Times of Oman - September 19, 2016

MONDAY September 19, 2016 17 Dhul Hijja 1437 AH

6 085010 120010

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN MORNING MINUTE

On the occasion of His First Arrival in Muscat after Assuming the Reins of Power, 1970

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ We also hope that every one of you will do his duty in helping us to build the thriving and happy future that we seek for this country, because, as you know, unless there is co-operation between the government and the people we will not be able to build our country with the speed required to free her from the backwardness she has endured for so long.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 172 | 36 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

CABLE

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

Oman’s vision of a non-oil future in focus

E F F E C T O F N E W L AW

BEFORE

AFTER

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

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Top executives in

Health check-up advice for sick Haj pilgrims

Oman have been advised to suggest

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Pilgrims returning from Haj have been urged to get checked at a health clinic if they fall ill. The advice has been given by the Ministry of Health through social media.

The ministry tweeted to spread awareness among the public that precautionary measures must be taken if pilgrims returning from Haj experience health issues. >A2

measures to ramp up non-oil revenues

Staff Reporter DISAPPEARING ACT: People who were trying to sell their cars on public streets have removed

them to avoid an OMR200 fine, along with towing and release costs, under the new laws.

Cars for sale on streets vanish over threat of new traffic fines TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com

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Berklee scholarship for ISM student

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An Indian School Muscat (ISM) student has earned the opportunity to attend a five-week programme at Berklee College of Music (BCM) in Boston.

“BCM has given me an opportunity to work with many Grammy Award winners, and also to work in a cross cultural environment. I am happy to share the news that I have been invited for another programme under scholarship,” said the ISM student. >A4

MARKET

OMR20m corpus fund raised in two tranches

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Oman’s SME Development Fund has raised OMR20 million corpus in two tranches so far, out of its total envisaged corpus of OMR100 million. Also, the fund has financed 160 projects by deploying OMR15.8 million, which indicates an average funding size of OMR100,000 per project, says a top level official. >B1

MUSCAT: Used cars for sale on the streets of Muscat are disappearing fast after new police fines came into effect.

Facing the prospect of a hefty fine under new police traffic laws, people who were trying to sell their cars on public streets have removed them to avoid an OMR 200 fine, along with towing and release costs, under the new laws.

Muscat Municipality, in coordination with ROP, is warning

drivers to remove their vehicles, which they have put on display for sale, from public areas or they will be removed by the authorities with the cost being paid by owners.

Vehicles displayed on the public street are in the jurisdiction of the ROP, who have to uphold the law and fine owners, according to the amended traffic law.

“We take care of the vehicles that are displayed on public locations, whereas the municipality takes care of those displayed in other areas. We will act according to the new traffic law,”

said a senior ROP official.

The new amended traffic law, article 33, states that “it is prohibited to display vehicles for sale in public locations or anywhere that it could affect the flow of traffic and its safety. The ROP has every right to remove the vehicle without bearing any responsibility.”

The penalty for such a violation is OMR200, according to article 52 of the new traffic law.

The owner of the vehicle will also bear the cost of its release, which is between OMR25 and OMR 50. >A6

MUSCAT: More than 200 leading business people have been invited to help shape the future of Oman, by the government agency created to ensure the Sultanate is ready for a non-oil future.

The chief executives and chairmen of various private and public firms have been asked to take part in a new red-tape busting government agency’s five-year plan for the Sultanate.

They have been asked to identify and report issues and to find workarounds to bureaucracy, red tape and skills shortages so that Oman can make itself non-oil ready.

The National Programme for Enhancing Economic Diversification (Tanfeedh) has targeted five sectors of the economy and is busy bringing together experts in the field with government employees.

These “labs” created under the scheme will ensure there is little or no red tape in terms of doing business in these sectors.

Dr. Ali bin Masud Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry.

The plan is modelled on a similar Malaysian scheme which sought to cut through delays in the introduction of new projects and plans there.

The five sectors targeted by the government agency are manufacturing, tourism, transport and logistics, mining, and fisheries, according to Talal Sulaiman Al Rahbi, deputy secretary-general of the Supreme Council for Planning.

The second phase of the major initiative, which kicked off on Sunday, will welcome 78 CEOs and representatives from the private sector to contribute to shaping the economic future of Oman.

“These five sectors will provide new job opportunities to Omanis and increase the private sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” Al Rahbi said. >A6

APPLE GADGET

Longer wait for iPhone 7, available in grey market Staff Reporter MUSCAT: iPhone lovers in Oman will have to wait longer than their counterparts in the UAE and other countries for the latest creation from Apple- the iPhone 7.

Available in the UAE from the first day of the launch, the iPhone 7 is still not for sale in Oman, and there are no indications when it will be available in stores.

A salesman at one of the stores in Muscat that sells Apple products, said he is not sure when the iPhone 7 will make its debut in Oman. “We don’t know yet about

the launch of the iPhone in Oman because it has not been officially announced by Apple. They say ‘coming soon’ for Oman on their official website. It may happen next month, but we are not sure.”

Although the much-awaited smart phone is not officially available in the country, individuals and shop owners are posting adverts selling the phone before the official launch in Oman.

“If there are stores selling it in Oman, it is illegal to do before the launch,” the salesman added.

Latheef, another salesman who runs a mobile store in Qurum, is

OMR75 more than the original price has to be paid for phones not officially launched in Oman

already selling the iPhone 7 in Oman. He said that the response has been enormous.

“The response has been overwhelming since the iPhone was launched in the UAE. We sold four

phones on Sunday. We are selling the iPhone 7 (32 GB) for OMR 305 and the 128 GB for OMR 360,” said Latheef.

According to an Apple products dealer in Oman, the iPhone 7 is

to launched in the first week of October.

The official also said that the phone may be on sale in Oman, but that is not through the official channel. Further, he noted that the phones being sold locally have Hong Kong specifications, instead of Gulf specifications. He also said that these phones will cost OMR50 to OMR75 higher than prices from official dealers.

Further, the website of a distributor in Oman says delivery will be available from the 17th of September, while the official launch is in October. >A6

FORBES RANKING

7 Omanis in Arab most powerful women list

TOP RANKERS: Forbes Middle East list features seven Omanis among 100 most powerful Arab women.

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s minister of education has been ranked among the ten most powerful Arab Women In Government by Forbes magazine.

Madeeha bint Ahmed Al Shaibaniyah, in 8th place, was the only Omani to make it into the top 10 list compiled by the influential

magazine. Forbes Middle East also featured six Omanis in its 100 most powerful Arab businesswomen.

Amal Bahwan, Managing Director of Suhail Bahwan Group, led Omani women at number 22, while Hind Bahwan, Founder and Chair of Bahwan CyberTek came in 39th.

Haifa Al Khaifi, CFO of Petroleum Development Oman, was ranked 45th, followed by Huda Al

Lawati, Chief Investment Officer at Savola Group. The list also featured Lujaina Darwish, Chair of Mohsin Haider Dawrish LLC, and Sharifa Al Harthy, deputy chair at MB Holding Co. Of note, of the 100 businesswomen on the list, 54 are corporate executives, 23 are at the helm of family businesses, 12 are entrepreneurs, and 11 work in government organisations.

17 soldiers, 4 terrorists killed in Kashmir attack

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Try and avoid direct contact with others and head to the nearest health establishment to be medically tested and treated Department of Health Education and Awareness, tweet

ALERT

‘Avoid street vendors if in Britain’ Times News Service MUSCAT: Omani citizens in the United Kingdom have been urged to avoid street vendors, after the Omani cultural attaché issued an alert on Sunday.

The Omani Cultural Attaché in Britain warned citizens not to purchase items from street vendors, as they might cause them harm.

“If anybody stops you and asks if you are interested in some perfume, then gives you a paper to smell in the streets or local shops, please don’t, unless it’s in the big stores. It’s a new scam, as the paper might be laced with drugs and

‘It’s a new scam, as the paper might be laced with drugs and they can then kidnap or rob you,’ the Omani Cultural Attaché said, quoting Metropolitan Police

they can then kidnap or rob you,” the Omani Cultural Attaché said, quoting Metropolitan Police.

The Metropolitan Police also asked the public not to underestimate the importance of this problem, and also to pass a note along to family and friends.

“Take a note and alert everyone you want to protect,” the police said.

The UK is one of the most popular destinations for Omani tourists. It is also a famed destination for young Omanis, who go in very large numbers to study.

Check-up advice for sick pilgrims The Ministry of Health advised returning pilgrims to visit health clinics if they experience severe respiratory inflammations, which are associated with shortness of breath

FAHAD AL GHADANI

fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Returning pilgrims have been urged to get checked at a health clinic if they fall ill.

The advice has been given by the Ministry of Health through social media.

The ministry tweeted, in a bid to spread awareness among the public that precautionary measures must be taken if pilgrims returning from the annual Haj experience health issues.

The Department of Health Education and Awareness Programmes at the Ministry of Health (MoH) tweeted preventive measures to be taken when returning home from the Haj. Avoid direct contact The ministry advised returning pilgrims to visit health clinics if they experience severe respiratory inflammations, which are associated with shortness of breath, or a fever and coughing during the two weeks after they return.

“Try and avoid direct contact with others and head to the nearest health establishment to be medically tested and treated,” warned the tweet sent by the Department of Health Education and Awareness programmes.

Take rest “If the same symptoms appear on someone the transmitter came into contact with, that person must visit the nearest health clinic,” they added.

Additional advice suggests that people must rest and take precautions when eating or drinking.

After returning from Haj, pilgrims should always wash their hands with soap or use a steriliser, the ministry advised.

“You should cover your mouth and nose with a napkin while you cough or sneeze, and avoid hugging and kissing when greeting people,” advised the Ministry of Health, as returning pilgrims need to maintain personal hygiene to reduce the risk of transmitting diseases.

