Times of Oman - January 5, 2016

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

On the occasion of the Opening of the 29th GCC Summit, 2008

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ We are determined – with God’s assistance and guidance – to preserve the achievements made by our states for the benefits of our citizens. And we will work for the implementation of more strategic comprehensive development programmes in their national and collective contexts.

TUESDAY, January 5, 2016 / 24 Rabi Al Awal 1437 AH

R O P A N N UA L D AY

HM receives greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of greetings from Lt.Gen Hassan bin Mohsen Al Shraiqi, Inspector General of Police and Customs, on the occasion of the Royal Oman Police (ROP) Annual Day. In his cable, Lt.Gen Al Shraiqi said: “It is my honour and that of the ROP personnel to express to Your Majesty the best greetings on the occasion of the 5th of January; the ROP Annual Day, praying to the Almighty Allah for the return of this and other happy occasions on His Majesty with good health and happiness, Oman and its people with peace and growth. >A6 SEVENTH CASE

New MERS case detected

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Expats sending families home as money fears grow Some expats are opting for cheaper accommodation while others are either sending their families back home or have put on hold their visit to the Sultanate amid the austerity drive announced by the government

Expatriates in Oman are feeling the heat of austerity measures and are taking a number of steps to reduce spending and boost saving

BABA UMAR/REJIMON K

babaumar@timesofoman.com reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Expatriates say they are sending their families back home, or halting plans to bring them to Oman, to cut the living costs after the Sultanate released its austerity-driven budget for 2016.

Other families say they are moving to cheaper accommodation ahead of changes to the sub-

sidy on the price of oil recently announced, which they fear will drive up the cost of living.

Indian expat, Ashraf Ahmed, who works at a cleaning service company at Wadi Al Qabir, told Times of Oman (TOO) that he can’t afford to keep his wife and three children in Oman anymore.

“I am sending them back to Kerala (south Indian state),” he said, adding, his salary of OMR620 isn’t enough to make things work in the ongoing conditions.

His colleague Chandra, who lives in Al Khuwair, has already dispatched his family to India.

“There were talks about upsetting economic condition here.

That’s why I sent back my wife and two children. But I hope I will be able to bring them back again,” Chandra told TOO. Syed Tawheed, an FMCG supervisor at Swiss Arabian per-

fumes, said, “My parents and siblings were supposed to visit me for at least four months. But I have asked them to hold on for some time.” Tawheed said he applied for their visit visa in December last year but after the austere budget, he isn’t sure if they can really live with them amid the difficult economic situation.

“I’m single and I know I won’t

be affected much. But people with visiting families or a wife and school-going children will have to think twice before shelling out money…this may, however, see increase in remittances,” he noted.

Cheaper apartments One tactic being embraced by families trying to stay together is to move into cheaper accommodation.

S Banerjee, a private firm staffer, who pays around OMR380 at Rex Road in Ruwi neighbourhood, said, “I am planning to move to an older apartment. That should help me save at least OMR70,” he said, adding, “I can always switch to a new building if things become normal again.”

Pankaj R, who works in a publishing house, said he moved from his old apartment prior to budget announcements. >A6

Times News Service MUSCAT: A new case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), was confirmed by the Ministry of Health on Monday.

This makes it the seventh such case to be reported among the overall instances reported in the Sultanate, with the last one detected in May, 2015.

The patient is said to be in the 40s and is suffering from acute pneumonia and high temperature.

However, the patient is currently in a stable condition and under medical care at one of the referral hospitals.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN

OMR500 MILLION PROJECT

Port Sultan Qaboos waterfront to create 12,000 direct and 7,000 indirect jobs

Staff Reporter

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

Driving instructors against fee hike

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A majority of driving instructors confirmed that they will not raise their fee due to the petrol price hike. >A4

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Muscat Festival preparation reviewed

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The Municipal Council reviewed the details of the upcoming Muscat Festival 2016. >A5

MARKET

Mitsui-led group wins Oman power projects

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Mitsui & Company said its consortium has been awarded $2.3b power projects. >B1

New parking area to help end Muttrah gridlock

KEY WATERFRONT DESTINATION: An artist’s impression of the proposed project, which consists of four zones. The first phase is expected to be completes in 2019. – Supplied photo

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Around 12,000 direct and 7,000 indirect jobs are expected to be created after the completion of an OMR500 million project that will transform the Port Sultan Qaboos into the region’s primary waterfront destination.

The project consists of four zones and the first phase is expected to be complete in 2019, Minister of Transport and Communications Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, said during a media briefing held at the ministry

on Monday. The first zone of the tourism-based mixed-use project will shape the waterfront’s heart and will consist of a fisherman wharf, a fish souq, a five-star marina hotel, a four-star family hotel, and a hotel operated by branded residential apartments and starter apartments for first time buyers.

Destination shopping, waterside restaurants and cafes, boutiques, offices, entertainment and cultural facilities, as well as super yacht and leisure boat marina will also be featured in the first zone.

Half of the total investment amount will be allocated for the development of the first phase, the minister said.

The total built-up area of the project will be around 450,000 square metres, and the project will include six hotels, residential units and many other components. One more hotel, which belongs to the Muscat Municipality, may be added later, Al Futaisi said.

As for the components of the project, Dr Al Futaisi said that it would include “6” hotels of five, four and three-star that would

provide 1,500 hotel rooms, 65 apartments, 219 family residential units and other buildings, according to the ONA. A project specific “Waterfront Development and Operations Company” will be established for the implementation of the project, which is expected to be complete in 2027.

The minister expressed hope that the company will be registered in three months.

The project, which will generate revenues and profits starting from 2022. >A6

MUSCAT: A plan to develop a 200,000 square metres (sqm) parking area at the Port Sultan Qaboos (PSQ) is expected to reduce congestion in the Muttrah area, Minister of Transport and Communications Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi said on Monday.

Speaking at a press briefing to announce the PSQ waterfront project, Al Futaisi said, “The total built-up area will be around 450,000 sqm, plus 200,000 sqm allocated for parking. This 200,000 sqm parking will be divided into around 6,000 parking lots.”

This is the minimum and more parking lots can be added later, the minister stated.

He said the development of new parking area will help reduce gridlock in the Muttrah area, which is currently facing congestion problems due to insufficient parking space.

The Sultanate plans to transform PSQ into the region’s primary waterfront destination and number one tourist attraction in the country.

The project will blend traditional Omani heritage and aesthetics with modern technology and focus on maintaining sustainability and harmony with the environment.

A Royal Decree had called for PSQ to be converted from a commercial port to a fully integrated tourist port by shifting all commercial import, export, general cargo and container activities to the Sohar Industrial Port.

V I TA L L I N K

A pillar of support for Nepalese community Nepal who reside in the Sultanate, to familiarise them with the rules, culture etc. The association also helps the Embassy of Nepal in Oman to reach out to the migrant workers in the Sultanate.

MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: D B Chhetri is the most familiar name in the Nepalese community in the Sultanate of Oman, as he and his association, the Non-Residential Nepali Association (NRNA), serve as a link to solve the issues that Nepalese nationals face in Oman.

Now, Chhetri is acting as the Middle East coordinator of the NRNA. Today, the Times of Oman is featuring Chhetri and his association, NRNA, in the #OmanPride Campaign.

Always there for help Chhetri is in Oman for the last 11 years and he is always there to help the Nepalese nationals in the Sultanate. He has rescued many Nepalese who have been duped by the sponsors.

“Many Nepalese women come to Oman as housemaids and sometimes get into trouble. Without

ers and send them back to Nepal,” he added.

According to Chhetri, many of these workers are not only deprived of their salaries but also denied any communication with their families back in Nepal.

D B Chhetri of the NonResidential Nepali Association.

any payment, many have suffered a lot,” Chhetri told the Times of Oman. “Not only women, we have rescued numerous men as well who were cheated by the employ-

Social organisation The Non-Residential Nepali Association is a social organisation and its main objective is to get in touch with the Nepalese in the Sultanate.

The NRNA organises awareness campaigns for the people of

Blood donation Members of the association also donate blood for the needy.

Recently, the NRNA launched an initiative to build shelters for earthquake victims of Nepal and they are seeking help of Good Samaritans to make this initiative a success.

“We usually conduct programmes to promote our culture and tourism in the Sultanate. We are in serious discussions with the Nepal government to organise a community festival to promote the tourism of Nepal in the Middle East,” Chhetri said.

“We want people to visit our country and to enjoy the scenic beauty of Nepal and its culture,” he added.

Pathankot air base attack threatens India-Pakistan talks

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 It rained in Musandam and surrounding areas in the morning. And in the afternoon, it rained in Buraimi and nearby areas.

Bader Ali Al Baddaei, Website administrator

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Majlis Al Shura meeting reviews terms of spending rationalisation tional economy and ensure that it contributes more to the gross domestic product (GDP). They also discussed the mechanism to implement the “Oman 2020” economic strategy and the five-year plans, besides ensuring commercial competition among various governorates of the Sultanate.

Majlis members reviewed the current economic situation in terms of rationalising spending in view of the fall in oil prices, as well as ways to diversify the other sources of income and finding alternative sources

FOCUS ON IMPORTANT ISSUES: Members praised the procedural steps adopted by the government to

rationalise spending and reduce deficits. — ONA

MUSCAT: Various aspects of the role that Majlis Al Shura plays, were discussed by the members of the Majlis, at a seminar on Monday, including the legislative and oversight roles, its powers, follow up of various economic issues Oman, and appropriate solutions to activate the role of its Standing Committees.

The members set up a working group to study the ideas and pro-

posals discussed at the seminar, which was held in the presence of Khalid bin Hilal Al Ma’awali, Chairman of Majlis Al Shura, his two deputies and Sheikh Ali bin Nasser Al Mahrouqi, Secretary General of Majlis Al Shura.

The members reviewed two important issues, namely the current economic situation in the Sultanate in terms of rationalising spending in the aftermath of the fall in oil

prices, as well as ways to diversify the sources of income and find alternative sources.

Rationalise spending The members praised the procedural steps adopted by the government to rationalise spending and reduce deficits.

The members discussed various work mechanisms of the Majlis Al Shura, its internal regulations,

its relationship with its committees, as well as ways to strengthen ties with the Council of Ministers.

It also discussed activating the supervisory role of the Majlis Al Shura and ways to ensure more transparency in its work and tasks.

The members, who reviewed certain solutions and proposals, urged the government to revive the market plan and continue implementing development projects,

with a focus on the private sector to reduce the number of jobseekers. They also urged the government to continue addressing the anticipated challenges and deepen the partnership between the Majlis Al Shura and the Council of Ministers in all development related aspects.

The members underlined the importance of focusing on the tourism sector to support the na-

Youth committee The Youth and Human Resources Committee at the Majlis Al Shura also discussed a number of topics of concern to the youth in Oman. It discussed topics related to human resources at the governmental and private units, most importantly challenges facing Omanisation at the senior and supervisory level jobs in the private sector.

This came during the fourth meeting of the committee for the first annual sitting of the eighth term under the chair of Mohammed bin Salim Al Busaidi, head of the committee. — ONA

MINISTRY OF MANPOWER

O F F C I A L S TA E M N E T

Foreign Ministry rebuts fake tweet 298 workers held for violating law REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman has refuted a tweet posted by @world21news, which was attributed to the Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, saying the minister has not made any such statement.

The tweet said Alawi has con-

demned Saudi cleric Nimr Al Nimr’s execution, along with 46 others on Saturday.

Official Twitter handle “The execution of Nimr will not resolve the issues and it will only increase tensions in the region,” the tweet stated.

However, Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted on its of-

ficial Twitter handle late on Sunday night that Alawi has not made any such statement and that the world21news tweet was fake.

Saudi Arabia recently executed Nimr and 46 others after they were convicted of terrorism offences.

Nimr had been a vocal supporter of the anti-government protests that had erupted in the eastern Saudi province in 2011.

MUSCAT: A total 298 workers were found violating the Labour Law between December 27, 2015 to January 2, 2016, a weekly report of the joint inspection team at the Ministry of Manpower points out. The violators included 228 commercial workers, 27 farm-workers and 42 housemaids and their equivalents.

The inspection teams caught

298 workers including 234 absconding workers, 35 astray workers and 29 workers with other violations.

Largest number The Governorate of Muscat witnessed the largest number of workers violating the law with 141 followed by the Governorate of North Al Batinah with 38

workers. The competent authorities at the Ministry of Manpower are taking the legal procedures against them.

On the other hand, the Manpower Ministry statistics showed that 320 expatriate workers were deported for violating provisions of the Labour Law and the ministerial decisions executing the law. — ONA

W E AT H E R WAT C H

– Supplied picture

Wadis overflow as northern areas of Oman receive rain Times News Service MUSCAT: Northern parts of the Sultanate were affected by unstable climatic conditions, resulting from a trough of low pressure from January 3 to the morning of January 4, leading to rainfall and overflowing wadis.

Precipitation stations of the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources reported the highest amount of rainfall in the Governorate of Muscat, with 55mm in the Wilayat of A’Seeb.

Governorate of Musandam In the Governorate of Musandam, the Wilayat of Bukha recorded 26mm of rain, whereas 20mm of rain was reported in the Wilayat of Barkain in the Governorate of South Al Batinah.

In the Governorate of A’Dhahirah, 5mm of rain was recorded in the Wilayat of Yan-

qul while in the Governorate of North Al Batinah, 3mm was recorded in the Wilayat of Sohar.

In the Governorate of Al Buraimi, 3mm of rain was reported in the Wilayat of Al Buraimi, whereas in the Governorate of A’Dakhiliyah, 2mm of rain was recorded in the Wilayat of Bahla.

On Sunday, heavy rain fell in Barka, Buraimi, Sohar and Mussandam, according to residents and weather enthusiasts.

“It rained in Musandam and surrounding areas in the morning. And in the afternoon, it rained in Buraimi and nearby areas. Later in the evening, it rained in Saham, Al Kabourah and Rustaq,” Bader Ali Al Baddaei administrator of www.rthmc.com, a local Web-based forum that discusses weather in Oman, told the Times of Oman. “Sohar residents are reporting moderate rains in different areas,” the administrator of www.rthmc.com, added.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 The Authority has appointed PA Consulting to assist in the development of a new standard to address the risks associated with cyber security Mahmood Al Habsi, regulatory engineer

OMAN

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION LAUNCHED Photographic Society of Oman of Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science launched, on Monday, the first international photography competition under the auspices of Dr. Abdulmunim bin Mansour Al Hasani, Minister of Information. The competition will cover four fields — life of people, nature, open field (black and white), and open filed (colour). The competition is approved by FIAP GPU and IAAP at the international level and by Photographic Society of Oman at the national level. —ONA

KEY DECISION: According to some instructors, there will be a decline in the numbers of trainees, if they raised their fee. — Times file picture

Instructors not to raise fees for driving learners Driving instructors said there would only be a slight change in the petrol rates so there was no need to raise fees

MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A majority of driving instructors confirmed they are not going to raise their fee due to the petrol price hike.

According to the instructors, there will only be a slight change in the petrol rates so there was no need to raise the fees.

“So far, I don’t have any plans to increase the fees and none of my colleagues have told me about their plans to raise the fees,” an instructor told the Times of Oman.

“We have to look into the situation after the petrol price hike, only then we can take a decision on whether to raise the fees or not,” he added.

“This is a free market; instructors decide their fee according to the situation; so far nobody has talked about their plans to increase the teaching fees,” said another instructor from Darsait.

“This is our only source of income, if the situation demands it, we will to raise the fee if we have to,” he added.

According to some instructors, if they raised their fee, there would be a decline in the numbers of trainees, who were coming for training. “If we raise the fees, it will affect the trainees as their salaries are not rising and later they will not come for training,” said an instructor.

New trainees “Otherwise, we have to charge higher prices for the new trainees; this is the only job for most of us and we also have obligations like all others,” he added.

Speaking about the existing fees, the instructors said, “We are charging between OMR6 and OMR8 for an hour.”

On an average, the majority of instructors charge around OMR7 per hour. Some instructors offer an all-inclusive package of between OMR350 and OMR500. If the instructors raise their charg-

es, they might reach up to OMR10 per hour. According to the trainees, getting a driving license in the Sultanate is getting costlier as the instructors charge as high a fee as they like. “Even now the rates are high; we have to pay out lot of money for the training and if they (instructors) are planning to increase the fees, I have to give up driving,” said Pramod Kumar, a trainee in Ruwi.

“There is a chance to increase the fees as the price of every product will climb in the coming months. Anyway, we have to pay what they ask,” said Shammer Roshan, who is undergoing training in Darsait. Some trainees are of the opinion that the government should interfere and fix the rates for training. Deregulation of the prices of petrol and diesel fuel was announced last week.

According to experts, there will be a hike in every field due to this decision. Oman is deregulating the prices of refined petroleum products to save millions of Rials spent as fuel subsidies.

E L E C T R I C I T Y R E G U L AT O R

Licence modification related to cyber security announced Times News Service MUSCAT: A licence modification in all licensees, owned and operated by the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Data Capture Systems (DCS) systems related to cyber security, has been announced by the Authority for Electricity Regulation, Oman.

The SCADA and DCS systems fulfil a critical role in the electricity sector, enabling a safe and efficient operation of power plants and transmission and distribution networks on a round-the-clock basis that ensures customers are provided with the electricity they need, irrespective of when they need it.

Qais Saud Al Zakwani, executive director of the Authority, said: “The SCADA and DCS systems are very diverse in terms of technologies, complexity and age, with the more modern systems being highly complex and interconnected computerised systems using modern IT and data networking technologies.”

“This complexity and interconnectivity brings risk, and the identification and mitigation of the risks and hazards due to accidents or malicious activity relating to modern SCADA and DCS systems (i.e., SCADA and DCS cyber security) is not a mature practice and is not commonly covered explicitly by regulations in Oman,” he added.

“The impact of a cyber security incident could range from a minor disruption to significant impacts, such as a system shutdown or mal-operation, so that the Authority must consider carefully the options open to them to ensure that

Mahmood Al Habsi. — Supplied picture

the sector takes an appropriate approach to managing SCADA and DCS cyber-security risks,” he said.

Mahmood Al Habsi, regulatory engineer, stated, “The Authority has appointed PA Consulting to assist in the development of a new standard to address the risks associated with cyber security for critical infrastructure in the electricity and related water sectors in Oman.

The main conclusion identified from the audit carried out by the Authority is that the sector does not yet have a mature approach to SCADA and DCS cyber security.”

“Although there are some safeguard approaches that have been conducted by operators, the areas of concern include very little evidence that management systems are in place for SCADA and DCS cyber security, a low level of security awareness and ultimately, the impact of security threats is not only dependent on the level of pro-

tection in place, but the capability to detect and the capability to respond,” he added.

Having identified the weaknesses and the current status of cyber security for SCADA and DCS, the Authority has decided to take a proactive regulatory approach, which covers regulation by setting baseline mandatory standards, with a phased transition from regular compliance audits to audits by exception.

The expected transition period from the regular compliance audits to audits by exceptions would vary between three and five years, depending on the progress of developing management systems and capabilities.

The licensees will be required to comply with the baseline mandatory standard, which is incorporated into license conditions that would is effective from January 1, 2016.

LEGENDARY EXPEDITION

‘Crossing the Empty Quarter’ expedition achieves key milestone Times News Service MUSCAT: After 21 days of continuous walking, the “Crossing the Empty Quarter” team has finally crossed the borders between Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is now embarking on what is expected to be the most difficult stage of the expedition, where it will be isolated from any populated areas and will have limited access to fresh water resources.

Given the demanding geography of the region, the now three-member team will also have to make efforts to cross the high sand dunes and adapt to the quickly contrasting desert weather, which reaches 40 degrees Celsius during the day and drops to sub-zero temperatures at night.

On their way to the border, the team were overwhelmed by the warm hospitality and visits from Omanis from the southern Dhofar Governorate, who are constantly tracking the team, making them feast and telling them tales of their grandfathers and great grandfathers’ exploits with bin Kalut, Bertram Thomas and other explorers Mark Evans, the expedition team leader said, “We are grateful to the people of the Governorate of Dhofar for their kindness and generous hospitality. The people we met were rightly proud of Oman’s incredible history and their stories enriched our knowledge of the region. We enjoyed the natural beauty of the Dhofar region, its diversity and rich flora and fauna.”

In absolute contrast, the team

is now facing day after day of complete silence in the desert, “broken only by the wind and the creaking of the camels’ knees and grinding of their teeth,” said Evans.

“The days are now measured in marches, each march lasting six to seven hours, starting just after sunrise and ending before sunset, with a break in the middle depending on the camels. The day begins at 5am with the Amur calling prayer.

He will use Venus and the glow of the rising sun to determine the correct way to face. The team are now heading north towards Bhat Jamal, which they hope to reach before next weekend.”

Despite the challenges, cracked lips and blisters, the team’s spirit has remained high. “The weather change is our major concern as it gets harsher as we get deeper into the desert, but we are highly motivated and determined to achieve our goal during the crossing of the Empty Quarter,” Evans added.

At the remote Saudi border crossing, the border guards warmly welcomed the team, and worked to resupply the team with food, water and fuel.

Mohammed Al Zidjali, an expedition team member said, “Our dream to cross the Empty Quarter is happening. I am very happy and proud to be a part of this legendary expedition. Every day, the average distance we cover is 25 kilometres, and in the evening we set up camp, rest and eat. We use the evening to communicate with our support team and the media and we provide them with daily updates and

photos about our progress.”

The third team member, Amour Al Wahaibi is the camel expert and the bread maker. Amour spends his time and effort feeding and taking care of the camels. The fourth team member, Ali Al Mashali, is from Salalah and is a highly trained fitness trainer in the armed forces of Oman, conversant with map reading and direction finding for the team. Mashali stayed with the expedition team until the Saudi border, but has now returned to Salalah.

At the Omani-Saudi border, Mashali said, “My experience with the team was great. I will work on transferring it to the others. I wish Mark, Amour and Mohammed all the best in the rest of the journey and I am sure that they will achieve their goal of reaching Doha.”

Besides playing the leadership role during the journey, Evans also writes the expedition diaries to keep a record of the day’s travels.

His material updates on the “Crossing the Empty Quarter” website, mobile application and social media pages, sites which have now amassed thousands of followers, keen to get daily updates on the progress made by the team.

The expedition aims to inspire young Omanis to embody the fundamentals of responsibility and self-dependence and endurance in order to overcome challenges of the 21st century and achieve their goals. The team had departed from Salalah on December 10, 2015.

It will trace the route taken by the first men credited with making the crossing in 1930.

– Supplied picture

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NAAMA CONFERENCE

Health ailments in spotlight at major forum MUSCAT: More than 150 experts including speakers from the US and the Sultanate discussed the new ways for dealing with diabetes complications and reducing amputations of legs of diabetics.

A two-day 29th international conference, started at Al Bustan Palace Hotel on Monday. The conference is being organised by the National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA), in collaboration with the Omani Medical Association.

Key issues They also highlight the modern applications for the artificial pancreas, complications of obesity and its effects on the patient morale. The conference casts light on heart valves diseases especially with diabetic and renal patients.

The lectures cover cardiothoracic diseases, metabolic disorders, diabetes, therapeutic and surgical treatment of tumours and cancers, general and specialised surgeries, child disease, adult CVAs, hereditary cancer syndrome and medical malpractice (reasons, treatment and how to avoid them).

Speakers highlight traditional medicine in the Sultanate.

The aim of this conference is to promote medicine profession in the Sultanate and enhance communication among Omani and US physicians. — ONA

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Upcoming Muscat Festival, other key issues discussed Municipal Council asked the Muscat Festival Committee to coordinate with Ministry of Health specialists over the provision of medical emergency teams at locations where activities take place

Times News Service MUSCAT: Details of the upcoming Muscat Festival 2016 and an initial study for reviewing a draft model of residential neighbourhoods, were discussed at a Municipal Council meeting held on Monday.

During the meeting, the council voiced their remarks on the statements made by the Muscat Festival Committee, asking them to coordinate with specialists from the Ministry of Health regarding the provision of medical emergency teams at locations where activities are held.

They also stressed that the festival’s entertainment activities must adhere to the Sultanate’s customs, culture and traditional values and suggested that cultural

activities must be taken advantage of in order to raise awareness and educate the youth in the correct way of using social media, in addition to preserving the identity and history of Oman, as well as the Islamic values.

Neighbourhoods project Mohsin Mohammed Al Sheikh, the head of the council, presided over the meeting, and pointed out that the most important aspect of the draft model of residential neighbourhoods project is to reduce the waiting time for low income individuals, who want a plot of land by providing them with adequate and affordable housing.

This highlights the importance of quickening the processes and providing appropriate housing for Omani citizens.

MAJOR ATTRACTION: Municipal Council meeting also stressed the necessity that the festival’s entertainment must adhere to the Sultanate’s customs, culture and traditional values. — Times file picture

The meeting also focused on the programmes broadcast by the Public Authority for Radio and Television, especially while dealing with priority cases regarding government affairs, as well as improving Omani drama programmes by enhancing the scripts to cope with the cultural level of

the community. The council also approved a statement made to inform the Ministry of Health about the importance of continuing to raise awareness about inherited blood disorders, which is being conducted by medical establishments since the individual and society could be subjected to medi-

cal dangers, as well as economic difficulties.

Shaded areas The council also approved a statement made regarding the need for creating shaded areas in public parking areas used by public and private sector establishments.

ANNUAL EXPEDITION

Students of Indian School Salalah on trip to Muscat, Sur Times News Service MUSCAT: An International Award Scheme Expedition was organised by Indian School Salalah for its awardees, from December 27 to 30 last year.

The annual expedition is a part of the award scheme to understand the local culture, geographical diversity and explore new things.

Wadi Bani Khalid (near Muscat) was the destination for the expedition.

A total of 42 awardees from the secondary section, escorted by five award leaders, embarked on this trip to the capital region with a lot of anticipation. On the morning of December 28th, the team awoke to the clear sky and cool weather of Muscat. After a delicious South Indian breakfast, the team headed for the pristine Yiti beach, presenting a real opportunity for the lensmen to execute their skills. Refreshed, they moved to the Al Alam Palace, the ceremonial palace of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, just

– Supplied picture

the perfect place for photographs.

The team was in high spirits when it visited the Defence Armed Force Museum.

The children were extremely happy to get an opportunity to see an extensive collection related to Oman’s history of warfare and the military. The well kept museum is an open encyclopaedia for any visitor. It was a great learning experience for everyone. After lunch,

the students went for an industry visit. At the Nabil Biscuit Factory, the students had a firsthand experience of learning the procedure involved in biscuit manufacturing. Later in the evening, the team visited the Grand Mosque and enjoyed the tranquillity surrounding this beautiful architectural marvel enclosed in a landscaped garden.

Sur was the next destination.

Everyone was eagerly waiting for a

glimpse of the huge turtles, a species that the town’s beaches are known for.

Soon after the sumptuous dinner, the team went to visit the turtle beach to take a look at the endangered species of green turtles open to the public only in Sur. The students saw the turtles laying eggs, covering these with sand and their journey to the sea. All the students, charged with a lot of

zeal and zest, boarded the bus after breakfast for site seeing.

The first destination in the list was Wilayat Sur beach where they enjoyed a thrilling boat ride.

The cool breeze and blue waters made it a memorable experience.

They witnessed huge cargo vessels passing by. After the ride, the team visited the maritime museum that highlights the role played by Oman in maritime navigation over a long

period of history. After the visit to the museum, the team used the spot map and compass to find its way to the Wadi Bani Khalid, their destination in this expedition. After reaching the destination, the team trekked for 6 kms and was delighted to have lunch on an oasis.

The expedition has proved its success in team work and its ability to explore new things. After lunch, the team visited ‘Habiyat Najm’ Sink hole at Wadi Bani Khalid. After spending some time at the beach garden, near the sinkhole, the students were taken to Al Shayam Dam. It was time to return.

After travelling 330 km, the group halted at Nizwa for dinner and shopping. After two days of hectic schedule, shopping was a relaxing moment.

The team members thanked Principal T.R. Brown, Vice-principal Omana Mathews, AVP Srinivasan and the teachers for their support in making the expedition a memorable one.

A6

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

OMAN

Basically, there is land improvement work that will start within three months. (Work on) the main building and structure hopefully (will start) by July 1 this year James Wilson, Consultant to the ministry

M O N E Y- S AV I N G M E A S U R E S

A1 Expatriates look for cheaper flats to reduce expenditure < FROM

“Things are not fine as oil prices have continued to tumble. Before the budget came, I was sure I would have to cut costs too. That is why I just shifted to an older apartment near the Mwasalat bus stand from the CBD area,” he told TOO. Pankaj will save OMR50 after his rent decreased from OMR300 to OMR250 for a 2BHK apartment.

He said many of his expat friends are also planning to send back their families for some months, cut down on frequent travel and partying, “until the restoration phase begins.”

“There are no other alternative for low-wage workers other than moving their families back to home. Since there will be no bonuses, salary hikes and all that for poorly-salaried expat workers, they would like to adopt such measures,” said a social worker based in Oman.

Pressure on real estate The state budget also offered a slew of measures to shore up nonoil revenues in the Sultanate.

Among many other options,

CUTTING COSTS: Realtors believe any change in rents in the future would depend on the expatriate population and the development of Oman’s economy.– Supplied photo

the government plans to amend the tariffs imposed for electricity and water for commercial, industrial and government usage and to amend the existing fees levied for real estate and by the municipality on rents.

Other measures to enhance nonoil income include an amendment in fees charged for the allocation of land (commercial, tourism, in-

dustrial and agricultural), unification of a service fee charged by the Muscat Municipality, the Dhofar Municipality and other regional municipalities.

Realtors believe the rental market in the Sultanate is at a very interesting stage and that any change in rents in the future would depend on expatriate demographics and the development of Oman’s

MEGA PROJECT

A1 ‘Waterfront to be one of the biggest projects in Oman’

ITC Status The development will have an ITC (integrated tourism complex) status, said Wilson, who was appointed as the new chief executive officer of Omran in a press release issued after the media briefing.

Wilson described the waterfront project as the largest construction project in Muscat after the airport project, saying that 12,000 direct jobs and 7,000 indirect jobs will be created after the completion of the project. Asked about the design of the project, Wilson said, “Atkins was the original designer. We are now going to invite new designers in the local and international markets.” According to him, the concept design is ready and now there will be six months of detailed designing.

Construction Asked as to when work would start on the project, Wilson said, “Basically, there is land improvement work that will start within three months. (Work on) the main building and structure hopefully (will start) by July 1 this year.”

real challenge, the smaller and cheaper properties would see more demand.”

Contracts on hold Others are also expecting a depressed real-estate market in the country.

“We are witnessing a gloomy picture ahead. Many companies are insisting that we put on hold contract renewals for apartments, especially contracts for luxury apartments,” explained a top official from a real-estate group, who wished to remain anonymous.

“We feel that either they are expecting their employees to move out to smaller spaces or they’re downsizing staff. It looks like the usual business will be bad. Rents will come down,” he said, adding, “The workers are planning to send their families back home. Sending back their family to the home country is the only option to cut the expenses.”

The realtor said his company will not be taking up new buildings and apartment projects anytime soon. He said the occupancy rate of hotels and apartments, which was

95 per cent in 2015, is expected to go down “drastically.”

Sudhakar Reddy of Al Habib, however, argued that rents could remain unchanged.

“Not because of inflation, but because supply and demand are in balance. Rents will be stable overall,” he hoped.

“The only thing that has gone up are the transportation costs.

That’s a small part of the total cost.

Per head, it won’t be more than five riyals. Petrol prices may increase but I don’t think people can change apartments to save five riyals,” he noted.

Subsidy cuts could push up consumer prices in Oman and exert upward pressure on foreign workers’ wages, potentially hurting companies’ competitiveness, according to Philip Paul, country head, Cluttons Oman.

“It is our view that the realestate sector will record declines as the low oil price era beds in and government spending levels retreat. This course assumes the absence of any major global economic or oil price shocks over our forecasting horizon,” he said.

82% staff in Oman ready to quit jobs for better training

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According to James Wilson, consultant to the ministry, 51 per cent of the waterfront company will be owned by the Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), and 49 per cent of the company will be sold by Omran to the private sector pension funds.

economy. “In the public sector, the government has decided to reduce development expenditure. So there will be fewer contracts. Contracting will be under some pressure,” said Sudhakar Reddy, chief executive officer of noted real-estate company Al Habib & Co LLC. On the private side, he said, a slight reduction in construction is expected.

“But let me tell you this is going to be tough for everyone, including the construction and real-estate industry,” he added.

Some realtors, such as Salman Jalil of Eqarat, believe that apartments will remain vacant for long particularly the high-end units “and that this might contribute to the lowering of rents.”

“Well, the budget has proposed austerity measures. It will have an overall effect as people will tend to cut expenses wherever it is possible for them to cut. Renting and rentals are already affected because of abundant supply and in the current scenario, it will only increase,” he told TOO. The Eqarat official further stated, “If saving becomes a

He further stated that the majority of the waterfront will be open to the public and 70 per cent of the customers and visitors are expected to be Omanis.

Asked as to how many tourists are expected to visit the waterfront, Wilson said, “It is difficult to estimate. Obviously, it depends on what happens with the rest of the tourism industry.”

Commenting on the number of units, he said there will be a mixture of units for rent and sale and Omran will decide the proportion.

“In total, there are about 1,100 units, but a lot of them will be rented out, and a lot of them will be operated by the hotel’s (management),” he explained.

Project returns The project returns on equity invested will be around 15 per cent.

He also highlighted the importance of the participation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at all levels. The minister also said it will become clear later as to how many construction workers will be needed for the implementation of the project.

The destination shopping experience in the first zone will be Omani style arabesque, featuring natural stone corridors, high archways, subdued lighting and arabesque decors.

Alleyways will be lined with various retail outlets, an eclectic mix

Career development is of utmost importance to professionals in the

of authentic handicrafts, jewellery, fashion wear, perfumes, carpets, furnishings, sports items, books, dining, a department store, several internationally known flagship stores, as well as unique children’s edutainment and the convenience of modern times, from groceries to currency exchange.

MENA region, even

Other zones Zone 2, which is the resort zone, will be comprised of an upscale five-star resort hotel, a four-star resort hotel, conference and banquet facility, a world-class wellness spa and residences, cafes and shops, beach clubs and residences, sports, tennis and leisure clubs, children’s village, clusters of elegant hotel branded townhouses and apartments.

Zone 3, the cruise zone, will feature upmarket design focused on retail experience, an upscale boutique hotel and hotel-operated branded residential apartments.

The components of Zone 4 (Hay Al Mina) will include an economy/ budget hotel, a first time buyers’ starter homes, as well as public facilities, including local convenience shops, a football field and a clubhouse.

Expressions of interest have been received from the Mandarin Oriental, Hyatt, the Viceroy, the Hilton, the Taj, the Banyan Tree, Chedi and Four Seasons to manage the hotels on the waterfront.

different direction

CABLE

< FROM

A1 HM’s wise vision Your Majesty While Your Majesty’s police is continuing its development and modernisation at all its sectors and formations as per Your Majesty’s wise vision, we are proud of the level we have achieved and will dedicate all our potentials and resources to the service of Oman and your loyal people. Your Majesty the Sultan While the Royal Oman Police personnel celebrate their annual day, they realise the responsibility they have to safeguard the achievements made by Your Majesty.

May Allah protect and bestow on Your Majesty blessings of health and happiness.” -ONA

if it means rebooting their whole lives or taking their careers toward a totally

Times News Service MUSCAT: A staggering 82 per cent of Oman’s employees would leave their current company for better training opportunities, according to a recent “Career Development in the Middle East and North Africa” poll conducted by Bayt.com, the region’s job site.

Confirming the results, Mohammad Belushi, an Omani citizen, said everybody looks for a better opportunity where there is ample amount of training.

“I would leave my company if I get a better training opportunity,” he told the Times of Oman (TOO) on Monday.

According to Bayt.com, lack of career development prospects can radically make or break employee engagement.

On the one hand, career development is of utmost importance to professionals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region—even if it means rebooting their whole lives or taking their careers in a totally different direction.

In Oman, 85 per cent of the respondents said career development is “very important.” At the same time, 58 per cent were prepared to move to another country to develop their careers, while another 52 per cent were willing to change their sectors completely.

Career development On the other hand, the results also showed that in the eyes of MENA employees, companies’ human resource (HR) departments were not doing enough to provide them with the career development opportunities, including promotions, adequate appraisal performance systems, role enhancements, mentoring programs and advanced training seminars, which they need to ensure professional growth.

