Times of Oman - September 6, 2016

TUESDAY September 6, 2016 4 Dhul Hijja 1437 AH

6 085010 120010 FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

At the Opening Session of the 6th Summit of the Cooperation Council of the Gulf States

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’

MORNING MINUTE

We meet today under crucial regional and international circumstances which requires us to restate the role of our Council as a stabilising factor in the region.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 166 | 36 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

T R AV E L R U S H

UNITED KINGDOM

Airfares shoot up ahead of Eid break

HM receives thanks from Theresa May

Times News Service MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of thanks from Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) in reply to His Majesty’s congratulatory cable on the occasion of her being named as the prime minister.

In her cable, May expressed her deep thanks and utmost appreciation for His Majesty the Sultan’s congratulations, hailing the strong bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries in all fields. -ONA TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

No loss of life in Hamriyah house fire

1

A fire broke out in a house in Hamriyah area in Ruwi on Monday, but no death or causalities were reported. The fire broke out in wood items and electronic devices stored in one of the houses inhabited by expats.

The fire resulted in the loss of property. >A3

OMAN

Ninth plan takes into account oil price dip

RENEWED CALLS TO LINK BREAK TO TEMPERATURE

2

Oil being the main source of public revenues and the mainstay of economy in the GCC countries, the drop in prices in the second half of 2014 had significant effect on the economies of this region.

The Sultanate is not insulated from such effects. >A6

MID-DAY BREAK VIOLATIONS Flexible timings will

Article 16 of the occupational safety and health regulations says that workers must not work at construction sites or in open and elevated areas from 12:30pm to 3:30pm during June, July and August.

be a boon for workers

From June 1 until August 31, 2016

who are flooding hospitals with heat related ailments

2,332 inspections

254 firms

MARKET

Disadvantages for small units under VAT

3

Oman’s micro business units, which do not come under voluntary threshold limit for value added tax (VAT) registration, will be in a disadvantageous position once the government introduces the new tax scheme

by January 2018. >B1

July

August

162

70

18

Warning letters

0

After the holiday announcement, a travel agent said that a one-way ticket to Mumbai normally costs around OMR35, but currently a September 9 ticket costs around OMR200

now the return fares to Bratislava have touched OMR400,” he said.

Country Manager of Mihin Lanka - Oman, Deepal Pallegangoda, however, claimed that the fares have not been hiked because of Eid. “Rather, it is the way the system works and people are only getting the higher class economy fares as the people have already brought lower class fares a long time back,” he explained.

Speaking about the price fluctuation, another official from a leading airline said that a lot of people want to travel during this peak holiday season. “Airlines have four to five grades of seats whose prices change with demand. Fares fluctuate as a result of this system,” he added.

1

Fines

warned

3 Violations per year

REJIMON K

June

MUSCAT: Holidaymakers who have waited until the last minute to book flights for the Eid Al Adha break will probably end up paying more than 300 to 400 per cent for their ticket, according to travel agents in the Sultanate.

“Besides the regular destinations, there is huge demand for Georgia and Dubai this time,” said a flydubai official, adding that more people are now travelling to Dubai with e-visa.

“There has been a rise of around 10 to 15 per cent more applications for e-visa to Dubai ever since the holidays have been announced,” the official said.

This is simply because the Dubai e-visa is getting processed quickly. “Earlier we had some problems but now the e-visa is working well,” he said.

Citing example of the high air fares, a travel agent said a ticket to Mumbai costs around OMR35 (one way) on a normal day, but if you want to fly on September 9, you have to pay around OMR200 (one way).

“Most of the flights which leave Muscat on September 9 and arrive on September 16, 2016 are either sold out or have touched stratospheric heights. Those who have booked in advance are gainers,” a travel agent said.

For instance a round trip ticket from Muscat to London will cost travellers OMR600, while a return ticket to Singapore will cost OMR400 and to Paris about OMR450 this Eid. “For Istanbul it will cost you a little more than OMR350 – if you are not willing to compromise on your dates,” he said. During the off peak season, the price of flying to Istanbul is around OMR120.

An Omani national, Fahad who was desperate a to book a ticket to Bratislava in flydubai said: “The fares were hovering around OMR100 before the Eid announcement on Sunday, but

391

2015

reji@timesofoman.com

2016

MUSCAT: Mid-day breaks for workers in open areas should be linked to temperature rather than over a set period of time, according to trade union leaders and workers.

Medics have reported treating 1,000 patients in three months who are suffering from heat related illnesses and conditions as many employers do not give sun protection products to their workers. “The implementation of a mid-day break should be linked to weather conditions.

It should not be for a stipulated time. It should be made flexible,” Mohammed Al Khaldi, a trade

Source: Aon Hewitt’s

254

union leader in the oil sector and an official at the General Federation of Oman Trade Union, said.

According to a global meteorologist, September and October will be warmer than usual in Oman and residents will have to wait until November for a more pleasant climate.

“September and October look like warmer-than-normal months. It will be more seasonal in November,” Jason Nicholls, a senior meteorologist and international forecasting manager at Accuweather, said.

Fines range between OMR100 and OMR500, or a jail term of not more than one month, or both. The penalty is doubled for repeat violations.

Graphics

The mid-day break is announced every year in accordance with Article 16 of the Oman Labour Law for occupational safety and health regulations, which states that workers must not work at construction sites or in open and elevated areas from 12:30pm to 3:30pm during June, July and August.

“This ministerial decision was put in place to protect workers from the scorching heat during the summer. It was implemented on humanitarian grounds,” said the trade union leader. >A5

Omani unfurls flag at 18,380 feet in India

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END-BENEFITS ROW

FUN-FILLED AL HOOTA CAVE TOUR FOR CHILDREN A lion, a fish and a bat mesmerised delighted Omani schoolchildren as Al Hoota Cave reopened its doors to the public. The three characters - each representing an educational component of one of the Sultanate’s tourism jewels - gave the tiny VIPs a fun-filled guided tour as the new cave centre re-opened its doors. >A4

Denied gratuity, nurses wait for response from their embassies REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A number of expatriate medical staff in Oman who have alleged that their severance packages have been cut or withheld are waiting for their embassy’s response to resolve their issues.

A senior official from the Philippine embassy said that they have forwarded the nurses claim to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Oman and the embassy will be meeting the nurses on coming Wednesday.

“We had received a letter from at least 40 nurses. The Philippines ambassador to Oman has forwarded the same to MoFA. We are waiting for their response. Meanwhile, we will be meeting the nurses too,” Nasser Mustafa, labour attaché at the Philippines Embassy in Oman, told the Times of Oman.

A few weeks ago, hundreds of Indian paramedical staff and medics had approached the Indian embassy with the same claim.

According to the expat medical staff, a majority of them, who have joined services in Oman between 1985 and 1994 are being reportedly denied full service gratuity.

12-year gratuity payment, They have been told to take 12year gratuity payment, even though they have worked for more than 25 years in Oman. This has left many in the lurch as banking on the eventual payment of gratuity money they had many plans, including paying off loans.

Talking to the Times of Oman earlier, Indra Mani Pandey, India’s ambassador to Oman, said: “The embassy has been working in close cooperation with the concerned authorities in Oman to address the

grievances of Indian professionals and workers brought to the attention of the embassy.”

Many, who took loans from local banks hoping to get full service gratuity to meet family needs, are now struggling to repay them as banks have issued notices.

Meanwhile, speaking on the condition of anonymity, a nurse said she was denied full service gratuity initially but later found her name on the list of full entitlement.

“I was denied full service gratuity. I had 25 years of service, but was only given 12 years gratuity.

I filed a case. However, after pursuing the matter further with the ministry, I found that I had signed a document, which enables me to be eligible for full service gratuity. Now, I have approached legal advisors on this issue too,” she added. >A6

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

OMAN

Please beware of applying black henna to your skin, eye lashes, and eyebrows. It’s proven that it’s harmful to the skin Public Authority for Consumer Protection advisory

Pilgrims advised to report Haj service violations to commission If there is a difference between the services offered by the campaign organisers and those provided, the pilgrims should complain to the Haj Commission

FAHAD AL GHADANI

fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Pilgrims have been asked to report any violations committed by campaign organisers to the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, according to an official statement released by the ministry on social media.

“If there is a difference between the services offered by the campaign organisers and those provid-

ed, the pilgrims should complain to the Haj Commission,” the ministry tweeted.

It also stated that all Haj pilgrims travelling by land to Mecca had crossed the border without any issues. Last year, around 150 Haj pilgrims were sent back from Saudi Arabia as their details had not been registered with the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs. A number of Haj campaign organisers were later sent to the

PRODUCTION RESUMES

AL DHAHIRA

Power restored at PDO after outage REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A power outage on August 31 in Petroleum Development Oman was restored on September 1, a senior official said.

“Oil and gas operations have been restored,” the official said.

Technical failure “Since the incident, which was caused by a technical failure, our teams worked tirelessly around the clock to restore electricity and production at all affected oil and gas facilities as quickly and as safely as possible,” an official

public prosecutor for faking Haj permit documents.

In 2014, 100 cases were registered against Haj campaign organisers for violating rules, including 75 administrative staff, as well as 25 criminal cases, involving bribery, forgery and conducting fake campaigns. Administrative cases related to poor management, both in terms of food and pilgrims, were also reported.

Reminders of heftier fines for performing Haj without a proper permit and transfer of pilgrims without permits were issued by @ makkahregion ahead of the annual pilgrimage.

It said any Haj campaign organiser found transporting pilgrims without Haj permits will be slapped with a fine of 100,000 Saudi rials (OMR10,000).

The violator will also be sentenced to not more than two years jail and his vehicle will be seized.

84 expats arrested

from the PDO said. “Power was restored early on Thursday (1 September) and the first oil production resumed at 5am that day, followed by the first gas just under six hours later.

Times News Service Investigation launched “PDO prides itself on the reliability of its operations and we have launched an investigation to fully understand the root causes and to ensure there is no future reoccurrence “We would like to apologise to our valued customers for any inconvenience that has been caused.”

MUSCAT: Around 84 workers were arrested in Al Dhahira governorate for violating the labour law in August.

Of the arrested, 67 were absconding expatriate workers, according to the Ministry of Manpower.

During the same month, the ministry deported 86 workers.

CRIME

PAC P

Two drug dealers arrested at farm

Black henna use warning

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Oman’s Public Authority for Consumer Protection warned women against using black henna ahead of Eid Al Adha saying the beauty product damages the skin.

On Monday, PACP issued an advisory urging women to shun the usage of black henna. The advisory came with photographs showing hennaed hands and arms wrought with red blisters. Other pictures showed a floral pattern of infection in the hands and legs. “Please beware of applying black henna to your skin, eye lashes, and eyebrows. It’s proven that it’s harmful to the skin,” the advisory warned.

MUSCAT: Two drug dealers were arrested at a farm in Shinas where they were selling different types of narcotic substances, Royal Oman Police (ROP) reported on Monday.

The accused were arrested after they tried to escape and resist the officers, according to the ROP. 40 bags seized After searching the farm, police officers found 40 bags of different sizes of hashish in addition to a large bag of heroin and some other drugs.

Alcohol smuggling bid Customs officials arrested a number of people for attempting to smuggle 79 bottles of alcohol at Al Buraimi and North Al Batinah borders, Royal Oman Police reported on Monday.

Times News Service

O C C U PAT I O N A L H E A LT H

Focus on workplace safety TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Occupational diseases are a hazard for employees and can damage the reputation of the workplace, but the Chief Executive Officer and co-Founder of Majan Health Services (MHS) Dr. Aisha Ali is striving to give the new generation a healthy work environment.

The oil and gas and construction sectors are among the most prone to occupational diseases, where one can develop physical and mental diseases due to harsh working conditions and heavy lifting. MHS specialises in the analysis, treatment and prevention of occupational diseases or illnesses.

“We are trying to provide the

new generation of Oman with a safe environment. We are talking about providing them with a healthy environment to work in,” said Ali. Lower back pain, respiratory difficulties and chronic diseases are some of the most common issues the doctors face. Ali said lower back pain is the most common ailment under occupational diseases.

“It (lower back pain) is the most common disease in Oman, yet it is not diagnosed properly.

Maybe it isn’t related to the job, but to your lifestyle.”

She further said patients have to go through a certain criteria to determine whether a disease is in fact being caused by the workplace.

“We have to look at the history of the patient and check where

he works. If the patient goes to another doctor, he will not know what the cause of the disease is,” explained Ali. “The doctor would just prescribe medication, but won’t determine the root of the problem,” she added.

Ali further pointed out that her specialisation requires a different strategy, such as determining the nature of the workplace, speaking to the management and launching a personal investigation.

“We have different strategies, so we have to understand where you work and what hazards might come from it, as well as any other issues. We have to do a workplace assessment so there are guidelines that we follow to find out what the problems are and launch an investigation.”

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

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INCIDENT

Fire in Hamriyah doused Times News Service

Frustration over parking payment hassle at airport Muscat airport feel frustrated as parking machines in the long stay car parking area neither accept the new OMR1 note, nor do they accept debit or credit cards

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Frustrated air travellers are hunting for old OMR1 notes at the Muscat Airport so that they can pay for parking.

Parking machines in the long stay car parking area of the airport neither accept the new OMR1 note, nor do they accept debit or credit cards.

Long lines of frustrated Omanis searching for the old-style notes so that they can pay the parking fees and drive their cars home after getting off flights can be seen at the airport.

Notices stuck on the front side of the machine state that they do not accept the new notes. When travellers head to the nearby ATM to get cash, they are invariably given more new notes rather

than the old ones they need for the parking machine.

The newer OMR1 note is quickly replacing the old one, which is becoming scarcer.

One traveller told the Times of Oman: “I knew the cost would be around OMR7 as I had checked the fees online before parking there. I had the cash in my wallet, but one of my OMR1 notes was a new one. I went to the ATM and was given more new notes. At the same time at least five other people were doing the same thing.”

Waste of time “One Omani was walking up and down a line of parked cars asking people if they had any old OMR1 notes to swap. Eventually, a very kind fellow flier gave me an old bill so I could pay the fee and exit the car park. The whole thing took at least 25 minutes. I was tired

and it was a hassle we could have done without.”

“The machines should take cards and all notes, whether new or old.” A spokesman for the Oman Airport Management Company (OAMC) said the machine will be updated soon to accept the new notes.

‘Working to update’ “The company is working with the vendor to update the ticketing machines to accept the new OMR1 note, and it will be accepted very soon,” the OAMC official said.

Also, OAMC is prepared to further serve its visitors by advising them that the car park station at the airport can exchange the new notes for old ones.

“For those who want to exchange the new OMR1 note for the old one, the car park station can assist them,” the official stated.

W E AT H E R

Wadis overflowing after heavy rain in Buraimi

AFTER RAIN: It rained for at least 30 minutes in the afternoon. - www.rthmc.net

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Wadis in Buraimi are overflowing following heavy rain in the afternoon, a weather enthusiast said.

“It rained for at least 30 minutes in the afternoon. Wadis are over-

TIMELY ACTION: PACDA forces managed to extinguish it before it spread to the surrounding areas.

EVENT

Logistics, transport expo opens MUSCAT: Middle East Transport & Logistics Expo and Conference (METRANSLOG 2016), began at the Oman International Exhibition Centre yesterday.

The three-day event, Oman’s only and most comprehensive exhibition on transport and logistics, kicked off under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Mohammed bin Salim Al Said.

Organised by Muscat Expo METRANSLOG represents a pivotal event where 75 local, regional and international exhibitors showcase latest technologies, best practices, pioneering research, advanced trends, and innovative products and solutions, to meet the requirements of governments, businesses,

Weary travellers at

TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

MUSCAT: A fire broke out in a house in Hamriyah area in Ruwi on Monday, but no death or casualties were reported.

The fire broke out in wood items and electronic devices stored in one of the houses inhabited by expats in Hamriyah.

“The Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) received a fire report on Monday morning and PACDA personnel from Darsait were dispatched for the spot, followed by another batch from the Amerat PACDA,” said PACDA in a press release.

“The second batch was sent due to the location of the fire and possibilities of the fire spreading to the surrounding areas,” the press release added.

The fire resulted in the loss of property as PACDA forces managed to extinguish it before it spread to the surrounding areas. PACDA has called on the public to abide by safety measures and avoid using homes for storing inflammable items.

flowing,” Bader Ali Al Baddaei, an administrator of www.rthmc.net, a local Web-based forum that discusses weather in Oman, said.

High tides predicted Meanwhile Oman Meteorological Department is predicting medi-

um to high tides near Musandam coastline starting tonight and continuing for three days.

The waves will be high during the next three days at the Arabian Sea and medium near Oman Sea, the meteorological department said in its prediction.

industrial and commercial entities, aviation, construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, oil and gas and utilities sectors, for more efficient and even faster Transport and Logistics services.

The event is designed to meet the supply and demand of the market, by bringing manufacturers, integrators, distributors, and service providers to capitalize on the expanding market and boost momentum across the entire sector.

As the only industry focused exhibition, METRANSLOG attract professionals and decision makers from across the transportation and logistics sector.

The event is an important trade

fair for networking and interactions with government officials, key decision makers, industry executives, contractors, consultants, service providers, financiers, and other stakeholders making it an impetus business oriented networking platform.

The Expo showcases the entire spectrum of transport and logistics products and services from airport and aviation, rail and metro, ports and maritime, ship building and repair, road infrastructure, tunneling and underground infrastructure, smart city, urban and public transport, parking, ITS and traffic management, transport solutions and management. -ONA

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But the most striking difference visitors will discover when they come is the renovated visitor centre Khalid Mirza, Director of Projects Development at Omran

Al Hoota Cave reopens with treat to children Guests were welcomed by traditional Omani music at the reception and were given a tour

DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A lion, a fish and a bat mesmerized delighted Omani schoolchildren as Al Hoota Cave reopened its doors to the public.

The three characters - each representing an educational component of one of the Sultanate’s tourism jewels - gave the tiny VIPs a fun-filled guided tour as the new cave centre re-opened its doors.

School children were the first ones to experience the re-opened Al Hoota Cave, as the renovated facility, more than 200 kilometres from Muscat, opened its doors to the public on Monday. The students were given a cheerful welcome by the three official mascots of the Al Hoota cave — Laith, the Lion, Bu Naseh, the blind fish found in the cave and Laila, the bat.

The schoolchildren visiting on the launch day were given a tour of the rich ecosystem, and were shown the four fascinating lakes to see if they could spot the intriguing animals that live in the cave, such as the “Garra Barreimiae” blind fish and the “Rhinopoma Mascatellum” cave bats.

Following the broad enhancements in the visitor experience at the tourist attraction, officials from the Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) officials and Dr. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Saadi, governor of Al Dakhiliyah lead the

opening ceremony and were joined by a crowd of officials, guests and excited school children.

Guests were welcomed by traditional Omani music at the reception and were given a tour of the new visitor centre as they discovered the history of the cave at the enhanced interactive geological museum, which showcases over 150 items of rock, wood, corals and other unique materials from the surroundings.

They also had the opportunity to get an exclusive first look at the cave and ride the electric train— the only one of its kind in Oman.

Governor Al Saadi said, “I’m very pleased to officially reopen the Al Hoota Cave for visitors once again, who can come and enjoy this natural wonder. Omran and the Ministry of Tourism have done a fantastic job to make this attraction an even better place for people to come and visit.”

Khalid Mirza, director of Projects Development at Omran, said “We thank Dr. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Saadi, Governor of Al Dakhiliyah for officially opening the attraction

today. Omran worked exceptionally hard with the Ministry of Tourism to enhance the Al Hoota Cave experience and to be able to welcome the first visitors back is fantastic.”

“But the most striking difference visitors will discover when they come is the renovated visitor centre. It’s now fitting for such a first-class attraction, and offers guests a complete family day out experience. We’re looking forward to giving an opportunity to both residents and tourists to come and discover one of Oman’s jewels again,” he added.

“It was shut because it was flooded, unfortunately, the electrical systems installed for lighting were not water proofed, so even after the water level subsided, nothing worked, so we started refurbishing it about three months ago and one of the first things we did was to waterproof the entire cave.” said James Wilson, chief executive officer of Omran.

“We have our marketing team, full of young Omanis and we have launched the new brand. They took a bit of risk with the mascots,

initially during the first hour we were worried and then we slowly saw people starting to understand what they were.”

Along with the opening, a new website that features an online booking facility for tickets was also launched.

The enhanced Al Hoota experience will enable people to get the most from their visits and the ability to plan a visit online means people can book the elements of the visit they want, creating a bespoke experience.

The cave will be open Saturday to Thursday (except Monday) from 9am to 6pm and on Fridays from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm. In an attempt to support small businesses in Oman, Al Hoota Cave’s fully refurbished restaurant and gift shop are managed by SMEs. The ticket prices of the cave are OMR3.5 for Omani adults, OMR1 for Omani kids between six to 12 years, OMR6.5 for expat adults and OMR3 for expatriate children between six to 12 years.

For more information, visit Al Hoota Cave’s new website: alhootacave.com.

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Omani unfurls national flag at one of the highest world passes Located in the Ladakh region in the

I undertook this trip with a friend of mine from Oman (Shehzad Sheikh) and a friend from Abu Dhabi (Venie Fernandes), who was my classmate and an ex-Muscat resident

state of Jammu and Kashmir, the pass is known to be one of the most dangerous in the world and is covered with snow for nearly half the year, with landslides

Jameel Shakeel

being a common

Corporate communications superintendent at Sohar Aluminium

phenomenon

DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A young Omani recently returned from a two-week bike trip, unfurling the Omani flag at a height of 18,380 feet in India.

Jameel Shakeel, a corporate communications superintendent at Sohar Aluminium, biked through the rough Khardung La pass, along with two other friends from the region.

“I undertook this trip with a friend of mine from Oman (She-

hzad Sheikh, 30) and a friend from Abu Dhabi (Venie Fernandes, 33), who was my classmate in school here and ex-Muscat resident. Both my friends are Indian nationals but born and brought up in Oman,” he said.

Located in the Ladakh region in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the pass is known to be one of the most dangerous in the world and is covered with snow for nearly half the year, with landslides being a common phenomenon.

The plan to undertake the expedition had been in the pipeline for

a long time for Shakeel, and a lot of research and dedication was put in before venturing into it.

“This was a dream for us for quite a long time, something that I had been planning for the past five or six years. We wanted to bike up the world’s highest motorable pass—the Khardung La—and also some of the other mountain passes nearby, which rank amongst the highest passes on earth.

“The bikes we used were Royal Enfield 500cc, which are the best for such expeditions due to their ruggedness and reliability. Since

AWA I T I N G C L E A R A N C E

this was going to be a first time experience in this terrain for us, we researched and decided to go with the ‘Dream Riders Group’ for this expedition,” Shakeel said.

Rough and harsh conditions had to be met with proactive preparation and safety precautions.

“We had to ensure we were at a decent level of fitness as this was going to be a gruelling trip. The biggest challenges we had to deal with were cold weather, very high altitudes and riding the bike for almost eight to nine hours per day.

We also ensured that we gave pri-

ority to safety by wearing protective gear all over, including riding jackets, helmets, gloves, elbow and knee pads and riding boots,” explained Shakeel.

These preparations were however, not enough. “It was extremely challenging for us both physically and mentally and was beyond what we were prepared for. The challenges of dealing with altitude cannot be understated and we seriously felt the effects of low oxygen at those heights.”

“Along with us, even the bikes were facing performance issues due to improper combustion of fuel as oxygen supply was low. The weather was biting cold for the most part, but we also faced heat. One of the strange things about these places was that you could get sunburnt and frostbitten at the same time,” The route, according to Shakeel, was unforgiving with varied terrain. “The route was across the Ladakh mountain range saw the terrain varying from rocks, sand, wet mud, to some water crossings.

We also faced blazing sun in some places, rains, snowfall, and windy conditions,” he said.

Shakeel went with a group of

30 people from across India and they covered a mind boggling 1,750 kilometres in 11 days on a pathway, with severe conditions, sometimes without the privilege of food.

“Along with the terrain, altitude and weather conditions, we also had to overcome the challenge of riding as a coordinated group, looking out for one another, surviving on less to no food at times, spending nights in tents in extreme cold and keeping the bikes in running condition. The night we stayed in Pang, which is at an altitude of more than 15,000 feet, we faced temperatures of -2 degrees and were put in tents,” he stated.

Regardless of this being the most difficult trip he had ever undertaken, Shakeel said the summit and the entire experience were equally rewarding.

“During the trip, we saw a lot of beautiful landscapes, met wonderful people and truly had the experience of a lifetime. Our proudest moment was reaching Khardung La and displaying the Omani flag.

This was what we had come for and this was what we had achieved.”

Shakeel said he intends to make more such trips and wishes to inspire people to learn about road safety in Oman.

“We intend to make more such trips in the future and hope we can inspire more potential bikers in Oman to take to the roads safely.

We also wish to create awareness among car drivers about respecting bikers on the roads. Biking is a wonderful way to explore our beautiful country,” he concluded.

M I D - D AY W O R K

A1 Heat related cases among < FROM

workers reported by medics

POSTPONED: It was earlier announced that Muscat and Najaf will be connected by Oman Air from September 15. -Supplied picture

Oman Air defers launch of flight to Najaf in Iraq Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Air’s first flight to Najaf in Iraq has been deferred, according to a spokesperson for the Sultanate’s national carrier. It was earlier announced that Muscat and Najaf will be connected by Oman Air from September 15.

“Our operations to Najaf have been delayed as we await final clearances from the concerned

authorities,” the spokesperson for Oman Air told the Times of Oman on Monday. The city of Najaf in Iraq is a thriving religious tourist destination and is located about 160 kilometres south of Baghdad.

“These clearances have been delayed, and Oman Air will not compromise on flight safety issues,” the spokesperson stated.

The airline had recently announced flights to Guangzhou in China from December.

“From December 9, 2016, we will fly to Guangzhou, non-stop four times a week,” the airline said. As part of Oman Air’s expansion programme launched in late 2014, the national carrier is in the process of increasing its fleet size to 70 aircraft by 2020.

Currently, Oman Air’s fleet comprises of 45 narrow-body aircraft and 25 wide-body aircraft, which will fly to an anticipated 75 global destinations.

“Following the rule for only three months without considering weather conditions, is not good,” the trade union leader said, adding that the law is something one can refer to, but in practical terms the hot weather can extend beyond the deadline for the ban on work ending.

This year’s three month-long mid-day break, which began on June 1, came to an end on August 31, and some 254 companies were warned and four fined during the course of 2,332 inspections.

According to Ministry of Manpower data shared with the Times of Oman, in June, 162 companies were issued warning letters and three more were fined.

“In July, 70 warning letters were issued and one was fined. In August, 18 warnings were issued,” the official data revealed.

According to Article 118 of the Oman Labour Law, violators can be penalised with fines ranging from OMR100 to OMR500, or a jail term of not more than one month, or both. The penalty is doubled for repeat violations.

In 2015, 391 companies were warned by the ministry for violating the mid-day break rule for outdoor workers in Oman.

An official from the ministry said the mid-day break is announced according to law and it is difficult to comment on whether it would be extended or not.

Meanwhile, a medic in Muscat said he has treated at least 1,000 patients, who are suffering from heat-related ailments conditions during the last three months.

“Out of the 70 patients, whom I treat daily, 10 to 15 are suffering from heat related ailments.

So, during the last three months, I have treated more than 1,000 patients,” Shibu Mohammed, a dermatologist at Badr Al Samaa in Ruwi, told the Times of Oman.

Heat-related ailments Medicines for heat-related ailments are not covered under insurance, which makes the workers reluctant to pay from their pocket and this eventually worsens their condition.

“The majority of them come back to me, with worsened conditions, then I supply them sample packets, which medical representatives provide me.

Companies should at least try to cover their treatment and medicines for heat-related ailments,” he added.

Vijay George, a medic in Salalah, also said he had treated at least 1,000 workers with sunburns and other heat-related ailments between April and the end of June.

“In Salalah, summer comes early. So, we have had patients coming to us since April, who are suffering from heat-related ailments. At least eight to 10 patients used to visit me daily up until the beginning of July,” George, a dermatologist at the Atlas Hospital in Salalah, said.

Sunil Kumar, a project engineer at Najmat Al Fujairah Trading, said they take care of workers’ health and provide a break if the weather conditions are bad.

“We give first preference to workers’ health. If the weather conditions are not favourable, then we change the timings. We give them a break and continue work when the weather conditions are okay. Without workers in good health, companies cannot operate,” Kumar added.

In the United Arab Emirates, the three-month mid-day break starts on June 15 and runs until September 16, with workers banned from working outdoors from 12.30pm to 3pm.

S H I FA A L JA Z E E R A

New hospital to offer free consultation to patients REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Patients at a new hospital in Oman will receive treatment for a zero consultation fee during the first month of operation, according to the medical group’s chairman.

Shifa Al Jazeera, a well-established hospital chain in the Gulf region, will open its first premium polyclinic in Al Khuwair on September 29, with free of charge treatment for patients until October 29, a senior official from the hospital said.

“The premium hospital in Al Khuwair will have 24 specialists,” said K T Rabeeullah, chairman and managing director of the Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Group.

He added that the group will also have a tie-up with leading hospitals in the Gulf Cooperation Council and India.

“In India, the hospital we will be tying up with is the Baby Memorial Hospital (BMH),” Rabeeullah

PREMIUM HOSPITAL: Shifa Al Jazeera, a well-established hospital chain in the Gulf region, will open its first premium polyclinic in Al Khuwair on September 29. – ONA

stated. MH is one the best multispeciality hospitals in Kerala, certified for Super Specialty training in Cardiology.

“BMH has with 800 beds and over 40 medical and surgical departments,” Dr KG Alexander

from BMH, said. According to the Chairman Rabeeullah, a special desk will be operate in Muscat to help those who are planning to go to the south Indian state of Kerala to fulfil their medical needs.

“We have already talked to the

Indian ambassador in Oman. He is very cooperative. We will also be operating a travel agency in order to provide a hassle free trip for the patients, who are willing to travel to India,” Rabeeullah added.

Latest Indian embassy data re-

vealed that up till August-end this year, 14,585 people from Oman had travelled to India on medical and medical attendant visas.

“In 2015, during the same period it was only 4,530, which reflects a 221 per cent jump,” data shared by

the Indian embassy with the Times of Oman revealed.

According to the Indian embassy, Omanis and other foreign nationals travel to India for medical treatment because India has excellent facilities for the same.

“Indian doctors are well known for their competence and experience and the cost of medical treatment in India is much lower, compared with other countries,” the embassy added in a statement issued to the Times of Oman.

The Saudi-based hospital chain said its Ruwi hospital, with 140 beds is aiming to make healthcare accessible to common man.

“Our Ruwi hospital (Shifa Al Jazeera Access Hospital) is for the common people. It will be opened on December 31,” Rabeeulah added.“In Ruwi, we will charge only OMR1 as consultation fee for patients,” he noted.

The healthcare centres are expected to cater to the needs of more than 10,000 patients across the country.

A6

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

OMAN 2016/ 2017

ECONOMY

New batch of students advised to work hard MUSCAT: In the first batch of the academic year 2016/ 2017, 1,107 students joined Higher College of Technology.

Dr. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Ambosaidi, Dean of the College welcomed the students and encouraged them to exert more efforts.

Mohammed Al Tarawna, assistant

to the Dean of the College for academic affairs gave details of the academic system including diploma, advanced diploma and bachelors degrees. Dr. Bassam Khalil Tabash, assistant to the dean of the college for student affairs, spoke on the laws and regulations of the college and student affairs. -ONA

Sultanate’s ninth five-year plan takes into account shortfall in oil revenues MUSCAT: Oil being the main source of public revenues and the mainstay of economy in the GCC countries, the drop in prices in the second half of 2014 had significant effect on the economies of this region.

The Sultanate is not insulated from such effects, therefore it sought on one hand to address the implications of the financial crisis on the national economy as far as possible and on the other hand to develop a roadmap that can make the Sultanate more capable of resisting and acclimatising with the fluctuation of world economy.