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MASIRAH ISLAND

Satellite tagging to help study life of loggerhead turtles Times News Service MUSCAT: Seven adult female loggerhead turtles have been satellite tagged on Masirah Island, in an effort to better understand their movements and lifespans.

As part of the tagging programme, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (MECA) H E A LT H C A R E

Book your hospital visit via WhatsApp

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Outpatients seeking appointments at Royal Hospital can now book them through a WhatsApp message, according to the hospital.

In a post uploaded on its official twitter account, the hospital has publicised the WhatsApp number. The number is 90669066.

The Royal Hospital is owned and administered by the Ministry of Health.

Commissioned in 1987, the hospital is a large, tertiary-level, acute-care hospital, with specialties and sub-specialties of medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, oncology and laboratory medicine.

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

has partnered with the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Ocean Ecology Network, Five Oceans Environmental Services and the Environment Society of Oman (ESO).

Launched as part of an initiative to study nesting and foraging habi-

tats of the critically endangered North West Indian Ocean loggerhead sub-population of turtles, the satellite tags will provide important data on the turtles’ movement and behaviour, and their inter-nesting and post nesting habitats.

Rich in biodiversity, Masirah Island is the site of one of the two largest loggerhead nesting popula-

tions in the world. While studies initiated in the 1970s estimated a population of some 30,000 nesting females, recent studies show numbers have dropped significantly.

This project seeks to improve the understanding of the loggerhead turtles’ ecology by tracking their movements.

Ali Amer Al Kiyumi - Advisor to

the Minister for Nature Conservation, Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, noted, “Loggerhead turtles are spectacular creatures, with an enormous range that encompasses parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

It is one of the largest of the hardshelled turtles, with an average 135 kilogrammes in weight and nearly

one meter in shell length.

“This wide ranging species has been experiencing severe declines in population over the years, particularly within the northern Indian Ocean, where a study by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has assessed this sub-population to be critically endangered in 2015.”

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Consumer protection reimbursed OMR2m to the public in 2015 CONSUMER PROTECTION REPORT 2015 According to

Reimbursed to consumers as ordered by court

reji@timesofoman.com

2014

2015

13,933

12,841

Report for 2015, OMR1,982,149.02 has been reimbursed to OMR

consumers as ordered by court for violating

3,149

Car dealerships and services

1,982,149.02

Electrical and electronic products

the Consumer

1,685 1,371

Phones and services

Protection Law Fines received by PACP

TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

OMR

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s consumer protection body clawed back almost OMR2 million for consumers in 2015, according to a report.

According to the Public Authority for Consumer Protections (PACP) Annual Report for 2015, OMR1,982,149.02 has been reimbursed to consumers as ordered by court for violating the consumer protection law.

A total of 1,849 cases have been registered where 621 were ruled in favour of the consumer. 546 cases were awarded for punitive (exemplary) damages while 421 cases are under judicial holding, according to the report.

PACP received OMR379,150 in fines as a result of consumer protection law violations.

PACP registered 12,841 complaints in 2015 compared to 13,933 in 2014 followed by 6,174 reports last year and 6,141 violations committed. The Authority also seized 440,823 products last year compared 1,415,144 products the year before that.

Complaints about car dealerships and services registered with PACP at 3,149, while 1,685 was registered for electrical and electronic products.

PACP also received 1,371 complaints regarding phones and services and 1,162 for contracting and building materials. 1,141 complaints were registered for aluminum workshops, blacksmithing and carpentry workshops.

PACP received most reports on food products with 1,753 followed by other miscellaneous products with 1,276. Barbershops, beauty salons and their services registered 620 complaints in 2015. 588

379,150

Contracting and building materials

1,162

Aluminum workshops, blacksmithing and carpentry workshops

1,141

Other miscellaneous products

620

Restaurants and cafes

588

received punitive orders

Miscellaneous services

384

Violations For failure to add prices on products and services

1,849

421 cases

ruled for conservative decisions

cases registered in 2015

1,575

For increasing prices without PACP’s approval

1,174

For miscellaneous activities

1,146

For the sale of expired products

621 cases

For failing to add product information and for food safety

ruled in favour of the consumer

551

honoured when his teachers and mentors appreciate him. We feel blessed to have Santrupth as our son,” he added.

Santrupth also thanked his school and teachers for their support. “My second home, Oman, has always lent a lot of support to me and my band, Red Khanjar, as well as the other highly talented young Omani band members,” Santrupth said.

Santrupth wants to build a career in engineering, though his ambition is to bring his music to the needy. “I want to bring happiness in their lives through my drumming,” he explained.

In 2014, Santrupth raised OMR1,000 for the Oman Cancer Association (OCA) during his performances across the capital.

Performances So far, he has given a number pf performances on various stages, notable ones being his playing alongside the legend, A R Rahman. He also had the rare opportunity to play with Gino Banks, Dilip Doshi and Arunkumar, a renowned trio from the world of drumming. Santrupth has released music albums, including “Amogha Milana”, which is made up of a collection of classical fusion songs, with Santrupth playing the drums.

252

Seized products

1,415,144

2014 2015

440,823 Graphics

Source: Public Authority for Consumer Protections

restaurants and cafes were reported to the PACP as well as 384 miscellaneous services.

1,575 violations were registered for failure to add prices on products and services, which tops the list followed by 1,174 for increasing prices without PACP’s approval.

1,146 violations were recorded for miscellaneous activities and 551 for the sale of expired products.

252 violations were registered for failing to add product information and for food safety.

The PACP seized 210,760 food products in 2015 followed by ENDURANCE

SALALAH

Al Baleed Resort to pay Omani staff at least OMR400

Registration opens for first Spartan Race in Oman today

Times News Service

GAUTAM VISWANATHAN

During our initial discussions with the Ministry of Manpower and the existing local workforce in Salalah, the main talking point was the need to encourage young people to work in hospitality, though perhaps they had not considered this industry before.

“A minimum wage was introduced for all Omani team members in an effort to ensure that the resort is paying competitively with other industries, so it could attract the best young talents.

“The response to this initiative has attracted 300 applicants from Salalah alone, which demonstrates that the new wage structure is having a very positive effect.

“Coupled with our extensive training programmes on property and, also in Thailand, it will definitely help us recruit the right talent to be able to deliver a luxury and indigenous experience for our guests.”

100,782 chewing tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products. 59,924 counterfeit cigarettes were also seized by PACP along with 22,519 beauty and personal hygiene products. 16,818 medical herb products were also confiscated during the period.

PRECOCIOUS: Earlier Santrupth G R Vedanthi became the youngest performer to attain Grade 8 in drums at Trinity College of Music, London. – Supplied photo

ARCADIS REPORT

Muscat among global top ten cities in social sustainability SYED HAITHAM HASAN

haitham@timesofoman.com gautam@timesofoman.com

DHOFAR: Omani employees working at the Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara will receive a minimum wage increase in their September 2016 salaries.

The Directorate General of Manpower in Dhofar Governorate signed an agreement with Anantara (Al Baleed Resort) to raise the minimum wage to OMR400 for all Omanis now working, or who will work in Ananatara’s establishments, starting with the September 2016 wages.

Khalid Al Rawahi, Director General of Manpower in Dhofar, signed the agreement on behalf of the Ministry of Manpower, while James Hewitson, General Manager of Anantara, signed for the company.

Al Rawahi noted, “This step is taken due to the ministry’s effort to improve the work environment in the public sector, as well as the partnership and cooperation between the ministry and the private sector, in providing an attractive work environment for Omani youths.”

James Hewitson, General Manager, added, “Working with the local community is an important part of the Anantara philosophy.

1,276

Barbershops, beauty salons and their services

MUSCAT: An Indian School Muscat (ISM) student has earned the opportunity to attend a five-week programme at Berklee College of Music (BCM) in Boston, US. “BCM had given me an opportunity to work with many Grammy Award winners, and also to work in a cross cultural environment. I am happy to share the news that I have been invited for another programme under scholarship,” Santrupth G R Vedanthi, a student of class X at ISM, said.

Also, Santrupth became the youngest performer to attain Grade 8 in drums at Trinity College of Music, London.

Foremost institute BCM is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. It is widely known primarily as the world’s foremost institute for the study of jazz and modern American music.

Talking to Times of Oman, Santrupth, Santhrupth said he began playing the drums when he was three years old, attributing his achievements to his parents.

“I have reached this level because of my parents’ support and, more importantly, the audiences who liked my style of drumming, and their encouragement, which has brought me here,” Santrupth said.

Santrupth’s father, G.V. Ramkrishna, who works at a bank in Oman, said they have supported their son since he developed his love for drumming at age three.

“We will always support him in pursuing his dreams. We feel

1,753

Food products

546 cases

Muscat school student wins Boston college scholarship REJIMON K

Complaints

Law violation fines

PACP’s Annual

BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC

MUSCAT: A tough global endurance race is coming to Oman for the first time and registrations are now open.

The world-famous Spartan Race endurance challenge will take place on October 21 at the popular Jabal Sifah, just a short walk from Sifawy Boutique Hotel.

Totalling a distance of five kilometres and featuring more than 20 obstacles, Spartan Arabia’s first ever venture into Oman is sure to prove a challenging gauntlet for even the fittest of sportsmen, and is designed to be a challenge to all who seek the thrill of adventure.

Three races are to take place, with the Elite category, by far the most challenging of the three, scheduled to kick off at 8am.

Places in the Elite category are fast filling up, and registration for this test of endurance is priced at OMR40 per person.

Two more heats are planned.

The Morning Open is from 8:30 am to 11:45 am and is priced at OMR33, while the Afternoon Open gets underway at 12 noon and ends at 2pm. Fitness enthusiasts can register for the afternoon session for OMR28 per contestant.

MUSCAT: Oman’s capital city has been ranked in ninth place worldwide in the ‘Social Sustainability’ category in the Arcadis ‘Sustainable cities index report 2016’.

Muscat is ranked high in the ‘People sub-index’ and is also the only city in the Middle East that was ranked in the top ten globally.

