Times of Oman - December 13, 2015 by Muscat Media Group

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

On the occasion of Opening of the second term of the Council of Oman

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ Over the past three decades we have endeavoured to ensure that every step taken by Oman’s Renaissance springs from our deepest reality.

SUNDAY, December 13, 2015 / 1 Rabi Al Awal 1437 AH

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Don’t step out leaving your child inside car

R O YA L D E C R E E N O . 6 2 / 2 0 1 3

VITAL PROJECT: The National Museum will be opened on

Leaving a child

Learn from mistakes: ROP

locked in a vehicle

Times News Service

with its ignition on

MUSCAT: Reiterating its call, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has said that children should not be allowed to play inside a vehicle or left in a car with the engine running as the air conditioner can pose threat to their lives. Speaking to the Times of Oman, a senior official of the ROP said that the temperature inside a car is always higher than the outside temperature. “With numerous incidents

Monday. -ONA

Fahd to inaugurate National Museum

and AC running can prove fatal, warn safety experts

MUSCAT: His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, will preside over the opening of the National Museum on Monday. The opening of the museum coincides with the 45th National Day celebrations. The National Museum was established as a vital project concerned with the preservation of the elements of Omani heritage. The total area of the museum

is 13,700 square metres including 4,000 square metres allocated for the 15 display halls such as the land and man hall, maritime history hall, aﬂaj hall, coins and currency hall, prehistory and ancient times hall, Oman and the world hall and Renaissance hall among several halls. The National Museum was established by Royal Decree No. 62/2013, issued on November 20, 2013. —ONA

HASSAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: “God gave me another chance and I feel it is my responsibility to share my story so that people avoid such mistakes. I hope I can be the reason behind saving a human life.” This was the message to parents from a remorseful father whose four-year-old son narrowly survived after being locked, forgotten, in his hot car for nearly an hour. Zahid Khan’s son, Ayman Khan, was inadvertently locked in the car on Tuesday evening, as he rushed to ﬁnish some work at an office in the Darsait neighbourhood of the capital city. “Ayman insisted on joining me and my friend on our drive from my house in Bausher. The child wore seat belt and fell asleep a few minutes after the ride started,” Zahid Khan told the Times of Oman (TOO). It was around 6:45pm and 25 degree Celsius outside when the

such as this being reported in the region, parents should be more aware and see that such incidents are avoided,” he said. In July, 2015, two boys aged ﬁve and six, died after they locked themselves in a car in Ibri. The parents of the boys were at home when the boys locked themselves in. Also, a four-year-old girl who was allegedly left unattended on a bus owned by a training centre, reportedly died of suffocation in Bid Bid in September this year.

Four-year-old Ayman Khan, who had a narrow escape.

child’s father and his friend disembarked from the Ford Explorer, leaving behind the sleeping child. “I spent around 45 minutes negotiating (business) at the office when my friend reminded me of Ayman,” Zahid said. A devastated Zahid immediately rushed back to the car to ﬁnd his son alive, but exhausted and feeling suffocated due to lack of oxygen. “Thank God, he was alive. I quickly bought him water and juice before hospitalising him,” Zahid recalled. The child was discharged after undergoing medical checks that declared him out of danger. Following the incident, Zahid made a heartfelt plea to parents, urging them to take extra care with

their children. Experts said children must never be left alone in the vehicle, even if they are under the supervision of a baby sitter or a nanny. “Children, particularly young children, are unable to understand how to regulate their body’s core temperature. As such, exposure to relatively short periods of time in a vehicle when the surrounding temperatures are even as low as 25 degrees centigrade could be fatal,” Mark Pudwell, a training manager at Competence HR told TOO. “If parents step out of a vehicle brieﬂy, ensure that the vehicle is switched off and windows are left open (approximately ﬁve centimetres). This allows air to circulate and prevents children from climbing out, though care must be taken

when returning to the vehicle and closing the windows as children’s ﬁngers may get hurt,” he added. Pudwell suggested that bystanders, who encounter such situations, should try to open the door ﬁrst before seeking an ambulance service. “If the vehicle is locked, and there are no signs of the parents in the immediate vicinity, a large rock or suitably robust object should be used to break the window farthest away from the child,” he said. “Do not be tempted to give the child very cold water or ice as this may lead to rapid cooling of the body’s core temperature and result in shock. Give small sips of room temperature-water and cool the skin using wet towels, until the paramedics arrive,” Pudwell said.

EXPECTED GROWTH

Oman’s air traffic to touch 24m by 2034 A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MANAMA/MUSCAT: Oman’s total air passenger volume is expected to grow at a fast pace during the next two decades and touch 24 million by 2034, from a mere 10 million in 2014, said a senior official from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This compares with growth to 138.8 million passengers for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 2034 (against the current 48.9 million), 112.3 million for Saudi Arabia (49.9 million now), 24 million for Qatar (against 10 million now), 26.1 million for Kuwait (9.3 million now) and 14.7 million for Bahrain (five million now), said Hussain Dabbas, regional vice-president of IATA. He was presenting a paper on the status of Arab travel and tourism at the recently concluded Arab Aviation and Media Summit. Dabbas further said Oman would witness an average annual growth of 5.9 per cent for another decade, until 2024, compared with 5 per cent for Saudi Arabia and 6.4 per cent for the UAE. The IATA official said 26 per cent of flights from Oman are connecting flights at present, 64 per

Oman’s budget carrier plans to stimulate travel market A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com

TRAFFIC VOLUME: Hussain Dabbas, regional vice-president of IATA, at the Arab travel and tourism summit. – Supplied photo

cent are international flights and the remaining 10 per cent constitute domestic flights. Healthy Growth Highlighting the healthy growth trend in Middle-East airlines, Dabbas said the average net profit per passenger for regional airlines is estimated to be $9.61, which is above the industry average of $8.27. “This profit reflects revenue of $313.15 per passenger and a cost of $303.53.”

He added that the ﬁnancial position of Middle-East airlines is forecast to become better, following continuing improvement since 2013. The region is also expected to generate a net proﬁt of $1.8 billion in 2015, more than double the $700 million posted in 2014. Further, the direct contribution of travel and tourism to gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 4.6 per cent per annum to $121 billion in the Middle-East region. >A6

M A N A M A / M U S C AT: Oman plans to allow a budget airline to stimulate the aviation and travel market in the country, said a top-level official from the region’s first budget carrier. “We believe that a budget airline will stimulate the market. Budget airlines complement and do not compete because they attract another segment of people to make sure that the whole travel market gets bigger,” Adel Al Ali, group chief executive officer of Air Arabia, said on the sidelines of Arab Aviation and Media Summit. >A6

Landmark climate deal hailed

A13

COME-TO-OMAN-CHANNEL

Tourism promotion site MUSCAT: A tourism promotion channel has been unveiled by Oman Visitors Portal on the Youtube. The “Come-to-Omanchannel” has more than 500 documentaries aimed at promoting various tourism sites and landmarks in the Sultanate. The channel represents the most updated digital platform for an integrated tourism experience and focuses on various

H E A LT H Y G O U R M E T

tourism sites and landmarks in Oman, in Arabic, English, French, German, Chinese and other languages. The channel can be reached through the link (www.youtube.com/user/ cometoomanchannel). The tourism website (www. omanvisitors.com), provides information on tourism in the Sultanate in Arabic, English and Italian languages.—ONA TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

Young Omani entrepreneur climbs up success ladder After taking a shot at scaling young ventures, the team of three said that food industry in Oman is ever-changing and being an entrepreneur means they are constantly evolving and setting trends in the kitchens and beyond.

HASSAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Coffee is always a good idea, say people. Maisa Al Adawi, a young Omani entrepreneur proved three years ago while having coffee with her friends that coffee can also bring good ideas after which she decided to set up Mani’s Café. “We opened Mani’s Cafe and Catering by Mani’s in response to a gap for a healthy gourmet dining experience in the market,” said Al Adawi. Following the opening of the second outlet in Sohar, Al Adawi announced the launch of a third branch in Al Mouj Muscat, which will be operational in February 2016.

Maisa Al Adawi, a young Omani entrepreneur. – Supplied photo

Steady growth “We’ve built the company from scratch and have grown steadily since,” she said, adding that “Mani’s” is also the nickname of her sister Manahil.“Our goal was to create a place where one can savour life’s small moments,” Al Adawi added. The mother of three pointed out that starting a business from scratch has given her the freedom to be creative and the opportunity

to learn quickly and react to customer’s needs. The entrepreneur said Mani’s Cafe is live and active on all social media platforms and has a website to promote and market the café’s menu and catering services. “Travelling the world and following what we’ve dubbed as ‘the new food movement’ inspires us to be innovative and to offer new foods and preparation methods at our cafes and catering service,” Al Adawi stated. Asked about how networking helped her step up her game, Al Adawi said networking has helped her foster relationships with new clients and maintain relationships with the existing ones in a personal way. >A6

OMAN

Airport projects

The airport projects drag on and not even one airport out of the six is complete. >A3

OMAN

Hollywood star

Hollywood star Kristen Stewart is in Oman to shoot for her ﬁlm. >A5

MARKET

Sohar industrial area

An amount of OMR20m will spent on Sohar industrial estate. >B1

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

OMAN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE

UK body recognises SQU’s programme Times News Service MUSCAT: Biomedical Science programme offered by the Allied Health Sciences Department of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has won accreditation from the UK-based Institute of Biomedical Science in record time. Institute of Biomedical Science, founded in 1912 in the UK, is considered to be the world’s oldest leading membership and accrediting body in the field of biomedical science. The Biomedical Science Programme was offered by College of Medicine and Health Sciences for the first time in 2010. The programme evolved from an old programme (1993), named Medical Laboratory, which was a five-year programme, shared between Colleges of Science and College of Medicine and Health Sciences. Soon after the College of Medicine and Health Sciences adopted the programme, critical changes, such as the programme’s name, curriculum and duration were modified to train undergraduate students to become successful biomedical scientists. Initially, it was managed by the Biomedical Science Management Committee that composed of representative staff from different departments, mainly Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology, Pathology and Microbiology and Immunology. In June 2014, a new department named Allied Health Sciences was formed to take over the BMS programme and deliver its content. Upon its establishment, the department started the accreditation process by exploring internationally accrediting bodies, for which the Institute of Biomedical Science was selected.

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OMAN

C O M M E N TA RY

Further delay in completion of airports would affect economy SUNDAY BEAT SALEH AL SHAIBANY

even years after the ﬁrst contract was awarded to expand the air transportation network in Oman, the projects drag on and not even one airport out of the six planned has been completed. As a matter of fact, Adam airport has been scrapped along the way after it was deemed there was no operational demand in the Dakhliya Region. Though the runway of the main airport in Muscat has been completed and commissioned less than a year ago, the terminal building suffers yet another delay. It is expected

to be handed over to the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) in July 2017. Supporting services like cargo and catering facilities as well as fuelling system are still not completed. Even Oman’s second airport in Salalah is not 100 per cent complete, either. Sohar’s passenger building contract has been awarded but there is no clear sign when it will be completed. The same goes for Duqm and Ras Al Hadd airports. The government will be expected to announce further delays in the airport projects in the next 12 months in the current situation of economic downturn. No one understands why these projects could not be completed when the oil prices were around $115 per barrel in 2014 and 2013. With crude prices hovering currently at $42 per barrel, it looks unlikely there will be any signiﬁcant changes. Impact on investments The massive delays in aviation

BEAUTIFUL TAQAH FORT

Taqah Fort in the Wilayat of Taqah is one of the important historical monuments in the Governorate of Dhofar. It was built in the 19th century and is used as the headquarters of the local administration. It has seen two restorations — ﬁrst in 1992 and again in 2013. The image below is an inside view. — ONA

Local aviation industry has already missed out two years of aeronautical fees, concession contracts, facility rentals, lease payments and taxation

works endanger investments in Oman. In 2007, when the government announced the airport projects, it envisaged that the six airports, including the cancelled Adam airport, would employ more than 80,000 people on their completion. The plan was also envisioned be a major contributor of the gross domestic product (GDP) outside the oil and gas sector. According to the original plan, all the airports were due to be fully operational in December 2013. But two years later, there are still many uncertainties. Total funds so far injected in the airport projects have exceeded

$12 billion with no or little return. Delays in completion of airports also put on hold millions of rials of other investments. The transport and logistics sector very much depends on their completion. Trains and maritime transportation systems need the airports to be fully operational to complete the supply chain. The free trade zones (FTZ) in Sohar, Duqm and Salalah cannot take off the way they were planned in the present climate. Bad for business Delays are also bad for business.

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Companies that have their sights on the huge spin-offs from the ﬁve airports have to shelve their plans indeﬁnitely. These are not just locally-based companies but global investors planning to take advantage of the new business environment. Multi-million rial trades that have been put on hold include an aviation college, hotels, aeronautical maintenance, duty free facilities, passenger services, restaurants and a shopping mall. Obviously, inexperience of managing such a massive investment is at the forefront. Oversight and inadequate monitoring of projects is another reason. Other factors that may well have contributed to the delays are poor management and various

disputes between contractors and project supervisors. Accusing ﬁngers can also be directed towards material shortages, delays in payments, equipment failures and frequent project changes. Costs overrun caused by inﬂation when transportation, insurance and labour costs shoot up could put pressure on the contractors’ burden of meeting their construction obligations. Whatever the reason for the delays, international investors are watching closely on the progress of the airports while sizing up the government’s pedigree to honour its commitments. Among the casualties of the prolonged delays, is the loss of revenues to the government’s coffers. The local aviation industry has already missed out two years of aeronautical fees, concession contracts, facility rentals, lease payments and taxation. Every year of delay means extra cost as well when the government has to pay costs that were not in the original Master Plan.

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015 Every single physically challenged person can beneﬁt from the centre because we have a programme for each of them Aisha Alawi Baabood, executive director WHCATR

OMAN

New rehabilitation unit for people with physical challenges opens This state-of-the-art centre integrates assistive technology with educational programmes

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: A new centre, offering Assistive Technology in a specialised rehabilitation for people with physical disability, the ﬁrst of its kind in the region, has officially opened in Oman. The White Hands Centre for Assistive Technology and Rehabilitation (WHCATR), was officially

inaugurated under the patronage of Dr. Mohammed bin Naser Al Zaabi, chief executive officer of the Public Authority of Civil Aviation, on Thursday. WHCATR, which has opened in Al Mawaleh, is the only centre of its kind as it integrates assistive technology with educational programmes that are provided to people, with all kinds of invisible and visible disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities, visual, hearing and mobility impairment and autism. The centre also provides educational programmes for students with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, as well as Irlen Syndrome sufferers. Aisha Alawi Baabood, executive director of the centre and one of the co-founders, demonstrated and elaborated for the esteemed invitees, the vision, mission, goals, services, social projects, challenges and needs of people with disabilities. In her message, she stressed

the importance of raising public awareness to promote social entrepreneurship in Oman and the collaboration of all stakeholders to improve the services provided for disabled people in Oman. Moreover, the centre rewarded all the individuals and entities that have assisted and still assist the centre in functioning as a social business venture. Among the listed entities are: Ajial Fund from W.J. Towell, Al Habib, M.B Group (Al Barwani), Omantel and the US Embassy. For nearly two years, Baabood looked for funding and qualiﬁed staff for her centre. In what she describes as a miracle, the Ajiyal Fund, which is an initiative of the WJ Towell Group, offered to ﬁnance the White Hands Centre until it started functioning. Al Habib and Co covered the training expenses for Aisha to take courses in Assistive Technology and for Irlen Syndrome to become

EXPEDITION

HELPING HAND: Experts at White Hands Centre for Assistive Technology and Rehabilitation can help people with the most severe physical disabilities that prevent them from speaking, or who can communicate only by blinking or moving their heads. – Jun Estrada

P L AY- D O H

GCC women climb Jebel Shams Times News Service MUSCAT: A group of women representing the six GCC countries climbed Jebel Shams, the region’s highest mountain peak, via the Western Hajar mountain trek, in an expedition organised by Husaak Adventures, in collaboration with Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, from December 10 to 12. The three-day expedition saw the 16 mountaineers make their way to the Jebel Shams’ summit of over 3,000 meters above the sea level. Asma Al Hajri, deputy director general of International Tourism Promotions at Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, said: “We are happy to support the brave women in this exciting adventure.”

the only Omani certiﬁed Irlen Syndrome screener. “Every single physically challenged person can beneﬁt from the centre because we have a programme for each of them, whether it’s something to do with Assistive Technology or Irlen Syndrome,” she explained. “The experts at WHCATR can even help people with the most severe physical disabilities that prevent them from speaking or who can communicate only by blinking or moving their heads.” In addition to Baabood, other the staff members include Asma Geitany, an educational psychologist and psychotherapist; Dr. Mohammed Hussain, a special needs educator; Dr. Fadwa Al Oqais, an Assistive Technology specialist; Panteleimon Makris, who is a consultant and expert in Assistive Technology; and Mariyam Al Tamimi, head of the community services unit.

City Centre Qurum brings activity zone for children Staff Reporter

ACHIEVERS: The expedition saw the mountaineers make their

way to the Jebel Shams summit 3,000m above sea level. – ONA

MUSCAT: As part of the City Centre Qurum’s calendar of engaging activities for families, an interactive Play-Doh activity zone was launched at the lower ground floor of the mall, where children can let their imaginations run wild, explore and create with Play-Doh. Play-Doh toys have been introduced to the Sultanate for the first time. It is a colourful, safe and non-staining modelling toy, which was made popular in America in the 1950s, where schools encouraged students to create and play. The Play-Doh activity Zone will open at 2pm every day, with 20 minutes sessions being held till December 19, with unlimited Play-Doh being made available to children to mould into creations that capture their imaginations. Take home Each child will get a tub of PlayDoh to take home and continue having fun with it. “We want our guests to enjoy and take part in the most engaging experience possible. In bringing this activity to Oman for the first time, we continue with Majid Al Futtaim’s vision to create great moments for everyone, every day,” said Watfa

POPULAR: Play-Doh is a toy, which has previously been enjoyed by generations of children. – AR Rajkumar

Humaid Al Harthy, senior mall manager at City Center Qurum. “Children can play, create and be inspired, whilst the family enjoys a great day at the mall. Play-Doh is an iconic toy, which has previously been enjoyed by generations of children and therefore; we want to reintroduce the creative stimulation to our community.” City Centre Qurum also continues to celebrate City Centre brand’s 20th anniversary, with exciting promotions in the mall showcased on social media. Shoppers are encouraged to carry their shopping bags around the mall for increasing their chances to win. On December 20, about 20 visi-

tors at the mall will be selected at random to win a shopping voucher worth OMR50. To enhance the celebration, customers can also post a photo of a ‘Great Moment’ during their time at the mall on their Facebook and Instagram account. They have to tag the mall and two friends for a chance to win an OMR50 gift voucher each day. Customers, who are visiting the mall till December 26, can also win prizes; simply by shopping with a minimum of OMR20 at any store in the mall. This will allow them to participate in a daily prize draw, where 31 lucky winners will receive OMR200 as gift vouchers.

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H O L LY W O O D S TA R

Kristen Stewart in Oman for shooting of ﬁlm

OMAN

Luxury desert resort in Wadi Al Abiyad opens

Times News Service MUSCAT: Famous Hollywood star Kristen Stewart is in Oman to shoot her forthcoming film. According to sources, she will be filming in Oman in places, such as Bahla and Nizwa for her upcoming movie, “Personal Shopper.” The American actress began her career in 1999 and rose to prominence playing Jodie Foster’s daughter in the 2002 thriller Panic Room. Since then, she has starred in a slew of films, including Speak (2004), Zathura (2005) and Into the Wild (2007). She rose to fame playing the protagonist Bella Swan in The Twilight Saga film series from 2008 to 2012, which has grossed over $3.3 billion worldwide. She has also acted in Adventureland (2009), The Runaways (2010), Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), On the Road (2012), Camp X-Ray (2014), Still Alice (2014) and Equals (2015). In November, the 25-yearold actress was spotted in Paris shooting for the same film.

AMONG GOLDEN SANDS: Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrazi, Minister of Tourism, inaugurated the much-awaited project Dunes by Al Nahda, a luxury desert resort set in the enigmatic golden sands of Wadi Al Abiyad. – AR Rajkumar

Personal Shopper will be shot in places, such as London, Prague, Muscat and Paris. It will be released in 2016. The ﬁlm is a “ghost story taking place in the fashion underworld.” The ﬁlm reunites Kristen with Director Olivier Assayas, with whom she worked on Clouds of Sils Maria.

Adventure sports and hot sand therapy are part of the experience

BABA UMAR

babaumar@timesofoman.com

STAR POWER: Kristen Stewart’s forthcoming ﬁlm ‘Personal

Shopper’ is being shot in places, such as London, Prague, Muscat and Paris.

WADI AL ABIYAD: To the owners it’s a state-of-art desert resort. But to the aﬁcionados of desert living, it could be an exhilarating experience in the heart of the imposing golden sand dunes. On Thursday, Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrazi, Minister of Tourism, inaugurated the much-awaited project Dunes by Al Nahda - a luxury desert resort set in the enigmatic golden sands of Wadi Al Abiyad. The delayed project was billed

N C S I D ATA

Production of electricity in Oman rises by 12 per cent MUSCAT: Electricity production in Oman rose to more than 25.4 thousand gigawatts (GW), reﬂecting a 12.1 per cent increase, as of the end of September 2015, compared with 2014. The same applies to the water sector, in which production grew to exceed 218.7 million cubic meters, with an increase of 5.6 per cent recorded at the end of August 2015, according to the latest statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The Sultanate’s total electricity production until the end of September 2015 stood at 25,484.6 GW per hour, compared with 22,735.4 GW per hour in the corresponding period of 2014, constituting a rise by 12.1 per cent. The Governorates of North and South Al Batinah, as well as the Governorate of Al Dhahirah recorded the highest rate at the governorates level as production in these governorates were pegged at 12,888.9 GW per hour, showing an increase of 1.8 per cent, compared with 12,658.3 GW per hour in the same period last year. The Governorates of North and South Al Sharqiyah reported the biggest jump in production, compared with corresponding period last year. The growth rate was pegged at 138.7 per cent, bringing the total production in the two governorates to 4,277.4 GW per hour in September 2015, from 1,792.1 GW per hour a year ago. Total electricity production in the Governorate of Muscat touched 4,359.8 GW per hour, indicating a decline of 7.5 per cent, compared with the production recorded during the same period of 2014, when it was estimated to be 4,712.5 GW per hour. The total electricity production in the Governorate of Dhofar reached 2,441.3 GW per hour at the end of September 2015, showing an increase of 8.2 per cent, compared with the production recorded during the same period of 2014, which reached 2,256.7 GW per hour. In the Governo-

POWER PLUS: The Sultanate’s total electricity production until the end of September 2015 stood at 25,484.6 GW per hour, compared with 22,735.4 GW per hour in the corresponding period of 2014, constituting a rise by 12.1 per cent. – ONA

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rate of Musandam, total electricity production reached 283.5 GW per hour, rising 7.9 per cent from the production recorded during the same period in 2014, which reached 262.9 GW per hour. The total electricity production in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah reached 995.5 GW per hour, up 10 per cent from 905 GW per hour, a year ago. In Al Wusta, total electricity production touched 238.2 GW per hour, jumping 60.8 per cent, compared with the production of 148.2 GW per hour recorded during the same period of 2014. The Sultanate’s net electricity production, as of the end of last September 2015, was 25,024.2 GW per hour, compared with the ﬁgures recorded during the same period of 2014, when it was said to be 22,270 GW per hour, resulting in a growth rate of 12.8 per cent. This production included the

procurements made by the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) and the procurements made by the Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAEC). Biggest share The statistics issued by the NCSI indicated that the biggest share in net electricity production was contributed by the Governorates of North and South Al Sharqyiah. The net production recorded in these governorates at the end of last September 2015 was 4,626.4 GW per hour, surging 140.8 per cent from 1,770.1 GW per hour, in 2014. The net production in the Governorates of North and South Al Batinah, in addition to the Governorate of Al Dhahirah at the end of September 2015 reached 12,705.5 GW per hour, up 1.9 per cent from 12,465.6 GW per hour, in 2014. The net electricity production in the Governorate of Muscat reached 4,214.9 GW per hour at the end of last September 2015, compared with 4,588.6 GW per hour recorded last year, indicating a slump of 8.1 per cent. -ONA

by the tourism minister as a conﬁdence booster that could press other tourism players to “invest in Oman.” “Other investors could get a cue to build similar tourism projects in Oman,” he told media during the inauguration. The resort stands atop the dunes to offer unrivalled view over the surrounding including surging sand dunes, desert and mountains in the distance. The resort officials said Dunes by Al Nahda is the closest desert resort to downtown Muscat and the United Arab Emirates, “allowing guests to enjoy the desert at their doorstep”. “It all set to offer an experience of a lifetime,” said Niti Ajit Karsandas Hamlai, Managing Director of Al Nahda Hotels and Resorts, the parent company of Dunes by Al Nahda. “With the operations in full swing, in-house facilities and guided outdoor activities meticulously in place, as well as our exquisite restaurant laying out a scrump-

tious spread, Dunes by Al Nahda is proud to be a high-end, luxury destination catering to tourists with a variety of interest,” she said. Four-legged service Dotted with well-spaced tented accommodation, the resort features 50 ultra luxury tents, each with full en-suite individual bathrooms, separate seating area, ﬂat screen TV’s and individually controlled air-conditioning. To enjoy this exclusive luxury a client will have to shell out OMR200 for 24-hour stay in a normal luxury tent. Suite and royal tents would cost more though. Officials said the special hot sand therapy — a spa treatment carried forward from ancient Egypt — is the “signature therapy” of the resort. “We’ve also added something called four-legged service in which a room service comes on a donkey. In Thailand, they’re using buffalos. It’s a beautiful experience. This is the ﬁrst time we are introducing something like this in Oman. And

for the New Year celebrations we are completely sold out,” Radhesh Menon, Public Relations Director at Havas Worldwide Muscat told the Times of Oman. “The government of Oman has been very helpful in terms of guiding us to finding the locations or issuing licenses. They [Sultanate officials] have been very kind,” he said. Adventure sports Dunes by Al Nahda also have a range of activities for the more adventurous souls. The resort hosts extreme sports like dune bashing, quad biking and sand surfing; or more relaxed ones as camel riding, bicycle riding and kite flying. “This resort makes sure to completely enthrall the adrenalin and fun seekers,” resort officials said. “For those wanting to simply swing their clubs or enjoy a round of golf in the desert, the venue features a 09 hole on-site bunker golf course, the sole of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman,” they said.

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

OMAN

Our National Day observes the birthday of the reigning Emperor of Japan Mitsugu Saito, the new Japanese ambassador

T R AV E L A N D T O U R I S M

Italy, Oman enjoy A1 Aviation sector on growth path deep-rooted ties, A1 Four ﬁrms shortlisted says Italian envoy < FROM

Both Italians and Omanis have a taste for art and beauty and both nations enjoy a special relationship with the sea, said Paola Amadei

SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP: Italian Ambassador Paola Amadei at Bait

Al Zubair exhibition show. – Supplied photo

PATRICIA GROVES

MUSCAT: A murmur of pleasure rippled through the crowd in the courtyard of Bait Al Zubair when Paola Amadei, Ambassador of Italy to Oman, said, “Both Italians and Omanis have a taste for art and beauty and both nations enjoy a special relationship with the sea that is deeply embedded in history and culture. “The sea is celebrated in a series of paintings that explode with colour, send us sailing over the waters and take us on wings into the charming coastal houses of Liguria in north-western Italy. There I am…gazing out the window of a villa in the old village of Sant’llario as the setting sun is turning the rooftops red and the bay is orange streaming with molten gold against a silken sky of rosy-purple clouds. “I could just as easily be at Tiwi or among the ancient ruins on the hillat Qalhat. The colours and the coast would be different, but the sublime experience of beauty is the same. When he told me how thrilled he was with the stunning

natural beauty of Oman, I asked the artist, Gian Marco Crovetto if he would put our shores on his trademark canvas of linen.” “I already have!” was the jubilant reply. Soon we were in the great hall at Bait Al Nahdhah surrounded by colours that seemed to set the walls on ﬁre. There are greens, purples and blues in unending shades, but it is red and its companions in orange, gold and all kinds of yellow that seduce the senses. Gian Marco Crovetto has developed a unique style that revives Fauvism, a Post-Impressionist style originating in the early twentieth century in which vivid colours were used,not to mirror reality, but to express its deeper nature and the feelings aroused in the artist. Crovetto’s compositions are structured through the simpliﬁcation of shape used as a building block, resulting in an effect that could be described as a contemporary interpretation of Cubism. Because of their immediacy, the works that charm me most are those, like the signature piece,

Nights in Portoﬁno, that give us a view of the coast from a hillside through the trees of a garden or from a house. The splendour of the Portoﬁno painting lies in its rich array of colour encompassing the entire palette of the artist. Darkness has not yet fallen, as purple and dark green trees look out over a bay shimmering in light emerald, lavender and gold, dotted with white sails against a rainbow spectrum of houses. The honoured Chief Guest at the Opening this week was Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the evening was graced by the presence of His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Heritage & Culture, as well as His Highness Sayyid Mohammad bin Salim Al Said, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the course of the evening people from Oman and other parts of the world came together as they talked about their admiration of Italian culture and their visits to Italy, past or planned, as if it were a home country for us all.

“By 2025, travel and tourism in the Middle East will account for 3.2 million jobs directly, reflecting an increase of 3.1 per cent per annum over the next 10 years,” said the IATA official. As many as 58.1 million jobs are supported by the aviation sector across the world, which include 8.7 million direct jobs in the air transport industry. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications of Bahrain, said the aviation industry in the Middle-East is on a definite growth path. According to the new IATA 20-year air passenger forecast, Middle-East passenger traffic is expected to increase by just over 5 per cent per annum. Global passenger traffic is forecast to jump to 6.6 billion by 2030, with the Middle-East and Asia being the most likely beneficiaries of this growth. “In the Gulf, we are witnessing massive development in the aviation industry, driven by demand,” noted Mohammed. The combined net profit of airlines across the globe is expected to be $29.3 billion, on revenue of $727 billion this year, which works out to an average of $8.27

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According to recent media reports, Oman’s Public Authority for Civil Aviation has indicated that four companies have been shortlisted for establishing a new lowcost carrier. “The more people you can bring, the bigger the tourism (sector becomes),” Ali added, noting that the Sultanate has a fantastic tourism infrastructure. The Air Arabia chief also said his airline has expanded its ﬂights

net earnings per passenger. Dabbas said 52 per cent of tourists travel by air and air transport supports 35 million jobs within tourism, contributing around $807 billion to the global GDP. Airlines across the globe will need 32,600 new passengers and freight aircraft during the next

in the Sharjah-Muscat and Sharjah–Salalah sectors. Air Arabia currently has daily flights to Salalah, up from five flights a week, earlier. “Oman is a good market for us. We will continue to grow.” Commenting on the ongoing fleet expansion programme, Ali said the airline would acquire 12 more planes by 2017, six new aircraft in the next two years, which is part of a massive expansion programme.

two decades, until 2034, according to a study conducted by Airbus. These planes include 22,927 single-aisle aircraft, 8,108 twinaisle aircraft and 1,550 very large planes, with a total estimated value of $4.9 trillion, said Andrew Gordon, director, Strategic Marketing and Analysis, Airbus.

N AT I O N A L D AY O F JA PA N

Japan ambassador praises HM for boosting relations Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Oman and Japan enjoy a warm and long-standing friendship, said Mitsugu Saito, the newly appointed Japanese ambassador to the Sultanate. “The Royal families of Oman and Japan enjoy a warm, longstanding friendship,” said the ambassador, who arrived in Oman on December 2. The ambassador also cited the signing of the Bilateral Tax Agreement and the Bilateral Investment Agreement in 2014 and 2015, respectively, as other major milestones in the history of the Japan-Oman relationship. He expressed his gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the government and citizens of Oman for the support and efforts made towards deepening the already strong Japan-Oman friendship bond. He also congratulated His Majesty the Sultan and the government for celebrating the 45th National Day of Oman recently. The ambassador was addressing guests, who had gathered at his residence to celebrate the Japan’s National Day. The National Day of Japan is observed on the birthday of

JAPAN’S NATIONAL DAY: The Japanese ambassador addressed the guests at his residence on Japan’s National Day.

the reigning Emperor of Japan, which falls on December 23 and will mark His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito’s 82nd birthday. “Our National Day observes the birthday of the reigning Emperor of Japan. December 23, 2015 marks Emperor Akihito’s 82nd birthday. The Emperor has been quite active in fulﬁlling his duties over the past 27 years of his reign,” he said. He also assured that he would

do his utmost to deepen and broaden the relationship between the Sultanate and Japan. He wished Emperor Akihito and His Majesty the Sultan continuous health, happiness, and a long life. The Guest of Honour at the event was His Highness Fahd bin Al Julanda Al Said. Ambassadors from other friendly countries, as well as a number of ofﬁcials from the Ministries, also attended the ceremony.

NETWORKING HELPED

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A1 ‘Brand retains its identity’ “Through networking, we have had many referrals for our catering service and word about our and cafe has spread organically,” she said, adding that meeting and interacting with clients, suppli-

ers, friends and bankers face-toface, had helped the brand retain a personal human identity. Al Adawi will join hundreds of high-level business leaders at a B2B (business-to-business)

networking event. Billed as the most inﬂuential business networking event in Oman, B2B will be held on February 9, 2016, with this year’s special theme entitled, “Leadership.”

S U N DAY, D E C E MB E R 1 3, 2 0 1 5 Based on what had been agreed upon, there will be a halt of the aggression on the 14th of this month

REGION

Mohammed Abdul Salam, Houthi spokesman

TWIN EXPLOSIONS

Blasts in Syria’s Homs city kill 16 BEIRUT: Twin explosions in a government-controlled neighbourhood of Syria’s Homs city killed at least 16 people and wounded scores more on Saturday, a group monitoring the war said. The blasts come days after the government extended its control of western city with the implementation of a truce deal in Waer, the last insurgent-held area of Homs. Some ﬁghters and civilians have left Waer, and aid was allowed in. Waer is located on the western side of the city’s outskirts. A vehicle bomb detonated close to a hospital in the mainly Alawite neighbourhood of Al Zahra in the east of Homs city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. The second large blast, originally suspected to have been a bomb, appeared to have come from an exploding gas canister and wounded people who had come to tend to victims of the ﬁrst explosion in the densely-populated neighbourhood, state media said. State television had earlier described the attack as “two large terrorist explosions”. News agency SANA said the vehicle bomb had been packed with 150 kg of explosives. It published a photo of two men carrying a woman away from burning wreckage. — Reuters

Saudi women cast ballots for first time in local polls The election is for two thirds of seats on councils that previously had only advisory powers, but will now have a limited decision making role in local government

RIYADH: Saudi Arabian women voted for the ﬁrst time on Saturday in local council elections and also stood as candidates, a step hailed by some activists as a historic change, but by others as merely symbolic. “As a ﬁrst step it is a great achievement. Now we feel we are part of society, that we contribute,” said Sara Ahmed, 30, a physiotherapist entering a polling station in north Riyadh. “We talk a lot about

HISTORIC DAY: Saudi women leave a polling station after casting their votes during municipal elections, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. – Reuters

it, it’s a historic day for us.” The election, which follows men-only polls in 2005 and 2011, is for two thirds of seats on councils that previously had only advisory powers, but will now have a limited decision making role in local government. Under Custodian of the Two

Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who died in January and who announced in 2011 that women would be able to vote in this election, steps were taken for women to have a bigger public role, sending more of them to university and encouraging female employment.

