Times of Oman - October 7, 2015

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

3rd National day 18 November 1973

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ Everyone in this nation is equal. There isn’t any difference between big and small, rich and poor; for equality mandates everyone to be siblings under the umbrella of social justice.

WEDNESDAY, October 7, 2015 / 23 Dhul Hijja 1436 AH

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Millions of rials going up in smoke due to wiring Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) had recently confirmed that there had been 188 more cases of fire in various parts of the Sultanate this year compared to last year, when 1,763 cases were reported.

One expert tagged the cost to business and home owners at OMR14 million, and blamed contractors cutting corners

SALEH AL SHAIBANY

saleh@timesofoman.com TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

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Common GCC tourist visa on agenda

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A plan for issuing a common GCC countries tourist visa will be discussed at the tourism ministries meeting. >A2

MUSCAT: Poor electrical wiring in both private and commercial buildings is the major cause of fire in the Sultanate of Oman, which is costing owners millions of rials in repairs a year, according to safety experts.

Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) experts say the blame should be levelled on contractors who don’t follow safety standards because they want to cut down the costs.

RISING FIRE INCIDENTS: Electric fires can occur if unreliable (fake) equipment is used in electrical

wiring. -Supplied photo

“The biggest culprits are contractors who want to save money.

They don’t use the right rating of cables and wires because it is expensive to follow specifications in the blueprint. They want to save

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Times News Service

MARKET

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Incompetent electricians Other experts blamed incompetent electricians who are not properly trained as the major cause of the fire problem. >A6

Muscat is third top city in MENA region, says survey

So what should expatriates wear and where should they cover up more? >A3

Major Omani firms are expected to post a fall in net earnings, but revenues will grow. >B1

The damages Al Hilali, who is also a consultant and a damage estimator for insurance companies, estimated fire causes more than OMR14 million damages every year.

80 PER CENT RESIDENTS HAPPY

Debate on dress code continues in Oman

Omani firms’ profit set to decline

money and do the wiring as cheaply as possible. As a result, it costs owners millions of rials to repair their buildings due to wiring negligence” Hamed Al Hilali, a retired HSE expert, told Times of Oman.

Unreliable equipment A PACDA official said, “Apart from contractors, people should also be held responsible. Electric fires can occur if unreliable (fake) equipment is used in electrical wiring.

“Negligence is also a factor where people would constantly use the application (AC, television) without giving it time to rest; heat would build up and cause a fire.”

He also explained that some people might take a “simple” repair into their own hands instead of hiring a professional and install the wrong type of equipment in some cases.

IS claims suicide attack in Yemen

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MUSCAT: Muscat has been consistently ranked in the top five cities in the region across all considerations, according to a new survey conducted by Bayt.com, a career website in the Middle East, and YouGov, an online market research body.

The survey, titled ‘Top Cities in the Middle East and North Africa

(MENA) Survey 2015’, points out that Muscat is the third top city in the MENA region.

Almost 80 per cent of the people living in Muscat said they are either very happy or somewhat happy living in their current city of residence.

When asked to express views, Rabha Al Suleimany, said, “Muscat is one of the safest cities where you can take your family

in peace and serenity.”

Similarly, Prakash, an Indian expatriate, said: “Muscat is the best place to live and that’s why I am here for more than 10 years and would love to stay forever if I get a chance.”

Echoing similar views, Aneesh, a resident of Oman, said: “Muscat is the cleanest city I have ever come across during my foreign trips.” >A6

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While the central water desalination plant in the wilayat of Sur is working at full capacity the demand for water from the Governorates of South and North A’Sharqiyah is increasing since the beginning of this year Public Authority for Electricity and Water has said

AL MUDHAIBI

Water filling station shut temporarily AL MUDHAIBI: Al Jardaa Water Filling Station in the Wilayat of Al Mudhaibi has been temporarily shut down due to constant increase in water consumption in the wilayats, the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) has announced.

PAEW said that while the central water desalination plant in the wilayat of Sur is working at full

capacity (83,000 cubic meters per day), the demand for water from the governorates of South and North Al Sharqiyah is increasing since the beginning of this year.

PAEW urged citizens who get their water supplies from Al Jardaa tanker station to use alternative stations in the wilayat till the alternative water sources for the station are operational after

completing the required tests and ensuring that they are safe and free of any pollutant.

Rationalising water use PAEW also stressed importance of cooperation by citizens and expats through rationalising water use as it leads to stable supplies in the wilayats of South and North Al Sharqiyah governorates. -ONA

‘Large number of Omanis go to German clinics’ Germany has more than twice as many hospitals per 1,000 citizens than the United States and is well known internationally for its high standards

HOSPITAL OF EUROPE: Germany is often considered as the ‘Hospital of Europe’, said Warmund von Massenbach, GCC Regional Director for Premier Healthcare Germany. – File photo used for illustrative purposes only

and cost-effective treatment, compared with the rest of the EU countries

Times News Service MUSCAT: A large number of Omanis are regularly travelling to Germany for medical treatment, a senior official attached with the health industry said.

Oman has a national committee for treatment abroad, which decides on the eligibility of candidate patients seeking treatment.

Warmund von Massenbach, GCC Regional Director for Premier Healthcare Germany, said the country is often considered by many as the “Hospital of Europe.”

It has more than twice as many hospitals per 1,000 citizens than the United States and is well known internationally for its high standards and cost effective prices, compared with the rest of the European Union.

“The rise of Germany as a destination for GCC medical tourists seeking treatment has led to an increase in medical tourism facilitator companies, such as Premier Healthcare Germany, which has opened up offices in international cities, such as Dubai to cater to the demand,” Massenbach said.

Patients considering seeking medical and wellness treatments abroad will be able to connect with leading experts in medical tourism and even find a perfect treatment plan at the International Medical travel Conference and Exhibition (IMTEC), opening on October 7 at the Dubai International Convention Centre.

Featuring medical tourism companies, consultation clinics, hospitals and conferences, the event attracts a high number of GCC companies looking to develop partnerships with leading European medical firms that have a regional presence.

Michael Meurs, CEO of Premier Healthcare Germany explained. “Being present in the region is a big step forward for our

company, as it has enabled us to offer better services to our clients’ in the GCC, including many Arab nationals, as well as expats from countries, such as the UAE. “We strongly believe in joint treatment programs with local doctors and German doctors….

We have around several thousand Omanis seeking treatment in Germany every year.”

Contracts for new medical facilities across the GCC are expected to reach US$9.53 billion by the end of this year, with governments placing an increased focus on medical tourism, according to the Dubai Health Authority.

Massenbach said full access to a variety of healthcare providers is what many government authorities and insurance companies are looking for.

“We have developed an organisation with working procedures and a network, which enables us to provide international patients with complete access to German healthcare providers. We offer patients full access to hospitals, which normally are very difficult to enter for international patients.”

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REHEARSAL

DRESS CODE FOR FOREIGNERS IN OMAN

Emergency response exercise by Oman Air

Should be covered in streets

Should be covered in sacred locations, like The Grand Mosque

Times News Service

Always a modest neckline either front or back Shoulders should always be covered

Clothes should be loose. Very tight clothes are not allowed

Knees should be covered

Source: Ministry of Tourism

Graphics

Seeking clarity on dress code People should be modest about what they are wearing and respect Omani culture

Times News Service MUSCAT: So what should expats wear and where should they cover up more?

Times of Oman reported yesterday the debate over foreigners dress code had reopened again.

But for people new to the country it’s often not so clear cut about what is, and isn’t, respectful.

An official from the Ministry of Tourism said people should be modest about what they are wearing and respect Omani culture.

However, it is not clear as to what that the statement means exactly. As there isn’t a formal dress code in place in the SultanPA R L I A M E N TA RY A F FA I R S

Majlis takes part in Arab meetings MUSCAT: Majlis Al Shura took part in the preparatory meetings of the Arab Parliament Office and its permanent and sub-committees, which began on Monday.

The Majlis Al Shura delegation is led by Salim bin Ali Al Ka’bi, Deputy Chairman of the Majlis Al shura, Head of the Legislative, legal and Human Rights Committee at the Arab Parliament and the membership of Dr. Ahmed bin Salim Ra’afait, member of the Majlis and member of the Economic and Financial Committee at the Arab Parliament.

Agenda discussed The first meeting discussed the listed topics on the agenda and the preparations for the Arab Parliament’s session, which will be held next “Thursday” at the headquarters of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People in Tunisia. -ONA

ate, nor is there a discussion to introduce one, locals and residents would have to take it upon themselves to know which type of attire is appropriate for a certain occasion or a specific place.

A brochure published by the ministry for promoting the Sultanate, which offers guidelines for visitors, states, “Avoid wearing short pairs of shorts and skirts, sleeveless tops and clothes that are very tight or low cut.”

Facebook page Comments related to the interesting debate were also posted on TOO’s Facebook page.

“Respect begets respect. The

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problem is the dress code, not who is committing a violation of it. Let’s not point fingers at each other. We all know that everyone wants to feel comfortable with what we wear, but let us not forget where we are. So I think we need to be mindful of our style,” said a user.

Weather factor “Keep in mind the temperature of Oman. Some visitors are not used to that kind of hot weather. I don’t think anybody would want to wear shorts and sleeveless shirts in winter,” said another user.

“There is a lack of information. I am from Brazil and I had travelled to Muscat last year. I did not get information about a dress code and I dressed the way I felt comfortable. A policewoman then advised me to cover my knees and shoulders. I didn’t know there was a dress code until that moment and surely I would have respected it if I knew it from the very beginning,” said a former visitor.

MUSCAT: Oman Air carried out a major emergency response exercise at its headquarters in Muscat, involving senior managers, operational team leaders and an 8-member exercise control team to test strength of the airline’s emergency response plan.

Upon activation of the exercise, participating managers were instructed to attend Oman Air’s Emergency Response Centre (ERC) and Local Incident Control Centre (LICC) at Zanzibar, where they received information about the simulated emergency. A real-time scenario was then developed, including the steady provision of new issues and additional information, as it happens during an actual emergency.

Local Incident Control Centres in Muscat and one of Oman Air’s outstations were also involved. In addition, an Oman Air Go Team was activated in Muscat and provided with relevant the logistic and financial resources.

A two-member team from world-renowned experts Kenyon International Emergency Services oversaw the event.

The entire exercise was monitored from the ERC by Oman Air Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Gregorowitsch. He was also on hand to advise and support Emergency Director Adil Sheibani and his team. The exercise was followed by a simulated media briefing.

Commenting on the exercise, Sheibani said, “I am pleased to say that Oman Air’s recent emergency exercise was very successful. Such exercises not only demonstrate the effectiveness of Oman Air’s emergency planning, but also provide vital training opportunities for our emergency response teams.”

MAJLIS ELECTIONS

Announcement of final voter list today MUSCAT: Election committees in the wilayats will announce on Wednesday the final lists of voters at the walis’ offices and on the election website www.election.gov. om/shura, the Interior Ministry has confirmed.

The number of names on the list

is stated to be 611, 906. The Main Committee for Majlis Al Shura 8th Term Elections had adopted the final lists of voters during a meeting yesterday chaired by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Chairman of the Committee. -ONA

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The meeting will explore the immense potential to work together to contribute to inclusive economic growth, social development, and heritage preservation Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrizi, Minister of Tourism

C O O P E R AT I O N

UK higher education institutes for Oman education expo Times News Service MUSCAT: The second edition of EduTraC Oman 2015 will be held from October 12 to 14 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre.

The three-day expo is designed to support students and parents in finding the most suitable courses and programmes, which students can pursue in the UK. The expo will be open to visitors from October 12 to 14 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre from 10am to 1pm and 4:30pm to 9pm. Students visiting the expo can meet college and university admissions representatives to learn about course content, entry requirements and scholarships.

A presentation will be held at the seminar hall during the exhibition on Tuesday, October 13 from 7:30pm to 8:15pm and students and professionals looking to advance their career paths are invited to attend for free.

Alastair Long, deputy head of the mission at the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) from the British Embassy in Oman, said, “Educational cooperation is an important bridge for promoting exchanges and fostering friendship between the two countries, which in turn has contributed to developing sustainable relations.

“The high level of participation from UK-based education institutions in EduTrac Oman re-

flects the continued popularity of UK as a study destination among Omani students.

“This expo will help forge longterm and enduring partnerships between Omani students and UK institutions. Omani students are a valued part of our diverse academic community and I expect their university experience will sustain personal and business links with the UK for years to come.”

Zainab Al Barwani, project manager at the British Council, said “The British Council in Oman is very pleased to support EduTraC Oman 2015. The increase in students represents a milestone in higher education cooperation between the UK and Oman. We look

forward to continuing to partner with the British universities and colleges and in promoting British education among Omani students.”

Kate Clarke, managing director and education advisor at the Al Ahlam Higher Education Services, said, “The United Kingdom is the number one destination for English language study and ranks second in the world for university education. Al Ahlam Higher Education Services is delighted to participate as UK’s counselling partner at EduTraC Oman 2015 and will host a ‘Study in the UK’ seminar, which will answer all queries on what it is like to live a student’s life and to study in the UK Guiding students through the application

procedures and demystifying visa regulations, we promise that the presentation will greatly increase your understanding of the UK as a study abroad destination.”

EduTraC Oman 2015 has been organised by Al Nimr Expo under the patronage of the Ministry of Higher Education and Ministry of Education’s National Career Guidance Centre and is supported by UK Trade and Investment, British Council Oman and The Training Gateway from the UK .

Each year, more than 250,000 foreign students arrive in the United Kingdom to enrol in programmes, ranging from English language courses to university degrees.

Four of the top six universities in the world are located in the United Kingdom, which has been ranked second on a list for the most preferred destinations for education globally.

The country provides internationally-recognised education for students, enabling them to explore the frontiers of knowledge, master new technologies and prepare for fulfilling future careers through industry-led study programmes.

In an era of globalisation, UK education has been able to fulfil students’ dreams by preparing them to make the most of their academic abilities and to excel in a competitive job market.

Oman to gain from GCC-wide visa for tourists The number of tourists visiting Oman will grow if the proposal is approved

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman stands to gain from a common visa for tourists visiting the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, sector professionals say.

A plan for issuing a common Gulf Cooperation Council countries tourist visa will be discussed at the GCC tourism ministries meeting in Qatar, according to the Ministry of Tourism (MOT).

Oman to take part Oman will take part in the GCC tourism ministries meeting due to be held in Qatar later this week.

Oman’s delegation will be led

by Minister of Tourism, Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrizi. The meeting will aim to highlight the joint efforts being made to support tourism in the GCC countries and is also expected to discuss other topics of significance, including private participation in the tourism sector and setting up of a Gulf federation for handicrafts.

TOURIST SPOT: The meeting at Qatar will discuss a number of topics related to tourism cooperation in the GCC. – File photo

“It will be great if we have a unified tourist visa,” said Vijay Handa, general manager, Masirah Island Resort. Officials said that once the visa comes into existence, it would allow tourists to obtain the visa from any of the member states, to enter all six countries.

Mohammed Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, the general manager of New Star International Travel and Tours LLC, said the number of tourists visiting would definitely grow if the provision for such a visa is approved.

The meeting at Qatar will also discuss a number of topics related to cooperation in the field of tourism in the GCC. Similarly, how to facilitate the procedures will also be discussed.

“The meeting will explore the immense potential to work together to contribute to inclusive economic growth, social develop-

ment, and heritage preservation,” a statement from the MOT said.

The ministerial meeting would also mark the beginning of a unified tourism action plan to strengthen cooperation among the GCC countries to spur growth in regional tourism. It would pave the way for enhancing tourism cooperation among GCC countries to better serve the people by developing the regional tourism sectors comprehensively.

During the meeting, the ministers will brainstorm ways and means to further upgrade tourism facilities in the region to an international level that would help take regional tourism to a new high.

A preparatory meeting of the undersecretaries for tourism affairs from GCC countries has already discussed the main points that will be discussed during the ministerial meeting.

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Tweet all about it

According to officials, the cooking place was unlicensed and the food was being cooked in unhygienic conditions

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: An unlicensed cooking place in Al Amerat, where food was being cooked and distributed among workers from different companies, was raided and an expatriate cook was arrested

by Muscat Municipality officials.

According to officials, the cooking place was unlicensed and the food was being cooked in unhygienic conditions.

“The food being cooked there was distributed to workers from different companies,” the municipality tweeted on its official Twitter handle.

Recently, the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) in cooperation with the Royal Oman Police (ROP) had arrested some expatriates for running an unlicensed bakery on the rooftop of an old house in Salalah.

According to information received by the PACP, the expatriates were baking all types of bread in unhygienic conditions.

The team had caught the expatriates red-handed while they were preparing dough in unhygienic conditions with insects crawling around. Water was being

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Illegal cooking site raided by municipal team

UNHYGIENIC: Expatriates were baking all types of bread in unhygienic conditions. – Supplied photo

used from a contaminated source and they were also said to be using expired ingredients.

Continuing with the search, the inspection team had seized a rusted kneading machine, rusted cutlery and dirty dish towels that were used to cover the freshly produced bread.

There was a high risk of the food products becoming contaminated, the PACP said.

The flour was also not stored

in hygienic conditions and they were using dirty dish towels to cover it. On inspecting the bread, the team found no mention of the date of production and expiry on the packets.

In addition, refrigerators containing chicken were on the verge of rotting and were also seized.

When the expatriates were questioned they said that they had been baking for over a month without a licence.

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C O O P E R AT I O N

Oman, Sudan sign deal on civil services development MUSCAT: Oman and Sudan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to encourage bilateral cooperation in a number of areas related to civil service and administrative development, during an official session of talks on Tuesday.

The Omani side was led by Sheikh Khalid bin Omar bin Said Al Marhoon, Minister of Civil Service, while the Sudanese side was led by Dr. Al Sadiq Al Hadi Abdul Rahman Al Mahdi, Minister of Human Resources Development of Sudan.

During the talks, Sheikh Al Mar-

hoon and Dr. Al Mahdi, signed an MoU on behalf of their respective ministries.

The signing of the MoU comes within the distinguished relations and constructive cooperation between the Sultanate and the Republic of Sudan in all fields with the aim of enhancing cooperation between the Ministry of Civil Service and the Ministry of Human Resources Development in the Republic of Sudan in training, development and consultancy fields.

The Minister of Civil Service and Chairman of the Institute of Public Administration and the

Minister of Human Resources Development and General Supervisor of Sudan Academy for Administrative Sciences signed an MoU between the Institute of Public Administration in the Sultanate and Sudan Academy for Administrative Sciences in the sisterly Republic of Sudan.

The MoU included encouraging cooperation of the two sides in a number of areas including the exchange of business visits and sharing experiences and ideas in areas related to training, rehabilitation, administrative advice, applied researches and publication. -ONA

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Relevant authorities are responsible for inspecting electrical wiring systems during installation to ensure that they conform to the required national standards Mark Pudwell, training manager at Competence HR

Photo exhibition to mark Omani Women’s Day Photographer Helen Couchman will present her work for the first time in Oman

Times News Service MUSCAT: Gallery Sarah will hold a photographic exhibition entitled, “Omani Women” by photographer Helen Couchman, which will start at 7.30pm on October 12.

The exhibition is being held to mark the celebration of Omani Women’s Day, which will fall during the same week in Oman.

Couchman has exhibited widely in the United Kingdom, as well as in Beijing, New York, Hong Kong and will now present her work for the first time in Oman.

She often produces new bodies of work during residencies and has published two books of her portraiture photography. In 2012, Couchman began her latest project, exploring portraiture and collaborated with women across the Sultanate.

At Gallery Sarah, she will unveil these photographic portraits and also launch her latest book on Omani Women, which documents the artist’s journey and expeditions across Oman.

“She camped in the mountains, the desert and on the beaches of this beautiful country, in order to gain access to the communities living between the northern tip of Musandam and the southern border with Yemen; between the edge of The Empty Quarter bordering

PORTRAITS: The series depicts the diversity of Omani women, their

self-presentation, fashion, and the beauty of the country.

Saudi Arabia to the west; and along the length of the east coast and on to Masirah Island. On her travels she met women walking or working and asked if she could shoot take their portraits,” the foreword for “Omani Women - About a journey,” written by Sussan Babaie states.

The series also depicts the diversity of Omani women, their self-presentation, fashion, modesty and beauty of the country.

These portraits showcase a varied group of women and their individual style. Couchman believes that photography by its nature allows the viewer to consider the beauty in detail of how the women she met present themselves.

The portraits are the product of a journey through Oman, the many conversations with Omani women and the quiet nights camping out under our starry desert skies.

“Couchman’s project bridges a gap as far as local memory allows.

This collapsing of time through an artist’s journey runs as a backdrop to her experience of Oman. The

rare privilege afforded a woman artist to focus her camera lens on women of Oman makes this an unusual venture,” added Babaie in the book’s foreword.

Located in the historical part of Old Muscat and part of the Bait Al Zubair Museum complex, Gallery Sarah is a unique contemporary art gallery, which opened its doors in 2013. The gallery exhibits artworks, including, but not limited to paintings, graphics, calligraphy, installations, sculpture and photography.

Apart from trying to create a strong connection between established and emerging Omani artists and the international art world, Gallery Sarah also supports and has an appreciation for work by a wide variety of talented Arab artists from around the Gulf and many international artists.

The book, “Omani Women” will be launched along with the exhibition on October 12 at Gallery Sarah.

The exhibition will run from October 12 till November 7 from 9.30am till 6pm, Sunday to Thursday.

SHODDY WORKMANSHIP

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Inept electricians, faulty wires major cause of fire

“Contractors use electricians with little experience and training to do electrical works that they are not qualified to do. They cannot read the site electrical plans either because their English is poor or the terminologies used are too advanced for them to understand,” Ghalib Al Sinani, another HSE expert said.

A businessman based in the Wilayat of Seeb whose warehouse was burned down by fire that erupted in the middle of the night last year agreed about the two factors mentioned by HSE experts as the major causes of the fires.

“My own investigations of the warehouse incident revealed that the contractor who built it used cheap materials for the electrical.

The wiring was also done by electricians who were not competent to do that job. Lucky for me the warehouse was insured and I was well compensated but it is a practice widely used by contractors looking to save money,” Shamis Al Mabsali, told Times of Oman.

Government officials responsible for electrical specifications who were approached by Times of Oman refused to make any comment.

It is not only business people suffer the shoddy workmanship of contractors when it comes to substandard wiring, also owners of private houses. They are the ones who count the costs because

most of private homes in the Sultanate are not insured.

“The entire ground floor of my villa was gutted while we were away on a holiday. My housemaid had to escape through the window to save her life. She also called the fire brigade to put away the fire. It cost me OMR9,000 to repair and replace what was destroyed. My contractor refused to compensate me because the construction warranty period was over,” Salim Al Shizawi, a resident of Baushar, told Times of Oman.

Electrical modifications But contractors defend themselves saying that building owners do electrical modifications or extend their facilities that are originally not included in the specifications after the properties have been handed over to them.

“These buildings catch fire long after we handed over the properties to them. Why? Because of the extensions and changes they make. They hire electricians who don’t bother to look at the electrical plans and that causes electrical overload not designed to handle,” Ahmed Al Ajmi, owner of Shams Al Jabal Construction, said.

Meanwhile, Mark Pudwell, training manager at Competence HR, said that statistics show clearly that one of the main causes of fires, in both domestic and

DOHA: GCC ministers have agreed on the entry of Member States as a group when signing legal, judicial or juridical cooperation agreements with States or other international groups and the Convention on the enforcement of sentences, rogatory and judicial ads in the GCC countries.

The decision was taken at GCC

Justice Ministers’ 27th meeting, which concluded in Doha on Tuesday. Sheikh Abdul Malik bin Abdullah Al Khalili, Minister of Justice, represented the Sultanate in the meeting.

They approved the proposal of the Secretariat General of Legal Affairs sector that Member States enter as a group when signing

excellent: 73 per cent), and manageable traffic (good-to-excellent: 69 per cent).

Oman also emerged as one of the top destinations for a high standard of living, with its capital–Muscat–recording some of the highest scores amongst the top 10 cities in MENA. According to the majority of respondents, Muscat rates as either good or excellent on most of the key factors affecting the standard of living. These factors include the feeling of stability and security (good-to-excellent: 77 per cent), the availability of healthcare facilities (good-to-excellent: 63 per cent), water, electricity and sewage systems (good-to-excellent: 78 per cent), and the quality of education (good-to-excellent: 55 per cent).

Socio-cultural factors Socio-cultural factors are forces within cultures, societies and cities that affect the thoughts, feelings and behaviour of individuals who are a part of that society. Important socio-cultural factors in Muscat include low crime rates, rated as excellent by 48 per cent of the respondents; a stable political environment, rated as excellent by 52 per cent of respondents; and effective law enforcement rated as excellent by 37 per cent of respondents.

Other important socio-cultural factors in Oman include equal treatment of both genders, fair treatment to all nationalities, freedom of expression, and tolerance towards different cultures and ideas.

legal, judicial or juridical cooperation agreements with States or other international groups, and to submit the proposal to the Ministerial Council for approval.

The ministers inaugurated the website of the Committee of GCC Ministers of Justice, done by the Secretariat as previously commissioned by the ministers. -ONA E D U C AT I O N S TAT I S T I C S

‘Muscat is a most suitable A1 place for families to live’

Environmental factors Muscat was also ranked second region-wide in terms of environmental factors.

Environmental factors form a set of important aspects related to comfort and cleanliness that affect the overall quality of life in a city. The vast majority of respondents in Muscat (57 per cent) said that cleanliness in their city streets was excellent. Other important environmental factors in Muscat include clean air (good-to-excellent: 75 per cent), clean water (good-to-excellent: 82 per cent), beauty of the architecture and buildings (good-to-

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GCC ministers meeting ends

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Labour rights Muscat was ranked fifth in the MENA region in terms of labour rights. Respondents from Oman believe that they have good-toexcellent end of service benefits (46 per cent), termination rights (37 per cent), vacation allowances (47 per cent), parenting allowances (28 per cent), wage protection system (46 per cent), health insurance and social security systems (51 per cent), and pro-active policy making (31 per cent).

HAVE YOUR SAY

DOHA

CAREER GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

While Benoie Mathew, who has been living in Muscat with his family for more than five years, said: “Muscat is a suitable place for families who want to live in peace. Given its natural beauty, the country should develop its infrastructure to promote tourism.”

For Ala Al Shahwarzi, Muscat is the best city in the world.

The availability of jobs in Muscat is either good or excellent according to 3 in 10 respondents, while 14 per cent believe it is bad.

Thirty-eight per cent of the respondents in Muscat believe that competitive salaries are either good or excellent.

Other important economic factors in Muscat include benefits for working parents, career growth opportunities, reasonably priced amenities, and the availability of affordable housing. In terms of economic factors, Muscat was ranked fifth among the top cities in the MENA for 2015.

industrial premises, are caused by either sub-standard electrical wiring installation or poorly maintained wiring systems.

“Relevant authorities are responsible for inspecting electrical wiring systems during installation to ensure that they conform to the required national standards. Part of the inspection process involves the verification of the electrical contractors certification of qualification and is essential in ensuring the competency of those involved in the installation process,” Mark said.

“In older properties which have been constructed prior to the implementation of building standards, the wiring systems have often not been designed to withstand the requirements of modern living or work place demands and as such, often completely overloaded to the point where the system fails and fires occur with devastating results.

It is also the case that building maintenance contractors use sub standard or damaged electrical extension leads to carry out their work which can result in electrical failure and fires,” Mark added.

Sports, arts, culture Muscat was ranked fifth across the MENA region for its sports, arts, culture and recreation factors, which play an important role in the overall quality of life in a city.

Respondents in Muscat ranked culture and arts offerings (51 per cent), the availability of familyfriendly activities (51 per cent), and the availability of outdoor/ sports activities (56 per cent) as either good or excellent.

Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship has an impact on a city’s prosperity, and Muscat was ranked as the fifth top city in MENA for starting a business.

Muscat was ranked as either good or excellent among respondents on the following factors: the ease of starting a new business (33 per cent), lack of bureaucracy in procedures and paperwork (37 per cent), the ease of finding finances to start a business (31 per cent), market willingness to accept new ideas and innovations (39 per cent), market saturation (31 per cent), the ability to find local talent to employ (38 per cent), and the affordability of taxes and other related fees (54 per cent).

Suhail Masri, Vice-President of Sales, Bayt.com, said: “As the leading career site in the region, it is our responsibility to showcase the best-performing cities in the region, so that job seekers can make an informed assessment if they are looking to move and employers can do more to contribute to their city’s standard of living and well-being.”

Government schools top in students enrolment MUSCAT: As many as 701,081 students are studying in the Sultanate’s government, private and community schools, according to latest general education statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The majority of the students are enrolled at various government schools with their numbers reaching 523,522, followed by private schools with a student strength of 97,465.

While there has been a 9per cent annual increase in the student population in private schools, government schools registered a marginal 1.3per cent growth. The number of students in various community schools rose by 7per cent, to reach 57,986.

The number of students in other government-run schools including Islamic institutes, and schools run by the Royal Guards, Royal Oman Police, Royal Air Force and preschools, as well as Children’s Centres under the Ministry of Awaqaf and Religious Affairs and Omani Women’s Association, totalled 22,108, posting a significant 21per cent rise over last year.

Though private schools have the majority of students, growth rate in student strength in government schools witnessed a three-fold increase this year at 1.3per cent as against 0.4per cent last year. In contrast, the comparable annual growth rate in student numbers in private schools during the previous and current academic years stood at 12per cent and 9per cent respectively, registering a decline.

Looking at the two ends of the general education spectrum, the kindergartens have a total student strength of 75,384 of whom 38,201 are boys, whereas the post-basic education grade (11 and 12) students number 84,232, of whom boys exceed 43,000. -ONA

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REGION

The plush Al Qasr hotel was serving as informal headquarters of the administration and of Emirati troops based in the city.

Four Emiratis among 15 soldiers killed in attacks by IS in Yemen SCAN THIS TO VISIT

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Prime Minister

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N .C O M

and Vice President Khaled Bahah

tried to establish themselves in the city, but faced opposition from local militias. IS, which is centred in Iraq and Syria, first emerged in Yemen in March with a series of suicide attacks on mosques in which 137 people died.

and his ministers escaped unharmed

ADEN: IS militant group in Yemen on Tuesday claimed coordinated suicide bombings targeting the Yemeni government and the Arab military coalition in the southern city of Aden that killed 15 Arab and Yemeni troops.

The bombings were IS’s first known attacks on the Yemeni administration, which had made the Al Qasr hotel in the northwest of the port city its headquarters since it returned to Yemen last month.

Prime Minister and Vice President Khaled Bahah and his ministers escaped unharmed, and their spokesman said they would remain in Aden to continue their work.

At two Gulf Arab military facilities that were also bombed, at least

TARGETED: Smoke billows from the Al Qasr Hotel in Aden’s western suburbs after it was hit by a rocket

attack on Tuesday. – AFP

four Emirati soldiers were killed, according to the UAE state news agency WAM. A Yemeni official said 11 Yemeni troops had died in the attacks.

“In an operation, four martyrdom operations targeted a gathering of Saudi, Emirati and Yemeni

officers,” IS said in a statement.

The group had previously refrained from openly targeting Yemen’s government and the Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting the Houthi rebels for over six months. But its attacks come as the Yemeni government, newly re-

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN. Ensure proper disposal of garbage.

turned from exile in Saudi Arabia, is trying to restore order in Aden following the expulsion of the Houthis by Yemeni and Gulf Arab troops in July.

Various factions Militants of various factions had

Suicide bombers Two of the suicide bombers were driving Yemeni military vehicles, a Yemeni military source told Reuters. Coalition countries and some Yemeni officials had earlier blamed the Houthis for the attacks. IS distributed pictures on Twitter showing smiling men it said were the suicide bombers and the hotel at the moment it was hit by a big orange fireball.

The plush Al Qasr hotel was serving as informal headquarters of the administration and of Emirati troops based in the city.

Salem Al Yazidi, a Yemeni fighter with a local militia allied with Hadi, described chaotic scenes when he rushed to aid the victims of the blast at the hotel.

“There was a big hole in the ground and what looked like the limbs of the bomber around it,” Yazidi told Reuters.

UAE officials had blamed the Houthis and their ally, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, for the attack.

But Houthi official Yahya Ali Al Qahoom distanced his group from the bombings. The Houthis have long accused Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government of being allied to extremists.

“The blows which the invaders have received in Aden signal the depth of the struggle going on among factions and the intelligence agencies of the aggressor countries,” he said on his Twitter account.

The Houthis are locked in ground fighting with Yemeni and Gulf forces while also being targeted in a campaign of air strikes.

In the biggest blow yet to the coalition, the Houthis killed over 60 Gulf Arab troops in a rocket attack in Marib, east of the capital Sanaa, last month.

Government spokesman Rajeh Badi said Yemen’s government would stay on in Aden to carry on its duties. President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi was believed to be in Saudi Arabia. — Reuters

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W EDN ESDAY, OCTOB ER 7, 2015

INDIA

Delhi’s pollution levels are rising beyond dangerous levels. If we don’t address this, people will be forced to think about leaving the city to save their lives Gopal Rai, State transport minister

GST to be rolled out next year, says Modi SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

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The Indian prime

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minister said that Indo-German business ties remain below full potential and India wants to develop relationship with Germany in various sectors

BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed the hope that Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be rolled out next year.

Addressing Indian and German business leaders here, Modi said, “We have introduced GST bill in Parliament and hope to roll it out in 2016.”

The Bill has already been approved by the Lok Sabha and is pending in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling NDA does not have a majority.

After its approval by Parliament, half of the state legislatures too need to approve the Constitutional Amendment Bill to bring a GST as a replacement to all indirect taxes.

Decisive steps Modi said the government has taken decisive steps to remove long pending concerns of investors. “We have clearly articulated that we will not resort to retrospective taxation.” This position has been reinforced by not going for imposition of MAT on foreign portfolio investors, he said.

“We have also decided to defer

MAKE IN INDIA LOGO: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have a look at Make in India logo models at Bosch Vocational Centre in Bengaluru on Tuesday. - PTI

the implementation of the general anti avoidance rules (GAAR) for 2 years.” Stating that a series of measures taken during the 15 months of BJP rule has restored credibility of India in eyes of global players, he said the government was speeding up regulatory clearances, reducing licensing requirements in the defence sector and making tax policy more consistent.