All in all, the analysis revealed that these gaps and inefficiencies were the reasons why certain employers struggle to retain top tal-

Development of career in Oman

100%

82% say they would leave their company for better training opportunities 58% are prepared to move to another country for career enhancement

Views of the respondents about career development in Oman:

52% are willing to change sectors completely 47% believe their organisation have the capabilities to cross-train their employees and teach them new skills 45% affirm their organisation’s training and development opportunities are explicitly linked to the company’s overall strategic direction 42% are satisfied with the mentoring they have received from senior peers

42% claim they are overqualified for their role 39% are ‘very dissatisfied’

37% of working professionals are satisfied with their supervisor’s efforts to identify their strengths and weaknesses 34% have never had a promotion in their current company

34% are satisfied with their professional learning and growth opportunities 20% claim that job promotions are awarded fairly and without bias 19% think there is an equal opportunity for advancement at their companies 15% find their companies more attractive than others in terms of career development 3% believe they are underqualified for their role

ent. The study found that while a total of 57 per cent of Oman’s job holders want to attain higherlevel positions, over a third (34 per cent) have never been awarded a promotion at their current company.

Scope for advancement However, an impressive 66 per cent, have. Another major take away from the survey is that 19 per cent strongly thought there was equal opportunity for advancement at their company; likewise, 20 per cent strongly claimed that job promotions are awarded fairly and without bias.

In addition, 28 per cent of working professionals in Oman are satisfied with their current career development; another 35 per cent admitted they are satisfied with the quality of orientation and training that they have received thus far.

Also, 47 per cent of those surveyed (in Oman) believed that their organisation boasts of capabilities to cross-train their employees and teach them new skills. Perhaps more noteworthy is that 45 per cent admitted that their organisation’s training and development opportunities were explicitly linked to the company’s overall strategic direction.

Interestingly, only 15 per cent of Omani respondents stated that their company was more attractive than other companies in terms of career development. An overwhelming percentage (82 per cent) also said that would

0%

Source: Career Development in the Middle East and North Africa, bayt.com

Graphics

leave their company for better training opportunities.

Based on the survey’s results, although over half (53 per cent) of Omani respondents have not formally set any development plans with their manager, the great majority (94 per cent) would like to have a formal career development plan in place.

On a related note, 37 per cent of Oman’s working professionals are satisfied with their supervisor’s efforts to identify their strengths and weaknesses; 39 per cent, however, are “very dissatisfied.”

Similarly, 42 per cent and 32 per cent of the employees in Oman are satisfied with the mentoring they received from senior peers and their current performance appraisal process, respectively.

Learning opportunities In Oman, 34 per cent of job holders were satisfied with their professional learning and growth opportunities. Furthermore, 85 per cent of respondents were always trying to identify learning opportunities inside and outside of their company, and half of those surveyed in Oman felt encouraged to take initiative in determining their own career development.

In the MENA region, 43 per cent of the current employees claimed to be overqualified for their role, while another 55 per cent stated that their role was a good match for their abilities.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

A7

REGION Saudi Arabia halts all flights to and from Iran UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon terms Riyadh’s decision to break off diplomatic ties with Iran as ‘extremely troubling’

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Civil Aviation on Monday halted all flights to and from Iran following Riyadh’s severing of diplomatic relations with Tehran, the authority said on its official Twitter account.

“Based on the kingdom’s announcement of the severing of diplomatic relations with Iran, the General Authority for Civil Aviation is halting all flights from and to Iran,” the authority tweeted.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Saudi foreign minister on Monday that Riyadh’s decision to break off diplomatic ties with Iran was extremely troubling, a spokesman for the United Nations said.

Deplorable “The Secretary-General reiterated that the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran was deplorable, but added that the announcement of a break in Saudi diplo-

STRICT VIGIL: Police stand behind a barrier during a demonstration in Baghdad on Monday. – Reuters

matic relations with Tehran was deeply worrying,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

Dujarric said Ban said this to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir in a telephone call. Ban also spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday, Dujarric said, adding that the UN chief urged both ministers to “avoid any actions that could further exacerbate the situation.”

Bahrain and Sudan cut all ties with Iran, following Riyadh’s example the previous day.

The United Arab Emirates

(UAE) partially downgraded its relations.

Iran accused Saudi Arabia of using the attack on the embassy as an “excuse” to sever ties and further increase sectarian tensions, as protesters in Iran and Iraq marched for a third day to denounce execution of cleric Nimr Al Nimr.

A man was shot dead in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province late on Sunday, and two mosques in Iraq’s Hilla province were bombed.

Oil prices spiked during European trading. But prices eased back on evidence of eco-

nomic weakness in Asia.

Stock markets across the Gulf dropped sharply, led by Qatar which fell more than 2.5 per cent, with geopolitical jitters outweighing any benefit from stronger oil.

Crude importer China declared itself “highly concerned” with the developments. The United States and Germany called for restraint, while Russia offered to mediate an end to the dispute.

Al Azhar, the Cairo-based seat of learning, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Saudi Arabia, condemned the attacks on Riyadh’s missions. — Reuters

Y E M E N C I V I L WA R

Curfew imposed in Aden after 12 killed

INSPECTION: Yemen’s President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi, centre, tours the cargo terminal of the Mualla port in Aden. – Reuters

ADEN: Yemeni authorities announced a dusk to dawn curfew in Aden starting on Monday following a night of gunbattles between armed men and government forces that killed at least 12 people from both sides, a local government spokesman said.

The government of President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi has been grappling with lawlessness in the southern port since militiamen, backed by a Saudi-led Arab alliance, drove the Houthis out in July.

Nizar Anwar, spokesman for the Aden local government, said the clashes were concentrated around the cargo and container terminals in Aden, which the gunmen had sought to seize from security forces. Eight members of

the security forces and four gunmen died in the clashes, Anwar told Reuters, adding that security forces managed to secure both terminals late at night on Sunday.

“The security committee has decided to impose a curfew on all parts of Aden from 8pm until 5am,” Anwar said, adding that the curfew would remain in place until further notice.

Precautionary measure “This is a precautionary measure to deny armed elements freedom of movement,” he added.

Hadi toured the cargo terminal in the city’s Mualla district on Monday, port sources said, indicating that the facility was under government control.

NAT I O N AT WA R

Syrian opposition supports confidence-building moves BEIRUT: Syria’s opposition wants to see confidence-building steps from Damascus including a prisoner release before negotiations due this month, officials said on Monday, a demand that could complicate efforts to start the talks.

Opposition leaders including rebels plan to deliver that message to the UN envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, when they meet him in Riyadh on Tuesday, three opposition officials familiar with preparations for the meeting told Reuters. The United Nations said last month it aimed to bring together the warring parties on January 25 in Geneva to begin talks aimed at ending nearly five years of conflict that has killed an estimated 250,000 people.

The effort aims to build on a UN Security Council unanimously approved on December 18 endorsing an international road map for a Syria peace process with peace talks due to start in early January.

The opposition body meeting in Riyadh groups political and armed opponents of President Bashar Al Assad. It was formed last month as part of a Saudibacked effort to get the opposition ready for talks. George Sabra, a member of the political opposition, said the talks must be preceded by “real steps on the ground that express not only good will but also confidence-building measures such as releasing political

FIERCE BATTLE: Free Syrian Army fighters launch a shell towards Syrian government forces, west of Sheikh Meskeen near Deraa, in Syria. – Reuters

detainees and stopping the bombardment of towns and cities by heavy artillery and jets”.

A second official said the opposition leaders would tell de Mistura “they can’t go to negotiations without Assad doing something serious such as a ceasefire or releasing detainees”.

The third said: “There will be no negotiations before the issuance of implementation of goodwill measures”.

He said they must include a halt to bombardments and lifting of blockades imposed by the government on rebel-held areas.

The officials said their demands were in line with the Security Council resolution, specifically articles calling for the release of arbitrarily detained people, an immediate halt to attacks on civilians and unhindered humanitarian

access. The UN Security Council resolution appeared to mark a rare show of international unity over a crisis that has divided major powers. The United States says Assad must leave power, while Russia has sent its air force to Syria to help shore up his government’s control over western Syria.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini warned that renewed tension in the region could wreck efforts to find a political solution for the crisis in Syria. Sabra, speaking to Reuters from Riyadh, added that the political process could not move ahead in isolation from the war still raging on the ground.

“We don’t want to get into negotiations for the sake of negotiations we want to get into negotiations to reach a real political solution,” he said. — Reuters

Yemen descended into a civil war in March when the Houthis forced Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia after they closed in on Aden, drawing in a Saudi-led coalition into the Yemen conflict.

Militants, local tribesmen and criminals have exploited the fighting to spread chaos in the areas vacated by the Houthis.

A series of attacks have rocked Aden since July, including a booby-trapped car attack that killed Aden’s governor General Jaafar Mohammed Saad and six members of his entourage last month.

In the latest attack on Monday, gunmen shot dead Sheikh Ali Othman Al Gailani after he left a mosque in the city’s Crater district, witnesses said. — Reuters

CLASHES

IS attacks oil export terminal in Libya BENGHAZI: IS militants clashed with security forces near Libya’s Es Sider oil export terminal on Monday killing two guards and setting an oil storage tank on fire, witnesses and a Petrol Facilities Guard source said.

The source told Reuters that the tank had been hit by a rocket during the fighting, causing a huge fire, and that two IS suicide car bombers had attacked the area around the port after which its fighters had retreated.

According to Mohamed Al Manfi, an oil official based in eastern Libya, the tank was holding 420,000 barrels of oil.

Libya descended into chaos after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and rival governments and the militias that support them are fighting for control of the North African state and its energy reserves.

Es Sider and nearby Ras Lanuf oil ports, between Sirte and Benghazi, have been shut for a year.

IS has taken advantage the secu-

rity vacuum to grab territory and are threatening to advance from Sirte, which it controls. So far the group has failed to take control of any Libyan oil installations but has done so in Syria.

The group said it had attacked Es Sider after taking the nearby town of Ben Jawad. However, there was no independent confirmation of its capture.

Es Sider is protected by Ibrahim Al Jathran’s Petrol Facilities Guard, which has backed the government based in the city of Bayda in the east, but is also fighting other forces supporting that government. The United Nations has been trying to win support for a deal brokered in Morocco last month to create a national unity government for Libya.

Separately on Monday, a plane targeting militant groups in the eastern city of Benghazi was shot down, though the pilot ejected, senior army commander Fadel Al Hassi told Reuters. — Reuters

A8

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

INDIA Odd-even vehicle scheme passes litmus test in Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai said it was a major challenge, but the scheme has passed the test because of the will of Delhiites, though some elements were trying to ‘misguide people’

NEW DELHI: The Odd-Even scheme has passed the “litmus test” because of the “will of Delhiites”, Transport Minister Gopal Rai claimed on Monday as odd numbered cars largely stayed off roads on a full-fledged working day, in accordance with the ambitious vehicle rationing scheme.

“Monday was the day being deemed as the litmus test for OddEven scheme. But I had faith in the people of Delhi and also we had put in adequate arrangements so that citizens do not face any inconvenience. It was a major challenge, but the scheme has passed the test because of the will of Delhiites. They have given us their whole-hearted support to make this a success,” Rai said.

Most of the violators were from outside Delhi, he said, noting that around 400 violators were challaned by traffic police and 109 violators by Enforcement Wing of the Transport Department and 68

BUMPER TO BUMPER: A view of heavy traffic jam at Gurgaon- Delhi border, due to the odd-even scheme in Gurgaon on Monday. - PTI

autorickshaw drivers were challaned following complaints.

He further said that 800 complaints were received by the helpline number launched by government and that around 2,500 people have downloaded the Poochho app till Monday.

Creating panic Rai stated that some elements were trying to “misguide people” and sabotage the scheme by circulating old and false pictures of an overcrowded Rajiv Chowk Metro station in social media and creating panic.

“There were attempts to spread misinformation and misguide people by circulating old and false pictures of overcrowded Rajiv Chowk Metro station in social media. I spoke to Metro officials and took a feedback of 50 stations, and

we were informed that the crowd today was less than the peak crowd recorded in December in the past and the picture which was posted was of October 22,” he said.

Rai, who took a bus ride on Monday to take stock of roads, credited five people — people of Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi police and Civil Defence volunteers, Metro, DTC and cluster buses and the media for making the drive “a grand success”. Rai said the Delhi Metro had made all requisite arrangements and capacity was increased to carry 3.2 million commuters.

Also, 25 Metro Monitoring Teams have been working since morning. Rai accused several schools of betraying the government despite making commitments and not joining the drive at the last moment.

“Several schools betrayed us.

Despite repeated requests, they did not provide us with buses.

A total of 1,799 buses from 408 schools had registered with us.

“But after all the meetings and despite making repeated requests, only 366 buses from 125 schools joined us while 283 schools betrayed the government even after giving their commitment.

“Some even went to court even after we agreed to their terms and conditions. We will publish their names. We will not take any action against them, but I want to ask them why they, who sculpt the future of children, went back on their words? They should have come forward for the sake of the campaign which we undertook to protect health of our children.

Owners of 1,433 buses from 283 schools let us down after making

commitment,” he said.

“In anticipation of large number of people availing public transport, DTC had made preparations for a carrying a capacity of 6.4 million people. But carpooling played a major role. People shared their vehicles because of which there was less crowd in public transport. All buses were plying below full capacity,” Rai said, adding that the department had kept 100 buses as standby in case of emergency.

Rai further said that pollution levels in the inner circles of city had come down since the scheme was implemented on January 1 even though the pollution levels are still high in border areas.

Greater impact would be seen if the scheme is implemented in states surrounding Delhi like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. - PTI

JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT

Demand The demand for reducing the age for trying juveniles for heinous crimes was made following the December, 2012, Delhi gang rape

All IRNSS satellites to be in orbit by March: ISRO MYSURU: All the seven satellites of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) are expected to be in the orbit by March 2016, a top Indian Space Research Organisation official said on Monday.

IRNSS-1E is slated for launch on January 20 from the space port of Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. “...from the regional navigation point of view, earlier we had launched four satellites. Another satellite IRNSS-1E is on the launch pad. It is slated for launch on January 20,” ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) Director M. Annadurai said.

He said (IRNSS) 1F and 1G satellites were also in the very advanced stages of integration at the Bangalore satellite centre. “...by March 31st we want to have all the seven satellites constellation in place,” he said.

The constellation of seven satellites was planned by ISRO to constitute IRNSS, which would be at par with US-based GPS once the full complement of spacecrafts are launched. While four satellites would be sufficient to start operations of the IRNSS system, the remaining three would make it more accurate and efficient. Annadurai was speaking at a session on ‘Space science technology and applications’ at the ongoing 103rd Indian Science Congress on the second day here.

Space park He also said ISRO was setting up a space park in 100 acres at Bengaluru to facilitate private players with the infrastructure to take part in space-related projects. The park is expected to be inaugurated “soon” near Whitefield in Bengaluru, he said, adding the infrastructure will be provided by ISRO itself in the land owned by it. - PTI

BRIEFS

President’s nod to trial of juveniles as adults if they commit serious crimes NEW DELHI: Juveniles of 16 years of age and above can now be tried as adults if they commit heinous offences like rape and murder as President Pranab Mukherjee has given assent to an Act in this regard. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, got Mukherjee’s nod recently, official sources said here on Monday.

The lowering of the age from the existing 18 years means that those aged 16 and above will no longer enjoy protection under the Juvenile Justice law, under which juveniles cannot be tried under the normal law of the land that provides punishment of up to death for rape and murder.

Under the juvenile law till now, even those accused of heinous offences like rape could be tried only by Juvenile Justice Boards and, if found guilty, could not be jailed for more than three years.

SCIENCE CONGRESS

MAKING HER POINT: Nirbhaya’s mother gestures as she talks with newsmen at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi. Nirbhaya’s parent were present in Parliament when the bill was passed. - PTI file photo

case, in which a paramedical student was brutally gangraped and mercilessly assaulted in a moving bus in the national capital.

A juvenile was involved in the tragic incident which had caused national outrage.

Incidentally, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015, was passed

on December 22 last year by Parliament days after the juvenile involved in the Nirbhaya gangrape case walked free in accordance with the earlier provision under the law.

Nirbhaya’s parents were also present in Parliament when the Bill was passed.

The Act also allows that any

16-18-year-old who commits a less serious offence may be tried as an adult only if he is apprehended after the age of 21 years.

As soon as a child alleged to be in conflict with the law is apprehended by police, such a child shall be placed under the charge of the special juvenile police unit or the designated child welfare police officer who shall produce the child before the Juvenile Justice Board without any loss of time but within a period of 24 hours of apprehending the child.

“Provided that in no case, a child alleged to be in conflict with law shall be placed in a police lock-up or lodged in a jail,” the Act says.

The Act replaces the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.

As per the law, Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees will be constituted in each district. The Board will conduct a preliminary inquiry to determine whether a juvenile offender is to be sent for rehabilitation or be tried as an adult. The Committee, on the other hand, will decide on institutional care for children. - PTI

Avalanche kills four soldiers in Ladakh region JAMMU: Four soldiers of 3 Ladakh Scouts died when their patrol party was hit by a massive avalanche in Ladkah region of Jammu and Kashmir, a Defence Spokesman said on Monday.

“Four jawans of 3 Ladakh Scouts were killed when their patrol party was hit by a snow avalanche at the Southern Glacier in Ladkah at 4.30pm yesterday”, Udhampur based Defence Spokesman Colonel S. D.Goswami said. Soon after the avalanche, a rescue operation was launched but the lives of four soldiers could not be saved.

Plane returns to bay after unclaimed mobile found MUMBAI: An Istanbul-bound flight of Turkish Airlines carrying 332 passengers on board was called back from the runway here this morning after an “unclaimed” mobile phone was found on a seat of the Boeing 777 plane, delaying the take off by over four hours. The Boeing 777-300ER plane, which was scheduled to take off for Istanbul at 0650 hours, left for its destination at around 1130 hours, sources said.

Sikh stabbed to death in US SAN FRANCISCO: A 68-year-old Sikh man has been stabbed to death in California’s Fresno city on January 1, prompting police to launch a hate crime probe into the city’s first homicide. Gurcharan Singh, an employee at local beverage store at Shields Express in West Shields Avenue was at work when he was stabbed to death in broad day light. Lieutenant Mindy Casto said. While investigations are still on, local community members feel Gill was attacked due to his identity and skin colour, Casto said. - PTI

U P P R AVA S I D I WA S

UP government rolls out red carpet for Indian Diaspora in the Taj city AGRA: The Uttar Pradesh government rolled out a red carpet welcome to some 250-odd members of the Indian diaspora on Monday in the Taj city as the maiden ‘UP Pravasi Diwas’ took off to an impressive start.

Addressing the NRIs and PIOs, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said the meet was a beginning of a never-ending dialogue between them and the state government and assured them of all help.

He said that the whole idea behind the UP Pravasi Diwas was to reconnect the diaspora with their roots in the state and work on a common and meaningful dialogue of development of the state.”I am overjoyed to see such large number of NRIs here and

ELATED: UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav light lamps at the inauguration of the firstever Uttar Pradesh Pravasi Diwas in Agra on Monday. - PTI

must admit that the gathering has exceeded my expectation,” he added. Announcing that the event would now on will be an annual affair, Akhilesh Yadav said that only the venues will change and

would rotate among the major cities of the state.

“We are here not only to welcome you in the Taj city but also to make you partners as the state endeavours to get its rightful place in the country,” he added to a round of applause.

Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan detailed on various infrastructure and development projects undertaken by the state government and said that the state was undergoing a never before turnaround.

Later 16 eminent people with roots in Uttar Pradesh and now living abroad were given the ‘UP Ratna’ awards by the chief minister and his wife, Kannauj MP Dimple Yadav, while 13 MoUs were also signed at the event. - IANS

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INDIA

HIGH PROBABILITY

Terrorists might have entered air base before alert sounded NEW DELHI: Two terrorists of the suspected group of six might have entered Pathankot air base before a Punjab Police SP was kidnapped by them and much before an alert was sounded about their presence in the area.

There is “high probability” that at least two terrorists have entered the Indian Air Force base before Punjab Police SP Salwinder Singh, his jeweller friend Rajesh Verma and Singh’s cook was kidnapped along with an SUV on December 31, official sources said.

Verma, whose throat was slit but survived, told his interrogators that he had heard the four terrorists, who boarded the vehicle after hijacking it, talking to their handlers. The handler apparently ticked off the four terrorists saying why they could not enter the air base as two other terrorists have already reached the target.

The four terrorists told their handlers that they were on their way but could not reach the base as there were several police pick-

ets on the way. There is also possibility of these four terrorists entered the Pathankot air base in the morning of January 1, much before an alarm was sounded in the area to secure all vital installations later in the evening of that day, sources said.

The hijacked vehicle was also found near the air base.

Crucial hours were lost in verifying the Punjab Police SP’s claims that he was kidnapped along with two others by the terrorists.

‘Dubious past’ Sources said that police officers whom the SP had informed about the terrorists initially did not take him seriously due to his “dubious past”, thus leading to some crucial hours being lost.

Sources said that immediately after the alarm was sounded, security at all vital installations, including the Pathankot air base in Punjab, was enhanced to the highest level to make it difficult for the terrorists to mount an attack.

TIGHT VIGIL: Security personnel during their operation against the militants at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot on Monday. - PTI

Security agencies believe there were six terrorists and they were divided into two groups — one of 4 and the other with 2 members.

The top security brass of the government knew by January one that Pathankot air base would be the target of the terrorists, who

were still at large and steps were taken immediately. First priority for the government was to secure the assets parked in the technical area and National Security Guard (NSG) team, about 160 commandos, was dispatched and they were deployed along with other special

forces to guard the assets in the inner periphery.

NSG, which took command of the operation being the anti-terror force, also ensured the security of outer periphery.

The four in the first group were killed on Saturday while the two

members of the second group were fighting till Monday.

The sources said that the final count of terrorists involved in the attack would be clear following the completion of the operation, the final stages of which saw the building from which fire was being directed being blown up.

There is possibility of one the two last terrorists blown into pieces due to explosion carried out by the forces. Sources, meanwhile, added that the level of training of the Pathankot terrorists seems even better than that of the Mumbai 26/11 attackers. It is clear from the tactics that these terrorists have employed that a professional army had trained them, they said.

The terrorists used all the tactics of professional fighters like conserving firepower, attacking at 3am when the level of alertness is at its lowest and going quiet to give the impression that all the attackers had died.

All these tactics are of military precision, the sources said. - PTI

Pathankot terror attack puts talks in jeopardy; fifth gunman killed NIA registers case to probe conspiracy in terror strike

A government official said that India was now considering whether to go ahead with the talks or not, and that a final decision would be taken once the operations to secure the Pathankot Air Force base are over

PATHANKOT/NEW DELHI: A rapprochement effort between India and Pakistan appeared to be in jeopardy on Monday, as Indian security forces battled for the third day to clear out militants who attacked one of its air bases and killed seven soldiers.

The foreign secretaries of the nuclear-armed neighbours are due to meet for talks on January 15, building on a thaw in relations after a surprise visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif last month.

But an Indian government official said India was now considering whether to go ahead with the talks or not, and that a final decision will be taken once the operations to secure the Pathankot Air Force base in Punjab state are over.

The government official, who requested anonymity, said it could

SECURING THE AIR BASE: Indian security personnel stand guard inside the Indian Air Force (IAF) base at Pathankot in Punjab, on Monday. Security forces were working on Monday to carefully defuse grenades in the final stages of an operation to secure a vast air base near the border with Pakistan, two days after a militant attack killed seven military personnel and wounded 22. - Reuters

take another 48 hours for the base to be secured, and by then the government hoped to have more information about the attackers and what links they may have to Pakistan, if any.

Claimed responsibility On Monday, the United Jihad Council, an alliance of more than a dozen militant groups based in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, claimed responsibility for the air base attack, according to a statement from the group’s spokesman.

“The attack is a message by Mujahideen (militants) that no sensitive installation of India is out of our reach,” said UJC spokesman Syed Sadaqat Hussain in a statement, a copy of which was seen by Reuters. The attack on the base, which started before dawn on Saturday, is a rare targeting of an Indian military installation outside of

the Indian-administered-Kashmir region. Indian security forces have killed five militants involved in the attack, said Major General Dushyant Singh, of India’s counter-terrorism force, the National Security Guard, at a briefing on Monday.

But gunfire could still be heard at the base on the third day of operations. It was unclear how many militants remained at large, if any.

As well as the seven Indian security personnel killed, 22 had been wounded.

“Operations will continue to be conducted until we can render the base fully safe,” said Singh.

Pakistan has condemned the attack and said it wanted to build on the goodwill created by the impromptu meeting between Modi and Sharif last month.

Indian security officials have given conflicting accounts on whether the attackers at the

Pathankot air base were still active after Home Minister Rajnath Singh declared on Saturday evening that they had been “neutralised”.

The reluctance of officials to declare the mission complete appeared to reflect an abundance of caution until all the attackers’ bodies had been accounted for.

The sound of continuing gunfire from the base added confusion to the picture.

A senior federal government official said earlier on Monday that two militants hiding in the administrative block of the base had been killed on Sunday, but authorities had yet to recover the bodies.

The official said six militants had been killed.

“But every inch of the air base has to be secured before we call off the operation,” said the official in New Delhi, who requested anonymity. - Reuters

NEW DELHI: NIA on Monday registered a case to probe the conspiracy of terrorist group, believed to be Jaish-e-Mohammed, behind the strike at the IAF base in Pathankot in Punjab.

The case was initially registered by local police station in Pathankot that was transferred and handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), a central probe agency that was set up after the audacious 26/11 Mumbai terror strike to probe all terror cases in the country.

The NIA registered the case under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Arms Act against unknown persons, official sources said.

A team of NIA was at the spot since Saturday as per the standard operating procedure under which the agency rushes its team to the terror attack site so that they can share their expertise as well as have first-hand information about the case.

Evidence The NIA will take over the evidence and custody of the bodies of terrorists once the Army and NSG give clearance that the Pathankot operation is over, the sources said.

The mandate of the NIA probe will include entry of the

militants into India, killing of taxi driver Ikagar Singh, kidnapping of Superintendent of Police-rank officer of Punjab Police, who was later released and entry into the IAF campus, the sources said.

Breach of discipline SP Salwinder Singh, who was shunted out from Gurdaspur to take charge as Assistant Commandant of 75th battalion of Punjab Armed Police, is likely to be questioned about the terrorists who had hijacked his vehicle.

He is already facing charges of alleged breach of discipline.

The sources said the investigators will also try and ascertain the conspiracy that was hatched on Pakistani soil by the terrorists and if possible find out the state and nonstate actors in that country.

The NIA may also question or seek custodial interrogation of sacked IAF personnel Ranjith KK, a Leading Air Craftman (LAC) with IAF posted at Bhatinda, who was arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly supplying information to ISI, the sources said.

The Pathankot IAF facility, located near the border with Pakistan, is the base of MiG-21 fighter planes and MI-25 attack helicopters of Air Force. - PTI

H A N D L I N G O F PAT H A N K O T T E R R O R AT TA C K

Terror and talks cannot go side by side, says Congress NEW DELHI: Assailing the Centre over handling of Pathankot terror attack, Congress on Monday said terror and talks cannot go side by side and took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over “conflicting” statements on the incident, alleging it showed the “breakdown of institutional mechanism”.

Leading the party’s charge, Congress President Sonia Gandhi termed the internal security situation as “serious” and hoped that Centre was taking all necessary steps to neutralize terror threats.

‘Completely in dark’ Latching on to Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks on the incident, Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken went hammer and tongs against the government alleging that institutional mechanism stands “demolished” and sections in government are “completely in dark” as Modi has “concentrated” all powers in his hands.

“Institutions are functioning in isolation and not in tandem, which

is scary. Even the Home Minister is not aware how many terrorists were neutralised.

The home minister does not even know that whether the operation is yet over or not. After home minister says that the operation is over, the home secretary says it is continuing.

“If even the home minister does know what has happened, it only points to the extent of the breakdown of institutional mechanism in this government,” he said.

Insisting that Pakistan’s hand was evident in the Pathankot incident, Maken said, “Talks and terror cannot go side by side. Government has to come out openly to tell the very facts. We have always been of the view that terror and talks cannot go hand in hand.”

He, however, evaded a direct reply on whether the proposed foreign secretary level talks between the two countries should continue or not. Alleging that there is a lack of command and control structure within the government to deal with, take control of and direct

providing leadership in this time of a serious terror attack speaks volumes about the political leadership as also command and control structures within the government,” he said.

Maken told reporters that this was happening because the prime minister is trying to do everything from PMO and even concerned ministers “are not being kept in the loop”.

CONCERNED: Congress President Sonia Gandhi termed the internal security situation as ‘serious’ and hoped that the Centre was taking all necessary steps to neutralise the terror threats. - AFP file photo

elimination of the terror attack like the one at Pathankot Air Force base, Maken said even as the process of neutralization continued with security forces fighting valiantly, Prime Minister Modi, was propagating yoga at a gathering in Karnataka.

“Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar was preoccupied in his home state of Goa, as always.

“A usually out of loop Home Min-

ister Rajnath Singh first declared the operation to flush out terrorist successful through a tweet and said that 5 terrorists have been killed. After being contradicted by his home secretary, he shockingly deleted his own tweet.

“External Affairs Ministers, Sushma Swaraj, in the meanwhile, calls a meeting of ex-envoys. Complete disharmony and disjointed responses by those responsible for

‘Flip-flops’ Senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked the NDA government over what he called “flipflops” and “weak-kneed Pakistan policy” in the wake of Pathankot terror strike and suggested that the Centre should revisit its policy towards Islamabad.

“Though the time is not opportune to comment on the flip-flops and weak-kneed Pakistan policy of the NDA government, as our security forces are battling the terrorist assault at Pathankot airbase launched by anti-India forces from across the border, there remains

a dire need to revisit the ‘wishy washy’ and ‘consistently inconsistent’ Pakistan policy being pursued by the NDA government,” Azad said in a press statement.

Maken reminded the prime minister that in the midst of 26/11 terror attack he had visited Mumbai when he was chief minister of Gujarat and even held a press conference criticising the Congress government.

Asking why cannot the same Prime Minister now take control of the situation in Pathankot instead of “shying away” from defining terrorists, the Congress spokesperson also wondered “why is the Prime Minister giving a new description of terrorists as ‘enemies of humanity’.

Maken also raised questions over the “silence” of the government on Pakistan’s role in the attack. The Congress spokesperson said it was unfortunate a number of ministers of the central government claimed that the operation was over even though it was continuing. - PTI

A 10

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

PAKISTAN INTERVIEW WITH BBC URDU

PRIME MINISTER VISITS SRI LANKA Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, second left, walks next to Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, left, during a welcoming ceremony at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, Sri Lanka on Monday. — Reuters

Mahira questions nation’s ‘fixation’ on fair complexion ISLAMABAD: Mahira Khan is one of the few actresses in the industry who has spoken against Pakistan’s fixation with fair complexion. In an interview with BBC Urdu, the actress reveals that she will never endorse beauty creams because we need to break free from this ‘complex’.

She believes that the concept of beauty in Pakistan is restricted to complexion only. “I don’t know if we have a complex of being fair or whether we are just fond of fair complexion,” she said.

“We have a very powerful entertainment industry, we are the media. We are watched everyday in every household. If we don’t break this concept, we will drive it in more. I have strictly decided not to do a commercial that has anything to do with fairness creams,” the actress shared.

Campaign focuses on common man’s woes

Shah Rukh Khan The actress confessed that although she was thrilled to be working with Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan in Raees, it was also a difficult time for her because her son was not able to accompany her to the shoot.

Mahira has shared screen space with some of the country’s most good looking actors, including Fawad Khan, Sheheryar Munawar and Adeel Hussain.

When asked how it felt to work alongside two of them in HMJ the actress disclosed that that fact never fascinated her.

“When you work with someone day and night, it doesn’t matter how good looking they are.

You have seen them in their mood swings, you have seen them eat and sleep — they become ghar ke murghay,” she added.

Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf Central Joint Secretary Alamgir Khan took to the streets in Karachi with supporters to launch the ‘Sleeping Beauty — Please Wake Up’ campaign

KARACHI: In a bid to highlight the plight of ordinary citizens in Karachi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Joint Secretary Alamgir Khan has quite literally taken to the streets of the metropolis.

The campaign aims to highlight the day-to-day problems faced by the ‘ordinary man’ in the city.

Everything from potholes to improper garbage disposal, Khan wants to start a movement that will shame the Sindh government into doing its job.

Khan took to the streets with a

Bad girl, good girl “Forget fairness, unfortunately our dramas constantly glorify every kind of stereotype,” she added.

“She is a bad girl if she is wearing jeans and a good girl if her head is covered.”

The Humsafar actress said that she managed to spend quality time with her son Azlaan while working on three back-to-back projects.

“The year 2014 was the hardest for me [in terms of work], but HMJ was a home project so Azlaan used to accompany me to the sets. Bin Roye took two years in the making.

It should have wrapped up a bit earlier but it continued, and then Ho Mann Jahaan came and within these two came Raees. I have never overlapped two acting projects because of time,” she said.

LACK OF FACILITIES: There are no facilities in the city and we face issues in every aspect of our daily lives. I am like any other Karachi resident, but I will not sit quietly like the others, said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central Joint Secretary Alamgir Khan. — Express Tribune

team of supporters to launch the “Sleeping Beauty – Please Wake Up” campaign. “I am an ordinary citizen of Karachi, and my only identity is that I am a Pakistani,” Alamgir says in the video.

“There are no facilities in the city and we face issues in every aspect of our daily lives. I am like any other Karachi resident, but I

will not sit quietly like the others,” he adds. “I am launching a campaign against the system,” he says, while asserting that this was just the beginning of the campaign. “I will put these pictures on every corner of Karachi.”

“Eat it! As poor children do,” said one of the signs, pointing to a pile of garbage on a street corner.

In his Facebook post, he urged all young Karachiites to join him in his cause, adding that he alone could not make a difference or attract attention to the campaign.

“Ideas are bullet-broof, hence I have no fear,” the PTI member concluded. The Sindh government has made no comment on the campaign as of yet. — Express Tribune

Treated differently Gender pay-gap has sparked an ongoing debate among celebs worldwide, however, when it comes to our local entertainment industry Mahira shares that she’d be surprised if women are paid more than men.

“I don’t think it’s about gender disparity or equality. It is about who can make more money at the box office. We shouldn’t make it about men and women but if you think you are being treated dif-

We have a very powerful entertainment industry, we are the media. We are watched everyday in every household. If we don’t break this concept, we will drive it in more. I have strictly decided not to do a commercial that has anything to do with fairness creams Mahira Khan Pakistani actress

ferently for being a woman then it’s wrong and you should fight for your right,” she explained.

Urdu poetry Mahira reveals that she is extremely fond of reading poems even though she is not well-versed with the native language.

“I wish my Urdu was better, but I try to read as much as possible,” she said. Whenever she gets stuck, she calls her friends who have a better command over the language to help her through.

“No one in my family is as fond of reading poetry. My mother used to quote Iqbal and Faiz at times, but I really don’t know where my passion came from,” she revealed.

Heart, mind Talking about the Nayyirah Waheed quote My heart is in my mind.

I think this is why I am an artist that touched her heart, Mahira shared, “I wish my heart and mind were connected, that they were in sync. I can’t think with my mind, I think with my heart. — Express Tribune

MAJOR HAUL

Smuggled vehicles worth Rs9 billion seized in Quetta QUETTA: Quetta traffic police impounded 9,500 unregistered vehicles and 58 non-custom paid vehicles worth Rs9 billion last year while recovering about Rs33 million in penalties from the violators.

The sparsely populated province of Balochistan is known for the use of smuggled cars and auto parts. Most of the non-customs paid vehicles are brought to Pakistan allegedly through the Chaman border near Quetta, from where they are driven to different areas.

On Sunday, Quetta Traffic Superintendent of Police Hamid Shakil Sabir held a year-ender news conference at his office.

Sabir said the traffic police were working round the clock to curb violations despite the serious lack of human resources and facilities.

Between January 1 and December 31 last year, 140,538 vehicles were fined for violating different

Between January 1 and December 31 last year, 140,538 vehicles were fined for violating different rules while tinted windshields and windows of 1,121 vehicles were also removed rules while tinted windshields and windows of 1,121 vehicles were also removed.

The penalties amounted to over Rs33 million. The 58 non-customs paid vehicles seized were handed them over to the Customs Department.

Traffic police also held lectures

at different educational institutions to sensitise citizens and students about traffic laws. Sabir said the traffic police force, comprising 389 officials and personnel, were doing their utmost to maintain the flow of traffic in the city.

He pointed out the absence of a traffic engineering bureau, lack of human resource in traffic policing department and the unavailability of modern traffic controlling apparatus were troubling the traffic police. Quetta city’s narrow roads and absence of parking lots were also mentioned as problems.

“If the citizens develop some sense of traffic laws, there will be no need of employing further resources on maintaining the traffic flow,” he complained.

