Times of Oman - October 6, 2016

THURSDAY October 6, 2016 4 Muharram 1438 AH

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN MORNING MINUTE

On the occasion of the 4th National Day, 1974

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ We fully realise that our work is bound by the targets we aim at. The success we see today in the sectors of both our local and international policies, is the true reflection of the efforts of our people, the sacredness of our soil and the respect and understanding of the world towards us and our aims.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 187 | 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

MEDICS GAVE HER A 10% CHANCE-SHE GRABBED IT

CABLE

His Majesty greets Egypt president MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt on the occasion of October 6th Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes of good health and happiness to President El Sisi and the Egyptian people further progress and welfare. -ONA PA R T N E R S H I P

VOX Cinemas to manage City Cinema

Surrounded by toys and recuperating in the hospital, Ghazal’s wounds are cleaned

RAHUL DAS

rahuldas@timesofoman.com

daily for four hours to

MUSCAT: VOX Cinemas has partnered with the Jawad Sultan family to manage nine City Cinema operations in Oman, a spokesperson for VOX Cinemas said.

In an e-mail to the Times of Oman, a spokesperson for VOX Cinemas said: “In September 2016, Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas (VOX) partnered with the Sultan family’s City Cinema chain in Oman to manage the operations of nine of its cinema complexes.”

The nine cinema complexes owned by City Cinema are situated in Ruwi, Shatti, the Muscat Grand Mall, the Azaiba Mall, the Panorama Mall, Sur, Sohar, Buraimi and Salalah.

Confirming this, P Chandrasekr, group general manager, Jawad Sultan Group of Companies, said City Cinema is now being managed and operated by VOX cinemas. >A6

cut infection chances but that doesn’t stop her from smiling

FAHAD AL GHADANI

fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Smiling for her daddy, Little Ghazal Suleiman poses for a photograph her family – and doctors – never thought they’d see.

Just a few days after medics told her father she had a 10 per cent chance of surviving 70 per cent burns from a car fire, Ghazal is breathing, eating and smiling all on her own.

Ghazal and her brother Suleiman were pulled from their burning family car at a Sur filling station on August 24 after their father had gone to buy groceries. Tragically, it was their father’s lighter OMR6 MILLION PROJECT

Two held for alcoholic drinks smuggling

1

MUSCAT: A section of the IbriYanqul dual carriageway project has been opened, the Ministry of Transport and Communications said.

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OMAN

Two suspects were arrested while attempting to smuggle 35 cans of alcoholic drinks. >A2

Times News Service

Rain falls in Rustaq, Buraimi and Yanqul

Equipment removed Her father revealed she is now out of immediate danger and medical equipment attached to her tiny frame for the past five weeks has now been removed.

She is even eating a little. As recently as seven days ago, her father Mohammed wrote a letter to hospital doctors begging them to do all they could and Ghazal’s future looked bleak.

The doctors in-charge of her care had told him she had just a 10 per cent shot at surviving, given her tender years and the 70 per cent burns covering her body.

“She is much better and she’s able to eat now, albeit a little, at least something is entering her stomach. All the support machines have been removed, only the ones for monitoring are still on,” said her father. >A6 TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

Ministry opens a section of Ibri-Yanqul dual carriageway

Qarn Kabsh roundabout Officials from the Roads Department at the ministry stated that the total cost of the project has touched about OMR6 million.

The project includes 125 lighting poles, as well flood water drainage from the Qarn Kabsh roundabout to the roundabout linking the AlAreedh region.

They also stated that the road has been built keeping in mind the future growth of traffic in the governorate. The project will link a number of areas and villages in the governorate of Dahirah.

that sparked the flames inside the vehicle. Ever since, the family has maintained a bedside vigil. Her three-year-old brother Suleiman was released from hospital two weeks ago and is recovering at home. Ghazal, however, still has a mountain to climb.

Her open wounds are cleaned for four hours every day and the smallest microbe could still take her young life, but that doesn’t stop Ghazal smiling from ear to ear in her hospital bed, surrounded by new toys.

OMAN

‘Child abuse cases not region specific’

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Child abuse cases are not region specific in Oman, a top health official says. >A3

INAUGURATED: The road has been built keeping in mind the future growth of traffic in the Dahirah governorate. – ONA

The project includes two asphalt lanes on each side with a width of 3.75 metres, with a 2.5 metre wide asphalt external shoulder and a 1.5 metre internal shoulder.

Currently, the ministry is working on the second phase of the Ibri-Yanqul dual carriageway, which is estimated to cost a total of OMR42,154,831 for a total length of 34 kilometres.

MARKET

Omani firms poised to post growth in profit

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Big Omani firms expected to post a growth in net earnings and revenue.>B1

CUP OF TREE

Omani students design environment-friendly coffee, tea cups HASSAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: If you love the environment and having coffee or tea, then this product might be your “cup of tree.”

A group of Omani students have good news for coffeeholics as they have introduced a paper cup that can be planted in the soil and can grow to produce arugula and radish.

The environment-friendly product called ‘Naf’ has proved to be a hit amongst companies in the Sultanate as students have received orders for 11,000 cups, according to Hala Al Rashdi, a member of a student-run company.

“We are planning to earn prof-

INSTANT HIT: The paper cup can be planted in the soil to grow arugula and radish.

it by charging firms for placing their advertisements on the cups’ sleeve, while we distribute them at local coffee shops,” she explained.

A designer and 14 students from the Sultan Qaboos University have

started their ambitious project last April, and are planning to go commercial soon.

The group consists of six boys and eight girls from the colleges of Agriculture, Engineering, Com-

merce and Science. The steps on how to plant the cup will be printed on the sleeves.

Each cup will include seeds in its base and only needs to be buried slightly beneath the ground

and should be watered daily for it to grow into a plant.

Al Rashdi explained that the project will contribute to making Oman greener by increasing the number of people who plant trees.

“We have a considerable number of people who are fans of coffee/tea,” Al Rashdi said, adding that these cups might help develop a new habit.

“People will see how amazing it is to see your plant growing,” she said. Al Rashdi explained that the company’s main objective is to raise awareness about environment and to make Oman greener.

The team is currently reaching out to customers through social media and personal marketing.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

OMAN

Innovation Park Muscat signs research and development deal HONOURED: Speaking at the press conference, Abdul Baqi Ali Al Khabouri, director of the Science Park Department, briefed everyone present about the potential of Oman and the strategy to develop the park. – ONA

At the 3rd Annual Research Forum the signing of the partnership with the Enhanced Oil Recovery LLC took place

SYED HAITHAM HASAN

Haitham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Innovation Park Muscat (IPM), the future breeding ground for research and development in the country has signed a deal with Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) LLC to help incubate it.

The meeting was headed by Chairman of the Research Council His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan.

The signing took place at the 3rd Annual Research Forum organised

by The Research Council (TRC) and was attended by officials from EOR LLC, IPM and TRC. The signing would be the first of many as Innovation Park Muscat plans to become a hub for Research and Development (R&D) in Oman.

Speaking at the press conference, Abdul Baqi Ali Al Khabouri,

director of the Science Park Department, briefed everyone present about the potential of Oman and the strategy to develop the park.

“This is our first agreement with a company and we are already in touch with many others, with the next signing coming up by the year-end.

“The Innovation Park will be constructed in three phases and the first phase, which will be completed by next year, will have an incubation centre, fabrication workshop and social and R&D centres.”

Al Khabouri also mentioned that due to Oman’s strategic location, political stability and national talent, foreign companies would be very interested in developing R&D centres’ in Oman. TRC is planning

to make the park a free zone to create a more attractive area for foreign investors, he noted.

Meanwhile, IPM intends to focus on four key sectors that are significant for the development of the Omani economy: an energy-special focus on EOR and renewable sources, food and biotechnology, water and environment, and health. It will also provide incubation space for Omani SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and start-ups, give freehold land for lease to international MNCs and hold a comprehensive R&D workshop as part of its facilities.

Winners for the first Falling Walls Lab competition in Oman were also awarded at the event.

Out of the 128 entries received, only 17 qualified for the finals.

Hafsa Al Ansari, a final year software engineering student, bagged the first place for “Breaking the Wall with High Sky Services,” a groundbreaking way of communication between passengers and cabin crew.

“She will also be going to Berlin to attend the Falling Walls Lab conference.

“The second place was secured

by Dr Jayachandran Prabhakaran for his “Breaking the Wall of Fatality Due to Wound Infection” project, while Warda Al Saidi took the third place with for a proposal called, “Breaking the Wall of Wise Wallet.”

Al Ansari expressed her happiness and said she was delighted to have won the top prize.

ROAD TO SUCCESS: The event was organised under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan, and Chairman of TRC Board. — ONA

Nine research projects win Oman’s national award MUSCAT: Nine research projects were selected for the National Research Award at the third Annual Research Forum of the The Research Council on Wednesday.

The event was organised under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan, and Chairman of TRC Board.

The forum honoured six student research works.

Sayyid Shihab, said in a statement, “We honour at this event a group of Omani and non-Omani researchers and all of these research projects will be supported and funded

by TRC. The Council has long-term programmes to be activated in various sectors”.

Major gathering The annual event is considered one of the major scientific gatherings in the Sultanate. It aims to spread culture of scientific research in the

Sultanate and to encourage researchers to highlight their research activities in various fields, stipulated by the National Research Strategy, which is among TRC priorities.

At the beginning of the Forum. Dr Saif bin Abdullah Al Hadabi, TRC Assistant Secretary-General for Programmes and Research gave a presentation on the major research programmes in the Sultanate and their achievements in promoting a culture of scientific research, building research capacity and excellence, knowledge transfer and establishing research links between researchers and academic and research institutions in the Sultanate.

Dr Obaid bin Mohammed Al Sa’eedi, Director of Programmes Department gave a brief presentation on the National Research Award, its objectives and achievements over the past years.

Human resources In the education and human resources sector, a research project entitled “The Level of Practice of the Arabic Language Teachers of their Roles in Instilling Values of Citizenship in their Students, from the Viewpoint of the Students Themselves in the Sultanate” won.

The team is led by Dr Raya bint Salim Al Manthriya, Assistant Professor at College of Education, majoring in Curriculum and Teaching Methodology of Arabic Language.

In the telecommunications and information systems sector, the award went to research project titled “Lateral Rapid Extraction Stage, Using Hilbert Signal Information” by the main researcher Munthir Qudaisat from the College of Applied Sciences in Sohar.

The forum included specialised sessions, parallel to the presentation and discussion of research outputs. — ONA

E D UC AT I O N

OTC to enhance hospitality training with top company Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Tourism College (OTC), the Sultanate’s only tourism college, recently signed an agreement with Lobster Ink, the world’s leading hospitality learning platform, for raising the college’s hospitality training profile to world-class standards.

The college has the distinction of being the first institution in the Sultanate to use the Lobster Ink platform to enhance training standards and outcomes. Training has already begun, and last week, approximately 20 hospitality faculty were inducted for using Lobster Ink for their students.

Knowledge Commenting on OTC’s association with Lobster Ink, Dr. Abdulkarim Al Mughairi, dean of OTC said, “Oman Tourism College is proud to be the first academic institution in Oman to offer a Lobster Ink platform as a means for enhancing the service standards and product knowledge of our students. We chose Lobster Ink as it meets the highest and latest industry standards and as the platform is constantly updated

to reflect new trends and standards.” Going into the specifics of the programme, Jaana Raisanen, director of Quality Professional and Vocational Studies at OTC, said: “Oman Tourism College’s goal is to integrate this videobased learning into the curriculum and to give students an innovative new international learning experience.

Benefit Subjects and modules that will benefit from Lobster Ink platform include Introduction to Culinary and Service Management, Food Production, Rooms Division, Hotel Operations, and Food–Hygiene and Safety Classes.”

“The programme is online and video-based, and keeps pace with the learning trends of the younger generation.

“Moreover, the training can be accessed from any device (PC, Tablet, or phone) with internet connectivity, and the students can continue to learn from home as well. The platform is sure to enhance the quality of learning at OTC.” As many as 25,000 hospitality companies around the world,

including major names, such as Hyatt, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Jumeirah International and more, are using Lobster Ink for their staff training.

Lobster Ink, an innovative education company specialising in the hospitality industry, has designed the learning platform for the creation and delivery of detailed, high-definition courses on international skills, international standards and product knowledge, using a powerful online learning and assessment environment to ensure ease of access and focused, measurable training outcomes.

According to Dean Salt, vice president, Sales Middle East, Lobster Ink, the company works with leading hospitality groups and establishments to create bespoke courses that capture the standards, culture and heritage of each specific brand, and facilitate the sharing, learning and assessment of these standards across the organisation.

The Lobster Ink hospitality education system today trains staff and management across 40 countries and 80 nationalities in different aspects of hospitality.

CRIME

Two arrested at Al Wajaja border, one in Musandam MUSCAT: Two suspects were arrested while attempting to smuggle 35 cans of alcoholic drinks at Al Wajaja border, Royal Oman Police reported.

Meanwhile, an Omani was arrested in Musandam on charges of trafficking and possessing drugs, Royal Oman Police (ROP) reported on Tuesday.

“The accused was found with 15 kilograms of hashish and more than 34,000 tablets of narcotics,” ROP said.

VIGILANCE: Royal Oman Police said the Omani caught on drug charges was referred to the public prosecutor for further investigation.— ONA

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‘Child abuse not linked to particular region’

TOURISM

The last day of the workshop will see talks delivered by speakers from the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) and the Ministry of Education (MoE).

“We involve other sectors because they play major roles in this matter, the ministries can clarify and explain what services they are providing.”

In order to further train healthcare professionals, trained doctors from the Royal Hospital, the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, and several representatives from MoSD and MoE also took part in conducting the workshop.

A three-day training session for medical HONOUR: The undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Maitha

bint Saif Al Mahrouqi, has also been listed in Forbes Middle East list of most influential Arab women in government.

professionals on

Maitha gets top honour from Arab Women Council

against children is

dealing with violence being organised by the Ministry of Health

DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Maitha bint Saif Al Mahrouqi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism, has won the Golden Shield of Excellence for the Tourism Sector from Arab Women Council, Oman Tourism has tweeted.

“Maitha Al Mahrouqi receives the Golden Shield of Excellence for the Tourism Sector @ArabWomenC award ceremony in the #UAE,” the tweet read.

Recently, the undersecretary was also listed in Forbes Middle East list of The Most Influential Arab Women in Government and The Most Influential Arab Women in Family Business in the MENA region.

The undersecretary had started her career in the airline industry with Emirates as reservation and ticketing, sales and holidays

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officer. She has worked at senior levels with different airlines and was also the country manager for Oman Air.

MUSCAT: Child abuse cases are not related to any geographical location in Oman, a top official from the Child Health Department at the Ministry of Health (MoH) said.

“You can’t say that the number of cases (of child abuse) are higher in Muscat than in other places; it’s not related to geography, but depends on the environment of children,” said Dr. Moza Nasser al Hatmi, head of the Child Health Department at MoH. “All forms of abuse exist, and they are reported in different proportions,” she added.

Oman’s MoH, represented by the Child and Women Health Department, is conducting a threeday training session for medical professionals on dealing with violence against children.

The objective of the three-day workshop is to train and prepare representatives from the Child

You can’t say that the number of cases (of child abuse) are higher in Muscat than in other places; it’s not related to geography, but depends on the environment of children. All forms of abuse exist, and they are reported in different proportions Dr. Moza Nasser Al Hatmi Head of the Child Health Department at Ministry of Health

Health Committee and 33 doctors from different governorates, on ways in which they can deal with cases of violence, particularly against children.

“The workshop aims to give

healthcare providers the adequate knowledge on how to deal with cases of child abuse, how to detect and report such cases, and how to report them to the concerned authorities,” Al Hatmi added.

Several topics More than 60 attendees are being mentored on several topics related to child abuse—ways in which to identify the abuse cases, co-factors of abuse in different age groups, types and diagnosis for abuse, dealing with special needs children, reporting abuse cases and providing therapy services.

An important point of discussion is also primary and secondary abuse prevention, as well as rehabilitation services for victims.

The workshop is being jointly conducted by MoH and UNICEF (United Nations’ Children’s Fund).

“It is a continuous training; it started last year with a national workshop, and now we have brought them (healthcare professionals) together again to strengthen their abilities and this time they are the ones conducting the workshops, so that they can later go to their respective governorates and impart this knowledge,” Al Hatmi explained.

6 0 C AT S R E S C U E D

Welfare group ‘Tiger by the Tail’ rescuing abandoned pets Staff Reporter

CONCERN FOR ANIMALS: Tiger by the Tail has Dr Peter N and Dr Ionoa P, two veterinary surgeons, actively involved in rescuing, neutering and releasing of cats and dogs.

M U S C AT T R I AT H L O N C LU B

120 participants to test their strength in Oman’s largest triathlon tomorrow KHADIJA ALZADJALI

The organisers of the event, Muscat Triathlon Club (MTC)’s first triathlon event in 2013 had 15 participants, but that number grew to 58 in 2014 at the Shangri-La, and to an estimated 120 participants today

khadija@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: More than 20 different nationalities will participate in the largest triathlon in Oman’s history. An estimated 120 participants will swim, run and cycle across 25km of Oman’s beautiful and diverse terrain this Friday.

The organisers of the event, Muscat Triathlon Club (MTC), have seen a steady growth of participants, both Omani and expatriates. The company’s first triathlon event in 2013 had 15 participants, but that number grew to 58 in 2014 at the Shangri-La, and to an estimated 120 participants today.

Lifestyle Mohamed Al Obaidi, founder of the Muscat Triathlon Club, said the activity is one of the fastest growing sports today.

“Triathlons are a lifestyle,” Obaidi said. “It requires a lot of discipline to play this sport and you have to live a certain way

GAINING POPULARITY: Mohamed Al Obaidi, founder of the Muscat Triathlon Club, said the activity is one of the fastest growing sports today.

in order to keep up.” The triathlon is split into two races, Sprint and Olympic. The Sprint races are shorter than the Olympic, and also have more participants.

The shorter race is still a 750m swim, plus a 20km cycle, ending with a 5km run. There are about 102 men, and 18 women Ali Al Tamimi, MTC Operations Man-

ager, believes that Oman has the perfect setting for triathlons, especially compared to other Gulf States.

“Oman is the best place to host such an event,” Ali Tamimi said.

“Our roads are not straight and flat, our oceans are better and we have mountains. It’s the perfect environment.” The triathlon starts on Friday at 3pm at the Millennium Resort in Mussanah.

MUSCAT: Sixty abandoned cats have been rescued in Muscat during the last nine months by an animal welfare group, which has successfully found homes for 25 of the abandoned animals.

“During the past few weeks, we rescued 12 abandoned cats from Muscat,” Jaison Mathai, an Indian expat, who founded the animal welfare group Tiger by the Tail, said.

“Expatriates who are leaving Oman due to poor economic conditions are simply abandoning cats and dogs. They don’t want to spend money to take their pets with them. The number of abandoned cats and dogs are going up and posing a challenge to us,” Mathai added.

Mathai and his group work to sterilise stray animals, rescue those that are sick, injured or abandoned and find new homes for those they have rescued.

“Some animals in shelters are saved from the streets and cruelty, while some are given up by their families. Countless others

never make it to shelters and suffer without someone to care for them. Spaying or neutering pets prevents animals from being born accidentally, and is the most effective and humane way to save animals’ lives,” Mathai added.

According to Mathai, finding a perfect home for these animals is a major issue.

“Many people enjoy owning pets, but do not know about the responsibilities that come with owning them.”

Asked why the group is not that much involved in rescuing dogs, Mathai said that majority of the residential apartments in Oman have a “no pet policy.”

“Cats will be silent and no expensive arrangements have to be made to take care of it. But for dogs, it is not that easy. Finding a shelter for a dog is quite hard. So we focus more on rescuing cats. There are good Omani families, who can afford to take care of half a dozen cats too.”

Nivya Carasto, Bindu Mohite, Nassara Ali, Namrata Balbir and Siami Zohra are the other active members of Tiger by the Tail.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

OMAN

Females excelling in higher education More female students graduated from

HIGHER EDUCATION STATISTICS

private institutions

Students accepted for the 2015/2016 Academic Year

25,469

Male

3,404

5,475

Female

10,530

during the 2014-2015

Graduates in 2014/2015 Academic Year

14,939

academic year, according to the Education

738 1,906

7,886

6,690 7,805 444

Council’s report Government institutions

57% TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Women are excelling in private higher education institutions as more of them graduated from private colleges and universities during the 2014-2015 academic year, according to the Education Council’s Higher Education Report.

During the 2014-2015 academic year, 45,029 female students were enrolled in private colleges

Private institutions Source: The World Through Expat Eyes (Survey Report 2016).

Internations

38% International scholarships

and universities, compared with 23,723 men.

Of the total, 5,475 females graduated during the last academic year, compared with 3,404 males

INFLUENCED BY SUFISM

5%

Graphics

graduating. However, according to data, only 211 females graduated from colleges and universities abroad, compared with 247 male graduates. Females also

formed the majority of the students accepted for enrolment for the 2015-2016 academic year in private universities and colleges at 7,805 versus 1,906 men.

However, government institutions accepted a slightly higher number of male than female students, registered at 7,886 male students, as opposed to 6,690 females last year. 1,182 students received international scholarships, which comprised of 738 male students and 444 females.

“The ministry is working towards forging agreements and understanding with private sector establishments and companies to offer scholarships to Omani students to continue their studies with higher education institutions,” the Education Council noted in its report.

“This is being done through cooperation and building international and cultural relationships by the Ministry of Higher Education with neighbouring countries and international universities and by way of signing agreements and memoranda of understanding.

“The Sultanate is also offering international scholarships for Bachelor degrees in a wide variety of colleges,” the council added.

M O H A M M E D B I N R A S H I D A L M A K T O U M AWA R D

Oman’s peace role to aid collaboration with peace award DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s role of a peacemaker in the region may lead to its collaboration with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for World Peace (MRAWP) in the near future.

“The Sultanate of Oman is one of the countries that calls for peace and security; its people cherish peace, coexistence and dialogue, so there is a lot of room for participation with Omani organisations in future initiatives so as to work together in order to establish world peace,” said Brigadier and Secretary General Ahmad Khalfan Al Mansouri, secretary general of the Awards.

“Of course, we are seeking a global idea that promotes peace partnerships and establishes world peace.

“It is possible that there will be initiatives in the Gulf region, where we had made a contribution in Bahrain through the pulpits of peace,” he added.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for World Peace was established by Decree 19 of 2011, to accurately and fairly high-

light Islam’s teachings of peace, as a doctrine that promotes harmony, tolerance and moderation. The award also aims to build bridges of cooperation between diverse cultures, thereby fortifying international relations. It endeavours to recognise individuals and organisations that make outstanding contributions to peace and humanitarian pursuits. .

According to Al Mansouri, the idea of the award came after the Dubai International Peace Conference in 2010 held under the theme of “Historical Document Dubai,” where the statement included the allocation of an annual award offered to those who have made a distinctive contribution to the cause of peace through interaction among civilisations and peoples.

“The award is directly linked with the man of peace Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may God protect him.

“The main objective of the award is to highlight the tolerance of Islam and moderation, substance and fairness and civilised speech and acceptance of others, and to elevate Dubai’s and the United Arab Emirates’ status and exposure worldwide.”

W E AT H E R

Artist launches book tracing his journey and life experiences

UNIQUE EXPRESSIONS: The book, ‘Gailani-An Artistic Journey’ includes 60 of Gailani’s best paintings, which have been given suitable captions to bring out the emotion, struggle and conflicts that the artist underwent while sketching them.

DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Ibrahim Gailani, a popular artist and a resident of Oman, recently launched his book entitled, “Gailani-An Artistic Journey,” on his art experiences so far.

The book, which is divided into six sections, includes 60 of Gailani’s best paintings, which have been given suitable captions to bring out the emotion, struggle and conflicts that the artist underwent while sketching them.

Influenced by Sufism and works of the famous Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, most of Gailani’s art pieces reflect the different moods and phases of his life.

“This book really came out of this desire to tell my story; I wanted to talk about how art transformed my life. So over the past four years, and that’s how long this book has been in the making, I pieced together my earlier works to my most recent ones and each would narrate an aspect of my journey and my life.”

Element of mystery “So this is really something for readers to discover, it’s something which unfolds, it’s not a straight piece, there is an element of mystery that you continue to

decipher as you go on.”

“The first part in the book is the stories, the paintings, the influences and the next part is about the work that I have done in the retreat for others through art and healing. After that it’s about the events I have curated and organised and finally the newspaper articles and success stories.”

According to Gailani, Oman has helped him become an artist and allowed him to reach heights that he could not have imagined four years ago, and that’s why this book was launched in Oman.

“When I started four years ago, Gailani art was virtually unknown and what I wanted to show was that with consistent hard work, you can really achieve anything.

“I wanted to show it to students, who are maybe struggling or other artists, who want to know how one makes it, and from somebody, who has had relatively good success; this is a sort of illustration about where focus, determination and hard work can take you.”

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Rain falls in Rustaq, Buraimi, Yanqul Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Rain fell in Rustaq, Buraimi and Yanqul from morning until afternoon, a weather enthusiast said, quoting residents.

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

were overflowing in Buraimi and Rustaq.

“Many roads have been damaged due to overflowing wadis,” the weather enthusiast added.

Oman Meteorology Department had predicted rains on Wednesday and Thursday over Al Hajar Mountains and adjoining wilayats towards afternoon.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

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Global warming to affect species in Oman: Expert There has been pressure on the earth

Some of the impact is already visible, like there is water scarcity in the Al Batinah region because of the introduction of lots of new grasses

in the previous eras, which has increased very slowly, but in the last 200 years, the increase has been very fast, said the expert

Dr Badar Al Qamashoui Visiting faculty at Sultan Qaboos University

DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman, among other global nations, can suffer from a negative impact due to global warming, according to visiting faculty at the Sultan Qaboos University.

“Oman, among other countries, is subject to the climate change; it is a global concern and the problem is that there is an

impact of this climate change on biodiversity, which means impact on all organisms, plants or animals, sometimes insects and microorganisms,” said Dr Badar Al Qamashoui.

“The impact includes depletion of these resources, their numbers decrease and their genetic make-

up will also change, so there will be no adaptation to the change because climate change is occurring really fast now,” the expert stated.

“There has been pressure on the earth in the previous eras, which has increased very slowly, but in the last 200 years, the increase has been very fast and that’s why

I NA FA I R

ENTERTAINMENT: The event, named INAFair 2016, will commence at the Indonesian Ambassador’s residence with a fashion show dedicated to Tenun Ikat (woven clothes). – Supplied picture

Get real Indonesian experience at 3-day cultural extravaganza Times News Service MUSCAT: A three-day extravaganza, starting from today has been planned by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Muscat, to bring an authentic Indonesian experience to the people of Oman.

The event, named INAFair 2016, will commence at the Indonesian Ambassador’s residence with a fashion show dedicated to Tenun Ikat (woven clothes), a unique pattern of clothing, which originated in Nusa Tenggara Timur, a province in the eastern part of Indonesia. This event will be for special invitees only, according to a statement from the embassy.

The next programme, however, will be open to the public for free, as it will take place at the Rooftop Garden of Muscat Grand Mall (First Floor), which can be accessed easily from the central and south-wing elevators.

At INAFair, visitors can buy an assortment of Indonesian products, such as batik and woven clothes, jewellery, oud and other handicrafts, while tasting an array of Indonesian food, such as satay, fried rice, chicken noodles, meatball and pepes (food wrapped in banana leaves).

Guests will also be entertained by a variety of Indonesian shows.

Dances, songs, fashion shows, a children’s carnival and other performances from different regions

in Indonesia will be presented for this festival, thanks to support from the Indonesian diaspora in Oman, MedcoEnergi, Etihad Airways and British School Muscat, whose students will be presenting a special performance of Gamelan (Indonesian traditional instruments).

In addition, visitors will get a chance to win lucky draw prizes, which will be announced from time to time throughout the event.

Local businessmen can also explore prospects for partnerships with their Indonesian counterparts. A total of 16 entrepreneurs from Indonesia will be present at the venue, bringing opportunities in the sectors of food, clothing, oud and jewellery.

A5

the animals and the species do not have the time to adapt to the changes.”

The impact of global warming could also deplete medicinal herbs, which are used for making traditional medicines.

“This is an issue and there is also a problem of the species near the coasts, especially when you speak of cyclones, and cyclones are a phenomena of climate change, so if these cyclones happen, some of the species near the coasts will also disappear, because they stay on the surface of the water and with cyclones, they can be carried far away from land and maybe a lot of them will disappear because they cannot go back to the sea.”

“Not just that, but there is also a problem with the coral reefs as they can also be damaged because of cyclones, some species, such as small fish will also be affected by the cyclone. Strong cyclonic rains can also cause the top soil to wear off away causing soil erosion.”

“During the last year, very strong rains have fallen in a short time period, and this affects the soil and lots of seeds are taken away and cannot be planted or are dug deep in the soil in the way they cannot be grown.”

According to Dr. Qanashoui, certain steps need to be taken to avoid the depletion of resources.

“What we have to do, first of all we have to conserve our native species, especially in Oman or this area in general, because it’s one of the areas that has high temperatures, it’s a tropical country, where the animals and plant species have adapted to the environment for thousands of years. The people still keep the native species that are not high in productivity, but are withstanding temperature and humidity, so there are some secrets inside their genes and we have to know these secrets, or how else will they adapt to the high temperatures?”

Global warming also affects the normal food chain and water levels. “Some of the impact is already visible, like there is water scarcity in the Al Batinah region because of the introduction of lots of new grasses for agriculture and these types of grasses need lots of water; it’s also different from our native grass, so people try to get extra water from underground to water these plants and that’s why the water resources and levels have become very low, and now the Batinah region also has a problem of salinity.”

M I L I TA RY B E N E F I T S

Seminar on importance of railway MUSCAT: A seminar on the importance of railway was organised by the Command of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (COSAF) Al Shafaq Club yesterday.

Its theme was “The Railway and its Role in Development and Military Operations” under the auspices of Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications.

Present at the seminar were some SAF commanders, undersecretaries, senior officers at SAF, Royal Guard of Oman, the Royal Oman Police, other military and security officials.

The seminar included several working papers. The first paper dealt with taking advantage of the expertise in the Omani railway project and its contributions to the military side by Dr. Michael Modigell, Rector of German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech).

The second paper dealt with the strategic dimension and the future vision of the railway project presented by Badr bin Mohammed al Ghafri from the Supreme Council for Planning (SCP).

The third paper dealt with the railway and its role in the economic, social and environmental development. The paper was presented

by Mustafa bin Mohammed Al Hinai from Oman Rail. -ONA

A6

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

OMAN VOX CINEMAS

< FROM

A1 Innovative theatre concepts An understanding has been reached in this regard between the Jawad Sultan family and Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas, United Arab Emirates (UAE), he added.

The spokesperson for VOX Cinemas also said they will ensure that movie going experience across all cinemas in Oman is enhanced through the introduction of innovative theatre concepts, along with the latest cinematic technologies, new food and beverage offerings, a customer loyalty programme and an improved online ticketing platform to bring the best in entertainment experiences to Oman.

VOX Cinemas is owned by the UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim Group and entered the Omani market in 2014 when they opened VOX Cinemas in City Centre Muscat.

Following the launch of VOX Cinemas at City Centre Muscat, a seven-screen cinema was opened later at City Centre Qurum.

In September 2016, VOX Cinemas launched the first IMAX theatre in Oman at City Centre Qurum.

