Times of Oman - October 8, 2015 by Muscat Media Group

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THE CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR > C7

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

Speech via Oman TV 26 November 1975

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ Oman today is unlike yesterday, her face has changed, dirt dusted off and the door and windows have been opened for a new light. She announces direct contact with the world by reacting to its developments and is affected by its accomplishments.

THURSDAY, October 8, 2015 / 24 Dhul Hijja 1436 AH

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NEW HIJRI YEAR

TRAGEDY: Mohammed Al Alawi was on-board the MOD70 Musandam-Oman Sail.

Lost at sea - prayers for Oman Sail’s missing crew member

Holiday on ﬁrst day of Muharram MUSCAT: Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal bin Saud Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Chairman of the Civil Service Council on Wednesday issued a decision on the holiday of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) Hijra Anniversary and the advent of the New Hijri year, 1437 AH. >A6

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com

Mohammed Al Alawi, 26.

MUSCAT: Mohammed Al Alawi, 26, a crew member on-board the MOD70 Musandam-Oman Sail, is missing in the waters of Croatia, according to Oman Sail. “MOD70 Skipper Sidney Gavignet has reported that Mohammed is missing,” Oman Sail said in a statement. Alawi’s family has been notiﬁed, the statement said, adding that Italian and Croatian authorities have initiated search and

rescue operations. Launched in 2009, the Multi One Design 70 is the cutting edge of the sport as the only high speed trimaran proven to withstand the rigours and perils of ocean racing. Skipper Sidney Gavignet and his Oman Sail’s record-breaking crew aboard the MOD70 Musandam-Oman Sail are in Europe and are hoping to end their 2015 season with a ﬂourish as they bid to claim line honours on their debut in the 2015 Rolex Middle Sea Race, scheduled to begin in Valletta, Malta on October 17. >A6

R U S AY L

Man arrested for alleged murder of ex-wife’s brother Staff Reporter MUSCAT: A man was allegedly murdered yesterday by his brother-in-law in Rusayl Industrial estate, off the Muscat Expressway, reportedly in reaction to a court ruling against him. According to a reliable source, the suspect had divorced his wife and took the children away from her, not allowing them to see their mother for years. Subsequently, the case was taken to court and the judge ruled in favour of the ex-wife and gave

the custody of children to their mother, and also ordered him to pay an amount for settlement. In reaction to the ruling, the suspect had allegedly threatened to kill one of the brothers of his former wife. The accused travelled to the workplace of one of his brothers-in-law and allegedly killed him on the spot. A Royal Oman Police official conﬁrmed the killing saying, “The murder took place at 10am at the victim’s workplace. The suspect is currently under police custody.”

Le Guen’s Oman respect Iran ‘but not too much’ TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

Sayyid Fahd meeting

‘KING OF DRIFT’

His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, received Dr Al Sadiq Al Hadi Abdul Rahman Al Mahdi, Minister of Human Resources Development in Sudan. >A2

OMAN

Indian ghazal show TEST OF DRIVING SKILLS: The event is the perfect opportunity

for motorsport lovers and drift fans to enjoy a hands-on experience. – Supplied photo

Oman gears up for Red Bull car contest Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman gears up for the Red Bull Car Park Drift local qualiﬁer for the sixth consecutive year this weekend, at the Oman Automobile Association on October 9. The preliminary rounds will take place on October 8, where the best of Oman’s elite drivers will be selected to battle for the drifting title. The participants’ skills will be put to test and candidates must enjoy exceptional car handling skills, at high speed and over winding narrow tracks. There will be several extraordinary

rounds of exhilarating shows to crown the ‘King of Drift’ and choose Oman’s representative for the Dubai ﬁnals. The event is the perfect opportunity for motorsport lovers and drift fans to enjoy a hands-on experience. Red Bull Athlete and Rally Champion Abdo Feghali will design the track, which will include several obstacles. The drivers’ performance will be scored by a panel of judges, who can award participants with a maximum of 400 points. The judges will observe how well participants continuously drift, follow the track, and how great their cars smoke. >A6

Jasvinder Singh is all set to enthral Omani audience on October 10. >A4

MARKET

Common GCC stocks

GCC is proceeding with their plans to integrate stock markets. >B1

ISO 9001:2008 Certiﬁed Company

Resident card for expats’ children from five

SEARCH ON

His Majesty receives thanks MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of thanks from President Ali Bongo Ondimba of the Republic of Gabon, in reply to His Majesty’s greetings cable on the occasion of his country’s National Day. In his cable, President Ondimba has expressed his utmost thanks and appreciation for His Majesty the Sultan’s greetings and best wishes. He affirmed his keenness to promote cooperation between the two countries, wishing His Majesty good health and happiness and the Omani people further progress and prosperity. -ONA

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Parents welcomed the ‘optional’ move by the Royal Oman Police, which means they can use E-gate at Muscat airport

TARIQ AL HAREMI /REJIMON K

tariqh@timesofoman.com reji@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Expatriate children in Oman, who are aged five or above, can now apply for a resident card, a top police official said. “It is optional. We started issuing resident cards for expatriate children, aged five years or above, two weeks ago,” a top official from the Royal Oman Police (ROP) told the Times of Oman. According to the Expatriates Residency Law, it is mandatory for expatriates to get a residency card for their children once they turn 15 years old, but now parents can choose to get one earlier — accessing benefits such as using the E-gate system at the Muscat International Airport. To get the resident card for the first time, the child must be physically present as a picture has to be taken, the police official said. “They will also have to follow the normal procedures where the parents have to fill in the application, attach a medical report, a letter from the parent and the passport. “However, for renewal, the children need not accompany the

To get resident card for the ﬁrst time, child must be physically present.– A R Rajkumar/Times of Oman

parent,” the official added. “Children will also be able to use the card at the electronic gates at the airport,” the police ofﬁcial added. According to Article 42, any Omani aged above 15 years has to submit an application seeking an identity card. This is mandatory for males and optional for females. Those aged below 15 years may obtain an Identity Card subject to the approval of their guardians. The same Article also states that every foreigner, who is a resident of Oman, shall obtain a residence card. Bosky Dutia, an Indian expatriate, said allowing resident cards for children was a welcome move. “Deﬁnitely, it will provide safety and security because currently we don’t have IDs for children in case of accidents or in any other emergency. In addition to that, we will not have to stand in long queues at the airport while entering and exiting Oman,” Dutia added. >A6

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

OMAN

82,981

live births were recorded in Oman in 2014, according to the latest ďŹ gures issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information >A4

SAYYID FAHD RECEIVES SUDANESE MINISTER

His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, yesterday received Dr Al Sadiq Al Hadi Abdul Rahman Al Mahdi, Minister of Human Resources Development in the Republic of Sudan. During the meeting, the Sudanese minister conveyed the greetings of President Filed Marshal Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir of the Republic of Sudan to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, along with his best wishes of success to His Majesty in the march of the comprehensive development being witnessed by Oman, and the Omani people further progress and prosperity. -ONA

M U N I C I PA L C OU N C I L

Food bank proposed Times News Service MUSCAT: Muscat Municipal Council is considering setting up a food bank that will be replenished from leftover or unused food sourced from restaurants and cafes in Muscat. The Health, Social and Environmental Committee of the Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth meeting in three years was chaired by Ali bin Salem Al Mashari, chairman of the Committee and a member of the Council. The meeting discussed issues and proposals submitted by the members of the council and also addressed the suggestion made for the establishment of the food bank. The idea of the food bank is based on repackaging unused food and delivering it to the needy. The Committee also hosted the Dar Al Atta Association, which presented a visual map of the project. Besides, it discussed voluntary work and agreed to include subjects on voluntary work in school curriculum and teaching.

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

OMAN

Voting in the Sultanate’s embassies in the other GCC countries and the Commercial Office of the Sultanate in Dubai will be held on Sunday October 18, in addition to the working committees who will vote in the election centre in Muscat Salim bin Humaid Al Hajri, Chairman of Preparation Committee for Majlis Al Shura 8th Term Elections

CRIME

Drug dealer arrested in Sohar; ﬁrearm, bullets, cash recovered Times News Service MUSCAT: An Omani citizen was arrested in Sohar for possession, use and smuggling of narcotic substances. The Directorate of Narcotics Control seized half a kilogram of hashish and 13 individual pieces of the drug ready for sale, cash earned from the trade, a ﬁrearm and bullets from him.

Drugs, arms and cash recovered by the ROP. – Supplied photo

Drug users arrested In another case, 11 people were arrested for possession and use of drugs. Nine of those arrested are Omanis, while the other two were from a Gulf nation and Asia. They were arrested from Sohar areas. In another success, the Directorate of Narcotics Control

I N D I A N S C H O O L M U S C AT E V E N T

More than 1,500 to take part in cultural event

has arrested an Asian expatriate for trying to smuggle narcotics through the Muscat International Airport. An ROP source said that they seized 50 Clonazepam tablets from his suitcase. Fraud, forgery The Department of Inquiries and Investigations at the Bausher police department, in cooperation with the Directorate of Inquiries and Investigations, Muscat police, have arrested three people accused of fraud and forgery, which helped them earn OMR585,000 by forging cheques and using cheques without a balance. The crime had started when the suspects came into contact with an Arab man in one of the Gulf countries and struck a commercial 8TH TERM ELECTIONS

Voting at embassies in GCC to be held on October 18

MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Indian School Muscat (ISM) is all set to host the mega event, “Jhankaar Spectrum 2015,” one of the biggest art and cultural competitions held in the Middle East. The ninth edition of the competition will be held on October 13. Indra Mani Pandey, the Ambassador of India to the Sultanate, will inaugurate the event. More than 1500 students from 19 Indian schools in Oman and three schools from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain are expected to showcase their talent during 27 events simultaneously, at 20 different venues during the mega event. “We are giving a big platform for all the students to showcase their talents and co-curricular activities,” said Srinivas K Naidu, Principal of ISM. Various categories The various events during “Jhankaar Spectrum 2015” are classified under categories, such as Literary, Theatrical, Music, Fine Arts, Dance and Snapshot. The event is open to all students irrespective of their age. Winners of the first three positions during every event will be awarded trophies and certificates. The school that scores the highest number of points will lift the coveted Jhankaar Championship Trophy.

Srinivas K Naidu, Principal of ISM. – AR Rajkumar

Trophies will also be awarded to the winner, ﬁrst runner-up and second runner-up. Experts from various art and culture ﬁelds will judge the performance of the participants. “We are expecting more than 2000 people for the event, including 300 teachers, who will accompany the students,” said Biju Varghese, event manager at ISM. According to Varghese, over the years this event has been instrumental in providing a quality platform to the students. The Chief Guest at the valedictory function will be Wilson V. George, chairman, Board of Directors, Indian Schools in the Sultanate of Oman. The programme is a much anticipated annual event by all Indian schools across the Sultanate and is scaling greater heights every year.

MUSCAT: Voting in the Sultanate’s embassies in other GCC countries and the Commercial Office of the Sultanate in Dubai, will be held on Sunday, October 18, in addition to the working committees who will vote at the election centre in Muscat, Salim bin Humaid Al Hajri, Chairman of Preparation Committee for Majlis Al Shura 8th Term Elections, has said. Voters from the governorates of Dhofar and Musandam present in the Governorate of Muscat will vote at the same centre, he added. 107 polling stations In a statement to the Oman News Agency on Wednesday, he said there are 107 polling stations in the Sultanate. These polling centres, where voters will cast their ballots in various wilayats of the Sultanate, are distributed in proportion to the population density in each wilayat. The polling centers have been chosen to ensure that the locations are easily reachable. Noting the need to ensure the readiness of the ID card to vote in case of a defect in the electronic chip of the personal card, the statement asserted that the mobile e-units to install the electronic system in the identity card will be present on voting day at the polling stations. About the technologies used in the 8th term elections, Al Hajri explained that e-voting will be applied on October 18th for outside-the-Sultanate voting and the voting of the working committees, as well as in the election centre, as the ministry is seeking to mainstream e-voting in the next election periods, in addition to using automated sorting system for voting forms, which has proven effective in getting accurate and credible results. -ONA

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deal for buying a large shipment of foodstuff from his company. To cement the deal, the suspects forged a contract under the name of a major oil company. Both parties met to complete the deal, where one received the supplies and the other, the cheques. The Arab dealer was shocked when he tried to deposit the cheques and found out that half of them were forged, while the other half were for accounts that did not have any money. A call to the police was made immediately. After investigations and inquiries, the Bausher ROP was able to identify the suspects and raided the hotel where they were reportedly staying. They arrested two of the suspects in the hotel while the third was arrested from elsewhere.

The ROP have also seized the tools used for the crime, including cheques, forged contracts and stamps. The case has been referred to the public prosecution in preparation for the suspects’ appearance before the relevant court. 2 charged for theft Two Omanis were arrested by the Department of Inquiries and Investigations, Liwa Royal Oman Police (ROP), for robbing houses and commercial stores. An official source from the North Batinah Police said, “The accused has stolen money, mobile phones, phone recharge cards and silver jewellery. After investigations, we were able to apprehend them and they have confessed to their crimes.

They were sent to the public prosecution.” Expat arrested in Sohar An official source from Department of Inquiries and Investigations in North Al Batinah said, “We received a call from the Sohar police on behalf of a citizen that an unknown person had robbed his vehicle after vandalising it. The suspect broke the driver’s side window and stole his wallet, money and ATM card. He used the card to buy products for himself from public establishments and commercial shops.” After investigations, police were able to identify the suspect as an Arab and completed his arrest. The suspect confessed to his crimes and was referred to public prosecution.

Jasvinder set to enthral with Jagjit’s ghazals Jaswinder Singh has his own, unique style of performing and has mesmerised audiences at international concerts held in the

Jasvinder Singh

Jagjit Singh

17; Arabic Concert with Superstar Alaa Zalzali on October 24, and a tribute to legendary Kishore Kumar on his 86th birth anniversary by Amit and Sumeet Kumar on October 29. All the events will be held at the Sur Ballroom, Muscat Holiday Inn. Jasvinder Singh, the talented singer has been awarded the title of ‘The Young Ghazal Maestro’ by Indian Music Academy. The title was presented by Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia in the presence of the former President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. He is the son and student of legendary composer Kuldip Singh, composer of ghazals, such as ‘Tumko Dekha To Ye Khayal Aaya’ from the movie Saath-Saath and ‘Itni Shakti Hame De Na Daata’ from Ankush. Jasvinder is trained in classical singing by Dr. Sushila Pohankar and Pt Ajay Pohankar. “Jasvinder Singh is a young ghazal maestro and without doubt the most promising and sensational ghazal singer of this generation,” the organisers said. Saregama- HMV, one of the biggest music archives in India, recently launched his music album called “Ishq Nahin Asaan.” Earlier, he had released music albums called, “Yours Truly” and “Dilkash” on Tips Music and had proved himself as a successor to legendary ghazal singers, such as Pankaj Udhas and Jagjit Singh. He was also chosen to sing for the play “Kaiﬁ Aur Main,” an epis-

tolary-style play dealing with the life and times of noted lyricist and poet Kaiﬁ Azmi.

US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai and Muscat

Times News Service MUSCAT: Jasvinder Singh, a new-age ghazal singer from India, who has a mesmerising voice, is all set to enthral Omani audience on October 10. In a tribute to Jagjit Singh, renowned singer Jasvinder Singh will relive the legendary singer’s ghazals at the Sur Ballroom, Muscat Holiday Inn. “In keeping with our tradition of entertaining the audience of Oman, event management company Light and Shadow Enterprises will showcase the very ﬁrst “Minara Presents October Festival,” with four different events showcasing a bouquet of colours and art for the people of Oman in a year when we are celebrating the 45th National Day of Oman and Jasvinder Singh’s performance will the start of October Festival,” one of the organisers said. Multiple events The other events that will be hosted under the October Festival are: Tribute to Indian ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh by Jasvinder Singh on October 10; String Struck 2 – A Fusion Jazz Concert on October

Unique style Jaswinder Singh has his own unique style of performing and has mesmerized audiences at international concerts held in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai and Muscat. “All these four events will showcase artists from various ﬁelds and languages/cultures as they take the stage in Oman and create an unforgettable experience with every event. These experiences of art and culture will transport guests into a world of tranquil, vibrant and energetic performances where the combination of these elements will leave the audience spellbound,” said the organisers. Some of the songs which the artist is likely to sing are “Chitthi Na Koi Sandesh, Tumko Dekha Tu Yeh Khayaal Aaaya, Pyaar Ka Pehla Khat Likhne Main, Baat Nikaleyge to Phir Door Talak Jaayegi, Hothon Sey Chu Lo Tum, Shaam Sey Aankhen Main Nami Si Hai, Hosh Waalon Ko Khabar Kya, Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe ho, Dil Ko Thaaman, Ranjish Hi Sahi”. The sponsors for the event are: Jindal Shadeed Iron and Steel, Raha, Cloud Nine, Oman Phones and Huawei, the Oman UAE Exchange and Nabil. For more details, please contact 96182080.

N C S I D ATA

Sultanate records 4.5% rise in number of live births in 2014 MUSCAT: A total 82,981 live births were recorded in Oman in 2014, according to the latest ﬁgures issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). Out of the roughly 83,000 babies born in the Sultanate during that year, 76,690 were born to Omani parents and 6,291 to expatriates. In all, male births numbered 42,419, exceeding female births by 1,857. There were 39,206 male births and 37,484 female births among the Omanis, while 3,213 expatriate newborns were boys and 3,078 were girls, NCSI said quoting Ministry of Health data. There has been a 4.49 per cent

rise in the number of births (Omani and expatriates together) in 2014 compared to 2013. Male births increased by 4.58 per cent while female births went up by 4.39 per cent. Male-female ratios However, among expatriates, percentage increase in female births signiﬁcantly exceeded male births with female and male births rising by 5.63 per cent and 2.65 per cent respectively last year compared to 2013. In contrast, growth in Omani male births was higher at 4.74 per cent compared to 4.29 per cent rise in female births. At the governorate-level, the

Governorate of North Al Batinah registered the highest number of births at 17,108, followed by the Governorate of Muscat at 16,931 and the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah at 11,704. Omani births followed the same pattern with the Governorate of North Al Batinah recording 16,565, the Governorate of Muscat recording 13,766 and the Governorate of Al Dakhiliya recording 11,543. Births among expatriates were the highest in the Governorate of Muscat numbering 3,165, while the Governorate of Dhofar came in second recording 814 births followed by the Governorate of North al Batinah with 543. -ONA

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015 The Embassy presents many cultural events and exhibitions to showcase Japanese culture George Hisaeda, Ambassador of Japan

OMAN Philippines to boost ties with Sultanate The Philippines Embassy is celebrating the 117th anniversary of Independence of the country and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Manila and Oman

BILATERAL TIES: Ahmed bin Yusuf Al Harthy, Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs at the Ministry

of Foreign Affairs, was a special guest at the function to mark the anniversary. – O K Mohammed Ali

MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: The Philippines aims to broaden its ties with Oman beyond the supplier of workers, said Narciso T Castaneda, the Philippines’ Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman. “The Philippines and Oman’s bilateral relations depend on cordial labour relations,” he said. According to ambassador Castaneda, Oman currently has more than 33,000 Filipino workers. The Embassy of the Philippines in Oman is celebrating the 117th anniversary of Independence of the country and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Oman. Ahmed bin Yusuf Al Harthy, Undersecretary for Diplomatic Af-

fairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was a special guest at the function to mark the anniversaries. “We have held formal and informal bilateral consultations and look forward to the second Philippines-Oman Joint Bilateral Consultation Meeting to be held in the early part of 2016,” Castaneda said. Through these consultations and possible ensuing frameworks agreements, the Philippines is looking to broaden the scope of its ties with Oman beyond labour deployment. “For more than 25 years, Filipino manpower has been coming to Oman to support essential services and businesses in this country,” the ambassador said. “In our quiet way, the Philippines, through its people, have assisted the Sultanate’s drive to

OMAN SAIL

transform itself into a prosperous and modern state that it is today,” the ambassador said. He also acknowledged the important work carried out by the former Honorary Consul General of the Philippines and the founder of Times of Oman, late Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali. Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali, the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Times of Oman, also attended the celebration as a special guest of the embassy. Before the Philippines’ embassy opened in Muscat in 1992, Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali had attended to the consular and labour concerns of Filipinos in Oman. According to Ambassador Castaneda, the Philippines has been growing gradually in terms of trade, commerce, investments, business interaction, tourism and

air services. “We seek to also expand our exchanges in the educational and cultural ﬁelds,” he said. He added that the Philippines has continued on its trajectory as a dynamic, emerging economy, having grown by nearly 7 per cent in 2013 and 2014 and was still being counted among the top regional performers during the ﬁrst half of 2015. Castaneda also extended his warmest wishes on behalf of the government of the Republic of the Philippines, to the good and wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and to the continued prosperity of the people of Oman. The reception was attended by officials of the Omani government and many of the ambassadors of other countries to the Sultanate of Oman.

QUITE HELPFUL

< FROM

A1 Missing crew member A1 OMAN SAIL CREW MISSING IN THE ADRIATIC SEA Mohammed Al Alawi fell from the trimaran, 17 km off the Croatian island of Unije.

30m high is the Oman Sail’s Trimaran MOD70

Zagreb Cres

Venice

ACCIDENT SITE

Unije

CROA CCR RROATIA

Florence

ITALY

The depth in that area is around 47 metres

Adriatic Sea

Rome Tyrrhenian Sea Source: Oman Sail

After the report of Mohammed Al Alawi going missing, social media was abuzz with posts praying for his recovery. Tweet Ian Walker, the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Skipper, tweeted @ADOR-

100 km

Graphics

Skipper that “Fingers crossed that they recover @OmanSail crewmember Mohammed Al Alawi Thinking of Sydney, his team and Mohammed’s family right now.” Further updates on Alawi were not available from Oman Sail till the time of publishing this report.

Resident cards for children

Meanwhile, another expatriate parent, who has got the new ID card for her 12-year-old child, said having a resident card is quite helpful. “I took a resident card for my daughter. I was under the presumption that cards can be taken only when the child turns 15 years old. However, the officials at the civil status guided me and it was done in minutes,” Asha Rayner, an Indian expatriate, said. “Resident cards for children are quite helpful. Not only at airports, but also at places, such as hospitals and schools,” Rayner added.

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MINISTER OF MANPOWER

Holiday on advent A1 of new Hijri year < FROM

The decision said: “On the occasion of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) Hijra Anniversary and the new Hijri year 1437 AH, it was decided that the ﬁrst day of Muharram, 1437 AH, will be an official holiday for the employees of the ministries, public authorities and other departments of the State’s administrative apparatus, as Muharram moon sighting will be declared by the authority concerned.” On this occasion, the Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court extended his congratulations to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, praying to Allah the Almighty to protect His Majesty, grant him good health, happiness and a long life and for the return of this and similar occasions on His Majesty for many years to come and the Omani people and dear country with further progress and welfare under His Majesty’s wise leadership and all Muslims with blessings and welfare.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Bakri, Minister of Manpower, also issued a decision on the occasion of the new Hijri year 1437 AH, declaring that the ﬁrst day of Muharram, 1437 AH will be an ofﬁcial holiday for employees at the private sector’s companies and establishments, as Muharram moon sighting will be declared by the authority concerned. The decision allowed employers and employees to agree on compensating this holiday if necessity arises. All employees in the private sector seize this blessed occasion to extend their heartfelt greetings and best wishes to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, praying to Allah the Almighty to protect His Majesty, grant him good health, happiness and a long life and for the return of this and similar occasions on His Majesty and the Omani people and Muslims all over the world with wellbeing and blessings.-ONA

RED BULL CONTEST

< FROM

A1 Drift performances The judges will also look for an impressive exterior; and will deduct points if participants drift the wrong way, spin their cars or hit any of the obstacles. Qualifying rounds had commenced at the start of the year in United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritius and Jordan. There are several dates still scheduled to display some of the most phenomenal drift performances in the region in Egypt and Qatar in anticipation of the Red Bull Car Park Drift Final in Dubai on November 20. “We’re excited to partner again with Red Bull to bring the Red

Bull Car Park Drift Qualiﬁer back to Oman this year,” said Kalyana Sivagnanam, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford and Lincoln Middle East & Africa. “This is a great platform for us to showcase the hot Ford Mustang.” “Mustang’s unique combination of style, performance and affordability has established an entirely new class of sporty cars that has inspired numerous competitors. Mustang has come to evoke a variety of emotions in customers and fans – freedom, independence and being true to one’s self,” said Sivagnanam.

DIVERSE AND AESTHETIC IMAGES

Bait Al Dalaleel exhibition showcases beauty of Oman Zubair is an art space created for young Omanis to display their work to new audiences in a relaxed and beautiful environment.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Under the auspices of Her Highness Sayyida Hujaija bint Jaifar Al Said, Bait Al Zubair hosted a photography exhibition titled ‘The Beauty of Oman’ on the work of HH Muadh bin Dhiyab Al Said, at Bait Al Dalaleel. The exhibition featuring 20 photographs, depict the beauty of the Sultanate of Oman. With a mix of natural picturesque landscapes and fashion, the images are designed to reﬂect the beauty of Omani nature. His Highness said, “I want, through this exhibition, to present diverse and aesthetic images of the Sultanate, which will transport the viewer to different worlds from the various angles of my camera. I also felt that I can

The exhibition features 20 photographs of the Sultanate.

add the beauty of Omani fashion, which is inspired by Omani nature, to my exhibition, as something new and different.” Bait Al Dalaleel at Bait Al

New creativity Artists and audiences alike can explore a wide variety of art books and magazines as well as discover some new creativity and talent in Oman. Throughout the year, Bait al Dalaleel offers workshops and meetings for youth to explore their work and develop their talent. The photography exhibition “The Beauty of Oman” will continue in Bait Al Dalaleel till the end of October and can be seen during working hours, 9:30am until 6pm, from Saturday until Thursday.

G I FT O F M U S I C F R O M JA PA N

Japanese musicians wow spectators Times News Service MUSCAT: A music concert was hosted by the Ambassador of Japan, George Hisaeda, at his residence in Muscat on October 6. The guest of honour was Mohammed bin Al Zubair, Advisor for Economic Planning Affairs to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Other ambassadors and dignitaries were also present at the event. The concert was performed by three acclaimed Japanese musicians, who are visiting Oman from Japan. The trio comprised Mai Munemoto, a ﬂautist, Kaoru Kiichi, a soprano, and Saori Jo, a pianist, who performed both European and Japanese classics. This is the second time that the group have performed in Muscat. They had taken part in a special classical concert entitled, “Gift of Music from Japan” in Oman in 2012, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Oman. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Hisaeda said, “The Embassy presents many cultural events

ACCLAIMED ARTISTS: The trio comprised Mai Munemoto, a ﬂautist, Kaoru Kiichi, a soprano, and

Saori Jo, a pianist, who performed both European and Japanese classics.

and exhibitions to showcase Japanese culture. However, I believe it is important to highlight Japanese individuals, who are exceptionally talented in traditionally Western ﬁelds, such as classical music.

Nowadays, it is not surprising to see many Japanese musicians in major symphony orchestras across Europe and the United States, such as Japanese violinist Daishin Kashimoto, who leads the

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as its ﬁrst concert master.” Guests were also treated to hors d’oeuvres prepared by the ambassador’s award-winning Japanese chef.

T H U R S DAY, O CTO B E R 8, 2 0 1 5 Negotiations with the United States open gates to their economic, cultural, political and security inﬂuence. Even during the nuclear negotiations they tried to harm our national interests Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader

REGION

Khamenei bans US ‘negotiations’ of a few chances,” he said. No endorsement Although he supported the last 18 months of negotiations, Khamenei has not publicly endorsed the nuclear agreement with the United States, Germany, France, Britain, China and Russia that settled a standoff of more than a decade. The West feared Iran wanted to develop nuclear weapons, suspicions Tehran denies. The agreement, which curbs Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for crippling sanctions being lifted, was welcomed by Iranians who are keen to see their living standards improve and better relations with the rest of the world.