“Traffic will not be blocked if the citizens respect and care about others during rush hours,” he said. “Rash driving and wrong parking disturb the flow of traffic.” — Express Tribune

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ASIA M YA N M A R

ANCIENT BALL GAME TO MARK NEW YEAR Players wearing ancient noble costumes kick the ball to keep it in the air during an ancient ball game called ‘Kemari’, as part of new year’s celebrations, at Shimogamo shrine in Kyoto, western Japan, on Monday. - Reuters

Peace process will be government’s priority: Suu Kyi YANGON: Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi said on Monday the country’s peace process will be the first priority of her new government that will take power later this year, following a landslide victory in a November election.

The country has struggled for decades to reach lasting peace agreements with a multitude of ethnic minority guerrilla groups that have fought against the government for greater autonomy and recognition.

The government signed a ceasefire in October, but the deal fell short of its nationwide billing, with seven of 15 groups invited declining to sign, including some of the most powerful.

Fighting has since flared in eastern parts of the country between the military, non-signatories and groups that did not take part in the negotiations.

“The peace process is the first thing the new government will work on.We will try for the all inclusive ceasefire agreement,” Suu Kyi said in a speech to mark Independence Day at the headquarters of her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Yangon.

Afghan forces battle militants near Indian mission in Mazar crete indication of who may have been responsible.

Last month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kabul and Islamabad on the same day, underlining the drive to improve stability and overcome the longstanding hostility in the region.

In 2014, India’s consulate in the western Afghan city of Herat was hit by heavily armed insurgents including suicide bombers, one of a series of attacks on Indian diplomatic stations in Afghanistan over previous years.

At least four civilians and six security force personnel were wounded but the Indian ambassador said all the consulate staff were safe TAKING POSITION: Afghan National Army personnel keep watch during an operation near the Indian

MAZAR-I-SHARIF: Afghan special forces fought with insurgents barricaded in a house near the Indian consulate in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Monday after an overnight attack that coincided with an assault on an Indian air base near the border with Pakistan.

As the battle stretched into the afternoon, soldiers entered the building, a large structure formerly used as an office by US development agency USAID, where between four and six attackers had locked themselves inside a safe room.

consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, on Monday. Afghan special forces prepared to clear insurgents barricaded in a house near the consulate in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Monday. - Reuters

The attack began late on Sunday after gunmen tried unsuccessfully to break into the consulate, taking advantage of the fact that many people were watching the final of a football championship between Afghanistan and India.

After a heavy exchange of fire that went on until well into the night, security forces suspended operations before resuming in the morning, firing rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine

guns at the building.

“The area is sealed off and we are proceeding cautiously and making all possible efforts to protect the lives of those in the area.The attackers will be killed,” the provincial governor, Atta Mohammad Noor, said on his Facebook page.

Gunfire rang out as a helicopters circled overhead in a residential area of the city, in Balkh province, bordering Uzbekistan.

At least four civilians and six

security force personnel were wounded but the Indian ambassador said all the consulate staff were safe. There was no confirmation of any killed or wounded among the attackers.

Noor blamed “enemies of peace and stability” for the attack, which came amid renewed efforts to lower tension between India and Pakistan and restart peace talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

But there was no more con-

Suicide bomber Meanwhile, in Kabul, a suicide bomber in a car blew himself up close to a police checkpoint near the airport on Monday but caused no other casualties, police said.

The bomber was spotted by police as his car approached the checkpoint, prompting him to detonate his explosives, the spokesman said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The blast follows a series of attacks in the Afghan capital over recent days, including a suicide attack on a restaurant popular with foreigners and wealthy Afghans which killed a 12 year-old boy and a security guard. - Reuters

SPELLING OUT: Aung San Suu Kyi delivers a speech during a ceremony to mark Myanmar’s 68th Independence Day at the People’s Square near Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon on Monday. - AFP

“We can do nothing without peace in our country.”

Suu Kyi spurned the government-lead peace talks that President Thein Sein touted as a major achievement of his semi-civilian administration, which took power in 2011, ending 49 years of direct military rule. She did not attend a signing ceremony in October.

The next step in the peace process, a political dialogue with the eight groups that signed, is set to begin on January 12. - Reuters AG E I N G P O P U L AT I O N

Japan’s road accident toll rises for first time in 15 years TOKYO: The number of people killed in traffic accidents rose for the first time in 15 years in 2015, with seniors comprising the largest age bracket for fatalities, the Japanese National Police Agency said on Monday.

The agency said the death toll from last year totalled 4,117 people, rising 0.1 percent from a year earlier, with the police saying that Japan’s rapidly ageing population is to blame for the rising death toll, Xinhua reported.

Those aged 65 or above comprised 54.6 per cent of the total deaths in the recording year, which marks the highest percentage since comparable data became available in 1967, the agency said, with the number rising by 54 deaths to 2,247 traffic-related fatalities.

“We take the situation seriously and review the measures drastically,” Taro Kono, chairman of the National Public Safety Commission supervising police forces, said.

The death toll from traffic accidents had been on a downward trajectory for 14 straight years till 2014. The police agency said it now plans to introduce new measures to reduce the number of deaths in the senior age bracket by implementing more traffic education. - IANS

M Y S T E R I O U S C I R C U M S TA N C E S

‘No indication’ of outside involvement in missing booksellers: Hong Kong HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying said on Monday there was no indication so far outside agents were involved in the disappearance of five booksellers specializing in publications critical of China, but that it would be “unacceptable” if any were.

The disappearances have stoked fears of mainland Chinese authorities using shadowy tactics that erode the “one country, two systems” formula under which the former British colony has been

governed since its return to Chinese rule in 1997.

Lee Bo, 65, a shareholder of Causeway Bay Books, “vanished” last week, according to a missing person report filed by Lee’s wife on Thursday.

Four associates involved in publishing or selling literature critical of Beijing have also gone missing in mysterious circumstances over the past few months.

Hong Kong opposition lawmakers protested on Sunday outside

Beijing’s representative office over Lee’s disappearance.

Concerned “We are highly concerned with this case,” said Beijing-backed Hong Kong leader Leung. He added there was “no indication” so far that Lee may have been kidnapped

by Chinese State Security agents in the financial hub and whisked across the border to China, though investigations were ongoing.

“If mainland (Chinese) law en-

forcement personnel enforce the law in Hong Kong, this is unacceptable because it breaches the Basic Law,” Leung said, referring to the city’s mini-constitution, in rare comments defending Hong Kong’s autonomy. The Basic Law guarantees wide-ranging personal freedoms, including freedom of speech, and independent law enforcement overseen by an independent judiciary.

When asked about the disappearance of Lee, Chinese Foreign

Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily news briefing that she had no information to offer.

Lee’s wife told media that her husband had phoned her on what appeared to be a Chinese phone number to say he was “assisting” in an investigation, despite having left his travel document at home.

Three of the missing men were last seen late last year in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Another man, Gui Minhai, the author of tabloid-style exposes on

Chinese leaders and the owner of Mighty Current, the publishing house that owns the Causeway Bay bookstore, was last seen publicly in the Thailand town of Pattaya.

Lee Cheuk-yan, a pro-democracy lawmaker, said that while Hong Kong officials had sought information from Chinese law enforcement agencies over the case, they had yet to respond, showing a clear “failing” in the reporting and communication mechanism between both sides. - Reuters

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READERS’ FORUM Pathankot attack should not derail peace process I refer to the story, Pathankot attack should not derail peace talks, say experts (January 4), and fully support this view. The best response to such dirty tricks of the enemies of the peace process — which has just begun — is to continue with the scheduled dialogue process. This is the usual method adopted by those who do not want peace in the region and they’ve done the same on all the past occasions whenever dialogue started. I condemn this attack and salute the brave heroes who have lost their lives during the terror attack. Fortunately, the plans of major Scan this QR code damage like blowing up fighter planes was to send letters to the averted. However, people will question the Readers’ Forum, efficiency of the Indian security establishcontaining not more than 200 words with ment. It’s time that the country’s security full name, address planners adopt a foolproof intelligence and telephone system to avoid any such incident. number, may be sent — Mohammad Osama Rawat, Ruwi by mail (Times of

MUHAMMAD ALI EHSAN

The operation in Pakistan commercial capital Karachi must continue to be led by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah. What it does not need is the substitution of the operation’s leadership with the governor and his rule. Let Karachi — slowly and steadily — win the race bit.ly/karachicrisis

Oman, P.O. Box 770, P.C. 112, Ruwi).

Suu Kyi cannot be trusted to solve Myanmar’s problems I refer to the story, Myanmar’s Suu Kyi says peace process will be government’s priority (January 4). I am not sure if he Myanmar Nobel laureate will be able to keep her promise. This is because she has been doing flip flop on the Rohingya issue and thus cannot trusted in settling the differences between the ethnic groups. — Ehsanul Haq, Ruwi

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE

“Insure with New India and be secure”

Tel: 24838800 | Fax: 24838899 | Email: niamct@omantel.net.om | Website: www.newindiaoman.com Every improvement in communication makes the bore more terrible.

FRANK MOORE COLBY

Role of ‘dark money’ in the US elections he 2016 presidential campaign not only will feature more money than any since Watergate, but also more secret money than the days when black satchels of illicit cash were passed around.

The so-called dark money, or contributions that don’t have to be disclosed, topped more than $300 million in the 2012 presidential race, and some experts believe that the levels may be far higher this time. There also is a risk that foreign money could be surreptitiously funneled into the presidential campaign because it wouldn’t have to be publicly disclosed.

This flood of cash is occurring thanks to a ruse that permits political advocacy groups to claim that they are principally social welfare agencies and thus tax exempt and not subject to disclosure. These organisations court interest groups and rich donors, some of whom want the influence that political money brings but not the public association. It’s a win for the interest groups and the candidates; the public is kept in the dark.

This time, presidential candidates, especially Senator Marco Rubio, are getting into the act. Almost one in five television ads has been financed by dark money, according to the Center for Responsive Politics -- most of that from the Conservative Solutions Project, a nonprofit that backs Rubio.

“Rubio is breaking new ground,” says Viveca Novak, communications director for the center. “Most of the others really aren’t following at this point.” It’s not hard to see that changing.

Potential efforts by regulatory agencies to rein in these secretive activities were thwarted by Congress in the year-end government funding bill. The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, and a number of party colleagues in the House and Senate, yielded to the Democrats and President Barack Obama on a number of big-ticket spending, tax and regulatory measures. But they were adamant about keeping provisions that protect the status of dark money.

This means that the Internal Revenue Service, which is reviewing and soliciting comments on these tax-exempt political organisa-

tions, is barred from drafting and issuing any new rules. And the Securities and Exchange Commission would be barred from requiring public companies to disclose their political campaign activities.

McConnell, once a champion of disclosure to head off campaign-finance restrictions, has pressured fellow Republicans for years to resist any disclosure requirements, arguing that secret money works to the party’s advantage.

About the only one who that has stood up to his demands is Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Even the champion of campaign finance reform, Senator John McCain, has been rather quiet lately.

There are also a number of pro-Democratic nonprofits associated with party leaders and leadership-directed committees that make extensive use of dark money. David Brock, a one-time prominent critic of Hillary Clinton who now is a prominent supporter, is involved with several political organisations including nonprofits that don’t have to disclose donors, and political action committees that do. They all seem to comingle legally.

The biggest dark money practitioners, however, have been the Chamber of Commerce and one of Republican strategist Karl Rove’s political arms.

The Federal Election Commission could force these organisations, with their heavy campaign involvement, to register as political committees, requiring them to name their donors. But the FEC, almost from its inception 40 years ago, has been toothless.

And with congressionally enacted prohibitions, there is almost no way to bring these activities into the sunlight, Novak says, “unless the Justice Department gets into the act.”

Fred Wertheimer, the president of Democracy 21 and a veteran leader on campaign finance reform has asked Justice to do just that, with an emphasis on Rubio’s practices.

“Secret money is the formula for corruption,” he says.

“It’s the influence buyer’s dream.”

The catchphrase of the Watergate scandal was “follow the money.” Bob Woodward actually put it more directly: “The key,” he said a half-century ago, “was the secret campaign cash.” - Bloomberg View

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES DECEMBER 2000 Conference on communication, computer, power MUSCAT: The International Conference on Communication, Computer and Power (ICCCP 01) will be held in Muscat from February 12 to 14. The conference, hosted by Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), is organised by the Department of Electrical Engineering, jointly with IEEE and IEE. Besides the conference there will also be an exhibition at the Exhibition Hall of SQU. The main features of the conference are: Three key note speakers from the US, Canada and Germany, 15 invited speakers, 95 technical presentations, scientists and engineers from 19 countries, trade exhibition and many social events.

TODAY IN HISTORY

PICTOGRAPH

MINISTRY OF HEALTH EXPENDITURES

Investment (Million Omani Rials)

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

63.6

56.9 47.3 40.5

38.6

INVITATION TO WRITERS We invite our readers to write articles on topics related to Oman. The articles should not exceed 800 words.

Send us your article along with your picture to akhtar@timesofoman.com

1904: American Marines arrive in Seoul, Korea, to guard the U.S. legation there.

1920: GOP women demand equal representation at the Republican National Convention in June.

1991: The South Ossetia War (1991-92) begins as Georgian forces enter Tskhinvali, capital of South Ossetia, Georgia.

0 Source National Centre for Statistics and Information

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

A13

WORLD Denmark, Sweden impose new ID checks on border Denmark’s PM said Sweden’s move gave his country no option but to impose its own border controls and he appealed to EU to take ‘collective decisions’ to better protect its external borders against the tide of migrants

C O P E N H AG E N/ S T O C KHOLM: Denmark imposed temporary identity checks on its border with Germany on Monday following a similar move by Sweden, dealing a double blow to Europe’s fraying passport-free Schengen area amid a record influx of migrants.

Sweden began checking documents of travellers from Denmark on Monday for the first time in half a century, causing delays of up to 50 minutes for trains and buses crossing the 4.9 mile (7.9 km) Oresund Bridge, Europe’s longest combined road and rail bridge.

However private vehicles were exempt from the checks.

Denmark’s prime minister said Sweden’s move gave his country no option but to impose its own border controls and he appealed to the European Union to take “collective decisions” to better protect its external borders against the tide of migrants.

“The Swedish ID checks can increase the risk of a large number

NO FREE PASS: Security men check travellers’ IDs on Monday at the train station in Kastrup (Denmark), the last stop before Sweden. — AFP/Scanpix Denmark/Scanpix/Nils Meilvang

Sweden began checking documents of travellers from Denmark on Monday for the first time in half a century, causing delays of up to 50 minutes for trains and buses crossing the 7.9 km Oresund Bridge, Europe’s longest combined road and rail bridge

of illegal immigrants to accumulate in and around Copenhagen,” Lars Lokke Rasmussen told a news conference in Copenhagen, justifying the new controls on the German border.

Last year some 163,000 refugees sought asylum in Sweden, the largest number for any EU country relative to its population.

But with arrivals running at around 10,000 a week in November, mostly travelling through Denmark, the Swedish government has said it is time to tighten border controls and asylum rules.

“A dark day for our Nordic region,” former centre-right Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt said on his Twitter feed on Mon-

C R O S S - PA R T Y C O M M I S S I O N

Turkey opposition ready to discuss new constitution ANKARA: Turkey’s opposition nationalists agreed on Monday to take part in a cross-party commission to forge a new constitution but said they remained opposed to a full-blown presidential system favoured by President Tayyip Erdogan.

The ruling AK Party has put a new constitution at the heart of its agenda after winning back its parliamentary majority in a November election.

Erdogan wants the change to consolidate power in the hands of the president, previously a largely ceremonial figure in a system where the government has decided on policy.

Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), agreed at a ninety hour meeting with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to take part in a revived parliamentary commission to work on a new text.

“We agreed to form a commission with equal representation from all parties in parliament,” MHP Vice President Oktay Ozturk told a news conference, though he also made clear his party would not accept a presidential system for Turkey.

Opposition parties agree on the need to replace the current constitution, born of a 1980 coup and still bearing the stamp of its

military authors, but do not want the presidential system envisaged

by Erdogan for Turkey, a candidate country for European Union membership.

The AKP holds 317 of the 550 seats in parliament, but would need 330 votes to take a new constitution to a referendum, meaning it is dependent on winning at least some opposition support.

The MHP, with 40 seats, is the fourth largest party in the Turkish parliament after the AKP, the left-leaning, secularist CHP and the pro-Kurdish HDP. The CHP also agreed last week to take part in the commission. — Reuters

day to describe the imposition of border checks.

Thousands of commuters daily use the Oresund Bridge - familiar to fans of the ‘Nordic noir’ crime drama series “The Bridge” - to shuttle by car, train and bus between the Danish capital Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmo. Travellers expressed dismay at the new checks.

“I paid 230 euros for these tickets. This is Europe, not Africa.

Why these checks?” said Gezahegn Abebe, an Ethiopian migrant living in Norway as he stood in the train station by Copenhagen airport before trying to head to Sweden.

Returning home from a visit to Germany, Abebe said he had not been allowed through by security guards when he showed his Norwegian residence permit.

Unlike Sweden and Denmark,

Norway is not in the EU but it is a member of the Schengen zone.

“They said this is not a passport.

If you don’t have a passport you can’t go,” Abebe said.

More than one million migrants fleeing conflicts and poverty in the Middle East and beyond sought shelter in Europe in 2015 and many more are expected to come during 2016.

The unprecedented numbers have strained to breaking point the EU’s free movement policy and its attempts to create a single economic area, with several countries temporarily re-introducing border controls.

Rasmussen said the Danish border controls would last for 10 days but could be extended.

Officials in Germany, which itself is struggling to absorb about a million migrants who arrived during 2015, said they were paying close attention to the new Danish border checks and their possible impact on the northward flow of migrants into Denmark.

Sweden has long been proud of its self-proclaimed status as a ‘humanitarian superpower’ and its decision in November to tighten border controls and asylum rules came close to bringing down Prime Minister Stefan Lofven’s minority coalition government of Social Democrats and Greens.

Norway swiftly followed Sweden’s lead and has announced 40 proposals to tighten asylum rules.

ID-free travel within the Nordic region - long a popular magnet for migrants due to its high standards of living and generous social welfare benefits - dates back long before the Schengen accord to the 1950s, when Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland signed a passport union.

Around 15,000 commuters cross the strait between Sweden and Denmark every day and there are worries that businesses in Sweden’s Skane region and in Copenhagen will be hit. — Reuters

SELF-STYLED MILITIAMEN

FBI seeks peaceful end to Oregon standoff PRINCETON (US): Federal law enforcement officials on Monday sought to bring a peaceful end to the weekend occupation of a headquarters of a US wildlife refuge in Oregon by self-styled militiamen, while authorities said all staff at the facility were safe.

The occupation, which began on Saturday, was the latest skirmish over federal land management in the American West and reflected an anti-government stance held by some Americans.

It followed a protest march in Burns, a small city about 50 miles (80 km) north of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, over the imminent imprisonment of ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr. and his son, Steven Hammond.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to give details on plans by federal officials for dealing with the occupiers.

Law enforcement officials and the leader of the occupation, Ammon Bundy, declined to say how many people were occupying the refuge headquarters.

Bundy is the son of Cliven Bundy, a Nevada rancher whose family staged a 2014 armed protest against federal land management officials that ended with authorities backing down, citing safety concerns.

Ammon Bundy told ABC News on Monday that members of his group were armed.

“It’s important that we stand and people know that we’re serious,” he said.”We understand that in order to truly express our First Amendment rights, we have to have our Second Amendment rights.”

The First Amendment of the US Constitution protects the right to free speech, and the Second protects the right to bear arms.

In a statement, the FBI said it was seeking a “peaceful resolution to the situation,” but offered few details. — Reuters

A 14

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

GLOBAL EYE

CHINA: The Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery is reflected in a lake in Shangri-La, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China’s Yunnan Province on Monday. The Ganden Sumtseling Monastery

also known as Songzanlin and Guihuasi, is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan. — AFP

JAPAN: Dressed in a traditional Japanese fire fighting uniform, a

member of the Edo (Tokyo) Firemanship Preservation Association performs at the top of a bamboo ladder at a department store in Tokyo on Monday. — AFP

SINGAPORE: People pass the skyline of the central business district in Singapore on Monday. — Reuters

BAHRAIN: Bahraini Anne Al Zayani, biker and head of Public Relations at the American Mission Hospital, rides her motorbike in Isa

Town, south of the capital Manama, on December 28, 2015, in this picture released on Monday. — AFP

ARGENTINA: Sown fields are seen near the city of Cordoba, Argentina, on Sunday. — Reuters

GREAT BRITAIN: Keeper Collette Gibbings look at a tank full of LEBANON: A picture taken on Monday shows the Maronite Christian town of Besharre, bottom, and the Qornet Al Sawda, Lebanon’s

highest peek, overlooking the snow-covered valley of Qadisha, in the Lebanese mountains north of Beirut. — AFP

Moon Jellyfish during the stock take at London Zoo in London, Britain on Monday. — Reuters

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

A15

WORLD

Some people criticised what they called the authorities’ slow response, saying that although the army had begun to clear debris, it appeared to be short of heavy equipment.

13 killed as quake jolts South Asia The pre-dawn earthquake killed eight people in India and five in Bangladesh, officials said, while shockwaves were felt in the Himalayan nation of Nepal and as far away as the Myanmar city of Yangon

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IMPHAL (INDIA): A powerful earthquake struck northeast India and Bangladesh on Monday, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 200, with efforts to reach remote areas where people may be trapped hampered by severed power lines and telecommunication links.

The US Geological Survey said the 6.8 magnitude quake was 57km (35 miles) deep and struck 29km (18 miles) west of Imphal, capital of India’s Manipur state, which borders Myanmar.

The pre-dawn quake killed eight people in India and five in neighbouring Bangladesh, officials said, while shockwaves were felt in the Himalayan nation of Nepal and as far away as the Myanmar city of Yangon, about 1,175km (730 miles) to the south. The quake struck while many people were asleep, and roofs and staircases of some buildings collapsed in Imphal, a city of about 270,000 people.

“It was like being tossed around in a frying pan,” said Joy Thanglian, a 33-year-old employee of state energy firm Bharat Petroleum.

While seven people, including an 11-year-old girl, were killed in Manipur’s Imphal West district, one man died in Bihar’s Kishanganj district. Manipur bore the brunt of the temblor which struck at 4.35am, where seven persons, including an 11-year-old girl, were killed and at least 50 injured. All the seven deaths in Manipur were reported from Jiribam area of Imphal West district, state officials said.

At least 70 persons were injured all over the state, army officials said. Police and hospitals in Imphal said 100 people were injured, 33 of them seriously.

Rescue Officials in Bangladesh said as well as the five people who died of heart attacks as they fled buildings, about 90 people were injured.

Rescue workers in Imphal used hand-held drilling machines to clear rubble from the ruins of a six-storey building under construction, the site of the heaviest damage in the city. “I didn’t feel the tremor, but when I woke up the entire ceiling had collapsed on me,” said R.K. Ewansana, a 21-yearold student, who was on the first floor but survived as the rest of the building collapsed around him.

Residents said people fled from their homes, and power and telecoms links were down in the remote region.

At Imphal’s airport, flights were normal, although a boundary wall collapsed, and a crack appeared in the terminal building, said Thanglian, who works there.

Some people criticised what they called the authorities’ slow response, saying that although the army had begun to clear debris, it appeared to be short of heavy equipment. “We haven’t seen any help from the government side,” said disaster volunteer worker Kangujam. “The government has not given us any information.”

The government said two teams from the National Disaster Response Force had arrived to help with the rescue. “The rescue operations are about to start on a war footing,” Junior Home Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told Reuters.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was in touch with authorities in the northeast. — Reuters

DESTROYED: Indian men search through the debris of a collapsed building following a 6.7 magnitude earthquake, in Imphal on Monday. – AFP

INJURED: An Indian woman receives medical attention, following the earthquake, at a hospital in Imphal. – AFP

DAMAGED: A resident stands among damaged buildings, and below, some use a tarpaulin to cover the damaged buildings in Imphal. – AFP WRECKAGE: Cracks line the front of a telecommunications building, and below, bystanders look at the

wreckage of a building in Imphal. – AFP

A 16

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

WORLD

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Four killed in southeastern Turkey attempted to venture out of their home, the sources added.

A member of a special police unit in Sur was shot in the head on Monday, security sources said.

On Sunday, a soldier was killed in a bomb attack by members of the outlawed PKK in Sur, the General Staff said in a statement on Monday. Sur, which boasts UNESCO World Heritage sites, has been under a round-the-clock curfew since December 2 as the army tries to push out PKK fighters who have dug trenches and built barricades there and in other residential areas in the region.

Residents, carrying homemade white flags on sticks, fled their houses, carrying their children and carting belongings in a wheelbarrow or suitcases DISPERSING PRO-KURDISH DEMONSTRATORS: Turkish riot police use rubber pellets to disperse pro-

DIYARBAKIR: Two civilians, a soldier and a police officer have been killed in southeastern Turkey as military operations to root out armed fighters focused on urban centres across the mainly Kurdish region, security sources said.

Violence in the three-decade war with Kurdistan Workers Party

Kurdish demonstrators during a protest against security operations in the Kurdish dominated southeast, in central Istanbul, Turkey on Sunday. January 3, 2016. – Reuters

(PKK ) fighters flared in July after the collapse of peace talks.

President Tayyip Erdogan said last week there would be no let-up in a military campaign that he said had killed more than 3,000 mili-

tants in 2015. A 35-year-old mother of three children were killed and another person was wounded on Sunday after a mortar hit their house in the district of Sur in the region’s largest city of Diyarbakir,

the sources said late on Sunday.

In the town of Silopi, east of Diyarbakir near the Syrian and Iraqi borders, a man was killed by gunfire and his wife and another relative were wounded after they

Operations The military said on Monday 225 PKK fighters have been killed in Silopi and the nearby town of Cizre since operations began in both places on December 14. Hundreds of soldiers and civilians have also died in towns and cities across the region in the operations.

Erdogan said at the weekend he supports a criminal investigation of the leaders of the Peoples’ Dem-

ocratic Party (HDP), a parliamentary group with Kurdish origins, over comments about self-rule.

In the town of Cizre, tanks could be seen pounding buildings believed to contain PKK members on Sunday, Reuters TV footage showed.

Local residents, carrying homemade white flags on sticks, fled their houses, carrying their children and carting belongings in a wheelbarrow or suitcases.

One man told Reuters TV that he and family members were leaving, because they are unable to find medicine to prevent his disabled daughter’s seizures.

“Every day they fire artillery and mortars,” he said, without giving his name. “We must leave, but we don’t know where we can go, how to leave.”

The autonomy-seeking PKK took up arms in 1984, and more than 40,000 people - mainly Kurds - have been killed in the violence.

The PKK is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. — Reuters

NEW VIDEO

PROPAGANDA: A man kneels in front of gunmen in this still image from a video obtained on Monday from a social media website which has not been independently verified. – Reuters/Social Media

Britain denounces IS video showing killing of ‘spies’ LONDON: An IS militant group video showing a young boy in military fatigues and an older masked militant who both spoke with British accents should be viewed as a propaganda tool, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday.

The video, which could not be independently verified, also shows the killing of five men accused of spying for the West. The masked man threatens Cameron and vows that IS will one day occupy Britain before shooting one of the alleged spies in the head.

Footage The footage revived memories of a militant who was a British IS member and appeared in several videos in which hostages were killed before his own death was reported in an air strike late last year.

“We are examining the content of the video and the prime minister is being kept updated on that,” Cameron’s spokeswoman said of the latest footage. She was not aware whether Cameron himself had watched it.

“It serves as a reminder of the barbarity of IS and what the world faces with these terrorists.

It is also clearly a propaganda tool and should be treated as such,” the spokeswoman said.

When asked whether the men shown had been spies, the spokeswoman declined to comment on intelligence matters but said the group’s past propaganda had not all been true.

After the killings of the five men, a young English-speaking boy, who is wearing a black bandana is shown.

The United States said in November it had killed Mohammed Emwazi, a British citizen who became a symbol of IS brutality after appearing in several hostage execution videos.

The masked militant shown in the new video was different from Emwazi but spoke in a clear English accent, waving a gun at the camera while criticising Cameron. “This is a message to David Cameron,” the man said in the 10-minute video released on Sunday.

In November, British officials said that up to 800 Britons had travelled to Iraq and Syria, some to join IS. About 50 per cent had returned home while about 70 were believed to have been killed. — Reuters

P R E S I D E N T I A L , PA R L I A M E N TA RY P O L L S

Zambia sets August 11 as election date LUSAKA: Zambia’s new constitution on Monday set August 11 as the date for five-yearly presidential and parliamentary elections, previously set by the president, lining up another close vote after last year’s neck-and-neck race.

Also on Monday, President Edgar Lungu, who plans to stand in the election, reversed a sharp increase in electricity tariffs, saying the hike had ended up hurting the poor, presidential spokesman Amos Chanda said on Monday.

Lungu, who is due to ratify the constitutional amendments on Tuesday, defeated the opposition United Party for National Development’s Hakainde Hichilema last January. Hakainde said the election had been “stolen”. Lungu, a lawyer, won 48.3 per cent of the vote to 46.7 per cent for Hichilema, a wealthy economist.

“The new constitution has a fixed election date and that will take effect as soon as the president signs,” Chanda said.

Other amendments to Zambia’s constitution include a clause requiring a winning presidential candidate to get more than 50 per cent of the valid votes cast, Chanda told Reuters. Some analysts criticised as politically motivated Lungu’s decision to scrap electricity price increases and sign the constitutional amendments at a lavish public ceremony.

“Obviously these are efforts intended to gain political advantage,” University of Zambia analyst Lee Habasonda said. “For now the decision to reverse the electricity tariff increase will go down well with the voters but it won’t help to resolve Zambia’s power problems,” Habasonda said. — Reuters

B

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Muscat 5,421.20 + 8.32 + 0.15%

Dubai 3,084.43 - 50.55 - 1.61%

Abu Dhabi 4,215.58 - 55.99 - 1.31%

Kuwait 5,568.30 - 46.82 - 0.83%

Saudi Arabia

6,849.52 - 102.70 - 1.48%

Bahrain 1,231.11 - 2.78 - 0.23%

Qatar 10,313.74 - 115.62 - 1.11%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.36 Pound ............................................1.74 Indian Rs ............................... 171.41 Pak Rs ....................................267.59 Bangla Taka......................200.36

Indian Rs ...................................172.85 Pakistan Rs .............................272.00 Sri Lanka Rs ........................... 371.00 Bangla Taka........................... 203.50 Phil Peso ................................... 122.00

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) ....... 13.70

Oman Crude............. (Spot) .........$33.61 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ..........$33.11 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$34.63 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) .........$31.96 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........$38.08 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$37.55

* Rates as of Jan. 4 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

* Rates are as of Jan. 4 Source: Bank Muscat

Mitsui-led consortium wins $2.3b-power projects in Oman Japan’s Mitsui-led consortium has been awarded a $2.3 billion bid to build two gas-fired

3,150 megawatts will be the combined generation capacity of the two power plants — 1,450 MW in Ibri and a 1,700 MW unit in Sohar

power plants at two locations — Ibri and Sohar — in Oman

A. E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Japan’s Mitsui & Company on Monday said its consortium has been awarded $2.3 billion power projects, which will come up in two locations across northern Oman.

The consortium will build two independent gas-fired combined cycle power plants, with a combined generation capacity of 3,150 megawatts (MW) - 1,450 MW unit in Ibri and a 1,700 MW capacity unit in Sohar (Sohar 3).

The mega power plants will supply roughly 30 per cent of the electricity that will be consumed in the Muscat area, once commercial operations are underway.

Mitsui holds a 50.1 per cent stake in the consortium, with 44.9 per cent held by Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and 5 per cent by Dhofar International Development and Investment (Didic) .

The contract is set to be signed

next month, and Sohar-3 plans to start operations in January 2019, while the Ibri plant is expected to commence power generation in April 2019, added Mitsui.

Mitsui will operate the plants and sell power under a 15-year agreement with Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), it added.

Growing power demand The Sultanate has been taking major initiatives to develop power generation capacity mainly to meet the growing demand.

Oman’s average annual growth in power demand for the next seven years within the areas of main inter-connected system (MIS) is projected at 10 per cent, from 2,592 megawatt in 2013 to 5,023 megawatt in 2020, according to a seven-year outlook for power demand released by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP).

However, peak demand growth, under the demand forecast, is expected at about 11 per cent per annum, from 4,455 megawatt in 2013 to 9,133 megawatt in 2020.

The Mitsui-led consortium had submitted its bid to the OPWP in August last year, for both pro-

jects, in response to a call for bids

by OPWP. Subsequent to this, the consortium has now received a letter of award from OPWP to develop the Ibri and Sohar-3 power generation projects. These power generation projects mark the further involvement of Mitsui in developing one of the largest power plants in the Middle East region, together with key downstream infrastructure in Oman, after being awarded the Salalah-2 power project in March 2015, and the Liwa Plastic Industries Complex project in December 2015.

Demand for electric power in Oman is increasing rapidly because of economic growth driven by the oil and gas sector. Mitsui will help meet that demand by constructing two natural gas-fired combined cycle power plants.

The Japanese company will also use its extensive business operation management know-how gained through its considerable experience in the operation of overseas power generation projects and its track record in the Sultanate of Oman to contribute to the successful development and operation of these projects.

These power generation projects represent one of the primary focuses of Mitsui’s infrastructure business, and Mitsui will continue to strive to win contracts for quality projects in this area.

Japan’s Mitsui has a notable track record in the upstream oil and gas sector in Oman.

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

INCREASE IN POWER DEMAND: The mega power plants will supply approximately 30 per cent of the electricity that will be consumed in the Muscat area, once commercial operations are under way. Picture is used for illustrative purpose only. – Bloomberg News

OIL EXPORTS

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......13.25 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ........... 128.00 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ..............121.25 * Rates as of Jan. 4 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

STOCK MARKET

Saudi-Iran tension spurs decline in Gulf stocks DUBAI: Stocks across most Gulf markets retreated amid a standoff between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Qatar’s QE Index led the drop, with a 1.3 per cent fall in Doha, followed by Dubai’s DFM General Index’s 1.1 per cent slide. Abu Dhabi’s ADX General Index fell 0.5 per cent. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index reversed declines to rise 0.2 per cent.

There were protests in Iran and the Saudi embassy was attacked.

The incident followed the Kingdom’s execution of 47 people for offences on Saturday, including a Shiite cleric.

“It’s an unexpected escalation,” said Nabil Farhat, an Abu Dhabibased partner at Al Fajr Securities.

“The rise in geopolitical tension is a major worry for investors as it may mean more government spending on security.”

Bloomberg’s index of 200 major stocks in the six-nation GCC declined 0.3 per cent to the lowest level in almost a week. The Tehran Stock Exchange’s benchmark TEDPIX Index gained 0.1 per cent.

The worsening of relations comes after the slump in oil prices forced the Saudi government to cut spending and subsidies for 2016. The Kingdom is already leading a costly war in Yemen.

Brent crude, a pricing benchmark for more than half the world’s oil, has fallen about 30 per cent in the past 12 months to $37.26 a barrel.

Bahrain’s Bourse All Share Index fell 0.3 per cent.

“Saudi tensions with Iran may push foreign players away for a while,” said Talal Touqan, the head of research at Abu Dhabi-based Al Ramz Securities. Kuwait’s SE Index slipped 0.8 per cent.

APPOINTMENT

Crude finds oversupply relief as China Omran names chief expected to buy 8% more oil this year executive officer SHANGHAI: China’s insatiable appetite for crude is at least one thing oil bulls can count on this year. The world’s biggest commodity consumer may buy 8 per cent more oil from overseas in 2016, taking average purchases to 7.2 million barrels a day, according to the median of seven respondents in a survey including FGE and Energy Aspects.

The country’s inbound shipments in the first 11 months of last year increased 8.8 per cent to 6.63 million barrels a day and touched a monthly record of 7.4 million in April, customs data show.

The prospect of China continuing to absorb a glut of supply from overseas will encourage investors holding out for a recovery in oil from the lowest level in 11 years.

The nation, which has overtaken the United States as the world’s biggest buyer on occasions last year, is taking advantage of the two-year slump in prices to hoard crude for emergencies. Demand is further expanding as the government relaxes rules to allow imports by private refiners.

“Growth in China’s crude imports is a supportive factor for crude prices,” said Eugene Lindell, an analyst with Vienna-based JBC Energy, who forecast a growth rate of 6 per cent. “It will help tackle the crude surplus seen over the first half year in 2016.”

Brent crude, the international benchmark, slumped to an 11-year low last month amid speculation suppliers from the Middle East to the US will exacerbate a record glut as they fight for market share.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) raised

Times News Service

EXPORTS RISE: China’s inbound shipments in the first 11 months of last year increased 8.8 per cent to

6.63 million barrels a day and touched a monthly record of 7.4 million in April. – Times file picture

production to the highest in more than three years in November and effectively scrapped its output ceiling a month later.

