Times of Oman - April 13, 2016

WEDNESDAY April 13, 2016 5 Rajab 1437 AH

6 085010 120010 FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

At the Closing Session of the 15th G.C.C. Summit in Bahrain, 1994

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’

MORNING MINUTE

God Almighty has bestowed His copious bounties and security on our region thus enabling our countries to achieve great advances in economic and social growth.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 44

| 40 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

TO SAUDI ARABIA

HM sends condolences

GERMANY

Heavy rainfall had damaged vehicles, roads

The maximum claims came from Muscat

A little attention could have saved thousands

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on the death of Princess Misha’el bint Faisal bin Turki I bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to King Salman, praying to Allah the Almighty to rest the deceased’s soul in peace and grant her family patience. -ONA

MUSCAT: The Diwan of Royal Court on Tuesday issued the following statement: “With Allah’s care, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said returned home this evening after completing the routine medical checkups in the Federal Republic of Germany, which were crowned with success by the prospective good results, thanks to the Allah.

The Diwan of Royal Court takes this opportunity to express utmost greetings and congratulations to His Majesty the Sultan and the loyal sons of Oman coupled with prayers to Allah to protect His Majesty and grant him a good health and wellbeing to remain always a leader for the dear homeland and its generous sons’’. -ONA

FEWER COMPLAINTS

Strict rules, hefty fines deter food safety violations

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

Affordable alternative to home tuitions

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In a bid to give all pupils an equal opportunity to prepare themselves for school tests, grade 12 students in Oman can now access more affordable online lessons thanks to a new website, which provides a firstof-its-kind e-learning experience in the Sultanate.>A2

HASAN ALI AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com

INDIA

Kerala bans crackers at places of worship

TURN TO > A6

MILLION RIAL RAIN COST

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Kerala High Court on Tuesday banned the use of high-decibel crackers and fireworks display after sunset in places of worship across the state in the wake of the temple tragedy at Paravur Puttingal Devi in Kollam that has claimed 110 lives. >A9

MARKET

Power firms in Oman to invest OMR400m

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Power firms in Oman plan to invest around OMR400 million for expanding and upgrading transmission and distribution networks this year, a top-level official of Electricity Holding Company (or Nama Group) told Times of Oman. >B1

HM returns after medical checkups

Students sweat it out in third round TOO quiz

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MUSCAT: Food safety remains a concern in Oman as more than 16,000 food safety violations were recorded by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources (MRMWR) in 2015 alone in Musandam, Al Wusta, Al Buraimi, North and South Al Batinah, Al Dhahirah, Al Dakhiliyah and North and South Al Sharqiyah governorates, while 8,172 warning letters were issued in the same year.

Topping the list The North Al Batinah governorate topped the list with 4,350 violations.

However, fewer complaints on food safety are being received by the MRMWR thanks to stricter rules and heftier fines, said Fadhila Al Bahri, director of Preventive Health Management at the ministry.

Al Bahri was talking to the Times of Oman on the sidelines of the Food Safety and Traditional Foods Conference 2016, which kicked off on Tuesday at the Al Bustan Palace.

Diseases During the three-day event, Hamad bin Saif Al Gharibi, deputy minister of MRMWR quoted the World Health Organisation, saying that more than 200 diseases can spread through food.>A6

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

OMAN

...we decided to start this initiative in order to make quality education available to all Omanis and to transform education with e-learning from the rigid and old-school teaching methods Mohammed Al Lawati and Ann Al Farsi, Omtut.com

Cheap alternative to pricey home tuitions For just OMR10, a student can register for an online course

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Many families struggle to provide their children with home tuition due to the high costs involved, which can exceed OMR2,400 a year, according to parents.

In a bid to give all pupils an equal opportunity to prepare themselves for school tests, a new website is providing a more affordable alternative. Grade 12 students can now access the affordable online lessons in a first-of-its-kind e-learning ex-

perience in the Sultanate.

For only OMR10, a student can register for an online course in one of 13 subjects available at the website. Moreover, school students and the ones under social security will get even cheaper packages.

Omani couple Mohammed Al Lawati and Ann Al Farsi, have both given up their jobs in order to be able to dedicate more time and energy to the start-up.

“We had to pay hefty sums of money to provide private tuitions for our son when he was enrolled

in Class 12,” Al Lawati said, “Not every family can afford to do so.

Therefore, we decided to start this initiative in order to make quality education available to all Omanis and to transform education with e-learning from the rigid and oldschool teaching methods.”

For the initiative, Omtut.com has partnered with seasoned teachers of different nationalities with years of experience.

The website has plans to allow students to rate their teachers and ask questions during the exami-

nation period, through a hotline, which will be active in the near future according to Al Lawati.

Ann Al Farsi added that there are also plans to introduce practice exercises and instructional videos to elementary school grades by next year.

Inspired by the Khan Academy, a state-of-the-art online academy, which uses an adaptive technology to empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom, Al Lawati said he aims at making education accessible to all students in the Sultanate.

The two-week old website is mobile-friendly and users can view free video tutorials before subscribing. To subscribe, Omantut.com offers only the PayPal payment method via credit and debit cards.

The couple is also utilising different platforms of social media to spread the message and advertise the website.

H E A LT H

UN TEAM: The Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers expressed appreciation of the Sultanate for outstanding role played by the United Nations and other organisations to promote global networking and provide better services. – ONA

Fahd receives UN Coordination Team MUSCAT: His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers received today the UN Coordination Team headed by Dr Oleg Chestnov - Deputy Director-General for Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, World Health Organization.

The team includes thirteen experts of the UN organisations, who are currently visiting the Sultanate within the framework of following up the implementation of the Political Declaration of the United Nations 2011 to address the dangers of non-communicable diseases in the world and in which countries pledged to translate the declaration into action and consequently the Ministry of Health established a multi-sectoral higher national committee, which issued the national policy, which was approved by the Council of Ministers.

The Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers expressed appreciation of the Sultanate for the outstanding role played by the United Nations and other organisations to promote global networking and provide better services, stressing the keenness of the Sultanate under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to provide all possibilities to maintain the health of citizens.

Presentation UN Working Group gave a presentation before the Council of ministers on the efforts made in this regard to support decisionmakers in other sectors, as well as the Ministry of Health to address the hazard factors related to noncommunicable diseases, and to benefit from the World Health Organization’s experiences and various United Nations agencies operating in the Sultanate in order to combat these diseases.

The team touched on the details and causes of diseases, with an emphasis on the need for the

cooperation of all sectors with the competent authorities in this regard to raise awareness and prevention in order to preserve the health of citizens and to prevent them from harm.

Sultanate’s response His Highness Sayyid Fahd, affirmed that the Sultanate’s government in response to the political declaration of the United Nations, in which Member States pledged to address the risk of noncommunicable diseases, has taken the initiative to form a multi-sectoral Supreme National Committee, adding that from this standpoint the Sultanate is making every effort and provides all possible capabilities to make available the best ways of care to maintain the health of citizens, family and the community as a whole.

Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Obaid al- Saeedi, Minister of Health said that the Sultanate invited the UN Coordination Team to coordinate efforts to preserve the health of citizens, and remove the risk of non-communicable diseases from them, adding that addressing these diseases requires the cooperation of the Government, the Supreme National Committee, academics, and private sector to work together in this particular sector.

He said that we all should be wary of the risks that could be caused by non-communicable diseases and their negative effects and costs for human resources, pointing out that the support for the efforts of the United Nations in this regard is necessary and we are moving forward.

Appreciation The UN team expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the Sultanate in this regard and the collaboration with the Ministry of Health in order to reach the desired goals. Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Obaid al- Saeedi, Minister of Health attended the meeting. -ONA

M A L AYA L A M W I N G

Indian Social Club’s arm to mark 20 years Times News Service MUSCAT: Indian Social Club Malayalam Wing is preparing to celebrate its 20 years in the Sultanate in a grand way.

The anniversary celebrations will be spread over a period of one year with the inaugural ceremony on April 21, 2016 followed by “Sahithya Sammelan” involving all personalities honoured by the Wing in the literary field since its creation, and a grand closing ceremony at the end of the year.

During this period, plans call to extend maximum possible humanitarian assistance and support to society as part of the group’s social responsibility. The Wing will be organising a “Blood Donation” campaign and “Free Medical Camp” on 15th April 2016, in co-ordination with the Ministry of Health.

Programmes Further, towards promoting the heritage and culture of India, the group will be conducting a talent hunt in art, dance, music and literary fields through the competitions scheduled to begin on 28th April 2016.

It is expected that a large number of children and adults will take part in the contest.

The event will be formally inaugurated by Indra Mani Pandey,

the honorable Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman, in the presence of Veteran Cine Actor and Guest of Honour Padmashree Madhu, Dr Satish Nambiar, Chairman, and Babu Rajendran, General Secretary, Indian Social Club Oman, along with high ranking dignitaries from the Government of Oman.

Many distinguished guests from the business community and social organisations are also expected to participate in the inaugural ceremony.

The Guest of Honour, Padmashree Madhu, is a veteran in the Malayalam Cine Industry. On this occasion, it will be a privilege for the Malayalam Wing to honour Padmashree Madhu with “Athullya Prathibha Puraskaram” in recognition of his contribution to the Malayalam cine industry.

Another major attraction of the inaugural ceremony is that Dr Neena Prasad, a proponent and dance research scholar, will be performing the Mohiniyattom dance recital live on stage.

The combination of Dr Neena Prasad with live accompaniment by vocalists ChanganacherryMadhavan Nampoothiri, Mridangist - Shri Satheesan, and Veena Player – ShriMuraleekrishnan, will assure that the dance recital will be a new experience for art lovers in Muscat.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

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Apollo gets hospital status Upgraded hospital to open officially on April 27

Times News Service MUSCAT: Apollo Medical Centre has been upgraded to a hospital, after getting clearance from the Ministry of Health for a hospital status.

The upgraded hospital will be officially inaugurated on April 27.

“The immediate priority will be to add more clinical band-

width to the existing set up,” V T Saileswaran, managing director of the Apollo Hospital Muscat told the Times of Oman.

The Apollo Hospital Muscat currently has 25 specialised inhouse doctors and eight super specialty visiting consultants from Apollo India, for Neurology, Oncology and Orthopaedics.

“The upgraded facility will introduce new specialties, such as a hearing aid service, thalassemia clinic for children, gastroenterology, bariatric surgery, urology, full range of orthopaedic surgeries, including joint replacement and arthroscopy. We are looking at having a reproductive medicine clinic, a paediatric cardiac clinic and medical screening services,” added

Saileswaran. “The Apollo Hospital will offer specific and updated clinical bandwidth and we will not let down (people’s) expectations.”

The Hospital will adopt a phased approach in expansion and “may be in the near future, it will have presence across the board.” The hospital will also be open to a clinical alliance in the meantime.

Saileswaran said the Apollo Hospitals Group in India remains a preferred provider for high-end healthcare for the people of the Sultanate and this has been the case for over two decades now. “As far as Apollo in Oman is concerned, we are reaching our first decade of the first ever Apollo in the Sultanate. We felt the need for change,

GERMAN LANGUAGE

Ministry signs agreement to train tourist guides in Dhofar Times News Service MUSCAT: Ministry of Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Muriya Tourism Development Company and the Goethe-Institut (German Language Centre).

The MoU was signed by Maitha Al Mahrooqi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism; Ahmed Daboos, Muriya Tourism Development’s chief executive officer (CEO); and Sabine Brachmann Bosse, head of the Goethe-Institut.

It was agreed upon in the MoU that 15 tourist guides from Dhofar will train in the German language through a specialised programme.

The training programme will take place in the Salalah Beach Resort from May 1 to 31 and will be conducted by experts from the Goethe-Institut.

The initiative aims to accredit tourist guides in the Sultanate by providing them with the necessary skills to perform their roles as the Sultanate’s ambassadors.

Tourist guides play an influential role in delivering an authentic image about the Sultanate for the tourists. Tourism guidance is an essential aspect of the services provided to the tourists and helps develop and promote the sector.

Maitha Al Mahrooqi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism, praised the initiative saying, “We MINISTRY OF TOURISM

Convention bureau set up

Khalid Al Waleed Al Zidjali is Managing Director of Oman Convention Bureau

Times News Service MUSCAT: To manage services and products related to the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), Ministry of Tourism has set up the Oman Convention Bureau.

The bureau will enhance plans and programmes for MICE, and promote them. A promising tourism segment, MICE will enable Oman to host major international events.

“The Ministry of Tourism supports all efforts towards enhancing the MICE tourism sector in Oman,” said Maitha Saif Al Mahrooqi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Tourism.

Speaking about the selection of Khalid Al Waleed Al Zidjali as the Managing Director of Oman Convention Bureau, she said, “We are pleased to appoint Khalid Al Waleed Al Zidjali as the Managing Director of Oman Convention Bureau, who has been in the MICE tourism sector for over 15 years.”

Khalid Al Zidjali said, “The Ministry’s initiative in establishing the Oman Convention Bureau under its supervision is a milestone towards building a foundation and achieving our objectives in the MICE tourism sector.”

TOURISM BOOSTER: It was agreed upon in the MoU that 15 tourist guides from Dhofar will train in the German language through a specialised programme. – Supplied photo

value the participation of leading corporations, such as Muriya Tourism Development in training and motivating tourist guides to learn German. We hope that this initiative sets an example for the private sector and other local institutions to participate in the development of human resources in different sectors in the Sultanate.”

Complementary “The initiative also complements the objectives of the Oman Tourism Strategy 2040 that aims to strengthen the partnership between the private and public sector. This partnership is important to support tourism guidance in order to enhance the quality of services provided to the tour-

ists, meet the needs of the Oman tourism market and increases the number of tourists visiting the Sultanate.

“Acquiring different languages is important to those working in the tourism industry and German was selected to be taught to the trainees due to the fact that Germans account for the second highest number of tourists coming to the Sultanate,” she said.

Muriya CEO Dabbous said, “Our collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism is part of our commitment at Muriya to empower local communities and provide Omani talent with the skills and knowledge they need to maximise their potential and that of the tourism sector.”

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especially in terms of changing and challenging disease patterns and hence upgraded the Apollo Medical Centre to again, the first ever Apollo Hospital in Middle East.”

One of the best Referring to the development of the healthcare sector in Oman over the years, he said it is rated by world bodies, such as the World Health Organisation as one of the best in the world. “I guess we are just second to Canada in terms of a social healthcare system. All the credit goes to the visionary leaders we have in Oman who have made Oman’s healthcare delivery model, which is a benchmark for many others,” noted Saileswaran.

Talking about the role of private

hospitals, he said healthcare is a shared responsibility and there is a need for proper integration of private and public sectors. In the Sultanate, it is even more defined as most of the tertiary level care is with the government and the private sector is mostly focused on the elective side or secondary healthcare.

On the Apollo Hospital Muscat’s ties with Indian hospital chain, he said; “We are the Apollo subset in Oman and they remain our mentors with a track record of treating over 40m patients. The entire clinical pathway, visiting consultants, clinical quality monitors are all connected to Apollo India and we just do not have to integrate, the connect is always on.”

ECONOMY CLASS

Air India raises baggage limit Times News Service MUSCAT: Air India has temporarily raised free baggage allowance for all economy class passengers travelling to Mumbai to 35kg.

The offer is valid on tickets bought from April 9 for travel through May 31. Passengers travelling to domestic destinations through Mumbai will also benefit.

All domestic Air India flights operate from Mumbai Terminal T2, making transfer of passengers to domestic and onward destinations smooth. Special add-on fares over Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad are available at attractive rates.

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TIMES O F O MAN

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

OMAN

MORE THAN 350 TAKE PART IN 3RD PRELIMINARY OF TOO QUIZ Indian quizmaster Lloyd Saldanha led the event for the third straight day at the Indian School, Wadi Kabir

Times News Service MUSCAT: As the answers were read-out, the din grew louder.

“We didn’t know it would be a cake walk. Looks like the ticket to finals is done,” said jubilant Mohammed Sahil and Gokul Harinair to describe Tuesday gathering at the Indian School, Wadi Kabir.

They were among scores of students vying in the third preliminary round of Times of Oman Inter School Quiz Contest (or TOOISQC) - a flagship event - led by celebrated Indian quizmaster Lloyd Saldanha for the third straight day.

Both the students looked content with what they said were a “mixed bag” of “easy questions” posed in senior category contest.

“We think we answered most of the questions correctly,” they said.

It was a typical Lloyd Saldanha quiz that saw the contest sensibly navigated with the forces of fun and jokes. Known for his

witty posers and engaging analysis, Saldanha’s direct, audio and visual queries on science, history, arts and sports kept the crowd of students and teachers glued to the contest. “Besides the contest I am liking his rib tickling one-liners,” one school staffer witnessing the challenge told TOO. For Rahul Ratnakar - winner of 2015 Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali Rolling Trophy in the junior category - “todays contest was good but the competition in mega preliminary will get tough.”

His partner Keerthan Venkata said their trainers have put in lots of sweat and that “the preparation is working well.” “We think we answered all the questions correctly. The coaches in the school trained us well,” he said. About 350 students participated in the third preliminary round. 35 teams from both categories have made it to the mega preliminary round slated for April 19. Teams from 20 schools are participating in the contest while the top 12 schools are expected to lock horns in the final on April 21 at the City Amphitheatre.

Earlier in the contest for junior category students, Chetan Sethu vowed to repeat his past feat.

Sethu had partnered with Ratnakar to clinch the trophy last year. Ratnakar has moved to senior category this year. “I sense the tough opposition will come from ISG (Indian School Al Ghubra).

Students there are just brilliant,” Setha said, adding “But I am hopeful my partner (Aditya B) will help us bag the trophy this year come what may.”

T I M E S OF OMAN

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

SENIORS

JUNIORS

INDIAN SCHOOL WADI KABIR

Photos by O.K. Mohammed Ali and Purushothaman K. /TIMES OF OMAN

TEAM NAME

PARTICIPANT 1

PARTICIPANT 2

ITHE BENCHNMARKERS

ADITYA MANOJ

ABHISHEK MANOJ

THE SMARTEINS

MOHAMMED FAQRAJ-UR-REHMAN DEBANJAN CHOWDHURY

DUAL STARS

CHETHAN SETHU

SABRETOOTH GENUISES

ESSA BIN TARIQ

ADAM RAFFI

QUIZCUPS

AJMAL AKBAR

ASHWIN ARJUNAN

THE FREE THINKERS

MOTASSIM KAMRAN BAIG

ZOHAIR F. ABBAS

LIOZ OF QUIZ

OWAIS AHMED

HARIKRISHNAN PRAKASH

QUIZIPEDIA

JANAV SHETTY

ABVHINAV HARI

EXECUTIONERS -B

MOHAMMED IRFAN

FARHAAN ALI

THE EX-WIKIPEDIANS

ABHIJIT PRASAD NAIR

TARUN MATHEW THOMAS

THE QUIZ LEGENDS

MANISH

SHUBHAM

YOUTH ICONS

MOHAMMED ARIF

MARTIN JOSEPH SCARIA

ADITHYA B. NAIR

WARRIOR STARS

ROSHIN ROBIN

MILAN SHAJU

SPARK MINDS

ADITYA ANAND

AADITYA BHASKAR

APOLLO

FELIX MARTIN

ALOK K. GOPINATH

BLUE SAPPHIRES

AKASH SANTOSH

PRAJITH PALANIAPPAN

QUIZ LEGENDS

ATHUL ANIL RAJ

GAURANG VIREN MEHTA

THINKINATORS

HRUV N. BHAVSAR

KSHITIJ CHATURVEDI

QUINTESSENTIAL

SHANEL GEORGE

JEVITA SALDANHA

TENABLE -2

RAHUL R.

KEERTHAN V.

THE NEXT EPISODE

SHARLENE WADHWA

SAURABH SANTOSH

DI-SHAN

SYED SHOAIB ISHAAN Z

ESHAN ARORA

BUZZER BEATERS

ASHLEY TITUS

SABAREENATH M.

3+5=8

SOHAM PAREKH

DEVESH GULJARANI

QUIZ EXTREMISTS

JERRY ANTONY

ANIMESH MOHARIA

DOT COM

ANJU TITUS

KAREN

HA YA

GINI NARENDRAN

RAGUL VIRUPAK

QUIZZICAL CATASTROPHE

NIKHIL PRASAD

MAYUKH MISRA

LORDS OF THE QUIZ

ABBHAY BIRADAR

SARAN RAM

THE DYNAMITES

JEYOOS JAISON

AARON ANTHONY MONIS

CHALLENGERS

AKASH GOPAKUMAR

MIGHTY JIJI

LEGACY OF EKATS

NAVIN THOMSY

HASSAN F. HAIDER

CHALLENGERS

GOKUL HARINAIR

MOHAMMED SAHIL

DOUBLE BONDS

MIHIR JOSHI

HARSHIL NIRMAL

THE LEGENDS

AKINJAY JHA

JERIN JOSEPH

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016 During the investigation it was found that many of the claims could have been avoided if proper care had been taken Philip K Philip,chief executive officer of the Muscat Insurance Company and Muscat Life Assurance Company

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‘Putin values ties with Sultanate’ MUSCAT: On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers on Tuesday received Valentina Matviyenko, Chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council.

She conveyed the greetings of Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and his best wishes to His Majesty the Sultan of continued success and the Omani people of steadily development and prosperity.

She also conveyed a verbal message from the Russian president to His Majesty the Sultan, which included his pride in the friendly relations with the Sultanate and his satisfaction with the gradual development of trade, economic cooperation and investment between the two countries.

Sayyid Fahd reviewed the process of bilateral relations between the Sultanate and the Russian

BOOST TO TIES: His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers meets Valentina Matviyenko, Chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council on Tuesday. — ONA

Federation and the keenness on boosting them in various fields, stressing that the Omani Shura experience has come a long way in carrying out the tasks of strengthening the areas of national work.

Future cooperation The two sides discussed prospects for future cooperation between the two countries, in addition to the developments on the regional and international arenas

and the efforts to ease tensions and establish security and peace.

Valentina Matviyenko expressed her pride and that of her accompanying delegation for this visit as it has given them the opportunity to see at first hand the cultural achievements in the country, thanks to its wise leadership, hailing the development of the Shura in the Sultanate and its role in the march of the overall construction.

Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said requested the guest to convey the greetings of His Majesty the Sultan and his best wishes to President Vladimir Putin, and for the people of the Russian Federation further progress and prosperity.

Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, Chairman of the State Council and Dr. Fazelianov Envarbik Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Sultanate also attended the meeting. -ONA

Rain costs insurance companies OMR6m COMPENSATION CLAIMS Data from the Capital

(OMR)

Market Authority (CMA) showed that

500,000

5.89million

Claims recieved by Muscat Insurance Company and Muscat Life Assurance Company

Claims received by insurance companies after it rained heavily in the northern parts of Oman

claims received by insurance companies have touched OMR5,897,231m

Value of claims received (Omani rials)

following heavy rain in the northern

3,182,608

Engineering

1,583,441

Damages to properties

parts of Oman

935,662

Vehicles Fire incidents

RAHUL DAS HASAN SHABNA AL LAWATI

Transportation

161,770 No death claims in between March 8 and 11, 2016

33,750

rahuldas@timesofoman.com hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Insurance companies will have to payout nearly OMR5.89 million in compensation as a result of the heavy rainfall in Oman from March 8 to 11 this year.

Data from the Capital Market Authority (CMA) showed that claims received by insurance companies have touched OMR 5,897,231 million following heavy rain in the northern parts of Oman.

“We got this figure from 22 insurance companies that work in Oman,” Ahmed Ali Al Mamari, acting director general of insurance supervision at the Capital Market Authority (CMA), told the Times of Oman (TOO) on Tuesday.

Giving further details, the official said that claims received for damage to properties amounted to OMR1,583,441, engineering losses were pegged at OMR3,182,608, damage to vehicles at OMR935,662; transportation damages at OMR33,750, and claims on fire incidents at

Graphics

SAFETY TIPS

Do not cross wadis

Remember the emergency number 9999

Stock enough food and water

Withdraw extra cash from ATMs as they don’t work in case of power cut

Don’t park cars under trees or in wadis or low lying areas

Check weather updates regularly

OMR161,770. However, the insurance companies did not report any death claims between March 8 and 11, 2016.

The heavy rainfall damaged vehicles and property, along with the roads.

The rainfall recording stations

of the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources recorded that the highest amount of rainfall at 177 millimetres (mm) was witnessed in Muscat in the Wilayat of Quriyat.

In Al Sharqiyah North, 150 mm of rainfall was recorded in Ibra; in

Buraimi, 116 mm was recorded in the Wilaiyat of Shinas; and in Al Dakhiliyah, 116 mm was recorded in Sumail.

Philip K Philip, chief executive officer of the Muscat Insurance Company and Muscat Life Assurance Company, said that during the investigation they found that many of the claims could have been avoided if proper care had been taken.

“Our insurance company got claims of around OMR500,000, of which 60 per cent were clubbed under engineering, 15 per cent under property and 25 per cent under the motoring section,” he told TOO on Tuesday.

Of these claims, the maximum are from the Muscat region, he added. He also said the recent rainfall had taken a toll on the insurance industry. “Obviously, all this money would have been saved if there was a little less rainfall,” he said.

Overflowing wadis When asked if the insurance companies would pay for those who risked their lives crossing overflowing wadis (valleys) in cars, the official said if it was proved that the drivers were crossing a flooded wadi purposefully, that it was a deliberate act; the claim would be rejected.

“But the onus of proving whether it is a deliberate act or not falls on the insurer and this could probably be a difficult thing to prove,” another insurance official said.

Check list Another insurance company official said every claimant should satisfy the insurance companies’ standard check list, such as the identification of risks and factors, and measures undertaken to mitigate the identified risk.

“On the basis of the checklist requirements, we will decide whether we should pay for those claimants,” said S. Venkatachalam, chief executive officer, National Life and General Insurance Company.

R E G U L AT I O N S

A1 ‘Standards updated recently < FROM

to maintain food quality’

“Based on the principle ‘prevention is better than cure,’ MRMWR has recently updated the health standards and regulations of all food places in the Sultanate, to sustain the highest standards of food quality,” Al Gharibi said.

Millions of people fall ill every year and many die as a result of eating unsafe food.

According to WHO, diarrhoeal diseases alone kill an estimated 1.5 million children annually, and most of these illnesses are attributed to contaminated food or drinking water.

The conference started on April 12 under the patronage of HIs Highness Sayyid Kamel bin Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, assistant secretary-general for the

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Cabinet Affairs, and is set to conclude on April 14.

Being held for the third consecutive year, the conference aims to raise awareness about the importance of efficiency in production and expanding the scope of traditional food products and modern methods of marketing in the domestic and international markets while maintaining their identity, according to organisers, who also said that inviting international experts to such events will contribute to the exchange of knowledge, ideas and latest research achievements in the field of food safety and traditional food.

An exhibition showcasing latest studies and research on food

safety and traditional foods was also launched at the hotel.

It is worth mentioning that MRMWR issued 34,290 permits for food-related activities in 2015 in Musandam, Al Wusta, Al Buraimi, North and South Al Batinah, Al Dhahirah, Al Dakhiliyah and the North and South Al Sharqiyah governorates.

The permits include 3,767 factories, 22,143 grocery stores, 2,442 restaurants and 5,938 coffee shops.

Of the mentioned areas, North Al Batinah received the highest number or permits at 7,563, including 616 for factories, 5,850 for shops and grocery stores, 401 for restaurants and 725 for coffee shops.

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OMAN Majlis reviews a number of issues Shura also discussed the reply of the Minister of Housing and the letter on compensation of the agricultural land affected by the Al Batinah Expressway REVIEW: Majlis Al Shura office held its 16th regular meeting of the first annual sitting (2015-2016) of the 8th term. - ONA

MUSCAT: Majlis Al Shura reviewed many of the ministerial replies, including replies from the Minister of Higher Education regarding admission criteria for students at education colleges, the briefing given on the schools’ physical environment during the eighth Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) and school density, in addition to the reply of the Minister of Manpower on vocationalrehabilitationforpeoplewith special needs.

It also discussed the reply of the Minister of Housing and the letter on compensation of the agricultural land affected by the Al Batinah Expressway, the reply of the Minister of Commerce and Industry on actions taken to facilitate the services provided to small and medium enterprises, as well as the reply of the Minister of Tourism to creating tourism projects in residential areas.

The meeting discussed a number of requests by some members

of the Majlis Al Shura, including a request by the Minister of Manpower on Omanisation rates in new projects, request of the Board Chairman of the National Transport Company on some appointments in the company, as well as a proposed law on the addition of a new specialisation to the Sports Activities Support Fund, and a proposal to amend the Labour Law with respect to absconding domestic workers.

The meeting reviewed several incoming letters, including developing a legal article that allows retirees to borrow from the bank, a letter on holding a dialogue between Majlis Al Shura and some of the bodies that deal with housing planning, a letter about agricultural products and the expat labour force, in addition to reviewing real estate ownership for the expat labour force in the Sultanate, which has been subjected for further study and a request to

legalise the export of green fodder.

In external affairs, the meeting reviewed the invitation of the International Forum and the Jordanian Council of Representatives to participate in the World Summit/Women in Parliament to be held in Jordan on May 4 and 5. The meeting also reviewed the invitation from the President of the Arab Parliamentary Union to attend the XIV Afro-Arab Parliamentary Conference to be held on the Ivory Coast on May 4 and 5.

The meeting also reviewed the report of the delegation, which participated in the 22nd meeting of the Executive Committee of the Union of Arab Parliamentarians Scout held today in Kuwait and which lasted for two days.

Majlis Al Shura office held its 16th regular meeting of the first annual sitting (2015-2016) of the 8th term, headed by Rashid bin Ahmed Al Shamsi, deputy chairman of Majlis Al Shura. -ONA

S TAT E C O U N C I L

Study on supporting research MUSCAT: For a study on enabling researchers in academic and research institutions, and linking them to the industrial and commercial institutions in the Sultanate, the State Council’s Committee of Education and Research, chaired by Dr. Abdullah bin Mubarak Al Shanfari, Head of the Committee, hosted Dr. Rahma bint Ibrahim Al Mahrouqiyah, Vice- Chancellor’s Assistant for

Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), and Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi Executive Director of the Industrial Innovation Center.

The Committee discussed at its 9th meeting of the first annual sitting of the 6th term a range of themes related to the study, including the university’s and the center’s policy and po-

sition in the field of scientific research, and their role in supporting scientific research and researchers, the challenges they face, future plans in this area, and a mechanism to benefit from the scientific and academic research, as well as discussion of the role of legislation on “intellectual property” and the sources of funding for scientific research. -ONA

OMAN BROADBAND

Futaisi launches brand identity MUSCAT: On the sidelines of opening Comex 2016, Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salim Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications on Tuesday launched the Brand Identity of Oman Broadband Company at Oman International Exhibition Centre.

The launching ceremony included a documentary on the development of communication means, the meaning of the new identity, the interpretation of the symbol (connecting the Sultanate’s governorates to the broadband company) and the colors used in the symbol (the future vision for facilitating investment, covering the commercial and industrial areas and enabling smart cities).

Strategy The ceremony included a film on the company’s strategy, the services it has provided and the achievements it has made over the past years. -ONA

OIC SUMMIT

Mantheri to visit Turkey MUSCAT: Delegated by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, Chairman of the State Council will head on Wednesday to the Republic of Turkey to lead the Sultanate’s delegation to the 13th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), scheduled in Istanbul on April 14 and April 15.

State Council Chairman will be accompanied by Yousuf bin Alawi

bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Sayyid Ahmed bin Hilal bin Saud Al Busaidi, Sultanate’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, its Permanent Delegate to the OIC, Sayyid Qais bin Salim bin Ali Al Said, Sultanate’s ambassador to Turkey, Dr. Ali bin Ahmed Al Issa’ee, acting Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Diplomatic Affairs and some officials. -ONA

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

REGION

The visit by Italy’s Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni was the first by a senior Western official since the arrival in Tripoli nearly two weeks ago of the unity government’s Presidential Council.

LEBANON

Car bomb kills Palestinian Fatah movement official in Sidon

UP IN FLAMES: Smoke rises from a car wreck after an explosion that killed Fathi Zaydan, a Fatah official responsible for the Palestinian camp of Mieh Mieh, near Ain Al Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, near the port-city of Sidon, southern Lebanon, on Tuesday. – Reuters

C I V I L WA R

Iran, France concerned at violence in Syria B E I R U T/ PA R I S / D U B A I : France and Iran voiced concern over escalating violence in Syria on Tuesday, echoing warnings from the United States and Russia as fighting near the city of Aleppo put more pressure on a fragile truce agreement.

The escalation underlines the already bleak outlook for peace talks set to reconvene this week in Geneva. The United Nations says the talks will resume on Wednesday. The government delegation has said it is ready to join the talks from Friday.

With President Bashar Al Assad buoyed by Russian and Iranian support, the Damascus government is due to hold parliamentary elections on Wednesday, a vote seen by Assad’s opponents as illegitimate and provocative.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, speaking after a meeting with UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura in Tehran, blamed the “increasing activities of armed groups” for the

violations. France also expressed concern, but blamed the other side. “It warns that the impact of the regime and its allies’ offensives around Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta are a threat to the cessation of hostilities,” government spokesman Romain Nadal said. The Eastern Ghouta is an opposition-held area near Damascus.

De Mistura, speaking in Tehran, said he and Amir Abdollahian had agreed on the importance of the cessation continuing, that aid should reach every Syrian and that “a political process leading to a political transition is now crucially urgent”. De Mistura, whose two predecessors quit, has said he wants the next round of Geneva talks to be “quite concrete” in leading towards a political transition.

Some members of the main Syrian opposition alliance, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), arrived in Geneva on Tuesday, and UN spokesman in Geneva Ahmad Fawzi said the talks were expected to begin on Wednesday. — Reuters

BEIRUT: A bomb in the southern Lebanon city of Sidon killed an official from the Palestinian Fatah movement on Tuesday, an official from the group said.

The man was identified as Fathi Zaydan, a Fatah official responsible for the Palestinian camp of Mieh Mieh in Sidon.

A photograph of the blast site near a Palestinian refugee camp showed a man’s body lying next to a burning vehicle.

The official said he was killed by a bomb placed under his vehicle. Mieh Mieh camp, 4 km east of Sidon, is home to 5,250 Palestinian refugees, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which aids Palestinian refugees across the region. The nearby Palestinian camp of Ain Al Hilweh has regularly been the scene of violent disputes between rival factions.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s government agreed funding on Tuesday for new safety equipment for Beirut airport, where pressing security gaps have caused concern among senior officials in a city that has suffered bomb at-

tacks by IS militants. “The cabinet agreed to secure the funds necessary for airport security apparatus,” Information Minister Ramzi Greige said in a statement after a cabinet meeting.

Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Zeaiter last month said the airport needed at least $24 million to upgrade its security, including a new perimeter wall and baggage inspection equipment.

Zeaiter has said Beirut airport remains among the safest in the world, but Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk has compared its security problems to those in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh, where a bomb planted on a Russian plane killed 224 people in October.

“There are security gaps in Beirut airport which must be plugged,” he said last month.

On Sunday the police detained two Lebanese employees of a Beirut airport service company over contacts they had with “terrorist parties”, security sources said, but they were released late on Monday after they were found to be innocent. — Reuters

Iraq Parliament blocks Abadi’s new cabinet Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi presented on Tuesday a second list of candidates to parliament, which postponed a vote planned for the same day to Thursday

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s parliament blocked a cabinet of independent technocrats Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi had proposed, as political factions forced him to adopt some their own ministerial candidates instead, lawmakers said.

Abadi presented on Tuesday a second list of candidates to parliament, which postponed a vote planned for the same day to Thursday, state TV said.

That list, with 15 members, includes only four names from a 14-member line-up Abadi had submitted on March 31. The defence and interior ministers in the outgoing cabinet will remain, to keep up the momentum of the war on IS militants.