The People sub-index measures social sustainability, in which Muscat ranks high, in terms of low income inequality, demographics, excellent work-life balance, affordability and low crime rates, making it one of the most socially sustainable cities in the world.

The Index ranks the leading 100 cities in the world based upon three parameters: People, Planet and Profit sub-indexes. This measures quality of life, captures green factors, such as energy pollution and emissions, and assesses the business environment and economic health of the city.

Joe Wright, a tourist from South Africa, he said he was surprised that Muscat was not ranked higher in quality of life. “I feel it is an excellent place to live. Friendly people, excellent environment, low crime rates and affordable luxuries, all make Muscat a great place to live in,” he noted. He also mentioned that he hopes to work

in Oman in the future.

Also, Maaz Firdous, an Indian expat and an engineering consultant, said that it was good news to see Muscat so high in the rankings and that it deserved its place, considering the disparity in lifestyle between it and its neighbours. “Oman deserves the high spot due to their effective ways of keeping high costs and crime rates under control,” he said. He added that Muscat’s poor ranking in the economic sub-index was a temporary problem and would change once plans for diversification are successful.

Muscat received an overall ranking of 75th place due to lower rankings in the Planet sub-index (88th) and Profit sub-index (85th).

Last year, Muscat was not featured in the sustainability index.

On the other hand, Dubai managed to edge out Abu Dhabi in the Overall Rankings to claim the top spot among Middle Eastern cit-

ies (52nd globally). Zurich was awarded the number one spot, overall, globally.

The index also shows a huge disparity between cities ranking in social versus economic and environmental ratings. Cities with better rankings in the People subindex fared badly in the Planet and Profit sub-index, and vice versa. The report also highlights the importance of the three subindexes and their indispensability to build a sustainable city.

Holistic view According to John Batten, Global Cities Director at Arcadis, “The best way to truly understand the sustainability of a city is to amalgamate attributes from the perspectives of people, planet and profits to form a holistic view of each location and its position on the sustainability scale. Only then can we obtain a clear picture of how sustainable, or not, a city is.”

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RISING CONNECTIVITY

Bangladesh-based airline to start Dhaka-Muscat flights Times News Service MUSCAT: A new private airline will soon connect Oman and Bangladesh.

The airline, based in Bangladesh and called US-Bangla Airlines, will operate daily flights to Muscat, while catering to more than 650,000 Bangladeshis living in the

Sultanate. Sunil Prabhakar, chief executive officer, Travel Point LLC, said that the airline is scheduled to operate soon.

“It will fly to Dhaka, and from there it will connect to eight cities in Bangladesh,” he said.

Travel Point LLC has been appointed the general sales agent of US-Bangla Airlines in Oman.

The airline will operate Boeing 737 aircraft, which will include business and economy class seats.

Competitive prices “Though it will be a full service airline, the prices of the ticket will be highly competitive,” Sunil Prabhakar note.

“We will have now more choices

Science Cafe to discuss global warming issues Kicking off on September 28, the new Science Cafe season will be held on the last Wednesday of every month at Moka and More Cafe in Al Ghubra

Times News Service MUSCAT: A series of six sessions will discuss global warming, food shortages, marine treasures, and related issues, in the latest Science Cafe season, organised by the Oman Animal, Plant and Genetic Resources Center.

With speakers from across the country, including senior figures from industry, business and academia, attendees will hear firsthand how science is helping solve many of today’s great social and economic challenges.

‘It’s getting warm in here’, ‘Enough food for everyone’, Coral Reef: Ocean Treasure’, ‘What SECOND MEETING

Civil service staff pension fund’s state reviewed MUSCAT: A number of topics, including approving the audited financial statements of the Fund and its annexes for the financial period ending on 30/6/2016 was discussed by Board of the Civil Service Employees Pension Fund (CSEPF) .

The CSEPF yesterday held its second meeting of the year under the chair of Sheikh Khalid bin Omar Al Marhoon, Minister of Civil Service, Deputy Chairman of CSEPF. The meeting also reviewed the Fund’s performance indicators, which included cash flows and the Fund’s investments status. The follow-up report of the actions taken by CSEPF management in the implementation of the decisions and directives of the board at the previous meeting and other decisions were also reviewed. -ONA MINISTRY OF INTERIOR

Poll register transfer MUSCAT: For transferring election register from one wilaya to another for the elections of the municipal councils for the second term, the Ministry of Interior started receiving applications yesterday. Interested applicants may submit their applications from today up to September 29. The Ministry called upon citizens to submit their applications to wali offices after filling the designated form for this purpose. -ONA

Dr. Nadiya Al Saady, OAPGRC’s Executive Director.

about a career in Agriculture’, ‘Living in an Antibiotic Resistant World: Are animals to blame?’, and ‘Got a Headache’ are the topics for the six sessions.

Kicking off on September 28, the new Science Cafe season will be held on the last Wednesday of every month at Moka and More Café in Al Ghubra.

Dr. Nadiya Al Saady, OAPGRC’s Executive Director and organiser of the Science Cafe programme, said,“Our audiences are people who are interested in science, but generally never have the opportunity to discuss their views with, and ask questions of, someone in the know. No scientific knowledge is assumed by the Science Cafe panellists, so anyone can come along and participate.”

Given its size and location, Oman has been blessed with a treasure trove of vibrant biodi-

versity, an abundance of which is reflected at the genetic level. This unique pool of genetic resources spans Oman’s animal and plant worlds, both domesticated and wild, the marine world, and the world of micro-organisms. Without a doubt, these rich indigenous genetic resources are of significant commercial value to Oman.

Awareness about biodiversity issues, points out Dr. Al Saady, is growing in the business community. In a survey carried out by management consultants McKinsey, 59 per cent of business executives said they see the global biodiversity crisis as more of an opportunity, than a risk for their companies.

“Omani businesses need to embrace the idea that biodiversity and profits are not mutually exclusive objectives. As the UN has discovered, tackling the loss of biodiversity could potentially become an industry worth $4 trillion to $5 trillion a year,” noted Dr. Al Saady.

The first of the six sessions will discuss global warming and the challenges which come with it. From a human perspective, climate change and accelerating biodiversity losses risks human security, impacting the food chain Oman depends upon, its water sources may recede or disappear, medicines people rely on may be harder to obtain as the plants and fauna they are derived from are reduced or disappear.

if we are flying to Dhaka,” said Nirmal Das, who has lived in Oman for 10 years.

Passengers said there is an overwhelming demand for travel between Oman and Bangladesh due to the growing presence of the Bangladesh community and the existence of strong relations between the two countries.

“The new airline will be good for passengers, as increased airline competition might bring down fares to Bangladesh,” said Mohammed Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, President of the Bangladesh Social Club.

The airline recently celebrated its two years of operating in Bangladesh.

The airline started flying from Dhaka to Jessore, and has operated over 14,000 flights in the past two years, with its slogan “Fly Fast-Fly Safe”.

The airline has decided to purchase three Boeing 737-800s and one DASH 8-Q400 aircraft,to expand its domestic, regional and international flight network.

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M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6 It is about the appreciation of local distinctiveness, the idiosyncrasies and the detail, the things that make a place unique and special Taleb Al Makhmari, Acting Director General, Marketing & Media at the Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development

OMAN AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE

Demand for hyperlocal tourism on the rise: Ithraa official MUSCAT: Cheap package holidays, bucket and spade culture and jetting off for two weeks of sun, sand and souvenirs is on the decline, says Taleb Al Makhmari, Acting Director General, Marketing & Media at the Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ithraa).

Ithraa is Oman’s inward investment and export promotion agency, and organiser of the annual Inside Stories initiative.

Today, there is a new type of tourism - one that could be described as deep travel - it is about getting under the skin of a place.

Tourists seeking out authenticity, real experiences rather than fake culture packages made for the masses.

“It is about the appreciation of local distinctiveness, the idiosyncrasies and the detail, the things that make a place unique and special,” said Al Makhmari.

“Tourism is going hyperlocal,” explained Ithraa’s Acting Director General of Marketing & Media SQU

Course in Chinese language launched MUSCAT: Tourism Department at the College of Arts and Social Sciences in Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) yesterday launched Chinese language as an elective course for SQU students in a ceremony held in the presence of Yu Fulong, Chinese Ambassador to the Sultanate and Sayyedah Dr. Muna bint Fahd Al Said, SQU Assistant Vice Chancellor for International Cooperation.

Sayyedah Dr. Muna hoped that students would show enthusiasm in learning Chinese language. She added that introducing foreign language courses will contribute in enhancing the strong relations between the Sultanate and China.

The Chinese Ambassador said that learning a foreign language is an important step to familiarise with each other. -ONA

crossing deserts, sailing, relaxing on a beach or shopping, tourists want an authentic experience.

In fact, there is a large number of travellers who are looking for offbeat locations to get the local, unique real-life experience, a market worth around $140 billion globally.

Research shows that when tourists are asked to describe their ideal holiday they use words like “authentic,” “discovery,” as well as “relaxing”.

“More and more often, they’re looking to experience distinctive, local culture, too,” pointed out Ithraa’s Acting Director General of Marketing & Media.

DEEP TRAVEL: A large number of travellers who are looking for offbeat locations to get the local, unique real-life experience in a market worth around $140 billion globally. -ONA

and the topic for Monday night’s Inside Stories session scheduled for 7:30pm at Bank Muscat’s Head Office in Airport Heights.

Supported by BP Oman, Bank Muscat, Times of Oman, Al Wisal and Merge 104.8FM Inside Stories is a series of four informal evening

talks that brings together Oman’s business community and public sector. Discussions focus on the opportunities and trends that are redefining what it means to be in, and start, a business today.

“Increasingly, today’s tourists are looking for more than just

Foreign tourists Al Makhmari went on to say: “And it’s not just about attracting foreign tourists to Oman, our next happy customer could be closer to home. Google data shows that, since 2010, “staycation” has enjoyed a 58 per cent rise in search frequency - with a 10 per cent year-

the tick-box attractions, passport stamps and Instagram photos.