The Iranian Supreme Leader says the US took advantage of talks to harm Tehran’s interests

DUBAI: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday banned any further negotiations between Iran and the United States, putting the brakes on moderates hoping to end Iran’s isolation after reaching a nuclear deal with world powers in July. Khamenei, the highest authority in Iran, already said last month there would be no more talks with the United States after the nuclear deal, but has not previously declared an outright ban. His statements directly contradict those of Iranian President

WIDENING CHASM: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with President Hassan Rouhani in

Tehran in this photograph taken on June 16, 2013. – Reuters/Leader.ir/Handout ﬁles

Hassan Rouhani, who says his government is ready to hold talks with the United States on how to resolve the conﬂict in Syria, where the two countries back oppos-

D E M O N S T R AT I O N

UP IN ARMS: Iraqi teachers and civil servants protest on Wednesday in Sulaimaniyah, in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. – AFP

Kurds go on strike to demand wages ARBIL: Kurds protested and went on strike in northern Iraq on Wednesday in a show of growing discontent that threatens to further undermine stability at a time when their region is at war with IS militant group. Teachers, hospital workers and other public sector employees have taken to the streets for nearly a week demanding their wages from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which is three months in arrears. The demonstrations are the most sustained unrest in the autonomous region of Kurdistan since the start of an economic crisis compounded by the conﬂict with IS and a drop in oil prices that has pushed the region to the verge of bankruptcy. “The Kurdistan regional government and officials are to blame,” said Ari Ahmed, a 50-year old secondary school headmaster in the city of Sulaimaniyah. “If this is not resolved, we will continue our protest”. In the decade following the USled invasion of Iraq, Kurdistan insulated itself against violence in the rest of the country and enjoyed an economic boom fuelled by rising Iraqi oil revenues, of which the region received a share. The bubble began to deﬂate in early 2014 when Baghdad slashed funds to the region after it built its own oil pipeline to Turkey in pursuit of economic independence. Then IS overran a third of Iraq and attacked Kurdistan,

scaring off foreign investors and displacing more than 3 million people of which nearly half have sought refuge in the region, further straining its resources. “This has all accumulated into a dire situation,” said Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) spokesman Safeen Dizayee. “If this continues and the price of oil keeps dropping, it’s going to create more problems for us.” The KRG needs roughly $1 billion per month to break even, of which $700 million is poured into a bloated public sector that employs 1.3 million people in the region of around 5 million. The Kurds have sought to cover those costs by ramping up independent oil sales since early June, effectively annulling a deal with Baghdad whereby the region agreed to contribute 550,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) to Iraqi exports in 2015 in exchange for the reinstatement of budget payments. A record 620,478 bpd were exported independently from the region in September, but many Kurds question how revenues are spent: “Oil money should be for the people, not for the maﬁas,” read a banner carried by protesters. “They (officials) talked about the economic independence of Kurdistan, but now we realise we were better off before,” said teacher Nawshirwan Hama Gharib, who joined the protests in Sulaimaniyah. — Reuters

ing sides. “Negotiations with the United States open gates to their economic, cultural, political and security inﬂuence. Even during the nuclear negotiations they tried

to harm our national interests.,” Khamenei was quoted as saying on his website. “Our negotiators were vigilant but the Americans took advantage

Political victory It was also a great political victory for Rouhani and his faction in Iran ahead of some key elections next year and as such has deepened the divide in Iran’s complex power structure between moderates and hardliners. In his address to Revolutionary Guards Navy commanders,

Khamenei said talks with the United States brought only disadvantages to Iran. “Through negotiations Americans seek to inﬂuence Iran... but there are naive people in Iran who don’t understand this,” Khamenei was quoted as saying to the IRGC commanders. Critical situation “We are in a critical situation now as the enemies are trying to change the mentality of our officials and our people on the revolution and our national interests,” Khamenei told the Guards. His comments might invigorate the hardline lawmakers seeking the impeachment of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif over shaking hands with US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. “On and off the record, it was an accident,” Zarif said in an interview with New Yorker on Tuesday. “It has already cost me at home. But everything I do costs me at home, so this is not an aberration.” — Reuters

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015 Modi is not at all concerned with problems of farmers and labourers as he remains surrounded by corporate honchos and bureaucrats in suit boot and listens to these people as if only they are knowledgeable

INDIA

Rahul Gandhi, Congress vice president

BANDIPORA

10 KILLED IN BUS-TRUCK COLLISION IN TELANGANA

At least 10 people were killed and 15 others were injured in a bus-truck collision in Telangana’s Nalgonda district on Wednesday, the police said. The incident occurred near Indirapalanagar in Ramannapet mandal of Nalgonda district, about 100km from Hyderabad.- PTI

Police officer killed in militant attack SRINAGAR: Suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants on Wednesday gunned down Police Sub-Inspector Altaf Ahmed, who was considered a key operational man and credited with smashing of many militant hideouts and arrest and killing of terrorists on the basis of intelligence generated by him. Ahmed was shot at in Bandipora area, about 35km from here in Indian-administered-Kashmir, on Wednesday morning and he succumbed to his injuries later. Preliminary probe indicated that he became a victim of a trap laid by LeT. In the morning, Altaf, nicknamed as ‘24-hour duty cop’, reached his office as usual and soon after he got a “tip-off” about the presence of top LeT commander Abdul Rehman alias‘Qassim’ in a house nearby in Bandipora area. Wasting no time, the officer boarded his official vehicle and moved towards the house. According to the probe quot-

C A B I N E T A P P R O VA L

National War Memorial to come up near India Gate NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday set the ball rolling for a Rs500 crore National War Memorial and National War Museum near India Gate to be built in memory of over 22,500 soldiers who laid down their lives post-Independence with the cabinet approving the long-pending proposal. Described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “perfect tribute” to the country’s brave soldiers, the memorial and the museum in Princess Park here is estimated to be completed in ﬁve years. Post-Independence, more than 22,500 soldiers have made the supreme sacriﬁce in national interest and in defence of the sovereignty and integrity of the country. However, even after 69 years of Independence, no memorial to commemorate the martyrs has been constructed till date. “The National War Memorial will be a perfect tribute to our brave soldiers who have given their lives for the nation,” Modi tweeted. Long-pending demand With this decision, a long-pending demand of the armed forces has been redressed, an official statement released after the Cabinet meeting said. It has been decided that the project will be monitored by an empowered Steering Committee chaired by Defence Secretary and assisted by a dedicated project management team, to ensure that the project is completed within the scheduled time-frame. - PTI

ing eyewitnesses, a pick up van started following him from some distance. When the officer reached a secluded spot in Aragam area, the pick up van overtook his vehicle and militants sitting in it ﬁred two bullets on the left side of his chest and one on the right side. Critically injured, he was airlifted to Army’s 92 Base Hospital at Badamibagh cantonment where he succumbed to injuries, sources said. He was credited with smashing of many of LeT hideouts,arrest of its cadres and generating intelligence leading to encounters in which cadres of the outﬁt were killed. As soon as the news about his death spread, a pall of gloom descended on police headquarters. Senior officials working with him said that he was always on duty and never said “no” to any operation. “He can be credited with 50 per cent of operations that have taken place since 2008,” the official said. - PTI

Modi more concerned about foreign visits, dresses: Rahul BJP slams Lalu over beef remark

Reviving his ‘Suit boot ki Sarkar’ barb against the Modi government, Rahul said the prime minister was not bothered about the plight of farmers or the poor in India WOOING VOTERS: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is garlanded during an election rally in

Barbigha on Wednesday. - PTI

BEGUSARAI (Bihar): Mounting a fresh offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged he was more concerned about presentation of his foreign visits and his clothes and took a dig, saying he was seen in “16 dresses” during his recent US visit. Reviving his “Suit boot ki Sarkar” barb against the Modi government, Rahul alleged that the prime minister was not bothered about the plight of farmers or the poor in India. “During his recent US visit, Modi was seen in 16 dresses on different occasions,” the Congress vice president said. Modi was in the US from September 24 to 28. Taking a swipe at Modi’s dress-

es, he said the prime minister is always seen in clothes of different colours and surrounded by bigwigs unlike Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who wears white at all times and “comfortably mingles with people of all hues.” Rahul said that Modi is always going on world tours, but he had not seen him standing even once with a farmer or an unemployed youth in India. “Has anyone among you seen photos of the prime minister mingling with the farmers and labourers in torn clothes?” he asked, adding that Modi has never done it as he thinks that the poor people don’t have wisdom. Rahulwas addressing a series

of election rallies in Begusarai and Sheikhpura districts in pollbound Bihar. He hit out at the prime minister for being surrounded by corporate bigwigs and bureaucrats in ‘suit boot’ and never been seen with farmers and labourers. “Modi is not at all concerned with problems of farmers and labourers as he remains surrounded by corporate honchos and bureaucrats in suit boot and listens to these people as if only they are knowledgeable,” he said. The Congress leader also attacked Modi on his promise to bring back black money stashed abroad and deposit Rs1.5 to Rs2.0 million in the bank accounts of

every individual. Rahul said that he was yet to meet a poor person who has received the promised money during 16 months of the NDA government. “A year ago, Narendra Modiji won the elections and you all are aware of the promises he made. He had made several promises, including of bringing back black money and depositing Rs1.5 million in every Indian’s bank account,employment for youth hiking minimum support prices for the farmer’s produce. “Please tell me, is there any one person out here who has Rs 1.5 million in his account?...he has not fulﬁlled even one promise,” Rahul said. - PTI

PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday came under attack over his “Hindus too eat beef”remark as BJP president Amit Shah questioned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s “silence” on it. “Why are Nitish Kumar and Rahul Gandhi silent on Lalu Prasad’s comment that there is no difference between beef and goat meat... Silence will not do. They have to make public whether they agree with Prasad’s view or not,” Shah said addressing an election meeting. In Patna, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi alleged it was not out of respect for cow that the RJD leader was rearing cattle, but to conceal the black money be made from the fodder scam. - PTI

IN LINE WITH MAKE-IN-INDIA POLICY

Modi pushes ‘obsolete’ made-in-India plane on air force NEW DELHI: India’s government has turned down the military’s request to expand the acquisition of 36 ﬁghter planes from Dassault Aviation SA to plug vital gaps, ofﬁcials said, nudging it to accept an indigenous combat plane 32 years in the making. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision, in line with his Make-in-India policy to encourage domestic industry, is a blow for not only the French manufacturer but also others circling over the Indian military aviation market worth billions of dollars. The push for India’s struggling Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) also comes at a time when the air force is at its weakest operational strength since the 1962 war against China, which is causing anxiety within military circles. Overriding goal Since it took over last year, the Modi administration has repeatedly said its overriding goal is to cut off the military’s addiction to foreign arms which has made it the world’s top importer. The air force wanted the government to clear an additional 44 Rafale medium multirole aircraft on top of the 36 that Modi announced

during a visit to Paris this year that are to be bought off-the-shelf to meet its urgent requirements. But a defence ministry official said that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had told the air force that there weren’t enough funds to expand the Rafale acquisition and that it must induct an improved version of the indigenous TejasMark 1A. “The IAF (air force) needs to have a minimum number of aircraft at all times. The LCA is our best option at this stage, given our resource constraints,” the defence official said. “The Rafale is our most expensive acquisition. The LCA is our cheapest in the combat category.” India’s air force says its requires 45 ﬁghter squadrons. But it only has 35 active ﬁghter squadrons, parliament’s defence committee said in a report in April citing a presentation by a top air force officer. With the drawdown MiG 21 planes under way, the air force would be down to 25 squadrons by 2022 at the current pace of acquisitions, it told the committee. Cleared by the government in 1983, the LCA designed by the government’s Defence Research and Development Organisation

INDIGENOUS: An Indian Air Force’s Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) parks on the tarmac during the ‘Aero India 2015’ air show at Yelahanka air base in Bengaluru. - Reuters ﬁle photo

(DRDO) was meant to be the backbone of the air force due for induction in 1994. Instead, it suffered years of delay and chaos with scientists trying to build the world’s most modern light combat aircraft from scratch, including the engine. Eventually they scrapped the engine, turning to GE Aviation and lowering their ambitions for a state-of-the-art ﬁghter. So far, only one aircraft has been produced and even that is awaiting ﬁnal operational clearance, now

delayed to early 2016. “In January this year, they had given one LCA... which had not completed its ﬂight testing. They handed over the papers to us. We do not make a squadron with one aeroplane. That is where we are,” said an air force officer speaking on condition of anonymity. Safety concerns An independent investigation by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India into the LCA pro-

gramme identified 53 “shortfalls” in the plane. In a report in May, the auditor said that the plane wasn’t as light as promised, the fuel capacity and speed were lower than required and there were concerns about safety. Retired Air Marshal M. Matheswaran, a former deputy chief of the Integrated Defence Staff, said the LCA was obsolete. “It is a very short-range aircraft which has no relevance in today’s war fighting scenarios. If you are trying to justify this as a replacement for follow-on Rafales, you are comparing apples with oranges.” He said the plane was at best a technology demonstrator on which Indian engineers could build the next series of aircraft, not something the air force could win a war with. “We would like to have the MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) variety of aircraft. At least about six squadrons, to my mind,” the head of the air force, Arup Raha, said at the weekend, referring to the Rafale class of fighters. But K. Tamilmani, the DRDO’s aerospace chief, said the modified version of the Tejas addressed most of the air force concerns.

These included electronic warfare system, flight computer, radar and maintenance problems. Scope for improvement “Almost all the problems get solved with the 1A. There will always be scope for improvement, but there are no flight safety issues,” he said. State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) would be able to ramp production to 16 a year by 2017 to meet the air force’s demands, he said. “We Indians are extremely good at blaming each other — at blaming it all on Indian production.” Dassault declined any comment on the government’s decision to cap the Rafale fleet. A source close to Sweden’s Saab, which has been pushing its Gripen light fighter, said that it was respectful of India’s decision to try to develop its domestic military base. “There’s still a huge gap that needs to be filled. We are marketing it (the Gripen) under the Make-in-India umbrella,” he said. “Even if you add the seven squadrons of the Tejas, there is still a requirement (with MiGs retiring etc). It’s a question of timing. Can they build these for when they need them?” - Reuters

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We cannot allow core values to be wasted: Pranab The President’s remarks come against the backdrop of the recent Dadri lynching incident

NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said the core values of diversity, tolerance and plurality of Indian civilisation must be kept in mind and cannot be allowed to be wasted, in remarks that come against the backdrop of the Dadri lynching over rumours of beef eating. “I ﬁrmly believe that we cannot allow the core values of our civilization to be wasted and the core values is what over the years the civilization celebrated diversity, promoted and advocated tolerance, endurance and plurality. “These core civilization values keep us together over the centuries. Many ancient civilizations have fallen. But that is right that aggression after aggression, long foreign rule, the Indian civilization has survived because of its core civilizational values and we must keep that in mind. And if we keep those core values in mind, nothing can prevent our democracy to move,” he said. The president was handed over a coffee-table book on him at a function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here. The book written by Prabhu Chawla, Editorial Director of New Indian Express, was released by Vice President Hamid Ansari. Lauding the strength of democ-

TRIBUTE TO EMINENT PERSONALITY: President Pranab Mukher-

jee with Vice President Hamid Ansari and other dignitaries while receiving the ﬁrst copy of the coffee table book ‘The Nationalist President Pranab Mukherjee’ edited by Prabhu Chawla (third left), the Editorial Director of ‘The New Indian Express’, at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Wednesday. - PTI

racy in the country, the President said its electorate decisively decided to put an end to the era of coalition and gave a single party government. “Despite their diversity and despite having a long period of absence of single party majority, the Indian electorate decisively decided to make an end of that. Many of us thought that perhaps an era of coalition has reached and that no single party would ever come (to power). Indian democracy “In true sense, the marvel of Indian democracy has its own strength and we must celebrate that,” he said. He said he has closely seen many important events in the country happen before him right from the ﬁrst election when people wondered how an election covering 350 million people can take place smoothly, to the last one. He also recalled his days when he entered Parliament as a mem-

ber of the Rajya Sabha during a “turbulent period” when Congress faced a major crisis over bank nationalisation and eventually split. The President also recalled his mother telling him to go to school walking 10km everyday and that impacted his mind to strive hard when there is “no option”. He lauded the work of Prabhu Chawla, who along with his team put the book together, describing it as a “gift” from his friends and near and dear ones. Ansari said the book is a small tribute to an eminent personality, who has a range of experience and depth of understanding issues. Praising the book, Rajnath Singh said to put Mukherjee’s life in a book is difficult to do so for such a personality who has not been in politics only to be in power and one who had strived successfully to bring about consensus in Parliament on many issues. “He played the most important role in bringing about consensus,” the home minister said. - PTI

INDIA

A10

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

PAKISTAN Apex court upholds death sentence for Taseer’s killer

Link with Central Asia is top priority, says Sharif ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced on Wednesday that linking Pakistan with Central Asian Republics (CARs) through a quality road network is the government’s top priority. “Gwadar is being upgraded as a modern sea port to provide access to the landlocked CARs,” Sharif told Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) president designate Jin Liqun, during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad.

In 2011, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, was shot dead by a bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, after he had sought a presidential pardon for Asia Bibi,

Chinese help The prime minister claimed that the government has invested a lot of resources in energy and infrastructure projects with the help of the Chinese government. Further, PM Nawaz highlighted the government’s economic policies and informed the AIIB president that the country’s economists are committed and focused to providing a conducive economic environment to the private sector. “The economy of Pakistan is turning around and we have good economic growth rate,” he added.

a Christian woman accused of blasphemy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s highest court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence for the killer of the governor of the country’s wealthiest and most populous province after he had called for reform of the blasphemy law. Since 1990, at least 65 people have been killed in cases linked to blasphemy, data collected by Reuters shows. Wednesday’s ruling was seen as a victory for human rights activists who say the blasphemy law, which mandates the death penalty, is often used in poor rural areas to settle personal scores. In 2011, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, was shot dead by a bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, after he had sought a presidential pardon for Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy. Both the trial court and the high court of Islamabad, the capital, sentenced Qadri to death. He appealed to the Supreme Court against the decision. “The criminal appeal ﬁled by

QUALITY ROAD NETWORK

IN THE DOCK: In this photograph taken on Jnauary 4, 2011, arrested Pakistani police guard Mumtaz Qadri, right, sits in a police van at

the site of a fatal attack on Salman Taseer. — AFP

the convict is dismissed,” the Supreme Court said in its ruling. “The appeal ﬁled by the state is allowed. The conviction and sentence by the trial court are restored.” Qadri’s lawyer could not be reached for comment immediately. Blasphemy cases Judges in Pakistan are reluctant to hear blasphemy cases, as the presentation of evidence in court can itself be considered a new infringement of the law. But while hearing Qadri’s ap-

peals, judges said criticising the blasphemy law did not amount to blasphemy. Outspoken critic Taseer was an outspoken critic of the harsh law, saying it was being misused. Two months after Taseer’s murder, Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian, was murdered by the Taliban for demanding changes to the blasphemy law. Last year, gunmen posing as clients shot dead a prominent

human rights lawyer defending a professor accused of blasphemy. The judge who ﬁrst convicted him was forced to ﬂee the country after death threats. Striking down An anti-terrorism court handed down a double death sentence for murder and terrorism in late 2011. Qadri appealed, and in March, the Islamabad High Court upheld the murder sentence, while striking down the terrorism conviction. - Reuters

Pakistan support Liqun thanked the prime minister for Pakistan’s support in establishing the AIIB. “The bank is speciﬁcally established to assist the Asian countries and they are also among its major shareholders,” the AIIB president designate said. “AIIB will assist Pakistan in infrastructure projects and other economically productive projects in a cost efficient and effective manner,” Liqun added. — Express Tribune

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S TAT E A I R L I N E S

PIA pilots’ body announces unconditional end to strike ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Airlines Pilot Association (Palpa) announced on Wednesday an unconditional end to their strike against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Express News reported. The decision came after Senate Standing committee accepted to become a guarantor in the negotiations between the pilots’ association and the management of PIA. “Palpa has decided to put an end to their strike and its leaders will make a public announcement in this regard,” Senator Talha Mehmood, who chaired the committee meeting told media men in Islamabad. Adhering to the Senate Stand-

ing Committee’s requested to end the strike on an immediate basis, Palpa asked the committee to help resolve the ongoing crisis. During the standing committee’s cabinet secretariat meeting with Palpa leaders and PIA’s management, both sides expressed their reservations and put forward their demands which were discussed at length. Further, the committee was informed that at least two attempts were made to resolve the issue, however, nothing signiﬁcant had come out. On Monday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had decided to step in to help resolve the gruelling row between the pilots and the

management of PIA, which has badly affected the flight operations of the national flag carrier. Nawaz Sharif’s decision came hours after the PIA management had said that it would not accept any ‘illegitimate’ demands of the Palpa, asking the pilots to pursue negotiations without any preconditions. “The three demands by Palpa are unacceptable,” a PIA spokesperson had said. The demands include the immediate replacement of director flight operations, withdrawal of show-cause notices and inquiries against pilots (while reinstating all grounded pilots), and for seniority to be determined by the pilots. — Express Tribune

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ASIA

NEW CHALLENGE FOR NAJIB RAZAK

Malaysia royals seek quick action on 1MDB scandal KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s royal rulers have called for a quick, transparent investigation into troubled state-fund 1MDB, in rare comments from the monarchy that presents a new challenge to Prime Minister Najib Razak as he fends off corruption allegations. 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), whose advisory board is chaired by the prime minister, has amassed debt of more than $11 billion and is at the centre of a political storm after allegations of graft and mismanagement. 1MDB has denied wrongdoing. Investigations being conducted by Malaysia’s antigraft agency and other organisations have dragged on with no conclusion in sight. In a statement issued late on Tuesday, the sultans of nine states and governors of the remaining four said the government’s failure to give convincing answers on 1MDB may have resulted in a “crisis of conﬁdence”. “The ﬁndings of the investiga-

BANGLADESH TIGHTENS SECURITY

Bangladeshi security officials check a car as police increase the security presence in Dhaka on Wednesday. Following the killing of two foreign nationals in Bangladesh, police have strengthened security at workplaces and residences of foreign diplomats and nationals. — AFP

tion must be reported comprehensively and in a transparent manner so that the people will be convinced of the sincerity of the government which shall not at all conceal facts and the truth,” the rulers said, according to a report in the Bernama news agency. The comments, which come ahead of a two-day gathering of the Conference of Rulers starting on Wednesday, are unprecedented as the sultans assume a non-political role in Malaysia and rarely speak on the functioning of the state. The remarks add to pressure on Najib, who is facing calls to step down over his alleged involvement in the 1MDB scandal from opposition parties and some establishment ﬁgures, including former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. In July, the Wall Street Journal reported that investigators looking into 1MDB had identiﬁed a payment of nearly $700 million into a bank account under Najib’s name. — Reuters

Call for independent probe into US bombing of hospital conducting war, was needed due to “inconsistencies between the US and Afghan accounts”. “We cannot rely on internal investigations by US, NATO and Afghan forces,” she said. The United Nations has condemned the attack but said it would wait for the results of US, NATO and Afghan investigations before deciding whether to support an independent probe.

Medecins Sans Frontieres said that the inquiry would gather facts and evidence from the United States, NATO and Afghanistan, as well as testimony from its staff and patients who survived Saturday’s attack

RULES OF WAR: Medical personnel treating wounded colleagues and patients in a hospital in Kunduz

on Saturday. — AFP

GENEVA/NEW YORK: Medecins Sans Frontieres called on Wednesday for an independent international commission to investigate the deadly US bombing of its hospital in Kunduz in Afghanistan, which it deems a war crime. The medical charity said that the inquiry would gather facts and evidence from the United States, NATO and Afghanistan, as well as testimony from MSF staff and patients who survived Saturday’s attack. Only then would MSF consider whether to bring criminal charges for loss of life and partial destruction of its trauma hospital, which has left tens of thousands of Afghans without access to health care, it said.

“If we let this go, as if was a non-event, we are basically giving a blank cheque to any countries who are at war,” MSF International President Joanne Liu told a news brieﬁng. “If we don’t safeguard that medical space for us to do our activities, then it is impossible to work in other contexts like Syria, South Sudan, like Yemen.” Geneva conventions In New York, Jason Cone, executive director of MSF in the United States, called for the International Humanitarian FactFinding Commission to be activated for the ﬁrst time since its 1991 creation under the Geneva Conventions. Cone urged US President

Barack Obama to consent to the commission. “Doing so will send a powerful signal of the US government’s commitment to and respect for international humanitarian law under rules of war,” Cone said at a news conference. Liu spoke of the chaos as the bombs fell for an hour. “Our patients burned in their beds, MSF doctors nurses, and other staff were killed as they worked. Our colleagues had to operate on each other,” she said. The United States military took responsibility on Tuesday for the air strike that killed 22 people, including 12 MSF staff, calling it a mistake. US Defence Secretary Ash Carter, speaking to reporters in Rome on Wednesday, said: “We

are conducting a full and transparent investigation and will make the ﬁndings of that investigation known as they are found and will hold accountable anyone responsible for conduct that was improper.” Human shield The Afghan Ministry of Defence said on Sunday Taliban ﬁghters had attacked the hospital and were using the building “as a human shield”, which the medical group denied, while pointing out it would be a war crime not to treat the wounded. Liu said an impartial commission, which can be set up at the request of a single state under the Geneva Conventions that establish international standards for

Criminal justice Asked to clarify whether MSF would seek criminal justice, MSF lead legal counsel Francoise Saulnier told Reuters: “We don’t know what will be the next step. We don’t want to eliminate any option.” MSF said it sent a letter on Tuesday to the 76 countries who ratiﬁed the additional protocol of the Geneva Convention that set up the Swiss-based commission of 15 experts in 1991. It was in talks with Switzerland about maybe convening the commission. Neither the United States nor Afghanistan are signatories to the commission, and the consent of the states involved is necessary to activate the unprecedented inquiry, Saulnier said. MSF’s hospital in Kunduz had treated nearly 400 people, including some Taliban, wounded in heavy ﬁghting in the days before the attack, MSF’s Bruno Jochum said. Its GSP coordinates had been shared with all authorities. “We had eight ICU (intensive care unit) beds with ventilators, this was high-tech medicine. “This was not the little bush hospital. You could not miss it,” Liu said. “Today we say enough, even war has rules.” - Reuters

SEEKING CHINA HELP

Nepal plans to air-lift fuel as Indian border stays shut KATHMANDU: Nepal is considering air-lifting fuel, possibly from Bangladesh, as supply routes from India stay blocked by protesters opposing its new constitution, a short-term solution ahead of a key festival even as the government talks to China for help. Thousands of trucks are stranded at the border with India, the main supply route into landlocked Nepal, leading to a critical shortage of fuel in the country that only months ago suffered its worst earthquakes in 75 years. “Getting oil and petrol from a country other than India is a very difficult question to answer,” Deepak Baral, spokesman for the state-run Nepal Oil Corp, told Reuters. Bangladesh Other than its lowland border with India, Nepal’s other frontiers are mountainous with poor roads. After India, Bangladesh in the closest country with access to the sea. “At the moment India is blocking trucks carrying goods from third countries, so we cannot do this by land. We will work with what stock we have around the Dashain festival. “For this we may look into lifting oil and petrol supplies by air from a third country.” Nepal says the blockade is being imposed by India to pressure political parties to address the demands of groups in the southern plains who are unhappy with the constitution passed last month. More than 40 people have died in protests related to the charter. India denies any role in the blockade. Dashain, the highlight of Nepal’s religious calendar, is due to begin in less than two weeks. — Reuters

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Social consciousness key to national growth

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harles Rangel, US Representative for New York’s 13th congressional district, once said: “Full participation in government and society has been a basic right of the country symbolising the full citizenship and equal protection of all.” As our civilised world gets more advanced, we begin to realise that societies today have become an integral part of the nation building process. Increasingly, countries everywhere — including the Arab world — are beginning to realise that sustainable long-term results are best achieved collectively and through the efforts of a productive society. Social consciousness and participation are key ingredients that boost the state’s economic buildup and help position any country on the global productivity map. Nations in the developed world have experienced a radical shift in governance from one led by the government to one that engages with society and allows people to benchmark their personal progress against the wider national objectives of socio-economic development. For example, China and France have both witnessed cultural revolutions that have strengthened society to the overall benefit of the nations as a whole. The revolutions led to greater social and educational uplift across all income groups, and contributed to progress in the science, arts, culture and economic domains — today these fields define their national identities, and have also become benchmarks for other countries. Academic and scientific institutions in both China and France mushroomed as a natural outcome of society’s keenness to move forward and achieve excellence. The most useful lesson from both revolutions is that the decision to achieve sustainable development cannot be implemented without the confidence and willingness of society. These illustrations show us that a nation’s renaissance is largely contingent upon the growth and empowerment of its people. The question is — does the Arab world really need similar historic milestone developments to elevate society and reshape its culture and status on the global landscape? No doubt we currently live in rapidly changing times and can proactively get involved in the development process and assume our social responsibilities effectively without the need for any revolutions or coups.

The reverberations of the global financial crisis of 2008 are still felt in global markets today. The crisis led to stagnation and declining growth among the larger economies. In the interim such stagnation weakened the demand for oil, and led to a steep decline in oil prices, catching the OPEC nations unawares. Their failure to factor these global developments into their national budgets resulted in shaking the very foundations of their identity. The volatility had immediate fallout. Several countries — both OPEC and otherwise — realised the merit of putting their money in many baskets or diversifying their economy to avoid similar economic repercussions. The financial crisis demonstrated that economies that rely on only one source of income and export their natural resources without passing through a manufacturing process are far more vulnerable at a time when national economies are increasingly getting aligned with the global economy. We must remind ourselves that the Arab region is blessed with a unique history. Arab people possess deep cultural and historic roots and a unique identity that gives a real sense of belonging. Given the wealth of natural resources and capabilities we have been blessed with, we are certainly in prime position to move towards sustainable development. Nevertheless, these factors alone will not help us advance to a more developed era unless we reevaluate our culture, develop a greater appreciation for our resources and use them well, refuting the idea that we are merely a bunch of consumers and importers. We need to, as a people, wholly believe that we can change our current status in the global economic landscape. We need to stop taking resources and opportunities for granted, get to work on developing our skills and strengths as a nation and build our human and intellectual capital as we join forces and move towards an enlightened era of productivity and innovation. The Arab region is at a crucial crossroads but with increased social engagement we can surely pave the way to a brighter, secure and more prosperous future. The author is the Chairman of National Bank of Oman and an International Advisor to the Brookings Instituition. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman.

READERS’ FORUM Muscat is one of the safest cities in the world This refers to the news story, Muscat is third top city in MENA region, says survey (October 7). It is heartening to know that Muscat has again been ranked as one of the best cities in the region to live in. As an Indian expatriate who has been living here for many years, I have always had the impression of Muscat as one of the safest and most peaceful cities in the world. Muscat is already popular as one of the best cities in the region as its roads are clean and safe; the buildings are neat and tidy; and the traffic is controlled and disciplined, which is comparable with the best in the world. For this recognition, the credit goes to the government and the tolerant and compassionate nationals and the cosmopolitan communities living 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).

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CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES OCTOBER 2000 Seminar on management MUSCAT: American Life Insurance Co. yesterday began a two-day management seminar for its sales managers from Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman at the Oman Sheraton Hotel yesterday. Sanjay Jain, agency director said: “American Life Insurance Company (Alico) incorporated in Willington, Delaware, is the largest international life insurance company in the world, with over $160 billion of life insurance in force.

Facebook indeed needs a ‘dislike’ button urgently

This refers to the news that Facebook is working on a ‘dislike’ button. This is a feature very much needed on the ever-popular social media platform, as unwanted advertisements and pages keep popping up in the newsfeed. It’s not surprising that this option does not exist yet as the advertising industry and Facebook’s own profits would get hit. However, I think that in the long run these companies would actually benefit because users will be to find pages and ads streamlining more specifically so that the hits on these would be far greater. — Sardar Shabbir Rao, Salalah

TODAY IN HISTORY

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE

1949 East Germany, the German Democratic Republic, is formed.

Protect the welfare of your workforce through New India’s WORKMEN COMPENSATION POLICY.

1976: Hua Guofeng, premier of the People’s Republic of China, succeeds the late Mao Zedong as Communist Party of China chairman.

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1993: The Great Flood of 1993 on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers ends, the worst US ﬂood since 1927. 1996: Fox News Channel begins broadcasting.

PICTOGRAPH

STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN OMAN By governorate and gender

Female

Governorate

Male

46,111

Muscat

44,214

20,711

Dhofar

19,656

2,241

Musandam

2,413

5,496

Al Buraimi

5,563

39,183

Ad Dakhiliyah

40,979

84,083

Al Batinah

86,656

43,564

Sharqiyah

44,559

15,911

Ad Dhahirah

16,309

2,846

Al Wusta

3,027

260,146

TOTAL

263,376

523,522 Source: National Centre for Statistics & Information

T H U R S DAY, O CTO B E R 8, 2 0 1 5

A1 3

SPECIAL

The new study of fossil cervical vertebrae shows the evolution likely occurred in several stages as one of the animal’s neck vertebrae stretched ﬁrst toward the head and then toward the tail a few million years later

First, only the front portion of the C3 vertebra lengthened in one group of species. The second stage was the elongation of the back portion of the C3 neck vertebra. The modern giraffe is the only species that underwent both stages, which is why it has a remarkably long neck.

