Times of Oman - May 10, 2016

TUESDAY May 10, 2016 3 Sha’aban 1437 AH

6 085010 120010 FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’

MORNING MINUTE

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 67

To the People, 1975

We are taking steps to Omanise the school syllabi and expand educational services at the different levels, particularly primary, and provide preparatory and secondary schools at the main centres of population in the educational regions.

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SAUDI ARABIA

Trade union officials and Ministry of Manpower say rule is here to stay

HM sends cables of condolences

Described as ‘hard’ and ‘necessary’ but some bosses aren’t happy

NOC

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent two cables of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on the death of Princess Sama bint Saud bin Faisal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Princess Turfa bint Saud bin Abdulrahman Al Faisal Al Saud.

In his cables, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to King Salman, praying to Allah the Almighty to rest the deceased’s souls in peace and grant their family patience. -ONA

‘MUST REMAIN UNTIL ECONOMY IMPROVES’

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

Rule needed as 1000s

Video of expatriate helping elderly viral

of Omanis are looking for jobs: OCCI official

1

A video showing an expat helping an elderly woman has gone viral in Oman.

With more than 11,000 views on YouTube in the less than a month, the video has become popular on social media. The two-minute video directed by the volunteer group ‘fahaddath’, features Ameena Abdul Rasul, an actress of the Sultanate. >A4

BABA UMAR

babaumar@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s two-year employment ban for expatriates who leave their jobs without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) should

remain in place at least until the economic condition of the Sultanate improves, trade unions and government officials insist.

That’s despite some bosses complaining the policy is leading to a brain drain within the existing expat workforce and making others think twice about coming to work in Oman.

Said Salem Al Saadi, the advisor to the Minister of Manpower, told the Times of Oman, “The companies bring people, train them and somebody just leaves the company because he is offered better salary elsewhere. It [the rule] protects companies. >A6

OCCI METING

‘Room for changes in labour law’ ERIK PRINS

erik@timesofoman.com

MARKET

Venture capital company launched

2

Oman’s first equitybased venture capital firm, Innovation Development Oman Holding, was launched on Monday. State General Reserve Fund, Oman Oil Company, The Research Council and Omantel joined hands to establish the firm. >B1

MUSCAT: There is room for improvement under the current labour law, a Shura member said.

“As time changes, we need to change. Always there is room for improvement,” said Mohammed Al Busaidi, a Shura member.

The Shura official was talking on the sidelines of a seminar or-

ganised by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) on labour law on Monday.

The seminar was organised to discuss the current law and for considering the recommendations from human resource and labour department officials.

Busaidi is the head of the Youth and Human Resources Committee in the Shura.

The seminar was organised by

the Human Resources and Labour Market Committee at OCCI. “The seminar aims to review the labour law, create awareness among stakeholders and to identify the deficiencies as the government is reviewing and working on a new law,” the official added. The forum was held under the auspices of Hamad bin Khamis al Amri, undersecretary for Labour Affairs at the Ministry of Manpower.

Star gazers gather for rare celestial event

I N S P I R E D B Y FAT H E R

Sultanate’s top golfer has game in his genes DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com

SPORTS

Injured Amir out, Noorul Riaz in

3

Oman’s star of the ICC World T20 Tournament Amir Ali will be missed as the national cricket team embarks on a mission to climb up the ladder in the WCL. Oman led by skipper Ajay Lalcheta will be participating in the WCL Division 5 to be held in Jersey from May 21 to 28. >C1

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PASSIONATE PLAYER: Azaan Al Rumhy is Oman’s top golfer.

MUSCAT: In a nation where a sport like golf does not have as much awareness as perhaps football, Azaan Al Rumhy has grown as a silent star. Al Rumhy has played across several golf courses in the region and beyond since 1998, and won the Muscat Open Golf Championship a few years later, at the age of 19.

This young man has been playing golf ever since he was in his early teens; it is a passion he inherited from his father, who also loves the sport. Al Rumhy is often dubbed as Oman’s top golfer, not

just due to his performance at the golf course, but also because of his dedication and commitment towards the game. He practices for at least 15 hours per week and wants to be able to practice a lot more.

“I was 14 years old when I first started playing golf, and I got this

from my father, who had been playing for several years before.

Just seeing him play inspired me to try,” said a smiling Al Rumhy, who has been pursuing golf for almost two decades now.

When it comes to inspiration, apart from his father, Al Rumhy looks up to Tiger Woods for motivation. It was because of Woods that Al Rumhy actually became obsessed with the sport.

“Back in 1997 when I used to watch Woods, he was quite young and that is when I realised that golf is not just for the old people or for a select few, and from that moment I knew that I wanted to really pursue it with determination.”>A6

OMRAN

Oman convention centre’s Phase 1 opens on August 15 REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: An exhibition centre, a 22,396 square metre (sqm) exhibition hall, 10 hospitality suites, Hall One, and a 12,000 sqm outdoor exhibition space will be opened during Phase 1 of Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) on August 15 this year, a top official said.

“The centrepiece of the Phase 1 is the exhibition hall that can be divided into five separate halls,” Trevor McCartney, general manager of the OCEC, told the Times of Oman.

“Supported by a dedicated full production kitchen, Hall One can be used for a range of prestigious events, including conferences, ex-

hibitions, banquets, graduations and weddings,” McCartney added.

In the 10 hospitality suites, which will be located on the third level of the exhibition centre, 196 delegates can be seated in theatre style or lower numbers for smaller board meetings or corporate gatherings.

Owned and developed by Omran, the government arm for tourism development in Oman, when completed, OCEC is expected to be the centrepiece of Oman’s business development programme for establishing the Sultanate as a major regional venue for regional and international events.

According to McCartney, the convention centre is scheduled to open doors to Phase 2 in December

2017. “In Phase 2, the OCEC’s inspirational 3,200-seat lyric-style theatre will be opened. Set over three levels, it has advanced projection, a sound system and rigging capabilities.

“An adaptable venue, the theatre can scale down to accommodate 1,000 guests, using the lower tier,” the he added.

McCartney said the OCEC will also have an elegant 450-seat auditorium and a range of additional meeting rooms.

“Phase 2 will see the inauguration of the Grand and Junior Ballrooms, with the first equipped to accommodate 2,688 delegates in theatre style, 1,680 people in classroom style or a lavish banquet setting for 1,200 guests,” he stated.

CENTREPIECE: OCEC is expected to be the centrepiece of Oman’s business development programme for establishing country as a major regional venue for regional and international events. -File photo

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016 It is our constant endeavour to provide more flexibility of choice for our customers as IndiGo continues to offer them on-time, hassle-free and an always affordable flying experience Aditya Ghosh, president, IndiGo

OMAN

Oman Air cuts flights to three countries

SHANGRI-LA BARR AL JISSAH

Vietnamese food flavour in Muscat Times News Service

A few flights to Tanzania, Bahrain and India scheduled for May 9 to May 31 have been cancelled

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman Air, the national airline of Oman, has cancelled a few flights scheduled for between May 9 and 31 to Tanzania, Bahrain and India, the airline tweeted on its official Twitter handle.

According to the tweets, on all Sundays and Saturdays, between May 9 and 31, Flight WY275/6 Muscat-Jaipur-Muscat, stands cancelled and booked passengers

have been transferred to Flight WY271/2. “Passengers scheduled to travel on Saturdays to Jaipur will be transferred to WY275/6 with an advance departure time,” the airline tweeted.

The airline has also cancelled its Flight WY207/8 Muscat-GoaMuscat on all Mondays, between May 9 and 31. Dar-es-SalaamZanzibar-Muscat flights on all Thursdays, between May 9 and 31 have also been cancelled.

According to the airline, flights to Bahrain on Wednesdays be-

tween May 9 and 31 also stand cancelled.

“On all Wednesdays, WY655/6 Muscat-Bahrain-Muscat stands cancelled and will be combined with WY663/4 to operate Muscat-Doha-Bahrain-Muscat,” the airline tweeted.

In addition to this, the airline tweeted that on all Mondays, Flight WY655/6 Muscat-Bahrain-Muscat stands cancelled and will be combined with Flight WY663/4 to operate on the Muscat-Doha-Bahrain-Muscat route.

The airline added that on all Wednesdays, between May 9 and 31, Flight WY717 Muscat- Dares-Salaam flight will be cancelled and passengers are being rebooked on Flight WY705, whose departure time is 08:40 local time.

On all Tuesdays, between May 9 and 31, Flight WY705/6 to Zanizbar and Dar-Es-Salaam also stands cancelled.

Earlier, between May 2 and 7, the airline had cancelled some flights to India, Tanzania and Bahrain.

AV I AT I O N

IndiGo to launch Muscat-Kochi flight Times News Service MUSCAT: Low-cost Indian carrier, IndiGo, will start direct daily flights from Muscat to Kochi from June 21.

Currently, IndiGo operates seven flights a week to Mumbai from Muscat.

Commenting on the new flight schedule, Aditya Ghosh, president, IndiGo said, “It gives me great pleasure in announcing this new service on our international network, connecting Muscat to Kochi.

“We are confident that this new service will prove immensely popular with our customers. With

The flight will leave Muscat at 10pm and will reach Kochi at 3.05am and will leave from Kochi at 6.55pm and will reach Muscat at 9pm the increased flow of tourists and business traffic, we are pleased to provide direct and daily connections to meet the requirements of our customers.

“It is our constant endeavour to provide more flexibility of choice for our customers as IndiGo continues to offer them on-time, hassle-free and an always afford-

able flying experience.”

The flight will leave Muscat at 10 pm and will reach Kochi at 3.05 am and will leave from Kochi at 6.55 pm and will reach Muscat at 9 pm.

The all inclusive lowest oneway fare from Muscat to Kochi will be OMR41.20 and from Kochi to Muscat will be OMR34.60.

With 767 daily flights connecting 40 destinations, these new flights will allow corporate and leisure travellers to experience the matchless on-time performance IndiGo is synonymous with, thus further consolidating IndiGo’s position as the fastest growing airline in India.

MUSCAT: Asian food lovers in Muscat can look forward to enjoying authentic Vietnamese food from today.

The Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa will welcome special guest chefs from the ShangriLa Hotel, Abu Dhabi and the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai to showcase their culinary expertise and share their authentic Vietnamese experience till May 21 at the Asia restaurant.

Guest Chef Vu Van Dang from the Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi’s acclaimed Hoi An restaurant, will present a delectable menu of Vietnamese specialities to Asian food lovers in Muscat.

Chef Dang has a remarkable 18 years of culinary experience at various leading five-star hotels and resorts in Hanoi and the United Arab Emirates. Specialising in South East Asian cuisine, Chef Dang will tantalise the diners’ palate with unique flavours of Vietnamese dishes. Guests are invited to enjoy authentic delicacies, such as Saigon beef salad, Hoi An crispy seafood rolls, steamed sea bass wrapped in banana leaves and many more.

Chef Dang will also be assisted

by Chef Vu Van Duy from the Hoi An restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai for the duration of the promotion.

Vietnamese cuisine is reputed for its lively taste and for its use of fish sauce, rice and fresh vegetables. Vietnamese recipes are distinctively infused with a diverse range of herbs, including lemongrass, mint, coriander and basil leaves.

Like most Asian cuisine, Vietnamese cooking is based on the use of traditional ingredients and involves numerous cooking methods, including steaming, boiling and deep frying.

Vietnamese culinary traditions reflect the country’s historic Chinese and French influences in ad-

Chef Dang has a remarkable 18 years of culinary experience at various leading five-star hotels and resorts in Hanoi and the United Arab Emirates, specialising in South East Asian cuisine dition to featuring distinctive regional characteristics.

Dishes from the south include a wide variety of fresh seafood, while those hailing from the colder Northern areas include slightly heartier meals with beef.

The Asia restaurant will be open daily from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm during the Vietnamese promotion. For more information or to book a table, please call the restaurant reservations team at (968) 2477 6565 or email fbreservation. slmu@shangri-la.com.

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

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Dip in oil prices hits Omanis’ travel plans

W E AT H E R

OUTBOUND DIP

– Courtesy Bader Ali Al Baddaei / www.rthmc.net.

Travel agencies have experienced a decline on the enquiry front, to outbound tourism plans.

While a travel agent says the industry

Rain in parts of Oman

Travel bookings Travelers and enquiries expenses

is experiencing a

2016

2004

decline of 8 to 10 per

2015

OMR 115.4 87.7

cent in international travel bookings and

10-15%

enquiries, another said that the drop is

Tourism destination as % GDP

expected to range

Expected growth in Oman

from 10 to 15 per cent

Growth rates in Middle East (%)

2015

2016

Oman

5.7

6.0

Qatar Kuwait

REJIMON K

UAE

reji@timesofoman.com TOURISM TRENDS: Oman saw an increase in international visits

MUSCAT: A dip in oil prices is forcing Omanis to put off their international travel plans, according to travel agents in Oman.

While a travel agent says the industry is experiencing a decline of 8 to 10 per cent in international travel bookings and enquiries, another said that the drop is expected to range from 10 to 15 per cent.

“Compared to previous years, we have seen a slight dip on the enquiry front. Probably, it is early to comment on this and we may see improvements in coming days,” Santhosh Kanakandath, managing director at Assaraya Travel and Tourism, told Times of Oman.

According to Santhosh, who has been a travel agent in Oman for the last 30 years, the economic downturn has forced Omanis to seek out less expensive travel destinations.

“People are looking for cheaper destinations, mainly towards East European destinations, which currently offer excellent prices,” Santhosh said, while adding that

between 2005 and 2014, from over 2.49 million to 4.72 million visitors. – File photo use for illustrative purposes only

Omani tourism companies, like others in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, are witnessing a slowdown in domestic tourism, as well.

“Mainly, Omanis opt for Far East countries and Central European destinations. East European countries are also fast catching up, with Georgia, Czech Republic and Slovakia being the prime locations,” Santhosh said.

Meanwhile, Raji Demonte, general manager at Universal Travel and Tourism Oman, said there has been a drop of 10 to 15 per cent in bookings and enquiries in international tourism.

“However, it is not that big, because Omanis still prefer to travel outside for honeymoons. Outbound travel for honeymoons has not fallen, even during this tough time. This may be the reason that

the dip is not that high,” Raji added.

According to latest statistics, Oman saw an increase in international visits between 2005 and 2014, from over 2.49 million to 4.72 million visitors, however, the report adds that while an outbound tourist spent, on average, OMR115.4 in 2005, the amount declined to OMR87.7 by 2014.

Outbound market International travel from the Middle East, according to United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) 2015 Tourism Highlights, numbered approximately 37 million people for 2014 and accounted for 3.3 per cent of the global outbound market.

A study conducted by Frost and Sullivan and Insights Middle East for Amadeus in 2014, estimated the total value of outbound travel-

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Source: WTTC, Travel Agencies

6.0 5.9 5.6 4.4 Graphics

lers from the GCC at $64 billion.

Meanwhile, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said, in its latest report, that Oman is the fastest growing tourism destination in the Middle East when it comes to the total contribution of the travel and tourism sector to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

While the total contribution of the sector was 5.7 per cent of Oman’s total GDP, at OMR 1,593.8 million in 2015, this is expected to grow by 6 per cent in 2016.

At an expected growth rate of 6 per cent, Oman stands at the top, while Qatar and Kuwait follow with 5.9 and 5.6 per cent of expected growth, respectively. Additionally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) comes in at sixth place, with an expected growth rate of 4.4 per cent.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Rain fell in parts of Oman. Weather forecasters had earlier predicted rain in coastal areas of Dhofar on Monday.

In its fresh advisory, the Public Authority for Civil Aviation stated that high level clouds are ap-

proaching northern and western parts of Oman, which may bring rainfall in some parts of Oman.

The sea conditions are likely to be moderate to rough along the Arabian Sea coast with maximum wave height of 2.5 meters. The advisory also said visibility will be moderate during fog and rain.

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

OMAN

We also have a special telescope to capture the Sun using a filter that protects the human eyes Ibrahim Al Mahrooqi Omani Astronomical Society member

N O R T H B AT I NA H

MHC completes maintenance of Al Mughabash Castle Times News Service MUSCAT: Ministry of Heritage and Culture (MHC) recently completed maintenance work on the boundary wall of the Al Mughabash Castle in Suwaiq in the North Batinah Governorate.

The castle is located on the main road leading to Sohar.

Electricity has been restored at the castle and the building will be fully restored soon too, according to an official.

Total maintenance work cost OMR47,000, which included civil work and electrical work, among others.

MHC also plans to restore the Rustaq Fort, after a portion of one of its walls collapsed due to the recent rains. The ministry has also announced partial renovation of the Bahla Souq.

TARGET MET: The project was implemented by the Hazon Trading and Contracting Company, and took about eight months to complete.

V O LU N T E E R G R O U P ‘ FA H A D D AT H ’

Video of expatriate helping elderly woman goes viral HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A video showing an expatriate worker helping an elderly woman has gone viral in Oman.

With more than 11,000 views on YouTube in the less than a month, the video has become popular on social media.

The two-minute video directed by the volunteer group ‘fahaddath’, features Ameena Abdul Rasul, one the most iconic actresses in the Sultanate.

The video shows an elderly Omani woman who is unable to walk, complaining to an expatriate worker about her disability. The worker then helps her out by bringing a wheelchair to assist her and takes her for a stroll in a garden.

The ‘fahaddath’ initiative aims to provide help to the needy and

Mercury transit across Sun awes astronomy fans Ibrahim Al Mahrooqi from the Omani

HIT: With more than 11,000 views on YouTube in the less than a

month, as seen in this screenshot of the video.

people who have been ignored by the mainstream media, according to Shaker Al Raisi, a member of the group. The voluntary group was created on July 1, 2015 and has only five members.

However, after an intensive so-

cial media campaign, more than 100 people of different nationalities and cultures joined the group within two weeks of its launch.

The word “fahaddath” means “to express” and is taken from a verse in the Holy Quran.

Astronomical Society said the telescopes used to observe this event are very advanced and can be used to watch a variety of astronomical events

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Astronomy enthusiasts in Oman gathered at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Bausher to witness the transit of Mercury, a rare event where the first planet crosses the Sun. A number of astronomers and hobbyists from the Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs, and the Omani Astronomical Society had set up their advanced telescopes at the mosque’s outdoor field to observe the event, which takes place only 13 times in every century.

Ibrahim Al Mahrooqi from the Omani Astronomical Society said the telescopes used to observe this event are very advanced and can be used to watch a variety of astronomical events.

“We also have a special telescope to capture the Sun using a filter that protects the human

IDEAL PLACE: Nada, a hobbyist at the Omani Astronomical So-

ciety, said the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is an ideal place to invite people from all nationalities to witness Mercury’s transit.

eyes,” he said.

Nada, another hobbyist at the society, said the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is an ideal place to invite people from all nationali-

ties to witness Mercury’s transit.

“Everyone knows this place and choosing such an iconic location helps to promote tourism in our country,” she added.

AWA R D

Sultan Qaboos Higher Center for Culture and Science holds meeting MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos Higher Center for Culture and Science organised yesterday at the Cultural Club a meeting about the requirements and standards of Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature in its 5th session. The award will be allocated to Omanis this year in the three areas: the Culture Branch in the field of Translation, the Art Branch in the field Omani Folk Art and Literature Branch in the field of Novel.

Dr. Ayisha bint Said Al Ghabishiyah, Office Director of Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature gave a brief orientation about the importance of the award, its objectives, requirements and standards in the three areas of the award, saying, “The Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature is a cultural, artistic and literary award granted by His Majesty

ORIENTATION: Dr. Ayisha bint Said Al Ghabishiyah, Office Director

of Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature gave a brief orientation about the importance of the award, its objectives, requirements and standards in the three areas of the award. — ONA

Sultan Qaboos bin Said periodically, one year for Omanis and Arabs and the second for Omanis only. It emphasises through its message the historical role of the Sultanate. It is a support to the

culture, arts and literature in the Sultanate and the Arab world, in recognition of the outstanding personalities with a long history of achievements that have influenced human thought.” — ONA

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M I N I S T R Y O F A G R I C U LT U R E A N D F I S H E R I E S

Steps taken to prevent diseases transmitted to humans by animals MUSCAT: Specialists at Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries are taking all measures to prevent spread of communicable diseases like Crimean hemorrhagic fever.

The Ministry raised the level of the precautionary steps in force in a bid to limit the spread of

Crimean hemorrhagic fever and contain it at various levels.

It contacted live animal exporters to the Sultanate to ensure compliance with all requirements. It also amended mechanisms for importing 10 heads of live cattle for direct slaughter by citizen with-

out quarantine. Procedures for internal quarantine of farms with suspected diseased animals and ban their sale until disease risk is resolved have also been activated with the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources in affected areas. -ONA

OMAN

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016 Oman is facing many challenges. The first is there are thousands of Omanis looking for jobs Ahmed Al Hooti, member of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry

OMAN 51% graduates get first jobs within six months GRADUATES GETTING JOBS The waiting period for jobs in the private

A survey of 12,551 Omani students indicated that more than 50% of them get their first employment opportunity within six months.

First opportunity

Getting the first job %

%

sector was less when

51.0

1-6 months

compared to the government sector

TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: While many students dream of their first ideal job, some fail to think about the time it takes for them to obtain their first job opportunity.

Some Omani graduates have become employees within a couple of months, while others should wait for more than a year.

The Graduate Survey 2015 issued by the Ministry of Higher Education indicates that 51 per cent of students get their first job opportunity within six months or less from among 12,551 students, who completed the survey.

Meanwhile, 22.9 per cent find their first jobs within six to 12 months and 26.1 per cent find

22.9 26.1

6-12 months More than 12 months

32.1 18.9 26.1

1-3 months 4-6 months More than 12 months

Difficulty in finding qualified candidates

Reasons for not being hired 25.2% 17.4%

No vacancy Not as per the enough college experience major for the job

15.6%

Applied but never got a call

11.1% Did not pass the exams

70%

49%

Senior position

Junior position

Source: Ministry of Higher Education, “Skills Gap in the MENA” survey.

jobs in more than a year.

According to the survey, 32.1 per cent were able to find jobs between one to three months followed by 26.1 per cent, who had to wait for more than a year. 18.9 per cent found jobs within four to

Graphics

six months. The survey revealed that those who were employed in the private sector had to wait far less than those in the government sector.

However, those unemployed had their reasons. 25.2 per cent

of them said there weren’t any vacancies according to their major, while 17.4 per cent said they do not have enough experience for the job.

Around 15.6 per cent said that they had applied for a job, but never got an interview call and 11.1 per cent said they did not pass the exams concerning the job.

Among other reasons were the work environment not being suitable, lack of the English language skills, failed interviews and not following up after applying.

According to the recent Bayt. com “Skills Gap in the Middle East and North Africa” survey, 70 per cent of companies in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region said finding candidates for senior positions with the required skills is difficult and 49 per cent said finding candidates for junior positions with the required skills is also difficult.

There are some who refused the jobs offered and most males agreed that the salary offered was unacceptable.

Females on the other hand were affected by their social status, the area of work, environment and work timings not complimenting their family life, such as taking care of their children and dropping them to school.

O N L I N E T R AV E L P O R TA L

First bilingual portal launched in Oman Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Online travel agencies will not overtake their offline counterparts, said Daniel Naoumovitch, chief executive officer (CEO) of Sabre Travel Network Middle East, which launched SkySouq.com in partnership with the Suhail Bahwan Group on Monday.

CEO Naoumovitch said online technologies will enhance the capabilities of offline travel agencies to keep up with today’s development of technology.

“The sky is the limit in the Middle East, with online it can only enhance the capabilities of the offline travel agent,” he said. He added that the role of the traditional travel agent will not disappear, but that it will have to adapt

SkySouq.com offers potential travellers a wide range of travel products.

to the technology. “An offline travel agency that does not have online as part of its strategy today will miss out. It is time for the local travel agencies, if they haven’t already, to consider going into the

online arena,” he said. Naoumovitch made these remarks during the launch of SkySouq.com, the first of its kind online travel portal headquartered in Muscat that was launched in the presence of Amal Suhail Bahwan, managing director and board member of the Suhail Bahwan Group and senior government officials. Bahwan unveiled the new travel portal’s logo and made the first online booking.

The new online travel platform SkySouq.com offers potential travellers a wide range of travel products, such as flights, hotels, holiday packages and other travel services, with the flexibility to pick and choose their travel plans according to their preferences and budget from over a million inventories.

Skysouq.com is the first bilingual portal in Oman giving valuable Omani travellers the choice to browse in Arabic or English and purchase their travel products round the clock.

Gururaj S.A., general manager at the Suhail Bahwan Group, said SkySouq was established to meet the needs of the younger generation in Oman.

“Travel is the third largest product bought online,” he said. He added that mobile use of internet is high in Oman. “E-commerce will go a long way in this market and this is the right thing for us to target,” he said.

SkySouq will aim to promote Oman as a destination, as well as promote local entrepreneurship, Gururaj said.

SWITCHING JOBS

A1 ‘NOC rule stabilises < FROM

labour market’

“This rule brings stability in the labour market,” he added.

Asked if the rule could be relinquished in the future, he said, “It depends on the circumstances and the labour market situation.”

Currently, an expatriate worker can switch jobs in the Sultanate only if his/her employer agrees to grant the worker a no-objection letter.

Without this letter, the law prevents the expat from returning to Oman for work before two years.

“Oman is facing many challenges. The first is there are thousands of Omanis looking for jobs.

The number isn’t less than 30,000.

At the same time, the economy… with the low oil prices. So the government itself and the Omanis will make all their efforts to employ nationals on a priority,” said Ahmed Al Hooti, member of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI).

“They are not going to look for foreigners as much as they are looking to solve these problems.

We don’t need to be worried about the talented expat moving elsewhere. Of all these Omanis, I believe at least 30-40 per cent [of the 30,000] will be talented. So we have enough people available in the market.”

Mohammad Al Farji, a member of the Oman Trade Union, said, “This hard rule is to control the private sector. We need to support it. Some people just run away from the company that brings them to Oman.”

Good system Calling NOC, a “good system”, officials of the Shanfari Group of Companies say the rule of having mandatory NOC shouldn’t be relinquished.

“There is a commitment from the company side. It brings an employee to Oman and when an employee wants to leave or join another company after say six or seven months, there is a wastage of resources, expenditure, time and training and all that. So NOC is a good system,” Sheikh Zakaria bin Said Al Shanfari, Managing Director, said.

Mark Pudwell, of recruitment services company Competence HR, said that the current NOC system may deter skilled job-seekers from considering opportunities in Oman.

“Some nations have recognised

the fact that they cannot attract highly skilled people by restricting the terms of their contracts,” he said.

Moral obligation However, he said that professional job-seekers have a moral obligation to see out the terms of their contract and failure to do so should result in them being subjected to a work ban.

“So perhaps the NOC system could reflect this by permitting those who have fulfilled the terms of their contract to seek similar roles in country and sector.

“This would ensure that these skills are not lost nor discouraged,” he suggested.

At the other end of the argument, some company bosses report facing difficulties in hiring expat workers.

“It’s limiting the talent,” said Philip K Philip, group CEO of the Muscat Insurance Company and Muscat Life Assurance Company.

“Lately, I’ve found [that] not many talented [people] are interested to come to Oman.

“This could be an after-effect of this restrictions. We have witnessed that the interested candidates from outside Oman are not like before,” he said.

Expat manpower “Today we have 76 per cent Omanis in our company. Still we need this expert or the expat manpower from outside the country. Comparatively, there is lesser interest in Oman,” Philip added.

Toheed S, a senior executive of a perfume manufacturing said, “It is very hard to get any experienced candidate even with NOC. My company had a requirement in sales division and for two months I have been searching for the right candidate with NOC but failed to get even one,” he said.

“I even posted advertisement in a local paper and several job portals. It was of no use. And finally my company selected a fresher from outside Oman. Now we need to train him for at least five months by compromising on our sales figures,” he said.

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

S P R E A D I N G AWA R E N E S S

Students learn about State Council’s work Times News Service MUSCAT: A fully guided tour of the State Council offers a unique combination of experiencing modern-day politics and seeing stunning art and architecture.

The State Council welcomed students from Um Saleem School in North Batinah for a guided tour on Monday.

The State Council’s outreach programme is dedicated to spreading awareness about its work, processes and relevance, which encourages continued and increased engagement between the public and the Council. The visit included a guided tour and presentation by Ahood Talib Rahby, researcher at the Department of Information and

GUIDED TOUR: The State Council’s outreach programme is dedicated to spreading awareness about its work and processes.

Research, and an economic researcher at the Department of Meetings and Committees.

The students received a detailed explanation about the functions and powers of the Council,

and the tasks and responsibilities entrusted to it, as well as an introduction to the organisational structure of the Council and its major organs. The presentation, defined the partnership between

the citizen and the government. It also focused on the special provisions of the State Council vested in the Basic Law of the State.

Rahby added that the articles stipulate the number of its members, and the mechanism of their appointment, and the terms of membership of the State Council, along with the difference between the State Council and the Shura Council in terms of reference, and the draft law process.

He further emphasised that the Council is always trying to activate the level of partnership with the local community through lectures, and seminars and in addition to hosting an active bilingual website, and using Facebook and Twitter to connect and accept responses from the public.

HONING SKILLS

< FROM

A1 Al Rumhy plans new academy Al Rumhy also got the chance to meet Tiger Woods at a golf tournament in Abu Dhabi, where he played the role of his father’s caddie. Woods was playing at the same tournament and luckily for Al Rumhy, he got a chance to meet his favourite golfer.

The year was 2014 and it was a bright one for Al Rumhy, as he managed to do well at the Asian Games in South Korea and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tournament in Saudi Arabia. “By the end of day one, I was in the fifth place and finished 18th out of the 60 best Asian players at the end of day four, this was in South Korea.

In Saudi Arabia, I managed to put up a good show and won a gold medal in the net category.”

Recently, Al Rumhy played at the GCC golf tournament in Doha, where he performed quite well.

He is now waiting to take part in the 114th Malaysian Open, which is probably one of the oldest golf tournaments in the world. It’s happening from May 19 to 22, and Al Rumhy is the only one from Oman who will be taking part.

“I am really excited to be taking part in the Malaysian Open because it is perhaps one of the oldest tournaments in the world. It’s got a lot of history to it and so I am hoping to see lots of tradition and history there as well.”

To transfer his skills to the next generation, A Rumhy wants to start an academy where children can not only learn everything about golf, but also get involved with different sports and fitness activities. “I am really passionate about starting this new academy where children can not only come and acquire skills in golfing, but

also get engaged in different sporting activities.”

At 32, Al Rumhy has been blessed with a wonderful family. He has two little children—daughter Razaan (5) and son Yousuf (2), and Al Rumhy said he hoped that one day his son will also take to the sport just like he did from his father.

Both his children go with their father to the golf course and watch him play regularly.

“I would love to see Yousuf play golf one day, he is small now, but perhaps when he is four he will be more focused and then I can train him.” Since golf has been a lifelong passion, Al Rumhy wants to play for the national team for as long as he can. “I love golf and it’s the four best players, who get chosen for tournaments and I want to make sure that I am in this set of four players for as long as possible.”

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

A7

OMAN Drive launched for rational use of antibiotics The national campaign aims to define the rational use of antibiotics and ensure proper coordination to tackle the risk posed by antibiotic

DRIVE: The National Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) campaign was launched under the patronage of Dr. Fu’aad bin Ja’afar Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. – ONA

resistance

MUSCAT: As part of a national plan to tackle the risk of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), a national campaign to define the rational use of antibiotics was launched by the Ministry of Health on Monday.

The National AMR campaign themed “Antibiotics: Wise Use, Better Outcomes” was launched at the Crown Plaza Hotel under the patronage of Dr. Fu’aad bin Ja’afar Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, in the presence of Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Saidi, Minister of Health along with a number of ministers, members of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura.

The campaign is being organised by the Ministry of Health (MOH), represented by the Directorate General of Diseases Surveillances and Control in collaboration with the MoH Directorates and related ministries.

The campaign aims to define the rational use of antibiotics in

the health, animals and agriculture sectors, end ensure coordination between these sectors within a national plan to tackle the risk of AMR. In addition to applying a highlevel of infection prevention to reduce risk of infection, as well as raising awareness among the patients, health workers, agriculture specialists and veterinarians.

Draft of national strategy Dr. Amal Al Ma’ani, Director of Central Department of Infection Prevention and Control stated: “The Directorate General of Diseases Surveillances and Control has developed a draft of national strategy to combat the (AMR).

The strategy aims to gather the concerned authorities to agree and implement a coordinated response in cooperation with the international organisations at the national level”.

The most disturbing problem for doctors and workers in the field of human and animal health in the world is prevalence of resistance of various infectious mi-

crobes against the antibiotics.

It is expected in the near future to spread the outbreaks of infectious with number of serious communicable microbes, for which it has no effective antibiotic.

The National Committee of Resistance the Antibiotics comprises the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the private sector (hospitals & pharmacies), Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Armed Force Hospital, Royal Oman Police Hospital, The Research Council, the media mass, the community leaders, Public Authority for Consumer Protection, Food Safety Center at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources, Ministry of Environment & Climate Affair and Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB).