They’re after genuine experiences that are memorable,” explained Al Makhmari.

The demand for hyperlocal tourism activities is on the rise.

Whether it is climbing mountains,

French defence minister visits Oman tourist sites French defence minister will hold talks with Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi

MUSCAT: French Defence Minister Jean Yves Le Drian and his delegation accompanied by ambassador of France to the Sultanate toured, yesterday, Nizwa Fort, its old traditional souqs, the Ni-

yabat of Jabel Al Akhdar and Al Hoota Cave as part of the Minister’s visit to the Sultanate.

The minister and his accompanying delegation toured the vari-

ous sections of Nizwa Fort and watched its traditional facilities and souqs.

They were also briefed on the historic stages, archaeology and

construction works of the fort witnessed during the blessed era of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

The guest and his accompanying delegation also visited Al Hoota Cave and acquainted themselves with the archaeological diversification and the features of the cave .

It is worth mentioning that the French Defence Minister Jean Yves Le Drian arrived in the Sultanate, last Saturday, on an official visit to the Sultanate during which he will meet a number of country’s senior officials and would hold official talks with Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs. —ONA

on-year increase in 2015 alone and is forecasted to climb”.

Monday evening’s Inside Stories panel will be moderated by Dr. Wail Al Harrasi, Corporate Technology Advisor, Petroleum Development Oman and includes: Issa Sultan Al Ismaili, Executive Director, Oman World Tourism LLC; Khalid Al Yahmadi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Muscat National Development & Investment Company ASAAS; Mazen Khoury, Investment Director, Tourism & Culture, Oman Investment Fund; and Graham Leslie, Chief Executive Officer, Al Siraj Hospitality.

Oman’s small businesses, particularly those working in the creative industries space, can certainly play a role in helping tourists realize their expectations, as well as supporting the local hotels they stay in and the airlines they travel on.

“These are just some of the tourism issues we will be discussing on Monday evening,” explained Al Makhmari. -ONA LAUNCH

< FROM

7 A1 iPhone sale Tariq Al Barwani, an IT expert and founder of Knowledge Oman, said he has been observing trends for the last few years, and he believes that mobile shop owners in Oman will sell the iPhone 7, regardless of its official launch in the country.

“From my experience, and in observing market trends for the last few years, mobile shops will sell the iPhone 7 in 48 hours, some are even saying that they will start today.

“These days, however, people buy the phones online or from an outside country, if they are travelling, but general mobile stores will also be selling it, keeping in mind the high demand, and that the price is usually much higher than the actual cost of the phone.

“The Middle East has only two official Apple stores – in Abu Dhabi and in Dubai.”

UPCOMING PLAN

A1 Oman aims to raise non-oil revenues < FROM

Al Rahbi explained that Oman’s GDP from non-oil witnessed a 25 per cent increase in the last Five Year Plan, and the country is aiming to break the record in the upcoming plan.

He announced that the first week of the programme, the “labs” phase, will focus on determining the challenges facing these sectors and how to overcome them.

Each lab will have 40 members, with 40 per cent government representatives and 60 per cent nongovernment (private sector, academics and individual experts).

Tanfeedh is a national initiative carried out as part of the 9th FiveYear Development Plan (20162020), in collaboration with the Malaysian government’s Performance Management and Delivery Unit (“PEMANDU”).

The 8th Five-Year Development Plan (2010-2015) was the biggest plan yet in terms of the projects approved, that focused on completing main infrastructure sectors such as roads, ports and airports, according to Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry.

“Non-petroleum activities’ contribution to GDP rocketed in 2015, from which 1.6 per cent came from fisheries and 18.8 per cent came from manufacturing, including 0.5 per cent from mining activities,” said Al Sunaidy.

“Furthermore, the contribution of service industries amounted to 49.9 per cent, including the hotel and restaurant sector at 0.9 per cent and transport, warehousing and communications at 5.8 per cent,” he explained, adding the

years 2016/2017 are expected to be difficult as GDP will still be affected by the continued drop in oil prices.

“Under the shadow of this decrease in provision, a lower level of tax revenues and other fees, the demand on services and infrastructure is still escalating due to population growth,” he stressed.

“Such conditions call for a new environment in facing challenges: through trimming government expenses, completing infrastructure projects, and borrowing from external sources to mitigate the impact on local liquidity, in addition to getting a grip on economic solutions, supporting government entities to better provide efficient services, and partnering with the private sector to focus on the five promising diversification sectors identified in the 9th Five Year De-

NEW FINES

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

A1 Cars disappear < FROM

from roads

One street that had over 30 vehicles parked for sale for the past three months has been emptied within a week, and the area looks decluttered, according to local residents.

“I feel relieved. I drive by those cars every day from home on my way to work and back, and I felt like I was suffocating every time I passed them,” said Um Tariq, a resident of the area.

Another Omani national, Talal, who resides in the same area, said, “They have been there for a long time and I was actually happy when I saw a couple of police officers walking between the cars. I knew that they were finally going to empty the lot.”

One resident said that it was more of a safety issue, than the display of the vehicles.

“Some drivers can’t resist taking a look at cars as they are passing by. That moment they take their eyes off the road could result in an accident with the car in front of them. Some of them also slow down almost to a complete

velopment Plan.” Al Sunaidy added.

Ali Shaban, representative of W J Towell, said the labs were very fruitful.

“Malaysia had an issue back in 2009 when they drafted strategic plans to push the economy forward but were not able to execute them due to conflict of interests between different government bodies and the private sector,” he said. Shaban said that Tanfeedh is now solving a similar issue in Oman by inviting officials from the public, private, military and security sectors so they can make more practical decisions around one table. “We as a leading private company were invited by Tanfeedh to assist the decision makers in curbing bureaucracy and giving valuable inputs during the workshops,” he said.

stop just to look at the cars,” said an Omani resident who requested to remain anonymous.

Cars auctioned There are those vehicles that are left in areas other than public streets, which are sometimes covered in dirt, and the municipality removes them.

“We give the owner two weeks to remove a vehicle by placing a sticker on the vehicle, stating just that. After the time is up, we will tow the vehicle and notify the ROP about it,” said an official from the municipality.

He also explained that the vehicle could have pending cases on it, such as it being a stolen vehicle or the owner had not completed the payment for the vehicle.

“After the police are done investigating it, we auction it off to the highest bidder,” said the official. However, the official added, the owner can release the vehicle before it goes to auction by paying an OMR50 fine to the municipality.

Settlement conditions of firms raised MUSCAT: Dr. Ali bin Masud Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry issued a ministerial decision extending the period for settling the conditions of companies operating in construction within a period no later than December 31, 2016. The decision took into consideration the conditions of these companies.

The Construction Companies Regulation aims at regularising the construction sector, creating an attractive environment for national manpower, generating job opportunities for Omanis in this sector, limiting the illicit trade and enhancing the technical and administrative skills of some construction companies. It also aims at encouraging SMEs to manage these projects, limit the loose labour and control multiplied commercial registrations by introducing a number of procedures that encourage the merger of these commercial registrations in coordination with the Ministry of Manpower.-ONA

M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

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REGION ‘Unblock aircraft purchase deals’ Iran urged the United States to remove restrictions on buying passenger planes following the lifting of sanctions

TEHRAN: Iran urged the United States on Sunday to remove remaining obstacles to it buying passenger planes following the lifting of international sanctions and spread out the welcome mat to foreign investors as it seeks to boost its aviation sector.

Iran provisionally agreed earlier this year to buy over 200 jets worth $50 billion at list prices from Airbus and Boeing under an agreement between Tehran and world powers to ease sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iran’s nuclear activities.

Both deals hinge on the longerthan-expected process of winning US Treasury approval, which is SAUDI ARABIA

Gunmen kill 2 policemen in Eastern Province DUBAI: Two policemen were shot dead in Saudi Arabia’s oilproducing Eastern Province by unknown assailants, the Saudiowned Al Arabiya television channel reported on Sunday.

The shooting occurred in Dammam while the policemen were on patrol, Al Arabiya said.

Shootings The Eastern Province is home to many minority community members in the kingdom. There have been shootings of security forces in the Eastern Province in the past by militants. — Reuters

needed due to the high proportion of US parts in virtually all modern jetliners, including those made by Europe’s Airbus.

There have also been delays in getting European banks to finance the deals because of restrictions over the use of US dollars and concerns over legal risks if sanctions are re-imposed.

Roads and Urban Development Minister Abbas Akhoundi told an aviation conference that Iran was complying with its obligations and meanwhile continued to negotiate with other planemakers.

“We are negotiating with all those big names... There are a lot of obstacles but I am sure that because we have respected all the international rules and regulations, all those problems are going to be resolved,” he told the CAPA Aviation Finance Summit, the second large gathering of aviation leaders in Tehran since sanctions were lifted in January.

Critics in the US Congress argue that Iran could use passenger jets for military purposes such as transporting fighters to battle US troops or allies in Syria or transfer the aircraft to airlines still under US sanctions.

In an interview with Reuters, Akhoundi dismissed the con-

cerns. “We have a contract. We will stick to it,” he said.

He also told a news conference that the Tehran event, attended by dozens of foreign firms, proved that aviation was international in scope and “the US government cannot stand against it,” according to a translation of his remarks.

The House of Representatives in July passed two amendments that would stop the aircraft sales, although to become law they need to be approved by the Senate and signed by President Barack Obama. Iran estimates it will need at least 400 aircraft to renew and expand its fleet, including some 250 in the next 10 years.

Besides the aircraft sales, Iran is dangling the prospect of significant business for Western companies including nationwide airport expansion as it emerges from decades of sanctions. “There are more than 60 airports in Iran but 80 per cent of flights are in just 10 and these are working beyond capacity; that is why we need to develop,” Akhoundi said.