P E A C E TA L K S

Yemen ceaseﬁre to start from tomorrow DUBAI: A seven-day ceaseﬁre in Yemen will start on Monday, the day before planned UN-sponsored peace talks in Switzerland, senior officials on both sides of the civil war that has killed nearly 6,000 people said on Saturday. “Based on what had been agreed upon, there will be a halt of the aggression on the 14th of this month,” Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam told a news

conference broadcast live from the Yemeni capital Sanaa. The Houthis have been locked for nine months in a civil war with forces loyal to President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi’s exiled government, who are backed by air strikes and ground forces from a mainly Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia. The Houthis, who control most of the northern part of the country, see the Arab alliance’s military op-

erations in Yemen since March as an aggression. The alliance says it intervened in response to a request by Hadi. Yemen’s new Foreign Minister Abdel Malek Al Mekhlafi, who will also lead Hadi’s delegation to the UN talks, confirmed that the ceasefire would start on “the evening of December 14”. “We are going to the talks with serious intentions and we hope

BAGHDAD, BASRA

Thousands of Iraqis protest Turkish troops deployment BAGHDAD: Thousands of Iraqis protested on Saturday against Ankara’s deployment of troops to a base near the northern city of Mosul, with some burning Turkish ﬂags and threatening violence against the soldiers for what they see as a violation of sovereignty. At least six Iraqi border guards were killed on Saturday when a suicide bomber drove a truck packed with explosives into an outpost near the border with Saudi Arabia in an attack claimed by IS militant group. News of the deployment of 150 Turkish soldiers earlier this month triggered a crisis between Ankara and Baghdad, which has appealed to the United Nations Security Council to demand their

immediate and unconditional withdrawal. Ankara has refused, saying the troops were part of an international mission to train and equip Iraqi forces to ﬁght IS militant group, which still controls a large part of the country. Baghdad denies inviting such a force. At least 4,000 demonstrators gathered in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad on Saturday, and several thousand more in the oil city of Basra in the south, including militia members who held up anti-Turkey banners. “We consider any military presence on Iraqi land as foreign aggression which we should stand against using all possible means,” Hadi Al Amiri, a lawmaker who heads the powerful armed Badr

Organisation, told protesters in Baghdad. The rallies were organised and led by militia groups, which have threatened to use force against Turkey unless it withdraws. Pointing his pistol towards an image of Erdogan, Amjad Salim, a local commander in the Badr Organisation in Basra, said: “We are on high alert now awaiting orders from our commanders to set ﬁre to the ground beneath the feet of Turkish soldiers.” “If Turkey thinks Iraq is busy with ﬁghting IS and it can seize the opportunity to deploy troops then it should think twice before making such a mistake,” said Abu Muntathar Al Moussawi, a local commander in Asaib Ahl Al Haq paramilitary group. — Reuters

that the other side to abide by that,” he told Reuters. The United Nations has invited Hadi’s government and the Houthis to peace negotiations after the two sides agreed a draft agenda and ground rules for the talks. Both sides now say they are determined to end the crisis that had devastated the country and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.— Reuters

Only 1.48 million Saudis from a population of 20 million registered to vote in the election, including 131,000 women. Some voters hope that the Al Saud family will eventually allow elections for the advisory parliament, the Shura Council. “There is no reason, if this is

applied to municipal councils, that they would not apply it to the Shura,” said Riyadh Najm, a retired former government official in glasses and a neat grey beard. At the King Salman Social Centre in north Riyadh, where men and women went into different parts of the building to cast their ballots, voters were greatly outnumbered by both election officials and journalists. Dozens of prospective candidates were barred from running. The authorities gave no reason for not allowing them to participate, but many had previously been politically active. Iman Al Mashrawi, a paediatric surgeon in Riyadh, said she had been persuaded to vote by a friend who was running for office. “We are mothers, teachers, doctors. We are everywhere in our country the same as any man,” she said. For now, according to some of the women voting on Saturday, apart from the symbolic nature of casting a ballot, their hopes for change resulting from their votes are limited to purely local issues. “I believe women want more parks, libraries for their children, health and ﬁtness facilities for women. And just to be part of the decision,” said Ahmed, the physiotherapist. — Reuters

BRIEFS

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

INDIA Japan puts $12b bullet train,

Dilip Kumar to be honoured with Padma Vibhushan

nuclear, defence ties on track

NEW DELHI: Dilip Kumar, Indian cinema’s one of the greatest actors, will be conferred with the Padma Vibhushan on Sunday at a special function to be held in Mumbai. Padma Vibhushan to 93-year-old Kumar will be given by Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the thespian’s residence, a senior Home Ministry official said. The announcement to honour Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and a few others with Padma Vibhushan was made by the government on the eve of Republic Day on January 25, 2015.

Tokyo signed

8-year-old raped by grandfather, uncle for 8 months

which came during

MEERUT: A minor girl was allegedly raped by her grandfather and step-uncle over the period of 8 months in Kanpur, police here said on Saturday. The 8-year-old girl disclosed the incident to her father when she met him in Muradnagar earlier this month at a marriage function. A case was registered on the basis of the complaint ﬁled by the minor’s father, they said. The girl was living with her paternal grandparents in Kanpur since this April. Grandfather and stepson raped her repeatedly.

Freezing weather grips north NEW DELHI: Several parts of hill states Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh were in the grip of bitter cold on Saturday with temperatures dipping below freezing point. At minus 11 degrees Celsius, Gulmarg ski resort in north Kashmir was the coldest in the state on Saturday. “The minimum temperature in Gulmarg dropped to minus 10.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday while it was 0.6 in Srinagar, minus 6.5 in Pahalgam and minus 4.6 in Leh of Ladakh region,” an official said.

Brother-sister duo catch burglar NEW DELHI: A 12-yearold boy and his elder sister chased two burglars who had allegedly broke into their residence at south Delhi’s Khirki Extension area and managed to overpower one, police said. The incident was reported on Tuesday, when the burglars broke into the house and The siblings, Akshay Sharma and Akshataya Sharma (16), came home early from school. They found the lock broken and also sensed someone’s presence inside the house.

Elephant tramples 52-year-old to death UDHAGAMANDALAM: A 52-year-old man was today trampled to death by an elephant in an estate area near Gudalur, about 70km from here. Venkatachalam was going to a shop to buy provisions when the pachyderm attacked him, police said. He died on the spot. - Agencies

another $12b deal for the ‘Make in India’ initiative, besides ‘Power of 16’ agreements,

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Delhi

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NEW DELHI/VARANASI: Japan on Saturday committed billions of dollars of investments in India, including a $12-billion loan at negligible interest for the much touted ‘Bullet Train’ and another $12 billion for the ‘Make in India’ initiative, besides signing farreaching agreements on defence and nuclear energy as part of what has been termed as the ‘Power of 16’ agreements. The 16 agreements came during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to India, during which he also attended the annual bilateral summit on the ‘special strategic and global partnership’ with his host and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. “Today, we have scaled new summits in our shared journey,” a visibly pleased Modi told the media after his delegation-level talks with the visiting Japanese side, led by Abe. “The partnership between India and Japan has infinite potential. I’m convinced of that,” Abe, on his part, added. Mumbai-Ahmedabad train The Indian side was particularly elated with the package for the high-speed train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, as it comes with an interest of a mere 0.1 per cent, a duration of as many as 50 years and a moratorium on repayments up to 15 years. Modi also thanked Abe for the ‘Japan-India Make-in-India Special Finance Facility’ of up to ¥1.5 trillion ($12 billion) to promote investments from the Asian giant, mainly in infrastructure that need long gestation funding. With India assuring Japan that it will become a full member in the four international nuclear export control regimes, Tokyo also moved forward and decided to sign an agreement with New Delhi to cooperate on peaceful uses of nuclear energy after finalising the technical details. “This is a shining symbol of a new level of mutual confidence and strategic partnership in the cause of a peaceful and secure

SEALING THE DEALS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, shakes hands with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after the signing of agreements at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday. - AFP

Maruti Suzuki cars will be exported to Japan, says Modi NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that for the ‘ﬁrst time’ India will export to Japan cars which will be made domestically by Maruti Suzuki as part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative. “For the ﬁrst time Japan will import cars from India and Maruti will manufacture it”, he said while addressing the India-Japan Business Leaders Forum here. “Maruti (Suzuki) will manufacture here... The Japanese company will manufacture here and export it to Japan”, he said, adding that both India and Japan should move ahead together, not just in the sphere of high-speed trains, but also for “high-speed growth,” he added. Speaking after the meeting,

world,” Modi said, adding the pact envisaged on nuclear energy cooperation would extend beyond commerce and clean energy. Modi also said that India will extend to the Japanese people the visa on arrival facility from March 1 next year, and forge better ties in the defence sector, including the potential purchase of equipment such as the US-2 amphibian aircraft for the Indian armed forces. Similarly, Abe said in the next ﬁve years Japan would like 10,000 young Indian talents to visit his country under such frameworks as student exchange, IT training and short term programmes, and hoped that this will provide solid bonds for future relations. The two sides also took their

Maruti Suzuki chairman R. C. Bhargava said the company will export ‘Baleno’ at the moment. When asked about the target, he said:”We expect to export 20,000 to 30,000 units in a year.” However, Bhargava added that exporting automobiles to Japan is not an easy task. Japanese carmaker’s unit Maruti Suzuki is expected to

ties forward on maritime issues, in both the bilateral and regional context. On the one side, both leaders welcomed JapanÂ’s regular participation in the India-US Malabar Exercises, while also expressing concerns over challenges in the Indo-Paciﬁc region. India’s support Without making a direct reference to the concerns among some countries about China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, Modi also said India stood strongly for ensuring freedom of navigation and over-ﬂight, and unimpeded maritime commerce. Starting the day with a meeting with business leaders, the warmth between the two “friends” was

begin export of India-made car Baleno to Japan from January. Apart from bullet trains, India needs high-speed growth, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday while addressing business leaders of India and Japan here with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. The visit of Abe, who arrived here on Friday on a three-day official sojourn, is expected to see progress towards India’s ﬁrst bullet train. Modi emphasised that he wanted India and Japan to move ahead together, not just in the sphere of highspeed trains, but also for ‘highspeed growth’. Recalling his Japan visit last year, and the commitment of $35-billion investment made by Japan, Modi said the ﬁgure

visible when Modi and Abe used the Bullet Train (Shinkansen in Japan) as an analogy to praise each other. “Prime Minister Modi’s economic policies are like Shinkansen — high speed, safe and reliable and carrying many people along,” said Abe. Modi’s counter point: “India and Japan should move ahead together, not just in the sphere of high-speed trains, but also for ‘high-speed growth’.” Modi said India and Japan will shape an Asian century as they realise Vision 2025 of their ties. “No friend will matter more in realising India’s economic dreams than Japan,” said the Indian prime minister. “I cannot think of a strategic partnership that can exer-

had surprised many at that time, but today, within a short time-span, ‘unimaginable progress’ had been made, and the contours of this investment were beginning to get visible on the ground. The Indian prime minister said ‘Make in India’ was proceeding in mission mode, not just in India, but also in Japan. He said the ‘Japan Plus’ initiative that was begun last year as a policy experiment, was also doing well. Modi said recent economic indicators in both India and Japan were extremely encouraging, especially in the light of the global economic slowdown. Modi recalled Japan has been a part of many key economic turning points in India. - Agencies

cise a more profound inﬂuence on shaping the course of Asia and our interlinked ocean regions more than ours.” With bilateral talks and business meetings wrapped up in New Delhi earlier in the day, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe experienced a spiritual retreat on the banks of the holy Ganges river at the Dasaswamedh ghat here. Modi said India and Japan will shape an Asian century as they realise Vision 2025 of their ties. - IANS

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OVERSEAS TOUR

Will work with Turkmenistan to tackle extremism: Ansari ASHGABAT: India on Saturday said it will continue to work for the development and stability of Central Asia even as it vowed to work with Turkmenistan to address the challenges of cross-border terrorism, fundamentalism and extremism faced by the region. Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari, who arrived here Friday to attend the ground-breaking ceremony of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, said the bond between the two nations has grown stronger in the contemporary times. Addressing a conference here on neutrality to mark the the 20th anniversary of adoption of the status of ‘Permanent Neutrality’’ by Turkmenistan, he said the Central Asian country’s commitment to permanent neutrality has remarkable similarities with the overall approach of the Non-Aligned Movement, the fundamental objective of the latter also being preservation of world peace and security.

people and government further success in their policy of neutrality as we work together to address the challenges of cross border terrorism, fundamentalism and extremism. We will be your true partners in your striving for regional and global peace and sustainable development.”

IMPORTANT VISIT: Vice President Hamid Ansari with students after offering ﬂoral tribute at a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at Ashgabat in

Turkmenistan on Saturday. – PTI

Ansari said in the 20 years since adoption of a neutral status, Turkmenistan has remained committed to building harmonious relations with its neighbours and promote

peace and security in the world. “During the recent visit of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Turkmenistan, we reiterated our vision for a shared future. Tomor-

row, we will ﬂag-off the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, which we both recognise to be a ‘key pillar’ of our economic engagement and

which is in consonance with the particular emphasis that Turkmenistan puts on the economic aspect of neutrality,” he said. “India wishes the Turkmen

Twenty countries Recalling the historical links, he said most revered Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy (Makhtumqoli Faraghi) yearned to visit India and his love for Indian people is reﬂected in his poems. The event in Turkmenistan was attended by leaders of 20 nations, including Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ansari said the idea of neutrality or its use as a political precept is not unknown to India. The basic values that underline the policy of neutrality are of peace, non-violence and peaceful resolution of disputes. - PTI

S U N DAY, D E C E MB E R 1 3, 2 0 1 5

INDIA

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H E A LT H

Blood pressure of 120/80 works best for Indians: Experts NEW DELHI: At a time when researchers and health care providers globally are debating over an ideal blood pressure (BP) level for you — with changing lifestyles and stress being a major part of everyday life — the Indian health experts still vouch for the traditional 120/80 BP reading — even a tad lower — for all age groups. A signiﬁcant research published in the journal Heart Asia this month had warned that the European and North American blood pressure guidelines — issued last year at 140/90 mmHg being the new normal — may actually increase the stroke risk if adapted for Asian patients, particularly the elderly. “High blood pressure is a key risk factor for stroke, but the link between the two is much stronger in Asians than it is in Europeans or North Americans,” the authors wrote. “I agree that there has been a shift in the trend because of high sodium intake, lack of exercise, workplace stress and high levels of stress, but 120/80 is what one should aim to achieve,” says Dr T E R R O R I S T AT TA C K

Will help bring Mumbai attackers to justice, says US WASHINGTON: United States on Saturday said it wants to see the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attack brought to justice and will do anything to support India in this regard. “We want to see the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack brought to justice and obviously continue to want to do anything we can to support Indian authorities in that task,” State Department spokesman John Kirby has said when asked about David Headley turning approver after being pardoned by a Mumbai court. Headley is currently serving 35year prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai terror attack. When told that Headley may provide a great deal of information about the attack, Kirby said, “I don’t have anything speciﬁc and it would be inappropriate for me to comment on an ongoing court case like that anyway.” Victims of terror “Again, we share an interest in seeing the Mumbai attackers being brought to justice a terrible, dastardly terrorist attack,” he said. Kirby said India is a very close friend and partner. “I think it’s self-evident in recent years that both our countries have fallen victim to terrorist attacks and continue to need to be on to be vigilant about terrorism perpetrated against our citizens, and so it makes perfect sense that we would look for ways to cooperate more closely and to improve the ﬂow of information between our two countries,” he said. Asked if the State Department was playing any role in intelligence and information sharing on terrorists as mentioned by Indian defence minister Manohar Parikkar, he said, “I can’t speak for the Defence Department. As for the State Department, we have we maintain good, strong relations with our counterparts in India.” - PTI

IN NUMBERS European and North American blood pressure guidelines —140/90 mmHg being the new normal — may actually increase the stroke risk if adapted for Asian patients, particularly the elderly According to a WHO report, 23.10 per cent men and 22.60 per cent women above 25 years suffer from hypertension in India Treatment should be initiated when blood pressure is 150/90 mmHg or higher in adults 60 years and older, or 140/90 mmHg or higher in adults younger than 60 years, says a United States study

Manoj Kumar, associate director (department of cardiology) at Max Hospital in the capital. According to a recent World Health Statistics report, 23.10 per cent men and 22.60 per cent women above 25 years suffer from hypertension in India.

Systolic reading When your heart beats, it contracts and pushes blood through the arteries to the rest of the body. This force creates pressure on the arteries and is called systolic blood pressure (top reading). A normal systolic BP reading is 120 or a bit less.

The diastolic blood pressure number or the bottom number indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. A normal diastolic blood pressure number is 80 or a bit less. “We currently recommend the western guidelines, specially

JNC8, where 140/90 is the cut off value for diagnosing and initiating treatment of hypertension,” Dr Neeraj Bhalla, director and senior consultant (cardiology) at BLK Superspecialty Hospitals, said. US guidelines The Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC8) in the United States recently released evidence-based recommendations for the management of hypertension in adults. According to these, treatment should be initiated when blood pressure is 150/90 mmHg or higher in adults 60 years and older, or 140/90 mmHg or higher in adults younger than 60 years. “If the target blood pressure is not reached within one month after initiating therapy, the dosage of the initial medication should be increased, or a second medication should be added,” the guidelines issued by experts said However, when it comes to Indian patients, there is a lack of large scale randomised, controlled trials. There is currently a trial by the

name of SPRINT in North American patients where a BP reading less than 120/80 reduced incidence of cardio-vascular events in participants over a period of time. “Following the JNC8 guidelines published in 2014, the consensus for target BP was less than 140/90. However after the recent SPRINT trial, it should be even less than 120/80 as has been the practice for the last several decades,” advises Dr Subhash Chandra, chairman, (cardiology) at BLK. Dr Bharat Kukreti, senior consultant (cardiology) at Paras Hospital in Gurgaon shared a recent case study of 26-year-old Sid who came to him with the complaint of headache and visual blurring. “When his BP was measured, it came 200/130. Medications were given on priority and he felt better. If timely action was not taken then he would have suffered from either brain hemorrhage or heart failure,” he said. Those with less than 140/90 or pre-hypertensive reading, should go for lifestyle modiﬁcation. - IANS

Government to make fresh bid to pass two crucial Bills Four hours have

No link between Herald, GST Bill issues, say Rahul

been allotted for the passage of Goods and Services Tax and three hours for Real Estate bills in the last week of the session in Parliament

NEW DELHI: Government will make a fresh bid to pass crucial bills on Goods and Services Tax (GST) and real estate in the last week of the winter session. The legislative and ﬁnancial business proposed next week includes a discussion on the issue of price rise in both Houses with emphasis in Rajya Sabha on rising price of essential commodities, including foodgrains in the country. A discussion is also likely on the issue of “growing intolerance endangering the unity and diversity of the country”. While six bills each have been passed and introduced in Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha has passed only one bill. Ten Bills passed by Lok Sabha are still to be taken up in Rajya Sabha. In the Lok Sabha, government has proposed to take up nine items of legislative and ﬁnancial business during next week, a statement by Parliamentary Affairs Ministry said. Of these, time has been allotted for seven items. A heavy agenda of 16 items is due to be taken up in Rajya Sabha which lagged behind Lok Sabha in transaction of business this week due to disruptions and forced adjournments. Four hours have been allotted

GUWAHATI: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said there was ‘no link’ between the National Herald and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill issues and asserted that his party is for the tax reform measure if three differences are resolved. “In the media there is some sense that the National Herald and the GST are linked. I say to you here that there is absolutely no link between National Herald and GST. National Herald is a separate issue and the GST is a separate issue,” said Rahul while interacting with editors and senior journalists here. Congress has been protesting in Parliament on National Herald issue alleging political vendetta after the Delhi High Court refused to quash summonses to its leaders including party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul. The disruption of Parliament proceedings has led to delay in taking up of GST Bill that seeks to bring in a uniform indirect tax regime across the country. “Congress party had brought in the GST. Modiji and Jaitleyji

for the passage of the GST bill, three hours for Real Estate bill and two hours for anti-graft measure, the Whistleblower Bill. Meeting with Congress Prospects of a forward movement on GST appeared in sight with the government giving some proposals to the Congress and expecting a response by Monday when Parliament meets again with just few

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi

with students during his visit in Guwahati. – PTI

had vehemently opposed it. They had called it all sorts of names. They rubbished it, said it cannot be done...it’s completely nonsense,” Rahul said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. “We on the other hand were trying to push GST. GST is important because it makes India less complicated. It allows goods to move. It removes red tapeism. We are hundred

working days left for the winter session to conclude. A meeting of Congress leaders is being held on Sunday in which the party top brass will take a call on the proposals, which could pave the way for the passage of the GST bill. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who travelled to Pakistan on December 8, is also expected to make a statement on

per cent proposers of GST,” the Congress leader said. The Congress had stalled passage of the GST Constitution Amendment Bill in the last session of Parliament over its demand that a revenue-neutral rate not higher than 18 per cent be mentioned in the Constitution Amendment bill. It is also opposed to states being given powers to levy additional 1 per cent tax on supply of goods over and above GST rate.

India-Pakistan ties in Parliament on Monday. “Sushma will make a statement on her recent visit to Islamabad and developments relating to ties between India and Pakistan in both the Houses of Parliament during the next week of winter session of Parliament. “This is one of the major agenda items for next week,” a release by the Ministry of Parliamentary

‘Rahul is lying’ Stepping up attack on Congress, BJP on Saturday dubbed Rahul Gandhi as a ‘lying machine’ and asked him to come out with facts in National Herald case instead of holding Parliament ‘hostage’. It also asked the Congress leadership to apologise to the nation “for trying to create hurdles in the country’s progress and attacking the interests of 1.25 billion Indians”. BJP threatened to ‘expose the Congress lie’ and said it would come out with a country-wide programme after the current session of Parliament and the details are being worked out. “Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are doing only negative politics for the last 18 months.... Rahul Gandhi is proving to be a ‘lying machine’. “Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have double standards as they are trying to defame Prime Minister through their chronic lies and by showing fake documents in National Herald case and stall Parliament,” BJP alleged. - PTI

Affairs said. The government has put the GST Bill and Real Estate Bill on top of its legislative agenda in next eight days of winter session. - PTI

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AV I AT I O N

SALVAGING COURT PAPERS IN FLOOD-HIT CHENNAI

People drying up court-papers at Saidapet, one of the worst ﬂood-hit localities in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on Saturday. — PTI

Air India sacks 3 pilots for breach of contract NEW DELHI: National carrier Air India has terminated the services of three co-pilots for breach of contract in a move to deter pilots from quitting the airline after receiving high-cost type rating training and joining other airlines at higher salary packages. Air India sources on Saturday said that the airline has given these first officers, who fly narrow body Airbus A320, a one month notice while terminating their services. “These pilots had quit the airline without completing their five-year contract terms. We have spent a huge cost on training of these pilots...The contract terms and conditions have to be followed,” the sources said. Air India has also requested the aviation regulator Directorate

General of Civil Aviation to cancel their licences, they said. These pilots had quit the airline immediately after completing their training with the carrier, they said. “It is (pilots quitting Air India after training and joining other airlines) an unethical practice and it needs to be controlled,” Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani said. As many as 98 trained pilots had quit Air India between April 1, 2014 and October 30 this year and joined private airlines. Air India currently spends a whopping Rs2.5-6 million on training a new entrant to fly a particular type of aircraft after his or her induction. Type rating is a regulating agencies certification given to a pilot to fly a certain aircraft type. - PTI

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SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

PAKISTAN Government defers plan to start single-stage sales tax

PM to take part in gas pipeline ceremony in Turkmenistan ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was scheduled to proceed on Saturday on a two-day visit to the Central Asian state of Turkmenistan, where he will participate in the ground breaking ceremony of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) gas pipeline. Tapi is a proposed natural gas pipeline that will transport Caspian Sea natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then onward to India. Construction on the project was scheduled to start on Saturday. Through this project, Pakistan will be able to import 1325 mmcfd natural gas and ease also its own energy deﬁcit.

The plan, which would have lowered the standard sales tax rate to 7 per cent, has been shelved after reservations expressed by the IMF over its implications on revenue and businesses

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has deferred a proposal to introduce a new single-stage sales tax regime, which would have lowered the standard sales tax rate to 7 per cent, after reservations expressed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over its implications on revenue and businesses. The decision to postpone the implementation of the new regime by winding up the existing value-added-based system was taken after almost week-long technical discussions with the IMF in Dubai this week, said a top government official. As a result, the idea to implement the new sales tax regime from ﬁscal year 2016-17, beginning from July next year, has been shelved. The IMF acknowledged the problems Pakistan was facing due to the value-added-based sales tax but termed these “administrative in nature” that can be solved without taking a legal course, said an official of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) who attended the IMF parleys. However, he said the IMF has

OVERSEAS VISIT

TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS: The decision to postpone the implementation of the new regime by winding up the existing value-addedbased system was taken after almost week-long technical discussions with the IMF in Dubai this week. – File photo

not outright rejected the proposed single-stage sales tax. The international creditor appreciated many aspects that are covered in the single stage study, carried by the country’s renowned tax expert, Asfhaq Tola. The IMF also appreciated the Tax Reforms Commission (TRC). Tola is also a member of the TRC that completed the study despite hurdles created by the FBR. The IMF sought a detailed review of some aspects of the proposed new regime, which the study could not undertake due to FBR’s reluctance to provide requisite data. “IMF was given a conceptual

presentation as the FBR gave ﬁscal year 2014-15 data hardly three weeks ago”, said Masoud Naqvi, chairman of the TRC, who also visited Dubai. There are two groups in FBR – one is in favour and the other, which is in majority, opposed to the single stage idea, he added. Value-added based regime The IMF was also reluctant to allow implementation of new sales tax regime, as it feared that other countries that are not happy with the value-added based regime may also seek a similar concession. The standard GST rate in Pakistan is 17 per cent but the govern-

ment was implementing many rates, taking it up to 45.5 per cent. There are also many sectors paying less than 17 per cent. The effective sales tax rate is 4 per cent less because of exemptions and deep-rooted corruption in the FBR. “The government cannot take a major risk until it is fully conﬁdent that the new sales tax regime will not affect revenue collection,” said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. “The government has not completely abandoned the idea of introducing a new regime and it will carry out further studies.” The single-stage tax, which is proposed to be levied on the to-

tal value of the good instead of on value addition, has been pushed as an alternate to the present system. According to the proposal, the tax collected will be full and ﬁnal liability and the refunds would not be allowed. If new regime is implemented, the sales tax rate could be in the range of 7 per cent to 8 per cent due to absence of input adjustment. - Express Tribune

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Tapi gas pipeline Hosted by Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the event will also be attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani. According to an official statement, “the PM’s visit will highlight the importance that Pakistan attaches to the Tapi Gas Pipeline Project and its commitment to its early completion.” During the visit, Sharif will also attend an international conference being convened in Ashgabat to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality. A number of heads of states have conﬁrmed to attend the conference. The prime minister’s visit – undertaken on the invitation of the Turkmen president – will provide a good opportunity for Pakistan to re-affirm its support for Turkmenistan’s long-standing policy of permanent neutrality, said the statement. In his bilateral interactions with the Turkmen president, the prime minister will share Pakistan’s perspective on important developments impinging on peace and security in the region. - Express Tribune

MERGER

Pakistan Stock Exchange to be operational this month KARACHI: With the merger of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad stock exchanges, a single equity trading platform by the name of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE) will become operational from December 28, according to Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) managing director Nadeem Naqvi. Addressing a press brieﬁng on Friday at the KSE, Naqvi said the prime minister will formally inaugurate the PSE in the second week of January. The licences of both Lahore and Islamabad stock exchanges along with their trading right entitlement certiﬁcates (TREC) holders will be terminated. These brokers will become TREC hold-

ers of the PSE, thus increasing the number of brokers on the bourse currently known as the KSE. But unlike KSE’s original 200 brokers, new TREC holders will not own any shareholding in the PSE. Integration of market In the next phase of the integration of the stock market, the PSE will sell up to 40 per cent equity stake to a strategic investor, which will be followed by the sale of another 20 per cent shareholding to the general public. The group of 200 KSE brokers, which originally owned 100% shareholding in the bourse, will receive the proceeds of the sale of shares. They will also retain the remain-

ing 40 per cent stake in the PSE. Naqvi said the PSE will now appoint a new financial adviser to look for the strategic investor. Earlier, Deutsche Bank served as financial adviser. A local investment bank is likely to join hands with the new (foreign) financial adviser because of the general public component of the sale of KSE shares. Borsa Ýstanbul has sent an “initial letter of interest” to the KSE to acquire up to 40 per cent shareholding in the PSE. Responding to a question, Naqvi said the directors serving on the KSE board have to submit the status of their equity holdings to the commission.- Express Tribune

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ASIA

Siege ends at Spanish embassy in Kabul Two Spanish security officers and four Afghan policemen were also killed in the attack, in a heavily protected part of Kabul close to several embassies and government buildings

KABUL: Afghan security forces suppressed a suicide attack on a guest house attached to the Spanish embassy in Kabul, killing three Taliban fighters after hours of intermittent gunfire and explosions that lasted into the early hours of Saturday. Two Spanish security officers and four Afghan police were also killed in the attack, in a heavily protected part of Kabul close to several embassies and government buildings, Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid said. In Madrid, the Spanish government said all other embassy staff had been evacuated from the site and were receiving treatment. In addition, nine Afghan civilians were wounded and another 47 Afghans and foreigners were rescued from nearby buildings where they were trapped as security forces sealed off the area around the guest house, which guards at the site said formed part of the Spanish embassy compound. The latest in a series of attacks on foreign targets in Kabul began at about 6pm on Friday when a suicide attacker detonated a car bomb near the guest house, allowing three gunmen to take up positions and open fire on security forces. “The operation took time because we wanted to rescue the people trapped in surrounding buildings and we had to move cautiously and in a proper tactical manner,” Kabul police chief Abdul

SITE OF ATTACK: Afghan municipality workers sweep a road after an attack on a guest house attached to the Spanish embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday. - Reuters

At least 848 Afghan civilian casualties in Kunduz: UN KABUL: At least 848 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded following a Taliban attack on the northern city of Kunduz in September, according to a UN report that detailed the grim conditions endured by residents during two weeks of ﬁghting. The 289 dead and 559 injured included at least 30 killed and 37 injured in a US air strike on a hospital run by Medecins Sans Frontieres, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a report. It said the ﬁgures were likely to rise as further informa-

Rahman Rahimi said after the operation ended at around 5.30am. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on the “invader’s guest house”, just days after President Ashraf Ghani returned from a regional peace conference in Pakistan, where he sought support to revive peace talks that stalled this year. Ghani’s government has come

tion became available, noting that unstable security meant its officials had been unable to conduct detailed investigations in Kunduz. Medecins Sans Frontieres said on Saturday that its own count of the death toll from the Kunduz hospital attack had risen to 42, a figure UNAMA said it was verifying. Apart from the losses in the air strike on October 3, it said most casualties had been caused from small arms fire or explosives during heavy fighting in residential areas. “In most of these cases, UNAMA could not attribute

under increasing pressure as the Taliban insurgency, aimed at expelling foreign forces and bringing down the Western-backed government, has spread since NATO ended its combat mission last year. The head of the intelligence services, who strongly opposed Ghani’s bid to involve Pakistan in the peace process, resigned on Thursday, underlining divisions in the

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the casualties to a specific party to the conflict,” it said, although it also detailed reports of deliberate killings by the Taliban of civilians including people associated with the government. It also joined calls for an independent investigation into the attack on the hospital, which it said may amount to a war crime if it were proved to be deliberate. An estimated 150,000 people were trapped in the city by the most prolonged period of urban fighting in Afghanistan since the US-led campaign against the Taliban in 2001. - Reuters

national security apparatus. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Taliban taunted authorities with the “shame and humiliation” of not being able to prevent an attack in the heart of the capital. Friday’s attack followed a separate Taliban attack on the Kandahar airport complex, in which at least 50 civilians and security forces personnel were killed. - Reuters

A R M E D S TA N D O F F

North, South Korea talks end inconclusively SEOUL: The ﬁrst high-level talks between North and South Korea since an August agreement to end an armed confrontation across their border ended inconclusively on Saturday with no date set for a further meeting. Hwang Boogi, South Korea’s chief delegate, told reporters after the talks that the two Koreas had not issued a joint statement. Pyongyang pushed for the resumption of cross-border tours of the Mount Kumgang resort, just north of the demilitarized frontier, which were suspended in 2008 following the fatal shooting of a South Korean tourist, according to Hwang. South Korea in turn weighed in on the issue of Korean War-separated families, calling for identiﬁcation of separated families and letter exchanges. “The North intensively raised the issue of the Mount Kumgang tourism... demanding an agreement to restart the tourism as a priority,” Hwang was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency. South Korea sought guarantees from the North that the safety of visitors to the resort would be assured. After the negotiations, Pyongyang blamed the South for the breakdown. North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency said Seoul refused to discuss fundamental issues such as the resumption of the resort tours and stuck to “unfair assertions”. The dispute over the Mount Kumgang tours, a once-lucrative

MEETING: South Korean Vice

Uniﬁcation Minister Hwang Boogi, left, shakes hands with his North Korean counterpart Jon Jong Su, during their meeting at the Kaesong Industrial Complex in Kaesong, North Korea, on Friday. - Reuters/Korea Pool

source of cash for the impoverished North, is one of a series of unresolved issues that continue to sour relations on the peninsula. The rivals, technically still at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a treaty, had all but cut ties since early 2010, when a South Korean navy ship was sunk by a torpedo that Seoul said was fired from a North Korean submarine. Pyongyang denies any involvement. The South’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, was not immediately available for comment. The meeting, which began on Friday, was the first forum for high-level discussions over a range of issues following an agreement in August that ended an armed standoff involving an exchange of artillery fire across the inter-Korean border. - Reuters

FIGHT AGAINST TERROR

‘China needs to improve intelligence on terrorism’ BEIJING: China needs to improve its intelligence gathering abilities and intelligence sharing between different departments it if wants to better deal with the threat of terrorism, its domestic security chief said, in a rare admission of the problems faced. Hundreds of people have been killed in the past few years in China’s western region of Xinjiang, home to the mainly Uighur people, in violence blamed by the government on militants who want to es-

tablish an independent state called East Turkestan. Speaking in Xinjiang’s regional capital Urumqi, domestic security chief Meng Jianzhu said while some success had been achieved in the ﬁght against terrorism, the situation remained serious. The security chief said intelligence gathering had to improve, in both what he called “hard and soft intelligence”, according to a government statement issued late on Friday. - Reuters

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READERS’ FORUM No need to sack Jose Mourinho Jose Mourinho is one of the shrewdest and most successful coaches in the game of football. His job is on the line as Chelsea coach following their run of 11 defeats in all competitions. I hope the Russian owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich, stays patient with the club’s performance, as it is bound to improve. We must not forget that Jose Mourinho led Porto to the 2003 UEFA Cup and 2004 Champions League title triumphs. He also led Inter Milan to victory in the Champions League. He has also won the league titles in Italy, Portugal, Spain Scan this QR code and England. The problem with Chelsea to send letters to the players at this moment is that they are Readers’ Forum, unable to convert scoring opportunities containing not more than 200 words with into goals. Their main striker, Diego Costa, full name, address is woefully out of form. They are far better and telephone than their current ranking of 14th than the number, may be sent Premier League suggests. Mourinho wants by mail (Times of Oman, P.O. Box 770, to achieve a “dream” by ﬁnishing in the top P.C. 112, Ruwi). four at the end of the season. If there is one person who can turn their fortunes, it is Jose Mourinho. He is a great tactician and has great tenacity. He has worked with some of the biggest names in football. I am sure Chelsea will go far in this year’s Champions League and end up in the top four — that’s what Mourinho wants for the team this season. I wish them all the success. — Srikumar Pai, Wadi Kabir

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Rain has started to fall in many areas of Muscat on Monday night.

INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY

Megafunds to make drug development less costly

PAOLA SUBACCHI

The Nobel laureate Robert Mundell once said, “great powers have great currencies.” China, whose government Mundell long advised, seemed to take this notion to heart, prodding the IMF for years to add the renminbi to the basket of currencies that determine the value of the IMF’s reserve asset. bit.ly/imfchinarenminbi

s price-gouging practices by a handful of drug companies attract headlines, one troubling aspect of the story remains underplayed. Exorbitant increases in the prices of existing drugs, including generics, are motivated not just by crass profiteering but by a deep skepticism about the economic feasibility of developing new drugs. That skepticism is justified. Traditional models for funding drug development are faltering. In the US and many other developed countries, the average cost of bringing a new drug to market has skyrocketed, even as patents on some of the industry’s most profitable drugs have expired. Venture capital has pulled back from early-stage life-sciences companies, and big pharmaceutical companies have seen fewer drugs reach the market per dollar spent on research and development. Indeed, on average, only one of every 10,000 compounds identified as potentially useful in early-stage research will ultimately win approval from regulators. The approval process can take as long as 15 years and errs on the side of caution. Even among drugs that make it to human clinical trials, only one in five will clear that final hurdle. The price tag for these “slow fails” can be enormous. Pfizer, for example, spent a reported $800 million on its cholesterol-lowering drug, torcetrapib, before pulling it from phase III clinical trials in 2006. That’s an unappealing prospect for most investors. Because the risk of backing any one compound, or even a particular company, is so high, vast pools of investment capital lie out of reach for drug developers. Spurred by these pressures, finance experts have proposed several funding alternatives that reduce the risk of biopharma investments while improving the efficiency and productivity of the R&D pipeline. Although industry incumbents may be slow to shift gears, developing countries creating next-generation biopharma hubs have a unique opportunity to adopt and benefit from alternative models. Many of those models build upon a common strategy for de-risking investments: assembling a diversified portfolio. Two decades ago, a company called Royalty Pharma launched a diversified model, building a fund of ownership interests in multiple drug royalty streams. Royalty Pharma focused on approved drugs with blockbuster potential, creating stable revenue streams and impressive equity returns – even during periods of extreme stock-

market volatility. But Royalty Pharma’s model will not bridge the funding gap between the basic research supported by government grants and the late-stage development of drugs that are in clinical trials. Because the candidate drugs in this R&D “valley of death” are riskier than anything in which Royalty Pharma invests, an even larger portfolio of compounds would be needed to yield levels of risk and rates of return that are acceptable to typical investors. How large would that portfolio have to be? One of us (Lo) has carried out simulations of diversified funds for early- and mid-stage cancer drugs, which show that a so-called megafund of $5-30 billion, comprising 100-200 compounds, could sufficiently de-risk the investment while generating returns of between 9-11 per cent. That’s not exciting territory for venture capitalists and private-equity investors, but it is in keeping with the expectations of institutional investors, such as pension funds, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds. Moreover, the risk reduction from diversification would allow the megafund to issue large amounts of debt as well as equity, further broadening the pool of potential investors. To put these numbers in context, consider that the US National Institutes of Health funds just over $30 billion annually in basic medical research, and members of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America spent about $51 billion last year on R&D. A megafund approach would help to make both investments more productive by filling the funding gap between them. Moreover, this model may work on a smaller scale. Further simulations suggest that funds specializing in some drug classes, such as therapies for orphan diseases, could achieve double-digit rates of return with just $250-500 million dollars and fewer compounds in the portfolio. Of course, this approach faces challenges. It won’t be easy to manage a large pool of candidate compounds and dozens of simultaneous drug trials. Simulations show that megafunds will not work for all classes of drugs in all therapeutic areas. Development of Alzheimers’ therapies, for example, is unlikely to benefit from the megafund model. But where they do work, megafunds could make drug development vastly more efficient, and therefore less costly. No single company possesses the scale or finances to deploy all the advances in science and technology since the genomics revolution, but a megafund-backed effort could. - Project Syndicate

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES DECEMBER 2000 Symposium on animal production MUSCAT: The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), in cooperation with the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University, organised a symposium on ‘Animal production in Oman’, yesterday, under the patronage of Jamil bin Ali Sultan, vice president of the OCCI. The symposium discussed four scientiﬁc papers on the animal wealth in Oman. The papers were presented by Dr Neil Forsberg, Dr Ugen Johnson, Dr Osman M. Ja’afar and Dr Douglas. The papers covered the issues of nutrition, health, productivity and management, and quality of eggs.