Lifting of US ban Meanwhile, the US ended its 40year export ban and Iran plans to boost output by about 500,000 barrels a day within weeks of international sanctions being lifted.

China may start four additional strategic petroleum reserves this year, augmenting its existing eight, as part of its ultimate goal of stockpiling enough oil to cover 100 days worth of imports by 2020.

The country held about 29 days

of supply as of the middle of 2015, according to calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics data.

Crude imports for emergency reserves may double to 230,000 barrels a day this year as new tanks start operating, according to Chi Zhang, an analyst with Barclays in Hong Kong. China stockpiled 26.1 million metric tonnes (about 191 million barrels) of crude as of mid2015 at eight SPR sites and commercial storage tanks, the NBS said on December 11. The country will build and fill 74 million barrels of SPR capacity this year, according to JBC’s Lindell.

“We expect that nearly 200,000

barrels a day of crude oil will be added to inventory in 2016” including strategic reserves, said Wu Kang, a Beijing-based analyst with industry consultant FGE, who gave the median estimate in the survey.

“This is one of the major factors determining crude oil imports.”

China’s independent refiners, known as teapots, account for almost a third of the nation’s processing capacity. Thirteen of them have been granted import quotas totaling a combined 55 million tonnes, or 18 per cent of the nation’s annual imports, as the government seeks to promote private investment. - Bloomberg News

MUSCAT: Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) announced the appointment of James Wilson as its new chief executive officer (CEO) on Monday, following a decision taken by the board of directors.

Effective January 4, the newly appointed CEO will lead the company on its mission to contribute to Oman’s growing tourism industry, a sector that has seen an increased focus by the government as part of its economic diversification efforts, said a company release.

Wilson joins Omran after more than 25 years of experience in the tourism, real-estate and hotel development sectors. His work experience includes developing and acquiring some of the most prestigious and recognisable tourism destinations across Europe, the Gulf Cooperation Council and Africa, including the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, the Pine Cliffs and Quinta Do Lago in Portugal and the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa.

Urban projects Omran’s board of directors welcomed Wilson to his new position as CEO, stating that the appointment comes as Omran enters a new phase of development, with a renewed mandate on the delivery of unique tourism destinations and innovative urban projects across the Sultanate.

The board’s members added that Wilson’s depth of experience and knowledge of the tourism and real-estate development sector will significantly contribute

NEW ROLE: James Wilson

towards the continued implementation of Omran’s ambitious vision and strategy.

Restructuring Omran is well placed for the next stage of growth to support the development march of the Sultanate. Following the recent restructuring outcome, the executive management has taken a number of strategic steps that allow room for further growth and new developments.

The company is currently adopting a new strategy, which is aligned with the Sultanate’s national tourism strategy, while the newly-formed subsidiaries are well placed with their respective business plans.

These growth milestones will enable Omran to manage wider responsibilities and expand its abilities in delivering on the government mandate of growing capacity in the tourism sector.

B2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

MARKET MSM index gains again

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,421.33 ...............5,413.26 ................... 5,421.20 ................... 5,412.88....................8.32 ................... 0.15 Financial Index .....................................6,519.87 ..............6,504.22 ....................6,513.92 ...................6,500.63..................13.29 ...................0.20 Industrial Index .................................... 6,783.76 ............... 6,774.11 .................... 6,777.12 ....................6,783.76.................. -6.64 .................. -0.10 Services Index .......................................3,071.00 .............. 3,066.28 ....................3,069.16 ................... 3,066.72....................2.44 ...................0.08 MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................... 859.77 .................. 857.58 .......................859.48 .......................857.58....................1.90 ...................0.22 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 7,688,731..................... 1,348,059 .....................451 ............... 15,789,943,803 .................. 5 ........................4 ....................20 .........................29

Gulf Investment Services, up by 5.56 per cent, was the top gainer, while United Finance was

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 4

the top loser, down by 3.10 per cent 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

MUSCAT: Recovery continued on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) with the general index edging up 0.15 per cent to close at 5421.20 points.

MSM Sharia Index closed at 859.48 points, up by 0.22 per cent. Bank Nizwa was the most active in terms of volume while Al Anwar Holding was the most active in terms of turnover. Gulf Investment Services, up by 5.56 per cent, was the top gainer while United Finance was the top loser, down by 3.10 per cent.

As many as 451 trades were executed on Monday, generating a turnover of OMR1.35 million with 7.68 million shares changing hands. Out of 29 traded securities, five advanced, four declined and 20 remained unchanged. Foreign investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR153,000 worth of shares followed by GCC and Arab investors at OMR32,000.

Omani investors, who were net sellers, sold shares amounting to OMR185,000.

Financial Index closed at 6,513.92 points, up by 0.20 per cent. Gulf Investment Services and Al Madina Takaful rose by 5.56 per cent and 1.25 per cent, respectively. United Finance and Bank Muscat fell by 3.10 per cent and 0.42 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index ended at 6,777.12 points, down by 0.10 per cent. Gulf International Chemicals was the only gainer in the sector and was up by 1.54 per cent to close at OMR0.260. Oman Cables was the only loser in the sector and was up by 1.13 per cent to close at OMR1.750.

Services Index closed at 3,069.16 points, up by 0.08 per cent. Oredoo Oman was the only gainer in the sector and was up by 1.69 per cent to close at OMR0.720. Al Jazeira Services was the only loser in the sector and was down by 2.50 per cent to close at OMR0.312.

Emerging stocks dip Emerging-market stocks tumbled the most since August and currencies fell to a record as China halted trading to stem a rout spurred by weaker-than-expected manufacturing data and as tension escalated between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Angola devalued its currency.

Equities in South Korea, India and South Africa slid at least 2.1 per cent, as the BGCC 200 Index of shares in the oil-exporting Gulf Cooperation Council declined for a second day. The offshore yuan suffered its biggest drop in almost five months. The kwanza slid 15 per cent versus the dollar.

Following their worst year since 2011, emerging-market stocks are under pressure again on concern a slowdown in the world’s second-biggest economy will curb global growth. Data showed Chinese manufacturing shrank for a fifth month, the longest streak since 2009.

“It’s a poor start to the year with a lot of bad news such as weak economic data from China and heightened tension in the Middle East,” Win Udomrachtavanich, Bangkok-based chief executive officer at One Asset Management, which oversees about $3.5 billion, said by phone. “A further economic slowdown in China will definitely hurt the developing countries’ growth.”

The rout in China, where the Shanghai Composite Index retreated 6.9 per cent, was worsened by the planned end of a ban on share sales by major stakeholders at the end of this week.

Chinese policy makers, who went to unprecedented lengths to prop up stock prices during a summer rout, are trying to prevent financial-market volatility from weighing on an economy set to grow at its weakest annual pace since 1990.

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

OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 665,824 ........... 62,959..................... 39 ........... 0.093 ...........0.096 ...........0.093........... 0.095 .............0.090 ........... 0.005............. 5.556 ................0.095..............0.095...................0.096.................... 5,590,106 ..........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO.........................................................................13,250 ............... 9,521........................3 ............0.708 ........... 0.720 ...........0.708........... 0.720 .............0.708 ............0.012 ............. 1.695 ................0.720..............0.700...................0.720..................468,679,846 .......0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ................ 5,080 ...............1,340........................4 ........... 0.265 ...........0.265 ...........0.262........... 0.264 .............0.260 ........... 0.004............. 1.538 ................0.262..............0.262...................0.265....................5,544,000 ..........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL.............................................. 30,000 .............. 2,420........................4 ........... 0.082 ...........0.082 ...........0.080........... 0.081 .............0.080 ............0.001 ............. 1.250 ................0.080..............0.080...................0.081...................14,175,000 .........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ..................................... 5,600 ............... 1,495........................2 ........... 0.267 ...........0.267 ...........0.267........... 0.267 .............0.267 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.267..............0.262...................0.267..................357,969,637 ........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 568,824 ..........119,357..................... 47 ............0.213 ........... 0.213 ...........0.207........... 0.210 .............0.210 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.208..............0.207...................0.208 ................. 42,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 1,775,852....... 305,767..................... 99 ............0.173 ........... 0.173 ........... 0.171 ............0.172 ............. 0.172............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.171 ...............0.171...................0.172...................25,812,900.........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ................................ 26,000 ...............7,904........................6 ........... 0.304...........0.304 ...........0.304 .......... 0.304 .............0.304 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.304............. 0.300...................0.304 ..................90,048,959.........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ..........................88,028 .............12,639........................6 ............0.144 ........... 0.144 ...........0.143 ........... 0.144 .............0.144 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.144..............0.140...................0.144................... 17,985,306 .........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 250,243 ........... 48,297........................6 ............0.193 ........... 0.193 ...........0.193 ............0.193 ............. 0.193............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.193 .............. 0.174...................0.193..................275,031,976 ........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 171,475 .............16,285......................11 ........... 0.095 ........... 0.095 ...........0.094........... 0.095 .............0.095 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.095..............0.094...................0.095....................8,550,000 ..........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION .......................... 91,168 ..........142,924..................... 26 ............1.575 ........... 1.575............1.560 ............1.570 ............. 1.570............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.570 ..............1.560...................1.570................ 1,177,500,000 ......0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 257,217 ............ 41,934........................4 ............0.163 ........... 0.164 ...........0.163 ............0.163 ............. 0.163............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.164 ..............0.164...................0.165 ................... 47,376,116 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR..................................................................74,534 .............11,647........................9 ............0.157 ........... 0.157 ...........0.155 ............0.156 ............. 0.156............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.155 ..............0.154...................0.155 ................. 224,864,640 .......0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 447,580 ............ 31,331..................... 29 ........... 0.070 ...........0.070 ...........0.070........... 0.070 .............0.070 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.070..............0.069...................0.070...................20,298,645.........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ........................................................1,102 .................. 473........................6 ........... 0.430 ...........0.430 ...........0.428........... 0.430 .............0.430 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.428..............0.428...................0.446 ..................26,015,000 .........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER.................................................................2,110 .................. 743........................1 ........... 0.352 ...........0.352 ...........0.352........... 0.352 .............0.352 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.352..............0.352...................0.380 .................. 77,795,520 .........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH................................................10,000 ............24,500........................2 ........... 2.450 ...........2.450 ...........2.450........... 2.450 .............2.450 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.450..............2.450...................2.500 .................233,870,128........1.000 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 200,000...........38,200........................2 ............0.191 ........... 0.191............0.191 ............0.191 ............. 0.191 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.191 ............. 0.000...................0.210..................128,903,499........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 100,000 ............19,100........................1 ............0.191 ........... 0.191............0.191 ............0.191 ............. 0.191 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.191 ............. 0.000...................0.000 ................. 136,451,611 ........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................ 296,400 ..........114,410......................19 ........... 0.386 ...........0.386 ...........0.386........... 0.386 .............0.386 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.386..............0.386...................0.400 ..................20,265,000.........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 278,679 ......... 131,000........................8 ............0.476 ........... 0.476 ...........0.470........... 0.470 .............0.472 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.424 ...............0.470..............0.470...................0.472.................1,077,156,621.......0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY......................................10,000 .............17,500........................8 ............1.750 ........... 1.750............1.750 ............1.750 ............. 1.770............-0.020 ............-1.130................1.750 .............. 1.730................... 1.750 ..................156,975,000........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................10,000 ...............3,120........................1 ............0.312 ........... 0.312 ...........0.312 ........... 0.312 .............0.320 ...........-0.008 ........... -2.500 ...............0.312 ..............0.310...................0.312................... 19,095,733 .........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ..................................................... 109,209 ............ 13,651......................19 ............0.125 ........... 0.125 ...........0.125 ............0.125 .............0.129............-0.004 ............-3.101................0.125 ..............0.123...................0.125...................38,845,618 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 5,488,175 ....1,178,516...................362 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......25........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 1,998,568 ...... 145,625..................... 46 ........... 0.073 ........... 0.074 ...........0.072........... 0.073 .............0.072 ............0.001 ............. 1.389 ................0.072.............. 0.071...................0.072..................109,500,000 .......0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING......................................2,000 ...................146........................1 ........... 0.073 ........... 0.073 ...........0.073........... 0.072 .............0.072 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.073.............. 0.071...................0.073.................... 5,414,976 ..........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK................................................65,300 ...............4,375........................6 ........... 0.067 ...........0.067 ...........0.067........... 0.067 .............0.067 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.067..............0.066...................0.067...................67,000,000.........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 134,688 ............19,396..................... 36 ............0.144 ........... 0.145 ...........0.144........... 0.144 .............0.144 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.144..............0.144...................0.145..................210,614,610 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,200,556 ..... 169,543..................... 89 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........4........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

- United Securities/Bloomberg News

F I R S T D AY O F 2 0 1 6

China halts stock trading after 7% crash BEIJING: The worst-ever start to a year for Chinese shares triggered a trading halt in more than $7 trillion of equities, futures and options, putting the nation’s new market circuit breakers to the test on their first day.

Trading was halted at about 1:34pm local time on Monday after the CSI 300 Index dropped 7 per cent. An earlier 15-minute suspension at the 5 per cent level failed to stop the retreat, with shares extending losses as soon

as the market re-opened. Traders said the halts took effect as anticipated without any major technical problems.

The world’s second-largest stock market began the year on a down note after data showed manufacturing contracted for a fifth straight month and investors anticipated the end of a ban on share sales by major stakeholders at the end of this week. Chinese policy makers, who went to unprecedented lengths to prop

up stock prices during a summer rout, are trying to prevent financial-market volatility from weighing on economy set to grow at its weakest annual pace since 1990.

“This is a pretty dramatic start of trading for the year,” said Khiem Do, the Hong Kongbased head of multi-asset strategy at Baring Asset Management, which manages about $45 billion. “Some investors may have been unwinding their positions when trading volumes were light.

That could have exaggerated the moves. The market has been very difficult to predict.”

Monday’s selloff rippled through regional equity markets, with Asian shares and United States equityindex futures extending losses.

Chinese stocks’ influence on global markets has increased after the nation’s $5 trillion equity market rout, when the Shanghai gauge tumbled more than 40 per cent from mid- June through its August low. - Bloomberg News

INDIAN MARKETS

Sensex declines 2%; rupee retreats MUMBAI: Benchmark Sensex crashed over 2 per cent, and the broader Nifty dropped below 7,800-level, its worst fall not seen since four months, triggered by ripples from China market as its officials suspended trade after nearly 7 per cent descent in Shanghai composite index led a sell-off across Asian region.

The economic numbers both domestic and international data along with rising political tensions in the Middle East rattled the global-equities including Indian stocks which drifted to two week lows.

Across the board selling was led by telecom, banks, financials, industrials, energy, capital goods, healthcare, realty, oil and gas, consumer durables, IT, tech and FMCG sectors, followed by shares of midcap and small cap s.

The BSE Sensex resumed lower at 26,116.52 and dropped to 25,596.57 before closing at 25,623.35, showing a fall of 537.55 points or 2.05 per cent. The 50-share Nifty also dipped by

171.90 points or 2.16 per cent to end at 7,791.30.

Rupee tumbles The rupee retreated sharply to hit a two-week low of 66.61 against its United States counterpart following heavy dollar demand from importers and banks largely impacted by global economic and political headwinds.

A sudden spike in crude oil prices against the back drop of heightened geopolitical tension in the Middle East alongside worsening economic data from China, predominantly reflected on trading sentiment.

The domestic currency resumed substantially lower at 66.25 compared to weekend’s close of 66.14 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (forex) market on fresh bouts of dollar demand.

It kept descending, weighed down by global uncertainties and sliding local equities to hit an intra-day low of 66.63, before ending at 66.61, showing a steep loss of 47 paise, or 0.71 per cent. - PTI

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

B3

MARKET

Major economies face $7tr debt refinancing this year year, also little changed from 2015.

Government bonds eked out a 1.2 per cent gain for investors in 2015, compared to 8.4 per cent in 2014 and an average 4.4 per cent return over the past five years, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch indexes.

Value of bills, notes and bonds coming due for G-7 countries plus Brazil, Russia, India and China (Bric) will total $7.1tr, compared to $7tr in 2015 and down from $7.6tr in 2012

DEBT BURDEN: Germany plans to boost its bond and bill sales to €203 billion this year from about €175 billion in 2015, partly to finance expenses caused by a record influx of migrants. – Bloomberg News

LONDON: The amount of debt that governments of the world’s leading economies will need to refinance in 2016 will be little changed from last year as nations make strides in cutting budget deficits to a third of the highs seen during the financial crisis.

The value of bills, notes and bonds coming due for the Groupof-Seven (G-7) nations plus Brazil, China, India and Russia will total $7.1 trillion, compared to $7 trillion in 2015 and down from $7.6 trillion in 2012. Japan, Germany, Italy and Canada will all see redemptions fall, while the United

States, China and the UK face increases, data shows.

The amount of maturing debt has gradually fallen since Bloomberg began collating the data in 2012. The decline may bring some support to the bond market as the US Federal Reserve gradually raises interest rates, pushing yields up from record lows. Budget deficits are forecast by economists to narrow for a seventh straight year in 2016 as governments continue to cut back on the extra spending put in place to combat the global financial meltdown.

“Most of these countries are

ECONOMY

moving toward fiscal discipline,” said Mohit Kumar, head of rates strategy at Credit Agricole’s corporate and investment-banking unit in London.

Migrant influx “There was fiscal expansion during the crisis for various reasons: to support growth and to shift liabilities from the private sector into the public sector. Those effects are going away.”

While the decline shows there’s less pressure on governments to borrow, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will issue less — that depends

on their overall funding requirements. Germany plans to boost its bond and bill sales to €203 billion ($221 billion) this year from about €175 billion in 2015, partly to finance expenses caused by a record influx of migrants.

Russia and Brazil will see the biggest proportional declines in debt redemptions, with securities coming due tumbling by 38 per cent and 26 per cent, data shows.

Including interest payments, the amount of debt that needs to be refinanced by the G-7 and Bric (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations will total $7.8 trillion this

More compensation US 10-year Treasury yields will climb to 2.75 per cent by the end of 2016 from 2.25 per cent in Tokyo, according to the median forecast of 65 analysts.

This may prompt investors to demand more compensation to hold other bonds, too, including those from countries such as Germany and Japan, where yields are currently being kept down by their central banks expanding the money supply through debt purchases. The average sovereign yield in Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Global Government Index climbed to 1.1 per cent, from an all-time low of 0.82 per cent reached in January last year.

“Yields will rise and the Fed’s tightening will spill over into other bonds,” said a London-based strategist. - Bloomberg News

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AUTOMOTIVE

Hyundai, Kia forecast weak sales as China demand falls

EXPORT-ORIENTED ECONOMY: Singapore’s export-oriented economy, always vulnerable to global swings in demand, reflects the threat China’s slowdown poses for the region. – Bloomberg News

Singapore economy beats estimates on domestic demand SINGAPORE: Singapore provided a report card on its economy that beat analyst forecasts in one of Asia’s earliest growth estimates, as improving services and construction countered faltering exports. It may be too early to celebrate.

Gross domestic product rose an annualised 5.7 per cent in the three months to December 31 from the previous quarter, when it expanded a revised 1.7 per cent, the Trade Ministry said in an advance estimate on Monday.

The median of nine estimates in survey was for a 1 per cent expansion. The economy grew 2.1 per cent last year, the slowest pace in six years.

Singapore’s export-oriented economy, always vulnerable to global swings in demand, reflects the threat China’s slowdown poses for the region.

The island’s largest export destination is tipped to expand at the slowest pace in 25 years, and the first Chinese economic reports of 2016 signaled manufacturing weakened for a fifth straight month. Domestically, home prices posted their longest losing streak in 17 years last quarter and a labor crunch could cap further gains in services.

Downward revision “There could be high odds of a downward revision come February,” said Weiwen Ng, a Singapore-based economist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group, referring to final GDP figures due next month. “Given that the outperformance for this quarter happens to be in the services sector, it could be rather transient. Singapore remains confronted with twin headwinds externally and domestically.”

The Singapore dollar traded at 1.4226 against the United States currency, compared to 1.4185 on December 31. Singapore markets

4.3% percentage points is the difference on average between the advance and final readings of Singapore’s GDP growth since the start of 2010, based on annualised quarter- on-quarter data

SEOUL: Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, South Korea’s largest automakers, forecast their weakest sales increase in a decade as a slump in demand in China and a stronger won cut their profit.

The companies’ combined deliveries will rise to 8.13 million vehicles in 2016 from about 8 million vehicles a year earlier, Chung Mong Koo, chairman of both automakers, said during a New Year address to employees in Seoul on Monday.

That would be the slowest growth since 2006 and compares to the average estimate of 8.12 million units in a survey of five analysts.

Shares of the carmakers fell in Seoul trading. The companies missed their sales target set for 2015 for the first time since 2008 after sales slumped in China and unfavorable exchange rates cut earnings in Russia and Brazil.

Hyundai spun off its luxury Genesis sedan into a standalone premium brand to burnish its reputation amid flagging sales, while Kia plans to begin production at its Mexico plant in 2016 to help boost sales in the region.

“The slowdown in the Chinese BUYINGB BACK DEBT

were closed for New Year’s Day on January 1. The Straits Times Index fell 1.5 per cent.

Advance figures Monday’s data are advance estimates computed largely from figures in the first two months of the quarter and may be revised later, says the Trade Ministry.

There has been a difference of 4.3 percentage points on average between the advance and final readings of Singapore’s GDP growth since the start of 2010, based on annualised quarteron-quarter data. The difference is a narrower 1 percentage point for US GDP and 1.6 percentage points for Japan’s.

GDP grew 2 per cent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, compared with a median survey estimate for 1.2 per cent.

Services support Singapore’s manufacturing fell 3.1 per cent last quarter from the previous three months, the Trade Ministry said. The services industry grew 6.5 per cent in the same period, while construction expanded 7 per cent.

The Southeast Asian nation has relied on its position as an Asian financial hub to bolster services as overseas demand for its goods faltered. Industrial production fell. - Bloomberg News

OIFC, Ooredoo enter into deal Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Investment and Finance Company (OIFC) said the company has entered into an agreement with Ooredoo for buy back of debts for a consideration of OMR400,000.

“We expect to make reasonable profit in pursuing the collection of these debts,” the company said, in a stock market filing.

EXHIBITION

Oman Plast to showcase modern technology Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Plast 2016, the third international plastics, rubber, chemicals, printing and packaging industry exhibition, will be orgainsed from January 5 to 7 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre.

In its third edition, Oman Plast will showcase the latest technology and machineries used in manufacture of plastics, rubber, packaging and petrochemicals. It will be an ideal platform for Oman and its neighbouring states to source new technology and products.

As the petrochemical industry is one of the main components of the Omani economy, the event will give great impetus to further diversify its growth.

P.D. Nath, managing director of Silver Star, said “the third Oman Plast 2016 is perfectly timed for the continuing boom in Oman’s plastics, rubber, packaging and petrochemical industry, adding,” the event will offer a perfect gateway to reach this highly potential market and will provide excellent business opportunities and new collaborations.”

The participating countries include China, Germany, India, Jordan, Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar and the UAE among other countries.

Organised by Silver Star Corporation at the Oman International Exhibition Centre, Hilal bin Hamad Al Hasani, chief executive officer of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) will be inaugurate the event on Tuesday.

Silver Star is one of the leading organisers of large-scale exhibitions and event management company in Oman and has organised exhibitions across the country and the UAE. The exhibition timings are from 10am to 6 pm on all three days. The exhibition is exclusively for traders and businessmen. Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic) is the gold sponsor for the exhibition.

AV I AT I O N

SLACK DEMAND: Hyundai spun off its luxury Genesis sedan into a standalone premium brand to burnish its reputation amid flagging sales. – Bloomberg News

economy, low fuel prices and uncertainties in emerging markets due to a hike in United States interest rates suggest that growth will continue to be slow,” Chung said in his speech.

Sales in China Sales in China, the largest market by volume for two automakers, fell in the first 11 months of 2015 after demand slowed with a moderation in economic growth. Demand began to rebound after the Chinese government cut a sales target by half starting October through

the end of this year. The automakers haven’t released their delivery figures for December.

A recovery in the world’s largest auto market is important for Hyundai and Kia as both companies are adding factory capacity in 2016.

Hyundai will begin manufacturing at a new plant in the fourth quarter of this year and is building a fifth in Chongqing.

Together, the two factories will boost Hyundai’s production in China by 57 per cent by 2018.

-Bloomberg News

Singapore Air raises Tiger Air bid price SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines raised its offer for Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd. by almost 10 per cent, offering shareholders in the unprofitable budget airline an improved deal after a lobby group urged Southeast Asia’s largest carrier to sweeten its bid.

SIA is offering Tiger Air stockholders 45 Singapore cents, from its initial proposal of 41 cents, the company said in a statement to the stock exchange on Monday. The offer has been extended to January 22 from January 8. - Bloomberg News

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

FEATURE S vereign

W

DEB T

hen it comes to sovereign debt, the term “default” is often misunderstood. It almost never entails the complete and permanent repudiation of the entire stock of debt; indeed, even some Czarist-era Russian bonds were eventually (if only partly) repaid after the 1917 revolution.

Rather, non-payment – a “default,” according to credit-rating agencies, when it involves private creditors – typically spurs a conversation about debt restructuring, which can involve maturity extensions, coupon-payment cuts, grace periods, or face-value reductions.

If history is a guide, such conversations may be happening a lot in 2016.

Like so many other features of the global economy, debt accumulation and default tends to occur in cycles. Since 1800, the global economy has endured several such cycles, with the share of independent countries undergoing restructuring during any given year oscillating between zero and 50 per cent.

Whereas one-and two-decade lulls in defaults are not uncommon, each quiet spell has invariably been followed by a new wave of defaults.

The most recent default cycle includes the emerging-market debt crises of the 1980s and 1990s. Most countries resolved their external-debt problems by the mid-1990s, but a substantial share of countries in the lowest-income group remain in chronic arrears with their official creditors.

Like outright default or the restructuring of debts to official creditors, such arrears are often swept under the rug, possibly because they tend to involve low-income debtors and relatively small dollar amounts. But that does not negate their eventual capacity to help spur a new round of crises, when sovereigns who never quite got a handle on their

debts are, say, met with unfavourable global conditions.

And, indeed, global economic conditions – such as commodity-price fluctuations and changes in interest rates by major economic powers such as the United States or China – play a major role in precipitating sovereign-debt crises. As my recent work with Vincent Reinhart and Christoph Trebesch reveals, peaks and troughs in the international capital-flow cycle are especially dangerous, with defaults proliferating at the end of a capital-inflow bonanza.

Ukraine, Greece As 2016 begins, there are clear signs of serious debt/default squalls on the horizon. We can already see the first whitecapped waves. For some sovereigns, the main problem stems from internal debt dynamics.

Ukraine’s situation is certainly precarious, though, given its unique drivers, it is probably best not to draw broader conclusions from its trajectory.

Greece’s situation, by contrast, is all too familiar. The government continued to accumulate debt until the burden was no longer sustainable.

When the evidence of these excesses became overwhelming, new credit stopped flowing, making it impossible to service existing debts. Last July, in highly charged negotiations with its official creditors – the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund – Greece defaulted on its obligations to the IMF. That makes Greece the first – and, so far, the only – advanced economy ever to do so.

But, as is so often the case, what happened was not a complete default so much as a step toward a new deal.

Greece’s European partners eventually agreed to provide additional financial

support, in exchange for a pledge from Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s government to implement difficult structural reforms and deep budget cuts.

Unfortunately, it seems that these measures did not so much resolve the Greek debt crisis as delay it.

Puerto Rico Another economy in serious danger is the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which urgently needs a comprehensive restructuring of its $73 billion in sovereign debt. Recent agreements to restructure some debt are just the beginning. In fact, they are not even adequate to rule out an outright default.

It should be noted, however, that while such a “credit event” would obviously be a big problem, creditors may be overstating its potential external impacts. They like to warn that although Puerto Rico is a commonwealth, not a state, its failure to service its debts would set a bad precedent for US states and municipalities.

But that precedent was set a long time ago. In the 1840s, nine US states stopped servicing their debts. Some eventually settled at full value; others did so at a discount; and several more repudiated a portion of their debt altogether. In the 1870s, another round of defaults engulfed 11 states. West Virginia’s bout of default and

restructuring lasted until 1919.

Some of the biggest risks lie in the emerging economies, which are suffering primarily from a sea change in the global economic environment. During China’s infrastructure boom, it was importing huge volumes of commodities, pushing up their prices and, in turn, growth in the world’s commodity exporters, including large emerging economies like Brazil. Add to that increased lending from China and huge capital inflows propelled by low US interest rates, and the emerging economies were thriving. The global economic crisis of 2008-2009 disrupted, but did not derail.

But the US Federal Reserve’s move to increase interest rates, together with slowing growth in China and collapsing oil and commodity prices, has brought the capital inflow bonanza to a halt. Lately, many emerging-market currencies have slid sharply, increasing the cost of servicing external dollar debts. Export and public-sector revenues have declined, giving way to widening current-account and fiscal deficits. From a historical perspective, the emerging economies seem to be headed toward a major crisis. Of course, they may prove more resilient than their predecessors. But we should not count on it. — Carmen Reinhart/Project Syndicate

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ROUND-UP

Lexus ES: A journey in world class luxury The new ES, one of the most preferred vehicles across the world, now comes with an exciting, sportier attitude, highlighted by elegant yet progressive exterior styling, an enhanced luxurious interior, and

Safety System’

omy. Sport mode sharpens throttle and transmission response for a more engaging driving experience, while Normal mode is designed to provide an ideal balance of performance and efficiency.

MUSCAT: Lexus ES is one of Lexus’ most successful models worldwide. Its longer wheelbase and list of luxurious amenities make it one of the most preferred models among the enthusiasts.

The new ES one of the most preferred vehicles the world over is now endowed with an exciting, sportier attitude, highlighted by elegant yet progressive exterior styling, an enhanced luxurious interior and the new safety system called ‘Lexus Safety System’, says a press release.

The 2016 Lexus ES is available with two types of engines. The first one is a 3.5-litre V6 engine with a maximum output of 272 HP / 6200 rpm and a maximum torque of 346 Nm / 4,700 rpm.

The second engine variant is a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder with a maximum output of 181 HP / 6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 235 Nm / 4,100 rpm. Both engines will be mated with a multi-mode 6-speed automatic transmission which delivers an outstanding combination of performance, efficiency and a quiet ride.

The Drive Mode Select feature in the Lexus ES can tailor powertrain response and other settings to suit conditions or the mood. ECO mode adjusts engine response and climate-control settings to help maximise fuel econ-

Daring new form For Lexus, designers have cast a daring new form with the refreshed ES. A commanding front fascia that features Lexus’ trademark spindle grille, framed in combination with accentuated brilliant satin chrome, gives this new ES a new sense of luxury and instantly distinguishes it from the crowd. Accompanying the grille is a pair of newly designed headlights, now equipped with LED technology, while iconic “L”shaped arrowhead Daytime Running Lights (DRL) extend outside the headlight element for a distinctive look that links it with other Lexus models. Also, redesigned fog lamp areas have been relocated to the outer lower corners of the front fascia and amplify the vehicle’s wide stance.

The Lexus ES will be available in 10 exterior colours including four new colours: Sonic Quartz, Graphite Black GF, Amber C.S. and Deep Blue MC. All the 10 colours were carefully selected to reflect the ES’ dynamic surface and are developed through a multi-stage paint process that gives Lexus models their deep, jewel-like lustre.

Always in pursuit of optimal luxury, Lexus has made numerous upgrades to the 2016 Lexus ES’ already comfortable cabin. New interior colours and colour coordination, soft-touch materials on the console and silver-trimmed

a new safety system called the ‘Lexus

Piano Black door switch plates are among the enhanced details that give the interior a richer appearance. A total of four colours are available including two refreshed colours; Ivory and Black, with two newly added Topaz Brown and Moon Stone colours.

The new steering wheel has a sportier look and feel, and allows the driver to easily view the large multi-information display that links to multimedia functions. A new shift knob with a leather boot is also available. The 2016 Lexus ES’ luxurious spirit is further enriched with the standard 10-way adjustable power front seats, cushion length adjustment switch for the driver seat, automatic climate control, NuLuxe perforated upholstery, a power tilt-and-slide moon roof and power-adjustable outside mirrors with turn signals.

To complement this striking new design, two 17-inch wheels with directional spoke patterns have been developed. A multiplane machined 20-spoke wheel in a metallic dark grey colour is also available as an option.

Exemplary safety Starting with 12 standard airbags, the Lexus ES offers exemplary safety through its robust structure and a wide array of driver-assist technologies. For 2016, the new available Lexus Safety System+ Package combines Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with Steering Assist, Automatic High Beam System (AHB) and High-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC).

The High-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control tracks the speed

B5

of the vehicle traveling ahead and can adjust the speed setting accordingly to help maintain a preset distance. Should a vehicle enter or exit the lane or highway, the system responds with smooth acceleration and deceleration control.

PCS can detect vehicles – and in certain conditions, pedestrians – by using a combination of millimeter-wave radar and a frontfacing camera. The system can warn the driver of a possible collision and can initiate automatic braking with Brake Assist if necessary. Using a camera to detect visible lane markings, the LDA will convey audio-visual alerts and vibrate the steering wheel if the systems determine that the driver unintentionally deviated from the lane. LDA, with Steering Assist enabled, can help the vehicle stay in the centre of its lane by smoothly increasing steering torque to the required amount to assist in maintaining course.

Also available on the Lexus ES is AHB technology that senses headlights from oncoming traffic, and also the taillights of the vehicle travelling in front, and automatically adjusts high- and low-beam illumination. The optional Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) helps detect vehicles in side blind spots and alert the driver to rear cross traffic when backing out of a parking space.

In Oman every Lexus vehicle comes with special benefits and privileges such as six years unlimited extended mileage protection and Lexus Prestige Club Card that offers 24 hours on-road assistance from AAA.

EXPERIENCED

InterCon appoints new hotel manager MUSCAT: Michael Jabbour has been appointed as Hotel Manager at the InterContinental Muscat.

Michael is a seasoned hospitality professional with over 18 years of experience in Rooms Division with key strengths in Guest Satisfaction, Loyalty Rewards and Quality & Continuous Management, says a press release.

He first joined IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) in 2000 at InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut and later on moved to InterContinental Aqaba, Jordan in the Front Office Department where he rose through the ranks and became the front office manager and acting director of rooms within few years.

He joined Crowne Plaza Dubai Sheikh Zayed Road in 2011 as front office manager then was later promoted as rooms division manager. During his tenure, he has consistently achieved targets in his department. He was also in charge of quality and con-

tinuous improvement and introduced best practices to improve IHG Rewards targets, with this achievements he was appointed as IHG Loyalty Rewards Programme leader for UAE by the corporate office.

He has attended various workshops and awarded as ‘Second best seller worldwide for SCC (Six Continents Club) programme’ in 2001.

H E A LT H C A R E

Specialised gastroenterology services available at Al Raffah MUSCAT: The Department of Gastroenterology in Al Raffah Hospital has always been the front-runner in bringing affordable and safe gastroenterology practices to the Omani populace.

The department has been growing steadily over the past five years and offers full range of services like Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, ERCP, EUS, EMR, Capsule Endoscopy, etc. The department has a full time senior consultant gastroenterologist and Medical Director, Dr Ashik Sainu Mohiyadeen, and Dr Hisham Al Dhahab, senior consultant endosonologist and gastroenterologist at Royal Hospital who is a part of the team on a part time basis, says a press release.

“Recent studies have shown that 30 per cent of the Omani population is over-weight and 20 per cent is obese. However an increased awareness of this fact has brought patients seeking solutions to our hospital,” said Seeniya Biju, COO of Al Raffah Hospital.

“We recommend the use of Gastric Balloon for obese patients and we have successfully inserted the bio-enteric balloon for over 200 patients,” said Dr Ashik Sainu.

The procedure is reversible and helps to reduce stomach

RECOGNITION

volume. Typically the balloon is placed for 6-8 months and patients are also advised on diet and exercise to obtain maximum results.

“I had undergone the gastric balloon procedure under the care of Dr Ashik Sainu and I was very happy with the results. I lost almost 30kg in 5 months. The doctor and his team were very supportive and motivating. I would recommend this procedure to others as it is pain-free and completely reversible and with good results,” said Zainab Al Balushi, a patient at Al Raffah Hospital.

Morbidly obese patients who are awaiting surgery are also suitable candidates for this procedure.

“A recent addition to the area is the re-adjustable balloon.

Earlier, once the balloon was inserted into the stomach its size could not be adjusted. The new balloon allows this modification and this helps us to get better results. These balloons can be placed in the stomach for almost 12 months,” said Dr Ashik.