Taking into consideration its methodology, aims and objectives, it can be assumed that the 9th fiveyear plan is the outcome of the hard economic stage faced during the last two years of the 8th fiveyear plan. The 9th five-year plan reflected the hard implications of oil price slump and the pressure created on the state budget and the Sultanate’s economy while drafting this plan.

There are several strong factors that urged for developing a crystal clear development plan with measurable goals and clear time plans for implementation.

It also required developing a concentrated plan that can provide necessary means capable of protecting the national economy against the shocks resulting from oil market fluctuation.

Preparation of the estimates of the 9th five-year plan has taken into account the actual financial condition and performance dur-

ing 2014 and 2015 especially the 67 per cent decline of oil prices compared to the prices at the first half in 2014.

It also took into consideration the financial liabilities resulting from the policies followed and the decisions made in the previous years. These elements were reflected in the budget estimates for 2015 (the base year for the 9th five-year development plan) The 9th five-year development plan (2016-2020) attaches a great importance to construction development by ensuring optimum utilisation of resources and investment opportunities in the various governorates in the Sultanate.

Balanced development It also attaches a special importance to the development of governorates in a bid to achieve balanced development and rolling over the fruits of development to all Omanis wherever they are. The plan provides policies that help the private sector to play a bigger role in enhancing economic growth and creating job opportunities for Omanis.

The statement issued by the Supreme Council for Planning (SCP) early 2016 after the issuance of the Royal Decree No. 1/2016 ratifying the 9th Five-Year Development Plan 2016-2020, said that the preparations for the 9th five-year development plan have taken into account the Royal Directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

On top of these directives come

the necessity that the future government plans shall focus on the social development mainly in terms of further improvement of living conditions of citizens and creation of job opportunities, training programmes among other aspects.

The plan also took into consideration the economic changes on the global level, as well as the fluctuation of oil prices in the world market, the regional geopolitical conditions and their negative effects on the Sultanate’s financial condition. This requires taking necessary measures to ensure sustainability of the financial conditions and provide stable macroeconomic conditions and generate enough job opportunities for the Omani job seekers.

Further, the statement affirmed that the 9th plan (2016-2020) targets to achieve an average annual growth rate of 3 per cent and total investments of OMR8.2 billion annually with an average growth rate of per cent. Non-oil revenues are projected to grow by 4.3 per cent while the revenues from the hydrocarbon sector are estimated to grow by a meagre 0.2 per cent.

The plan aims at reducing the contribution of oil goes down in the GDP at current prices (which was 44 per cent during the 8th plan) to 26 per cent during the 9th plan. Additionally, the statement affirmed that the 9th five-year plan will include programmes for creating job opportunities for Omanis as the estimates point out that the number of jobseekers has

been constantly increasing due to the fact that 65 per cent or two third of the Sultanate’s population are in the youth age coupled with the increase in the number of graduates and women at the labour market.

In this regard, the Government has made steady efforts to enhance doing business and encouraging private sector investments.

The results pointed out that these measures are either unknown to the market or that more measures are needed to enhance Oman’s competitiveness at the regional and world markets. The 9th fiveyear plan targets about OMR41 billion worth investments compared to OMR38 billion in the 8th five-year plan.

In the field of manufacturing industries, the Sultanate focuses mainly on petrochemicals to benefit from the competitive edge of the local economy. The contribution of the manufacturing sector to economic diversification – away from oil and gas- is low.

Tourism sector The tourism sector in the Sultanate is one of the prioritised sectors in the 9th five-year plan (2016 - 2020) and aims to increase its contribution to the GDP and make it one of the main sources of national income. The Tourism Strategy 2016 - 2040, which serves as a roadmap for this promising sector, aims at enhancing the Sultanate’s position as a tourism hub and attracting investments to the sector. -ONA

Electronic census of population approved SNCECPHE 2020 is the fourth census to be ordered by the Sultanate since the dawn of the Blessed Renaissance

MUSCAT: A work plan and model for conducting an electronic census of population was approved for housing and establishments by the Supreme National Committee for Electronic Census of Population, Housings and Establishments (SNCECPHE 2020).

The committee organised its second meeting for 2016, which was chaired by the Minister of Heritage and Culture and Chairman of the committee, His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said. The committee reviewed

REVIEW MEETING: The committee meeting was chaired by the Minister of Heritage and Culture and Chairman of the committee, His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said. – ONA

a number of items listed on the agenda.

The plan is an outcome of several meetings held to assess the current status of the public organisations, which are the main source for data that will be used for the e-census project.

The work plan includes work M E D I C A L S TA F F

methodology and a proposed time frame for implementation.

Further, the committee also approved the formation of a technical committee that will study the comprehensive plan for the census, as well as the phased-out plans, follow the implementation, provide human resources and will

eliminate challenges that might appear during the execution of the census.

It also discussed the standard address system, which is supervised by the National Centre for Statistic and Information, in coordination with several relevant organisations.

The project is at the second stage at which a central database will be developed to facilitate easy access to information and data by public organisations and linking such data to their systems.

The address system is one of the important strategic projects for the Sultanate as it aims to move from a descriptive address to the digital address, which facilitates reaching any address.

SNCECPHE 2020 is the fourth census to be ordered by the Sultanate since the dawn of the Blessed Renaissance.

The outputs of the previous censuses have contributed to preparing health, education, social and development plans for Oman. They also help in conducting statistical field surveys and studies. -ONA

T H R E E - D AY E V E N T

over Fire, Safety, Security A1 Row gratuity < FROM

According to medical staff, up until June 2016, everyone who was told to retire or retired voluntarily was supposed to receive full service benefits.

However, the nurses claimed that those who were told to leave after June are not getting full service benefits in line with their years spent in service.

“In 1994, a government decision promised everyone full service benefits. Some of the hospital nurses had gotten it signed, but unfortunately many did not,” a nurse added.

Expat doctors who talked to the Times of Oman said they are confused as to what gratuity they will get. “Some are getting full and some are not. It is a worrisome situation. Many have had to leave with slashed gratuity,” one medic said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has declined to comment on the issue. Recently, the Times of Oman had reported that private sector employers are forcing expat to give up their end-of-service payments for to get a No Objection Certificate.

Exhibition starts MUSCAT: Oman Fire, Safety and Security Exhibition (OFSEC 2016); Oman’s only and most comprehensive exhibition on fire, safety and security began at the Oman International Exhibition Centre yesterday under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Mohammed bin Salim Al Said.

The three-day event is being organised by Muscat Expo.

Top exhibitors OFSEC brings together more than 100 international and local exhibitors who showcase their avant-garde solutions, latest technologies, cutting edge innovations, cost-effective products and services to meet the requirements of governments, businesses, industrial and commercial entities, aviation, construction, infrastructure, transportation, manufacturing, oil and gas and utilities sectors.

OFSEC is designed to meet the needs of the local, regional and international markets by linking practitioners, suppliers, distribu-

tors and manufacturers from the fire, safety and security industry, with key decision makers from the government and private sectors making it a definitive networking platform, where new projects and partnerships are initiated and visionary objectives are implemented.

This event also aims to create synergy and strengthen the collaboration between the authorities and the industries.

The exhibition highlights commercial security, crisis and risk management, critical infrastructure, emergency and rescue, fire & protection, hazard and disaster management, information security, safety and health, smart home/office/city, training and consultation, transport safety and security and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

OFSEC is organised in co-operation with Muscat Municipality and supported by ROP Customs and Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (RIYADA). -ONA

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

A7

REGION LOW OIL PRICES

Saudis tighten their belts for Eid Al Adha in age of austerity RIYADH/KHOBAR: A cartoon widely circulated in Saudi Arabia on Twitter last month showed three old men in traditional robes, named Unemployment, Prices and Poverty, looking down at a young boy with torn clothes named Salary. “When will you grow bigger like us?!” the men ask the boy.

The annual Eid Al Adha holiday period is traditionally a time for ordinary Saudis to splurge on new clothes, accessories and travel.

But this year’s Eid holidays, which fall on September 12-15, are set to be the most austere in well over a decade. Low oil prices are forcing the government of the world’s top oil exporter into spending cuts to curb a budget deficit that totalled a record $98 billion last year.

Those cuts, which began late in 2015, are now rippling through almost every area of the Saudi economy, reducing consumers’ disposable income and weighing on the living standards of ordinary Saudis. “Looking at individual consumption, you will find a significant shift in consumer habits, and the size of purchases has gone down significantly compared to last year,” said Saudi economist Fadl Albuainain.

“Although corporations are the main reason behind declining consumer demand, the impact of individuals’ spending cannot be overlooked.”

The consumer spending slump

ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN: A man walks past a clothing store with sale signs, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on SundayThe impact of belt-tightening can be seen in shopping centres and restaurants. Malls display signs such as “70 per cent Sale”, “Further Reduction” and “Clearance”; many restaurants offer cut-price lunch packages. – Reuters

has become a significant drag on the economy as a whole. Saudi Arabia’s non-oil sector shrank 0.7 per cent from a year ago in the first quarter of 2016, its worst performance in at least five years.

Second-quarter data has not been released yet but London-based Capital Economics estimates the sector shrank 4.5 per cent in June.

The value of imports into Saudi Arabia plunged 24 per cent from a year earlier in June; while some of the drop may be due to reduced

purchases of equipment for government projects, some appears due to weaker imports of consumer goods. The official unemployment rate among Saudi citizens is around 11.5 per cent. So far, relatively few have lost their jobs because of this year’s slowdown; legal restrictions make firing Saudis difficult, so the kingdom’s population of 10 million foreign workers has borne the brunt of lay-offs.

However, government ministries and state-owned firms, who

US, Russia work on Syria truce as blasts kill dozens US President Barack Obama described talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as tough but productive after their meeting at the G20 summit in China

BEIRUT/HANGZHOU (CHINA): The United States and Russia will work in the next few days on a deal to curb fighting in Syria and build cooperation in the fight against terrorism, their leaders said on Monday, as blasts claimed

by IS group killed dozens across the Arab nation.

The former Cold War enemies have been trying to broker a new truce after a ceasefire agreed in February unravelled in weeks, with Washington accusing Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s forces - which are backed by Russia - of violating the pact.

US President Barack Obama described talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as tough but productive after their meeting at the G20 summit in China. Putin said the two men had understood each other and an agreement on ways to significantly reduce the violence in Syria could be reached in days.

“We have had some productive conversations about what a real cessation of hostilities would look like, that would allow us both, the United States and Russia, to focus our attention on common enemies, like ISIL and Nusra,” Obama said, referring to IS and the hardline Nusra Front.

“We haven’t yet closed the gaps in a way where we think it would actually work,” he said, but added that US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov would “keep working at it over the next several days”.

Convergence of views Putin told journalists there was a convergence of views between Russia and the United States. He said it was premature to give details about the terms of an agreement, but that the two nations would strengthen cooperation on fighting terrorism.

DEADLY ATTACK: Syrian army soldiers inspect the damage at the site of two explosions that hit the Arzouna bridge area at the entrance to Tartous, Syria on Monday. – SANA/Handout via Reuters

Truce talks were complicated on Sunday as government forces and their allies laid siege to the rebel-held eastern side of Aleppo, Syria’s largest city before the war which Assad is determined to fully recapture. Adding to the carnage, six blasts on Monday hit west of Damascus and the governmentheld cities of Homs and Tartous, as well as the Kurdish-controlled northeastern province of Hasaka, state media and a monitoring group said. IS militants carried the out suicide attacks, its Amaq news agency said on Monday.

Obama and Putin discussed getting humanitarian aid into the country, reducing violence, and cooperating on combating militant groups, the US administration official said. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he was working with the US-led coalition and Russia to try to establish a ceasefire in Aleppo before the Eid Al Adha holidays.

But in talks earlier on Monday, Kerry and Lavrov were unable to come to terms on a truce for the second time in two weeks, with US officials stressing they would walk away if a pact could not be reached soon. Russia says it cannot agree to a deal unless opposition fighters, backed by the United States and Middle East allies, are separated from Al Qaedalinked militants they overlap with in some areas. For Washington, the priority is stabilising Syria so as to destroy IS. NATO Turkey ally on Sunday said rebels it was backing had gained control of all areas on its border that had been held by the militants, depriving the ultrahardline group of its main route to the outside world.

The announcement came some 10 days after Turkey launched its first major military incursion into Syria since the start of the war in 2011, an operation aimed as much

at preventing further Kurdish territorial gains as at driving back IS. “Syrian citizens in our country and those would want to migrate from Syria can now live more peacefully in their own land,” Erdogan said, adding the Turkish incursion posed no threat to Syria’s territorial integrity. He renewed calls for an internationally-policed “no-fly zone” to protect displaced civilians and help stem refugee flows. But the idea, which he also raised at a G20 summit in Turkey a year ago, has failed to gain traction with Western allies who fear it would mean a deeper military commitment.

Two of the explosions on Monday hit the Arzouna bridge area at the entrance to the Mediterranean city of Tartous, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and state news agency SANA said.

The Observatory and a city hospital put the death toll at 35.

Syrian state television said the first explosion was a car bomb and the second a suicide belt detonated as rescue workers arrived. The blasts hit during a summer festival at Tartous, whose beaches recently featured in a government tourism video.

A car bomb meanwhile struck the city of Homs, around 80km (50 miles) east of Tartous. The Observatory said the explosion hit an army checkpoint and four officers were killed. West of Damascus, there was an explosion near the town of Al Saboura, killing one person and injuring three, according to a police commander quoted by state media. A motorbike also exploded in the centre of the northeastern city of Hasaka, which is controlled by the Kurdish YPG militia. The Observatory said the blast killed three members of a YPG-affiliated security force and that a percussion bomb also went off in the province’s Qamishli city. — Reuters

employ about two-thirds of working Saudis, are adopting a more frugal approach to their staff. Lavish bonuses, overtime payments and other benefits - once considered routine perks in the state sector - have been slashed. Essam Al Zamel, another Saudi economist, said such benefits accounted for up to 30 per cent of Saudis’ takehome income, so many people now felt significantly poorer.

Meanwhile, the government has raised domestic gasoline and utilFIRST TIME SINCE 2011

UK appoints ambassador to Iran LONDON: Britain said on Monday it had appointed an ambassador to Iran for the first time since 2011 as it looks to improve cooperation between the two countries.

Nicholas Hopton, a former British ambassador to Qatar and Yemen, will take up the role. It comes just over a year after Britain reopened its Tehran embassy, which was closed for nearly four years after it was stormed by protesters. “The upgrade in diplomatic relations gives us the opportunity to develop our discussions on a range of issues, including our consular cases about which I am deeply concerned,” Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said in a statement.

“I hope this will mark the start of more productive cooperation between our countries, enabling us to discuss more directly issues such as human rights and Iran’s role in the region.” — Reuters YEMEN

US drone strike kills six Al Qaeda militants SANAA: A suspected US drone strike killed six Al Qaeda fighters in Yemen’s central Marib province on Sunday, residents said, as Washington continues its years-long campaign against militants who have exploited an 18 month civil war in the country.

The men were killed in the bombing of a house in the Wadi Obeida tribal area east of the capital Sanaa.

Conflict in Yemen pitting the exiled government backed

by Saudi Arabia against the dominant Houthi group has split the security forces and allowed militants to flourish.

The United States has for years launched drone strikes against Al Qaeda’s powerful Yemen branch, which planned several foiled bombing attempts on Western-bound airliners and claimed responsibility for the 2015 attack at the Charlie Hebdo magazine’s offices in Paris.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) exploited the conflict to grab territory in the south and east of Yemen, but an offensive by government and Emirati forces beginning in April pushed them out of many towns they had seized back into rural and mountainous areas. — Reuters

ity prices to save money on state subsidies, almost doubling the annual inflation rate to around 4 per cent. Although Riyadh is encouraging Saudis to establish private businesses to reduce the economy’s dependence on oil revenues, the economic slowdown is making this harder by cutting the incomes of some entrepreneurs. “I used to travel three times a year to Dubai and Europe, but this year I didn’t and I am not going anywhere this Eid...I cannot afford it anymore,” said Sultan Al Dossary, 27, a Saudi who runs a small enterprise helping firms interact with the government.

He said his net income had fallen to around 3,000 riyals ($800) per month from 10,000 to 12,000 six months ago. He plans to sell one of his three cars to shore up his finances. The impact of such belttightening can be seen in shopping centres and restaurants in Riyadh, Jeddah and oil-producing Eastern Province. Glitzy malls display signs such as “70 per cent Sale”, “Further Reduction” and “Clearance”; many restaurants offer cutprice lunch packages.

Jarir Marketing Co, one of the biggest retailers in the kingdom, reported a 25 per cent year-onyear drop in net profit for the first half of 2016 as sales fell 15 per cent.

The slide in retail consumer purchases at Jarir’s stores has been in the high single digits, while the cut in corporate and gov-

ernment spending on office and computer supplies has been even steeper, Jarir’s chairman Muhammad Alagil told Reuters.

There are reasons to think consumer spending may soon stop falling. Corporate surveys in the past two months suggest private sector growth is picking up somewhat on the back of rising oil output, and many people expect modestly higher oil prices next year, which could ease pressure on state finances. “We believe it will stabilise next year,” said Alagil.

But few expect any major rebound. Even with austerity, Riyadh is expected to run a budget deficit in the tens of billions of dollars this year - unsustainable in the long run - and officials have said more subsidy cuts are in store.

In 2018, the government plans to introduce value-added tax, probably at a rate of 5 per cent with exemptions for items such as food.

Many Saudis accept that low oil prices make austerity inevitable, and there is no sign of a significant backlash. But belt-tightening is being widely discussed on Twitter under hash-tags such as “Salary doesn’t meet our needs”.

“We are nowhere near the bottom, and we think the years to come will be even more painful,” said Samih Jarjoura, an operations manager who handles distribution of foreign luxury goods to retailers in Jeddah. — Reuters

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

INDIA Eliminate safe havens for economic offenders: Modi Fighting corruption, blackmoney and tax evasion were key to effective financial governance, said Prime Minister on the second day of the G20 Summit in China

HANGZHOU: Underlining that fighting corruption and black money is key to effective financial governance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked G20 leaders to act to eliminate safe havens for economic offenders, unconditionally extradite money launderers and end excessive banking secrecy that hide the corrupt.

“G20’s efforts should be for zerotolerance for corruption and black money; zero administration, policy and treaty loopholes; zero barriers and full commitment to action,” Modi said in his intervention on the second day of the G20 Summit in this eastern Chinese city.

Modi said fighting corruption, blackmoney and tax evasion were key to effective financial governance. He said to achieve that “we need to act to eliminate safe havens for economic offenders, track down and unconditionally extradite money launderers and break down the web of complex international regulations and excessive banking secrecy that hide the corrupt and their deeds”.

A stable global economic and financial system is imperative for development as it promotes inclusive and sustainable growth, the

MAKING A POINT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the concluding session of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China on Monday. – PTI

prime minister said and called for further strengthening of the global financial safety net.

“We need a regular dialogue between the IMF, Regional Financial Arrangements and Bilateral Swap Arrangements. Important mechanisms like financial stability board should stick to their core mandate,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup quoted the prime minister as saying in a series of tweets.

“IMF should remain a quotabased institution and not depend on borrowed resources,” Modi said emphasing that the “longdelayed 15th General Review of Quotas must be completed by 2017 Annual Meetings.”

India has been pressing for reform of the Bretton Wood Institutions - IMF and World Bank - which would give it and other major emerging economies greater say in the multilateral lenders.

India had recently said governance reforms are required to ensure IMF’s credibility, legitimacy and effectiveness.

Modi also said India needs en-

H E A R T F E LT L E T T E R

Valuable legacy “You both carry a very valuable legacy on your tender shoulders - Aaradhya, the legacy of your great-grandfather, Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan, and Navya, the legacy of your great-grandfather Shri H P Nanda.

“Both your great-grandfathers gave your present surnames celebrated fame, dignity and recognition.

“Both of you maybe a Nanda or a Bachchan, but you are also girls, women! Because you are women people will force their thinking, their boundaries on you. They will tell you how to dress, how to

the Prime Minister discussed the issue of India’s membership of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Swarup said.

The discussion with Erdogan on NSG was significant as Turkey was among the few countries -- along with China -- which had stalled India’s bid to join the elite grouping at its plenary meeting in June in Seoul.

China had then raised objection saying India was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Turkey too raised its concern over the presence of supporters of dissident cleric Fethullah Gulen in India. Swarup said enhancing civil aviation cooperation with Turkey also figured during the discussions.

With May, the prime minister underlined that even after UK’s exit from the EU, “Britain remains an important partner” for India.

“May also referred to the recent passage of GST (bill) which would further boost trade and investment ties with the UK. She supported prime minister’s reform agenda and the UK is keen to par-

Patel assumes charge as new RBI governor MUMBAI: Urjit Patel who took over as the 24th Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will have a tough task in maintaining the legacy of his predecessor, Raghuram Rajan, and balance the need to contain inflation without hurting growth.

Patel assumed charge effective September 4, 2016, after serving as deputy governor since January 2013, RBI said in a statement on Monday.

He was reappointed as deputy governor on January 11, 2016, after the completion of his first threeyear term in office. Ensuring undisruptive redemption totalling $2025 billion, getting used to the idea of Monetary Policy Committee and bank cleanup are the main challenges before the new governor.

According to Rajiv Kumar, Senior Fellow at Centre for Policy Research, the first task before him is to get used to the idea of working with the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). “He has to devise a way of working with the committee and getting to the objective of meeting inflation target. Besides, containing food inflation is another challenge before him,” Kumar said.

Besides, he should work in a manner that RBI versus the Finance Ministry situation is avoided as all the components are working towards inflation control and employment generation and finally what approach he will adopt to clean balance sheet of the bank or strengthen banks.

Among his assignments as deputy governor, Patel chaired the Expert Committee to Revise and Strengthen the Monetary Policy Framework. “Representing India, he actively participated in steering the signing into force of the intergovernmental treaty and the InterCentral Bank Agreement (ICBA) among the BRICS nations, which led to the establishment of the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), a swap line framework among the central banks of these countries,” RBI said. — PTI

KASHMIR UNREST

Don’t let others dictate your choices: Big B tells granddaughters MUMBAI: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has penned a heartfelt letter to his grandaughters Navya and Aaradhya, telling them to be independent and strong women as they grow up.

Navya, 18, is the daughter of Bachchan’s daughter Shweta, while four-year-old Aaradhya is his son Abhishek’s child.

Bachchan wrote that the two girls enjoy the luxury of a rich legacy but being the girls, they are bound to face judgments and opposition from the society.

Nothing, however, should bog them down, said the actor.

ergy to support its development. A “balanced mix of nuclear, renewal energy and fossil fuels are at the core of our policy.”

Modi also raised with French President Francois Hollande the leak of confidential data on the Indian Scorpene Class submarines being built in Mumbai in collaboration with French defence company DCNS on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

Modi held separate “pull-aside” meetings with Hollande and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with whom he discussed India’s NSG membership.

Prior to those meetings, Modi met Britain’s new Prime Minister Theresa May and held discussions on “building opportunities” in the aftermath of UK’s decision to exit the European Union.

In his meeting with Hollande, Modi raised the leak of sensitive data related to Scorpene Class submarines.”This issue has also figured (in the talks),” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup told reporters.

In his meeting with Erdogan,

ticipate in Make in India, Smartcity and Skill India initiatives,” he said. The two leaders discussed further enhancing of the defence partnership and Modi invited UK firms to India.

They also talked about the challenges of terrorism, calling it “the biggest threat and danger to the world with no boundaries,” Swarup said.

Modi also invited May to visit India in her new capacity. May accepted the invitation and said would like to make as early a visit to India as possible, sources said.

“Modi also touched upon UK’s visa policy. In particular he said that the new UK regulations could have negative impact on Indian working professionals wishing to visit UK for short term business visits,” the sources said.

Modi told May that the recent meeting of India-UK joint group on counter-terrorism was very useful and called for greater collaboration in cyber-security, intelligence sharing and information gathering. Modi sought May’s suggestions on further strengthening the partnership particularly trade and investment ties.

May said she was very keen to support Modi’s vision for India including the broader strategic partnership, the spokesperson said.

In his last bilateral meeting of the day, Modi met Argentine President Mauricio Macri and invited him to India.

Modi said he would like to personally take him to the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, for whom President Macri has always had a special place in his heart, Swarup said.

Thanking Modi for the invitation, Macri recalled his two previous visits to India, as a tourist and as a Mayor. Modi thanked Macri for Argentina’s strong support for India’s NSG membership and said it was important in the context of India’s clean energy needs, Swarup said. — PTI

T O U G H TA S K A H E A D

behave, who you can meet and where you can go. Don’t live in the shadows of people’s judgement.”

The 73-year-old star further wrote that both of them should choose their own path, one which is dictated by their choices not the world’s. “Make your own choices in the light of your own wisdom.

Don’t let anyone make you believe that the length of your skirt is a measure of your character. Don’t let anyone’s opinion of who you should be friends with, dictate who you will be friends with.

“Don’t get married for any other reason other than you want to get married. People will talk. They shall say some terrible things. But that doesn’t mean you have to listen to everyone. Never ever worry about - what will people say!”

Towards the end, Bachchan said being a woman is not easy in today’s times but he hopes the two girls will change the situation. “At the end of the day, you are the only one who will face the consequences of your actions, so don’t let other people make your decisions for you. Navya - the privilege your name, your surname offers you, will not protect you from the difficulties you will face because you’re a woman. — PTI

All-party delegation will meet in Delhi to discuss future: Rajnath JAMMU/SRINAGAR: The allparty delegation, which undertook a two-day visit to Kashmir and Jammu to explore ways for ending unrest in the Valley, will chalk out its future course of action after returning to Delhi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday while winding up the trip.

Singh said the delegation would like to visit Ladakh also in the near future as the region too is a part of Jammu and Kashmir state and it is important to listen to the voice of the people there. “The all-party delegation will meet in Delhi after its return and decide the action plan for the future,” he told a a brief press conference.

Singh said the delegation had very good interactions with individuals and groups during its visit to Kashmir and Jammu and heard their views on different issues.

The home minister said many members of the delegation had little knowledge about Jammu and Kashmir and the visit helped them to understand the ground situation of the state. “I hope that whenever any discussion on Jammu and Kashmir takes place in Parliament, we will get full cooperation from them,” he said.

The delegation included 26 MPs from 20 parties.

Earlier in the day, Singh lashed out at Hurriyat leaders in Kashmir

BRIEFING: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh addresses a press conference in Jammu on Monday. – PTI

after their refusal to hold talks with members of the all-party delegation, saying the separatists’ behaviour showed they do not believe in Kashmiriyat, insaniyat (humanity) or jamhooriyat (democracy).

Singh asserted that “the doors and windows for dialogue” on Kashmir were always open but ruled out any talks with Pakistan on the issue in near future saying, “Let us first talk with the people within our country”. “Some members of delegation went to meet Hurriyat leaders in their individual capacity. We neither said ‘Yes’ nor ‘No’ (to the move).

“The information given by the delegates (about how the members were treated) makes it clear that it

is neither Kashmiriyat nor insaniyat,” Singh told reporters on the second day of its visit.

“The members had gone to hold talks but by refusing to talk, they have shown that they (separatists) do no believe in jamhooriyat as well,” the minister said, coming down heavily on the separatists who on Sunday snubbed attempts

by MPs like CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, RJD’s Jay Prakash Narayan and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi to reach out to them. At hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s residence, the gate was not even opened for the MPs while people shouted slogans outside. Singh

evaded a direct reply to a question about BJP support or otherwise to the move by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to write to the separatists urging them to engage with the delegation for resolution of Kashmir issue. “Yes, I have information about that....she had written a letter,” he said without specifying whether BJP, which is ally of PDP in the state government, supported the move.

In response to another question, the home minister said he did not want to go into the debate about back channel talks with the separatists or appointment of a fresh team of interlocutors on Kashmir.

“Track one, Track Two, Track Three...I do not want to get into this debate,” he said.

The home minister said like his previous visits to Kashmir since the unrest began in the Valley, he had expressed his willingess for talks with anyone who wants peace and normalcy in the state.

Singh said they were ready for dialogue on Kashmir but made it clear that it will be only held within the ambit of the Constitution.

“There are no two opinions that Jammu and Kashmir was, is and will remain an integral part of India. I know people of Kashmir also want this. Not only our doors but windows are also open for talks,” the Union Minister said. — PTI

I N S AT - 3 D R

ISRO to launch advanced weather satellite CHENNAI: ISRO is all set to launch the GSLV-F05 carrying advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR from the spaceport of Sriharikota on September 8.

“GSLV-F05/INSAT 3DR mission is scheduled to be launched on September 8 at 1610 hours from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota”, Indian Space Research Organisation said on its website. The previous launch by ISRO on Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) was

launch of GSLV-D6 carrying communication satellite GSAT-6 on August 27, 2015.

GSLV-F05 in its 10th flight would launch the 2,211kg advanced weather satellite INSAT3DR into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). INSAT-3DR will provide a variety of meteorological services to the country.

GSLV-F05 is the flight in which the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) will be carried on-board for the fourth

time during a GSLV flight. GSLVF05 flight is significant since it is the first operational flight of GSLV carrying CUS, the website said, adding it would be launched from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. GSLV-F05 is configured with three stages, including CUS similar to earlier launches GSLVD5 and D6 which placed GSAT-14 (January 2014) and GSAT-6 successfully in August 2015, it said.

After reaching the GTO, the so-

lar panels of the satellite will be deployed immediately.

ISRO’s Master Control Facility at Hassan, Karnataka will take control of the satellite and perform the initial orbit raising manoeuvres and place it in circular Geostationary Orbit.

The entire process is expected to take place in 17 minutes from the launch. ISRO had launched advanced weather satellite INSAT - 3D on July 26, 2013 from French Guiana. — PTI

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PAKISTAN

Pakistan brought a unique set of skills to air exercises: US general to work on that part.” Mattson further appreciated the efforts of not only the Pakistan pilots, but also their maintenance team.

“I have a lot of experience in the Middle East and this is a very unique capability that they have,” Mattson said.

Pakistan Air Force F-16C/D aircraft travelled over 7,700 miles to participate in Red Flag 16-4 exercises in Washington from August 15 to 26

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Air Force pilots received appreciation for bringing unique set of skills to US air exercises, which allowed the Pakistan and US air forces to continue building and strengthening their relationship.

Pakistan Air Force F-16C/D aircraft travelled over 7,700 miles to participate in Red Flag 16-4 exercises in Washington from August 15 to 26.

“Pakistan brought a unique set of skills to the exercise, from their willingness to collaborate to their motivation to get the most out of the training scenarios,” an American general said, according to the US Air Force News Service (AFNS).

Lynchpin “The F-16 has been the lynchpin in accomplishing our mutual desired objectives,” Air Vice Marshal Syed Noman Ali said. “At the strategic level it has been extremely valuable. On the capability enhancement and objective achievement B AT TA G R A M

57 students injured in stampede during quake PESHAWAR: At least 57 students were injured during a stampede in a local school in Battagram as a 4.5-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province early on Monday morning.

According to Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), three children who received serious injuries were shifted to district hospital for emergency medical treatment. The quake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale with a focal depth of 9 kilometres, hit many areas, including Battagram and Muzaffarabad among others, United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

Following tremors, many evacuated their homes and buildings amid fears of further shocks. No loss of life or damage to property has been reported thus far.

Strong tremors were felt across Lahore and adjoining areas last month. The quake hit many areas, including Nankana Sahib, Kasur, and Sheikhpura, among others.

The quake measured 4.4 on the Richter scale with a focal depth of 10 kilometres according to the MET department, according to Express News. Following the jolts, residents of the city came out of their houses and buildings in panic.

According to The Financial Express, tremors were felt in India within hours of an earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale hit Surat district in Gujarat Sunday morning. — Express Tribune

ALL PRAISE: The exercise provided forces of both Pakistan and United States the chance to improve integration, further training and enhance the readiness of air operations. — AFP

on the ground, this aircraft has been the most useful,” he added.