NIKOS SOLOUNIAS A giraffe anatomy expert and paleontologist at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine

NEW YORK: The long neck of modern-day giraffes evolved in several stages as one of the animal’s neck vertebrae stretched first towards the head and then towards the tail a few million years later, scientists have found. Scientists have long theorised that the long neck of modern-day giraffes evolved to enable them to find more vegetation or to develop a specialised method of fighting. The new study of fossil cervical vertebrae shows the evolution likely occurred in several stages as one of the animal’s neck vertebrae stretched first toward the head and then toward the tail a few million years later. The study shows, for the first time, the specifics of the evolutionary transformation in extinct species within the giraffe family, researchers said. “It’s interesting to note that that the lengthening was not consistent,” said Nikos Solounias, a giraffe anatomy expert and paleontologist at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. “First, only the front portion of the C3 vertebra lengthened in one group of species. The second stage was the elongation of the back portion of the C3 neck vertebra. “The modern giraffe is the only species that underwent both stages, which is why it has a remarkably long neck,” Solounias said. Solounias and Melinda Danowitz, a medical student in the Academic Medicine Scholars programme, studied 71 fossils of nine extinct and two living species in the giraffe family. The bones, discovered in the late 1800s and early 1900s, were housed at museums around the world, including those in England, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Kenya, and Greece. “We also found that the most primitive giraffe already started off with a slightly elongated neck,” said Danowitz. “The lengthening started before the giraffe family was even created 16 million years ago,” she said. The researchers analysed anatomical features of the various fossils and compared them to the evolutionary tree. “That’s when we saw the stages playing out,” said Danowitz. Solounias and Danowitz found the cranial end of the vertebra stretched initially around 7 million years ago in the species known as Samotherium, an extinct relative of today’s modern giraffe. That was followed by a second stage of elongation on the back or caudal portion around one million years ago. The C3 vertebra of today’s giraffe is nine times longer than its width — about as long as an adult human’s humerus bone, which stretches from the shoulder to the elbow. As the modern day giraffe’s neck was getting longer, the neck of another member of the giraffe family was shortening. The okapi, found in central Africa, is the only other living member of the giraffe family. Yet, rather than evolving a long neck, Danowitz said this species is one of four with a “secondarily shortened neck,” placing it on a different evolutionary pathway. The study is published in Royal Society Open Science. — PTI

NECK PUZZLE SOLVED

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Russia backs Syrian forces in major assault on insurgents BEIRUT: Russia and Syria carried out what appeared to be the first major coordinated assaults on Syrian insurgents on Wednesday and Moscow said its warships fired 26 missiles at them from the Caspian Sea, a sign of its new military reach. The combined assault hit towns close to the main north-south highway that runs through major cities in the mainly governmentheld west of Syria, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group which tracks the conflict via a network of sources within the country. Ground attacks by Syrian government forces and their militia allies using heavy surface-to-surface missile bombardments hit at least four insurgent positions and there were heavy clashes, the head of the Observatory, Rami Abdulrahman, said.

DEVASTATION: A general view shows damaged buildings in the town of Darat Azzah, west of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, following reported bombings by government forces on Wednesday. - AFP

Targeted IS militants have seized much of Syria since civil war grew out of anti-government protests in 2011, but the areas targeted in Wednesday’s combined assault are held by other rebels, some US-backed, fuelling allegations by Russia’s critics that its real aim is to help the government. Moscow says it shares the West’s aim of preventing the spread of IS, and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin during a tel-

evised meeting that four Russian warships in the Caspian Sea had launched 26 rockets at IS in Syria earlier in the day. The air campaign in Syria has caught Washington and its allies on the back foot and alarmed Syria’s northern neighbour Turkey, which says its airspace has been repeatedly violated by Russian jets. Ankara summoned Russia’s ambassador for the third time in four days over the reported violations, which NATO has said ap-

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Ash Carter said the United States would not cooperate militarily with Russia in Syria, although it was willing to hold basic, technical discussions to secure the safety of its own pilots bombing IS targets in Syria.

peared to be deliberate and were “extremely dangerous”. Turkey said Syria-based missile systems harassed its warplanes on Tuesday while eight F-16 jets were on a patrol ﬂight along the Syria border. Syrian state media made no mention of the reported coordinated Russian-Syrian attacks in western areas, saying instead that Russian aircraft had targeted IS positions around Aleppo. State television said government forces had targeted IS mili-

tants at the Sha’ar gas ﬁeld and village of Qaryatain in Homs province, as well as Atshan, a town to the east of Russian air force bombardments in Hama province on Wednesday. In conversation with Shoigu, Putin said it was too early to talk about the results of Russia’s operations in Syria and ordered his minister to continue cooperation with the United States, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq on the crisis. However, US Defence Secretary

Strategy flawed Calling Moscow’s strategy “tragically flawed”, he renewed accusations that the strikes were not focused on IS. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said only two of 57 Russian air strikes in Syria so far had hit IS, while the rest had been against the moderate opposition, the only forces fighting the hard-line insurgents in northwestern Syria. “If (the Syrian regime) weakens the opposition, it will strengthen IS,” he said, warning of the risk of a new flow of refugees, who have left Syria in their millions, overwhelming neighbouring countries and causing a crisis in the European Union. NATO said on Tuesday it had reports of a substantial Russian military build-up in Syria, including ground troops and ships in the eastern Mediterranean. Abdulrahman said Russia appeared to have stuck to air sup-

DNA research deployed in war on cancer scoops Nobel prize Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar won the prize for ‘mechanistic studies of DNA repair’. Their work mapped how cells repair deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to prevent damaging errors from appearing in genetic information STOCKHOLM/LONDON: Three scientists from Sweden, the United States and Turkey won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Chemistry on Wednesday for working out how cells repair damaged DNA, providing new ammunition in the war on cancer. Detailed understanding of DNA damage has helped drive a revolution in cancer treatment as researchers develop new drugs that target speciﬁc molecular pathways used by tumour cells to proliferate. Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar won the prize for “mechanistic studies of DNA repair”. Their work mapped how cells repair deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to prevent damaging errors from appearing in genetic information. In many forms of cancer, one of more of these repair sys-

ACHIEVEMENT: Professors Sara Snogerup Linse, Goran K. Hansson and Claes Gustafsson, members of the Nobel Assembly, talk to the media at a news conference at the Royal Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Wednesday. Sweden’s Tomas Lindahl, the US-based Paul Modrich and Turkish-born Aziz Sancar won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for work on mapping how cells repair damaged DNA, the award-giving body said on Wednesday. - Reuters

tems is broken. “Their work has provided fundamental knowledge of how a living cell functions and is, for instance, used for the development of new cancer treatments,” the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. Thousands of alterations to a cell’s genome occur every day due to spontaneous changes and damage by radiation, free radicals and carcinogens — yet DNA remains astonishingly intact. To keep genetic materials from disintegrating, a range of molecular systems monitor and repair DNA, in processes that the three

award-winning scientists helped map out. “It’s important for cancer prevention and cancer treatment. That is what I received it for,” Sancar, who has US and Turkish citizenship and is a professor at the University of North Carolina, told Reuters by telephone from his home. Sancar said he had been inundated by calls but his immediate plans were to shower, shave and go to his lab. Modrich, a researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Duke University School of Medicine in the United States, told Reuters he received the news while on vacation at his cabin in

New Hampshire and was completely taken aback. In fact, he did not get the word from Stockholm until around 8am ET, more than two hours after the initial announcement. Key to life on earth Modrich, whose work led to an understanding and diagnostic tests for the most common form of hereditary colon cancer, has previously told how he was inspired by his biology teacher father, who said: “You should learn about this DNA stuff.” That was in 1963, the year after

the Nobel prize was awarded for the discovery of the structure of DNA. Lindahl, who works at Britain’s Francis Crick Institute and Clare Hall Laboratory, said he was surprised by the news, although he knew he had been considered for a prize over the years, along with “hundreds of other people”. In the early 1970s, DNA was viewed as a stable molecule but Lindahl showed it actually decayed at a rate that ought make the development of life on Earth impossible, which in turn led him to uncover the counteracting repair process. Sancar, meanwhile, worked out how cells repair ultra-violet damage and Modrich uncovered the mechanism for correcting errors during cell division. “Without these mechanisms we would probably not exist and would certainly all die young,” said Mark Downs, chief executive of Britain’s Royal Society of Biology. Over the years, the work of the Nobel trio had been important in pointing the way to better disease treatments, especially for cancer, Lindahl said. “We have to understand the mechanisms, so we can selectively provide good therapy,” he told a news conference by telephone from London. “We can’t avoid DNA damage. We live in a world where we get exposed to DNA damaging agents all the time.” The 8 million Swedish crowns ($969,000) chemistry prize is the third of this year’s Nobels. Previous winners of the chemistry prize have included Ernest Rutherford, Marie Curie and Linus Pauling. The prize is named after dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel and has been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with his will. -Reuters

port on Wednesday. The assault followed a report by Reuters last week that allies of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad were preparing to recapture territory lost by the government to rebels in rapid advances this year. Air strikes “There is no information yet of any (government) advances on the ground, but the air strikes have hit vehicles and insurgent bases,” Abdulrahman said. A regional source familiar with the military situation in Syria said forces were taking part in the ground attack against four rebelheld areas in western Syria. The Observatory said Russia’s strikes targeted the towns of Kafr Zita, Kafr Nabudah, Al Sayyad and the village of Al Latamneh in Hama province and the towns of Khan Shaykhun and Alhbit in Idlib. Most of Idlib province is held by an alliance of Al Qaeda’s Syria wing Nusra Front and other hardline groups. Hezbollah-run Al Manar television said in a newsﬂash that “an operation by the Syrian army started in a number of villages and towns in the northern countryside of Hama province”. A video posted by the media office of an opposition group in Hama province on YouTube purported to show heavy rocket strikes on Wednesday hitting an areas in the northern Hama countryside. - Reuters RED PLANET

NASA tests umbrella-like heat shield for future Mars missions WASHINGTON: Researchers at NASA have successfully tested an umbrella-like heat shield made of carbon fabric that could protect future Mars exploration vehicles from extreme heat when entering the red planet’s atmosphere. As NASA missions to Mars progress with science and complex human exploration missions, spacecrafts will require larger heat shields to protect against the extreme heat of entering a planet’s atmosphere and decelerating at a safe altitude in the thin Martian atmosphere, the US space agency said. Today’s rockets have limited space to accommodate spacecraft and their heat shields. However, engineers at NASA’s Ames Research Centre may have a solution — Adaptive Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT). ADEPT is a mechanicallydeployable heat shield concept using carbon fabric — a ﬂexible heat shield that expands to “open” like an umbrella. Ames’ engineers have successfully completed heating simulation testing of an ADEPT model under conditions akin to entering the Martian atmosphere. The test used a blast of hot air from a 21 inches diameter nozzle to simulate a bow shock wave in front of a 2 m wide ADEPT shield, which was attached to a water-cooled support arm. During the tests, temperatures on the shield reached 1,700 degrees Celsius while bluish streaks streamed away as a special resin-infused protective coating ablated from the stitching. - PTI

ESCAPING CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE

European Union to step up deportations of economic migrants BRUSSELS: European Union states will step up efforts to repatriate thousands of migrants fleeing poverty rather than war by speeding up deportations and exerting pressure on their home countries to take them back, an EU document says. Faced with the biggest inflow of migrants in decades, EU countries have been discussing for months how to reduce numbers arriving from Africa, the Middle East and Asia, often via dangerous crossings of the Mediterranean Sea. States are committed to sheltering refugees escaping conflict and violence from countries like Syria and Eritrea , but they want to

tackle the ﬂow of migrants who are escaping poverty from countries not at war. In a new attempt to clamp down on economic migrants, ministers responsible for migration policies will meet on Thursday in Luxembourg to agree measures to discourage illegal migration. “The EU and its member states must do more in terms of return. Increased return rates should act as a deterrent to irregular migration,” say the draft conclusions of the meeting. To date, EU countries deport less than 40 per cent of the migrants staying illegally in their territories, EU Commission data

shows. Hundreds of thousands whose asylum applications are rejected remain in Europe every year or do not return home when their regular visas expire. The draft, seen by Reuters, recommends “detention as a legitimate measure of last resort” and urges states to reinforce their detention capacity to ensure illegal migrants do not disappear before being deported. To ensure the cooperation of migrants’ home countries, ministers want to offer more aid to African or Asian states who take citizens back while threatening retaliation against those that don’t, possibly via a visa crackdown.

“A ﬁne balance of incentives and pressure should be used,” the draft conclusions say. “Translated, this means ministers will call to apply a principle of ‘more for more and less for less’,” a European diplomat said. The document reﬂects EU leaders’ recommendations issued in June but includes more detailed measures. An EU “laissez-passer” is suggested to aid procedures in home or transit countries and should become “the standard travel document for the expulsion of thirdcountry nationals”.Ministers also want to enhance the role of EU border control agency Frontex in deporting migrants. - Reuters

REFUGEE INFLUX: Migrants queue in the compound outside the Berlin Office of Health and Social Affairs (LAGESO) as they wait to register in Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday. German authorities are struggling to cope with the roughly 10,000 refugees arriving every day, many ﬂeeing conﬂict in the Middle East. - Reuters

T H U R S DAY, O CTO B E R 8, 2 0 1 5 An official source at the General People’s Congress reiterated the party’s fast position on ending hostilities and raising the blockade and on a peaceful solution to Yemen’s crisis. General People’s Congress (GPC), party of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh

A1 5

WORLD

Iraq likely to seek Russian help in air strikes against IS group Baghdad wants Moscow to have a bigger role in Iraq than the US, said Hakim Al Zamili, a leading politician

BAGHDAD: Iraq may request Russian air strikes against IS militant group on its soil soon and wants Moscow to have a bigger role than the United States in the war against the militant group, the head of parliament’s defence and security committee said on Wednesday. “In the upcoming few days or weeks, I think Iraq will be forced to ask Russia to launch air strikes, and that depends on their success in Syria,” Hakim Al Zamili, a leading politician, told Reuters in an interview. The comments were the clearest signal yet that Baghdad intends to lean on Russia in the war on IS after US-led coalition air-

TIGHT SECURITY: Iraqi security forces guard as cars cross into the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq on

Monday. ‘In the upcoming few days or weeks, I think Iraq will be forced to ask Russia to launch air strikes, and that depends on their success in Syria,’ Hakim Al Zamili, a leading politician, said in an interview. – Reuters

strikes produced limited results. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi has said he would welcome Russian air strikes on IS militants in Iraq and powerful militias hope for a partnership with Russia. “We are seeking to see Russia have a bigger role in Iraq.... Yes, deﬁnitely a bigger role than the Americans,” Zamili said. “The Russian intervention came

NAT I O N AT WA R

Yemen’s Houthi rebels and former president’s party accept peace plan

EFFORTS TO END CONFLICT: Armed Yemeni tribesmen from the Popular Resistance Committees, supporting forces loyal to Yemen’s Saudi-backed President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, hold a position near the 312 Brigade military camp, located on the outskirts of Sirwah, west of Marib city, on Tuesday. – AFP

SANAA: Yemen’s Houthi group and the party of the former president have accepted a peace plan brokered by the United Nations in talks, paving the way for resuming negotiations to end months of conflict in the country. Both groups have said on Wednesday that they had officially on Wednesday notified UN chief Ban Ki-moon that they were ready to join talks on a settlement based on a seven-point peace plan proposed by the UN in talks last month. Aid agencies and the UN have raised alarm over the human cost of the war, both from fighting that has claimed over 5,000 lives and from a blockade by the Saudi-led coalition supporting Hadi that they say has brought Yemen close to famine. Citing allegations of war crimes, the rights group Amnesty International on Wednesday called for states including the United States and United Kingdom to stop arming the Saudi-led coalition, which has been bombing Yemen for over six months. Seven-point plan In his letter dated on October 3, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul-Salam confirmed that his group and others allied to it backed the seven-point plan. “The Security Council supports a political settlement for the Yemen crisis and the return to the talks with no preconditions, and so do we,” the letter added.

Former president Ali Abdullah Saleh’s General People’s Congress (GPC) party also accepted the plan. “An official source at the General People’s Congress reiterated the party’s fast position on ending hostilities and raising the blockade and on a peaceful solution to Yemen’s crisis,” it said in a statement. The Saudi-led coalition and President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi view the Houthis as a spoiler trying to undermine a political accord that allowed him to step down following months of protests in 2011. Hadi had previously refused a UN invitation to peace talks in the region, demanding that the Houthis publicly accept the UN Security Council resolution. In its report, Amnesty said: “Damning evidence of war crimes by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which is armed by states including the USA, highlights the urgent need for independent, effective investigation of violations and for the suspension of transfers of certain arms.” It urged an end to the sale of warplanes, helicopters and bombs, especially internationally-banned cluster bombs. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Arab Gulf-backed forces have in recent weeks pushed the Houthis and Saleh’s forces out of Yemen’s second city Aden and retaken swathes of the south. — Reuters

at the right time and right place and we think it will change all rules of the game not only in Syria but in Iraq also,” said Muen Al Kadhimi, an aide to Hadi Al Amiri, the most powerful militia leader. “The government has been relying heavily on an untrustworthy ally and this fault should be ﬁxed.” Russia’s drive for more clout in the Middle East includes a new

security and intelligence-sharing agreement with a command centre in Baghdad. “We believe that this centre will develop in the near future to be a joint operation command to lead the war against IS in Iraq,” said Zamili. “The sort of support for us, or all other resistance groups for that matter, should be on the level of training, providing weapons

and also serious air support,” said Jaafar Hussaini, spokesman of the Kata’ib force. Abadi has threatened to march on Baghdad and wants to redraw the map of the Middle East. Military sources said army commanders complained in a letter sent to Abadi in early September of inadequate support in the battle for Iraq’s biggest reﬁnery near the town of Baiji, a focal point in the campaign to disolodge IS. Abadi was incensed by tough accusations by US officials that Iraqi government troops lacked the will to ﬁght the militants, government sources said. Delayed delivery of arms was one of the factors that pushed Abadi to strike a security deal with Russia, the sources said. “We are still losing lives and losing billions of dollars in oil revenues by purchasing arms from United States, but what we really got from them was only promises and dozens of delayed arms deals,

said Zamili. After a whole year, IS is still growing and thousands of fighters are still flowing to both Iraq and Syria and it is controlling more areas. That’s clear evidence the United States has no clear plan or a real strategy.” Baghdad-based analyst and former army general Jasim Al Bahadli said tensions with the United States were one of the reasons why Abadi turned to Moscow for help. “Abadi, it seems, succeeded in sending a clear message to the American administration, which repeatedly blamed Abadi’s forces for recent setbacks, that there is another alternative for Iraq to resort to in the fight against IS if you are not willing to show real support,” he said. “There’s a need to create a new coalition and force that is actually effective on the ground and performs the actual goal of fighting IS,” said Mohammed Naji, another aide to Amiri. — Reuters

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Muscat 5,860.47 + 28.85 + 0.49%

Dubai 3,711.74 + 52.07 + 1.42%

Abu Dhabi 4,588.76 + 34.08 + 0.75%

Saudi Arabia

7,602.77 + 140.22 + 1.88%

Kuwait 5,739.32 + 4.78 + 0.08%

Bahrain 1,268.53 - 4.14 - 0.33%

Qatar 11,788.71 + 102.62 + 0.88%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.28 Pound ...........................................1.69 Indian Rs ..............................169.41 Pak Rs ...................................266.88 Bangla Taka.......................199.40

Indian Rs .................................. 168.50 Pakistan Rs .............................270.50 Sri Lanka Rs .......................... 363.50 Bangla Taka.............................201.70 Phil Peso .....................................119.75

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) ....... 14.75

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........ $50.77 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........ $50.72 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ......... $51.76 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) .........$49.15 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) .........$52.77 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........$49.28

* Rates are as of Oct. 7 Source: Bank Muscat

Plan for common Gulf stock market gains momentum The plans include uniformity in rules

Sukuk issue to diversify market, says CMA chief

and regulation in all GCC bourses in move to attract foreign portfolio investments

A. E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Gulf states are proceeding with their plans to integrate stock markets in a move to attract foreign portfolio investments. The ongoing plans include uniformity in rules, regulation and practices in all GCC bourses. “It needs to be worked out,” Abdullah Salim Al Salmi, executive president of the Capital Market Authority, told Times of Oman.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s OMR200 million worth sovereign sukuk issue will help develop a benchmark for such issues, besides enabling Islamic institutions to park their excess funds. Oman government’s maiden sukuk issue will open for subscription between October 8 and 22. It is an important issue for two reasons – one is that it will

The six-member GCC states are aiming for common listing of shares and common brokers for all markets, he added, on the side-

help to have a benchmark for the market. Also, it will help to develop an yield curve for corporates to bench mark rate of returns,” said Abdullah Salim Al Salmi, executive president of the Capital Market Authority. It will also provide an alternative investment avenue. “We need to diversify our market by introducing new ﬁnancial instruments.” We hope to see frequent issues of sukuk and we expect a good response.”

lines of a function to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kuwait stock exchange here on Wednesday. >B3

* Rates as of Oct. 7 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......14.20 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............ 137.50 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 130.75 * Rates as of Oct. 7 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

MARKET C O M M E N TA RY

Is crude oil falling to $20 a barrel a possibility?

MUBEEN KHAN

t was in February 2015 I wrote a series of three articles on my views on the falling oil prices. I had picked up my pen when I saw a prediction by one of world’s ﬁnancial services giants in January 2015 that oil will fall to $20 per barrel. I had strongly argued based on facts that $ 45 per barrel was the bottom. Luckily, market proved them wrong and oil hardly fell SURVEY

Gulf governments maintain spending despite low crude prices, says S&P

below $45 per barrel level since then, except some temporary turbulence caused by the Iranian nuclear deal. I saw one more $20 prediction by another ﬁnancial services giant a few days ago, forcing me to jump up my ‘pen’ once again. I regret to state that some of them are the same people who still have 2008 ﬁnancial crisis blood on their hands. It seems that oil speculation cult always wait for some relevant news to reap their crop of lies under the cover provided by somewhat well timed predictions in the air. Attempt to create panic? I understand from my discussion with many of the analysts in Oman and in the region that these predictions do not make any sense to most of them and some even wonder if this was an attempt to create panic in the oil dependent economies of the Arab world. I believe that this only might have caused recent rating down grade of most of the

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries including Oman. The fundamentals of Oman’s economy are solid backed by oil and gas wealth, fortified with the prudent fiscal policies of the government. This will be proved by the times to come. Jump in oil prices Oil suddenly jumped up 5 per cent on Tuesday. What does it signal? World’s largest and second largest oil producer Saudi Arabia seems to have realised that they cannot fight someone else’s proxy war. There are signals that Saudis have in principle agreed to engage with non-Opec (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) producers specially Russians to support oil prices. When Russia inches closer to Saudis for a common cause, its closest ally Iran will not be standing far away. Daily world oil consumption is currently at an average 92-93 million bpd range out of which 50 million bpd is domestically

produced by respective consuming countries and an average 40 million bpd is traded internationally. Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran (after sanctions are lifted) will produce 25 million barrels of oil per day which is 63 per cent of the oil imported/ exported worldwide. All three of them have suffered the most for the last one year including Russia and China’s blue eyed Venezuela. Unfortunately smaller economies like Oman also suffered the collateral damage in this. When Syrian problem sailed to European shores, a solution is clearly emerging. Syria which might have divided Saudis, Russians and Iranians, seems to have now united them The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members, who are mandated by International Energy Agency (IEA) to keep at least 90 days consumption in reserves, countries are continuously ﬁlling their reserve tanks

oil inventory to 3 Billion barrels by the end of 2015. The United States commercial crude inventory is at 457 million, highest in the last 80 years, in addition to its packed Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) at approx. 700 million barrels. Who will believe that OECD members including US could have ﬁlled their inventories to historically high level at current prices if oil was headed to $20 per barrel? Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia which effectively sits on the steering wheel of the OPEC has already burnt away $70 billion out of foreign exchange reserves and may end up eroding $90 billion by the end of this year. The war in Yemen is digging deep in its pocket adding to its ﬁscal problems. The current scenario is not sustainable for Saudis. They will have to change the course in their next Opec meeting. Other Opec members including Iran would

surely continue increasing the heat near the driving seat. My personal belief is, that oil will never be sold at $20 per barrel because bare minimum production cost of the conventional oil ﬁelds in the GCC lies at $ 25-30 per barrel. This is not only unreasonable but squarely irresponsible to state that GCC producers will sell their black gold below their production cost? I continue to be bullish on oil. I don’t want to speculate but I conﬁdently believe that a minimum of $ 70 per barrel is not far. We should see this level before the end of this year itself. God will always bless this beautiful country like Oman. Mubeen Khan is a Muscat-based chartered accountant and an analyst. He is vice chairman of the Muscat Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and also sits on the board of Oman Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors. The views expressed in this article are his own.

Abu Dhabi exploring asset sales on dipping oil revenue

Times News Service MUSCAT: Governments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are maintaining capital investment spending to support economic activity, despite rising fiscal pressures from falling oil prices, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P) said in a report titled: “Gulf governments protect investment spending to support growth.” “Even though we forecast GCC economic growth will slow and fiscal deficits will emerge following the more than 50 per cent drop in oil prices since June 2014, we expect governments will keep capital investment relatively high as a share of total government spending in an attempt to buoy economic growth,” said Standard & Poor’s credit analyst Trevor Cullinan. Capital markets However, should oil prices fall much below our current expectations and government balances weaken further as a result, we expect GCC will increasingly cut back on investment expenditure. “We believe GCC governments may also look to domestic and international capital markets to diversify their funding sources, support economic growth, build debt capital markets, and slow the depletion of their asset positions,” said Cullinan. Non-government capital spending is weakening, particularly that of oil and gas exploration companies. The value of contracts in the Middle East has fallen to $83 billion in the year to August 2015, a 16 per ent decline on the same period of 2014, the report says.

The emirate is seeking to counter the erosion of its ﬁnances after crude prices halved in the past year

DUBAI: Abu Dhabi is reviewing its largest state-owned companies as the slump in crude oil pressures the UAE emirate’s ﬁnances, four people with knowledge of the matter said. Abu Dhabi National Energy Company and International Petroleum Investment Company are in talks with banks on options including strategic partnerships, share sales and asset disposals, the people said, asking not to be identiﬁed because talks are private. Mubadala Development, an investment fund, is considering further divestments after selling most of the assets in its joint venture with General Electric, according to the people. Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Credit Suisse are among banks pitching for mandates, while some governmentrelated entities have already appointed advisers, according to the people. Mubadala, Abu Dhabi National Energy, known as Taqa, and IPIC

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: Abu Dhabi National Energy Company and International Petroleum Investment Company are in talks with banks on options, including strategic partnerships, share sales and asset disposals. – Bloomberg News

own about $150 billion of assets, according to calculations. The banks and companies either declined to comment or weren’t available to comment. Abu Dhabi, an emirate of the United Arab Emirates and source of about 6 per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves, is seeking to counter the erosion of its finances after crude prices halved in the past year. The UAE is Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (Opec) third- biggest oil producer and may post a fiscal budget deficit this year for the first time since 2009, according the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Economic growth will probably slow to 3

percent this year from an estimate of 3.6 per cent in January, the IMF said this month. Diversiﬁcation “It makes sense that Abu Dhabi’s GREs would review their asset portfolio, rationalise their spending and as important, diversify further their source of funding away from public money,” said Philippe Dauba-Pantanacce, senior Middle East, North Africa and Turkey economist at Standard Chartered in London. “There is a re-assessment of public spending across the board in Abu Dhabi, amidst the current oil price levels.” Mubadala is laying off people

and has shrunk assets at its joint venture with General Electric to about $1 billion, a company spokesman said last week. It’s also exploring the sale of UAE consumer finance firm Dunia, people with knowledge of the matter said. Taqa is exploring a potential sale of its car fleet manager Massar Solutions that could raise at least $500 million, people familiar with the matter said in September. Abu Dhabi Investment holds 51 per cent in Massar, while Taqa holds the rest. Abu Dhabi, in addition to the three state-owned companies, could also tap sovereign wealth fund the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) to help support

its ﬁnances. ADIA ranks second behind Norway as the largest in the world at $773 billion, according to the Sovereign Wealth Fund institute. ADIA itself doesn’t disclose assets under management. The fund has been investing the emirate’s oil wealth since 1976 and withdrawals “have occurred infrequently and usually during periods of extreme or prolonged weakness in commodity prices,” says annual report. - Bloomberg News

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AV I AT I O N

AirAsia to tap investors to take company private, says report KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia climbed the most in four weeks in Kuala Lumpur trading after Reuters reported that founders of Southeast Asia’s biggest low-cost carrier are sounding out investors about taking the company private. AirAsia shares rose as much as 8 per cent, the biggest intraday gain since September 10. They climbed 7.2 per cent to 1.34 ringgit. The company “has no knowledge” of any plans to take it private, AirAsia said in a statement to the stock exchange. Founders of AirAsia, including group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes, are sounding out investors to take the company private in a management-led buyout and are working with banks to secure ﬁnancing, after the shares fell to their lowest levels in seven years, Reuters said, citing unidentiﬁed people familiar with the matter. AirAsia’s stock has dropped about 50 per cent this year, making it the second-worst performing airline in Asia. “There’s speculation of a privatisation, so the shares are react-

EXPENDITURE: Taking AirAsia private will cost 2.84 billion ringgit ($656 million) at current share prices, Mohshin Aziz, an analyst at Malayan Banking, said. – Bloomberg News

ing,” Ang Kok Heng, chief investment officer at Phillip Capital Management, which manages $630 million, said. . Market value “I don’t think it’s easy. A lot of these shares are owned by foreign funds. It needs a lot of money to take it private, unless they can pair up with some strategic investor who would take up a substantial block.”

Taking AirAsia private will cost 2.84 billion ringgit ($656 million) at current share prices, Mohshin Aziz, an analyst at Malayan Banking, wrote in a note on Wednesday. The company has a market value of 3.7 billion ringgit. More than 64 million shares changed hands within the ﬁrst three hours of trading, more than double the average volume of trading in the past six months through Tuesday. - Bloomberg News

T H U R S DAY, O CTO B E R 8, 2 0 1 5

MARKET N E W R E G U L AT I O N

Listed ﬁrms told to inform about annual meetings 3 days in advance

Indian companies discuss joint ventures in Sultanate

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s market watchdog Capital Market Authority (CMA) said that listed companies should post information about annual general meeting and extra ordinary general meeting on the MSM website at least three days prior to the meeting. “In order to further enhance shareholder participation and recognizing that the website of Muscat Securities Market is the primary channel for disseminating official disclosures, all listed companies and registered investment funds are advised to arrange for uploading their notices for all general meetings on the MSM website after obtaining the approval from CMA, at least three days prior to the meeting,” said a circular from the the regulator. BRIEFS

UAE’s central bank approval needed for Bank Muscat MUSCAT: Bank Muscat on Wednesday said that the bank requires an approval/ licence from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates for its plans to set up a commercial branch in Dubai. The bank recently received an approval from Oman’s central bank to open a branch in Dubai. Bank Muscat has a representative office in the UAE.

United Finance’s net profit rises 7% for 9-month period MUSCAT: United Finance on Wednesday said its net profit for the first nine months of 2015 rose 7 per cent to OMR3.76 million from OMR3.50 million for the same period last year. Total income of the company edged down by 1 per cent to OMR9.11 million, it said in a stock market filing.

Oman’s export agency to take part in Dubai forum MUSCAT: A trade credit and risk insurance forum will be held in Dubai from October 11 to 13. Ahmed bin Khalfan Al Balushi, head of Claims and Recoveries at Export Credit Guarantee Agency of Oman will attend and represent the agency at the forum. The forum will discuss interesting topics related to credit insurance, such as the current status of global trade, capital flows, trade pattern and industry growth, besides other topics related to the regional trade outlook in terms of assessing the changing structure of the trade and logistics market, and its influence on future trade flows.