“They are all ready to attract investors, who are welcome to invest in any part,” he told the conference held at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport, which plans a $2.8 billion expansion. — Reuters

B ATT L E F O R C O N T R O L

Libyan forces renew push against IS militants in Sirte TRIPOLI: Libyan forces allied with the UN-backed government on Sunday battled IS militants in their last hideouts in the city of Sirte, in a renewed push after a break in fighting for the celebrations of Eid Al Adha.

At least two were killed in clashes after pro-governnment forces shelled neighbourhoods inside the city, targeting militants who have been holding on in a last section of Sirte after months of street-tostreet fighting. US air strikes and helicopter raids along with small teams of Western special forces have helped the Libyan troops advance in Sirte and losing the

city would be a major blow for the militant group depriving it of its North African stronghold. “Our forces targeted on Sunday hideouts of Daesh (IS) in Neighbourhood No.3’s 600 block area and Geza Bahriya with heavy artillery shelling,” said Mohamed Ghasri, a spokesman for the forces, said.

Akram Gliwan, a spokesman for Misrata central hospital, told Reuters two fighters had been killed and six more were wounded and were brought to the hospital.

Mostly from Misrata city, 230 km (145 miles) to the north west, the government-allied forces say some commanders from IS and

fighters may have escaped and fled south or to the Tunisia border before Sirte was encircled.

But Ghasri said two IS commanders, Hassan Karami and Walid Ferjani, had been killed in fighting inside the city, Misrata commanders have said in the past Karami had been killed, but they have not indicated whether any body had been positively identified with DNA. Western governments are supporting the UN-backed government in Tripoli as the best option to bring together Libya’s rival armed factions to stabilise the country, end IS threats and stop illegal migrant smugglers. — Reuters

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M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6 We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Uri. I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

INDIA

17 soldiers, four militants killed in Uri terror attack caught fire,” he said. Home Minister Rajnath Singh also called an emergency meeting in Delhi.

Located barely a few kilometres from the Line of Control (LoC), the base was subjected to the brazen attack by four terrorists at around 5.30am, causing heavy casualties in the Dogra regiment which lost 17 of its men

IN ACTION: Army personnel in action inside the Army Brigade camp during a terror attack in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. - PTI

URI(JAMMU AND KASHMIR): In the worst attack on the Army in many years, heavily armed militants suspected to be from Jaishe-Mohammad( JeM) stormed an army base in Uri in Indian-administered-Kashmir killing 17 soldiers early on Sunday, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assert that those responsible “will not go unpunished”.

Located barely a few kilometres from the Line of Control (LoC) and some 70km from Srinagar, the base was subjected to the brazen attack by four terrorists at around 5.30am, causing heavy casualties in the Dogra regiment which lost 17 of its men.

Twenty three more army personnel were injured, some critically, and were airlifted to the army base hospital in Srinagar.

After the three-hour gunbattle, four terrorists were killed and army was combing to ensure there were no other militants.

Most of the army casualties resulted from the fire in tents in

which jawans were sleeping.

India reacted strongly to the deadliest attack on the Army in Jammu and Kashmir in a quarter-century-old insurgency that sparked an outrage with Modi strongly condemning it.

Condemned “We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Uri. I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished,” Modi tweeted.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh pointed a finger directly at Pakistan, saying it is a “terrorist state” and should be isolated while BJP leader Ram Madhav said days of strategic restraint are over and suggested that “for one tooth, the complete jaw” should be the policy after the attack.

Soon after the news of the attack broke, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag rushed to Uri followed soon by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who cut short his Goa visit.

Parrikar was briefed at Army’s headquarters in Srinagar.

Leaders across the political spectrum including Congress President Sonia Gandhi condemned the attack.

President Pranab Mukherjee said India will not be cowed down by such attacks and that it will thwart the evil designs of terrorists and their backers. The attack at the administrative base of the 10 Dogra, which top army officials described as a “serious setback”, was launched at 0530 hours and ended at 0830 hours with the killing of four terrorists and martyrdom of 17 soldiers.

Explosions and gunfire erupted as the militants attacked the camp, which is located barely few metres away from the Army’s Brigade Headquarters in Uri town.

The soldiers of the Dogra Regiment were sleeping in a tent which caught fire due the explosion.

The fire also engulfed the nearby barracks, official sources said.

Director General of Military

Operation Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh called up his counterpart in Pakistan expressing “serious concerns” over Pakistani marking found on the equipment used by four “foreign” terrorists.

“All four killed were foreign terrorists and had carried with them items which had Pakistani markings. Initial reports indicate that the slain terrorists belong to Jaish-e-Mohammed tanzeem,” Lt Gen Singh said in a brief statement to the media at South Block in Delhi.

He added that since “some the terrorists had some items with Pakistani markings, I have spoken to Pakistan DGMO and conveyed our serious concern on the same”. He said that the terrorists had fired incendiary ammunition along with automatic fire of small arms that led to army tents and temporary shelters catching fire.

“There have been a total of 17 Army fatal casualties. Of these, 13-14 casualties have been due to these tents/shelters having

Operation in progress Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said that four AK 47 rifles and four Under Barrel Grenade Launchers along with a large number of other war like stores were recovered from the group of heavily armed terrorists. He said that the operation for clearance of the area is still in progress and a very deliberate search is being carried out in the entire area around the military complex in Uri. “As such, complete details of the operation are not yet available.

However, the operation is being carried out by the Indian Army in a very professional manner and the Army personnel have displayed exceptionally high standards of courage and gallantry while neutralising the terrorists,” Lt Gen Singh said.

Amid reports that intelligence agencies had warned of a possible attack, he said all the intelligence agencies are working in close synergy with the security forces and regular intelligence inputs are received from concerned agencies and necessary action is being taken accordingly. He said Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag has visited the site of operation and taken an “on the ground” assessment of the situation.

“We salute the supreme sacrifice made by our brave soldiers following the highest traditions of Indian Army,” he said.

The army in a statement earlier in the day said a group of heavily armed terrorists targeted the rear administrative base of a unit at Uri. “The administrative base had large strength of troops of units turning over after their tour of duty who were stationed in tents/temporary shelters which caught fire, and resulted in heavy casualties.

We salute the sacrifice of 17 soldiers who were martyred in the operation,” the statement added. - PTI

B I T T E R FA M I LY F E U D

‘Shivpal made sacrificial goat to save Akhilesh’s image’ LUCKNOW: Hours after the end of a bitter family feud in Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday sought to drive a wedge in Uttar Pradesh’s first family saying Shivpal Yadav was made SP state chief by Mulayam Singh Yadav to save son Akhliesh’s image in view of the party’s “imminent defeat” in 2017.

“Shivpal has been made SP state president by (SP supremo) Mulayam to save son Akhliesh’s image after 2017 defeat, which is certain due to poor law and order situation in the state. This is a well-planned strategy of Mulayam to divert attention of people from his ‘putra moh’ (love for son),” Mayawati said.

“Now Shivpal has been made a sacrificial goat by brother Mulayam to establish Akhilesh’s supremacy in the party before the Assembly polls,” she said, adding this is evident from the fact that Akhilesh has been given the right to distribute party tickets.

“The entire family drama ended in such a way that it appeared it was scripted. The drama was enacted by Mulayam to show upper hand of Akhilesh. Meanwhile, a communal clash erupted in Bijnore but no one paid attention to it,” she said.

She alleged that the SP government has failed on all fronts and since “its defeat is imminent in the Assembly elections” due early next year. On the reinduction of Gayatri Prajapati in the cabinet, Mayawati said a person who was mired in controversy due to corruption in the mining department will be taken back in the cabinet. This shows there is something fishy and “the deal” should be exposed.

The chief minister keeping PWD department with him and not giving it to Shivpal also shows that something is wrong, she said.

Attacking BJP, Mayawati said the party’s silence on the lawlessness prevailing in the state was shocking. - PTI

PLENARY MEETING

India seeks ‘concrete action’ against terror at NAM summit PORLAMAR (Venezuela): Making a strong pitch against terrorism, India on Sunday sought “concrete action” and setting up of a mechanism by the 120 member countries of the NAM to ensure effective cooperation to combat the menace.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is leading the Indian delegation at the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, said terrorism is one of the “most egregious sources of human right violations today” and its use as an instrument of state policy is to be unequivocally condemned.

The time has come “for our movement to recognise the need for concrete action in the fight against terrorism”, Ansari said while addressing the plenary meeting of the bloc in the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We need to establish a mechanism within our movement that will ensure effective cooperation in combating terrorism, that is the main threat to security, sovereignty and development,” he said.

Cross-border terrorism Ansari’s remarks came against the backdrop of India raising its concerns at various international fora over Pakistan’s support to crossborder terrorism. Modi had made clear references to Pakistan’s support to terrorism without naming it at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou,

BOOSTING COOPERATION: Vice President Hamid Ansari, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other world leaders at a group photo at the 17th Summit of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) at Margarita Island in Venezuela, on Saturday. - PTI

at a BRICS meeting in Hangzhou and at the ASEAN and East Asia summits in Lao PDR. Describing terrorism as the “biggest threat” to international peace and to the sovereignty of states, Ansari asserted that no cause justifies the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians as a means to achieve a political goal or change of policies. He stated that terrorism has become a major impediment to development.

“It is therefore imperative for the Non-Aligned Movement to galvanise the international community to strengthen the international legal framework to address this menace, including by adopting the draft Comprehensive UN Convention on Terrorism, to ensure the closest cooperation amongst the international community to counter the scourge of terror,” he said.

“We must also ensure that all ex-

isting structures that are the building blocks of UN’s Global Counter Terrorism Strategy function in a non-partisan and professional manner,” Ansari said.

Earlier, during NAM’s Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Minister of State for External Affairs M. J. Akbar had also called on NAM to set up a “working group on terrorism” to safeguard world peace, stability and prosperity.