Afterward, the chief guest and the Minister of Health launched and approved the National Plan on the Resistance of Antibiotics, the National Guide of Antibiotics and the Epidemiological Surveillance System of Microbes Resistant to Antibiotics. -ONA

EVENT

Alawi opens ‘Call of Peace’ event Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs opened at Muscat Grand Mall yesterday, an the “Call of Peace” event organised by Values Centre with the participation of a large number of children of the communities in the Sultanate representing several countries.

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

REGION Aleppo fighting rages as US, Russia try to revive truce Warplanes struck the town of Khan Touman, southwest of Aleppo, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said

BEIRUT/PARIS: Syrian government forces and their allies fought insurgents near Aleppo on Monday and jets carried out raids around a nearby town seized by rebels, a monitoring group said, despite international efforts to reduce the violence.

The United States and Russia, who support rival sides in Syria’s civil war, said on Monday they would work to revive a February “cessation of hostilities” agreement which reduced fighting in parts of the country for several weeks. But warplanes struck the town of Khan Touman, southwest of Aleppo, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Rebels also fought government forces east of Damascus, and jets struck the rebel-held towns of Maarat Al Numan and Idlib.

Surge in bloodshed A recent surge in bloodshed in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city before the war, wrecked the 10-week-old, partial truce sponsored by Washington and Moscow which had allowed UN-brokered peace talks to convene in Geneva.

The talks, attended by government and opposition delegates including representatives from rebel groups, broke up last month with both sides accusing the other of killing the truce.

INNOCENT VICTIM: A wounded Syrian boy receives medical attention at a makeshift hospital, following reported Syrian government air strikes on the rebel-held town of Arbin in the eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, on Monday. – AFP

Russia and the United States said in a joint statement they would step up efforts to convince the warring parties to abide by the ceasefire agreement.

“We have decided to reconfirm our commitment to the (ceasefire) in Syria and to intensify efforts to ensure its nation-wide implementation,” they said.

“We demand that parties cease any indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including civilian infrastructure and medical facilities.”

Russia’s military intervention last September helped President Bashar Al Assad reverse some rebel gains in the west of the country, including in Aleppo province.

But insurgents captured the town of Khan Touman last week,

inflicting a rare setback on government forces and allied militias who suffered heavy losses in the fighting. Aleppo city is one of the biggest strategic prizes in a war now in its sixth year, and has been divided into government and rebel-held zones through much of the conflict. The Observatory said warplanes struck rebel-held areas of the city early on Monday, and rebels fired shells into government-held neighbourhoods.

Al Manar, the television channel of Damascus’s Hezbollah said on Monday troops had destroyed a tank belonging to insurgents and killed some of its occupants.

On the eastern edge of Damascus, government forces and their allies shelled rebel-held areas and

clashed with insurgents in the area, the Observatory and the rebel force Jaish Al Islam said.

Three people were killed and 13 wounded in air strikes on Idlib, it said. Jaish Al Islam agreed with a rival rebel group, Failaq Al Rahman, that both would vacate a town they have been fiercely fighting over for almost two weeks, the Observatory said.

Agreed The groups, two of the strongest operating in the area, agreed to make no more attempts to militarily occupy the town of Misraba in the Eastern Ghouta suburb of Damascus, and return it to civilian rule. Quiet returned to the town after 13 days of heavy artillery ex-

changes which saw Jaish Al Islam take control of it over the weekend and capture around 50 rival fighters. Saudi Arabia condemned air strikes on a camp for displaced Syrians west of Aleppo last week which killed at least 28 people, saying it was part of “the genocide committed by Bashar Al Assad’s forces against civilians in Syria”.

A Saudi cabinet statement on Monday said the strikes on the camp, alongside the prevention of humanitarian aid deliveries to Syrians, constituted war crimes. Damascus has denied targeting the camp or obstructing aid deliveries.

French Foreign Minister JeanMarc Ayrault, hosting a meeting in Paris of Assad’s opponents, said Syrian government forces and their allies had bombarded hospitals and refugee camps.

“It is not Daesh (IS) that is being attacked in Aleppo, it is the moderate opposition,” Ayrault said.

The US-Russian joint statement said Moscow would work with Syrian authorities “to minimise aviation operations over areas that are predominantly inhabited by civilians or parties to the cessation”.

It also said the two powers would press the rival parties to the conflict to ensure humanitarian deliveries to several towns which have been largely cut off by the fighting.

Ayrault said Monday’s meeting would call on Russia to put pressure on Assad to stop the attacks, adding that humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need.

“Talks must resume, negotiations are the only solution,” he said on radio RTL, ahead of his meeting with ministers from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Britain, as well as Riad Hijab, chief coordinator of the main Syrian opposition negotiating group. The joint statement issued by Washington and Moscow must be implemented, Ayrault said. — Reuters

UAE

Husband of executed woman gets life in prison DUBAI: The husband of a woman who was executed for killing a US kindergarten teacher in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was himself jailed for life on Monday for plotting militant attacks, a government-linked daily said on Monday.

Ala’a Badr Abdullah Al Hashemi, 31, fatally stabbed the teacher in the toilet of an Abu Dhabi shopping mall in December 2014. She was executed - by firing squad, UAE media said - last July after a trial in which she was also convicted of planting a bomb outside the home of an American-Egyptian doctor. Her husband - identified by Emirati media by his initials M.A.H. - was charged in December with planning attacks on tourist buses and an American military base.

M.A.H., 34 at the time of his arrest, was accused of seeking to join IS and giving money to a member of Al Qaeda. The Federal Supreme Court heard that he also plotted to bomb the Yas Marina Formula 1 race track and an IKEA furniture store, according to the Englishlanguage daily The National.

The accused denied all charges and said he has been held in solitary confinement for six months and refused family visits. — Reuters SAUDI ARABIA

Suspected militant killed DUBAI: Saudi security forces said on Monday they had killed a suspected militant during a siege which followed an attack on a police station in the west of the country. Brigadier General Mohammed Al Harithi told Ekhbariya TV that Mohammed Al Maliki had responded with gunfire to appeals for his surrender during the stand-off near the Western city of Taif. — Reuters

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INDIA

Turmoil in parliament over PM’s remark against Sonia Congress disrupted proceedings of parliament over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charge at a poll rally that an Italian court had named Sonia Gandhi in AgustaWestland chopper bribery case

NEW DELHI: Congress on Monday created a storm in parliament and disrupted proceedings over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charge at a poll rally that an Italian court had named Sonia Gandhi in AgustaWestland chopper bribery case.

The Rajya Sabha saw four adjournments in the first two hours because of the continued uproar and sloganeering by Congress members, leading to washout of the Zero Hour and Question Hour.

“Narendra Modi maafi mange.’

Feku Mama maafi maange (Narendra Modi should apologise.

Bluffmaster should apologise),” shouted members of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, which

SPELLING OUT: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on Monday. - PTI / TV GRAB

failed to transact any business except one question during the Question Hour.

In the Lok Sabha too, the issue generated heat soon after it assembled for the day with Congress members raising the matter.

Controversy The Congress questioned how the prime minister could make such allegations when defence minister had not stated this in his reply to debates on the controversy in both the Houses last week.

The opposition party wanted to know which court Modi was quoting. “Pradhan Mantri House mein aao (Prime Minister should come to the House)” and reply, Congress members chanted.

In Rajya Sabha, they demanded an apology from the prime minister, forcing Deputy Chairman P.

J. Kurien to first adjourn the proceedings of the House twice during Zero Hour, first for 10 minutes and then again till 1200 hours.

Again when the House met at noon, Chairman Hamid Ansari’s pleas to allow the Question Hour to function did not evoke any positive response as the Congress members created pandemonium and raised slogans against the prime minister.

At one point, an exasperated Ansari remarked: “It is not becoming of the House”. Do not do that. Allow the question hour to take place.”

In the Lok Sabha, Leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge was heard saying that the prime minister’s comments could influence Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate which are investigating the al-

A9

leged kickbacks in the Rs36 billion VVIP helicopter deal.

Asking “which court has indicted” Sonia Gandhi, Kharge said it was a serious issue and the party might be forced to move Privilege Motion against the prime minister. Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress) said no member in the Lower House or the Upper House, during the debate on AgustaWestland deal, said the UPA leadership had taken money.

Maintaining that Congress had demanded stringent action against any leader or officer found guilty in the case, he said Modi had during poll rallies in south Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu claimed that it was not his statement but an Italian court has said that Sonia was guilty in the case.

He asked why Modi did not intervene in the debates on the issue in either of the House to say this.

Azad noted that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had not named any UPA leader in his reply and the charge was being used to tarnish the image of the Congress and its leadership.

CBI, which is conducting an inquiry in the case, falls directly under the prime minister, he said and asked will the investigating agency not be influenced by such statements.

Anand Sharma (Congress) said the prime minister should come to the House and substantiate the statement he has made.

Kurien said what is being attributed to the prime minister was said outside the House and the Congress can reply to that outside

as well. “The Chair cannot take cognizance of it,” he said, adding “I cannot do anything.”

As Kurien ruled out Sharma’s notice under rule 267 to suspend business to take up the issue, Congress members trooped in the Well raising slogans against the prime minister.

“Is Chair responsible for political speeches,” he asked.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said while no one guilty in the deal will be spared, no innocent will be touched.As the Congress members shouted slogans against prime minister, Naqvi asked Chair to rein them in saying the BJP was also capable of shouting slogans.

According to him, Modi had said “what the world is talking and what the Italian court has said.”

He noted that Modi had not made any policy announcement outside the House and so has not violated any rule.

“It was an election rally speech,” he said, adding that no one who has taken bribe will be spared and the Congress members’ demand will be taken care of.

Sharma asked if the prime minister was pre-empting the CBI investigation since the probe agency comes under him.

Modi, he said, has made a statement which contradicts what the defence minister had said on the floor of the House. He went on to state that prime minister’s statement was violative of norms and dignity of the house. Kurien, however, said the Chair cannot ask the prime minister to come and make a statement on the issue. - PTI

RARE CELESTIAL EVENT

SPECTACULAR: The transit of Mercury, a rare celestial phenomenon, as observed from Worli Sea face in Mumbai on Monday. - PTI

Hundreds witness transit of Mercury NEW DELHI: Hundreds of space enthusiasts in Delhi witnessed a tiny black dot crossing the Sun, marking a rare astronomical event — the Mercury transit as the planet crossed the Sun between 4.43pm. and 7.01pm on Monday.

However, in Srinagar, where astrophysicists and space experts gathered under the aegis of Indian Astronomical Congress to witness the transit had to rely on webcasting from Noida, as clouds blocked the Sun in the valley.

“It’s a very rare event, as last time it occurred in 2006 but was not visible in India. The next transit is due 16 years from now, which is a long time. The cloudy weather here in Srinagar, did obstruct the observation but the live streaming helped a lot,” Prof. Manzoor Malik, HOD Physics, Kashmir University, said on phone from Srinagar. In the national capital, people, especially children were mesmerized after watching the rare celestial event at the Nehru Planetarium. -IANS

U T TA R A K H A N D

Nine disqualified MLAs cannot vote in Tuesday’s floor test NAINITAL/NEW DELHI: Sacked chief minister Harish Rawat on Monday got a major boost ahead of the confidence vote in the Uttarakhand Assembly on Tuesday with the high court dismissing the petition of nine Congress MLAs challenging their disqualification and the Supreme Court refusing to give any relief to them.

It is advantage Rawat as Justice U. C.Dhyani of the high court dismissed two writ petitions filed by the rebel Congress MLAs against the Speaker’s action, holding that by their conduct the lawmakers have “voluntarily given up membership of their political party”, a ground for disqualification under the anti-defection law.

“This court, subject to scrutiny of Speaker’s action on the principles of natural justice, therefore, holds that the ingredients of paragraph 2 (1) (a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution are met against the petitioners.

“By their conduct, it has been established that they have ‘voluntarily given up membership of their political party’ even if they have not become members of any other

political party,” Justice U. C. Dhyani said in his 57-page judgement.

After excluding the nine disqualified MLAs, the Assembly has an effective strength of 61 members. Of that, the Congress has 27 MLAs on its own and claims the backing of six-member PDF to make the ruling side’s figure of 33.

Rawat needs the backing of 31 MLAs for a simple majority.

The BJP has 28 MLAs, including that of Bhim Lal Arya whose loyalty is in doubt.

The PDF comprises two of Bahujan Samaj Party, one of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and three Independents.

Judgement The high court judgement referred to the joint memorandum signed by the nine MLAs along with the BJP legislators and given to the Governor on March 18 and said dissent is not defection and the Tenth Schedule while recognising dissent prohibits defection.

“The instant case is an illustration of the fact that the petitioners have not only deserted the leader and deserted the government, but

ELATED: Former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat is greeted by Con-

gress party workers in Dehradun after the Supreme Court upheld the disqualification of nine rebels Congress MLAs on Monday. - PTI

under the garb of dissent, they have, by their conduct, deserted the party, otherwise they would not have said in the joint memorandum that they voted against the Appropriation Bill, it was not passed, the Government is in mi-

nority and, therefore, the Cabinet of Harish Rawat be dismissed.

“There is a thin line of difference between deserting the Leader/Government and deserting the party. Dissent is permissible only so long as it does not tread into the

realm of ‘voluntarily relinquishing the membership of the party’.

“If dissent is permitted to unfathomable limit, then it will amount to deserting the party and would also tantamount to ‘voluntarily giving up his membership of such political party’ under Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule,” Justice Dhyani said.

Shortly after the high court verdict, the MLAs moved the Supreme Court challenging the order and sought an immediate relief of being allowed to participate in Tuesday’s floor test in the Assembly.

“The prayer for interim relief (for stay of the HC judgement) can be considered on the date of next hearing,” an apex court bench comprising Justices Dipak Mishra and Shiva Kirti Singh said while fixing the matter for hearing on July 12.

It issued notice to Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, who had disqualified the MLAs. Justice Dhyani said his order will not come in the way of the affected MLAs to approach the Speaker for a review of his action.

Earlier, Counsel for the disquali-

fied MLAs, C. A. Sundaram, mentioned the matter before Chief Justice of India T. S. Thakur about the high court verdict that had come earlier in the day.

The CJI asked the counsel to approach the bench which had on Friday ordered the floor test.

The bench of Justice Mishra and Justice Singh allowed the Centre’s plea for modification of its Friday order appointing the Principal Secretary (Legislative Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs) of Uttarakhand government to oversee conduct of the floor test on Tuesday.

Ordering a floor test on May 10 in the Assembly, the Supreme Court had said “if they (disqualified MLAs) have the same status” at the time of vote of confidence, they cannot participate in the House.

A specially convened twohour-long session during which the President’s Rule will be kept in abeyance will be held between 11am and 1pm for a “single agenda” of floor test, a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh had said. - PTI

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

INDIA

...(the jungle raj barb) is a subjective approach of the BJP. For them the person committing a crime is more important. But for me the incident is more significant irrespective of the person or his family’s standing Nitish Kumar, Bihar chief minister

MURDER OF YOUTH

Nitish brushes aside ‘jungle raj’ barb over Gaya incident PATNA: Brushing aside Opposition barb of “return of jungle raj” in the wake of murder of a youth in Gaya allegedly at the hands a Janata Dal-United JD(U) MLC’s son, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday asserted “rule of law prevails” in east Indian state of Bihar and culprit cannot escape the “long arms of law”. “...(the jungle raj barb) is a subjective approach of the BJP. For them the person committing a crime is more important. But for me the incident is more significant irrespective of the person or his family’s standing,” Kumar told reporters after the ‘Janata ke Darbar me Mukhya Mantri’ programme here.

Twenty-year-old Aditya Sach-

deva was shot dead allegedly by Rakesh Ranjan Yadav alias Rocky Kumar Yadav, son of JD (U) MLC Manorama Devi, when the former overtook over the latter’s SUV. Giving details of the police action into the incident, Kumar said the accused’s father Bindi Yadav and Manorama Devi’s bodyguard were arrested soon after the incident. The bodyguard, a policeman, has been suspended.

“An SIT has been constituted and the police is on hot pursuit of the fugitive offender....the police is working independently without any influence from any quarter,” he said.

Kumar was reacting to a question on BJP observing a bandh in

Gaya on Monday to protest against “return of jungle raj”.

Seeking to turn the tables on BJP, he said, “What is happening in Delhi where police are under direct control of the Central government? Go through the latest data of National Crime Record Bureau to find out where Bihar stands in term of crime rate,” he said.

Asked if action would be initiated also against Manorama Devi, the chief minister did not give a categorical answer but said “a thorough probe is on in the incident and nobody would be spared.”

“How long can one run away from law whose arms are very long?” the chief minister said.

Kumar said for him the meaning

of “rule of law” is not about who is committing a crime but what action is taken immediately in the case of any such event.

Expressing pain over the incident, the chief minister said, “Can anybody claim that there will be no single incident of crime. Criminal acts take place due to many reasons like mindset of the offenders or situation prevailing at the time of the act.”

Taking on opposition BJP which has gone hammer and tongs against him in the wake of the incident, the chief minister said, “What did they do all those seven-and-a-half year of being with me except ‘chadar taan ke sona’ (sleeping peacefully)?” - PTI

ALL EARS: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar listening to the problems of people during ‘Janata Ka Darbar’ programme in Patna on Monday. - PTI

BJP shows PM’s degrees, asks Kejriwal to apologise In a bid to set at rest the row over Modi’s educational qualifications, Amit Shah and Arun Jaitley released the graduation degree taken from Delhi University and the masters’ degree from Gujarat University

NEW DELHI: BJP on Monday released copies of BA and MA degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in response to Aam Aadmi Party’s allegations questioning his degree from Delhi but AAP hit back saying the documents were “forged” and had “glaring discrepancies” in them.

In a bid to set at rest the row over Modi’s educational qualifications, BJP President Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addressed a press conference where they released the graduation degree taken from Delhi University and the masters’ degree from Gujarat University.

The two leaders launched a blistering attack on AAP leader and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accusing him of lowering the pub-

BRIEFING: BJP President Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a press conference to show the degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. - PTI

lic discourse by spreading “lies” and substituting governance with “politics of adventurism”.

They demanded an apology from him. Shah and Jaitley alleged that Kejriwal has tried to turn a “lie” into truth by running a campaign to mislead the people of the country.

Allegations Jaitley said the kind of allegations that have been levelled against Modi threatens “federal polity” in the country when a Union Territory indulges in “irresponsible behaviour” to attack the prime minister. They challenged the Delhi chief minister to verify his claims.

“Arvind Kejriwal has been spreading lies about the prime minister’s credentials. He has committed the sin of defaming the

country. It is very unfortunate that we have to hold a press conference about the prime minister’s educational qualification.

“When you do not have any proof, how can you spread allegations. He should apologise to the entire nation,” said Shah, adding he will also write a letter to Kejriwal to satisfy his queries. When asked about the authenticity of Modi’s BA degree, Shah told a reporter to check it with the Delhi University. Jaitley said it was ironical that such a charge has come from a political party several of whose MLAs are being prosecuted for having fake degrees.

“The politics of adventurism is being treated as a substitute for governance,” he said.

Kejriwal has been alleging that the prime minister’s BA degree is

fake and that it was obtained by a namesake of him from Alwar.

Shortly later, however, an unfazed AAP continued to persist with its claims on the issue. AAP leader Ashutosh addressed a press conference in which he claimed Modi’s name does not match in the BA mark sheet and that of the MA degree and even claimed that there were discrepancies in the year of passing as well.

“Nakal ke liye bhi akal ki zaroorat hai (One needs brains even to copy). The BA mark sheet is dated 1978 while the degree is of the year 1979. His name in the BA mark sheet is Narendra Kumar Damodardas Modi while in Masters degree, it is Narendra Damoderdas Modi,” said the AAP leader.

He said there were discrepancies in the PM’s name even at the

BA level with it being recorded as ‘Narendra Kumar Damodardas Modi’ in one of the mark sheets while it was spelt as ‘Narendra Damoderdas Modi’ in the degree certificate. Even in BA mark sheets, another AAP leader Dilip Pandey said, surname is spelt “Modi” in one case while it changes to “Mody” in another.

Last week, the Delhi chief minister had said that he can assert with “full responsibility” that Delhi University’s records have no mention of “Narendra Damodardas Modi” and that one “Narendra Kumar Mahavir Prasad Modi” from Alwar had taken admission in 1975.

Kejriwal had said the issue was not whether the PM was “10th pass or 12th pass” but that he has furnished “fake” certificates and “cheated” the people of the country. Jaitley said there cannot be a bigger example of an “Aam Aadmi” than Modi as despite being in public life, he would travel from Gujarat to Delhi in the 70s to take BA examination as an external student. “I knew this because I was a student union leader in Delhi University then as he would stay in ABVP office in 33, Bungalow Road here,” he added.

Taking a jibe at AAP, he said it should have rather praised Modi for his educational achievements as a common man for whom it is supposed to speak. “Without checking up any fact, AAP levelled such allegations. It is public discourse at its lowest level,” he said.

Asked whether a case of defamation would be filed against Kejriwal, Shah ruled it out.

He also attacked Congress’ Manish Tewari and JD (U) leader K. C. Tyagi for supporting Kejriwal on the issue. - PTI

CHECK POLLUTION

Centre launches nine steps to conserve Ganga SAHIBGANJ (Jharkhand): In line with the Centre’s efforts to conserve Ganga, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Monday launched a series of initiatives to check pollution in the river and improve sanitation practices among villagers staying along its stretch Jharkhand.

Speaking at an event here, she said nine initiatives have been taken for effective management of solid and liquid waste and participation of local governing agencies in the same.

Bharti, according to an official statement, said eight village-level crematoriums, 32 bathing ghats and 40 community toilets will be constructed along the 83-km stretch of the river in the state.

She stated that more than 10,000 soak pits will be constructed through community participation to contain and dispose surplus waste water emerging from households and community-managed hand pumps of the villages.

The government will undertake community-led construction of 1.52 lakh metres of open channel drains in the project villages to ensure “speedy and safe” disposal of domestic waste, she said.

The BJP leader emphasised that improving health and quality of life of 45,000 households from 78 villages located along Ganga River basin in the state, as the “main aim” of the projects.

Bharti said 78 units will be established in the hamlets for collection, storage and composting of degradable solid waste and for setting up small enterprises for nonbiodegradable material. The minister stated that 5,460 households will be supported for adoption of composting facilities using vermin composting for productive use of animal and agro-waste . - PTI

D RY W E AT H E R

Armed guards protect remaining water in drought-parched Tikamgarh city TIKAMGARH (India): Authorities in this drought-parched city in central India have deployed round-the-clock armed guards at a river-fed community reservoir to prevent farmers from siphoning the remaining water for irrigation.

With rainfall in Tikamgarh district this year 52 per cent below average — the second dry year for the area — water is now available to city residents only sporadically, with fears even that may run out during the peak heat months of May and June, authorities say.

Forty-seven-year-old Suryakant Tiwari, one city resident, said his family and many others now have drinking and household water supplied only once every five days.

“I have not seen such a condition in my lifetime. Almost every water source in the area has dried up. We don’t know how we will survive,” he said.

Prohibited Farmers have been prohibited from drawing water from reservoirs to irrigate their crops. But Tikamgarh Municipal Corporation officials fear farmers from adjoining Uttar Pradesh state — whose farms border the Bari Ghat dam, fed by the Jumuniya River — are poaching water to try to keep their crops alive.

“If crops continue to be irrigated using the river water, it is not going to last long and there will be severe crisis during the summer season,” warned Laxmi Giri, the Tikamgarh

SCORCHING SUMMER: Residential apartments are seen next to the dried-up Ratanpura lake on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India on Saturday. The drought-ravaged Bundelkhand, a region in central India spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, is suffering some of the worst drought in memory. - Reuters/Amit Dave

municipal corporation president.

“Our priority is to supply drinking water to the people.” The Jamuniya River is the only source of drinking water for over 100,000 people in Tikamgarh, she said.

But “farmers of the neighbouring state try to open the gates of the dam and draw water illegally using pipelines. We’re therefore compelled to deploy guards,” Giri said.

Tikamgarh is hardly alone. The drought-ravaged Bundelkhand, a region in central India spread over

the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, is suffering some of the worst drought in memory.

Crops in the area have been badly hit, cattle are dying of thirst and lack of grazing, and there are growing fears that even drinking water could run dry before the monsoon is expected to begin in June.

“All the ponds, reservoirs and water bodies which earlier supplied water in areas of Tikamgarh have dried up. With no water available for irrigation, farmers have

abandoned their crops and are migrating to nearby urban areas in search of livelihood and for sustenance. Life is really hard for them,” said Rajendra Adhvrayu, a local journalist who writes on water issues in the region.

“The situation has never been so bad,” he added. “This is for the first time that the tussle over water has degenerated into a battle of sorts.

We fear the situation will be grave during the coming months.”

The Jamuniya River sepa-

rates Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh states along some of its length. A 1974 water sharing pact gives Madhya Pradesh 17 per cent of the water stored in the Jamuniya Dam in Uttar Pradesh.

Madhya Pradesh stores its share in five dams, including the Bari Ghat. But this year, water is available only in Bari Ghat dam. Water in the four other dams — Harpura, Charpuva, Madiya and Sudan — has run out. Giri said authorities in Tikamgarh had shut off the electrical supply to farmers in neighbourhing Uttar Pradesh to try to prevent pumping of water from the dam for irrigation.

Farmers have instead turned to using diesel pumps to pull water from the reservoir, he said. “The administration has failed to convince them not to draw water illegally from the dam,” she said.

Heat waves Meanwhile, the Indian Met Department’s prediction that the entire country could be abnormally hot in May and June, with longer and more severe heat waves, has unnerved many people in the Bundelkhand.

India’s weather office has predicted that monsoon rains are likely to be above average this year, a potential source of relief. But the rains, normally due the second week of June, have been regularly delayed in recent years. Jayant Verma, a resident of Tikamgarh, said moving elsewhere to find wa-

ter, even temporarily, is not an option for many families.

“My children attend the school here. I have a job here. I can’t go to any other place along with my family. I don’t know what we shall do.

The government has failed to provide any relief so far,” he said.

The search for water has become so intense that in many places — including Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori district — children are descending into deep, almost-dry wells to try to fetch what little water is available, residents said. In some areas of the Bundelkhand, farmers have been unable to sow any crops this year, they said, and animals are at risk.

“Animals are dying without water. We can’t do anything,” said Kanta Prasad, a resident of the Jatara sub-district of Tikamgarh.

“If we give water to anmals, there’ll be none left for us. We’re feeling so helpless. Every drop of water counts.” The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan has promised that drinking water will be made available to those who need it. He said the government has prepared a contingency plan to address the worsening drought, and announced a high-level review of the situation in the region.

Residents, meanwhile, can do little but wait for rain, and worry.

“What will happen if the monsoon is delayed?” asked Adhvrayu.

“Or it plays truant, as in previous years?” - Thomson Reuters Foundation

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

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PAKISTAN

World Bank seeks more reforms

the labour force

decades of under-investment.

Businesses say frequent power outages hurt growth and investment.

“To me, the whole story around power reforms is still only half done,” Patchamuthu told Reuters in an interview.

He said Pakistan must tackle its so-called circular debt problem, which stems from unpaid government subsidies that build up until power plant owners cannot afford fuel. It stands at about $3 billion.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan must speed up reform of the energy sector and bring more women into the labour force if it wants to quicken economic growth that lags far behind regional peers, the World Bank’s country representative said on Monday.

The World Bank expects Pakistan’s economy to expand by 4.5 per cent in 2016, missing the government’s 5.5 per cent target and trailing behind other South Asian nations where growth is ex-

Electricity rationing The government expects its electricity rationing system of “loadshedding” to end by 2018 after it signed more than $30 billion in energy generation projects as part of the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Project.

But efforts to privatise a host of electricity distribution companies have stalled, as have other reforms.

Patchamuthu said the government has been focused on power generation, but it must also seek to improve distribution and upgrade ancient transmission systems.

Illango Patchamuthu, the bank’s country director, urged Pakistan to bring more women into

ADVICE: Women workers sew fabrics at a garment factory in Karachi. — Reuters file photo

pected to average about 7 per cent this year.

The bank sees 2017 growth edging up to 4.8 per cent in Pakistan, a nation of 190 million people.

Experts say the economy needs

HAUTE COUTURE Models present the creation of designer Rang Ja on the last day of Bridal Couture Week in Karachi on Sunday. — AFP

ACTIVIST

INNOCENT VICTIM: Parveen Rehman was murdered in Karachi on March 13, 2013. — Express Tribune

Parveen murder suspect sent on two-week remand KARACHI: The prime suspect in Parveen Rehman’s murder case was remanded on Monday into police custody for two weeks in Karachi.

On Saturday, police had arrested the suspect, Rahim Swati, during a raid from Karachi’s Manghopir area and recovered a 9mm pistol and a hand-grenade from his possession. Swati’s son Imran Swati was already in the custody of law enforcement agencies.

Orangi Pilot Project Parveen, the director of the Orangi Pilot Project, was gunned down by unidentified armed motorcyclists in a drive by shooting near Banaras Flyover on March 13, 2013.

According to the investigating officer, Swati is under investiga-

tion for his alleged involvement in an encounter [with police] as well as for the murder of the social activist.

Next hearing Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court has sought a report from police to apprise the court on the next hearing of the case on May 20.

Talking to the media on April 7, SSP Azfar Mahesar said Swati was arrested from the Manghopir’s Sultanabad area with the ammunition in his possession.

Further, dozens of suspects involved in land grabbing, water tanker mafia and extortion were also arrested by a joint interrogation team, which concluded that Swati was the key player behind the murder. — Express Tribune

to expand by at least 6 per cent a year to absorb new entrants to the work force.

Illango Patchamuthu, the World Bank country director, said Pakistan had benefited from a collapse

in global oil prices and tough fiscal measures by the government over the past few years to stabilise the economy.

But he urged faster reform in the energy sector, which has suffered

“A lot more needs to be done in the next several years to build up the whole power infrastructure,” he said.

Labour market Patchamuthu said another way for Pakistan to significantly boost growth is reforming its male-dominated labour market, where women account for only 22 per cent of the workforce.

“If Pakistan wants to get to 7-8 percent (growth) with structural reforms, they also have to much more in drawing women into the labour force,” he said.

Many Pakistani men object to women working and in 2014 Pakistan was ranked as the second worst nation in the world for gender equality after Yemen, according to the Global Gender Gap Report published by the World Economic Forum.

“There are social and cultural challenges,” Patchamuthu said.”But if the women are skilled and they are given the right opportunities the economy is only going to bloom and blossom.” — Reuters

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READERS’ FORUM AgustaWestland chopper deal was not transparent This refers to the story, Antony hits back at BJP on AgustaWestland deal (May 9). In light of ongoing assembly polls in a number of Indian states, the BJP seems to be using the issue as a core corrupt practice that Congress had followed during their tenure. Due to difference of opinions within the Congress itself, the deal has affected the working of Parliament and is making a disturbing situation at the cost of the public. It is obvious that the party leadership is bound to clarify their role, in particular, the then-prime minister.

Perhaps the silence of the prime minister Scan this QR code could be worsening the situation within to send letters to the and troubling the party leadership in Readers’ Forum, reaching a conclusion. As far as common containing not more than 200 words with people are concerned the deal seems to not full name, address have materialised with enough transparand telephone ency. Antony too holds sole responsibility number, may be sent in explaining and clarifying the guidelines by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com). followed in the process of awarding the contract. Meanwhile, the silence of key party leaders invite doubtful scenarios, whether they involved in the deal either directly or indirectly, Congress must show their might as being a well-rooted political party in India explain its openness while they were in power. — Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi

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SPIKE MILLIGAN

Triumphs, struggles of Arab startups

HAROLD JAMES

What would happen if the UK were to embark on the two-year exit process mandated by the Treaty of Lisbon? Could it work in the existing European Economic Area (the so-called Norwegian solution)? Or should it pursue a host of bilateral agreements (the “Swiss solution”)?

T

he recent STEP conference in Dubai – the biggest startup conference for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region – attracted a lot of buzz. It seemed to indicate that the region’s startup scene was coming of age. Yet MENA entrepreneurs are still facing serious structural impediments to progress.

The successes of the region’s startups should not be underestimated. According to Wamda, a regional accelerator platform, more than a dozen startups – including Bayt, Careem, MarkaVIP, Namshi, News Group, Propertyfinder, and Wadi. com – now have estimated valuations above $100 million. Souq.com, a 3,000-employee company founded in 2005, is poised to be the region’s first “unicorn,” with a valuation above $1 billion.

Yet the regional environment remains far from conducive to entrepreneurship. Beyond the wars, terrorism, and political turbulence plaguing the Arab world – not to mention the usual challenges facing entrepreneurs outside Silicon Valley, such as lack of adequate risk capital, talent, or infrastructure – is a slew of deeprooted structural problems.

One of those problems relates to enterprise demographics. According to one study, in 2011, family businesses represented up to 70 per cent of the MENA private-sector economy – a higher share than in any other region. This means that a large segment of the business community raises funds, shares equity, and manages operations within small, tight-knit social circles.