With around 26 cinema complexes, totalling 223 screens across the region, including 47 screens in Oman, 161 in UAE and 15 in Lebanon, VOX Cinemas is now the Middle East’s largest and most rapidly growing cinema exhibitor, according to VOX Cinemas.

Sanjour to lead Omani delegates at US meetings

CONSTRUCTION WORKS

MEETING: The Tender Board yesterday held its 8th meeting for 2016 under the chairmanship of Dr. Rasheed bin Al Safi Al Hraibi, its chairman. – ONA

The annual meetings of the World Bank

OMR11.5m worth tenders awarded

and International Monetary Fund will be held from October 7 to October 9 TOP BANKER: Hamoud bin Sanjour Al Zadjali, CBO Executive

President.

MUSCAT: The Sultanate, represented by the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) will take part in the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund(IMF), to be held from October 7 to October 9 in Washington.

The Sultanate’s delegation to the meetings will be represented

by Hamoud bin Sanjour Al Zadjali, CBO Executive President and Abdulsalam Mohammed Al Murshidi, CEO of State General Reserve Fund (SGRF), as well as

some officials at the Ministry of Finance and CBO. During the meetings a number of important topics, including studying the financial conditions of the World Bank and IMF and their affiliated institutions for the period ended on June 30, 2015.

According to IMF official website, the Annual and Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group each year bring

together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, private sector executives, civil society, and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, global financial stability, poverty eradication, jobs and growth, economic development, and aid effectiveness.

The US meetings are widely covered by the international media. -ONA

C O N D I T I O N S TA B L E

A1 ‘Ghazal is much < FROM

better now’

“The doctors now just visit her to see her status and monitor her situation, not as frequently as before since she is now stable. The doctors say we have to try and get her to eat normal food and force her to eat it because 50 per cent of the treatment is through food.

“The cleaning process takes time because most of her muscles are exposed. So the doctors take their time cleaning her and wrapping her up. The only fear is that the muscles get infected by microbes,” he added.

“PACDA said that the fire was caused by the children playing with the lighter and if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have a lighter in the car, and I advise all parents against leaving them in the car with children.”

“The doctors are patching her burns. It’s her third operation. They said there might be a fourth operation but we still don’t know.” Mohammed added: “Medics removed the oxygen device today and they informed us that she is now getting better and can breathe without the need of oxygen devices. She opened her eyes,” said the father.

“I was depressed after the doctors in the hospital informed me about my daughter’s critical condition. They said she has only 10 per cent chance to survive. I couldn’t do anything at that time but to pray for my daughter to

help my daughter walk out from the hospital. I wrote a letter to the hospital appreciating their tremendous efforts and asking them to do whatever it takes to save my little Ghazal.

In the letter, Mohammed wrote: “I do not want anything from you but your extended effort to save my children’s lives, especially Ghazal, that is suffering from severe burn. The doctors informed me that her status is critical and that she only has a 10 percent chance to survive.

“My dependence to God is great but I cannot hide the fact that I became depressed when the doctors told me about the situation and I write this letter while shedding tears of blood in fear for my children’s safety and asking God to heal them.”

“Ghazal proved to be the strongest girl in this world. She has been going through a tough time in the hospital including the long daily sessions of burns cleaning. Such sessions takes around four hours as medics are very careful while cleaning. 70 per cent of her body is without skin and there is a risk of blood infection which might in turn risk her life,” said her dad.“I and my family went through the hardest time in our lives. Our lesson is tough enough for other parents to avoid doing the same as I did,” he added.

MUSCAT: Projects worth OMR11,495,043 were awarded by the Tender Board yesterday at its 8th meeting for 2016 under the chairmanship of Dr. Rasheed bin Al Safi Al Hraibi, Chairman of Tender Board.

Maintenance of asphalt roads in the Governorate of North Al Batinah (OMR4,341,479).

Maintenance of asphalt roads in the Governorate of North A’Sharqiyah (OMR3,832,813).

Supplying technicians for the operation and maintenance of equipment at Sohar Hospital and the health units in Governorate of North Al Batinah (OMR680,695).

Renewal of the lease contract for the building of the Public Authority for Manpower Register (OMR338,200).

Renewal of the lease contract for the building of Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMR144,780).

Additional works of the tender for development of the system at the Secretariat General of Taxation (OMR125,575).

Additional works for the internal tender related to supply of lab items for the bacterial milieu of different health institutions under the Ministry of Health (OMR142,024).

Additional works for the internal tender related to supply of potable water for A’Rustaq Hospital in Governorate of South Al Batinah (OMR42,000).

Additional works for the inter-

nal tender related to the provision of consultancy services for the Ministry of Education headquarters at Airport Heights in Governorate of Muscat (OMR68,000).

Additional works for the internal tender related to operation of (underground assets) of the Public Authority of Electricity and Water in Governorate of Muscat (OMR224,262).

Additional works for the internal tender related to operation of (aboveground assets) of the Public Authority of Electricity and Water in Governorate of South Al Batinah (OMR85,114).

Additional works for the internal tender related to operation of (aboveground assets) of the Public Authority of Electricity and Water in Governorate of South Al Batinah (OMR63,836).

Additional works for the internal tender related to operation of (above ground assets) of the Public Authority of Electricity and Water in Governorate of Al Wusta (OMR325,722).

Additional works for the internal tender related to operation of (above ground assets) of the Public Authority of Electricity and Water in Governorate of A’Dhahirah (OMR923,888).

Additional works for the internal tender related to the design of auto aviation procedures for the landing and takeoff of planes in the Sultanate’s airports (OMR156,652). -ONA

JUSTICE MINISTERS MEETING

Extradition treaty discussed in Riyadh RIYADH: Several judicial topics, including GCC extradition treaty were discussed at the Justice Ministers meeting in Riyadh yesterday.

They also discussed the meeting of the committee of directors and heads of training, judicial and legal centres, as well as discussing the standards of combating human trafficking.

Sheikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah Al Khalili, Minister of Justice represented Oman at the 28th meeting of the GCC Justice Ministers. -ONA

Sheikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah Al Khalili, Minister of Justice. –ONA

THREE YEARS

SEND US YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS editor@timesofoman.com webeditor@timesofoman.com

Islamic body reappoints Dr. Amina RABAT: Dr. Amina bint Obaid Al Hajriyah has been reappointed as Assistant Director General of Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) for three years (2017-2019), starting from January 2017 at the end of the 37th session of the Executive Council.

Rabat The Council at its 34th session, which was held in Rabat in October 2013 had approved the appointment of Dr. Amina Al Hajriyah as Assistant DirectorGeneral for three years (20142016). It is the first time that a woman assumes such a high position in the Organisation and in recognition of the status of women and their abilities in the Islamic World.

The reappointment to this high office is a reflection of high confidence enjoyed by Oman and the high position it enjoys among the countries. -ONA

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

A7

REGION Abadi warns Turkey of ‘regional war’ over troops presence in Iraq The Turkish leadership’s behaviour is not acceptable and we don’t want to get into a military confrontation with Turkey, said Iraqi prime minister

BAGHDAD/ANKARA: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi has warned Turkey that it risks triggering a regional war by keeping troops in Iraq, as each summoned the other’s ambassador in a growing row.

Relations between the two regional powers are already broadly strained by the Syrian civil war and the rise of the IS militant group. Turkey’s parliament voted last week to extend its military

presence in Iraq for a further year to take on what it called “terrorist organisations” — a likely reference to Kurdish rebels as well as IS. Iraq’s parliament responded on Tuesday night by condemning the vote and calling for Turkey to pull its estimated 2,000 troops out of areas across northern Iraq.

“We have asked the Turkish side more than once not to intervene in Iraqi matters and I fear the Turkish adventure could turn into a re-

gional war,” Abadi warned in comments broadcast on state TV on Wednesday.

“The Turkish leadership’s behaviour is not acceptable and we don’t want to get into a military confrontation with Turkey.”

Turkey says its military is in Iraq at the invitation of Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish regional government, with which Ankara maintains solid ties. Most of the troops are at a base in Bashiqa, north of Mosul, where they are helping to train Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga and other fighters. Turkey’s deputy prime minister, Numan Kurtulmus, said the deployment had become necessary after IS’ seizure of Iraq’s second city, captured in 2014. “Neither Turkey’s presence in Bashiqa nor its operation right now in Syrian territory are aimed at occupying or interfering with the domestic affairs of these countries.”

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

Iraq’s central government in Baghdad says it never invited such a force and considers the Turkish troops occupiers.

Tensions between Iraq and Turkey have risen with expectations of an offensive by Iraq and US-backed forces to retake Mosul.

Turkey has said the campaign will send a wave of refugees over its border and, potentially, on to Europe. Ankara worries that Baghdad’s forces will destabilise Mosul’s population and worsen ethnic strife across the region, where there are also populations of Turkmens, ethnic kin of the Turks.

Turkey is also uncomfortable with the arrangement of Kurdish forces expected to take part in the offensive. In northern Syria, where Turkey is backing rebels fighting IS, Ankara has warned that Kurdish militias are “filling the vacuum” left by IS. Fearing that this will boost the Kurdish rebellion across R E TA L I AT I O N

Israeli jets attack Gaza after rocket hits Sderot

RESCUE: Syrian civil defence volunteers, known as the White Helmets, work around destroyed

buildings following reported air strikes on the rebel-held town of Douma on Wednesday. – AFP

Aleppo aid convoy hit by air strike, says UN expert GENEVA: Analysis of satellite imagery of a deadly attack on an aid convoy in Syria last month showed that it was an air strike, a UN expert said on Wednesday in remarks that were later toned down to say it was not a conclusive finding.

Some 20 people were killed in the attack on the UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy at Urem Al Kubra near the northern city of Aleppo that also destroyed 18 of 31 trucks, a warehouse and clinic. The United States blamed two Russian warplanes which it said were in the skies above the area at the time of the incident.

Moscow denies this and says the convoy caught fire.

“We had an image of that and could clearly see the damage there. With our analysis we determined it was an air strike and I think multiple other sources have said that as well,” Lars Bromley, research adviser at UNOSAT, told a news briefing.

“For air strikes, what you are RED SEA SHIPPING LANE

Houthi attack on ship an ‘act of terrorism’, says UAE DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Wednesday Yemeni Houthi forces had attacked a UAE vessel in a strategic Red Sea shipping lane off the coast of Yemen at the weekend and called the incident an “act of terrorism.”

The vessel, an Australian-built high speed logistics catamaran under lease to the United Arab Emirates military, was attacked

by Houthi fighters near the Bab Al Mandab strait off Yemen’s southern coast on Saturday. The coalition rescued its civilian passengers. No crew were hurt.

Implications “The targeting of the civilian ship in an international channel has serious implications for freedom of navigation, and is an act of terror,” the UAE foreign ministry said in a statement carried by state news agency WAM, without elaborating. — Reuters

usually looking out for is the size of the crater that is visible and the type of crater,” he said. A giant crater was caused “almost certainly (by) air dropped munitions” as opposed to artillery or mortars, he said.

UNOSAT manager Einar Bjorgo, who took part in the briefing, contacted Reuters hours later to say it was not possible to be 100 per cent. “There is significant damage, and we believe it may be air strikes, but it’s not conclusive,” he said. “Our observations of the imagery show indications of it possibly being an air strike. But it’s a very damaged area and we cannot definitely conclude that it’s an air strike.”

The United Nations has referred officially only to an “attack”, which led to a brief suspension of its convoys in Syria. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies initially referred to “air strikes” in a statement.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-

moon said on Friday he would establish an internal UN board of inquiry to investigate the attack and urged all parties to fully cooperate.

UNOSAT (UN Operational Satellite Applications Programme), which reviews only commercially available satellite images, has not been asked to share its analysis with the UN investigators, but is prepared to do so, Bjorgo said.

“Our images are from time to time used in order to brief Security Council members,” he said.

Bjorgo, speaking generally, said: “We are neutral. We don’t have a political agenda, we simply state the facts.”

UNOSAT has mapped Syria’s conflict since it began in 2011, using satellite imagery to assess population movements and damage to civilian infrastructure.

This enables UN agencies trying to deliver food and medical assistance to besieged areas to view roadblocks and checkpoints in real time. — Reuters

GAZA: Israeli aircraft attacked Palestinian fighters’ targets in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, wounding at least one person, witnesses said, after a rocket fired from the enclave hit an Israeli border town.

Israeli police said there were no casualties in the rocket strike on Sderot, but Israel has a declared policy of responding militarily to any attack from the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

Three Hamas training camps and a security complex were targeted in the air strikes and a passerby was hurt, witnesses said. An Israeli military spokeswoman had no immediate comment. A previously unknown group said in a statement posted on several websites that it carried out the Sderot attack in the name of “oppressed brothers and sisters” under Israeli occupation. — Reuters

the border in southeast Turkey, it has threatened to “cleanse” them.

Turkey announced late on Tuesday that it was summoning Iraq’s ambassador to complain about the parliamentary vote.

“We believe this decision does not reflect the views of the majority of Iraqi people, whom Turkey has stood by for years and attempted to support with all its resources,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said. “We find it noteworthy that the Iraqi parliament, which has not said anything about the accepted mandate for years, puts this on the agenda as though it were a new development in times when terror is taking so many lives in Turkey and Iraq.”

On Wednesday, Iraq summoned the Turkish ambassador to Baghdad to protest what it said were “provocative” comments from Ankara about the troop deployment.

Meanwhile, at least 20 tribal

fighters were killed in a airstrike south of Mosul in the early hours of Wednesday when they were mistaken for IS militants, Iraqi police said.

Whether the aircraft that carried out the attack belonged to the Iraqi air force or the US-led coalition could not be determined.

A spokesman for the coalition in Baghdad couldn’t confirm if it had planes in the air at the time of the attack, around 1am (2200 GMT Tuesday), near Qayyara, according to a local police and a tribal leader.

Qayyara is located 60 kilometres (about 40 miles) south of Mosul, Islamic State’s stronghold in northern Iraq. Iraqi forces dislodged the militants from the town in August with support from the coalition, which plans to use a nearby airfield as hub to support the offensive on Mosul that could start this month, according to local commanders. — Reuters

A8

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

INDIA P R E D AT O R G UA R D I A N D R O N E S

India tries to hasten US defence deals amid election uncertainty NEW DELHI: India is trying to hasten a deal with the United States to buy Predator drone aircraft for military surveillance, one of several defence and nuclear projects the two sides are pursuing in the final months of the Obama administration.

India’s request for 22 Predator Guardian drones made in June is in an advanced stage of negotiations. The two sides hope to make enough progress so only administrative tasks remain by the time President Barack Obama leaves office, government officials in New Delhi said.

“It is progressing well. The aim is to complete the main process in the next few months,” said one of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has built personal ties with President Barack Obama, whose signature foreign policy move has been a strategic pivot to Asia from the Middle East. The United States has dislodged Russia as the top arms supplier to India. New Delhi is also on the cusp of sealing a US nuclear reactor deal worth billions of dollars.

In return, Washington has given

New Delhi access to high-end military technology, such as a new system to launch planes off aircraft carriers, and leaned on other countries to give India membership in the Missile Technology Control Regime, which cleared the way for the sale of the unarmed Predator.

India’s military has also asked for the armed version of the Predator to help target suspected militant camps across the border but US export control laws prohibit such a transfer.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter, who visited India in April, is expected to make a final trip there towards the end of the year.

“The administration is eager to get as much done as is humanly possible. They believe the conditions and the personnel in both capitals are uniquely favourable at the moment, and are eager to consolidate and institutionalize the progress,” said Jeff Smith, director of Asia Security Programs at the American Foreign Policy Council.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy statements have raised questions in India and other Asian nations about a US pullback from Asia.

DELIBERATIONS: US President Barack Obama, right, meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the climate change summit in Paris, November 30, 2015. Modi has built personal ties with Obama, whose signature foreign policy move has been a strategic pivot to Asia from the Middle East. - Reuters file photo

Trump has said US allies, such as Japan and South Korea, should pay more towards their defence.

He told the New York Times in an interview in March he could withdraw US troops from bases in Japan, and raised the idea of letting Japan and South Korea develop their own nuclear arsenals. “It is a serious concern, and may lead to Chinese pre-eminence in Asia

far sooner than expected,” said Dhruva Jaishankar, a specialist on India-US ties at Brookings India.

But Trump adviser Walid Phares, an American scholar and expert on extremism and counter-terrorism, said India had no reason to worry.

“With India, there is the ongoing partnership against terror and both countries have suffered from terrorist attacks. One can only project

cooperation,” Phares said. Modi’s office set up a six-member research group in July to help identify ways to engage with Trump, an aide said. India’s diaspora in the United States, led by the Overseas Friends of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, has also opened a line to both presidential campaigns. The comfort level is much higher with the Democratic candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said a member of the Overseas Friends of BJP who is based in New Delhi.

Manoj Ladwa, a London-based political strategist who served as communications director for Modi’s 2014 campaign, said Trump had sent contradictory messages to India. “On the one hand, he says he values business relations with India, but then mimics Indian call centre workers, and disregards the competitiveness that a partnership with India could provide the US,” he said.

“His unpredictability is worrisome in a world that requires steady and mature statesmanship.”

The centrepiece of the military collaboration is the help the United States is giving India in developing its biggest aircraft car-

‘SAARC should ensure there is no cross-border terrorism’ Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said since we have looked at it in overall context, what I discussed with your government is how does SAARC move from here...And ensure that there was no cross-border terrorism in India or any country

NEW DELHI: Asserting a war was not an option between India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka on Wednesday said cross-border terrorism was a core issue on the table for SAARC and the members of eight-nation grouping have to discuss it and its impact before moving forward.

Interacting with media after talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on key regional and bilateral issues including security situation in the region, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also stressed that even if the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation(SAARC) falls apart, cross-border terrorism will not end so India has to see how to move forward in dealing with it.

WARM GREETINGS: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, shakes hands with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe during a photo opportunity at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, on Wednesday. - Reuters/Altaf Hussain

“Cross-border terrorism is on the table. SAARC has to look at it and discuss what has happened (cancellation of the SAARC meet).

How we are going to handle it...

SAARC has to decide on two issues — cross-border terrorism and areas in which we can work together.

Friction “If we don’t do it, there is no future for SAARC,” he said while noting that in last few years, nothing has moved in the grouping due to friction between India and Pakistan.

Asked about his reaction on the possibility of military escalation between India and Pakistan in view of the Uri attack, the Lankan PM said, “I don’t think war is an option for anyone” and observed that Modi has taken a lot of steps to diffuse the tension.

On why Sri Lanka was late in

its response on holding of SAARC meet in Islamabad and was not categoric in condemning crossborder terrorism like Bangladesh and Afghanistan, he said Afghanistan and Bangladesh had a problem of their own internal security which was not the case with Sri Lanka, but Colombo did say that the atmosphere was not conducive for the meet.

Emphasising that Sri Lanka has also been impacted by terrorism, Wickremesinghe said it takes a long time and efforts should be made to ensure that cross-border terrorism was stopped.

“Since we have looked at it in overall context, what I discussed with your government is how does SAARC move from here...And ensure that there was no crossborder terrorism in India or any country,” he said.

On whether SAARC can be salvaged if a member leaves the grouping, the Lankan PM said if any country leaves it, then it won’t be South Asia (association).

“The issues on the table have to be handled otherwise it (SAARC) will become non-functional. It is not an issue of someone leaving or joining. We have to address and find the solution acceptable to all,” he said.

He also said India thanked Sri Lanka for its position on the SAARC meet. On Lanka-China ties, he said the relationship with China is an economic one, not military and Chinese were involved in the infrastructure development projects in his country.

He also asserted that Sri Lanka had ensured that there was no free-hold land rights.

Noting that India is unique

and can make South Asia a better place, he said it was up to India whether it wants to do this or walk away. He further added that India was going through a crucial time and Sri Lanka will be there to work with it.

Asked if the emotive issue of fishermen was discussed during his meeting with Modi, he said the matter was deliberated upon and it was reiterated that there will be talks between ministers of foreign affairs and fishermen associations of the two countries.

Earlier, talking to the media, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said, “The safety and security of the region is also utmost importance to Sri Lanka and it was communicated to the Indian Prime Minister and also our commitment for regional cooperation which holds benefits for its people.”

He said, “Sri Lanka is concerned about the current environment in the region which has not been conducive to the convening of the 19th SAARC Summit.

It is our belief that meeting at the highest levels of government of eight nations of SAARC are essential to strengthen....(it).

“It is our hope that present predicament serves as an eye opener for the member states to rethink and reconsider the importance of addressing issues relating to peace and security that are essential for meaningful regional cooperation.”

He also talked about three key priorities of his government -strengthening democracy, reconciliation and development and noted that several steps have been taken in this regard.

Sri Lanka has enacted legislation for the right to information as well as for protection of victims and was now in the process of drafting a constitution that strengthens democratic process and ensures non-recurrence of conflicts, Samaraweera said. -PTI

rier. Washington has offered flight launch technology that is being inducted into its own carriers to fly heavier fighter planes off the deck, which could allow the Indian navy to leapfrog a generation of technology. In June, the United States reached agreement on exchanging confidential information on development of carriers with India - its only non-treaty ally with such an arrangement.

“They have already started helping us on our first indigenous carrier, in terms of certification, quality testing,” said the Indian government official. The challenge will be to sustain the momentum over the next decade.”

In August the Modi government signed a logistics agreement giving each country access to the other’s military bases, after 10 years of negotiations. Also on the table are two other defence agreements, one on securing communications and the other on sharing spatial data that Washington has been pushing for. Modi has shown he won’t hesitate to “reach down and choke someone,” to get things done, Smith at the American Foreign Policy Council said, quoting a Pentagon official. - PTI S T R AT E G I C PA R T N E R

Germany stands with India in fight against terrorism: Ney HYDERABAD: German Ambassador to India Martin Ney on Wednesday said that Germany will stand with India in its fight against terrorism.

Responding to a query on the recent surgical strikes by the Indian Army across LoC, he told reporters here, “There is a clear international norm that every state has the right to defend its territory from international terrorism.”

“Let me put it this way..it is absolutely clear that there are two norms in international law governing this issue (cross-border terrorism). The first clear norm is that every state under legal occupation should ensure that no terrorism is emanating from its territory.

“Secondly, there is a clear international law that any state has the right to defend its territory from any form of global terrorism,” Ney said.

Political declaration “When it comes to counter terrorism, Germany stands side by side with it its strategic partner (India).

And these (statements) are not empty words. It is quite clear in the political declaration signed by Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Merkel,” he said.

“I can assure you standing with India side by side against terrorism are not empty political words but backed with concrete projects,” Ney said.

Bilateral trade On the bilateral trade between India and Germany, the German envoy said his country was the sixth largest partner of India and the largest trading partner in European Union.

Ney was speaking at a function held here to appoint Cyient Ltd Founder and Executive Chairman and former NASSCOM Chairman BVR Mohan Reddy as the Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany. - PTI

UNDER CONSTRUCTION BUILDING

Two dead, three trapped in Bengaluru building crash BENGALURU: Two persons were buried and three others remained trapped under the rubble of an under-construction multi-storeyed residential building that crashed at Bellandur in the city’s south-eastern suburb, said an official.

“The fire brigade personnel pulled out two bodies, helped seven others to come out and rescue efforts are on to take out three persons, including a woman, trapped in the debris,” D.G.P. of Karnataka Emergency & Fire Brigade M.N. Reddi told reporters after visiting the site of the collapse.

One of the victims was a private security guard Ashok Mahanta of the adjacent building and the other one of the workers in the building.

Of the seven persons rescued so far, three have been admitted to

a nearby hospital. “The incident occurred around 1-2pm when the pillars and columns of the building on the floors above the ground level gave way under the weight of the construction material on the fifth and sixth floors, where the work was going on,” a fire brigade official, who was part of the rescue and relief team, said.

Police filed a complaint of negligence against the building owner and its engineer, though they were not present when the accident took place. A search to hunt then down is on.

“The building collapsed due to substandard materials used in the construction,” Bengaluru Mayor G. Padmavathi told reporters at the spot. Many of the workers and labourers engaged in the ill-fated

building construction are from Odisha and West Bengal.

In a related development, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Commissioner Manjunath Prasad suspended two engineers A.R. Raghavendra and Kodanda Reddy of the civic body for not preventing the land owner and the builder from violating the sanctioned plan.

“Although the Corporation approved the building plan for only ground plus three floors, the two ignored it and allowed the building to have two more floors illegally,” said Prasad.

About 50 personnel of the state fire brigade, the National Disaster Response Force and civil defence team were engaged in the rescue and relief operations. - IANS

LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS: Police and rescue workers look for survivors in the rubble at the site of a collapsed under construction building in Bengaluru, on Wednesday. - Reuters

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PAKISTAN

Pakistan’s prospects of 5% growth rate at risk: WB New World Bank report said a delay in the completion of CPEC projects, as evident from the first year’s performance, and an inability of the government to mobilise revenues and rationalise expenditures can affect investment and hurt economic growth

ISLAMABAD: Prospects of Pakistan’s economy growing at a decent pace of 5 per cent a year are at risk due to delays in the implementation of the $46-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, warns a new World Bank report released on Tuesday.

“A delay in the completion of CPEC projects, as evident from the first year’s performance, and an inability of the government to mobilise revenues and rationalise expenditures can affect investment and hurt economic growth,” noted the World Bank in its bian-

PROJECTED: This file photograph taken on April 13, 2016, shows a general view of the dockside at the port of Gwadar, some 700km west of Karachi Pakistan’s economic growth is expected to increase gradually, and the economy is projected to grow by 5.4 per cent in next fiscal year 2017-2018. - AFP

nual ‘South Asia Economic Focus Fall 2016’ report.

The report also highlighted the issue of growing tension in relation to Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Political economy risks are widespread across South Asia and uncertainty, more broadly, needs to be managed with a view to creating an attractive environment for foreign and domestic investment alike, it added.

The Washington-based lending agency said that gradual growth trend is underpinned by increased public investment supported by CPEC. It has projected that Pakistan’s economy may grow at a rate of 5 per cent during the current fiscal year 2016-17 – 0.7 per cent below the official target.

Pakistan needs more than 7 per cent annual economic growth rate to create sufficient jobs for new entrants. Public investment can expect a boost from projects related to the CPEC agreement, but remains subject to uncertainty stemming from potential implementation delays, it added.

Government investment The report is a reminder to the October 2015 study conducted by the Institute of Policy Reforms (IPR) that highlighted that the medium-term economic framework prepared by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) made no provision for a big rise in government investment in the next two years to create room for

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timely completion of the $11-billion infrastructure projects under CPEC. The IPR study did not work out the impact of administrative weaknesses that are equally hurting the implementation of CPEC projects.

“China has also started raising concerns over delay in the implementation of CPEC projects, notably energy sector transmission and generation projects,” said officials involved in execution of these projects.

“Except for two coal-based and one wind-farm projects, most of the priority energy projects of the CPEC are facing delays,” according to background discussions with the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform officials and oth-

ers working on these schemes.

“Chief ministers showed their confidence on the progress of CPEC projects in the CPEC summit held on August 29 but some elements and anti-CPEC forces are spreading misgivings and misguiding people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P),” said Minister of Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday, while chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure.

The World Bank report said industrial production indicators remained volatile except in case of Pakistan where the outlook had been slightly more positive on the back of large-scale manufacturing and construction activities, driven by infrastructure and energy projects falling under the CPEC agreement.

“However, recent delays may water down expectations,” it added. In Pakistan, private investment has traditionally grown more slowly than public investment, however, the sluggishness of private fixed capital investment is reaching new levels.

Pakistan’s economic growth is expected to increase gradually, and the economy is projected to grow by 5.4 per cent in next fiscal year 2017-2018. The report added that this growth rate will primarily be driven by infrastructure projects under the CPEC and public investment.

These projects are expected to accelerate growth in the domestic construction industry and increase electricity generation. Improved electricity availability will support growth in the industry and services sectors, but expected slowdown in the implementation would water down these expecttions, it said. - Express Tribune

A S S E M B LY D E B AT E

Court dismisses Mazari’s petition over ‘tractor trolley’ remarks ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition by Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaaf’s Shireen Mazari seeking the disqualification of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif over his remarks during a National Assembly session in June.

During a debate in the House on June 8, Asif had pointed towards Mazari and said, “someone make this tractor trolley keep quiet.”

The minister then went on to ask Mazari to transform her “masculine voice into a more feminine one.”Justice Athar Minallah of the IHC dismissed the petition as nonmaintainable after hearing arguments from Mazari’s counsel Barrister Shoaib Razzaq. The court had directed Mazari’s counsel to argue over how a matter related to National Assembly proceedings could be taken up by the court.

In his remarks, Justice Minallah asked if the PTI, being one of the largest political parties, took any action following the incident.

Did the party make any efforts to table a bill in this regard, he said, adding if the petitioner had approached police for the registration of a case against Asif.

The judge also inquired as to what action had been taken when the petitioner was not satisfied with how the matter was dealt inside the Parliament. He added that court could not interfere in such matters keeping in view Article 69 (courts not to inquire into the proceedings of Parliament) of the Constitution as it provided parliamentary privilege to MNAs. Earlier, Mazari had requested the court to direct the National Assembly speaker to initiate disciplinary action and refer the matter to the Election Commission of Pakistan to disqualify the minister. -Express Tribune

TOO HIGH

Government considering downward revision of property valuations ISLAMABAD: Barely two months after announcing the new property valuation rates in order to collect federal taxes, the government is considering revising the valuation rates of defence housing societies downwards after administrators termed them too high.

The government may lower the valuation rates of immovable properties in jurisdictions of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) by at least one-third, according to sources in the Federal Board of Revenue. They said the DHA authorities had complained that the property valuation rates of DHA were far higher than the no-

tified rates of Bahria Town. They also raised the issue with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar who subsequently asked the FBR authorities to review the issue, said sources.

Haroon Akthar Khan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Revenue, confirmed to The Express Tribune that the matter was under consideration.

However, Khan said that it has not been decided yet whether DHA rates would be lowered before the next budget or with immediate effect.

The FBR does not need parliament’s consent to revise valuation rates, as it has retained these

powers under the Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance 2016 that it promulgated to give effect to these rates.

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance had objected to giving these powers to the government and instead proposed that the FBR may revise these only on an annual basis.

With effect from July 31, the federal government notified new valuation rates for immovable properties in 21 big cities of the country. The FBR-notified rates were 300 per cent to 800 per cent higher than the deputy collector (DC) rates.

AT TA C K I N G P E A C E F U L P R O T E S T E R S

Court upholds 16-year jail term for Taseer vigil attackers LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has upheld the sentence of five people convicted of attacking participants of a vigil held in memory of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer.

On July 27 last year, an antiterrorism court (ATC) awarded 16 years and 6 months jail term for each of the accused named Adeel, Furqan, Iftikhar, Wazeer Ali and Kashif Munir.

The convicts were charged with attacking and injuring civil society members at Liberty Roundabout in 2015.

In its short order announced on Tuesday, an LHC division bench comprising Justice Abdul Sami Khan and Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi dismissed their appeals and upheld the punishment awarded by the ATC. Arguing before the court, the convicts’ counsel held the trial court convicted his clients without going through the details of the case. No substantial information was provided by the prosecution to associate the accused with the incident, he contended, requesting the court to set aside their punishments.

Punjab Deputy Prosecutor General Khurram Khan said the ATC had awarded the sentence after recording statements of the witnesses, who confirmed the accused were involved in the attack.