Validity period of industrial licences has been increased, defence items de-licensed and a number of restrictions like end use certificate has been liberalised, he said.

“We have increased the validity period of defence industrial licences up to 18 years from three years,” he said, adding that regulation for alternative investment funds allowing foreign investments in such funds has been notified. Also capital gains tax regime for real estate investment trusts has been rationalised.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows have increased 40 per cent this fiscal, he said.

Government, Modi said, has fast-tracked approvals and clear-

ances for industry as well as the infrastructure sector and is committed to creating favourable conditions for business.

India is sailing in the right direction but could not be complacent, he said, adding that it presented a “bright spot” for investment when the world is facing a slowdown.

On Indo-German business ties, Modi said they remain below full the economic potential and India wants to develop relationship with Germany in various sectors.

“It is the software of India that will move the hardware of the world,” Modi sought to emphasise at the “Indo-German Summit 2015: Digitizing Tomorrow Together.”

Five B2B (business-to-business) agreements were exchanged in the presence of Modi and Merkel at the event. Merkel said she and Modi are working together for reform of the UN Security Council through the G4 — Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan which support each other’s bids for permanent seats on the UN body.

Merkel said she and Modi

would meet again in November at the G-20 summit.

She said while India needs high skilled jobs, Germany requires high skilled labour.

German engineering and India’s IT expertise are fused here in Bengaluru, said Merkel.

The prime minister hosted a special lunch for Merkel with leading Indian CEOs at the summit, organised by National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) — in collaboration with the German Fraunhofer Institute.

Earlier, Modi and Merkel visited the facilities of German automotive major Bosch here, as part of the chancellor’s three-day state visit to India, with focus on innovation and skills development.

To further strengthen its presence in India, Bosch said it plans to invest Rs650 crore (over 100 million euros) in 2015.

During the nearly two-hour long visit, the two leaders, accompanied by a high-level German delegation, walked through the Bosch Innovation Center and the vocational training centre, enquiring about the company’s research, engineering, and vocational education activities in India.

“Readying the ground force for ‘Make in India’,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted as the two leaders went through the facility, where they were gifted the logo of the ‘Make in India’ campaign.

“Preparing the next generation of technicians. Making the vision of Skill India a reality,” Swarup said in his tweets during the visit of the two leaders, as they were briefed on on “Industrie 4.0 to Big Data” solutions developed at Bosch India. - PTI

I N I T I AT I V E

Choking Delhi vows pollution tax, car-free days to improve air NEW DELHI: India’s polluted capital, New Delhi, will within two months impose a tax on commercial vehicles entering the city and prohibit the use of cars on certain busy routes once every month, its transport minister said on Tuesday.

High pollution levels have worried environmentalists, public and the authorities in the city of 16 million people, which the World Health Organization last year said had the worst air quality in the world. India rejected the report’s findings.

Initiatives to clean up Delhi’s air have hit roadblocks in the past. A directive this year to ban all vehicles older than 15 years has been delayed and previous city governments have often ignored court orders to address pollution woes.

“Delhi’s pollution levels are rising beyond dangerous levels,” state Transport Minister Gopal Rai said in an interview.

“If we don’t address this, people will be forced to think about leaving the city to save their lives.”

Rai said his government will within two months impose a surcharge of up to Rs1,300 ($20) on diesel-fuelled trucks that enter the city. For a longer-term solution, authorities are trying to build a peripheral road to divert traffic.

About 52,000 such vehicles enter the landlocked city each day, more than double government estimates, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said in a report this week.

Such vehicles account for about a third of the city’s pollution.

India’s top court on Monday gave Rai’s government three days to devise a plan to address alarming levels of pollution caused specifically by commercial trucks.

There have been several similar court orders in the last 15 years.

CSE’s executive director, Anumita Roychowdhury, welcomed Rai’s decision to levy a pollution tax, but said effective implementation was key.

“Implementation has to be really effective to act as a deterrent.

The track record to deal with truck pollution has been bad,” Roychowdhury said.

Among other initiatives, starting October 22, Delhi will enforce a car-free day on certain routes once a month. Rai has also urged citizens to adopt a one-car-one-family policy and increase use of bicycles.

The government is also evaluating a proposal to introduce staggered office hours to decongest traffic in the city, where jams run into several hours at peak travel time. - PTI

GEARING UP: Police officials riding bicycles to create awareness for

‘car free day’ in Gurgaon on Tuesday. - PTI

W E D N E S DAY, O CTO B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

INDIA

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A9

BJP attempting to communalise atmosphere in Bihar: Nitish, Lalu peace and harmony at any cost. It is their (BJP’s) design to provoke you in order to reap (political) dividends,” Nitish said.

The comments by the two leaders came

You (people) have to maintain peace and harmony at any cost. It is their (BJP’s) design to provoke you in order to reap (political) dividends

against the backdrop of the lynching incident in Bishada village of Uttar Pradesh

PATNA: Bihar’s Grand Alliance leaders — Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief Lalu Prasad — on Tuesday accused BJP of trying to “communalise” the atmosphere in the pollbound state, alleging that the party is in panic fearing “defeat.”

Kumar said the saffron party has neither any ‘leader’ nor any ‘policy and intention’ to show the people and therefore it is trying to communalise the situation.

“BJP in panic — without neta, niti & niyat in Bihar & facing defeat they’re brazenly attempting to communalise & mask it with

TALKING TOUGH: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya

Modi’s rhetorics,” senior Janata Dal United leader said in a tweet.

Hitting out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Lalu, a former Bihar chief minister, said, “These people of rumour party seeing a sure defeat has no agenda and that’s why they have fallen on their tested communal agenda.”

Targeting BJP president Amit

Pravasi Bhartiya Divas conference now a biennial event

BRIEFING: Minister for Ex-

ternal Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs Sushma Swaraj speaks during a curtain raiser programme for the forthcoming 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)-2016 conference at the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan, New Delhi on Tuesday. - PTI

“This year, we will host the PBD conference at the Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra in Chanakyapuri, but at a smaller level. Unlike the traditional PBD conference, where one can participate after registering, this time the event will be only on the basis of invitation.

“We will invite overseas experts and a team will be formed together with Indian experts to deliberate on different issues, including the difficulties faced

by Indians workers in Gulf countries,” Swaraj said.

The government is planning to invite around 150 experts from around the world and every team will have 7-8 foreign experts and 2-3 three Indian experts.

Deliberations will be organised on several issues, including the flagship programmes of the Narendra Modi government.

The conference will also have five plenary sessions. - PTI

MARCH BY SEERS

Congress MLA, 50 others held for Varanasi violence VARANASI/NEW DELHI: Congress MLA Ajay Rai was on Tuesday arrested along with 50 others in connection with violence and arson in Varanasi on Monday as the administration cracked down on miscreants in the city where the situation was peaceful amid continued police patrolling.

In Delhi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed as “very unfortunate” Monday’s violence which had left 25 people, including eight policemen, injured and lot of property destroyed and said he had been informed by the state authorities that efforts are being made to normalise the situation.

Bihar chief minister

Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad. - PTI file photo

INDIAN DIASPORA MEET

NEW DELHI: The Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) conference, a programme to connect with the Indian diaspora, will be held biennially instead of every year, the government said on Tuesday.

Announcing the plan to organise the event every other year, the government said it would now hold two ‘mini’ Regional PBDs annually in countries with a presence of Indian diaspora.

The yearly events will be held from January 8-10, but on a smaller scale with around 150 delegates. It will be followed by the biennial mega conference in association with states.

The government has asked its missions to identify experts among overseas Indian communities on various subjects with a focus on areas like the flagship programmes of the NDA government such as ‘Make in India’, ‘Digital India’, ‘Swachh Bharat’ and ‘Clean Ganga Mission’.

Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is celebrated on January 9 every year.

The conference, which will be held from January 8 to 10 next year, will also see deliberations on difficulties faced by Indian workers in the Gulf countries.

Elaborating on the changes made in the annual PBD meet, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who also holds the charge of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOA), said the event will now take place in a biennial format in association with partner states in 2017.

She said that in the earlier PBD conferences, of which there have been 13, there was no “in depth” and “good” discussion on issues and that was the thrust behind changing the format.

Nitish Kumar

Schools and colleges remained closed on Tuesday and traffic on the roads was thin and only few tourists were visible in Godowlia, which was the area worst hit by the violence in the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the evening, Rai was arrested for his alleged role in the violence and arson during a march by seers and other local leaders against police action on protesters opposing ban on immersion of Ganesha idols in the Ganga river. The MLA was arrested as soon as he landed at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Babatpur here from New Delhi. - PTI

Shah, he asked him “where is the developmental agenda of BJP?” Calling Shah as “Jumla babu”, the RJD supremo said people of Bihar were well aware of “your tucha kartoot (mean activities).”

The comments by the two leaders came against the backdrop of the lynching of a man in Bishada village of Uttar Pradesh recently

following rumours that the family had consumed and stored beef.

Addressing a public meeting, Kumar asked people to remain ‘alert’ as there would be attempts to create tension among communities to rake up emotion before the five-phase Assembly polls beginning October 12.

“You (people) have to maintain

Divided house Terming the BJP-led NDA a divided house, Kumar said a leader of one NDA constituent is making public statement against the leader of another partner.

He said former IAS officer R. K. Singh had joined BJP during Lok Sabha polls and now he is saying the party has given tickets to wrong candidates. “This is the situation of BJP.” Talking about senior BJP leaders being sidelined in the party, the chief minister said, “Shatrughan Sinha, whom we popularly know as Bihari Babu, has been sidelined in the party.

There was a day when a large number of crowd used to come in the name of Sinha but BJP leaders took benefit of the opportunity and addressed the public meetings. But now he has been sidelined.”

Late Kailashpati Mishra was founder member of the BJP but his daughter-in-law was denied ticket by the party after his demise, Kumar said, adding that former health minister Chandra Mohan Rai had faced the same fate. -PTI

FIRs lodged against Lalu, Shah in Bihar PATNA: FIRs were lodged on Tuesday against BJP president Amit Shah and RJD chief Lalu Prasad for allegedly violating the election code ahead of the Bihar assembly polls.

While Prasad has been booked for his “Narbhakshi”(cannibal) comment against Shah recently, FIR against BJP president was filed in Begusarai for his “chara chor” (fodder thief ) barb against Prasad on September 30. The FIRs were registered at Patna and Jamui against Prasad for the remark, which Election Commission found violative of Representation of People Act and IPC sections. - PTI

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W EDN ESDAY, OCTOB ER 7, 2015

PAKISTAN

Imran to act against party lawmakers opposing bill The party would rather sit on the opposition benches in K-P Assembly than ‘reneging’ on its core commitments to the nation... another scam of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has been exposed

The PTI chief said lawmakers who were trying to ‘scuttle’ the Conflict of Interest Bill 2014 in KhyberPakhtunkhwa

Imran Khan

Assembly, have no place in the party

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan warned on Tuesday he will expel party MPs who oppose Conflict of Interest Bill (CoI) 2014

in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly.

“Any PTI MP in K-P Assembly who opposes Conflict of Interest Bill, which is part of PTI’s commitment to the nation, has no place in the party,” Imran said in one of his tweets.

The PTI chief vowed to take strict action against those MPs belonging to his party who were trying to ‘scuttle’ the bill. Imran said the party would rather sit on the opposition benches in K-P Assembly than ‘reneging’ on its core commitments to the nation.

Further, criticising the federal government Imran alleged Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to be ‘directly involved’ in the Nandipur scam and Model Town tragedy. “The “investigation” into the Nandipur scam is going to be a cover-up like Model Town in-

quiry,” claimed the PTI leader.

Vowing to thwart every attempt of the federal government aimed at looting people’s money, Imran said another scam of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has been exposed as the Supreme Court of Pakistan has taken up the CDA Lahore’s plan to convert National Agricultural Research Centre (Narc) land into lucrative housing scheme.

“Shameful how instead of boosting agriculture research to improve agriculture sector, PMLN government trying to sell off agriculture research land to housing scheme,” the PTI chairman added. — Express Tribune

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H U N T E R S D E TA I N E D

12 laggar falcons rescued KARACHI: At least 12 laggar falcons were rescued by officials of the Sindh wildlife department during a raid in the hilly areas of Jamshoro district near the Indus river.

Five suspects were also detained in the raid that was conducted late on Sunday night. Acting on a tip-off, a team comprising officials of the wildlife department’s Hyderabad region conducted the raid finding 12 laggar falcons. Besides some pigeons and trapping, the officials (SWD) also seized a 400-foot-net from the hunters.

According to wildlife officials, soon after the raid was conducted, the officials were contacted by local influential people of the area in a bid to pressure them to release the suspects along with the birds. “This is a common factor when such raids are conducted and hunters, along with birds, are taken into custody,” explained the deputy conservator, Ghulam Muhammad Gaddani. - Express Tribune

RAINY DAY IN PESHAWAR

A rickshaw taxi drives in the rain on a road in Peshawar, Pakistan on Tuesday. — Reuters

LOSSES INCURRED BY PIA

Probe initiated as private airlines increase fares ISLAMABAD: The Competitive Commission of Pakistan (CCP) ordered on Tuesday an inquiry into a surge in fares by private airlines following a dispute between Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Airlines Pilot Association (Palpa).

“The CCP has started inquiry into an unreasonable surge in fares by private airlines and will take legal action against airlines found involved in anti-competitive activities,” the commission said in a statement.

“The commission is cognizant of the problems faced by passengers in the wake of protests by pilots of the national flag carrier,” it added.

The statement comes a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif decided to step in to help resolve a grueling row between the pilots and management of the PIA which has badly affected the flight operations of the national flag carrier.

The premier’s decision came hours after the PIA management said that it would not accept any ‘illegitimate’ demands of the Pakistan Airline Pilot Association (Palpa), asking the pilots to pursue negotiations without any preconditions.

Palpa pilots have been on a goslow policy for the last five days which has resulted in cancellation of around 58 flights and rerouting of dozens of other flights,

Competitive Commission of Pakistan’s statement comes a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif decided to step in to help resolve a gruelling row between the pilots and management of the PIA which has badly affected the flight operations of the national flag carrier affecting thousands of passengers of the national flag carrier.

Some pilots report sickness at the eleventh hour and unfit to fly an aircraft.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority said that Palpa has set certain preconditions in their Sunday’s negotiations with the management which are not acceptable.

He said the demands include immediate replacement of the director flights operations, withdrawal of all show cause notices, inquiries issued to pilots on disciplinary grounds. - Express Tribune

DEFENCE INDUSTRY

‘JF-17 can compete with any fighter jet’ ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer said on Tuesday the country is producing state-of-the-art competitive defence products.

“The indigenously built JF-17 thunder fighter has the capability to compete with any modern fighter jet, including the F-16,” the minister said, after inaugu-

rating the modern display center of Defense Export Promotion Organisation.

Purchase aircraft “The world is showing great interest in purchase of this fighter jet because of its cost effectiveness,” Tanveer added, according to Radio Pakistan. — Express Tribune

W E D N E S DAY, O CTO B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

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‘Afghanistan hospital mistakenly struck’ US Army General’s comments were the most direct acknowledgement yet by the US government that the strike on the Afghan hospital was carried out by US forces

WASHINGTON/KABUL: The deadly air strike that hit a hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz was a mistake made within the US chain of command, the American commander of international forces in Afghanistan said on Tuesday.

The strike on Saturday on an Afghan hospital run by Doctors Without Borders, or Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), killed 22 people and deeply angered the medical charity.

MSF officials have blamed the United States, demanding an independent investigation into the incident and calling it a war crime.

US Army General John Campbell said US forces had responded to requests from Afghan forces and provided close air support as they engaged in a fight with Taliban militants in the provincial capital of Kunduz.

Decision “To be clear, the decision to provide aerial fires was a US decision made within the US chain of command,” Campbell said in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“A hospital was mistakenly struck. We would never inten-

US DECISION: US Army General John Campbell, commander of the Resolute Support Mission and United States Force- Afghanistan, testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on ‘The Situation in Afghanistan’, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. - Reuters

tionally target a protected medical facility.”

Campbell’s comments on Tuesday were the most direct acknowledgement yet by the US government that the strike on the hospital was carried out by US forces. In a statement on Monday, Campbell said only that U S forces had responded to requests for support from Afghan forces.

Campbell said on Tuesday he had directed forces under his command to undergo in-depth training to review operational authorities and rules of engagement to prevent further incidents like Kunduz.

The incident, along with the Taliban’s capture of Kunduz late last month, has cast renewed attention on the 14-year-long US mission in Afghanistan.

Many members of Congress are deeply concerned about President Barack Obama’s plans for a final withdrawal of US forces. Obama is reassessing the timetable for a drawdown which currently envis-

ages removing all but a few US soldiers by the end of 2016.

“The world walked away from Afghanistan once before and it descended into chaos that contributed to the worst terrorist attack ever against our homeland,” said Senator John McCain, the Republican chairman of the committee, referring to the September 11, 2001, attacks that were planned

by Al Qaeda militants sheltered by the then-ruling Taliban in Afghanistan.

“We cannot afford to repeat that mistake,” McCain said.

Campbell declined to provide specifics about the recommendations he had made to the White House about force levels, but said they included an option for more troops than just a small embassybased force. He told the committee that options he had provided were “above and beyond a normal embassy presence based on changes that have happened within the last two years.”

Meanwhile, Taliban fighters on

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motorbikes have carried out hitand-run attacks on Afghan forces trying to clear Kunduz city of insurgents, more than a week after the militant movement briefly seized the provincial capital.

Adopting new tactics, Taliban fighters have been firing at security forces at checkpoints and then melting away into residential areas, rather than directly engaging in gun battles, said Hamdullah Danishi, acting governor of the northern city.

“This is a new policy for the Taliban,” said Danishi.

“They want to create fear among residents so they cannot resume their normal lives.”

The failure of US-trained Afghan troops and police to swiftly recapture Kunduz is an ominous sign for the government of President Ashraf Ghani and the administration in Washington. It underscores concerns about national forces’ ability to protect the country when most of the remaining foreign troops leave. -Reuters

PROFESSOR’S APPOINTMENT

Hong Kong students, staff march to defend academic freedom HONG KONG: About 1,000 students and staff at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) held a silent protest on Tuesday against what they say is Beijing’s interference in academic freedom.

The rally came a week after a prominent law professor was barred from taking up a senior post at the university, in what some viewed as Beijing tightening its grip a year after student-led protests rocked the city.

Dressed in black or wearing academic gowns, the protesters marched through their campus and were joined by pro-democracy activists including Benny Tai, one of the leaders of the protests in the former British colony last year.

“We march in silence to demonstrate to ourselves and the city of Hong Kong what a university would be like if its academic staff and students are silent,” Professor Timothy O’Leary, head of the School of Humanities and organiser of the protest, was reported as telling media.

For more than a century, HKU, one of Asia’s top universities, has served as a bastion of liberal education in the city that returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, producing many of its top bureaucrats, politicians and lawyers.

Hong Kong’s constitution guar-

PROTEST: About 1,000 students and staff at the University of Hong Kong held a silent protest on Tuesday against what they say is Beijing’s interference in academic freedom. - Reuters

antees the financial enclave a high degree of autonomy denied in mainland China by its Communist leaders, including academic freedom, broad individual rights and an independent judiciary.

But Beijing supporters on the university’s governing council thwarted the appointment of former HKU law school dean and a prominent human rights advocate Johannes Chan as a university pro-vice-chancellor in a vote last month.

Some activists believe Chan’s appointment was blocked as part of a broader move to curb academic freedom at the university whose students played a large role in the sometimes violent pro-democracy protests last year. - Reuters

HELPING POLICE RECOVER WEAPONS

Detained Bangladesh militant leader killed in grenade blast DHAKA: The leader of the military wing of a banned militant group in Bangladesh was killed when a grenade exploded while he was in police custody early on Tuesday, hours after he was arrested in possession of weapons, police said.

Mohammad Javed, the 26-yearold chief of the military wing of Jamaat-ul Mujahideen, was ar-

rested on Monday night along with four other members of the group in the port city of Chittagong.

Senior police official Babul Akter said Javed was killed while he was helping police recover more weapons in Chittagong.

“The grenade exploded when the team was trying to recover it from a drain,” Akter said. - Reuters

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Libyan peace talks hosted by UN fail O

ver the past year, I have written nearly two dozen articles in various publications predicting the failure of Libyan peace talks hosted by United Nations UNSMIL envoy Bernardino Leon.

That failure is now complete. A grand celebration of its success planned for the United Nations General Assembly last Friday descended into farce after Libyans rejected the seventh version of Leon’s peace plan, leaving assembled foreign ministers and diplomats wondering why they were there. A fourth “final” deadline to sign it had come and gone, and the one thing uniting both Libya’s parliaments was their determination not to sign the Leon Plan.

Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, chairing the meeting, announced he was leaving early because, he said, he had the important matter of saying goodbye to departing heads of state from the UN building. John Kerry, who had been persuaded to turn up to what was supposed to be a grand announcement, was left pawing the air, giving a short speech urging Libyans to sign the plan please. Everyone at the gathering, on the margins of the General Assembly, realised it.

Or nearly everyone. Leon still clings to the hope that the Libyans will sign the latest version of his plan by a fifth deadline, October 20. But the problems Leon faced when he opened the first round of peace talks in September last year, radiating optimism, are the problems he faces now.

First, Libya already has a power sharing government and an elected parliament that endorsed it; it is called the House of Representatives. It was elected, because the UN told Libya it must have democracy, by all Libyans, last year, in elections supervised, marked fair and endorsed by the UN itself. Leon has spent a year trying to convince it to share power with Libya Dawn, an extremistled militia alliance that, having lost last year’s elections, rose up and captured Tripoli.

Anywhere else in the world, the UN would throw its weight behind the elected parliament.

Not in the case of Libya. That is because the rebels are backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, which in the eyes of sections of both Britain’s

foreign office and America’s State Department means it must be accommodated. This has led to the unedifying spectacle this past year of Britain’s ambassador Michael Aron and America’s Deborah Jones, both recently replaced, urging the democratic government to hand over a chunk of its power to the militias. The Leon Plan divides power between Dawn militias and the elected government and the result is a mish mash.

All government decisions must be agreed by a new State Council, which is made up of extremist elements of the former parliament, the General National Congress, which Libya Dawn supports.

This State Council, and the House of Representatives, both get a veto over government decisions, a recipe for gridlock if ever there was one.

Meanwhile, Libya continues to be the ultimate failed state with two governments, a raging IS presence, multiple militias, and worst yet, a thriving black market in human smuggling.

Leon’s five attempts to bring all parties together only created a political vacuum. Hear that sucking sound?

Yet Leon plods on, trying to persuade Libyans to sign his plan, and pick a prime minister. There is a shortlist of candidates, including Libya’s ambassador to the UAE Aref Ali Nayed, Abdelrahman Shalgam, the former Libyan ambassador to the United Nations now based in Rome, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Ahmed Miitig from Misrata, and the head of the Tobruk negotiating team Bakir Baira. The fifth slot is unknown, a wild card, because the GNC itself has refused to submit candidates.

The single most important reason why the legitimate parliament will not sign the Leon Plan is because the plan calls for the dismissal of its army commander, general Khalifa Haftar.

This is despite the flamboyant single-minded, Haftar winning a growing personal following with his campaign to hammer extremist militants, including IS, in Benghazi. The fighting has reduced sections of the city to rubble, but has liberated the rest of it from the terror extremists previously inflicted with a wave of murders of activists, army officers and politicians. Leon now passes his baton to a seasoned German UN person. Let’s hope he fairs better!. — Special to Times of Oman

READERS’ FORUM Disrespectful way of dressing should be avoided This refers to the news story, Expats called on to respect dress code (October 6). Expatriate residents and visitors to Oman have a moral responsibility to respect the local culture, customs and traditions.

Offensive and disrespectful way of dressing should be avoided in malls and other public places. However, I do not think stringent measures like dress code and policy will help to discourage this attitude among some expats. More than strictly implementing a dress code, foreigners should be provided with brochures on local culture, customs and traditions. It is impolite to misuse the liberty the Sultanate extends to foreigners here.

— P. A. Jacob, Muscat

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

People who talk to newspapers today must realise that any consequent publication will be online as well as in print. But that wasn’t the case 20 years ago, when it might have been assumed that an article would appear once, then be consigned to the British Library’s microfilm bit.ly/righttogetforgotten

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES OCTOBER 2000 Talks on Oman’s joining WTO begin in Geneva MUSCAT: The first round of the fifth bilateral and collective negotiations of the working team tasked with discussing the Sultanate’s joining the World Trade Organisation began in Geneva yesterday. The Sultanate’s delegation to the meeting is headed by Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, minister of commerce and industry, who left for Geneva late on Thursday.

PICTOGRAPH

NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN OMAN

The total number of students in schools in Oman increased by more than 45,000 in the last three academic periods 2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

514,667

516,891

523,522

655,410 678,733 701,081 Public schools

Visitors are obliged to respect dress code and local customs

This refers to the news story, Expats called on to respect dress code (October 6). I completely agree that people must respect the cultural values of the country, whether residents or visitors. People who visit the country are obliged to follow and respect the code of conduct. It is often felt that some people are simply trying to emulate the appearance of others without realising the fact that they either ignorant or taking one step ahead to show off their progressive faces to the rest of the world. I am of the opinion that respecting a culture shows maturity of people and they are bound to follow the traditions of a country they live in.

— Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi

300,000

TODAY IN HISTORY

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1801 Napoleon Bonaparte imposes a new constitution on Holland.

1941: German troops renew their offensive against Moscow.

1966: Hanoi insists the United States must end its bombings before peace talks can begin.

1995: Astronomers discover 51 Pegasi is the second star known to have a planet orbiting it.

Private schools 89,275 79,382 61,361

72,567 0

97,465 80,094

Other schools include schools for Royal Guard, Air Force and police, Islamic institutes; children centres Source: National Centre for Statistics & Information

W E D N E S DAY, O CTO B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

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WORLD Israel razes homes of Palestinian fighters Violence has intensified in occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank in recent weeks, raising concerns of a wider escalation

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israeli forces destroyed the homes of two Palestinian fighters and sealed off part of a third in occupied Jerusalem on Tuesday, in a crackdown launched by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after four Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks.

Violence has intensified in occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank in recent weeks, raising concerns of a wider escalation, though it has not yet reached the level of past IsraeliPalestinian confrontations.

Four Israelis have been killed and three wounded since Thursday in two stabbings and a driveby shooting blamed on Palestinian fighters. Police shot dead two of the fighters.

Two Palestinians, one of them a teen, have been killed and about 170 injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank since Sunday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called security officials to a meeting late on Monday. “The president asked the military council and the commanders of security apparatus to be alert and careful and to deny the Israelis any chance to escalate the

UNDER ATTACK: Palestinians stand in the razed home of a Palestinian fighter in Jabel Mukaber, in an area of the occupied West Bank on Tuesday. - Reuters

situation,” the official Palestinian news agency WAFA said.

Series of measures Netanyahu, facing pressure from within his right-wing government and from Jewish settler leaders, announced a series of measures on Monday to curb the violence Officials, citing the security situation, said a planned two-day visit by Netanyahu to Germany later this week had been cut to one day.

The Israeli military said in a statement it had demolished the family home of a Palestinian who in November 2014 killed four rabbis and a police officer in a occupied Jerusalem synagogue before he and another attacker were shot dead at the scene by police.

A second destroyed house belonged to a Palestinian killed by police in August 2014 after a construction vehicle he was driving fatally struck an Israeli pedestrian in occupied Jerusalem. Po-

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lice said he deliberately ran over the man, and footage showed him using the mechanical arm to tear into and overturn an Israeli commuter bus. Part of the house of a third Palestinian, killed in October 2014 after what police said was an attempt to assassinate a far-right Jewish activist, was sealed off, the military said.

SeTo sve as deterrent Israel has said such demolitions are punitive and can also serve as a deterrent to other potential attackers.

Israeli Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan told Army Radio that regular security coordination between Israel and the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank,

where the Palestinians have limited self-rule, was continuing.

Officials on both sides are playing down the comparisons, and the violence now is on a much smaller scale than then, but Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth saw enough similarities to declare on Sunday that a third Intifada had begun.

New Intifada A new Intifada would further complicate efforts by world leaders to resolve conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, and there is little appetite to re-engage in peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians after many failures in the past. As before, events around the Al Aqsa mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem have helped trigger violence fanned by a volatile mix of religion and politics.

The current violence follows days of clashes at Al Aqsa between Palestinian stone-throwers and Israeli police. — Reuters

SYRIA CONFLICT

NATO rejects Russia position on Turkish air space violation BRUSSELS: NATO on Tuesday rejected Moscow’s explanation that its warplanes violated the air space of alliance member Turkey at the weekend by mistake and said Russia was sending more ground troops to Syria and building up its naval presence.

With Russia extending its air strikes to include the ancient city of Palmyra, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he was losing patience with Russian violations of his country’s air space.

“An attack on Turkey means an attack on NATO,” Erdogan warned at a Brussels news conference.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had reports of a substantial Russian military build-up in Syria, including ground troops and ships in the eastern Mediterranean.

“I will not speculate on the motives... but this does not look like an accident and we have seen two of them,” Stoltenberg said of the air incursions over Turkey’s border with Syria. He noted that they “lasted for a long time”.

The incidents, which NATO has described as “extremely dangerous” and “unacceptable”, underscore the risks of a further escalation of the Syrian civil war, as Russian and US warplanes fly

combat missions over the same country for the first time since World War Two. The Russian Defence Ministry had said that an SU-30 warplane had entered Turkish air space along the border with Syria “for a few seconds” on Saturday, a mistake caused by bad weather. NATO says a plane also entered Turkish air space on Sunday, an incident Russia says it is looking into.

Separately, a US official told Reuters the incursions lasted more than a few seconds and described Moscow’s assertion that the incursions were an accident as “far-fetched”.

Stoltenberg said the US-led alliance had not received “any real explanation” from Russia about the incursions.

In a further incident, a MIG-29 fighter of unknown nationality and Syria-based missile systems “interfered” with eight Turkish F-16 jets patrolling along the Syrian border on Monday, the Turkish military said.

According to a statement, the MIG-29 locked its radar onto the Turkish patrol for 4 minutes 30 seconds. The same planes were also harassed by a Syria-based missile system for 4 minutes 15 seconds. — Reuters

E X T R E M I S T T H R E AT

Tunisian police bust IS recruitment cells TUNIS: The Tunisian police has broken up three “cells” that were recruiting fighters for IS and arrested 11 people suspected of trying to join the extremist militant group in Libya, the Tunisian Ministry of Interior said.

Tunisia has been on high alert against possible attacks since ex-

tremist gunmen killed 21 tourists in March at the popular Bardo Museum in Tunis. In June, a man shot dead 38 foreigners at a beach hotel in the southern city of Sousse.

IS claimed responsibility for both attacks. Officials said all three attackers were trained in extremist camps in Libya. — Reuters

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FOSSIL FUEL: Trucks carrying coal move at Magadh coal mine in Chatra district in the eastern state of Jharkhand, India, in this picture taken on September 30, 2015. - Reuters

A PAN-ASIAN COAL RUSH China has promised to restrict public funding for coal and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trumpeting investment in renewable energy, but in Asia’s biggest economies, the reality is that coal is still regarded as the easiest source of energy

COAL TARGETS: Miners work at Magadh coal mine in Chatra district in the eastern state of Jharkhand, India, in this picture taken on September 30, 2015. - Reuters

RACE TO DOUBLE COAL OUTPUT: Miners work at Magadh coal mine in Chatra district in the eastern state of Jharkhand in India, in this picture taken on September 30, 2015. India is opening a mine a month as it races to double coal output by 2020, putting the world’s thirdlargest polluter at the forefront of a pan-Asian dash to burn more of the dirty fossil fuel that environmentalists fear will upend international efforts to contain global warming. - Reuters

MAGADH (India): Deep in the thickly forested hills in its east, India last month started production at what it hopes will in five years be Asia’s biggest coal mine.

At the open-cast mine, which involves the clearing of more than 18,000 hectares (44,500 acres) of land, noisy excavators are busy digging for coal that will feed a huge power plant being built nearby to fuel India’s energy-hungry economy.

India is opening a mine a month as it races to double coal output by 2020, putting the world’s third-largest polluter at the forefront of a pan-Asian dash to burn more of the dirty fossil fuel that environmentalists fear will upend international efforts to contain global warming.

Close to 200 nations are set to meet at a United Nations summit from November 30-December 11 to hammer out a deal to slow man-made climate change by weaning countries off fossil fuels.

China has promised to restrict public funding for coal and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trumpeting investment in renewable energy, but in Asia’s biggest economies the reality is that coal is still regarded as the easiest source of energy. “Environment is non-negotiable but we can’t live without coal. You can’t wish away coal,” said Anil Swarup, the top official in India’s coal ministry, who is leading the push to open new mines like Magadh, in poor but resource-rich Jharkhand state. “There is a temporary drop in demand, but no question of reducing coal output. We are well short of coal required in the country.”

Asia keeps digging China, India and Indonesia now burn 71 per cent of the world’s newly mined coal according to the World Coal Association, with new European and North American consumption negligible as their countries turn to cleaner energy. Other Asian nations are increasingly looking to coal to power their economies too, with Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam opening new plants, pushing the Asia/Pacific region to 80 per cent of new coal plants.

“Coal is still the most cost competitive power generation fuel, and in the end that’s what matters most for emerging markets,” said Frederic Neumann, Co-Head Of Asian Economic Research

at HSBC in Hong Kong. Asia’s developed nations, too, are finding it hard to kick the coal habit. Japan’s use has reached a record after shrinking its nuclear industry and it plans to build another 41 new coalfired units over the next decade.

Australia’s exports of thermal coal rose 5 per cent to 205 million tonnes in the last financial year and are to increase by a further 1 million tonnes this year, driven by increased demand from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

The rush to burn more coal comes as the world’s major economies, including leading emitters China and the United States, have agreed to start cutting greenhouse gases over the next 15 years ahead of the UN climate change summit in Paris.

India has rejected any absolute cuts, arguing that its per capita emissions are far below the world average and that it needs to emit more as it grows to beat poverty.

In a climate-change policy statement released last week, New Delhi promised to slow the rate at which its greenhouse gas emissions rise by a third by 2030.