With the rise in obesity-related diseases in Oman the solution offered by the gastroenterology team in Al Raffah Hospital is simple, affordable and tailor- made for each patient.

APPOINTMENT

Zubair Corporation gets Innovative Management certification MUSCAT: The Zubair Corporation, Oman’s leading business conglomerate, has become the first organisation in the region to be certified as an Innovative Management certified organisation.

It has also become the first company to certify all its key leaders across the group in Innovation Management, says a press release.

The Zubair Corporation was certified by the renowned US based Global Innovation Management Institute (GIM Institute), which is a nonprofit standard certification board for Innovation and Innovation Management.

The Zubair Corporation group had recently held a ‘Innovation Certification Programme’ for its executive management and operational heads conducted by the GIM Institute.

The Innovation Certification Programme’ was organised in view of the challenges of the current market situation. To survive competition in this ever-evolving market scenario, affected by factors like customer knowledge, diverse investments opportunities, cutting-edge products and services, the need to be equipped with new capabilities are imperative. Above all, the need for more innovative ideas to keep businesses afloat is significant.

The Zubair Corporation holds in high esteem its core business values where it encourages unlocking and creating values through innovative solutions that drive its businesses with a competitive edge.

The group realises that to be an innovative organisation it will require to first of all improve its capabilities and competencies. Therefore, the group decided to achieve such competencies by collaborat-

New pastry chef joins Grand Hyatt ing with a highly recognised institute like the GIM Institute.

GIM Institute’s worldwide advocacy for making innovation a professional business discipline is reinforced by their globally recognised standards and certification programme, extensive academic programmes, communities of practice, and professional development opportunities.

“Over 200 Fortune 500 companies have participated in developing competencies in innovation based on the innovation frameworks and processes of GIM Institute,” according to the company’s website.

To help move The Zubair Corporation from the current stage to an even greater height the company decided to partner with a renowned institute like the GIM Institute. The Zubair Corporation wants its employees to develop a mastery of innovation through the structured frameworks and processes of GIM Institute.

The sessions were attended by top level management and by those managing the critical assets of the Zubair Corporation.

This initiative will help The Zubair group not only to come with a set of ideas to be more efficient, but it will also strengthen and drive the growth of the organisation.

Objective The Zubair Corporation believes that high performance innovation competence is put together through experiential learning. The aim of conducting the ‘Innovation Certification Programme’ was also to introduce the processes across the group of companies. The objective was also to adapt a clear strategy map on how to move forward and how the group can adapt innovation as system at The Zubair Corporation.

With the Zubair Corporation keen on creating a culture of innovation, the company wants innovation which is a shared value of

the company to be reflected across all levels within the group.

The Zubair Corporation has plans to do it in a specific way and stages.In the first stage, which has been already achieved, they have enlightened the participants about innovation and measured the level of innovation the group is at right now. The Zubair Corporation is elated that it is among the first organisation in the region to be recognised as an innovative management organisation by the GIM Institute. All those who participated in the programme have also received their certificates.

Stage two would develop the way forward and The Zubair Corporation has included this in its competencies framework. It has been decided that innovation will be a culture.

The group will try to make sure that everyone within every level of management have been trained to have capability to be innovative in their own department or within

their business function.

To encourage all the employees within the organisation to be innovative, this process will be aligned to a reward and recognition system. It believes the reward and recognition system will drive them to be innovative.

The group is looking at passing on the innovation knowledge, skills and best practices to all management level across the group. The company is working on an innovative management strategy. While the innovative culture is important to the group, setting up a clear strategic process is the main objective.

Elevating competencies and injecting the team with management skills required to handle innovation is another strategy goal.

The Zubair Corporation is committed to innovation, not only because it is one of its core values but because it believes it is the only way to maintain its leadership position within the industries while creating value to stakeholders.

MUSCAT: Robert Schielke, a German national, joined Grand Hyatt Muscat as Pastry Chef in December 2015.

Schielke came from Hyatt Regency Istanbul, where he had worked as Pastry Chef since December 2014. He began his career with Hyatt in 2006 as Commis Chef at Park Hyatt Zurich, before transferring to Hyatt Regency Kiev in 2008. It was in Kiev that his culinary journey gained momentum, as he was named Chef de Partie before being promoted to Pastry Chef in 2013, says a press release.

Having been with the company from the start of his career, Chef Schielke has gained immense experience over the years. “I am excited to be joining my colleagues in Oman, and I look forward to creating decadent desserts and indulgent treats with my signature touch,” he said.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

ROUND-UP

Danube Group launches new game-changing home solution Spanish technology will convert part of the living room into a bedroom at night, offering greater convenience to homeowners to accommodate guests and ensure more living space, with less investment

MUSCAT: Danube Group, a Dubai-based diversified conglomerate with interests in real estate, building materials and interior products, has unveiled a new living concept that creates more life space – by turning one bedroom into two at night – within a limited household and offers greater comfort and convenience to upwardly mobile families.

The new technology-enabled home solution will be part of Danube Properties’ new project – the Ritz – a Dh300 million new development being planned in Al Furjan neighbourhood in Jebel Ali area of Dubai that is in close proximity to Dubai South, the Dh120 billion 140-square kilometre mixed-use development, that will host Al Maktoum International Airport and the World Expo 2020, says a press release.

Danube has partnered with a Spanish home technology solu-

tions provider that will install a sofa-cum-bed in the living room with the bed tucked into the wall as part of the interior home décor with a sofa set. The bed, when released from the wall, gradually falls on the ground as a bed, ready to sleep in. Additionally, the collapsible doors provide quick and easy space division for privacy.

The unit comes as part of a fully-furnished home offering – the Ritz – by Danube Properties which is bundling out the solutions for as low as Dh430,000 for a studio flat with a one-per cent monthly payment plan that is convenient to the end-users. The 1% payment plan allows buyers to only pay 52% of the total value before the possession and the rest 48% will be paid in convenient EMIs. “We are bringing the latest home technology to our customers at a time when consumers are

looking for more with less – something that we have been doing for sometimes with our Glitz project,” Rizwan Sajan, founder and chairman of Danube Group, said while launching the project.

“This takes our famous ‘One per cent monthly payment’ concept to the next level where we are doubling our offer with the same one per cent payment.

“Besides, our fully-furnished package deal that comes with the home – reduces the extra burden of looking for matching furniture and amenities. With this, we are offering a ‘one-stop’ home services so that the home owner can walk in to the new home to use everything straight away.”

The Ritz is Danube Properties third major project after Dreamz and the Glitz trio – and takes the total value of the group’s real estate portfolio to Dh1.5 billion.

Ritz offers 450 apartments including 180 studios, 135 one-bed-

SOCIAL COMMITMENT

decades of business.

Danube Properties’ new launch comes amid a softening of the luxury property market in Dubai, which will add 1 million people in the next five years to its population of 2.4 million. The move reflects a company culture to defy the odds and expand business when others wait and see.

“Real estate is a long term business and I am a firm believer of the long-term sustainability of Dubai’s economy which is very resilient,” explains Rizwan Sajan on the timing of the property launch.

“Besides, a moderate approach to Dubai’s economic and demographic expansion shows that the emirate will need 18,000 new homes per year for the next five years to accommodate the 1 million new consumers, all of whom will need accommodation. The current supply of 12,000-13,000 per annum falls well below the anticipated demand. Besides, more than 80 per cent of Dubai’s population live in rented homes – many of whom can afford to buy properties to live or rent out.

With property prices coming down to a more realistic level that are becoming attractive to the end-users, we see the possibility of a large-scale migration to home ownership, from rental homes.

“We believe, our new offerings will stimulate families with a household incomes of Dh15,00025,000 to buy homes as opposed

to stay in rented apartments and insulate themselves from the rent-related inflation that might eat into their savings by the time Expo 2020 rush creeps in.”

With Dubai’s property prices remaining lower compared to global hub cities such as London, Mumbai, Singapore and Hong Kong, the new low-price environment offers a great opportunity for consumers to benefit from not only the asset but the price appreciation of the asset when delivered.

“The current economic environment offers perhaps the best opportunity for home buyers as well as investors,” Sajan explains.

“First, the home buyers will be able to save them from the increased high rent in Dubai that will affect their savings. Besides, the apartment will command higher value and rent – in case the home-owner wants to sell or rent out. Either way, you are guaranteed higher returns.”

Dubai offers one of the highest rental yields of 8-10 per cent in the worst case scenario. In most cases, the value addition leads to a rental yield of around 10-12 per cent – which means an end-user spends 10-12 per cent of the home price in yearly rent.

“If the rents are converted into monthly or yearly instalments to pay for the homes, most Dubai’s residents will be able to own a home in Dubai,” Sajan says.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Al Hilal supports Association for Children with Disabilities MUSCAT: In demonstrating its commitment to supporting those in need, ahlibank’s Islamic window - Al Hilal Islamic Banking, supported the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities.

The support in the form of a donation was handed over to Sabah Al Bahlani, CEO of the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities by Mohammed Al Harthy, head of Islamic Branches, Al Hilal Islamic Banking services, says a press release.

Commenting on the donation, Lloyd Maddock, CEO of ahlibank stated, “It our pleasure to provide support to the Association of Early Intervention for Children.

“This initiative is aligned with our many on-going social activities that place us at the heart of the local community. It brings to light our commitment to corporate social responsibility and our dedication to community service, through a continuous support and sponsorship of several similar associations. Especially those that aspire to support children with disabilities develop their talents and facilitate their integration into the community.”

room and 135 two bedrooms with built-in modular kitchen, furniture and complete bathroom fittings by Milano – Danube’s Italian bath solutions.

In addition to these, Ritz homes come with health club, sauna, jacuzzi, tennis court, car parking, basketball court, badminton court, paddle tennis court, swimming pool, health club, jogging track and party hall.

“The new home solution will appeal to new couples and small families who are on the move and wants a cosy, ready-made home with fitted in furniture and amenities as well as give them enough space to entertain and host guests and friends over the weekend.

Since we can’t expand the space at home, we found a better way to utilise it by the use of innovative technology,” Sajan adds.

“The move reflects our focus on the end-users and their comfort as well as comes as a fitting tribute to the ‘Year of Innovation’ where the UAE’s leadership is looking at stimulating innovation and technology to fuel the country’s economic growth as we move forward.”

Danube, which started in 1993 as a building materials supplier, has transformed itself into a large corporation offering 25,000 types of building materials, interiors and home solution products. In 2013, the company ventured into real estate as it completed two

“ahlibank and Al Hilal Islamic Banking services’s operations have always been governed by a spirit of social solidarity and direct interaction with the Omani society, providing moral and financial support to various underprivileged segments in the community,” elaborated Abdullah Al Jabri, general manager, Al Hilal Islamic Banking Services.

Since its inception ahlibank and Al Hilal Islamic Banking Services have shown a strong commitment towards their corporate responsibility and involvement in the community.

The bank has always acted and encouraged in Corporate Social Responsibility related activities as well as activities related to general causes.

MSM instals trading dashboard at SU MUSCAT: In its move towards sustainable community engagements, Muscat Securities Market (MSM) installed a trading dashboard at Sohar University (SU) recently.

The dashboard was installed in a dedicated dealing room on the premises of the Faculty of Business of Sohar University. The major aim of this initiative is to increase the awareness of investments in equity markets among the Omani youth and to equip them with the basic knowledge and skills of trading in shares and related transactions, says a press release.

The trading system will display live information about bidding and asking prices, trading volumes, opening and closing prices of the stocks for the companies listed in MSM, during the trading hours. The initiative will support the continuing process in the development of the securities market, and will provide information and financial data relating to the performance of the market and all listed companies directly to investors through a highly advanced electronic trading system from Atos Euronext France.

“Sohar University’s Faculty of Business is very proud to be the recipient of this important equipment, which will be used not only

for the education and training of our students, but also will be open to the visiting secondary school pupils and community groups, as our support for the better financial literacy in Northern Oman,” said Professor Zeljko Sevic, the Dean of the Business Faculty.

“Sohar University has over 6,000 students, with over 1,000 studying at the Business Faculty, which promises heavy use of the dealing/trading room, where our staff will be available for consultation and advice,” added Mowafaq Al Nusair, the Coordinator of Accounting Programme.

Al Nusair expressed this gratitude, stressing that this is just one of many collaborative ventures between two organisations, and reaffirmed the faculty’s readiness to engage with the businesses and participate in the community initiatives.

“Faculty of Business at Sohar University is committed to become a leading Omani business school known for business and community engagement and applied business research,” reiterated Professor Sevic.

On the other hand, Read Al Hooti, the manager of Information and Awareness Department in MSM stated that MSM is looking to organise the Muscat Securities Market Forum in an annual basis to inculcate investment culture and savings among students in higher education in the Sultanate and the belief of their importance in the Omani labour market, adding that the organisation of the forum at Sohar University will be through the engagement of students of the Faculty of Business as a building block towards achieving their aspirations and interests.

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KR supports online photography contest

RECOGNITION

Key Nissan models for 2016 awarded top IIHA safety designations The company gave away three Nikon cameras as first, second and third prizes, as well as 200 gift vouchers to be redeemed at its Aalami store at Oman Avenues Mall

MUSCAT: In keeping with efforts to encourage and promote local talent, the Khimji Ramdas Group supported one of the largest and most prominent online photography contests in Oman – Sablat

Oman Photography Contest partnered with Nikon from Khimjis.

The company gave away three Nikon cameras as first, second and third prizes as well as 200 gift vouchers to be redeemed at

its Aalami store at Oman Avenues Mall. Additionally, winners of the contest were also given free photography training from Nikon School, says a press release.

Akshay from Nikon, Dubai Area Manager was invited to distribute the gifts to the winners.

Commenting on the event, Nailesh Khimji, director, KR said, “We are happy to be part of an event that aims at developing and promoting youth potential. As a ‘People Power Company’ we remain focused on grooming the talent of our national cadre and help them find their niche in today’s world.”

Rohit Shah, general manger, KR Lifestyle Division said, “We

are happy to once again represent Nikon at local events where audiences can appreciate the full product range of the brand.

“It is also an excellent opportunity for Oman’s talented photographers to interact with experts from Nikon and benefit from their knowledge and expertise.”

Among the judges on the panel were Cesar Julius V. Parroco Jr., Nikon Middle East FZE Instructor - Technical and Web Communications. Rajive Ahuja and Ayman Hamza from KR Corporate Communications, Pradeep Mangalam, Syed Moizuddin, Jayakumar Nair from Luxury and Life style division attended the event.

ONE OF ITS KIND

Land Rover ‘Defender 2,000,000’ sells for $600,000 at charity auction

MUSCAT: A one-of-a-kind Land Rover Defender sold for $600,000 at a prestigious charity auction at Bonhams, from which all proceeds are being donated to Land Rover’s humanitarian and conservation partners, says a press release.

The unique vehicle, the twomillionth of the iconic Series Land Rover and Defender models to be manufactured at Land Rover’s Solihull plant which opened in 1948,was sold to a bidder from Qatar. The vehicle was built in May 2015 by an all-star cast of brand ambassadors and people from Land Rover’s history including Bear Grylls, Virginia McKenna OBE and Stephen and Nick Wilks, sons of the founders of Land Rover.

All proceeds from the sale will be donated to Land Rover’s humanitarian and conservation partners; the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), who will use the donation to help communities in South-East Nepalto improve how they tackle natural disasters, and the Born Free Foundation who plan to use the funds to support the ‘Project

Lion Rover’ wildlife conservation initiative in Meru National Park, Kenya. The project provides critical equipment to help protect lions and other wildlife and establishes education and community involvement to tackle issues such as snaring and poaching.

Attendee Joanna Lumley, Founder Patron of international wildlife charity the Born Free Foundation expressed the importance of donations in the work they do worldwide to save lives, stop suffering and protect species in the wild: “To raise such a substantial amount with the sale of one vehicle is phenomenal.

Without the support of the public and partners such as Land Rover, we would not be able to effectively make a positive change to the world as we know it.”

Born Free Foundation Founder and Trustee Virginia McKenna OBE said: “Despite seriously lacking mechanical skills, I was given the great privilege of attaching the number plates to this very special Defender. Land Rover has been in our lives since 1964, when my husband Bill and I went to Kenya to film ‘Born Free’. Each day we went out in our vehicle with George

Adamson and a lion; out on to the plains for our early morning walk.

We are delighted that the money raised from today’s auction will help Born Free’s work with wildlife in the Meru area of Kenya.”

Mike Adamson, chief executive of The British Red Cross said: “We are extremely grateful to Land Rover for so generously donating half the proceeds of the sale of this one-off vehicle towards our work in Nepal.

“The Red Cross has used Defenders in humanitarian work and relief efforts in the UK and around the world since the early 1950s and have benefited from Land Rover’s support on many occasions through vehicle donations and loans.

“This vitally important project in Nepal – the 18th supported by Land Rover - will improve the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people and communities.”

John Edwards, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations, who oversaw the build of the car, said: “Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to turn a milestone Land Rover into a true collector’s car. With the expert help of my SVO team and a

handful of willing Land Rover ambassadors, we created something unique and very special.

“The sale will go down as part of our history. Of course, Defender has a future and will live on in its own right. But the original Series Land Rovers and Defenders will also continue to thrive through our Jaguar Land Rover Heritage division.”

The vehicle, built as part of a year of celebrations for the much loved 4x4 which will cease manufacturing in Solihull in January 2016, boasts a host of distinctive and bespoke finishing features including an engraved map of Red Wharf Bay - where the design for the original Land Rover was first drawn in the sand and a unique ‘no 2,000,000’ badge.

Inside, the leather seats also feature the ‘Red Wharf Bay’ graphic and ‘no 2,000,000’ logos have been stitched on the headrests. A bespoke aluminium plaque, signed by everyone who helped to assemble the vehicle is fitted to the driver’s seat. Special S90 HUE registration plates provide a fitting tribute to the first ever pre-production Land Rover, registration ‘HUE 166’.

DUBAI: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recognised four Nissan vehicles with Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) or Top Safety Pick (TSP) designations for 2016. These latest announcements underscore Nissan’s commitment to continuous improvement to passenger safety across its entire lineup, says a press release.

IIHS awarded the all-new 2016 Nissan Maxima a ‘Top Safety Pick Plus’ (TSP+)safety rating, which is the group’s highest designation.

The 2016 Nissan Maxima joins the previously announced 2016 Murano with the TSP+ rating. The Maxima scored “Good” in all five TSP categories and earned TSP+ status with a “Superior” rating for front crash prevention for those models equipped with Forward Emergency Braking.

The 2016 Nissan Sentra joins the 2016 Rogue in earning an IIHS “Top Safety Pick” rating. The2016 Sentra will offer Forward Emergency Braking. Once that system is tested by IIHS the Sentra has the potential to be upgraded to a TSP+ rating. Nissan’s top selling 2016 Altima will undergo IIHS testing this month with the possibility of achieving a TSP+ rating as well.

“Nissan is proud to again have our core vehicles recognised by IIHS for vehicle safety,” said Pierre Loing, vice president, Product Strategy and Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. “The new Maxima, like the Murano, is setting high standards in its class for styling, performance and interior refinement. The 2016 Nissan Rogue and Sentra demonstrate Nissan’s commitment to high quality and safety standards, and we are gratified that these outstanding vehicles have been recognised for excellent design.”

For this year, IIHS has tightened

its standards by requiring a “Good” or better rating in all five of the crashworthiness categories to earn a ‘Top Safety Pick’ and making an available front crash prevention system mandatory for all awards. To earn the IIHS ‘Top Safety Pick Plus’ designation, a vehicle must earn a ‘Good’ or better on all five crashworthiness categories and also receive an ‘Advanced’ or ‘Superior’ rating for front crash prevention.

Standard safety and security features on all 2016 Maxima trim levels include the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System with supplemental front air bags with seatbelt and occupant classification sensors; front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags; roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags with rollover sensor for front and rear-seat outboard occupant head protection; front seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters and adjustable upper anchors; and LATCH System.

Every Maxima also offers child safety rear door locks; Zone Body construction featuring front an drear crumple zones and occupant zone; Nissan Immobiliser system and anti-theft alarm system. Maxima offers a variety of advanced technologies that are standard on three trim levels include intelligent cruise control, blind spot warning, class-exclusive predictive forward collision warning, forward emergency braking, and rear cross traffic alert.

Maxima offers Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection system that features four small superwide-angle cameras mounted on the front, sides and rear of the vehicle that provide a “bird’s eye” virtual 360° view around the vehicle.

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Bank Muscat to announce winners of al Mazyona OMR1.5 million prize The 2015 al Mazyona savings scheme was structured on the theme of ‘45’ — reflecting the Sultanate’s 45 years of Renaissance under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, is all set to announce 2015 al Mazyona year-end big prizes totalling OMR1.5 million to be shared by 15 winners.

The 2015 al Mazyona savings scheme offered the biggest prize money of OMR9 million in Oman and the region, says a press release.

Customers maintaining a minimum monthly balance of OMR1,000

are eligible for the special prize draw offering OMR100,000 each for 15 winners, including one asalah Priority banking customer. The higher the balance, higher the chances to win.

In all, there will be 5 winners from Muscat, 2 winners from Batinah, 2 winners from Dakhliyah+ Al Wusta, 1 winner from Dhahira, 1 winner from Buraimi+ Musandam, 1 winner from Dhofar and 2 winners from Sharqiyah, in addition to one asalah Priority banking customer.

The 2015 al Mazyona savings scheme was structured on the thematic ‘45’ reflecting the Sultanate’s 45 years of Renaissance under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The cam-

paign was immensely successful in reaching out to people with the ‘Save more, Dream big’ call to action, guaranteeing more for everyone to share in the biggest prize money in Oman and the region.

With attractive weekly, monthly, special and year-end grand prizes totalling OMR9 million, the Sultanate’s flagship savings scheme was designed to offer highvalue prizes throughout the year to maximum number of customers, the climax being the grand yearend prize offering OMR1.5 million to be shared by 15 winners.

Bank Muscat attaches great importance to inculcating prudent savings and spending habits and has tailored al Mazyona with this objective in mind. The bank un-

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

derstands customer expectations and big prize money is not the only way by which al Mazyona seeks to transform the lives of prudent savers. al Mazyona is targeted to accommodate all segments, including asalah Priority banking, al Jawhar Privilege banking, ladies, youth, children and customers in all regions, thereby inculcating prudent savings habit among citizens who are responsible for the development of Oman.

The underlying principle of the scheme is that the greater the deposit balance, the higher the chances of rewards. Customers can win more by saving more with Bank Muscat. al Mazyona savings scheme reflects innovative customer seg-

mentation based on two principles — region and demographics — ensuring a higher winning chance to all customers across the Sultanate.

Winning with al Mazyona has never been simpler as customers are not required to block their money or wait for a long time to win big prizes.

Over the years, al Mazyona has succeeded in inculcating a strong savings culture in Oman. The objective of al Mazyona is to create a lifetime change for winners and allow them to invest the prize money in things that will make a lasting difference and the well-being of their families. The flexible scheme makes regular saving easier and is available across the largest network of branches in Oman.

S T R E N G T H E N S I N T E R NAT I O NA L C O N N E C T I V I T Y

Bank Sohar continues its support to Oman Down Syndrome Association MUSCAT: Expanding the reach of its on-going Corporate Social Responsibility programmes, Bank Sohar extended its support to the Oman Down Syndrome Association (ODSA).

Following their endorsement of the association which organised the Down Syndrome World Day 2015 celebration held earlier this year in Barka, this contribution will fund the purchase of equipment supporting children’s activities at the association and computers to facilitate members’ daily tasks, says a press release.

The donation cheque was handed over at Bank Sohar head office to Ayesha Ahmed Al Raisi, Assistant of Chairman’s of Oman Down Syndrome Association, by Munira Abdulnabi Macki, the GM of HR and Corporate Support at Bank Sohar.

Commenting on the rationale behind this donation, Munira commented, “A community is made whole only when each and every members has access to the same opportunities. At Bank Sohar, our corporate social responsibility focus guides us towards understanding that each and every child is a vital part of our community and therefore cannot be neglected. We are glad to be in a position to support the excellent work done by Oman Down Syndrome Association and look forward to our continued association over the years.”

Thanking Bank Sohar, Ahmed Mohammed Al Jabri, chairman of Oman Down Syndrome Asso-

ciation ODSA said, “According to the research we have at hand, approximately 1 in 380 new-borns in Oman are diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome. It is our belief that children with the syndrome are perfectly capable individuals’ and only need additional attention from parents and care givers.

“At the association, we can provide speech therapy, physiotherapy, sign language (for the very young of whom are unable to communicate otherwise) and other forms of development training to ensure that the children grow up amidst a caring environment, feeling self-confident and assured. We are constantly in need of funding and volunteers to support our cause. We are grateful to Bank Sohar, firstly on supporting the rebranding launch of the association in March this year and

now towards purchasing essential equipment. We would also like to urge other private and government organisations to follow their lead by focusing their attention on notfor-profit causes.”

Down’s Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is a naturally occurring genetic disorder caused by all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. The syndrome usually causes varying degrees of intellectual and physical disabilities and associated medical issues, and is also associated with growth delays and typical physical appearances. It is universally present across racial, gender or socio-economic lines and there are just over 1,400 affected children living in different parts of the Sultanate according to ODSA. The Oman Down Syndrome Association, previously known as the Down Syndrome parents

support group was formed in 2003 and is the only group in Oman where children receive specialist help and parents meet to exchange ideas/experience for their children’s development. The group works under the umbrella of the Association for Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs in Azaiba.

Bank Sohar strives to ensure that its contributions are carefully planned and evaluated in order to diversify and reach out to the maximum number of people, especially those in most need of it, offering recipients positive support to make a meaningful change. In addition to the Oman Down Syndrome Association, Bank Sohar has also supported several other organisations and their activities in the current year including the Child Care Center, Oman Cancer Association, Association for the Welfare of Handicapped Children, the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities, Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired, Al Amal Association, Al Rahma Charity Team, Dar Al Atta’a, Al Wafa Centre for Rehabilitation Children with Disabilities, Omani Bahjah Orphan Society, Oman Association for the Disabled – Muscat and Sohar Branches, Oman Hereditary Blood Disorder Association, Al Noor Association for the Blind – Muscat, Dhofar and Nizwa branches, and Omani Association Elderly Friends – North Sharqiya Branch, Muscat Branch.

C O L L A B O R AT I V E I N I T I AT I V E

Franklin University faculty to boost academic quality at MCBS MUSCAT: In line with its commitment to provide a world-class, broad-based academic environment to its ambitious students, Modern College of Business and Science (MCBS) has entered into an agreement with its partner institution, Franklin University, under which international subject experts from the university will deliver lectures to undergraduate students at Modern College throughout the current academic year.

This is the latest in a series of collaborative initiatives between Franklin University and Modern College aimed at enriching its academic environment, says a press release.

Modern College started its academic partnership with the Franklin University way back in 2011, with the launch of a Master’s programme in Business Administration (MBA). The MBA programme

is being delivered jointly by faculty members from the two institutions. Now, undergraduate students too stand to benefit significantly from Franklin University faculty’s international expertise, under the new agreement on academic cooperation.

International exposure “Every month the college will host a faculty member from Franklin University, who will be delivering a series of lectures on their subject of expertise with a view to enhancing the academic quality of various programmes. The programme also aims at providing Modern College students a truly international exposure,” said Dr Khalfan Al Asmi, associate Dean at the Modern College.

“The faculty members from Franklin University will be handling subjects in accordance with

the programme syllabus, but the value addition lies in their wealth of experience at a global level, which enhances the overall quality of the programme at the Modern College,” he added.

So far four experts from Franklin University have visited the Modern College: Dr Brenda Jones delivered lectures on strategic management, while Dr Garry McDaniel focused on Human Resources. Prof Theresa Potter and Dr James Pierson lectured on international marketing and accounting respectively.

Visiting professors from Franklin University not only teach the students at Modern College, but share their vast teaching and research experience with colleagues at the college through exclusive seminars and working sessions.

According to Prof Theresa Potter, the whole experience is mutually

beneficial. “I was very pleased to encounter students who were so eager to learn from the experience and knowledge of instructors from the US They welcomed the learning style and appreciated the industry experience of Franklin University professors. It is a privilege to have an exchange of viewpoints and engage in dialogue that further enriches the academic experience,” she commented.

The faculty team at Modern College is one of the most diverse in the Sultanate. As many as 53 academics belonging to 18 diverse nationalities (Algeria, America, India, Pakistan, British, Greece, Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Syria, Serbia, Tunisia, Ukraine and Turkey) currently serve at the college, giving a truly international character to the academic environment at the Modern College.

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN. Ensure proper disposal of garbage.

Emirates to launch daily service to Cebu and Clark in Philippines DUBAI: Emirates will launch a daily circular service from Dubai to Cebu (CEB) and Clark (CRK) in the Philippines, starting March 30, 2016.

Utilising a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, this new route will strengthen international connectivity to two of the Philippines’ fastest-growing international hubs, says a press release.

The island of Cebu lies in Visayas, one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, located on Cebu’s Mactan Island, is the second busiest airport in the Philippines, after Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Cebu is one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines, and continues to evolve as a key hub for furniture-making, business processing services and heavy industry.

With Cebu and the surrounding islands’ rich tourism offering, which includes white sandy beaches and picturesque diving spots, central Visayas attracted a total of 1.6 million foreign tourists last year. Cebu is also an ideal base for exploring the nearby Chocolate Hills of Bohol and idyllic islands such as Boracay.

Clark is based in Pampanga, a province in the Central Luzon region in the Philippines and a well-known hub for business processing services and tourism.

Pampanga is served by Clark International Airport which is in Clark Freeport Zone, a redevelopment of the former Clark Air Base, previously a United States Air Force base in the Philippines.

“With the opening of this service, Emirates will enhance the choice for travellers in the Philippines, who will be able to conveniently connect to 39 cities in Europe, 16 in the Middle East as well as a number of destinations across our extensive network in Africa and the Americas, including Panama from February 1,” said Thierry Antinori, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Emirates.

“This new service will help to enhance the Philippines’ trade

links with the rest of the world and boost incoming tourism, supporting the Department of Tourism’s ‘Visit the Philippines Again 2016’ campaign. It will also expand travel options for Filipinos from the Central Luzon region as well as the Visayas region and offer more flexibility for overseas workers departing Philippines or looking for options to fly home,” he added.

The two-class configured Boeing 777-300ER which Emirates will operate on the route offers 42 seats in Business Class and 386 seats in Economy Class. In terms of cargo, up to 14 tonnes of capacity will be offered in the bellyhold on this service. Popular Philippine exports on this route are expected to be perishables, such as dairy products, fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood and electronic equipment.

Emirates flights to Cebu and Clark will depart daily from Dubai as EK338 at 02:55hrs arriving at Mactan–Cebu International Airport at 15:50hrs. The service will then depart from Cebu at 17:25hrs and arrive at Clark International Airport at 18:45hrs. The return flight will depart Clark at 20:20hrs, arriving at Dubai International Airport at 01:25hrs the next day.

Timings of the new service have been scheduled to allow for seamless connections to many European and GCC routes, via a convenient stopover in Dubai.

Passengers travelling on Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER will be able to enjoy the airline’s awardwinning ice system with more than 500 channels of on-demand entertainment to choose from, including Filipino movies and music. Emirates flights to and from the Philippines also cater to the needs of the Filipino market with Filipino-speaking cabin crew on board, and inflight cuisine options with popular Filipino dishes. As with all Emirates flights, passengers travelling on the Cebu and Clark service will enjoy the generous Emirates baggage allowance of 30kg in Economy Class and 40kg in Business Class.

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ICC top curator gives thumbs-up to Oman Cricket infrastructure The positive nod came from Tony Hemming, the head curator of the International Cricket Council Global Cricket Academy, who said the facilities at Al Amerat ‘can be developed into one of world’s best’

T.K. MOHANDOSS sportseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: It’s thumbs-up for the Oman Cricket-developed Ministry of Sports Affairs (MOSA) ground at Al Amerat, which has been spruced up for the newly launched Premier League.

The positive nod came from Tony Hemming, the head curator of the International Cricket Council Global Cricket Academy, who also developed the Dubai International Stadium ground, which now hosts international cricket of all formats.

Hemming is satisfied with the ground conditions in Al Amerat, which now boasts of ten pitches on the Ministry of Sports Affairs (MOSA) Ground 1.

“Things look perfect to me as of now. Future depends on the consistency of maintenance,” he said in a brief chat with Times Sport.

Asked whether he was involved with the ground development in Oman, Hemming replied in affirmative. “I have been in touch with the Khimji Ramdas construction company, Proscape and the local curator, and they have done a wonderful job,” he said.

“Initially I provided them with a Power Point presentation to educate them on pitch and ground development, and to show them how it is being developed world wide,” he added.

“These pitches need to be tested consistently to keep it running in harsh climatic conditions as well and to add measured watering is also important,” he claimed.

Hemming advised the Oman Cricket to obtain Clegg Hammer, an instrument which measures the quality of pitches and the use of rollers.

Hemming also expressed satisfaction on the pitches. “I tested them by dropping an old ball from a height and found the bounce true.

I think the matches to be played in the coming weeks will give a true picture,” he said.

Play judiciously Hemming also was against overus-

SATISFIED EXPERT: Head curator of the International Cricket Council Global Cricket Academy Tony Hemming, fourth from right, poses for a group photo along with the Oman Cricket officials and groundsmen at MOSA Ground in Al Amerat. Right, the curator checks on an equipment.

Oman Cricket Premier League matches begin from Friday MUSCAT: Oman Cricket’s Premier League, an improved version of the current A Division League, will take off on Friday at the refurbished MOSA Ground in Al Amerat.

The new event will be played on a double league format with the matches to be played in both limited overs format — 50 oversa-side as well as Twenty20s.

Eight teams, including all-Omani outfit OCT Muscat A, and new entrant Sinha CT along with Raha CT, Muscat CT, Al Turki NMC, Assarain CT, Passage To India, Enhance CT A will participate in the league.

For the first time in the history of Oman Cricket, T20 matches will be played under newly installed floodlights on Fridays and Mondays. The 50over matches will be played on Fridays and Saturdays.

ing the wickets and advised Oman Cricket to plan their games judiciously. “I have told them to schedule games on one particular wicket a week, so that the ten pitches can be used on a spread of ten weeks,” he said.

He also said that the second ground will be fully ready by September and with that Oman Cricket will have 20 pitches to play on.

“We also need to work out a plan on practice pitches,” he pointed out.

According to Hemming, the soil from Pakistan, which is used here, normally has 30 percent silt, and if that is filtered off the pitches will be of good standard.

On the water available at the ground, Hemming said that it is not good. “We need to install a Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant and the

New logo Meanwhile, Oman Cricket launched a new logo during an Extra Ordinary Meeting held on Sunday night.

In a press statement Oman Cricket said: “In 2015, the national team created a history by qualifying for the World T20 Championship. This momentous occasion calls for a revamp of the image of Oman Cricket.

purified water needs to be used.”

He also did not hesitate to compare the ground with the Newlands in Cape Town.

“In one angle it has a similar look with the mountains as backdrop, but to make it more attractive, we need to cut the soar view of villas and houses, which will make it more cool and serene,” said Hemming.

“This venue can be developed into one of world’s best,” he added.

“I once again stress the need for consistent approach to maintain the pitches,” said Hemming, who has turned dry desert patches into green pastures for cricket in Dubai.

For standard pitch The ICC Academy head curator

Eight teams including new entrant Sinha CT will participate in the Premier League (50-over and T20 formats) which will be played on double league basis We feel, the symbol of Oman Cricket should portray the aspirations of a nation as well as represent new and improved vigour with which Oman is entering the new phase of the world of Cricket.”

“To have a smooth and subtle transition to the new logo, we

was also against developing pitches which favour the host team.

“I am not for this, though I favour result-oriented pitches,” said Hemming responding to a query on the pitches developed for the India-South Africa series recently.

“Who is not doing it? All over the world host nations develop pitches in their favour but ideally as a grounds man we should be allowed to decide,” he said.

“What we should look for is an even contest between bat and ball.

The ideal pitch will assist bowlers in the first session before it eases out helping the batsman on the second and third days. As the match wears on, there should be a degree of variable bounce and the pitch should take spin.

“This is the standard pitch as

have retained the round shape, cricket ball and national colours — Red, Green and White as the core elements of the new logo.

“The words ‘Oman Cricket’, both in Arabic and English, have been rendered in a modern and progressive style to portray that Oman Cricket is ready for the next generation and moving forward with the times. The true representation of Cricket Ball represents the Oman Cricket Team.

“The element of Flame represents a forceful portrayal of the vigour represented by the team who cruised past the competition and qualified for the World T20. The national colours — Red, Green and White form a vibrant and energetic shape giving momentum to the cricket ball which is the Oman Cricket Team.”

per ICC guidelines,” he explained.