The exercise provided forces of both countries the chance to improve integration, further training

and enhance the readiness of air operations.

For Major General Rick B Mattson, chief of the US Office of the Defense Representative in Paki-

stan, it was “absolutely phenomenal to have a partner who looked at this as an opportunity to not only get better as a force but also to better integrate with everyone else.”

“That has been a major focus for the team that has been here and I have already heard about ways they are able to integrate better through technology and we will try

P R O D U C I N G P L AY E R S

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D I S P L AY O F C O U R A G E

Rowing gains popularity in country KARACHI: Rowing grows in popularity in Pakistan and, having already established itself in some of the country’s premier schools; it is now producing players capable of competing at international events.

In July’s Asia Rowing Cup II, Pakistan was represented by the Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS) School, and the 13-member team managed to bring back a bronze medal at the school’s competition in the boys’ fours 1,000m event in Singapore.

Muhammad Ammar Zaheer Allana also emerged as the country’s top individual rower, finishing fourth at the scull 1,000m event.

For 15-year-old Ammar, who was making his debut at an international event, the competition was a great learning experience as the youngster started rowing two years ago and found he had the knack for it.

Asia Cup He finished fourth in the schools competition, narrowly missing out on bronze, and also impressed in the main round of the Asia Cup, where he finished sixth; a commendable achievement considering he was the youngest competitor in the event.

“It was my first independent experience and it was absolutely thrilling,” Ammar told The Express Tribune. “I learned a lot during my stay in Singapore; the true essence of sportsmanship, team work, discipline and most importantly how to do my own laundry. The competition was extremely tough as I was the youngest rower around.”

Key role “When you go through the maintenance facility, bays, it’s all Pakistan enlisted working on these aircraft.” According to the AFNS report, integration has been a major focus for Red Flag 16-4 exercises in which the PAF played a key role.

“When you have a force that is that professional and is dedicated to training and working together as a coalition you are going to get better as a group and I think that has been the biggest lesson from this,” Mattson said adding that the exercise had helped both air forces learn each other’s strengths and utilise those strengths in realworld situations.

“Whenever we’ve been together with the US in terms of an exercise or other engagements it has been amazing, productive and mutually rewarding experience on both sides,” Air Vice Marshal Ali said.

“Whether its actual strategies that have been going on in the region or it has been exercises that train for certain events, “I would expect this type of relationship to grow stronger in the future,” he said. — Express Tribune

AMBITIOUS: Muhammad Ammar Zaheer Allana also emerged as the country’s top individual rower, finishing fourth at the scull 1,000m event. For 15-year-old Ammar, who was making his debut at an international event, the competition was a great learning experience as the youngster started rowing two years ago and found he had the knack for it. — Express Tribune

Ammar now eyes the prospect of representing Pakistan at the Olympics one day, while he wants to win the Asian Championship at the Association of School Rowing Championship in the near future.

National championships He is training rigorously for the national championships in No-

vember, rowing both ‘indoors’ and in the open sea in order to maintain his form.

“To become a top rower, we have to row at least twice every day,” he said. “A rower has to row thousands of meters every day in order to get stamina and speed up to par.”

The youngster is eyeing qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olym-

pics and a whole host of medals before that too. “I still have four years for Olympics, but I want to win medals at the Asian championship and Association of School Rowing of Asia for my school.

In the Asia Cup, I was representing my school at the U19 event and Pakistan at the U25 event against athletes from 12 other countries.” — Express Tribune

Teenage girl evades forced marriage MANSEHRA: In an exemplary display of courage, a teenage girl thwarted her family’s bid to forcibly marry her off to another man and tied the knot with her childhood fiancé in court.

An official of Oghi police told The Express Tribune on Sunday that an 18-year-old daughter of Jan Muhammad from Riyan Banda Oghi village went missing from her house on August 29.

On the complaint of the girl’s cousin, Riaz, who is also her guardian after the father’s death, the police registered a criminal case against Amin and five others from the same village under Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The provision deals with kidnapping and abducting for marriage.

However, on Saturday, the girl appeared before the court of the Oghi magistrate and recorded her statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc). The teenager said she was engaged to her relative Amin from early childhood, but her cousin Riaz was determined to marry her to his younger brother. However, she was not ready for the union.

When Riaz continued pressing her and threatened to forcibly marry her to his brother, she called Amin and asked him to protect her.

Producing a marriage certificate, the girl said she and Amin tied the knot in court the morning after she left home. The 18-year-old told the court that she was forced to take such a step because she was tired of being treated like an animal and wanted to live according to her own terms. — Express Tribune

C H O L I S TA N

‘University of Animal Sciences to be set up in Bahawalpur’ BAHAWALPUR: The provincial government has decided to set up a University of Animal Sciences in Bahawalpur.

This will help promote livestock sector in Cholistan, Cholistan Development Authority Chairman Muhammad Iqbal Channar said on Sunday.

He was speaking at a consultative workshop held to devise an integrated 10-year development programme for Cholistan.

Channar, the provincial minister for cooperatives, said various development projects had been undertaken in the region under the chief minister’s special package.

Cattle farming He said cattle farming was the principal economic activity for the Cholistani people. He said cattle head count in the region was estimated to be around two million.

“The people of Cholistan are

known for their patriotism and perseverance,” he said.

Channar said the provincial government would be requested to set up degree colleges, vocational training institutes, cattle markets and slaughter houses in the region.

He stressed the need to promote wool industry in the region.

He said a coherent and effective participatory development mechanism should be evolved for the purpose. He said the govern-

ment had finalised a transparent and merit-based land allotment programme for the region.

He said it would help protect economic rights of Cholistani people.

Quotas Channar said the government would be requested to set education and employment quotas for Cholistani people. He praised Bahawalpur Commissioner Saqib

Zafar for his commitment to the cause of preserving cultural heritage of the region.

He lauded initiatives like installation of the Derawari Cannon and exhibition of historic vehicles at Bahawalpur museum. Bahawalpur Commissioner Saqib Zafar said arrangements had been finalised to provide 1,200 cusec water to Cholistan region from Mailsi Syphon during the flood season.

Earlier, CDA Managing Director

Naeem Iqbal Bukhari said the government was committed to use of modern technology to enhance the pace of development in Cholistan.

He said work on de-silting of 1,100 water ponds, construction of 31 roads, repair of a road from Talewala to Mithra had been completed under the chief minister’s Cholistan development package.

He said that a water supply pipeline would soon be laid from Kudwala to Banna. — Express Tribune

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

WORLD Pro-democracy opposition gains foothold in Hong Kong Sunday’s vote was the first major election since the student-led ‘Umbrella Revolution’ protests of 2014 that blocked roads for 79 days in which Beijing gave no ground

HONG KONG: Several pro-independence candidates won seats in Hong Kong’s legislative election which saw a record turnout in the Chinese-controlled city on Sunday, a result likely to further strain ties with Communist Party rulers in Beijing.

Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition also kept its crucial one-third veto bloc in the 70-seat Legislative Council over major legislation and public funding that has helped check China’s influence.

The vote, which ushered in a new crop of legislators including a 23-year-old former protest leader who vowed to “fight” the Chinese Communist Party, underscores growing frustration with how Beijing has handled its “special administrative region” and marks a significant turning point.

The former British colony was handed back to China in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” agreement that promised to maintain the global financial hub’s freedoms and separate laws for at least 50 years, but gave ultimate control to Beijing.

Beijing officials have repeat-

NEW CROP OF LEGISLATORS: Pro-democracy candidates Lam Cheuk-ting, Alvin Yeung, Raymond Chan, Cheung Chiu-hung and Leung Kwok-hung celebrate on the podium after winning their seats in the Legislative Council election in Hong Kong, China on Monday. – Reuters

edly warned Hong Kong not to stray too far and Chinese leaders will now have to decide how to respond. There was no immediate reaction in official Chinese media to the election results.

Despite the disqualification of six pro-democracy election candidates from the election in July on the grounds that they backed independence, at least five “localists” and younger democratic newcomers won seats, including one of the leaders from the mass democracy protests of 2014, Nathan Law. Localists put the interests of Hong Kong before those of Beijing. “I’m quite shocked,” said Law, 23. “We inherit some spirit from the movement and I hope that can continue in the future...

We still have to unite in order to

have stronger power to fight the Chinese Communist Party.”

Sunday’s vote was the first major election since the student-led “Umbrella Revolution” protests of 2014 that blocked roads for 79 days in which Beijing gave no ground.

Since then, many disaffected youngsters have decried what they see as increasing Beijing interference stifling dissent and civil liberties, leading to a radicalisation of the political scene and occasional violent protests.

Several veteran democrats failed to retain their seats, as voters backed a new batch of younger democrats espousing self-determination and a more confrontational stance with China.

“It’s a new era,” said Lee Cheukyan, a democratic lawmaker who

lost his seat after more than two decades in public office.

“People want change, change meaning that they want new faces... but the price is a further fragmentation (of the democracy camp). Ideologically they’re talking about independence and they want to assert themselves.”

Hong Kong Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Raymond Tam said the government would do its best to “bring them around to a more centrist position”.

“But it’s too early to say if this will be an issue,” he said.

Pro-establishment lawmakers like Elizabeth Quat said she hoped the issue of splitting from China wouldn’t enter the legislature or it could damage Hong Kong’s economic interests.

“Independence is not realistic

at all,” she said. “Hopefully this will not be their main objective.”

Voters flocked to cast ballots in record numbers with some having to wait several hours after the close of polling past midnight at congested voting booths, leading to some delays in vote counting on Monday.

“Hong Kong is really chaotic now. I want to do something to help,” said 28-year-old Maicy Leung, who was in a snaking queue of several hundred.

“It’s to help the next generation and to help myself.”

The Electoral Affairs Commission said 58 percent of the city’s 3.8 million eligible voters had cast their ballot, up from 53 per cent in 2012 and the highest turnout for any legislative election since 1997. — Reuters

CRACKDOWN

Bangladesh police arrest four women militants DHAKA: At least four women terrorists of the outlawed militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) were arrested on Monday in Bangladesh, weeks after similar arrests were made as part of nation-wide crackdown following the country’s worst terror attack on an upscale cafe.

“We carried out the pre-dawn raid acting on a secret tip off... it was a rented house from where these women were conducting drives in recruiting other women in the name of preaching,” Sirajganj’s district police superintendent Miraz Uddin Ahmed said.

Police also seized a large quantity of bomb-making materials, six improvised bombs, nine books, four grenade shells and electrical equipment from the den, he said.

All the four arrested women are married and aged between 18 and 30. They are being questioned by police ahead of subsequent legal procedures. Earlier on August 16, elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested three women students of a private university and a woman intern at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital for their alleged links with Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB), blamed for the terror attack on an upscale cafe in Dhaka that killed 22 people, including an Indian girl.

JMB is known for its ideological inclination to IS group.

This is the third such major incident of arresting women militants since July when seven women JMB activists, three of them members of its suicide squad, were arrested from Tangail. Security agencies have arrested dozens of JMB militants with officials calling some of them as masterminds of the outfit as a nationwide antimilitant security clampdown is underway since the July 1 attack.

Police call the arrested operatives as neo-JMB activists because of their inclination towards the IS militant group. — PTI

E N V I R O N M E N TA L I N V E S T I G AT O R S

Indonesian team investigating haze threatened with death JAKARTA: Dozens of Indonesian men, suspected of being hired by an oil palm plantation company, threatened to kill environmental investigators checking on fires on Sumatra island, the environment ministry said.

The incident illustrates the difficulties Indonesia faces tackling the illegal burning of vegetation to clear land for palm oil and pulp

and paper plantations that causes clouds of smoke every dry season, which at times blanket the region, raising fears for public health and air travel. The ministry said a group of up to 100 men detained seven investigators for about 12 hours on the weekend and threatened to burn them alive and dump their bodies in a river at an oil palm plantation in Rokan Hulu, Riau

province. The team was following up on satellite images showing “hot spots”, or suspected fires, in a concession of PT Andika Permata Sawit Lestari (APSL) oil palm plantation company. There were “strong indications” the mob was deployed by the company, the ministry said in a statement. “With this incident, the investigation of PT APSL will become our top pri-

ority,” Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya said in the statement, referring to both suspected forest encroachment by the company and the detention of the team.

“The environment ministry will investigate this and take strict action in accordance with the law,” she said.

A company official, contacted

by Reuters on Monday, declined to

comment. The team was released only after lengthy negotiations involving police and after they agreed to delete photographic evidence and to leave behind two vehicles and equipment. The equipment and vehicles were recovered the next day. The investigators, however, managed to retrieve video footage shot by a drone showing thousands of hectares of forest had

been burned illegally in and around the APSL concession. “As far as the eye can see, an area that was once peatland has been converted into oil palm plantation,” Nurbaya said. Plantation companies drain swampy peatland before planting their crops and the dried-out peat is particularly flammable and often catches fire when companies set fires to clear vegetation. — Reuters

BRAZIL

FURIOUS: A man is detained by riot police during a protest against Brazil’s President Michel Temer in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday. – Reuters

Police tear gas anti-Temer protesters in Sao Paulo SAO PAULO: Police used tear gas on Sunday to disperse thousands of demonstrators at the end of a peaceful march to protest the removal of leftist president Dilma Rousseff last week in an impeachment trial.

It was the largest of a wave of demonstrations against new President Michel Temer since the conservative lawyer was sworn in on Wednesday to replace Rousseff for the rest of her term through 2018. The marchers, rallied by left-wing groups and unions aligned with Rousseff ’s Workers

Party, called for new elections and chanted “Out with Temer!”

One marcher wore a red T-shirt that said in English: “First of all, Temer must fall.”

The organisers said 50,000 people turned out for the march to a square in western Sao Paulo that included families with children, witnesses said.

As the rally ended and demonstrators headed for metro entrances, riot police fired tear gas canisters that caused panic and led to clashes.

Police said they were forced to

intervene to stop vandalism at the end of a peaceful march.

There were smaller anti-Temer demonstrations on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and other Brazilian cities.

Temer played down the wave of protests in comments to reporters on the sidelines of a summit of the G20 group of leading world economies in Hangzhou, China.

“They are small groups, not popular movements of any size,” he said. “In a population of 204 million Brazilians, they are not representative.” — Reuters

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

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WORLD

Taliban bombings in Kabul kills at least 24

MYSTERY

Two blasts in quick succession hit a crowded area of the city near government

LOST AND FOUND: High-resolution cameras on Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft have found space probe Philae, which successfully landed on a comet in a pinpoint operation only to lose power because its solar-driven batteries were in the shade.— ESA/Rosetta/MPS for

buildings, a market and a main

OSIRIS Team Handout via Reuters

intersection, defence

Rosetta’s missing Philae probe found in dark crack on comet

ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanesh said

KABUL: A Taliban suicide attack near the defence ministry in Kabul killed at least 24 people on Monday, including a number of senior security officials, and wounded 91 others, officials said.

Two blasts in quick succession hit a crowded area of the city near government buildings, a market and a main intersection, defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanesh said.

Troops, police and civilians rushing to help victims of the first explosion were caught in the second, triggered when a suicide bomber blew himself up. “When the first explosion happened people crowded to the site and then the second blast occurred, which was really powerful and killed lots of people,” said Samiullah Safi, who witnessed the attack.

The casualty total may increase as more information becomes

CARNAGE: Injured policemen are transported at the back of a police vehicle after a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday. — Reuters

available, said Mohammad Ismail Kawousi, a spokesman for the public health ministry. An army general and two senior police commanders were among the dead, a defence ministry official said. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said killed 58 officers and commanders.

Mullah Akhtar Mansour The militants have stepped up their campaign against the Western-backed government in recent weeks, following a brief lull after the death of their former leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour.

The double bombing came less

than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people. It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since at least 80 people were killed by a suicide bomber who targeted a demonstration on July 23.

That assault was claimed by IS. Government officials have been preparing for a conference in Brussels next month at which foreign donors, concerned about the ability of the Afghan security forces to withstand Taliban violence, are expected to pledge continuing support over coming years.

Meanwhile, government forces recaptured a district in eastern Afghanistan that was overrun

by the Taliban more than a week ago, officials said on Monday. Jani Khel, a district in the mountainous province of Paktia, on the border with Pakistan, lies on a strategic road intersection, linking other districts in the province and its loss was considered a serious setback by security forces. A spokesman for the provincial governor said that a clearance operation was still under way. — Reuters

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FRANKFURT: High-resolution cameras on the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rosetta spacecraft have found space probe Philae, which landed on a comet nearly two years ago only to lose power because its solar-driven batteries were in the shade.

Images taken from Rosetta at a distance of 2.7 km (1.7 miles) showed Philae wedged into a dark crack on Comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko, the ESA said on Monday.

Philae landed on the comet in November 2014 in what was considered a remarkable feat of precision space travel but the metre-sized, 100 kg (220 lb) probe bounced several times before getting stuck against a cliff wall.

Scientists could tell its approximate whereabouts on the comet thanks to radio ranging data but

not its precise location. This year they gave up hope of restoring contact with the probe.

While Philae did not have as much time as was hoped for experiments, information it has collected is reshaping thinking about comets and the project has helped in designing future missions.

“This wonderful news means that we now have the missing ‘ground-truth’ information needed to put Philae’s three days of science into proper context, now that we know where that ground actually is,” ESA’s Rosetta project scientist, Matt Taylor, said in a statement.

Scientists expect to get a final glimpse of Philae later this month, when Rosetta snaps some pictures during close fly-bys, before crashlanding on the comet itself on September 30, ending its 12-year space odyssey. — Reuters

C O N T R O V E R S Y O V E R WA R O N D RU G S

Obama’s planned meeting with Duterte thrown into doubt HANGZHOU (CHINA)/DAVAO CITY (PHILIPPINES): US President Barack Obama said on Monday he was considering whether or not to meet his Filipino counterpart, Rodrigo Duterte, this week, amid alarm over the latter’s campaign against illegal drugs in which thousands of people have died.

Speaking at a G20 meeting in China, and before travelling to Laos for a summit where he was due to hold talks with Duterte, Obama said he had asked his team to find out if “constructive, productive conversations” were possible.

“Obviously the Filipino people are some of our closest friends and allies and the Philippines is a treaty ally of ours. But I always want to make sure that if I’m having a meeting that it’s actually productive and we’re getting something done,” he told reporters in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.

“I’m going to make an assessment

... What is certainly true is that the issues of how we approach fighting crime and drug trafficking is a serious one for all of us, and we’ve got to do it the right way.”

Earlier, Duterte had made it clear he would take no lecture on human rights from Obama, adding that “plenty will be killed” before the end of a crackdown that has led to the death of about 2,400 people since he became president two months ago.

“I am a president of a sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony,” Duterte told reporters before setting off for Laos, when asked about his planned meeting with Obama.

“Who is he to confront me? As a matter of fact, America has one too many to answer for,” he said.

“Everybody has a terrible record of extrajudicial killings.” Asked after arriving in the Laos capital of Vientiane whether the meeting would go ahead, Duterte replied: “May be.” Duterte, a former crime-

VIGILANTE: Philippine policemen flag down a motorist at a checkpoint in Quezon City, suburban Manila, on Monday, as the government tightened security in public places after a bomb explosion in Davao City. — AFP

busting mayor of southern Davao city, won the presidency in May promising to suppress crime and wipe out drugs and drug dealers.

While his campaign has won popular support, the killings have

FUNDING IRREGULARITIES

Sarkozy must stand trial for deceit, says French prosecutor PARIS: France’s state prosecutor said on Monday that presidential hopeful Nicholas Sarkozy should stand trial over funding irregularities in his failed 2012 re-election bid, potentially disrupting his new campaign.

Sarkozy is accused of “knowingly underestimating” elements of his campaign financing, according to a judicial source.

A divisive centre-right politician who lost to the now deeply unpopular Socialist Francois Hollande in 2012, he declared two weeks ago that he would stand again for the presidency in April’s vote. The prosecutor’s office recommended he stand trial with 13 others in the so-called Bygmalion Affair, involving spending overruns and allegedly illegal financing, the source said.

Sarkozy did not immediately respond in person but his lawyer, Thierry Herzog, issued a statement accusing the state prosecutor, which answers to the justice ministry, of a “shoddy political manoeuvre”.

SCANDAL: Nicolas Sarkozy, former head of the Les Republicans political party and former French President, leaves his campaign headquarters in Paris, France, on Monday.- Reuters

The timing is tricky for Sarkozy in the run-up to a candidacy contest, pitting himself against several conservative rivals for the presidential ticket of the Les Republicains party and its allies on the political centre-right.

Primary contest By the time that primary contest takes place in late November, the independent magistrate who placed Sarkozy under formal in-

vestigation last February is expected to have announced if he will order a trial.

Such magistrates have the last word in France on whether to send a case to trial.

More often than not, their decisions go the same way as the recommendation of the public prosecutor.

Sarkozy’s lawyer accused the public prosecution of excessive haste for political reasons, without elaborating.

“The Paris prosecution service did not even take the time needed to examine written elements submitted by Nicolas Sarkozy’s legal advisers in favour of aquittal,” he said in a statement.

“This is another shoddy political manoeuvre.”

The lawyer noted that Sarkozy had already personally paid a financial penalty of 363,615 euros ($405,540) for breaching campaign spending ceilings in 2012.

Funding irregularities carry a penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of 3,750 euros. — Reuters

alarmed rights groups and brought expressions of concern from the United States, a former colonial power and a close Philippine ally, and the United Nations.

The frank public exchanges

threaten to overshadow the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asia Summits in Laos from Tuesday to Thursday. There the 10-member ASEAN will meet leaders of other regional powers; China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, Russia and the United States.

The Philippines has been a key US ally in its dispute with China over the South China Sea, where Washington blames Beijing for militarising a vital global trade route and jeopardising freedom of movement at sea and in the air.

China rejects those accusation, and in turn blames the United States for ratcheting up tensions unnecessarily. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.

On Monday, he showed no signs of backing down in his anti-drug campaign. “Plenty will be killed

until the last pusher is out of the streets. Until the (last) drug manufacturer is killed we will continue,” he said.

Police say about 900 of those killed died in police operations, and the rest were “deaths under investigation”, a term human rights activists say is a euphemism for vigilante and extrajudicial killings. Duterte earlier lambasted the United Nations after it criticised the surge in killings and he turned down a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Laos.

In response to a bombing last week that killed 14 people in Duterte’s hometown, his government on Monday signed a declaration of a “state of lawlessness”, a term that has left many Filipinos concerned that it might be draconian and open to abuse by security forces.

The government, however, has been keen to allay fears the obscure order might impinge on civil liberties. — Reuters

A 12

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

WORLD May rejects immigration controls based on points British Prime Minister Theresa May has made clear that there will have to be tougher controls over immigration but has yet to say how the rules will work MAKING A POINT: Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at a press conference after the closing of the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou, on Monday. — AFP

HANGZHOU (CHINA): British Prime Minister Theresa May rejected a “points-based” system to screen immigrants, setting up a potential conflict with Brexit campaigners in her government who promised to bring in Australianstyle controls over EU migrants.

May, who favoured staying in the European Union but has promised to deliver on the June 23 referendum vote by steering Britain out of the bloc, said such systems were difficult to manage and there was no “silver bullet” on immigration.

May has made clear that there will have to be tougher controls over immigration but has yet to say how the rules will work - a crucial issue for employers and for negotiations with the EU over future British access to the European market.

“There is no single silver bullet that is the answer in terms of dealing with immigration,” she told reporters on her way to a G20

summit in China, citing her experience as Britain’s longest-serving interior minister in over 50 years.

Will not work “One of the issues is whether or not points-based systems do work,” May said. A spokeswoman for May later told reporters that Britain would control immigration but that a points-based system “will not work and is not an option.”

The spokeswoman said the way controls would work had yet to be determined.

Australia vets immigrants according to their occupation, qualifications and other factors.

A source close to May’s thinking said she objects to points-based systems because they are hard for the government to control and she would prefer something that can be more directly influenced.

The comments offer the first

glimpse into May’s stance on the hardest question thrown up by the referendum: How to tighten border controls with the EU without losing access to its single market.

Britain’s 27 partners are so far adamant that it cannot enjoy full trade benefits unless it continues to let in EU nationals as before.

In a sign of the extent of international concern over the impact of Brexit, Japan published a 15-page report setting out dozens of its requests of Britain and the EU including maintaining access to workers from the EU and The prime minister risks upsetting key members of the team she assembled in July to deliver an EU exit that protects Britain’s global standing and carves out a new role for the country at the vanguard of global free trade.

Foreign minister Boris Johnson

EXIT MODE: Pro-Brexit demonstrators, calling on the British government to invoke article 50 immediately, and urging them not to hold a second referendum, shout slogans and hold placards as they protest outside the Houses of Parliament in London, on Monday. — AFP

and trade minister Liam Fox were part of the ‘Brexit’ camp that argued that voting to leave the European Union would free Britain from the duty to admit all EU nationals who want to live and work here, enabling it to cut immigration.

Speaking in June before he was appointed as foreign minister, Johnson - figurehead of the Leave campaign and May’s one-time rival for the prime minister’s job said a points-based system could bring back democratic control and better meet businesses’ needs.

May’s words will fuel fears among voters and Eurosceptic lawmakers that having a proRemain prime minister in charge will result in a watered-down version of Brexit that does not represent what people voted for.

“I’m worried,” Nigel Farage, one of the most prominent Brexit campaigners and former head

of the UK Independence Party, told BBC radio when asked about May’s comments.

Farage said British voters had endorsed the idea of a points based system of immigration that would ensure Britain took wellvetted EU immigrants. British lawmakers on Monday debated a public petition calling for a re-run of the EU referendum.

While four million people signed the petition, May has said the referendum result was clear and that “Brexit means Brexit”.

Asked whether immigration controls precluded access to the EU single market, May said she was optimistic about what sort of deal Britain could negotiate.

“I want to be ambitious with what we can achieve, I don’t take anything for granted, I’m going out there to get the best possible deal.” — Reuters

RUSSIA

Levada pollster named as foreign agent MOSCOW: Russia’s only major independent pollster, the Levada Centre, has been designated as a “foreign agent”, the Russian Justice Ministry said on Monday, two weeks ahead of nationwide parliamentary elections.

“The recognition of the organisation as a non-commercial body performing the functions of a foreign agent was established in an unscheduled document check,” the Justice Ministry said in a statement.

It did not give a reason for its decision.

Levada was not immediately available for comment.

Russia’s main pro-Kremlin United Russia party is expected to comfortably win the elections on September 18, which are seen as a dry run for Vladimir Putin’s presidential re-election campaign in 2018.

But battling a deepening recession and falling living standards, authorities have taken steps to subdue opposition voices and organisations, including election monitors, viewed as critical of the Kremlin.

The term “foreign agent” is part of a 2012 law governing groups which receive foreign funding and engage in political activity.

It is has previously been used to put pressure on organisations deemed “undesirable” in Russia.

Levada is the most respected of Russia’s three main pollsters.

While it routinely reports Putin’s approval ratings in excess of 80 per cent, it is widely seen as more independent than its staterun competitors, VTsIOM and FOM. — Reuters

H E A LT H W O E S

MERRIMENT

Philippines confirms first case of Zika virus this year

A man bails off his surfboard at Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York on Labour Day where waves were high due to post-tropical cyclone Hermine which tracked off the east coast of the US on Monday. Hermine drifted north on Monday off the US East Coast, still packing near-hurricane strength winds but far enough from land to spare the Middle Atlantic states.

Forecasters warned swimmers and boaters along the Eastern Seaboard to stay out of treacherous waters churned up by the storm during the holiday weekend. On Cape Cod and its offshore islands, high surf and wind put a crimp in the holiday plans of many people looking to celebrate summer’s end, but beaches farther south reopened. — Reuters

MANILA: The Philippines confirmed on Monday its first case of the Zika virus this year and said it was “highly likely” it had been locally transmitted, and it expected more cases after stepping up surveillance.

A 45-year old woman who lives in Iloilo city in the central Philippines has the virus, Dr Eric Tayag, spokesman at the health ministry, told a media briefing. The woman is not pregnant, he said, and was recovering at her home.

It was considered “highly likely” she had contracted the virus locally as she had no history of travel to any affected country in the past two weeks, Tayag said.

The Philippines reported its first case of Zika in 2012, that of a teenaged boy in Cebu island in the central Philippines.

Four subsequent cases were foreigners. — Reuters DEFIANCE

UNSC to meet Tuesday on North Korea missile launches SEOUL: The United Nations Security Council will discuss the latest missile launches by North Korea in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday morning at the request of the United States and Japan, diplomats said on Monday.

North Korea fired three ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast on Monday, South Korea’s military said, as the leaders of the Group of 20 major economies held a summit in China, the North’s main diplomatic ally. The isolated country has launched a series of missiles this year in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.

The 15-member Security Council has condemned the launches.

The missiles were fired from a region south of the capital Pyongyang just after noon local time (0300 GMT) and flew about 1,000 km (600 miles), hitting Japan’s air defence identification zone, the South’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

“We are still analysing details but this is a grave threat to our nation’s security, and we express deep concern,” the Japan Defence Ministry said in a statement.

The missile launches were the latest in a series of launches by the isolated North this year in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, supported by China, that ban all ballistic missile-related activities by the North. Pyongyang rejects the ban as infringing its sovereign right to pursue a space programme and self defence.

Shortly after the missile launches, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met on the sidelines of the G20 summit and agreed to cooperate on monitoring the situation, a Japanese statement said.

Conincide with G20 summit The South’s military said the missiles were medium-range Rodongclass, launched as a show of force timed to coincide with the G20 summit. In 2014, the North fired two Rodong medium-range missiles just as Park and Abe were meeting US President Barack Obama at the Hague to discuss responding to the North’s arms programme.

The latest missiles were

launched from a region called Hwangju and came just hours after the leaders of South Korea and China met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China.

South Korea’s Park told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the North’s fourth nuclear test and its ballistic missile launches this year threatened regional peace and posed a challenge to South Korea’s ties with China, Yonhap news agency reported earlier.

During the meeting, Xi reaffirmed China’s commitment to realising the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, China’s state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday.

Xi also told Park that Beijing opposed the proposed deployment of a THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea, which Seoul and the United States have said is designed to counter an increasing missile threat from North Korea.

Park said that a THAAD deployment would not threaten any other country’s security interests and would not be needed if the North’s nuclear issue was resolved, Yonhap news agency said. — Reuters

COLLISION COURSE: A passenger watches a TV screen broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing three ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday. — Reuters

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READERS’ FORUM Girls lately have more zeal for education than boys This refers to the report, More Omani females than males in college this year (September 4). It‘s not just in Oman but every other country too. Girls lately have more zeal for education than boys. Maybe the boys have figured out other alternatives to earn a good living since its not about education anymore these past years.

— Susan S. Lola, via Facebook

Scan this QR code to send letters to the Readers’ Forum, containing not more than 200 words with full name, address and telephone number, may be sent by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com).

Doctors and teachers have fully adopted all business strategies This refers to the report, Free treatment for a month at new hospital (September 5).

These so called noble professionals (doctors and teachers) have fully adopted all the business strategies now. No wonder why education and health quality is declining all over. No offences but some departments must be governed and run only by the state as a responsibility.

— Emm Kay, via Facebook

CLIVE CROOK

One of the main things confounding clear thinking on Britain’s future relations with the EU is the short-term uncertainty arising from the Article 50 exit process. This was devised with the conviction that it would never be invoked. The model it appears to have in mind starts with a so-called hard exit

Girls lately have more zeal for This refers to the report, Free treatment for a month at new hospital (September 5). So there is no better time to get a life threatening disease or get run over by a Lexus. Get out there and fill your boots. — Graham Inett , via Facebook

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE

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Tel: 24838800 | Fax: 24838899 | Email: niamct@omantel.net.om | Website: www.newindiaoman.com Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.

MAE WEST

Need to take Trump seriously about NATO A

Donald Trump presidency would be a catastrophe for NATO and the West. Aside from threatening to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement and to start a trade war with China, Trump praises Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggests that America should not honor its commitment to defend its NATO allies unless they pay more for that protection.