“Governments which think they

can pay lip service to sanity at a NAM summit, and continue to arm, shelter and exploit terrorists in a war by other means, when they return home will learn that you cannot sip on poison and hope to live,” Akbar had said in an apparent reference to Pakistan.

Ansari also strongly flagged the issue of UN reforms.

He said: “Today we need to ask whether an organisation designed in 1945 with just 51 member states, is really appropriate to serve the needs of an international community that now comprises 193 independent sovereign states facing 21st century challenges to their citizens’ well-being and security.”

World leaders at their Summit at the UN in 2005 had called for urgent reform of the Security Council as part of the effort to make the United Nations fit for the 21st century. The Inter-governmental Negotiations process currently underway in the UN General Assembly seeks to fulfil that mandate. “We must use the forthcoming 71st UNGA to ensure that our discussions in the IGN move forward,” Ansari said.

Noting that the global landscape has changed since 1961, when NAM was formed, Ansari stressed that the values and principles on which the foundations of the movement, namely “respect for sovereignty”, “peaceful settlement of disputes” and “international co-

operation” — are as relevant today as they were at the time of the first summit.

Commitment “Our theme for the next three years — Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity for Development — is in congruence with our founding principles,” he said.

Sustainable Development Goals in the Agenda 2030 which, if implemented successfully, will transform the lives of all citizens, the vice president said.

He said it would be a reaffirmation of the commitment as a movement to ensure the dignity and development of all humankind.

Noting that NAM has stood steadfastly in the forefront by highlighting global economic issues that affect the developing world, he said the member states must ensure wholehearted and holistic implementation of the SDGs and remain attentive to any effort to modify or distort Agenda 2030 by laying overemphasis on particular SDGs over others, or by trying to create a standard of measurement that could be intrusive and has no relationship to national contexts. Describing sustainable development as the bedrock and the highest aspiration of NAM countries’ efforts, Ansari emphasised on the importance of solidarity that the movement attaches to achieving it. - PTI

GST ROLL OUT

Centre considering to ‘advance’ winter session NEW DELHI: In a bid to roll out the crucial Goods and Services Tax (GST) from April 1 next year, the Modi government is considering to prepone the winter session of Parliament to pass the CGST and IGST bills, and pave way for implementation of the new sales tax regime.

The winter session of Parliament is generally convened in the third or fourth week of November.

The government, however, is looking to start the session from

first fortnight of November, just after the festival season.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar is working overtime to repeat the success of the monsoon session, according to sources.

However, they added that the final call is yet to be taken on the matter, but the work has been started for advancing the session.

The government is keen for early passage of the Central GST (CGST) and Integrated GST

(IGST) bills, as it will give enough time to the Finance Ministry for implementation of the GST. The two bills are supporting legislations to the Constitutional Amendment Bill approved in the monsoon session of Parliament.

GST, being a constitutional amendment, required a ratification by 50 per cent of state Assemblies, which has been achieved.

Earlier this month, President Pranab Mukherjee had given his assent to the bill.

Last week, the Cabinet had also approved setting up a powerful GST Council, which will decide on the tax rate, exempted goods and the thresholds.

The CGST and IGST bills have been drafted on the basis of the model GST law. The states will draft their respective State GST (SGST) laws with minor variation incorporating state-based exemption. The IGST law would deal with inter-state movement of goods and services. - PTI

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PAKISTAN

Despite amnesty, number of tax filers up by just 10,745 traders came into the tax net, against the official aim to bring one million.

As against 157,268 registered AOPs, as many as 44,539 AOPs filed their returns – 1,704 less than even the previous year.

Similarly, against the registered 57,186 companies only 28,031 of them filed their returns.

As many as 237 companies that were filing their returns earlier became non-compliant in tax year 2015. The FBR did nothing about them. After coming into power, the PML-N government introduced a policy of two separate tax rates for filers and non-filers of income tax returns.

It set significantly higher income tax rates on dividend income, interest income, cash withdrawals, and all kinds of banking transactions and withholding taxes on almost every kind of transaction. It estimated that these measures would generate extra Rs54.5 billion in fiscal year 2015-16.

The results also put a question mark over claims of the International Monetary Fund that claimed in an October 2015 report that the initiative of broadening the tax base was moving in the right direction

ISLAMABAD: The government’s carrot and stick policy seems to have failed as the number of income tax return filers increased by just 10,745 in tax year 2015.

This comes despite the government offering an amnesty scheme and radically increasing tax rates for non-compliant persons to lure them in the tax net.

Meanwhile, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) appears to be in an even more embarrassing situation since the number of companies and Association of Persons (AOPs) filing their annual income tax returns has declined in the tax year 2015.

The entire increase of 10,745 filers came on the back of individuals who filed their returns for tax year 2015 that ended in June last year. The results also put a question mark over claims of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that claimed in an October 2015 report that the initiative of broadening the tax base was moving in the right direction.

NON-COMPLIANCE: The Federal Board of Revenue(FBR) data revealed that people actually paid Rs85.4 billion, suggesting that they were ready to bear the extra cost but not to come into the tax net.- Express Tribune

Under the $6.2-billion programme, Pakistan was supposed to bring in 300,000 additional people in the tax net by serving them tax notices.

Tall claims The official data that the FBR submitted to a National Assembly panel has exposed the hollowness of the tall claims of the PML-N government, besides putting a question mark over the existence of a strong 21,000-FBR workforce.

The number of income tax filers stood at 1.064 million in tax year 2015 as against 1.053 million of the previous year, according to the FBR. This was a net addition of only 10,745 people.

Data for the tax year 2016 will be available at the end of this year, as the last date for filing the in-

come tax returns for individuals is September 30. A closer look of the data suggests that the number of individual filers increased over the previous year but the number of AOPs and companies declined.

Most of these companies are still in business and it is beyond comprehension as to how they are conducting business without filing their income tax returns.

Under the law, it is binding on every person earning over Rs400,000 per annum to file income tax returns.

In a population of about 200 million, only 3.7 million are registered taxpayers in the country.

Out of these, only 1.064 million filed their returns during the tax year 2015. Only around three out of every 10 registered persons filed their income tax returns,

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putting a question mark over the working of the FBR that has failed to force even registered persons to file details of their incomes and expenditures. The FBR registered 135,139 more people last year but only 10,745 or 8 per cent of them filed their tax returns, highlighting weak enforcement.

FBR spokesman Dr Mohammad Iqbal insists that most of these registered people will come in the tax net in tax year 2016.

Out of total 3.5 million registered individuals as of June 2015, only 991,538 filed their tax returns – up by 12,686.

A major reason behind increase in number of individuals filing their returns was the government’s decision to give tax amnesty scheme to traders.

As a result of this scheme, 9,090

Data The FBR’s data revealed that people actually paid Rs85.4 billion, suggesting that they were ready to bear the extra cost but not ready to come into the tax net.

Under the IMF programme, the government launched an initiative to incorporate 300,000 new taxpayers into the income tax net.

An October 2015 IMF report stated that “the authorities met the target of issuing 200,000 first notices to file income tax returns by end-June 2015, to bring more potential taxpayers into the revenue base”.

It had been expected that these people would come in the tax net during the tax year 2015 but at the end of the tax year, only 10,745 came into the net.

Pushed by the IMF, the government also launched a scheme to simplify tax processes to encourage people to become filers. This also could not work. - Express Tribune

‘A N T I - C O R R U P T I O N ’ R A L LY

PTI to march towards Raiwind on September 30 ISLAMABAD: Despite ‘divisions’ within the party over the forthcoming rally, Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) has decided to go ahead with its ‘anti-corruption’ march towards Raiwind — Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s private residence — on September 30.

“I invite all my party workers from across the country to reach Raiwind on September 30,” PTI chairman Imran Khan told his party workers while addressing a convention in Islamabad on Sunday.

The date for the rally was changed from September 24 following the disapproval to join the protest by opposition parties, including Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek, and Pakistan Muslim LeagueQuaid, among others.

The development was followed by a clarification from PTI leaders that the proposed site of the campaign was a fair distance away from the PM’s private residence, and that the rally will be peaceful.

Imran claimed there were only two choices left for the nation.

“One is to wait for the next general elections in 2018, forget about the corruption allegations levelled in Panama Papers and let our institutions be destroyed (by the rulers),” he said, adding the other choice was to create a new Pakistan.

“One choice is of destruction while the other is to create a new Pakistan”. In April this year, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published a fraction of the data leaked under the Panama Papers investigation, naming about 640 Pakistanis as beneficiaries of offshore holdings. The PTI leader also reiterated his accusations of rigging in 2013 general elections.

“Nawaz won 2013 elections with the help of election commission and he (Nawaz) knows that if he loses the next elections he will go to jail which is why a huge amount of money will be spent to rig 2018 elections,” Imran said. - Express Tribune

AT TA C K O N M O S Q U E

Death toll from bombing in Mohmand Agency rises to 36 PESHAWAR: An indefinite ‘restrictive’ curfew has been imposed in the Anbar tehsil of Mohmand Agency where a suicide bomber detonated the charge in the midst of worshippers during a Friday congregation.

The death toll from the bombing in Payee Khan village near the border with Bajaur Agency jumped to 36 on Saturday as two more bodies were found under the rubble and six of the injured victims succumbed to their wounds.

Four more critically injured victims were airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Peshawar, where 11 people have so far been brought for treatment.

Extensive search operations were launched in the area a day after the blast while senior administration officials shied away from

sharing details. “Security officials will conduct an operation in the area,” an official said, refusing to give details.

Curfew clamped To avoid breach of security during rescue efforts, the authorities clamped a ‘restrictive’ curfew, an official said. “Medical emergencies were allowed to pass and even those who came for mourning were allowed in,” he added.

Sources said the remains of the suicide bomber, who appeared to be in his early twenties, have been recovered. Mutilated bodies of 15 blast victims were buried on Friday night while the remaining bodies were buried on Saturday.