He added a video recording of the incident was also provided to

ASSASSINATED: This picture taken on August 19, 2010, shows Pakistani Punjab governor Salman Taseer posing for a photograph in Multan. Pakistan’s governor of Punjab was shot dead near his Islamabad home on January 4, 2011. - AFP

the court that showed the convicts attacking the peaceful protesters.

Khurram requested the court to dismiss the convicts’ appeals. The accused were booked by the Gulberg police on the complaint of a rights activist on January 4, 2015.

The FIR was registered against seven unnamed men and sections from the anti-terrorism act were also been added to the complaint.

The complainant said that candlelight vigils had been organised in Taseer’s memory for the past four years, but this was the first time such an event was attacked.

He said baton-wielding miscreants tore apart banners and posters as they attacked members of the civil society.

Several people were injured in the sudden attack. The attackers managed to flee before police arrived at the scene, he said.

Taseer was assassinated by his security guard Mumtaz Qadri on January 4, 2011.

Qadri was hanged after confirmation of his punishment by the Islamabad High Court and then dismissal of his appeal from the Supreme Court. - Express Tribune

Still, these rates are far lower than the prevailing market rates.

Currently, the taxes on property transactions are paid on two valuations. The provincial taxes are paid on the base of DC rates while federal taxes are paid on the basis of FBR-notified property rates.

Independent assessments The FBR had notified these rates in consultation with the respective property dealers while also taking a clue from the independent assessments made by the valuers the FBR had engaged for this purpose.

Dar has recently said that upward revision in valuation rates

would fetch an extra Rs100 billion in tax revenues. The FBR collects withholding taxes on sale and purchase of properties in addition to charging capital gains tax.

According to the FBR notification, the per-marla value of a commercial plot in DHA-I and DHA-II is Rs2.5 million as compared to Rs900,000 to Rs1.5 million for various phases of Bahria Town.

Similarly, the per-marla property valuation of residential plot is in the range of Rs150,000 to Rs550,000 in DHA phases as against Rs225,000 to Rs375,000 for Bahria Town. The Executive Meadows Phase III of Bahria

Town is an exception where the rate is Rs600,000 per marla.

Khan maintained that there was no bias, as the whole process was completed in consultation with representatives of these societies.

While the government is going to change DHA rates, it is not ready to review the valuation rates of various localities of Peshawar – the provincial capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkwha (K-P). The government is also finalising a tax amnesty scheme for the realty sector after revisions in property valuation rates adversely affected the business, claimed realty sector dealers. - Express Tribune

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

WORLD SOUTH AFRICA

DIVER KILLED

BY STINGRAY

Wits University shuts down after protests

Philip Chan, 62, head diver at Underwater World Singapore (UWS), dressed as Santa Claus, feeds fish during Christmas festivities at the Underwater World Singapore aquarium on the island of Sentosa, on December 20, 2013. Chan died after being stung in the chest by a stingray, the aquarium’s owner said on Wednesday. Chan was preparing the animals for transfer to another aquarium on Tuesday when he was injured. He was taken to hospital where he died later in the day. “This was a tragic accident,” Haw Par Corporation, which owns UWS, said in a statement. UWS had been closed to the public since June with Chan, who had worked at the aquarium since it opened in 1991, one of 10 staff kept on to care for the animals until suitable homes had been found. Australian conservationist and ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin died in 2006 after being stung multiple times by a stingray off the Great Barrier Reef. — Reuters File

COOLING TENSIONS

Cambodia opposition leader calls for an end to hostilities PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s main opposition party on Wednesday welcomed a sign of cooling political tension after authorities refrained from arresting its leader, Kem Sokha, on his emergence from months of being holed up in party headquarters.

Tension between the country’s two main political parties has risen in recent months, with the opposition complaining of a crackdown on critics in a bid to intimidate it before a general election in 2018.

The top leader of the main opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) is in self-exile to avoid arrest over a case he says was raked up for political reasons, while Sokha, the acting leader, had stayed in the headquarters since May 6, to avoid what he said were separate trumped-up charges.

Last month, Sokha was sentenced to five months in jail in absentia, on charges of failing to appear in court as a witness in a case against two opposition legislators accused of procuring a prostitute for him.

In a speech on Wednesday, Sokha called for an end to political hostilities.

“The CNRP wants the environment to return to normal, a political environment that is equal for all, to ensure elections that will reflect the people’s will,” he said.

The party hoped all political parties would be allowed to compete in free and fair elections, he added.

The fact that Sokha was able to leave the headquarters without being arrested signalled a cooling of the tension between the rival parties, a party member told Reuters.

“The situation is less tense now,” said Yem Ponhearith.

Members of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling party could not immediately be reached for comment. — Reuters

JOHANNESBURG: Clashes between police and student protesters forced South Africa’s Wits University to suspend classes for the second time in less than a month, as unrest mounted again over education costs.

Police fired stun grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas at hundreds of protesters marching and dancing through the Johannesburg campus on Tuesday, demanding free education. Students threw stones at police and flipped one vehicle. The university said some protesters had earlier pulled lecturers out of their offices as they prepared to restart classes after an earlier shutdown called on September 20. “We have agreed to suspend the academic programme,” university spokeswoman Shirona Patel said late on Tuesday. Staff at Wits - the University of the Witwatersrand - planned to open again on Monday, October 10, she added.

Demonstrations over the cost of university education, which is prohibitive for many black students, have highlighted frustration at enduring inequalities more than two decades after the end of apartheid.

Protests first erupted last year, then eased off as the government froze fee increases and set up a commission to look into the education funding system. — Reuters

Hong Kong activist barred from entering Thailand Joshua Wong was detained in Bangkok where he had been invited to speak at two universities about Hong Kong’s ‘Umbrella Movement’ street protests and on setting up his political party, Demosisto

HONG KONG/BANGKOK: Thailand on Wednesday barred entry to a Hong Kong student activist who helped organise pro-democracy protests in the Chinese-ruled city in 2014, with a newspaper saying he had been “blacklisted” at China’s request.

Bespectacled Joshua Wong, 19, was detained in Bangkok where he had been invited to speak at two universities about Hong Kong’s “Umbrella Movement” street protests and on setting up his political party, Demosisto.

He was later put on a plane back to Hong Kong.

The protests in Hong Kong, the former British colony which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, presented Communist Party rulers in Beijing with one of their biggest political headaches in decades.

Wong was given 80 hours of community service by a Hong Kong court in August on a charge of unlawful assembly for taking part in a sit-in at the height of the protests in the Asian financial hub.

Thailand has been ruled by a

EXPELLED: Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong shows a notice of expulsion offered by Thai immigration besides Demosisto Chairman Nathan Law, left, after Wong arrived at Hong Kong Airport on Wednesday. – Reuters

junta since a 2014 coup which was widely condemned by the West.

Since then, the generals running Thailand have forged closer ties with Beijing.

The Thai Foreign Ministry said in a statement permission for Wong to enter Thailand “involves various factors”.

The Nation newspaper quoted a deputy commander of airport immigration police as Wong had been blacklisted “as requested

by China”.

Colonel Pruthipong Prayoonsiri was quoted as saying China has sent a request “to seek cooperation to deny” Wong entry.

“As a result, the Immigration Bureau blacklisted him and held him for deportation. When offic-

ers informed him, Joshua Wong did not oppose it,” Pruthipong was quoted as saying.

Wong arrived in Bangkok just before midnight local time on Tuesday and arrived back in Hong Kong on Wednesday afternoon.

Blacklisted Wong, speaking to journalists with recently elected lawmaker Nathan Law, said he had been told he had been blacklisted.

Wearing a green khaki shirt, Wong said he wasn’t sure if it was the authorities or customs who had told him. He said the authorities’ English was not that good.

Wong wrote on his Facebook page that he had been illegally detained by Thai police and cus-

toms. He was not allowed to contact anyone, had his passport confiscated and was kept inside the airport detention centre alone.

“These past 10 hours or so have been very scary,” he said.

China’s Foreign Ministry, when asked about Wong’s detention, said it had “noticed the relevant reports”. “China respects Thailand’s exercise of immigration control according to the law,” it said in an email.

Wong was denied entry by Malaysia in May 2015 when he was due to give a series of talks on democracy in China.

Wong was invited by Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Science to speak on the 40th anniversary of the crack-

down by the Thai army on student protesters. Human Rights Watch condemned Wong’s detention.

“Thailand’s arrest of Joshua Wong, a well-known pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong, sadly suggests that Bangkok is willing to do Beijing’s bidding,” Sophie Richardson, China Director for Human Rights Watch, said in an email. Demosisto also called for his release. Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy, is slowly recovering from the events of 2014, when months of street protests and the coup almost brought economic activity to a standstill.

Since then, the military has clamped down on dissent and banned political protests. — Reuters

STORM

Three killed as Typhoon Chaba batters South Korea, disrupts port

DAMAGED: Cars damaged by flood waters caused by Typhoon Chaba in the southern island of Jeju on Wednesday. – AFP/Yonhap

SEOUL: Typhoon Chaba battered southern parts of South Korea with violent wind and heavy rain on Wednesday, killing at least three people and flooding the country’s main port and industrial sites and disrupting production at some factories.

The storm hit the island of Jeju overnight and one person was reported missing amid widespread power outages and damage to homes and other buildings. Twenty-six flights linking the holiday is-

land to the mainland and to China were cancelled.

Busan shut down The port in the city of Busan was shut for a second day as Chaba whirled past and headed east towards Japan. An official at the country’s biggest port said it was expected to reopen later in the day.

Work at Hyundai Motor’s two factories in the city of Ulsan, which produce the Accent cars and Sante Fe sport utility vehicles,

was suspended because of “inflow of water”, a company spokeswoman said. Operations were also suspended at some shipyards along the south coast, including at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd in Geoje city, Yonhap news agency said.

Five people were killed in Busan and Ulsan, media reports said.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Security put the death toll at three with three missing. Television footage showed heavy flooding in parts

of Ulsan and Busan, with cars and buildings partially submerged and storm-surge waves hitting apartment blocks near the coast.

More than 80 flights at the Gimhae Airport serving Busan were cancelled, an airport official said.

The KTX bullet train service in the south was also suspended.

Chaba was expected to weaken and was likely to be a tropical storm by the time it reaches Japan, according to the Tropical Storm Risk tracker service. — Reuters

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WORLD POLAND

APPLE AND FLOWER QUEENS German Chancellor Angela Merkel carries an apple basket as she poses with German ‘Apple and Flower Queens’ presenting collections of apples from a variety of German orchards in Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday. — Reuters

Kaczynski says has no plans to become PM WARSAW: The leader of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS), Jaroslaw Kaczynski, has no plans to become the country’s prime minister, he told Gazeta Polska daily, rebuffing speculation that he might step into the top government job.

The speculation revived when Prime Minister Beata Szydlo announced planned changes in the government in September. In the end, she dismissed Finance Minister Pawel Szalamacha and replaced him with Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who also serves as economy minister. “(The option of changing the prime minister) was not seriously taken into account, as I would have been the only candidate and I do not have such plans,” said Kaczynski, who earlier this year described the Szydlo government as an “experiment”.

He added that he backed the decision to grant Morawiecki more tools to carry out his plan to boost the economy. “A huge change in the economic sphere is ahead of us. Thanks to the recent changes in the government it is now entering the phase of initial implementation. If it succeeds (...) it will speed up economic growth by around 1 per cent,” said Kaczynski. — Reuters

WA R N I N G

Ukraine tells citizens not to travel to Russia KIEV: Ukraine warned its citizens on Wednesday against travelling to Russia, saying they were at risk following an increase in harassment and detentions of Ukrainians by Russian security services.

The move is further testimony to the breakdown in relations between the one-time allies in the wake of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in early 2014 and support for pro-Russian separatists in the ensuing conflict in eastern Ukraine. “On the territory of the aggressor-state, the number of unjustified detentions of our citizens has increased,” the Ukrainian foreign ministry said in an online statement.

“Russian law enforcement bodies treat Ukrainians roughly, using unacceptable methods of physical and psychological pressure, torture and other acts,” it said, warning citizens against travelling to or through Russian territory.

On Monday a Ukrainian journalist was arrested by Russia’s FSB security service and accused of gathering secret information about Russian defence and security bodies - charges Ukrainian authorities said were trumped up.

The arrest has prompted Ukrainian authorities to consider introducing visa requirements for Russian citizens on the expectation that Russia will tighten rules for Ukrainians wishing to travel to Russia. — Reuters

EU sees support for Afghan peace talks as new aid flows EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said there was an understanding to work on a common basis for regional ONE FOR LENS: Left to right: Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, President Ashraf Ghani, European Council President Donald Tusk and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, Belgium, on Wednesday. – Reuters

political support for the peace and reconciliation process

BRUSSELS: Regional powers agreed to try to revive Afghanistan’s stalled peace process after almost 40 years of conflict, the EU’s foreign policy chief said on Wednesday, as governments began to raise some $13 billion to fund the country through 2020.

With the government in Kabul facing a resurgent Taliban 15 years after US forces helped oust

the militants, more than 70 governments in Brussels promised further financial support. The European Union is leading the effort, partly with the aim of slowing Afghan migrant flows into Europe.

As well as funding, the EU focused on getting stalled peace negotiations back on track by bringing together the United States, China, India, and Pakistan at a dinner on Tuesday night.

Federica Mogherini, who coordinates EU foreign policy, said there was an understanding “to work on a common basis for re-

DANGEROUS JOURNEYS

11,000 migrants rescued in last 48 hours off Libya coast ROME: More than 4,650 migrants were saved on Tuesday off the Libyan coast and 28 bodies recovered, bringing the total number of people rescued in the last 48 hours to nearly 11,000, Italy’s coast guard said on Wednesday.

More than 20 people were reported to have suffocated in the hold of one overloaded fishing boat, bringing the total death toll for Monday and Tuesday to 50.

Italian officials said three women saved on Monday had given birth over the past 24 hours on a coast guard vessel that was bringing some 1,000 refugees to Sicily. The women and their three children were all reported to be in good health.

The coast guard said the migrants on Tuesday were rescued from 33 boats, including 27 rubber dinghies and one wooden boat that was believed to have been carrying around 1,000 people.

A photographer working for Agence France Press, who was aboard a ship chartered by a Spanish NGO to help with the rescue

missions, was quoted as saying that he had counted 22 bodies on that boat. He told Italian media he thought other corpses were still in the hold.

At its closest, Libya is some 290 km (180 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa and people smugglers have taken advantage of the chaos in the north African state to use it as their main staging post in the region for journeys to Europe.

New operations The coast guard said new rescue operations were underway on Wednesday, but far fewer than on the previous two days.

“Obviously the good weather has played an important role in explaining the large number of recent arrivals,” a coast guard spokesman said.

The latest surge in new arrivals means at least 142,000 migrants have reached Italy since the start of the year and around 3,100 have died making the perilous trip. An estimated 154,000 came to Italy

in 2015 and 2,892 died. The vast majority of refugees come from Africa, including Nigeria, Eritrea, Guinea, Gambia, Sudan, Ivory Coast and Somalia.

The migrants are brought to Italy, where EU and Italian officials work together to identify and fingerprint the asylum seekers. European law says migrants must stay in the country where they first enter the bloc and Italy is increasingly struggling to deal with the growing numbers.

As part of a deal to relieve pressure on Europe’s frontline states in the migration crisis, the European Commission last year devised a plan aimed at moving thousands of new arrivals away from Italy and Greece towards other EU members.

Under the scheme, up to 40,000 migrants could be relocated from Italy over two years, but so far only a few hundred have been flown out with many EU allies apparently reluctant to welcome in asylum seekers and refugees. — Reuters

gional political support for the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.”

“Yesterday night we found common ground to support this process with a regional perspective and the European Union will try to facilitate this,” Mogherini said.

There have been several attempts in recent years to broker a settlement between the Westernbacked government in Kabul and the Taliban, but all have failed.

Without the militants at the table, experts say it is hard to envisage a meaningful solution.

The EU and Afghanistan signed a political agreement this month to make it easier to return Afghans whose asylum requests fail.

European governments, facing increasing opposition from voters to immigration at home, have pressed Afghanistan to accept more repatriations, saying that many parts of the country, including the capital Kabul, are safe.

That policy has faced sharp criticism from aid groups and others who point to the widening Taliban insurgency across the country and the frequent suicide attacks that hit Kabul.

Several hundred members of Afghanistan’s Hazara minority, which has been targeted by Taliban and IS militants, protested outside the conference venue. “(President) Ashraf Ghani and his government is here for European and other countries’ aid and assistance in return for accepting a deal to send us back to a war zone,” said Ali Reza, holding a banner with the words: “We Will Not Go Back”.

While the West wants more social, political and financial reforms from Afghanistan, EU migration aid is not linked to the Brussels conference, but was raised by European ministers including Hungary and Bulgaria.

“I hope that the newly signed

repatriation agreement with Afghanistan will be implemented in practice,” German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters.

Two people briefed on Mogherini’s dinner, attended by US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon among others, told Reuters that Chinese and Indian officials were willing to consider peace talks.

“There are several countries that actually can help come together, and I urge Russia, China, Pakistan, India and Iran to think about the special role that they could play in this region in order to make a major difference... in reaching peace with the Taliban,” Kerry told the donor conference.

But there remain divisions about if, or when, to include Taliban militants. Even if they were invited, it is unclear whether the movement would take part.

Militants briefly reached the centre of the northern city of Kunduz on Monday. Still, US and EU officials have been encouraged by a smaller peace agreement last month between the Afghan government and a local warlord.

“This a model for what might be possible... I think the message from every person here would be to the Taliban: take note,” Kerry said. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

WORLD Post-Brexit: May seeks to build ‘new, united Britain’ British prime minister called for a new approach to government that serves workingclass people

BIRMINGHAM (ENGLAND): British Prime Minister Theresa May laid out her vision for postBrexit Britain on Wednesday, calling for a new approach to government that serves workingclass people who voted to leave the European Union in protest at the elite.

Appointed just three months ago after the referendum on EU membership forced the resignation of her predecessor David Cameron, May sought in her closing speech at the ruling Conservative Party conference to stamp her authority on government.

Earlier in the week, she had placated the eurosceptic wing of her party by vowing to restore sovereignty to Britain and controls over migration in Brexit talks.

‘Shed image’ Now she pitched for the centre ground, calling on party members to appeal to millions of traditional Labour voters who defied the opposition party’s pro-EU stance and voted for Brexit. She wants the Conservatives to shed their image as what she has called “the nasty party” that protects the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor. “So if you’re a boss who earns a fortune but doesn’t look after your staff, an international company that treats tax laws as an optional extra..., a director who G E N E R A L A S S E M B LY

‘Guterres to be next UN chief’ UNITED NATIONS: Former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres is poised to be the next United Nations SecretaryGeneral and is expected to be formally recommended to the 193-member General Assembly for election by the Security Council on Thursday, diplomats said.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, president of the 15-member council for October, said he hoped the council would unanimously recommend Guterres, who was also the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015.

Clear favourite Guterres will replace Ban Kimoon of South Korea, who will step down at the end of 2016 after serving two terms. Guterres was prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. “Today after our sixth straw poll we have a clear favourite and his name is Antonio Guterres,” Churkin told reporters with his 14 council colleagues standing behind him on Wednesday.

“We wish Mr. Guterres well in discharging his duties as the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the next five years,” Churkin said.

The council has been holding informal secret ballots since July in a bid to reach consensus on a candidate. — Reuters

CALLING FOR CHANGE: British Prime Minister Theresa May gestures as she delivers a keynote address on the final day of the annual Conservative Party conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, central England, on Wednesday. – AFP

takes out massive dividends while knowing that the company pension is about to go bust, I’m putting you on warning,” she said to a huge cheer.

“This can’t go on anymore,” May said in what was widely seen as a reference to British retail tycoon Philip Green who has been blamed for the collapse of department store BHS this year after he sold the business in 2015 to a serial bankrupt.

It was a clear break with Cameron, who was often criticised for protecting the “rich and powerful”, some of whom attended the elite Eton public school with him and moved in similar upscale social circles.

May herself lives in a wealthy village in the bucolic Thames Valley, but was primarily educated in state schools. “(We have) a bold plan to bring Britain together, to build a new, united Britain rooted in the centre ground, an agenda for a new,

modern Conservatism that understands the good government can do, that will never hesitate to face down the powerful when they abuse their position of privileged, that will always act in the interest of ordinary, working-class people,” she said.

After several standing ovations during the speech — and loud applause when she walked on the stage to the Rolling Stones song “Start Me Up” — many of the Tory faithful in the audience praised her call for change.

But, at the same time some questioned whether the former interior minister would be able to carry it through such an ambitious agenda.

“It’s been more about the establishment before, but it is centreground now isn’t it? It’s for everybody,” Roy Hewlett, a healthcare worker and long-term Conservative voter.

“The big problem here is delivering. The vision was brilliant, but

actually delivering that vision is going to be really difficult.”

Her aides say the leader is keen to tackle the underlying causes of why millions of Britons, especially in the former industrial north of England, voted against the establishment at the June 23 referendum and in favour of leaving the EU. May said that with Labour deeply divided since the reelection of leftist leader Jeremy Corbyn, it was time for the Conservatives to snatch the opposition party’s mantle as “the party of the workers”.

“So let’s have no more of Labour’s absurd belief that they have a monopoly on compassion... Let’s make clear that they have given up the right to call themselves the party of the NHS (National Health Service), the party of the workers, the party of public servants,” she said.

Since May was appointed prime minister, the Conserva-

tives have maintained an opinion poll lead of around 8 percentage points over Labour. Her own approval ratings as a leader dwarf Corbyn’s. A poll late last month said only 16 per cent of voters thought Labour was likely to win the next election under Corbyn, compared with 65 per cent for the Conservatives under May. Some critics say she is only enjoying a political honeymoon, but May hopes to take advantage of the turmoil in Labour and the anti-EU UK Independence Party, which has lost its new leader after just 18 days, before an election due in 2020.

“Change has got to come,” May said, using a phrase she repeated seven times throughout her speech. “Because if we don’t respond - if we don’t take this opportunity to deliver the change people want - resentments will grow. Divisions will become entrenched. And that would be a disaster for Britain.” — Reuters

ROW OVER SANCTIONS

Russia suspends nuclear pact with US MOSCOW: Russia said on Wednesday it was suspending its nuclear and energy research agreement with the United States as a countermeasure against Washington for imposing sanctions on Russia over Ukraine.

The government also said it was terminating for the same reasons an agreement between its nuclear corporation Rosatom and the US Department of Energy on feasibility studies into conversion of Russian research reactors to low enriched uranium. On Monday, President Vladimir Putin suspended a treaty with Washington on cleaning up weapons-grade plutonium, signalling he is willing to use nuclear disarmament as a new bargaining chip in disputes with the United States over Ukraine and Syria. “The regular renewal of sanctions against Russia, which include the suspension of Russian-American cooperation in the field of nuclear energy demands the adoption of countermeasures against the US side,” the Russian government said on its website.

The agreement on co-operation in nuclear- and energy-related scientific research, signed in 2013, provided the legal framework necessary to expand work between US and Russian nuclear research laboratories and institutes in nuclear technology and nonproliferation, among others. The uranium agreement, signed in 2010, provided for feasibility studies into the conversion of six Russian research reactors from dangerous highly enriched uranium to more secure low enriched uranium.

The West imposed economic sanctions on Russia over its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in 2014, followed by a proRussian insurrection in the east of the country. The breakdown of a ceasefire in Syria, where Russia backs government forces and the West supports rebel groups, has added to tensions. — Reuters

FIERCEST CARIBBEAN STORM

Hurricane Matthew takes aim at Bahamas, US PORT-AU-PRINCE/GUANTANAMO (CUBA): Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in almost a decade, powered toward the Bahamas and Florida’s eastern coast early on Wednesday after battering Haiti and Cuba with torrential rains and killing at least 17 people.

The hurricane, which the United Nations said created the worst humanitarian crisis to hit struggling Haiti since a devastating 2010 earthquake, whipped Cuba and Haiti with 140 mile-perhour (230 kph) winds on Tuesday, pummeling towns, farmland and resorts.

In the United States, millions of people were urged to evacuate the southeastern coast and Florida Governor Rick Scott warned residents to prepare for a possible direct hit that could be catastrophic.

Hundreds of thousands of people had been evacuated from the path of the Matthew, which caused severe flooding and killed four people in the Dominican Republic as well as at least 13 in Haiti, the two countries that share the island of Hispaniola.

The storm carved a path of devastation through western Haiti, destroying houses, dumping boats and debris on coastal roads and heavily flooding residential areas.

Matthew was a Category Four hurricane through Tuesday but was downgraded to Category Three early on Wednesday, the

FLOODED: People try to cross the overflowing La Rouyonne river in the commune of Leogane, south of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Wednesday. – AFP

Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Maximum sustained winds eased to about 120mph (193 kph) by late Wednesday morning but the NHC said the hurricane was likely to strengthen again slightly in the coming days.

The eye of the storm was about 105 miles (169 km) south of Long Island in the Bahamas on Wednesday morning and it was expected

to be very near the east coast of Florida by Thursday evening, the NHC said.

“Everyone in our state must prepare now for a direct hit,” Scott said at a news conference in Tallahassee.

“If Matthew directly impacts Florida, the destruction could be catastrophic and you need to be prepared.”

It was difficult to assess the

severity of Matthew’s impact in Haiti because it knocked out communications in many of the worst-affected areas, including the main bridge that links much of the country to the southwest peninsula.

Impoverished Haiti was a particular concern because tens of thousands of people still are living in tents and makeshift dwellings due to the 2010 earthquake that

killed more than 200,000 people.

Authorities said on Wednesday five people in Haiti were crushed by trees and six were swept away by swollen rivers.

The storm passed close to the disputed US Naval base and military prison, and was on track to mow over the central and northwestern Bahamas, the NHC forecasts showed. Santiago de Cuba, the second largest city, which lies in the southeast of Cuba, was not badly hit, state media said.

Officials in the Bahamas urged residents to evacuate to higher ground and the Ministry for Grand Bahama said on Facebook that government offices in New Providence and Grand Bahama were closed until further notice.

Hurricane and tropical storm warnings were extended along the east coast of Florida as the storm moved north. South Carolina Governor Nikkei Haley on Tuesday declared a state of emergency, and ordered the evacuation of more than 1 million people from Wednesday afternoon.

Tropical storm or hurricane conditions could affect parts of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina later this week, even if the center of Matthew remained offshore, the NHC said.

Scott told residents to brace for tornadoes, strong winds, rip currents and flooding and urged those along the state’s eastern coast to make plans to evacuate. — Reuters

HONOURED

European trio win Nobel chemistry prize for world’s smallest machines STOCKHOLM/LONDON: A trio of European scientists has won the 2016 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for developing molecular machines that could one day be injected to fight cancer or used to make new types of materials and energy storage devices.

Frenchman Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Scotland’s J. Fraser Stoddart and Dutchman Bernard Feringa developed molecules that produce mechanical motion in response to a stimulus, allowing them to

perform specific tasks, the Nobel Academy said on Wednesday in awarding the 8 million Swedish crown ($931,000) prize.

Such molecular machines can be developed in smart medicines that seek out disease or damage and deliver drugs to fight or fix it, and in smart materials that can adapt in response to external triggers such as changes in light or temperature.

“There are endless opportunities,” Feringa, a professor of or-

ganic chemistry at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, told reporters when asked to predict what his work could eventually be used for.

“Think of a tiny micro-robot that a doctor in the future will inject into your blood and that goes to search for a cancer cell or goes to deliver a drug, for instance.”

Goran Hansson, a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences which conferred the award, said this year’s recognition

was “all about the world’s tiniest machines”.

“The sky’s the limit,” he said when asked where the discovery could lead.

The Nobel committee’s statement said the science of molecular machinery was now “at the same stage as the electric motor was in the 1830s” - when scientists displayed various spinning cranks and wheels, unaware that they would lead to electric trains, washing machines, fans and food pro-

cessors. “We can still only guess at the thrilling developments ahead of us,” it said. “However, we do have a definite answer to (the) initial question - how small can you make machinery?: At least 1,000 times thinner than a strand of hair.”

Sauvage is professor emeritus at the University of Strasbourg and director of research emeritus at France’s National Center for Scientific Research. Stoddart, born in Edinburgh and now professor of chemistry at Northwestern Uni-

versity in the United States, said the prize was “quite unexpected”.

“When it happens, it takes your breath away,” he said in a phone interview as he watched the ceremony live from his home outside Chicago.

Chemistry is the third of this year’s Nobels. Japan’s Yoshinori Ohsumi won the medicine award on Monday, while three Britishborn scientists, including two Scots, took the physics prize on Tuesday. — Reuters

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READERS’ FORUM Looking forward to a new amnesty by the government This refers to the report Give us amnesty (October 4). The news shocked me to core and left me totally speechless. I wonder how such a state of affairs has come about in a nation like this. We look forward to a new amnesty announced by the government, which will for sure be a blessing in disguise for these workers at loose ends after having worked here for long. At the same time the real lawbreakers should be brought to justice.

— Gautam Ghosh-Dastidar, Wadi Kabir Criminals should not be allowed to harm our young people This refers to the report Drug trafficker held in Oman (October 5). In my opinion, those eho are engaged in these types of crimes must face and pay the ultimate price. Along with this, the those working and helping the criminal must also face the maximum force of the law and accordingly handed down the maximum penalty. These people should not be allowed to harm our young people, so that we do not have to end up having to take drastic measures similar to those that are taking place today elsewhere.

— M. Mohd Salim, 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).

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STEVE JOBS

A virtuous cycle for conservation

ANDERS ÅSLUND

Ukraine’s immediate economic crisis has been resolved, but its economy remains fragile and still needs international support. If the new Ukrainian government becomes complacent, the country’s gains could be lost. Ukraine has come a long way since the 20132014 “Euromaidan” uprising

P

oor and rural people around the world rely on plants and animals for shelter, food, income, and medicine. In fact, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 15) on sustainable ecosystems acknowledges many developing societies’ close relationship with nature when it calls for increased “capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities.” But how is this to be achieved?

The 1975 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) provides a viable framework for reducing poverty while also conserving nature. It regulates the harvesting and exchange of more than 35,000 wildlife species across a range of locales.

Nature has been described as the “GDP of the poor.” The CITES framework, combined with strong national conservation policies, can simultaneously protect wild species and benefit poor, rural, and indigenous people, by encouraging countries and communities to adopt sound environmental management plans.

For example, under CITES, Andes communities shear the vicuña for its fine wool, which they sell to the luxury fashion industry in other parts of the world. Cameroonians collect African cherry bark for export to European pharmaceutical companies. And people on the Tibetan Plateau in Bhutan make a living selling caterpillar fungus to the traditional-medicine industry.

However, outside of CITES, limited guidance is available to ensure that legal trade is sustainable and beneficial to the poor. Sustainable trade often depends on poor and rural communities conserving their own resources at the local level.

To see what that looks like, the International Trade Centre (ITC) recently examined how people in Southeast Asia sustainably manage the CITESlisted python trade.

Python skins are commonly used as raw material in the luxury fashion industry, and ITC surveys of python-skin harvesters, farmers, processors, and exporters in Vietnam and Malaysia found that the trade reinforces livelihood resilience by providing an additional source of income.

In Vietnam, an estimated 1,000 households farm and trade pythons, and python harvesting in Malaysia provides incomes for low-skilled, lowincome workers during periods when other em-

ployment opportunities are either out of season, or simply scarce because of larger economic factors.

Researchers found that most of those harvesting pythons implement simple and effective sustainable-management plans, and that this has reduced pressure on wild populations.

However, python skins, like many wildlife products, are a commodity, so communities harvesting them are limited in terms of how they can add value to increase returns.

Women in the Peruvian Andes may clean vicuña wool by hand to increase the price it fetches per kilogram by $50, whereas selling a wool-scarf could yield them $150-200; a Malaysian python skin sells for $200, while a python-skin bag could sell for $2,000. Still, some emerging countries are moving up the value chain and retaining a greater share of returns, as demonstrated by local brands such as Kuna, which markets alpaca and vicuña wool in Peru, and Natura, a Brazilian natural-cosmetic brand.

The biggest threats to the legal wildlife trade are poaching, smuggling, improper trade permitting, and animal abuse, all of which must be addressed by regulators and rural community stakeholders at the local level. Fortunately, rural communities are already in the best position to protect wildlife, so long as they are motivated to do so. In the right circumstances, a virtuous cycle, whereby local producers have a direct interest in protecting wildlife (because they are benefiting from its legal trade) is the best – and sometimes the only – long-term solution to the problem of sustainability.

To help with this, governments can increase rural communities’ resource- and wildlife-use rights so that they can manage and protect their natural resources sustainably. For example, in the 1970s when Peru granted Andean communities the right to use vicuña wool, it saved the vicuña from extinction and created new, long-term income streams for the community.

Because legal and natural circumstances vary by country and community, we will need similar policy innovations across different sectors.

One promising sector is tourism, which also fits into the CITES framework. - Project Syndicate

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES OCTOBER 2001 Government fund for small projects by youths BAHLA: Minister for transport and telecommunications Malik bin Suleiman Al Ma’amari yesterday announced a fund — Small projects financing fund — will be set up as directed by His Majesty the Sultan. The fund will finance small projects by youths — which will be supervised by the government. The details of the fund will be announced today.

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PICTOGRAPH

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) Real Estate Services (in million Omani Rials)

2013

1,155.1

2014

1,230.5

2015

1,287.1

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

1908: Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia-Herzegovina 1961: Kennedy urges Americans to build bomb shelters.

1967: U.S. jets strike targets in North Vietnam.

1970: South Vietnamese forces withdraw from Cambodia.

0

1991: Liz Taylor marries husband No. 7.

Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

A14

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

LIFESTYLE CULTURE

Unni Mukundan is by far the fittest man in the Malayalam film industry. He leads an extremely disciplined life and is a fitness freak. Sometime in the future, Unni might just st consider fitness training as an alternative career option.

Story Nishad Padiyarath

J

ust scroll through his Facebook account and you’ll see it is filled with followers posting their daily workout regime and the actor commenting on how they’ve fared and egging them on to do better.

“Fitness comes first before anything for me,” he said as we begin the conversation.

Unni is many things — handsome, intelligent, down to earth and quick witted — but as that story reveals, one characteristic he is good at is being philosophical.

He wanted to retire at the age of 30 and wanted to be a philosopher.

“You know when my teacher asked me what I wanted to become, this is what I said — enjoy my freedom at 30, both mental and financial,” he said with a smile.

Unni laughs a lot after saying things you suspect are uttered with complete conviction. In his native Kerala, Unni has garnered huge popularity; he has appeared in close to 20 films and has now entered Telugu film industry.

In this interview, Unni talks extensively on why he gives scripting the first priority, about his films, fitness and the road ahead.

Experts from the interview: Are there any short cuts to building your body?

You need to be patient; you need to experience your muscle growth. These days people just want to pump up their muscles in three months. That cannot be done without resorting to many artificial and harmful things. If your forearms are growing, experience them growing slowly.

How can your body swell like a balloon in three months? I am happy that I never got tempted, as I know it is unreal.

Since the beginning of your career, you were heavily criticised for your cold acting skills. How did you take those criticisms?

It was tough initially. I must admit the fact that I am an outsider. When I started off, I never had any previous experience of acting and I never came from a family with

a film background. So in the beginning it was quite difficult when I used to hear such criticism.

People used to say I cannot act. I used to get hurt and you know at one stage, I thought of quitting films but that’s when I realised that the biggest challenge in acting is patience. If you run away, you will only continue to do that. If you want to achieve success, you need to be patient and do roles that are best suited for you.

That’s when acclaimed Director Lal Jose offered me a role in Vikramadithyan and things began to fall in place soon after that.

I have learnt that there are lots of people who don’t have extraordinary things happen to them and who still live quite intense lives. So that is something quite inspiring for me.

In the beginning, it must have been a difficult phase in your career?

Yes, that was quite a difficult time. I must say, I was on a journey. A journey in which I learnt about failure and its side effects. You know, failure can be a spur.

It is harder to grasp that success is not necessarily easy either. For obvious reasons, people are less likely to talk about it. That is my discovery. What I have understood over a period of time is that, if your movie is a hit, people consider you as a good actor and if your movie fails, then they see you as a bad actor.

People used to say I cannot act.

I used to get hurt and you know at one stage, I thought of quitting films but that’s when I realised that the biggest challenge in acting is patience.

you don’t know. When you hear a beautiful script that has elements of action, romance and comedy that makes you almost fall off your chair, you must do that film, but again it all depends on how people accept that.

You could have certainly become a philosopher.

(Laughs). You won’t believe, when I was in school, a teacher asked what I wanted to become. I told her I wanted to retire at the age of 30 and enjoy my own freedom.

Philosophy was in my mind then.

Have you learnt to take this criticism in your stride? How do you feel when people come and talk to you directly about a movie flopping?

People always speak to me regularly. Some say why not another Mallu Singh? When I say it can happen only once, the next response will be you should have done more films. You should do more of this, more of that. You can be more successful if you do more films, but it’s all relative. It all depends on your definition of success.

Why do you think the actor gets all the blame when a big film flops?

Today, if an actor opts to do a film and it flops, it becomes the actor’s fault. No actor in his right mind chooses a film believing that it will be a disaster. When a film flops, actors get confused. Where you want to go,

What is your definition of success?

The road to success is harder. It’s never easy. Moving forward is more important.

For me, success is about not greed; that you should not be greedy. Success for me is to be able to be yourself. Success for me is to be able to change people’s lives through

my work, through my deeds and through my thoughts. When my movie is a boxoffice hit, that is success for me. Like I told you, I come from a non-film background, and I have fought it, survived it and if I have reached this stage, then that is my success.

You made your debut in 2011. It has been six years since you are in the industry. Looking back, how was the journey?

I could have done more films. I think I acted in close to 20 films in the last six years.

It could be because I used to take a lot of time doing one film. Pathiramanal took around eight months, so did Orissa and other films. It was more of a learning stage for me. If you look back, in the last two years, after Vikramadithyan, the pace at which I started to do films has increased.

Ever since then, Vikramadithyan, I must say you have brought a lot of originality to your acting. You have done some meaningful roles in the last two years. How much effort do you put into building a character?

That is a compliment from you (laughs).

In the beginning, I was termed as an actor, who cannot act and from there to reach this stage where people praise for my work is an achievement. You know, I always give my 100 per cent while doing a film. KL-10 Pathu is a movie that is close to my heart simply because I learnt this particular Malayalam slang and it took some time from me, but it was worth studying it and then experimenting with it in front of the camera. More than that, I feel that an actor shouldn’t think much of the box office results. That is something, which can go either way. You should always keep expecting good results. My idea of doing a film is to connect with the audience and to get everyone involved and participate. If you do the same kind of roles then it becomes a cliché.

That is why films like Premam, which is a love story, go on to become the

biggest box-office hits?

I think for a film like Premam, you need to give full credit to its Director Alphonse Puthran. Only a person, who is so passionate about cinema, can make it. Alphonse has created a classic out of Premam and it will be in our minds forever. Films like Premam can only happen once.

You have worked with the two big Ms of Malayalam cinema—Mohanlal and Mammootty. How was that experience?

Working with Lalettan (Mohanlal) in Janatha Garage was like a career high moment for me. Despite being a superstar, he is so humble and supportive. He is a textbook for any aspiring actor. During the shooting of Janatha Garage, he complimented my acting. I had the opportunity to work with Mammukka in two films and I must say it was a lifetime experience. You get to learn a lot from him. In fact, I am blessed to have worked with both the legends.

What are your upcoming projects?

Avarude Raavukal with Asif Ali, Vinay Fort and Aju Varghese, a Telugu film entitled, Bhagmati and Achayans with Jayaram in Malayalam.

In the next five years, where can we see Unni Mukundan?

Maybe in the director’s seat. (Laughs). Not soon, but I aspire to become a director. It’s not an easy thing but this has been in my mind for quite some time and I am working towards that too. I know it’s not going to happen over night. It’s not easy but I am trying to take that risk. Actor Prithviraj has been my inspiration and I was excited seeing him announce his first directorial debut. When I started my career, I had my own dreams but I never took a count on the number of films I did. Over a period of time, if I find I am a stable actor and confident enough to direct a movie, I will. But it’s definitely on the cards. So keep your fingers crossed.

—nishad@timesofoman.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

WEATHER

TEMPERATURE

HUMIDITY

36 - 28 66-39% 0

0

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

12.00pm 3.23pm 5.55pm 7.05pm 4.45am

A15

LIFESTYLE H O L LY B U Z Z

ON THE BALL With Gautam Viswanathan

Irrfan adds mystery to special India trailer of ‘Inferno’

Sports do not Build Character

T

he concept of a father coaching his son’s sports team is a tradition that makes everyone smile and nod appreciatively when they hear of it. There’s an almost indefinable quality that helps a father and a son bond over sports, a shared activity that is just theirs.

We’ve all seen shots of that on the TV: A dad organising a pizza party for his son’s team as they pile into an SUV, kids gleefully splashing him with water when they’ve won a game, a consolatory arm around a player’s shoulder when he loses a game as they trudge away in the rain.

It’s always raining and muddy when teams on TV lose, for some reason.

But TV only shows you the positives of that relationship: The dads who carry their sons on their shoulders while their mums provide snacks for the entire team.

Those are the parents who have their heads screwed on straight.

And then there are those who don’t.

I used to work in a football academy, which featured competitive league matches every Saturday. Some of the area’s most

prominent teams would show up, and while some were professional soccer schools that trained three to four days a week, others were community teams, cobbled together from kids – and a dad – who had a passion for sport.

Any parent would like to see his kid do well, and you’d expect an atmosphere of friendly rivalry among those whose kids were playing. Or so I thought.

It was not uncommon to see parents constantly bombarding their kids with instructions that were completely contrary to what their coaches were saying.

The kids – no less than nine or ten years old – ended up confused and bewildered, trailing towards the end of the first half.

I then realised it wasn’t just that these parents were keen to their children achieve their dreams, but that they wanted to achieve their own dreams through their children, and I could not help but feel a little aggrieved towards the players out there in the hot sun because to be put in that sort of pressure cooker situation at such a tender age was going to make the child hate the sport.

Michel Ribeiro is currently

a youth coach at Belgian outfit KRC Genk, and has personally overseen the development of many current Belgium national team players including Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne, Liverpool forward Divock Origi, Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois and Atletico Madrid attacker Yannick Carrasco.

“The parents are chasing their own dreams instead of

supporting the children because the parents themselves never made there own dreams come true,” he explained. “A lot of kids will stop playing because sometimes they will see that maybe they don’t have the talent the parents hope they have, and the pressure gets to be too much for them in the future.”

I then spoke to Chuck Martini, head coach of the Muscat Football Academy to find out why this was the case.

“Unfortunately sometimes the parents are too result-orientated so they think the child must always win,” he revealed. “It’s fantastic to win tournaments, but let’s not take away the development of the child, the understanding of what it would take to become a professional, the understanding of what it would take for that particular child to fulfil his dream.

“The parents think, ‘Oh he didn’t win today so they are not good enough’,” said Martini, who was a goalkeeper for Premier League side Leicester City and represented Morocco’s national football team. “You want to see the smile and the happiness on their faces when they win, and

it’s about teaching them the right way to play.

“It’s about letting the player express himself and letting his skill do the work, efficiently and effectively. They need to be comfortable on the ball,” added Martini, who was also a goalkeeping coach at AFC Wimbledon’s academy.

“The most important thing is that while they are working hard with some form of physical exercise, they enjoy it.”

The players I saw out there certainly weren’t enjoying themselves, and I could not help but admire their composure as they filtered out their parents’ instructions to defend, and focused instead on their coaches’ advice to attack.

The kids weren’t slackers by any stretch of the way. Every one of them worked their socks off for the duration of the match and never let their heads drop even once. They ended up coming from behind to win the game.

Because they followed their coaches’ advice throughout the second half: Their parents had retreated indoors because it was too hot to stay outside.

–gautam@timesofoman.com

Irrfan Khan is seen doing some hardcore action scenes, shows streaks of being the bad guy and then flaunts a discerning smile in the special India trailer of forthcoming Hollywood film Inferno, which maintains the mystery element around his character.

The special trailer was launched in the presence of Irrfan, and the actor quipped that the film can now be called “Irrfano” instead of Inferno.

The trailer is packed with action, suspense, mystery, and thrill as the visuals are used to sketch a brief about Irrfan’s character, and leaves the audience with more unanswered questions. In the Sony Pictures Entertainment’s film, Tom Hanks will be seen reprising the role of Robert Langdon, a professor of symbology at Harvard University.

Irrfan is playing Harry “The Provost” Sims, head of The Consortium, in the movie. The film will present a trail of clues tied to the great Dante himself.

When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (played by Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories.

They race across Europe and against the clock to foil a deadly global plot, and Irrfan joins their mission to save the world.

The special trailer opens with Hanks laying out the plot of the film which also touches upon overpopulation issue.

And Irrfan makes his first appearance with dialogue — “Where is professor Langdon now?”

There are also cues that Irrfan, who has made a name for himself in India as well as West, might just be the bad guy in the film.

As Irrfan’s dialogue of asking someone to remove Langdon might come as a blow to the people rooting for the actor’s character in the film. -IANS

A16

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

LIFESTYLE

The Melody of Beauty by Raya Al Manji R

aya Al Manji’s first solo show, The Melody of Beauty opens on October 10, 2016 at Gallery Sarah in Muscat under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Kamil bin Fahd Al Said, Assistant Secretary General for the Cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister for Council of Ministers. This exhibition brings together an array of Raya Al Manji’s extraordinary works that she has created over the past few years. Raya is a highly realistic painter and an accomplished artist; she has been a member of The Omani Society of Fine Arts since 2002, a member of the Kuwait Fine Art Association since 2012, and a member of the Taiwan Artist Residency.

Raya is a traditional painter; her focus revolves around still life’s of Omani objects as well as land-

Pictures: Supplied

scapes and figurative painting.

These works reflect the influence of a rich culture of Omani heritage, a passion for fantasy and Raya’s appreciation for classical music.

Using her unique vision and great draftsmanship Raya is able to use her skills to capture moments of the true beauty of Oman with vivid reality. As a self-taught artist, expressing her vision of the world through paint is her primary goal.

Through her works we witness a harmony between the significance of her environment, nature, and natural elements as well as her ability to pull every detail of her stunning paintings together like a beautiful melody.

Raya was the first Omani artist to participate in an international artist residency in Taiwan at the Taipei Treasure Hill Artist Village.

She has also exhibited in various group exhibitions in Oman, Eu-

rope, Africa, and South America and has an illustration published in the American book: My Very Own World Adventure published by I See Me! Inc. USA. The Melody of Beauty will be on display from October 10 till November 2 from 9.30am till 6pm, Saturday till Thursday at Gallery Sarah at Bait Al Zubair.

Gallery Sarah is a unique contemporary art gallery that exhibits artworks, but not limited to paintings, graphics, calligraphy, installations, sculpture, and photography. Gallery Sarah also supports and has an appreciation for work by a wide variety of talented Arab artists from around the Gulf and international artists.

For more information about the exhibition and Gallery Sarah activities call + 968 2208 4747 or visit us at gallerysarah.com.

—lifestyle@timesofoman.com

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM THU RS DAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

OMAN CRUDE RISES

MARKE

Oman Crude price (December delivery) reached $48.93 per barrel, said Dubai Mercantile Exchange. The average price of Oman oil (October delivery 2016) has stabilised at $44.02 a barrel - 62 cents higher than September delivery 2016. – ONA

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH THE VIDEO

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

Muscat 5,615.94 + 2.68 + 0.05%

Dubai 3,362.17 - 43.44 - 1.28%

Abu Dhabi 4,393.58 - 15.47 - 0.35%

Saudi Arabia

5,534.82 + 8.34 + 0.15%

Kuwait 5,354.82 + 2.35 + 0.04%

Bahrain 1,143.80 - 0.84 - 0.07%

Qatar 10,388.18 + 78.26 + 0.76%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.29 Pound ..........................................2.02 Indian Rs ............................. 172.86 Pakistan Rs .......................266.95 Bangla Taka........................201.17

Indian Rs ................................... 172.70 Pakistan Rs .............................. 271.10 Sri Lanka Rs .................................. N/A Bangla Taka........................... 203.55 Phil Peso .................................... 125.10

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......16.30

Oman Crude............. (Spot) .........$49.21 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$48.96 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$50.94 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$48.88 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ......... $51.75

* Rates are as of October 5 Source: Bank Muscat

West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$49.51

CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION

Oil agreement can cut 1.2m barrels a day: Venezuela CHICAGO: An agreement among Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and nonOpec states to limit oil production could slash global supply by 1.2 million barrels a day and add as much as $15 to prices, said Venezuelan Oil Minister Eulogio Del Pino.

Members of the Opec countries would collectively cut output by 700,000 barrels a day under the accord hashed out last week in Algiers, while non-Opec states would reduce production by another 500,000, Del Pino said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. The deal, which will remain in effect for six months, will boost oil prices by $10 to $15 a barrel above the average September price, he said.

Futures market Crude futures in New York have surged more than $4 a barrel since Opec surprised traders by agreeing to cut production for the first time in eight years. Futures surpassed $49 a barrel for the first in time in three months on Monday. But the deal comes as output reaches historical highs in and out of the group that accounts for about 40 per cent of global supplies.

Opec output rose by 170,000 barrels a day to a record 33.75 million in September, according to a survey. The increase from the previous month was driven by the return of production from Libya and Nigeria.

Those countries, along with Iran, will likely be exempt from the deal reached last week in Algiers.

In Russia rude and condensate output rose to a record. - Bloomberg News

The net earnings of MSM 30 companies are expected to grow by 6.4 per cent to OMR544.18 million during JanuarySeptember period of this year, according to a research note from Gulf Baader

A. E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Major Omani firms that constitute MSM 30 Index are expected to post a growth in both net earnings and revenue for the first nine months of 2016, over the same period of 2015.

The net earnings of MSM 30 companies are expected to achieve a year-on-year growth of 6.4 per cent at OMR544.18 million during January-September 2016 period, said a research note released by the Gulf Baader Capital Markets on Wednesday.

“The growth in profitability is driven by strong performance of few companies in the industrial

vided to investors by the authority, according to a press release.

The area for the construction of the commercial centre is 80,000 square metres and it is located within the zone and close a large residential area.

Infrastructure facilities The land is also located near a project of 150 residential units for people of Duqm, and nearby commercial banks and the centre of commercial activity in Duqm, pointing out that all infrastructure services are available on-site.

Floating this opportunity comes as a part of encouraging investors to benefit from available capabilities, resources and incen-

tives offered for projects within the Duqm Special Economic Zone. This is also in line with a comprehensive plan for developing the zone and the authority’s efforts to enhance and increase the contribution of the private sector in economic activities.

The Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority looks forward to the market to become the nucleus of the modern city of Duqm and to be developed by the investor in a manner that meets the needs of the local community and residents, as a part of the authority’s vision to develop the lifestyle in Duqm by relying on smart urban plans that are designed in an effective manner.

ECONOMIC CRISIS

Low crude price and reform drive Middle East mergers LONDON: As the price of oil stays stubbornly low, investors in the Middle East are turning to deals.

Mergers and acquisitions activity in the Gulf region is set to accelerate as lower oil prices force governments and corporations to consolidate fragmented industries, according to Bank of America (BofA).

“The drop in oil prices has made people in the region go back to the drawing board and seriously analyse their existing portfolio and investments,” Wadih Boueiz, co-head of corporate and investment banking for Middle East and North Africa, said.

“They are taking bold decisions

Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) .............145.00 * Rates as of October 5 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

credit growth to be 8-10 per cent levels,” noted the report.

Also, earnings of investment holding companies for JanuarySeptember period are estimated at OMR27.72 million, a growth of 25 per cent year on year on low base. For the financial sector, the nine-month period earnings are estimated to reveal a moderate growth of 3 per cent year-on-year at OMR293.58 million.

As far as the industrial sector is concerned, the total revenue is anticipated to decline by 1.6 per cent on year-on-year on the back of subdued performance of construction and building material sectors along with the prevailing low commodity prices. “We have seen sharp reduction in the new project announcements in Oman, which would in turn impact the ANTICIPATED REVENUE: Gulf Baader Capital Markets said that the combined anticipated revenue of MSM 30 companies for the first nine-month period of 2016 could be around OMR3.06 billion, regis- visibility to an extent.”

The earnings of industrial sectering a year-on-year growth of 5.9 per cent. – Times file picture tor firms are expected to grow by 13.9 per cent on year-on-year to and service sectors,” added the re- ing firms, for January-September period is anticipated to reveal a OMR46.10 million amid earnperiod is estimated to grow by 3.2 marginal growth of 0.8 per cent at ings recovery from the cement search note. sector companies.

Gulf Baader also said that the per cent at OMR2.88 billion, while OMR261.55 million.

The revenue of service sector During January-July 2016 combined anticipated revenue of earnings of index companies are MSM 30 firms for the nine-month projected to increase by 5.6 per cent period, Oman’s banking sector companies for the nine-month period could be at OMR3.06 bil- year-on-year to OMR516.46 million. credit (conventional and Islamic period is estimated to achieve a combined) grew by OMR1.425 year-on-year growth of 4.4 per lion, registering a year-on-year billion in absolute terms, showing cent amid growth seen in most of Banking sector growth of 5.9 per cent.

“During the first half of 2016, Among various segments, bank- a growth of 11.5 per cent year-on- the sector companies. The sector most of the listed companies ac- ing sector revenue is anticipated year and 7.1 per cent on year- to- earnings are set to grow higher by counted for 12 per cent corporate to grow by 4.4 per cent on year- date basis amid increase in private 9.9 per cent to OMR204.50 million. tax rate. With the Royal Decree on-year amid continued and sector and retail credit demand.

“For the third quarter of 2016, pending with respect to the change stable credit growth. However, in taxation, we have also assumed on the other hand, the negative we expect banking sector credit HAVE YOUR SAY 12 per cent tax rate in our third impact on the increase in fund- addition to be at OMR400 milSend us your comments at ing costs will put pressure on net lion, an increase of 1.9 per cent quarter 2016 estimate,” it added. facebook.com/timesofoman The revenue of MSM 30 compa- interest margins. Banking sec- on a quarter-on-quarter basis. blog.timesofoman.com nies, excluding investment hold- tor earnings for the nine-month For 2016, we estimated the sector haveyoursay@timesofoman.com

Duqm authority to attract private sector investment MUSCAT: Attractive investment opportunities are available for the private sector, who can participate in the development of a major commercial centre and associated facilities within the free trade zone at Duqm.

The Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority (Sezad) has invited entrepreneurs to take advantage of the investment opportunity, which include the construction of a commercial centre. This is part of efforts to expand the investment possibilities available for the private sector in the Sultanate and to benefit from the incentives and privileges pro-

Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............154.25

Major Omani firms poised to post 6% growth in profit

COMMERCIAL CENTRE

Times News Service

* Rates as of October 5 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......15.65

to rationalise existing portfolios, reduce reliance on leverage and encourage consolidation,” he added.

Spending cuts Crude’s more than 50 per cent plunge since the middle of 2014 has already pushed governments from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates to cut spending, privatise state assets and consolidate businesses in sectors such as banking. Money spent acquiring companies in the Middle East and Africa rose almost 300 per cent last quarter to about $30 billion, the most in at least 12 years.

In one of the largest-ever deals in the region, Abu Dhabi agreed

to merge National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank earlier this year to create a lender with assets of about $175 billion and combined market value of almost $30 billion. Boueiz said he expects further consolidation in the regional banking industry as a move to cut costs and improve efficiency among lenders.

In Saudi Arabia, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is overseeing an unprecedented shakeup of the biggest Arab economy. The country plans an initial public offering Saudi Arabian Oil Company, which the prince said may value the company at more than $2 trillion. - Bloomberg News

B2

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

MARKET MSM index closes flat

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 5,626.48 ............... 5,611.53 ....................5,615.94 ................... 5,613.26....................2.68 ................... 0.05 Financial Index .....................................7,254.43 ...............7,238.06 ...................7,242.20 ....................7,236.91....................5.29 ................... 0.07 Industrial Index ....................................7,408.63 ...............7,402.78 ................... 7,404.62 ................... 7,405.42..................-0.80 .................. -0.01 Services Index .......................................3,067.48 .............. 3,050.40 ................... 3,056.08 ................... 3,063.12.................. -7.04 .................. -0.23 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................866.85 ..................864.73 .......................866.57 ...................... 865.08.................... 1.49 ................... 0.17 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 10,509,132.................. 2,857,602 .................... 540 ................17,230,110,228 .................. 8 ........................9 .................... 23 .........................40

Al Batinah Development and Investment was the top gainer, up by 2.27%. Al Omaniya

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5

Financial, down by 6.67%, lost the most ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

MUSCAT: Shares on the Muscat bourse remained firm with scattered support. The MSM30 index ended on a flat note at 5,615.94 points, up by 0.05 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index closed at 866.57 points, up by 0.17 per cent.

Bank Muscat was the most active in terms and turnover. Al Batinah Development & Investment Holding was the day’s top gainer, up 2.27 per cent while Al Omaniya Financial Services was the top loser, down 6.67 per cent.

As many as 540 trades were executed today, generating a turnover of OMR2.87 million with 10.50 million shares changing hands. Out of 40 traded securities, 8 advanced, 9 declined and 23 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR256,000 worth of shares followed by foreign investors at OMR49,000. Arab and GCC investors, who were net sellers, sold stocks amounting to OMR306,000.

Financial Index closed at 7,242.20 points, up by 0.07 per cent. Al Batinah Development & Investment Holding, Al Izz Islamic Bnk, National Bank of Oman and Ahli Bank increased by 2.27 per cent, 1.59 per cent, 1.30 per cent and 0.53 per cent respectively. Al Omaniya Financial Services, DIDIC and Bank Dhofar fell by 6.67 per cent, 1.03 per cent and 0.93 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index marginally fell by 0.01 per cent to close at 7,404.62 points. Galfar Engineering was only gainer and was up by 0.93 per cent to close at OMRO0.106.

Oman Cement and Raysut Cement declined by 0.45 per cent and 0.33 per cent respectively.

Services Index fell by 0.23 per cent to end at 3,056.08 points.

Oreedoo Oman and Omantel gained by 1.20 per cent and 0.98 per cent respectively. While Oman National Engineering, Sembcorp Salalah and Batinah

power declined by 3.75 per cent, 3.23 per cent and 0.51 per cent respectively.

Indian stocks slump Indian stocks market let go of its winning momentum of the past three days as the Sensex slumped 114 points after Europe turned shaky over talk of withdrawal of European Central bank stimulus and on profit-booking in recent outperformers.

The NSE Nifty reclaimed the 8,800-mark, but could not hold on to it under the selling pressure. It closed down 25.20 points, or 0.29 per cent, at 8,743.95.

In stock-specific action, ONGC plunged 2.56 per cent to INR 266.75 while Axis Bank lost 2.03 per cent to INR 535.70, mainly after investors booked profit. Those that lagged included Bajaj Auto, Hero MotoCorp, M&M, Dr Reddy’s, ICICI Bank, Adani Ports and TCS, falling by up to 1.28 per cent.

Out of 30 Sensex shares, 19 ended lower while 11 gained. The BSE banking index fell the most by 0.78 per cent. Others such as IT, technology, healthcare and oil and gas too suffered losses. The broader markets gave a better account, with the small-cap index gaining 0.62 per cent and midcap 0.50 per cent.

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

OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ...................................95,079 ............ 22,213......................16 ........... 0.235 ...........0.238 ...........0.231 ........... 0.234 ............. 0.231............ 0.003............. 1.299 ................0.231 ..............0.230...................0.231..................345,098,818........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO......................................................................... 91,836 .............62,193........................9 ........... 0.664 ...........0.680 ...........0.664........... 0.676 .............0.668 ........... 0.008............. 1.198.................0.672..............0.668...................0.672................. 440,038,299 .......0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 129,859...........199,681..................... 35 ............1.525 ........... 1.550 ...........1.525 ........... 1.540 ............. 1.525.............0.015 .............0.984 ................1.550 .............. 1.530...................1.550................1,155,000,000 ......0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 186,604 ........... 52,464........................7 ........... 0.280...........0.283 ...........0.280 .......... 0.281 .............0.280 ............0.001 ............. 0.357 ................0.282............. 0.280...................0.283 ..................28,100,000.........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .............................................................90,223 .............57,021..................... 10 ........... 0.632 ........... 0.632 ...........0.632........... 0.632 .............0.632 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.632..............0.620...................0.632...................34,760,000.........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE............... 88,400 ............. 17,150........................5 ............0.194 ........... 0.194 ...........0.194........... 0.194 .............0.194 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.194 ..............0.194...................0.195 ...................38,800,000.........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 547,686...........101,401......................51 ............0.186 ........... 0.186 ...........0.184............0.185 ............. 0.185............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.184..............0.182...................0.184...................32,375,455 .........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 137,533 .............27,507......................13 ........... 0.200...........0.200 ...........0.200 .......... 0.200 .............0.200 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.200 ............ 0.200...................0.220 ..................59,242,736 .........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 347,332 ............82,783..................... 32 ........... 0.237 ...........0.240 ...........0.237........... 0.238 .............0.238 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.240 ............ 0.240...................0.242 .................. 29,725,714 .........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .......................................... 230,000 ........... 46,062......................11 ........... 0.200........... 0.201 ...........0.200 .......... 0.200 .............0.200 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.200 .............0.198...................0.200 ..................12,240,855 .........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE .............................................................877 ...................138........................1 ............0.157 ........... 0.157 ...........0.157 ........... 0.160 .............0.160 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.157 .............. 0.157...................0.160...................52,208,510 .........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 1,747,984........713,516..................... 59 ............0.412 ........... 0.412 ...........0.408........... 0.408 .............0.408 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.410 ..............0.410...................0.412................ 1,018,470,105 ......0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 575,707.............92,113......................21 ............0.160 ........... 0.160 ...........0.160........... 0.160 .............0.160 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.160.............. 0.158...................0.160..................256,719,895 ........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ........................................................1,316 .................. 592........................2 ........... 0.450 ...........0.450 ...........0.450........... 0.450 .............0.450 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.450..............0.450...................0.470...................27,225,000.........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL...............................................55,000 ...............3,850........................4 ........... 0.070 ...........0.070 ...........0.070........... 0.070 .............0.070 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.070..............0.069...................0.071...................12,250,000.........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ..................................................58,282 ............28,442........................9 ........... 0.488 ...........0.488 ...........0.488........... 0.488 .............0.488 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.488..............0.488...................0.496...................25,620,000.........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 378,961.............54,183......................17 ............0.143 ........... 0.143 ...........0.142........... 0.143 ............. 0.143............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.142..............0.142...................0.144..................209,152,009........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ...................................................... 329,974 ......... 491,782......................21 ............1.490 ........... 1.500 ...........1.490........... 1.490 ............. 1.495............-0.005 ........... -0.334 ...............1.500..............1.500...................1.530................. 298,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 221,302 ............97,092........................9 ........... 0.440...........0.440 ...........0.436........... 0.438 .............0.440 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.455 ...............0.436..............0.430...................0.440 ................ 144,922,247 .......0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 172,626 ...........34,003........................7 ............0.197 ........... 0.197 ...........0.195 ............0.197 ............. 0.198............-0.001 ........... -0.505 ...............0.197 .............. 0.197...................0.200 .................132,952,824........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 5,486,581 ...2,184,185...................339 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ..... 20........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ........................10,000 ..................900........................1 ........... 0.090 ...........0.090 ...........0.090........... 0.090 .............0.088 ........... 0.002............. 2.273 ................0.090..............0.088...................0.089....................2,700,000 ..........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK................................................ 10,790 .................. 686........................5 ........... 0.064 ...........0.064 ...........0.063........... 0.064 .............0.063 ............0.001 ............. 1.587 ................0.063..............0.063...................0.064 ................. 64,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 360,601 ........... 38,838..................... 26 ............0.108 ........... 0.109 ...........0.106........... 0.108 .............0.107.............0.001 ............. 0.935 ................0.106..............0.106...................0.107................... 31,317,909 .........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 110,000............20,900........................4 ............0.190 ........... 0.190 ...........0.190........... 0.190 ............. 0.189.............0.001 ............. 0.529 ................0.190..............0.184...................0.190..................270,756,867........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS .............. 20,000 ...............4,100........................3 ........... 0.205 ...........0.205 ...........0.205........... 0.205 .............0.205 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.205............. 0.200...................0.205 ................... 6,882,147 ..........0.100 OM0000001426............OMAN REFRESHMENT ...................................................111 .................. 239........................1 ............2.150 ........... 2.150 ...........2.150........... 2.150 .............2.150............ 0.000.............0.000 ................2.150 ..............2.150...................0.000 .................107,500,000........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 110,000...............6,820........................7 ........... 0.062 ...........0.062 ...........0.062........... 0.062 .............0.062 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.062..............0.062...................0.063.................... 7,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............. 50,000 .............13,500........................4 ........... 0.270 ...........0.270 ...........0.270........... 0.270 .............0.270 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.270..............0.268...................0.269 ...................5,670,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 403,883 ............50,218..................... 37 ............0.124 ........... 0.125 ...........0.123 ........... 0.124 .............0.124 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.124..............0.124...................0.125................... 11,160,000 .........0.100 OM0000003141 ............ACWA POWER BARKA ...............................................12,000 ...............8,496........................1 ............0.708 ........... 0.708 ...........0.708........... 0.708 .............0.708 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.708..............0.688...................0.000 .................113,280,000........0.100 OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE .................................................. 25,000 ...............2,740........................3 ............0.110 ........... 0.110............0.109............0.110 ............. 0.110............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.110 ..............0.109...................0.110 ...................27,894,900.........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 592,601 ........... 46,223......................12 ........... 0.078 ........... 0.079 ...........0.078........... 0.078 .............0.078 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.079..............0.078...................0.079..................117,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 248,452 ........... 48,697..................... 10 ............0.196 ........... 0.196 ...........0.196 ............0.196 ............. 0.196............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.196 ..............0.196...................0.200 .................140,023,643........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ............................................................ 1,546,280 ......328,058..................... 48 ............0.214 ........... 0.214 ...........0.209 .......... 0.212 .............0.214 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.935 ...............0.210............. 0.208...................0.210................. 402,630,697 .......0.100 OM0000001509............DHOFAR INT.DEV.AND INV. HOLD......................15,000 ...............5,790........................1 ........... 0.386 ...........0.386 ...........0.386........... 0.386 .............0.390 ...........-0.004 ........... -1.026 ...............0.386............. 0.000...................0.386...................95,110,400 .........0.100

Rupee depreciates The rupee fell back after a threestraight session rally against the American unit and ended marginally weak at 66.51 on fresh dollar demand from importers and banks amid bout of global risk.

The home currency opened sharply lower at 66.63 from Tuesday’s closing value of 66.46 at the forex market and drifted further to 66.65 due to renewed dollar demand. After trading in a tight range most part of the day, the local unit settled down at 66.51, revealing a loss of 5 paise, or 0.08 per cent. – United Securities/PTI

OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ........................6,200 .................. 932........................2 ............0.152 ........... 0.152 ...........0.150 ........... 0.150 ............. 0.155............-0.005 ........... -3.226 ...............0.150 ..............0.146...................0.155 ...................15,000,000.........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH.............................................. 145,050 ........... 33,542......................12 ........... 0.232 ...........0.240 ...........0.224 ...........0.231 .............0.240 ...........-0.009 ........... -3.750................0.240 .............0.230...................0.000 .................220,506,120 .......0.100 OM0000002077 ...........AL OMANIYA FINANCIAL SER. ........................... 200,100 ........... 56,029........................3 ........... 0.280...........0.289 ...........0.280 .......... 0.280 .............0.300 ...........-0.020 ........... -6.667 ...............0.289............. 0.000...................0.289 .................. 75,001,792 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 3,866,068......666,708...................180 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......18........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................... 14,700 ...............1,000........................1 ........... 0.068 ...........0.068 ...........0.068........... 0.068 .............0.068 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.068..............0.067...................0.068.....................5,114,144 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................... 14,700 ...............1,000........................1 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

RIGHTS ISSUE MARKET .................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000002556 ...........BANK DHOFAR RIGHT ISSUE .............................. 1,141,783 ............5,709.....................20 ........... 0.005 ...........0.005 ...........0.005........... 0.005 .............0.035 ...........-0.030 .......... -85.714 ..............0.005............. 0.000...................0.005 ...................1,000,000 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 1,141,783 ............5,709.....................20 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

ECONOMY

TRAINING

PEIE organises workshop on raising productivity, efficiency by providing a collaborative work place where ideas are shared, and employees’ skills are identified and developed according to their personal growth goals as well as the organisation’s goals and vision.

Coaching, mentoring and planned capacity building plays a key role,” she added.

Times News Service MUSCAT: A workshop on transformational leadership, organised by the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), aimed at raising levels of awareness on organisational goals enjoyed by leaders, advancing productivity of leaders and employees, and developing the vision and translate it into actions.

Organised as part of Oman Manufacturing Group (OMG) series of events, the seminar, which took place on Wednesday, at Crowne Plaza Muscat, also aimed at rising above own self-interest for the advantage of the organisation, says a press release.

Moderated by Duha Awayes, associate director at Protiviti Oman, the workshop underscored leadership theories and their development throughout the years; transformational leadership and how it is different; steps a leader needs to

HONING SKILLS: Oman Manufacturing Group’s workshops have been initiated to bring together local manufacturers and various industries to network and promote the development of the manufacturing sector in Oman. - Supplied picture

take to develop a transformational leadership environment; and the dark side of leadership and ways to avoid it.

“Transformational leadership is about collaboration and appealing to the human side of the individuals in order to motivate them

to perform beyond their normal standards, by aligning their effort under one vision and one goal,” Awayes said.

“Organisations that wish to adopt this effective form of leadership need to concentrate on team building and engagement,

Oman manufacturing It is worth mentioning that the workshop was held as part of Oman Manufacturing Group (OMG) series of events, which aim at underlining various areas related to businessmen, employees and students of higher education institutions in the Sultanate.

Oman Manufacturing Group events have been initiated to bring together local manufacturers and various industries to network and discuss on the recent trends triggered in the industry and promote the development of the manufacturing sector in Oman.

World Bank raises East Asia growth outlook SINGAPORE: World Bank slightly raised its 2016 economic growth forecast for developing East Asia and the Pacific on Wednesday, saying that Brexit is unlikely to have any significant near-term impact on growth in the region.

The Washington-based lender now expects the developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region, which includes China, to grow 6.4 per cent in 2016 and 6.2 percent in 2017. Its previous forecast in April was for 6.3 per cent growth in 2016 and 6.2 per cent in 2017.

“Growth in the region is expected to remain broadly resilient during 2016-2018,” the World Bank said in its latest East Asia and Pacific Economic Update report.

The bank kept its 2016 and 2017 growth forecasts for China unchanged at 6.7 per cent and 6.5 per cent, respectively, but trimmed its 2018 growth view for China by 0.2 percentage point to 6.3 per cent.

Growth projections for Thailand were raised to 3.1 per cent for both 2016 and 2017, up from 2.5 per

cent and 2.6 per cent previously.

Thailand “In Thailand, growth will recover gradually to 3.3 per cent in 2018, reflecting the effects of increased public investment, improving consumer confidence, and continued expansion in services including tourism,” the World Bank said.

But it said its baseline view for the region faces significant risks such as China’s ongoing economic slowdown and any sharp tightening in global financial conditions that could reduce capital flows to the region.

Britain’s looming separation from the European Union is unlikely to have a large impact on developing East Asia and the Pacific in the short-term, the Bank added, given the region’s limited direct trade and financial links with the United Kingdom.

The UK accounts for less than 2 per cent of total exports across most of developing East Asia and Pacific. - Reuters

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

B3

MARKET BP purchases first Iranian oil since lifting of sanctions National Iranian Oil Company will supply South Pars condensate to BP for loading between September and October this year

TEHRAN: Iran’s state-owned oil company sold natural gas condensate to BP for the first time since sanctions were lifted in January, marking the country’s re-emergence as one of the world’s top suppliers of crude oil and natural gas liquids.

National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) will supply South Pars condensate to BP for loading between September and October, said an NIOC official, asking not to be identified because of internal policy. The shipment may be

used by one of BP’s own refineries or resold to other users, the official said by phone.

A London-based spokeswoman for BP declined to comment on the deal when contacted by phone.

Raising production The sale is a milestone for Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) third-largest producer, which has been ravaged by sanctions targeting its nuclear programme.

Iran has vowed to recover its

lost market share by restoring its crude oil output to pre-sanctions levels of slightly over 4 million barrels a day. The country also wants to revitalise its refining and petrochemical industries to improve the quality of fuel sold on the domestic market and wean itself off imported oil products.

Iran is also working with traders such as Trafigura Group, which lifted a cargo of Iranian

DEBT

Apicorp arranges $100m finance for Egyptian General Petroleum Times News Service MUSCAT: Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (Apicorp) said it has arranged a three-year $100 million Murabaha financing facility for Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC).

Apicorp is a multilateral development bank established in 1975 by the 10-member states of the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (Oapec).

Through its various subsidiaries, EGPC engages in all aspects of the petroleum industry. Its upstream activities include the exploration for and production of crude oil, condensate and natural gas; whilst its midstream and downstream operations cover refining, marketing and transportation of petroleum products and petrochemicals.

Murabaha facility Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation is thus responsible for the full-scale development and exploitation of Egypt’s petroleum resources, and for ensuring the supply of various refined petroleum products within Egypt, subject to the direct oversight of the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum.

Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation now intends to use new Murabaha facility provid-

ed by Apicorp to fund the purchase of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) from the Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport Company (AMPTC). “We are very pleased to be supporting Egypt’s petroleum industry through arranging of this Murabaha facility. It contributes to the stability and security of supply of energy to the Egyptian people,” said Dr Raed Al Rayes, deputy chief executive officer and general manager of Apicorp, commented.

“Apicorp has had a history of successful presence in Egypt, as well as, a lengthy and profitable association with EGPC. Supporting all areas of the regional energy industry goes to the very heart of Apicorp’s approach, so today’s announcement is the latest evidence of our continued and successful efforts,” he added.

TECHNOLOGY

Automation threatens jobs in India, China: World Bank WASHINGTON: Automation threatens 69 per cent of the jobs in India and 77 per cent in China, according to a World Bank research which says technology could ‘fundamentally disrupt’ the pattern of traditional economic path in developing countries.

“As we continue to encourage more investment in infrastructure to promote growth, we also have to think about the kinds of infrastructure that countries will need in the economy of the future.

We all know that technology has and will continue to fundamentally reshape the world,” World Bank president Jim Kim said.

“But the traditional economic path from increasing productivity of agriculture to light manufacturing and then to full-scale industrialisation may not be possible for all developing countries,” Kim said in response to a question at the Brookings Institute during a discussion on extreme poverty on Tuesday.

“In large parts of Africa, it is likely that technology could fundamentally disrupt this pattern.

Research based on World Bank data has predicted that the pro-

growth will be available for these countries and then adapt our approach to infrastructure accordingly,” Kim said.

We all know that technology has and will continue to fundamentally reshape the world Jim Kim President, World Bank

portion of jobs threatened in India by automation is 69 per cent, in China it is 77 per cent and in Ethiopia, the percentage of jobs threatened by automation is 85 per cent,” he said.

“Now, if this is true, and if these countries are going to lose these many jobs, we then have to understand what paths to economic

One-child policy He said one-child policy could have been reason of sharp decline in child stunting and malnutrition, which is now at 10 per cent.

“The one child policy could have been part of it, but anyway the point is, that if you look at educational outcomes and things like child stunting, India is at 38.7 per cent child stunting, they are literally walking into the future with 40 per cent of their workforce probably being unable to compete in the global digital economy, whereas China over the years has brought it down very, very low,” Kim said.

Mechanisation and technology have disrupted traditional industrial production, upended manual jobs and call time on the work that has been done by generations of families.

This trend is not isolated to the United States., it is affecting people in countries everywhere, the World Bank chief said. - PTI

Heavy in June in an attempt to expand its reach into the Chinese independent refining market.

Royal Dutch Shell shipped a cargo of Iranian crude to Europe in July, while France’s Total was the first oil major to resume purchases of Iranian oil in February this year.

A few days ago, Iran signaled it’s seeking to boost exports after Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) members

agreed to reduce output at a meeting last week. Iran wants to increase exports to 2.35 million barrels a day in the coming months, state news agency Irna reported.

The Opec member is currently shipping 2.2 million barrels a day.

Oil capped the biggest monthly gain since April after the Opec agreed to trim supply for the first time in eight years. While quotas will be decided at the group’s official meeting in November, Nigeria, Iran and Libya have said they are exempt and Iraq has said it doesn’t accept Opec’s estimates of its production levels. Russia boosted output last month to a post-Soviet record. – Bloomberg News

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N E W H A R D WA R E P U S H

Google takes on Apple, Amazon SAN FRANCISCO: Alphabet’s Google has announced a new ‘Pixel’ smartphone and a suite of new consumer electronics products for the home, planting itself firmly in the hardware business and challenging Apple’s iPhone at the high end of the $400 billion global smartphone market.

The string of announcements including the $649 Pixel, a smart speaker for the living room dubbed “Home,” a virtual reality headset, and a new Wi-Fi router - is the clearest sign yet that Google intends to compete head-to-head with Apple, Amazon.com and even manufacturers of phones using its own Android mobile operating system.

Company executives, echoing Apple’s longstanding philosophy, said they were striving for tighter integration of hardware and software. “The thinking is that if we can work on hardware and software together, we can innovate much better,” Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh said in an interview, citing a recent reorganisation. – Bloomberg News

B4

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

FEATURE

PLEASE DISTURB OPEN FOR BUSINESS

SINGAPORE HOTELS ROOM GLUT TOURIST INFLUX BRINGS NO JOY TO SINGAPORE HOTELS AS ROOM RATES FALL

A

n influx of tourists to Singapore this year has brought little joy to the city’s hoteliers, as a glut of rooms sends a key revenue measure to a six-year low.

Revenue per available room, a metric used by the hotel industry, slumped by 7.4 per cent in June to S$179.40 ($132) a night, the lowest since 2010, according to data from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Even as tourist arrivals have risen each month this year, room rates have

fallen because of shorter trips by visitors and a 5 per cent increase in the number of hotel rooms.

There is no relief in sight. Of the 2,866 hotel rooms slated for addition this year, about two-thirds were expected to open in the second half, according to UOB Kay Hian Pte. Marriott International and the owner of the Holiday Inn Express chain are among operators that have planned new hotels in Singapore this year or already opened them.

“The high supply of new hotel rooms will be a headwind for room

rates,” Macquarie Group analysts Ken Ang and Tuck Yin Soong said in a note to clients.

“While visitor arrivals have increased, average length of stay is falling, including from a higher proportion of day visitors,” said the analysts, who have a negative rating on hotel stocks.

Chinese visitors, the largest group of tourists to Singapore, posted a 53 per cent increase in June from a year earlier, the tourism board data showed. However, many price-conscious tourists are stopping over before crossing into

Johor Bahru in Malaysia, which is about a 30-minute drive from the city centre, according to Derek Chang, an analyst at UOB Kay Hian in Singapore.

“Chinese tourists are coming in from secondary cities in China and they are more budget conscious,” Chang said.

A pull back by Chinese visitors has also hurt hotels in Hong Kong. Average room rates in Hong Kong were down 9.2 per cent to HK$1,337 ($172) last year, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board. In Tokyo, a popular

destination for Chinese tourists but which has a shortage of hotels, average daily room rates last year rose 9.4 per cent to 18,225 yen ($176), data from Savills showed.

The glut of rooms is hurting Singapore hotel operators. Shares of Hotel Properties, which owns the Four Seasons, Hilton and Concorde hotels in Singapore, have fallen 10 per cent this year, compared to a 1.1 per cent drop in the benchmark Straits Times Index.

Global Premium Hotels, which runs a chain of budget hotels, has dropped 12 per cent.

Zika virus An outbreak of the Zika virus may further dissuade tourists. More than 240 cases of the mosquitoborne virus have been detected since the city’s first case was identified last month.

When Singapore was hit by SARS in 2003, visitor arrivals plunged 70 per cent in the first three months of the pandemic, sending hotel occupancy plunging more than 40 per cent, and room rates down as much as 17 per cent, UOB Kay Hian said.

— Bloomberg News

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ALUMNI MEET

BITS to hold Global Alumni Meet in Dubai DUBAI: The Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Alumni Global Meet (BGM), which was first conceptualised in 2011, has chosen UAE as the destination to host its third edition: BGM 2017 at the BITS Pilani Dubai Campus from January 5-7, 2017.

The three-day event will witness over 2000 BITS Pilani alumni coming together to exchange ideas, thoughts, and aspirations on Innovation, Inspiration, Industry – the theme of the conference, says a press release.

BITS Pilani is a five decade old premier technical and science institute with an illustrious legacy, modern campuses and alumni in leadership positions across the world, BITS Pilani has been the institute of choice for top students year after year.

Esteemed industrialists and academicians will share their experiences and opinions.

Delegates can participate in interactive sessions on social entrepreneurship, education, en-

ergy and sustainability and Make in India to name a few. Reputed business leaders such as Ranvir Trehan (SETA Corp), Sunil Duggal (Dabur India), Gurindar Sohi (Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison), SP Kothari (MIT Sloan) and Anu Hasan (Actor, Director) will be attend. One of the highlights of the event is an exclusive networking session for alumni startups to interact with prominent venture capitalists An event of this scale cannot be conducted without a strong team at the helm. Distinguished alumni and entrepreneurs from the Middle East region including MP Sharma (Techmart), Ajay Galgotia (Triveni Trading), Kesar Kothari (Elfit Arabia), Mudit Goel (L&T), Jilani Sheikh (ECS ME) and Sandhya Prakash (Beacon Consulting), are ably supported by a strong support team of alumni and student volunteers!

If you are a BITS Pilani alumnus then do not miss this event happening right here in Dubai!

Register now at bgm2017.com.

B5

ROUND-UP

Charming Charlie opens at Muscat Grand Mall Charming Charlie is a women’s contemporary jewelry and accessories retailer that offers unrivaled value through high quality style and an accessible price

MUSCAT: Charming Charlie, the rapidly growing women’s contemporary jewelry and accessory retailer, hosted a launch event recently at their new Muscat Grand

Mall store. The store was officially inaugurated by Ann Mason, economic and commercial officer of the United States Embassy in Muscat and media personality, Ibtihal Zadjali. The event took place in the 2,900 square foot store, which is operated by Apparel Group, Charming Charlie’s international licensing partner, and featured a ribbon cutting ceremony and selfie box for shoppers to take photos for a chance to win prizes.

Known for carrying a wide ar-

POETS IN THE MAKING

ray of accessible fashion accessories merchandised by colour, the Charming Charlie store in Oman offers a full range of product including fashion jewelry, handbags, apparel, small leather goods, scarves, watches, sunglasses, a special occasion collection, and more. Each location showcases the brand’s newest retail concept with signature double doors in vibrant pink lacquer and a residentialstyle interior that mixes feminine, mid-century accents with luxe

materials and whimsical details, says a press release.

“We’re thrilled to be introducing the Charming Charlie brand to Oman,” said Charlie Chanaratsopon, founder and chief executive officer of Charming Charlie. “It is very exciting to bring Charming Charlie's colourful palette of accessories and playful shopping experience to more women throughout the world.”

Charming Charlie is a women’s contemporary jewelry and accessories retailer that offers unrivaled value through high quality style and an accessible price.

Launched in 2004 by Charlie Chanaratsopon, the brand is known for merchandising its broad assortment of product by colour, which includes fashion jewelry, handbags, accessories, apparel, footwear and more. Charming Charlie has more than 350 global retail stores across the United States, Canada, Middle East and the Philippines.

CLEANLINESS DRIVE

PSM students bring poetry to life with impressive recitation, performances MUSCAT: Over 150 young students of kindergarten and Special Education Centre of Pakistan School Muscat presented inspiring poetry followed by live performances at a special poetry recitation event in the school.

The students brought the poetry recitation event to life with their colourful portrayal of poetry.

They centre-staged the event with their unique intonation, inspiring moves and vibrant attire, says a press release. ‘‘The students inspired us to enjoy the beauty of literature that they presented with such remarkable confidence,” remarked Munazza Ghafoor, principal of Pakistan School Muscat junior school.

The event was attended by Naheed Naveed Atif, deputy head of mission – Embassy of Pakistan as chief guest. Mohammed Adnan Shahzad, chairman BoD, members BoD, dignitaries, Atta Ullah Niazi, senior principal of Pakistan School System , Khalid Jadoon, Principal, Pakistan School Muscat, teachers and parents were also present.

The event was anchored by a group of young students from grade 1 to grade 4. The students displayed their poetic sense by reciting poems in English, Urdu and Arabic along with the musical performances. With the stage themed ‘Candyland’ the young learners left the audience awestruck with their

gaudy props and the complementing intoned poetic lines and enchanting performances.

Naheed Naveed Atif congratulated the school management, parents and teachers for organising the event on such a grand scale to inspire all the students into becoming excellent human beings

C S R I N I T I AT I V E

excelling not only on the academic level but also to nurture their talent and love for literature.

Adnan Shazad appreciated the principal, teachers, participants and the parents for putting up such a marvelous show. He highlighted the need for such events for the well-groomed and all-rounded students an educational institution can produce.

Certificates, as the token of appreciation, were given to all the students who unveiled their talent on the stage.

Munazza Ghafoor extended her gratitude to all for organising this event to make it the first and the life-long accomplishment of confidence and talent for the students of kindergarten and Special Education Centre. She appreciated the pivotal contribution brought in by the donors, the decoration team and the teachers for making this event a benchmark.

The event proved to be a stepping stone on which all the students can nail their paramount talent with confidence.

ISG initiates ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign on Gandhi Jayanti MUSCAT: Indian School Al Ghubra initiated the Swachh Bharat campaign on October 2 synchronising with the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi who said that ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’.

A special assembly was conducted on this occasion by the students of Grade 12 who spoke about the life of Mahatma Gandhi and the ideologies and values he stood for which has acclaimed him to be a world leader, says a press release.

A video presentation depicting rare facts of the great leader enlightened the students. The students of classes 6, 7 and 8 actively participated in the cleaning cam-

paign urging each one of them to contribute towards cleanliness.

The students were divided into groups and each group led by a senior student was delegated different areas in the school to ensure that the school remains clean and free of litter. The campaign will continue till the end of this week.

The enthusiastic participation of the students has infused a sense of responsibility in them.

The students of kindergarten also celebrated Gandhi Jayanti at a special assembly. It goes without saying that the collective responsibility of everyone contributes to the success in making the vision of Swachh Bharat a reality.

P R E S T I G I O U S AWA R D

Al Hassan Engineering staff Wide Vision International bags donate blood to save lives esteemed medical tourism award MUSCAT: As a part of its ongoing CSR initiative, a blood donation camp was organised at Al Hassan Engineering’s Rabab Harweel Power Plant project (RHPP) site recently where the project site staff and the Harweel contractors community came forward to voluntarily donate blood and enthusiastically participated in the noble cause. Organised under the aegis of PDO RHPP project team, it was anchored by Al Hassan’s HSE division.

A team from the Nizwa Hospital Blood Bank set up a camp at the Rabab Harweel Project site. It was able to collect an overall 114 units of blood, says a press release.

K.C. Prabhakaran, head of HSE, Al Hassan Engineering Company, said: “At Al Hassan the blood donation drive is organised periodically in support of the Ministry of Health’s humanitarian initiative and to create a culture of ‘giving

back’ amongst our staff.

Donating blood is sacred and humanity can be served best by donating blood voluntarily to the needy people. It is our duty towards society to encourage such initiatives which go a long way in saving many precious lives.

“I take this opportunity to express our gratitude to PDO,

Ministry of Health, Nizwa Hospital, blood donors and all others involved in making this camp a great success.” Al Hassan Group has been in the forefront of several such corporate social responsibility initiatives in the recent past including road safety awareness campaigns, breakfast for low income students in school, etc.

MUSCAT: Wide Vision International, a branch of Wide Vision Group Ltd (UK), bagged the Leading International Medical Tourism Agency Award at the inaugural Icons of Healthcare Awards in Singapore. The award was presented to Iqbal Ahmed Syed, director, Wide Vision Group Ltd – UK, says a press release.

In his acceptance speech and commenting on receiving the award Syed said: “We are extremely honoured to be receiving such an important award, the 2016 Icons of Healthcare Awards, for being the leading international medical tourism agency, on behalf of Wide Vision Group Ltd. I am earnestly grateful for the recognition we have received for our work, because I am very sure that every other nominee for this award was as capable if not more, of winning this award.”

“We have faced several challeng-

es on our way here, but each one of them has only strengthened us to make us the company we are today; a thorough professional company with 38 offices and branches, a company which sets their goals and does not lose sight of it, unless it is achieved. Winning this award would not have been possible without the inspiration we have received from our seniors and our colleagues, for whom we have the deepest respect, and from whom we have derived the strength to challenge ourselves and perform

better at each stage,” he added.

The inaugural edition of the unique pan-Asian international forum - Icons of Healthcare - was hosted in Singapore on September 23, amidst the presence of medical professionals and healthcare providers from India, Singapore, Philippines, Nepal and Oman.

Organised by Singapore-based Business Excellence & Research Group, the summit witnessed deliberations over some of the key aspects and opportunities for healthcare delivery across Asia.

B6

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

ROUND-UP

Offer on Nissan cars to end on October 14 Under the special offer customers can avail assured cash gift ranging from OMR 750 to OMR 2000 varying modelwise

MUSCAT: Nissan Oman’s customer centric promotion offering a bundle of attractive value propositions has evoked a great response from customers.

The special offer which includes assured cash gift, free registration, free periodic maintenance service of 10,000km and six-year unlimited mileage will come to a close on October 14. The offer, which started on August 15, is valid on all models purchased for personal use, says a press release.

A senior official of SBA said, “The customer centric campaign has witnessed great response from customers who are keen to own

Nissan vehicles at competitive prices. We are very happy to design and execute schemes that help people to own dream Nissan cars.

The official added, “We at Nissan Oman have always been committed to provide customers with special offers throughout the year addressing their needs and aspirations to own Nissan cars.

Interested customers still have time left to make best use of this very special offer.”

Assured cash gift Under the special offer customers can avail assured cash gift ranging from OMR 750 to OMR 2000 varying model-wise.

All customers purchasing Nissan vehicles during this scheme period will be eligible for free six-year unlimited mileage extended warranty except GTR, 370Z, Patrol Pickup, Navara, Urvan, Civilian during the above said period; applicable only on private registration, not applicable for commercial registration.

Customers purchasing any Nissan model / variant under the scheme will get free periodic vehicle service package for 1 year/10,000 kms (whichever is earlier) during the scheme period.

This offer includes only the new service intervals of 10,000Kms and excludes any wear and tears parts.

Nissan customers get free registration on all new vehicle purchase except Urvan and Civilian.

Loyalty Scheme Loyal customers stand to enjoy additional benefits on purchase of a second Nissan vehicle in the family. Any person, who has two or more Nissan cars in his name or in the name of immediate family (husband, wife, unmarried children) and the new vehicles have been purchased from Suhail Bahwan Automobiles Oman, will be eligible for an exclusive Nissan Privilege Programme.

The members of the exclusive Nissan Privilege Programme will

be issued with the Nissan Privilege Card.

These customers will be entitled to special benefits at Nissan showrooms, Nissan workshops, parts counters/ outlets, trade in car, in house finance and rent a car.

Nissan has built up its reputation through innovative technology, and a broad product line-up.

In Oman, people have increasingly opted for Nissan models because they come with class leading features, great performance, ideally suited to the local conditions and offer great value for money besides being among the safest cars on the road.

Nissan’s range of vehicles consists of passenger cars like Micra, Sunny, Sentra, Tiida, Altima and Maxima; crossover model the Juke, Pathfinder and X Trail; SUV model - Patrol. Nissan’s LCV range includes Patrol Pickups, Navara, Urvan 15-seater, panel van buses and Civilian with 26 seats and 30-seater variants.

H E A LT H AWA R E N E S S

PSC holds talk on healthy food MUSCAT: Pakistan Social Club Oman organised an event titled ‘Healthy food for healthy and active life’. It was a public awareness and informative programme in which daily routine food was discussed in the scientific perspective.

The programme started with the recitation from the Holy Quran by Hafiz Muhammad Naeem Khalid followed by Muhammad Zaeem, general secretary Pakistan Social Club Oman, welcoming the audience and thanking them for their interests in such scientific event.

Dr. Irfan Farooq from MOH Oman was the chief guest while wellknown businessman Yasin Bhatti, MD Stars Light, was the guest of honour. Dr. Naveed Atif, consular immigration, Embassy of Islamic Republic of Pakistan was the special guest, says a press release.

The guests were warmly welcomed with bouquets by Hamda Noor. The event was presided by Dr. Ikram Burny, senior consult-

ant SQU who briefed the purpose of this event in a very professional way and introduced Dr. Amanat Ali who is an associate professor in Sultan Qaboos University.Dr. Amanat Ali shed light on what we should eat for a healthy and active life and after that gave a very comprehensive talkon how we can choose balanced food to make our life active and healthyin which he covered all the aspect of dietary

requirements for a healthy life.

Questions from the audience about correlation of balanced food and healthy lifestyle were well answered by Dr. Amanat and Dr. Ikram.

Dr. Irfan Farooq concluded the session by appreciating Pakistan Social Club Oman for arranging such a wonderful programme for the community and admired professional excellency

FINANCE SEMINAR

Bank Sohar’s road safety campaign continues in schools MUSCAT: As part of its ongoing road safety awareness campaign for schools launched recently in partnership with the Oman Road Safety Association (ORSA), Bank Sohar recently visited the Azzan bin Qais International School (ABQIS) in Boushar.

This is the second in a series of visits by the bank and ORSA, aimed at spreading awareness on road safety to children.

The event took place on September 26, at the ABQIS premises in the presence of approximately 100 primary school students together with members of the faculty.

Representing Bank Sohar at the event were members of the bank’s marketing team, accompanied by a team from ORSA, headed by Eng. Ali Ahmed Al Barwani, CEO, ORSA, says a press release. Commenting on the launch of the event Munira Abdulnabi Macki, GM of HR and Corporate Support at Bank Sohar said, “The aim of this particular campaign is to reach out to children and teach them core aspects of road safety and the importance of adhering to them. Furthermore, as with the jingle we launched earlier in the year, we aim to also reach out to the children’s family and friends by actively encouraging them to share what they have learnt with everyone they know.”

The event kicked off with an introduction by Maha Hussain Al Lawati, manager events & promotions at Bank Sohar. A member from ORSA then gave a presentation on the core aspects of maintaining road safety in and around school premises; with special focus being given on encouraging the children to advise their parents and school bus drivers against texting driving. This is in line with the message of the road safety jingle titled ‘Rakiz Wa Sooq’ launched by the bank earlier in the year.

As with the previous visit, ORSA CEO, Eng. Ali Ahmed Al Barwani selected ten children from the attendees to be the school’s road safety representatives and ambassadors for the

next five years, with the responsibility of helping spread awareness on road safety to students.

“It is encouraging to see just how enthusiastic the children at each of these schools are when it comes to learning about road safety. Providing the necessary knowledge on the subject to children at such a young age will help mould them into becoming more responsible drivers in the future and ambassadors for safety as they spread the knowledge they have gained with their friends, families and other children,” added Eng. Ali Ahmed Al Barwani.

Shortly thereafter the recently launched video of the jingle was played for the children with those that knew it singing along.

An interactive session was then held by representatives from the bank, covering the topics of the earlier presentation in more detail. As the programme drew to a close, gifts were handed over each of the children by the bank and ORSA. The event concluded with the students thanking the bank and ORSA for organising the event.

I would like to thank the faculty of the Azzan bin Qais International School for hosting us and the children for being such a great audience. We look forward to visiting many more schools in the following weeks to further spread the word on the importance of road safety,” concluded Munira Abdulnabi Macki.

Promoting road safety has been a key component of Bank Sohar’s CSR initiatives right from its inception.

It has over the years conducted various road shows and activities that have successfully spread awareness on the subject.

The Bank has also regularly collaborated with various associations and government entities, such as the Oman Road Safety Association (ORSA) and the other related entities, to jointly organise and run various events and awareness campaigns across the Sultanate and has, over the years, also participated in various Road Safety exhibitions.

D E R M AT O L O F Y M E E T

BDO seminar analyses the implication of proposed VAT MUSCAT: BDO Oman held a seminar on Value Added Tax (VAT) recently at the Muscat Intercontinental Hotel.

The seminar was conducted to analyse the implications as well as to share knowledge on VAT which is proposed to be introduced in the GCC states by 2018/2019.

The seminar brought together over 150 leading finance professionals representing several significant companies in Oman, who had the opportunity to expand their knowledge and gain international experience from the BDO speaker, Ivor Feerick, chair of the BDO International VAT Centre of Excellence, says a press release.

In the opening remarks, Bipin Kapur, managing partner, BDO Oman said, “There are almost 200

of Dr. Amanat Ali. The organising committee comprised Amjad Farooq, Syed AftabGilani, Abdul Rehman, Imran Iqbal and Tahir Mehmood. The event was attended by businessman, doctors, professionals, families and prominent community members.

A certificate of excellence was presented to Dr. Amanat Ali by the management of PSC. At last Muhammad Zaeem announced that PSC will organise public awareness programme in future on different topics including health, religion, technology utilisation, entertainment and many more in the better interest of the community.

Mian Muhammad Munir, managing director of Ittfaq Travel and tourism, sponsored the event and announced his support for all such public awareness programmes which are scheduled by PSC in 2016. Next session will be held on heart diseases on November 3.

E D UC AT I N G YOU N G M I N D S

countries in the world of which around 170 countries have VAT or a similar form of indirect tax.

The signing of VAT and Excise treaties may result in indirect tax process consolidation in the GCC through diversification of government revenues and reduction of subsidies. Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are expected to sign a common VAT Framework Agreement, which will set the VAT principles to be adopted.”

During the presentation, Feerick observed that, “The introduction of an indirect tax regime will necessitate business entities, which are statutorily bound to collect and pay VAT, to strengthen their accounting and internal procedures in all aspects.

This will offer opportunity for auditing, and professional services firms to advise clients on how to introduce greater efficiencies, and enable their businesses to cope with the expected scrutiny from the authorities to comply with the VAT statute, once introduced.”

VAT practices are expected to be introduced by the year 2018 in UAE and Kuwait whereas the dates and the road map for implementation in other GCC countries are yet to be announced.

Barring a few essential commodities such as basic foodstuffs, education and health care services which may be either exempt or zero-rated, it is initially expected that 5% VAT will be levied on all other goods and services in the GCC countries, including Oman.

MEIDAM conference held in Dubai DUBAI: The first annual Middle East International Dermatology and Aesthetic Medicine (MEIDAM) conference and exhibition was held recently at Intercontinental hotel in Dubai Festival City.

The agenda of the two-day conference was lectures, practical workshops and presentation from 30 leading professionals from the region, says a press release.

The key topics of the conference included the latest treatment methods for psoriasis, acne, skin cancer, botox and dermatosugery and a workshops on platelets-rich plasma for hair loss.

Dr. Khaled Al Nuaimi, president of MEIDAM explained that the conference provided an ideal knowledge sharing platform between juniors, seniors and resident colleagues about the newest discoveries in aesthetic medicine

from across the countries.

The scientific partners of the conference were Emirates Medical Association, The Saudi Society of Dermatology, Oman Dermatology Society and Swiss Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology.

Dr. Shibu Mohammed, one of the leading dermatologists of Badr Al Sama Hospital, Muscat

who attended the conference, said: “Such events help doctors to learn the latest developments and research in the areas of skin rejuvenation and anti-aging solutions. It is highly informative.”

Dr. Abdullah Al Qurashi, dermatologist from Al Nadah Hospital from Oman, was among the few who attended the conference from the Sultanate.

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Kia Mohave available with an exciting offer

OMANI PRODUCTS EXHIBITION

Bank Sohar takes active part in exhibition in Iran MUSCAT: Bank Sohar, as part of its endeavour to facilitate foreign trade and contribute towards the growth of the local economy, participated in the recently held Omani Products Exhibition (OPEX).

The exhibition, an effort of the Omani government to promote Omani products and increase their exports in strategic markets, was held in Tehran, Iran, from September 26 to 30.

The five-day exhibition was organised by the Omani Products Exhibition Committee formed

by Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), and Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (ITHRAA). The opening ceremony took place on September 26, under the auspices of Eng. Mohammed Reza Nematzade, the Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade of Iran, in the presence of Dr. Ali Masoud Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Oman. Attending the opening ceremony on behalf of the bank were Mustafa Ali Mukhtar, DGM and acting head of Wholesale Banking, and Ali Mohsin Al Lawati, acting head of Trade Finance.

Commenting on the bank’s participation in OPEX, Mustafa Ali Mukhtar said, “Opening doors to strategic markets around the world, and in turn promoting international trade, is critical towards boosting our economy. As one of the more prominent banks in the country, we believe it is important for us to offer our products and services in order to facilitate this growth and help towards building a stronger and brighter economic future for the Sultanate.”

The Bank Sohar stall at the expo was manned by a team from the Bank’s Trade Finance Unit, showcasing the breath of products and services available to clients covering every aspect of trade business as per their requirements. The unit itself is handled by a team of skilled Omani staff who support the import and export requirement of the retail and wholesale banking busi-

ness segment of the bank and also conducts workshops on UCP 600 for its corporate clients. The unit utilises state-of-the-art IT architecture and is located in the heart of the city in order to cater to the diverse requirements of its topend clients. The bank also has a large network of correspondents worldwide in order to provide guaranteed service with shortest turnaround time for each product and to the vest best International standards.

OPEX is one of the most powerful mediums of presenting and introducing high quality Omani products to the world. The aim of the exhibition is to create new markets and expand market share of Omani products which include; Agro Food, Building Materials, Industrial Goods, Furniture and Fixtures, Electrical and Electronics, Health and Medical products, Textiles, leather goods, oil industry equipment and tools, plastic and petrochemicals, and much more.

The five-day trade fair held in Tehran, Iran, saw the participation of large number of Omani manufacturing companies showcasing and introducing their wide range of products and services.

It provided the apt avenue for Iranian importers, agents, distributors, re-exporters of products to discover everything they want to know about Omani products as well as meet, network and sign up with exporter’s directly under one roof. The event also is a great opportunity for networking with the Omani government authorities responsible for promotion and export development of Omani products.

“Iran is the second largest country in the Middle East and one that, like the Sultanate, is in the process of diversifying its oilreliant economy.

Forming strong bilateral trade relations will only serve to mutually benefit both nations and help spur economic development and create job opportunities. Exhibitions such as OPEX are the perfect avenue through which we can achieve this goal and one that we are pleased to be a part of,” added Mustafa Ali Mukhtar.

Even more exciting is the fact that now Kia Mohave is available with an exciting offer that includes a cash gift of OMR1500

MUSCAT: “With its strength, comfort, style and functionality it is born to thrive in and beyond the urban jungle” is the opinion of a site dedicated to the 2016 Kia Mohave SUV. Known as the Absolute Mohave, the 4WD has received many refreshing and thrilling changes to set many a pulse racing!

The ultimate off-road SUV of Kia Motors now has new chrome radiator grille, new chrome coated rear garnish and outer door and inside handles, new design interior and steering wheel, LED daytime

running lights and rear fog lamps, amongst many other slick touches, says a press release.

Even more exciting is the fact that now, the Kia Mohave is available with an exciting offer that includes a cash gift of OMR1500. In lieu of this, customers may opt for a service package for 30,000Kms/2years, whichever is earlier, 1-year insurance, and a cash gift of OMR700. “Either way the custom-

Khimji Ramdas makes key contribution towards building of Sejah Majiles project thanks saying, “We are grateful to Khimji Ramdas for their valuable contribution in the construction of the council. This is another example of their continued assistance and support towards the needs of the local community.”

Speaking on behalf of Khimji Ramdas, Nailesh Khimji, director, said, “As a company that is deeply committed to serving the Omani society and growing self-sustain-

MUSCAT: Reinforcing its commitment to building stronger communities, Khimji Ramdas recently made a significant contribution towards the construction of Sejah Majiles in the wilayat of Sumail.

The conglomerate contributed 1,200 bags of cement and three tonnes of steel towards the project, says a press release.

Hamoud bin Ali Al Jabri, undersecretary of the Majiles, expressed

ing communities, we will support initiatives that works towards these objectives. We welcome the opportunity to be part of the BaniJaber Majlis in Sejah.”

Sejah residents welcomed the initiative, appreciating the generous contributions made by Khimji Ramdas. One of them, Saeed Bin Zayed Al Jabri, called it a beautiful gesture that helped build the foundation for a better future.

CHARITY DRIVE

Raysut Cement Company implements distribution of school bags among poor MUSCAT: Raysut Cement Company (RCC) has recently implementing the school bag project for the new academic year (20162017) whereas the male and female students have been provided with the school bag containing all the needs, targeted the poor and limited income families students

of grades from (1-12) with the cooperation with charity associations and volunteer institutions as well as a number of some schools in Salalah, says a press release.

It is to be mentioned that 1000 bags with the school tools (notebooks, engineering tools and others) have been distributed to

Nabil Biscuits announce fifth raffle draw winners

selected, hence consumers of Oman are urged to keep on buying

er benefits, so it’s truly a gratifying choice,” said a customer.

The enhanced Mohave also features 18-inch alloy wheels that comes with large 265/60 tyres and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Powered by a 3.8 litre V6 DOHC dual C.V.V.T gasoline engine, the Kia Mohave’s variable intake system churns out an awesome 271 HP / 6000 rpm with 36.9 Kgm/4400 rpm of torque together

with an ATD (Active Torque on Demand) drive. Hitting the tarmac with the power is a 5-speed sports automatic transmission.

The Mohave is not just an aweinspiring performer; it is also a safe and sound family vehicle. Its top-notch safety credentials include a 5-star NCAP crash rating.

This is the result of it being loaded with features such as Electronic Stability Control (ESP), Brake Assist System (BAS), Hill – Start Assist Control System (HAC), Downhill Brake Control System (DBC), driver and passenger airbags and front and rear parking sensors.

The luxurious interiors of the Mohave are now adorned with a smart key with button start ignition, plush leather upholstery, integrated memory seating system, driver and passenger powered seats, sunroof, dual front auto air - conditioning and heating, steering controls ( cruise control, Bluetooth), power closure-tail gate, front/rear air-conditioning and heating, USBandAUX audio connectivity and tinted glass. Setting the ambience is a DVD player with 8” navigation system, rear view camera and JBL speakers.

HELPING HAND

LU C K Y D R AW

MUSCAT: National Biscuit Industries Ltd, the makers of the brand Nabil range of biscuits, wafers and snacks, announced seven more winners from the fifth round of raffle draw in the ‘Nabil makes learning fun’ promotion.

A total of 34 winners have won Samsung tablets while four winners have won Lenovo laptops till now. The fifth raffle draw was held on September 29, at the headquarters of National Biscuits Industries Ltd. National Biscuits congratulated the seven lucky winners of the fifth raffle draw. Along with the winning prizes of laptops and tablets, the winners were also presented with special gift hampers of Nabil Biscuits.

The next draw will be held today where more winners will be

B7

the listed products and participate in the draw to increase their

chances to win laptops or tabs.

The winners of the Samsung tablets are Sreenivasan, Mohammed Said Al Khaldi, Falodun Damilola, Kumel Ahmed, Jerome Reyes, Kodippili Nishantha and Khalifa Mohammed Salem Muqbali.

The consumer promotion is applicable on the entire range of Nabil Snackits, Nabil Cream Wafers 20gm and Big Crunch wafers 20 gm. The period of the promotion is from August 15 to October 15.

On purchase of every pack, the consumers need to look for their unique code on the inner side of the pack.

This unique code can be registered once on www.winwithnabil .com.

Exciting gifts such as 50 Samsung Tablets and 5 Lenovo Laptops will be handed over to lucky winners through a raffle draw.

students, in order to help those poor families.

This project is a part of external communication programme projects of RCC for the year 2016 and as a commitment of the company towards the community whereas the social responsibility is considered as one of the bases

on which the company stands to serve the community and to realize the sustainable development through the implementation of the projects, the programs and the different social initiatives such as Eid clothing ( Kiswat Al Eid), Iftar Saem and other social programme and events.

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Majlis Meethaq forum hosts Minister of Transport and Communications Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi called on the Omani youth to take advantage of the educational opportunities to achieve success in life

MUSCAT: Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, hosted Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, minister of Transport and Communications, at the 11th Majlis Meethaq evening. The unique social forum facilitates interaction with prominent personalities, highlighting inspirational aspects of their life and career as well as views and perspective on the economy and important social and cultural issues. The gathering held at Bank Muscat head office was attended

by dignitaries and a large turnout of government and private sector representatives.

Recalling his experiences in life and career, Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi called on Omani youth to take advantage of the educational opportunities to achieve success in life.

He also spoke about his personal and academic achievements, says a press release.

Al Futaisi did his schooling in the wilayat of Shinas and moved on to Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) for higher studies. He worked hard to be a top performer and achieved top positions in the university and was appointed a lecturer at SQU. He then completed his Masters and doctoral study in Cornell University, New York.

Al Futaisi was actively engaged in US research centers during the doctoral study which helped him to cover the expenses as well as complement the research and learning experience. He said that Omani students who were with him in the US reflected a high degree of academic talents.

Al Futaisi said that as a lecturer at SQU, he demanded a high order of commitment and hard work from students with a view to helping them excel in their studies.

The Royal decree appointing him as minister came as a big surprise

and the responsibility was taken up with full dedication and commitment, he said adding that the Ministry of Transport and Communications was focused on implementing various projects vital for the country’s development.

Majlis Meethaq is a monthly gathering in which a well- known economic, social, religious or cultural persona having influence on Omani society from the Sultanate or abroad is hosted. The interaction between the guest and the audience focuses on aspects of the presenter’s personal life, success in career and views on issues facing the country and community.

Sulaiman Al Harthy, Deputy chief executive officer – Islamic Banking, said, “Meethaq is proud to host Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi and we thank him

for enlightening the audience on the opportunities and challenges he faced in making crucial decisions in life which led to his success. Meethaq, as part of its social development commitment, aims to position the Majlis forum as

STRIVING TO IMPROVE

an ideal platform to interact with prominent personalities and draw inspiration from their experiences in achieving success in life.”

Meethaq is the leading Islamic financial services provider in the Sultanate with many achieve-

ments contributing to the growth and development of the Sultanate’s economy. Meethaq extends support to all key economic sectors with innovative Shari’a based products and is well positioned to provide Islamic financial expertise and thereby promote the good of society as a whole. Within just three years of operations, Meethaq has attained the leading position in the Islamic banking industry in Oman in terms of financing receivables, branch network, products and services, IT infrastructure and human resources development.

Meethaq not only provides benchmark Islamic financial solutions to support the country’s development but also plays a key role in raising awareness and educating people on key aspects of Islamic banking and finance.

EMPOWERING WOMEN

Toyota promises total peace of mind Ooredoo supports MUSCAT: “Nothing is so good that it cannot be made better. That is why we strive for constant improvement in everything we do.

It is the key principle that guides us in our commitment to deliver more to our customers,” said a Toyota Oman official.

Indeed, one of the founding principles of Toyota is a strong belief in the principle that no matter how well things are being done, there is always a better way. No wonder then that at Toyota, ‘Kaizen’ or continuous improvement is a way of life, says a press release.

Toyota strives to make things safer yet more stirring; better yet more cost-effective; stronger yet more eco-friendly. From the topend to the shop-floor, everyone at Toyota strives for never-ending improvement at each step. Spreading smiles of delight worldwide For Toyota, a globally local brand, the promise to customers is built on the promise of ‘Peace of Mind’ According to the spokesperson, “The brand promise is built on the foundation of beliefs close to the heart of the company and the

customer. The building blocks of a Toyota are Quality, Durability and Reliability (QDR). From the initial design stage to the final automobiles, QDR is inbuilt into a Toyota.

Globally, Toyota spends $1 million per hour on R&D, to ensure that every Toyota is made with an aim to make a failure-proof car.”

Generations of long standing

trust in Toyota are testimony to this fact. Synonymous with QDR (Quality, Durability and Reliability) Toyota has a strong focus on safety and keeps the mind at peace with a range of vehicles.

With every action, Toyota aims at exceeding expectations of the customers, thereby ensuring their smiles that elicit pure joy. Sparing neither effort nor expense to ensure highest standards of safety, Toyota crashes nearly 1600 actual, fully-built cars in controlled collision tests each year.

The valuable information that is obtained from closely studying the collisions helps Toyota build safer automobiles. These help prevent crashes and protect people. Yet another area Toyota focuses on is on its environmental footprint. Since benchmarking began in 2002, Toyota has realised cost savings of more than $640 million and reduced overall energy consumption by 35%. This could not have been possible without energy reduction projects, resulting in huge energy reductions across Toyota manufacturing facilities.

ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS

SDT International workshop at PMRO forum MUSCAT: A two-day forum on plant maintenance reliability optimisation forum was held here recently. The PMRO forum, which saw a strong attendance of over 100-odd oil and gas, petrochemical and manufacturing industry professionals, was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Haris Trobradovic, area sales and training manager, SDT International, represented by their local agents International Engi-

neering Supply Co. (IES Oman), conducted a workshop on Condition Monitoring Solutions – using ultrasound technology, says a press release.

Trobradovic is a level 2 certified ultrasound technician with 20 years’ experience in product design and set-up. A mathematician with an interest in mechanical engineering, he helps implement ultrasound programmes in all types of industries.

The SDT provides ultrasound solutions that give customers greater understanding about the health of their factory. “We help them predict failures, control en-

ergy costs and improve product quality while contributing to the overall uptime of their assets,” Trobradovic said.

The IES Oman is a leading supplier of oilfield products and services to the upstream and downstream operators in Oman.

“Reliable products, timely delivery and efficient operations over the years have earned us a repute second to none,” Arun Kumar, GM, IES said.

170 women with vocational training

MUSCAT: Ooredoo announced plans to organise its 2017 incubator programme in Manah following the success of similar initiatives that have inspired local communities and secured the financial inclusion of women.

Developed initially as part of its annual Goodwill Journey in 2015, the incubators have now helped over 170 women learn income-generating skills, achieve economic independence, and empower them with the potential to join the Sultanate’s burgeoning entrepreneurial community.

Falling under the umbrella of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives, the far-reching initiatives are championing socio-economic growth and long-term sustainability one community and one woman at a time, says a press release.

Ooredoo’s special incubators are organised in collaboration with the Omani Women’s Association to provide women with vocational training and resources in the disciplines of information technology, beauty, cooking and sewing. By contributing training courses, funds, donations, inkind contributions and proving essential equipment, Ooredoo is enabling human growth through capacity development.

Amaal Al Lawati, Ooredoo’s chief customer experience officer, said, “Women constitute half of the Sultanate’s manpower and are key to the economic growth of the nation.

Only by fully harnessing our full potential, ensuring that women are empowered with opportunities, will we be able to

achieve the sustainable success and long-term development goals that we have targeted. Following the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who has for decades been a direct advocate of gender equality, we are doing our utmost to help women secure gainful employment and continue making strides in every sphere of Omani society.”

To date the company has organised two entrepreneurship incubator programmes that saw significant success in Qurayat and Mussanah, with more than 100 women graduating, of which 20% started their own business. The remaining graduates went on to secure promising careers in Oman’s private and government sectors.

CUSTOMER’S CHOICE

All-new Mazda CX-9 with SKYACTIV-G Turbo charged engine wins customer’s approval MUSCAT: Hanan Al Qassabi purchased the all-new Mazda CX-9 Turbo Luxury from Towell Auto Centre’s showroom and is all praise for her latest acquisition.

“I am hugely impressed by the smooth performance of my car and its sterling value for money, features, extra space and safety measures. This is the kind of family SUV I have been eyeing for a long time now. My all-new Mazda CX-9 is good-looking and fits perfectly with my requirements, lifestyle and budget,” she said.

With the all-new Mazda CX-9, Mazda has created a bigger and better model that taps into the segment of customers who place importance on Zoom-Zoom exhilarating driving pleasure in a big family car. It is the very first

Mazda to feature the innovative SKYACTIV-G Turbocharged petrol engine. Delivering class-leading performance with real-world efficiency, the 4-cylinder turbocharged engine – as opposed to the traditional V6 engine - offers Zoom-Zoom driving excitement never before felt in a seven-seater SUV, says a press release.

The shape of the new Mazda CX-9 cuts an elegant yet aggressive figure on the road, thanks to ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’ design.

The spacious interior because of the increased wheelbase is finished with quality craftsmanship in every detail.

Adding to it, the latest in connectivity, passenger comforts and i-ACTIVSENSE safety technologies and the new Mazda CX-9 is

the perfect seven-seater that brings together luxury with practicality that you and your family will surely love.

The all-new CX-9 delivers breakthrough performance with the newly-developed SKYACTIV-

G Turbocharged petrol engine which provides more immediate power and torque for effortless acceleration and overtaking, even when towing and carrying loads.

The innovative Dynamic Pressure Turbo adjusts boost pressure and

airflow according to engine speed to overcome traditional problems such as turbo lag. The smooth ride and athletic responses are further enhanced with the latest advances in SKYACTIV Technology, of which CX-9 boasts the full suite.

The addition of intelligent iACTIV AWD monitors and even predicts road conditions. It sources information from 27 different sensors to predict changes in driving conditions including road surface, weather, driver intentions and more to deliver optimum torque and vehicle control at the required time.

The all-new CX-9 features an expanded lock-up range for efficiency and direct feel. Drivers can switch between Sports Mode or manual shift for more hands-on input. The new-generation of CX-9 comes

with an advanced body, making it lighter and more rigid than ever for superior handling. Increased use of high-tensile steel saves on weight while increasing strength. The exceptional new design also results in a quieter, more premium ride thanks to sound-absorbent materials, improved door seals and soundinsulating acoustic glass.

Offering the trendiest of Japanese cars, Mazda has brought in a lot of excitement in Oman’s automobile industry with their ‘stylish, spirited and insightful’ branding.

These three unique qualities lie at the core of each Mazda you spot on the streets and form the brand’s DNA and TAC makes owning a Mazda extra pleasant with its efficient after sales service and quick response time.

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YOUR GAME

‘PROUD TO BE MENTIONED IN THE SAME BREATH AS SACHIN ’ Asad Shafiq was one of the standout performers in Pakitan’s recent fourTest series in England. The 30-yearold right-hander speaks about his role models and mentors. >C4

OFA CHIEF SHEIKH SALIM WATCHES OMAN NATIONAL TEAM TRAINING SESSION Oman Football Association (OFA) new chairman Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi and his fellow board members watched the Sultanate’s national football squad training at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Wednesday. During his visit to the stadium, Sheikh Salim interacted with the probables who are undergoing the current camp. Juan Ramon Lopez Caro-coached Omanis, who are preparing for the forthcoming Asian Cup qualifiers and the next year’s Gulf Cup, are scheduled to play a friendly match against Jordan on Friday. — OFA

Azam, Ali shine in Pakistan’s sweep SCOREBOARD

Babar Azam scored 117 and skipper Azhar Ali made 101 in Pakistan’s 308 for 6 before the West Indies were restricted to 172 in 44 overs for a 3-0 sweep of series

ABU DHABI: Young Babar Azam smashed his third successive century, becoming only the eighth batsman in the history of One-day Internationals (ODIs) to score three or more tons in a row, as Pakistan white washed West Indies with a 136-run victory in their final ODI of the three-match series here on Wednesday.

With Babar Azam scoring 117 off 106 deliveries with eight fours and a six and his captain Azhar Ali powering to 101 in 109 balls, Pakistan put on piled up 308 runs for the loss of six wickets in 50 overs.

In reply, the West Indies were never in the hunt as they kept losing wickets at the regular intervals.

Pakistan though came up with a disciplined bowling performance to bowl out their opponents for 172 in 44 overs.

Left-arm spinner Mohammed Nawaz claimed three wickets while pacer Wahab Riaz took two to take his tally to 100 in

PAKISTAN Azhar Ali b Holder 101 S. Khan c Joseph b Benn 38 B. Azam b Pollard 117 S. Malik c Ramdin b Narine 5 S. Ahmed not out 24 M. Rizwan lbw b Joseph 4 I. Wasim c Bravo b Joseph 4 M. Nawaz not out 4 Extras: (lb-7, nb-1, w-3) 11 Total: (for 6 wkts; 50 overs) 308 Fall of wickets: 1-85, 2-232, 3-239, 4-280, 5-285, 6-303 Bowling: Joseph 8-0-62-2 (1w), Gabriel 5-0-37-0 (1nb), Brathwaite 4-0-22-0, Holder 10-0-63-1 (2w), Narine 10-0-47-1, Benn 100-51-1, Pollard 3-0-19-1.

WEST INDIES K. Brathwaite lbw b S. Malik 32

E. Lewis b S. Khan D. Bravo c S. Ahmed b W. Riaz M. Samuels run out (Rizwan) D. Ramdin not out K. Pollard c S. Malik b M. Nawaz J. Holder b I. Wasim S. Narine st S. Ahmed b M. Nawaz S. Benn c S. Khan b M. Nawaz A. Joseph c S. Malik b W. Riaz S. Gabriel not out Extras (b-1, lb-4, w-6) Total (9 wickets; 43.5 overs)

22 17 13 37 11 26 0 0 2 1 11 172

Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-75, 3-87, 4-93, 5-117, 6-159, 7-161, 8-161, 9-170 Bowling: Imad Wasim 8-0-29-1, Sohail Khan 7-0-34-1 (w-3), Hasan Ali 6-1-13-0, Shoaib Malik 6-0-23-1, Mohammed Nawaz 9-0-40-3 (w1), Wahab Riaz 7.5-0-28-2 (w1)

JUBILANT: Pakistan’s Sohail Khan, second left, celebrates with his teammates after claiming a wicket. – AFP

One-day Internationals.

Earlier, Azhar Ali won the toss and elected to bat first. Opening the innings with Sharjeel Khan (38), Azhar Ali put on 85 runs for the first wicket in 14 overs before Babar joined his skipper at the fall of Sharjeel, caught by Alzarri Joseph off Suleiman Benn. Ali and

Azam went on to add 147 runs for the second wicket before the former was clean bowled by his West Indies counterpart Jason Holder in the 39th over.

Wicketkeeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmed then contributed unbeaten 24 as Pakistan scored 96 runs in the last 15 overs. — Reuters

MAN OF THE MATCH: Pakistan’s Babar Azam scored his third consecutive century to steer Pakistan to yet another clean sweep against West Indies in Abu Dhabi. – AFP

CRICKET

Stuart Broad targets England ODI return for 2019 World Cup LONDON: Fast bowler Stuart Broad has fallen out of contention for a regular starting place in England’s One-day International (ODI) side but the Test stalwart is “desperate” to represent his country at the 2019 World Cup on home soil.

Broad, who climbed to the top of the Test bowlers rankings earlier this year, was part of the England side that made an embarrassing group stage exit at the 2015 World Cup and has barely featured since.

England have prospered in white-ball cricket after making sweeping changes to their tactics and personnel in the wake of the disastrous showing in Australia and New Zealand, and Broad has only featured in two matches during that rebuilding period.

England and Wales are hosting the 2017 Champions Trophy and the World Cup two year later, and the 30-year-old Broad is determined to do everything necessary to fight his way back into the side.

“I’m desperate, as I think every England cricketer would be, to play at the 2019 World Cup in England,” Broad, who has taken 178 wickets in 121 ODIs, told Sky Sports. “It is a long way away but it will creep up.

“The tricky part of playing a lot

Anderson confident of playing in India Tests

DESPERATE TO BE BACK: England fast bowler Stuart Broad.

of test cricket, I’ve played 48 on the bounce now, is you don’t actually get a lot of time to play white-ball cricket so it’s quite hard to keep up with the standard in a game that moves forward so quickly.”

Since last appearing in those two ODIs in South Africa in February, Broad failed to feature in England’s home one-day series wins over Sri

Lanka and Pakistan and was also overlooked for the three matches in Bangladesh, beginning on Friday.

“I’m trying to find more time to play white-ball cricket,” Broad added. “I’ve got a bit of a proven track record with the white ball, my stats are pretty good in the 50over stuff, I just need to play a bit more of it.” - Reuters

LONDON: England seamer James Anderson is confident he will be fit to play some part in the team’s Test tour of India starting in November after sitting out this month’s twomatch series in Bangladesh with a shoulder injury.

The 34-year-old, England’s most prolific wicket-taker in Tests, sustained a stress fracture during the home series against Sri Lanka in June, although he did play three matches against Pakistan in July and August.

He was ruled out of England’s Tests in Bangladesh after aggravating the injury to his left shoulder blade that caused him to miss the first test against Pakistan.

“I feel fine,” Anderson told ESPNcricinfo at Lord’s. “It’s a frustrating injury where everything feels good, the rest of my body feels great, but as soon

James Anderson.

as I try to bowl I’ve got a bit of pain there.

“It’s something that’s going to take a few more weeks to rest and recover. I’ve got

another scan in three weeks to see if it’s healed enough for me to start bowling.”

England’s director of cricket, Andrew Strauss, recently said he was unsure when Anderson would return to the side with the five-Test series against India starting in Rajkot on November 9.

Anderson, who has amassed 463 wickets in the five-day format, hopes to be fully fit to take on the world’s top-ranked test side in conditions that are unlikely to assist the pacemen.

“I’m not going to miss the entire trip, no,” he said. “I’m very confident I’m going to be involved in the India series, it is a frustrating injury, something I want to get right, but it does happen in cricket. In sport, you get injured, you’ve just got to deal with it and hopefully I can get as fit as possible as soon as possible.” - Reuters

C2

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

SPORTS

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Boycott India in ICC meet: Mani

CRICKET

Former ICC president Ehsan Mani said

‘Something extraordinary’ needed to stay in Bangladesh team: Kayes

that the Pakistan delegation should demand that the ICC should ask the BCCI president to explain his position in making his statements against Pakistan

KARACHI: Former International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani has criticised BCCI chief Anurag Thakur for his “inflammatory” comments on Pakistan and asked the PCB to push for India to be stripped off hosting ICC events.

Mani said that Pakistani cricket officials should come strong at the ICC executive board meeting in Cape Town next week.

“The Indian Cricket Board President, with his immature and inflammatory statements, has given an opening to Pakistan to plead its case more effectively at the ICC meeting,” he said.

Mani said that the Pakistan delegation should also demand that the ICC should ask the BCCI president to explain his position in making his statements against Pakistan.

“Anurag Thakur is a politician and member of parliament of the ruling party and the ICC must ask him to explain in what capacity does he give his statements on Pakistan or any other cricket issue,” Mani said.

“They must ask him to explain his position since the ICC constitution clearly forbade any of its own officials or those of member countries to make statements that bring the game into disrepute and that is what Thakur has done in his statements,” the former ICC chief said. Mani said for the

The BCCI President, with his immature, inflammatory statements, has given an opening to Pakistan to plead its case more effectively at the ICC meeting Ehsan Mani Former ICC President

last two years he had been advising the Pakistan board to stop playing India in the group stage of ICC events.

“Now India is talking about not playing us in group stages of ICC events. The truth is that the ICC earns a lot from these Indo-Pak matches in its tournaments and India takes home the lions share under the big three governance formula. Yet they don’t want to have bilateral cricket ties with us.”

Mani said that Pakistani cricket officials for years had been following a policy of appeasement with India because they wanted resumption of bilateral cricket series.

“But now it is clear there is lot of negativity from the Indian cricket board and even otherwise the situation is tense. So this is the best time for Pakistan to make

its point at the ICC meeting.”

A PCB official recently confirmed that due to India not playing against Pakistan since 2007 in a full bilateral series, it had suffered losses to the tune of more than US$100 million.

Najam Sethi, the former chairman of the PCB, who now heads the executive committee, told the media in Lahore that they planned to give a befitting reply to India’s recent threats to not play Pakistan in ICC events.

“Yes we have been reading these statements and we will give them a strong response at the ICC meeting,” Sethi said.

Sethi will be attending the ICC board meeting with CEO, Subhan Ahmad since chairman Shaharyar Khan, a former career diplomat, remains indisposed as he is recovering from a heart surgery. - PTI

DHAKA: Having hit a remarkable century for the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in a warm-up tie against England XI, toporder batsman Imrul Kayes believes average performance can never ensure a place in the national team. Although the lefthanded batsman has spent eight years with Bangladesh, he is still looking for a permanent spot in the limited overs team, reports bdnews24.com.

The 29-year-old batsman, however, blasted 121 off just 91 balls to power the BCB XI to 309-9 at Fatullah’s Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium on Tuesday.

His last three One-Day scores are 76, 73 and 37, yet he was dropped for the last two matches against Afghanistan. He said it occurred to him that he needed to do more when he was warming the bench in the last two matches in the last series. “(Getting into) the Bangladesh team has become challenging - there’s a lot of competition in the team now. Without doing something extraordinary now it’s difficult to stay in the team with average performance,” Kayes said after the match on Tuesday.

“The realisation helped me today. I was able to play an innings like this after a long time.

I feel great and my confidence, too, has gone high.”

“Obviously, this is not an international match but everything was like that. Scoring a century against a team like this gives huge confidence,” he added. - IANS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

C3

SPORTS Sheikh Salim to head OFA finance panel The new board members of OFA on Wednesday finalised the formation of four committees

MUSCAT: The new board members of the Oman Football Association (OFA) on Wednesday announced the formation of four new committees, including the

key Finance Committee.

According to information received from the OFA on Wednesday, association chief Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi will head the Finance Committee. Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Shekaili, the second vicechairman of the OFA, will be his deputy on the finance committee.

Mohsin Al Masroori, meanwhile, was named as the chairman of the Competitions Committee while Ahmed Al Rashidi will head the Players Committee and Saif Al Ghafri will be the chief the Referees Committee.

Meanwhile, the OFA board also finalised the formation of Execu-

tive Office under the chairmanship of Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi.

Mohsin bin Hamad Al Masroori, first vice-chairman of OFA, will be the vice-chairman of the Executive Office. The Executive Office also comprises Ahmed Al Rashidi, Ahmed Al Farsi, Sheikh Sultan Al Hosni, Sultan Al Zadjali and administrative expert Mubarak B. On Tuesday, the newly-elected board members held their first meeting under the chairmanship of Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi. During the meeting, the members elected the Mohsin bin Hamad Al Masroori as the first vice-chairman and Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Shekaili as the second vice-chairman.

CRICKET

Chalumbeezz Cricket Team rope in Shifa Al Jazeera as jersey sponsors MUSCAT: Chalumbeezz Cricket Team unveiled their jersey sponsored by Shifa Al Jazeera Group during a ceremony organised at Foodlands Restaurant in Al Khuwair recently.

Aslam Backar, Global Personal General Manager of Al Jazeera Group, unveiled the team jersey in the presence of a large gathering.

Chalumbeezz, a household name among the cricket lovers from Thalassery in the south Indian state of Kerala, has already made their mark by winning several local tournaments in the last few years.

They were the champions of the inaugural Thalassery Premier League and were also the runnersup last year. Chelumbeezz will now play some of the top local tournaments in the upcoming season.

“Our first tournament of this season will Nujoom Trophy and

we also have several tournaments on cards,” said Azeem Ashraf, vice-captain of Chalumbeezz Cricket Team.

Chalumbeezz, according to Azeem, has plans to play in the Oman Cricket League soon.

“Our dream is to play in the League and by having such a huge sponsor like Shifa Al Jazeera Group, I think we are almost closer to playing in the League soon,” Azeem added.

Speaking at the event, Aslam

TENNIS

OTA releases final list of candidates for board elections MUSCAT: The Oman Tennis Association (OTA) on Wednesday released the final and approved list of candidates for the OTA Board elections for 2016-2020 term. The list comprises 19 candidates, including three contestants for the post of the chairman.

The three candidates who will be contesting for the chairmanship are Khalid Al Aadi of Quriyat Club, Ahmed bin Mohammed Hassan of Oman Club and Adel Said Al Za’arei of Masirah Club.

There will be a four-way contest for the post of vice-chairmanship between Abdullah bin Ali Mubarak of Dhofar Club, Salim Ahmed Abu Baker of Al Nasr Club, Khalid Al Nabhani of Nizwa Club and Rashid Al Hashmi of Al Bashair Club.

Full list of candidates: Chairman: Khalid Al A’adi (Quriyat Club), Ahmed bin Mohammed Hassan (Oman Club) and Adel Said Al Za’arei (Masirah club). Vice-chairman: Abdullah bin Ali Mubarak (Dhofar Club), Salim Ahmed Abu Baker (Al Nasr Club), Khalid Al Nabhani (Nizwa Club) and Rashid Al Hashmi ( Al Basha’ir Club). Secretary: Munther Al Barwani (Muscat Club).

Treasurer: Siddique Al Hashmi (AhliSidab). Mmembers: Saud Al Balushi (Al Musanna Club), Khalid Said Al Busafi (Quriyat Club), Moosa Ali Al Hi-

Ahmed bin Mohammed

Adel Said Al Za’arei

Khalid Al Aadi

nai (Bahla Club), Ahmed Faraj Al Yafiei (Salalah Club), Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Hassan (Oman Club), Said Ali Al Barmani (Majis Club), Mohammed Salim Al Ameri (Mirbat Club), Mohammed Khalifa Al Hatemi (Ibri Club), Ahmed Al Hajri (Bidiya Club) and Nasser Saleh Al Balushi (Al Suwaiq Club).

Backer said: “We are always on the forefront in supporting several great initiatives and we are indeed happy to support Chalumbeezz Cricket Team.”

“It’s been nine years since we formed this team and we want to take Chalumbeezz to the next level and here we are. It’s quite a special feeling when you have your own team jersey with the logo on it. It certainly motivates you to play and also fly high,” said Anwar Sadath, a player in Chalumbeezz team.

“All of us are passionate about the game and we make sure to play every week even if we do not have any tournaments. Cricket is more than a game for us,” said Shehbaz Nasar, the star player of Chalumbeezz.

Squad: Niyaz Thacher, Anvar Sadath, Noushad Meethalakath, Shakeer, Abhilash Ravindran, Sidhique, Azeem Ashraf, Mohammed Ansar P Salam, Shehbaz Nasar, Vaheed Manathanath, Afsar, Jawad Basheer, Shinul Basheer, Mirash, Vivek, Raimin Abdul Kader.

MEETING

Al Saadi for Islamic Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers MUSCAT: The Sultanate will take part in the 3rd Islamic Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkey on Thursday.

The Sultanate’s delegation is led

by Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed bin Said Al Mardhouf Al Saadi, Minister of Sports Affairs.

The three-day conference comes within the framework of enhancing the joint work to activate the sport and youth programmes, which serve sport and youth sectors, besides setting-up programmes that suit their ambitions. The conference will discuss several topics related to enhancing cooperation in the fields of sport and youth. - ONA

C4

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016

SPORTS

PROUD TO BE MENTIONED IN SAME BREATH AS SACHIN: ASAD SHAFIQ

In a recent four-Test series that saw Pakistan fight back to level series with England, Asad Shafiq was one of the standout performers, scoring 274 runs at an average of 39.14, contributing to victories in the first and the fourth Tests. In an interview, the 30-year-old speaks to Saj Sadiq about team’s performance, his own development under Mickey Arthur, and his role models and mentors

What were your expectations and aims going into the Test series against England?

I had a good idea of what to expect from England given that we had played against them twice in UAE not so long ago. We knew what our capabilities were and the aim was to utilise those capabilities in England and play with confidence.

What was really beneficial was the army camp in Pakistan and then the fact that we arrived in England a few weeks ahead of the Test series. These two things when combined meant that mentally and physically we were ready for the challenge of facing England.

The training in England before the Test series was a major boost to the confidence of all the th squad and it helped paint a clear picture of what to expect and also helped us get used to playing with the Dukes cricket ball and adjusting to how that ball would behave in English conditions. Ahead of the series I spoke with a few people who actually frightened me about what I will encounter in England and the fact that the ball seaming and swinging around will make things very difficult for me. There again, others who I spoke with gave me confidence and said that if your preparation is good then you have nothing to worry about and also that if you play to the best of your abilities and with confidence then everything will be alright.

How difficult was it to bounce back from the two defeats at Old Trafford and Edgbaston?

I went into the Lord’s Test brilliantly prepared and bursting with confidence having made runs in the warm-up matches. The ball was coming nicely onto the bat and that continued at Lord’s. My first innings at Old Trafford was good but then I flopped in the next three innings and you have to just appreciate that the likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes are very good bowlers and they seize on any weakness of a batsman. I was struggling against the inswinging delivery and my bat position to those deliveries was incorrect and the England bowlers worked on that flaw. So then after I made a pair at Edgbaston I sat down with Younis Khan and we spoke at length about how I had batted and the errors that had crept into my batting. It wasn’t an easy conversation as it had been a very difficult week for me but it was a very beneficial chat for me as my performance at The Oval showed.

How did the idea of you batting higher up the order at The Oval come about?

Mickey Arthur approached me and asked me if I had batted up the order at number three in the past and how I felt about it. I said to him that I had been batting higher up the order all opened my life and had opene or batted at number numbe throughout three throughou for my career, fo Karachi teams in K my and for m departmental depart team. He said team to m me that he wanted me m to bat at number three and

he felt that was the right position for me. I said to him that I was fine with that and happy to do that for the team and I had no fears about batting at that position. It worked well as I made a century which the team and I needed.

You are now approaching three thousand Test runs and have been in the Pakistan Test team since 2010. How has the journey been for you so far?

The journey has been a good one. It had its ups and downs, with some good series and some not so good series, but I have always tried to be consistent and to ensure that my form doesn’t fluctuate too much.

By and large I have managed to achieve that. You cannot score runs in every match but what I want from myself is consistency and that has been bee my aim. I’m a batsman who likes lik to analyse my mistakes and scrutinise them and to work scr on my weak points. I’ve learnt a lot w from these six years in internationth al cricket crick both in cricketing terms and as a human being. Looking ahead, I aim to continue to develop as a cricketer and to continue cric learning learnin in the future.

There’s There’ a sense of serenity when you y are at the crease. Is that wh what you want to portray you are batting? when y Yes I do and this is me in a nutshell off the field also. If you speak to my friends and the people who have known me for a long time they will say that I am the sort of person who doesn’t want to be in the limelight or want to be the centre of attention. I don’t d make friends that easily and a with my batting I take my time to get my innings started, in the same sa way I take my time to becom become friendly with people.

The serenity ser is there also in my private life and I am not someone who wants wa to grab the headlines, I would rrather spend my free time with my family. As a professional cricketer you get very little time crickete with your yo family and I like to make the most mos of that precious time.

There are a some cricketers who headlines and live their crave h life in tthe public eye and on media. You don’t seem to social m be one of those cricketers?

We are playing cricket series one after tthe other. In between there is practice and domestic matches and pract training. You get so little time with train your family members that I feel it’s you absolutely imperative to ensure abs you spend that spare time wisely. yo I’d much rather be at home with my I’ ffamily than spending my evening and spare time on social media. I also don’t want to feature in news headlines or appear on television channels all of the time. I have a presence on social media, but I rarely use it.

How beneficial has it been for you to have had Misbah-ul Haq and Younis Khan around as role models and mentors?

I’ve been blessed and have been very lucky to have played the vast majority of my Test cricket alongside Misbah-ul Haq and Younis Khan. It’s an honour to be playing in an era when these two greats are around. Younis Khan is such a fantastic personality and you can learn so much from him on and off the field. He is a true professional

as is Misbah-ul Haq. Their training schedules, their diet, their professionalism is second to none and being around such men can only improve you as a cricketer and as a person. If I have any cricketing issues or things are not going right then the two people that I always turn to are Misbah-ul Haq and Younis Khan.

As cricketing cycles go, it won’t be long before you are amongst the next role models and mentors for the upcoming generation of Pakistan Test batsmen?

Misbah-ul Haq and Younis Khan have been the mainstays of Pakistan cricket for so many years and have carried the Pakistan batting on their shoulders for such a long time.

It will be very difficult to replace such great cricketers and match their achievements but we have to try and that is where the responsibility falls on my shoulders and the other senior batsmen in the team.

We need to ensure that we build on, and continue the great work these two legends have done for Pakistan cricket and ensure that we give our all for the cause and not let their great work go to waste.

Mickey Arthur recently said that your batting reminded him of Sachin Tendulkar. That is quite a compliment isn’t it?

To compare me to a player who was the reason I started to play cricket and a player whose videos I would watch all day is truly special for me.

It’s a very positive message from Mickey for me and it’s made me feel very proud. During the Test series in England Mickey was saying to me that he thought technically I am a good batsman and that I could get even better if I batted higher up the order. He always spoke very highly of me in England and that was a real boost for me. I feel that I am improving as a cricketer under the tutelage of Mickey. As a cricketer I’m very happy and proud to be mentioned in the same breath as the great Sachin Tendulkar and I’ll take these comments forward with me.

What’s it been like to work with Grant Flower and do you feel he has helped with some aspects of your batting?

Most certainly. I feel that I have improved technically since I started working with Grant. He’s a very hard working and committed coach. He watches the batsmen very closely in practice and in match situations and enjoys discussing the art of batting with us. He’s a very detailed coach and an analytical coach who is good at spotting mistakes and is always prepared to help and make suggestions. I honestly feel that I have improved as a batsman since he has become the batting coach.

Looking further ahead, the tour Down Under presents you with the challenge of facing the Australians at home for the first time. Are you looking forward to that challenge?

I am so excited about the tour of Australia. When I was about to tour South Africa people said that I will struggle and I proved them wrong. Then this year some critics said that I would fail on the tour of England and once again I proved those people wrong. The way I see Australian wickets is that you get value for your shots and the tour of England has given me a huge lift and I hope that I can go to Australia and perform well there also.

What do you wish to achieve as a cricketer before you retire?

I never look too far into the future or set myself any specific targets.

I tend to look ahead to the shortterm rather than the long-term. My aim has always been to perform well for my country and be consistent. I have always said to myself that I need to maximise my talent and to fully utilise my skills. I don’t want to finish cricket in future and feel that I underachieved. I’m nearing three thousand Test runs but the target I have set myself is to reach seven thousand or more Test runs before I retire. - PakPassion.net

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Contact: 98294753 3 bedroom flats in Wadi Kabeer, 2 bed room villa in Sidab.

Contact : 95735953 / 95555162 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

At Ghubra North : 2 bedroom apartment, 1 single room with kitchen/ Bathroom on Ground floor.

Contact : 99359755

Office space for rent available in Ruwi Wattayah area main road.

For more information contact at 24571469

3BHK Flat, Ghubra, Close to ISG, Indian Family, 99319880

1 BHK in Ghubrah with AC & Water R.O 220/-. Contact : 92811110

5 bedroom villa at Wattayyah behind United Finance with compound wall and car park.

Contact 99860259

Office for rent for commercial use.

Two bedroom apartment and the council at Bowshar highway.

Contact: 24812000 / 92125648

30 New Deluxe Flats & Shops in Al Khoud. Contact 99738881 Villa for rent in Al Khoud , 6 rooms & hall. Contact: 91153933 Single studio room with kitchen for small family or Executive bachelor in Azaiba. Contact: 98048207 Ware house 200 Sqm Majan hyper market near Bridgestone tyre Ghala. Contact: 95928800 / 98014921 2 BR apartments available for rent, close to Muscat Grand Mall, next to Diwan’s Office, South Ghubra.

Contact: 2456256 / 99833747 Room in Azaiba. Contact: 99555843 Apartment at Ghubra South 3 rooms, Majlis, F. hall RO 410/- , second floor. Contact: 79039815

Contact +968 22092638 / 968 93031168 E-mail. arn14256@gmail.com / nitsohar@gmail.com, www.alistiqamah.net

Flats in Wadi Kabeer, MBD, Darsait, Hamriya, Al Khuwair, Al Ghubrah, Azaiba, bowshar highway, Al Hail Amerat.

Contact: 24182000 / 95250300 / 92125648 For rent villa in Bowsher 5 rooms & hall. Contact : 91153933 Furnished apartment for rent in Bowsher, 1 bedroom & living room.

Contact: 91153933

Flat for rent in Wadi Kabeer near Indian Primary School 1 B & 2 B, 1 H & 1K. Contact: 92222922

Flat in Al-Khoudh, Flats and shops in Fanja near the main road.

Mobile: 99058646

Villa in Baushar near Grand Mosque. Contact: 99776071 / 99057348

One room with bathroom in Bowsher for rent. Contact: 91153933

3 BHK flat in Wattaya, 2-3 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair, 3BHK flat near Muscat Private Hospital Baushar.

Contact : 99776071 / 99057348

Flat for rent in Al Ghubrah, 2 rooms & hall. Contact: 91153933

Arabian style house located in North Al Hail in the second line behind the commercial buildings of the SQ main street 1003 m2 land size and there’s permitted well & palm trees suitable to use for storage facility & accommodation for company workers, 2 streets across the house from front and back side.

Contact: 93366421

Flat for rent 2BHK split A/c near Kuwaiti Mosque in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

1 bedroom attached kitchen, toilet for family in Al Khuwair RO 130/-.

Contact: 95154331

3 bedroom ground floor house for rent in South Al Hail behind Al Hail Hypermarket. Contact: 95047657

*industrial Catering *Manpower Supply *Facility Management *Staff Accommodation *Event Management*Construction

Warehouse in Jafnain fully covered, good for workshop & warehouse total area 300 sq.mtrs rent : R.O 850/- per month. Contact: 96900282 / 24664803 1 BHK near Oman house behind Khimji H.O. Contact: 95865686 Flat for rent 2BHK with split A/c near Oman house in Muttrah .

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

2 BHK near Oman house behind Khimji H.O. Contact: 95865686 3bed room flat, Majlis, TV hall, kitchen , 4 toilets, 2 master bedrooms, 6AC split units, 2car park in Azaiba R.O 380/-. Contact: 99316944 2 BHK Darsait. Contact: 95311488

FOR SALE A GOOD RUNNING MOBILE SHOP for sale, location Muscat, Ruwi.

Contact :+968 95178297 , +968 95238577 EXPAT LEAVING Oman household items selling all items with two room flat at Wattayah area. Contact: 95486120

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DAILY GUIDE

Company for SALE at Wadi Al Kabir Manufacturing of Steel & Stainless Steel, & cast Aluminium products. Running company for sale. with all the machines and equipments also with 15 nos. of skilled workers.

Serious buyers can contact at 93132208 / 79065540

FOR SALE

ACC. AVAILABLE

BEAUTY PARLOUR for sale in prime location in Mabela. Contact: 95769528 / 97816165

Furnished single / sharing for EXE. Bachelor at Rex Road.

Contact: 92873832 / 99096608

SHOP FOR SALE at Honda Road, Hamriya. Contact 24705105 / 91974643

Furnished rooms available at Ruwi. Contact: 91214897

Cycle Shop in Alkhoud. Contact 94464786 Beauty parlour for sale in Ruwi.

Contact: 92430239 Training Office License (Approved

by Ministry of Manpower) for Sales or Rent with Classroom/ Furnishings at Ruwi. 91396893 School for sale: Primary school license & furniture with or without building for immediate sale.

Contact: 99272523 Juices, Ice cream parlour in Ruwi.

Ideal location. Contact: 92150455 Good Condition Sanyo washing machine, semi automatic, RO 40 for sale in MBD Contact; 99737812 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 BUILDING MATERIAL SHOP FOR SALEWell-furnished running building material-electrical shop (4 shutter / 200sqm) in Al- Khoudh- 6, for immediate sale- shop with stock or stock only. Serious buyers may please Contact: 94320909

Rooms for rent in Ghubra North.

Contact 96420432 Furnished room in ruwi and azaiba for rent for executive bachelors. Gsm 99058344

SITUATION WANTED COMPUTER/WEB./ EDU./CLASSES

Fully furnished 2BHK sharing flat for Indian Executive near Sheraton CBD. Contact 99219337 Single room with A/C and attached bathroom, sharing kitchen for executive bachelor/couple near Saud Bahwan Hill view Tower wadikabir and Opp: Shell filling station.#99024362, 93166353

TRANSPORTATION

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

DRIVING Female Driving Teacher training professionally in both Khuwair Ghubrah and Azaiba, mawalih and Alkhawd. With good English Language for connect No.95133981

ACC. AVAILABLE Accommodation available in a villa for South Indian family, 1 bedroom, hall, kitchen at North Ghobrah.

Contact : 99209160

NRI

1bedroom, Bathroom, kitchen behind ISM R.O 150/-. #93484428

Semi furnished beautiful 2 bedroom flats at aluva for sale @ 25 lakhs.

Tel 9747700117

Furnished room for Indian bachelor near Al Falaj hotel Ruwi and lady in Wadi Kabir. #96202458.

2 BHK Flat: 1178 SqFt. for sale, prime location at cochin. ajil_icai@ rediffmail.com/ 9914 7922

Excellent room, kitchen available for small family/bachelor at Ruwi near ONTC bus station. Contact: 99709477

Two houses first line from the beach Kibqeni Zanzibar with concrete boundary wall. Contact: 99348943 Price R.O 78000/-

SITUATION WANTANNOUNCEMENT OF CAPITAL REDUCTION In accordance with the provisions of article 150 of commercial companies law. The company Ahamed Sultan Ubaidani Trd Asso , which is registered with the commercial registration No. 1211304, hereby announces that it is going to reduce its capital from Omani Rials 55,000.000 to 25,000.000.

Whosoever has any objection to the foregoing shall present the reasons for such objection to the Secretariat of Commercial Registry at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry within 30 days from the date hereof.

TRANSPORTATION

Room near Hamriya R/A for Executive bachelor. Contact: 93590332 / 97443614

MV SALE

ROOM for RENT for Filipino, spacious, new building in Al Khuwair near City Seasons. Water, Electric Included. Call 97728418

Dihatsu Terrios Trend 4WD, 2012 Registration, dealer service registration up to August 2017.

Contact No: 92812144

BUYING

MATRIMONIAL

Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299

Urgently required looking to immediately buy used Grit blasting & airless spray equipment 1 No each. Contact 968 24810930 / 93203772 / 93203773 / 93203778

Transportation. CONTACT 92015894

Buying cars for cash.

Contact 90202090

WANTED Industrial land in Rusail. 4000 sqm.

Contact 99323957 / 95490842.

Transportation 24 Hrs service, VIP only. Contact: 92108447 / 96781899

Transportation. Contact: 98178135

Kerala Christian RCSC parents invite proposal for daughter divorcee with no issues, 32/156, Lecturer, Govt. College, Oman, from Kerala Christian RCSC Graduate / Post Graduate well employed boys between 33-37 years with no issues. Contact: 25410417 / 98897286 Indian male roman catholic divorcee 41yrs.looking for a smart ,independent working girl in Muscat. Contact :9861 5622 Ezhavaboy age 28 height 174cm Star anizhamBTech working in Oman Seeks suitable alliance.

Contact 99430227

SITUATION LOSTWANTMD Boshir Jomadder has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AA 6668363. Finder please handover to ROP Kamal Lobbkes has lost Nepalese Passport No. 06885594. Finder please handover to ROP

Transportation. #90558627 Transportation. Contact 94510847

Mnowar Hossain has lost Bangladeshi passport no. BL 0310320.

Finder please handover to ROP

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

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English class for Malayalam Speakers

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

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T H U R S D AY, O C T O 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 Req-Regional Sales Executives

ACCOUNTS

- Preference will be given to applicants with sales experience in Oman market - should have valid Driving License & Release or NOC. - Sales experienced in Mattresses & cushion foam would be an advantage - Applicant should be conversant with Hindi or Arabic

Financial controller chartered/ cost accountant 10 years experience in Oman manufacturing service and trading company total 25 years experience Mobile : 97812511 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

Attractive salary, commissions & allowances will be provided based on relevant experience.

Please email CVs to skmiskri@gmail.com Reputed mineral water company required the following HEAVY/LIGHT DUTY DRIVERS VAN SALESMAN

Indian, MBA Finance & Marketing with 4 years of experience in Finance & Accounts. With valid Oman D/L. Contact: +968 96321890

with Omani driving license

SALES SUPERVISOR/SALES COͳORDINATOR with Omani driving license HELPERS ͳ Experience 3 to5 years

Accountant : MBA & BCIT more than 10yrs experience & 4yrs in Oman, accounting, purchase of building material & Transportation, immediate available with NOC, 93084105, jamil.suhial@gmail.com

Contact - 90372638 ACCOUNTS Required Accountant with minimum 5 years experience in construction field of accounts and who can independently handle. Oman experience will be plus point with release letter. Apply with bio data to Email: tec_oman@hotmail.com .

Contact: 99339661 Chartered Accountant with experience (minimum 10 years) in Audit, Consulting and Finance to set up an Audit and Consultancy office in Muscat. The promoter is part of a large business group.

Please contact 95493494 after 4pm Accountant 2-3 years experience. Candidate should be Indian, English speakers. NOC is a must.

Email: mohammad.jwabreh@ bearingcitysc.com. Fax: 24509312

BEAUTY Urgently required all-rounder female beautician for saloon. Contact: 96726574 Urgently required a Gulf experienced Beautician (Lady) Contact: 99619409

Chartered Accountant with 18 years experience in Finance, Accounts, Costing, Budgeting, Banking operations - NOC Available + Oman Driving License Contact : 96072990 Emailkrishnaravichandran@gmail.com

VACANT POSITION

GENERAL MANAGER Required for an Excellent grade construction company in Oman The candidate must possess the following qualifications : • Candidate must have technical background in the construction industry, past or current experience in Oman is an added advantage .

• Good leadership, with ability to overcome various problems.

• Minimum 10 years experience in the relevant field.

• Good communication skills, English & Arabic.

kevin@nibras.om / Email:issa@nibras.om ENG./TECHNICIAN Required Civil Engineer not less than 10 years experience.

Contact 95054916 Plant Engineer and Lifting Supervisor. Minimum 5 years experience in Oil Field. Email C.V : hrmedia123@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS CATERING Urgently required for a chain of restaurants” experienced drivers motor cycle for food delivery” with valid oman driving licence. attractive salary offered + commission on sales. mobile # 97677170, EMAIL: md@royalgroupoman.com Cook wanted (freelance basis) for luxury camping site in the desert.

Schedule about 10 days per month.

Transport provided call: 71190864

DESIGNER Carpentry workshop located at Muscat looking for Interior designer with AutoCAD and GCC driving license & NOC. Send CV to kwk585@gmail.com

DRIVER Wanted Driver. Contact: 97165972 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

DOMESTIC HELP Required house maid urgently.

Visa available good salary. Contact: 99864531 Looking for full time Arabic speaking professional Nanny (lady), Arabic as first language.

Contact: 98500010

Required water proof applicator for a reputed company. Contact: 93204100 / 99447002 Urgent required : Store labors.

Candidate should be Indian, English speakers. NOC is a must.

Email: mohammad.jwabreh@bearingcitysc.com, Fax: 24509312

MEDICAL Urgently required male / female Nurse with MOH license for license for the clinic in Muscat. Send CV to mdamjadphy@gmail.com or Contact: 95631779 / 96616363 Urgently required Lab Technician & Nurse with MOH license.

Contact: 91960401 / 92724345 Email: n_thanigaimani@yahoo.com / genome2006@yahoo.ca Required for Al Murazza medical company Salalah Oman, laboratory technician, at least 3 years experience. Contact: 00968 -99098735 Send derails to Email: memeisso@hotmail.com Wanted Nurse for a dental centre, Al Mawale South. Interested candidate may contact 99759279 or send mail: drasyanaseem@gmail. com Fusion Medicare Polyclinic, Muscat wants GP, staff Nurse holding MOH license & Receptionist (Omani) Contact 97698004 email: medicare@fusionlogicoman. com

ENG./TECHNICIAN

Urgently need MBBS DOCTOR with OMAN MOH or Oman PROMETRIC passed for a Clinic in Mudhaibi Region. Contact 95395070

Urgently required Electrician with Electrical license (DCRP) Omani or expatriate (3 years experience). Contact: 99337587 / 99043127 / 99348493

Wanted female & Male Nurse with or without license (good salary, food & accommodation with other benefits. Contact 97700963, medicoport@gmail.com

Req. urgent exp Site Engineer with driving license to look for Haya & PAEW works. Send CV to sadiq@pctoman.com

Urgently required Internist, General Practitioner, male Nurse, Orthodontist for a reputed medical center in Salalah. Email: hrmdimc2010@ gmail.com

Required Electrical Engineer bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering. Should have 5- 10 years in Oman experience in primary substations. Interested candidates send resume to hr@aljood-oman.com

Wanted female & Male Nurse with or without license (good salary, food & accommodation with other benefits. Contact 92989109, medicoport@gmail.com

MEDICAL Nurse staff required having NOC for well known clinic in Bidbid.

Contact 96746460

SALES / MARKETING Building material salesman, electrician cum plumber with D.L, C.C.V.T Camera technician.

Contact: 99383044 Wanted Sales man (tyres wholesale) having 3 years experience & driving license. Contact: 92891888 Oil & Gas Marketing Specialist.

Minimum 5 years experience in Oman. For immediate joining.

Email C.V : hrmedia123@gmail. com 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 Sales Executive required for a logistics company based in Muscat. Must be self-motivated and result driven. Candidates with a GCC driving license are preferred.

Contact: telljobs@gmail.com A reputed shipping company looking for Sales executives for C& F. Send your resume to astallc@omantel.net.om Contact: 94777349 Looking for sales / marketing person with printing press experience, having valid Oman driving license. Mail CV: info@ alsahib.net Urgently required experienced Aluminium fabricator for a shop as Incharge at Rustaq.

Contact: +968 95057475 Email: ahmedalqarni86@gmail.com Carpentry workshop located at Muscat looking for Marketing Executive with GCC driving license & NOC. Send C.V to: kwk585@gmail.com Indian Salesman indoor, knowledge in English & Arabic.

Contact: 93326636

SECRETARIAL / OFFICE Required Office Assistant with driving license present in Oman, 175+ food + acco.

Contact: 99454425 Wanted Office clerk having two years experience.

Contact: 92891888

Indian male B.com, looking for Assistant Accountant job having 3 yrs. experience in India, Presently in visit visa, Contact: 98328684, sanjith1992@gmail.com Accountant 13 years experience looking for suitable job full time/ part time. Contact: 95571165 CPA 13 years experience (10 years in Oman) as Finance Manager, Chief Accountant, Senior Accountant, Cost Accountant & Internal Auditor, local transfer available.

Contact: 97220505 Indian male,25 years, born and brought up in Oman,B. COM(Finance),MBA(Pursuing),with valid Omani driving License, presently on visit visa. Contact 92141645,arosh1991@gmail.com

Finance Manager 22 years experienced Chartered Accountant and cost & management accountant looking for a suitable change.

Contact: 99884291 / 99741875 / 24601935 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 Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: Anishkhan991867@gmail.

Com Mobile: +968 9565 9415 Sir Lankan Chartered Accountant (female) Graduate in B.Com (Sp) having 2 years visa. Work experience in accounting & banking sectors, looking for an suitable position in Muscat.

Contact: 96356974 / 97488363 Email: hansikamail@yahoo.com Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ finance field. On visit visa. Immediately available.

Contact 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com Indian male, B.Com PGDM (Banking & Insurance) with 3 years experience in banking sector as Assistant Manager on visit visa, looking for suitable openings in financial sector. Can join on an immediate basis. Contact: 93418265 Email: arjunnair19@yahoo.in Accountant Indian female, 2 years experience up to finalization in tally, B.Com Graduate, having valid D/L. Contact: 95373751 Indian ( M) MBA (f) more than 6 years of experience in accounts, proficiency in various A/C Software SAP (F1/CO) seeking for suitable placement. Contact: 95920740 Email: abdulhameed1527@gmail.com Indian (F) B.Ed completed MA, doing six month experience as a Teacher in social science experience at various accounting softwares like MS- Office tally, Peachtree & QuickBook, language English, Tamil, Malayalam in Oman Ruwi. Contact: 93836076 8 yrs exp. in Admin & Accounts (3 yrs in Oman), MBA, exp. in Tally ERP 9, Indian (F) seeks placement.

Contact 97243806 Indian female 23 yrs MBA, finance and HR, currently on visit looking for suitable job. Contact: 93305002 / 99048224 Email: manjusharavindren@gmail.com

MBA Finance 20 yrs of MNC (MEP) experience thorough knowledge in preparation of financials, budgeting, fore casting, audit, trade finances, cash flows, guarantees, income tax, project (cost control) & ERP implementation with NOC seeks suitable placement. Contact 96280551 Email: ramu2587@hotmail.com Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately.

Contact 98263394 Indian male 33 yrs (B.Com) having 8 years accounts experience in Oman seeking for suitable local release , NOC Oman D/L available.

Contact: 97494322 Email: manusodharan83@gmail.com 8 yrs exp. in Admin & Accounts (3 yrs in Oman), MBA, exp. in Tally ERP 9, Indian (F) seeks placement.

Contact 97243806 Chartered Accountant, MBA (Finance), Indian Male having more than Seven years of experience, currently working in Oman and looking for a change.

NOC available.

Mobile: +968-91094013, Email: jibzv@yahoo.co.in Indian male M.Com seeking part time or full time job in accounts, 2 yrs experience & valid Oman license. Contact: 93167136 Indian Accountant having M.Com with 7 years of experience up to finalization experience in tally, Peachtree, focus, SAP, MS Office.

Contact: 91651695 Email: danishpa2005@gmail.com CPA (UK), MBA Acct & Finance (PAK), CA Inter (PAK), CFA, (PAK) , 9 years Gulf experience valid Omani D/L looking for accounts, finance, Audit job, NOC Available.

Contact: 96437154 Finance Executive M.Com 4 years experience seeking suitable position presently employed in Trivandrum, India.

Contact: 0091- 8907212253 Oman Contact: 92817797 Accountant Executive - MBA (Finance) 2 years experience, seeking suitable position. Presently employed in Trivandrum, India.

Contact: 0091- 9447709196 Oman Contact: 92817797 Finance Audit professional 20 yrs experience can work independent, looking for opening.

Contact: 92168401 Indian female 28 yrs B.Com 4 yrs experience in MNC’s currently in Muscat seeking suitable placement in Finance / Admin.

Contact :94743790 Accountant 8 Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084 12 Yrs Exp Accountant worked in Construction, Cont & Trad Cos. with Valid D/L – (NOC/Release available).

Contact 92194086 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 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 female 26 yrs, MBA finance 2 yrs exp with MNC. Email: rilooozmali@gmail.com.

Contact : 90551366.

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 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com Accountant B.com Indian male 12 yrs exp seeks suitable job.NOC available . Contact : 91212471 Email: rennyj6@gmail.com ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance. Contact: 99284193

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 21, Indian female B.com graduate on family visa looking for immediate and suitable placement. Holds valid Omani Driver’s license. Contact: 97208869 Finance Manager 16 years experienced chartered accountant (Sri Lankan) looking for a suitable post. NOC available. #92194926 Email: manomuscat@gmail.com 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 (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

ADMIN Indian (F) MBA HR & Finance 3yrs Exp. in HR/Admin/Purchase, NOC available for immediate placement.

M: 99791008 / 93888576 30 yrs lady Expat looking for full time job with visa. Interested fields are Admin, teaching, HR, back office.

Contact: 91739424 Email: jinsijobs@gmail.com Indian male B.Sc 15 years experience (Oman 4 yrs) in the field Administration / HR valid Oman driving license & NOC, good knowledge MS Office & payroll / various projects seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 90622264 Email: prasanthrn0@gmail.com A young dynamic with NOC & 12 years experience of purchase sourcing logistics & IT Admin looking urgent placement with D/L Oman.

Contact: 91432512 Email: ikroyal@yahoo.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 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 Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817 Egyptian woman resident, considerable experience in the Administration and Secretarial Executive for company. Contact : 97221126

ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC. British Citizen Senior Architect, Managing Director, Chief Architect 14 years experience, V Ray 3D, AutoCAD BOQ, master degree on architectural design.

Contact: 92480035 Architect Sudanese female 7 years experience design site work, interior design programs AutoCAD archicad. Contact: 71190409 / 94078945 Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience.

GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE WITH NOC HR & ADMINISTRATION PROFESSIONAL

Male -FMCG DISTRIBUTION PROFESSIONAL ,MBA MARKETING ,10 years Managerial experience in GCC /OMAN looking for Divisional Manager position. NOC /DL available.

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 -92405181

Contact - 96501189 Quantity Surveyor, Sri

SITUATION WANTED Indian male, MBA Finance, B.Com & Computer Diploma looking for a suitable position Current position: Financial controller Experience : 15 years +

CONTACT: 90189412 BE (Electronics & Telecommunication), MBA (Marketing), Indian male, 30 yrs, 7 yrs experience in Oman in Sales, Marketing & Projects, looking for suitable placement, valid Oman D/L,

NOC AVAILABLE Contact - 98518776 ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC. Interior Architect, 2 years experience AutoCAD, 3D, Photoshop, shop drawing. Contact: 98245746

DRIVER Indian light driver having 2 years experience in Oman know language English, Hindi, Arabic need job. Contact: 98976954 Heavy duty driver /operator valid D/L, GCC and Oman (overseas).

Contact 95175192 Light duty Driver, Oman driving license, Language English, Arabic.

Contact: 97365719 Looking for job light driver.

Contact: 92245856 Driver looking for job.

Contact: 96187146 Light duty driver, 5 years exp in Oman. Contact: 93904217 Driver with car available.

Contact: 98522914 L.T.V Driver exp 4 years knows English, Arabic and Hindi.

Contact: 94928736 Light duty driver, Bangladeshi, 2 yrs experience looking for job.

Contact 90531832 Light driver looking for job, 5 years exp in Oman.

Contact: 94208089 Light driver exp 4 years knows English, Arabic and Hindi.

Education B.A. Contact: 98522914 Looking for job exp having driving license. Contact: 97363138 Driver looking for job. Contact: 95892363

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN Indian male 21 years, born and brought up in oman, 2 yrs experience in autocad rivet and 3dsmax, now on family visa looking for suitable position.

Contact: 79086481 email: adarshajayan@outlook.Com Free lance / part time autocad works / make boq 2d /3d arch , structural, shop drawings interior drawings. Contact 97103168 Architectural Draughtsman (4 years experience) seeking job.

Contact: 91141879 Web designer, developer, Graphic designer, 3 yrs Indian female D/L. Contact: 92725547 Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR. PH : 92279784

Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com

Freelance - Part-Time Quantity Surveying, Estimation & Costing, Technical & Commercial Bid Document Preparation, Method Statements Tender Submittals etc yamservom@gmail.com, Contact :91237926

B.E Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman looking for suitable job driving license & NOC available to join immediately. Contact: 95962450 Email: solanki.ahemed@gmail.com

Electrical Engineer 2 years in construction & distribution seeking job available on visit. Contact : 98361217 / 94110178 Email: shariqsiddiqui09@gmail.com Civil Engineer Project Manager 14 yrs, Oman experience PMP, fidc contract management independently handling projects looking for Senior level position can join immediately. Contact: 98826815 An IT Engineer with 1.5 yrs experience Graduate from Bangalore having skills in PHP, HTML CSS, jQuery, C#, networking on visit visa. Contact: 91213391 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

7+years PMP, RMP Certified Civil Engineer looking for suitable position. Contact: 93651835

Building Engineer, Senior level 9 yrs experience, Projects management, Coordination, Quantities Surveying Engineer contracts, civil software’s & AutoCAD looking for senior level position, NOC available. Contact: 79097475 Email: a-shaqfa@hotmail.com 25 years, male from India with 3 years experience present in Oman and with release seeks job in HR, ADMIN or PURCHASE any of it.

Contact +968 94574596.

Indian male Software Engineer (BE). Contact: 92326607 Mechanical Engineer 14 years experience, 7 in Oman in water factories. Contact : 94488290 Mechanical Engineer, Indian, 5 years of experience as a Quality Controller, on visit visa looking for suitable placement, Contact -93042025 B.E. Mech Eng with12yrs exp (6yrs in Gulf) in Oil & Gas including Piping, MEP, HVAC having D/L & NOC, GSM:92730137 Civil Engineer 6 years experience building Ministry Projects Site Supervision AutoCAD, MS, EXEL good computer knowledge, looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 93946867

B.E Electronics & Communication 4 years experience in installation commissioning testing networking Administration, project coordination site experience maintenance.

Contact: 92924555 Email: rahulchittoor@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: 0096898052942 Email: azamjeelani78@ gmail.com Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).Looking for a Suitable position. Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa. Contact: 92157694. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Civil Engineer 8 yrs Exp in building construction & consulting field with auto cad & D/L.#93060770

Civil Engineer experience 4 years in Oman, Omani driving license.

Contact: 96319928

B.Tech Civil Engineer 9 years experience in Oman, hotels, shopping malls high rise buildings, local NOC available. Contact: 00968- 97355400 Email: mianinaqas169@gmail.com

Indian male 26 years Mechanical Engineer with 2 yrs exp in Oman.

Looking for suitable placement.

Contact - 91328079

Young Indian, Engineering in Bio-technology, Bio-chemical and Chemical, looking for a challenging placement in Oman.

Contact 97607000. Email: sivasankarjayakumar@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer 2 yrs experience in printing press.

Contact: 99315229

Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity. Contact: 93101283

Graduate Civil Engineer 20 yrs GCC experience with Omani D/L, seeking job NOC available.

Contact: 98621645 Email: imtiazcv@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

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Site Supervisor 3 years Diploma Civil Engineering 7 years experience in Oman driving license.

Contact: 00968- 98524276 Email: murtaza06249@gmail.com

B. Tech Mechanical HVAC site Engineer 4 years experience, currently on visit.

Contact – 92837696 / mdabdulather@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Mechanical Eng, 9 years experience MEP, 4 yrs in Oman. Contact: 99487902

BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com

Contact 92032632, haseebmursaleen@gmail.com Indian male 23 years, 1 year experience in tankage projects & process piping B.Tech in Mech, Engg.

Contact: 00968 71164978 Email: sushant297@gamil.com

DOMESTIC HELP Office boy with driving license, 4 years driving exp.

Contact: 94178094

MISCELLANEOUS

Lankan male, 25 yrs, B.Tech HND QS (Civil & MEP), AutoCAD with 5 yrs experience, looking for suitable placement.

Electrical Engineer with 5 yrs experience in P.L.C operated factories and ready mix plants looking for better placement.

Contact 968 97450769 Civil Engineer with NOC, 7 years experience. Professional at site management, technical office, structure design work. Contact 97983610

Mechanical Engineer, Indian, Male, 30yrs. Experienced in Steam turbines and Thermal Power house seek employment.

Contact - +91 8130553668 or mohamedshah7@gmail.com 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 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 Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961 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 Civil Engineer (Sudanese) with 7 years of experience in Oman (residential, commercial & gov. buildings). Contact : 97370324 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 Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973 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

HOSPITALITY Indian male, 24 yrs, bachelor of hotel Administration having India experience currently on visit visa looking for suitable placement in hospitality industry.

Contact: 93347605 / 91314540 Indian male 31 yrs, with hotel management degree, 03 yrs experience in F&B services at 5 star hotel Dubai, 05 yrs in American 06 star cruiseliner has butler. Has Oman driving license.

Contact 99859150.

Indian male 27 yrs, MTA (Master in Tourism Administration) 4 years experience in Hospitality Industry (Admin reservation and front office management, looking for suitable placement on visiting visa. Contact: 90432286 Email: dikhildiv@gmail.com

IT Oracle DBA / EBS Developer, 9+ exp in IT banking & finance domain, currently in Muscat NOC Available. Can join immediately.

Contact: 91945716 Email: sandeep.partab@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 Computer Engineer, Indian male24, job search in #it #hotel #sales & others. additional pro diploma certificates & 4 months GCC exp. on visit-visa. Contact : 92012341 Young Indian Post Graduate (MBA) with experience of 12 years in IT Administration & Management seeking a suitable opportunity. Contact: 0091 9847496029 / 99322484 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 Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India.

Contact 94672759 Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area.

Contact 98660672 Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement.

Contact 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com

LOGISTICS 29 years MBA 7 years experience in Oman in logistics seeks immediate placement. NOC from current employer is available. #93891668

MISCELLANEOUS Automotive Service Advisor with 1.5 years experience from Toyota India immediately available in Oman completed BE Automobile in 2014, with valid Oman driving license NOC Available.

Contact: +968 97061650

Mechanical/ Piping Engineer (B.Tech.) on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 94703350 mail: nadeembcoolboy@gmail.com

EDUCATION/TRAINING 7+ years GCC experience, Civil Engineer looking for suitable position. Contact: 79095572 Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784 Indian male 25 yrs (B.Tech) Mechanical Engg, 5 yrs of experience in erection, testing, commissioning and maintenance of rotating and static Equipments in power, petrochemical and Pharmaceutical industry in Oman on visit visa.

Contact: 90807760 Email: ramizshk@gmail.com

Indian, Keralite female M.A Economics, B.Ed, PGDCA, 2 yrs exp seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 97302167 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.

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 Housemaid, Driver, house boy, (overseas) looking for job. Contact 24484232 & 99531802 9 year experienced industrial painter and sand blaster with Oman driving licence. NOC available. Seeks suitable placement.

Contact ZakeerHussain 96681934.

Indian male Artist water colour, oil painting enamel painting looking for job. Contact: 96924476

B.Com,IICL Certified Container Inspector(No.150850),Visit Visa, Six months experience, need placement. Phone 90880935,99023279, Email solexyesudas@gmail.com.

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 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.

Sudanese male bachelor geology and mining with 3 years experience in MUD logging and training in soil investigation. #92956848

MEDICAL Keralite Male lab Technician with M.O.H license & release seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 94744706 Email: georgemathewsiby@gmail.com Iraqi Dentist female, MOH license seeks suitable job in clinic in Muscat. Contact 97891219 Veterinary Doctor: Indian Female looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 96906534 /99014885, Email: monishmajeed@gmail.com Filipino male Medical / Sales representative with 3 yrs experience is looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 92610394 Indian female Dentist looking for suitable placement, dataflow completed. #96410448 / 99606013

MANAGER / SUPERVISOR Organization Manager, Iraqi, Exp. 13 Years Inside- outside Oman , following activities : (construction Rood and Bridge & pipe lain - Infrastructure) (Very strong and qualified to bringing business for civil work Or any type of the construction work for many million per year with a good exp. in pricing and collect payment and cash flow managing - Tenders & wide experience in the real estate.

Contact: - Oman 71146111 Operation Head Finance background Experience in General management Projects Sales Finance and Administration 15 years experience in Oman NOC M :97812511

SALES / MARKETING Master in International Business (UK) work experience Oman 2.7 yrs, with Oman driving license, seeking job. Contact: 91478123 / 99175645 Young man Graduated in Media and Communication and having a diploma in public relations looking for a suitable job in advertising agencies & media, corporate offices in Oman. #95636799 Email: medoo-299@hotmail.com Male, looking for sales & marketing job, Oman license holder.

Contact: 95642740, Email: shaijichakkara@gmail.com 29 years Indian male MBA having 5 years experience in Gulf - sales & marketing & having GCC driving license, on visit seeks placement. Contact: 98845719 Indian male MBA marketing & HR, 2 years experience in marketing, automobile sale job seeking full time, sales / HR job. Oman visa valid till 13.10.16.

Email: uv30060@gmail.com Indian male, 8 years experience in sales, Marketing operations procurement, seeking suitable job, having valid Oman license, NOC available.

Contact: 99837447 Email: rhlboss86@gmail.com

D6

T H U R S D AY, O C T O 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

SITUATION WANTED BUSINESS LOOKING FOR SUB CONTRACTING JOBS An SME’S excellent grade construction company is looking for civil subcontracting jobs.

We are specialized in interlocking, block work, plaster work etc.

Contact 91433508, Email : business@aljammaza.com

We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SITUATION WANTFOR LADIES

INVESTOR PARTNER REQUIRED For a successfully Catering Restaurant Investor cum Partner is required.

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

Investor with fixed returns also welcome.

Please contact – 95213273

Email: muscatcoffeeshop@gmail.com

SITUATION WANT- SITUATION WANTGOOD NEWS SIT. WANTED

SERVICES We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

Ayurvedic treatments & massage – Ayurvedic Clinic Al Khuwair.

Contact 97263637 / 93309131 Ayurvedic massage, backache, joint, neck pain etc. #98254909

WE SERVE OMAN

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

Plumbing, painting, electro works contact Midawa Trading & Cont. EST. Contact: 98937266 Window unit & split unit A.C servicing & repairing - Barka, Mabela, Ruwi area. Contact: 99557080 Split unit & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance Barka, Mabela, Ruwi area. Contact: 96236476 Split unit & widow unit A.C servicing & maintenance Barka, Mabela, Ruwi area. Contact: 95323517 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 We do building maintenance all kind of works.

Contact 99247663

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

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED SALES / MARKETING Indian male, D/L 18+ years (Oman) work experience in HR, Sales & General Office Admin areas (MA. Public Admin, MBA (CR), PGDSCM (logistics & supply chain management) seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 91391540 Email: marsvenkat2012@gmail.com Indian male 26 yrs, Graduate, 3 years experience with Air India seeking suitable opportunity with reputed firms. Contact: 98847095 10+ Years Exp , 8 years In UAE , in Logistics ,Warehouse & Inventory looking for Job. Contact Number -00968 98096086 Indian 15 yrs Sales experience travelled all Oman with visa D/L. Contact: 97192779 Pakistani male 6 years including 1 year Oman experience in multistory building & Water supply line projects, NOC available looking for a job. Contact: 94973660 Email: chwaqasvirk100@gmail.com Indian male 30, 5 yrs experience in FMGC Van sales looking for suitable placements NOC available.

Contact: 97315348

Indian male with 6 years experience in sales in oman. NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95364128 Oil & gas experienced Indian lady with 6 years in sales & marketing to PDO and having valid Omani driving license. #96143430 / 99875919 Immediately available (Indian male) Sales Executive with 7 years experience valid Oman driving license, release / NOC available, presently working in bullding material firm# 99253159 / 92903099, shinethomas1230@gmail.com Indian male, 18 years Oman experience in purchase, sales & stores with valid D/L, NOC available.

Contact: 95273552 FMCG Professional with 18 yrs Oman experience in heading the business looking for opening.

Contact: 92787747 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

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

Al Farzdaq Al Fedhi Trad all maintenance electric plumbing, CCTV camera, painting tiles, A/C servicing. Contact Jahural Islam : 96524904

Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

We undertake new construction & maintenance & gypsum works.

Contact 92711506, ammarayyub@gmail.com

Affordable rates all types of curtain blind. Contact 99539521/ 95615642

House shifting packing.

Contact: 99657644 / 98518013

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED SALES / MARKETING 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.: +918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@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 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 1 yr exp in sales automotive (TBL) looking for best opportunity , NOC available.

Contact: 97793879 Email: shyampkn@gmail.com

BBA Bachelor of business administration exp in custom clearance procedure, also done international logistics management & Nimb National Institute business management (US) certification all documentation work related logistics. contact – 91949050 / akram.chaush001@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 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 9 yrs exp in FMGC as Sales Executive looking for suitable placement, NOC available.

Contact: 94636470

Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). #24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com Car care, care for your car stop worrying about your car. Enjoy your vacation peacefully. Here is a solution for safe parking and cleaning your car when your car when you are away on vacation.

Taking very good care of your car, trust us. Contact: 96964767

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED SALES / MARKETING 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 BBA male 6 years Sales Executive in KSA, D/L looking suitable placement. Contact: 90916261 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

SKILLED LABOUR Mason sh/carpenter, helper (overseas) looking for job. Contact 95175192

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Indian male more than 10 years gulf experience in Office / Purchase Coordinator, Admin, Secretarial and sales with good computer skills. Holding Oman Driving license, looking for suitable placement.Contact 99709336 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.

Contact 95244761

TOURS & TRAVELS Polish women have experience in tourism and flight companies speak German & English, looking for job. Contact: 79098170 / 96149719 Indian female 25 yrs, Bachelor in Travel & Tourism and 2 year exp in Oman as Travel consultant .GDS-Sabre, Amdeus. NOC Available.

Contact- 95883404

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male, B.E Mechanical with 2 years experience as Maintenance Engineer in Cochin Refinery and 1 year experience in Chevrolet seeking job. Ph number: 97964862, Email :jossyabraham20@gmail.com Indian Male (44), MBA, 19 yrs experience in Oman. Present Industry: Natural stones for construction. Responsibilities: Production, Business development and overall management. Looking for an immediate opening. Contact : 90992631 B.A Graduate, 28 yrs, with Good English communication skills, 5.5 years Experience in hospitality and hotel industry is looking for a suitable job in Muscat.(In Visiting visa) Contact 93271163 CIVIL DIPLOMA HOLDER. Indian male. 8 years experience in building construction field, Valid oman driving license holder, Seeking suitable jobs. N.O.C available. Contact :95306762, Email: sandeeep88joseph@gmail.com Pakistani male having 7 years experience valid Omani driving license working as a crusher Incharge (Sales, Purchase) looking for a suitable position. Salary is negotiable. Contact +96894248615 / 95133167, Email : mumar1714@gmail.com Indian male, 15 years experience in furniture sales with Oman D/L, NOC available. Contact: 98838485 Female B.Ed English & Maths teacher, 6 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact: 98002428 Available Mechanical Engineer B.Tech with driving license, currently on visit visa. Contact: 97792809 / 99417584 Indian female PhD, M.Phil, M.A in English, B.Ed, Diploma TESOL,16 years teaching experience seeks suitable teaching, editing or relevant job. Contact: 92245591, 95221665 Indian Male 26years MBA (HR & Marketing) having 4 years experience in Gulf and India as a HR and Admin looking for suitable placement. Contact :95583165.Email: vinoth.kvk1991@gmail.com Indian, Male, 5+ years of experience in Accounts, Finance; Banking and Audit across GCC and India; Looking for suitable permanent placement; NOC, Release Available. Contact:+974-31216010, +91-9972363772; Email: ismail.04071990@gmail.com IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3+yrs exp. in IT, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 91496939.

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 Finance controller MBA finance (NOC Available) 23 yrs exp D/L. Contact: 95043106

T H U R S DAY, O C T O B E R 6, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

SITUATION WANTED

RENT A CAR

MISCELLANEOUS 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 Female, 22 BBA Graduate, Looking for suitable jobs in Accounting/ Admin/ Purchase/ Secretarial with good Communication skill and computer knowledge, Settled in Oman. Contact 92511657,97334325,93626288 , Email:Sumiap1421@gmail.com Indian, male, BE in mechani cal engineering(fresher) and diploma in HVAC designing and drafting. Looking for a job in the field of mechanical and HVAC. Contact 96890834846, abdulquddusruknuddin@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. Contact 00974 66772193, Email : snu057@gmail.com 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 or in new field in Oman.

Contact: 94562777, Email: hammadakrami61@gmail.com Graduate in commerce with Total 20+ Years of experience in IT Industry having13 Years of experience in ATM switch Administration and operations &. 5 years of Bank experience in System Support, IT Administration and operation. NOC from sponsor available. #– 98483443, email: cars2099@ gmail.com HEAD OF PROJECTS: Having more than 20 years of experience in construction industry. Having more than 1 .5 years of experience in working in Oman. Available immediately with NOC from the employer. BE civil engineering.

Contact: 99893644 Mathematics Lecturer Indian Female, M. Phil. in Mathematics with 5 years of experience in school and colleges. Now in Oman on Visit Visa. Contact- 92119428

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 Indian male, 29 YRS, Having 11 years of experience in Hospitality Industry with 3 yrs of Diploma in Hotel Management & MBA in Hr/ Hospitality. Looking for suitable job in Hospitality sector. Contact: +968 91426497,93993874.

Whatsapp: +91 9871750906. email: rohitnig1@gmail.com Indian female, MBA - HR, diploma in aviation & hospitality IATA, 5 yrs exp. looking for job in teaching, administration, HR & airport, now on family visa, seeking for suitable position. Contact: 99104529, e-mail- sivavedha@gmail.com Instrumentation Engg. with 10+ yrs exp. Qatar. OilField Instrumentation, Process Plant Instrumentation, Project Management, Installation & Commissioning, Troubleshooting & Repairs, Inspections & Maintenance, Instrument Calibration, PLC Programming, SCADA System, Job Assessment.

Contact: 97433692455, k_khopkar@yahoo.co.in Indian male, 23 yrs, B.E. in mechanical engineering looking for suitable job. Contact : 91504101, mail: nickfaiz93@gmail.com Indian Female, Mathematics Lecturer M.Sc., M.Phil. in Mathematics with 5 years of teaching experience. Now in Oman on Visit Visa.

Contact- 92119428, Email Id- subi.paulson@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 IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3+yrs exp. in IT, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 91496939.

Indian Male 29 years MSM, B.Com having 8 years experience in Gulf and India as a HR and Admin looking for suitable placement. Contact :97914340. Email: kvraj30@gmail.com

Petrochemicals /Oil & Gas / automobile /construction / plastic polymer/package material procurement Specialist, MBA &18 YEARS seeking suitable job, NOC available. Contact: vved76@gmail. com and cell: 97813849

Indian male 22 years B. Com, holding a valid Oman driving license.

Contact 96799287.\

Indian male 22 years B.Com, holding a valid Oman driving license.

Contact 98112738

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED BSC Female Nurse having 9 years of experience ( 3 years in gulf).

Prometric passed - 86%. Currently in Oman. Contact : 95117123 Indian Female 32, PhD & M.Phil in Economics ILTES score 7.5, 10 years in teaching and software industries in Oman & India. Looking for job in Colleges and Universities as lecturer/ Professor/ English accent trainer.Contact:97746369.

E mail : najaf_1980@yahoo.com 28,male,ACCA finalist, BSc Honours, have 4 years of professional experience in Accounts and Audit Department of different companies using Tally, Focus, Epicor & oracle software, ,NOC available, seeking for permanent replacement , GSM-97654769,email idabdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com Female, 25 with 8 yrs experience looking for admin/ HR job release & license available.

Email: neslinmoras@gmail.com 10 years financial controller seeks suitable job exp in banking, finance & accounting.

Contact: 97812511 Email: sgupta1093@gmail.com Purchase / store 8 years experience in construction company Indian male (46) Kerala, looking for immediate placement with Oman driving license release, NOC available. Contact: 93996983 23 yrs, Indian Mechanical engineer, Looking a job in HVAC designing and drafting and any other related job as a mechanical engineer. +96890834846, abdulquddusruknuddin@gmail.com Looking for part time accounting, reconciliation, internal audit, capable of handling any accounts work up to finalization in most of the software independently, 4 yrs experience. Contact: 97654769 / 91324962

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver.

Contact 99839898

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED HACCP certified Food & Agricultural engineer, M Tech, Indian lady (24), seeking for suitable placement. Contact 92290733, praveena1692@gmail.com Female, M.Sc and B.Ed in Chemistry, Indian, having two years teaching experience, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 96300240, Email: nselvin@gmail. com

B.Tech (ECE), MCSE, CCNA, 25 Male, Indian, currently on visit visa, seeks suitable job Mob No: 97438490. Email: akhil.anuraj.1991@gmail.com

CIVIL DIPLOMA HOLDER. India male. 8 years experience in building construction field, Valid oman driving license holder, seeking suitable jobs. N.O.C available.

Contact 95306762, Email: sandeeep88joseph@gmail.com

Indian male 24 yrs, looking for Sales job in Salalah, preferring electronics, Home appliances, Furniture. GSM 99492925 / 98871742 or ,kmfiroz6@gmail.com.

Indian male 23 years completed BE in electrical engineering Looking for suitable placement. alamalsuhail@gmail.com, Contact +968 9968 2689

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED 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 contact 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

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