Although Trump’s chances are slipping away by the day, the European Union should consider his candidacy a wake-up call regarding its own defence. The EU’s total GDP is slightly higher than America’s, yet it contributes only 25 per cent of NATO’s defence budget, while the US accounts for 72 per cent, and Canada and Turkey supply the rest. If Russia attempted a conventional incursion into NATO territory, and was defeated, it might consider launching a nuclear first strike in Europe.

After all, unlike the Soviet Union, Russia has not ruled out the offensive use of nuclear weapons. In such a scenario, America’s nuclear umbrella would amount to Europe’s only credible protection. But if the US retaliated against a Russian nuclear strike, it would risk facing a Russian counterstrike on its own territories or forces. Such is the grim logic of mutually assured destruction.

Why should the US risk so much for a continent that gives short shrift to its own conventional defence capabilities? This is not an unreasonable question to ask, and where previous US presidents have feared to tread, a populist demagogue has rushed in.

One problem is that NATO members’ commitment to spend at least 2 per cent of its GDP on defence is not nearly enough. The US spends 3.5 per cent of its GDP on defencse, and there is no reason why the EU should be spending less than the US, given the manifold threats it faces, from Russia to terrorist incitement by IS. Moreover, most European NATO countries’ defence spending falls short of the obligatory 2 per cent of GDP, with only the United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, and Estonia maintaining defense spending at or above that level.

This complacency has become so entrenched that an agreement at the 2014 NATO summit in Newport, Wales, that no member would cut defence spending any further – and another agree-

ment this year to meet the 2 per cent target – was seen as a major breakthrough.

The problem is not that EU countries are inherently unreliable. It’s that they have tied their hands with fiscal austerity. I experienced this firsthand as Poland’s finance minister during and after the 2008 financial crisis. On two occasions when I suddenly had to cut spending to comply with the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact (SGP), a 1997 agreement among EU member states to enforce fiscal responsibility, I had few options other than to cut the defense budget. Fortunately, Poland’s 1998 Public Finance Act requires that 1.95 per cent of GDP be spent on defence. So, after the immediate crisis was over, Polish defense spending returned to its NATO-mandated level.

This points to a possible solution: the US should restructure the NATO collective-defense commitment so that it is self-policing – what economists call “incentive-compatible.”

For starters, EU countries’ defense spending should be excluded from the SGP. France has long pushed for this, but Germany – which spends a meager 1.2 per cent of its GDP on defense – opposes it, claiming that it would open a Pandora’s box of other demands and exclusions.

In 2015, then-Polish prime minister Ewa Kopacz proposed that if the full defense budget could not be excluded from the SGP, at least increases in defense spending up to the 2 per cent-of-GDP NATO commitment should be exempted for one year.

Poland would not have benefited, because it had already fulfilled the NATO requirement; but the change would have made it easier for other European members to meet their commitments.

Germany rejected the Polish proposal – again on the grounds of Pandora’s box. But, if anything, Kopacz’s proposal was too modest. Global politics has become even more precarious since last year.

With the US looking more toward Asia, where China’s unilateral assertion of territorial claims in the South China Sea has jeopardised regional stability, it may become stretched too thin to provide a credible deterrent to Russian aggression, especially when it takes the form of unconventional, hybrid attacks. - Project Syndicate

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PICTOGRAPH

POPULATION OF AL WUSTA

FROM OUR ARCHIVES SEPTEMBER 2001 Meet on combating desertification ends SALALAH: The Arab meet for discussion on the progress achieved in applying sub-regional programmes and preparation of the national programmes for combating desertification concluded here yesterday.

The 3-day meeting was organised by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resourcesin cooperation with a number of international environmental organisations.

May

43,350

June

Total

43,304

Omani 23,613

23,558 0.23%

TODAY IN HISTORY 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

1870: The last British troops to serve in Austria are withdrawn.

1918: The German Army begins a general retreat across the Aisne, with British troops in pursuit.

1936: Aviator Beryl Markham flies the first east-to-west solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

1991: Leningrad name is changed to Saint Petersburg.

19,792

Expatriate 19,691 0.51%

Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

LIFESTYLE DINING

TOP VEGETARIAN SANDWICH FILLINGS Talk of fillings; be it in a sandwich or tacos, there is always a predominance of meat or all that is non vegetarian. But what happens if you are a vegetarian or suddenly have a vegetarian guest at home and you need to make some quick sandwiches in the evenings?

The good news is that there are plenty of vegetarian options too. So let’s go meatless this week Story Swati Dasgupta

>A15

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

WEATHER

TEMPERATURE

HUMIDITY

37 - 26 69-43% 0

0

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

12.10pm 3.38pm 6.25pm 7.37pm 4.34am

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LIFESTYLE

E AT I N G OU T

This Weekend Eat At…

< A14

Jackfruit This vegetable when cooked with the right sauces and other ingredients has a taste that is quite similar to chicken. Hence this makes a great filling and ideal as a substitute for chicken and meat.

For a simple jackfruit filling drain and clean jackfruit, toss with BBQ spices and sauté in oil for a while. Add BBQ sauce and simmer and spread into on your bread.

Alternatively you can take jackfruit cubes, add smoked paprika, garlic powder, chilli powder, salt, and stir until well combined. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a large skillet and fry the jackfruit for 3 minutes. Add a cup of barbecue sauce and cover and simmer it for about 30 minutes adding 1/4

Tofu Tofu is very popular amongst vegetarians as it is an all purpose ingredient. You can sauté chunks of tofu in olive oil, along with chopped red and green peppers, onions, and other seasonings. Curried tofu is another version of sandwich filling. Place the tofu in a bowl and crumble it well with a fork or with your hands. In a separate bowl, stir together 2 tablespoon of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to taste. Add

cup of water to thin the sauce. Stir occasionally. Once the jackfruit has softened, remove it from the heat and with two forks tear it apart. Serve it on a bun with your favourite toppings.

this to the tofu mixture and stir.

Also add 1 tablespoon chopped onions, and few chopped parsley leaves. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Serve as a sandwich spread. This can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. For more flavours you can also add toasted sesame seeds and a handful of raisins in the tofu mixture. Tofu can also be grilled after marinating chunks of tofu in barbecue sauce, honey, soy sauce, and honey mustard sauce and used as a filling.

Where Savannah, BBQ Must Eat Ugali What Is It? Ugali is seafood served with white polenta and is the most common dish in Kenya. It is served with seafood, meat or mashed vegetables. Made of cornmeal, millet flour, and cassava flour, this is boiled in water or milk to get soft and mushy dough like consistency.

The seafood side dish is prawns cooked in a coconut based curry mixed with spinach served with a tangy sauce.

Price OMR 6.800

Fruits If you had enough of vegetable sandwiches but yet want to stay meatless, why not let your sandwich go fruity? Fruits make a great sandwich filling. In Japan fruit sandwiches are very common and easily available too. Called Fruit Sando, they are easy to make and visually appealing too. A combination of strawberries, kiwis, and bananas mixed with lightly sweetened whipped cream make great sandwich filling. Have you ever thought of having a fresh mango sandwich? Slice mango into flat

Sweet Potatoes If you have leftover sweet potato why not make it into sandwich spread. It lends a sweet taste to your sandwich. All you need is a cup of baked sweet potato if you do not have any leftover, 1/2 cup chickpeas, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, a dash of lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oil. Blend all the ingredients well and spread it on your bread slice. For those who like to have a spicier version of the same you can add some chilli flakes to the mixture.

Chickpeas Drain and rinse chickpeas. Pour chickpeas into a medium size mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Mix in celery, onion, mayonnaise (to taste), lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper to taste. You can also add some diced carrots, a cup of hummus, a pinch of garlic powder. Roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork, or a potato masher. Add the remaining ingredients and combine. Add more hummus if you prefer a creamier version.

–swati@timesofoman.com

rounds and discard stone. Chill the slices and separately make crisp toasts of bread.

Apply butter and place the mango slices and then cut into triangles with a very sharp knife. Serve immediately. Avocados and the rich creamy flavours make them the perfect breakfast sandwich.

Team it up with feta, apple, and juicy cucumber. Take a ripe avocado and slice them and place it on the bread. In a separate bowl combine lime juice, oil, and mint.

Top each with apple, cucumber, and feta cheese.

Also Try Pilau served with lamb meat, a specialty dish from the Swahili region where rice is flavoured with several spices and condiments like garlic, ginger, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and broth and cooked with rice in one pot. It was served with fried onions and cashews along with curried lamb.

Also go for Batat, herb potato in creamy sauce, Viazi Rojo, chunky potato soup flavoured with green mango and BBQ lamb, Pill Pill Fries, that is French fries

in spicy tomato masala, Kuku Mhogo or barbecued chicken served with fried cassava, Ngisi, BBQ calamari served on roasted bell pepper and Kamba Choma or barbecue prawns on lemon butter sauce. For those who want to eat something different try Babooti, a South African cuisine made of mince beef topped with a savoury egg custard baked to perfection and served with rice. Mishkaki or barbecued lamb is served with fried bananas and a specially made tangy tamarind sauce or specialty dishes like Ndizi which is green banana cooked with meat and coconut sauce.

For dessert have Mandazi, that is deep fried African pastry topped with cream and fruits.

What’s Special Savannah, BBQ is the only place in Muscat that specialises in African cuisine and to retain the authentic taste they have a huge charcoal barbecue and do not use electric grill at all.

—swati@timesofoman.com

Location Panaroma Mall, Ghubra +968 2202 7011

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

LIFESTYLE

Oats Oats Cake Combine 2 cups oatmeal, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup brown sugar, and 3/4 cup butter. Separately take boiling water and dissolve 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Add this to the oats mixture made before.

Do not over-mix. Pour in moulds and bake in a preheated 220°C oven on a buttered baking sheet until golden for about 10 minutes.

Oats Chicken In a bowl take one egg and beat in 2 tablespoon of milk. In another shallow dish, mix 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup oats, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and 1/2 teaspoon ginger. Dip chicken slices, one piece at a time in the egg mixture and then in the breadcrumbs. Place the chicken, skin side up, in a single layer. Brush melted butter over chicken. Bake in 200 degree C oven for 1 hour, basting at 20 minutes.

Oats Salad In a bowl, toss together 1 cup rinsed oats, 1/2 cup tomato, 1/3 cup chopped cucumber, 3 tablespoons chopped red onion, 1 1/2 tablespoon oil, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Place two beds of lettuce leaves on the plate and pour the oats mixture.

ONE NGREDIENT INGREDIENT

FIVE WAYS

Oats Cookies Blend 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, and 1/3 cup corn syrup until they are light and fluffy. On it add 2 egg whites and 1/3 cup almond extract and beat well. Gradually add 2 1/4 cup Quaker Oats, uncooked, 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in 3 tablespoons of sliced almond nuts and mix. Pour on a tablespoon. Bake for 16 minutes.

Oats Omelette Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small nonstick frypan, over medium heat.

Whisk 5 egg whites with 1/4 cup quick oats. Pour mixture into the frypan, add a lid on top so the eggs cook on both sides. When firm, flip and cook until the omelette is done. Top with fresh salsa or any sauce of your choice.

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM TU ES DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

EURO-AREA GROWTH SLOWS

MARKE

The euro-area economy lost momentum in August, with a gauge of private-sector growth falling to the lowest level since early 2015.

A Purchasing Managers Index for manufacturing and services slid to 52.9 from 53.2 in July, below an earlier estimate of 53.3, IHS Markit said on Monday. — Bloomberg News

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH THE VIDEO

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

Muscat 5,748.56 + 20.77 + 0.36%

Dubai 3,546.23 + 10.87 + 0.37%

Abu Dhabi 4,512.01 + 39.81 + 0.89%

Saudi Arabia

6,201.85 + 102.82 + 1.69%

Kuwait 5,380.80 - 14.69 - 0.27%

Bahrain 1,135.26 - 5.79 - 0.51%

Qatar 10,839.73 - 10.75 - 0.10%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.30 Pound ........................................... 1.93 Indian Rs ............................. 172.63 Pakistan Rs .......................266.52 Bangla Taka......................200.88

Indian Rs ...................................173.40 Pakistan Rs ............................ 270.60 Sri Lanka Rs .................................. N/A Bangla Taka........................... 203.55 Phil Peso ....................................120.70

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......16.90

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........$45.59 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$45.59 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) .........$47.57 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$44.49 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ..........$47.15

* Rates are as of September 5 Source: Bank Muscat

West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........$44.90

* Rates as of September 5 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) ........16.21 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ........... 160.50 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 150.75 * Rates as of September 5 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

Disadvantages for small units under value added tax regime This is due to the fact that where a supplier is not value added tax registered, then the VAT amount on their inputs is not recoverable and this additional cost becomes embedded in the price of their supplies and is not recoverable by their customers, KPMG officials say

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s micro business units, which do not come under voluntary threshold limit for value added tax (VAT) registra-

tion, will be in a disadvantageous position once the government introduces the new tax scheme by January 2018.

This is due to the fact that where a supplier is not VAT registered, then the VAT amount on their in-

puts is not recoverable and this additional cost becomes embedded in the price of their supplies and is not recoverable by their customers, according to top-level officials of KPMG, who addressed a seminar on VAT implementation road map here on Monday.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said that mandatory VAT threshold limit for business enterprises is fixed at $1 million (equivalent to OMR385,000), while voluntary registration is for companies with an annual turnover in the range of OMR192,500 and OMR385,000. Oman is likely to follow the same threshold limit as all GCC states will have to agree on certain frameworks.

“If you buy (goods and services) from a registered business, you can recover VAT amount (paid by your supplier),” said Rob DallaCasta, VAT leader, KPMG in the Lower

Middle East.

The companies, which are not registered, also will have to pay VAT component, which will increase the cost as the company cannot claim for reimbursement.

“So, the cost structure will go up and therefore, companies prefer to deal with businesses that are registered for VAT,” he added.

Citing the example of Australia’s experience, Casta said that there are 2.6 million business enterprises registered for VAT in the country and half of these are voluntary registration.In fact, 70-80 per cent of rules related to VAT are common across the world.

Business enterprises are generally grouped into three categories for the purpose of levying value added tax, which is also known as goods and services tax (GST) in several other countries. These groups are – standard rated supply,

zero rated and exempted.

The zero rated categories of businesses include exports of goods and services, basic foodstuff and medicines and medical equipment.

Examples of exempted supplies include sale of existing residential property, lease of residential property, financial services, healthcare, education and sale of undeveloped land. However, a decision on the type of companies or nature of business of these three categories is yet to be taken by Oman government.

Ashok Hariharan, partner and head of tax, KPMG in the Lower Gulf, said that VAT is not a cost to the business enterprise, rather a levy on consumers.

Share trading is generally exempted from value added tax, while brokerage service comes under the purview of VAT. As many as 200 finance professionals attended the seminar.

Rob Dalla Casta, VAT leader, KPMG in the Lower Middle East — Picture by Jun Estrada/Times of Oman

B L O O M B E R G E S T I M AT E S

O I L - M A R K E T S TA B I L I T Y

‘Samsung’s Note 7 recall will be expensive’ SEOUL: Samsung Electronics Co.’s recall of millions of bigscreen smartphones isn’t going to be cheap.

The South Korean company may spend as much as $1 billion, after deciding to replace all of the 2.5 million Note 7 phones that were shipped since they went on sale two weeks ago, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Samsung would only say the PRECIOUS RESOURCE: Oil-market stability is impossible without Saudi-Russian cooperation, the Kingdom’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said after meeting on Sunday with President Vladimir Putin in Hangzhou, China. — Bloomberg file picture

Russia and Saudi to work together HANGZHOU: Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed to work together to ensure oil market stability even as leaders from the world’s two biggest crude producers stopped short of offering detailed proposals.

Oil-market stability is impossible without Saudi-Russian cooperation, the Kingdom’s influential Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said after meeting on Sunday with President Vladimir Putin in Hangzhou, China.

Prince Mohammed made his comments three days after Putin said he’d like Opec and Russia to agree to freeze crude supply to steady the market.

“Our countries are the two biggest oil producers, that’s why there can’t be a stable policy in the sphere of oil without the participation of Russia and Saudi Arabia,” said Prince Mohammed, a son of the Saudi king.

Putin said it is important for the two countries to “maintain a permanent dialogue.”

Crude gained about six per cent since the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) said in August that it will hold talks in Algiers later this month.

Producers have been discussing proposals to limit output after a glut cut prices by more than half from their 2014 peak.

Opec adopted a Saudi-led policy allowing members to raise output to protect market share from higher-cost producers in 2014. Group production rose to a record 33.69 million barrels a day in August, just under a third of global demand, a Bloomberg survey showed last week.

“Russia and Saudi Arabia talking constructively about a production freeze is going to be bull-

Oil prices decline TOKYO: Oil fell as two of the world’s biggest producers stopped short of making concrete proposals to coordinate output, pledging instead to cooperate to ensure market stability.

Futures lost as much as 0.9 per cent in New York. Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed to work together to stabilise prices, without offering details on joint action, after Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Vladimir Putin met in China on Sunday.

— Bloomberg News

ish for the market, whether or not they actually follow through with it,” Edward Bell, a commodities analyst at Dubai lender Emirates NBD, said on Sunday by phone from Dubai.

Putin said that he’d like Russia and Opec to reach an oil output freeze, exempting Iran until it raises production to pre-sanctions levels. Iran has been boosting output since sanctions eased in January.

The Russian president said last week that he might recommend the freeze proposal to Prince Mohammed in China. — Bloomberg News

amount was “heartbreaking.”

About three dozen of the devices were found to have batteries that caught fire and exploded.

Wrong timing The timing couldn’t have been worse. Samsung was on a roll, with the success of its flagship Galaxy S7 helping to drive its shares to a record last month and lifting quarterly profit to the highest in two

years — all of this in a sputtering global smartphone market. The Note 7 was supposed to complete a product lineup that would go headto-head with new Apple iPhones due to be unveiled this week. As the market leader in Android-based smartphones, Samsung couldn’t risk any injury to its brand.

“The potential damage to reputation is far greater than shortterm financial losses,” said Chang

Sea Jin, a professor at the National University of Singapore.

Estimates from Credit Suisse Group, Daishin Securities and Pelham Smithers Associates put the recall’s cost at around $1 billion or less. Asked about the financial impact, Koh Dong Jin, the head of Samsung’s smartphone business, said at Friday’s press conference in Seoul that it was a “heartbreaking amount.’’ — Bloomberg News

B2

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,754.27 ............... 5,727.79 ....................5,748.56 ....................5,727.79..................20.77 ...................0.36 Financial Index .....................................7,375.44 ...............7,359.69 ................... 7,364.04 ...................7,342.02................. 22.02 ...................0.30 Industrial Index ....................................7,503.09 ...............7,488.80 ................... 7,503.09 ....................7,487.49..................15.60 ................... 0.21 Services Index .......................................3,128.48 ............... 3,121.05 ................... 3,128.48 ....................3,121.05.................... 7.43 ...................0.24 MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................... 887.03 ..................885.52 .......................887.00 ...................... 885.52.................... 1.48 ................... 0.17 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 7,480,845.................... 1,522,823 .................... 320 ................17,241,653,194 ................ 13 ........................2 .................... 17 .........................32

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

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

OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 1,605,622 ......280,083.....................24 ............0.175 ........... 0.175............0.174 ............0.174 ............. 0.171 ............ 0.003............. 1.754.................0.174 .............. 0.174...................0.177 ..................279,182,885........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 101,409............... 6,185........................2 ........... 0.060 ........... 0.061 ...........0.060........... 0.061 .............0.060 ............0.001 ............. 1.667 ................0.061 ..............0.060...................0.061...................12,636,234 .........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL...............................................89,000 ...............6,408........................9 ........... 0.072 ...........0.072 ...........0.072........... 0.072 ............. 0.071.............0.001 ............. 1.408 ................0.072..............0.072...................0.076...................12,600,000.........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 135,907.............19,808........................4 ............0.145 ........... 0.146 ...........0.145 ........... 0.146 .............0.144 ........... 0.002............. 1.389 ................0.146 ..............0.146...................0.149..................213,539,813 ........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 122,492 ............47,059..................... 10 ........... 0.388 ...........0.388 ...........0.384........... 0.384 .............0.380 ........... 0.004............. 1.053 ................0.384..............0.384...................0.386..................958,560,099 .......0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................69,893 ...........110,081......................11 ............1.575 ........... 1.575............1.575 ............1.575 .............1.560.............0.015 .............0.962 ................1.575 .............. 1.565...................1.575 ................ 1,181,250,000 ......0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 728,696 ..........175,617..................... 57 ........... 0.240...........0.242 ...........0.240 .......... 0.241 .............0.239 ........... 0.002............. 0.837 ................0.241..............0.241...................0.242 ..................30,100,408.........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 805,157.......... 152,154..................... 25 ............0.188 ........... 0.189 ...........0.188 ........... 0.189 ............. 0.188.............0.001 ............. 0.532 ................0.188 ..............0.188...................0.189...................33,075,464 .........0.100

MSM index ends higher

OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY .....................................................10,000 .............. 4,520........................2 ........... 0.452 ...........0.452 ...........0.452........... 0.452 .............0.450 ........... 0.002.............0.444 ................0.452............. 0.000...................0.452...................27,346,000.........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ............................................................. 300 ..................450........................1 ............1.500 ........... 1.500 ...........1.500........... 1.490 .............1.490............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.500..............1.450...................1.500................. 298,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 125,049 ........... 30,642........................7 ........... 0.245 ...........0.250 ...........0.245........... 0.245 .............0.245 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.245..............0.243...................0.248 .................361,321,412 ........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 829,070 ..........160,031..................... 30 ............0.195 ........... 0.195 ...........0.193 ............0.193 ............. 0.193............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.193 ..............0.192...................0.193...................38,600,000.........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 200,000........... 95,700......................12 ............0.478 ...........0.480 ...........0.478........... 0.478 .............0.478 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.478..............0.460...................0.480 ................. 158,157,155 ........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 130,812 .............27,506......................18 ............0.210 ........... 0.216 ...........0.210........... 0.210 .............0.210 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.216 ..............0.210...................0.214...................62,204,873.........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ..............................................2,680 ..................504........................2 ............0.188 ........... 0.188 ...........0.188 ........... 0.188 ............. 0.188............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.188 ..............0.188...................0.194................... 11,506,403 .........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES .......................... 20,000 ...............2,360........................2 ............0.118 ........... 0.118............0.118 ............0.118 ............. 0.118............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.118 ...............0.115...................0.120....................6,943,500 ..........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER......................................................................90 .....................23........................1 ........... 0.258 ...........0.258 ...........0.258........... 0.258 .............0.258 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.258..............0.248...................0.258...................57,020,580 .........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO.........................................................................56,973 .............40,811........................5 ............0.716 ........... 0.720 ...........0.716 ............0.716 ............. 0.716............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.720..............0.720...................0.724..................466,076,069 .......0.100

With a rise of 1.75%, Bank Sohar was the top gainer while Ahli Bank, the top loser, fell 1.08%

OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 100,029 ............19,906........................4 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.199 ........... 0.199 ............. 0.199............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.199 .............. 0.195...................0.199..................134,302,599........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................ 100,000 ........... 47,800........................5 ............0.478 ........... 0.478 ...........0.478........... 0.478 .............0.478 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.478..............0.470...................0.478...................25,095,000.........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 163,942 ........... 46,232........................4 ........... 0.282 ...........0.282 ...........0.282........... 0.282 .............0.285 ...........-0.003 ............-1.053................0.282..............0.282...................0.285.................. 28,200,000 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 5,397,121 ....1,273,879...................235 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......21........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

MUSCAT: Amid dull trading volumes, the MSM 30 Index gained 0.36 per cent to close at 5,748.56 points.

The MSM Sharia Index ended at 887 points, up 0.17 per cent.

Bank Sohar was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. With a gain of 1.75 per cent, Bank Sohar was the top gainer while Ahli Bank was the top loser, down 1.08 per cent.

As many as 320 trades were executed on Monday, generating a turnover of OMR1.5 million with 7.48 million shares changing hands. Out of 32 traded securities, 13 advanced, 2 declined and 17 remained unchanged. Arab and GCC investors switched to net buyers to the tune of OMR21,000 worth shares, followed by Omani investors at OMR2,000. Foreign investors, who were net sellers, sold shares

amounting to OMR23,000.

Financial Index ended at 7,364.04 points, up 0.30 per cent.

Bank Sohar, Al Madina Investments, Al Sharqia Investments, Al Madina Takaful and Bank Muscat gained 1.75 per cent, 1.67 per cent, 1.55 per cent, 1.41 per cent and 1.05 per cent respectively. Ahli Bank and Oman United Insurance declined 1.08 per cent and 1.05 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index gained 0.21 per cent to close at 7,503.09 points.

Oman Fisheries, National Aluminium, Galfar Engineering, Al Jazeera Steel and Voltamp Energy increased 1.67 per cent, 1.47 per cent, 0.97 per cent, 0.84 per cent and 0.44 per cent respectively.

Services Index closed at 3,128.48 points, up 0.24 per cent.

Phoenix Power and Omantel gained 1.39 per cent and 0.96 per cent respectively. – United Securities

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

OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ......................................................... 5,100 ...................311........................4 ........... 0.060 ........... 0.061 ...........0.060........... 0.061 .............0.060 ............0.001 ............. 1.667 ................0.061 ..............0.060...................0.061.................... 7,625,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 759,897 ............99,177..................... 23 ............0.130 ........... 0.132 ...........0.130............0.131 .............0.129............ 0.002............. 1.550 ................0.132 ...............0.131...................0.132................... 11,790,000 .........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS .................8,500 ................1,761........................2 ............0.210 ........... 0.210 ...........0.207........... 0.207 .............0.204 ........... 0.003..............1.471.................0.207............. 0.204...................0.206 ...................6,949,290 ..........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 124,142.............12,899..................... 10 ............0.104 ........... 0.104 ...........0.103........... 0.104 .............0.103.............0.001 ............. 0.971 ................0.104..............0.104...................0.105................... 30,157,986 .........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ......................................................... 21 .....................13........................1 ........... 0.632 ........... 0.632 ...........0.632........... 0.632 .............0.632 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.632..............0.620...................0.632...................99,540,000.........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 306,200........... 30,008........................9 ........... 0.098 ...........0.098 ...........0.098........... 0.098 .............0.098 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.098..............0.098...................0.100..................196,030,653 ........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING.............30,610 ...............4,163........................2 ............0.136 ........... 0.136 ...........0.136 ............0.136 ............. 0.136............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.136 .............. 0.136...................0.139...................16,575,000 .........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ........................67,947 ...............5,999........................8 ........... 0.088 ...........0.089 ...........0.088........... 0.088 .............0.088 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.089..............0.088...................0.092 ...................2,640,000..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 429,609 ........... 33,067..................... 10 ........... 0.077 ........... 0.077 ...........0.076........... 0.077 .............0.077 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.076..............0.076...................0.077..................115,500,000........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 321,698 ........... 59,326......................14 ............0.186 ........... 0.186 ...........0.181 ........... 0.184 ............. 0.186............-0.002 ............-1.075................0.181 .............. 0.181...................0.189................. 262,206,650 .......0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,053,724 ......246,724..................... 83 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......10........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

UNDER MONITORING MARKET .......................................................................................................................................................

OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING................................... 30,000 .............. 2,220........................2 ........... 0.074 ........... 0.074 ...........0.074........... 0.074 .............0.074 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.074..............0.074...................0.075.................... 5,565,392 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: ................................................................................... 30,000 .............. 2,220........................2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

REFERENDUM

C O M M E N TA RY

Is the age of ‘Asian Sweatshops’ coming to an end?

ADAM MINTER

F

or 30 years, the word ‘sweatshop’ has conjured up a very specific image: low-wage Asian workers making branded clothes in crowded, unsafe factories for consumers overseas. The power of that image has launched human rights campaigns, altered how major companies source their products and informed (often incorrectly) how politicians in rich countries shape their trade policies.

Now that image is fading into history. In Asia, at least, the factors that made sweatshops an indelible part of industrialisation are starting to give way to technology.

A recent report from the International Labour Organisation found that more than two-thirds of Southeast Asia’s 9.2 million textile and footwear jobs are threatened by automation — including 88 per cent of those in Cambodia, 86 per cent in Vietnam and 64 per cent in

Indonesia. Whether that will be good for workers in general is debatable. But one thing is certain: The heyday of the Asian sweatshop is coming to an end.

Nowhere is that shift clearer than in Cambodia. Since the mid-1990s, global manufacturers have off-shored production there to take advantage of the country’s low wages, loose regulation and large population of rural residents eager for wage-paying jobs in the city.

The result was a boom: By 2015, textile and footwear exports had become a $6.3 billion industry. They now account for about 80 percent of Cambodia’s export revenue.

Textile, footwear jobs Under the best conditions, textile and footwear jobs are monotonous and uncomfortable (as they’ve been since the Victorian era). Under the worst, they can be degrading and life-threatening. Nonetheless, Cambodia’s 630,000 textile and footwear workers have pros-

pered. From 2014 to 2015, their average wage rose from $145 a month to $175, in a country where per-capita income is about $1,000 a year.

That trend has repeated itself across Asia, especially in the great garment-making centers of China and Vietnam.

Low-wage economies And that’s where things get sticky. Increasing competition from low-wage economies has pushed down garment prices worldwide. The average cost of clothing exported from Cambodia to the United States fell by 24 per cent between 2006 and 2015. For a manufacturer, that’d be hard to swallow if wages were static; when wages are rising, it threatens to become a crisis.

In response, some factories have simply closed up shop.

Some Chinese producers have moved to Southeast Asia, where they hoped the low-wage good times would persist. But they haven’t. And that leaves two

options: Negotiate better prices from Nike, H&M and other companies that outsource to Asia (unlikely), or increase productivity.

With little leverage against the brands, Asia’s garment-makers have pursued the latter option — largely by investing in automation, the ultimate productivity booster.

Of the new technologies they’re putting to work, perhaps the most common are machines that automate the tedious process of cutting fabric, a staple task in every garment factory.

The estimated time to break even on such technology — 18 months — pretty much ensures that the days of low-wage workers hand-cutting fabric are dwindling. Adidas Indonesia wants to reduce the proportion of manual labor in its cutting process to 30 per cent. Hung Wah Garment Manufacturing in Cambodia has eliminated manual cutting outright.

And that’s just the start.

Three-D printing and other

emerging technologies should allow manufacturers to meet customer specifications with unmatched quality, at speeds not previously imaginable in sweatshops, and with far less human labour. Even worse, for Asia’s workers at least, is that Western companies can bring those same customisable technologies back home, and eliminate their overseas factories altogether.

Chinese consumers The good news is that Asia’s upwardly mobile factory workers are becoming consumers themselves, especially in China, and they should have more to spend on shoes and clothes in the years ahead. The bad news is that there’s no obvious way to absorb the less fortunate workers who will lose jobs to automation. That’s no reason to mourn the passing of sweatshops. But it is reason to worry that Asia has yet to find a good replacement for them.

- Bloomberg News

UK to set out more details on EU exit plans LONDON: Britain’s minister in charge of exiting the European Union will set out more detail on the government’s plans for Brexit in a statement to parliament on Monday, amid growing international unease over how it will pan out.

Since Britain’s June 23 vote to leave the bloc, the government has given little away about its plans for Brexit, focussing instead on preparing for formal negotiations which it has said will not begin before the end of the year.

“This is an historic and positive moment for our nation. Brexit isn’t about making the best of a bad job.

It is about seizing the huge and exciting opportunities that will flow from a new place for Britain in the world,” Brexit minister David Davis said in a statement ahead of his address to parliament.

Many both in the EU and further afield are keen for Britain to begin the talks and end uncertainty that has hurt investment. Last week May gathered her cabinet team to come up with options. - Reuters

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

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MARKET BRIEFS

Muscat Securities Market closed for Eid holidays MUSCAT: There will not be any trading on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) between September 11 and 15 due to Eid Al Adha holidays. The bourse will resume trading on September 18, after weekend holidays, according to a circular posted on MSM website.