The political agent of Mohmand Agency announced compensation of Rs300,000 for each of the fam-

ily of the deceased. The injured victims would be given Rs100,000.

Ration for one month was also distributed among the bereaved families.

As social workers and political representatives berated television channels for not providing enough coverage to the deadly blast, the sense of neglect prevailing in the area was deepened as authorities struggled to put together a list of victims.

Even though officials strived to get the facts correct, when they arrived in the morning to enlist the casualties for compensation, an elderly man came up to them to ask about his relatives missing since the blast.

Two more bodies were found from the debris later.

The single-room mosque with a

TA R G E T E D K I L L I N G

Three shot dead in Peshawar attack PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: Three men employed by the army in civilian capacity were gunned down on Sunday in the outskirts of Peshawar in what appeared to be a targeted attack.

“Three people have been shot dead in Landy Sarak in Khazana area,” SP Shaukat Khan said.

“The men, believed to be working at an army mess, were travelling in a white Suzuki Bolan when they were targeted by armed motorcyclists,” he said.

Talking to The Express Tribune a security forces official said that all the three were residents of Punjab and had been employed by the army, in civilian capacity, whose duty was to supply milk to different units and messes of the army-owned dairy farm located in Khazana.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the military said the matter was being looked into and details would be shared soon.

Investigators, who collected evidence from the spot, said that bullets of 9mm and 30bore pistol were found from the site.

“From the surface, it seems like

COLLECTING EVIDENCE: Investigators collect evidence from the sight of a targeted attack on security personnel in Gari Sohbat Khan area of Peshawar on Sunday. - Express Tribune

a case of a targeted attack. The attackers were on motorbikes who intercepted the vehicle,” they said and added that the investigation was underway and a final conclusion will be made after all evidence is collected.

A heavy contingent of police and the military arrived at the site of the incident and cordoned of the area. Areas which fall under the jurisdiction of Khazana police have been the most volatile areas in the current year with many in-

cidents of target killing of police and security personnel traced back to the same areas.

The deceased have been identified as Iqbal, Abdul Rehman and Farid. A breakaway faction of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jamatul Ahrar, claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack.

The group’s spokesperson, Ehsaanullah Ehsan, said in a statement that the TTP JA gunmen carried out the attack. - Express Tribune

rooftop made of wood and clay had partially collapsed after the explosion. Another official claimed that the bombing was to target a peace militia of the agency.

Peace militias in the tribal areas have, however, been officially de-notified. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Hidayat Ur Rehman and IGFC Maj Gen Shaheen Mahmood visited the injured at hospitals in Khar and distributed compensation money among their families.

A primary school for boys was announced in memory of the martyrs in Payee Khan village.

This was the fourth bombing in Mohmand Agency in September with three of them caused by lowintensity improvised explosive devices. - Express Tribune

BLAST VICTIM: Medical personnel attend to a victim after a suicide bomb attack at a mosque, at a hospital in Bajaur Agency, outside Peshawar, on Friday. - Reuters

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M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6 I did not realise how severe and how serious the problem of drug menace in this republic was until I became president Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine President

WORLD ANTI-NARCOTICS DRIVE

Duterte needs six more months for his war on drugs

FIRE GUTS WOOD MARKET IN KABUL Afghan firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a wood market in Kabul on Sunday. A fire that broke out at a wood market in Kabul has caused heavy losses for shopkeepers. The cause of the fire is unknown. - Reuters

MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday he needed six more months for his war on drugs, saying he only realised how bad the country’s narcotics problem was after taking office over two months ago.

Duterte, a former crime-busting mayor of the southern city of Davao, won the presidency in May promising to suppress crime and wipe out drugs and drug dealers in three to six months.

More than 3,500 people — or about 47 per day — have been killed in the past 10 weeks, some 58 per cent by unknown assailants and the rest in legitimate police operations against illegal drugs, according to local police.

“I did not realise how severe and how serious the problem of drug menace in this republic was until I became president,” Duterte said in a media briefing in Davao.

He said there were “hundreds of thousands of people already in the drug business” now, some of them working in government.

“We would need time to put everything in order. Give me a little extension, maybe of another six months,” he said. - Reuters

Britain’s anti-EU party fights to retain influence post Brexit Single-handedly led

by Nigel Farage, a divisive, populist and widely recognised politician, UKIP played a major role in persuading Britons to leave the EU at a June 23 referendum, ending the party’s 25-year quest for ‘Brexit’

BOURNEMOUTH (England): “We won!” was the anti-European Union UK Independence Party’s rallying cry at its annual conference as members celebrated Britain’s vote to leave the EU, but underneath the euphoria lurked a fresh anxiety: what now?

Single-handedly led by Nigel Farage, a divisive, populist and widely recognised politician, UKIP played a major role in persuading Britons to leave the EU at a June 23 referendum, ending the party’s 25-year quest for “Brexit”.

But Farage has stepped aside to export his brand of anti-establishment politics to Europe and the United States, leaving behind a successor who is little known outside political circles, a funding issue and a party ravaged by infighting.

PATRON: A supporter of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP) wears a rosette and badges at the UKIP Autumn Conference in Bournemouth, on the southern coast of England, on Friday. UKIP faces a challenge to make the transition from a single-issue party to one that voters trust to run the country. - AFP

New leader Diane James set out her agenda to the UKIP faithful in the southern English resort town of Bournemouth, saying they needed to professionalise, broaden their policies beyond the EU, and overtake the second-largest party, Labour.

Winning machine “What I’ve got to do is make sure UKIP is a winning machine,” she told reporters. “As far as I’m concerned we are the opposition party in waiting.”

UKIP came first in European Parliament elections in 2014 and won nearly 4 million votes at a 2015 national election — the third-biggest share — but under Britain’s first-past-the-post electoral system they hold only one of

650 parliamentary seats.

The Brexit vote was in large part fuelled by a backlash against the political establishment, signalling a rare window of opportunity to break into a political arena dominated for a century by two main parties: the centre-right Conservatives and the socialistrooted Labour Party.

“The good news for UKIP is they maintain this potential, this foundation of people who are disaffected, disenfranchised, distrusting, disapproving, dissatisfied with politics in this country,” said Joe Twyman, head of political and social research at pollster YouGov. “No one’s quite sure where the upper ceiling for this is.”

UKIP’s success draws frequent

comparison with US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s populist campaign, to which Farage lent his support at a rally in Mississippi last month.

For £12 ($15.60) UKIP members at the conference could buy a “Make Britain Great Again” baseball cap, aping Trump’s nationalist campaign slogan.

However, UKIP faces a challenge to make the transition from a single-issue party to one that voters trust to run the country.

Short-term, the party agrees upon its role as a Brexit watchdog to ensure the Conservative government delivers an exit deal that meets the demands of UKIP voters — immigration controls, freedom from Brussels and global free-trade deals.

Longer-term, its future is more contentious. James wants to spend her first 100 days building a policy platform that straddles the political spectrum, appealing to disaffected Conservative voters in the south and Labour voters in the north.

But there are many conflicting views within the party and its internal politics is often vicious.

One faction wants a harder, more right-wing line on issues like multiculturalism, and another wants UKIP to focus on becoming a libertarian party.

Previously held together by the sheer force of Farage’s personality, the fragile party unity was shaken only hours after James’s coronation when a row erupted over her decision to deny a rival, Neil Hamilton, a speaking slot at the conference.

Later, his signature was messily defaced on a mural upon which conference delegates had been asked to leave messages celebrating the party’s success.

Many UKIP members believe that it is away from personalitydriven national politics, that the party’s prospects will flourish or founder.

UKIP local-level politician Jack Duffin says the party has to go from the bottom up, solving voter issues such as refuse collection, road quality and street lighting.

“Focusing locally makes a world of difference to a campaign,” Duffin told Reuters.

“What do people see from politicians? They see empty promise after empty promise. If a UKIP politician gets the front door on their house repaired... successes like that actually change people’s lives.” UKIP has nearly 500 seats in local governments across the country out of a total of over 20,000. - Reuters

DOZENS MISSING

RESCUE OPERATION: Thai rescue teams search for victims after a boat capsized at Chao Phraya River in Ayuthaya Province, Thailand, on Sunday.

- Dailynews via AP

At least 12 dead as tourist boat capsizes in Thailand BANGKOK: At least 12 people have died and dozens are missing in Thailand after a boat carrying 150 Thais capsized in the ancient tourist city of Ayutthaya, officials said on Sunday.

The accident took place on the Chao Phraya river in Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site located some 80km (43 miles) north of the Thai capital Bangkok.

At least 37 were injured and many are still missing as rescue workers continue to search for survivors into the night.

The dead include seven women, four men and one boy, Rewat Prasong, deputy governor of Ayutthaya province, told Reuters.

The passengers were on their way back from a religious activity when the double-decker boat hit the bank of the river before sinking, district chief Suchon Phaitirat told Reuters.

The accident on Sunday comes as Thailand expects to welcome some 33 million visitors this year, a record. Road and boat accidents involving tourists are common in Thailand where safety standards are sometimes well below international norms. - Reuters

N O R A N S O M PA I D

Three Indonesians freed by Abu Sayyaf group in Philippines MANILA: Three Indonesian fishermen held by IS-linked rebels in the Philippines have been released, the Philippine military said on Sunday, just hours after the militias freed a Norwegian man after a year-long ordeal.

The victims — identified as Lorens Koten, Teodurus Kofung and Emmanuel — were released by the Abu Sayyaf on Saturday night at an undisclosed place in Sulu, said Major Filemon Tan, spokesman in the military’s Western Mindanao Command. They were taken on July 9 this year from Malaysian state of Sabah, he said.

The Indonesians were set free just hours after the same group notorious for kidnappings, beheadings and extortion released

Norwegian captive Kjartan Sekkingstad, who was set to meet President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City on Sunday evening.