Meanwhile, on Oman’s preparations for the World T20, Hemming first said he was not a coach to comment on what type of preparations is needed, but had his own view.

When pointed out that Oman will be playing their World T20 in Dharamsala, a high-altitude venue, Hemming said: “Ideally the Oman team must be having conditioning camps either at the venue or similar places.”

National coach Duleep Mendis chipped into say that Oman Cricket is trying to have their next camp in Dharamsala.

“We are hoping to be based there (Dharamsala) and will also move on to Bangladesh to play Asia Cup T20 from there,” the Sri Lankan said.

These pitches must be tested consistently to keep it running in harsh climatic conditions and also measured watering is important Tony Hemming ICC Academy Head Curator

TEST SERIES

Determined Amla returns to form as England toil CAPE TOWN: Captain Hashim Amla emerged from a year of poor form with a dogged century to lead a South Africa fightback in the second Test against England on Monday. Amla scored an unbeaten 157 as the hosts closed the third day on 353-3, still 276 runs behind but with a foothold in the match after England had piled up a massive 629 for six declared.

Amla, whose captaincy has been criticised after a year of poor results for the top-ranked test nation, scored his first hundred in 13 months and batted through a day on which England took only one wicket, AB de Villiers for 88.

Faf du Plessis was 51 not out at the close, his first half-century in 12 innings.

Monday’s play had none of the fireworks of the previous day when Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow

SCOREBOARD

England 1st innings: 629 for 6 decl (B. Stokes 258, J. Bairstow 150no, A. Hales 60, J. Root 50) South Africa 1st innings: (overnight: 353-3) D. Elgar c Compton b Stokes 44 S. van Zyl run out 4 H. Amla not out 157 A. de Villiers c Anderson b Finn 88 F. du Plessis not out 51 Extras (lb-3, w-6) 9 Total (for 3 wickets, 130 overs) 353

shared a stroke-laden recordbreaking partnership of 399 for England, who lead the series 1-0.

South Africa forced the touring side to toil in hot conditions and will seek to keep them in the field again for much longer to try to save the match.

De Villiers reached 8,000 test

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-85, 3-268 To bat: T. Bavuma, Q. de Kock, D. Piedt, C. Morris, K. Rabada, M. Morkel Bowling: J. Anderson 24-8-53-0, S. Broad 20-4-54-0, M. Ali 31-9-80-0, S. Finn 26-3-821 (w-2), J. Root 5-2-12-0, B. Stokes 21-3-67-1 (w-4), A. Hales 3-1-2-0 Umpires: Aleem Dar and Bruce Oxenford TV umpire: Rod Tucker Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle

runs before he pulled a short ball from Steven Finn to James Anderson at mid-wicket just before tea.

The South Africans batted with much circumspection and were grindingly pedestrian at times but did offer chances.

Amla was twice dropped — by Joe Root on 76 and Nick Compton

on 120 — and De Villiers survived an lbw appeal after asking for a review, which showed he got a slight nick to a Ben Stokes delivery.

De Villiers became the third South African batsman to pass 8,000 runs when he reached his half-century while Amla, who last made a significant contribution with 208 runs against the West Indies in December 2014, moved past 7,000 runs when he went to 100 in the first over after lunch.

The 31-year-old De Villiers trails only Jacques Kallis (13,206) and Graeme Smith (9,253) on the list of South Africa’s all-time highest run-scorers. England bowled good lines and with spells of aggression on a pitch that offered little assistance and in searing temperatures of over 30 degrees Celsius with more energy-sapping heat forecast for Tuesday. - Reuters

STUBBORN KNOCK: South Africa’s Hashim Amla celebrates scoring a century during the second cricket Test match against England. in Cape Town. – Reuters

C2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

SPORTS

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY INSTALL WHATSNEWS

Stay ahead of the curve with WhatsNews

OMAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS BEGIN TRAINING UNDER OFA TECHNICAL TEAM With the Oman Football Association (OFA) yet to identify the right candidate as a replacement for sacked French coach Paul Le Guen, the 22 players called up for the internal camp started training at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Monday. During the camp, which lasts till January 12, the OFA Technical Department offiicals led by Director Jim Selby, will train the players with special focus on physical training. The OFA terminated Le Guen’s contract back in November after Oman’s 1-2 away defeat to Turkmenistan in a crucial Group D qualifying match of the 2018 World Cup/2019 Asian Cup. Oman, who have 11 points against group toppers Iran’s 14, play their next matches against Guam and Iran in March. — JUN ESTRADA/Times of Oman

Brathwaite entertains fans in Sydney washout

FOOTBALL

Play was officially

Al Arouba vs Suwaiq, Dhofar vs Al Nasr in HM’s Cup last 16

abandoned as the rain continued to cascade down on SCG with 14,266 fans offered a full refund. That meant

MUSCAT: The last 16 stage of His Majesty’s Cup Football Championship has thrown up some intriguing matchups when the Oman Football Association (OFA) conducted the draw for the same on Monday. The Round of 16 matches, which will take place on January 13 and 14, will see defending champions Al Arouba clashing

with Suwaiq while Dhofar, who are aiming to match Fanja’s record nine titles, will lock horns with fellow Salalah outfit Al Nasr.

Last 16 fixtures: Salalah vs Al Wuhda; Dhofar vs Al Nasr; Muscat vs Sohar; Al Shabab vs Saham; Al Khabourah vs Nizwa; Oman vs Fanja; Rustaq vs Mirbat and Suwaiq vs Al Arouba.

that the flurry of boundaries with which Brathwaite lit up the few overs of action was ultimately

CAMEO: West Indies batsman Carlos Brathwaite, right, executes a drive as Australian wicketkeeper

Peter Nevill looks on, on the second day of their third Test match in Sydney on Monday. – AFP

a free show SCOREBOARD

SYDNEY: Carlos Brathwaite shone briefly for West Indies but the rain was the only real winner on Monday as wet weather washed away all but 11.2 overs of play on the second day of the third Test against Australia. West Indies were 248 for seven in their first innings when the rain interrupted play for the third and final time half an hour after lunch in the wake of Brathwaite’s dismissal for 69.

Play was officially abandoned at 4:35 p.m. (0535 GMT) as the rain continued to cascade down on Sydney Cricket Ground with the 14,266 optimistic souls who came through the gates despite the gloomy forecast offered a full refund.

That meant that the flurry of boundaries with which Brathwaite lit up the few overs of action was ultimately a free show and the 27-year-old was warmly applauded for it by an apprecia-

West Indies 1st innings (overnight: 207-6) K. Brathwaite c Smith b Lyon S. Hope c Nevill b Hazlewood Da. Bravo c Khawaja b Pattinson M. Samuels run out J. Blackwood b Lyon D. Ramdin (not out) J. Holder c Burns b O’Keefe C. Brathwaite b Pattinson K. Roach (not out)

85 9 33 4 10 30 1 69 0

tive crowd. Resuming on 35 with his team on 207 for six, the tall, muscular Bajan showed why he has been one of the few bright spots for West Indies on what has otherwise been a miserable tour.

Playing his second Test after scoring 59 on debut in Melbourne last week, Brathwaite smashed four sixes and seven fours in his 71-ball innings.

One of the two sixes he hit in one over off Australia paceman James Pattinson was a spectacu-

Extras (b-5, lb-1, nb-1) 7 Total (7 wkts, 86.2 overs) 248 Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-104, 3-115, 4-131, 5-158, 6-159, 7-246.

To bat: J. Taylor, J. Warrican Bowling: J. Hazlewood 15.2-5-37-1, J. Pattinson 16-3-67-2 (nb-1), N. Lyon 35-12-78-2, M. Marsh 4-1-15-0, S. O’Keefe 16-5-45-1.

Umpires: Chris Gaffaney and Ian Gould TV umpire: Marais Erasmus Match referee: Chris Broad

lar heave over the covers and deep into the crowd.

A fuming Pattinson had his revenge, however, when he found his range and took out Brathwaite’s off stump with what the batsman described as a “good nut”.

“I was upset that once again I got a start and couldn’t carry on.

One of the main mantras in cricket is that when things are going good you maximize,” Brathwaite said.

“Then reaching halfway off and hearing the applause — I even saw

some people standing — I just took a step back and said ‘you know what, just enjoy the feeling’. I raised my bat and looked around and it was a very, very good feeling ...”

Denesh Ramdin will resume on 30 not out for West Indies alongside Kemar Roach, who has yet to score, on day three.

Only three balls were bowled in the first two hours of scheduled play and another 21 before lunch after the action resumed briefly at noon. Nearly three hours of play were lost to rain on day one of the match, a dead rubber after Australia racked up convincing victories in the first two Tests. Australian spinner Stephen O’Keefe said he thought there was still time for the hosts to force a result.

“There’s still a hell of a lot of cricket to go,” he said. “If you can get three days in then that’s close to 300 overs. Hopefully if the skipper sees that spin will play a big role then we might get more overs in towards the back end of the match.” - Reuters

CRICKET

Watson left out of Australia squad for India ODI series SYDNEY: Shane Watson’s international future looked bleak on Monday after the all-rounder was left out of Australia’s 13man squad for this month’s Oneday International (ODI) series against India on Monday.

The 34-year-old, veteran of 190 ODIs and part of the side that won the World Cup last year, retired from Test cricket last September but had hoped to continue playing for his country in the shorter formats.

James Faulkner, recalled after missing Australia’s last oneday series in England because of a drink-driving conviction, Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell were the three all-rounders named in the squad, however.

In the absence of the injured Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle and Nathan Coulter-Nile, the world champions also included two uncapped quicks in Scott Boland and Joel Paris.

“Scott has continued to impress the selection panel, having

Shane Watson

bowled very well for Victoria this year. He certainly deserves this chance at the top level,” head selector Rod Marsh said in a Cricket Australia (CA) statement.

“Joel is an exciting young leftarm bowler who swings the ball well and has bowled beautifully in the Big Bash League for the Perth Scorchers. He has had very good figures in short-form cricket and we really want him to make the most of this opportunity.”

South Australian seamer Kane

Richardson, who played eight ODIs in 2013 and 2014, was also recalled to a squad without a specialist spinner.

“Kane has had a taste of cricket at the international level and although that has been interrupted on occasions through injury we think he is ready to perform consistently for Australia,” Marsh added.

Paceman Josh Hazlewood was included despite being due for a rest after playing all six Tests against New Zealand and West Indies in the Australian summer.

The series between the top two teams in the world rankings starts in Perth on Jan. 12 and takes in matches in Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra before concluding in Sydney on Jan. 23.

The squad: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, George Bailey, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Joel Paris, Matthew Wade. - Reuters

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

C3

SPORTS Lodha committee proposes sweeping reforms for BCCI The committee recommended

As regards BCCI office bearers, certain eligibility criteria has been fixed like, he must be an Indian, he must not be above age of 70, he must not be a minister Justice R M Lodha

sweeping reforms for the controversyridden Indian cricket board, suggesting a bar on ministers from occupying positions, putting a cap on the age and tenure of the office-bearers and

Lodha Committee chairman

legalising betting

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee on Monday recommended sweeping reforms for the controversy-ridden Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), suggesting a bar on ministers from occupying positions, putting a cap on the age and tenure of the officebearers and legalising betting.

In a series of drastic reforms, the three-member panel, headed

by Justice (Retd) R M Lodha, also suggested one unit should represent one state, while taking away the voting rights of institutional and city-based units.

The committee also suggested the restructuring of the BCCI’s administrative set-up, proposing the position of a CEO accountable to a nine-member apex council.

Addressing a crowded press conference after submitting a 159page report to the Supreme Court, which will decide whether these recommendations would be binding on the BCCI, Lodha said he held 38 meetings with BCCI officials, cricketers and other stakeholders.

“First thing is about the structure and the constitution. As you know, presently the BCCI has 30 full members. Some of these members do not have any territory like Services, Railways etc.

“Some of them do not play tournaments. Some of the states have multiple members like Maharashtra has three, Gujarat has three.

With the interactions we had, except few it was broadly represented to us that one state as a unit of representation in BCCI is a very fair idea,” Lodha said as he gave detailed explanations for the recommendations.

Sensational suggestion Among the most sensational recommendation by Lodha panel was the suggestion to legalise betting.

The panel felt that the move would help curb corruption in the game and recommended that except for players and officials, people should be allowed to place bets on registered sites.

The panel said that to ensure transparency in the BCCI’s functioning, it is important to bring the body under the purview of the Right to Information Act, something that the board has vehemently opposed in the past citing its autonomy. “...since the BCCI performs public functions, people have the right to know the functions and facilities and other activities of the BCCI and therefore in our opinion whether RTI Act is applicable to BCCI or BCCI is amenable to RTI is sub-judice. We have recommended the legislature must seriously consider bringing BCCI within the purview of the RTI Act,” Justice Lodha stated.

Putting a cap on the age and tenure of the BCCI office-bearers, the committee said that the board members should not hold office for more than three terms.

Justice Lodha said the President can have only two terms of three years each but other office bearers can have three terms. There will be a compulsory cooling off period after each term for all office-bearers.

“As regards the office bearers of BCCI — President, VP, secretary, joint secretary and treasurer, certain eligibility criteria has been fixed like, he must be an Indian, he must not be above age of 70, he must not be insolvent, he must

CRICKET

Indian board to decide on fate of Chandila and Shah MUMBAI: The BCCI’s threemember Disciplinary Committee, headed by President Shashank Manohar, is set to decide on the fate of tainted cricketers, Ajit Chandila and Hiken Shah, here on Tuesday.

The two players had met the committee members in person here to answer questions put to them on December 24 before the three-man panel deferred taking a decision by giving them time till on Monday to file a written response to the charges of spotfixing against them.

Chandila was arrested by the police for trying to spot-fix IPL games in 2013 along with Rajasthan Royals teammates Sreesanth and Ankit Chavan, both of whom have been banned for life by the BCCI. Shah approached one of his colleagues from first-

class cricket, who was also a member of one of the IPL teams.

The “inappropriately approached” player had reported it to his franchise team, which passed on the information to Anti Corruption Unit of the BCCI. ACU head Ravi Sawani was also present during the December 24 meeting.

“The new disciplinary committee members asked me the same questions as were asked by Delhi police. I have said whatever I told Delhi Police. Everyone knows what the court has said. I hope I will get justice from this new committee. I don’t know when the verdict will be given,” Chandila said.

“I was asked questions by Shashank ji, Niranjan ji and Scindia ji — via video conference. Ravi Sawani was also there. I also received transcript of the questions asked and answers given.” - PTI

OMAN CRICKET

SLSM post win over BOC MUSCAT: Sri Lankan School Muscat (SLSM) recorded an easy eight-wicket victory over Bosher Olympic Centre (BOC) in an Under-13 Division cricket match at the Municipality Ground I during the morning session on Saturday.

Batting first, BOC scored 139 for five in 20 overs. Ayush Bhakat and Gokul Lal top scored with 28

and 25 not out respectively. Saad claimed two scalps for SLSM. In reply, SLSM scored 141 for two in 16.3 overs. Dian scored a brilliant unbeaten 88 to seal the win.

Brief scores: BOC 139 for 5 in 20 overs (Ayush Bhakat 28; Saad 2/21) lost to SLSM 141 for 2 in 16.3 overs (Dian 88 n.o). Points: SLSM – 2, BOC - 0.

not be a minister or a government servant and who has not held office in the BCCI for a cumulative period for nine years,” Lodha said.

“The present system gives as many as three votes to the President of BCCI — the first is as person representing a State Association which is a permanent Member of BCCI, the second as chairman of the meeting under Rule 5(i) and the third is a casting vote in the event of a tie, vide Rule 21.

“While his vote as representing a permanent member of BCCI and his vote in the event of a tie are fair and permissible, provision of additional vote as chairman of the meeting requires to be deleted,” he added.

Players voice As part of its proposed revamp of the BCCI’s administrative setup, the panel said that the Board’s everyday affairs should be run by a CEO. The panel said there should also be a players’ association to ensure that cricketers have a say in the Board’s functioning.

“There should be an apex council for the BCCI comprising nine members, of which five should be elected, two should be representatives of players association, and one woman. Day to day management of the BCCI will be conducted by the CEO. He will be assisted by six professional managers and the team of CEO and managers will be accountable to the apex council,” said Justice Lodha.

Lodha said the players’ association will be formed by a steering committee, headed by former Home Secretary G K Pillai, and comprising former captains Mohinder Amarnath and Anil Kumble along with women’s legend Diana Edulji.

The committee said that the players’ association will include all those who have played first-class cricket. Lodha said the players’ association will not be redundant body and will ensure that the current and former cricketers have a voice in the board.

“Most of the players who have played first-class, both men and women, and who have retired from competitive cricket will be in this association. This association shall be assigned functions and will be constituted and run with the financial support of the BCCI. However, they will not act as a minion.

The idea is to give players voice, use their expertise and skills for the development and betterment of the game,” Lodha said.

On to the IPL, which has been battling a credibility crisis ever since the 2013 spot-fixing scandal, the Panel recommended a revamp of its Governing Council.

IPL Council Regarding the IPL, the recommendation is that the chief governing body will be known as the Governing Council, which will comprise nine members.

“The Secretary and the Treasurer of the BCCI will be ex-officio members of this IPL governing council,” Justice Lodha said.

“Two other members of the IPL Governing Council will be nominated/elected by the full members.

Of the remaining five, two will be the nominees of franchises, one will be a representative of the players association (so one needs to be formed), one will be a nominee of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s office,” he added.

“The Governing Council of IPL

will be entitled to take all decisions concerning IPL, which includes the decision relating to financial matters. However, Governing Council will be answerable to the General body of the BCCI. So limited autonomy is proposed for the IPL GC,” he added.

Ethics Officer, Ombudsman The committee also recommended a person cannot be a BCCI office-bearer and a state association office-bearer at the same time.

The panel also suggested that the grants given to state associations be properly monitored.

“We have recommended a uniformity in the structure and constitution of state associations, like the associations must not have office for life, or office for more than nine years... separation of social and cricket activities in the state associations, no proxy voting.

Their accounts must be audited by the BCCI to maintain transparency in functioning,” Lodha said.

“They must comply with all the directives of the BCCI in putting in place issues such as resolution of conflict of interest, administering the code of conduct, behaviour, and corruption issues. Any breach of the directives by state associations would dis-entitle them from the grant of the subsidy and other grants from the BCCI,” he added.

The committee recommended the institution of the office of an Ethics Officer, who would be responsible for resolving issues related to the conflict of interest.

Besides, it also suggested the appointment of an Electoral Officer to conduct the Board elections.

“Ehtics Officer proposed by us would be a former High Court judge and the third authority which we have proposed to be created is an electoral officer who would oversee the entire election process.

“All these matters relating to elections shall be overseen by the Electoral Officer. The Electoral Officer will be nominated at least two weeks before the election and such officer would be a former Election Commissioner,” Lodha said.

“As regards, the role of Ethics Officer which centres on conflict of interest, detailed norms have been laid down. These norms shall be administered by an Ethics Officer.

“Besides, the panel said that the board should have an Ombudsman for dealing with internal conflicts, a suggestion that the board has already accepted by appointing Justice AP Shah to the position in November last year.

“Ombudsman can take cognisance of complaints suo moto, or received complaint or referred complaint by the apex council,” Lodha said. - PTI

CRICKET

No evidence against former IPL COO Sundar Raman: Panel NEW DELHI: Former IPL COO Sundar Raman was on Monday exonerated by a Supreme Court-appointed Committee which held that none of the allegations against him in connection with the 2013 spotfixing and betting scandal has been substantiated and that there was no cogent evidence to establish his role in any other wrongful activities.

The committee, headed by retired Supreme Court Chief Justice R M Lodha concluded there was no need for any action against him as none of the seven allegations have been substantiated.

The committee said on the basis of investigation and material before it, it does not seem that Raman’s omission in informing the IPL Governing Body about the betting activities in 2013 was with “any ulterior or oblique motive or intended to cover or protect someone or was part of any corrupt activity”.

“However, having regard to the duties and responsibilities of Sundar Raman as Chief Operating Officer (COO), his omission to report to the IPL Governing Council was a wrong decision and not expected of a COO of IPL. We have no material to infer that the said decision was motivated,” Justice Lodha said.

The report, which deals with various aspects relating to the functioning of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was also placed before the Supreme Court and the BCCI and would be considered by the bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur at a later stage.

After the report was made public, Raman chose not to comment on the panel’s recommendations except to say he appreciated the clean chit given to him.

“I have not yet read the report. So I would not want to comment on it. I have heard that I have been given a clean chit and I appreciate it but there is nothing more I want to add,” Raman, who resigned from his post in November, said.

On the allegation that there were 350 telephone contacts between Raman and actor Vindoo Dara Singh, the report said evidence revealed by the investigating team showed calls/ SMS between them was on 15 occasions only and there were no telephone calls between them during IPL 2013. - PTI

C4

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

SPORTS OMAN SPORTS

Military sports, shooting teams honoured on HM’s order

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, ordered to honour the armed forces shooting team, national shooting team and military sports teams that represented the Sultanate in several regional and international com-

petitions in 2015. The teams were honoured in recognition of their excellent showing and achievements in these competitions.

Following His Majesty’s order, the Command of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (COSAF), represented by the Directorate of Mili-

tary Sports, organised a ceremony at the SAF Theatre on Monday under the auspices of Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs, to honour the athletes.

The honouring ceremony included a visual presentation on the

achievements of the shooting team at the local, regional and international competitions.

Honourable achievements The chief guest honoured the members of the armed forces shooting team and the national

shooting team. He congratulated and thanked them for their sincere efforts and honourable achievements, wishing them further success in the upcoming events.

The ceremony was attended by Commanders of the Sultan Armed Forces, the Commander of the

Stosur survives another tricky outing in Brisbane

HOPMAN CUP

The former U.S. Open champion HAPPY TO BE BACK: Vicky Duval of the US hits a return against

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. – AFP

recovered from 0-3 down in the final

Cancer survivor Duval delights

set to record a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova to kick

PERTH: Having battled and overcome cancer, American Vicky Duval is just happy to grab any time on court she can.

The 20-year-old Haiti-born world number 656 gratefully accepted one unlikely opportunity on Monday at the mixed team Hopman Cup in Perth when world number one Serena Williams was struck down with inflammation of the knee.

As first reserve, Duval was delighted to fill in for her revered compatriot, even if she struggled to a 6-4, 6-1 loss to world number 19 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.

The Eastern Europeans won the tie after Alexandr Dolgopolov beat Jack Sock 6-4, 6-2 but a beaming Duval recovered to score a rare win by teaming up with Sock to take the doubles 6-2 6-3 and said the experience had been a good one.

“It was amazing. I was kind of nervous because I was filling in

Royal Guard of Oman (RGO), the Commandant of the National Defence College, Assistant Inspector General of Police and Customs for Operations, the Chairman of Oman Football Association, senior officers, commissioned and noncommissioned officers. - ONA

big shoes. But I had a really fun time today,” Duval said.

The American is expected to revert back to the sidelines for her country’s next tie on Tuesday night against Australia Gold with Williams’s knee expected to be up to the task. Duval, who reached a career high 87th in the rankings in 2014, somehow overcame the distressing news to make the second round of the grass court championships in London before achieving her most important victory — beating cancer.

“This illness is behind me now.

I’m just grateful I went through it really well,” she said of her fight against cancer. “I have a whole new outlook on life. I really appreciate the time I have out on the court. Every opportunity I have I embrace it on a whole new level. I’m just really grateful to be back and do what I love. And I’m going to keep pushing until I get the results I want.” — Reuters

off her always intense Australian summer in positive style

BRISBANE: Australian Sam Stosur narrowly avoided another disappointment on home turf as she battled through a wrist injury and three tough sets to claim an opening victory at the Brisbane International on Monday.

The former U.S. Open champion recovered from 0-3 down in the final set to record a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova to kick off her always intense Australian summer in positive style. The 31-year-old has frequently failed to hit the heights on home turf, having never won a tournament or progressed past the fourth round at the Australian

GOOD OPENING: Australia’s Samantha Stosur celebrates her victory against Slovakia’s Jana Cepelova in their women’s singles match on the second day at the Brisbane International tournament. – AFP

Open, and bemoaned on Sunday the unfair emphasis she received for her domestic form.

The world number 27 looked set to give the critics another stick to beat her with before a spirited effort did for the world number 147 and set up a second-round clash

with Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro on Tuesday.

“I am really pleased to walk away with a win, especially being down in that third set and then find that ability to come back and play well and win it when you are down, to turn things around,” Stosur said.

“There were lots of positives I could take out of that.”

Stosur needed treatment for a wrist problem midway through the second set but was not overly concerned about the injury.

“I’m not freaking out about it,” said the right-hander, winner of eight WTA titles. I need to go see my physio and do whatever we need to do tonight. Then tomorrow playing night match there is that little bit of extra time if it is a bit sore. I’m sure we’ll come up with a plan and be out on court ready to go.”

Italy’s Roberto Vinci, who ended Serena Williams’ bid for a calendar grand slam at the U.S. Open semifinals last year, also needed three tough sets to make the second round on the Brisbane hard courts.

The 32-year-old prevailed 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 over former world number one Jelena Jankovic, while Germany’s world number 10 Angelique Kerber shook off the rust in a 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Camila Giorgi of Italy. Russian Maria Sharapova is the tournament draw card and she will kick off her campaign on Tuesday against compatriot Ekaterina Makarova. On the men’s side, 17-times grand slam champion Roger Federer will play Germany’s Tobias Kamke.

Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov had been touted as ‘Baby Fed’ but a disappointing 2015 season quelled those comparisons with the Swiss great.

The Bulgarian, who has slumped from eighth to 28th in the rankings, started his new campaign in more upbeat fashion by recording a 6-3 7-6(10) win over fifth seed Gilles Simon of France. - Reuters

C

SECTION

LIFESTYLE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Dining WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

BASIC CREPE BATTER Ingredients • 2 eggs •1/2 cup milk • 1/2 cup water • 2 tbsp butter melted • 1 cup all purpose flour Preparation • Whisk eggs, milk, water and melted butter in a bowl. Add flour and whisk till everything combines well.

• Heat a round pan, add butter to it, and apply all over the pan. Now add the batter, around 1/2 cup size and swirl the pan to spread the batter.

• Cook for two minutes, flip with the help of spatula and again cook for 2 minutes.

• Ready to serve.

CREAMY STRAWBERRY CREPES Ingredients Filling: • 250g cream cheese • 50g confectionary sugar • 1tbsp lemon juice • 1tsp lemon zest • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract • 1 cup whipped cream • 4 cups sliced strawberry • Chocolate sauce (Hershey’s)

Crepe Cravings

Preparation • In a bowl mix cream cheese, confectionary sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk it properly.

• Fold in the whipped cream. Your filling is ready.

• Prepare a crepe, apply the filling on the crepe, sprinkle sliced strawberry on top, fold the crepe accordingly and drizzle chocolate sauce.

SMOKED TURKEY AND CHEESE CREPES Ingredients • 2 spring onions, chopped • 1 tomato deseeded, chopped • 150g smoked turkey, chopped • 1tsp dried oregano • Salt and pepper For the sauce: • 1tbsp butter • 1 tbsp flour • 1/2 cup milk • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Stuffed Stuffed with assorted fillings, fillings,

Preparation • To prepare the filling, in a bowl combine spring onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped turkey, and dried oregano. Adjust the seasoning.

• For the sauce, heat the butter in a pan, add flour and sauté for 2 minutes.

• Add milk, whisk till smooth, reduce for 2-3 minutes. Add grated cheese and whisk till cheese is completely melted. Sauce is ready.

• Prepare a crepe; place the stuffing at centre and drizzle over cheese sauce. Fold the crepe and drizzle some more sauce.

both sweet and savoury, and draped with all manner of sauces, crepes are a versatile French delight that can be enjoyed morning, noon, or night.

S T O RY PA L L AV I N I G A M

MUSHROOM, ZUCCHINI, AND COTTAGE CHEESE CREPES WITH YOGHURT SAUCE

PHOTOGRAPHY SHABIN E.

Ingredients • 1 tbsp oil • 1 garlic clove, minced • 1 small onion chopped • 5-6 mushrooms, chopped • 1 zucchini, chopped • 1 tbsp boiled corn • 1 tbsp cottage cheese

Pallavi Nigam

Pallavi Nigam completed her culinary education at ICIF in Italy and worked as a chef for Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. She is now based in Muscat where she writes recipes and takes cooking classes.

Contact her: pallavi_nigam@hotmail.com twitter @pallavizza pallavizza.com

For the sauce: • 1 cup yoghurt • 2 tbsp water • 1 cucumber, grated • 1 tbsp coriander, chopped • 1/2 tsp sugar • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder • 1 tsp salt Preparation • To prepare the filling, heat a pan with oil, add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add onion to it and sauté till it turns pink.

• Add mushrooms, zucchini, boiled corn, season them, cook for 2 minutes.

• In a bowl crumble cottage cheese, add the vegetable mixture and the filling is ready.

• To make the sauce, whisk yoghurt with water, till smooth. Add grated cucumber, coriander, sugar, red chilli powder and salt and mix properly. Prepare the crepe, place the filling and fold. Serve with yoghurt sauce.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

C6

PRAYER TIMINGS

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SUR Savva : Heart of the Warrior 3D ( Animation | Adventure | Fantasy ) ( PG ) Voice Overs: Olga Seryabkina 3:30, 6:45 PM Extraction ( Action | Thriller ) ( 12+ ) Cast: Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz, Gina Carano 6:15, 11:45 PM Point Break (3D) ( Action | Crime) (12+ ) Cast: Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey 7:45 PM The Good The Bad and The Dead (Action) (15+) Cast: Dolph Lundgren, Johnny Messner 5:15, 10:00 PM Diwale (Action | Romance ) (PG12) Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon 3:15, 8:30 PM Su Su Sudhi Vatmeekam (Malayalam) Comedy) ( PG12) Cast: Jayasurya, Aju Verghese 11:30 PM

@SUR

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI Extraction (2D) (Action | Thriller) (12+2) Cast: Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz, Gina Carano 2:30, 7:00, 10:00, 11:45 PM Joy (2D) (Biography | Comedy) (PG12) Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro 4:30, 7:30 PM Point Break (3D) (Action) (12+) Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 4:30, 9:00, 11:30 PM Dilwale (Action | Crime) (PG12) Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon 3:00, 8:30 PM The Good, the Bad and The Dead (Action | Thriller | Western) (15+) Cast: Johnny Messner, Dolph Lundgren 6:45, 11:30 PM Snowtime (2D) (Animation) (PG) Voice Overs: Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez 2:45, 6:00 PM

8:45PM Gold Class: 5:30PM The Good Dinosaur-3D (Animation) U Voice Overs: Jeffrey Wright 3:45 & 7:30PM

MUSCAT GRAND MALL Extraction (Thriller) 12+ Cast : Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz, Gina Carano 9:30PM & 11:45PM Gold Class: 3:15 & 8:30PM Love the Coopers - (Comedy) PG12 Cast: Diane Keaton, John Goodman, Ed Helms 11:45AM & 4:15PM The Big Short - (Biography | Drama) 12+ Cast : Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling 6:15PM Snow Time - (Animation | Comedy) PG Voice Overs: Angela Galuppo, Mariloup Wolfe 12:15PM & 5:45PM Point Break -3D (Action | Crime | Sport) 12+ Cast : Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 1:45PM & 11:30PM Gold Class: 11:00PM The Peanuts Movie (Animation) PG Voice Overs: Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez 2:00PM Dilwale (Action | Romantic | Comedy) PG12 Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon

PANORAMA MALL The Good, the Bad and The Dead (Action) (2D)(15+) Cast : Johnny Messner, Dolph Lundgren 3:15, 11:30 pm Snow Time (Animation)(2D)(PG) Voice Overs : Angela Galuppo, Mariloup Wolfe 2:30, 5:00 pm Joy (Biography, Drama)(2D)(PG12) Cast : Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro 6:45 pm Extraction (Thriller)(2D)(12+) Cast : Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz, Gina Carano 4:00, 8:15, 10:00, 11:45 pm Star Wars (Action, Adventure)(3D)(PG12) Cast : Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac 5:45, 9:00 pm Star Wars (Action)(VIP LOUNGE)(PG12) Cast : Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac 5:15 pm Point Break (Action, Crime)(MX4D)(12+) Cast : Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 2:45, 5:45, 8:45, 11:15 PM

Snowtime (2D) (Animation) (PG) Voice Overs: Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez, Hadley Belle Miller 2:45, 6:00 PM

Extraction (Thriller)(2D)(12+) Cast : Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz, Gina Carano 4:00, 8:15, 10:00, 11:45 pm

Savva : Heart of the Warrior 3D (Animation | Adventure | Fantasy ) (PG) Voice Overs: Olga Seryabkina 3:30, 6:45 PM

Point Break (Action )(3D) (VIP Lounge) (12+) Cast : Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 3:00, 11:00 pm Dilwale (Action, Romance)(2D)(PG12) Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon 2:30, 5:30, 11:30 pm Dilwale (Action) (2D) (PG12) -VIP LOUNGE Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon 7:45 pm Bajirao Mastani (Drama)(2D)(PG12) 8:30 pm

SOHAR Dilwale - 2D (PG12) Action | Comedy Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan 3:15, 6:20, 10:45 PM Bajirao Mastani - 2D (PG12) Drama | History Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone 4:30, 10:45 PM Point Break - 3D (12+) Action | Crime | Sport Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 2:30, 9:15, 11:30 PM Snow Time! - 2D (PG) Animation | Comedy Cast: Angela Galuppo, Mariloup Wolfe 3:00, 4:45 PM The Good, the Bad and The Dead - 2D (15+) Action| Thriller | Western Cast : Johnny Messner, Dolph Lundgren 6:15, 9:30, 11:45 PM Paparazzi - 2D (Arb)(TBC) 4:45 PM Joy - 2D (PG12) Biography | Comedy | Drama Cast : Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro 7:00 PM Love the Coopers - 2D (PG12) Comedy Cast : Diane Keaton, John Goodman, Ed Helms 2:30 PM Ho Mann Jahaan - 2D (Pakistani) (TBC) Cast : Mahira Khan, Adeel Hussain, Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui 7:30 PM Su Su Sudhi Vatmeekam - 2D (Mal) (PG12) Cast : Jayasurya, Aju Verghese 8:00 PM

Star Wars – 3D (PG12) Action | Adventure Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy 2:30, 9:00 PM RUWI Screen 1 Bajirao Mastani (Romance/Drama) – PG12 Cast : Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh 3.30, 9.30 PM Dilwale (Action/Romance) – PG12 Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan 6.30PM Screen 2 Dilwale (Action/Romance) – PG12 3.45, 9.45 PM Bajirao Mastani (Romance/Drama) – PG12 Cast : Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh 6.45 PM Screen 3 Ho Mann Jahan – Pakistani – Urdu - (Musical/Drama) – TBC Cast : Mahira Khan, Sheheryar Munawar, Adeel Husain 3.45, 6.45, 10.00 PM Dilwale (Action/Romance) – PG12 Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan 1.00 PM

AZAIBA Dilwale – 2D (PG12) Action, Romance Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhavan 2:00, 5:00, 6:15, 8:00, 11:00, 11:30 PM Bajirao Mastani – 2D (PG12) Drama, History, Cast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone 2:15, 5:15, 8:15, 11:15PM Point Break – 3D (12+) Action | Crime Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 4:00, 11:45 PM Su Su Sudhi Vatmeekam – 2D (PG12) Cast: Jayasurya, Aju Verghese 6:30, 9:15 PM Savva: Heart of Warrior – 3D (PG) Animation |Adventure | Fantasy Voice Overs: Olga Seryabkina, Konstantin 2:20, 4:55 PM

BURAIMI The Good, the Bad and the Dead– 2D (Action/Thriller/Western) (15+) Cast: Johnny Messner, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo 3:15, 7:00, 9:45, 11:30PM Point Break – 3D (Action, Crime, Spot) (12+) Cast: Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winston 3:00, 7:30, 11:30PM Savva: Heart of Warrior– 3D (Animation, Adventure, Fantasy) (PG) Voice Overs: Olga Seryabkina, Konstantin Khabenskiy 5:15PM Extraction– 2D (Thriller) (12+) Cast: Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz, Gina Carano 3:00, 5:00, 9:45, 11:45PM Dilwale – 2D (Action, Romantic) (PG12) Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon, Varun Dhawan 9:00PM Su Su Sudhi Vatmeekam – 2D (Mal) (Comedy) (PG12) Cast: Jayasurya, Aju Verghese 7:15PM

BAHJA CINEMA

SALALAH Point Break (3D) (12+) (Action/Crime/Sport) Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone 11:45AM, 2:00, 9:35PM The Big Short (2D) (PG12) (Biography | Drama) Cast Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling 1:00, 4:15PM Extraction (2D) (12+) (Thriller) Cast: Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz, Gina Carano 11:15AM, 3:30, 10:00, 11:55PM The Good, the Bad and The Dead (2D) (15+) ( Action| Thriller| Western) 12:20, 6:30, 11:45PM Dilwale (2D) (PG12) (Action | Romantic) 3:35, 8:15, 11:15PM Bajirao Mastani (2D) (PG12) (Drama/ History) Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone 6:35PM Su Su Sudhi Vatmeekam (2D) (PG12) (Malayalam)(Comedy) 7:15PM Snow Time (2D) (PG) (Animation) Voice Overs: Angela Galuppo, Mariloup Wolfe 10:45AM, 2:00, 5:15PM

STAR CINEMA

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

Dept time

Destination

Arrival Operating time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

TEMPERATURE

15:00 15:00 15:00

05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

16:30 18:00 19:30

Daily Daily Daily

Sur Quriyat Ruwi

06:45 08:30 10:00

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

06:30 06:30 08:00 13:00 13:00 16.00 16.00

07:00 07:00 13:30 13:00 13:00 13:00 17:00

Sohar Buraimi Buraimi Sohar Buraimi Sohar Buraimi

08:50 Daily 11:00 Daily 14:30 Daily via Ibri 15:45 Daily 17:40 Daily 18.35 Daily 20:20 Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 17:30

Sinaw

Nizwa Yanqul

Daily

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

25 16

07:00

Ruwi

10:25

Daily

06:00 06:00

Nizwa Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

DHRUTI January 5, 2007

0

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

50-80%

Daily Daily

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) Sur Sur

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (ROUTE 62) 06:30 06:30

Fahud Yibal

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

20:00 20:30 23:30 07:40

Daily Daily

Marmul

Dubai

16:50

Daily

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

19:50 13:15 22:30 07:30

LISTINGS

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

15:00

Salalah

Daily

07:00

Daily

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 07:30 07:30 13:00 13:00 15:30 15:30

Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH/SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

07:00 07:00 07:00

16:00 16.00 16.00

Fujairah Sharjah Dubai

11.45 13.30 14.00

Daily Daily Daily

Sharjah Fujairah Ruwi

16:30 18.15 23.00

Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence 24569603 Directorate General of Customs 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries 24510228 Public Relations Admin 24560099 EMBASSIES IN OMAN

Daily Daily Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

07:00

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 06:00 06:00 13:00 13:00 15:00 15:00

10:45 19:00

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

Ruwi Ruwi

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100) Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

06:00 14:30

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

10:30 11:15

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (ROUTE 100) 07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 17 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to lifestyle@timesofoman.com

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

10:20 12:30

ROYAL OMAN POLICE 07:30 14:30

Su Su Sudhi Vatmeekam (Mal) (Comedy\ Drama) Cast : Jayasurya, Mukesh & Shivada 3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema Main Dilwale (Hindi) (Act\Com) Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol & Varun Dhawan 6-30 pm Cinema -2 Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) (Rom\ Act \ Drama ) Cast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone & Priyanka Chopra 3-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema-2 Pasanga 2 (Tamil) (Drama \ Comedy) Cast: Surya & Amala Paul 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema -3 Thanga Magan (Tamil) (act) Cast: Dhanush, Samantha Ruth & Amy Jackson 6-45 & 9-45 Pm Cinema-4 Soukhyam (Telugu) (Act) Cast: Gopichand & Regina Cassandra 3-45 pm Cinema -4 Next change: Charlie (Mal); Wazir (Hindi ) (Programmes are subject to change)

Minimum

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

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

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

Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

0

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 20:50

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

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

The Big Short (Drama / Biography) Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling 4.30, 7.00, 9.30 & 11.55 p.m.