Tesco profit slumps 55% LONDON: Britain’s biggest supermarket Tesco on Wednesday posted a 55 per cent slump in first-half profit, showing the scale of the financial damage wrought by discount groups and raising questions over boss Dave Lewis’ turnaround plan. In line with recent market data, Tesco showed a steady improvement in trading in its home business and it reiterated its full-year outlook, however it said the market remained challenging. - Times News Service/Agency

Indian delegation leader at the Infra Oman 2015 said that Indian companies have bagged four deals at the exhibition, mainly in automation, software, and ceramic tiles

A. E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: As many as five to six Indian firms, which are participating in the Infra Oman exhibition, are in a discussion with their Omani counterparts to form joint ventures in construction field in the Sultanate. Rajesh Sharma, who leads an Indian delegation of 15 companies that participated in the Infra Oman 2015, said that the discussions are going on between the firms. “We are also looking to get in-

frastructure projects in Oman. Within the next few years, Oman is going to be a big time player in infrastructure projects. So, Indian companies can play a big role,” added Sharma, while talking to journalists at an inter-active BUSINESS TEAM: Around 410 people visited the stalls of the Indian companies at the exhibition in meeting organised by the Indian the ﬁrst two days. – Supplied picture embassy here on Tuesday. Four deals He also said that Indian companies have bagged four deals at the exhibition, mainly by companies in automation, software and ceramic tiles.

Rajesh said that around 410 people visited the stalls of Indian ﬁrms at the exhibition in the ﬁrst two days and the participants are expecting better business deals. The delegation was lead by Trade

Promotion Council of India. He said the Indian ﬁrms that participated last year in Infra Oman exhibition have bagged good business deals. As many as 15 Indian ﬁrms, representing various sec-

CONSTRUCTION

STOCK MARKET

< FROM

B1 Uniformity in rules, regulations in GCC Al Salmi said that a meeting in Doha last month took several decisions and the countries have decided to meet within every six months to see the progress. Oman and other Gulf states have signed a multilateral MoU to achieve uniformity in laws and regulations in GCC stock markets last month. This will also help to enhance economic integration among GCC countries. GCC Securities Commissions have signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding, which would act as regulatory framework in a move to enhance the relations among such bodies to facilitate exchange of information. “We hope at the end of the day, there will be a common GCC market, integrated and well connected,” Al Salmi said, adding; “Having small markets is not appealing for foreign investors.” MoU with Kuwait Al Salmi and Dr NayefFalalf Al

tors including building materials, construction equipment, wood machinery, software developers, interior furnishing and contracting ﬁrms, are showcasing their products in India Pavilion.

Hajraf, chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Capital Market Authority of Kuwait, have signed a memorandum of understanding for exchange of information and mutual cooperation on Wednesday in the presence of Ahmed Saleh Al Marhoon, director general of Muscat Securities Market, Abdullah Ahmed Al Nabhani, director general of Muscat Clearing and Depository Company and Ahmed Said Kashob, chairman of Oman

Securities Association. The aim of the MoU is to enhance cooperation between the two authorities to develop the legislative infrastructure of the securities markets and to beneﬁt from the experiences of both countries on investment instruments, regulations and clearing and depository systems and the practices in the regulation of the companies operating in securities and promotion of the brokerage profession.

The MoU includes a number of clauses on exchange of information to enhance investor protection and the integrity of the stock markets by providing a framework for cooperation and upgrading the mutual understanding based on exchange of information and professional expertise between the two countries. They agreed on exchange of information and mutual cooperation, encouraging cooperation between capital market institutions including stock markets, clearing and depository institutions, ﬁnancial services companies and dispute resolution according to the applicable laws and regulations. The MoU included problem solving for investors, cooperation in enforcement of the laws and legislations pertaining to securities and other investment instruments, and cooperation in supervising the markets and clearing and depository systems.

Qatar to import aggregates from Oman and UAE Times News Service MUSCAT: Hyundai Glovis, the logistics unit of South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Group, said that it has clinched a $500 million deal with a Qatari state-run resources company to ship construction materials. The deal signed with QPMC calls for Hyundai Glovis to ship 50 million tonnes of aggregates from the United Arab Emirates and Oman to a pier located in the southern part of Qatar, according to Yonhap News Agency . The shipping contract will be effective from January next year to December, 2020. To carry out the long-term maritime shipping contract, Hyundai Glovis said that it plans to deploy around 20 Panamax bulk carrier ships that will carry aggregates consisting mostly of pebble and sand to Qatar.

TECHNOLOGY

Samsung’s quarterly profit beats estimates SEOUL: Samsung Electronics surged the most in more than six years after posting quarterly profit that beat estimates on higher sales of chips and screens. Shares jumped 8.7 per cent, the most since January 2009, to 1,251,000 won in Seoul. Operating income jumped to 7.3 trillion won ($6.3 billion) in the quarter ended September, compared to the 6.7 trillion-won average of analyst estimates. Semiconductors and displays are becoming central to reviving Samsung’s fortunes as it refreshes PROFITABLE: Semiconductors and displays are becoming central to reviving Samsung’s fortunes as its Galaxy smartphone lineup to it refreshes its Galaxy smartphone lineup to compete with Apple’s iPhones and lower-end devices in compete with Apple’s iPhones and China and India. – File picture lower-end devices in China and India. The company sets prices for Samsung released the Galaxy details of division earnings with most components in United States downturn has finally ended.” The US dollar was about 12 per audited results scheduled for later S6 Edge Plus and Note 5 in Audollars, gaining a benefit when gust, beating the new iPhones to those sales are translated back cent higher against the won at the this month. market by about a month. into the Korean won, which has end of the quarter compared to a They debuted after lackluster Beating iPhones year earlier. dropped against the greenback. Sales rose 7.5 per cent to 51 tril- Operating profit from mobile de- sales of the premium Galaxy S6 “The time has come to reassess the value of the company’s com- lion won in the quarter, the Su- vices probably rose 24 per cent prompted the company to cut ponent sectors,” said said Lee Jae won, South Korea-based company to 2.2 trillion won, the first year- prices and offer a $120 rebate to Yun, an analyst at Yuanta Securi- said in a filing on Wednesday. on-year rise in seven quarters, ac- customers buying on installments ties Korea Company “The third- That compares to the 50.6 trillion cording to the median estimate of or a leasing plan. “The below-$200 devices quarter results threw a good signal won expected by analysts. Sam- six analysts. Sales are estimated to largely contributed to the overall that the two-year-long earnings sung didn’t provide net income or be 27 trillion won.

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smartphone shipment increase in the third quarter,” said Lee Seung Woo, an analyst at IBK Securities in Seoul. “S6 shipments have dropped signiﬁcantly.” The average sales price is expected to have dropped by 14 per cent to about $198 in the September quarter, Lee said. Samsung shipped about 81 million phones in the third quarter, according to a survey of ﬁve analysts. The company shipped 72 million units in the previous quarter. Chip research Apple sold a record 13 million units of the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus during their debut weekend last month. The average selling price for an iPhone during the previous quarter was $660, excluding carrier subsidies. Greater China accounted for 27 per cent of Apple’s revenue in the June quarter. Earnings from semiconductors, a business that supplies Samsung’s own devices and rivals including Apple, probably rose 54 per cent to about 3.5 trillion won in the quarter. Sales are estimated to be 12 trillion won. - Bloomberg News

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 5,860.47 ............... 5,832.11 ................... 5,860.47 ....................5,831.61................. 28.86 ................... 0.49 Financial Index ..................................... 7,095.51 ................7,018.61 ....................7,095.51 ................... 7,014.33.................. 81.18 ................... 1.16 Industrial Index ....................................7,385.29 ............... 7,363.76 ....................7,377.07 ....................7,355.12..................21.95 ...................0.30 Services Index ...................................... 3,248.21 ...............3,237.56 ................... 3,248.21 ................... 3,237.56..................10.65 ................... 0.33 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................908.60 ..................906.13 ...................... 908.50 ...................... 906.14....................2.36 ...................0.26 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 25,963,628 ................. 6,584,625 ..................1,001 ...............14,663,960,095 ................25 ........................6 .................... 13 .........................44

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 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

MSM index ends higher

REGULAR MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ....................... 239,686 ........... 36,935..................... 28 ............0.150 ........... 0.155 ...........0.150 ........... 0.154 ............. 0.141.............0.013 .............9.220 ................0.155 .............. 0.155...................0.000 .................. 14,636,160 .........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 714,743 ...........177,702..................... 52 ........... 0.245 ........... 0.255 ...........0.245........... 0.249 .............0.237 ............0.012 ............. 5.063 ................0.255..............0.255...................0.259.................. 24,900,000 ........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 177,470 ............. 11,061......................11 ........... 0.062 ...........0.063 ...........0.061 ........... 0.062 .............0.060 ........... 0.002............. 3.333 ................0.061 ..............0.061...................0.062 ..................12,843,386 .........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...................... 122,512.............11,962......................15 ........... 0.096 ...........0.098 ...........0.096........... 0.098 .............0.095 ........... 0.003............. 3.158 ................0.098..............0.097...................0.099....................2,940,000..........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 200,500........... 69,363......................16 ........... 0.346 ...........0.346 ...........0.344 .......... 0.346 .............0.338 ........... 0.008............. 2.367 ................0.346..............0.332...................0.344 .................102,489,934........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 1,241,333 ...... 217,894..................... 69 ............0.173 ........... 0.176 ...........0.173 ............0.176 ............. 0.172............ 0.004.............2.326 ................0.176 .............. 0.176...................0.177 ...................35,200,000.........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 939,000 ............82,172.....................40 ........... 0.087 ...........0.088 ...........0.086........... 0.088 .............0.086 ........... 0.002.............2.326 ................0.088..............0.087...................0.088...................15,400,000.........0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST .................................................................... 5,014,580 .. 2,507,290........................5 ........... 0.500 ...........0.500 ...........0.500........... 0.500 .............0.490 ............0.010 ............. 2.041 ................0.500..............0.500...................0.506 .................276,430,821........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 1,191,633 ........119,962..................... 55 ............0.102 ........... 0.102 ...........0.099............0.101 .............0.099 ........... 0.002.............2.020 ................0.100..............0.099...................0.100...................29,288,044.........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ..............32,464 ............... 8,758........................3 ........... 0.267 ...........0.270 ...........0.267........... 0.270 .............0.265 ........... 0.005............. 1.887 ................0.270..............0.270...................0.274....................5,670,000 ..........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 559,090 ............92,612.....................22 ............0.167 ........... 0.167 ...........0.165 ............0.166 ............. 0.163............ 0.003............. 1.840 ................0.167 ..............0.166...................0.167...................48,248,069.........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 242,400........... 41,220......................17 ............0.169 ........... 0.172 ...........0.169 ........... 0.170 ............. 0.167............ 0.003............. 1.796.................0.170 ..............0.166...................0.170................. 245,044,800 .......0.100

Port Services was the top gainer, up by 9.22 per cent, while National Aluminium, down by 4.81 per cent, was the top loser on Wednesday

OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 1,556,668 .......177,418.....................80 ............0.112 ........... 0.115............0.112 ............0.114 ............. 0.112............ 0.002............. 1.786.................0.114 .............. 0.114................... 0.115 ...................10,260,000.........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 3,328,739 ......635,939................... 170 ............0.190 ........... 0.193 ...........0.189 ............0.191 ............. 0.188............ 0.003............. 1.596 ................0.193 ..............0.192...................0.193...................28,664,325.........0.100 OM0000001509............DHOFAR INT.DEV.AND INV. HOLD........................6,000 .............. 2,400........................3 ........... 0.400...........0.400 ...........0.400 .......... 0.400 .............0.394 ........... 0.006............. 1.523 ................0.400............. 0.400...................0.420 ..................98,560,000.........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING.............15,000 ...............1,520........................2 ............0.102 ........... 0.102 ...........0.100............0.101 .............0.100 ............0.001 ............. 1.000 ................0.100..............0.100...................0.102...................12,309,375 .........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 623,073 ........... 63,390..................... 32 ............0.103 ........... 0.103 ...........0.101 ........... 0.102 ............. 0.101.............0.001 .............0.990 ................0.101 .............. 0.101...................0.103....................6,002,008..........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ..................................................... 21,104 ...............8,784........................3 ............0.416 ...........0.420 ...........0.416 ............0.416 .............0.412............ 0.004............. 0.971 ................0.420..............0.420...................0.422 ..................25,168,000 .........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH......................................................552 ...............1,490........................3 ........... 2.700 ...........2.700 ...........2.700........... 2.700 .............2.680 ........... 0.020............. 0.746 ................2.700..............2.700...................2.800 .................257,734,427 ........1.000 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 151,575 ............ 45,369........................9 ........... 0.298 ...........0.300 ...........0.298........... 0.299 .............0.298 ............0.001 ............. 0.336 ................0.300 ............ 0.300...................0.316................. 400,872,365 .......0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 324,210 .........532,472..................... 45 ............1.635 ........... 1.650 ...........1.635 ........... 1.640 ............. 1.635............ 0.005.............0.306 ................1.650 .............. 1.635...................1.650................1,230,000,000......0.100

MUSCAT: Recovery continued on the Muscat bourse, with oil prices showing a steady rise. The MSM30 Index registered gains of 0.49 per cent to close at 5,860.47 points. The MSM Sharia Index closed at 908.50 points, up by 0.26 per cent. Oman International Development Company (Ominvest) was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. Port Services was the top gainer, up by 9.22 per cent, while National Aluminum, down by 4.81 per cent, was the top loser. As many as 1,001 trades were executed during the trading session generating a turnover of OMR6.5 million with 25.9 million shares changing hands. Out of 44 traded securities, 25 advanced, six declined and 13 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR2.2 million worth of shares, while GCC and Arab investors were net sellers at OMR2 million followed by foreign investors, who sold shares amounting to OMR186,000. Financial Index was the best performer, up by 1.16 per cent to close at 7,095.51 points. Oman

United Insurance, Al Madina Investments, Al Batinah Development, Bank Nizwa and Al Madina Takaful increased by 5.06 per cent, 3.33 per cent, 3.16 per cent, 3.03 per cent and 2.33 per cent, respectively. Industrial Index gained by 0.30 per cent to close at 7,377.07 points. Dhofar Cattlefeed, Oman Fisheries, Al Hassan Engineering, Al Anwar Ceramics and Galfar Engineering increased by 3.96 per cent, 3.92 per cent, 3.33 per cent, 2.37 per cent and 2.02 per cent, respectively. National Aluminium, Construction Materials and Raysut Cement declined by 4.81 per cent, 2.70 per cent and 0.43 per cent, respectively. Services Index closed at 3,248.21points, up by 0.33 per cent. Port Services, OIFC, Renaissance Services, Sembcorp Salalah and Oman Telecommunications Company gained by 9.22 per cent, 2.33 per cent, 1.84 per cent, 0.75 per cent and 0.31 per cent, respectively. Al Maha Petroleum Company, National Gas and Phoenix Power declined by 1.01 per cent, 0.66 per cent and 0.64 per cent, respectively. - United Securities

OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ............................................................ 97,634 ............ 42,959........................3 ........... 0.440...........0.440 ...........0.440 .......... 0.440 .............0.440 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.440..............0.440...................0.500 .................145,583,992........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ............................4,000 .................. 760........................2 ............0.190 ........... 0.190 ...........0.190............0.195 ............. 0.195............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.190..............0.190...................0.195 ...................24,355,102 .........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ........................................... 86,000 ............ 35,806......................14 ............0.416 ........... 0.418 ...........0.416 ............0.416 ............. 0.416............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.418 .............. 0.418...................0.420 ..................25,460,978.........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ..............................................................58,523 ............. 13,753........................6 ........... 0.235 ........... 0.235 ...........0.235........... 0.235 .............0.235 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.235..............0.230...................0.235..................363,011,208 ........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................. 44,092 .............23,810......................17 ........... 0.540 ...........0.540 ...........0.540........... 0.540 .............0.540 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.540..............0.540...................0.544 ...............1,237,584,202 ......0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER............................................................ 2,017,780.......686,045........................4 ........... 0.340...........0.340 ...........0.340 .......... 0.340 .............0.340 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.340............. 0.340...................0.350...................75,143,400 .........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 198,895.......... 149,937.....................20 ............0.752 ........... 0.760 ...........0.752 ........... 0.752 ............. 0.752............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.760..............0.752...................0.760..................489,510,061 ........0.100 OM0000004248 ...........SMN POWER HOLDING ............................................53,000 ............ 39,644........................2 ............0.748 ........... 0.748 ...........0.748 ............0.748 ............. 0.748............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.748 ..............0.748...................0.000 .................149,327,429 ........0.100 OM0000004669 ...........SHARQIYAH DESALINATION .................................. 7,000 .............31,885........................5 ............4.555 ........... 4.555 ...........4.555........... 4.555 .............4.555 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................4.555............. 0.000...................4.555...................44,548,884.........1.000 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS .....................................................7,646 ............... 3,748........................7 ........... 0.492 ...........0.492 ...........0.490........... 0.490 .............0.490 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.490..............0.490...................0.496...................25,725,000 .........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ........................................................30,106 ............34,446........................5 ............1.150 ........... 1.150............1.130 ............1.145 ............. 1.150............-0.005 ........... -0.435 ...............1.130 .............. 1.130...................1.140 ................. 229,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ............................................................ 54,000 .............16,344......................12 ........... 0.308 ...........0.308 ...........0.302........... 0.302 .............0.304 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.658 ...............0.302..............0.302...................0.312...................15,100,000 .........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ........11,921 ............ 23,365........................2 ............1.960 ........... 1.960 ...........1.960........... 1.960 .............1.980 ...........-0.020 ............-1.010................1.960..............1.960...................0.000 .................135,240,000 .......0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ............. 1,273,663 ......252,140......................11 ........... 0.205 ...........0.205 ...........0.195 ........... 0.198 .............0.208 ...........-0.010 ........... -4.808 ...............0.205............. 0.200...................0.205 ................... 6,647,147 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 20,646,5926,200,354...................790 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......35........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000001301 ............DHOFAR CATTLE FEED ...............................................7,317 ............... 1,537........................1 ............0.210 ........... 0.210 ...........0.210........... 0.210 .............0.202 ........... 0.008............. 3.960 ................0.210..............0.210...................0.220 ..................16,170,000 .........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ........................................................57,481 ...............3,046........................5 ........... 0.053 ........... 0.053 ...........0.053........... 0.053 ............. 0.051............ 0.002............. 3.922 ................0.053..............0.052...................0.053....................6,625,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 316,004 ........... 29,259......................17 ........... 0.090 ...........0.097 ...........0.090........... 0.093 .............0.090 ........... 0.003............. 3.333 ................0.092..............0.091...................0.092 ...................6,994,344 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 4,428,586...... 299,521................... 125 ........... 0.067 ...........0.069 ...........0.067........... 0.068 .............0.066 ........... 0.002............. 3.030 ................0.069..............0.069...................0.070................. 102,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ........................ 4,762 ............... 1,143........................3 ........... 0.240...........0.240 ...........0.240 .......... 0.255 .............0.255 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.240 ............ 0.000...................0.240 ..................22,950,000 ........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK................................................95,426 ............... 6,721........................9 ............0.071 ........... 0.071 ...........0.070........... 0.070 .............0.070 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.070..............0.070...................0.071...................70,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 237,905 ........... 36,853.....................40 ............0.156 ........... 0.156 ...........0.154 ............0.155 ............. 0.156............-0.001 ........... -0.641 ...............0.155 .............. 0.155...................0.156..................226,703,226 .......0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 168,070 ..............6,057..................... 10 ........... 0.037 ........... 0.037 ...........0.036........... 0.036 .............0.037 ...........-0.001 ........... -2.703 ...............0.036..............0.035...................0.036....................3,060,000 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 5,315,551 .......384,138...................210 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 8........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ........................1,485 .................. 134........................1 ........... 0.090 ...........0.090 ...........0.090........... 0.095 .............0.095 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.090..............0.090...................0.190...................30,795,353 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .......................................................................................1,485 .................. 134........................1 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

INDIAN MARKETS

ECONOMY

Sensex surges; rupee appreciates MUMBAI: Mining and energy stocks were among the major gainers on Wednesday, which pushed up Indian market for the sixth day on the trot, helping the benchmark BSE Sensex to scale back 27,000-level as global cues ﬁrmed on recovery in crude oil prices. The BSE barometer index jumped by 102.97 points to close at 27,035.85 — a level not seen since August 21. Besides, mining and energy stocks

surged after United States oil approached $50 per barrel. Hindalco was the top Sensex gainer with a rise of 9.64 per cent. Vedanta, Tata Steel and ONGC followed with rise of up to 5.83 per cent. The broader NSE Nifty gained 24.50 points or 0.30 per cent to settle at 8,177.40 after shuttling between 8,188.90 and 8,132.90. Auto segment stocks also attracted good buying interest on ex-

pectations that the festive season would boost sales. Rupee at eight-week high The rupee on Wednesday recuperated by 46 paise to close at an eight-week high of 64.95 against the United States dollar on fresh selling of the American currency by banks and exporters on persistent foreign capital inﬂows into domestic equities. - PTI

China’s foreign exchange reserves post record drop BEIJING: China’s foreign exchange reserves fell by a record in the third quarter as the central bank sold dollars to support the yuan after a surprise August 11 devaluation sparked the currency’s steepest slide in two decades. The stockpile plunged by $180 billion in the three months through September to $3.51 trillion, according to Bloomberg calculations based on data released by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) on Wednesday. The hoard shrank $43.3 billion in September, less than the $57 billion predicted in a survey, suggesting the pace of central bank intervention has eased. The PBOC devalued the yuan and switched to a more marketoriented reference rate in August, prompting a 2.6 per cent decline in the currency that month and a record $141.66 billion of estimated capital outﬂows. The monetary authority has been intervening in both the on-

shore and offshore markets to prop up its exchange rate, a strategy that drains the nation’s reserves and weighs on the supply of money in the domestic market. Converging rates “China has been trying to converge the rates in both the onshore and offshore markets,” said Khoon Goh, a senior strategist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group in Singapore. “The pace of intervention should

slow as the dollar is weaker and the onshore and offshore rates are more or less converged.” The offshore yuan, which last week traded stronger than the Shanghai spot price for the ﬁrst time since July, posted the biggest monthly advance in four years in September. Its discount to the onshore price exceeded 2 per cent a day after the devaluation on anticipation of further declines. The currency in Hong Kong strengthened. - Bloomberg News

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ROUND-UP

Seminar to highlight OQF development at EduTraC The seminar will focus on the importance of National Qualiﬁcations Frameworks (NQF) and the implications of a qualiﬁcation framework for Oman

MUSCAT: Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA) aspires to be an internationally recognised authority for accreditation and for the promotion of quality in higher education in the Sultanate. The OAAA has initiated an Oman Qualifications Framework (OQF) Development Project to revise and further develop the current academic OQF into a comprehensive national qualifications framework for Oman which, when implemented, will address identified needs across all education sectors in Oman and assist Oman in achieving national policy goals. Fakhriya Al Habsi, director of the Oman Qualifications Framework Department at the OAAA and Dr Lee Sutherland, Quality Assurance consultant for the Qualifica-

tions Framework at the OAAA will present the Oman Qualifications Framework Development Project at EduTraC Oman 2015, says a press release. The seminar will focus on the importance of National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF) and the implications of a qualification framework for Oman. The presentation will be held at the seminar hall during the exhibition on October 13 from 10:45 - 11:30am and will provide an insight into how it will benefit the Sultanate. The seminar is open to all professionals from the education sector in Oman, including deans, principals, vice chancellors of the Omani HEIs as well as students from high school, colleges and universities. “It will be an excellent occasion

to engage with the OQF development process, providing a key link to the key stakeholder bodies,” said Fakhriya Al Habsi. Regulates quality education OAAA was established by Royal Decree 54/2010 to regulate the quality of higher education in Oman in order to ensure the maintenance of a level that meets international standards and to encourage higher education institutions to improve their internal quality. As well as being responsible for the accreditation of higher education institutions and their programmes, the OAAA is mandated to develop and update the Oman Academic Qualifications Framework in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and other relevant authorities. Mandatory The scope of the OAAA mandate for developing and maintaining the current academic higher education qualifications framework was expanded to include all types of qualifications and levels from other education sectors, including schooling and vocational and technical education and training based on a decision issued by the Educa-

tion Council (March 2014). Dr Hamed Hashim Al Dhahab, Acting Chairman of OAAA Board said, “Through the establishment of the OAAA (formally known as the Oman Accreditation Council), Oman became one of the ﬁrst Arab countries to have a national institution specialised in quality assurance responsible for the accreditation of HEIs and their academic programmes. The OAAA has been active in cooperation with higher education quality assurance authorities and networks locally, regionally and internationally. The OAAA has participated in many activities to spread a quality culture within higher education in Oman, for example through its continual support for the Oman Quality Network in Higher Education which was established in 2006. We are delighted to participate as the associate partner at EduTraC Oman 2015.” EduTraC Oman is organised by Al Nimr International Exhibition Organisers – the Sultanate’s leading organiser in the exhibitions and conferences industry. The expo will be open for visitors from October 12 – 14 at Oman International Exhibition Centre from 10am to 1pm and 4:30pm to 9pm.

GOLD RUSH OFFER

Suzuki announces 2nd promotion winner MUSCAT: Suzuki announced the second winner of the most exciting offer in town i.e. the Suzuki Gold Rush offer. Mohammed Abdul Alim Gazi, who had purchased a Suzuki Swift 1.4L AT 2016 model for his business use, was the second lucky winner of 10 Tola gold bar, says a press release. Mohammed said that he purchased the Suzuki Swift as he found it to be true value for money for its price and features, and moreover due to the opportunity to win 100 Tolas of gold in 10 draws of 10 Tola each. The third draw will be held today. “Suzuki offers the opportunity to win 100 Tola gold in 10 draws of 10 Tola each. The excitement is even more if you buy early,” said Anil Sethi, general manager of Suzuki, citing the reason “the early you buy, clearly more are your chances to win, so why wait.” “There are 10 draws in total,

meaning a draw almost every two weeks, throughout the scheme period. Furthermore, you are assured of 1 Tola gold with every purchase, which proves an instant delight to our valued customers,” added Sethi. Also on cards are ever attractive

prices on the entire Suzuki range, backed with cash gift promotion of up to OMR1,500, which also has been the key contributing factor for the huge success of the scheme. So hurry! Make the most of the ‘Suzuki Gold Rush Offer’ to enjoy the beneﬁts of Suzuki’s exciting

N E T W O R K E X PA N S I O N

models, attractive prices, guaranteed gift of gold, cash gift and ample chances to win 100 tolas of gold in 10 draws. Moosa Abdul Rahman Hassan & Co is the sole distributors of Suzuki vehicles in Oman, with excellent network across major towns.

SINGING CONTEST

Salalah Indian Idol gets overwhelming response

SALALAH: The ﬁnals of the Salalah Indian Idol were held here recently at Hamdan Hotel’s Al Massa Hall attended by more than 200 people and the mega show Swar Sargam was held the next day at Ittin Municipal Stadium. Among the 12 contestants three winners and three runners-up were shortlisted to the mega show. The contest was judged by U. K. Murali, music director from Chennai, Franco, playback singer from Kerala, Sajila Salim, Mapilla Pattu singer and Mylanji show judge in Asianet, says a press release. Famous singers from India Srinivas, Renjini Jose, Franco, Sajila Salim and Navaz Kasargod (Mylanji winner) entertained a full stadium crowd of around 4,500 people at the mega show event. The show was compered by Ranjini Haridas. Midway through the show results of Salalah Indian Idol were announced in the presence of Manpreet Singh, chairman, Indian Social Club Salalah, L. K. Joseph, project manager L&T India Airport Project Salalah, Anil, MD Creative Consultancy, Isaac Thangachan MD, NDTC Construction and six members from Friends of Salalah, Anil Kumar, Eapen Panakal, Sunny Jacob, Sheik Meeran, Prajeesh Kumar

and Manoj Dcruz. The winners from three categories were: Group A (7-12 years) 1. Runner-up - Harsha - award was presented by Sejila Salim 2. Winner - Naseeb Nazir award presented by Srinivas Group B (13-18 years) 1. Runner Up - Salma Ria - award presented by Franco 2. Winner - Salman Thangal award presented by Srinivas Group C (19 years & Above) 1. Runner Up - Hijzs Thangal award presented by Renjini Jose 2. Winner - Beena Sureshaward presented by Srinivas Swar Sargam began with a tribute to Oman and to the great leader of Oman His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said followed by a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. All the viewers stood up for the tribute. A one minute silence prayer was held in memory of all the people who lost their lives during the Haj ceremony in Saudi Arabia recently. Eapen Panakal gave the welcome speech and introduced Ranjini Haridas and the show began. Singers entertained crowd with some wonderful songs from Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil also with some good Islamic songs. Anil Kumar proposed the vote of thanks.

C R E AT I V E S E S S I O N S

‘Al Shabiba’ designer to head layout workshop at Dubai Infographic Fest

Leminar opens new showroom in Oman MUSCAT: Leminar Air Conditioning Company, one of UAE’s largest HVAC distributors, has opened its new office and showroom in Oman. The office is located right opposite to Oman Avenues Mall, next to Al Hayat International Hospital in Ali Shaihani Tower 2 at Ghubra. This new facility has opened in line with Leminar’s vision of giving customers a service beyond their expectation and is motivated by their increasing business in Oman and to accommodate the rapid growth, says a press release. The brand new office offers Leminar’s full line of services in a state-of-the-art facility. It houses the office on the first floor and an entire ground floor for the showroom. The facility has been designed to offer the best of support and service to the customers. Leminar also has a warehouse.

DUBAI: The latest technology is in high demand nowadays. But the truth is technology is nothing without great ideas and creative innovations behind it to capture the audience. Creativity is what wins in the end, with or without technology. So how to be creative? How to tap that ingenuity within you? How to be more artistic and innovative? Get your creative juices ﬂowing by participating in the next Middle East Creative Design and Dubai Infographic Fest. It will be organised by the Society for News Design with the support from the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture and heritage, which will take place from October 23 to 25, 2015 in Dubai Knowledge Village, says a press release. There will be a host of informative sessions on creative design and convergence to various channels. The conference will also discuss diverse trends and innovations in different platforms such as print, online and now UX design. In Arabic layout workshop, designers will learn techniques and how to create a more dynamic and creative pages in Arabic language. This workshop will be presented by Osama Aljawish, who is an award winner designer in Al Shabiba and Times of Oman newspapers in Oman. Art of contemporary Arabic calligraphy This workshop is designed for any artist or designer interested in Arabic calligraphy art (calligraphic). This workshop introduces the

aesthetic features of Arabic calligraphy as a unique icon of Islamic art. It will be presented by Dr Salman Alhajri, an assistant professor of Art and Design, at the department of Art Education, at Sultan Qaboos University. The National Geographic magazine infographic artist Fernando Baptista will be the keynote speaker at this year’s conference. Baptista is one of the most talented infographic artists with worldwide recognition, his artistic obsession can be seen in his illustration and infographics for the National Geographic magazine. The conference will bring together leading media professionals in the region and internationally-recognised speakers to share their experiences and to showcase the best practices in design through innovation, creativity and efficiency in producing content across print and digital platforms. The visual aspect of a product is crucial in adding value to its content, as good design attracts new readers and maintain readership loyalty. Saeed Al Nabouda, acting director general of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, said: “We

are pleased to be part of a festival that encourages artistic creativity that brings the local and international community together. “At Dubai Culture, we are committed to providing and supporting platforms for aspiring and professional artists, allowing them to highlight their innovative approaches that have the potential to redeﬁne the creative industry. “With the media and design evolving tremendously, especially in today’s digital world, hosting this event in Dubai will also contribute to enriching the talents of young professionals and inspire them to push the boundaries.” Together with the conference, a two-day three workshops on Infographics , Arabic Layout and The Art of contemporary Arabic calligraphy will be held on October 23-24 (Thursday and Friday). The infographic workshop will be administered by Fernando Baptista from the National Geographic in English language. The conference and workshop are open to all with creative minds in the region. It is necessary to register for the event in advance as the seats are limited.