Shadow loans of Chinese banks grow

Growth of Islamic finance to slow down in 2017: S&P ket is looking at this country as a potential new contributor to a renewed era of growth of the Islamic finance industry.

Still, Islamic finance will have the

BEIJING: Shadow lending by listed Chinese banks surged in the first half, underlining the challenges faced by the country’s banking regulator as it tries to rein in the use of opaque lending structures that are seen as a threat to financial stability. China’s lenders, led by the mid-tier banks, have been increasing their use of shadow lending products for years, as they can offer higher returns and tie up less of a bank’s capital than traditional lending.

impetus to continue

Bank of Japan plans new initiatives

MUSCAT: A fall in growth rate of Islamic finance is likely to continue in 2017 and that the estimated industry’s total assets will reach $2.1 trillion by the end of 2016, according to S&P Global Ratings.

“We think two factors will act as a brake in 2017,” said Mohamed Damak, Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global Ratings. “The impact of policy responses to the decline of oil prices in core markets and the lack of standardisation in the industry.”

Still, Islamic finance will have the impetus to continue progressing and maintain growth of around 5 per cent in 2017 and the industry will be worth $3 trillion sometime in the next decade, says the research note.

TOKYO: Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda declined to rule out new initiatives to stoke inflation as the central bank conducts a comprehensive review of its policies and their effectiveness. Kuroda emphasised in a speech in Tokyo on Monday that the review, to be completed by the September 20-21 board meeting, won’t result in any reduction in monetary stimulus, as is “being called for by some market participants.” The yen gained after Kuroda’s speech.

- Times News Service/Agencies

progressing and maintain growth of around 5% in 2017 and the industry will be worth $3 trillion in the next decade SLOWDOWN: S&P Global Ratings said that the estimated total assets of Islamic finance will reach $2.1 trillion by the end of 2016. – Bloomberg News

Times News Service

“In our opinion, modest growth will derive from subdued economic growth of Islamic finance’s core markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, partly compensated by continuous demand from an expanding customer base,” the rating agency said.

“A broader consensus around the need to standardise legal

B AT T E R Y A S S A U LT

Car suppliers face ‘electric shock’ SYDNEY: Remember when Tesla’s Giga factory was going to be the world’s biggest lithiumion battery plant? By the time it reaches full capacity in 2020, it will be producing 35 gigawatt hours of cells each year — more than the whole world manufactured in 2013. Impressive, huh?

Well, as Gadfly pointed out in July, there’s a contender for Elon Musk’s crown: BYD, the Chinese electric carmaker that already

has about 23 per cent of the market for large-scale batteries and is planning to ramp up to 34 gigawatt hours in 2019.

But wait, there’s more. Contemporary Amperex Technology, another Chinese battery maker, is planning an initial public offering to help fund a 10-fold increase in capacity to reach 26 gigawatt hours by 2020.

You then have to add in all the other producers that are increas-

ing output. Consultants Taiyou Research put total production capacity by 2020 in the region of 130 gigawatt hours, leaving Tesla with a scant quarter of the market — and that’s probably a low estimate.

But wait! There’s more more.

All those new batteries powering the first few generations of electric vehicles will begin wearing out around that point, so electric carmakers will start buying them back. - Bloomberg News

structures and Sharia interpretation could help the industry to progress, as could the industry’s potential contribution to the United Nation’s sustainable development financing goals,” it added.

While policy response is seen to the new normal of oil prices materialising in some GCC countries, including the United Arab Emir-

ates and Saudi Arabia, in the form of spending cuts, lifting of subsidies, and privatisation of government assets, the reports says the oil price environment will weigh negatively on economic growth in the GCC for the next two years.

“The consequence for Islamic banks will be a slowdown in growth, deterioration of asset quality, and reduction of profitability,” said Damak.

Malaysia, which also is a strong contributor to the Islamic finance sector, appears as an outlier in economic terms, since S&P Global Ratings expects its GDP growth to stabilise at around 4.7 per cent on average for 2017-2018. Iran is also a potential outlier: The mar-

Volume of sukuk “The volume of sukuk issuance in the first half of 2016 was not that encouraging. The market is slowly accepting the evidence that the process of issuing sukuk can be painful and it has become more reticent in issuing such instruments. However, stakeholders, including some multilateral lending institutions (MLIs), are becoming more serious about standardisation of structures and Sharia interpretation,” the agency said.

The report pointed out that the multilateral lending institutions are aiming to show the market how to achieve standardisation through the implementation of standard structures, documentation, or steps that issuers should go through to make sukuk issuance easier and more efficient.

For example, the Islamic Development Bank Group is working on a solution that could simplify the sukuk issuance process and respond to the lack or fragmentation of sovereign assets.

“We see this as an important opportunity for the development of the market and to put the industry back on a strong growth path,” S&P said.

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

FEATURE

It’s a sign of stunted investor expectations when an 89 per cent slide in quarterly profit triggers a 3 per cent share price jump.

In fairness, AP Moeller Maersk, the Danish conglomerate that also reported a 16 per cent decline in revenue on August 12, is doing better than many rivals in oil, shipping and logistics. At least it made a profit. Even so, a 2 per cent annualised return on invested capital during the most recent three-month period was just one-fifth of its target.

By ousting CEO Nils Andersen in June and replacing him with Soren Skou, head of container shipping, the company has raised expectations of a swift turnaround.

The new man has shown a relish for costcutting, though such zeal won’t be enough by itself and highlights a double-bind in which many industrial groups find themselves: they’re tightening belts furiously, but suffering as customers do the same.

Skou declined to reveal any initial findings of his strategy review recently — an update is due by the end of September. It seems probable he’ll tinker with the company’s structure. A separation or sale of the oil unit might help moderate a conglomerate discount and create value.

But arguably that’s the easy bit. Maersk has plenty of cash already: its liquidity reserve stands at $11.5 billion. What the company needs badly is a plan to deploy that capital in a manner that earns a decent return. That’s going to prove much more difficult.

Global demand is weak and Maersk’s industries are beset by overcapacity, which creates a deflationary price environment. Meanwhile, collapsing interest rates keep alive the over-leveraged shipping and oil companies whose bankruptcy would otherwise ease the way for fresh growth elsewhere.

Faced with this environment, Maersk’s only real option

has been to slash spending. Under Skou’s watch, the container shipping business has already cut unit costs by almost 40 per cent since early 2012. Cheaper fuel helps, but there’s also better capacity utilisation and lower admin costs.

Similarly, the oil business has reduced operating expenses (excluding exploration costs) by a quarter over the past year, meaning the company expects to break even with oil prices at $40-45 a barrel, roughly where it was trading on August 12.

But therein lies the rub. Maersk’s efficiency drive has helped it claim a bit more market share: container demand grew 2 per cent in the second quarter whereas Maersk’s volumes increased at more than three times that rate. However, that doesn’t by itself stimulate the necessary levels of confidence and sustained international demand.

On the contrary, lower spending merely adds to the pernicious deflationary spiral at the heart of a fragile global economy. Ultimately, that’s bad for a conglomerate like Maersk too because the drought imports price deflation into other parts of its empire, such as drilling and freight-handling terminals.

Of course, the recent wave of alliances and M&A in container shipping may eventually spur capacity rationalisation and thereby support prices. But for now that excess — caused by ordering far too many ships — will continue to be a burden (even if prices have recovered a little).

Ultimately, cutting gets you only so far. As with the economy, what Maersk really needs is growth. Over to you, Skou. — CHRIS BRYANT/Bloomberg News

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ROUND-UP

Nissan 2017 Patrol makes its debut in Middle East

TIMEPIECE

Frederique Constant Manufacture Pocket Watch now available at Khimji's Watches

Built for the region, the new V6 engine brings better fuel efficiency while increasing power and torque performance

MUSCAT: Nissan announced the launch of its new 2017 Patrol V6 which made its global debut in the Middle East recently in complement to the current Patrol V8 lineup while offering the same levels of prestige to a broader customer base in the market.

With refreshed styling enhancements of the region’s iconic SUV, the all-new Nissan Patrol adds more style to its already impressive ‘go anywhere’ versatility, technology and comfort, says a press release.

“The new Patrol V6 complements the legendary Patrol V8 which is considered one of the most powerful, spacious and popular SUVs in the Middle East,” said Samir Cherfan, managing director of Nissan Middle East. “Our Nissan Patrol business has expanded close to 4 times from FY11 to FY15, and with the introduction of the Patrol V6 we aim to grow by 20 per cent over the next two years.

“Specifically designed and built

for the demands of the region while taking into account increasing consumer appeal for more fuel efficient, practical, full-sized SUVs, the Patrol V6 still retains the high levels of power and prestige that the legendary Patrol is famous for and has earned it the title ‘hero of all terrains in life’.”

“Nissan Patrol drives forward carrying not just its proud reputation but also a distinct sense of refinement, ground-breaking technology and exceptional comfort. It’s the next great advance in 4x4 category,” said a senior Suhail Bahwan Automobiles official. “We are confident that our flagship SUV for Oman will exceed all expectations,” he added.

The new Patrol 4L V6 was designed for and tested in the region to meet all types of terrain and temperature conditions while delivering the same legendary off-road and on-road capability. It delivers best in class power in the V6 category. With 275 horsepower and 394 Nm, the Patrol V6 offers 12% more torque in the driving

range than the competition while retaining the same towing capacity as the Patrol V8. The Patrol V6 weighs less and enjoys lower ownership costs, making it the ideal choice as a practical, everyday family vehicle while retaining its go-anywhere readiness for any kind of adventure.

Available exclusively in the Middle East in September 2016, the Patrol V6 is identical in design to the Patrol V8 and will be available in both XE and SE grades, each with many optional extras available.

Both models have enhanced grade walks and will benefit of new standard specifications such as powered 3rd row seats, meaning they will continue to represent exceptional value for this class and above.

Its increased fuel economy makes the Patrol V6 an appealing proposition to a wider customer base, while offering better ride quality and a quieter cabin than its competitors. These benefits will make purchasing decisions more practical for customers seeking prestige and power while prioritis-

ing economic benefits.

“Like the existing V8, the new Patrol V6 offers incredible power, exceptional passenger and baggage space, and delivers industryleading value in a prestige SUV. With this new addition to the current Patrol range, Nissan’s commitment to offering incomparable levels of choice to its customers is reaffirmed, and we are certain the new Patrol V6 will continue to raise the bar on what a luxury SUV should be,” added Cherfan.

The Patrol V6 beats its rivals with several milestones including lower engine noise and vibration, better acceleration and a 25 per cent improvement on acceleration push on steep inclines. The new Patrol V6 will be available in seven variations including the popular Platinum grade.

Suhail Bahwan Automobiles is largely committed to supporting Nissan’s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on customer satisfaction and by providing world-class after-sales services in Oman.

MUSCAT: Swiss watch manufacturer Frederique Constant known for its classical and refined timepieces of exceptional quality pays a tribute to the historical and traditional Lépine watch with a Manufacture Pocket Watch.

Available in Oman exclusively at Khimji’s Watches, these timepieces with their appealing soberness have been for many years the masterpieces of precision and sophistication of Swiss watchmakers, says a press release.

Characterised by a windingstem at 12 o’clock, the pocket watch is a rare example of the best in mechanical horology, combining craftsmanship with the most advanced of contemporary watchmaking technologies.

The Frederique Constant Pocket watch is powered by the new inhouse FC-700 calibre, a high-performance movement, completely developed and manufactured in the Frederique Constant Ateliers at Plan-les-Ouates. This calibre is added to the 18 in-house movements already available.

Sachin Malhotra, COO - Lifestyle Group, Khimji Ramdas, commented: “Frederique Constant’s designers have succeeded with their attention to fine details in bringing modern flair to a classical and ageless timepiece. This pocket watch with its vintage style will undoubtedly become the most sought after fashionable

accessory in the country.”

Hand-wound with a power reserve of 42 hours and 18 jewels, the sapphire case back of the pocket watch, enables the finesse and sophistication of the details of the movement to be observed, such as the perlage. The movement is housed either in a stainless steel or rose gold plated watchcase of 45mm, which was designed and constructed to fit comfortably in the palm of a hand. The dial of the watch is in the classic Frederique Style with hand-applied roman numerals and black index marks.

The highly detailed, eye-catching silver dial of the pocket watch is finished with distinguished guilloche patterns.

Like every pocket watch, it has an officer-style-dust-cover case back that is hinged from the inside. With its smooth back, you have the possibility of engraving your timepiece, turning it into a keepsake.

CULINARY SKILLS

Food and Hospitality Oman to host 7th Chef’s Competition MUSCAT: Omanexpo, the organiser of Food and Hospitality Oman - the country’s biggest food exhibition, in association with Oman Chefs Guild (OGC) - has announced the 7th Oman Chef’s Competition, featuring the country’s best chefs from five-star and four-star hotels in Oman under one roof.

The event will be held from September 20 to 22 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre.

Oman Chef’s Competition, the country’s biggest gathering of chefs, is aimed to provide professional chefs with the best opportunity to showcase their culinary skills, tech-

niques and styles, thereby raising the overall culinary art to a higher level with excellence and professionalism, says a press release.

The competition consists of five different categories, namely, Three Tier Wedding Cake, Tapas, Petit Four, Five Course Plated Gourmet Dinner and the Mystery Basket Challenge (Live Cooking) which will be featured for the first time.

Chef Pascal Etienne, president of the OCG, commented: “We are very proud to bring in once again the Oman Chef’s Competition which is now on its seventh year.

This time, we have added the live cooking competition called

the ‘Mystery Basket Challenge’, wherein participants will have to prepare a three-course meal within stipulated time. Visitors

coming to the expo can watch them live as they demonstrate their skills and expertise.”

Etienne added: “Competition

is an important part of education.

OGC together with Omanexpo is proud to have built the reputation for hosting the industry’s culinary contest. The Oman Chef’s Competition rules and judging criteria are based on World Chef Association and American Culinary Federation standards. A jury of senior chefs from the industry will judge the competition.”

Ammar Ahmad, project director of Food and Hospitality Oman said: “Hosting the Oman Chef’s Competition is indeed a step towards raising the culinary art to a higher level, making it world-class.

It is a celebration of the talented

chefs across the country and consumers are welcome to attend and witness in person how the chefs demonstrate their expertise under one roof.”

The competition is open to all professional chefs from the hotels, restaurants, catering companies and bakeries. Those interested to participate can register their team at the National Hospitality Institute (NHI), Wadi Kabir or email the request of participation to businesscentre@nhioman.com before September 14.

The registration for the competition will be done on a first come first served basis.

RECOGNITION

PA R T I C I PAT I O N

Hino trucks on display at Middle Starcare gets ISO 14001 certification East Transport & Logistics Expo MUSCAT: Hino Motors and Saud Bahwan Automotive is displaying the latest range of world-famous Hino Trucks at the Middle East Transport & Logistics Expo exhibition being held at Oman International Exhibition Centre, from yesterday till tomorrow.

Hino Motors with a rich and varied experience spanning over 100 years are the manufacturers of Hino trucks and buses. Hino is the largest manufacturer of heavy and medium duty commercial trucks in Japan. Globally Hino produces over 100,000 vehicles per year including a growing number of light duty trucks, says a press release.

The brand Hino over the years has gained immense reputation for legendary quality, durability, reliability and environment friendliness. At Hino, innovation is a core business philosophy.

In Oman, Saud Bahwan Automotive, a flagship company of Saud Bahwan Group (SBG), is the exclusive distributor for HINO vehicles.

Hino’s sprawling facility located in Muscat, includes sales, service and spare parts facilities under one roof. The service workshop has over 50 bays and is equipped with the latest in servicing tools and diagnostic equipment, including a unique hi-tech paint booth for customised requirements.

Hino Service is available all across Oman at various touch

points of the SBG network and the dedicated team of technicians and service support staff will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the customer receives timely, adequate and quality service support and break-down assistance.

The Hino Spare Parts operations at the new facility feature a customer-centric approach in its design and management systems.

The central parts distribution centre remains connected to other Hino spare part outlets across Oman via a digital network.

MUSCAT: The Starcare Hospital becomes the first hospital in the Sultanate of Oman to attain the ISO 14001 certification for complying with international standards for environmental management systems.

“Quality and quest for improvement has become part of our daily routine and our employees are torch bearers of this culture,” remarked Dr Mohammed Naseem, CEO, Starcare while appreciating the efforts of the team in achieving yet another milestone – ISO 14001.

International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is considered as a benchmark for performance of organisations with sub specialities relating to different industries and operational specifications. ISO 14001 pertains to international standards for environmental management systems and Starcare hospital is the first to achieve ISO 14001 in Oman and among very few hospitals

globally. Granted to organisations that has demonstrated commitment to environmental stewardship, ISO 14001 improves the recycling process, reduces wastage, enhances the supply chain management, compliance to environmental policies and finally improve the healthcare delivery.

“We believe in giving something back to the society as well as to the environment. Starcare is adopting environment friendly initiatives across all its units,” remarked K.

Jayan, vice president - Starcare Healthsystems. The Starcare hospital was also nominated by the Ministry of Health, Oman for its pilot project on Quality Healthcare in association with the United Nations Organisation.

“Our efforts to maintain high standards of quality have been acknowledged by the authorities and our patients driving us to further improve,” remarked Dr Askar Kukkadi, director, Starcare Healthsystems on the occasion.

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

ROUND-UP BankDhofar receives STP Award from CITI The award is presented to banks that meet highest global standards for automatic processing of international payments

MUSCAT: In recognition of its outstanding performance in the execution of commercial and financial payments in US Dollar, BankDhofar has received the ‘StraightThrough-Processing (STP) Excellence Award’ from CITI. The award was handed over to Mohammed Iqbal Al Balushi, AGM & head of Operations &

Support Services at BankDhofar, by Mohamed Al Hammadi, vice president of Correspondent Banking Group at CITI, at BankDhofar head office in CBD, and was attended by Abdul Hakeem Al Ojaili, BankDhofar’s acting CEO, Kamal Al Marazza, chief wholesale banking officer, Bashir Said Al Subhi, BankDhofar AGM and head of Treasury and International Banking, Shaleen Chugh, AGM & head of Corporate Banking, Saikumar Sukumaran, head of Fi-

nancial Institutions, and Cynthia Oueiss, assistant vice president of Financial Institutions at CITI, says a press release.

CITI presents the STP Award annually to banks and financial institutions that showcase exceptional quality and also meet the highest global standards for automatic processing of international payments in US dollar.

For the second year in a row, BankDhofar was presented this recognition for automatic pro-

cessing of international payments in US dollars. Earlier, the bank received the STP Award for financial payments in Euro by the Germany-based Commerzbank.

Upon receiving the award, Kamal Al Marazza, chief wholesale banking officer, said: “We are very delighted to receive such a prestigious award from a leading international bank, which recognises our focus on operational efficiency. We at BankDhofar are committed to offer best customers experience, and we work to ensure that our transfers are instant, economical and simple. That, for sure, makes banking with us more convenient, faster and easier.”

Aspiring to be the best bank in the Gulf, BankDhofar has directed all its efforts and resources towards these objectives. Today it is considered one of the best banks in the region, catering for customers’ needs and requirements, and setting the standards for the best customers experience within the banking industry in the Sultanate.

PROMOTION

Renault Symbol comes with benefits MUSCAT: With its dynamic appearance, innovative technologies, and advanced safety systems Renault Symbol is winning the hearts of auto enthusiasts.

For those who aspire to own the perfect family sedan, this is the ideal time as Renault Oman, from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, has announced an exciting offer on Renault Symbol for the benefit of customers. Renault Oman’s new promotion which has already begun will go on till October 31, says a press release.

Every customer buying the Renault Symbol will benefit a great deal from the exciting offer. Renault Oman not only pledges the finest owner experience for the

customers of Renault Symbol but also assures a lot more benefits.

A senior official for SBA said, “Renault Symbol is a status-enhancing yet affordable sedan. The vehicle is very popular with those

looking for a car for the families.

Its modern design and attractive equipment package, combined with its low fuel consumption make the new Renault Symbol the perfect sedan for families. We are

pleased to offer unlimited benefits to the customers who want to own a Renault Symbol.”

Customers who buy Renault Symbol will be entitled to receive cash back of OMR600.

Renault Symbol customers will be qualified to receive free registration. All Renault Symbol buyers will be eligible for free extended warranty period of up to six years.

Customers of Renault Symbol will get a service package of 30,000km or 2 years (whichever comes earlier). Competitive advantages such as roominess, boot space, modern equipment and engine displacement ensure it has everything required to make it a hit with customers in Oman.

A L B AT I NA H I N T E R NAT I O NA L S C H O O L

Innovative state-of-the-art facilities at ABIS MUSCAT: Al Batinah International School (ABIS) in Sohar has set its sights on becoming the leading international school in the region.

Co-owned as part of a visionary ‘non-profit’ joint venture between Sohar Aluminium and Orpic, the school is currently building multiple state-of-the-art learning spaces designed by leading architects Fielding Nair International, responsible for the architectural design of some of the most innovative school buildings worldwide, says a press release.

Once completed, at a cost of approximately OMR8.3 million, the school will have capacity for over 650 students divided into learning communities of approximately

150 students. This claims Robin Dunbar, Cambridge University anthropologist, is the ideal number for social relationships.

Major hallmarks of the expansion include intelligent buildings with high-quality mobile furniture that

can be easily altered and adapted according to the needs of the learner, an ability to automatically adjust temperature and sunlight, and immediate lock-in in the event of a security issue. In addition there is a 1:1 iPad programme, enabling students to easily share their screens with the many WiFi-ready LED screens throughout the school.

Each building’s interior will be coated in memory paint allowing students and teachers to write on the walls like a regular whiteboard.

This effectively means that learning can take place at any time and virtually anywhere. Mixing the modern with the traditional, students will have access to private learning stations, as well as regu-

lar classrooms, allowing for collaboration and independent study.

While remaining committed to expatriates, the school has also developed a new Arabic (Global) section to help Omani students gain the benefits of an international education alongside students from over 30 countries.

Neil Tomalin, head of School, said: “There are many great schools that don’t have our resources. The most important thing is to have great teachers, great students and a great programme. However, we believe that if you combine these things with a great learning environment, learning culture, and smart innovation, you will achieve something wonderful!”

SPECIAL OCCASION

ONAM CELEBRATIONS: Malayalam Wing members briefing on the Onam celebrations scheduled to be held on September 22, 23 and 24. – Purushothaman K. /TIMES OF OMAN

Malayalam Wing set to honour Renji Panicker with Cultural Award MUSCAT: Malayalam Wing of the India Social Club will be honouring Renji Panicker, an Indian journalist, script writer, producer, actor, and director best known for his Malayalam films, with its prestigious Cultural Award 2016.

The award will be conferred upon him during its Onam celebrations scheduled to be held on September 22, 23 and 24 at the Grand Hall, Al Falaj Hotel.

Malayalam Wing honours eminent personalities from film fraternity every year with Cultural Award for their contributions in the film industry.

A firebrand script-writer and director of Malayalam cinema, Renji Panicker, popularly known as Renji began his career as a journalist. He made his debut as a director with Bharatchandran IPS in 2005. He came into acting in 2014 and in a short span of time he acted in 25 Malayalam movies. His selection for the Cultural Award this year was unanimous based on his invaluable contributions made to the film industry for the past 27 years.

Onam is a unique festival which is celebrated by all the people of Kerala world over; whether rich or poor, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. Onam symbolises brotherhood, harmony and unites people from all walks of life, and with this message in mind Malayalam Wing celebrates Onam in a grand manner every year.

The celebrations will be inaugurated on September 22 by the chief guest, Indra Mani Pandey, Indian Ambassador to Oman, in the presence of guest of honour, Renji Panicker, Dr Satish Nambiar, chairman and Babu Rajendran, general secretary of Indian Social Club Oman, at an audience comprising dignitaries from social organisations, guests and well-wishers from the business community in Oman.

Onam celebrations of Malayalam Wing began with the Youth Festival held in May and June, in which many young talents got an opportunity to match their skill in various art forms such as dance, music, fine arts and literary items. Amongst the contestants, an all-rounder in senior category is selected for Kalaratnam award, and one best performer each from sub-junior, junior and senior categories are selected for top scorers award.

All the winners will receive trophies and certificates from the

guest of honour on September 23.

Further, the wing will be honouring students of Indian schools in Muscat who had excelled in Class X (for members only) and Class XII (for members and non-members) CBSE examinations, with Academic Excellence Awards on the inaugural day.

The top scorers of Class X in Malayalam will also be honoured as a matter of motivation to promote their mother tongue.

Another highlight of the Onam celebrations this year is that a team led by Shaju Sreedhar and Pandalam Ullas (Vodafone fame) will stage a live comedy show and mimicry on both the days which will certainly be a memorable experience for the art lovers of Muscat.

The three-day long Onam celebrations will be conclude by serving traditional Onasadhya (Onam Feast) to around 3,500 invited guests including the members and their families against special lunch coupons.

“The Onam celebrations organised by Malayalam Wing, is considered to be the biggest of its kind in Oman. This is made possible only with the active support of the business community, and I take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude for their unstinted support to ISC Malayalam Wing on this noble venture,” said G. K. Karnavar, convener of the wing.

He also said that a full length drama named Radheyan (Radhayude Puthran), conceived and directed by Sunil Kumar. K., music & drama secretary, will be staged by members of the wing on October 28 at the Grand Hall, Al Falaj Hotel.

As for Malayalam Wing this year is very special to them as they are celebrating their 20 years of glorious existence in Oman.

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ROUND-UP

Omantel receives ‘Excellence in Building National Talents’ award ‘To us, our employees are the corner-stone of development and the key to achieving strategic goals,’ said Talal bin Said Al Mamari, Omantel CEO

MUSCAT: In line with its pioneering role in the telecommunications sector, Omantel was recognised with the ‘Excellence in Building National Talents’ award at the Alam Al Iktissad Wal Amaal (AIWA) Awards 2016.

The award ceremony was held recently at Al Bustan Palace, under the auspices of Dr Rasheed bin Al Safi Al Huraibi, chairman of the Tender Board, and attended by Sheikh Salim bin Mustahil bin Ahmed Al Mashani, adviser at the Diwan of Royal Court, says a press release.

Commenting on the award recognition, Talal bin Said Al Mamari,

Omantel CEO, said, “At Omantel, we are aware of the role played by human resources in the continual success of the company. To us, our employees are the corner-stone of development and the key to achieving strategic goals. In light of the high competitiveness of the sector regionally and globally, our success is directly linked to the strength of our human resources.

Therefore, Omantel spared no effort during recent years to develop skills and capabilities of our team across all levels, in turn empowering our staff to deliver outstanding service to our subscribers and help our business to grow.”

Comprehensive strategy for self-development Dr Ghalib Saif Al-Hosni, Omantel’s vice president - Human Resources commented, “Omantel is one of the leading companies in localising jobs and providing opportunity to Omani youth to develop and advance in their careers.

Omantel has achieved 90 per cent Omanisation rate during the last year, with 91 per cent Omanisation for senior executive positions which is one of the highest within any major corporation in Oman.”

“Omantel follows a strategy to develop skills of employees across

rate Strategy Unit said, “Regarding our social responsibility, we have a clear policy and we are working to enhance our role in the community and maximise our reach with the aim of enhancing the capabilities and skills of the youth to strengthen their career prospects.”

all levels. This includes providing scholarships to Omani employees that cover all expenses associated with attending educational programmes, whether it be university degrees, diplomas or institutional courses or training. Omantel has also established a summer internship programme for Omani students, which provides participants the opportunity to work in departments related to their studies to help in preparing them for their future careers.

“Additionally, Omantel has also invested heavily in a new career development programme that will enable Omani nationals to chart their career development and prepare them for the next steps. More than 5,600 participants are trained

every year via this programme,” Al-Hosni added.

With the aim to develop skills of employees in accordance with international standards, the Training & Development Department has created specialised secondment opportunities with international organisations in the telecom industry. Omantel sends employees all over the world to gain invaluable experience abroad.

Omantel also organises a number of internal activities to support creative talents among employees. In order to encourage team-building and friendly competition among staff, the company also launched Omantel Olympics initiative.

Hamdan Al Harrasi, Omantel’s acting vice-president — Corpo-

‘ B E S T I S L A M I C I N S U R A N C E C O M PA N Y ’

Takaful Oman recognised at AIWA awards MUSCAT: Takaful Oman Insurance was awarded the ‘Best Company in Islamic Insurance’ in Oman at the recently concluded AIWA awards in Muscat, says a press release.

Speaking on the occasion Sayyida Rawan Ahmed Al Said said, “This is a testimony of our performance over the last two and half

years. We have a great team and results are there before you.”

O. G. Ravishankar, general manager of Takaful Oman Insurance said, “We are very proud of what we have done as a team over the last two years.

“This award is a recognition of what can be achieved during the difficult times.”

ELITE JEWELLERY OPENS IN RUWI Bhavana, South Indian film actress, inaugurated the new showroom of Elite Jewellery in Ruwi High Street, Muscat, in the presence of Niyas and Mohammed Yasin, managing directors of the jewellery. — Supplied picture

Initiatives targeting other sectors Omantel has provided support to organisations, which are committed to the development of Omani nationals, such as Omani Society of Human Resources Management.

“Omantel supports meaningful youth initiatives in various fields, clearly evident by our partnership with Oman’s top racing driver Ahmad Al Harthy to support his participation in numerous 2016 races. Additionally, Omantel sponsored the ‘Omantel Youth Sailing’ Programme to encourage Omani youth to participate in sailing, gain leadership skills and rekindle their connection with the Sultanate’s maritime tradition. The company also extended its support to the Professional Academy’s Taekwondo Team and partnered with Muscat Football Academy to support the youngsters as they represented Oman internationally.”

In line with the company’s com-

mitment to CSR, Omantel also organised the initiative ‘Adatee Hayatee’ Exhibition to support differently-abled artists in areas including painting, photography, woodwork and clay sculpture.

As part of its commitment to supporting innovation in the telecommunications and technology sector, Omantel sponsored Microsoft Imagine Cup Contest. Within the same framework, Omantel also provided support Sultan Al-Subhi, an Omani inventor.

Omantel has always offered a dedicated support to small and medium enterprises in the Sultanate in the form of specialised services “A’amali” SME Package and the Omantel SME Excellence Awards.

Talal Al Mamari concluded, “We are proud and honoured to be recognised with this special award presented by such a leading and trusted publication. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the employees at Omantel for their efforts and hard work in pursuit of the strategic goals of the company that also aim for a bright and prosperous future Oman.

Undoubtedly this award will motivate us to continue our efforts towards nurturing and the cultivating of talented and aspiring Omani youth.”

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Jadara Management Development Programme gaining momentum Bank Muscat hosted a review of Jadara Management Development Programme in which Maitha bint Saif Al Mahrouqi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism, addressed the participants in the presence of management team members led by AbdulRazak Ali Issa, chief executive

MUSCAT: A unique management development programme launched by Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, to build a potential leadership pipeline, has gained momentum.

The bank hosted a review of Jadara Management Development Programme in which Maitha bint Saif Al Mahrouqi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism, addressed the programme participants in the presence of management team members led by AbdulRazak Ali Issa, chief executive, says a press release.

Delivering the keynote address, Maitha said: “Leadership roles carry huge responsibilities. Leaders operate on a vision with a noble purpose. They are passionate to achieve results and create the ground for themselves to excel. Leaders have a strategic mind to execute their vi-

sion and they think and act differently. Leaders recognise teamwork as essential and surround themselves with positive people.”

Ranked among the Most Influential Leaders in the Middle East

by Forbes magazine, Maitha, who has an exceptional fast track career graph straddling both private and public sectors, added: “Leadership is a never-ending learning process.

There is always something new to be discovered through positive learning. Leaders are always motivated and they value and appreciate others. To be successful, leaders must strike a fine balance between work and life.”