CP No: 3057 (12+) Savva Heart of the Warrior (Animation / Adventure / Fantasy) Voice Overs: Maksim Chukharyov, Konstantin Khabenskiy, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan 1.30 & 3.00 p.m.

CP No: 3058 (PG) Point Break (Action / Crime) Cast: Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone 2,00, 4.00 & 11.55 p.m.

CP No: 3051 (12+) Dilwale (Action / Comedy) Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon 6.00 & 9.00 p.m.

CP No: 3047 (PG12)

WEATHER

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

Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

WITH LOVE

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

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI) Destination

12.17pm 3.18pm 5.39pm 6.54pm 5.30am

CHILDREN BELOW THE AGE OF 3 YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CINEMA | BOX-OFFICE COUNTER OPENS 30-MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCREENING OF THE FIRST SHOW

CINEMA SCHEDULE

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

Afghanistan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Brunei China Cyprus Egypt France Germany India Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya South Korea Kuwait

24698 791/4 24605 593 24 605 074/133 24 698 660 24640100 24 603533 24 696782 24 699815 24 600 982/411 24681 800 24835000 24684500 2469 1050 24 696 944/7 24603642 24693727 24 601 028 24692760/1/3 24 692418 24 697664 24 691490 24 699628

Lebanon Libya Malaysia Morocco Nepal Netherlands Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Senegal Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Switzerland Syria Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE United Kingdom United States Yemen

24 693208 24603466 24698329/643 24696152/3 24696177 24603706 24603439 24601312 24605335 24 691 153/2/4 24602894 24601705 24694139 24697977 24647300 24691101 24697841/2 24697875 24603267 24697904 24601 174 24 602684/5 24603486 24697050/1/2 24400000 24609000 24643400 24600815

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334

Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi Salalah Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya Muscat, A Seeb Market Muscat, Al Khuwair Muscat, Al Hail South Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre 24485052 Atlas Hospital Ruwi 24811743/ Ghubra 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi 24563641 Azaiba 24499269 Sohar 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre,

Hamriya 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 Lifeline Hospital Salalah 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar 26751128 MBD 24799077 Al Khuwair 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC 22004000 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

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

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

C7

LIFESTYLE

Bake Like a Pro at Home With the right equipment, a few tricks-of-the-trade, and a bit of passion, anyone can become a great home baker

W

hen it comes to food and cooking, we are becoming more adventurous and inspired to try new things. We buzz about the latest food trends with friends, share picture-worthy meals on social feeds, binge on cooking shows and aspire to bring the unique dishes we eat in restaurants or see on TV to our own kitchens, recreating them for the entire family to enjoy.

One of my greatest passions is being able to cook with those I love and create warm memories together over food, says Eva Longoria, celebrity restaurateur and author of Eva’s Kitchen: Cooking with Love for Family and Friends. “It’s great to share that passion with those you love, but sometimes it’s not so easy to recreate what you see in restaurants or on TV. However, with the right equipment and a few tricks of the trade, the whole family can become home chefs and cook like the pros.”

Here are some tips to help achieve professional cooking and baking results at home: 1. Season smarter While the quality of your cooking skills and the dish ingredients are

key, never underestimate the power that smarter seasoning can have on ensuring your dish is a real crowd pleaser. Any professional chef will tell you that it is essential to keep an extensive supply of fresh seasonings on hand, and not to be afraid to experiment to achieve new flavour combinations. The pros commonly add a little acid (think citrus or vinegar) to seasonings to help brighten food and take away the perception of some ingredients tasting bitter. You’ll also see them add woody herbs like rosemary, oregano, sage or thyme at the beginning of the cooking process, when they’re most effective at flavouring. Leafy herbs like parsley, chives, tarragon, and basil do a better job of heightening flavours if you add them towards the end of the cooking process.

2. Upgrade your range or oven Does it seem like the food on restaurant menus and cooking shows gets more complex, perfectly executed and delicious every year? It probably does, and improved cooking technology plays a big part in producing these amazing results. While the cooking technology of bygone years was decidedly low-tech and made it difficult to achieve consistently great results, modern innovations have made it easier for

3. Bake better A great oven can inspire you to be bold with your baking. The more versatile you become in the kitchen, the better you will be at cooking those tried and true favourites, maybe even giving them a new spin.

If you’ve always stuck to cookies, try your hand at pastry making. If cakes have always been your forte, experiment with bread. There are so many professional tips to help you make the plunge. One pro-level tip to achieve a crust on your yeast breads entails preheating your oven to a higher temperature than the recipe recommends. Then once you put the bread in the oven, lower the temperature back down to what the recipe specifies. Keep chocolate baked goods moist and flavourful by removing them from the oven exactly on time; crumbs should be moist when you take chocolate items out of the oven. Bake cookies until the edges are just firm and they look the tiniest bit underbaked — when they cool, they’ll be soft and chewy.

4. Maximise your meats Roasting can be a healthful and flavourful way to prepare meats of all kinds, from beef roasts to whole

KNOW YOUR SPICE

Galangal What is It? This ginger look alike spice is brown in colour as commonly used for flavouring. It has a pungent flavour and is now used only in Far Eastern cookery from Indonesia, IndoChina, Singapore, and Thailand.

Galangal can be segregated into two kinds, “greater” and “lesser.” The larger and milder ones are greater galangal while lesser galangal is smaller, sweeter and more intense.

Culinary Uses Galangal is good for fish and shellfish recipes. It is also used in sauces, soups, satays, chicken, meat, and vegetable curries. Dried galangal can also be grated to a powder and added directly to a dish as ground ginger would be.

pleasing recipe from Longoria’s cookbook Eva’s Kitchen to get you started:

home chefs to enjoy professionalstyle cooking at home.

History It is native to Java and widely used in Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine as a food flavouring, and spice.

Lesser galangal is native to China, growing mainly on the southeast coast. It is also grown in India and the rest of South East Asia. Although barely used in Europe today, both galangals were formerly imported in great quantity, as medicine and spice.

Select and Store Store galangal powder in airtight containers, and used within a short space of time. One slice of the root is equivalent to half a teaspoon of powder. swati@timesofoman.com

Pan de Polvo (Mexican shortbread cookies) Yield About eight dozen cookies Ingredients • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • 1 cup shortening • 1/4 cup sugar For the sugar coating • 1 cup sugar • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

chickens, turkeys, and ducks. Most cuts of meat will taste better if marinated before cooking. To make the most of your marinade, remember to prick the meat or make shallow slashes with a knife so the marinade can soak into the meat. Always marinate meats, fish and fowl in the refrigerator. Most roasted meats will taste better if you allow them to ‘rest’ outside the oven before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.

Ready to try your hand at baking like a pro at home? Here’s a palate-

Preparation In a medium bowl, place the flour and cinnamon. Whisk together until thoroughly blended. Set aside.

In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the shortening and sugar on medium-high speed until well blended and fluffy - about 20 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp of water and beat until thoroughly combined.

Add the flour mixture and blend on medium-low just until completely blended. Press the dough into two equal disks.

Place each disk between two sheets

of wax paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out each disk to 1/8-inch thick, lifting and smoothing the top of wax paper if necessary. Slide the two sheets of rolled dough onto a baking sheet.

Chill until firm, about 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer. Preheat the oven to 150 degree centigrade.

Place one rolled dough on the work surface. Lift off and replace the top sheet of wax paper. Flip the dough over and lift off and set aside the sheet of wax paper. Use a 1 1/2 -inch or smaller cookie cutter to cut into desired shapes.

Transfer the cookies to an ungreased baking sheet, placing about 1 inch apart. Gather the scraps, reroll them between the sheets of wax paper, and refrigerate until firm. Repeat with the other sheet of dough.

Bake until firm when gently touched, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the cookie sheet. Use a thin spatula to transfer them to cooling racks to cool completely.

To prepare the sugar coating, place the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Stir with a fork until completely combined. Roll the cooled cookies in the sugar and serve. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for three to four days. — Brandpoint

C8

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

LIFESTYLE

ING ONE RED IEN T

FIV EW AYS FIVE WAY S

Pumpkin This orange vegetable is one

of the most delicious

gourds and is known for its sweet flavours. It can be boiled, baked, roasted, mashed or made into pumpkin pie

In Salad

In Soups

Pumpkin is known for

Pumpkin blends well in a

its warmth and bright

creamy soup. Try pump-

colour. Make a salad with

kin tortilla soup or pump-

can be an ideal side dish.

pumpkin, lentils, and

kin soup with chicken.

goat cheese.

In Stir-fry

In Snacks

In Purees

Take chicken and

Pumpkin seeds make

Cut pumpkin into quarters,

pumpkin and stir-fry. It

a great snack. To get the

clean it and bake at 180ºC

maximum flavour, first

for 45-60 minutes. Blend

simmer them in salt

in a food processor until

water and then roast

smooth and it can stay

them with spices.

fresh for almost three days.

D

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 4 , 2 0 1 6

SECTION

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

RENT

D2

VACANCY

D4

CARGO

D8

D2

M O N D AY, JA N UA RY 4 , 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

*Tourist visa arranged

NEW Flats & Showrooms for Rent 1/2/3 BHK Flats & Showrooms at Muttrah, near Oman flour mills, 10 min. from corniche. equipped with split/ cassette unit ACs, internet points, freeto-air dish connection, CCTV monitored, basement parking. Rent RO.250/350/450 (Negotiable) per month.

Contact : 99229263; 93221054; 95215289

FOR RENT

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Contact 95755953 / 95555162 Wadi Kabir, one bedroom flat.

Contact: 99313274 Villa for office in Al Khoudh / 2bedroom & flat in Wattaya & Azaiba / 3B/R flat in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99057348 / 99776071 2 rooms, Bathroom, kitchen near Muscat OR 110/-. Contact: 95094028 2bedrooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality. Contact: 92584715 / 24700120 1000sqmtrs industrial land for rent in Ghala suitable for warehouse workshop etc. Contact 24700120 / 92584715 House in old Muscat town near Bab Al Mathaib, 5 bedrooms, living room & kitchen. Contact 99319829 1 BHK new bldg with A/c curtains, near Khimji Mart, MBD. Contact 99061408 / 99024039 Profs/ Jack. Contact 93219378 2 BHK at Ghala & Al Khuwair.

Contact 99024730 1,2,3 BHK Darsait.

Contact 99024730

Call: 99888007 - 99473500 Residential Commercial building consists of 30 Flats in Al Khoud 6 the following details: 20 flats with 2 rooms and a hall, bathroom and kitchen. 10 flats with room and hall and 2 toilet. Shop 500 square meters. for total 30 Flats rent 7,000 RO per month and rent the exhibition 10 RO per m2 Contact 99314314 500 sqm Basement Godown/warehouse For Rent in Mabela industrial area. CALL: 99366008 / 99236455 Villa at Shatti Qurum for rent.

Contact 99315150 2 Room + hall & kitchen ,3 toilets in Bareeq Al Shatti 750 RO. Contact 99314314 Brand new apartments opp Oman flour mills MUTRAH 1,2,3 BHK with private parking, suitable for bachelors call 95450450 Office / shop NR Oman house & Khimji H.O. Contact: 99233116 2 BHK Flats for rent Muttrah near Oman house S/ AC. Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

CONTACT :

93202733

Luxurious, 2 BHK flat with 3 toilets, store, equipped kitchen, split ACS , Gym, party hall& 24 hours security at Mumtaz area Ruwi rent RO 375/-. Contact: 92622506 2BHK commercial RO 375/-, 350/Contact: 97799175 / 92144045 2BHK Al Khuwair R.O 375/-.

Contact: 92144045 / 97799175 2BHK Ghubra R.O 300/- , 325/-.

Contact: 92144045 / 97799175 1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 97799175 / 92144045 3 BHK flat near Darsait ID medical.

RO 420/- Contact – 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288 7 Bedrooms villa in Ghobrah North. Contact - 96420432 Flat Al Mabelah 2 bedrooms semi furnished near NESTO visiting family also welcome 250/- E & W. Contact: 93533108 / 97653523

1,2 BHK Darsait R.O 300/-, 225/-.

Contact: 92144045 / 97799175

Villa sharing Ghala semi furnished 1 bedroom attached, hall Kitchen sharing 100 +E& W, visiting family also welcome.

Contact: 98518595

Shop for rent 150Sqtr available Gf + Mez office + showroom + store location: Honda road Ruwi.

Contact: 91219880 / 99345044

FLATS FOR RENT Well maintained 2/3 BHK Flats at Wadi Kabir, Near Indian School.

Contact: 99021969 / 24793982

Flat new Al Wadi Kabir. Contact: 92130703 / 99733992

One flats for rent 2 bedroom all with bath al Ghobrah north near Indian school (hot burger restaurant) Tel. 9976610 Flat for Rent 1/2 BHK Flat at Muttrah, near Oman flour mills, 10 min. from Corniche.Equipped with split unit ACs, internet points, free-to-air dish connection, CCTV monitored, basement parking.

Rent RO.250/350 per month.

Contact: 99229263; 93221054; 95215289

10,000 Sqm Industrial Land/ Plot in Sumail - Leveled with Full Drawing and Full Permission from Govt. for only RO 30,000 Contact : 99012201

1BHK flat near Star Cinema 220/Contact 99358589 /95570288

2 BR flat with 1 sitting room, 1 family hall with 3 attach bathroom in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99277787

Flats in Wadi Kabir. Contact 94051789-97201688

1& 2 BHK flats for rent at Hamriya Mabela and Al Khoud shop at Al Khoud. Contact: 24834644 / GSM : 93994401 /02/03/3lines Show room / shop for rent area 155 sqm at 600/-R.O shops at 160/- R.O. Contact 97714433 / 92822437 Shop for rent behind building behind whole center Al Amerat good for offices or stores only space 11x4 meters R.O 250/- PER month.

Contact : 92877449 For rent 1bed room flat, near Indian school (ISD) at Darsait.

Contact: 94776771/ 99669216 Offices & Showrooms in Al Khoud.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 600 SQT commercial flat for rent opposite Oman flourmill Darsait more details. Contact 91214849/ 99364735 Duplex villa in QURUM 29.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Flats shops & store for rent in Ruwi Honda road Mumtaz.

Contact: 97293708 / 92433127

Flats in Darsait.

Contact 94051789-97201688

FOR SALE Used home furniture and household appliances in good condition for sale. (Else 3bhk can be taken for rent along with furnitures.)

Contact: 99738104 Marble factory for sale location Misfa. Contact: 98586828 Beauty Salon for urgent sale in Azaiba prime location behind Al Fardan building. With sponsor and 1 staff and 1 ready visa clearance. Call: 95318629 / 95169411 Luxury villa for sale at Al Hail South building area 375m land area 323, 6 rooms, 3 halls, 7 toilets.

Contact 99839898

Flats in Muttrah. Contact 94051789-97201688

Curtain shop for sale with 2 visas at Muttrah. Contact 91135930 / 93231403

Offices in Ghala. Contact 94051789-97201688

Printing press for sale Mobelah.

Contact: 93478181

Brand new villas in Al Ansab.

Contact - 94051789-97201688

A well running coffee shop for sale, at Wadikabir, near KFC. Contact 92772825

Offices & Showrooms in Muttrah.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Mini Furnished Apartment in Qurum. #94051789-97201688 Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35) Contact 9405178997201688 1,2 BHK Ghubra R.O 300/-, 325/- & 350/-. Contact: 97799175 Offices in Qurum opposite City Center. Contact: 9405178997201688 Open showroom AL Ghobrah 18 November 175SQM & office space Al Qurum next to Al Araimi Complex.

Contact: 94300909 Single BHK flat available in Honda road Ruwi.

Contact - 24833972/ 24833974/99367448

Exercise cycle for sale.

Contact – 92847957 Luxury Apartments in Boucher (35). Contact - 9505680897201688 Mangalorean restaurant at Wadi Kabir & shop at Ruwi for sale.

Contact: 98428507 / 93655003 Villas in Al Khoud. Contact 95056808-97201688 Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35) Contact -9505680897201688 3Ton Forklift, Special made for Oman market, Japanese Isuze C240 Engine, Cascade side shifter, High amount exhaust, 3m lifting height, Solid tyres, One year warranty.

Contact: 98883445

M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 4 , 2 0 1 6

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DAILY GUIDE IELTS PREPARATION Target Band 8.0

Classes for Spoken English TOEFL / GRE / GMAT / SAT Excellent Guidance and Coaching Satisfaction Guaranteed EAGLES INSTITUTE 92325542 | 93657915 | 93657917 | Email: engominst@gmail.com

ACC. AVAILABLE

BUILDING

Furnished sharing accommodation in ruwi near O.K. Center for non-cooking indian bachelor.

Contact - 98805474 Large size room in Al Falaj with attached bathroom for Executive bachelor (non cooking) with A/C, rent RO 150 inclusive Electricity & Water. Contact Mr. Hari : 24821717 / 99657906 FOR RENT 3BHK along with furnitures in Ruwi. Contact: 99738104 Independent rooms in Qurum / Al Hail. Contact 95529970 Semi furnished spacious room with attached washroom separate entrance near Indian school Al Ghobrah for non cooking Executive Indian bachelor.

Contact: 95146361/92657598 Furnished room for indian executive -alkhuwair33. 95234062 Single bedroom flat near Indian School Ghubrah.

Contact 99203954 Single bedroom flat behind German Embassy, near Al Nahdha Hospital. Contact 99203954 Furnished room in new building for working Muslim lady/ Muslim couple only. Location AINT, Darsait. Contact - 99008069 Room for rent with furniture.

Al Bustan villeage.

Contact 93687466 Single room for expat Indian bachelors near Al Aktham restaurant Al khuwair for RO 120.

Water and electricity included.

Contact 98803261 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room, Kitchen & store including utilities bills at Al hail.# 92817777

FOR SALE MUMTAZ AREA (NEAR RUWI HOTEL)

MV SALE 2008 Model Hyundai Tucson 90,000 KM expatriate driven in very good condition & Accident free for Sale for OMR 4,000/- , Serious buyers contact Mobile : 95137538 Toyota Prado 2008, 4 cylinder single used perfect condition RO 5800/-. Contact: 95885852 Hummer H2 model 2006, 178000 km, Full options Number 1 Army edition.OMR 7200.

Contact -99466773 Chaverlet Epica 2004 model RO -700, for sale. Contact 92194205 BMW 318/ 2003 for sale.

Contact 96364990

NRI Plot for sale Shadnagar Municipality, Mahboob Nagar District, walk able distance to existing colonies, national highway and basic amenities at reasonable price. Contact – 0091 8686631669 Plot, propeties for sale in prime location in pune 95272138, (+918390982975)

ACC. WANTED Looking for single room with separate bathroom in CBD area or MBD area. Contact: 93083279

CONTACT - 99353931

FOR SALE Dozer Kom 355A -3 Dozer Kom 155A- 3 Grader Champion 780 Excavator PC 400 with breaker Man green water tanker 5000 IG All are in good condition

99310448/99612010/95208455

CLASSES

WEBSITE

IELTS & TOEFL Academic / General Target Band 8 TQT Institute.

Ph # 24480800 / 99347202

BULK SALE Hall type & Individual Portacabins (100 nos.) for immediate sale in Muscat area.

Contact 93208398 / 93215830 AVAILABLE Party & Wedding equipment rentals.

Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting.

Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. ww.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

FOR LEASE

Warehouse/ Light Industry Rumais/ Barka Good Quality Property available For lease in Rumais/ Barka Opp Naseem Garden for Warehousing/ Light Industry available 3300 sq mts area @RO 2.500 PER SQ MTR

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English class for Malayalam Speakers

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

Contact - Vasant

92818099

COMPUTER

Karate and self defense classes at Azaiba 18 Nov Street. RO 10 per month twice a week Monday and Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM. CONTACT 98294551

LOST Mohammed Mir Hossain has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AB 3202244. Finder please handover to ROP Sree Kartik Chandra Mondol has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AC 6642697. Finder please handover to ROP

FOR LADIES Special offer for ladies only, All beautification for 15 RO. Al Doom beauty parlour in Ruwi.

(Home service also) Contact 99619409

Apurbo Kumer has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AE 4668929.

Finder please handover to ROP Asharaf Kannoli Kandiyil has lost Indian Passport No. K 8461268.

Finder please handover to ROP

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

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

NOTICE Noakhzh Alaejeh Trade (Solidarity) Company announces and restricted to the department of Trade and industry for South Sharqia Governorate under no (1056242). That it was modifying its trade name to United Gulf completion of projects. Any one has objections has to submit the reasons for his objection to the department of trade and industry for South Sharqia governorate.

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M O N D AY, JA N UA RY 4 , 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

The following staff is required by a leading Engineering & Contracting Company in Oman.

Estimation Engineer (1Position) Mechanical Engineer with 5-7years post graduate experience in MS, CS, SS Piping work, HVAC piping, Storage tanks, Vessels and steel structure estimation. Applicant must have commands on AutoCAD, familiarity of budgets and can estimate EPC Projects.

Site Engineer (1Position) Mechanical Engineer with 5years post graduate experience as a Site Engineer in piping or HVAC piping installation works. Applicant must be professional and have expertise in project planning & coordinating with client

Interested Candidate can send their CVs at hr.muscat2015@gmail.com

URGENTLY REQUIRED

Required for reputed Company Marble & Granite field

FOLLOWING STAFFS FOR A LEADING ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY

1. General Manager – 1 no.

2. Marketing Manager – 1 no.

3. Salesman – 2 nos.

4. Salesman – 1 no (for marble showroom) 5. Accountant, B.Com, 5 + yrs experience in Marble & Granite field.

1. DESIGN ENGINEER ROADS AND BRIDGE - BTECH CIVIL +MINIMUM 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

2. SENIOR QUANTITY SURVEYOR

- BTECH CIVIL

+MINIMUM 12YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IS CIVIL & MEP

3. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

- MTECH STRUCTURE

+MINIMUM 8 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN BUILDINGS

4. ELCTRICAL ENGINEER

Must have knowledge & experience in Gulf, for 5 to 10 yrs with valid GCC driving license.

Interested candidates please apply at address,

- BTECH ELCETRICAL

+MINIMUM 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

5. PROJECT PLANNER – BTECH CIVIL + PSP CERTIFICATION +MINIMUM 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

All the above position required Experience in Huge Medical City Construction

Email : boss4you33@yahoo.com

REPLY IMMEDIATELY EMAIL :- vacancyamec@gmail.com

Tel : 00968 95465656/ 00968 96465656

URGENTLY REQUIRED An Excellent Grade Construction Firm based in Muscat has immediate vacancy for the following position INTERIOR & FITOUT DESIGN DRAFTSMAN Capable to develop details of concept design of id projects, preparation of joinery/ detail drawing. with minimum Of 3 to 5 years GCC Experience with valid Omani Driving License - 1 Nos & Fitout Estimator capable to handle joinery estimation, fitout tender etc, with minimum 3 to 5 years GCC Experience with valid Oman Driving License - 1 Nos Interested Candidates May forward their CV, To

Email - cvomanhr@gmail.com Fax : 2449 5965 ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ENGINEER

SITUATION WANTED

Experienced Accountant required for Restaurant. Contact 96500750

Wanted Chemical Engineer with 5-10 years experience in STP Operations and Maintenance. Also wanted Market Research Expert with experience in Feasibility Studies. Kindly send your resumes to advance@omantel.net.om or Fax us at +968-24792175.

Oman. Contact : 94069402

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

We are looking for Chief Financial Officer, Male 40- 45 years old, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy with 5 - 15 yrs. of experience.

Contact: +968 24702133 Email: admin-dept@daud.om

BEAUTY Wanted experienced Beautician & hairdresser for the reputed ladies beauty center at Qurum.

Contact 99791572 / 97453246, souzawilfred@gmail.com Required experience Beautition Contact 99619409

Civil Site Supervisor for telecom tower projects across Oman. Send CV to fyjo@spec-link.com or call +968 9946 7227

MISCELLANEOUS

DRIVER Urgently required Heavy Driver with GCC license for a leading FMCG Co, located at Seeb.

Please forward your CV at Email recruityarek@gmail.com, contact 99719124 Looking for House Driver (Indian) with experience to work in Salalah.

Contact 92322588 / 99653350, Email : sadiq.fm@omantel.net.om Reputed Construction Company require experienced light Vehicle Driver. Contact 95526871 Urgently required 1 experienced House Driver to work in capital area. Contact 93888666 / 24493666 Looking for an Indian experienced house Driver for an Omani family. Interested candidates may call: 96203333 Required driver with car in Sohar.

Contact: 24460287 / 96905535

DOMESTIC HELP Looking for housemaid urgently clearance available good salary yearly ticket.

Contact ravi.ztc@omzest.com TEL 24446920 / 99238121 Wanted Housemaid full-time 6am-6pm, six days a week, for Kerala family in Darsait, near ISD, Salary 200/-.

Contact 98564647 or 99864290 *Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

Filipino,29,Male,5years experience Payroll/Payable/Receivables/Document Control.Excellent Communication/AccountingSoftwareSAP /MSOffice skills.

Contact: patrick110486@yahoo. com/95057206

Wanted Market Research Expert with experience in Feasibility Studies. Kindly send your resumes to advance@omantel.net.om or Fax us at +968-24792175.

CATERING Shawarma /Griller helper wanted.

Contact 95529970

Indian male good experienced in Accounts, ERP Tally 9 & Admin in India & Oman, presently on visit visa, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94834687

Part Time Job Seekers mail your timejoboman@gmail.com Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years experience preferably in water sector and having valid driving license Send CV to shiju@spec-link.com or call Ph:+968 99450811 Urgently required for a reputed company in Oman (Tyre, Battery & Lubricant division) Sr. Executives/Executive-5 nos (Sohar, Nizwa & Muscat), Techno Commercial Professional-5nos, Driver (Omani)-1no. Required minimum 3-5 yrs experience in the same field with market exposure holding valid Omani driving license or GCC. Kindly fwd your CV’s to ashwin@taasintl.org Contact: (+968)93891700 Sales Ladies wanted for Ladies Boutique. Age: 20-35 yrs.

Al Khoudh. Send CV to sameer916@hotmail.com or call 91159905

MEDICAL Urgently required full time female Nurse (with MOH), Receptionist (Omani) for Dental clinic in Muscat (Ruwi).

Candidates in Oman only need to apply. Contact 93582582, abbas@essacogroup.com Staff Nurse required for a reputed dental centre in Muscat. Send the CV to omandentalnurse@gmail.com Wanted Staff Nurses (female) with or without license for a polyclinic near Sohar. Excellent salary and accommodation. Contact: 99006915 Email: alhinaee.clinic@yahoo.com Dreams Clinic - Muscat-Al Khoudh Urgently required Medical Laboratory Technician Salary + Accommodation Minimum 3 Years Experience IN Sultanate of Oman Doctors + Nurses, Salary +Accommodation Minimum 5 years experience in sultanate of oman Contact : towershr70@gmail.com

MEDICAL

SALES / MARKETING

Urgently required Lab Tech & Radiologist for medical Center in ruwi interested candidate kindly send short CV bmdcsg@yahoo.com or cont: 95220350

Male Sales Executive wanted: age 24-32 yrs, minimum 2-5 yrs experience in sales, preferably in furniture / interior design / turnkey contracting business. Salary commensurate with experience. Any degree with GCC driving license preferred. Apply to fax : 24560806 careers@teejanequipment.com

Urgently required General Practitioners (male), lab technician, Staff Nurse & Receptionist (female, Arabic & English speaking) for a reputed Medical Centre, Salalah.

Email : hrmdimc2010@gmail.com Canary clinic (GP) MBBS Doctor with 3 years experience MOH license, male or female. Good offer salary. Contact 94395199 Email: canarymoh@gmail.com Wanted GP Doctor with MOH license, job location in Muscat with good salary and benefits. Drop your cv at 0careerhr1972@gmail.com.

Wanted Sales Executive for IVMS, experienced minimum 1 year in the same field. Interested Candidate can email the details to: sameeh@cyclonellc.net Number of Salesman two (any nationality) with at least 4 years of experience in FMCG or house ware accountant (preferably Pilipino) with 2 to 4 years of experience.

Contact: 92802204 Email us your CVs on to: info@alliusie.com

SALES / MARKETING Kitchen cabinet manufacturing company is looking sales person, most have Oman D/L and must know any kitchen designed software and two years experience.

Contact: 93326636 A Chemical trading Company is looking for Salesmen with diploma certificate, 3 years experience, with valid driving license and a car. Send CVs to Greatstar@omantel.net.om Salesman require for building material with driving license & 10 years working experience.

Fax your C.V 24833043.

(Mustafa Hardware Store)

SKILLED LABOR Immediate Requirements for experienced Tailors (Designer wears, casual clothing). Please call for interview 99471085 Looking for experienced construction laborers as a subcontractor for a villa construction in Mawaleh. Contact: 96203333 Urgently required 2 caretakers / cleaners for a building in Capital area. Contact 93888666, Email : arajtrad@gmail.com

SITUATION SIT. WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian lady, bachelor degree in Preparatory Programme (BPP) and Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), completed training course in MS Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook from KTI looking for full time / part time job opportunity in Oman.

Contact 92437568, 96795853, Email: linda_navs@yahoo.com

MBA (Banking & Finance) Pakistani male-37 yrs, 15 years experience (12 years in banking Industry with Omani D/L) Seeking suitable position, Contact : 93865002, madeelazhar@gmail.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT-M. Com Finance-Indian with 7 years experience in Finance & Accounts up to finalization. Currently employed in Oman. Having D/L & NOC. Mob:94122464, cammk13@gmail.com Chief Accountant looking for full / part time job. Contact : 95598477 / 98803439 Indian male 13 years exp in Accounts & Admin manager with D/L & NOC can join immediately.

Contact: 96055815 Email: skhussainmct@gmail.com 28 years, female, 4 years experience in finance currently in Oman, seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 94743790 Accounts part time services available to handle all accounts up to finalization, consulting & audit works. Contact: 96247295 25 years Oman experienced, who can handle accounts up to finalization, job costing, timely follow for receivable & timely settle payable looking for suitable opening.

Contact : 94070799 B.Com, CA Articleship, 12 yrs experience in Accounts handling accounts upto finalization, having NOC letter & Oman light vehicle driving license.

Contact Prasad: 0091 8129121179 Om Prakash : 98050341 Telecom Engineer with bachelor degree, CCNA seeking suitable job in good company.

Contact 97269189 Male 24 MBA fresher in marketing and finance seeking immediate placement. Contact: 96112920 Indian male B.com accountant job 6 years experience in Oman looking suitable placement. #95741442 navaskamaru944@gmail.com

Indian male Accountant looking for a suitable placement in Salalah/ Muscat. More than 20 yrs experience in Accounting job (upto the finalization of accounts).

8 yrs working experience in Middle East in Dubai, Muscat & Salalah. Contact 91325029 Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ finance field. On visit visa.

Immediately available.

Contact – 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com Pakistani male, 27 yrs, MBA finance having 3 yrs work experience in Accounts & finance in Muscat, Oman on visit visa.

Contact 99685330, Email : hussain_ca87@yahoo.com Part time Accountant with 15 yrs exp. in Accounts Finance, Tax Audit Management.

Contact 95857199 Indian male 10 years experienced Accountant looking for job, Knows up to finalization costing etc, Oman driving license available.

Contact: 91319600 Accountant B.Com 8 yrs exp in UAE, having Dubai D/L looking for a good job. Contact: +968 93546483 & 971567745263 Accountant, Indian male, 16 years experience (10 years in Oman with driving license & NOC) Tally, ERP.9 & focus expert up to finalization.

Contact: 99622639 Email: venugopal39@yahoo.com Accountant Indian female, 26 yrs, B.Com 2 yrs experience in accounting, purchase vouchers, bank reconciliation. Contact: 95690207 Email: pereira.rita08@gmail.com MBA (finance) one year experience in Oman, have Oman license looking for a good job. Contact: 94103975 Indian male, B.Com, 10 yrs Accounts exp in Tally & focus knowledge of Admin, HR, Purchase having NOC & D/L, looking for suitable job. Contact 93086105 Indian male , B. Com, (CA), 30 years, 10 years experience in GCC in Stores / Warehouse and Administration Management, seeks suitable placement. Currently on visit visa. Contact : 94818449; Email: laveen.tilak@gmail.com Chartered Accountant - Indian, 9 yrs + Exp (7 yr in Oman & UAE ) in Finance , Accounts & Auditing , seeking suitable position in Muscat/Dubai, Can Join Immediately, NOC Available, Contact 98707434 / Email: casmart007@gmail.com

M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 4 , 2 0 1 6

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian male 22 BBM graduate with tally certified 5 month experience as accounts officer 2 looking for suitable job immediately now on visit visa.

Contact: 98949120 Email: mohammednazal93@gmail.com Chief / Senior Accountant having 12 years of Oman experience in reputed firms. Looking for suitable placement. Contact – 99513082 Young 24, ACCA affiliate, advanced diploma in Accounting and business, seeking suitable placement in accounts, finance or audit with valid driving license.

Contact: 92430152 Email: rau_dey@yahoo.com B-Com Graduate male 28 yrs seeks suitable job in the field of administration, clerical or accounting related to construction, automobile, hospital admin ,money exchange or project management.