The cabinet reshuffle is supposed to be part of long-promised anti-corruption measures

UNDER PRESSURE: Iraqi Prime MInister Haidar Al Abadi in Baghdad. The cabinet reshuffle is supposed to be part of long-promised anti-corruption measures that Abadi needs to deliver. – AFP

that Abadi needs to deliver. If he does not, he will risk weakening his government as Iraqi forces mount a campaign to recapture the northern city of Mosul from the militants.

Unhappy Political blocs that control a majority in parliament were unhappy with Abadi’s initial line-up. His second was drawn from technocrats they had proposed in an effort to maintain the current party balance within the government, lawmakers said on Monday.

The prime minister had wanted a technocratic cabinet independ-

ent from the political class. Critics say the politicians use a system of ethnic and sectarian quotas put in place after the US-led invasion in 2003 to amass wealth and influence. Iraq, a major OPEC exporter which sits on one of the world’s largest oil reserves, ranks 161 out of 168 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, visiting Baghdad on Friday, urged Iraq not to let the political crisis interfere with the fight against militants and voiced unequivocal support for the prime minister.

Abadi proposed the new cabinet under pressure from the clergy of the majority community and popular discontent at the lack of basic public services, in a nation facing an economic crisis caused by falling oil prices.

Several dozen lawmakers affiliated with the powerful cleric Moqtada Al Sadr held a protest inside parliament on Tuesday after it was confirmed that Abadi had agreed to modify his line-up, according to state TV and other local stations.

The dissenting Member of Parliaments( MPs) view Abadi’s move as a return to the political patronage system. They were still shouting slogans more than two hours after the end of the session.

Abadi nominated as oil minister in his second list Jabar Ali Al Luaibi, a former head of South Oil Company, the state-run company that produces most of Iraq’s crude.

The previous nominee as oil minister was a Kurdish geologist who withdrew his candidacy under pressure from the political hadn’t had a chance to vet his nomination.

Abadi’s second list didn’t suggest any name for finance minister. Iraqi state TV on Tuesday said the Kurdish blocs want to keep the current minister, Hoshiyar Zebari, in his post.

Falih Al Fayadh, a former national security advisor, is the new candidate for foreign minister. He would replace Sharif Ali Bin Al Hussein, a member of the royal family that was deposed nearly 60 years ago, who was in the previous line-up. — Reuters

I TA LY ’ S F O R E I G N M I N I S T E R

Gentiloni pledges support to Libya unity government TRIPOLI: Italy’s foreign minister made a flying visit to Tripoli on Tuesday to meet Libya’s UNbacked unity government, pledging broad international support as the new administration tries to consolidate its presence.

The visit by Paolo Gentiloni was the first by a senior Western official since the arrival in Tripoli nearly two weeks ago of the unity government’s Presidential Council. Western powers hope the new government can unite Libya’s warring factions, end its political chaos and request foreign help to tackle IS militant group and migrant trafficking across the Mediterranean.

Italy, Libya’s former colonial ruler, has played a prominent role in rallying support for the new government. After meeting the unity government’s leader Fayez Seraj, Gentiloni told reporters he believed his visit would be “a precedent that other countries will follow”. “We are all studying and discussing the possibility of reopening our diplomatic pres-

ence here in Tripoli,” he said, though he added that no dates had yet been fixed. Gentiloni and Seraj met at the Tripoli naval base where the Presidential Council has been operating since it arrived in the Libyan capital by ship from Tunisia.

The Council has faced resistance in both Tripoli and eastern Libya, the bases for Libya’s two rival governments, and its opponents in the capital closed down the airspace to prevent it from flying in. The Council’s decision to move to Tripoli had been a “game changer”, Gentiloni said. “We do believe that this can pave the way to the stabilisation of Libya.”

He noted however that the government was still establishing itself, and had yet to be approved

by Libya’s internationally-recognised eastern parliament in Tobruk. Italy made a first delivery of food aid and medical kits to the Tripoli area on Tuesday, and plans to deliver assistance to hospitals in the war-torn eastern city of Benghazi, Gentiloni said.

Bilateral meetings over illegal migration, transport links and security assistance were also planned, but counter-terrorism planning should be Libyan-led, the Italian minister said.

“If and when the Libyan authorities will ask for international support on security this will be considered, it will be discussed in the Security Council of the United Nations,” he said. “It’s not something that can be decided in Rome or in London or in Washington.”

Seraj said he was confident about receiving future support from Italy and the international community, and that counter-terrorism would be a “priority”. “We will be moving forward from protocol visits to more effective and specialised meetings,” he said.

The reopening of diplomatic missions could eventually pave the way for the return of international oil industry staff, though some of Libya’s major oil facilities have recently come under attack from IS militants. — Reuters

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Kerala bans use of crackers in worship places Thirteen persons, including members of the managing committee of the Puttingal Devi Temple, were held in connection with the fireworks mishap

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday banned the use of high-decibel crackers and fireworks display after sunset in places of worship across the state in the wake of the temple tragedy in Kollam that has claimed 110 lives.

The court asked the state government of Kerala to examine whether a CBI probe is necessary ARMY FIRING

Two youth killed in Handwara SRINAGAR: Two youth were on Tuesday killed when Army opened fire in Handwara, about 85km from here, to disperse a stone-pelting mob which was protesting against alleged molestation of a girl by some of its personnel.

The killing triggered more protests in the town and had an echo in Srinagar and Pulwama districts of Indian-administeredKashmir. Trouble started with protests by locals in Handwara over alleged molestation of the girl student. According to the allegations, she was molested by soldiers posted in an army picket in the town, official sources said. - PTI

into the Paravur Puttingal Devi temple fireworks display tragedy on Sunday.

Treating a judge’s letter seeking a ban as a PIL, the bench of Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice Anu Sivaraman banned the use of sound-generating fireworks between sunset and sunrise across places of worship.

It, however, said that during day time, the sound of explosives cannot exceed the permitted limit.

The judges said colours and light performance without making sound may be permitted in festivals at night.

The court directed police and other authorities to enforce compliance of the provisions of Explosives Act and Rules to prevent such tragedies.

It expressed anguish over police incorporating lighter provisions of law with regard to offences against the accused in the Kollam accident and asked why the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was not applied against them.

As a word of caution, the High

Court asked whether there was involvement of anti nationals in the Sunday tragedy as the area is surrounded by high seas.

The hearing was on the letter written by Justice V Chitambaresh, a judge of the same court, who had demanded an immediate on fireworks display across places of worship in the state.

Thirteen persons, including members of the managing commitee of the Puttingal Devi Temple, were on Tuesday arrested in connection with the fireworks mishap, police said.

The arrested included seven members of the managing committee and six workers of the two contractors, who carried out the fireworks display on the final day of the seven-day long festival early Sunday in Kerala. The arrests were made by the police after day-long questioning, sources said. The ghastly mishap at the 100-year-old temple at nearby Parvavoor occurred when sparks from fireworks fell on a storehouse stocked with crackers, triggering powerful explosions. - PTI

INDIA CHECK TRAFFICKING

Modi calls for tiger conservation NEW DELHI: Making a strong pitch for tiger conservation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday underlined the need for collaboration between governments at the highest level to check trafficking in body parts of the wildcat.

Noting that conservation of tiger or nature is “not a drag” on development, Modi insisted that both can happen in a mutually and complementary manner and emphasised on the need to reorient the strategy. He said forests are inseparable from wild animals and both are mutually complementary. - PTI

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

INDIA

We have decided to take forward discussions under DTTI more aggressively on key areas such as jet engine technology. We will also continue our very useful and productive discussions on cooperation ... on aircraft carriers Manohar Parrikar, Defence minister

B I G D E FA U LT E R S

SC for disclosure of amount of outstanding loans, RBI resists NEW DELHI: Default in repayment of loans running into “lakhs of crores of rupees” on Tuesday prompted the Supreme Court to throw up the idea of making public the total outstanding amount without disclosing the defaulters’ names, but RBI resisted the proposal citing confidentiality clause.

“This information does make out a case. This is quite a substantial amount which is involved,” a bench, comprising Chief Justice T. S. Thakur and Justice R. Banumathi, said after perusing the Reserve Bank of India’s list of companies and persons who had defaulted on bank loans of over Rs500 crore.

Expressing concern over the ever-rising amount of loans “not being returned”, the bench said “people are taking thousands of crores and running away by declaring the company as insolvent, but poor farmers who take small amount of Rs20,000 or Rs15,000 suffer.”

“The total amount in default can be disclosed. Whoever be the defaulter, their names can be kept confidential but what is the total amount of default can be disclosed.

Lakhs of crores of rupees are outstanding. Many of defaulters have more than Rs500 crore and above to pay,” it said.

The bench also sought the assistance of Ministry of Finance

and Indian Banks Association by making them parties and posted the matter for further hearing on April 26.

During the hearing, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI counsel cited provisions in the RBI Act and the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005, which mandate confidentiality of information. The bench at the next hearing will be assisted by all the parties on the issues likely to be framed by them, including specifically the question whether “the total outstanding amount of loans defaulted can be disclosed or not.”

Provide information When advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), favoured disclosure of outstanding loan amount and cited the recent apex court verdict of December 2015 to claim that RBI has to provide all information, the federal bank’s counsel said that decision related to the Right to Information Act and would not apply in the case in hand.

The bench referred to the documents supplied by RBI in a sealed cover and said “the figures have gone up” since June 2014 and “these figures are not confidential.”

“The amount you have mentioned is outstanding. It is a large

Expressing concern over the ever-rising amount of loans ‘not being returned’, the bench said ‘people are taking thousands of crores and running away by declaring the company as insolvent, but poor farmers who take small amount of Rs20,000 or Rs15,000 suffer’ amount. If we go by your figure, the next question would be what are you doing for the recovery? What steps would be taken for recovery,” the bench said when a senior advocate, appearing for RBI, resisted the idea of making disclosure of the total outstanding amount on the ground that “disclosure of the figures will have the impact.”

When the bench wanted to know whether RBI had “immunity” over

disclosing this information, the counsel cited the provisions in the Reserve Bank of India Act and The Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005, which mandates confidentiality of information. Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar also mentioned the provisions in Public Finance and Audit Act, 1983 on the issue of confidentiality.

The idea of formulating the is-

sues came from the RBI, which said it was important keeping in mind the decentralisation of banks which had taken place in the past.

It was suggested that in view of decentralisation of the banks, they can be represented by their association or a collective body like the All India Bank Association.

Non-performing assets “Banks should be represented. The question of non-performing assets (NPA) is involved,” the RBI said.

Taking note of the submission, the bench said “You (parties) formulate the points of questions.

Also, include is there any confidentiality (issue) in disclosing the total outstanding amount.”

Going by the amount involved in default, it appears that the banks concerned are not monitoring its funds periodically, the bench said, adding “it is giving loans without getting it returned.”

“Are you (RBI) not supposed to keep a vigil and supervise how the loans have to be recovered. In how many cases you have taken action against those who have run away,” the bench asked the RBI counsel, who said “action has been taken”.

When the hearing was nearing an end, Bhushan referred to RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan saying “I thought that the present RBI Governor is a good man but I am

India, US reach agreement on sharing military logistics the other two pacts, a senior US defence official said.

Washington has for years urged New Delhi to sign a Logistics Support Agreement that allows the two militaries to use each other’s land, air and naval bases for resupplies, repair and rest

PARLEYS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US Defence Secretary, Ashton B. Carter during a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. - PTI

NEW DELHI: India and the United States have agreed in principle to share military logistics, the countries’ defence ministers said on Tuesday, as both sides seek to counter the growing maritime assertiveness of China.

Washington has for years urged New Delhi to sign a Logistics Support Agreement that allows the two militaries to use each other’s land, air and naval bases for resupplies, repair and rest.

India has had concerns that a logistics agreement would commit it to hosting US troops at its

bases, or draw it into a military alliance with the United States and undermine its traditional autonomy. But after years of delays, the two sides said an agreement was in hand, although not yet ready for signing.

“We have agreed in principle that all the issues are resolved,” US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter told reporters in New Delhi after talks with his Indian counterpart, Manohar Parrikar.

The two sides would finalise the text of an agreement in coming weeks, Carter said.

Prime Minister Narendra

Modi’s administration, faced with an assertive China expanding its influence in the South China Sea and into the Indian Ocean, has signalled its desire to draw closer to the United States. China is also a close ally of Pakistan.

Technology Modi is also keen to access US technology for his “Make in India” plans to build a domestic industrial base and cut expensive arms imports. The US military has made clear it wants to do more with India, especially in countering China. Carter is on his second

visit to India in less than a year, aimed at cementing defence cooperation in the final months of Barack Obama’s presidency.

Washington’s desire for deeper security cooperation with India has been tricky without the signing of the logistics agreement, as well as two other pacts that would allow for secure communications and the exchange of nautical and other data.

The agreements are considered routine between the United States and its other defence partners.

Reaching the logistics agreement would make it easier to conclude

Prospects good “There’s increasing recognition on the Indian side that there’s real mutual benefits to doing them, so I do think that the prospects are good,” the official said, on condition of anonymity. Carter said the two countries would also soon conclude an agreement on exchanging information on commercial shipping.

He said the two countries were also advancing collaboration in aircraft carrier design and technology, potentially the biggest joint project since they launched a Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) in 2012.

India, which operates a retooled Russian-built carrier, plans to build its biggest indigenous carrier, for which is it looking at US technology to launch heavier aircraft.

“We have decided to take forward discussions under DTTI more aggressively on key areas such as jet engine technology. We will also continue our very useful and productive discussions on cooperation ... on aircraft carriers,” Parrikar said. India is concerned about China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean, traditionally New Delhi’s backyard, and it said on Tuesday that it had agreed with the US to launch discussions between the countries’ two navies on anti-submarine warfare and submarine safety. - Reuters

surprised with the type of affidavit filed by the RBI.” He also criticised the RBI Governor for issuing the circular not to disclose the list of wilful defaulters. The bench stopped him short and said “that does not make him a bad man.” The petition, which was filed in 2003 by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), had originally raised the issue of loans advanced to some companies by state-owned Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO).The plea had said that about Rs40,000 crore of corporate debt was written off in 2015.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed the RBI to provide a list of companies which are defaulters of bank loans of over Rs500 crore while expressing serious concern over the rise in bad loans.

The apex court had also asked the RBI to provide within six weeks the list of companies whose loans have been restructured under corporate debt restructuring schemes. The bench had expressed surprise that no concrete steps were taken for the recovery of loan from the defaulters.

While passing the order, the court had taken note of a report in a national daily about bad loans or non-performing assets and the inability of the banks to recover them. - PTI W E AT H E R

India to get above average monsoon rains in 2016 NEW DELHI: India’s crucial monsoon rains are expected to be above average in 2016, the weather office said on Tuesday, easing fears over farm and economic growth after two straight droughts hit rural incomes and agricultural output.

Rains in 2016 would be 106 per cent of the long-term average, Laxman Singh Rathore, chief of the India Meteorological Department, told a news conference.

Rathore said the monsoon rains could be above average as El Nino — a warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean that can lead to dry spells in South Asia — is fading and giving way to La Nina in which the same waters cool. The July-to-September monsoon delivers 70 per cent of India’s annual rainfall.

It is critical for the country’s 263 million farmers and their rice, cane, corn, cotton and soybean crops, as nearly half of its farmland lacks irrigation.

Two-thirds of India’s population depends on farming for its livelihood. Plentiful rains could also encourage the Reserve Bank of India to cut interest rates after the central bank this month eased its repo rate by 25 basis points to its lowest in more than five years.

“If indeed we end up having a better-than-normal monsoon, and spatial distribution of monsoon and production indicators point to a normal year, then the RBI’s comfort for another rate cut will increase,” said Gaurav Kapur, senior economist at Royal Bank of Scotland in Mumbai. - Reuters

CIVIL INVESTITURE–II

Padma awardees shine as president presents highest honours

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Padma Awardees at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday. - PTI

NEW DELHI: The packed Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday reverberated to applause when superstar Rajinikanth walked up to receive the Padma Vibhushan from President Pranab Mukherjee who also conferred Padma awards on actress Priyanka Chopra and tennis player Sania Mirza.

The awards, conferred in three categories — Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, were given away to prominent personalities from different walks of life, as the assembled gathering, including relatives and friends of the awardees, kept on clapping and cheering.

Looking dapper in a beige chu-

ridar kurta teamed with a grey Nehru jacket, Rajinikanth acknowledged the big round of applause and cheering from those gathered with a big smile.

His wife Latha Rajinikanth was also among the invitees.

The southern super star enjoys a massive fan following and is endearingly called ‘Thalaivar’ by his well-wishers. He has worked both in Hindi and Southern films over his three decade long journey as an actor.

Priyanka Chopra, who has garnered international acclaim with her stint in the American TV series Quantico, came attired in a lime green sari to receive her Pad-

ma Shri. She acknowledged the appreciation from the crowd but kept her eyes downwards while returning to her seat.

Priyanka, who looked stunning, was being followed by admirers after the function was over.

In fact security persons had to escort her from the main hall to the other room. The former Miss World has hit international headlines with her role of an FBI agent Alex Parrish in Quantico.

The actress, who is currently riding high on the success of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani, has even bagged a Hollywood film, Baywatch, alongside Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron.

Sania, who took to twitter to comment: “Humbled. Honoured.

And truly thankful. #PadmaBhushan,” was also turned out smartly in a long pinkish dress for the occasion.

She received her Padma Bhushan from the president. Sania is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.

Sania and her partner Swiss legend Martina Hingis took the tennis world by storm for much of last year with a 41-match winning streak which finally came to an end with a shock loss at the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open earlier this year.

The Indo-Swiss pair won 10

titles together, including nine consecutive ones. The President presented five Padma Vibhushan, 11 Padma Bhushan and 36 Padma Shri awards at the function.

Three of the listed Padma Shri awardees could not make it to the function.

Padma Awards, the most prestigious honours in the country, for the year of 2016 were announced in January this year and were conferred in two ceremonies.

On March 28, actors Ajay Devgn, Anupam Kher and spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar received their Padma awards along with many others. Among the dignitaries present on the occasion

on Tuesday were Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

Modi took a round of the hall where guests were having refreshment after the function was over, greeting. He walked around with folded hands greeting them all. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah also attended the function.

The awardees include media baron Ramoji Rao, singer Udit Narayan, chairperson of Bennett, Coleman and Company Limited Indu Jain, Prof N. S. Ramanuja Tatacharya. - IANS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

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PAKISTAN

RIGHT GROUPS

Calls for action against authorities over drought in Thar region ISLAMABAD: The National Commission on Human Rights (NCRH) has recommended action against National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) by the federal government for its negligence over Thar drought that has caused deaths of countless children in the recent months.

It has also asked the Sindh government for similar action against

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), and several other departments, including the provincial health, education and local government for failing to address the situation in the deserts of Sindh. The actions have been recommended in NCHR’s first comprehensive report on the death of over 150 children in just over a year. It has also blamed Pakistan

Meteoroidal Department, that according to the NCHR, miserably failed in discharging its duties of assessing the drought situation in the province.

Justice Ali Nawaz Chohan, the chairman of the commission, made the report public on Tuesday.

It has been prepared by the commission following a detailed

Expansion of Gwadar port ‘almost ready’ Port cranes are almost ready, and we are thinking that the port will be (at) full operation by end of this year, said chairman of China Overseas Ports Holding Company Ltd DREAM PROJECT: A member of Pakistan Navy is seen at the Gwadar port in Balochistan province on Tuesday. — Reuters

GWADAR: The newly expanded Gwadar deep-water port in Pakistan that is key to a planned $46 billion Chinese economic corridor is nearly complete and expects to process about a million tons of cargo next year, the operator said on Tuesday.

Most of the cargo will be incoming construction materials to be used in projects related to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which envisions linking far-western Chinese production regions by road through Pakistan for shipment through Gwadar port to overseas markets.

Pakistani security forces have promised to protect the corridor

project. “The port cranes are almost ready, and we are thinking that the port will be (at) full operation by the end of this year,” said Zhang Baozhong, chairman of China Overseas Ports Holding Company Ltd. The Chinese company took over Gwadar’s operations in 2013.

The revamped port has three multipurpose berths and its inner is dredged to 11.5 metres.

“We’re expecting at least one million tons of material will go in and out” next year, Zhang said, speaking at a day-long conference in Gwadar city.

The projected traffic repre-

REPORT

Politicking may hurt China project, says World Bank ISLAMABAD: Political differences within Pakistan and a slowing Chinese economy have become risks to the materialisation of the $46-billion investment under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, according to the World Bank.

A new report by the global lending organisation also projects Pakistan could miss its current fiscal targets on economic growth and budget deficit while warning Islamabad to be mindful of moderating remittances that may pose a danger to its external sector stability.

The biannual South Asia Economic Focus that the WB released on Monday cautions about risks and challenges to the economic stability and growth at a time when the government remains adamant about the implications of these issues, particularly reducing remittances.

The remittances along with steep reduction in oil prices are critical to the country’s economic growth, as the WB report also states the economy is largely driven by ‘exogenous factors’.

Game changer “The CPEC, if completed, could be a game changer for Pakistan, but is currently mired in political economy risks,” noted the WB. To ensure the corridor delivers on its potential, the government needs to address concerns and build consensus among all stakeholders.

The Washington-based agency also said a prolonged slowdown in China could diminish financial inflows under the CPEC. Pakistan expects receiving $46 billion

in investment from China in its infrastructure and energy sectors in return for giving Beijing access to the Gwadar port.

The WB report said any demand-driven economic expansion as a result of CPEC’s implementation was expected to be limited in the short-run as increased investment would likely be offset by a significant increase in imports.

The WB advised Pakistan should monitor its key driver of remittances, saying public investment cuts and resulting restrictions on foreign employment in Gulf countries, particularly in construction, where many Pakistani migrants are employed, could hurt growth.

The growth in remittances is expected to be around 5.5 per cent until fiscal 2018 – way below the 16 per cent average growth in the previous five years.

After the Asian Development Bank and International Monetary Fund, the WB is the third global institution that has warned about implications of slowing remittances for the country’s external sector. The finance ministry, however, remains in a denial mode and insists there is no risk.

The WB predicted this year’s projected economic growth rate at 4.5 per cent, which is far below the official target. The budget deficit also might increase to 4.7 per cent of Gross Domestic Product – higher than the IMF-given target of 4.3 per cent. With the election year approaching in 2018, the WB said the government might find it difficult to implement unpopular decisions, particularly on taxation and energy. — Express Tribune

sents a 100 percent increase over this year’s throughput, but is a far cry from the 300-400 million tons per year that the Gwadar Port Authority envisions for the facility, which has ambitions of becoming a regional hub.

Zhang acknowledged that Gwadar now had minuscule traffic - mostly Pakistani governmentsubsidised fertilizer imports - but he predicted a swift transformation in coming years.

Part of the problem is that the new roads that CPEC is expected to build, linking the port to China’s industrial zones, have not yet come online. — Reuters

visit to the affected areas by a twomember delegation led by the chief of the commission.

Affected people During its four days visit, the delegation had meetings with the affected people, representatives of NGOs apart from relevant officials and senior officials of Sindh government in Karachi. — Express Tribune

The actions have been recommended in National Commission on Human Rights’s first comprehensive report on the death of over 150 children in just over a year

A12

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READERS’ FORUM Obama truly deserves a second Nobel prize This refers to the story, Indonesia’s Pertamina plans to develop South China Sea border areas (April 12). Under US President Barack Obama the world has changed as witnessed during his continuing tumultuous years in office. He has lived up to his promise of change with upheavals across the world, in general, as in case of Southeast Asia, in particular, by his socalled ‘Asian pivot’ policy. I remember that till a few years ago the region was in the midst of regional boom with little animosities. However, all that is over as imperial America has surfaced once again in the Scan this QR code Pacific region. For these actions Obama to send letters to the truly deserves a second Nobel prize.

Readers’ Forum, — Gulnaz Mehrunnisa, Qurum containing not more

JOSEPH S. NYE

In 2014, Scotland voted in its own referendum to remain in the UK; but the nationalists won almost all of Scotland’s seats in the general election eight months later. With Scottish opinion much more pro-European than in England, many believe that Brexit would lead to another referendum on independence

than 200 words with full name, address and telephone number, may be sent by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com).

Heads need to roll after Pakistan hockey team’s dismal performance This refers to the story, Dominant India thrash Pakistan 5-1 in Azlan Shah Cup (April 12). The result highlights the fact that something is really wrong in Pakistan’s sports community. The debacle shows heads need to roll from the top level. If this continues both cricket and hockey would join the ranks of squash in which no Pakistanis are among the top ranked players. - Ramesh Manjani, Seeb

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JOHN GREEN

New leadership, same old Ukraine W

hen he resigned on Sunday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said he was proud of his government’s achievements. They will, he predicted, be appreciated in due time. That may be so, but just now he is one of Ukraine’s most despised men, someone who failed to make the country more European but instead made deals with oligarchs and corrupt bureaucrats.

His resignation to give way for an ally of President Petro Poroshenko won’t, however, make Ukraine any more governable.

Yatsenyuk’s departure was only a matter of time.

In February, he barely survived a no-confidence vote in parliament, and a burly legislator tried physically to carry him off the dais as he hung on to the lectern. His party, the Popular Front, defies its name by not even showing up in recent polls for lack of voter support.

Under Yatsenyuk, the Ukrainian economy has moved from sharp recession to stagnation. The tax system is still oppressive, property rights uncertain, bureaucrats greedy and the middle class impoverished. Despite tiny quarter-on-quarter output growth at the end of last year, the Ukrainian retail sector was still shrinking in February, 2016. These are not the kind of results Ukrainians wanted from their 2014 “Revolution of dignity.”

Poroshenko has known for a while that Yatsenyuk wouldn’t last. The parliamentary coalition that served as the basis for Yatsenyuk’s cabinet had started falling apart last year, with smaller parties seeking distance from the prime minister’s toxic unelectability, especially following accusations of corruption leveled against the prime minister by former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, now governor of Odessa. Admitting no new coalition could be formed was, however, unacceptable to Poroshenko: He would then have to disband the parliament.

An early election would extend the political crisis by months and almost certainly scupper fresh installments of aid from the International Monetary Fund. The IMF has lately halted disbursements because of the political uncertainty. “Once there is more clarity about the status of the government, we’ll look forward to engage with the authorities on policies to strengthen and transform Ukraine,” fund spokesman William Murray said last month.

Besides, an early election would probably result in a defeat for Poroshenko’s own party. According to a March 16 poll by KMIS, one of the more respected polling organisations in Ukraine, the party, which now holds 29 per cent of the seats in parliament, would only win less than 6 per cent of the vote. Besides, a Saakashvili-backed new “Movement for Purification” could deal the Poroshenko party an unpleasant surprise if it stepped up its criticism of the president, not just the prime minister.

Poroshenko’s attempts to get out of this losing situation have been frantic and seemingly desperate. He has suggested some exotic replacements for Yatsenyuk, such as former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt and former Slovak finance minister Ivan Miklos, to US Vice President Joe Biden, seen in Kiev as the current leadership’s fairy godmother.

Then, the candidacy of US-born Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko was dangled before the Washington allies. Jaresko took this seriously enough to write a lengthy Facebook post on March 22, saying she would be willing to form a “technocratic,” “depoliticised” government of “nobody’s people.”

Jaresko won’t get the chance. The presidential party has put forward Volodymyr Groysman, a longtime Poroshenko associate and, most recently, parliament speaker, as Yatsenyuk’s replacement. Yatsenyuk’s Popular Front will be the only party joining forces with the Poroshenko bloc this time around: This is the only chance for the party to retain some influence and the price Yatsenyuk appears to have exacted for getting out of the way and letting Poroshenko appoint his man.

US officials have sought to balance Poroshenko, an ambitious, impatient, imperious leader, with other figures. That tactic has apparently failed. Poroshenko has never stopped pushing Groysman; all his other proposals may have been decoys. Groysman is not much of an independent politician: He has always ridden Poroshenko’s coattails, both as governor of Vinnitsa, where Poroshenko’s confectionery empire has its base, and as speaker. What’s known of his economic programme isn’t encouraging: Vox Ukraine, the independent Kiev think tank run by some of the country’s top economists, have described it as alarmingly populist. — Bloomberg View

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES APRIL 2001 3 Majlis panels review activities MUSCAT: The education and culture committee of the Majlis Al Shura held a meeting yesterday under the chairmanship of Hamad bin Ahmed Qatan, committee chairman. The committee discussed a working mechanism to follow up development of general education and application of the basic education system as well as admission of General School Certificate graduates in higher education institutions.

It also reviewed mechanisms, which the committee will adopt to study topics approved by the Majlis in its second regular session of the year regarding admission to Shariah and Law College and Medicine College at SQU and the introduction of information technology and computer at the general education schools.

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PICTOGRAPH

OMAN’S MANUFACTURING OF BASIC CHEMICALS Total end of September (Million rials) 2014

2015

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891.5

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1902: J.C. Penny opens his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming.

1933: The first flight over Mount Everest is completed by Lord Clydesdale.

1960: The first navigational satellite is launched into Earth’s orbit.

1976: US Fed begins issuing $2 bicentennial notes.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

A13

ASIA

According to NATO commanders, the Taliban exert control over only six per cent of Afghanistan but up to a third of the country is at risk from the insurgents and government forces control no more than 70 per cent of territory.

SUSPECTED ABDUCTION

Hong Kong bookseller’s disappearance ‘unfortunate’: Chinese official HONG KONG: A senior Hong Kong-based Chinese official said on Tuesday that the disappearance of a Hong Kong bookseller was a “very unfortunate incident” that shouldn’t be repeated, without clarifying details of the case.

Asked about the suspected abduction in December of British national Lee Bo from the Chinesecontrolled financial hub, Wang Zhenmin, the head of the law department at Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong, said he was happy Lee had since returned to the city and was living a “normal life”.

Remarks “No one wants to see this kind of case happen in Hong Kong. No one wants to see it happen again in future,” told the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.

His remarks were the most detailed yet from a Chinese official after the disappearances of Lee and four other booksellers who produced and sold gossipy books critical of Chinese leaders.

But Wang said he didn’t know the facts of the case and declined to comment when asked by Reuters whether Chinese authorities had abducted Lee. The incident has rocked the freewheeling city and sparked local and international concern that Beijing was using shadowy tactics to undermine core freedoms guaranteed to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Last week, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said his government had evidence that Lee was “removed from Hong Kong

eral visits to Hong Kong, denying in interviews that he was kidnapped by Chinese authorities as many in Hong Kong still believe.

Hong Kong’s freedoms are protected by the Basic Law, a mini-constitution that includes the “inviolable” freedom of Hong Kong people from arbitrary arrest and search.

SPELLING OUT: Wang Zhenmin of China’s liaison office in Hong Hong gives a speech at The Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Hong Kong on Tuesday. - AFP

under duress”. Wang said China would uphold its policy of respecting Hong Kong’s autonomy under the “one country, two systems” formula by which Britain handed

Hong Kong back China, adding China would “honour our commitments to Hong Kong society”.

Lee surfaced in China in late February and has since made sev-

Controversy Hong Kong authorities are still waiting for detailed explanations from China regarding the booksellers and how Lee was able to cross into China from Hong Kong without his travel documents, including a British passport.

The controversy has exacerbated social tensions between Hong Kong and China, fuelling a fledgling independence move-

Afghan Taliban announce start of ‘spring offensive’ The seasons have long shaped violence in Afghanistan with fighting easing off in the winter, when mountain passes get snowed in, and picking up again in the spring and summer

KABUL: The Taliban announced the start of their spring offensive on Tuesday, pledging to launch large-scale offensives against government strongholds backed by suicide and guerrilla attacks to drive Afghanistan’s Westernbacked government from power.

The announcement of the start of “Operation Omari”, named after the late Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, came just days after Secretary of State John Kerry visited Kabul and reaffirmed US support for a national unity government led by President Ashraf Ghani.

Insurgency The insurgency has gained strength since the withdrawal of international troops from combat

ON GUARD: This file photograph taken on October 13, 2015, shows Afghan security personnel standing guard on an armoured vehicle at a checkpoint in Ghazni. The Afghan Taliban announced on Tuesday the start of their ‘spring offensive’ even as the government in Kabul tries to bring the insurgents back to the negotiating table to end their drawn-out conflict. - AFP

at the end of 2014 and the Taliban are stronger than at any point since they were driven from power by US-backed forces in 2001.

As well as suicide and tactical attacks, the offensive would include assassinations of “enemy” commanders in urban centres, the Taliban said in their statement.

“The present operation will also employ all means at our disposal to bog the enemy down in a war of

attrition that lowers the morale of the foreign invaders and their internal armed militias,” they said.

In line with recent statements, the militants also said they would establish good governance in areas they controlled as well as avoiding civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. The seasons have long shaped violence in Afghanistan with fighting easing off in the winter, when mountain passes get

snowed in, and picking up again in the spring and summer. How far the announcement will lead to an immediate escalation in fighting, which caused 11,000 civilian casualties last year, remains unclear.

However, NATO and Afghan officials have said they expect very tough combat in 2016.

Hours before the Taliban announced their offensive, the US embassy in Kabul issued an emer-

gency warning to US citizens, saying it had received reports that insurgents were planning attacks on a major hotel in Kabul.

Heavy fighting has continued for months across Afghanistan, from Kunduz, the northern city that fell briefly to the insurgents last year, to Helmand province bordering Pakistan in the south.

In Helmand, where thousands of British and American troops were killed or wounded fighting the Taliban, government forces have pulled back from many areas and are struggling to hold on to centres close to the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. Understrength Afghan security forces, struggling with heavy casualties and high desertion rates and short of air power, transport and logistical support, have struggled in their first year fighting largely alone.

According to NATO commanders, the Taliban exert control over only six per cent of Afghanistan but up to a third of the country is at risk from the insurgents and government forces control no more than 70 per cent of territory.

US General John Nicholson, who took over as commander of international troops in Afghanistan last month, is conducting a strategic review, including plans to cut US troops in Afghanistan from 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year. Unless the plan is changed, the reduction would mean the end of most of NATO’s training and assistance operation, leaving the remaining US troops focusing on counterterrorism operations against radical groups like IS. - Reuters

ment among pockets of the city’s increasingly restive youth including those who took part in the 79day “Occupy Central” democracy street protests in late 2014.

Freedom of speech Wang urged Hong Kong residents to respect the laws of Hong Kong and China. “(They) shouldn’t do anything harmful to Chinese national security under the interests of the entire Chinese people, including our Hong Kong residents,” he said.

Wang also said that young people advocating independence could test the limits of Hong Kong’s vaunted freedom of speech.

“I don’t believe they can achieve Hong Kong independence ... but in the process ... they will cause a lot of conflict,” he said. - Reuters M AY 9 E L E C T I O N

Tough Philippine anti-crime mayor tops second poll MANILA: A tough crime-fighting mayor in the Philippine came out on top in an opinion poll for the second time in two days on Tuesday, less than a month before an election to find a successor to President Benigno Aquino.

Rodrigo Duterte, 71, mayor of Davao City in the southern Philippines, has vowed to end corruption and crime six months into his presidency if elected on May 9.

The election is being closely watched by investors, who fear the political succession in one of Asia’s fastest growing economies could derail gains made during Aquino’s six-year single term.

Duterte was the top choice of 30 per cent of 4,000 respondents in the March 29 to April 3 survey commissioned by broadcaster ABS-CBN. Duterte gained six points from the previous ABSCBN poll in mid-March. His tough stand on crime has begun to resonate with many Filipinos.

The ex-frontrunner, Senator Grace Poe, lost three points in the latest poll and dropped to second place with 25 per cent of respondents making her their first choice.

Vice President Jejomar Binay and former interior minister Manuel Roxas, who is favoured by the president for the job, remained in third and fourth place with 20 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively.