A second major hindrance to innovative entrepreneurship in the MENA region lies in the way governments manage their critical role as clients. Through the procurement of goods and services – which comprises about 10-15 per cent of GDP in developed countries and up to 20 per cent of GDP in developing countries – governments can serve as important drivers of growth and innovation. Silicon Valley’s genesis and growth, it should be recalled, was propelled by government contracts and procurement.

But in MENA countries, the conditions for doing business with the government – including tendering requirements, payment schedules, and bureaucratic demands – tend to be prohibitive for small firms (10-50 employees). With small businesses unable to access the market

for public goods and services, they miss out on important opportunities to mature and expand, which limits their capacity to spur broader economic growth and development.

A third major impediment to innovative entrepreneurship in MENA countries relates to the industrial structure. Construction, banking, telecommunications, tourism, and traditional manufacturing represent a significant share of the region’s private-sector economy. Companies in these industries tend to be not only familyowned, but also large in size and heavy in capital investment, and they do not typically view startups as potential strategic business partners.

All of this implies high barriers to entry for new businesses, which face severely limited opportunities to disrupt, spin off, or even leverage major industries. Even startups that make some initial headway struggle to scale up in the B2B sector. Unsurprisingly, in these major industries, disruptive entrepreneurship and innovation tend to arrive slowly and late. While telecommunications is something of an exception in this sense, even its development is hampered by government regulation.

MENA startups have achieved the most success online, where the large established players did not show early interest and barriers to entry, in terms of capital investment and market access, are relatively low. Indeed, most of the successful companies in this domain sell directly to consumers and conduct transactions via digital payment services that enable them to avoid transactional barriers, such as government procurement regulations and high bank fees.

The progress that such startups have managed to achieve highlights their potential to spearhead innovation and generate economic growth. It should thus serve as a powerful incentive for MENA governments and businesses to change their approach. Specifically, governments should do more to leverage their spending to support new, innovative businesses, while established companies should open up their operations and cooperate with startups to scale up innovative activities that can inject dynamism into markets.

Startups are proven hubs of innovation and drivers of economic growth, employment, and development. It is time for the MENA countries to make the most of that potential. - Project Syndicate

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES MAY 2001 New MSM chief is from private sector MUSCAT: Ahmed Saleh Al Marhoon, general manager of Financial Services Company SAOG, one of the leading stock companies in the Sultanate, will take over as the new director general of the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) from July 1, 2001. For the first time in the history of the exchange, MSM will have a director general from the private sector, and it seems that the 12-year old Omani Stock exchange is on the verge of privatization, marketmen told the the Times of Oman.

PICTOGRAPH

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (RECREATION AND CULTURE) December 2015

January 2016

February 2016

98.8 98.6 98.5

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

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

1773: To keep the troubled East India Company afloat, Parliament passes the Tea Act, taxing all tea in the American colonies.

1794: Elizabeth, the sister of King Louis XVI, is beheaded.

1857: The Bengal Army in India revolts against the British.

1941: WGY-TV in US begins regular television programming.

Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

WORLD

We’re obviously very glad to be out.

We’re going to go and talk to our bosses now. But just relieved to be out Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, BBC journalist

BBC journalist expelled from North Korea over reporting Wingfield-Hayes had ‘distorted facts and realities’ in his coverage, North Korean official O Ryong Il said in announcing that the reporter, who is based in Tokyo, was being expelled and would never be let in again

RELIEVED: BBC reporter Rupert Wingfield-Hayes speaks to journalists after arriving at the international airport in Beijing on Monday. - AFP

PYONGYANG: North Korea expelled a BBC journalist on Monday over his reporting, the broadcaster and a North Korean official said, as a large group of foreign media members visited the isolated country to cover a rare ruling party congress.

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes was detained on Friday as he was about to leave the country and taken away for eight hours of questioning and “made to sign a statement”, the network reported.

The British journalist, accompanied by a BBC producer and

cameraman, arrived in Beijing on Monday evening after a flight from Pyongyang, the North Korean capital.

“We’re obviously very glad to be out. We’re going to go and talk to our bosses now. But just relieved to be out,” Wingfield-Hayes told reporters at the airport before being driven off in a car, along with his colleagues.

Distorted facts and realities Wingfield-Hayes had “distorted facts and realities” in his coverage, North Korean official O Ryong Il

said in announcing that the reporter, who is based in Tokyo, was being expelled and would never be let in again.

“They were speaking very ill of the system, the leadership of the country,” O Ryong Il, who is secretary general of a National Peace Committee, told reporters in Pyongyang, according to a video clip published by the Associated Press. Another BBC correspondent in Pyongyang, John Sudworth, said in a broadcast report there was “disagreement, a concern over the content of Rupert’s reporting”,

A13

including questioning the authenticity of a hospital. In his report of a visit to the children’s hospital in Pyongyang, Wingfield-Hayes said the patients looked “remarkably well” and there was not a real doctor on duty.

“Everything we see looks like a set-up” he said.

In another report, WingfieldHayes noted that his official minders were “rather upset with us” over trying to do a report in front of a statute of founding leader Kim Il Sung.

“They clearly felt we said stuff

that was not respectful,” of Kim, he said in his report.

“Now, we are in trouble,” he said, adding that the BBC team had been told to delete its footage.

Sudworth said in his report Wingfield-Hayes had been prevented from leaving on Friday and taken away. “(He) was separated from the rest of his team, prevented from boarding that flight, taken to a hotel and interrogated by the security bureau here in Pyongyang before being made to sign a statement and then released, eventually allowed to rejoin us here in this hotel,” Sudworth said.

A BBC spokesman said four BBC staff remained in the country and he expected they would be allowed to stay.

“We are very disappointed that our reporter Rupert WingfieldHayes and his team have been deported from North Korea after the government took offence at material he had filed,” the spokesman said.

The eight-hour interrogation was conducted by a man who introduced himself to WingfieldHayes as the person who prosecuted Kenneth Bae, an American missionary who had been held by the North for two years for crimes against the state, said another BBC correspondent in Pyongyang, Stephen Evans.

Bae was released in November 2014. North Korea granted visas to an unusually large group of 128 journalists from 12 countries to coincide with the Workers’ Party congress. - Reuters

BUDGET CUTS

Belgium calls up army to help as guards go on strike in prisons BRUSSELS: Belgium has called up the military to assist in prisons where guards have been on strike for two weeks over what they say is dangerously low staffing due to budget cuts.

Six platoons of 30 soldiers have been mobilised to help police and the Red Cross who are currently at work in prisons in Brussels and the French-speaking region of Wallonia, where prison officers are striking. Both the military and police are already stretched, with increased patrols particularly in Brussels, where suicide bombers killed 32 people at the airport and on the metro on March 22.

The justice ministry said that some of the mobilised soldiers had been deployed at the three largest prisons - two in Brussels and one near the city of Liege. Justice Minister Koen Geens proposed on Friday recruiting 405 new prison officers this year to bring the total to some 7,000, the level at the end of 2015, and offering some extra pay for more flexible working practices. Guards in all prisons rejected the proposal, union leaders said on Monday, adding the promised recruitment was inadequate and would still leave the number of officers down from two years ago.

Conditions in the prisons have worsened and some inmates are not receiving certain basic rights such as showers, three meals a day, family visits and access to lawyers.

Unions have said low staffing has limited access to courses and other activities that can help reduce violence and prevent prisoners from reoffending. — Reuters

CYBER HEIST

Technicians from SWIFT left Bangladesh Bank exposed to hackers: Police DHAKA/BOSTON: Bangladesh’s central bank became more vulnerable to hackers when technicians from SWIFT, the global financial network, connected a new bank transaction system to SWIFT messaging three months before a $81 million cyber heist, Bangladeshi police and a bank official alleged.

The technicians introduced the vulnerabilities when they connected SWIFT to Bangladesh’s first real-time gross settlement

(RTGS) system, said Mohammad Shah Alam, the head of the criminal investigation department of the Bangladesh police who is leading the probe into one of the biggest cyber-heists in the world.

“We found a lot of loopholes,” Alam said in an interview in Dhaka.”The changes caused much more risk for Bangladesh Bank.”

He and a senior central bank official said the SWIFT employees made missteps in connecting the

RTGS to the central bank’s messaging platform. The technicians did not appear to have followed their own procedures to ensure the system was secure, according to the Bangladesh Bank official, who said he was not authorised to publicly comment because of the ongoing investigation.

Because of this, SWIFT messaging at the central bank was widely accessible, including remote access with only a simple password,

CONTROVERSY

Panama Papers law firm apologises to Chinese bank over massive leak HONG KONG/BEIJING: The law firm at the centre of the “Panama Papers” offshore tax haven controversy has written an apology to a Chinese banking client as it seeks to shore up its Asian business following a massive leak of financial data last month, according to a copy of the letter seen

by Reuters.

The letter was written by Mossack Fonseca in response to queries from the Chinese bank about compliance with global financial standards. It is not known whether there were similar communications with other financial institutions, but the letter shows at least one bank client in the firm’s biggest market was concerned by issues raised in the publicity surrounding the leak.

In the undated letter to the mid-tier Shanghai-based lender, signed by Mossack Fonseca’s regional general manager, the shell company specialist said it “deeply regrets” any misuse of its services or the companies it set up.

“If the unauthorised illegal leaks from Mossack Fonseca company servers have created any inconvenience for (the bank) and your clients, we wish to once again apologise,” it added.

‘Deepened confusion’ A Mossack Fonseca spokesperson said reporting of the leak had “deepened confusion” about the nature of its business.

“As such, we are routinely speaking to our clients and other related parties that have questions to explain that ... nothing in the illegally obtained cache of documents suggests we have done anything wrong or illegal,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Leaks from the Panama Papers, named after the law firm’s central American home base, have embarrassed some leading politicians around the world with their chronicling of a shadowy world of offshore holdings and hidden wealth.

The source who provided the letter requested that the stateowned bank not be named to protect their identity due to the sensitivity of the subject in China.

A former Mossack Fonseca employee in China said the bank was a major client. Mossack Fonseca has also replaced several key staff in a shake-up of its operations in China, according to a person familiar with the matter and a second former employee.

Relatives and business associates of eight senior Chinese Communist Party figures — including President Xi Jinping’s brotherin-law — are named as beneficiaries of offshore holding companies in the leaked documents.

None have made any comment and it was not clear if any were clients of the Shanghai bank.

The letter to the state-owned bank was signed by Maria Mercedes Sadowski, who became regional general manager for Asia in January 2016, according to her LinkedIn profile. - Reuters

police said. It had no firewalls and only a rudimentary switch.

“It was the responsibility of SWIFT to check for weaknesses once they had set up the system.

But it does not appear to have been done,” said the bank official.

SWIFT’s chief spokeswoman Natasha de Teran said she had no comment on the allegations by authorities in Bangladesh.

She also declined comment on any aspect of the Bangladesh pro-

ject, including whether the firm had deployed any employees or outside contractors to Bangladesh Bank. Reuters was not able to independently verify the allegations

by Bangladeshi officials about the SWIFT technicians.

If they are validated, however, that could undermine confidence in the cooperative that is the backbone of global financial transactions. The officials in Dhaka discussed their findings ahead of a

meeting this week in Basel, Switzerland where Bangladesh Bank officials have said their governor and a lawyer appointed by the bank will discuss recovery of about $81 million stolen by the hackers with the head of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a senior executive from SWIFT. Bangladesh Bank officials have said they believed SWIFT, and the New York Fed, bear some responsibility for the February cyber heist. - Reuters

A 14

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

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Duterte leads in Philippines presidential election race Rivals far behind in unofficial vote count; city mayor Rodrigo Duterte proposes multilateral talks on South China Sea

MANILA: Firebrand city mayor Rodrigo Duterte looked virtually certain to become the Philippines’ next president as election results poured in on Monday, confirmation that the political outsider’s pledges to crush crime and corruption had resonated with voters.

Five hours after polling stations had closed, a rolling ballot count by an election commissionaccredited watchdog showed that Duterte had about 39 per cent of the votes cast. An exit poll of a small number of voters showed a similar lead. Asked by a television interviewer what he thought about his apparent victory, Duterte gave a puzzling answer.

“Sometimes I’m victorious and the winner, sometimes there’s always losing and being sad, sometimes being sick and healthy,” he told CNN Philippines, slouched in a chair and dressed casually in a checked, short-sleeve shirt.

“That is how the universe is being played every day.”

Comparisons The 71-year-old’s truculent defiance of political tradition has drawn comparisons with US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, as have his references to his libido.

His man-of-the-people demeanour tapped into popular disgust with the political estabLOWER HOUSE

Acting speaker of Brazil annuls Rousseff’s impeachment BRASILIA: The acting speaker of the lower house of Brazil’s Congress annulled the impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff on Monday and called for a new vote in the chamber.

Waldir Maranhao, who took over as acting speaker last week, said there were procedural flaws in the April 17 vote in the chamber that accepted impeachment charges against Rousseff.

After last month’s lower house vote, the impeachment process was passed to the Senate, where a Senate committee recommended on Friday that the leftist president be put on trial by the full chamber for breaking budget laws.

In a news release, Maranhao said the impeachment process should be returned by the Senate so that the lower house can vote again.

It remained unclear whether his decision could be overruled by the Supreme Court, the Senate or a majority in the house.

Brazilian markets fell sharply after the surprising decision was announced.

Rousseff, who denies wrongdoing, has been fighting for her political survival for several months as opposition congressmen push aggressively for her ouster. — Reuters

MOVING TOWARDS VICTORY: Presidential candidate Rodrigo ‘Digong’ Duterte talks to the media before casting his vote at a polling precinct for national elections at Daniel Aguinaldo National High School in Davao city in southern Philippines, on Monday. – Reuters

lishment over its failure to tackle poverty and inequality despite several uninterrupted years of robust economic growth.

His incendiary rhetoric and advocacy of extrajudicial killings to stamp out crime and drugs have, however, alarmed many who hear echoes of the Southeast Asian country’s authoritarian past.

The election numbers reported by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) had, by 1420GMT, accounted for about 70 per cent of the 54 million registered Filipino voters.

Duterte had 12.1 million votes, with Senator Grace Poe and the government’s candidate, Manuel Roxas, far behind with about 6.8 million each.

The PPCRV count is not official

so confirmation of Duterte’s victory looked likely to come from his rivals conceding defeat. In an early indication of his unorthodoxy, Duterte told reporters on Monday that if he became president he would seek multilateral talks to resolve disputes over the South China Sea. The outgoing administration has asked a court of arbitration in The Hague to recognise its right to exploit waters in the South China Sea, a case it hoped could bolster claims by other countries against Beijing in the resource-rich waters. Duterte said negotiations should include Japan, Australia and the United States, which is traditionally the region’s dominant security player and contests Beijing’s development of islands

and rocky outcrops in the South China Sea. The presidential race was one of the most divisive in years, with outgoing leader Benigno Aquino and rival candidates warning of a disaster if Duterte makes good on his promises. Duterte talked of making peace with his rivals after a “virulent” campaign and reiterated that, as president, he would give police a green light to use deadly force against criminals.

“If they put up a good fight and refuse to surrender and if you feel your life is in jeopardy, shoot.

You have my authority,” he said in Davao City, where he has been mayor for 22 years.

At least 11 people were killed in violence before voting started, but otherwise the election was most-

ly smooth with voting machine problems at only a few dozen polling stations. Voters also cast ballots for the vice president, 300 lawmakers and about 18,000 local government officials.

“Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, looked on course to become vice president with a narrow lead as the votes were being counted.

Duterte’s entertaining speeches, often loaded with profanities, have shed little light on his policies beyond going after gangsters and drug pushers.

He has been vague on what he would do to spur an economy that has averaged growth at around 6 per cent under Aquino.

In a report on Monday, ratings agency S&P Global said a Duterte presidency would create uncertainty, especially if he picks fights with the political elite.

“He could take some time getting used to the many compromises required in the national leadership position,” it said.

One indication of that came on Monday as Duterte told reporters he planned to loosen restrictions on foreign ownership of companies across all industries, which could meet with resistance from protectionist forces. One of Duterte’s economic advisors told Reuters that spending on education will be lifted to benefit “disadvantaged regions” and agriculture and rural development will be prioritised to spread wealth more evenly across the country.

“Everything seems to be in imperial Manila. He wants to give more attention to the lagging, the backward regions which have been neglected,” said Ernesto Pernia, professor emeritus of economics at the University of the Philippines. Pernia said the pursuit of tax evaders and corrupt officials should bolster government revenues to fund the extra spending. — Reuters

E L E C T O R A L D E F E AT

Austrian chancellor quits after party revolt VIENNA: Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann resigned on Monday, bowing to a revolt from inside his Social Democratic Party after it suffered humiliating electoral defeat by a resurgent far right.

Faymann, chancellor since December 2008, paid the price for a series of election losses by his SPO party and its coalition partner, the conservative People’s Party, while the anti-immigration, far-right Freedom Party (FPO) made gains.

After a first-round vote in a presidential election two weeks ago in which the FPO achieved a record score to the embarrassment of the coalition partners, opposition within the Social Democratic Party (SPO) grew into open revolt.

“Do I have full cover... strong support within the party? I must say the answer is no,” Faymann said in a statement on Monday.

“I draw the consequences from this low level of support and step down from my positions as party leader and federal chancellor,” he added, without specifying when the decision would take effect.

Conservative Vice Chancellor Reinhold Mittelehner will take over in an interim capacity, a spokeswoman for Austrian President Heinz Fischer said. Mitterlehner also said he saw no need for a snap election, news agency APA reported.

Faymann, renowned as a political survivor, was booed at a party rally on May Day, with opponents in the crowd holding up placards saying “Resign!”

The party’s leadership is due to meet on Monday afternoon to decide on a future course, which could have included replacing Faymann. He had come under pressure from some in his party over his policy of tighter restrictions on immigration and asylumseekers - something partly undertaken to counter the rise of the anti-immigration and eurosceptic FPO. — Reuters

DESTRUCTIVE BLAZE

Canadian officials to inspect fire-ravaged town LAC LA BICHE (ALBERTA): Canadian officials on Monday planned to take their first look at the oil boom town ravaged by the nation’s most destructive wildfire in recent memory as the blaze turned away from populated areas and cooler weather slowed its spread.

Alberta’s premiere, Rachel Notley, was set to lead local officials and media on an inspection of oil sands boomtown Fort McMurray, whose 88,000 inhabitants barely had time to flee the blaze that broke out on May 1. Notley warned the nation to brace for grim images, with entire neighborhoods destroyed, though the flames had moved far enough away from the town to make an inspection safe, officials said.

“The head of the fire is well away from the community. There’s been some growth, but limited growth, and that’s due to the change in weather,” said wildfire information officer Matthew Anderson on CBC television. Firefighters hoped that cooler, possibly rainy, weather would aid in the battle against the blaze. Temperatures cooled on Monday, with a forecast high of 10C (50°F), down from Sunday’s high of 17 C (63°F), with Environment Canada forecasting a 40 per cent chance of showers in Fort McMurray.

The cool weather was expected to linger through Thursday. Still, much of the province of Alberta in western Canada is tinder-box

INFERNO: A wildfire burns near Highway 63 south of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, on Sunday. – Reuters

dry after a mild winter and warm spring. Alberta’s government said Monday the fire had consumed 161,000 hectares (395,000 acres), an estimate unchanged from Sunday. It had expanded to within 40 kilometers (25 miles) of the border of Saskatchewan, a province east of Alberta, but was not expected to

cross into the neighbouring province, said Travis Fairweather, an Alberta wildlife information officer. Officials said it was too early to know when the thousands of evacuees camped out in nearby towns could go back to Fort McMurray, even if their homes were intact.

The city’s gas has been turned off,

its power grid is damaged and the water is undrinkable. Fort McMurray is the centre of Canada’s oil sands region. About half of its crude output, or 1 million barrels per day, has been taken offline, according to a Reuters estimate. US oil prices fell 1.8 per cent on Monday morning.

The inferno could become the costliest natural disaster in Canada’s history. One analyst estimated insurance losses could exceed C$9 billion ($7 billion). Nearly all of Fort McMurray’s residents escaped the fire safely, although two people died in a car crash during the evacuation. — Reuters

M A K I N G PAT R I O T I C C A S E

Mocked by colleagues, Cameron argues Britain is safer in EU LONDON: Britain needs the European Union to help fight IS and rebuff a “newly belligerent” Russia, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday, making a “patriotic case” for membership that was immediately mocked by a one-time ally.

With just over six weeks to go before a referendum, both sides of the debate are sharpening their arguments, with Conservative former London mayor, Boris Johnson, attacking the prime minister

for scaremongering by suggesting that Britain could trigger World War Three if it left the 28-member bloc. Cameron, setting out the security argument for Britain to vote to remain in the EU on June 23, drew on military history, invoking the memory of wartime leader Winston Churchill to bolster his case that “isolationism has never served this country well”.

But it was his words that the EU had helped secure peace for 70 years that were seized upon

by “Out” campaigners, who questioned whether he could seriously believe that a British exit, or Brexit, could see troops on the move in Europe again.

“I want to show that if you love this country, if you want to keep it strong in the world and keep our people safe, our membership of the EU is one of the tools that helps us to do these things,” Cameron told diplomats and campaigners.

“I’m not arguing that the EU alone has kept the peace in Eu-

rope these last 70 seventy years, of course not, NATO has played an absolutely key role ... (but) it’s pretty extraordinary that countries that were fighting and killing each other are now finding a way to work together.”

Warning He warned Britain that it could be exposed to greater threats if voters decided to leave the EU, underlining the role of security cooperation after dozens were killed in attacks

by IS in Brussels and Paris. “We see a newly belligerent Russia, the rise of the Daesh (IS) network to our east and to our south the migration crisis - dealing with these requires unity of purpose in the West,” he said. Brexit, he said, would “make cooperation more legally complex and make our access to vital information much slower”.

Johnson, whom the prime minister had once hoped to recruit to his “In” campaign, said the argument was “wholly bogus”.

“I don’t think the prime minister can seriously believe that leaving the EU would trigger war on the European continent, given that he was prepared only a few months ago to urge that people should vote leave if they failed to get a substantially reformed European Union,” Johnson told campaigners and journalists.

He said Britain should pull out now to regain its sovereignty and democratic rights, leaving a failing organisation. — Reuters

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM TU ES DAY, MAY 10, 2016

OMAN OIL PRICE RISES

MARKE

Oman Crude (July delivery) price rose $1.09 to $42.78 per barrel. The average price of Oman Crude (May delivery) stabilised at $36.34 per barrel, $6.11 higher than April delivery. - ONA

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH THE VIDEO

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

Muscat 6,019.51 + 23.90 + 0.04%

Dubai 3,315.98 - 9.82 - 0.30%

Abu Dhabi 4,476.48 + 27.16 + 0.61%

Saudi Arabia

6,693.91 + 21.43 + 0.32%

Kuwait 5,364.23 - 6.45 - 0.12%

Bahrain 1,105.93 - 5.74 - 0.52%

Qatar 9,855.32 + 125.22 + 1.29%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.25 Pound ............................................1.78 Indian Rs ............................. 172.56 Pak Rs ....................................267.24 Bangla Taka......................200.84

Indian Rs ...................................172.80 Pakistan Rs ............................. 271.60 Sri Lanka Rs ................................. .N/A Bangla Taka........................... 203.40 Phil Peso .....................................122.17

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......16.40

Oman Crude............. (Spot) .........$42.41 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) .........$42.21 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) .........$45.01 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) .........$41.46 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........ $44.37 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........$43.95

START-UP INITIATIVE: The Innovation Development Oman, which will invest equity capital in world class start-ups, will be used to nurture start-ups that will benefit the broader Omani economy. - Picture by Jun Estrada/Times of Oman

Venture capital company launched Four agencies — State General Reserve Fund, Oman Oil Company, The Research Council and Omantel — joined together to establish the new venture capital firm

MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s first equitybased venture capital firm, Innovation Development Oman Holding (IDO), was officially launched here on Monday.

Four agencies — State General Reserve Fund, Oman Oil Company, The Research Council and Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) — joined together to establish the new venture capital firm.

According to a top level official, IDO is here to fill the gap of a technology and innovationbased venture capital fund in Oman with an initial capital of OMR50 million.

“In Oman, there is wealth of

resources available; there are research programmes, private equity. But technology and innovation focused venture capital has not been available in the Sultanate, so this is the gap we are going to fill,” Constantine Demetriou, managing director of IDO, told Times of Oman.

“Our mission is to make venture capital investment in companies and start-ups that have innovations, technologies at the core,” he added.

Nurture start-ups The IDO, which will invest equity capital in world class start-ups, will be used to invest and nurture start-ups that will benefit the broader Omani economy.

It will use its initial capital to invest in start-ups and also to attract international companies that will utilise the Sultanate’s natural and human capital and benefit Oman directly with knowledge transfer and development.

Speaking about the investment criteria of IDO, the managing director said; “we are looking for an investment of OMR400,000 to OMR5,000,000.”

The IDO is planning to invest in the fields like energy, technology, healthcare, food, industries and services. He also asserted that IDO is not looking to invest in any projects without technology and innovations.

“We are not going to finance any project in the form of debt, any project without an IP,” Demetriou said. > B2

* Rates are as of May 9 Source: Bank Muscat

* Rates as of May 9 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) ....... 15.75 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............ 155.75 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) .............146.25 * Rates as of May 9 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

B2

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

MARKET Saudi Arabia’s new oil minister believes in chasing record output Al Falih, also chairman of Saudi Aramco, said on the first day in office that he would maintain its crude oil policy

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia will probably keep producing crude at near-record levels under its newly appointed oil minister, Khalid Al Falih, as the world’s largest exporter sticks with his predecessor’s policy of defending market share against higher-cost shale.

Al Falih, also chairman of the state producer Saudi Arabian Oil Co., said on his first day in office on Sunday that he will maintain the Kingdom’s oil policy. His predecessor, Ali Al Naimi, had been leading a policy prioritising sales over prices since 2014, driving

some higher-cost producers, including US shale drillers, off the market. In so doing, Saudi Arabia boosted output, adding to a supply glut. The strategy is showing signs of succeeding this year, with prices gaining more than 60 per cent since tumbling to a 12-year low in January. Saudi could exceed its record output of more than 10.5 million daily barrels if it pumps more to meet a seasonal surge in domestic demand during the summer months, analysts from Emirates NBD and Qamar Energy said. The country, with the world’s second-

largest oil reserves, pumped 10.27 million barrels a day in April.

“If the market considers the appointment as signaling more of the same for Saudi policy, that could allow prices to continue following their gradual trend upward,” Edward Bell, commodities analyst at Emirates NBD, said on Sunday by phone from the Dubai-based bank.

Continuity in Saudi policy may be offset by the immediate impact of Canadian forest fires forcing about one million barrels of daily crude production offline, he said.

Saudi Arabia appointed Al Falih

on Saturday to head the newly expanded Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources. He replaces Al Naimi, a 20-year veteran in the post. Al Falih takes over the ministry responsible for most of the nation’s income as the biggest producer and de facto leader of Opec embarks on an economic overhaul designed to make it less reliant on petroleum.

“Al Falih has been backing the policy, and he had been taking a more public role as a government official in defending the stance,” Mills said. — Bloomberg News

Khalid Al Falih. - Bloomberg News

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

B1 New venture capital firm < FROM

offers support to start-ups

“Any business looking for investment, which fits the investment criteria of IDO, can apply directly on the IDO website: www.ido.om,” he added.

“IDO will capitalise on its highly experienced partners to provide guidance, experience, market knowledge, business development, and staged funding through the venture development and growth stages until maturity,” he continued.

According to him, there are five stages for the investment process of IDO and it will choose a small number of companies over certain period of time for investment. Deal screening, meeting the management, due diligence stage, investment approval and finalisation are the five different stages of IDO. “In the first stage, the IDO team will analyse the initial information submitted and make a decision on whether to proceed or not,” he explained.

“During the second stage, the IDO team will meet the management of the company and in the third, a confidential agreement will be signed with IDO and will be followed by detailed due diligence questions,” he said.

“A term sheet will be signed and together with the supporting documentation will be submitted to the investment committee in the

In the first stage, the IDO team will analyse the initial information submitted and make a decision on whether to proceed or not Constantine Demetriou Managing director of IDO

fourth stage,” he continued.

Speaking about the final stage of the investment process, he said; “Once legally binding documentation has been initiated, it will be submitted to the BoD for approval and after this the investment will be executed.”

According to Abdulsalam bin Mohammed Al Murshidi, chief executive officer of SGRF, IDO will put Oman on the map of international technology investment.

“IDO will put Oman on the map of international technology investment, creating benefits in terms of greater international interest in the Omani economy,” he said.

“IDO will represent the tech-

nological investment arm of the government and take part in developing innovative start-ups in accordance with an integrated system combining everything such companies need starting from the concept stage to the application, and then to the stage of commercialisation,” he added.

They also confirmed that IDO will act as a late stage commercialisation vehicle for start-up companies and will assist them with the expansion of their business within the region and globally. According to them, the venture capital investments are key to assist start-ups with their growth and development.

ECONOMY

Lawmakers in Greece pass ‘painful’ reforms ATHENS: Greek lawmakers on Monday passed a package of unpopular pension and tax reforms that the country’s leftist-led government hopes will persuade official creditors to unlock bailout cash.

The approval came just hours before euro zone finance ministers were due to discuss Greece’s reform progress and whether it had met terms of a multi-billion euro bailout.

A positive sign-off on the reform review will unlock more than 5 billion euros to ease Greece’s squeezed finances and make debt repayments maturing in June and July. Greece also hopes that the signoff will also launch discussions on debt relief.

“We have an important opportunity before us for the country to break this vicious cycle, and enter a virtuous cycle,” Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told lawmakers.

Earlier, thousands of demonstrators protested outside parliament. Police used teargas when

isolated groups hurled petrol bombs in a central Athens square.

A combination of social security reform and additional taxation aims to ensure Greece will attain savings to meet an agreed 3.5 per cent budget surplus target before interest payments in 2018, helping it to regain bond market access and make its debt load sustainable.

The vote was a test of the ruling coalition’s cohesion, given its wafer-thin majority of three lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament. All of the coalition’s 153 lawmakers voted in favour.

Tsipras’ government drew fire from the political opposition during the debate, on grounds that the pension cuts and tax hikes will prove recessionary, dealing another blow to a population fatigued by years of austerity.

“Mr. Prime Minister, you promised hope and turned it into despair,” said Fofi Gennimata, leader of the opposition PASOK socialists. — Reuters

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

B3

MARKET Order book of Galfar stands at OMR750m

LOCAL MARKET

Galfar is expecting award of some more

Bank Muscat to provide financial advisory services

projects, which are already tendered, the Muscat Securities Market. - Times file picture

Muscat share index crosses 6,000-mark Times News Service MUSCAT: Shares on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) surged ahead with the general index crossing a psychological barrier of 6,000 point-mark on Monday.

The market has gained substantially in the recent past, mainly on account of a firm trend in crude oil prices in the international market and reinvestment of a portion of dividend income by investors. This has prompted foreign investors to extend their buying support in the local bourse. The MSM 30 Index – the barometer of market trend – closed at 6,019.51 points on Monday, up by 23.9 points over the previous closing.

The major gainers were National Gas, Raysut Cement, Port Services Corporation, HSBC Bank Oman and Oman International Development and Investment Company.

Companies listed on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) must have paid more than OMR350 million by way of cash dividend for 2015.

As many as 130 companies are listed on the Muscat Securities Market, but a section of listed firms will not offer any dividend

This has prompted foreign investors to extend their buying support in the local bourse. The MSM 30 Index closed at 6,019.51 points on Monday

due to losses. The Muscat bourse witnessed a surge in liquidity, which was reflected in traded volumes, which surged ahead by more than hundred per cent on several days.

The Muscat bourse surged by 8.69 per cent, or 475.3 points, to touch 5,467.72 points in April this year. Market turnover reached OMR126.04 million, with 722.28 million shares changing hands in April. Also, market capitalisation touched OMR17.01 billion by end-April, 2016.

company said in its first quarter results.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Galfar Engineering and Contracting Company said that the parent company continues to maintain an order book position in the range of over OMR750 million.

“We are expecting award of some more projects, which are already tendered,” the company said

Times News Service MUSCAT: Galfar Engineering and Contracting on Monday said that the company has mandated Bank Muscat’s investment banking for financial advisory and fund raising services.

The board of directors in its meeting held on Sunday has

in its first quarter results.

The company bagged projects worth OMR190 million during the first quarter of 2016, including Yibal Khuff On Plot Construction

Investec finances four Emirates A380s PARIS: Investec Bank’s aviation arm made its first foray into financing the Airbus Group A380 superjumbo with a deal to purchase four jets operated by Emirates before leasing them back to the Dubai-based carrier.

Investec will pay a total of $1 billion for the double-deckers, of which two are new and owned by Emirates, with the other two, first delivered in 2013, being bought from Aviation Finance’s Stellwagen Finance, it said on Monday.

London-based Investec, which already finances single-aisle and smaller twin-aisle aircraft built by Airbus and Boeing, plans to own the A380s for 12 years before selling them on the secondary market,

The price of oil has also buoyed airline earnings, while making the four-engine A380 a more viable prospect, Wadhawan said.