Coal will remain the dominant source of its energy for decades, India said, but it pledged to invest in cleaner coal technology, modernise old power stations and plant trees to absorb up to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. Magadh mine is the biggest of the many New Delhi will open to hit an annual coal target of 1.5 billion tonnes by 2020, raising its production above the United States but less than half the amount China currently burns.

Some 20km from Magadh, along a bumpy track through mud-hut villages, lies a second vast coal pit launched last year. By 2018 another two mines will open nearby — combined, the mines in this one district alone will at peak generate as much coal as Poland, the world’s ninth largest producer, delivered last year.

The United Nations has agreed a goal of keeping warming below a ceiling of 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst impact of climate change including more droughts, extinctions, floods and rising seas.

Sticking to that goal would require world emissions to start falling now and India’s to peak within a few years, said Glen Peters at the Oslo-based Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research, but India’s coal drive makes that near-impossible as its extra emissions outweigh any savings from more solar and wind power. Because of its low-quality, twice as much Indian coal is needed to produce the same amount of energy as the best Australian coal.

If India burns as much coal by 2020 as planned, its emissions could as much as double to 5.2 billion tonnes per annum — about a sixth of all the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere last year — Peters said. That would see India follow a similar path to China whose emissions, after growing slowly at the turn of the century, jumped when dozens of new coal power plants came on line.

“If these coal targets are met, there could be a turn (in India’s emissions), with a steep increase. China is starting to stumble; India could replace that,” said Peters. He said India could replace the US as the world’s second largest emitter by 2025. “This is something no one would have expected.” - Reuters

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS: A general view of Amarpali coal mine in Chatra district in the eastern state of Jharkhand, India, in this picture taken on September 30, 2015. - Reuters

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W E D N E S DAY, O CTO B E R 7, 2 0 1 5 One attack took place near a crowded market in the town of Khalis, about 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Baghdad, killing 35 people Iraqi police

Car bombs kill 57 across Iraq

BADLY HIT: Iraqis look at a damaged building on Tuesday, a day after a blast in a market area of Khalis, around 55 kilometres from the capital Baghdad. – AFP

IS militant group that controls a third of the country claimed responsibility for the car bomb attack in Al Zubair through an affiliated Twitter account

BAGHADAD: At least 57 people were killed on Monday in car bomb attacks in Baghdad and the north and south of Iraq, police and medical sources said.

One attack took place near a crowded market in the town of Khalis, about 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Baghdad, killing 35 people, police said.

“The driver begged police to be allowed to park his vehicle in order to buy medication from a nearby pharmacy and five minutes later it (the bomb) went off

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and caused huge destruction,” police captain Mohammed Al Tamimi said. In the town of Al Zubair, about 15km (9 miles) southwest of the oil town of Basra, a second attack took place also near a crowded market. Ten people died.

Another car bomb exploded

in the Hussainiya district of the northern outskirts of Baghdad, killing 12 people, police and medical sources said.

IS militant group, the ultrahardline group that controls a third of the country and wants to redraw the map of the Middle East, claimed responsibility for the car bomb attack in Al Zubair through an affiliated Twitter account. Iraq, a major OPEC oil producer, is struggling to come up with a formula to contain IS. Air strikes Meanwhile, the RIA news agency quoted the head of the Russia’s upper chamber of parliament as saying on Tuesday that Russia will consider extending its air strikes against militants in Syria to Iraq if it receives such a request from Baghdad.

The speaker, Valentina Matviyenko, said Russia had so far not received such a request from the Iraqi government. — Reuters

WORLD

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Japan, Canada scientists win Physics Nobel Japanese, Canadian researchers showed neutrinos have mass which paves way to better understanding of evolution of

ANNOUNCEMENT: A conference of the Nobel Committee to an-

the universe

nounce the winners of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday, at the Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden. – AFP

STOCKHOLM/LONDON: A Japanese and a Canadian scientist won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physics on Tuesday for discovering that elusive subatomic particles called neutrinos have mass, opening a new window onto the fundamental nature of the universe.

Neutrinos are the second most bountiful particles after photons, which carry light, with trillions of them streaming through our bodies every second, but their true nature has been poorly understood.

Takaaki Kajita and Arthur McDonald’s breakthrough was the discovery of a phenomenon called neutrino oscillation that has upended scientific thinking and promises to change understanding about the history and future fate of the cosmos.

“It is a discovery that will change the books in physics, so it is really major discovery,” Barbro Asman, a Nobel committee member and professor of physics at Stockholm University, told Reuters.

In awarding the prize, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

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said the finding had “changed our understanding of the innermost workings of matter and can prove crucial to our view of the universe”.

For many years, the central enigma with neutrinos was that up to two-thirds fewer of them were detected on Earth than expected, based on how many should be flooding through the cosmos from our Sun and other stars or left over from the Big Bang.

Around the turn of the millennium, Kajita and McDonald, using different experiments, man-

aged to explain this by showing that neutrinos actually changed identities, or “flavours”, and therefore must have some mass, however small.

McDonald told a news conference in Stockholm by telephone that this not only gave scientists a more complete understanding of the world at a fundamental level but could also shed light on the science behind fusion power, which causes stars to shine and could one day be tapped as a source of electricity on Earth.

“Yes, there certainly was a Eureka moment in this experiment when we were able to see that neutrinos appeared to change from one type to the other in travelling from the Sun to the Earth,” he said. — Reuters

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Major Omani firms set to post decline in profit Net earnings of MSM index firms, including investment holding companies, are estimated at OMR487.72 million for the nine-month period, a decline of 4.5 per cent on yearon-year basis, said Gulf Baader Capital Markets

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Major Omani firms, which constitute the MSM30 Index, are expected to post a fall in net earnings, but revenues will grow marginally for the first three quarters of this year, as compared to the same period last year.

Net earnings of MSM index firms, including investment holding companies, are estimated at OMR487.72 million for the ninemonth period, a decline of 4.5 per cent on year-on-year basis, PROPERTY MARKET

Dubai plans first residential real estate trust DUBAI: Emirates REIT (CEIC) Ltd. plans to start Dubai’s first residential real estate investment trust (REIT) as falling property prices boost potential returns from rental income.

The new trust is expected to start operating later this year or early in 2016 depending on regulatory approval, Sylvain Vieujot, executive deputy chairman of Emirates REIT, said.

“When we looked at residential before, it was expensive,” Vieujot said. “Now the whole market has come down, but at the buildings we are looking at, we don’t think rents will drop significantly.”

Dubai’s rental market has remained strong even as home prices fell the most in the world this year. Rents declined one per cent in the year ending in August compared to a 10 per cent drop in selling prices, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) said in a report on Tuesday. JLL predicts home prices will continue to decline this year and into 2016 as government rules tightening mortgage lending and stronger dollar damp demand.

Vieujot is planning to spend as much as Dh2 billion ($544.5 million) buying entire buildings in Dubai and within investment zones in Abu Dhabi over the next two years. — Bloomberg News

Muscat Securities Market.– Times file picture

the Gulf Baader Capital Markets said in a research note released on Tuesday.

However, revenues of these companies are expected to edge up 0.8 per cent to OMR2.75 billion, the note added.

Sluggish trend The fall in net earnings was partly due to a sluggish trend on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM), which affected earnings of investment holding firms.

The decline in share prices on the local bourse has affected the portfolio investment income of all companies.

Gulf Baader study noted that the net earnings of MSM 30 firms for the third quarter alone is anticipated at OMR159.2 million, a fall of 7.8 per cent on year-on-year basis. Also, the third quarter rev-

enue of these firms is estimated at OMR908.3 million, a fall of 1.1 per cent on year-on-year.

Stable performance Report also noted that the banking sector is likely to report a relatively stable performance in the third quarter amid credit growth, maintenance of margins and also estimated low cost of risk. The banking sector earnings for the third quarter of 2015 is estimated to increase by 4.2 per cent on yearon-year basis, but will decline by 5.4 per cent on a quarter-on-quarter basis to OMR82.9 million.

In the second quarter of this year, Oman’s banking sector credit grew by OMR576 million in absolute terms, indicating a strong growth of 3 per cent on a quarteron-quarter basis.

“The equity markets in the re-

gion witnessed a worst performance during the quarter and this is likely to impact the earnings of investment holding companies in a significant way,” added the report. Investment holding firms are anticipated to report a significant fall in revenue for the third quarter to the extent of 9.3 per cent on a year on year basis.

As far as industrial sector is concerned, the revenue for the third quarter is expected to decline by 11.9 per cent on a year-on-year basis amid expectation of poor performance from construction and cement players.

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CRUDE SUPPLIES

Crude oil market improving amid higher demand LONDON: Opec sees the oil market improving because of higher demand for the group’s crude and a drop in supply growth from non-members, its secretary general said, the latest sign that Opec believes its strategy of defending market share is working.

Oil prices have almost halved in the last year on oversupply in a drop that deepened after Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in 2014 changed strategy to protect market share against higher-cost producers, rather than cut output to prop up prices as it has done in the past.

“There is an improvement in the market,” Abdullah Al Badri, secretary general, Opec, told reporters on the sidelines of an industry conference in London on Tuesday. “This situation may not stay long, more than two years.”

December 4 meeting Opec meets to review its output policy on December 4 and Badri’s comments add to signs that the group is unlikely to be diverted from its current strategy. Badri himself declined to be drawn on what Opec oil ministers would decide.

Addressing the Oil and Money conference in London, an annual gathering of senior industry executives, Badri urged producers outside Opec to help tackle a global surplus of crude, which he put at 200 million barrels.

“All of us should work together, Opec and non-Opec, work together to get rid of this overhang,” Badri said. “There is one prob-

There is an improvement in the market. This situation may not stay long, more than two years Abdullah Al Badri

Secretary general, Opec

lem we are facing: the overhang of 200 million barrels.” Opec has invited non-Opec countries to attend a technical meeting on October 21 at its Vienna headquarters, to discuss the market, Badri told reporters, following on from a similar meeting held in May. Non-Opec producers including Russia have refused to cooperate with Opec in cutting output, although forecasters have reduced estimates for supply growth outside Opec because of the price slump.

Badri said oil supply growth from non-Opec producers might be zero or negative in 2016 because of lower upstream investment. Investment has been cut by around $130 billion this year from about $650 billion in 2014, he further said. – Reuters

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W EDN ESDAY, OCTOB ER 7, 2015

MARKET TECHNOLOGY

Samsung to post first quarterly profit growth within two years SEOUL: More than a year into the overhaul of its smartphone lineup, Samsung Electronics has yet to find a way to reverse a slide in market share or margins, clouding its growth outlook and fuelling investor impatience.

The world’s largest handset maker is forecast on Wednesday to guide for its first annual increase in quarterly profit in two years following a dismal third quarter in 2014, but profits and mobile margins are expected to contract on a sequential basis.

Samsung has tried various fixes for its phone business. At the lower end it launched new products targeting markets such as India, while at the high end it switched from plastic to metal, introduced curved screens and cut the price for its flagship Galaxy S6 devices after sales fell short of high expectations in the second quarter.

Chinese firms, Apple While those measures have lifted Samsung from its earnings trough, they have not been enough to regain market share from Apple at the high end and Chinese markers at the lower end, or convince investors that the company is back on track for sustained growth.

“Samsung is at a standstill,” said Kim Hyun-su, fund manager for IBK Asset Management. “It’s having trouble finding a way to create new demand for its smartphones.”

The South Korean electronics giant’s stock trades at a forward price-to-book ratio of 0.9 — the lowest since 2002, according to Thomson Reuters data. It is under pressure again to return some of a cash pile of 61.8 trillion won ($53 billion) as of end-June through dividends or share buybacks.

A Thomson Reuters SmartEstimate poll of 30 analysts tips Samsung’s July-September operating profit to have risen 64 per cent to 6.7 trillion won, marking the first pickup since a record profit in the third quarter of 2013. - Reuters

Stage set for Sultan Qaboos Industrial Excellence Award aspects that need development to improve performance.

His Majesty’s Competition for the Best Five

Evaluation The framework of the evaluation consists of nine criteria, five of them related to operations carried out by industrial establishments and the other four related to the results and achievements. The minister of commerce and industry encouraged factories to participate in this competition, which is honoured with holding the name of His Majesty the Sultan.

These workshops are organised to inform them of the changes in the new labour standards of the competition and to motivate them to participate.

Factories has been renamed as ‘Sultan Qaboos Industrial Excellence Award’

Times News Service MUSCAT: Dr Ali Massoud Al Sunaidi, Minister of Commerce and Industry, said that the ministry is proceeding to prepare for ‘Sultan Qaboos Industrial Excellence Award,’ which is the new name for His Majesty’s Competition for the Best Five Factories.

Dr Ali Massoud Al Sunaidi indicated that the ministry is honoured to hold the competition with its new name granted by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The guidance of His Majesty requires grant-

ing the award in conjunction with Industry Day on February 9.

The ministry, in cooperation with the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates, had started promotional campaign for Sultan Qaboos Industrial Excellence Award on Tuesday. The campaign will include a number of workshops in each of Raysut Industrial Estate, Rusayl industrial Estate and Sohar Industrial Estate.

The competition started in 1991 and is held once every two years.

The award went through several stages of development in evalua-

Dr Ali Massoud Al Sunaidi, Minister of Commerce and Industry. – Supplied picture

tion criteria and categories which are based on the principle of total quality management. The competition gives an opportunity to all large, medium and small factories to compete for a place and allows the winner to use the name of the

award in the following years.

Participation in such competition allow establishments to obtain a comprehensive assessment of its performance carried out by specialised experts and thus will help in the discovery of strengths and

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T R A N S - PAC I F I C PA R T N E R S H I P

Guarded optimism on major trade deal SYDNEY: Early industry reaction to a historic trade agreement reached between 12 Pacific Rim countries has amounted to faint praise that it could have been worse and umbrage that the United States appeared to be the biggest winner.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), aimed at liberalising commerce across nations accounting for 40 per cent of the world’s economy, was signed late on Monday after five difficult years of talks, though it still needs ratification by each country.

Initial ambitions for the deal, covering an enormous range of products and services from kiwifruit to semiconductors, were

clipped back in many areas to find agreement. There was also concern that the summary made public didn’t disclose the detail where the devils might lurk.

Cutting tarrifs New Zealand’s Fonterra, the world’s biggest dairy exporter, said the deal, which would cut tariffs on 93 per cent of its exports to the United States, fell ‘far short’ of its original ambition to eliminate all tariffs, blaming “entrenched” US protectionism.

Still, Wilson said the deal was a “small but significant” step forward for the dairy sector with “some useful gains” for New Zealand dairy exporters to key TPP

markets such as the United States, Canada and Japan.

The politically influential Dairy Farmers of Canada were similarly muted, highlighting financial losses, albeit mitigated by a “fair compensation package”.

Beef, sugar, rice, seafood and horticulture companies in Australia and New Zealand welcomed the increased access to Japanese markets thanks to tariff reductions under the deal.

“We should focus on the gains made in this agreement for Australian sugar, and not the success of the powerful US sugar lobby in maintaining their protectionist stance against bringing sugar into their deficit market,” said Domi-

nic Nolan, chief executive of the Australian Sugar Milling Council.

Lost concessions In India, there was concern that exports to the US would be hit because of the loss of zero-duty export concessions.

“If the deal is implemented, India’s exports of products like textile and leather will be severely affected,” said Abhijit Das, head of the Centre for WTO studies, a think-tank run by India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

It could even, he suggested, nudge India into restarting negotiations on a free-trade agreement with the European Union.

Among those expected to wel-

come the deal are US-based global e-commerce companies like Google and Uber, who will have restrictions removed on sales into foreign markets, including existing requirements that they establish local infrastructure.

The US Trade Representative office welcomed the “cutting-edge rules to promote internet-based commerce — a central area of American leadership”.

Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said it was too early to say how those measures would affect local retailers but warned there was a risk of harm “unless barriers are also lifted for Australian retailers going overseas”. - Reuters

DEVELOPING SKILLS

BP Oman, Sharakah sign deal to boost capabilities of SMEs Times News Service MUSCAT: As a continuation of last year’s successful programme, BP and Sharakah renewed recently the contract to develop and upgrade the skills and capabilities of local SMEs through the “BP SME Development Programme” to be launched in October.

The project will be managed by Sharakah and implemented by Inspired Solutions.

AGREEMENT: The agreement was signed by Yousuf Al Ojaili, The agreement was signed by BP Oman president and Abdullah Al Jufaili, general manager Yousuf Al Ojaili, BP Oman presi- of Sharakah. - Supplied picture dent on behalf of BP and Abdullah Al Jufaili, general manager ment, which comes under BP’s In neurial capacity of Omanis, and of Sharakah.

“SMEs have been acknowl- Country Value strategy of SME help business owners to identify edged globally for their ability to Development, and job creation, and fill the gaps in specific areas fuel economic growth through job entitles Sharakah and Inspired and add quality and value to their creation and supply of ideas, skill Solutions, an SME consultancy existing businesses.

The programme provides sesand innovation to the market,” company, to implement the develsions on Business planning and opment programme. said Al Ojaili.

“As the development of SMEs management, financial literacy, BP SME Development Programme will focus on developing in the Sultanate of Oman is still in identity branding and market rethe skills of 30 SME business own- its initial stages, we at BP aim to search over the period of 16 weeks.

Furthermore, driven by the ers over a period of 2-3 months assist in this process and signifithrough an intensive classroom cantly contribute to the In-Coun- success of the 2014 Enterprise and field training. Twenty of try Value through educational Development Programme, this these businesses will be awarded and entrepreneurial initiatives,” project will also focus on enhancing the quality of products and a seed capital grant from BP to be he added.

Through the sessions, the BP services offered by local SMEs. used for the expansion of their SME Development Programme Sharakah will be announcing the respective businesses.

This programme is part of BP’s aims to contribute to Oman’s so- call for applicants through their Social Investment Programme cio-economic growth, boost the website (www.sharakah.om).

Interested entrepreneurs will in Oman. It will be managed by number of jobs creation, uplift Sharakah and implemented by the performance of existing small soon be able to apply through fillInspired Solutions. The agree- businesses, build the entrepre- ing an application online.

W E D N E S DAY, O CTO B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

B3

MARKET SOVEREIGN FUND

Qatar wealth fund to sell Vinci stake valued at $425m

PRIVATE PLACEMENT: The sovereign wealth fund is selling as many as 6.46 million shares, or a 1.1 per cent stake, in the French construction company via a private placement. – Bloomberg News

BRIEFS

KPMG’s one-day tax seminar on October 12 MUSCAT: KPMG is organising a one-day tax seminar on October 12 to provide finance professionals with an update on current tax issues and developments in Omani tax practices. Ashok Hariharan, partner and head of Tax for Middle East and South Asia, said that this year’s seminar includes training materials that have been completely re-written using a case study format to explain technical issues using many of the real life situations that they see their clients facing today. The case studies cover a range of domestic and international tax scenarios looking at both the early tax planning issues as well as the issues faced in responding to assessments by the Tax Department.

Dhofar Fisheries sells shares in ANC Holding MUSCAT: Dhofar Fisheries and Food Ind. has sold 2,518,003 shares in ANC Holding, Dubai to Hassani Group of Companies, Dubai at OMR1.085 per share. The share transfer has been approved by the Capital Market Authority, says a stock market filing.

Port Services top officials plan to take retirement MUSCAT: Port Services Corporation has announced that Eng. Hamid Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Kadi, assistant chief executive officer (Operations) and Captain Talib Khamis Al Wahaibi, general manager, Harbour & Marine Services, have opted to accept the voluntary end of service payment scheme offered by the corporation in coordination with the concerned government authorities as disclosed earlier on August 23. Accordingly, both these employees have submitted their resignation on their own accord. Altogether 128 employees have opted to accept the voluntary end of service payment scheme upto September 29, according to a regulatory filing.

Canada’s trade deficit widens OTTAWA: Canada’s merchandise trade deficit widened in August, exceeding even the most bearish forecast in a survey of economists as energy and consumer goods led the biggest drop in exports in more than three years. The deficit expanded to C$2.53 billion ($1.93 billion) from July. None of the 18 economists in a Bloomberg survey predicted the August deficit would be wider than C$2 billion. - Times News Service/Agencies

DOHA: Qatar Investment Authority, which has investments in companies ranging from Glencore to Total, plans to sell a stake in Vinci valued at as much as €380 million ($425 million).

The sovereign wealth fund is selling as many as 6.46 million shares, or a 1.1 per cent stake, in the French construction company via a private placement arranged

by Societe Generale, according to a statement. The fund has held a stake in Vinci for over five years and will retain about 3.9 per cent after the transaction.

The Qatari fund is the ninth largest sovereign wealth fund in the world with assets of over $250 billion, according to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute. Last month it announced plans to invest $35 billion in the United States during the next five years after opening an office in New York. It’s also investing in a commercial real estate investment trust run by a subsidiary of Leon Black’s Apollo Global Management.

The last publicly announced divestment by the Qatari fund was the sale of two London office build-

ings by a venture between QIA subsidiary Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment and Canary Wharf Group worth more than £550 million ($857 million) in August.

Sale to Almacantar The sale to Almacantar was the largest ever in London’s South Bank district. Qatar Holding, another unit of QIA, and other investors in Miramax have hired Morgan Stanley and Qatari investment bank QInvest to find a buyer for the studio, a person with knowledge of the matter said last month.

The sale of Vinci shares is “part of the routine portfolio management activities undertaken by QIA from time to time,” according to the statement. “QIA continues to believe in the management and longterm prospects for Vinci.” Vinci closed 4.1 per cent higher at €58.77 on Monday in Paris. The shares have gained 29 per cent this year.

Glencore fell for the first time in three days on Tuesday, after posting the biggest ever advance on Monday. The stock has more than recovered losses since its record 29 per cent plunge. – Bloomberg News

Dunes commences guardrail project operations in Sohar or large quantities of crash barriers at highly competitive rates.

With the technology from Koerner-Austria, and the hot-dip kettle from Germany, the hot-dip galvanising unit has the best operating systems with optimum zinc coating which provides effective corrosion protection.

New manufacturing facility and galvanising unit demonstrates Dunes Industries’ commitment to invest within the domestic sector

Times News Service MUSCAT: Dunes Industries, a well-diversified manufacturing company in Oman, commenced operations of its state-of-the-art guardrail manufacturing plant and the hot-dip galvanising unit in Sohar Freezone.

As one of the most wellequipped and eco-friendly galvanising units in the Middle East with a modern laboratory, the facility at Dunes ensures stringent national and international quality and production standards.

The establishment of the new manufacturing facility and galvanising unit demonstrates the company’s commitment to invest

INAUGURATION: Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salim Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communi-

cations, cutting a ribbon to inaugurate the guardrail manufacturing plant and the hot-dip galvanising unit in Sohar Freezone. – Supplied picture

in the domestic market and contribute to the long-term goals of the Sultanate to achieve a sustainable industrial development, said a company release.

The facility further expanded the company’s capabilities to produce innovative and high-quality products, and add more value to all stakeholders.

Earlier, Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salim Al Futaisi, minister of transport and communications, inaugurated the facility in presence of dignitaries from the government and private sectors.

The guardrail manufacturing plant from Italy and the hot-dip galvanising unit from Austria complement the existing manu-

ECONOMY

Industrial orders in Germany decline BERLIN: German industrial orders fell unexpectedly in August as demand from noneuro zone countries weakened, raising worries a slowdown in China will cut into exports from Europe’s biggest economy.

Contracts for German goods declined by 1.8 per cent in the month, said the Economy Ministry. A poll had forecast a rise of 0.5 per cent. The data enhances a picture of waning demand from abroad, especially China and other emerging markets.

That suggests the strong exports that supported growth in the first half could lose momentum.

German factories got 1.2 per cent fewer bookings from abroad, driven by a 3.7 per cent slide in demand from countries outside the eurozone.

“The decline in orders from abroad paints a dim picture,” said Thomas Gitzel, an economist at VP Bank. But he added that he expected the Chinese economy to stabilise, which

could feed through to German industry. He also said there was some comfort in a 2.5 per cent rise in orders from eurozone countries.

Domestic demand falls The Economy Ministry said a 2.6 per cent fall in domestic demand was due partly to holidays.

Eurozone demand was “clearly pointing upwards”, it said, while the non-euro zone “seems to be less reliable at the moment”.

Recent data has been encouraging, with retail sales posting their strongest increase from January to August in more than 20 years, although privatesector growth lost some speed last month. Business morale unexpectedly rose for the third month in a row in September.

Economists have warned, however, that the exports which drove a second-quarter expansion may falter later this year should the economic slowdown in China. - Reuters

facturing facilities and operations of Dunes Industries.

Industrial development “As one of the fastest growing economies in the Middle East, the Sultanate is offering enormous opportunities for investors to establish world-class manufacturing projects, and as we celebrate 45th anniversary of the Blessed Renaissance, the infrastructure facilities and industrial sector development in Oman is registering a record growth,” Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salim Al Futaisi told newspersons on touring the facility.

“Opening of the new facility is a major milestone in our journey to manufacture value-added prod-

ucts. Every product we manufacture with the ‘Made in Oman’ tag is a source of great honour and pride. We, at Dunes, continue to focus on innovations and cuttingedge technologies, and we are fully committed to producing premium quality products. The guardrail manufacturing plant and the hotdip galvanising unit are a value addition to the Sultanate’s industrial sector, and our best operating systems and processes will provide effective corrosion protection,” a company spokesman said.

The high capacity, state-of-theart machinery from PIEMMEItaly, for manufacturing the WBeam and Thrie-Beam guardrails, facilitates timely supply of small

Eco-friendly processes Further, it ideally positions Dunes to offer greater flexibility to its customers, and the fully computerised European technology and eco-friendly processes at the guardrail plant and the galvanising unit will deliver best quality products.

The new facility comes with the best in-class safety and environment protection features. It has been the company’s endeavour to ensure quality and reliability at all its manufacturing units.

Dunes Industries was established in the Sohar Freezone to cater to the needs of infrastructure, oil and gas, cement, steel, mining, rail transport and electromechanical sectors in Oman and other GCC countries. Other facilities of Dunes include steel foundry, gabions, steel doors and rolling shutters.

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B4

W EDN ESDAY, OCTOB ER 7, 2015

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,841.29 ...............5,830.70 ....................5,831.61 ...................5,841.24.................. -9.63 .................. -0.16 Financial Index .....................................7,041.56 ...............7,014.33 ....................7,014.33 ...................7,024.45................ -10.12 .................. -0.14 Industrial Index .................................... 7,356.75 ...............7,332.77 ....................7,355.12 ................... 7,336.59..................18.53 ...................0.25 Services Index .......................................3,237.99 ...............3,228.11 ....................3,237.56 ................... 3,231.19....................6.37 ...................0.20 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................906.14 ..................904.61 .......................906.14 ...................... 905.67....................0.47 ................... 0.05 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 21,689,935 ..................6,160,414 ..................1,150 ...............14,636,831,206 ................ 17 ........................7 ....................20 .........................44

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 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 Securities Market. Times file picture

MSM index ends lower

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

OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 3,482,566...... 345,318................... 137 ........... 0.094 ........... 0.101............0.094........... 0.099 .............0.094 ........... 0.005............. 5.319 ................0.100..............0.099...................0.100...................28,708,083 .........0.100 OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE ................................................. 234,000............ 31,114........................8 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.131 ............0.133 .............0.130............ 0.003.............2.308 ................0.131 ...............0.131...................0.000 .................. 33,727,470 .........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 4,261,303......800,807...................229 ............0.186 ........... 0.190 ...........0.185 ........... 0.188 .............0.184 ........... 0.004............. 2.174 ................0.186 ..............0.186...................0.187...................28,214,100 .........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH................................................14,982 ............ 40,128........................6 ............2.635 ...........2.700 ...........2.635........... 2.680 .............2.635 ............0.045............. 1.708 ................2.700..............2.640...................2.700..................255,825,283........1.000 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 1,040,806.......179,019......................61 ............0.172 ........... 0.172 ...........0.172 ............0.172 ............. 0.170............ 0.002..............1.176.................0.172 .............. 0.172...................0.173 ...................34,400,000 ........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 954,172 ........... 96,572.....................60 ............0.102 ........... 0.103 ...........0.100............0.101 .............0.100 ............0.001 ............. 1.000 ................0.100..............0.100...................0.101 .................... 5,943,165 ..........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................ 61,459 .............25,535......................13 ............0.416 ........... 0.416 ...........0.412 ............0.416 .............0.412............ 0.004............. 0.971 ................0.416 .............. 0.416...................0.418...................25,460,978.........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 793,454 ............89,013..................... 63 ............0.115 ........... 0.115............ 0.111 ............0.112 ............. 0.111 .............0.001 ............. 0.901 ................ 0.111 ...............0.111................... 0.112 ...................10,080,000.........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ..............75,000 .............19,860..................... 10 ........... 0.265 ...........0.266 ...........0.264 .......... 0.265 .............0.263 ........... 0.002............. 0.760 ................0.265..............0.264...................0.266 ...................5,565,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION .........................41,000 ...............5,790......................12 ............0.140 ........... 0.150 ...........0.140............0.141 .............0.140 ............0.001 ............. 0.714 ................0.150 ..............0.142...................0.150...................13,400,640 .........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 402,594............65,435......................31 ............0.162 ........... 0.163 ...........0.162............0.163 .............0.162.............0.001 ............. 0.617 ................0.163 .............. 0.163...................0.164................... 47,376,116 .........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ..................................................... 10,452 .............. 4,306........................7 ............0.412 ........... 0.412 ...........0.412 ........... 0.412 .............0.410............ 0.002............. 0.488 ................0.412 ..............0.412...................0.420 ..................24,926,000 ........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 433,969 .........102,645..................... 39 ........... 0.236 ...........0.240 ...........0.236........... 0.237 .............0.236 ............0.001 .............0.424 ................0.240 .............0.238...................0.242 ..................23,700,000.........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ...............................................................2,000 ..................608........................1 ........... 0.304...........0.304 ...........0.304 .......... 0.304 .............0.304 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.304..............0.302...................0.306 ..................15,200,000.........0.100

The top gainer was Galfar Engineering, up by

OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 761,545............ 86,055..................... 34 ............0.113 ........... 0.113............0.113 ............0.113 ............. 0.113 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.113 ...............0.113................... 0.114 ..................226,035,345 .......0.100

5.32 per cent, while Oman Education, down

OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT .....................................29,999 ...............1,800........................3 ........... 0.060 ...........0.060 ...........0.060........... 0.060 .............0.060 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.060..............0.060...................0.061...................12,429,083 .........0.100

OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING............. 17,000 ............... 1,700........................2 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.100 ...........0.100........... 0.100 .............0.100 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.100..............0.099...................0.101 ................... 12,187,500 .........0.100

OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 514,414 ...........173,471..................... 29 ........... 0.334 ...........0.340 ...........0.334........... 0.338 .............0.338 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.340..............0.334...................0.340 .................100,120,225........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ............................2,000 ..................380........................1 ............0.190 ........... 0.190 ...........0.190............0.195 ............. 0.195............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.190..............0.190...................0.193...................24,355,102 .........0.100

by 5.16 per cent, was the top loser

OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ..........................6,000 .................. 570........................2 ........... 0.095 ........... 0.095 ...........0.095........... 0.095 .............0.095 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.095..............0.094...................0.096....................2,850,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR .................................................................8,781 ...............2,064........................3 ........... 0.235 ........... 0.235 ...........0.235........... 0.235 .............0.235 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.235..............0.235...................0.240 .................363,011,208 ........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 605,196 ......... 326,742..................... 53 ........... 0.540 ...........0.540 ...........0.536........... 0.540 .............0.540 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.536..............0.536...................0.542 ...............1,237,584,202 ......0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 184,284 .........301,429..................... 39 ............1.630 ........... 1.640 ...........1.630 ............1.635 ............. 1.635............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.630 .............. 1.630...................1.640................1,226,250,000......0.100

MUSCAT: Shares on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) reacted on profit-booking on Tuesday.

The MSM30 Index ended negatively at 5,831.61 points, down by 0.16 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index increased 0.05 per cent to close at 906.14 points. Al Anwar Holding was the most active in terms of volume while Dhofar Fisheries and Food Industries led in terms of turnover.

Tuesday’s top gainer was Galfar Engineering, up by 5.32 per cent whereas Oman Education & Training, down by 5.16 per cent was the top loser.

As many as 1,150 trades were executed during the day’s trading session generating turnover of OMR6.1 million with 21.6 million shares changing hands. Out of 44 traded securities, 17 advanced, seven declined and 20 remained unchanged.

GCC and Arab Investors were net buyers for OMR631,000 followed by Omani investors for OMR163,000 while Foreign Investors were net sellers for OMR795,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index retreated 0.14 per cent to close at 7,014.33

points. Al Izz Bank, Taageer Finance, Al Anwar Holding, Bank Nizwa and Gulf Investment Services increased 2.94 per cent, 2.31 per cent, 2.17 per cent, 1.54 per cent and 1.00 per cent respectively. Ominvest, Oman Orix Leasing, Bank Sohar and NBO declined 2.00 per cent, 1.43 per cent, 1.18 per cent and 0.67 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index advanced 0.25 per cent and closed at 7,355.12 points. Galfar Engineering, Al Hassan Engineering, Gulf International Chemicals and Voltamp Energy increased 5.32 per cent, 2.27 per cent, 0.76 per cent and 0.49 per cent respectively. National Aluminium decreased 4.59 per cent to close at OMR0.208.

Services Index ended the session at 3,237.56 points, up by 0.20 per cent. Sembcorp Salalah, OIFC, Al Jazeera Services, Port Services and Phoenix Power gained 1.71 per cent, 1.18 per cent, 0.97 per cent, 0.71 per cent and 0.65 per cent respectively.

Oman Education & Training and Ooredoo declined 5.16 per cent and 1.05 per cent respectively.

OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................ 100,000 ........... 10,900........................2 ............0.109 ........... 0.109 ...........0.109........... 0.109 .............0.109 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.109..............0.104...................0.108...................21,800,000.........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER................................................................4,220 ............... 1,435........................3 ........... 0.340...........0.340 ...........0.340 .......... 0.340 .............0.340 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.340............. 0.340...................0.342 ..................75,143,400 .........0.100 OM0000004669 ...........SHARQIYAH DESALINATION .................................. 1,300 ...............5,922........................2 ............4.555 ........... 4.555 ...........4.555........... 4.555 .............4.555 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................4.555..............4.555...................4.560 ..................44,548,884.........1.000 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 174,745 .............15,028..................... 10 ........... 0.086 ...........0.086 ...........0.086........... 0.086 .............0.086 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.086..............0.085...................0.086...................15,050,000 .........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 186,344 ...........40,064......................14 ............0.215 ........... 0.215 ...........0.215 ............0.215 ............. 0.215............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.215 .............. 0.215...................0.216..................145,100,797 ........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 196,208 ........... 41,989......................13 ............0.214 ........... 0.214 ...........0.214........... 0.214 .............0.214 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.214..............0.214...................0.216..................152,882,957........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ..................................................59,899 .............29,351..................... 10 ........... 0.492 ...........0.492 ...........0.490........... 0.490 .............0.490 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.490..............0.486...................0.490 ..................25,725,000 .........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 186,113 .............55,483..................... 23 ........... 0.300...........0.300 ...........0.295........... 0.298 .............0.300 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.667 ...............0.295............. 0.290...................0.295..................399,531,655 ........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 118,277 .............89,172..................... 28 ............0.756 ........... 0.760 ...........0.748 ........... 0.752 .............0.760 ...........-0.008 ............-1.053................0.748 ..............0.740...................0.752..................489,510,061 ........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 320,755 ............53,636......................19 ............0.167 ........... 0.169 ...........0.167 ............0.167 ............. 0.169............-0.002 ............-1.183................0.167 .............. 0.167...................0.168................. 240,720,480 .......0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST .................................................................... 114,545 .............56,147........................6 ........... 0.500 ...........0.500 ...........0.490........... 0.490 .............0.500 ...........-0.010 ........... -2.000 ...............0.490..............0.490...................0.500 ................ 270,902,205 .......0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ............. 159,090.............33,154......................11 ............0.214 ........... 0.214 ...........0.205........... 0.208 .............0.218............-0.010 ........... -4.587 ...............0.205............. 0.200...................0.205 ...................6,982,862 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 15,558,472......3,132,639 ..............984 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......35........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK..................................................6,000 ..................420........................1 ........... 0.070 ...........0.070 ...........0.070........... 0.070 .............0.068 ........... 0.002............. 2.941 ................0.070..............0.068...................0.070...................70,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 423,043 ........... 38,099.....................24 ........... 0.090 ...........0.092 ...........0.090........... 0.090 .............0.088 ........... 0.002............. 2.273 ................0.090..............0.088...................0.092 ................... 6,768,720 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 2,649,321 ...... 174,345..................... 55 ........... 0.065 ...........0.066 ...........0.065........... 0.066 .............0.065 ............0.001 ............. 1.538 ................0.066..............0.065...................0.066...................99,000,000.........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 461,808 ........... 72,005..................... 75 ............0.155 ........... 0.160 ...........0.155 ............0.156 ............. 0.155.............0.001 ............. 0.645 ................0.155 .............. 0.155...................0.156..................228,165,828........0.100 OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ........................ 3,563 .................. 887........................2 ........... 0.249 ...........0.249 ...........0.249........... 0.255 .............0.255 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.249............. 0.000...................0.249 ..................22,950,000 ........0.100 OM0000001723 ............OMAN ORIX LEASING .............................................. 29,000 ...............4,010........................3 ............0.140 ........... 0.140 ...........0.138 ............0.138 .............0.140 ...........-0.002 ........... -1.429 ...............0.138 .............. 0.135...................0.138...................33,310,998 .........0.100 OM0000002580 ...........OMAN EDU. & TRIN. INV. HOLDING....................40,623 ...............5,966........................4 ............0.155 ........... 0.155 ...........0.145 ............0.147 ............. 0.155............-0.008 ............-5.161 ................0.145 .............. 0.145...................0.000 ..................10,290,000.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 3,613,358 ...... 295,732...................164 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 7........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

THIRD MARKET .................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000002119 ............DHOFAR FISHERIES AND FOOD IND............... 2,518,003 ...2,732,033........................1 ............1.085 ........... 1.085 ...........1.085 ........... 1.280 .............1.280 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.085 ............. 0.000...................1.085....................3,251,200 ..........1.000 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,518,003 ...2,732,033........................1 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET .................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ................................................102 ....................... 9........................1 ........... 0.090 ...........0.090 ...........0.090........... 0.100 .............0.100 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.090..............0.090...................0.109.................... 7,150,000 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: ..........................................................................................102 ....................... 9........................1 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

— United Securities

STOCK MARKET

INDIAN SOCIAL NETWORKING

Indian stocks gain for fifth day tracking Asian markets

Facebook leads in networking; WhatsApp tops in messaging

MUMBAI: Indian stocks rose for a fifth day, tracking Asian equities amid speculation the United States central bank will not raise borrowing costs this year.

Tata Motors, owner of Jaguar Land Rover, headed for its biggest two-day advance in 14 months.

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries added at least two per cent. GAIL India, a supplier of natural gas, and Coal India, the world’s biggest producer of the fuel, were among the best performers on the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex.

The Sensex added 0.1 per cent to 26,815.66 at 11:50am in Mumbai, paring an advance of as much as 0.8 per cent. The gauge is set for its biggest five-day climb since January 21 amid speculation the Federal Reserve may hold off on raising rates until 2016 after weak US economic data, and as India’s central bank cut borrowing costs by more than economists’ forecast.

Foreigners were net buyers of Indian equities for a second day on

NEW DELHI: Facebook remains the most popular social networking site in India with 51 per cent of users logging on daily, while WhatsApp tops the list of instant messaging (IM) apps, according to report by global research consultancy firm TNS. As per the findings of ‘Connected Life’ — a global study of the digital attitudes and behaviours of 60,500 Internet users across 50 countries, 55 per cent are on instant messaging every day.

In India, Facebook continues its dominance for social networking platforms with 51 per cent of the users while WhatsApp is the most popular for instant messaging app with 56 per cent of users, TNS said in a statement.

Commenting on the findings, TNS India Executive Director Parijat Chakraborty said: “The social networking market of India is Facebook centric, which is fuelling the adoption of Facebook Messenger also as the IM platform for private messaging. However, WhatsApp is by far the most popular IM platform in India.”

– Bloomberg file picture

October 1, after withdrawing $860 million last month, data compiled

by Bloomberg show.

“The market is being helped by the global rally and last week’s rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India, which boosted confidence,” Alex Mathews, the head of research at Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services, said by phone from the southern state of Kerala. The brokerage is advising its clients to sell lenders and buy software export-

ers before the reporting season for the September quarter begins on October 12.

Profits for the 30 Sensex companies climbed one per cent in the June quarter, following a 45 per cent drop in the prior three months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. While analysts have reduced the estimates for fiscal 2016 profits by 12 per cent since the start of April, they predict profits will grow 2.2 per cent in the July-September period and 11 per cent in the December quarter, the data show.

Tata Motors increased 3.5 per cent, extending Monday’s 5.8 per cent advance. The shares rallied on Monday after the company said the sales of its Range Rover and Evoque SUVs in the US jumped 61 per cent last month.

Dr. Reddy’s advanced 2.5 per cent and Sun Pharmaceutical added 1.7 per cent. Coal India headed for its biggest five-day gain since June, while GAIL climbed 2.4 per cent. — Bloomberg News

Favourite social platform As per the study, Facebook has maintained its position as the world’s favourite social platform with almost one third of global internet users (30 per cent) saying they use it every day and with usage in Asia Pacific (APAC) region much higher.

India’s Facebook usage of 51 per cent, however, is far lower compared to some countries in APAC markets like Thailand (78 per cent), Taiwan (75 per cent), Hong Kong (72 per cent).

Interestingly, India is the second largest base with over 125 million users for Facebook that has 1.49 billion users globally. The

HUGE DEMAND: India is second largest base with over 125 million

users for Facebook that has 1.49 billion users globally. The US has the highest number of Facebook users. - Bloomberg file picture

US has the highest number of Facebook users.

On the popularity instant messaging in India, Chakraborty said the country had always been a text heavy market. This legacy, coupled with the attraction of connecting with like-minded people privately, is making instant messaging platforms a perfect tool.

“This new-found excitement of largely new mobile-internet users has made India one of the highest globally in average daily number of messages exchanged,” Chakraborty said. In APAC, over three out of five internet users or 61 per cent are now using instant messaging every day, while 82 per cent are using it on a weekly basis, the report said.

Overall, “The popularity of IM has soared over the past year, with a 12 per cent uplift in daily usage globally as more people opt for closed messaging platforms such

as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and WeChat”, it added. IM has achieved high numbers of daily users across much of APAC, with 77 per cent of those in Malaysia, 73 per cent in Hong Kong, 69 per cent in China and 38 per cent in India, using an IM platform daily.

By contrast, some Western markets are lagging behind, including the UK (39 per cent) and the US (35 per cent), it said.

TNS said While IM popularity is rising, traditional social media platforms are still holding strong, allowing content to go viral more quickly. The challenge for brands is to create content that consumers actually want to share. — PTI

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ROUND-UP

All-new Outlander now available at great price The 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander seven seat passenger crossover is the first Mitsubishi production vehicle to showcase the brand’s new design language

MUSCAT: General Automotive Company (GAC), the official distributors of Mitsubishi vehicles in the Oman, offers new car buyers the opportunity to explore Oman in style with the new facelifted Outlander at a reduced starting price of just OMR8,500 together with six years unlimited mileage warranty and roadside assistance, free three years/50,000km service and free registration, says a press release.

Commenting on the Outlander, Rajesh Sharma, the National Marketing Manager of General Automotive Company said, “Following its launch just under three months ago, the Mitsubishi Outlander, has received an overwhelmingly positive response from customers. Together with its eye-catching new

design aesthetic inside and out and over 100 engineering and design improvements, the new Outlander literally looks, drives and feels like an entirely new vehicle.

The new price point makes it an even more compelling value than before and reiterates its position as a segment-leading vehicle that appeals to buyers that desire value, quality and safety.”

The 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander seven seat passenger crossover is the first Mitsubishi production vehicle to showcase the brand’s new design language, featuring Mitsubishi’s new front design concept, labelled ‘Dynamic Shield’. Aside from the redesigned front fascia the revised exterior design includes new front

fenders, halogen headlights, LED position lights, LED Daytime running lights, lower door sections, 18-inch alloy wheels, rear fascia and LED taillights. The reconfigured interior includes a redesigned steering wheel, seating surfaces, accent trim, rear folding seat and headliner.

The new Outlander is not just a cosmetic ‘refreshing,’ however, and features an unprecedented number of important engineering and design improvements that increase the level of refinement and overall driving experience.

This includes several improvements made to the chassis such as increased body and suspension structural rigidity, redesigned suspension, an Electric Power

TRAINING PROGRAMME

B5

Steering and more.

Mitsubishi’s advanced safety systems also adorn the new Outlander and includes 4-wheel ABS with EBD, a Brake Override system, Theft Protection system, Driver and Passenger SRS front airbags, Electronic tailgate opener, High mount stop lamp on the tailgate, and a vacuum booster for the Brake system.

The new Outlander model is available with two different engines; the Outlander GLX comes with 2.4 L MIVEC, 4-cylinder engine producing 167PS at 6,000rpm and 22.6kgm of torque at 4,100rpm, while the 7-seat Outlander GLS features a 3.0L MIVC 6-cylinder engine producing 230PS at 6,250rpm and 29.8kgm of torque at 3,750rpm. Both engines provide the benefits of the high power output, low fuel consumption, and low exhaust emissions.

“Together with its lower starting price of OMR8,500, six years unlimited mileage warranty and roadside assistance, and the free service and registration,the Japan-built Outlander provides customers with total peace of mind motoring and a real sense of value, power, reliability and performance that Mitsubishi vehicles are known for. This is in addition to the professional service and maintenance provided by our highly trained staff across our countrywide branch network in the Sultanate,” added Rajesh.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Bank Sohar extends support to Association of Early Intervention

MUSCAT: Further diversifying the reach of its on-going Corporate Social Responsibility programme, Bank Sohar renewed its support to the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities. This latest donation will contribute towards the purchase of Custom Orthotic Devices for children at the association.

The donation cheque was handed over at the association head office to Sabah Al Bahlani, CEO of the Association of Early intervention for Children with Disabilities, by Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, Senior AGM - Marketing and Customer Experience at Bank Sohar, says a press release.

Speaking on the rationale behind this donation, Munira Abdulnabi Macki, GM of Human Resource and Corporate Support of Bank Sohar, commented, “Our Corporate Social Responsibility focus has always been to support a diversified range of audience.

With the Association of Early

Intervention for Children with Disabilities, the goal and focus of the support was to help such children receive the necessary aid to ensure they enjoy a happy childhood and grow up to be contributing member to and of the society. As a responsible corporate citizen we consider it our obligation to do our part in supporting organisations and initiatives that work towards making this a reality. We are glad to be in a position to support organisations such as the Association of Early intervention for Children with Disabilities and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.”

Thanking Bank Sohar for its support, Sabah Al Bahlani said, “We have seen first-hand the hope that can be instilled by restoring mobility and functionality to children suffering from severe orthopaedic disabilities. Thanks to Bank Sohar’s support we can now share this hope and joy with over seventy more children.”

WEB-BASED TRAINING

BankDhofar participates in GCC Banking Institutes’ Symposium SALALAH: Within the framework of its continuous training and development programmes that aim to cement its position as the best bank in the Sultanate and the wider GCC area, BankDhofar participated in the 5th GCC Banking Institutes’ Symposium that was held recently in Salalah.

The symposium was organised

by College of Banking and Financial Studies under the title of ‘Improving Institutional Performance through Emotional Intelligence’.

The 3-day event brought together a number of professionals from different financial, academic and business sectors across the GCC member states. It was also attended by Nasser Said Al Bahantah, chief human resources officer at BankDhofar, Mohamed Ahmed AlRawas, BankDhofar regional manager – Dhofar region, Mohamed Ahmed Al Amri, Salalah branch manager, Hassan Ahmed Al Yafaey, acting manager Al Riadah Centre in Salalah, and Usama Ismail Al Farsi, Training manager, says a press release.

Al Bahantah said: “Emotional intelligence emerges as a crucial quality for successful leaders who

influence organisational culture through their ability to direct approaches, timely actions and situational decisions. It influences organisational effectiveness in a number of areas such as employee recruitment and retention, employee commitment, motivation, productivity, efficiency and quality of service, which ultimately results in improved business revenues.

There is a positive association between the level of organisational emotional intelligence and operational and financial performance.

This makes emotional intelligence a valuable asset for the innovation and success of any organisation.”

The symposium aimed to enhance leaders’ awareness of how emotional intelligence can con-

tribute to the effectiveness of organisational performance, outstanding leadership and ways to achieve organisational goals and objectives.

BankDhofar places emphasis on the growth and development of staff at different organisational levels. The bank conducts and participates in various programmes and initiatives in collaboration with other public and private sector organisations, including seminars and workshops, professional courses and specialised programmes. The bank also supports various initiatives by different institutions that aim to enrich professional knowledge in the local and global banking and finance sectors.

Dhofar Auto sales executives earn coveted FCA certifications MUSCAT: Sales executives from Dhofar Automotive, the exclusive dealers of the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Fiat and Alfa Romeo range of automobiles in the Sultanate, recently completed a series of web-based and classroom training programmes, earning themselves prestigious certifications from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).

Salim Al Sasiyan, Dushyant Sharma, Mohammed Al Balushi, Moutaman Nasser Al Bahlani, Fahmi Al Wahaibi, Mulham Al Khusaibi, Viju Mathew and Moh-

EMERGENCY LIGHTING

sin Bori were the proud recipients of FCA certifications this year.

The certificates were presented to them by Ahmad Salah Eldin, head of Dealer Training and Development-FCA, says a press release.

Speaking on the achievements, Chris Edwards, general manager of Dhofar Automotive said, “Our collaboration with FCA demonstrates our focus on building our sales teams’ skilsets to help them perform at an optimal level while also investing in their long-term success. Our goal is to attract top talent, improve the skills of existing

staff, significantly increase staff retention and position Dhofar Automotive as an ‘employer of choice.’”

He continued, “Offering our sales staff the opportunities to learn while they earn presents them with a significant value that we are pleased to provide, and that differentiates us from our competitors. This certainly helps us attract and retain strong talent.”

It is noteworthy that Dhofar Automotive has taken concrete steps towards ensuring that onthe-job training and business work together time and again.

RECOGNITION

Eint Automotive partners with Vision Alert AUB MD to receive 2015 Arab Bankers Association’s award MUSCAT: Eint Automotive, a successful division of WJ Towell and an industry leader in the automotive aftermarket segment in the Sultanate, has earned itself a commendable reputation with quality products and services.

One of their best selling and most popular line of products is represented by Vision Alert, a pioneer in emergency lighting and audible warning equipment. Made in UK for commercial and emergency vehicles, Vision Alert is a division of the well-known US based ECCO Group.

ECCO Group lives up to its tagline, ‘Passionate About Safety’ through quality products designed through continuous efforts on design and innovation. From beacons and light-bars to reverse alarms and warning lights, each item is designed to maximise vehicle visibility and reduce accidents all around the world. With a strong global presence ECCO Group supplies safety products to more than 45 countries from their production facilities in the UK, USA and Australia, says a press release.

“Oman has seen rapid development with numerous projects in process. This has also resulted in a rise in the movement of heavy

vehicles which in term demands high safety and warning protocols; and it starts with being equipped with reliable safety products from manufacturers who truly understand the technicalities behind each,” said Shajahan Azeez, Business Operations manager, Eint Automotive. “Keeping with the interests of our customers, we have teamed up with the very best providers of safety and warning equipment and brought to Oman quality products that are affordable, reliable and durable.”

Vision Alert’s comprehensive product portfolio consists of beacons, mini-bars, light-bars, reversing safety systems, auxiliary lighting, sirens and speakers, work lamps, flood lights, amber warning lights, red/blue warning

lights, CCTVs and other lighting accessories.

Popularly used in Oman are the beacon lamps that come with a variety of applications including strobe, rotator, LED and incandescent models. Featuring smooth and quiet belt-driven rotators, all models come with numerable mounting options to choose from.

It also incorporates unique freeform optical reflectors to maximise beam pattern and light output.

In addition to that, Vision Alert’s light-bars also find extensive usage among key country operators like the police, ambulance, fire and recovery and airports.

The ECCO Smart Alarms selfadjust to their environment as they constantly measure ambient noise and adjust their sound level

accordingly, creating a volume that is safe without being annoying. The Multi-Frequency alarms maintain a safe warning signal for those in the danger zone of reversing vehicles and minimise disturbance to people living or working nearby. With multiple projects in progress, such smart electronics provide optimal services keeping in mind safety of the people along with being sensitive to environmental noise. Vision Alert’s CCTV uses ECCO’s unique monitor and camera design. The kit includes a feature packed touch screen 5.6” colour monitor and colour infrared camera, providing excellent images even in poor light conditions. For late night hours or dimly lit areas, the work-lamps, available in amber and white, offer the latest technology and the very brightest light to the working environment.

Collectively, Vision Alert offers a wide range of products that has an eye on safety.

ECCO Group’s quality, perfection and engineering reflect through their Vision Alert products. These superior products are then coupled with the dedicated services that Eint Automotive has keenly up kept and enhanced through the years.

MUSCAT: The London-based Arab Bankers Association announced that its 2015 Award for ‘Distinguished Services to Arab Banking’ will be presented to Adel El-Labban, the Group CEO and managing director of Bahrain’s Ahli United Bank (AUB), at its annual gala dinner at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London’s Knightsbridge on November 5.

George Kanaan, chief executive of the Arab Bankers Association, said: “We are honouring Adel El-Labban not only for his achievements in transforming Commercial International Bank into Egypt’s premier bank, and in creating Ahli United Bank, which is now one of the Middle East’s premier pan-regional banks; but we are also honouring him for the moral tone that he sets in his own bank and beyond at a time when banks and bankers in many parts of the world have lost the trust of the people they are supposed to serve.

“Adel El-Labban is a modern banker with traditional values and it will be our privilege to honour him.”

El-Labban said: “I am delighted to be honoured by the Arab Bankers Association. I have been grateful for the opportunities given to me to work with and build banks that have become flagships for financial services in the Arab world, including Ahli United Bank where I continue to work with my colleagues to further develop its role as one of the region’s premier pan-regional banks.”

The annual gala is the premier social event for the Middle East financial community in London and attracts more than 250 guests, including many from the Middle East.

Ahli United Bank is a Bahrainbased bank with a presence in five other Arab countries and a wholly-owned subsidiary in London. The group was created in 2000 and has been led by Adel ElLabban since that time.

B6

W EDNESDAY, OCTOB ER 7, 2015

ROUND-UP Toyota Corolla: Comfort with outstanding safety

FA S H I O N S TAT E M E N T

Pathreeker to exhibit her jewellery designs at Mrunal’s Boutique

Customers can avail of a service package for upto three years or 30,000km (whichever is earlier) covering three services at 10,000km service interval based on normal operating conditions

MUSCAT: To many enthusiasts in the automotive industry, the 11th Generation of the world famous Toyota Corolla is no less than an icon. It has a legendary reputation for providing low operating costs, high comfort levels and unyielding reliability along with outstanding safety.

All of this is topped-up by the delightful resale value that a Corolla commands, even after years of use.

Add to it the benefits galore available until November 12 and it’s a mouthwatering deal no one would want to miss, says a press release.

Customers can avail of a service package for upto three years or 30,000km (whichever is ear-

lier) covering three services at 10,000km service interval based on normal operating conditions.

There also is comprehensive 1 year Insurance (Oman only) on 2015 YM of 2015 production. Insurance benefit would be given up to the extent applicable for private vehicles only. Also available is 1st Year Registration on 2015 YM models of 2015 production.

“Indeed, it is a good time to own a global best-seller about which it is said that ‘The name ‘Corolla’ represents the peak of Toyota’s renowned quality engineering, design evolution and value-for-money focus. This is unmatched in its class. That said, customers are to be thanked for their faith in Toyota and for making it a best-seller in the region,” says a spokesperson.

“Making a strong design statement with its unique visual signature, the Corolla signifies Toyota’s brand evolution. The Corolla’s design theme combines clean lines

and balanced proportions to give the new vehicle an immediate visual impact. The design lends itself to an even more spacious cabin that offers refined comfort and class-leading legroom with abundant storage space. It tapers at the front and rear of the vehicle to help emphasise the wheel arches and wheels-to-the-corner stance,” adds the spokesperson.

The Corolla offers choices between compact, lightweight engines that deliver exhilarating performance and outstanding fuel economy. As explained by the spokesperson, “ Customers can choose a never-before, powerful 2.0 L Engine with maximum power of 143 HP (Net). The second option is a 1.6 L engine delivering 121 HP (Net).”

Engineered to provide high active and passive safety standards, the Corolla also offers enhanced pedestrian impact protection. The adoption of numerous energy absorbing components offer signifi-

RAFFLE PRIZES

cantly improved pedestrian protection in the event of a frontal impact.

For occupant protection, impact-absorbing structures have been adopted for the interior part of the pillar areas to ensure cabin safety. To help reduce the impact of a collision on occupants, the Corolla is equipped with SRS airbags for the driver and front passenger.

In addition to the above, the all new Corolla also features other class-leading features such as LED projector headlamps with integrated-type daylight running lights, smart entry system + start/ stop button, new audio system with USB+AUX, 3.5’’ TFT multiinformation display, retractable outer mirrors with turn signals, audio + MID controls on steering wheel, cruise control and moonroof, amongst others.

In Oman, Toyota outstanding product quality is supported by the nationwide parts and service network of Saud Bahwan Automotive.

MUSCAT: Mrunal’s Boutique announced an upcoming event showcasing Paragon Designs by Aruna Pathreeker.

The designs will be on display on October 17 and 18 at Mrunal’s Boutique, Qurum, from 10.30am to 7pm, says a press release.

Mrunal’s Boutique is a pioneer in fashion scene of Oman for the past several years, promoting culture and heritage from India and around the world.

Aruna Pathreeker started her foray into jewellery designing as an offshoot of her own desire to wear a correct piece that will go with her clothes and occasion.

She has been into designing for almost two decades. She established her company Paragon Designs at the turn of century.

Her designs show a classic blend of both purist and trendy – be it in jhumkas, kadas or necklaces. Her concept of using bajuband (armbands) as a neck piece has been widely appreciated that has the repeat clients asking for more.

She continues to have international showings of her designs

among the dress conscious people in cities from London to Hong Kong not to mention Malaysia and Sri Lanka. In the Middle East region Dubai is her regular stop.

And now she is here in Oman , specifically before the festive season with her Nawabi & American Diamond Collection that are extremely affordable, keeping in mind the world economy.

As a brand – each of her piece is hand crafted, well finished product and is simply a head turner and a piece of conversation in right circles.

The location of the boutique can be found at www.mrunalsboutique.com or by calling 24567599.

ARAB ICON

Home Centre appoints Nancy Ajram as its brand ambassador

National Detergent launches ‘Bahar Bonanza’ promotion MUSCAT: The much-awaited Bahar Bonanza promotion is back.

Consumers shopping for National Detergent Company’s (NDC) products have a chance to win Samsung smartphones and Dell laptops till November 27.

The promotion, which kicked off on September 15, has mega raffle prizes like Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (5 winners), grand raffle prizes like Samsung Galaxy S6 (15 winners), Dell laptop (20 winners) and Samsung mobile (25 winners).

The promotion is available in Lulu Hypermarket, The Sultan Center, Mars Hypermarket, Karama Group and K. M. Trading, says a press release.

For every purchase of NDC

products worth OMR3, a scratch and win card plus a raffle coupon is given to the consumer. For purchase worth OMR5, consumers get two scratch and win cards and raffle coupons. There is 20,000 scratch and win prizes to be won during the promotion period. As an added attraction, 100 winners will get a mobile phone worth OMR50 for collecting combination of alphabets ‘BA+HA+R’ in the coupons. The first raffle draw is on November 2 while the second is scheduled for December 2.

Commenting on the promotion, A. K. Shaji, head of Business Development at NDC, said: “We are really excited to bring back our popular ‘Bahar Bonanza’ with a re-

vamped prize pool which includes very special prizes for our customers. Through this, we aim to engage with a wider customer base. It has been our constant endeavour to bring the most incredible and unique promotions to our customers in Oman.”

The NDC promotions are supported by Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE).

Through its Origin Oman campaign, PEIE promotes products manufactured in the Sultanate.

The campaign creates awareness and increases the visibility of Omani products while encouraging residents to buy Omani and avail of the quality services available in the country.

MUSCAT: Home Centre, the largest home retailer in the Middle East, announced the appointment of Arab icon Nancy Ajram as their brand ambassador.

This is a special announcement that comes on the occasion of Home Centre’s 20th Anniversary, says a press release.

Speaking about the collaboration, Médéric Payne, CEO of Home Centre said: “This is an important and exciting year for Home Centre and we are very pleased to welcome Nancy Ajram to our Home Centre family. Nancy shares Home Centre’s key attributes of being born in the Mena region. Her family oriented image makes her perfectly complement a brand like ours. A well-loved celebrity with international recognition, Nancy Ajram is a household name in the Arab world. She truly represents our spirit of celebration which we want to share with our customers through our anniversary year.”

Nancy Ajram spoke about her association with the region’s largest home brand, “My career has always taken me far and wide, performing across the region and staying long hours out of home.

So the one thing that I have always cherished is the sentiment of coming home to my family.

Through the many years Home Centre has also reflected this

warm feeling of making people love coming back home. I am delighted to be associated with Home Centre, a brand which touches the lives of so many people at a place that is closest to their hearts.”

Nancy Ajram will be seen showcasing Home Centre’s inspirational furniture pieces and elegant accessories in the brand’s global campaign. The singer’s graceful and glamorous appear-

Through the many years Home Centre has also reflected this warm feeling of making people love coming back home. I am delighted to be associated with Home Centre, a brand which touches the lives of so many people at a place that is closest to their hearts Nancy Ajram Arab singer

ance, will be reflected in a series of TV, print, outdoor and digital advertisements. This year’s Home Centre catalogue features some of Nancy’s favourite pieces from the brand’s latest collections.

NEW DYNAMIC DESIGN

Discovery Sport Dynamic makes global debut at Frankfurt Motor Show MUSCAT: Land Rover has further enhanced the visual appeal of its latest premium, compact SUV with the launch of the Discovery Sport Dynamic at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Striking design The Discovery Sport Dynamic features a number of exterior enhancements, including Narvik Black exterior details, body-coloured mouldings and door claddings and the choice of a unique new 19” wheel design in Satin Dark Grey, or a 20” Gloss Black wheel. Combined with new interior colours and detailing, the new Dynamic design option creates a powerful and striking impression, says a press release.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director and Chief Creative Officer said: “The Discovery Sport Dynamic has been created to heighten the design appeal of

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the Discovery Sport. Gloss black is a key accent colour differentiator on the exterior, while the use of body coloured bumpers and door claddings emphasise its on-road, sporty presence. With the launch of the Discovery Sport Dynamic, we are offering our customers greater choice in the look and feel of their vehicle.”

All-terrain capability The capability of the Discovery Sport is heightened by the introduction of All Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) for 2016. ATPC is an advanced system that enables drivers to set and maintain a steady speed in off-road condi-

tions. Developed by Land Rover’s industry-leading all-terrain specialists, ATPC functions similarly to a cruise control system, operational between 2km/h and 30km/h. The system adapts the vehicle’s behaviour according to the terrain, allowing even novice

users the control of an expert offroad driver.

ATPC also features a dedicated Launch feature, allowing the vehicle to pull away smoothly and easily, even on problematic lowfriction surfaces like ice, snow or wet grass. Supplementing the

Discovery Sport’s large and varied suite of technologies is a new feature called Gesture Tailgate. This provides the user with the ability to open and close the powered tailgate by means of a kick gesture, enabling the user hands-free access to the load space.

E-Capability To help customers identify the most efficient derivative, Land Rover has introduced ‘E-Capability’ to Discovery Sport. Models that deliver the best possible CO2 for each variant will be recognisable with a blue SPORT badge at the rear of the vehicle.

The Discovery Sport E-Capability eD4 produces 123g/km CO2. The two-wheel drive variant, which features the proven 150PS Ingenium Diesel engine, offers improvements in fuel consumption and further efficiency compared to the four-wheel drive model, making it a particularly desirable option for fleet and business customers.

The Discovery Sport, the first member of Land Rover’s new Discovery family, has enjoyed a highly successful launch, with sales reaching nearly 30,000 in the first half of 2015.

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RECRUI JOB POSTINGS

Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is. — Vince Lombardi

CAREER COACH

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

Why you should conduct a mid-year career review!

WHY conduct a mid-year career review? Ideally you have a mindset that you own your career; that is, that you have your hands on the present and future of your career. Neither your boss nor your employer really cares about your career advancement — or certainly, are not as invested in it as you should be. Thus, conduct a mid-year review totally for your benefit — to help move your career forward.

Five-step process for conducting a mid-year career review 1. Review your career goals: While it’s helpful if you created some career resolutions at the beginning of the year that you can examine for progress, it’s much more important to assess where

you are in your career — and where you want to be next.

2. Evaluate your accomplishments: What have you accomplished in the first half of the year — both in your job and in your professional development?

At mid-year, develop a list of your key accomplishments for the year.

How have you excelled at your job?

How did you facilitate your employer’s continuing success? Did you help boost revenues or better efficiencies? Bring a new project or product online? If you’re unhappy with the quality or quantity of your accomplishments, make a plan for improving them in the second half of the year.

3. Develop/adjust career plans

for second half of the year.

Whether you are much of a planner or not, this step is serious if you have a vision of your future career. It’s great to have a goal, but you’re much more likely to succeed — and in a timely fashion — if you make plans to help achieve that goal.

4. Consider a ‘Career-cation’: A large number of workers take vacations and holidays around this time of year, so the timing is perfect to carve out a piece of that vacation for focusing on your career.

Focusing on your career should be something enjoyable and motivating and self-empowering. Often that is just not the case when you work a 40+ workweek and want to use your days off for fun

and personal issues and errands... so, carving out a piece of your vacation is the perfect solution.

5. Celebrate successes; defeat setbacks: Once you completed the first four steps, you should have a firm understanding of your career successes and setbacks so far this year — as well as plans to move your career forward for the second half.

Final thoughts on your midyear career review Working on enhancing and improving your career now that we’ve reached the mid-point of the year should be an enjoyable task — and one made easier with the steps outlined in this article.

— Randall S. Hansen/www.quintcareers.com

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Sindbad Silver offer for Bank Muscat-Oman Air cardholders Bank Muscat Oman Air cardholders are required to register to participate in the promotion at http:// sindbad.omanair.com and outbound travel should be completed

by October 31

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat Oman Air cobranded cardholders can fasttrack to Sindbad Silver Tier by flying just one return Business or First Class trip to any international destination on Oman Air. The offer is open for all travel between October 1 and October 31 2015.

Earlier Bank Muscat Oman Air credit cardholders were required to fly two return sectors within six months to enjoy this privilege.

Now all they have to do is fly 1 return trip in a 1-month period. Bank Muscat Oman Air cardholders are required to register to participate in the promotion at http://sindbad. omanair.com and outbound travel should be completed by October 31, 2015.

As a privileged cardholder, customers are entitled to earn and accumulate Sindbad miles on all card transactions and enjoy fasttrack to Sindbad Silver Tier.

The benefits of Sindbad Silver Tier include 15kg extra baggage allowance, business class lounge access, 7 per cent discount on inflight duty free purchases, 25 per cent bonus Sindbad miles, checkin at business class counter regardless of the class of travel and priority baggage delivery on arrival at destination.

The Bank Muscat Oman Air cobranded cardholders can also earn double Sindbad miles while flying to any international destination

between October 1 and December 15, 2015.

The cobranded card offers a wide variety of benefits and rewards, including membership to Sindbad Frequent Flyer Programme from the national carrier Oman Air. Notably, benefits accrue on all card transactions. For every OMR1 spent on the card, cardholders are rewarded with 2 miles on Sindbad Frequent Flyer Programme. The accumulated miles can be redeemed for Oman Air tickets, upgrades and to purchase Duty Free products at the newly

launched Sindbad Online Muscat Duty Free store. On enrolment, all cardholders receive a bonus of 1000 Sindbad miles.

