its national convenor Ashwani Mahajan criticised the doing away of consent clause and social impact assessment provisions in the bill. The four-member delegation said the consent of farmers should be ensured before land acquisition of any kind and it should also have a comprehensive assessment about need, social and environmental impact of the land acquisition before land acquisition, sources said. The SJM said the NDA government brought the Ordinance to replace the 2013 Land Act in “undue hurry” and that the bill contains “several detestable and unacceptable sections”. SJM joins other RSS affiliates like Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh and Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram which have already opposed the bill. The panel has so far recorded the personal appearance of 52 individuals and organizations out of 510 representations it received. Sources said the panel will begin examining provisions of the bill clause wise in next few days. Consent clause With SJM, almost all Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh affilliates have expressed their opposition to removal of consent clause and social impact assessment provisions in the new bill. “Re-promulgated Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Ressettlement (Amendment) Ordinance issued on April 3, 2015 contains several detestable and unacceptable sections, even after incorporation of several amendments that have been included in 2015 ordinance under intense public pressure,” the Manch told the panel. In its eight-point representation, it stressed that agricultural and forest land should not be allowed to be acquired for any other purpose in the interest of food security of the nation and that the

SJM demanded that the government should issue a white paper on status of land acquisition since 1947 and asked it to come out with a comprehensive land use policy instead of looking at the issue of land acquisition in pieces

“government should not own the responsibility of acquiring land for the neeeds of the private industries.” The SJM said the land use change must not be allowed from the purpose for which it was acquired and in case the beneficiary of the land acquisition fails to use the land within specified period, land should be returned to the original owners without applying any conditions. It demanded that the government should issue a white paper on status of land acquisition since 1947 and asked it to come out with a comprehensive land use policy instead of looking at the issue of land acquisition in pieces. Batting for the 2013 land law passed by UPA, the Manch said in its written representation, “Original Act of 2013 provided for return of land to the original owners, after expiry of five years. The clause has also been diluted in the Ordinance, by substituting in section 101, for the words ‘a period of five years’, the words “a period specified for setting up of any projects or five years, whichever is later’. “This amendment needs to be deleted or suitably amended to ensure return of land if the project for which land is acquired, does not initiate as per the scheduled time,” it said. - PTI

BUSINESS LEADERS MEET

PM hears industry’s woes; asks them to innovate, make in India NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met business leaders to hear their grievances on issues ranging from high capital cost to ease of doing business to certainty on taxation matters, as he interacted for the first time with the Indian industry chambers since taking charge over a year ago. Modi held separate meetings with the delegations of the two apex industry bodies — Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The industry leaders told Prime Minister about investment not picking up due to high cost of capital, poor credit growth and difficulties faced by small and medium enterprises in doing business, top FICCI sources said. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said the delegations “appreciated” the work done over past one year and steps taken to improve ease of doing business. The prime minister has met any Indian industry chamber delegation for the first time since taking charge on May 26, 2014 and follows concerns having been raised in some quarters that not much has moved on ground in the past one year despite good intentions and their grievances were not being heard. Technological self-reliance In his meeting with the CII delegation, Modi asked the industry to cut the import reliance in oil, electronics and defence sectors and said his attention has been on speeding up the projects. He also called on the industry to innovate and make in India to create jobs. “The prime minister reiterated his vision of governance based on trust and simplification of

AIRING GRIEVANCES : Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets a delegation of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi on Tuesday. - PTI

processes, and exhorted Indian Industry to work towards technological self-reliance,” the PMO statement said. Modi also asked industry to be more proactive towards the cause of sanitation, as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. In his meeting with the FICCI delegation, Modi urged the industry “to work towards growth in key sectors such as agro-products, textiles and defence related manufacturing”. He also asked the industry leaders to take advantage of the various initiatives being taken by the Union Government for the infrastructure sector, including railways. Reliable sources in FICCI told PTI that they raised issue of business environment for small and medium industry not being conducive where something like settling of commercial contract is becoming difficult and called for better coordination between state and local bodies. “We also raised the issue of

competitiveness. We pointed out that unless cost of ﬁnance comes down we won’t see domestic investment picking up and creation of demand. We also raised poor competitiveness vis-a-vis low tariffs on FTAs. “We raised the issue of ﬁnancial markets where capital markets are performing well but credit market is not doing good. We mentioned that the regulatory environment in India is good but regulators should also be facilitators to promote industry and growth,” the source said. The delegation also expressed hope that GST would be introduced soon and the tax rate would be reasonable. “The prime minister was extremely happy to hear our views,” the source said adding the land acquisition issue was not discussed at the meeting. The 11-member FICCI delegation was led by its President Jyotsna Suri. “The meeting was a constructive one. We all came away feeling very positive,” CII President Sumit Mazumder said. - PTI

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INDIA

Claims, counter-claims over Dholpur palace controversy On a day of claims and counter claims, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told reporters in Delhi, ‘There has been a criminal nexus between Lalit Modi and the Vasundhara Raje family’

NEW DELHI/JAIPUR: The Dholpur Palace row escalated on Tuesday with the Congress raising the pitch for the sacking of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, saying there was a “criminal nexus” between her family and former Indian Premier League (IPL) boss Lalit Modi, a charge rubbished by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On a day of claims and counter claims, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told reporters in Delhi, “There has been a criminal nex-

CITING DOCUMENTS: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh shows Dholpur Palace issue documents during a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday. -PTI

us between Lalit Modi and the Vasundhara Raje family.” Illegal occupation Declaring that Congress will not stop disclosures in the till a “closure” is done by the BJP by removing Raje, Ramesh released some fresh documents including one of 1949 which showed that the Dholpur Palace was owned by the Rajasthan Government. For the second consecutive day, Ramesh accused Raje and her family of “forcible, illegal occupa-

tion” of the Dholpur Palace along with Lalit Modi through a private company. In Jaipur, BJP Rajasthan president Ashok Parnami showed documents, saying a court document of November 22, 1958 clearly proved that the Dholpur Palace was handed over to Dushyant Singh, son of Raje. The press meet saw heated exchanges between the media and the BJP leaders with one news channel correspondent repeatedly pressing Parnami to respond to questions from his boss over

telephone. Asked by reporters to give copies of the documents he was flagging, Parnami said they could file an RTI and verify the documents presented by them and the Congress. Parnami accused Ramesh of trying to create “confusion” over the Dholpur Palace issue. The BJP state president said following the court direction and the compromise Dushyant reached with Hemant Singh, his father and estranged husband of Raje, “physical possession” of the Dholpur Palace was taken by Dushyant. Parnami contended that in at least five places in the court document, it has been clearly specified that Dushyant had the ownership rights of Dholpur Palace and had the full rights” to sell or lease out the movable and immovable properties in question. Ramesh said that the party has also not forgotten the case of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who had helped Lalit Modi with travel documents. “We have not forgotten about the Videsh Mantri. Closure and disclosure in her case is yet to come”, he said. Taking a dig at Swaraj, he said, “ Lalit Modi was helped on “humanitarian grounds, grounds like hanging out with Naomi Campbell” Insisting that the compromise between Hemant Singh and Dushyant was only for movable property, Ramesh claimed

that despite much evidence produced by him, the BJP is trying to justify ownership of the property with Dushyant with “lame duck” arguments. Insisting that the compromise between Hemant Singh, estranged husband of Raje and son Dushyant Singh was only for movable property, he claimed that despite much evidence produced by him, the BJP is trying to justify ownership of the property with Dushyant with “lame duck” arguments. He said that the compromise was brought about in 2007 by the additional district Judge of Bharatpur in a case titled ‘Dushyant vs. Hemant Singh’. He alleged that despite the palace and the land surrounding belonging to Rajasthan government, Dushyant Singh received a compensation of nearly Rs20 million from the NHAI for a 500 metre piece of land due to “nexus” between him and the Land Acquisition officer. “He (Dushyant Singh ) got a compensation of Rs.20 million and that is a scam which needs to be investigated”, he demanded. Ramesh said that government and BJP are making in vain attempts to disprove the “unholy nexus” between Raje and Lalit Modi, their co-ownership of Niyant Heritage Hotel Pvt Ltd and “ patent illegal usurpation” of a government property for construction of a high end luxury hotel. - PTI

PETITION DISMISSED

Plea to declare Indira murder a suicide rejected after 29 years AHMEDABAD: Pending for nearly 29 years, a petition seeking declaring Indira Gandhi’s assassination a “suicide through arranged murder” to facilitate Rajiv Gandhi’s elevation as prime minister was dismissed at its first hearing by the Gujarat High Court after nobody pressed the case. Filed in 1986, two years after the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi, the petition came up for hearing for the first time on Monday by a division bench headed by acting Chief Justice V. M. Sahai, who took no time in dismissing it. “The prayer of the petitioner is to declare that Indira Gandhi committed suicide, which cannot be granted. The petition is accordingly dismissed,” Justice Sahai said, throwing out the petition. “No one has put in appearance to press this petition,” the court noted. The plea alleged that the country’s first and only woman prime minister had “committed suicide through arranged murder to give power to her son Rajiv Gandhi as hereditary successor and the elections of 1984 were based on national sacrifice made by Indira Gandhi.” The petition filed by Navnitlal Shah was dismissed at the stage of admission after about 29 years. Shah never turned up to press the case even once. - PTI

A L L E G AT I O N S

Fadnavis government in Maharashtra in trouble over contracts MUMBAI: Troubles mounted for the Fadnavis government in west Indian state Maharashtra on Tuesday with a second minister coming under a cloud over award of a Rs19.1 billion contract without inviting tenders. The allegations against Education Minister Vinod Tawde came within days of Women and Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde facing similar accusations in awarding contracts for various purchases worth Rs20.6 billion on a single day in February without following the mandatory e-tendering process. The matter relates to the Educa-

tion department issuing a Government Resolution authorising the office of the Education Director (Primary) to enter into a contract for supply of 62,105 fire extinguishers for Zilla Parishad schools across the state on February 11 without inviting tenders. The contract, cleared by Tawde, has, however, been put on hold after the Finance Department objected to it and sought a probe, official sources said. The first-ever BJP-led government in Maharashtra has made etendering of contracts mandatory for all purchases above Rs300,000. Tawde, a key minister in the

Devendra Fadnavis government, however, claimed no irregularity was committed as contractors had not been paid. “Not a single rupee has been paid to contractors. We stopped the order immediately after the Finance Department raised objections,” Tawde told reporters on Tuesday. Top BJP ministers in the Fadnavis government were quick to jump to his defence. At a hurriedly convened press conference yesterday, Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said, “The Opposition is making a mountain out of molehill”. Flanked by Mungantiwar and

Cooperatives Minister Chandrakant Patil, Tawde said he had only complied with a Supreme Court order on providing ﬁre-ﬁghting equipment to schools. About Rs60 million worth equipment was delivered but no payment has been made, Tawde said. Though BJP ministers came to the defence of a beleagured Tawde, faultlines were visible, yet again, in the party’s ties with Shiv Sena, a junior partner in the Fadnavis government. Sena MP Arvind Sawant said both Tawde and Munde should step down and face a probe. - PTI

ALL FOR PROBITY: Aam Aadmi Party workers hold placards and shout slogans during their protest against Maharashtra Rural Development Minister Pankaja Munde demanding her immediate resignation in Nagpur on Friday. - PTI

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PAKISTAN

Bring Malala’s attackers to justice, appeal US senators

KILLING OF TEEN

We urge the Mustafa Kanju

government of Pakistan to re-

Ex-minister’s son Mustafa indicted

double its efforts in a transparent and public manner to bring those responsible for this brutal attack to justice, Senators Marco Rubio and Barbara Boxer said in a letter to Pakistan Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani, according to the ‘Economic Times’

WASHINGTON: US lawmakers have asked Pakistan to bring Malala Yousafzai’s attackers to justice, weeks after reports revealed eight of the 10 militants jailed for life over the attack on her have been freed. “We urge the government of Pakistan to re-double its efforts in a transparent and public manner to bring those responsible for this brutal attack to justice,” Senators Marco Rubio and Barbara Boxer said in a letter to Pakistan Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani, according to the Economic Times. Rubio and Boxer are respectively the chairman and ranking member of Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights and Global Women’s Issues. In the letter dated June 29, the senators said, “This past April, Pakistani officials announced that

JUSTICE DENIED: Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, centre, addresses on November 20, 2013 the European Parliament assembly after receiving the EU’s prestigious Sakharov Human Rights Prize in recognition of her ﬁght for the right of all children, girls and boys, to an education. Malala, 16, became the 25th winner of the Sakharov prize at the ceremony signiﬁcantly held on World Children’s Day, with 21 of the former winners present. — AFP

This past April, Pakistani officials announced that after a secret trial, all 10 suspects were found guilty for their roles in the attack against Malala Yousufzai and received 25 year prison sentences, said US Senators Marco Rubio and Barbara Boxer in a letter dated June 29

after a secret trial, all 10 suspects were found guilty for their roles in the attack against Malala and received 25 year prison sentences.” “Although we have serious concerns about the trial’s lack of transparency and general absence of information regarding the

cases against these 10 individuals, we were encouraged to hear that the Pakistani judicial system was actively working to hold responsible for this heinous act,” the senators added. “That is why we are particularly alarmed by recent media

AMBITION

‘Want Burka Avenger film to be as good as Pixar film’ KARACHI: It has barely been over a month since 3 Bahadur — Pakistan’s first ever animated film — was released but the staggering success it achieved has propelled a new wave in Pakistani filmmaking and animation. The next offering is likely to come from Unicorn Black studios, the geniuses behind everyone’s favourite veiled super heroine, Burka Avenger. Head of the studio, Haroon Rashid has announced plans of taking the animated series he created to the big screen. Released back in 2013, Burka Avenger tells the story of a female vigilante of the fictional town of Halwapur, fighting criminals from behind a burka so as to conceal her true identity. Using the special martial arts form of ‘Takht Kabaddi,’ Jiya throws books and pens at all those who attempt to harm her hometown and guards her people from various villains, like the evil magician Baba Bandook and corrupt politician Vadero Pajero. According to Haroon, the transition process from television to movie has already begun. “I have written a few drafts, rough outlines and potential ideas for the film version,” he said in an interview. “It will most likely be a standalone film depicting the original story of the lead character and how she came to be the Burka Avenger.” Having worked on the original series extensively, Haroon is fully aware of the amount of effort that a full-length feature film will require. “I want it to be like an animated film by DreamWorks or Pixar and for that, we require time,” he said. “Even Pixar takes close to three years to make one movie!”

SUPERHERO: Aaron Haroon Rashid, a Pakistani pop star, right, poses with his team at the press presentation of cartoon show Burka Avenger in Rawalpindi on August 4, 2013. — AFP

The Unicorn team is looking at “at least one year” to completion but with 52 episodes and four seasons worth of experience under their belt, Haroon is confident of their command over the animation craft. “We always wanted to make a movie, even after the very first season. But the show became so successful that a second season was commissioned and we started working on that,” he added. Silver screen Regarding who would be helming this project, Haroon revealed that he would be continuing his job as the director on the silver screen as well. Having overseen the first three seasons, Haroon felt that he had developed a strong grip over the craft and it was only natural that he directed the movie as well. The news of the Burka Avenger

movie coincides with the release of the series’ third season which has already garnered much appreciation for the social issues it highlights in every episode. Haroon shared that some of the topics include traffic obedience, gang culture and even the internet, as seen through the eyes of the two main antagonists. “This season is bigger and better than the previous ones in every sense, be it production [value], animation or the storyline,” said Haroon. “Even some of the ﬁght sequences you will see this time around are brilliant.” He is particularly proud of a robot crow that his animators and modellers have managed to design this time. The Post-production on the fourth season has also been completed will be aired soon as the third one completes its run. — Express Tribune

reports that eight of the 10 convicted were actually acquitted of these charges against them,” the senators wrote, adding that these reports raise signiﬁcant concerns about the transparency and the accountability of the country’s judicial system. Further, the senators said, “As such, we respectfully request that the Pakistani judicial system provide an honest and transparent accounting of the events surrounding the cases against these 10 individuals and continue its important work to bring all those responsible for the brutal attack against an innocent teenage girl to justice However, earlier this month, security officials denied claims that Malala’s attackers were released as part of a deal and upheld the court cleared eight of the attackers and only two sent down

for their part in the bid to silence education campaigner Malala, who last year became the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner. “It was the court’s decision to frame charges against two of the 10 accused and release eight others,” security officials had said. Malala Yousafzai, a student and education activist, was shot and critically injured in a Taliban-orchestrated attack in October 2012. The teenager was on her way back home from school when gunmen apprehended the bus and boarded it before calling her out by name and opening ﬁre. — Express Tribune

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LAHORE: A special anti-terrorism court on Tuesday indicted former federal minister Siddique Kanju’s son Mustafa Kanju for killing a teenager and injuring another, Express News reported. Holding Mustafa Kanju and four others responsible, the court issued notices to the witnesses of prosecution for July 7. Others accused include Asif, Sadiq, Sadullah and Akram. On April 1, Mustafa opened ﬁre on a vehicle near Lahore’s Cavalry Ground area, killing 16-yearold Zain and leaving a pedestrian injured. “I did shoot but did not intend to kill anyone,” he had said adding, Mustafa said he had ﬁred shots, during the clash, to scare his opponents. However, after initial denials, he admitted to ‘accidentally’ killing Rauf. Zain was laid to rest after funeral prayers in Cavalry Ground, where a large number of people from different walks of life turned up. Around 50 of his classmates, cousins and friends protested, carrying placards and banners, shouting slogans against the suspects and the government. Innocent son At the funeral, Zain’s mother Ghazala Rauf cried incessantly. She had lost her husband Abdul Rauf last year following his unsuccessful surgery in England. “I request the chief minister to hang these people who are behind the murder of my innocent son,” she said with tears rolling down her cheeks. Zain’s uncle, Muhammad Saleem, told The Express Tribune the family had been receiving threatening calls since Wednesday night, pressuring them to accept “blood money”. — Express Tribune

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INSTAGRAM.COM/TIMESOFOMAN The enormous loss of life in Karachi in particular, and Sindh in general, is deeply tragic. Yet, this is not the ﬁrst time, within the tenure of the present government that we have seen a complete lack of awareness about the gravity of the situation bit.ly/pakistangovernance

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Welcome to the new look #Trending page of the Times of Oman, our revamped home for views and opinion. Plus daily we‘ll be rounding up the stories making waves online, on social media, in pictures and on video. All the content can be found at our mobile, tablet and desktopfriendly website timesofoman.com. For instant access scan any of the QR codes via your smart phone as a qrcode in the story

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TIMESOFOMAN.COM/VIDEOS A fire which broke out in Owhi industrial area in Sohar on Sunday was doused by firefighters. Five fire engine were used to control the blaze.

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Lessons from China for Western democracy

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eople in Western democracies are unsure about a lot of things but not about whether one person, one vote is a good way of choosing governments. That’s an article of faith. Any suggestion to the contrary is shocking. Daniel A. Bell, in his new book “The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy,” dares to argue that a perfected version of Chinese authoritarianism is not merely a viable alternative to the Western norm but in fact might be better -- and maybe not just for China. I’m unpersuaded, but impressed by a book that made me think. Bell, a professor of political philosophy at Tsinghua University in Beijing, has written a fascinating study. Open-minded readers will find it equips them with a more intelligent understanding of Chinese politics and, no less valuable, forces them to examine their devotion to democracy. Bell begins by reflecting on Winston Churchill’s observation, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the other forms that have been tried from time to time.” In the West, the drawbacks of actually existing democracy are recognized, almost celebrated -- yet the idea that anything else might be better is dismissed as unthinkable. For Bell, that’s the puzzle. What makes it especially puzzling, in his view, is the stunning economic success that some nondemocratic countries -- Singapore and China, most notably -- have achieved in recent decades. Bell recalls Amartya Sen’s much-quoted nostrum that famines don’t happen in democracies. China, he points out, has not only eradicated famine, it has a much better record on malnutrition than democratic India. Surely, he says, a more open-minded appraisal of the rival systems is warranted. That’s what he aims to provide. He compares, in an even- handed way, the strengths and weaknesses of Western democracy and Chinese oneparty rule. The book concentrates on one main issue: how the systems choose their political leaders. It asks, in effect, which would you expect to work better -- rigorous selection on merit, or ballots cast by voters who don’t know what they’re doing? Bell favours meritocracy. He explains China’s elaborate system for selecting and promoting officials, locates it in the long tradition of political Confucianism, argues for its legitimacy, and attributes the economy’s astonishing success in large part to this method. He’s candid about the defects -- political meri-

tocracy is prone to corruption and complacency, and China has had plenty of both. He discusses at length what China should do to improve its system. But the principle of political meritocracy isn’t wrong, he concludes: It’s a more appropriate model for China than Western electoral politics would be, and there’s much the West could learn from understanding how it operates. I agree with that last point. Government can be good or bad, with or without one person, one vote. To work well, democracy needs more than a universal franchise: It also needs divided powers and a constitutional apparatus that puts able people in power at different levels of government and regulates their performance. Democracies, in other words, also need to be sufficiently meritocratic. Western contempt for China’s system is not just counter-productive (because it inflames antiWestern chauvinism), it’s also lazy. The systems have challenges in common. Look and learn. On other points, absorbing as the book’s analysis may be, it’s unconvincing. Bell discusses the difficulties of selecting for merit, but understates the problem. At the lowest levels China is looking for the brightest young people; as they move up and acquire experience in government, they face different and more demanding tests. In this finely tuned system, Bell notes (quoting a venture capitalist from Shanghai), a person with as little experience of government as Barack Obama “would not even be the manager of a small county.” Maybe that commends the Chinese system to some Americans. But the list of leaders who wouldn’t have made it on to the first rung of the meritocratic ladder is long. Churchill couldn’t do math. Franklin D. Roosevelt was no academic star. Abraham Lincoln barely went to school. When it comes to recognisng the ability to lead, voters aren’t always clueless. Related to this is the question of what government is for - - in other words, “merit” to what end? — Bloomberg View Clive Crook is a Bloomberg View columnist

READERS’ FORUM Treat accidents due to mobiles as murder or suicide This refers to the online story, Road accidents claim two lives in Oman (June 29). Such incidents happen simply because of drivers’ impatience and use mobile phone. Nothing else leads to such accidents. I think the top religious officials should declare that accidents due to use of mobiles are to be considered as murder or suicide. — Khalid Farid , Muscat

Omani pilots are good at their work

Scan this QR code to send letters to the Readers’ Forum, containing not more than 200 words with full name, address and telephone number, may be sent by mail (Times of Oman, P.O. Box 770, P.C. 112, Ruwi).

This refers to the online story, Oman Air recruits more pilots (June 28). I have been working in the Omani Air Force for 10 years in aircraft maintenance and 95 per cent of the pilots are Omani and all of them do their work well. — Mubarak Al Farsi , Muscat

The increasing sophistication of the tourist industry is turning the world into a product. Going places today is less of an adventure now than it was years ago. That’s convenient, because the population of wealthier countries, from where come most of the leisure travellers, is aging bit.ly/tourismindustry

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES JUNE 1999 Majlis office holds sixth regular meet The Majlis Al Shura office held its sixth regular meeting of the year yesterday under the chairmanship of Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Qatabi, president of the Majlis. Qatabi began the meeting by congratulating the members on the occasion of Al Mawlid Al Nabawi Al Sharif. The meeting discussed the procedures taken in the implementation of the decisions of the past meeting.

Regional, international airlines employ Omani pilots This refers to the online story, Oman Air recruits more pilots (June 28). As other regional and international airlines are more than happy to recruit Omanis so shouldn’t Oman Air also do you the same? — Labiq Ayyub A’Raee, Muscat

Fail to see any issue behind Oman Air hiring locals This refers to the online story, Oman Air recruits more pilots (June 28). I fail to see the issue behind this report as a multitude of Omani pilots have been working for years with numerous airlines. — Aziza Al Busaidy, Dubai, UAE

PICTOGRAPH ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION IN OMAN The gross electricity production during the month of February was 1,754.5 GWh (gigawatt hours), being the top consumers, the regions of Al Batinah & Al Dhahirah

16.9

Dhofar

186.3

Muscat

368.0 Total

TODAY IN HISTORY

Al Wusta

1,754.5

Al Batinah & Al Dhahirah

883.6

Al Sharqiyah

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE

1857: Charles Dickens reads from ‘A Christmas Carol’ at St. Martin’s Hall in London–his ﬁrst public reading.

Protect your cash and valuables through New India’s MONEY INSURANCE POLICY.