On Monday, a poll by the Social Weather Stations Organisation showed Duterte on top with 27 per cent of 1,500 respondents. Poe was in second place, losing four points to 23 per cent, in that survey. - Reuters

SCALPED

At China’s creaking hospitals, illegal ticket touts defy crackdown BEIJING/SHANGHAI: As day breaks, hundreds of patients wait to see doctors in a queue that snakes around the Peking Union hospital in Beijing.

Many will wait in vain — “scalpers” like Yu Wei have already illegally bought and sold appointment tickets for the day ahead.

Yu, 32, makes a living touting the tickets that Chinese hospitals sell in advance for consultations. His tickets will get a patient in front of a doctor in two days, he says, compared with a wait that can be up to a fortnight.

Dodging passing police patrols as part of his daily routine, Yu charges 850 yuan ($131) for a “special care” appointment ticket — almost three times the face value.

He said he keeps 200 yuan from each sale, with the rest of the profit going to hospital insiders who he said help him secure the tickets.

“The city’s upper middle class are always willing to pay this amount or even higher — as long as they can get an appointment,” Yu said, speaking between frequent phone calls that he said came from would-be clients.

In the background, other scalpers competed for custom, shouting out their prices.

Street crime The street crime casts light on the scale of the challenge President Xi Jinping faces as he looks to overhaul a creaking and underfunded public health system to deliver on

a police officer involved in leading the crackdown on scalpers in Beijing, said the police could not resolve the issue alone.

Part of the problem was that so many patients wanted to see the same doctors, he said. “It’s just not realistic to totally eradicate scalpers. It’s just too hard,” he told Reuters by phone.

LONG WAIT: People wait to enter Peking Union Hospital early in the morning in Beijing, China, April 6,

2016.

- Reuters

a promise of affordable and accessible care for all.

In line with this drive, authorities have tried to crack down on healthcare corruption and police say they have detained some 240 scalpers in Beijing alone this year.

Many patients and doctors say, though, the time-served practice is just a symptom of deeper issues: a dearth of doctors and low salaries meaning graft is endemic.

“Scalpers are a real headache for us,” a spokeswoman for the Peking

Union hospital surnamed Chen told Reuters by phone. “There’s a crackdown on them, but it’s a hard problem to cure.” The spokeswoman added the hospital and its doctors were victims of scalpers and were not involved in the practice.

A viral video earlier this year of a woman with her sick mother raging against scalpers brought a public outcry and calls for arrests and tough jail sentences. ( htt p s : //www.yo u t u b e .c o m / watch?v=K3lUF5XXnuw)

Authorities have promised to intensify their crackdown. But when Reuters visited hospitals in Shanghai and Beijing, dozens of scalpers operated in plain sight, loudly offering tickets for sale. A spokesman at the Beijing city health department said police needed to “strengthen” their efforts, and it would take some time to see any real results.

China’s national health ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Feng Jianqi,

Problem The problem is acute for patients like Cao Dongxian. The middleaged school teacher travelled to Beijing in May last year from his home in Shandong province after local doctors refused to carry out a risky intestinal cancer operation.

State insurance coverage is limited in China, meaning patients often have to pay a large part if healthcare costs themselves, especially those with major long-term diseases like cancer or diabetes.

Keen to avoid paying scalpers, Cao spent months queuing in hospital lines for repeat tests before doctors eventually said his cancer needed an urgent operation.

Cao was then told he would have to begin queuing again: this time for a hospital bed.

“It was October by the time I got to have my operation ... more than four months,” Cao said.

“On top of that your body’s in pain — it really hurts.”

In hindsight, Cao said he wished he had gone to scalpers straight away. Doctors also appear resigned to the practice, as wealth spreads

in China and patients accept the reality that paying more will bring speedier treatment. “(Basic) appointment fees don’t reflect the economic value of doctors’ skills and experience,” said Wu Yuan, an eye doctor at the Peking University First Hospital in Beijing.

“Scalpers are simply selling the doctor’s appointment at a price the market is prepared to pay,” Wu said. He said the practice was routine but that he had no knowledge of any doctor involvement in ticket resales.

Even as China’s hospitals suffer, the broader market for drugs and services is a lure for firms like e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding and hospital operator Phoenix Healthcare, attracted by a wider healthcare bill that is set to hit $1.3 trillion by 2020.

Source of frustration For patients like Cao or Zhang Pengyu, a 38-year-old realtor from the outskirts of Beijing, scalpers are source of frustration and anger, but sometimes a necessary evil. He waited unsuccessfully for three nights to see an ear, nose and throat doctor at Beijing Tongren Hospital. He finally gave in to scalpers, paying 3,000 yuan for a 10-minute appointment that should have cost just 200 yuan.

“I wanted to queue myself and not pay so much money, but I just couldn’t wait any more. I didn’t have time,” said Zhang. - Reuters

A 14

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

GLOBAL EYE

SINGAPORE: A general view of the lobby area inside the Regent Seven Seas Voyager cruise ship which is currently berthed at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore on Tuesday. US-based cruise liner Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCL) is on track to venture into China next year with a ship tailor-made just for the Chinese market, a company official said. Demand for cruises are rising in China, driven by the country’s growing middle class, said Steve Odell, NCL senior vice president and managing director for the Asia Pacific. — AFP

CHINA: Flower fields at seen from an aerial view in Yangzhou,

Jiangsu Province, China, on Sunday, in this photo released on Tuesday. — Reuters

FRANCE: Alister Shipman from Britain and Hannah Simpson from Northern Ireland, winners of a competition on the Airbnb accommodation site, look at a shark tank from an underwater bedroom at the Aquarium de Paris on April 11, 2016 in Paris, France. The winners were offered a free one night stay in an underwater bedroom surrounded by a shark tank at the French capital city aquarium. — AFP

PERU: A variety of corn is seen in the Andean highlands of Cuzco,

Peru, on Monday. — Reuters

GREECE: A Greek national flag flutters atop the parliament build-

ing in Athens, Greece on Monday. — Reuters

PHILIPPINES: Children play on a trampoline filled with balls and balloon at a mall in Manila, Philippines, on Tuesday. — AFP

GERMANY: Paratroopers jump out of a US plane during joint training exercises near the southern German town of Burglengenfeld on Tuesday. Some 912 US, British and Italian service personnel took park in the “Saber Junction 16” training exercises. — AFP/dpa/Armin Weigel

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016 Citing economy reasons, many European countries are turning blind eye towards the migrants. It will not resolve the issues. Countries should think on how to make best use of the current situation Kudret BÜLBÜL, President, Turks Abroad and Related Communities

WORLD

‘Discrimination hindering solution to migrant crisis’ World Humanitarian Summit to discuss cooperation, commitment

‘Change in attitude towards migrants,

REJIMON K

especially from

reji@timesofoman.com

Arab countries,

ANKARA: Steps towards ensuring commitment from all countries for addressing migrant issues will be taken at the World Humanitarian Summit, a top official at the Turkish ministry has said.

“At the summit, we will come out with a plan that ensures cooperation and commitment from all countries for addressing the migrant crisis.

It’s not only our problem or a regional problem. All countries in the world are affected by the migrant crisis,” Levant Murat Burhan, ambassador and deputy undersecretary at the Turkey’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, told the Times of Oman.

“So, we will look for an immediate solution to addressing the current issues and also chalk out a long term strategy that ensures that a migrant crisis does not occur in the world,” the ambassador added.

Turkey, which is home to around 2.5 million Syrian migrants who have fled their homeland due to political conditions and conflict, will host the first-ever United Nations (UN) World Humanitarian Summit on May 23 and 24.

in European and western countries, is the need of the hour to address the issue’

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com ISTANBUL: Discrimination towards migrants, especially those from Arab region, in European and Western countries is an obstacle in resolving the current migrant crisis, a top official from the Turkish government said.

“When we carried out a survey two years ago in Germany, 73 per cent of Turkish migrants there had said that discrimination towards them was the biggest issue they face. Now, the Syrian crisis has worsened than the past.

The numbers show that this is the largest number of humans in movement after World War II. But the attitude towards migrants by many countries is not a favourable one, “ Kudret BÜLBÜL, Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) President, told Times of Oman.

According to the official, who also attends EU parliament representing the Turkey government to discuss migrant issues, change in attitude towards migrants, especially from Arab countries, in European and western countries, is the need of the hour to address the issue. “Citing economy reasons, many European countries are turning blind eye towards the migrants. It will not resolve the issues. Countries should think on how to make best use of the current situation,” the official added.

Core aims “The five core aims set by the UN to be discussed at the summit are, commitment from political leadership to prevent and end conflict; upholding the norms that safeguard humanity; leave no one behind; change people’s lives — from delivering aid to ending need; and investing in humanity,” the ambassador said, adding that the movement of humans in large numbers is the biggest problem

Meanwhile, another official from the Turkish government’s emergency and disaster management arm, said that Turkey is hosting 2.7 million Syrian migrants, which is the total population of 19 European countries and the major chunk of the funds allocated are spend on welfare of migrants coming into Turkey.

“Since 2011 May, when the Syrian conflict began, migrants have been crossing the border to Tur-

Concerns Quoting Turkish Presidential Spokesman İbrahim Kalın, local media reported that renewed fighting in Syria has been fueling Turkey’s concerns over a new wave of migrants from Aleppo.

“Neither the Syrian regime nor its supporters” have been acting in line with the UN’s priorities for achieving a political transition,” the media quoted the official as saying.

AIMING FOR LONG TERM STRATEGY: Levant Murat Burhan, ambassador and deputy undersecretary at the Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry. – Times of Oman

the world is facing now.

“We look at the summit as a venue to begin a new era of global cooperation to halting the terrible suffering of people affected by conflicts and disasters,” the ambassador added.

Talking to TOO, Omer Cetin, an expert at the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, which is involved in developmental projects in many crisis-hit countries in the region and Africa, also sounded the same opinion.

“Everyone should come together. Only then can the migrant crisis be resolved.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are doing their part. But we expect more from them,” the official said, adding that alleviating poverty and putting in place developmental projects is believed to be one of the measures that will stem the growing migration crisis.

Since the outbreak of the

key. We are doing our best to help them, in terms of providing education, free of charge healthcare and even jobs,” Faut Oktay, the president of AFAD, the emergency and disaster management arm of Turkish government said.

A few months ago, Turkey had granted job visas for Syrian migrants in Turkey, which was welcomed by International Labour Organisation (ILO) as a mark of progress. Recently, to promote

JOKE ON AFRICAN-AMERICANS

Comic gag turns into gaffe for Clinton and New York mayor NEW YORK: A comic gag turned into a gaffe for Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, triggering a social media storm over what some said was their insensitivity to AfricanAmericans.

Clinton, who has the key New York primary coming up next Tuesday, took the stage with de Blasio on Saturday at the Inner Circle, an annual media roast of city and state politicians that traditionally ends with New York’s mayor delivering a snarky rebuttal in the form of a rehearsed skit, often with the help of Broadway cast members.

This year Leslie Odom Jr., who is black and plays Aaron Burr in the hit Broadway show “Hamilton,” participated in the skit in which Clinton kidded de Blasio about his delay in endorsing her bid for the White House.

“Sorry, Hillary, I was running on C.P. Time,” de Blasio said, referring to the phrase “coloured people time” used to indicate chronic lateness.

“I don’t like jokes like that,” Odom said.

Clinton then added: “’Cautious politician time.’ I’ve been there.”

Clinton has strong support from black voters heading into New York state’s Democratic primary next week but some supporters worry that Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders has

IN TROUBLED WATERS: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a ‘Meeting Discussion on Gun Violence Prevention’ at Landmark Theatre in New York on Monday. – AFP

begun making inroads with them.

De Blasio defended the joke in an appearance on CNN on Monday. “It was clearly a staged event,” he said “... I think people are missing the point here.”

In a statement on Monday, the mayor’s office said, “Let’s be clear, in an evening of satire, the only person this was meant to mock was the mayor himself - period.

Certainly no one intended to offend anyone.”

A spokesman for Clinton’s campaign referred to the mayor’s statement in response to a request for comment. A publicist for “Hamilton” did not imme-

diately respond to a request for comment.

The New York Daily News put the controversy on its front page on Tuesday with the headline “Skit for Brains.”

The joke set off angry reaction on social media with commentators criticizing Clinton and de Blasio, whose wife Chirlane McCray is African-American, for insensitivity. “In what kind of twisted world does a POTUS candidate make a #CPTime joke at a high $ event “inner circle” & ppl think it’s ok... #wakeup,” Jenny Li, @jennyjenli, posted on Twitter on Tuesday. — Reuters

Syrian war, Turkey has acted as a buffer zone between the Middle East and Europe. It’s one of the places refugees head first, to safety, while they work out what to do next.

Of the one million refugees and migrants who ended up in Europe last year, 800,000 arrived in Greece via Turkey.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says that more than 143,000 refugees have arrived this year alone, and about 460 have died.

Commenting on the recent deal struck between the European Union (EU) and Turkey on returning migrants, who cross the Aegean Sea to Greece, the ambassador said it has been successful.

According to the deal, any refugees arriving in Greece can now expect to be sent back to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected. The deal also says that for every migrant sent back

migration through proper channel, Turkey government had also struck a deal with EU as majority of migrants who have travelled to Europe in recent months have done so via Turkey risking their life and allowing human smugglers to exploit the situation.

According to the deal, Greece will send back migrants who arrive on its soil but do not apply for asylum, or whose asylum application is not accepted. For every Syr-

A15

to Turkey, one Syrian already in Turkey will be resettled in the EU. On April 4, the first group of migrants, around 200, mostly Pakistanis and Afghans, were sent back from Greece, while around 43 refugees in Turkey were resettled across Europe.

Talking about the aid, the ambassador said promises are made by countries; however, unfortunately, many are not fulfilled on time.

The UN refugees chief recently said nearly half of the $12 billion in funds pledged at a conference in London to help Syrian refugees in the Middle East are yet to be allocated.

Filippo Grandi said he was very concerned by the slow pace, and that it is crucial for honouring the pledges made at the February conference this year. Grandi was speaking at a UN conference on resettling Syrian refugees, at which the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, called for an exponential increase in global solidarity and an end to the demonization of refugees.

Referring to the London conference in February, the UN high commissioner for refugees warned: “More than half the promised funds have not yet been allocated. Rapid disbursement and early allocation are essential to allowing humanitarian organisations to scaling up operations in Syria and the region, and to stabilising displaced populations.”

The conflict in Syria continues to be by far the biggest driver of migration. But the ongoing violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, abuses in Eritrea, as well as poverty in Kosovo, are also leading people to look for new lives elsewhere.

ian who is sent back to Turkey, the EU will take in a Syrian who officially registered in a Turkish refugee camp. The state news agency quoting the latest figures from the Interior Ministry’s Directorate General of Migration Management reported that the highest number of Syrians resides in southern and southeastern towns along the Syrian border, with the striking exception of Istanbul, home to nearly 400,000 migrants.

CASE AGAINST COMEDIAN

Turkey embarrasses Merkel with complaint BERLIN/ISTANBUL: Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan has filed a legal complaint against a German comedian who recited a crude satirical poem about him on television, embarrassing Angela Merkel who has only just enlisted the president’s help in tackling the migrant crisis.

The poem, seemingly a deliberate provocation by comedian Jan Boehmermann, has exploded into a diplomatic incident that pits freedoms championed by Western Europe against recent moves in Turkey by Erdogan that critics say crack down on dissent.

Merkel, asked about the case, tried to separate the two issues and stressed her commitment to artistic freedom.

Prosecutors in Mainz said Erdogan had filed a complaint against Boehmermann for insulting him. Under the criminal code, he could, if found guilty, be imprisoned for up to a year.

In the March 31 programme, Boehmermann host of late-night “Neo Magazin Royale” on public broadcaster ZDF, recited a poem about Erdogan with references to bestiality and accusations that he repressed minorities and mistreated Kurds and Christians.

Prosecutors are also conducting a parallel investigation into the comedian on suspicion of the more serious crime of “offending foreign states’ organs and representatives” after Turkey made a formal request. If found guilty of that, Boehmermann could face up to three years in prison.

In the second potentially more serious case, the German government has to authorise prosecutors to go ahead. Berlin will decide on the request from Turkey in the coming days, Merkel said, adding that she cherished artistic freedom in Germany.

“Turkey is bearing a very big burden in relation to the Syrian civil war but all of that is completely separate from Germany’s fundamental values... freedom of the press, opinion and science apply and are completely separate from that,” she told reporters.

This clause in question, which seems to require political intervention in the justice system, is rarely used, say experts. Some politicians have called for it to be abolished because it is antiquated.

In the last decade or so only a handful of cases have been initiated. Media reports say that in the 1960s, the Shah of Iran used the clause against the Koelner Stadt Anzeiger newspaper over a caricatured montage. The law, which does not appear to exist in most other European countries, leaves Merkel with a conundrum. — Reuters

A 16

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Two charged, three detained over Brussels, Paris attacks into the attacks in Paris and Brussels, both claimed by IS militant group, unveiled significant overlap between the groups that orchestrated them

OFFSHORE INVESTMENT

Iceland minister will not quit over Panama Papers leaks LONDON: Iceland’s Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson said on Tuesday he would not resign over the Panama Papers leaks, which showed he once had a stake in an offshore investment firm in the Seychelles.

Asked by reporters in London whether he would quit, Benediktsson answered: “No”.

The statement came a week after Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson resigned as prime minister over the leaked documents which showed his wife owned an offshore company that held debt from failed Icelandic banks.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which saw the leaked papers from Panamanian lawyers Mossack Fonseca, said they showed Benediktsson and two Icelandic businessmen had power of attorney over a shell company called Falson & Co. created in 2005 in the Seychelles.

Confirmed The Consortium reported that Benediktsson had confirmed he owned a third of the company and had said it was set up for investing in four apartments in a building which was being built in Dubai, but that the company had been wound down in 2009. — Reuters

Five soldiers, 30 militants killed in Turkey southeast DIYARBAKIR: Five Turkish soldiers and 30 Kurdish militants have been killed in the past 24 hours in attacks and clashes across Turkey’s turbulent southeast region, security sources and the army said on Tuesday.

An estimated 57 people, including eight civilians, were wounded in the attacks, they said.

Thousands of militants and hundreds of civilians and soldiers have been killed since the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) resumed its insurgency last summer, wrecking a 2-1/2-year ceasefire and peace process.

Investigations

BRUSSELS: Belgium has charged two more men with terrorist offences linked to last month’s bombings in Brussels and also searched a house related to the attacks in Paris, detaining three people, federal prosecutors said on Tuesday.

A judge charged the two men, identified as Smail F., born in 1984, and Ibrahim F., born in 1988, over alleged links to the rental of a property that investigators believe was used as a “safe house” before the March 22 suicide bombings in Brussels. Prosecutors said in a statement that they had searched a house in the southern Brussels district of Uccle, taking into custody three people for questioning over the November 13 shooting and bombing rampage in Paris.

Prosecutors did not comment

VIOLENCE

CLOSE WATCH: A soldier controls motorists arriving at Brussels’ airport in Zaventem, on Monday. Belgian prosecutors said on Sunday they had reason to believe that those behind the Brussels attacks had initially planned to strike again in France. – AFP

on what was found in the house search but said the three people detained would appear before a judge on Wednesday to decide whether they would be charged.

Investigations into the attacks in Paris and Brussels, both claimed by IS militant group, unveiled significant overlap between the groups that orchestrated them. Belgian prosecutors said on Sunday they had reason to believe

that those behind the Brussels attacks, which killed 32 people, had initially planned to strike again in France. Including Smail F., and Ibrahim F., six suspects have been arrested and charged since late last week as a result of investigations into the Brussels bombings.

“They are charged with participation in the activities of a terrorist group, terrorist murders and attempts to commit terrorist

murders, as a perpetrator, co-perpetrator or accomplice,” prosecutors said in their statement.

Police raided the suspected safe house in the central Brussels district of Etterbeek on Saturday, but found no weapons or explosives.

The Belgian newspaper DH said the two men had been seen on security camera footage entering the house the day after the attacks and carrying out several

bags. Prosecutors were not immediately available for comment on that report.

Four other suspects were arrested on Friday, including Mohamed Abrini, who investigators say has confessed to depositing a bomb at Brussels airport, and Osama Krayem, suspected of buying bags used by the bombers.

Abrini is also wanted in connection with the Paris attacks. — Reuters

No negotiation The government has ruled out any return to the negotiating table and has vowed to crush the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey and its Western allies.

The security sources said operations in Sirnak province neighbouring Iraq and Syria had been stepped up and that gunfire and explosions could be heard in the area where earlier one soldier was killed and three others wounded. A soldier was also killed and four wounded in an explosion in Daglica, a village in Hakkari province near the Iranian border, during clashes with the PKK, the army said.

A third soldier was killed in an explosion in the border town of Nusaybin near Syria as troops entered a building during security operations. Three other soldiers were wounded with one in serious condition, the security sources said. — Reuters

M U LT I N AT I O N A L S ’ D ATA

EU offers plan to tackle corporate tax dodging BRUSSELS: Large companies would have to publicly disclose tax and financial data under proposals the European Commission put forth on Tuesday, in an effort to eliminate tax schemes costing European Union states billions of euros in lost tax revenues.

The EU executive’s proposal is part of a broader plan to counter tax avoidance triggered by the LuxLeaks scandal in 2014, which exposed deals by multinationals with EU authorities to reduce their tax bills.

“By using complicated tax arrangements, some multinationals can pay nearly a third less tax than companies that only operate in one country,” EU Financial Services Commissioner Jonathan Hill said in a statement. “Our proposal to increase transparency will help make companies more accountable.”

Lost revenues A European Parliament study showed that corporate tax avoidance costs EU countries 50 billion to 70 billion euros in lost revenues every year. The Commission had initially planned to impose socalled country-by-country reporting only for companies’ activities in each of the 28 EU states.

But under pressure after the recent Panama Papers leaks, it made a last-minute change to its proposal, requiring corporations to disclose tax data also in juris-

PROTEST AGAINST CORRUPTION: Activists take part in a demonstration outside the European Commission (EC) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday. – Reuters

dictions deemed as tax havens - although EU states have never agreed on a common list of tax havens. Corporate operations in the rest of the world will have to be reported as a single item.

The plan concerns only companies with an annual turnover of at least 750 million euros ($856.65

million) and with activities in the EU. Non-EU firms will also be required to publish a tax report if they have a subsidiary in an EU country. Data to be made public on a country-by-country basis include tax paid and tax accrued, profits, turnover, earnings and number of employees.

EU states and the Parliament need to approve the Commission’s proposals to turn them into law.

The proposed measures raised concerns among anti-corruption campaigners, who accused Brussels of being too soft on tax evasion. Business associations warned that the plan would dam-

age EU companies.

“We do not wish to see the EU become a destination which businesses consider too reputationally risky and administratively burdensome in which to invest,” said Chas Roy-Chowdhury, head of tax at ACCA, a global accounting body. He called for limiting disclosures to tax authorities, avoiding a general public display.

“Competitors will acquire sensible information on the structure and margins of a company due to the obligation of reporting”, said Markus Kerber, chief of the German industry association BDI. Centre-right lawmakers shared those concerns.

But tax transparency activists and centre-left lawmakers accused the Commission of not going far enough. Advocacy group Oxfam held a demonstration on Tuesday against tax havens in the EU district in Brussels, calling for the disclosure of tax information in all countries where companies operate. “The Commission is only proposing reporting obligations for firms’ activities in a restricted list of countries, mainly within Europe, with crucial countries like the US and Switzerland excluded,” EU Green lawmaker Molly Scott Cato said.

“Unless the reporting obligations cover all countries, it will be impossible to find out if and how firms are channelling funds to tax havens,” she said. — Reuters

URALS

Tolerance, resilience helps Russians avert deeper economic crisis MIASS (RUSSIA): In Russia’s industrial heartland, people are finding ways to cope with an economic crisis that has stretched household budgets to breaking point.

The stories told in Miass, a midsized city in the Urals that is home to a sprawling truck factory and a plant that makes missiles for submarines, show how people’s tolerance and resilience have helped avert a deeper economic slump.

Nikolai Matveev, a trucker, said his family had saved on food by eating home-grown vegetables and meat from the animals he shoots while hunting. “Our wives are also experts at saving a few kopecks here and there,” he told Reuters.

“Shortages in Soviet times taught them well.”

Other workers have moonlighted as taxi drivers to supplement incomes slashed in real terms by

soaring inflation and bought cheaper products as prices have risen.

Some have had their nominal wages cut, too: lower pay has been an important safety valve for the Russian economy, helping businesses keep costs down as demand flags.

The weaker rouble, which helped drive inflation to 12.9 per cent last year, has meanwhile cushioned the blow to government finances from the collapse in oil prices and made some Russian goods more competitive overseas.

Economists say firms in the West typically fire more staff during crises as workers, supported by their stronger trade unions, would not stand for wages sliding so much. “In Russia it’s different, it’s much more important to work even if you work for less,” said Ivan Tchakarov, a Russia-focused economist at US bank Citi. “It’s

the price (of labour) that adjusts not the quantity.” Russian workers still spend the bulk of their earnings on day-to-day needs, meaning they typically economise on things such as food and clothes. Fewer people have long-term mortgages, student loans or expensive habits.

The Ural truck factory, whose grey headquarters dominate one of Miass’ central squares, illustrates how some firms have stayed afloat.

Built during World War Two, it produces everything from dumper trucks to military vehicles and sells to former Soviet countries, Africa and Latin America.

The weaker rouble has made Ural vehicles cheaper for customers abroad. It reduced payroll expenses by temporarily introducing a shorter working week late last year and has fired 140 of several thousand employees in the past six

months, though workers say dozens more left by consent.

An assembly line worker said he earned around 25,000 roubles ($375) a month for an eight-hour shift and that his salary had not risen since 2011, which equates to a reduction in real wages of around 30 per cent when inflation is factored in. Still, he was not planning to quit his job. “I’m not sure I can find anything better,” the worker said, speaking in a deserted cafe on the Prospect of the Car Factory Workers, Miass’ main drag.

Ural’s owner GAZ Group declined to arrange a meeting with its management, but its press office said salaries corresponded with those at other firms locally and were adjusted with workers’ performance. Last year’s output of around 7,900 vehicles was similar to 2014, as exports offset falling

Russian sales, GAZ Group said.

Cheaper labour costs and currency weakness explain why Russian firms’ profits in rouble terms jumped over 50 per cent in 2015 even as the economy shrank by 3.7 per cent. People’s willingness to accept lower wages has also helped avert social and political unrest similar to the demonstrations in large Russian cities in 2011-12 that briefly challenged Vladimir Putin’s government. Despite declining living standards there were no large protests in Russia’s regions last year and few predict there will be before a parliamentary vote in September that the pro-Putin United Russia party is on course to win.

Putin’s approval ratings are close to all-time highs after the 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, while his opponents are in disarray and confined by laws

restricting protests and their lack of access to state media.

Igor Stepanov, owner of Promprint, a firm in Miass that makes home furnishings, said Russians were patient because they had lived through much worse. “Our country has suffered too much in various conflicts,” he said.

Alexander Ivanov, director of Miass’ employment centre, said officials had spoken with local firms about how they handled layoffs to try to preserve stability.

“We say to businesses: we all live in the same city, so if you must cut people, let’s do it in such a way that there aren’t any shocks,” he added.

Ivanov said official unemployment in Miass was around 3 per cent, half the level during the 2008-09 global financial crisis, although some joblessness was hidden. — Reuters

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM W EDN ES DAY, APRIL 13, 2016

MARKE

OMAN OIL PRICE RISES Oman Crude (June delivery) reached $39.94 per barrel. A Dubai Mercantile Exchange statement said that the price of Oman Crude rose $1.58 a barrel from its level on Monday. — ONA

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Muscat 5,728.72 + 47.50 + 0.84%

Dubai 3,473.82 + 49.91 + 1.46%

Abu Dhabi 4,408.15 + 17.17 + 0.39%

Kuwait 5,275.04 - 9.33 - 0.18%

Saudi Arabia

6,403.60 + 92.0 + 1.46%

Bahrain 1,121.82 + 5.48 + 0.49%

Qatar 10,246.29 + 86.63 + 0.85%

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 ............................................1.81 Indian Rs ............................. 172.27 Pak Rs ....................................267.45 Bangla Taka......................200.96

Indian Rs ...................................172.30 Pakistan Rs ............................. 271.80 Sri Lanka Rs .................................. N/A Bangla Taka........................... 203.40 Phil Peso .................................... 119.45

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......16.05

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........ $39.72 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$39.52 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) .........$41.58 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........ $38.87 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........$43.23

* Rates as of Apr. 12 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

* Rates are as of Apr. 12 Source: Bank Muscat

West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........$40.53

ENERGY PRODUCTION

Crude production falls marginally

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......15.40 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............ 151.05 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) .............142.25 * Rates as of Apr. 12 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

Power firms in Oman to invest OMR400m

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s production of crude oil and condensates in March stood at 30.26 million barrels, which indicates a fall of 3.69 per cent compared to the previous month.

The average daily crude oil production stood at 976,253 barrels, said a monthly report released by the Ministry of Oil and Gas on Tuesday.

China’s crude oil imports from Oman witnessed an 8 per cent growth in March compared to February 2016, while the Sultanates exports to Taiwan fell by 5.29 per cent.

Japan and India have joined once again the list of importers of Oman’s Crude.

Export markets American market is competing with traditional Asian buyers, as it was ranked second behind China with 6.62 per cent export, tying with South Korea in the same month.

Crude oil prices have seen a remarkable increase around the world in March 2016, continuing on the same rate of increase of prices in February 2016, rising above $6 per barrel, compared with the settlement price for February 2016, with an average oil price of West Texas American in the Stock Exchange New York commodities (NYMEX) ($39.12) with an increase of ($6.92) compared with a trade in February 2016.

The average North Sea Brent at the Intercontinental Exchange

Oil prices hit above $43

Investments will be made in

LONDON: Oil prices rose above $43 a barrel to its highest level so far in 2016 on Tuesday, supported by hopes that a meeting of oil producers will agree steps to tackle a supply glut, a weak US dollar and further signs of strong demand in China.

Brent crude was up 47 cents at $43.30 a barrel at 1222GMT having reached a 2016 high of $43.58 earlier in the session.

US crude rose 20 cents to $40.56.

Oil prices have collapsed from above $100 in mid-2014 due to oversupply. — Reuters

(ICE) in London rate stood at $39.79 a barrel, $6.26 higher than compared to February 2016.

Oman Crude has also risen in Dubai Mercantile Exchange for more than 20 per cent compared with last month.

Oman Crude’s average price for delivery in May 2016 was $36.34 per barrel, recording an increase of $6.11 a barrel compared to the price for delivery in April, this year.

transmission and distribution networks to expand and further improve services in Oman, a top official said

ALL SMILES: The Nama Group firms also raised power supply to 29,000 gigawatt per hour, an increase of 14 per cent over 2014.

- Picture by O K Mohammed Ali/Times of Oman

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Power firms in Oman plan to invest around OMR400 million for expanding and upgrading transmission and distribution networks this year, a top-level official of Electricity Holding Company (or Nama Group) told Times of Oman.

Eng. Omar Khalfan Al Wahaibi, chief executive officer of Nama Group, said that the group firms have invested approximately OMR400 million in 2015 in transmission and distribution networks to expand and improve services by delivering more than 90 per cent of its annual project budget for the first time in the group’s history.

“This significant achievement has enabled us to increase our network reliability and increase the

number of customers by 7 per cent to exceed one million customers by the end of 2015,” added Eng. Al Wahaibi, while addressing the inaugural ceremony of Knowledge Sharing Conference.

The Nama Group firms also raised power supply to 29,000 gigawatt per hour, an increase of 14 per cent over 2014.

He also said that the group firms have already raised funds from the market and not using government funding now. “We have already raised enough funds for this year. It is a programme for this year and previous year, which are mainly for investing in development of transmission and distribution lines.” The borrowing is carried out by individual companies in close coordination with the holding company.

Eng. Al Wahabi said that the

GLOBAL GROWTH

IMF warns of global stagnation as it cuts economic growth outlook again WASHINGTON: A prolonged period of slow growth has left the global economy more exposed to negative shocks and raised the risk that the world will slide into stagnation, the IMF warned.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its world expansion forecast, as weak exports and slowing investment dim prospects in the US, a consumptiontax hike saps growth in Japan, and a slump in the price of everything from oil to wheat continues to hobble commodities producers.

The world economy will grow 3.2 per cent this year, down from a projected 3.4 per cent in January, the IMF said on Tuesday in a quarterly update to its World Economic Outlook.

The weaker outlook is likely to weigh on finance ministers and central bankers from around the globe, who gather in Washington this week for spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank, as well as a Group of 20 session. The fund also cut its forecast for growth in

“But by clearly recognising the risks they jointly face and acting together to prepare for them, national policy makers can bolster confidence, support growth, and guard more effectively against the risk of a derailed recovery,” he said.

Maurice Obstfeld.

— Bloomberg file picture

2017 to 3.5 per cent, down from 3.6 per cent three months ago.

“Growth has been too slow for too long,” IMF chief economist Maurice Obstfeld said in remarks prepared for a press briefing.

“There is no longer much room for error.”

Return of financial turmoil The IMF cited among the biggest risks as a “return of financial turmoil itself, impairing confidence and demand in a self-confirming negative feedback loop.”

“Another threat is that persistent slow growth has scarring effects that themselves reduce potential output and with it, consumption and investment,” the IMF said.

“Consecutive downgrades of future economic prospects carry the risk of a world economy that reaches stalling speed and falls into widespread secular stagnation.”

The fund cited several political and geopolitical pressures, including the rise of populism in the

US and Europe; the UK’s June referendum on whether to stay in the European Union; and large-scale refugee inflows that add to strains in Europe.

While growth forecasts for the US and euro area were marked down by 0.2 percentage point, the deepest reductions in advanced economies came in Japan.

The IMF cut its expansion estimate for the nation in half for 2016, to 0.5 per cent, and projects a 0.1 per cent contraction in 2017, compared with a previous forecast for 0.3 per cent growth. The fund cited recent strengthening of the yen and weaker emerging-market demand for the forecast cut, and the scheduled consumption-tax increase for the 2017 slide.

One bright spot: The IMF upgraded its China growth forecasts by 0.2 percentage point for this year and next, following signs of “resilient domestic demand” and growth in services that offset weakness in manufacturing.

— Bloomberg News

operating performance indicators showed improvements with a reduction in distribution loss from 10.3 per cent in 2014 to 9.5 per cent in 2015 in north of Oman, which represents a 92 per cent of electricity consumption in the country.

Further, the gas consumption per unit generated also declined by 8.5 per cent to reach 267 cubic meters per megawatt/hour by the end of last year. The human resource efficiency has also improved in terms of number of customer served by 6 per cent. Now, each employee is serving 349 customers, compared to 329 in 2014.

Nama Group held the inauguration ceremony for Knowledge Sharing Conference 2016 (KSC16), under the auspices of Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi, secretary general of the Supreme Council for Planning, at the Grand

Hyatt Muscat Hotel on Monday.

The conference was designed and implemented for the first time in 2013 to provide a platform for all electricity sector stakeholders to discuss the latest developments and best practices that have contributed in the implementation of the Nama Group’s strategy, which consists of human resources, asset management, customer service, communication and health, safety and environment.

The ceremony also covered the launch of the first sustainability report, which was prepared according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. The report measures the sustainability performance of all Nama Group companies for 2014-15 period.

Nama group honoured its member companies for their achievements at the event. The winner of the HSE category was Oman Electricity Transmission Company and the most improved was Majan Electricity Company.

The winner of the HR category was Muscat Electricity Distribution Company.

Customer service strategy aims at providing the best services for the customers. The criteria of choosing the best company depends on elements including new connection time, call center service level, meter reading, billing process and customer satisfaction survey.