Maitha said that tourism will serve as one of the country’s pillars of economy as defined in the Sultanate’s 2040 tourism strategy.

Wishing the Jadara Programme participants success, Maitha added: “We must all play our part to

take our beloved country forward.”

In step with its dynamic ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and commitment to partnership in development of Omani talents, the Jadara Management Development Programme launched in collaboration with Duke Corporate Education is one of the most ambitious initiatives by the bank to equip Omani employees with higher levels of professional competence and skills. A group of 42 employees drawn from across the bank are associated with this programme.

Future roles have been identified and each participant has been assigned challenging positions and put on an accelerated career path.

Reinforcing commitment to developing young Omanis and providing viable career options, the Jadara Programme is aimed at sustaining the bank’s top ranking as employer of choice with better attraction and retention of Omani talent.

AbdulRazak Ali Issa said: “Bank Muscat is happy to see the steady progress of the Jadara Management Development Programme.

The bank has full trust in the pool of competent young Omanis within the organisation to successfully complete the training and take up important roles. In line with the vision of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos for a qualitative shift in national

1 0 - D AY R O A M I N G P L A N

workforce, the bank is committed to providing career growth opportunities for competent employees and the Jadara programme is designed to further energise the bank’s human resources in its quest for greater achievements.”

The Jadara Talent Management programme is envisaged to serve as the platform for all future training and development programmes in the bank. Notably, the select group of employees chosen to undergo the special management development programme will receive training and mentorship by Management Team members.

Bank Muscat has the distinction of outstanding leadership at all levels and has achieved 94 per cent Omanisation, giving priority for Omanis to occupy key positions. The bank’s human resources strategy is notable in maintaining gender diversity as 48 per cent of employees are women holding various positions, including senior management positions.

Bank Muscat reckons its competent people as key strength and

is focused on equipping them to make vital contributions to the bank’s growth and success. The bank plays a prominent role in the development of Omani talent and is committed to investing in improving their skill and expertise.

The development of human resources is a priority in the bank which provides educational and training opportunities to employees. Bank Muscat makes substantial allocation in the annual budget for training and development of human resources in all functions and responsibilities assigned to them.

The training and development programmes are carried out through specialised educational courses conducted by accredited training centres or through academic links with colleges, universities and leading training institutes at the regional and global levels. The dynamic ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and a set of benchmark values form the basis of a rewarding work culture in Bank Muscat.

S O C I A L M E D I A C A M PA I G N

Ooredoo offers pilgrims double roaming value with Musafir Haj is one of the world’s largest calendar events, a spiritual journey that 11,000 people from Oman will be undertaking this year alone.

Joining millions in the holy city, we want our customers to be able to focus on the rites of pilgrimage, savour every moment, and share them with their loved ones back home without worrying about buying new SIM cards or running out of data. By listening to what customers want, we have provided a

MUSCAT: With the arrival of the Haj season, Ooredoo is providing customers with a great value 10-day roaming plan to keep them connected to family and friends for the duration of their stay in the holy city of Mecca.

‘Musafir Hajj’ provides those travelling to Saudi Arabia a generous 2GB and 30 minutes for just OMR10, says a press release.

Feras Al Sheikh, director of Consumer Sales at Ooredoo, said, “Haj

much needed boost to those visiting Saudi Arabia to make sure Haj 2016 is worry free and memorable.”

Ooredoo has also linked up with the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs to promote awareness and safety for Haj; part of living out their value of ‘Caring’ in this important journey.

To opt in to Musafir Haj, Shahry customers need to dial *141*95# while Mousbak users have to dial *141*94#.

R E WA R D S P R O G R A M M E

NBO showcases Nuqati programme in Oman MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman showcased its comprehensive Nuqati programme, which rewards customers for their everyday banking transactions, yesterday.

Nuqati was launched in June 2016 as the first comprehensive banking rewards programme in Oman. It is designed to reward customers for their entire relationship with the bank, with points earned based on their use of NBO products and services, says a press release.

Customers can earn points by simply banking with NBO by increasing their deposits, by transferring their salaries, by using their debit and credit cards, or by making internet banking or mobile banking transactions. The reward programme can be availed by all NBO customers irrespective of customer account categories.

The reward programme has

360 DEGREE REWARD PROGRAMME: John Chang, general manager and chief retail banking officer and Khalil salim Al Hedaifi, assistant general manager and head of distribution sales and business development at NBO explaining the features of the Nuqati programme. – Jun Estrada/TIMES OF OMAN

simplified the registration process to make it easy to register. Points can then be easily redeemed via NBO’s mobile banking app and internet banking portal to pay credit

card and utility bills, or exchanged for packages at over 200,000 hotels, 900 airlines and car rental partners worldwide.

John Chang, general manager

and chief retail banking officer at NBO commented, “The response from customers to Nuqati programme has been exceptional, demonstrating a clear demand for a comprehensive rewards programme that is easy for the customer to register, earn, tract and redeem. At NBO, we always aspire to be the bank of choice by introducing products and services and delivering a consistently superior banking experience.”

Accumulated Nuqati points can be tracked online, while customers are able to view all the available offers and reward options through their mobile banking apps and internet banking portals.

NBO customers can start earning and redeeming points by simply registering through the Nuqati Rewards website. Upon registering, customers will instantly earn 250 Nuqati points.

‘ S A L A A M PA K I S TA N ’

Pak Social Club holds musical evening to mark Defence Day celebrations today Times News Service MUSCAT: The Pakistan Social Club (PSC) Oman will be holding ‘Salaam Pakistan’, a cultural and musical evening at The Grand Hall of Al Falaj Hotel at 8pm tonight to mark Pakistan’s Defence Day celebrations.

According to Muhammad Zaeem, PSC general secretary, singer Nirmal Shah will lead a cultural troupe from Pakistan, which has been flown to regale the audi-

ence with popular national songs.

Ali Javed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Oman, will be the chief guest at ‘Salaam Pakistan’.

“This is a family entertainment event designed to pay tributes to our national heroes. All Pakistani nationals in Oman are welcome to join us in this event which is also an extension of our Independence Day celebrations,” he added.

Gates will open at 7:30pm and the entry is free.

PSC Oman will also utilise the

occasion to register new members as well as announce a new membership scheme.

“On the spot free data registration will be required for new membership of PSC. “We will also be launching PSC’s new privileged membership scheme that will mark a paradigm shift from an ordinary membership programme to a high value membership scheme offering a plethora of benefit to its members,” Zaeem announced.

A’Saffa campaign spreads awareness on ‘No to Food Waste’ MUSCAT: A’Saffa Foods, the Sultanate’s largest fully integrated poultry producer of fresh, chilled and frozen chicken and the biggest snack food plant, and allied products, has recently launched a one-of-its-kind public service campaign on its social media channels – ‘A’Saffa says No to Food Waste’, to combat food waste from consumers.

The initiative hopes to encourage consumers to reduce the amount of food they unnecessarily bin in their homes, thereby saving the water, energy and money that are lost along with it, says a press release.

“With small steps, we can save large amounts of food - and along with it, money and precious natural resources,” said Sidhartha Lenka, head of Marketing and Sales at A’Saffa Foods. “That’s not all; altering consumer awareness and perception around the issue of food waste will have significant environmental, social and economic impact. It is thought provoking just how with a few simple measures around food storage, preservation, and use, home cooks have an incredible opportunity to reduce waste and minimise their environmental footprint.”

A’Saffa Foods conservation campaign is spearheaded by an info-graphic titled - ‘Do I waste

food?’ on its social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and twitter. The info-graphic asks the reader to recognise, realise, and reconsider if they are wasting food, and provides them with the necessary advice to conserve resources and highlights some simple steps that can be taken to reduce wastage.

A’Saffa suggests getting more out of your chicken, and can prepare more meals with a whole chicken. Find out how to avoid waste and get the most from a whole chicken by cut, shred, and stock. Some of the tips A’Saffa Foods lists for reducing food wastage in home kitchens include - freezing food correctly with a label and date to avoid wastage; refrigerating food at the right temperature to increase the life of food; measuring and cooking for perfect portions; investing in airtight containers so that leftovers can be used, and several more thoughtful everyday ideas to conserve food in one’s own home.

Lenka continued, “Consumer awareness and education is the most important solution to reduce food wastage. We hope our posts on social media sites will make a difference and be the major contributor to change; helping reduce the wastage of food and resources in Oman in the long run.”

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AUSTRALIA’S TEST DOOR AJAR FOR FORGOTTEN MAN BAILEY >C2

SPOR YOUR GAME

S

Halep and Del Potro progress to last eight Halep, who reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows last year, edged ahead in her rivalry with Suarez Navarro, now leading their head-to-head series 6-5

NEW YORK: Fifth-seeded Simona Halep beat 11th seeded Spanish rival Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 7-5 on Monday to reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open on Monday.

The 24-year-old Romanian was broken serving for the match at 5-4 but she broke right back, and after falling behind 0-30 in the 11th game swept the last four points in a row to end it.

Halep, who reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows last year, edged ahead in her rivalry with Suarez Navarro, now leading their head-to-head series 6-5.

“I’m really happy I could win this match. It’s really tough to beat her.

I just gave everything I had,” Halep said in an on-court interview.

The in-form Halep, a threetime winner this year who owns a 23-3 record dating back to start of French Open, will play either top-seeded Serena Williams or

TOUGH OUTING: Simona Halep of Romania hits a return against Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain during their fourth round match in the U.S. Open in New York on Monday. – AFP

unseeded Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan in the quarters.

The Romanian is bracing for a probable showdown with world number one Williams.

“The next round will be a very tough one, so I want to enjoy this victory today,” said Halep.

Meanwhile, Juan Martin del Potro’s summer renaissance continued as the unseeded Argentine advanced to the quarterfinals when Austrian eighth seed Dominic Thiem quit their match with an injury.

Del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open winner, whose career has been interrupted by a string of wrist surgeries and needed a wild card to get into the year’s last Grand Slam, has made the most of his op-

portunity by reaching the last eight without dropping a set.

The towering Argentine’s path was made a little easier when Thiem retired with an apparent knee injury trailing 6-3, 3-2.

Nadal resets goals On Sunday, Rafael Nadal said he was sad to have squandered an opportunity to do something special at the U.S. Open with his fourthround loss at Flushing Meadows, but happy with his effort and prospects going forward this season.

“I fight until the end,” Nadal said about his 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (6) loss to 22-year-old Frenchman Lucas Pouille on Sunday. “There were things I could do better. I had

the right attitude. I fought right up to the last ball.

“But I need something else, I need something more that was not there today. I going to keep working to try to find.”

While he reports continued improvement in his left wrist, the 30-year-old Spaniard knows he still has a ways to go.

“Is true that I don’t have lot of matches on my shoulders for the last three, four months, but even like this I lost an opportunity,” Nadal said. “I lost an opportunity to have a very good event here. I am sad for that.

“I need to keep improving the level of tennis to be back where I was before the injury.” - Reuters

ROONEY DEFENDS DEEPER ROLE IN ENGLAND TEAM Captain Wayne Rooney has said the reaction to his deeper role in the England team has been blown out of proportion after Sunday’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Slovakia. >C4

FOOTBALL

OFA, Badr Al Samaa renew partnership MUSCAT: The Oman Football Association (OFA) and Badr Al Samaa Group of Hospitals have renewed their partnership for the 2016-17 football season, according to a statement issued by the Sultanate’s football governing body.

“Badr Al Samaa Group of Hospitals has had a long relationship with the Oman Football Association and have been an important partner that contributes towards football in Oman. Over the past few years, Badr Al Samaa Group of Hospitals has been key to ensuring the health and safety of football players at national team, league and grassroots level,” the OFA statement said.

“They have contributed significantly to boosting the medical infrastructure around organised football in the Sultanate while also providing extensive health checkups as per FIFA standards to all of Oman’s National Teams to ensure that the players are medically fit,” the statement added.

Alister D’Silva, Head of Mar-

keting at the OFA, said: ““Badr Al Samaa Group of Hospitals has been longstanding and important partner of the OFA and we are very pleased to have them on board for the 2016-17 Season.

It is with their support that we have had the opportunity to significantly improve the health and safety standards in Omani football. We look forward to working with them for the coming season.”

Badr Al Samaa Group Directors Abdul Latheef, V.T. Vinod and P.A. Mohammed expressed in a joint statement said: “Football is the most played sport in Oman and as the leading private healthcare providers in the Sultanate, we wanted to get more involved and contribute to the community.

Through this partnership, we want to provide a safe and healthy environment for people to play football all over Oman.”

The new season begins with Super Cup on September 8 and the 2016-17 Omantel Professional League kicks off September 17.

CRUCIAL ROLE: Oman Football Association is happy with Badr Al Samaa’s significant contribution in ‘boosting the medical infrastructure around organised football in the Sultanate’. – Supplied photo

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C O M M E N TA RY

The meaning and context in new battle for clout between ICC and BCCI

F

rom a “preponderance of batting” to an “exhibition of dullness”, Test cricket has been diagnosed with issues that could cripple its health and growth and eventually bring about a sure, ugly death ever since Charles Bannermann scored the first run on that March 15 afternoon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground some 139 years ago.

Suggestions to put more life into the game ranged from practical to hilarious to ridiculous, and the latest in that failed or misfired series of initiatives to reinvent Test cricket is the new idea floated by the International Cricket Council (ICC) of putting in place a two-tier Test system.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson says Test cricket requires added “meaning and context” if it is to survive — and there could be no doubt about

that — but Indian cricket board (BCCI) chief Anurag Thakur thinks the league format being bandied about by the ICC at its Edinburgh annual general meeting, which is being discussed further at today’s meeting in Dubai, should have been rejected at the proposal stage itself.

Because it’s like “applying band-aid to an issue that needs proper scanning and research”.

One of the ideas proposed for the new format is 12 teams in a 7-5 split — a top league of seven and a second division of five — aimed at creating “a proper competition structure” which provides “promotion and relegation and opportunities to get to the top”.

Seven top teams, which at present are Pakistan, India, Australia, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, will play six Tests against each other — three at home and three away

SOUTH AFRICA TOUR

Three uncapped pacers Australia one-day team MELBOURNE: Australia have included a trio of uncapped fast bowlers in an under-strength 15man squad for their One-day International (ODI) tour of South Africa.

Victoria’s Chris Tremain joins South Australia pair Joe Mennie and Daniel Worrall for the tour which starts with a one-day match against Ireland on September 27 before five games against the hosting Proteas. Pace spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have been rested from the series but batsman Aaron Finch was included in Steve Smith’s squad despite breaking a finger in the last onedayer against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

“Chris, Joe and Daniel all had terrific summers last year and have also impressed us during the recent Australia A series with consistent performances,” selectors chairman Rod Marsh said in a media release on Monday.

“They are young players with a bright future who thoroughly deserve their selection and we look forward to seeing them work with (fast bowlers) John Hastings and Scott Boland, who have both performed well for Australia since returning from injury.”

Spinner Nathan Lyon, top order batsman Usman Khawaja and allrounder Moises Henriques have been omitted after being selected in the squad that defeated Sri Lanka 4-1 away. Young batting talent Travis Head, fast-tracked into the national side this year, has retained his spot after playing every game against Sri Lanka.

The squad: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, George Bailey, Scott Boland, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Joe Mennie, Chris Tremain, Matthew Wade, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa. - Reuters

— in a two-year cycle, so there will be 18 Tests in division one.

The bottom three, which at the moment are the West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, along with two others — the frontrunners are Ireland, Afghanistan and Nepal — will be playing against each other for a chance to get promoted to the top league.

Thakur says the BCCI opposes the move, despite knowing that it will result in a financial windfall for the BCCI, because the new format “will cut the legs of smaller boards”.

India helps generate more

than 80 percent of the ICC revenues and, coming as it did from a board that complained about the unfair share of money it got from the ICC, BCCI’s sudden love for the smaller boards is unconvincing. The truth could be something else.

At stake for the BCCI is not really the money, but the clout it might lose, whereas the ICC stands a chance to gain in terms of money and clout.

At the moment, the ICC generates no income from bilateral Tests, One-Day and T20 matches which are organised by the boards and which account for the most of the international schedule.

Almost all the boards, perhaps with the exception of just a couple of them, depend on hosting India to generate funds by way of selling TV rights to the Indian market. With the new format in place, it’s the ICC, and not India,

who will be calling the shot, and that’s what the BCCI could be worried about.

The need that forced the ICC into thinking up the league format is more to do with commercial concerns than anything else.

Empty stands did not worry TV broadcasters or sponsors to an alarming extent, but the dwindling TV ratings for the India-South African Test series as well as the less-than-expected amount of money when Sri Lanka tried to sell the 2015 India tour to the TV market did.

The second division teams would gain nothing much out of playing two full years against low-ranking teams.

It’s when they get opportunities to test their skills against top teams like Australia, England, South Africa, etc. that will inspire performances.

On the other hand, a top team,

say India, getting relegated to division second and playing against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan for two years is unlikely to bring people back to the stands.

Imagine something like that really happening, and then the ICC will be left with empty coffers as there could be huge drops in Television ratings.

The top box office draw for TV broadcasters and sponsors is India and unless new markets emerge elsewhere it’s better for both the ICC and the BCCI to explore ways to coordinate efforts to tap the existing potential and expand the possibilities.

The writer is a freelance contributor based in India. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman

Australia Test door ajar for forgotten man Bailey who would feel comfortable about their place, gave Bailey a ringing endorsement while just stopping short of nominating him for the four-test tour of India.

“He’s played fantastic, he’s played unbelievable cricket in the subcontinent,” Warner said after blasting a match-winning century in the final ODI in Kandy on Sunday.

“I think he’s averaging almost 70 now. He’s been a fantastic player in these conditions for a while now and as I’ve said previously I’m not here to put names up for selection. (The selectors) have to make hard choices ... to pick the right team come February.”

Bailey’s unbeaten 90 in the fourth match against Sri Lanka showed the hallmark composure that made the Tasmanian first understudy to Michael Clarke before the captain’s

HUGELY RESPECTED: George Bailey

retirement last year

Finch, Lynn ruled out of T20s MELBOURNE: Nearly three years have passed since George Bailey was shut out of Test cricket after one middling series but the door has creaked ajar as Australia searches for answers to its subcontinental malaise before a daunting tour to India.

Having watched the Test side slump to an unprecedented 3-0 whitewash to Sri Lanka, Bailey ensured there would be no repeat in the one-day tournament by smashing 270 runs at an average of 67.50 to top the batting lists and drive the tourists to a 4-1 victory.

Bailey’s unbeaten 90 in the fourth match fired Australia to an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series and showed the hallmark composure that made the Tasmanian first understudy to Michael Clarke before the captain’s retirement last year.

Back to drawing board Australia’s woeful performance against probing spin bowling on

MELBOURNE: Australia batsmen Aaron Finch and Chris Lynn have been ruled out of the two-match Twenty20 series in Sri Lanka with injuries.

Finch broke his right index finger when fielding in the final One-day International (ODI) against the hosts in Kandy on Sunday, while Lynn suffered another injury to his troublesome left shoulder.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade would stay on in Sri Lanka to replace Lynn for the T20s and

flat, turning wickets in the Test series has forced selectors to go back to the drawing board.

The top six batsmen who worked so seamlessly on home

George Bailey would remain for the first before returning home, Cricket Australia said.

The shoulder problem is another cruel blow for 26-year-old Lynn, who made his international debut with a T20 match against England in January 2014 but has been limited to five matches since.

He had surgery for a rotator cuff problem on the shoulder in 2014 which wiped out much of his season and broke down again the following year with a similar injury sustained during a fielding drill. - Reuters

wickets against New Zealand and West Indies last summer are expected to be picked apart after being found out in Sri Lanka.

David Warner, one of the few

Proven leader Bailey played the last of his five Test matches in January 2014, having scored an underwhelming 183 runs at an average of 26.14 in Australia’s 5-0 whitewash of England in the home Ashes series.

Although a proven leader and hugely respected by teammates, Bailey has also seemed desperately unlucky at times, and was pushed out of Australia’s formidable one-day side for last year’s World Cup triumph on home soil when making way for Clarke’s return from injury.

He turns 34 on Wednesday but has never lost hope of winning a spot back on the Test team and he showed the patience and sound technique against Sri Lanka’s spinners to mount a good case for his inclusion for India, according to Tasmania state coach Dan Marsh.

“If they’re looking for someone who can play spin well in the subcontinent, I’m sure he’s got his name up there,” Marsh, the son of selectors’ chairman Rod Marsh, told Cricket Australia’s website.

“He will just have to back this up and ... continue his good form in Shield cricket, as he did last year, to get his name up there.” - Reuters

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

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SPORTS Velasco eyes NBO Golf Classic berth been very sharp, but this week I found something and a win here is huge for me, so I’m really excited for what comes next now.

Velasco produced a sensational final round of 62 to seal a one-stroke win at the Cordon Open and moved 109 places up the European Challenge Tour’s Road to Oman Rankings into 31st place SENSATIONAL ROUND: Spain’s Alvaro Velasco poses with the trophy after winning Cordon Golf Open at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André in France. – Supplied photo

MUSCAT: Spain’s Alvaro Velasco produced a sensational final round of 62 to seal a one-stroke victory over Germany’s Alexander Knappe and Sweden’s Oliver Stark at the Cordon Golf Open and in the process moved 109 places up the

European Challenge Tour’s Road to Oman Rankings into 31st place to put himself firmly in the hunt for a spot in the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final. The season-ending

NBO Golf Classic Grand Final will take place at Almouj Golf from November 2 to 5.

“It’s hard to describe at the moment, but I’m so happy,” said Ve-

lasco. “It’s unbelievable, and today was amazing, I’m thrilled.

“Everything changes now for me. This year for me so far has been quite bad, my game hasn’t

CRICKET

Pakistan sinks to lowest-ever rating in ICC ranking DUBAI: Pakistan’s hopes of automatic World Cup qualification toughened as they plummeted to their lowest-ever rating of 86 after losing the five-match Oneday International (ODI) series 1-4 against England.

Despite the four-wicket consolation win in the fifth and final one-dayer on Sunday, Pakistan are in serious danger of failing to qualify automatically for the World Cup 2019 as they are now eight points behind eighth-ranked West Indies.

Pakistan had started the series on 87 points and this is their lowest-ever points tally since the current rankings system was introduced in 2001.

With Pakistan’s forthcoming ODI series being against the West

Indies and Australia, it has left itself with a mountain to climb to keep alive its chances of qualifying automatically for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

Identical victories However, Australia and England have consolidated their positions on the ICC ODI Team Rankings after completing identical 4-1 series victories over their respective oppositions in the series which ended on Sunday.

Australia, who scored a fivewicket win over Sri Lanka in the final match in Pallekele, has moved from 123 points to 124 points, and in doing so, has opened up an 11-point advantage over New Zealand.

They will now aim to reclaim

TA B L E T E N N I S

ISC to host open table tennis tourney from September 16 MUSCAT: The much-awaited open table tennis tournament will be organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) from September 16.

The tournament is being presented by Villeroy & Boch + Hansgrohe in association with their local dealer Al Amana Building Materials. The tournament is scheduled for September 16 inauguration at the Indian Social Club Hall in Darsait.

The tournament is open to players of all nationalities, Omanis as well as expatriates and will include Omani singles, open men’s singles, women’s singles, veterans’ singles, junior singles for boys and girls under-13 and

under-16 years of age, men’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Deadline for entries Following the success of the tournament over the past years, Al Amana Building Materials together with their principals, Villeroy & Boch and Hansgrohe of Germany have decided to sponsor the tournament for the third time, according to a press release issued by the organisers.

The deadline for submission of entries is set for 8.00 p.m. on September 12. For further details contact the Indian Social Club in Darsait (Tel. 24703263 / 24701347) after 11.00 a.m.

BURNLEY STRIKER

Gray wants personal hearing LONDON: Burnley striker Andre Gray has requested a personal hearing to answer his misconduct charge by the Football Association for homophobic comments he made on social media in 2012.

The 25-year-old forward initially had until August 31 to respond to the Football Association charge but was given an extension until September 5.

“Burnley striker Andre Gray

has requested a personal hearing to answer Football Association charges relating to historical posts made on social media,” Burnley said in a statement on their website (www.burnleyfootballclub.com).

Gray apologised immediately after his comments came to light, saying he was at a very different point in his life four years ago. A date for the hearing has not yet been set. - Reuters

the ICC Champions Trophy title to add to its World Cup trophy, when it is staged next year in the United Kingdom.

Sri Lanka has retained its sixth position but has dropped a point to finish on 101 points.

Sri Lanka’s one-point drop will interest seventh-placed Bangladesh, which is now just three points behind its Asian rival and has two upcoming three-match ODI series each against Afghanistan and England coming up.

England warning If Bangladesh wins all the three matches against Afghanistan, plus manages a series win against England, then it will achieve its highest-ever ranking of sixth.

Meanwhile, England, which

will attempt to win its maiden 50over ICC title when it hosts next year’s ICC Champions Trophy, has sent out a warning to the other sides after its impressive series win against Pakistan.

The series result against Pakistan has seen England move from 106 points to 107 points in fifth position — three behind India and South Africa, who are at 110 points each with India ranked ahead of South Africa on decimal points.

England and the seven highest-ranked sides on the ICC ODI Team Rankings as on September 30, 2017 will qualify directly for the ICC’s pinnacle 50-over tournament, while the remaining two sides will progress from the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018. - PTI

Stunning fashion The 35-year-old, who topped the Rankings in 2010 and has played three seasons on the European Tour (2008, 2009 and 2011), has struggled for form this year missing the cut in each of his previous seven outings before turning his fortunes around in stunning fashion at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André in France, making up an eight-shot deficit to post a 12 under par winning total of 268.

The victory earned Velasco 32,000 points to take his season total to 36,735 as he looks to secure in a place in the season finale in Muscat, which is open only to the top 45 players on the Road to Oman.

Overnight leader Knappe, who won the Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf in June, has already sealed his spot in the Oman field but his closing 71 saw him claim 18,000 points to move from ninth place into the top three on the Rankings

with 92,584 for the season while joint runner-up Stark moved from 62nd position to 34th with a total of 35,247.

As well as a share of a €400,000 prize fund on offer for victory in the prestigious NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, the top 15 players on the Road to Oman Rankings following the conclusion of the tournament will earn their playing cards for next season’s European Tour International Schedule.

In addition, the top three players will also win a share of the lucrative €60,000 Bonus Pool.

Jordan L Smith fired a closing 65 in France to take fourth place and 12,000 points, which saw the Englishman regain top spot on the Rankings 102,046 points for the season.

Former Road to Oman frontrunner Romain Langasque did not play in the Cordon Golf Open but the Frenchman will not be too disappointed at losing the top spot to Smith as he was playing on the European Tour at the Omega European Masters where he put in a wonderful performance to finish in a share of seventh place.

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T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

SPORTS Last-gasp Lallana emerges as England’s main attacking force Rooney defends England role after win over Slovakia

For all his undoubted talent and creativity, Lallana has not been viewed as the player most likely to win matches at the death.

All that may change, however, after he broke his England drought in his 27th

If I was a manager, I wouldn’t want a ‘nearly man’ in my team. Not a chance. Of course it was nice to score that day but, trust me, the managers do not care who score the goals

international with a goal that he admitted “had been a long time coming”

Adam Lallana, England forward LONDON: One of the ironies about Adam Lallana’s 95th minute goal for England that secured their World Cup Group F victory in Slovakia on Sunday, is that the forward seldom lasts that long on a football pitch.

When his club manager, Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp, wants to make a change, it is invariably Lallana’s No 20 that lights up the board.

During Euro 2016 previous England boss Roy Hodgson twice hauled him off and then dropped him as the campaign started to unravel.

For all his undoubted talent and creativity, Lallana has not been viewed as the player most likely to win matches at the death.

All that may change, however, after he broke his England drought in his 27th international with a goal that he admitted “had been

a long time coming”.

“I put pressure on myself to score goals and I knew it was only a matter of time. I had a few chances.”

Given that Wayne Rooney first scored for England at 17 and Theo Walcott had bagged a hat-trick by the age of 19, 28-year-old Lallana is a late developer and he has long acknowledged that he has not scored enough goals, for England or Liverpool.

Curiously, his goals per game ratio has gone down the longer he has played, particularly since Liverpool paid Southampton £25 million ($33.3 million) to sign him in 2014. Ten goals in 60 games and now one in 27 for England is not

the return expected of a senior creative player.

“If I was a manager, I wouldn’t want a ‘nearly man’ in my team.

Not a chance,” said Lallana earlier this month after scoring in Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Arsenal. “Of course it was nice to score that day but, trust me, the managers do not care who score the goals.”

New England manager Sam Allardyce would probably agree with that but Lallana did more than just grab the winner against Slovakia.

For much of the game it was he, not Wayne Rooney, winning a record 116th cap as an England outfielder, who looked the side’s main attacking force as he switched wings and

constantly probed a massed defence to try to force an opening.

In the end it was his wonderful technique that created it when he feinted past a defender to put the ball between the legs of keeper Matus Kozacik.

Beyond his goal, Lallana also hit the post and linked a familiarly disjointed team together, combining well with substitute Dele Alli and bringing striker Harry Kane more into the game.

“We keep plugging away and I thought as a unit we played brilliantly,” said Lallana. “Sometimes you’ve just got to stick it out until the last minute and thankfully we got the goal. It’s a great start.” - Reuters

LONDON: Captain Wayne Rooney has said the reaction to his deeper role in the England team has been blown out of proportion after Sunday’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Slovakia.

Rooney, who played his 116th international to become England’s most capped outfield player ahead of David Beckham, played in the midfield position where previous manager Roy Hodgson deployed him at Euro 2016.

“Too much is getting made about it. Listen, I’m playing on the pitch for England. I’m captain of the team and I feel I can do a very good job in the role I played tonight,” Rooney told Sky Sports.

“It’s headlines for a lot of people, but of course it’s about the team and about us winning. I played in that role and helped us win the game.

I’ve done it my whole career and suddenly it’s big news.”

“It’s not a big thing and I think there’s a big over-reaction to it. I am happy where I’m playing and I think I’m doing a good job.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Eric Dier says England will take some time to recover from their Euro 2016 humiliation despite getting back to winning ways in Trnava.

“There is a long way to go until the scars have been healed but it is a start. All we can do is win against whoever we have in front of us but I think there is a long way to go before we repay everyone for what happened in the Euros,” Dier said.

“And for ourselves as well because we were the most unhappy of everyone and there is a long way to go until we are happy again.” - Reuters

IT’S NOT A BIG THING: Captain Wayne Rooney.

DHYAN CHAND TROPHY HOCKEY TOURNAMENT A GREAT SUCCESS The Dhyan Chand Trophy hockey tournament, organised by Team Coorg Muscat, Friends of Naqvi Group and UTSC Kerala with the backing of Indian Embassy and Oman Hockey Association, was a great success with the four participating teams producing entertaining hockey to the delight of large number of sports lovers gathered at Al Qurm Ground. The 10th edition of the annual event was organised to mark the Indian National Sports Day, celebrating the birth anniversary of the greatest hockey player Dhyan Chand. The four participating teams mainly comprised Team Coorg and UTSC players. In the final, Team A (Mercara) defeated Team C (Virajpet) via penalty shootout. Famous hockey personality SAS Naqvi presided over the day’s proceedings and handed over the prizes. — Supplied photo

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

SECTION

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

RENT

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VACANCY

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CARGO

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T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

FOR SALE * 6BR Villa in Al Ghobra Facing the beach for sale. * Commercial & Residential Land in Al khuwair for sale. * warehouse in Wadi Al kabir for sale.

*Tourist visa arranged

FOR RENT Showroom & Labour camp in wadi Al kabir for rent. brand new building 1BHK/Basement/ Showroom & offices in Ruwi for rent

Contact: 91155779 hrm_gh@live.com

CAMP FOR RENT IN GHALA 350 labours & staff can stay With all facilities, near by Express way.