1859 : Jean Francois Gravelet aka Emile Blondin, a French daredevil, becomes the ﬁrst man to walk across Niagra Falls on a tightrope

224.5

Al Dakhiliyah

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1936: Margaret Mitchell’s novel, ‘Gone With the Wind’, is published 1971: Three Soviet cosmonauts die when their spacecreaft depressurises during reentry

Gross Production of 2014

28,755.8

60.1

Musandam

14.9

Source: National Centre for Statistics & Information

WE DNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015

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WORLD

Enjoying every moment of this ﬂight. Getting to this point has been challenging André Borschberg, Swiss pilot

116 feared dead in Indonesian military plane crash: Officials

JA PA N - U S F L I G H T

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Air force chief Agus

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Supriatna said the TOKYO: A solar-powered aircraft on a round-the-world flight was high above the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, over a quarter of the way to Hawaii after leaving Japan, the mission website showed. Solar Impulse 2 had travelled 26 per cent of the way to the tropical US state by 0500 GMT, having flown 2,204 kilometres (1,377 miles) with 6,136 kilometres more to go, according to the project. That put the plane and its veteran pilot more than 36 hours into the toughest leg of the bid to circumnavigate the planet using only the power of the sun. “Enjoying every moment of this flight. Getting to this point has been challenging,” veteran Swiss pilot André Borschberg tweeted. “This flight will only be a success if we really partner, the airplane and myself,” he said.

manifest showed there were 113 people on board the plane — 12 crew and 101 passengers — when it crashed, and he did not believe any had survived

MEDAN (Indonesia): At least 116 people are feared dead after an Indonesian air force transport plane crashed on Tuesday into a major city shortly after take-off and exploded in a fireball, officials said. Buildings were left in ruins and cars reduced to flaming wrecks when the Hercules C-130 came down in a residential area of Medan, a city of two million on the island of Sumatra. Air force chief Agus Supriatna said the manifest showed there were 113 people on board the plane —12 crew and 101 passengers — when it crashed, and he did not believe any had survived. “No, no. No survivors, I have just returned from the site,” he said in answer to a question. So far, 49 bodies had been recovered and taken to hospital, he said. Many passengers were likely to be family members of servicemen and women, said a spokesman for Medan airbase, where the plane took off. At least one child has so far been confirmed killed. The local search and rescue

SMOULDERING: Firemen and security forces try to extinguish the ﬁre surrounding the wreckage of an Indonesian military transport plane after it crashed in the North Sumatra city of Medan, Indonesia. - Reuters

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agency also said that three people were killed on the ground when the 51-year-old plane went down near a newly built residential area, hitting a massage parlour and a small hotel. Rescue operation A rescue operation swung into action, with ambulances ferrying bodies from the site, and crowds of anxious residents gathering around a police cordon to view the smouldering wreckage. Residents of Medan described the terrifying

moment just after midday when the plane came down.“It was very scary,” said Novi, an employee of an international school who goes by one name, describing how she heard the plane and saw it ﬂying very low before the crash. Another local resident January, 26, said the aircraft appeared to be in trouble just before the accident. “I saw the plane from the direction of the airport and it was tilting already, then I saw smoke billowing.” Medan’s police chief described the bodies as “crushed by debris of the buildings and the fuselage”. Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed sorrow at the accident, tweeting: “May the families be given patience and

TA L I B A N C L A I M S R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y

WRECKAGE: NATO soldiers and Afghan security forces inspect the scene of a suicide car bomb attack that targeted foreign military vehicles in Kabul on Tuesday. - AFP

Suicide blasts hit Afghanistan, three killed in Taliban offensive KABUL: Suicide attackers on Tuesday targeted NATO troops in Kabul and a police headquarters in restive southern Afghanistan, killing three people and wounding at least 60 as the Taliban’s bloody summer offensive showed no signs of letting up. A powerful blast echoed around the Afghan capital as a suicide car bomber hit a NATO military convoy on the main road to the airport, around 500 metres from the US embassy, killing at least one Afghan civilian and wounding around 20. Hours earlier at least two civilians were killed when a suicide truck bomb detonated at the gate of the police headquarters in Lashkar Gah, the capital of volatile Helmand province. Afghan troops and police are battling the Taliban alone in the ﬁrst “ﬁghting season” since NATO ended its combat mission and left local forces to take charge of security. Tuesday’s violence came less than two days after 11 soldiers were killed in a Taliban ambush in the normally relatively peaceful western province of Herat. “It was a suicide car bomber targeting a convoy of foreign

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forces in Kabul,” interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said. “In the aftermath of today’s terrorist attack in Kabul, one was killed and 22 more injured, all civilians,” he said. Convoy attacked A spokeswoman for the NATO mission in Afghanistan, Captain Susan Harrington, conﬁrmed a convoy had been attacked and said two coalition personnel had been wounded. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in Kabul on their official Twitter account. In Helmand, provincial police spokesman Farid Ahmad Obaid said the police headquarters attack left at least two civilians dead and 40 wounded. Provincial police chief Nabi Jan Mullahkhil told reporters three attackers were involved. “Two attackers were killed in the explosion while the third one was injured and as he tried to es-

cape the police shot him,” he said. Provincial spokesman Omar Zhwak said most of the wounded were hit inside their homes by ﬂying glass. A doctor at the emergency hospital in Lashkar Gah said 40 civilians were brought to the hospital. After the Helmand attack a small blast hit a military vehicle in Kabul, police said, though there were no casualties. “A small sticky bomb attached to a military vehicle detonated in western Kabul this morning. Only the car was damaged,” Kabul police spokesman Ebadullah Karimi Kabul said. NATO’s combat mission formally ended in December after 13 years, but a small follow-up foreign force named Resolute Support has stayed on to train and support local security forces. Stretched on multiple fronts and facing record casualties, Afghan forces are struggling to rein in the militants even as the government makes repeated efforts to jump-start peace negotiations. The Taliban’s annual summer offensive has sent civilian and military casualties soaring and threatened major cities for the ﬁrst time in a decade. - AFP

strength... May we remain protected from disaster.” The plane took off at 12:08pm (0508 GMT) from the airbase and crashed in the city about two minutes later, about ﬁve kilometres (three miles) from the base, according to the military. Shortly after take-off, the pilot had asked to return to base, Supriatna said, adding the aircraft might have suffered engine trouble. But he added the plane was in “very good condition” and had made several stops before arriving in Medan. It was the second time in a decade that Medan had suffered a fatal plane accident. A Mandala Airlines domestic ﬂight crashed shortly after takeoff in 2005 into a densely populated suburb, killing at least 150

including passengers, crew and people on the ground. Medan is the biggest Indonesian city outside the main island of Java and is a major economic centre. The Indonesian air force has suffered accidents before. At least 11 people were killed when a Fokker-27 military jet crashed into a housing complex in the capital Jakarta in June 2012. In April an F-16 fighter jet caught fire as it was about to take off from an airbase in Jakarta, prompting the pilot to jump to safety as flames and thick smoke engulfed the plane. The pilot escaped with minor injuries from the jet, which had been due to provide security at a summit of Asian and African leaders in Indonesia. - AFP

Experimental aircraft The experimental solar-powered aircraft left Japan around 1800 GMT on Sunday — the small hours of Monday local time — after spending a month in the central city of Nagoya. The propeller-driven plane was originally scheduled to fly directly from Nanjing in China to Hawaii. But bad weather along the way forced a diversion to Japan that extended for almost the whole of June as forecasters waited for better conditions. A live video feed showed the pilot wearing a thick flight jacket and breathing apparatus. The temperature in the unpressurised cockpit at one point fell to minus 6 degrees Celsius, or 21.2 degree Fahrenheit, as Borschberg ascended to 28,000 feet (8,500 metres) above the water. The journey to Hawaii was expected to take at least five days. - AFP

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W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015 A man plays frisbee in a park during a heatwave in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday. Temperatures in Belgium are expected to reach 36 degrees Celsius, according to weather forecaster from the Belgian Royal Institute of Meteorology. — Reuters

WORLD Iran nuclear negotiations deadline extended to July 7 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who joined the talks in Vienna earlier on Tuesday, said however he believes that, after almost two years of trying, a deal ending the 13-year standoff is ‘within reach’

NO BREAKTHROUGH: US Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, second left, meet Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, second right, at a hotel in Vienna, Austria on Tuesday. — Reuters

VIENNA: Iran and six major powers on Tuesday gave themselves until July 7 to clinch a historic nuclear deal as a midnight deadline approached in marathon talks with no breakthrough in sight. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who joined the talks in Vienna earlier on Tuesday, said however he believes that, after almost two years of trying, a deal ending the 13-year standoff is “within reach”. The talks are “progressing in a positive direction. There remain questions, mostly regarding procedural issues rather than technical,” Lavrov told Russian television after meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry. “We have all reason to believe that results are within reach,” Lavrov said. Earlier on Tuesday Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif returned to Vienna following con-

sultations in Tehran, a visit that had raised hopes he may be bringing instructions that would yield a breakthrough. But after Kerry met with Zarif for almost two hours after his return, the US State Department said the P5+1 group of global powers had agreed to extend the terms of an interim agreement until July 7. A State Department official said however that this did “not necessarily mean they will go until the 7th or end on the 7th.” Kerry had also made no plans for when he might leave the Austrian capital. A member of the Iranian delegation said that “the negotiations will continue beyond June 30 without any precise ﬁxed date.” After one-on-one talks, the top American diplomat and Zarif were joined by their teams for a broader meeting, including with nuclear experts US Energy Secre-

BIZARRE SCENES

tary Ernest Moniz and Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi. The two Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni played a key role in brokering the outlines of a breakthrough accord in April in Lausanne, Switzerland. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared to give Zarif his blessing, tweeting in English Tuesday: “I recognise our negotiators as trustworthy, committed, brave and faithful.” Under the Lausanne framework, Iran agreed to substantially scale down its nuclear activities in order to make any attempt to develop nuclear weapons -- an aim denied by Tehran -- virtually impossible. In return, painful sanctions that have suffocated the Iranian economy by choking its lifeblood oil exports and its ability to earn foreign currency will be progressively lifted. But turning the 505-word joint

statement drawn up in a Swiss lakeside hotel into a fully-ﬂedged, highly technical document of several dozen pages and around ﬁve annexes has proved hard work. Key sticking points include the pace and timing of sanctions relief, the mechanism for their “snapback” and Iran’s future development of newer, faster centrifuges. Thorny topic Another thorny topic is the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) watchdog, whose chief Yukiya Amano met Kerry on Monday and who has been closely involved in the talks. Under the mooted deal, it will be up to the IAEA, which already keeps close tabs on Iran’s declared nuclear sites with between four and 10 inspectors on the ground on any given day, to verify that Iran really does reduce its capacities.

But the P5+1 powers -- the United States, Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany -- also want the IAEA to have wider inspection rights to verify any suspicious activity that might indicate work in secret on a nuclear bomb. This could include the IAEA visiting military bases, something that Khamenei last week rejected as a “red line”. A probe into allegations of such activity, before 2003 and possibly since, is stalled but clearing up these claims is a key condition of the six powers for a deal. “It is important to get all the details right so that there are no ambiguities or weaknesses that can be exploited by critics of an agreement on both sides,” said Arms Control Association expert Kelsey Davenport. “This is an historic moment -- both sides have come too far to walk away without a good deal,” she said. — AFP

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ABUSE ALLEGED

UN accuses South Sudan of burning women alive JUBA: The United Nations accused South Sudan’s government forces and its allies on Tuesday of abusing women and girls and reportedly burning some alive in their homes during recent fighting in the conflict-torn nation. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan, or UNMISS, said the findings came from a report based on interviews with 115 victims from districts in oil-rich Unity State, where the government’s SPLA forces launched an offensive against rebels in late April. South Sudan, the world’s newest nation and one of its poorest, has been mired in a conflict since December 2013 that pits President Salva Kiir’s SPLA against those loyal to rebel leader Riek Machar, a former deputy president. “The survivors of these attacks reported that SPLA and allied militias from Mayom County carried out a campaign against the local population that killed civilians, looted and destroyed villages and displaced over 100,000 people,” UNMISS said. In a statement outlining findings from its report, UNMISS said its rights officers had focused on the abduction and abuse of women and girls, “some of whom were reportedly burnt alive in their dwellings”. New brutality “This recent upsurge (in fighting) has not only been marked by allegations of killing, rape, abduction, looting, arson and displacement, but by a new brutality and intensity,” it said. The report added that the “level of cruelty” reflected more than political differences. The fighting has increasingly turned along ethnic lines, with Kiir’s Dinka ethnic group battling Machar’s Nuers. — Reuters

TERROR CRISIS

Man sets himself Tunisia probing Libyan link to beach afire in bullet train, resort attacker; British dead count 21 woman killed too TOKYO: A man set himself ablaze on board a moving bullet train in Japan on Tuesday, killing himself and a woman, in an unprecedented incident on a network with an enviable safety record. Several other passengers were hurt after the man doused himself in flammable liquid and sparked a cigarette lighter at the front of the train as it hurtled through the countryside around 70 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. Reports said a blast was heard from a toilet stall, filling the front carriage with choking white smoke, and bringing the train to an emergency stop as passengers rushed through carriages to get away. Media reported that the driver of the train, which had more than 800 passengers on board, found the still-burning body of the man. The train’s top speed is 300 kilometres per hour but it was unclear how fast it was travelling at the time. “We have been informed that

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there was a passenger in a car on the train who covered him or herself with oil and set it on fire,” a spokesman for operator JR Central told AFP. The train involved in Tuesday’s incident -- a super-fast Nozomi bullet train -- was travelling from Tokyo towards Osaka when the blaze erupted near Odawara, southwest of the capital. Footage from inside the train after the fire showed passengers blinking and coughing as they crawled along the aisle to evacuate. Several had soot-blackened faces and some seemed confused and upset. “In the very front of the first car, he emptied and sprinkled (liquid) from a plastic container... then he poured it on his body and set it alight,” one man said. — AFP

TUNIS/LONDON: The Tunisian gunman who attacked a resort hotel on Friday killing 39 people, mostly British holiday-makers, likely spent time in a training camp in Libya and had been in contact with militants over the border, a security source said on Tuesday. Tunisia’s health ministry said on Tuesday it had so far identified 27 bodies from Friday’s gun attack, including 19 British, three Irish, one Belgian, two German, a Russian citizen and a Portuguese national. In London, the number of Britons confirmed killed by the gunman has risen to 21 from 18, a spokeswoman for British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday. The spokeswoman said the government was trying to confirm the identities of a further nine people killed in the attacks who it thought were British nationals. The attack on the Imperial Marhaba beach hotel in the popular resort town of Sousse came just months after militants attacked the Bardo museum in Tunis, killing 21 people and delivering a blow

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and their armed factions, has become a target for IS militant group supporters and other militant groups who have taken advantage of the security chaos.

VIGILANT: Police officers patrol the beach near the Imperial Marhaba, which was attacked by a gunman in Sousse, Tunisia, on Tuesday. - Reuters

to the vital tourism industry. Investigators were verifying whether the gunman, student Saif Rezgui, had received militant training in a militant camp across in Libya. Authorities have also arrested three others for helping to plan the attack, a security source said.

“Investigations show Saif Rezgui was in contact with terrorists in Libya and he likely trained in a Libyan camp,” an official source said. Multi-sided battle Libya, caught in a multi-sided battle between two rival governments

Training in Libya The two gunmen who carried out the March attack on the Bardo had also clandestinely crossed into Libya for training late last year, investigators said. Rezgui had taken out his passport last year, but there were no exit stamps in it, officials said. The Sousse attacker, who had shown little sign of radicalisation by fundamentalist recruiters, was shot dead by police outside the hotel. The massacre was the worst of its kind in Tunisia, one of the Arab world’s most secular countries, which has been praised for its transition to democracy after a 2011 protests. — Agencies

SCIENTIFIC FINDING

Scientists discover billion-year-old fossil of peculiar ‘monster’ WASHINGTON: More than half a billion years ago, a peculiar little creature with rows of spikes on its back and delicate, featherlike front limbs to strain bits of food from the water thrived in the primordial seas of what is now China. Scientists on Monday announced the discovery in Yunnan Province of beautifully preserved fossils of one of the stranger animals ever to call Earth home. The creature, Collinsium ciliosum, lived during the Cambrian Period, a time of remarkable evolutionary experimentation when many unusual animals appeared and vanished. “Collinsium is deﬁnitely an oddlooking animal, and if one were to bump into one of these during a snorkeling or diving trip nowadays

University of Cambridge paleobiologist Javier OrtegaHernández said Collinsium, which lived about 515-518 million years ago, is a distant ancestor of today’s velvet worms, a group resembling legged worms residing in the world’s tropical forests

it would be quite shocking,” said University of Cambridge paleobiologist Javier Ortega-Hernández, whose research appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Despite its startling appearance, some people “may like it and

regard it as a ‘handsome beast,’” added paleontologist Xi-Guang Zhang of Yunnan University in Kunming, China. Its name means “hairy Collins monster,” recognising its bizarre appearance and the coat of hairlike structures on the front of the

animal while honouring Canadian paleontologist Desmond Collins, who decades ago conceptualised a similar creature. Ortega-Hernández said Collinsium, which lived about 515518 million years ago, is a distant ancestor of today’s velvet

worms, a group resembling legged worms residing in the world’s tropical forests. Collinsium, reaching up to 4 inches (10cm) long, boasted 72 sharp spikes on its back to ward off predators. It was one of the earliest soft-bodied animals with armour. It had a sausage-shaped body, six pairs of feather-like front legs, nine pairs of rear legs with claws, a bulbous head and downwardfacing mouth. It got its dinner by extending its feathery front legs to form feeding basket to capture food particles. Collinsium was a close cousin of another spiky Cambrian creature called Hallucigenia. University of Cambridge paleontologist Martin Smith, whose study offering the most detailed account ever of

Hallucigenia was published last week in the journal Nature, said even oddballs like Hallucigenia and Collinsium would have plenty of competition in a “Cambrian weirdest creature contest.” “Their compatriots included such beasts as Wiwaxia, a slug covered in leaf-like scales and towering spines; Anomalocaris, resembling a cross between a lobster and a can-opener; Nectocaris, a boggle-eyed two-armed squid, and Opabinia, which looks like a shrimp that swallowed a vacuum cleaner,” Smith said. — Reuters

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WE DNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015

WORLD

In the end, we see the Freedom Flotilla III achieved its main goal — to draw local and global attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is a result of Israel’s siege of the Strip Basel Ghattas, Arab lawmaker

SEEKING TO DEFY GAZA BLOCKADE

Israel deports Tunisian ex-president after halting flotilla OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel deported Tunisian ex-president Moncef Marzouki and European parliament member Ana Miranda on Tuesday after they took part in a flotilla seeking to defy its Gaza blockade, an official said. “The (former) president of Tunisia and the Spanish lawmaker flew this morning. There are another 14 who have begun the exSPREADING RUMOURS

Emirati man jailed for ‘insulting’ Twitter posts DUBAI: A man in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was sentenced to three years in jail on Monday for Twitter posts allegedly insulting the Gulf country’s Supreme Court, a local newspaper reported. Nasser Al Faresi, 27, allegedly called the proceedings of a 2012 sedition trial a “judicial farce” and insulted the UAE’s president and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, according to The National. The court found he had “spread rumours and information that harmed the country”, the paper said. Faresi’s lawyer had argued his client’s account was hacked and submitted poems by the defendant praising the country’s rulers, it added. In the largest such case, 94 Emiratis including lawyers, doctors and academics were tried for belonging to the “secret organisation” and 69 were sentenced to between seven and ﬁfteen years behind bars. The UAE, was rattled by the rise of hardliners in the aftermath of the protests that rocked the Arab region from 2011. It launched a series of trials against suspected sympathisers of the Muslim Brotherhood. — Reuters

pulsion process,” a spokeswoman for Israel’s immigration authority said. Israel had on Monday commandeered the Swedish-ﬂagged Marianne of Gothenburg, part of the so-called Freedom Flotilla III, and accompanied it to the port of Ashdod. Sixteen foreign nationals were on board along with two Israelis, Arab lawmaker Basel Ghattas and a television reporter. The

two Israelis have been released, though Ghattas could face a parliamentary hearing on whether he should face sanctions. The Marianne was part of a four-boat ﬂotilla of pro-Palestinian activists who had been seeking to reach the Gaza Strip to highlight the Israeli blockade of the territory that they called “inhumane and illegal”. Speaking after being

released from brief police custody Monday night, Ghattas condemned Israel’s “illegal” commandeering of the ship, which took place in international waters. “In the end, we see the Freedom Flotilla III achieved its main goal — to draw local and global attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is a result of Israel’s siege of the Strip,” he said. — AFP

A15

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM W EDN ES DAY, JU LY 1, 2015

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Saudi Arabia

9,086.89 + 26.96 + 0.30%

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CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.29 Pound ...........................................1.64 Indian Rs .............................165.52 Pak Rs ....................................260.01 Bangla Taka.......................199.52

Indian Rs .................................. 165.20 Pakistan Rs ............................ 263.50 Sri Lanka Rs ........................... 347.20 Bangla Taka.............................201.70 Phil Peso ....................................116.60

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) ........15.01

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ..........$61.31 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) .........$60.91 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$63.24 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) .........$60.51 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........ $62.70 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........ $58.67

UNITED FINANCE MERGER

Al Omaniya submits bid; NBO withdraws from merger Times News Service MUSCAT: Al Omaniya Financial Services has submitted a bid to fully acquire United Finance Company, while National Bank of Oman (NBO) walked away from its merger talks. With the withdrawal of NBO from the fray, Al Omaniya remained the only financial institution proceeding with its merger plan. “We are pleased to inform that we have submitted a nonbinding indicative offer for 100 per cent acquisition of United Finance Company as requested by them,” Al Omaniya said in a filing to Muscat bourse In May, three financial institutions — Bank Nizwa, NBO and Al Omaniya Financial Services — had evinced interest in acquiring United Finance. Subsequently, Bank Nizwa said it was withdrawing its merger proposal. “After careful consideration, NBO now wishes to confirm that it will not be pursuing this transaction further and would like to express their regret,” NBO said in a separate disclosure statement on the MSM website. The matter is receiving board’s attention and further announcement in this regard will be made in due course, United Finance said in a disclosure statement. However, United Finance shares fell by 2.676 per cent to 146 baisas amid 327,200 shares changing hand on the Muscat Securities Market. Al Omaniya Financial was looking at consolidating their leadership position by acquiring United Finance, which could be one way to achieve inorganic growth.

* Rates are as of June 30 Source: Bank Muscat

* Rates as of June 30 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......14.05 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ........... 142.00 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 134.75 * Rates as of June 30 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

C A P I TA L M A R K E T AU T H O R I T Y

Regulator clamps penalty on Oman Insurance Times News Service MUSCAT: Insurance regulator Capital Market Authority (CMA) on Tuesday said it clamped a penalty ﬁne of OMR1,500 on Oman Insurance for a delay in submitting their audited ﬁnancial statement. This is part of a disciplinary

action in line with the executive regulation of the Insurance Companies Law. Detailed statement “The company shall submit to Capital Market Authority detailed statement on its obligations for life insurance and latest general

Oman’s oil trading firm eyes expansion Oman Trading International plans fuelstorage tanks in East Africa and an office in the United States

DUBAI: Oman, the largest oil producer in the Middle East outside of Opec, plans to buy, lease or build fuel-storage tanks in East Africa to boost sales on the continent and open a US office to trade reﬁned products and Latin American crude. Oman Trading International Ltd. intends to invest less than $50 million in facilities to store fuel in Mozambique or Tanzania to help supply markets in Africa’s landlocked interior, the company’s chief executive officer Talal Al Awﬁ said in an interview

on Sunday at his office in Dubai. He declined to specify the target markets. His company, a joint venture with Vitol Group, the world’s largest independent energy trader, plans to open a US office in the first half of 2016. A physical presence Infrastructure investments in Africa and a physical presence in the United States are vital for the company to extend its reach beyond traditional markets in Asia, Al Awfi further added in the interview on Sunday. > B4

insurance operations, including the value of retained amounts and the provisions for meeting such obligations at their book value or market value whichever is lesser one month prior to the general meeting of the company if a national company or not later than February if a branch of a foreign

company,” said a CMA statement. Also, Royal Nawras Insurance Brokers was warned for infringing the provisions of the regulation. Royal Nawras Insurance CMA’s Decision No. 2/2015 warned Royal Nawras Insurance Brokers to adjust their status ac-

cording to the provisions of Insurance Brokers’ Regulation No. 53/2013 in three months from the date of the decision. Capital Market Authority emphasised on the importance of compliance with the laws and regulations for sound performance and protecting the rights of the participants.

W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015

MARKET TELECOM

EU to scrap mobile phone roaming charges from 2017 LONDON: Telecommunications companies in the European Union would be banned from charging premiums for roaming services starting in June, 2017 following an overhaul of rules for the sector next year, under a compromise reached on Tuesday. When travelling in the EU, mobile-phone users will pay the same price as at home, with no extra charges, according to the agreement on proposed legislation reached by negotiators from the European Parliament, the EU governments and the European Commission, the Brussels-based commission said in a statement on Tuesday. The agreement needs formal approval by the Parliament

and the bloc’s 28 governments. The accord is a “crucial agreement to ﬁnally end roaming charges,” Guenther Oettinger, the EU’s commissioner for the Digital Economy, said the statement. Phone companies have argued the plan to eliminate roaming charges would deprive them of proﬁtable businesses in a market already overcrowded with with more than 100 carriers, intense price wars and weak economies in several European countries. In addition, the EU agreed to enshrine the principle of so- called net neutrality into law, banning the blocking and slowing of Internet content, the commission said. Vodafone shares fell.– Bloomberg News

Duqm authority signs pact for one-stop shop Royal Decree stipulates the establishment of a single investment window to provide all the necessary services for the establishment of industrial projects within the zone

Times News Service MUSCAT: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation between Special Economic Zone Duqm (Sezad) and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) was signed by the two agencies here on Tuesday. The MoU will allow the Duqm authority to provide best services to investors through a one-stop shop in Duqm, said a press release. This was stipulated in the Royal Decree 119/2011 establishing Sezad and Royal Decree 79/2013 issuing Sezad System. The agreement was signed by Yahiya bin Said bin Abdullah Al Jabri, chairman of Sezad and Said bin Saleh Al Kiyumi, chairman of the Oman chamber. Royal Decree 119/2011 stipulates the establishment of a single investment window to provide all the necessary services for the establishment of investment projects within the zone, while Royal Decree 79/2013 stipulates that all the necessary services for

SEALING THE DEAL: The memorandum of understanding was signed by Yahiya bin Said bin Abdullah Al Jabri, chairman of Sezad, and Said bin Saleh Al Kiyumi, chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry. - Supplied picture

the projects should be provided through the one-stop shop. Article 12 of the latter Decree obligates Sezad to create an online portal to provide all information about the zone, while Article 24 of the Special Economic Zone System states that OCCI shall issue and approve certificates of origin and source for projects within the zone. Registration and renewal According to the agreement, OCCI will register and renew registration of projects that are subject to the OCCI law. It will also ratify sale bills after review, grant and approve certificates of origin and the source, validate commercial guarantees and ability of financial guarantors, certify the validity of documents it issues and the signatures of stakeholders on them. OCCI will also ratify the other commercial and industrial certificates necessary for commercial and industrial business, state registered members and their businesses and grades, and register commercial arbitration docu-

ments submitted to it by appointed arbitrators or related parties. OCCI will also carry out the tasks of commercial or industrial nature, including commodity inspection, audit of disputed services, ratiﬁcation of reports and certiﬁcates prepared by experts and trade representatives, and provision of information on the prices of commodities traded on certain dates in local commercial markets. OCCI will provide these services through a one-stop shop in the zone through its applicable programmes and regulations. It will send one or more of its employees to the one-stop shop in Sezad. Promotion of zone The MoU also stipulates the organisation of cooperation between the two sides in a number of other aspects, notably promotion of the zone within and outside the Sultanate by organising lectures, seminars, workshops and economic conferences and exhibitions in Oman and participating in the events abroad. OCCI is also cooperating with

Sezad to settle the disputes that may arise in the zone and entrusted to it by means of amicable reconciliation or arbitration, taking into account the legislation in force in the Sultanate and regulating this aspect. Duqm authority will provide an appropriate work environment for the OCCI staff at the one-stop shop in Sezad, including computers, office tools and necessary technical settings to connect these devices to OCCI systems and programmes in coordination between the two IT departments on both sides. As far as cooperation between the two sides in the ﬁeld of transfer of expertise is concerned, OCCI will provide the necessary support for the training of Duqm authority staff to perform the tasks and responsibilities entrusted to them.