In customer service strategy category, the winner was Rural Areas Electricity Company and the most improved was Dhofar Power Company.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

MARKET TECHNOLOGY

Digitisation will help economy and create jobs: Cisco Oman chief ERIK PRINS

erik@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: In Oman, there is a massive opportunity to improve efficiency, generate new jobs and boost growth of Oman’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by advancing digitisation in both companies and government, said John Hoonhout, General Manager of Cisco Oman.

“With people connected to the Internet through an ever growing number of devices, there are lots opportunities to advance the digitisation in Oman,” he said.

He said that Cisco’s role in Oman is accelerating digitisation of the country in cooperation with Oman’s authorities.

“This provides an opportunity to companies and governments to digitise their operations, reinventing yourself to take advantage of this tremendous change,” he said. Hoonhout said that the outcome of digitisation is job creation and GDP growth.

He stressed the importance ofeducating the national workforce to enable them to advance the digitisation in Oman.

“Building a knowledgeable workforce is one of the most critical elements of a country’s digitisation journey,” he said.

Cisco’s role herein is providing Omani students with training opportunities. “What we are very proud of, is our Cisco Network Academies, which have been operating for a number of years in Oman,” he said.

He said that over 4,000 students at any one time benefit from the Cisco curriculum training programme at one of the technical colleges in Oman, training them with the essentials of IT as well as knowledge of IT networking, the latter of which is Cisco’s core business. According to Hoonhout, 14,000 students have benefited from the training pro-

gramme since its inception.

“We’ve already touched a lot of people with this process,” he said.

He said that at the moment, there are 14 active Cisco Network Academies hosted in the Sultanate, utilising Cisco curriculum with local instructors.

“Last year more than 60 per cent of the students were female participants,” he said.

Training programmes Hoonhout said that in the future, more courses will be added to the training programmes, such as courses on innovation and entrepreneurship.

Another area Cisco is focusing on is the cooperation with The Research Council (TRC) to stimulate local innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives.

In addition, Cisco is working with the Omani government to build a common vision for the digitisation agenda of the country, which aims to increase GDP growth and generate new jobs.

“We are working with the ITA [Information Technology Authority] to help them set a vision for the future,” he said.

“We want to create more technology leaders, early adopters, people that want to reinvent themselves.

When asked what number of students are aimed to be trained and the number of jobs this digitisation would create, Hoonhout told the Times of Oman that this is not yet known. “The country digitisation programme is still under construction and specific target and objectives are not yet quantified,” he said.

He said that Cisco offers global experience in advancing digitisation in Oman, which will bring the people of Oman the ability to handle their affairs with the government online instead of visiting an office and replacing physical documents with electronic processes.

EXPANSION MODE: Alibaba chairman Jack Ma has set a goal of getting at least half the company’s revenue from overseas, with the Lazada deal adding sales of clothing and electronics in six Southeast Asian markets. – Bloomberg News

Alibaba expands in Asia with $1b Lazada deal As it seeks more sales from beyond China, Alibaba expanded its e-commerce footprint with a $1 billion deal to control Lazada Group

HONG KONG: Alibaba Group expanded its e-commerce footprint to fast-growing Southeast Asia with a $1 billion deal for control of Lazada Group as it seeks more sales from beyond China.

The company will pay $500 million for new shares in the closely held company and also purchase stock from existing investors, Alibaba said in a statement on Tuesday.

Investors in Lazada to sell stakes include Rocket Internet, Tesco and Investment AB Kinnevik .

Alibaba chairman Jack Ma has set a goal of getting at least half the company’s revenue from overseas, with the Lazada deal adding sales of clothing and electronics in six Southeast Asian markets. While Alibaba has come to dominate ecommerce in its home market, it remains dependent on China for the vast majority of its business.

“It has huge cash sitting on its balance sheet so it can do this kind of investment. It’s also seeking for some future growth drivers,” said

Marie Sun, an analyst at Morningstar Investment Service.

“It needs to find some other place for future growth.”

The agreement values all of Lazada at $1.5 billion, Rocket said in a separate statement.

Lazada’s operations Founded in 2012 by Rocket, Lazada operates in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Indonesia, where it competes with Tokopedia and MatahariMall, is Southeast Asia’s largest economy, with 256 million people.

“Overseas expansion requires a lot of investment in logistics, it would take Alibaba much longer to build the business from the ground up,” said Li Yujie, an analyst with RHB Research Institute Sdn in Hong Kong. “What Alibaba could do is integrate the businesses and

introduce more existing merchants to Lazada to export their products overseas.”

The deal also includes options to buy out certain Lazada shareholders in a 12 to 18 month period after the deal closes, it said. Credit Suisse Group AG advised Alibaba and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. was financial adviser to Lazada.

“With the investment in Lazada, Alibaba gains access to a platform with a large and growing consumer base outside China, a proven management team and a solid foundation,” Alibaba President Michael Evans said in the statement. - Bloomberg News

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook’s Messenger app now opened to commerce NEW YORK: Facebook has changed the way people communicate and turned private activities like family vacations into semi-public events. For its next behaviour-molding trick, Facebook is making over its Messenger app into a hub for commercial activity.

Facebook is treading carefully, but it is still at a delicate point where Messenger could be the company’s next world-changing moneymaker or its biggest flop.

Messenger’s ranking among most downloaded United States mobile apps is number two.

Facebook in the last year or so has started to shift Messenger — which more than 900 million people use each month to exchange text messages and silly Gifs with their Facebook friends — into a way for businesses to interact with their customers. Facebook has started slowly with a handful of partners that let people use Messenger to hail an Uber car, track a package or ask a Hyatt hotel for a warm blanket hours before check-in.

Business uses Starting on Tuesday at a big company conference, Facebook is expected to detail an expansion of business activity on Messenger by opening it up to even more business uses.

It’s smart to hunt for ways to replace particularly unsatisfying or annoying calls and emails to dispute a credit card charge, keep tabs on deliveries or deal with a cable TV outage. Many commercial interactions feel as if they are taking place in the last century, particularly to younger people who wouldn’t be caught dead calling a customer service hot line.

Still, both Facebook and its partners must find the right activity to prove Messenger can be more useful than phone calls or emails and to make sure the app doesn’t get bogged down with spam.

There are some natural areas where business activity makes sense on Messenger. Because Messenger has a single running

Facebook has started slowly with a handful of partners that let people use Messenger to hail an Uber car, track a package or ask a Hyatt hotel for a warm blanket hours before check-in

thread of messages with each individual or business, the app makes it easy to pick up where a previous transaction or interaction left off. It’s easy to imagine a shopper ordering a skirt from Macy’s using Messenger, tracking the package as it winds its way to her home, messaging Macy’s again to swap her order for a different size and reconnect on Messenger a few months later when the shopper decides she wants to buy the skirt in another color.

It would also be smart for Facebook to follow the lead of Twitter, which recently allowed to individuals with customer service complaints or other issues.

Second-most popular While Facebook Messenger is the second-most-popular mobile app in the country behind Facebook itself, according to ComScore, Messenger hasn’t been a place where business happens. Then again, neither was Facebook’s social network in the beginning, but now news organisations, big companies like Ford and the local cafe have set up shop there and pay Facebook to make themselves more visible to potential customers.

There are some early signs businesses and consumers are interested in using Messenger for

interactions. Davis Marcus, the executive in charge of Messenger, said more than 1 billion messages are sent each month between people and businesses on Messenger or on Facebook’s pages function.

Since it added Messenger as a customer service option last year, Hyatt said, the company’s monthly volume of Messenger interactions increased eight to 10 times.

Customer-service software E-commerce company Everlane has roughly 750 customer sessions each week through Messenger, according to Zendesk, which provides the company’s customer-service software. That no doubt is a fraction of Everlane’s interactions by email. Hyatt also says Twitter is far more popular than Messenger as a digital customer-service tool. But it’s still early, and at least in small doses these are signs that people are open to business interactions on Messenger.

Facebook hasn’t said how it plans to make money from business activity on Messenger, and it likely won’t this week, either. The company could sell ads for businesses to get themselves noticed on Messenger or take a cut of ecommerce sales made through Messenger. - Bloomberg News

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

B3

MARKET AUSTERITY

Nomura plans to cut 500-600 jobs in Europe TOKYO: Nomura Holdings plans to cut 500-600 jobs, mainly in its European cash equities business, as Japan’s biggest brokerage tries to stem years of heavy losses racked up in its long-term drive to become a major global industry player, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Some jobs will also go in Nomura’s global markets division in the Americas, the people said, and it wasn’t immediately clear whether Nomura will shut down its European cash equities operation entirely. The people declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

The retreat signals a heavy blow for Nomura management’s international ambitions. The brokerage bought Lehman Brothers equities and investment banking business in Europe and Asia in 2008, at the height of the global financial crisis, as part of a concerted strategy to expand from its domestic stronghold and become a major force in international finance.

The move comes as other big institutions also scale back in international cash equities due to sluggish trading volumes and rising costs against a backdrop of jitters about the global economy.

British lender Barclays has closed its cash equities business in Asia, Asia-focused Standard Chartered closed its equities franchise and Societe Generale shut its India equities research desk.

Nomura’s overseas business is set to report for a sixth straight annual pretax loss for the year ended March 2016. Between October and December 2015 alone, the overseas business lost ¥19.9 billion ($173 million). Joey Wu, a spokeswoman for Nomura based in Tokyo, declined to comment.

As of December 31, Nomura had 3,433 employees in Europe, company data shows. - Reuters

Kuwait seeks to lift crude output at four-decade high Gulf state is targeting production of 3.165 million barrels a day this year or in 2017, up from the current 3 million barrels a day

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait Oil Company will soon offer contracts for offshore rigs and support services to drill its first undersea wells as the Gulf nation tries to boost crude output to the highest level in more than four decades.

Kuwait is targeting production of 3.165 million barrels a day later this year or in 2017, up from the current 3 million barrels a day, chief executive officer Jamal Jaafar said on Monday at a conference in Kuwait City.

Doha meeting He made his comments a day after fellow Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) member Iraq reported a record level of production and less than a week before some of the biggest oil-producing nations are to discuss freezing output to reduce a glut and shore up prices.

“We are trying to make use of the low cost of production in Kuwait,” said Jaafar, whose company is the exploration and production arm of national energy group Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.

Kuwait and Iraq are among members of the Opec that plan to meet other major producers on April 17 in Doha for talks about a

OFFSHORE CONTRACTS: Kuwait is looking at six offshore areas to drill its first undersea wells and plans to offer contracts for the work.

Kuwait and Iraq are among members of the Opec that plan to meet other producers on April 17 in Doha for talks about a freeze. – Bloomberg News

freeze. Saudi Arabia, Russia, Venezuela and Qatar agreed in February on a proposal to cap output at January levels, though Iran has refused to participate until it restores production to presanctions levels.

Crude prices have tumbled more than 60 per cent over the last two years. Brent crude was 9 cents higher at $42.92 a barrel in London.

Re-balancing markets Next week’s meeting in Doha is ‘crucial’ because an agreement by all countries to cap production will allow the oil market to recover gradually, Algeria’s staterun news agency APS reported on Monday, citing the country’s Energy Minister Salah Khebri.

Markets will be oversupplied throughout the first half of this

contracts for the work, he said, without specifying dates. Kuwait, Opec’s fourth-largest member, hasn’t pumped an annual average of more than 3 million barrels a day since 1973, data shows.

We are trying to make use of the low cost of production in Kuwait Jamal Jaafar Chief executive officer, Kuwait Oil

year but will start to re-balance in the third quarter, Jaafar said.

Kuwait Oil is looking at six offshore areas to drill its first undersea wells and plans soon to offer

Shell project Kuwait will also start a project this year with Royal Dutch Shell to capture carbon dioxide at oil fields and re-inject it underground to produce more crude, he said.

Kuwait Oil is tackling more difficult crude formations to increase production capacity, and it’s testing the injection of chemicals and polymers at fields in the northern part of the country to enhance recovery.

Crude output in Iraq, Opec’s second-biggest producer, rose 2 per cent to a record 4.55 million barrels a day last month, the

country’s state-run Oil Marketing Company said on Sunday in an emailed statement.

Production in southern Iraq, where most of the country’s biggest fields lie, will remain unchanged this year amid cuts in investment, Ali Haddad Al Fares, head of the energy committee of the Basra regional council, said on Monday in an interview in Kuwait City. Iraq is targeting total output of 6 million barrels a day by 2020, with most of the increase to come from the Basra region, he said.

– Bloomberg News

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SPREADING WINGS

Modern Exchange opens new branch in MBD Times News Service

IT’S OPEN: Indra Mani Pandey (middle), India’s ambassador to the Sultanate, cutting ribbon to inaugurate the 23rd branch of Modern of Exchange. Jamal Al Ojaily (third from left), vice-chairman of Modern Exchange and chancellor of Sohar University, Philip Koshy (extreme right), general manager of Modern Exchange, were also present. - Supplied picture

MUSCAT: Modern Exchange, one of the fastest growing money exchange companies in Oman, has added yet another first to the list of pioneering services. The 23rd branch of Modern Exchange which is also their third Premiere Lounge in the Sultanate has been open to customers from April 11.

The Premiere Lounge branch is located at MBD, near Khana Khazana.

Indra Mani Pandey, India’s ambassador to the Sultanate and Jamal Al Ojaily, vice chairman and chancellor of Sohar University, jointly inaugurated the branch.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Philip Koshy general manager of Modern Exchange, customers and officials.

The Premiere Lounge is different from a normal branch. These

are exclusive outlets catering to high-end clients. With the Premiere Lounge, customers of Modern Exchange need not stand in a queue or go through the hustle and bustle of a crowded branch.

The eligibility of the customers happens through a detailed study conducted by Modern Exchange of their clients’ remittance pattern.

The selection is by invitation to these customers and the entry of the customer into any of the Premiere Lounges will be through an access card.

Zero-minute remittance Modern Exchange is a pioneer in server-to-server technology enabling to offer zero minutes remittance to State Bank of India, State Bank of Travancore, HDFC, Federal Bank and ICICI. The customers of these banks would get the money transferred to their account in

India in split seconds even before they leave the branch and SMS confirmation on remittance in just 3 minutes .

This service is available 24x7x365 days. Modern Exchange uses state-of-the art and technology to offer seamless credit to other 56 banks in India in hours. Zero Minutes service is specialty of Modern Exchange, which is being offered to other countries around the globe.

Apart from ground breaking remittance facilities which include zero minute remittance, free death insurance coverage, free SMS feedback to clients, free cultural events, Modern Exchange adheres to the philosophy of taking the remittance engagement with their customers to a different level.

The Premiere Lounge is another service that is adding to their overall experience.

B4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,728.73 ...............5,683.18 ....................5,728.72 ................... 5,681.22..................47.50 ...................0.84 Financial Index ..................................... 7,427.37 ...............7,328.36 ....................7,426.31 ................... 7,330.69................. 95.62 ................... 1.30 Industrial Index ................................... 6,969.90 ............... 6,910.75 ....................6,963.75 ....................6,881.76..................81.99 ................... 1.19 Services Index .......................................3,156.53 ...............3,146.63 ....................3,156.53 ................... 3,146.63....................9.90 ................... 0.31 MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................... 861.13 ..................854.91 .......................860.79 ...................... 855.30....................5.49 ...................0.64 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 62,709,056 ................. 8,210,508 ................. 2,087 ............... 16,725,889,930 ................29 ........................5 .................... 19 .........................53

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 12 ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

Muscat Securities Market. – Times file picture

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

OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 12,715,361.. 1,277,301...................327 ........... 0.099 ........... 0.102 ...........0.098........... 0.100 .............0.093 ........... 0.007............. 7.527 ................0.102..............0.102...................0.000 ..................28,998,064.........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ............. 201,607 ........... 49,875......................18 ........... 0.240...........0.250 ...........0.240 .......... 0.247 .............0.235 ............0.012 ............. 5.106 ................0.250..............0.245...................0.250 ...................8,292,148 ..........0.100

MSM index ends higher

OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ....................... 555,596 ..........126,551.....................40 ........... 0.225 ...........0.229 ...........0.225........... 0.228 .............0.218.............0.010 ............. 4.587 ................0.229..............0.225...................0.229 .................. 21,669,120 .........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 424,000............85,758..................... 36 ............0.199 ...........0.205 ...........0.199 ........... 0.202 ............. 0.195............ 0.007............. 3.590 ................0.205............. 0.204...................0.205 .................. 58,711,506 .........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...................... 476,774............ 42,976.....................40 ........... 0.090 ........... 0.091 ...........0.088........... 0.090 .............0.087 ........... 0.003............. 3.448 ................0.090..............0.088...................0.090 ...................2,700,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 1,878,667 ......232,335................... 101 ............0.122 ........... 0.128 ...........0.122........... 0.124 .............0.120 ........... 0.004............. 3.333 ................0.124..............0.124...................0.125................... 11,160,000 .........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 447,406 ............76,015..................... 46 ............0.170 ........... 0.173 ...........0.168 ........... 0.170 ............. 0.165............ 0.005............. 3.030 ................0.168 ..............0.168...................0.170...................21,232,653 .........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 1,485,539 ...... 103,983..................... 76 ........... 0.068 ...........0.072 ...........0.068........... 0.070 .............0.068 ........... 0.002............. 2.941 ................0.069..............0.069...................0.070...................14,500,597 .........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ....................................................... 40,900 ............ 40,852........................9 ........... 0.980 ........... 1.000 ...........0.980........... 1.000 .............0.972 ........... 0.028............. 2.881 ................1.000..............1.000...................1.010 ................. 200,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 529,204 ........... 95,235......................14 ............0.176 ........... 0.181............0.176 ........... 0.180 ............. 0.175............ 0.005............. 2.857 ................0.181 .............. 0.181...................0.185..................256,506,506 .......0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST .......................................................................10,831 ...............5,394..................... 10 ........... 0.498 ...........0.498 ...........0.498........... 0.498 .............0.486 ............0.012 ............. 2.469 ................0.498..............0.486...................0.498..................316,623,862........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 2,637,690 .......357,135.....................44 ............0.135 ........... 0.137 ...........0.134............0.135 .............0.132............ 0.003............. 2.273 ................0.135 ..............0.134...................0.136................... 16,453,125 .........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 4,103,526 ...... 929,816................... 172 ........... 0.223 ...........0.228 ...........0.223........... 0.227 .............0.223 ........... 0.004............. 1.794 ................0.225..............0.225...................0.226 ..................34,067,025 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 4,604,076 .....786,536..................... 73 ............0.168 ........... 0.172 ...........0.168 ............0.171 ............. 0.168............ 0.003............. 1.786.................0.171 ...............0.171...................0.172..................271,134,864........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 554,214 ...........42,266..................... 34 ........... 0.076 ........... 0.077 ...........0.076........... 0.076 .............0.075 ............0.001 ............. 1.333 ................0.077..............0.076...................0.077...................13,300,000.........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 588,640 ......... 158,833..................... 25 ........... 0.267 ...........0.270 ...........0.267........... 0.270 .............0.267 ........... 0.003............. 1.124 ................0.270..............0.270...................0.273..................398,190,944........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................40,875 .............11,026........................6 ........... 0.270 ...........0.270 ...........0.269........... 0.270 .............0.267 ........... 0.003............. 1.124 ................0.270..............0.269...................0.270 .................. 16,525,154 .........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............ 287,622 ........... 79,258..................... 97 ........... 0.275 ...........0.278 ...........0.274........... 0.276 .............0.273 ........... 0.003............. 1.099 ................0.278..............0.277...................0.278.................... 5,796,000 ..........0.100

Oman Textiles was the top gainer, up by 8.13 per cent, while Al Anwar Ceramics was the

OM0000001509............DHOFAR INT.DEV.AND INV. HOLD...................... 17,206 ............... 6,727........................5 ........... 0.392 ...........0.392 ...........0.384........... 0.390 .............0.386 ........... 0.004............. 1.036 ................0.384..............0.380...................0.394 ..................96,096,000.........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ..................................................74,634 ............ 30,834..................... 30 ............0.410 ........... 0.414 ...........0.410........... 0.414 .............0.410............ 0.004............. 0.976 ................0.414 ..............0.412...................0.414...................21,735,000 .........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 411,310 ...........195,316........................3 ........... 0.470 ...........0.480 ...........0.470........... 0.474 .............0.470 ........... 0.004............. 0.851 ................0.480..............0.470...................0.480 .................156,833,665 ........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 883,546 ..........236,715.....................44 ........... 0.265 ...........0.270 ...........0.265........... 0.268 .............0.267 ............0.001 ............. 0.375 ................0.270..............0.268...................0.270 ..................26,800,000 ........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 706,499 ......... 153,343......................31 ............0.217 ...........0.220 ...........0.217 ............0.217 ............. 0.217............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.217 ..............0.217...................0.220 ..................43,400,000 ........0.100

top loser, with a fall of 1.05 per cent.

OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY...................................... 21,015 ............ 35,295........................9 ............1.670 ........... 1.680 ...........1.670 ........... 1.680 .............1.680............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.680 ..............1.680...................1.720 ..................150,696,000........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ..................................... 1,000 ...............1,900........................1 ........... 1.900 ........... 1.900 ...........1.900........... 1.860 .............1.860............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.900..............1.860...................1.900..................176,700,000........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ..............................................................51,880 .............12,966........................2 ........... 0.248 ...........0.250 ...........0.248........... 0.250 .............0.250 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.250..............0.250...................0.255................. 424,800,350 .......0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 1,182,133.......470,409......................51 ........... 0.398 ...........0.398 ...........0.396........... 0.398 .............0.398 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.398..............0.396...................0.398..................993,507,603........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ...........................................................939 ..................404........................2 ........... 0.430 ...........0.430 ...........0.430........... 0.438 .............0.438 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.430.............. 0.416...................0.430 ..................26,499,000.........0.100

MUSCAT: Supported by heavy trading activity, the MSM30 Index stayed on its bullish course to close at 5,728.72 points, up 0.84 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index gained by 0.64 per cent to close at 860.79 points.

Bank Nizwa was the most active in terms of volume, while Galfar Engineering led in terms of turnover. Oman Textiles was the top gainer, up by 8.13 per cent, while Al Anwar Ceramics was the top loser, with loss of 1.05 per cent.

As many as 2,087 trades were executed on Tuesday, generating turnover of OMR8.2 million with 62.7 million shares changing hands. Out of 53 traded securities, 29 advanced, five declined and 19 remained unchanged.

Foreign investors were net buyers for OMR47,000 followed

by Omani investors for OMR6 while GCC and Arab investors switched to net sellers for OMR53,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index surged ahead by 1.30 per cent to finish at 7,426.31 points. Al Batinah Devel-

opment, Al Sharqia Investments, Al Izz Bank, Al Madina Investments and Ahli Bank gained by 3.45 per cent, 3.33 per cent, 3.28 per cent, 2.94 per cent and 2.86 per cent, respectively. Global Financial Investment and Gulf Investment Services declined by 0.76 per cent and 0.75 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index closed positively at 6,963.75 points, up by 1.19 per cent. Oman Textiles, Galfar Engineering, Oman Fisheries, National Aluminium and Al Hassan Engineering increased by 8.12 per cent, 7.53 per cent, 5.17 per cent, 5.11 per cent and 4.71 per cent,respectively. Al Anwar Ceramics, which was down by 1.05 per cent, was the only loser.

Services Index gained by 0.31 per cent to close at 3,156.53 points. Port Services, Renaissance Services and Al Jazeera Services gained by 4.59 per cent, 3.59 per cent and 1.12 per cent, respectively. Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) declined by 0.62 per cent to close at OMR1.590. — United Securities

OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO........................................................................ 50,000 ............ 35,998........................5 ............0.716 ........... 0.720 ...........0.716 ........... 0.720 .............0.720 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.720.............. 0.716...................0.720..................468,679,846 .......0.100 OM0000004248 ...........SMN POWER HOLDING ..............................................2,450 ............... 1,780........................2 ............0.728 ........... 0.728 ...........0.724........... 0.732 .............0.732............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.724............. 0.000...................0.724..................146,133,259 ........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH.............................................. 245,048 ........... 64,933.....................20 ........... 0.265 ...........0.265 ...........0.264 .......... 0.265 .............0.265 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.265..............0.263...................0.265..................252,961,567........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 151,165 .............31,291........................9 ........... 0.207 ...........0.207 ...........0.207........... 0.207 .............0.207 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.207............. 0.206...................0.207 ................. 139,701,698 ........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .....................................................55,611 ............. 11,790........................6 ............0.212 ........... 0.212 ...........0.212........... 0.212 .............0.212 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.212..............0.212...................0.220 .................151,454,144 ........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................90,659 .......... 144,148......................15 ............1.590 ........... 1.595 ...........1.585 ........... 1.590 .............1.600 ...........-0.010 ........... -0.625 ...............1.590 ..............1.590...................1.600................1,192,500,000 ......0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 1,576,937 ......209,981..................... 68 ............0.132 ........... 0.135 ...........0.130............0.133 .............0.134............-0.001 ........... -0.746 ...............0.130 ..............0.130...................0.134.................... 7,826,148 ..........0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ..................38,044 .............. 4,990........................3 ............0.134 ........... 0.134 ...........0.131 ............0.131 .............0.132............-0.001 ........... -0.758................0.131 ..............0.130...................0.133.................. 26,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES .................................39,854 .............11,239......................17 ........... 0.282 ...........0.282 ...........0.282........... 0.282 .............0.285 ...........-0.003 ............-1.053................0.282..............0.282...................0.285...................83,532,258.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 37,182,458.....6,161,204 ............1,491 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......37........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000001053 ............OMAN TEXTILE HOLDING .......................................2,000 .................. 692........................1 ........... 0.346 ...........0.346 ...........0.346........... 0.346 .............0.320 ........... 0.026............. 8.125 ................0.346..............0.320...................0.350....................2,076,000 ..........1.000 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 4,873,867...... 295,160................... 147 ........... 0.059 ...........0.063 ...........0.058........... 0.061 .............0.058 ........... 0.003............. 5.172 ................0.063..............0.063...................0.064 ................... 7,625,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 806,598 ............71,945......................51 ........... 0.088 ........... 0.091 ...........0.087........... 0.089 .............0.085 ........... 0.004............. 4.706 ................0.089..............0.088...................0.089.................... 6,693,512 ..........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 1,531,316 ..........96,910..................... 53 ............0.061 ...........0.064 ...........0.061 ........... 0.063 ............. 0.061............ 0.002............. 3.279 ................0.064..............0.063...................0.064 ..................63,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 15,816,089 .1,253,369...................250 ........... 0.077 ........... 0.081 ...........0.077........... 0.079 .............0.077 ........... 0.002............. 2.597 ................0.080..............0.079...................0.080 .................118,500,000........0.100 OM0000001590............MUSCAT FINANCE.................................................... 893,061 ..........103,561..................... 27 ............0.115 ........... 0.116............ 0.115 ............0.116 ............. 0.115 .............0.001 ............. 0.870 ................0.116 ...............0.115................... 0.116 ...................30,939,007.........0.100 OM0000001301 ............DHOFAR CATTLE FEED ........................................... 20,000 .............. 4,400........................1 ........... 0.220...........0.220 ...........0.220 .......... 0.220 .............0.219.............0.001 ............. 0.457 ................0.220 ............ 0.220...................0.000 .................. 17,787,000 .........0.100 OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. .........................9,051 ............... 1,683........................2 ............0.186 ........... 0.186 ...........0.186 ........... 0.186 ............. 0.186............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.186 .............. 0.183...................0.200 ..................18,600,000.........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 146,000 .............. 5,125........................8 ........... 0.035 ...........0.036 ...........0.035........... 0.035 .............0.035 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.035..............0.034...................0.035....................2,975,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ...................................................5,000 ...............2,750........................1 ........... 0.550 ...........0.550 ...........0.550........... 0.550 .............0.550 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.550..............0.550...................0.600 ..................86,625,000.........0.100 OM0000001475 ............SWEETS OF OMAN ............................................................100 ...................121........................1 ............1.210 ........... 1.210............1.210 ........... 1.340 .............1.340 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.210 ............. 0.000...................1.210 ....................9,380,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001723 ............OMAN ORIX LEASING .............................................. 50,000 ...............5,900........................1 ............0.118 ........... 0.118............0.118 ............0.118 ............. 0.118............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.118 ...............0.115................... 0.118 ...................29,622,649.........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 1,352,579 ......205,547..................... 47 ............0.152 ........... 0.152 ...........0.150 ............0.152 ............. 0.152............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.152 ...............0.151...................0.152..................222,315,422........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 25,505,661.....2,047,164 ...............590 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......13........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ................................................195 .................... 20........................3 ............0.104 ........... 0.104 ...........0.104........... 0.109 .............0.109 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.104..............0.070...................0.105.................... 7,793,500 ..........0.100 OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ...........................742 .....................69........................1 ........... 0.093 ...........0.093 ...........0.093........... 0.093 .............0.093 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.093..............0.093...................0.099...................30,147,030 .........0.100 OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 .......................................... 20,000 ............... 2,051........................2 ............0.104 ........... 0.104 ...........0.102........... 0.103 .............0.104 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.962 ...............0.102..............0.102...................0.104...................32,923,196 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: ....................................................................................20,937 ...............2,140........................6 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 3........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

L I QU E F I E D NAT U R A L G A S

OPEX 2016

Ethiopian businessmen flock to key Omani product expo in Addis Ababa Times News Service MUSCAT: Omani Products Exhibition (Opex 2016), which was inaugurated on Monday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is witnessing a huge turnout of Ethiopian investors and business owners. The visitors aim at getting acquainted with the Sultanate’s various prominent industries through the participating companies at Opex 2016.

More than 100 companies are participating in the event representing different industries including natural resources, minerals, wood products, manufacturing products, furniture, food, medical and pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, plastic and metal equipment, perfume, leather, and logistics, in addition to related government bodies and a number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Fahmy Al Hinai, honorary consul of Ethiopia in Oman and Vice Chairman of Opex Organising Committee, said, “This event is vital due to the fact that it stimulatesthe marketing of Omani products and expands their markets not only in Ethiopia but also to its neighbouring countries. In fact, there are around 250 million people living around Ethiopia in Kenya and South Sudan, where there is a need to expand food, industrial and building materials. We hope that Ethiopia represents a starting pointthat allows us to reach to the neighbouring states.”

“The Omani products have great capabilities to compete in the markets,” he stressed, adding: “Omani products are available in the Ethiopian market, however they do not reach Ethiopia directly but via other countries. The prices of Omani products are reasonable compared to the other products

KEEN INTEREST: More than 100 companies are participating in the event representing different industries. - Supplied picture

besides their high quality characteristics.” When asked about the Oman-Ethiopia Friendship Committee, Al Hinai informed that the tasks of the committee will commence soon, hoping for sponsorships from major bodies to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

He also noted that efforts are underway to establish an Embassy of Ethiopia in the Sultanate.

Omani exports On her part, Nasima Al Balushi, Ithraa’s director general of Export Development, mentioned that the latest statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) indicate a good increase in the non-oil Omani exports between 2014 and 2015 estimated at around 87 per cent.

“Such encouraging results indicate that there are promising opportunities for the Omani products in the Ethiopian and

neighbouring markets. Moreover, Ethiopia was chosen to be the first destination of Opex 2016 outside the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) market after a study been prepared by Ithraa in cooperation with a local firm. The study affirmed the opportunities available for Oman’s non-oil products in Ethiopia.

Last year, b2b meetings were held in Addis Ababa in an effort to strengthen and develop the volume of non-oil Omani exports to the Ethiopian market, find promising opportunities and deals, and boost trade relations with Ethiopia,” Al Balushi pointed out.

Mahmoud bin Sakhi Al Balushi, CEO of Al Madina Logistics, who signed an agreement with Beckma Logistics and Transport Company to provide clearing and forwarding services and facilitate trade exchange between the Sultanate and Ethiopia, expressed his happiness

to sign this agreement in an effort to support and promote the Omani products in the Ethiopian market.

“We aspire that this agreement facilitates the export of Omani products and increases the volume of trade exchange by connecting the shipping movement with the ports in Djibouti since there are no ports in Ethiopia. This shall ensure the safety of the movement.

The agreement shall also allow the companies in Oman to benefit from the experience of Beckma Logistics and Transport Company which would boost cooperation in the field of shipping and exporting to the African continent. Through this agreement, we will not only focus on the Ethiopian market, but the neighbouring ones as well.

Besides, the Ethiopian market offers several opportunities where the Omani companies can benefit from,” he stated.

New markets The participating companies emphasised on the importance of their presence in such events to have access to new markets. Hamid Al Nahdi, General Manager of Dhofar Fisheries and Food Industries stressed on the fact that the African market is a large one and the company’s location in Raysut Industrial Estate in Dhofar governorate puts it in a close geographical location to the African continent. “Since the establishment of our company, we have always looked forward to reach to the African market through developing a comprehensive marketing plan.

This exhibition has eventually eased the process through offering us the opportunity to meet with the importers and distributors in the African market,” Al Nahdi pointed out.

Shell, Chevron await demand from oversupplied LNG market NEW YORK: The over-supplied LNG market is in hiatus as energy giants from Chevron to Royal Dutch Shell and Woodside Petroleum await a surge of demand from countries seeking access to energy. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) producers are in “pause mode” as low prices have stalled development of new projects, Woodside Chief Executive Officer Peter Coleman said on Tuesday at the LNG18 conference in Perth. That respite means that coming years demand will exceed supply, causing prices to rise back to higher levels, Shell CEO Ben Van Beurden said.

The price cycle underscores difficulties in timing the construction of multi-billion dollar projects that take years to come online. Companies have to focus on long-term natural gas demand which is expected to grow by 35 per cent over the next 20 years, Chevron CEO John Watson said.

“There is LNG that’s coming on line and it’s clear that there is some surplus. Customers are doing what you would expect them to do, they are going to take advantage of that in the short term,” Watson said. “Once you see that surplus absorbed, you will see that market re-emerge.”

No pressure Spot prices for LNG in Singapore fell below $4 per million British thermal units on Monday, according to Singapore Exchange.

That’s the lowest level since the exchange began tracking it in September 2014. It’s plunged from $14 in October 2014.

As oil prices slid about 60 percent since mid-2014, more than

Ben Van Beurden. — Bloomberg News

$400 billion of proposed energy projects have been delayed until 2017 and beyond, according to consulting firm Wood Mackenzie. Woodside and partners Shell and BP in March scrapped plans to develop the $40 billion Browse liquefied natural gas project in Australia after the plunge in energy prices.

“We are not under the pressure of having to develop at the moment,” Coleman said. “Industry is in this hiatus, in this pause mode where there is really no market to sell into, so it gives us a chance to step back and say what is the best way to move.”

Demand Optimism The market could see a deficit of 75 million metric tonnes of LNG per year by 2025, which would require $250 billion in investment through 2020, Sanford C. Bernstein estimated in November. The market is well-supplied to 2018 and possibly to the end of the decade, it said. Annual demand in Asia-Pacific may gain 36 per cent to 245 million tonnes by 2025, Western Australia’s Premier Colin Barnett said on Tuesday. — Bloomberg News

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ROUND-UP

Gulf Muscat launches iTower, inks agreement The total capital expenditure of the project is estimated at OMR8.5 million

Times News Service CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT: The seven floor iTower is poised to

MUSCAT: Gulf Muscat United has launched sales for office space within Oman’s smartest office complex, the ‘iTower,’ in an exclusive launch and signing ceremony held at the Grand Hyatt Muscat yesterday.

Located in the rapidly growing ‘new downtown’ Bausher area of Muscat, and in close proximity to Muscat Grand Mall, the seven floor iTower is poised to be Oman’s smartest and most energy efficient business hub when completed in early 2018, setting new standards for environmental responsibility.

The 17,454 square metre development incorporates 71 business offices ranging in size from 42 square metres to 1,550 square metres, three levels of underground car parking, in addition to an extensive array of restaurants and shops on the ground floor.