PICTOGRAPH MUSCAT WEATHER Temperature (0C) 2011

2012

2013

Max.

Min.

Humidity (%) Max.

Min.

TODAY IN HISTORY INVITATION TO WRITERS We invite our readers to write articles on topics related to Oman. The articles should not exceed 800 words. Send us your article along with your picture to akhtar@timesofoman.com

1941: British forces launch an offensive in Libya.

Rainfall (mm)

121

1973: Great Britain cuts the work week to three days to save energy. 1985: France sues the US over the discovery of an AIDS serum. 2003: Deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein captured; he is found hiding in near his home town of Tikrit.

2014

45 2011

154

73 2012

2013

2014

Source: National Centre for Statistics and Information

S U N DAY, D E C E MB E R 1 3, 2 0 1 5 Most climate activists reacted positively, encouraged by long-term targets that were more ambitious than they expected, while warning it was only the ﬁrst step of many.

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WORLD

Landmark climate deal hailed

FOR A CAUSE: Jean-Baptiste Redde aka Voltuan holds a banner SYSTEM TO ENCOURAGE NATIONS: Activists dressed as polar bears are pictured at the Avenue de la Grande armee boulevard in Paris

on Saturday. The world climate accord creates a system to encourage nations to make good on voluntary domestic efforts to curb emissions and provides billions more dollars to help poor nations cope with the transition to a greener economy. AFP

The accord sets a sweeping long-term goal of eliminating net man-made greenhouse gas emissions this century APPLAUDED: French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, centre,

PARIS: French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius presented a landmark global climate accord on Saturday, a “historic” measure for transforming the world’s fossil fuel-driven economy within decades and turning the tide on global warming. The accord sets a sweeping long-term goal of eliminating net man-made greenhouse gas emissions this century. It also creates a system to encourage nations to make good on voluntary domestic efforts to curb emissions and provides billions more dollars to help poor nations cope with the transition to a greener economy. “Our responsibility to history is immense,” Fabius told thousands of officials, including President Francois Hollande and US Secretary of State John Kerry, in the main hall of the conference venue on the outskirts of Paris. “If we were to fail, how could we rebuild this hope?” he asked. “Our children would not understand or forgive us.” Calling it “ambitious and balanced”, Fabius said the accord would mark a “historic turning point” in efforts to avert the potentially disastrous consequences of an overheated planet. In some ways its success was assured before the summit began: 187 nations have submitted detailed national plans for how they will contain the rise in greenhouse gas emissions, commitments that are the core of the Paris deal. While leaving each country to pursue those measures on its own, the fact that the world has signed on to a common vision and course of action - including a commitment to regularly review and step up their efforts - marks a

is applauded by French President Francois Hollande, left, and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, after a statement at the COP21 Climate Conference in Le Bourget, north of Paris, on Saturday. – AFP

breakthrough after years of bickering over how to move forward. Officials hope a unified stance will be a powerful symbol for world citizens and a potent signal to the executives and investors they’re counting on to spend trillions of dollars to replace coalfired power with solar panels and windmills. While some climate change activists and US Republicans will likely find fault with the accord - either for failing to take sufficiently drastic action, or for overreacting to an uncertain threat - many of the estimated 40,000 officials, academics and campaigners who set up camp on the outskirts of Paris say they see it as a long overdue turning point. Six years after the previous climate summit in Copenhagen ended in failure and acrimony, the Paris pact appears to have rebuilt much of the trust required for a concerted global effort to combat climate change, delegates say. “Whereas we left Copenhagen scared of what comes next, we’ll leave Paris inspired to keep fighting,” said David Turnbull, Director at Oil Change International, a research and advocacy organisation opposed to fossil fuel production. Most climate activists reacted positively, encouraged by longterm targets that were more ambitious than they expected, while warning it was only the first step of many. From the outset, some have criticised the deal for setting too low a bar for success. Scientists warn that the envisaged national emissions cuts will not be enough to keep warming

to less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial times, the level scientists say is needed to avert the worst effects of warming such as flooding and severe droughts. Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, the last major climate deal agreed in 1997, the Paris pact will also not be a fully legally binding treaty, something that would almost certainly fail to pass the US Congress. In the United States, many Republicans will see the pact as a dangerous endeavour that threatens to trade economic prosperity for an uncertain if greener future. In central Paris, an estimated 10,000 demonstrators gathered near the Eiffel Tower, some chanting ‘Climate justice now’ while others sang and danced in apparent celebration. After talks that extended into early morning, the draft text showed how officials had resolved the stickiest points. Hollande cautioned that the pact would not be “perfect for everyone”, urging delegates to see the common need while reviewing key compromises that are certain to leave some nations unsatisfied. “Faced with climate change our destinies are bound together,” he said. In a win for vulnerable low-lying nations who had portrayed the summit as the last chance to avoid the existential threat of rising seas, the accord would set a more ambitious goal for limiting the rise in global temperatures to “well below” the 2 degrees Celsius threshold. Since 2010, the UN talks had referred only to the 2C figure. — Reuters

reading ‘For a climate of peace’ during a rally held by several Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to form a human chain on the Champs de Mars near the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Saturday on the sidelines of the COP21, the UN conference on global warming. – AFP

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UNITED STATES: A rainbow appears over Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center as rain, high winds, small hail and light snow ﬂurries sweep through the area in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. – AFP

INDONESIA: Indonesian Navy frogmen hang onto ropes from a

helicopter as they take part in an anti-terrorism drill along the shores of Banda Aceh in Aceh province on Saturday. Some 240 Navy personnel and 11 warships are taking part in the exercises ahead of the country’s 15th ‘Archipelago Day’ on Sunday. – AFP

KAZAKHSTAN: A Russian space technician checks the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft at an assembling department at the Russian-leased

Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Saturday. Russia’s Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 46/47 crew of Britain’s astronaut Tim Peake, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and US astronaut Tim Kopra is scheduled to blast off to the ISS on Tuesday. – AFP

ITALY: A photographer looks at the sky at night to see the annual Geminid meteor shower on the Elva Hill, in Maira Valley, near Cuneo, northern Italy on Saturday. – AFP

SPAIN: Hundreds of people dressed up as Santa Claus take part in the traditional Santa Claus run in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday. The race was organised by one of Spain’s leading department stores and will contribute part of the proceeds to the Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis Madrid. – AFP

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan women wear traditional dress at a fashion

show in Kabul, Afghanistan, organised by the Seven Leaves of Art Cultural Centre NGO (known as Farhangsara). – AFP

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Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has also demanded the Republican frontrunner Donald Trump withdraw from the US presidential race.

Dubai company removes Trump’s image and name from project site An image of Donald Trump and his daughter were removed from advertising billboards outside DAMAC property in Dubai, AKOYA Oxygen

DUBAI/NEW YORK: A Dubai real estate ﬁrm building a $6 billion golf complex with Donald Trump on Thursday stripped the property of his name and image amid a backlash over the US presidential candidate’s proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United States. Trump triggered an international uproar when he made his comments in response to last week’s deadly shootings in California by a couple who authorities said were radicalised.

GLOBAL UPROAR: A combo with two pictures taken at the entrance of the Trump International Golf Club in Dubai shows, on August 12, 2015, left, a billboard depicting US real-estate magnate Donald Trump playing golf, and the same billboard on Saturday, a day after the removal of the advertisement for Trump’s prestigious golf club. – AFP

DAMAC Properties had initially said it would stand by Trump, even as another of the billionaire’s Middle East partners, the Lifestyle chain of department stores, halted

PROTESTS CONTINUE

Saudi Prince calls Trump a ‘disgrace’ DUBAI: Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has called Donald Trump a disgrace to the United States following his call for a ban on Muslims entering the country, and demanded the Republican front-runner withdraw from the US presidential race. “You are a disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America,” Prince Alwaleed, the chairman of Kingdom Holding, said on his Twitter account, addressing Trump and referring to the Republican Party. “Withdraw from

the US presidential race as you will never win,” the prince added. Within hours, Trump’s response came back, also on Twitter. “Prince @Alwaleed_Talal wants to control our US politicians,” he said. “Can’t do it when I get elected.” Prince Alwaleed has holdings in a number of international companies, including Twitter and Citigroup. In July he said he will donate $32 billion to charity in coming years via Alwaleed Philanthropies. — Reuters

COURT VERDICT

Two Egyptian policemen jailed for torturing lawyer to death CAIRO: Two police officers were sentenced on Saturday to ﬁve years in jail by an Egyptian court for torturing a lawyer to death in a police station in February, a rare penalty against members of the security forces. Lawyer Karim Hamdy, 27, was arrested in February on charges of taking part in anti-government protests organised by the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement that the military removed from power in mid-2013. He died two days after his arrest after sustaining fractures to the ribs, bruises and bleeding in the chest and head, the initial forensic report showed. The lieutenant colonel and major with the national security agency were found guilty of torturing Hamdy to death. More than 200 lawyers are behind bars in Egypt for defending the government’s opponents, according to attorneys and human rights groups. Egyptian police melted away during protests which toppled Hosni Mubarak in 2011. They have since made a strong comeback, with rights groups saying police brutality is widespread in Egypt. Sentence The sentence, which can be appealed, comes a day after nine other policemen were referred to a criminal court and charged with beating to death a father of four. He was one of at least three men who died in police custody in the space of a week in November, prompting riots in his home town and rare media scrutiny of police methods. Despite the growing outcry

FOUND GUILTY: Lawyer Karim

Hamdy, 27, was arrested in February on charges of taking part in anti-government protests organised by the Muslim Brotherhood. – File photo

over such allegations of abuse of suspects, critics blame a culture of impunity for police still only rarely being held to account and have called for an independent body to investigate abuse cases. The Interior Ministry has said it would investigate all abuse allegations. An end to police brutality was one of the key demands of the 2011 protests that ended Mubarak’s 30-year rule. Unlike in the past, the families of those who have died in custody have been vocal in their demands for transparent investigations. “The verdict is a condemnation of the torture policy in police station and conﬁrms that the victim was tortured and killed by the two officers,” lawyer Mohamed Othman, representing Hamdy’s family, told Reuters. “The verdict is a message to all those in power who make light of people’s dignity.” — Reuters

sales of his “Trump Home” line on Wednesday in protest at his comments. A spokesman for DAMAC Properties, Niall McLoughlin, declined to comment on why

Trump’s image had been removed from a billboard outside the project construction site, along with that of his daughter, Ivanka Trump. The AKOYA by DAMAC project will include a Trump-branded golf course, gated island community and spa. Trump is also building a second golf course, the Tiger Woods-designed Trump World Golf Club, at another DAMAC property in Dubai, AKOYA Oxygen. An advertising billboard outside the AKOYA by DAMAC development had shown Trump in a red

hat swinging a golf club against a backdrop of a lush green golf course. By Thursday, the image had gone, a Reuters photographer said. An adjacent photo of Trump’s daughter Ivanka, an executive vice president for his Trump Organisation ﬁrm, was also removed from the billboard. Gold letters spelling out “Trump International Golf Club,” affixed to a landscaped stone wall at the entrance to the project site, were also removed later in the day, according to the Reuters photographer. Trump on Thursday postponed

a planned trip to Israel amid the global backlash over his proposal. Israeli politicians and more than 370,000 Britons urged their governments on Wednesday to bar Donald Trump from their countries. Meanwhile, the website for Trump Towers, Donald Trump’s glitzy signature skyscraper in Manhattan, went offline for at least an hour on Friday after activist hacking group Anonymous denounced the real-estate mogul and Republican presidential frontrunner for his comments. The website for the 68-story Trump Towers (trumptowerny. com), often used for his presidential campaign, was down after a tweet from an account associated with the anonymous hacking collective that said: “Trump Towers NY site taken down as statement against racism and hatred.www. trumptowerny.com/(what you see is cloudﬂare offline backup)” Earlier this week, a handle claiming to be “Anonymous Operations” posted a video on YouTube with the message: “Donald Trump think twice before you speak anything. You have been warned Mr. Donald Trump.” A spokesperson for Trump Towers was not available for comment. — Reuters

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‘Watch list of missing Syrian, Iraqi passports circulated for security’ Diplomats said there were around 5,000 missing Syrian passports from Raqqa and Deir Al Zor provinces on the list and 10,000 Iraqi ones from areas of Anbar, Nineveh and Tikrit

SCANNING: A traveller has his passport scanned as he passes through US Customs and Immigration. The US government has warned that IS has the ability to create fake Syrian passports, in a report that appears to draw on the same information described by the diplomats. - Reuters

BEIRUT: European countries have been circulating a watch list of missing Syrian and Iraqi passports they fear could be ﬁlled with false data and used by people to travel to Europe and beyond, diplomats said. Such documents represent an additional security risk for European states grappling with a large inﬂux of refugees from countries including Syria and Iraq because they are harder to identify than

outright fakes. One diplomat said the list contained serial numbers of thousands of genuine blank passports that were held in government offices in parts of Syria and Iraq which have since been captured by armed groups including IS. The diplomat said there were around 5,000 missing Syrian passports from Raqqa and Deir Al Zor provinces on the list and 10,000

Iraqi ones from areas of Anbar, Nineveh and Tikrit. It was not immediately clear which authorities had originally provided the serial numbers. Warned The US government has warned that IS has the ability to create fake Syrian passports, in a report that appears to draw on the same information described by the

diplomats. The passport watch list was ﬁrst shared between several European Union states in the summer, when tens of thousands of refugees started arriving in Europe, and has been updated several times since, diplomats said. The debate on how to deal with the inﬂux of refugees to Europe has become more politically charged after deadly attacks in Paris that stoked fears IS militants

could exploit the migrant crisis to send extremists to Europe. A Syrian passport was found near the dead body of one of the attackers and his fingerprints matched those of a person registered as arriving in Greece in October, although it has not been confirmed that he was the man named in the passport. FBI Director James Comey told a US Senate committee on Wednesday that the intelligence community is concerned IS has “the ability, the capability to manufacture fraudulent passports, which is a concern in any setting”. A spokeswoman for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed the contents of a story by CNN on Friday about the report, but declined to provide a copy of the report. The report says IS has access to Syrian government passport printing machines and blank

passports, raising the possibility the travel documents could be faked, CNN reported, citing a law enforcement source. The CNN source added that there was also concern that because the militant group had access to biographical and ﬁngerprint data on Syrian citizens, there was also a possibility of identity theft. ABC News, which ﬁrst reported the story on Thursday, said the report was released to law enforcement by the Homeland Security Investigations agency last week and raised the possibility that militants could use the documents to travel to the United States. State Department spokesman John Kirby, asked at a briefing on Friday about the ABC report, replied: “We have been aware of reports, not just in the press, that they may have obtained this capability.” - Reuters

VULNERABLE PEOPLE

Spain arrests man accused of recruiting young fighters for IS MADRID/BERLIN: Spanish police on Saturday arrested a man suspected of recruiting young fighters for IS in the North African enclave of Ceuta, the Interior Ministry said. The Spanish territory on the Moroccan coast has been a focus of anti-terror investigations this year. “Spanish police began investigations after seeing a number of young people from Ceuta leaving for Syria,” the ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The Spanish man, 34, was indoctrinating vulnerable young people and helping them to travel to conflict zones to join the IS, the ministry said. It gave no details of ages or the number of people known to have left Ceuta, a small territory that has become a hotspot for migration to Europe. In March, Spain said it had dismantled a militant cell in the enclave that it said was ready to attack either Spain or other targets in Europe. Spain is among a number of European countries struggling to deter young citizens from becoming fighters in Syria or Iraq, fearing they might return to plot attacks on home soil.

It has stepped up its efforts to stop citizens joining IS since the fatal gun attacks at the French magazine Charlie Hebdo at the beginning of the year and attacks in Paris on November 13. Spanish security forces have detained more than 100 suspected militants this year. Military help Meanwhile, the United States has asked Germany for more military help in the ﬁght against IS, a German magazine reported on Saturday, a week after parliament approved a plan to join the campaign in Syria. Der Spiegel said US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had sent a letter asking for a bigger military contribution from Berlin. Its mission currently includes six Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate to protect the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, refuelling aircraft and up to 1,200 troops. The deployment is a direct response to a French appeal for solidarity after militant attacks in Paris killed 130 people. Germany does not plan to carry out air strikes in Syria. - Reuters

BLASTS AND GUNFIRE

Bodies seen on streets of Bujumbura after a day of worst violence NAIROBI: At least 20 dead bodies were seen on the streets of the Burundian capital Bujumbura on Saturday, a police source said, following the worst outbreak of violence since a failed coup in May. Blasts and gunfire echoed around Bujumbura for most of Friday after unknown gunmen attacked three military sites, but there was no fighting overnight and witnesses said the capital’s streets were calm on Saturday morning. The clashes were condemned by the United States, which like other Western powers fears the central African nation could slide back into ethnic conflict. Unrest in Burundi, which started in April when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans for a third term in office, has also unnerved a region that remains volatile two decades after the mass murder in neighbouring Rwanda. A senior police official in the flashpoint Nyakabiga district said there were 20 young men

HIT BY VIOLENCE: Residents

gather outside their houses in the Nyakabiga neighbourhood of Burundi’s capital Bujumbura, on Saturday. -Reuters

killed in the neighbourhood, and a Reuters witness saw at least 16 bullet-ridden bodies in the same area. Residents said some of the dead had been rounded up by the police during the day after houseto-house searches on Friday, an allegation the police denied. “They entered in our compounds, gathered all young and middle aged men, took them and killed them away from their homes,” said one resident in Nyakabiga. - Reuters

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Sohar Industrial Estate’s OMR20m expansion to be completed in 2 years PEIE is currently implementing several projects to provide basic infrastructure in the industrial area, which will help attract investments

MUSCAT: A major expansion project of Sohar Industrial Estate aimed at building another 8.5 million square metres of industrial area with a capital expenditure of OMR20 million will be completed in the ﬁrst quarter of 2017. This is part of a series of expansion programmes at the industrial estate for enhancing various facilities, including residential complex for workers, in a phased manner. As much as 20 per cent of the development of the seventh phase at Sohar industrial estate has already been completed. The seventh phaseis divided into three sub-stages - the ﬁrst one for warehouses and

N E W Q UAY WA L L C O N S T R U C T I O N

ON THE TRACK: The expansion in the general and liquid cargo area comes at a time when the government is looking to expand business operations at this important port. - Times ﬁle picture

Expansion work at Salalah port to begin on Monday MUSCAT: Construction work for building a new quay wall for the general and liquid cargo berth at the Salalah port will start on Monday. Assigned by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Sayyid Tariq bin Shabib Al Said will preside over the opening ceremony of the construction of the quay wall at the general and liquid cargo berth. The ceremony will be attended by ministers, members of the State Council and MajlisA’Shura, undersecretaries and some government and private sectors’ officials. Said bin Hamdoun Al Harthy, undersecretary at the Ministry of Transport and Communications for Ports and Maritime Affairs, said the construction of the quay wall at the general cargo station at the port of Salalah is one of the important projects to be implemented by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which is expected to attract ships. He said Oman’s ports are of great importance in the plans and programmes of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which seeks to develop ports performance in the Sultanate, so that they can play an active economic role in trade with other world ports, and contribute to the revitalisation of industry, tourism and development of the governorate. Al Harthy further added that the opening of a berth in the general and the liquid cargo area comes at a time when the gov-

ernment is looking to expand business operations in this important port. He explained that the project aims to build a 1,266 metre-long quay wall, which will have a width of 83 metres and a depth of 18 metres and can handle various ships, including commercial and tourist vessels and liquid materials ships. He added that the berth will also have all the facilities that transport merchandise from the free zone to the port of Salalah. Al Harthy also conﬁrmed that the additional quay, the construction for which began on May 19, 2012, is of great importance as it serves all existing and future plans for the Salalah free zone, in addition to the liquid material industries located in the zone, and import and export trade conducted through the general cargo station in the port. He added that the quay wall and the berth are an economic addition aimed at revitalising manufacturing industries, the development of services and the transport sector,will provide new job opportunities and thus encourage different economic sectors to seize the available investment opportunities. Al Harthy also explained that an important stage of the economic project in the Governorate of Dhofar fell within the future vision of the Ministry of Transport and Communications for the Port of Salalah, which envisions the future with an ambitious plan for the next two decades. – ONA

food processing plants, the second for light industries and the third for heavy and medium industries. The project includes roads, drainage facilities, water, irrigation and electricity networks. Eng. Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Mayasi, director of operations at Sohar Industrial Zone, said that the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) is currently implementing several projects to provide basic infrastructure at the industrial area, which will help to attract investments. The projects include the development of the seventh stage, the master plan for the zone, complet-

ing the services for the stages from 3 to 6 and the value added projects, such as the facilities building and residential complex for workers. Residential complex “The contractor for the residential complex for workers will start the ﬁrst stage of the project within two months and is expected to complete this stage by 2017,” said Eng. Al Mayasi. He added that the industrial estate’s master plan is expected to create an impressive leap in the services rendered to investors in the zone. As much as 95 per cent of the supportive services and pro-

jects for the current and future stages have been already completed with the remaining ﬁve per cent to be completed by February, 2016. He pointed out that the projects for completing the services for the stages from three to six are expected to be ﬂoated during the second quarter of 2016. “These projects include the construction of a plant for drainage, irrigation and agriculture. The six-storey building is currently at the design stage and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017,” added Eng. Al Mayasi. “The value of investments at the zone since opening in Novem-

ber 1992 till date stands at about OMR1.85 billion. The industrial zone hosts 269 projects and 12,408 workers of which 36 per cent are Omanis,” he added. He also pointed out that the demand of industrial plots is likely to increase with the completion of the underway projects and completing the different services at the stages from 3 to 7. “While Sohar Industrial Zone also launched the e-application system to facilitate and simplify procedures for investors, work is underway to launch many e-system that will add value to investors,” he noted. – ONA

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

MARKET Greece, lenders strike deal on major reforms investor and 29 per cent will be ﬂoated on the Athens stock exchange, the Energy Ministry ofﬁcial said.

The two sides reached agreement on the structure of the new privatisation fund whose revenues will be used to boost investment and pay down the national debt, as demanded

Euclid Takalotos, Greece’s ﬁnance minister. — Bloomberg ﬁle picture

by Germany and other creditors

ATHENS: Greece and its international lenders have struck a deal on the latest set of reforms needed for Athens to receive one billion euros in further bailout aid, Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos said on Friday. The reforms relate to a new privatisation fund, a shake-up of the power sector, and how to open up the market for non-performing loans. Parliament will vote on the bill next week, Tsakalotos said. The two sides reached agreement on the structure of the new privatisation fund whose revenues will be used to boost investment and pay down the national debt, as demanded by Germany and other creditors.

A D VA N C E D D I P L O M A

“The new fund will have a supervisory board which will be appointed by both the government and the lenders,” a government official told Reuters. Veto rights Greece will pick three and the lenders two of the supervisory board’s members but both sides will have veto rights, the official said. The board will name the management of the new fund which will consist of Greece’s current privatisation fund (HRADF), the bank rescue fund (HFSF), real estate assets and state holdings in public utilities, the official said. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ leftist government wants to speed up negotiations and open the way for talks on debt relief, seeking urgently to convince Greeks that their sacriﬁces will be rewarded.

SMALL BUSINESS UNITS

More reforms Greece and its lenders also agreed that the state will take a stake of at least 51 per cent in power grid operator (ADMIE), which is now fully owned by the dominant power utility PPC . The rest will be privatised, an Energy Ministry official said. PPC itself is 51 percent state-owned. “We are already achieving significant victories in this hard negotiation with our lenders like the one we achieved yesterday by keeping ADMIE in state hands,” Tsipras told parliament. Athens halted the sale of a 66 per cent stake in ADMIE after Tsipras won a January election. It agreed under a third bailout deal in August to either restart the tender or find other ways to open up the electricity market. A 20 per cent stake in the grid operator will be sold to a private

Transparency “We are open and we will try to have a European electricity transmission operator also participating as a minority shareholder,” the official said. ADMIE has a book value of about 900 million euros ($985 million) and Greece will appoint an independent valuer to assess the price it has to pay PPC for the majority stake. It was not clear how the cash-strapped government would pay. But Athens is still struggling to keep non-performing loans (NPLs) to small business and consumers out of the clutches of ‘vulture funds’ that buy loan books of distressed debt at a discount and try to recover the money. Economy Minister George Stathakis said the agreement for NPLs would open up the market for loan transfers but excludes mortgages for primary homes, consumer loans and those of small and medium enterprises for which there will be a regulatory framework by February 15. The latest reform bill is expected to be submitted to parliament on Saturday. The government aims to secure parliament’s approval on Tuesday to get the 1 billion euro tranche by December 18. It will then have to pass other reforms, including a major restructuring of the ailing pension system, to conclude its ﬁrst bailout review and open talks about debt relief. — Reuters

SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION: Commitment and dedication of Omani students were reﬂected in their results, with two receiving special awards for their performance at CAHM. - Supplied picture

Oman’s hospitality sector gets foreign educated graduates Times News Service MUSCAT: Fifteen Omani students, sponsored by Renaissance to study abroad and acquire skills and training to develop the hospitality economy in the Sultanate, have graduated. The students attended an international graduation ceremony at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry on December 10. Each student completed a two-year Advanced Diploma in Hospitality at the Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management (CAHM), William Angliss Institute, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology. The ceremony was hosted by Renaissance. Speakers at the event

included Stephen Thomas, chief executive officer (CEO) of Renaissance, Steven Bradie-Miles, CEO of CAHM and Professor Lakshman Ratnayake, chairman of the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology. The commitment and dedication of the Omani students was reﬂected in their results, with two receiving special awards for their performance at CAHM. While Mohammed Salim Al Hajri was recognised as the “Best Student” in Hospitality Operations/Finance Management, Ahad Abdullah Al Jabri was recognisedas the “Most Outstanding Graduate,”owing to her outstanding academic record, as well as her leadership and management skills.

ECONOMY

DECEMBER 21 EVENT

A ﬁrst-of-its kind KPMG seminar set to focus on new code for forum on SMEs Times News Service MUSCAT: A ﬁrst-of-its kind ‘Sharakah Forum’ will be held on December 14 to explore the role of the media in supporting the development of SMEs. Focusing on the industry’s activity, print, broadcast and online media, the platform will connect representatives of the SME sector, the Omani government, leading private sector organisations, media institutions, academics and students. The forum will convene under the patronage of Dr Abdul Munim bin Mansour Al Hasani, minister of Information, and in the presence of Hani Al Zubair, Sharakah’s chairman, along with the company’s board members. The one-day event will be hosted at Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah and feature a range of national and international speakers. “We strongly believe in the role of the local media in supporting small and medium enterprises, making this event as meaning-

ful, and as it is important for the SMEs sector across Oman. Through this initiative, we will add value to the development of local businesses by critically discussing important topics and sharing knowledge, whilst exploring how entrepreneurs can best develop this vital sector,” said Abdullah Al Jufaili, general manager of Sharakah. The forum will also involve a range of interactive sessions to generate awareness about the importance of entrepreneurship and SMEs. In addition to offering consultation to business owners, the 2015 edition of the forum aims to build a better understanding of media channels with inﬂuence over SME development, and the issues involved in promoting entrepreneurship through them. Based on multiple themes, the Sharakah Forum will also explore a diverse range of topics related to the development of the SMEs sector each year.

corporate governance Times News Service MUSCAT: KPMG will conduct a seminar on December 21 at the Crowne Plaza to provide insights about the new code for corporate governance, which has been issued by the Capital Market Authority. Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim Al Salmi, executive president of the CMA, will attend the seminar as the Guest of Honour. In today’s business world, sound corporate governance practices are critical for supporting future growth targets and growing market share, while also providing the transparency that investors demand. Regulators have to increase corporate governance requirements for the Omani market as well, with the code becoming effective from July 2016, except for the new Independence rules for directors, which will be applicable upon the election of directors.

“Governance and regulatory compliance continueto be a complex business challenge. As new laws and regulations are introduced, their requirements challenge boards to greater levels of transparency, objectivity and professionalism. Organisationsmust ensure that corporate governance standards are adhered to and robust compliance management systems are in place. Governance has become one of the major priorities and it is important to enhance transparency andresponsibility of listed companies and their boards. The KPMG seminar will highlight some of the key issues that the new code addresses and the challenges that are likely to be faced by the business going forward, as well as promote debate and discussion. The programme will be delivered by an experienced team of KPMG professionals,” said Paul Callaghan, partner at KPMG.

David Cameron. — Bloomberg ﬁle picture

Two credit rating agencies warn of downgrading UK LONDON: Two credit rating agencies said on Friday that Britain risked a hit to its creditworthiness and possibly a downgrade due to Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision to hold a vote on whether to leave the European Union. Shortly after the IMF said the referendum could hurt Britain’s growth prospects, Standard & Poor’s said it was keeping its outlook for Britain’s top-notch rating at negative, while Fitch affirmed a rating that was one notch weaker. S&P reiterated its decision in June to put the country on notice that it faced a one-in-three chance of a downgrade in the next two years, and Fitch said a vote to leave would be “moderately negative” and could trigger a move by Scotland to leave UK. S&P challenged one of the main arguments of supporters of a British exit from the EU, saying immigration had been positive overall for the economy over the past decade. It repeated its view that the referendum represented a risk to Britain’s large financial services sector, its exports, and the wider economy. If Britain quit the EU, it could jeopardise its ability to fund a large deficit in its balance of payments. “In a worst-case scenario, a Brexit could also harm the sterling’s role as a global reserve currency, removing what has been a significant support for our ‘AAA’ rating on the U.K. since the start of the global financial crisis,” it said. S&P said it expected Britain’s government would reach a

VITAL FACTS

S&P maintains negative outlook on UK AAA rating

Fitch keeps stable view on AA sovereign grade

Both fear unpredictable outcome of vote to leave EU

Vote due by end of 2017, likely to be sooner

compromise with the rest of the EU on reforms of the bloc in the ﬁrst half of next year and both agencies said most voters in Britain would reject a so-called ‘Brexit’ in the referendum. But S&P noted that the ‘leave’ campaign was better funded and organised than the ‘remain’ campaign, raising the risk of a vote to leave the EU. S&P’s chief European sovereign rating officer told Reuters in October that Britain’s credit rating could be cut by as much as two notches if it leaves the EU. Fitch said the outcome of Britain leaving the European Union was highly uncertain, and would hinge on lengthy, complex talks. “The implications for the rating would depend on several factors, including the impact on medium-term growth and investment prospects, the UK’s external position, and the risk of triggering a second referendum on Scottish independence,” Fitch further said. — Reuters

S U N DAY, D E C E MB E R 1 3, 2 0 1 5

MARKET MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Goldman tops in merger deals NEW YORK: As iconic brands are snapped up and corporations merged and swallowed in a recordbreaking whirl of deals, there has been one constant: Goldman Sachs Group. The Wall Street ﬁrm is once again top dog in the global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) rankings, having advised on transactions worth close to $1.7 trillion this year, more than the annual economic output of Australia, including Friday’s $130 billion tie-up between US chemical giants DuPont and Dow Chemical. Goldman’s No 1 status comes despite the bank having lost several veteran bankers this year, including Gordon Dyal, its former M&A chief and Jack Levy, one of four global co-chairmen of mergers and acquisitions, and reﬂects the enduring success of its partnership model, 15 years after the company went public. Becoming a partner at Goldman Sachs is still one of the most coveted promotions on Wall Street, and those who make the cut represent a powerful network of well-connected dealmakers. Partnership, along with the bank’s commitment to remaining a full-service investment bank despite post-crisis rules that make it more difficult to trade, have given it an edge over rivals such as Morgan Stanley, which has a strong emphasis on wealth management. — Reuters

Bank Muscat to announce winners of saving scheme Momentum for the Al Mazyona saving scheme’s event has started building up and will end in climax for the 2015. The scheme offers the biggest prize money of OMR9million in Oman and the region

Times News Service MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the leading ﬁnancial services provider in the Sultanate, is all set to award the bank’s Al Mazyona saving scheme’s customers with big year-end prizes, valued at OMR1.5 million, which will be shared by 15 winners. The momentum for the event has started building up and will end in climax for the 2015 Al Mazyona savings scheme, which offers the biggest prize money of OMR9 million in Oman and the region. Customers maintaining a minimum monthly balance of OMR1,000 are eligible for the special draw that offers OMR100,000 each to 15 winners, including

Asalah Priority banking customer. The higher the balance, the brighter the chances of winning, said a bank release. In all, there will be ﬁve winners chosen from Muscat, two each from Batinah, Dakhliya and Al Wusta, one winner each from Dhahira, Buraimi, Musandam, and Dhofar and two winners from Sharqiya, in addition to one Asalah Priority Banking customer. The 2015 Al Mazyona savings scheme was structured on a thematic ‘45’ reﬂecting the Sultanate’s 45 years of Renaissance under the leadership of His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The campaign has been immensely successful in reaching out to customers with its “Save more, Dream big” slogan, guaranteeing more for everyone to

REWARDING CUSTOMERS: Customers maintaining a minimum monthly balance of OMR1,000 are eligible for the draw that offers OMR100,000 each to 15 winners. - Times ﬁle picture

share in the biggest prize money in Oman and the region. With attractive weekly, monthly, special and year-end grand prizes totalling OMR9 million, the Sultanate’s ﬂagship savings scheme was designed to offer high-value prizes throughout the year to maximum the number of customers, the climax being the grand year-end prize offering OMR1.5 million,which would be shared by 15 winners. Bank Mus-

cat attaches great importance to inculcating prudent savings and spending habits and has tailored Al Mazyona with this objective in mind. The bank understands customer expectations and the big prize money is not the only way by which Al Mazyona seeks to transform the lives of prudent savers. Al Mazyona is targeted to accommodate all segments, including Asalah Priority Banking, Al

Jawhar Privilege Banking, women, youth, children and customers in all regions, thereby inculcating prudent saving habits among citizens who are responsible for the future development of Oman. The underlying principle of the scheme is that the greater the deposit balance, the higher the chances of reward. Thus, customers can win more by saving more with Bank Muscat. Al Mazyona also reﬂects innovative customer segmentation, based on two principles—region and demographics—ensuring a higher winning chance for all customers across the Sultanate. Winning with Al Mazyona has never been simpler as customers are not required to block their money or wait for a long time to win big prizes. Over the years, Al Mazyona has succeeded in inculcating a strong savings culture in Oman. The objective of Al Mazyona is to create a lifetime change for winners and allow them to invest the prize money in things that will make a lasting difference and ensure the well-being of their families. The ﬂexible scheme makes regular saving easier and is available across the largest network of branches in Oman.