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Q UA R T E R LY G R O W T H

UK economy gains momentum LONDON: Britain’s economy had more momentum than previously estimated in the first quarter. Gross domestic product rose 0.4 per cent, the Office for National Statistics said in London on Tuesday, revising its previous figure of 0.3 per cent. A separate report showed the current account deficit narrowed to £26.5 billion pounds, or 5.8 per cent of GDP. The economy has grown for

nine straight quarters, helped largely by domestic demand, though the recovery remains uneven with net trade continuing to act as a drag. As Greece’s debt crisis casting a pall over Europe, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said on Tuesday that the potential impact of a Greek exit from the euro area shouldn’t be underestimated. The Bank of England has pre-

viously issued a warning about the current-account gap, saying in April that it could, “in adverse circumstances, trigger a deterioration in market sentiment.” The current account deﬁcit amounted to 5.9 per cent of GDP last year, the most since records began in 1948. Consumer spending rose 0.9 per cent in the three months through March. - Bloomberg news

WE DNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015

MARKET PROPERTY MARKET

Turkey gears up to lure global investors into real estate ISTANBUL: Turkey is seeking to boost international investment in its property market by allowing the creation of funds that can invest in development. Funds that exclusively market Turkish property abroad will be allowed to ﬁnance real estate development if the companies that operate them accept new standards for risk management and capital reserves proposed by the Ankarabased Capital Markets Board, the regulator said by e-mail. “We aim to tap into areas that are the focus of global investors’ demand, particularly from Gulf countries, and develop a strong and institutional model that can withstand risks,” the Capital Markets Board said on June 24. C O R P O R AT E

Sony planning to raise $3.6b from sale of shares, bonds TOKYO: Sony plans to raise about ¥440 billion ($3.6 billion) in a sale of shares and convertible bonds to help finance an increase in production of image sensors used in smartphones. The shares plunged. The sale, Sony’s first since 1989, will be to the public in Japan and overseas, the company said on Tuesday in a statement. Shares will make up ¥321.5 billion of the transaction and convertible bonds will account for ¥120 billion. Image sensors, games and entertainment underpin the push to revive growth at Sony, which projects its first annual profit in three years. The company has said it’s quadrupling its investment in semiconductors to ¥290 billion this year to tap surging demand for the sensors that power Apple and Samsung. smartphones. Mismatch “The amount they are raising doesn’t correspond to the kind of growth we see in image sensors,” said Yasuaki Kogure, chief investment officer at SBI Asset Management. “This is pretty negative, and the share selloff shows a mismatch with market expectations.” Sony’s net cash, or cash minus debt, stood at ¥1.4 trillion as of March 31, compared with ¥826 billion in the previous quarter and ¥500 billion a year earlier. Sony expects sales in the image censor business to climb as much as 62 per cent to ¥1.5 trillion in the next three years. Sony dropped 8.3 per cent, the most since September 8, to ¥3,461.5. The shares have jumped 40 per cent this year, compared to a 16 per cent gain in the Nikkei 225 Stock Average. The share and convertible bond sales amount to about 10 percent of the company’s current market value of about 4.1 trillion yen, according to data. Advisers for the sale are JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Nomura. – Bloomberg News

The proposed fund regulations are part of a government effort to increase transparency in ﬁnancial markets and allow performance comparisons of all funds sold in Turkey. Regulators are seeking to boost increase investment from abroad as nation’s economy slows. Companies focused on selling Turkish real estate overseas have been largely unregulated by the capital markets board until now. “This will bring transparency and safeguards to the real estate market,” Alaeddin Babaoglu, chairman of Amplio Real Estate Investment in Istanbul, said by phone on Thursday.”It’s hard for real estate investors to compare prices in the current non-transparent conditions that bloated property prices.”

Surplus homes Under the current rules, only real estate investment trusts can invest in development. Real estate funds that market properties to domestic investors will still be unable to invest in development under the new regulations. Turkey has 700,000 to 800,000 surplus homes, mainly in Istanbul, according to Kerem Tezcan director of research at BGC Partners. Prices in Istanbul rose 28.6 per cent in April from a year ago, central bank data shows. Currently, property projects are usually financed with bank loans and presales. The new rules would allow funds to invest in so-called greenfield projects on undeveloped land. “Greenfield projects may offer

more opportunities with added value, which investors lacked before with ﬁnished projects,” Murat Gulkan, managing director of Istanbul-based Unlu Portfolio Management, said by e-mail. “However they also carry more risks.” Fund management companies that want to invest in development will be required to hold at least 20 million Turkish liras ($7.5 million) in initial capital and equity capital, according to the Capital Markets Board. A draft of the new regulations will be circulated for comments and amendments until July 15. It will go into force when the regulator publishes it in the official gazette. “Property investments will be under the Capital Markets Boards’ guarantee,” Babaoglu said. – Bloomberg News

NEW RULES: Turkey’s regulators are seeking to boost overseas investment as economy slows. Companies focused on selling real estate overseas have been largely unregulated. – Bloomberg News

Greece teeters on brink of default as debt row lingers On Monday, an emotional European Commission head Jean Claude Juncker bitterly criticised Tsipras, saying he felt “betrayed” by the leftist Syriza government’s behaviour and adding it was time to tell voters “the truth”. “A ‘No’ would mean, regardless of the question posed, that Greece had said no to Europe,” said Juncker, previously Tsipras’s closest — and sometimes only — ally in ﬁve months of debt talks. But Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis hit back, telling British newspaper The Daily Telegraph Athens could seek legal action to stop the country being forced out of the eurozone.

Talks between Greece and its creditors fell apart last week after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said any deal would be put to a referendum

ATHENS: Greece was teetering on the brink of a default that could see it crash out of the euro hours before a key debt deadline was due to expire on Tuesday, as the country’s prime minister warned Athens’ coffers were empty. Thousands took to Greece’s streets on Monday night to support their government’s opposition to the latest debt deal after a clash with the country’s creditors forced a shutdown of its banks and brought the country close to ﬁnancial collapse. Talks between Greece’s leftwing government and its creditors — the ‘troika’ of the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund — fell apart last week after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said any deal would be put to a referendum. Tsipras sought to calm nerves on Monday by leaving the door open to talks, saying the July 5 plebiscite on creditors’ latest cash-for-reform plans would leave the country “better armed” in the ﬁght for a debt deal. But the premier also made clear Greece would be unable to make the €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) payment due to the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday, the

New challenge to IMF credibility WASHINGTON: Nobody in the halls of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington has any illusion: Greece is going to default on Tuesday, delivering a new blow to the global crisis bank’s credibility. Just weeks ago, the Fund refused to accept the idea that Athens, which has received some €32 billion from the IMF to rescue its economy since 2010, would be unable to make the €1.5-billion ($1.7 billion) payment. At the beginning of June, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde insisted she had the assurance of Greek leader

same day its international bailout programme expires. “(How) is it possible the creditors are waiting for the IMF payment while our banks are being suffocated?” he

Alexis Tsipras. “The prime minister said ‘do not worry,’” she said confidently. A Fund spokesman reiterated that confidence again last week. But Tsipras’s announcement of a referendum on an adjusted bailout plan — which he urged his people to reject — made clear that the country is not going to reach a deal with official creditors in time to finance any new debt payment. How “is it possible the creditors are waiting for the IMF payment while our banks are being suffocated?” Tsipras asked. Greece will be the first country to default on the IMF since Zimbabwe in

said in a late-evening interview on ERT television. EU leaders including Germany’s Angela Merkel, France’s Francois Hollande and Italy’s

2001, and in terms of standards of living, the wealthiest. The IMF will undoubtedly wait to the ﬁnal minute before declaring Athens “in arrears,” but then the country will be immediately cut off from further IMF aid, including disbursements planned on the existing bailout programme. The IMF has less at stake than Greece in that event, but still stands to lose, experts said. It is not the ﬁrst time that the International Monetary Fund, called on by economically troubled governments to help when they run short of liquidity, faces the breakdown of a bailout programme. - AFP

Matteo Renzi, wrong-footed by Tspiras’s shock announcement of the vote over the weekend, warned it would effectively be a vote on Greece’s place in the euro.

Sudden death Tsipras has called for Greeks to vote against the proposals and staked his own career on the outcome of the vote, saying he was not a prime minister who would stay in place “in all weathers”. In Greece, shocked locals formed huge queues at ATMs after banks were shut down, some waiting for hours to withdrawn the €60 ($66) they are allowed per day. “I feel like I’m voting for sudden death or slow death,” said 38-year-old office manager Maria in Athens, who wants Greece to stay in the EU. “It feels like it’s game over.” But many Greeks backed the government’s deﬁant stance against the country’s creditors, who they blame for forcing the country into years of painful recession by demanding swingeing austerity cuts. More than 17,000 people took to the streets in Athens and the country’s second city of Thessaloniki to protest against the latest bailout proposals. - AFP

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W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015

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OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................ 6,437.01 ...............6,423.81 ...................6,424.60 ................... 6,431.37.................. -6.77 ...................-0.11 Financial Index ..................................... 7,743.54 ............... 7,728.47 ....................7,740.25 ................... 7,734.47.................... 5.78 ................... 0.07 Industrial Index ................................... 8,338.57 .............. 8,329.02 ................... 8,329.73 ...................8,340.05................-10.32 .................. -0.12 Services Index .......................................3,475.48 .............. 3,464.54 ...................3,468.00 ....................3,471.71...................-3.71 ...................-0.11 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................994.33 ..................992.57 ...................... 992.57 ......................994.26...................-1.69 .................. -0.17 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 18,988,053 ..................3,756,958 ..................1,317 ...............15,027,882,302 .................. 5 .....................20 .................... 23 .........................48

Muscat Securities Market. – Times ﬁle picture

Index fall continues

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 30 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 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... OM0000004248 ...........SMN POWER HOLDING .......................................... 214,560 ......... 150,876........................9 ........... 0.692 ........... 0.704 ...........0.692........... 0.704 .............0.684 ........... 0.020.............2.924 ................0.704..............0.696...................0.752..................140,543,462........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ................................ 62,500 .............18,035........................9 ........... 0.284 ...........0.290 ...........0.284 .......... 0.289 .............0.284 ........... 0.005..............1.761.................0.290............. 0.260...................0.290 ..................28,900,000 ........0.100 OM0000002614............ONIC. HOLDING ........................................................... 92,202 ............ 44,177..................... 10 ........... 0.472 ...........0.480 ...........0.472........... 0.480 .............0.472 ........... 0.008............. 1.695 ................0.480..............0.480...................0.518 ...................83,243,160 .........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 150,000 ...........50,400........................2 ........... 0.336 ...........0.336 ...........0.336........... 0.336 .............0.332 ........... 0.004............. 1.205 ................0.336..............0.332...................0.334 .................450,478,644 .......0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 202,031 ........... 43,408........................8 ............0.212 ........... 0.215 ...........0.212............0.215 .............0.214 ............0.001 ............. 0.467 ................0.215 ..............0.212...................0.215..................306,382,771........0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ............................1,038 ...................211........................2 ........... 0.206...........0.206 ...........0.200 ...........0.215 ............. 0.215............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.200 .............0.201...................0.205 ..................20,433,600.........0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST ........................................................................4,600 .............. 2,208........................1 ........... 0.480 ...........0.480 ...........0.480........... 0.480 .............0.480 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.480..............0.480...................0.488..................177,800,304........0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY........................................ 1,000 .............. 2,280........................2 ........... 2.280...........2.280 ...........2.280 .......... 2.270 .............2.270 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.280 ............ 2.240...................2.280 .................203,619,000........0.100 OM0000001889............SALALAH MILLS................................................................ 407 ..................608........................1 ............1.495 ........... 1.495 ...........1.495 ............1.495 ............. 1.495............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.495 .............. 1.435...................0.000 ..................72,003,781 .........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ...............17,700 ...............4,073........................3 ............0.231 ........... 0.231 ...........0.230........... 0.230 .............0.230 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.230..............0.230...................0.232 ...................4,830,000..........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ................................. 99,721 ............42,800........................5 ........... 0.430 ...........0.430 ...........0.426........... 0.430 .............0.430 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.426..............0.424...................0.426 ................. 127,371,883 ........0.100

Tuesday’s top gainer was SMN Power, up by 2.92 per cent, while Majan Glass, down by 7.17

OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................61,098 ............ 22,599......................11 ........... 0.370 ...........0.370 ...........0.368........... 0.370 .............0.370 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.370..............0.368...................0.374...................22,645,581 .........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ......................................3,813 ............... 7,626........................1 ........... 2.000...........2.000 ...........2.000 .......... 2.000 .............2.000 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.000 ............ 2.000...................2.090 ................ 190,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 310,750 ...........170,913......................18 ........... 0.550 ...........0.550 ...........0.550........... 0.550 .............0.550 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.550..............0.548...................0.552................1,260,502,428 ......0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 805,140 ......... 109,792......................12 ............0.137 ........... 0.137 ...........0.135 ............0.136 ............. 0.136............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.137 .............. 0.135...................0.137 ....................8,002,678 ..........0.100 OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE .........................................................210 .....................32........................1 ............0.150 ........... 0.150 ...........0.150 ........... 0.148 .............0.148............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.150 ..............0.148...................0.157 ................... 37,531,320 .........0.100

per cent, was the day’s top loser

OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 125,000 ............23,101........................4 ............0.184 ........... 0.185 ...........0.184............0.185 ............. 0.185............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.185 ..............0.182...................0.184................. 266,666,400 .......0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY .....................................................30,772 .............13,232........................8 ........... 0.430 ...........0.430 ...........0.430........... 0.430 .............0.430 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.430..............0.430...................0.448 ..................26,015,000 .........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH..................................................... 400 ...............1,020........................1 ........... 2.550 ...........2.550 ...........2.550........... 2.580 .............2.580 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.550..............2.550...................2.580 .................246,279,563........1.000 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 110,614 ............... 9,742......................15 ........... 0.088 ...........0.089 ...........0.087........... 0.088 .............0.088 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.089..............0.088...................0.089...................15,400,000.........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 151,486 ..........262,861.....................42 ............1.735 ........... 1.740............1.730 ............1.735 ............. 1.740............-0.005 ........... -0.287 ...............1.730 .............. 1.730................... 1.735 ................1,301,250,000 ......0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ...................................................86,611 .............48,313.....................20 ............0.558 ........... 0.558 ...........0.556........... 0.558 .............0.560 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.357 ...............0.556..............0.550...................0.556...................29,295,000.........0.100

MUSCAT: Oman’s general index — MSM30 Index — closed lower at 6,424.60 points, down by 0.11 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index declined 0.17 per cent to close at 992.57 points. Phoenix Power remained the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. Tuesday’s top gainer was SMN Power, up by 2.92 per cent, while Majan Glass, down by 7.17 per cent, was the day’s top loser. As many as 1,317 trades were executed during the day’s trading session generating turnover of OMR3.75 million with over 18.9 million shares changing hands. Out of 48 traded securities, ﬁve advanced, 20 declined and 23 remained unchanged. Omani Investors were net buyers for OMR449,000 while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR229,000 followed by GCC and Arab investors for OMR220,000 worth of shares. Financial Index rose 0.07 per cent and closed at 7,740.25 points.

Oman United Insurance, ONIC, NBO and Ahli Bank rose 1.76 per cent, 1.69 per cent, 1.20 per cent and 0.47 per cent, respectively. United Finance, Al Batinah Development, Al Sharqia Investments and Oman & Emirates Holding declined by 2.67 per cent, 2.48 per cent, 2.44 per cent, 2.42 per cent and 1.69 per cent, respectively. Industrial Index declined by 0.12 per cent to ﬁnish at 8,329.73 points. Majan Glass, Al Hassan Engineering, Oman Fisheries, Galfar Engineering and Sweets of Oman declined 7.17 per cent, 3.92 per cent, 1.82 per cent, 0.81 per cent and 0.37 per cent, respectively. Services Sector Index closed the trading session at 3,468.00 points, down by 0.11 per cent. SMN Power, up by 2.92 per cent, was the only sector gainer. Renaissance Services, National Gas, OIFC, Ooredoo and Al Suwadi Power fell by 1.75 per cent, 1.67 per cent, 1.26 per cent, 1.03 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively. – United Securities

OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 185,535 ............ 22,720..................... 23 ............0.121 ........... 0.123 ...........0.121 ........... 0.122 ............. 0.123............-0.001 ........... -0.813................0.121 .............. 0.121...................0.122................... 35,377,638 .........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 859,835 ......... 171,802................... 101 ........... 0.203 ...........0.204 ...........0.198 ........... 0.200 .............0.202 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.990 ...............0.201..............0.199...................0.201...................30,015,000 .........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER..................................................14,030 ...............2,778........................6 ............0.198 ........... 0.198 ...........0.198 ........... 0.198 .............0.200 ...........-0.002 ........... -1.000 ...............0.198 ..............0.190...................0.198...................133,627,711 ........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ...................................................... 9,030 ............... 1,788........................6 ............0.198 ........... 0.198 ...........0.198 ........... 0.198 .............0.200 ...........-0.002 ........... -1.000 ...............0.198 ..............0.194...................0.198..................141,452,455 ........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 424,000..........327,612..................... 29 ............0.776 ........... 0.776 ...........0.768 ........... 0.772 .............0.780 ...........-0.008 ........... -1.026 ...............0.772 ..............0.772...................0.776................. 502,528,946 .......0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 743,010.......... 175,404..................... 96 ........... 0.240...........0.240 ...........0.235........... 0.236 .............0.239 ...........-0.003 ............-1.255................0.236..............0.235...................0.236...................47,200,000.........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ..................................... 71,672 ...............5,072........................5 ............0.071 ...........0.072 ...........0.070............0.071 .............0.072 ...........-0.001 ........... -1.389................0.070..............0.070...................0.072................... 14,707,748 .........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .............................................................74,900 .............26,514......................16 ........... 0.362 ...........0.362 ...........0.350........... 0.354 .............0.360 ...........-0.006 ............-1.667................0.350..............0.346...................0.350................... 17,700,000 .........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 572,310 ........... 66,253..................... 29 ............0.116 ........... 0.118............0.114 ............0.116 ............. 0.118............-0.002 ............-1.695................0.117 ...............0.117................... 0.118 ................... 14,137,500 .........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES .......................................24,575 ............... 6,881........................5 ........... 0.280...........0.280 ...........0.280 .......... 0.280 .............0.285 ...........-0.005 ............-1.754................0.280............. 0.280...................0.285...................78,986,447.........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 153,569............. 18,518......................21 ............0.120 ........... 0.122 ...........0.120............0.121 .............0.124 ...........-0.003 ........... -2.419 ...............0.122..............0.122...................0.124...................10,890,000.........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ........................59,100 ...............7,092........................9 ............0.120 ........... 0.120 ...........0.120........... 0.120 ............. 0.123............-0.003 ........... -2.439 ...............0.120..............0.120...................0.124....................3,600,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001509............DHOFAR INT.DEV.AND INV. HOLD......................37,000 .............17,464........................4 ........... 0.472 ........... 0.472 ...........0.472........... 0.472 .............0.484 ...........-0.012 ........... -2.479 ...............0.472............. 0.000...................0.472..................116,300,800........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ..................................................... 327,200 ............ 47,771..................... 10 ............0.146 ........... 0.146 ...........0.146 ........... 0.146 .............0.150............-0.004 ........... -2.667 ...............0.146 ..............0.146...................0.148................... 45,371,681 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 6,087,419.......1,925,976................545 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......36........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ............................184 .....................46........................1 ........... 0.250 ...........0.250 ...........0.250........... 0.260 .............0.260 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.250..............0.250...................0.278...................23,400,000 ........0.100 OM0000001301 ............DHOFAR CATTLE FEED ................................................. 800 .................. 140........................1 ............0.175 ........... 0.175............0.175 ............0.181 ............. 0.181............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.175 .............. 0.175................... 0.181 ...................13,937,000 .........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 130,000 ..............5,070........................5 ........... 0.039 ...........0.039 ...........0.039........... 0.039 .............0.039 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.039..............0.039...................0.041.................... 3,315,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001590............MUSCAT FINANCE........................................................ 3,360 .................. 487........................1 ............0.145 ........... 0.145 ...........0.145 ........... 0.144 .............0.144 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.145 .............. 0.145...................0.150...................36,233,060.........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 102,379 .............. 7,576........................7 ........... 0.074 ........... 0.074 ...........0.074........... 0.074 .............0.074 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.074..............0.073...................0.074..................111,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 10,613,352 .1,582,998...................720 ............0.149 ........... 0.150 ...........0.148 ........... 0.149 .............0.149............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.150 ..............0.149...................0.150.................. 217,927,618 ........0.100 OM0000001475 ............SWEETS OF OMAN ..................................................... 30,000 ............40,200........................1 ............1.340 ........... 1.340 ...........1.340........... 1.340 ............. 1.345............-0.005 ........... -0.372 ...............1.340............. 0.000...................1.345....................9,380,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 142,014................7,739......................11 ............0.055 ........... 0.055 ...........0.054........... 0.054 .............0.055 ...........-0.001 ............-1.818................0.054..............0.053...................0.055....................6,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 101,975 .............10,016......................11 ........... 0.099 ...........0.099 ...........0.098........... 0.098 .............0.102 ...........-0.004 ........... -3.922 ...............0.098..............0.098...................0.099.................... 7,370,384 ..........0.100 OM0000001855 ............MAJAN GLASS .................................................................6,000 ...............1,320........................4 ........... 0.220...........0.220 ...........0.220 .......... 0.220 .............0.237 ...........-0.017 ............-7.173 ................0.220 ............ 0.000...................0.230 ................... 9,245,126 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 11,130,064.....1,655,591 ................762 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......10........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET ........................................................................................................................................................................................ OM0000005955............AL OMANIYA FIN. CONV. BONDS 6 .................... 105,025 ............10,503........................2 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.100 ...........0.100........... 0.100 .............0.100 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.100............. 0.000...................0.000 ................... 1,837,430 ..........0.100 OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ................... 1,665,545 ......164,889........................8 ........... 0.099 ...........0.099 ...........0.099........... 0.099 .............0.099 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.099..............0.099...................0.100...................32,092,000 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 1,770,570 .......175,391..................... 10 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

INDIAN STOCK MARKET

E X PA N S I O N P L A N

Oman’s oil trading company Sensex advances, mainly B1 plans to open office in US led by gains in Coal India < FROM

Oman sells most of its oil to China, where Middle Eastern crude producers face growing competition from suppliers outside the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec). Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia to become China’s top supplier in May, according to data from the Beijing-based General Administration of Customs. “We’ve seen fundamental changes in the market,” Al Awﬁ said in the interview. “Asia as a market is now enjoying a period where there are options with all the growth in oil production,” he further added. Brent for August settlement slid 0.1 per cent to $61.93 a barrel

on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange at 12:04pm Singapore time on Tuesday. US office An office in the US will give Oman Trading a base to buy and sell Latin American crude, he said. Exports from Colombia and Venezuela, among other regional suppliers, have been pushed out of the United States market by increased local production, and many of those barrels are now ﬂowing to Asia, where Middle Eastern crudes were traditionally dominant, he said. In Singapore, the company hired Nick Kay, a former trader at Phibro, to expand its crude oil

business, Al Awfi said. Kay will be the company’s first crude trader based in the Singapore office, which has so far dealt in petrochemical products. Oman pumped 944,000 barrels of oil a day in 2014, according to the country’s central bank. Oman Trading, based in Dubai in the UAE, handles about 160,000bpd of crude and about 40,000 barrels a day of refined products, according to its website. Oman Trading is seeking storage capacity in Africa for up to 100 million cubic meters (26 billion gallons) of refined products, and it plans to complete a transaction before the end of the year, Al Awfi said. – Bloomberg News

MUMBAI: Indian stocks advanced to pare the benchmark gauge’s biggest quarterly decline in two years. Coal India jumped to a record high, while consumer companies and drugmakers rallied. Coal India, the world’s top producer of the fuel, surged to a record. ITC, India’s largest cigarette maker, climbed to a four-week high. Hindustan Unilever, the biggest household-products maker, climbed to a two-month high. Lupin increased 2.9 per cent to pace advances by drugmakers. The S&P BSE Sensex added 0.5 per cent to 27,780.83 at the close in Mumbai, after changing direction at least 15 times. Local stocks rose in the last 90 minutes of trading and the euro pared losses after E. Kathimerini said in a Twitter post that Greece is reconsidering a proposal from European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker last night. “The market seems to have bounced back on the hope Greece will agree to a bailout package,” Aneesh Srivastava, who manages $722 million as chief investment officer at IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co., said by phone on Tuesday.”Market volatility will continue until we see a closure on the Greece issue.” The CNX Nifty index climbed 0.6 per cent on Tuesday. The In-

UPBEAT: S&P BSE Sensex added 0.5 per cent to 27,780.83 at the close in Mumbai. — Bloomberg ﬁle picture

dia VIX Index, a gauge of equity option costs, dropped 2.1 per cent, the most in a week. The Sensex fell 0.6 per cent this quarter, the biggest drop since the three months to March 2013. Uncertainties Markets will be looking to the European Central Bank for measures to contain the crisis, Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic adviser at Allianz SE and a Bloomberg View columnist, said in an interview from New York. “We have entered a period of uncertainties,” Hemant Kanawala, head of equities at Kotak Mahi-

ndra Old Mutual Life Insurance, which has $2 billion in assets, told Bloomberg TV India.”The most important near-term event is related to Greece.” Hindustan Unilever rose 1.8 per cent, while ITC gained 1.7 per cent. Sun Pharmaceutical surged three per cent to its highest level since June 1 and Lupin extended this year’s gain to 32 per cent. Coal India soared 3.3 per cent to an all-time high. The stock has risen 16 per cent this quarter. The Sensex trades at 15.5 times its projected 12-month earnings, compared with a ﬁve-year average of 14.4. - Bloomberg News

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ROUND-UP

Perfect time to gift your loved ones a lovely Fiat Aimed at a whole new generation of drivers in Oman who want their vehicle to be as engaging, individualised, ecologically responsible and technologically savvy as they are; the Fiat 500 offers safety, fuel economy, quality and advanced technology perfectly balanced with iconic Italian style

MUSCAT: An expression of style and character, the Fiat 500 is an all-Italian invention created to satisfy anyone who loves to have fun and go anywhere behind the wheel of an exciting car full of charm. And what better time to gift yourself or a loved one this delightful car than that of the holy month of Ramadan, that is packed with special offers and gifts galore. Aimed at a whole new generation of drivers in Oman who want their vehicle to be as engaging, individualised, ecologically responsible and technologically savvy as they are; the Fiat 500 offers safety, fuel economy, quality and advanced technology perfectly balanced with iconic Italian style,

says a press release. Its city-friendly four-passenger A-segment size, engaging driving dynamics, all-new fuelefficient 1.4-litre Fiat MultiAir engine, standard state-of-the-art Blue&Me Handsfree Communication technology, seven standard air bags and six-speed automatic transmission combine to deliver a driving and ownership experience. “With customers becoming more and more selective, individualisation has become imperative for the automotive industry,” said a spokesperson from Dhofar Automotive. “Today’s discerning customers choose a vehicle that has a unique and emotional connection to them in the endeavour that

CSR ACTIVITY

their own distinctive personality is complimented by their car. "With the arrival of the Fiat 500, the discerning young, fun loving, trendy and individualistic customer now has a vehicle that can do just that. Since seeing is believing, we invite customers to visit our showroom this Ramadan and experience the car and its amazing features for themselves.” The Fiat 500 has many accolades to its credit internationally, as it introduces many ‘Firsts’ by offering a host of innovations in its segment. It was the first to offer seven airbags as standard; the first car offering a range of over 1 million possible customisations; the first car only 3.55 metres long to win the prestigious ‘5 EuroNCAP stars’; the first car to offer the advanced ESP on all engines; the first car to offer 100 original specially designed accessories; and the first Fiat Group car to carry the revolutionary two-cylinder Twin Air engine family to its début. To find out more about the Fiat range of automobiles from Dhofar Automotive in Oman visit their showroom from Saturday to Thursday between 9am and 1.30pm or 8pm and 12am during Ramadan.