THU RSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

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New Iveco Daily comes to Oman

The completely re-engineered Iveco Daily is poised to become the new benchmark in the LCV segment

MUSCAT: International Equipment & Contracting Company, the exclusive dealer of Iveco Commercial vehicles in Oman, unveiled the much anticipated all-new Iveco Daily amidst media guests, international and local partners and select customers. The glittering ceremony was held at the Muscat Holiday Hotel, presided by Pierre Lahutte (Iveco Brand President), Luca Sra (head – Africa & Middle East), Ahmed Bahwan (chairman – Bahwan International Group Holding) and Divyendu Kumar (managing director – Bahwan International Group Holding), says a press release. The completely re-engineered Iveco Daily is poised to become the new benchmark in the LCV segment. This game-changing model will raise segment standards to new highs with its unmatched features like best in class load volume efficiency, car like comfort and driveability and optimised fuel consumption. On this occasion Pierre Lahutte (Iveco Brand President) stated, “Oman represents a key country for our development in the Gulf, a growing market with important construction and infrastructure projects moving forward as the country economy grows year over year. This year Iveco more than doubled last year performances in HDT segment, thanks to the most complete line up in the market and a valuable partner, IECC. But indeed our line-up ranges from light to heavy duty with the best performing offer at each level. “Today we are delighted to introduce the New Daily to our customers in Oman. The New Daily, the third generation of Iveco’s light commercial vehicles, available both in van and chassis cab versions, has been named the ‘International Van of the Year 2015’ for its contribution in setting new standards in terms of TCO, comfort, driveability and efficiency. I am sure this model will be appreciated, as it has been in all the countries it has been launched: from today our customers can count on the New Daily as a reliable and efﬁcient working partner.” Across the globe this vehicle has already made great contributions to the standards of efficiency and the sustainability of transport of goods by road with respect to environment and safety of people. The New Daily is a major step forward in improving Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), comfort, driveability, productivity, and sustainability. Ahmed Bahwan commented, “Today we offer among the largest range of commercial vehicles in Oman, catering to almost every customer segment. We are conﬁdent that with the launch of the New Daily, this position will get further consolidated and will ad-

vance the whole Iveco LCV segment forward into the future. With higher levels of technology, the New Daily is not only positioned to appeal to existing customers in the region, but will also attract a new range of buyers looking for quality and enhanced performance.” Divyendu Kumar added, “Iveco’s dominating position will be further consolidated with the introduction of All New Iveco Daily. The Iveco brand has earned immense loyalty over the years owing to reliable and well-engineered commercial vehicles. Its superior technology in terms of performance, comfort and safety features present exceptionally high standards for a vehicle in its class.” The new Daily ever, is a perfect balance between cutting-edge innovations and the continued evolution of the Daily’s strong heritage. The Daily is a “global” vehicle: more than 2.6 million Daily vehicles have been sold to date in over 110 countries worldwide. While 80 per cent of components have been redesigned, the New Daily has preserved its classic ladder frame chassis structure, which has long been a key part of its DNA and ensures its sturdiness, versatility and durability over time, including maximum bodybuilding flexibility for chassis cab versions. Thanks to the new architecture, with longer wheelbases and reduced rear overhang, the New Daily guarantees excellent driveability without compromising its consolidated agility in confined spaces. The new front suspension QUAD-LEAF, standard on 3.5 tonnes single wheels, constitutes the excellent blend between the two previous single- and twinwheel versions, guaranteeing increased load carrying capacity of the first and ground clearance and maximum allowed payload on axles of the latter. For the single-wheel models, the rear suspension has also been redesigned, which has yielded two important improvements: a decrease in the height of the load platform by approximately 55 millimetres to facilitate vehicle loading and unloading, and a reduction of oversteer in load transfers when cornering. The combination of the new front and rear suspension systems, and the new longer wheelbases for the van produce a dynamic, category-leading performance in terms of safety and stability. Business requirements The third generation of the Daily is also focused on business requirements and offers a considerable reduction in fuel consumption compared with the previous model, with a significant improvement in vehicle running costs, together with the best performance in the category offering a wide range of engines, transmissions and axle ratios. But that is not all: the comfort of the vehicle has also been greatly improved. The driver of the New Daily can benefit from a more comfortable and quieter interior compartment that guarantees the driving position and sensations typical of a premium automobile, as well as a multitude of closed and open storage compartments. The ergonomic design of the controls is at the top of its category, the sound insulation has been improved, the air conditioning system is more

Daily introduces high-technological content, such as the Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), that emits an acoustic signal when the vehicle departs from the marker lines of a lane without activating the signal indicators. The system is extremely effective in preventing accidents caused by distractions or drowsiness. The New Daily range of engines and performance: New Daily is provided with 3 liter engine capacity, two fuel types diesel 146 Hp or compressed natural gas 136 Hp. Proﬁtability: the New Daily offers the best fuel economy ever The New Daily features important technologies which aim to limit consumption: fuel savings equate to an average of 5.5%, depending on the different vehicle versions, and can reach up to 14% with EcoPack for urban missions.

efficient and driving comfort is excellent in all load conditions. The tradition continues The ladder frame chassis is a vital element in the vehicle’s robustness and modularity: the load carrying structure of the chassis with a C-profile, made from high-resistance steel, is guaranteed to be long-lasting and afford maximum bodybuilding flexibility. This solution is the ideal support for every type of Daily configuration, allowing the vehicle to be more easily converted than the box- frame version, and makes it the only vehicle in its category capable of reaching a gross vehicle weight of up to 7 tonnes. The chassis confirms the excellent basic design of a top-ofthe-range commercial vehicle. The new architecture The repositioning of the Daily in the single-wheel van segment is one of the most important objectives behind the vehicle’s design. The New Daily improves all performance areas of single-wheel vans. The load carrying efficiency has been optimised through the improved balance between the vehicle’s main dimensional elements: wheelbase, total length and useful length. The available wheelbases have been revised and now include 3,520 and 4,100mm, with the last two available with both a short overhang and a long overhang. With the new longer wheelbases, the New Daily can offer a new range of load carrying volumes. The new 18 and 19.6 m3 models are the best in their category in terms of available load space and the 10.8m3 version is the best in terms of load efficiency, an indicator that measures the ratio between the length of the load platform and the total length. GVW of the van models range from 3.5 to 7 tonnes with vehicle load space volumes ranging from

9 to 19.6 m3. The van comes in heights of up to 2,100mm, so that even tall users can stand upright in the loading compartment. External lengths range between 5,040 to 7,500 mm, while the load compartment starts from 2,600mm up to 5,100mm. Vehicle of choice The New Daily van is the only vehicle with a GVW of up to 7 tonnes and load carrying capacity of up to 4,000kg that allows the same volumes to be transported with fewer trips, thus reducing costs and increasing productivity. All of these features make it the vehicle of choice for transport professionals, both for distribution and for all applications that require large volumes, excellent performance and durability under pressure. Chassis cab models The range of chassis cab models is the largest on the market, with gross vehicle weights ranging from 3.5 to 7 tonnes, the wheelbase from 3,000 to 4,750mm and total vehicle lengths of up to 6,190mm. The new 4,100mm wheelbase and singlewheel version combines excellent drive ability and a 4,500mm bodybuilding surface, whilst preserving the distinctive qualities of the Daily and enhancing drive ability. The New Daily chassis cab model is the only vehicle in its class with a useful load carrying capacity of up to 4,700kg. Maximum load on front and rear axles is also at the top of the category. The 146 HP engine on twin-wheel versions is now also available with a 3 litre capacity and variable geometry turbocharger, improving payload capacity by more than 60kg, whilst offering enhanced fuel consumption and lower emissions. Better handling and driveability: The new architecture with long

wheelbases and reduced rear overhang has improved the balance and handling of the New Daily van without compromising its extraordinary agility in tight spaces. Its turning circle (10.5 m) is the best in its category. A new front suspension system has been developed in order to fully exploit the potential of the new vehicle. It improves comfort and driveability, and will be adopted as standard on both van and chassis cab versions. The new QUAD LEAF front suspension is based on a double quadrilateral arrangement with traverse leaf springs that produces excellent results in terms of containing dimensions and masses. The front suspension system has also been restyled with a dual quadrilateral arrangement and a torsion beam. The QUAD-TOR suspension system, standard on twin-wheel versions, has been adapted for heavy usage and can carry a maximum axle load of 2,500 kg (2,100 kg for versions up to 5 tonnes). This solution, which uses a torsion beam as a ﬂexible element, is a unique feature in the sector and has been one of the Daily’s strengths since it was ﬁrst launched. The rear suspension system on single-wheel versions has also been revised and its geometry has been recalibrated in order to minimise oversteer and increase the damping efficiency of the shock absorbers. A weight reduction of 8kg in comparison to the previous model, along with a loading compartment lowered by 55mm make the New Daily a top level competitor in the rear wheel drive vehicle market. Enhanced safety standards Safety standards have also been enhanced with the New Daily. Aside from the optional Electronic Stability Program (ESP), the New

Exterior design: New and functional The Iveco “family feeling” makes its debut on the New Daily. The vehicle design has been completely renewed and once again allows the Daily to stand out for its strong personality, distinctive style and attention to detail. The front-end stems from the composition of different modules: the glazed surface of the windscreen, framed by black pillars, continues seamlessly into the side windows and joins with the band created by the headlamps and the grille at the height of the mirrors. The bonnet stands out between the two modules like a ﬂoating expanse: it’s encompassing shape and dimensions facilitate access to the engine compartment. Lower down, the bumpers stretch to the robust wheel arches and assist road holding with their horizontal design. The New Daily features a design as sophisticated as any car, but it has its own, clear identity which it proudly displays because its shape is closely linked to its function. The headlamps are in a raised position and retracted to avoid damage in the case of minor impacts. The continuous line between the headlamps and the front grille descends to highlight the energy and road-holding. The bands which encase all the sides protect the body and aesthetically separate the lower section with the mechanical parts from the upper section which is dedicated to the cab and the load compartment. The larger glazed area makes the interior compartment feel brighter and increases vertical visibility, and the new style improves vehicle aerodynamics. Interior design: The new concept of comfort driving The cab interior has also been completely redesigned to make it an even more pleasant environment for the driver and crew to be in, thanks to a space developed to increase visibility, ergonomics and sound insulation. The new dashboard, completely redesigned to enhance vehicle ergonomics, seat and steering wheel, allows the driver to adopt a similar driving position and have a similar experience to that offered by a premium automobile. The New Daily range includes vans, semi-window vans, chassis cabs, chassis crew cabs, chassis cowls and minibus versions.

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Ten-day treat for book lovers at Lulu Book Fair

INAUGURATION: The third edition of the Book Fair was officially inaugurated by Ali Muhammed, director of Human Resources, Ministry of

Education, in the presence of the senior management of Lulu. – Jun Estrada/ TIMES OF OMAN

In order to make the book purchase more enticing Lulu is giving back OMR2.5 with every purchase worth OMR10

MUSCAT: The third edition of the Lulu Book Fair was officially inaugurated by Ali Muhammed, director of Human Resources, Ministry of Education, in the presence of the senior management of Lulu. The 10-day event conducted in association with Al Bhaj Trading brings to Oman a range of books that will cater to the varied tastes of people. Aimed at raising awareness and inculcating the reading INTER-SCHOOL CONTEST

Kerala Wing quiz contest tomorrow MUSCAT: Kerala Wing of the Indian Social Club Muscat is conducting Inter-School Quiz Competition titled as ‘Ente KeralamEnte Malayalam’ at Indian School Darsait auditorium tomorrow. Inter-School Quiz Competition is being held by Kerala Wing for the past 12 years and focuses on the segments of art, literature, history, contemporary issues, language and sports. The programme will unveil the chronological but oblivion facts of the state and its journey through the various key fragment of data. Renowned novelist, playwright and Jnapeedam award winner M. T. Vasudevan Nair will deliver the felicitation through a audio address upon the opening ceremony, says a press release. Traditionally and for the current event the quiz masters will be the experts of their respective ﬁelds aligned with key segments. Quiz hostess for 2015 competition will be Parvathi Devi a well known journalist, writer and social activist from Kerala. “Parvathi Devi has authored a number of articles related to women’s issues and women’s self sustainment through social reforms. She is also the Principal Public Relations Officer for Kudumbasree — nodal agency for empowerment of women in rural areas; constituted for the eradication of absolute poverty through concerted community action,” organisers said in a press statement. Contestants of the quiz programme will be the students from 19 Indian Schools of Oman and it is estimated to be a whopping 800 of both junior as well as senior sections contesting for three positions with the aid of audio visual ﬂashes and rich multimedia. “The programme will be open to public and will be a recall of faded knowledge quest through the historical past of the state,” organisers added.

habit to a generation more technologically inclined, the Lulu Book Fair is aimed at focusing on reading for knowledge, fun, opportunities and inspiration especially for the younger generation, says a press release. The fair will have quite an offering which a book lover searches for — be it ﬁction, arts, philosophy or history, management, ﬁctions, classics and lifestyle. Cookery too

has got prominence. Children too need not get disappointed as there is enough to keep them interested in the fair. In order to make the book purchase more enticing Lulu is giving back OMR2.5 with every purchase of books worth OMR10. On the occasion, Ananth A. V., regional director of Lulu Hypermarkets, Oman said, “The Lulu Book Fair is a celebration of discovering books, discovering reading, discovering genre of storytelling. Our aim is to let people reach the books and feel the books with the impressive line-up that includes multi-lingual titles. We have given sufficient focus on the trending titles and made an attempt to make the Lulu Book Fair as interactive as possible. The gain in popularity and its role in enriching cultural understanding has

made it a platform for connecting, engaging and learning about seasoned authors and uncovering new ones,” he added. “The Lulu Book Fair is an attempt to inculcate the reading habits and develop their literacy skills within an enjoyable environment, broaden their imagination, improve their talents, enhance their creative thinking skills, introduce positive behaviour and attitudes and enhance work skills. It will also offer a platform for the latest Arab and foreign publications to showcase diverse cultures and literacy styles,” he added. Now with over a decade and a half presence in Oman, Lulu ignited the retail revolution by integrating all conceivable needs of the consumer under one roof and becoming a shopping destination.

I N N O VAT I V E T E A C H I N G M E T H O D S

Waljat organises faculty development programme MUSCAT: Waljat College of Applied Sciences organised a two-week Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on research methodology and innovative teaching methods for its faculty members, recently. The programme was approved by Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE). The basic objective of the programme was to build and nurture a research culture among faculty members in the college. The programme comprised theory as well as practical sessions to provide a comprehensive exposure to the participants, says a press release. The resource persons for the programme included experts from other institutes and universities in Oman. Moreover, subject experts from within the college also delivered lectures on various topics of interest related to the theme of the programme. The major focus of the FDP was on fundamentals of research methodology, different phases of research (including research design), addressing plagiarism related issues, research proposal development, data analysis, innovative teaching methods, and educational assessment and evaluation. Practical sessions on Mendeley, SPSS 22.0, and MATLAB were conducted as a part of the FDP programme to provide hands on training on referencing and citation and data analysis. Fifty ﬁve faculty members from different departments of the col-

lege, viz.; Management, English, Mathematics, Computer Sciences, and Engineering participated in the programme. The programme ended with a valedictory function. The chief guest for the function was Prof. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Naamany, Dean of MCBS. Prof. Ahmed shared a number of significant contributions of the Arab world in the context of science, engineering, architecture, technology, and many other disciplines. However, the shift from Research & Development to mere application and use of appropriate technology, particularly in GCC and Mena region is indicative of a changing paradigm. According to him, many innovationbased economies have witnessed significant growth and development all over the world. In this context, he expressed strong commitment to channelise students in Oman and make conscious efforts in creating and nurturing a strong research culture in the country. According to Prof. S.L. Gupta, Dean, the college intends to organise similar research-based programmes for students, faculty members of other colleges, and employees of different organisations to usher scientific research philosophy and orientation in Oman. The college awarded certificate of participation to all the participants who successfully completed the FDP programme.

P R O M I N E N T L O C AT I O N

Bank Sohar opens relocated Rustaq branch MUSCAT: Bank Sohar recently celebrated the official opening of its newly relocated branch in the Wilayat of Rustaq under the auspices of Sheikh Hilal bin Said Hamdan Al Hajri, Governor of South Batinah region. The branch has been relocated to a prominent location just off the main road from Muscat on the way towards Wilayat Ibri, providing greater visibility and easier accessibility to the bank’s customers in the region. The opening celebration witnessed the attendance of several of the bank’s VIP customers from the region. Representing the bank and welcoming the guests at the event were Rashad Ali Al Musaﬁr, acting CEO, R. Narasimhan, GM -Retail Banking, Khamis Masoud Al Rahbi, Senior AGM of Branches, Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, Senior AGM- Marketing and Customer Experience, Rashid Saif Al Maskry, Batinah district manager,

and Mohammed Abdullah Al Amrani, senior branch manager of the Rustaq branch. Commenting on the official opening of the relocated branch, Rashad Al Musaﬁr said, “As one of the leading ﬁnancial institutions in Oman, we are delighted to strengthen our presence in Wilayat Rustaq with a larger and newer

facility. Bank Sohar has earned a reputation for deliver banking excellence and serving the community. Not only is this event a matter of privilege to be able to provide our customers the utmost convenience and care when banking with us in Rustaq, but is also perfectly in line with our bankwide focus this year on enhancing

TRIBUTE TO TEACHERS

Teacher’s Day celebration at PSM MUSCAT: An array of activities designed to highlight the role and importance of a teacher marked the Teacher’s Day celebration at Pakistan School Muscat. The school held the ceremony to highlight the value of teachers for the students, attended by Ataullah Niazi, senior principal, Khalid Jadoon, principal, Munazza Ghafoor, principal junior school and teachers, says a press release. The ceremony started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. The PSM students enthusiastically participated in the event and paid a hearty tribute to all the teachers. Ataullah Niazi, Khalid Jadoon and Munazza Ghafoor enlightened the students about the importance and role of teachers as nation builders.

“Teaching is a sacred profession and is linked with the profession of prophecy. Teachers not only enlighten a single person with knowledge but impart wisdom amongst society. It is students’ responsibility to fully prove that they respect their teachers in true spirit as success comes to those nations who re-

gard their teachers,” they said. “A teacher is the builder of the nation who sets society to the right path. Teachers undoubtedly are the treasure of society and Islam has taught us to respect our teachers,” they added. Ataullah Niazi, Khalid Jadoon and Munazza Ghafoor expressed their best wishes to the teachers.

our customer service and improving the overall banking experience across our branch network.” The opening ceremony began with Al Hajri cutting a ribbon to signify the opening of the reallocated branch in the presence of senior officials from Banks Sohar together with a number of the bank’s VIP customers from the region. Later, the chief guest, along with the attendees, were taken on a short tour of the branch, which houses a spacious design with clear demarcation of the areas covering a range of customer friendly facilities. The attendees were also briefed on the various products and services offered by Bank Sohar, whether through the newly relocated Rustaq branch, or any of the other 25 branches spread across the Sultanate. Commenting on this occasion, Narasimhan, said, “We consistently focus on offering customers better valued product and service

propositions with the utmost convenience and care when banking with us. This new location is a full service branch that has an excellent design and interior furnishing backed by high end technological infrastructure that will continue to provide the bank’s regular portfolio of retail and corporate banking products and services to our existing and prospect customers of this region. With ample parking facilities, a larger interior space, and easier accessibility from the main road, together with a 24hour ATM and CDM facility, the new branch will better equip us to service the needs of our clients in the Rustaq region, and will no doubt offer a signiﬁcant improvement to customer convenience in the area.” Together with the reallocated Rustaq Branch, Bank Sohar provides an extensive network of 26 conventional branches and 51 ATMs across the Sultanate.

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

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Legendary poets promise a memorable Mushairah Scheduled to start at 7.30pm on Friday, October 9, the 8th edition of the Annual Mushairah is expected to draw a full house for the sheer quality of poetry it promises to offer Times News Service MUSCAT: Legendary Indian poets are looking forward to participating in tomorrow’s Annual Mushairah being organised by Urdu Wing of the Indian Social Club Muscat at Al Bustan Palace Hotel. Scheduled to start at 7.30pm on Friday, October 9, the 8th edition of the Annual Mushairah is expected to draw a full house for the sheer quality of poetry it promises to offer. The presence of big-ticket poets like Nida Fazli, Munawwar Rana and Rais Ansari is certain to entertain the crowd and make

it another glorious chapter in the event’s history. Urdu Wing’s Annual Mushairah is not only awaited by the Muscat audience but by those invited to participate in it too, who are keen to make it another memorable edition. “We keep our calendars marked for this Mushairah and patronise this event as it promotes the language,” said renowned poet Nida Fazli in comments to Times of Oman. Almost all the leading poets have participated in this mega annual event. “We have always had great time

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and wonderful experience attending the Annual Mushairah hosted by Urdu Wing, which is doing excellent work in promoting Urdu in Oman,” commented noted poet Rais Ansari while replying to a question. The Muscat audience is known to appreciate quality in poetry and prose. “There is no doubt that the audience here is quite knowledgeable and has a ﬂair for poetry, particularly ghazals, geet and nazm,” remarked popular poet Munwwar Rana, who has been a regular to Mushairahs in Muscat. Other poets specially invited to participate are Jauhar Kanpuri, Shabeena Adeeb, Nawaz Deobandi, Saleem Amrohvi and Suman Dubey. The Mushairah will be conducted by Rais Ansari, one of the best comperes of literary events. Entry will be strictly through invitation cards which can be collected from Tufail (99474295), Asif (99105283) for Ghalah and Ghubrah, Khusro (98083202)

for Al Khuwair and Bausher, Shibu (99375369) for Ruwi, Faizi (99424847) for Muttrah, Salam (99427965) for Darsait and Ameenuddin (97047811) at ISC Counter, Wadi Kabir. Urdu Wing, a non-proﬁt literary and cultural organisation of Indian Social Club, has been organising literary events in Oman since their inception in 2006. This year’s Mushairah is presented by Al Omaniya Financial Services, which under its CEO Aftab Patel has been the main supporter of Urdu Wing’s annual mega event. Bank of Beirut is the Power sponsor of the Mushairah, which is also sponsored by Al Nahdha, Jindal Shadeed, Bank Muscat, Arabian Heights, Nuhas Oman, NBO, Areej Vegetable Oils, Badr Al Samaa, Al Aruba, Modern Exchange, National Paints, Renna Mobile, L&T, Mustafa Sultan Enterprises, Platinum Development, Al Zehra Building Material, Sinsila International, Muscat Pharmacy and Al Hashar Travel and Tourism.

C O R P O R AT E E V E N T

OER Finance Summit to be held on Oct. 20 MUSCAT: OER Finance Summit and Top 20 Awards, one of the eagerly awaited events in Oman’s corporate calendar, will be held at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Muscat on October 20, 2015. Organised by Oman Economic Review (OER), one of the leading business magazines, the Finance Summit, will bring together CEOs, CFOs and financial leaders for an interactive discussion on ‘managing finance in an uncertain business environment,’ says a press release. The summit will cover a range of topics that include managing business risk; negotiating financial uncertainty and striking a balance between short term objectives and long term sustainability against the backdrop of falling oil prices. Partners Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate is the strategic partner, while Renault, which is exclusively imported and distributed in Oman by Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, is the associate partner.

Times of Oman and Al Shabiba are the media partners. OER Finance Summit will have international speakers sharing their expertise. Keynote speakers from London Economics are also expected to attend. The summit will offer an opportunity to engage in peer networking, share best practices, and to gain insights on ways to address challenges and opportunities faced by businesses every day. Top 20 Awards The event will also feature the coveted OER Top 20 Awards for the year 2015. The OER Top 20 Awards is one of its kind event to honour companies, which have excelled across several categories including revenues, proﬁts and so forth. The OER Top 20 companies are the largest listed companies on the Muscat Securities Market. The event will be attended by over 200 CEOs and senior executives from the top 50 listed companies on the Muscat Securities Market and business leaders from privately owned and joint stock companies.

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

Bank Muscat lines up Open Day events to offer exclusive personal finance Maisarah opens new branch MUSCAT: Under the patronage of Sheikh Ibrahim bin Yahya Al Rawahi, Wali of Seeb, Maisarah Islamic Banking Services celebrated the official launch of its fifth branch in Al Hail. The launch of Al Hail branch comes as part of the Islamic window’s growth strategy and to provide world-class Islamic banking products, services and banking solutions to customers in different locations across Oman. The launch ceremony was attended by Abdul Hakeem Omar Al Ojaili, Acting Chief Executive Officer of BankDhofar, and Sohail Niazi, Chief Islamic Banking Officer – Maisarah, as well as invited guests, sheikhs and dignitaries from Wilayat of Seeb, and executive management team members and staff from BankDhofar and Maisarah Islamic Banking Ser-

vices, says a press release. Jamsheed Hamza, head of Retail Banking– Maisarah, said during the inauguration ceremony: “There has been an increasing demand on Sharia-compliant banking products and financial solutions, and the launch of Maisarah’s services in Al Hail will definitely fulfil the market demand for Islamic products and services in Al Seeb and neighbouring areas.” Manal Al Zadjali, Al Hail Branch Manager, said: “The new Maisarah branch in Al Hail is set up with a team of trained Islamic banking representative with a focus on serving the customers with the right product and service. The branch team is successfully providing customers with the best banking experience, fulfilling their needs and meeting their requirements.”

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, has lined up a series of Open Day events across the Sultanate offering a unique opportunity to avail one of the best offers on personal, home and auto finance with a range of addon benefits. The bank is committing 24hour disbursement of finance along with free Lulu Bank Muscat credit card, Bank Muscat prepaid card preloaded with OMR25 and free personal protection insurance plan. The offer is valid only at the Open Day venues and not at any Bank Muscat branches, says a press release. The first of the series of Open Days will be held at the Oman Avenues Mall in Muscat on October 13, 14 and 15 followed by the event at Lulu Nizwa on October 21 and 22. The third event will be held at Lulu Sohar on October 28 and 29. The fourth event will be held in Sur at Makkah Hypermarket on November 4 and 5. The concluding event will be held at Lulu Salalah on November 11 and 12. The Open Day timing at all venues will be

PROMOTION

In step with responsible banking, the focus of Bank Muscat is clear – create a sustainable financial platform for the nation and people and thereby contribute to the country’s progress and development Said Al Badai DGM – Branches

from 10am to 10pm. To avail the exclusive offer, customers are required to submit copy of national identity card or resident card, salary assignment letter, passport copy for expatriates, address proof, water or electricity bill or rental agreement. Said Al Badai, DGM – Branches, said: “Bank Muscat is proud to launch the exclusive Open Day events across the Sultanate offering customers a range of exciting

ﬁnance offers. In step with responsible banking, the focus of Bank Muscat is clear — create a sustainable ﬁnancial platform for the nation and people and thereby contribute to the country’s progress and development. “Committed to supporting economic growth and sustainable development, the bank seizes every opportunity to reiterate partnership in building the nation by creating opportunities

for individuals and businesses to grow and prosper.” Doing more is the forte of Bank Muscat — more for the economy, more for the community and more for the individual. The bank has incorporated sustainable best practices and is fully equipped to guide customers through all stages of banking life, whether it be savings, investments, ﬁnancing or just reliable ﬁnancial advice.

E X PA N S I O N

Time to cash in on Kia Sorento MUSCAT: Now owning a Kia Sorento is even easier, with a delightful cash gift. The cash gift amount can be used as part of Down Payment, making it even easier to own a Sorento! In fact, customers can choose any one option. Either a cash gift of OMR900 or 18 months/30,000km service whichever is earlier, together with 1 year insurance along with a cash gift of OMR300. In addition to this, there also is an attractive offer on 14MY Sorento which comprises a cash gift of OMR1,300 or, 5 years/100,000km service (whichever is earlier), 1 year insurance as well as cash gift of OMR300, says a press release. Offer till October 18 The offer that started on August 19 will last until October 18 2015.

This brings the coveted Sorento within easy reach of customers. Redesigned to be sleek, strong, and adaptive, the Kia Sorento has elegantly sculpted surfaces, more cabin space, and a wraparound dashboard for distinctive appeal. From ﬁnely crafted seating to intuitive ad-

vanced technologies, it’s the car to drive to seek out adventure. The Sorento utilises Kia’s advanced safety equipment and technologies to provide a high level of occupant protection for drivers and their families as measured by the US government. A compelling compact CUV, the Sorento has a 5-Star rating from NHTSA. From a styling perspective, redesigned front and rear fasciae incorporate new lighting elements, the 17-inch alloy wheels have been redesigned and a larger 19-inch alloy wheel is offered on the top model. The Sorento is on display at the showroom – for those who wish to have a closer look! Reliable International Automotive (RIA), the distributor for Kia in Oman provides a rewarding ownership experience for customers.

Ooredoo opens new store in Rustaq MUSCAT: Ooredoo has opened a vibrant new franchise store in Rustaq, with its long-term partner and store operator Enhance, a WJ Towell company. This new franchise, Ooredoo’s 11th concept store, was inaugurated by Sheikh Mahmood Abdullah Al Saidi, Deputy Wali of Al Rustaq, alongside members of Ooredoo’s management team, says a press release. Concept store “The growth of our customer base in Al Batinah has inspired our recent launch of concept stores and serves as an integral part of our strategy to be within reach of all our customers across Oman.