N C S I D ATA

Oman’s reﬁned petroleum production grows by 2.6%

FUELLING GROWTH: Production of the premium gasoline reached

19.19 million barrels, showing an increase of 5.7 per cent over the same period of 2014. Orpic has produced 18.15 million barrels of premium gasoline for the same period of 2014. - Times ﬁle picture

MUSCAT: Total production of refined petroleum in Oman grew 2.6 per cent to 70.7 million barrels for the first ten months of 2015, from 68.93 million barrels for the same period of last year. The daily production of Mina Al Fahal and Sohar refineries of Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic) reached 222,000 barrels of crude oil to be converted to naphtha, polypropylene, liquefied petroleum gas, gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, jet fuel and residue production, according to statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The statistics, based on the Orpic data, showed that the prod-

N O V E M B E R S TAT I S T I C S

China’s industrial output climbs 6.2% BEIJING: China’s industrial production showed unexpected strength in November and retail sales rose the most this year, adding to evidence that the world’s second-largest economy is seeing signs of stabilisation in old growth drivers and renewed vigor in the newer ones. Industrial output climbed 6.2 per cent in November from a year earlier, the National Statistics Bureau (NBS) said on Saturday, compared with the 5.7 per cent median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg and October’s 5.6 per cent. Fixed-asset investment increased 10.2 per cent in the ﬁrst 11 months, while retail sales gained 11.2 per cent last month. The reports helped lift Bloomberg’s monthly China gross domestic product (GDP) tracker up to an estimated 6.85 per cent growth pace last month, the best reading since June. The three reports, all posting unexpected signs of increasing

demand, followed others this week showing the yearlong slide in imports is moderating and that consumer inflation is picking up. Chinese officials have been adding monetary and fiscal stimulus as they seek to maintain medium to high-speed growth while shifting to a more balanced, services and consumption-led economy and away from manufacturing and infrastructure spending. “China’s economy is stabilizing, and has stopped from slipping,” said Shen Jianguang, chief Asia economist at Mizuho Securities Asia in Hong Kong. “We’re going to see clearer improvements in the next few months as the government keeps cutting interest rates and reserve requirements as well as adopting more proactive fiscal policies.” All three gauges released on Saturday showed more strength than economists had forecast, with industrial output exceeding all but one of 37 economist estimates in the survey. — Bloomberg News

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

ucts included the regular gasoline and the premium gasoline. The production of regular gasoline reached 1,767,000 barrels, showing a decline of 41.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2014, which reached 3,028,500 barrels of regular gasoline. The production of the premium gasoline reached 19,187,800 barrels, comprising an increase of 5.7 per cent in comparison with the same period in 2014, which reached 18,154,000. Oman produced 4,205,100 barrels of jet fuel, comprising a rise by 3.8 per cent compared to October 2014, which reached 4,052,100 barrels. The production of diesel increased by 14.6 per cent to reach

18,250,500 barrels, compared with 15,926,600 barrels at the end of October 2014. The Omani production of fuel oil reached 2,055,900 barrels, a decline of 2.9 per cent compared with the same period in 2014, which reached 2,118,000 barrels. The production of liqueﬁed petroleum gas reached 3,072,500 barrels, showing a decline of 4.2 per cent compared with the same period in 2014, which reached 3,207,700 barrels. Residue production declined by 0.8 per cent in October 2015 to record 16,019,500 barrels compared to 16,147,300 barrels in October 2014. Polypropylene production reached 2,238,700 barrels, comprising a rise with 0.2 per cent,

compared to October 2014, which stood at 2,233,700 barrel. The production of Naphtha reached 3,245,200 barrels, comprising a rise by 4.9 per cent compared to October 2014, which stood at 3,094,700 barrels. The production of other products, fuel and uses of the reﬁnery reached 658,900 barrels, comprising a decline with 23 per cent compared to the same period in 2014, which stood at 969,100 barrels. The premium gasoline comprised 28 per cent of total production of reﬁneries and petroleum industries in the Sultanate in 2014 while diesel production comprised 25 per cent, followed by residue production with 23 per cent. – ONA

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

FEATURE

I T A L Y’S B A D D E B T H E A D A C H E

taly’s economy dragged itself out of recession this year, posting annual growth in gross domestic product of 0.8 per cent in the third quarter. That, though, was only half the pace achieved by the euro zone as a whole. And unless the Italian government gets serious about tackling the bad debts that are crushing the nation’s banking system, its economy will continue to underperform its peers. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News are only mildly optimistic about Italy’s prospects next year. The consensus forecast is that growth will peak at 1.3 per cent this quarter, slowing for the ﬁrst three quarters of next year before rallying back to that high by the end of the year. One of the biggest drags on the country’s growth is the sheer volume of nonperforming loans, typically deﬁned as

debts that have been delinquent for 90 days or more. Italy’s bad loans have soared to more than 200 billion euros ($218 billion), a fourfold increase since the end of 2008. Moreover, more and more borrowers have fallen behind even as the economic backdrop has improved. That’s in sharp contrast with Spain, where bad loans peaked at the start of 2014 and have since declined by almost a third. Bad debt issue The ﬁgures for Italy are even more worrying when you compare them with the growth environment. The burden of bad debts is approaching half of what the economy delivers every three months. In the third quarter, for example, gross domestic product (GDP) was worth 409 billion euros while the banks were saddled with more than 200 bil-

lion euros of non-paying loans. If that trend continues, Italy will soon be in a worse position than Spain, even though its economy is 50 per cent bigger. If a euro zone country’s banks are weighed down with bad debts, the European Central Bank’s attempt to boost growth and consumer prices by channeling billions of euros into the economy through its quantitative easing programme are doomed to failure. And it’s pretty clear that domestic investment in Italy is not showing any evidence of recovery despite the ECB’s best efforts. Italy has made some progress on ﬁxing its banks. Earlier this month it approved 3.6 billion euro package to rescue four regional lenders that have been in the care of the Bank of Italy. Plans to establish a so-called bad bank or asset management company as a

place to park the financial system’s bad loans, however, have faltered thus far. Bank of Italy Governor Ignazio Visco on October 28 said that those plans would be “conclusively verified” in a few weeks. But the country’s Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper reported on November 28 that an alternative proposal to create separate vehicles for each bank or group of lenders was being considered. It’s more than seven years since the collapse of Lehman Brothers marked the worst of the credit crisis. So you might hope that the world of finance would have had time to mend itself and be fit for purpose in its key duty of helping the economy to grow. In Italy, that has not happened. And unless the government accelerates the process of easing the bad-loan load on its banks, it risks damaging the economy’s nascent recovery. – MARK GILBERT/Bloomberg News

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ROUND-UP

Lulu bags coveted Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award

ANNUAL EVENT

IS Sur shines at Science Project Contest 2015

RECOGNITION: Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court presenting the SKEA award to Ashraf Ali

M. A., executive director of Lulu Group. Also seen are Mohamed Thani Murshed Ghannam Al Rumaithi, chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber and Saeed Abdul Jalil Al Fahim, chairman of the Higher Committee of SKEA. – Supplied picture

Lulu hypermarket is the only retailer to be selected for this prestigious award

ABU DHABI: Lulu hypermarket claimed the prestigious Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award recently. The annual Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award (SKEA) was presented by Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court at a glittering ceremony held at Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Ashraf Ali M. A., executive director of Lulu Group, received the award on behalf of Lulu hyper-

market, says a press release. The award is given to both government and private companies and organisations who set and follow best all round business practices in various ﬁelds. This year’s winners included UNB, Emirates Islamic Bank, Mafraq Hospital and Lulu hypermarkets. Speaking to media Ashraf Ali said: “We at Lulu have always believed in setting new benchmarks

in retailing and always try to do innovative things in all spheres of our business activities.” Lulu hypermarket is the only retailer to be selected for this prestigious award. “We are very proud and honoured to have been selected by the SKEA jury and would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal shoppers and business associates for their continued support,” he added.

MUSCAT: Students of Indian School Sur bagged the first and second prizes of Science Project Contest 2015 organised by Muscat Science Fest along with Indian Community Festival 2015 held recently at Al Amerat Park. Cash prizes were OMR1,000 for the first place, OMR750 for the second place and OMR500 for third place along with trophies and certificates. All contestants were also awarded with participation certificates, says a press release. In addition, members of three winning teams were awarded with travel vouchers from Indian Community Festival 2015 travel partner ITL World to fly to New Delhi on the occasion of Indian Republic Day, 26 January 2015; all expenses paid. Karthik Rajesh, Arundhathi Panicker, Jayadeep Babu and Swetha Singh guided by Sarala Babu bagged first prize for their working model project Flexi System looking at alternate energy resource.

Seventeen schools comprising 33 teams participated in the contest based on the themes Science for Social Change, Science for Future and Science for Environment showcased as part of two day Science Project Contest. Besides the Indian schools there were Sri Lankan, Philippine and Pakistani schools who participated in the contest. Students Dhariya Srivastava, Monica Bernad Noel, Ronith Karuthedath, Sashank Dasari guided by Sasank Kumar of Indian School Sur bagged the second prize. The third prize went to Gokul B. Nair, Avinash H. and Manjul Sharma guided by Harikumar A. K. from Indian School Darsait. “Students really got a big boost on their morale and we are thankful to the participants, guides and school for their signing up and involvement," the organisers said. This has been an annual event and next year’s event shall be on a larger scale,” said Rejilal Kokkadan, convener Kerala Wing.

PA R T N E R S I N P R O G R E S S

Al Ansari chosen exclusive distributor of SVEZA Plywood MUSCAT: Al Ansari Building Material Trading Division was selected by Russian plywood manufacturer SVEZA as its exclusive distributor of SVEZA film faced plywood in Oman. During a recent event held in Dubai, Maxim Kolenko, export sales manager, Africa, Middle East & Southern Asia, presented the Exclusive Distributor Certificate for the SVEZA film faced plywood in Oman to Sajan Jose, general manager Allied Businesses, Al Ansari, says a press release. “We are very happy to be associated with Al Ansari Group as the exclusive distributor of SVEZA film faced plywood in Sultanate of Oman. Currently SVEZA is the only Russian film faced shuttering plywood marketed in Oman. The track record of 40 years success-

ful business operations in Oman, itself gives credibility about Al Ansari Group. We are quite conﬁdent that SVEZA and Al Ansari together as strategic partners can increase the market share of SVEZA in Oman,” noted Sveza representative Maxim Kolenko. “The quality of the SVEZA ﬁlm faced birch plywood is much superior to many other products available in the market and it is very cost effective. “It consists of 100 per cent birch veneer, with exceptional durability and high resistance to most chemicals, concrete pressure, temperature change, etc. “The number of reuse of the Sveza Shuttering plywood is manifold compared to other products in the market. This brand currently is not well known in this market and

we have recently introduced this in Oman. “The customers who started using SVEZA ﬁlm faced shuttering plywood are very happy with the

INDUSTRY VISIT

performance of the material. We are quite conﬁdent that with the competitive price which we offer in the market and the quality of the materials, we should be able to sat-

isfy the requirements of our customers, which helps us to increase the market share. “Al Ansari Building Material Trading Division has 10 outlets spread across strategic locations of Oman namely, Ghala, Barka, Mussanah, Sohar, Ibri, Nizwa, Duqum, Sur, Al Kamil and Salalah. Through these networks of outlets, we continue to serve our customers effectively and efficiently,” added Sajan Jose. “We continue to invest in the country and want to bring the quality products at the doorsteps of our customers in Oman. “We always do the due diligence about the products that we choose and the suppliers which we deal with. We, in Al Ansari, always try to be associated with the best in the industry and such initiatives

brought us to the exclusive distributorship of SVEZA Film Faced plywood in Oman. “It is in line with the company’s strategy of providing high quality material at fair price to our valued customers and keeping pace with the development of Oman. The quality of SVEZA ﬁlm faced shuttering plywood will make this product leading in the market in the immediate future,” noted Yusuf Nalwala, managing director, Al Ansari. Al Ansari is one of the leading corporate groups, a well-known, brand for the reliable contracting, trading, service and manufacturing activities in Oman. Russian company SVEZA is the largest producer of birch plywood in the world and is used in more than 70 countries worldwide.

SMART TECHNOLOGY

Omani students visit BAE Systems Ford Figo: A trendy compact sedan MUSCAT: Following the first successful ‘Insight into Industry Day’ held in 2014, Omani students studying at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) last week attended the second ‘Insight into Industry’ visit at BAE Systems’ Military Air facility at Warton in the North West of England. They were accompanied by Joanne Allan, regional manager, Middle East & North Africa, from UCLan. Insight Days are a unique opportunity for students to visit BAE Systems to explore and learn how international organisations operate, and how the subjects they are studying at university are applied in industry, with a view to broaden their commercial understanding, says a press release. The 18 students were welcomed to BAE Systems by previous UCLan Omani students, Safa Al Mohrooqi and Haitham Al Mufarraji, who have joined the company on its graduate scheme and on completion, will work for BAE Systems in Oman. The UCLan students, who are studying a range of subjects including health, safety and environmental management, project management and IT at UCLan, were given the opportunity to spend the day with senior executives from BAE Systems to explore the world of work, whilst learning about the Company and its history in Oman. Focused talks from BAE Systems’ executives on engineering, safety health & environment, and aircraft support were accompanied by visits to the Eurofighter Typhoon and Hawk final assembly lines. Sir Simon Bryant KCB, CBE, Vice President (Oman), BAE Systems, commented: “BAE Systems has a long-standing relationship

with the Sultanate of Oman and we are delighted to have hosted the Omani students at Warton, the home of Eurofighter Typhoon. One of our aims is to demonstrate the company’s commitment to supporting Oman’s vision of the creation of a comprehensive Omani work force, not least through the development of its engineering skill-base. Insight Days give students a good opportunity to learn about BAE Systems and the potential graduate roles with BAE Systems which may result in job opportunities for them in Oman, as well as helping to develop the skills required in any future position.” The students followed up their visit to Warton by completing a project at UCLan’s Westleigh Conference Centre on December 2, supported by five BAE Systems graduates and the two Omani graduates, who joined the business last year. The project, which was to design and market an armoured vehicle for the fictitious country of Tongu, was designed to help the Omani students develop the global competencies, including self-confidence and assertiveness, frequently required for graduate opportunities in the wider industry marketplace.

Over the two days BAE Systems provided an insight into career opportunities within BAE Systems, more speciﬁcally the 12 graduate roles available this year that will lead to high quality jobs based in Oman supporting the company’s delivery of products and services to the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO). The UCLan students were extremely pleased to experience both educational events. Two of the students commented: Asma Mohamed Al Hasni studying Health, Safety and Environment Management said: “I enjoyed the visit from beginning to end. I now understand how HSE plays a big role in reducing costs for business and helps with its reputation and recruitment. It’s important for fresh graduates to get this sort of experience to help with future job interviews and I can now use this training for that purpose in the future.” Emad Al-Alawi studying mechanical engineering said: “It’s been interesting to visit BAE Systems and learn more about the business. As I’m studying mechanical engineering, I particularly enjoyed seeing the Typhoon aircraft hangar, and the Hawk aircraft being built from zero to the ﬁnished aircraft.”

MUSCAT: Ford Figo is fun, young and trendy. Designed to match the lifestyles of young gogetters, this compact sedan is ideal to keep you going further on every journey. The compact sedan Figo delights consumers with its inspired design, smart technology, advanced safety features, worldclass quality and powerful, efficient engines, says a press release. Figo is available in three trim levels: entry-level Ambiente, mid-level Trend and top-of-theline Titanium. Figo is available in 4-door configuration with a 1.5L petrol engine churning an impressive 105 HP of power and 138 Nm of torque @ 4,500 rpm. Ford Figo breaks all stereotypes and proves that a compact sedan can also have the best of everything – be it stunning design, smart technology, advanced safety and impressive fuel efficiency. Reflecting the growing need for consumers to stay connected at all times, the Figo features exceptional smart technologies that help customers integrate their car more easily into their digital lives. MyFord Dock, a first-in-class feature, offers drivers a unique solution for storing, mounting and charging mobile phones, MP3 players and satellite navigation systems, and for integrating these devices into the car’s entertainment system. When not in use, the dock can be closed out of sight. Those desiring even greater technological integration can choose a Figo equipped with SYNC, Ford’s advanced in-car connectivity system. SYNC allows drivers to control their phone and entertainment handsfree using simple voice com-

mands. To encourage responsible driving, the new Figo features Ford’s MyKey technology. MyKey lets owners program keys with restricted driving modes that encourage good habits, such as increasing seat belt use, limiting vehicle top speeds and regulating audio volume. Designed from the ground up to protect occupants in the event of a collision, the Figo features a robust passenger cage created from high-strength steel, and first-in-class standard driver and passenger airbags across the range. Also for the first time in a compact sedan, the Figo offers up to six airbags – including side and curtain airbags – for an extra level of protection in the front and rear compartments. While on the road, the Figo helps instil confidence with available driver-assist technologies that take the stress out of driving. When setting off on a steep slope – whether uphill or downhill – the segment-first Hill Launch Assist feature holds the vehicle for up to three seconds as the driver’s foot moves from the brake to the accelerator. During sudden manoeuvres, the Electronic Stability Program

me keeps the driver in command, braking individual wheels as needed to keep the vehicle on course. An Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brake Force Distribution also helps drivers to stay in control, preventing wheel lockup and maintaining stability while braking. A speed lip under the front of the car further enhances aerodynamic performance by deﬂecting air away from the underbody, where components can create signiﬁcant drag, and the side mirrors have optimised to minimise drag and reduce wind noise. At the rear, sharp, clean edges on the deck-lid and tail lights help the Figo to slip smoothly through the air, reducing turbulence behind the car to reduce drag. The sophisticated and stylish exterior of the Figo is matched by a modern interior that delivers an extraordinary experience for a compact car. Intelligent and careful space management creates a surprisingly roomy cabin emphasising quality, comfort and convenience. In Oman, Ford vehicles are brought to you by Arabian Car Marketing Co.

SUN DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

ROUND-UP Al Hashar delivers Tata Prima trucks to Resource Allocation MUSCAT: Resource Allocation, an upcoming business group in Oman providing quality specialised services to niche markets in the GCC across oil and gas, landscaping, automotive maintenance and logistics, recently took delivery of 11 Tata Prima trucks from Al Hashar to deliver services enlisted in the company’s ﬁve-year contract with Haya Water, says a press release. “We always believed in brand Tata. Tata Prima has all the elements that make it a perfect vehicle for tough road conditions, not to mention its highly economical pricing. With the market getting increasingly competitive, Tata Prima was the natural choice in our quest to offer cost-effective and good quality service to our clients,” said Sanille Terence Antao, general manager of Resource Allocation. Al Hashar, Oman’s leading automotive distributor, has registered strong growth in sales of world-smart Tata Prima trucks thanks to their outstanding functional features, resourcefulness and amazing cost-effectiveness complemented by Al Hashar’s strong after-sales support offered through a wide network of service outlets. The all-new, next-generation Tata Prima trucks, offer top-class trucking experience catering to the transportation needs of ﬂeet owners engaged in goods transportation, construction and waste management activities. “Al Hashar’s association with Tata Motors has been quite successful and mutually enriching. The Tata Prima trucks have registered excellent growth in Oman

reﬂecting the increasing customer conﬁdence in the brand. “The world-smart Tata Prima trucks have raised the bar in trucking performance,” said an official of Al Hashar, adding, “Tata Prima trucks boast latest global technical know-how and expertise, and deliver global standards of performance, fuel efficiency, comfort and safety, all at relatively low cost of ownership.” Setting new benchmarks in styling and features, Tata Prima has been designed with technical

inputs from across the world, incorporating Italian cab design, US engine technology, US-German gearbox expertise and Mexican chassis frame know-how. Also sheet metal dies come from Japan and Korea while robotic weld line precision used in production boasts Swedish expertise. Tata Prima is available in both 4 x 2 and 6 x 4 versions. It is available as a Prime mover in a 4 x 2 conﬁguration with a GCW of 44 tonnes. The Tipper and Tanker versions are available in a 6 x 4 conﬁgura-

LUXURY BRAND

tion with a GVW of 40 tonnes. Brilliantly combining increased productivity and durability, the Prima trucks have become indispensable for large captive users, miners, and transporters as well as owner-drivers who operate small ﬂeets. With the range extending up to 44 tons and engine power up to 380 HP, the Tata Prima is an ideal workhorse for movement of goods and material across distances and terrains. Equipped with strong aggregates and a robust chassis frame

and suspension, the Tata Prima range meets the highest operating standards under extreme conditions. It is perfectly designed for long-distance and long-duration transportation. Extensively tested to conform to global standards, the Tata Prima commercial trucks boast outstanding build quality, driving dynamics and economy. Besides having a powerful power train, the Tata Prima comes with a cab in that focuses on driver comfort. The cockpit is both func-

tional and ergonomic with clearly separated working and living areas. The air-conditioned cabin has ample space with bunk beds, reclining seats with armrests, tilt and telescopic steering and a music system as standard features. While the 6 x 4 Tata Prima 4038 K is suitable for mounting a 5000 IG Water tanker or a 4500 IG Sewage tanker or an 18 cum Tipper, the 4438 S is a 4 x 2 tractor with GCW of 44 tonnes. Both the vehicles feature a Cummins turbo-charged 380 HP engine and an Eaton 9-speed gearbox. Features such as a larger diameter clutch and hub reduction axles come as a standard in both models and are best suited for Oman’s driving conditions. Tata Motors has announced a 3-year warranty for Tata Prima 4438 S tractors and a warranty of 2 years for Tata Prima 4038 K tippers. Tata Motors is India’s largest automobile company, with a revenue $39 billion last year. Through subsidiaries and associate companies Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa and Indonesia; the most prominent being the Jaguar Land Rover. Tata vehicles enjoy signiﬁcant market share in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, South America, CIS and Russia. Al Hashar is the sole distributor of Tata Prima trucks in Oman. Every Tata vehicle in Oman comes with Al Hashar’s total back-up comprising high-quality service, excellent technical competence and easy availability of genuine parts across its nationwide network.

N E W C A M PA I G N

Max celebrates individuality in ‘Fashion for Real People’ drive

Mistal hosts Visconti founder MUSCAT: Owing to the close associations that Mistal has maintained with Visconti, the Founder and President of Visconti, Dante Delvecchio himself, was welcomed to the country for the very ﬁrst time to showcase some of the ﬁnest instruments from the exclusive Visconti collection, says a press release. A name that revived the long lost concept of writing in Florentine and eventually turned the craftsmanship of the same place to an icon of its output accompanying its fundamental values of passion, art and technology, Visconti has been synonymous with writing instruments of unparalleled historical and technological sophistication since the past 25 years. Mistal, a part of the Ajit Khimji group, are the sole authorised dealers to bring to Oman this much revered brand. Meeting the same class that Visconti upholds worldwide, each Visconti instrument is showcased in utmost excellence in the

plush Mistal showrooms that caters to the crème de la crème of society. “And it was his innovative idea, techniques and foresightedness that after establishing Visconti as a much sought after name producing the most aristocratic writing instruments, gave the brand a new deﬁnition and recognition as premium watchmakers,” said Dharmesh Ajit Khimji, “To have amongst us such a distinct individual is indeed a moment of great pride and honour for us.” Visconti’s extraordinarily elegant writing instruments - fountain pens, rollers and ball-pens - come from very intense historical and technological researches. Visconti offers a broad assortment of high quality items all showing strong characters and features. Traditionally an esteemed pen maker, on their 25th anniversary in 2013, Visconti took on board the human resources, the know-how and the traditional tools of Florentine watch-making to begin mak-

ing its own luxury timepieces. Launching into a new adventure with exactly the same pioneering determination and enthusiasm as it did twenty-ﬁve years ago, it decided to bring watch-making back to Florence to stand proudly alongside the art of penmanship. By 2015, they brought in some marvellous creations featuring the same creative and innovative vein that customers look for in all of the company’s products. Visconti’s exclusive watches, just as their premium pen collection, are inspired by intellectual knowledge and the study of ancient and of modern techniques which results in the development of one exclusive timepiece after another. Visconti followed its winning business model that it applied to writing, based on the rediscovery of skills and expertise and the organisation of people by motivating them with long-term goals under the artistic and technical guidance of Dante Del Vecchio.

DUBAI: Max, the largest value fashion brand in the region, announced the launch of its new brand campaign ‘Fashion for Real People’. It highlights human authenticity and encourages people to embrace their own unique style, by treating fashion as an extension of one’s personality. Max’s new campaign aims to inspire consumers to embrace their individuality and motivates them to dress for their comfort, says a press release. For the new campaign, Max has worked in collaboration with Mohammed Assaf, well known for being the winner of the second season of Arab Idol. Assaf’s humble beginnings and ‘down to earth’ characteristics blend seamlessly into the essence of the campaign and together they have created a campaign that emotionally connects with real people. Assaf has been chosen for this association not only for his accomplishments, but also because he is a strong role model and inspiration for youth in the region. Ramanathan Hariharan, CEO of Max said: “This isn’t a typical advertising campaign about the brand proposition, instead we want to connect with the real people through the brand communication. Our consumers are families, young adults, boys and girls that shop at Max because it feels real to them and we wanted to showcase our shoppers, their unique styles and personalities and the synergy they have built with the brand Max. This campaign recognises true comfort-

This campaign recognises true comfortable fashion not solely dictated by glamour pages or catwalks and allows our shoppers’ unique individuality to shine through the fashion choices they make Ramanathan Hariharan CEO of Max

able fashion not solely dictated by glamour pages or catwalks and allows our shoppers’ unique individuality to shine through the fashion choices they make. Ultimately, the campaign recognises that the best kind of style is one that allows you to be comfortable in your own skin.” Adopting an integrated marketing communication strategy, Max’s new 360-degree campaign included a social experiment launched on YouTube, a series of TVCs, radio spots, print and outdoor advertisements as well in-store branding featuring ‘real people’ from all walks of life as their most authentic selves. The social experiment sets the stage for the campaign as it poses the question: What is fashion? The story line follows a day in the life of a woman who goes about her daily tasks dressed as

a fashionista who just walked off a magazine photo shoot. The YouTube ﬁlm documents her utter discomfort in the outﬁt as she picks her son up from school, goes grocery shopping, plays with him in the park, all of which leaves her feeling “strange” and “not like [herself ]” because it “didn’t feel natural” to her. The tagline reads “Fashion for Real People” and that is the message that echoes throughout the campaign. Mohammed Assaf added: “It is an absolute honour for me to collaborate on such a campaign with Max. The campaign’s ethos resonates with my personal values and beliefs.” Max Fashion is part of Landmark Group, one of the largest retail and hospitality conglomerates in the Middle East and India. It currently operates in 16 countries across Mena and India.

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Thousands walk to support sixth annual ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign Landmark Group is the only retail and hospitality conglomerate to lead diabetes related educational and community-focused activities across ﬁve GCC countries

MUSCAT: The sixth annual Beat Diabetes Walk saw the overwhelming participation of more than 10,000 residents in a bid to raise awareness about the condition and promote the beneﬁts of a

healthier lifestyle. The walkathon was held under the patronage of Ministry of Health and Oman Diabetes Association. Chief guest Sayyid Dr Sultan Bin Yarub Al Busaidi, adviser at

the Ministry of Health for Health Affairs, ﬂagged off the walk and joined the supporters in the 2km walk sporting blue ‘Beat Diabetes’ T-shirts, says a press release. Making conscious effort Commenting on the sixth edition of the walk, Clive Freeman, COO, Landmark Group, Oman said: “We are grateful to the people of Oman who stepped out of their homes to join the Beat Diabetes Walk. Through the Beat Diabetes initiative, Landmark Group encourages people to stay proactive about their own health and the well-being of their loved ones. We want people to make a conscious

effort to lead healthier lifestyles and regularly monitor their blood glucose levels. These are essential to the long-term health of our family, community and nation.” “We are grateful for the support we have received from the community. Their presence and participation have made this year’s Beat Diabetes walkathon a grand success in Oman. We also extend our gratitude to Ministry of Health and Oman Diabetes Association for gracing the occasion and their continued support.” Starting at 7am, Qurum Park buzzed with participants in blue Tshirts and caps. The emcees for the walkathon, Fit Body stepped up

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

the momentum with live aerobic session and entertainment especially curated to support diabetes awareness. The release of blue balloons, symbolic of the global colour for diabetes awareness, accompanied by confetti showers signalled the start of the walkathon. The morning included several fun event to create a carnival like atmosphere. At the Kids Zone, children were entertained with fun sporting activities such as mini basketball, wall climbing, bouncy castles, and assorted games. Beat Diabetes selﬁe stands prompted participants to pose for selﬁes. Other partners in the endeavour include the Al Raffa Hospi-

tal, OneTouch, Oasis Water, Fit Body, Muscat Pharmacy, Shell and Times of Oman. The Beat Diabetes initiative is of particular signiﬁcance to the GCC countries and India with both regions ranking high in the International Diabetes Federation (IDF)’s list of countries for prevalence of diabetes. Landmark Group is the only retail and hospitality conglomerate to lead diabetes related educational and community-focused activities across ﬁve GCC countries. Landmark Group’s walkathons held across Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and UAE drew an overwhelming response.

PRE-OWNED CARS

ENGIE invests in Oman’s young talent MUSCAT: An international Career Development Programme for talented graduates from the Middle East, South Asia and Africa instituted by global energy leader ENGIE (formerly GDF SUEZ) aims at nurturing a generation of talented young professionals to pursue a career in the private sector. Celebrating the occasion of their inclusion in the International Career Development Programme, Johan Van Kerrebroeck – ENGIE’s country manager for Oman – explained how the programme is a cornerstone of the group’s commitment towards localisation, by inspiring talented individuals towards exploring their careers within the private sector and by empowering nationals to take on senior roles within the power industry. “Oman has been home to the ENGIE Group for 20 years. We have been working closely with the communities we operate in, and it is our commitment to leave a positive, lasting legacy with all our actions. The international Career Development Programme is an expression of both our gratitude, and our ﬁrm belief in the young Omani workforce and their vibrant future,” he added. Young Omani engineers Hassan Al Busaidi, and Hisham Al Hadhrami made the choice to join the programme for compelling reasons. They are driven by the opportunities that open up in a dynamic, global environment, which allows career growth gained through international exposure, knowledge sharing and experience. As proud new-joiners at ENGIE, Hassan and Hisham share their insights into what inspires them, their dreams, aspirations and their pride in Oman.

It’s a belief that young Omani nationals prefer a career in the public sector. What inspired you both to choose the private sector? A career in the private sector carries the promise of exposure to a diverse and dynamic environment and to international markets and – as a result – of gaining global knowledge and experience. It’s a challenging and therefore excellent learning environment. We ﬁrmly believe that, in the long term, private sector employment will be more rewarding, both ﬁnancially and in terms of our personal growth, thanks to a multitude of career development opportunities. Why the power sector? As engineers in this country, we are naturally drawn to oil and gas. But there is an end to the oil age, while the power sector continues to move on, with renewable energies, energy storage, off-grid solutions and so on. Energy is the future and it is constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation. It’s a key industry sector that is critical to our daily lives, to society and to development. So it’s exciting to be part of it and to know that you can really make a difference. What can a global energy leader like ENGIE offer you?

Diversity, the opportunity to work with and learn from people from a variety of backgrounds, skilsets, and cultures. Besides, an organiaation like ENGIE encourages people to keep an open mind, respect multiple perspectives, and celebrate inclusiveness. The company truly believes in localiaation and provides opportunities for us, which we need to leverage. It’s a great place to learn, working in a friendly atmosphere, yet one that pushes you to do more. Mobility is a key factor that only an organisation like ENGIE can provide. With mobility, we can gain knowledge, experience and learn from other cultures. Mobility also means seeing the world from perspectives other than your own, which makes you feel more down to earth and makes you humble. Such mutual understanding and respect can be a contribution to world peace and that is exactly what we young people want. What advantages do you see with the international Career Development Programme in ENGIE? The international Career Development Programme is a demonstration of ENGIE’s credo ‘By People for People’. Hiring and training local people is a long-term investment that will create mutual

understanding and lead to crossfertilisation: it will infuse global thinking into ENGIE’s corporate culture and breathe the corporate culture into the local offices, when international graduates return to their home countries. Moreover it’s important for an international Group to have mobile and adaptable people. Thanks to programmes such as this one, we will – in the future – see Omani experts move to other countries to make their expertise available overseas. How do you see Oman evolve? What contributions can international companies make towards continuing Oman’s success? Diversifying the economy from the dependency on oil – which is our country’s ‘Industrial Revolution’ – has opened up new vistas. Oman has a unique advantage, thanks to its geographic location. We are ‘in the centre of the world’ and that makes us an ideal hub for commerce, trading and tourism. The country has been making giant strides and we can see the results of these efforts, from the growth in tourism, to the development of the free zones in Duqm. However, there is still room for improvement in the outlook of the young workforce, and work culture. But we are very optimistic and have every faith in our country’s renaissance that His Majesty initiated. Companies such as ENGIE can contribute by investing in people, in projects and in the region and the Career Development Programme helps greatly, and is positive steps towards leveraging our country’s opportunities. It is our intention to be proud ambassadors for ENGIE and the programme in Oman.

Get instant cash for old car at Best Cars MUSCAT: The “Best to buy from ... best to sell to” is a statement often heard from those who have dealt with Oman’s best pre-owned cars hypermarket — Best Cars. Apart from getting a quality used car at best prices, one can also get instant cash for one’s old car. Best Cars buys only the models sold by SBG for cash such as — Lexus, Toyota, Kia, Ford and Daihatsu. It is to be mentioned here that models should not be older than ﬁve years, says a press release. Foreclosure of loans is also possible on a case-to-case basis. The procedures are hassle-free, the set-up is professional and the team of experts thorough evaluation and offers an instant cash price. In short, selling a car at Best Cars offers complete peace of mind. Apart from the massive Muscat showroom, for customers

in interior locations, Best Cars has 13 branch operations in all major towns in Oman like Seeb Al Mawelah, Sohar, Nizwa, Ibra, Barka, Salalah, Ibri, Sur, Sumail, Suweiq, Bidaya, B.B. Ali and Sinaw. Customers can also visit the Best Cars website – www. bestcarsoman.com for photos and prices of their stock of vehicles which is updated every day. It is an interactive website and visitors can even post their requirement in the unlikely event that they do not ﬁnd what they are looking for. Best Cars is a part of the Saud Bahwan Group – one of the most trusted names in the automobile business in Oman. Best Cars purchase section is located at the basement of the Toyota showroom at Wattayah. Best Cars buys well-maintained vehicles preferably with service history as well as raffle cars and SUVs for cash.

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Oman’s top corporate leaders network at OER CEO Golf MUSCAT: OER CEO Golf 2015, which took place at Muscat Hills recently, provided the perfect weekend rendezvous for Oman’s top corporate leaders to network and compete on the greens. Dr Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy, Minister of Oil and Gas, the chief guest, teed off the 11th edition of OER CEO Golf – Oman’s premium corporate networking event. He launched the brand mark of OER CEO Golf 2015 and also unveiled the official score card, says a press release. Oman International Development and Investment Company (Ominvest), the Sultanate’s largest listed investment group--together with its subsidiaries, Oman Arab Bank and National Life & General Insurance Company and its ma-

jor associates National Finance Company, Oman Orix Leasing Company, International General Insurance Holding and Al Ahlia Insurance Company, was the Presenter of the event. OER CEO Golf 2015 was organised by Oman Economic Review, leading business magazine, and its publisher United Media Services. The itinerary of the event included a day of no-holds barred intense golﬁng, amidst the cool, verdant and undulating expanses of Muscat Hills. OER CEO Golf had loads of fun and surprises for both golfers and aspiring golfers. The event which brought together more than 200 of Oman’s top corporate leaders, was open for all business leaders, whether golfers or non-golfers and everyone

got an opportunity to network in a friendly environment. This was followed by a gala event with top class entertainment, prize distribution ceremony and dinner at InterContinental Gardens. Humayun Kabir, Vikas Dixit, Gurcharan Kadan and Ashish Sood were crowned the champion team of OER CEO Golf 2015 and each of them were presented with an exciting range of gifts. A. R. Srinivasan was crowned the Most Promising Golfer- to- be and he was presented with an Eberhard watch from Gallery Argan. The OER lucky golfer of the day was Robert Holtkamp and he won a La Velle watch from Gallery Argan. At the gala awards ceremony and dinner at InterContinental Gardens, Abdulaziz Al Balushi,

Group CEO, Ominvest in his address said: “At the very outset, I would like to congratulate the entire team of OER CEO Golf for their splendid effort in making this event a grand success. It has been a pleasure for Ominvest along with its subsidiaries and its major associates to present the event.” This year has been especially signiﬁcant for us as a company as it marked a new milestone in Ominvest’s ongoing journey. As you are aware Ominvest merged with ONIC Holding in August 2015, creating the largest listed investment company in Oman. This would not have been possible without the support of key shareholders of both Ominvest and ONIC and I would like to thank them for it. The combined entity is much larger, more efficient

Bank Sohar receives coveted IFM awards These awards cement the bank’s position as one of Oman’s most customeroriented retail and corporate ﬁnancial institutions as well as one of the leading socially responsible organisations in the country

MUSCAT: Bank Sohar announced that it has received two individual awards from International Finance Magazine (IFM) – ‘Best Customer Service Bank Oman 2015’ and ‘Best CSR Bank Oman 2015’. These awards cement the bank’s position as one of Oman’s most customer-oriented retail and corporate ﬁnancial institutions as well as one of the leading socially responsible organisations in the country, says a press release. Both awards were handed over to the bank at a glittering awards ceremony organised by IFM at the Landmark London in the United Kingdom recently. Receiving the

awards on behalf of the bank was Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, Sr. AGM of Marketing and Customer Experience. The event was also attended by prominent business leaders and representatives from leading organisations and companies from across the globe. “Each of these two awards recognise two key aspects of our operations – our customer service and our CSR endeavours. Both have always been a core pillar of our operational philosophy as well as a fundamental part of our culture here at the bank,” commented Rashad Ali Al Musaﬁr, acting CEO of Bank Sohar, on receiving the awards. “Our customer service achievements are further exempliﬁed by our ongoing bank-wide campaign, which we launched earlier this year with the aimto raise the bar even higher for customer service

in the sector. On the other hand, our entire business model is based on being a positively proactive organisation that seeks excellence in social development as much as in business. As such, we always have and will continue to deliver excellence in our day-to-day operations as well as various CSR initiatives and contributions. We are honoured to be recognised by IFM for our achievements and, together with the dedication and commitment of our staff, we will continue to deliver service excellence across every facet of our operations.” The ﬁrst of these two awards highlights Bank Sohar’s market leading customer-service standards and high levels of customer satisfaction. This award is a result of the bank’s many Customer Service initiatives including and not limited to the dedicated cus-

DOUBLE DELIGHT

tomer service campaign launched earlier in the year. The campaign once again reaffirmed Bank Sohar’s commitment to delivering service excellence and has seen the bank further focus on customer service touchpoints across all branches, divisions and customer interaction channels within the Sultanate, including its online and call-centre services. With the implementation of the campaign, the bank has focused on further improving and streamlining customer interactions and, in turn, offering an even more efficient and personalised service. The service excellence drive from Bank Sohar effectively leverages its marketleading technological capabilities to further improve customer convenience and align itself well with global industry best practices. Commenting on the bank having received the ‘Best CSR Bank Oman 2015’, Munira Abdulnabi Macki, GM of Human Resources and Corporate Support said: “We believe that we have a responsibility towards the community we serve and the wellbeing of society at large and therefore spend a great deal of effort with each passing year to bring our bank’s CSR programmes to the next level. The focus has always been on carefully planning and evaluating avenues of support in order to diversify and reach out to the maximum number of people especially those in most need of it. This award is a wonderful affirmation of our hard work. As we reach ever closer to the New Year, we will continue to strive to maximise our impact in the causes and programmes we support.”

and in a much better position to create jobs for Omani nationals, helping grow Omani businesses and be a strong catalyst for economic growth in Oman, he added. Earlier, Sandeep Sehgal, chief executive, UMS in his welcome address said the 11th edition of OER CEO Golf was being held coinciding with 45th National Day of Oman. He thanked the Ominvest Group for being the Presenter of the event. Ominvest’s merger with ONIC Holding thereby creating the largest listed investment company in Oman augurs well for the economy of Oman, he said. He also thanked the participants for making the 11th edition of OER CEO Golf a success. Tee Time 2015, the official magazine of OER CEO Golf was

formally unveiled at the event by Abdulaziz Al Balushi. Other partners of the event were: Takaful Oman - Islamic insurance partner; Gallery Argan - luxury partner; Samsung - prize partner; OUA - support partner; Times of Oman and Al Shabiba the publicity partners. Aggreko - energy partner; Oman Printers & Stationers-print partner; KIMS Oman - healthcare partner; Travel City - travel partner; Fly Dubai - airline partner; Holiday Inn - hospitality partner; Max, Desert River - support partners, Ayana Spa – spa partner. Capital Store, Mi Store, Golf World, WH Smith, Agility, The Chedi, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Mumtaz Mahal and Hormuz Grand were the gift sponsors.

CONNECTING PEOPLE

Qatar Airways starts new global brand campaign DOHA: Qatar Airways launched its new global brand campaign and tagline – Going Places Together – at a press conference in New York, USA. This is a new and fresh direction for the airline, which has developed a messaging strategy to reflect its evolution as a brand and its role as a leader in the airline industry, says a press release. The Going Places Together campaign plays on the theme of achieving great things together whether for work, for family or for adventure, and encourages passengers to take journeys that will help them achieve their dreams and ambitions. “Today’s brand launch highlights a new era in our airline’s journey,” said Qatar Airways group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker. “Whilst it’s true that we are taking more people on more aircraft to more destinations as we continue to grow, we also recognise that travel itself has changed; it has become a process of enrichment, of self-discovery, of life-changing moments and fulfilling ambitions. We hope that our new campaign will inspire more people to embark on their own personal journey, exploring new places and opportunities, together with their friends, family or colleagues.” One of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world, Qatar Airways has adopted the emotive and modern brand campaign to reflect its core values as a contemporary and innovative company that is really going places and wants nothing more than to inspire its passengers to do the same. Salam Al Shawa, Qatar Air-

The Going Places Together campaign plays on the theme of achieving great things together whether for work, for family or for adventure

ways senior vice president of Marketing and Corporate Communications added, “Our new Going Places Together campaign captures the essence of our brand, which is all about inclusiveness and bringing people together for a better future. It also reﬂects our aims for the future, the ambition we have for our airline is the same ambition our passengers have for their own lives. We intend to achieve great things, and we want to be part of your journey as well.” At the heart of the campaign is the concept of the airline connecting people both physically and emotionally with any of the 153 places on its global network on board one of its 173 state-ofthe-art aircraft. The theme of connectivity extends to the warm welcome every passenger receives when they board a Qatar Airways ﬂight from the friendly and helpful cabin crew who are hand-picked for their natural ability to make personal connections with every passenger they meet.

IRRESISTIBLE

Unique offers on Nissan Pathfinder MUSCAT: Nissan has a heritage of showcasing some of the most amazing benefits for its customers by introducing unique offers on its prestigious lineup of vehicles. In an effort to make Nissan vehicles affordable and accessible to all, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles has taken up this unique initiative. Auto enthusiasts can now avail exciting benefits on the Nissan Pathfinder 3.5L that include cash gift up to OMR750, free service for two years or 20,000km (periodic maintenance only), free registration, six years unlimited mileage warranty and easy and convenient financing options. Flexible EMIs can also be tailor made for any individual requirement from inhouse Auto Finance team.

Customers can also get unlimited access to Nissan’s prestigious vehicle lineup at the comfort of their homes or offices. Simply visit Nissan Oman’s Facebook page or send an SMS to get updated information on any of the vehicles from

the house of Nissan. SBA is largely committed to supporting Nissan’s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on customer satisfaction and by providing world-class after-sales services in Oman.

Toyota offers cash gift on Corolla MUSCAT: To many enthusiasts in the automotive industry, the 11th Generation of the world famous Toyota Corolla is no less than an icon. Officially crowned as the ‘Middle East Car of the Year 2014’, the Corolla has a legendary reputation for providing low operating costs, high comfort levels, unyielding reliability along with outstanding safety. All of this is topped-up by the delightful resale value that a Corolla commands, even after years of use, says a press release. Now, the Corolla is being offered with cash gift like never before! “What that means for you as a customer,” says the spokesperson, “Is the freedom to choose to avail of the cash gift of OMR500 (On Corolla 1.6 Xli PS A/T) and OMR650 (Other Corolla grades). In case of Corolla 2.0 Litre, the cash gift is OMR700. (In both

cases, the benefits are not applicable for 16 YM vehicles of 2015 production. This exciting campaign will run until January 21, 2016. Benefits are applicable for all purchases except those made by government organisations and ministries. Indeed, it is a good time to own a global best-seller about which it is said that “The name ‘Corolla’ represents the peak of Toyota’s renowned quality engineering, design evolution and value-formoney focus. This is unmatched in its class. That said, customers are to be thanked for their faith in Toyota and for making it a bestseller in the region.” Making a strong design statement with its unique visual signature, the Corolla signifies Toyota’s brand evolution, “The Corolla’s design theme combines clean lines and balanced proportions to give it an immediate visual

impact. The design lends itself to an even more spacious cabin that offers reﬁned comfort and classleading legroom with abundant storage space. “It tapers at the front and rear of the vehicle to help emphasise the wheel arches and wheelsto-the-corner stance,” adds the spokesperson. The Corolla offers choices between compact, lightweight engines that deliver exhilarating performance and outstanding fuel economy. As explained by the spokesperson, “Customers can choose a never-before, powerful 2.0 L Engine with maximum power of 143 HP (Net). The second option is a potent 1.6 L engine delivering 121 HP (Net).” In Oman, the nationwide parts and service network of Saud Bahwan Automotive supports Toyota outstanding product quality.

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AHMAD AND ORT ACHIEVE PODIUM GLORY AT GULF 12 HOURS RACE >C3

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INSIDE LIFESTYLE

Try & Why Here are a few simple, time-tested foods, techniques, and remedies to try, and a bit about why. >C9

Five-star Pattinson helps Aussies rout Windies by innings, 212 runs SCOREBOARD

Australia 1st innings: 583 for 4 decl West Indies 1st innings K. Brathwaite lbw Hazlewood 2 R. Chandrika c Smith b Lyon 25 Da. Bravo c Lyon b Siddle 108 M. Samuels c&b Lyon 9 J. Blackwood c Burns b Lyon 0 D. Ramdin b Hazlewood 8 J. Holder lbw Siddle 15 K. Roach c Nevill b Hazlewood 31 J. Taylor b Hazlewood 0 J. Warrican (not out) 2 S. Gabriel absent injured Extras (b-7, lb-10, nb-5, w-1) 23 Total (9 wkts, 70 overs) 223 Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-58, 3-78, 4-78, 5-89, 6-116, 7-215, 8-215, 9-223. Bowling: J. Hazlewood 18-5-45-4; J. Pattinson 15-0-68-0 (nb-5, w-1); P. Siddle 15-5-36-2; N. Lyon 19-6-43-3; M. Marsh 3-1-14-0. West Indies 2nd innings K. Brathwaite b Hazlewood 94 R. Chandrika c Smith b Pattinson 0 Da. Bravo b Pattinson 4 M. Samuels c Warner b Pattinson 3 J. Blackwood b Pattinson 0 D. Ramdin c Warner b M. Marsh 4 J. Holder c Nevill b Pattinson 17 K. Roach c Nevill b Hazlewood 3 J. Taylor c Pattinson b Hazlewood 12 J. Warrican (not out) 6 S. Gabriel absent injured Extras (lb-1, nb-3, w-1) 5 Total (9 wkts, 36.3 overs) 148 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-20, 3-24, 4-24, 5-30, 6-60, 7-91, 8-117, 9-148. Bowling: J. Hazlewood 10.3-3-33-3; J. Pattinson 8-2-27-5 (nb-2, w-1); P. Siddle 7-1-34-0; M. Marsh 7-0-36-1 (nb-1); N. Lyon 4-0-17-0.

Australia enforced the follow-on after dismissing West Indies for 223 inside the ﬁrst ﬁve overs of the third day at Bellerive Oval, and completed the rout before tea by skittling the tourists for 148 in their second innings

HOBART: Paceman James Pattinson took five for 27 to fire Australia to a thumping innings and 212-run victory with more than two days to spare in the first Test against West Indies in Hobart on Saturday. Australia enforced the followon after dismissing West Indies for 223 inside the first five overs of the third day at Bellerive Oval, and completed the rout before tea by skittling the tourists for 148 in their second innings. It was Australia’s second biggest victory in 114 Tests against the Caribbean islanders and gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in a three-match series, which concludes with Tests in Melbourne and Sydney. Australia, who could return to the top of the test rankings with a 3-0 series sweep, made 583 for four declared in their first innings on the back of a world record fourth wicket stand of 449 between Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh. Voges was named man of the match for his unbeaten 269 in the match-turning partnership with fellow Western Australian Marsh. “It was a good win, the partnership between Voges and Shaun Marsh really set up the match for us and the bowlers did a terrific job again,” skipper Steve Smith said in a pitchside interview. “I thought Josh Hazlewood led

FIVE FOR: Australia’s James Pattinson, center, celebrates with teammates after dismissing West Indies’ Jermaine Blackwood during their ﬁrst Test match in Hobart on Saturday. – AP/PTI

the attack beautifully. It was nice to see James Pattinson back bowling the way he did and to get a fivefor was an outstanding effort.” Fine century Darren Bravo scored a fine 108 in the first innings and Kraigg Brathwaite notched a defiant 94 in the second but questions will continue to be asked about the long-term future of West Indies Test cricket after an otherwise

hapless display. “Tough three days for us, we didn’t really start very well,” captain Jason Holder said. “We were pretty indisciplined in the ﬁrst session of the Test match and that carried on for the rest of the ﬁrst day. That really set us back and then we were always catching up.” Hazlewood (four for 45) took the lead as the hosts wrapped up West Indies’ innings with only 16 runs added to their overnight tally of

207 for six on a chilly morning in Tasmania. It was Pattinson, playing his ﬁrst Test in 18 months in place of the injured Mitchell Starc, who provided the spearhead after Smith had become the ﬁrst Australia skipper in six years to enforce the follow-on on home soil. Opener Rajendra Chandrika lasted just three balls before departing with his third duck in four Test innings before Bravo (4) earned the questionable distinc-

tion of being dismissed twice in the same session. Two overs later and Pattinson sent back Marlon Samuels (3) and Jermaine Blackwood (0) in successive balls, giving Australia a hat-trick chance for the second time in one day. Pattinson was unable to convert and it was all-rounder Mitchell Marsh who next took advantage of the feeble batting, having Denesh Ramdin caught for four off his ﬁrst delivery.

Holder put on 30 with Brathwaite before Pattinson returned to claim his fourth fivewicket haul in Tests, the West Indies skipper flicking his 32nd delivery down the leg side and into the gloves of Peter Nevill for 17. Nevill was again in action to dismiss Kemar Roach (3) off Hazlewood and the right-arm paceman got his sixth wicket of the match when Jerome Taylor holed out in the deep for 12. Brathwaite was the final wicket to fall, bowled by Hazlewood (three for 33), as West Indies pace bowler Shannon Gabriel did not bat in either innings after injuring his ankle on day one. - Reuters

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Mendis conﬁdent of Oman toppling the best at World T20 A. SESHAGIRI RAO

raoas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: It’s a tough ask — to beat more experienced Ireland and the Netherlands as well as the Test side Bangladesh and book a place in the Super 10 stage of the World Twenty20 Championship. But coach Duleep Mendis is expecting Oman to continue with their confident show and topple the best in the business. The Sultanate’s cricket squad are drawn in Group A along with the Dutch, the Irish and the Bangladeshis for the first round matches of the championship that takes place in different parts of India from March 8 to April 3 in 2016. Group B comprises Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and Afghanistan and only toppers from each group qualify for the Super 10 stage of the championship. While refusing term either of the first round groups as tough, Duleep Mendis said: “Both are tough groups. At this level there are no easy teams and there will surely be no easy teams either.” Speaking to Times Sport on Saturday, the Sri Lankan great, who is also the Chief Development Officer of Oman Cricket, said: “This is Twenty20 format and any team can beat any team. I have confidence in Oman team, they can beat the best on their day.” Referring to Oman players’ recent form, he said: “They have been performing well... right from the ICC T20 Championship Qualifier (jointly hosted by Ireland and Scotland) to the recent tour of the UAE. I am confident these boys will continue with their good showing.”

ALL ABOUT CONFIDENCE: A ﬁle photo of Oman team after their success in Ireland and Scotland.

It may be mentioned Oman clinched their berth in the ICC World T20 Championship after an excellent showing in Ireland-Scotland Qualiﬁer. During the recent tour of the UAE, they won a bilateral T20 series against Hong Kong while also performing excellently against teams like Afghanistan and the UAE. In the ﬁrst round of the World T20 Chmapionship in India, Oman are scheduled to start their campaign against Ireland on March 9. Then they take on the Netherlands on March 11 before completing their group engagements against Bangladesh on March 13. All Oman matches are sched-

uled to be played in Dharamsala. Asked about Oman’s chances against the three teams, Duleep Mendis said: “As I said at this level no team is big and no team is small. There are no favourites.” “In the recent past, Oman team have toppled some tough teams. And I am expecting them to do the same in India,” he added. “They (Oman team) have made a good impact in the recent matches. They are very conﬁdent and I want the boys to take that conﬁdence into the World T20.” His advice to Oman team is ‘be positive’. “In this format, it is the mental preparation that matters the most. It’s all in the mind. I want

my boys to be just positive and play conﬁdent,” he said. Duleep Mendis also stressed the need to be ready for the conditions. “We will be playing our matches in Dharamsala, where the conditions are different from what we are used. We need to train in similar conditions before we play there,” he said. Before that Oman team are also scheduled to undergo a training camp in India and play in the Asia Cup, which will be played in T20 format, in Bangladesh. “We will be training in Rajkot from February 10 and then head to Bangladesh around February 17 to take part in the Asia Cup,” Mendis added.

Oman team have made a good impact in the recent matches. They are very confident and I want them to take that confidence into the World T20 Championship. In this format, it is the mental preparation that matters the most. It’s all in the mind. I want my boys to be just positive and play confident Duleep Mendis

Oman team coach

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

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Gabriel heads home HOBART: West Indies captain Jason Holder said the tourists would need a big step up in performance for their second clash with Australia in Melbourne later this month after suffering their ﬁfth heaviest ever Test defeat on Saturday. They will have to do it without Shannon Gabriel, however, as the pace bowler will be sent home after suffering an ankle injury

which prevented him from taking any part in the last two days of the match. A replacement has not been decided upon. The innings and 212-run loss was a sixth straight test defeat for West Indies after they lost both matches in a home series against Australians earlier this year and were swept 2-0 in Sri Lanka in October. - Reuters

MILESTONE MAN: Kane Williamson, left, of New Zealand celebrates with teammate Tom Latham during the third day of their ﬁrst Test

match against Sri Lanka at University Oval in Dunedin on Saturday. – AFP

Williamson milestone helps New Zealand build big lead SCOREBOARD

Williamson, who became the second New Zealand batsman to score 1,000 Test runs in a calendar year, was 48 not at the close with Tom Latham on 72 as New Zealand ended the day on 171 for one

DUNEDIN: Kane Williamson became the second New Zealand batsman to score 1,000 Test runs in a calendar year as the hosts built an imposing 308-run lead over Sri Lanka at the close of the third day’s play of the ﬁrst Test on Saturday. Williamson, who achieved the milestone when he

New Zealand 1st innings: 431 Sri Lanka 1st innings D. Karunaratne c Watling b Santner K. Mendis c Watling b Boult U. Jayasundara c Watling b Wagner D. Chandimal c Guptill b Southee A. Mathews c Watling b Southee K. Vithanage c Watling b Southee M. Siriwardana c Taylor b Wagner R. Herath c Boult b Wagner D. Chameera c Taylor b Boult S. Lakmal not out N. Pradeep c Watling b Santner Extras (b-1, lb-4, nb-4) Total (all out, 117.1 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-29, 3-15, 4-156, 5-198, 6-209, 7-252, 8-273, 9-287.

84 8 1 83 2 22 35 15 14 18 3 9 294

surpassed eight runs, was 48 not at the close with Tom Latham on 72 as New Zealand ended the day at a chilly and windswept University Oval on 171 for one. Martin Guptill (46) was the only batsman to be dismissed in the hosts’ second innings when a delivery from left arm spinner Rangana Herath barely bounced, scuttled along the wicket and clattered into his stumps. That delivery gave pace bowler Tim Southee some hope the pitch could help his side try to dismiss

Bowling: T. Boult 22-7-52-2; T. Southee 27-4-71-3; D. Bracewell 21-6-42-0 (nb-4); N. Wagner 25-5-87-3; M. Santner 21.1-8-37-2; K. Williamson 1-1-0-0. New Zealand 2nd innings T. Latham (not out) 72 M. Guptill b Herath 46 K. Williamson (not out) 48 Extras (lb-1, nb-4) 5 Total (1 wkts, 48 overs) 171 Fall of wicket: 1-79. Bowling: S. Lakmal 9-0-26-0; A. Mathews 4-1-4-0; D. Chameera 10-0-40-0 (nb-3); N. Pradeep 9-1-29-0 (nb-1); R. Herath 8-1-39-1; M. Siriwardana 7-0-28-0; U. Jayasundara 1-0- 4-0.

Sri Lanka in the fourth innings, especially considering it took them 117 overs to bowl them out for 294 in their ﬁrst knock. “There were signs of a couple that stayed low and that’s encouraging considering it’s only day three,” said Southee. “It’s deﬁnitely not going to come easily. “Patience and delivering the ball in tight areas is one of our strengths as a bowling unit. It’s going to be challenging, the new ball will be crucial.”

Guptill, who scored 156 in the first innings, fell after a 79run opening partnership with Latham, having given New Zealand a perfect start to build on their 137-run first innings lead with an eye to setting Sri Lanka a target in excess off 400. Rain forecast Williamson, who had started on 992 runs this year, used his feet to hit Herath down to the long on fence to move from seven and achieve the milestone. Captain Brendon McCullum was the first New Zealand batsman to achieve the mark in 2014. Latham, who had a series of starts without kicking on to a big score in the recently completed series against Australia, scored his seventh Test half century as he and Guptill were cautious before tea then accelerated the run rate afterwards. Rain has been forecast for Dunedin for the fourth day. The visitors had begun the day on 197 for four and while they lost two quick wickets in the first session, Milinda Siriwardana (35) and Herath (15) guided Sri Lanka past the follow-on target and then frustrated New Zealand’s bowlers with the way they were able to occupy the crease. - Reuters

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England to decide No. 3 spot after warm-up ties POTCHEFSTROOM: England’s warm-up matches for England before the first Test against South Africa will go a long way to determining who bats in the No. 3 spot, coach Trevor Bayliss said on Saturday. “Probably in my mind, I’ve got a little thought who it might be but we’ve got two very important practice matches before the first Test which could go a long way to us finalising that position,” he said of the battle between Nick Compton and Gary Ballance to follow the openers in the test team. “We don’t know our best XI quiet yet which is an indication of where we are as a side in terms of the inconsistency, so there are a lot of things up for grabs and a lot of (opportunity) for people to make a name for themselves,” captain Alastair Cook said at the team’s first news conference since their arrival for the four-test series starting in Durban on Boxing

LITTLE THOUGHT: Trevor Bayliss

Day. “The net sessions over the next days will be particularly intense with everyone trying to put themselves forward,” Cook said. Bayliss conﬁrmed that Alex Hales will open with Cook as the captain had said when England departed for South Africa, adding that Ben Stokes will be ﬁt for the Test after recovering from a

shoulder injury. “He’s been batting and bowling for a few weeks now,” added Bayliss. Steven Finn, playing for England A against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates after recovering from injury, could also be called over for the series in South Africa. “There are one or two small hurdles to get over but the signs

are looking good,” Bayliss said. “If he can get through pain free and bowling well, I’d expect to see him here at some stage.” Bayliss played down suggestions England could take advantage of a South African side who lost 3-0 in their Test series in India last month. “I don’t think that really matters because to win away from home is very difficult. The simple thing is that we are playing the best team (in the Test rankings) at home and we are under no illusions that it’s going to be a difficult tour,” he said. “The main thing we can do is concentrate on ourselves and play good cricket. If we play good cricket then we have a chance of doing well.” England play their ﬁrst warm-up match against a South African Invitation XI in Potchefstroom from December 15-17 and face a similar selection side in Pietermaritzburg from December 20 to 22. - Reuters

S U N DAY, D E C E MB E R 1 3, 2 0 1 5

SPORTS Ahmad and ORT achieve podium success at Gulf 12 Hours contest Qualifying on pole position, the Omani entry was in contention for the podium throughout at the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit and ultimately delivered richly deserved silverware for Aston Martin on the manufacturer’s maiden outing in the event

MUSCAT: Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 trio Ahmad Al Harthy, Darren Turner and Jonny Adam celebrated a fantastic podium ﬁnish for the Oman Racing Team in the Gulf 12 Hours, after securing an excellent third place result on the team’s debut in the annual endurance contest. Qualifying on pole position thanks to a supreme collective team effort, the Omani entry was in contention for the podium throughout at the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit and ultimately delivered richly deserved silverware for Aston Martin on the manufacturer’s maiden outing in the event. “We are all really happy with the podium, we wanted it so badly and I think third was the best we could have achieved”, said a delighted Ahmad, “To qualify on pole posi-

SENSATIONAL DEBUT: Ahmad Al Harthy, centre, celebrates with his Oman Racing Team teammates at Yas Marina Circuit. – Supplied photo

tion on the team’s debut, and for Aston Martin’s ﬁrst ever outing in the Gulf 12 Hours, was an incredible start and to end with a podium ﬁnish is testament to the hard work from everyone in the team.

“All of the support we had from Oman here was amazing, it really made the whole event very special and it’s great to reward everyone with a podium. I learnt so much from Darren and Jonny, they’re

both great drivers and we worked very well together. It’s been a fantastic experience in Abu Dhabi.” Scottish racer Adam began the opening portion of the race behind the wheel of the Oman Air, Oman

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Smith has ‘no doubt’ he will be fit for Boxing Day Test despite niggles HOBART: Australia captain Steve Smith will sit out domestic Twenty20 matches because of knee and hip niggles but has “no doubt” he will be fit to face West Indies in the second Test in Melbourne on December 26. Smith played through the discomfort to lead Australia to a dominant innings and 212-run victory in the first Test in Hobart on Saturday, giving them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. If Smith is fit for Melbourne, Australia’s selectors could have a selection headache when it comes to choosing their batting line-up. Top order batsman Usman Khawaja will return to the squad for the Boxing Day Test but needs to prove his fitness in Big Bash League (BBL) action to win back his spot in the team after a hamstring strain ruled him out Australia’s last two Tests. “Usman’s first got to be fit. If he’s not fit he won’t play, there’s no doubt about that,” coach Darren Lehmann said. “We’ve got to make sure he’s playing BBL to get some sort of match fitness and see how the strain of the hamstring is and then when we get him in ... we’ll have a look at him and see whether he’s available to play.” Shaun Marsh came in to replace Khawaja, who had scored

‘NICE PROBLEM TO HAVE’: Captain Steve Smith

centuries in his previous two Tests, and scored 182 in Hobart in a match-turning partnership with Adam Voges (269 not out), the sixth highest stand in Test history. “We’ve got a dilemma,” Lehmann conceded. “We’ve just got to pick the best team to win that par-

ticular game. If Usman is in then someone’s got to miss out.” Smith said it was a nice problem to have. “I thought Shaun played beautifully throughout this Test match, he and Voges certainly changed the course of the game,” the skip-

per told reporters. “The game was in the balance and those guys put in a terrific partnership and really set the game up for us.” The bowling unit also came in for some praise after what Smith described as a “clinical” win. Josh Hazlewood led the attack and claimed his 60th Test victim while accumulating match figures of seven for 78, and James Pattinson returned from 18 months out of Test cricket to take five for 27 in eight overs in the second innings. “I thought the bowlers bowled terrifically again, I thought Josh Hazlewood and (spinner) Nathan Lyon really stepped up in the first innings,” said Smith. “In the second innings it was nice to see James Pattinson back to his best and bowling fast. He really wanted to do it today and really enjoy it. I think he bowled beautifully.” Steve O’Keefe has also been called up but only for the third Test in the New Year, giving Australia the option of playing two spinners in Sydney. Australia squad for second Test: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Nathan Lyon. - Reuters

Ministry of Sports Affairs, Ooredoo, National Bank of Oman and Al Hashar Group liveried Aston and concluded the ﬁrst hour in third position just 2.5 seconds adrift of second place. Roughly half of the

first 60 minutes was actually spent under caution, though, due to a multi-car accident. Ahmad took over driving duties in hour two and the Aston Martin Middle East and North Africa Ambassador maintained the top three placing, edging closer to the Mercedes of Khaled Al Qubaisi as the race progressed. While the pair battled, though, they both fell victim to Davide Rigon so slipped to third and fourth respectively. Continuing to pressure Al Qubaisi, Ahmad managed to make the breakthrough late in the second hour to move up into third but before the second round of pit stops the positions switched again with 34-year-old Ahmad shuffled back to fourth once more. During the second half of the first six hours, the Oman Racing Team entry continued to challenge hard for the podium and, courtesy of Adam, did move back into the top three but ended the first portion of the race in fourth position. When the second part of the Gulf 12 Hours got underway a couple of hours later under the Yas Marina floodlights, Turner took the first stint and stayed well within reach of the podium placings as the lead quartet pulled clear of the remainder of the pack. Racing fell under Safety Car conditions for a second time with around three and a half hours left on the clock and when the action resumed, with Ahmad back at the wheel, he ran strongly before being edged back to third by the charging Rigon. Holding the podium comfortably into the closing stages, the chequered flag was actually shown 15 minutes early following an incident involving two Ferraris. Officials initially red flagged the action before opting to declare a result with the Oman Racing Team celebrating a superb podium finish – a fantastic way to conclude its 2015 motorsport programme.

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

SPORTS

Muscat based group buys KSL’s Kozhikode franchise

AMBITIOUS VENTURE: Officials of Shipco Oman, part of Molecules International Group, who bought the Kozhikode franchise of Kerala Super League. – Supplied photo

The Kerala Super League is a brainchild of the Kerala Football Association and the Celebrity Management Group and during the inaugural season, the Kozhikode franchise is hoping to involve players from abroad including those from the Sultanate

MUSCAT: A Muscat based group has bought the Kozhikode franchise of the ambitious new football league in India - Kerala Super League (KSL). Nabeel Najeeb, General Manager of Ships Agency and International Logistics Co LLC, Oman (Shipco Oman) has just returned to Muscat after attending the recently organised franchise purchase ceremony organised in Cochin. The Kerala Super League, which will be set up during the ﬁrst quarter of 2016, is a brainchild of the Kerala Football Association (KFA) and the Celebrity Management Group (CMG). KSL is a concept that is expected to take the game’s popularity to soaring levels in Kerala as well as in India. KSL will be the biggest domestic soccer ven-

ture ever undertaken in India at the State level. Nabeel, who was born in Kozhikode hails from a family which has produced soccer stalwarts like T. Abdul Rahman also fondly known as “Olympian Rahman”, his siblings T Aboobacker, a long time KDFA Secretary, and late T. Alikoya, another veteran footballer. His father, C.M. Najeeb, the Managing Director of Shipco Oman and erstwhile head honcho of the Muscat branch of Towell Wilhelmsen, is the sponsor of the annual veterans soccer tournament held in Calicut for the past ﬁve years. Thirty-year-old Nabeel Najeeb has been a fanatical fan of Manchester United right from his school days and had during his post-graduation studies in the UK

found the time and zeal to pursue his favorite club at both home and away games during the English Premier League seasons. He now plans to utilise this same zeal and passion to inspire the soccer lovers of Kozhikode and Kerala to hold hands together for the betterment of the state and Indian soccer. In the process he hopes that KSL would not only provide exciting soccer for the fans but also become instrumental in all round development of football in Kerala state and at the same time, inspire budding and home grown talent to display their wares on the big stage. Kozhikode, the premier city of the Malabar region of Kerala, has always been famous for its nonpartisan and vociferous crowds. In fact, even before the creation of this tiny state and especially during the glorious days of Indian football, particularly the 1950s and 1960s when the country was a force to reckon with in Asia. The city had in the 60s and 70s hosted the wildly popular Sait Nagjee tournament at the famous Corporation Stadium, a tourney that had witnessed a galaxy of Indian stars dazzling their way into thousands of hearts with their skills. Nabeel Najeeb fondly hankers for a revival of those golden years and has taken the ﬁrst step in making that dream a reality. For the moment, he is in close

discussions with famous Indian Football Clubs to join hands along with sponsorship negotiations with potential corporates and major companies. “The Eight Year Franchise would bring about exciting footballing opportunities for the youth in my home district”, Nabeel said. While nurturing the local talents, KSL would provide opportunities to play with celebrated national players and getting exposure to experienced coaches and trainers. Nabeel sought full cooperation from local media in Kerala and abroad to popularise the project seeking support from sponsors and associates. “In keeping with the close diplomatic links that Oman and India have shared for over six decades, Nabeel is keen on associating with the Oman Football Association (OFA). It is envisaged that the OFA could consider the idea of permitting Omani footballers to participate in this league. “In this connection, contacts would be taken up shortly.” Shipco is part of the Molecules International Group, which also runs Magzi Shipping, Filters International LLC, Megarme Oman. Molecules International LLC is a young and dynamic company headquartered in Oman with business operations in India, Africa and other GCC countries. The

group’s business activity covers a wide spectrum of activities, from Shipping and Logistics, General Trading, Inspection & Engineering and Project execution in the oil and gas industry. Eight teams Some of the striking features of KSL will include the roping in of extremely skillful overseas players, the chance for budding home grown talent to make their mark on the big stage and of course, the opportunity to provide top class entertainment to audiences starved of quality football in their own backyard. The KSL will consist of eight franchised city teams during the inaugural season which will run for about 10 weeks. Each Franchise will play against each other at home and away, the top four franchises of the league will contest the semiﬁnals and a total of 63 matches will be held throughout the state and telecast “live”. Each franchise squad will comprise a maximum of 30 players comprising maximum four overseas players and a minimum of ﬁve catchment and U-20 players each. KSL will involve teams owned and controlled by professional companies, business entities and entrepreneurs with a deep and abiding love of the great game of soccer.

LA LIGA

Bale still a key player for Real: Benitez MADRID: Real Madrid striker Gareth Bale missed a rampant attacking display against Malmo but coach Rafa Benitez reaffirmed that he is a vital player for the team as they prepare for a tough La Liga clash against Villarreal on Sunday. The Welshman has struggled for form and fitness this season and he was rested for the 8-0 destruction of Malmo on Tuesday which matched the biggest ever Champions League group stage win. That was when Benitez’s Liverpool beat Besiktas in 2007. Bale has only scored four goals and while he has suffered two injuries, doubts remain over his link-up play and understanding with his teammates. Benitez granted his wish to play through the middle of the pitch where he has performed effectively for Wales, but with little impact and he has recently moved to the left wing where he has been involved more. “He is a fundamental player for us in attack as are all three,” Benitez told a news conference on Saturday, referring also to Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. “Bale is very dangerous and as well as scoring goals he has also been providing assists. “He helps the team to function. There is the debate about him and where best he plays but he is working hard to help the team.” Aside from their disqualification from the King’s Cup for fielding an ineligible player, Real have bounced back well following their hammering by Barcelona last month when criticism was heaped on Benitez. The experienced coach believes the clash with fifthplaced Villarreal will be a good indication of how well the team is now playing. “The team has responded after the Clasico, scoring goals and setting records. It is always difficult against Villarreal and I think this match can be a touchstone for us,” Benitez said. “I have a good relationship with the players. The recent results has given more confidence and the team is doing well in training.” - Reuters

F I FA S C A N D A L

Platini subjected to sham procedure: legal team PARIS: FIFA’s Ethics Committee have subjected European soccer chief Michel Platini to a “sham procedure”, the Frenchman’s legal team said on Friday after he lost an appeal to have a provisional 90-day ban overturned. Reacting to comments in French newspaper L’Equipe by Ethics Committee spokesman Andreas Bantel, a statement from Platini’s representatives said the remarks “constituted a patent violation of the presumption of innocence”. “They demonstrate also that the Ethics Committee is pursuing a political objective for whom contradictory arguments and the hearing that it ﬁxed itself for 18 December will manifestly serve no purpose,” added the statement. “Mr Platini, for whom the sanction already seems to have been ﬁxed (decided) by the FIFA Ethics Committee before his explanations have been heard, strongly denounces these practices which showcase the sham procedure of which he has been the object for weeks.” The committee provisionally suspended Platini and outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter from

STRONGLY DENOUNCES: Michel Platini

the sport on October 8, pending a full investigation into their conduct. FIFA payment However, Bantel’s comments suggest the UEFA president’s hopes of being exonerated and therefore still being able to run for the top FIFA job in the February 26 election are non-existent. “In this case the question of corruption is well founded,” said

Bantel. “And in supposing the corruption argument is not accepted by (the) Judicial Chamber, many other questions have been raised about possible violations of the criminal code, such as conﬂict of interest, disloyal management and falsiﬁcation of accounts. “All this naturally suffices for the suspension of Blatter and Platini for several years. Platini certainly will be suspended for

several years,” added Bantel. “As for Blatter, now aged 79, there’s no difference for him between several years (suspension) and banishment for life.” Platini, head of UEFA since 2002, was the favourite to replace Blatter but has become mired in the biggest scandal to hit FIFA. The former France midﬁelder was barred for 90 days during an investigation centred on a two million Swiss francs ($1.97 million) payment from FIFA to Platini. He suffered another blow on Friday when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) turned down his appeal against the provisional ban, although the organisation ordered FIFA not to extend it. Even a temporary lifting of the ban, that ends 52 days before the FIFA election, would have allowed Platini to attend Saturday’s draw in Paris for the 2016 European Championship. That showpiece occasion would have given him the opportunity to promote his ambitions. A ﬁnal decision by the Ethics Committee is expected by the end of this month. - Reuters

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The Wave gain Sydney advantage, Oman Air seek final day honours tastic and it must have been spectacular from the shore.” In fourth place on the leaderboard, Oman Air skipper Stevie Morrison admitted it had been a tough day at the office with three podium ﬁnishes in eight races but there were still plenty of opportunities to claw back some crucial points on the ﬁnal day. “We had a lot of 50-50s that went against us which was frustrating but we will go away and come back positive tomorrow because there is everything to play for on the last day,” he said. “Our game plan was for consistency, to keep chipping away but it was tough and we need to up our game tomorrow.”

After two days of strong winds, a slight easing in conditions across Sydney Harbour gave skipper Leigh McMillan and his The Wave, Muscat crew an opportunity to steal a march on rivals in their bid to seal a record-breaking third Extreme Sailing Series title

MUSCAT: The Wave, Muscat built a small but impressive lead at the Extreme Sailing Series Sydney with another display of unbending consistency while Oman Air fought hard to stay in the mix for a ﬁnal podium place. After two days of strong winds, a slight easing in conditions across Sydney Harbour gave skipper Leigh McMillan and his crew an opportunity to steal a march on rivals in their bid to seal a recordbreaking third Extreme Sailing Se-

IMPRESSIVE SHOW: The Wave, Muscat and Oman Air compete with their rivals at the the Extreme Sailing Series in Sydney. – Supplied photo

ries championship title. By the end of eight hard fought and tight races, they had posted six podium places including a win in the penultimate race, their fourth of the event, to create a three-point advantage over second placed SAP Extreme Sailing Team with one day’s racing left. Consistency once again was key,

McMillan said and they made the most of the conditions. “It was a bit up and down and at times, we were a bit frustrated because we felt we could have converted some results but we were consistent and mostly made the best of the situation we were in.” Sunday marks the ﬁnal day of Extreme 40 racing for McMillan

OMAN CRICKET

who is set to join the British America’s Cup team LandRover BAR in January and although he is poised to depart as the most successful helm in Extreme Sailing history, his focus is on completing a victory in Sydney, which would be his ﬁfth event win in a row, and becoming 2015 champion to add to his 2012 and 2013 titles.

“Tomorrow is my last event of the season and although this has slowly dawned on me, we are trying to focus on doing well and winning the event. It doesn’t feel any different at the moment but it might feel different tomorrow. “It was a great day’s racing today and nice to put on a bit of a show – the Sydney conditions were fan-

Tourist destination The plan is still to finish on the podium to bring the curtain down on their season racing together as a crew, added Ali Al Balushi. “It was hard today — we had a couple of good races and some not so good. Hopefully it will be good tomorrow and we can finish on the podium,” he said. Support for the teams was felt at the Oman Tourism Pavilion set in the Royal Botanical Gardens where hundreds of racegoers dropped in to discover the beauty of Oman and to learn about the country as a tourist destination, leaving with a traditional Henna souvenir! The last day of racing for the Oman Sail squad on The Wave, Muscat and Oman Air — wrapping up the Sydney event, the 2015 season and the momentous Extreme 40 catamaran era — starts at 1400 local time (GMT+11) with a final double points race as a climax.

FOOTBALL

Napout resigns as South America’s football federation boss after arrest

MDC ENHANCE EAGLES STARS: Khalid Lathif, Ivan Manjila and Parameshwaran. – Supplied photo

MDC Enhance Eagles register six-wicket win over Ooredoo A MUSCAT: MDC Enhance Eagles defeated Ooredoo A by six wickets in a Khimji Ramdas-sponsored A Division cricket match played at the Municipality Ground I during the morning session on Friday. Batting ﬁrst, Ooredoo A put on 192 for nine wickets in 30 overs with Melwin Mathew top scoring with 80 runs. Parameswaran and Ikthiar Kazmi claimed three and two wickets respectively for MDC Enhance Eagles. In reply, MDC Enhance Eagles scored 193 for four in 23.1 overs with Ivan Manjila and Khalid Latif top scoring with 80 and 51 runs respectively. Sunil Baby and Nowfal claimed two scalps for Ooredoo A. Brief scores: Ooredoo A 192 for 9 in 30 overs (Melwin Mathew 80; Parameswaran 3/30) lost to MDC Enhance Eagles 193 for 4 in 23.1 overs (Ivan Manjila 80, Khalid Latif 51; Nowfal 2/29). Points: MDC Enhance Eagles– 3, Ooredoo A – 0.

Renaissance win In another A Division match, Renaissance edged HJB for a twowicket victory at the Municipality Ground II during the morning session on Friday.

Batting ﬁrst, HJB were 206 all out in 28.5 overs with Umair Naieem top scoring with 81. Ibn Eameen and Waruna Sajith claimed three wickets each for Renaissance. In reply, Renaissance scored 207 for eight in 29.1 overs with Asmeer and Ibn Eameen seeing it home with a lower order partnership, scoring 40 and 46 not out respectively. Irfan and Ahmed claimed two wickets each for HJB.

for nine in 20 overs, enabling Powertech to complete the bonus point win. Yousuf Abdul top scored with 38. Prabhakaran, Nishad and Raghu claimed two wickets apiece for Powertech.

Brief scores: HJB 206 in 28.5 overs (Umair Naieem 81; Ibn Eameen 3/37, Waruna Sajith 3/39) lost to Renaissance 207 for 8 in 29.1 overs (Asmeer 40, Ibn Eameen 46 n.o.; Ahmed Khan 2/37). Points: Renaissance - 2, HJB - 0.

FAP UTSC breeze past E&Y In a Raha Poly Products-sponsored C Division match, FAP UTSC defeated E&Y by six wickets at the Municipality Ground IV during the morning session on Fiday. Batting ﬁrst, E&Y were bowled out for 112 in 19.2 overs. Rashmal claimed four wickets while Jaleel and Shameer claimed two each for FAP UTSC. FAP UTSC completed their bonus point victory by scoring 113 for four in 14.2 overs. Rasik Muhammed and Mohammed Ali scored with 28 and 29 not out respectively.

Powertech beat OCT Seeb In an Al Ansari Group of Companies-sponsored B Division match, Powertech recorded a 35-run win over OCT Seeb at the Municipality Ground III during the morning session on Friday. Batting ﬁrst, Powertech put on 172 for nine in 20 overs. Aroan top scored with 69. Yousuf, Sufyan and Mohammed Siddiq claimed two wickets apiece for OCT Seeb. In reply, OCT Seeb scored 137

Brief scores: Powertech 172 for 9 in 20 overs (Aroan 69; Sufyan 2/18) bt OCT Seeb 137 for 9 in 20 overs. (Prabhakaran 2/17). Points: Powertech – 3, OCT Seeb - 0.

Brief scores: E&Y 112 in 19.2 overs (Rashmal V.K. 4/18) lost to FAP UTSC 113 for 4 in 14.2 overs (Muhammed Ali 29 n.o). Points: FAP UTSC – 3, E&Y – 0.

ASUNCION: FIFA vice-president Juan Angel Napout has resigned as president of the South American football confederation (CONMEBOL), CONMEBOL said in a statement following his arrest in connection with the corruption investigations engulﬁng world soccer. The 57-year-old Paraguayan

was arrested in Zurich last week on a U.S. warrant accusing him of accepting bribes worth millions of dollars in connection with the sale of marketing rights to soccer tournaments in Latin America. He is banned from all football activities. “With the resignation of Mr Juan Angel Napout as president,

the congress was convened for the election of officers (president and vice-presidents) for 26 January 2016,” CONMEBOL said in the statement cited by media. Uruguayan FA chief Wilmar Valdez will take over as CONMEBOL president on an interim basis until January. - Reuters

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

SPORTS

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KARTING

Al Habsi and Sanad star at UAE Rotax Max Challenge

MUSCAT: Mohammed Al Habsi of Al Wahaibi Motorsports team won the top honours in the Micro Max categoy of the ﬁfth round of UAE Rotax Max Challenge series while Sanad Al Rawahi won the

ﬁrst place in the DD2 category at Al Ain Raceway in Al Ain recently. Meanwhile, Khalid Al Wahaibi of Al Wahaibi Motorsports team won the second place in the Juniors Max category and his team-

mate Abdulwahab Al Habsi won the second place in the “Bambino” category. And their teammate Shihab Al Habsi ﬁnished seventh in the Mini Max category as a result of an accident he had in the ﬁnal lap.

In the sixth round of the championship, Mohammed Al Habsi ﬁnished third in his category while Shihab Al Habsi could not continue due to an accident he had in the ﬁfth round. Khalid Al Wahaibi won

Man City back on top after a frantic finish

the title in the juniors category. In the DD 2, Sanad Al Rawahi won the first place in the first race, second and third race of round five. In the sixth, Sanad went on to maintain his grip to win the DD2

category. In the “Bambino” category, Abduwahab Al Habsi won the second place in the first race of round five, the third place in the second race and the first place in the third race of the same round.

LA LIGA

FIGHT BACK: Deportivo de la Coruna’s players celebrate a goal

during their La Liga match against Barcelona at the Camp Nou in Barcelona on Saturday. – AFP

Barca let two-goal lead slip in Deportivo draw

LAST GASP WINNER: Swansea City’s goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, second right, dives in vain as he fails to stop a deﬂected shot from

Manchester City’s Yaya Toure, right, during their English Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Saturday. – AFP

When it seemed City had blown the chance to overhaul Leicester City on goal difference at the top of the table, a 92nd minute left-footed strike from Toure took a cruel deﬂection off the back of his team mate Kelechi Iheanacho to give them victory

LONDON: Manchester City clambered back to the top of the Premier League on Saturday after late drama at the Etihad Stadium and a deﬂected Yaya Toure shot earned

them a stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Swansea City. Managerless Swansea, playing above themselves, had equalised deservedly in the last minute

through Bafetimbi Gomis after Wilfried Bony’s ﬁrst half headed goal against his old side had put City ahead. Yet just when it seemed City had blown the chance to overhaul Leicester City on goal difference at the top of the table, a 92nd minute left-footed strike from Toure took a cruel deﬂection off the back of his team mate Kelechi Iheanacho to give them victory. City, protecting the best home record in the league, joined Leicester on 32 points, although Claudio Ranieri’s men have the chance to regain the lead in Monday’s game with Chelsea. Crystal Palace continued their best start to a Premier League season with Yohan Cabaye’s goal earning them a 1-0 win over

Southampton and elevating them to sixth in the table, just six points off the lead. Odion Ighalo’s 10th goal of the campaign for Watford consigned Sunderland to yet another defeat, a 1-0 home loss leaving the northeast club still languishing in penultimate place on 12 points. Romelu Lukaku is another marksman in rampant form, Everton’s Belgian striker scoring for a sixth successive league game to give the Merseysiders an early lead in a 1-1 draw at Norwich City. Wes Hoolahan equalised for the struggling Canaries. West Ham United, eighth, and Stoke City, 11th, missed the chance to close in on the leaders as they fought out a dull goalless draw at Upton Park. - Reuters

BARCELONA: Barcelona let a two-goal lead slip with late strikes from Lucas Perez and Alex Bergantinos giving Deportivo La Coruna a 2-2 draw in La Liga on Saturday. A Lionel Messi free-kick and a bullet strike from Ivan Rakitic put Barca comfortably in control but they eased up in the closing stages and Deportivo took advantage. The Argentine curled the ball into the top corner of the goal from 25 metres to break the resistance of a well organised Deportivo after 38 minutes. Rakitic ﬁred home from similar distance in the 62nd before in-form Lucas pulled a goal back for the visitors after 77 and Bergantinos equalised four minutes from the end. It is the second successive draw in the league for Barca who lead the table with 35 points from 15 games while Deportivo, who have been a surprise this season, are in sixth on 23. Second-place Atletico Madrid, on 32 points, face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday when Real Madrid, in third with 30, have a tough match away to Villarreal. “It is difficult to explain it,” midﬁelder Andres Iniesta told reporters. “We lost control when

we needed to keep it and made it easy for the opposition at 2-0. “These things happen and we will analyse it and try and make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Injured Neymar was missing from Barca’s ruthless attacking trident and so the door was opened for youngster Sandro Ramirez. Barca were up against a tactically strong Deportivo, who have one defeat in 12 matches, and their game plan was not to sit too deep but have players forward to take advantage of counterattacks. Luis Suarez missed a golden chance early on, ﬁring just wide after being set up by a Sandro header and generally Barca had plenty of the ball but found little space. Lucas had a shot blocked from close range at the other end before a piece of Messi brilliance gave Barca the lead. Barca continued to probe but it took another special effort from Rakitic to breach the Depor defence again. The Catalan side appeared on course for victory but they lost composure at the back allowing in Lucas for his 11th league goal, and then Bergantinos was given space to strike the ball home past keeper Claudio Bravo. - Reuters

ISL

Chennaiyin crush ATK 3-0 in first leg semifinal PUNE: A clinical performance from Chennaiyin FC saw them thrash defending champions Atletico de Kolkata 3-0 in the first leg semifinal of the Indian Super League (ISL), here on Saturday.

For the winners, Bruno Pelissari (39th minute), India international player Jeje Lalpeklhua (57th minute) and goal-machine Stiven Mendoza (68th minute) were on target as Atletico de Kolkata

(ATK) defenders had a forgettable day in office. Special win Chennaiyin are also the ﬁrst team in the two editions of ISL, who

have won ﬁve straight matches. This one was even more special as their talismanic Brazilian Elano Blummer was not playing the game. The comprehensive victory by Chennaiyin means that Saurav

Ganguly co-owned outﬁt will have win by a clear four goal margin to enter the title round. Least they could do is to at least win by three clear goals to take the match into the tie-breaker.

In fact, Chennaiyin FC almost did the improbable last season, when they came back after a 0-3 ﬁrst leg defeat to take a 3-0 lead against Kerala Blasters only to concede a last-minute goal. - PTI

SECTION

Health LIFESTYLE

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

U O Y D E AR LINEDS C N I WARCAL TO RVI SIS? CE YLO D N O P S

Z VA T ER UB H e to n Y o r p OR be der ST r d o l is , cou dd u e ver t o e a y l , w s re r . Ho ear gek y a c rs o e e 0 n t n 4 a . e pu s, the life om osi n bov l i c n a i y s n r are ond l joint go rlie u p n a i s o e k r r ra al If y wo teb rde vic r r e o l e e s i c v h di the ing ew he r t p s u t o e t t c el pos n invi affe dev d h a a ic nt b ices c wh e t s si ev gd con n i us

S U N DAY, D EC EMB ER 1 3, 2 0 1 5

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

LIFESTYLE

f you are one of those who spends long hours staring at a computer every day, or tilting your head at odd angles while handling mobile devices all day, you sure are an ideal subject for developing cervical spondylosis, an affliction of the neck, which can pose painful symptoms in your youth. Cervical spondylosis, also known as cervical osteoarthritis or neck arthritis, is a common, age-related condition that affects the joints and discs in one’s neck. This condition usually develops due to wear and tear of the cartilage and bones in the cervical spine in the neck after the age of 40. However, many younger people have begun getting afflicted with this disorder due to faulty habits which lay unwanted strain on their necks. This condition is present in more than 85 per cent of people above the age of 60 years though some may not experience any symptoms. However, those who do experience symptoms, suffer from a range of conditions ranging from simple stiffness of the neck to chronic pain, often interfering with their normal routines. This incidence of this disorder has been increasing among people who work on computers since it compels them to hold their neck in an uncomfortable position for long hours, causing immense strain on the spinal vertebrae in the neck. According to Dr Hazeem Hamza, Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, Al Hayat International Hospital, cervical spondylosis has now become a

common, modern lifestylee disease which usually presents itself as pain in the neck or shoulder er region. It is more common thesee days, especially in Oman, where people are working on computers alll day or using a variety of differentt electronic devices which make them their m hold thei neck in an odd position. “Anyone who works on a computcomp er all day long, unless the computer compu is positioned at the right height h at the desk, so as nott to cause caus any strain on the neck, will be prone to pr develop cervical spondylosis. ndylosi Most do not realise that working on computers can cause strain rain on the neck unless they start experiencing pain,” perien Dr Hamza said adding dding that “one must suitably adjust ust the th height of the computer or add book or a box dd a b under it to get thee cor correct position, before it is too late.” e.” He further explained that what xpla begins as strain n or o discomfort in the neck can move mov to stage two of spondylosis, which hic is disc disorder. Disc disorders oc occur due to inﬂammation of the cu cushions between the vertebrae and ccan appear and disappear frequently over the years. Dehydrated Discs The spinal vertebrae have pad-like discs between them that absorb shocks of lifting and other strenuous activity. Over time, the gel-like material inside these discs can dry out causing the spinal vertebrae to rub against each other, causing pain. This usually happens after the age of 40.

Common Risk Factors Ċ Ageing (most people experience

this after 40 years) ĊŗŗNeck-related strain due to trauma

or strenuous activity ĊŗŗBad posture while working on

computers everyday ĊŗŗBeing overweight, causing

additional strain on neck ĊŗŗHolding the neck in an

uncomfortable position for long periods ĊŗSmoking Symptoms: Most people with cervical spondylosis don’t have signiﬁcant symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they can range from mild to severe, as follows: ĊŗŗOne common symptom is pain around the shoulder blade. ĊŗŗSome patients complain of pain along the arm and in the ﬁngers. ĊŗŗThe pain might increase when standing, sitting, sneezing, coughing, or tilting the neck. ĊŗŗSome experience muscle weakness, which makes it hard to lift the arms or grasp objects. ĊŗŗSome experience stiff necks that become worse or headaches in the back of the head. ĊŗŗThere can be tingling or numbness in the arms or sometimes in the legs.

Herniated Discs There are other conditions of the spinal discs, like cracks, which cause the internal cushioning material to protrude, thereby coming in contact with adjacent nerves and causing numbness in the arms or sciatica. The best treatment for cervical spondylosis is correcting posture, Dr Hamza said explaining that most people experience relief and disappearance of symptoms when they correct their posture. The symptoms can reappear if one adopts a faulty posture again or sleeps in the wrong position. Also, symptoms of disc problems can disappear if one corrects one’s posture and allows the inﬂammation to subside, he added. Surgery is recommended for those patients who have a severe bulge between vertebrae, causing immense pain or numbness in the arms, which interferes with their normal functioning, Dr Hamza said, however, indicating that physiotherapy sessions does help in reducing inﬂammation and relaxing the muscles in the neck and shoulder. He also cautioned, that parents need to take strict precautions to guard their children against this disorder by not allowing them to use computers and other devices for long. Many children in many countries, including Oman, are seen using mobile phones and other devices all day long, which can cause harm to their cervical vertebrae. Cervical spondylosis is merely the outcome of such harmful activity, he asserted. hubert@timesofoman.com

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LIFESTYLE

Try W hy

Here are a few simple, time-tested foods, techniques,

and remedies to try, and a bit about why. Have you tried any of these tricks? How did you like them? Do you have a favourite remedy of

BRIEFS

Sperms tell tales of your diet

Have Mint Leaves to Promote Digestion Mint is considered a great appetiser as well as palate cleanser which promotes digestion. It also soothes the stomach in cases of indigestion. Drinking a cup of mint tea or chewing mint leaves can ease discomfort in your stomach within minutes. It also relieves feelings of nausea and motion sickness.

your own? Tell us about it at lifestyle@timesofoman.com

If you are planning a baby, do not just sermon your wife to eat well but control your own diet ﬁrst. According to a fascinating study, sperms carry key information about what new dads gulped down before the conception. It turned out that dads are also eating for two, say researchers, revealing that a man’s weight affects the heritable information contained in sperm. “It is common knowledge that when a woman is pregnant she should take care of herself — not drink alcohol, and stay away from pollutants. But if the implication of our study holds true, then recommendations should be directed towards men too,” explained senior study author RomainBarres, associate professor at University of Copenhagen. The initial study, which included 13 lean men and 10 obese men offered one biological explanation for why children of obese fathers are themselves more predisposed to obesity.

A high sense of purpose in life lowers death risk

Eat Strawberries to Ease Arthritis Strawberries have a rare quality of mobilising joints, thereby easing arthritis-related symptoms. The primary cause of arthritis and gout are the drying up of the ﬂuid which increases mobility of the joints and the accumulation of toxic substances and acids. Strawberries, which are loaded with antioxidants and detoxiﬁers, help eliminate such health hazards forever.

DECODING DOCTOR

Brush Right, Preserve Teeth Enamel To keep your teeth healthy, one needs to brush at least twice a day. Ideally, one must wait for 30 minutes after eating, to allow any enamel that softened from acid during eating to re-harden and not get brushed away. Brush, holding the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle to teeth, and use a slow, circular motion to remove plaque and food particles stuck between teeth.

Laparoscopic Surgery

People who have a higher sense of purpose in life are at lower risk of death and cardiovascular disease, says a study. “Possessing a high sense of purpose in life is associated with a reduced risk for mortality and cardiovascular events,” said one of the researchers, Randy Cohen from Mt. Sinai St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, New York. The ﬁndings suggest that approaches to strengthening a sense of purpose might lead to improved health outcomes. The researchers pooled data from previous studies evaluating the relationship between purpose in life and the risk of death or cardiovascular disease. The analysis included data on more than 136,000 participants from ten studies — mainly from the US or Japan. During this time, more than 14,500 participants died from various causes. The analysis showed a lower risk of death among participants who had a high sense of purpose in life. - IANS

Easy on the patient, difficult for the surgeon, laparoscopy is the latest minimal invasive surgical procedure employed for many disorders which earlier needed regular surgery. Dr Mohammad Kheer Al Khateeb, Laparoscopic and General Surgeon, Al Hayat International Hospital, provides some key insights

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure done with the assistance of a video camera and several thin instruments. The surgeon makes several small incisions about half inch in size, instead of a single large incision. Usually, 3-5 incisions are needed for most colon and rectal operations. Small tubes, called trocars, are placed through the incisions into the abdomen. It is,therefore, also called key-hole surgery. ADVANTAGES

Laparoscopy is highly beneﬁcial for the patient due to the use of smaller incisions which means faster re-

covery and early discharge from hospital. However, it is a complex procedure for the surgeon who has to use instruments to operate on internal tissue and organs rather than his own hands. It helps in accurate diagnosis as well as treatment and is also cost-effective because the post-operative recovery time is less, thereby eliminating longer stay in hospitals as well as allowing a patient to get back to his normal routine faster. Another advantage of laparoscopy is the reduced infection rate because delicate tissues do not get exposed to air during the surgery. Also, video magniﬁcation allows

the surgeon a better view of the diseased organ and its surrounding vessels and nerves, enabling delicate manoeuvres to protect them during the surgery. COMMON PROCEDURES

The most common laparoscopic procedures are laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removal of gall bladder), laparoscopic hysterectomy (removal of uterus), laparoscopic appendectomy (removal of appendix), laparoscopic bariatric surgery and many procedures for minimally invasive knee surgeries (diagnosis and treatment). – Hubert Vaz

C10

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

FIND-IT-ALL CINEMA SCHEDULE

PRAYER TIMINGS

@AZAIBA

@SHATTI

Screen 3 Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (Family) – PG 3.45, 9.45 PM Salt Mango Tree (Drama) – Malyalam – PG Cast : Biju Menon, Lakshmi Priya 6.45 PM

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI In the Heart of the Sea (3D) (Action) (PG12) Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy 2:30, 9:15 PM Bridge of Spies (Biography | Drama) (PG) Cast: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda 4:45 PM Bus 657 (Action | Crime | Thriller) (12+) Cast: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Dave Bautista 2:45 PM The Good Dinosaur (3D) (Animation | ) (U) 2:30, 4:30, 7:00 PM Hyena Road (Drama | War) (15+) Cast: Rossif Sutherland, Paul Gross 4:45, 9:00, 11:30 PM Howl (Horror) (18+) Cast: Mark Huckerby, Nick Ostler 10:15, 11:45 PM Close Range (Action | Crime) (12+) Cast: Scott Adkins, Nick Chinlund, Caitlin 8:30, 11:30 PM Victor Frankenstein (Horror | Drama) (12+) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy 6:30 PM Zinzana (Arabic) (Crime | Drama) (PG12) Cast: Ali Suliman, Ahd, Saleh Bakri 7:30 PM MUSCAT GRAND MALL The Good Dinosaur-3D (Animation) U 11:00AM, 1:00, 2:30, 4:30 & 7:15PM Gold Class: 7:00PM Macbeth (Drama | War) 12+ Cast : Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard 9:15 & 11:30PM Gold Class :2:30 & 9:00PM Close Range (Action | Crime) 12+ Cast: Scott Adkins, Nick Chinlund 3:00 & 11:30PM Gold Class : 2:30 & 9:00PM In the Heart of the Sea (Action) PG12

Macbeth (Drama | War) 12+ Cast : Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard 9:15 & 11:30PM Gold Class : 2:30 & 9:00PM

Salt Mango Tree – 2D (PG) (Comedy, Drama) Cast: Biju Menon, Lakshmi Priya 7:10, 9:30 PM

Cast : Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy Timing : 12:15 & 9:00PM Gold Class: 4:45 & 11:15PM The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-2 : 3D Cast : Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson 4:45PM; (Sci-Fi) PG12 A Second Chance (Romance / Drama) PG12 Cast : Bea Alonzo, John Lloyd Cruz

6:30PM PANORAMA MALL In The Heart of The Sea (Action)(3D (PG12) 7:00, 9:15 pm In The Heart of The Sea (Action, Adventure) (MX4D)(PG12) 2:45, 5:45, 8:30, 11.30 PM In The Heart of The Sea (Action, Adventure) (3D)(PG12)- VIP LOUNGE Cast : Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy Timings : 8:45 PM Creed (Drama, Sport)(2D)(15+) 4:30 pm Bridge of Spies (Biography, Drama)(2D)(PG) 9:00 pm Hyena Road (2D)(15+) Cast: Rossif Sutherland, Paul Gross 3:15, 9:15, 11:30 pm

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

Dept time

Destination

Arrival Operating time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

TEMPERATURE

15:00 15:00 15:00

05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

16:30 18:00 19:30

Daily Daily Daily

Sur Quriyat Ruwi

06:45 08:30 10:00

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

06:30 06:30 08:00 13:00 13:00 16.00 16.00

07:00 07:00 13:30 13:00 13:00 13:00 17:00

Sohar Buraimi Buraimi Sohar Buraimi Sohar Buraimi

08:50 Daily 11:00 Daily 14:30 Daily via Ibri 15:45 Daily 17:40 Daily 18.35 Daily 20:20 Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 17:30

Sinaw

Nizwa Yanqul

20:50

Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Sur Sur

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

Fahud Yibal

Daily Daily

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

Daily Daily

Marmul

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

Daily Daily Daily Daily

Dubai

16:50

Daily

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

Nizwa Ruwi

08:40 11:00

07:00

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

06:00 14:30

Ruwi Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

19:50 13:15 22:30 07:30

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

15:00

Salalah

07:00

Daily

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

07:30 07:30 13:00 13:00 15:30 15:30

Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

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

Close Range (Action / Crime) Cast: Scott Adkins, Nick Chinlund, Caitlin Keats 4.00, 8.15, 10.00 & 11.55 pm CP No : 3041 (12+) Howl (Horror) Cast: Ed Speleers, Holly Weston, Shauna Macdonald 2.00, 6.00 & 10.00 pm CP No : 3042 (18+) Hyena Road (Drama / War) Cast: Rossif Sutherland, Paul Gross, Clark Johnson 1.30, 3.45, 7.45 & 11.55 pm CP No : 3043 (15+) In the Heart of the Sea (Action / Adventure / Biography) Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson 6.00 pm CP No : 3031 (PG12)

SALALAH In the Heart of the Sea (3D) (PG12) (Action) 12:00, 6:45, 11:15PM Hyena Road (2D) (15+) (Drama | War) 10:00AM, 2:00, 9:00, 11:35PM Close Range (2D) (12+) (Action | Crime) 12:15, 8:15, 9:55, 11:55PM Howl (2D) (18+) (Horror) Cast: Mark Huckerby, Nick Ostler 4:30, 10:05PM Creed (2D) (15+) (Drama | Sport) Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone 2:05PM The Good Dinosaur (3D) (U) (Animation) Voice Overs: Jeffrey Wright, Frances 10:05AM, 12:10, 2:15, 6:15PM Tamasha (2D) (PG12) (Romance| Drama) 4:10PM Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attandant (2D) (18+) (Comedy) Cast: Rebecca Romijn, Jessica Lowndes, Stanley Tucci 10:30AM, 4:15PM Zinzana (2D) (PG12) (Arabic) (Crime/Drama) Cast: Ali Suliman, Ahd, Saleh Bakri 6:05PM Salt Mango Tree (2D) (PG) (Malayalam) Cast: Biju Menon, Lakshmi Priya 7:45PM

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

Pathemari (Mal) (Rom/Drama) Cast: Mammootty, Jewel Mary & Srinivasn 6-30 pm at Cinema Main; 9-45 pm at Cinema -3 Anarkali (Mal) (Rom/Drama) Cast: Prithviraj, Biju Menon & Priya Glor 3-30 pm Cinema -2; 6-45 pm Cinema-3 Amar Akbar Anthony (Mal) (Act/Drama) Cast : Prithviraj & Jaya Surya 3-45 Cinema -3; 10 pm at Cinema Main Salt Mango Tree (Mal) (Com) Cast Biju Menon, Sohasani & Mani Ratnam 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm at Cinema -4 Bengal Tiger (Telugu) (Act) Cast : Ravi Teja, & Tamannaah 6-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema-2 3-00 pm at Cinema Main Next change: Dilwale (Hindi); Tanga Magan (Tamil); Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) Programmes are subject to change

HAMID HUSSAIN December 13, 2013

Minimum

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

30-70%

S. RAGHUL December 13

R. CHARAN December 13, 2002

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

Daily Daily Daily

Sharjah Fujairah Ruwi

16:30 18.15 23.00

LISTINGS

ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence 24569603 Directorate General of Customs 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries 24510228 Public Relations Admin 24560099 EMBASSIES IN OMAN

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

BURAIMI In the Heart of the Sea– 3D (Action) (PG12) Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy 5:15, 9:15PM Close Range– 2D (Action, Crime) (12+) Cast: Scott Adkins, Nick Chinlund 3:30, 9:45, 11:30PM The Good Dinosaur – 3D (Animation) (U) Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand 3:00, 5:00, 7:30PM Harbinger Down – 2D (Horror, Sci-Fi) (15+) Cast: Lance Henriksen, Matt Winston 5:15, 11:45PM Macbeth– 2D (Drama, War) (12+) Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard 3:15, 7:30, 9:30, 11:30PM Salt Mango Tree – 2D (Comedy, Drama) (PG) Cast: Biju Menon, Lakshmi Priya 7:00PM

WITH LOVE

Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

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

06:00 06:00

Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

Daily

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

10:25

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100)

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

Ruwi

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

10:30 11:15

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

07:00

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 12:00 18:45

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

24 17

BAHJA CINEMA

Salt Mango Tree - 2D (PG) Comedy | Drama Cast : Biju Menon, Lakshmi Priya 12:00, 9:00 PM

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 07:30 14:30

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

SOHAR In the Heart of the Sea - 3D (PG12) Action 6:25, 11:45 PM In the Heart of the Sea - 2D (PG12) Action 3:00 PM Victor Frankenstein - 2D (12+) Drama Cast : Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy 11:30 PM Pathemari - 2D (M) (PG12) Drama Cast : Mammoty, Joy Methew, Srinivasan 12:45, 7:00 PM Hate Story 3 - 2D (PG12) Thriller Cast : Zarine Khan, Sharman Joshi 6:15 PM Macbeth - 2D (12+)Drama | War Cast : Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard 12:30, 5:30, 7:30 PM The Good Dinosaur - 2D (U) Animation 4:15 PM Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attandant - 2D (18+) Comedy Cast : Rebecca Romijn, Jessica Lowndes 4:30 PM Bengal Tiger - 2D (Telgu) (TBC) Action 12:00, 8:45PM Harbinger Down- 2D (15+) Horror | Sci-Fi Cast : Lance Henriksen, Matt Winston 5:15, 11:30 PM Zinzana - 2D (PG12) Crime | Drama | Thriller Cast : Ali Suliman, Ahd, Saleh Bakri 2:30, 9:30 PM

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

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

Daily Daily Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

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

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

RUWI Screen 1 Hate Story 3 (Thriller) – PG12 Cast : Zarine Khan, Daisy Shah, Karan Singh 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PM Screen 2 Tamasha (Romance/Drama) – PG12 Cast : Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor 3.45, 9.45 PM Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (Drama) – PG Cast : Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Neil NitinMukesh 6.45 PM

SUR Close Range (Action | Crime ) (12+) Cast: Scott Adkins, Nick Chinlund, 3:15, 8:30, 11:45 PM Howl (Horror ) (18+) Cast: Mark Huckerby, Nick Ostler 4:45, 10:00, 11:30 PM The Good Dinosaur 3D ( Animation ( U ) 3:00, 5:00, 6:30 PM Salt Mango Tree ( Malayalam) ( PG) Cast : Biju Menon, Lakshmi Priya 6:45 PM In the Heart of the Sea 3D (Action) (PG12) 9:15 PM

WEATHER

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

Hate Story – 2D (PG12)Thriller Cast – Zarine Khan, Sharman Joshi, Daisy 2:00, 4:20, 6:40, 9:05, 11:30 PM Pathemari – 2D (PG12) Drama 6:45 PM Tamasha – 2D (PG12) Romance, Drama 2:30, 4:35, 9:00, 11:00 PM Prem Ratan Dhan Payo – 2D (PG) Family 3:00 PM Bengal Tiger – 2D (TBC) Action Cast – Ravi Teja, Tamannaah, Rashi Khanna, Boman Irani 6:15 PM

AZAIBA Close Range – 2D (12+) Action, Crime Cast – Scott Adkins, Nick Chinlund 5:15, 9:15, 11:45 PM In the Heart of the Sea – 2D (PG12) Action 2:15, 11:55 PM Salt Mango Tree – 2D (PG) Comedy, Drama Cast – Biju Menon, Lakshmi Priya 7:10, 9:30 PM

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

Close Range (Action | Crime) (12+) Cast: Scott Adkins, Nick Chinlund, Caitlin Keats 8:30, 11:30 PM

Lary Gaye (Comedy)(2D)(15+) Cast: Rebecca Romijn, Jessica Lowndes 5:30 pm Harbinger Down (Horror, Sci-Fi)(2D)(15+) Cast: Lance Henriksen, Matt Winston 7:30, 11:45 pm Macbeth (Drama, War)(2D)(12+) Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard 2:45, 11:30 pm The Godd Dinasaur (Animation)(3D)(U) 2:30, 5:00, 7:00 pm Hyena Road (2D)(15+)-VIP LOUNGE Cast: Rossif Sutherland, Paul Gross 3:45, 11:00 pm Macbeth (Drama, War)(2D)(12+)-VIP LOUNGE Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard 6:30 pm

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

Destination

12.06pm 3.07pm 5.27pm 6.42pm 5.19am

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

@MGM

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 Polyclinc LLC 22004000 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

Air New Zealand 24700732 Biman Bangladesh Airlines 24701128 British Airways 24568777 Cathay Pacific 24789818 Egypt Air 24794113 Emirates Air 24404400 Ethiopian Airlines 24660313 Gulf Air 80072424 Indian 24791914 Iran Air 24787423 Japan Airlines 24704455 Jazeera Airways 23294848 Jet Airways 24787248 Kenya Airways 24660300 KML Royal Dutch Airlines 24566737 Kuwait Airways 24701262 LOT Polish Airlines 24796387 Lufthansa 24796692 Malaysian Airlines 24560796 Middle East Airlines 24796680 Oman Air 24531111 Pakistan International Airlines 24792471 Qatar Airways 24771900 Qantas 24559941 Royal Jordanian 24796693 Saudi Arabian Airlines 24789485 Singapore Airlines 24791233 Shaheen Air 24816565 SriLankan Airlines 24784545 Swiss International Airlines 24796692 Thai Airways 24705934

S U N DAY, D E C E MB E R 1 3, 2 0 1 5

C11

LIFESTYLE Homoeopathy and Respiratory Disorders

FA M I LY A D V I C E

Dr Shamila T.V., Homoeopathic Consultant, Lama Polyclinic, provides some key insights on the efficacy of homoeopathy in curing respiratory disorders

ASK DR. GERRY

UNDER EXAM STRESS

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE By Hubert Vaz

How effective is homoeopathy for respiratory disorders? Does it offer a permanent solution? It is very common for a homoeopath to see a lot of anxious parents seeking treatment for their kids who suffer from recurrent upper respiratory tract disorders. Children who have recurrent upper respiratory problems usually develop symptoms, which start with sneezing, running nose, nose block, and can very fast progress into fever and chest congestion. I have personally seen kids developing infections every 15 days. This affects their quality of life and education in many ways. Now, the big question is whether a homoeopath has an effective remedy for prevention of recurrence, the answer is a big ‘yes’. Which are the respiratory disorders that can be treated by homoeopathy? Homoeopathy is best placed to treat all sorts of allergic disorders. Patients with allergic complaints usually suffer from running nose,

sneezing, dry cough, and difficulty in breathing. Homoeopathic medicines help to remove allergic tendencies of the patient.Allergic rhinitis or hay fever is an allergic disorder causing inﬂammation of mucous membrane lining the nasal cavity. This inﬂammation occurs when one comes in contact with pollens, moulds, dust, smoke, or strong odour. The common symptoms of allergic rhinitis are sneezing, running nose and watery discharge from eyes. In chronic cases, the nose gets blocked. Patient with allergic complaints usually gets infections easily. So treating this tendency is very important. Why are most homoeopathic medicines given in the form of tiny sugar coated pills? What are the different forms of homoeopathic medicines? Patient can consume medicated sugar pills easily as it is sweet to taste. They are smaller than a dried pea and their base is normally made from sucrose or lactose.

The big question is whether a homoeopath has an effective remedy for prevention of recurrence, the answer is a big yes Homoeopathic medicines come in different forms, shapes and sizes. They are available either as medicated sugar pills or liquids, besides tablets,powders,lotions and mother tinctures. Is homoeopathic treatment effective for chronic tonsillitis? Chronic tonsillitis leads to recurrent throat pain, cough, and fever. The homoeopathic treat-

ment of chronic tonsillitis has two stages. Acute inﬂammation needs to be treated with different sets of medicines and its recurrence has to be treated once the acute stage is over. Homoeopathic treatment is very effective for chronic tonsillitis. Does one have to take up longterm medications for chronic respiratory disorders? Patient with chronic disorderslike allergy needs to take long term medication. Homoeopathic treatment is an effective method of healingboth acute and chronic conditions. Homoeopathic medicines are safe and do not have any adverse side effects. They can be given safely to pregnant women, infants and children. Under proper homoeopathic treatment, a patient’s condition gets better while his susceptibility to diseases also improves. For more information +968 9509 5890; drshamila@ gmail.com

Dear Dr. Gerry, I am a 10-year-old boy studying in 5th grade. I feel stressed at exam time. How can I reduce my stress level? When I see the question paper I become totally blank and feel nervous. What is the remedy for it? I am also scared of darkness and can’t sleep when the lights are turned off. How can I get rid of this? — Abhishek Dear Abhishek, The problem here seems to be excessive anxiety. Too little anxiety leads to poor performance, but unfortunately too much anxiety has the same effect. The mind seems to go blank on seeing the question paper. So what do we do? First, you need to prepare as early as you can, study well with time for revision. Secondly, try to write some practice exam papers before the exam day. The more you practice and simulate an exam situation, the more you give your mind a chance to get adjusted with the anxiety. On the day of the exam leave the books and try to relax as you go for the exams. Try to enjoy the exam and do your best. Fear of darkness is very common in children. It’s usually not a fear of darkness itself but the fear of the imagined dangers concealed by the darkness. A simple night light helps most children to relax and time generally heals the fear. Don’t worry. All the best, Dr G

Dr Gerry D’Costa has an MD in psychiatry and a special interest in the areas of anxiety, depression, addiction, and children’s psychiatry. He has practiced as a specialised psychiatrist at Badr Al Samaa hospital in Ruwi for the last 9 years. Every week, Dr D’Costa offers his advice and professional insights to the readers of Times of Oman. Send your questions to lifestyle@timesofoman.com

MOVE OF THE WEEK

AEROBIC DANCING

Winter’s a good time to take up aerobic dancing for ﬁtness. It warms up your body and keeps you in good shape as well as in a good mood. Aerobics refers to a set of sustained exercises (including walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing) designed to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood and strengthen the heart and lungs. If you are a beginner, put on your favourite music with rhythmic beats and do a set of repetitive movements with your arms and legs, keeping time with the music, and enjoying every movement as you sway your body.

AEROBICS WORLD RECORD The longest aerobics marathon was

39 HOURS 20 MINUTES performed by Esther Featherstone (UK) at Clair Hall in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, between 15 to 17 September, 2012

With

60 MINUTES of aerobics, you can burn up to 400 calories a day

In 10 days, you can lose up to

4,000 CALORIES = 500g OF FAT

C12

SU N DAY, DECEMB ER 13, 2015

LIFESTYLE Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia

Thirty-ﬁve million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s disease.

Nearly twice as many women have AD as men do.

Heart disease can raise the risk of getting AD.

Facts About

Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, such that it progresses to a stage when the individual does not have the ability to carry out even simple routine tasks. Abnormal plaques (comprised of a brain protein called beta amyloid) develop in the spaces between nerve cells and limit the communication between cells, leading to a decrease in cognitive functioning. The disorder was named after a German doctor, Alois Alzheimer, who observed this condition in a patient with memory loss in 1906. After the patient’s death, Dr Alzheimer noted that parts of the patient’s brain were shrunken. In most cases of Alzheimer’s, symptoms appear in the mid-60s and get worse over a period of 8-10 years. But scientists say, the actual damage begins at least a decade before memory and other cognitive problems appear. The damage begins in the hippocampus, the part of the brain essential in forming memories. As more neurons die, other parts of the brain get affected and they begin to shrink. By the ﬁnal stage, the widespread damage causes brain tissue to shrink signiﬁcantly. Here are ten key facts about Alzheimer’s disease:

The more education you have, the lower your risk of getting AD.

Research is on but, so far, there are no ways to keep AD from developing.

A person with AD may also lose the sense of smell.

The time taken for AD to progress varies from person to person.

Negative thinking can increase the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

High-fat diets increase the risk of AD while diets high in antioxidants decrease it.

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

SECTION

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

RENT

VACANCY

CARGO

*Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 3, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

*Tourist visa arranged

E t &ůĂƚƐ Θ ^ŚŽǁƌŽŽŵƐ ĨŽƌ ZĞŶƚ 1/2/3 BHK Flats & Showrooms at DƵƩ ƌĂŚ͕ ŶĞĂƌ KŵĂŶ Ň ŽƵƌ ŵŝůůƐ͕ ϭϬ ŵŝŶ͘ ĨƌŽŵ ĐŽƌŶŝĐŚĞ͘ ĞƋƵŝƉƉĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƐƉůŝƚͬ ĐĂƐƐĞƩ Ğ ƵŶŝƚ Ɛ͕ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĞƚ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͕ ĨƌĞĞͲ ƚŽͲĂŝƌ ĚŝƐŚ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƟ ŽŶ͕ ds ŵŽŶŝƚŽƌĞĚ͕ ďĂƐĞŵĞŶƚ ƉĂƌŬŝŶŐ͘ ZĞŶƚ ZK͘ϮϱϬͬϯϱϬͬϰϱϬ ;EĞŐŽƟ ĂďůĞͿ ƉĞƌ ŵŽŶƚŚ͘

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϵϮϮϵϮϲϯ͖ ϵϯϮϮϭϬϱϰ͖ ϵϱϮϭϱϮϴϵ

WAREHOUSE IN MABELA

Industrial Area Brand new with raised floor, dock leveler, office space.Total covered area 1300 Sqm. With 10 meters height. Contact - 92525766 Emailproperties@alsirajholdings.com

^W &KZ Z Ed ů EĂŚĚĂ dŽǁĞƌ Ϯ͕ Į ƌƐƚ Ň ŽŽƌ͕ ϭϬϮ Ň Ăƚ ŶŽ͘ KƉƉŽƐŝƚĞ Ͳ WŝŽŶĞĞƌ ϯ ŝŐ ďĞĚƌŽŽŵƐ ĨŽƌ ĂĐĐŽŵŵŽĚĂƟ ŽŶ ďĞƐŝĚĞ 'ƵůĨ DŝŶŝŶŐ ŽŵƉĂŶǇ 'ŚĂůĂ Ͳ DƵƐĐĂƚ

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϵϱϵϭϵϭϮ ͬ ϵϮϳϭϴϳϯϯ

FOR RENT 2BHK, 3 washroom Flat with Split Air Conditioners Near Lulu Darsait CONTACT :

93202733 2 Bedrooms Flat for rent in front of Indian School Ghubra. Contact: 92197959 / 92502497 2 Bedroom Townhouse with Swimming pool, free Wi-Fi for Rent near British Council in Madinat Sultan Qaboos. Contact: 92197959 / 92502497. Showroom / Office for rent located in Prime location of Azaiba Main Highway. Contact: 92197959 / 92502497. 2 Bedrooms Flat for rent located in Prime location of Al Khuwair. Contact: 92197959 / 24527852. Profs / jack. Contact 93219378

Villa for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 95562646 Rent for ﬂat in Wadi Adai, big room big hall one toilet, one Kitchen. Contact : 99345137 Flat villa type for rent - in al khuwair 33/, 4 Bed Rooms .4 bath Rooms, 1 Family Hall, 1 Dining Room, 1 Living Room, 1 Kitchen, Store. Contact 99315515 1& 2 BHK CBD Ruwi Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99024730

V. Nice flat in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 95755953 /95555162 2 BHK flat for rent opp. Sheraton, CBD. Contact 99046569 At Al Athaiba ground floor with split AC, 2beds, 2bathrooms, kitchen & sitting room Behind AL Zubair rent 350/-PDC. Contact: 99879939 At Wadi Kabir Industrial two floor showrooms, 80 sm each, rent 450/R.O (PDC). Contact: 99879939

3 Room flat in North Ghubra, 18 November Street with three toilets. For residential or commercial use. RO. 315/- Contact 94477222. At Al Athaiba (2nd floor) 2 bed, sitting room , 1 bathroom , kitchen , split AC rent 310/- PDC. Contact: 99879939 2bed rooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality. Contact: 92584715 / 24700120 House for rent in Al Amerat . Contact: 92532371 / 92294259

Urgent apartment for rent: First Floor, Purpose built one bedroom, bath, Kitchen with balcony and a drawing & dinning. 2 Minutes walk from Indian School Muscat. Contact 99346265 1000sqmtrs industrial land for rent in Ghala suitable for warehouse workshop etc. Contact 24700120 /92584715 6 B/R villa for office use in Al Khoudh, 2 & 3 B/R ﬂat in AL Khuwair for office. Contact: 99776071 /99057348

2BHK near Oman house behind Khimji H.O R.O 200/-. Contact: 95865686

2 BHK in Al Meera MKT building in Al Khuwair available. Rent RO420. Contact 94047434

New deluxe 1BHK for rent in Darsait behind ISD School. Contact 99142314

Ghubra-Beautiful Room, attached bath, separate entrance, huge terrace, near Shell & Bank Muscat, for Male/Female - Indian/Asian/Western. OMR 180. Strictly for Vegetarian, non-drinker. Contact 99283938 (No Kitchen).

NEW 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 Shops for rent good for offices + stores behind bldg, behind whole sale center Al Amerat space 11 x4 meters R.O 250/- per month. Contact: 92877449

4 B/R, 3 ﬂats building in Azaiba behind Al Meera. Contact: 99776071 /99057348 Single ﬂat sharing for Keralite bachelor in Ruwi near Qaboos Mosque R.O 95 (W/E). Contact: 98478286

S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Business in Oman for Sale Profitable business in Oman running since 20 years having more than 3 outlets in various locations. Serious parties may send email to :

sprtnftns@gmail.com

FOR SALE Beauty Salon for urgent sale in Azaiba prime location behind Al Fardan building. With sponsor and 1 staff and 1 ready visa clearance. Call: 95318629 / 95169411

FOR RENT 2 B/R flat in Wattaya and Azaiba. Contact: 99776071 /99057348 Big room attach bath kitchen in Muscat near Palace R.O 90/-. Contact: 95094028 1& 2 BHK flats for rent at Hamriya Mabela and Al Khoud shop at Al Khoud. Contact: 24834644 / GSM : 93994401 /02/03/3lines Showroom space available at MBD area near old manpower building ground floor 220 Sq.MTR Mezzanine floor 320 SQ. mtrs, rent R.O 2650/per month. Contact: 99449885

For Rent Offices & Showrooms in Al Khoud-Contact 9405178997201688 For Rent Offices & Showrooms in Muttrah -Contact - 9405178997201688 For Rent Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35) 94051789-97201688 For Rent Mini Furnished Apartment in Qurum- 9405178997201688

STOCK CLEARANCE SALE Indian Granite 600x300x20 - 15000 sq mts Indian Granite Slabs 20000 Sq mts Our factory yard at Ghala Industrial area.

Contact 99337723 / 95118906

For Rent Flats in Wadi Kabir 94051789-97201688

02 BHK commercial / residential (with split AC) ﬂats at Honda Road. Contact: 99342733 / 99795241

Offices for Rent GalaContact –94051789-97201688

02 BHK residential ﬂat opposite to Al Nadha hospital. Contact: 99342733 / 99795241

For Rent offices in Qurum opposite city center- 9405178997201688

1000 sqm industrial land with compound wall & two rooms at Misfah. Contact: 99342733 / 99795241

For Rent ﬂats in MuttrahContact – 94051789-97201688

FOR SALE

1,2 BHK Ghubra R.O 300/-, 325/- & 350/-. Contact: 97799175

For Rent Duplex villa in Qurum 29- 94051789-97201688

1 BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-. Contact: 92144045

For Rent Flats in Darsait 94051789-97201688

2 BHK Ghubra R.O 300/-. Contact: 92144045

For Rent Flats in Mawalah south-94051789-97201688

Luxurious 2 BHK ﬂat with 3 toilets, store, equipped kitchen, splits, free gym & party hall, 24 hrs security at Mumtaz area Ruwi rent 375/-. Contact: 92622506

2BHK Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti mosque. Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

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

1BHK Nr Oman house & Kmj H.O Muttrah. Contact 99233116

Flats for rent in Wadi Kabeer. Contact: 99388994

Shop / office Nr Oman house & Kmj H.O Muttrah. Contact: 99233116

Flats for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99376454

House for rent at Seeb Souq two bedroom, majlis, sitting room, kitchen & 2 bathroom. Contact: 99700908

600 SQT commercial ﬂat for rent opposite Oman ﬂourmill Darsait more details. Contact: 91214849/ 99364735

2 BHK Flats for rent Muttrah near Oman house. Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

7 Bedrooms villa in Ghobrah North. Contact - 96420432

Restaurant for lease running restaurant at excellent location in Wadi Kabir is available on lease. Contact: 93334685 / 91760712 1 Bed room in Al hail south R.O 130/- Monthly. Contact: 93993354 Flats shops & store for rent in Ruwi Honda road Mumtaz. Contact: 97293708 / 92433127 Flat in Wadi Kabir, 3 BHK rent 280/- R.O. Contact: 99330810 1 BHK available at Al Khoud in Baskin Robbins building. RO 200/Contact: 97261418, 99478492, 98181649

Store available in Honda road Ruwi. Contact 99481931 1BHK flat near Star Cinema 220/-. Contact 99358589 /95570288 One room and one BHK for rent in AL Khuwair near Ibis hotel. Contact: 95724975 House for rent in Hamriya of 2 floors, flats vacant with 4 rooms, balcony 3 toilets, 1 kitchen R.O 300/- per month , Omani families only. Contact: 96266768

tĞ ŚĂǀĞ ƐĐƌĂƉ ĞƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ĨŽƌ ƐĂůĞ ŵŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ ϮϬ ǇĞĂƌƐ ŽůĚ͘ /ŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚ WĂƌƟ ĞƐ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ Dƌ͘ ͘ZŽŶŝƐŚ͕

'^D ϵϭϮϵϲϰϯϵ ů :ĂƵĨ >> ͘ W͘K͘ Žǆ ϭϴϴϬ͕ WŽƐƚĂů ŽĚĞ ϭϭϮ͕ ZƵǁŝ͕ ^ƵůƚĂŶĂƚĞ ŽĨ KŵĂŶ

Jeep Wrangler 2012 20,000km, Expat from new, dealer serviced, RO6500 Contact 99440320 Sohar

For Rent brand new villas in Al Ansab- Contact 9405178997201688

Flats for rent at Al Mablah block eight. Contact: 99445177

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MV SALE

1&2 BHK M.B.D R.O 280/- & 300/-. Contact: 92144045

1BR, 3BR Mars hypermarket Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99338133 / 92103604 2BHK ﬂats available for near PDO gate no 2 Qurum. Contact: 94057023

^ Z W Yh/WD Ed

Dozer Kom 355A -3 Dozer Kom 155A- 3 Grader Champion 780 Excavator PC 400 with breaker Man green water tanker 5000 IG All are in good condition

99310448/99612010/95208455

FOR RENT

Flat for Rent 1/2 BHK Flat at Muttrah, near Oman ﬂour mills, 10 min. from Corniche.Equipped with split unit ACs, internet points, free-to-air dish connection, CCTV monitored, basement parking. Rent RO.250/350 per month. Contact: 99229263; 93221054; 95215289 One ﬂats for rent 2 bedroom all with bath al Ghobrah north near Indian school (hot burger restaurant) tell 9976610 For Rent Flats in Ghala Heights 94051789-97201688

Single owner Ford Escape 2012 white, 2.5L, 10100 kms. All tyres recently replaced, Comprehensive insurance including UAE Mulkiya valid Oct 2016. OMR 5250 92320155 divadmuscat@gmail.com Toyota Yaris, Model 2006, KM 38000, Expat driven, all services at Toyota. Very clean. RO.2300. Contact 93430580 Grand Cherokee full A/M 2009 model KM 90,000 only excellent condition. Contact: 99869897

Al Qurum, 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, sitting, kitchen, split ACs price 65,000 R.O. Contact : 99879939 Sports shop for sale at Ruwi. Contact: 98453599 /93050776 Top Quality sparingly used Outdoor Catering & Bakery Equipments including chairs etc for sale in Muscat .Please call for viewing 99471085. Serious buyers only. For sale Fully Furnished apartments in Bousher (35) Contact: 9505680897201688 Scrap available for sale, power cables & accessories. Contact – 24446399 / Email – ravi.ztc@omzest.com Zawawi Trading Road no.8 Rusayl Barber shop for sale in Ghubra. Contact 92955874 3Ton Forklift, Special made for Oman market, Japanese Isuze C240 Engine, Cascade side shifter, High amount exhaust, 3m lifting height, Solid tyres, One year warranty. Contact: 98883445 We have laundry for sale in Ghala prime location 3 visa clearances available. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 Darsait small Business & office furniture for sale special price 5 gallon per bottles. Contact: 99869897 Land for sale in Goa Indian Verna near big mosque RS 30 lakh negotiable. Contact: 99468166 Shop for sale at Ghala Sanaya main junction (prime location) shop for sale. Contact: Kamil 92696479

FOR SALE Mangalorean restaurant at Wadi Kabir & shop at Ruwi for sale. Contact: 98428507 / 93655003 Immediate sale of well running pharmacy at prime location. Contact- 99627621, 99516236 For sale villas in Al Khoud 95056808-97201688 Sale house & office furniture & electronic items. Contact : 99834373/ 96642500/22010080 For Sale Luxury Apartments in Bousher (35) Contact: 9505680897201688 Beauty parlor for sale Muttrah. Contact: 93142676

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished single room bathroom separate for bachelors, near Kuwait Mosque, Wadi Kabir, facilities Cooking & Wiﬁ, rent RO 110/- including Electricity & Water. Contact 96228168 Spacious separate room with A/c and Bed, for non-cooking Asian bachelor, behind Shell ﬁlling station, Ghobrah round about. Contact: 94263390 Furnished sharing accommodation in ruwi near O.K. Center for non-cooking indian bachelor. #98805474 2BHK Hamriya round about main road rent R.O 170/- PM. Contact: 99513510 Single bed room with attached bath, separate entrance, Honda road near NBO for ex bachelors. Contact: 91410434

Running barber shop for sale in Ruwi with all equipments. Contact: 99343735

Big room available near Hamriya R/A for Muslim couple / small family / Executive bachelor rent 150/- per month including W+ E. Contact : 99495131

Honda Accord 2012, 60,000 km, good condition, RO 5600, expat leaving Oman. Contact 99577462.

60,000 Sq Mtrs Agriculture Land in Misfah, can be changed to Industrial Land. OMR 29 Per Square Meter. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Furnished room in new building for working Muslim lady/ Muslim couple only. Location AINT, Darsait. Contact - 99008069

Prado 2010 expat driven good condition. Contact: 91396589 /91396776

400 sq mtrs Commercial/Residential land in Maabela Phase 5 Block 2. OMR 155 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

1 Bedroom with bathroom available for rent. Only Indian female. Contact - 92394614

Mitsubishi Pajero 380CC full option 2008 model 137,000 km Expat driven white maintained Mitsubishi workshop. Contact: 99513510

FOR SALE or rent Tata Dawoo Truck 12 ton 2014 Model. Contact: 92719681 Chaverlet Epica 2004 model RO -700, for sale. Contact 92194205 BMW 318/ 2003 for sale. Contact 96364990 Ford focus, automatic, 2010 model, silver colour, expat driven, 58000 kms, dealer serviced, registration till sep 2016, price ro 2750. Contact- 93207590

5 plots of fertile agriculture lands in Misfah East totaling 4,532 sq mtrs having date trees and using falaj water for irrigation. OMR 158 Thousand for all 5 plots. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 2,688 sq mtrs commercial land in MBD North. OMR 1.39 Million. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Window AC 30 Nos (general make all good conditions), refrigerator, freezer & mess equipments for sale. Contact: 98064113/ 99315878 Quotation fax on: 24448101 /24448103

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room, Kitchen & store including utilities bills at Al hail. Contact 92817777 Single room bathroom in Darsait R.O 140/-. Contact: 93289652 Single room for expat Indian bachelors near Al Aktham restaurant Al khuwair for RO 120. Water and electricity included. # 98803261 1 Bedroom with attached Bath, fully furnished, separate entrance at Mabela for ladies only. Contact: 99634841

S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 3, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT tĞ ĂƌĞ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ Ă ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ DĂŶĂŐĞƌ WŝƚŚ KŵĂŶ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ^ĐŝĞŶƟ Į Đ >ĂďŽƌĂƚŽƌǇ ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ͬ ŝŐŝƚĂů ^ŝŐŶĂŐĞ ͬ EĞǁ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƐĂůĞƐ͘ ŐĞ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ϯϱ ǇĞĂƌƐ ǁŝƚŚ Ăƚ ůĞĂƐƚ ϯ ǇĞĂƌƐ ŽĨ ƉƌŽǀĞŶ ƚƌĂĐŬ ƌĞĐŽƌĚ ŝŶ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĂďŽǀĞ Į ĞůĚƐ͘ ^ŚŽƵůĚ ŚĂǀĞ ĞǆĐĞůůĞŶƚ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƟ ŽŶ ƐŬŝůůƐ͘ KŵĂŶ ͬ> ĂŶĚ EK ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚ͘

WůƐ ^ĞŶĚ ǇŽƵƌ s ƚŽ ũŽďƐΛďŝƐŚĂƌĂ͘ĐŽŵ Žƌ &Ăǆ ͗ ϮϰϳϵϰϴϬϳ

URGENTLY REQUIRED

An Indian female HOUSEMAID (Muslim) to take care of an Omani lady. Salary best in the industry. Contact - 99250595 or mail to tc.subi@yahoo.com

3 Year experience with NOC

ŶŐŝŶĞĞƌŝŶŐ ŽŵƉĂŶǇ ďĂƐĞĚ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ ;DƵƐĐĂƚͿ ŝƐ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ƵƌŐĞŶƚůǇ ƚŽ ŚŝƌĞ ƚŚĞ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƉŽƐŝƟ ŽŶ͗

Drivers – Omani National Only:

WŽƐŝƟ ŽŶ͗ ĐĐŽƵŶƚĂŶƚ

A reputed Dairy Company in Oman is looking for following Vacancies. Van Salesman:

2 year experience with Valid Omani D/L

Debt collector: Omani National with 4 years experience with Valid Omani D/L Please forward your CV’s to

ǀĂĐĂŶĐǇϬϵϳΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

;KŵĂŶŝ KŶůǇͿ ; ĂĐŚĞůŽƌ Žƌ ŝƉůŽŵĂ Ϳ ǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ͗ Ϯ ƚŽ ϯ ǇĞĂƌƐ &Ăǆ EK͘ ϮϰϱϵϲϰϰϬ ŵĂŝů͗ƚŚĞƌĞĐƵŝƚĞƌΛŚŽƚŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ

hZ' Ed>z Z Yh/Z

Z Wd/KE/^d Experienced Omani female required as Accountant Cum Secretary. Send CV to s.safar@celarwater.com We are looking for Chief Financial Officer, Male 40- 45 years old, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy with 5 - 15 yrs. of experience. Contact: +968 24702133 Email: admin-dept@daud.om

DRIVER Driver cum maintenance person. Wanted cheerful, caring, clean and honest young man for an Indian family. Must have excellent driving skills and a valid GCC license. Can do and helpful attitude. Age 28 to 35, good references and English. Attractive salary, please apply to jobscharismat@gmail.com or call 99471085 for interview. Light duty driver. Contact: 98505294 Wanted driver. Contact 91025698

ENGINEER A Grade Construction company in Muscat urgently requires “Safety Officer”. Send C.V hr.azatllc@gmail. com or fax C.V to 24422458 Urgently Required: Civil Engineer with an experience minimum in 5 years in building construction, MUST have NOC and immediately join. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com. Required Diploma Civil Engr, 2-5 years experience in Oman D/ License. Contact: 99814741 Required Project Manager (Civil – degree) for a reputed construction company, with at least 7 yrs experience in Gulf & GCC license. Contact 968 94144230 or mail: slvjob2015@gmail.com Required Project Engineer (Civil – Diploma) for a reputed construction company, with 5 to 7 yrs of experience in Gulf & GCC license. Contact 968 94144230 or mail: slvjob2015@gmail.com Required Electrical industrial Technician and SW/ Gear panel technician with minimum 2-5 years Gulf experience. Contact: 99262678 Urgently required senior purchaser civil expats candidate, must have at least 10 years of experience in similar ﬁeld. Email: samtrading@altaher.com address P.O. Box 1413, PC 112, Ruwi Experienced Civil Foreman with driving license. Visa available. Contact: 99169512 Civil Site Supervisor for telecom tower projects across Oman. Send CV to fyjo@spec-link.com or call +968 9946 7227

EDUCATION A well known private school is in need of English, Mathematics, Science and Computer Teachers. Contact: 96910649 Email: staffing.oman@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED

WANTED

tĞ ĂƌĞ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ Ă

^ E/KZ ^ > ^ y hd/s FŽƌ >s ^ǇƐƚĞŵƐ ǁŝƚŚ KŵĂŶ DĂƌŬĞƚ ^ĂůĞƐ ƚƌĂĐŬ ƌĞĐŽƌĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ Į ĞůĚ ŽĨ ds͕ ^ĞĐƵƌŝƚǇ͕ ĐĐĞƐƐ ŽŶƚƌŽů ^ǇƐƚĞŵƐ͕ ŐĞ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ϯϬ ǇĞĂƌƐ ǁŝƚŚ Ăƚ ůĞĂƐƚ ϯ ǇĞĂƌƐ ŽĨ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐĨƵů ^ĂůĞƐ ĂƌĞĞƌ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ^ĞĐƵƌŝƚǇ Į ĞůĚ͘ ^ŚŽƵůĚ ŚĂǀĞ ĞǆĐĞůůĞŶƚ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƟ ŽŶ ƐŬŝůůƐ н ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƐĐŽƉĞ ĐůŝĞŶƚ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚƐ н ƉƌĞƉĂƌĞ dĞŶĚĞƌ ZĞƐƉŽŶƐĞƐ͘ KŵĂŶ ͬ> ĂŶĚ EK ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚ͘

WůƐ ^ĞŶĚ ǇŽƵƌ s ƚŽ ũŽďƐΛďŝƐŚĂƌĂ͘ĐŽŵ

Žƌ &Ăǆ ͗ ϮϰϳϵϰϴϬϳ

PROJECT MANAGER Required for a reputed Construction Company, having degree or diploma in civil with 10 to 15 years experience with valid Oman driving license. Interested candidates can send their CV onprojectshr2015@gmail.com

s E z ƌĞƉƵƚĞĚ ůĞĐƚƌŝĐĂů ŽŶƚƌĂĐƟ ŶŐ ŽŵƉĂŶǇ ŝŶǀŝƚĞƐ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟ ŽŶƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƋƵĂůŝĮ ĞĚ ĂŶĚ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚ ĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƉŽƐŝƟ ŽŶƐ͘ YƵĂůŝĮ ĐĂƟ ŽŶ ʹ ͬ dĞĐŚ ŝŶ ůĞĐƚƌŝĐĂů ŶŐŝŶĞĞƌŝŶŐ ǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ʹ DŝŶ͘ ϱ ǇĞĂƌ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ůĞĐƚƌŝĐĂů ƚĞƐƟ ŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵŵŝƐƐŝŽŶŝŶŐ͕ ƉƌĞĨĞƌĂďůǇ ŝŶ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ͘

ůĞĐƚƌŝĐĂů /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů dĞĐŚŶŝĐŝĂŶ Ͳ Ϯ EŽƐ͘ YƵĂůŝĮ ĐĂƟ ŽŶ ʹ ŝƉůŽŵĂ Žƌ /d/ ŝŶ ůĞĐƚƌŝĐĂů ŶŐŝŶĞĞƌŝŶŐ ǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ʹ DŝŶ͘ ϱ ǇĞĂƌ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ůĞĐƚƌŝĐĂů ĞƌĞĐƟ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵŵŝƐƐŝŽŶŝŶŐ ũŽďƐ͕ ƉƌĞĨĞƌĂďůǇ ŝŶ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ͘ /ŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚ ĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞƐ ŵĞĞƟ ŶŐ ĂďŽǀĞ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚƐ ŵĂǇ ĂƉƉůǇ ǁŝƚŚ ƌĞĐĞŶƚ ďŝŽͲĚĂƚĂ ƚŽ ĂĚŵŝŶΛĐĞƐŽŵĂŶ͘ĐŽŵ͘ WƌĞĨĞƌĞŶĐĞ ĨŽƌ ĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞƐ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůǇ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ ǁŝƚŚ EK ͘

An IT Company dealing with wireless connectivity /networking requires a Salesman urgently. Forward your CV to vctsjobsoman@gmail.com

Required a male Pharmacist with MOH license for a medical center in Azaiba Muscat, excellent English and valid Omani driving license. Interested candidates please send your CV to mdcjobs2015@gmail.com Required a Philippino or Indian female cleaner for a medical center in Azaiba , Muscat. Interested candidates please send your CV to: mdcjobs2015@gmail.com Wanted Dentist with license for leave vacancy for 2 months Jan 15 to March 15. Contact: 92520054 GP, Pediatrics, Gynecologist doctors, Nurses urgently need to work in Polyclinic in Sur, with MOH/Prometric pass also can apply. Dr. Raji: GSM : 99567864 Wanted GP Doctor with MOH license, job location in Muscat with good salary and beneﬁts. Drop your cv at careerhr1972@gmail.com. Urgently required Philipina Nurse with MOH license at prometric parsed. Contact: 99724013

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Urgently required Project Managers, Civil Engineers, Foreman, Electrical Engineer, Electrical quantity surveyors for a reputed construction company. Send your CVs to mohamed@oasisgrace.com Contact: 99881459 / 24826566 can send fax: 24812226 Traveling agency Manager Director. Contact: 92223669

MISCELLANEOUS Sales Ladies wanted for Ladies Boutique. Age: 20-35 yrs. Al Khoudh. Send CV to sameer916@hotmail.com or call 91159905 Urgently required for a reputed company in Oman (Tyre, Battery & Lubricant division) Sr. Executives/Executive-5 nos (Sohar, Nizwa & Muscat), Techno Commercial Professional-5nos, Driver (Omani)-1no. Required minimum 3-5 yrs experience in the same ﬁeld with market exposure holding valid Omani driving license or GCC. Kindly fwd your CV’s to ashwin@taasintl.org Contact: (+968)93891700

28/male/MBA - Finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ india experience looking for a suitable placement. shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com 90187483

Accountant, Indian Male, 15 Years experience (8 Years in Oman with Driving License & NOC) Seeks suitable placement, Contact 94117616, 91238272 Email: praveen78oman@gmail.com Hard working and 2 years experienced Indian male MBA (ﬁn & mktg) on visit visa looking suitable jobs. Contact: 93279943 / 97876709

Indian male MBA 2 years experience on visit visa. Contact: 90196322 Email: nithinvarghese19@gmail.com

Indian male , B.Com, 21 yrs, accountant with 1 and half years experience looking for suitable job for more discussion. Contact: 96512733 Email: azazahemad1994@gmail.com

Indian male accountant cum admin with good experience in India & Oman knowledge of tally ERP.9 currently on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact: 94834687

Indian male 26 years B.Com jiC.A Inter tally ERP’s 3 years experience in accounts, audit on visit visa. Contact: 90185373 Email: shaheervahid@gmail.com

Indian male MBA, 8 years experience in hospitality industry, accounting looking for a job, now in visit visa. Contact: 92115860

Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ ﬁnance ﬁeld. On visit visa. Immediately available. Contact – 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com

Indian male 9 years experienced Accountant cum store keeper with D/L Oman & UAE transfer available. Contact: 97085435 Email: sudhimohd@gmail.com Part time Accountant services, yearly ﬁnalization works, monthly report, proﬁt& loss report, consulting and audit works. Contact: 96247295

IT (SALES)

Wanted a Staff Nurse with MOH license for a well running clinic in Seeb. Contact: 99442701

CA (Inter), MBA, 25 yrs exp. in Accounts, Sales, Marketing & Administration in poultry industry seeks suitable placement immediately. Contact 91 9704075855, +968 96500893, Email : sanaullah. sheikh@rediffmail.com

ůĞĐƚƌŝĐĂů dĞƐƟ ŶŐ Θ ŽŵŵŝƐƐŝŽŶŝŶŐ ŶŐŝŶĞĞƌ Ͳ Ϯ EŽƐ͘

ͻ KŵĂŶŝƐ KŶůǇ ;ƉƌĞĨĞƌĂďůǇ ĨĞŵĂůĞͿ ͻ DƵƐƚ ƐƉĞĂŬ ŶŐůŝƐŚ Ň ƵĞŶƚůǇ ͻ ďŝůŝƚǇ ƚŽ ŚĂŶĚůĞ Kĸ ĐĞͬ ĚŵŝŶ ǁŽƌŬƐ ͻ 'ŽŽĚ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ ŽĨ ĐŽŵƉƵƚĞƌƐ Interested candidates please send CV to: ŚŝůĂůƉƌŽƉĞƌƟ ĞƐΛŚŝůĂůƉƌƉ͘ĐŽŵ͘Žŵ Žƌ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ϮϰϲϬϬϲϴϴͬ &Ăǆ͗ ϮϰϲϬϬϲϴϯ

MEDICAL

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

MISCELLANEOUS

SKILLED / UNSKILLED

Looking for a FOREIGN STAFF has experience in Oman in real estate ﬁeld. Interested contact: Mobile: 99109094 Email: aburashid94dd@gmail.com

Game operators & gardener, with at least relevant ﬁeld experience. Please send your CV to fuad@hadidmajan.com

Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years experience preferably in water sector and having valid driving license Send CV to shiju@spec-link.com or call Ph:+968 99450811

SECT. /OFFICE Urgently required Female Secretary : Oman based leading manufacturing company has immediate requirement Graduate with min. 5 yrs of experience & capable to handle Management ofﬁce work independently & Secretarial work, knowledge of computers & accounts will be an advantage. Age limit upto 30 yrs. Send CVs to vacancyinoman123@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Urgently required experienced Sales man for a leading FMCG co. located at Seeb. Please forward your CV at our email: recruityarek@gmail.com Urgently required Salesman with 2 years experience in electrical outdoor sales in Oman D/L and NOC must. Contact: 91373200 Email: oman@sentorsupplies.com Kitchen cabinet manufacturing company is looking sales person, most have Oman D/L and must know any kitchen designed software and two years experience. Contact: 93326636

TECHNICIAN /MECH. Urgently required cold room refrigeration Technician must know up to commissioning gulf experience preferred .Pls forward CV to nasmatmasirah@gmail.com Contact: 97982623/ 95183616 Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years experience preferably in water sector and having valid driving license call Ph:+968 99450811 Send CV to shiju@spec-link.com

Required expatriate manpower goods loading & unloading labors. For inquiry Contact: 98111363

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ARCHITECT /AUTOCAD AutoCAD D/man Experienced. Contact : 93837973 Interior Designer Experienced knows 3D max Photoshop: Contact 93837973

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, with 13yrs experience, 6 yrs Oman in manufacturing, trading & contracting Cos, capable of handling all accounting, finance, banking, L/C, import, export & finalization seeks placement. NOC Available. Call+968-98932752, mail:jjohnmuscat@hotmail.com 12 years of Oman experienced chief accountant looking for suitable position. Contact: 99513082 28/ male MBA – finance /B.com – accountant with 4 years of Dubai / India experience looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 90187483 Email: shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com Indian male B.Com Accountant 10 yrs in Oman exp in accounts, knowledge of sales, purchase, admin, hr, tally ERP & focus RT. Having NOC & D/L, looking for suitable job. Contact - 93086105 Senior Accounts Admin Manager B.com M.com 25 years experience accounts up to finalization holding light duty license seeks suitable placement. Contact: 93064975 Accountant Bachelor of commerce English, 2 years experience visit visa. Contact: 98584398/ 95539923

*Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

25 years (20 years in Oman & 5 years in Indian) well experienced ﬁnance controller seeking for suitable position, with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 99756765

ADMIN

Pakistani male age 28 years MBA ﬁnance work experience 3 years as Accountant currently in Muscat Oman on visit visa. Contact: 99685330 Email: hussain_ca87@yahoo.com

Egyptian woman resident has considerable experience in the administration and Secretarial Executive for companies. Contact: 97221126

Indian male 28 yrs, 3 years experience Oman driving license available accounts/ assistant accounts/ sales representatives, Tally, focus experienced Graduated, diploma in Accounting +2 SSLC. Contact: 96565010

Egyptian woman resident has considerable experience in the administration and Secretarial Executive for companies. Contact: 97221126

Indian Male 28. B.Com with 11yrs experience in in secretarial and document controller field in Saudi Arabia with Saudi license looking for a vacancy contact 00966501913557 and yarajunun@gmail.com Indian CA, 8 yrs + Exp (6 yr in Oman & UAE ) in Finance , Accounts & Auditing , seeking suitable position in Muscat/Dubai, Can Join Immediately, NOC Available , Contact: 98707434 / Email: casmart007@gmail.com CPA AUS with 5 years PWC exp in field of accountant finance audit seeking urgent placement now available on visit visa. Contact 94150073 Indian male 20 years in Oman experience with language institute (registrar, admin, account clerk) seeking a suitable position. NOC available. Contact: 96553961 Email: u.m.sulfi@gmail.com Chief Accountant IndianMale, B.Com Graduate+ PGDCA, Total 18 Years Experience, 13 Year in GCC, 7 Years in Oman. Exposure in Tally ERP9, Peach Tree, MS Office. Having NOC Available for Immediate Joining. Contact - 97060826 Email-tomnedum71@yahoo.co.in Accountant Indian female, 26 yrs, B.Com 2 yrs experience in accounting, purchase vouchers, bank reconciliation. Contact: 95690207 Email: pereira.rita08@gmail.com Chartered Accountant with ICWA Inter having 5 years experience in Finance, Accounts, Costing, Budgeting, Insurance, Treasury & Banking operations - NOC Available + Oman Driving License Contact : 97881548 Email-financecost2@gmail.com Accountant Experienced Indian B. Com looking for suitable positions please call 91422074 Indian male 29yrs M.com (finance) MBA (Finance & HR) ICWA (pursuing) 5 yrs experience in accounts, tally sage sap on visiting visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 92840519/98450609 Indian lady, bachelor degree in Preparatory Programme (BPP) and Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), completed training course in MS Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook from KTI looking for full time / part time job opportunity in Oman. Contact 92437568, 96795853, Email: linda_navs@yahoo.com Male Indian with 7 years experience in accounting & 6 years experience in sales and marketing very good knowledge of tally currently in Muscat on a visit visa. # 96148427 Email: jijokurianp@gmail.com

HR/ Admin with total 7 years GCC experience looking for immediate change over with suitable position NOC available. Contact 95521535 Email: kbino110@gmail.com 10 years experience in secretarial / Admin job. Contact: 94868626 Indian male 27Yrs, having total 7+ yrs of experience in HR/ Admin looking for suitable position. Contact 91507099 Indian female, Masters in HR, having 4 + years Oman experience in media management and HR, looking for openings in HR, Education, Admin, Corporate communications. Contact 98252030 Indian male MBA- UK 18 yrs Gulf exp in Administration/ HR & Public relationship. Fluent in Arabic/ English with D/L. Looking for suitable position. Contact - 99897280 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 29 male MCA qualiﬁed 4.6 years experienced skilled in system administration and basic networking, seeking job in IT Admin iteration now on visiting visa. Contact: +96892805363 Email: anukkuttan1986@gmail.com

CATERING Cooks (Arabic Indian) gulf exp looking job. Contact: 99531802

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Civil Draughtsman with 12 yrs experience 9 yrs Gulf exp. Contact: 93528255 Email: bijumudackamannil@gmail.com 25 years male BA. English , Qualiﬁed as mast in digital animation having 5 yrs ex in character animation specialized Auto Desk mago and motion building software knowledge, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 97917357 Professional architect 3ds max (interior, exterior) looking for private work. Contact: 96041201

DOMESTIC HELP House maid looking for job. Contact: 98257659

DRIVER Driver with new car looking for job.contact: 95873286

S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

ACCOUNTANT with 8 years of experience (working in Oman since Jan 2013) is looking for a change. Experienced in all aspect of accounting up to finalization of accounts. NOC will be available

Contact: 95503646 DRIVER Experienced Light Duty Driver, Fluent in English, Arabic Well knowledge of Oman Areas Seeking Suitable placement 97950869 10 yrs exp in GCC driver. Contact: 93722881 Pakistani with light duty driver license seeks job. Contact: 92789805 3 years experience driver available. Contact: 95859247 Looking for driver job. Contact: 98219182 3 years driving experience in Muscat languages known English, Arabic, Hindi and Bengali. Contact 97462781 11yrs exp light duty driver looking for job. Contact: 94554450 Light driver, looking for job. Contact: 98372745/99090362 Looking for Job driving. Contact: 97418036 Driver (light & heavy duty) valid gulf /Indian) looking job. Contact: 95175192

EDUCATION Indian female MSC, B, ED M.PHIL currently on visit visa seeking suitable placement, 2 years experience Contact: 96916534 / 91969756 Email: aryanair23@gmail.com Indian, Female 27 Years; B.Sc, B.Ed - Chemistry, 3 years’ experience in teaching ﬁeld, seeking for Suitable placements. Contact: 93216103; Email:laksshmi1988@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Female Engineer material / controller 3 years experience in road companies, with D/L. Contact: 98001764 Civil Engineer (Diploma) looking for urgent placement (final exit). Contact: 95200650 Electrical Engineer ( B.Tech) Indian female 4 years experience in India presently located at Al Ghubra on family visa. Contact: 97228117 Road and Construction Engineer with 5 years exp in Oman. Contact: 97646908 Civil Engineer with 6 years exp in Oman. Contact: 9324103 Email: mohamedf91987@gmail.com Male, B.E in industrial & production engineering, 8 years experience (5 years in oil & gas) and 3 years in available currently on visit visa, seeking immediate placement. Contact: 97863823 Indian male, 38 yrs old diploma in engineering with 9 yrs gulf experience looking placement in admin office management IT co-ordination, marketing fields having Oman D/L NOC available. Contact: 90187927 Email: blessam2@yahoo.com Indian female 22 years old electrical engineer fresher currently in Oman visit visa B.Tech knowledge in AutoCAD /ECAD seeking placement in electrical related field. Contact: 90372125 Email: limisha93@gmail.com Indian female on visit visa master of engineering (M.E) in computer science with 2 years experience software trainee, worked as mathematics and IT Teacher seeking for suitable job. Contact: 94528019 Email: indhu101291@gmail.com 7 Yrs Exp. PM in Mech. Engg in the field of Building Const. Oil & Gas Seeking Job.94625598 Mechanical Engineer (B.Tech) Indian m with good knowledge in MEP, currently in Oman on visit visa looking for suitable placement. Contact: 90154793 Email: sangu.vazhoor@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1Year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 97416564, Email: jovinmathias@gmail.com Indian male 24 yrs bachelor mechanical 2 yr experience looking for job. Contact: 95179021 / 96974981 Email: atharhussain54@gmail.com Bldg . Const site Supervisor since MAR 2010 working in Oman, with Omani D/L, looking for suitable placement. Contact 93061107 B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering female 2 years experience in teaching field and management skills seeks suitable placement on visit. Contact 93371834 / 97378922 Indian Male 23 years B.Tech Civil having 2 years experience in quantity survey and site management looking for suitable placement Contact:- 95042656 Diploma in Mechanical Eng piping system in AutoCAD work, 21+ years experience with Driving license. Contact: 95267113 Email: rkakkaryil@gmail.com Project Engineer 6 years experience in Oman, construction (site manager) fluent Arabic, English and good Hindi. Tele 97858589 Civil Engineer (BE) having total 5 years experience in building construction looking for a suitable placement. D/L available Contact# 94450270 Indian male, 24 years, M.tech in Electronics and Communication CCNA Certified , currently on visit visa seeking a relevant job. (Certificates attested). Contact: 93814376 Email: robinplakezhil@gmail.com Indian female civil engineer B.Tech having 3 years experience sound knowledge of software, REVIT STAD PRO structural detailing currently on family visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95345591 Indian male 23 yrs old PG Diploma in Petroleum Engineering and B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering having UAE driving license on visit visa seeks suitable placement immediately. Contact: 95880127 / 95084905 Email: vijith2573459@gmail.com Sr. Civil Engineer, Indian male with 22 yrs of experience in building construction, pipeline work specialist in tendering, billing, quantity surveying with Gulf experience. Email : rafiksimna@gmail.com Sr. Electrical Engineer (MEP) having 18 years of experience (10 years in Gulf) seeks suitable placement in the field of Building Construction and HV/LV/Cable Installations. NOC available for contact GSM :92203584, email: sajisivan@gmail.com Mechanic Tractor Diesel Engines & Hydraulic, 25 years Experience in Multinational Companies. Contact - 91685048 Hygiene Officer/QC, B.Tech Bio tech. HACCP LVL. 2 &3.Experienced in Food & water industry. 92940218 Mechanical Engineer with 3 Yrs experience in international Oil & Gas company looking for job Contacts: Tel: 90164236 Email: mustafaoshi-62@hotmail.com Civil maintenance painting, tile works decor works, plumbing, electric, shop furnishing carpentary works and all other maintenance. Contact 97897831, 92112094 (Indian, Keralite) 29 yrs Indian male B.E (ECE) with more than 5 yrs experience in Oman with valid D/L. Contact 96652145 Indian male, B.Tech Engineer, 6.5 years exp, PHP Developer working in UAE seeking a relevant post. Email: jibycj@gmail.com Contact: + 971563801785 Electrical Engineer Indian male 29 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India (MRF Tyres) seeking suitable placement. Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahmlktr@gamil.com

Well experienced team available to provide feasibility reports & business solutions, product development, risk management methods for startups, progressive, defunct operations. Creating of ERP modules. Contact - 93343251 (PDLO SUR¿ WRPDQ#JPDLO FRP

ƌĞƐƵůƚ ŽƌŝĞŶƚĞĚ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂů ͘ ͘;DĞĐŚͿ͕ ϯϬн ǇĞĂƌƐ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ WƌŽũĞĐƚƐ͕ &ĂďƌŝĐĂƟ ŽŶ͕ Z Θ D ĂŶĚ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ͘ ^ĞĞŬŝŶŐ ũŽď ĂƐ 'D͕ K͕ ŽƵŶƚƌǇ ,ĞĂĚ͘ EK Θ ŝŵŵĞĚŝĂƚĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďŝůŝƚǇ͘

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects. Contact – 90164912

Indian male IT, CCNA, RHCE, MCITP, 3 years experience have GCC driving license seeking suitable position on visit visa (until 27th Dec). Contact: 93311963 Email: sajal035@gmail.com

Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certiﬁed in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad). Looking for a Suitable position. Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa. Contact: 92835952. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Structural Draughtsman having 10 years experience in engineering consultancies N.O.C available. Contact: 00968 97612846 B. E Mech, MBA project & design management around 2 years experience seeks suitable position in automobile oil & gas, any other industries. Contact: 93360821 Mechanical Engineer (BE) 25 years, Indian male with NDT level2, 2 years above experience (as QC Engineer and Site Engineer) seeking suitable placement. Contact: 90249803 / 00919446048596 Email: naveenbasheer@gmail.com Civil Engineer with 5 years in Oman with 5 years in Oman with driving license (Sudanese with bachelor degree). Contact: 91448244 B. Tech Safety Engineer, 10 years exp, NOC available, seeking suitable placement. Mob: 97061817, Email: jayanammu1977@gmail.com 16 years experienced civil Engineer B.Tech including 8 yr experience in Oman with D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact: 99802579 BE civil Engineer (4 years exp) Indian male looking for job (site Engineer, planning estimation, QS, job (primavera, Ms excel) available in Oman for interview. Contact: 97214512 /92822310 Email: sreeragsgk@gmail.com (expected CTC 350 Rial) Electrical Engineer (B.E) with 8 years experience valid Omani driving license looking for job. Contact: 93909951 Bachelor Civil Engineer 6 Years in Oman experience Valid Driving License seeks suitable placement Phone 97619722 Email – golamrob@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer M.Tech 2 years experience as HVAC design engineer rev IT M.E.P AutoCAD. Contact: 91050913 Email: rahmanmechengg@yahoo.com Civil Engineer 6 yrs Exp in Oman with license. Contact: 98975518 Sri Lankan Engineer (27 Years old) – B.Sc Engineering (Hon) Mining / Geotechnical Presently in Muscat, 1.5 years experience. Contact 91295802 / acmfaslan123@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer (UK) , 28 years old male, having 4 years experience in Oman looking for suitable placement with valid Oman D/L immediate available, NOC available. Contact: 968 97612297 Email: ymirza11@caledonian.ac.uk

HOSPITALITY Hospitality/Hotel/ Restaurants Dynamic result oriented hospitality professional with 20 years of international exp. MBA in Hotel Management, specializing in Hotel/ Restaurant start ups, concepts & Franchise development with proven records. Seeking for Challenging positions in reputed groups as GM/ COO/CEO/Business Head. (NOC available) Contact: 96059470 Dutch male qualiﬁed commercial pilot (Faa-ME-IR certiﬁed) is looking for job openings in middle east. rutjestom@outlook.com

WŚŽŶĞ ͗ нϵϭ ϵϳϳϯϴϮϴϲϲϯ͕ EŵĂŝů ͗ ũǀƉϮϵϭϯϲϳΛǇĂŚŽŽ͘ĐŽŵ

Indian male 20 plus years experience intonation resource customer management IT business development transformation D / license NOC transfer seeks senior dost reputed company. Contact: 91719892 Email: mmjoman@gmail.com An Indian male 27yrs, B. Tech in (Computer Science) 6 years of exp in technical support, troubleshooting and managing seeks suitable placement. Contact:- 97483775, email:- mir.jak89@gmail.com Indian female BSC IT Computer Science 4 years experience on tourist visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 92960438 Hardware & net working, 2 years exp. Contact: 96244031 Female, 24yrs, B-tech Computer Science, currently on visit,1yr experience and certified special training .skills in software testing,managem ent,administration,java,oracleDB,A ndroid,C++,C.seeking suitable placement.Contact:98741930, amruthamohandas515@gmail.com System Support Engineer qualification (BCA) bachelor of computer application professional certification Microsoft certified Engineer windows 2012 certified,hardware and networking two years experience in system support engineer. Contact: 95492886 Email: samips49@gmail.com Structural Steel Supervisor / foreman 12 and half experience in overseas, I.T.I fitter, NOC available. Contact: 96195185 India: 917356668511 Omani 6 years excellent exp looking for opening in IT. Contact: 95356166 Well experienced instructor available & teach stadpro primavera P6 for 2 months. Contact: 94412557 Indian female M.Com qualified CME (INTER) good communication & computer skills fresher presently in Muscat seeking placement. Contact: 90387811 Email: ghazalasuhan@yahoo.com Sit Lankan male 22 yrs seeking immediate employment in the travel & tourism sector IATA/ UFTAA qualified 2+ years at extensive experience. Contact: 90202538 / 99743569 Email: donheshan69@live.com B.Tech (IT) Indian male 29 years having 4 years experience in software support, hardware & networking in Oman looking for IT / Admin job in Oman. NOC available with valid Oman D/L. Contact: 91906494 Email: rajanit1988@gmail.com CCNA MCITP network support /network technician with 2 years experience Indian male having bachelors degree on visit visa. Contact : 93080871 sean.f.peters@outlook.com Indian female 29, BCA, MCA, ASP. Net certified SAP - ABAP certified having 1.5 yrs of experience, seeking placement. Contact: 99109121 Email: ashamaryphilip@gmail.com Age 28 years experience 2years & 8 month in IT accounting technical skill, java, J.S.P tally Peachtree M.S excel, SQL ,Working java programmer India , accountant , Dubai ,Qualification MCA, B.C.A mathematic visit visa. Contact: 95673451

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Indian male, with experience in operations management, information security, purchase & stores mgmt, hold UAE driving license, on visit visa, seeks suitable job. Contact : 91904541 Email: naushers@yahoo.com

IT Telecommunication Engineer looking to obtain a job in the speciﬁed ﬁeld, Sudanese nationality with a valid residence. Contact 95000024

Indian male B.Tech (ECE) MCSE, CCNA having 1.5 years of experience seeks job. Contact: 99257702 Email: jithu.m.moolayil@gmail.com

Sudanese male Manager & Accountant master degree in Economics, 15 years experience in accounts and Banking looking for job. Contact: 97396088 / 96436517

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR MBA (marketing) with 17 years experience in freight forwarding/ logistics industry in GCC & Oman. Presently working as branch manager in Muscat. Looking for a suitable position. Release and NOC available. Contact: 99856331 MBA In Operations Management Indian male : MBA in Lean Operations And Systems with 3 years of experience seeks suitable placement in Oman. Contact : 0096894369897 The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: construction(Very strong and qualiﬁed to bringing business for civil work Or any type of the construction work for many million per year with a good experience in pricing and collect payment and cash management of the company & marketing projects & investments& tenders & real estate. Contact: - 92385033 Indian male 4 years experience M.S.C Marine biotechnology, looking for Production Manager. Contact: +919629032023 Email: evergreenram88@gmail.com The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: tenders& real estate& construction & marketing projects& investments& transportation & Marine services& companies management& develop business. Contact :- 92385033

MEDICAL An experienced Staff Nurse with MOH license and data ﬂow cleared looking for job, NOC available. Contact: 97045785 / 98899146 Indian female , Masters in Nursing Specialized in Medical & Surgical with 1.3 years of nursing tutor experience after MSC & 1.5 years of clinical experience after BSC seeks suitable vacancy near Sohar. Currently in Oman on family joining visa. Contact 93217746 ; Email: thomasalexander1983@gmail.com Experienced prometric cleared Indian female dentist seeks suitable placement in Muscat. Contact: 94673720 /92880267 An experienced Sudanese female Dentist with MOH license looking for job. Contact: 96436517 /97396088 Palestinian dentist looking for job in Muscat privet hospitals , polyclinics or dental centers – 15 yrs experience out Muscat at privet hospitals or polyclinics. Contact: 96951750 Male Nurse, Experienced, Pass Prometric (Oman) 93837973

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING Indian male 22 years B.Com Graduate residing in Oman on family visa with a valid Oman driving license, looking for a job in sales / marketing. Contact: 98504698 Indian male with more than 14 yrs of experience in business development / marketing valid Omani D/L , looking for Managerial position in business development / marketing. Contact : 93400177 Indian male 23 years with 4 years experience in Purchase and Sales, graduate in EC, currently on visiting visa, seeking suitable job in Oman. Contact: 96761020. Email: adikmuthumuttam@gmail.com Indian male, with experience in sales, marketing, and client relation, with UAE driving license, on visit visa, seeks suitable job. Contact: 95269818 Email: naushers@yahoo.com Indian male, MBA Finance & Marketing 28 yrs,6+ Exp, with Driving license, Hospital Phrma Herbal Marketing, construction A/c & sales , F&B industry, 93379044 Indian male, MBA Marketing having 2.5 years Sales experience immediately looking for a suitable position. Contact: 91415145, Email: shariqs88@gmail.com Indian male 29 yrs, BHM , 6 years overall 3 yrs in Oman in sales with D/L. NOC available to join immediately. Contact: 92594055 Indian male 46 years, Sales Manager experience in modular kitchens & furnitures. Contact: 94522616 Sales & marketing building materials (G. hardware, tiver, steel etc) Indian male ﬂuent English, Arabic, Malayalam etc GCC D/L 8 years exp available release letter or NOC. Contact: 92882101 Email: sameermoul@gmail.com Indian male having 5 years Oman experience in coordination level seeking any suitable post. NOC available and can join immediately as the visa issued. # 92889617 24 years, Graduate on visit visa with diploma in advertising ﬁlm making from Zee Institute Mumbai and with two years work experience in digital marketing social media & event management seeks suitable placement. Contact: 98257207 / 99747481

Candidate with communication & analytical skills. Contact 90187827

Indian male sales marketing with G.C.C license 7 years exp. Contact: 98097459 Email: shl_kami@yahoo.com

Indian male 30 yrs, 6 years experience in Oman, Oman driving license, BSc, food technology (food sciences) and M.B.A. Contact 93405643

Manager Post of Family Visa, MBA 14 years Experience (2 Years in Oman) in Multinational Groups in Sales & Marketing. M.Z. 96220975

24 years Indian female MSC Biotechnology 1 year exp.in clinical microbiology, worked in icrisat for project work as Trainee, looking for suitable job. Contact: 92619048 Email: anusreeg1991@gmail.com

Indian male 38 yrs, 11 yrs exp Oman worked as a Sales & MKT in Medical consumables items, looking for any suitable job D/L Oman NOC available. Contact: 99501046

Graduate, computer literate, experienced in sales, credit control, accounts, Omani D/L , seeks suitable placement. Gsm 9880-5474

SALES / MARKETING 12 years of experience in Oman; marketing strategies & operations, logistics, government tenders, public relations & dealing with international companies -4 years of experience in UK, engineering CNC & industrial areas, have dual nationality, ﬂuent in English & Arabic speaking and writing , (I can travel abroad easily without visa, for ﬁnalizing business or any other purpose). Contact: 94123939 10 yrs exp in Oman in logistics/ purchase-have Oman D/L-looking for suitable placementcontact 96410767 email: harishkts@yahoo.com Indian male MBA with 15 years experience in sales / customer care, looking for suitable position currently Oman on visit visa. Contact 98144691/93891423 Email: satishvelage@gmail.com

Purchase officer with 8 years exp in Oman having D/L & NOC looking for urgently placement. Contact: 96174564 email: azhar_5012@yahoo.co.in Indian male MBA 7 yrs ex in sales & marketing with Omani D/L N.O.C available. Contact: 93431039 Indian male 40 yrs MBA marketing having 18 years of experience sales ﬁled 11 years in Oman with a leading tyre trading company having Oman driving license seeking suitable placement. Contact: 94743828 Email: barretjohnr@gmail.com Indian male, 24, MB Marketing and HR, I year experience. On visit visa. Looking for suitable job. Contact 94014073 Indian male MBA holder one year experience looking for job sales & marketing & any office related with. Contact: 97138592 Email: mohammedathish24@gmail.com Marketing Executive/Merchandiser, Omani License, BA 8 years Experience in Multinational Groups. Contact 97601343

S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

HOME THEATER & KARAOKE BRING HOME - LIVE MUSIC & CINEMA GENERAL ELECTRONICS SERVICES LLC CONTACT: 99627299 / 93327841

SITUATION WANTED SALES / MARKETING Indian Male 32, MBA (Marketing & Finance) with 10 years experience in Marketing of Banking Products & Insurance Industry. Seeking for a Job in Oman. Contact: 93576980, 97750460 Email: senthil.cbe83@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Indian lady with release paper. searching for admin or accounts asst or showroom sales job. Contact 94417080 Secretary MBA Indian male 5 years exp in India, 1 yr exp as Secretary / document controller in tendering dept in Oman seeking urgent placement. Contact 91566118 / 93089367

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Masonry / ﬁnishing foreman 20 years experience NOC available. Contact: 98435309/ India + 91 9446958838 Indian male, having 15 yrs of exp in site supervising, telephone line, supervising with valid D/L, looking for job. Contact: 93931162 Mason, SH / carpenter, steel ﬁtter gulf & Indian exp looking job. Contact: 95175192 Electrician, plumber (exp gulf / Indian) looking job. Contact 95175192

TOURS & TRAVELS Indian female BSC IATA, 14 years exp in travel & tourism in Oman looking for suitable placement. Contact: 96433490 Email: indu623@yahoo.co.in Indian female 24 yrs, Bachelor in Travel & Tourism and 2 year exp in Oman as ticketing executive.GDSSabre, Amdeus, Galilio. seeking suitable job.contact- 95883404

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male, QA/QC Instrument Inspector, 8 years exp in GCC, on visit visa. # 92430370 Email: rajeshgcc.kumar@gmail.com, Indian female, MBA HR & Finance, having 1 year experience, seeking suitable placement. Currently in Oman. Contact: 96052366. Indian male 23yr BA TTM(Travel and Tourism Management) with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logisitics and Shipping Management, Experienced in Logisitics (Customs Clearance) seeking in suitable placement, currently on visit visa(Oman) Contact; 90291092 email:iyas.adhur@gmail.com Male 27, BCA, Diploma in Networking, CCNA certiﬁed engineer, 4 years experience in IT support & networking seeks job. Contact-90193811 Indian female, 27, food technologist (MSc Food Technology), 2years experience in research and development - instant foods, seasonings. Contact -93987174 email :mayacnair@outlook.com 8 yrs exp 2d, 3d draughtsman (HOLDING OMANI DRIVING LICENSE) seeking job. #93790601 Project Manager in Mechanical Engg. (M.sc.) with 8 years experience in Building Construction, oil & gas seeking job-94625598 (nima.azimzadeh@gmail.com)

MANPOWER

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male 23yr BA TTM(Travel and Tourism Management) with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logistics and Shipping Management, Experienced in Logistics(Customs Clearance) seeking in suitable placement. Currently on visit visa (Oman) Contact; 90291092 email: iyas.adhur@gmail.com

Indian male 23 yr BA TTM (Travel and Tourism Management) with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logisitics and Shipping Management, exp in Logisitics (Customs Clearance) seeking in suitable placement, currently on visit visa(Oman) contact;90291092 email:iyas.adhur@gmail.com

Indian male BE Electrical & electronics and pg in power systems (transmission & distribution) on visit, Seeking placement. Contact – 94669679 Email prsabarish@gmail.Com

Driver Cum Salesman Professional, Indian male having 7 Years of Experience in Oman Having Valid Driving License working as a Office Driver, Looking for a suitable Position, NOC available. Contact: 99680429 Email:anzarkutty1975@gmail.com

Btech graduate, 26yr male, 4 years experience as system and network engineer. Looking for suitable placement. Mob : 93125669, Email : amritrajsasidharan@gmail. com.

BE electronics & instrumentation engineer, with one year of experience. Looking for suitable positions. On visit visa. Contact-99339306, e-mail: kannanr101@gmail.com

31 year Indian male PG in HR ,with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement(NOC Available).Kindly contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com MBA(HR & Marketing) & B.Com, Indian male 28 yrs,2 yrs exp. in Qatar, having oman driving license, currently on family visa (NOC available).looking for hr, admin, assistant accountant, marketing & sales job in salalah. Contact:98138376, email: subinabraham87@gmail.com Software Engineer , Oracle EBS R-12 Technical Consultant 9 Years Experience. HRMS/ Payroll, Education, Hotel, Textile, Shipping Container Terminal. Email: sziahussain@hotmail.com. Contact 97912264 Indian male 25 yrs, MBA (Finance, Marketing), Overall 2 yrs exp in Accounts/Finance ﬁeld, On Visit Visa. Immediately available. Contact - 92989197/94786544. abdulqhizer2004@gmail.com Indian male 24yrs, B. tech in (Computer Science) 4 years of exp in technical support, sales and networking, seeks suitable placement. Contact:- 95955696, email:- mir.jak89@gmail.com Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3 yrs exp. in IT/ networking/ server support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian male, 28 yrs, E & I Engineering diploma (3 years), 7 years exp.(India, Oman, KSA) in electrical and instrumentation with driving license, looking suitable job #91051803 Iraqi pharmacist with 15 years experience as Senior med rep. regulatory affairs and Marketing & sales Manager seeking job in pharmaceutical co. Contact 96720441 Post graduate master of social work having 5 years experience at present visit visa seeking suitable opportunity. Contact 99876307 Indian female, Science Graduate, 3 year’s experience in Teaching English & Science seeking suitable placement. Also interested in Teaching Spoken English for student at any level. Contact : 96431456 / 95704814l Sudanese Manager and Accountant, master degree in Economics Diploma(Development and Planning).Egypt. More than 15 years Experience in Government Accounts..and Banking. Speaking arabic and English, skill full in M.S office, seeks suitable placement. Contact 97396088

Indian Male 23 years B.Tech Civil having 2 years experience in quantity survey and site management looking for suitable placement contact:- 95042656 Indian male, MBA, ﬁnance, having MNC 2 year experience in accounts and audit, skilled in sap, seeking suitable position. Contact : 96930855 Indian male, 26 years, With 7 years of experience in Sales ﬁeld in shipping company in “Dubai” , looking for suitable placement. Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office. Contact: 90182494, manojmallya999@gmail.com Indian male having 14years of experience in HR, Purchase Dept and Sales having Oman driving license looking for a suitable position at Salalah. Noc available. Mail. Madhuvtk@ gmail.com 32 years 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 Indian male 23yr BA TTM(Travel and Tourism Management) with Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Logistics and Shipping Management, exp in Logistics(CHA) seeking in suitable placement. Currently on visit visa (Oman) Contact; 90291092 email:iyas.adhur@gmail.com Indian male auto cad draughtsman (civil) 8 years experience .seeking for job in Dubai & Qatar. Contact - 00968-99070584 (Mct):0091-9895061474 (India) email: remluvp@gmail.com Indian Female Accountant 5 Years of Experience in Accounting Tally, Office coordination, And Admin, Currently on Visit Visa Seeking Suitable Placement. Contact: 95684179 Indian male B.Eng. in IT, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian male, 11 years exp. in accounting, knowledge in tally also. Looking for a part time job. Contact. 98983122 Indian male B.Eng. in IT, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Manager / Working Partner. Indian M.Com with 20 years Dubai experience in media advertising industry, client service, marketing, production, gifts trading, branding with D/L. Contact -93031168

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Civil Engineer 2 years experience, major experience in Road work, Culverts and structure. #97427701

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SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

Indian male be electrical and pg in power systems (transmission & distribution) with 1 year experience on visit, seeking placement. Contact – 94669679/ email prsabarish@gmail.com

Indian (Kerala) Male, 32yrs, looking for a job as Accounts Assistant/ Cashier/ Salesman (indoor), having 5 yrs experience in Oman. Currently on Visit Visa. Contact-94410485, Email: visanthvijay@gmail.com

Indian Male 33 yrs, BCA ,10 years experience(India & Oman) IT Support, System administrator/ supervisor looking for suitable Job. #95448561. Indian female accountant 5 years of experience in accounting tally, office coordination,And admin, currently on visit visa. seeking suitable placement Contact: 95684179 Indian male 23yr BA TTM (travel and tourism management) with advanced diploma in supply chain logistics and shipping management, exp in logistics (cha) seeking in suitable placement. currently on visit visa(oman) Contact;90291092 email: iyas.adhur@gmail.com Marketing or Business development-BSC in marketing 5 years of experience looking for suitable position. Contact (99522233) Indian male, 19 years oman exp. in purchase, material coordinator in building/pipe line 9yrs & factory production ﬁeld 10yrs.good computer skills & D/L & with NOC. looking for suitable placement. mr.victor2015@hotmail.com Contact: 99008101 Indian Males 32 years, Dip. In Hardware & Networking with 10 years of hands-on experience. Currently on visit visa seeking immediate placement in IT Support or relevant jobs. Good knowledge of Hardware & Networking. Contact: 9416 9341 / haripulikal@gmail.com Male Accountant Indian, B.com, 2 Year experience currently working in Oman. NOC available, doing accounts in Tally and Excel searching for suitable Job. Email: contactanand31@gmail.com / 91894487, 98789958 Electronics/Electrical/Instrumentation Design Engineer with 2+ years of experience, having a Bachelors Degree in Instrumentation Technology. Seeking for a job, currently on visit visa. Contact- 90142166 / Mail: aksafwan@gmail.com

royal castles

vakathanam, kottayam Luxurious villas in a Gated community with all the modern facili es at Vakathanam By-Pass (MC road-NH 220) Web: www.royalcastles.in email: info@royalcastles.in +968 92855909, +91 9961 11 9988 Plot for sale Shadnagar Municipality, Mahboob Nagar District, walk able distance to existing colonies, national highway and basic amenities at reasonable price. Contact – 0091 8686631669 33 Cents facing national highway kuriachira, best location for shopping complex, ﬂat, cinema theater, hospital, auditorium. Also house plots at Guruvayoor 22.0 Cents, Mundoor 5.225 & 7.070, Paramangalam 8.330 & 6.0 Nadathara by pass 9.0 And palakkal 4.450 Cents. Contact: 91637137 / 00919746573948

Looking for a part time accounting & admin job. Contact 99196621.

Indian male B.Eng. in IT, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/ Server support. Contact 92607532

NRI

Fancy villa for sale at pathanamthitta, kerala. Visit kenindi.Wix.Com/house for details. Contact 94533975 Plot, propeties for sale in prime location in pune 95272138,(+918390982975) Required expatriate partner or investor, to invest various commercial ﬁelds. For inquiry. Contact : 98209820

GOOD NEWS > Z / zhZs / >/E/

We will register LLC. trade license for foreign investors and do all actions. Contact: 92833566

WANTED Required commercial villa from Azaiba to Al Khoud area adjacent to main Roads. Contact: 92640246/91395738

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 Available office space in Prime location on 18th November Street, Azaiba Kindly. Contact: 99288664

MATRIMONIAL Kerala Ezhava boy 28 years MBA working in Oman seeking suitable alliance. Contact: 98185755 23 Years Malayalee Christian girl born & educated in Bangalore, seeking suitable alliances from well settled Keralite Malayalee Christian boys. Contact - 99494371 Muslim Girl, M.B.B.S 23 years 5’ 4” fair, looking for suitable alliance from Doctors from Kerala / Tamil Nadu. Contact: 00968 98553628 RCSC MOH Nurse 27 yrs hailing from Kanjirappally Dioces looking for suitable alliance. Contact: 92801093 / 94005802

SIT.WANTED Indian male, 19 years experience in purchase, material coordinator in building construction & factory production ﬁeld, have good computer skills & driving license and NOC. Looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 99008101

EĞĂƌ <Śŝŵũŝ DĂƌƚ͕ D ƌĞĂ͕ ZƵǁŝ KƵƌ ǇƵƌǀĞĚŝĐ dƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐ ďŚǇĂŶŐĂŵ͕ <ŝǌŚŝ DĂƐƐĂŐĞ͕ ^ŚŝƌŽĚŚĂƌĂ͕ sĂƐƟ ͕ hĚǁĂƌƚŚŶĂŵ ϱϬй ŝƐĐŽƵŶƚ ŽŶ ĨƵůů ďŽĚǇ ŵĂƐƐĂŐĞ͘

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ϮϰϴϭϰϮϮϮ Žƌ ϵϳϭϭϮϱϭϬ ĨŽƌ ĂƉƉŽŝŶƚŵĞŶƚ Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage steambath, obesity, Spondylitis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street Azaiba. Contact: 99639695 / 98342990 FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 99250777, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133. For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit:www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

CHANGE OF NAME We, Praveen Mathew (name of father as per the passport, holder of Indian Passport No. J1503334) and Reena Simon (name of mother as per the passport, holder of Indian Passport No. J1503281) having permanent address in Thanichuvattil House, Marika P.O, Koothattukulam, Ernakulam, Kerala, India - 686662 (complete postal address in India) and presently residing at the following address in Muscat, P.B. No. 563, P.C. No. 112 - Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman, hereby solemnly affirm and declare to change the name of our child Master Samuel Mathew Praveen (name as per present Passport), holder of Indian Passport No. M5247119 date of issue 16/02/2015 issued at Muscat. The name of our child will be henceforth known as Aiden Mathew Praveen (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, P. Box No. 1727, Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

RENT A CAR

CLASSES

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

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English class for Malayalam Speakers

in Azaiba and Ruwi earn in two months tion guaranteed

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

IELTS & TOEFL Academic / General Target Band 8 TQT Institute. Ph # 24480800 / 99347202

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

WEBSITE

Rental car. Contact: 92516090

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price. Contact: http//webviewoman

COMPUTER

^ Zs/ ^ tĞ WƌŽǀŝĚĞ ůĞĂŶĞƌƐ͕ Kĸ ĐĞ ďŽǇƐ͕ ůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ͕ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů ĐůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ĞƚĐ͘ ů DƵĚĂŬŚŝƌ EĂƟ ŽŶĂů Ɛƚ͘ >> ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϰϮϳϳϬϮϬ

SITUATION WANTSERVICES A/C maintenance, installation spilt A.C and maintenance window A/C and ducted and package the reunites. Contact: Asad Abbas 98667326 We are doing electrical, plumber, painting, & carpentering work any type of job small or big. Contact: 99208033 / 93782735

DRIVING

Learn driving with professional. Contact: 94022250

Water prooﬁng ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 A/C Maintenance & servicing, fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing, painting & cleaning services, electrical & plumbing. Contact: 99447257 /97014234 / 24504281 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

Marble grinding resurfacing & ceiling crystallization / polishing general cleaning of villas & ﬂats. Terrazzo ﬂoor scrubbing, ceiling, polishing & buffing. Contact: 98598280 /94134784 GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/ 24792998 Cleaning Sofa shampoo carpet shampoo house. Contact: 92179395 Debt collection services your money we collect value commercial services. Fax: 0096824783669 Contact: 009682479815 /00968- 24701422 /00968- 94665476 Email: salim@valuedbtcollection.com

House shifting & transporting. Contact 92490422 Cleaning & Carpet Shampooing, Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723 Pest Control Treatments. Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723 House shifting. Contact: 99657644/98518013

Split & window A/c servicing & maintenance. Contact : 93769089 / 95323517 Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 / 94285064 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807

*Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 3, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

TOURS

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

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

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

ABDULHAKIM AL BIMANI TRADING & CONTRACTOR Expert in Shipping cargo by sea & air to Zanzibar, Pemba, Dar es Salam in Tanzania, Burundi, The Philippines, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Reasonable price.

Contact: 97440625/95416662 Email: abdulhakimalbimani@hotmail.com

FOR HIRE Bobcat available for rent. Contact – 97623299 Car with driver available for rent. Contact: 93015630

Toyota Coaster 32 seater bus with driver available on monthly lease rent. Contact – 99705821 / brightsilverllc@gmail.com

TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact: 95190627

TRANSPORTATION

TRANSPORTATION 7 Ton/ 10 Ton- Trailer Local transport- MCT- UAE

Contact 96609857 Amir Ali

Transportation. Contact: 98505294 Muttrah to Bausher. Contact: 99022790/24712088 Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba. Contact: 91103909