Mehdi Borhani, chairman of Gulf Muscat United, signed a construction contract with Sheikh Nasser bin Mohammed Al Hashar, vice-chairman of Durat Al Sahil, an excellent grade building and con-

be Oman’s smartest and most energy efficient business hub when completed in early 2018, setting new standards for environmental responsibility. – Shabin E./ TIMES OF OMAN

struction firm renowned for their quality and timely delivery of large scale projects across Oman. The total capital expenditure of the project is estimated at OMR8.5 million.

Commenting on the strategy of iTower, Borhani said; “The iTower was conceptualised to be the smartest office tower in Oman, allowing SME’s and corporates freehold ownership of their own office space, versus the ongoing costs of renting. The availability of quality office space in Muscat is very limited, and the opportunity to enjoy freehold ownership for commercial office space even more limited.

The central location of the iTower in Bausher is the perfect location for office professionals, this area is rapidly taking shape as the new downtown for Muscat.”

“We are very pleased to be working with Durat Al Sahil as their

projects around the Sultanate are a true reflection of their expertise and attention to detail. We are confident they will do an outstanding job to deliver iTower to our exacting standards,” Borhani added.

The appointment of Durat Al Sahil for the iTower project comes after a competitive tender process and subsequent negotiation for the turn-key construction contract.

“The turn-key contract award comprises all preparation and infrastructure works, and the construction and fitout of the iTower, this includes the office tower, restaurants and retail zone, recreation areas and integrated parking zones, all designed by international consultants to a very high standard. We are proud to be awarded this contract and look forward to working with Gulf Muscat United on this landmark project,” said

BOUQUET OF BENEFITS

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Nasser Al Hashar.

The iTower spots an iconic design and incorporates numerous smart features new to the Sultanate, which was the primary design brief given to the Oman based architectural firm Lines & Visions.

The temperature efficiency of the tower will be achieved by enveloping the whole building with advanced thermal insulation and by utilising an air tight construction method for all facades. Designed with close attention to detail and fibre optic connectivity, the entire business complex will also be fitted with raised flooring, allowing easy and unobtrusive installation of power and data cabling.

Visitors to the iTower will easily pinpoint numerous Islamic design elements throughout the business tower, and will notice parallels in the project’s design with traditional Omani architectural themes, with a unique spiralling atrium dominating the interior volume of the tower.

Better Homes, the leading regional real estate company has been appointed as the exclusive agent for the development.

“This project is unique given the broad variety of office units available, and there is a lot of flexibility for business owners to create their ideal office environment.

With a projected hand-over date set at early 2018, we are certain that prospective investors and owner occupiers in the Sultanate will see the real value that this development brings,” said Glenn Meek, general manager for Better Homes Oman.

APRIL DEAL

Exciting Mercedes offers on three popular models MUSCAT: Mercedes-Benz Oman is offering an exceptional April Deal to give drivers the opportunity to put themselves in the seat of one of the iconic brand’s luxury vehicles with a chance to save up to OMR3,000.

Included in the offer are the sporty and stylish E-Class sedan, the award-winning GLE with its unrivalled seven-seat luxury, and the versatile and adventurous GL, says a press release.

“Our philosopy of ‘The Best or Nothing’ applies to our deals as much to our vehicles, and each one of this remarkable trio of vehicles has been carefully selected as a unique expression not just of excellence in automotive design and engineering but of aspiration and exclusivity, luxury and lifestyle. Instantly recognisable, a Mercedes-Benz looks, feels and performs like nothing else, and we are delighted to make the experience of owning one more achievable than ever with this offer,” remarked Clive Hammond, Mercedes-Benz Oman CEO. Impressing from the first sec-

ond, the permanently perfect E300 Avantgarde AMG Sport is priced at just OMR 22,995 after an April savings of OMR2,000. The desirable and dynamic sedan combines outstanding comfort and a serene driving experience with exceptional agility and power.

With an April savings of OMR2,500, the GLE 400 4MATIC is available for OMR 27,495. A premium SUV prepared for any occasion and perfected in all disciplines, the GLE is a true multi-talent, driving performance offering supreme comfort on any terrain, blending tradition and modernity with a luxurious interior ambience and a sporty exterior design.

It is no longer necessary to imagine yourself behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz with the GL 500 4MATIC included in the April Deal for just OMR36,995, offering a savings of OMR3,000.

With its powerful proportions, aerodynamic athletic looks and muscular efficiency, the GL is a truly exhilarating full-size SUV. The deal is available until April 30 or while stocks last.

ATT R AC T I V E O F F E R

OSN extends limited time offer Infiniti QX50 now comes with due to demand from customers unmatched seasonal benefits MUSCAT: OSN announced the extension of the most exciting limited time offer for both new and existing subscribers due to popular demand from customers.

Now viewers have a choice to subscribe or renew to OSN platinum HD, Premier HD and Premier Packages to avail 50 per cent off for first four months by subscribing for one year. The offer doesn’t end here; it also covers free dish, LNB and accessories along with free installation for all new subscribers, says a press release.

In addition to that, OSN also announced 50 per cent off first 4 months offer for package upgrades to OSN platinum HD, Premier HD and Premier Packages.

The two months free offer can be availed both for cash and credit card payments and the offer ends on April 30.

As an added advantage, OSN has replaced its HD boxes to OSN plus box. OSN Plus box allows subscribers to record the latest movies and shows with 1TB memory.

It also allows subscribers to get access to the biggest library of movies and series with OSN On Demand. The OSN Plus box is now offered at a very attractive price where Premier HD and Premier package subscribers have to only pay OMR18 while Entertainment Extra, Entertainment and Family package subscribers have to pay OMR23 for the OSN Plus Box. OSN takes entertainment experience to a whole new level with all the best TV channels, the latest movies and series, sports, OSN On Demand HD and various HD content. With recently launched OSN Play, subscribers can also now watch their favourite shows, movies, live sports and Arabic shows on their laptops, iPods and iPads on the move.

Now viewers have a choice to subscribe or renew to OSN platinum HD, Premier HD and Premier Packages to avail 50 per cent off for first four months by subscribing for one year

OSN is the home to over 145 channels and services filled with great value entertainment, offering viewers in the Mena region exclusive access to the latest blockbuster movies, top rated series, sports, documentaries, news, kid’s entertainment and live talk shows.

The movie offering includes over a 100 uncut and uninterrupted mov-

ie premieres a month.

OSN boasts the most comprehensive portfolio of exclusive rights from all the major studios including Warner Brothers, Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM, NBC Universal, HBO and DreamWorks and offers access to the world’s leading television brands including Disney channel, Sky News, Discovery Network and National Geographic.

Mustafa Sultan Enterprises Entertainment Factory (Pay-Tv) division is pioneer in Pay TV business for more than 20 years and is the distributor for OSN in Oman.

Besides OSN, MSE-EF is a leading distributor for beIN Sports. They have a showroom in Al Khuwair and five kiosks at Muscat City Centre, Qurum City Centre, Muscat Grand Mall (MGM), Panorama Mall and Nizwa Grand Mall.

MSE-EF also offers the Pay TV services through their sub dealers spread across in all major towns of the Sultanate.

MUSCAT: The Infiniti QX50 from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles is a luxury crossover that has been known for its uniquely personal style, combining a right-sized sculpted exterior, a rewarding interior environment and a suite of advanced technology features including Around View Monitor.

Infiniti’s ongoing seasonal campaign includes an array of benefits on their premium range of vehicles. This one-of-a-kind offer lasts till April 30, says a press release.

The vehicle comes equipped with a standard 7-speed automatic transmission with Adaptive Shift control and manual shift mode as well as downshift rev matching and Infiniti’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system.

Known to be a trusted name amongst niche clients, Infiniti Oman has always strived to be different and unique by offering unmatched services towards their patrons. Infiniti’s first of its kind promotion for this year includes high end services and packages making it one of the most admired and desirable brand of vehicles.

Offer highlights include: Assured cash gift: All customers purchasing Infiniti QX50 will get assured cash gift up to OMR2,000.

Other benefits: Customers are eligible to get free periodic vehicle maintenance of two years or 30,000km (whichever is earlier); this offer excludes battery and wear and tear components. Further benefits include free 1st year vehicle registration, six years/ unlimited mileage warranty, free 1st year vehicle insurance (for Oman and UAE) (on MY15 models only) and free AAA / Road Assistance card for the 1st year only

and as supported by AAA Oman and UAE. QX50’s personal style, inside and out The Infiniti QX50 exterior combines the look and feel of a luxury coupe and a crossover’s flexibility – with sporty proportions, including a long hood, short front and rear overhangs, rearward cabin and smooth coupe-like roofline.

Along with its excellent around town manoeuvrability, the wide rear hatch and low load floor make the QX50 a versatile performer for both everyday and weekend use.

The exterior includes many signature Infiniti touches, including a double-arch grille, large L-shaped headlights, available xenon auto-levelling headlights with Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS), integrated fog lights, distinctive LED taillights and ‘dynamic arch’ profile.

Other exterior features include a high-mounted rear hatchback spoiler with integrated brake light, chrome-finished dual exhaust tips, an available power sliding tinted glass moonroof with tilt feature, sliding sunshade,an op-

tional one-touch open/close and available roof rails. The QX50 also features a standard courtesy light integrated in the driver’s outside mirror as part of the hospitality lighting concept.

Six exterior colours are offered for 2014: Malbec black, midnight garnet, graphite shadow, liquid platinum, black obsidian and moonlight white.

The QX50’s dramatic interior offers an invigorating and engaging environment, one that is both indulgent and inspiring. The driver-focused ‘wave-inspired’ cabin layout features an Infiniti signature ‘double-wave’ instrument panel, easy-to-read high-contrast gauges, hospitality lighting with a pin LED light mounted over the centre console and Infiniti signature analogue clock.

The instrument panel also features a 7-inch colour display with Infiniti controller for the trip computer and additional vehicle information, including the available Infiniti hard drive navigation system. Other technology systems include an available bluetooth hands-free phone system, and standard Infiniti intelligent key with push button ignition.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

COMEX 2016 Microsoft magic unfolds at technology exhibition Microsoft Oman is participating as a platinum sponsor in Comex 2016

Times News Service MUSCAT: Interested in experiencing the magic of Microsoft and its all-empowering products and services? Come to Comex 2016 and see it all unfold at its happening stall.

Microsoft Oman is participating as a platinum sponsor in Comex 2016 held under the patronage of the Information Technology Authority of Oman between April 12 and 16 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre.

Commenting on their participation, Sherif Tawfik, country general manager for Microsoft Oman and Bahrain, stated that their participation in Comex comes in line with Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more.

Focus on three ambitions “This year, our participation will focus on our company’s three bold ambitions: ‘Reinventing produc-

tivity and business processes’, through our experience and devices Comex visitors will enjoy a firsthand experience of the latest products and services. The second ambition that we will highlight during Comex is ‘creating more personal computing products and solutions’ through offering new devices from the Surface family and the Lumia family.

“Whereas the third ambition that will be highlighted is ‘building the intelligent Cloud’, as Comex visitors will learn more about what are the services available for the different types of customers: cor-

porate and individuals.”

Microsoft, and its local partners Exceed IT and Kalsoft, are showcasing the latest in devices, solutions and services innovation such as Windows 10, Windows Devices and Apps, Office 2016 and Microsoft Azure, in addition to a wide range of advanced solutions focused on analytics, productivity and Internet of Things (IoT).

Tawfik congratulated Oman International Trade and Exhibitions (OITE) for organising another edition of Comex.

Tarek C. Ali, general manager of OITE, commended Microsoft for

its continued support to Comex and expressed his delight to see them proactively joining in this year’s edition.

“We are delighted that Microsoft is renewing its support to Comex as a platinum sponsor and bringing the latest in technological innovations, products and services to Oman’s market,” said Tarek.

In addition to their presence at the exhibition alongside their local partners Exceed IT and Kalsoft, Raid Al Lawati, manager - senior service delivery of Microsoft, delivered a session on Internet of Things on Tuesday.

M U LT I N AT I O N A L T E C H N O L O G Y C O M PA N Y

Febno to access Oman market through Comex MUSCAT: With an eye on the Oman market, Febno Technologies, a recognised multinational technology company with significant presence in Middle East providing high end IT solutions, have set up shot at Comex.

Their company is acknowledged among the people for enterprise web development, cloud for business, customised open ERP, mobility solutions and digital marketing services, says a press release.

They assure 100 per cent satisfaction to their customers and their main objective is to provide optimum quality reengineering solutions within client’s budget.

Since 2009, they have been serving enterprise level software technology solutions in the Middle East, Asia and African countries. Their experts ensure that you will get all the concise services as per your business needs.

Creative web portals Over the past three years they have implemented many mobility apps, ERP level applications and cloud for business solutions.

They have also launched more than 100 stunning corporate and creative web portals helping all types of businesses to improve their online profile.

Their adepts use emerging technologies along with impeccable research techniques and

experience to select the right advanced technology and platform for your business.

Febno also offers a cloudbased mobility product for the retail industry called OrderPro, which aims enabling mobility to field staff. OrderPro is a turnkey solution for sales, marketing, and supply chain related process and performance enhancement.

Their main products and services are as below: • Enterprise web development & eCommerce solutions • Open ERP (Odoo & openbravo) customisation and implementation • OrderPro and mobility solutions • Google Enterprise Partner for Middle East & Africa Countries • Enterprise messaging (SMS & Email) and online advertising • Cloud solutions, web hosting and business email packages • International & Middle East domain registration and management • IT infrastructure services They would be showcasing their key solutions like: • Open ERP - odoo and openbravo • Courier, cargo and logistics ERP • Retail and hospitality products • OrderPro and mobility solutions • Google apps for work • Chromebox for meetings

M A K I N G I T S P R E S E N C E F E LT

Omantel welcomes Comex visitors with innovative solutions MUSCAT: The Sultanate’s leading telecommunications provider, Omantel, is supporting and participating in Comex 2016, Oman’s leading IT, telecom and technology show.

The annual event, now in its 26th year, is organised by the Oman International Exhibition Company and is expected to attract over 120,000 visitors over five days. Exhibitors include leading players in fields such as digital, smart technology and ICT, e-commerce and e-government.

Hamdan Mossa Al Harrasi, acting vice president - Corporate Strategy Unit from Omantel, commented: “This year we wanted to really impress visitors with the very latest technologies on offer.

Visitors to our futuristic pavilion will be thrilled to interact with the state-of-the-art motion and touch screens, 3D mapping and holographic displays.“ “We invite all Comex visitors to pass by Omantel corner to ex-

perience the latest technologies, smart home solutions, Omantel TV+, and other surprises which will be revealed by Omantel as the main sponsor of one of the most important IT exhibitions in Oman,” he added.

The role of Omantel as principle sponsor of Comex highlights the popularity of the annual exhibition to showcase the very latest innovations in the IT sector. The 2016 edition of Comex coincides with preparations to launch e-

E X C I T I N G PAC K AG E S

government solutions nationwide, and allows Omantel to place the spotlight on new and emerging IT solutions which are playing a vital role in executing the visionary project. Omantel has an extensive experience in providing innovative

solutions which serve the national development strategy. These are highlighted in the company’s 3.0 transformation strategy which has been operational from the beginning of the year.

The event has also seen the unveiling of a partnership between Omantel and the leading global wireless network manufacturer Sigfox to deploy an ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) network in Oman.

The terms of the agreement sees Omantel and Sigfox to offer IoT network coverage to 85 percent of the population within 18 months.

Speaking on the partnership, Hamdan Al Harrasi said ,“It is vital that we create synergies with industry leaders to deliver a new generation of services and innovations for the continued evolution of the Omantel 3.0 transformation strategy. This partnership with Sigfox comes as a part of our objective to move towards the era where we are surrounded by the ‘Internet

of Things’, and in doing so, we intend to deploy new digital smart home, innovative business and eGovernment services throughout 2016 and beyond.”

Comex 2016 will have a particular focus on innovative ways to reduce costs and increase productivity in transport, education, wholesale, and oil and gas sectors.

In addition to leading organisations in Oman, this year the popular event is also expected to attract participants from UAE, India and the USA. Investing in the future of the nation, Omantel connects even the most remote communities of the Sultanate to each other and the rest of the world. Omantel is the Sultanate’s first and leading integrated telecommunications services provider, enabling the digital society to flourish, allowing new ways of doing business and delivering a world of information, news and entertainment.

I T I N T E G R AT E D S O LU T I O N

Overseas Business Machines joins Comex as gold sponsor

Ooredoo delights Comex 2016 visitors with new promotions MUSCAT: Aiming to inspire customers with a world of choice and added value, Ooredoo sets the stage by offering exciting packages during Comex 2016, Oman’s leading IT, telecom and technology roadshow.

From April 12 to 16, visitors to Ooredoo’s stand can enjoy great deals on the Shahry postpaid plans and amazing offers on the Superfast Fibre Home Broadband bundles.

Feras Al Shaikh, Ooredoo director of consumer sales, said: “In this day and age, customers require solutions that are innovative, creative, and relevant to their changing needs and that is what our participation at Comex is all about. This year, as part of our digital transformation, we will be introducing new products, services and technologies. Comex provides us with the perfect showcase platform.”

Comex visitors who sign up for

a 12-month contract for Shahry 10GB, Shahry 5GB, and Shahry 2GB will be given handset discounts of OMR120, OMR70, and OMR40 respectively. Customers taking the 10GB plan will also receive a free gold number while customers taking the 5GB plan will receive a free silver number.

He added, “Our ‘New Shahry’ promotion is the ultimate way to stay connected to your family and friends, with bundled calls and SMS to any network in Oman at any time. By including the device discounts and gold and silver numbers we are offering customers at Comex up to OMR195 of free value, making it the most compelling offer in the market.”

Perfect for gaming and bufferfree HD TV, Ooredoo’s Superfast Fibre Home Broadband offers customers four unlimited data plans with speeds ranging from

15Mbps to 100Mbps. Visitors who sign up for one of the company’s Superfast Fibre Home Broadband bundles will also have the opportunity to enter a special ‘Fibre Raffle Draw’ where a host of prizes including travel voucher worth OMR1,000, a Samsung Curved TV, and a PlayStation 4 are all up for grabs. Customers who applied for Superfast Fibre Service during Comex through any of our store or through our Comex Booth will have the chance to enter a raffle draw. Winners of the grand prizes will be announced at the last day of Comex. What more, daily the first 24 visitors to sign up for the service will also receive one free month off their subscription to the 15Mbps plan.

These promotions are only available at Comex where Ooredoo’s stand will be open daily to shoppers from 10am until 10pm.

MUSCAT: Overseas Business Machines (OBM), an IT Integrated Solution company based in Muscat, brings value to businesses by providing hardware and software solutions not only to sustain and grow but also provide much needed competitive edge.

OBM provides right IT solution by thoroughly understanding the business process.

OBM puts lot of effort in clear and precise communication to ensure delivery of high quality effective solutions with minimum

cost. Their solutions are designed considering the risk and strengths of your business.

OBM has a wide experience installing and maintaining computer systems and implementing comprehensive storage, networking solutions and wireless network solutions in different environments.

OBM was established in 2002 and has partnered with IBM and Lenovo to provide IBM servers and storage solutions, Lenovo PCs and laptops, along with related equipment and software

offering its customers reliable IT infrastructure. This new setup is the result and continuation of the development and expansion strategy between IBM and OBM’s parent company.

At Comex they would be seeking business opportunities with government bodies, private sector and banking sector.

At Comex OBM would be focusing more on solutions including Lenovo & Kaspersky products to gain maximum visibility and branding opportunity.

LEADING IT DISTRIBUTOR

MG-Group participates in Comex MUSCAT: Having been with Comex events for many years, MG-Group will once again show its presence in both the Business and Shopper’s sectors and introduce latest technologies for customers and visitors this year at the Comex 2016.

Recently awarded as an Elite Member of the World Confederation of Businesses in Houston Texas, the company together with hard-working staffs, do its utmost effort to commit providing real product value by enhancing end user’s e-lifestyles.

As one of Oman’s first national IT distributors with its extensive market expertise in providing a

MG-Group has launched more innovative products during Comex 2016, consolidating its presence within Oman’s market place, which is another milestone in the company’s success stories comprehensive product line from a single source, the company’s immense credibility, reach and understanding of the local consumer will prove invaluable as it continues to launch more innovative products during Comex 2016, consolidating its presence within Oman’s market place, which is

another milestone in the company’s success stories.

It enjoys an excellent reputation and market credibility as a leading wholesale provider of mobility, computer systems and components, accessories and peripherals, networking, telecoms and business solutions like mobile banking.

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DRAMA

Tulu comedy play ‘Nank Matherla Bodu’ on April 29 at Al Falaj MUSCAT: There is excitement in store for Tulu drama enthusiasts with Nank Matherla Bodu (We Need Everyone), a hilarious social Tulu play with a delightful mixture of emotions, to be staged on Friday, April 29 at Grand Hall, Al Falaj Hotel at 6.30pm.

The play is managed by NPA Events, known for their ‘wow’ shows, says a press release.

This social comedy will be presented by the popular Lakumi Group from Mangalore, India who have been mesmerising audiences with over 14 plays (including mega hits like Anchilath - Inchilath,

Ganguna Gammath, Nambunane Nambod, Benpinori - Tinpinori and others), and over 1,000 shows staged in Mangalore, Bangalore, Mumbai and the Gulf region.

Nank Matherla Bodu, a very successful production, has been running to packed houses. The writer of the play is the well-known Navin Shetty Alake while the producer and director is Kishore D. Shetty, a renowned name in Tulu theatre, who founded the Lakumi Group in 2003.

S. K. Pujary, the chief convenor of the event, said, “We have been bringing a different Tulu drama

Bank Sohar celebrates nine years of excellence Bank staff along with the executive management gathered to celebrate and cut a cake in commemoration of this grand occasion, marking yet another milestone in Bank Sohar’s history of achievements

MUSCAT: As part of its 9th anniversary celebrations, Bank Sohar recently organised a staff gathering at its head office located in MBD. Bank staff along with the executive management gathered to celebrate and cut a cake in commemoration of this grand occasion, marking yet another milestone in Bank Sohar’s history of achievements, says a press release.

The 9th anniversary event was

held in celebration of the great strides made by the bank over the years and was inaugurated with a speech by Rashad Ali Al Musafir, acting CEO, during which he reflected on Bank Sohar’s commitment to its customers and banking excellence, while highlighting some of its key achievements in 2015.

“It has been nine years now since we established Bank Sohar back in 2007. Over these years we focused heavily on providing innovative and superior banking services that are in line with the interests of our customers and shareholders, while fulfilling our responsibilities to the local community through meaningful partnerships and support for social development. We are very proud of the success and growth Bank Sohar has experienced in such a short period of time and we will no doubt continue to strive for many more years of banking excellence; continuing to prosper and

flourish hand-in-hand with our customers,” he said.

Shortly after the speech, the anniversary cake was cut by acting CEO and the executive management members of the bank. Celebrating nine years of operational excellence, Bank Sohar has continued to evolve and make its mark in the banking and financial landscape in Oman. Within Oman’s highly competitive banking sector, Bank Sohar has grown exponentially in a relatively short span of time, becoming one of the most prominent banks in the country.

The bank’s dedication towards excellence is clearly evident in the awards it has received, locally, regionally and internationally, over these past nine years; 16 of which were received in 2015 alone. These recognitions ranged from excellence in performance, quality, customer service, social media and CSR. The bank also received four

a village in Mangalore, India. Once his elder son Diwakara and daughter Nethra join him in the village, coming from the bustling city of Mumbai, the father Bantappana wants his entire family to be together. The climax of the play revolves around whether their property will be divided, whether Nethra will get back her memory after a train accident and her own daughter Munni will survive her injuries after a bus accident and whether his attitude of Nank Matherla Bodu (We Need Everyone) remains unchanged, in spite of family differences. The suspense is well interspersed with comedy.

CONFERENCE

Three-day OWES to focus spotlight on waste management MUSCAT: Oman Waste and Environmental Services (OWES) Conference and Exhibition is Middle East’s largest event for resource management companies and professionals.

The three-day event, to be held from May 23-25, will bring together the entire waste management industry to influence the way Middle East thinks about and manages waste, says a press release.

The show will attract top brands and thousands of visitors from Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Middle East nations. OWES is the only event of its kind in the entire GCC, covering all aspects of the waste management hierarchy. The conference-cum-tradeshow will focus on waste minimisation, reuse, recycling, recovery of energy, zero waste and other sustainable waste management technologies and practices. Renowned speakers from around the world will address the conference.

With phenomenal growth of waste management sector in the GCC, OWES provides an excellent business and networking opportunity for companies and professionals operating waste collection, waste transportation, waste disposal, waste recycling, material recovery facilities, waste-to-energy,

waste-to-wealth, composting, landfilling and waste trading Striving for sustainable & eco-friendly Oman Sustainability has emerged as a top priority in the Middle East in recent years. The number of LEED-registered green buildings has increased rapidly across the region, from 623 in 2010 to more than 1400 in 2015. Like its regional counterparts, Oman construction industry is actively trying to make widespread use of eco-friendly architecture, traditional building methods and sustainable construction practices.

Alila Jabal Akhdar was the first project in Oman to obtain the prestigious international LEED Silver Certification by the US Green Building Council.

Developed by the Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), Alila Jabal Akhdar represents a milestone achievement for the development of infrastructure in the Sultanate. Oman has 15 projects registered with LEED, with notable ones being Muscat International Airport, Oman Botanic Garden, Jebel Al Akhdar Hotel, Salalah International Airport, Oberoi Resort at Bander Al Khiran, Novotel hotel in Muttrah, Ibis hotel in Sohar and Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.

MARCH WINNERS

‘ R E D D O T AWA R D S ’

Special design awards for Kia Sportage and Optima MUSCAT: Yet again… Kia reinforced its reputation for the highest design standards as the judges unanimously voted for the new Kia Sportage SUV and Optima sedan.

The decision saw the cars being bestowed with coveted ‘Red Dots’.

The independent judging panel even honoured the Kia Optima with a ‘Best of the Best’ award, the competition’s highest distinction, for which only the most groundbreaking designs in a category are eligible, says a press release.

Kia picking up two prizes at the 2016 ‘Red Dot Awards’ for Product Design — one of the most prestigious international product design competitions — is no mean feat.

The ‘Red Dot Design Award’ is one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions divided into the three disciplines: Product Design, Communication Design and Design Concept.

For the 2016 Red Dot Awards, companies from 57 countries registered 5,214 products and innovations. The competition, which has been held since 1955 by the Design Centre of North RhineWestphalia, attaches great importance to the impartiality of its high-calibre jury.

The new generations of the Optima and the European Kia bestseller, the Sportage, were launched across Kia’s global markets earlier this year. These new prizes have seen both models defending their Red Dot Awards – both the previous generations of the Kia Sportage and Kia Optima also received Red Dot awards in 2011, while the Optima retains its ‘Best of the Best’ prize.

Since 2009, when the firstgeneration Kia Soul won the carmaker’s first award in the competition, Kia’s design teams have gone on to achieve a total of 15 Red Dot Awards. Now, in 2016, every model in the current Kia product range

awards in the first quarter of this year alone; including the ‘Strategic Website of the Year Award 2016’ by Pan Arab Excellence Awards Academy. The Bank was also names as one of the ‘Best Straight Through Processing’ (STP) Banks in Oman

by JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, in addition to winning the ‘Best Customer Service - Oman’ Award and the ‘Best Call Centre – Oman’ Award from UAE-based CPI Financial.

Commenting on the reason behind Bank Sohar’s numerous achievements, Rashad Al Musafir said, “Our success as a banking institution, and our exceptional growth over the past nine years has been the result of not just our sound business strategies; but also our collective and unwavering focus toward sustainable growth; together with the trust and faith placed in us by our stakeholders as financial partners in their businesses. It is also a result of the vision and support of our Board of Directors, the trust and loyalty of our customers, and the hard work of the bank’s executive management and staff; for which I am very grateful. I am confident that, heading into its tenth year of operations, Bank Sohar is in a strong position; ready to tackle any challenges we face head-on and surge forward towards another year of banking excellence in 2016.”

every year, for several years. The response from the Tulu-speaking community has been fantastic with theatre-enthusiasts coming in from as far as Sohar and Nizwa to watch the play. We are privileged to have the Lakumi Group performing the comedy play Nank Matherla Bodu which is sure to be another super hit in Muscat.”

The Tulu play Nank Matherla Bodu takes a look at family life where the members are scattered in different places for work and study.

It is about an elderly man Bantappana who lives with his younger son Sudhakara and his wife Sumathi in

OAB customers win big with Hassad MUSCAT: Inspiring a culture of saving in the Sultanate, Oman Arab Bank (OAB) recently announced the March winners of its monthly Hassad Savings Scheme draw.

Mohammad Al Amri from Al Dakhiliyah Governorate was the winner of regional prize of OMR40,000 while five customers in the female category each won OMR1,500 and five child account holders received OMR1,000 each, says a press release.

“We designed the Hassad Savings Scheme not only to reward our customers but also to motivate them to save for their futures,” commented Hana Al Hi-

nai, assistant general manager, head of Wealth Management, Bancassurance and Liabilities Oman Arab Bank.

Hassad is one of the bank’s flagship products and has proved to be a favourite amongst people of all ages thanks to its all-inclusive prize distribution structure. Customers across all governorates and across all walks of life stand a chance a win lucrative cash prizes by saving for tomorrow.

Under the 2016 scheme announced in January, Hassad winners include one regional, five female, and five children account holders every month receiving

prizes ranging from OMR1,000 to OMR40,000. The savings scheme is scheduled to draw to a close with a mega draw of OMR50,000 for two lucky winners at the end of this year.

OAB Elite Priority Banking customers have also been given a separate category with a cash prize valued at OMR100,000 set to be distributed in June and December 2016. Additionally, customers can expect even bigger rewards on several special occasions such as Eid Al Fitr, Oman Women’s Day, and National Day with over OMR58,000 allocated for Hassad winners.

‘ O P E R AT I O NA L R E L I A B I L I T Y P E R F O R M A N C E ’

Etihad Airways wins coveted award has a Red Dot. Peter Schreyer, president and chief designer of Kia Motors Corporation, commented: “Our international design team has every cause to be exceptionally proud of these most recent awards. The first Red Dot Awards for the Kia Sportage and the Kia Optima were already great successes. It is a very special achievement to further develop a first-rate, prize-winning model so that the new design also convinces the expert jury of this globally respected and prestigious design competition.

“The two award-winners are important models for our brand.

The Sportage has been the brand’s bestseller in Europe for many years.

The Kia Optima, which is one of the strongest selling Kia models worldwide, also embodies the development of brand in a very special way: the third generation, which arrived on the global stage in 2010, acted as the catalyst for the design-led transformation of Kia’s product range in

the following years.

“Both the new Kia Sportage and the new Kia Optima stand out very strongly from their rivals in their respective categories because of the clarity, distinction and sporty elegance of their exterior design.

Both cars also feature a completely redesigned, premiumstandard interior with modern, horizontally aligned and very ‘clean-looking’ design.”

The new Kia Optima was developed under the creative direction of Peter Schreyer, who was also responsible for the design of the previous-generation Kia Optima. The new design of the Kia Sportage was developed under the leadership of the European Kia Design Centre in Frankfurt with the support of Kia’s Design Centres in Namyang and Irvine.

Both models are available at Reliable International Automotive (RIA) showrooms. RIA, the distributor for Kia in Oman provides a rewarding ownership experience for customers.

MUSCAT: Airbus, manufacturer of the flagship A380 aircraft, has presented Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, with the prestigious award for the best ‘Operational Reliability Performance’ in the first year of A380 operations.

The Etihad Airways A380 fleet recorded an extraordinary 99.8 per cent operational reliability between January and December 2015. This is the highest level of reliability ever recorded by an airline in its first year of A380 operations. Etihad Airways’ A380 operational reliability means only 0.2 per cent of flights were delayed, with no cancellations, in the first year, says a press release.

The award was presented to Jeff Wilkinson, senior vice president Technical - Etihad Airways,

by Didier Lux, Airbus Head of Customer Service, at a ceremony in Toulouse, France.

In the airline industry, reliability is a critical key to success – from punctuality, revenue and yield maximisation, all the way

through to the guest experience.

Wilkinson said: “This stellar performance is a result of the sheer hard work and commitment to excellence of our engineering teams. Our entry into service, technical operations, engineering, planning, logistics, flight operations and guest Services teams, as well as our Airbus colleagues, are to be congratulated for this success. As Etihad Airways is flying the A380 with one of the highest rates of daily utilisation, with a typical turnaround time of only two hours, this achievement is all the more remarkable.

“The success with the A380’s entry into service sets a new standard in excellence that we are striving to repeat with the introduction of the A350 to the Etihad Airways fleet in early 2018.”

Didier said: ““It is with great pleasure and pride that I hand this award to Etihad Airways today.” He added, “This unmatched operational performance in a first year of operating an A380 was made possible due to exceptional

team work, the constant push for improvement and forward-thinking. We have set a precedent in A380 operational excellence.”

The winner of this award is determined by a thorough evaluation of the overall performance of the shortlisted airlines. Operational reliability is a standard international index measuring flight operations subject to delays or defects. High performance in this index verifies the operating capability of the airline and the priority given to maintenance and safety management.

Preparations for the A380’s entry in service started more than a year before delivery. The crossfunctional entry into service team included representatives from all areas of the company, such as technical operations, logistics, guest services, and flight operations. The team was responsible for re-writing procedures, training pilots, cabin crew and engineers, provisioning parts and tools, and implementing new technologies to support the operation of the A380 fleet.

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Inspiring more Omanis to play cricket is Sufyan’s prime hope Sufyan Mehmood was in limelight when he was first seen on television playing for his country against the United Arab Emirates in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh

T.K. MOHANDOSS sportseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman national cricket team! Any native?

A sarcastic exclamation followed by a belittling query.

For long that has been the dismissive reaction to any talk of Oman Cricket team.

However, the team’s qualification for the World T20 and their subsequent stupendous display in India has turned that negative exclamation into a positive ‘wow!’

But despite that memorable debut at 2016 World T20 tournament, which included a sensational victory over Ireland in the picturesque Dharamsala, that question about natives presence refused to go away.

The curious onlookers, including the world media, spotting players of Indian and Pakistani origin and the Sri Lankan influence in the form of legendary Duleep Mendis, were still probing to find out that native flavour in the team.

Surprisingly in Oman too certain section of people took to social media with comments like ‘Oman national team without an Omani’.

Many were not ready to believe that there is one Omani player in the team, who has climbed up the ladder through his sheer dedication and determination.

And that player is Sufyan Mehmood, an all-rounder, who yearns to improve every minute or say every second.

Sufyan was in limelight when he was first seen on television playing for his country against the United FOOTBALL

Al Sabahi picks 26 players for U-16 training camp

Yacoub Al Sabahi.

MUSCAT: Coach Yacoub Al Sabahi has called up 26 players for a training camp to be organised as part of their preparations for the AFC U-16 Championship.

According to information received from the Oman Football Association (OFA), the training camp will take place in Muscat from April 14 to 16. Yacoub Al Sabahi picked the players after watching a number of club and under-16 league matches.

The AFC U-16 Championship is scheduled to be organised in Indian from September 15 to October 2.

The team: Arshad Al Alawi (Al Arouba), Salim Al Dawoodi (Al Arouba), Mohammed Al Alawi (Al Arouba), Naji Al Ghilani (Sur), Omar Al Midelwi (Sur), Abdullah Al Darmaki (Al Khabourah), Thamer Al Zaabi (Al Khabourah), Isam Al Makzomi (Seeb), Motasim Al Bakri (Seeb), Yosuf Al Malki (Seeb), Nawaf Al Harrasi (Seeb), Yahya Al Hedefi (Seeb), Yosuf Al Shyadi (Suwaiq), Nawaf Al Mejeni (Suwaiq), Khalifa Al Shukili (Suwaiq), Majed Al Sareri (Al Shabab), Abdulrahman Al Hamdani (Al Shabab), Albraa Al Mawali (Al Shabab), Moath Al Jhadhami (Bausher), Sultan Bashair (Al Nasr), Emad Al Garadi (Al Musannah), Hamza Al Shukaili (Al Rustaq), Basam Al Masrori (Ahli-Sidab) and Mohammed Al Maqbali (Sohar).