AHLIBANK RAMADAN CAMPAIGN Amir Al Habib, head of Corporate Communication at ahlibank, presents a cheque to an official (left) from Oman Cancer Association as part of the bank’s annual Ramadan campaign. — Supplied picture

FESTIVE SEASON

Golden Tulip Seeb offers Iftar buffet MUSCAT: Golden Tulip Seeb is arranging a wide range of daily Iftar buffet which will be served at Le Jardin Restaurant. Based on successful Ramadan Iftar arranged during previous years and the excellent demand from the clients, a variety

of Omani, Arabic and Lebanese items will be changed on a daily basis including different kinds of juices, soups, and traditional Iftar food. The hotel is also ready to cater for private Iftar in the ballroom or to be served outside the hotel, says a press release.

H E A LT H Y L I F E

Indian Embassy celebrates International Day of Yoga

Malabar Gold organises Iftar MUSCAT: The holy month of Ramadan has entered the second week and millions of people around the world honour the month with acts of service and prayers. Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the leading jewellery retailer, has strengthened its CSR activities in GCC and Far East this Ramadan, embracing the spirit of giving. In Oman, they will distribute 10,000 Iftar kits at different areas such as Ruwi, Muttrah and Salalah throughout Ramadan. As a part of this, an Iftar event was organised

in Muttrah on Monday in association with KMCC Muttrah and over 2,250 people beneﬁtted from the same, says a press release. Many dignitaries namely, Najeeb K, regional head, Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Muhasin P, branch head, Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Nawaz Muttrah and Shoukath Muttrah made the event more blissful by their active participation. Speaking on the occasion, Najeeb said: “As in previous years, Malabar Gold & Diamonds will be organising various Iftar events which are an integral

component of our CSR especially during the holy month of Ramadan. Our support team will be providing all the assistance needed to ensure the provision of refreshments for all the visitors. Malabar Group undertakes several CSR activities during Ramadan in association with like-minded organisations to ease the life of residents in the respective country.” The jewellery group hosts Iftar events in various parts of GCC and Far East, by organising monthlong activities, in association with like-minded organisations.

MUSCAT: The United Nation’s first-ever International Day of Yoga, an event initiated by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was celebrated on June 21 the world over. The health-friendly people of Muscat too joined in the celebrations with a special yoga session held at the Indian Embassy on June 21, in line with the common protocol on yoga set up by the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. Under the initiative of J. S. Mukul, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman, the embassy organised four sessions in which over 400 yoga enthusiasts took part over three weeks. Prior to the final event, three practice sessions were held for the participants to feel at ease during the event, says a press release. Govind Negi, the moderator for the practice sessions as well as the main event held on June 21 at the embassy as part of this drive, stressed the benefits of yoga; how it embodies the unity of body and mind, and how it gives one inner peace. He also reminded the participants of the importance of regular practice of yoga for healthy body and mind. Mukul took the lead in partici-

pation in the sessions conducted at the embassy. In his address to the participants on the International Yoga Day, he thanked the participants, including prominent personalities and yoga enthusiasts, and advised the gathering to continue what has been a great beginning. Immense beneﬁt He said there were many free yoga sessions being conducted by experts in the town, from where people could benefit immensely. He also thanked Indian Social Club, yoga teachers, enthusiasts, practitioners and volunteers for their contribution in spreading the knowledge

of yoga in the country. He expressed his sincere gratitude to Govind Negi, who has been an experienced yoga practitioner and has been taking free yoga classes at Wadi Kabir Park for past 16 years, for his initiative and efforts in bringing people together in this drive for good health. Mukul predicted a bright future for yoga in Oman. The ambassador's address was followed by the screening of the message from the Indian prime minister. After an hour of stretching, breathing exercise and meditation, the participants left the hall re-energised and rejuvenated, with a vow to continue the practice of yoga.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L Y O G A D AY

‘Yogatherapy4all’ brings awareness on beneﬁts of yoga

Times News Service MUSCAT: First International Day of Yoga was celebrated in a big way by ‘Yogatherapy4all’, a group from Muscat. Its founder, Prema Nagesh, a certiﬁed yoga therapist, was nominated by the Indian Embassy in Oman as Oman’s delegate to attend the International Day of Yoga seminar, conducted in New Delhi on June 21, in recognition of her dedication in teaching yoga in Muscat for decades. Delegates from all around the world congregated in New Delhi

to attend a two-day international seminar, as it was India which had moved a resolution in UN General Assembly in last September to declare June 21 as the International Day of Yoga, which was supported by 177 countries. Speaking to Times of Oman, Prema Nagesh, said that her senior students, under the banner of Yogatherapy4all, conducted free basic yoga asanas and right breathing technique sessions in Muscat, India (Chennai and Coimbatore) and in USA, to bring about awareness of yoga and its therapeutic beneﬁts.

The free basic yoga asanas and right breathing technique session in Muscat were conducted by her senior students A. V. Babu, Srikanth Mani, Ranjana Joshi and Vinod Nair at the Cultural Hall at Saud Bahwan Complex, at Wadi Kabir on June 21. There was enthusiastic response to the free yoga session as nearly 100 persons of all ages attended the session and learnt basic yoga postures and breathing techniques. Lakshmi Krishnamurthy, a student from Yogatherapy4all, Mus-

cat, now settled in Coimbatore in Southern India, taught basic yoga asanas and breathing technique to nearly 50 persons in Coimbatore. The persons who attended were from a wide section of the society like children, middle aged women and senior citizens. It was a different experience for Gayatri Narasimhan, who also learnt yoga from Prema Nagesh when she was in Muscat. She conducted a yoga session for nearly 200 school children, who had speech and hearing impairment, and also for the staff of their

school in the south Indian city of Chennai. She now proposes to continue free yoga teaching to these children and the staff of the school for another three months so that yoga becomes a part of the school curriculum. Nayna Pania from Muscat, who is also a student from Yogatherapy4all, on a visit to United States of America, conducted a yoga session at her daughter’s residence at Virginia. Nearly 20 people attended the yoga session to learn basic yoga postures and breathing techniques.

The session concluded with laughter yoga which was liked by everyone. The people gathered there commended the initiative of Nayna in creating yoga awareness even while on holiday and urged her to continue the yoga sessions every weekend till her presence in Virginia, which she readily accepted. The yoga asanas taught during the session were aimed at addressing modern day lifestyle ailments like back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, high blood pressure, diabetes and much more.

W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015

ROUND-UP 2016 Chevrolet Cruze comes to Oman Chevrolet Cruze is offered with competitive service pricing and cost transparency, booking service with same-day delivery, quality service by certified technicians, regional 24x7 roadside assistance and a regional three-year/100,000-km warranty. Chevrolet’s scheduled maintenance interval is once every 10,000km versus once every 5,000km for most of its competitors

The 2016 Cruze is targeted at customers who have a focused, goal-oriented lifestyle that matches the design intentions of the model

MUSCAT: The latest model of Chevrolet’s popular global car Cruze was launched in Oman recently. The new 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is currently available across Chevrolet showrooms in the Sultanate. The 2016 Cruze has dynamic and sophisticated new exterior styling. Inside, it comes with a luxurious new colour. It maintains the same high level of safety that the nameplate has enjoyed since its domestic market debut in 2011, says a press release. The main focus during the design process was to make the model more sophisticated, with a more reﬁned and mature look. The 2016 Cruze is targeted at customers who have a focused, goal-oriented lifestyle that matches the design intentions of the model. The 2016 Cruze has a wide and low stance. It comes with a new

fascia and new grille design, which offer a hint of Chevrolet’s nextgeneration design identity. The car has balanced proportions, details, and a stylish yet stable and conﬁdent presence. Style and technology come together in the 2016 Cruze. Thanks to the keyless start feature, Cruze can be started by simply pushing a button. With Chevrolet MyLink, all the favourite requirements are in one place, conveniently displaying on the 7-inch diagonal colour touch-screen. Compatible smartphone can be connected just via Bluetooth wireless technology or USB port. Using voice or steering wheel controls, the touch-screen features such as hands-free calling and texting, as well as playing music can be accessed. With the Bringgo smartphone app that delivers plenty of easy-

to-use functions, one can also instantly access the navigation features. With an iPhone, an array of hands-free tasks can also be accessed using SIRI Eyes Free - one can text, make calls, ask for directions and even send emails. A new level of entertainment can also be experienced on the go with access to over 70,000 radio stations from around the world by connecting the free Tunein app on the smartphone to the available Chevrolet MyLink system. LED daytime running light (DRL) positioning lamps, projection fog lamps and dual squaretype taillamps strengthen the Chevrolet character while providing value to the customer. Sophisticated design accents include chrome details on the front grille and garnishes, and boomerangshaped chrome bezels.

The new rear fascia has a more balanced taillamp design that enhances the sculptural lines of the Cruze. Gently restrained lines extend from the rear bumper to the trunk. A wide chrome bar on the upper rear bumper gives the back end a more sophisticated and luxurious look. The trendy new Saddle Up interior colour and a choice of newly designed 16-inch and 17-inch alloy wheels add to the reﬁned character. The Cruze, which surpassed worldwide sales of 3 million units since its introduction, has collected 39 product awards around the globe. The Cruze is equipped with an array of technically advanced safety systems, including Sensitive Electronic Stability Control (SESC), Tyre pressure monitoring system and Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA), which alerts the driver if a

vehicle is in the left- or right-side blind spot. The Cruze received a ﬁrst-class rating with a perfect score in fullfrontal and side crash tests carried out by the Korean New Car Assessment Program (KNCAP). It received the highest crashworthiness score of 97.7 points among 13 vehicles tested in 2014. Chevrolet Cruze is offered with competitive service pricing and cost transparency, booking service with same-day delivery, quality service by certiﬁed technicians, regional 24x7 roadside assistance and a regional three-year/100,000-km warranty. Chevrolet’s scheduled maintenance interval is once every 10,000km versus once every 5,000km for most of its competitors. Chevrolet, one of the world’s largest automotive brands, has a strong heritage in the Middle East,

E N H A N C I N G AWA R E N E S S

PROMOTION

CHARITY

Shop and get up to 4% cash back with BankDhofar credit cards

BankDhofar credit card facilities are specially designed to allow our customers to enjoy the great offers and promotions available to credit card users MUSCAT: Adding to the great offers and promotions unveiled during the holy month of Ramadan, BankDhofar recently announced a new credit card promotion where customers can get up to 4% cash back when they use credit cards for shopping. The credit card promotion period, which has already started, is valid through August 30. Elaborating on the offers, Salim Al Kalbani - Acting Head of Retail Products, Business & Segments Department at BankDhofar, said: “BankDhofar credit card facilities are specially designed to allow our customers to enjoy the great offers and promotions available to credit card users. All they need to do is to use their BankDhofar credit card

during the promotion period, and with more shopping comes more cash back.” According to the offer, customers who use BankDhofar credit card for shopping get 1% cash back when the spend OMR201 – 1,000, while those who spend OMR 1,001 – 2,000 are eligible to get 2% cash back on all their credit card shopping value. Meanwhile, customers who spend more than OMR2,000 get 3% cash back. Moreover, BankDhofar customers can enjoy additional 1% cash back on all international credit card transactions during the promotion period, says a press release. Earlier, the bank announced attractive offers to further add

RECRUIT

Salim Al Kalbani Acting Head of Retail Products to customers’ lifestyle and to enrich their experience, giving all BankDhofar cardholders access to exclusive discounts and other beneﬁts. A wide array of products and services is available to BankDhofar customers in the Sultanate and the United Arab Emirates, ranging from hotel services, health and wellness outlets, dining, boutiques, travel, leisure and entertainment. These special offers include exclusive discounts that range between 10% and 50% when using BankDhofar cards.

stretching back around eight decades and has been a trusted partner in the region. Today Chevrolet brings the most comprehensive range of value and performanceoriented vehicles to customers in the small, compact, mid-size and large sedan and SUV segments, offering superlative excitement, strong personality, value for money, safety and security. Chevrolet range of passenger vehicles in Oman include: Spark, Aveo, Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Impala sedans, Camaro and Corvette performance sedans, Captiva, Traverse, Tahoe, Suburban and Silverado SUVs. OTE Group is the exclusive dealer for Chevrolet in Oman with showrooms spread across the Sultanate and offering excellent aftersales service support at par with global standards, with a nationwide service network.

‘Donate your Book’ supports Oman Cancer Association

Meethaq hosts a series of seminars, workshops MUSCAT: Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, hosted recently a series of seminars and workshops across the Sultanate. The seminars were held with the aim of enhancing awareness among the society on a number of humanitarian and cultural aspects, and were conducted by renowned professors and lecturers. The ﬁrst seminar was held in Sultan Qaboos Mosque, Salalah titled: ‘Charitable Spending’ and was delivered by Sheikh Musallam Al Masahli, who talked about the importance of Zakat and Saddaqa, and their positive and humanitarian role in the society. He urged everyone to pay the Zakat and explained how to invest Zakat funds, and endowments. The lecture was well received by the attendance as Sheikh Musallam answered their queries, says a press release.

Meethaq, Islamic banking hosted another lecture on June 29 titled: ‘Charitable Culture’ and was delivered by Dr. Abdul Karim Bakkar, General supervisor of ‘Bina’a Al Fikr’ Academy, and a prominent author in the ﬁeld of education. He talked about several topics relating to promoting the culture of charity in our society and its importance. Sulaiman Al Harthy, group general manager, Meethaq Islamic Banking, said: “We would like to extend our warmest wishes on the occasion of the holy month, and we take this opportunity to thank all the participating lecturers as well as the government authorities and private parties that have partnered with us to make this programme possible. Meethaq is committed to take part in all activities that help in creating awareness among the public on certain important cultural matters.”

MUSCAT: The yearly event of ‘Donate your Book’ organised by Bareeq Al Shatti mall, where a mega sale for used books is held, is supporting Oman Cancer Association (OCA) this year. The event is being held for the fourth year. They collect books from different places in Oman and sell them in Bareeq Al Shatti, and whatever money is collected is donated, says a press release. Last year they donated to The Down’s Syndrome Parents Support Group (a part of the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Special needs) OMR3,028. Drop boxes If you have piles of books you can drop at book drop boxes placed at outlets of Just Grilled, Bareeq Al Shatti and Gallery Muscat malls, or you can call them or send them a mail, their volunteers will be glad to collect it from your place. A huge collection of English and Arabic books of novels, education, kids books are on display. Your contribution will be highly appreciated. The more you buy the more they donate. Timing of sale is from 5pm to 11.30pm at Bareeq Al Shatti mall. The sales of book will be there for next three months. Further information can be had at 99860545, 98082113 and 97202295, e-mail: kailash@ alqandeel.com.

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RECRUI JOB POSTINGS

I hire people brighter than me and I get out of their way. — Lee Iacocca

W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015

ROUND-UP

Love us on Facebook

Amaal Al Lawati is Ooredoo’s new CXO Part of the Ooredoo family for over a decade, Amaal Hussain Al Lawati today represents one

partments. Her rise within the company offers credence to Ooredoo’s dedication to developing family members, both personally and professionally. “Amaal’s appointment as CXO reaffirms our passion for nurturing and inspiring human growth. Amaal’s strong contribution to the company has been witnessed across various departments and we welcome her with sincere congratulations on this well-deserved position,” said Greg Young, Ooredoo CEO.

of the company’s most senior officers, as well the most senior female Omani employee

MUSCAT: Ooredoo has appointed Amaal Hussain Al Lawati as its chief customer experience officer (CXO). Leading the company’s customer engagement strategy, Al Lawati’s role will focus on continuing the growth of the Sultanate’s ‘Best Call Centre Service’, in addition to allocating the right skill sets to drive the evolution of its inspiring ‘customer experience’, says a press release. Part of the Ooredoo family for over a decade, Al Lawati today represents one of the company’s most senior officers, as well the most senior female Omani employee. Her previous experience includes managing over 300 staff and now as chief customer care officer, she will lead staff from a range of de-

Her previous experience includes managing over 300 staff and now as chief customer care officer, she will lead staff from a range of departments

Customer excellence “Empowering local talent across all elements of our operation is important as we diversify and reﬁne our offering to customers. We are conﬁdent of Amaal’s capabilities and look forward to seeing her do many great things in her new role as she leads us towards the future of customer excellence,” he added. As a community focused brand, Ooredoo is committed to initiatives that drive the growth of Oman’s national workforce, using a variety of training activities, workshops, update sessions, and personal development programmes to harness and develop employees’ skills.

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R A F F L E D R AW

Toyota picks first promotion winner MUSCAT: As an exciting week goes by, more and more people try their luck in Toyota’s ‘Extra Large Benefits! Extra Large Happiness!’ campaign. Toyota Oman has announced the first lucky winner Mohammed Sulaiman Al Amri from Sinaw, says a press release. A loyal Toyota user over the last five years, Mohammed previously owned a Hilux S/C 2011YM model. He was so happy with its performance that he went in for a new Hilux S/C 2.7 SR LTD. His faith in Toyota was rewarded when he won a new 2016 Toyota Camry during the ‘Extra Large Benefits! Extra Large Happiness!’ campaign. Naturally, his joy knows no bounds. “I am very happy!,” he remarked, as he complimented the scheme and underlined the fact that not merely his own family, but his friends too were eager to make the best of the Toyota offer. Toyota’s ‘Extra Large benefits! Extra Large happiness!’ offer has been greeted by a wholehearted customer response. “What that means for you as a customer,” says the spokesper-

son, “is that the biggest excitement has returned with Toyota models now being available with a host of exciting modelspecific beneﬁts.” These include insurance for a year (Oman only), a service package for up to three years/30,000km service (whichever is earlier; covering three services at 10,000km. Service intervals for petrol models based on normal operating conditions and six services at 5,000km. Service interval for diesel models),

ﬁrst year of registration and 1,000 litres of fuel. In lieu of the above, customers can choose to avail of a cash gift up to OMR1,000. And that’s not all. Every Toyota customer gets a gift voucher and a chance to take part in an amazing raffle which has nine units of 16YM Camry GL Executive as a part of the campaign, to be won. This exciting campaign will run until August 5. Beneﬁts are applicable for all purchases except those made by government organisations and ministries. Weekly raffle draws started from June 14 and will be held until August 9, on all Sundays, except July 19. Customers will be eligible for raffle only upon taking delivery of the vehicle during the campaign period after completing necessary formalities and not against booking. In Oman, Toyota’s outstanding product quality is supported by the nationwide parts and service network of Saud Bahwan Automotive. No wonder then that today, Toyota is one of the most trusted and well-known brands.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Bank Sohar’s Facebook contest to offer cash prize of OMR1,000 MUSCAT: In celebration of the holy month of Ramadan, Bank Sohar invites everyone to participate in its Ramadan Facebook competition offering cash prizes worth OMR1,000. Participants are invited to answer questions posted on Bank Sohar’s Facebook page at www. facebook.com/excel.banksohar till July 9. The questions will be posted on the bank’s Facebook page every day from Sunday to Thursday in a multiple choice format based on the various attractive touristic locations within the Sultanate, says a press release. In order to compete, participants need to log into their Facebook accounts and visit Bank Sohar’s Facebook Page (www. facebook.com/excel.banksohar). Once the page has been ‘Followed’, they then need to look for the question of the day and simply answer it. The ﬁrst correct entry from each user per question will be entered into a computerised

draw to be conducted after the competition ends, where 10 lucky winners will each receive a cash prize of OMR100. People-centric contest Commenting on the launch of the contest, Munira Abdulnabi Macki, the DGM Human Resource and Corporate Support at Bank Sohar said, “For this Facebook competition, we wanted to develop a people-centric contest; one that allowed us to celebrate the beauty and wonder of Oman with our valued friends and followers on our Facebook page. Through this competition we can enhance our interaction with them and create a spirit of friendly competition whilst spread awareness on some of the most stunning and intriguing locations of our beautiful country.” In the past year, Bank Sohar’s social media identities have witnessed a tremendous growth, in addition to a high level of engage-

ment from fans through questions, comments and responses. The Bank has also conducted two previous highly successful competitions on its social media platforms this year – the #banksohar8 Instagram competition, launched in commemoration of the Bank’s eighth anniversary; and, more recently, the Customer Service Competition #here4u on Twitter. Having started the ofﬁcial Twitter account and Facebook page in June 2013, followed by Instagram page thereafter, Bank Sohar has come a long way in getting closer to its customers and interacting with them. “The Internet and social media have proved time and again to be a fantastic platform through which we can be as close as possible to our customers and fans. Because of this, we consider our digital and social media platforms as a core aspect of our strategy and we are keen to innovate in this direction,” added Munira.

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SPOR YOUR GAME

SAYYID KHALID TO ATTEND GULF CUP MEETING Sayyid Khalid bin Hamad Al Busaidi, chairman of the Oman Football Association (OFA), will head a delegation to Kuwait to take part in an extraordinary meeting of the heads of the football federations who take part in the biennial Gulf Cup. >C5

Federer, Nadal race through

OVER EXCITED: A combination image shows, left to right, Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacting after winning his men’s singles ﬁrst round match against Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci on day two of the 2015 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club. – AFP

Defending women’s champion Petra Kvitova, the second seed, took just 35 minutes to reach the second round, cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 win over Kiki Bertens, while third seed Simona Haleo an Eugenie Bouchard crashes out

LONDON: Seven-time champion Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 winner, raced into the Wimbledon second round Tuesday as the tournament sweltered in near record-breaking heat. Second seeded Federer, bidding to become the ﬁrst man to win eight Wimbledon titles and take his majors tally to 18, enjoyed a 67-minute 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia, the world number 88 he beat at the French Open this year. Federer will face Sam Querrey of the United States for a place in the last 32. “I was happy I played aggressive. I was always going to miss playing that way a little bit but also he hung around,” said the 33-year-old Swiss. Nadal, defeated in the second, ﬁrst and fourth rounds in the last three years, reached the second

round with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Thomaz Bellucci, his ﬁfth win in ﬁve meetings against the 42ndranked Brazilian. Tenth-seeded Nadal, his lowest ranking for a decade, faces Germany’s Dustin Brown for a place in the last 32. Defending women’s champion Petra Kvitova, the second seed, took just 35 minutes to reach the second round, cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 win over Kiki Bertens, the world number 108 from the Netherlands. Kvitova, also the 2011 champion, dropped just one point on serve and next meets Kurumi Nara of Japan for a place in the last 32. “It’s great to be back on Centre Court and unbelievable to see all the people clapping,” said the Czech, who had been laid low by illness in the week before the tournament. Kvitova’s only dropped point on serve came on a double

fault in the final game of the match. The powerful 25-year-old lefthander would have been relieved to have enjoyed a brief first round outing as temperatures rocketed to around 30 degrees Celsius. Wednesday is expected to see a Wimbledon record high of around 35 degrees which would require the heat index, where matches are briefly suspended, to be consulted. However, the rule which has been adopted by Wimbledon after lobbying from the WTA, does not apply to men even though they have to slug it out over the best of five sets. The highest-ever temperature recorded at Wimbledon was 34C in 1976. Nadal, who lives in sun-kissed Mallorca, said he would be happy to see the sun keep shining. “In Australia it can be much, much worse so it’s no comparison but actually it’s beautiful,” said the Spaniard. When you have this weather here in Wimbledon it’s probably one of the best places in the world.” French 13th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was probably wishing for a few clouds after he spent more than four hours to see off Luxemburg’s Gilles Muller 7-6 (10/8), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Joining Kvitova in the second round was 10th seeded German Angelique Kerber who handed compatriot Carina Witthoeft a 6-0, 6-0 drubbing. Kerber, a semi-

finalist in 2012 and who won the Birmingham tournament on grass in the run-up to Wimbledon, took just 45 minutes to clinch victory, firing 21 winners past the world number 53. It was the third socalled “double bagel” result of the women’s first round. Andy Murray defied sweltering temperatures to kick off his bid for a second Wimbledon title with a comfortable 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 victory over Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin. The 28-year-old Scot has been in sublime form over the last few months, winning his first ever clay-court titles in Madrid and Munich, then following a run to the French Open semi-finals by claiming a record-equalling fourth crown at Queen’s Club. That success at the Wimbledon warm-up event prompted the world number three to claim he was playing even better than during his historic 2013 triumph at the grass-court Grand Slam. “It was a tough match. I made it hard for myself at the end of the second set,” Murray said. “There’s still work to be done for me, but I felt my opponent played very well. He made it very uncomfortable for me, so credit to him. I was glad to get it done in three sets because it was very hot out there.” Bouchard, Halep ousted Eugenie Bouchard, who reached

the Wimbledon final last year, was dumped out in the first round on Tuesday by China’s Duan YingYing, the world number 117. The 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 defeat against the qualifier was 12th seeded Bouchard’s 12th loss in her last 14 matches and will see her drop out of the world top 20. The 21-year-old Canadian was one of the show-stealers at Wimbledon in 2014 where she delighted fans and media with her fondness for pop star Justin Bieber and TV show The Big Bang Theory. But she has been in a slump since mid-March, falling in the first round of the French Open and picking up a tournament-ending abdominal injury in the Eastbourne grass-court event. On Tuesday, she committed 10 double faults and 23 unforced errors against Duan, who had never previously beaten a player inside the world top 75. Third-seeded Romanian Simona Halep was knocked out of Wimbledon, losing in the first round 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to Jana Cepelova of Slovakia. Halep reached the semifinals 12 months ago, just a month after finishing runner-up at the French Open. The 22-year-old Cepelova, ranked 106 in the world, had won only one match on the tour all year before Tuesday. She goes on to face another Romanian, Monica Niculescu, for a place in the last 32. - Agencies

GOOD BEGINNING: Roger Federer sailed past Damir Szumhur. – AFP

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SPORTS

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Australia’s Watson hits back at Mark Wood’s bouncer taunt With just over a week until the ﬁrst Test starts in Cardiff, Wood, in a BBC radio interview broadcast Sunday, recalled how he was instructed to bowl bouncers at Watson by the all-rounder’s then Australia team-mate Michael Hussey during a net session on the 2009 tour of England

COLCHESTER: Australia’s Shane Watson shrugged off bouncer taunts from England fast bowler Mark Wood and retaliated by issuing his own Ashes warning to the Durham quick on Monday. With just over a week until the ﬁrst Test starts in Cardiff, Wood, in a BBC radio interview broadcast Sunday, recalled how he was instructed to bowl bouncers at Watson by the all-rounder’s then Australia team-mate Michael Hussey during a net session on the 2009 tour of England. The Durham paceman, who took nine wickets in the recent twoTest series against New Zealand after making his debut at Lord’s, said Watson had dismissively labelled him a “net hero” and said he “would love to have a go at me”. Wood, set to feature in England’s side at Cardiff ’s Sophia Gardens when the ﬁrst Test gets underway on July 8, added: “Well, he’s got his chance now. Let’s hope he remembers because he is going to get a few more bumpers.” For the 34-year-old Watson it was all ancient history.

GEARING UP FOR ASHES: Australia’s Shane Watson doing some stretching exercise during practice session at Essex. – Reuters

“Up until this morning I couldn’t remember it all,” Watson said. “It was quite some time ago and I’ve had quite a few net sessions since then. So it’s not something that really stands out. “I’ve seen what he (Wood) has been able to do against New Zealand and how he bowls. If I manage to score a few runs in this next tour match with Essex, he might have the chance to have another go at me in the Tests. “It will be interesting to see how he bats because we have a couple of guys who bowl at decent pace as well who bowl fast bouncers! “He’s obviously got a lot of conﬁdence and is sure about himself. If he’s talking about all this stuff

it means he is certainly up for the challenge. He hasn’t been involved in an Ashes series before so he will be tested like we all are.” Watson was just as bullish about Australia’s bid to end a 14-year wait to win an Ashes series in Britain, having thrashed arch-rivals England 5-0 ‘Down Under’ as recently as 2013/14. “We are conﬁdent we can expose this England team as we did in Australia,” he said. Burning ambition “We’ve not won a series here since 2001 and it’s a burning ambition to put that record straight. It’s too long for Australians because I

guess we get used to winning the big ones. “Seeing England raising the urn at the Oval on the last two occasions certainly burns very deeply in me and the other guys.” However, Watson must earn the right to face England in Cardiff. He proved his form with the bat in the warm-up 255-run win over Kent in Canterbury but did not bowl because of soreness and so allowed Mitchell Marsh to steal a march on him in the battle for the position within the Test side of seambowling all-rounder. Watson has moved down the order since opening the batting regularly on the last Ashes tour of Eng-

land, which saw Australia beaten 3-0 in 2013. Although he made his debut in 2005, the fact that Watson has appeared in 58 Tests is a testament to the way in which injuries have repeatedly blighted his career. Watson, though, does expect to bowl in Australia’s final warmup match before the first Test, a four-day fixture against Essex in Chelmsford starting on Wednesday. “I aim to bowl a good 12 or 15over stint against Essex,” he said. “Having a rest from bowling in the first game allowed my body to regenerate but I know how important my bowling is to give myself the best chance of being picked for Cardiff.” - AFP

CHAMPIONS TROPHY

Uncertainty irks Bangladesh DHAKA: Bangladesh has criticised the current scheduling system in international cricket as a new tri-series in Zimbabwe threatens their qualiﬁcation for the 2017 Champions Trophy. Bangladesh stunned India 2-1 last week and were celebrating their qualiﬁcation for the eightteam tournament in England after their maiden ODI series victory over their mighty neighbours. The victory meant Bangladesh, who blanked Pakistan 3-0 in the previous home series, rose to seventh place in the latest ODI rankings with 93 points, ahead of West Indies (88) and Pakistan (87). Top seven sides and hosts England will compete in the tournament with a Sept. 30 cut-off date to determine the rankings of the teams. Bangladesh’s celebrations, however, proved a bit premature when West Indies, previously not scheduled to play ODIs before the cut-off date, on Saturday announced the Zimbabwe triseries, also involving Pakistan, in August-September. Pakistan also get a chance to

Bangladesh’s celebrations, however, proved a bit premature when West Indies, previously not scheduled to play ODIs before the cut-off date, on Saturday announced the Zimbabwe tri-series, also involving Pakistan, in August-September. Pakistan also get a chance to improve their ODI rankings in the five-match series against hosts Sri Lanka from July 11

improve their ODI rankings in the ﬁve-match series against hosts Sri Lanka from July 11. “The whole system has gone wrong ever since the ICC stopped following the FTP and let the boards deal bilaterally,” Dhaka Tribune quoted Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Jalal Yunus as saying. “This has created loopholes I believe. I don’t support this. This is not healthy competition,”

added Jalal. Bangladesh will now have to win at least one of the three ODIs in the home series against South Africa next month to secure their Champions Trophy place and Jalal was conﬁdent the Tigers can do it. “I believe we still have the chance to keep our place intact in the Champions Trophy. We just need to perform in the ODI series against South Africa,” he added. - Reuters

CRICKET

Tendulkar wishes Ajinkya best for Zimbabwe sojourn NEW DELHI: Legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday extended his greetings to new captain Ajinkya Rahane, hoping the youngster will do a good job during the upcoming Zimbabwe tour. Rahane, 27, is ﬁrst cricketer from Mumbai in 15 years to be handed the reins of the team since Tendulkar led the team in 2000. The selectors announced a second-string team for the tour, resting most of the senior players such as Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli. “I feel very happy for Ajinkya. He is a sincere and hard working cricketer. I have always been impressed with his commitment and dedication. I am sure he will give his best and give us a reason to be proud of him. I wish him all the best,” Tendulkar said. Rahane’s elevation has come days after he was dropped from the playing XI for the last two One-dayers in the recent Bangaldesh ODI series. Regular skipper Dhoni had justiﬁed Rahane’s exclusion, saying he struggles to rotate strike on slow pitches. India are scheduled to play three ODIs in Harare (July 10, 12 and 14) followed by a couple of Twenty20 Internationals (July 17 and 19). - PTI FOOTBALL

Cardiff to host 2017 Champions League final NYON: The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff will host the 2017 Champions League final, Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino said on Tuesday. The Friends Arena in Stockholm will be the venue for the 2017 Europa League final. It will be the first final of Uefa’s flagship competition to be held in Wales, but the 12th time it will be staged in the British Isles, with seven previous finals at Wembley, three in Glasgow and one in Manchester. The Millennium Stadium, which is owned by the Welsh Rugby Union, opened in 1999 and staged the English FA Cup finals from 2001 until 2006 while Wembley was being rebuilt. It has a capacity of 74,500 and staged soccer matches during the Olympic Games in 2012. It will be the second major Uefa showpiece staged in the Welsh capital after the Cardiff City Stadium provided the venue for the European Supercup match between Real Madrid and Sevilla at the start of last season. The Friends Arena in Stockholm opened in 2012 and the Europa League final will be the first Uefa club competition final to be staged in Sweden, which hosted the 1992 European Championship. Uefa also announced that the 2017 Supercup match, the European club season curtainraiser between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League will be staged in Skopje in Macedonia. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015

SPORTS Australia & New Zealand to play first day-night tie in Test history White said the day-night format would not take over from regular Test cricket, describing it as part of the game’s evolution. “Since the ﬁrst Test in 1877, there have been numerous changes to the laws and rules in an effort to ensure the game remains relevant — and this is another,” he said. The pink match ball has been developed by manufacturer Kookaburra to be more visible to players under lights than the traditional red one.

Despite misgivings among players, officials from both countries decided to proceed this year with the experimental format — played under lights and with a pink ball — which they hope will drive

NEW EXPERIMENT: Australia and New Zealand are all set to test out a Test match under lights with a pink ball in Adelaide.

up attendance and television ratings

SYDNEY: Australia and New Zealand will play the ﬁrst day-night match in Test cricket’s 138-year history, cricket chiefs announced Tuesday, in a bid to drive up dwindling spectator numbers for the ﬁve-day game. Despite misgivings among players, officials from both countries decided to proceed this year with the experimental format — played under lights and with a pink ball — which they hope will drive up attendance and television ratings. “To be brutally honest, if you look at Test cricket around the world, it is challenged,” Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland said. “We believe this is an opportunity that can breathe new life into Test cricket.” He said the Test day-nighter, to be staged at the Adelaide Oval from November 27-December 1, would allow fans to watch or attend the game after work.

Australia and New Zealand reap $843m World Cup dividend SYDNEY: The economies of Australia and New Zealand beneﬁted from A$1.1 billion ($843.59 million) in direct spending as a result of cohosting the cricket World Cup earlier this year, according to a report released on Tuesday. The report, prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers, said the tournament created the equivalent of 8,320 full time jobs across the two economies and attracted 145,000 unique visitors to the host countries, mostly from Asia. “This was the biggest event

CA, backed by broadcaster Channel Nine, has promoted the idea for years and trialled daynight ﬁrst-class cricket during the past two Sheffield Shield seasons.

in Australia since the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and it has changed cricket in New Zealand forever,” tournament chief executive John Harnden said in a news release. “The cricket World Cup generated two million bed nights across the two countries and around $855 million in visitor spending, which is great for the tourism industries of both countries.” The February 14-March 29 tournament attracted more than a million spectators to the 49 matches played in 14 cities, of which 20, not all involving

The historic ﬁrst international in Adelaide will be the third and ﬁnal Test in a series between the trans-Tasman rivals. Australia coach Darren Lehmann said it was

the host nations, were sell-outs. The ﬁnal, in which Australia beat New Zealand, attracted a crowd of 93,013 to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, while a dedicated television audience of over 1.56 billion watched the tournament around the world. The report pointed out the benefits to the host nations of the funding model, under which the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its sponsorship partners “contribute significant foreign investment” towards the delivery of the event. “This is a point of difference when compared to other

a way to boost the popularity of Test cricket, which is seen by purists as the pinnacle of the game but has been overshadowed by limited-overs formats in recent years.

CRICKET

Johnson relishing Ashes confrontation with Stokes LONDON: Mitchell Johnson is relishing the prospect of a few heated exchanges with England firebrand Ben Stokes, but he hopes the home supporters will keep it clean off the pitch. The Australian fast bowler is chomping at the bit to get stuck into the old cricketing enemy with the opening Ashes Test in Cardiff next week. Johnson, 33, insists it could be his last Test battles with England and that retaining the urn would mean the world to him. All-rounder Stokes is one England player who he expects will prove a tough opponent during the five-Test campaign starting on July 8. Stokes has built a reputation for having a short fuse and a volatile temper. A recent clash with West Indian Marlon Samuels, who rebuked and ribbed his young English rival in the Caribbean, proved Stokes is very much up for an argument. “Stokes is just playing the game and he’s fiery. We like that. We like someone who has got a bit of guts and determination,” he said on Monday. “We spoke about him throughout the last series. He was the only guy who really fought from the England team. “He also stirred up a few of the

West Indians out there recently. “We weren’t sure why he wasn’t picked in the World Cup squad. It’s always nice to play against real competitors. “Virat Kohli is the same. He’s very competitive on the ﬁeld and they are nice guys off it. People want to see a bit of ﬁre in Test match cricket.” Johnson is bracing himself for plenty of hostility from the English crowds. Bad situation Others such a Ricky Ponting and Jason Gillespie have been singled out in the past, and Johnson says: “Do I like being cast as the pantomime villain? Who likes being sledged every day! “It’s been part of the game and they always seem to target particular players. It’s been the history of the Ashes and cricket in general. I’ve been targeted all over the world. “The England fans didn’t give up in the last series back home. I remember we won in Perth and even Sydney where they were saying things. “It was a bad situation for them and they were just trying to enjoy themselves. They pay their money and they want to enjoy it. “All I notice is there is a bit more

READY FOR THE BATTLE:

Mitchell Johnson.

appreciation when you do do well. For once I’m not copping it when I’m just walking down the street, which is always nice. “I remember in 2010 in Australia I was walking down the street with my wife and copping abuse from about ten English blokes. In my own country! That was disap-

pointing because I was with my wife and it was disrespectful. “It was pretty full on and hurt at the time but I’ve been able to grow from that and those things don’t affect me now. It’s just words and I know where I am as a person. If it was a little bit of banter I would have laughed but it went too far and it was crossing the line.” With Ryan Harris ﬁt and back swinging the ball, Johnson knows he is ﬁghting for his place. He bowled fast and took wickets against Kent in the warm-up win but now has to see if he will get the nod. He admits: “There are a couple of places available and there is healthy competition going on. If ever there was a cloud or question mark over me I just wanted to show I am bowling well and up for it. “I’ve given myself every opportunity to play in the opening Test. If I’m not picked I’ll be disappointed but I will make sure I will be ready for the next match and then the next. “I’m determined to be involved because this is probably my last Ashes series. “It would mean a lot to perform to my best and for the team to do the same and win the Ashes here. Winning the World Cup was one major goal and now this is another.” - AFP

international sporting events, such as the Olympic Games, rugby World Cup and the Asian Cup, where host nations must self-fund a significant portion of their events,” it read. “This allowed Australia and New Zealand to benefit from capital inflows and lowered the level of upfront investment that would otherwise be required.” Australian Sports Minister Sussan Ley said the tournament had been an “outstanding success across all measures”. England and Wales will host the next 50-overs World Cup in 2019. - Reuters

“Only time will tell if it’s right or wrong,” he said. “At the end of the day we’ve got to give it a crack and I think it’s important for the game.” New Zealand Cricket chief David

‘Uncharted territory’ Despite administrators’ enthusiasm, many players fear for batsmen trying to play the ball under lights and are concerned the game’s traditions are being trampled A survey of New Zealand’s top players last month found most senior Black Caps were sceptical about taking part in an experiment they feared could “devalue” the Test. But the pay-off for the Black Caps’ involvement is guaranteed matches against Australia for the next seven years. “It’s uncharted territory and because of that there will be uncertainty and apprehension,” New Zealand Players’ Association chief Heath Mills said. “However, whilst the players have reservations about playing Test cricket at night, they see the bigger picture in the new agreement.” Lehmann said he viewed the match as a chance to participate in a piece of Test history. “It adds something special to it,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what it brings, seeing how both teams perform under lights, a massive crowd, it’ll be exceptional for everyone.” Australia will play three Tests against New Zealand in the southern summer — Brisbane (Nov 5-9), Perth (Nov 13-17) and the Adelaide day-nighter (Nov 27-Dec 1). They will then host the West Indies in another three-Test series — Hobart (Dec 10-14), Melbourne (Dec 26-30) and Sydney (Jan 3-7). - AFP

W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015

SPORTS Consistent Contador continues to build legacy despite the ban Had it not been for that ban, which was back-dated to cover 18 months during which he continued to race as various appeals and counterappeals were heard, Contador would already be a threetime winner of all three of cycling’s Grand Tours IN FOCUS: Alberto Contador’s status as a giant of the three-week races is unquestioned but there is a black mark over the ﬁrst half of his career. – File photo

PARIS: But for a two-year doping ban for taking clenbuterol, Alberto Contador would surely have already cemented his name in the annals of cycling’s greats. Had it not been for that ban, which was back-dated to cover 18 months during which he continued to race as various appeals and counter-appeals were heard, Contador would already be a threetime winner of all three of cycling’s Grand Tours. Yet he was stripped of his 2010 Tour de France victory and his 2011 Giro d’Italia success. With or without those wins he has only once finished outside the top five in Grand Tours that he finished. In fact, his current statistics say that of the 10 Grand Tours he started, he won seven of them, was fourth at the 2013 Tour and crashed out of the 2014 edition, with a 31st place finish at the 2005 Grand Boucle, his first ever threeweek race, his only finish outside the top five. It means that when Contador lines up on a Grand Tour start line, he should automatically be considered the favourite, as he usually wins. His status as a giant of the three-week races is unquestioned but there is a black mark over the first half of his career. Suspected of involvement, albeit unproved, in the Operation Puerto doping scandal in 2006 and then eventually receiving a back-dated ban in 2012, Contador will struggle to ever really shed the burden of doping suspicion from his shoulders. Yet even now in an era considered far cleaner than the one into which he launched his professional career, Contador has continued to win consistently -one can hardly argue he is not one of the best of his generation. No suspicions Whereas his early Grand Tour victories saw him beat riders who would later be disgraced — Levi

Froome buckled up for rocky Tour de France challenge PARIS: Chris Froome struggled for form, then crashed but the Briton looks ready just in time to compete for a second Tour de France title although micro managers Team Sky will struggle to control the race like they usually do. Froome, who claimed the 2013 Tour having won almost every race he entered in the build-up to the three-week extravaganza, took a rockier road this year before taking overall victory in the Criterium du Dauphine, the prestigious warm-up for the Tour. A couple of trademark late attacks in the ﬁnal climbs helped him beat American Tejay van Garderen while defending Tour champion Vincenzo Nibali was still struggling for ﬁtness. Before he got there, Froome was forced to skip the TirrenoAdriatico week-long race in March because of illness and looked lost in the Tour of Catalunya later that month before crashing in the Fleche Wallonne

Leipheimer was third at the 2007 Tour and second in the Vuelta a year later, while Riccardo Ricco was second at the 2008 Giro d’Italia — Contador has still won and beaten top class opposition in recent years when doping was considered far less prevalent. There are certainly no suspicions over his Vuelta wins in 2012 and last year, nor his Giro success in May this year. He ramins a talented climber and he has im-

classic in April. “I deﬁnitely feel as if I had a slower build up to the Tour this year, I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing. I’m exactly where I need to be,” said Froome, who achieved the Dauphine/Tour double in 2013. He picked himself up in the Tour de Romandie, ﬁnishing third overall, and looked closer to his awe-inspiring best on the Dauphine. “There are still one or two little things to touch on but things are looking good,” he said. To help Froome win the Dauphine, Team Sky rode hard to contain attacks and provide their leader with the perfect launching pad for his late accelerations. It may be not possible on the Tour, though, where a unique set of aggressive riders will assemble at the start in Utrecht. He will face old rival Alberto Contador, who will use every opportunity to wear down the Sky machine, but also Colom-

pressed these last couple of years with his sheer determination. Contador won the Vuelta last year on will alone, digging in grimly to hang onto Cris Froome’s attacks in the mountains, before using his faster ﬁnishing skills to snatch time in the ﬁnal kilometre. He had likewise clung to Froome’s back wheel with great determination in the pre-Tour warm-up the Criterium du Dauphine last year.

bian Nairo Quintana, France’s Thibaut Pinot and Nibali -- all offensive riders who have never been at their best all together at the start of the Tour, which should be the case this year. Froome, who abandoned the race when he crashed in the fifth stage last year, was exposed on the Dauphine once when Nibali’s attacking flair meant he and Van Garderen missed the winning move in a rain-hit mountain stage. When Sky are taken out of their comfort zone -- which does not happen very often -they look more vulnerable and their rivals’ attitude should be key to Froome’s chances. One thing he cannnot rely on, however, is a private motorhome, which team mate Richie Porte benefited from on the Giro d’Italia, to avoid dodgy hotels as the International Cycling Union (UCI) has banned its use “to reaffirm absolute fairness between all riders.” - Reuters

Limiting his losses to Froome in the timetrials and then distancing the Kenyan-born Briton with a better uphill sprint on summit ﬁnishes seemed his tactic of choice 12 months ago. But the task will be more complicated this time around as reigning Tour champion Vincenzo Nibali and Colombian climber Nairo Quintana will also pose considerable threats. Contador’s advantage perhaps is that only Nibali can

match him for descending and tactical nous, while he is able to battle both Froome and Quintana when the road goes up. He is a more complete rider than Froome or Quintana and a better climber than Nibali. What will most likely work against him, though, is his attempt at a Giro-Tour double. He rode a gruelling three-week race in May while his overall rivals were speciﬁcally preparing for the

Tour. The last time he attempted such a trick, in 2011, he could finish only fifth at the Tour after winning the Giro — although he was stripped of both results. It’s a tough ask, even for one as talented as Contador and crunchtime will come in the final week of the Tour with four back-to-back mountain stages. Yet if anyone could do it, the consistently competitive Contador must surely be that man. - AFP

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Sayyid Khalid to attend 23rd Gulf Cup meeting

RAMADAN CRICKET

Oman Football Association chairman Sayyid Khalid Al Busaidi will be accompanied by OFA general secretary Sultan bin Amin Al Zadjali for the meeting in Kuwait, the hosts of the next Gulf Cup

The region’s prestigious tournament — 23rd Gulf Cup — will be held from December 25, 2015 to January 7, 2016, while the

United Enterprises, Asad XI in quarters MUSCAT: United Enterprises and Asad XI entered the quarterfinals of the Pakistan Social Club organised Omantel Ramadan Cricket Tournament 2015 at the Pakistan School ground on Monday night. In the first match of the night, United Enterprises thrashed Abhiya XI by 56 runs. Batting first United Enterprises made the highest score of the tournament so far by amassing 137 runs in 8 overs and losing only four wickets. Waseem top scored with 67 of 19 balls, who was later declared the man of the match. In reply Abhiya could manage only 82 for 5. Rana contributed with 45 runs, while Luck and Atif claimed two wickets each. In the other match, Asad XI FOOTBALL

Hiddink quits Dutch coaching post THE HAGUE: Under-pressure Netherlands coach Guus Hiddink, whose side have struggled in qualifying for Euro 2016, has stepped down, the Dutch football federation (KNVB) announced on Monday. “Guus Hiddink and the KNVB decided on Monday to end the manager’s contract from July 1,” a federation statement conﬁrmed. “I regret this decision,” said KNVB director of football Bert van Oostveen. “Unfortunately the rewards of Guus’s work weren’t immediately visible to everyone, we thank Guus for his commitment,” he added. Hiddink, whose contract was due to run until after Euro 2016, described it as “an honour” to occupy the Dutch hotseat for a second time, the former PSV Eindhoven player and boss adding: “I ﬁnd it a pity that it ended like this” and sending best wishes to his successor.” — AFP

beat Master XI by 60 runs. Batting ﬁrst Asad XI made 123 for 5 in 8 overs. Contributors to the score were, Nadeem (31), Shami 24 and Ishtiaq 21 runs. In reply, Master XI could manage only 63 for 9. Man of the match Sherbaz claimed four wickets, while Rauf too pocketed three wickets. Brief scores: United Enterprises 137 for 4 in 8 overss (Waseem 67, Tahir 18) beat Abhiya XI 82 for 5 in 8 overs (Rana 45, Luck 2/26 , Atif 2/34) by 56 runs. Man of the match: Waseem Asad XI 123 for 5 in 8 overs (Nadeem 31, Shami 24, Ishtiaq 21) beat Master XI 63 for 9 in 8 overs (Sherbaz 4 for 7, Rauf 3 for 12) by 60 runs. Man of the match: Sherbaz.

draw is scheduled on September 25

MUSCAT: Sayyid Khalid bin Hamad Al Busaidi, chairman of the Oman Football Association (OFA), will head a delegation to Kuwait to take part in an extraordinary meeting of the heads of the football federations who take part in the biennial Gulf Cup. Sayyid Khalid will be accompanied by OFA general secretary Sultan bin Amin Al Zadjali. The meeting will centre upon all details of organising the Gulf Cup tournament, which Kuwait will host. It was in February this year Kuwait was given the right to host the 2016 edition, though earlier Iraq was supposed to host. It is worth mentioning that the head of Kuwait Football Association Sheikh Talal Al Fahad Al Sabah had announced that the time of the Kuwaiti Union Administra-

tion has received the approval of His Highness the Emir of Kuwait to host the Gulf Cup. Earlier, the Football Associations’ General Secretaries decided in their meeting in Kuwait on May 21 to hold the 23rd version of Gulf Cup Tournament in Kuwait provided that maintenance of stadiums will be done as per the time

table. The tournament will be held from December 25 to January 7, 2016 at Jaber International Stadium and Ali Sabah Al Salem Stadium, Al Nasr Sports Club. The draw will be held on September 25 in Kuwait. The Gulf Cup is held every two years rotating the host city every edition. The last edition was held

in Saudi Arabia last year and was won by the Qatar. Noteworthy, the ﬁrst Gulf Cup tournament took place in 1970, and was won by the Kuwaiti team. Kuwait is the record ten-time champions and has previously held the event three times, since the tournament’s inception, in 1974,1990 and 2003.

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Chile need best of Alexis Sanchez in Copa America final, says coach Practice makes perfect for Chile hero Vargas

Sampaoli’s team reached the ﬁnal with a 2-1 win over Peru on Monday and will meet the winners of Tuesday’s semiﬁnal between

ECSTATIC: Eduardo Vargas reacts after Chile’s victory over Peru. – Reuters

favourites Argentina and Paraguay at the national stadium on Saturday

SANTIAGO: Chile need Alexis Sanchez to recover his best form as they try to end an almost centurylong wait for a first Copa America, according to coach Jorge Sampaoli. Sampaoli’s team reached the final with a 2-1 win over Peru on Monday and will meet the winners of Tuesday’s semifinal between favourites Argentina and Paraguay at the national stadium on Saturday. “When Alexis is not in the fullness (of form) that he has us used to, Chile feel it,” Sampaoli said. “If he is feeling good, he’s the most decisive player in this team. We must recover him well because he’s vital to us,” added the Argentine. Sanchez has shown flashes of his class in the tournament but contributed only one of Chile’s 13 goals in five matches. Sampaoli suggested the pressure from home fans to reach the final as hosts and win the 99-year-old tournament for the first time affected the team. Chile were not at their best trying to break down a Peru side reduced to 10 men for 70 minutes

CRUCIAL MAN: Alexis Sanchez has shown ﬂashes of his class but contributed only one of Chile’s 13 goals in ﬁve matches. – AFP

after a red card for defender Carlos Zambrano, he said. “This was the match in which we most lost our shape Defensively the team struggled a lot to get their shape to recover the ball, we usually get it back much quicker than today (Monday),” Sampaoli said. “Our anxiety played against us,” Sampaoli told reporters. Defender Mauricio Isla, scorer of the goal that gave Chile a 1-0 win over 2011 champions Uruguay in their quarterﬁnal, echoed that sentiment. “It wasn’t our best match, we had been showing good touch,

great finishing and today we got tired,” he said. “Peru complicated us quite a bit, even with a man less. I think the pressure got to us.” The Peruvians were not given much of a chance before the tournament but Sampaoli believes they can carry their much improved form into the 2018 World Cup qualifiers starting in October. “(Peru) grew throughout the tournament and their big names became stronger and are in great form,” said Sampaoli of the work of their coach Ricardo Gareca in the short time he has been in charge. “From midfield towards the

front they have nothing to envy any national team in the Americas.” Peru had a poor 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign and are still looking to reach the finals for the first time since 1982. Dream come true Leading Chile to the Copa America final was a dream come true for coach Jorge Sampaoli, who felt relief after the hosts overcame nerves to secure victory over 10man Peru on Monday. “It was our obligation to get Chile to the final, we knew it from the first moment,” Sampaoli told reporters.