The Sindbad Programme privileges include dedicated check-in counters at Muscat International Airport, extra baggage allowance on Oman Air flights, discount on inflight Duty Free purchases, Majan lounge access, priority baggage status, Business Class upgrade and much more.

Cardholders will be among a select few for upgrade to the World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat,

besides regular and exclusive promotions and offers available through Oman Air and tie-up with leading merchants and retailers.

The card spells convenience with worldwide acceptance and facilitates secure online shopping, besides free travel protection insurance and 24 hour customer care.

The Bank Muscat Oman Air card is a prestige offering designed to elevate the banking and travel experience.

The integration of banking and airline services emanating from the card offers a unique proposition to the largest banking and travel community in Oman.

The card spells convenience with worldwide acceptance and facilitates secure online shopping, besides free travel protection insurance and 24 hour customer care. The Chip & PIN card enhances security and gives peace of mind for all transactions, including everyday shopping. Transactions are authorised by Personal Identification Number (PIN) instead of signature. The annual subscription charge for the card is OMR15.

SUPPORT

Oxy Oman sponsors camel races MUSCAT: Occidental of Oman Inc. (Oxy Oman) and Oman Camel Racing Federation announced the signing of a sponsorship agreement whereby Oxy Oman will sponsor three camel races to be held in October, November and December this year.

The signing ceremony was held in the building of Oman Camel Racing Federation in Azaiba. Sheikh Hussam Al Nabhani, vice president for Corporate and External Affairs of Oxy Oman, and Sheikh Said bin Saud Al Ghafaili, chairman of Oman Camel Racing Federation were signatories for their respective organisations, says a press release.

EXHIBITION

EduTraC sets stage for higher education institutions from UK MUSCAT: Each year more than 250,000 overseas students arrive in the UK to study programmes ranging from English language courses to university degrees.

The second edition of EduTraC Oman 2015 will take place from October 12 - 14 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre from 10am to 1pm and 4:30pm to 9pm.

The expo will support students and parents in finding the most suitable courses and programmes which students can pursue in the United Kingdom. Students visiting the expo can meet college and university admissions representa-

tives to learn about course content, entry requirements and scholarships, says a press release.

Alastair Long, Deputy Head of Mission at UK Trade & Investment from the British Embassy in Oman said, “Educational cooperation is an important bridge to promote exchanges and foster friendship between the two countries which in turn contributes to developing sustainable relations. The high level of participation of UK Education Institutions at EduTrac Oman reflects the continued popularity of UK as a study destination among Omani students. This expo will

help forge long term and enduring partnerships between Omani students and UK institutions. Omani students are a valued part of our diverse academic community and I expect their university experience will sustain personal and business links with UK for years to come.”

Zainab Al Barwani, Projects Manager at British Council said, “The British Council in Oman is very pleased to support EduTraC Oman 2015. The increase in students represents a milestone in higher education cooperation between UK and Oman. We look forward to continuing to partner with

the UK Universities and Colleges in promoting British education to Omani students.”

Kate Clarke, MD and education adviser at Al Ahlam Higher Education Services said, “UK is the number one destination for English language study and ranks second in the world for university education. Al Ahlam Higher Education Services is delighted to participate as the UK Counselling Partner at EduTraC Oman 2015 and will host the ‘Study in UK’ seminar which will answer all queries on what it is like to live a student’s life and to study in the UK.”

E X PA N S I O N

TAC opens new showroom for Mazda, Geely and JAC trucks in Al Mawaleh MUSCAT: Towell Auto Centre (TAC) — one of the leading automobile distributors in Oman — has recently opened a stunning new showroom for Mazda, Geely and JAC trucks at Al Mawaleh.

The showroom has been built with the aim to give customers a new and exciting location in which to visit and experience TAC’s wide array of world renowned automobile brands, says a press release.

Elegant and visually appealing, the Al Mawaleh showroom has been designed to exude freshness and vibrancy in keeping with TAC’s objectives of customer delight and the brand values. Customers and prospects visiting the new showroom will be guided and helped by TAC’s warm, welcoming and highly knowledgeable sales team.

A senior spokesperson of TAC

says: “TAC’s new showroom at Al Mawaleh is well-equipped to take care of all automotive needs of our evolving customers. Our constant endeavour is to expand to different parts of the Sultanate, in order to give customers the benefit of having showroom locations close to their homes to choose from.

We plan to continue our ongoing expansion in the future as well,

so that all the brands and services under our vast portfolio become more accessible and within the easy reach of our customers and prospects in the country.”

In Oman, TAC represents Mazda cars, Geely Cars, Zhengzhou Nissan Commercial Vehicles, Higer Buses and Pick ups, JAC trucks and International Trucks in the automotive arena.

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

HSBC Bank Oman empowers female Omani entrepreneurs MUSCAT: As part of its commitment to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Sultanate, HSBC Bank Oman, in partnership with Riyada and the British Council, recently delivered the award winning Springboard Women’s Development Programme to 32 female Omani entrepreneurs in Muscat.

The three-day programme aimed to equip attendees with the skill sets required to succeed in their various personal and professional ambitions and achieve senior positions within their designated organisations and businesses. The bank will also be holding two further training sessions in Salalah and Al Dakhiliyah, says a press release.

“We believe that supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs goes well beyond providing funding,” said Andrew Long, CEO of HSBC

Bank Oman. “One of our top priorities is to help educate aspiring young Omanis so they can achieve their ambitions, by providing them with access to the right information, leveraging the considerable international expertise of HSBC Group,” he added.

The Springboard programme in Muscat focused on personal leadership on the first day, followed by change management on day two, and leadership and emotional intelligence on the final day.

The Springboard Women’s Development Programme covers a number of different areas, including leadership in times of change and problem solving, analytical skills, communication skills and emotional intelligence.

“We are delighted to be working with HSBC Bank Oman on this programme in support of SMEs and women’s empowerment, both of which are crucial to Oman’s future,” added Paul Hilder, country director of the British Council in Oman.

Almutajarida Al Mundhiriyah, director of the Guidance Department and Training at Riyada, said: “We are pleased to have joined with HSBC Bank Oman and the British Council on this project.

Women entrepreneurs from a variety of enterprises attended to gain valuable leadership and management knowledge.”

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T20s in the US will help us globalise the game: Tendulkar > C3

SPOR YOUR GAME

BARAKAT BAGS 100M GOLD AT MILITARY WORLD GAMES

Oman’s star sprinter Barakat Al Harthy bagged the Sultanate’s first gold medal of the ongoing Military World Games when he sprinted to 100m victory in South Korea on Tuesday. Barakat, a former Asian Games bronze medalist, clocked 10.16 seconds to pip Iran’s Reza Ghaseni to the gold. Reza was timed at 10.18 seconds. Morocco’s Aziz Ouhadi took bronze in a time of 10.25 seconds. In the 400m final, Oman’s Ahmed Saleh finished eighth.

He clocked 46.82 seconds. The gold in the event went to Saudi Arabia’s Yousef Masrahi, who timed 45.18 seconds.

Barakat’s gold is only the second medal the Omanis had won at the ongoing Games. The other medal, a bronze, was won by the Sultanate’s women shooters Reem Al Housni, Hanan Al Ghabshi and Fakhari Al Jahaffi in the trap event. With one gold and one bronze, Oman are in the 15th place in the medal table, which is headed by Russia with 18 gold, seven silver and nine bronze. Brazil (10-6-3) are in second and China (6-3-12) occupy the third place. — Times of Oman file picture

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Qatar in AFC U-19 finals Having recorded earlier Group D victories over Kyrgyzstan (7-1) and Lebanon (4-0), Qatar needed only a draw while nothing less than a victory would have sufficed for second-placed Oman. However, the hosts edged out Oman 2-1

DOHA: AFC U-19 Championship 2014 champions Qatar came from a goal down to defeat Oman 2-1 on Tuesday and earned the right to defend their title at next year’s finals, having qualified as Group D winners.

Having recorded earlier Group D victories over Kyrgyzstan (7-1) and Lebanon (4-0), Qatar needed

only a draw from the top-of-the-table clash at the Grand Hamad Stadium while nothing less than a victory would suffice for second-placed Oman, who made a stuttering start to their qualifying campaign when they drew 0-0 with the Lebanese before getting back on track with a 4-1 win over the Central Asians.

Qatar’s goal was breached for

the first time in the qualifiers when Oman’s Asad Khamis Al Awadi successfully converted from the spot on the half-hour mark but Qatar were to go into the break on level terms after Turkmenistan referee Charymurat Gurbanov awarded his second penalty of the first half, with Tarek Salman equalising three minutes into stoppage time.

Khalid Muneer Mazeed made it 2-1 just three minutes into the second half with what transpired to be the winning goal as defending champions Qatar took their place at the 2016 AFC U-19 Championship having topped Group D with a hundred percent record.

Qatar will join the nine other group winners and five best second-placed teams (which will be confirmed in due course) at the AFC U-19 Championship, with hosts Bahrain receiving automatic entry to next year’s 16-team tournament.

Syria host Japan at Seeb Stadium MUSCAT: Oman will host two of Syria’s home matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. Oman will play host to Japan’s Group E tie against Syria on October 8 at Seeb Sports Stadium and will also play Afghanistan at the same venue on October 13. These matches will be played simultaneously to Group D’s Oman matches against Iran and India respectively with the venue being Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.

FOOTBALL

Clarke’s praise comes as boost for Ali ahead of Oman’s match against Iran MUSCAT: As Paul Le Guen’s Oman gear up to take on formidable Iran in a crucial qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup, Ali Al Habsi’s recent performance with his English club Reading FC against Middlesbrough and the subsequent praise from his manager Steve Clarke has come as a shot in the arm for the Sultanate’s goalkeeping great.

Oman are scheduled to face Iran in a Group D match at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex here on Thursday. Ahead of the match, which will mark the half way stage of the preliminary second round qualifying, both teams are level on seven points after playing three matches each.

The team who emerge winners on Thursday will be in a pole position to clinch a direct berth at the Asian Cup and also enter the final round of qualifying for the World Cup. Ali, who during the summer moved to English Championship side Reading FC from Wigan Athletic, had come under criticism, especially after a goalkeeping error led to Reading’s 2-1 defeat to Everton in the Capital One Cup on September 22.

Despite the criticism, Steve Clarke chose Ali for goalkeeping

stands the situation and has been in that position before.

“He knew he needed a big game and he produced so that tells me that he’s a good goalkeeper.”

FINDING FORM: Oman goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi is hoped to continue with his excellent form when Oman face Iran.

duties in their match against Middlesbrough following an injury to first choice keeper Jonathan Bond. And the Omani captain reposed the faith shown in him by his manager with a stellar performance in Reading’s 2-0 victory.

Clarke was obviously delighted with the performance of his custodian and according to news posted on the www.getreading.co.uk website, he heaped praise on Ali. “I was delighted with my keeper,” Royals’ boss was quoted as saying by the website. “He’s been criticised for a few mistakes. It’s never nice and it’s always difficult

for a goalkeeper to respond.

“But Ali has good experience.

We had a good chat because he knew pretty early this week he would play because Jonathan was injured. “And he was focused for the game. I thought his handling was superb. He came, punched, caught a couple, took the pressure off and made one fantastic save from the free-kick in the first half.

That gives your defenders confidence as well.”

Clarke added: “It was an important game for him and he reacted like you would expect a senior goalkeeper to react. Somebody who has experience, somebody who under-

Extended spell The report also added that Ali could now have an extended spell in the side due to Bond’s injury.

The England Under-21 international has a calf problem which could keep him sidelined for as long as a month. “It’s a calf strain,” said Clarke, who felt the key moments went Reading’s way against Middlesbrough.

“He was a slight doubt for Burnley last week but he played the game and aggravated it.

“Calf strains can be anything between two to four weeks depending how severe it is. We will just monitor him this week and see how he comes through.”

Hopefully, Ali will continue with his excellent show against Iran, whom Paul Le Guen considers favourites in Thursday’s match. If captain Ali and his teammates manage to come up with a good performance that will surely put them on the path to 2019 Asian Cup and the 2018 World Cup.

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SPORTS

Maxwell can ‘be the best’ Aaron Finch gives thumbs up to Glenn Maxwell, who is eyeing a spot in Australian Test team

MELBOURNE: As Glenn Maxwell looks to stake his claim for the Test team via this summer’s Matador One-Day Cup, his Victoria and Australia colleague Aaron Finch believes that the all-rounder has the potential to be the best player

in the world. Thanks to his international duties, Maxwell hasn’t turned out for the Bushrangers in a 50-over match since November 2012, but blazed a spectacular 98 from 63 balls on Sunday against a New South Wales Invitational XI to warm up for this year’s tournament in impressive fashion.

“He’s looking outstanding at the moment, his future is limitless.

He has the potential to be the best player in the world if he wants to be,” Finch was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Tuesday.

“He’s really in control of his game. When people think of him, they probably think of a bit of a cowboy, who has got all the shots in the book, (but) he’s worked out how to adjust his game now and adjust through the gears of batting,

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Glenn Maxwell

especially in one-day cricket,” he added. Maxwell has had limited opportunities in recent seasons to impress in the red-ball formats due to his automatic selection in Australia’s ODI and T20 teams, and has

previously bemoaned that fact.

His solution this year was a county stint with Yorkshire, in which he scored one century in four matches and averaged 40.66 — a figure fractionally ahead of his first-class career mark of 40.42.

That decision, and some impressive performances with Australia’s one-day team, was rewarded with a recall to the Test squad for the Bangladesh tour, with the all-rounder’s off-spin also a contributing factor to his inclusion.

Finch believes the 26-year-old’s time has come. “He has turned the corner. His technique is tight now, he’s mentally switched on, he has great plans when he bats. I don’t see why he couldn’t have such a huge summer in all formats of the game,” he added. - IANS

CRICKET

Malik in squad for England Tests KARACHI: Pakistan have recalled all-rounder Shoaib Malik from the Test wilderness, adding him as the 16th member to their squad for the three-match series against England starting this month in the United Arab Emirates.

The 33-year-old former Pakistan captain, who last played a Test in August 2010, has been rewarded for his strong form in the limited-overs matches in Zimbabwe, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.

“Following (team manager) Intikhab Alam’s request, I spoke with my fellow selectors and there was unanimity over retaining Malik, keeping in mind his current batting form and the offspin bowling option that could be handy in the all-important forthcoming test series against England,” chief selector Haroon Rashid said.

Malik has played 32 Tests for Pakistan, scoring two hundreds

Shoaib Malik

and eight fifties as well as taking 21 wickets.

He remained unbeaten during the last two matches of the threeODI series in Zimbabwe with a top score of 96 not out. He also took four wickets.

Abu Dhabi hosts the first Test from October 13, with the last two matches taking place in Dubai (October 22-26) and Sharjah (November 1-5). - Reuters LEGALITY QUESTIONED

Pakistan off-spinner Asif reported for suspect bowling action

C O M M E N TA RY

A bit on brain and how Dhoni looks to get brownie points

A

little while after J.P. Duminy sent the ball on its inevitable course to the midwicket boundary to record an easy victory for South Africa, Indian skipper MS Dhoni was trying furiously to spell out how he had been playing all these years with “a bit too much” of brain.

Brain! Really?

From the way he has been trying, and failing, to hit the ball in the last one year or so, you might think that the brain thing was actually a slip of the tongue and what Dhoni really wanted to say was another similar-sounding word, “brawn”, and that his brainy twist to the sorry story unfolded in the earlier part of the evening at Cuttack was actually an attempt, under the not-so-pleasing circumstances, to steal some brownie points.

At the end of the day, it looked like Dhoni got no points, brainy or brownie.

While we could agree with Dhoni that the behaviour of a section of the crowd didn’t amount to any security threat, his attempt at trivializing the incident was more disappointing than the performance of the Indian team.

True, “at times we get reactions like this”, but at times like that leaders like Dhoni should show more responsibility and convey the message clearly to the crowd that such behaviour had no place in cricket.

In Dhoni’s opinion, it was only the first bottle, and after that, they started “throwing for fun”.Throwing for fun?

Because they were deprived of fun they were waiting to see from the Indian batsmen?

Or, was it that they got bored because the South Africans took longer than they had expected to do the killing? The crowd issued the warning at the innings break, waited for as many as 11 overs for the visitors to reach the small target of 93, and as AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla failed, and as Duminy and Farhaan Behardien prolonged the pain knocking up just 14 runs in three overs, and then just seven in the next two overs, the crowd decided they needed fun of a different kind?

Such hilarious possibilities sound more convincing than what Dhoni had tried to offer at the post-match press conference.

Now that Dhoni is looking to use a little less of his brain

when he is out in the middle, and the idea is not really bad, he could use a lot of it before the action begins.

That actually is at the time of selecting the final 11.

The skipper has rewarded Ambati Rayudu enough for taking the snubs with more than a pinch of smile, right from as far and long as Edgbaston in September 2014 (when Dhoni refused to run two singles in the final over) to as near and recent as Dharamsala last Friday (when Rayudu walked back to the dressing room, with a smile, after responding to Dhoni’s call for a non-existing single).

You don’t need too much brain, nor eight years of playing T20 cricket, including five World Cups, to realize that it’s time to think beyond Rayudu and bench a few guys so fresh faces get their opportunities.

Suresh Raina is now more a good cheerleader than a matchwinner.

Perhaps, cheerleaders could do it quite well sitting on the bench, at least for a couple of matches.

Youngster like Mayank Agarwal and Gurkeerat Singh are knocking at the door.

Let them in.

If Team India need to fish out something positive from the Cuttack collapse, it could be the truth that there is no stress on them now.

A week ago, Dhoni may have been walking around with the burden of expectation, of living up to the home advantage and legend, of the margin and manner of winning, of batting with a bit of the new-found selfishness, etc., etc.

After crashing to the second lowest T20 total, and the first lowest at home, and after losing the T20 series pathetically, Dhoni and his army could now feel normal.

Nothing much left to lose, but a brave new world to win over, if the going gets good from now on.

With or without the brain.

The writer is a freelance contributor based in India. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman

GOOD COMENACK

Thought I would never play for my country again: Albie

Bilal Asif

HARARE: Pakistan off-spinner Bilal Asif has been reported for a suspect bowling action following his match-winning performance in Monday’s third one-day international against Zimbabwe in Harare.

The 30-year-old, playing only his second ODI after making his debut two days earlier, took five wickets for 25 runs and then contributed 38 runs as an opener to help Pakistan cruise to a seven-wicket win for a 2-1 series victory.

Match officials, however, cited concerns about the legality of Asif’s bowling action in their report, the International Cricket Council said in a statement on Tuesday.

“He is required to undergo testing within 14 days, and, during this period, Bilal is permitted to continue bowling in international cricket until the results of the testing are known,” the statement added. - Reuters

CUTTACK: All-rounder Albie Morkel, who was awarded manof-the-match for his excellent bowling figures which helped South Africa beat India by six wickets on Monday, said that a few months back he thought he would never get the opportunity to play for his country again.

South Africa took an unassailable 2-0 lead by winning the second Twenty20 International, the last of which will be played at the Eden Gardens on October 8.

Chasing India’s total of 92, South Africa crossed the line with six wickets in hand. J.P. Duminy top-scored with an unbeaten knock of 30, while Morkel returned with figures of 4-0-12-3.

“I think couple of months ago, I thought I would never get the opportunity to play for South Africa again, this is my 50th cap. I’m just

happy to have played a small part in the series win. Fielding plays a massive role in T20 cricket,” Morkel said at the post match presentation ceremony.

“I arrived on Friday, during the first T20. One practice session, but it’s nice, it often works out that way, not too much thinking, just come in and play,” he said.

The 34-year-old all-rounder added: “We got two of their big guns with two fantastic runouts. We got wickets anyway, but throw in those run-outs, and that really put us on top.”

Morkel said he expects India to come back strong in the last T20 match in Kolkata.

“They are a world-class unit, we know what they can do. The series is done now, but I expect them to bounce back in Kolkata,” Morkel said. - IANS

MOMENT OF SUCCESS: South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis (L) congratulates Albie Morkel for taking a wicket in Cuttack. – AFP

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SPORTS Twenty20s in the US will help us globalise game, says Tendulkar Come November, and ‘Sachin’s Blasters’ will take on ‘Warne’s Warriors’ in a three-match T20 series ‘Cricket All-Stars Series 2015’. The other two matches will be held in Houston and Los Angeles on November 9 and 11

NEW DELHI: Sachin Tendulkar says he wants to promote cricket in the United States by engaging the huge South Asian diaspora there through the T20 series for former stars in his endeavour to globalise the sport.

Come November, and ‘Sachin’s Blasters’ will take on ‘Warne’s Warriors’ in a three-match T20 series ‘Cricket All-Stars Series 2015’.

The other two matches will be held in Houston and Los Angeles on November 9 and 11.

“During last year’s MCC bicentenary match at Lord’s, I realised that all of us, I mean the former cricketers still have a lot of passion left. We realised that crowds still come and fill up the stadiums when we play.

“Then I felt that we could continue with our passion and also H A P P Y C A P TA I N

Du Plessis hails bowlers CUTTACK: South African skipper Faf du Plessis rated their bowling performance against India in the second T20I as their “best ever” which has set the tone for their long tour to India.

After skittling out India for 92 in 17.2 overs South Africa recorded a six-wicket win on Monday to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead before going to Kolkata for the last T20 international of the Freedom Series.

“I think possibly it’s the best bowling performance I’ve seen ever in T20Is. It was amazing to see all bowlers fantastic. To beat India 2-0 in India is a huge achievement and we are truly proud of that,” Du Plessis said in the post match news conference.

“As I said before the start of the series, the way you start when you come to India is extremely important. Starting with a couple of losses, it is hard to put yourself back up. The conditions, obviously, when India are on top they play really well.

“So, it was really important for us from a T20 perspective because we are the team that are starting the tour.”

Faf came out with four bowling changes in the first four overs and he said it was a plan to unsettle the Indian batsmen.

“It was not the plan leading up to the week, but it happened through the game. I thought of using Immy (Tahir) upfront. He had not bowled in the Powerplay, but I thought changing things up, trying to be unpredictable so that the batsmen can’t predict what they want to do.”

“There was great variation in that first six overs, there was spin and pace, and then we got wickets. Obviously, there were two key run outs, but getting wickets upfront is key always.

Our bowlers did that always.

Once again it was a great bowling performance. To knock the runs off quite clinically was also important.” — PTI

promote cricket in different parts of the world,” Tendulkar told PTI during an exclusive interaction on Tuesday.

While there has been an official ODI game between New Zealand and West Indies, played at Florida, the United States remains an unchartered territory for cricket even as the likes of Tendulkar, Warne, Curtly Ambrose, Ricky Ponting get ready to enthrall their fans in this part of the world.

Asked if Tendulkar’s presence will open the American market for Indian cricket, his response was a cautious one. “I don’t know whether it will open the market for India but the basic idea is to get the locals excited and get them involved with the game of cricket. This is an ideal opportunity to globalise the game.

It gives us opportunity to take

READY FOR ACTION: Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne. – File picture

cricket to the US,” Tendulkar said.

Asked about the famous Sachin Tendulkar-Sourav Ganguly combination opening the batting against Glenn McGrath and Curtly Ambrose, Tendulkar laughed and said, “That is precisely the idea of these matches. I have so many friends in the United States and there are so many people who are cricket fans. However, many of them have never got a chance to watch us live in action.

“Many of friends would travel

to India to watch me play, but this will give an opportunity to all of them to watch all these superstars live in action,” said Tendulkar.

Not someone to take even exhibition games lightly, Tendulkar has started light training and he intends to build it up as time progresses. “Well, I haven’t started practising with that intensity but it is a slow start. I gradually plan to build it up,” he sounded as focussed as ever as he gets ready for some intensive net session at the Bandra

Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

When asked if he would train with the Mumbai Ranji team, he explained, “No, it would be wrong to disturb Mumbai Ranji team’s training schedule. Also I need to do T20 specific training and they are playing Ranji Trophy. But yes, I would love to be around the Mumbai Ranji team,” said the maestro. Among others players include Pakistan’s Wasim Akram, West Indies’ Brian Lara, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, England’s

Michael Vaughan and Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene.

Brian Bedol, a sports television executive and investor in the event, called the “Cricket All-Star Series,” likened it to Pele’s arrival in the US in the 1970s, or “if you had LeBron (James) and Michael Jordan doing a tour of Europe for the first time.

“They’re past their prime but for the old timers it’ll be fun to watch them,” Kumar Balakrishnan, an officer in the Staten Island Cricket Club was quoted as saying.

The event has been organised

by Leverage Agency, the sports and entertainment firm.

“You’re not sitting there for a day or two. It’s going to be a fastpaced event with a lot of runs,” said Ben Sturner its CEO. Three baseball stadiums are being converted into a cricket stadium for the purpose.

With the help of a pitch specialist from New Zealand, the elements of the pitch are being crafted in Indianapolis and will be trucked to the stadiums, the report said. Warne said all these games would be highly competitive.

“To make history in America playing these cricket games myself and Sachin walking out and tossing the coin in New York at Citi Field will be a pretty epic moment,” he said. - PTI

P L AY I N G I T D O W N

Don’t take crowd trouble that seriously: Dhoni CUTTACK: India’s limited overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni sought to down play the boorish crowd behaviour, where he termed throwing of bottles as “not so serious” and “done just for fun”, even though legendary Sunil Gavaskar blasted the authorities demanding strict punishment. “We should not be taking such things seriously. I still remember we played in Vizag once and we won the game very easily and that time also a lot of bottles were thrown. It starts with the first bottle and then its more of a fun for the spectators.”

The skipper however said the players’ security was never compromised. “When it comes to the

safety of the players, I don’t think there was any serious threat. A few of the powerful people in the crowd where throwing the bottles into the ground and the umpires felt it was safe to stay in the centre or go off the ground. “We didn’t play well and at times you get reaction like these. It’s only the first few bottles that are hurled with serious intent, after that they just do it for fun.”

South African T20I skipper du Plessis on the other hand condemned the incident and hoped there’s not a repeat in their long 72-day tour of India which also includes five ODIs and four Tests.

“It’s not nice to see it. I have played 5-6 years of cricket in India, and I

have never seen that. So, you don’t want that to be a part of the game.

You come here to compete, and the best team walks away winning.

“To have that happening, I don’t think it’s a good thing. It should not happen. Even the way the game was played towards the end, it lost its intensity because obviously India thought that we have already won as we needed only 20 runs.

Disappointing in that sense, and hopefully it is the first and the last time we see it on this tour.”

Asked whether it’s limited to sub-continents only, Du Plessis said: “It is a difficult question to answer. All around the world you get people who get really passionate

about their team. Sometimes you cross that boundary you shouldn’t.

“This is the first time I have experienced in India, so I can’t say it happens a lot. But as you said, it happens a lot in the sub-continental conditions. That’s definitely to do with the passion that fans have. But, its surely not something we as players want to be a part of the game.

“Obviously, player security is very important wherever we go across the world. Let’s just hope that it’s a bad day at the office.”

Former Indian captain Gavaskar had earlier blasted the Odisha police and advocated that Cuttack should not be given an international for the next couple of years. - PTI

STAYING COOL: Indian skipper

MS Dhoni. – AFP

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FIFA Presidential candidate Chung ‘facing suspension’

on Tuesday

Blatter has run FIFA for the past 17 years and recently become the focus of a criminal investigation but has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged.

Chung has been heavily critical of Blatter, saying from the outset that he feared his own presidential campaign would be undermined, describing the Ethics Committee as Blatter’s “hitman”.

“The true danger is that they are not only sabotaging my candidacy.

They are sabotaging FIFA’s election and FIFA itself,” Chung said.

“As preposterous as it may sound, there are media reports that Mr. Blatter plans to stay on as President once all the presidential candidates are forced out.

“However, the election is in danger of being turned into a farce.”

SEOUL: South Korea’s Chung Mong-joon has said he is facing a 15-year suspension by FIFA’s Ethics Committee that has “sabotaged” his campaign for the FIFA Presidency, but he denied any wrongdoing and vowed to continue his bid to lead soccer’s world governing body.

Speaking at a news conference in Seoul on Tuesday, Chung read out a nine-page statement, addressing the charges against him, which he dismissed as a ploy “to prevent me from running for the President of FIFA.” “The fundamental reason why I am being targeted is that I aimed straight at the existing power structure of FIFA,” Chung said.

Bound by confidentiality rules, FIFA’s Ethics Committee has not made any statements on Chung’s case and there was no immediate response to his comments on Tuesday.

Chung said he was being charged with violating six articles from FIFA’s Code of Ethics, which he said stemmed from his “support” for South Korea’s 2022 World Cup bid and his proposal to launch a Global Football Fund (GFF). “Ethics committee is not charging me with criminal offense, and it is not charging me with ‘bribery,’ ‘corruption’ or ‘conflict of interest,’ he said.

“All that the ethics committee is relying on is that I have not fully ‘cooperated’ or ‘collaborated’ with the investigation and that I had violated ‘confidentiality’ requirements.” Chung said his proposals

Ongoing investigations FIFA’s awarding of the 2018 and 2022 competitions to Russia and Qatar is just one of the strands under scrutiny from U.S. and Swiss authorities investigating corruption in the organisation that run’s the world’s most popular sport.

Scandals surrounding global soccer exploded in May, when 14 soccer officials and sports marketing executives were indicted on U.S. charges of racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud in relation to bribery schemes that dated back decades.

Last month, Blatter’s right hand man Valcke was suspended following accusations regarding ticket sales at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Valcke denies any wrongdoing.

A week later, Swiss prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into Blatter on suspicion of mismanagement and misappropriation of funds.

Some of soccer’s major sponsors have since issued calls for the immediate resignation of Blatter but the 79-year-old has responded by saying he would not quit.

“In June, the European Parliament urged Blatter to resign. Recently, it was joined by the British government and some of FIFA’s sponsors. I appreciate their efforts,” Chung said.

“But they are friends of football, not the constituents of FIFA. The constituents of FIFA are the national associations.

“Therefore, it is not right for national association to remain bystanders. FIFA is much sicker than it looks.” - Reuters

Bound by confidentiality rules, FIFA’s Ethics Committee has not made any statements on Chung’s case and there was no immediate response to his comments

Ethics committee is not charging me with criminal offense, and it is not charging me with ‘bribery,’ ‘corruption’ or ‘conflict of interest’ Chung Mong-joon, South Korea for the establishment of a GFF were in line with FIFA’s rules at the time and had already been investigated and cleared.

He provided copies of two letters, dated 10 Nov. 2010 and signed by former FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke, stating that FIFA agreed the integrity of the bidding process had not been affected so the matter was deemed closed.

“Yet the Ethics Committee has now asked for 15 years of sanction for this,” Chung said. “With the campaign season starting, even issues that had been closed many years ago, have a way of being revived.”

Vindication The scion of Korea’s Hyundai industrial conglomerate, Chung vowed to fight the charges, adding “ultimately, I will prevail and will be vindicated.”

In November, Chung was named in FIFA’s Ethics report into the bidding process for the World Cups in 2018 and 2022, in which South Korea made a bid to host.

The report followed an investi-

gation led by U.S. lawyer Michael Garcia and looked into letters that Chung sent, in late 2010, to FIFA executive committee members about a proposal to establish a GFF for soccer development.

“According to those letters, Korea intended to raise US$777 million from 2011 to build new football infrastructure and renovate existing facilities,” said the report, which added that the fund was linked to South Korea’s 2022 bid.

“There was nothing unusual about GFF. The GFF was perfectly in line with the football development projects that FIFA asked every bidding country to propose as part of their bid requirement,” Chung said. “No money or personal favours were exchanged in relation to GFF and no such charges were made against me.”

Chung, a 63-year-old billionaire who previously served as a FIFA vice-president, formally announced in August that he was running for the FIFA presidency.

The incumbent, Sepp Blatter, is to stand down in February.

INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE

HURRAH: Kerala Blasters FC players celebrate after scoring a goal during their ISL match against North East United FC. – PTI

Kerala Blasters thrash NE United KOCHI: Their super star coowner Sachin Tendulkar cheering them from the stands, Kerala Blasters FC got their campaign off to a rollicking start, recording a convincing 3-1 win over NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) football here on Tuesday.

After a goal-less first half, Kerala Blasters opened the scoring in the 49th minute through Josu at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

The lead was doubled when former India striker Mohammed Rafi headed one in the 68 minute.

Sanchez Watt soon consolidated the hosts’ position with another goal in the 72nd minute, leaving the visitors clueless.

The NorthEast, who finished last in the inaugural edition, finally found themselves on the scoresheet when Argentine Nicolas Velez brought the margin down with a strike in the 82nd minute. The effort was a mere consolation as last season’s finalist Blasters garnered full points from the game in front of their home crowd.

The Blasters went ahead when Josu, a Barcelona youth product, unleashed a powerful left-footer to send the ball to the top corner of the net after C K Vineeth’s attempted overhead kick fell on his way. Following a long throw-in into the box by Rahul Bheke, Carvalho’s flick was headed in

by Rafi at the far post to leave the home fans jubilant.

More agony was in store for the visiting side as Sanchez Watt, who is a product of the Arsenal youth school, took the ball beautifully after being fed by Bywater and Rafi. Watt was onside and with no defender marking him, it was easy for him to shoot the ball between goalkeeper Rehenesh’s feet and into the back of the net.

Postiga less Atletico to take on Goa MARGAO: Defending champions Atletico de Kolkata may have crossed the Chennayin FC hurdle with ease but face another tough rival in Zico’s FC Goa without their star striker Helder Postiga in an Indian Super League (ISL) encounter here on Wednesday.

The Portuguese international strained his hamstring muscle in the opener against Chennaiyin while scoring his second goal, in a 3-2 win, and had to be stretchered off the field.

The last time the two teams met, Atletico edged past them in the semis on penalties.

Atletico also clinched the away league game of the group stage where Cavin Lobo netted a brace. — IANS

As all looked lost for the northeasterners, Velez reduced the margin after he cut inside following a pass by Silas.

Earlier, in the first half, both teams failed to find the back of the net. When they managed to spilt the defence, their strikers were caught offside. - PTI

E X PA N S I O N

Platini preoccupied as grand plan comes to fruition LONDON: With an almost unbelievably cruel and ironic sense of timing, Michel Platini’s grand plan to open up the European championship finals to more countries than ever before is reaching its climax just as he faces a possible suspension from football.

The 60-year-old UEFA president, former France great, former national team coach and still French football’s most revered icon might be persona non grata when his country hosts the 24team finals next summer.