Contact

99364765 / 92699949

FOR RENT OFFICE & ACCOMMODATION FACILITY Ready to Occupy Office Facility ( 275 Sq. Mtr) & 8 No. Studio Flats at Ghala (Opp. Riyam Signs)

Contact : 95697401 / 95496379 Luxurious 2bedroom flat, in ground floor with split air conditioners available for rent in Mumtaz area, Ruwi.

Contact: 24564460 / 97610908

3 bedroom well maintained flat (villa type-only 2 flats in one bldg) in Al Khuwair, behind Al Akhtam Restaurant, Villa no. 1839, Way No. 3922, block no. 239.

Contact: 99462980

Villa for rent, four spacious bath attached bed rooms, private swimming pool Gymnasium (common) with electrical equipment & free maintenance secured compound at Madinat Al Illam. Contact : 98027975 Flat for rent in Wadi Kabeer near India Primary School 1b & 2b,1h &1k.

Contact : 92222922 / 97375776 / 98058000 1000.00 sqm industrial plot with compound wall & 2 rooms at Misfa Industrial area. Contact:99342733 / 91118706

1 bedroom attached kitchen, toilet for family in Al Khuwair RO 130/-.

Contact: 95154331 1 BHK Ghubra R.O 225/-.

Contact: 92144045 1 & 2 BHK Ghubra R.O 225/- & 275/-. Contact: 92144045

Villa for Rent 750 R.O (Negotiable) behind Mazoon Mosque.

Contact 95150807

1 bedroom, bathroom, kitchen in Al Hail South RO 120/- per month.

Contact 93993354

Available 2 furnished office 486 sqm at MBD area from November 2016 onwards. Interested parties please contact: 24810930 / 93203773 / 93203774, Email:esolutions077@gmail.com

2 BHK flat near Indian School, Wadikabir. Contact 24714625 / 91173997

2 workshops in Al Maabela Industrial for rent. Contact 94758394 House near ONTC Ruwi.

Contact 99502708 Office 30 sq mt at W/kabir R.O 150/-. Contact: 99384640

3 bed room villa, big kitchen, 2 Majlis, 5 bathrooms, inside a big compound, 4 minutes from City Center Seeb. Contact: 99311979 Francis

Flats and shops for rent in Ruwi Honda road, Al Wattaya MBD area.

Contact: 97293708 / 92433127 / 94579531

1 BHK flat for rent in Darsait.

Contact: 99357586 / 97500025

New building in Wadi Kabir 1+2BHK. Contact: 99024730

2+3 BHK Al Khuwair.

Contact 99024730

A spacious 2 Bedrooms flat with splits unit AC, located in Wattaya behind Mughlai Restaurant.

Contact: 98802343

Flats for rent near Indian School in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99777122

2BHK in Wattayah, behind Honda show room and Al Mannam-2 Hotel Apts, 2 Bed rooms, specious Hall, 2 Bath rooms. Very well maintained building, Families Only.

Call 99419712/ 92608505

1 & 2 BHK Mumtaz R.O 225/- & 275/-. Contact: 92144045 2 bedroom centrally air conditioned flat in CBD, near Central Bank. Contact 24714625 / 91173997 / 93527328

2 bedroom flat luxury fully furnished at Al Khuwair, 2 bedroom – the Wave. 3 bedroom at Azaiba.

2 bedroom at Al Walja, 600 sq. mt Warehouse – Sinaya, Ghala. For short or long term lease contract contact Atlas Real Estate & Rent a Car LLC. Contact 99436312 / 92888376 / 94617563

1+2+3BHK in Darsait.

Contact 99024730

1 and 2 BHK flat for rent at MBD, Hallat Sad, opp. Al Nahda Hospital, Al Khoudh and Mabella. Shop at Al Khoudh . Contact: 93994401 / 24834644

2 bedrooms apartment, sitting room at Al Ansab RO 270/- monthly. Contact 93993354 Villa in Al Khuwair 33, 6 bedrooms, hall, sitting room RO 850/monthly. Contact 93993354 Flat for rent near I.S.M- 2BH-1BH. Contact: 95158570 Rooms at Al Khuwair.

Contact: 93830111 1 bedroom family / bachelors in Al Khuwair R.O 90/-.

Contact: 95154331 New flat at Al-Wadi kabir.

Contact 96130797 / 92130703

At Ghubra North: 2 bedroom apartment, single room with kitchen/ Bathroom on Ground floor.

Contact : 99359755.

3 BHK Deluxe Flat, Ghubra Close to ISG, Indian Family.

Contact 99319880 2 BR apartments available for rent, close to Muscat Grand Mall, next to Diwan’s Office, South Ghubra. Contact: 2456256 / 99833747 Flats for rent in Wadi Kabir 1BHK 170 R.O & Studio 120 R.O Contact : 99376454 .

3 bedroom flat in Wadi Kabeer, 2 bed room villa in Sidab.

Contact : 95755953 / 95555162 2 B/R flats with split A/cs & free internet. 2 BR flats fully furnished available at Al Khuwair, near KM Hypermarket. Contact 99460330 Flat for rent. Contact : 99353433

Flats & office in Ruwi, CBD area, Awfait building. Contact 95135465 Brand new villa at Al Hail seaside near Waves for 500 RO per month, 4 bedrooms, sitting room, dining room kitchen with store 5 toilets including split A/C & common parking area. Contact: 92010044

Commercial space shop/ Showroom/ Godown at just 1.500 RO / m2 location Seh Al Ahmer 15 minutes from Rusail Industrial Estate.

Contact: 97714433 / 93437982 2 workshops for rent in Al-Mabela. Contact: 94758394

1BHK near Oman house behind Khimji H.O. Contact: 95865686 Flat for rent in Al Mawaleh South 3, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, hall, kitchen & store with air condition.

Contact 98575157 2BHK near Oman house behind Khimji H.O. Contact: 95865686 2 BHK flat Ruwi (Mumtaz) area RO 290. Contact: 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288 1BHK flat near Star Cinema RO 220. Contact: 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288 Studio flat in Wadi kabeer RO 160.

Contact: 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288 30 New Deluxe Flats & Shops in Al Khoud. Contact 99738881 Villa for rent in Amerat 5/1 5 rooms, 7 bathrooms, kitchen, hall & Majlis with air conditioning.

Contact : 99203458 2BHK flats for rent @RO 160 per sqm, location Seh Al Ahmer 15minutes from Rusail Industrial Estate.# 97714433 / 93437982 Spacious 3 bedroom villa with maid room at Azaiba beach. # 24566217 / 24564686 / 99353921 Spacious 2-&3 bedroom flats available at Qurum Alasfoor Plaza Commercial &Residential Building. #24566217 / 24564686 / 99353921 .

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

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DAILY GUIDE

8 Porta cabins, 2 Ablution units each units have 10 WC and 10 Showers and 2 Ashok Leyland Buses and One Mitsubishi Rosa Bus as well Located in Our Barka Camp. All are in excellent condition to use.

CONTACT PERSON:MR. PRAKASHGSM NO:- 94048497

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

MV SALE Doctor used Nissan Sunny car for sale model 2012 semi automatic.

Contact: 95991809 Nissan Sunny 2012, automatic, Km 1,18000, R.O 2250/- .

Contact: 92030516 Toyota Corolla 2009 C.C 1600, full auto R.O 2400/-.

Contact: 97692959 Mitsubishi Lancer 2008 1.6 CC manual R.O 1300/-.

Contact: 99612197 2015 Chrysler 300 S ,Special Edition, Hard to find,19000 km, single owner. No Accident, beautiful Red, Full option.

Contact 98960915

AVAILABLE Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299

FOR SALE Porta cabins, AC’s, Scaffolds, Jacks, JCB (model 1 CX), Toyota coaster bus (26 seater) for sale.

Contact: 96059565 / 95142336 Restaurant for sale, near Bank Muscat Al Ghubra.

Contact 96399916 Big ladies Beauty Salon for urgent sale in Al Khoud/ Seeb prime location next to Rameez shopping centre. With 2 visa clearance.

Price: 5000.Call: 95318629 Work shop machineries for sale 1) Heavy duty press 2) H.D bending machine 3) Rolling machine, 4) Lathe 12 ft. H.D. Contact: 99722863 / 96266172 Land for sale in the village of Bimmah on the coastal road Qurayat/ Sur with a space of 604 square meters for an attractive price.

Contact 92905222

2015 Toyota Camry SE, single Owner. No Accident 27000 km, All power.

Contact 98960915

BUILDING MATERIAL SHOP FOR SALEWell-furnished running building material-electrical shop (4 shutter / 200sqm) in Al- Khoudh- 6, for immediate saleshop with stock or stock only.

Serious buyers may please Contact: 94320909

2015 Mazda 3i Sport, Single owner, No Accident , 22000 km, 2.0 Engine.

Contact 98960915

Building material shop located in Al Amerat for sale or rent (R.O 195) only serious buyers can contact: 93606790

WANTED Urgently required looking to immediately buy used Grit blasting & airless spray equipment 1 No each. Contact: 968 24810930 / 93203772 / 93203773 / 93203778

Parking barrier, Italian new for sale 15 pcs, package unit A/C York 27 ton for sale 2 pcs, package unit York 7 ton for sale 1 pc.

Contact: 96634648 Industrial land in Rusail. 4000 sqm. Contact 99323957 / 95490842.

FOR SALE Good Condition Sanyo washing machine, semi automatic, RO 40 for sale in MBD Contact; 99737812 Running Restaurant for sale at Ruwi’s heart, 90+ chairs minimal rent 7 visas.

Contact : 94909192

ACC. AVAILABLE Big room with attached bathroom available at Honda Road, Ruwi for Executive bachelor.

Contact 95527969 Classic furnished room with bath room, separate, kitchen facility available for decent Executive, area Mumtaz. Contact: 97752162 / 95801696 2 rooms, separate bathroom, sharing kitchen for family near OC Center 160/-. Contact: 99410160 Independent furnished single room kitchen toilet at Hamriya main road, nr Muscat Pharmacy for bachelors or small family.

Contact 99528129 / 99729545 Well furnished single / sharing room for Exe. bachelor at Rex road.

Contact: 92873832 Furnished room available for Executive bachelor in Ruwi area.

Contact: 99054542 Single room with A/C and attached bathroom, sharing kitchen for executive bachelor/couple near Saud Bahwan Hill view Tower accommodation and Opp: Shell filling station. Contact 99024362, 93166353 Fully furnished 2BHK sharing flat for Indian Executive near Sheraton CBD. Contact 99219337 Rooms for rent in Ghubra North.

Contact 96420432

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished room in ruwi and azaiba for rent for executive bachelors. Gsm 99058344 Sharing bachelors accommodation available in Rex Road, Ruwi.

Contact 94442157 Single room for rent for ladies only with separate bathroom in Darsait opposite Kim’s hospital.

Rent R.O 120/-. Contact 95318629 Furnished rooms with kitchen at Ruwi. Contact: 91214897 / 98049288

GOOD NEWS All Pooja items- idols – fresh flowers – marigold – roses – jasmine – lotus – rose petals- garlands & all decoration items. Sweets &modak.

HaridasNensy& Co. Ruwi 24750784 / 23291825 Ayurvedic massage, backache, joint, neck pain etc.

Contact: 98254909 Coming Eid appointments special offer on all beauty treatments, Varkey’s Gents Spa. Contact: 92935679 Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steam bath, obesity, Spondylitis. Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Ghubra.

Contact: 99639695 /97397320 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact: 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

MATRIMONIAL Tamil Nadu male Hindu, handsome 33 yrs / 169 cm, working in Muscat (Accountants - Manager) seeks alliance.

Contact: 97434001 / Email: cbmperumal@omantel.net.om Ezhavaboy age 28 height 174cm Star anizhamBTech working in Oman Seeks suitable alliance.

Contact 99430227 Kerala RC Boy 32y 168h Thrissur working as an accountant in reputed company in Muscat seeks suitable alliance.

Contact: +968-98169190 Keralite RC boy 36/185 Kottayam working as an Interior Draftsman/3D visualizer in reputed company in Salalah seeks suitable alliance. Contact: 92162420 / 93925621., Ind- 91 9645945442 ITI electrical, SSLC, PDC, Christian, 36 yrs, second marriage seeks alliance. Contact 97368596

NRI Properties at Bangalore for sale (1) 3 BHK Senior living apartment with full fledged facilities & services in Ozone Urbana Serene project for the cost price of Irene project; ready for registration (2) 4 B/R villa (BUA 3600sq.ft, 4 floors, 3 Livings, 5 bathrooms, maid’s room & car park) for sale at JP Nagar. Contact Mrs. Mangala Ph: 97903127, Email: ravichandran.mangala@gmail.com

Buying cars for cash.

Contact 90202090

INVESTOR PARTNER REQUIRED For a successfully Catering Restaurant Investor cum Partner is required.

Investor with fixed returns also welcome.

Please contact – 95213273

Email: muscatcoffeeshop@gmail.com

TRANSPORTATION No need to wait for Taxi please call from anywhere in Muscat.

Contact: 96009655 Picking and drop Al-Khuwair to Rusail. Contact: 98957524 / 91287470 Transportation. Contact 92126933 / 98518979 Transportation. Contact: 95190627

BUYING

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS

Transportation. Contact 92015894 Transportation. Contact 94510847

Investment opportunity For business in lighting building materials and decoration.

Contact: 99421513

*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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T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

DAILY GUIDE

SITUATION WANTED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT WANTED Female Gynaecologist, Female GP- Two Female Staff Nurse (From India or Pilipino)and One Female Dental Assist and Female Lab Technician.

With MOH Licence and Data Flow for Al Saadi Specilised Medical Centre, Musanna.

Contact # 92025033, Email : dr.srininvas76@gmail.com

Required male, female GP, Dentist, Administrator, Nurses, Pharmacist, Lab Technician for a Polyclinic at Ibra.

Contact 71100596, joharaajmal2016@gmail.com

URGENTLY REQUIRED For a new Medical Centre at Thumrait and Salalah (Oman)

General Practitioner/ Physician, Ophthalmologist, Gynecologist, Lab technician.

Minimum 3 years experience Contact – 99702784 drsidiqmds@gmail.com

Wanted Electrician & Ele- Technician

ACCOUNTS

3-5 yrs experienced Electrical Technicians, must have knowledge in UG Cables, OH lines & MEP. Preference for Electrician license holders.

Indian female, M.Com, 4 yr’s experience in Accounts looking for Accountant/Asst. Accountant job.

Contact: 98418533 / 99338639

Send CVs : tajallulu.electrical@gmail.com

Accountant B.com Indian male 12 yrs exp seeks suitable job.NOC available . Contact : 91212471 Email: rennyj6@gmail.com

Urgently required a Gulf experienced professional Hair Dresser cum Beautician (Lady) for a reputed Beauty salon. Immediate appointment Contact : 99816262 / 98557585,fax : 24796211, email: skin. hair.makeup@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING

Urgently required Philipino Cook/ Waiters (Keralite) for a Restaurant in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 92326607

MEDICAL Required female GP, Gynecologist, Physician, Pharmacist for a clinic in Ibra. Contact : 99373493, jmjmedicare@gmail.com

Wanted part time, full time driver.

Contact: 24713253 Fax: 24711569

Wanted female & Male Nurse with or without license (good salary, food & accommodation with other benefits. Contact 92989109, medicoport@gmail.com

Company in Muscat looking for a full time light Duty Driver.

Contact 79098177

Urgently required Doctor with MOH license for leave vacancy one month.

Contact: 97091664.

Wanted Driver for heavy (sewage vehicle) and light vehicle with valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 97991654 / 97991652 Kindly send CV at Email: construction@remasalseeb.com / remaschandran2020@gmail.com

Wanted a Gynaecologist for a well running clinic in Seeb.

Contact: 99442701

DRIVER

ENG./TECHNICIAN Required Civil Engineers experience more than 5 years.

Email : towershr70@gmail.com, Contact 24548382 Urgently required Technician having Diploma in electrical / electronic with GCC D/L & experience in installation & maintenances of Automatic doors. Send CV at Email : accounts@alatonoman.com or fax : 24700408 Wanted urgently for Salalah 1) Electrical Engineers, degree with minimum 5 yrs experience.

Gulf experience preferred.

2) Technicians with experience to work in automatic laundry.

Apply soon to hr_oman1@yahoo.com Wanted Civil Engineer with minimum 3 years experience with valid GCC / Oman driving license.

Contact: 97991654 / 97991652 Kindly send CV at Email: construction@remasalseeb.com / remaschandran2020@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY A fast and growing restaurant is looking for a number of staff who are experienced in the hotel or restaurant. They should be young, confident and energetic and are willing to work hard.

Preferred those with NOC or on a visit visa who can join soon.

Please send your CV as soon as possible to nasser.almaawaly@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Looking for Designers, Salesman & Philipino Accountant in Printing press. Send CV at Email : info@alsahib.net

MEDICAL Wanted Dentist with MOH license for a clinic in Sur. Contact 97475816 Fusion Medicare Polyclinic, Muscat wants GP, staff Nurse holding MOH license & Receptionist (Omani) Contact – 97698004 / email: medicare@fusionlogicoman.com Required Doctors available experience - GP- ladies + Gents.

Email : towershr70@gmail.com, Contact 24548382

Indian (M), 31 yrs, M Com 9 yrs experience in Oman, looking for Manager or Executive position in Fin & Accounts, NOC Available.

Contact 968 96166178/ +919768537435: mohammednajeem@yahoo.com 7 Years experience as Financial Analyst, MBA in finance. Responsibilities- research contributor, financial statement analysis, generating MIS & efficiency report, managing TAT, business & clients.

On visit visa in Muscat.

Contact 90191628 / 96175780

BEAUTY

CATERING

Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately.

Contact 98263394

Required urgently Doctors & Paramedical Staff 1) Gynecology 2) General Practitioner 3) Dental 4) Radiographer. E mail: altaqwamedicalcenter@gmail.com

MANAGER Required a Divisional Manager to Promote Security System products. Experience in CCTV Camera, Gate/Home Automation, Access Control and Biometric Systems etc. Apply with photograph to E-mail: salesjobds@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Required sales and marketing executive for a 4-star hotel in muscat. candidate with excellent communication skills and having 3+ years experience need apply. driving license will be an advantage. email: hoteljobsmuscat@gmail.com Indian Salesman indoor, knowledge in English & Arabic.

Contact: 93326636 Required Omani Sales Executive.

Preference to bilingual (EnglishArabic)applicants with experience in luxury products. Interested Candidates please send CV to hena_82@hotmail.com

Earn upto RO 1000 in Sales, expats required in Salalah on commission basis only.

Contact 92760281

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED ACCOUNTS Indian female, senior Accountant /ast.Finance manager having 15 years oman experience with d/l and noc looking for a suitable placement. Contact : 94838231 Indian male, B.Com, MBA in Finance, 4 yrs in Larsen & Tourbo, 26 yrs in Oman, English/ Arabic speaking with driving license. NOC available. Contact 95588565 12 yrs Oman experienced Chief/ Senior Accountant seeks job, immediately available with release/ NOC and D/L. Contact: 97385562 Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: Anishkhan991867@gmail.

Com Mobile: +968 9565 9415 Indian Accountant, B.Com, ICWAI – Inter. 20+ yrs experience, seeks suitable placement. Contact 93369834, India – 9744778886, Email – nairvt@yahoo.co.in.

NOC available.

Accounts part time services available to handle all accounts up to finalization on monthly basis and finalization works.

Contact: 96247295 Indian female M. Com/CA lnter yrs experience.

Contact: 94863876, E mail: jinumanickath@yahoo.com 21, Indian female B.com graduate on family visa looking for immediate and suitable placement. Holds valid Omani Driver’s license.

Contact: 97208869

Looking for Marketing Executive with D/L. Mail your resume info@agloenterprises.com

Accountant: Indian 10Yrs Exp upto finalization, Tally, Focus with Oman License.

Contact : 92826842

Urgently require Marketing Staff : 2 nos, IT Staff : 1 no. candidates may send their resume at : infosqmtr@gmail.com or contact 92314305

Indian female 15 years experience as Asst Manager - Finance in Oman seeks suitable placement.

NOC available. Contact: 94953826 / 92824146

Vacancies existing in a leading tourism company for Marketing Executives & Accountant.

Send your CV at Email : goldoryx@omantel.net.om

Seeking suitable placement in Oman for the post of Senior Accountant, experience 20 yrs in India, 2 yrs in Oman.

Contact 968 93241862

Experienced, energetic, tech-savvy laptop & smartphone salesmen wanted urgently to work in store in Oman. Graduates preferred. Interviews in Muscat. immediate placement.

Salary RO 300 - 400, Send CV : sales@justbtl.com

Accountant Srilankan National Inter CA 3 yrs exp in finance on visit visa. Contact: 79049355.email: ahmedfiham777@gmail.com

A well reputed IT company urgently require Oman experienced Marketing Executive preferable with Omani driving license.

Contact: 99328329 / 99434656 1) Building Material Salesman, 2) CCTV Technician 3) Maintenance building foreman with D/L, 4) Electrician cum Plumber. Contact: 99383044

Sales Executive required for block factory in Muscat with 5 yrs exp. Contact : 97197745. email: mohamadncp@gmail.com

Part time accounting upto finalization auditing. Contact: 91126314 B.Com with 9 yrs experience looking for a suitable post for Accounting & Admin job.

Contact 95409428 / 96395701, Email : saqibsoldier@gmail.com Finance Manager 16 years experienced chartered accountant (Sri Lankan) looking for a suitable post. NOC available.

Contact 92194926 Email: manomuscat@gmail.com

Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ finance field. On visit visa. Immediately available.

Contact 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job.

Contact 93953613, Emailallen.mathew83@gmail.com

28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com

ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC. Junior Architect from NIT (female) seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92705130 Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience.

GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com

ADMIN Expat lady with 17 years experience in Oman having thorough knowledge in HR policies, ISO procedures, Oman labour law and General Office Administration looking for opening with reputed offices.

Please call 94542525.

Indian male MSW Management professional with 14 yrs experience in HR & Administration seeks suitable placement. Contact 92438185

Indian/MBA/male Chief Accountant 18Yrs Experience, MIS, C.Flow, Budgeting, ERP, Cost accounting &Liasing with auditors. NOC available.

Contact: 92254691/97826674 email: khader2305@gmail.com

Young Omani male have experience 12 years as P.R.O, CLERK Helper Supervisor Admin Supervisor, H.R Manager have vocational M.B.A diploma in H.S.E, IT and P.D.O license, looking for H.R position or P.R.O part time or full time.

Contact: 95933288

Sudanese Accountant, Alexandria University Graduate bachelor of commerce Diploma of Marketing professional photographer worked in PR and social media for 2 years looking for a job in public relations media, social media or marketing.Contact: 96976240

Indian male 27 years, Masters in Hospital Administration with 3 years experience in quality assurance and JCI Implementation currently working with Aster group as Asst Manager in Quality Assurance. Contact : 98431213 vishnuvijjay14@gmail.com

Indian female 28 yrs B.Com 4 yrs experience in MNC’s currently in Muscat seeking suitable placement in Finance / Admin.

Contact :94743790

Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817

Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com

Indian male 25yrs, B.Com, MBA, SAP (level 1) certified, 1yr exp in Office Administration, on visit visa looking for placement in Accounts, Sales & Marketing, Storekeeper, Logistics. Contact: 97914014

Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com

Indian 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

Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE, Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store Keeper, Sales etc. Ready to join as early as possible. Contact 96988923 email:- sajith3969@gmail.com Accountant 8Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084 ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance.

Contact: 99284193 Certified Public Accountant (Filipino, Male, 27-yrs-old) with four years experience, seeking suitable placement in accounting/ audit, currently on visit.

Contact;94959606, email: czesar.42@gmail.com Indian female 26 yrs, MBA finance 2 yrs exp with MNC. Email: rilooozmali@gmail.com.

Contact : 90551366.

Egyptian woman resident, considerable experience in the Administration and Secretarial Executive for company.

Contact : 97221126

CATERING Wanted Indian Cook for part time for Indian family in Ghubra.

Contact: 93228657

DRIVER Exp. Heavy duty driver looking for job. Contact : 97363138 Driver looking for job.

Contact 95892363 Looking for job Light driver.

Contact : 98503237.

Light Driver. Contact 92703258 / 99617026

DRIVER Light duty driver with 4 yrs experience seeks placement.

Contact: 92458526 Light duty driver, exp 4 yrs experience, knows English, Arabic & Hindi. Contact: 94928736 Pakistani male light vehicle driver, 3 yrs exp. looking for job.

Contact: 99373841 Need a driving job with 2 years experience in Oman.

Contact: 968 96771242 Driver looking for job with car.

Contact 93513953 An Indian driver (multi lingual) with own car having 13 years’ experience in Oman looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 91103909 Indian driver L/D (Kerala) looking for job. Contact: 98694455

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN Free lance / part time autocad works / make boq 2d /3d arch , structural, shop drawings interior drawings. Contact 97103168 Graphic web designer, Indian male, looking for suitable vacancies having NOC and release.

Contact: 98461278 Architectural Draftsman (4 yrs experience) seeking job.

Contact: 91141879 Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR. PH :92279784 MEP Draughtsman GCC 4 yrs exp, NOC available. Contact: 96949041 Architectural Draftsmen diploma in construction technology with 6 years experience in drafting and detailing as per British standard in Oman with valid Omani license looking for suitable opportunity Noc available. Call 94375897.

Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

EDUCATION/TRAINING Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact 99739415 / 92091528 Mathematics Lecturer , Indian Female, M Sc Mathematics from a Prestigious University, B.Ed qualified, distinction holder with 6 yrs teaching experience in colleges.

Contact: 91360147.

Experienced Maths teacher bilingual AS, A, IB Thanwia Aamaa. Contact: 98016336.

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: 92157694. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com An Iraqi civil with more than 30 years experience in (Iraq and G.C.C) looking for a job, (N.O.C) available.

Contact: 96561306 Email: iq.bgd.mnsr@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Indian male, Structural Engineer looking for job in structural design field. Having 6 years of experience in design field. Residing in Muscat. Contact: 91176187 Email: syam036@gmail.com Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity.

Contact: 93101283 Civil Engineer, young Indian having almost 2 years experience looking for a challenging position seeks suitable position in Oman/ GCC. Please contact 92718490, Email ID: uvais.pk82@gmail.com Mechanical/ Piping Engineer (B.Tech.) on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 94703350 mail: nadeembcoolboy@gmail. com

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED Indian female, MBA, Finance, B.Com & PGDM 2 years experience as Financial Analyst looking for suitable position in Accounts Administration or Executive positions, presently available in Oman.

PROJECT MANAGER, B.Tech, MBA, PRINCE-2, British Citizen now available with NOC in OMAN. 25 yrs. exp in EPC Project Management of Oil & Gas, Pipelines, Refineries & Power Plants. Seeking job immediately/

Contact 96126736 / 95629821 Email: ppreethi006@gmail.com

Contact- 00968-94731728/ josececy25@gmail.com

Indian male, MBA,

Senior Accountant

6 yrs experience in Sales & Marketing, Export / Import, logistics (general trading), holding Oman driving license, presently on visit visa, looking for suitable jobs.

B.Com, 18 yrs experience abroad, 12 years in Oman with an excellent grade construction company, handling day to day activities upto finalization, proficient in Microsoft GP, knows AX – 2012, valid D/L, looks for suitable placement in Accounts / Admin. Local release available.

Indian male, 32 yrs, B.Tech, PGDIT, IBM Sterling Integrator, having 9 yrs experience from IBM, Cognizant & Emphasis, Oman driving license looking for suitable placement.

Contact - 91544858

Contact: 968 97702648

Contact - 93221395

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

SENIOR JOINERY ESTIMATOR

Quantity Surveyor (QS)Srilankan, 6 years of experience (4 years Oil & Gas in Oman).

Contact- 98142760 Indian Automobile Engineer, 25 yrs with 4 yrs experience seeking suitable job, now in Muscat on visit visa. Contact 92077172 Indian female B. Tech 5 yrs exp in MNCs currently in Muscat, seeking suitable job in Sql & Plsql domain.

Contact: 93262829 B.Tech Electrical, Indian male 4 yrs exp in electrical field seeking suitable position.

Now in Muscat on visit visa.

Email: lenish.kl@gmail.com.

Contact: 93528963 Quantity Surveyor, Srilankan, male, 25 yrs, B.Tech, HND QS (Civil & MEP), AutoCAD with 5 yrs experience, looking for a suitable placement. Contact 92032632, haseebmursaleen@gmail.com B-Tech Electrical Engineer 10 yrs exp in Oman / UAE / India as pre/ post QS(MEP)/MEP Coordinator seeking suitable job.

NOC available. Contact: 96505513, E mail : abyeee@gmail.com Civil Engineer, Project Manager having 14 yrs experience. 11 years in Oman. PMP, fidic contract management experience, independently handling civil works, familiar with Oman regulations, looking for senior level position. Release available, can join immediately.

Contact- 98826815 Mechanical Engineer: Indian male 28 years.6 years UAE experience in the field of MEP with valid UAE driving license. Currently in Oman on visit visa.

Contact: 00968 98953932 shamnas.shaanukm@gmail.com Electrical Testing Engineer having 7years of Gulf experience expertise in testing & commissioning of electrical systems, presently on visit visa .Contact: 91228167 Indian male 24 yrs, Mechanical Engineer, Diploma in MEP design, AutoCAD 6 months exp in automobile sales, worked as Supervisor in steel fabrication firm, on visit visa. email:advith.21@gmail.com Contact: 99077031 Indian female 30 yrs B Tech, MBA - IT 6 yrs work exp. in India & Oman, exp in conducting video conference, configuring automated solution systems, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 92689823. email:jobymees2014@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, Indian male, 21 yrs with 6 months valuable experience with SKF India on visit seeks suitable opening.

Contact 97945161, iancardoz11@gmail.com Civil Engineer, 10 yrs exp.

BOQ establishing building experiences AutoCAD, MS Excel, expert. Contact 94932724 B.Tech Engineer with 6 yrs of teaching & designing field experienced in AutoCAD, PDMS, 3Ds Max & other civil, Mech 3D softwares & in HVAC designing (Noc available).

Contact 93735166, Email : remisashraf@gmail.com Instrument Technician with 7 years experience with expertise in calibration of field instruments seeking job. NOC available. +96896773899 Indian female seeking Software Engineer job, having 2 yrs exp in . NET staying in Oman at resident visa. Contact: 95473758 Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784

Indian male, 11 yrs experience in Oman looking for suitable placement in joinery/ fitout estimation or marketing.

Local release available.

Contact - 94541830, Email: estimator64319@gmail.com

SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER EDI GIS

ENGLISH TEACHER Indian FM, B.A, B.ED English Lit, 4 yrs Teaching experience in Oman and 2 yrs in India, immediate joining.

Contact - 94202122

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine.

Available NOC release.

Contact 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com Indian male Civil Engineer 1.6 yrs exp, having Omani D/L, looking for suitable position. NOC available.

Contact – 92157694 / mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Diploma in Mechanical Engg, 10 years exp in steel fabrication site work with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 94696192 Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrs exp seeks suitable position in a reputed company. NOC available.

Contact 96789711 B.E Mechanical Engineer, age 24 with almost 1 year experience as Production Shift Engineer, has achieved training on HVAC Engineering design and has good hands on software like AutoCAD and HAP.Currently in Oman on a visit visa, looking for a suitable placement.Contact: 95065955 email: mjs.jazeb@gmail.com Young Indian, Engineering in Bio-technology, Bio-chemical and Chemical, looking for a challenging placement in Oman.

Contact 97607000. Email: sivasankarjayakumar@gmail.com Electrical Engineer, 24 yrs, Indian Male, Fresher, Training Undertaken in Electrical Draughtsman, Fire Alarm, Fire Fighting and Industrial Automation.

Contact: 94989767, Email: Junaiz987@gmail.com Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman. Contact: 98921022 Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961 Civil Engineer Indian (B-Tech, M.Tech) 8 yrs experience, having Omani D/L.NOC available.

Contact: 94195397 Quantity Surveyor 6 yrs exp with D/L. Contact: 95685265 B.E. Graduate with 1 year and ten months experience in CCTV, Access control & fire alarm looking for suitable job on visiting visa.

Contact : 93253160 Mechanical Engineer, Indian, Male, 30yrs. Experienced in Steam turbines and Thermal Power house seek employment.

Contact - +91 8130553668 or mohamedshah7@gmail.com Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs of exceptional exp in spear heading strategic planning and project management initiatives & executing various high rise residential & commercial building as well as roads and highway project with proficiency in installation, seeking a challenging position in a dynamic organization. Contact 96570891 Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973 Electrical Engineer: Indian male 30 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation & utility maintenance in India, holding valid Oman D/L. Contact 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com

Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912 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 B.E Electrical Engineer (6+yrs Exp) Indian Male 29yrs,Currently working in Oman with Driving License, GSM:97879850, Email: herinmathu@gmail.com B.E / B.Tech, Civil Engineer 4-5 yrs experience.

Contact 93850875 / 95031239 B.E (Civil) Site Engineer 3 yrs exp NOC & release available.

Contact: 90230750 / 91009717 Indian male 24 ,B.E ( E.C.E ) graduate with 3 years of experience in the fields of BMS and Low current systems and has good knowledge about Electronic Security Systems, currently working in Oman, NOC Available. Contact:- 94737033/ mohdmuhafez45@gmail.com

IT Oracle / SAP Developer with 6 yrs Gulf experience in IT, Banking, Administration domain, skills: SQL, PLSQL, SAP BO/BI, JBOSS, presently in Muscat seeks placement.

Contact 92012405 / 97041071, sandhya.p4@gmail.com IT professional, Indian male B.Tech (IT) with 4 yrs experience in HTML5, CSS3 Java script Php, My SQL, Word press opencast and Photoshop looking for a suitable position available in Oman.

Contact: 93528971 Computer hardware & CCTV Technician - Indian male having 8 yrs exp in hardware & 2yrs in CCTV. Presently on visiting visa seeking satiable placement. # 92164971/ email: adersh.kr@gmail.com Indian male 3 yrs exp in IT as Linux Administrator & 1 yr exp in Amazon EC2 Cloud at Wipro Technologies Bangalore seeking suitable placement. Contact: 92889678. email:amalpathikal@gmail.com Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs exp in ERP, CSM Certified, seeking suitable role.NOC Available. Contact : GSM : 90189284 Email: meetlibran@gmail.com CFA level 1 cleared (pursuing level 2) MBA operations research, female, 5 yrs experience as Analyst, have a valid Oman driving license, looking for related openings.

Contact 95818892 IT field 3 years of experience, female seeking suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 96350234 Email: greeshmavkannan@gmail.com Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area. Contact: 98660672 IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India.

Contact: 94672759 Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. Contact 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com

IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE WITH NOC HR & ADMINISTRATION PROFESSIONAL With 14 years of Oman experience in Omanization, well familiar with Oman labor laws, employee relations / welfare, Liasion & Coordination, Strategic HR Planning, performance Appraisal & General Administration.

Contact - 96501189 MEDICAL

Indian Male MBA (UK)

Filipino male Medical / Sales representative with 3 yrs experience is looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 92610394

9 years experience in Dubai/ London/Mumbai in Management Consulting, Sales & Marketing, Business Development for Real Estate/ Banking seeks similar placement with D/L.

Indian female, BSC Biochemistry, fluent in English, good computer knowledge, excellent communication skills with 15 yrs experience in Medical transcription field looking for suitable placement preferably in hospital and medical field. Contact: 93206658 Asst. Pharmacist (male) 8 years in Muscat looking for job with NOC, ready to work in Remote areas. Contact: 93977213 Srilankan female qualified in UK with B.Sc (Hons) Pharmacology and M. Sc Pharmaceutical- Science with management studies having 1.5 yrs exp in UK and Srilanka in clinical-research and regulatory, currently on visit, looking for suitable post in Pharmaceutical, clinical research or health care organizations.

Contact: 71148320 Iraqi Dentist female, MOH license seeks suitable job in clinic in Muscat. Contact 97891219 Pharmacist (female) passed Prometric 80% marks and dataflow completed having 3 yrs experience in Retail and Hospital Pharmacy, education Doctor of Pharmacy seeks job in Muscat.

Contact 95575270.

Veterinary Doctor: Indian Female looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 96906534 /99014885, Email: monishmajeed@gmail.com

Contact: 95168205 SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Looking for part time job Secretarial / Data Entry / Documentation available every day after 5:00 pm Friday / Saturday full day area preferred Ruwi/ CBD/ MBD / Al Khuwair. Contact: 90414827 Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment.

Call: 95244761

SKILLED LABOUR Indian male 44 years, 7 years experience in Oman as store keeper NOC available. Contact: 97142176 Indian male looking for job in plumbing, fire fighting & Supervisor.NOC available 17 yrs Gulf exp Contact: 94037530 / 91608797, E mail: jeetusingh500@yahoo.com 6+ yrs experienced Electrical Supervisor, experienced in HT,LT, on visa release available in Oman.

Contact: 95280565

SALES / MARKETING MANAGER Procurement Manager (BE + MBA) having 13 yrs exp. in engineering, procurement & construction industry available immediately with NOC. Contact no. +968 97886616 or email : guptaashish1978@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS B.Com,IICL Certified Container Inspector(No.150850),Visit Visa, Six months experience, need placement. Phone 90880935,99023279, Email solexyesudas@gmail.com.

Indian male with 6 years experience in sales in oman. NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95364128 Immediately available with NOC. Indian MBA graduate (Male) with 5 of years experience in Sales & Marketing looking for suitable position, D/L available.

Contact 98891080 Indian male 26 years holding MBA with 2 years experience in Sales & Marketing (FMCG) looking for suitable position. Currently on Visit Visa. Contact: 79050204, Email: jerin.kottanadan@gmail.com

Filipino Male, 28 years Old. Looking for job, Have experience in Rent a Car/ Cargo & Logistics / Real Estate/ Customer Care Executive / Sale Executive & Marketing/ Shop In- Charge. Hard working w/ good computer and communication skill.

GSM: 97761075

Indian male 39 years, 10 years experience in Oman as Marketing, Business Development & Operations with legal background looking for suitable job having Oman D/L. NOC available. Contact : 94266552 / 94942328

Filipino Graphic Designer / I.T. looking for a suitable job with 10 years experience. Very good in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Photography, Knowledge in CCTV & Access Controls.

Call 79042628.

Looking for a job in Muscat in the field of HR, Marketing, Admin, Customer Care, Sales, Research or Data Entry category. Can Speak good English and Tamil. Proficient in MS Office. Hard-working and sincere individual. Contact:- Email Id: dineshbojan@gmail.com Phone no: 96898201640 / 96899529924

Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+ yrs exp in Oman in sales (back office) & credit control with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable lacements. NOC available.

Contact 92066 523 BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com Sudanese male bachelor geology and mining with 3 years experience in MUD logging and training in soil investigation.

Contact 92956848

Indian female post Graduate in Masters in International Business (MIB) with a major in logics and supply chain management seeking suitable entry level position witan the industry. Contact: 91623103 Indian male 36 having 14 years experience GCC market in Sales, marketing holding Oman driving license (NOC available) looking for suitable opportunities.

Contact : 94261186 BBA Graduate looking for placement in sales & marketing having valid Omani driving license.

Contact: 96014839 / 99048052

SALES / MARKETING MBA (sales) 11 yrs exp, 4 yrs in Oman marketing, purchase B. Development having Oman D/L looking for opportunity in MID management, NOC available.

Contact: 95831786. email: anaseem1983@gmail.com Indian male 26 years of experience of sales & marketing in surgical and laboratory equipments.

Looking for good replacement.

Contact – 92015894 /95774854 Indian male 35 years, B.com and 9 years GCC experience in Sales & Marketing (Transport & Logistic).

Having GCC driving license, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 92634281 email: shinojkk1224@gmail.com Lebanese, 38 yrs, MBA Master in Business Administration in Marketing, sales experience in GCC, UAE, Qatar. 17 yrs experience in Projects Management & companies, GCC driving license.

Contact 79045232, dr.sheaitani@gmail.com Indian female with 8 yrs exp in Oman holding valid D/L looking for part time / freelance work in sales & marketing. Contact: 93228657 Indian male age 24, B.Com. having 2 year experience and currently in visit visa. Looking for suitable placement in Sales, Marketing & finance. Contact: 90766307 Email: shhaazz.007@gmail.com Indian male -sales representative with 7 years experience and valid Oman driving license, NOC or release available-99695780 Resident in Oman 18 years, 10 years experience in setup marketing plans and strategies, sales, import & logistics, procurement, Omani government tenders, organizing projects & events, import fireworks for festivals, NOC available, have car. Contact 94123939.

Email: 002015r@gmail.com Omani male, working in Muscat duty free for 2.5 yrs as Sales Assistant, Supervisor looking for job of delegate public relations, sales.

Contact 96625194 / 92049106, Email : albalushi592@gmail.com Indian male, 27 yrs, 6 yrs exp in Sales & Marketing, looking for suitable job, having Oman D/L, NOC available. Contact 93362361, Email : shijoychins@gmail.com Indian male, 27 yrs, Sales Executive, 2 yrs Diploma in Hotel Management & Catering, Oman with D/L looking for best opportunity.

NOC available. Contact 97768047 Oil & gas experienced Indian lady with 6 years in sales & marketing to PDO and having valid Omani driving license. Contact 96143430 / 99875919 Business Development Manager Industrial commercial 7 yrs experience in Marketing, Sales, General Administration, well aware of Oman laws, Arabic Nationality with Architectural interior design back ground. Contact: 91308588 Indian male Engineering Graduate 6 years experience in Sales & Marketing in Oman with D/L & NOC seeking suitable openings.

Contact: 94386894 Email: tonykuravackal@gmail.com Indian male 1 yr exp in sales automotive (TBL) looking for best opportunity , NOC available.

Contact: 97793879 Email: shyampkn@gmail.com Indian Male, MBA marketing 5 yrs exp. in sales & 4 yrs in FMCG sector, looking for best opportunity.

NOC available. Contact: 96001877 Indian male 42 yrs searching for suitable job, experience in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Saudi D/L holder, fluent in Arabic, English, Hindi Gulf experience 20 yrs manpower co-ordinator, sales & marketing, logistics. Contact: 90518114

D6

T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 6 , 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 MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING Indian male 27 yrs, 7 yrs exp in Sales & marketing (FMCG) looking for suitable position, currently on visit visa. Contact: 71141234, E mail: mohamedjasfer@gmail.com Indian male 12 yrs Oman experience Marketing & Sales excellent knowledge throughout market research. Arabic fluency with driving license seeking suitable placement, NOC available.

Contact: 91437484 Indian Male, 26 M.Com with 4 yrs of Experience in Accounting & Administration in a Financial Company in India, seeks suitable job, Currently in India.

Contact India:-+918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@gmail.com Indian male Graduate with 18 years of Marketing experience presently in Oman on family visit visa, looking for best opportunity.

Contact: 96168687 Email: dhibupaul@gmail.com Indian male 37 years MBA graduate in marketing with 9yrs of experience in UAE in field of brand promotions & marketing with UAE D/L on a visit seeking suitable position.

Conatct 95792820 Indian female 29 years Post Graduate with computer Knowledge 2 years of Oman experience in coordinator & 5 years of experience in customer service, client relation officer with excellent communication skill seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 95337665 Indian Male, 23 yrs, looking for any professional job vacancy my qualification is Diploma in Electronics an i am having 3 years of experience in the hardware and networking field an you can contact me on : - 97017866.

Electrical Engineer (DEE), Having 17 year Experience (14 year in Gulf), Experts in Estimation, Design, Planning and construction activities of MEP work, seek Similar Placement with D/L & NOC Available. Contact: 97007489 Indian, bachelor of Commerce, experience in India & Oman as Sales & Management looking for a good position any kind of field. languages English, Arabic & Hindi.

Contact 98718428 Indian male, 23 yrs. looking for suitable job my qualification is Diploma in Electronics, having 3 years of experience in the hardware and networking field.

Contact : - +96897017866.

Indian male 21 bachelor’s of commerce (B.com) having 1 year experience as a salesmen in denhillz international and looking for job as a salesman in Oman.

Contact: 94562777 Email: hammadakrami61@gmail.com Experience in managing and supervising a restaurant having computer, commercial, and marketing Skills looking for job in Oman. Contact :90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com Mechanical Engineering, Indian Male, 23, 6 months experience, done piping engineering course, on visit visa, seeks suitable job. Contact: 95427632, email:kausthubnarayan@gmail. com Egyptian dentist search about job 13years experience MOH No:10957.

Contact 91146961 Airfreight/logistics Manager, male 35, MBA, Indian, 5 years experience in Oman seeks job.

Contact 0091-9526166169 / 99630159, E mail - bijoabyjohns@yahoo.co.in

Indian male 23 undergraduate having experience in restaurant field and having computer and internet skills searching for suitable position in sales, data entry operator etc. Contact:90801420 Gmail:anwaar223969@gmail.com Indian male Accountant.

Completed MBA with 1 year experience, good working knowledge in Tally & Excel. Searching for suitable job. Email: jovin8910@gmail. com, Contact : 919715874548 , 918015907437 33 years, Indian Male MSC, MBAHR having 8 yrs exp. (HR / Payroll / Admin) with Oman valid DL seeking suitable opening in Human Resource, Payroll & Admin/ backend jobs. Contact:00968- 99322978 Indian male 23 years completed BE in electrical engineering Looking for suitable placement.

Contact:alamalsuhail@gmail.com, Contact:+968 9968 2689 Indian male 23 undergraduate having experience in restaurant field and having computer and internet skills searching for suitable position in sales, data entry operator etc. Contact:90801420 Gmail:anwaar223969@gmail.com Indian male Accountant. Completed MBA with 1 year experience, good working knowledge in Tally & Excel. Searching for suitable job. Email: jovin8910@gmail. com, Contact : 919715874548 , 918015907437

BS in Civil Engineering, experience: 8 Year (Road Projects), Omani license: 9 Years.

Contact: 97427701, Email: hassanrvc1989@gmail.com Indian male 33 yrs, MBA-HR with 10.6 yrs.exp. in Recruitment, Training, PMS, OD, Sites-HR and Omani nationals development,seeking a job, NOC avl. Contact 94179499 Email: saiprasad_18@yahoo.com Looking for a job as Sales man or any suitable job. Contact 94401228.

Indian male 23 undergraduate having experience in restaurant field and having computer and internet skills searching for suitable position in same field.

Contact:90801420 Gmail:anwaar223969@gmail.com 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified, Contact arn9895@gmail. com. Mob 00919895233155 Indian male looking for part time job. Preferred time from 8 am to 12.30 pm. Contact: 79062787 Indian Male,26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures Aware of int. Stds,B tech in Mech engg.

Contact-Mob-00917350860889 rahulkunnath23@gmail.com Indian male, 23 yrs, BE in Mechanical Engineering looking for suitable job. Contact : 91504101 mail: nickfaiz93@gmail.com

33 years, Indian Male MSC, MBAHR having 8 yrs exp. (HR / Payroll / Admin) with Oman valid DL seeking suitable opening in Human Resource, Payroll & Admin/ backend jobs. Contact:00968- 99322978

Indian Male, Accountant, 10 years Oman experienced having release letter presently in oman seeking for a suitable placement.

Contact : 99334770/ 997 43 709

Indian male 23 years completed BE in electrical engineering, looking for suitable placement.

Contact: alamalsuhail@gmail.com, Contact:+968 9968 2689

Indian male 21 (B.Com 2Years) having experience in Sales looking for suitable entry-level position.

Contact: 94562777, E-mail: Hammadakrami61@gmail.com

Indian male 26, Having 4 years of experience in Store Supervision & Store In charge looking for a suitable placement having N.O.C ready to join immediately.

Contact : 96671102, E-mail : parvez.mohammed16@gmail.com

Indian female 10 years as cook in Muscat, Oman . South Indian, Gujarati special food ,Looking for part time. Contact 95795971

Male, 23 years with M.Sc degree looking for office job.

Contact # 99757425 Indian male, age 23, B.E in Mechanical Engineering looking for suitable job. Contact : 91504101 mail: nickfaiz93@gmail.com Bangladeshi male 22 years, education: Pre - sea marine Engineer searching job in Oman. Cell: +8801715600971, e-mail:saifur6264@gmail.com An Indian senior mechanical engineer capable to start business or enhance existing business locally and internationally is interested to associate. Contact financially sound and decision makers only : 00968 9109 6940. kpopragmatic@gmail.com Indian, 22 yrs, looking for a job in Sales. NOC Available.

Contact: 90463953, Email: sayyan44@hotmail.com Indian male, 26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures, Aware of int. Standards, B tech in Mech engg. Contactrahulkunnath23@gmail.com, Mob 0091 7350860889 Mechanical/Production Engineer, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified.

Contact 0091 9895233155, arn9895@gmail.com

Fire & Safety Officer, 22 Years old, Indian expatriate seeking for a suitable placement. 2 years of experience. Ready for immediate joining. Contact : +968-97682273, Email: maniavbah555@gmail.com MECHANICAL ENGINEER ( B.E.,)Indian male, 7 Years of experience in thermal power plant, Pump station and utilities piping Erection & commissioning. Contact: madhavansakthi@gmail.com, Cell No: +968 98208500 Indian male: 24 years, diploma in computer science and B.E (CSE) having experience in hardware and networking seeking for the suitable job. Contact: 91170912, Email id: sales2@witoman.com Pakistani male looking for House boy and cleaning work.

GSM:96710189 Indian male, 25 years, diploma in computer science and B.E(CSE) having experience in hardware and networking seeking for the suitable job. Contact: 93879828, Email id: santoshannathurai@gmail.com Indian male BBA Graduate, looking for any suitable post.

Contact: 97691779 6 years experience in Admin, Accounts & Marketing B.com Qualification NOC & D.L is available. 98895739 Mechanical Engineer (B.E), Indian, 21 yrs, Fresher, Looking for suitable job in the field, Contact- 92291955 / vishusav@hotmail.com

Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. exp. in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures. Contact 00974 66772193 Mail;snu057@gmail.com.

Indian/male (26) / MBA/2 years experience in Procurement, Coordination and distribution management, with valid Oman license available for immediate joining.

Contact: 92536194 email:suhailbs@gmail.com

B.E(Mechanical) 12years industrial sales one year Muscat experience, presently in India , Immediately ready to join ,Mobile no :917338899372 , email id : ganesh2008sep@gmail.com

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

Indian male, 11 years exp. in accounting, knowledge in tally also. looking for a part time job.

Contact . 98983122

Airfreight/logistics Manager, male 35, MBA, Indian, 5 years experience in Oman seeks job. Contact0091-9526166169 / 99630159 , e mail - bijoabyjohns@yahoo.co.in

Electronics Technician , 4 Years experience as Electronics service engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items. Looking for suitable placement.

GSM- 99105043

Indian male 25, Graduate in commerce (B.com) having 2 years of experience in purchase (supply chain management) looking for a suitable placement presently on a visit visa.# 97939084 / 97351786, mail: mohammednsr126@gmail. com

Internal Auditor/Accountant : BCOM /CA INTER having 7 years experience under Chartered Accountant in India and 10 years as internal auditor/ Accounts manager in Oman , well versed with Tally and MS office , seeks suitable placement.

Contact : 93214484/91358384

1.5 years experienced, 6 months in Oman, electrical engineer/project engineer, experience in sub-station, MV, LV systems. power and oil & gas projects. NOC available. Contact : 94669679 mail:prsabarish@ gmail.com Mechanical Engineer (B.E), Indian, 21 yrs, Fresher, Looking for suitable job in the field, Contact- 92291955 / vishusav@hotmail.com Electrical Engineer (DEE), Having 17 year Experience (14 year in Gulf), Experts in Estimation, Design, Planning and construction activities of MEP work seek Similar Placement with D/L & NOC Available. Contact: 97007489 4 years experience in IT Executive .i come on a visit visa seeking placement contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com whatapp 00923142195074 Indian Female, 28 Yrs, M.Sc Comp Science having 3 years experience as a Lecturer/Teacher/IT Support with excellent computer skills, on family visa looking for suitable position. Pls Contact 92857417.

MBA with 18 years of experience in Procurement, 2 years in Sohar, Oman driving license, looking for suitable position.M:92507430, ahmed16071974@gmail.com, NOC available

28 years, Indian (Kerala )lady seeking job as a primary teacher . Qualifications : +2 , TTC and Graduation in Sociology. She has 4 years experience in the Teaching field. Contact +968 94743882

Indian/male(26)/MBA/2 years experience in procurement, coordination and distribution management, with valid oman license available for immediate joining. #92536194 email:suhailbs@gmail.com

Indian senior Mechanical Engineer experienced in EPC projects in crushing, construction chemical, concrete products etc. # 9109 6940 E: kpopragmatic@gmail.com

Experienced Restaurant Manager/ supervisor, direct sales searching for suitable position Indian male 23 Diploma in Automobile engineering. Contact: 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job. Available to join respective firm. Contact # 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures Mail; snu057@gmail.com, Ph-00974 66772193

Indian male, 26 years, 3 years’ experience in projects of tanks, boilers and steel structures, aware of int. standards, b tech in Mech engg. contactrahulkunnath23@gmail.com, mob-00917350860889

Indian 30 years, Autocad Draftsman 10 years experience in India.

2 years Oman experience in MEP Drawings and QS Estimation.

Contact: 9353 1192, 9086 4988

B.E Engineer Indian male with total 7+ years experience in the field of telecom projects, operations and sales, 3 years experience in Oman, with license and NOC seeks suitable placement. GSM- 92961033 E MAIL -joalappa77@gmail.com

Indian male 25, Graduate in Civil Engineering (B.E) having 3 years of experience in Site Execution & Quantity Surveyor looking for a suitable placement having Visa Release & Valid Driving License Contact : 96240153 / 97490311, E-mail : mdmosin33@gmail.com

MECHANICAL/PRODUCTION ENGINEER, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified, Contact- arn9895@gmail.com Mob 00919895233155

BE Electronic & Telecom Eng. 2yrs Exp in telecom copper and fibre cables, able to do project sales & support. Project installation & Commissioning, Exp in telecom related civil job. Contact 97423932, Email: mzeeshanshaikh89@gmail.com

MECHANICAL ENGINEER, Indian Male,26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures, Aware of int.

Standards,B tech in Mech engg.

Contact-rahulkunnath23@gmail. com, Mob-00917350860889

Indian male 23 diploma in automobile engineering have experience in handling accounts and good marketing skill searching for new suitable job.

Contact: 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact number# 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact # 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

23 Male Indian 3 year experience in restaurant manager & accountant job & marketing experience looking for suitable job. Contact:90801420 , WhatsApp no :+917411062397, E-mail: anwaar223969@gmail.com

Senior sales/marketing executive.

Experience in trading industries and thorough knowledge of Oman market. Driving license and NOC available, seeks senior position.

Contact: 98487311

TEKLA & AutoCAD.5 years Oman experience in project execution and detail drawing of Steel structures, site and shop erected tanks. Diploma in mech.Engg. Mob: 98486585 sinoshcs@gmail.com.

Chief Accountant , 7 years experienced ( 25 years experience in accounts) worked with reputed group companies , handling accounts, auditing, tax work, budgeting & banking facilities , seeks openings Contact 98803439 / 97413784

4 years experience in IT Executive and also ticketing staff, seeking placement Contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com

Indian male 37years btech civil engineer,13years oman experiense in buildings and infrastructure(steel) having d/l and noc is now in oman on visit visa,ready to join immediately.

Contact : 93641216 , EMAIL: shalabha02@yahoo.com Indian male Post graduate Dentist with 18 plus years experience with MOH Oman. Fluent in Arabic too.

Contact : 96689064/ amal_sam48@hotmail.com Indian male B.Tech, DCE Civil Engineer 14 years Gulf experience.

Contact 97045409 Male Indian current job : call center job, B.E (ECE) searching for suitable job, email: amirraj11691@gmail.com. mobile: +919677642346 / +918428617572 Indian/male (25)/ MBA/3 years experience in administration, sales and marketing with driving license. Fluent in English, Hindi, Arabic. Contact 97291114, MAIL: jawadazeez123@gmail.com Senior sales/marketing executive.

Experience in trading industries and thorough knowledge of Oman market. Driving licence and NOC available. Seeks senior position.

Pls contact: 98487311 Indian male 23 yrs, Diploma in Automobile Engineering have experience in handling accounts and good marketing skill searching for new suitable job.

Contact 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com B.Com Pakistani, 6 years experience of marketing NOC and D.L is available 0096898895739

Indian Male 23 Photographer searching for suitable job. #90801420 WhatsApp: +917411062397 for my sample shots, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com 4 years experience in IT Executive and also ticketing staff, seeking placement contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com INDIAN FEMALE 28 yrs, M.Sc B.ed Science, Experience 2Years In Teaching In India, seeking suitable Job. Contact 0091 9676814123, Email;bbroshini53@gmail.com Indian male 32 years (MBA) Having 7 years experience in Oman, Seeking for Business Development/ Business Support job, having Valid Oman Driving License.

Mobile No : 00968 98403599 Indian male 25, Graduate in commerce (B.com) having 2 years of experience in Accounts looking for a suitable placement presently on a visit visa. Contact : 97939084 / 97351786 E-mail : mohammednsr126@gmail.com B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact # 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439 Indian Male 23, BE. Mechanical Engineer currently on visit visa Seeking for suitable Job. Software Proficiency AUTOCAD, CATIA, ANSYS, SOLIDWORKS. Contact No: 90924672 / 98859557, tsprakash01@gmail.com

Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer seek suitable placement. Contact : 99514286 email: azimmohd@yahoo.co.in Indian Male 30 Yrs with 4 years Oman experience in Mechanical & QA QC and Construction Projects.

Valid Oman Driving License and NOC has available. Looking for suitable placement. Contact: +968 97358342, +968-93992560.

Email : Kuldeepbina@yahoo.com Female, 25yrs old with 4 yrs experience in admin, HR and Secretary position looking for a job.

Contact neslinmoras@gmail.com 99265759.

Indian Female 23 Years, B.Sc Nursing , Seeking for Nursing Jobs , Good Communication Skill Contact 96723359, 97470727 E-mail : anaswara271@gmail.com Indian male 23 Diploma in Automobile engineering Experienced restaurant manager/supervisor and Marketing knowledge searching for suitable position in your company currently on a visit visa.

Contact: 90801420, Email:anwaar223969@gmail.com Graduate (C.M.A & B.Com) having 4 yrs experience in U.A.E & Pakistan in accounts/ Audit now in Oman immediate available.

Cell # 94973273 (call & Whatsaap) Pakistani Male having 7 years Experience Valid Omani Driving license working as a Transport Manager looking for a suitable position. Salary is negotiable.

Email: mohdnaveed043@gmail.com, Mob: +96893363316 / 94202746 Indian Female, 28 Years - MSc Microbiology, Quality checking food industry, Looking for suitable job. Contact 98170510 Email: lasyapriyaprasanth@gmail.com Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures. Ph-00974 66772193, Mail: snu057@gmail.com IT professional, BE. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in it, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in it/network/server support/ retail sales. Contact 91496939.

Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects, Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures. Ph-00974 66772193 Mail;snu057@gmail.com Looking for Land surveyor job 5 years experience in Oman fully know autocad GPS and latest total station instruments NOC available:+96894144052 wasifnaz313@Yahoo.com B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact number# 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com Search job as light driver, experience 3 years language Hindi, English, Arabic. Contact: 97941771

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver.

Contact 99839898

DRIVING

SIT.WANTED Indian male 25, Graduate in commerce (B.com) having 4 years of experience in Office Administration (admin) looking for a suitable placement presently on a visit visa. Contact : 97939084 / 97351786, E-mail : mohammednsr126@gmail.com Indian male Accountant.

Completed MBA with 1 year experience, good working knowledge in Tally & Excel. Searching for suitable job. Contact : 919715874548 , 918015907437, Email : jovin8910@gmail.com Well-qualified Indian Female with 8 years Oman experience in Procurement Supply Chain from reputed Companies in Oman seeks placement, Contact – 95423692 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified. Contact arn9895@gmail. com, Mob 00919895233155 B. Tech Comp Science 3+ yrs, looking for administration or IT / Management or other profile with flexible timings. Contact 95761562

SIT.WANTED MECHANICAL/PRODUCTION ENGINEER, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified, Contact arn9895@gmail.com, Mob 00919895233155 B.E Mining Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience looking for job. Available to join respective firm.

Contact 94618504 3 years experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified.

Contact 00919895233155 Email: arn9895@gmail.com Filipina, 33yrs old, with Bachelors Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, with experience as Senior Housekeeping Supervisor in famous hotels and resorts looking for suitable job in Muscat. Please contact 97943735/96489798.

Electrical Engineer, Indian male 4 years of experience in India / Oman. NOC available Looking for job in electrical field, Having good academic records and good communication skill.

GSM: 94579857 Email: zahirpb@gmail.com Driver with car available.

Contact : 90139903 MBA in HR & Finance with 2 years experience in HR seeking for a suitable post, presently in family joining visa. Contact : 9058 7631 Indian Male, 26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures Aware of int. Standards, B tech in Mech engg. Contact- 00917350860889 rahulkunnath23@gmail.com Iraqi Civil Engineer 25 years experience in governments building and construction projects resident in Oman. speak And write English Contact: 98930502.

Email: aminaloraiby@gmail.com

D7

D8

T U E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 6 , 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 TOURS

We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman.

Contact 99839898

SITUATION WANTED COMPUTER/WEB./ EDU./CLASSES

SITUATION WANTED COMPUTER/WEB./ EDU./CLASSES Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English class for Malayalam Speakers

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

Karate and self defense classes at Azaiba 18 Nov Street.

RO 10 per month twice a week Monday and Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM. Contact: 98294551

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES SITUATION WANTFOR LADIES

MANPOWER

RENAISSANCE CATERING & SERVICES LLC PEST CONTROL Control of cockroaches, bedbugs,ants etc..

Odourless and harmless Trained and experienced staffs Quality service in reasonable charge we use quality products approved by Oman Govt. we undertake yearly contracts for commercial & residential bldgs

CALL: 99040032

WE SERVE OMAN

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080 Split unit & widow unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 95323517 / 93769089

Split unit & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance.

Contact: 96236476 GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

Cleaning services sofa, carpet shampoo old house or new house.

Contact: 92179395

House shifting & transportation.

Contact 92490422

Marble crystallization & grinding, cleaning & carpet shampoo. Ocean center LLC. Contact: 99344723

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble.

Contact 24793614/ 99314807 Marble crystallization & grinding, Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 We do maintenance work like décor ceiling, painting work, pest control. Contact 92373113

Building foreman, Experience : More than 20 years with 12 years in Saudi Arabia 4 years in Oman and 4 years in Pakistan with D/L. Contact : 968 94153911, Email : iqbalsaleem10777@gmail.com

SERVICES We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

Marble polishing & crystallization, building cleaning floor, floor polishing, carpet, sofa shampooing, pest control, anti termite, shifting maintenance.

Contact: 99504275 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

SIT.WANTED

Electrical Foreman, 25 years’ experience, Indian male currently in Oman looking for suitable position.

Gsm – 96718013, Email : manikandan1196@gmail.com

Pest control & Building cleaning all kinds of pest control building. Cleaning tiles / Marble polishing monthly/ Yearly contracts available.

Contact: 98814733 /98814740 Al Husn Cleaning L.L.C Pest Control treatments. Ocean center LLC. Contact: 99344723

Indian male 6 years exp as Sales Executive with valid Oman driving license, languages known Hindi and English, looking for any good job. Contact 95642297 Diploma in Civil Engineering, B. Tech in Civil engineering from Kurukshetra university, persuing M. Tech Structural Engineering distance mode from Kurukshetra University, more than 07 years experience.

Contact+96891431483 mohsinyousuf86@rediffmail.com