– Bloomberg file picture

Alok Wadhawan, co-head of Investec Aviation Finance, said in a telephone interview.

Interest in aircraft purchases has increased as yields from more traditional assets struggle to recover to the levels seen before the 2008 credit crunch and global recession.

ACQUISITION

Total to buy French firm

READY FOR THE ROAD: Maruti entered the compact SUV market with the Vitara Brezza in March and Tata Motors introduced its Tiago hatchback in early April. — Bloomberg News

Renault, Maruti lead India’s auto sales on strong demand Automakers in Asia’s third-biggest auto market are introducing new models in the fast-growing small SUV and hatchback segments to lure buyers. Maruti entered the compact SUV market with the Vitara Brezza in March and Tata Motors introduced its Tiago hatchback in early April.

Renault’s Kwid minicar, introduced in May last year, was the only model in its segment that posted a growth in sales.

Sentiment among rural buyers may improve after a forecast for above-normal rainfall during the annual June-to-September mon-

project worth OMR114 million in oil and gas sector.

Galfar also noted that the period of the Off Plot Delivery Contract (ODC) of North Oman has been

$1 BILLION JET DEAL

AUTOMOTIVE

NEW DELHI: Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai Motor and Renault paced India’s biggest gain in passenger vehicle sales in five months, as new compact SUVs, hatchbacks and minicars drew buyers to their showrooms.

Deliveries of passenger vehicles, including sport utility vehicles and vans, climbed 11 per cent to 242,060 units last month, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers said in New Delhi on Monday. Market leader Maruti’s sales rose 16 per cent, Hyundai’s deliveries gained 9.7 per cent and Renault’s more than tripled.

ratified the agreement concluded with Bank Muscat.

“In this respect, we would also like to inform that our earlier disclosure dated March 9 2016 to retain Oman Arab Bank stands withdrawn and the scope of services has been consolidated and assigned to Bank Muscat,” a company statement said.

extended for a further two years till March, 2018.

“Currently, we have significant works in upstream oil and gas for PDO, BP and Occidental. Major road works are ongoing in Taqa –Mirbat, Barka- Nakhal, Jibrin– Ibri and Al Batinah Expressway.”

Also, major civil jobs include a hospital and sewage plant and network. In addition, some 132Kv substations are under construction as well as two harbours. The company is also executing operation and maintenance contracts for water supply.

The company’s strategy consultant, Roland Berger, is working closely with the management for the company’s organisational, operational and financial transformation. A new organisation and work processes have been agreed upon and are now being implemented. There is a significant drive on cost reduction and increasing output of resources, i.e., people and plants.

soon season, according to Mathur.

Buyers in rural India purchase about 35 per cent of cars, SUVs and vans sold in the country.

Sales of cars gained for the first time in four months and SUV deliveries rose at the fastest pace since November 2012, Vishnu Mathur, director general of the group, said at a press briefing Monday in New Delhi. Deliveries of two-wheelers including motorcycles increased 21 per cent last month, the biggest gain since September 2014, as demand rose during the country’s wedding season, Mathur said. — Bloomberg News

LONDON: Total agreed to buy French battery maker Saft Groupe in a 950 million-euro ($1.1 billion) deal to expand in clean energy.

The 36.50-euro-a-share offer represents a 38.3 percent premium to Saft’s closing price on May 6, the companies said Monday in a joint statement.

Saft’s supervisory board unanimously approved the friendly takeover bid.

“The acquisition of Saft is part of Total’s ambition to accelerate its development in the fields of renewable energy and electricity,” Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of the Courbevoie, Francebased oil company, said in the statement. — Bloomberg News

Dollar deal “Aircraft are dollar assets, and investors want dollar exposure,” he said. “And you get steady returns, the assets are mobile, and the security collateral is strong. It also helps that most airlines these days are profitable.”

Investec, whose portfolio of 60 planes includes narrow-body 737s and A320s, as well as twinaisle 777s, 787s and A330s, put its own money into the superjumbo deal, as well as signing up backers including insurance companies,

pension funds and wealthy Middle Eastern families.

“It’s the structure of the deal and the residual risk at the back end that made this attractive,” Wadhawan said, declining to speculate about future A380 sales.

Of second-hand demand, in 12 years, “at the right price, and with more units flying, I think there would be a market,” he said. There are about 184 A380s operating worldwide today.

Investec, which also owns a 20 per cent stake in Dublin-based Goshawk, with an owned or committed portfolio of 75 smaller planes, used Islamic financing for the two planes built in 2013.

— Bloomberg News

B4

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

MARKET Egypt plans to start sale of 4G licence

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 6,020.39 ...............5,987.55 ....................6,019.51 ................... 5,995.61................. 23.90 ...................0.40 Financial Index ..................................... 7,851.58 ...............7,820.83 ....................7,833.63 ................... 7,820.83..................12.80 ................... 0.16 Industrial Index ................................... 7,268.84 ...............7,227.43 ................... 7,262.23 ....................7,218.57................. 43.66 ...................0.60 Services Index .......................................3,331.93 ............... 3,311.83 ....................3,331.93 ...................3,329.56....................2.37 ................... 0.07 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................889.42 .................. 883.81 .......................889.36 ...................... 886.10....................3.26 ................... 0.37 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 20,998,541 ..................5,145,201 ..................1,195 ................17,192,471,780 ................ 17 ......................11 ....................22 .........................50

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR MONDAY, MAY 9 Telecom Egypt will start by offering mobile services using rivals’ networks if it secures one of the 4G licences, said the Telecommunications Ministry official

ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

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

OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ........................................................... 155,321 ............ 83,509......................17 ........... 0.528 ...........0.540 ...........0.528........... 0.538 .............0.492 ........... 0.046............. 9.350 ................0.540..............0.540...................0.000 ..................29,590,000.........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ...................................................... 110,026.......... 138,237..................... 29 ........... 1.240 ........... 1.260 ...........1.240............1.255 ............. 1.215 ............ 0.040............. 3.292 ................1.260..............1.260...................1.280................. 251,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ....................... 561,500 ......... 142,479.....................42 ........... 0.245 ...........0.264 ...........0.245........... 0.254 .............0.247 ........... 0.007.............2.834 ................0.257..............0.257...................0.260 ..................24,140,160 .........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 591,885............. 69,771.....................42 ............0.119 ........... 0.120 ...........0.116 ............0.118 ............. 0.115 ............ 0.003.............2.609 ................0.117 ...............0.115................... 0.117 ................. 236,036,909 .......0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST ......................................................................82,415 ............ 46,887........................7 ........... 0.570 ...........0.570 ...........0.566........... 0.568 .............0.556 ............0.012 ............. 2.158 ................0.566..............0.564...................0.570..................361,129,224 ........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO.........................................................................38,460 .............29,691........................4 ............0.772 ........... 0.772 ...........0.772 ........... 0.772 .............0.760 ............0.012 ............. 1.579 ................0.772 ..............0.760...................0.772................. 502,528,946 .......0.100

CAIRO: Egypt plans to sell fourth-generation mobile licenses within two months in a spectrum allotment that would allow fixed-line monopoly Telecom Egypt Co. to also offer wireless services in the country, according to a government official familiar with the matter.

Telecom Egypt would start by offering mobile services using rivals’ networks if it secures one of the 4G licences, said the Telecommunications Ministry official, who asked not to be named because the results of a meeting of the national telecommunication regulator held on Sunday are still private.

The plan replaces an earlier one that some mobile operators threatened to fight in international arbitration. Mobile carriers, including local units of Vodafone Group, Orange and Emirates Telecommunications, were concerned that a new competitor would eat into their market share, the telecommunications regulator said at the time.

Threats of arbitration Egypt’s government won’t let the situation escalate into threats of arbitration this time and has been seeking feedback from the carriers and working to settle disputes with Telecom Egypt, said Ahmed Adel, Lead Telecom Analyst at Beltone Financial. The 2014 plan to issue a virtual license would have let Telecom Egypt provide mobile services while the existing wireless carriers would have provided fixed-line services.

Representatives from Vodafone Egypt and Telecom Egypt said they haven’t received official communications yet from the

OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ................................ 23,000 ...............6,082........................3 ........... 0.252 ...........0.265 ...........0.252........... 0.264 .............0.260 ........... 0.004............. 1.538 ................0.265............. 0.260...................0.265...................78,200,412 .........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 332,300 ............43,723......................17 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.131 ........... 0.132 .............0.130............ 0.002............. 1.538 ................0.132 ..............0.132...................0.134.....................7,767,305 ..........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 119,700 ...............9,062......................12 ............0.075 ........... 0.076 ...........0.075........... 0.076 .............0.075 ............0.001 ............. 1.333 ................0.076..............0.076...................0.077...................13,300,000.........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 7,489,542 ......894,109................... 169 ............0.119 ........... 0.120 ...........0.118 ............0.119 ............. 0.118.............0.001 ............. 0.847 ................0.119 .............. 0.118................... 0.119 ...................34,507,696 .........0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY.................................... 145,004 .........259,507......................19 ............1.780 ........... 1.810............1.780 ............1.790 ............. 1.780.............0.010 ............. 0.562 ................1.810 .............. 1.810...................1.820..................160,563,000........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 423,830 ............85,910..................... 36 ........... 0.202...........0.204 ...........0.202 .......... 0.203 .............0.202 ............0.001 ............. 0.495 ................0.204 .............0.203...................0.204 ..................40,600,000 ........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 633,187...........257,281....................115 ............0.410 ........... 0.410 ...........0.404 .......... 0.406 .............0.404 ........... 0.002............. 0.495 ................0.404..............0.404...................0.406 ............... 1,013,477,605 ......0.100

The development of this offering will depend on the pricing for the license for Telecom Egypt as a new operator and how other operators evaluate it

OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH................................................18,000 ...............4,556........................5 ........... 0.253 ...........0.254 ...........0.252........... 0.253 .............0.252 ............0.001 ............. 0.397 ................0.254..............0.252...................0.258..................241,506,703........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ...............13,651 ...............3,536........................8 ........... 0.259 ...........0.259 ...........0.259........... 0.259 .............0.258 ............0.001 ............. 0.388 ................0.259..............0.257...................0.259....................5,439,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ...............10,000 ...............2,450........................2 ........... 0.245 ...........0.245 ...........0.245........... 0.245 .............0.245 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.245..............0.234...................0.245 ...................8,225,005 ..........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 639,600 ......... 166,250..................... 32 ........... 0.260...........0.264 ...........0.258........... 0.260 .............0.260 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.264............. 0.260...................0.264 .................383,443,132........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ............................................................36,600 .............18,154........................3 ........... 0.496 ...........0.496 ...........0.496........... 0.496 .............0.496 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.496..............0.492...................0.496..................164,112,864 ........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ....................................... 6,720 ..................450........................1 ........... 0.067 ...........0.067 ...........0.067........... 0.067 .............0.067 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.067..............0.066...................0.067................... 13,879,143 .........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .......................................... 151,026 ............ 35,098..................... 27 ........... 0.232 ...........0.238 ...........0.232........... 0.232 .............0.232 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.238..............0.232...................0.238................... 14,199,391 .........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ........................ 91,833 ............... 9,831......................17 ............0.108 ........... 0.109 ...........0.105 ........... 0.107 .............0.107............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.105 ..............0.105...................0.108....................3,210,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ......................................................... 8,542 ............... 1,170........................1 ............0.137 ........... 0.137 ...........0.137 ............0.137 ............. 0.137............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.137 .............. 0.137...................0.140...................44,703,537 .........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 1,629,120 ...... 269,021................... 145 ............0.166 ........... 0.168 ...........0.161 ............0.165 ............. 0.165............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.163 ..............0.162...................0.163...................14,850,000.........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ............................................................. 30,000 ............... 7,680........................2 ........... 0.256 ...........0.256 ...........0.256........... 0.256 .............0.256 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.256..............0.256...................0.260 .................434,995,558 .......0.100 OM0000002648 ...........NATIONAL FINANCE ............................................... 109,458............. 15,105......................13 ............0.138 ........... 0.138 ...........0.138 ............0.138 ............. 0.138............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.138 .............. 0.138...................0.150................... 37,415,301 .........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 538,214 .........879,970..................... 48 ............1.635 ........... 1.635............1.630 ............1.635 ............. 1.635............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.635 .............. 1.630...................1.635 ................1,226,250,000......0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................ 166,939 ............25,591......................14 ............0.157 ........... 0.157 ...........0.150 ............0.153 ............. 0.153............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.150 ...............0.151...................0.162...................30,600,000.........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 453,400 .........140,450..................... 10 ........... 0.304........... 0.310 ...........0.304 .......... 0.310 .............0.310............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.310 ..............0.306...................0.310................... 90,101,817 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 1,197,120 .......214,269..................... 38 ............0.178 ........... 0.180 ...........0.178 ............0.179 ............. 0.179............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.180.............. 0.179...................0.180..................287,205,382........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ......................................................4,227 ..................909........................4 ............0.214 ........... 0.217 ...........0.214........... 0.218 .............0.218............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.215 .............. 0.215...................0.220 .................155,740,582 ........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS .....................................................9,747 ...............3,986......................12 ............0.410 ........... 0.410 ...........0.404 .......... 0.408 .............0.410............-0.002 ........... -0.488 ...............0.404..............0.404...................0.412...................21,420,000.........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 456,501 ............88,161......................18 ............0.195 ........... 0.196 ...........0.193 ............0.193 ............. 0.195............-0.002 ........... -1.026 ...............0.193 ..............0.194...................0.196...................24,105,306.........0.100 OM0000002572 ...........OMAN OIL MARKETING .......................................... 93,754 .......... 176,258........................1 ............1.880 ........... 1.880 ...........1.880........... 1.880 .............1.900 ...........-0.020 ............-1.053................1.880 ..............1.880...................0.000 ................. 115,197,000 ........0.100

Ahmed Adel Lead Telecom Analyst at Beltone

OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ......................................................................24,319 ............... 4,471........................5 ............0.180 ........... 0.186 ...........0.180........... 0.184 ............. 0.186............-0.002 ............-1.075................0.186 ..............0.180...................0.186................. 262,206,650 .......0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 1,617,600....... 381,041...................134 ........... 0.242...........0.242 ...........0.230........... 0.236 .............0.239 ...........-0.003 ............-1.255................0.236..............0.236...................0.237................... 35,417,700 .........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ................................... 58,152 .......... 108,163........................1 ............1.860 ........... 1.860 ...........1.860........... 1.860 .............1.905............-0.045 ........... -2.362 ...............1.860 ..............1.860...................2.095..................176,700,000........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ..... 184,670 .........287,225........................4 ............1.550 ........... 1.620 ...........1.550 ............1.555 .............1.600 ...........-0.045 ........... -2.813................1.600.............. 1.550...................1.600..................107,295,000........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 154,000 ............23,135..................... 10 ............0.151 ........... 0.151............0.150 ........... 0.150 ............. 0.157............-0.007 ........... -4.459 ...............0.150 ..............0.148................... 0.151 ...................18,281,250 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 18,409,363......4,933,178 ...........1,067 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

government over the 4G licenses.

Representatives from Etisalat Misr and Orange Egypt weren’t immediately available to comment. Orange Egypt Chief Executive Officer Yves Gauthier said in March that if the government allows its fixed-line operator to offer mobile services, mobile operators should be allowed to sell fixed-line services.

“The development of this offering will depend on the pricing for the license for Telecom Egypt as a new operator and how other operators evaluate it,” Adel said.

The carriers will also seek something in return for opening the market to another rival, he further added. — Bloomberg News

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......38........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 236,812 ........... 36,205..................... 25 ............0.152 ........... 0.153 ...........0.152 ............0.153 ............. 0.152.............0.001 ............. 0.658 ................0.152 .............. 0.152...................0.153 ..................223,778,023........0.100 OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ........................3,000 .................. 585........................1 ............0.195 ........... 0.195 ...........0.195 ........... 0.186 ............. 0.186............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.195 .............. 0.195...................0.200 ..................18,600,000.........0.100 OM0000001301 ............DHOFAR CATTLE FEED ...............................................2,731 ..................608........................3 ........... 0.222...........0.224 ...........0.222 .......... 0.220 .............0.220 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.224............. 0.220...................0.224 .................. 17,787,000 .........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................... 85,172 .............. 2,942........................7 ........... 0.035 ........... 0.035 ...........0.034........... 0.035 .............0.035 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.035..............0.034...................0.035....................2,975,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 540,000........... 53,642..................... 30 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.101............0.097........... 0.099 .............0.099 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.097..............0.097...................0.100.................... 7,445,592 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 513,769 ............ 39,560......................13 ........... 0.077 ........... 0.077 ...........0.077........... 0.077 .............0.077 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.077..............0.077...................0.078..................115,500,000........0.100 OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE ....................................976 ...................119........................1 ............0.122 ........... 0.122 ...........0.122........... 0.126 .............0.126............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.122..............0.120...................0.128...................12,600,000.........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 137,600............... 9,010......................11 ........... 0.066 ...........0.066 ...........0.064........... 0.065 .............0.066 ...........-0.001 ............-1.515 ................0.064..............0.064...................0.065....................8,125,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001590............MUSCAT FINANCE..................................................... 92,500 .............11,285........................5 ............0.122 ........... 0.122 ...........0.122........... 0.122 .............0.124 ...........-0.002 ............-1.613 ................0.122..............0.122...................0.125...................32,539,301 .........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 947,000 ............ 55,119..................... 28 ........... 0.059 ...........0.059 ...........0.058........... 0.058 .............0.059 ...........-0.001 ............-1.695................0.058..............0.058...................0.059...................58,000,000 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,559,560 ......209,074...................124 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......10........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS AND SUKUK MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ..................... 19,065 ...............1,830........................2 ........... 0.094 ...........0.096 ...........0.094........... 0.096 .............0.094 ........... 0.002............. 2.128 ................0.096..............0.096...................0.099....................31,119,515..........0.100 OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 ........................................... 10,553 ................1,119........................2 ............0.106 ........... 0.106 ...........0.106........... 0.106 .............0.106 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.106..............0.106...................0.110 ...................33,882,124 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................... 29,618 ...............2,949........................4 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

M Y S T E R I OU S C R E AT O R

DE-LISTING

'Bitcoin has a governance problem' China Inc. waves LONDON: As one would-be father of bitcoin falls by the wayside, squabbling among the web-based currency’s lead developers is exposing a fundamental flaw: it must evolve to meet growing demand, but may lack a governance structure to achieve this.

The latest bickering erupted after Australian entrepreneur Craig Wright promised to prove he was the mysterious creator of bitcoin — which allows users to move money across the world quickly and anonymously — but then said on Thursday he could not provide further evidence to back this up.

Wright stopped short of reneging on his claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto, assumed to be a pseudonym for the person or people who launched the digital cryptocurrency in 2009. However, he apologised for damaging the reputations of bitcoin experts who had believed him.

Bitcoin community Many members of the bitcoin community reckon this is all a distraction and agree with Wright when he said that the identity of Nakamoto “doesn’t, and shouldn’t, matter”.

“Satoshi’s biggest achievement was to create a system that doesn’t require his participation to run,” said Peter Todd, one of bitcoin’s core software developers. “That’s what makes all this stuff kind of funny. It’s like searching for the creator of a system that’s designed not to require a creator.”

While grey-suited central bankers print conventional currencies and commercial banks control transactions in them, no one person or entity is in charge of bitcoin.

Instead it runs on a decentralised system of shared trust without any third-party verification of transactions — one reason why many people are attracted to it.

BITCOINS: A collection of bitcoins stand is arranged for photograph in London, UK. - Bloomberg file picture

Critics, however, say it needs a “benevolent dictator” or at least some “adults” to manage the expansion that it needs to cope with the increasing number of transactions. Someone, or some group, must decide how to meet users’ requirements, they say.

Mathematical puzzles Trades are handled by thousands of “mining” computers around the world which validate blocks of transactions by competing to solve mathematical puzzles every 10 minutes.

The first computer to solve the puzzle clears the transaction and is currently rewarded with 25 new bitcoins, now worth around $11,250.. This is how the computers’ owners cover their costs — largely power bills — and make a profit. The system also ensures there is no single point in the system that might fail.

In practice, there do appear to be people who can make decisions, but it is also possible to be excluded from this magic circle.

One of the bitcoin experts who initially believed Wright’s claim is Gavin Andresen. Nakamoto handed control of bitcoin’s software to Andresen when he stepped aside in 2011, a transfer that kept the creator’s identity a mystery as it was conducted in cyberspace without human contact.

Andresen later shared that control with others. But when he stated publicly he believed Wright, sceptical developers responded by revoking his “commit access” to a shared repository of bitcoin rules.

Initially, these developers justified their move on security grounds, saying his computer must have been hacked - something Andresen denied. When Reuters asked Todd whether Andresen’s access would be reinstated, he responded: “Heck no”, saying a belief in Wright amounted to “inexcusable incompetence”.

Andresen admitted to bewilderment over whether he still believed Wright’s claims. “Ask me in six months; I don’t trust my own judgement right now after

all the drama,” he said on Twitter. The squabbling is not new.

One of the lead developers, Mike Hearn, stood down from bitcoin in January because of a power struggle nicknamed the “bitcoin civil war”. Hearn and Andresen had proposed increasing the size of the blocks in which transactions are processed but the other developers opposed this. In quitting, Hearn said that “what was meant to be a new, decentralised form of money that lacked systemically important institutions” had now become “a system completely controlled by just a handful of people”.

Many investors and start-up firms remain optimistic about bitcoin and are making money from it. But Emin Gun Sirer, a computer science professor at Cornell University, said the appearance of internal conflict was undermining it.

“For bitcoin to retain its value, it’s important to have hope that there’s good management in charge, that there are adults in charge,” Sirer said. “When we see opportunistic moves, that’s a problem.”

But Sirer also said that any open-source project such as bitcoin, which runs using software that anyone can access, change, and distribute, faces the challenge of governance.“Over the last couple of years it’s become apparent that having a static protocol is just not a viable approach,” Buterin told the Consensus bitcoin conference in New York earlier in the week. “Software has to evolve ... and there has to be some mechanism for agreeing on how software is going to upgrade.” Most, however, reckon that even if Nakamoto were to be found, the other developers — many of whom have written more code than he ever did in the seven years since bitcoin was launched — would not accept his having ultimate power. — Reuters

long goodbye to Hong Kong bourse

HONG KONG: As China’s richest man Wang Jianlin prepares to delist his main commercial real estate company from Hong Kong, bankers expect more Chinese businesses to head back home, irked by the deep discount for shares listed on the territory’s stock exchange.

Hong Kong has been the most popular location for share listings from Chinese state-owned and private enterprises for three decades, making it the world’s leading destination for initial public offerings (IPOs). Mainland companies have long been drawn by Hong Kong’s standing as a global financial hub, stable legal regime and large pool of institutional investors, but the downside of those benefits is a much lower share price than they could achieve on mainland bourses.

UBS research report Over two-thirds of shares listed in both Hong Kong and China trade at a premium of more than 50 per cent in the mainland, according to a UBS research report.

That gap has substantially widened since 2014, making it less appealing for companies to raise secondary funds in Hong Kong.

The premium arises because of restrictions on capital flows to and from China, which create artificially high demand for local stocks. That demand has risen as alternative investments such as real estate faltered in China’s slowing economy.

At least 10 Chinese companies with Hong Kong listings have unveiled plans to either delist, spin off assets and list them in China or sell a controlling stake to a

– Bloomberg file picture

mainland-listed company since November 2015. There were only a handful of such deals in each of 2012, 2013 and 2014.

There were still nearly 30 Chinese companies that listed in Hong Kong over the same period, but those deals were much smaller, and IPO fund raisings fell 18 percent in 2015.

“Selected Chinese entrepreneurs will be tempted to delist their companies from Hong Kong if the A/H premiums continue at these high levels,” said Prashant Bhayani, chief investment officer, Asia for BNP Paribas Wealth Management, which oversees $64.5 billion in assets.

UBS has identified 38 Hong Kong-listed Chinese companies with similar characteristics to those recently delisted, using criteria such as negative share price performance since listing, a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple below 30 and where founders own more than 40 per cent of the companies.

The top 10 companies in the UBS list have a combined market value of about $40 billion, and eight belong in the property sector, including Country Garden Holdings Co and Shimao Property Holdings. — Reuters

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ROUND-UP

MSE on top in Philips Customer Competition MSE was adjudged as the ‘Champion team’ based on a year-long continuous evaluation of all Philips distributors across Middle East and Turkey

COVETED AWARD: Satish Moorjani, group CEO of MSE, Anil Kumar Pillai, general manager and P. S. Thomas, senior sales manager receiving the award. – Supplied image

MUSCAT: Mustafa Sultan Electronics Co. (MSE), one of the pioneers in electronics and home appliances retail and distribution in Oman, recently won the 1st prize in Philips Customer Competition (Domestic Appliances & Personal Care Category) in the Middle East and Turkey region.

MSE team was felicitated on stage and was given the top award at a glittering award ceremony titled the ‘Stars Night’ with entertainment at the world’s leading Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, says a press release.

MSE was adjudged as the ‘Champion team’ based on a year-

long continuous evaluation of all Philips distributors across Middle East and Turkey.

Mustafa Sultan Electronics is the sole distributor of world renowned brands such as Philips, Whirlpool, Haier, WestPoint, Rhoyxon Cookers, Bompani, Tecumseh, etc. A wide range of consumer electron-

B5

ics and domestic home appliances are available at its showrooms at Al Khuwair and Ruwi.

MSE’s Service Centre at Wadi Kabir is fully equipped with ultra-modern infrastructure and company trained engineers to cater to any of the requirements of the customer.

ACHIEVEMENT

ISG students shine at 6th International English Olympiad MUSCAT: Indian School Gubra (ISG) students reaped a rich haul of medals and prizes in the 6th International English Olympiad conducted by Science Olympiad Foundation in association with the British Council.

It is indeed a marvellous achievement by the students of ISG who bagged 60 gold medals of excellence and merit certificates of excellence, says a press release.

With 10 international rankers to its credit, ISG boasts of wonderful performance of the students who have made a mark.

International Rank 1 awardees are Shreya Shenod, Sabyasachi Choudhury, Arsh Zahid Shaikh and Mansi Deepak of Class III, Simran Khanna of Class IV and Adveteeya Ganti of Class IX who will receive gifts worth Rs1,000 cash prize along with a gold medal.

Pooja Ashokan of Class VII who secured the second rank at the international level will be awarded with gifts worth

Rs1,000 cash prize along with a silver medal.

The Rank 3 awardees to receive Rs1,000 cash prize along with a bronze medal are Farhan Hashim and Israa Shaikh of Class III and Janainah Fazlin Anam of Class IX. Improving language The content of the tests is designed to focus on communication and use of English language. It enables students to improve their acumen and expand their vocabulary.

The performance is rated at the international level, state level and also school level. It also attempts to develop a spirit of competitiveness among students as there are millions of students across the globe who compete every year to make a mark.

The management and teachers of Indian School Ghubra are proud of the students who have scaled new heights of excellence and congratulated them on their success.

B O O K FA I R

E C O - D E S T I NAT I O N R E S O R T

Oberoi Al Zorah all set to Sohar fair attracts book lovers open this year in Dubai DUBAI: The Oberoi Al Zorah is set to open this year as one of three new luxury properties for The Oberoi Group with two others including The Oberoi Marrakech, Morocco and The Oberoi Sukhvilas, Chandigarh.

The Oberoi Al Zorah, a luxury eco-destination resort, only 30 minutes from Dubai International Airport, will be nestled in the natural surroundings of Al Zorah which boasts a beautiful long beachfront, azure lagoons, lush mangroves and 247 acres of natural forest with exceptional biodiversity, says a press release.

All three of The Oberoi Group’s luxury hotel openings this year will be located in stunning natural environments and offer impeccable standards of luxury and service associated with the group’s worldwide portfolio.

The Oberoi, Al Zorah is nestled alongside a beautiful untouched coastline. Each of the 113 villas, suites and penthouse are elegant and modern with an abundance of

natural light and breathtaking sea views. The spacious and luxuriously appointed rooms and suites all have private balconies, while the villas offer terraces and temperature-controlled private pools.

The Oberoi, Al Zorah in Ajman offers al fresco, beachside and indoor dining venues all serving the finest cuisine. Synonymous for offering some of the world’s finest spa and wellness experiences, the spa at Oberoi offers signature therapies as well as a traditional hammam,

a 80–metre pool, a fully equipped gymnasium, and day care facilities for families.

Earlier this year, the group announced two new properties in Qatar – a 250 key luxury hotel in the West Bay area of Doha, and a 148 key luxury serviced apartment located in Lusail, Doha.

Legendary service delivered by an attentive and caring team will make the upcoming luxury hotels the preferred choice for the discerning traveller.

MUSCAT: Sohar Book Fair was recently opened by Hilal bin Nassir bin Abdullah Al Sadrani, Majlis Al Shura member at Safeer Mall Sohar.

The fair boasts of several categories including fiction and non-fiction, autobiographies, children’s books, cookery and Islamic books. The exhibition will continue until May 15 and would be a regular activity at Safeer Mall Sohar, says a press release.

Sohar Book Fair is attracting a lot of interest from school going children, teachers, scholars and book lovers. The event organiser, Al Batra Bookshop is considered to be one of the leading book distributors and retailers in the Middle East. Al Batra is regular in conducting book exhibitions and brings its own set of expertise to carry it out successfully.

There are more than 10,000 titles on display and it is definitely going to bring back the excitement of books.

Commenting on the exhibition, Vijay Manwani from Safeer Mall Sohar said, “We are very excited to host the event since it is the first ever Book Fair being organ-

ised in Sohar and at the mall. It is extremely a good opportunity for book lovers and reading enthusiasts to further their passion in reading and have a first-hand look

on their favourite authors in Sohar itself. We are confident of the success of the Book Fair and its overture to establishing a reading culture in the society.”

I N T E G R AT E D M A NAG E M E N T S Y S T E M S

AWA R D

Al Nahdha Overseas bags IMS accreditation

Renowned business consultant honoured at Oman Tech Awards MUSCAT: Baby Sam Samuel, a renowned business consultant and entrepreneur, has bagged the coveted gold award in the personal website category as well as personal Facebook page category at Oman’s first technology awards, the Oman Tech Awards – 2016.

The awards, won for his personal website www.babysam.biz that was launched earlier this year and for his personal Facebook page www.facebook.com/ babysam.samuel, were presented at the first edition of the annual event in a glittering ceremony held recently at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, says a press release.

Baby Sam Samuel is a management consultant involved in diverse entrepreneurial activities; he is the general manager & business designer for the IT company Intertech as well as organisation mentor for the design house Adventz, Muscat. In a consultative capacity, he plays the role of a brand adviser and business mentor for a few other start-up initiatives in Oman as well, while also exploring other possible avenues of entrepreneurship. As senior vice president of Knowledge Oman, he is involved in the initiative to spread knowledge and im-

part education and is currently heading the coaching and mentoring unit – a division of Knowledge Oman that aims to create and develop social entrepreneurs within the nation. He has also recently assumed a new role as the director of Indian schools in Oman and is director in-charge of Centre for Special Education.

Samuel being a multi-speciality consultant who dons several hats, his website, www.babysam. biz is a digital space that assimilates Samuel’s varied profile while also highlighting the specialised services he offers in turnaround management, business mentoring, and strategy development. In addition, the site acts as a means for him to connect with his audience and share his thoughts. “I am honoured to receive the award and believe that Oman Tech Awards, a new initiative by ITA would go a long way to promote the use of technology on a day to day basis,” said Samuel.The site is built in a single page, responsive format with simplistic design and pleasing aesthetics that reflect Samuel’s style and persona and is a creation of the award winning design house Adventz.

MUSCAT: Al Nahdha Overseas, the flagship company of Al Nahdha Group was recently awarded an accreditation for successfully implementing Integrated Management Systems (IMS) comprising Quality Management System i.e. ISO 9001:2015, Environmental Management System i.e. ISO 14001:2004 and Occupational Health & Safety System i.e.

OHSAS 18001:2007 by SQGC, Dubai at a grand function held at Al Nahdha Gardens, Sohar, says a press release.

Speaking on the occasion, Giovanni Piazzolla, the director of Al Nahdha Overseas emphasised that ANG always believed in its

motto ‘Committed to serve beyond your needs’.

Giovanni asserted that securing IMS accreditation was a big step towards achieving the corporate goals of ANG even while ensuring the health and safety of its workforce, providing enough care for the environment and maximising the quality of its services thereby benefitting its customers who will enjoy more value-added services complying with international standards.

Deepak Gupta, general manager, ANG (Oman) while sharing his happiness on receiving the coveted accreditation stressed that safety shall take precedence over

convenience and the group shall spare no efforts to ensure effective implementation and maintenance of these Integrated Management Systems.

Thanking the management and employees of ANG for their cooperation and support in achieving this milestone, Mohammed Abdalla Yarub Al Busaidi, the local partner of Al Nahdha Overseas expressed his confidence that IMS accreditation will further accelerate the growth in terms of business opportunities leading to the creation of more and more employment opportunities, for nationals in particular.

Al Nahdha Group (ANG) is an

Oman based internationally operating group with affiliates spread across the Middle East, India and Italy offering a broad range of services. Led by a professional and visionary management, ANG has risen from a modest beginning in 2001 and evolved into a trusted business leader in a remarkably short span of time by providing excellent services to its valued clients.

The main activities of ANG along with its principals includes mechanical, fabrication, machining, refractory, fire proofing, painting, scaffolding, insulation, landscaping services, plant, machineries, vehicles and manpower solutions.

‘WIN SEVEN CARS IN SEVEN WEEKS’

TSC picks second promotion winner MUSCAT: The Sultan Center (TSC) announced the second winner of its ‘Win Seven Cars in Seven Weeks’ campaign celebrating.

TSC congratulated Abdul Rahman Mutlag Alaytee, coupon number 238862 who drove away with the second 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, says a press release.

The retail chain launched its ‘Win Seven Cars in Seven Weeks’ campaign inviting TSC’s shoppers to enter the draw for a chance to win a Chevrolet Cruze every Thursday upon purchase of OMR10 or more at any TSC store till June 8.

There are still five more cars to be won. Shop more and increase your chances to drive away with a new Chevrolet Cruze.

B6

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

ROUND-UP Omantel named among top wholesale operators at MVNO World Congress Omantel was highly commended and ranked second in the category of Best Wholesale Operator

MUSCAT: Omantel, the first integrated telecommunication services provider in the Sultanate, has been named among the world’s top wholesale operators at the 2016 Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) World Congress hosted

by Informa Telecoms & Media.

Omantel was highly commended and ranked second in the category of Best Wholesale Operator behind UK provider EE (part of British Telecom Group) at the awards ceremony held in Amsterdam, Holland recently. The recog-

nition is the most recent addition to the growing number of awards and accolades received by Omantel within the global telecommunications wholesale arena, says a press release.

Commenting on the achievement, Eng. Yasser Redha Said Al Lawati, senior manager of National Accounts & Interconnection Department of the Wholesale Business Unit at Omantel stated, “We are indeed honoured to continue to be globally recognised as one of the top wholesale operators.

In addition to being an acknowledgement from the MVNO global community of Omantel’s leading role in this important area of the telecom sector, this is also a recognition of our successful strategy in partnering with our MVNOs and developing this business stream together. Today, the market share of Omantel MVNOs is around 16%, which is the highest MVNO market share outside Europe and among the top5 worldwide according to recent international reports. This reflects the signifi-

cance of our MVNO partners in thehighly competitive market of Oman. We take this opportunity to thank our MVNO partners who played a major role in achieving this important milestone.”

MVNOs are service providers that do not own their own fullfledged telecommunications network and are known as mobile resellers in Oman. Instead, they buy services on wholesale basis from Class I operators such as Omantel and packaging the services for retail with their own brand name.

Omantel’s extensive partnerships

with MVNOs underscores the company’s new 3.0 transformation strategy which maintains Omantel’s position as the digital partner of choice for the years ahead.

Justyna Topczewska, Senior Conference Researcher at Informa Telecoms & Media added, “I am pleased to see that the MVNOs market in the Middle East is picking up and it is great to see that operators like Omantel are internationally recognised for their effort to help this market to grow. I am very happy to announce that Omantel was selected among the best wholesale operators at our annual event. I believe this is because Omantel is the pioneer in hosting MNOs in the Middle East and has a very interesting success story to share. We look forward to continue to work with Omantel in the upcoming events and present their journey on how Omantel along with its MVNOs made it a huge success and sustainable partnership.”

Omantel is also a founding partner of the International

MVNOx Association (iMVNOx) and is working closely with the association to share experience and develop best business practices and commercial models to enable the MNO and MVNO partnerships to flourish.

According to Frankie Spagnolo, the founder and director of iMVNOx, “There are global companies and then there are companies who act globally. Omantel continues to grow subscriber acquisition in their national market by combining innovation in wholesale with their ambitious global vision. As thought-leaders in the wholesale sector, Omantel is driving unprecedented support for the virtual ecosystem, pushing the boundaries for other wholesale divisions worldwide by actively studying and refining their best practices for the most profitable wholesale strategy.”

The introduction of MVNOs in Oman has enabled extended reach to every segment in the market, especially those that were previously untapped. Through MVNO part-

nerships, Omantel has been able to increase itsoverall network market share to more than 58%, contrary to the global phenomenon of decreasing share of incumbent operators, thanks to the victorious strategy and the win-win situation created for all partnering parties.

In the international wholesale arena, Omantel is considered as one of the most prominent and competitive wholesale telecommunication providers in the Middle East region.

In addition, it is one of the leading companies in the field of submarine cable networks complemented by direct terrestrial links, which link Asia, Europe and America passing through Oman to meet the international capacity requirements of customers locally and internationally, thereby sustaining the company’s leading position among its competitors.

Omantel’s wholesale strategy is to be a communication hub in the region and to be the link between the East and West for the region and beyond.

P R I Z E S AV I N G S A C C O U N T

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Majid Al Futtaim unveils its plans to increase total investment in Oman MUSCAT: Under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture, Majid Al Futtaim unveiled its plans to increase its total investment in the Sultanate to OMR705 million by 2020, which includes the development of City Centre Sohar, a new regional mall.

The announcement was made to Omani dignitaries at a launch event which reinforced Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to its investments in Oman, says a press release.

Alain Bejjani, the company’s chief executive officer and Talib Omar, Majid Al Futtaim’s Oman country head, as well as other Majid Al Futtaim senior executives and Omani employees welcomed a number of esteemed guests to a gala dinner, following the retail and leisure pioneer’s an-

alizz bank conducts first draw of ‘Bushra’ account nouncement. In addition to revealing new developments, the gala evening celebrated Majid Al Futtaim’s 15 years of investment and relationship-building in the Sultanate of Oman.

The company’s current investment strategy includes further new developments, such as Mall of Oman and My City Centre Sur, as well as the next stage of development at Al Mouj Muscat and the expansion of its existing retail and

entertainment businesses including Magic Planet, Carrefour and VOX Cinemas.

Creates job opportunities Majid Al Futtaim’s planned investments are anticipated to create more than 42,000 direct and indirect job opportunities in the Sultanate in the next five years.

A significant percentage of the management at Majid Al Futtaim’s malls in the Sultanate is made up

by Omani nationals and this number is set to increase once the new malls are completed.

The continued investment in Oman’s retail, leisure and entertainment infrastructure by Majid Al Futtaim supports the country’s National Strategy for Tourism 2040, which targets a 6 per cent rise in the contribution of the tourism sector to GDP and a near doubling of visitor numbers to five million annually.

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

ahlibank partners with OER-Business Summit MUSCAT: ahlibank has partnered with OER Business Summit 2016 as the strategic partner of the most awaited corporate event in the Sultanate.

OER Business Summit 2016 & Top 20 Awards, to be held on May 11 at Grand Hyatt Muscat, will see Oman’s corporate leaders and influential policy makers explore the potential of government’s diversification drive for strengthening the business environment in the

country and creating vital opportunities for Omani businessmen, entrepreneurs and SMEs, says a press release.

Lloyd Maddock, CEO of ahlibank said, “We are very happy to team up with OER Business Summit 2016 which is one-of-akind national platform for Oman’s corporate leaders and influential policy makers to discuss the new economic imperative for the Sultanate in 2016 and beyond. Our

partnership with the 2016 edition of the summit which explores the potential of government’s diversification drive to create opportunities for Omani businessmen and entrepreneurs is part of our efforts towards contributing to the Sultanate’s vision of becoming a dynamic and diverse economy. We at ahlibank are committed to lead by example; we work for redefining banking habits with our convenient and efficient offerings.”

MUSCAT: alizz Islamic bank, one of the first Islamic banks in the Sultanate of Oman, held the first weekly draw of its latest financial product ‘Bushra’; the Sharia-compliant prize savings account, approved by the Sharia Supervisory Board.

The draw took place at the bank’s headquarters in the Central Business District area, in the presence of members of the bank’s senior management. alizz Islamic bank uses a very reliable draw system that has been reviewed by KPMG who expressed satisfaction at its functioning, says a press release.

The weekly prize for the ‘Bushra’ prize savings account is OMR1,000 each for three winners, while every month one winner will get OMR25,000, the quarterly prize is OMR50,000 for one winner, and the value of the annual grand draw prize is OMR100,000. All draw prizes are cash, given to winners as gift from the shareholders’ funds.

The Bushra savings account is based on the Islamic principle of ‘Mudaraba’, where the bank pools all clients’ funds together with

its own capital at Sharia-compliant investments that generate best possible returns and predicted profits. The earned profit is shared between the bank and its clients according to predetermined and mutually agreed-upon ratios. This reflects the commitment of alizz Islamic bank to provide its clients with superior and innovative financial solutions through a diverse range of Sharia-compliant savings options.

This comes in light of the previous announcement made by alizz Islamic bank on launching a new rewards savings account, with a minimum deposit amount of as low as OMR100, as well as a free debit card to facilitate their daily transactions. Besides a quarterly profit payment, maintaining a minimum weekly balance of OMR100 or more will give the account holder an opportunity to enter a weekly draw on cash prizes organised by the bank.

The benefits and facilities offered for the ‘Bushra’ account holders also include free services such as online banking, phone banking, and SMS alerts for every transaction.

RECOGNITION

Double achievement for Al Hassan Group at Oman Tech Awards MUSCAT: The Al Hassan Group of Companies has been recognised at the first edition of Oman Tech Awards held at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa recently.

It was a double achievement for Al Hassan when their website www.al-hassan.com won bronze medals in ‘Corporate’ as well as ‘Oil & Gas’ categories in the competition, says a press release.

More than 300 entries from dif-

ferent industries competed in the 27 categories. Held under the patronage of Dr Rasheed bin Al Safi Al Huraini, chairman of the Oman Tender Board, the event was attended by Ahmed Saleh Baabood, chairman, SJS Group attended as a VIP guest.

Oman Tech Awards is the first event of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman and is themed as Oman’s Technology Event of the Year in-

tended to identify nationwide talent both within the Omani and expatriate working fraternity and award the best talents.

Speaking on the occasion, P. M. Mathew, head-IT, Al Hassan Group said, “Oman Tech Awards aims at recognising national talent within the Omani and expat working community and award the best. We are happy to be a part of it, extremely proud to bag

two awards this time. Al Hassan is ranked among the Top 20 Companies in Oman with strong presence in the corporate and oil & gas sectors. It is our resolve to make effective use of technology, deriving process and efficiency improvement in our operations. This award further reiterates our continued commitment to bring about an effective user-friendly digital communication platform for our stake holders.”

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McDonald’s backs Oman at Asia’s Youth World Cup

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR

NBO congratulates latest winners of ‘Road to Oman’ golf MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman (NBO) congratulated the winners of the second and third events in golf’s European Challenge Tour, which culminates in November’s NBO Golf Classic Grand Final in Muscat, says a press release.

The 23-year-old Englishman Jordan Smith completed his first victory on the European Challenge Tour at the Red Sea Egyptian Challenge in Egypt, the second event of 2016, finishing on 18 under par overall.

The 31-year-old Scotsman Duncan Stewart then claimed his maiden victory at the European Challenge Tour’s third event of 2016, when he carded

The team, comprising Omanis and expatriates, was led by Jay Wynter from Mosaic Sports, Arsenal Soccer School Oman

MUSCAT: Young football enthusiasts, ages 13 -14 years old, were sponsored by McDonald’s Oman (Al Daud Restaurants) at the Asia’s Youth World Cup held in Singapore recently.

The team, comprising Omanis and expatriates, was led by Jay Wynter from Mosaic Sports, Arsenal Soccer School Oman, says a press release.

JSSL Singapore 7’s is known as Asia’s Youth World Cup. It has been running for four years and attracts over 160 teams (girls and boys) from over 13 countries across Asia, including Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and China.

Mosaic Academy, sponsored

by McDonald’s Oman, flew the flag for Oman in the U15 category this year.

Ali K. Daud, development licensee and president of McDonald’s Oman, said: “We are very proud of the young football players who took part in the Asia’s Youth World Cup in Singapore. It is indeed an achievement for them to have competed with the best young players from all over Asia. McDonald’s Oman continuously takes pride in supporting various sports events that promote physical wellbeing, discipline, self-confidence

and a competitive spirit.

Jay Wynter, who himself, organised the team from Oman, said: “We are very honoured to have been invited to participate in the Asia’s World Youth Cup by the organisers of the tournament to represent Oman. We had seven Omani players in our squad. The tournament was held over two days from April 30 - May 1.”

“It’s been a wonderful tournament and a great experience for the boys of which they’ve loved every minute. I thought on Day 1, we weren’t at our best for most of it but we still qualified for the main

B7

cup. Day two saw our best performance as we beat a very strong Japanese academy team 1-0 to take us into the last 8. We lost to a very physical Arsenal Singapore Elite in the quarter final but the boys gave me everything.

“Seven games in two days began to take its toll but it was a spirited effort from the boys. I was very pleased with how they’ve done and I’m sure they’ve learned a lot from this trip. We look forward to going back next time. I would like to say a special thanks to McDonald’s Oman for their sponsorship and support,” Wynter concluded.

eight under par at the Challenge de Madrid in Spain.

Ahmed Al Musalmi, CEO of NBO, said: “The 2016 European Challenge Tour is already shaping up to be an exceptional showcase for golf. We congratulate all the winners on the tour so far, and look forward to welcoming the golf world to Muscat in November for the culmination of the Road to Oman.”

The European Challenge Tour’s ‘Road to Oman’ 2016 includes 28 tournaments across 22 different countries.

It will culminate at the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final from November 2-5 at Almouj Golf, The Wave in Muscat.

E D UC AT I O N & C A R E E R S C AT E G O RY

ISWK bags gold at Oman Tech Awards

3 - D AY E X P O

Windorex + Glass & Aluminium expo promises plethora of opportunities MUSCAT: Windorex + Glass & Aluminium Oman 2016 – the Sultanate’s maiden showcase on the windows, doors, glass, aluminium, facades and sun protection systems industry – opens at Oman International Exhibition Centre next week, spotlighting one of the fastest growing segments of the all-important construction sector.

Organised by the well-known events management firm, Global Exhibitions & Conferences (GEC), the three-day expo will be formally inaugurated by Dr Fuad bin Jaffer Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, on May 16 at 10am, says a press release.

As the first exposition of its kind in the Sultanate, Windorex + Glass & Aluminium Oman 2016 is keenly anticipated by the Sultanate’s construction industry, which is a key contributor to economic growth and employment generation. Numerous Omani Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) also owe their continued economic well-being and success to this industry.

With its focus on a wide array of products and services associated with the construction industry, Windorex + Glass & Aluminium

Oman 2016 promises to uncork a plethora of opportunities for investment, trade, partnerships and SME development in the Sultanate.

Underscoring the strength of interest in the expo, more than 100 leading brands from 15 countries will be showcased at the event. Reputable local and international manufacturers and suppliers of fenestration products and technologies, glass cladding and aluminium façades, innovative glazing solutions, sun protection systems, and related products and services are also taking part. A notable attraction is the China Glass Pavilion featuring the Asian giant’s formidable technical prowess in glass cladding, glazing and related products.

Windorex + Glass & Aluminium Oman 2016 is targeted at industry professionals and decision makers from all of the disciplines that together make up the vibrant architectural design and construction industry in Oman. The event will be of significant interest to architects, buildings, interior decorators, contractors, developers, fabricators, and those involved in the fenestration industry.

Support for the trade fair has come from a number of leading government and regional trade and industry groups. They include the Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry, International Fenestration Forum, the Confederation of Construction Products and Services, the German Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce, Oman Green Building Council, UPVC Window & Door Manufacturers Association, German University of Technology in Oman, Sultan Qaboos University and HCT GreenNest Ecohouse.

Sponsors Sponsorship support for the maiden expo has been equally strong.

The sponsorship line-up comprises: Platinum sponsors – My Window and Better Homes; Gold – Tech Windows, Al Mahdotha International Project and YAAT; Silver: New Home for World Projects, PRO Windows, Dodia Architectural Pvt. Ltd, Abadis International, and Silver Global; and Lanyard – Nawa International.

Furthermore, as a platform for learning and information sharing, the expo also features free-to-

attend seminars with a roster of experts from GUtech and Sultan Qaboos University taking turns to share their thoughts on issues of pertinent industry interest. The seminars, which will run on May 16 and 17, will focus on ‘Green Building’ and ‘The Future of Sustainability in Design, Engineering & Construction in Oman’, among other themes.

For organisers GEC, Windorex + Glass & Aluminium Oman 2016 is an exciting addition to its expanding portfolio of trade expos that are helping spotlight investment and trade opportunities in key areas of the economy.

Abdullah Beg, GEC business development director, commented: “Events such as ‘Windorex + Glass & Aluminium Oman 2016’ are important platforms that allow local players and SMEs connect with international manufacturers, technology providers, and consultants. In the upshot, Oman stands to benefit not only from the inflow of knowhow and superior products, but also from an anticipated impetus to local economic activity that inevitably results from such trade and exchanges.”

GRAND EVENT

Al Injaz bids farewell to Grade XII students MUSCAT: The students of Grade XII of Al Injaz Private School were given a grand farewell on Sunday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Fatma bint Abdul Abbas Noorani, the director-general for Private and International schools at the Ministry of Education of Oman, attended the occasion as the chief guest. She honoured the students with certificates and trophies, says a press release.

Amita Sharma, director of the

school, in her address motivated the students for consistent hard work and thanked the parents for their unstinting support and the teachers for their dedication.

Al Injaz Private School has classes from Kindergarten to Grade XII and follows both the Cambridge and the Bilingual system of education. Registration is open for 2016-17. Details of the school can be seen on the website:www.alinjazschool.com

MUSCAT: Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir (ISWK) won gold award for its website in the ‘Education & Careers category’, at the Oman Tech Awards competition,which was being competed by other educational and technical institutions in Oman.

Out of five finalists, ISWK school website was adjudged as the best by the eminent panel of judges, says a press release.

This event is the first of its kind

in the Sultanate of Oman and is themed as ‘The Technology Event of the Year’.

The award was received by Harshendu Shah, president of the school management committee, Biren Patel, one of the eminent members of SMC, D. N. Rao, principal and the IT Team comprising Jiju Mathew and Guruarchana Sanjay. John Burke, director of Operations, Oman Convention Centre, Oman presented the gold award.

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ROUND-UP

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SECURED TRANSACTIONS

OAB makes business payments easy with new Smart Commercial Cards MUSCAT: As part of its efforts to grant businesses of all sizes greater control and convenience when making work related payments, Oman Arab Bank (OAB) recently introduced the OAB Visa Smart Commercial Card.

Efficient and secure, the cards are designed to reduce administrative costs and simplify the purchase-to-pay process while giving

companies enhanced capabilities when managing their business transactions, says a press release.

The Smart Commercial Card, which can be used at any location in the Sultanate, also allows companies to easily monitor costs and set spending restrictions with certain suppliers of their choice. Limits can be set on a per transaction, daily, or monthly basis while cash

advances and restrictions on authorisations can be fixed with utmost ease. Furthermore, the OAB Visa Smart Commercial Cards utilise the Verified-by-Visa service for added online security and are equipped with EMV chip technology, preventing unauthorised use.

Fahd Amjad, general manager Retail Banking at Oman Arab Bank, said, “The new OAB Visa Smart

Commercial Card are secure, efficient and uncomplicated, providing organisations with the perfect tool to streamline their purchasing and procurement practices. Companies can choose to restrict payments to any merchant they choose, whether online or offline, by implementing a variety of controls as well as having the ability to monitor the cardholder’s activity.” He added, “The intro-

duction of this service is part and parcel of Oman Arab Bank’s commitment to offer innovative products and solutions that empower customers to manage and enhance their finances.”

Ahmed Gaber, Visa GM for Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain, said, “We are delighted to partner with Oman Arab Bank in launching the OAB Visa Smart

Commercial Card and bringing innovative digital payment services to cardholders in Oman. As a global payments technology company, Visa is committed to leading the development of online payment options at a time when more and more consumers in Oman and other parts of the Middle East are switching to cards from cash, both while purchasing online and in person.”

Bank Muscat launches social media account Aimed at enhancing customer service via social media, the Twitter account is dedicated to responding to customers inquiries and receiving feedback

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, in step with its innovative customer-centric strategy, has launched the first dedicated social media account in the banking sector in Oman for customer service.

Aimed at enhancing customer service via social media, the Twitter account is dedicated to

responding to customers inquiries and receiving feedback. The interactive customer care Twitter account @bankmuscatcare reflects the latest trends in banking and facilitates real time communication with customers, says a press release.

The unique customer care account will be managed by a dedicated team in the bank’s customer experience department, who will address customer queries and comments every day between 8am and 8pm. The bank will also utilise the social media account to engage customers through surveys, questionnaires and awareness campaigns on the bank’s products, services and activities.

Ensuring privacy, Bank Muscat customers will not be required to share any personal information while interacting on the customer care account and will be only asked for specific information such as name and customer ID through direct messages.

Sheikha Al Farsi, general manager - Strategy and Organisational Development, said: “Committed to top-notch customer service, Bank Muscat accords priority for building key relationship with custom-

ers. Aimed at enhancing customer experience, especially with the tech-savvy youth, Bank Muscat is proud to launch the first dedicated social media account for customer service in the banking sector in Oman. The new facility is in response to the high demand for customer service via social media as many customers prefer to interact on social media as a main channel of communication. Reflecting the leadership position, the bank accords priority for value addition and strengthening of relationship with customers.”

Bank Muscat is at the forefront of customer service excellence and strives to continually deliver high quality customer service.

The bank deems service excellence coupled with innovative products vital to surpass customer expectation.

Driven by the ‘Let’s Do More’ vision, Bank Muscat pursues a strategic customer care programme to ensure it is always available to listen and more importantly respond to customer suggestions and feedback in a proactive way. The bank maintains constant follow-up and regular feedback with customers on how services can be improved.

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FOOTBALL

Barcelona deserve to win ‘Europe’s best league’, says Enrique

opt out, while Arun Poulose, Mohammed Nadeem and Twinkle Bhandari find no place as Oman heads to Jersey for WCL Division 5

T.K. MOHANDOSS sportseditor@timesofoman.com

THINK TANK: Oman Cricket coach Duleep Mendis, centre, assistant coach Mazhar Saleem Khan, left, and team manager Jameel Zaidi.

MUSCAT: Oman’s star of the ICC World T20 Tournament Amir Ali will be missed as the national cricket team embarks on a mission to climb up the ladder in the World Cricket League (WCL).

Oman led by skipper Ajay Lalcheta will be participating in the WCL Division 5 to be held in Jersey from May 21 to 28.

Oman will be vying for honours with teams like hosts Jersey, Tanzania, Nigeria, Guernsay and Vanuatu in a 50-over format.

The two finalists of the ICC WCL Division 5 will earn a promotion to Division 4, which is scheduled to be played later in the year.

Amir Ali’s man of the match innings against Ireland in the World T20 at Dharamsala still wins him rave reviews worldwide and his sheer batting power will be missed by the team in Jersey.

However, Amir Ali, who has a fracture in his right hand after suffering an injury during the Oman Cricket

knockout tournament, has been replaced by Noorul Riaz, another batsman of merit who has proved his mettle in the domestic league.

The replacement was confirmed by coach and Oman Cricket’s Chief Development Officer Duleep Mendis on Monday.

“Amir is injured and recovery appears remote hence we replaced him with Noorul,” said Mendis.

“Adnan Ilyas and Shuaib Al Balushi have also opted out of the team,” the coach added.

Meanwhile, it was also learnt that Arun Poulose, Mohammed Nadeem and Twinkle Bhandari (the latter was not in the list of probables announced earlier) will not be part of the touring party, which departs on May 15.

“Poulose, Nadeem and Bhandari are not in the fourteen travelling to Jersey, but Zeeshan Siddiqui who replaced Shuaib in the probable list during the training session is

THE SQUAD

Skipper Ajay Lalcheta

The team travelling to Jersey: Ajay Lalcheta (captain), Jatinder Singh (vice-captain), Munis Ansari, Rajesh Ranpura, Sufyan Mahmood, Bilal Khan, Khawar Ali, Zeeshan Maqsood, Aamir Kaleem, Noorul Riaz, Mehran Khan, Swapnil Khadye (wicketkeeper), Vaibhav Wategaonkar and Zeeshan Siddiqui

among the list,” confirmed Mendis.

With Sultan Ahmed too not considered, Swapnil Khadya will don the gloves with vice-captain Jatinder Singh acting as the second wicket-keeper.

Referring to the team composition, Mendis said: “With all the seven-year and four-year rules of the ICC this is the best available team we can decide upon.”

“Only two players coming under the four-year rule can play this

tournament and we thought these are the players who could fit in,” he added.

Duleep Confident On Oman’s chances of gaining promotion to Division 4, Mendis exuded confidence, but he offered a word of caution as well.

“But for Jersey, the other teams in fray are purely unknowns and we cannot approach them as mere pushovers. However, I think we

can make it to the next level,” Mendis detailed.

In the tournament to be played in a round robin format followed by a knockout stages, Oman are scheduled to start their campaign on May 21 with a match against hosts Jersey. On May 22, Oman will clash with Nigeria and that will be followed by matches against Vanuatu on May 24, Tanzania on May 25 and Guernsey on May 27.

The classification matches as well as the final will be played on May 28.

Fixtures: May 21: Jersey vs Oman; Nigeria vs Tanzania; Guernsey vs Vanuatu. May 22: Jersey vs Vanuatu; Guernsey vs Tanzania; Nigeria vs Oman. May 24: Jersey vs Tanzania; Guernsey vs Nigeria; Oman vs Vanuatu. May 25: Oman vs Tanzania; Jersey vs Guernsey; Nigeria vs Vanuatu. May 27: Tanzania vs Vanuatu; Jersey vs Nigeria; Guernsey vs Oman. May 28: 5th place playoff, 3rd place playoff and Final.

MADRID: Barcelona manager Luis Enrique believes his team deserve to win “the best league in Europe” as they aim to clinch La Liga in a potentially thrilling climax to the Spanish season on Saturday.

Although the champions are in pole position to retain the title, however, their old foes Real Madrid can cash in on any slip to grab the spoils — and history warns that it is eminently possible.

If leaders Barcelona win their final game of the season, as they should, at 16th-placed Granada, they will secure their 24th La Liga crown.

Yet Zinedine Zidane’s side are just one point behind and if they win at Deportivo La Coruna, 13th in the table, and Barca fail to beat Granada, Real will grab the title for the 33rd time.

The good news for Barcelona? They have never lost the title when going into the final round of matches. The bad news? Seven times, a team has leapfrogged the leaders in the final week to capture the Spanish championship.

That happened most recently in 1994 when leaders Valencia drew 0-0 at Deportivo, a result that allowed Barcelona to climb above them.

This year, though, Luis Enrique is confident his team will prevail despite having suffered a recent absent-minded spell in which they were dethroned as European champions and lost a nine-point lead at the summit of La Liga. — Reuters

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

SPORTS

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CRICKET

Mustafizur sparks Big Bash League franchise interest

Battle of survival for Dhoni’s Pune against Hyderabad VISAKHAPATNAM: It will be a battle of survival for struggling Rising Pune Supergiants when they lock horns against formidable title-contenders Sunrisers Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League match, here on Tuesday.

With just three wins out of 10 games, Pune is placed at a lowly sixth spot in the points table, while Hyderabad have been a dominating force in this edition with six wins and three losses to capture the second spot.

For Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men, it has been a demoralising journey so far as apart from three wins against -- Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils -- they have failed to trouble other teams, losing four matches at their home ground in Pune itself.

Dhoni also have been left with a depleted side after a spate of injuries which led to the return of Faf du Plessis, Kevin Pietersen, Steven Smith and Mitchell Marsh.

Though Pakistani-born Australian batsman Usman Khawaja and former Aussie captain George Bailey joined the side, they have not been able to make much of a difference so far and the Sanjeev Goenka-owned team will need desperately need to do something to keep themselves afloat.

The Supergiants have been affected by the lack of qualify bowlers, who can restrict the opponents. None of their bowlers figure in the top 15 wicket-takers list this season.

Among batsmen, it has been left to Ajinkya Rahane to do the job as he has scored 417 runs so far and is placed at the third spot in highest run-getters list.

With the team needing to win every match from here on to stay in the hunt, Dhoni and his boys

know very well that any slip up now and they can safely say goodbye to the tournament.

Hyderabad, on the other hand, have been riding on a wave of success with their latest win being against two-time winner and defending champions Mumbai Indians by 85 runs last night at the ACA-VDCA stadium here.

The Sunrisers have been driven by the batting prowess of skipper David Warner, who is placed at the second position in topscorers list with 458 runs with five fifties so far.

Shikhar Dhawan too has taken the responsibility and complemented his captain in the opening slot. Australian all-rounder Moises Henriques too has proved to be an important cog in Sunrisers’ wheels with some crucial contributions.

Having returned to the side after recovering from an ankle injury, Yuvraj Singh too is slowly getting into the groove. Hyderabad’s bowling unit too have worked like a well-oiled machine.

Rising Pune Supergiants: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Ankit Sharma, Baba Aparajith, Murugan Ashwin, Ravichandran Ashwin, George Bailey, Ankush Bains, Rajat Bhatia, Scott Boland, Deepak Chahar, Ashok Dinda, Peter Handscombe, usman Khawaja, Albie Morkel, Ishwar Pandey, Irfan Pathan, Thisara Perera, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Adam Zampa.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner (C), Ashish Reddy, Ricky Bhui, Bipul Sharma, Trent Boult, Ben Cutting, Shikhar Dhawan, Moises Henriques, Deepak Hooda, Siddarth Kaul, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhimanyu Midtun, Eoin Morgan, Mustafizur Rahman, Ashish Mehra, Naman Ojha, Vijay Shanker, Karn Sharma, Barinder Sran, T Suman, Aditya Tare, Kane Williamson, Yuvraj Singh. - PTI

KNOCK IN VAIN: Murali Vijay captain of Kings XI Punjab plays a shot during his knock against Royal

Challengers Bangalore. – PTI

RCB edge KXIP to stay in hunt Chasing a target of 176, KXIP were cruising along with Vijay smashing 89 off 57 balls but Chris Jordan managed to hold his nerves in the final over

MOHALI: Murali Vijay’s captain knock went in vain as Royal Challengers Bangalore snatched a nerve-wracking 1-run win victory over Kings XI Punjab in an enthralling Indian Premier League encounter, here on Monday.

Chasing a target of 176, KXIP were cruising along with Vijay smashing 89 off 57 balls but Chris Jordan managed to hold his nerves

as he gave away 15 runs in the final over in which the home team needed 17 runs. The final scorecard was 174 for four. Needing 4 off the last delivery, Marcus Stoinis (34, 22 balls) could take only two as Virat Kohli was delirious in joy the moment match finished.

The win takes RCB to sixth position with 8 points from 9 games as they still have a chance of qualifying for play-offs while KXIP with six points from 10 games look all but out of the tournament.

The last four overs saw KXIP requiring 40 runs with Vijay looking in great touch before tragedy struck. It was old warhorse Watson (2/22), who delivered the needful as he dug in a short one and Vijay went for the pull. He could not connect it as Yuzvendra Chahal took a welljudged catch at depe mid-wicket boundary. He hit 12 boundaries and a six. The match just slipped away despite Stoinis cameo.

Hashim Amla (21) and Vijay started on a positive note with the KXIP skipper finding gaps with ease. They added 45 runs before Amla tried to pull Watson as Stuart Binny stationed at the edge of

the circle at mid-wicket timed his jump to perfection to take a good catch. Vijay hit some great shots including a lovely back cut off Watson, an on drive off Binny and a pulled boundary of Chris Jordan.

When Varun Aaron bowled a fast rising delievry, Vijay used the pace to pull it behind square for a six. Along with Wriddhiman Saha (16), he added 43 runs as the pair ran well between the wickets before trouble struck.

Leg spinner Chahal (2/30) dismissed Saha and an out-of-form David Miller (0) with successive deliveries stumped by KL Rahul.

While Rahul fumbled a bit when Saha missed trying to give Chahal the charge, he effected a far smoother stumping when the leggie slided one across Miller, who tried playing a defensive prod.

From 88 for 1, KXIP were reduced to 88 for 3 when Vijay tried to take charge as he hit Jordan for a couple of boundaries.

Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 175 for 6 (De Villiers 64, Rahul 42, Cariappa 2-16) beat Kings XI Punjab 174 for 4 (Vijay 89, Stoinis 34 not out, Watson 2-22) by one run. - PTI

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

IN DEMAND: Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman.

MELBOURNE: Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman could ignite a bidding war between several Big Bash League (BBL) cricket franchises as the promising pacer has caught the eyes of many in Australia.

The 20-year-old is one of the hottest T20 bowlers in the world right now, dominating the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Sunrisers Hyderabad with lively left-arm pace, deceptive slower balls, hostile yorker and cutters. Seven BBL clubs have at least one overseas vacancy; only the Melbourne Stars have already filled their quota with English pair Luke Wright and Kevin Pietersen.

The Melbourne Renegades may have got an early jump on their rivals in the race for Mustafizur.

The Bangladeshi’s IPL coach Tom Moody is a director at the Renegades, who currently have two overseas spots available on their list, although one is expected to be taken by the return of the West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.

Moody’s close connection with Mustafizur could be a deal-breaker for the Renegades should they want to sign the 20-year-old.

Renegades’ coach David Saker recently expressed a desire to boost his side’s bowling stock after a disappointing campaign last season, which saw them miss the finals for the third consecutive season.

“To be fair, we probably need an overseas bowler.

We’re looking at whether to go down that track or to recruit a bowler from inside Australia,” Saker was quoted as saying by theage.com.au.

Recently described as a “little genius” by Sydney Sixers captain and Sunrisers teammate Moises Henriques, Mustafizur could also be swayed to the SCG with the Sixers having room for two international signings.

Musatfizur could be an option to replace legendary allrounder Jacques Kallis at the reigning champions Sydney Sixers, who are expected to resign West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell.

If Mustafizur does find a team in the BBL he would be the second Bangladeshi to play in Australia after Shakib Al Hasan, who turned out for the Strikers and Renegades.

The 20-year-old claimed nine wickets in three matches for Bangladesh in the World T20 in India in March, including a haul of 5-22 against semi-finalists New Zealand. - IANS

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

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SPORTS Murray, Mauresmo end working relationship Mauresmo described working with Murray as being a fantastic experience

LONDON: Andy Murray and his coach Amelie Mauresmo have agreed to end their two-year working relationship, the British world No. 3 said on Monday.

Twice Grand Slam winner Murray lost the Madrid Open final to Novak Djokovic on Sunday.

“I’ve learned a lot from Amelie over the past two years,” Murray said in a statement. “She’s been a calming influence in the team and we’ll miss having her around.

“I’ll take some time to consider the next steps and how we progress from here, but I’d like to thank her for everything she has done, she’s been an invaluable member of the team.”

Mauresmo described working with Murray as being a fantastic experience. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being part of the great team of people he has around him,” she said.

PARTING WAYS: Andy Murray, right, and Amelie Mauresmo.

“Dedicating enough time along with the travel has been a challenge for me. I wish him and the team well and I hope he goes on to win any more titles.”

The partnership between the two Wimbledon champions — Murray won the men’s singles in 2013 and French former world No 1 Mauresmo triumphed at the All England Club in 2006 — seemed a surprise

alliance when it was announced after the 2014 French Open.

Yet the pair have enjoyed plenty of success with the 36-year-old Mauresmo helping guide the Scot to seven titles and to two Australian Open finals.

However, the 28-year-old Murray has not been able to quite reach the peaks he climbed when Ivan Lendl was his mentor, winning

Olympic gold in 2012 as well as the U.S. Open later that summer before his historic Wimbledon success.

Mauresmo has not been regularly on the circuit with Murray since giving birth to her son Aaron last August.

She had indicated then that she would have to see how she could cope with being both a parent and a globe-trotting coach. —Reuters

TENNIS

OTA’s Salman on GCC tennis committee MUSCAT: Oman Tennis Association (OTA) official Salman Al Balushi has become a member of one of the key committees of GCC Tennis Organising Committee.

Salman Al Balushi, a longserving official and Executive Director of OTA, has been named a member of the Technical Committee of the GCC Tennis Organising Committee.

Salman was included in the technical committee after the GCC tennis body, which is currently headquartered in Kuwait, formed new various new committees.

The main objectives of Technical Committee are to put in place the plans and programmers for GCC tennis competitions and their technical supervision and development.

According to the OTA, Salman’s selection is based on his extensive experience in tennis which he acquired through his involvement a number of positions he has taken up throughout his career with OTA. He has supervised many OTA hosted local championships and competitions and is also experienced in the field of tennis development in the GCC region.

NEW ROLE: Salman Al Balushi

Salman Al Balushi said he was delighted on becoming a member of a key committee of GCC tennis and expressed the hope that he would be able to contribute with his colleagues in promoting tennis in the GCC region.

“I take this opportunity to thank and appreciate the OTA board chairman and members for the trust shown in me by selecting me for this position. I will spare no effort towards developing the game in the region and contributing towards its promotion in the upcoming period,” Salman Al Balushi added.

CRICKET

FRiENDi Mobile Summer Cup off to exciting start MUSCAT: The 19th edition of FRiENDi Mobile Summer Cup cricket tournament, organised by Jazz Boys Cricket Club, kicked off in style with exciting action witnessed on the opening day at Al Ghubra Power Plant’s lush green ground.

While the participating teams produced some thrilling moments in all three departments — batting, bowling and fielding, the organisers lived up to their promise and gave away instant man of the match and special awards to 14 players during the day.

On the day, eight matches were played in the men’s category and six in the women’s tournament.

Al Jarwani Hospitality served lunch for members all participating teams. Both men’s and womFOOTBALL

Pochettino keen to bring big club mentality to Spurs LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur should start behaving like a big team and not worry about north London rivals Arsenal overtaking them in the Premier League, manager Mauricio Pochettino has said.

Second-placed Spurs, who are two points ahead of Arsenal, need to avoid defeat in their final league game of the season at relegation-threatened Newcastle United to ensure they finish above the Gunners for the first time since 1995.

Pochettino, however, is determined not to obsess about local bragging rights and has urged all at White Hart Lane to adopt a similar approach.

“The last few weeks have been tough, (but) we are still in a great position... ,” Pochettino told British media.

“We need to look at ourselves, not at our neighbour,” Spurs manager added. - Reuters

en’s finals will be played on May 13.

The tournament is mainly sponsored by FRiENDi mobile, Al Hajiry Group, Strabag Oman, Khurshid Trading, Tile Marine, Al Jarwani Hospitality, Al Faisal and The Body Shop.

1st day’s results Men’s tournament: Khurshid Beatrice lost to OEC by 5 wkts. Man of the match: Salman (OEC). BHR lost to Royal Challengers by 10 wkts. Man of the match: Nithin (Royal Challengers). Asfandyar lost to Masters by 4 wkts. Man of the

match: Ashfaq (Masters). SS Friends beat Voltas by 45 runs. Man of the match: Iqbal (SS Friends). Manglore United lost to Sialkot Stallions by 5 wkts. Man of the match: Nadeem (Sialkot Stallions). Rangers lost to Future Oilfield by 6 wkts. Man of the match: Imran Mani (Future Oil-

field). Rahil lost to Klair by 6 wkts. Man of the match: Rauf (Klair). Cheers beat Rain Riders by 53 runs. Man of the match: Tousim (Cheers).

Women’s tournament: Pitch Smashers beat ISG Green by 38 runs. Man of the match: Hina (Pitch Smashers). ISM

Strikers beat Sohar Challengers by 12 runs. Man of the match: Sujana (ISM Strikers). Sohar Strikers beat ISG Green by 19 runs. Man of the match: Kavita (Sohar Strikers). Sohar Challengers lost to ISG Blue by 10 wkts. Man of the match: Nayan (ISG Blue).

Sohar Strikers lost to Pitch Smashers by 8 wkts. Man of the match: Vaishali (Pitch Smashers). ISM Strikers lost to ISG Blue by 9 wkts. Man of the match: Saya (ISG Blue).

May 13 fixtures: Men’s tournament: Klair XI vs SS Friends (7.30 am), Cheers XI vs OEC (8.30 am), Future Oilfield vs Royal Challengers (9.30 am), Masters XI vs Sialkot Stallions (10.30 am), 1st semifinal (1.30 pm), 2nd semifinal (2.30pm), final (3.30 pm).

Women’s tournament: Pitch Smashers vs ISG Blue (final – 4.30 pm).

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

SPORTS Platini to quit UEFA after losing appeal Sport’s highest tribunal, The Court

I see this (decision) as a profound injustice...

As agreed with the national associations I am resigning from my functions as President of UEFA

of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), upheld Platini’s suspension on Monday, although it reduced the term from six years to four

LAUSANNE: Suspended European soccer boss Michel Platini will resign as head of governing body UEFA after losing a top level appeal against a ban for ethics violations, but he will continue to fight to clear his name.

One of the finest players of his generation who went on to become a powerful sporting official, Frenchman Platini was suspended after his dealings with fallen world soccer chief Sepp Blatter dragged him into the scandal which engulfed the sport’s global governing body FIFA. Sport’s highest tribunal, The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), upheld Platini’s suspension on Monday, although it reduced the term from six years to four.

“The CAS Panel was of the opinion that a severe sanction could be justified in view of the superior functions carried out by Mr. Platini (FIFA Vice-President and UEFA President), the absence of any repentance and the impact that this matter has had on FIFA’s reputation,” CAS said in a statement.

The ruling means that UEFA, which has not replaced Platini since he was initially banned in October, will have to elect a new president.

UEFA said its Executive Committee would meet on May 18 in Basel to discuss the next steps, adding that no stand-in President would be appointed in the meantime.

No figurehead That decision means European soccer will almost certainly have

Michel Platini

Villar, Theodoridis emerge favourites LAUSANNE: Angel Maria Villar, the interim UEFA President, and General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis are bookmaker William Hill’s favourites at 6-1 to replace Michel Platini as head of the European soccer’s governing body.

Michael van Praag and Giancarlo Abete, Presidents of the Dutch and Italian football associations respectively, are also front-runners at 10-1 with former Manchester United

no figurehead during the European Championship, to be held in France over June and July.

Platini has pledged to continue his campaign to overturn the ban.

His only remaining recourse is to appeal to the Swiss federal court, but this can only overturn the verdict if it finds procedural irregularities.

chief executive David Gill an outside chance at 16-1.

Frenchman Platini is to resign as UEFA President after losing a top level appeal against a ban for ethics violations on Monday.

“There will be a number of candidates up for the role of President,” William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly said.

“And this looks as though it will be a hotly contested race just as the FIFA one was,” he added. - Reuters

“I see this (decision) as a profound injustice... As agreed with the national associations I am resigning from my functions as President of UEFA in order to pursue my fight with the Swiss courts to prove my integrity in this affair,” Platini said in a statement.

A lawyer for Platini, Yves Wehrli,

said the Frenchman would resign from UEFA “in the coming days”.

The French Football Federation (FFF) said it would respect the CAS decision.

“The FFF nevertheless salutes the work of Michel Platini and the quality of a man who has always worked in the interest of football, particularly while he was UEFA president,” it said.

Platini was banished along with former FIFA President Blatter over a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.08 million) made to the Frenchman by FIFA with Blatter’s approval in 2011 for work done a decade earlier.

FIFA’s ethics committee said the payment, made at a time when Blatter was seeking re-election, lacked transparency and presented conflicts of interest. Both men denied wrongdoing.

Platini had been favourite to replace Blatter at the time. Instead, his former general secretary at UEFA, Gianni Infantino, entered the FIFA presidential race and won the election in February.

Platini and Blatter were provisionally banned in October while FIFA’s ethics committee investigated the case, then suspended for eight years each in December, reduced to six years by the FIFA appeal committee in February. - Reuters

FOOTBALL

Infantino upbeat ahead of first Congress as FIFA president MEXICO CITY: Gianni Infantino struck an upbeat tone ahead of his first Congress in charge of FIFA, at which football’s governing body will try to move on from a major corruption scandal and address other problems dogging the sport around the world.

Infantino was elected as FIFA president in February, charged with steering football out of the crisis in which dozens of soccer officials from a number of countries indicted in the United States.

The main focus of FIFA’s annual Congress, which begins in Mexico on Friday, will be bringing its 209 member football associations up to speed with recent reforms designed to stamp out corruption.

“After going through some uneasy times, I truly believe that the organisation is on the verge of an exciting new era and that we can unite to work towards our common goal of developing football across the globe and at all levels,” Infantino said in a statement released by FIFA on Monday.

His leadership must also deal with other problems, including the chronic financial difficulties and poor administration seen in many parts of the world, far from the glitter of competitions like the Champions League and top clubs such as Barcelona.

FIFPro, the world players’ union, has estimated that only 75 of national associations manage to run a professional league.

Even where these exist, the union has frequently complained about the treatment of its members, particularly in eastern Europe, saying they are often left unpaid and humiliated when they complain or try to leave.

Jerome Champagne, a rival of Infantino’s for the FIFA job, has warned that football risks losing its global appeal as talent drains towards a small number of European clubs. In Nigeria, a judicial tug-of-war has seen rival factions, one led by FIFA-recognised Amaju Pinnick and another by Chris Giwa, each claiming to control the national soccer federation.

Major failure Amid the bickering, the threetime champions have failed to qualify for the African Nations Cup for the second time in a row, a major failure for the continent’s most populous nation.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) meanwhile remains under the presidency of Marco Polo Del Nero, even though he is among those indicted by U.S. prosecutors. Del Nero has denied any wrongdoing.

While the new statutes insist that the national football associations adopt good governance principles, FIFA does not directly control the FAs and has not said clearly how it plans to make them comply.

Reforms adopted in response to the scandal include setting a maximum term limit of 12 years for senior officials and the replacement of FIFA’s executive committee with a new FIFA Council which will have a purely strategic role.

The governing body’s day-today running has been handed to a non-elected FIFA bureau, although a chief executive for it has still not been appointed.

The Council will meet for the first time on Monday and one of its first tasks will be to implement a reform to reduce the number of FIFA committees from 26 to seven.

One of these, a stakeholders’ committee that will include representatives from FIFPro, the clubs and leagues, could prove particularly troublesome. Both FIFPro and the clubs have complained they did not have any say in the reforms and welcomed Infantino with some bitter criticism.

The Congress itself will decide on applications for membership from Kosovo and, possibly, Gibraltar, and will also be asked to approve a revised budget for the 2015-2018 cycle to reflect Infantino’s electoral promises. The budget increases the projected revenue for the 2015-2018 cycle upwards from $5 to $5.65 billion, which Infantino says will be viable once FIFA has restored its credibility. - Reuters

CRICKET

Manis Azad win Al Hail T12 title

WINNERS: Manis Azad team pose for a group photo after winning Al Hail T12 cricket tournament.

MUSCAT: Manis Azad International Cricket Team won the inaugural T12 Cricket Tournament organised by Al Hail Cricket Club here recently.

In a keenly-contested final, Manis Azad defeated Denmark Cricket Team to win the top honours.

Al Hail Cricket Club organised the innovative cricket tournament as part of their efforts to contribute to the development of cricket in the Sultanate. The new con-

cept has been inspired by a similar tournament “Adelaide T12 Cricket Nations Cup 2016” held recently in Australia by the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy.

Ushendra Singh, General Manager of National Paints Oman, handed over the trophies in the presence of Moula Baksh, Chairman of the Al Hail Cricket Club.

Moula Baksh said: “It is Al Hail Cricket Club’s endeavour to introduce new cricket formats in the

country to improve cricket level as well as bring the local cricket closer to international standards.”

Moula Bakhsh promised more such innovative cricket activities and tournaments in future which will be beneficial to many aspiring local cricket teams.

The organisers thanked the main sponsor National Paints Oman for their valuable support in successfully organising the new tournament.

FRIENDS OF SALALAH LAUNCH DHOFAR PREMIER LEAGUE Friends of Salalah launched Dhofar Premier League T20 cricket tournament on May 6.

The tournament was declared open by Indian Social Club chairman Manpreet Singh and Anil, MD of Creative Consultancy A total of 16 teams are participating in the tournament.

The title winners will receive OMR 600 and a trophy while the runners-up will take home OMR 300 and a trophy. — Supplied photo

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SECTION

LIFESTYLE

Dining 15 Minute Meals

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

Pasta Aglio Olio Pasta Aglio Olio is a traditional and most basic pasta dish, with garlic and olive oil as its star ingredients. It is very quick to put together this dish and needs very few ingredients to make. Hence a life saver for last minute emergencies.

Sprinkling Italian breadcrumbs instead of cheese enhances the flavour of this rustic dish.

Ingredients • Salt • 1 packet of spaghetti pasta • 1/3 cup olive oil • 8 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers • ½tsp crushed red pepper flakes • ½ cup minced fresh parsley • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving Preparation • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta. Takes approximately 5 minutes to do this.

• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta, such as a 12-inch sauté pan or a large, shallow pot. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges. Don’t overcook it.

Add the red pepper flakes. Carefully add the reserved pasta-cooking water to the garlic and oil and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.

• Add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss. Off the heat, add the parsley and Parmesan and toss well.

Allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 3 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed.

Taste for seasoning and serve warm with extra Parmesan on the side or you could garnish with crumbled Italian bread crumbs.

Curried Scrambled Eggs with Broccoli Egg is one such versatile food which can be paired with any vegetable and a delicious recipe can be prepared.

Curried Scrambled Eggs with Broccoli is perfect for the days when you are tired after a busy day and don’t want to eat outside. A great time saver in the kitchen and healthy too.

Ingredients • 2tbsp oil • 2 medium sized onion, finely chopped • 3 garlic pods, finely chopped • 2 medium sized tomatoes, finely chopped • 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces • 1tsp turmeric powder • 2tsp red chilli powder • Salt to taste • 3 eggs • 2tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped Preparation • Heat oil in a frying pan or skillet and add finely chopped onions.

• When onion turns pinkish, add chopped garlic and sauté till the raw smell of garlic goes away for 3 minutes.

• Once it is done, add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till it turns mushy.

• Add broccoli florets and cook them for 7 minutes. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and mix everything well.

• One by one break the eggs directly into the skillet. Mix well and wait for the eggs to cook.

• Once you see the eggs getting cooked, take a spatula and scramble it in the skillet. Scramble continuously till the eggs are finely minced and mixed well with the onion-tomato-broccoli mixture. It takes almost 5 minutes.

Adjust salt according to your taste and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and again mix well. Switch off the gas and serve hot.

Are you short of time or tired of cooking in this sweltering heat? Don’t lose heart.

Have dinner served on the table in just 15 minutes with these quick recipes.

Recipes Oneza Tabish

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas For a quick and hearty lunch or dinner, these black bean, corn and cheese quesadillas with salsa are perfect and filling.

Ingredients • 1 can black beans, rinsed • ½ can corn • ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese •½ cup prepared fresh salsa or a ready made tin • 8-inch whole-wheat tortilla • 2tsp canola oil, divided • 1 ripe avocado, diced Preparation • Combine beans, corn, cheese and 1/4 cup salsa in a medium bowl. Place tortilla on a work surface. Spread 1/2 cup filling on half of each tortilla. Fold tortilla in half, pressing gently to flatten. This takes about 5 minutes.

• Heat 1tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides. It takes approximately 8-10 minutes to make them in batches.

Serve the quesadillas with sour cream or a mixed green salad.

Vegetable Lo Mein The simplest stir fry noodles recipe can be made with whatever vegetables you have in your kitchen.

Ingredients • 2 cups wheat flour noodles • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp red chilli sauce • 1/4 tsp brown sugar • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1/4 red bell pepper, julienned • 1/4 green bell pepper, julienned, • 1/4 yellow bell pepper, julienned • 1 carrot, julienned • 1/4 cup broccoli, cut into small florets • ½ cup white onions, finely chopped • ½ cup spring onions, finely chopped Preparation • Cook noodles as per packet instructions, drain, rinse twice, rub 1tsp of oil all over the noodles. Keep it aside.

Whisk together soy sauce, red chilli sauce, brown sugar and keep it aside.

This takes about 5 minutes. Heat oil in a wok.

• Add minced garlic and white onions, sauté for about a minute. Add all the vegetables, cook, stir frequently, until tender or for about 5 minutes.

Stir in cooked noodles and cook for 5 minutes more. Add soy sauce mixture, and gently toss to combine. Serve hot.

Chicken Sausage and Spinach Frittata The classic Italian egg frittata just got a new makeover with chicken sausage and spinach. This simple recipe can spice up your meal in just 15 minutes.

Ingredients • 1tbsp olive oil • ½ onion, diced • 1 small green pepper, diced • 3 eggs • 4 egg whites • 12 chicken sausages (cut into rounds) • 2 large heaping handfuls fresh spinach (about 4 cups) • ½tsp salt • 1/4tsp freshly ground black pepper Preparation • Set oven to broil on high.

• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, oven-safe skillet. Sauté onion and green pepper until softened for about 3 minutes.

Add onion and pepper and cook, combine eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper in a medium bowl, stirring to combine.

• Add the chicken sausages to peppers and onion and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted.

Add eggs to skillet and lightly stir.

This takes about 4-5 minutes.

Transfer pan to the oven and broil for 5 minutes, until top of frittata begins to brown slightly.

• Slice and serve.

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

C6

PRAYER TIMINGS

FIND-IT-ALL CINEMA SCHEDULE

SUR Captain America : Civil War (3D) (Action | Adventure ) ( PG12 ) Cast : Chris Evan, Robert Downey Jr 3:45, 9:20, 11:55 PM Jacobinte Swargarajyam (Mal) ( PG ) 11:00 PM Cast : Nivin Pauly, Renji Panicker, Lakshmi Ramakrishnan 24 (Tamil) (Action ) ( PG12 ) Cast : Surya Sivakumar, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nithya Menen 6:15 PM Baaghi ( Hindi | Action | Romance ) (PG) Cast : Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor 3:45, 8:30 PM Jungle Book 3D (Adventure | Drama ) ( PG ) 6:30 PM

@ RUWI

@SHATTI

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI Captain America: Civil War (3D) (Action) (PG) Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. 3:00, 5:45, 8:30, 9:00 & 11:30PM Robinson Crusoe - (3D) (Animation) (PG) Voice Overs: Ron Allen, George Babbit 3:30 & 5:15PM Hellions - (2D) (Horror) (18+) Cast: Ron Allen, George Babbit, Laila Berzins 11:45PM The Adderall Diaries - (2D) (Drama) (12+) Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco 5:45, 11:45PM The Man Who Knew Infinity - (2D) (Biography | Drama) (PG) Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons 7:30PM I Am Wrath – (2D) (Action |Crime) (12+) Cast: John Travolta, Rebecca De Mornay 3:45 & 9:45PM The Jungle Book - (3D) (Adventure ) (PG) 7:00PM

Captain America: Civil War – (4D) (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) MX4D Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr 3:00, 5:45, 8:30 & 11:15PM

MUSCAT GRAND MALL The Jungle Book – 3D (PG) Adventure | 12:00, 3:45, 7:30 PM I Am Wrath – 2D (12+) Action |Crime | Drama Cast: John Travolta, Rebecca De Mornay 11:45 PM Captain America: Civil War– 3D (PG12) Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr 12:30, 3:15, 6:00, 8:45, 11:30 PM Gold Class : 3:00, 5:45, 8:30, 11:15 PM The Man Who Knew Infinity – 2D (PG) Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons 9:30 PM Robinson Crusoe – 3D (PG) Animation Voice Overs Ron Allen, George Babbit 2:00, 5:45 PM

PANORAMA MALL Captain America: Civil War – (3D) (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) VIP LOUNGE Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr 3:15, 6:00, 8:45 & 11:30PM Captain America: Civil War – (4D) (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) MX4D 3:00, 5:45, 8:30 & 11:15PM Captain America: Civil War – (3D) (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) 3:30, 6:15, 9:00 & 11:45PM The Man Who Knew Infinity - (2D) (PG) Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons 7:15PM The Adderall Diaries - (2D) (Drama |Romance | Thriller) (12+) Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco 3:45 & 11:30PM Just the 3 of Us - (2D) (Comedy,) (PG) Cast: John Lloyd Cruz, Jennylyn Mercado 5:30PM Bastille Day – (2D) (Action) (12+) 11:15PM Precious Cargo – (2D) (Action ) (12+) Cast: Bruce Willis, Claire Forlani 9:45PM The Jungle Book - (3D) Adventure) (PG)

The Adderall Diaries - (2D) (Drama |Romance) 12+ Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco 5:45, 11:45PM

1920 London (2D) (Hindi) (15+) (Horror) Cast: Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra 3.30, 9.30 PM

3:15, 5:15, 7:45 & 9:15PM

RUWI Screen 1 1920 London (2D) (Horror / Triller) –TBC Cast : Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra 3.30, 9.30 PM Baaghi (2D) (Action) –PG Cast: Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor 6.30 PM

AZAIBA Captain America: Civil War (3D) (Action |Adventure | Sic-Fi) (PG) Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. 3:15, 7:45, 11:50 PM Robinson Crusoe (3D) (Animation) (PG) Voice Overs: Ron Allen, George Babbit 3:00, 4:45 PM 1920 London (2D) (Hindi) (Horror) (TBC) Cast: Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra 5:30, 11:30 PM 24 (2D) (Action) (PG12) Cast: Suriya Sivakumar, Nithya Menen 6:00, 10:30 PM The Jungle Book (3D) (Adventure) (PG) 3:30, 6:30 PM Jacobinte Swargarajyam (2D) (Mal) (Drama) (PG)r 9:10 PM Baaghi (2D) (Action) (PG) Cast: Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor 3:45, 6:15, 8:45, 11:15 PM Supreme (2D) (Telugu) (Action) (TBC) Cast: Sai Dharam Tej , Rashi Khanna 8:30 PM

Screen 2 Captain America: Civil War (2D) (Action) Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr 3.45, 10.30 PM (PG12) The Jungle Book (2D) (Adventure) –PG 6.30, 8.30 PM Cast : Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray Screen 3 Baaghi (2D) (Action) –PG Cast: Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor 3.45, 9.45 PM 24 (2D) - Tamil (Action/ Sci- Fic) –PG12 Cast: Suriya Sivakumar, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nithya Menen 6:30 PM

SOHAR The Jungle Book – 3D (Adventure) (PG) Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley 3:00, 5:00, 7:00PM Bastille Day– 2D (Action) (12+) Cast: Idris Elba, Richard Madden, Kelly Reilly 3:00, 11:45PM Baaghi– 2D (Action) (PG) Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Tiger Shroff 3:30, 9:00PM Captain America: Civil War (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) PG Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson.

3:15, 6:00, 8:45, 11:30PM The Man Who knew Infinity (Biography | Drama) PG Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Malcolm Sinclair 6:15PM 24 (Tamil) (Action) PG12 Cast: Suriya Sivakumar, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nithya Menon 6:30, 8:15PM 1920-London (Hindi) Horror (15+) Cast: Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra 11:30PM The Adderall Diaries (Drama |Romance) (12+) Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco, Christian Slater 4:30, 11:55PM

Jacobinte Swargarajyam (Mal) PG Cast: Nivin Pauly, Renji Panicker 9:15PM

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

Dept time

Destination

Arrival Operating time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

TEMPERATURE

05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

Daily Daily Daily

Sur Quriyat Ruwi

06:45 08:30 10:00

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

06:30 06:30 08:00 13:00 13:00 16.00 16.00

07:00 07:00 13:30 13:00 13:00 13:00 17:00

Sohar Buraimi Buraimi Sohar Buraimi Sohar Buraimi

08:50 Daily 11:00 Daily 14:30 Daily via Ibri 15:45 Daily 17:40 Daily 18.35 Daily 20:20 Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 17:30

Sinaw

SALALAH Captain America: Civil War (3D) (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr 12:30, 3:15, 6:00, 8:45, 11:30PM The Jungle Book (3D) (PG) (Adventure) 2:30, 6:15PM Robinson Crusoe (3D) (PG) (Animation) 12:45, 4:30PM The Man Who Knew Infinity (2D) (PG) Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons 4:00PM (Biography) I Am Wrath (2D) (12+) (Action) 2:00, 11:55PM 1920 London (2D) (Hindi) (15+) (Horror) Cast: Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra 11:15PM Baaghi (2D) (PG) (Hindi) (Action| Romance) 9:20PM 24 (2D) (PG12) (Tamil) (Action) Cast: Suriya Sivakumar, Samantha Ruth 6:05PM Jacobinte Swargarajyam (2D) (PG) (Mal) (Drama) 8:15PM

Nizwa Yanqul

20:50

Daily

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

45 31

07:00

Ruwi

10:25

Daily

06:00 06:00

Nizwa Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Daily Daily

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

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

Fahud Yibal

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

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

Daily Daily

Marmul

Dubai

16:50

Daily

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

19:50 13:15 22:30 07:30

VAANI KRISHNA May 10, 2007

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

80-40% Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 17 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/ her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

LISTINGS

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

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

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

15:00

Salalah

Daily

07:00

Daily

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 07:30 07:30 13:00 13:00 15:30 15:30

Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH/SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

07:00 07:00 07:00

16:00 16.00 16.00

Fujairah Sharjah Dubai

11.45 13.30 14.00

Daily Daily Daily

Sharjah Fujairah Ruwi

16:30 18.15 23.00

Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence 24569603 Directorate General of Customs 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries 24510228 Public Relations Admin 24560099 EMBASSIES IN OMAN

Daily Daily Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

07:00

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

10:45 19:00

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

Ruwi Ruwi

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

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

06:00 14:30

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

10:30 11:15

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

Programmes are subject to change

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

10:20 12:30

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) Sur Sur

Jacobinte Swargarajyam (Mal) (Comedy) Cast : Nivin Pauly, Renji Panicker and Lakshmi Ramakrishna 3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema Main 24 (Tamil) (Action \ Thriller Cast: Suriya, Samantha, Nithhya Menon 3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema-2 Kali (Mal) (Comedy\ Drama) Cast : Dulquar Salmaan & Sai Pallavi 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema -3 Manithan (Tamil) ( Comedy) Cast : Udhayanidhi Stalin & Hansika Motwani 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema-4 Next Change: Azhar (Hindi), Supreme (Telugu)

0

ROYAL OMAN POLICE 07:30 14:30

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

Minimum

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

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

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

STAR CINEMA

0

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

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

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

The Adderall Diaries (Drama) Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco 4.00, 6.00, 10.00, & 11.55 PM CP No : 1115 (12+) The Man Who Knew Infinity (Biography / Drama) Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Malcolm Sinclair 4.00, 8.00, & 10.00 PM CP No: 1116 (PG) I Am Wrath: (Action / Crime / Drama) Cast: John Travolta, Amanda Schull 2.00, 6.00, & 11.55 PM CP No : 1109 (12+) Take Down: (Thriller) Cast: Dominic Sherwood, Phoebe Tonkin, Ed Westwick 2.00, & 8.00 PM CP No: 1110 (PG12)

WEATHER

15:00 15:00 15:00

16:30 18:00 19:30

Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

WITH LOVE

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

BAHJA CINEMA

BURAIMI Captain America: Civil War(3D)(Action)PG Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. 4:45, 6:30, 9:05 & 11:45 PM The Jungle Book(3D) (Adventure) PG 6:45PM Robinson Crusoe (3D) (Animation) PG Voice Overs: Ron Allen, George Babbit 5:00 PM 1920 London (15+) (Crime |Horror | Thriller) Cast: Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra 11:15PM Baaghi PG (Hindi) (Action| Romance) Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Tiger Shroff 8.45 PM The Adderall Diaries 12+ (Drama) Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco 4:45 & 10:05 PM Jacobinte Swargarajyam PG (Mal|Drama) 7:30 PM Hellions 18+ (Horror) Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick 11:45 PM

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

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI) Destination

12.08pm 3.32pm 6.44pm 8.01pm 4.05am

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

@ PANORAMA MALL

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

Afghanistan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Brunei China Cyprus Egypt France Germany India Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya South Korea Kuwait

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

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

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

PHARMACIES (ROUND THE CLOCK) Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334 Apollo Medical Centre,

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

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre 24485052 Atlas Hospital Ruwi 24811743/ Ghubra 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi 24563641 Azaiba 24499269 Sohar 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya 24787766, 24787780

Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 Lifeline Hospital Salalah 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar 26751128 MBD 24799077 Al Khuwair 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666 Al Hayat International Hospital, Al Ghubra 22004000, 94267068/97049520 Al Hayat Clinic, Al Hail 22009455

AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

Air New Zealand 24700732 Biman Bangladesh Airlines 24701128 British Airways 24568777 Cathay Pacific 24789818 Egypt Air 24794113 Emirates Air 24404400 Ethiopian Airlines 24660313 Gulf Air 80072424 Indian 24791914 Iran Air 24787423 Japan Airlines 24704455 Jazeera Airways 23294848 Jet Airways 24787248 Kenya Airways 24660300 KML Royal Dutch Airlines 24566737 Kuwait Airways 24701262 LOT Polish Airlines 24796387 Lufthansa 24796692 Malaysian Airlines 24560796 Middle East Airlines 24796680 Oman Air 24531111 Pakistan International Airlines 24792471 Qatar Airways 24771900 Qantas 24559941 Royal Jordanian 24796693 Saudi Arabian Airlines 24789485 Singapore Airlines 24791233 Shaheen Air 24816565 SriLankan Airlines 24784545 Swiss International Airlines 24796692 Thai Airways 24705934

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

C7

LIFESTYLE BRIEFS

Being a foodie can actually keep you lean Do you perceive yourself to be a foodie? If yes, chances are that you may end up influencing the amount of your intake as well as decrease the risk of becoming obese, often attributed to an addiction to food, finds new research. According to researchers, when the study participants were told that they were great food addicts, they tend to consume fewer calories than those who were told they had low or average score. Further, they also reported greater concern about their eating behaviour, which in turn, reduced the amount of time they spent tasting the foods.