Instead of basking in some reflected glory after an unexpectedly exciting and open qualifying competition that reaches its climax over the next few days, Platini is facing an uncertain future because of his alleged involvement in a $2.0 million payment from FIFA which is being investigated by the

Swiss authorities. Platini was a strong advocate of expanding the finals from 16 to 24 teams despite widespread opposition from many critics who feared the move would ruin what was regarded as the “perfect tournament.”

But if the qualifiers are anything to go by, the expanded finals could take the Euros to new heights as countries like Iceland, who have never been to a major tournament, and Wales, virtually certain to qualify for one for the first time since 1958, bring a refreshing new look to the old format.

With eight qualifying rounds completed, only Austria, the Czech Republic, England and Iceland have definitely booked their places alongside hosts France next year.

By next Tuesday, 20 of the 24 finalists will be known as will the eight teams going into the four

Michel Platini’s grand plan to open up the European championship finals to more countries is reaching its climax just as he faces a possible suspension

playoffs being played in November.

A total of 52 international matches will kickoff between Thursday and next Tuesday with 32 nations still having hopes of reaching the finals while 17 countries are definitely eliminated.

Nowhere perhaps is the excitement running as high as in Wales, who need just one point from their final two Group B matches against Bosnia and minnows Andorra to reach their first major tournament

since the 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden.

Dramatic rise Manager Chris Coleman has overseen a dramatic rise in Welsh fortunes since he took over from the late Gary Speed in January 2012 with them rising to their highest ever position of eighth in the FIFA world rankings.

Coleman has the good fortune that the world’s most expensive

player Gareth Bale is Welsh, and the Real Madrid player, who has scored six goals in eight qualifiers and was named Wales Footballer of the Year for the fifth successive time on Tuesday, is relishing the chance to go to France.

“We’re close to achieving something that no other (Wales) team has done before and we’re all excited by that,” Bale said when he collected his award.

“We know what we have at stake, but we’re keeping calm and we know what we have to do. We’re only focussed on Bosnia, not Andorra, and we want to get the job done as soon as possible.”

Belgium, third in the FIFA rankings, are one point behind Wales and four in front of Israel and will qualify if they beat Andorra on Saturday which should be a formality.

Their Dutch neighbours are far worse off. Belgium have trailed in the Netherlands’ slipstream for years, but the Dutch are in serious trouble in Group A. With Iceland and the Czech Republic already qualified, Turkey lead the Netherlands by two points, have a better head-to-head record and will secure third spot if they draw in the Czech Republic on Saturday and the Dutch lose in Kazakhstan to miss their first finals since 1984.

None of the other major nations look like missing out.

World champions Germany, reigning champions Spain, Italy, World Cup 2018 hosts Russia and Portugal are all close, while Northern Ireland are just a win away from their first major tournament since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. - Reuters

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Delpodio delivers on home turf to boost ‘Road to Oman’ hopes Englishman Gary Boyd was the runnerup on two-under, cementing his spot in the top 10 in The Road to Oman.

However, it was Delpodio who stole the headlines with an astonishing five-under finish

MUSCAT: Matteo Delpodio coped with the extreme weather conditions in front of his home crowd in Rome to lift the EMC Challenge Open trophy and enter the final weeks of the Road to Oman full of confidence for the big event.

There were only two players who finished under par in Italy which proves how tough it was.

FULL OF CONFIDENCE: Matteo Delpodio

Englishman Gary Boyd was the runner-up on two-under, cementing his spot in the top 10 in The Road to Oman.

However, it was Delpodio who

stole the headlines with an astonishing five-under finish.

The 30 year old received a winner’s cheque for €28,800 which took him into the top 40 on The

Road to Oman with €39,129 in prize money earnings. This should be enough to guarantee his spot in the European Challenge Tour’s season-ending NBO Golf Classic

Grand Final that takes place here in Oman at the spectacular Almouj Golf from November 4 to November 7. The top 45 players on the Road to Oman qualify to compete.

The Italian was ecstatic with his triumph in front of his home fans.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Delpodio said. “I’ve been waiting so long for this moment and to have a victory here in Italy, in Rome, is just a dream come true, a fantastic moment.”

National Bank of Oman Golf Classic defending champion, Max Orrin, will be upbeat that his form is steadily improving with the 2015 NBO Golf Classic Grand Final just around the corner. The Englishman finished in joint-tenth position on two-over par to earn himself € 3,780 and lift him up to 23rd in The Road to Oman.

If the 21 year old can perform as heroically as he did at Almouj Golf last year, there are huge rewards up for grabs. Not only is there a share of the €375,000 prize fund on offer, there’s also the chance to win the most prestigious title of the Challenge Tour season.

The top 15 players on the Road to Oman Rankings following the conclusion of the season-ending event will earn their playing cards to play on next season’s European Tour International Schedule.

GOLF

NAPCO hosts monthly mixed doubles golf events MUSCAT: National Aluminium Products Company (NAPCO), one of the leading extruders of aluminium profiles in the GCC, is organising the NAPCO Monthly Mixed Doubles Golf Tournaments at the Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club.

The monthly tournaments, which last till May next year, are the first golf events to be held Oman that feature mixed teams of men and women golfers.

NAPCO has introduced the concept of Mixed Doubles in golf with an aim to get more local women to get involved in sport.

Robert Holtkamp, CEO of NAPCO, said: “It gives us immense pleasure to host the NAPCO Monthly Mixed Doubles Golf Tournaments in Oman which will

NAPCO are hosting the mixed doubles golf gournaments for the first time in the Sultanate to promote women’s involvement in golf

promote the development of the game in the country. Aside from providing amateur golfers with a platform to display their talent, it will encourage women golfers to improve their game.

“Keeping up with the tradition of NAPCO, we will introduce different formats for each of the eight series to keep the game exciting, entertaining and memorable.

“We are confident that the tournament will receive overwhelming response and become immensely popular among the local golfing community.”

The Crafty Kitchen are catering sponsors of the tournaments.

Other notable sponsors include Dessange Oman Salon & Spa and Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa.

ALL SET FOR NATIONAL GAS COMPANY CRICKET TOURNEY A total of 16 teams will vie for top honours at the sixth edition of National Gas Company cricket tournament to be organised in Rusayil October 9. The tournament draw was held here recently in presence of teams captains and managers. The participating team are Al Faisal Group, Eagle Stickers, OEC, Al Khudh, Bisiya, Tullvers, Muscat Gas, Masters XI, Costal, SS Friends, RC, QAD, HCC, BHR, FCC and Jiffnain XI. The . Fixtures: Al Faisal Group vs Eagle Stickers, OEC vs Al Khudh, Bisiya vs Tullvers, Muscat Gas vs Masters XI, Costal vs SS Friends, RC vs QAD, HCC vs BHR and FCC vs Jiffnain XI. The organisers also announced a number of attractive prizes for the winners and runner-up as well as individual awards. — Supplied photo

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UNIQUE EVENT: National Aluminium Products Co. (NAPCO) CEO

Robert Holtkamp, left, with Ray Stopforth, Director of Golf at Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club. – Supplied photo

ISC BADMINTON

Yogesh and Babu enter veterans singles semifinals MUSCAT: Yogesh Narula and Babu Said Mohamed have advanced to the semifinals of the veterans singles event at the National Bank of Oman-sponsored Annual Badminton Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat.

In the quarterfinals, Yogesh scored a brilliant 21-12, 21-9 victory to upset third seed Ronnie Pereira.

Yogesh played confidently and did his basics right while Ronnie put in an unusually below-par performance.

Yogesh took his chances and built up his lead as Ronnie struggled to match up to the Yogesh’s solid approach.

In the semifinal, Yogesh will take on Sunil Kumar who advanced after second seed PT Francis conceded the match due to ill-health.

Al Maqbali loses Fourth seed Babu Said Mohamed sailed into the semifinals of the veterans’ singles after securing a convincing 21-12, 21-13 victory over Haridas P. Top seed Albert VR downed Omani player Salim Al Maqbali 21-12, 21-15 in round three and in the quarterfinals put in a splendid all-round game to down Shabaz Nasar 21-13, 21-16 to enter the last four.

Second seed Mohamed Harouz was stretched before overcoming the brilliance of talented teenager Leon D’Souza in three games for a 22-20, 2117, 21-11 victory.

Leon should take pride from his performance in which he gave the seasoned campaigner a run for his money.

Third seed Percy Pereira emerged into the last four with a confident 21-10, 21-16 victory over Geemon Baby.

Mathew Thomas knocked out fourth seed Deepak Vadagere 21-11, 23-21.

In second round action of the ISC men’s doubles, the duo of Shibu John and Jahi downed K. Sashindran and Haridas P. 2111, 21-16 and Vinod Abraham and Vineesh defeated Sunil Kumar and Babu Said 21-18, 21-9.

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ALKHATAB AND OMAR AMONG THE BEST AT ASIAN BENCH PRESS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Alkhatab Aulad Thani and Omar Al Zakwani were presented with the best athlete awards at the final presentation ceremony organised at Majan Hotel after the conclusion of the Asian Bench Press Championships on Monday night. The ceremony was presided over by Minister of Sports Affairs Shiekh Saad bin Mohammed Al Mardouf Al Saadi and attended by Undersecretary at the Ministry of Sports Affairs Rashad Al Hinai, Asian Powerlifting Federation chief Farshid Soltani, Oman Committee for Powerlifting chairman Said bin Marhoon Al Ghabshi. Alkhatab (99 points) was declared the best lifter in the sub-junior category, followed by Iraq’s Sajid Moosa and India’s Vivek Kameth in that order. Omar won the top prize in the junior category with Kazakhstan’s Konarbek Kozibaev and India’s Bhaskar Shah taking second and third places. In the men’s open category, the Kazhaks swept the awards with Askar Shokhanov leading the way followed Oleg Butenko and Arslan Suyunshaliev. Iran team won the overall top honours in the men’s open category followed by Kazakhstan and Oman. The hosts, however, finished on top in both sub-junior and junior categories. Iran took second place in the sub-juniors and Iraq settled for second place. Japan and Iraq finished second and third respectively in the junior category.

Romania stun Canada with record fightback The Romanians trailed 15-0 early in the second half after Canada had scored tries either side of the break. Romania, however, made the most of their pronounced forward superiority

LEICESTER: Centre Florin Vlaicu nervelessly slotted a penalty with three minutes left to lift Romania to the biggest comeback win in Rugby World Cup history with a 17-15 Pool D victory over Canada on Tuesday.

The Romanians trailed 15-0 early in the second half after Canada had scored tries either side of the break through wingers DTH Van

SUPERIOR SIDE: Romanian players celebrate after their stunning

victory over Canada in a Pool D match of the Rugby World Cup at Leicester City Stadium in Leicester on Tuesday. – Reuters

Der Merwe — his fourth in as many matches at the World Cup — and Jeff Hassler.

Romania, however, made the most of their pronounced forward superiority and hit back with con-

verted scores from captain and number eight Mihai Macovei in the 53rd and 74th minutes to get within a point.

Canada were down to 14 men after flanker Jebb Sinclair was sin-

binned and the Romanian pack smashed the Canucks at yet another scrum to earn a penalty and give Vlaicu his chance of glory from 35 metres out.

He made no mistake to earn his side their first win in Pool D, condemning Canada to only a second winless tournament in eight World Cup appearances.

The Oaks have one final match against Italy in Exeter on Oct. 11 and could still finish third in the group with a victory to qualify for the 2019 World Cup. The Canadians will rue being unable to make the most of the string of scoring chances in the first half and the inaccuracy with the boot of scrumhalf Gordon McRorie, who missed two penalties and a conversion.

They looked to be on their way to victory, however, when Van Der Merwe squeezed between two defenders and reached over the line to touch down, becoming the first player from a tier two nation to score tries in four successive matches at a World Cup. Only Wales and British and Irish Lions flyer Shane Williams had previously scored a try in all four of his country’s World Cup pool matches, achieving the feat in 2007. - Reuters

FOOTBALL

Mazda car awaits a lucky fan at Oman-Iran match MUSCAT: Mazda, the official partner of the Oman Football Association (OFA), will gave away a Mazda 2 car to a lucky fan during Oman national football team’s World Cup and Asian Cup qualifier against Iran at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Thursday.

According to a press release issued by the OFA on Tuesday, Mazda’s objetive is to play the role of a real partner of the by providing the needed support for development of Oman football.

The lucky fan would be chosen after a raffle during the match.

The company last week dis-

played its new Mazda car at Grand Mall Muscat in the presence of some national team players who also presented signed team jerseys to the public.

The company also distributed several match tickets among the fans. Suresh Nair, Marketing and Communications Manager at the company, said: “We share the same goals as the fans and we believe that offering a Mazda 2 car would contribute to attracting a large number of fans to the match.”

The raffle draw will conducted during the half-time. The match is scheduled to kick off at 6.30 pm.

SAILING

Oman makes waves on land and at sea in Istanbul MUSCAT: Echoing the Sultanate’s rich merchant history, a delegation of Omani traders and sailors headed to Istanbul, Turkey, looking to make a positive impression.

While companies representing the Sultanate of Oman built trade relationships at the Turkey-Oman Business Council Meeting, Oman Sail’s Extreme Sailing teams, The Wave, Muscat and Oman Air claimed the top two positions Act 7 of the Extreme Sailing Series on the Bosphorus.

Organised by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), the Omani Trade Delegation’s presentations at the TurkeyOman Business Council Meeting showcased the business opportunities available in the Sultanate by outlining the country’s investment climate and aims to broaden the Oman’s reach in international markets. The annual TurkishOman Business Council Meeting was organised by the Foreign Economic Relations Board and took place on October 1.

Saeed Saleh Al Kiyumi, OCCI Chairman, led the delegation and

POSITIVE IMPRESSION: Members of the Oman delegation pose for a photo along with crew members

of Oman Sail teams. – Supplied photo

was accompanied by Hayyan Ali Malallah Al Lawati, Managing Director of Al Habib & Co, Hassan Mahboob Hashimani, Managing Director of the Hashimani Group, and Aymen Al Hosni, Director General of Oman Airport Company.

While in Istanbul, the delegates took the opportunity to experi-

ence the adrenaline-fuelled racing where Oman’s representatives were eager to impress. Oman Sail invited the envoy to learn about how sailing has contributed to tourism development and promoted the Sultanate overseas.

Oman Sail’s teams performed incredibly on the water and The

Wave, Muscat holds a commanding overall lead in the Series going into the penultimate Act while Oman Air have their sights set on a podium place with skipper Stevie Morrison looking to build on their best performance of the year at the final Act in Sydney, Australia, in December.

C

SECTION

LIFESTYLE

W EDN ES DAY, OCTOB ER 7, 2 0 1 5

Leisure WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

For an offbeat holiday to an exotic destination in the middle of the sea, consider Seychelles, the 115-island archipelago in the Indian Ocean, just a five-hour flight from Doha or Dubai.

A big surprise awaits you there…

Story Hubert Vaz

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W EDN ESDAY, OCTOB ER 7, 2015

LIFESTYLE

our operators love to call it a honeymoon destination, but Seychelles is really more than that; it is fantastic place for family fun, to visit and take home memories to last a lifetime.

Seychelles is a set of 115 islands, the biggest and most popular of which are Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue, each with its own lures and lores. They say, if you eat the breadfruit in Seychelles, you will come back some day.

A trip to Seychelles can, indeed, materialise at short notice. You need not worry about visas which are given on arrival but you need to book your flights from Doha or Dubai as there are no direct flights to Seychelles from Muscat. The flight duration is less than five hours and the time zone of both are just the same.

When you visit Seychelles, you have to fly to either Mahe island (the capital of which is Victoria, which houses the main Seychelles International Airport) or to Praslin. However, the common practice is to fly to Mahe (where you can stay in any one of the countless resorts and hotels) or take a ferry from Mahe to either Praslin,

La Digue or any other smaller island of your choice. You also have a high-end option of taking a sea plane from Mahe to Praslin, if you are not comfortable with an hour-long sea trip by the efficient catamaran service there. All other islands are reached by a ferry service, a fun experience in itself.

And now, for the big surprise: Seychelles is home to two Unesco World Heritage Sites - the legendary Vallee de Mai in Praslin (considered the Garden of Eden) where the interestingly shaped Coco-demer nut grows on ancient palms, and the fabled Aldabra, the world’s largest raised coral atoll, first seen by early Arab seafarers of the 9th century A.D. Of the 115 islands, 41 inner islands constitute the oldest mid-oceanic granite islands on earth while a further 74 form the five groups of low-lying coral atolls and reef islets that comprise the outer islands.

The climate of Seychelles is always warm but never extreme.

The temperature rarely drops below 24 degrees C or rises above 32 degrees C. Most islands lie outside the cyclone belt making Seychelles a year-round destination for those who love beaches and the sun.

GARDEN OF EDEN

WHAT TO DO

Vallee de Mai is one of the world’s smallest natural World Heritage Sites. This quiet secluded valley forms the heart of the Praslin National Park and is home to the famous and magnificent coco de mer palm. Legend has it, as well as early research suggests, that this forest could have been the most appropriate site for the biblical Garden of Eden for many reasons.

Visit the Unesco heritage site, Vallee de Mai (in Praslin), which historians say was probably the biblical ‘Garden of Eden’.

Till 1930, Vallee de Mai was more or less a virgin forest, little affected by man, unlike much of the rest of Praslin Island. The coco de mer palm that is exclusively found here, is surrounded by myths and legends. This is partly because the strange bi-lobed nuts (weighing 20 kg) were discovered long before the palm itself and partly because of the suggestive shapes of both male and female structures which occur on separate coco de mer palms.

In 1972, Unesco (as part of the World Heritage Convention) set out to list natural and cultural sites throughout the world, and Vallee de Mai, with its unique and ancient coco de mer palm forest, was added to the list in 1983. The plants found in this forest include a wide variety of fruits and ferns while endemic birds include rare species like the Black Parrot, Blue Pigeon and Sunbirds.

Go for diving/snorkelling. Dive centres around the islands cater for single or twin tank dives to a multitude of amazing sites which house over a hundred species of hermatypic coral and 920 species of fish.

Seychelles is a set of 115 islands, the biggest and most popular of which are Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue, each with its own lures and lores. They say, if you eat the breadfruit in Seychelles, you will surely come back some day

Take up excursions at Mahe or island-hopping trips with interesting agendas for visiting fishing villages, having barbecue lunch/ dinners, and visits to local farms.

FOOD Most hotels offer Creole cuisine, besides other international cuisines including Indian, Chinese, Japanese. However, dining options in the hotels are rather costly compared to restaurants on the island.

PEOPLE The populace of Seychelles comprises simple, humble, friendly, people (predominantly Roman Catholic) and, if you can speak English or French, you can get along very well on any island.

At Praslin, visit Anse Lazio, one of the ‘top ten most beautiful beaches in the world’ with its coast lined with immaculate sands and huge granite rocks and turquoise waters rolling onto the shore straight out of a fairytale.

A short (15-minute) ferry from Praslin is La Digue island where you can see the giant land tortoises, vanilla/coconut plantations and experience an ox-cart ride around the town.

If you have more time on hand, spend a day at Silhouette Island, Bird Island, Cerf Island, for unique experiences of being cut away from the mainland. hubert@timesofoman.com

T R AV E L T I P S

Plan Well and Have a Great Trip YOUR VACATION can be ruined by wrong choices and various snags. So plan thoroughly, make the right moves, and guarantee a smooth trip.

Research Destination Travel to a new destination can be full of surprises. But, to enhance your experience, it’s better to have an idea about the place, about the local language, exchange rate on their currency and local custom. Having a basic knowledge about the place you visit will make you a better traveller.

Read Reviews Though not foolproof, the userreview sites can be a useful tool for evaluating hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. Look at the recent posts as establishments might change, move or close. Also, look at the photos posted by users, which can be more telling than words.

Join Travel Forums Forums including those on TripAdvisor.com, Fodors.com, Frommers. com and LonelyPlanet.com, can advise you well on destinations. But keep in mind these forums cater to different types of travellers.

Find bloggers Almost all the destinations have bloggers who write about what’s new in their city and what a visitor should look for. Instead of just reading them, you can contact them for personal recommendations.

Update Your Status Use social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and update your status to receive valuable suggestions from friends. Ask in your status update about hotels, restaurants, and places, and you will get a variety of suggestions. lifestyle@timesofoman.com

W E D N E S DAY, O CTO B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

C9

LIFESTYLE

Why Do You Love Golfing?

It’s a constant challenge, that’s why I like it.

You want to know how many shots you need to get the ball in the hole. It’s a challenge to be perfect at that.

THE HOBBYIST

How Did You Get Into It? I started playing golf three years back. My father encouraged my three brothers and I to play golf. Initially, he was not hopeful about me and thought it’s not a sport for me. But I took up the challenge to prove my farther wrong. I started at Muscat Hills, then I moved to Almouj Golf, and now I am under a PGA Pro coach at Ghala.

Huwaida Al Barwani Golfer

SMOOTH SWING

How Can I Get Into It? First, you have to take an interest in the sport, then start to play under a good coach. And once you are into it, you will enjoy it most.

What’s Your Pro-Tip? Constant practice, concentration and focus.

I often get distracted when I am playing.

But it is my coach Milo Breitenwischer who taught me how to keep my focus only on the ball. When playing, put everything into it, especially your mind. Now golf helps me to focus better. Now I do the same thing with my studies, focus well.

CONTACT INFO/RESOURCES FOR GOLFING IN OMAN

I often get distracted when I am playing.

Oman Golf Committee, golfoman.com almoujgolf.com, +968 2200 5990 E-mail: info@almoujgolf.com

But my coach Milo Breitenwischer

taught me how to keep my focus only on the ball. When playing, put everything

muscathillsgolf.com email: academy@muscatgolf.com or call: +968 2451 4080/1

into it, especially your mind

Ghala Golf Club ghalagolf.com +968 9219 4957

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

Ladies Coupé Author: Anita Nair Ladies Coupé by Anita Nair is a poignant tale of a middle aged unmarried Indian woman on a journey of self-discovery. Akhila, the main protagonist of this heart touching fiction, never had a chance to live a life of her own. All she did was to live multiple roles — a daughter, a sister, an aunt, and most of all be a provider for the family. Akhila would have continued to live this life if that turning point had not come. A one-way rail ticket to Kanyakumari, a seaside town in Tamil Nadu, India, changed the entire course of her life, her understanding of relationships, and finally made her a different woman. While on her journey in the all ladies coupé Akhila asks

her women co-passengers a question that had been haunting her all her life. Can a woman stay single and be happy, or does she need a man to feel complete?

Anita Nair, through this novel tries to deal with an issue that has subtly existed in Indian society. Each chapter of the novel is dedicated to one woman and that’s how we meet the five other women protagonists.

Janaki, Margaret, Prabha, Sheela, and Marikolanthu come from different backgrounds, each with their own compulsions of life and their perspective opens up a new world for Akhila.

While Janaki is a pampered wife and confused mother, Margaret is

married to an insensitive person.

Prabha finds a sense of freedom and achievement through swimming, fourteen-year-old Sheela, has an ability to perceive what others cannot, and rape victim Marikolanthu is in search of justice. Through the stories of these women in the ladies coupé, the author weaves a single story.

While Anita Nair’s novels have traces of feminism, this one in particular touches upon the sensitive side as it explores the hidden desires of women, caught in the rigmaroles of a middle class Indian life. The characters in the novel leave a lasting impression for they are more realistic than being idealistic.

While the ending of the novel is a bit vague it is still a must read for all, especially for women who want to set their souls free.

- Reviewed by Swati Dasgupta swati@timesofoman.com

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

Contact salim@timesofoman.com

C10

W EDN ESDAY, OCTOB ER 7, 2015

FIND-IT-ALL

PRAYER TIMINGS

@SHATTI

@MGM

@SOHAR

@RUWI

The Martian – 3D (Action, Sci-Fi) (PG) Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain 11:30 PM Operator - 2D (Action/Drama/Thriller) (12+) Cast: Mischa Barton, Ving Rhames, Luke Goss 5:00, 7:00PM Sicario – 2D (Action, Drama, Crime) (12+) Cast: Emily Blunt, John Bernthal, Josh Brolin 4:45, 11:30PM Singh is Bling– 2D (Action/Comedy) (PG) 4:30, 6:40, 9:15, 11:45PM Puli – 2D (Action/Adventure) (12+) 8:45 PM

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68. www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI Black Mass (Crime, Drama)(12+)(2D) Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch 12:00, 2:00, 4:15, 9:15 & 11:45 pm Pinocchio (Animation) (PG) 12:00, 2:00, 5:30 pm Singh Is Bling (Action, Comedy) (2D) (TBC) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson 8:45 pm The Walk (Adventure, Biography) (3D)PG Cast : Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley 6:45, 9:30 pm Pawn Sacrifice (Biography, Drama) (PG12) Cast : Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber 6:30 pm Sicario (Action, Crime)(12+)(2D) Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro 7:15, 11:30 pm Hotel Transylvania 2 (Animation)(3D)PG 12:15, 2:15, 3:45 pm Pay The Ghost (Horror,Thriller) (15+) Cast : Nicolas Cage, Sarah Wayne Callies 11:55 pm The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials (Action) Cast : Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario 4:00 pm (PG12)(3D) MUSCAT GRAND MALL Wicked Flying Monkeys : 3D (Animation)(U) 10:30AM, 2:30PM Gold Class : 12:00PM Black Mass : 2D (Biography, Crime) 12+ Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, 12:15, 7:00 & 11:55PM Gold Class : 1:45, 9:00 & 11:15PM The Walk : 3D (Adventure | Biography ) (PG) Cast : Joseph Gordon-Levitt 4:30 & 9:30PM Gold Class : 4:00PM Singh is Bling : 2D (| Action |Comedy ) ( ) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson

BLACK MASS (Crime, Drama) (12+) Cast : Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton Timings : 12:00, 2:00, 4:15, 9:15 & 11:45 pm

THE WALK (Adventure | Biography ) (PG) Cast :Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley Timings : 4:30 & 9:30PM Gold Class : 4:00PM

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

Dept time

Destination

Arrival Operating time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

TEMPERATURE

15:00 15:00 15:00

05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

16:30 18:00 19:30

Daily Daily Daily

Sur Quriyat Ruwi

06:45 08:30 10:00

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

06:30 06:30 08:00 13:00 13:00 16.00 16.00

07:00 07:00 13:30 13:00 13:00 13:00 17:00

Sohar Buraimi Buraimi Sohar Buraimi Sohar Buraimi

08:50 Daily 11:00 Daily 14:30 Daily via Ibri 15:45 Daily 17:40 Daily 18.35 Daily 20:20 Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 17:30

Sinaw

Nizwa Yanqul

Daily

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

35 26 Minimum

07:00

Ruwi

10:25

Daily

06:00 06:00

Nizwa Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Daily Daily

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (ROUTE 62) 06:30 06:30

Fahud Yibal

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

10:30 11:15

20:00 20:30 23:30 07:40

Daily Daily

Marmul

Dubai

16:50

Daily

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

19:50 13:15 22:30 07:30

AADYA J. MENON October 7, 2008

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

07:00

Daily

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

15:00

Salalah

07:00

Daily

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 07:30 07:30 13:00 13:00 15:30 15:30

Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH/SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

07:00 07:00 07:00

16:00 16.00 16.00

Fujairah Sharjah Dubai

11.45 13.30 14.00

STAR CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om Pulli (Tamil) (Act) Cast: Vijay & Shruthi Hassan 3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 Pm At Cinema Main Singh Is Bling (Hindi) (Act/Com) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson & Lara Dutta 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 Pm At Cinema-3 Kunji Ramayanam (Mal) (Dram/Com ) Cast: Vineet Srinivasan, Aju Vargees & Srinda 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 Pm Cinema-4 Shivam (Telugu) (Rom/Act) Cast: Ram, Rashi Khanna & Brahmanandam 3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 Pm At Cinema -2 NEXT CHANGE: Rudramadevi (Telugu) Jamna Pyari (Mal) Programmes are subject to change

DHAIRYA SHRIVASTAVA October 7, 2002

0

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

40-95%

NIRALI GOYAL October 6, 2005 Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@ timesofoman.com

LISTINGS

Daily Daily Daily

Sharjah Fujairah Ruwi

16:30 18.15 23.00

Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence 24569603 Directorate General of Customs 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries 24510228 Public Relations Admin 24560099 EMBASSIES IN OMAN

Daily Daily Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 06:00 06:00 13:00 13:00 15:00 15:00

10:45 19:00

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

Ruwi Ruwi

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100) Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

06:00 14:30

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (ROUTE 100) 07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Black Mass ( Biography,/ Crime/ Drama) Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson 5.00, 9.30 & 11.55 pm CP No: 2645 (12+) Straight Outta Compton (Biography/ Drama/ Music) Cast: O Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchel 5.00, 9.30 & 11.55 p.m.

CP No: 2643 (18+) Pawn Sacrifice (Biography/Drama) Cast: Liev Schreiber, Lily Rabe, Toby Maguire 1.00, 3.00 & 7.30 pm CP No: 2644 (PG 12) 99 Homes (Drama) Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dem 1.00, 3.00 & 7.30 pm CP No: 2646 (PG)

0

ROYAL OMAN POLICE Sur Sur

SALALAH Pay the Ghost (2D) (15+) (Horror/Thriller) 12:30PM Black Mass (2D) (12+) (Biography) Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch 12:05, 9:15, 11:30PM The Walk (3D) (PG) (Adventure) 10:15AM, 7:00PM Hotel Transylvania 2 (3D)(PG) (Animation) 10:30AM, 2:20PM Hotel Transylvania 2 (2D)(PG) (Animation) 5:45PM Sicario (2D) (12+) (Action/Crime/Drama) 2:10, 9:35 PM Straight Outta Compton (2D) (18+) (Drama) Cast: O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, 1:30, 4:25PM Operator (2D) (12+) (Action/Drama/Thriller) 10:15, 11:50 AM, 4:00, 11:50PM Singh Is Bling (2D) (TBC) (Action) 4:00, 9:15, 11:45PM Puli (2D) (12+) (Tamil) (Action) 6:30PM

Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

10:20 12:30

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 07:30 14:30

SUR Black Mass (Biography | Crime) (12+) Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota 4:30, 6:45, 8:15 PM Singh is Bling (Hindi) (Action) (TBC) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Kay Kay Menon 5:30, 10:30 PM Puli (Tamil) (Action | Adventure) (12+) Cast: Vijay, Sridevi, Shruti Haasan 9:00 PM Martin (3D) (Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi) (PG) Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen 11:45 PM

BAHJA CINEMA

WITH LOVE

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

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

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

BURAIMI Black Mass – 2D (Crime) (12+) Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch 7:00, 9:15PM

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 20:50

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

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

SOHAR Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials - 3D 11:45 PM (PG12) Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller 99 Homes - 2D (PG) Drama Cast : Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon 6:45 PM Wicked Flying Monkeys - 3D (U) Animation 2:00, 5:20 PM Black Mass - 2D (12+)Crime |Drama 2:00, 7:00, 9:15 PM The Walk - 3D (PG) Adventure|Biography

Cast : Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon 2:30, 9:30 PM Singh is Bling - 2D (TBC) Action |Comedy 2:15, 7:00, 10:45 PM Sicario - 2D (12+) Action|Crime| Drama Cast : Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio 4:45, 11:30 PM Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon - 2D (PG) Romantic Cast : Kapil Sharma, Elli Avram, Simran Kaur 4:45 PM Talvar - 2D (PG12) Murder |Mystry Cast : Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma 4:15 PM Man Up - 2D (18+) Comedy Cast : Lake Bell, Simon Pegg, Olivia Williams 7:15. 9:00 PM Puli - 2D (T) (12+)Action |Adventure Cast : Vijay, Sridevi, Shruti Haasan 8:45 PM The Martian - 3D (PG) Action,Sci-Fi Cast : Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen 11:30 PM

WEATHER

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

Jawani Phir Nahi Aani (Comedy) – 12+ Cast: Humayun Saeed, Javed Sheikh 6.45 PM Screen 3 Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoo (Comedy ) – PG Cast: Kapil Sharma, Elli Avram, Simran Kaur 3.45 PM Talvar (Mystery/Thriller) – PG12 Cast: Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Tabu 6.45 PM Puli – Tamil (Action/Adventure) – 12+ 9.45 PM Cast: Vijay, Sridevi, Shruti Haasan, Hansika Motwani

RUWI Screen 1 Singh is Bling (Action / Comedy ) – TBC Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Lara Dutta, Kay Kay Menon 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PM Screen 2 Talvar (Mystery/Thriller) – PG12 Cast: Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Tabu, Neeraj Kabi and Sohum Shah 3.45, 9.45 PM

AZAIBA Sicario – 2D (12+) Action, Crime, Drama 2:45, 11:45 PM Black Mass – 2D (15+) Crime, Drama Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict, Dakota Johnson 2:45, 9:40, 11:55 PM Hotel Transsylvania 2 – 3D (PG) Animation 2:00, 5:00 PM

THE MARTIAN - 3D (PG) (Action, Sci-Fi) Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig Timings : 11:30 PM

SINGH IS BLING (Action / Comedy) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Lara Dutta, Kay Kay Menon Timings: 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PM

Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon – 2D (PG) 6:45 PM (Romantic) The Walk – 3D (PG) Adventure Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon 5:00, 7:25 PM Talvar 2D (PG12) Murder, Mystry, Thriller Cast: - Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma 2:30, 9:15 PM Puli 2D (12+) Action Adventure Cast : Vijay, Sridevi, Shruti Haasan, 5:00, 7:55, 10:45 PM Singh Is Bling - 2D (TBC) Action Cast – Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson 3:45, 8:55, 11:30 PM

9:15PM Gold Class: 6:15PM Etiquette for Mistresses 2D (Tagalog) Cast: Kris Aquino, Claudine Barretto, Iza 4:15PM (TBC) Straight Outta Compton 2D (Biography) Cast : Felix Gary Gray, Jason Mitchell 6:45PM Sicario (Action, Crime, Drama) (12+) Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin 2:30 & 11:45PM Hotel Transylvania - 2 3D (Animation) (PG) 10:30AM The Intern: 2D (Comedy ) (PG12) Cast : Anne Hathaway, Robert De Niro 12:15PM

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

Destination

12.00pm 3.23pm 5.54pm 7.04pm 4.46am

CHILDREN BELOW THE AGE OF 3 YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CINEMA | BOX-OFFICE COUNTER OPENS 30-MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCREENING OF THE FIRST SHOW

CINEMA SCHEDULE

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

Afghanistan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Brunei China Cyprus Egypt France Germany India Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya South Korea Kuwait

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Lebanon Libya Malaysia Morocco Nepal Netherlands Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Senegal Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Switzerland Syria Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE United Kingdom United States Yemen

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PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334

Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi Salalah Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya Muscat, A Seeb Market Muscat, Al Khuwair Muscat, Al Hail South Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre 24485052 Atlas Hospital Ruwi 24811743/ Ghubra 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi 24563641 Azaiba 24499269 Sohar 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre,

Hamriya 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 Hamdan Hospital 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar 26751128 MBD 24799077 Al Khuwair 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC 22004000 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

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

W E D N E S DAY, O CTO B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

LIFESTYLE Autumn Colours

.5”E Location: 23°04’15.6”N 57°36’10 the beauty Have you been able to capture ination of an off-the-beaten-path dest with a caption in Oman? Send your pictures to: tor loca geoand shafeeq@timesofoman.com

H O S P I TA L I T Y

After You Say ‘I Do’ SIX SENSES Zighy Bay sets the stage for romance with everything from adventurous nature programmes to romantic Arabian experiences, greeting guests looking to rejoice their love.