“It’s an incredible dream and even more so as hosts.” Sampaoli said nerves had made the win more difficult than needed, even with Chile one man up for most of the match. “Confusion complicated us in a game that we should have secured much earlier,” he added. “Of all our Copa games this was the most difficult because we didn’t know how to deﬁne.” Peru coach Ricardo Gareca praised the hosts, saying Chile were “a ﬁrm candidate (to win the Copa), it was from the beginning and continues to be.” - Reuters

SANTIAGO: Chile goal hero Eduardo Vargas revealed he had been practicing long-range shots after scoring a 30-yard screamer to fire ‘La Roja’ into the Copa America final here on Monday. Vargas uncorked a contender for goal of the tournament in the 64th minute, surging forward from midfield and letting fly to send an unstoppable shot ripping past Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. “I’ve been practicing shooting from long range in training and doing quite well with them, so when I found myself in that position I had the confidence to shoot,” Vargas, who also scored Chile’s controversial opening goal. Vargas’s opener was lucky to stand; replays showed the striker had scored after being in an offside position when Alexis Sanchez played a teasing cross into the Peruvian box.- AFP

C O PA A M E R I C A

Peru pushed us all the way, says Chile’s defender Isla SANTIAGO: Peru gave Chile a real run for their money in Monday’s Copa America semifinal despite playing most of the match with 10 men, Chile defender Mauricio Isla acknowledged. “We said it in the changing room afterwards. It wasn’t the best match we’ve ever played. Peru made things really difficult for us, even with one man fewer,” Isla said. “I think the pressure got to us. We were a little bit tired and Peru made things quite difficult.” Peru had Carlos Zambrano sent off in the 20th minute for a challenge on Charles Aranguiz and Chile took a 1-0 lead just before the break. But the Peruvians never gave up and equalised through a Gary Medel own goal before Chilean Chile striker Eduardo Vargas scored his second of the night to seal his “With 11 against 11 it might side’s 2-1 victory. Chile, in the final for the first have been a different story but time in 28 years, will face the that’s the way it is,” he said. “We winner of Tuesday’s second had to play with 10 men from the semi-final between Argentina or start and despite that I think the Paraguay. “Everyone wants a fi- team played really well, fighting nal against Argentina but look out until the end.” Peru will now face the losers of for Paraguay, they’re a very strong Tuesday’s match for third place. team,” Isla said. “We have to get our concentraPeru’s veteran striker Claudio Pizarro lamented Zambrano’s dis- tion back and recover because we missal but praised his team mates still have an important game left,” Pizarro said. - Reuters for their attitude.

I think the pressure got to us. We were a little bit tired and Peru made things quite difficult. Everyone wants a final against Argentina but look out for Paraguay Mauricio Isla

MY BALL: Chile’s Mauricio Isla, left, and Peru’s Andre Carrillo jump to head the ball during their Copa America 2015 semiﬁnal soccer match at the National Stadium in Santiago. – Reuters

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W ED N ES DAY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 5

Leisure WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

ASPIRING ASTANA

Kazakhstan’s capital city is a Central Asian boomtown that has grown from a post-Soviet city of fewer than 300,000 people to a futuristic, ambitious city of over 835,000 that aims to make its mark in the world. By Sarah MacDonald

stana is a capital city brimming with optimism and energy, expanding and eager to catch the world’s attention. The capital of Kazakhstan, the largest Central Asian country and a former Soviet Republic, Astana is a young city that is home to a fascinating array of international and modern architectural styles and an equally fascinating, multicultural population. Astana hasn’t always been the capital of Kazakhstan; prior to 1997 the capital was Almaty, a city in the southeast, but in 1994, just three years after the country gained independence from the Soviet Union, the government decided to relocate the capital. The city of

Akmola, set in a picturesque location in the northern part of the country with a river running through it, surrounded by farmland and big open skies, was chosen. On December 10, 1997 Akmola became the capital; six months later, in June 1998, it was renamed Astana, the Kazakh word meaning “The Capital.” In the years since, Astana has grown and ﬂourished as a modern, planned capital, reﬂecting the optimistic vision of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has been in power since 1989. The population has more than tripled from around 270,000 in Akmola in 1996 to over 835,000 now. The accelerated pace of development has resulted in numerous eye-catching buildings and monuments. >>

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Where to Stay Astana Marriott Hotel from $200 US per night. Close to the opera house and shopping centres marriott.com Rixos President Hotel Astana from $336 US per night. Luxury 5-star hotel, centrally located presidentastana.rixos.com

Where to Eat

PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah MacDonald/ MMG PHOTOGRAPHY (2 Portraits of Khazakhstanis); SHUTTERSTOCK (4)

Farhi Afforadable Kazakh food with excellent service. facebook.com/farhi.astana

ASTANA is peppered with many landmark buildings and vast green spaces. During the summer months, lush grass, trees, and ﬂowers line almost every street. The buildings feature an eclectic mix of architectural styles, from fortress-like Russian architecture, to cutting edge glass creations, along with buildings and monuments that emulate international landmarks, such as the Arc de Triomphe, glass pyramid, and the Presidential Palace, which appears to be a more opulent version of the White House in Washington, DC. Across the river from the Presidential Palace sits the 62 metre high glass pyramid, home to the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation. It was built on the orders of President Nursultan Nazarbayev for the tri-annual Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, the ﬁrst of which was held in 2003, and the most recent this June. It has prayer rooms for all the world’s major religions, a cultural museum, a library and a research centre. Across the street there are a few other impressive structures, including the beautiful Khazret Sultan Mosque; the 91 metre high Kazakh Eli Monument, built to celebrate the capital’s 10th anniversary; the Independence Palace, which is a modern convention centre; and the Kazakhstan History Museum, where the country’s rich history of nomadic culture on the Silk Road is on display. Across the river, Astana’s downtown, reminiscent of cities like Dubai and Hong Kong, is home to many futuristic buildings. An unusual landmark, Khan Shatyr, is a shopping mall that doubles as the world’s largest tent, and there are international offices, glass towers that curve and shine in the sunlight, standing tall and visible from afar, that suggest Astana is a boomtown where the resource rich Kazakh economy is attracting many foreign investors along with local businessmen who see the city as a place full of opportunity. The centrepiece, the modern capital is Baiterek Tower, a 97 metre high observation tower, styled to look vaguely like a white tree trunk holding a round, golden globe, alluding to a Kazakh myth about a Samruk bird which laid a golden egg. Astana is home to several important cultural venues, including the elegant Greco-Roman styled opera house, which is the biggest

Getting there The easiest routes from Muscat are through Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways, or through Istanbul on Turkish Airlines or Air Astana.

What to Order A must-try dish is Beshbarmak (“five fingers”), boiled mutton or horse meat that is served with potatoes, noodles, onions, and a broth. Traditionally it is eaten by hand, with five fingers, but in restaurants cutlery is provided.

What to See: Baiterek Tower Address: Vodno-Zelyony Blvd, 1 | Turkestana and Dostyk Streets Corner, Astana, Kazakhstan Phone: +7 (7172) 241688

Getting around There is a bus system, but many people in Astana drive. There are also taxis but they can be slow. Astana has a hop-on-hop-off tour bus that has 30 stops around the city and tickets are valid for 24 hours, which is a great way to get oriented.

National Museum of Kazakhstan Address: Astana 010000, Kazakhstan Phone: +7 (7172) 919035 Khan Shatyr Mall Address: 37 Turan Ave, Astana, Kazakhstan Phone: +7 (7172) 734768

Souvenirs Kazakhstan is known for its silver jewellery, often made with local semi-precious stones, as well as beautiful silk scarves and leather products. in the region, and the Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall, another impressive example of the city’s love of modern designs. The concert hall was designed to take the shape of a dombra, a type of Kazakh lute. There are also several universities, a 30,000-seat sports stadium, and cycling and skating centres. Though now many of the buildings in the older neighbourhoods of Astana are rundown, these parts of the city are worth exploring as the Soviet-style rectangular, efficient, and industrial buildings show just how far the rest of the city has come. Here you will also ﬁnd a stunning golddomed, whitewashed Assumption Cathedral, an orthodox cathedral that was built in 2010, along with the city’s only synagogue, Beit Rachel, built in 2004. From an architectural perspective, Astana is truly fascinating. It’s an unexpected blend of styles that somehow come together to create a city that both pays tribute to its origins on the vast, open Kazakh Steppes, while keeping a focused on the future. The wheels of progress are apparent in the plethora of cranes hovering over construction sites, as Astana prepares to

Satti Authentic, high-end Kazakh restaurant that serves traditional dishes. In the evenings Satti has a traditional dance show. arka.kz

Palace of Peace and Reconciliation Address: Manasa Av., 57, Astana, Kazakhstan Phone: +7 (7172) 744744 State Theatre of Opera and Ballet (Astana Opera House) Address: Dinmukhamed Qonayev St, Astana,Kazakhstan Phone: +7 (7172) 709594

play host to Expo 2017, building the expo venues and new facilities and hotels to accommodate visitors and participants. As interesting and eclectic as the skyline, Astana’s residents are another reﬂection of the diversity and changing landscape of the country. According to the 2014 census, approximately 65% of the inhabitants are ethnic Kazakhs, 24% are Russians, 3% are Ukrainian, 2% are Tartars, 2% are Germans and other ethnic groups, including Poles, Belarusians, Uzbeks and Koreans. This mosaic of people offers some of the greatest possible people-watching, and over the years, as people are intermarried, there are ever

more interesting faces. In Astana, it is a pleasure to sit in a cafe or wander through one of the city’s shopping centres and simply watching the menagerie of residents going about their lives. If you are able to attend a cultural event in the city, you’ll have the opportunity to see the local people dressed in their respective traditional costumes. Every year more and more of the country’s citizens migrate to Astana in search of jobs and business opportunities, and there are increasingly more migrants from neighbouring countries, along with investors from overseas, further adding to the city’s cultural meiliu. A visit to the capital of

Kazakhstan offers a wonderful opportunity to experience both ancient and modern culture, in a part of the world a bit off the beaten tourist track. As the city continues to grow and evolve, it is an especially exciting time to explore. As President Nursultan Nazarbayev has said, “Today Astana is the centre of a modern history of Kazakhstan. On the example of Astana it is possible to judge development of all our state. Through Astana we have opened new Kazakhstan to the global world. But, ﬁrst of all, in a new fashion we have opened this city for ourselves, for the Fatherland.” sarah@timesofoman.com

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015

LIFESTYLE

Tall in the Saddle

THE HOBBYIST Shatha Al Zadjali Horseback Riding

If you fall, get back on the horse straight away, don’t let it scare you. The quicker you get back in the saddle, the quicker you will get over your fear and improve. By Salim Joseph

Why do you love it? As a little girl I always loved horses. That childhood fascination or love grew as I began to spend more time with them. It’s the connection you make with the horse. You learn that each one has a character or a distinct personality. Some are like children and you start getting attached to them. How did you get into it? It’s been 13 years since I started riding. During my morning walks on the beach I used to come across horsemen riding and taking lessons from their coach. I was interested, but was a bit shy to ask them if I could join some classes. I ﬁnally worked up the courage to approach the coach, Anwar Al Rashid. I conveyed my interest and got a positive response from him. I was a bit scared when I ﬁrst went to the stables and it took some time to get over that. How can I get into it? You just need to visit the equestrian riding schools and stables. You can approach and speak to a coach to arrange for classes and guided rides through parks and beaches. Then you can move on to learning different things, like show jumping or dressage, and challenge yourself by going for long rides on the beach to test your endurance. It’s not as easy as people might think, it is a very good workout. Try different things to learn what aspects you like most. Then, if you want to take it a step further, you can even participate in competitions. What’s your pro-tip? Once you start, continue riding at least twice a week. Don’t stop because your muscles ache, as new riders will all experience that. Apparently horse riding is one of the very few sports that gets all your muscles working. Also if you fall, get back on the horse straight away, don’t let it scare you. The quicker you get back in the saddle, the quicker you will get over your fear and improve. Most importantly treat horses well, like a friend. If you care for them, they will take care of you on your rides. Contact Info/resources for the hobby My coach’s name is Anwar Al Rashid and the stable I go to is Arabian Stables right next to Fun Zone in Qurum. You can reach Anwar at 9938 6978.

Photo: Peter Sanders

What‘s your favourite hobby? Want to tell us about it? Contact salim@timesofoman.com

Y O U R FAV O U R I T E B O O K

No One Writes to the Colonel A short novel by Nobel Prize in Literature winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez By Salim Joseph

“Nothing for the colonel”, he (the postmaster) said. The colonel felt ashamed. “I wasn’t expecting anything,” he lied. He turned to the doctor with an entirely childish look. “No one writes to me.” This aged and impoverished colonel initially didn’t fascinate me like the ‘magical’ characters in Marquez’s other short stories or novels, like Colonel Aureliano Buendia in One Hundred Years of Solitude. But few characters have haunted me like this nameless man, ever since I read the book some 25 years back. Santiago in Hemingway’s The Old Man and

The Sea is the one other character that comes close. We seem the colonel ‘sitting… with an attitude of conﬁdent and innocent expectation…’ in the very ﬁrst few pages, before realising that he is in fact waiting for his pension cheque for his participation in La Violencia, a civil war between liberals and conservatives in Colombia. “It was supposed to come today for sure,” the colonel tells postmaster, and he continually waves off his wife’s anxious queries with bitter humour. “The only thing that comes for sure is death, colonel,” she replies. The colonel and his wife, who

lost their son to political repression, live in sheer poverty, and in an interesting subplot, they see their a ﬁghting rooster their son left behind as their last hope. The colonel struggles between selling the cock to stave off hunger and waiting for 44 days to enter it into the cockﬁghts. Without a cent to bet on his own rooster, he can expect only a 20 per cent owner’s entitlement if the cock wins. “But if he loses…?” his wife asks. “He’s the one rooster that can’t lose,” the colonel replies. The conclusion of this tortured story comes in the form of a single word, a word that somehow cap-

tures the unavoidable realities of this starving elderly couple. Only Marquez, I think, could have written this tale in such a digniﬁed way, and ended it with such powerful simplicity.

ARE YOU A PROLIFIC READER? Which is your favourite book? Pick one and send in your thoughts on it. Contact salim @timesofoman.com

C10

W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015

FIND-IT-ALL CINEMA SCHEDULE

@MGM

CITY CINEMA

@SHATTI

@RUWI

@SUR

@SALALAH

BAHJA CINEMA

Contact (10 am to 6pm) 24567664 | 68 . www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman

Jurassic World (Action / Adventure) Cast: Chris Pratt, Judy Greer, Ty Simkins 9.30 pm CP No: 1495 (PG12)

SHATTI

Guardian (Action, Thriller) (15+) Cast: Sarah Carter, Tio Pakusodewo, Nino Fernandez 9.30, 11:45 pm CP No: 1613 ( 15+)

Love & Mercy (Biography, Drama) (12+) Cast: John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks 9:30 pm Jurassic World (Action, Adventure) (3D) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15, 11:30 pm Guardian (Action, Thriller) (15+) Cast: Sarah Carter, Tio Pakusodewo, Nino Fernandez 11:45 pm

Gold Class: 11:15 pm

9:15, 11:30 pm

9:45 pm

11:00 pm

11:45 pm

GUARDIAN

JURASSIC WORLD

ABCD 2

(Act, Adv) (2D) (15+), Cast: Sarah Carter, Tio Pakusodewo

(Act, Adv) (3D) (PG12), Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard

(Hindi, Musical) Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudeva

PREMAM

OUT OF THE DARK (2D)

(Mal) (Com) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran

(Horror) Cast: Frank Cuervo, Pixie Davies, Alejandro Furth

RUWI SCREEN 1

ABCD 2 (Dance, Musical) (PG) Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, 9:45 pm

SOHAR Jurassic World (3D) (PG12) (Action |Adventure | Sci-Fi) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15, 11:45 pm

ABCD 2 (Dance/Musical) Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudeva, Raghav and Dharmesh 9.45 pm (PG)

MUSCAT GRAND MALL Jurassic World (3D) (Action/Adventure) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard 9:15, 11:45 pm Gold Class: 9:00 pm

Hamari Adhori Kahani (Romance/ Drama) – PG Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkummar Rao 9.45 pm

Just The Way You Are (2D) (Dance/Romance) (12+) (Language - Tagalog) Cast: Enrique Gil, Liza Soberano, Yves Flores 11:45 pm

Premam – 2D (Comedy, Romance) (PG) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran, Jude Anthany Joseph 9:00 pm

Guardian (15+ ) (Action, Thriller) Cast: Sarah Carter, Tio Pakusodewo, Nino Fernandez 11:45 pm

SCREEN 3

Guardian (2D) (Action / Thriller) (15+) Cast: Sarah Carter, Tio Pakusodewo, Nino Fernandez Gold Class: 11:15 pm

BURAIMI Jurassic World - 3D (Action/Adventure/ Sci-Fi) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15 pm

Premam (2D) (M) (PG) (Comedy | Romance) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran, Jude Anthany Joseph 9:00 pm

SCREEN 2

ABCD 2 (2D) (Dance/Romance) Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudheva, Raghav, Dharmesh 9:00 pm

Forbidden Empire (12+) Adventure Cast: Jason Flemyng, Andrey Smolyakov, Aleksey Chadov; 11:30 pm

Dil Dhadakne Do (Romance/Drama/ Comedy ) – PG12 Cast: Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Shefali Shetty, Anushka Sharma, Priyanka Chopra 9.45 pm

Love & Mercy (12+) Drama Cast: John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks 9:15 pm

SUR Jurassic World (3D) (Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas 9:00, 11:15pm

Premam (2D) (PG) (Romance, Comedy) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran, Jude Anthany Joseph 9:00 pm

Guardian ( Action ) (15+) Cast: Sarah Carter, Tio Pakusodewo, Nino Fernandez 9:15pm

ABCD 2 (2D) (PG) (Dance, Musical) Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudheva,Raghav, Dharmesh 9:00 pm

Premam (Mal) (Comedy | Romance) (TBC) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran, Jude Anthany Joseph 11:00 pm SALALAH Jurassic World (3D) (PG12) (Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi ) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15, 11:30 pm

Guardian 2D (Action/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Sarah Carter, Tio Pakusodewo, Nino Fernandez 11:30pm Forbidden Empire 2D (Action/Fantasy/ Mystery) (12+) Cast: Jason Flemyng, Andrey Smolyakov, Aleksey Chadov 11:55pm

ABCD 2 (2D) (TBC) Dance | Musical Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudheva,Raghav, Dharmesh 9:00 pm

Dept time

Destination

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)

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

Daily

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54) 14:30 14:30

Nizwa Yanqul

Nizwa Al Araqi

08:55 Daily 11:40 Daily 20:20 Daily via Ibri 14:55 Daily 17:40 Daily 19:20 Daily 22:15 Daily

41 30 Minimum

RYAN GHOSH July 1, 2006

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

15-60%

07:00

Ruwi

10:25

Daily

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

06:00 06:00

Nizwa Ruwi

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

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/ her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

10:20 12:30

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) Sur Sur

Chandrettan Evideeya (Mal ) (Romance/ Comedy) Cast: Dileep, Namitha and Annu Sree 9:45 pm at Cinema -4

ROYAL OMAN POLICE 07:30 14:30

Kakka Muttai (Tamil) (Drama/Comedy) Cast: Ramesh and Silam Barasan 9:45 pm at Cinema-3

Out of the Dark (2D) (15+) (Horror) Cast: Frank Cuervo, Pixie Davies, Alejandro Furth 11:45 pm

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54) 08:00 08:00

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 20:50

Eli (Tamil) (Action/Comedy) Cast: Vadivelu and Sadha 9:30 pm at Cinema -2

WEATHER

15:00 15:00 15:00

16:30 18:00 19:30

Premam (Mal) (Comedy) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran and Sai Pallavi 10:00 pm at Cinema Main

WITH LOVE

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (ROUTE 36) Quriyat Sur Jaalan

Film information 24791641 / 24786776

(Programmes are subject to change)

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

STAR CINEMA

Guardian (2D) (15+) (Action, Thriller) Cast: Sarah Carter, Tio Pakusodewo, Nino Fernandez 11:55 pm

LONG DISTANCE BUS TIMINGS (OMAN NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMPANY SAOC) *SUBJECT TO CHANGE

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

Forbidden Empire (Action/Fantasy/ Mystery) (12+) Cast: Jason Flemyng, Andrey Smolyakov, Aleksey Chadov 11:45pm CP No: 1614 (12+)

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

Appolo 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 Hamdan Hospital 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar 26751128 MBD 24799077 Al Khuwair 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC 22004000 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

Air New Zealand 24700732 Biman Bangladesh Airlines 24701128 British Airways 24568777 Cathay Pacific 24789818 Egypt Air 24794113 Emirates Air 24404400 Ethiopian Airlines 24660313 Gulf Air 80072424 Indian 24791914 Iran Air 24787423 Japan Airlines 24704455 Jazeera Airways 23294848 Jet Airways 24787248 Kenya Airways 24660300 KML Royal Dutch Airlines 24566737 Kuwait Airways 24701262 LOT Polish Airlines 24796387 Lufthansa 24796692 Malaysian Airlines 24560796 Middle East Airlines 24796680 Oman Air 24531111 Pakistan International Airlines 24792471 Qatar Airways 24771900 Qantas 24559941 Royal Jordanian 24796693 Saudi Arabian Airlines 24789485 Singapore Airlines 24791233 Shaheen Air 24816565 SriLankan Airlines 24784545 Swiss International Airlines 24796692 Thai Airways 24705934

WE DNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015

C11

LIFESTYLE

Greetings from Shaat

N ; Long: Location: Shaat cliff, Salalah, Oman; Lat: 17° 04’ 17”

Have you been able to capture the beauty of an off-the-beaten-path destination in Oman? to: Send your pictures with a caption & geo-locator salim@timesofoman.com

BRIEFS

Rescheduled practice timings for Ramadan

With the Holy Month of Ramadan underway, the OGC (Oman Golf Committee) has altered the timings of practice session for its senior, junior and ladies squads. The players are now training in the evening, instead of their customary morning and late-afternoon sessions. The OGC’s senior players are undergoing hour-long training sessions at Almouj Golf in The Wave, Muscat starting at 5pm, and the junior and ladies teams are going through the paces at Ghala Golf Club starting at 8pm on a routine basis. PGA Pro Marcus Casey is coaching the senior players. The juniors and ladies are taking evening lessons from PGA Pro Milo Breitenwischer. -OGC

Irish tourism set for record year, propelled by weak euro DUBLIN: Ireland is on course to attract more tourists this year than ever before, the country’s tourism minister said, as the European Union’s fastest-growing economy reaps the benefit of a weakening euro. Older industries like tourism and agriculture have become an increasing focus for the government since the collapse of the country’s property bubble in 2008 led to a bailout by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Tourist trips, mainly from Britain and the United States, were up 12 per cent in the first five months of the year on an annual basis, the central statistics office said recently. Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, Paschal Donohoe said the numbers indicated 2015 was set to be a “record year” for the industry. The near 20 per cent fall in the euro against the US dollar since the start of 2014 was “the big factor” behind the increased visitor numbers, said Alan McQuaid, chief economist at Merrion Stockbrokers. The industry is far more labour intensive than the technology and pharmaceutical industries that also drive the economy, employing around 200,000 people out of a workforce of 1.9 million, he said. The country’s tourism board said that last year overseas visitors accounted for around 4.1 billion euros ($4.59 billion) of revenue, boosted by cuts to value-added tax on tourism- related services and scrapped air travel taxes. -Reuters

54° 57’ 22” E

C1 2

W E D NE S DAY, JU LY 1, 2 015

LIFESTYLE FIVE THINGS I CAN’T TRAVEL WITHOUT

Antara Bose is a writer, model, and emcee based in Muscat. She is best known for her OmanTel advertisement (Your World Your Oman). She is also known for being part of various animal rights and anti-cruelty campaigns which she says are close to her heart.

VICTORIA’S SECRET MIST

I think I’ve gotten my friends addicted to the fragrance too.

Nail Polish

I carry it, but strangely never managed to use it when needed.

PHONE AND BATTERY PACK

I doubt I can even function without it.

EXTRA SET OF CLOTHES

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK; SUPPLIED

Last minute event calls are inevitable and schedules can be tight. I’ve mastered the art of getting ready in the car (which is my 2nd home).

KEYS, CARDS AND CASH

I would be immobile without the car, have no ability to pay and basically be quite helpless and hopeless once the gate closes behind me; not to mention, I’d probably have to leap over the closed gate to retrieve these precious essentials.

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M W E D N E S DAY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 5

SECTION

CONNEC T H E D A I LY G U I D E

RENT

VACANCY

CARGO

W E D N E S D AY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 5 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classiﬁeds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

FOR RENT

Building In Rusail Industrial ŶĞĂƌ ƚŽ ŵŝĂŶƟƚ KŵĂŶ comprising a store divisible area 266 sq. meters. The building includes Studios ĂŶĚ ƌŽŽŵƐ ǁŝƚŚ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ ƐŝǌĞ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ ĨŽƌ ŽĸĐĞƐ Žƌ residence. Preferably to be leased to one company.

For rent if require ﬂats for rent in Wadi Kabir please send me messages through Whatsapp. Contact: 99376454

Mob + 968 96177505

Flat for rent in Mabela 7, 2BHK + 3 bathroom 220/-R.O. Contact: 92712996 Double bedroom near Lulu Wadi Kabeer. Contact: 92022816/99468133/99719471

Apartment in Al Khuwair 33/1, 4 bedroom 550/-R.O. Contact : 99340055 / 97557555

Flat for rent Ruwi near Badr al Sama, 2 bed rooms, attach toilet in rooms big hall big kitchen. Contact: 99345137

1.2.3 BHK ﬂats. Contact: 92144045 1BHK with A/C Mumtaz. R.O 250/-. Contact 9779175 Small old house for rent Al Ghobrah. Contact 95112461

2BHK for commercial M.B.D R.O 300/-. Contact: 92144045

2 BHK commercial / residential ﬂat at Honda Road. Contact: 99342733/99795241

2BHK with A.C Darsait R.O 300/-. Contact: 92144045

3000 sq mtrs Industrial landß, in Barka Sanaiya, with electricity 400KW, shed, staff accommodation and office. Ready to start any kind of factory. Contact 99384255. Furnished room for rent at Al Khuwair R.O 225/- for family only. Contact: 99251975

2BHK without A.C Ghobrah R.O 325/- Contact: 92144045

New building in Wadi Kabir, 2 bedroom ﬂats. Contact: 99313274

2BHK near Oman house behind Khimji, H.O. Contact: 95865686

Workshop for rent Ground floor 126 SQM. Workshop first floor 108 SQM furnished office with storage accommodation for 50 Labors. Contact: 92410691

Room for rent, street 18Nov. Azaiba. Contact: 99785561

Flat for rent in Wadi Al Kabir 1 bed and 3 bed near to Mars Hypermarket for info Contact: 98983353 / 99700887

For rent in Qantab European style 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, Guest toilet, fully equipped modern kitchen, covered car park for two cars, approximately 150 meters from the beach. For enquiries, please Contact: Yasser at 92606005

Six bed room twin villa Al Athaiba. Contact: 99207840

Spacious well maintained 2BHK at Rex Road. Contact: 92227165

4 bed room ﬂat at Al Hail South. Contact: 99207840

Flat for rent 1BHK Rex Road Ruwi R.O 215/-. Contact: 92833408

1 Villa & 3 big Flats of 2/3 BHK with hall, Kitchen & ACs Al Khoudh 6, Close to express way, from owner. Tel 97600322 alnehang@gmail.com 1 BHK ﬂat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 1 BHK ﬂat in Honda Road (Ruwi). Contact 99792181 100 sqr mtrs office space in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181

2 BHK ﬂat in Al Azaiba near sea, with split A/C. RO.340/Contact 93191111 For rent 3 industrial land. Contact 92702891/ 95490842 Flat for rent in Mabellah 8th. Contact: 97147240 For rent in Darsait, new ﬂats. Contact: 99311525 Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat. Contact 99349526

BUYING/SELLING All type of car scanner available easy car diagnostic for professional and self use Authorize LAUNCH and Autel dealer www.omancartools.com 92393972

FOR SALE Fabulous AC ﬂat at Al Khoud 3 bedrooms, hall and kitchen RO 270/- for rent. Contact: 99334699 Flat for rent in Walja Ruwi, 2 bedrooms, 2 toilets and kitchen for further enquiry. Contact: 95464607

Store space available opp. Fatima Shopping Ruwi. Contact: Mr. Sharath 98168577

Brand new warehouse 3500SQM (2800SQM built up area) at Rusayl industrial area adjacent to Amiantit Oman with ceiling fans, light ﬁttings, extract fans &provision for ACs. Contact: 94652485 /99273774/99202278

2BHK Wadi Kabeer R.O 300/-. Contact: 92144045

Villa AL Ghobrah, 6 bedroom 1200/R.O. Contact: 99340055/97557555

Three new three bedrooms ﬂats with servants rooms Al Khuwair 39. Contact: 99207840

Flat for rent in AL Wadi AL Kabir next to Kuwaiti Mosque 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, balcony & 1 living room 220/-R.O Contact: 99425958

Commercial 3 BHK ﬂat in Al Ghobra 18 Nov Street. RO 700/Contact 93191111

Deluxe 3 BHK Penthouse with Seaview, ideal for office / residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 9772 1313 / 9507 0421 2BHK / I BHK newly renovated flats at Wattaya R/O – Near the Mosque for Families. Preferably for one company. Contact : 96457757 9 am to 7 Pm. Shop /Comn /Resi building 1 & 2 bed flat available in Wadi Kabir (near Lulu). Contact: 99451168 One bed rooms flat RO 200/Wadi Al Kabir. Contact: 99451168 Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road. Contact 97293708 / 92433127

Apartments for rent near Indian school Ghobrah & AL Maha international hotel (2BHK with 5 split AC units) Contact: 94652485/99273774/99202278 Apartments for rent near Al Nahdha Towers/ Vachas hypermarket Azaiba Ghala (1& 2 BHK with split AC units) Contact: 94652485/ 99273774/ 99202278 2BHK with split AC near PDO Gate no -2 at Qurum. Contact: 94057023 1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK new flat available at Mabela in front of Modern English School Contact: 96239126 Deluxe 1, 2 BHK flats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence. Contact 99369081 /99142314 Misfa land for rent 1000 SQM. Contact: 99451168 1 BHK flat in Al Khuwair, 2 months only. Contact 99792181 3 BHK Flat in Azaiba. Contact 99792181 Labour Camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99792181 AL Khuwair 2 rooms, toilet & Kitchen sharing prefer Indian couples or execute lades rent 200/- R.O include Elect & water. Contact: 99546410 House in North Al Mawaleh close of Al Bahja Center consists of 3 rooms, 1 council, sitting room, 3 bathrooms, 1 computer room, kitchen, and parking. Contact: 93214010 / 92602050 Flats for rent near Indian School in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99777122

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 4 BHK single villa in Al Khuwair. Contact: 97616158 4 & 5 BHK villa in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 Luxurious villa in Mumtaz area, Ruwi with 3BR, 2 Lounges, Dining, car park, kitchen. Contact: 99430943 Villa for rent in Al Khuwair 33, 8 bedrooms & 5 bathrooms with parking area near Taimur Mosque. Contact: 99366624

2BHK with split AC at Al Khuwair 33. Contact: 94057023 Office / shop near Oman house Muttrah. Contact: 99233116 New ﬂats for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact : 92130703 / 96045478 Flat in South Al Hail, 2 bedrooms, Majlis, 2 bathrooms, kitchen RO 250/-. Contact 93221474 Flat in Ruwi Mumtaz 2 BHK RO 300 or 1 BHK 250 RO. Contact 98588240 For rent in Darsait new ﬂats. Contact: 99777351

Deluxe 3&4 bedroom, hall, kitchen spacious living area with split AC, at Ghobrah. Contact: 95282986

Luxury 3 BHK ﬂat in Al Wattaya with split A/C & private parking. RO.500/- Contact – 93191111

506sqm space with mezzanine available for rent in AL Wadi Al Kabir, Suitable for carpentry / Auto workshop and / or electrical shop interested parties may. Contact: 24703981

Villa of 5 BHK in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.650/- Contact – 93191111

2 BHK Flats for rent Muttrah near Oman house. Contact: 97009734/92629232

Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569

2 BHK ﬂat in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.250/Contact – 93191111

1.5 Acre full or as plots available for sale at Mulanthuruthy 18 Km from Ernakulam Asphalt road frontage. Contact : 99235701 Email: jacobmathew@gmail.com New two story house (1550 sq. ft) and 7.25 cents land with comp. Wall near Kandassan Kadavu Church, just behind Convent high school. Interested parties may Contact: Prakasan 91008235 / 99445159 Turkish MDF door with frame for sale, size 210 x 100 Price: RO 75/-. Contact: 95899296 / 92141514 Telecom and net work accessories shop for sale Ruwi. Contact: 99481931 6 bedroom, 6 bath rooms, sitting & dining villa at Qurum. Contact: 99342733 Grade IT company with 5 clearances & oil Gas activity for sale serious buyers. Contact: 99329216 Car polishing shop for sale or lease. Contact: 98903073 Fully decorated & Equipped kitchen cabinet and marble showroom for sale at Mabela industrial area road no – 10 only serious buyers can. Contact: 99337670/97763560 Commercial land for sale 3000 m in quriyat road main high way can use as a petrol station license available asking price 350,000 For more information please call on 99070701 with out name Training center with license. Contact: 91121277

W E D N E S DAY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

MOTOR VEHICLE FOR SALE

TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact 99508282

NRI

Pick & drop any time. Contact: 98522914 / 99512270 Transportation. Contact: 98178135 Transportation. Contact: 98505294 Transportation. Contact: 98244078 Transportation. Contact: 95190627

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. www.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished room attached bath room & kitchen for Executive bachelor / family, Honda road near NBO bank Ruwi. Contact: 98582078 Executive bachelor bed space available at Mumtaz area. Contact: Mr. Sharath 98168577 Fully furnished room for a decent expatriate. independent kitchen, bathroom in Wadi Adai. Contact 96243086 at 5p.m.

ACC. AVAILABLE Excellent room with a/c, attached toilet for Indian Executive bachelor in Rex road. Contact 93993212 Single room rear Oman house Muttrah. Contact: 97477670 Spacious bedroom, T& K in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 96098443 Furnished single /sharing room for Exe. bachelor at Rex road near Kamat with WIFI available. Contact 92873832 Bed space available for ex- bachelors at Al Khuwair. Contact: 94143636 Furnished bedroom with Sep – bathroom, sharing, and kitchen for ex- bachelors at AL Khuwair. Contact: 99636550 Fully furnished 1BHK with all household items in Darsait near Lulu on monthly Basis. Contact : 99378397

2.5 BHK Flat for sale having 1260 sq ft and Vehicle Parking space of 144 Sq ft. At Bhrama Avenue, NIBM Road, Pune. Contact 93068804 / 99263581

ACC. AVAILABLE One room for rent (A/C +bed +bath) at Al Khuwair. Contact: 99382008 Excellent room, with A/C kitchen available for bachelor / family near ONTC bus station (Ruwi). Contact: 95885736 Furnished room with attached bathroom in W/K. Contact: 97167857 Spacious room with bathroom and kitchen. Contact: 91214537 Sharing for non cooking executive bachelor in CBD area WIFI free, Advance deposit. Contact: 95094504 Furnished room attached bath for lady in Wadikabir (Mars Hypermarket) – 95941515 Independent rooms in Qurum / Al Hail. Contact 95529970

Pick & Drop any time. Contact: 97014786

SITUATION WANTMATRIMONIAL Christian CSI Syrian boy, 31/178, fair, working as Business Development Officer in a reputed company Muscat. Suitable proposals solicited. Email: jamesmails2010@gmail.com Contact: 98582078, M4 - Marry - 4083713 Indian Kerala male 31 years Hindu Ezhava working in Muscat looking for life partner. Contact: 99893119 Kerala Hindu Ezhava girl (28 yrs, 164 cm), Staff Nurse (MOH), seeks suitable alliance from Graduates / professionally qualiﬁed boys. Contact: 91 9746343275 / +91 9747801255

ACC. WANTED Required a room or studio ﬂat in Darsait / WadiKabir /Ruwi area. Contact : 95405033

Chevrolet Epica 2008 very good condition. Contact 92802299 2014 Grand Cherokee 5.7 liter full option, low mileage, under warranty, agency maintained expat driven. Call 92502684. Immediate sale. Prado ,2012. Contact : 99336093 Sportage, 2013. Contact: 99336093 Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285 Expatriate driven Yaris 2008 model 100,000 kms & land rover 2005 model 93000 Kms, excellent conditions. Contact : 97094797

LOST Ropel Haseen has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AE 4239211. Finder please handover to ROP Dilo Basak Sunil has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. B 0032083. Finder please handover to ROP. Med Jlale has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. E 0166190. Finder please handover to ROP.

Suzuki Vitara 2007, 95000km, single owner, for sale. Contact 92183619 Land Cruiser 2012. # 99336093 Toyota Corolla 2012 exclusive model, Expat driven done 27,000 kms excellent condition. Contact: 97717152 2 Prime Movers Man 2008 with 40 ton petrol tank each working at the moment in Al Maha. Price OMR 35 Thousand each. Contact 97000155 or 92688692

ANNOUNCEMENT Qasim & Saeed Sons of Mubarak Al Abdulsalam trade Partnership which had been registered at the commercial register at the Secretariat of the commercial register, in the ministry of Commerce and Industry, registered with No. 3104150, announces that it will change its commercial name from Qasim & Saeed Sons Mubarak & Al Abdulsalam & Partner to Qasim Mubarak Rashed Al Abdulsalam & Partner Trade partnership. We announce to any interested party about this modiﬁcation.

*Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

W E D N E S D AY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 5 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classiﬁeds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian male, B.Com 1 year experience in Accounts, on visit visa. Contact 98295101 Indian male, 30 years, CMA (Inter),M.com.4 out of 7 years experience in Oman in Auditing/ Accounts/ Finance. Having NOC and valid Oman D/L. Contact: 96746420 , Email: sijuthampi@ymail.com

ADMIN Vacancy for Omani PRO Email: abid673@yahoo.com Mob 94192526 Urgently Required: Administration with an experience minimum in 3 years in building construction, required immediately join and MUST have NOC. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com. Urgently Required: Administration with an experience minimum in 3 years in building construction, required immediately join and MUST have NOC.Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com.

ACCOUNTANT Urgently required female accountant with an experience minimum 3years Email CV on cv.hrcharity@gmail.com Urgently required Junior Accountant. Please send CV: hr.azatllc@gmail.com

CATERING Cook for hotel with Omani & Arabic food experience. Contact: 92808067 Requires experience Cook for an Omani family 1Nos. Contact: 99228046 Email: oman518@gmail.com Chinese / Arab / Continental cook & helper wanted. Contact 95529970 Family in Muscat seeking to hire an experienced butler. Hotel experience is preferred. Candidate must hold a valid driver’s license. Please send CV’s on vacancyinmuscat@gmail.com

DRIVER Driver available with car and without car Education, B. A exp. 5 years, language Hindi, Arabic, English. Contact: 98522914

ENGINEER Urgent requirement Civil Engineers Nos for Supervision 8 yrs experience. Contact: 99244481/24551029 Email: secons.engineers@gmail.com Required Civil Engineer (buildings) Oman experience 5+ years, BOQ+ Tendering + site supervision. Contact: 95218004 Email: alhilalint@yahoo.com Construction Company in Oman urgently requires following candidates: BE Civil Engineer, minimum 3-5 years gulf experience & Civil site foreman, minimum 5 years gulf experience, diploma not required. Email: applyforoman@gmail.com Leading Construction Company requires Project Engineer, Degree holder with minimum 5 to 6 years experience in building construction line. (NOC require) Send your CV to – degree.engineer2015@gmail.com Leading Construction company requires HSE Officer with minimum 4 to 5 years experience in building construction line. Send your CV : hseoman2015@gmail.com (NOC require). Required Civil Engineer (BE/ B. Tech) with minimum 2 years GCC experience and valid Oman driving license. Email: careerwithparamount@gmail.com Construction Company in Oman urgently requires the following: B.Sc Civil Engineer, minimum 3-5 yrs Gulf experience. Civil Site Foreman, minimum 5 yrs experience with operating knowledge of Tally. Please Email CV ; applyforoman@gmail.com

IT IND male WEB developer 5 yrs exp B.Tech (comp science) PHP, HTML MYSQL Java script CSS. Contact: 95990529 Email: renjith341@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

Driver needed, preferably female. Must hold valid driving license. Contact 95591068

Mason, C.C.T.V, Technician, Electrician cum Plumber. Contact - 99383044

Required Omani Driver light / heavy duty & Marketing Executive. Contact: 24816774 / 99020458

Well established company in selling chocolate, Arabian sweets and fresh flowers, opening ITS first branch in Muscat seeking: 1- sweets and chocolates Sales man 2- flower arranger (Asian/ Filipino Nationality) Contact: 94490011 Email: labelleoman@gmail.com

DOMESTIC HELPER Office boy , exp. in Dubai, present in India. Contact 96693290 Housemaid wanted for an Indian family in Al Hail. Must be able to cook and take care of baby. Full-time position. 96532872

A company from UAE require 2 merchandisers in retail food supply, store keeper with English and invoicing experience. Email: yesterdaysun@hotmail.com

*Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

MEDICAL

SALES / MARKETING

Urgent! Omani healthcare company looking for a smart proactive marketing executive cum product specialist with strong English communication skills, healthcare background and marketing experience in medical/pharmacy/microbiology/ biotechnology ﬁeld. Omani driving license is a must. Mail your CV to: vacancymedeq@gmail.com

A leading marketing company is looking for outdoor Sales Executives on part time or full time basis in Salalah. Contact – 92760281 / 96436719

Specialist physiotherapy is required from the Philippines preferably has a license to practice. Contact :91257624 Email: belgouthii@yahoo.fr

Required 1 male 1 female experience minimum 2 years, preferable experience in travel tourism, good work ethic, driving license, and knows English & Arabic. Forward your resume or CV to: misfartourism@gmail.com

Required for a reputed Medical Center in Al Khuwair. General Practitioner Doctor, X- Ray technician. Please send CV: absmc2013@gmail. com Fax: 24488660

MANAGER Urgently Required: Male – handles overall store operations of the Supermarket, Prior Experience a MUST, knowledgeable in MSOffice. Send CV to chanda@dolphin-oman.com or fax to 244-92718.

SKILLED Urgently required a silk Screen printer with good knowledge and release letter or NOC. Contact: 93280288 or send CV to albayanstamps@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Required Office Assistant 160+25+Acc, Contact 99454425

SALES / MARKETING Required Sales & Marketing executive with valid D/L and NOC with 2 years Oman experience for Foodstuff Trading Company. Interested may send their CV to virjis@omantel.net.om

Urgent required Salesman with good experience and can speak English. Contact -99468070 from 9am to 2pm

Required Sales Executive with minimum 2 years experience in Rice / FMCG sales. Email: careerwithparamount@gmail.com A reputed shipping and forwarding company urgently require Operations Executive valid Omani D/L is must. Experienced hands in shipping ﬁeld are preferred. Send your CV to applymd2015@gmail.com Minimum 2 years of experience with valid gulf light driving license interested candidates please Contact: 99222086 /98585851 Urgently required Sales and Marketing Executive for Graphic designing company. Contact: 96727631 mail: smartgraphic518@gmail.com

TOURS Required 2 male 2 female experience minimum 2 years, preferable experience in Travel tourism, good work ethic, ﬂuent English, French, German (Dutch), Italian. Forward your resume or CV to: misfartourism@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

A reputed media company required female Marketing Executives with minimum 3 years experiences in Public relations, publishing & advertising (with driving license). Contact: 93946622 or FW: CV job0808@gmail.com

Sudanese Accountant seeking job in Nizwa state experience 10 years 3 years in Saudi Arabia, 7 yrs in Sudan. Contact : 97796394 / 94003247

Required male or female candidate with 5 years experience in renting of properties. Interested candidates may please mail to alqurumprop@gmail.com

MBA Graduate with 6 yrs exp in finance/accounts/ auditing. Specialized in accounts payable dept, Oracle app user, proficient in Sap (fico) end user & tally 9.0. lean &six sigma certified trainer on visit visa. Contact – 91967213 / 99064780

Required Sales man - 1 Person Qualiﬁcation. Gulf Experienced - Minimum 5 Years with Oman Driving Licence Language - English Education:- Any Degree Further Contact :Mr. Abdul Hameed Nashabat - Mobile No: 97414307 and -92807399 amn@yaqeeneng.com Looking for Outdoor Salesman for heavy equipment spare parts. Contact - 93292015, Email: mail.om@gulfcenter.co

Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting . NOC available. Contact 96209331 Indian Accountant: Male, M com, 7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to ﬁnalization, having knowledge of ERP, Tally, seeks suitable placment.Contact 93950138 Email: lijinrajan123@gmail.com

Part Time Accounting, Accounts Finalization, Audit Preparation, Internal Audit, Onsite Tally Training, Inventory Management Contact : 96975454, email : ibfc.gcc@gmail.com Dynamic, Young Accountant Professional with CPA and ACCA (in progress) 2/3 years experience up to finalization of accounts. currently in Oman on visit. Contact: 94704330 / 99094531 Diploma in Computer 10 years experience as an Accountant, female now in visit visa. Contact: 95453643 Accountant Indian male, 9 years experience in Oman can do up to finalization. NOC available can be joined immediately. Contact: 94134085 Email: muscatoman95@yahoo.com Chartered Accountant with ICWA Inter having 5 years experience in Finance, Accounts, Costing, Budgeting, Insurance, Treasury & Banking operations - NOC Available + Oman Driving License Contact : 97881548 Email-financecost2@gmail.com Indian female 25 MBA looking for a suitable opening in Accounts, Admin/Hr. Contact 97013375 Indian male, well experienced in accounts and admin looking for a suitable vacancy. NOC available. Contact: 98717938 Accountant 8 yrs experience looking part time job. Contact 99867456 Young, energetic 24, ACCA finalist, Advanced diploma in Accounting and business, seeking suitable placement in accounts, finance or audit. Contact: 92430152 Email: rau_dey@yahoo.com Indian male, 32 years, M. Com. 7 out of 9 years experience in Oman in Accounts/finance. Having NOC and valid Oman D/L. Contact 98277143, Email: anzarks@gmail.com Senior Document Controller MCA Indian male 9+ year’s total experience 5+ years experience in Gulf in oil & gas sector and construction field on visit visa in Oman. Contact: 95388197 Email: rojanchristopher@gmail.com Indian male 22 yrs B. Com Graduate 1 year exp in Accounts, currently on visit visa. Looking for suitable job. Contact 94341848 / Email – mohdhaji7272@gmail.com Indian male with total 5 year experience (2 years experience in Accountant cum sales co ordinator in a FMCG Company in Oman) in accounts field and NOC available. Looking for suitable job Contact 92130188 Motivated and energetic male 25 having 4 years of experience in finance with Master’s degree in Economics and CAT Certified seeking opportunity in Accounts/finance/ audit in a reputable organization. Cell no: 00968-94626209 E-Mail: omerjawedshah@gmail.com

ADMIN Omani hard working have 6 years experience as PRO and 4 years as Admin officer and transport in change with 6 years as safety office on driving good English and PDO / DL seeks suitable placement. Contact: 92959251 A Lady with 5 years experience in HR/Admin is looking for suitable job and can join immediately. Contact : 94465835 Indian male, MBA, HR seeking immediate placement, on visit visa. Contact 92624333. Email : sheikhadnan@gmail.com Indian Female MBA 3 Year Experience in Admin MIS, Family Visa. Contact - 98234427, jkjsmith01@gmail.com System administrator with 3 years experience hold a degree, MCITP, CCNA , CCTV biometric , seeking job in a company. Contact: 99630084/98129845 Indian male 2+yrs oman exp in HR. joing immediatly. release available. Contact :93671437 Indian female 29 MBA (HR) BSc, 4 yrs exp in HR& Admin looking suitable placement. Contact : 95619537 Indian female with 10 yrs of experience in HR/Banking/Operations seeks a suitable placement. Can be contacted on 98919015 or sherianne.coelho@gmail.com Over 14 years of gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistics, ﬂuent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position. Contact: 95824598

AUTO CAD/DRAUGHTS20 Years exp Auto Cad 3DS Max available for teaching part time. Contact - 94412557 Electrical draftsman AutoCAD switch gear & MEP control panel 7 years experience Qatar. Contact: 92546203/96228100

DESIGNER Interior Designer: Indian male 31, 8 years exp. in GCC, NOC available. 95217586 Architect designer experience in Architecture design in 2D, 3D visiting to site : 2 years experience (in Oman), ﬂuent Hindi & English. Email: zhussain9950@gmail.com Contact: 94253074

DRIVER Light driver. Contact: 95779594 Light Driver experience 4 yrs. Contact: 98779907 15 years experience driver in Oman can speak Arabic, English & Hindi. Contact: 96656270 Looking for driving job. Contact: 98219182 Driver looking for job. Contact: 99507039 Light driver. Contact: 96313100 Pakistani, male light vehicle driver looking for job. Contact 97943750

W E D N E S DAY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Indian Male MBA with two year experience in H.R as a H.R Assistant, Now in India, Seeking for an urgent suitable position. Contact:-98620260 / 93895992 , Email:deepakmb4@gmail.com

DRIVER Pakistani driving available. Contact : 96913836

EDUCATION MBA, B.Com Indian female having two yrs exp as lecturer seeks placement in teaching filed. Presently on family visit visa. Contact – 96259171/ Email: bhumipandya@gmail.com Indian female MCA, Three years experience in teaching field, seeks placement currently on visit visa. Contact: 93431567 Email: fivona.mel@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL 26 years Oman experienced person in automobiles, showroom & workshop areas seeks suitable replacement. currently working as General Manager in a local company. Contact no: +968-92009700 CARPENTER-15 years gulf exp. Indian male looking for suitable post. Present working in Crown Plaza. NOC available. Please contact Jacob 96940120. jacob.sabu11@gmail.com B.Tech mechanical Engineer, Indian 1 years experience HVAC (MEP) available in Muscat on visit visa seeking suitable job. Contact 93670280 Email: jinu.avm@gmail.com Indian male , diploma in electrical Engineering with 10 years of successful experience , presently available on visit visa seeking suitable positions in projects and maintenance electrical ﬁelds. Contact: 91270686 Email: ajithgopa@rediffmail.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Indian male present in Oman can join immediately. Diploma civil with CAD & 3d. Contact: 92875345 /92887561 Email: jubincivileng@gmail.com BE ,Electrical Engineer with 5 Years Gulf Experience in Underground cable & Overhead line in HT and LT, Distribution Substation, MEP. Oman D/L available. NOC available. Contact: 95054644, 00918807888109, speninsam@gmail.com DEEE - Electrical Supervisor 10 years Oman experience. Ready for NOC, visa transfer and valued Oman red board light driving license. Contact: 968 95298437 Indian Civil Engineer (buildings) available immediately as supply contract. Contact: 93263834 Looking for purchase /contract post (full time) more than 12 yrs exp in purchase, contract, import, negotiation, ERP etc with engineering plus MBA background. NOC is available. Contact 98009274, sanjeetnifft@gmail.com Civil Engineer, 8 years experience BOQ establishing, 5 years experience in Oman Building and S.T.P experience, good knowledge of computer, MS Excel, AutoCAD . Contact: 99471944 Indian male Civil (B.E) with 2 yrs well known E tabs staad, safe looking for structural position. Contact: 98768045 / 96698342 Email: qadeertom@gmail.com

Iraqi male B.ch civil Engineering, 17 yrs experience in Oman experience in project management with valid Oman D/L NOC available and can join immediately looking suitable position in Muscat area. #93809093 Email: mohanad_kuba@yahoo.com

Indian male, B.E ( computer science engineer), MBA (finance), OCA certified, having 5 years of experience in oracle Dba/ oracle apps Dba, seeks a suitable position in the field of IT. Contact: 96212062 email: zubairkhan11@gmail.com

Chemical Engineer with 04 years experience in petrochemical reﬁnery sector seeking for & suitable position in petrochemical oil & gas, reﬁnery EPC Companies. #00968 91748400

Indian Male Web developer with 5 year experience. Indian, Male, 27 years, B Tech(Computer science), professional in php, html, mysql, javascript, css. Contact:95990529 Email:renjith341@gmail.com

Indian male B.Tech (ECE), MBA (HR) 2 years of experience in CCNA, CCNP and hands on practice in Linux and MCSE, looking for suitable job. Contact: 93487225 Controls & automation Engineer with 7 years experience in ( RO BOT /PLC/CNC programming , LV panel building , Installation & commissioning service & support of machines) mostly overseas experience for complete execution of Machine projects in China, USA, Thailand ETC. Contact : +97430847848, Email: bensonvar@gmail.com Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp. Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com B.Tech mechanical Engineer 16 yrs experience 3 yrs exp in Oman now production manager in Galvanizing and steel fabrication area looking for suitable placement NOC available. Contact: 93714500/91395765 Indian female, B.Tech biotechnology with strong computer skills and 2 years experience as associate research analyst (Media Monitoring) in Nasdaq Oman seeking growth oriented jobs. Contact 92044603 /918056169148 or angeline.babithac@gmail.com. Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847 Iraqi Engineer specialized in telecommunication net working & PC experience in nuking network and security systems. Contact: 92898329 / 99249124 Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385 Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical maintained ﬁeld on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 99191535 Email: fareed029@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

M.Sc 3+ years exp from France & India in IT Support Engineer / Hardware & Networking / Server support / scientific system support looking for suitable position. Indian, male on visit visa, contact 98898781/ anoopys@gmail.com Indian female BCA, MCA SAP ABAP certification, ASP. Net certification, 2 years of experience looking for a job. Contact: 99109121 Business development manager IT & Non – IT, 7 years experience Oman driving license seeks position good prospects. Contact: 99329216 CERTIFIED (CCNA) NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR 4 years experienced looking for Suitable placement. Contact: 99002390 Indian male 25 yrs exp in Administration, Telecom, Optical Fiber Communication, Networking, MS Office. Seeks any job. On visit visa. Contact – 91385373 / sridharbsnlma1455@gmail.com Computer Networking/Facility Mgmt 5 Yrs of Exp Holds B.E(ECE), CCNA Looking for Good Opportunity, Indian - Visit Visa. Contact 91911792/ arafakdnl@gmail.com Network system Engineer B.E / ECE + CCNA & Ms certified with 4+ yrs exp looking for a job. Currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact: 92589502 Email: careersjegan@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

Manager, Young Indian Male, MBA, BBA. Having excellent managerial experience (around 5 years) in leading Multi-National-Company. Looking for suitable positions. Contact: 92700670, fardhaan@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

MCA Indian male 6 month experience India seeking suitable placement. Contact 00918547068891 Email: koneeradh@gmail.com

Indian female (MTECH) having Gulf experience in family visa seeking suitable placement in Oman. Contact : 94306164 / 91001194

B.E computer science, female, 2 years experience in IT/ HR/Administration with GCC driving license, looking job suitable vacancy in IT/ HR/ Administration ﬁled. Contact: 97738624

Indian male MBA 7 years experience in Hospitality industry, operation, sales & marketing looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 92115860 Email vibin.py@gmail.com

Filipino Male looking for a job & have experience in sales, waiter, barista, technical support / customer service with good communication skills. Contact 91789465 Indian material controller/ store keeper seeking job in Oman NOC / Release available. Contact: 91946174 Indian Female with over 9 yrs experience with good communication skills seeks jobs in customer service or sales ﬁeld. Contact : 96108289, shijipaul84@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available. Contact :98803439 MCA, BCA with 2 yrs relevant experience seeking suitable opportunity. Contact: 96377039

MEDICAL Well experienced MOH Licensed Indian GP Doctor looking for locum / permanent position in the Capital area. Contact 98140024 email:drgpoman@yahoo.com Indian female Dentist MOH Oman passed seeking a suitable placement in capital region. Contact– 91377681 hashimsarawat@gmail.com Indian male Radiographer 3+ years of experience Diploma in Radiological technology, looking for suitable post. Contact: 98843139 M.Sc Nursing in Obstetrics and Gynecology 3 yrs exp in teaching & 2 yrs at bed side looking for suitable position, Indian female on visit visa. Contact: 96220839 Male BSC Nurse parametric passed ACLS BLS holder now in visit visa seeking for suitable post. Contact: 96516406 Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Indian male, with 8 yrs exp. in Oman (BA- Graduate) working as a project Sales Coordinator, with Oman D/L, looking for suitable job, ready to join immediately with NOC. Contact 95245057

SALES / MARKETING Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 23, with experience in Sales looking for suitable placements. . Contact 98371144

13 Years UAE experienced in MNC & reputed ﬁrms logistics distribution looking for a suitable placement, on visit visa contact 99838743, gani.dawood@gmail.com

Indian male 45+ yrs , 20 yrs exp as sales supervisor in India looking for indoor sales /stores /cashier or any suitable placement can speak Hindi , English, Malayalam, Tamil, kannada can join immediately on visit visa. Contact 93086105/33016546

Male Indian BBM Graduate 8 years experience in logistics and ware housing in a reputed company valid driving license NOC available looking for suitable position. Contact : 96311786 Email: ubinfs@gmail.com

Indian female B.com Graduate having 8 years experience in Indian & 2 years experience in Oman as sales coordinator, secretary, customer service seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95433987

Indian male looking for Sales Executive job 2 years experience in Indian completed B.B.A (visiting visa). Contact : 95462921 Pakistani male 34 yrs Intermediate 2 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman. Looking for suitable job. Contact - 92146864 Indian male. 27, Post Graduate, 5+ yrs exp in Oman in Sales & Credit Control, with valid Oman driving License, NOC available, looking for suitable placements. Ph: 9199 3376

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE An experienced person who can handle complete office activities and purchases looking for suitable placement. Contact: 92360524

TOURS & TRAVELS 25 Indian female B.S.C. Fashion Technology. 5 years experience in textile industry as a merchandiser and good in fashion marketing. Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a suitable job. Contact 96990368. Email: simmy.missy@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS BE. Biomedical Engineer, 5 years experience in the same field (Hospital/company)looking for suitable placement. Contact:92084807 Email:bonnygeorge1005@gmail.com ELECTRICAL ENGINEER – Indian male seeking Electrical Engineer job with 2 years’ experience. Contact: 94263445, E mail – janardhanan53@gmail.com ACCOUNTANT: Indian male 25 having 4years experience in accounting & having well knowledge in tally. Contact:968094535881, 0091 9037622048 Email: vishnuraj889@gmail.com Indian male, MBA with 20 years of experience in back office operation, risk and operational management, financial management for Finance and Trading companies. Presently available on visit visa. Contact: 91276221 32 years, Filipina with experience in Teleperformance, Manila call centre, now working as Waitress in Qatar seeking suitable post. Contact 99022484 Indian Female MA. B.Ed. with One year three months Teaching experience. Subject: EnglishSeeking for a Better placement. Now working in Oman#93961142, 92184408, Email:-anoopkesavan78@gmail.com Sudanese/ 26 years/ master of clinical pharmacy(1st class)/ 1 year experience/live in India/excellent communication in English(IELTS Certificate) and arabic/ pharmacist license/ hassan_kassala@hotmail.com 00919600413966-96387227 ACCA Affiliate, 2.5years experience in Audit/Finance in Global Big6 Firms and Oil company in Oman, Looking for suitable permanent placement. Release NOC Available. Contact: #95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com

24 Years, indian male 2.5 Years experience in admin & accounts, dubai. Currently on visit visa. Seeking suitable placement in admin & accounts. M: 93016252 EMAIL: shahabaskp@gmail.com Electrical Engineer, 29, Indian Male, having 7+ years exp. in reputed companies. Seeking suitable placement in any Oman. Contact - 97693456. Mail ID : venkatbadri23@gmail.com CCNA MCITP network support /network technician with 2 years experience indian male having bachelors degree on visit visa. Contact : 93080871 sean.f.peters@outlook.com Video Editor 29 years Indian male with 8 years experience on visit visa looking for a suitable placement contact: 91275969 leomoorkoth@gmail.com Omani male , BBA ,with 6 year experience in HR &Admin looking for opportunity in HR & Admin in Muscat. Joint date after one month notice period . Mobile 92223279 24 years, Indian Chartered Accountant male with 3 yrs of experience is seeking suitable placement in Muscat, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Kindly contact him on 98201476 or email at lokeshkaluri@gmail.com Indian male 25 years B.tech computers (Having 3 years of experience in customer service/Admin/IT Support) looking for suitable position. Visa Transfer/NOC Available immediate to join. Contact: 98402389, Mail: naresh6672@gmail.com Having 9+ years exp. in Admin, Purchase, Stores & Warehouse in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat and seeking for suitable placement. Contact +968 97693456. email : muralimahdav77@gmail.com Innovative Indian Male 29, B.E & M.Tech Web designer / developer with over 5.5 years of work experience in HTML 5, CSS 3, SEO, Digital marketing (DFP & DCM), Magento, CMS, Photoshop and Dreamweaver. Can join ASAP. # 00968 9630 3055 / email: aditya.khandkar@gmail.com

Indian male auto cad draughtsman (civil) 8 years experience, seeking for part time job mobile no: 0096899070584 email: remluvp@gmail.com 8 years successful experience. Senior Accountant, Indian male, 29 years, presently working in oman as a senior accountant with oman driving license. NOC available. seek suitable opportunity. gsm: 97705854 Indian Male 34 years Mechanical Engineer 3 years of Experience seeking suitable placement immediately Contact: 91991435, 93310821 Indian female with MBA (Finance) on visit visa, seeks immediate placement. Phone: 968-98430089 Indian female B.ED & BCA looking for a suitable placement in school or admin office, having 5 yrs exp in same field. Contact – 97384206 / rani_sweet786@live.com CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 96 76 06 18 Indian male, total experience is 5 years in Retail industry. Currently supervisor in Sun and sand sports Muscat City centre. Contact : 96994345. Email : jsp.jsr85@gmail.com Male, 30 years Accountant, 1 year Oman experience in accountants, finance. Seeking suitable position in Muscat .Can join immediately, NOC available. Email: lalitbls1@gmail. com Call: 97903175 Indian male, 28 years, 7 years experience in transporting & heavy equipment renting company. Having Omani driving license seeks suitable positions. Contact 94410485 Indian male, post graduate, currently in Oman on visit visa. Seeks suitable placement. Contact 92388346 Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 5 year experience in different activities. Contact; +96894549609 More than Ten years of experience in Sales & Marketing, Advertisement and Credit Control and Logistics& Administration. Contact; 91076608 / 99322748 MCA IT Professional Indian Female seek placement in Teaching/ Non Teaching field. Presently on visit visa. Contact 9588 7051, Email: ashwininakod@gmail

10 YEAR Experienced PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER. Currently working at Kerala, India. Seeks placement. Contact: 95872030 , email: - sajith3969@gmail.com

Indian female BA graduate. My total experience is 4 and half year in Call Center looking for jobs in admin and HR. Contact : 96089143, Email: sharanjit_kaur2009@yahoo. com

Indian male 48yrs with driving license looking for a job to work as driver / salesman. Residing at Al Khoudh. Contact: 99551310

Key Account Executive, Indian male, currently working with a reputed FMCG company Oman is looking for a placement asap, NOC will be given. Valid Omani driving license. Total experience in Oman is 12yrs and particularly in Sales is 8 1/2 years. Contact 95589765 Email : agnelfrancis@yahoo.co.in

Tunisian women looking for a job, khnows english,frensh, italian and arabic. Contact: 91171838 Young Indian Chartered Accountant, female, Having 6 years experience in Oman and India. Accounts and Finance Manager, Auditor. Urgently seeking suitable positions. Contact-92530131, jobcareer44@gmail.com Indian female Nurse with 5 yrs of experience, presently working in Oman, seeking for suitable placement. NOC available can join immediately. Contact: 98329941 Email: ancyanish2011@gmail.com Looking for part time jobs in Muscat, Auto cad Draughtsman (Civil). contact:-+968-99070584 email: remluvp@gmail.com Indian female MA. B.Ed. with one year three months teaching experience. Subject: English Seeking for a Better placement. Now working in Oman Contact: 93961142, 92184408 Email:anoopkesavan78@gmail.com B.Sc. Mechanical Engineer Sudanese 3 yrs of exp. In industrial ﬁeld available in Muscat on visit visa seeking suitable job . Contact: 95868922, Email: almouthanaosman@yahoo.com

25 Indian female, B.Sc fashion technologist, 5 years exp in merchandising, familiar with fashion marketing & designing. Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a visual merchandising job. Contact : 96990368, email jumshi@gmail.com Indian male, MBA marketing & finance with B com & diploma in IFRS seeks job. Contact 99469726 / 99469729 Sudanese male BSC Telecommunications Engineer , 4 years experience in telecom field Contact 97783092, Email: Alrsheed88@hotmail.com Working as Senior Accountant, 4 yrs.exp.in oman, relevant computer skills, Audit, Accounting upto finalization, valid oman driving license, languages known Arabic, Hindi. NOC available can join immediately. Tel: (+968) 96339599, E-mail-(ahmedmohdkhan@gmail. com) Indian male 60 years old have 30 years Muscat experience in all office works with Omani driving license. Contact: 99024055

W E D N E S D AY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED

MISCELLANEOUS Content Executive, freshers with good communication skills and willingness to learn may apply on job@socioholics.com ACCA affiliate, with 2.5 years experience in Big6 audit firm and Oil industry, looking for permanent placement in Accounts/Audit. Release available Contact :95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com Indian Female, Commerce Graduate, Total 9 yrs of experience in India. worked as Accounts Assistant and Business executive seeking for suitable placement. Tel : 96173533/24222457 Email : topranidivya@gmail.com Indian Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com Female Executive Assistant/Executive Secretary with 27+ experience, worked with top management/Board in financial services with shorthand skills & Omani driving license, seeks suitable placement. call 95941515 B.E. Civil Engineer from India with 3 years of experience looking for suitable vacancy in oman now on visit visa. Contact 9571 3441, Email . Khatrialeem@gmail.com Indian male 21 IT Eng. networking & computer hardware diploma, 1 year experience, currently on visit visa looking for a suitable job.# 96036273 email: faizanfarooqui23@gmail.com 8 yrs exp Site supervisor cum 2d, 3d Draughtsman (holding Omani driving license) seeking job. Contact : 93790601 Indian, 32 years, completed M.A. English, M.Sc. Psychology and B.Ed in English. Searching for suitable job in the field of teaching. To Contact: 00968 99869535 Email: sahadkeyi33@gmail.com Indian Male 24 years, Looking for a Suitable Job in Telecom / Networking. 1 year sales experience. MSc. Communications Engineering & Valid Driving license. Ph: 91280121. Email: jackrprasad@yahoo.com 26 years Indian male with MBA & PGDFM, Total 3.8 years experience in Administration, seeking suitable placement in any gulf region. Holding Oman valid driving license. Contact :94501423 24 year Indian Chartered Accountant male with 3yrs of experience is seeking suitable placement in Muscat, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact him on 98201476 or email at lokeshkaluri@gmail.com Finance ACCA Affiliate, 2.5 years experience in audit/finance and oil company in reputed firms. Looking for suitable permanent placement. Release available. Contact 95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com B.E Biomedical Engineer, having 5 years of experience in Diagnostics division seeking suitable position. 94151658

Business development Manager/ Executive. Preferably minimum of 2 years experience. Valid driving licence can apply on job@socioholics.com

PRODUCTION OPERATOR – Indian male seeking production operator or related jobs with 4 years of experience in oil & gas ﬁeld. #94263445. Email: tonyxavier4u@gmail.com

Omani Mechanical Engineer, has 3 years experience ,has HSE, H2S, Riggers/Banks men Permit, Drawing / cad, SCBA, Safety Leadership and Initial Fire Response Courses. good with computer and English language looking for suitable job. Contact 99224319-98454500

Indian Keralite Male 35 looking for Scaffolding supervisor post having 5 years of Supervisor and HSE experience in GCC Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Fluent in English Arabic and Hindi . Contact 96155921, or mail fysal.nellaya@gmail.com

Indian male 22 Mechanical Diploma holder Engg with HVAC certified, having 1 year exp. seeking suitable position. Currently available on visit visa. Contact - 92835952 Tanzanian male, 25 yrs Accountant successful experience in Tanzania looking for suitable placement in any field. Contact : 96710154 Tunisian lady has Professorship in social and economical sciences and accounting, diploma in Experimental Sciences degree in English for media. Contact 95391050, aysser2013@gmail.com Indian male Diploma, Civil engineer 4.3 year experience at building construction and consulting company with Oman driving licence and N.O.C available seeking suitable placement Contact 95989500 email cv.shihabedappal@gmail.com Filipino Male looking for a job & have experience in sales, waiter, barista, technical support / customer service with good communication skills. # 91789465 PART TIME ACCOUNTANT, Indian male, M. Com, 35 years, 12 Years exp. in Accounts, 8 years in Oman. Knowledge upto finalization. Having valid D/L, seeks suitable Placement.GSM: 96249124

Indian Male 28 yrs, having 7 years Gulf + Indian experience in HR and Admin field, looking for suitable placement. Contact: 97914340, Email: rajkv3086@gmail.com Indian Male 28 years MSM, B. Com having 6years experience in Gulf and India as a HR and Admin looking for suitable placement.# :97914340. Email: rajkv30@gmail.com B.Sc. Mechanical Engineer Sudanese 3 yrs of exp. In industrial field available in muscat on vist visa seeking suitable job . Contact: 95868922, Email: almouthanaosman@yahoo.com IT system and Printer engineer ME, 5Years bank IT Management exp in India looking for full time job visit visa contact 94462150 24 year Indian Chartered Accountant male with 3yrs of experience is seeking suitable placement in Muscat, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact him on 98201476 or email at lokeshkaluri@gmail.com MCA IT Professional Indian Female seek placement in Teaching/ Non Teaching field. Presently on visit visa. 9588 7051, ashwininakod@gmail.com

Egyptian Civil Engineer, total experience 7 years - 2 years experience in Oman. I am looking for Project Engineer, I have good experience in site & office works. Contact number:91148708

ACCA Affiliate, Indian, 2.5Years experience in Audit/ Finance in Big 6 Audit Firm and Oil Accounting in PDO, For Permanent Placement for Finance or Accounts or Audit. Release NOC Available on hand. Contact #95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com

Indian Male 24 years, Looking for a Suitable Job in Telecom / Networking. 1 year sales experience. MSc. Communications Engineering & Valid Driving license. Ph: 91280121. Email: jackrprasad@yahoo.com.

Finance ACCA Affiliate, Worked as an Auditor with 2.5 Years Experience in reputed ﬁrm, Handled independent audit/ﬁnance assignments, Looking for permanent placement, NOC available. #95140445. a.saran891@gmail.com

ACCOUNTING – Indian male seeking accounting job with 2 years experience in accounting. Contact: 94263445, E mail – contactantonyxavieranand@gmail. com

Piping Design Engineer, Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708, E-mail : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com

Sudanese male: 27 yrs, 2 years experience in accounting, other experience (purchasing – HR - Coordinating and Office Management), looking for a job Omani Driving License, NOC. Contact: 94174403 24 year Indian Chartered Accountant male with 3yrs of experience is seeking suitable placement in Muscat, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact him on 98201476 or email at lokeshkaluri@gmail.com

Electronics and instrumentation Engineer 28 year Indian male, electrical, electronic, industrial, building & automation exp of 4+ yrs in India. Contact - 93154156

Sudanese male (B.Sc, computer science) (diploma computer engineering), 6 yrs. experience DBA oracle PL-SQL, MS SQL - Server, MS visual studio vba, network. Contact 91415886

CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. #96760618 email: varghese.manthara@gmail.com

Syrian male 3yrs. exp in IT support, Networking, Security systems, Server support, IT sales and marketing. Valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact 91055584

Sudanese male (B.Sc Computer science) (diploma computer engineering) 6 yrs. experience DBA Oracle plsql, MS sql-server ,ms visual studio vba, network. Contact :91415886 Indian male with 8 yrs experience in FMCG in Oman as Sales Supervisor looking for suitable placement. NOC available. Gsm: 96495206 Indian Male, Graduate, 11 years Sales experience in Lighting / Industrial products, ready to join immediately. GSM: 9710 5356 Indian heavy duty driver with 8 years experience in oman available with NOC. GSM : 93601943 GSM : 94496457 Over 15 years experience in Gulf. Interior Architect, Lebanese Nationality, on visit visa seeking a suitable Placement. 96268005.

SITUATION WANTED Indian male, 28 yrs MBA (HR/M) 2 years experience in Indian Oman in HR & admin seeks suitable placements. NOC available. # 97484159 Email: rameshkapa86@gmail.com M.Sc 3+ years exp from France & India in IT Support Engineer / Hardware & Networking / Server support / scientiﬁc system support looking for suitable positions. Indian, male on visit visa, contact 98898781/ anoopys@gmail.com Looking for managerial post (full time ), More than Ten years of experience in Team Development ,Training, planning, Administration, Sales & Marketing, Advertisement and Credit Control and Logistics. #91076608 / 99322748. Release & noc available Indian male, 34years having 10 years of experience in Sales, Sales Coordination and Administration. Experienced in SAP and MS Office. NOC available. Contact # 94686594 Indian Male MBA Marketing/HRM 3 year experience with Omani D/L, seeking suitable jobs. Contact: 97424188 email: dharwesh@gmail.com Indian, Male, 23 years, BE Electrical, having 2 years experience in Electrical Works-H.T. cabling etc, & Construction, looking for a suitable placement. # +968 96927880 (Oman), +91 9765376109 (India), Email: rahulrevi6@gmail.com Indian Female M.Com with Computer Skills and Four Month Experience as Accountant ,Currently On Family Visa Looking for a Suitable Placement, Available Immediately. Contact : 95846642, Email : dhanyashree91@yahoo.com ACCA Affiliate, Experience in audit/ ﬁnance of 2.5 years in Big 6 Firm and Oil industry, looking for suitable permanent placement, Release NOC available. Contact: #95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com B.Tech Computer Engineer Wanted job to work on(IT/Banking/Administrator/Technical/Office works) having NOC with the limited time from (04/06/2015 to 13/06/2015). Mobile:98402389 email:naresh6672@gmail.com

British Beauty Therapist looking for suitable position. please contact :97175240 Highly Qualiﬁed & Experienced Finance Manager Pakistani with USA , UK & Canadian Degrees , CPA ,ACCA-UK . MBA-USA ,IFA- Financial Consultants Canada , Corporate Analyst USA Professional of Banking , Audits ,ERPs & Proﬁt Maximizations ( NOC available ) call 94 504505 – 94403270 27 year Indian female who has 4 years of experience with logistics function in distribution of spares for both heavy machinery & wind turbine parts. Kindly contact me on +91 9790769104 E-mail: joemohana@yahoo.co.in Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer .seek suitable placement. Contact : 99514286 Indian male MBA (U.K), 10 Years of experience in Admin, Sales, HR, stores and logistics seeks suitable placement. Contact 99271903. Indian Female MCA, 4 plus Years of experience in Web designing, Admin, P.A, seeks suitable placement. Contact 99486374 8 Years successful experience, SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, Indian male,29 years. Presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license seeks suitable opportunity. GSM: 97705854 7 and half years experience working accounts / inventory manager looking suitable job. Contact: 96991782 Email: srinivasu.sp@gmail.com

Indian male, looking for a part time accounting job. Having additional knowledge & experience in HR admin & purchase. Contact 99196621 HSE Advisor, NEBOSH IGC, Indian male, 4 years experience in construction and oil ﬁelds, seeking suitable jobs. Gsm: 97458900, Mail: miroshbabu@gmail.com Highly Experienced Finance Manager, CPA ,ACCA-UK . MBA-USA , Professional of Banking, Audits , ERPs Sap , Management as Team Leader and Problem Solver call 94 504505 / 94403270 Indian male MBA Finance presently OMAN IN visit visa, 26 years, looking for an accountant job. Contact 95240641, email Id mohammadabdulazharuddin@ gmail.com Admin Executive, 31, Indian Male, having 9+ years exp. in reputed companies. Seeking suitable placement in any gulf region. Contact +968 99276601 & 97693456. email : muralimahdav77@gmail.com Indian Female, 24yrs, M.COM (Accounts) having 3yrs experience in Accounts, HR, Administration, Customer Service. Good Computer Proﬁciency. Seeking Suitable Position. Visa Transfer/NOC Available. Contact: 99654913 MEP Quantity Surveyor-Estimation-Project, 10 Years Experience (3 years in Oman). Having NOC & Oman D/L, looking for suitable job, Contact - 98291626 Indian house maid looking full time job. Contact : 98254909

Indian female , MCA BCA, certiﬁcation PL SQL , 6months training PHP, date warehouse looking for suitable placement. #95694330 Email: mondkashyapodl@gmail.com

B.E. Civil Engineer age 27, total 3 years of experience in Mumbai looking for placement asap in oman now on visit visa of 1 month ph 9571 3441 Email. Khatrialeem@gmail.com

B.Com with more than 5 yrs exp. looking for an accounts part tome job work. know with tally. Email-shilpa_62@yahoo.com

Indian Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com

Part- time accountant, well experience senior accountant , doing all type of accounting works, ﬁnalization, budgeting available. Contact : 98803439

Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 5 years experience in different activities . Mobile No ; +96894549609

W E D N E S DAY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

Butter cup rent a car presents fantastic offers all vehicles are model 2016. Contact : 97249449

RENT A CAR

GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis IDEAL , CARE Ayurvedic Clinic 18 November street, Azaiba. Contact 99639695 / 99117987

SITUATION WANTMANPOWER

Genuine Ayurvedic treatments & massage, Ayurvedic clinic at Al Khuwair. Contact 24478618 / 97263637 /93309131

DRIVING

FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 96050000, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133. For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit: www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371554 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

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W E D N E S D AY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

WE ARE PROVIDING ACCOUNTING/ AUDITING TAX/ CONSULTING CONTACT: 24 567 251 / 95 498 033

COMPUTER

WEBSITE

Split & widow unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080 Split & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 96236476

Pest control Treatments, termites, cockroaches, bedbugs Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723

BUSINESS

Window & split unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact : 93769089 / 95323517 House shifting & transporting. Contact 92490422 WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price. Contact: http//webviewoman

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED

CLASSES

Carpet, curtain, sofa, ﬂoor, cleaning, shampooing, marble & mosaic tiles grinding, polishing and painting. Contact : 93630133 / 95821193 House shifting packing. 99657644 / 98518013

Admission Open: CAMBRIDGE / BILINGUAL CURRICULUM admission started in Al Burj Private School, Azaiba for KG and Grade I to IV. Please register soonest. Contact: 93211417 / 92887809.

Air condition maintenance split and window services AC specialist ducted and package type unites. Contact: 98667326

House shifting. Contact 99708138

CLASSES

Civil Engineer, Diploma, Male 25, 3 years experience in site, CAD, 3d, MS Project, Seeking job in Oman. Contact 92875345, jubincivileng@gmail.com Indian male, Engineer, BE Mechanical, having with 21 years of experience in India and 13 years in Oman, In production, project management, quality control and assurance and MR for ISO and API Standards looking out for a suitable placement in Oman. GSM: 00968 97311616. E-MAIL: fahazasa@yahoo.com

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089/95323517

Learn Cup cakes, exotic cakes, Icing decorations, handicrafts. Contact 95941515

Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 Water prooﬁng ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

Required investor for new company. Contact: 96996938

Carpet, Sofa Shampooing. Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99884591

General Investors. Contact 99674870

AC servicing maintenance ﬁxing. Contact: 99540621