Contact :97892255

CATERING Cooks (Arabic Indian) gulf exp looking job. Contact: 99531802

DRIVER Experienced Light Duty Driver, Fluent in English, Arabic Well knowledge of Oman Areas Seeking Suitable placement 97950869 Indian light driver having 2 years experience in Oman know language Hindi, English & Arabic need job. Contact: 97366822 Indian Driver, 27 yrs experience in Oman & UAE looking for job.

Contact 92488966 / 92345184 Pakistani driver, with 3 yrs, exp looking for job.

Contact: 96342684 Light driver 6 years exp education CO level language English, Arabic, Hindi looking for office driver. Contact: 99640986

Junior Accountant available.

Contact: 99854384 Email: syedimtiaz1234@gmail.com

5 years experience in Oman D/L (driver) seeking suitable placement. Contact: 95274160

Indian male Accountant / Auditor ACCA finalist having 5 years experience in accounting up to finalization & audit experience currently on visit visa. Contact: 91350688 or 99078853

Light driver need job 4 years experience, English , Arabic, Urdu.

Contact : 94208089

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, with 13yrs experience, 6 yrs Oman in manufacturing, trading & contracting Cos, capable of handling all accounting, finance, banking, L/C, import, export & finalization seeks placement. NOC Available.

Call+968-98932752, mail:jjohnmuscat@hotmail.com

Looking for job driver with car.

Contact: 99154473

28/ male MBA – finance /B.com – accountant with 4 years of Dubai / India experience looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 90187483 Email: shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com

ARCHITECT Architect looking for freelance work in (design plans and 3dmax).

Contact: 96041201

ADMIN 14 years of Gulf experience in HR/ Admin & logistics fluent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position, NOC available.

Contact: 95824598 Indian Female MBA, 3 Year experience in Admin MIS, Family Visa.

Contact 98234427, jkjsmith01@gmail.com Indian male MBA- UK 18 yrs Gulf exp in Administration/ HR & Public relationship. Fluent in Arabic/ English with D/L. Looking for suitable position. Contact - 99897280 Pakistani female Graduate plus Post Graduate diploma in logistics 6 years experience in shipping, office administration and customer service. Fluent English and very presentable on visit visa.

Contact: 91528567 Indian having more 15 years of experience (7 years in UAE) in construction as site administrates for / document controller / HR assistant / store assistant presently on visit seek suitable placement.

Contact: 92196001/98598099 Indian female, Masters in HR, having 4 + years Oman experience in media management and HR, looking for openings in HR, Education, Admin, Corporate communications. Contact 98252030 Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+ experience in Administration/ HR, Customer Support, Office Coordinator with good Computer skill, Now on Visit Visa,looking for suitable position. Contact: 90196235

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN 25 years male BA. English , Qualified as mast in digital animation having 5 yrs ex in character animation specialized Auto Desk mago and motion building software knowledge, seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 97917357

DOMESTIC HELP Full time Malayalee House maid.

Contact: 90178404 / 94451344 / 93000935

Looking for light driving job, 2 years exp. Contact: 91625977

Bangladeshi male 48 yrs, light driver 14 yrs of exp, need job & visa. Contact - 98326656 Driver with experience of 10 years in Oman seeks suitable placement. Contact: 92191698 Driver with new car looking for job.contact: 95873286 Driver (light & heavy duty) valid gulf /Indian) looking job.

Contact: 95175192

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. B.Tech (IT) Indian male 2 years Oman experience in I.T & Networking, holding Oman Driving License, presently on employment visa, seeks for a suitable placement. Ready to join immediately.

NOC available. Contact: 92462578 email: kiren88@gmail.com Indian Civil Engineer 2 yrs exp in building construction /knowledge in staad PRO primavera / apostille attested certificate seeking immediate placement.

Contact: 96637494 Civil Engineer (BE) male 3 years experience (2 yrs in India) seeks placement, NOC available.

Contact 98639039 Sudanese Architectural Engineer 2 years experience in Oman, Revit, AutoCAD 3Ds max Archicad looking for suitable job.

Contact: 94722356 Email: maya40999@hotmail.com Civil Engineer, 2 years GCC experience seeking job in construction & infrastructure industry.

Contact: 97309549 Civil Engineer (Diploma) having total 11 yrs experience in building construction looking for suitable placement having Oman driving license, NOC available.

Contact 95075365, Email : azharraaz@gmail.com Indian male, 26 yrs, having 5 yrs Gulf experience as pre sales Engineer in IT field, looking for suitable job. NOC available, having Oman driving license with own car. Contact 96929899, Email : umeshreshmiya2@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer with 6 yrs experience in MEP field, seeking for a job, on visit visa with GCC license available.

Contact 98086267, Email : khaleel1586@gmail.com Sudanese Electrical Engg, 1 yr exp. in Generators, on visit visa.

Contact 94768845, Email : mohamedkarrar.mk@gmail.com Mechanical Engg, 7 yrs exp. in Generators, solar sys, HVAC, NOC & D/L available. Contact 97452159, Email : mohamedkarrar.mk@gmail.com Instrument Technician (diploma), Indian male, 24 yrs, 3 yrs experience in reputed oil & gas companies, currently on visit visa, seeks suitable job. Contact: 92007218 Email: ahmed0515@gmail.com

IT

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. BE Electronics, Female with 2 years experience in Oman with Omani D/L. NOC available.

Contact 95143294

Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp seeks suitable position ina reputed company. NOC available.

Contact – 96789711

Project Engineer, BSc, 6 years experience in Oman, building construction Fluent Arabic, English and good Hindi Release and NOC Available). Tel: 97858589

Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1Year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 97416564, Email: jovinmathias@gmail.com

Indian male, 25 yrs, Diploma in Hardware & Network Engineering having 4 yrs experience now in Oman, on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact 98779754 / 92720311

Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912

B.Tech C.Eng. AMIEI, Electrical Engineer with 5years experience in the field of electrical power system (transmission & distribution) area expertise in design Ele-SLD, preparing BOQ, LS & estimation transformers switchgear selection installation testing & commissioning in all sectors.

Contact: 94638744, EMAIL : ceng.shaz@gmail.com Auto Electrician having experience 15 years Looking for suitable placement. Contact 94142502 Indian male, BE, Mechanical, with trainee level experience at Galfar & autoCAD, Creo, Ansys, certified individual looking for suitable placement in Oman. Contact 91232147, Email : shamil21siraj@gmail.com, Mr. Shamil Siraj.

Fresher Graduate looking for job (Electrical & Electronics Engineering), special course (Simatic P/C).

Contact 97304565 Electrical Engineer: Indian male, 30 yrs having 5 yrs of experience in industrial automation & utility maintenance in India (MRF tyres), holding valid Oman D/L. Contact 92789995, email : akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Diploma in Electrical Engineering with 6 years’ experience in Electrical Automation, Programming, Project, Power, Energy and Supervision in Civil Work.

Currently in Oman and looking for suitable position, Please contact 94873560/92406652.

Indian Mechanical Engineer having 2+ yrs experience in India & Qatar looking for suitable job.

Contact 93828354. Email : shemseer23191@gmail.com Sudanese Civil Engineer with 5 years experienced AutoCAD primavera & GIS Arabic & English language looking for a suitable job.

Contact: 91340584 B, Sc Engineer looking job with visa. Contact: 96136615 Mechanical Engineer (B. Tech) knowledge in HVAC & fire fighting.

Currently in Oman on visit visa, looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 90154793 Email: sangu.vazhoor@gmail.com Mechanic Diesel Engines & Hydraulic , 25 years Experience in Multinational Companies.

M Arshad 91685048 Mechanical Engineer, 28 years, male with 4 years experience in Oman looking for suitable placement with driving license. NOC available. Contact: 968 97612297 Email: ymirza11@coledonian.ac.uk Mechanical Engineer M.Tech 2 years experience HVAC design & site Engg revit MEP Auto CAD. Contact: 90150913 Email: mahmanmechengg@yahoo.im B.E (CSE) Indian male 2 years of experience in IT & Networking presently in visit visa seeks for immediate placement. #93832694 Email: baijupp006@gmail.com Civil structural Engineer 6 years experience Oman license.

Contact: 96380693 Electrical Engineer Indian male BE (Electrical & Electronics) having 3 years of experience, seeking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91917369 Bcs Civil Engineer, 3 years experience, NOC available looking for suitable replacement.

GSM-97409350.

Mail- kamrul07cuet@gmail.com Network Engineer BA: CS with experience CCNA, MCSA. Contact: 92346191 7 Yrs Exp. PM in Mech. Engg in the field of Building Const. Oil & Gas Seeking Job.94625598

Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in designing, assembling, commissioning execution etc having valid GCC license too looking for a suitable. Contact: 00968-98052942 Email: azamjeelani78@gmail.com 23 yrs, Indian male looking for good job electrician & good Indian family driver, have Indian license & office boy ready for NOC, visa transfer, ready to join.

Contact: 92108447/ 96507858 Indian male (B.Tech EEE) 31 yrs having managerial skills AutoCAD quality control electrical fault debugging 6 yrs experience in electric field & good communication skills. Contact: 90181566 Email: jittoandrewsnesto@gmail.com 29 yrs Indian male B.E (ECE) with more than 5 yrs experience in Oman with valid D/L. #96652145 Bachelor Civil Engineer 6 Years in Oman experience Valid Driving License seeks suitable placement Phone 97619722 Email – golamrob@yahoo.com Civil Engineer 5 Years exp 2 years in Oman as QS. Seeking part time job as QS. Contact - 91507508 Road and Construction Engineer with 5 years exp in Oman.

Contact: 97667113 Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, 36 years, Male, Indian, having 16 years of experience in machine maintenance & machine breakdown, worked with reputed companies in India, currently on visit visa seeking suitable placement.

Contact- 99011507 E-mail: rsdengroman@gmail.com Indian female, 31 yrs, 7 yrs experienced as AutoCAD civil draftsman (2 yrs experience in Oman) currently in Oman seeks suitable.

Contact 96789441 Email: simi5304@gmail.com Civil Engineer 6 yrs Exp in Oman with license. Contact: 98975518 Electrical Engineer with 18 years exp in UAE. Contact: 98148034 Email: shassalih66@gmail.com Indian Male 23 years B.Tech Civil having 2 years experience in quantity survey and site management looking for suitable placement. Contact:- 95042656 Diploma in Mechanical Eng piping system in AutoCAD work, 21+ years experience with Driving license. Contact: 95267113 Email: rkakkaryil@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer M.Tech 2 years experience as HVAC design engineer rev IT M.E.P AutoCAD. Contact: 91050913 Email: rahmanmechengg@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer with 3 Yrs experience in international Oil & Gas company looking for job Contacts: Tel: 90164236 Email: mustafaoshi-62@hotmail.com Civil Engineer (BE) having total 5 years experience in building construction looking for a suitable placement. D/L available Contact# 94450270 Indian female civil engineer B.Tech having 3 years experience sound knowledge of software, REVIT STAD PRO structural detailing currently on family visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 95345591 Civil maintenance painting, tile works decor works, plumbing, electric, shop furnishing carpentary works and all other maintenance.

Contact 97897831, 92112094 (Indian, Keralite) Sri Lankan Engineer (27 Years old) – B.Sc Engineering (Hon) Mining / Geotechnical Presently in Muscat, 1.5 years experience.

Contact 91295802 / acmfaslan123@gmail.com

10 years Oman experience ICT Sector, capable of handling large accounts, looking for suitable Senior Executive position.

Contact: 98987654

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).

Looking for a Suitable position.

Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa.

Contact: 92835952. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com B.Tech (IT) Indian Male 2 years Oman experience in I.T & Networking, holding Oman Driving License, presently on employment visa, seeks for a suitable placement.

Ready to join immediately. NOC available. Contact: 92462578

EDUCATION Secondary Computer teacher, 5 years experience in Kuwait, IELTS 6, looking for job at bilingual or English School.

Contact: 96555397722 (viber, whatsapp, skype, imo) Email: samehj.adib@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY Hospitality/Hotel/ Restaurants Dynamic result oriented hospitality professional with 20 years of international exp. MBA in Hotel Management, specializing in Hotel/Restaurant start ups, concepts & Franchise development with proven records. Seeking for Challenging positions in reputed groups as GM/COO/CEO/Business Head. (NOC available) Contact: 96059470 Indian male 42 B.A Degree & diploma in hotel management with 16 yrs experience in India Abroad having V/L Oman D/L looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91575956 / 95451547 Email: lijosaju@yahoo.com Dutch male qualified commercial pilot (Faa-ME-IR certified) is looking for job openings in middle east. rutjestom@outlook.com

IT Indian Male, IT System Engineer having 4 yrs of experience in system administration.CCNA,MCSE, Linux. Looking for suitable job.

Contact :91272867 Indian female B.Tech IT with 2 years experienced in HCL presently on family visa.

Contact: 90357203 Email: ammupravda123@gmail.com Indian female, 28 yrs, MCA, B. Com, 3 yrs experience in the field of Computer hardware, ERP Softwares & windows networking where planning, implementing & trouble shooting with multiple platform of OS Microsoft XP / 7/ on visit visa. Contact 95089170, email : anjuretnakar@gmail.com Indian (Keralite) female (25 years) MCA on family visit required suitable placement.

Contact: 90417133 Email: renjitharose04@gmail.com Male 23 years 3 years experience in IT as Linux administrator at reputed MNC looking for a better change. Contact: 92889678 Email: amalpathikal@gmail.com Communication Network CCNA fresh Graduate.

Contact: 98194924 Indian male MCA, Oracle , orion , ERP, 15 years experience , 5 years in Oman with NOC. Contact: 95398567 Email: anasa4@gmail.com Senior IT Engineer Sudanese male 9 years experience in Govt./ Private sectors. Contact: 94675984 Senior IT Engineer Sudanese male 9 years experience in Govt. / Private sectors. Contact: 94874758 B.Tech (IT) Indian Male 2 years Oman experience in I.T & Networking, holding Oman Driving License, presently on employment visa, seeks for a suitable placement. Ready to join immediately.

NOC available.

Contact: 92462578

NEBOSH, IOSH Indian male HSE officer experience 8 yrs, 6 yrs GCC. Contact: 93235457 Email: srecjithsurcndran3@gmail.com Hardware & net working, 2 years exp. Contact: 96244031

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Female, 24 Years - MSc Biotechnology. Worked in International Crops Research Institute For The Semi Arid Tropics for project work as trainee. Looking for suitable job. Mobile: 92619048, Email: anusreeg1991@gmail.com 21 yrs, male, Oman experience, 2 yrs, educational qualification S.S.E, languages Arabic, Hindi, with Oman driving license seeks job. Contact 94157194 / 94116029 Indian female 28 years, presently on family visa looking for a suitable post. Contact: 93916523 Email: arya.surendran87@gmail.com Indian female on visit MBA (International Business- Marketing & Logistics), BE (Computers & Science Engg.) Trained in SAP-BI/ BW with 1 year experience seeking for job Contact: 90228586 Email:fathimasha16@gmail.com Graduate, computer literate, experienced in sales, credit control, accounts, Omani D/L , seeks suitable placement.

Gsm 9880-5474 Indian female, Masters in Computer Application,26 yrs, 2 yrs of exp in administration, seeking suitable job in administration, IT, teaching, banking etc. Preferably in Muscat. Contact:99417993 dhanyaparumala@gmail.com

MEDICAL 10+ yrs experience as Optical Practice Manager, Diploma in Ophthalmic Assistant, BCA seeking for good placement.

Email : udayasuresh87@gmail. com, 99576403 / 91 9962888824 Dentist Indian female with MOH license working in Oman since last 2 yrs & worked in India for 5 yrs is looking for a suitable placement in Sohar urgently. NOC available.

Contact : 94227073 Indian female Dentist prometric passed, 3 yrs experience looking for suitable position in Muscat.

Contact 91429337 / 98631283 An experienced Sudanese female Dentist with MOH license looking for job. Contact: 96436517 /97396088

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: construction(Very strong and qualified to bringing business for civil work Or any type of the construction work for many million per year with a good experience in pricing and collect payment and cash management of the company & marketing projects & investments& tenders & real estate. # 92385033 Indian male, MBA Graduate, GCC with valid D/L, currently working as branch Manager in Muscat, 4 yrs Oman experience in Admin & HR Executive trainer, customer service, sale supervising accounting, fluent in Arabic, English, Hindi looking for suitable placement.

Release & NOC available.

Contact 97644108, email : basheervision21st@gmail.com Indian HSE Manager Grad IOSH & I Dip NEBOSH with 18 years experience presently working in Oman seeking suitable HSE jobs Oman driving license & NOC available.

Contact: 94401830 Email: hseoman101@gmail.com 25 years Gulf experienced Manager in operations, projects, properties, holding valid Oman driving license, with NOC, looking for suitable opening. Contact: 91283701 Indian male M.B.A with 7 years Oman experience in Insurance sector with D/L, NOC available seeking suitable position.

Contact: 99278672

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M O N D AY, JA N UA RY 4 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

SALES / MARKETING

Indian male, with experience in operations management, information security, purchase & stores mgmt, hold UAE driving license, on visit visa, seeks suitable job.

Contact 91904541 Email: naushers@yahoo.com

Indian male B.Com Graduate having 14 yrs Gulf experience in indoor sales and shop management currently on visit visa seeking suitable placement in Oman.

Contact : 94873251 Email: imtiazsulthan@gmail.com

MBA (marketing) with 17 years experience in freight forwarding/ logistics industry in GCC & Oman.

Presently working as branch manager in Muscat. Looking for a suitable position. Release and NOC available. Contact: 99856331

38 yrs, male, Graduate, 7 yrs experience in Sales/ Marketing Electronic field having NOC & D/L. Contact 92453375

Result oriented hospitality professional with 20 years management experience in Oman and other gulf countries looking for a suitable vacancy in hotels, restaurants and catering companies.# 97204636 Indian male 8 yrs exp in Oman working as housekeeping supervisor in star hotel, seeking for a job NOC available. Contact – 91753210 Purchase/Planning & Logistics Manager, MBA (Finance), 14yrs.

Oman Exp. with D/L, NOC available, looking for suitable position.

Contact : 93826090, Email: jskanchan01@gmail.com The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: tenders& real estate& construction & marketing projects& investments& transportation & Marine services& companies management& develop business. Contact :- 92385033

SALES / MARKETING MBA graduate having 6 years exp in Sales & Marketing, 4 years with PEPSI, India, having international driving license permit seeks suitable placement. Cont : 95308167, Email : samir.pag@gmail.com Looking for immediate Sales & Marketing Job, 10 Years Experience, MBA Peter -93747126/ E-mail forlakei@yahoo.com Indian (keralite) male 25 yrs MBA in marketing & logistics ,2 yrs marketing exp presently in Oman in residential visa (NOC could obtained) with Oman D/L seeks suitable placement.

Contact :90263368, Email: getintouchtst@gamil.com Indian male 5 years experience in Store keeping & driving license, release available. Contact: 95197065 Indian male, 25 yrs, MBA, Marketing with 1 yr experience in Sales & Marketing looking for immediate placement. Contact 91945577 B.Com male 5 yrs exp. in sales Oman D/L. Contact: 94824000 Email: sharseem@gmail.com MBA 14 years Experience in Multinational Groups in Sales & Marketing with Omani Driving Licence. M.Z. 96220975 Indian male 23 MBA Marketing and HR with 8 months experience in sales and marketing looking for suitable placement. # 91987119 Email: reny.cherian1@gmail.com Indian male, MBA Marketing having 2.5 years Sales experience immediately looking for a suitable position. Contact: 91415145, Email: shariqs88@gmail.com 30 yr old experienced available with NOC & Oman driving license 6+years experience in chemicals Industry. Contact: 96675065

Looking for driving & marketing job, 4 yrs exp. in Muscat, English, Arabic & Hindi. Contact 99548180 Indian male, 28 yrs, 3 yrs In Oman, B.E. Instrumentation, 5.5+ yrs experience in oil & gas projects, proposals, EPC, sales & marketing preferred, profile – sales & marketing status married can join immediately. Contact 91 9650336344, prashant.colligator@gmail.com Dedicated professional with over 18 yrs experience in sales marketing business development & new product launches with Oman driving license & NOC with 4 yrs experience in Oman looking for suitable openings.

Contact 93575165 / 99254080 Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and Marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, looking for suitable placement.

Contact : 94879615. Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com 5 years experience in Sales currently looking for a placement.

Contact: 93458869 Indian male, MBA Finance & Marketing 28 yrs,6+ Exp, with Driving license, Hospital Phrma Herbal Marketing, construction A/c & sales , F&B industry, Contact : 93379044 Indian male 23 years with 4 years experience in Purchase and Sales, graduate in EC, currently on visiting visa, seeking suitable job in Oman. Contact: 96761020. Email: adikmuthumuttam@gmail.com Sales & Marketing Executive MBA with 3 years experience in sales looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91345727.

Graduate, computer literate, experienced in sales, credit control, accounts, Omani D/L , seeks suitable placement. Gsm 9880-5474 Indian Male 32, MBA (Marketing & Finance) with 10 years experience in Marketing of Banking Products & Insurance Industry.

Seeking for a Job in Oman.

Contact: 93576980, 97750460 Email: senthil.cbe83@gmail.com Indian male, 24, MBA Marketing and HR, I year experience. On visit visa. Looking for suitable job.

Contact 94014073 Marketing Executive/Merchandiser, Omani License, BA 8 years Experience in Multinational Groups. Contact 97601343

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Indian male 40 having 5 years experience in UAE, looking for suitable placement in Oman. Contact: Rethish Kumar: 00968 99282901 / 00968 93988015 Email: rethishkumar@gmail.com Indian male Senior Safety Officer (NEBOSH) 9 years experience, valid GCC license looking for suitable job .

Contact: 96586672 Email: mrudul.v2008@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

SKILLED / UNSKILLED More than 8 yrs experienced mill with fitter & pipe fitter.

Contact 95600418

Chief Accountant looking for full / part time job. Contact :95598477 / 98803439

37 years, Indian male, X- Ray welder 7 years experience, looking for job on visit visa now. Contact: 91360190 / 98223683

27, male, ACCA finalist, have professional experience up to finalization of accounts, statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally, focus and oracle software, have 3.5 years exp. in accounts till finalization , seeking for permanent replacement in senior position,GSM-97654769/ 91324962,email idabdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com

Mason, SH / carpenter, steel fitter gulf & Indian exp looking job.

Contact: 95175192 Electrician, plumber (exp gulf / Indian) looking job. Contact 95175192

TECHNICIAN /MECH. Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years experience preferably in water sector and having valid driving license call Ph:+968 99450811 Send CV to shiju@spec-link.com

TOURS & TRAVELS Indian female BSC IATA, 14 years exp in travel & tourism in Oman looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96433490 Email: indu623@yahoo.co.in

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male M.com looking for part time job in accounts including finalization, date entry, financial guidance please contact mobile 97433387 Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT/ networking/ server support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Light Driver looking for job.

Contact:99594946 Indian, M.Com with 20 years Gulf experience in Marketing Communications, ATL& BTL branding exp. with Oman D/L. Contact 93031168 Indian Male Diploma + MBA in Project Management with 7+ years of experience in Construction company oman as a maintenance supervisor cum site In charge.

Having valid Omani D/L seeking suitable position.

Contact: 90318757 Indian male, 26 years, With 7 years of experience in Sales Field in shipping company in “Dubai” looking for suitable placement.

Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office. # 90182494, manojmallya999@gmail.com 31 year Indian male PG in HR with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement(NOC Available).Kindly contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com Planning Engineer: B.E (Electrical and Electronics Engineering): Indian Male 33 yrs with 10 years of exp. in UAE & Muscat. Skilled in the areas of project coordination, planning & procurements. Contact: 00971503529608 Email Id: saravananbe44@gmail.com Pakistani male: MSc Environmental Engineering, Diploma Hazard risk reduction and Occupation Safety Health Authority, having more than 5 years’ exp. as a Health Safety supervisor looking for a better placement.

Contact: 97682745 email: hussain349@gmail.com

Indian Male Diploma + MBA in Project Management with 7+ years of exp. in Construction company Oman as a Maintenance Supervisor cum site In charge. Having valid Omani D/L seeking suitable position. Contact: 90318757 B.E. Chemical, Total 12 yrs experience, QA/HSE experience in Engg.

Consultancy/ Construction/ ISO Management Systems, Lead Auditor for ISO 9001, 14001 & 18001 seeking suitable placement. NOC Available. Contact: 9415 7131, EMail: samirtrivedi_01@yahoo.com Electronics Technician , 4 Years experience as Electronics service engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items. Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 99105043 INDIAN MALE, 24 years, B.Tech in computer science.3Years of experience in technical support, software development, troubleshooting and managing, seek suitable placement. Contact GSM- 98184170 B.Tech EEE with 4+ years experience in the field of it, networking, ex-tonics etc. Presently working in amazon india development centre as a content quality associate.

Seeking for suitable jobs in oman.

Contact number : +91 9940514005, 0096893116402, Email: mail2nbn@gmail.com Indian Male, 28 Yrs, M.Tech having 5+ years experience (3 Year Industry+2 years Lecturer),Now on visit visa, looking for suitable position. Contact 94885747 Indian, Male, 24years, Bachelor’s degree, Two and half years experience with Oman driving license.

NOC Available. Looking suitable opening. Currently on visit visa.

GSM: 95484101.

Sudanese male 31 years, have 3 years Diploma in Electrical Engineer, 6 years and 1 year in Oman experience in building construction and electrical plants , have oman drive license.

Contact : 94549609 26 Years oman experienced executive in automobiles, showroom & workshop areas seeks suitable replacement. Currently working as general manager in a reputed LLC” Contact +968-2009700 /91494707 Indian Female Electronics System Eng. UK Graduate. Programmer Micro Controller Robot, Eng. Analysis, Instrumentation & Control, Eng. Projects, Integrated Circuit Eng., Electrical and Fluid Drives, Analogue Electronics, Wireless Systems. Seeking suitable post.

Contact: 97848075, s.dinesh1508@gmail.com Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT/ networking/server support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532

Indian Male, 26 years, With 7 years of experience in Sales Field in shipping company in “Dubai” looking for suitable placement. Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office. Contact: 90182494, Manojmallya999@gmail.com Bangladeshi Male, University MA, 5 years experience in IT sales & marketing working as sales coordinator in Oman; searching better job. Phone:91997605. email: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com Indian female, MBA HR & Finance, having 1 year experience, seeking suitable placement. Currently in Oman. Contact: 96052366.

Industrial Automation and Process Control Instrumentation trained Mechatronics Engineer seeking for a suitable job. Also possess GCC driving license.

Ph. 93370528, email: atulverghese@gmail.com.

Sales Executive, Male, 24years, Two and half years experience with Oman driving license. NOC Available. GSM: 95484101.

Post graduate master of social work having 5 years experience at present visit visa seeking suitable opportunity. Contact 99876307 Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available. Contact 98803439 31 year Indian male PG in HR ,with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement(NOC Available).Kindly contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com Indian male, 26, BCom with tally, 2-year exp in marketing and 2-year exp as restaurant manager looking for suitable job.

NOC available. Ph. No: 97707953 DME (Diploma in Mechanical Engineering) with overall 7+ year experiences in the field of Industrial and Plant Maintenance seeking placements. Contact 97460974 Bangladeshi Male, University MA, 5 years experience in IT sales & marketing working as sales coordinator in Oman; searching better job. Phone:91997605, email: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com Indian female, ME in CSE with 2 years’ experience in teaching seeking suitable Job Opportunity.

Contact: 94263445, E mail – apshinmar@gmail.com HR Manual, Employee Handbook, Recruitment, Training, HR Consultancy, Are you looking for freelancer HR professional.

Contact on 97914669 Indian-male 34yrs,m.Com with 14 yrs exp.( 8 Yrs in oman) working as procurement officer in contg & trdg co llc.( Worked for road,civil,electro-mechanical,corr osion,scaffolding,insulation & Others Projects in Oman ) and having Oman LT D/L, Looking for suitable placement- M:94064650, Email: nagauae@gmail.com 29 year Indian male B-Tech Engineering, with 6 yrs of Professional experience in Manufacturing Oil & Gas Industries seeking for a suitable placement (NOC Available).Kindly contact me on 94628362, emailmahinathdevani@yahoo.co.in

Indian male auto cad draughtsman (civil) 8 years experience .Seeking for part time job.Mobile no: 0096899070584 / Email: remluvp@gmail.com Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer 5 year experience in different activities. Contact - 94549609 MBA - (F), M.Com,B.COM. Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for part time or full time job. presently on family visa. Contact :- 91892264. Email: yashicapandya@gmail.com Indian Male, 26 years, with 7 years of experience in Sales Field in Shipping company in Dubai looking for suitable placement.

Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office. Contact: 90182494 manojmallya999@gmail.com Looking for Network Engineer Job, NOC Available Can join immediately. Qualification: BE Telecommunication, CCNA, CCNP Voice.

Driving License: Oman, Current Company: Global Solutions, Client: Diwan Experience: 3.5 Years.

Contact – 97312044 / waleedkhan26@gmail.com HR & Admin Executive ( MBA) Indian male 26 year old, with more than 4 years of experiences in HR& Admin (16 month in Oman) looking for suitable placement, NOC available.Contact: +968-98757304 Email: nuroollah789@gmail.com Indian Accounts professioanl with 2 years of experience currently on visit visa looking for suitable job openings Contact: Gsm: 92395449 jaleelcabdul@gmail.com Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. In IT/ networking/server support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian male, totally 8+ years experience in IT Assistant, 5 Years in Oman, Looking for a suitable position in Oman, Holding Oman Driving license & also NOC is available. Contact: 98248024, email- bala.abins@gmail.com Indian male, QA/QC Instrument Inspector, 8 years exp in GCC, on visit visa. Contact 92430370 Email: rajeshgcc.kumar@gmail.com, Mechanic Diesel Engines & Hydraulic, 25 years Experience in Multinational Companies.

Contact - 91685048 Indian Male, 28, MBA Finance & Mcom. more than 5yrs exp. in A/c & Finance (Including 2 yrs in Oman), NOC available, Seek Suitable Placement, Contact: 93939421, email: baleeq.ams@gmail.com Planning Engineer: B.E(Electrical and Electronics Engineering): Indian Male 33 yrs with 10 years of experience in UAE & Muscat. Skilled in the areas of project coordination, planning & procurements.

Contact: 00971503529608 Email Id: saravananbe44@gmail.com Indian Expat female, BSc Physics and Tally ERP 9, educated with valid Oman Driving license seeks suitable position. Please contact: 0096894864575 Civil Engineer 5 Years EXP 2 years in Oman as a QS Seeking for part time job as QS. # 91507508

M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 4 , 2 0 1 6

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DAILY GUIDE TOURS

SIT.WANTED MBA (F), B.COM. Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for job. presently on family visit visa.

Contact :- 94704661. Email:bhumicapandya@gmail.com Indian youth BA warehouse manager/sales in Oman 1 year provide NOC, OMAN Driving license holder seeks jobs.94 525213 lojikts@gmail.com.

B Sc. Computer Application + M B A from UK With 3 years of Experience, Mumbai, India Available on Visit Visa (27Years)looking for a suitable Placement. Contact: 94030166/ 96739581 Email ID: asokpanicker1001@gmail.com 31 year Indian male PG in HR with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement(NOC Available).Kindly contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com Driver Cum Salesman Professional, Indian male having 7 Years of Experience in Oman Having Valid Driving License working as a Office Driver, Looking for a suitable Position, NOC available.

Contact: 99680429 Email:anzarkutty1975@gmail.com Indian male 23yr BA TTM(Travel and Tourism Management) with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logisitics and Shipping Management, Experienced in Logisitics (Customs Clearance) seeking in suitable placement, currently on visit visa(Oman) Contact; 90291092 email:iyas.adhur@gmail.com ACCA (Associate Certified Chartered Accountant) with 2 years experience. Looking for opportunities in Finance, Accounts.

Presently Available in Oman for Personal interviews Contact: 96124257, 93692578.

Email at naeemnoe5@gmail.com Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3 yrs exp. in IT / networking/ server support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian Male, 26 years, With 7 years of experience in Sales Field in shipping company in “Dubai” looking for suitable placement.

Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office.

Contact 90182494, Manojmallya999@gmail.com Male 27, BCA, Diploma in Networking, CCNA certified engineer, 4 years experience in IT support & networking seeks job.

Contact-90193811 Indian female, 27, food technologist (MSc Food Technology), 2years experience in research and development - instant foods, seasonings. Contact -93987174 email :mayacnair@outlook.com Project Manager in Mechanical Engg. (M.sc.) with 8 years experience in Building Construction, oil & gas seeking job- # 94625598 (nima.azimzadeh@gmail.com) Indian male 24yrs, B. tech in (Computer Science) 4 years of exp in technical support, sales and networking, seeks suitable placement. Contact:- 95955696, email:- mir.jak89@gmail.com

MATRIMONIAL Hindu Nair Malayalee 32 yrs working in Muscat seeking suitable alliance. Contact 98262970 Christian inviting proposals from Orthodox / Jacobite, Marthoma & Roman Catholics grooms of parents for our God fearing and homely daughter (Orthodox) 23 years B.D.S we are looking for well settled boy.

If interested reply on 92336530 / 92800143 Email: kochirikunnil@gmail.com

SIT.WANTED 31 year Indian male PG in HR ,with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement(NOC Available).Kindly contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com Software Engineer , Oracle EBS R-12 Technical Consultant 9 Years Experience. HRMS/ Payroll, Education, Hotel, Textile, Shipping Container Terminal.

Email: sziahussain@hotmail.com.

Contact 97912264 Indian male 23yr BA TTM(Travel and Tourism Management) with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logistics and Shipping Management, Experienced in Logistics(Customs Clearance) seeking in suitable placement.

Currently on visit visa (Oman) Contact; 90291092 email: iyas.adhur@gmail.com

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

GOOD NEWS AL RAZI AYURVEDIC CLINIC Near Khimji Mart, MBD Area, Ruwi Our Ayurvedic Treatment includes Abhyangam, Kizhi Massage, Shirodhara, Vasti, Udwarthnam 50% Discount on full body massage.

We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

Contact 24814222 or 97112510 for appointment

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 99250777, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133. For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit:www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage steambath, obesity, Spondylitis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street Azaiba.

Contact: 99639695 / 98342990

SERVICES

8 yrs exp 2d, 3d draughtsman (holding omani driving license) seeking job. Contact 93790601 MBA(HR & Marketing) & B.Com, Indian male 28 yrs,2 yrs exp. in Qatar, having oman driving license, currently on family visa (NOC available).looking for hr, admin, assistant accountant, marketing & sales job in salalah.

Contact:98139502 email: subinabraham87@gmail.com Indian male 25 yrs, MBA (Finance, Marketing), Overall 2 yrs exp in Accounts/Finance field, On Visit Visa. Immediately available.

Contact - 92989197/94786544. abdulqhizer2004@gmail.com Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3 yrs exp. in IT/ networking/ server support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian male, 28 yrs, E & I Engineering diploma (3 years), 7 years exp.(India, Oman, KSA) in electrical and instrumentation with driving license, looking suitable job #91051803 Indian male 23 yr BA TTM (Travel and Tourism Management) with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logisitics and Shipping Management, exp in Logisitics (Customs Clearance) seeking in suitable placement, currently on visit visa(Oman) Contact; 90291092 email:iyas.adhur@gmail.com

Catering for Party & Birthday service Cnt 97196675 Cleaning & Carpet Shampooing, Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723 Pest Control Treatments.

Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting,Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. Contact: 24810137, 99450130 Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 / 94285064

SERVICES We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

House shifting. Contact: 99657644/98518013

Marble grinding resurfacing & ceiling crystallization / polishing general cleaning of villas & flats.

Terrazzo floor scrubbing, ceiling, polishing & buffing.

Contact: 98598280 /94134784

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/ 24792998

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807 Split & window A/c servicing & maintenance. Contact : 93769089 / 95323517 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

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

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M O N D AY, JA N UA RY 4 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR

Silver car, car rental at good rate.

Contact: 96166155/93530540 Rental car. Contact: 92516090 25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver. Contact 99839898

TRANSPORTATION DRIVING

SITUATION WANTED BUSINESS

FOR HIRE

TRANSPORTATION

Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation. Contact:99664703

7 Ton/ 10 Ton- Trailer Local transport- MCT- UAE

Transportation taxi mini bus.

Contact: 93091106

32 seater toyota bus available on hire basis monthly or yearly contract gsm 99705821

TRANSPORTATION Learn driving with professional.

Contact: 94022250

We will register LLC. trade license for foreign investors and do all actions. Contact: 92833566

Transportation Contact: 99077395

Contact 96609857 Amir Ali Pick & drop anytime in Al Khuwair. Contact 99764307

Transportation. Contact 99508282

Transportation. Contact 96173326 Transportation. Contact 4510847 Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909