Arab Emirates in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh, just a few days before the World T20 in India.

That was only his second T20 International, though he has been on many-a-sojourn with the national teams, in all age groups.

He is full of energy and he passes on his positive vibes to his team mates. The training sessions are lively with his presence and his aptitude to work hard brushes on the optimism to others.

The jubilation he exhibits whenever Oman achieves a victory is exemplary and often stands out on the frames of celebration.

Travelling and practicing with the team has given him the selfconfidence to exhibit his talent whenever opportunity smiled on him. That was evident when he was given the new ball against the United Arab Emirates in Asia Cup and in the end he was the best performer of the team with both bat and ball.

Well, Sufyan has one goal now.

He wants to inspire fellow Omanis to excel in cricket.

If he and some more can do their best and why not the others?

“There is a renewed interest after watching Oman perform in recent times and I am confident that more of my countrymen will take up the sport,” said Sufyan, while opening his mind out to Times Sport.

“Discipline, dedication, determination and the will to work hard is important to excel and that’s what driven me so far,” said Sufyan, who took to cricket in his backyard with strong support from his parents and brothers.

There is a renewed interest after watching Oman perform in recent times and I am confident that more of my countrymen will take up the sport Sufyan Mehmood Oman all-rounder

“When I started playing cricket, my goal was always to play in a World Cup and that turned true though I was not part of the playing eleven. But I know one day I will be part of the eleven,” said Sufyan, who first played competitive cricket for Sri Lankan School, Muscat, where he studied.

From there he graduated into bigger leagues by representing Under-17 and Under-19 national teams and the national camp doors

opened for him. Once in he has never looked back, even though his parents wanted him to be away from the game for sometime and concentrate on academics.

“I told my dad that I wanted to play on and wish to see Oman on the world stage,” said the 24-yearold BBM graduate, who is employed by Fairtrade LLC. The Omani player hailed coach Duleep Mendis for a wonderful job in churning out the best from play-

ers. “Coach’s idea of having the National Youth Development Team (NYDT) has helped in honing the skills of Omani players,” said Sufyan, who pointed out that the NYDT’s emerging A Division champions has also provided the fodder to inspire the Omani players.

“Oman Cricket board is also encouraging the youth in the best possible way and the idea of spreading the game to far flung areas like Sohar, Sur, Nizwa and

Salalah will spiral the developmental programmes and I am sure more nationals will be attracted towards the game,” said Sufyan.

He also called for unity among Omani players and called for the right attitude inculcated with discipline and determination.

“I would also like to see the game making inroads in all schools. This is were the talents can be tapped at the grassroots level and honed,” he opined, hoping that his performance in Asia Cup will be an inspiring factor for many.

“I am the first Omani to take a wicket (in Asia Cup) since Oman gained official T20 status,” said a proud Sufyan, wishing that more native players follow his pursuit.

There were indeed many Omani players — like Maqbool Moosa, Ali Akbar, Amit Sampat, Qais bin Khalid Al Said and many more — who played on international stage in the past but then Oman did not have official status.

On his strengths, Sufyan said: “I am a bowling all-rounder and basically a wicket-to-wicket bowler with decent pace and variation, which I think is my strength.”

No wonder he has modelled himself like Sri Lankan cricketer Angelo Mathews, who incidentally is his role model.

Speaking about former skipper Sultan Ahmed, Sufyan sounded emotional.

“He was a great cricketer and a respected leader. He was exceptional in many ways and was inspirational to all in the team, especially upcoming players like me,” said Sufyan. “I will really miss him and also Zeeshan Siddiqui (the man instrumental in guiding Oman to World T20).”

But at the same time he said he was looking forward to play under the new captain Ajay Lalcheta in the upcoming World Cricket League Division 5.

Signing off Sufyan thanked his parents for supporting him as always and also his brothers, especially Wisam, for boosting his confidence.

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Barcelona seek to book spot in semis Last season’s treble winners Barca are in their worst run of form in La Liga since coach Luis Enrique took charge in August 2014, losing their last two games to Real Madrid and Real Sociedad

TRAINING SESSION: Barcelona’s defender Gerard Pique, Barcelona’s Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic, Barcelona’s midfielder Sergio Busquets, Barcelona’s Brazilian forward Neymar, Barcelona’s Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez and Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi take part in a training session at the FC Barcelona Joan Gamper Sports Center in Sant Joan Despi, near Barcelona. – AFP

and drawing with Villarreal

MADRID: Barcelona can redress their stuttering domestic form by sealing their passage to the Champions League semifinals when they visit Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Last season’s treble winners Barca are in their worst run of form in La Liga since coach Luis Enrique took charge in August 2014, losing their last two games to Real Madrid and Real Sociedad and drawing with Villarreal.

Although those results have seen their La Liga lead over second-placed Atletico cut to three points, Barca are still on track to become the first Spanish team to win the treble two years in a row, with the King’s Cup final against Sevilla coming up next month.

The visitors take a 2-1 lead from

the first leg into the return match at the Vicente Calderon, Luis Suarez’s double having cancelled out Fernando Torres’ opener after the former Chelsea striker was sent off in the 35th minute.

“There’s no time for apologies or excuses, we need results. It’s not the time to sink low and think that we’re on a horrible run,” said Luis Enrique.

“There are reasons to be optimistic although the results have not been what we want.”

Thomas Vermaelen is out and Rafinha doubtful due to injury but Barca top scorer Suarez returns after the Uruguayan served a suspension.

Luis Enrique is also likely to recall Jordi Alba, Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic after starting them on the bench in the 1-0 defeat by Sociedad at the weekend.

The plan to rest those players ahead of the trip to Madrid backfired when 18-year-old Mikel Oiar-

zabal headed Sociedad in front in the fifth minute and Barca struggled to break down the opposition for the remainder of the game.

Despite having seven shots, Lionel Messi could not find a way through and the Argentine talisman has now gone 362 minutes without scoring, his longest drought with Barca since 2011.

Atletico are dreaming of a repeat of their 2014 quarter-final second leg against Barca when an early goal by Koke delivered a 1-0 win and 2-1 aggregate victory.

“The stadium will be buzzing.

I’m sure it’s going to be a great night,” said midfielder Koke.

“The other day we couldn’t win because of circumstances but at home we’re going to turn it around.”

Atletico defenders Jose Gimenez and Stefan Savic are doubtful while Tiago Mendes is definitely out and Torres suspended following his dismissal at the Nou Camp. - Reuters

Benfica coach faces another test of ability LISBON: Benfica coach Rui Vitoria faces another test of his powers of improvisation as he tries to patch up a team without topscorer Jonas against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

The Portuguese champions and league leaders were beaten 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final last week, a narrow enough margin to give them a chance of producing a major upset at the Stadium of Light.

But with Brazilian marksman Jonas suspended following three yellow cards, the likelihood of beating Bayern for the first time after seven

failed attempts and ending a 26-year wait since Benfica’s last semifinals appearance looks more remote.

The 31-year-old has scored 30 goals in only 29 Portuguese league appearances this season, plus two in his nine Champions League outings including a crucial stoppage-time winner at home to Zenit St Petersburg in the previous round.

But Vitoria, in his first season at Benfica, has already proved he can produce a winning team from a squad which lacks the strength-in-depth of elite European teams such as Bayern.

Mexican forward Raul Jimenez,

who usually starts on the bench, might get a chance to finally partner Kostas Mitroglou on Wednesday, although Vitoria could move midfielder Nicolas Gaitan into attack and reshuffle his midfield. But Vitoria was not fretting.

“We’re not going to sit here and cry over something we cannot control,” he said.

“This is just an opportunity for someone else and whoever plays will certainly do a great job. We are going to put out a competitive team to face them on equal terms, hand for hand, centimetre by centimetre.” — Reuters

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

Australia, Japan to square off again in World Cup qualifying KUALA LUMPUR: Continental champions Australia were pooled in a formidable Group B with Saudi Arabia, Japan and the United Arab Emirates in the draw for the final Asian round of 2018 World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.

Joining the quartet in the six nation group, where only the top two sides are guaranteed of a place at the finals in Russia, were 2007 Asian champions Iraq and fast-improving Thailand.

Group A was headlined by consistent qualifiers South Korea and Asia’s top ranked team Iran, who both represented the continent at the last World Cup in Brazil along with Australia and Japan.

China, who have qualified for just one World Cup in 2002 and scraped through to this round, were also pooled in Group A alongside three sides who have yet to reach a finals - Syria, 2022 hosts Qatar and Uzbekistan.

The group stages will conclude in Sept. 2017 with the top two from each pool qualifying and the

two third-placed sides playing each other.

The winners of that playoff then advance to a two-legged inter-confederation clash with a CONCACAF qualifier for another spot in Russia.

Iran and South Korea, who will be favourites to progress to another World Cup, endure frosty soccer relations after clashing in qualifying four years ago.

Korea complained about inadequate training facilities in Tehran, with then-coach Choi Kang-hee saying he would enjoy eliminating Iran from the race to Brazil only for the Iranians to win in Seoul in the return and top the group.

That result sparked ugly scenes on the sidelines as Iran coach Carlos Queiroz and his assistants celebrated by rushing towards the Korean bench and gesturing wildly.

It will be the third consecutive World Cup campaign that Korea and Iran have faced off in, with Japan and Australia also making

it a trilogy of meetings.

Japan have played at the last five World Cups and finished ahead of Australia in 2014 qualifying but the Socceroos came out top in the 2010 campaign.

Saudi Arabia, who made the last of their four World Cup appearances in 2002, took four points from the UAE in the previous round and have shown signs of progress under Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk.

But Australia coach Ange Postecoglou was confident his side, who will start on Sept. 1 with a home clash against Iraq, would play in Russia. “As champions of Asia we will show due respect to all countries but focussed on continuing our journey that has aspirations greater than simply qualifying for the World Cup,” he said in a statement.

Group A: Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, China, Qatar, Syria Group B: Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Thailand. - Reuters

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

C3

SPORTS IPL PREVIEW

Narine return boosts KKR ahead of Mumbai Indians clash KOLKATA: Sunil Narine’s return will enable a confident Kolkata Knight Riders to tighten the noose when they take on a shaky Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League encounter at the Eden Gardens. Both KKR and defending champions MI were a part of utterly lopsided campaigns in their respective lung openers.

While Knights clinically decimated Delhi Daredevils by nine wickets after having bowled the opposition out for a sub-100 score, the Mumbai Indians were at the receiving end with league debutants Rising Pune Supergiants giving them a sound thrashing by nine wickets.

Narine, who had left for the Caribbean after his father’s de-

mise is back in Kolkata, and with clearance from the ICC will like to forge a lethal combination with 45-year-old chinaman exponent Brad Hogg, if both are picked as overseas recruits.

Narine with 74 IPL scalps from four seasons has been instrumental in Gautam Gambhir leading the Shah Rukh Khan co-owned franchise to titles in 2012 and 2014.

If the jet-lagged Narine is available, it will mean a selection dilemma for Gambhir with the Aussie veteran Brad Hogg (3/19) being the pick of their bowler rattling DD for 98 in 17.4 overs.

In that case, Gambhir may like to dump John Hastings, who did bowl well against Daredevils. A

look at India’s recent series in Australia will indicate that Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma had really played the big-bodied Aussie really well. The other option is to play a batsman less to induct Narine and in that case Colin Munro may be made to sit out.

That apart, KKR has the perfect winning combination in place even if that would mean a heartbreak for Bangaldeshi star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan who could not make the XI despite his fine performance in the World Twenty20, where he took 10 wickets from seven matches.

This will be KKR’s last match at the Eden this month as they will hit the road for six successive away

matches with West Bengal in the middle of the Assembly polls as Gambhir’s men cannot afford to let go the crucial two points at home.

If Mumbai Indians, who had won their two IPL titles at this venue in 2013 and 2015, will have to bounce back from the defeat against debutants Pune Supergiants in the IPL opener, the onus will be on their batters to decode the spin puzzle of KKR at their happy hunting venue.

Going by their performance in the last match, MI’s title defence looked very shaky even at this early stage. They will be hoping to get back to their best rhythm at the earliest. It will be skipper Rohit Sharma who will have to lead

RCB crush Sunrisers Amassing an imposing total of 227 for 4, Royal Challengers Banglaore restricted Sunrisers Hyderabad to 182 for 6

BENGALURU: Royal Challengers Bangalore won their inaugural Indian Premier League match against Sunrisers Hyderabad by 45 runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Tuesday.

Amassing an imposing total of 227 for 4, Royal Challengers restricted the Sunrisers to 182 for 6.

Except for skipper David Warner’s spirited 58 off 25 balls with four fours and five sixes and Ashish Reddy’s 32, all other Sunrisers faltered before the RCB attack, with Shane Watson (2/30) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/43) most successful bowlers for the hosts.

The Sunrisers’ failure to maintain the run rate led to a situation that they needed 64 runs in the last 12 balls and 55 runs in the last over.

Earlier, Royal Challengers, who lost the toss and were put into bat, proved to be unstoppable with the twin attack launched by skipper Virat Kohli (75) and A.B. De Villiers (82).Despite the loss of Chris Gayle (1) in the second over, De Villiers and Kohli set up a crackling pace, helping themselves to generous boundaries, to set the scene for a big score.

Coming in at number three, De Villiers filled the void left by Gayle. As the crowd started chant-

RUN MACHINES: Royal Challengers Bangalore batsmen Virat Kohli, right, and AB De Villiers having a chat during their blitzy partnership against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chinnaswamy stadium. – PTI

ing his name, the South African stalwart responded hitting back to back boundaries. He cracked seven fours and six sixes to reach 82 in just 42 balls while Kohli hit seven fours and three sixes to reach his 75 in 51 balls.

Entering after the fall of Kohli in the 16th over, Watson hit three

successive sixes off Karn Sharma while Sarfaraz remained unbeaten at 35 after hitting five fours and two sixes in just 10 balls.

For Sunrisers, Mustafizur Rahman was the most economical bowler with figures of 2/26.

De Villiers was declared man of the match.

Brief scores Royal Challengers Bangalore: 227 for 4 (A.B. De Villiers 82, Virat Kohli 75; Mustafizur Rahman 2/26, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar 2/55) beat SRH 182/ for (David Warner 58, Ashish Reddy 32; Shane Watson 2/30, Yuzvendra Chahal 2/43). - IANS

FANJA SQUARE OFF AGAINST AHLI AL KHALIL IN AFC CUP Fanja, who are yet to taste success in the AFC Cup, will take on Palestine’s Ahli Al Khalil in their fourth Group D match at home on Wednesday. The match will be played at the Seeb Sports Stadium from 7.00 p.m. Bahrain’s Al Muharraq lead the group with nine points followed by Ahli Al Khalil and Syria’s Al Jaish with three points each. Meanwhile, Al Arouba play their away Group C match against Palestine’s Al Dharia. Al Arouba are second in the group with four points. Air Force Iraq lead the group with six points. Al Wahda of Syria have three points and Al Dharia just one. — ISMAIL AL FARSI/Times of Oman

by example up front at the same venue where he had scored an ODI world record 264.

After surprisingly deciding to bat on a strip with seam movement and bounce, Mumbai Indians star batsmen struggled as they were 68 for 7 in the 16th over, having lost their top four batsmen inside five overs for 30.

It was the feisty Harbhajan who wriggled them out of the hole with an unbeaten 30-ball 45 to prop the total to 121 for 8. The target proved too little for the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Faf du Plessis and KP Pietersen who scripted a nine-wicket win in 14.4 overs.

“Hopefully, we will go back and come back with a positive frame

of mind. Never thought the ball would do that much having played a lot of cricket here. They swung it a lot and our shot selection wasn’t great. We have good memories in Kolkata. It’s just the start of the tournament, no need to panic,” Rohit had said.

With their team think-tank boasting the legendary duo of Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting to go with a star studded lineup captained by Rohit Sharma, there’s an overflowing of talents in the most decorated dressing room.

It will be all about channelising them to bring out the best XI something that had come in for much debate following their debacle at home. — PTI

C4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

SPORTS India thrash Pakistan 5-1 in Azlan Shah Cup

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

This was India’s biggest win since their 7-4 triumph against Pakistan in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi ‘LET’S DO MORE’: Bank Muscat’s Green Sports initiative, launched by in 2012, saw a total of 49 teams benefiting from the programme till date. – Supplied photo

Bank Muscat to announce 2016 Green Sports beneficiaries MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, is all set to announce 2016 Green Sports beneficiaries as field visits by a committee have concluded to review and short-list sports teams for greening and infrastructure development of football fields across the Sultanate.

Marking the fifth year of the unique Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the bank will support the development of 15 football fields in 2016 in line with the ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and partnership to promote Oman as a sporting nation.

The Green Sports initiative launched by Bank Muscat in 2012 has gained momentum with a total of 49 teams across the Sultanate benefiting from it till date.

In 2015, the bank widened the scope of Green Sports initiative offering four options for sports teams to green football fields with natural or synthetic turf, or avail support for flood lights or water desalination equipment to facilitate greening of fields in

areas facing problems of water salinity. The move was aimed at providing wider representation to teams to build sustainable sports infrastructure in all parts of the Sultanate.

The football fields developed as part of the Green Sports initiative are also serving as a meeting place for children and youth to be engaged in gainful activities.

The fields are used to host various activities such as Ramadan nights, group weddings and other celebrations. Such community activities are helping children and youth develop strong positive character traits.

Bank Muscat is committed to its ‘Let’s Do More’ vision for the economy, community and environment and is proud to have led the way in contributing to sustainable development in Oman with various initiatives.

As the nation’s leading financial institution, Bank Muscat aims to provide the momentum for youth to excel in all arenas and thereby contribute to the development and progress of Oman.

IPOH: A dominant India registered their biggest victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in six years when they coasted to a 5-1 win in a round-robin league match of the 25th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, here on Tuesday.

This was India’s biggest win since their 7-4 triumph against Pakistan in the 2010 Commonwealth Games at New Delhi.

DOMINANT DISPLAY: India’s S.V. Sunil, right, celebrates after scoring a goal in against Pakistan on Tuesday.

Playing their best game of the tournament, Manpreet Singh opened the scoring for India in the fourth minute but Pakistan equalised in the seventh through captain Muhammed Irfan.

But thereafter it was all India as the Sardar Singh-led side controlled

the proceedings with SV Sunil scoring two opportunistic field goals in the 10th and 41st minutes.

Talwinder Singh then capitalised on a rebound to score India’s fourth goal in the 50th minute before Rupinder Pal Singh converted a penalty corner in the 54th minute.

India’s victory would have been bigger had Rupinder converted a penalty stroke in the 55th minute and an deflection into the net by Ramandeep Singh in the 69th was not disallowed after the umpire initially blew for a goal.

The victory took India to the second spot in the round-robin league standings with nine points from four outings. The table is being led by world champions Australia on 12 points from four straight wins.

Australia took one step into the final when they prevailed 1-0 over Oceania rivals and defending champions New Zealand, who now have eight points from five matches.

The all-important goals for Australia was scored by captain Jamie Dwyer, who capitalised on a rebound to shoot into the open goal with the goalkeeper at his mercy.

Later in the day, in an exhibition of the sub-continental style of hockey, India lifted their game by leaps and bounds to dominate the match, forcing Pakistan to crowd their territory in the second half to deny Sardar’s men more goals. - PTI

BLACK & WHITE KERALA LIFT AL ADRAK CUP Black & White Kerala defeated FC Kerala via tie-breaker to clinch the title at the Al Adrak Cup football tournament organised by Al Adrak LLC here recently. FC Dejavu defeated Muscat United to settle for the third place. The tournament was inaugurated by Dr. Thomas Alexander, CEO of Al Adrak, and Dr. Arun Surendran, Principal of Trinity College. — Supplied photo

C

SECTION

LIFESTYLE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

Leisure WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

The Magic Touch Get into the Alila Spa for an out-of-this-world experience that will linger for days.

Story Shruthi Nair Photos Salim Al Afifi

A

t the top of the beautiful Jebel Akhdar Mountains, lies camouflaged a conglomerate of ancient stone infrastructures, which is known to the Sultanate as Alila Jabal Akhdar. The place is a paradise away from the cities and towns which brings one closer to nature by all means, revitalising your senses and rejuvenating your mind and body.

Amongst the various attractions and recreations the place has to offer, one thing that teleported me to another dimension altogether was the magical Alila spa. I walked into the huge reception of the spa where the attendant took me through the various treatments they have to offer, after which I was asked to wait at the cosy waiting area. I was observing everything around me there, taking in the beauty and the feel of the place, wondering how ancient or brand new the showpieces neatly placed in the big wooden showcase were. The terracotta vessels, the Omani souvenirs, and little jars of smoked rose water spoke volumes about the culture and livelihood of the locals.

On the coffee table were three earthen bowls of frankincense, juniper berries, and basil leaves along with a number of other beauty and cosmetic products such as body lotions, face creams and lip balms that were all special Alila products made in Bali. While I was skimming through the pages of the spa menu that was also on the table, a lady came up to me offering a hot and spicy cup of ginger lemon tea which I sipped at taking my own time, and feeling the warmth as it went down my oesophagus. I was then escorted by my masseuse into what looked like a mystique maze to me. The overwhelming smell and walls with the huge wall paintings lead me finally to my massage room. As soon as I stepped into the place, I knew this is exactly where I want to be; it was probably because of the energy and aura that exuberated from the little room or just the feeling of relaxation that had been building up since the past half hour.

I was asked to soak my legs in a bucket filled with warm water and rock salts after which my limbs were moistened with a wet towel. I had opted for the therapeutic massage which focused on my pressure points and neck, back, and shoulders. The soothing music, the skilled hands of my masseuse who was trained in anatomical physiology, and the sweet smelling, warm feeling massage oils apparated me to a whole new relaxed, stress-free world.

I tried hard not to doze off during the 60 minute, luxury treatment so I could experience the whole therapy to its fullest. After the dreamy hour, I had to leave this dip lit haven and go back to the world I belong to, which fortunately was still within the premises of Alila. My skin felt healthy, fresh and my mind was completely relaxed. When I was thanking my masseuse for the magic of her hands is when she told me about the secret massage ingredients that made the experiences perfect. In the massage rooms of Alila, they use three special oils; the relaxing oil which acts as a warm up oil for the body, the purifying oil which contains mandarin and grapefruit which detoxifies and solves the problem of dry skin, and the signature oil that contains lemon grass that eases muscle tension. It has been over two weeks since the massage but the effect still remains. For reservations and enquiries, Call: +968 2534 4200 or email: jabalakhdar@alilahotels.com.

-shruthi@timesofoman.com

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

C6

PRAYER TIMINGS

FIND-IT-ALL @AZAIBA

@ MGM

Theri (Action) - Tamil –12+ 11.00 PM Screen 3 Rocky Handsome (Action/ Thriller) –12+ 3.45, 9.45 PM Sardaar Gabbar Singh – Telgu - (Action) 6.45 PM (PG12)

@ SUR

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI The Jungle Book (Adventure | Drama) PG Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray 8:00PM Mr. Right (Action Comedy| Romance) 15+ Cast: Anna Kendrick, Tim Roth, Sam Rockwell 3:00, 7:15, 9:45 & 11:45PM Before I Wake (Horror| Thriller) 15+ Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Thomas Jane 11:55PM The Boss (Comedy) 18+ Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell 3:30 & 9:30PM Beeba Boys (Crime |Drama | Thriller) 15+ Cast: Randeep Hooda, Ali Momen, Sarah Allen 3:45 & 10:00PM Shaket Daboos (Arabic| Mystery) PG12 Cast: Khaled Selim, Mai Selim, Nesreen Amin 5:00PM Eddie the Eagle (Biography| Drama) PG Cast: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman 5:45PM Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice 3D (Action) PG12 6:45 & 11:15PM Kung Fu Panda 3 – 3D (Animation) PG 5:30PM MUSCAT GRAND MALL The Jungle Book – 3D (PG) Adventure |Family) Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley 8:15, 11:00 PM Gold Class – 9:15 PM Mr. Right – 2D (15+) Action|Comedy Cast: Anna Kendrick, Tim Roth, Sam Rockwell 2:00, 11:45 PM Gold Class – 6:15PM Beeba Boys – 2D (15+) Crime | Thriller 11:30 PM Gold Class– 3:45 PM Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice –

The Jungle Book – 3D (PG) Adventure |Family) Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley 8:15, 11:00 PM Gold Class – 9:15 PM

3D (PG12) (Action, Adventure, Fantasy) 11:30 AM, 4:00, 6:30, 8:45 PM Kung Fu Panda 3 – 3D (PG) Animation 12:00, 2:15, 6:45 PM The Boy and the Beast – 2D (PG) Animation 4:15 PM PANORAMA MALL The Jungle Book - (Adventure) (3D) (PG) VIP LOUNGE Cast : Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley 9:30, 11:30pm The Jungle Book - (Adventure) (3D) (PG) 8:45pm Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice3D (Action, Adventure) (PG12) 3:30, 6:15, 9:00, 11:45 PM Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice3D (Action, Adventure) (PG12)-VIP LOUNGE 6:45 PM Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice 5:45, 8:30, 11:15 PM (MX4D) (PG12) Kung Fu Panda 3-3D (Animation) (PG) 3:15, 5:45 PM Eddie the Eagle-2D (Biography) (PG) 5:00 PM Ki & Ka-2D (Romance, Comedy) (15+)

Theri (Tamil) (2D) (Comedy | Action) (PG12) Cast: Vijay, Samantha Ruth, Prabhu, Amy Jackson 11:00, 11:30 PM

Mr. Right (Action Comedy| Romance) 15+ Cast: Anna Kendrick, Tim Roth, Sam Rockwell 3:45, 11:55 PM

9:15 PM MR. Right-2D (Action, Comedy)(15+) 3:45 PM MR. Right-2D (Action) (15+)-VIP LOUNGE 3:45 PM The Boss-2D (Comedy) (18+) Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell 7:30 PM The Squad-2D (Action, Drama) (15+) Cast: Jean Reno, Alban Lenoir 3:45, 7:00, 11:15 PM The Dead Room-2D (Horror, Thriller) (TBC) 11:45 PM

3:00, 5:45, 10:15 PM Darvinte Parinamam (Mal) (2D) (Comedy) 6:00, 8:15 PM (PG12) Sardar Gabbar Singh (Telugu) (2D) (Action) 5:30, 8:30 PM (PG12) Theri (Tamil) (2D) (Comedy | Action) (12+) Cast: Vijay, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Amy 11:00, 11:30 PM The Jungle Book (3D) (Adventure) (PG) 8:15 PM

SUR Jungle Book 3D (Adventure) ( PG ) Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley 8:15 PM Theri (Tamil ) (Action ) (12+) Cast: Vijay, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Amy 11:15 PM Mr. Right (Action | Comedy | Romance) (15+) 3:45, 11:55 PM The Dead Room (Horror | Thriller) (TBC) 9:45 PM The Squad (Anti Gang) (Action) (TBC) Cast: Jean Reno, Alban Lenoir 10:15 PM Darvinte Parinamam (Action) (PG12) Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran 7:00 PM Sardaar Gabbar Singh (Telugu) (TBC) 5:30 PM Batman Vs Superman 3D (Action) (PG12) 4:15 PM SOHAR Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice 3D; 3:30, 11:45PM (Action, Adventure) (PG12) Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice 2D; 9:00PM (Action, Adventure) (PG12) Mr. Right- 2D (Action, Comedy) (15+) 2:45, 6:15 PM The Dead Room - 2D (Horror, Thriller) (15+) 5:00, 11:45 PM Kung Fu Panda 3 - 3D (Animation)(PG) 4:30PM The Boss- 2D (Comedy) (18+) 3:15, 7:00PM Beeba Boys-2D (Crime, Drama, Thriller) (15+) 3:00, 6:00, 11:55PM Darvinte Parinamam - 2D (Action) (PG12) 9:00PM Sardaar Gabbar Singh- 2D (Action) (PG12) 8:45PM Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Kajal Agarwal The Squad - 2D (Thriller) (15+) 5:15, 10:00PM Ki & Ka- 2D (Romance, Comedy) (PG12)

RUWI Screen 1 Ki & Ka (Drama/ Comedy/ Romance) –PG12 3.30, 9.00 PM Kapoor & Sons (Drama / Family) –PG12 6.30 PM Theri (Action) - Tamil –12+ Cast : Vijay, Samantha, Amy Jackson, Prabhu 11.30 PM Screen 2 Kapoor & Sons (Drama / Family) –PG12 3.45 PM Ki & Ka (Drama/ Comedy/ Romance) –PG12 6.30 PM The Jungle Book (2D) (Adventure/ Family) Cast : Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill 9.00 PM (PG)

AZAIBA Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (3D) (Action |Adventure | Fantasy) (PG12) 2:45, 8:45, 11:30 PM Kung Fu Panda 3 (3D) (Animation) (PG) 2:45, 4:30 PM Beeba Boys (Eng) (2D) (Crime) (15+) Cast: Randeep Hooda, Ali Momen, Sarah Allen 6:45 PM Rocky Handsome (2D) (Action) (12+) Cast: John Abraham, Shruti Hassan, Nishikant 3:30 PM Ki & Ka (2D) (Romance | Comedy) (TBC)

6:30PM Jungle Book – 3D (Adventure, Family) (PG) 8:00PM Theri – 2D (Romance, Comedy) (PG12) Cast: Vijay, Samantha Ruth Prabhu 11:15PM

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 Jungle Book (3D) (PG) (Adventure| Family) 8:45PM Batman Vs Superman (3D) (PG12) (Action) 6:00PM Batman Vs Superman (2D) (PG12) (Action) 11:15PM Kung Fu Panda 3 (3D) (PG) (Animation) 1:00, 4:00PM Anti-Squad (2D) (15+) (Action | Drama) 4:40, 10:00PM Mr. Right (2D) (15+) (Action| Comed) 2:45, 6:30, 11:55PM Before I Wake (2D) (15+) (Horror| Thriller) 2:50PM Beeba Boys (2D) (15+) (Crime |Drama) 2:00PM The Boss (2D) (18+) (Comedy) 1:00PM Ki & Ka (2D) (PG12) (Romance | Comedy) 4:30PM Theri (2D) (12+) (Tamil) (Action) Cast: Vijay, Samantha Ruth, Prabhu, Amy 11:00PM Sardaar Gabbar Singh (2D) (PG12) (Telugu) 7:00PM Darvinte Parinamam (2D) (PG12) (Mal) 8:25PM

Nizwa Yanqul

20:50

Daily

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

32 24 Minimum

NICOLE EVA MACHADO April 13, 2008

0

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

85-35%

07:00

Ruwi

10:25

Daily

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

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 lifestyle@timesofoman.com

06:00 06:00

Nizwa Ruwi

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

LISTINGS

ROYAL OMAN POLICE TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 07:30 14:30

Sur Sur

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

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

Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om Theri (Tamil) ( Action) Cast : Vijay & Samantha 11:00 Pm Cinema Main Darvinte Parinamam (Mal) (Comedy) Cast: Prithviraj & Chandini Sreedharan 3:30 & 6:30 PM Cinema Main; 9:30 PM Cinema 2 Thozha (Tamil) (Comedy \ Drama) Cast: Karthi, Nagarjuna & Tamanna 3-45 PM Cinema -3; 6:45 PM Cinema -4 Action Hero Biju (Mal) (Act\ Comedy) Cast: Nivin Pauly & Anu Emmanuel 6:45 & 9:45 PM Cinema - 3 Maheshinte Prathikaram (Mal) (Comedy) Cast: Fahad Faasil & Anusree 3:45 & 9:45 PM Cinema-4 Sardaar Gabbar Singh (Telugu) (Action) Cast: Pawan Kalyan & Kajal Aggarwal 3:30 & 6:30 PM Cinema 2

0

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

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

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

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

Mr. Right (Action / Comedy / Romance) Cast: Anna Kendrick, Sam Rockwell, Tim Roth 2.00, 3.45 & 8.00 PM CP No : 1094 (15+) Before I Wake (Horror / Thriller) Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Thomas Jane 5.30, 10.00 & 11.55 PM CP No: 1096 (15+) Beeba Boys (Crime / Drama / Thriller) Cast: Randeep Hooda, Ali Momen, Sarah Allen 10.00 & 11.55 PM CP No: 1093 (15+) The Boss (Comedy) 2.00 & 6.00 PM Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell CP No: 1095 (15+) The Boy and the Beast (Animation / Action) Voice Overs: Bryn Apprill, Kumiko Aso 4.00 PM CP No : 1097 (PG) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Action / Adventure / Fantasy) 7.15 PM CP No: 375 (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 Kung Fu Panda 3 (Animation |Action|) (PG) 5:00PM Mr. Right -2D (Action, Comedy) (15+) 4:45, 7:00PM The Squad Aka (Anti Gang) -2D (Action) 6:45, 11:45PM The Dead Room-2D (Horror, Thriller) TBC 10:15PM Beeba Boys -2D (Crime, Drama) (15+) 5.30, 11.30PM Darvinte Parinamam-2D (Mal) (PG12) 7:30PM Sardaar Gabbar Singh-2D (Telgu)TBC 8:45PM Jungle Book 3D (English) PG 8:30PM

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

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI) Destination

12.12pm 3.40pm 6.32pm 7.45pm 4.30am

CHILDREN BELOW THE AGE OF 3 YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CINEMA | BOX-OFFICE COUNTER OPENS 30-MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCREENING OF THE FIRST SHOW

CINEMA SCHEDULE

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

Afghanistan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Brunei China Cyprus Egypt France Germany India Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya South Korea Kuwait

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

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

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

PHARMACIES (ROUND THE CLOCK) Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334 Apollo Medical Centre,

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

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre 24485052 Atlas Hospital Ruwi 24811743/ Ghubra 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi 24563641 Azaiba 24499269 Sohar 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya 24787766, 24787780

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

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

LIFESTYLE THE HOBBYIST Ashraf Dahab Ahmed Music

OBSESSED WITH BASS

You need to be able to isolate the bass sound in music and be able to “create” your own bass lines in your head.

1. Why do you love playing guitar?

I love music in general, and love playing any musical instrument that I can get my hands on. I have always been obsessed with bass guitar all my life. I’d listen to the bass sound in every piece of music and dream that one day I will be able to do that.

The bass is a key instrument in almost all types of music, and bass guitar in particular enjoys a special status, so to speak, on stage. Some people would refer to the bass player as “the coolest guy/girl on stage”, while others would describe him/ her as “the mysterious guy/girl on stage”. Whichever way you look at it, the bass is a fascinating instrument to play, and to watch others play.

2. How did you get into it?

I started playing music at a very early age. I was about five years old when my father got me a small keyboard, and it started from there. For the most part of my life I played the keyboard. But I also play a number of other instruments, including the oud, accordion, bongos/percussion, trumpet (long back), and my latest adventure is the saxophone. As I mentioned, bass guitar was a childhood dream, so as soon as I got an opportunity to try it with a new band, around the year 1999, I jumped into it, and I’ve been playing it ever since. A friend of mine then asked me if I would play bass in his new band, and I said “yes”. I have never played it before, not good at least. So I started learning it “on-the-job”.

3. How can one get into it?

Unlike any other musical instrument, bass guitar is fairly easy to start playing. But it is the most difficult instrument to be really good at. I always tell people who aspire to play bass that they need to be bass players before they could become bass players. A paradox? Not really. The point is, you need to be able to isolate the bass sound in music, be able to sing the bass line in any piece of music, be able to “create” your own bass lines in your head, for any given music, all before you ever touch a bass guitar. That is what makes a good bass player. It starts way before you grab the instrument.