The unique resort has unveiled a few packages for honeymooners or couples that would like to rekindle their passion that includes indigenous overnight accommodations, special welcome amenity and several romance-inspired experiences to present couples a way to reconnect with themselves, each other and nature.

Guests will feel immediately transported to a traditional Omani fishing village from the moment the paved road comes to an end at the arrival gate of Six Senses Zighy Bay. With a setting of biblical dimensions, in a bay protected by the rugged Hajar Mountains and fronting onto a 1.6 kilometre of pristine powder beach, the 82-villa resort redefines the expression: remote but easily accessible.

The ‘Arabian Romance Package’ has been crafted with a minimum of two-nights stay which offers guests complimentary breakfast, a choice of paraglide arrival or private speed-boat, one time shared sunset cruise with sparkling date juices and canapés, one time signature spa couples treatment, one time destination dining options which includes a choice of romantic wine

tower dinner or in-villa barbecue or romantic dinner at the awardwinning Sense on the Edge located at 961 feet (293 metres) above sea level. Package is available until October 31, 2016 with few blackout dates.

For those adventurous couples who like to celebrate their special moments through activities, a 5-day ‘Sense of Adventure’ programme will present a distinctive experience and enduring memories that will stay with them for a lifetime. Six Senses Zighy Bay offers a range of sessions at Six Senses Spa including deep tissue massage and herbal steam and outdoor activities such as paragliding, mountain hike and kayaking. The programme is available until April 15, 2016 with few blackout dates.

“There is no better way to travel than under the wings of a local, especially on one of the most memorable phases of your life.

The hosts of Six Senses Zighy Bay step into that role with great enthusiasm and sincerity to deliver on all the personalised details and requirements during your stay at the resort. Any romantic escape is sure to be even more memorable than imagined,” stated John Philipson, general manager and vice-president of Oman, Middle East and Indian Ocean.

Reservations can be made through sixsenses.com/zighybay or reservations-zighy@sixsenses. com or +968 2673 5555.

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LIFESTYLE The World’s Five Most Beautiful Lakes

1. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

A national park, and a Unesco World Heritage Site located in Croatia, on the country’s main highway from Zagreb to Split, these 16 emerald-hued lakes connected by photogenic waterfalls, have a series of pathways and wooden bridges.

One can discover ever-evolving cascades at this amazing natural wonder.

2. Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy

Lake Como in Northern Italy, which is blessed with superb microclimate, has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times. It’s a place where you can stroll amid palm trees and blooming rhododendrons beneath the snow-capped mountains. You can hire a vintage Riva speedboat for a tour of the lake’s villas and villages.

4. Crater Lake, Oregon, US

Formed when the caldera of volcanic Mt. Mazama collapsed almost 8,000 years ago, the Crater Lake in Oregon is the deepest (reaching an astonishing depth of 1,943 feet) in the US. There’s no blue quite like the aquamarine hue of Crater Lake, and is ringed with 2,000-foot cliffs. Take a volcano boat cruise.

3. Maligne Lake, Alberta, Canada

Located in Jasper National Park, Alberta in Canada, Maligne Lake is surrounded by a stunning landscape with foreground pines and jagged mountains. It’s the longest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies. Walk along the lakeshore trail or go on a boat cruise to enjoy the azure-coloured water.

5. Dove Lake, Tasmania

A serene lake formed by glaciation near Cradle Mountain in north central Tasmania, Dove Lake is home to Tasmanian Devil, wallabies, and wombats. The circuit around the lake, which passes through some wonderful sub alpine scenery, is regarded as one of Tasmania’s best walk. So, go for day hikes and enjoy a reflection of distinctive Cradle Mountain.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK; SUPPLIED

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SECTION

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

RENT

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VACANCY

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CARGO

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W E D N E S DAY, O C T O B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

One /two, B/R, Res / comm. flats near Bank Muscat Bausher from owner directly . Contact: 92158031 3 BHK, 2 BHK and 1 BHK flats with split air conditioners are available for rent in new building in Al Qurum, near Rose Garden. Interested persons may contact: 99244577 2 bed, 1Majlis, 2 toilets, lobby small kitchen in Hamriya rent R.O 170/-.

Contact: 99489548 Villa for rent in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact: 95562646 / 99059333

Furnished room for rent at Al Khuwair R.O 225/- for family only.

Contact: 99251975 1& 2 BHK Ghala with A/C new building. Contact 99024730 Studio flat at Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99024730 2BHK Qurum. Contact: 99024730

1,2,3 BHK Flats. Contact: 97799175

Workers’ campus, shops, workshops, stores in a building in Al Misfah, Wilayat Bausher.

Contact 98918090 New flats for rent At Darsait near to Ministry of Sports, Mumtaz area the flats includes1 living room, 2 bedrooms, Kitchen, 3 toilets, every rooms with split A/C, high quality finishing, rent RO 340 /-.

Contact: 00968 92225523

1BHK Azaiba. Contact: 99024730 1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 97799175 1BHK Commercial M.B.D R.O 280/-.

Contact: 97799175 2BHK Wadi Kabir RO 300/Contact: 97799175 1& 2 BHK Darsait. Contact: 97799175 2BHK Ghubra R.O 350/-.

Contact: 97799175

2 flats with air-conditions in Al Bustan each flat has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, family hall, kitchen, store laundry. Contact: 98919037 For rent a full office building of 3100 sq mtrs opposite to Central Bank in CBD (Ruwi) for R.O 4 per Sq mtrs. Contact: 95330200 Two floor villa, 5 toilets, kitchen, and 2 sitting rooms in Mabela South.

Contact: 99357404

2 BHK Commercial Al Khuwair R.O 375/-. Contact : 97799175

House for rent in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99379950 / 92925173

1BHK Ghubra R.O 275/-.

Contact : 97799175

Single room bathroom attached sharing kitchen available in Ghubra.

Contact: 99071817 / 92258623

Newly built 3 bedroom villa available for rent near to Kuwaitee mosque, Wadi kabir. Contact 99725331, 91318111.

Furnished flat for rent, 3 rooms with attached bathroom, 1 dining room, 1 sitting room, 1 kitchen at Al Hail South. Contact 99835995 1BHK flat available in MBD near Khimji Supermarket with split AC & curtain R.O 230/-. Contact: 97748721 / 92393067

1 room, 2 rooms, 3 rooms with all supplements including water electricity and sewage. Also we provide the following services free 1plumber, electrician for any failed center for garbage on price call on Farahat 98020768 , Hilal 96541263 1& 2 BHK flats for rent at Wadi Kabir, Wadi Adai, Hamriya, Al Khoud and Mabela and shop at Al Khoud land line. Contact : 24834644 GSM 93994401/ 02/ 03, 3 lines

1 B.H.K Wadi Kabeer, RO 175/-.

Contact : 95094028 Recently refurbished ground floor apartment near Indian school Wadi Kabir, 2 Bedrooms and sitting, 2 baths, kitchen.

Contact: 98011224 Villa at al Khuwair having six bedrooms, six bathrooms, sitting, dinning, hall, kitchen Etc. Contact24833972/24833974/99367448 Single BHK flat available in Honda Road Ruwi. Contact 24833972/24833974/99367448

FOR SALE

1BHK flat with A/C AL Khuwair 250/- R.O. Contact: 99358589 / 95570288

An Amazing excellent residential land for sale in Barka at Al Muraysi attached to road open from 3 sides and surrounded by houses & shops.

Ready for construction to build twin villa good investment in Barka 677 SQM, price RO 21000/-.

Contact: 91010668

For rent : showroom / storage space available (area 290 SQM, 6M height) facing Al Mina street, Jibroo.

Contact: 99360631 / 96760819 600 SQT commercial flat for rent opposite Oman flourmill Darsait more details. Contact: 91214849/ 99364735

5 Seater sofa with cushions Center table and 2 side tables in excellent condition for immediate sale.

Contact: 96027403

Fully furnished luxury 2 bedroom flat for rent at Ghala for short or long term basis. Contact: 99886386/ 99881653

Port cabin and Wooden pallets new, used and renovated porta cabin Wooden & steel sandwich panel Wooden pallets and packing for marble packing available.

Contact no. + 968 99318152 Tel. +968 24458759 Email: ahastco@gmail.com

New flats for rent in Darsait Al Sahal. Contact: 99777351 Flats, shops for rent in Ruwi, MBD & Mumtaz area. Contact 97293708 3BHK flat Darsait Near I.D card Medical 450/- R.O. Contact: 99358589 / 95570288 1, 2 BHK in Azaiba. Contact: 99385835 / 99428143

Flat for rent, 2 bedrooms, 1 sitting room, 3 toilets next to Al Hassan Company in W/K. Contact: 99210008

1bedroom attached, toilet & kitchen in AL Khuwair R.O 140/-.

Contact: 95154331

Fully furnished 2 BHK apartments available at Bareeq Al Shatti.

Contact 92888063

3BHK , 3bathrooms , 2balconys NRAL Hassan W/ Kabir R.O 320/-.

Contact: 99384640

2BHK flats & shops available for rent at Honda road in a brand new building (dish & split A/C provided in flats). Contact: 91165807 / 92976611

One Bed room flat with full furniture available at ruwi high street, Rent RO 200. Furniture cost RO 350.

Contact 99445675.

Flat for rent in Wadi Kabir near Indian Primary School 2B and 1k.

Contact : 92222922

2 bed room flat at Al Khoudh Commercial Street Souq.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

Comm. & Res land in the heart of Ruwi 2400 sq mtr for sale.

Contact : 91155779 New flats for rent in Darsait, Al Sahal. Contact: 99311525 1BHK flats available for rent in CBD area. Contact: 98116480 Flat for rent in Hamriya.

Contact: 99341112 Twin villa 6BR hall, kitchen at Al Ansab-2. Contact: 99747560 / 99444786 1 & 2 bedroom flats available for rent in wadi-kabir (opp: pencil bldg), ideal for company staff / families bulk corporate deal possible.

Contact: 97677170

Comm. & Res land in Darsait, opp.

Pakistani School, 900 sq mtr for sale.

Contact: 91155779 Comm. & res. land for investment for 25 years in Ghala heights.

Contact: 91155779 Shop for sale or rent at Ruwi City.

Contact: 99103077 Comm. & Res land in Ghala heights 400 sq mtr for sale.

Contact: 91155779 Restaurant for sale excellent location six visa opposite Mars Wadi Kabir. Contact: 93334685

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DAILY GUIDE

FOR SALE

Workshop for sale / lease fabrication / carpentry, (1800 sq m.), close to main road, at Barka Industrial area with or without labour & camp facilities for about 20 staff.

Contact: 95120404 Email: elmechoman@gmail.com Porta cabins for sale in good working condition, currently being used Porta Cabins are available for sale. Interested parties can come & inspect the Porta Cabins during working hours from 7.30 am to 5 pm. Submit quotation on or before 12.10.2015 in a sealed envelope to General Manager, Oman Mechanical Services Co Ltd LLC., P.O Box 1199, Ruwi , PC 112. Contact: 24502820 Extn. 14 Fish and shrimps sale retail and whole sale. Contact: 96725079 A well established medical clinic with new equipment for sale.

Contact 91262334 / 99206610.

E-mail.

Mohamedsfarah@hotmail.com Villa in Barka Al Waha project 4 BHK plus Maids room with car park and compound.

Contact: 99347089 Shop for sale in Sohar- Office purpose in the main centre of Sohar Contact – 99437086 Beauty Salon for sale in Azaiba prime location behind Al fardan building. With sponsor and 1 staff and 1 ready visa clearance.

Contact: 95318629 Used Fabrication machinery for sale : Fabrication machinery and tools in excellent condition for immediate sale.

Contact 94652485/ 99273774/ 99202278 Shop for sale in CBD area prime location G. Floor + mezzanine low rent.

Contact: 90112434 For sale land in Amerat 3000 Sq.mt with petrol pump permission.

Contact 99323957 / 92702891

ACC. AVAILABLE Single room with attached bathroom for a non cooking Indian Exe. bachelor near OC Center / Haffa house, rent R.O 125/- including water / electricity. Contact: 99839629

AVAILABLE

Independent rooms in Qurum / Al Hail. Contact 95529970 Room for Rent Alkhuwair - Behind Al Aktham Restaurant. 120 RO. With elec. and water.For executive bachelors only. Contact : 98803261 Flat for rent available in CBD near Costa Coffee. Mobile no.92820734 Furnished room available in Ruwi.

Contact 92435784 Furnished Executive bachelor accommodation in Ghubra North villa.

Contact 92595830 / 24495667 Private room with toilet near Qurum park incl. W& E, monthly RO 220/-.

Contact Hassan 99349990 Room for rent available in a flat for Executive bachelor at Azaiba behind AL Meera Market with attached bath with cot & A/c, rent RO 175/- per month including water & Electricity.

Contact 96404166 / 97433992 Accommodation available for indian executive bachelor’s (no kitchen).

RO:125 including water and electricity Contact no. .. 98145825, 98949724

WANTED Required land for purchase in location Muscat (1200 SQM).

Contact: 96725682

FOR HIRE Trailor with driver for hire.

Contact: 92303774 Bobcat Grader and roller for rent.

Contact: 94584688

SITUATION WANTM.V. FOR SALE Suzuki SX4 2011 model full automatic excellent condition low mileage. Contact: 91269246 For sale BMW 730 Li, 2008 model, 3000cc, maroon colour with beige interiors, 14500KMS, serviced at dealer, single Owner driven, R.O 5500. Contact: 95731861 /92265958 Toyota YARIS. Model 2008. KM 69000. Expat driven, All services at Toyota. Very clean. Rate: 2900.

Contact 99445675.

TRANSPORTATION Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909 Transportation available.

Contact: 99867456 Pick & drop any time.

Contact: 93598436 / 96743215 Pick & drop any time. Contact: 92218001/ 96502406 Transportation.

Contact98505294 Transportation in Muscat.

Contact: 95530908 Transportation for saloon car& delivery van.

Contact : 95530908

NRI Architect designed 5000 Square feet exquisite Villa in 16 cents of land at a scenic location on Aakkulam Road, Ulloor, Trivandrum for sale. Contact +968 95372011 10 cents of house plot at kallattumukku Trivandrum next to Oxford school 3km from railway station Contact +919495255111 Land for sale with ample water, Adjacent to National Highway, 15 Km from Mangalore Port (Selected for Smart City) 6 Km from NITK, Suitable for warehouses, automobile service center, Highway Dhaba/ Restaurant, hospital, Building Material showroom etc.

Call 99468991-Oman 9902543956-India.

Brand new 2 BHK furnished apartment (1225 sq feet) at Indiranagar (Kodihalli), Bangalore for sale.

Please contact: 00968 95210474 38 cents land with 2BHK house by the river side in Thrissur Dist Irinjalakuda, Kerala.

Contact: 99347089

TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact 99508282 Transportation available.

Contact -955 70 429

GOOD NEWS

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

MATRIMONIAL RC, Keralite male. 30yers. shop manager in Muscat looking for suitable alliance. GSM:98529885, 00919496155815 Pakistani male 34 years staying with parents in Oman for 27 yrs using hearing aid looking for suitable alliance.#: 99353096 / 95544612 NAIR GIRL, B.Tech (Civil) 23/163, Pooram from Alappuzha (district) working as a Civil Engineer with Kerala Govt: on adhoc basis looking suitable alliance from professionals.

Contact :95230285 RC Girl (Trissur) 28, 152 cm slim (middle class) MBA, working in Muscat seeking suitable alliance.

Contact: 93867447 A respectable Hindu kapu( Naidu) family from Vijayawada A- P- India invites alliances for their daughter 25 years old B.teh computer science father working in Oman.

Contact: 95097913, 99744870 Email: sarathbabureddi@gmail.com Seeking alliance for our son from Muslim families. Interested families Contact: 99889590

Genuine Ayurvedic treatments & massage, Ayurvedic clinic at Al Khuwair. Contact: 24478618 / 97263637 / 93309131 FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 99250777, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133. For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit:www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic Treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis , IDEAL CARE Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Azaiba Contact: 99639695 / 98342990 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

LOST Diover Pacer Dago has lost Philippines Passport No. EB 3371212.

Finder please handover to ROP

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W E D N E S DAY, O C T O B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

URGENTLY REQUIRED

STAFF NURSE MOH license OR Prometric ƉĂƐƐĞĚ ƐƚĂī ŶƵƌƐĞ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚ ĨŽƌ Ă ƌĞƉƵƚĞĚ DĞĚŝĐĂů ĞŶƚĞƌ ŝŶ DƵƐĐĂƚ Send CV to : /ŶĨŽΛƐŚĂƫ ĂůƋƵƌƵŵŵĞĚŝĐĂůĐĞŶƚĞƌ͘ĐŽŵ

REQUIRED URGENTLY

WŚŽŶĞ ŶŽ͗ ϮϰϰϬϬϰϯϲ͕ 93655425

FOR MEDICAL COMPLEX AT SALALAH

ACCOUNTANT Omani Accountant with good communication & computer skills with 4-5 years experience required for immediate placement in a reputed Oil & Gas Engineering consultancy firm in Al Khuwair. Candidates should be with diploma in Accountancy. CVs shall be sent to trejobs@trengineering.com

CATERING Chinese/ Arab/ Continental Cook & helper wanted. Contact 95529970

DRIVER Required Indian driver with Omani driving license and experience to work in house. Contact : 96255558 Wanted Heavy Duty Truck Driver (3 nos.) having 2 yrs experience at PDO. Contact 92891888 Urgently required heavy driver for trailer. Contact: 92131483 Driver required for personal, salary 250/- O.R .Contact: 96725079 Driver with Oman driving licence needed. Visa available.

Contact 94288863

ENGINEER/TECH/MECH Reputed electrical contracting company requires an Oman experienced, capable “Electrical Contracts Manager”. Ideal candidates should have relevant market experience & connections.

Contact: 94400671/ 91272871 Urgently required a Indian Diploma Civil Engineer with 1-2 years of experience and should valid G.C.C driving license.

Email: smtcoman@gmail.com

EDUCATION Post Graduate researcher required.

Contact 99229700

MEDICAL Required Nurse for a clinic in Al Buraimi S.O. Oman. Contact: 00968 92737149 CV to drpkabbas@yahoo.co.in Physiatrist with 3+ years experience in rehabilitation medicine required for a reputed rehabilitation center in Dubai. Send CV to : hr2015.oman@gmail.com Medical care center, Multispecialty clinic, Seeb requires General Practitioner, medical lab technician & pharmacist. Mail CV to sarita_h23@yahoo.com or Call - 97884856 Wanted a female Nurse for a dental clinic in capital area. # 99855050 Urgent placement B Pharm Pharmacist with OR without MOH Oman, 2 nos. Contact 92548672, 99516236 Urgently required for Medical Centre in Muscat and Salalah GP doctor (Male/ Female) Gynecology Nurses ( male / female) with or Without MOH license, salary negotiable. Please send your CV moc.hrd2015@gmail.com or Contact: 92681842

GENERAL PRACTITIONER RECEPTIONIST

MEDICAL

PATIENT RELATION EXCUTIVE CONTACT:

Wanted Pharmacist with MOH license for Pharmacy in Seeb.

Contact - 24423342

93613422, 95062514 EMAILvacancynshifamc@gmail.com

MANAGER/SUP An Omani Co. located at Muscat start a new workshop with three divisions: Steel, Carpentry and Aluminum and looking for experts Supervisor and Foremen. The candidate must have minimum 10 yrs. experience and GCC driving license.

Send C.V to kwk585@gmail.com Urgent required Supervisor for Interior decoration with Oman experience. Contact : 95766844 A 10 yrs successful steel workshop with 25 staff members, looking for an experienced Manager who has to lead successfully, control overall expenditures & deliver more opportunities to the Workshop. Successful candidate will be paid as percentage of monthly workshop revenue.

Contact: 97080700 General Foreman. Required Foreman (MEP) with 4 to 5 years experience for maintenance of building.

Having valid Omani driving license.

Contact: 94652485 E-mail: realconsco@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING SALES MANAGER : To build and manage a team of sales executives in GCC countries. Must have minimum 12 years’ experience in sales and minimum. 5 years in interiors and joinery Sales in GCC. Attractive remuneration package available for the right person. All CVs will be sent to this E-mail : career@gobdoman.com A reputed rent a car requires Sales Executive. Apply to reservation@johnyinternational.com Contact: 94146486 Urgent required Sales Manager for Advertising company with Oman experience & driving license.

Contact: 95766844 Accomplished Advertising Sales & Business Development Executives for leading Media Enterprise.

Enthusiastic Fresher also welcome. jobs@interacoman.com Required Salesman, Tailor & Barber.

Contact: 96964767 Required experienced Sales & Marketing Executive for sports club. Preference will be given who has experience in Oman and valid driving license. Please send your CV to dasanthas1@gmail.com or saud7kh7@gmail.com Required experienced Sales / Marketing Executives having light license. Send your CV ocean@omantel.net.om

SKILLED LABOUR Required 2 Tailors who can make readymade curtains.

Contact 92891888

SEC/OFFICE Sir Lankan Secretary with experience in recruitment field.

Contact: 92809528

SITUATION WANTED MISCELLANEOUS B-tech Electrical Engineer with more than 2 years of experience in erection and designing of HT and LT electrical systems. Seeking for suitable job in Muscat.

Contact 98269366.

Email: sijincleetus@gmail.com Indian female LLB (Advocate) 2 years experience looking for suitable post legal advisor company secretary etc. # 93343190 / 94476387 Email: shafu1019@gmail.com Senior Accounts Professional, Indian Male, 36 years, M.Com, MBA (Fin) 9 years in Oman, with valid Oman DL and NOC available. Capable to handle accounts up to finalization.

Contact 9602 3965.

Driver 5 years exp know English, Arabic,& Hindi Education B.A. Contact : 91615715 / 99512270 Indian Male 24 years, Looking for a Suitable Job in Telecom / Networking, 1 year sales experience. M. Sc. Communications Engineering & Valid Driving license. Ph: 91280121.

Email: jackrprasad@yahoo.com Indian lady 30 years Graduate having work experience in India and Oman looking for Admin or any other suitable job. Contact : 95676957 Indian male, 39 yrs, MSC Computer Science 10 years experience IT support, FMS Engineer, bank experience looking for suitable job. #94276449 Indian, presently on visit visa in Salalah looking for job B.com failed UAE experience in accounts, commercial Admin & warehouse.

Contact: 92754071 /93346931 Email: sathyanathanuk@gmail.com MBA (Marketing /HR) with 45 years exp in business development and marketing, having valid Oman driving license seeks suitable placement currently available on family visa. Contact 97618033 Email: vjgeorge12@gmail.com Indian male 63 years have 30 years Muscat experience all office work sales business development insurance administration accounts with Oman driving license. Contact 99249412

ADMIN 10 years Gulf & 4 years Oman experience in HR / Admin & logistics fluent in Arabic / English with D/L looking for suitable position.

Contact: 95824598 Indian, male having 8 years in purchase and admin furnishing / metal scrap on visit visa, available to join Immediately if selected – Contact 00968- 96675184 ,97704828 Indian 17 yrs experience in Admin and have knowledge in Accounting seeks job. Have driving license and release. Contact : 99573353

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Sr. Accountant M.Com (finance) 15 years experience (2 years in Oman) with a reputed firm, NOC available.

Contact: 92404608 Email: jin_75@rediffmail.com Finance Manager, 15 yrs Gulf experience in trading & contracting companies in Oman looking for placement.

Contact 96947652 25 years female looking for suitable opportunity, Qualification MBA (Banking & finance) near banking experience ready to work in accounts, HR & Admin and any other suitable fields, presently on family visa in Muscat.

Contact: 00968- 96987078 Finance Manager, 12 years experience in leading Construction and manufacturing companies (9 years in Oman) have strategic vision and proven leadership ability. B.Com, CPA- USA & modern accounting certificate from “AUC”. “NOC” in hand.

Contact: 97220505 Indian male, 25, MBA Finance, with 3 years’ experience seeks suitable position. Contact - 99299471 / 96589605 Accounting up to finalization on periodic basis by CA. Contact also for Project Finance Report, taxation and internal audit. 91720465 Urgent: Accountant, Indian female on visit visa, B.Com exp Tally ERP- 9. 4 finalization of Accounts, Tax accounting, stock maintenance, pay roll etc.

Contact: mk.jothipriya@gmail.com 20 yrs exp in non Banking finance co in Oman as Branch Manager, credit analyst, risk, Debt Collect, BR- operations, documentation, etc with valid D/L now on visit. Contact: 99055123 Filipino, 29 yrs, male, BS Commerce, 5years experience Payables/Receivables/Payroll/Document Control.

Excellent Communication/MS Office skills. Contact: 95057206 Email: patrick110486@yahoo.com ACCOUNTANT, Indian male 28 years, 6 plus years of GCC experience, presently working in Oman as an Accountant, seeking for a suitable job position, NOC available, Contact: 95089869 E-Mail: anuchunda@gmail.com CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT, Indian male having 7 years experience as functional finance head, presently working in Muscat as Asst. Finance Manager seeking for a suitable position. NOC available, # 9178 9950 / Email: igneshmlazar@gmail.com Indian male highly resulted oriented and self driven CA Inter qualified Accountant with over more than 14 years of experience in auditing, finance and accounts including industrial exposure in construction industry in Mumbai and Qatar available in Oman seeks placement.

Contact: 93405047

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Part time accounting works up to finalization on monthly basis.

Contact: 96247295 Indian male 23 yrs BBM Graduate with computer knowledge having 2 yrs experience in accounts looking for accounts, admin, sales or stores currently on visit visa.

Contact: 95356512 Indian male, Graduate with 7 yrs experience in financial, logistics & Data reporting and analysis, experience working with international clients, site testing. Currently on visit visa seeking suitable placement in Oman. Contact: 92689823, Id: jiby.john28@gmail.com Young Indian, B. Com, Diploma in Accounting, 2 years experience as Assistant Accountant on visit seeks suitable placement: Contact: 94399509 Indian male 13 years Accounts & finance experience in Oman having Omani D/L looking for suitable position release available. #95885092 Email: nitin_dhotre2@rediffmail.com Pakistani male 28 years old recently worked as Administration Manager MBA finance from Maju Karachi. Contact: 99685330 Email: hussain_ca87@yahoo.com Omani female exp in Accounts & Shipping & Secretary & PRO job knowledge in computer with Oman D/L. Content: 91161736 Accountant with 8 years experience in Oman with D/L & NOC , seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 92994825. Email: sanuchithranjali@gmail.com 10+ yrs UAE experience Fin. Controller looking for job change. Contact: 98006226 SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, WITH 13yrs experience, 6 yrs Oman in manufacturing, trading & contracting Cos, capable of handling all accounting, finance, banking, L/C, import, export & finalization seeks placement. NOC Available. Call+968-98932752, mail:jjohnmuscat@hotmail.com Indian female 28 years M.Com, Accountant having 6 years experience in Accounts, finalization, Tally currently on visit visa.

Contact : 95595083 Email: merlinfernandes16@yahoo.in Part time accountant, senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, up to finalization. contact.95254864 Chief Accountant, 12 years Oman experience looking for suitable position. Contact: 99513082 Part time Accountant, up to finalization, looking for job after 5 pm (location prefer – MSQ to AL Hail).

Contact: 95694737 Indian male 23 yrs B.com having 3 yrs accounts exp in India looking for suitable placement presently on visit visa. Contact :94131842 / 93516968, Email: jithujithin05@gmail.com

ADMIN Sudanese, Bombay university graduate. 22 years of experience in different fields i.e. procurement and logistics management, construction management, training and general administration of which 13 years in Oman. GSM (99601004).

Indian Female MBA, 3 years experience in Admin MIS, family Visa.

Contact 98234427, jkjsmith01@gmail.com

ARCHITECT Sr. Architect male 5 yrs exp having NOC looking for suitable position.

Contact: 91546108 Email: morshed_arch@yahoo.com Senior Architect, Indian male 15yrs exp. having DL& NOC, Looking for suitable position.

Contact: 97239313 Email: abdul_muq2000@yahoo.co.uk

DRAUGHTSMAN Male 15 years exp FMCG in Oman with D/L and know all part of Oman looking for management post.

Contact: 00968 96147152 Draftsman , Autocad , exp in Architecture, Interior drawings, Ph 93837973 Indian male 28 yrs, Master degree in Computer Application and CCNA certified, 2 years exp in Oman looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 93295112 Email: syedsadathali.mca@gmail.com Indian male looking for job in AutoCAD and 3DMX Draughtsman 4 years with experience, 25, available for immediate placement.

Contact: 98665963 / 92529312

DOMESTIC HELP House maid looking full time or port time job, 5 yrs experience care taker, cleaning, cooking.

Contact: 97882204 / 98562066

DRIVER Indian male light vehicle driver, 10 yrs GCC exp looking for job.

Contact : 93060050 Indian driver 13 yrs exp. looking for fulltime or part time jobs.

Contact: 91103909 Wanted driving job. # 97690766 12 years experience light duty driver with car. Contact: 96467373 Pakistani light vehicle driver having 2 yrs exp. Contact: 96105925 Land Cruiser with Driver.

Contact: 99725003 Light driver looking for full time job.

Contact: 95154610 4 years exp driver need a job.

Contact: 94208089 Driver looking for job. # 92303744 Driver. Contact: 95084826

ACCA finalist, Recent B.Com Graduate, Indian female, looking for full time employment in Accounting and Audit. +968 96964379, sangeethaumesh5@gmail.com

Pakistani male light vehicle driver looking for job. Contact: 96474528 Driver with car. Contact :91452930

W E D N E S DAY, O C T O B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED WƌŽũĞĐƚͬ WƌŽŐƌĂŵ DĂŶĂŐĞƌͬ &ŝŶĂŶĐĞ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂů

/ŶĚŝĂŶ ĨĞŵĂůĞ͕ ϯϬ LJƌƐ͕ /ŶƚĞƌŝŽƌ ĞƐŝŐŶĞƌ

YƵĂůŝĮ ĐĂƟ ŽŶ D WDW Ɛŝdž ƐŝŐŵĂ ;' Ϳ ŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐ ĞdžƉŽƐƵƌĞ ĂŶĂĚĂ Θ DŝĚĚůĞ ĂƐƚ͕ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ ĂŶLJ ;ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚ ŝŶ ďĂŶŬ͕ ƚĞůĞĐŽŵ͕ ƚƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚ͘ EĂƟ ŽŶĂůŝƚLJͲ ĂŶĂĚŝĂŶ͘ KŶ ǀŝƐŝƚ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ.

Bachelor degree with 5 yrs working ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƐĞĞŬŝŶŐ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ placement in Oman.

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ϵϴϰϵϵϵϳϱ͕ Email : ƐǁĂƐĚĞƐŝŐŶĞƌΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ Ͳ ϵϳϮϬϯϱϯϳ ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Indian Male 25 yrs, B.E(Civil Engg)1 yr exp in India(Residential project(G +4),Autocad 2015.

Looking for suitable job.

E mail-gugan4u@gmail.com, GSM-96767323 Indian female,28 years, B.TechElectronics Engineering, M.tech-Embedded systems,4+ years experience as Assistant professor (Engineering college, India) seeking suitable job in Oman. Contact: 96965719 M.E (Civil) Structural Engineer 3 years experience and AutoCAD release or NOC available seeking for suitable job. Contact: 92589557 Email: kmrcvl@gmail.com Bangladeshi female Project Engineer Civil having 5 years experience or construction site currently or visit visa looking a suitable position.

Contact 91207329 Email: dipabangladesh@yahoo.com Male Project Engineer (Civil) 12 years experience Dubai + SA in construction & water supply field with valid UAE D/L Currently on visit visa looking suitable position.

Contact: 91206763 Email: delwar.civil.97@gmail.com Young Indian male 23 yrs, BE - Electrical Engineer 1.4 years experience in India, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 93924395 Email: thomaspallathn19@gmail.com Indian male, 26 yrs, 4 years experience diploma in Civil Engineering field on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 95585564 Email: safvanullal6644@gmail.com Indian BE (Mech) Engineer having P.G diploma in oil & gas piping and level two NDT seeks immediate placement in any industry at present on visit vis. Contact : 92013757 / 99774956 B.Tech Mechanical, 5 years experience NOC available seeking placement. Contact: 98557463 / 99470124 Indian male 28 yrs, Engg Nebosh & IOSH certified 5+ years experience in Saudi Arabia at Aramco & Sabic projects as a HSE head HSE Supervisor. Contact 94059935 Indian male, 23 Yrs, B-Tech – Electrical & Electronics, having 1 year of Work experience – looking for suitable placement. Currently in Oman on Visit; Contact 95830305.

Aeronautical Engineer Indian female 22 yrs, currently on family visa looking for suitable position in any air line / Engineering Industry.

Contact: 91705598 Email: nikhimnoushad@gmail.com B.Tech Software Engineer nearly 2 yrs Engineer nearly 2 yrs experience seeking job in Oman, currently on visit visa. Contact: 95184451 Pakistani male 28 Masters Telecom Engineering from Sweden 5 years experience 2 years technical sales / business development experience in Oman market. NOC available looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96559823 Email: khawaarnaeem@gmail.com Pakistani male 28 yrs Electronics Engineer having 3 yrs experience, D/L (Oman) looking for a suitable position in Muscat. NOC available can join immediately.