“Our research found that participants who believed themselves to be ‘food addicts’ reduced the amount of time they were exposed to unhealthy foods and ate less as a result,” according to Helen Ruddock, doctoral student at the University of Liverpool in Britain. “This appears to be because the perception of being a food addict made them concerned about their eating behaviour,” Ruddock added. The team examined the impact of changing participants’ personal food addiction beliefs on eating behaviour, in two separate studies. Women completed a series of computer tasks about food. On completion, they were given bogus feedback on their performance which indicated that they had high, low, or average levels of food addiction. Their intake of unhealthy foods (chocolate and crisps) was then measured in a taste test. “Our study is first to show that personal beliefs about food addiction can influence how much we eat. Further work with a larger sample group and over a longer time period is now needed,” Ruddock said.

Malaysian cuisine is similar to South Indian food Malaysian cuisine can be termed the closest cousin of South Indian cuisine. Nevertheless, Malaysian dishes taste different, said a top chef at The Raintree, St.Mary’s Road, a star hotel in Chennai, India. That may sound like the advertisement line for a ketchup brand. “It’s different”, but what executive chef Hushmoin K. Patell says is true. “The ingredients used are similar to South Indian ingredients. But Malaysians use a lot of shrimp and shrimp paste as a flavouring agent or for garnishing purposes,” Patell told. Malaysian cuisine is known for its use of spices, shrimp paste, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, cardamom, star anise, fenugreek, galangal, and coconut milk — the last adds a delicious creamy touch. The dishes do not give out the strong flavour of galangal or lemongrass, as in the case of Thai curries.

The South Indian influence in Malaysian cuisine is bound to be with the historical invasion of Srivijaya by Rajendra Chola I, who had also forayed into Indonesia. Subsequently, during the British rule of India many South Indians migrated to Malaysia. According to Patell, the Malaysians use a lot of shrimp as the flavouring agent even in their vegetarian dishes. “They consider meat to be non-vegetarian, while use of shrimp paste as a flavouring agent or shrimp for garnishing is considered vegetarian,” he said. -IANS

Find Your Dream Wedding Cake

A

wedding cake is the focus of any wedding celebration. The tradition of wedding cake has been going on for years and it is so important that people will not leave the reception till the cake has been cut.

A badly chosen wedding cake can ruin the whole wedding day. Wedding cake is also the main focus of wedding photographs. Thus, it is important to make an informed choice about your wedding cake.

Here are some tips to help you choose the best wedding cake.

• Couples are often fascinated by wedding cakes with luscious cakes, but you need to remember that each addition and twists and turns will add to the price of the cake. This, it is best to clear out the cost of the decoration

It is important to pick a spectacular cake for your wedding that not only looks good but tastes good as well. and the added features you want to add to the cake.

• You need to make sure that the bakers know all the details about your wedding. Since icing are vulnerable to environmental hazards and the baker knows about the venue, they will be able to make arrangements so that the cake remains fresh and safe.

• If you know the best bakery in your city, it is important to just go to them. You can take suggestions from your friends and family members. You can drop in by

the cake shop to talk about their designs, the flavours they use and the things that you would want to add to your cake. Give them ample time to design and prepare your cake. You might also be required to make a deposit to reserve your cake.

• Time is an important factor when it comes to making wedding plans. You do not want the cake to be done hurriedly. Thus, you need to ask your wedding cake makers about the time frame that they usually give with regards to wedding cake. Thus, you can decide

how long before you need to order to give them ample time to create your wedding cake.

• Apart from the look of the cake, the taste of the cake is an important factor. They should taste good and for that, do not hesitate for samples of cakes so that you can select the best one among them.

Wedding cakes are an expensive affair. Thus, you need to know your budget for the cake well in advance.

You need to know the number of guests who will be attending the wedding so that you know how much more money you will need to allocate to the cake budget to cover everyone who will be attending.

Ordering cake should be fun and it is only the best baker who can make the journey of choosing your wedding cake worthwhile. —Courtesy of Artipot

C8

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

LIFESTYLE

ONE ENT DI INGRE

AYS FIVE W

Lychee Summer is in full swing and sweet and juicy lychees are available in plenty.

While we all love to eat them fresh, try these recipes for a different flavour.

Lychee Muffins

Lychee Lassi

Whisk 3/4 cup refined flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2tsp baking soda, 1/4tsp cinnamon powder and 1/4tsp nutmeg powder. In another bowl combine 3tbsp lychee jam, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1 cup beaten egg. Combine both the mixtures. Add 1/2 cup of fresh chopped lychees and pour it equally on a greased muffin cup. Bake at 200ºC for 25 minutes or until the muffins become brownish.

Take 2 cups chopped deseeded lychees, 2 cup of plain yoghurt, and 1/2 cup sugar or lychee syrup if available.

Add 1/4 tsp of cardamom powder and blend until smooth. Strain it and serve in a tall glass. Add few ice cubes before serving.

Lychee Ice Cream Take 2 cups of fresh cream, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup sugar, and boil.

Pour 2 egg yolk mixture into the cream mixture and stir till your get a thicker consistency. Once you add the egg yolk do not boil as the mixture can curdle.

Take 2 cups of seedless chopped lychees and add it to the mixture.

Overnight freeze it in an ice maker or in a bowl and serve with chopped lychee toppings.

Lychee Salad

Lychee Chicken

Take 15-20 lychees and remove the seeds. Put them in a bowl and drizzle 2tbsp fresh lime juice over them. Add 2tbsp chopped cucumber and 1tbsp of chopped cilantro and toss them well.

Serve immediately, garnished with lime zest.

Heat 1tbsp oil in a wok over medium heat. Take boneless chicken pieces, and cook till they are done. Remove it from the skillet.

Mix one cup of orange juice, 3tsp sugar, 1 garlic clove, and boil for 5 minutes. Combine 2tsp cornstarch.

Add to the skillet and stir till you get a thick consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped lychees, 1520 pieces , and cook for a while. Pour it over the cooked chicken pieces and serve.

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M T U E S DAY, M AY 1 0, 2 0 1 6

SECTION

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

RENT

Nassar Hilal 5x9

D2

VACANCY

D4

CARGO

D7

D2

T U E S D AY, M AY 1 0, 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

*Tourist visa arranged

FURNISHED OFFICES FOR RENT

COLD STORE ROOMS

Available at a prime location on Azaiba Service Road (Previously Occupied by A’Saffa Foods) near Al Turky and Mazda showroom.

Available at a prime location on azaiba service road (previously occupied by A’Saffa Foods) near Al Turky and Mazda showroom

Contact: 95215289, 99229263, 93221054

Contact: 95215289, 99229263, 93221054

FOR RENT

3 BHK, 3 toilets near Indian School main Wadi Kabir & 2 BHK, 2 toilet near Honda road Junction.

Contact: 99737562

Two modern fully furnished & equipped offices available for rent at Jasmine Complex Al Khuwair:

FLAT FOR RENT Location: Acacia - AL MOUJ. Area: 100 m2; Consisting of One Master BR, Study Room, Sitting , Balcony & Fully furnished Kitchen.

Facilities: Swimming Pool & Car Parking.

Monthly Rent & Payment Method: Negotiable upon viewing the property.

1) 152 M2 with reception, 1 GM Office, 2 meeting rooms, 26 working stations, pantry, network connection.

2) 132 M2 with reception, 7 offices, 6 working stations, 1 conference room, network connection.

Contact - 99469698 2BHK split A/C for rent Muttrah near Oman House.

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

Call: 99 10 88 47 93 40 35 56

Flat for rent in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact: 92277419

Office 55 SQ. Mtrs & 2 B /R new bldg in Bausher behind bank Muscat from owner. Contact: 92158031 3 Rooms, 2 Toilets Flat for Rent.

18 November Street. Near Mars Hypermarket and The Chedi.

Ghobrah -Good for Commercial or Residential use. OMR 295/- month.

Call 94477222 Deluxe 1 & 2 bedroom flats, ideal for office / residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 97721313 / 95070421 1BHK near Medical Darsait R.O 170/Contact: 95076261 2BHK available Mumtaz area Ruwi, Ghubra near Al Maha Hotel.

Contact: 99269751 New villa for rent Al Hail North next to Ramez 2 minutes to main road, 1 open sitting room, 3 family hall, 1 dining room, kitchen with store laundry, 4 bed rooms & 1 small room. Contact: 93387732 Flat for rent Al Hail North to the Wave Muscat ground floor with furniture the price RO 250/-.

Contact: 99353433

1 BHK flat for rent R.O 180/Near Medical Darsait.

Contact: 24705742 2 BHK flat at Ruwi Mumtaz area RO 320/-. Contact: 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288

1 BHK and 2BHK Flats available near Lulu Darsait (Main road, Opp. to Min. of Defense). Contact : 93202733

2BHK split A/C for rent Muttrah near Oman House.

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

Flat for rent : flat available at Hamriya & Wadi Kabir. Contact: 97380548 / 99680499 2 bedrooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality. Contact: 92584715/ 24700120 1 BHK flat in Ruwi MBD for 220/available. Contact: 96491825 3 BHK fully furnish Villa in Qurum heights. Contact 99792181 1BHK & Single Room Spacious Flat Near Jibro Round About On Main Road Tel:24815012 Mob:99373290 1BHK near Oman house behind Khimji HO. Contact: 95865686

2 BHK flat in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99792181

Flats in Darsait. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

1BHK Studio flat near Star Cinema RO 180/-. Contact: 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288

150 + 180 + 200 Sqr mtrs office in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181

Flats in Wadi Kabir. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

For rent flat in Darsait office CBD. Contact: 95345909 / 92820734

2BHK spacious Flat Behind Bank Muscat Wadi Kabir Tel:24815012 Mob:99373290

Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35). Contact 94051789 / 97201688

7 room villa at split AC 18th November road Azaiba.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

Flats in Muttrah. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

3 Bedroom well maintained flat (villa TYPE only 2 flats in villa) in Al Khuwair, Behind Al Akhtam Restaurant Villa No 1841, Way No 3922 Block No 239.

Contact: 99462980

Offices and Flats in Ghala.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688

Room or apartment for rent in Qurum. Contact: 99664703

Offices & Showrooms in Al Khood.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688

Flat for rent in Ruwi, Mumtaz area 2 bedrooms. Contact: 24291500 / 91409667

2 BHK at Al Mawaleh South near Masjid Sadiq Al Amin.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

4 BHK Villa in Bowsher Heights.

Contact 99792181

Flat for rent at Al Amerat at H.One mortaffat , 2 rooms, toilet kitchen.

Contact: 99313344

Flats In Qurum. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

Flats, shops & store for rent in MBD area Ruwi, Mumtaz area.

Contact: 97293708 / 92433127

2 BHK flat in Ghobra 18 November Street. Contact 99792181

Brand new villas in Al Ansab.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688

Flats in Ghobrah. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

1000 sq mtrs industrial land for rent in Ghala suitable for warehouse workshop etc.

Contact 24700120 / 92584715

Flat for rent 2 BHK 2 split A/C, 2 toilets, Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti Masjid. Contact – 97007934 / 92609232

1BHK at Hamriya near Muscat Pharmacy & 2 BHK at Mawaleh near Mosque Sadiq Al Amin.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

Shops / flats available in Honda Road, Ruwi & Mabellah Industrial area. Contact 24833972/ 24833974/ 99367448

Office for rent in Mabela.

Contact: 99355330 1 BHK in Azaiba. Contact: 99385835 / 99428143 Flat for Rent 2 bed room Near ISM muscat Indian Scoole Dar sate Tel : 00 968 95158570

FOR RENT

Commercial Space Commercial Space For Rent in Al Khuwair. Ideal for Coffee Shop / Restaurant / Office Space / Showroom 27sqm / 68sqm / 128sqm

Contact: 96775026 Flat for rent in South Mabela.

Contact: 95331177 / 95230355 Office space small in Azaiba.

Contact: 99428143 Brand new double bed room flats with two and three toilets, split ac, elevators available at Al Khoudh next to Al koudh health center.

Contact 99022675 Furnished office (61M2) for sale / rent Al Khuwair near Zawawi Mosque. Contact: 95611569 Warehouse at Wadikabir - total area 3500 sqm - covered warehouse (500sqm), office, accommodation (1000sqm), open area (2000sqm) please contact: 99273774 - 99202278 Four bedroom two floors luxurious and spacious residential villa in Al Hail North, near to the sea and Oman oil. Each room has its own bathroom. It has splits A/C’s and shaded car park. OMR 750 monthly. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955 02 BHK residential flat opposite to Al Nahdha hospital.

Contact: 99342733 /99795241 2 bed rooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality.

Contact: 92584715/ 24700120 Flats, shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD & Mumtaz. Contact: 97293708 / 92433127 Flat for rent 2 BHK 2 split A/C, 2 toilets, Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti Masjid. Contact 97007934 / 92629232

T U E S DAY, M AY 1 0, 2 0 1 6

D3

DAILY GUIDE

NRI

INDIAN RAILWAYS Ticket Reservation Hotel & Bus Tickets

FOR HIRE Crane trailer, hiab. Contact: 99354909

FOR SALE

Star Travel 92820665 / 24711734 910 SQ FT, 1 B/R fully furnished flat at Quepem – Goa. Contact: 97094797 Lands sale in Trichur Kerala.

Contact 91637137 / 91 9746573948 NRI selling his properties in following places : -Bangalore (Sobha Garnet, 4 bed room apartment), Hosur (25 cents), Cochin (20 cents), Trivandrum (11 cents, opposite to KIMS Hospital), Shertala (20 cents), Kanyakumari ( 175 cents along National Highway) Nagercoil ( 3 plots of 11 cents, 100 cents and 20 cents). Please send e mail to drkpraman@gmail.com or call Pradeep 94194071

FOR RENT Shops for rent in Ibra Main road opposite technical college. Contact: +968 93894290 / 99419496 Villa in Bousher consists of 5 rooms, 1 hall & living room.

Contact: 91153933 Villa in Al Khoud consists of 6 bedrooms, 1 sitting & living room.

Contact: 91153933

10 Shops in ground floor of 8 floor building in Bausher near Muscat Private Hospital. Have income of about 2,700 monthly. OMR 268 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955 6 Villas of six bedrooms each under construction in one compound in Bausher near Muscat Private hospital. Prices range from 165 thousand to 179 thousand for each villa. Each villa has three floors and 369 sq mtrs build up area.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955 Working beauty parlour for sale at Al Ghubra. Contact: 98178135 Shops for rent at Musanna.3 shutter (280sq mtrs) and one shutter (40 sq mtrs) shops for rent at prime location at Musanna, main road side. Contact: +968 93797900, +968 96347070

Villa in Al Ghubra consists of 5 bedrooms, 1 hall and living room.

Contact: 91153933

Beach Flat in N. Cyprus, new, furnished, ocean view, 1 Bdrm + terrace http://abv-apt.weebly.com/ Contact 9208 9704

Room with 9 bathrooms in Bousher for rent. Contact: 91153933

Laundry for sale Ruwi near Camelia. Contact: 92868123 / 92841089

Apartment in Al Khoudh consists of 2 room & hall.Contact: 91153933

Space for printing press available at wadikabir with or without machinery. Contact 99328430

2 Bedroom centrally air conditioned flat in CBD prime location.

Contact: 24714625 / 94460790 Flat for rent near Royal Hospital.

Contact: 99346793 01 Bedroom in Darsait, 1,2,3 Bedroom flats at Al Khuwair.

Contact: 24707340 / 95282986 / 99472457 1 Bed room, sharing K& T, R.O 100, 2 bedrooms , sharing K& T R.O 200/- in AL Khuwair.

Contact 95154331 Flat in Al Khuwair opp grand mall 4 room 3 toilet + hall kitchen in 3 floor 400. Contact 99420346 Flat for rent in South AlGhubrah 3 rooms, hall and 3 toilets, kitchen rent 450/-. Contact: 99335580

Travel agency for sale or lease very well established travel agency at Rex Road is for sale or lease with two staff and one clearance. Contact 99704304 Coffee shop for sale in Al Khuwair 33. Contact: 92994415 A well running pharmacy for sale at prime location.

Contact 99627621, 93240949 20 x40 containers.

Contact: 99354909 HD Scaffoldings, Shuttering Jacks, Wooden Planks, Shuttering wood assorted, Tower hoist (lift), Concrete Mixer, Bending Machine, Steel Fabrication Machinery (Searing/Cutting, lathe & Welding) including tools for immediate sale: Contact 99273774/ 99202278

2BHK split A/C 200/- Monthly & 1BHK spilt A/C 150/- monthly new building good location Barka Market. contact 99342661

Shop for sale near Oman House, Muttrah. Contact 99024362.

2BHK Big Size Flat Behind Bank Muscat, Wadi Kabir. Near ISWK. 97826454, 24815012.

400 sq mtrs Commercial/Residential land in Mabela Phase 5 Block 2. OMR 165 Thousand.

Contact 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955

For rent and investment Land industrial shops in Rusayl.

Contact: 99323957 / 95490842 Two bedrooms flat in Al Ghobrah near Oman Oil of 18 November Street. OMR 330 Monthly.

Contact 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955.

Single colorful Bed and Sofa for Sale at Al Khuwair.

Contact 92881849 / What`s up No 97290565 Urgent sale of steel scrap only serious buyers kindly contact +968 96725423 for viewing the items.

INVESTOR PARTNER REQUIRED FOR SALE Empty shop for sale in Ruwi near Camelia. Contact: 92841089 Car accessories, upholstery, oil & battery shop for sale in Seeb.

Contact: 92262284/96733523 Luxury Apartments in Boucher (35). Contact 95056808 / 97201688 Steel Scrap materials for immediate sale.

Contact 99273774/ 99202278 Almost new beach/ garden lounge chairs /bar stools/ counter.

Photos can be sent 95865457

ACC. AVAILABLE Sharing accommodation with attached bathroom available for family in villa in Mabela near Nesto hypermarket split A/C spacious rooms R.O 100/-.

Contact: 92689529 Well furnished sharing room for Executive bachelor at Rex Road.

Contact: 92873832 Single room for bachelor at Ruwi Opposite OC Center.

Contact: 99385287 1 BHK appartment for rent in Al Khoud Shabiya near mazoon mosque for rent (next to alkhoud medical center and squ) MOB: 93913224 Small old house for rent in Ghobra. Contact: 97165972 Sharing ACC available for bachelor in Al Khuwair near the Muscat Pharmacy rent R.O 100/- only.

Contact: 94297820 Room for rent near Hamriya roundabout for bachelor only.

Contact: 97443614 Single room sharing B/K at Mumtaz area. Contact: 95212017 Single room available near Darsait Lulu. Contact: 92120626 Room with attached bathroom for working ladies in a flat in M.B.D. Contact: 99764307 Furnish bedroom with attach bathroom for executive bachelor.

Contact: 97704794

ACC. AVAILABLE Villa for rent in South Mabellah, 3 bedrooms, sitting room, family Lounge, kitchen, three Toilets Contact 92212212 between 10 AM to 5 PM. Room with attached bathroom for a family in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 97167857

For a successfully Catering Restaurant Investor cum Partner is required.

Investor with fixed returns also welcome.

Please contact – 95213273

Email: muscatcoffeeshop@gmail.com

MV SALE

Sharing Accommodation available for working ladies opposite Al Nadhah Hospital. Preferably Indians. Room with seperate toilet and sharing kitchen.RO.90.

Contact 96524717

Explorer 2010 with warranty, registered 2011 Expatriate driven, single owner no accidents excellent condition, R.O 6800/-.

Contact: 92689529

Room available in Mumtaz area 1 room, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen & 1 room, common bathroom. Interested pleasecontact 92680041 Mr. Altaf

Expats selling Toyota Corolla Silver, 1.6 Automatic 2008 with new tyres and manual window excellent condition 2,09,000 km.

Contact: 99759162

Room for rent with furniture.

Al Bustan village.

Contact 93687466

Ford Focus, 2012 automatic expat driven. Contact: +968 92187371

Furnished room attached bath for Indian bachelor, Al-Falaj Ruwi & lady Wadi Kabir near Mars hypermarket. CONTACT 96202458/96761960 Furnished apartment for rent, two rooms, majlis, hall, kitchen. Near Carrefour al-mawalah.

Contact 99336776 Sharing accommodation near ISD. Contact: 99657340 Room available for Executive bachelor at Al Hail.

Contact 96234708 Room with attached bathroom and sharing kitchen available for Executive bachelor or small family at wadikabir Contact 93049849

WANTED IELTS Coaching (academic) required nearby wadi Kabir area.

Please call on mobile or msg on Whats up. Mobile no: 92927880/ 99012165

BUYING Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299

Honda Accord 2009 expat driven, well maintained under Honda service, good condition silver color, new tyres. Contact: 93210061 Hyundai Elantra 1.8, 2001 fully A/T 270000 km, 600/-.

Contact: 92531535 Mazda Cx 9, in immaculate condition, expatriate driven, single owner, no accidents, serviced regularly by Towel Auto, 2013 model, mileage 8500KM.Expected price: RO 7000.000 (negotiable).

Contact Pradeep 94194071 Nissan Altima 2.5S purchased & registered Oct 2012 Golden color dealer maintained new tyres & battery, excellent condition.

Contact: 97717152

Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steambath, obesity, Spondylitis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Azaiba.

Contact: 99639695 / 97397320 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact: 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 99250777, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133. For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit:www.islamfact.com

MATRIMONIAL Invite alliance for Sunni Muslim Urdu girl B.E, M.B.A 25 years 5.1” fair, Tamil Nadu India.

Contact: 99502581 Parent of Thrissur based Hindu Ezhava girl aged 20, Slim,Atham star, Studying for B. Pharm seeking alliance from well employed Graduates, preferably in Engineering Contact :96425102 Keralite RC boy 35 / 184 working as 3D Animator and Graphics designer in Salalah.

Contact: 92936076 / 95605527 Indian male Roman Catholic 40yrs divorcee working in Muscat.

Seeks suitable alliance from widow/ divorcee/ single.

Contact 96059801.

Hyundai Accent 1.6, 2014 model, good condition. Contact : 95212017

Malankara Catholic Male Nurse (28) from Thiruvalla working in Nizwa Private Co. Alliance invites parents/nurses working in Oman.

Contact 968 98267338, 0091 9287215726

FOR LADIES

LOST

Offer!! Treading Gold Facial & Pedicure just for 10 RO, Al Doom Parlour Ruwi: Contact 99619409 (watsup)

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication.

Buying cars for cash.

Contact: 90202090

GOOD NEWS

* Subject to space availability

Korshed Alam has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. BB 0724212.

Finder please handover to ROP. Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed Sharif has lost Pakistani Passport No. BD 1027711. Finder please handover to ROP. Mohammad Mominul has lost Bangladesh passport No AD 2473971. Finder please handover to ROP.

D4

T U E S D AY, M AY 1 0, 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT REQUIRED Marketing manager/ Sales Executives Experience in Sales/Marketing of Building Materials(Sanitary wares & Kitchens). Not less than 5 yrs exp Sound customer Base Contact email-

rgeorge@omantd.com & atalibus@omantd.com

A REPUTED SUPER MARKET IN AL-KHODH REQUIRES

SHOP ASSISTANTS The above position must have good experience in SUPER MARKET with Computer Knowledge Attractive Salary & benefits will be offered for the right candidate.

Those interested may forward their CV’s to Email:

scesqu@gmail.com or Fax: 24413025

LOOKING FOR ELECTRICIAN Required urgently experienced Electricians with ITI Certificate.

Contact 99878180, narrowstreet@gmail.com

VACANCIES Urgently required Receptionist (Omani National): Having Secondary Certificate with Minimum 2 years experience good command over English & Arabic. Should be capable of handling all type of correspondence & routine office works independently, and good skill in MS-Office is must.

Urgently required Light Duty Driver (Omani National): Age should be 30 to 40 years ,should be capable of driving Pickup and 3 ton vehicle and having good knowledge of all area locations.

Interested candidates may send in their CVs to

Fax # 24600217 or email on: zeeshan@starslightllc.com

SITUATION WANTED SKILLED / UNSKILLED

CATERING

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Urgently required an experienced Waiter for a food restaurant. Visa available. Contact: 96026615 / 99816262

Wanted loading & unloading people. Visa ready apply Indians only. Contact:95451713 Urgently required 1 No. ITI Electrician, minimum 2 years of experience & should be able to read electrical drawings.

Send CV to Fax: 24591610 or email: qaisllc@yahoo.com

DOMESTIC HELPER Urgently required Housemaid for small Indian family in Al Khoud.

Attractive Salary, Acc & Visa Provided. Cont No.9522 0350

Required Indian Mason – 5 nos., eligibility (minimum 5 yrs experience in road construction field).

Contact: 99882127 Email: georgymv@yahoo.com

Required Gardener for part time job at Al Rabiat Qurum.

Contact 95890531

DRIVER

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE

Urgently required for a reputed Ready-mix Company, ‘Heavy Duty Drivers’ having valid Omani Licence, with local release. GCC licence holders also can apply, subject to local rules. Labour clearances are ready for immediate employment. Contact with passport details, copies of licence etc in person to Mr. Mohd Aqueel – 99338619, Mr Shamsuddin – 99274321

Required male or female office assistance for a spare parts company, any national, experienced not a must . Good salary packages will offered for suitable candidates . Tel no +96824593148 , Email ID :-vacancyhr102@gmail.com

Wanted Light duty Driver cum house boy for an Indian family in Oman. Kindly contact 99425610 / 99211030

Wanted driver. Contact: 97165972

DRAFTSMAN Urgently required: Civil Draftsman- with experience 5 years experience in building and with NOC for immediately join.

Interested candidates may call us to our office telephone: 00968-24696584/24696585 or fax: 00968-24605955 or email us to sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com

ENGINEER/MECHANIC. A well established Ready-mix Concrete Company needs an experienced ‘Maintenance Engineer’ to look after its multifacility workshop and supervise / co-ordinate site wise operations.

Candidate must be a qualified Mechanical Engineer with relevant experience of handling a fleet of various brands and Concrete batching plants and Pumps. Forward your CV with relevant data to sndakshin@gmail.com / Contacts: 99256757 Required Indian Engineer road Construction 5/10 years experience Eligibility BE or Diploma Civil AutoCAD Estimation with Oman (D/L) & Indian Heavy Duty drivers.

Contact: 99882127 Email: georgymv@yahoo.com

IT Required Shop Sales man + Hardware Technician for IT Company with minimum 2 years experience.

Contact: 98825806 / 98825806, Email: info@rns-group.com

MEDICAL Wanted Dentist with MOH license for a clinic in Sur. Contact 95653810 Required gynecologist GEN: practitioner lady lab Technician and pharmacologist immediately for a clinic in Suwaiq.

Contact: 95081010 Email: umchealthcare@gmail.com

MEDICAL

MISCELLANEOUS

Urgently required Lab Tech, preferably Prometric cleared or with MOH license for a Medical Center in Ruwi.

Contact 9522 0350

Required candidates for following posts: Accountant, Storekeeper, Foreman Building Maintenance, Van-salesman (water), Helpers.

Candidates with Omani driving license preferred.

Contact 99273774/99202278

SIT.WANTED

Urgent required Pharmacist with MOH LIC to work in a Pharmacy.

Salary negotiable, good package.

Contact: 94870029 immediate appointment.

Dot Muscat Company LLC is looking for Optometrist. Contact us on: dotmuscat@gmail.com Required Lab Technician, X- Ray Technician, Staff Nurses & Doctors.

Contact: 99681325 Email: pmsunilkumar@hotmail.com Urgent hiring Optometrist (preferably with MOH License or new candidate with Diploma in Optometry with 3 years experience for full time for a reputed Optical shop in Oman.

Contact 93033252 Email: noushad@essacogroup.com Require a qualified Nurse to take care of an elderly female.

Contact: 99425200 Urgently required General Practitioner (Indian/ Bangladeshi), Omani Receptionist (female) for a reputed Medical Centre, Salalah.

Email : hrmdimc2010@gmail.com Required GP doctor for running clinic in Salalah. Contact 92732491 / 93129219, email : clinicrecruitment2015@gmail.com Care Medical Centre Al Seeb requires Gynecologist and General Practitioner. Mail CV to:sarita_h23@yahoo.com Wanted G.P doctor & Nurse in Muscat. Contact: 95631779 / 99722457 Urgently required Staff Nurse with MOH license for a private clinic in Sohar (leave vacancy for 3 months).

Contact: 99797459 GP doctor needed for reputed clinic. Preferably with MOH license or with Dataflow & Paramatics pass Contact: 95388934 Wanted Staff Nurse for a dermatology clinic in Muscat .

Must have MOH license and NOC. Attractive salary offered. Email: clinicvacancy2015@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Juice cum ice-cream maker.

Contact: 92841089

SALES / MARKETING Urgently required a ‘Purchase Manager’ to handle all the procurements for a reputed Readymix concrete Company, having its branches all over Oman. The candidate should possess required experience, product knowledge and excellent communication skills. Interested candidates may send their CV to sndakshin@gmail. com /Contact: 99256757 Dot Muscat Company LLC is looking for Sales/Marketing associate.

Contact : dotmuscat@gmail.com Urgent hiring Sales Girl (Omani) full time for a reputed Optical shop in Oman.. Contact 93033252 Email: noushad@essacogroup.com Wanted Staff with 3 years experience in Oman in real estate field.

Contact: +968 95910186 Email: aburashid94dd@gmail.com Urgently required Marketing Executive for a reputed Company in Oman with valid Oman D/L. Contact 94293209, career@ruwaishad.com Require Marketing Manager, experience 5 years plus, Omani driving license.

Tel: 24548382 Email id - towershr70@gmail.com Required marketing / PR manager for a modern restaurant group in Oman , proficient in illustrator & Photoshop charismatic , proactive , creative & flexible excellent writing / Editing skills degree in relevant area fluent in English.

Send CV to marketingpr2016@gmail.com Looking for Salesman with experience in vegetable and fruits sales, good conduct, fluent in English.

Should have driving license. Email CV on: info@eigllcoman.com Contact - 96339339 Salesman required for electrical equipments with driving license & 5/7 years working experience.

Fax your C.V 24833043 (Jinan Enterprises)

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian male good experience in Accounts, Admin and ERP Tally 9 looking for a suitable job. NOC available.

Contact: 94834687 Accountant / Marketing, BBA, Tally, Dip in logistics, can work on my current visa. Contact 98269281 Financial Controller 23 years Oman experience in financial management MOUs feasibility studies available.

Contact: 91302906 Accounts part time services, available to handle all accounts up to finalization on monthly basis.

Finalization and audit works.

Contact: 96247295 Indian female B.Com 4 years experience in accounting experience in wings & knowledge of tally.

1 year experience in Oman seeking suitable placement for accountant, presently on family visa.

Contact: 92054531 / 93491124 Indian male MBA (F) with 6 years of experience as an Accountant proficiency in various A/C software & SAPFI seeking for suitable placement. Contact: 95920740 Email: abdulhameed1527@gmail.com Accountant Indian male with 7 years experience up to finalization in tally & accounts receivable SAP R/3, good knowledge of payroll having Oman D/L, NOC. Contact: 93733996 Email Id: thmsb182@gmail.com Indian female M.Com with Oman driving license having 10+ years experience in Accounts & Administration in Oman seeking suitable job, NOC available.

Contact: 91609799 Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE, Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store Keeper, Sales etc. Ready to join as early as possible. Contact :- 96988923 email:- sajith3969@gmail.com Senior Accountant Indian male 10 years experience (8 yrs in Oman) with D/L & NOC, Accounts upto finalization. Contact: 99582979 / 97373853 Accountant 8Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084

Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: Anishkhan991867@gmail.Com Mobile: +968 9565 9415 Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job.

Contact 93953613, Email allen.mathew83@gmail.com Male Accountant M.Com (Accounts & finance) having 3 years experience in accounts looking for suitable job on visit visa. ontac: 94648575 2 years Diploma Health and Safety IOSH managing safely OHS academy 48 hours Manager level HABC fire safety, bachelors in Commerce and Post Graduate Finance 3 years experience in Construction & General Industry.

Contact 93107730 Indian male 25 years ACCA finalist with B.SC (Hons.) in accounting with experience in Tally with Omani driving license looking for suitable placement, release available. Contact : 92851056 Accountant Indian male B.Com with 8 years experience in Oman knowledge in tally ERP, SAP AX, MIS up to finalization NOC available. Contact: 96989872 Email: radhakrishnank2007@rediffmail. com Chief / Senior Accountant having 12 years of Oman experience seeks suitable position.

Contact: 97385562 A Graduate of Alexandria Mechanical Power Engineering and certified International Procurement Manager CIPM basics of supply chain management BSCM - APICS seeking suitable job for his Qualifications. Contact: 20 01222399139 Oman 99602608 C/O Osman Email: samer_henawy@hotmail.com Indian male 7 years experience as Accountant in Oman having Oman driving license looking for job, currently in Oman. NOC available. Contact: 92859733 Email: parthasarathy67@gmail.com 36 years, male with M.Com Finance having 15 yrs of insurance & banking experience in India, on visit visa for 15 Days seeks suitable jobs. Contact 91159284 / 99429589 Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement. contact 94879615,Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com Accountant, Indian female, B.Com Graduate 1 & half year experience up to finalization in tally with reporting knowledge, pursuing ACCA, having valid GCC D/L. Contact: 95373751 Sudanese Accountant, Alexandria University Graduate bachelor of commerce Diploma of Marketing professional photographer worked in PR and social media for 2 years looking for a job in public relations media, social media or marketing.