4. What’s your pro-tip?

The No. 1 tip I’d give to any bass player, new or experienced, is to listen, listen, and listen to any style of music possible.

This actually goes for all instruments, but it is crucial for the bass. A good bass player needs to understand complex relationships between the drums/percussion and the bass, for instance. The more musical styles you listen to, the better your vocabulary becomes. Bass playing comes from the heart, not the fingers.-shafeeq@timesofoman.com

There are a good number of music schools here in Muscat.

These are normally a good place to start.

Classic Music & Arts Institute Call: +968 2456 0025 Email: musictec@omantel.net.om Kalabhavan Muscat Call: +968 2455 1295, +968 2449 2287 Talentz Enterprises LLC Call: +968 2478 3443, +968 2479 1948 Melody Music Institute Call: +968 2448 6647, +968 2470 3130, +968 9941 8267 Email: melodyalkr.mct@gmail.com Harmony Music Call: +968 2447 5620

C7

C8

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

LIFESTYLE

7 Foods You Should Never Eat Before Flying

Alcohol Though alcohol is not a food, you should avoid this beverage because any kind of alcohol is dehydrating.

The air we breathe in planes isn’t humidified, which also adds to the dehydration problem. You’ll come off the flight feeling dehydrated and miserable. Alcohol has a bigger effect on your body at higher altitudes.

Summer is approaching and many of us are planning a summer holiday in some of the cool destinations. Staying healthy on our travel, especially on the plane is of prime importance. You don’t want to arrive at your holiday destination feeling tired and bloated after eating a lot of food in the flight and snacks from the airport food counters. What you eat before you board can also make a big impact on how you feel once you’re in the air and how you feel once you land. Avoid these dining disasters before you board and avoid ‘jet bloat,’ being the stinky seatmate, and other in-flight horrors. Here are some foods you should never eat before flying.-lifestyle@timesofoman.com

Fried or Fast Food Most of the air travellers are tempted by those airport fast-food restaurants. Know that digestion is harder for your body above 30,000 feet. Add that to the trouble the digestive system already has processing saturated fats, and you will get a heartburn or an upset stomach. Researches have also found that eating saturated fat can constrict blood flow, which could increase your risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Gum and Candy Some experts advise us to chew candies and chewing gums during takeoff and landing to avoid ear pain. But many of these products contain artificial sweeteners. Our digestive system is not designed to process synthetic sugars very well, and they can cause bloating, gas, and even have a laxative effect. Check the package when you’re buying gum or candy — many products carry a warning label about these unpleasant side effects.

Cruciferous Vegetables The flight cabin is pressurised, but even then the air pressure is not the same as it is on the ground. The air pressure decreases after takeoff, which causes the cabin air to expand by 25 to 30 per cent. This can cause air and gases in your stomach and small intestine to expand, resulting in a bloated feeling. You can reduce this by staying away from brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables that can increase bloating.

Carbonated Beverages Aerated drinks and beverages are major contributors to bloating and heartburns. The bubbles will end up in your stomach and then quickly expand when the atmospheric pressure changes. It is also not advisable during flight.

Garlic Garlic is good for health, we know.

But its smell does linger on your breath and sweat thus resulting in altering your body odour. Garlic contains sulphuric compounds that are absorbed into your bloodstream and lungs. So you will be exhaling the smell of garlic. It is always good to skip the garlic flavoured food before boarding.

Legumes Beans are another food group which is famous for gas trouble. Many types of beans and other legumes naturally contain indigestible complex sugars that can lead to bloating.

Soaking the beans in water overnight before cooking can eliminate many of the indigestible sugars.

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M W E D N E S DAY, A P R I L 1 3, 2 0 1 6

SECTION

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

VACANCY

D2

CARGO

D4

D7

QUALITY APARTMENTS FOR RENT ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

Ϯ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ njĂŝďĂ ;ďĞŚŝŶĚ D E ^ŚŽǁƌŽŽŵͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϯϲϬͬͲ͘ Ϯ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ 'ŚŽďƌĂ ;ŶĞĂƌ /ŶĚŝĂŶ ^ĐŚŽŽůͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϯϱϬͬͲ͘ Ϯ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ ;ďĞŚŝŶĚ ĞŶƚƌĞ WŽŝŶƚͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϰϯϬͬͲ͘ Ϯ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ ;ŶĞĂƌ dĞĐŚŶŝĐĂů ŽůůĞŐĞͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϯϱϬͬͲ͘ Ϯ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ ;ďĞŚŝŶĚ <& Ϳ Λ Z͘K͘ ϯϲϬͬͲ͘ Ϯ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ ;ďĞŚŝŶĚ ^ĂŐĂƌ WŽůLJ ůŝŶŝĐͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϯϮϬͬͲ͘ Ϯ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ ŽǁƐŚĞƌ ;ŶĞĂƌ ů ŵĞĞŶ DŽƐƋƵĞͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϰϬϬͬͲ͘ Ϯ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ ů &ĞůĂũ Λ Z͘K͘ ϯϱϬͬͲ͘

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ϭ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ tĂƩĂLJ ; ŶĞĂƌ ,ŽŶĚĂ ^ŚŽǁƌŽŽŵͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϮϱϬͬͲ͘ ϭ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ ,ŽŶĚĂ ZŽĂĚ Λ Z͘K͘ ϮϯϬͬͲ͘ ϭ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ ŵĂƌĂƚ Λ Z͘K͘ ϭϳϱͬͲ͘ ϭ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ 'ŚŽďƌĂ ;ŶĞĂƌ /ŶĚŝĂŶ ^ĐŚŽŽůͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϮϳϱͬͲ͘ ϭ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚƐ ŝŶ DĂǁĂůĞŚ ;ďĞŚŝŶĚ sĞŐĞƚĂďůĞ DĂƌŬĞƚ Ϳ Λ Z͘K͘ ϮϬϬͬͲ͘ ϭ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚ ŝŶ ů <ŚŽĚŚ ;ŶĞĂƌ ^ƚĂĚŝƵŵͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϮϬϬͬͲ͘ ϭ ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŇĂƚ ŝŶ DĂďĞůĂŚ ;ŶĞĂƌ dŚLJŵŽŽƌ DŽƐƋƵĞͿ Λ Z͘K͘ ϭϴϬͬͲ͘ ;W͘ŶŽƚĞ ͗ dŚĞ ĂďŽǀĞ ŵĞŶƟŽŶĞĚ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƌĞ ͗ ZĞŶƚ ƉĞƌ ŵŽŶƚŚͿ͘

For Enquires Please Contact : 24 702 666

Fax: 24-703666. Email: manju@alhabib.om

FOR RENT Contact : 95399988, 24942600 Email - property@ikhtiar.om Showroom 2 Side Facing I CBD OPP. B.M. Showroom Space I CBD OPP. B.M. Office With Partition I CBD OPP. B.M. Flat 3 BHK I MBD Nr.Sheraton Flat 2 BHK With Terrace I MBD Nr.Sheraton Flat 1 BHK - 2 BHK I MBD Nr.Sheraton Small Offices With Partition I MBD Nr.Sheraton Villa 4 BHK+M.Room+S.Pool I Qurum 29 Nr. MSQ Flat 2 BHK I Khwair 33 Nr. Maya New building - Maintenance company provided- Caretaker Cleaner - A.C.- Multiple Elevators- Central settelite system Good Parking Space

COMEX 2016 VISIT US AT STALL

N.O: 1629 Printers, Laptops & PC’s, CD’s, DVD’s & Flash Drives & Cartridges

All HP, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, Samsung Cartridges also available.

Ruwi: 24 792 792 Sohar: 2684 2420

GOOD PRICE!!!

GOOD PRICE!!!

GOOD PRICE!!!

Available on very GOOD prices

GOOD PRICE!!!

GOOD PRICE!!!

GOOD PRICE!!!

RENT

GOOD PRICE!!!

D

GOOD PRICE!!!

D2

W E D N E S D AY, A P R I L 1 3 , 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

Top Finish New- Res-5 apartments- 2 bhk/maid room 550/450, 3 bhk- 550, 1 BHK-350 2. Al Kuwair New 3 bhk, posh. Kit.fur,s.pool-700, 3 bhk +maid,ind.villa-650/3. Wadi Kabir 1/2 bhk-250/300/350 4. Al Kodh Villa 5 Bhk- Compounded 550/5. Qurum(Comm) Sama Center-Brand New 114/122/129 sq.mt 6. Azaiba (Comm) 'h dĞĐŚ ďůĚŶŐͲ ͘ ͬ͘ŇŽŽƌŝŶŐͬĐĞŝůŝŶŐ

FOR RENT

1. Qurum

Tel: 24571962/63 Mob: 94289050/ 95495281 Email: samain009@yahoo.com

OFFICES FOR RENT AT AZAIBA Prime location on service road (previously occupied by A'Saffa Foods) near Al Turky and Mazda showroom.

- 2 BHK flat available directly from the owner, at Azaiba.

Contact: 99229263, 93221054, 95215289

DĂĚŝŶĂƚ ^ƵůƚĂŶ YĂƐ ͗^ŚŽǁƌŽŽŵͬKĸĐĞ Ăƚ 'ƌŽƵŶĚ &ůŽŽƌ͕ ϯϰϬ ^Ƌ Mtr. Facing main Road HAR Complex MSQ : 2,3-BHK Flats and 2 & 3 BHK villas with

ͬ ͕ĐĂƌ ƉĂƌŬŝŶŐ͕ ^ǁŝŵŵŝŶŐ WŽŽů ;'ĂƚĞĚ ŽŵƉůĞdžͿ Qurum : 6 BHK villa with garden, split Acs, shaded car parks, servant rooms DĂďĞůůĂ ͗ Ϯ ,< &ůĂƚƐ ǁŝƚŚ ;ďƌĂŶĚ ŶĞǁ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐͿ Darsait : 1 & 2-BHK Flats with AC & Shop Ruwi : 2-BHK & 3-BHK Flats and shops Al Amerat : 2 & 3-BHK Flat , 3 & 4-BHK Villa with A/C

For viewing please call 99466729, 99316410, 92841690, 91313271, 24694088 or email us on :hartc@omantel.net.om

Quality Warehouses for rent at Mizfa 550 sqm to 3400 sqm.

Contact 99332291 / 96046951

FOR RENT

Store space in Al Wattayah.

Contact 99382489 / 99263443

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

1BHK Mumtaz. Contact: 92144045 1 BHK M.B.D R.O 250/-. Contact: 92144045

Flat in Wadi Al Kabir 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 family hall, kitchen & 3 bathrooms. Contact: 99277787 Flat for rent in Wadi Kabeer near India Primary School 2B & 1K. Contact: 92222922 150 Sq mtr available GF + MEZ Office + showroom + store location Honda road Ruwi. Contact: 99345044 / 91480682

2 BHK Ghubra R.O 325/-. Contact: 92144045 1&2 BHK Darsait. #92144045 2& 3 BHK in Al Khuwair RO 375/-, RO 400/-. Contact: 92144045 1BHK at Al Falaj R.O 190/-. Contact: 92144045 Single room for rent 50/RO water & electricity near Khimji Mart Muttrah. Contact: 97477670

Villa at Azaiba 7 rooms attach bath at 18th November road. Contact: 9224748 / 99332297

Flat for rent well maintained 2/3 BHK flats at Wadi Kabir near Indian School (Main). Contact: 91274090 / 24793982

1BHK at Hamriya near Muscat Pharmacy & 2 BHK at Mawaleh near Mosque Sadiq Al Amin. Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

1000 sqm Industrial space with office and accommodation, near Grand Mosque, Ghala. contact 99364938

Office space small in Azaiba. Contact: 99428143 3 Room with kitchen & Bathroom in Alkhuwair, short terms. #99792181 Flats in Qurum. Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Studio flat for rent in Al Khoud R.O 150/- PM inc , W/E. #92815139 Flats in Darsait. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

1 BHK in Azaiba. Contact: 99385835 / 99428143

Flats in Wadi Kabir. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

2BHK flat near Wadi Adai signal R.O 280/- negotiable. Contact: 97645436

Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35)#94051789 / 97201688

Flat for rent in Ruwi, Mumtaz area 2 bedrooms. Contact: 24291500 / 91409667

1BHK Ghubra R.O 275/-. #92144045 Office & 2B/R with 3 toilets directly from owner, near Dolphin Complex Bausher. Contact 92158031

*Tourist visa arranged

New flat at Al Wadi Al Kabir. Contact: 96130797 / 92130703 1000 sq mtrs industrial land for rent in Ghala suitable for warehouse workshop etc. Contact 24700120 / 92584715 2bed rooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality. contact 92584715 / 24700120 Ware houses in Hay Aseem Barka, 11000 m2 near round about new Beach road at Al Khoud location open store with office. Contact: 92959129 Warehouse for rent at Ghala Ind. Area. 800 & 2500 approx sqms Near Hotel Al-Madinah Holiday, Ghala. Container can enter. Immediate access to roads & highways.

Contact : 94583320

Flats in Muttrah. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

Flat for rent Al Khoud room 3, hall, kitchen & bathroom. #91153933

Offices in Ghala. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

Villa for rent 6 rooms, hall, living room, kitchen, 7 Bathroom in Al Khoud. Contact: 91153933

Brand new villas in Al Ansab. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

One room, bathroom for rent Bousher. Contact: 91153933

2 Bhk Flat in Alkhuwair. #99792181

Furniture flat for rent Bousher 1 room, 1 bath room, Kitchen & hall.

Contact: 91153933

Offices & Showrooms in Mutrah.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Duplex villa in QURUM 29. Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Offices & Showrooms in Al Khoud.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Flat for Rent 2 bed room Near ISM muscat Indian Scoole Dar sate Tel : 00 968 95158570 2BHK with split / AC in W.K behind Sana Fashion. Contact: 96635026 Villa for rent Ghubra 5 rooms, 5 bathroom, kitchen & hall. Contact: 91153933

Flat for rent Bousher, 2 rooms, 1 hall, dining hall, 2 bathrooms & Kitchen. Contact: 91153933 Flat in Al Khuwair opp grand mall 4 room 3 toilet + hall kitchen in 3 floor 400. Contact 99420346 Shops / flats available in Honda Road, Ruwi & Mabellah Industrial area. Contact 24833972/ 24833974/ 99367448 1 Bed room, sharing K& T, R.O 100, 2 bedrooms , sharing K& T R.O 200/- in Al Khuwair. contact 95154331

2 BR, 2 bath, a kitchen, a yard , with AC, separate enterance, AlKhuwair near Ibis hotel. PDC. RO 250 .. Call 97056443 Readymade office space for rent (240sm) in Bank Melli Iran Building, MBD area, Ruwi, opposite Center point. Contact: 99011352 2BHK Ghala, new bldg with A/C, 325/- R.O. Contact: 99024730 1+2+3 BHK Al Khuwair. Contact: 99024730 Available - fully furnished 2 bedroom apartment ( 12 nos) & fully furnished studio flats (10 nos) -location near Sohar Port - Contact : 94532131 Available - Fully furnished labor camp and executive accommodation - ready for occupation-location near Sohar Port - Contact 94532131 4 BHK commercial villa in Al Khuwair 33. Contact 99792181 Office & shop space in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99792181

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DAILY GUIDE

FOR RENT 2 BHK office in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 1 & 2 BHK flat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 3 BHK fully furnish flat in Al Hail.

Contact 99792181 Furnished office (61M2) for sale / rent Al Khuwair near Zawawi Mosque. Contact: 95611569 2BHK Wadi Kabir R.O 300/-. Contact: 92144045 Flat for rent in South AlGhubrah 3 rooms, hall and 3 toilets, kitchen rent 450/-. Contact: 99335580 2,200 sq mtr factory area & 800 sq mtr store with 8 accommodation rooms and 10 office cabins available for rent in Barka industrial area. Contact 91398381 / 80 / 78, email - agsan2005@gmail.com 02 BHK residential flat opposite to Al Nahdha hospital.

Contact: 99342733 /99795241 Two bedrooms flat in Al Ghobrah near Oman Oil of 18 November Street.

OMR 330 Monthly.#99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955.

1 Bed room, sharing K& T, R.O 100, 2 bedrooms , sharing K& T R.O 200/- in AL Khuwair. #95154331 Flat for rent 2 BHK 2 split A/C, 2 toilets, Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti Masjid. #97007934 / 92629232 Warehouse at Wadikabir - total area 3500 sqm - covered warehouse (500sqm), office, accommodation (1000sqm), open area (2000sqm) please contact: 99273774 - 99202278

FOR SALE

ACC. AVAILABLE

Paver, ABG Titan - 4732, Bitelli tandom roller, bitelli - PTR roller, Bomag combination roller, shovel SDLG. Contact: 92964673

Room + bathroom furnished for Executives, Wadi Kabir. #99336206

Used 7 seater sofa, bedset, cot, bed, TV& TV cabinet, bunk bed, piano etc.

Contact: 96145820 Dental Clinic for sale in Seeb. Contact: 96373097 / 92882209 Show room for sale in Ruwi main rood big space around 200 sqm.

Contact: 93333951 / 93333957 An excellent condition portacabin 1 x 40’ for sale in Ghala. Rate negotiable contact 99509460 Coffee shop for sale in Al Khuwair 33. Contact: 92994415 Villas in Al Khoud.#95056808 / 97201688

Single room in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 92177850 Room with attached bathroom available in Ruwi for Executive bachelors.

Contact 95527969 Single room non cooking bachelor, near Darsait round about. Contact: 92120626 Fully furnished bachelor sharing at Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99325387 Available sharing accommodation, opposite Al Maya Wadi Kabir in 2 bedroom flat. #95470129 OMR-130.for family/ladies in Darsait room w/AC, toilet & S/ kichen.95323562 Sharing Accommodation available for working ladies opposite Al Nadhah Hospital. Preferably Indians. Room with seperate toilet and sharing kitchen.RO.90. #96524717

3BHK in Qurum P.D.O high 350/Monthly. Contact: 99342661

Luxury Apartments in Boucher (35).

Contact 95056808 / 97201688

2BHK split A/C 200/- Monthly & 1BHK spilt A/C 150/- monthly new building good location Barka Market. #99342661

Single colorful Bed and Sofa for Sale at Al Khuwair.#92881849 /What`s up No 97290565

New building Wattayah main road, showroom & office space. contact 94300909

Furniture and other treatment items for Ayurvedic clinic. #97986525

Furnished apartment for rent, two rooms, majlis, hall, kitchen.

Near Carrefour al-mawalah. #99336776

Steel Scrap materials for immediate sale # 99273774/ 99202278

Small old house for rent in Al Ghoubra. Contact : 97165972

Almost new beach/ garden lounge chairs /bar stools/ counter. Photos can be sent 95865457

Sharing for Executive females at Mumtaz area. Contact: 97094797

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 For rent and investment Land industrial shops in Rusayl.

Contact: 99323957 / 95490842

400 sq mtrs Commercial/Residential land in Mabela Phase 5 Block 2. OMR 165 Thousand. CONTACT 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955

2BHK Big Size Flat Behind Bank Muscat, Wadi Kabir. Near ISWK. 97826454, 24815012.

A well running pharmacy for sale at prime location. Contact- 99627621, 93240949

New flats for rent at Darsait near to Ministry of Sports, Mumtaz area the flats includes, 1 living room, 2 bedroom, kitchen, 3 toilets, every rooms with split A/C high quality finishing rent per flat is R.O 340/- . Interested candidates please CONTACT 00968 92225523

FOR SALE Restaurant for sale (Indian, Chinese, Arabic food ). #91181765 / 95411354 For sale furnished office at Darsait rent P/M 260/- for sale. Contact 91391343

Space for printing press available at wadikabir with or without machinery. Contact 99328430 Shop for sale near Oman House, Muttrah. Contact 99024362.

Urgent sale of steel scrap only serious buyers kindly #+968 96725423 for viewing the items.

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: #99273774/ 99202278

Room available for Executive bachelor at Al Hail. contact 96234708 Room for rent with furniture.

Al Bustan village.#93687466 Furnished room attached bath for Indian bachelor, Al-Falaj Ruwi & lady Wadi Kabir near Mars hypermarket. CONTACT 96202458/96761960 Furnish bedroom with attach bathroom for executive bachelor.

Contact: 97704794 Room with attached bathroom for a family in Wadi Kabir. #97167857 Room with attached bathroom and sharing kitchen available for Executive bachelor or small family at wadikabir Contact 93049849 Room available in Mumtaz area 1 room, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen & 1 room, common bathroom. Interested pleasecontact 92680041 Mr. Altaf

GOOD NEWS 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

WANTED IELTS Coaching (academic) required nearby wadi Kabir area. Please call on mobile or msg on Whats up. Mobile no: 92927880/99012165

DRIVING

32 yrs BE + MBA male Ezhava working as Senior Engineer in Muscat Kerala Matrimony ID E1415525. Contact: +919846672390 Kerala Christian Marthoma boy from Adoor, working in Oman MBA graduate seeks suitable alliance.

Contact: 99852167 Tamil Hindu Brahmin Iyer Boy. Parents invite proposal for their only son 25 yrs / 6.1 ht / B.Tech (NIT), MBA (IIM), EX- ISM student, employed MNC Bangalore Star Uttirathdhi seeks suitable alliance fom Iyer/Iyenger families. Parents in Oman #98288925 / 92264915

AVAILABLE Party & Wedding equipment rentals.

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

MATRIMONIAL

MATRIMONIAL Indian male Roman Catholic 40yrs divorcee working in Muscat.

Seeks suitable alliance from widow/ divorcee/ single.contact 96059801.

Malankara Catholic Male Nurse (28) from Thiruvalla working in Nizwa Private Co. Alliance invites parents/nurses working in Oman. #968 98267338, 0091 9287215726

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W E D N E S D AY, A P R I L 1 3 , 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

DAILY GUIDE

SITUATION WANTED SIT.WANTED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

SENIOR SALES MANAGER REQUIRED

REQUIRED ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

Global Axis Co. LLC dealing with multinational, HQ in Oman, is looking for immediate appointment of a SENIOR SALES MANAGER with Gulf experience, Degree in Electronics / Electrical Engineering, with minimum of 10 years experience in sales of lighting projects (5 years as manager) a proven track record, must be task oriented, fluent in Arabic & English with Omani D/L. Age 35 to 40 years. Must be able to join in 6 weeks.

Having B.E. in Electrical Engineering Min. 5 Years Experience in Oman With Driving License and Valid C.E.P License

Only suitable candidates can send their CV’s with picture to: hrgaxis@gmail.com before 20th April 2016. www.gaxisintl.com

Contact : 95697401 Send CV to: cemec@omantel.net.om

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE 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 available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately. contact 98263394

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Seeking job 17 years Oman experienced MEP draftsman. Contact: 91110270 Electrical Draughtsman (Diploma), Indian Male having more than 8 years’ experience (4 years in Oman). NOC available. Contact 93957480, 96903942. Email : dennydavid007@gmail.com

Revit autocad d/man , diploma cert

REQUIRED -

Periodontist Peadodontist Nurse (10 yrs experience).

Likes to work in a team Respectful, caring & friendly - Has good professional attitude

Send CV to : 1979hds@gmail.com

URGENTLY REQUIRED For a reputed Food Stuff whole seller and Catering Supplier.

1. SALES EXECUTIVE- 01 NO 2. ACCOUNTANT- 01 NO Minimum 3 years experience in same field. Salary negotiable, good communication skills, driving license is must for Sales Executive.

Interested candidates may please forward their CV’s to:

nft49@yahoo.com

10 yrs of Oman experience capable of handling large accounts, looking for suitable placement in senior sales / business development position. Contact : 98987654

Urgently Required Expatriate Furniture Carpenters, for a well established furniture manufacturing company.

Minumum experience of 2/3 years required in the same field.

ADMIN

Intreseted candidates please mail CV to mds@zakoman.com or call 94250003 for appointment.

Indian, 20 years experience in Oman as personal assistant / office manager / administrator seeks change of job with release - 99168054, mbkishore@hotmail. com

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

MEDICAL

SALES / MARKETING

SITUATION WANTSIT.WANTED

Required urgently an experienced Accountant having 2-3 years experience. Send your resume by e-mail : sasiram@seehsarya.com

Urgently required Pharmacist & MOH licensed female Dentist for a reputed polyclinic. Send CV : manageribnalhaitham@yahoo.com or contact 96721709.

Required indoor Salesman for building material shop with 3 years.

Contact: 96374344 Email: sandeepvalapad@gmail.com

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Wanted a male Accountant with knowledge of finalization. Contact : 91067751, email - georgyjacob7@ gmail.com

BEAUTICIAN Very urgently required a Gulf experienced professional Hair dresser cum beautician (lady) for a reputed beauty salon. Immediate appointment visa available.

Contact: 99816262 /98557585 Fax: 24796211 Email: skin.hair. makeup@gmail.com

CATERING Wanted a Catering Supervisor with experience in Oman. #91067751, email - georgyjacob7@gmail.com

DRIVER Required driver for building & electrical material Company in Ghala with valid Oman driving license.

Contact 99345044 / 91480682

Required Gynecologist, Lab technician, X Ray technician. contact 99030773 Email: kunoozghala@ gmail.com Lab Technician, Omani Female PRO cum Receptionist, Male Receptionist cum Insurance Coordinator, Specialist Doctor Radiologist, General Practitioners, Cont.95220350, bmdcsg@yahoo.com Required gynecologist GEN: practitioner lady lab Technician and pharmacologist immediately for a clinic in Suwaiq. contact 95081010 Email: umchealthcare@ gmail.com Wanted Staff Nurse for a dermatology clinic in Muscat .

Must have MOH license and NOC. Attractive salary offered. Email: clinicvacancy2015@gmail.com GP doctor needed for reputed clinic. Preferably with MOH license or with Dataflow & Paramatics pass Contact: 95388934

SKILLED LABOUR

Wanted driver. Contact: 91025698

EDUCATION English Medium Private school in Sinaw, urgently required well experienced Kindergraten & Primary Teachers with IELTS / TOEFL for English, Science, Mathematics & Arabic.

Contact 968 98927055 / 91782709, Email : samintrnationalschoolsinaw@ gmail.com

ENGINEER/MECHANIC.

UPVC windows & doors factory operator with Gulf exp. Contact: 99010141 Email: mazin@alsahib.net Reputed contracting company requires following: Q.S swimming pool (auto cad exp), pool technician and pool cleaners. Minimum 5 years Gulf experience preferred. Contact: asdekamuscat@gmail.com Required A/C Technicians, Carpenters, Electricians, Plumbers, Painters, General Helpers. Contact 94147874 / 24504281. Email : globalaccessunited@gmail.com

Required Hydraulic Mechanic. Contact 95251213

MISCELLANEOUS Engineering firm in Ghala requires Graduate / Electrical Diploma or ITI as field & office support staff male/ female.

Send CV to natcoed@gmail.com Site Supervisor with knowledge (Civil/Elect Diploma) in reading Site Drawing for excavation.#91396893 Email CV excavation330@gmail.com

MANAGER Required urgently, experienced Supervisor, Graduate with oil & gas experience as Site Supervisor with valid D/L. Contact: 94027279 Email: hrmuscat2016@gmail.com

MEDICAL Urgently required female Staff Nurse (two) with or without M.O.H license, good package. Contact after 5:00 P.M on Mobile: 99253650 or send C.V on dr.kamalsaqib@ yahoo.com Urgently required female Gynecologist D.G.O or M.C.P.S with minimum 3 years of experience, with or without M.O.H license, very good package. Contact after 5.00 P.M on Mobile: 99253650 or Send C.V dr.kamalsaqib@yahoo.com Wanted B-Pharmacist (lady) for Sohar. Contact 99767605 Urgently required MOH licensed Lab technician, Dietitian and Nurse for a reputed center at Azaiba. Please contact: 92724345 / 91960401

Required candidates for following posts: Accountant, Storekeeper, Foreman Building Maintenance, Van-salesman (water), Helpers. Candidates with Omani driving license preferred. contact 99273774/99202278

SALES / MARKETING Required experienced Estimation Executives, Sales Engineers / Sales Executives, with Local release for Reputed Electrical Trading Company.

Interested please send detailed CV to: mctjobvacancy@gmail.com A leading management consulting firm in Muscat requires specialist in Qualitative & Quantitative Market / Consumer research to lead the division. Kindly send your resumes to advance@omantel.net.om or Fax us at +968-24792175 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 A Leading company selling printing consumables looking for Sales Executive. Preferred candidate with experience in selling digital wide format printing consumables & offset printing consumables and with Omani driving license. Send CV to hrgmuscat@gmail.com

Urgently required Sales Executives, Operations Executive import & export, for a reputed freight forwarding company in Muscat candidates with Oman D/L and minimum 2 yrs experience in similar field preferred. Interested candidates may send C.V to r ecruitment.oman@yahoo.com

SITUATION WANTSIT.WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE 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 28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement.#90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com Indian male, 24 yrs, Graduated with specialization in Accounting 2 years experienced C.A.CPT completed. #94628086 / 97315091 Indian male 34 years MBA finance & marketing 7 years experience in Indian accounts / Administration currently in Muscat on family visa. #98104991 Email: sureshkr01@gmail.com Accountant 8 Years experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084 Part-time Accounting up to finalization, Auditing, Taxation and Project Finance assistance - 91044655 Male Accountant M.Com (finance & accounts) having 3 years experience in accounts looking for available job on visit visa. Contact: 94648575 CMA & CIA qualified finance professional with 13 years of me experience in FMCG industries as well as various other industries available for immediate permanent job openings. #94543660

Indian male 26 years B.Com, having 4 years experience in Accounts with valid driving license & NOC available on visit visa looking for suitable job in Accounts. Contact 90311936

MBA Finance Indian male, Fresher seeking opportunity in financial sector. Immediately available. Contact 93990638 sachu0318@gmail.com Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job. #93953613 , Email allen.mathew83@ gmail.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, 5 yrs Oman, 12 Yrs UAE experience in Manufacturing & construction companies Valid D/L Immediately available. Email: Irfan_syed2000@hotmail.com, Call: 95389018 22 years B.Com with 1 year exp in accounting, auditing with good working knowledge in Tally ERP-9 looking for a suitable placement now on visit visa. Contact: 97189500 Part time Accountant up to finalization. Contact: 91126314 Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience ready to join immediately. Contact: 98263394 Male CA finalist B.Com having 5 years experience with big four audit firms looking for suitable job on visit. Contact: 92230543 Email: m.naveednaseer@gmail.com BBA finance experience 2 years Assistant accountant 24 years, 2 years stay visa. Contact: 93150918 Indian male: B.Com. with 4 years experience in Tally ERP Accounts, Ready to join immediately for Accounts, Store & Sales. Contact: 94813962, Email:rajeshkumawat166@gmail.com

Part time accountant, up to finalization, looking for job after 5 pm (location prefer - MSQ to Al Hail). #95694737

M. Com Accountant 3 years experience, 3 Star hotel Tamil Nadu Indian immediately available. Contact : 92831400 / 96051737

Accountant available with NOC, plus 10 years experience up to finalization of Accounts on Tally ERP9, ready to join immediately. #97667273 Email: babujashid@ gmail.com

Jordanian Senior Accountant 15 yrs experience in Oman finance & accounts. Contact : 92881223

ACCA Qualified, 26 female with 3 years work experience looking for suitable position in Accounting / finance. Contact: 91322423 Filipino Male, 24 Years Old.. looking for job, have experience in Cargo & Logistics/ Rent a Car/ Real Estate/ Finance & Accounts/ customer service and as Travel Agent. Hard working and with good computer and communication skills having Omani driving license. GSM: 95370052

Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Please contact 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

2D autocad Drafting (free lancer / part time) arch, MEP, Shopdrawing.

Contact : 97103168

Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR PH :92279784

DRIVER Light vehicle driver with 5 years exp looking for job. Contact: 92171166

Driver want job. #95892363 Light driver Pakistani wanted job.

Contact: 94182695

Indian male 25, 4 years experience & Arabic speaking with D/L seeking suitable opportunity interested in Sales & Marketing also. Contact: 91266733 Email: safvank.k9@gmail. com

ACCA finalist with 2 years of experience in a Construction Company as an Accountant in United Kingdom here on visit visa for 3 weeks from 12 April - 3 May. Contact: 99171627

MBA finance from Pakistan with 4 years experience in Accounts & finance department currently in Muscat on family visit visa, 27 yrs.

Contact: 90590037 Email: numanaslamcfo@gmail.com, nouman_aslam2006@yahoo.com

Indian male – MBA (HR) & Engineering graduation with total 10 years of experience in HR & Admin ( 3 yrs of Oman Exp.) along with hands on experience in technical bid submission for all Government & PDO tenders ready to join immediately with NOC. Contact @ 91240251/ Email; kvaradhan@hotmail.com

attsd. exp salary 200-acco. ph: 9227 9784

CA finalist Indian with 7 years experience having D/L & NOC looking for Senior Accountant / Chief Accountant position. #98097009 Email: rameesnm@gmail.com ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance. contact 99284193 Fresher 24, ACCA Affiliate, Advanced diploma in Accounting and Business seeking suitable placement in Accounts, Finance or Audit with Oman driving license. #- 92430152 Email - raju.rd619@ gmail.com Indian, Executive with 5+ years experience in HSBC etc, done with MBA, M.Com, DMM, M. Phil seeks a suitable position. Contact: 90369540 Email: abilashraji@gmail. com

Jordanian Graduate with experience in Administrator jobs available for immediate placement.

Contact : 94662712 / 94770990

8 years experience in Oman. Contact: 95587206

Light duty driver, 3 yrs Oman exHR Manager (Indian Male – 41 Yrs) PG in HR, working for MNC having 12 years of experience in Oman. Handling SAP-HR, Talent Acquisition, IR, Payroll, Visas & allied administration. Holding Valid Omani D/L & car. Seeks suitable placement. Contact 96792103 Indian female (MBA/CIPD), having more than 6 years of experience, working in Oman as HR Manager looking for job. Contact hrjoboman@gmail.com 97288278.

UAE/UK/Oman Experienced Graduate Male33 seeking administration Job. Diplomas in IT & Finance too. Driving licenseTel:94496642 Omani National looking for a suitable placement in Sales or Administration. Contact: 94700691 A young dynamic post graduate with 2 years work experience in business operations looking for suitable placement. Contact 98564880 or maccmuscat@ gmail.com B.Com 3 years business process outsourcing. Contact: 94657273 Indian male, 25, 4+ years of experience as an Office Administrator looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 92600859 Email: sm24blue@gmail.com Teacher female 27 yrs, MCA 5 yrs experience in teaching in India currently on visit visa seeking for a suitable placement. Contact: 96709509 Email: viyannifd@ gmail.com Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817 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 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, MBA with 3 years GCC experience seeks job in Muscat. Posses Valid Oman D/L. Currently under visit visa and can join immediately. E mail : tssavad@gmail.com contact: 00968 98896847

ARCHITECT Architect exp.7 years, 4 years in

GCC Architectural design interior sites 3D Max AutoCAD, Photoshop.

Contact: 93238813 Email: mohammedbardab@gmail.com

perience seeks placement. Contact: 91362475

Light driver looking for job 4 yrs Exp in Oman. Contact :92681457

Driver with Oman experience 11 yrs available. Contact: 92374955

Driver LMV driver with 3 years experience. Contact: 93143027

Pakistani looking for driving job with 3 yrs experience. Contact: 95776320

Light Duty Driver seeks job. Contact: 94182497

Bangladeshi male light driver exp 16 years need job. Contact: 99165961

Driver 3/6 years experience, I have 2 years experience out door sales man in led light, Pakistani, Oman experience 6 years. Contact: 94565993 / 92627855

Light Duty Driver with 2 yrs exp. in Muscat seeks placement. Contact: 91659265

Family driver available. contact 92943094

EDUCATION/TRAINING Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement.

Contact : 99739415 / 92091528

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Indian female 23 years Engineering Electronics and communications, well knowledge in C and JAVA, presently in Muscat seeking suitable placement. Contact: 90320846 Email: kavyahiremath499@gmail. com Electrical Engineer having 8 years experience in Gulf seeking suitable placement can join immediately, have knowledge all kind of MEP project. Contact: 96535204 Indian male 22, Chemical Engineer residing in Oman looking for suitable placement. Contact: 92379181 Civil Engineer, 6 yrs experience with Omani driving license, local release available. #91693008 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 HSE officer, Indian male 27, 1.5 years exp call: 90649152, 98205818 Indian Mechanical Engineer (B.tech)23. With qualification in Qa-QC,HVAC and Piping.1 year experience. Ready to join immediately.

Contact: 92365040

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED 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

Sales & Marketing specialist with 16 yrs experience in Oman in MNC retails telecom lubes construction related industry handled various projects, holding valid Oman driving license, release available.

Contact 96960991

Indian male, MCA (Post Graduate) fresher

seeking suitable placement anywhere in Oman, now on visit visa.

Contact 92319677, Email : ismabsc@gmail.com

Electrical and Electronics Engineer looking for a job & interested in any available role Nationality Sudanese have valid visa for 2 years. Contact 97304565 Graduation, tool and die engineering & tool designer, have two and half years experience in pess tool and moulding , I know CAD, CATIA , PROE software’s now in Oman. Contact: 95287978 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 Electrical Engineer (B.E) 8+ yrs experience, NOC & release available with valid D/L. Contact 968 94374735 Mechanical Engineer with 15 yrs Exp in steel fabrication, quality, design, material estimation, sales engineering. Contact: 97093241, Email: abdelmuhssin@gmail.com Diploma in Civil Engineer having 8 years experience in Oman with driving license, internal release available urgently. Contact: 95387537 / 90524700 M.Tech Mechanical Engineer from NIT, India with 1 year experience on visiting visa, ready to join immediately. Contact: 99742424 Email: viginmalakaran@gmail.com Civil Engineer (B.Tech) Indian male 24 yrs having 1+ year experience in Industrial construction with good communication skills and software knowledge, looking for suitable position available on visit visa. Contact: 968 - 99779538 / 98694939 Email: arunsatyan92@gmail.com Sudanese Civil Structure Engineer 3 years looking for job in reputable company AutoCAD, Etabs, Staad Pro Omani driving license available.

Contact: 97906770 Engineer with 4 years experience in Oman in telecom operations looking for a suitable opportunity have valid driving license interested in marketing also. Contact: 98513495 Civil Engineer, bachelor degree driving license & experience in Oman.

Contact: 91102892 B.Tech Civil Engineer 7 yrs exp having valid Oman driving license need suitable replacement. #98052924 Email: imdadulsayor@gmail.com 25 yrs, male, B.Tech Electronic & Communication Electrical design Engineer, 2+ years in Multinational company industrial automation course + Electronic AutoCAD looking for suitable placement. #99586317 Email: info.anishantony@gmail.com Electrical Engineer, Indian male 24 years, BE (Electrical & Electronics) having 3 years of experience, seeking for suitable placement. #91917369 Road Engineer 10 years experience in Oman. Contact: 91274706 Civil Engineer 14 years of experience 8 years at GCC at Dar Al Handasah Consultant, Al Raghi Construction building & infrastructure culverts, bridges & road. #93068195 Email: hamadamans2007@yahoo.com Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp seeks suitable position ina reputed company. NOC available. #96789711 Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine. Available NOC release. Contact: 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.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. # 92835952. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Male QC inspector Mechanical, NDT 20 years experience valid Oman D/L , release available. conrtact 91001104

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 Indian female Quantity Surveyor Civil 11 years experience, local release available NOC.#95719108 Email: jishashibunair@gmail.com Graduate civil Engineer having 19 years Gulf experience seeks immediate employment in reputed firms in Muscat, NOC available. Contact: 99446786 / 93251306

Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman. contact:98921022 Electrical & electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH:93837973 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. #96570891 Network Engineer CCNA-MCSA exp computer science with NOC. Contact : 92346191

IT

Engineer Civil & M. Arch (RED) Indian (F) 25 yrs, B.Tech (Civil), now pursuing M. Arch - RED (Real Estate Development final semester thesis) completing

by June 2016, now available till 15th of April on visit visa seeks suitable placement in Oman. Contact: 968- 92743004 Email: tina.navya199ann@gmail.com

INDIAN FEMALE, 23 years, BSCCS Diploma in IAD graphics, well knowledge in computer applications 6 months experience presently in Sohar seeking suitable placement. Contact: 96670907.

Email: ammuch.4@gmail.com

Structural Engineer, ME, with 2 yrs exp proficient in ETABS, STAD, SAFE & Prokon, seeks job.

Contact: 050-9984535

B.Tech (IT) experience in Networking server & desktop management in corporate environment looking for suitable placement. Contact: 92954613

NDT / QA / QC Supervisor / Radiographer DAE Mechanical piping- vessel LPG Bozer Storage tank inspection experience 10 years. #96954202 Email: nasirarain86@ yahoo.com

Indian male 25 yrs B.Sc Computers Science, 3 yrs work experience in Computer hardware & networking & CCTV, security system looking for job (NOC) available. Contact: 93243372

Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 ph : 9227 9784

Indian male, B. Sc Computer Science, CCNA, MCP, 8 years exp. in system & networking now on visit visa, seeking suitable position. Contact: 91751472, rajeshr131@gmail.com

BE Mechanical Engineer, 6 years experience in piping & structural work release available. Contact: 96115463 Email: jijoraju085@yahoo.com

Omani 26 (M) Seeks placement 6 yrs experience IT specialist. #99025044

B. Tech mechanical Engineer having 8+ years exp having Omani driving license seeking suitable placement. Contact: 97841963 In Oman since 2010 March, building site supervisor with Oman D/L looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91507828 B. Sc Civil Engineer 27 yrs, Oman experience as Project Manager, Structural Engineer looking for suitable placement. NOC / local transfer available. Contact : 99349578 Email: farooqatm@hotmail.com Indian male with 5 yrs experience in CCTV (AV Technician) & 4 years experience as Supervisor / Billing section on visit visa now. #93570126 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 Indian female Project Engineer 15 yrs experience in Project Management Quality database management data analytics marketing business development haying Omani driving license seeks suitable placement presently on family visa having Omani experience. Contact : 95783792 Indian female (M. Tech, Power system) having Gulf experience seeking suitable placement in Oman currently in family visa. Contact: 94306164 / 91001194 An Electrical engineer with 4+ yrs of experience in Electrical network (MT, LT) with professional computer skills seeking for work.

Contact: 99841736 / 93955381/ +149922698343 Email: e.kmmh@hotmail.com Civil Engineer 6 years experience.

Contact: 90183630 Sudanese Mechanical Engineer 2 years experience, fire fighting HVAC on visiting visa. Contact : 95630047 Procurement Engineer (27 years single male with Oman Driving License) having 7 years experience (UAE 2, Oman 3) with expertise in MEP, Water, Electromechanical, Instrumentation seeking suitable placements. Contact 95852033, mail: hemal1988@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE

MISCELLANEOUS

with over 25 years in varied industries, presently working with a reputed group in Muscat, looking out for a suitable change.

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

Indian Male, 40 Years, B. Com, having 10 years experience in Oman, Tally &ERP- looking for suitable placement ( Local release and Oman driving license available.

Tel- 92469789

96491030 MEDICAL

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912

An experienced Chartered Accountant

IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India. contact 94672759 Female 24 yrs, 3 years in IT programmer now in Oman looking for suitable job. Contact: 96350234 INDIAN FEMALE COMPLETED M.C.A seeking for suitable jobs. Contact: 91409481 / 97308719

MANAGER Egyptian male 36 years Warehouse Manager, 7 years in Sultanate of Oman, 1 year in UAE, and 3 years in Egypt. Contact: +968 97200468 Email: ayman_mano1979@yahoo.com General/Divisional Manager MEP & Civil, MBA Operation, BE Electrical, 10 years experience in Oman & 10 years in India. Valid DL, release available. GSM. 92447102

MISCELLANEOUS Indian M.Com Graduate having 10 years experience in life and health insurance operations, seeking suitable job now in visit visa.

Contact: 99742424, Email : johnlawrence01@yahoo.com BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com

Indian Bsc Female Nurse with 6.5 years exp, 4 years in KSA. Passed Oman Pro Metric with 69%, completed data flow. Presently in Muscat in visit visa looking for a suitable placement. #94744900, 94742834, jincyalphonese@gmail. com

SKILLED/ UNSKILLED LABOUR

HOSPITALITY Indian male, 28 yrs B.Sc Hospitality Science with 5 yrs experience in Hospitality & banking Sectors in Oman & India seeks suitable placement, NOC available. #91383167

Electrician with plumber and A/C tech, with D/L. Contact: 95600418

MISCELLANEOUS S.T.P Operator 20 years experience in Oman. Contact: 93089468

SALES / MARKETING Indian male, 5 yrs exp in marketing & trading (Oman), dealt with International companies & product also having good knowledge in logistic and Admin with D/L & car, NOC available.

Contact 93639385 Email: faizenqidwai@gmail.com 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. #94123939 Email: 002015r@gmail.com Indian male (25) MBA / MMS (Marketing) on visit visa valid UAE driving license exp 2 yrs sales / marketing. Contact: 98089262 Indian male, 29 years BSc, Graduate, with Omani driving license and 7 years of sales experience in home appliances, IT products, mobile and traffic safety equipments currently working on employment visa, NOC available seeking for suitable placement immediately. Contact: 97890607 Email: ashrafambar@ gmail.com BE (Mech) MBA (UK) 32 yrs male having 7 yrs exp in Oil & Gas product / project Marketing looking for suitable placement in GCC. Contact: + 968 91104381 26 yrs Indian male MBA Marketing Sales / Marketing Executive, 3 yrs experience now available in Muscat on visit visa seeking placement for immediate joining. Contact: 95978874 Email: ansariafsar550@ gmail.com Indian male 32 B.Com and 7 years exp in Sales & marketing (Oman) seeking for suitable placement with valid D/L & release. Contact : 99164461 Email: mskooliyil@gmail. com Male 13 yrs exp in Sales & Marketing looking for a post of Senior Sales Manager in Oman presently working in UAE in consumer appliances company, having D/L GCC. Interested can Contact: 00971 561096660 Email: saairavi@rediffmail.com

Tea boy looking for job Name: Man Bahadar Contact No. 97859837 Indian Female on a visit visa having master degree seeking suitable placement in any field, 1 ,5 year experience in HR .#+968 91467576.

Indian male Kerala, B.com & B.PE. Currently on visit visa, looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store keeper etc. Ready to join as early as possible. Contact:-93301023, email:sajith3969@gmail.com Female Dentist with MOH license and NOC, 7 years experience 2 yrs out of them in Oman looking for a job.

Contact 97401243 27 years old Indian male looking hospitality jobs in Hotel. Experience in customer service, front desk, housekeeping supervisor, captain, cashier,guest relation manager.

Contact. +968-90351742Email. samubaid6@gmail.com 27 yearsold Indianmale looking Jobs in documents Collection executive.Experience in collection executive. Contact. +968-90358068Email wasimsaif04@gmail.com Indian male, 26 years old BA Graduate having 1 year experience in accounts finance field. Looking for suitable Job On visit visa immediately available. Contact 9565 9415 Anishkhan991867@gmail. Com ELECTRONICS ENGINEER Indian/male/24Yrs,Bsc.Electronics & Communications,ITI,1.7 Years experience as Service Technician in India.

On visit Visa, Looking For a Suitable Placement. Contact :92794176, Email:prathyushkp9@gmail.com B.Tech, MBA currently working in India in Bank. Contact: +918939857146 Email: sebimathew87@gmail.com Accountant cum cashier available.

Contact: 98002428 Pharmacist M. Pharm working in Oman for 2 years with MOH license Data flow completed. Contact : 98399415 Pakistani male 23 years old experience in travel agency - ticketing looking for a suitable job, NOC available.

Contact: 93253759

Indian Male 42 year’s, MBA, Sr. Material controller having 12 years experience in Oman with reputed companies. Having Oman driving License, Seeks suitable replacement immediately. Available NOC. Cont. 00968-92944026, Email – charanjeet35@yahoo.co.in ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN Indian/male/24Yrs,Bsc.Electronics & Comm,1.7 Years experience as Service Engineer in India. On visit Visa, Looking For a suitable placement. Contact : 92794176 E-mail:prathyushkp9@gmail.com Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer seeks suitable placement. #99514286 ELECTRONICS ENGINEER Indian/ male/24Yrs,Bsc.Electronics & Communications,ITI,1.7 Years experience as Service Technician in India, on visit Visa, looking For a Suitable Placement. Contact :92794176 ,E-mail: prathyushkp9@ gmail.com IT System Administrator 6 yrs experience, male, Filipino Desktop, Laptop and printer Support, Backup administrator, Router and switch Network, Server Administrator. +968 94134295 Female dentist with MOH license and NOC ready to join 7 years experience 2 of them in Oman. Contact 97401243 Indian male 28 years B.com, MBA 4 yrs experience in accounts / finance currently in Oman on visit visa looking for suitable placement. Contact: 93460277 Email: shineraj786@gmail.com Having 10 years exp. in Admin & HR in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat and seeking for suitable placement. Contact No.: 97693456. email : muralimahdav77@gmail.com Indian Male 42 year’s, MBA, Sr. Material controller having 12 years experience in Oman with reputed companies. Having Oman driving License, Seeks suitable replacement immediately. Available NOC. Cont. 00968-92944026, Email – charanjeet35@yahoo.co.in NOC available, Indian Male - MBA (HR) and B.E (E.I.E) with total 9 years of experience in HR & Admin and Business Development (3 yrs of Gulf exp.) can join immediately - 91240251 / kvaradhan@hotmail.com M. Sc Computer Science – 2 year Experience – in India, looking suitable Placement. Email:-elvisgt6@ gmail.com, Mob:-+91 9497482305 (INDIA), Oman:-98291626.

Indian, 30 years, B. Com with 2 years Oman experience in Tally ERP-9 available in Muscat seeking suitable positions. # on 95186652

Pakistani male having 7 years experience in General Salesman having valid D/L Looking for suitable placement. Contact: 97216830 Email: asim-samb5@yahoo.com

Indian male B.Tceh (ECE) MBA (HR) 2 years experience CCNA, CCNP, MCSE looking for suitable job , presently on employment visa release available. #95584814 Email: syedllizarat7@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer (B Tech) Indian male with 1 year experience on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact : 90510800, Email : muhammedjaseem07@gmail.com

Indian civil Engineer BE, with 16 years of Industry experience in design , Quantity surveying , billing looking for suitable job. #90302823 Email: prince.n@engineer.com

Sudanese looking for a suitable job holds the safety and health of OSHA certificate and computer exp. in Sales & safety and health (HSE).#91318822

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 : +968-93451439

ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN Indian/male/24Yrs,Bsc.Electronics & Comm, 1.7 Years experience as Service Engineer in India, On visit Visa, looking for a suitable placement. Contact : 92794176, Email:prathyushkp9@gmail.com

Young Indian male 24 yrs having 4 yrs marketing & sales experience in Oman looking for suitable placement holding valid driving license. Contac: 96913806 Email: shuhaibrajesh@ gmail.com

HSE Engineer, Indian male, 4 Plus years exp. in Oil & Gas, Working in Shclumberger, NEBOSH, IOSH, & NDT Certified, M Tech in HSE. CONTACTkrish.569@gmail.com, Mobile- +91 9867016808

B-tech Civil with honours, Civil Engineer (structures) Experience more than six years. #91431483. Email mohsinyousuf86@rediffmail.com

Indian male 37 years MBA graduate in marketing with 9yrs of experience in UAE in field of brand promotions & marketing with UAE D/L on a visit seeking suitable position. conatct 95792820

Indian male physiotherapist with 3 years of experience, with (moh license and NOC available. seeking suitable placement. contact 99767528, 91317863

Indian male 10 yrs experience in Sales, marketing manager field with D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact: 97205114 5 yrs experience in software and 2 yr in administration/accountant, looking for any part time or work from home official jobs contact no: 91711326 Sales Executive seeking suitable placement Oman driving license.

Contact 93533786

100% mason and building

construction work & 1 person helper need work & visa. contact 91139936

Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment. Call: 95244761

Indian male 40 yrs degree &

diploma in logistics 16 yrs experience (6 yrs GCC ) in storekeeping and inventory control with computer knowledge, seeking suitable placement NOC available.

Contact 98966849 / 96186573

MEDICAL 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 Indian female (MSC – Microbiologist) seeking suitable job. contact 96791162 / 90618567

Indian male 40 yrs SSLC, PDC knows MS Office & Tally 1 year Oman experience in Accounts & 2 yrs marketing experience valid Oman D.L. NOC available seeks suitable placements in marketing. contact 92409891 Email: danomon@yahoo.co.in

HSE Engineer,Indian male, 4 Plus years experience in Oil & Gas .Working in Shclumberger NEBOSH, IOSH, & NDT Certified, M Tech in HSE. CONTACT-krish.569@gmail. com #+91 9867016808

Electrical diploma Engineer Indian male 22 years, 2 years experience in control panel contact 93047707 adilm89@gmail.com

Indian male Network cabling technician ( 19-years gulf experience) seeking for suitable placement.

Contact : 0091-8089909265 (India), Email: mohithavp@gmail.com

Indian male Physiotherapist with MOH license and NOC looking for suitable job. Contact: 92617235

14 years experienced light driver with valid Oman license looking for suitable job. Contact 99442481

D6

W E D N E S D AY, A P R I L 1 3 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

LOST Farid Ullah has lost Pakistani

Passport No. BN 2746702. Finder please handover to ROP

SITUATION WANTED SIT.WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Indian Pediatric consultant, md with 20 years experience and wife gynecologist md with 15 years plus experience seeking opportunities with reputed hospitals in Muscat. deemaild@gmail.com

Indian male,16 years Oil & Gas experience ( Down Hole Tools ), 3 years in Oman, Dip. Mechanical Engineer, Having D/L and NOC. Email – jajisuni@yahoo.com, Mob : 965 956 18.

PROCUREMENT OFFICER, Indian-Male 34yrs,M.Com with 14 yrs work Exp.(8 yrs in Oman) working in Construction Co LLC( for ROAD,CIVIL,ELECTRO-MECHANICAL & Others Projects ) and having valid LT D/L, NOC available & ready to join within a month-M:94064650,Email: nagauae@gmail.com

Bangladeshi Male, University MA, Working as Store In-charge cum Logistic Manager in Muscat; searching better job.

Phone:91997605. email: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail. com

Indian male: 24 years, diploma in computer science and B.E(CSE) having experience in hardware and networking seeking for the suitable job. Contact: 91170912, Email id: sales2@witoman.com Indian male auto cad draughtsman (civil) 8 years experience, seeking for part time job. mobile no: 0096899070584. email: remluvp@gmail.com Civil Engineer (roads and structures) Education B. Tech Civil Engineering with honours experience more than six years.

Contact no 91431483 ,Email mohsinyousuf86@rediffmail.com Indian male 6 years exp in different field, with valid Oman driving license. Languages known Hindi, English, looking for any job(Driver for executives). Contact 98696795 HSE Engineer,Indian male, 4 Plus years Experience in Oil & Gas .Working in Shclumberger.

NEBOSH,IOSH, & NDT Certified, M Tech in HSE, #krish.569@gmail. com Mobile- +91 9867016808 Experienced B.Com graduate + IATA Diploma holder looking for Accounts/Admin/Travels related job. Mob. 91142997. NOC available .

Indian male B.A degree & diploma in hotel management with 16 years experience as restaurant & catering manager in Oman & Saudi with V/L Oman D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact : 92100141 MBA Graduate (Indian male 26 years) having 2 years experience in Qatar as admin assistant looking for suitable placement. contact 93041141 Email: mahinmehboob@ gmail.com Indian female, MBA with 9 yrs of experience in finance & procurement currently on family visa looking for suitable position in finance & supply chain. Contact 95622568 Draughtsman, 15 years’ experience, Indian male currently in Oman looking for suitable position.

Gsm – 95358115, 96977289, Email : pillairp41@ gmail.com Indian Female living in Ghubra Muscat near Emirates Shopping Center. 20 years of experience in Teaching. Able to handle all subjects till grade 6. Need suitable job.

Contact- 94406552 PART TIME ACCOUNTANT available, well experienced in accounting up to finalization. knowledge in tally also. contact. 92643875 Chief Accountant 25 years experienced looking for part/ full time accountant job. Contact: 95598477 / 98803439

8 plus years of experience in Events /Marketing Communication /conferences / Trainings / Media representation. Having UAE D/L. seeking Suitable Placement: Contact: 95792820. suheal.ma@ outlook.com Indian Male,Kerala,B.COM & B.PE having 13Years of Physical Education Teacher experience. Currently on visit visa Looking for a suitable job. Contact:- 968 94106834. email:-akhilrajkj@gmail.com.

Sudanese male, 5 years experience in warehouse management and logistics services contact 90644186 14 years experience in 5 star hotel as sales manager in UAE & INDIA on tourist visa looking for suitable opportunity please contact mobile contact 91305978 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 Indian Female on a visit visa having master degree seeking suitable placement in any field, 1 and half year experience in HR .Contact : +968 91467576 .

Indian Female, 24 MA Eng. Litr with 2 yrs experience in teaching & 14 months in Administration cum Secretary, Currently on visit visa, seeks suitable job.

Contact: 92613704/99260702, Email:rohinis2010@gmail.com Indian male, 8.5 yrs experience, B.Com Graduate with GCC exp & valid driving license looking for better job opening in Muscat.

Contact: 92609935 / 94771365 2 years experienced male seeking job related to safety. M. Tech in HSE, MSc in Environmental Science and IOSH certified. #94653264 Sri Lankan Male 34 BSc. (Physics) 5 years experience as a site manager and administration supervisor in Oman with valid D/L looking for a suitable position. contact 99153061 or v.chandramohan@ yahoo.co.uk Female Junior Architect Graduated from School of Planning & Architecture, Vijayawada. Excellence in Autocad, Sketching & Modelling. Internship - KHAM Designs, Bangalore. Presently with Atulya Architects & Associates.

Email saatvika.frozenmusic@ gmail.com #00968-94057427.

Mechanical Engineering 6 years experience. contact 00968-998907110091 9841867534 Email: sayed.fortuner88@gmail.con

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

FOR HIRE

SITUATION WANTED EDUCATION/CLASSES/COMP./WEB.

Grader, roller, bobcat, JCB 3CX, JCB 4CX with breaker & water tanker for rent. contact 93218705 / 24478450

Zil E Abbas Siddique Mohammad

has lost Pakistani Passport No. AP 5792931. Finder please handover to ROP.

CHANGE OF NAME I Nabila (holder of Indian pass-

SITUATION WANTSIT.WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Indian male 37 YEARS, BSC COMPUTER SCIENCE having More than 8yrs of experience with well exposure in PDO, DALEEL & OXY as IT SUPPORT / DESKTOP SUPPORT ENGINEER. Seeking suitable placement. Contact rangaraj_vck@ yahoo.co.in / 968-99758320 Indian Female Electronics System Eng. UK Graduate. Programmer Micro Controller Robot, Eng. Analysis, Instrumentation & Control, Eng. Projects, Integrated Circuit Eng., Electrical and Fluid Drives, Analogue Electronics, Wireless Systems. Seeking suitable post. Contact: 97848075, s.dinesh1508@ gmail.com Diploma(Electrical Engineering) From Government polytechnic.

Age 27years, 6 years Experiance in Maintenance, troubleshooting and managing and Technical in substation as a Electrical Engineer.Seek suitable placement. Contact GSM92995899,(a.abbas31@gmail.com) MBA Indian male 2 years experience in firefighting & security systems sales & marketing. Seeking suitable job. Contact – 90634050 B.Com Graduate with 4 year experience as an Accountant in Oman. Also have Oman Driving License. Best fluency in English, Arabic, Hindi& Malayalam. Looking for Job. Currently in Oman. #+968 93943448, murshid4u@gmail.com Sr Material controller, having 13 years experience in material controlling in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat (NOC Available). # 00968-92944026, Email charanjeet35@yahoo.co.in

port No. Z 1838213) daughter of Husaini Rasheed having permanent residence in Flat No. 4, Glory Palace, Behind ABC Farm, Salonky Vihar RD, Pune 411-048 , Maharashtra (complete postal address in India) and presently residing in 304 - Hatat Complex, Wadi Adai PO Box 232, CPO 111, Oman (complete postal address in Oman) intend to change my name from Nabila (old name) to Nabila Yunus Tailor (new name) for all practical purpose. Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P. Box No. 1727 Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

IELTS PREPARATION Target Band 8.0

Classes for Spoken English TOEFL / GRE / GMAT / SAT Excellent Guidance and Coaching Satisfaction Guaranteed EAGLES INSTITUTE 92325542 | 93657915 | 93657917 | Email: engominst@gmail.com

We Yunus Tailor (name of father

as per the passport, holder of Indian passport No Z 2120193 and Nabila (name of mother as per the passport holder of Indian passport No. Z 1838213) having permanent address in Flat No.4, Glory Palace, Behind ABC farm, Salonky Vihar Road Kondhwa Pune Maharashtra 411048 (complete postal address in India ) and presently residing at the following address in Wadi Adai, P.B No. 232 P.C. No. 111, Sultanate of Oman, hereby solemnly affirm and declare to change the name of our child Miss Zainab (name as per passport), holder of Indian passport No. Z 2240467 date of issue 26/02/2013 issued at Riyadh. The name of our child will be henceforth known as Zainab Tailor (new name for all purposes). Any objection towards change of name of our minor child may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, PB No. 1727, PC 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

NRI

Indian/male (25)/ MBA/2 years experience in channel sales and distribution management. on visit visa. available for immediate joining. Contact: 96914068, E mail: mailanasap@gmail.com 32year Indian Male MSC,MBAHR having 8yrs Exp(HR / Payroll / Admin) with Oman valid DL. Seeking suitable opening in Human Resource, Payroll & Admin/ backend jobs. Contact:00968-99322978 6 YEARS EXPERIENCE HR/Finance Indian female[29Years] MBA. On family visa, Seeking suitable placement-93908191, email:aswathi.wnd@gmail.com Indian, BE Mechanical Engineering with 1 yr exp as service Engineer, looking for suitable positions. Contact-90637918, E mail: aquasharath@gmail.com Senior Accountant, 5 yrs Oman, 10 yrs UAE experience in manufacturing & construction valid D/L immediately available. Email: irfan_syed2000@hotmail.com, call: 95389018 Indian male with 1 yr exp looking for job in I.T as Web developer, presently in Muscat on visit visa. #92312978 Commercial or Operation Manager 18 yrs in Oman – finance, purchase, sales, HR & Admin exp. contact 99044724.

E mail: srjobsinoman@yahoo.com

New flats in prime location near Pushpagiri Medical College - Thiruvalla. #Abraham - Owner Tel 95919122.

Land sale in Kerala 1.65 acre land for sale at Ramapuram price 82 lakhs negotiable.# 91 9446822251 2.45 acre of land near 1 Km from MES College Erattupetta good for housing.

Price 2.45CR negotiable. Contact: 91 9446212255 / 91 9995000609 1 B/R - 890 S.FT fully furnished flat at Best Western Quepem.#97094797

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English class for Malayalam Speakers

in Azaiba and Ruwi • Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310 Karate and self defense classes at Azaiba 18 Nov Street. RO 10 per month twice a week Monday and Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM. CONTACT 98294551

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

SITUATION WANTED SIT.WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Male ,MBA Finance & Marketing 28 yrs,6+ Exp, with oman D/L & NOC, Hospital ,Pharma ,Herbal ,FMCG, F&B Markeing ,construction A/c & sales , 93379044 HSE Engineer, Indian male, 4 plus years experience in oil & gas, working in shclumberger Nebosh, ISOH & NDT certified, M. Tech in HSE. contact-krish.569@gmail. com mobile- +91 9867016808

BE Mechanical Engineering with one year experience now on visit visa, looking for suitable positions. #90637918 / 99335742,email: aquasharath@gmail.com

Indian male network cabling technician (19 years Gulf experience), seeking for suitable placement.

Contact : 0091-8089909265 (India), Email: mohithavp@gmail.com

Indian/male (25)/ MBA /2 years experience in channel sales and distribution management. on visit visa. available for immediate joining. #96914068, email: mailanasap@gmail.com

Indian male, Kerala B.Com & B.PE, looking for suitable Job in Sales, Accounts, Admin etc.contact 93301023 email:- sajith3969@ gmail.com

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Customs Clearance thru Bayan System ( AIR & SEA CARGO) Freight Forwarding (both import & export) by giving best freight rates to Customers. Road Transportation, Delivery of all types of goods (within Oman). Contact : KTT&CO LLC ; Tel : 24713288 & 24711071 ; GSM : 99597129 (MR. KISHORE)

TOURS

TOURS

Moon Travel L.L.C

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 Contact: Tariq Al Balushi - 99218069 Ahmed Maseehuddin - 99353611, Oĸce: 24790746/24706217 Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours contact 98029602, 92808636 We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

SITUATION WANTED BUSINESS Investment Required Minimum OMR 500,000 to transfer 5 Excavators big + 5 Tippers 2015 Astra, working on good profitable Excavation projects. Assured income 36 %.

98867530 / 99120532 engrfaheem@hotmail.com

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR 25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver. #99839898

MV SALE GMC Sierra 4-Door Pick-up 2010 Model, 177,000 Kms - RO.8,000/-.

Contact: 92564199 Hyundai Veracruz 2011 model for sale, 4 WD color black 7 seater with engine capacity 3775CC, automatic – Steptronic with GPS. Contact 97203784

TRANSPORTATION Pick and Drop Al Khuwair to Rusayl# 96733572 / 91287470 Transportation. #99508282

Transportation. contact 94087276

MANPOWER

Nissan Sunny, White, 1.6, Automatic 2010, 76,750 KM, excellent condition, regular service at Nissan Service center for RO 2300 contact – 96530052

BUYING Bobcat available for rent. #97623299

Transportation. contact 92015894 Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909 Transportation required from Qurum to WadiKabir at afternoon only 1 PM. Contact - 99012165

Buying cars for cash.contact 90202090

ACC WANTED Looking for a villa in Amerat area.

Contact : 95405033

RENT A CAR Best Rates for Saloon Contact: 97869042 / 95730550 sales@modernreem.com

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DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SERVICES We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

PALEST CONTROL TABA SERVICE LLC 100% Professional Aīordable Rate !!!

Ants, Rodent, & cleaning On monthly, Harmless & Odourless

CALL - 91464586 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

CATERING SERVICES We do industrial catering service, Canteen / mess, 3 times packed meals and all types of catering events.

Contact: 92188777 / 99249899

SITUATION WANTED SIT.WANTED

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. #24793614/ 99314807

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male at a Managerial position having 12 yrs exp in sales & marketing, Property Management looking for a suitable position, MBA qualified with Oman driving license. NOC available. #98125226 Indian male BE Mechanical Engineer having 6 yrs exp in piping and structural construction work, looking suitable position, release available. contact 96115463-email: jijoraju085@yahoo.com SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, Indian Male, 24 years, B.Tech in computer science.3Years of experience in technical support, software development, troubleshooting and managing, seek suitable placement. Contact GSM98184170 Indian Male,B.Com & Diploma Logistics & supply chain management 2years experience looking for job in Accounts/logistics field.

Presently on Visit Visa. Software knows MS office & Tally7.2 .#:93884951-Email:mehreenraiz@ gmail.com Indian male 31 yrs with over 10 yrs sales & marketing exp seeking suitable placement NOC & Oman D/L available in audition have proficiency in Arabic language. Contact: 95760969

Looking for QHSE – Manager / Asst. Manager job, Indian Male – 39.Yrs, With 17.Yrs Experience & NOC, NEBOSH – UK, MR – ISO 9001, 14001 & 18001, HSE Trainings, Audits, Pls Contact – haree. krishnan9944@gmail.com B.A. in Accounting, Experience: 5years of Business/Accounts tutoring and 2 years of Accounting License: 70914186. contact 96389047, Email: sharanizareen@ gmail.com Export Manager/DM Indian Male 38 Yrs B.Sc /CIPET 13 Yrs Experience in Business Development &Production with Oman D/L seeks suitable placement.

Contact : 97221058 / 92058065, Email : ckabdulmajeed@gmail.com HSE Engineer: 3.8 years experience in Oil & Gas. NEBOSH,IOSH, & NDT Certified, M Tech in HSE,B Tech in Mechanical Engg.

CONTACT-krish.569@gmail.com, Mobile- +91 9867016808 B.Com Graduate with 4 year experience as an Accountant in Oman.

Also have Oman Driving License.

Best fluency in English, Arabic, Hindi & Malayalam, looking for Job. Currently in Oman. Cont: +968 93943448, murshid4u@ gmail.com

Electronics service Technician , 4 Years experience as Electronics service engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items. Looking for suitable placement. contact 99105043 INDIAN MALE, 26 years, BBA graduate, seeks suitable position in automotive spare parts, Have 3 year experience. Phone no:96026400, Bineeshpn@gmail.com Master’s in Petroleum Geology looking for relevant job ready to join ASAP, valid drivers license. Email : mehdi.poorjahangiri@gmail.com Bangladeshi male, University MA, Working as Store In-charge cum Logistic Manager in Muscat; searching better job. #91997605, email: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com

IT/Telecom Manager, BE, MBA 13+ Years of experience, Valid Driving License. Available immediately. Phone: +91205211, Email: ghulamqasimali@gmail.com Indian male network cabling technician (19-years gulf experience) Seeking for suitable placement. Contact - 0091-8089909265 (India) email: mohithavp@gmail.com Indian Engineer, B. Tech (Mech), MBA, MLM (Master of Labour Management), 23 yrs experience, 5 years in Oman in the positions of Operations Manager and Plant Manager with Oman Driving License seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 99744612. E-mail: deleepkumarpk@gmail.com

25 years, male B.Com and insurance Graduate with 6 year experience looking for an opening in accounts, finance or operations related only. Driving license and NOC available. contact lilommca@ gmail.com and 95236312.

Indian Male 47 years MBAOperations Management with total 25 Yrs exp inclusive of 9 yrs in Oil & Gas sector in Oman, having valid Omani D/L & NOC available , seeks challenging position in SCM/ Logistics/ Procurement in any Sector. GSM-94236414. Mail id – jayamurli@gmail.com

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

Structural Engineer Education B-Tech in civil Engineering, Work Experience More than 6 yrs contact +968-91431483 E-mail: mohsinyousuf86@rediffmail.com

Marble crystallization & grinding, cleaning & carpet shampooing.

Ocean center LLC.#99344723 Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 /94285064 Split A/C servicing R.O 10 only.

Contact: 94217681 /99210141 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080 Split & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance. contact 96236476 Split & widow unit A.C servicing & maintenance.#93769089 / 95323517 Split & window A/c servicing & maintenance. # 93769089 / 95323517

All MEP & Civil shop drawings. Contact : 93070771 Email : designjob2014@gmail.com

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

Cleaning Services, Sofa, carpet shampoo old house or new house.

Contact: 92179395

A/C maintenance & servicing, fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing, painting & cleaning services, electrical & plumbing. #99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281

Split & window A/c installation & maintenance specialist package & ducted units. Contact 98667326 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

Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422 Pest control treatments, Ocean center LLC #99344723 House shifting. #99708138

Marble crystallization & grinding, Ocean center LLC contact 99344723

CAD drawings Archi/ MEP CAD – comply BIM. Contact: 91233975