Contact: 92055789 Email: zeeshnrahim89@gmail.com Welder, 6G,3G, ARC, Gas , Fabrication well gulf experinced Ph : 95068064 Civil diploma Engr, exp in supervision, designing, QA/QC Ph : 92741929 Automobile Engineer from India6 yrs exp-looking for opportunities purchase / procurement/ supply chain / project management-added experience in automobile service & customer care-presently in Oman on visit visa. Contact 00968 91306841 email: shanyphilip23@gmail.com; Degree Civil Engg total 9 yrs experience, 7 yrs in Oman Construction Company with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 99721926 Email: tamircivil@gmail.com

Indian diploma Civil Eng, 2 yrs Infrastructure Projects (4G, Towers, substation) landscaping & Auto CAD. Contact: 94756183 Email: indianexpat1@gmail.com Electrical Engineer (B.E) with 5 years experience (3 yrs in Gulf) NOC available. Contact: 92119851 Email: mayurdevadiga@gmail.com Resident Engineer B.E civil 25 years exp 12 yrs in Architecture consultancy having Oman Dubai D/L NOC available. Contact: 95732453 Email: milindj951@gmail.com Indian male, 25 yrs. B. Tech Civil Engineer with 2 years experience in India looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96081437 Email: vibijvenugopal90@gmail.com Civil Engineer, Female, 3 yrs experience in structural design & estimation; Contact: 99195433 Civil Engineer degree, diploma, Staad pro, Auto CAD 18 months Indian exp seeks suitable opportunity.

Contact: 93682529 Engineer with 4 years Telecom experience in Oman, having Oman driving license looking for a suitable opportunity. Interested in marketing, NOC available. Contact : 98513495 29 yrs, Indian male B.E with more than 5 yrs experience in facilities management / Real Estate in Oman having valid D/L. Contact: 96652145 Diploma in civil Engineer, total 4 years experience, 1.5 years experience in Oman seeking suitable placement. Contact : 96535084 Civil Engineer B.Sc -6 years experience with constructions companies - 1 years in Oman - qualified as Site Engineer & Planning Engineer.

Contact+968-94682217 Dynamic young Engineer (Electrical & Electronics) on visit, seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 94742764 Mechatronics (Electrical, Mechanical) Engineer, 3 years of experience. Contact: 91234024 Email: ammar.r.elerris@gmail.com Civil Engineer Pakistani 12+2 years Oman experience D/L required placement. Contact: 94392616 Indian male 29, having 7 years exp in construction field& Auto Cad in Oman. Having valid driving license.

Fluent in English & Arabic. Looking for suitable job in reputed firm.

Contact - 99650569 BE (Civil) Indian male with 20 years experience with reputed consultancy companies & working for one of the prestigious project of Muscat since 2008 seeks suitable position.

Contact: 92511428, Email: manoj_t2000@yahoo.com Civil Engineer, Indian M 29 5yrs exp. having DL & NOC Looking for suitable position. Contact: 94576233 Email: suhailmullah@gmail.com

IT Indian Mechanical Engineer, 30, having 8yrs of UAE Sales/Business Development. experience in Electromechanical and Irrigation sectors. Contact no- +971558763220 email id-sangowri@outlook.com

Network professional, with 6 years experience, CCNP and Bachelors degree on visit seeking suitable position. Contact: 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com

Indian female MDS Endodontics, 9.5 yrs experience recently cleared Oman prometric 84% looking for suitable placement. Contact: 95624156 / 97233074

Indian BE (MECH) aviation BE degree diploma in material quality management 17 years Navy aviation 13 years construction purchase stores professional on visit.

Contact: 90205082 /98796982

MCA Indian female experience in PHP / Java/ Web design / Photoshop and corel draw, with 2 years Teaching experience in Bangalore as lecturer and 4 years in call center.

Contact: 95140130 Email: nozah123@gmail.com

Male Nurse, B.Sc, prometric exam oman cleared exp.

Contact : 93837973

Indian chemical Engineer with 1year experience in Business Development; & valid Oman D/L, seeks suitable opportunity.

Contact: 96141612 or E-mail: anjana.nanda@outlook.com

Indian male 28 yrs, Master degree in Computer Application and CCNA certified, 2 years exp in Oman looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 93295112 Email: syedsadathali.mca@gmail.com

BE Electrical Engineer 8 years experience 4 years in Oman with Oman driving license.

Contact 96942032

Indian male B. Eng in IT CCNA, MCITP, RHCE 2 yrs + exp in IT support, Networking and Server Support seeking suitable placement in IT / Network / server support.

Contact: 93311963 Email: sajal035@gmail.com

Civil Engineer (Diploma) seeking for placement. Contact: 95200650 Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp.

Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com C-SWIP 3.1 ASNT level 2 QC Mech.

Engr 5+ yrs exp Indian male 26 seeks placement.

Contact : 91823331 Email: kannasekhar46@gmail.com SUPERVISOR: Indian male site supervisor (AIR CONDITIONING) 25 years of experience with valid Oman Driving lic Contact: 97498809, 93391910 Email: hilariankj@gmail.com Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical maintained field on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 99191535 Email: fareed029@gmail.com Indian male BE Mechanical currently on 2 yrs free visa with NOC & local release. Looking for suitable job in Muscat. Contact – 90296975 / ali.syedausaf@gmail.com

EDUCATION Indian female B. Sc Chemistry B.Ed having 6 years experience in teaching looking for suitable jobs.

Contact: 94196493 Indian female MA English literature B.Ed having 6 years experience in teaching looking for suitable jobs.

Contact: 96701049

HOSPITALITY Dynamic result oriented hospitality professional with 20 years of international exp. MBA in Hotel Management, specializing in Hotel/Restaurant start ups, concepts & Franchise development with proven records.

Seeking for Challenging positions in reputed groups as GM/COO/CEO/ Business Head. (NOC available) Contact : 96059470 Experience MBA (Hospital Management) looking for a suitable position. Contact: 95958597 Email: vipinpthomas28@gmail.com

Professional Civil Engineer 25 yrs experience with N.O.C Management and Supervision with D/L. Contact: 97290338

IT

Electrical and Electronics Engineer with one year experience and GCC licence holder seeking a job mail – shyjalpk@gmail.com

B.Tech IT, 2 years experience, seeking job as IT Support / Customer and Technical Support, any suitable jobs in Oman currently on visit visa.

Contact : 98960932 Email: jittojacob@hotmail.com

Electrical Engineer Indian male 29 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India (MRF Tyres), seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer having 1 year exp in Mechanical Supervising looking for suitable job.

Contact 92835957 Young Electrical Engineer looking for suitable placement. Having specialization in electronics.

Contact 99227861 Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385

MEDICAL

Net working Technical with driving license NOC having 2 years experience in data and telephone structured cabling epabx and CCTV installing looking for suitable.

Contact: 96027516 Indian male 25 years MCA, CCNA Certified MCSE2012 having 16 months experience in network and system administration looking for suitable placement.

Contact 97703253 / 92365310 Email: albinmperakkattu@gmail.com CCNA MCITP Network support/ Network technician with 2 yrs experience Indian male having bachelors degree on visit visa.

Contact 93080871, email :sean.f.peters@outlook.com

ME Electronics Engineer , 4 yr exp in hardware and software currently in Oman for visiting visa, Contact: 95508754, 97049791 Computer Engineer, Iraqi fresh graduate excellent grade - Caledonian college , experience in programming, networking, database and web designing. valid Omani driving license, residence in Oman – Contact 98763390 Network Engineer looking for job have CCNA and CCNP (suitable) driving license NOC and 4 years experience.

Contact: +968 91703807 Email: ekrema.zia@gmail.com Computer Teacher with IELTS, experience in Oman IGCSE, CBSE, higher Grades looking for suitable vacancy. Contact: 98048946 Oracle ADF Developer, Msc (IT), 2 yrs of Experience in Software Development (Oracle ADF, sql, pl/sql), Oracle OCA & SQL Expert, Currently on visit visa. Contact +968 93755858 / 92141644 Email : shiralkarmuzammil@yahoo.com IT Engineer, MBA, PMP trained, having Omani driving license, 18+ years of experience in software industry, looking for a suitable position. Contact: 91244967 Software Engineer, 6 yrs exp in software projects & development (Java,PL/SQL Unix) on visit visa.

Contact: 99487493 Indian male IT professional with 8 yrs experience including GCC in windows server, computer hardware, networking & office administration seeks a suitable placement.

Contact: 95994227

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male as building care taker, 8 yrs exp looking for job.

Contact: 99716008 Indian male 25 years, M.Sc Chemistry, 1 yr. experience in Quality Control and assurances done HACCP level 3 certificated course seeking job in suitable placement.

Contact: 99185354 Email: alexbabu199@yahoo.com Indian male 22 BBA Graduate with Iosh Nebosh Certification having valid Omani driving license seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 96357787 1 years experience Managing Supervising qualification bachelors degree, Master diploma.

Contact : 93736515 Email: namshad404@gmail.com Indian female Diploma in Indian & foreign Accounting having 1 year experience in Oman seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 95714285 Egyptian legal adviser experience and experience in arbitration and contracts and labor law, looking for work a company.

Contact: 99664890 BBA Graduate looking for a suitable job valid Oman D/L. Contact : 99172212

MSc Nurse specialized in OBG, 3 years experience-certified ACLS,BLS, on visit visa, seeking suitable opportunities Contact:90125347 An Indian female GNM Nurse having 10 yrs experience in Indian with Oman MOH license seeking suitable placement currently in Oman.

Contact: 97895004 Email: sandhyamol26@gmail.com Indian male Nurse, prometric passed seeks suitable placement.

Contact 97284508I

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Highly skilled Transport Manager Experienced in Oman & UAE, required for Reputed Mining Company Located at Sultanate of Oman.

Contact: workatoman@gmail.com Indian male, BSc Physics Manager Communication & marketing, professional in Graphic Design software’s presently in visit visa.

Contact: 93508947 Senior Manager Indian, 30 years in FMCG Business in Oman looking for better opportunity at management level. Contact 99231513

PROJECTS Civil Engineer, Indian male, 25 years, B.Tech, have 3 years experience in building construction seeks suitable positions. 92609893, alenalexander123@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Experienced Marketing Manager looking for job. Contact: 95266485 Indian female 2+ years of experience in marketing / Sales business development in Oman with D/L seeks suitable position.

Contact: 98989784, Email: alamelusara@hotmail.com Indian male 28 B.Com M.Com, MBA experience 2 years Ventex Global UAE Marketing Executive, experience 1 year Al Majeed Group Marketing Executive with valid UAE D/L. Contact : +968 92871946 Indian male Graduate more than 16 years of experience in customer relations and marketing in Pharma and surgical field seeking suitable opportune. Contact: 95570460 / 92812020 Marketing or Purchase Executive, 1.5 yrs in Oman Indian male 27 yrs, MBA with valid Oman D/L available for immediate placement.

Contact: 976300958 / 24796010 Email: ashwanihegde@gmail.com Marketing and Sales candidate with 8 years experience in GCC looking for suitable position. Having NOC and valid Oman diving license.

Contact: 96669152 Indian male 34 yrs MBA, Marketing & finance with 11 years of experience in Managerial roles in Sales Marketing in different industry looking for suitable placement presently on visit visa. Contact : 97325393 Email: achus82@gmail.com Filipino lady looking for Receptionist Sales girl having good experience in Muscat. NOC will be available ready to join immediately. Contact: 92664896 / 91107941. After October 1st week. Contact: + 639759460269 Indian male more than 8 years experience in UAE in Office , Sales Marketing with good computer skills having driving license looking for suitable placement.

Contact : 99369081 Email: shazulashraf60@gmail.com Indian male having 10 years work experience ( Customer Service/ Back end sales/stores)and 1 year work experience in Oman NOC in hand, looking for Suitable Position Contact no: 96526228 / sravan.kumaraj@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Indian male more than 10 years gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin, Secretarial and purchase with good computer skills.

Having Driving license and NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95149624

SALES / MARKETING Indian male more than 8 years experience in outdoor sales in G.C.C with transferable visa & valid driving license Graduate.

Contact: 91234320 Indian male having 10 yrs experience 4 yrs in Oman in purchase, stores & logistics areas, having valid Omani driving license and N.O.C in Hand, looking for suitable position any where in Oman Contact no:94087866 SENIOR SALES ENGINEER (B.E. Mechanical, MBA-Mktg) - 6yrs experience in Industrial Products and Services with NOC and GCC Driving License looking for the challenging opportunities. Join immediately.

GSM: 94596639 E-mail:dhvlnayak@yahoo.co.in Sales and marketing - male 27 yrs, 2 years experience seeking suitable placement with Oman D/L. Contact: 95642740 Email: shaijichakkara@gmail.com 3+ years of experience (Oman) in marketing, business development, sales & customer services, BBA Marketing with valid GCC driving license. Contact: 94374115 Indian male, U.K Post Graduate M.A, MBA, 3 years Experience, looking position within Marketing, Branding, Business Development & PR. Contact: greetings111@hotmail.com MBA 15 years experience in Sales & Marketing in telecom, FMCG, presently in India C/O Saif Kazi.

Contact : 99625957 Email Id: a_kazi123@yahoo.co.in Indian male 25 yrs BBM Graduate 3 yrs of experience Sales / Marketing in Oman looking in suitable placement.

Contact : 93185316 Email: karsh794@gmail.com

Indian male, 15 yrs. experienced Marketing/Admin/Business Development Personnel in Construction Industry available with NOC and valid Oman D/L seeks better openings. Contact 99852404 or mailtowelling@gmail.com.

Indian male Sr. Sales Executive, 15 years exp in retail sector looking for vacancies. Contact: 96768382

MISCELLANEOUS Electrical Engineer with BS & MS Degree having 5 years of Experience in Electrical Utility/Water sector seeks a suitable job. Contact: 95731852 snaveelh@gmail.com CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT, looking out for an opportunity in Oman in Audit OR Finance field. Available in Muscat from 10th – 16th Oct. Call : 91258435 26, Male, Indian, BBA (Finance), MBA(HR), Looking for suitable Job. Contact immediately. Contact 98176105, nruknaddin@outlook.com Indian lady looking for accounts Job, two years experience one year worked in Oman B.Com Graduate , Tally ERP9. GSM : 91123561 The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 14 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: tenders& real estate& construction & marketing projects& investments& transportation & Marine services& companies management& develop business.

Contact 93240027 33 year male Indian Keralite looking for Senior Accountant or Assistant Accounts manager having 10 years of working experience in Oman and Qatar with valid GCC license willing to work any GCC country, please contact : 97433387 27,male,ACCA finalist, have professional experience up to finalization of accounts, statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally and focus & oracle software, have 3.5 years experience in accounts till finalization ,seeking for permanent replacement , GSM-97654769,email idabdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com

D6

W E D N E S DAY, O C T O B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED Indian looking for a part time accounting or Internal Auditing job, contact 99196621.

26, Male, Indian, BBA (Finance), MBA(HR), Looking for suitable Job. Contact immediately #98176105, nruknaddin@outlook.com Senior Management Professional, MBA, 12 years+ exp. in Business Development/Sales Management , Sales Training, Content Development & Six sigma GSM:97428090 Part Time Accounting Job Complete Data Entry, Upto Finalization. Any Time Available. Location Al Hail, AL Khoud. #- +968-92049215 Email:- aiafe.oman@gmail.com ACCA finalist, Recent B.Com Graduate, Indian Female, looking for full time employment in Accounting and Audit.+96896964379, sangeethaumesh5@gmail.com Indian Chartered Accountant, Male 25 years, 5 years of relevant experience, On Visit visa, Staying with Parents. Also holds BCOM (Computer Applications). Contact 98164467, 24492638 shyamal008@gmail.com Arab Lady seeking for Housemanager/Personal Assistant job.

Highly experienced. Arabic, English &French. Contacttel : +961 71339568 email : famurr@hotmail.com 26, Male, Indian, BBA (Finance), MBA(HR), Looking for suitable Job. Contact immediately Contact 98176105, Email: nruknaddin@outlook.com FABRICATION & ERECTION-DUCT MAN Candidate seeking suitable opportunities & presently in Oman with NOC Mob:97239854, Mail:asherlalitha@yahoo.com 25yrs Indian Female with Bsc Nursing, MHA (master of hospital administration) Graduate looking for suitable placement. Contact:- 99513267 Email:-alinaelshaddai@gmail.com Indian male Accountant with 10 years experience in Oman available for immediate joining with Oman driving license NOC available. Contact : 99881355 / 99720602 HSE Advisor (Indian) 30 years Nebosh, 10SH & Diploma in fire & Safety 9 years Gulf experience in construction, oil & gas.

Contact 95568731 Email: sathishdream@gmail.com SR. Land Surveyor Indian 7 years GCC exp, 2 years IND. Exp, experienced in building construction (Oman driving license).

Contact 97437307 HSE Officer (Indian) 26 years Nebosh, diploma in fire & safety council, 3 years experience (including 1 years GCC) in construction. # 97058358 Email: arun.insane@gamil.com Indian male, 29 years B.Tech (E.C.E) and M.B.A with 1.2 years of experience in Oman as Electronic Engineer seeking for a suitable job currently on visit visa.

Contact 92085082 Email: suhailece.61@gmail.com 50 years Indian male 15yrs experience as Manager in Steel and paper Plant seeking suitable placement. Kindly contact me on +91 9840943638 Chartered Accountant, Indian male, 25, two years experience, on visit visa. Staying with parents. Also has B.com+computer Application.

Contact: 24492638/98164467. shyamal008@gmail.com Diploma in Civil Engineer. I have 6 year experience in Oman seeking for suitable position Oman.

Contact 97415597, email: Nasir.muscat@gmail.com

Well experienced management finance specialist having 18 years experience available for placement.

Contact.95602518 23, Male, ACCA Affiliate, OBU Bsc, 2.5 years of experience in audit and finance in Big 6 Firms, Looking for permanent placement in similar field. Release NOC available. Contact: #95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com 22, Male, Indian, BBA (Marketing),1 year experience in India, Looking for suitable placement in Sales and Marketing. #91897046, azzamsiddique1@gmail.com Indian Male,27,ACCA Part Qualified,B.COM with 7+ yrs exp in receivables and credit control in Oman looking for suitable placements. NOC available.

Contact 9657 4343.

Indian Female, Science Graduate, 3 years Experience in Teaching back home. Looking for a suitable job opportunity as a teacher, in Schools in Muscat Region. Contact : 96431456 / 95704814 Indian Male, 25, Chartered Accountant, working with ICICI Bank India.

On a Visit Visa in Oman. Staying with parents at Azaiba.

Ph: 24492638.

Email: shyamal008@gmail.com Looking for a suitable job as Jr. Accountant/ Jr. Administration in a reputed company. NOC Available.

GSM # 93004738.

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, 8 years experience ,Oman driving licence,Noc available. Seek Suitable opportunity.

GSM- 98184170 ACCOUNTANT, Male, 8 years experience, presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license. NOC available, seek suitable opportunity. GSM: 97705854 Chemical Engineer Indian 2 years of experience in production field Contact: 91247222 Email:sahadpoonchola@gmail.com Syrian male 3yrs. exp in IT support, Networking, Security systems, Server support, IT sales and marketing.

Valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact 91033395 Indian female, MBA, 25yrs Having 4yrears of experience in MNC, hands of experiences in recruitment and administration, flexible for any suitable job placements currently in visting visa.

Contact Tel : 98864639 Email : neethuvijayan06@gmail.com Indian Male, 26 Yrs, Business Management, 6 years in Oman.

Knowledge of MS Office and Arabic Language. Seeks suitable position.

Contact 93931935 Indian Mechanical Engineer, 30, having 8yrs of UAE Sales/Business Development. experience in Electromechanical and Irrigation sectors. Contact no- +971558763220 email id-sangowri@outlook.com Indian male, with finance and Law degree, having more than 25 years of experience in Finance/ Accounts / Audit (5 years of Oman experience) seeks suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 98421619.

E-mail: talemadhamu@yahoo.com.

Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer seeks suitable placement. Contact : 99514286 Pakistan Male: 24 years,M.Com Finance having 2.5 year experience as a accountant & marketing executive looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 97670816, E.mail: naeem.ahsan68@gmail.com

Indian female with MBA in finance seeking immediate placement.

Contact: 968-93316493 ACCOUNTANT: Indian male 25 having 4 years experience in accounting & having well knowledge in tally.

Contact:968094535881, 0091 9037622048, Email: vishnuraj889@gmail.com 31 year Indian male PG in HR ,with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement.

Kindly contact me on 93488914, email-Kaarthickshankar@gmail.com Sudanese/26/Bsc Computer Science /3 years exp/skills Excellent knowledge in operating systems and maintaining computers Java Programmer Web Developer Linux SMS solutions Android developer/ email khalid.omx@gmail.com/contact no 944958080 and 99758186.

Civil Autocad Draughtsman part time work for job mob :96023726 Indian male B.Eng. in IT,CCNA, MCSA,MCSE, 2.5 yrs + exp. in IT support, networking and server support valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian B.E Computer Science graduate 2012 passout. 1 .5 yrs exp. in Accounting. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Having NIIT certificate in Diploma in Java Technology. # 97767894 Email: jinsonjacobjohn@gmail.com Indian male 24 YEARS, B.Tech (Electrical & Electronics), having 2 yrs. exp as Electrical Site Engineer. Done IOSH & NEBOSH- IGC certifications, seeking for suitable placement in any related industries. Contact 98045482, Email: mastanshaik1008@gmail. com Indian male, 24 years, HSE Engineer having 2 years of Indian experience.

Done IOSH & NEBOSH- IGC certifications, seeking for suitable placement in any related industries.# 98045482 27, male, ACCA finalist, have professional experience up to finalization of Accounts, Statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally and focus & Oracle Software, have 3.5 years experience in accounts till finalization, seeking for permanent replacement , GSM-97654769,email idabdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com

SIT.WANTED

Indian male 22yr BBA with LOGISTIC Diploma, exp in tally and data entry seeking in suitable placement.

Contact; 90151739 email shakeeb.mp280gmail.com

MBA (F) B.COM Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for full or part time job. Presently on family visit visa.

Contact: - 96259171. Email: bhumicapandya@gmail.com

Mechanical Draftsman, Indian male 27, Diploma in Mechanical Engineering having 7 years of experience in Auto CAD looking for a suitable placement. Contact 97351786 / 96143708 mohammednazeer07@gmail.com

Indian Male, MBA, Talented management expert having 6 year experience at U.A.E, India and Oman in luxury goods and Retail. Seeking suitable openings in related or same field. Contact:92700670 Email: jobcareer44@gmail.com

ACCA Affiliate, OBU Degree, 2.5 years experience in audit and finance in Big6 firm, Looking for permanent placement. NOC release available. Contact: #95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com

B.Tech EEE with 4+ years experience in the field of it, networking, ex-tonics etc. presently working in Amazon India development centre as a content quality associate seeking for suitable jobs in Oman. Contact : +91 9940514005, 93116402 email: mail2nbn@gmail.com

MBA Finance with more than five years of experience in Finance & Accounts including GCC, looking for a suitable opening. Having UAE driving license. Contact no..91391802.

Senior Accountant. 8 Years experience. NOC available. Oman driving license. Seek suitable opportunity.

GSM- 98184170 B.E Mechanical Engineer with 2 years’ experience in HVAC field on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 93442296 Email Id: sal201091@gmail.com.

MBA Finance with more than five years of experience in Finance & Accounts including GCC, looking for a suitable opening. Having UAE driving license. Contact no..91391802 Indian 26M, B. Tech Computer Science graduate, 3 years exp in India, looking for suitable job in Muscat.

Contact : 93125669, Email : amritrajGT18@gmail.com Indian Male Nurse with Moh licence & Noc seeking a job with Family Status gsm:95817579.

E.mail:vasudevanv2005@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439 Pakistani, Male, Pak, Exp 14 Years in IT Trainer / Computer Teacher, looking for a better position in Oman, already working in Prestigious Construction Company. # 95983711.

Join.mtmali@gmail.com M. Tech VLSI design, B. tech Electronics and instrumentation, Indian female,3 years teaching experience for graduation level students, seeking suitable placements .

Ph:00968 92904155. email-achusooraj@gmail.com Indian male auto cad draughtsman (civil) 8 years experience seeking for part time job mobile no: 0096899070584, email: remluvp@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED Indian Male (Diploma in electronics Engineering and CCNA.) having 9 years of experience in Networking, 5 years’ experience in Oman. Looking for a suitable Placement. NOC available. GSM- 93787098, Email –anishktr@gmail.com Sudanese/Bsc IT/26/2 years experience/excellent Eng-Arb speaking/ Omani driving license/96387227/ henrykarrar@gmail.com INDIAN MALE 24 YEARS,B. Tech (Electrical & Electronic).Having 2 years experience as Electrical Site Engineer in Constructions. Done IOSH & NEBOSH- IGC certifications.

Seeking for suitable placement in constructions or in any related industries. Contact no: 98045482, Email: shannu.hse@gmail.com MBA - (F), M.Com, B.COM. Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for part time or full time job. Presently on family visa.

Contact- 91892264. mail: yv.dixit@yahoo.com Admin, having 10+ years experience in Admin/HR/Logistics/Time Keeper, in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat.

Contact- 968 94369965 mail - satya1528@gmail.com

Two year experience in Oman, experience in sales, purchase and system admin, Having GCC license.

Contact number 97475860, Yadhukrishnan08@gmail.com Indian male Accountant, 12 years experience, looking for a full time or part time job, experience in tally also. Contact 98983122 Site Supervisor/ L Driver, Pakistani Male 33 with valid D/L, 4 years experience in Muscat, fluent in English, Arabic looking for suitable place. Contact: 97950869 Indian male B.Eng. in IT,CCNA,MCSA,MCSE, 2.5 yrs + exp. in IT support, Networking and Server support with valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/ Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian Male, 25, Chartered Accountant, working with ICICI Bank India. On a Visit Visa in Oman.

Staying with parents at Azaibah.

Ph:24492638.

Email: shyamal008@gmail.com Indian Female BSC nurse with 8+ years of experience including 3 years of GCC exp. Oman Prometric passed with 57 %. Currently in Oman. Contact : 98034384

W E D N E S DAY, O C T O B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

D7

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SIT.WANTED 8+ years experienced senior accountant looking for a better placement. Contact No. +968 92935684.

Email - shabeerkkm@gmail.com.

NOC available.

Indian Male, 38 years, BE and MBA in Marketing from UK seeks suitable placement in the IT industry.

Call 91200413.

CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. GSM: 96760618 Email: varghese.manthara@gmail.com Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+ experience in Administration/HR, Customer Support, Office Coordinator with good Computer skill, now on Visit Visa ,looking for suitable position. Contact: 90196235

CLASSES

26, Male, Indian, BBA (Finance), MBA(HR), Looking for suitable placement in Finance/HR/Marketing. Contact immediately. Contact 98176105, nruknaddin@outlook.com 29 years Indian female (MBAFinance) with 4 yrs experience in Accounts, seeking suitable placement in Accounts/Admin/HR. NOC available. Contact:96141283

DRIVING

ACCOUNTANT: Indian male 25 having 4years experience in accounting & having well knowledge in tally.

Contact:968 094535881, 0091 9037622048.

Email: vishnuraj889@gmail.com 31 year Indian male PG in HR , with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement.

Contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com

MANPOWER

COMPUTER

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

INDIAN MALE , MBA. Having 10+ years experience as Automotives Sales Manager .Worked with M/s TALWAR AUTO GARAGES PVT LTD India’s Largest Selling Dealer for VOLVO EICHER commercial vehicles .Seeking for suitable Job in Oman.

Contact no: 98045482 Email: dmstalwar@gmail.com Indian male with 18 years of Indian and Overseas experience in hospitality industry, with excellent cooking, operational, managerial and communication skills seeking a suitable job from reputed groups and organizations. On a visit visa.

Contact: 95363751 ACCA finalist, Recent B.Com Graduate, Indian Female, looking for full time employment in Accounting and Audit. Contact +96896964379, sangeethaumesh5@gmail.com Admin, having 10+ years experience in Admin/HR/Logistics/Time Keeper, in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat. Contact- 94369965 , mail - satya1528@gmail.com Indian male . 14 yrs experience in maintenance & Supervisor in hotel field ( Electrical . Ac Mechanical & Plumber ) N O C available mob : 95 25 36 40 . email = hareeshma24@yahoo.com Indian male B.Eng. in IT,CCNA,MCSA,MCSE, 2.5 yrs + exp. in IT support, networking and server support valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/ Server support. Contact 92607532

Leading manpower agency to hire Recruiter from India housemaids.

Contact: 99226093, Email: fesalwardi48@gmail.com

SIT-WANTED Indian Male 26 years MCA, MCSE 2012 certified, Microsoft Exchange Server Administration, having 1 year experience in IT/System Administration looking for suitable placement. Contact Mob : 00968 92745708 Email: nabeelmmkty@gmail.com, Light duty driver, Young and honest. Can speak Arabic, Hindi and understand English. Release available.

Ph.92854775 / 93487450 B.Com graduate, 11 years experience in Accounts, 9 years Oman experience , Oman valid driving license, looking for suitable post.

Mob:92758404 NOC Available.

Sudanese male, 31 years, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer , 6 year experience in construction and electrical production plant .

Mobile No ; +96894549609

ACCA Affiliate, Indian Male, Fresher, looking for full time employment in Tax and Audit.+968 91291520, shahidazeez5@gmail.com

Indian male, B.com, MBA, having 5 years experience (3 years in U.A.E) is currently seeking suitable opportunities within finance/accounts/ admin dept.Contact:93953613, allen.mathew83@gmail.com

Indian Male, 24 years old recently completed M.Tech in Offshore Structures from NIT Calicut, looking for suitable position.#: +919833248568, Email: shihabpatel91@gmail.com

Indian male 27 years B.E & MS Mechanical Engineer working in Delhi for last 4 years inJcb India pvt. ltd., seeks placement in Oman.

Contact: 93393768

Diploma in civil engineering having an experience 24years (20years in Oman) experience in Estimator / quantity surveyor looking for a suitable placement, willing to join immediately Contact : 96328687

Female MBA gold medalist, with computer proficiency, Oman driving license looking for job opportunity in event management companies in Muscat. Ph : 99012949

Indian male B.Eng. in IT,CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 2yrs + exp. in IT support, networking and server support valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian male, 14 yrs Experience in Maintenance & Supervisor in hotel field ( Electrical. Ac Mechanical & Plumber ) N O C available #95253640 . email = hareeshma24@yahoo.com Indian female with MBA on visit visa seeking immediate placement.

Contact - 968-93316493 ME Civil- structural Engineer, 8 Years Structural engineer experience, Looking for Structural Designer, supervisor or site engineer Position. Iranian male.

Contact 93696929, Email: mhsaz1359@gmail.com

27,male, ACCA finalist, have professional experience upto finalization of accounts, statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally and focus & oracle software, have 3.5 years experience in accounts till finalization and statutory audit, seeking for permanent replacement ,GSM-97654769,email idabdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, Indian male,29 years.8 years experience .Presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license. NOC available. Seek suitable opportunity.

GSM: 97705854 Indian Male, 32 yrs, MBA-HR, Trainer & Faculty worked on Omanisation & nationals development activities with 10 yrs of experience seeking suitable job. Contact : 93891401 saiprasad_18@yahoo.com

SIT-WANTED Driver looking for job exp 2 yrs.

Contact: 98522914 Sudanese 29 male (Bsc computer science,diploma computer engineering), 6 yrs. experience dba oracle plsql , ms sql-server ,ms visual studio vba,network Omani Driver licence language English, Arabic# 91415886

We want regular finance on short term or long term basis from individuals of Omani nationals or expatriates for trading business.

Contact: 99462591 or 93525028 Looking for investor and Partner, well running company monthly profit. 14,000 RO. Contact: 96725079

WEBSITE

Indian female, 24yrs, M.COM (Accounts) having 3 yrs experience in Accounts, HR, Administration, Customer Service. Good Computer Proficiency seeking Suitable Position. Visa Transfer/NOC Available.

Contact: 99654913 Indian Male 22 Years , Graduation In Electronics Seeking Jobs In Supervisory , Sales & Sales Co-ordination Fields , Good Communication Skill Contact 96141317, E-mail: akhilek5@gmail.com Piping Design Engineer, Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708/97357143

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

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

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

Split & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 96236476 Window & split unit A.C servicing & maintenance.# 93769089 / 95323517

Indian female B. Com MBA finance ,5 years experience in oman as an account seeking suitable placement.

Contact 99044292

Air condition maintenance installation window AC, split a/c, ducted AC and package type units.

Contact: 98667326

DIPLOMA+B.E.(CIVIL ENGINEER), Indian, 4 years of experience, currently on visit visa; Seeking Right Position. GSM:91570703.

Window & split unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517

A/C Technician installation services. Contact : 92279370

Pest Control Gulfa Intl .LLC. Contact: 92326955

House shifting & packing.

Contact: 99657644 /98518013

Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

General cleaning & Shampooing. Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723/99357908

Indian male 23 years Graduate, working as a sales coordinator cum purchase & office coordination 2 yrs in oman Having oman license & NOC looking for suitable job in Muscat Email:yadhukrishnan08@gmail. com, GSM:97475860 ME. Civil Engineer, Structural Designer, 3 Years Structural Design, 6 Years Str. Engineer Experience, Looking For Structural Designer Position. Iranian Male.

Contact 93696929, Email: mhsaz1359@gmail.com Male Graphic designer cum animation, non linear editing VFX, seeking suitable position.

Contact: 97792661 / 96229406

Pest Control Treatments, Cockroaches, Ants, Rodents & Termites, Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723/ 99357908 Supply fixing Wallpapers, all carpets. #99834373 / 6642500 WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

One stop shop business services : Public Relation (PRO) formation new companies, LLC companies, Investor visa, business setup, prepare businesses & companies accounts, legal services, representing you and your company. Contact Saleh: 96723485

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

Used house & office furniture & electronic items.# 99834373 / 96642500 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & antitermite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

D8

W E D N E S DAY, O C T O B E R 7, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

TOURS

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

SITUATION WANTCARGO

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

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

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR