Times of Oman - October 18, 2015 by Muscat Media Group

200

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

On the occasion of the 18th National Day

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ In our view, it is one of the utmost duties, as we enter this new century, that all countries should work to ﬁght tyranny and despotism, confront the policies of ethnic cleansing and the humiliation of human dignity. They should work, as well, to oppose the occupation of others’ lands and denial of legitimate rights. Also, they should strive to balance the scales of justice so that security, peace and tranquility shall be established throughout the world.

SUNDAY, October 18, 2015 / 4 Muharram 1437 AH

timesofoman.com

wtimesofoman.com

facebook.com/timesofoman

twitter.com/timesofoman

blog.timesofoman.com

R A I N A FT E R M AT H

AZERBAIJAN

Emirati found dead, four others rescued FAHAD AL GHADANI

fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: An Emirati man was found dead after being swept away in Wadi Al Kihla in the Wilayat of Mudhaibi, said a source at the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA). The source added that five UAE nationals were travelling in the vehicle that was swept away in the flood waters. “PACDA rescued four of them and had been searching for the fifth one, but unfortunately he was found dead yesterday morning,” said the source. Rescue operations continued yesterday in some parts of Oman. “We have advised public to take precaution and stay away from low-lying areas, and to avoid

RISKING LIVES: People who try to take pictures or clips of ﬂooded wadi have been condemned. -ONA

crossing wadis. But it seems some people still refuse to take the issue seriously,” said the source. Many have expressed their an-

ger against such reckless people, who try to confront the power of nature for the sake of a picture or video clip. “Such people should

And now for some good news THE HOME OF GOOD NEWS

Today the Times of Oman launches its #OmanPride campaign, ﬁttingly

#OMANPRIDE

exactly one month from the Sultanate’s ultimate day of pride, National Day Staff Reporter MUSCAT: “All we ever seem to read these days is bad news.” It’s a familiar comment from consumers of news both online and in print all around the world. And it’s true that the media’s role is to hold a mirror to the society it covers, reﬂecting both the good and the bad, the praiseworthy and the issues where matters can be improved. So why does it seem like the bad news outweighs the good? Often it’s because those engaged

in kind acts, initiatives of charity, examples of individual bravery, simply do so not for publicity but because it is just the right thing to do, and therefore are often quiet about their achievements. The news isn’t all bad of course, in the pages of the Times of Oman recently you will have read of little Basma Mohammed Faisal. The critically-ill girl is now preparing for life-saving medical treatment abroad thanks to donations from readers touched by her story. Kindness of members Or last week we brought you words, pictures and video of the kindness of members of social media group What’s Happening Muscat Oman who donated a mountain of toys for sick children being treated in hospital.

If you pour though the pages of the Times of Oman or online at timesofoman.com you’ll ﬁnd inspirational stories from Omanis and expats alike almost every day, but it is time for us to do more. And we want you help. Today the Times of Oman launches its #OmanPride campaign, ﬁttingly exactly one month from the Sultanate’s ultimate day of pride, National Day. We want you to help us celebrate all that is good in Oman and we’ll report on it with #OmanPride being our dedicated banner for good news. Share with us anything you feel promotes what’s best in the country we all call home. It can be beautiful photographs, a video of a sunset, pictures of the past. You might want to share with us a story of unsung kindness or bravery against the odds. Tell us about the things and people in your life which inspire you and why. Write a poem praising His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, pen a letter thanking the Royal Oman Police officer who helped you, lend your support in words, pictures and video to the brave men and women of the Public Authority of Civil Defence and Ambulance. >A5

Jones excited about ﬁrst visit

A4 TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

MARKET

Hiring in Oman dips as oil prices fall

Oman records lowest Big response to inflation in the GCC networking event

Recruitment in Oman has declined to a four-year low as lower oil prices take a big bite on the economy which is also expected to hit growth and proﬁtability of companies. Oman’s oil prices continue to trade just above $50 per barrel, down from $115 in June last year. >A2

ISO 9001:2008 Certiﬁed Company

Oman recorded the lowest inﬂation rate at 0.07 per cent in August among then Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The highest inﬂation rate was recorded in the UAE at 4.94 per cent in August, against the same period last year. >B1

MARKET

Hundreds of high-level business leaders are to come together once again at the largest networking event, as B2B Oman announces it is to return for 2016. Billed as the ‘most inﬂuential business networking event,’ the event will be held on February 9. >B3

be stopped by force from crossing wadis. They don’t have to risk their lives and the lives of others, including their family members

and the members of PACDA rescue force,” said Amir Al Rahbi, a Samail resident. He added that the authorities concerned should combat such actions by force. “There must be a rule enforced in each wadi, especially those crossing main roads during rainfall, to stop such motorists and issue heftier fines when they resist,” said Salah Al Hanshi, a Behla resident. Al Hanshi added that the ﬁne is not enough, but such people should be legally questioned by the public prosecution. “It is risking other people’s lives and they should face legal actions,” said Al Hanshi. A source at the ROP said it was quite difficult to assign monitoring forces in each and every wadi. >A6

HM sends greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of greetings to President Ilham Heydər Aliyev of Azerbaijan on his country’s Independence Day anniversary. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere greetings and wishes of good health and happiness to the president and his country’s people further progress and prosperity. —ONA

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE

Expatriate recounts brush with death REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: “I was swept away by the strong currents in the overﬂowing wadi (valley). My neck got entangled in the branches of a ﬂowing tree. But I was swept away from their too. For those 45 minutes, I saw death from close quarters.” Anil Kumar, 40, an Indian expatriate, narrated how he was swept away in a wadi near Nizwa at around 7pm on Thursday and later saved by Omani citizens at around 8pm. Meanwhile, Kumar’s friend Jayachandran, also an Indian expat, was swept away by wadi from his vehicle along with Anil around the same time, and his body was

recovered by police on Friday. “We were on our way back to Jebel Akdhar from Nizwa. While we entered the wadi, the water level was quite low. However, a car in front of us got stuck in the middle. It stopped us from moving further. I couldn’t reverse the vehicle because there were vehicles lined up behind me. Soon, the water level started to rise,” Kumar said. As the water level rose, Kumar and Jayachandran climbed on top of the vehicle. But due to the strong current, they were swept away. “I could see Jayachandran for a few minutes, struggling to keep himself aﬂoat but after a few minutes, I lost sight of him,” he said. >A6

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 2015 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT INSIDE

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

12,000

OMAN C O M M E N TA RY

Job growth slows down to a four-year low in Oman The private sector is tightening its belt as well, recruiting only experienced workers

is the estimated number of graduates and school-leavers in Oman every year

Top engineering convention to begin tomorrow

SUNDAY BEAT SALEH AL SHAIBANY

HAVE YOUR SAY AT TWITTER.COM/ TIMESOFOMAN OR SCAN THE CODE TO INSTANTLY POST YOUR THOUGHTS.

ecruitment in Oman has declined to a four-year low as lower oil prices take a big bite on the economy which is also expected to hit growth and proﬁtability of companies. Oman’s oil prices continue to trade just above $50 per barrel, down from $115 in June last year. Many companies in the Sultanate are cutting their costs and expenditure that force them to downsize their workforce. According to National Centre for Statistics and Information, recruitment of Omani employees increased by only 0.4 per cent in August this year compared to the month of July. There was only 4.5 per cent growth in expat recruitment in the same period. Both segments of employments have registered slowest growth since 2011. The recruitment process has been slowed down by the government’s move to cut down on expenditure as economic planners look nervously on how low oil prices will dip. The government has already put the brakes on its most ambitious projects such as the railway construction, roads, ports, hospitals and

schools. It has effectively frozen more than OMR4.5 billion worth of projects so far this year. The government is not expected to revive these projects anytime soon because net oil revenues have declined by 46.1 per cent by the first half of this year, compared to the previous six months in 2014. According to the forecast of international traders, oil revenues are predicted to dip further by the end of this year. The private sector is tightening its belt as well, recruiting only experienced workers and in select jobs because the revenues of most of the corporate houses showed a steep decline in the first half of this year. The statistics of the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) show that companies trading in the bourse suffered a sharp income fall varying from 20 to 46 per cent in the period from January to June this year. Their revenues forecast for the second half of this year is gloomy, too. Job recruitment centres say the employment market will get worse by the end of this year as companies keep pulling out their recruitment requirements by more than 75 per cent since the beginning of this year. Some of the companies which are heavily depending on government’s contracts, are now looking at downsizing their operations to keep afloat. Figures at the Oman Tender Board show a sharp decrease on the number of awarded contracts since the beginning of the year —- by more than 55 per cent compared to 2014. That shows how much the private

sector depends on government’s expenditure to expand their operations. The fear of scarcity of jobs will certainly continue in 2016. A total expenditure of OMR15 billion has been estimated in 2015, an increase of 4 per cent compared to the last year budget. With a ﬁrst half of the year deﬁcit of OMR1.9 billion, the government is unlikely to shore up spending next year with the prevailing oil prices. It would need to pull out funds from the reserves to wipe out the arrears. Then it would need to dig deep enough to pay for the 2016 expenditure, which is expected to be just enough to cover the bare minimum. It will leave little room for the expansion of employment. Jobs in fast-moving consumer goods, construction, private education, engineering, medical care, hospitality, airline and tourism would be hit hard next year. These sectors traditionally employ the bulk of workers in the country. Most of the graduates and school-leavers, estimated at 12,000 a year, plus the backlog of thousands of job seekers, will be looking for jobs in 2016, putting a further constraint on the employment market. The only way forward to ease a recruitment decline is to encourage self-employment. Past experience and records show that very little is being done in the sector of small and medium enterprises. The second option to create jobs will be for the government to borrow money to spur the economy to kick-start the stalling economic next year.

Institution of Civil Engineers’ Middle East and Africa Convention intends to provide a forum for knowledge-sharing,

EXEMPLARY: Oman is a strong example of development working

hand-in-hand with conservation. – Courtesy www.ice.org.uk/meaconvention 2015

discussion and networking

Times News Service MUSCAT: United Kingdombased Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) will host the 4th Middle East and Africa Convention in Muscat from October 19 to 21. The theme of the convention will be ‘Shaping the Future, Respecting the Past’. The event will be held in partnership with Oman Society of Engineers (OSE) and Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), under the patronage of His Excellency Dr Rasheed Al Saﬁ Al Huraibi, chairman of the Tender Board. The ICE activities in Oman are under the umbrella of the OSE, the national engineering body of Oman, and both share the concerns of engineers and the engineering sector in Oman and worldwide. Oman has put in place worldclass infrastructure, from roads and hospitals to schools and airports, and continues its march towards all-round development. This has had to be balanced with protection of its culture, environment and rich architectural heritage. Oman is a strong example of development working hand-inhand with conservation. This convention is intended to provide a forum for knowledgesharing, discussion and networking around a common theme, bringing together engineers from across the region. The convention

is open to both the ICE members and non-members. On October 19 evening, the convention will kick off at the Higher College of Technology with a Graduates and Students Papers competition. Three finalists from the region will present papers on a common theme related to the main convention theme of ‘Shaping the Future, Respecting the Past’. The aim of the competition is to stimulate interest in civil engineering among the youth and allow them to present compelling arguments to a large audience, which will question them on the content of their presentations. The following day, the main convention will begin at the SQU and will feature a wide variety of speakers from across the region, and from government and industry. A full programme can be found at www.ice.org.uk/meaconvention2015. That same evening, delegates will be invited to a gala dinner at the City Seasons Hotel where David Balmforth, ICE president, will deliver his address. On the third and final day, delegates will be taken on site visits to marvel at,and learn more about some of Muscat’s most beautiful and interesting historical sites. The ICE’s first Middle East and Africa convention was held in Cairo in 2008, Cape Town in 2010 and Dubai in 2012. The convention is both a chance for the ICE members around to attend an event in their region and for the organisation to attract new members and to continue to share its knowledge, wherever possible. It is also a chance for them to build

relationships with national engineering bodies, such as the Oman Society of Engineers and the Sultan Qaboos University. Attendees are invited to listen to and meet with local and international industry leaders. The joint planning for the convention has its roots in the signing of an agreement of co-operation with the OSE in 2014. Aside from this, the ICE is also proud to be working with its counterparts from the UK’s Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), in supporting the recently opened Military Training College in Muscat with the structuring of its new engineering courses. In addition, the ICE has recently engaged with Oman Rail through Babcock International, to assist in the development of an institutional skills framework for the railway industry of Oman. This project is part of a wider strategic objective for Oman to become a regional logistics hub, based on its geographical location and the need to support the diversiﬁcation of the Omani economy. It is also part of the planned GCC rail network. All this illustrates how Oman is taking big strides at present, both to improve and develop its infrastructure and also to develop its engineering education standards which will create a long lasting, sustainable impact. The ICE and the local organisers OSE and SQU are pleased and proud to be a part of that and to hold the 4th Middle East and Africa Convention in Muscat.

S U N DAY, O CTO B E R 1 8, 2 0 1 5 SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY SHARE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS

Share your world with us on Instagram

E D UC AT I O N

SQU delegation to discuss academic ties on Italy visit Times News Service MUSCAT: A delegation from the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) will visit some of the most renowned Italian universities from October 18 to 24, to discuss ways to establish institutional academic cooperation. The delegation will be led by Dr Ali bin Saud Al Bimani, vice chancellor, and Her Highness Mona bint Fahad Al Said, assistant vice chancellor for International Cooperation at SQU. The visit has been organised by the Embassy of Italy in Muscat and the Embassy of Sultanate of Oman SQU

Forum held for graduates Times News Service MUSCAT: A forum was organised by the Instructional & Learning Technology Department at the College of Education at the Sultan Qaboos University recently, for the graduates from the department. The event was held under the patronage of Prof Amer Ali Al Rawas, deputy vice-chancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research. The aim of the gathering was to promote links between the department and the graduates and their organisations in order to provide job and training opportunities for new graduates, share and exchange ideas, which contribute to the development process, and involve graduates improving the academic programme of the department. Dr Mohamed El Tahir Osman, head of the Department, welcomed the gathering and stressed the importance of the department and its programmes, and the relevance of the forum.

in Rome as a part of its activities aimed at enhancing cultural and academic cooperation between Italy and the Sultanate. This trip is the follow-up of the Joint Declaration signed in Rome on June 9, on the occasion of the ﬁfth ItalyOman Joint Commission, and is a part of one of the SQU’s strategies to ﬁnd new opportunities for its students, researchers and academics in various sectors. The selected sectors cover many different areas that both countries deem strategic; medicine, genetics, tourism, archaeology, restoration, Italian and Arabic languages, economy, law and engineering.

During the visit, the SQU delegation will meet with the deans and representatives of the University of Milan, Bocconi University, University of Florence (Department of Architecture), Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, University for Foreigners of Siena and Roma Tor Vergata, as well as with Prof. Marco Ciatti, director of the Opiﬁcio delle Pietre Dure of Florence (a public institute leader in the ﬁeld of art restoration). A visit to the La Scala Theatre Academy has also been scheduled to examine possible forms of bilateral cooperation in the training of opera artists and technicians.

OMAN

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015 By working together they (universities and businesses) contribute to Oman’s growth and prosperity Dr Nadiya Al Saady, Executive Director, Oman Animal & Plant Genetic Resources Center

OMAN STEREOPHONICS LEAD SINGER

Looking forward to performing in Oman: Kelly Jones SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

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

United Kingdom’s Stereophonics band, who recently released their ninth studio album, “Keep the Village Alive,” will perform at the Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa Amphitheatre on November 12. The event is being organised by Alive Entertainment and tickets are on sale at the Mackenzie’s Café & Deli for what promises to be a sellout show. Lead singer Kelly spoke to Times of Oman’s Joe Morrison about the upcoming gig and more. Q: Have you ever been to Muscat before, even just on a holiday? We have never been before, the closest gig we have done is Dubai, but I am always discussing our tour schedule and seeing places that are nearby that maybe would be interesting to play. We are looking forward to it. Q: Have you performed at any other venues that are typically

not on the world tour trail? Which was the quirkiest? It is not just about performing for expats, but taking our music to new markets and newer audiences, who have never heard us before. We played in Kuala Lumpur a while back. As a child, I never even knew where Kuala Lumpur was. Q: Where does the title of your latest album come from? Was it just for the title or does it actually take you back to your roots? The latest album is very upbeat with 10 different styles of music. The saying, ‘keep the village alive’ was an uplifting shout when we were kids, it meant keep it up, keep your spirit up and I thought it was appropriate for this upbeat album. The title of an album always comes after the album is ﬁnished, and this title came almost a year after. Only for the album, “Graffiti on a Train” did the title come before the album itself. Q: You began your careers before the advent of downloading, iPods and Spotify. Are these modern music forms a help or a hindrance for you? Is touring the only way for ar-

Stereophonics lead singer Kelly Jones

tistes to be in full control of their music now? It is a bit easier to engage with new fans because of the internet, they can easily access our music in these places through downloads etc. Places, such as Kuala Lumpur or Muscat might not have been an option for us before as fans were able to download and ﬁnd out about us. We like to win over new people and audiences. At the V Festival, we were performing in front of 16 year-olds, who were there to

SCIENCE CAFE SERIES

daughters join me as well. Nothing has really changed, we are still on a bus like we were when we started, the only difference is that now I am older I make more effort to get out and see the cities that we are performing in rather than just the venue. Q: Kelly, I understand you have two daughters. How would you feel if they came home one day and said “Daddy, I’m dating a rockstar”? I am not sure what I would think if they said they were dating a rockstar. It’s either that or a footballer nowadays! To be honest, I think I would prefer for them to come home and say they are dating a plumber! Q: Be honest here, did you really expect Wales to qualify in their group in the Rugby World Cup? Well, when Wales beat England (in the Rugby World Cup), I was sitting in front of Prince Harry so it was an even greater feeling. Wales always seem to do better when their backs are against the wall. The Wales football team is ﬂying at the moment as well so it’s a great feeling to be a Welsh fan right now.

M U S C AT U N I V E R S I T Y

‘Academic-business cooperation win-win for university, business’ Times News Service MUSCAT: When businesses and universities work in tandem to push frontiers of knowledge, they become a powerful force for innovation and economic growth, a popular programme was told. Dr Nadiya Al Saady, Executive Director, Oman Animal, Plant & Genetic Resources Center (OAPGRC) and organiser of the monthly Science Cafe programme, says people need to understand that academic-business collaboration benefits both parties. Businesses benefit from the university’s cutting-edge research knowledge, while the university benefits from the sector knowledge of the business partner. “By working together they contribute to Oman’s growth and prosperity,” Dr Al Saady said. OAPGRC initiated a new season of its a highly popular Science Cafe series at Moka & More Cafe in Al Azaiba on September 30. Supported by Oman LNG, the theme for the first session was, “Partnering Research and Business: Bearing Fruit,” featuring Rayan Al Kalbani, co-founder and executive director of Mazoon Environmental & Technological Services LLC and Wail Al Harrasi,

watch other bands, but have now experienced our music and know who we are. We have always had an element of control, signing up with independent labels. Financially, I don’t even think about it, we still do what we have always done, which is to create music and leave the rest up to others. Q: I would guess that a band like yours has made it the hard (some would say honest) way, rile against the modern Pop Idol/X-Factor obsession, but

if the TV format had existed at the beginning of your careers, would you have entered? When we started out, we used whatever means were available at the time, to promote ourselves. It meant playing at pubs and clubs and sending out demo cassettes to record labels. If the Pop Idol/XFactor format had been around at the time, maybe we would have been involved, I don’t know, it’s difficult to say. The thing about playing pubs and clubs is that you learn humility, you learn how to die. You can see what gets a reaction and I think it teaches you to pick yourself up. Everyone falls down but I don’t think they (the X-Factor/ Idol contestants) know how to pick themselves up. Q: Now that you are a little older, do you still enjoy touring and playing live or is the preference aimed at studio recording sessions? I still enjoy touring. We have people in our management team and crew, who have been with us for 19 years, so it is still an enjoyable experience to be around like-minded people. My wife and

Dr. Nadiya Al Saady, Executive Director, Oman Animal & Plant Genetic Resources Center

corporate technology advisor for Petroleum Development Oman. The OAPGRC Executive Director added: “Indeed, it’s this approach that helps develop innovative commercial products and services. It’s a win-win scenario,” remarked Al Saady. However, it is one thing knowing that collaboration can be mutually beneﬁcial and another ﬁnding out how to make more effective collaborations happen. The challenges raised by the Science Cafe audience included a lack of trust over issues, such as intellectual proper-

ty, uncertainty about the potential beneﬁts of working together, and the difficulty on both sides of ﬁnding the time for initial exploratory conversations. Commenting on the event, panellist Al Kalbani said: “We had the right people in the audience, who all shared common interests. It was a fantastic discussion and networking event. I thoroughly enjoyed it.” Noting that the success of the event could be attributed to lively audience participation, Al Harrasi said, “There were some great ideas on how to enhance local university–business collaboration. It was very much a solutionsfocused group of people, which made for a very positive and uplifting evening.” Zakariya Al Wahabi and Salaha Al Moqbali of tech start-up Technophyll, also joined the evening panel. The two young Omani entrepreneurs have developed a mobile phone cover that uses material from local plants and helps reduce magnetic radiation emitted from the phone. The panellists joined the Science Cafe audience in acknowledging the need for further collaboration between universities and businesses.

Work on track for university opening in 2016

MOVING AHEAD: Founders of Muscat University have undertaken extensive research to create an

evidence base for the development of the university so that it addresses the needs and aspirations of students and employers. – Supplied photo S U S TA I NA B I L I T Y

Conference to discuss social development MUSCAT: A two-day conference to discuss social development begins here today. The Economic Society Conference will be held at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque Conference Hall under the theme ‘Social Development between Beneﬁts and Sustainability’. The conference will discuss the major challenges facing social development in the Sultanate of Oman. It will also discuss the relationship between social development and comprehensive development to develop the required mechanism in a bid to achieve the prospective development. The conference also provides an opportunity to participants share experience of countries in the ﬁeld of achieving sustainable development. Indicators The themes of the conference will cover the indicators of social development, achieving sustainable development, social and civil organisations, governance, accountability and social policies for economic growth among other things. The themes also cover the policies to achieve the sustainable social development and the practical experiences of social development. -ONA

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Muscat University is moving rapidly from being a concept to becoming a reality. The under construction university is scheduled to open its doors to its first batch of students in September 2016, a statement said. “In recent months, several significant developments have been achieved by the Muscat University’s leadership in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education and the University’s lead consultant, Isis Innovation, the technology transfer company of the University of Oxford,” the statement from the university added. Extensive research The founders of Muscat University have undertaken extensive research to create an evidence base for the development of the university so that it addresses the needs and aspirations of students and employers. Among the many initiatives that have been undertaken to lay the foundations for the establishment of Muscat University are, preparation of a situational analysis of higher education needs in Oman involving field work interviews, visits by the Muscat University founders to highquality international academic institutions and universities in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria and the United States and hosting a workshop on “Academic Affiliation Arrangements” at the Ministry of Higher Education in Muscat by the Muscat University in December last year. “Supported by the university’s

founders, Muscat University’s senior leadership team will help ensure that the university embraces a robust and dynamic interdisciplinary approach. The university will offer numerous opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration among both faculty and students,” the statement added. Already, close collaboration with The Research Council (TRC) of Oman and the Industrial Innovation Centre (IIC) is taking place. The Vice Chancellor of Muscat University, Professor Anthony Cahalan, who is from Australia, took up his post in Muscat in early September. Prof Yusra Mouzughi from the United Kingdom has been appointed as deputy vice-chancellor, Academic Affairs and Professor Costas Chryssou, also from the United Kingdom has been appointed as the deputy vice-chancellor, Enterprise and Engagement. “Both appointees will relocate to Muscat shortly,” the statement added. Muscat University will aim to produce graduates, who will be equipped with not only the technical and professional skills relevant to their academic discipline but, equally importantly, with the personal or ‘soft’ skills that will help ensure the appeal of the graduates before prospective employers. Collaborative activities The university will also seek to offer degree programmes in engineering that include collaborative activities, such as work placements and industrial research projects, enabling the students to work as closely as possible with local and regional businesses and industry.

A further priority area for the university will be that of transport and logistics (including supply chain). Muscat University is confident that this sector represents a key growth area for Oman, as well as a significant source of employment for many years to come. The third of the university’s priority areas is business and management. Muscat University’s Executive Education Centre (EEC) will also aspire to be the foremost among such centres in Oman, educating and inspiring entrepreneurial business leaders from Oman and the wider region to create new opportunities through action. Location Muscat University’s main campus will be located at an excellent site in close proximity to the city of Muscat. Construction is expected to be completed within three or four years. The Ministry of Housing has agreed in principle to allocate a plot on the Express Road in Wilayat Bausher for the permanent campus of Muscat University and the Ministry of Higher Education has been informed of this decision. It was two years ago that the founding committee of Muscat University, chaired by Dr. Juma Al Juma, had signed an agreement for obtaining consultancy services on the project of setting up Muscat University. The agreement involved conducting relevant field studies, preparing a project feasibility study, implementation plans, formulating a quality assurance framework, as well as devising a human resource selection criteria.

S U N DAY, O CTO B E R 1 8, 2 0 1 5 SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH TWITTER PAGE

Tweet all about it

PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR SOCIAL INSURANCE

Experts to discuss recent changes in social security MUSCAT: The Sultanate, represented by the Public Authority for Social Insurance, will host the Regional Forum for Social Security for Asia and Paciﬁc, on November 2. The forum, which focuses on excellence in management of social security, will discuss a number of themes, such as the developments of social security, its trends in Asia and Paciﬁc, expanding the social security umbrella and convening the regional social security summit. The opening ceremony of the three-day forum will be sponTIMES WEBSITE

Connect A1 with us < FROM

Thank your teacher, your nurse, the people who clean the streets, build the roads, the armed forces who keep the borders of Oman safe and secure. Readers Every month our website timesofoman.com is also read by hundreds of thousands of people outside of the Sultanate, so we feel this is great way to showcase Oman and its people. Connect with us however you want, you can email us at editor@timesofoman or reach out to us on facebook.com/timesofoman, on twitter.com/timesofoman, at instagram.com/ timesofoman, or write to at #OmanPride, Times of Oman, PO Box 2998, Ruwi, Oman, postcode 112.

HAVE YOUR SAY

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

sored by His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said. The forum provides an ideal platform for policy makers, executives and directors of social security to share information and analyse the most important trends in ﬁeld of social security. Besides discussing a number of priority issues for the region, the forum will also highlight the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Good Practice Award for Asia and the Paciﬁc, which recognises the achievements made by the social security organisation in the region.

The social security system in Asia and Paciﬁc is witnessing fast changes in the social and economic environment in the different parts of the world. ISSA member states seek to improve the social security programme by adopting dynamic and innovative management approach. They are jointly committed to enhance governance and improve performance to be able to address the main challenges facing them, including expanding the social security coverage and the demographic changes in labour market. -ONA

OMAN

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015 Some of the truck drivers enter the residential areas and park under construction buildings without the permission of their owners Official, Muscat Municipality

OMAN PRIVILEGED POSITION

Musalmat village retains its ancient glory, architecture

ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT: Scholars, writers and poets have been visiting the village due to its privileged position and its attractive environment. – ONA

WADI AL MA’AWIL: Musalmat village in the wilayat of Wadi Al Ma’awil in South Al Batinah Governorate, has remained a link for many years between the villagers and neighbouring wilayats. Scholars, writers and poets visit the village due to its privileged location, its attractive environment, and the good-natured people. Some of them settled in the

village to seek knowledge, work or for other reasons. Archaeological findings Thus, the village flourished economically, giving it prominence among the surrounding villages, in addition to its archaeological finds that narrate the history of Oman up to the present day. Musalmat shares its border to

the north with Al Muraigha village. To the west, Musalmat is the entrance to Al Tawiya village. It borders the wilayat of Nakhal to the east and south. Since ancient times, locals in Musalmat have worked in agriculture, trade, breeding of sheep and camels, and pottery, in addition to silverware, date palm leaves craft, weaving, traditional

weaponry and many more, making it a destination for traders. Neighbourhoods In Musalmat, there are many old and new neighbourhoods like Al Hijra and modern residential schemes, like Tawi Al Sukkar, and the eastern scheme. Al Hijra is one of the biggest and oldest neighbourhoods character-

ised by its unique architecture. The village has a historic mosque that is based on the old architecture. The mosque has been restored. A number of imams and clerics lived in Musalmat including Sheikh Abdullah bin Said Al Khalili, who lived there for a long time. Musalmat and its people were in touch with Imam Sheikh Mo-

hammed bin Abdullah Al Khalili. One of the best known landmarks of Musalmat village is Beit Al Khandak, an archaeological structure which remains a testament to the creative hands of Omanis. It was built around 1851 on one ﬂoor. Another ﬂoor was added in 1870 and other amendments and restorations were carried out in 1921 and then in 1950. -ONA

Plan to ban scrap trucks in residential localities Muscat Municipality officials discussed the proposal of banning scrap trucks in residential areas as they act as a nuisance on roads

Times News Service MUSCAT: Movement of scrap trucks in residential areas is likely to banned by the Muscat Municipality. This issue was discussed last week at a meeting of the Public Affairs Committee of the Muscat Municipality under the Chairmanship of Malik bin Hilal Yahmadi, and in the presence of representatives of Muscat Municipality, the Royal Oman Police, and the Ministry of Manpower. The committee discussed the proposal of banning scrap trucks in residential areas as they act as a nuisance on the roads. “Some of the truck drivers enter the residential areas and park under construction buildings without the permission of their owners,” an official from the Muscat Municipality said. Officials feared that some of the drivers of these trucks could be runaway workers. “In view of

POSING A THREAT: Residents say that heavy vehicles should be barred from passing through residential areas to reduce the risk of accidents.

the current situation, we think we should prevent scrap trucks from entering the residential districts,” an official stated. Threat to children Residents pointed out that some scrap trucks also posed a threat to their children, who generally cross the roads, especially while going for shopping or to school. “Some of them drive recklessly even while passing through populated areas. The drivers sometimes do not give way to children or other pedestrians crossing the road, which is very

risky,” said Ivy, an Indian expat living on Rex Road. Residents stressed that heavy vehicles should be barred from passing through residential areas to reduce the risk of accidents. “Besides posing a threat to the pedestrians, especially children in the area, heavy trucks are also a menace for motorists. Some drivers drive dangerously and do not keep in mind (the safety of ) other road users,” they said. Sometimes, the scrap trucks are overloaded with stones, cement and other materials, which also increases the risk of acci-

dents for other motorists. During the meeting, Muscat Municipality also discussed whether it should have more public toilets. Investment “The private sector should participate in making investments (in this sector) to ensure that these facilities stay safe and healthy,” it said. The committee also reviewed quad biking places as they make a lot of noise in the residential areas. “They should be used in designated areas only,” it added.

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

< FROM

A1 ‘People shouldn’t take risks’ “There were about 65 wadis that have been ﬂooded during the last two days and deploying additional forces in all of them would not be useful at all,” said the source. He explained that there was no such mission assigned to the ROP force, but that some of the force deployed in such places had advised people not to risk their lives. “Such things can’t be enacted by force. The awareness has to stem from the public themselves. ROP has also handed out advice and tried to spread awareness among the public in different languages,” said the source. He added that

the ROP had ﬁned reckless drivers, but their power to take action ended at that point. Eight people have died and several others are missing after several parts of Oman were hit by heavy rainfall. A depression, which had formed in the Arabian Sea, resulted in heavy rains in different parts of the Sultanate, leading to overﬂowing of wadis. Sad accounts of people drowning and being trapped in vehicles in wadis have emerged after some parts of Oman were hit by a heavy downpour on Thursday and Friday. “It has been a busy weekend for civil defence officials. From the

time it started raining, they have been out rescuing people. As citizens and residents, we need to be more responsible. It is important not to ignore safety warnings that were issued as soon as the rain was predicted,” said a reliable source from PACDA. For the next 24 hours, Meteorology Department has predicted partly cloudy skies over most of the northern governorates, with chances of occasional thundershowers associated with fresh downdraft winds and hail over the Al Hajar Mountains and adjoining areas, which might extend to the coastal areas.

HEROIC EFFORT

A1 Nationals save life of an expat < FROM

“By then, I was losing my strength. I couldn’t swim. I was also thrown off by the strong currents. Finally, I got hold of a tree branch. Having held on to that, I started to scream for help, even though I didn’t have any energy left,” Kumar added. Seeing Kumar stuck in the

wadi, some Omanis took the risk and rescued him. “They risked their life and rescued me. They only rushed me to the hospital. Thanks to the Almighty and those people who rescued me. I called my family and children. They are also

thankful to those who rescued me,” Kumar added. Meanwhile, Jayachandran’s body has been kept at Nizwa hospital. “We are readying the papers to repatriate it as soon as possible,” Kumar and his friends said.

S U N DAY, O CTO B E R 1 8, 2 0 1 5 We value the role of the United Nations and thank its special envoy to Yemen, who has exerted great efforts toward achieving a peaceful resolution Rajeh Badi, Spokesman, Yemeni government

Gunman kills 5 in Saudi Arabia; IS claims attack

ATTACK BY GUNMAN: Amateur video described as ﬁlmed by activists inside the hall showed

people, including young children, crowding towards the entrance at the sound of gunﬁre before retreating in fear. – AFP

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

The assailant

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

approached the meeting hall in the eastern city of Saihat in a taxi

DUBAI: A gunman shot and killed ﬁve people in an attack on a meeting hall in Saudi Arabia on Friday before being shot dead by police, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV said, in an attack claimed by IS militant group. “A person who opened ﬁre on a husseiniya was killed, and the attacker was in his twenties,” reported government-run channel, Al Ekhbariya TV.

A resident reached by telephone told Reuters that the assailant approached the meeting hall in the eastern city of Saihat in a taxi but was stopped at a checkpoint manned by volunteers protecting the site. Police arrived and a gunbattle broke out, which the resident said injured several people and left the shooter dead. Responsibility IS, an ultra-violent group based in Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted online. Amateur video described as ﬁlmed by activists inside the hall showed people, including young children, crowding towards the

entrance at the sound of gunﬁre before retreating in fear. Series of attacks IS has launched a series of deadly attacks inside the kingdom in recent months, aiming to stir sectarian confrontation. A suicide bomber killed at least 15 people in an attack on a mosque used by members of a local security force in southwest Saudi Arabia in August and two separate suicide bombings on mosques in May killed 25 worshippers. Groups of volunteer security guards have been formed around sites of the kingdom. Some local activists have accused security forces of not doing enough to thwart the assaults, a charge officials deny. Saudi authorities said in July they had rounded up 431 IS suspects and had foiled plots to attack places of worship and security forces. — Reuters

REGION NAT I O N AT WA R

Yemen considering UN invitation to peace talks DUBAI: Yemen’s Saudi-backed government said on Saturday it was studying an invitation from the United Nations to attend talks aimed at ending a war between a Saudi-led coalition and Houthi militiamen who control much of the country including the capital. “The Yemeni government confirms that we’re always ready for and committed to peace,” spokesman Rajeh Badi told Reuters from the Saudi capital Riyadh. “We value the role of the United Nations and thank its special envoy to Yemen, who has exerted great efforts toward achieving a peaceful resolution,” he said, adding that his government would respond to the call within 48 hours. There was no immediate response to the call from the Houthis, a predominantly group, backed by forces loyal to veteran former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, whose departure Saudi Arabia helped to broker. Negotiations The United Nations could not immediately be reached for comment but its deputy secretary general, Jan Eliasson, said on Thursday he hoped negotiations to end the war could start by the end of October, despite “deep mistrust”. At least 5,400 people have been killed in the fighting in the country on the Arabian Peninsula, and the United Nations says the humanitarian situation, exacerbated by a Saudi blockade of Yemen’s ports, is “critical”. Previous UN-sponsored peace talks faltered in June after President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi’s government demanded that the Houthis pull out of cities captured since last September as a precondition for a ceasefire. — Reuters

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015 Hope, wish and pray that despite some teething troubles and electoral problems, we do as well as we expected in the Bihar elections Shatrughan Sinha, BJP member of parliament

INDIA

Modi government trying to impose its ideology: Sonia its leaders. We made the democracy strong because of which Modi today could become the prime minister. Has all this been done in last one-and-a half years. If you cannot see the progress brought by the Congress, then whose fault is it. It is yours.” The ﬁve-phased Bihar assembly poll is underway and polling for the third phase of election for 50 seats will be held on October 28.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi said communal frenzy is being created, innocents are being killed on rumours and intellectuals are being targeted, which is threatening the democratic and social fabric of the country WOOING VOTERS: Congress president Sonia Gandhi with grand alliance candidates

during an election a rally in Buxar on Saturday. - PTI

BUXAR (Bihar): Accusing Narendra Modi government of trying to impose its ideology on the people, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said communal frenzy is being created, innocents are killed on rumours and intellectuals are targeted under it rule which is threatening the democratic and social fabric of the country. Addressing an election rally here, she took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his repeated attack on the nearly six-decade-long Congress rule, retorting that her party had zealously strengthened democracy which allowed Modi to become the prime minister. “BJP government is moving away from democratic ideals. It is creating a serious threat for our democracy by imposing its ideology on the people. Communal tension is being created. Targeting intellectuals “Innocents are being killed on the basis of rumours. The way intellectuals are being attacked, they are being denied freedom to express their views. It is trying to weaken the foundation of social harmony. It is not just sad but also shameful,” she said in a reference to the Dadri lynching incident and the targeting of intellectuals.

‘Cancellation of PM’s rallies sending negative massage’ PATNA: Film actor-turnedBJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday said the “cancellation” of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rallies in Bihar was sending a “negative message”. “A situation that led our star campaigner PM to cancel his Bihar rallies at the last minute...sending a negative message???” Sinha tweeted. Sinha, who has not addressed a single election rally in Bihar so far despite having been named among the star campaigners, blamed some

Sonia also hit out at Modi for “failing” to fulﬁl the promises made by him to the public, especially with regard to farmers, women and youth. She also attacked the PM over rising prices of essential commodities including vegetables and pulses that had made the life of common people difficult.

“dictatorial” leaders in the party’s state unit for “creating the mess and an undesirable situation”. “Hope, wish and pray that despite some teething troubles and electoral problems, we do as well as we expected in the Bihar elections,” Sinha, who was cabinet minister in the Atal Behari Vajpayee government, said in a series of tweets. On Friday, he had expressed concern over the spiralling price of pulses and asked the Centre to take urgent steps to contain it.

Sonia said Modi had repeatedly said that “what has Congress done in last 60 years, that Congress has not done anything. I want to tell you all this especially to the youth that there was a time that due to colonial rule, there was nothing left in the country. “In the last sixty years, the Congress party has ushered revo-

“Dal prices touch Rs200. Urgent steps required by Centre to contain this! We have seen the tears that onion prices have brought in the past,” Sinha had said. The Bihari Babu’s comments came in the wake of cancellation of the Prime Minister’s rallies at Buxar, Paliganj and Vaishali. While JD(U), RJD and Congress have attributed cancellation of the rallies to good polling in favour of secular alliance in the ﬁrst two phases of voting, BJP has rubbished it. - PTI

lutionary changes in education, health, agriculture, industry as well as nuclear and other areas. Progress “It protected the unity, integrity and the legacy of the country. The party took the country on the path of progress and protected the social fabric for which it sacriﬁced

Reform tax structure Talking about the GST Bill, Sonia said the UPA government wanted to bring the law to help reform the tax structure in the country and for the welfare of the industry. “Today we are opposing this not for anything else but for people’s interests. Because the markets for which Modiji wants to bring this bill will increase price rise and the burden on common man will increase. The civic bodies and panchayats will lose further,” she said. Accusing Modi of promising to hear the voice of the common man, Sonia said he is neither hearing the voice of farmers, nor the women or youth “who are all suffering”. “Did he hear your voice on rising prices of dal and vegetables and how difficult it has become for women to run their households. Does Modiji hear their voice today?” Talking about farming, she said, Buxar and Bhojpur were known for it but farmers are facing problems due to higher input costs and inadequate remuneration for their produce. “Is Modiji hearing the voice of our farmers? Not at all,” she said. She also highlighted the plight of the youth saying Modi promised employment opportunities for them but did not do anything in this regard. “Forget about creating employment opportunities, as many as 50,000 Biharis who are connected with the diamond trade lost their jobs in Gujarat which has created a big problem for people in Bihar. “Is he hearing the voice of the unemployed youth?,” she asked. She told the prime minister that merely hearing the voice of people was not enough but what is required “is to feel the pain and anguish of people and resolve their problems so that they can live in peace”. - PTI

SHAME FOR COUNTRY

‘Dadri incident damaging PM more than anybody else’ NEW DELHI/NAHAN: National Democratic Alliance ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday termed the Dadri lynching incident as a “shame” for the country and said what happened after that was “damaging the Prime Minister more than anybody else”. SAD MP Naresh Gujral said here what happened in Dadri “was shameful. It was a shame for the nation and it should be condemned in strongest possible terms.” He said, “What happened after the lynching incident in UP is damaging the NDA, the BJP and damaging the prime minister more than anybody else.” Gujaral lamented that the “motormouths” were not paying heed to even Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that no action was being taken against them. “But unfortunately, no action has been taken against anybody...motormouths are not paying heed to what the prime minister has said. It is high time some action is taken against anybody so that a strong message goes all the way in Sangh Parivar that this kind of nonsense will not be tolerated,” the Rajya Sabha member said. Gujral said certain people holding important positions are “talking very irresponsibly”. They include ministers, chief ministers and fringe elements in the Sangh Parivar, he said. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Police was yet to make any arrest in the lynching of an alleged cow smuggler that has sparked outrage and condemnation, just days after the Dadri mob attack. As the police intensified its operation on Saturday to nab the accused, the family of the victim identified as Noman Akhtar (28) claimed he is not a cattle smuggler. Noman, a resident of Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was lynched by a mob on Friday while his four accomplices were apprehended by police with the help of local people after nearly four hours of chase of the truck carrying ten oxen and five cows in the forests in Sirmaur district, about 150km from Shimla. The police is trying to identify the persons involved in the attack as the mob was huge and it was pitch dark in when the people chased the cow smugglers in the forests, captured them and beat them up. - PTI

MINI TRUCK-BUS COLLISION

15 of marriage party killed in Andhra ONGOLE (Andhra Pradesh): At least 15 people, including three children, were killed on Saturday and 21 injured when a mini truck carrying a marriage party collided with a bus near Kandukur town in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh. Police said a mini truck carrying a marriage party coming from Kandukur hit the bus coming from the opposite direction. Fifteen people have been killed in the mishap after the bus caught

ﬁre, Inspector of Police (Kandukur) M Lakshman said. The mini truck was carrying 40 passengers while there were no passengers on board in the bus. Fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the ﬂames. The officer said the injured are being shifted to Kandukur, Ongole and Nellore districts for treatment. Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao also reached the spot and is su-

pervising the rescue operations, announced a compensation of Rs200,000 each to the families of those killed. He said the government would bear entire expenses for the treatment of the injured. District Collector Sujatha Sarma also visited the mishap site. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the tragic incident. He directed the transport minister to ensure that best medical treatment is provided to the injured. - Agencies

S U N DAY, O CTO B E R 1 8, 2 0 1 5 SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH FACEBOOK PAGE

Love us on Facebook

INDIA

Congress, BJP at loggerheads over appointments to higher judiciary As Congress appeared to be siding with the judiciary, the ruling BJP accused it of playing ‘petty politics’ and taking a U-turn in the wake of the Dadri lynching incident

NEW DELHI: As Government mulled over the way forward after the NJAC setback, Congress on Saturday indicated it would not support any move to bring back a revised legislation for appointments to higher judiciary after it gave its backing to the law, inviting accusations of a U-turn by the BJP. As part of its strategy to deal with the Supreme Court verdict

that struck down as unconstitutional the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, the government could also convene an all-party meeting to take everyone along on any new legislation. As Congress appeared to be siding with the judiciary, the ruling BJP accused it of playing “petty politics” and taking a U-turn in the

wake of the Dadri lynching incident. The Government is, meanwhile, unlikely to immediately rush for a review of the verdict by the apex court which overturned its law on appointment of judges to higher judiciary but would put forth its views on ways to improve the collegium system which will now return when it takes up the matter next month. “We are not going to support adventurism of the government per se,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters when asked whether the party, which had backed the NJAC bill, will support any fresh move by the government to bring a new law to give the executive a say in appointment of judges to the higher judiciary. “You have to forget the past and look ahead.. The way forward is to realize that there is a great

S U P P LY O F R A I L N E E R

Rs400,000 fake currency seized in Rail Neer scam NEW DELHI: CBI has recovered fake currency of Rs400,000 among Rs270 million recovered from Railway caterers during its searches in connection with alleged corruption in the supply of Rail Neer on premium trains. Sources said during the searches, the agency stumbled upon cash which was so huge that it took 15 hours of counting the currency with the help of three counting machines and ﬁve officials of the agency. They said cash recovery of Rs200 million was made from the residence of Shyam Bihari Agrawal, his sons Abhishek Agrawal and Rahul Agarwal who own RK Associates and Brandavan Food Product. Agrawal, who hails from Durg in Chhattisgarh, started as a small time caterer somewhere in 2004 and slowly increased the business taking the turnover of his company to around Rs5 billion catering in almost all the Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains, the sources said. They said cash of Rs10 million was recovered from the office of his ﬁrms while Rs 5.2 million was recovered from the residence of his Chief Executive Officer. The sources said CBI may slap charges of fake currency on Agrawal. They said Agrawal, who was allegedly carrying on with

SEIZED CURRENCY: CBI officials with cash amounting to more than 200 million recovered during search of seven private ﬁrms that were allegedly supplying cheap packaged drinking water (PDW) other than mandatory ‘Rail Neer’ in premium trains. - PTI

fraud of selling cheap water in place of Rail Neer since 2012 in the trains, had purchased lot of land in the national capital region and owns luxury hotels in Noida, Ghaziabad,Navi Mumbai, Raipur. Lucrative contracts They said he used his connections with the Railway officials to allegedly grab lucrative contracts of restaurants on Railway premises. The agency had on Saturday carried out searches at 13 locations in NCR which included premises of two Chief Commercial Managers of Railways and private companies which included the two ﬁrms run by Agrawal.

26-29 OCTOBER

India-Africa summit to see biggest gathering of African nations: Modi NEW DELHI: The upcoming Third India-Africa Forum Summit is “going to be one of the biggest gatherings of African countries outside Africa” and is a reflection of the desire on both sides to engage more intensively, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. In a series of tweets and later a statement, Modi said “as minds meet and hands work together, the IAFS-III could be a landmark event in our journey towards further cementing strong ties between India and Africa”. “India is proud to host the third India Africa Forum Summit from 26-29 October 2015 in New Delhi. This time the level of engagement has been scaled up significantly and we have invited leaders from all 54 African countries and the African Union. “The Summit is going to be one of the biggest gatherings of African countries outside Africa, which is a reflection of the desire on part of both Africa and India to engage more intensively in our quest for a better future. “India and Africa have a historic relationship based on mutual respect, trust and solidarity. In recent times, our relationship has witnessed progress and has grown into a mutually beneficial partnership.” Modi said Indian investments in Africa, which stand at $30 bil-

Narendra Modi

lion, have contributed immensely to job creation here. He said that in the run up to the summit, many side events are being organised. Trade ministers of India and African countries, accompanied by business delegations, will meet on October 23. A business exhibition will be organised at the Summit venue on October 27 and 29 by leading Indian chambers of commerce and industry. More than 16,000 schools are participating in various competitions organised by the Central Board of Secondary Education on themes related to India-Africa cooperation, the statement said. Modi said in tweets that Mahatma Gandhi (Bapu) and Africa shared a close bond. “Exhibition ‘Memories of Mahatma’ talks about Bapu and his connection with Africa,” he tweeted. - IANS

CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh said it was further alleged that the Railway Board had prescribed that IRCTC shall provide Rail Neer at a rate of Rs10.50 (approx) per bottle to the private caterers and the private caterers will be paid Rs15 (approx) per bottle for supplying the same to passengers in premium trains. However, the private suppliers in order to obtain undue gain, were allegedly supplying cheap packaged water, other than “Rail Neer”, available in the market at a rate of Rs5.70 to Rs7 (approx) per bottle, thereby causing gain to themselves and loss to the exchequer, the official said. - PTI

trust deﬁcit as far as Government is concerned. “That grave and great trust deﬁcit arises not from an individual act — there is a perceived assault on institutions on procedures and practices and persons which has led to a feeling that this government wants to impose its will through institutions including the judiciary,” he said. ‘Adventurism’ He also deprecated the government’s “adventurism” in subverting “hallowed” institutions. “The adventurism we have seen till now has been of subverting hallowed Institutions and certainly the judiciary is the most hallowed of them. “You may not have seen a direct assault till now but given the past record, in less than 18 months in

trying to dilute and subvert Institutions, I think it is a very fair warning where the judiciary is concerned,” he said referring to the apex court’s verdict that will bring back the collegium system of judges appointing judges. Commenting on the matter, Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said, “With the Executive having more voice, the dominant voice in the selection of judges and the primacy of the judiciary and Chief Justice of India is undermined. “That should never be allowed to happen as the Constitution is supreme, not the Executive,” he said. “It is important that the primacy of judiciary is there,” he said, adding that even the legislature takes oath under the Constitution. He also said that there is a “clear separation of powers”. BJP spokesman Sambit Patra,

however, was quick to attack Congress as he reminded that the party had supported the NJAC Bill along with all other parties in Parliament. “We should remind Congress that when NJAC was brought on the ﬂoor of Parliament, there was 100 per cent support for it among political parties. Congress, too, had supported it and 20 state Assemblies had alsosupported it and this is absolutely important as far as the decision of the polity of the country,” he added. The ambitious NJAC Act, 2014, to replace the 22-year-old collegium system of judges appointing judges was struck down by a ﬁve-judge Constitution Bench of the apex court, setting the stage for a potential confrontation between the judiciary and the government.- PTI

A10

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

PAKISTAN SUSPECTED TERRORISTS

8 Taliban rebels killed in Karachi KARACHI: Police claimed on Saturday to have killed at least eight suspected terrorists in the Manghopir area of Karachi, Express News reported. According to initial reports, the suspected terrorists belonged to the proscribed Taliban and were allegedly involved in killing a number of police ofﬁcials in the city. During the clash, Station House Officer (SHO) Manghopir and a policeman were also injured. Officials leading the operation say that the terrorists killed in the encounter were among the most wanted. Meanwhile, in a raid conducted by the Shaheen Anti-Terrorism Squad of the Police, four members of the banned Hizbul Tahrir were apprehended Saturday from Hassan Garhi area of Peshawar city. “Unlicensed pistols and several rounds of bullets were recovered from the men along with a large number of pamphlets,” police officials said in a statement. According to police officials, the accused were distributing literature for the banned outﬁt. In a separate incident, Frontier Corps (FC)claimed to have arrested 18 suspected militants from various parts of Khyber Agency. “Security forces successfully retrieved foreign currency, including US dollars, worth over Rs6.5 billion from the suspects,” an FC spokesperson said. The spokesperson added, “2,500 grams of gold along with 1,500 grams of silver was recovered during the raids, which was being supplied to terrorist networks across the country.” — Express Tribune

Energy shortfall expected to touch 10,000MW in country The annual growth rate of electricity demand between 2013 and 2020 would be about 7.8 per cent, which would push the overall power demand to 27,840MW by 2017 and 31,900MW by 2020, said the energy planning expert group of ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor POWER WOES: A view of a busy street in Karachi in ﬁle photo. The maximum capability of power plants in Pakistan in not more than 52 per cent, a former official of the Pakistan Electric Power Company said. — Reuters

LAHORE: At a time when the focus of the federal as well as the provincial governments is to minimise the gap between energy demand and supply before the next general elections, the energy planning expert group of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has forecast electricity shortfall to further increase to 10,844MW by 2020. “The annual growth rate of electricity demand between 2013 and 2020 would be about 7.8 per cent, which would push the overall power demand to 27,840MW by 2017

and 31,900MW by 2020,” said the energy expert group in a report based on the statistics provided by the Ministry of Water. Peak shortfall They further added that the demand growth would eventually swell the shortfall to 9,208MW and 10,844MW, respectively. “The peak shortfall the Pakistan power system has faced in 2015 was 7,712MW and the total installed capacity currently stands at 25,552MW. In 2017 and 2020, the

total installed capacity is likely to reach 26,531MW and 29,131MW respectively,” said the report. It further added that though the current government was organising ground-breaking ceremonies to kick-off work on different hydel, coal, solar and LNG-based power plants; their capability to generate electricity would not be more than 52 per cent. “The maximum capability of power plants in Pakistan in not more than 52 per cent,” noted a former official of the Pakistan

Electric Power Company while talking with The Express Tribune. “For instance, if the government manages to complete major power projects by the year 2020, thereby adding 10,000MW, they would actually produce a maximum of 5200MW of electricity owing to technical reasons,” he added. He further said that the actual shortfall was much more than what the Ministry of Water and Power declared, and the growth rate of demand was between 1012 per cent.

“Each year, almost 700,000 to 800,000 new electricity consumers are added to the system along with almost 0.5 million air conditioners that add 1000MW to the system.” The experts said Pakistan had to invest heavily on its transmission system as the current system is in a dilapidated condition. Even if the current government manages to add the required amount of electricity to the national grid, it will be nearly impossible for them to transmit it. — Express Tribune

INFIGHTING

PTI to open governor houses to public on winning polls: Imran ISLAMABAD.ABBOTTABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Friday that if his party was swept into power in the centre, it would open all governor houses to the public. “We will collect revenue from the governor houses instead of spending millions of rupees on them,” he said. He was addressing on Friday ceremony marking the opening of official Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) rest houses to general public. He said the government cannot collect taxes until it gains people’s trust that their money will be

spent on welfare projects, such as education and health. “The tax to GDP ratio in Pakistan is the lowest as compared to other countries of the world,” he said, adding the government is getting foreign loans instead of increasing the tax net. Carrot, stick policy Imran said the government needs to develop a carrot and stick policy to collect taxes as taxes cannot be collected until the people are offered incentives in return. He said a total of 13 rest houses had been commercialised in the

ﬁrst phase while 16 more would be opened for general public in the next phase. “We are reviving the old rest houses. We spent money on the 13 rest houses and have earned four million rupees just in six-week time,” he said. Welfare of locals Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) is being set up to manage the rest houses professionally, he said, adding that the earnings would be spent on welfare of the locals. Imran Khan said around Rs20 million of the taxpayers’ money

is being spent on maintenance of the rest houses. “The GDA would be an autonomous body and no one would be terminated from his job,” he said. Most popular party Imran said a governor house in Nathiagali is being maintained by the taxpayers’ money as there are Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel and other staff to look after it. He claimed that all the latest surveys showed that the PTI had emerged as the country’s biggest and most popular party. Talking

about the K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khatak, he said he lives in the annex of the chief minister house and his expenditure is the least as compared to other chief minister houses in the rest of the country. New thinking “We are endeavouring to bring a new thinking in the people. We want to spend people’s money on their welfare and wellbeing,” he said. Meanwhile, Abbottabad officials Sardar Bahadur and Shaukat Tanoli were barred from attending an event in Nathiagali which

Khattak and Imran were expected to attend. Bahadur conﬁrmed that he, along with the Tanoli, was not allowed to attend the event organised by Tourism Corporaton Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) at Retreat House Nathiagali. Web portal The function had been organised to formally open government rent houses and launch a web portal for the public to rent these lodges. “The decision was taken on the orders of Khattak,” he said. — Express Tribune

N O N - F U N C T I O NA L D RUG T E S T I N G L A B O R AT O RY

‘Public hospitals using untested medicines’ KARACHI: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was informed on Friday at a meeting that medicines worth millions of rupees are being provided to patients at public hospitals in Sindh without drug testing reports. The quality and efficacy of the drugs cannot be conﬁrmed. The health department officials claimed that the only drug testing laboratory of the provincial government has been non-functional for the past many years therefore they had no other option but to supply the medicine to patients without checking the quality. “Soon after we get the medicine delivery, we write to the drug inspectors to check their quality but for the last few years no one has submitted the report,” said Dr Saeed Qureshi, medical superintendent of Civil Hospital, Karachi. “We receive the medicine from reputable ﬁrms but the government lab is non-functional and we cannot afford to send the medicine to Punjab or other provinces for tests because it takes weeks to give report,” he explained. The Sindh Assembly’s provincial watchdog’s chairperson, Saleem Raza Jalbani, called it “criminal negligence” on the part of health officials and referred the case to the chief secretary’s office for inquiry. “We want an inquiry into this matter within 15 days,

The Sindh Assembly’s provincial watchdog’s chairperson, Saleem Raza Jalbani, called it ‘criminal negligence’ on part of health officials and referred the case to the chief secretary’s office for inquiry

otherwise we will drag the issue to the assembly and anti-corruption department because the health officials are playing with people’s lives,” he said. Without getting report “Four hospitals in Karachi and Nawabshah have purchased medicine worth Rs522 million. As per rules no hospital can utilise medicines without getting a report from a drug testing lab,” said Siraj Mustafa Jokhio, Sindh’s audit director-general, present-

ing the audit paras from 2009-10. “At the time of the audit, when we argued, these officials contended that in the absence of a laboratory, the local doctors have checked the quality of the medicines,” he alleged. During the meeting, the medical superintendent of Peoples Medical Hospital, Nawabshah only presented three drug testing reports before the PAC and said he had obtained the reports from the Central Drug Lab in Karachi. Health secretary Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo said his department has taken notice of the non-functional lab and work on a new drug testing laboratory is underway. “There are lots of hospitals and the existing lab did not have the capacity to deal with them, therefore we are going to establish a big and modern lab,” he claimed. Another PAC member, MPA Sardar Shah, diverted the attention of the health officials towards expired medicine being used at public hospitals. “I have given show cause notices to around 250 doctors for their negligence and strict action will be taken against those involved,” replied Mangnejo. During the meeting most of the health officials did not provide records of their expenses, which irked the PAC chairperson who suggested Mangnejo suspend the officials. — Express Tribune

S U N DAY, O CTO B E R 1 8, 2 0 1 5 SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY INSTALL WHATSNEWS

Stay ahead of the curve with WhatsNews

A1 1

ASIA

S TA N D O F F

North Korea seeks peace treaty with US

INDONESIA COMBATS WILDFIRES

An Indonesian national board for disaster management MI-17 helicopter water-bombs a ﬁre spot over Ogan Komering Ilir area, in South Sumatra province, on Saturday. Indonesia launched its biggest operation ever to combat ﬁres blanketing Southeast Asia in haze, an official said, with dozens of planes and thousands of troops battling the widespread blazes. — AFP

SEOUL: North Korea on Saturday rejected the idea of resuming talks to end its nuclear programme, saying previous such attempts ended in failure, and reiterated its demand that Washington come to the table to negotiate a peace treaty. The statement by the North’s foreign ministry came a day after US President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye said in Washington they were open to talks with North Korea on sanctions but that Pyongyang needs to show it was serious about abandoning its nuclear ambition. “If the United States insists on taking a different path, the Korean peninsula will only see our unlimited nuclear deterrent being strengthened further,” the North’s foreign ministry said in a statement. Technically at war North and South Korea remain technically at war under a truce it signed in 1953 with the United States, which led UN forces backing the South, and China, which fought for the North. North Korea walked away from the so-called six-party talks involving the United States and four other countries in 2008 and went on to conduct two more nuclear tests. — Reuters

No-confidence motion moved against Razak Monday’s motion of no conﬁdence is unlikely to succeed as the opposition is about 25 seats short of a majority, but adds to pressure on Malaysian prime minister after a report in July said investigators were looking into troubled state fund 1MDB CORNERED: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak, right, delivers a speech next to then Deputy

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin during a special parliamentary session at the Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur, in this ﬁle picture taken July 23, 2014. — Reuters/Samsul Said/Files

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian opposition lawmaker has submitted notice for a motion of no conﬁdence against embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak for Monday’s parliament, when he will face the toughest test of his political career over a graft scandal. Najib’s tight grip on his United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party has kept him in power despite public anger over alleged graft and financial mismanagement at strategic investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), whose advisory board the prime minister chairs. But that grip appears to be loosening, and his position could become precarious if he loses some crucial upcoming votes in parliament.

Monday’s motion of no conﬁdence is unlikely to succeed as the opposition is about 25 seats short of a majority, but adds to pressure on Najib after a report in July said investigators were looking into troubled state fund 1MDB and had found close to $700 million deposited in his personal bank account. Reuters has not been able to verify the report. Najib has denied taking any money for personal gain while the Southeast Asia nation’s anticorruption commission said the funds were a political donation from the Middle East. Hee Loy Sian, a lawmaker in opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s People’s Justice Party, known by its Malay acronym PKR, submit-

ted the motion, citing Najib’s alleged failure to adequately explain the $700 million. “Najib has affected the country’s image in the world and caused investors to lose conﬁdence in the government to the extent that the economy turns unstable, with the stock market diving badly and the ringgit (local currency) depreciating against the US dollar,” Hee’s motion reads. Malaysia’s ringgit is one of the worst performing currencies in Asia this year, having fallen some 17 per cent year-to-date, weighed down by slowing demand in China, falling commodity prices and political issues surrounding 1MDB. Former Malaysian Prime Min-

EALIER PICK REPLACED

Taiwan ruling party head Eric nominated as new candidate TAIPEI: Taiwan’s ruling party on Saturday named its chairman to run for the island’s top spot in coming national elections, replacing an existing pick in a move aimed at avoiding a trouncing by an opposition it fears could derail warming ties with China. The Nationalists, also known as the Kuomintang (KMT) in Chinese, drafted in Eric Chu as its presidential candidate at an extraordinary party congress, while at the same time revoking its previous pick.

Progressive Party (DPP). The DPP, which has traditionally favoured the island’s formal independence, says it believes only Taiwan’s people can decide its future. Beijing takes this to mean it wants independence. Beijing has deemed self-ruled Taiwan a renegade province to be taken back by force if necessary following the end of a Chinese civil war in 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists ﬂed to the island after being defeated by Mao Zedong’s Communists.

New start “We have a new start,” Chu told an auditorium of nearly 1,000 party members, using Taiwan’s official name. “We want to not only ensure our right to rule...but also the future of the Republic of China.” Chu replaces Hung Hsiu-chu, a former school teacher, who was approved by the party only three months ago, but had been badly trailing in opinion polls against presidential frontrunner, Tsai Ingwen of the opposition Democratic

Polls in January Taiwanese go to the polls in January to vote in a new president and a new legislature. Chu, 54, the mayor of New Taipei City, the sprawling metropolis that surrounds the capital, succeeded Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou as chairman of the Nationalist party when Ma resigned the post after the ruling party suffered a surprising defeat in local elections in November last year. — Reuters

ister Mahathir Mohamad and some leaders of the ruling party jointly demanded resolution of the 1MDB scandal on October 12 and condemned a crackdown on dissent, signalling a divide within Najib’s own party. Royal rulers’ criticism Last week Malaysia’s royal rulers made an unprecedented statement saying the government’s failure to give convincing answers on 1MDB may have resulted in a “crisis of conﬁdence”. The motion of no conﬁdence against Najib is listed as the third last item out of 28 motions for Monday, raising the chance there may be not enough time to hear the motion. — Reuters

STRATEGY: Taiwan’s ruling Nationalist Kuomintang Party (KMT) chairman and presidential candidate Eric Chu, second left, Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou, second right, and party officials raise hands at a party congress in Taipei, Taiwan, on Saturday. —Reuters

A12

T IME S O F O MAN

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

#TRENDING ONLINE HOT PICKS MOST READ

MOST SHARED

TIMESOFOMAN.COM

FACEBOOK.COM/TIMESOFOMAN

TOTAL VIEWS

TOTAL PAGE LIKES

29,003,604

239,548

1 Palestinians set ﬁre to tomb;

1 Oman weather: Eight dead,

Israeli soldier stabbed

several missing as wadis overﬂow with rains

bit.ly/palestianianisraelunrest

bit.ly/8deadwadisoverﬂow

2 Oman weather: One more

body found in a wadi in Mudhaibi bit.ly/mudhaibiwadi1morebody

Founder: Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali Chairman / Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Anees bin Essa Al Zedjali Chief Executive Officer: Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali EDITORIAL Telephone: 24726666 Fax: 24813153 E-mail: editor@timesofoman.com ADVERTISING Telephone: 24726666 Fax: 24812624 E-mail: advertising@timesofoman.com CIRCULATION Telephone: 24726666 Fax: 24818270 E-mail: circulation@timesofoman.com

3 Sohar bitumen reﬁnery to

start operation in 2017 bit.ly/soharbitumenstart2017

2 Oman weather: Lightning in

4 Ghazal singer Jasvinder

Muscat

Singh regales audience in Muscat

bit.ly/videomuscatlightning

bit.ly/jasvinderconcertmuscat

3 Oman weather: Met issues

thunderstorm warning

5 Social activist on visit to

bit.ly/thunderstormwarning

4 Oman weather: Rain falls in

many parts of Sultanate

Printed and published by: Muscat Media Group Post Box: 770 Postal Code: 112

Oman urges NRIs to help uplift underprivileged in India bit.ly/activistseeknrihelpindia

bit.ly/rainomanimagegallery

TIMESOFOMAN.COM/OPINION

5 Bear frenzy in shopping mall

in Russia bit.ly/russiamallbearvideo

TOBIN HARSHAW MOST POPULAR VIDEO

TIMESOFOMAN.COM/VIDEOS

Ben Chu

New rules implemented for entry into United Arab Emirates President Barack Obama can insist all he wants that Vladimir Putin’s intervention in Syria is a sign of weakness, but the cruise missile launch from the Caspian Sea showed rising strength, even if a few missed their targets bit.ly/russiaupenduswithlaunch

TWEET WE LIKE @AngiWelch New beanie. #baymax #bighero6 #crochet #handmade #snowboarding #skiing #winter @ Oman, Muscat https://instagram.com/p/88CDhvt-PL/

INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY

KAMRAN REHMAT

INSTAGRAM.COM/TIMESOFOMAN Firebrand PTI gave the ruling party on its home turf such a scare in the terriﬁcally close contest that most pundits are already deeming it a moral victory — pregnant with the possibility of Imran Khan’s party turning the tables the next time bit.ly/lahorebypollptipmln

DAVID LISTER «

SHARE THIS!

Economic ties in long-term interests of both UK, China

Location: Wakan Village/Photo: Soumya N Ghosh

hat’s in it for China? Why is Xi Jinping wasting his time visiting what the Beijing-controlled Global Times newspaper sneeringly described two years ago as “not a big power ... just an old European country apt for travel and study”? Ignore the propaganda. The fact is that China needs Britain every bit as much as Britain needs China – and on a host of levels. When the Chinese state tries to invest its huge stock of foreign currency reserves in Western companies and infrastructure (rather than ploughing it into lowyield Western government bonds) it often still comes up against national protectionism. An attempt by a Chinese state company to buy a minor American oil firm a decade ago was blocked by Congress on national security grounds. The Europeans are still sometimes antsy too about letting Chinese money in. But Britain has always been less discriminating. And now George Osborne has flung open the gates entirely. There aren’t many Western countries that would allow Chinese state companies to invest in their domestic nuclear industry, or their telecoms and water supply infrastructure, or their high-speed rail. Britain is actually encouraging it. Make no mistake, this helps China. China needs this UK financial outlet not only to get a half-decent return on its foreign exchange reserves, but to help its domestic firms gain valuable technical experience. China is interested in investing in UK nuclear because it offers an opportunity to test out a China-designed power station, which Beijing hopes will be sellable around the world.

Henry Tillman of the merchant bank Grisons Peak is a meticulous chronicler of Chinese foreign investment flows and he says Britain has special attractions to Beijing. “The numbers show the Chinese are more comfortable investing in the UK than in the rest of Europe because of its economic performance, more certainty over the currency and because the government here is more open to partnership,” he says. The idea sometimes circulated that we stand no where at the banquet of the great Chinese economy is nonsense. And then there are our universities. We hear a lot of about how world-beating the Chinese education system is – not least from Tory ministers. So why do so many Chinese students – 59,000 new undergraduates last year – wish to study in Britain? There’s a lot of Western angst about China’s growing economic influence outside its borders. Two Spanish journalists recently wrote a book about Chinese labourers abroad, concluding that China is engaging in “an unstoppable and silent world conquest”. This is an old paranoia. “[The Chinese] are the most remarkable race on earth and I have always thought them to be the coming rulers of the world,” wrote the Victorian war hero Field Marshal Garnet Wolseley in his 1904 memoirs. The activities of Chinese firms here need to be scrupulously regulated and monitored – especially in the nuclear and telecoms sectors. We should take a harder line over “dumping” by Chinese steel makers of their excess production on global markets – the sort of practice that helped doom Redcar. Yet the Chancellor is right to argue that economic partnership is firmly in the longterm interests of both our countries. - The Independent

READERS’ FORUM It’s our responsibility to stay away from the dangers This refers to the news story, 8 dead, several missing as wadis overflow with rains (October 17). It’s really sad to know that eight people have lost their lives and several others are missing in rain and wadis in Oman. Despite repeated warnings by the Royal Oman Police and the civil authorities, the increasing number of causalities is really unfortunate. As the rain and floods were predicted, enough safety warnings and alerts had been issued by the civil defence officials. While some people accidentally encounter trouble, others seem to be courting tragedy. Ignoring the warnings, they take the risk of encountering rain and floods which unfortunately end in tragedy. By following proper warnings and guidelines, some of Scan this QR code these tragedies could have been averted. to send letters to the Putting safety first, it is our responsibilReaders’ Forum, containing not more ity to stay away from the dangers of rain than 200 words with and floods. full name, address — P. A. Jacob, Muscat and telephone number, may be sent by mail (Times of Oman, P.O. Box 770, P.C. 112, Ruwi).

Both Daniel Craig and Naomi Harris have fallen into the trap that actors all too often fall into, becoming slightly divorced from real world, and trying in vain to convince the wider world that this glamour thing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be bit.ly/craigdismaysbondfans

PICTOGRAPH

GDP IN GCC

FROM OUR ARCHIVES OCTOBER 2000

2000-2012, in billion dollars 2000

Health protection campaign MUSCAT: The Directorate General for Health Services in the governorate of Muscat yesterday, under the auspices of Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Busaidi, deputy wali of Muscat, celebrated the beginning of the health protection campaign in the wilayats of Muscat and Muttrah. Saud bint Sulaiman Al Lamky, director general of health services, addressed the opening ceremony.

TODAY IN HISTORY

Despite warnings, some drove through the overﬂowing wadis

This refers to the news story, 8 dead, several missing as wadis overﬂow with rains (October 17). The deaths seem to have been reported in wadi-related incidents, which shows the severity of rainfall in the rural areas. Despite numerous warnings, some people were reported to be driving through the overﬂowing wadis. Each individual should comply with safety guidelines as advised by the Public Authority for Civil Aviation. — Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi

CLIPPINGS

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE Protect the welfare of your workforce through New India’s WORKMEN COMPENSATION POLICY. www.newindiaoman.com

1815: Napoleon Bonaparte arrives at the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic, where he has been banished by the Allies. 1849: Composer and pianist Frederic Chopin dies in Paris of tuberculosis at the age of 39. 1913: Zeppelin LII explodes over London, killing 28. 1972: Peace talks between Pathet Lao and Royal Lao government begin in Vietnam.

189

2012 734

Saudi Arabia

373

UAE

190 174

Qatar Kuwait

OMAN

Bahrain

104 38 20 18 9

Source: The World Bank

S U N DAY, O CTO B E R 1 8, 2 0 1 5 Troops are also trying to advance to the east of Aleppo towards Kweires military airport, aiming to break a siege on the base by IS militant group and other insurgents UK-based Observatory

A1 3

WORLD

Syrian army, allied forces advance to retake villages south of Aleppo The army and its allies retook three villages amid fierce fighting in which at least 17 hardline fighters and eight soldiers or allied forces were killed

BEIRUT/MOSCOW: Syrian troops backed by foreign fighters made advances on Saturday in their offensive to retake territory around the northern city of Aleppo from insurgents and hardline fighters, a monitoring group said. The campaign around Aleppo, which the army launched on Friday, is one of several assaults it has waged against rebel fighters since Russian jets began carrying out air strikes on September 30 in support of President Bashar Al Assad. It has concentrated so far on clearing rebel areas south of Aleppo rather than the city itself, which is home to 2 million people and divided between government forces and rebels. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the army and its allies retook three villages amid fierce fighting in which at least 17 hardline fighters and eight soldiers or allied forces were killed. Troops are also trying to advance to the east of Aleppo towards Kweires military airport, aiming to break a siege on the base by IS militant group and other insurgents, the UK-based Observatory said. Al Manar television said the army had captured the village of Huwaija, on the way to Kweires.

AIRSTRIKES: A frame grab taken from a footage released by Russia’s Defence Ministry shows airstrikes carried out by the country’s air

force at an Syrian provinces of Idlib, on Saturday. – Reuters/Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation/Handout

The Observatory said it the army was advancing in Huwaija, one of several villages where heavy ﬁghting was continuing. The army and its allies have also been ﬁghting to retake parts of the northern provinces of Hama, Idlib and Latakia seized by rebels in recent months, as well as insurgent areas north of Homs city, around the capital Damascus, and in the southern province of Deraa near

the Jordanian border. The Observatory reported ﬁghting around the town of Talbiseh, part of a rebel-held enclave north of Homs city which has faced heavy bombardment by Russian jets for the last two weeks, and a ground offensive by the army and allied militias. The monitor said that at least 72 people, including 31 children and women, were killed in the past 48 hours in the assault in Homs.

Meanwhile in Moscow, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that the aim of Russia’s military operation in Syria is not to keep Assad in power but to defeat IS militants. “Russia, the United States, and all other states that have a stake in seeing peace in this region and in Syria, and a strong government, too, should be discussing precisely political issues,” Medvedev said in an interview

with Rossiya TV channel. “It does not really matter who will be at the helm. We don’t want IS to run Syria, do we? It should be a civilised and legitimate government. This is what we need to discuss,” Medvedev said. Asked whether Syria had to be ruled by Assad, Medvedev said: “No, absolutely not. It is up to the Syrian people to decide who will be the head of Syria.... At the moment,

we operate on the premise that Al Assad is the legitimate president.” The US President Barack Obama said on Friday there was no meeting of the minds with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin over the continuing rule of Assad, and that the Syrian civil war could only end with a political solution leading to a new inclusive government. According to Russia, its air force has made 669 sorties, hitting 456 targets in Syria, since the start of the operation on September 30. The Russian Defence Ministry in a statement on Saturday, said that Russia’s air force has made 36 sorties, hitting 49 IS targets in Syria in the last 24 hours. The targets were hit in Hama, Idlib, Latakia, Damascus and Aleppo regions, it said. Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged Iran on Saturday to use its influence over Assad to move towards a diplomatic end to Syria’s civil war. Steinmeier, on a four-day trip to the Middle East, travels to Saudi Arabia on Sunday and is using his meetings to weigh up how to bring Tehran and Riyadh into talks to reach a solution to the four-year-old Syrian conflict. “My wish is that Iran uses its influence in the government and on Assad and his entourage so that we take the first steps towards a de-escalation in Syria,” he said in Tehran on the first official visit to Iran by a German foreign minister in more than 10 years. Steinmeier said he wanted Assad’s forces to stop using barrel bombs and to allow aid organisations access to people in need of help. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said earlier this month military efforts were necessary in Syria even though they would not put and end to the civil war. Germany is not taking part in any military action in Syria but in neigbouring Iraq it is providing Kurdish Peshmerga forces with weapons and training. — Reuters

A 14

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

WORLD

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY SHARE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS

Share your world with us on Instagram

Three Palestinians killed in Israel street violence The street violence, some of the worst in years, has been intensiﬁed by conﬂicting witness accounts and amateur video that has been interpreted in different ways

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Three Palestinians were shot dead on Saturday in what Israel said were thwarted knife attacks in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank as tensions ran high after more than two weeks of unrest. At least 40 Palestinians and seven Israelis have died in the street violence, which was in part triggered by Palestinians’ anger over what they see as increased Jewish encroachment on Jerusalem’s

GRIEF STRICKEN: Relatives of Palestinian Mahmoud Hmead, 22, who was killed by Israeli troops in Friday’s clashes, mourn during his funeral in Gaza on Saturday. - Reuters

Al Aqsa mosque compound. There were contradictory accounts of one of the shootings, near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank city of Hebron. Israel said a Palestinian attempted to stab an Israeli civilian, who was carrying a gun and then shot and killed the attacker. But a Palestinian man told Reuters that his daughter, a high school student, witnessed the shooting and said it happened when Jewish settlers attacked an unarmed Palestinian.

In a neighbourhood around East Jerusalem, Israeli border police had stopped to question a 16-year-old Palestinian walking in “a suspicious manner”, a police spokesman said. The teenager drew a knife and tried to stab the officers, who shot him dead, the spokesman said. Also in Hebron, a Palestinian woman stabbed an Israeli border policewoman, cutting her hand, a police spokesman said. The policewoman shot the attacker, he said.

Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas to discuss ways to end the violence

The Palestinians killed in the last two weeks have included knife-wielding assailants and protesters shot by Israeli forces during rock-throwing confrontations. The seven Israelis have died in random attacks in the street or on buses. The violence has mostly occurred in Jerusalem and the West Bank but it has also erupted along the Gaza-Israel border. On Saturday Israel’s army defused a rocket it said had been ﬁred by Gaza overnight, landing in an open area.

The street violence, some of the worst in years, has been intensified by conflicting witness accounts and amateur video that has been interpreted in different ways. In some cases, witnesses gave accounts that were later shown by video footage to be false. Israel says it is keeping the status quo at the holy compound. Peace talks collapsed in 2014 over Israeli settlement-building in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas Palestinians seek for a state, and after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas angered Israel by reaching a unity deal with the group Hamas in Gaza. The last major confrontation was the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas in 2014, which left large sections of Gaza destroyed. Around 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, and 73 Israelis, most of them soldiers, were killed. The United States has stepped up efforts to try to restore calm to the region. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abbas to discuss ways to end the violence. Kerry and Netanyahu are due to meet next week in Germany. - Reuters

UNAUTHORIZED FLIGHTS

US to announce drone registry initiative plan WASHINGTON: The Obama administration, faced with a surge in unauthorized drone ﬂights, will announce a new initiative on Monday aimed at registering the owners of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The announcement is expected to be made by US Treasury Secretary Anthony Foxx and Michael Huerta, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, at a news conference attended by members of the drone industry. Two sources who were informed of the plan said the administration will announce the formation of an independent advisory committee with the goal of creating the structure of a federal drone registry by December. Administration plans for a new registry were ﬁrst reported on Friday by NBC News. The expected initiative represents the administration’s effort to address the rising number of unauthorized drone sightings near airports and crowded public venues. The Federal Aviation Administration has reported more than 650 unauthorized drone sightings so far this year, as of August 9, compared with 238 for all of 2014. If sightings continue at that rate, the number would near 1,100 by the year end. - Reuters

COLOGNE

German city mayor candidate stabbed in anti-refugee attack

WOUNDED: Police have placed a marker at the spot where candidate Henriette Reker was stabbed in Cologne, Germany on Saturday. - Reuters

BERLIN: An independent candidate running for mayor of the German city of Cologne was stabbed in the neck and severely wounded on Saturday in an attack that police said appeared to be motivated by her support for refugees. Henriette Reker and an aide were both severely injured by the attacker, a 44-year-old man, while campaigning in the western German city, police said. Three other people were also wounded, though not seriously. Norbert Wagner, head of the police criminal investigation unit in Cologne, said the attack on Reker was “targeted and deliberate”. “In his plea, he said that he committed this act out of xenophobic motivation,” Wagner told a news conference. “From our initial investigations, we have ascertained that he probably acted alone. So far, we have no knowledge of other people taking part in this sad act,” Wagner added. Cologne police chief Wolfgang Albers said Reker has been in-

volved in supporting and helping to house refugees in the city. “At the moment she is stable but not out of the woods yet,” he added. Germany, a favoured destination for migrants, expects 800,000 to a million new arrivals this year. Many Germans feel the country cannot cope with the record inﬂux. Police said the attacker stabbed Reker and her aide at around 9am(0700 GMT) at an information stand for the Christian Democrats (CDU), Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party. The other three people were injured immediately afterwards. Eyewitnesses said the attacker went straight for Reker. “She had arrived here just a few minutes before...She was talking to two other party members when it happened,” Bernd Petelkau, a local CDU official, said. Reker is running as an independent but is supported by the CDU, the Free Democrats and the Greens. Cologne is due to hold elections for mayor on Sunday. - Reuters

G R OU N D O P E R AT I O N

Three soldiers, 28 Kurdish militants killed in Turkey DIYARBAKIR (Turkey): Three soldiers and 28 Kurdish militants have been killed in air strikes and clashes over the past two days in Turkey’s predominantly Kurdish southeast, the military said on Saturday, two weeks before an election. The soldiers were killed in clashes with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in Daglica, in the province of Hakkari, where six others were wounded. The military said it had killed 17 PKK members in a ground operation,

which it said was still continuing, to ﬂush out the attackers. “One of the soldiers martyred in Daglica is the battalion commander. Operations are continuing,” President Tayyip Erdogan told reporters during a trip to northern Cyprus. “Operations will continue until peace is attained. It is the job of the state to protect its citizens and the country.” Security sources said the operation around Daglica included special forces units and air support. - Reuters

S U N DAY, O CTO B E R 1 8, 2 0 1 5 Hungary said it had reinstated border controls on its frontier with Slovenia, effectively suspending Europe’s Schengen system of passport-free travel.

Terminally ill man announces date of his death Simon Binner, 57, from Surrey, said he plans to die in the Eternal Spirit clinic in Basel on Monday NEURODEGENERATIVE CONDITION: Simon Binner and his wife

Debbie Binner. – Simon Binner, via YouTube/The Independent

LONDON: A terminally ill man has announced the date of his death on LinkedIn, just days before he plans to travel to Switzerland in order to end his life surrounded by his family. Simon Binner, 57, from Surrey, said he plans to die in the Eternal Spirit clinic in Basel on Monday following his diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease on 7 January. “I died in Switzerland with Eternal Spirit on Mon 19 Oct 2015 and my funeral was on Fri 13 Nov 2015,” Binner’s proﬁle on the website, mainly used for professional networking, reads. “As I was driven home I had already decided what I would gladly have to do when my time was upon me. “My MND accelerated very rapidly. The sawbones initially thought I would last until 2017/2018, but they were mistaken - no worries, it’s an inexact science.” In the same post, Binner writes there is “nothing positive” to say about his disease. “I don’t recommend MND! Better to have one massive fatal stroke or be killed instantly by a drunk driver! There is nothing that I can say that’s positive about MND,” the proﬁle’s section titled ‘Patient’ reads.

Motor Neurone disease is a neurodegenerative condition where specialist nerve cells in the brain stop working, causing a rapid loss of muscle control. There is no known cure. The businessman, educated at Cambridge, also said his funeral will be held next month. In a collection of videos posted on a Facebook page detailing his disease and condition, Binner criticised the UK law preventing assisted suicide, calling it “nonsense.” “I don’t want to go Switzerland to die there,” he said in the video, his speech slurred as a result of his disease. “I don’t want to go to hospital...I want to be here for Christmas but I can’t be here.” Debbie Binner, 51, said her husband’s condition was like “waking up to a nightmare every day.” Binner’s wife of 14 years said her husband had changed from a

“high energy workaholic” with a “huge group of friends” to being unable to care for himself in just “seven months.” In a video ﬁlmed with the law ﬁrm Bindmans LLP and the British Humanist Association (BHA) Mrs Binner said her husband believed “very strongly” he should have a “legal right” to end his own life. “Simon feels that if that was available in the UK he may well want to stay alive longer. Christmas would be lovely for us to have,” she said. Andrew Copson, BHA chief executive, said Mr Binner’s case highlighted the need for a change in the current law, which would allow him “and others like him” to “have more time to spend time their loved ones before their condition becomes intolerable for them.” “The current law heaps unnecessary suffering and trauma on to families like the Binners.” — Agencies

REFUGEE CRISIS

Migrants diverted to Slovenia after Hungary closes border OPATOVAC (CROATIA)/LJUBLJANA: Migrants streaming across the Balkans reached Slovenia on Saturday, diverted overnight by the closure of Hungary’s border with Croatia in the latest demonstration of Europe’s disjointed response to the flow of people reaching its borders. Hungary’s right-wing government declared its southern frontier with Croatia off limits to migrants, blocking entry with a metal fence and razor wire just as it did a month ago on its border with Serbia. Croatia began directing migrants west to Slovenia, which said some 300 had arrived and would be registered before continuing their journey to Austria and Germany, the preferred destination of the vast majority, many of them Syrians fleeing war. But their movement had slowed visibly, with dozens of buses lined up at Serbia’s border with Croatia through the night and into Saturday as Croatian police controlled their entry, a Reuters reporter said. Slovenia suspended rail traffic with Croatia. Aid agencies are concerned about backlogs of migrants building in the Balkans, battered by autumn winds and rain as temperatures drop before winter. Hungary said it had reinstated border controls on its frontier with Slovenia, effectively suspending Europe’s Schengen system of passport-free travel. Both Slovenia and Hungary are part of the Schengen Area while Croatia is not. A government spokesman said Budapest had taken the step because “migrants appeared” on the Slovenian side of the border. Keeping the doors open Slovenia, a small country of two million people, says it can accommodate up to 8,000 migrants per day. Both Ljubljana and Zagreb say they will not restrict the flow so long as Austria and Germany keep their doors open. Hungary says it is duty-bound to secure the borders of the European Union from migrants, it says, the prosperity, security and “values” of Europe. Budapest is among several ex-Communist

Children among 12 migrants drown off Turkish coast AYVACIK (TURKEY): Twelve migrants thought to be from Syria and Afghanistan, including four children and a baby, drowned off the coast of Turkey as they tried to reach the Greek island of Lesbos, the Turkish coastguard said on Saturday. Reuters television footage showed bodies covered by plastic sheeting being brought ashore on a coastguard vessel near the Turkish town of Ayvacik, a few kilometres (miles) from the Greek island of Lesbos. Rescued A coastguard official said 23 people had been rescued, some by a Turkish ﬁshing boat. “The coastguard made an announcement saying a boat carrying Syrian migrants had sunk... and we went to the area to help them. We pulled out six bod-

SCAN THIS TO VISIT

ARTICLE, VIDEO, PHOTO GALLERY W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N .C O M

members of the EU that oppose an EU plan to share out 120,000 refugees among its members. That is only a small proportion of the 700,000 migrants expected to reach Europe’s shores by boat and dinghy from North Africa and Turkey this year. At a summit in Brussels on Thursday, the EU offered Turkey a possible three billion euros ($3.4 billion) in aid and the prospect of easier travel visas and “reenergised” talks on joining the

ies,” ﬁsherman Sezer Simsek said, adding his boat had been able to rescue four people. Thousands of refugees, mostly from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, make daily attempts to cross the Aegean Sea from nearby Turkey, a short but perilous trip by boat, often in rough seas. Almost 400,000 people have arrived in Greece this year, according to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, overwhelming the crisisstricken government’s ability to cope. European Union leaders agreed this week to offer Turkey cash, easier visa terms and a “re-energised” consideration of its EU membership bid, in an effort to secure cooperation on encouraging Syrian refugees not to head to Europe and deterring economic migrants from Asia. — Reuters

bloc if it would help stem the ﬂow of migrants across its territory. But Hungary said this fell short of Budapest’s demands, which include formation of a common force to protect the borders of Greece, where most migrants arrive across the Aegean Sea from Turkey before heading north through Macedonia and Serbia. Asked what would happen if Germany was to close its doors, Croatia’s interior minister warned of a “domino effect”. “It will be a lot of trouble for all countries and I cannot predict what will happen in this situation,” Ranko Ostojic, speaking in English, told reporters at a migrant camp in the eastern Croatian village of Opatovac. — Reuters

WORLD

A1 5

A16

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

WORLD

Tablet lovers add dd us on Google +

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY ADD IN GOOGLE+

Typhoon Koppu to hit Philippines Authorities cancelled ﬂights and urged people to move to safer ground

MANILA: Philippine authorities cancelled ﬂights and urged residents and tourists to move to safer ground on Saturday as a powerful typhoon approached northeastern parts of the main island of Luzon. With winds of up to 160 kph (99 mph), typhoon Koppu is about 300 km (185 miles) east of Baler in Aurora province, moving west and due to make landfall in the next 12

to 18 hours. Disaster agency officials said about 300 people living in vulnerable coastal or low-lying areas had already sought shelter due to the risk of ﬂoods, landslides and storm surges of up to 2 metres (6.5 ft). “We are asking 2,000 foreign and local tourists, most of them surfers, to abandon seaside resorts and go to safer areas,” Gabriel Lla-

ve, a Baler municipal disaster official, told radio station dzMM. Rain had already started in Manila though winds are not expected to be strong enough in the capital to cause damage. The weather bureau said ferries and ﬁshing boats should also seek shelter or stay in port with a risk of the storm generating large sea swells. AccuWeather, a weather infor-

mation provider, said Koppu could drench large areas of rice-growing Luzon with between 300 to 600 mm (12 to 24 inches) of rain and cause life-threatening ﬂooding and mudslides. Airport authorities have grounded 14 domestic ﬂights, while the Coast Guard has suspended a search for a missing yacht with four on board in the South China Sea.

On Friday, President Benigno Aquino appealed on television to people not to panic and to make preparations. The last time Aquino made a televised appeal was in 2013, the day before super typhoon Haiyan struck the central Philippines, killing more than 6,300 people and leaving millions homeless. An average of 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year. — Reuters

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2015

MARKE

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH THE VIDEO

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

Oman registers lowest inflation in Gulf region When compared to the same month last year, the prices of the ‘food and beverage’ group increased in August, 2015 in most

INFLATION BITES: The highest inﬂation rate was recorded in the

of the GCC countries

United Arab Emirates at 4.94 per cent in August, against the same period last year. - Times ﬁle picture

MUSCAT: Oman recorded the lowest inflation rate at 0.07 per cent in August among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. The highest inflation rate was recorded in the United Arab Emirates at 4.94 per cent in August, against the same period last year. Among the GCC members, the highest inflation rate was recorded in the UAE, followed by Kuwait at 3.84 per cent, Saudi Arabia at 2.1 per cent, Bahrain at 1.7 per cent, Qatar at 1.2 per cent, and the Sultanate at 0.07 per cent. General index When compared to the general index of July 2015, the August 2015 shows an increase in the UAE by 0.92 per cent, Bahrain by 0.6 per cent, Qatar by 0.5 per cent, Saudi 0.4 per cent, Kuwait by 0.29 per cent. However, Oman witnessed a fall of 0.14 per cent. Compared to the same month last year, the prices of the ‘Food and beverage’ group increased in August, 2015 in most of the GCC countries: in Kuwait by 5.62 per cent, followed by Bahrain 2.9 per cent, Saudi Arabia 2.1 per cent, Qatar by 1.9 per cent, and the UAE by 0.64 per cent. In contrast, prices of this group fell in Sultanate by

AUGUST FIGURES

UAE

4.94 per cent

Kuwait

3.84 per cent

Saudi Arabia 2.1 per cent

Bahrain

1.7 per cent

Qatar

1.2 per cent

Oman

0.07 per cent

0.89 per cent. In August, 2015, the ‘Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels’ group showed an overall increase across all GCC member the states compared to the same month last year. Rising by 9.85 per cent in the UAE, followed by Kuwait by 6.54 per cent and 3.9 per cent in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain by 2.3 per cent, Qatar by 2.2 per cent and the Sultanate by 0.42 per cent. ‘Transport’ group The ‘Transport’ group also recorded an increase in most GCC countries during the month of August, 2015 compared to the

same month of the previous year. As the transport prices rose in the UAE by 10.72 per cent, Qatar by 2.6 per cent, Saudi Arabia by 1.7 per cent, Kuwait by 0.40 per cent, and Sultanate by 0.32 per cent, In contrast, prices of this group fell in Bahrain by 0.5 per cent. ‘Education’ group The data showed that the highest price rises among the main expenditure groups by country in August, 2015 compared to the same month last year were as follows: The ‘Education’ group in both Qatar and the Sultanate by 11.1 per cent and 4.49 per cent respectively, followed by ‘Transport’ group in the UAE by 10.72 per cent. The ‘Restaurants and hotels’ group in Kuwait by 6.88 per cent, the ‘Health’ group in Bahrain by 4.5 per cent, and ‘Clothing and footwear’ group in Saudi Arabia by 4.1 per cent. On the other hand, the data indicated that the largest price decreases among the major expenditure groups in each of the GCC countries in August 2015 compared to the same month last year were as follows: the ‘Clothing and footwear’ group in the UAE and Kuwait by 3.92 per cent, and 1.77 per cent respectively. - ONA

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

MARKET SEMINAR

KPMG updates finance professionals on Oman tax law Times News Service MUSCAT: KPMG hosted a full day tax seminar recently at the Grand Hyatt to provide finance professionals with an update on current global and Omani tax issues and developments. Ashok Hariharan, partner and head of tax for Middle East and South Asia, mentioned that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) had on October 5, presented its finance package of suggested reforms to international tax rules which were also endorsed by the G-20 countries. The OECD/G20 base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) project was set up to suggest ways govern-

ments could close gaps in existing international rules that allowed corporate proﬁts to be artiﬁcially shifted to lower tax environments where minimal or no economic activity takes place. Saudi Arabia He drew attention to the countryby-country reporting requirements which will provide tax authorities globally with much more detailed information on the company structure, the supply chain, the level of economic activity in various locations and level of profits retained in all these locations. Ashok also mentioned that Saudi Arabia, being part of the G20, would Ashok Hariharan, partner and be implementing these rules. It was head of tax for Middle East and most likely that other countries in South Asia. – Supplied picture

like value added tax (VAT). Introducing VAT will not be an easy decision but may eventually be required. If the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are unable to agree on introducing VAT in the near future, it is possible that Oman in conjunction with some of its neighbours, may introduce VAT on their own. This will take at least another 18 months to be implemented. Real-life situations The tax seminar attracted ﬁnance professionals from a wide range of industry sectors and the feedback received from participants was positive as the seminar had adopted a new style of presenting technical issues by using real-life situ-

ations experienced by tax payers. The case studies included a range of domestic and international scenarios looking at both the early tax planning issues as well as issues faced in responding to assessments by the Tax department. Some of the issues covered included withholding tax which attracted maximum enquiries from the delegates, secondment of employees, special economies zones and customs duties. This seminar was presented by KPMG’s Tax Management group. KPMG has been providing tax services in Oman for over 40 years. Their tax practice is led by Ashok Hariharan who has experience of dealing with taxes in Oman and in the region for close to 30 years.

Muscat bourse records fall in trading volume

AV I AT I O N

India’s IndiGo seeks to raise up to $500 million in public offer MUMBAI: InterGlobe Aviation, owner of India’s biggest carrier IndiGo, seeks to raise as much as Rs32.68 billion ($500 million) in an initial public offering (IPO), the company said in a newspaper advertisement. The Mumbai-based company plans to offer shares at Rs700 rupees to Rs765 apiece, according to an advertisement in ‘The Financial Express’ on Saturday. The offering will start October 27. Low fares and economic growth

the region including Oman would also be keen to apply the new principles in their countries. He said that with the falling oil prices and the consequent budgetary pressures, the tax authorities in Oman were exploring ways to enhance government revenues from taxes. Corporate taxes were budgeted to increase by 25 per cent in 2015. There would be pressures to maintain the same level of tax revenues in 2016 with the likely fall in 2015 proﬁts particularly of companies whose revenues are linked to oil prices. Some of the measures the government could take range from an increase in corporate tax rates, widening the scope of withholding tax, to considering new sources of tax

that boosted incomes over the past decade helped IndiGo find firsttime flyers and become the biggest airline in the world’s second-most populous nation. Bharti Infratel offer The share sale will be India’s largest initial public offeringsince September 2012, when Bharti Infratel raised Rs40.8 billion, compiled data shows. The offering, which will close on October 29, would value Inter-

Globe at about $4.2 billion at the top end of the marketed range. InterGlobe will sell as much as Rs12.72 billion worth of new shares in the deal, while existing investors are offering as many as 26.1 million shares, according to the company’s red herring prospectus. Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley are leading the offering. Barclays, Kotak Mahindra Bank and UBS are also working on the share sale. - Bloomberg News

Market has been affected during the current year by a number of factors, most notably the drop in oil prices in global markets WEAK SENTIMENT: The lowest trading volume at OMR68.2 mil-

MUSCAT: Total trading volume on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) in the first nine months of this year stood at OMR946.5 million, a fall of 44.7 per cent from OMR1.7 billion for the same period of last year. The market has been affected during the current year by a number of factors, most notably the drop in oil prices in global markets, which led to poor liquidity in the financial markets and the decline in foreign investments in the financial markets. Among different months, February recorded the best trading volume at OMR176.6 million, followed by March with OMR129.4 million, driven by investor demand for shares to benefit from the dividends of listed companies

lion was recorded in September due to weak investor sentiment because of continued decline in stock prices.

in the market. Lowest in September September recorded the lowest trading volume at OMR68.2 million due to weak investor sentiment because of continued decline in stock prices. In comparison to the ﬁrst and second quarters, the third quarter recorded the lowest trading volume at OMR239.1 million, compared to OMR411.3 million and OMR296 million in the ﬁrst and second quarters, respectively. By the end of September, the main index of MSM closed at 5,787 points, a decline of 556 points from its level at the end of

last year, which was 6,343 points. The market capitalisation of listed companies in September grew by OMR29.4 million to touch OMR14.59 billion, beneﬁting from the inclusion of a number of new releases in the market stocks and bonds, in addition to the establishment of several companies to raise their capital after the dividend approved by the annual general assemblies. – ONA

HAVE YOUR SAY

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

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

MARKET $10 BILLION PORT

BUSINESS EVENT

Tremendous response to largest networking event in the Sultanate Times News Service MUSCAT: Hundreds of highlevel business leaders are to come together once again at the largest networking event in the Sultanate, as B2B Oman announces it is to return for 2016. Billed as the ‘most inﬂuential business networking event in Oman,’ the event will be held on February 9, with this year’s special theme being ‘Leadership.’ This integral event is being organised by the joint efforts of representatives from not-for-proﬁt business councils in Oman, including the British Business Forum, the Muscat American Business Council, the European Business Persons Group and the Australian Business Group in Oman. B2B’s mission is to provide an informal, informative platform for business leaders, ambassadors, investors, young professionals and entrepreneurs to share

PICTURE FROM THE PAST: More than 500 high-level leaders attended B2B in February 2015,

and organisers say numbers are expected to exceed that for 2016. – Supplied picture

knowledge, resources and contribute to better business opportunities in Oman. Bank of Beirut Oman is once again partnering with B2B. More than 500 high-level leaders attended B2B in February 2015, and organisers say numbers are

expected to exceed that for 2016. “As a small business community, it is imperative that Oman business leaders join together to support each other in these uncertain times. We are facing competition from other businesses in the region. We have to work

Omani companies urged to invest in India’s textile ﬁeld Textiles are an important part of India’s exports to the Sultanate. India has welcomed Omani investments in this industry, which offers a lot of jobs

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Omani companies have been encouraged to invest in India’s textile sector, which is the second largest employer in that country, offering direct employment to around 35 million people. Textiles are an important part of India’s exports to the Sultanate and India ‘absolutely’ welcomes Omani investments in this industry, Indra Mani Pandey, India’s ambassador to the Sultanate, told Times of Oman. He made the comments at an exhibition entitled ‘Vastram -Splendid World of Indian Tex-

tiles’, featuring more than 30 traditional Indian textiles and a large site-speciﬁc installation in three categories of painted/printed, woven/non-woven, embroidery and embellishments. The collection of Indian Council of Cultural Relations, put together by Shelly Jyoti, an artist, fashion designer and poet, was inaugurated at Oman Avenues Mall on Thursday as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of India-Oman diplomatic ties. The exhibition runs until October 25. “Recently, there was OmanIndia Investment Meet and in two months’ time, we are going to organise another investors’ meet. We very much welcome Omani companies to go and invest in India, and we are ready to facilitate it,” the ambassador said. Asked about the Indian-Omani joint ventures involved in the textile industry, Pandey said that there are 1,500 joint ventures between the two countries and there must be many textile-oriented ones among them. “There is one which is being created in Salalah,” he added. Omani investment Mohamed Al Riyami, former assistant to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s adviser at the Ministry of Information, also encouraged Omani companies to invest in the textile sector in India. “I think Omani investors should go to India and invest but

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

get these items into Oman and put them for sale in Oman,” he told Times Business. Al Riyami said that the exhibition provided a ‘unique experience’ and expressed hope that an exclusive Indian textile exhibition will be held in future, where the items would be put on sale. India-Oman diplomatic ties are 60 years old, but bilateral cultural and trade relations between the two countries have existed since 5,000 years ago, he said. The Sultanate of Oman is going to be a big commercial centre in the Middle East, Al Riyami noted, encouraging more investment from India in various parts of the country. Second largest employer In a speech at the inauguration of the exhibition, the Indian ambassador said that the textile industry is the second largest employment generating sector in the country, providing direct employment to about 35 million people and indirect employment to millions more. Textiles have been an ‘integral part’ of the development of India’s civilisation and it was the evolution of the textile industry on the river banks that formed the basis of the development of India’s society and economy, Pandey noted. He said that the purpose of the exhibition is to showcase this diversity to the people of Oman and the Indian community.

together to maintain the momentum B2B started in 2014,” said Garry Friend, general manager of the Grand Hyatt, Muscat. For more information contact enquiries@back2businessoman. com or visit www.back2businessoman.com

Tanzania starts work on port backed by Sultanate BAGAMOYO (Tanzania): Tanzania started construction work on a $10 billion port and special economic zone on Friday, a project backed by China and Oman that aims to transform the East African country into a regional trade and transport hub. The port, which will be Tanzania’s biggest, is being built at Bagamoyo, 75km (47 miles) north of Dar-es-Salaam — the commercial capital that is currently the site of the country’s main port, which is operating beyond its capacity with limited space for expansion. President Jakaya Kikwete attended a groundbreaking ceremony and said construction of phase I of the project would take three years. “The construction of the Bagamoyo port and a special economic zone is aimed at realising the government’s goal of bringing about an industrial revolution in Tanzania,” he said. Government officials said the port would be able to handle me-

ga-ships - with a container vessel size of 8,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) — after the first phase was completed, with room for expansion. Ten years completion time The whole project including roads, railways and the economic zone is expected to take 10 years to complete, but it was unclear in how many phases it will be carried out. The project is financially backed by China Merchants Holdings (International), China’s largest port operator, and Oman’s State General Reserve Fund. The Chinese firm will handle much of the construction work. Tanzania is East Africa’s second-biggest economy after Kenya, and cargo volumes at the existing Dar es Salaam port are expected to rise as much as 25 per cent this year to 18 million tonnes. The World Bank said last year that inefficiencies at Dar-es-Salaam cost Tanzania and its neighbours up to $2.6 billion a year. - Reuters

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

FEATURE

WAL-MART PLANS BUSINESS REVAMP

al-Mart Stores may look to shut some of its massive US stores and exit poor-performing markets overseas to help revive growth after the retailer warned of an unprecedented decline in earnings next year. Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon told investors this week that he is reviewing the company’s portfolio across the globe and will “close stores that should be closed.“ The retailer has already been selling off businesses that are not core to its operations, such as a restaurant chain in Mexico and a property company in Chile. The question now is how aggressive McMillon will get, analysts said on Thursday. The company could start by shutting some of its underperforming supercenters, but it could look to exit whole businesses and countries. That includes Brazil, where the retail chain has struggled. Its warehousestyle Sam’s Club chain is another option, said Ken Perkins, a Chicago-based analyst at Morningstar Inc. “Sam’s is an interesting one,“ he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see them spinning it off.“ Wal-Mart is under pressure from investors to trim costs after forecasting that earnings will fall 6 percent to 12 percent next year. Sales are not growing fast enough to offset the billions of dollars that Wal-Mart is spending on higher wages for

its workers and improvements to its website. The outlook sent the shares down 10 percent, their worst one-day decline since 1988. The stock fell an additional 1.2 percent on Thursday. Large and broad “No doubt, our business has become both large and broad – it is more important now than ever that we evaluate our portfolio,“ McMillon said earlier this week. “We won’t let the breadth of our business distract us from our most important priorities.” With the bulk of its business in the US and growth there slowing, Wal-Mart’s roughly 4,600 stores would be a likely area for cuts, analysts say. In particular, the company might target the one-third of stores that aren’t meeting its standards of being “clean, fast and friendly,“ said Leon Nicholas, an analyst at Kantar Retail. “I would speculate that they may shut down some of their stores to reduce their operating costs,“ Nicholas said. “It doesn’t mean it will happen, but that certainly would be a way to take costs out.“ Supercentres As consumers look for faster, more convenient ways to shop, Wal-Mart’s supercenters - hulking buildings that sell everything from fresh food to sporting equipment - are falling out of fashion, said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners. While supercentres

THE COMPANY COULD START BY SHUTTING SOME OF ITS UNDERPERFORMING SUPERCENTRES, BUT IT COULD LOOK TO EXIT WHOLE BUSINESSES AND COUNTRIES

should not go away, the numbers could be reduced, he said. Wal-Mart’s focus should instead be on its smaller-format Neighbourhood markets and e-commerce business, Johnson said. “The younger women who are moms now - the supercenter concept is not as relevant to them as it was to their mothers,“ he said. “Who has time to navigate a 200,000-square-foot Wal- Mart?“ Wal-Mart is the largest private employer in the US - with some 1.3 million employees - and losing stores could be a blow to some local economies. One of its supercenters can employ about 500 people. For now, the Bentonville, Arkansasbased company is still adding new stores, though at a slower rate. It said on Wednesday it plans to open 50 to 60 supercenters next year, which includes relocations and expansions, compared with 115 in 2014. Severe competition Sam’s Club stores, meanwhile, has been dragging on Wal-Mart’s earnings, and some investors think the company could perform better as a stand-alone business. Earlier this year, Sam’s Club posted its worst ﬁrst-quarter sales in years. While the chain improved in the most recent quarter, investors are not convinced the company can get back on track in the face of stiff competition from Costco Wholesale Corp. But a spinoff of Sam’s Club would be a

move so drastic, it would require the approval of the board, which is controlled by the founding Walton clan. It could be a tough sell to the family, Johnson said, especially considering it bears the name of patriarch Sam Walton. Wal-Mart also may get out of some overseas markets that have failed to gain traction, Charles Grom, an analyst at Sterne Agee & Leach Inc., said in a note to clients. The retailer has not shied away from exiting markets in the past. It sold its German and South Korean units in 2006 after years of disappointing results. In all, Wal-Mart has operations in 28 countries. One country that is probably on the table is Brazil, Johnson said. Wal-Mart has been struggling to make a profit in Brazil for years, hurt by competition from French chains Carrefour SA and Casino Guichard-Perrachon SA, as well as a generally sluggish economy. WalMart opened its first Brazil location in 1995 and today operates supercenters, supermarkets, warehouse stores, bodegas and gas stations under various brand names. During a conference call with analysts in August, McMillon pointed to Brazil and the UK as two markets that have been “challenging.“ “If they are going to be doing a portfolio review internationally, Brazil will definitely be one of the countries looked at very closely,“ Johnson said. – Bloomberg News

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

ROUND-UP

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH FACEBOOK PAGE

Love us on Facebook

Renault Symbol comes packed with features Competitive advantages such as roominess, boot space, modern equipment and engine displacement ensure it has everything required to make it a hit with customers in the region

MUSCAT: The Renault Symbol is a status-enhancing yet affordable family sedan. Its modern design and attractive equipment package, combined with its low fuel consumption make the new Renault Symbol the perfect sedan for families looking for value for money along with status and style. Competitive advantages such as roominess, boot space, modern equipment and engine displacement ensure it has everything required to make it a hit with customers in the region, says a press release. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Smart from every angleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Symbol is packed with top-notch technology and innovation. It offers an enjoyable ride, signiďŹ cant power while maintaining low levels of fuel consumption. It is ďŹ tted with an automatic gearbox and a 1.6L16V engine; placing it among the highest size of engines available on the B Sedan segment. The compact sedan offers as well spacious interior with seating for ďŹ ve adults, a 510 litres bootspace, and the possibility to increase it up to 1,257 litres with

the rear benchseat folded. The new Renault Symbol also offers plenty of safety features. It is equipped with front driver and passenger airbags, driver seatbelt unlock alarm, IsoďŹ x attachments for child seats, three points rear seatbelts with three rear headrests in addition to a central locking system and a speed sensitive door lock. It also boasts as standard front fog lights, daytime running lights, and most importantly an antilock braking systems. A standard of comfort and technologies worthy of the next segment up To top it all, Renault Symbol will be available in various colours to satisfy all customer preferences and desires. It comes with the new Radio Arkamys 3D Sound CD/MP3/USB and bluetooth, steering wheel controls, a cruise control and speed limiter. It is also furnished with an automatic air-conditioning system that was tested to meet the challenges of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harsh climate conditions. The new media Nav multimedia system also gives easy access to highly practical features thanks to it 7â&#x20AC;? touchscreen: GPS, audio streaming music, as well as access to your phonebook and call history thanks to Bluetooth. This new car in the Renault lineup has been specially designed to meet the needs of customers who want an elegant, spacious, lowmaintenance family car. Modern equipment speciďŹ cation and engine range ensure it has all the ingredients to make it a hit with customers in the region.

Main assets Engine: The 1.6L 16V engine is among the highest size of engines available on the B Sedan category. Bootspace: The bootspace has a capacity of 510 litres, therefore placing the new Renault Symbol as the best-in-class choice for luggage transport in its category. In addition, the capacity can be increased to 1,257 litres with the rear benchseat folded. Technology: The new Radio Arkamys 3D Sound CD / MP3 / USB is available with factory ďŹ tted Bluetooth and steering wheel control as standard from the ďŹ rst PE equipment level. The new media Nav multimedia system offering 7â&#x20AC;? touchscreen, GPS and audio streaming music comes along with the top of the range LE grade. Standard features for the ďŹ rst PE level include: Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,)(.Ĺ&#x2014; ,#0 ,Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014; * -- (! ,Ĺ&#x2014; airbags Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; -)Ă°2Ĺ&#x2014; .. "' (.-Ĺ&#x2014; ),Ĺ&#x2014; "#& Ĺ&#x2014; seats Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,)(.Ĺ&#x2014; )!Ĺ&#x2014; &#!".-Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014; 3.#' Ĺ&#x2014; running lights Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; Ă˝ Ĺ&#x2014; )/( Ĺ&#x2014; 3Ĺ&#x2014; ,% '3-Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x17E; MP3/USB and Bluetooth + steering wheel control Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014;Ă˝Ä&#x161;*)#(.Ĺ&#x2014;, ,Ĺ&#x2014;- . &.-Ĺ&#x2014;Ĺ Ĺ&#x2014;Ă˝Ĺ&#x2014;, ,Ĺ&#x2014; headrests Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; 3& --Ĺ&#x2014; (.,3Ĺ&#x2014; -3-. 'Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ Ĺ&#x2014; -* Ĺ&#x2014; sensitive door locking Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; #,Ä&#x161; )( #.#)(#(!Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,)(.Ĺ&#x2014; & .,# Ĺ&#x2014;1#( )1Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; #! Ĺ&#x2014;/*")&-. ,3 Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014;ĂťÄ&#x17E;Ă˝Ĺ&#x2014;Ä&#x203A;Ĺ&#x2014;ĂźÄ&#x17E;Ă˝Ĺ&#x2014; )& #(!Ĺ&#x2014; ( "- .Ĺ&#x2014;Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ",)' Ĺ&#x2014;#(. ,#),Ĺ&#x2014; )),Ĺ&#x2014;" ( & -Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; 2. ,#),Ĺ&#x2014; ) 3Ĺ&#x2014; )&)/, Ĺ&#x2014; /'*ers and door handles

I N F O R M AT I V E S E S S I O N

Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; #!".Ĺ&#x2014; $/-. & Ĺ&#x2014; -. ,#(!Ĺ&#x2014; wheel Additional equipment on the SE mid-range model: Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,#*Ĺ&#x2014; )'*/. , Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; /.)' .# Ĺ&#x2014; #,Ä&#x161; )( #.#)(#(! Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,)(.Ĺ&#x2014; & .,# Ĺ&#x2014; 1#( )1-Ĺ&#x2014; 1#."Ĺ&#x2014; driver one-touch control Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,Ĺ&#x2014; & .,# Ĺ&#x2014;1#( )1Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; & .,# Ĺ&#x2014; )),Ĺ&#x2014;'#,,),Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,/#- Ĺ&#x2014; )(.,)&Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014;-* Ĺ&#x2014;&#'#. , Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ." ,Ĺ&#x2014;-. ,#(!Ĺ&#x2014;1" & Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; #!".Ĺ&#x2014; $/-. & Ĺ&#x2014; ,#0 ,Ä&#x201C;-Ĺ&#x2014;- . Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; 2. ,#),Ĺ&#x2014; ) 3Ĺ&#x2014; )&)/, Ĺ&#x2014; )),Ĺ&#x2014; handles + chrome The top-of-the-range LE model includes: Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014;ĂťĂżÄ&#x2018;Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014; &&)3Ĺ&#x2014;1" &-Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,Ĺ&#x2014;* ,%#(!Ĺ&#x2014;- (-),-Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; # Ĺ&#x2014; 0Ĺ&#x2014;'/&.#' # Ĺ&#x2014;-3-. 'Ĺ&#x2014; with 7â&#x20AC;? touchscreen and GPS A world class brand The Renault principle of safety is outlined in four basic points: Prevent, correct, protect and educate. Renault provides equipment that performs auxiliary tasks automatically to promote the responsibility of drivers by warning them when they are not in a position to control their vehicle or when they put themselves in a position of potential danger. ),Ĺ&#x2014; 2 '*& Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014;." Ĺ&#x2014;0#-/ &Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014; /dible seatbelt reminders and tyre pressure monitoring. The inherent handling and braking qualities of a vehicle are fundamental factors of its overall dynamic, active safety and accident avoidance performance. Moreover, Renault is also known to have the maximum num ,Ĺ&#x2014;) Ĺ&#x2014; /,)Ä&#x161; Ĺ&#x2014; #0 Ĺ&#x2014; . ,Ĺ&#x2014;, . Ĺ&#x2014; models globally. SBA is largely committed to supporting Renault Omanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on customer satisfaction and by providing world-class after-sales services in Oman. With a national network of more than 80 outlets â&#x20AC;&#x201D; showrooms, service centres and parts outlets, SBA has further built upon its legacy of trust, excellent customer service and providing value for money to each of its customers.

DEBUT

Nissan showcases 3 Nismo models at Dubai launch event DUBAI: Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world famous motorsport and road car performance brand, Nismo, made its Middle East debut at a spectacular launch event in Dubai, heralding the next step in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Innovation that Excitesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for driving enthusiasts across the region. In addition to launching the performance marque, Nissan also conďŹ rmed the world premiere launch of the Patrol Nismo. Recognising that off-roading and motorsports are the life-blood of local driving enthusiasts, Nissan believes the time is right to introduce the Patrol Nismo in the Middle East. As part of its performance road car line-up, Nissan showcased three Nismo models â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the 370Z Nismo, the GT-R Nismo, and the Patrol Nismo, says a press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nismo is the ultimate essence of Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promise to deliver â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Innovation that Excitesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,â&#x20AC;? said Samir Cherfan, managing director of Nissan Middle East. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We could not have launched Nismo in the region without including our most iconic model, the Nissan Patrol, in the range of Nismo vehicles. Bringing the high performance brand to the Middle East and launching the Patrol Nismo as a world premiere model is proof of our commitment to making thrilling driving experiences accessible to all our customers.â&#x20AC;? With the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strong heritage in high performance vehicles and Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success in earning a reputation as a trusted motorsport

brand, the Japanese auto-maker believes Nismo will resonate strongly in the Middle East market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since we came to the region, Nissan has been building a strong and mature automotive brand, well known for exceptional quality, performance, innovation and reliability. Combined with our long history of success in motorsports and off-roading, we believe that the Nissan brand is in a unique position to offer the ultimate, thrilling experience with our all-new Nismo line-up,â&#x20AC;? continued Cherfan. While Nismo is already established and well-known in the world of motorsport, it is now being expanded to other markets as Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exclusive performance ,) Ĺ&#x2014; ,Ĺ&#x2014; , ( Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; #,'&3Ĺ&#x2014; ,)). Ĺ&#x2014; #(Ĺ&#x2014; the spirit of pioneering Japanese maverick engineers, where innovative solutions are applied in bold and smart ways to challenge the norm, Nismo cars provide exciting driving experiences with motorsports-inspired aerodynamics and styling, enhanced handling characteristics and unmatched agility. According to Nismo is an important part of Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long term product plan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We view the addition of Nismo as a key element of our business expansion strategy based on our successful motorsports heritage in the region. The Nismo brand is a highly valuable, credible and desirable addition to our range and we are honoured to bring the brand to the Middle East.â&#x20AC;?

EXHIBITION

Al Hashar Group showcases Marshal tyres at Infra Oman

KTI holds training course on anti-money laundering MUSCAT:Ĺ&#x2014; " Ĺ&#x2014; "#'$#Ĺ&#x2014; , #(#(!Ĺ&#x2014; (-.#./. Ĺ&#x2014; ÄĄ Ä˘Ĺ&#x2014; , (.&3Ĺ&#x2014; )(ducted an anti-money laundering ÄĄ Ä˘Ĺ&#x2014; ., #(#(!Ĺ&#x2014; *,)!, '' Ĺ&#x2014; ),Ĺ&#x2014; Oman International Exchange Co. A group of 10 candidates from various branches of the Oman International Exchange attended the course which was held at "#'$#Ĺ&#x2014; , #(#(!Ĺ&#x2014; (., Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x161;Ĺ&#x2014; 4 # Ĺ&#x2014; Executive Training Centre, says a press release. Ä? .Ĺ&#x2014; ." Ĺ&#x2014; "#'$#Ĺ&#x2014; , #(#(!Ĺ&#x2014; (-.#tute we recognise the need for such courses in Oman. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve started to address the demand and requirement for programmes on anti-money laundering in a consistent and focused manner to ensure that all major ďŹ nancial institutions and regulatory bod-

Arabic as well, which was an added advantage for Omani candidates who attended the programme. Speaking on behalf of Oman International Exchange, Shahed Shah, general manager, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We Interactive ,Ĺ&#x2014; (% .Ĺ&#x2014;) Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014;1")Ĺ&#x2014; )( / . Ĺ&#x2014; ." (%Ĺ&#x2014; ." Ĺ&#x2014; "#'$#Ĺ&#x2014; , #(#(!Ĺ&#x2014; (-.#the programme, engaged partici- tute for their continued assistance pants in an interactive and inform- in helping spread awareness and ative discussion on various topics education on all important matrelating to anti-money laundering, ters relating to ďŹ nance, particurules and regulations and result- larly anti-money laundering. This ant consequences of not abiding training programme is an opportunity for us as part of Omanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ by AML codes. #-Ĺ&#x2014; 0 -.Ĺ&#x2014; 2* ,# ( Ĺ&#x2014; #(Ĺ&#x2014; Ă°( ( Ĺ&#x2014; nance community to stay abreast and his service with the Royal of global developments and effecOman Police to help candidates tively implement AML regulations /( ,-. ( Ĺ&#x2014; . ,'-Ĺ&#x2014; -/ "Ĺ&#x2014; -Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014; as well as follow safety guidelines.â&#x20AC;? At the end of the session all parÄĄ%()1Ĺ&#x2014; 3)/,Ĺ&#x2014; /-.)' ,Ä˘Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014; 2plained varying situations and ticipants were awarded certiďŹ corresponding terminologies in cates by Shah. ies in ďŹ nance stay up-to-date on laws and practices governing the issue,â&#x20AC;? said Nadeem Ahmed, head, "#'$#Ĺ&#x2014; , #(#(!Ĺ&#x2014; (-.#./. Ä&#x201E;

MUSCAT: Continuing with its cherished legacy of bringing the best of global brands to the Sultan . Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; &Ĺ&#x2014; -" ,Ä&#x201C;-Ĺ&#x2014; & #' Ĺ&#x2014; *,) uct portfolio got even better with the addition of yet another iconic , ( Ä&#x2020;Ĺ&#x2014; ,-" &Ĺ&#x2014; 3, -Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014;." Ĺ&#x2014; ), (Ĺ&#x2014; product renowned globally for their durability and performance. With a view to taking the brand &)- ,Ĺ&#x2014;.)Ĺ&#x2014;." Ĺ&#x2014; /-.)' ,-Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; &Ĺ&#x2014; -" ,Ĺ&#x2014; displayed a range of Marshal tyres at Infra Oman 2015, the Sultanateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier infrastructure and industrial projects expo held recently at the Oman International Exhibition Centre, Muscat, says a press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe this is the right platform to showcase Marshal Tyres, the latest addition to Al -" ,Ä&#x201C;-Ĺ&#x2014; 2 #.#(!Ĺ&#x2014;*,) / .Ĺ&#x2014;&#( Ĺ&#x2014;/*Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; A collection of Marshal tyres for passenger cars, SUVs and off-road vehicles, vans, buses and trucks were displayed at the expo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Customers collected relevant technical and product information on Marshal tyres from the team of experts at our pavilion, the response has been fantastic,â&#x20AC;? said a company spokesperson ,)'Ĺ&#x2014; &Ĺ&#x2014; -" ,Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; Marshal Tyresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; outstanding performance, better fuel economy, extra durability and extended

lifespan coupled with attractive pricing make for an irresistible combination, making the brand a truly world leader. These features also got Marshalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s I ZEN MW15 winter tyres recommended in the overall assessment of the Tyre Test jointly conducted recently by OAMTC and ADAC. SigniďŹ cantly, Marshal Tyre Company has adopted highly ecofriendly production and waste disposal processes. Strengthening Marshalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s numero uno status, #.-Ĺ&#x2014;.3, Ĺ&#x2014;, (! Ĺ&#x2014;#( &/ -Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014;.3, -Ĺ&#x2014; which are required to qualify #(Ĺ&#x2014; ." Ĺ&#x2014; - 0 , Ĺ&#x2014; ĂťÄ&#x161; - Ĺ&#x2014; . "()&ogy tests, and the NASA-certiďŹ ed

Boeing 747 tyres. Marshal Tyres is a subsidiary of ." Ĺ&#x2014; , */. Ĺ&#x2014; ), Ä&#x161; - Ĺ&#x2014; /'")Ĺ&#x2014; Tire Co., which was founded in 1984. It has advanced R&D centres across the world including %,)(Ĺ&#x2014;ÄĄ Ä˘Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014; , (% /,.Ĺ&#x2014;ÄĄ ,' (3Ä˘Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; * ,.Ĺ&#x2014; ,)'Ĺ&#x2014; ." Ĺ&#x2014; (., &Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x2039; Ĺ&#x2014; #&#.3Ĺ&#x2014; .Ĺ&#x2014; 1 (!$/Ĺ&#x2014;ÄĄ ), Ä˘Ä&#x201E; With over four decades of undisputed leadership in the Sultanateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s automotive business, &Ĺ&#x2014; -" ,Ĺ&#x2014; " -Ĺ&#x2014; /#&.Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014; -.,)(!Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014; wide network of sales and service outlets across the Sultanate. Marshal Tyres, along with other premier products, are available at all these outlets.

SUN DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

ROUND-UP twenty4 unveils new winter fashion wear

PROMOTION

Inspired by runway trends from Paris,

Kia Grand Carnival winner of ‘Ultimate Minivan Challenge’

London and Milan; twenty4’s new winter collection offers cosy and fashionable styles for everyone

DUBAI: With temperatures set to cool down over the next months, it is time to revive your wardrobe with winter 2015 trends from the thriving valuefashion brand, twenty4. Inspired by runway trends from Paris, London, and Milan; twenty4’s new winter collection offers cosy and fashionable styles for everyone, says a press release.

From key knitwear trends dominating the fashion charts across the world, twenty4 brings a wide selection of trendy outerwear from ﬂuffy jumpers and cardigans to jazzy kimonos and soft woven vests. Twenty4’s new collection also offers a variety of bohemian maxi skirts with a breath of romance to perfect your look during your winter evening chillouts and warm coloured trousers for active weekend catch ups.

With a glimpse of vintage, the latest men’s fashion from twenty4 includes best basics and sporty active wear for a casual street style look; whereas, the collection’s black and white smart wear has been designed to make the right impression during successful business moments. Preparing the little ones for the new season has never been easier with twenty4’s winter vivid and playful children’s collection. From ﬂoral sweatshirts and pet-

CHINESE CUISINE

S AV I N G S S C H E M E

Szechwan Festival at Mamasan MUSCAT: With a decor so oriental that can take you on a journey to the Far-East, Mamasan, the authentic Chinese restaurant located at Al Assalah Towers in Al Ghubra, brings to you Szechwan Festival from October 20 to 30. Renowned Chinese chefs, Jianjun He and Li Teng Long from Beijing, China and their team at Mamasan kitchen will be preparing a variety of the best Szechwan dishes keeping in mind that every visitor will experience only the best, says a press release. The specially designed menu for this festival is an interesting one, bringing together traditional as well as contemporary ﬂavours. It is a set menu that includes the appetisers, side dish and the main course. “For all those who love Szechwan dishes, this festival will lovingly address your taste-buds and leave a gentle reminder to come

ticoat skirts for girls to funky skater jackets and urban hoodies for boys, twenty4’s children winter collection will make your little ones stay warm, stylish, and comfortable throughout the entire season. The winter collection is now available across the twenty4 store network of 32 outlets in Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, KSA, Qatar and the UAE. Twenty4 combines all the beneﬁts of a speciality store under one roof with on-trend, affordable fashion at your ﬁngertips.

For all those who love Szechwan dishes, this festival will lovingly address your taste-buds and leave a gentle reminder to come back for more Lawrence D’sa

General manager of Four Seasons Tourism

back for more,” said Lawrence D’sa, general manager of Four Seasons Tourism. Mamasan comes under the ﬂagship of Four Seasons Tourism which also has O Sole Mio (Radisson Blu),

Rossini (The Cave), Annab (Shatti Al Qurum) and Trattoria (Ghubra). The group has also started catering to private and corporate events by the name of Ahlan catering that also does home delivery.

ahlibank picks MyHassad daily winners MUSCAT: ahlibank has announced the names of the MyHassad daily prize draw winners. Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed Al Ojaili from Salalah branch, Khalid Mohammed Said Al Ghailani from Avenues Mall, Shamis Khalfan Sulaiman Al Salimi from Ibra branch and Khamis Sulaiman Hamed Al Gharibi from Nizwa branch, were the lucky winners of OMR1,000 each for the week. MyHassad savings account continues to successfully satisfy the existing customers and attract new ones. MyHassad Saving Scheme was introduced in July 2008 as an extension of the bank’s tradition of product innovation. Opening MyHassad account is simple and easy.

MUSCAT: The all-new 2015 Kia Grand Carnival was recently named by Cars.com as the winner in its Ultimate Minivan Challenge, a multi-day comparison test that brought together experts from Cars.com and PBS’ MotorWeek to conduct a detailed analysis on a competitive set of fully loaded minivans. The results combined professional assessments with realworld opinions from car shoppers currently in the market for a new vehicle in the minivan segment. Most of the opinions from car shoppers mentioned its ‘worldclass craftsmanship’ while others praised its ‘superior ride and quiet cabin’… still others focused on its innovative features. Now owning a Kia Grand Carnival is even easier, with an even bigger cash gift. In fact, the cash gift amount can be used as part of Down Payment, “Customers can choose any one option,” explained the spokesperson. “They can go for a cash gift of OMR600 or 18 months/30,000km whichever is earlier, together with 1 year Insurance and a cash gift of OMR50.. They need is to hurry since the scheme ends on October 18,” added the spokesperson. With its SUV-like styling and decidedly premium interior, the Kia Grand Carnival topped a segment full of long-standing stalwarts. The Ultimate Minivan Challenge evaluated competitors based on criteria such as technology, features and drivetrains. Testing included a 135-mile course on varying road types to determine real-world fuel economy as well as back-to-back comparisons of ride, handling, comfort and acceleration. The Kia’s Grand Carnival’s Cars.com

“Ultimate Minivan Challenge” win comes on the heels of other recent accolades for this multipurpose model, such as receiving the J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Award in the minivan segment and being named to Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list. For full results and scoring details on the Ultimate Minivan Challenge, visit www.cars.com/news. Proud owners will recall that more recently the 2015 Grand Carnival had been honoured with the J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout award in the Minivan segment. This individual model accolade followed the 2015 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, in which the brand placed second among all nameplates (or “brands”) and received the highest score among non-luxury nameplates. “The 2015 redesigned Grand Carnival is an extraordinary success story for the Kia brand,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president of Product Planning, Kia Motors America. “Customers want vehicles they’re proud to drive, and Grand Carnival’s superior combination of a strong, conﬁdent design, advanced safety features, and premium amenities, is revolutionising the minivan segment. Earning top honours in the J.D. Power APEAL study is affirmation from our customers of the new Grand Carnival’s appeal and desirability.” Reliable International Automotive, the distributor for Kia in Oman, provides a rewarding ownership experience for customers. Excellent product attributes and unmatched facilities easily ensure their absolute satisfaction.

BENEFITS

Customers can now enjoy TSC reward options through its card programme MUSCAT: The Sultan Center (TSC) gives customers the chance to enjoy a range of reward options through its TSC Rewards card programme. TSC card holders have the opportunity to earn points for every one rial spent each time they visit The Sultan Center or TSC Wholesale Center stores. TSC’s rewards programme has more options than ever before with ﬁve partners participating in the programme, customers have a variety of choices in which to redeem their points and select their rewards including; Oman Automobile Association, VLCC, Jeans Grill, Times of Oman, Al Masa Bowling or TSC Cash Back Vouchers. In addition, rewards card holders also get discounts on over a thousand of different types of products throughout the year. The Sultan Center continues to add a wealth of exciting reward options and expand its range of partners across multiple industries in order to enhance and

enrich the customers’ shopping experience. Mahmoud El Sheikh, TSC marketing manager, said: “We continuously look for new partners that appeal to our customer’s lifestyle and we listen to our customers and their feedback on the type of rewards options that

would appeal to them. The TSC Rewards card programme is our way of thanking our customers for being loyal.” The TSC Rewards card programme is free to join and customers can sign up at any TSC store. The more you shop the more you are rewarded.

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

ROUND-UP

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH FACEBOOK PAGE

Love us on Facebook

Gujarati Wing begins Navratri celebration

CAREER EXPO

Important attraction of this festival will be the ‘India Day Celebration’ being held on October 20

OAB supports EduTraC Oman MUSCAT: Oman Arab Bank (OAB) sponsored the higher education, training and career expo, EduTraC Oman 2015, which was held at the Oman International Exhibition Centre recently, under the head of Sheikh Khalid bin Omar Al Marhoon, minister of civil service. OAB supported this exhibition in line with the great attention accorded by the bank to sponsoring different events and activities held in the Sultanate, and the bank’s keenness to actively participate as a sponsor of all kinds of events, particularly in the ﬁeld of Omani human resources development. On-the-job training The exhibition aims at providing a platform to connect the participating businesses and the educational and academic institutions from the Sultanate and from abroad, with the students and their parents and any executives interested in education and training of any level. This year, OAB’s pavilion dedicated a special space for the job seekers as well those looking for on-the-job training opportunities through direct contact with HR staff at the bank, says a press release. Commenting on OAB’s participation, Ali Moosa, head of HR Division at the bank, said that the bank’s participation in this exhibition aims to share and introduce employment opportunities for the Omani graduates, from local or international colleges and universities, in the ﬁelds relating to the banking business and associated functions. Developing skills Ali Moosa added that once the fresh graduate is hired by the bank, he/she will join a cross-functional orientation programme for one month, followed by an on-the-job training period that includes job rotation as well as specialised

training programmes, in order to develop the new employees in line with business requirements and personal career aspirations, and also enable career advancement to assume leading positions in the future. Ambitious plan For his part, Adil Al Rahabi, head of Employee and Organisational Development Dept, stated that the bank has devised an ambitious plan for the development of the employees’ functional and leadership skills, across all the job categories, through a series of specialised training and internationally recognised programmes, designed to optimise the performance of employees and to maintain high standard of the services offered by the bank. Al Rahabi affirmed the bank’s keenness to create positive and productive work environment through promoting effective communication between management and employees by means of employee engagement programmes, citing in this regard the incentive programme ‘Mukafaati’, launched recently by the bank in order to motivate and ensure efficient communication among staff. It is worth mentioning that OAB was the ﬁrst bank in Oman to achieve the highest Omanisation ratio and has received numerous local and regional awards. The bank has achieved an Omanisation level of 94 per cent, and currently operates through a network of more than 67 branches and offices across the Sultanate, providing all types of corporate banking services and facilities, project and infrastructure ﬁnance as well as its support to the small and medium enterprises. The bank is also striving to continuously develop the retail banking products and services in order to meet its customers’ needs and expectations.

SALALAH: Indian Social Club, Gujarati Wing, Salalah, inaugurated the celebration of ‘Rangma’ Festival (Navratri) 2015, at the ISC ground with a grand ceremony on Wednesday. Masoud Dad Mohammed Al Balushi, district sales manager, Oman Air Salalah, Ahmed Faraj Hassan Fadhil, CEO of Nasr Group of companies and Manpreet Singh, chairman, Indian Social Club, Salalah, were the chief guests during the occasion. They were greeted by children and the committee members of Gujarati Wing headed by Dilip Ashar as their convener, says a press release. The function began with the traditional lighting of the lamps by the guests and the dignitaries present there. Masoud Dad Mohammed declared the function open. Manpreet who is also the consular agent, Embassy of India,

in Dhofar region, commended the Gujarati Wing’s efforts to organise such a spectacular event and congratulated the community members in Gujarati language on this occasion. Traditional dance The event was marked by enthusiasm with colourful costumes and heart throbbing traditional dance by a group of children followed by the traditional ‘garba’ dance by the female members.

Muscat Insurance opens branch in Samail MUSCAT: Muscat Insurance Company, a Muscat National Holding Group company and a leading insurance service provider in the Sultanate, marked the expansion of its branch network with the inauguration of a new branch; its 14th; in Samail in Al Dakhiliyah governorate, under the auspices of Eng. Said Al Sadi, adviser to the minister of manpower. Philip K. Philip, GCEO MNHC, said: “We are happy to be in Samail and look forward to serving the people with a smile. It’s our endeavour to be present in all major cities of the country. The expansion that began last year has continued in 2015 and we are happy with the response we have got from people of new regions. It has strengthened our resolve to increase our presence and be closer to our customers.” The new branch shall be a full service branch.

IPM participates in international science forum

provided a new mechanism for open debates on an informal basis, and also built a human network that would, in time, resolve the new types of problems stemming from the application of science and technology. The forum community also explored the opportunities arising from science and technology, and discussed ways

(orchestra) from India will add to the event’s charm, presenting a variety of new and old folk songs. The festival will continue till October 23, culminating with the prize distribution and a grand ‘Dandiya’ dance. Oman Air, Khimji Ramdas, Nasr Arabian Company and Hamdan Trading Group, Renna Mobile, NBO and Bank of Baroda are the mega sponsors for this event. The organisers said that the entryu to the event is free.

E X PA N S I O N

TECHNOLOGY FORUM

MUSCAT: A delegation consisting of His Highness Sayyid Dr Fahad bin Al Julanda Al Said, assistant secretary general for Innovation and Development at The Research Council, Dr AbdulBaqi Al Khabouri, director of Science and Technology Parks, Noor bint Abdullah Al Riyami, Communication Specialist, and headed by Dr Hilal bin Ali Al Hinai, secretary general of The Research Council from Innovation Park Muscat (IPM) attended the Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum which was held recently in Kyoto, Japan. At the forum, IPM team met scientists, researchers, decision makers, and business leaders from all over the world and discussed science and technology issues. It

Another important attraction of this festival will be ‘India Day Celebration’ being held on October 20. In this much awaited programme, altogether 10 wings of the club have consented to participate to showcase their state’s traditional culture. All such events held in the past had been very well enjoyed by the public. Indra Mani Pandey, Indian Ambassador to Oman, will attend the occasion. A band of professional artists

At the forum, IPM team met scientists, researchers, decision makers and business leaders from all over the world and discussed science and technology issues on how to remove the barriers to using science and technology to solve the problems facing humankind. IPM represented TRC at the Forum as a sponsor and member of the IASP.

“The Science and Technology in Society Forum without any doubt is one of the world’s best platforms to boost interactions between leading academics, policymakers, business leaders and journalists. The forum was a huge window of opportunity for us to get in touch with the right people and organisations from across the world. IPM was active in many sessions of the forum, and also participated in some very interesting discussions on the environment. The knowledge that IPM shared from the Omani perspective was much valued and appreciated. Our participation not only enhanced our visibility at the global level but also helped us in meaningfully building global ties,” said Dr Al Khabouri.

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

ROUND-UP

Love us on Facebook

Pak community pays tributes to Oman, HM

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH FACEBOOK PAGE

FIRST CHOICE MODELS

Praying for his health and long life,

New Porsche sports models promise more fun and power

a number of poets and speakers paid glorious tributes to Oman and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos for exemplary leadership and pragmatic policies

Times News Service MUSCAT: Large Pakistani community in the Sultanate registered its unreserved love for Oman and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said in ‘A Tribute to Oman’, a well attended function held at Ruwi Hotel. Praying for his health and long life, a number of poets and speakers paid glorious tributes to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos for his exemplary leadership, pragmatic policies and turning a backward country into a hub of peace, progress and prosperity. Ayaz Hussain, ambassador of Pakistan, was the chief guest while Sheikh Zayad bin Talib Al Maawali, adviser to the minister of endowments and religious affairs, and Syed Fayyaz Ali Shah, chairman, Syed Fayyaz Group, were the special guests. Dr Amir M. Abdulghani, chair, Information and Communication Technology, College of Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, senior journalist Shahzad Raza and Mian Mohammad Munir, chairman, Pakistan Social Club

Oman, were the guests of honour. Held to mark Oman’s forthcoming 45th National Day, the event was presented by Muhammad Nadeem Azeemi, chairman, Sohar Poly Industries, and organised by Alpha Events Oman. The event started with noted local singer Rana Shaukat Ali singing a beautiful Hamd (poetry praising Allah Almighty), followed by school children presenting an interesting tableau as their tribute to Oman. Ameer Hamza, a prominent Pakistani, presented the welcome note. Young Pakistani student Mohammad Talha Ali then delivered an emotional speech, highlighting his love and respect for Oman and HM Sultan Qaboos. Noted poets Azra Aleem, Zakir Hussain Zakir and Qamar Riaz, who also conducted the event, recited heart-warming poetry on His Majesty the Sultan and Oman, and received instant applause. Omani singer Hussain Al Maimani sang a soulful national song while Mohammad Imran paid a musical tribute on his instrument ‘Bainjo’. Omani nationals Dr Asad Mahmood and Dad Mohammad Al Balushi, Board member, Oman Cricket, spoke highly of Oman and Omani citizens’ emotional attachment to His Majesty the Sultan. In his address, ambassador Ayaz Hussain praised His Majesty for making Oman a model for other countries to follow. Highlighting

the significant role and contribution of Pakistani community in Oman’s development he urged the Pakistani businessmen to come forward and invest in Oman to strengthen its economy. Addressing the gathering, keynote speaker Shahzad Raza, spoke in detail about Oman’s rise as a modern country under His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, his immense contribution as the architect of Modern Oman and why Omanis were counted among the nicest people. “In a region infested with strife and conflict, Oman stands tall as a pillar of strength, peace and security. We respect and admire Oman for being so. Oman is ruled by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, who is respected worldwide for building Modern Oman, for his exemplary leadership and pragmatic policies, for being an icon of peace and for making Oman the diplomatic heavyweight in the region. We respect and admire His Majesty for doing so. “Oman is known for its hospitality and that is one of the great characteristics of its amazing and friendly people. The peaceful Omani society today is a reflection of its tolerant, helpful and hospitable people. No wonder, Omanis are counted among the nicest nations in the world. We respect and admire them for being so. These are the three factors that sum up what is known and respected world-

LUXURY CAR

MUSCAT: A sports car with allwheel drive is the first choice for more than one in three Porsche 911 buyers. With the new 911 Carrera 4 and 911 Targa 4, they now profit from an increase in sporting characteristics and comfort in the latest 911 generation. The innovative turbocharged engines are more powerful and consume less, with the improved all-wheel drive increasing dynamics and driving safety, says a press release. In addition, the adaptive PASM chassis (Porsche Active Suspension Management) with its 10-millimetre lower ride height included as standard enables an even greater spread between sporty circuit and relaxed long-distance driving. Rear-axle steering, that is available as an option for the Carrera 4S models, further increases the dynamic spectrum considerably. Interior functionality is enhanced by the standard Porsche Communication connectivity and infotainment system with simplified operation and multi-touch display. The new Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and 911 Targa 4 models are available for order as of now and will be officially launched in Oman in April 2016. The all-wheel drive models include numerous optical refinements of the new 911 Carrera generation. They range from the headlights with four-point day-

time running lights, via door handles without recess covers, to the redesigned rear lid with vertical louvres and new rear lights, including the characteristic fourpoint brake lights. The new 911 Carrera 4 and 911 Targa 4 derivatives also have their own distinguishing characteristics. The distinctive light strip between the rear lights now produces an especially distinctive effect thanks to its consciously three-dimensional design. It also underlines the typical format of the all-wheel drive 911, with rear fenders that arch further outwards by 44 millimetres. Behind the re-engineered ﬂat engines are more than four decades of Porsche experience with turbocharged engines from motor racing and production sports cars. The result is that all new 911 Carrera models impress with top values in terms of performance, driving fun and efficiency. Thanks to bi-turbocharging, the three-litre, six-cylinder engines in the 911 Carrera 4 and 911 Targa 4 achieve an output of 370 hp and a torque of 450 Nm, while output in the S models increases to 420 hp and torque to 500 Nm. For everyday practicality, Porsche offers a hydraulic lift system with integrated lifting cylinders in the struts of the front axle. The vehicle’s ground clearance increases by 40 millimetres within ﬁve seconds at the press of a button.

SUMMIT

Jaguar set to unveil F-Pace at Dubai Motor Show 2015 DUBAI: Luxury car manufacturer Jaguar has announced plans for the regional launch of its much anticipated Jaguar F-Pace performance crossover at the 2015 Dubai International Motor Show. The launch vehicle will be just one of a number of exciting showcases at the Jaguar stand which will be featured alongside the latest models including the all-new Jaguar family of saloons and the award winning Jaguar F-Type Coupé, says a press release. Celebrating its exciting future and rich 80-year heritage at the show, Jaguar will be unveiling the all-new Jaguar F-Pace to consumers from the region for the very ﬁrst time alongside a trio of new Jaguar products — the enhanced 2016 Jaguar XJR and all-new 2016 Jaguar XF-S, along with the award-winning New Jaguar XE-S. The Jaguar F-Type R Coupé will be showcased in the Bloodhound Rapid Response livery. The actual Jaguar F-Type R Coupé Bloodhound Rapid Response (RRV) is one of the cars supporting the Bloodhound world land speed record attempt. Speaking about Jaguar’s participation at the Dubai International Motor Show, Bruce Robertson, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Mena, commented: “Jag-

wide as the Sultanate of Oman,” said Raza. “Oman has not become a shining example for others to follow, just like that. Somebody has devoted his entire life to making it the envy of others. It has His Majesty Sultan Qaboos at the helm, the kind of ruler others only dream of leading their countries,” he added. Special guest Sheikh Zayad bin Talib Al Maawali thanked the Pakistani community for such a glorious tribute to Oman and His Majesty the Sultan. “I have been greatly impressed by the wonderful sentiments expressed here for Oman and HM. I could clearly see the reﬂection of those sentiments on their faces and thank Alpha Events Oman as well as all the Pakistanis present here for such an excellent and heart-warming way of expressing their love for our country and His Majesty the Sultan,” he added. Talking to Times of Oman, Fahad Awais Munir, managing director, Alpha Events, said: “It’s a great honour for us to organise such a high proﬁle and memorable event. I am sure such events will go a long way in bringing the people of two countries even closer.” The event ended with a prayer for the health and long life of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, progress and prosperity of Oman and for stronger Pakistan-Oman friendship.

uar’s 80th year has been a monumental one of transformation for the brand on both a global and regional level, from the introduction of the all-new Jaguar XE, to the launch of the all-new 2016 Jaguar XF and now the reveal of the newest addition to the family, the Jaguar F-Pace. We are extremely proud to be revealing our ﬁrst ever performance crossover alongside some of our strongest Jaguar products to our customers in Mena at the region’s biggest motor show.” “The Dubai International Motor Show is the perfect platform to celebrate our exciting new Jaguar line-up, showcasing our brand’s design and performance credentials. We also have a few surprises lined up which we are conﬁdent

will truly captivate car enthusiasts at the show,” he added. Bloodhound SSC Experience Bringing the Bloodhound SSC experience to the Dubai International Motor Show, Jaguar has created a 1,000 mile per hour drive experience simulator to give visitors the incredible opportunity to get behind the wheel of the Bloodhound SSC. Visitors who decide to take on the challenge can try to set a new Land Speed Record and claim the title as the fastest driver on the planet. This Jaguar Experience will be located at the Jaguar Land Rover Experience Zone at the Dubai International Motor Show in the Arena Plaza which is accessed via Sheikh Saeed Hall 1.

CSR Oman set to be landmark event MUSCAT: With the number of registered delegates rising, the CSR Oman Summit 2015 is on track to be a landmark event. Designed to champion corporate social sustainability, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, the event continues to receive growing support, demonstrating the importance of the summit for the Sultanate, especially with this year’s agenda focusing on Small and Medium Enterprises (SME). CSR Oman 2015 will be held from October 27-29 at the Grand Hyatt Muscat, says a press release. For its second consecutive annual event, organiser Informa Middle East has secured a plethora of prominent professionals from multiple industries to address the development of youth in local communities to tackle the issue of unemployment, in addition to SMEs, which represent the backbone of the national economy. The event is the only one in Oman to gather SMEs, young business people and students alongside the corporate sector, linking and guiding them on how to develop a sustainable business structure with symposiums on the socioeconomic impact of the SME sector. Although the local youth now have increased access to higher education, their opportunities for employment remain limited, and Oman relies heavily on foreign labour, primarily due to misconceptions with education and job readiness. As a contributor towards building a clearer picture of CSR trends and challenges in the country, Joseph Martin, director and regional leader in Clean Energy and Sustainability Services at Ernst & Young, said: “Oman has a unique set of social and environmental challenges and CSR Oman Summit is a great opportunity to engage in dialogue, share ideas that can promote sustainable development for the Sultanate and support in identifying vocational skills to increase employability.” Hoda Abdelhay, conference producer at Informa Middle East, said: “The signiﬁcance of

this event is demonstrated by the broad range of high calibre professionals that are contributing to the summit itself and the masterclasses. Between Oman’s young population and approximately 90 per cent of its business driven by SMEs, it is essential that these remain our two focal points if we are to maximise the potential for sustainable development. The forum provides an unrivalled opportunity to engage Oman’s future business generation in an open dialogue.” Abdelhay added: “By utilising the summit to explore, discuss and debate CSR, international best practices and industry insights, knowledge-exchange can have a very real and measurable impact on the growth of businesses across the Sultanate, and ultimately, support the diversiﬁcation of the national economy.” Case studies With the goal of bolstering mutual cooperation, in addition to incorporating the aspirations of the youth in line with the government’s ambition to build a more diverse, sustainable economy that creates jobs for Omanis, CSR Oman will showcase a multitude of case studies, hold insightful panel discussions, networking events and expert-led roundtable discussions to examine the latest trends and practices pertaining to developmental initiatives in CSR. The sessions on SMEs will focus on development through best practices; ﬁltering social investment into SME support pillars to generate economic growth;

investing in SMEs while linking their growth with other business goals to create sustainable shared value models; integrating the culture of social entrepreneurship into the local education sector; moving away from philanthropy and developing strategic partnerships with SMEs. Walaa Hamdan, managing director of CSR Watch Jordan said, “Companies are investing in developing local CSR talent and ensuring they have staff with proper CSR training. And we can see boards and top management getting more and more involved.” She continued, “For CSR to be sustainable it needs to be aligned with the company’s core business and fully integrated into the company’s culture. CSR strategies and programmes need to be measured and evaluated. For maximum impact, there needs to be a clear understanding of which elements are succeeding and which need ﬁne-tuning.” When asked about how CSR can contribute to SME development and social entrepreneurship in Oman, Walaa said: “SMEs should develop their own CSR programmes that are characterised by their efficiency and economy, showing organisations how to help them Also, companies can support SMEs through their CSR budgets, using them as suppliers or service providers and most importantly mentoring and encouraging them.” The CSR Oman Summit 2015 is supported by Oman LNG, British Council, DUQM Reﬁnery, and WorleyParsons.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2015

SECTION

Djokovic mauls Murray, takes on Tsonga in Shanghai final >C3

SPOR YOUR GAME

INSIDE LIFESTYLE

WHY ANTIBIOTICS CAN’T FIGHT VIRUSES? >C7

Herath stars in Sri Lankan victory SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka 1st innings: 484 West Indies 1st innings: 251 West Indies 2nd innings K. Brathwaite lbw Herath 34 S. Hope b Siriwardana 6 D. Bravo c K. Perera b Pradeep 31 D. Bishoo c Mathews b Herath 10 M. Samuels lbw Herath 0 J. Blackwood c K. Silva b Prasad 92 D. Ramdin c K. Silva b Siriwardana 11 J. Holder run out 18 K. Roach st K. Perera b Herath 5 J. Taylor lbw Prasad 5 S. Gabriel not out 7 Extras (lb-3, nb-3, w-2) 8 Total (all out, 68.3 overs) 227 Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-60, 3-74, 4-74, 5-88, 6-136, 7-172, 8-178, 9-189. Bowling: D. Prasad 9.3-3-28-2 (nb-2, w-2), R. Herath 22-5-79-4, N. Pradeep 14-1-28-1, M. Siriwardana 12-1-60-2, T. Kaushal 11-3-29-0 (nb-1).

West Indies, who have never won a Test match in Sri Lanka, were bundled out for 227 in their second innings in the afternoon session, after being asked to follow on by the hosts

GALLE: Sri Lanka needed less than four days to thrash West Indies by an innings and six runs in the opening Test at Galle on Saturday with Rangana Herath leading the victory charge by claiming his ﬁfth 10-wicket haul. The touring side, who have never won a Test match in Sri Lanka, were bundled out for 227 in their second innings in the afternoon session, after being asked to follow on by the hosts. Herath added three wickets to his previous day’s removal of

TEN-WICKET HAUL: Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath, right, celebrates with teammates after dismissing

Devendra Bishoo of West Indies during the fourth day of their opening Test match at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on Saturday. – AFP

opener Kraigg Brathwaite (34) after claiming six victims in the first innings to finish with match figures of 10 for 147. Three of the 37-year-old’s landmark hauls have come at Galle, the

venue for his test debut against Australia more than 16 years ago. “When I play here, there is always something for me as a spinner,” Herath said after picking up the man of the match award.

“That’s the main reason (for my success).” Debutant all-rounder Milinda Siriwardana and paceman Dhammika Prasad picked up two wickets apiece in the second innings for

Sri Lanka. Jermaine Blackwood played some delightful shots and showed nimble footwork against the spinners during his knock of 92, his second highest score in tests, but was the last man out. After resuming on 67 for two, West Indies lost nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo (10) in wily leftarm spinner Herath’s third over and then experienced batsman Marlon Samuels was out lbw off

the first ball he faced. Samuels did not offer a shot to a straight delivery and more surprisingly, decided to waste a review by challenging the umpire’s decision. The bowler’s hat-trick ball was fended away by Blackwood. Things to learn West Indies’ hopes of avoiding a heavy defeat rested on Darren Bravo (31), who scored a 50 in the first innings, but the left-hander edged Nuwan Pradeep behind after captain Angelo Mathews’ decision to allow the paceman one more over was vindicated. “We had a lot of things to learn,” West Indies captain Jason Holder, leading the side for the first time in tests, said. “We did not put enough runs in our first innings total and struggled again in the second innings. “We did create chances but we just didn’t take them. If we had held our chances I think the game would have been lot different.” Blackwood and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (11) stitched together a dogged 48-run stand for the sixth wicket before Siriwardena ended the pair’s resistance when Ramdin edged a catch to Kaushal Silva at second slip. The second match of the twoTest series starts in Colombo on Thursday. - Reuters

FIRST TEST

Bad light thwarts England as Pakistan claim draw

DRAMATIC END: England’s Joe Root, right, and Ian Bell, left, shake hands with Pakistan players at

the end of their drawn ﬁrst Test match at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. – Reuters

ABU DHABI: England had to settle for a draw in the first Test against Pakistan on Saturday after bad light ended the final day’s play with the tourists just 25 runs short of claiming a famous victory. Chasing a target of 99 to win with about an hour’s batting remaining, England had reached 74 for four but could not beat the fading light. Spin duo Moeen Ali and debutant Adil Rashid (five for 64) had helped reduce Pakistan to 173 all out from 139 for four and Alastair Cook’s then men went on the offensive in a rejigged batting order. Pakistan counterpart Misbahul Haq responded by dotting fielders around the boundary to limit England’s scoring. Shoaib Malik trapped Jos Buttler (4) lbw and had Ben Stokes caught on two, while Moeen (11) fell to Zulfiqar Babar as spin suddenly proved lethal on what had been a lifeless Abu Dhabi pitch during the first four days’ play. Jonny Bairstow smashed 15 off 10 balls before being stumped by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed, while Joe Root’s unbeaten 33 was nearly as brisk as England scored 74 off 11 overs. Pakistan declared on 523 for eight on Wednesday, England then taking nearly three days to reach 598-9 in their first innings before skipper Cook called on the hosts to bat again mid-Saturday morning. Starting 75 runs behind, Pakistan’s task was to remain at the crease for the rest of the Test. Cook laid out an aggressive field and started with seam duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad in attack. Anderson bowled Shan Masood (1) in his first over, the opener scuffing the ball onto his wicket as England’s two dozen boisterous fans serenaded their idol.

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan 1st innings: 523 for 8 decl England 1st innings: A. Cook c Masood b Malik 263 M. Ali c S. Ahmed b I. Khan 35 I. Bell c Hafeez b Riaz 63 M. Wood b Riaz 4 J. Root c S. Ahmed b R. Ali 85 J. Bairstow lbw Riaz 8 B. Stokes b Malik 57 J. Buttler c Shaﬁq b Babar 23 A. Rashid b I. Khan 12 S. Broad not out 17 J. Anderson not out 3 Extras (b-7, lb-7, nb-11, w-3) 28 Total (9 wkts decl, 206 overs) 598 Fall of wickets: 1-116, 2-281, 3-285, 4-426, 5-443, 6-534, 7-549, 8-563, 9-590. Bowling: R. Ali 28-1-8-1, I. Khan 27-7-74-2, Z. Babar 72-17-183-1, W. Riaz 37-3-125-3 (nb-11, w-3), A. Shaﬁq 7-0-19-0, S. Malik 35-4-97-2. Pakistan 2nd innings M. Hafeez run out 34 S. Masood b Anderson 1 S. Malik c Bairstow b Anderson 0 Y. Khan c Stokes b Rashid 45 Misbah-ul Haq b Ali 51

Four deliveries later, Malik walked after lofting Anderson’s bouncer to Jonny Bairstow at short leg. Pakistan’s ﬁrst innings hero was out for a duck and his team were reeling on three for two, 72 behind. Mohammed Hafeez (34) and Pakistan’s record run scorer Younis Khan then steadied the hosts as the afternoon session progressed before a misunderstanding and some brilliant ﬁelding ended their 44-run partnership. Fatal hesitation Hafeez nicked the ball to the covers and Younis called a quick single. Hafeez fatally hesitated and

A. Shaﬁq c Buttler b Rashid 6 S. Ahmed c Anderson b Rashid 27 W. Riaz c Bairstow b Ali 1 Z. Babar c Anderson b Rashid 1 R. Ali not out 0 I. Khan c Anderson b Rashid 0 Extras (b-3, lb-2, nb-2) 7 Total (all out, 57.5 overs) 173 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-3, 3-47, 4-113, 5-139, 6-159, 7-165, 8-168, 9-173. Bowling: J. Anderson 10-3-30-2, S. Broad 8-5-8-0, M. Wood 7-2-29-0 (nb-2), A. Rashid 18.5-3-64-5, B. Stokes 7-4-9-0, M. Ali 7-0-28-2. England 2nd innings M. Ali c Malik b Babar 11 J. Buttler lbw b Malik 4 J. Root (not out) 33 B. Stokes c Hafeez b Malik 2 J. Bairstow st S. Ahmed b Babar 15 I. Bell (not out) 5 Extras (lb-2, w-2) 4 Total (4 wkts, 11 overs) 74 Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-29, 3-35, 4-66. Bowling: Z. Babar 5-0-27-2 (w-1), S. Malik 4-0-25-2, W. Riaz 2-0-20-0 (w-1).

Ben Stokes dislodged the nonstriker’s bails from 20 yards. Pakistan were now 47 for three. Veteran Misbah, 41, and Younis went defensive, Pakistan making nine runs in the 10 overs following the run out as they reached 102-3 at tea. The match seemed likely to fizzle out, but then England’s Rashid came to the fore. The leg-spinner had entered Test cricket infamy in the first innings, his bowling figures of none for 163 the worst ever by a debutant. Unperturbed, he first drew Younis into lofting an easy catch to Stokes and then removed Asad Shafiq (6) via wicketkeeper Buttler’s gloves. - Reuters

AL ABDALI LEADS OMAN’S CHARGE AT GCC GAMES

Muscat: Weightlifter Mahana Al Abdali won three silver medals to lead Oman’s charge at the ongoing second GCC Games in Dammam on Saturday. Al Abdali’s three silver medals came in the under-62kg competition. Mohammed Al Marhoobi also won three silver medals in the 77kg weightlifting competition. The Sultanate’s riders also won a bronze medal in the endurance horse racing. Oman volleyball team will conclude their engagements on Sunday with a match against Bahrain. A victory will ensure them a medal. The Sultanate’s swimming and bowling teams, meanwhile, have reached Dammam to take part in their respective events. The second edition of the regional Games run till October 26. — ONA

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

SPORTS

India eye another win against South Africa The South Africans on the other hand, will look to pick up the pieces. Although they had started the series on a superb note, there were glimpses of their infamous tendency to choke in crunch situations

RAJKOT: Having managed to level the series, a determined India will be eager to produce an improved performance when they take on South Africa in the third One-day International (ODI) at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium here on Sunday. The hosts were propped up by a fighting unbeaten 92 by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and a half century from Ajinkya Rahane during the second ODI while the rest of the batting line-up fluffed their lines. The bowlers then produced a superlative performance to successfully defend the modest total of 247 for nine and carve out a 22run victory. Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and left-arm spinner Axar Patel were in superb form at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore, claiming three wickets each. Patel’s figures of three for 39 were the best of his career. The Proteas had earlier taken the opening ODI of the five-match series by five runs in Kanpur. The Indian victory in Indore came after three consecutive defeats to the visitors as they had lost both the matches in the Twenty20 International (T20I) series as well. The Indian top order has been inconsistent so far, specially Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina. The last time Kohli got a half century was during India’s opening

RETURN TO FORM: Indian captain M.S. Dhoni in a jovial mood during a practice session ahead of third ODI match against South Africa at Rajkot on Saturday. South Africa’s Imran Tahir and Hashim Amla play football during their practice session. – PTI

match of the 2015 World Cup on February 15. The Delhi batsman, who has been pushed down to the No.4 spot, will be eager to get some runs under his belt. Rahane has been the most consistent Indian batsman so far in this series as he has two back to back half centuries to his name. Opener Rohit Sharma did well in the series opener, scoring 150 to give the Indian chase a promising start and the Mumbai lad will be hoping for another big innings on Sunday on a pitch which is expected to favour the batsmen. Dhoni’s return to form will be another morale booster for the Indians. Harbhajan Singh had replaced fellow off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the last match. The Punjab spinner had bowled well after coming on as the ﬁrst change bowler, checking the ﬂow of runs while picking up two wickets and may expect to retain his place. Harbhajan and Patel are expect-

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY INSTALL WHATSNEWS

Stay ahead of the curve with WhatsNews

ed to spearhead the spin attack and the duo will hope for a hatful of wickets given the favourable conditions here. The South Africans on the other hand, will look to pick up the pieces. Although they had started the series on a superb note, there were glimpses of their infamous tendency to choke in crunch situations in the inability to overhaul the modest 248-run target in Kanpur. The poor form of top order batsman David Miller is a cause for concern and the South Africans may consider giving the young Khaya Zondo a chance. The visitors also need to address their weakness against spin bowling. The experienced Hashim Amla has done well so far and could be difficult to dislodge once he gets his eye in. The dangerous AB de Villiers, J.P. Duminy, Faf du Plesis and Quinton de Kock can also be a handful for any bowling attack on their day.

The South African pace attack has not been at its best on the Indian tracks, but the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel cannot be taken lightly. Young fast bowler Kasigo Rabada has raw pace and has shown that he is a tricky customer in the earlier matches. Imran Tahir and Jean-Paul Duminy will comprise the Protea’s spin attack. Sunday’s match will be a crucial one as it will give the victor the upper hand and a much needed psychological edge ahead of the penultimate game of the series in Chennai. India (likely): Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt/wk), Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav. South Africa (likely): Quinton de Kock (wk), Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers (capt), J.P. Duminy, David Miller/Khaya Zondo, Farhaan Behardien, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir. - IANS

C O M M E N TA RY

India have got back their belief after a superb win

hank god India won the second one-day game at Indore by a margin of 25 runs. If South Africa had chased down India’s score in the final over of their innings, Mahendra Singh Dhoni would have been pilloried for not taking singles off the first five balls that he faced in the last over of India’s innings. Never mind the fact that he had got India to the score that it did with a combination of pushes, nudges, drives hooks, pulls, quickfire running between the wickets and then the huge sixes. Those wanting India’s limited overs skipper to be shown the door would have pounced on that aspect where he refused to take the singles on offer as he was batting with the number eleven batsman to blame him for the defeat. They would have once again conveniently forgotten those others who did not contribute with the bat and ball. If only those getting after Mahendra Singh Dhoni applied the same strict standards of examination to their own careers and professions most of them would have to look for other jobs. There is no leader born in any profession be it corporate arena, sporting endeavor, politics, who having been in the saddle for some time does not feel that there are some out to get him. Sure time waits for nobody and the young have to be given their wings to fly but impatience and haste can only lead to waste. It was sad to hear Dhoni

speak about swords being always out just waiting for mistakes to happen. Sad because here is a man who has done so much for Indian cricket, won it titles in all the limited forms of the game, taken the team to the number one ranking in Test cricket, a player who has never played for personal glory and always moves to the corner after receiving a trophy so that the rest of the team can rejoice in the lifting of the prize. Sad that we have made such a man feel persecuted and in doing so maybe we have taken the enjoyment out of his game. What good is Indian cricket going to get by looking to hurry him out of it? What was good about the Indian win in Indore was the way the team defended the below par score that the much vaunted batsmen had put up. Axar Patel in particular bowled exceptionally well and in doing so showed that he was learning to bowl at different speeds and not just looking to bowl the ﬂatter quicker deliveries. That the pitch had a bit of turn was a help and his accuracy meant that it was not going to be easy to get after him as it is on a ﬂat pitch. India have got back their belief after this superb win. More could well be on the way. - PMG

RACIST POST

Vermeulen banned HARARE: Zimbabwe have banned Mark Vermeulen from all cricket activities for what the board described as “repulsive remarks that reﬂect racism, prejudice and plain ignorance”. The 36-year-old made the remarks in July in response to an

article posted on Facebook about Prosper Utseya’s letter to Zimbabwe Cricket alleging racism. The comments, in which Vermeulen used a derogatory term to refer to black Zimbabweans, were deleted them but a screenshot of the post was later circulated. - Reuters

C O M M E N TA RY

Now is no time for Dhoni to make war cries

fter walking out to bat in the 19th over when Team India had lost Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli with just 82 runs on the board, and walking back 31 overs later scoring 92 runs — largely by way of demonstrating the practical part of his recently postulated theory on the art converting 1.8 and 1.9 runs into twos — and then, after 50 overs of crouching behind the stumps inspiring his foot soldiers to successfully defend what looked like a total woefully short of a par score against the mighty AB de Villers and Co, there was nothing un-Dhoni about dabbling in a bit of philosophy, eastern or western. But what we got to witness as he opened his presentation chat was the proverbial sword.

The sword of the Damocles kind hanging by the hair over the head as well as the “open swords” in the hands of people waiting for him to make mistakes so they could charge in and deliver the most unkindest cut of all. MS Dhoni has been under pressure to perform as a batsman and to inspire the team to victories, so his reference to criticisms could be taken as a natural response from a man who used his first available opportunity after a series of setbacks to stand up and fight back. But the bitterness he has been feeling that came out in the open soon after the match at Indore took some glitter off the big moment the Indian team as well as millions of their fans were beginning to savour. Now that Dhoni has put his detractors on point, he needs to engage with care. Missing a parry or charging in recklessly could be fatal, so drop the dramatics, measure twice and cut once. Fortunately for him, the fight at Rajkot is not going to decide the fate of the ODI series, so it’s not about a life-or-death

situation, but if Dhoni could do an Indore encore today, he could look to dominate than dodge his opponents for at least until the beginning of the T20 World Cup. The Indians seemed to have regrouped with the win at Indore, but the rumours of differences between Dhoni and Kohli are rife. Is there a grain of truth? Perhaps, yes, if you read between the Dhoni lines delivered recently. It was anybody’s guess who Dhoni had in mind when he made his “you-can’t-convert-1.7-runsinto-two” comment at the end of the Cuttack T20, or the momentum lament at the end of the Kanpur ODI. (“We lost a bit of momentum from the 34th or the 35th over to the 40th or the 41st over. There were runs on offer, but we didn’t hit the gaps.”). The man in focus was Kohli, and in the absence of any Shastrispeak we cannot take all of this as another offloading of “the biggest load of bull....”. Another Kohli-induced run-out wherein the man-in-form Ajinkya Rahane had been unjustly left to feel guilty at least for a few minutes

in the Indore game raised fears of fresh rounds of war of words, but the splendid catches the vicecaptain had taken might help calm the atmosphere. For now. South African will be looking to make quick amends. Nothing would be more pleasing for them than a total domination at Rajkot. They were obviously disappointed by the humiliating way they had failed to chase a target. The swords may have vanished into the sheath, but the hands are still resting on the hilt, waiting, in Dhoni’s own words, “for mistakes”. A better way to deal with the swords and sordid thoughts is just about simply turning the swords of the kind used to stab in the back into ploughshares. How, and if, Dhoni could do that will make the remaining matches really engaging. The writer is a freelance contributor based in India. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reﬂect those of Times of Oman

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

SPORTS Djokovic mauls Murray, takes on Tsonga in final While Djokovic swatted aside a misﬁring Andy Murray 6-1, 6-3 to reach the ﬁnal, Tsonga recorded a 6-4, 0-6, 7-5 win over Rafa Nadal

SHANGHAI: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic continued his dominance of the Chinese hardcourts by swatting aside a misfiring Andy Murray 6-1, 6-3 to reach the final of the Shanghai Masters on Saturday. The Serbian will take on Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final on Sunday after the 16th seed recorded a 6-4, 0-6, 7-5 win over Rafa Nadal, his first in almost four years against the Spaniard. The 30-year-old Frenchman was delighted with his scintillating display featuring 40 winners, mainly from a fearsome forehand, but will have to find yet another gear if he is to upset Djokovic on Sunday. The 10-time Grand Slam champion is aiming for his third Shanghai title on the back of securing his sixth China Open crown last week when he dismantled Nadal in the Beijing final. Briton Murray, twice a champion in Shanghai, knew a fast start was necessary if he was to upset his long term foe but he did just the opposite. The world No. 2 served a paltry 43 percent of first serves in the

FIRED UP: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France celebrates after winning his semiﬁnal match against Rafael

Nadal of Spain at the Shanghai Masters in Shanghai on Saturday. – AP/PTI

opening set, offered four double faults and 17 unforced errors as he was broken in three straight games to concede the opener. Momentum lost He rebounded at the start of the second by breaking Djokovic to 15 and hustled and harried in trademark gamely fashion but the small bit of momentum was lost as he gave away his next service game. The Serb was imperious from the back of the court and broke again before serving out comfortably to improve his head-to-head record to 20-9 over Murray. “I felt great from the ﬁrst point. I was playing with very high intensity, especially on serve,” Djokovic said in a courtside interview.

Like Djokovic, Tsonga has a fondness for the courts in Shanghai and will be hopeful of repeating his Saturday form when he takes on the Serb. “This surface is one of my favourites. I know I’m able to play good tennis. Before I came here, I didn’t know if I will be able to play that good. I hope it’s going to continue,” he said. The Frenchman ﬁred down 11 aces to record his ﬁrst win over Nadal since the 2011 ATP World Tour Finals and move up to ninth in his bid to qualify again for the eight man end-of-season championships in London. Nadal, a winner of 14 Grand Slam singles titles, struggled to cope with Tsonga in the opening

set as the Frenchman pressured the Spaniard’s serve with some heavy hitting. He secured the break in the fifth game at the third time of asking but after going on to serve out the set, Tsonga’s game crumbled in the second set as Nadal easily levelled without dropping a game to force a decider. Nadal, looking for a first hard court title in almost two years, was forced to save some early break points but the third set remained on serve until Tsonga struck in the 11th game of an enthralling encounter. The 30-year-old Frenchman produced an eye-catching dive volley to force match point, which he converted to reach his first Masters final since he triumphed in Toronto last year. - Reuters

TENNIS

Kerber to face Jankovic in Hong Kong ﬁnal HONG KONG: Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic all but ended Venus Williams’ slim hopes of qualifying for the end-of-season WTA Finals by winning the battle of former world number ones in the Hong Kong

Open semiﬁnals on Saturday. Jankovic prevailed 6-4, 7-5 in a tight match to set up a Sunday showdown with Germany’s Angelique Kerber, who proved too strong for Australia’s Sam Stosur.

Kerber beat the former U.S. Open champion 6-2, 6-2 and is now one win away from securing her place in the eight-woman ﬁeld at the WTA Finals in Singapore in eight days time.

AUSTRALIAN MOTOGP

Marquez on pole, Lorenzo third MELBOURNE: Outgoing champion Marc Marquez swept to his eighth pole position of the season at the Australian MotoGP on Saturday, as Jorge Lorenzo took a frontrow position to keep the pressure on title leader Valentino Rossi. Marquez, already eliminated from the championship race, topped the timeseheets with a scorching lap of one minute and 28.364 seconds around Phillip Island’s bucolic seaside circuit on a day of brilliant sunshine. The Honda rider’s best was more than three-tenths of a second quicker than Ducati’s Andrea Iannone and Yamaha rider Lorenzo, who posted matching times in their final flying laps. Rossi, 18 points ahead of teammate Lorenzo, his only challenger with three races left, will start a disappointing seventh on the grid, having failed to capitalise on perfect conditions after emerging from his garage late in the session. Honda’s Dani Pedrosa heads the second row alongside fifth fastest Briton Cal Crutchlow and sixth fastest Suzuki rider Maverick Vinales. Wily Italian Rossi is chas-

PACE SETTER: Honda MotoGP rider Marc Marquez of Spain celebrates after ﬁnishing in pole position after qualifying session for the Australian Grand Prix on Phillip Island on Saturday. – Reuters

ing a record-equalling eighth premier class crown and will trust in his race smarts to secure enough points on Sunday to maintain a solid lead ahead of the penultimate stop at Malaysia next week. Two-time champion Lorenzo, however, was fuming after the session after Iannone rode in his slipstream to match his best lap

and sandwiched his Ducati between Marquez and the Yamaha rider on the front row. “This time Andrea beneﬁted a lot from my wheel,” said Lorenzo. “I did my best.” Iannone thanked Lorenzo. “Without Jorge for sure, yes, I improve — but not at this big step,” the Italian said. - Reuters

“I’m not thinking too much about needing one more win tomorrow, though,” the German said. “It’s going to be another day and another match, and I’m just going to try and play some good tennis.” - Reuters

FORMER TOP GOLFER

Norman slams ‘stupid’ Tomic and Kyrgios MELBOURNE: Former world No. 1 golfer Greg Norman has lashed young Australian tennis players Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic for behaving “stupidly” on tour and offered to lecture them face-to-face on the values of good sportsmanship. Tomic and Kyrgios have drawn scathing criticism from players and pundits for a raft of transgressions on and off the court. World No. 2 20 Tomic has clashed with Australian tennis officials over funding and was arrested by Miami police for holding a noisy hotel room party earlier this year. Kyrgios, ranked 32, was roundly condemned for a lewd slur directed at opponent Stan Wawrinka during a match in Canada and has continued to rack up ﬁnes for poor on-court behaviour on the Asian swing of the ATP tour. Norman, who remains revered in Australia as a paragon of good sportsmanship, said the pair were letting down the country. “I don’t care about the individuals themselves but when you’re carrying the Australian ﬂag you don’t represent your country like an idiot, you represent the country like the country wants to be represented,” the 60-year-

old said on Brisbane radio. “They have said some stupid things and acted stupidly. “I hope they both become ultra successful because at the end of the day, they will be humbled very quickly. If you become successful you cannot carry on like this. “I haven’t seen (Rafa) Nadal or (Novak) Djokovic or the great golfers like Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer acting like that. “If you want to act that way, ﬁne, but remember you’ve got respect for your country and your sport that you have to protect. “I’d like to sit down with them, athlete to athlete and talk about the responsibilities they do carry. They have to make some changes and some sacriﬁces.” Local pundits have been quick to compare the bad boy duo of Australian tennis with the country’s top golfers in Jason Day and Adam Scott. Both Day and Scott have each won major tournaments and claimed the top ranking of their sport without a whiff of controversy. Two-time major champion Norman said Australian golf was in good hands, describing Day and Scott as “great, elite, iconic players”. - Reuters

TIANJIN OPEN

Radwanska closes on WTA Final place BEIJING: Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska moved within one win of securing a place at the WTA Finals after thrashing Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals of the Tianjin Open on Saturday. Radwanska will take on Danka Kovinic in Sunday’s showpiece after the Montenegrin reached her first WTA final by beating Serbian Bojana Jovanovski 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-2 in the second semifinal. World No. 6 Radwanska can join Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza, Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova in securing places

Agnieszka Radwanska

in the eight woman WTA Finals ﬁeld by winning her second title of the year and 16th of her career on Sunday. The WTA Finals begin in Singapore on October 25. - Reuters

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

SPORTS Late Du Preez try sends Springboks into semis

CRUCIAL TRY: Fourie du Preez of South Africa scores a try during their Rugby World Cup quarterﬁnal match against Wales

at Twickenham in London on Saturday. – Reuters

Twice winners South Africa, who began this tournament with a shock defeat by Japan, will meet holders New Zealand or France

LONDON: Captain Fourie Du Preez’s late try sent South Africa into the Rugby World Cup semiﬁnals after a tense 23-19 victory over gallant Wales at Twickenham on Saturday. The Springboks produced a moment of magic six minutes from time, catching Wales napping when Duane Vermeulen peeled off the back of a scrum and the big number eight’s brilliant offload sent scrumhalf Du Preez scampering over in the corner. Twice winners South Africa, who were knocked out in the quarterﬁnals by Australia in 2011 and began this tournament with a

shock defeat by Japan, will meet holders New Zealand or France next weekend. Brutal contest “It was an awesome feeling, it was tight game, I’m just delighted,” said Du Preez. “We just needed to keep pushing, I could see some of their guys lying down. We’ve got two more games, we’ve learned from the Japan game.” Flyhalf Handre Pollard kicked ﬁve penalties and a drop goal for the Springboks with Dan Biggar landing 14 points for the Welsh, whose brave defensive effort came up just short. Wales showed more creativ-

ity than in their final pool defeat to Australia a week ago, scoring a fine first-half try through Gareth Davies, but their injury-hit tournament finally caught up with them. “Gutted not to get through but we can leave the pitch with no regrets,” said Wales captain Sam Warburton. “It was back and forth all match and we knew it would come down to fine margins or the last five minutes.” A brutal contest was surprisingly open from the start, although it developed into a cagey and tense affair. Pollard’s three penalties gave South Africa a 9-3 lead but Wales hit back thanks to a moment of brilliance from Biggar. The flyhalf, making the most of fullback Willie Le Roux’s hesitancy, gathered his own up-and-under in the Springbok 22 and, with Davies on his shoulder, offloaded for his halfback partner to crash over after 17 minutes. Pollard’s fourth penalty from a tight angle put South Africa ahead again as the game became scrappy

a Biggar drop goal right on halftime put the Welsh 13-12 up. The change of ends and a swirling wind appeared to initially affect Pollard and he was twice wayward with penalty attempts before nailing a drop goal from in front of the posts after Biggar had stretched the lead to four. Wales captain Sam Warburton came up with a crucial turnover ﬁve metres from his line as the Springboks upped their intensity, piling into the rucks time and time again, only to be repelled. With both sides tiring and somewhat ragged, the decisive moment came moments after an angry Biggar trudged off remonstrating with his own medical staff. Wales appeared to lose concentration in the ensuing scrum in their own 22 and an alert Du Preez pounced to secure the semiﬁnal place. “At the end of the day South Africa hung in there, got one chance and they took it and that was the result,” said Wales coach Warren Gatland. - Reuters

PREVIEW

Aussies trust in depth for Scotland clash LONDON: Australia coach Michael Cheika is confident the Wallabies can not only survive the loss of David Pocock and Israel Folau but might even be better without them when they meet Scotland in Sunday’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinal. Pocock, arguably the most influential loose forward in the tournament, and fullback Folau, Australia’s most potent attacking weapon over the last two years, failed fitness tests on Friday and were replaced by Ben McCalman and Kurtley Beale. Cheika said he had never even considered risking Pocock, who has a calf strain, and Folau, who has an injury problem, despite their importance to the team. “They couldn’t do their jobs and that’s the key,” he told reporters on Saturday. “You’ve got to be able to do your jobs in this team and I don’t think either player could do it to their full potential.” With the loss of Pocock, Cheika has abandoned the deployment of two specialist openside flankers in his back row and brought Michael Hooper back from suspension to join stalwart blindside flanker Scott Fardy and the bulkier number eight McCalman. Beale, who started the pool victory over Uruguay at fullback but has otherwise been used off the bench in this tournament, will win his 58th cap against the Scots at Twickenham.

“It’s really just a straight swap for those guys,” said Cheika. “We’ll just ask them to improve the team with what they bring. Both have already made contributions to the side in this tournament and I’m sure they’ll continue to contribute in spades.” Cheika’s aim since he took over as coach a year ago was to put together a playing system that squad players would be able to slot into when necessary. “We’ve been working hard over the last 10, 11 months to get real depth in all positions,” he said. “I know Pocock and Folau are great players but I really believe in the guys who are coming into their positions. That’s something we want to build on.” In the other change to the side, Rob Simmons comes into the second row for Dean Mumm to ﬁx a lineout that struggled at times in the epic pool victory over Wales last week. Simmons, who started the pool games against Fiji and England before losing his place for the Wales match, said the rivalry with Mumm had been good for both players. “We’ve been pushing each other and we help each other out from week to week too, on how we’re going to run the lineout and things like that,” the 26-year-old said. “There’s been a bit of competition and Cheik’s selection has been keeping us on our toes,” he added. - Reuters

MASSIVE BLOW

Ireland’s Sexton ruled out of Argentina game CARDIFF: Ireland suffered a massive blow on the eve of Sunday’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina when flyhalf Johnny Sexton was ruled out with a groin injury. Sexton, 30, had been named in the starting lineup despite limping off the field in last weekend’s pool win over France but felt some discomfort after training on Friday. The Irish playmaker was sent for scans which revealed he had a minor abductor strain, prompting team officials to withdraw

him from the match and replace him with Ian Madigan. “He was pretty down on himself after last week, having to come off and he did everything he could this week,” Ireland forwards coach Simon Easterby said. “He trained yesterday and unfortunately it’s one of those things, in his position as well, having to kick the ball as much as he does and be very accurate. “It just meant that it wasn’t quite right and we weren’t prepared to take that risk going into such a big game.” - Reuters RUGBY

DARSAIT XI LIFT MUSCAT FRIENDS CRICKET CUP

Darsait XI defeated Manglorians XI CT to clinch the inaugural Muscat Friends Cricket Cup organised by Muscat Friends XI CT in Al Hamriya on Friday. In an exciting final, Darsait XI CT batted first and scored 115 runs in eight overs and then restricted Manglorians XI to 48 runs. Sajith of Darsait XI CT won the man of the series and best batsman awards. The best bowler award went to Arun of Darsait XI CT and Arif was declared the man of the final. — Supplied photo

Scotland’s Ford, Gray cleared to face Australia LONDON: Scotland forwards Ross Ford and Jonny Gray have been cleared to play in the Rugby World Cup quarterﬁnal against Australia after winning their appeals against suspensions for foul play, organisers said on Saturday. Hooker Ford and lock Gray were banned for three weeks for making a dangerous tackle during the Pool B game against Samoa. Evidence reviewed The pair were left out of the team named by coach Vern Cotter for Sunday’s game against the Wallabies at Twickenham, replaced by hooker Fraser Brown and lock Tim Swinson. Following a review of the evidence, however, the Appeal Committee dismissed the ﬁnding that Ford and Gray had committed a dangerous tackle because the opposing player had not been dropped or driven. - Reuters

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

SPORTS

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH FACEBOOK PAGE

Love us on Facebook

‘LET’S DO MORE’

Bank Muscat presents green football field to Hai Al Daher team MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, in step with its ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and partnership to support youth who represent the future of Oman, marked a celebration to inaugurate a green football field, developed as part of the Green Sports initiative, for Hai Al Daher Sports Team in the wilayat of Quriyat. The ceremony was held under the auspices of Khalid bin Mohammed Al Zubair, Chairman of Oman Olympic Committee, and attended by dignitaries and senior bank officials. The corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative launched by Bank Muscat to promote Oman as a sporting nation has gained momentum with the announcement of 15 new beneficiary teams for 2015. Marking the successful fourth year, the unique Green Sports initiative has, to date, benefited a total of 49 teams across the Sultanate. In 2015, the bank widened the scope of Green Sports initiative beyond the greening of football fields. Football teams seeking Green Sports support can choose from four options to either green their football fields with natural or synthetic turf, or avail support to affix flood lights or water desalination equipment to facilitate

greening of fields in areas facing problems of water salinity. The move is aimed at providing wider representation to teams to build sustainable sports infrastructure in all parts of the Sultanate. Taya Bait Sabeea, Senior Regional Manager, said: “The inauguration of the green football field in Quriyat reiterates the bank’s commitment to supporting youth who represent the future of Oman. We congratulate Hai Al Daher Team for seizing the opportunity to green their field, thereby set-

ting a fine example for other teams in Oman to promote Oman as a sporting nation.” The football fields are also serving as a meeting place for children and youth to be engaged in gainful activities. The fields are used to host various activities such as Ramadan nights, group weddings and other celebrations. Such community activities are helping children and youth develop strong positive character traits. Aimed at raising sporting heroes for the country, the bank remains

committed to supporting all deserving teams to develop sports infrastructure across the Sultanate. Bank Muscat recognises that sustainable development has the potential for achieving long-term beneﬁts spanning economic, social, cultural and environmental dimensions. The funding criteria for the Green Sports programme include that sports teams should have been in existence for three years with a minimum membership of 300 youth from the local com-

munity. The bank recognises that local teams wield immense inﬂuence on neighbourhood communities, especially youth, hence teams with modern infrastructure facilities can help raise sporting heroes for the country. Shaikh Mahfoudh bin Ali Al Juma, President of the Organising Committee of Hai Al Daher Football Field, said: “The inauguration of Hai Al Daher team’s green football ﬁeld marks a milestone for the development of sports, especially the game of football, in the wilayat

of Quriyat. We thank Bank Muscat for this laudable gesture.” Salem bin Juma Al Sinani, President of Hai Al Daher Team, said: “The Green Sports initiative has made vital contributions to create an environment encouraging Omani sports talents. The unique initiative is a big support for the country’s youth and we are confident that many youngsters will benefit from this programme and become sporting heroes for the country.” The consistent progress of the Green Sports initiative confirms the bank’s commitment to the programme aimed at providing ample opportunities for young Omanis to develop their sporting talents in an ideal environment. The programme is expected to go a long way in developing the sporting skills and talents of Omani youth, thereby promoting football in Oman. Bank Muscat is committed to its ‘Let’s Do More’ vision for the economy, community and environment and is proud to have led the way in contributing to sustainable development in Oman with various initiatives. As the nation’s leading financial institution, Bank Muscat aims to provide the impetus for youth to excel in all arenas and thereby contribute to the development and progress of Oman. FOOTBALL

Ex-Everton manager Kendall dies

FIRST WIN: New Media team after their win over Ooredoo A. – Supplied photo

A DIVISION: Galfar team after their victory against OCT Al Amerat. – Supplied photo

New Media defeat Ooredoo A After bowling out

Khimji Ramdas fetes Oman team players

Ooredoo A for 165 in 29 overs, New Media reached the target

Brief scores: PDO 140 for 9 in 20 overs (Kashif Khalil 53; Rajesh Shetty 4/19) lost to DUE 141/5 in 18.2 overs (Nishant M. 39, Shabu 30; Abdul Majid 2/29). Points: Design Unit Engineering - 2, PDO - 0.

in 22.3 overs losing ﬁve wickets

MUSCAT: New Media defeated Ooredoo A by five wickets in a Khimji Ramdas-sponsored A Division match at the Municipality Ground II here on Friday. Winning the toss and batting first, Ooredoo A scored 165 all out in 29 overs with Wajid Ali and Vijeesh C.V. scoring with 46 and 30 respectively. Imran Rizvi and Chand Lakmal were the pick of the New Media bowlers with figures of three for 26 and three for 20 in six overs respectively. New Media completed their bonus point victory by chasing the score down in just 22.3 overs for the loss of five wickets. Rajeesh Tayyil and Chandana Jagath scored with 51 not out and 36 respectively. Sunil Baby claimed three scalps for Ooredoo A. Brief scores: Ooredoo A 165 in 29 overs (Wajid Ali 46, Vijessh C.V. 30; Imran

PDO put on 140 for nine in 20 overs with Kashif Khalil top scoring with 53 runs. For DUE, Rajesh Shetty picked up four wickets in four overs. DUE chased the target in 18.2 overs losing ﬁve wickets. Nishant M. and Shabu scored with 39 and 30 respectively. PDO’s Abdul Majid bagged two wickets.

MUSCAT: Khimji Ramdas Group recently felicitated the members of Oman national cricket team who qualiﬁed for the World T20 Championship

Rizvi 3/26, Chand Lakmal 3/20) lost to New Media 166 for 5 in 22.3 overs (Rajeesh Tayyil 51 n.o., Chandana Jagath 36; Sunil Baby 3/44). Points: New Media - 3, Ooredoo A - 0.

Easy for Galfar In another A Division match, Galfar defeated OCT Al Amerat by nine wickets at Municipality Ground I on Friday. Winning the toss and batting ﬁrst, Al Amerat put on 178 for nine

to be organised in India. The Sultanate squad qualiﬁed for the world event after their excellent performances at the T20 World Qualiﬁer jointly or-

in 30 overs with the Faris Al Zadjali and Salim Haider scoring with 67 and 35 runs respectively. For Galfar, M. Nazish picked up three wickets. Galfar completed their bonus point victory by chasing the score down in 18.5 overs for the loss of one wicket. Khalil Ahmed and Munas Palath top scored with 64 not out and 45 not out respectively. Brief scores: OCT Al Amerat 178 for 9 in 30 overs (Faris Al Zadjali 67, Salim

ganised in Ireland and Scotland in July this year. The players included Vaibhav Wategaonkar, Rajesh Ranpura, Jatinder Singh and Munis Ansari.

Haider 35; M. Nazish 3/26) lost to Galfar 179 for 1 in 18.5 overs (Khalil Ahmed 64 n.o., Munas Palath 45 n.o.) Points: Galfar CT- 3, OCT Al Amerat - 0.

DUE down PDO In an Al Ansari Group of Companies-sponsored B Division match, the Design Unit Engineering (DUE) defeated PDO by ﬁve wickets at the Municipality Ground I during the afternoon session on Friday. After being asked to bat ﬁrst,

SARCO win thriller In a Raha Poly Products-sponsored C Division match, SARCO recorded a two-wicket victory over Newrest Wacasco at the Municipality Ground II. Batting ﬁrst, Newrest scored 137 in 19.4 overs with Deepak Gakhar top scoring with 47 runs. Satish Achary and Aamir Merchant were the pick of the SARCO bowlers claiming three and two wickets respectively. In response, SARCO managed to score 138 for eight in 17.4 overs. Tosim Khan top scored for SARCO with 57 runs. Kathik Rajappa was the pick of the Newrest bowlers with ﬁgures of three for 22. Brief scores: Newrest Wacasco 137 in 19.4 overs (Deepak Gakhar 47, Satish Achary 3/19, Aamir Merchant 2/27) lost to SARCO 138 for 8 in 17.4 overs (Tosim Khan 57; Karthik Rajappa 3/22). Points: SARCO - 2, Newrest Wacasco - 0.

LONDON: Everton’s most successful manager Howard Kendall who led the club to two league titles in the 1980s, died on Saturday aged 69. “It is with great sadness that Everton Football Club has learned of the passing of Howard Kendall,” Everton said in a statement on their website. “The most successful manager in the history of the Club and one of the greatest players to pull on the Everton jersey. “He passed away in hospital in Southport this morning at the age of 69, surrounded by loved ones.” Kendall began his playing career as a defender at Preston North End in 1963 before he moved to Everton four years later. He originally joined Preston as an apprentice in 1961 and three years later, aged just 17 years, 345 days, he became the youngest player to appear in an FA Cup final since 1879. Second Division Preston lost a thrilling final 3-2 to West Ham United and although success alluded him that day, he gained plenty after moving to Everton in 1967. He was again, however, a beaten FA Cup finalist in 1968 when Everton lost a dour final 1-0 to West Bromwich Albion. Having been converted into a midfielder, he went on to win the top-flight First Division title in 1970 when the much-celebrated midfield of Colin Harvey, Alan Ball and Kendall — Everton’s “Holy Trinity” — won the title by nine points from Leeds United in 1970. Kendall was widely regarded during his playing career as the best never to be capped by England. He had played for England at every junior level from Schoolboy to Under-23 and had captained England to victory in the Little World Cup, as the youth edition was called then, in 1964. He moved into management at Blackburn in 1979. He managed Everton in three spells beginning from 1981 to 1987, when he won two league titles, an FA Cup and European Cup Winners Cup. - Reuters

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

SPORTS

Tweet all about it

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH TWITTER PAGE

City and United in scoring spree, no goals for Klopp Raheem Sterling’s hat-trick and a Wilfried Bony double helped leaders City to a 5-1 home win against Bournemouth

LONDON: Goals rained in for Manchester City and Manchester United but Juergen Klopp’s ﬁrst game as Liverpool manager was solid rather than spectacular as they drew 0-0 at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday. Raheem Sterling’s hat-trick and a Wilfried Bony double helped leaders City to a 5-1 home win against Bournemouth while a few miles down the motorway United thumped Everton 3-0 with Wayne Rooney scoring his ﬁrst away league goal for 11 months. City lead second-placed United by two points with West Ham United, who won 3-1 at Crystal Palace, a further two adrift. Liverpool’s sixth draw in seven matches in all competitions left them down in 10th place but there was reason for optimism for Klopp who replaced the sacked Brendan Rodgers this month. “0-0 is not my dream result but it is okay,” former Borussia Dortmund coach Klopp said. England winger Sterling, signed by City for about £45 million ($69.48 million) from Liverpool, lit up the Etihad Stadium with all three of his goals coming before halftime. With Sergio Aguero facing an in-

HAT-TRICK HERO: Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling scores a goal during their Premier League match against AFC Bournemouth

at Etihad Stadium on Saturday. – Reuters

jury lay-off, Sterling, criticised for his lack of finishing prowess since his move, seized the spotlight, poking in the opener after seven minutes, dribbling through for his second after half an hour and completing his hat-trick in first-half stoppage time. Bony, given his chance because of Aguero’s misfortune, also got in on the scoring act — linking well with Sterling. “We are on fire, now we just need to continue. It is a very important week for us — Sevilla on Wednesday in the Champions League and

then the Manchester derby at the weekend,” he said. United will relish next weekend’s Manchester derby too after demolishing Everton at a sombre Goodison Park where fans took part in a minute’s applause for Howard Kendall, the club’s twice league-winning manager, who died on Saturday, aged 69. Goals by Morgan Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera put United in control and Rooney completed the win at his former club. Rooney, who has 187 Premier League goals, second only to Alan

Shearer, said: “It was a very good performance. We were disappointed about the Arsenal game (losing 3-0), and we know coming here is difficult, but it’s a well-deserved victory and we’re delighted.” Jose Mourinho’s troubled start to the season took an upturn as his Chelsea side steadied the ship with a 2-0 home win against struggling Aston Villa, although they were helped by a goalkeeping error from Brad Guzan and Alan Hutton’s own goal. High-ﬂying West Ham notched a fourth away win this season,

Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet scoring late in a 3-1 victory at London rivals Crystal Palace, who played half the match with 10 men after Dwight Gayle was red-carded just before the break. West Ham’s former manager Sam Allardyce’s ﬁrst game in charge of Sunderland ended in a dismal 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion, leaving them second from bottom. Mid-table Southampton led 2-0 against ﬁfth-placed Leicester City but were pegged back and settled for a 2-2 draw. - Reuters

F I FA S C A N D A L

No bribes paid to FIFA for 2006 World Cup: German FA chief BERLIN: Germany’s 2006 World Cup bid committee did not bribe officials from the world soccer governing body FIFA to win the vote for the tournament, the German Football Association (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach

said on Saturday, rejecting allegations made by a German magazine a day earlier. Niersbach, who served on the committee, was responding to a report in Der Spiegel magazine on Friday alleging a slush fund had

been set up for the committee to pay bribes to FIFA officials in order to help land the tournament for Germany in 2000. Der Spiegel reported that among those aware of the slush fund had been the head of the committee,

Franz Beckenbauer, as well as Niersbach, citing internal documents from the German Football Association (DFB). “I can rule that out categorically,” Niersbach said in comments published on the DFB website.

“I can assure that in relation to the bidding and awarding of the 2006 World Cup there were no ‘slush funds’ at the DFB, the bidding committee or the later organising committee,” the German football chief added. - Reuters

ISL

Jackichand strike in Pune’s win over Kolkata PUNE: Pune FC rode on India international Jackichand Singh’s second minute strike to snap defending champions Atletico de Kolkata’s unbeaten run with a 1-0 win and jump to the top of the Indian Super League (ISL) standings here on Saturday. The game got off to a lightning start with Jackichand capitalising on a long ball into the Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) half and finishing first time with his left foot past goalkeeper Juan Calatayud to put the home side 1-0 up with just 76 seconds on the clock at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium. With nine points from four matches (three wins and a loss), Pune leapfrogged ATK on top of ISL table, pushing down the defending champions, who suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday, to second spot. ATK now have seven points from four matches (two wins, one draw and one loss). Calatayud was a busy man throughout the match and was called into action a minute later to save from a long range effort by Costa Rican Yendrick Ruiz. The home side were firmly in control in the opening stages as Kolkata struggled to get on the ball. Pune could have doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute but Tuncay Sanli blazed over the bar with a shot off his weaker left foot. The defending champions were on the back foot and a quick counter-attack set up two more chances for Pune in a goal-mouth scramble at the half-hour mark. ATK’s defence somehow kept it at 1-0 after attempts from Ruiz and Jackichand were cleared off the line. Ruiz had another go from a distance but Calatayud was equal to the task. Pune had another go before going into the break in the 41st minute but Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s shot, however, failed to test the keeper. Kolkata had to wait till the 38th minute for their first shot on goal, off Ofentse Nato that he dragged wide off the target. Pune keeper Steven Simonsen got his first touch of the ball four minutes later after making a routine save at near post from ATK’s first shot on target. - PTI

LA LIGA

Record Ronaldo goal puts Real on top MADRID: Real Madrid opened a two-point lead over Villarreal at the top of La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo set a club scoring record in a 3-0 stroll at home to Levante on Saturday. Marcelo ﬁred Real ahead in the 27th minute at the Bernabeu when he exchanged passes with Ronaldo and blasted the ball past Ruben in the Levante goal. Ronaldo made it 2-0 three minutes later when he cracked a longrange effort into the corner, his 324th Real goal putting him one clear of former Spain striker Raul. Rare drought It ended a rare four-match goal drought in Spain’s top ﬂight for the Portugal captain, his joint-worst run since he joined Real in 2009. Substitute Jese skipped past his marker and drove the ball high into the net to make it 3-0 eight minutes from time as Real Madrid secured a morale-boosting victory ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League Group A match at Paris St Germain. Levante squandered the few

RECORD GOAL: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts next Levante’s Juanfran Garcia during their

La Liga match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Saturday. – Reuters

chances they created, although forward Deyverson did force a good save from Real’s former Levante goalkeeper Keylor Navas shortly before Ronaldo’s goal.

Barca have lost their last two away matches, falling 4-1 at Celta Vigo and 2-1 at Sevilla, and are still without talisman Lionel Messi and captain Andres Iniesta,

who are out injured. Villarreal can reclaim top spot if they beat Celta Vigo on Sunday, when ﬁfth-placed Atletico Madrid play at Real Sociedad. - Reuters

SECTION

Health LIFESTYLE

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

WHY ANTIBIOTICS CAN’T FIGHT VIRUSES Story Mohammed Shafeeqe

S U N DAY, OCTOB ER 1 8, 2 0 1 5

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

LIFESTYLE UNNECESSARY

USE

ANTIBIOTICS

TREAT

CONDITIONS

CAUSED

VIRUSES HOW TO TAKE PRESCRIBED ANTIBIOTICS

MAY

Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2022;Ĺ&#x2022; % Ĺ&#x2022;3)/,Ĺ&#x2022; (.# #).# -Ĺ&#x2022; .Ĺ&#x2022; ." Ĺ&#x2022;,#!".Ĺ&#x2022;.#' Ĺ&#x2022; ( Ĺ&#x2022; ),Ĺ&#x2022; -Ĺ&#x2022; &)(!Ĺ&#x2022; -Ĺ&#x2022;*, - ,# Ăž

NOT

Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2022;Ĺ&#x2022; )(Ä?.Ĺ&#x2022;% *Ĺ&#x2022;/(/- Ĺ&#x2022; (.# #).# -Ĺ&#x2022; ),Ĺ&#x2022; ()." ,Ĺ&#x2022; .#' Ĺ&#x2022;Ä&#x2022;Ĺ&#x2022;/(/- Ĺ&#x2022; (.# #).# -Ĺ&#x2022; -")/& Ĺ&#x2022; Ĺ&#x2022; #-*)- Ăž

HELP

Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2022;Ĺ&#x2022; )(Ä?.Ĺ&#x2022;-" , Ĺ&#x2022; (.# #).# -Ĺ&#x2022; 1#."Ĺ&#x2022;)." ,-Ĺ&#x2022;Ä&#x2022;Ĺ&#x2022;." 3Ĺ&#x2022;' 3Ĺ&#x2022; " 0 Ĺ&#x2022; Ĺ&#x2022; #Ăą , (.Ĺ&#x2022;#( .#)(ĂžĹ&#x2022;

Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2022;Ĺ&#x2022; Ĺ&#x2022;3)/Ĺ&#x2022; ),! .Ĺ&#x2022;.)Ĺ&#x2022;. % Ĺ&#x2022; Ĺ&#x2022; )- Ĺ&#x2022;) Ĺ&#x2022;3)/,Ĺ&#x2022; (.# #).# ĂżĹ&#x2022; . % Ĺ&#x2022;." Ĺ&#x2022; )- Ĺ&#x2022; -Ĺ&#x2022;-))(Ĺ&#x2022; -Ĺ&#x2022;3)/Ĺ&#x2022;, ' ' ,ĂžĹ&#x2022; Ĺ&#x2022;." Ĺ&#x2022; .#' Ĺ&#x2022; ),Ĺ&#x2022;." Ĺ&#x2022;( 2.Ĺ&#x2022; )- Ĺ&#x2022;#-Ĺ&#x2022; &)- ĂżĹ&#x2022;-%#*Ĺ&#x2022;." Ĺ&#x2022;'#-- Ĺ&#x2022; )- Ĺ&#x2022; ( Ĺ&#x2022; )(.#(/ Ĺ&#x2022;." Ĺ&#x2022; *, - ,# Ĺ&#x2022;- " /& Ăž

RIDDING

THE

AILMENT

BUT

POSSIBLY

INVITE

ALLERGIES

AND

AUTOIMMUNE

DISEASES

ave you ever asked your family doctor at your local clinic for antibiotics to treat a cold? Or sore throat? Or your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ear infection? And did your doctor ever say â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sure. We can.â&#x20AC;? Well, you probably shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have asked, and your doctor almost certainly should have said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;noâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Why? Because viruses usually cause those infections, not bacteria, and antibiotics donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work against viruses. Using antibiotics when you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need them is not only a waste of money, but can cause side effects including everything from diarrhoea to nausea, vomiting, and serious allergic reactions. Numerous studies done across the world indicate that up to half of all the antibiotics are prescribed for the wrong reasons. According to Dr Sreekumar, Paediatric Specialist, KIMS Oman Hospital, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Majority of the infections involving the upper respiratory tract (nose, throat, ears) and the gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines) tract infections are caused by viruses and they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need any antibiotics. Contrary to the popular belief, antibiotics neither reduce the intensity nor shorten the duration of any viral illness. Antibiotics are associated with signiďŹ cant side effects like rashes, diarrhoea, and severe allergic reactions. More recently scientiďŹ c evidences suggest that antibiotics alter the normal bacterial ďŹ&#x201A;ora that is part of our intestinal

tract leading to consequences such as autoimmune diseases, allergies, asthma and potentially obesity.â&#x20AC;? Even worse is antibiotic resistance. The unnecessary use of antibiotics can breed bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, making the drugs less effective when you really need them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics by changing their genes after being in contact with an antibiotic. These changes allow the bacteria to survive or resist the antibiotic. This is how antibiotic resistance occurs,â&#x20AC;? explains Dr Sreekumar. The overuse of antibiotics is a serious problem, these days, described by public health experts in apocalyptic terms. According to Dr Ramez, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Antibiotic resistance has been called one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most pressing public health problems. Almost every type of bacteria has become stronger and less responsive to antibiotic treatment when it is really needed. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria can quickly spread to family members, schoolmates, and co-workers, threatening the community with a new strain of infectious disease that is more difficult to cure and more expensive to treat.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Antibiotic resistance can cause signiďŹ cant danger and suffering for children and adults who have common infections, once easily treatable with antibiotics. Microbes can develop resistance to speciďŹ c medicines. A common misconception is that a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body becomes re-

sistant to speciďŹ c drugs. However, it is microbes, not people, that become resistant to the drugs,â&#x20AC;? he said. If a microbe is resistant to many drugs, treating the infections it causes can become difficult or even impossible. Someone with an infection that is resistant to a certain medicine can pass that resistant infection to another person. In this way, a hard-to-treat illness can be spread from person to person. In some cases, the illness can lead to serious disability or even death, Dr Ramez explains. Bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics mainly because of the injudicious use of antibiotics, says Dr Sreekumar. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Using antibiotics when they are not needed like in viral infections can lead to antibiotic resistance. As against the common thinking, antibiotics will not reduce the severity or duration of viral infections. Antibiotics will also not prevent viral infections from getting transmitted to others, and not taking antibiotics in the prescribed doses and time intervals also leads to resistance in due course,â&#x20AC;? he said. Antibiotics For Bacterial Infections â&#x20AC;&#x153;Antibiotics are used mainly for bacterial infections. Use antibiotics only if it is suggested by your doctor. Your doctor decides whether the infection is bacterial by clinical examination and laboratory tests, if needed,â&#x20AC;? Dr Sreeku-

mar makes it clear. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just about doctors. Doctors also say patients demand to be given antibiotics. So should we ask our doctors for antibiotics, and should they hand them over? In most cases, probably not. The basic rule is that antibiotics only work against bacteria. They have no effect on viruses. Colds, ďŹ&#x201A;u and sore throats â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all the allergies we are subject to during winter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are mostly caused by viruses. Dr Sreekumar advises that by using antibiotics less often, we can slow the development of resistance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask for antibiotics. You should use antibiotics only when it is appropriate to do so. Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed, never save them for future use and never share them with others,â&#x20AC;? he said. An essential part of preventing the spread of infection in the community and at home is proper hygiene. This includes hand-washing and cleaning shared items and surfaces, says Dr Ramez. For the last six decades, antibiotics have been wonder drugs, curing diseases such as pneumonia that used to be major killers. But widespread prescription is putting them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and human beings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at risk. The drugs are losing their potency as the bugs they once exterminated become resistant to them. Still, people believe that there are pills for all ills. In fact, all these years in the war between bacteria and antibiotics, the bugs are winning. shafeeqe@timesofoman.com

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

LIFESTYLE BRIEFS

Genes That Could Slow Ageing IdentiďŹ ed

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

Eye Rub Exercise To relax your eyes, improve blood circulation, and enhance vision, do a simple exercise: Keep your eyes closed, rub your palms briskly together and immediately place the base of your palms over your eyes. Feel the heat warming up your eyes. Repeat 3-4 times. This exercise can be done standing, sitting, or lying down.

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

In what could lead to potential new ways of slowing the pace of ageing in humans, research have identiďŹ ed 238 genes that, when removed from living cells, can extend their life. The 10-year study by scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Ageing and the University of Washington in the US was conducted on yeast cells. As many of these genes and genetic pathways are also found in mammals, the researchers believe that if the same gene editing technique could be replicated in humans, it could help extend our lifespan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This study looks at ageing in the context of the whole genome and gives us a more complete picture of what ageing is,â&#x20AC;? said study lead author Brian Kennedy, president and CEO, Buck Institute for Research on Ageing in Novato, California. The researchers examined 4,698 yeast strains, each with a single gene deletion. To determine which strains yielded increased lifespan, the researchers counted yeast cells, logging how many daughter cells a mother produced before it stopped dividing.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

How AntibioticResistant Bacteria Can Be Eliminated

Eat Mackerel to Control Blood Sugar Mackerel is an easily available ďŹ sh that contains a good amount of healthy fats (monounsaturated fatty acids) which are very important for the control of blood sugar levels in diabetics. Regular consumption of mackerel is helpful not just in regulating blood sugar but also in lowering visceral fat, the two key risks for diabetics.

DECODING DOCTOR

Gum Care

Many people arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t aware that they have gingivitis. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to have gum disease without any symptoms. You must practise proper oral hygiene and a healthy lifestyle to have a healthy gum. DrSmithaTharakan, Dentist Surgeon, KIMS Oman Hospital, shares some vital information on gum care.

Eat Tamarind to Improve Digestion Tamarind, if consumed as a fruit or as a spice, helps in improving the digestive system. It stimulates the activity of bile, which helps in dissolving food faster, while its ďŹ bre content also stimulates gastric juices to speed up digestion. It is considered a powerful laxative for those suffering from constipation.

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON GUM DISEASE? The most common gum disease that is found is gingivitis.

titis. Gingivitis and periodontitis are major causes of tooth loss in adults. The following are risk factors for gingivitis: Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ')%#(!Ĺ&#x2014;),Ĺ&#x2014; " 1#(!Ĺ&#x2014;.) ) Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; # . Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; )(-/'#(!Ĺ&#x2014; ,. #(Ĺ&#x2014; ' # .#)(-Ĺ&#x2014; (steroids, anticonvulsants, calcium channel blockers, and chemotherapy) Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,))% Ĺ&#x2014;. ." Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; (. &Ĺ&#x2014; **&# ( -Ĺ&#x2014;." .Ĺ&#x2014;Ă°.Ĺ&#x2014;*)),&3 Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,)% (Ĺ&#x2014;Ă°&&#(!Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; , !( ( 3 Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ( .# Ĺ&#x2014; .),Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; )'*,)'#- Ĺ&#x2014; #''/(#.3Ĺ&#x2014; ÄĄ-/ "Ĺ&#x2014; as HIV/AIDS patients)

WHAT IS GINGIVITIS? Gingivitis is an inďŹ&#x201A;ammation of the gums which is usually caused by a bacterial infection. If left untreated, it can become a more serious infection known as periodon-

WHAT CAUSES GINGIVITIS? Our mouths are full of bacteria. These bacteria, along with mucus and other particles, constantly form a sticky, colourless â&#x20AC;&#x153;plaqueâ&#x20AC;? on teeth. Plaque is a thin ďŹ lm of

WHO GETS GUM DISEASE? People usually donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t show signs of gum disease until they are in their 30s or 40s. Men are more likely to have gum disease than women. Although teenagers rarely develop periodontitis, they can develop gingivitis, the milder form of gum disease. Most commonly, gum disease develops when plaque is allowed to build up along and under the gum line.

bacteria. It constantly forms on the surface of your teeth. As plaque advances, it hardens and becomes tartar. You can develop an infection when plaque extends below the gum line. Your gums actually attach to the teeth at a lower point than the gum edges that we see. This forms a small space called a sulcus. Food can get trapped in this space and cause a gum infection or gingivitis. Left unchecked, gingivitis can cause the gums to separate from the teeth. This can cause injury to the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth. The tooth may become loose and unstable. If infection progresses, you may ultimately lose your tooth or need a dentist to remove it. Plaque that is not removed can harden and form â&#x20AC;&#x153;tartarâ&#x20AC;? that brushing doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t clean. Only a professional cleaning

A combination and sequence of antibiotics can effectively hinder the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a study found. Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Centre, Florida, have developed a novel mathematical method, inspired by Darwinian evolution, to use current antibiotics to eliminate or reduce the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The researchers showed that the ability of the bacterium E. coli to survive in antibiotics could be either promoted or hindered depending on the sequence of antibiotics given. They discovered that approximately 70 per cent of different sequences of 2 to 4 antibiotics lead to resistance to the ďŹ nal drug. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our results suggest that, through careful ordering of antibiotics, we may be able to steer evolution to a dead end from which resistance cannot emerge,â&#x20AC;? said lead author Daniel Nichol from Moffitt. -IANS

by a dentist can remove the tartar. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GINGIVITIS? The following can be symptoms of gingivitis: Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; /'-Ĺ&#x2014;." .Ĺ&#x2014; , Ĺ&#x2014;, Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014;. ( ,Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; or swollen Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; /'-Ĺ&#x2014;." .Ĺ&#x2014; & Ĺ&#x2014;1" (Ĺ&#x2014;3)/Ĺ&#x2014; brush or ďŹ&#x201A;oss your teeth Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; /'-Ĺ&#x2014;." .Ĺ&#x2014;" 0 Ĺ&#x2014;*/&& Ĺ&#x2014; 1 3Ĺ&#x2014; from the teeth loose teeth Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014; " (! Ĺ&#x2014;#(Ĺ&#x2014;")1Ĺ&#x2014;3)/,Ĺ&#x2014;. ."Ĺ&#x2014; ďŹ t together when you bite (malocclusion) Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; /-Ĺ&#x2014; .1 (Ĺ&#x2014;. ."Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014;!/'Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; #(Ĺ&#x2014;1" (Ĺ&#x2014; " 1#(! Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; (-#.#0 Ĺ&#x2014;. ." Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,.# &Ĺ&#x2014; (./, -Ĺ&#x2014;." .Ĺ&#x2014;()Ĺ&#x2014; longer ďŹ t Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; )/&Ä&#x161;-' &&#(!Ĺ&#x2014; , ."Ĺ&#x2014;." .Ĺ&#x2014; does not go away after you brush your teeth .ur teeth twice a da shafeeqe@timesofoman.com

C10

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

FIND-IT-ALL CINEMA SCHEDULE

PRAYER TIMINGS

@MGM

@SOHAR

@RUWI

SHATTI Crimsom Peak (Drama, Horror)(15+)(2D) Cast : Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston 2:45, 7:00, 9:15, 11.30 pm War Pigs (Action, War) (12+) Cast : Luke Goss, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Liddell 4:00, 8:00 pm The Martian (3D) (Action, Sci-Fi) – PG Cast : Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain 2:15, 4:45, 11:45 pm Pet Pals in Windland (Animation) (PG) Voice Overs: Gerolamo Alchieri, Nanni Baldini 12:45, 2:30 pm 99 Homes (Drama) (PG) Cast : Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon 6:00 pm Legend (Biography, Crime, Thriller) – 12+ Cast Tom Hardy, Emily Browning 9:15 pm Before We Go (Comedy, Drama) (15+) Cast : Chris Evans, Alice Eve, Emma Fitzpatrick 7:30 pm Momentum (Action, Thriller) (15+)(2D) Cast: Olga Kurylenko, James Purefoy 12:30, 5:00, 9:45, 11:45 pm MUSCAT GRAND MALL Momentum 2D (Action, Thriller) (15+) 12:15, 7:15 & 11:45PM Crimsom Peak 2D (Drama, Horror) (15+) Cast : Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, 9:15 & 11:30PM Gold Class : 2:30, 6:30 & 8:45PM Pet Pals In Windland 2D (Animation) (PG) 10:30AM, 1:00PM & 7:00PM Gold Class : 4:45PM Pan 3D (Adventure | Family | Fantasy ) (PG) 10:45AM & 2:30PM The Martian 3D (Action| Adventure) (PG) 4:30 & 9:00PM

Crimsom Peak (Drama, Horror)(15+)(2D) Cast : Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston Timing: 2:45, 7:00, 9:15, 11.30 pm

Cast: Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman 2:00 PM Crimsom Peak - 2D (15+) Drama, Fantasy, Cast – Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston 4:00, 11:55 PM Life of Josuty – 2D (PG12) Family, Drama Cast: Dileep, Jyothi Krishna , Kalabhavan Mani 8:50 PM The Fighter – 2D (TBC) Action Cast: Ram Charan, Rakul Preet Singh 7:00 PM

AZAIBA Momentum – 2D (15+) Action, Thriller Cast: Olga Kurylenko, James Purefoy, Morgan Freeman 2:15, 11:50pm Pyar Ka Punchnama – 2D (PG12) Comedy, Cast - Sunny Singh Nijjar, Sonalli Sehgal 2:15, 6:15, 8:45, 11:15 PM Pet Pals In Windland – 2D (PG) Animation 4:45 PM Jazbaa – 2D (12+) Drama, Action, Adventure Cast – Aishwarya Rai Bacchan, Irrfan Khan, 2:15, 6:15, 8:30, 10:45 PM The Martian – 3D (PG) Action, Adventure, 2:10, 6:15 PM Wedding Pullav – 2D (PG) Comedy Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Satish Kaushik, Upasna 4:45, 9:35 PM Pan – 3D (PG) Adventure, Family, Fantasy

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

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

06:00 06:00

Nizwa Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

06:00 14:30

Ruwi Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

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

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

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

07:00

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

15:00

Salalah

07:00

Daily

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

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

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

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

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

Minimum

11.45 13.30 14.00

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

Life Of Josutty (Family Ent) Cast: Dileep, Joythi Krishna, & Rachana Narayanan 3-30 Pm Cinema -2 ; 6-30 & 10-00 Pm Cinema Main Jamna Pyari (Mal) (Com/Rom) Cast: Kunchako Boban, Roja, Gayatri & Anu Moi 6-45 Pm Cinema-4 Pulli (Tamil) (Act) Cast: Vijay & Shruthi Hassan, Sri Devi & Hansika Motwani 3-45 & 9-45pm Cinema-3 Kunji Ramayanam (Mal) (Drama/Com) Cast: Vineeth Srinivasan, Aju Verghese & Srinda 3-45 Pm At Cinema -4 The Fighter (Brucelee) (Telugu) (Act) Cast: Ramcharan, Rakul Preet Singh & Bramanandan 3-00 Pm Cinema Main ; 6-30 & 9-30 Pm Cinema -2; 6-45 Pm Cinema-3 ; 9-45 Pm Cinema-4 Next Change: Ennu Ninte Moideen 10 (Mal), Endrathu Kulla (Tamil) Programmes are subject to change

WITH LOVE

BHADRA October 18, 2006

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

45-80% Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 17 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to lifestyle@timesofoman.com

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

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

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

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

34 28

STAR CINEMA

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

BURAIMI Momentum – 2D (Action, Thriller) (15+) Cast: Ogla Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman 6:30, 10:00, 11:45PM Crimsom Peak – 2D (Drama, Fantasy (15+) Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, 4:15, 11:30PM Kung Fu Jungle – 2D (Action | Thriller) (12+) Cast: Donnie Yen, Charlie Yeung, Baoqiang 4:45, 8:15, 9:45, 11:45PM Life of Josutty – 2D (Drama, Action) (PG12) Cast: Dileep, Jyothi Krishna, Kalabhavan Mani 6:45PM Jazbaa – 2D (Drama, Action ) (12+) 4:30, 7:00PM

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

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

Daily Daily Daily

2:30, 11:45 PM Wedding Pullav - 2D (TBC) Romance| Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Satish Kaushik, Upasna 4:30, 6:45 PM Life of Josutty - 2D (M) (PG12) Family Cast: Dileep, Jyothi Krishna , Kalabhavan 6:00 PM The Fighter 2D (Telugu) (TBC) Action Cast: Ram Charan, Rakul Preet Singh 8:45 PM

The Martian (3D) (PG) (Action, Sci-Fi) 2:15, 5:05PM Crimsom Peak (2D) (15+) (Drama) 10:00AM, 2:00, 7:40, 11:45PM Momentum (2D) (15+) (Action/Thriller) Cast: Olga Kurylenko, James Purefoy, Morgan 12:00, 4:05, 9:50, 11:30PM Pan (3D) (PG) (Adventure/Family/Fantasy) 12:15PM Pet Pals In Windland (2D) (PG) (Animation ) Voice Overs: Gerolamo Alchieri, Nanni Baldini 10:45AM, 1:45PM War Pigs (2D)(12+) (Action/War) Cast: Luke Goss, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck 10:15AM, 11:35PM Jazbaa (2D)(12+) (Drama/Action/Adventure) Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, 7:00PM Kung Fu Jungle (2D) (12+) (Action/Thriller) Cast: Donnie Yen, Charlie Yeung, Baoqiang 12:05, 3:15PM Wedding Pullav (2D) (PG) (Romance/) Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Satish Kaushik, Upasna 4:45, 9:15PM Life of Josutty (2D) (PG12) (Mal) (Family) 8:30PM The Fighter (2D) (PG12) (Telugu) (Action) Cast: Ram Charan, Rakul Preet Singh 6:00PM

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

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

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

SOHAR The Martian - 3D (PG) Action, Adventure Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen 2:15, 9:00, 11:40 PM Crimsom Peak - 2D (15+)Drama, Horror Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, 5:00, 9:15, 11:30 PM Momentum -2D (15+)Action | Thriller Cast: Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman 7:00, 11:30 PM Before We Go – 2D (15+)Comedy| Romance Cast: Chris Evans, Alice Eve, Emma Fitzpatrick 2:45, 7:15 PM Jazbaa - 2D (12+) Drama, Action & Adventure 4:30, 9:00 PM Pet Pals In Windland - 2D (PG) Animation 2:45, 4:15 PM War Pigs - 2D(12+)Action | War Cast: Luke Goss, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck

Crimsom Peak (Drama, Horror)(15+)(2D) Cast : Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston 4.00, 7.30, 9.45 & 11.55 pm CP No: 2785 (15+) Momentum (Action / Thriller ) Cast: Olga Kurylenko, James Purefoy, Morgan Freeman 4.00, 8.00, 10.00 & 11.55 p.m. CP No: 2786 (15+) Before We Go (Comedy / Drama / Romance) Cast: Chris Evans, Alice Eve, Emma Fitzpatrick 2.00 & 6.00 pm CP No: 2787 (15+) Pet Pals in Windland (Animation / Comedy ) Voice Overs: Belinda Keller, Anthony Lawson 2.00 & 6.00 pm CP No: 2788 (PG)

SALALAH

WEATHER

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (ROUTE 36) Daily Daily Daily

Screen 3 Talvar (Mystery/Thriller) – PG12 Cast: Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Tabu 3.45, 9.45 PM Jawani Phir Nahi Aani (Comedy) – 12+ 6.45 PM

RUWI Screen 1 Pyaar Ka Punchnama-2 (Comedy) – PG12 Cast : Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha 3.30, 9.30 PM Jazbaa (Action / Drama ) – 12+ Cast : Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan 6.30 PM Screen 2 Jazbaa (Action / Drama ) – 12+ 3.45, 9.45 PM Singh Is Bling - 2D (PG12) Action |Comedy 6.45 PM

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

Before We Go – 2D (15+)Comedy| Romance Cast : Chris Evans, Alice Eve, Emma Fitzpatrick 2:45, 7:15 PM

Pyaar Ka Punchnama-2 (Comedy) – PG12 Cast : Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha, , Sunny Singh Nijjar 3.30, 9.30 PM

Momentum : 2D (Action, Thriller) 15+ Cast : Olga Olga Kurylenko, James Purefoy, Morgan Freeman Timing: 12:15, 7:15 & 11:45PM

Gold Class: 11:00PM The Walk 3D (Adventure) (PG) Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt 2:15PM Etiquette for Mistresses 2D (Tagalog) Cast: Kris Aquino, Claudine Barretto (TBC) 4:45PM

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

16:30 18:00 19:30

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

SUR Momentum (Action | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Olga Kurylenko, James Purefey 4:00, 5:45, 9:30 PM Crimson Peak (Drama | Horror) (15+) 7:30, 11:55 PM War Pigs (Action | War) (12+) Cast: Dolph Lindgren, Luke Goss, Chuck 4:15, 6:00, 7:45 PM Jazbaa (Hindi) (Action | Drama) (12+) Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bacchan, Irrfan Khan, 9:45 PM Life of Josutty (Mal) (Family) (PG12) 11:15 PM

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

Quriyat Sur Jaalan

BAHJA CINEMA

Singh is Bling– 2D (Action/Comedy/) (PG) 9:15PM

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68. www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman

Destination

11.57pm 3.16pm 5.44pm 6.55pm 4.50am

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

@SHATTI

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

Afghanistan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Brunei China Cyprus Egypt France Germany India Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya South Korea Kuwait

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

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

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

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334

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

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

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

Hamriya 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 Hamdan Hospital 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar 26751128 MBD 24799077 Al Khuwair 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC 22004000 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

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

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

C11

LIFESTYLE FA M I LY A D V I C E

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Tea as Therapy

By Hubert Vaz

A cup of warm or hot tea can do wonders in improving your health and ridding a variety of common ailments. Tea has been used as therapy since ancient times in India, China, Japan, and other countries and often combined with various herbs to enhance the effect of the brew. You can treat yourself with tea, without any side effects. Basically, tea is the dried and processed leaves of Camellia Sinensis which is available in four popular varieties â&#x20AC;&#x201C; black, oolong, green and white, depending on the duration of the oxidising process they undergo. Hence, black tea undergoes the longest process of oxidising and has the strongest ďŹ&#x201A;avour while white tea undergoes the least processing. Studies indicate that ďŹ&#x201A;avonoids are the key health-promoting ingredient in tea which prevent cell damage as well as protect against heart disease and cancer.

Effective Brews You can combine tea with various herbs to enhance its therapeutic effect: Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; #(! ,Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014; & ')(!, --Ĺ&#x2014; (Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014; boiled along with tea to create an effective brew for ďŹ ghting colds and ďŹ&#x201A;u as well as motion sickness or indigestion. It also improves blood circulation. Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; " ')'#& Ĺ&#x2014; . Ĺ&#x2014; #-Ĺ&#x2014; )(-# , Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014; great tonic for diffusing anxiety, stress as well as resultant digestive disorders. Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ** ,'#(.Ĺ&#x2014; . Ĺ&#x2014; #-Ĺ&#x2014; " &* /&Ĺ&#x2014; #(Ĺ&#x2014; treating nausea, diarrhoea, headaches and menstrual cramps. Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; )- Ĺ&#x2014;"#*Ĺ&#x2014;. Ĺ&#x2014;" -Ĺ&#x2014;"#!"Ĺ&#x2014; )(. (.Ĺ&#x2014;) Ĺ&#x2014; vitamin C, and so is good for colds and ďŹ&#x201A;u, besides keeping the urinary system in good order. Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ')(Ĺ&#x2014; . Ĺ&#x2014; #-Ĺ&#x2014; !)) Ĺ&#x2014; -Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014; -., --Ĺ&#x2014; buster, soothing palpitations, sleep disorders as well as indigestion. Ä&#x160; -* ,,3Ĺ&#x2014; . Ĺ&#x2014; #-Ĺ&#x2014; !)) Ĺ&#x2014; ),Ĺ&#x2014; ')-.Ĺ&#x2014; female complaints though not recommended during pregnancy. Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; .(#*Ĺ&#x2014;. Ĺ&#x2014;#-Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014;'#& Ĺ&#x2014;- .#0 Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; .Ĺ&#x2014;#-Ĺ&#x2014; helpful in treating upset stomachs, insomnia, and chest congestion.

Brewing Tips Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; &1 3-Ĺ&#x2014; )#&Ĺ&#x2014; 1 . ,Ĺ&#x2014; ),Ĺ&#x2014; . Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; ( 0 ,Ĺ&#x2014; use a microwave as it rearranges the molecules in food and water which can destroy the beneďŹ ts. Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; - Ĺ&#x2014;").Ĺ&#x2014; /.Ĺ&#x2014;().Ĺ&#x2014; )#&#(!Ĺ&#x2014;1 . ,Ĺ&#x2014; ),Ĺ&#x2014; most teas. Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; )0 ,Ĺ&#x2014;." Ĺ&#x2014; /*Ĺ&#x2014;) Ĺ&#x2014;*).Ĺ&#x2014;1" (Ĺ&#x2014;#(.,)ducing tea to prevent the beneďŹ ts from escaping as vapour. Ä&#x160;Ĺ&#x2014; ,Ĺ&#x2014; , -"Ĺ&#x2014;" , -Ĺ&#x2014;),Ĺ&#x2014;& 0 -Ĺ&#x2014; ), Ĺ&#x2014; adding so that the essential oils are easily released.

Jogging regularly (at least three times a week) is helpful in shedding pounds and toning muscles. It helps in building strong bones, strengthening muscles, enhancing cardiovascular ďŹ tness, and making one feel good about oneself.

200 Calories In 10 Minutes

Joggers worldwide are women

6 YEARS

to your life span According to Danish heart 2* ,.Ĺ&#x2014; ,Ĺ&#x2014; . ,Ĺ&#x2014; "()",Ĺ&#x2014; (research published in 2013)

Dear SS, You have asked a beautiful question, a question a lot of teenagers ask. I would like to answer it in two parts. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fact that as a teenager we all become concerned about looking good. We need to ďŹ nd our way in the world and looking good always helps. So concentrate on how you look, ask advice from friends and start working on highlighting your strengths. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no use in complaining or comparing about the way we look. Instead, ďŹ nd your strong points and build your look around it. We need a unique identity but ďŹ nd yourself and build your image with that in mind. The second part is to focus on the one factor that makes people irresistible â&#x20AC;&#x201C;conďŹ dence. The more conďŹ dent a person feels the more he draws people to him. So work on projecting a positive image. Strangely the more we worry, the more we chase people away with our negative energy. So start working on building a positive image. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s #'*)--# & Ĺ&#x2014;# Ĺ&#x2014;1 Ĺ&#x2014;Ă°!".Ĺ&#x2014; ),Ĺ&#x2014;#.Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; )Ĺ&#x2014; /#& Ĺ&#x2014;3)/,- & Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; All the best, Dr G Dr Gerry Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Costa has an MD in psychiatry and a special interest in the areas of anxiety, depression, addiction, and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s psychiatry. He has practiced as a specialised psychiatrist at Badr Al Samaa hospital in Ruwi for the last 9 years. Dr Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Costa offers his advice and professional insights to the readers of Times of Oman. Send your mental health questions to lifestyle@timesofoman.com

JOGGING

Jogging adds

BUILD A POSITIVE IMAGE Dear Dr Gerry, I am a teenaged girl and I ďŹ nd myself always envying other girls in my school. I feel everybody looks good except me and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to improve my appearance. I ďŹ nd that many of the guys in my class prefer talking with only some beautiful girls and they ignore me. What should I do to make them talk to me? -SS

MOVE OF THE WEEK

56%

ASK DR. GERRY

Calories burnt in

15 minutes

110 80 60

Jogging on the spot

Jogging/walking alternatively

Jogging on a mini tramp

C12

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER 18, 2015

LIFESTYLE

Sunlight is known to have numerous health benefits, besides provision of Vitamin D, very little of which is found in the foods that we eat. This means, we need a certain amount of regular sun exposure. The aim is to enjoy the sun sensibly for our required dose of Vitamin D (about 2-3 sun exposures per week during summer) without risking ourselves to any damage. We all know sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage our skin and cause skin cancer. So it is important to apply sunscreen with at least SPF 15 before going out. A recent study conducted at the Baker Heart Research Institute in Melbourne found that sunlight also provides a certain level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter (also known as happy hormone) that regulates appetite, sleep, memory, and mood, and that a difference can be noticed among individuals during winter months when there is a lack of sunlight. There are many other benefits of sunlight, including these five:

Lowers Blood Pressure Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have found that a compound called nitric oxide which helps lower blood pressure is released into the blood vessels as soon as sunlight touches the skin.

Improves Bone Density

Emerging research indicates a direct correlation between bone density and vitamin D3, a fat-soluble vitamin formed during the process of Vitamin D manufacture when sunlight hits the skin.

Improves Brain Function

Some studies have found that sunlight can help spur nerve cell growth in a part of the brain (hippocampus) which is responsible for forming, organising and storage of memories.

Heals Skin Disorders

Sunlight is known to promote healing of skin disorders, such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, jaundice and other fungal skin infections.

Reduces Cancer Risk

Sunlight provides Vitamin D, the deﬁciency of which increases the risk of developing cancers, especially breast and colon cancer.

H E A LT H N O T E

Rewarding and daytime naps can boost memory in children G

iving children rewards and allowing them a short nap after a period of learning can signiﬁcantly boost their ability to remember new facts and skills for a long period, new research suggests. Memories associated with a reward are reinforced by sleep, the ﬁndings showed. “Rewards may act as a kind of tag, sealing information in the brain during learning,” said lead researcher Kinga Igloi from University of Geneva in Switzerland. “During sleep, that information is favourably consolidated over information associated with a low reward and is transferred to areas of the brain associated with longterm memory,” Igloi said.

For the research, thirty-one healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to either a sleep group or a ‘wake’ group and the sensitivity of both groups to reward was assessed as being equal. Participants’ brains were scanned while they were trained to remember pairs of pictures. Eight series of pictures were shown and volunteers were told that remembering pairs in four of them would elicit a higher reward. Following a 90-minute break of either sleep or rest, they were tested on their memory for the pairs and asked to rate how conﬁdent they were about giving a correct answer. Participants were also asked to take part in a surprise test of

exactly the same nature three months later. Both groups’ performance was better for highly rewarded picture pairs, but the sleep group performed better overall. Strikingly, during the surprise test three months later participants who had slept after learning were selectively better for the highly rewarded pairs. The MRI scans revealed that the sleep group showed increased connectivity between the hippocampus, the medial prefrontal cortex and the striatum, areas of the brain implicated in memory consolidation and reward processing. The study will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal eLife.-IANS

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

SECTION

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

RENT

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

VACANCY

CARGO

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

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

Workers’ campus, shops, workshops, stores in a building in Al Misfah, Wilayat Bausher. Contact 98918090 02 BHK commercial / residential (with split AC) Flat at Honda road. Contac: 99342733 / 99795241

Flat for rent, 3 bedrooms, kitchen & bathroom in wadi kabir for 280 RO. Contact : 97771444

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

3 BHK Penthouse Flat with Split A/ Cs, Free Unlimited Broadband WiFi, Security access system, Pvt. Terrace & Secured car park, Opposite Kims Hospital Al Falaj, Monthly Rent: 625/-. Contact: 99657906 or 24702141

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

1000sqm industrial and with compound well & two rooms at Misfah. Contact: 99342733 / 99795241 Readymade office space for rent (100sm) in Bank Melli Iran building, MBA area, Ruwi, opposite Center Point. Contact: 99011352 Shop / store for rent about 250 sq mtrs area in the heart of Ruwi City good for restaurant, store or general sale. Contact 99326639 One /two, B/R, Res / comm. flats near Bank Muscat Bausher from owner directly . Contact: 92158031 AL Khuwair 17/1, 2 single bedroom flats at 150/-, 1 big studio at 120/- , 3 small studios at 90/- with electricity & water. Contact: 99441798 Wadi Kabir 8 studios, each at 80/with electricity & water. Contact 99441798 Mawaleh 3 bedrooms flat at 450/with electricity, water. Contact: 99441798 Brand new 2 bedroom flat split ACS near Sultan Center Arjan towel project R.O 450/- PM. Contact: 95278815

1000 sq mtrs industrial land in Ghala suitable for ware house, work shop etc. Contact : 24700120 / 92584715 200 sqm basement available for rent in AL Khuwair near Rawasco. Contact: 93782735 / 93329476 We have 1BHK in Mabela 7 new buildings 175/- R.O. Contact: 93782735 / 93329476 We have 3BHK villa fully furnished in Ghubra 18th November street 650/- R.O. Contact : 93782735 / 93329476 1BHK R.O 190/- & 2BHK R.O 225/near Medical Darsait Muttrah house. Contact: 98748925 For rent one bedroom Majlis, 2 toilets, kitchen, balcony Greater Muttrah near Muscat Electricity distribution new building rent R.O 230/-. Contact: 99243059 Deluxe 2 bedroom ﬂats MBD, Ruwi, Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99472457 / 24707340

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

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

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

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

We have 100 sqm for rent in Ghala new building 350/- R.O. Contact 93782735 / 93329476

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

We have 3BHK ﬂats in Ghala new building ﬂat with 3 rooms, 4 bathrooms, large sitting hall& kitchen 425/-. Contact: 93782735 / 93329476

Flat 2bedrooms, 2 toilets, kitchen and sitting room in Al Ansab. Contact: 95302993 / 95216161

Al Hail Villa & Flats. Contact: 95282986

Office/Shop 28 SQM, Wadikhabeer, Contact 93004902

Apartment for rent, have ﬂat in South Al Hail consists of 3 bedrooms + 3 baths + hall + kitchen car parking. Contact: 92602050 / 93214010

2BHK with Split Unit A/C , Wadikhabeer near Indian School, 99441193, 93004802

Bedroom ground ﬂoor apartment with sitting, 2 baths, big richen close to Indian School near to Mars hypermarket Wadi Kabir. Contact: 98011224

2BHK with Split Units , WadiKhabeer, 93004802. Flats and shops for rent in Ruwi, MBD Mumtaz area. Contact : 97293708 / 92433127

2 BHK available Ghubra near Al Maha hotel. Contact: 99269751 Brand new deluxe flats located near Seeb fly over on the right hand side of the main road coming from the Seeb palace roundabout, two bedrooms family, hall, kitchen, 3 toilets, balcony & split unit AC. Contact: 97755586 1BHK , 3BHK flats at Wadi Al Kabir new building with split unit and lift behind Muscat Bakery. Contact: 99338133 3 rooms, Majlis, living room, kitchen, 4 toilets & swimming pool in Amerat Heights (phase one). Contact: 99277377 Villa in Al Khuwair 17 /2 for rent, near Ibis hotel, 2 spacious bedrooms, spacious hall, Maid room front yard , private entrance kitchen and 3 bathrooms. Contact: 97056443 Um Obelah 5/1 just walking distance from the Nesto hypermarket and opposite the new pullman mall, 2 bedrooms with two toilets and seating area on 4th floor. only 250 omani rial. Contact 99203381

1BHK Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99024730 1& 2 BHK C.B.D. Contact: 99024730 2 flats with air-conditions in Al Bustan each flat has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, family hall, kitchen, store laundry. Contact: 98919037 Duplex flat Al Athaiba, near Sultan Center 3BHK, 3 Bathrooms, hall & living room family only 500/-R.O. Contact: 92479515 Flat available for rent, 2 bedrooms, hall, 2 toilets, 1 kitchen and balcony with proper sun light & ventilator, location on Mabela North very close to Indian School Al Seeb. Contact: 99432496 Flat AL Ghubrah near 18 Nov ST, bedroom, living room, 2 bathrooms, first floor without ac family only 325/- R.O. Contact: 92479515 Villa Al Amerat behind Al Raffah Hospital 5BHK, living room, hall, 6 bathrooms, split ac family only 425 R.O. Contact : 92479515

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

DAILY GUIDE

FOR RENT Showrooms/ Offices at prime location on the main road, near Police Station, Al Seeb. Suitable for Travels, Money Exchange and Textile shops etc.

CONTACT - 99888007 FOR RENT

FOR SALE

Commercial land on the main road in Nakhal for rent or invest. Contact 92804888 2 BHK flats with split units in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99720021 Flat Al Khuwair near Bader AL Samaa, 2 BHK living room, 2 bathrooms, Kitchen split ac family only 350 R.O. Contact 92479515 Flat 3 mint from Indian School, 2 BHK, living room, 3 bathrooms without A/c, Ground floor family only 340/-R.O. Contact 92479515 Staff accommodation / 2 storey full building available for rent in Rusayl, near Industrial area. Contact: 99352441 / 98116480 / 99358724 2 bed room flat at Al Khodh commercial Street Souq. Contact : 99224748 / 99332297 First floor flat in new building and pent house, each 3 bedrooms servant room, laundry and 5 toilets very spacious halls and family lounges Al Khuwair 39.# 99207840 / 24494243 New Building in Mutrah, 2 B/D Room Flat + Setting Room,3 Baths+ Kitchen with split unit Ac’s. Behind Khimiji’s main office/opposite to Oman House Call 99419712 1,2,3 BHK Flats. Contact: 97799175 2bed room villa in Sidab, 2 Bedroom villa in Wadi Kabeer. Contact : 95755953 / 95555162 Brand new residential flats in Wadi Kabir near Muscat football club, have 2 bedroom family hall, 2 toilets, Kitchen with spilt AC for 250/- R.O. Contact: 95999904 / 98585889 / 92383886 Villa for rent four spacious bath attached bed room private swimming pool gymnasium (common) with electrical equipment and free maintenance secured compound at Madinat Al Allam. Contact: 98027975

FOR SALE Institution for sale, well furnished institution for sale in Muscat. Contact 93657915

FOR RENT 2 BHK Commercial Al Khuwair R.O 375/-. Contact : 97799175 1BHK Ghubra R.O 275/-. Contact : 97799175 Furnished flat for rent, 3 rooms with attached bathroom, 1 dining room, 1 sitting room, 1 kitchen at Al Hail South. Contact 99835995 For rent a full office building of 3100 sq mtrs opposite to Central Bank in CBD (Ruwi) for R.O 4 per Sq mtrs. Contact: 95330200 600 SQT commercial flat for rent opposite Oman flourmill Darsait more details. Contact 91214849/ 99364735 1 room, 2 rooms, 3 rooms with all supplements including water electricity and sewage. Also we provide the following services free 1plumber, electrician for any failed center for garbage on price call on Farahat 98020768 , Hilal 96541263 New flats for rent At Darsait near to Ministry of Sports, Mumtaz area the flats includes1 living room, 2 bedrooms, Kitchen, 3 toilets, every rooms with split A/C, high quality finishing, rent RO 340 /-. Contact: 00968 92225523 Fully furnished 2 BHK apartments available at Bareeq Al Shatti. Contact 92888063

Office for rent in CBD. Contact : 92820734 / 95345909

1, 2 BHK in Azaiba. Contact: 99385835 / 99428143

Villa for rent in Wadi Kabeer. Contact: 95562646 / 99059333

1BHK ﬂats available for rent in CBD area. Contact: 98116480

1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-. Contact: 97799175

1bedroom attached, toilet & kitchen in AL Khuwair R.O 140/-. Contact: 95154331

1BHK Commercial M.B.D R.O 280/-. Contact: 97799175 2BHK Wadi Kabir RO 300/Contact: 97799175 1& 2 BHK Darsait. #97799175 2BHK Ghubra R.O 350/-. Contact: 97799175

Running furniture showroom for urgent sale.

3BHK , 3bathrooms , 2balconys NRAL Hassan W/ Kabir R.O 320/-. Contact: 99384640 1 & 2 bedroom ﬂats available for rent in wadi-kabir (opp: pencil bldg), ideal for company staff / families bulk corporate deal possible. Contact: 97677170

Well running shop at Hamriya (5 yrs old), for immediate sale. With 2 visa activity printing & stationery, designing, corporate gift items, signage work. Contact: 96395770 An Amazing excellent residential land for sale in Barka at Al Muraysi attached to road open from 3 sides and surrounded by houses & shops. Ready for construction to build twin villa good investment in Barka 677 SQM, price RO 21000/-. contact 91010668 Institution for sale. well furnished institution for sale in Muscat. Contact 93657915 Bunk Bed with a large study table and plenty of storage space. Purchased from IKEA. Can be ﬂat packed for transportation. RO 75. Pictures can be shared on whatsapp. Call – 99226485 Ready coffee shop for sale or rent available in Al Khuwair near Rawasco Golden chance. Contact: 93782735 /93329476 A well running Pharmacy at prime location for immediate sale. Contact 92548672 / 99627621 / 99516236 Attention to wholesalers, retailers & manufacturers. We can Sell/Buy your dead stock. Contact : 99742983, 95226989 Split A/C -2, Window A/C- 25, Iron cot- 120, cupboard - 130, water cooler - 2, Gas big - 2, small-3 , Grinder-1 , Chapatti tava-1 , stove-2, kitchen equipment etc . Contact: 99328223 Office for sale in Ruwi Chamber Oman. Contact : 94241385 / 97244766 Excellent running building materials shop cum Showroom and store for sale in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 98871548 / 93412622 Homegym with cross trainer for sale. Contact 95367937 Industrial land Wadi Kabeer 3470 sqr mtrs with warehouse + office + labor accommodation price 900,000 R.O . Contact : 99792181 / 99473751

Ladies beauty parlor ƐĂůĞ Ăƚ DƵƩ ƌĂŚ͘

Private School License & Furniture available for sale. KG to IVth Grade Bilingual. Contact - 99261773 Email:

Contact - 91135930

burjschool@alhakkim.com

FOR SALE Used furniture and steel racks at Daiso showroom in Ruwi for immediate sale. Contact 93411561 / 93991322 (Mr. Naveen)

ACC. AVAILABLE

New dishwasher LG 2013 for sale at 100 or. Contact-98125422

Furnished room for rent for Indian family near Honda Road. #99016546

Ice Cream & juices shop Ruwi good location for sale suitable for beauty parlor also. Contact: 92150455

Furnished single rooms available for Executive bachelors at Ruwi. Contact : 93431089

Fast food style well furnished coffee shop for sale in new Salalah. Contact: 91121215 / 97484825

Furnished master b.room with attached bath ,and Furnished room with sharing bathroom fully equipped kitchen immediately available in N. Azaiba. 95450250

Comm. & Res land in the heart of Ruwi 2400 sq mtr for sale. Contact : 91155779 Port cabin and Wooden pallets new, used and renovated porta cabin Wooden & steel sandwich panel Wooden pallets and packing for marble packing available. Contact no. + 968 99318152 Tel. +968 24458759 Email: ahastco@gmail.com Comm. & Res land in Darsait, opp. Pakistani School, 900 sq mtr for sale. Contact: 91155779 Used Fabrication machinery for sale : Fabrication machinery and tools in excellent condition for immediate sale. Contact 94652485/ 99273774/ 99202278 Comm. & res. land for investment for 25 years in Ghala heights. Contact: 91155779 Comm. & Res land in Ghala heights 400 sq mtr for sale. Contact: 91155779 Shop for sale or rent at Ruwi City. Contact: 99103077 For sale land in Amerat 3000 Sq.mt with petrol pump permission. Contact 99323957 / 92702891

SITUATION WANTM.V. FOR SALE Toyota Corolla 1.6, 2012 model. Contact: 98402616 Honda Civic 97, manual. Contact 99045803

Semi furnished two Bed room flat immediately available in N.Azaiba .Contact -95450250 Furnished room for rent Indian family near Honda road. #99076546 Sharing accommodation available at Darsait near ISD specious room, bath, passage sharing kitchen. Preference Vegetarian. Contact: 99419390 Room available at Walja. #96246625 Furnished room for IND EXE bachelor near Al Khuwair.com R/A. Contact : 99659513 Single room for Executive bachelor with attached toilet & bath, for rent including water & electricity in Ruwi. Contact: 99327158 Sharing accommodation for family or bachelors near Indian school Ghubra. Contact : 99836676 / 99056701 Room available with kitchen from first November 2015 onwards at Rex Road near Golden Oryx Restaurant. Contact: 99768952 1 BHK available at Al khud in Baskin Robbins building. R.O.200. Contact: 97261418, 94194876, 99478492 Single room attached bath S/ kitchen at Mumtaz area. Contact: 95212017 / 96916398 Studio flat MBD Ruwi.#95698714

Running furniture showroom for urgent sale. Ladies beauty parlor ƐĂůĞ Ăƚ DƵƩ ƌĂŚ͘

Contact - 91135930 Independent rooms in Qurum / Al Hail. Contact 95529970 Room for Rent Alkhuwair - Behind Al Aktham Restaurant. 120 RO. With elec. and water.For executive bachelors only. Contact : 98803261 Flat for rent available in CBD near Costa Coffee. Mobile no.92820734 Private room with toilet near Qurum park incl. W& E, monthly RO 220/-. Contact Hassan 99349990 Accommodation available for indian executive bachelor’s (no kitchen).RO:125 including water and electricity contact 98145825, 98949724

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

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

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT DƵůƟ ŶĂƟ ŽŶĂů 'ƌŽƵƉ is looking for a

Walk-In Interview on 18/10/2015 ƉƉůŝĐĂƟ ŽŶƐ ĂƌĞ ŝŶǀŝƚĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐƚ ŽĨ

Gynaecologist, Pediatrician, General WƌĂĐƟ Ɵ ŽŶĞƌƐ ;DĂůĞ Θ &ĞŵĂůĞͿ͕ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚŽƌƐ͕ ^ĂůĞƐ Θ DĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ ZĞƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƟ ǀĞƐ͕ ^ĂůĞƐ Θ DĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ ĂŶĚ ZĞĐĞƉƟ ŽŶŝƐƚ.

FINANCE MANAGER &Žƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĐŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ Žĸ ĐĞ͘ /ĚĞĂů ĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ŚĂǀĞ ϳͲϭϬ ǇĞĂƌƐ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ŚĂŶĚůŝŶŐ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ Θ dƌĞĂƐƵƌǇ ĨƵŶĐƟ ŽŶƐ͕ ĨĞĂƐŝďŝůŝƚǇ ƐƚƵĚŝĞƐ͘ ǆ ĂŶŬĞƌƐ ƐŚĂůů ďĞ ƉƌĞĨĞƌƌĞĚ

tĂůŬ ŝŶ ŝŶƚĞƌǀŝĞǁƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞƐĞ ƉŽƐƚƐ ǁŝůů ďĞ ŚĞůĚ Ăƚ ŽƵƌ ŚĞĂĚ Žĸ ĐĞ͕ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ŶŽ ϰϬϰ͕ ϭϴ ƚŚ EŽǀĞŵďĞƌ ^ƚƌĞĞƚ͕ KƉƉŽƐŝƚĞ ĂƐŬŝŶ ZŽďŝŶƐ͕ ů ƚŚĂŝďĂ ŽŶ ϭϴͬKĐƚŽďĞƌͬϮϬϭϱ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ϭϬ͗ϬϬ ŵ ƚŽ ϱ Ɖŵ͘ Interested candidates can also send resume to athirababylon@gmail.com,

Please apply with a detailed CV ƚŽ Ͳ ƌĞĐƌƵŝƟ ŶϭϱΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ

info@babylonmedicalcentre.com. &Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟ ŽŶ ĐĂůů ϮϰϲϭϯϬϲϵ.

ADMIN/ HR Urgently required HR Manager Omani National: Minimum 2 years experience good command over English & Arabic. Should be capable of handling Administration, all type of correspondence & routine office works independently, and good skill in MS-Office is must. Interested candidates may send in their CVs to Fax # 24600217 or email on: starmail@omantel.net.om

EDUCATION

hZ' Ed>z Z Yh/Z

Required English Teachers (native speaker), candidates for teaching should have minimum bachelor degree and having experience not less than 3 years. Please submit your CV through email till 15th of October 2015 for more information please Contact: 24498423. Email: info@omrantraining.com

'zD /ŶƐƚƌƵĐƚŽƌ ;>ĂĚǇͿ͕ tĂŝƚƌĞƐƐ ;>ĂĚǇͿ͕ ĂƌƉĞŶƚĞƌ ;DĂůĞͿ͕ WĂŝŶƚĞƌ ;DĂůĞͿ &Žƌ Ă ƌĞƉƵƚĞĚ ĨŽƵƌ ƐƚĂƌ ŚŽƚĞů Ϯ zĞĂƌƐ ŽĨ ǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐĂŵĞ Į ĞůĚ WůĞĂƐĞ ƐĞŶĚ Đǀ Ăƚ hoteljbs@gmail.com &Ăǆ ͲϮϰϱϵϯϮϳϳ

ENGINEER/TECH/MECH ACCOUNTANT Urgently Required: Accountant cum Store Keeper- with 3 years experience in building construction, MUST have NOC and immediately join. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com. Required Accountant present in Oman. Not for candidates on visit. Contact: 99454425 Wanted Accountant. Contact: 94007259 Email: smylackal@gmail.com Required ACCOUNTS OFFICER to ensure accurate processing of revenue data into ERP systems and invoicing module. Posting of invoices to customer SAP portal and delivery to customer offices and interface with Country Manager / Reporting to Regional CFO. Qualiﬁcations : BSc Accounting. Relevant experience and knowledge on Online Accounting Systems especially the customer SAP system. SUBMIT CV to : me-job@interwell.com

CATERING A ﬁberglass products manifesting company required experienced South Indian Cook. Interested candidates. Please email CV to alhosnif@gmail.com or call on 99871101

Urgently required Civil Engineer, Diploma holder with experience. Contact: 95766844 Urgently required for a leading Company Planning engineer. Fax : 24478522, Email : gh1.careers@ gmail.com Turning or Mechanical Engineer wanted to work in workshop if interested please call: 96996884 / 98021385 / 99745330/ 95179003 Experienced construction Civil Engineer with qualiﬁcation (attested) certiﬁcates & with Omani driving license. Contact: slayhawk@yahoo.com Aluminum Foreman – with minimum 5 years experience in aluminium fabrication, MUST have NOC and immediately join. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com. Urgently Required: Mechanical Engineer for a steel fabrication welding workshop 10 yrs exp he should know how to design drawing with auto cad estimate & quotation he must have exp to supervise job of workshop & sites. Contact: 97130671 Required foreman for a steel welding workshop 10 yrs exp. Contact :97130671

SALES / MARKETING Sales & Marketing Executive for travel and tourism. Contact: 92890506 A trading company in Muscat requires Sales Executive with minimum 1 yr experience & Oman driving license & welding machine / electronics / power tools technician with min. 1 year experience. Email: jobs.trading2015@gmail.com Sales Co-Ordinator Required Urgently – Any Graduate with 1-2 years experience in DTP work with good knowledge of MS Office and Internet, Age: 21-28 years can apply to careers@teejanequipment.com Looking for 3+years Exp in Insurance for Insurance Broker, Barka. Email : lizjoseph27@gmail.com Wanted Sales man (experienced in transporting etc). #94007259 Email: smylackal@gmail.com Primedia International is looking for experienced Sales Executives having strong background of digital and print media. Send your Cv’s at SihamHalloubi@primedia-oman. com or contact on 97002356 Required experienced Sales / Marketing Executives having light license. Send your CV ocean@omantel.net.om

MEDICAL SECRETARIAL

DOMESTIC HELP Wanted full time maid for Indian family. Visa provided. Contact : 97448484 / 95539842

DRIVER Required Driver for home. Contact 92542504 Required heavy duty driver, preferably with good experience and communication skills. Contact: 91408759 Email: hanaa.alritaj@ gmail.com Urgently requires Heavy Duty Driver with valid Oman driving license and electrical foreman (Diploma holder with 6 years over head line experience. Fax: 24814699 , Email: info@sajgloballlc.com GSM : 93210740 Urgently Require good English speaking Omani drivers. Contact: 92870992 Required Indian driver with Omani driving license and experience to work in house. Contact : 96255558

Required MOH licensed Laboratory Technician for a reputed Medical center at Azaiba ready to join by 1st Jan 16. Please contact any time: 92724345 evening only: 99676812 Wanted Staff Nurses (female) with or without MOH license for a polyclinic near Sohar. Excellent salary & accommodation. Contact 99006915, email : alhinaee.clinic@yahoo.com Medical care center, Multispecialty clinic, Seeb requires General Practitioner, medical lab technician & pharmacist. Mail CV to sarita_h23@yahoo.com or Call - 97884856 Immediate Opening for laboratory technician. Should have MOH license to work in medical centre in capital area. Excellent Package, Accomodation will be offered. Contact 99340135 Looking for quality assurance / Supply Chain Lead. 25-35 years old with good communication skills, with experience related to food processing or food service minimum of 5 yrs. experience. Please send CV’s to: admin-dept@daud.om

Office Assistant required in trading company male and female 25 to 35 years old with good communication skills, conﬁdence, smart and computer skills. Visa provided. Send your CV to vacancy807@gmail.com

DRAUGHTSMAN Domestic helper for a family in Muscat. Must be able to cook Indian food & speak Hindi. Cleaning home laundry and accompanying children. Contact: 91396909 Wanted a Autocad Draftsman fulltime or part time Contact 98963963 BY SMS

EDUCATION Post Graduate researcher required. Contact 99229700

Required Sales Executive with corrugated cartons manufacturing background. Minimum 3+ years experience. Omani D/L is a must. Please send CV to this email: corrugatedpackagingoman@gmail.com Urgently required: Sales Executive- with 5 years experience in aluminum and sales, MUST have NOC and immediately join. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com Required Sales Executive for a leading building material manufacturer in Oman having valid Omani Driving License and 1-2 years of sales experience. NOC from the current sponsor is required. Contact: 95646844

Interested candidates may mail their CV’s to / abuosama1987@ yahoo.com

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE ACCOUNTANT, Indian male 28 years, 6 plus years of GCC experience, presently working in Oman as an Accountant, seeking for a suitable job position, NOC available, Contact: 95089869 E-Mail: anuchunda@gmail.com

Sri Lankan Male Accountant, Age 26, BBA Spl, CA Inter, Having more than 5 years’ Experience in accounting ﬁeld seeking for Suitable Placement NOC Available Contact: 97250638 msmnaja@gmail.com

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT, Indian male having 7 years experience as functional ﬁnance head, presently working in Muscat as Asst. Finance Manager seeking for a suitable position. NOC available, Contact 9178 9950 / Email: igneshmlazar@gmail.com

Sr. Accountant (ﬁnance) 14 yrs Gulf experience in trading & contracting, valid UAE driving license (visit visa) looking for suitable placement. Contact: 98110814 / 99055679

Indian male Accountant looking for a suitable placement in Salalah. More than 20 years experience in accounting job (upto the finalization of accounts), 8 years working experience in Middle East in Dubai, Salalah. Contact: 91325029 Sr. Accountant M.Com (finance) 15 years experience (2 years in Oman) with a reputed firm, NOC available. Contact: 92404608 Email: jin_75@rediffmail.com Accountant Indian male Charted Accountant and bachelor in Commerce having 3.5 years experience in Auditing presently in Muscat and seeking for suitable position. Contact: 91656202 Email: sanoopvarghese90@gmail.com

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

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Senior Finance Manager, B.Com, ACA, ACMA, Indian Male with 19 years experience and 10 years in Oman. Currently employed with a reputed Manufacturing and Trading Company. NOC available. Contact -97239328 Fresher 24 years B.Com Graduate, Tally 7.2 & ERP-9, looking for a suitable placements in accounts. Contact: 97219505

SALES / MARKETING Driver with Oman driving licence needed. Visa available. Contact 94288863

With at least 8 years of experience in auditing.

Accountant ﬁnance Indian male 24 years B.Com Tally ERP-9, 4 years working experience in India on visit visa seeks immediate and suitable placement. Contact: 95583953 / 96392009 Email: shafadmusthafa@ gmail.com Accounts ﬁnance Indian male 22 years B.Com Tally ERP-9, 2 years working experience in India on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95636987 / 94280567 Email: nihadniha777@gmail.com Male accountant BSc Hons (Finance & Accounts) having 2 years experience in accounts, looking for suitable job on visit visa. Contact: 91420128 Accountant Indian male 6 years experience in Oman having driving license & NOC. Contact: 96012973

Keralite lady (2 yrs experience in Oman) required job in Accounts. Contact: 97096918 Accountant, Indian female on visit visa degree: B.Com, exp 6+ years in tally ERP-9 (latest), finalization of account, Tax, Accounting, Stock maintenance payroll etc. Contact: 91551164 / 91175456 Email: jothipriya@gmail.com MBA(3.5) years specialty in finance with an advance research in Islamic and conventional banking experienced remain an internee and remittance officer and currently accountant looking for post Assistant finance / Accountant. Contact: 94515020 Accountant Indian male 32 years B.Com 5 Plus years experience in Oman, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 94410485 / 98008164 10+ yrs UAE experienced Fin. Controller looking for job change. Contact: 98006226 Indian male 22 years B.Com done tally ERP-9 Accounting and Inventory, looking for suitable position. Contact: 96067602 Email: saif24293@gmail.com Accountant with 3 yrs exp in Oman having driving license and Noc. Contact: 91307632

Indian male with B.Com, MBA finance & marketing 14 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact : 0091 8697292219, Email : rejesh.nair@gmail.com Indian male 8 years experience having B.Com and MBA ready to work in HR customer service, Admin banking & related field. Contact : 97436890 / 96939803. Email: girimub@gmail.com 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 Accountant, Indian Male, 15 Years experience (8 Years in Oman with Driving License & NOC) Seeks suitable placement, Contact 94117616, 91238272 praveen78oman@gmail.com Male, business Graduate having an experience of 10 years in the field of banking & finance, administration , currently employed at EPC Contracting Company as Finance & Admin manager is looking for a suitable position, NOC available can join within 2 weeks. Contact : 93235690 Chief Accountant, 12 years of Oman experienced looking for suitable placement. Contact: 99513082 Part time accountant, senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, up to finalization. contact.95254864 Part time accounting works up to finalization on monthly basis. Contact: 96247295

CIMP qualified Accountant 5 yrs exp immediately joining with NOC. Contact: 95522109 Indian male, 8 yrs experience in Oman looking for any suitable vacancy Accountant / Asst. Accountant/ Office Admin local release available. Contact 98492752 Email: atiquehazique@rediffmail.com Finance Manager, 12 years experience in leading Construction and manufacturing companies (9 years in Oman) have strategic vision and proven leadership ability. B.Com, CPA- USA & modern accounting certificate from “AUC”. “NOC” in hand. Contact: 97220505 Indian female 28 years M.Com, Accountant having 6 years experience in Accounts, finalization, Tally currently on visit visa. Contact : 95595083 Email: merlinfernandes16@yahoo.in ACCA finalist, Recent B.Com Graduate, Indian female, looking for full time employment in Accounting and Audit. +968 96964379, sangeethaumesh5@gmail.com

ADMIN 10 years Gulf & 4 years Oman experience in HR / Admin & logistics ﬂuent in Arabic / English with D/L looking for suitable position. Contact: 95824598 HR/ Recruitment specialist with 8 years Oman experience in entire gamut of HR functions like resource planning, recruitment, HR policies & procedures performance appraisal, expatriate affairs, exit interviews & ticketing. Contact 93825307 Email: jarthath@rediffmail.com Indian female graduate ﬂuent in English/Arabic(work purpose) with 5+ experience in Admin, Logistics and 2 years in Insurance handling, looking for suitable opportunity. Contact 93221054, email: nurinabhavania@ymail.com

ARCHITECT

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

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

Finance Manager, 13 years experience B.Com, MBA, CMA (currently). Contact: 92243552

Draughtsman Civil with AutoCAD. Contact 97105408

DRAUGHTSMAN

MBA (F&M) experience 1.3 year. Contact: 97445488 Email: abinbabygeorge@gamil.com

Part time Accountant accounts ﬁnalization auditing. #98157999

Autocad D/man Exp in Arch , Interior , knows 3D, Photoshop Ph : 93837973

Part Time Accounting, Accounts Finalization, Audit Preparation, Internal Audit, Accounting System for New Companies, Contact: 96975454, email : ibfc.gcc@gmail. com

Indian male 25 years MBA ﬁnance having 4 years experience in accounts looking for suitable placement presently on visit visa. Contact: 95291085 Email: atharali9849@gmail.com

Indian male 28 yrs, Master degree in Computer Application and CCNA certiﬁed, 2 years exp in Oman looking for suitable placement. Contact: 93295112 Email: syedsadathali.mca@gmail.com

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

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED DOMESTIC HELP Indian House maid looking for job. Contact: 91834383

DESIGNER

Indian female, 30 yrs, /ŶƚĞƌŝŽƌ ĞƐŝŐŶĞƌ

DRIVER

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ϵϴϰϵϵϵϳϱ͕ Email : swasdesigner@gmail.com

Light driver looking job exp. 4 years. Contact: 94208089

Indian diploma Civil Eng, 2 yrs Infrastructure Projects (4G, Towers, substation) landscaping & Auto CAD. Contact: 94756183 Email: indianexpat1@gmail.com Electrical Engineer (B.E) with 5 years experience (3 yrs in Gulf) NOC available. Contact: 92119851 Email: mayurdevadiga@gmail.com Resident Engineer B.E civil 25 years exp 12 yrs in Architecture consultancy having Oman Dubai D/L NOC available. Contact: 95732453 Email: milindj951@gmail.com

11 years experience as Driver in Embassy, looking for suitable placement. Contact: 92191698 20 years experience Driver D/L in Oman, seeks suitable job. Contact : 99775728

Civil Structural Engineer professional in R.C structural design & Q.S & shop drawings. C.N (97983610)

Light driver for job 5 yrs exp. Contact: 92171166

Civil Structural Engineer professional in R.C Structural design & Q.S & shop drawings. C.N (97983610)

Pakistani driver seeks for job, holding license of Oman exp in driving in Oman 6 years. Contact : 92604918 Indian driver 13 yrs exp. looking for fulltime or part time jobs. #91103909 12 years experience light duty driver with car. Contact: 96467373 Pakistani male light vehicle driver looking for job. Contact: 96474528 Driver with car. Contact :91452930

ENGINEER Indian B. tech Civil, 19 years exp , seeks suitable position. Contact: 98365910 Email: kks.pkd1969@gmail.com Omani Mechanical Engineer with 2years Experiences looking for new opportunity . Contact:95993315, alrus7idisaif@gmail.com Electrical Engineer, B.Tech, with 8 years GCC experience (5 years in Oman) in MEP & Oil/gas construction/Inspections side with NOC, is seeking new assignments in Oman. Has attested degree certificate and Oman D/L. Contact No.96083636, Email:tobineasow@gmail.com Quantity Surveyor: 11 years Experience (8 years Gulf & 3 years India)NOC & DL Available, Contact 99806801 / 95899345, Mail:asmani1984@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1Year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact:97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Building Site Supervisor with Omani D/L since Mar 2010 in Oman looking for suitable placement. Contact: 93061107 Mechanical Technician oil & gas with 9 yrs experience in GCC worked in rotating EQP, Static EQP, commissioning and troubleshooting looking for an opening. Contact: 99598462 Email: bakash_85@yahoo.co.in Mechanical Engineer, Indian male 22 years seeking job in a reputed firm in Oman. ASNT- NOT level 2 course completed 2 years experience in India. Available in Oman on visit visa until 06/11/2015. Contact: 95393960 / 95037962 Diploma Civil Engineer 11 yrs experience (9 yrs building construction + 2 yrs O&G) with valid Oman D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact: 97669006 / 99142744 Email: shafique88am@gmail.com A senior professional with Engineering background is available for Executive lead in Contract Management, Coordination, Execution in construction establishments and consultancies. Contact: 99703972 Experienced Civil Engg professional 12/26 years ran a company as Working partner have estimation, tendering of high rise building infrastructure steels conc. Products seeks suitable placement. #95360102 / 94460357

Centre Manager for Training /ŶƐƟ ƚƵƚĞͬ /Ŷ ,ŽƵƐĞ dƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ Manager Ministry approved Manager, tŝƚŚ ϭϴ ǇĞĂƌƐ ŽĨ ĞǆƉ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ ǁŝƚŚ ƉƌŽǀĞŶ ƌĞĐŽƌĚƐ͘ ǆĐĞůůĞŶƚ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚƐ ĨŽƌ ŵĂũŽƌ ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ Θ KŵĂŶŝƐĂƟ ŽŶ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚƐ͘ ^ĞĞŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ĐŚĂůůĞŶŐŝŶŐ ƉŽƐŝƟ ŽŶƐ ŝŶ ƌĞƉƵƚĞĚ ŽƌŐĂŶŝǌĂƟ ŽŶƐ͘ EK ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ͕

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ Ͳ ϵϮϰϬϲϰϴϴ

Civil Engineer, Indian M 29 5yrs exp. having DL & NOC Looking for suitable position. Contact: 94576233 Email: suhailmullah@gmail.com

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

Contact - 97203531 ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Indian Driver need job. #91254539 Light driver looking for job. Contact: 96942547

YƵĂůŝĮ ĐĂƟ ŽŶ D WDW Ɛŝǆ ƐŝŐŵĂ ;' Ϳ ŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐ ĞǆƉŽƐƵƌĞ ĂŶĂĚĂ Θ DŝĚĚůĞ ĂƐƚ͕ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌǇ ĂŶǇ ;ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚ ŝŶ ďĂŶŬ͕ ƚĞůĞĐŽŵ͕ ƚƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚ͘ EĂƟ ŽŶĂůŝƚǇͲ ĂŶĂĚŝĂŶ͘ KŶ ǀŝƐŝƚ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ͘

ĂĐŚĞůŽƌ ĚĞŐƌĞĞ ǁŝƚŚ ϱ ǇƌƐ ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƐĞĞŬŝŶŐ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ ƉůĂĐĞŵĞŶƚ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ͘

Interior designer, advanced diploma interior, 3dmax maya coreldraw, photoshop. Contact : 93837973 Interior designer with 6 years exp 3D design MEP architectural with sound knowledge in AutoCAD Sketch up with VRAY, 3D Max looking for suitable position. Contact: 96789770 Email: sachinratnan@gmail.com

Project/ Program Manager/ Finance professional

Project Engineer (Electrical) 5 years experience in Oman primary substations + OHL, oil & gas, AutoCAD design driving license. NOC available. Contact: 93210528 / 99410588 Civil Engineer, having 8 years experience in field, 5 years in Oman & 3 years in EV with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 96534115 B.Tech Software Engineer nearly 2 yrs Engineer nearly 2 yrs experience seeking job in Oman, currently on visit visa. Contact: 95184451 B.Sc Electronics (course completed) and holder at A+ Grade in mobile phone technology & computer hardware and Network Engineering looking for suitable job in mobile servicing / software and hardware servicing / sales man. Contact: Binu .B.G. 93607271 Indian B.E Electronics Communication Engineer available in Muscat on visit visa 3+ years experience in automation system. Contact: 97439738 Civil Engineer with 8 yrs exp in construction field & all related work, having Oman driving license & NOC. Contact: 97613084 B.Tech Elec., Engineer, 8 yrs exp in Oman valid D/L. Contact : 91456023 4 years experience Electrical Engineer electrical primary substations UG cables and OHL, fluent in English and Arabic. Contact: 91204243 Electrical Engineer 4 years experience oil and gas electrical substation water project fluent in Arabic and English primavera p6 operator. Contact: 99525856 B.Tech Mechanical Engineer with MBA in marketing & HR 3 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact :0091 9846568080 / 0091 4772702080, Email: jbabu4@gmail.com M.Tech having 3 years experience in Mechanical Engineering department looking for any University to hire. Contact: 90150913 Email: rahmanmechengg@yahoo.in Civil Engineer, Indian male 29, having 7 years exp in construction field& Auto Cad in Oman. Having valid driving license. Fluent in English & Arabic. Looking for suitable job in reputed firm. Contact - 99650569 Indian male, 26 yrs, B. Tech Computer Science, 4 years experience as System and Network Engineer looking for suitable job. Contact : 93125669 Email: amritrajgt18@gmail.com B. Tech Bio Tech. Experience in food & water industry, expert in chemical & microbiological labs Ph : 92940218 Electrical Engineer Indian male 2.5Years Of experience Looking for suitable Job. Contact:91845173 Email:er.joshidhaval@gmail.com Indian Electrical & Electronics Engineer + MBA (29 years) having 7 years experience (2 years in Gulf) & having valid international driving license, seeks suitable placement. Contact Ajay Haridas (00971528254782)

Jordanian Engineer in MECHANICAL & MANUFACTURING Good experience Sheet Metal Fabrication, AutoCad, Solidworks 3D, Storage Tanks & Silos, Sales - Speaking Arabic/English/Russian -GSM#90198575 / 99201710 Indian Mechanical Engineer, 30, having 8yrs of UAE Sales/Business Development. experience in Electromechanical and Irrigation sectors. Contact no- +971558763220 email id-sangowri@outlook.com B.Sc. Civil Engineer having 3 years experience (2 years in Oman) with construction companies seeking suitable placement. Contact: 97409350 Email: kamrul07cuet@yahoo.com B.Sc Civil 9 years experience looking for suitable placement as a Residence Engineer having valid Omani D/L. Contact : 94431917 Email: gmssohel.ce@gmail.com Indian male, MEP Manager, Diploma Electrical having 15 years experience in Oman looking for a suitable post in a reputed firm, NOC available. Contact : 99061823 Bangladeshi female Project Engineer Civil having 5 years experience or construction site currently or visit visa looking a suitable position. Contact 91207329 Email: dipabangladesh@yahoo.com Male Project Engineer (Civil) 12 years experience Dubai + SA in construction & water supply field with valid UAE D/L Currently on visit visa looking suitable position. Contact: 91206763 Email: delwar.civil.97@gmail.com Indian male, 26 yrs, 4 years experience diploma in Civil Engineering field on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 95585564 Email: safvanullal6644@gmail.com Civil Engineer B.Sc -6 years experience with constructions companies - 1 years in Oman - qualified as Site Engineer & Planning Engineer. Contact+968-94682217 Degree Civil Engg total 9 yrs experience, 7 yrs in Oman Construction Company with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 99721926 Email: tanvircivil@gmail.com Civil Engineer degree, diploma, Staad pro, Auto CAD 18 months Indian exp seeks suitable opportunity. Contact: 93682529 Aeronautical Engineer Indian female 22 yrs, currently on family visa looking for suitable position in any air line / Engineering Industry. Contact: 91705598 Email: nikhimnoushad@gmail.com Engineer with 4 years Telecom experience in Oman, having Oman driving license looking for a suitable opportunity. Interested in marketing, NOC available. Contact : 98513495 SUPERVISOR: Indian male site supervisor (AIR CONDITIONING) 25 years of experience with valid Oman Driving lic Contact: 97498809, 93391910 Email: hilariankj@gmail.com Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical maintained field on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 99191535 Email: fareed029@gmail.com Electrical Engineer Indian male 29 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India (MRF Tyres), seeking suitable placement. Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385 Indian BE (MECH) aviation BE degree diploma in material quality management 17 years Navy aviation 13 years construction purchase stores professional on visit. Contact: 90205082 /98796982 BE Electrical Engineer 8 years experience 4 years in Oman with Oman driving license. Contact 96942032 Civil Engineer (Diploma) seeking for placement. Contact: 95200650

Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp. Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com C-SWIP 3.1 ASNT level 2 QC Mech. Engr 5+ yrs exp Indian male 26 seeks suitable placement. Contact : 91823331 Email: kannasekhar46@gmail.com Electrical and Electronics Engineer with one year experience and GCC licence holder seeking a job mail – shyjalpk@gmail.com Indian male BE Mechanical currently on 2 yrs free visa with NOC & local release. Looking for suitable job in Muscat. Contact – 90296975 / ali.syedausaf@gmail.com

EDUCATION M. Com B. Ed Indian lady looking for suitable openings. Contact: 97668603

DĂŝů͗ Ʃ ƌŐ͘ŵŐƌ͘ŽŵĂŶΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ

MEDICAL Indian female MDS Endodontics, 9.5 yrs experience recently cleared Oman prometric 84% looking for suitable placement. Contact: 95624156 / 97233074 MSc Nurse specialized in OBG, 3 years experience-certiﬁed ACLS, BLS, on visit visa, seeking suitable opportunities Contact: 90125347 Palestinian dentist looking for job in private hospitals, Medical Center or Dental Centers in Muscat 15 yrs exp P. hospitals out Muscat. Contact: 96951750 Indian female B. Sc Nurse with 3 years experience prometric passed seeks suitable placement.CONTACT 95782544 Indian female Bsc nurse with 3year experience prometric passed seeks suitable placement.# 95782544

HOSPITALITY Experience MBA (Hospital Management) looking for a suitable position. Contact: 95958597 Email: vipinpthomas28@gmail.com

IT Computer and Systems Engineer. Contact: 91770668 Indian male B.Eng in IT CCNA MCITP, 2+ yrs exp in IT support, Networking and Server support. Contact 93311963 Email: sajal035@gmail. com Male 25 years B.E (CSE) 3.5 years experience in System and Networking / IT support currently in visit visa looking for a suitable job. Contact: +968-98914760 IT System Administrator MCSA Sudanese UAE experience. Contact: 91302074 B.Tech prince 2 certified IT Proff. with 16+ yrs experience, 8 years experience in banking IT projects and risk management, support vendor management looking for a suitable position on visit visa. Contact: 92703635, email : anilsingh@live.in 25 years old Indian male, BE, ECE,MCITP,MCSA,CCNA with 3.5 years experience in system and networking/IT support. Currently on visit visa, Looking for a suitable job. Contact no -98110873. Email: blessonvvarghese@hotmail.com Software Developer / Consultant Manager 7+ yrs Experience Mobile 92694166 Indian female (29), BCA, MCA, ASP. Net certification, SAP ABAP Certification, 2 yrs of experience, seeking placement, family visa. Contact 99109121 Email: ashamaryphilip@gmail.com Indian male, M. Sc Electronics, Diploma in Network Engineering with 2 years experience including GCC experience in networking, IT support and server support. Computer hardware , MCITP and CCNA, MCITP certified , Having Saudi driving license, now in Muscat on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact : 96133981 , Email: obinkavumkal@gmail.com NOC / Network Engineer, Indian male 27 years Indian having 5 years experience as NOC/ Network Engineer with CCNA certified seeks for suitable placement currently on visit visa. Contact 97663834 Filipino male 29 Graduate of BS IT with GCC experience as Document Controller and Executive Secretary looking for employment. Contact: +968 93929569 Indian male 28 yrs, Master degree in Computer Application and CCNA certified, 2 years exp in Oman looking for suitable placement. Contact: 93295112 Email: syedsadathali.mca@gmail.com Computer & Network Engineering. 11 yrs experience looking for suitable job. Contact 92811179/ 95882614 Email: khalido24@yahoo.com

Indian male Nurse, prometric passed seeks suitable placement. Contact 97284508I

MISCELLANEOUS BA Export Management, GCC, D/L 12 years Muscat experienced in purchase / commercial seeks any placement. Contact: 99775988 Maintenance foreman looking for suitable position in real estate or MEP work. Contact : 99526958 Indian male as building care taker, 8 yrs exp looking for job. Contact: 99716008 Indian male 25 years, M.Sc Chemistry, 1 yr. experience in Quality Control and assurances done HACCP level 3 certiﬁcated course seeking job in suitable placement. #99185354 Email: alexbabu199@yahoo.com Indian female Diploma in Indian & foreign Accounting having 1 year experience in Oman seeking suitable placement. Contact: 95714285

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Indian HSE Manager, Grad IOSH & I Dip Nebosh aged 43 years with more than 20 years of experience working in reputed oil & Gas / construction at Oman seeking suitable HSE Position (Manager / Trainer / Advisor). NOC available. Contact: 97926801 Email: johnkjoseph630@yahoo.com Manager- Media & Advertising industry-15 yrs Gulf exp - seeks suitable opening- 93031168 Highly skilled Transport Manager Experienced in Oman & UAE, required for Reputed Mining Company Located at Sultanate of Oman. Contact: workatoman@gmail.com Senior Project Manager approved by Ministries with 23 years experience (Oman) in buildings and infra structure available for placement. Contact: 99608299

PROJECTS Civil Engineer, Indian male, 25 years, B.Tech, have 3 years experience in building construction seeks suitable positions. 92609893, alenalexander123@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Indian male 10+years of Gulf experience as a Sales Executive in FMCG Industry with valid GCC license. Contact: 93512696 Indian male 38 yrs , MBA in Marketing with Oman D/License, over 8 yrs experience in ironmongery scheduler / speciﬁer & general trading, currently on visit visa. NOC available. Contact: 98891737 Indian male, 31, MBA Marketing and Finance with 8 years’ experience in FMCG industry specialized in sales, trade marketing and key accounts as manager seeks suitable position. Contact 94743589

SALES / MARKETING Indian male 41 yrs Sales Coordinator 16 yrs experience owing valid Oman D/L. Contact: 93412622 BBA Keralite, male, 23 yrs, experienced in Automotive Sales & Admin on visit. Contact 94742679, Email: jafarj4@gmail.com Indian male, 4 years experience in Sales. Oman experience with NOC & driving license seeking suitable. Contact: 96607645 Indian male, U.K Post Graduate M.A, MBA, 3 years Experience, looking position within Marketing, Branding, Business Development & PR. Contact: 91-8939165131 Email: greetings111@hotmail.com Indian female 2+ years of experience in marketing / Sales business development in Oman with D/L seeks suitable position. Contact: 98989784, Email: alamelusara@hotmail.com Male 24 years MBA Marketing B.Com 2 years experience in the field of sales, marketing, business development looking for suitable position presently in Muscat. # 93268245 Email: gregjose1991@gmail.com MBA qualified sales and marketing candidate having an experience of 1 and half years available in Oman on visit visa seeks placement. Contact: 97436706 Email: anshusamue10001@gmail.com Indian male 21+ years Managerial experience in Oman in FMCG Industry seeking suitable placement with NOC can head any Business / working partner. Contact: 95264562 Expatriate currently working as Supply Chain Executive with an intensive 8 years Oman experience in IM & T sector proficient in Procurement Sales support and logistics capable to manage large scale clientele oil & gas utilities and public sectors. Contact 97755488 Experienced skilled candidate with driving license seeks position sales in Salalah. Contact: 98579382 Sales Executive experience in Oman 4 years, has driving license. Contact: 96039024 Marketing and Sales candidate with 8 years experience in GCC looking for suitable position. Having NOC and valid Oman diving license. Contact: 96669152 Indian male more than 8 years experience in UAE in Office , Sales Marketing with good computer skills having driving license looking for suitable placement. Contact: 99369081 Email: shazulashraf60@gmail.com Indian Marketing & Sales professional for telecom, hyper stores & FMCG with over 7 years Oman experience is seeking change / suitable placement. Contact: 99360975 Email: howru73@yahoo.com Indian worked as Sales Supervisor 7 years MNC now working as Marketing Manager from 8 yrs with visa D/L. Contact : 90205082 Indian female holding Omani driving license M.B.A in Marketing and finance from Birla Institute, Muscat, 1 yr. working experience in India. Contact: 91746962 Email: aarathiajith@gmail.com Indian male 28 B.Com M.Com, MBA experience 2 years Ventex Global UAE Marketing Executive, experience 1 year Al Majeed Group Marketing Executive with valid UAE D/L. Contact : +968 92871946 Marketing or Purchase Executive, 1.5 yrs in Oman Indian male 27 yrs, MBA with valid Oman D/L available for immediate placement. Contact: 96300958 / 24796010 Email: ashwanihegde@gmail.com Male BS, with D/L having 7 years exp in Oman wanted suitable job in Sales inventory & procure. Contact: 92191026 Indian male having 8 years experience in business development retail sales logistics currently on seeking job in Oman. Contact: 99052340 Email: pradee.ys@gmail.com Indian female Graduate holder valid driving license knowledge about all kinds of cosmetic products seeks suitable placement. Contact 98697656 Sales and marketing - male 27 yrs, 2 years experience seeking suitable placement with Oman D/L. Contact: 95642740 Email: shaijichakkara@gmail.com

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

DAILY GUIDE

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

SIT.WANTED SALES / MARKETING Indian male having 10 years work experience ( Customer Service/ Back end sales/stores)and 1 year work experience in Oman NOC in hand, looking for Suitable Position Contact no: 96526228 / sravan.kumaraj@gmail.com Indian male Sr. Sales Executive, 15 years exp in retail sector looking for vacancies. Contact: 96768382

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Welder 6G, 3G ARC , Fabrication gulf exp ph : 92858985

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Male, 26 Yrs, Business Management, 6 years in Oman. Knowledge of MS Office and Arabic Language. Seeks suitable position. Contact 93931935 Indian Mechanical Engineer, 30, having 8yrs of UAE Sales/Business Development. experience in Electromechanical and Irrigation sectors. Contact no- +971558763220 email id-sangowri@outlook.com Indian male, with ﬁnance and Law degree, having more than 25 years of experience in Finance/ Accounts / Audit (5 years of Oman experience) seeks suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 98421619. E-mail: talemadhamu@yahoo.com.

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Indian male more than 10 years gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin, Secretarial and purchase with good computer skills. Having Driving license and NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95149624

MISCELLANEOUS 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 Syrian architect have years and half experience in oman looking for work, full time perfect in architectural programs 3d max , auto cad , Photoshop , and sketch up. for contact : 0096897482871 Female, Indian, 35 years, Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) fresh graduate with BSc looking for positions in Front Office, administration office, or any suitable positions in hospital, polyclinic, companies or Institutions. Contact 90236481. Indian Male 47 years MBA-Operations Management with total 25 Yrs exp inclusive of 9 yrs in Oil & Gas sector in Oman, having valid Omani D/L & NOC, seek challenging position in SCM/Logistics/Procurement. GSM-94236414. Mail id – dialindia33@gmail.com Well experienced management finance specialist having 18 years experience available for placement. Contact.95602518 23, Male, ACCA Affiliate, OBU Bsc, 2.5 years of experience in audit and finance in Big 6 Firms, Looking for permanent placement in similar field. Release NOC available. Contact: #95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com 22, Male, Indian, BBA (Marketing), 1 year experience in India, Looking for suitable placement in Sales and Marketing. #91897046, azzamsiddique1@gmail.com Indian Male,27,ACCA Part Qualified,B.COM with 7+ yrs exp in receivables and credit control in Oman looking for suitable placements. NOC available. # 9657 4343. Indian Female, Science Graduate, 3 years Experience in Teaching back home. Looking for a suitable job opportunity as a teacher, in Schools in Muscat Region. Contact : 96431456 / 95704814 Looking for a suitable job as Jr. Accountant/ Jr. Administration in a reputed company. NOC Available. GSM # 93004738. ACCOUNTANT, Male, 8 years experience, presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license. NOC available, seek suitable opportunity. GSM: 97705854 Chemical Engineer Indian 2 years of experience in production field Contact: 91247222 Email:sahadpoonchola@gmail.com Syrian male 3yrs. exp in IT support, Networking, Security systems, Server support, IT sales and marketing. Valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact 91033395 Civil Autocad Draughtsman part time work for job mob : 96023726 Indian female, MBA, 25yrs Having 4yrears of experience in MNC, hands of experiences in recruitment and administration, flexible for any suitable job placements currently in visting visa. Contact Tel : 98864639 Email : neethuvijayan06@gmail.com Indian Male, 25, Chartered Accountant, working with ICICI Bank India. On a Visit Visa in Oman. Staying with parents at Azaiba. Ph: 24492638. Email: shyamal008@gmail.com

Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer seeks suitable placement. Contact : 99514286 Pakistan Male: 24 years,M.Com Finance having 2.5 year experience as a accountant & marketing executive looking for suitable placement. Contact: 97670816, E.mail: naeem.ahsan68@gmail.com ACCOUNTANT: Indian male 25 having 4 years experience in accounting & having well knowledge in tally. Contact:968094535881, 0091 9037622048, Email: vishnuraj889@gmail.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, 8 years experience ,Oman driving licence,Noc available. Seek Suitable opportunity. GSM- 98184170 Senior Accountant. 8 Years experience. NOC available. Oman driving license. Seek suitable opportunity. GSM- 98184170 31 year Indian male PG in HR ,with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement. Kindly contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com MBA Finance with more than ﬁve years of experience in Finance & Accounts including GCC, looking for a suitable opening. Having UAE driving license. #91391802. Indian female with MBA in ﬁnance seeking immediate placement. Contact: 968-93316493

27, male, ACCA finalist, have professional experience up to finalization of Accounts, Statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally and focus & Oracle Software, have 3.5 years experience in accounts till finalization, seeking for permanent replacement ,GSM97654769,email idabdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com B.E Mechanical Engineer with 2 years’ experience in HVAC field on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 93442296 Email Id: sal201091@gmail.com. MBA (F) B.COM Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for full or part time job. Presently on family visit visa. Contact: - 96259171. Email: bhumicapandya@gmail.com Indian Male, MBA, Talented management expert having 6 year experience at U.A.E, India and Oman in luxury goods and Retail. Seeking suitable openings in related or same field. Contact:92700670 Email: jobcareer44@gmail.com B.Tech EEE with 4+ years experience in the field of it, networking, ex-tonics etc. presently working in Amazon India development centre as a content quality associate seeking for suitable jobs in Oman. Contact : +91 9940514005, 93116402 email: mail2nbn@gmail.com MBA Finance with more than five years of experience in Finance & Accounts including GCC, looking for a suitable opening. Having UAE driving license. Contact no..91391802 Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available. Contact 98803439 Pakistani, Male, Pak, Exp 14 Years in IT Trainer / Computer Teacher, looking for a better position in Oman, already working in Prestigious Construction Company. # 95983711. Join.mtmali@gmail.com M. Tech VLSI design, B. tech Electronics and instrumentation, Indian female,3 years teaching experience for graduation level students, seeking suitable placements . Ph:00968 92904155. email-achusooraj@gmail.com

SIT.WANTED MISCELLANEOUS

Sudanese/26/Bsc Computer Science /3 years exp/skills Excellent knowledge in operating systems and maintaining computers Java Programmer Web Developer Linux SMS solutions Android developer/ email khalid.omx@gmail.com/ # 944958080 and 99758186. Indian male B.Eng. in IT,CCNA, MCSA,MCSE, 2.5 yrs + exp. in IT support, networking and server support valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Indian B.E Computer Science graduate 2012 passout. 1 .5 yrs exp. in Accounting. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Having NIIT certificate in Diploma in Java Technology. # 97767894 Email: jinsonjacobjohn@gmail.com Indian male 24 YEARS, B.Tech (Electrical & Electronics), having 2 yrs. exp as Electrical Site Engineer. Done IOSH & NEBOSH- IGC certifications, seeking for suitable placement in any related industries. Contact 98045482, Email: mastanshaik1008@gmail.com Indian male, 24 years, HSE Engineer having 2 years of Indian experience. Done IOSH & NEBOSH- IGC certifications, seeking for suitable placement in any related industries. Contact 98045482 Indian male 22yr BBA with LOGISTIC Diploma, exp in tally and data entry seeking in suitable placement. Contact; 90151739 email shakeeb.mp280gmail.com Indian Male (Diploma in electronics Engineering and CCNA.) having 9 years of experience in Networking, 5 years’ experience in Oman. Looking for a suitable Placement. NOC available. GSM- 93787098, Email –anishktr@gmail.com Mechanical Draftsman, Indian male 27, Diploma in Mechanical Engineering having 7 years of experience in Auto CAD looking for a suitable placement.#97351786 / 96143708 mohammednazeer07@gmail.com ACCA Affiliate, OBU Degree, 2.5 years experience in audit and finance in Big6 firm, Looking for permanent placement. NOC release available. Contact: #95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com

Indian 26M, B. Tech Computer Science graduate, 3 years exp in India, looking for suitable job in Muscat. Contact : 93125669, Email : amritrajGT18@gmail.com Sudanese/Bsc IT/26/2 years experience/excellent Eng-Arb speaking/ Omani driving license/96387227/ henrykarrar@gmail.com MBA - (F), M.Com, B.COM. Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for part time or full time job. Presently on family visa. contact 91892264. mail: yv.dixit@ yahoo.com Admin, having 10+ years experience in Admin/HR/Logistics/Time Keeper, in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat. Contact94369965mail - satya1528@gmail.com Two year experience in Oman, experience in sales, purchase and system admin, Having GCC license. Contact number 97475860, Yadhukrishnan08@gmail.com Indian male B.Eng. in IT,CCNA,MCSA,MCSE, 2.5 yrs + exp. in IT support, Networking and Server support with valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/ Server support. contact 92607532 Indian Female BSC nurse with 8+ years of experience including 3 years of GCC exp. Oman Prometric passed with 57 %. Currently in Oman. Contact : 98034384 Indian male Accountant, 12 years experience, looking for a full time or part time job, experience in tally also. Contact 98983122 Site Supervisor/ L Driver, Pakistani Male 33 with valid D/L, 4 years experience in Muscat, ﬂuent in English, Arabic looking for suitable place. Contact: 97950869 Indian Male, 25, Chartered Accountant, working with ICICI Bank India. On a Visit Visa in Oman. Staying with parents at Azaibah. Ph:24492638. Email: shyamal008@gmail.com India male 33 years. DCT, BBA, OSHA, looking for Job in Construction HSE, 11 Years experience with GCC license, NOC available Contact :- 9418 4280

Filipino Senior Architect with 13 years GCC experience. Proﬁcient in 3D StudioMax, AutoCAD, Revit, Phostoshop, and Microsoft Office. With NOC and Omani driving license. Please contact 91292933.

Indian male BE Electrical & Electronics and PG in power systems (transmission & distribution) on visit seeking placement. Contact 94669679 E Mail : prsabarish@gmail.com

Indian female, 40 yrs, 7 yrs experience in customer service, with D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact 95580711

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

ME Civil- structural Engineer, 8 Years Structural Engineer experience, Looking for Structural Designer, supervisor or site engineer Position. Iranian male. Contact: 93696929 Email: mhsaz1359@gmail.com

Female, 35years, Bachelor of Pharmacy fresh graduate with BSc and MA looking for suitable position in hospital, polyclinic, companies or Institutions. Contact 90236481.

Indian Male 23 years B.Tech Civil Engineering having 2 years experience in quantity survey and site management looking for suitable placement. Contact- 95042656

Electrical Maintenance Engineer, 29, Indian Male, having 7+ years exp. in reputed companies. Seeking suitable placement in Oman. #- 98440637. Mail ID : venkatbadri23@gmail.com

Indian female, MBA, 25yrs Having 4yrears of experience in MNC, hands of experiences in recruitment and administration, ﬂexible for any suitable job placements currently in visting visa. Contact: 98864639 Email : neethuvijayan06@gmail. com

Administration - Having 9+ years exp. in Admin & HR in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat and seeking for suitable placement. Contact No.: 97693456. email : muralimahdav77@gmail.com

Indian Male -25years B.Tech Engineer seeking any suitable jobs in Oman ,currently on visit visa. Contact : Haneesh N. Surendran, Mob : 90126573, Email: - haneeshns02@gmail.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, 8 years experience, Oman driving license, Noc available seeks suitable opportunity. GSM- 97705854 Female Junior Architect, Excellence in Autocad, Sketching & Modelling, Internship - KHAM Designs, Bangalore. Presently with Atulya Architects & Associates. Email saatvika.frozenmusic@gmail.com Contact 00968-94057427. Electronics System Eng. UK Graduate. Indian Female with relevant work experience. Eng. Analysis, Instrumentation and Control, Power & Heat, Electrical & Fluid, Drives & Actuators etc. Looking for an entry level position. Email s.dinesh1508@gmail.com. Mobile: 97848075, +91-8105413827

Indian male 24 B.Tech IT(engineer) 2.5 years exp in hardware networking, programming such as C and C++. Currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact 95153693 Indian male Auto Cad Draughtsman (civil) 8 years experience seeking for part time job. Contact : 00968 99070584, Email: remluvp@gmail.com Indian male having 25 years exp in telecom optical ﬁber cables, network CCTV Administration office automation seeks job, now in visit visa. Contact: 91385373 Email: sridharbsnlma1455@gmail.com Indian male 32 M. A. English and having 4 years of experience in teaching current company is ready to issue release letter. Contact : 99869535 Email: sahadkeyi33@gmail.com Sudanese male, 31 years, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer , 6 year experience in construction and electrical production plant . Mobile No ; +96894549609

Indian male 37 years B.Tech Graduate having 12 years experience of Electrical DCRP Works / Jobs in Oman with driving license looking for suitable opening. NOC available can join immediately. Contact : saiviharvasanth@gmail.com Bangladeshi, looking job for sales man having 3-4 years experience in readymade garments. Contact : 97756028 Indian female B.ARCH with 10 years experience (Indian & Oman) as an Architect is seeking a suitable in Muscat. Contact: 92412810 BE Civil Engineer with 11 years of experience in building construction with valid Oman DL, looking for suitable placement, NOC available. Please contact 91329910. Indian male 24 B.Tech IT (engineer) 2.5 years exp in hardware networking, programming such as C and C++. Currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact 95153693 Indian male 23yrs, 2yrs exp. In Accounts (india). Seeking suitable position in accounts. Currently on express visa. M: 94399509, E. midhunaloor16@gmail.com Indian Male: 31yrs 8 Years Experience in the field of Business Development/ Sales/ Retail/ Logistics with good communication Skills seeking for suitable job in Oman . Now available in Visit visa valid till (21st Oct). Contact; 99052340 , email: pradee.ys@gmail.com ACCOUNTANT , Indian male 30 years B.Com Having 7 years of Oman experience in the field of accounts & finance seeks for better placement. Contact : 96143708 / 97351786 ME Civil- structural Engineer, 8 Years Structural engineer experience, looking for Structural Designer, supervisor or site engineer Position. Iranian male. Contact: 93696929, Email: mhsaz1359@gmail.com Civil Autocad draughtsman looking for part time job. Mobile: 95218737 ACCOUNTANT, 8 years experience, Oman D/L, Noc available seeks suitable opportunity. GSM- 98184170

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

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

We want ﬁnance for 3 (three) months or renewable every 3 months from Omani nationals or expatriates for trading business. Contact: 99462591 or 93525028

WEBSITE

Ware house space for rent at Ghala and Barka up to 20000/- Sqm. Contact: 99509460 / 93731363 Want regular ﬁnancing for proﬁtable business. Contact 91087526 Investors needed for well functioning company Engaged in manufacturing and supply of heating solutions. Contact: 98871548 / 93412622

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

SIT.WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Network/Noc Engineer, Indian male 27 years B.com (General) 5 years & 4 month’s of experience in the ﬁeld of networking seeks for better placement. Contact :97663834, bro’s no:98730758 Indian male, BBA, having 8yrs exp including 2yrs of (UAE) exp looking opportunities withinSales, Logistics, Retail, Operations. CONTACT 99052340, Mail Id: pradee.ys@ gmail.com B.Com Graduate, associate insurance, 25 year male, 3 years experience in accounts and 3 years in sales and marketing. Contact no-95236312, mail id-lilommca@gmail.com Syrian Architect years experience in oman for work 2d plans and 3d internal and external projects in cooperation or even a piece . for contact : 97482871 Electrical Engineer with BS & MS Degree having 5 years of Experience in Electrical Utility/Water sector seeks a suitable job (on visit). Contact: snaveelh@gmail.com Phone: 24413033/ 95731852 25 year male, B graduate, associate insurance with 3 years exp in accounts and 3 years in marketing. NOC available. Mail id lilommca@gmail.com and no-95236312

33 year male Indian Keralite looking for Senior Accountant or Assistant Accounts manager having 10 years of working experience in Oman and Qatar with valid GCC license willing to work any GCC country, please contact : 97433387 27,male,ACCA finalist, have professional experience up to finalization of accounts, statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally and focus & oracle software, have 3.5 years experience in accounts till finalization ,seeking for permanent replacement ,GSM-97654769,email id-abdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com 26, Male, Indian, BBA (Finance), MBA(HR), Looking for suitable Job. Contact immediately #98176105, nruknaddin@outlook.com Senior Management Professional, MBA, 12 years+ exp. in Business Development/Sales Management , Sales Training, Content Development & Six sigma GSM:97428090 Part Time Accounting Job Complete Data Entry, Upto Finalization. Any Time Available. Location Al Hail, AL Khoud. #- +968-92049215 Email:- aiafe.oman@gmail.com ACCA finalist, Recent B.Com Graduate, Indian Female, looking for full time employment in Accounting and Audit.+96896964379, sangeethaumesh5@gmail.com

Indian male, 26 yr, b. tech Computer science, 4 years experience as system and network engineer looking for suitable job. Contact : 0096893125669, Email : amritrajGT18@gmail.com

Indian Chartered Accountant, Male 25 years, 5 years of relevant experience, On Visit visa, Staying with Parents. Also holds BCOM (Computer Applications). Contact 98164467, 24492638 shyamal008@gmail.com

Electrical Engineer with BS & MS Degree having 5 years of Experience in Electrical Utility/Water sector seeks a suitable job. Contact: 95731852 snaveelh@gmail.com

Arab Lady seeking for Housemanager/Personal Assistant job. Highly experienced. Arabic, English &French. Contat : +961 71339568 email : famurr@hotmail.com

Chartered Accountant, looking out for an opportunity in Oman in Audit OR Finance ﬁeld. Available in Muscat from 10th – 16th Oct. Call : 91258435

The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 14 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: tenders& real estate& construction & marketing projects& investments& transportation & Marine services& companies management& develop business. Contact 93240027

26, Male, Indian, BBA (Finance), MBA(HR), Looking for suitable Job. Contact immediately. Contact 98176105, nruknaddin@outlook.com Indian lady looking for accounts Job, two years experience one year worked in Oman B.Com Graduate , Tally ERP9. GSM : 91123561 Indian looking for a part time accounting or Internal Auditing job, contact 99196621.

INDIAN MALE , MBA. Having 10+ years experience as Automotives Sales Manager .Worked with M/s TALWAR AUTO GARAGES PVT LTD India’s Largest Selling Dealer for VOLVO EICHER commercial vehicles .Seeking for suitable Job in Oman. Contact no: 98045482 Email: dmstalwar@gmail.com

NRI Water front luxurious apartments at Marine drive Kochi, DD Samudra Darshan Apartments 1850 sq. ft INR 1.60 CR (negotiable). Common amenities include multi gym billiards, home theatre party hall etc. Contact Owners 968 - 99754109 AND 971 505194598 or email: porus2009@ gmail.com

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

COMPUTER

Water front luxurious apartments at Marine drive Kochi, prestige Neptune courtyard 2225 sq. ft, INR 1.80 CR (negotiable) common amenities includes 4 swimming pools multi gym party, halls, squash courts walk ways etc. Contact Owners: 968 - 99754109 & 971 - 505194598 or Email: porus2009@gmail.com 3BHK+Puja Room, East Facing, 1549 Sq Ft, Independent Floor, Ansal Palam Vihar, Gurgaon, Contact:99381769

LOST

Asif Mohammad has lost Pakistani Passport No. AL 1883592. Finder please handover to ROP

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

Split & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance. #96236476

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

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

Sanjuctta Kumar has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. BC 0020946. Finder please handover to ROP

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

House shifting & transporting. Contact 92490422

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

Architect designed 5000 Square feet exquisite Villa in 16 cents of land at a scenic location on Aakkulam Road, Ulloor, Trivandrum for sale. Contact +968 95372011

GOOD NEWS

Split & widow unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080

Mohammed Feroz Rahil has lost Indian Passport No. K 3688686. Finder please handover to ROP Shaheb Uddin has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. F 0433359. Finder please handover to ROP

MATRIMONIAL Looking for alliance from Tamil Muslim grooms for working girl 28 years 5 FT. Wheatish Contact: 93263185 Email: mrtgifts@gmail.com Malankara Catholic girl Alappuzha Dist BSc Nurse 28 yrs working with M.O.H in Buraimi 28 yrs seeks alliance from Keralite professionals Orthodox Marthoma. Contact: 93264638 Seeking alliance for our son from Muslim families. Interested families Contact: 99889590

Split window unit A/ C servicing. Contact 94694472 Cleaning & Carpet Shampooing, Ocean Center LLC. #99884591 Pest Control Treatments. Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722 House shifting & packing. Contact: 99657644 /98518013

CHANGE OF NAME I TersamLal Fakirchand (holder of Indian passport No. J 6459000) Son of Fakirchand Sadhuram having permanent residence in V.Gosal, P.O Saidowal, DT. Kapurthala, Punjab (complete postal address in India ) and presently residing in P.O Box: 600, Buraimi – 512, Oman (complete postal address in Oman) intend to change my name from Tersam Lal Fakirchand (old name) to Tarsam Singh Fakir Singh ( new name) for all practical purpose. Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P.Box No. 1727 Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

Air condition maintenance installation window AC, split a/c, ducted AC and package type units. Contact: 98667326 Window & split unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517 Pest Control Gulfa Intl .LLC. Contact: 92326955 Water prooﬁng ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 One stop shop business services : Public Relation (PRO) formation new companies, LLC companies, Investor visa, business setup, prepare businesses & companies accounts, legal services, representing you and your company. Contact Saleh: 96723485 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & antitermite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130

DRIVING

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

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@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 # 98029602, 92808636

FOR HIRE Available for rent 1500 sqmt, secured plot, suitable for keeping containers, construction equipments, trailers etc, near Sohar AirportContact 98236616

RENT A CAR

Bobcat Grader and roller for rent. Contact: 94584688

MANPOWER

TRANSPORTATION Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba. Contact: 91103909 Transportation available. Contact: 99867456 Pick & drop any time. Contact: 93598436 / 96743215 Pick & drop any time. Contact: 92218001/ 96502406 Transportation. Contact98505294 Transportation in Muscat. Contact: 95530908

We offer labour for loading and unloading if any one required we are providing this service. Contact: 95208185 /95456022 Leading manpower agency to hire Recruiter from India housemaids. Contact: 99226093, Email: fesalwardi48@gmail.com

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

COMMERCIAL 2015 VEHICLES SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2015

SPECIA L S U PPLEM EN T

inside EXCELLENCE

Iveco celebrates 40 years

The brand is celebrating its 40th anniversary – a success story that tells of great international acclaims and vehicles that have come to symbolize commercial transport around the world

TRANSPORTATION

Trucking the tons in time Goods transportation from Sohar and Salalah ports has seen signiﬁcant growth, leading to increased demand

Auto dealers step up to offer trucking solutions

for heavy vehicles

Leading automotive companies in the Sultanate are exerting great efforts to provide trucks to the leading transportation companies in the Sultanate

VEHICLE OF CHOICE

FUSO: Driving towards a prosperous future

To comprehensively support such a varied product range and its commercial customers, GAC has a strong service network setup right across the Sultanate for sales and after sales support; ensuring that no matter where a customer is located, they are guaranteed immediate and professional service

SHAHZAD RAZA shahzad@timesofoman.com reight industry is one of the biggest moneymaking businesses in the world. In USA alone the $337 billion truckload sector is the largest part of the trucking market, accounting for about 37 percent of the total freight transportation spending in the country. With Oman making serious efforts to boost its exports, trade and timely transportation of goods have assumed greater importance. An effective goods transportation system is also vital to taking the country’s imports to the regions they are intended to serve. With the Sultanate focusing on improved port management, goods transportation from Sohar and Salalah ports has seen signiﬁcant growth, leading to increase in demand for heavy transport vehicles. A large number of heavy trucks and trailers leave Sohar Port daily loaded with a variety of goods meant for different parts of the Sultanate and abroad. Containerisation, the greatest transport revolution of this century, has made the task of transport companies much easier as goods often come packed in containers which

are convenient to move from one place to the other than loading and unloading goods manually, as was the practice before. Precisely for this reason, heavy trucks carry huge trailers to fetch the load to its destination. Capacity does matter and it pays. “Transport vehicles are available in many sizes and companies make the purchase depending on their requirement. There are plenty of choices in the size and capacity of bigger trucks which vary from 10 ton to 60 ton. Automotive companies in Oman do their best to help the transporters by ensuring quick delivery and services though they run out of stocks pretty fast due to high demand,” said Mian Muhammad Munir, managing director of Munir Transport and Ittfaq International in

Oman and Mohammad Munir Cargo Transport in Dubai. Some of the popular brands dealing in heavy trucks include Hino, Nissan, Iveco, Mitsubishi Fuso, MAN, Mercedes and many more. How much time it takes to receive the delivery after booking? “It may take a month or even more to receive the vehicle you have booked if it is out of stock. Once you have received the vehicle, you have to do the necessary body work like having the trailer attached which costs around OMR3000 to 4000, and get it insured. You can then hit the road straightaway,” explained Munir, one of the leading goods transporters. “Buying a big truck is much easier now. Finance companies are always ready to fund the purchase, especially if the trans-

porter has a clean past record. Credit approval can be pretty quick and if the vehicle is available for delivery the deal can be over in no time,” he said. How do transport companies ensure safety of goods being transported? “Well, we insure everything. Vehicle is fully insured, so are the driver and the goods loaded on the truck. We ensure the body work is of high quality and meets the required standards,” he added. Does road transportation of goods hold any advantage over air cargo and shipping? “It does. Trucking is a much cheaper option compared to other means of goods transfer, and it is faster too, specially on domestic routes,” said Munir. Hundreds of heavy trucks and trailers carry loads from ports to different routes on a daily basis

and that often leads to congestion on the roads, leading to trafﬁc jams on the road linking Sohar Port with Muscat. “Government must build a dual carriage way solely for the heavy trucks plying on this route. There is too much work on Sohar Port and such heavy traffic on a daily basis should have a separate route to avoid massive traffic jams,” suggested Munir. It is a common sight to spot heavy transport vehicles taking goods like from the country’s big ports in Sohar, Salalah and Duqm. With the business seeing steady growth for the goods transport companies, the number of heavy transport vehicles is likely to increase on the roads. If the infrastructure is improved too, the movement is going to be smoother and faster.

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER E R 18, 2015

S UN DAY, O CTO B ER 18, 2 0 15

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 2015

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 2015 difficulties on some of the world’s most difficult roads and surviving adverse weather conditions without ever stopping their journey – a testament to their reliability and quality. This challenge is still ongoing with The Dakar, the world’s most famous off-road rally that attracts millions and is officially sponsored by Iveco. The brand is continuing its sponsorship of the Petronas De Rooy Iveco team on their hair-raising adventures around South America. Iveco won the Dakar in 2012 with Team De Rooy, taking ﬁrst, second and sixth

giant Scuderia Ferrari and the All Blacks, New Zealand’s national rugby team, as well as with major initiatives that the public still remembers many years on. One such example is the famous Overland project, launched in 1995 with a Rome-New York expedition, during which the use of Iveco technology played a huge part in promoting a positive image of trucks around the world. Iveco’s orange vehicles earned an international following after being seen undertaking perilous adventures, overcoming extreme

place. A legendary adventure. Exclusive dealer International Equipment & Contracting Company is the exclusive dealer of IVECO Commercial vehicles in Oman and offers formidable range of products ranging from 3 t to 100 t for Oman market. International Equipment & Contracting Company is Special Equipment division of Bahwan International Group Holding having focus on exclusive distributorships for sales, marketing and service of reputed brands of commercial trucks,

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N S O LU T I O N S

Auto dealers step up to offer trucking solutions

IVECO — 40 years of excellence

VECO is blowing out 40 candles: This is an important milestone for a major brand that has shaped the history of global commercial transport. It represents not only 40 years of success, but also 150 years of working alongside customers, of superb performance, of vehicles that have become ﬁxture on roads all over the world and that convey a message of technology and sustainable transport today. Iveco is a brand of CNH Industrial, a global leader in the capital goods sector. Through CNH Industrial, Iveco products are manufactured at production facilities in Europe, China, Australia, Argentina, Brazil and Africa, with business activities in over 160 countries. To celebrate this birthday, Iveco has created a special logo in honor

of the occasion, which represents a stylised vehicle with the slogan “40 years of Iveco, 150 years of experience”. The logo will appear on all of the brand’s written communications until the end of 2015. The website www.iveco40.com offers people the chance to celebrate Iveco’s 40th birthday by sharing stories in pictures or videos. Grand celebrations Indeed a great deal of the celebrations will be promoted on a dedicated website (www.iveco40. com), published in 14 different languages. It sees the launch of a competition encouraging Iveco enthusiasts to celebrate Iveco’s 40th birthday by sharing their stories in pictures or videos for all to enjoy. Each week, the best photo will be added to a virtual book dedicated to the special anniversary.

This special anniversary has also been commemorated with a video — available to watch online at https://youtu.be/XwSoJzxHoVs — that recounts the key events in Iveco’s history decade by decade from 1975 until the present day. These range from vehicle launches and technological innovations to major sponsorship deals, which have become an inseparable part of the history of commercial vehicles, not only in Europe, but globally. Iveco has a new approach focusing on its core values technology, total cost of ownership, sustainability and business partnership. Iveco is a brand that has shown itself able to take a bold approach to change over the years. It is now writing a new chapter in its history, persistently pursuing its vocation as a major player on the international and multicultural

stage, continuing to focus on its core values. Thanks to a continuous attention to innovation and new technologies, Iveco became a European leader in the field of alternative traction, anticipating solutions that will contribute to further reduce the environmental impact in the transport sector and becoming the ideal partner for sustainable transport, as the new Iveco’s payoff declares: Iveco, Your Partner for Sustainable Transport. From 1975 todate: A story of success The company launched its challenge to the market in 1975, when it was created from the union of the then top five European firms with more than 150 years’ experience in designing and making industrial vehicles: Magirus-Deutz,

Fiat, Lancia, Unic and OM. A global vision with international roots, formed through the fusion of ﬁve pre-existing companies, each of which made its own important contribution to the history of the commercial vehicle sector in Europe starting from the late 19th century: Fiat Industrial Vehicles from Turin, Italy; OM from Brescia, Italy; Lancia Special Vehicles from Bolzano, Italy; Unic from Puteaux, France and MagirusDeutz from Ulm, Germany. Through acquisitions, alliances and international joint ventures over the years, Iveco has joined the highest ranks of the world’s major players in road transportation, becoming a group with considerable specialist expertise able to bring out the best in technological innovation and establish itself as a manufacturer and commercial

provider in the most important industrialised markets and emerging markets alike. In 1986, as part of that heritage, Iveco Ford Truck Ltd. was born as a joint venture (and effectively a merger) with Ford of Europe’s truck division. In 1990, Iveco acquired the Spanish industrial vehicle builder Pegaso. Over the course of its history, Iveco has earned international recognition and numerous accolades, including three “International Truck of the Year” awards - for the Eurocargo in 1992, the EuroTech in 1993 and the Stralis in 2013. Furthermore, the New Daily was recently named “International Van of the Year 2015”. Iveco has always channeled its energy alongside the biggest names in international sport, such as motor sport > PAGE 3

Times News Service

oods transportation industry is considered one of the pillars of development as it is the basis of internal trade, foreign trade, port movement, export, construction, agriculture and industry. The average cost of goods transport is about 20 per cent of the produced item’s cost. The efficiency of ports depends mainly on the capacity and speed of loading and unloading and their ability to avoid accumulation of goods on the wharfs and in storage yards. Therefore, the absorption ability of trucks is the key element, and the heavy-duty trucks with large loads, and in large numbers, are the only vehicles that are able to do so. Therefore, the ﬂeet of trucks should add to the numbers in order to contribute better

Major companies are today competing in the domain of goods transport. The road transport sector focuses on providing integrated logistics services that boast of highest performance at lowest cost and in fastest time towards transportation of goods. Leading automotive companies in the Sultanate are exerting great efforts to provide trucks to the leading transportation companies in the Sultanate. This has resulted in the growth of the trucking business in accordance with studied plans. Thus, major companies are today competing in the domain of goods transport. The road transport sector focuses on providing integrated logistics services that boast of highest performance at

lowest cost and in fastest time. Companies seek to have modern trucks and trailers with high speciﬁcations which come equipped with means of security and safety and are covered by comprehensive insurance programmes and practical safeguards. These safeguards come in the form of a prepared schedule that helps determine the time required for the transport and in preparation of an alternative plan for each process to deal with any circumstances.

earthmoving, construction, industrial and survey equipment. Established in 1985, IECC has a modern 3-S facility on Nizwa Road, Mawaleh and branch locations in Sohar and Salalah. With dedicated teams for sales and service, IECC serves customers in all important segments in Oman. IECC is playing a critical role in development of the country. IECC is committed to be an important player in Oman’s Infrastructure development through the supply of World-class Highend Technology Products and best-in-class after sales support.

Iveco is a brand of CNH Industrial N.V., a World leader in Capital Goods listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CNHI) and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario of the Borsa Italiana (MI: CNHI). IVECO designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles, off-road trucks, and vehicles for applications such as off-road missions. The brand’s wide range of products include the Daily, a vehicle that covers the 3 to 7 ton vehicle weight segment, the Eurocargo from 6 to 16 tons, the

Trakker(dedicated to off-road missions) and the Stralis, both over 16 tons. In addition, the company offers mining and construction vehicles, rigid and articulated dump trucks and specialty vehicles. IVECO employs close to 21,000 individuals globally. It manages production sites in 7 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America where it produces vehicles featuring the latest advanced technologies. 4,200 sales and service outlets in over 160 countries guarantee technical support wherever an Iveco vehicle is at work.

SU N DAY, OCTOB ER E R 18, 2015

S UN DAY, O CTO B ER 18, 2 0 15

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 2015

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N S O LU T I O N S

Auto dealers step up to offer trucking solutions

IVECO — 40 years of excellence

Times News Service

SUN DAY, OCTOB E ER R 18, 2015

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 2015 CHOICE FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE

EXCITING BENEFITS

Nissan Pickup 4WD – Bestselling vehicle among LCV range in Oman NISSAN from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles has a heritage of showcasing a prestigious line-up of vehicles. Nissan Pickup 4WD is equipped to handle rugged terrains and has a low operating cost equipped with powerful yet fuel efficient engines, making it one of the best vehicles in its range. Interactive social media initiative Customers can also get unlimited access to Nissan’s prestigious vehicle line-up at the comfort of their homes or offices. Simply visit Nissan Oman’s facebook page i.e http://www.facebook. com/Sbanissanoman or send an SMS to get updated information on any of the vehicles from the house of Nissan. Value for money LCV The Nissan Pickup 4WD is one of the most highly desirable vehicles for business purposes within the Sultanate region. Given the high requirement for quality transport service and delivery in the country’s rapidly progressing business environment, the vehicle represents fully ﬂexible, spacious, functional and reliable features. The new 4x4 Nissan Pickup is best known for its ultimate performance when driven on the road. With a 2.4L, 160hp twin cam gasoline engine in 4WD (Double Cabin) and 4WD (Single Cabin), the 4x4 Pickup is one of the most economical in its range. It features dynamic suspension, rear step bumper, chrome mirrors and grill, bed liner; – making it the perfect choice for all who wants to own a Pickup. It’s aggressive, powerful styling, rugged, go-anywhere performance gives an edge over its competitors, plus an impressive list of comfort and convenience features makes it stand out in its class. No wonder the 4x4 Nissan Pickup is a worldwide favourite, offering plenty of interior room with all controls properly positioned to facilitate easy op-

FUSO: Driving towards a prosperous future eration as well as a full range of handy amenities, this truck is real proof that toughness and driving pleasure can coexist. Powerful engine The 4x4 Pickup has an engine of KA24DE with power of 160HP/5600RPM and a torque of net-20.6KG-M/3600RPM. The 4x4 Pickup has element like the transfer knob and the exterior highlights over fender (black), fr bumper (wide type black) and a tyre size of 215 R15 with a wheel base of 2950 mm. What’s more the fuel tank can hold a huge capacity, allowing increased cruising range. The vehicle also features bedliner, power windows etc. With a built-in divider, it lets you create separate loading areas simply by inserting a dividing board and a doublewalled rear side panel means extra durability. As well as its ﬂat tailgate extra-strength tailgate chains and ﬂat steel bars which simplify loading and unloading. The Nissan Pickup’s aggressive, powerful styling, rugged, go-anywhere performance gives an edge over its competitors, plus an impressive list of comfort and convenience features makes it stand out in its class. No wonder the 4x4 Nissan Pickup is a worldwide favourite, offering plenty of interior room with all controls properly positioned to facilitate easy operation as well as a full range of handy amenities, this truck is

real proof that toughness and driving pleasure can coexist. Its two separate large-size door pockets are positioned beneath the armrests for extra convenience. The vehicle’s vanity mirror is equipped on the front passenger sun visor which is a standard feature available on all their models. The Nissan Pickup provides a smooth and effortless power steering which makes the driving experience easy, convenient and improves maneuverability. Its powerful air-conditioning system helps to make every drive enjoyable and memorable. The Nissan Pickup models are built for versatility. Despite their comfortable ride and stylish passenger car-like interiors, they still deliver full load-hauling functionality. The Single Cab model makes an excellent multipurpose utility vehicle, while the Double Cab model can also serve as a versatile family pickup. Whatever the requirement, each Nissan Pickup comes with a choice of power plants that incorporate state-of-the art technology for incredibly quiet operation, high power and torque as well as outstanding fuel-efficiency. The new 4x4 Nissan Pickup features a good entertainment system with good quality 2 DIN AM/FM CD MP3 stereo system. It’s multi-function; clear-lens headlights provide strong night illumination which gives it an edgier look.

uso commercial vehicles have a long and storied history spanning over 80 years, with the brand ﬁrmly establishing itself as the vehicle of choice for commercial vehicle operators worldwide. Locally, the FUSO brand has been proudly represented in Oman by the General Automotive Company (GAC) since 1973. Today, 42 years down the road, the brand’s prominent presence in the country stands as a testament to the historic relationship the group has with the Japanese automobile giant. Today, in Japan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and around the world, ‘Mitsubishi Fuso’ stands for superior products, outstanding service, economic value and a commitment to customers’ success. In Oman, FUSO has positioned itself as a key player in the commercial vehicle arena with an extensive range of commercial vehicles ranging from lightweight commercial vehicles, to medium and heavy-duty trucks and buses. With a vehicle to suit most commercial requirements Mitsubishi FUSO has become a name synonymous with quality and durability. Mitsubishi FUSO Canter Over the years the Canter has become a market staple in Oman — earning a reputation for offering customers class-leading styling and reliability combined with cutting-edge technology and a low cost of ownership. Powered by a

GAC strongly advocates on building enduring business relationships and alliances with its growing portfolio of customers as the organisation, hand-inhand with the FUSO brand, continues to go from strength to strength in Oman 4.2 litre 4-stroke diesel engine, the current generation 6.5-tonne GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) Canter offers superior lugging power and unmatched acceleration, making the new long-wheelbase version well suited for urban delivery of bulk items. And backed by its 50-year heritage, the Canter offers proven reliability and a durable chassis that is perfectly suited for hauling heavy loads. However, the Canter family isn’t limited to just one model — it offers a level of ﬂexibility and model variation that is unmatched in its segment. The Canter Long-Wheelbase, one of the more recent models to be introduced to the range, is a cab-over truck with a signiﬁcantly longer wheelbase that will accommodate bodies up to 5 metres long. This new model offers commercial cus-

tomers another level of load carrying versatility to satisfy their truck transport needs. Additionally, the new long wheelbase Canter offers a low total cost-of-ownership in common with all other FUSO Canter models — based on superior fuel economy, higher payload capacity and longer standard warranty than competitors in the same class. Outside of the regular Canter and long wheel-base model, FUSO also offers the Narrow Cab Canter, which sports all of the hallmarks of the regular Canter, but in a slimmer more ‘city-friendly’ package that enhances the truck’s manoeuvrability and convenience. It is designed speciﬁcally for street driving and city usage and its narrow cab design is perfectly suited to navigate through tight and narrow back lanes, offering easy access to previously hard-to-reach locations. As another new addition that adds even greater versatility and further enhances the safety features of the range, GAC now offers the popular Double Cabin truck range with the added option of off-road tyres and an ABS braking system. FUSO FK/FM The Mitsubishi FUSO FK/FM, with a GVW of 11 and 15.1 tonnes, for the FK and FM respectively, these trucks represent the brand’s medium-to-heavy duty truck offerings, and in true Mitsubishi FUSO fashion offers outstanding comfort, operational ease and excellent economy.