Ooredoo cares for local communities and aims to inspire human growth through technology; what better way to do this than being within easy reach,” said Feras Al Shaikh, director of Consumer Sales at Ooredoo. Ooredoo’s expansion strategy is centred upon its brand values of ‘Caring’ and ‘Connecting’, with a focus on getting closer to local communities. The company focuses on offering an unparalleled customer experience across all touch-points, but there has been a big focus this year on physically bringing their dynamic and now well-known brand to all regions of the Sultanate. “Our long-awaited store in

Rustaq is our second in Al Batinah, and will bring to the area and surrounding communities a full range of Ooredoo products and services in a state-of-the-art environment. Having inaugurated ﬁve stores in total since April 2015, we look forward to reaching out to more customers with our long-term partner,” said Ahmad Abbas, general manager of Retail Solutions at Enhance Oman. Ooredoo’s focus on customer engagement has realised a growing footprint across the Sultanate, with franchise stores established in Rustaq, Amerat and Al Musannah, Jalan Bani Bu Ali, Sinaw, Saham, Samail, Mussanah and Sa’dah.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM THUR SDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

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Le Guen respects Iran but expects Oman to focus on their own game Even as his counterpart Carlos Queiroz is speaking about the time to end a 14-year drought against Oman, Paul Le Guen wants his boys to forget all the hype about their rivals’ reputation and ‘focus on their own game’ in the crucial clash STAYING POSITIVE: ran coach Carlos Queiroz, right, speaks as cap-

tain Andranic Teymourian, centre, looks on. – JUN ESTRADA / Times of Oman

MAKING A POINT: Oman team coach Paul Le Guen, second right, speaks during a presss conference on the eve of their World Cup/Asian Cup Group D qualiﬁer against Iran. – JUN ESTRADA / Times of Oman

A SESHAGIRI RAO

raoas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Reputations are to be respected. But they are to be put aside when it comes to a competition. That’s the philosophy being advocated by Oman coach Paul Le Guen as his wards gear up to take on formidable Iran in a crucial World Cup/Asian Cup qualiﬁer on Thursday. With both the hosts and the visitors on same seven points from three matches, the outcome of the Group D match, to be played at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex from 6.30pm, will decide who will be in pole position to seal a direct entry into the 2019 Asian Cup and a place in the ﬁnal round of the 2018 World Cup. Even as his counterpart Carlos Queiroz is speaking about the time to end a 14-year drought against Oman, Le Guen wants his boys to forget all the hype about their rivals’ reputation and ‘focus on their own game’ in the crucial clash. Much has been spoken and written about the gulf between the two teams, their experience, the quality of players and even the rankings — remember Oman are at 102 WA F F T O U R N E Y

Oman lose to Syria

on FIFA ladder while Iran are far ahead of them at 39th place. “We respect Iran. But not too much,” Le Guen said speaking during the match-eve press conference at City Seasons Hotel on Wednesday. TheFrenchmansaid:“Weknowthe situation. And we also know the quality of our opposition. Iran is an experienced side. They are a big team. We respect them.” However, indicating that Oman should be giving ‘not too much respect’, Le Guen added: “We have to be ourselves. Once we enter the field, we have to focus on our game. We will have to give our best.” Terming the match as a ‘massive game’, Le Guen said: “It is going to be a difficult match. Considering the situation of the group and the quality of the opposition, it is great to be playing this kind of match. And that too in Muscat, in front of our home fans.” “As I said we have to give our best on the field tomorrow in order to get good results,” he added. Lack of firepower Le Guen has for long been complaining about lack of firepower at his disposal and that has been

even more complicated by the absence of star striker Abdulaziz Al Maqbali, who is away in South Korea representing the Sultanate at the Military World Games. That has left the Frenchman with one proven striker in the form veteran forward Imad Al Hosni. And that for very reason, Le Guen may also rely more on young Saud Al Farsi. When queried about the selection of Saud and the possibility of ﬁelding the Sur striker, Le Guen said: “Ideally I would like to have Abdulaziz (Al Maqbali) playing in the qualiﬁer. Now we have just Imad’s (Al Hosni) experience. We don’t have many strikers. So why not Saud?” “I have been trying to resolve this issue. But there are no miracle solutions in football. I will be ‘chatting’ with the strikers and prepare them for tomorrow’s difficult outing,” he added. Le Guen, however, will be assured of solidity in the other departments, especially in the goal which will be manned by Omani captain Ali Al Habsi. Then the experience of players like Saad Suhail, Mohammed Sheiba, Jaber Al Owaisi, Ahmed

Mubarak ‘Kanu’, Ali Al Jabri, Eid Al Farsi, Raed Ibrahim Al Haikal and Qasim Said will come in handy if Oman hope to upset the Iranians. Intense match Carlos Queiroz, meanwhile, is expecting an intense match in which his team will hope to achieve a ‘positive result’ for the ﬁrst time in 14 years against Oman. Iran’s victory over Oman, a 5-2 verdict, came way back in 2001 at LG Cup in Iran. Though their Portuguese coach is talking about lack of a ‘positive result’ for 14 years, if one goes by the statistics available on the internet, the teams met just three times in the intervening years — the last outing was a friendly encounter played in Muscat in 2013 which the hosts won by a 3-1 margin. The other two ended in 2-2 draws in 2004 Asian Cup and 2010 WAFF Championship. Queiroz is hoping his team will change that trend on Thursday. “For the last 14 years, Iran was not able to produce a positive result against Oman and it’s time to change that record,” he said. The Portuguese, whose squad

trained in the UAE brieﬂy before arriving in Muscat, wants to see his team on top of their game against Oman. “It is going to be an intense match as both teams will be looking for full points. Oman are a good team and they are being coached by a good coach. I know we are not going to have an easy outing.” “Obviously we cannot underestimate a team that has players like Abdulaziz (Al Maqbali) and other experienced players,” he said as if to indicate he knows Oman team well enough to chalk out a right strategy. Queiroz at the same time stressed that the Iranians are here to win full points. “This match is important as both teams will be looking to grab all the points. Our primary objective is to qualify for the next round. And we are here to make sure that we are on the right path to achieve that,” he said. Omani forward Imad Al Hosni, meanwhile, hoped the fans will turn up in large numbers at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex and root for their team. “It’s an important match in the group. We will be giving our best. I wish to see a full house and all the

Omanis rooting for us,” he said. Iran captain Andranic Teymourian promised that his team will play very ‘logical and energetic football’ to achieve the desired result. Well prepared “We had good training in the UAE. We are well prepared and ready for Oman match,” he said. “It’s difficult to predict the result of any football match. But we will surely be playing good ‘forward moving’ and energetic football. Hopefully, we will get good result,” he said. The Iranian captain and coach also paid tributes to former international forward Hadi Norouzi, who passed at the age of 30 last week due to heart attack. Both conveyed their condolences to the family of the deceased. The group winners and four best runners-up will advance to the 2019 Asian Cup finals and the final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The next best 24 teams from the preliminary stage of the joint qualifiers will compete in a separate competition for the remaining 12 slots in the 24-team 2019 Asian Cup.

W O R L D C U P/A S I A N C U P Q UA L I F I E R S

In Muscat, Japan not taking Syria lightly

MUSCAT: Oman squandered an early goal to lose against Syria 1-2 in the West Asian Football Federation Under-23 Championship in Doha on Wednesday. Oman scored an early goal, thanks to a brilliant effort by Ahmed Siyabi. However,Syria pounced back in the second half with two back-to-back goals and deny Oman a chance to progress in the championship. Earlier, Oman had lost to UAE. TENNIS

Berdych loses WARMING UP: Japanese football players take part in a training session in Muscat. – AFP

BEIJING: Second seed Tomas Berdych crashed out in the first round of the China Open on Wednesday after losing 6-4, 6-4 to Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas, two days after winning his first ATP title of the year in Shenzen. Spaniard David Ferrer, fresh from winning his fourth title of the year in Malaysia on Sunday, advanced to the quarterfinals in Beijing with a 7-6(5), 6-2 win against Czech Lukas Rosol. Ferrer’s countryman Rafa Nadal also made his way through to the last eight with a 7-6(3), 6-4 win over Vasek Pospisil. In the women’s draw, Pole Agnieszka Radwanska reached last eight when Madison Keys retired with a thigh injury after losing the first set 6-3. - Reuters

MUSCAT: Head coach Vahid Halilhodzic has warned Japan not to take Syria lightly when his side tackle the Group E leaders in the latest round FIFA World Cup 2018 and AFC Asian Cup 2019 Preliminary joint qualiﬁers on Thursday at the Seeb Sports Stadium in Muscat. The Samurai Blue currently occupy second spot with seven points from their three groups games, two less than the impressive Syrians who boast a perfect record thanks to wins over Afghanistan, Singapore and Cambodia. With top spot up for grabs, Halilhodzic is eager for Japan, who have never lost to Syria in eight previous meetings, to follow up

victories over Cambodia and Afghanistan with a win in Muscat, although the wily tactician is more than aware of the size of the task awaiting his charges. “The match against Syria is going to be most difficult and most important among the matches we had in this year,” he told reporters. “They have a couple of good players and don’t need so many goal-scoring opportunities. “I have watched about eight of the Syria matches, and I know each player’s strength and weakness and the way they play. “We need to get ready to win the battle. We’ve got excellent quality and experience. We will come out with conﬁdence and keep winning.”

TRAINING SESSION: Syrian players training hard for their home game in Muscat. – AFP

India vs Turkmenistan Meanwhile at Ashgabat, after three consecutive defeats, India have a tough task ahead of them against hosts Turkmenistan when the two teams clash in the 2018 World Cup qualification match . India lost to Oman, Guam and more recently to Iran to be placed at the bottom of Group D. Turkmenistan have lost against Oman and Guam and drawn against Iran to be placed just above India. Placed 155th in the FIFA rankings, Turkmenistan have faced 167th-ranked India in five matches earlier with both sides winning two each — one fixture was drawn. Despite positive words cropping up from the Indian camp ahead

of Thursday’s game, it remains to be seen whether Stephen Constantine’s boys — led by forward Sunil Chhetri — will walk the talk against a team that is close to their rankings. Ahead of the match, national coach Stephen Constantine termed the clash as a “difficult task”. “We are aware of the difficult task. Turkmenistan had a fantastic result against Iran. It speaks about the ability and determination of the team,” Constantine said. “Iran is a super power in Asia and we always respect a team which managed to get a point from them. So we expect a very difficult game. The past may be hinting at

something different but Turkmenistan are a much improved side in the last few years,” the coach said. India captain Chhetri said the team is ready to face a talented opposition. “We have watched some videos of Turkmenistan. They are very strong at Home. We played against Iran at home in our last match and stay aware of Iran’s might even when they play away. And Turkmenistan held Iran at home,” Chhetri said. “We respect Turkmenistan. We have even watched the video of their match against Oman. They have some talented players. But we are ready for that,” the captain said. — AFC, IANS

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

SPORTS CRICKET

Why did you allow fans in stadium with bottles? BCCI questions OCA NEW DELHI: Livid with the crowd trouble that marred the second Twenty20 International between India and South Africa in Cuttack, the BCCI on Wednesday sought a report from the Orissa Cricket Association asking the body to explain why spectators were allowed to carry bottles inside the stadium. The second T20, which South Africa won by six wickets, was stopped more than once after spectators started throwing bottles on the ground following India’s poor performance. The match was completed after the trouble-making stands

were evacuated. “In the wake of unruly behaviour by the crowd at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack during the second T20I between India and South Africa on October 5, 2015, the BCCI President, Report sought Mr. Shashank Manohar, has asked the Hon. Secretary of Orissa Cricket Association, Mr. Ashirwad Behera, to submit a report on the incident within two days,” the Board said in a statement. “During the second innings of the match, the spectators at the Barabati Stadium disrupted the game by hurling plastic water

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bottles on the ﬁeld of play. As a result, the play had to be stopped for several minutes before most of the spectators were evacuated from the stadium for play to resume. “Mr. Manohar has asked the state association to explain why the spectators were allowed to carry the bottles inside the stadium, which is against the ICC Guidelines,” it added. The unruly behaviour of the fans drew unanimous condemnation with former captains Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar among those deploring the incident. - PTI CRICKET

Australian Chris Rogers signs for Somerset LONDON: Australian batsman Chris Rogers, who retired from international cricket after this year’s Ashes series, has joined Somerset for the 2016 season, the English county announced on Wednesday. The 38 year-old left hander played 25 Tests for Australia, scoring 2015 runs at an average of 42.87, with a top score of 173 at Lord’s this year. Somerset will be his ﬁfth English county after previously playing for Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Middlesex. “I’m really pleased to be joining a club of the stature of Somerset,” Rogers said. “I have always enjoyed playing cricket in England. There have been quite a few Australian players who have done really well down at Taunton and hopefully I can add my name to that list.” - Reuters

Determined to make it 3-0, says Miller South African key batsman AB de Villiers did not come for the practice on Wednesday and David Miller said it was not much of an issue KOLKATA: Bolstered by their back to back wins against India, South Africa batsman David Miller says his team is all pumped to make a clean sweep of the three-match T20 series here on Thursday. “I think it is a massive point. We are 2-0 up and are determined to make it 3-0. As you say, momentum and confidence is a big thing in international cricket. I think, our preparations have been really good. We’ve been trying to check all the boxes and hopefully we come out on top tomorrow,” said Miller on the eve of the third and final T20 International. “To be honest, its a great feeling to be coming to Kolkata 2-0 up in the series. The series win is really big. We came here with a lot of expectations to do well, we have put a lot of pressure on us to perform. “India are an amazing T20 side with huge players. It gives us a lot of confidence moving forward coming close to the World Twenty20,” said the hard-hitting batsman. “We are playing against England and at the end of the year in Australia. We just need to take as much confidence as we can moving forward. It has been a huge confidence booster.” South African key batsman AB de Villiers did not come for the practice on Wednesday and Miller said it was not much of an issue. “It is an optional practice today. Some players have taken a day off. It has been a long week. We have had some intense games, a lot of practice and travelling. I hope AB does play. We will see tomorrow. “As supposed to what is going to happen tomorrow, I am not very sure. Maybe resting a few guys but I have got no idea about

India are an amazing T20 side with huge players. It gives us a lot of confidence moving forward coming close to the World Twenty20 David Miller

South Africa

that as well.” The general pattern is to practice in the evening if the match is a night affair. Why morning practice? “To be honest, we have been given that slot. I am not sure how the logistics work on practice scheduling. I have been told to be ready at 9 am in the morning and I made sure I was not late for the bus.” Dhoni was suggesting that home matches during this time of the year should start earlier to negate the dew factor but Miller said: “To be honest, I don’t know what to say. The games are given to us at 7pm. The dew factor is bit of an issue. But to fair, it has been the same to both teams. I think there isn’t too much of an issue.” Miller further said their exposure in IPL has helped South Africans players immensely. “It makes a massive difference. We have come out on top against

India. I think the IPL has helped not only the foreign players but the younger guys from India as well. It’s an unbelievable tournament, it has given opportunity to a lot of players. It also deﬁnitely helped South African getting used to the conditions in India. We are feeling a lot more at home,” he added. Asked whether he prepared especially for the sub-continent conditions, he said: “Personally, I don’t really do anything more to prepare for sub-continental conditions. The only difference here is the bounce in the wickets. “You have to get adjust to it as quickly as possible. The longer the format, the more the spin comes into play. “The biggest thing for me is the mental side of it. Just to try and have the right mindset to play in the sub-continent.” - PTI

FORMULA ONE

Lauda wary as Mercedes aim for title repeat in Sochi SOCHI: Mercedes can celebrate their second successive Formula One constructors’ title in Russia on Sunday but Niki Lauda fears they could be forced to wait. Mercedes chalked up a dominant one-two in Japan last month, with Lewis Hamilton leading home Nico Rosberg, after being strangely eclipsed on the slow and twisty Singapore street circuit. They need to score just three points more than Ferrari in Sochi to retain the title they won at the inaugural Russian race last year with a one-two ﬂourish. But Lauda, the retired triple world champion who is now non-executive chairman of the Mercedes team, feared Sunday could be more like Singapore than Suzuka. “We have to say thank God we came out of the Singapore trauma and we are back,” he said after the team’s normal performance returned in Japan. “My worry is that the next race is Sochi which is a Singaporetype of asphalt, so it’s not done and not that easy. “We have to work hard and stay competitive and then we are looking good. But you only look good when it’s done,” added the Austrian. Mercedes have a lead of 169 points over Ferrari with ﬁve races remaining, and a maximum of 172 will be still up for grabs after Sunday. Hamilton has a 48-point ad-

Mercedes need to score just three points more than Ferrari in Sochi to retain the constructors’ title they won at the inaugural Russian race last year with a one-two flourish, but their chairman fears that it can’t be achieved with ease vantage over Rosberg in the driver’s championship, so nothing can be decided there yet. He made his mark on Sochi last year by lapping fastest in all three practice sessions, taking pole position and leading from lights to chequered ﬂag. That means the Briton is still the only driver to have led a lap at the circuit winding its way around some of the 2014 Winter Olympic venues. “It was great to win the ﬁrst race for Formula One in Russia and a fantastic moment for the team to take the title there last time out,” said Hamilton, winner of eight races so far this season.

“Fingers crossed we can add to those great memories again this weekend -- I’ll be pushing as hard as I can to make that happen.” Rosberg has all the statistics against him, given that no driver has ever failed to take the title with such an advantage and so many wins as Hamilton, but he has vowed to push as hard as ever. “I’m not backing down in my fight for the championship,” said the German. “We have five races to go and, although the championship gap to Lewis is quite big, in my mind it’s definitely not over yet.” Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, the winner in Singapore, will be hoping to postpone Mercedes’ title celebrations but the local crowd will be hoping Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat can also put himself in the mix after finishing second in Hungary in July. Red Bull have been making more headlines off the track than on it this season, thanks to increasing concern about their 2016 engine supply and fears the team could quit altogether, but Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo have both been on the podium. “The atmosphere last year was fantastic, there were so many fans giving me support. It really feels awesome to be there,” said the Russian. “I’m happy to have the attention, it gives you a bit of a lift.” - Reuters

T H U R S DAY, O CTO B E R 8, 2 0 1 5

SPORTS C O M M E N TA RY

Team India must give Rahane, Mishra an outing

IT’S FOOTBALL TIME: India’s Virat Kohli, centre, kicks the ball as he and other teammates attend a practice session ahead of their Twenty20 cricket match against South Africa in Kolkata. – Reuters

Team India’s chance to restore lost pride According to pitch

Harbhajan hopes for an Eden turnaround

curator Prabir Mukherjee and former India captain Saurav Ganguly, the Eden strip would be batting friendly. If the Indian batting clicks, one can expect a run deluge here from the likes of Rohit, Kohli and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni

KOLKATA: It may be a dead rubber, but for India it would be an opportunity to salvage lost pride as they take on South Africa in the third and final Twenty20 International at the iconic Eden Gardens here on Thursday. The visitors have gulped back to back matches and taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the threematch series. In both games, the Indians have lacked the will to win. In the first contest at Dharamsala, the hosts were able to pile up a massive 199 on the board, but the somewhat inexperienced bowling line-up failed to keep the Proteas in check and J.P. Duminy — playing a valiant knock of 68 runs — took his side home with seven wickets in hand. The second game at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack saw the Indian batting crumble like cookies for a mere 92. South Africa chased the total down quite easily, losing only four wickets. What contributed to the Indian batting fiasco were poor running between the wickets. Virat Kohli and opener Rohit Sharma were the victims of indecisive calling. But as they approach the last contest of the T20 series, the Indians would want to forget the Barabati debacle and focus on what is in store at Eden. According to pitch curator Prabir Mukherjee and former India captain Saurav Ganguly, the Eden strip would be batting friendly. If the Indian batting clicks, one can expect a run deluge here from the likes of Rohit, Kohli and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. It will be the same for the tourists who have got the likes of AB de Villiers and Duminy in their ranks. If the pitch indeed favours the batsmen, it will turn into a ‘You miss, I hit’ contest. But one has to keep in mind that Eden Gardens is no Dharamsala where the air is thin and the ball flies off the willow. Therefore, spinners might play a pivotal role. For India, the only bright speck in the bowling department has been off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who has grabbed four wickets from the two outings. If

KOLKATA: They might have lost the T20I cricket series to South Africa but Indian ace spinner Harbhajan Singh said it’s too early to write them off as the hosts are keen to turn around their fortunes in the last and final match here. “We have lost the series but we still have a lot to play in the final game. Hopefully we will win tomorrow and from there onward it could be a different story,” Harbhajan told reporters on the eve of the match. “The ODIs are coming up and then the Tests. We want to play our best game tomorrow and we want to put up our best show. Once we start winning we will be a difficult side to beat.” After the T20I series, India and South Africa play five ODIs followed by four Tests in a long 72-day Freedom Series. Citing example of the recently-concluded Test series in Sri Lanka where India bounced back to win the series after losing the first match, Harbhajan said: “It was because of the belief that we had. “Every game is a challenge for us from here on. Yes we have lost the series and we didn’t play as well as we should have but Eden is always a very special ground for all of us. “Obviously winning here will mean a lot to us. We will go out there and give it our best shot. If we win here, we will take that confidence into the ODI series,” he said. India failed to defend 200 in the first T20I Dharamsala, while in the last match they were skittled out for their second lowest total of 92 to concede a decisive 0-2 lead to the visitors. “I don’t think we need to worry too much about the losses in our last two games. We are hurt by those losses but going forward and talking about the World Twenty20,” he said. Harbhajan, who’s India’s highest wicket-taking offspinner, said it’s about backing their spinners ahead of the next year’s World Twenty20. “I think it is important to back the players who are probably the best players for the format. This has been the quality of this team; they have stuck to the players who they believe can win the game. “That is what we need to do

the Indians are to pull this one off, the others need to chip in as well. The Indians might also take conﬁdence from the fact that they have won six out of the 10 T20 Internationals against South Africa, but then again the momentum is with the visitors. As it is an insigniﬁcant tie for the Proteas, a few players yet to play a part in this series might get a look in. The same cannot be said

Yes we have lost the series and we didn’t play as well as we should have but Eden is always a very special ground for all of us

t will be a poignant return to the legendary Eden Gardens Kolkata where for the first time in decades the smiling face of Jagmohan Dalmiya will not be there to greet you. What Sourav Ganguly was to Bengal Cricket on the field was what Jagmohan Dalmiya was off the field. Now Sourav will shortly take up the responsibility of filling up the late Mr. Dalmiya’s shoes on the administrative front and there is no doubt that he will in his own inimitable style carve out a special niche for Bengal Cricket. The late Mr. Dalmiya and of course the vast throng at the Eden would like nothing better than an Indian win but the Indians will have to show a lot more intent than they have in the first two matches. For some strange reason they have appeared flat in both the games so far. The credit for that should go mainly to the South Africans for the manner in which they have outplayed the Indians in all facets of the game. At Cuttack on a pitch that was hard to read, Faf du Plessis opted to field first and then worked the bowling changes superbly to ensure that the Indians did not have a partnership at all. He bowled the speedy Rabada for his full quota of overs even as he rotated the others to see that the Indians were kept guessing what approach to have. Two run-outs did not help the Indians and this is where the South African fielders showed why they are the best in the business. They have high standards to live up to coming from the land of Colin Bland and Jonty Rhodes and they have invariably tried to match them and therefore are so much better than the others. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are no slouches between the wickets but they were caught well short of the crease by the gather,

The Eden pitch in the IPL matches has helped spinners so it may not quite be what the South African pace unit is looking for. Still as they have shown, sheer persistence backed by outstanding fielding will fetch rewards quick release and accuracy of the throws. That even in a 20 overs innings India wasted more than two overs is testimony to how the Proteas strangled them. Though Ashwin once again bowled superbly capturing three wickets in his four overs and Harbhajan gave good support, the Indian total was hardly going to trouble the South Africans and with Duminy batting conﬁdently again, the South Africans strolled to a series win. With the series lost India could do well to look at some tweaks to their team giving Mishra and Rahane an outing. The Eden pitch in the IPL matches has helped spinners so it may not quite be what the South African pace unit is looking for. Still as they have shown at Cuttack, sheer accuracy and persistence backed by outstanding ﬁelding will fetch rewards. — PMG

Harbhajan Singh Team India

as a team. We need to reunite ourselves and give our best performance.” Looking ahead to the World Twenty20, Harbhajan said spinners would play a crucial role if they’re to regain the title that they had won in 2007. “Spin has been India’s strength and obviously we will be playing the competition in India and lot of the tracks will be supporting the slower bowlers,” Harbhajan said. “If you see the records in the IPL and other sort of T20 tournaments we have played, mostly spinners are the ones who take a lot of wickets and control the runs in the middle. “T20 is all about taking wickets rather than just restricting the batsmen. I think spinners have a major role to play if India has to win the World T20. We have got four spinners in the team and all four have done well when they have got the opportunity. I am sure it is going to be a very exciting time to look forward to.” Beside their incisive bowling, South Africa also have made difference with their ﬁelding accounting for four dismissals in four matches. While Shikhar Dhawan and Ambati Rayudu were run out in Dharamsala, the dismissals of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in Cuttack had changed the complexion of the game. “The last game was not a perfect game for us. We lost two wickets to run-outs

for India who would be desperate for a win so as to boost the side’s conﬁdence ahead of the ﬁvegame ODIs and four Test matches against the same opponents. Squads: India: MS Dhoni (captain & wk), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Akshar Patel, Bhu-

and they (South Africa) fielded brilliantly. We took our chances against their fielders but it didn’t go our way,” Harbhajan said. Harbhajan said it was all about playing positive cricket as they had some good runners in the side. “In this format you have to push the fielders and obviously we have got some quick runners between the wickets. We have the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni himself who are all brilliant runners between the wickets. “In Dharamsala it was a different story; we had two runs for the taking most of the times. We wanted to challenge their fielders and that is what you call playing positive cricket.” Asked whether Ajinkya Rahane stands a chance to get a look-in, Harbhajan said: “Rahane is a quality player and there is no doubt about it. “All depends on the team management as to what they feel will be the best team combination to win the game and going forward. Let’s see what they decide but as I said Rahane is a quality player; that is all I can say. “I don’t know if there will be a change or not because I am not part of the decision making. One thing I can assure is, every player in the playing eleven will go for one motive and that is to win the game for India,” he said. - PTI

vneshwar Kumar, Ambati Rayudu, Mohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra and Sreenath Aravind. South Africa: Faf du Plessis (captain), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wk), Marchant de Lange, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Eddie Leie, David Miller, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Albie Morkel and Khaya Zondo. - IANS

TRAINING SESSION: South African cricketers Farhaan

Behardien, David Miller and batting coach M Hussey during training at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. – PTI

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

SPORTS

I don’t read articles about myself. I try to distance myself from it. Reading about yourself is nice but in the long run it doesn’t help. Concentration has to be in the right place Robert Lewandowski Poland

RED-HOT LEWANDOWSKI HAS EURO 2016 IN SIGHTS The Bayern Munich striker has been in brilliant form with 16 goals in 11 games in all competitions for the Bundesliga club this season. He has scored 10 in Poland’s eight qualiﬁers

oland’s record-breaking goal machine Robert Lewandowski will be in the spotlight again on Thursday when his country aim to secure a place at Euro 2016 by beating Scotland in Glasgow. The Bayern Munich striker has been in brilliant form with 16 goals in 11 games in all competitions for the Bundesliga club this season. He has scored 10 in Poland’s eight qualiﬁers. The Poles, who co-hosted Euro 2012 with Ukraine, are second in Group D on 17 points, two points behind Germany and six ahead of Scotland in fourth. Ireland are third with 15 points. Poland must beat the Scots and hope Ireland slip up at home to

Germany to guarantee a place at next year’s finals in France. The Poles host the Irish in their last group game on Sunday. Poland arrive in Glasgow with a fully-fit Lewandowski, who made headlines around the world by coming off the bench at halftime on his return from a muscle injury to score a record five goals in nine minutes against VfL Wolfsburg last month. His haul included the fastest Bundesliga hat-trick, as he became the first Bundesliga substitute to score five, and was one short of the record set by Cologne’s Dieter Mueller in 1977. “It’s inexplicable” he told Reuters in an interview when asked about his five goals. “In football you can’t sometimes explain things. It

happened so fast that it was impossible to think about the result. This is the beauty of this sport. “You can’t explain everything. Sometimes it’s a very unpredictable sport and also painful but that’s why people love it so much. It’s the instinct and there’s no time for thinking. The ball ﬂies towards you, it’s your body and you’re doing it. Big screen “I heard there were a lot of posts on the internet, a few were even funny, but most of all I remember the big screen and all my names under the score 5-1,” he added. “I will have many memories from that evening till the end of my life but the scoreboard with my name on will bring the strongest ﬂashback. “I don’t read articles about myself. I try to distance myself from it. Reading about yourself is nice but in the long run it doesn’t help. Concentration has to be in the right place”. Poland’s captain is enjoying a great run with the national team, whose qualifying campaign includes a win over Germany in Warsaw a year ago although he described the draw with Scotland that followed at the National Stadium as a disappointment. Lewandowski, nicknamed “The

Body” due to his physique, is prepared for a tough contest in the return with the Scots. “I see the media speaking a lot about this battle on the pitch but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was different and both the Scots and us focus on football” said the 27-year-old. Scotland centre-back Grant Hanley told reporters he would make his presence felt to Lewandowski “a wee bit” at the start of the match but the Poland striker remained unfazed. “He’ll get a fast yellow card if he introduces himself like that and then we will play directly towards him. “For sure I won’t hold back while tackling. You have to resist when someone’s playing tough. It’s normal. You can switch yourself and play like the opposition” he said. National hero During his ﬁve years in Germany, the ex-Lech Poznan player has become a national hero at home with world class performances of the like that had not seen since the days of former Poland international Zbigniew Boniek at Juventus in the 1980s. Lewandowski had already passed a few milestones like scoring a hat-trick for Borussia Dortmund against Bayern in the 2012

German Cup final and his famous dismantling of Real Madrid with four goals in the Champions League semi-final two years ago. They lost to Bayern in the Champions League final and after one more season in Dortmund he left to join the Munich club. The Pole said each career high was different and it was easier for him to cope with his achievements now, including the attention in the aftermath of the Wolfsburg scoring spree. “I knew what I had to change to calm some things in me, which I didn’t know how to do after (scoring four against) Real Madrid. I thought that euphoria would just go away alone,” he explained. “Now I know that it is me who sets new heights for myself and it is me who has to cope with it. “The next day was quite normal but two days after Wolfsburg I started to think about another game. I knew that in the context of what I did, the next matches would also be very important for me”. Asked if he would trade those goals for the one he missed against Germany that would have made it 2-2 before halftime in their 3-1 qualifying loss in Frankfurt last month, he said: “I wouldn’t change it, because I believe we will qualify anyway.” - Reuters

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Chung hits out at Blatter, brings up Prince William Chung, who said he would sue “hypocrite

They should try all these people, Prince William and Prime Minister Cameron too

and liar” Sepp Blatter for embezzlement over his salary and expenses, denied he had behaved improperly during

Chung Mong-Joon

the awarding of World

FIFA presidential hopeful

Cup hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments

LONDON: FIFA presidential hopeful Chung Mong-Joon, who says he is facing a 15-year ban from the game, said on Wednesday that if he was guilty of attempted voterigging, then Britain’s Prime Minister and Prince William should face charges with him. Chung, who also said he would sue “hypocrite and liar” Sepp Blatter for embezzlement over his salary and expenses, denied he had behaved improperly during the awarding of World Cup hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Brushing aside claims he had at-

tempted to strike a deal with England during that process, which saw Russia and Qatar win hosting rights, Chung said the meeting in question had been attended by David Cameron, the British prince and then English FA representative, Geoff Thompson. “Then they should try all these people, Prince William and Prime Minister Cameron too,” he told the ‘Leaders in Sport Business’ event in London. Chung said he was being charged with violating the FIFA ethics code on six counts. If found guilty, he would not be able to stand in the election to ﬁnd a successor to Blatter. FIFA’s Ethics Committee has declined to comment on Chung’s allegations.

Turning his ﬁre on the outgoing head of world soccer, Chung said he had called on Blatter to declare his salary and expenses during a FIFA meeting in 2002. The Swiss has never done so. “For him to get paid without Exco (executive committee) approval is embezzlement. This is why I am going to sue Mr Blatter,” Chung said. “Mr Blatter, in short, is a hypocrite and a liar,” Chung added, saying he would give back any amount he won in court to FIFA’s development programmes. FIFA declined to comment on Chung’s speech referring inquires to Blatter’s lawyer, who was not immediately available for comment. - Reuters

‘Ethics panel may rule soon on Blatter and Platini’ ZURICH: FIFA’s ethics committee has convened and could soon take action on Sepp Blatter, head of the world soccer body, or UEFA head Michel Platini amid a widening corruption scandal, Swiss newspaper TagesAnzeiger reported on Wednesday. The adjudicatory chamber can provisionally suspend officials for up to 90 days, as it did after police acting on U.S. warrants arrested seven FIFA officials in Zurich in May. The paper said the ethics panel’s chamber had gathered on Monday in Zurich, FIFA’s home town. “Everything suggests that decisions on the future of football titans Blatter and Platini are imminent,” the Zurichbased paper said without citing a source. A spokesman for the chamber declined to comment. - Reuters

ISC BADMINTON

Sajith-Iman duo win doubles title MUSCAT: The father-and-son team of Sajith and Mohamed Iman clinched the family doubles title at the National Bank of Oman-sponsored Annual Badminton Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat. In the final, Sajith and Iman took an early lead but faced stiff resistance from the father-anddaughter team of Haridas P and Hareeshma. Sajith and Iman complemented each other and ensured that the title was theirs with a 30-24 triumph. Top seeds Sanjay Venkat and Anirudh Hariharan will take on No. 3 seeds Jeswin Mathew and Mohamed Iman in the final of the junior doubles. The top seeds emerged into the final after trouncing the all-girl team of Gayathri Krishna and Ashpruha Patnaik 21-13, 21-6 in the semifinal while Jeswin and Iman upset the No. 2 team of Milind Naithani and Adithya Hariharan whom they defeated in three games 21-12, 17-21, 21-8 in the second semifinal. Leon D’Souza and Jay Desh-

pande will lock horns in the final of the boys under-18 singles. Leon reached the final after coasting to a convincing 21-12, 21-7 win over Anirudh Hariharan while Jay earned his place in the final the hard way having to stave off stiff resistance before downing Sanjay Venkat 22-20, 21-17 in the second semifinal. Both Leon and Jay had topped their respective groups in the round-robin league phase. In the quarterfinals of the ISC men’s doubles event, the combo of Ronnie Pereira and Domnic Kennedy scored a thrilling 2117,15-21, 21-18 victory to upset the No. 3 seeds Manoj Varghese and Mathew Thomas. The fourth seeded duo of Errol D’Souza and Shebaz Nasar were also shown the exit by the in-form team of Cyril William and Sudheer who scored an identical 21-16, 2116 scoreline. Second seeds Prabhu AR and Niyas Nirar breezed into the last four of the men’s doubles after recording a convincing 21-9, 21-13 win over Vinod Abraham and Vineesh Mathew.

C O N S O L I D AT I N G R E L AT I O N S

OOC facilitates partnership agreement between Zubair Corporation and OHA MUSCAT: As part of the Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) initiative to develop partnership between private sector and sports, the Sultanate’s Olympic body announced signing of second agreement between Zubair Corporation and Oman Handball Association. According to a press statement issued by the OOC on Wednesday, these agreements come in the context of Oman Olympic Committee’s initiative with the private sector aimed at consolidating relations between sports associations and private sector organisations and establishments and framing the ef-

FAMILY DOUBLES FINAL: From right, Sajith, Iman, Hareeshma

and Haridas. – Supplied photo

fective partnership between them with a view to further promoting sports achievements and performance of national teams in various levels of sports competitions. “The initiatives are also intended to strengthen communication among various sports entities and other related organisations by activating partnership between the private sector and sports association,” the statement said. “The initiatives constitute part of the objectives, visions and scientiﬁc approach adopted by OOC in the ﬁeld of sports marketing in light of the keen interest the

private sector is taking in supporting sports sector represented by sports associations and committees for further consolidation of relationship between the two sides and activating mechanism of cooperation.” “Since its election, OOC board has been keen on putting in place a development mechanism for the sports sector represented by the various sports associations and committees. The board has adopted a clearly deﬁned strategy based on the present sports reality and existing relationship between sports and private sectors. To this end,

OOC has launched its theme “Sport for Development” in conﬁrmation of its vision aimed at promoting the performance of sports organizations in all aspects,” it added. “This initiative was entirely based on the OOC’s theme “Sport for Development”, thus combining two basic elements directed at making sports projects a success. The OOC’s Marketing Committee will complete its planned schedule in this direction as designated for signing a series of contracts between private sector’s establishments and sports associations and committees.”

TA X E VA S I O N

Max Biaggi faces trial ROME: Former superbike world champion Max Biaggi will be tried over allegations that he evaded almost 18 million euros ($20.2 million) in taxes, a legal source said on Wednesday. The trial will start next September in Rome, the source said, citing a judge in Rome who ordered the

trial. Biaggi is accused of having used “fraudulent” foreign residency in Monte Carlo to reduce his tax liabilities in Italy before 2012. Biaggi was cleared of a separate accusation of tax evasion in 2013. The 44-year-old won four 250cc world titles and was superbike champion in 2010 and 2012. - Reuters

3 6 0 M A L L E X PA N S I O N

New tennis complex to put Kuwait ﬁrmly on world pro tennis map KUWAIT CITY: The massive expansion of 360 MALL, Kuwait’s iconic shopping destination, has commenced through the development of the new state-of-the-art Sheikh Jaber Al Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah International Tennis Complex, which will put Kuwait ﬁrmly on the world’s professional tennis map. The newly expanded mall with the tennis complex is expected to open doors by 2019. The expansion will build on the huge success and identity of the existing 360 MALL with an added offering which includes sports, entertainment, a hotel, and additional shopping. The mall is owned by a subsidiary of Tamdeen Shopping Centres Company, one of the Tamdeen Holding Group of Companies. The announcement was made at a press conference held at Tamdeen Group headquarters in Kuwait, addressed by Mohammed

Jassim Al Marzouq, Chairman, Tamdeen Group, Sheikh Ahmed Al Jaber Al Abdullah Al Sabah, President of Kuwait Tennis Federation, President of Arab Tennis Federation and Chairman of Asian Tennis Federation and Anil Khanna, President of Asian Tennis Federation and Vice-President of International Tennis Federation. Mohammad Al Marzouq said: “This will be the ﬁrst time in the world that retail, sports and entertainment come together under one roof and on this scale. When the expansion work is complete, 360 MALL will be further enhanced and together with the tennis complex will become a landmark in Kuwait. We aim to promote the very best brands from around the world under one roof whilst simultaneously encouraging a healthier and more active lifestyle for Kuwait residents.”

Al Marzouq further added: “We believe that the synergy between the glorious game of tennis and 360 MALL, the premium lifestyle mall in Kuwait, creates an unparalleled experience. We are committed to Kuwait and to the development of tennis in Kuwait which we believe is a sport where the country excels. Through this project we will provide world class tennis facilities for the country.”

The expansion project will feature several new to the market retail brands, a signature ﬁve star hotel, in addition to outstanding restaurants, a ballroom, and a health club. The upgraded retail experience will leave shoppers with a multitude of new brands to choose from, while the hospitality and F&B facilities will create a new luxury paradigm. The extension to the retail mall

will increase the footfall by at least 30 percent to over 18 million discerning visitors. The tennis complex will have a combined stadium seating for over 7,600 people across two main arenas, each with the capacity to hold 4,000 and 1,600 people respectively, eight indoor courts with over 500 seats and eight outdoor courts with 1,500 seats. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber AlAbdullah said: “The Sheikh Jaber Al Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah International Tennis Complex will become one of the world’s best tennis facilities in line with ITF and ATP* standards, thus putting Kuwait on the world’s tennis map. We are drawing the best of designs from similar tennis facilities globally and will provide Kuwaitis with playing conditions that will match the world’s best.” In order to enhance the “event

experience”, spectators will have direct access to the tennis arena from 360 MALL, the 2,000 car multi-storey parking, and from the 6th Ring Road. There would be a seamless relationship between the mall, the tennis facility and the hotel. Al Marzouq added: “The main tennis arena when not being utilized for tournaments will serve as an entertainment anchor for 360 MALL and provide a venue for leisure and recreation with a yearlong calendar of events and activities.” Sheikh Ahmad explained: “Kuwaitis have a long history of tennis and we produce some of the top players in the GCC. It is time we showcased to the world our sporting prowess and infrastructure. Few facilities in the world offer such indoor tennis facilities adjacent to a ﬁne range of outdoor courts. This is unprecedented except for the Grand Slam grounds.”

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

SPORTS

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10-man Atletico de Kolkata eke out 1-1 draw against FC Goa MARGAO: Ten-man Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) defended dourly to grind out a 1-1 draw against hosts FC Goa in an India Super League (ISL) match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Wednesday. Title holders ATK led 1-0 at half time. They were reduced to 10 man when striker Baljit Singh Sahni was given marching orders in the 62nd minute. Indian midﬁelder Arata Izumi scored for ATK while Keenan

Almeida equalised for the home team. Both teams now have four points from two matches. ATK made three changes to the starting team that beat Chennaiyin FC in the tournament’s opening match on October 3. Izumi was named to replace injured marquee man Helder Postiga. Defenders Arnab Mondal and Rino Anto, away on international duty for India, was replaced by Tiri and Denzil Franco, respectively.

Goa, coached by Brazilian legend Zico, named an unchanged line-up that defeated Delhi Dynamos 2-0. ATK took the lead early when Man-Of-The-Match Arata smartly side-volleyed a Javi Lara cross from the right ﬂank in the 13th minute. After conceding, Goa began to push men forward. They came up with several shots on goal, with Brazilian striker Reinaldo un-

leashing majority of them, but it didn’t quite serve their purpose. Goa gradually began to take control as tried to spread the ball on the ﬂanks, hoping their nippy Indian wingers Mandar Rao Dessai, on the left, and Romeo Franades, on the right, would create goalscoring opportunities. But their efforts lacked precision. Goa’s urgency to equalise increased after the break. They came tantalisingly close to

Habana matches Lomu as Boks enter last eight

scoring in the 48th minute when towering Brazilian marquee defender Lucio rose above everyone to head a centre from the left. But his effort ricocheted off the post. ATK’s were pushed on the defensive even further when a moment of hot-headedness left them with a man short on the ground. Striker Baljit fouled defender Gregory Arnolin and then after a brief altercation head-butted him to receive a red card.

The red card aided Goa, as their cause was helped by the numerical supremacy. They poured forward boldly and were rewarded when defender Almeida smashed a strong shot into the net on 81 minutes after being set up by Reinaldo. Buoyed by the leveller, Goa went for the kill. They even got seven minutes as additional time to score the match-winning goal but couldn’t pull it off. - IANS

FOOTBALL

South Africa would not have expected to have so much riding on their final group match against STRONG SUPPORT: A file photo dated June 15, 2010 shows German football legend Gerd Mueller, left, and current team forward Thomas Mueller pose with Adidas ball for the German first division at the Velmore hotel in Erasmia near Pretoria. – AFP

the bottom team in Pool B, but their humiliating opening

Germany great Gerd Mueller suffering from Alzheimers: Bayern

defeat to Japan had left them needing a win to shut the door on Scotland and the Japanese

LONDON: South African winger Bryan Habana equalled Jonah Lomu’s record of 15 Rugby World Cup tries with a hat-trick in the Springboks’ 64-0 demolition of the United States on Wednesday to seal their place in the quarterfinals as pool winners. The former world champions would not have expected to have so much riding on their final group match against the bottom team in Pool B, but their humiliating opening defeat to Japan had left them needing a win to shut the door on Scotland and the Japanese. After leading only 14-0 at halftime, initially struggling with the slippery conditions, the South Africans ran in eight second-half tries, including Habana’s 20-minute hat-trick, to set up a quarterfinal against either Australia or Wales. “We came to the game and knew we had something to prove, and

HAT-TRICK MAN: South Africa’s Bryan Habana scores a try during their Pool B match against the

United States at Olympic Stadium in London on Wednesday. – Reuters

it’s exciting now to be going to the quarter-finals,” man-of-the-match Damian de Allende said. Ten tries did not look on the cards in a scrappy first half at London’s Olympic Stadium, though centre De Allende gave a glimpse of what was to come when he ghosted through the Eagles’ inexperienced defence to score his first international try. The U.S., who made 12 changes from the team that led Scotland for 40 minutes before running out of steam, kept the margin in single digits for almost half an hour before submitting to the Springbok scrum and conceding a penalty try. They did briefly get U.S. fans on their feet when fullback Blaine Scully intercepted with the length of the field ahead of him, only to turn inside to be wrapped up by the South African defence. It took exactly one minute of the second half for Habana to open his

account, racing on to a perfectly timed Fourie du Preez kick to swallow dive over the line. South Africa’s pack, loaded with far too much power for the United States, took over and hooker Bismarck du Plessis and ﬂanker Francois Louw barrelled across the line before Habana completed his hattrick to a standing ovation. The 1995 and 2007 winners, who had erred on the side of caution by making only two changes from Saturday’s win over Scotland, were running riot by this time. The widest margin of victory in the tournament so far was wrapped up with further tries from Jesse Kriel, Lwazi Mvovo and Louw, with Habana only a knock-on away from making the try-scoring record all his own. England training bust-up Meanwhile, British newspapers reported on Wednesday that England

flyhalf Danny Cipriani and attack coach Mike Catt were involved in a heated training ground argument before the Rugby World Cup. The incident happened after 27-year-old Cipriani was informed that he had not made the final 31man squad for the tournament but before it was announced publicly five weeks ago. Catt, 44, threatened Cipriani twice and told him he would “end his England career” before other players stepped in to separate the pair, the Daily Mail reported. The Rugby Football Union played down the seriousness of the altercation. “Danny and Mike were involved in a robust conversation on the training pitch following a misunderstanding around a training drill instruction,” an RFU spokesman said on Wednesday. “Both shook hands afterwards and the incident played no bearing on selection.” - Reuters

BERLIN: Former Germany and Bayern Munich striker Gerd Mueller, who is the Bundesliga’s all-time top scorer, is suffering from Alzheimers, his club said on Tuesday. Nicknamed “Der Bomber” for his scoring prowess, Mueller, a 1974 World Cup and 1972 European Championship winner, who also won three consecutive European Cups with Bayern, has been suffering from the disease since early this year. “For some time now Gerd Mueller has unfortunately been ill,” Bayern said in a statement ahead of Mueller’s 70th birthday next month. He is suffering from Alzheimers. Since February 2015 Gerd Mueller has been treated professionally with strong support from his family.” Mueller, who won 13 titles at Bayern, played for the club from 1964 to 1979, scoring 533 goals in 585 games in all competitions — 365 in the Bundesliga. He also scored 68 goals in 62 appearances for Germany, a mark

surpassed only recently by Miroslav Klose. Mueller also played for two years at the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the United States before returning to Bayern to work as a youth coach. “Bayern will always support Gerd Mueller and his family, whenever necessary,” said club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. “Gerd Mueller is one of the greats of world football. Without his goals Bayern and German football would not be what they are today. Gerd was the kind of striker you will most likely never see again.” His turn and speed plus his ability to score from every position made him the iconic ﬁgure of the 1970s Bayern and Germany teams but he was always more shy and reserved than his teammates Franz Beckenbauer and Uli Hoeness. “We ask in this difficult situation for him and his family for the necessary respect,” said Rummenigge. - Reuters

A D VA N C E D TA L K S

Klopp in the Kop: German coach expected to arrive in Anfield LONDON: Former Borussia Dortmund manager Juergen Klopp is expected at Anfield on Thursday as the German edges closer to becoming Brendan Rodgers’ successor at Liverpool, while Carlo Ancelotti has ruled himself out of contention, British media reported. Klopp is reportedly in advanced talks with Fenway Sports Group President Mike Gordon and Liverpool Chief Executive Ian Ayre and is planning to fly to England to complete negotiations ahead of his highly anticipated move, the reports said. Former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager Ancelotti, who was also linked with the job, has told reporters he would return to management, but only next season. “I enjoy my time now but, of course, I want to come back to manage -- to work -- because it is my passion,” the 56-year-old Italian said at a press event in London. “I want to take my time to rest, but next season I am ready.” The fiery Klopp, twice a Bundesliga champion with Dortmund, who he also steered to the Champions League final in 2013, has made no secret of his desire to work in England. The charismatic German forged his reputation by turning 1997 Champions League winners Dortmund, who were relegation candidates under predecessor

Germany’s World Cup winning captain and manager Franz Beckenbauer called Klopp one of the “best coaches in the world” and urged Liverpool to seal the deal quickly

Thomas Doll, into one of the most exciting brands in world football. He left the Ruhr valley club in 2015 after seven years to take a break from football after ﬁnishing seventh in the Bundesliga. Known for his wit and exuberance as much as for his high pressing, quick counter-attacking and never-say-die brand of football, Klopp is reportedly willing to curtail his sabbatical to revive

Liverpool’s fortunes and is on the verge of committing to a threeyear contract. He has also asked to bring former assistants Zeljko Buvac, called the ‘brains’ behind Dortmund’s success, and Peter Krawietz in as part of his coaching staff. Germany’s World Cup winning captain and manager Franz Beckenbauer called Klopp one of the “best coaches in the world”

and urged Liverpool to seal the deal quickly. “He is fantastic. He’s one of the best coaches I know in the whole world...,” Beckenbauer said. “Liverpool is also one of the biggest clubs in the world, so Liverpool and Juergen Klopp is deﬁnitely a good combination. “If Liverpool has the chance to sign Juergen Klopp, then they should do it,” he added. - Reuters

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People say wow when they enter homes designed by her, while corporates keep faith in her event management and branding skills. Meet Omanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multi-talented artist and entrepreneur Maha Al Lamki who overcame heavy odds to achieve bigger things in her life. Story: T.A. Ameerudheen | Photos: Ismail Al Farsi & Courtesy of Mco

MAHA AL LAMKI

t h e

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THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

LIFESTYLE

rom a dyslexic child to a muchsought-after interior designer, event organiser, and corporate communication specialist, Maha Al Lamki has come a long way and showed the world the importance of perseverance to achieve something bigger in life. She was just nine years old when her parents identified Maha’s struggle to read and write. It was a time when schools in Oman paid little attention to the needs of dyslexic children. So they decided to shift Maha to the United Kingdom. Under the guidance of her aunt, she developed her artistic skills. “I designed and stitched the dress for my 10th birthday in 1978. It gave me the confidence to chase my dream of becoming a fashion designer. After High School, I pursued advanced ‘A’ level in arts and design where I focused on textile printing and Islamic designs. Later, I joined Chelsea School of Art and Design. However, I didn’t complete the course as I came back to Oman after my marriage,” she took a trip down the memory lane. Back home, Maha didn’t sit idle. She made clothes for friends and family members. And she got a big break when a dress that she designed for a Houston wedding became the talk of the town. “It was a traditional dress with a touch of modernity. Even local newspapers in Houston wrote articles praising the unique design,” Maha reminisced. Though she earned fame and repute as a fashion designer, Maha wanted to excel as an interior designer. She went back to London again to pursue a course in interior design at the American InterContinental University. She came back to Oman a year later, and registered her first company M-Events. “I registered my first company in 2006. I worked as a freelancer. My aim was to earn experience and learn about the market. I didn’t have an office at that time.” The promising start gave the entrepreneur in Maha the courage to set new goals. Two years later, she registered her second company, MDécor. “Again, I worked as a freelancer. I survived on word of mouth publicity. I waited for three more years to open my first office for MEvents. It was a dream come true.” Maha’s creativity and adherence to best practices helped M-Events make a mark in Oman. Corporates entrusted her with organising product launches and other important functions. “We associated with Muscat Fashion Week, held as part of Muscat Festival. Besides, we organised product launches for many top business houses,” Maha said. She saved money earned from organising events to open an office for M-Décor at Madinat Sultan Qaboos in 2012. Later, she hired two talented Omani interior designers and expanded the project. “As M-Events grew from strength

MC (Maha MCo (M h Group G of Companies) M-Décor is an interior design company that specialises in multi-unit residential developments and commercial designs.

Contact M-Co

M-Events is Oman’s premier event management company that provides services throughout the Sultanate with strong relationships around the region.

Phone: +968-2469 2892

M-Media was established after Maha couldn’t ﬁnd a media outlet that understood her vision and taste. Desert River Event Rentals Oman M-Co has been chosen as the Oman franchise of the Dubai company that rents out high-end furniture and lighting for events.

to strength, I realised the need to have a media company as I couldn’t find a media outlet that understood my vision and taste. It eventually led me to launch M-Media in 2013.” M-Co, which stands for Maha’s group of companies, will soon add a fourth division with the launch of the Desert River Event Rentals Oman. “Desert River rents out highend furniture and lighting for events. We are the sole Oman franchise of the reputed Dubai firm. We will rent out furniture for events organised by MEvents and by other companies.” Though she manages four companies, M-Décor occupies a special place in Maha’s scheme of things. “Interior design is my favourite passion and I love transforming space. We have earned a reputation in the market as all the projects we did so far have the wow factor and it makes M-Décor unique.” Maha knows that winning confidence of her clients is not an easy task. “I offer my clients that M-Décor will give them a home and not a house before undertaking residential projects. I take note of the minutiae details while designing the interiors. I go into their personal likes and dislikes. I always work within their budget,” she reveals her secret. Having established a firm footing in the market, M-Events will foray into destination weddings this season. “We will host Indian weddings in Oman. It is a huge responsibility. Oman has become a sought after destination for weddings as it offers visitors utmost in luxury accommodation, worldclass catering, and activities set to the backdrop of the country’s natural beauty. We are confident of doing it with the support of trusted partners,” she said. ameerudheen@timesofoman.com

E-mail: info@mco-oman.com

T H U R S DAY, O CTO B E R 8, 2 0 1 5

LIFESTYLE H O L LY W O O D

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WEEKEND UPDATE

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Legend

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you make oil-free fries, nuggets or crumb fried products.

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Victoria ‘inspired’ by husband David Beckham

Singer-turned-fashion designer Victoria Beckham is “constantly inspired” by her husband and former footballer David Beckham. The 41-year-old is particularly amazed by her spouse’s achievements and charity work. She hopes both she and David have instilled good values in their four children, Brooklyn, 16, Romeo, 13, Cruz, 10, and Harper, four, as well as an understanding of their “privileged” position. “My husband constantly inspires me and guides me. He has done so much good work, I look up to him and have the utmost admiration for all that he has achieved,” Victoria told Grazia magazine. “David and I both have a strong work ethic and I believe that’s a good example to set for our children.”

Tom Hanks wants to officiate more weddings

Can’t feel my face

Learn the nuances of football from

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the Arsenal Soccer School Scan for more information

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Can You Afford To Grow Old? SALEH AL-SHAIBANY

SO TO SPEAK What do you think? Scan below to have your say on Facebook/TimesofOman

o you have enough money for your old age? If you are worried about it then you are not alone. Sixty-five is never a long way off. If you think it is, just watch how fast your own children grow. There is no need to panic. If you do, then you leave yourself open to people who are trained to take money off you. There are many typical examples of people who think they are not earning enough to save for their old age. Work pensions are never enough. Many people look for private pension funds but paying for it is a financial challenge. With mortgage to pay and family to support, extra money is always a problem. Private education costs a lot of money for your children. You may have a car repayment and a commercial loan, too. Not many people can boast now that they have enough savings to supplement their pensions. Besides, money in the bank is always hit with inflation if it stays too long there. Of course, he was wrong.

He is looking for another job now but doors are being slammed shut when he approaches company bosses. He is too old, he is told, although he is ten years younger from retirement. He has many friends in the airline business but they all have abandoned him. “They don’t answer my calls,” he explains, “they know that I am looking for a job.” Friendship, he now finds out, only works out well for you when you don’t have to ask for a favour. His relatives are also avoiding him since they fear he may start to borrow money from them. He also realises now that people who visited him frequently are not turning out anymore. He feels betrayed just because his financial situation has nosedived. We naturally assumed that if you are not working then you may become a financial burden. He is not the only one to find himself in that unfortunate situation. Many people are forced to stay home for various reasons. There are not many provisions in the Gulf countries to cover citizens who

No one is secure or guaranteed a lifetime of good fortune. It can happen anytime to anyone

lose their jobs. The Gulf’s civil servants are not covered by insurance nor a comprehensive social security system. Not many private companies insure their employees either in case of critical illness or unexpected job redundancy. It is never too late and perhaps one day we may move towards the direction of having a system that looks after the welfare of people who have lost their jobs. At the moment, you are left to fend for yourself or look for support from family members and rel-

atives. However, there are many good Samaritans. For many people here in the Gulf, neighbourly love is something you can always rely on. Not too far from where I live, a local mosque Imam came to the rescue of a man who suddenly found himself home bound after suffering from a stroke. A quick neighbourhood council was gathered and a monthly relief fund was created for the disabled man. No one is secure or guaranteed a lifetime of good fortune. It can happen anytime to anyone. Setting aside provisions is a privilege of the minority. All our glittering cars, villas and skyscrapers are just a façade hiding the grim realities that exist in the background. People who start life making ends meet are lucky if they continue to do so for the rest of their lives. We don’t look back with relief as we get older but worry about the prospects of retiring with dignity. Perhaps if we continue to keep an eye to our neighbours, they may remember to reciprocate. Neighbours, I have observed, can be more caring than relatives.

Two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks says he will be ready to officiate more weddings “if people can afford the fee”. Hanks officiated actress Allison Williams’s secret wedding with her entrepreneur boyfriend Ricky Van Veenand, last month. And he’s up for making it a regular occurrence, if the price is right. Asked if he’d be up for marrying another couple, he said: “If people can afford the fee!” Hanks had undertaken a course to be ordained for the ceremony at the luxury Ranch in Saratoga, Wyoming, which means he’s now “available for weddings”.

F. Gary Gray may direct ‘Fast & Furious 8’ Straight Outta Compton helmer F. Gary Gray will reportedly direct Fast and Furious 8, starring actor Vin Diesel. Diesel posted a photograph of himself with Gray on his official Facebook page, sparking rumours that the director will handle Universal’s action franchise. On Monday, the studio narrowed down to four directors, including Gray. -IANS

C10

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

FIND-IT-ALL

PRAYER TIMINGS

@SHATTI

@MGM

@SOHAR

@RUWI

(12+) 2:30, 5:00, 9:15PM Jamna Pyari – 2D (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Roja, Gayathri, 4:45, 9:30PM Singh is Bling– 2D (Action/Comedy) (PG) 11:45PM

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68. www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI The Martian (3D) (Action, Sci-Fi) – PG Cast : Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain 12.30, 8.45, 11.30 PM The Martian (2D) (Action, Adventure) – PG 6.00 PM Legend (Biography, Crime, Thriller) – 12+ Cast Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, 3.15, 9.00, 11.45 PM Jazbaa (Action / Drama ) – 12+ Cast : Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, 12.00, 9.15 PM Pan (3D) (Adventure, Family, Fantasy) – PG Cast: Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller, Jimmy Vee 12.15, 2.30, 4.15, 7.00 PM Black Mass (Biography, Crime, Drama) – 12+ Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch 4.30 PM Sicario (Action Drama Crime) – 12+ Cast : Emily Blunt, Jon Bernthal, Josh Brolin 11.45 PM Hotel Transylvania 2 (3D) (Animation) – PG Cast: Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Nick 2.30 PM The Walk (3D) (Adventure, Drama) – PG Cast: Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley 6.30 PM

Cast : Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Christopher 6:30PM & 11:45PM The Walk : 3D (Adventure | Biography) (PG) Cast : Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 7:00PM Singh is Bling : 2D (| Action |Comedy ) ( ) Cast : Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson 2:00PM Etiquette for Mistresses : 2D (Tagalog) (TBC) Cast: Kris Aquino, Claudine Barretto 4:45PM

MUSCAT GRAND MALL Pan : 3D (Adventure | Family | Fantasy ) (PG) Cast : Levi Miller, Garrett Hedlund, Rooney 10:00AM,12:00PM & 04:15PM Gold Class : 01:15PM & 06:15PM The Martian : 3D (Action| Adventure) PG Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain 10:45AM, 01:30PM,09:15PM & 11:55PM Gold Class : 03:30PM, 08:30PM & 11:15PM Jazba : 2D (| Action |Drama ) 12+ Cast : Aishwarya Rai, Irrfan Ali Khan 9:15PM Legend : 2D (Biography| Crime | Thriller TBC

AZAIBA The Walk – 3D (PG) Adventure, Biography, Cast - Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, 1:00, 05:45 PM Talvar – 2D (PG12) Murder, Mystry, Thriller Cast - Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma 3:15, 11:00 PM Puli – 2D (12+) Action, Adventure Cast – Vijay, Sridevi, Shruti Haasan, 4:30, 08:00 PM Singh Is Bling - 2D (PG12) Action, Comedy, Romance Cast – Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Kay

Pan (3D) (Adventure, Family, Fantasy) – PG Cast: Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller, Jimmy Vee 12.15, 2.30, 4.15, 7.00 PM

12:00, 03:00, 11:30 PM The Martian – 3D (PG) Action, Adventure, Cast – Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, 12:15, 05:30, 08:00, 10:45 PM Pan – 3D (PG) Adventure, Family, Fantasy Cast – Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman 12:00, 02:30, 04:30, 07:15 PM Jazbaa – 2D (12+) Drama, Action, Adventure Cast – Aishwarya Rai Bacchan, Irrfan Khan, Shabana Azmi 2:15, 06:30, 08:45, 11:00 PM Jamna Payri – 2D (PG) Comedy Cast – Kunchacko Boban, Roja, Gayathri 9:15 PM

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)

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

Nizwa Al Araqi

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Sur Sur

Daily Daily

Fahud Yibal

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

20:00 20:30 23:30 07:40

Marmul

Dubai

16:50

Daily

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

08:40 11:00

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

06:00 14:30

Ruwi Ruwi

10:45 19:00

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

07:00

Daily

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

06:00

Marmul

16:30

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

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH/SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

07:00 07:00 07:00

16:00 16.00 16.00

11.45 13.30 14.00

Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

Jamna Pyari (Mal) (Com/Rom) Cast : Kunchako Boban,Roja, Gayatri & Anu Moi 3-00 & 10-00 Pm At Cinema Main \ 6-30 Pm Cinema -2 Singh Is Bling (Hindi) (Act/Com) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson & Lara Dutta 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 Pm At Cinema-4 Pulli (Tamil) (Act) Cast: Vijay & Shruthi Hassan 3-30 & 9-30 Pm Cinema-2 \ 6-30 P Cinema Main Shivam (Telugu) (Rom/Act) Cast: Ram, Rashi Khanna & Brahmanandam 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 Pm At Cinema -3 From Friday : Rudramadevi ( Telugu) (Act/Thril) Cast : Anushka Shetty, Allu Arun & Rana Dagubati 3-00, 6-30 & 10-00 Pm At Cinema Main Programmes are subject to change

ANGELINA CATHRIN PINTO October 8, 2014

ATHIRA UNNI October 8, 2003

ETHAN LOGAN October 8, 2009

OMKAR R. LAKSHMANAN October 9, 2007

SHARON DEONA LOBO October 9, 2008

SHARON VERONICA October 9, 2005

SYED MOHAMMAD SHAH October 9, 2008

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

Daily Daily Daily

Sharjah Fujairah Ruwi

16:30 18.15 23.00

LISTINGS

ROYAL OMAN POLICE 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

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (ROUTE 204) Fujairah Sharjah Dubai

Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 06:00 06:00 13:00 13:00 15:00 15:00

Nizwa Ruwi

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

06:00 06:00

STAR CINEMA

Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100) Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

10:25

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (ROUTE 100) 07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi

TO SUR (ROUTE 55)

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (ROUTE 62) 06:30 06:30

07:00

Black Mass ( Biography,/ Crime/ Drama) Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson 5.45 p.m CP No: 2645 (12+) Pan (Adventure/Family/Fantasy) Cast: Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller, Jimmy Vee 3.45 p.m., 8.00 p.m. , 10.00 p.m. & 11.55 p.m. CP No : 2759 ( PG ) The Stranger ( Drama/Horror/Mystery) Cast: Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levi, Cristobal Tappia Montt 2.00 p.m., 6.00 p.m., 10.00 p.m. & 11.55 p.m CP No : 2758 (12+) Cooties (Action /Comedy/Horror) Cast: Elijah Wood, Allison Pill, Rain Wilson 2.00 p.m, 4.00 p.m. & 8.00 p.m. CP No : 2760 ( 15+)

WITH LOVE

60-90%

34 28 Minimum

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

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

The Martian (3D) (PG) (Action, Sci-Fi) 11:00AM/03:45/09:00/11:30PM The Martian (2D) (PG) (Action/Sci-Fi) 12:45PM Pan (3D) (PG) (Adventure/Family/Fantasy) Cast: Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman, Garrett Timings: 10:30AM/01:45/02:45/06:45PM The Stranger (2D) (12+) (Mystery/Horror) Cast: Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Aaron Burns 5:00PM Cooties (2D)(15) (Horror/Comedy) Cast: Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill Timings: 03:15PM Jazbaa (2D)(12+) (Drama/Action/Adventure) Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Timings: 12:30/04:30/ 08:45PM Jamna Pyari (2D) (PG) (Mal)(Comedy) Timings: 09:35 PM Legend (2D) (12+) (Biography/Crime/Thriller) Cast: Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Taron Timings: 06:30/11:50PM Singh is Bling (2D) (PG12) (Action/Romance) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Kay Kay 10:15AM/ 11:00PM Puli (2D) (PG12) (Tamil) (Action/Adventure) Cast: Vijay, Sridevi, Shruti Haasan, 6:45PM

BAHJA CINEMA

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

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

Daily Daily Daily

BURAIMI The Martian– 3D (Action) (PG) Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen 2:15, 6:45, 9:15, 11:45PM Pan – 3D (Adventure, Family, Fantasy) (PG) Cast: Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman, Garrett 2:30, 4:45, 7:15PM Legend – 2D (Biography, Crime, Thriller) (12+) Cast: Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Taron Timings: 7:00, 11:30PM Jazbaa – 2D (Drama, Action & Adventure)

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 20:50

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

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

SOHAR Black Mass - 2D (12+)Crime |Drama Cast : Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch 11:30 PM Singh is Bling - 2D (PG12) Action |Comedy Cast : Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Kay 4:30 , 10:45 PM Talvar - 2D (PG12) Murder |Mystry |Thriller Cast : Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma 5:30 PM Puli - 2D (T) (PG12)Action |Adventure Cast : Vijay, Sridevi, Shruti Haasan 8:00 PM The Martian - 3D (PG) Action, Adventure, Cast : Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Timings : 02:00 , 06:35 , 09:10 ,11:45 PM

SALALAH

The Martian - 2D (PG) Action, Adventure, Cast : Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen 4:45 PM Pan - 3D (PG) Adventure, Family, Fantasy Cast : Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman, Garrett 2:45 : 04:35 , 07:30 PM Jazbaa - 2D (12+) Drama, Action & Adventure Cast : Aishwarya Rai BachchanShabana Azmi 2:15 , 07:00 , 09:30 PM Legend - 2D (12+) Biography| Crime | Thriller Cast : Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Taron Timings : 03:00 , 11:45 PM Jamna Pyari - 2D (M)(PG) Comedy Cast : Kunchacko Boban, Roja, Gayathri, 9:15 PM

WEATHER

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

Timings : 2:00, 6:35, 9:10, 11:45 PM

Jawani Phir Nahi Aani (Comedy) – 12+ Cast: Humayun Saeed, Javed Sheikh 6.30 PM Jazbaa (Action / Drama ) – 12+ Cast : Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan 9.15 PM Screen 3 Talvar (Mystery/Thriller) – PG12 Cast: Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Tabu 3.30, 6.30, 9.00, 11.45 PM

RUWI Screen 1 Jazbaa (Action / Drama ) – 12+ Cast : Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Shabana Azmi, Chandan Roy Sanyal Timing: 2.30, 5.30, 11.30 PM Singh is Bling (Action / Comedy ) PG12 Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Lara Dutta 8.30 PM Screen 2 Singh is Bling (Action / Comedy ) – PG12 Timing: 3.30, 11.45 PM

SUR Pan (3D) (Adventure | Family | Fantasy) (PG) 12:00, 02:45, 04:30 PM Martin (3D) (Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi) (PG) 12:15, 04:45, 06:30, 11:45 PM Jazbaa (Hindi) (Action | Drama) (12+) CP# 7:15, 09:30 PM Singh is Bling (Hindi) (Action) (PG12) 2:00, 11:15 PM Jamna Pyari (Mal) (Comedy (PG) CP# Cast: Kunchako Boban, Roja, Gaythri Timing: 09:00 PM

THE MARTIAN - 3D (PG) (Action, Sci-Fi) Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig

Jazbaa (Action / Drama ) – 12+ Cast : Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Shabana Azmi, Chandan Roy Sanyal Timing: 2.30, 5.30, 11.30 PM

Legend : 2D (Biography| Crime | Thriller TBC Cast : Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Christopher 6:30PM & 11:45PM

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

Destination

12.00pm 3.22pm 5.53pm 7.03pm 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

24698 791/4 24605 593 24 605 074/133 24 698 660 24640100 24 603533 24 696782 24 699815 24 600 982/411 24681 800 24835000 24684500 2469 1050 24 696 944/7 24603642 24693727 24 601 028 24692760/1/3 24 692418 24 697664 24 691490 24 699628

Lebanon Libya Malaysia Morocco Nepal Netherlands Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Senegal Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Switzerland Syria Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE United Kingdom United States Yemen

24 693208 24603466 24698329/643 24696152/3 24696177 24603706 24603439 24601312 24605335 24 691 153/2/4 24602894 24601705 24694139 24697977 24647300 24691101 24697841/2 24697875 24603267 24697904 24601 174 24 602684/5 24603486 24697050/1/2 24400000 24609000 24643400 24600815

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334

Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi Salalah Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya Muscat, A Seeb Market Muscat, Al Khuwair Muscat, Al Hail South Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre 24485052 Atlas Hospital Ruwi 24811743/ Ghubra 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi 24563641 Azaiba 24499269 Sohar 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre,

Hamriya 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 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

T H U R S DAY, O CTO B E R 8, 2 0 1 5

C11

LIFESTYLE Hrithik Roshan to Teach ‘World’s Largest Lesson’

GHAWI BAZAAR

BUY LOCAL: OMANI BURQA Omani Burqa is the facial mask worn by women, particularly from the Bedouin tribe. The mask covers the lower part of the face— from mouth to chin — and partially covers the forehead.

WHAT Burqa is a veil worn by women in Oman. The size and shape of the mask differ from region to region and it comes in different colours, such as yellow, red, green, purple, and black. Girls begin to use Burqa at the age of 14 or once they get engaged.

HOW MUCH Burqa is available in souqs across the Sultanate. Earlier the cost used to be OMR1. Now, Burqas cost OMR2.5 to OMR5 and the pricing depends on the design and tailoring.

‘Bang Bang’ star Hrithik Roshan has been announced as India ambassador for Unicef and the Global Goals campaign’s World’s Largest Lesson

Have a favourite Omani product or shop? Tell us about it: ameerudheen@timesofoman.com

he actor has joined other celebrities to invite young students to use their superpower to help protect our planet and achieve the global goals’ mission to end poverty and inequality. The World’s Largest Lesson aims to teach children in over 100 countries about the new Sustainable Development Goals that will be adopted by the UN General Assembly later this month. The Krrish star has joined other international public ﬁgures such as PLAN global ambassador Freida Pinto, Dani Alves, Kolo Touré, Neymar Jr., and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. “The World’s Largest Lesson will do more than teach children about the global goals. It will engage them in the effort to achieve those goals — educating them about the challenges that are shaping their futures and encouraging them to drive change in their own communities,” Unicef executive director Anthony Lake said in a statement. “Young people can help achieve the global goals by holding their leaders accountable for the promises they are making — and by holding themselves accountable for building a better future for everyone,” Lake added. The campaign is also supported by Indian NGOs the Akshaya Patra Foundation and Magic Bus. Especially created lesson plans include an animated ﬁlm by au-

It is made of fabric known as Sheil. In Buraimi and Musandam, women wear thin, gold coloured face masks. Women in Sharqiyah and Wahiba Sands desert use the same colour, but the masks are made of thicker material. Another marked difference is that the Burqa is not ﬂat like the northern style, but forms a kind of beak in the middle. In Al Wusta region, women prefer Burqa made of thick fabric.

thor and education expert Ken Robinson that introduces the Global Goals, and a downloadable comic book by Josh Elder and Karl Kesel. Along with Hrithik, prominent public ﬁgures like Malala Yousafzai have recorded their own introduction to the World’s Largest Lesson as well. The animated ﬁlm invites students to consider the creative superpower they have and use it to help change the world for the better. Additional lesson plans and information are available for teachers to select based on the themes most relevant for their pupils. “The World’s Largest Lesson is a fantastic opportunity to tell all children, every-

where what the Global Goals are and how they can play their part to make sure they are achieved,” said Richard Curtis, founder of the Global Goals campaign. Hrithik is passionate about Goal 3 —Good Health & Wellbeing, and has always believed that it is with good access to healthcare and quality nutrition, that an individual can reach his or her full potential. The father of two boys said: “As a father, I believe that all children should have access to good education and through this education they learn how to take care of their health. In order to achieve the best, they need to be ﬁt and healthy. It enables children to push their extreme. These are

The World’s Largest Lesson is a fantastic opportunity to tell all children, everywhere what the Global Goals are and how they can play their part to make sure they are achieved Richard Curtis founder of the Global Goals campaign

Have a favourite Omani product or shop? Tell us about it: ameerudheen@timesofoman.com

fundamental rights that every child deserves hence I champion Goal 3 Good Health.” The World’s Largest Lesson provides an opportunity to foster global citizenship in schools across the world. It supports student learning across a range of subject areas such as science, geography, citizenship and technology and helps teachers explore important global issues such as human rights, poverty and climate change. — IANS

PHOTOGRAPHY: O.K. MOHAMMED ALI

PHOTO: IANS/DABBOO RATNANI

REGIONAL VARIATIONS

C12

THURSDAY, OCTOB ER 8, 2015

LIFESTYLE

TIGER DANCE

PULI KALI (Tiger Dance) is a colourful recreational folk art from the state of Kerala. Artists perform the dance on the occasion of Onam, the annual harvest festival of Indian state of Kerala. On the fourth day of Onam celebrations, performers painted like tigers and hunters in bright yellow, red, and black dance to the beats of instruments. The performance revolves around the theme of tiger hunting. Times of Oman lensman A. R. Rajkumar captured the Puli Kali during the Onam festivities in September, where hundreds of artists entertained thousands of spectators who assembled to watch the annual show.

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M T H U R S DAY, O C T O B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

SECTION

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

RENT

VACANCY

CARGO

T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 8 , 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 Brand new residential flats in Wadi Kabir near Muscat football club, have 2 bedroom family hall, 2 toilets, Kitchen with spilt AC for 250/- R.O. Contact: 95999904 / 98585889 / 92383886 Villa for rent four spacious bath attached bed room private swimming pool gymnasium (common) with electrical equipment and free maintenance secured compound at Madinat Al Allam. Contact: 98027975 Office for rent in CBD. Contact : 92820734 / 95345909 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 1,2,3 BHK Flats. Contact: 97799175 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 Single room bathroom attached sharing kitchen available in Ghubra. Contact: 99071817 / 92258623

1000 sq mtrs industrial land in Ghala suitable for ware house, work shop etc. Contact : 24700120 / 92584715 200 sqm basement available for rent in AL Khuwair near Rawasco. Contact: 93782735 / 93329476 We have 1BHK in Mabela 7 new buildings 175/- R.O. Contact: 93782735 / 93329476 We have 3BHK villa fully furnished in Ghubra 18th November street 650/- R.O. Contact : 93782735 / 93329476 2 BHK Commercial Al Khuwair R.O 375/-. Contact : 97799175

We have 2 BHK in Ghubra 18th November street 2 rooms, 3 bathrooms, large sitting, hall& Kitchen 325/- O.R. Contact : 93782735 / 93329476

We have 3BHK villa near Grand Mosque villa with 3 rooms, sitting hall, majlis & car parking 700/- O.R. Contact : 93782735 / 93329476

We have shops for rent in Ghala & Ghubra. Contact : 93782735 / 93329476

We have 2 BHK ﬂat in Al Khuwair new Rawasco brand new building 325/- O.R. Contact : 93782735 / 93329476

We have 100 sqm for rent in Ghala new building 350/- R.O. Contact 93782735 / 93329476 We have 3BHK ﬂats in Ghala new building ﬂat with 3 rooms, 4 bathrooms, large sitting hall& kitchen 425/-. Contact: 93782735 / 93329476 2BHK Qurum. Contact: 99024730

1BHK Ghubra R.O 275/-. Contact : 97799175

1BHK Azaiba. Contact: 99024730

Newly built 3 bedroom villa available for rent near to Kuwaitee mosque, Wadi kabir. Contact 99725331, 91318111.

2 ﬂats with air-conditions in Al Bustan each ﬂat has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, family hall, kitchen, store laundry. Contact: 98919037

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& 2 BHK Ghala with A/C new building. Contact 99024730 Studio flat at Al Khuwair. Contact: 99024730 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 House for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99379950 / 92925173 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

We have small building for rent in Bousher, 4 studio & 1 shop building commercial & residence can be used for family, bachelors or store 750/O.R. contact : 93782735 / 93329476 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 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

Furnished room for rent at Al Khuwair R.O 225/- for family only. Contact: 99251975

Workers’ campus, shops, workshops, stores in a building in Al Misfah, Wilayat Bausher. Contact 98918090

2BHK ﬂats & shops available for rent at Honda road in a brand new building (dish & split A/C provided in ﬂats). Contact: 91165807 / 92976611

1BHK ﬂat with A/C Al Khuwair 250/- R.O. Contact: 99358589 / 95570288

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

For rent : showroom / storage space available (area 290 SQM, 6M height) facing Al Mina street, Jibroo. Contact: 99360631 / 96760819

Twin villa 6BR hall, kitchen at Al Ansab-2. Contact: 99747560 / 99444786

600 SQT commercial flat for rent opposite Oman flourmill Darsait more details. Contact: 91214849/ 99364735 1BHK flats available for rent in CBD area. Contact: 98116480 Fully furnished luxury 2 bedroom flat for rent at Ghala for short or long term basis. Contact: 99886386/ 99881653 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

Single BHK ﬂat available in Honda Road Ruwi. Contact 24833972/24833974/99367448

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

1 & 2 bedroom ﬂats available for rent in wadi-kabir (opp: pencil bldg), ideal for company staff / families bulk corporate deal possible. Contact: 97677170

AVAILABLE Party & Wedding equipment rentals. Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chaﬁng Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. ww.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

FOR LADIES GOOD OFFER for ladies: (Golden facial Golden bleach, Haircut-10 RO. Only) this offer started from 10th October to 10th November. Contact 99619409, Hattat Modern Parlour

T H U R S DAY, O C T O B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

FOR SALE 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 5 Seater sofa with cushions Center table and 2 side tables in excellent condition for immediate sale. Contact: 96027403 Ice Cream & juices shop Ruwi good location for sale suitable for beauty parlor also. Contact: 92150455 Sale or lease machining lathe milling workshop in Mabella Sanayya for sale/ Lease with four Employees Contact 92166887 Fast food style well furnished coffee shop for sale in new Salalah. Contact: 91121215 / 97484825 Ready coffee shop for sale or rent available in Al Khuwair near Rawasco Golden chance. Contact: 93782735 /93329476 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 Comm. & Res land in the heart of Ruwi 2400 sq mtr for sale. Contact : 91155779 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 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

FOR SALE Shop for sale or rent at Ruwi City. Contact: 99103077

NRI

Comm. & Res land in Ghala heights 400 sq mtr for sale. Contact: 91155779

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

Restaurant for sale excellent location six visa opposite Mars Wadi Kabir. Contact: 93334685 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 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 For sale land in Amerat 3000 Sq.mt with petrol pump permission. Contact 99323957 / 92702891

10 cents of house plot at kallattumukku Trivandrum next to Oxford school 3km from railway station Contact +919495255111

SITUATION WANTM.V. FOR SALE 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

ACC. 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 Accommodation available for indian executive bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (no kitchen). RO:125 including water and electricity Contact no. .. 98145825, 98949724

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.

WANTED Required land for purchase in location Muscat (1200 SQM). Contact: 96725682

CHANGE OF NAME I, Shivani Amrit Lal Lad (holder of Indian Passport No. M 3936722) daughter of Amaratlal Harilal Lad having permanent residence in 7/333, Jalaram Krupa, Nana Parsiwad, Valsad, Gujarat (complete postal address in India) and presently residing in C/O Khimji Ramdas LLC, Commodity Division, P.O Box No. 19, PC No. 100, Sultanate of Oman (complete postal address in Oman), intend to change my name from Shivani Amrit Lal Lad (old name) to Shivani Amaratlal Lad (new name) for all practical purposes. Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P. Box No. 1727, PC 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

NRI

GOOD NEWS

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

MATRIMONIAL RC, Keralite male. 30yers. shop manager in Muscat looking for suitable alliance. GSM:98529885, 00919496155815

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

Pakistani male 34 years staying with parents in Oman for 27 yrs using hearing aid looking for suitable alliance.#: 99353096 / 95544612

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

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

Ayurvedic Treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis , IDEAL CARE Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Azaiba Contact: 99639695 / 98342990

RC Girl (Trissur) 28, 152 cm slim (middle class) MBA, working in Muscat seeking suitable alliance. Contact: 93867447

Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

Seeking alliance for our son from Muslim families. Interested families Contact: 99889590

T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

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

hƌŐĞŶƚ ZĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚ

SALES LADY

Indian male, 8 yrs experience in Oman looking for any suitable vacancy Accountant / Asst. Accountant / Office Admin local release available. Contact: 98492752 Email: atiquehazique@rediffmail.com

&Žƌ :ĞǁĞůůĞƌǇ ^ŚŽǁƌŽŽŵ

URGENTLY REQUIRED

1. Two years experience in sales. Ϯ͘ EK ŝƐ ŵƵƐƚ͘

STAFF NURSE MOH license OR Prometric ƉĂƐƐĞĚ ƐƚĂī ŶƵƌƐĞ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚ ĨŽƌ Ă ƌĞƉƵƚĞĚ DĞĚŝĐĂů ĞŶƚĞƌ ŝŶ DƵƐĐĂƚ

;ƐĞŶĚ s ǁŝƚŚ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ƉŝĐƚƵƌĞͿ Email:

vacancy299@gmail.com

Send CV to : /ŶĨŽΛƐŚĂƫ ĂůƋƵƌƵŵŵĞĚŝĐĂůĐĞŶƚĞƌ͘ĐŽŵ

WŚŽŶĞ ŶŽ͗ ϮϰϰϬϬϰϯϲ͕ 93655425

REQUIRED URGENTLY

ACCOUNTANT

GENERAL PRACTITIONER RECEPTIONIST

FOR MEDICAL COMPLEX AT SALALAH

PATIENT RELATION EXCUTIVE CONTACT:

An Omani construction co. located at Muscat looking for an expert Accountant with minimum ﬁve yrs. experience with wide knowledge of using tally and other software and GCC driving license. Send C.V to kwk585@gmail.com Required ACCOUNTS OFFICER to ensure accurate processing of revenue data into ERP systems and invoicing module. Posting of invoices to customer SAP portal and delivery to customer offices and interface with Country Manager / Reporting to Regional CFO. Qualiﬁcations : BSc Accounting. Relevant experience and knowledge on Online Accounting Systems especially the customer SAP system. SUBMIT CV to : me-job@interwell.com

CATERING Chinese/ Arab/ Continental Cook & helper wanted. Contact 95529970

DOMESTIC HELP Looking for an Mangalorean Konkani speaking Housemaid for Mangalorean family to look after baby at Wadi Kabir. Contact 96449951 / 95147107

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

93613422, 95062514 EMAILvacancynshifamc@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING

MEDICAL Wanted Pharmacist with MOH license for Pharmacy in Seeb. Contact - 24423342 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. Contact:-99855050

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

SKILLED LABOUR Required 2 Tailors who can make readymade curtains. Contact 92891888

SEC/OFFICE Sir Lankan Secretary with experience in recruitment ﬁeld. Contact: 92809528

SALES / MARKETING

EDUCATION

Urgent required Sales Manager for Advertising company with Oman experience & driving license. Contact: 95766844

MANAGER/SUP 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

A leading trading Group is looking for Outdoor Sales Coordinator with driving license & release / NOC. Email CV to alhajoil@omantel.net. om or fax: 24701683 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

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED

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

Accomplished Advertising Sales & Business Development Executives for leading Media Enterprise. Enthusiastic Fresher also welcome. jobs@interacoman.com 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

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 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 Senior Architect, Indian male 15yrs exp. having DL& NOC, Looking for suitable position. Contact: 97239313 Email: abdul_muq2000@yahoo.co.uk

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Part time Accountant, up to ﬁnalization, looking for job after 5 pm (location prefer – MSQ to AL Hail). Contact: 95694737 ACCA ﬁnalist, Recent B.Com Graduate, Indian female, looking for full time employment in Accounting and Audit. +968 96964379, sangeethaumesh5@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

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

ADMIN Urgent placement B Pharm Pharmacist with OR without MOH Oman, 2 nos. Contact 92548672, 99516236

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

Post Graduate researcher required. Contact 99229700

We are looking for a Salesman with a minimum experience of three years with driving license. Please contact 98000266. Email info@marahland.com

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

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 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

Accountant with 8 years experience in Oman with D/L & NOC , seeking suitable placement. Contact: 92994825. Email: sanuchithranjali@gmail.com

Wanted driving job. Contact 97690766

10+ yrs UAE experience Fin. Controller looking for job change. Contact: 98006226

Pakistani light vehicle driver having 2 yrs exp. Contact: 96105925

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

Land Cruiser with Driver. Contact: 99725003 Driver looking for job. Contact 92303744

Pakistani male light vehicle driver looking for job. Contact: 96474528 Driver with car. Contact :91452930

Chief Accountant, 12 years Oman experience looking for suitable position. Contact: 99513082

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

DESIGNER Interior designer with 6 years exp 3D design MEP architectural with sound knowledge in AutoCAD Sketch up with VRAY, 3D Max looking for suitable position. Contact: 96789770 Email: sachinratnan@gmail.com

DRIVER Light driver for job 5 yrs exp. Contact: 92171166

Indian male 13 years Accounts & ﬁnance experience in Oman having Omani D/L looking for suitable position release available. Contact 95885092 Email: nitin_dhotre2@rediffmail.com

Bangladeshi male driver, 48 yrs, exp 14 years, 9 years need job & visa, got release letter. Contact: 99165961

Omani female exp in Accounts & Shipping & Secretary & PRO job knowledge in computer with Oman D/L. Content: 91161736

12 years experience light duty driver with car. Contact: 96467373

Driver. Contact: 95084826 Part time accountant, senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, up to ﬁnalization. contact.95254864

Young Indian, B. Com, Diploma in Accounting, 2 years experience as Assistant Accountant on visit seeks suitable placement: Contact: 94399509

Pakistani male 28 years old recently worked as Administration Manager MBA ﬁnance from Maju Karachi. Contact: 99685330 Email: hussain_ca87@yahoo.com

DRIVER

Light driver for job 1yr exp. Contact: 95582571

Pakistani driver seeks for job, holding license of Oman exp in driving in Oman 6 years. Contact : 92604918 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

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. 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 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 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 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 BE Electrical Engineer 8 years experience 4 years in Oman with Oman driving license. Contact 96942032 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

T H U R S DAY, O C T O B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED /ŶĚŝĂŶ ĨĞŵĂůĞ͕ ϯϬ ǇƌƐ͕ /ŶƚĞƌŝŽƌ ĞƐŝŐŶĞƌ Bachelor degree with 5 yrs working ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƐĞĞŬŝŶŐ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ placement in Oman.

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ϵϴϰϵϵϵϳϱ͕ Email : ƐǁĂƐĚĞƐŝŐŶĞƌΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ

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 Pakistani DAE civil with experience in Oman 2 years also holding license of Oman seeks for job in Oman exp in SAMAQADA & STFA. Contact : 93542055 / 99053438 B. Tech, Engineer Civil exp total 12 yrs, Gulf exp 6 yrs, PDO exp 3yrs D/L Oman. Contact: 96242773 Diploma Civil Engineer 11 yrs experience (9 yrs building construction + 2 yrs O&G) with valid Oman D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact : 97669006 / 99142744 Email: shaﬁqueam@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 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

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 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 Civil Engineer, 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 Civil Engineer, Indian M 29 5yrs exp. having DL & NOC Looking for suitable position. Contact: 94576233 Email: suhailmullah@gmail.com Professional Civil Engineer 25 yrs experience with N.O.C Management and Supervision with D/L. Contact: 97290338 Civil Engineer degree, diploma, Staad pro, Auto CAD 18 months Indian exp seeks suitable opportunity. Contact: 93682529

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

Engineer with 4 years Telecom experience in Oman, having Oman driving license looking for a suitable opportunity. Interested in marketing, NOC available. Contact : 98513495

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

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

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

Diploma in civil Engineer, total 4 years experience, 1.5 years experience in Oman seeking suitable placement. Contact : 96535084

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 Civil Engineer B.Sc -6 years experience with constructions companies - 1 years in Oman - qualiﬁed as Site Engineer & Planning Engineer. Contact+968-94682217

SALES / MARKETING

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.

BBA Keralite, male, 23 yrs, experienced in Automotive Sales & Admin on visit. Contact 94742679, Email: jafarj4@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

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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

WƌŽũĞĐƚͬ WƌŽŐƌĂŵ DĂŶĂŐĞƌͬ &ŝŶĂŶĐĞ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂů

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 Electrical and Electronics Engineer with one year experience and GCC licence holder seeking a job mail – shyjalpk@gmail.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

EDUCATION

Indian female B. Sc Chemistry B.Ed having 6 years experience in teaching looking for suitable jobs. Contact: 94196493

Network professional, with 6 years experience, CCNP and Bachelors degree on visit seeking suitable position. Contact: 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com

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

IT 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 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 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

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 ME Electronics Engineer , 4 yr exp in hardware and software currently in Oman for visiting visa, Contact: 95508754, 97049791

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

MEDICAL 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 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 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

Indian female MDS Endodontics, 9.5 yrs experience recently cleared Oman prometric 84% looking for suitable placement. Contact: 95624156 / 97233074 Indian female Bsc nurse with 3year experience prometric passed seeks suitable placement Contact 95782544 Male Nurse, B.Sc, prometric exam oman cleared exp. Contact : 93837973 MSc Nurse specialized in OBG, 3 years experience-certiﬁed ACLS,BLS, on visit visa, seeking suitable opportunities Contact:90125347 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 *Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

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 female Graduate holder valid driving license knowledge about all kinds of cosmetic products seeks suitable placement. Contact 98697656 Indian worked as Sales Supervisor 7 years MNC now working as Marketing Manager from 8 yrs with visa D/L. Contact : 90205082 Indian female holding Omani driving license M.B.A in Marketing and ﬁnance from Birla Institute, Muscat, 1 yr. working experience in India. Contact: 91746962 Email: aarathiajith@gmail.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: 96300958 / 24796010 Email: ashwanihegde@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 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 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

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

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 Indian looking for a part time accounting or Internal Auditing job, contact 99196621.

Indian male Sr. Sales Executive, 15 years exp in retail sector looking for vacancies. Contact: 96768382

26, Male, Indian, BBA (Finance), MBA(HR), Looking for suitable Job. Contact immediately #98176105, nruknaddin@outlook.com

Indian male more than 8 years experience in outdoor sales in G.C.C with transferable visa & valid driving license Graduate. Contact: 91234320

Senior Management Professional, MBA, 12 years+ exp. in Business Development/Sales Management , Sales Training, Content Development & Six sigma GSM:97428090

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

Part Time Accounting Job Complete Data Entry, Upto Finalization. Any Time Available. Location Al Hail, AL Khoud. #- +968-92049215 Email:- aiafe.oman@gmail.com

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 Indian male 25 yrs BBM Graduate 3 yrs of experience Sales / Marketing in Oman looking in suitable placement. Contact : 93185316 Email: karsh794@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 #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

T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

TOURS

SITUATION WANTCARGO

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

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

FOR HIRE Trailor with driver for hire. Contact: 92303774

RENT A CAR

Bobcat Grader and roller for rent. Contact: 94584688

TRANSPORTATION Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba. Contact: 91103909

RENT A CAR

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 Transportation available. Contact -955 70 429

T H U R S DAY, O C T O B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SIT.WANTED MISCELLANEOUS 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

COMPUTER

CLASSES

SIT-WANTED

MANPOWER

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 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 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 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 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 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 ACCA Affiliate, Indian Male, Fresher, looking for full time employment in Tax and Audit.+968 91291520, shahidazeez5@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

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 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 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 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 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

Leading manpower agency to hire Recruiter from India housemaids. Contact: 99226093, Email: fesalwardi48@gmail.com

SIT-WANTED 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 Indian Male, 26 Yrs, Business Management, 6 years in Oman. Knowledge of MS Office and Arabic Language. Seeks suitable position. Contact 93931935

Looking for investor and Partner, well running company monthly proﬁt. 14,000 RO. Contact: 96725079

DRIVING

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.

WEBSITE

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

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

Indian female with MBA in ﬁnance seeking immediate placement. Contact: 968-93316493

Air condition maintenance installation window AC, split a/c, ducted AC and package type units. Contact: 98667326

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, emailKaarthickshankar@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

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

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

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

Window & split unit A.C servicing & maintenance.# 93769089 / 95323517

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

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

T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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