Contact: 96976240

IND female 12 years exp in Banking, Insurance customer service Secretarial skills analysis communication, client handling, coordination, Team handling, qualification, M.COM looking for suitable position currently on visit visa. Contact: 95166496 Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ finance field. On visit visa.

Immediately available.

Contact 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com Accountant, Indian male, with 6 years experience up to finalization in tally with reporting knowledge and good knowledge of payroll, having valid driver’s license, with NOC. Contact: 94035577 Email: azu090@gmail.com Indian male M.Com, PGDCA, 10 years of experience in Oman as Senior Finance Executive good experience in finance and accounts looking for suitable placement with reputed organizations.

Contact: 95392251 BBA finance 2 years experience as Accountant 6 months experience Assistant Marketing offer looking for jobs in accounts and marketing.

Contact: 90291297 BBA finance fresh Graduate knowledge of accounting balance sheet income statement, tally, advance, excel looking for jobs accountant. Contact: 93150918 28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com Part time Sr. Accountant with 19 yrs experience in Accounts, finance, Audit Tax Management.

Contact: 95857199 Indian male , 29 B.com ICWA (pursuing) 7 years experience in accountant / audit with valid Omani D/L seeking for suitable placement, NOC available.

Contact: 94706954 Email: ajurn33@gmail.com Male B.Com Graduate Assist.

Accountant with 2 years experience in Accounting administration.

Contact: 94736742 Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately.

Contact 98263394 ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance.

Contact: 99284193 Indian Accountant M.Com, 3 years experience in Oman, with valid NOC & driving license looking for a suitable position in accounts & sales.

Contact: 94744575 Indian male qualification MBA Finance Marketing experience 2 years express visa seeking for placement, presently on express visa.

Contact: 93991882

ARCHITECT Architect female 5 years experience seeking job.

Contact: anjuoril@gmail.com

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED Mechanical Engineer & Project Manager Sudanese 29 yrs, more than 3 yrs experience in Mining Company, Profession:Production & manufacturing, safety, fire fighting designing, Engineering Management, sales – Muscat, Oman.

Contact 968 93642704, Email : mohamedfdl87@gmail.com

Indian male, 25 yrs, Accountant, 2.5 yrs in Finance & Accounts, MBA Finance & HR, exposure in SAP, Tally, ERP 9 on visit visa.

Contact 96715420 / 91265020, Email : jijosrgo@gmail.com, simonjosephjc@gmail.com

ADMIN Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+ experience in Administration/ HR, Customer Support, Office Coordinator with good Computer skill, Now on Visit Visa,looking for suitable position.

Contact: 90196235 Indian looking for customer service, purchase front office Admin 5 years experience in UAE. Contact: 91744032 A Young dynamic post Graduate with 10 years experience of Office Administration cum transport in charge in Oman to manage large fleet of PDO / Non PDO vehicles in addition having experience of managing the labor camp and staff with their mess valid Omani D/L. Contact: +968 - 92700274 Email: naqvi8084@gmail.com With 15 years of Gulf experience in HR / Admin / logistics looking for suitable position. Fluent in Arabic / English with D/L. Contact: 95824598 Indian female Graduate over 6 years of experience in Admin, Sales, operation support looking for suitable job. Contact: 94231020 Indian male post Graduate with MBA health care management London 3 years administration experience seeking job.

Contact: 98232007, Email: ehsankappil7800@gmail.com Indian female with nearly 10 years of Oman experience in Administration and HR, seeking suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact: 99242841 25 Male BBA, 5 years experience Administration officer, accounts, purchaser, NOC. Contact 91329571 Indian male, 20 years experience in Oman as personal assistant / office manager / executive secretary / administrator / business development assistant looking for a change. holding Omani driving license. local release available.

Contact 99168054 Lady Expat looking for full time job with visa. Interested fields are Admin, teaching, HR, back office.

Contact: 91739424 Email: jinsijobs@gmail.com Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817 Young Omani male have experience 12 years as P.R.O, CLERK Helper Supervisor Admin Supervisor, H.R Manager have diploma in H.S.E, IT and P.D.O license, looking for H.R position or P.R.O part time or full time.

Contact: 95933288 Indian male Post Graduate in HR 19 years (8 Years in Oman) well experienced in HR / Admin in Oil & Gas, Construction fields with Oman D/L seeks suitable position. Release / NOC available. Contact 92854993.

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Structure Draughtsman for road & bridges with 10 years experience looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 95914879 / 91023774 Email: omerkhayam68@yahoo.com Architectural Draftsmen diploma in construction technology with 6 years experience in drafting and detailing as per British standard in Oman with valid Omani license looking for suitable opportunity Noc available. Call 94375897.

Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

MANAGER, CIPD HR With 13 years experience in GCC and Oman. Competent in Sales, Marketing, Business operation and administration.

Interested employer please call

97728418

INDIAN MALE, MARKETING & HR SPECIALIST, 25 yrs, Master degree with 2 yrs of experience both HR & Marketing, now on visiting visa.

Contact 96972939 / 96096723 Email : lijubn@gmail.com, jerrin007@gmail.com

Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR PH :92279784

DRIVER Driver light vehicle from Bangladeshi 5 years experience in Oman 24 years Omani driving license looking for job.

Contact: 98591812 Heavy duty driver, 4 yrs Oman exp seeks placement.

Contact: 93916645 GCC driver 10 yrs exp.

Contact: 93722881 Looking for light driving job 4 yrs exp. in Muscat speaking Hindi, Arabic & English.

Contact: 92965920 Driver with light duty license, 10 yrs experience. Contact: 92742722 Looking for a job as light driver, 4 years experience in Oman.

Contact: 97311715 Family driver.

Contact: 97196448 Bangladeshi 5 year experience in Muscat, Oman all location, 3 years experience U.S.A Dubai, can speak Arabic, English & Hindi.

Contact: 99327665 Temporary light Driver. Contact: 94022005 Looking for driving job experience 4 years. Contact: 95776320 Experience driver looking for job.

Contact: 95113612 Light vehicle driver 6 years in Oman. Contact: 94260369 / 94035746 Looking for Office driving job in Muscat, have been driving in Muscat for 7 years & known all the fluent speaking in Arabic, English com join work immediately.

Contact: 99640986 Email: sheka786@gmail.com Bangladeshi male light vehicle driver 15 yrs Kuwait exp & 3 yrs Oman exp looking for job.

Contact: 98440049 Indian light driver having 2 years experience in Oman know language English, Hindi, Arabic need job. Contact: 97366822 Male 3 years have experience in driving. Contact: 96457875 Light driver looking for job exp 2 years in Oman.

Contact: 91929556 Looking for driving job or transportation job, have Nissan Sunny 2012 model. Contact: 97224035 Light duty driver Pakistani seeks placement. Contact: 97762974 Indian light driver looking for job.

Contact: 99089441 Looking for light driving job 2 yrs exp. Contact: 91625977

EDUCATION/TRAINING Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact : 99739415 / 92091528 Indian female, MSc Physics, B.Ed, 5+ years experience in Oman seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 93992958 / 96203570 Teacher Female , Phd in Chemistry having 3.5 yrs of Experience in India. Staying here on Family Visa & seeking for a suitable placement.

Contact – 99675828, Email Anupam.tiwari67@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman.Contact:98921022

Indian male, Diploma Engineer with BBA & 16 yrs experience in Oman, worked with MNC in retail (Telecom/ Lubricant sales) and with construction industry handling various products & subcontract projects.

Holding valid Oman D/L, NOC available.

Contact 96960991, Email : sunap1968@gmail.com

Qualified Certified Management Accountant (CMA-USA) and cost and management accountant (ACMAIndia) with over 25 years experience in Sultanate of Oman in finance, banking and administration is seeking a suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact 95986767

Procurement Coordinator Indian male 30 yrs B.Com (computers) 4 years experience in Saudi Arabia in Construction Company, looking for any suitable position on visit visa till 15 May 16.

Contact: 0968-98590811 Email: ibrahimhashmi220@gmail.com Indian female Mech. Engineer with 1 & half years experience looking for suitable placement.

Interested in Sales & Marketing also. Contact: 94743992 Email: selveena054@gmail.com Indian female B.Tech (Civil) looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 93480346 Email: deepasajish@gmail.com Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp seeks suitable position ina reputed company. NOC available.

Contact 96789711 Mechanical Engineer (Indian male, 24 years) with three years experience looking for suitable job.

Currently on visit visa, ready to join immediately. Contact: 92175441 Email: ihabeeb24@gmail.com B.E Mechanical Engineer, age 24 with almost 1 year experience as Production Shift Engineer, has achieved training on HVAC Engineering design and has good hands on software like AutoCAD and HAP.Currently in Oman on a visit visa, looking for a suitable placement.Contact: 95065955 email: mjs.jazeb@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer 2 years experience as HVAC design and drafting MEP Engg.

Contact: 90150913 18 years experienced Indian Civil Engineer (buildings) with NOC looking for suitable positions.

Contact: 92855910 Email: jk2_anu@yahoo.co.in AutoCAD Draughtsman Indian 12 years experience Civil Infrastructure, 9 years Gulf experience.

Contact: 93528255 Email: bijumudackamannil@gmail.com Civil land surveyor with 6 years experience in construction industry (4 years in Oman) basic education BA + Civil Surveyor Diploma looking for suitable position. Contact: 96767070 Email: farman_ali587@yahoo.com Young Indian, Engineering in Bio-technology, Bio-chemical and Chemical, looking for a challenging placement in Oman.

Contact 97607000. Email: sivasankarjayakumar@gmail.com Indian female, BE Electrical, 2 yrs experienced. Contact 92051754, khushalithacker9@gmail.com Electrical Engineer having 8 years experience with valid driving license. Contact 91293519, Email: nomee987@gmail.com B.Sc Civil Engineer, MBA experience 5 years (15 months in Oman) English & Arabic, driving license looking for a suitable job.

Contact: 94162443 Mechanical Engineer (UK), having 4 yrs exp in the field of technical, sales & maintenance Engineer seeking suitable placement having valid Oman D/L& NOC is also available. Contact: +968 97612297 Email: ymirza11@caledonian.ac.uk Indian male BE Mechanical Engineering having 1 year experience seeks suitable position available in Oman on visit visa.

Contact: 96630091 Email: acv4111@gmail.com Female MCA qualified Software manual testing Engineer with 5 years experience looking for suitable position in Muscat on family joining visa. Contact: 0091 9884095301 / 00968 94231305, Email: devibala@yahoo.co.in Indian male Mechanical Engineer with 2 yrs of experience on visit visa, looking for a suitable job.

Contact: 90551526 Email: akhilgeorgiwilson@gmail.com Electrical Engineer experience 9 years in Oman. Contact: 98148034

Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine.

Available NOC release.

Contact: 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in designing, assembling, commissioning execution etc having valid GCC license too looking for a suitable. Contact: 00968-98052942 Email: azamjeelani78@gmail.com HSE Engineer (B.E Mech+Diploma Safety+NEBOSH+OSHA) over 10yrs. Exp, (Visa Release Letter (NOC) available), seeking suitable placement, Mob:97061817, Email:jayanammu1977@gmail.com Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).

Looking for a Suitable position.

Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa.

Contact 92835952. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, 94001961 Indian male civil Engineering Diploma holder, 31 years, 4 years experience in Oman, 2 years in road division looking for placement.

N.O.C available. Contact: 93298395 Architect Engineer bachelor Sudanese 7 years experience in building and construction and design (AutoCAD – Archicad) Contact: 95140464 Pakistani male 48 yrs Diploma electrical technician with 21 yrs exp . Contact : 98262600, Email: muhammedakram41@gmail.com Diploma in Civil Engineer with 5 yrs experience in Oman seeking a suitable job N.O.C available.

Contact: 93630296 / 93264828 Indian 14 yrs exp SR MEP – Elect Engg with NOC, searching suitable job, in field PMC, Fire consultants , Testing & com, project supervision. Contact: 92437865 Email: maimran.mtech@live.com Indian 24 yrs exp SR civil Engg with NOC, searching suitable job, in any project Supervision.

Contact: 96602718 mishteyaqh@yahoo.co.in Indian female diploma Architecture having 5 years exp in Engineering consultancy in Oman seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 96683293 Indian male, Structural Engineer looking for job in structural design field. Having 6 years of experience in design field. Residing in Muscat.

Contact: 91176187 syam036@gmail.com Telecommunication Engineer Sudanese male having 3 years for experience in Telecom RF3 optical fiber seeks for job. Contact: 91403123 Email: alrsheed88@hotmail.com Telecom Engineer Sudanese male having 4 years experience in telecom RF 3 optical fiber looking for job. Contact: 95614243 Email: rshe0029@gmail.com AutoCAD Draughtsman Indian male 8 years exp Civil, Interior, precasting, GCC driving license.

Contact: 95685028 Email: vimalg.kannur@gmail.com Telecommunication Engineer 35 years experience with Omantel company, Hindi , English & Arabic.

Contact: 91204243 / 94372096 / 99751612 Sudanese Mechanical Engineer +13 years experience in heavy equipments maintenance experience in Oil field. Contact 96583270 Indian male (Kerala) 24 yrs, B.E Civil Engineer, residing in Oman on visit visa looking for suitable placement. Contact: 92724814 / 99473131 Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784

An experienced Chartered Accountant With over 25 years in varied industries, presently working with a reputed group in Muscat, looking out for a suitable change.

Contact - 96491030

IT

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Autocad works, free lancer / part time, experienced, arch, MEP, structural. Contact : 97103168

Sr. Sales & Marketing Specialist

B.E Mechanical Engineer, Indian male 34 years, having 10+ years experience in MEP building construction field (HVAC, Firefighting and Plumbing) with Omani D/L. NOC available.

96978380;prajithks@gmail.com Indian male 26 B.Tech Civil Engineer 3 year’s 8 months Experience at building construction. In Oman 2 year’s experience N.O.C available seeking suitable placement Contact : 97396269 Email : usmanshaik42@gmail.com An Iraqi civil with more than 30 years experience in (Iraq and G.C.C) looking for a job, (N.O.C) available. Contact: 96561306 Email: iq.bgd.mnsr@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact:97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912 A/C Tech with Electrician and plumber looking for maintenance job, have D/L. Contact: 95308363 Quantity Survey works part time / freelance (civil).Contact: 95719108 Civil Engineer diploma 3 years 5 years experience in supply chain (warehouse logistics) procurement. Contact: 90644186 Quantity Surveyor (Civil) 11 years with Omani driving license, local release available. Contact: 95719108 Electrical B.Sc Engineer Pakistani male 24 years looking for a job.

Contact: 94049812 / 92958112 Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973 Electrical Engineer having 16 years experience in switchgear / transformer / over head lines & trading for sales / procurement & project execution with valid Omani D/L. Contact: +968 95994727 Email: qurm340@gmail.com Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs of exceptional exp in spear heading strategic planning and project management initiatives & executing various high rise residential & commercial building as well as roads and highway project with proficiency in installation, seeking a challenging position in a dynamic organization. Contact 96570891 Civil Engineer experience March 2013 to July 2015.

Contact: 91034688 Electrical Engineer Indian male 30 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation & utility maintenance in Indian (MRF Tyres) holding valid Oman D/L. Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer (B.Tech) Indian male with 1 year experience looking for job, qualification in Qa-Qc, HVAC & piping engineering.

Contact 90510800, Email : muhammedjaseem07@gmail.com Indian male B-tech 8 years experience as senior electrical project engineer / QC engineer on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact 94094543 Email: anwar425@gmail.com Sudanese Civil Structure Engineer 3 years looking for job in reputable company AutoCAD, Etabs, Staad Pro Omani driving license available. Contact: 97906770

IT 5 years of experience in the post of Networking Engineer holding (CCNA – MCITP) Very good in Arabic & English valid driving license.

Contact: 99813988 B.Tech (IT) experience in Networking server & desktop management in corporate environment looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 92954613

B.E (CSE) Graduate Indian male 25 years with 3 years experience in IT field, seeking suitable placement currently on visit visa.

Contact: 91228492 Email: ajishanish@gmail.com 7+ years experience Multimedia & Software Developer currently working in Microsoft seeking suitable job. Contact: 968 93936878 Indian male, B.SC Comp Science, CCNA, MCP, 8 yrs of exp in System and Network Support on visit visa seeking suitable positions.

Contact: 91751472 IT PM available 10+ years experience six sigma black belt certified diverse background U.S Citizen.

Contact: + 968 94699818 Sudanese IT Developer with 2 years experience.

Contact: 94360181 Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area. Contact: 98660672 IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India.

Contact: 94672759 IT support MCSA Network Virtualization 1 year exp.

Contact: 98207829

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Female, 24 Years - MSc Biotechnology. Worked in International Crops Research Institute For The Semi Arid Tropics for project work as trainee. Looking for suitable job. Mobile: 92619048, Email: anusreeg1991@gmail.com Filipino Male, 28 years Old. Looking for job, Have experience in Rent a Car/ Cargo & Logistics / Real Estate/ Customer Care Executive / Sale Executive & Marketing/ Shop In- Charge with driving license, w/ good computer and communication skill. GSM: 97761075 Male having visa, 3 years in Oman with valid D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95453393 BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+ yrs exp in Oman in sales (back office) & credit control with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable placements.

NOC available. Contact: 92066 523

MANAGER Procurement / Commercial (Import & Export) activities, Experienced 17 yrs as Deputy Manager in SAP & MS-Office, Male Indian, seeks suitable placement on visit.

Contact: 94629788

MEDICAL Indian female Dentist specialized Endodontist looking for suitable placement, prometric completed.

Contact: 96410448 Lady General Dentist available for leave vacancy. Contact 92732491 / 93129219, email : clinicrecruitment2015@gmail.com Female Nurse passed Oman prometric and viva completed dataflow searching for vacancies preferably from Salalah region.

NOC available. Contact: 91737898 Female Indian MOH licensed dentist looking out for job opportunities in Nizwa. Has 14 yrs experience as dentist after graduation.

Can be contacted on 93329964 Sudanese female Medical Laboratory specialist with M.S.C in hematology, 3 years experience seeking for suitable job. Contact: 97996545

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment.

Call: 95244761

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T U E S D AY, M AY 1 0, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Filipino Female, having exp in Shipping, Forwarding and Logistics/Customer Support/Office and HR Administration with good Communication and Computer Skills. Looking for suitable position. Contact: 96542559 Indian Male more than 10 years gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin, Secretarial and purchase with good computer skills. Holding Oman Driving license. Looking for suitable placement. Contact 99709336 Looking for part time job Secretarial / Data Entry / Documentation available every day after 5:00 pm Friday / Saturday full day area preferred Ruwi/ CBD/ MBD / Al Khuwair. Contact: 90414827

SALES / MARKETING The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, exp. 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: construction(Very strong and qualified to bringing business for civil work Or any type of the construction work for many million per year with a good exp. in pricing and collect payment and cash flow & marketing projects & investments & tenders & real estate. Contact :- 92385033 10 years ICT Business development & project management exp in Oman looking for suitable senior position. Contact: 98987654 Indian male MBA Marketing and PGDM HR seeking job.

Contact: 97127799 Email: vijinvijioo@gmail.com 4 years experience in computer hardware & Sales B.Com discontinued . Contact: 99859970 / 90996171 Building material purchaser.

Contact: 99053510 35 years male, Lebanese holding British passport, 10 years of experience in procurement, Omani Government tenders, setup marketing plans & strategies, importing, Organizing events, management, have car, NOC available. Contact 94123939 Email: 002015r@gmail.com Indian male MBA Sales Marketing business development with 10 years of vast experience 5 years GCC 5 years India excellent communication skills presently in Oman on visit visa looking for best opportunity. Contact: 97946069 Email: faizanahmad2308@yahoo. com Indian male 26 years having 4.5 years of experience in Oman as Sales & Marketing having Oman D/L visa, NOC / Release available seeking for suitable post.

Contact: 98843139 MBA Marketing, Executive Post, Omani Driving License available, 14 years Experience in Multinational Groups in Sales & Marketing.

Contact 91685048 13 years experienced Salesman seeking job, holds valid Omani driving license. NOC also available, needs visa change urgently, experience in mobiles and electronics sale. Contact: 97900338 MBA (Marketing) Sales & Marketing Executive with 4 years of experience in Sales & Business Development in FMCG sector is looking for best opportunity in Muscat at present available in Muscat on visit visa. GSM: 95840153.

Mail: akbarshareef786@gmail. com,

SALES / MARKETING Indian male BBA in Marketing & finance have 3 years work experience in Oman with driving license seeking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96007885 Procurement / Estimation male 15 years experience in Oman working with reputed company seeks suitable placements. N.O.C available.

Contact: 93508898 Email: reghunair01@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Male, 26 M.Com with 4 yrs of Experience in Accounting & Administration in a Financial Company in India, seeks suitable job, Currently in India.

Contact: India:-+918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@gmail.com

Indian male looking for jobs as driver storekeeper or salesman.

Contact: 93925621

Admin Assistant. Having 5 years experience in admin department in reputed companies, presently working in Muscat (NOC Available). GSM. 00968-98404122, Email - panduru.jeevankumar@ gmail.com

Male Indian 36 years marketing Sales 12 years experience M.A degree currently on visit visa ready to join. Contact: 00968 94068878 Email: sureshmailme79@yahoo.com

Import & Export professional, Experienced as Asst. Commercial Manager for 15 years, Proficient in MS office, Male Indian, Seeks suitable placement, on Visit, #95484684

4 years experienced Automobile Marketing/Sales Manager of Indian origin, 25yrs age on visiting visa seeks suitable job in Oman.

Contact 95298876.

Indian male, 33 yrs, MBA-HR generalist with 10 yrs including training of Omani nationals.NOC possible .Seeking a suitable job.

Contact :saiprasad_18@yahoo.com, 94179499

Indian male 12 yrs experience in sales & administration seeks suitable placement. Contact: 97205114 Pakistani male, Graduate over 9 years experience in Procurement, Warehouse & Logistics, looking for suitable placement currently on visit visa. Contact: 968 91257663 , waqasmehar1@gmail.com Senior Sales Executive, 10Yrs Exp, India seeking immediate job.

Contact #+968 98444359, +91 9880637906.

E: ahmed.shabbirsyed@gmail.com Indian male 37 years MBA graduate in marketing with 9yrs of experience in UAE in field of brand promotions & marketing with UAE D/L on a visit seeking suitable position. Conatct 95792820

MISCELLANEOUS SCM / LOGISTICS/ PROCUREMENT - 25 Yrs exp - Indian Male - Oil & Gas, Manufacturing Sector - Having valid Oman D/L & NOC available. Seeks Challenging senior position. GSM-94236414, Email ID - jayamurli@gmail.com Planning Engineer, BE Mech Engg. Indian Female having total 11 yrs exp in oil & gas projects (8+ yrs in Gulf) with valid Oman D/L, Seeks a Suitable job.

Contact: 92456003 Fresh B.Com Graduate in visit visa looking for a job. Contact: 93518923 / 99075027. email: sheikcok@yahoo.com Indian male, 40 Years, B. Com, having 10 years experience in Oman, Tally & ERP- looking for suitable placement ( NOC and Oman driving license available.

Contact +91 89 43 109897 Rajeev. 252002@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experienced senior accountant ,capable of doing all type of accounting works up to finalization, Budgeting, Bank financing requirements, taxation work etc available.

Contact : 98803439 Indian/male (25)/ MBA/2 years experience in channel sales and distribution management. on visit visa, available for immediate joining. Contact: 96914068, email: mailanasap@gmail.com Light Duty Driver, Fluent in English, Arabic. Well knowledge of Oman Areas looking for suitable placement. Contact 97950869

Safety officer, 3 years of experience in safety certifications: BE (electrical and electronics engineering), NEBOSH, IOSH, DHSE, first aid. Contact +97474018995, mail:midhunmich@gmail.com, skype:midhunmike Electronics Technician , 4 Years experience as Electronics service engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items. Looking for suitable placement. GSM- 99105043 Indian/male(25)/MBA /2 years experience in channel sales and distribution management. on visit visa. available for immediate joining. Contact: 96914068, email: mailanasap@gmail.com Looking for a part time accounting & admin job. Contact 99196621.

Indian male, network cabling technician (19 years Gulf experience) seeking for suitable placement. NOC available. Contact : 0091-8089909265 (India), E mail: mohithavp@gmail.com Indian male 26 years, Graduate in BBM & having Diploma in Logistics with 3 years of experience in Banking and Accounts looking for suitable placement. Contact : + 968 97166820/ +91 9895102356 Email :afsalrahman1989@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED MISCELLANEOUS

Indian male,B.Com + Dip. Logistic 2year experience looking for a job in Accounts/Logistics Field. Presently on Visit Visa # 93884951, Email:mehreenraiz@gmail.com Indian male, 40 Years, B. Com, having 10 years experience in Oman, Tally & ERP- looking for suitable placement ( NOC and Oman driving license available) Tel- +91 89 43 109897 Rajeev. 252002@gmail.com HSE Engineer, Indian male, 5.5 Plus years Experience in Oil & Gas Working in Shclumberger.

NEBOSH, IOSH, & NDT Certified, M Tech in HSE, CONTACTkrish.569@gmail.com, Mobile- +91 9867016808 Indian female 10 years exp as cook in Oman. South Indian & Gujarati special looking for job, company or restaurant. #90559292 Indian Male 30 year GCC driving license and past experience as project coordinator looking for a suitable position. Project Coordination, Sales Executive, Marketing Executive or any other suitable post. Contact number -97070427

Assistant Accountant - B.Com Graduate with excellent overall skills. 2 Years of experience. Ready for immediate joining.

Contact: sharonravi00@gmail.com, 968-92049215

Indian Female looking for a part time opportunity (Graphic Design/ Teaching/Research Assistant/ Business Development/Administration) Contact: 95811820 or sankarikm06@gmail.com

HSE Engineer,Indian male, 5.5 Plus years Experience in Oil & Gas Working in Shclumberger NEBOSH,IOSH, & NDT Certified, M Tech in HSE. CONTACTkrish.569@gmail.com Mobile- +91 9867016808

IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support/Retail sales. # 91496939.

Software Engineer with 5 + plus years of experience in Infosys ltd on visit visa seeking suitable vacancy in oman. Email : steffyraphel@gmail.com mob: 96896246205 / 96897032284 Indian male, 24 yrs, B. Com Graduate more than 1 year experienced in accounts planning to come for a family visit in oman seeking for a suitable placement .

Contact : 99339544 / 99743709 A/C & Fridge Technician 25 years experience in Oman India seeks suitable placement.# 95680380

Indian male, Fire & Safety Engineer having 1 year experience on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 95208305 Email: nirmalk558@gmail.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT-M. Com Finance-Indian with 7 years experience in Finance & Accounts up to finalization. Having D/L & NOC. Mob:94122464, caammk13@gmail.com Indian female, 27 yrs, B.E (Telecom) with 3 yrs exp in IBM (India) as Senior Security Delivery Analyst. Now on family visa seeking for suitable position.

Contact: 95600437

Electrical & Electronics diploma engineer Indian male 22 years, 2 years experience currently in visit visa. Contact 93047707 adilm89@gmail.com Tea boy looking for job Name: Man Bahadar Contact: 97859837 Indian Female, 29 Yrs Age, M.Sc Microbiology, looking for Job any reputed organization / Hospitals, seeks suitable position.

Contact : 95218424 / 9610 6604.

On Family Residence Visa.

IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support/Retail sales. #91496939.

Indian Male B-Com Graduate 1 year, experience in market survey, Valid Driving License, looking for any suitable post.

Contact: 92567020 / 96930392 Indian Female, M.Sc Computer Science, Seeking suitable placement in Muscat Area.

Contact : 98660672

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

TOURS

TOURS

Moon Travel L.L.C

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

Saudi Arabian Government approved agent

Umrah Package by Road & Air Bus Departures- Apr 19, May 03, 17 & 31.2016 Ramadan Schedule - Jun 06, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26 & 30.2016

We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

Contact: Tariq Al Balushi - 99218069 Ahmed Maseehuddin - 99353611, Oĸce: 24790746/24706217

AVAILABLE

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

RENT A CAR

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

SITUATION WANTED Indian male, M. Com with 3 yr Oman Exp in Accounts with valid NOC & D/L on Visit Visa, available to join immediately .

GSM :94744575 Indian B-Com Graduate 1 year Experience in market survey, Valid Driving License, looking for any suitable post. Contact: 92567020 / 96930392, shwayanad@gmail. com Indian male, M. Com, 11 years experience in the field of accountancy and Stores. Good knowledge in SAP, Tally, oracle, MS office and Excel seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92859733 Indian male, M.Com, 7 years Oman experience in the field of accounts and valid oman driving license & NOC . Good knowledge in SAP, Tally, oracle, MS office and Excel seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92859733 Indian male 42, BE-Civil 13 years experience in Road construction. looking for suitable placement. having valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 95225214, Email: Sudheerrokkala73@gmail.com Bachelor in Hotel Management Having 13 years experience in Catering Industry in all aspects of Operations with D/L looking out for a suitable placement.

Contact 90654826 Email: mailingsaikiran@gmail.com

HSE Engineer, Indian male, 4 Plus years experience in Oil & Gas, Working in Shclumberger,NEBOSH,IOSH, & NDT Certified, M Tech in HSE. Mail- krish.569@gmail.com Mobile- +91 9867016808 Indian Female on a visit visa having master degree seeking suitable placement in any field, 1 ,5 year experience in HR .Contact 91467576.

Indian female 27 yrs, Diploma in Aviation & Hospitality management, seeking suitable placement.

Curnetly in Oman, NOC Available.

Contact 94880684 Senior Accountant, NOC available, more than 5 years exp., born & bought up in Oman, Accounting upto finalization, computer skills tally9, Sage ERP ACCPAC 500(6.0A), Vcams, Audit ,valid Oman driving license, languages known English, Arabic, Hindi. Can join immediately.

Tel: (+968) 96339599, E-mail(ahmedmohdkhan@gmail.com) Indian with 3 years for experience in sales and marketing fluency in English, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam looking for suitable job.

Also hold valid Driving License, currently in oman Mob : 93451439 Indian male network cabling technician (19-years Gulf experience) seeking for suitable placement.

Contact 0091-8089909265 (India), Email: mohithavp@gmail.com

Required partner investor to build an apartment in Al Mobelah.

Contact: 99355330

RENT A CAR Best Rates for Saloon Contact: 97869042 / 95730550 sales@modernreem.com

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman Investment opportunity for lucrative building and decorative product. Contact: 99421513 Email: borderlineomn@gmail.com Tender board registered Construction Company for lease / run.

Contact: 92841089 Business Partner required for a running insurance company.

Contact: 92821312

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver.

Contact: 99839898

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DAILY GUIDE

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

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

SITUATION WANTED EDUCATION/CLASSES/COMP./WEB.

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

CATERING SERVICES We do industrial catering service, Canteen / mess, 3 times packed meals and all types of catering events.

Contact: 92188777 / 99249899 Pest control & Building cleaning all kinds of pest control building. Cleaning tiles / Marble polishing monthly/ Yearly contracts available.

Contact: 98814733 /98814740 Al Husn Cleaning L.L.C

MANPOWER

SERVICES

DRIVING

We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 Split & window A/c servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English class for Malayalam Speakers

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

A/C Maintenance & Servicing, Fridge, Washing machine & Dish washer repairing, Painting & Cleaning services, Electrical & plumbing.

Contact 99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281 Service & maintenance of split & window A/C. Contact: 95273713 We do building maintenance all kind of works. Contact 99247663

Wanted partner handover 20% to 30% running building Construction Company. Contact: 97491117

Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

Karate and self defense classes at Azaiba 18 Nov Street. RO 10 per month twice a week Monday and Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM. Contact: 98294551

Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 /94285064

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. contact 24793614/ 99314807 Pest control treatments, Ocean center LLC Contact 99344723 House shifting. Contact 99708138 Marble crystallization & grinding, cleaning & carpet shampooing.

Ocean center LLC. Contact 99344723 Marble crystallization & grinding, Ocean center LLC Contact: 99344723 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting,Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. Contact: 24810137, 99450130

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080 House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

TRANSPORTATION

Split unit & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance.

Contact: 96236476

Transportation available in Ruwi, MSQ, Al Azaiba, Al Hail, Al Khoud area. Contact: 94297820

Split unit & widow unit A.C servicing & maintenance.

Contact: 95323517 / 93769089

Transportation. Contact:91310107

Complete building maintenance Midawa Trading Est. Contact: 94614479 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722 CAD drawings Archi/ MEP CAD – comply BIM. Contact: 91233975

Picking and drop Al Khuwair to Rusayl. #91287470 / 98957524 Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909 Transportation. Contact: 95190627 Transportation required from Qurum to WadiKabir at afternoon only 1 PM. Contact - 99012165 Transportation. Contact 99508282

House Shifting Packing.

Contact: 99657644 / 98518013

Transportation. Contact 92015894