Sekkingstad was taken from an upscale resort on Samal island in Davao del Norte along with a Filipina, who has already been freed, and two Canadians, whom the militants later executed.

While it is widely believed that no captives are released by the Abu Sayyaf without the payment of ransom, the Philippine government said it did not pay the group and was unaware of any payment made by other parties for the release of the victims.

“I would like to reiterate that the government maintains the noransom policy,” Communications

Minister Martin Andanar said.

Now if there was a third party who made the payment, if it’s the family (of the victim), we are not aware of that.”

Tan said Sekkingstad and the three Indonesians were flown separately on Sunday afternoon from Jolo, Sulu.

The Indonesians have been turned over to Indonesian authorities, he said without giving further details.

Tan insists the release of the kidnap victims was a result of the ongoing intensified military operations against the Abu Sayyaf, with the assistance of the Moro National Liberation Front, one of the two major rebel groups based in the south of the nation. - Reuters

END OF ORDEAL: Three Indonesian nationals and Norwegian national Kjartan Sekkingstad, right, stand next to MNLF leader Nur Misuari and other members of the rebel group after the hostages are freed from the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group, in Jolo, Sulu in southern Philippines, on Sunday. - Reuters

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WORLD

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Independent candidate catching up in Austria

BID FOR GUINNESS RECORD A total of 432 people wear dragon robe costumes in an attempt to set a Guinness Record for the most people performing Yu Opera together, in Zhengzhou, Henan province, China, on Saturday. — China Daily/via Reuters

VIENNA: Independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen is catching up against his far-right rival in a Gallup poll ahead of December’s repeat election for the Austrian presidency.

The anti-migrant Freedom Party’s candidate Norbert Hofer has been seen in the lead since Austria’s highest court annulled the result of a May run-off - which Hofer narrowly lost - due to irregularities in the counting of postal ballots. A series of attacks in Europe and Britain’s decision to leave the European Union since the original vote have made security concerns and the debate about Austria’s role in the bloc dominant campaign themes.

Postponed The poll of 800 people published by the Oesterreich paper on Sunday showed the midpoint of the wide range of support for former Greens leader Van der Bellen at 49 per cent — two points higher than a poll in August found — versus 51 per cent for the anti-migrant Freedom Party’s candidate Hofer.

The repeat election date was postponed to December 4 earlier this week due to problems with nonsticking glue on ballots. — Reuters

Merkel’s party suffers rout in Berlin elections

CELEBRATIONS: Georg Pazderski, right, top candidate of the populist AfD (Alternative fuer Deutschland) party and AFD co-leader Joerg Meuthen, left, celebrate during the electoral evening after Berlin’s state elections in Berlin, on Sunday. – AFP

Backlash against German Chancellor’s open-door refugee policy has raised questions about she will stand for a fourth term next year

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives suffered their second electoral blow in two weeks on Sunday, slumping to their lowest level since reunification in 1990 in a Berlin city vote in which citizens roundly rejected her open-door refugee policy.

Voters turned to the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD), which with 12.2 per cent of the vote will enter its tenth regional assembly of the country’s 16 states. A year before a federal election, the result is likely to raise pressure on Merkel and deepen divisions within her conservative camp.

“There is no question. We didn’t get a good result in Berlin today,” said Michael Grosse-Broemer, a senior CDU lawmaker said. However, he blamed his party’s historic losses in Berlin primarily on local issues. “I think it is dangerous to transfer the Berlin result to the federal level,” he told broadcaster ZDF.

LOSING SUPPORT: SPD party leader and German Vice Chancellor, Economy and Energy Minister and Sigmar Gabriel, left, and Berlin’s mayor Michael Mueller, top candidate of the social democratic SPD party after elections on Sunday, in Berlin. – AFP

A backlash against her migrant policy has raised questions about whether Merkel, Europe’s most powerful leader, will stand for a fourth term next year. But given a dearth of options in her party, she still looks the most likely candidate. Initial projections from broadcaster ZDF put Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) on 18 per cent, down from 23.3 per cent in the last election in 2011.

The Social Democrats (SPD) also lost support, falling to 23.1 per cent from 28.3 per cent but remained the biggest party and are likely to ditch the CDU from their current coalition.

The result compounds Merkel’s problems after a rout in the eastern state of MecklenburgVorpommern two weeks ago triggered calls from her conservative allies in Bavaria to toughen up her migrant policy. In particular, they want a cap of 200,000

refugees per year but Merkel has rejected this outright. The AfD has campaigned heavily on the migrant issue, playing to voters’ fears about the integration of the roughly 1 million migrants who entered Germany last year. “From zero to double digits, that’s unique for Berlin. The grand coalition has been voted out - not yet at the federal level, but that will happen next year,” said AfD candidate Georg Pazderski to cheering supporters after the results. The SPD, Merkel’s junior coalition partner at the federal level, wants to form a coalition with the Greens and possibly the radical Left party.

The increasingly heated debate about Merkel’s migrant policy boosted overall turnout, which jumped to 66 per cent, up 6 points from the last election in 2011, according to broadcaster ARD. This was the highest turnout in Berlin since 2001. — Reuters

WA R O F W O R D S

Air strikes on Syrian army threaten truce plan: Russia MOSCOW/BEIRUT: Moscow stepped up its war of words with Washington on Sunday, saying air strikes by a US-led coalition on the Syrian army threatened the implementation of a US-Russian ceasefire plan for Syria and bordered on connivance with IS group.

The diplomatic row heated up on the last day of a seven-day ceasefire marred by a surge of violence as warplanes hit the strategic northern city of Aleppo for the first time since the truce came into effect. On Saturday the Russian defence ministry said US jets had killed more than 60 Syrian soldiers in the eastern Syrian city of Deir Al Zor in four air strikes by two F-16s and two A-10s coming from the direction of Iraq.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group with contacts across Syria, cited a military source at Deir Al Zor airport as saying at least 90 Syrian soldiers had been killed.

Russia’s foreign ministry said in a strongly worded statement that the US position on the incident was “unconstructive and inarticulate”.

“The actions of coalition pilots - if they, as we hope, were not taken on an order from Washington - are on the boundary between criminal negligence and connivance with IS terrorists,” it said.

“We strongly urge Washington to exert the needed pressure on the illegal armed groups under its pa-

DESTROYED: Children walk near damaged buildings in rebel-held Ain Tarma, eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta, Syria. – Reuters

tronage to implement the ceasefire plan unconditionally. Otherwise the implementation of the entire package of the US-Russian accords reached in Geneva on September 9 may be jeopardised.”

Russia has called on the United States to press units of moderate Syrian opposition to separate from IS and other “terrorist groups”.

The US military said the coalition stopped the attacks against what it had believed to be IS positions in northeast Syria after Russia informed it that Syrian military personnel and vehicles may have been hit.

“We are reaching a really terrifying conclusion for the whole world: That the White House is defending IS. Now there can be no

doubts about that,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in comments aired by state TV. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said Zakharova should be embarrassed by that claim. Russia’s UN representative Vitaly Churkin said Russia had no “specific evidence” of the US colluding with IS militants.

The diplomatic row is likely to further complicate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria, including its largest pre-war city of Aleppo where the situation remains especially tense.

The UN told Reuters aid trucks that had been expected to move to Aleppo on Sunday morning were once again being delayed. — Reuters

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M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

WORLD Police seek clues in New York blast that hurt 29; no terror links found threats to disrupt our life in New York,” Cuomo said.

Most of the injured were treated for minor injuries including shrapnel wounds and released, though police listed one injury as serious.

“When you see the damage, I think we were fortunate that there were no fatalities,” Cuomo said.

New York police, the FBI and the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives converged on the site for their first daylight view of the explosion, closing several blocks of West 23rd Street to traffic.

A bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism, but it’s not linked to international terrorism. In other words, we find no ISIS (IS) connection, et cetera, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said

NEW YORK: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday there was still no indication that an explosion that injured 29 people in Manhattan on Saturday was linked to international terrorism, while investigators scoured the scene of the blast.

FBI investigators were to examine remnants of the bomb plus an unexploded device found four blocks away and another device that exploded about 80 miles (130 km) away in New Jersey on Saturday to see if they were connected, Cuomo said.

No international group had claimed responsibility “but it is very, very early in the investigation,” the state governor told reporters, reiterating what New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had said hours after the blast.

“A bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism, but it’s not linked to international terrorism. In other words, we find no ISIS (IS) connection, et cetera,” Cuomo said.

PROBE: FBI agents review the crime scene of remnants of bomb debris on 23rd St. in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood on Sunday in

New York City. — Stephanie Keith/Getty Images/AFP

With world leaders due to arrive in the city ahead of the UN General assembly, some 1,000 additional state police and National Guard officers were being sent to the city to patrol transportation hubs as a precaution, Cuomo said. Heads of state and government begin six days of speeches in New York on Tuesday, with some dignitaries arriving early for preliminary events.

A sweep of the neighbourhood following the blast had turned up another device four blocks away consisting of a pressure cooker

INSURGENCY

with wires attached to it and connected to a cell phone.

Boston Marathon bombing Pressure cooker bombs were used in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and wounded more than 260.

The New Jersey explosion came from a pipe bomb, officials said.

A US official familiar with information circulating inside the government said the motive remained unknown and insufficient evidence had been gathered to link

the two New York bombs.

There was no evidence to connect them to the New Jersey blast, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Timed detonators “From what we know now, and it’s limited, almost anybody could have fabricated these bombs and used cellphones as timed detonators,” said another US official familiar with the inquiry.

“There are instructions all over the Internet, and the crudity, po-

sitioning, and relative ineffectiveness of these does not suggest that a more sophisticated group played any role in this.”

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was taking evidence from all three devices to its special crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, said Cuomo, adding that he had been briefed by “all the relevant agencies.”

“We will find who planted these explosives and they will be punished. ... We will not allow these type of people and these type of

Chelsea district Investigators cordoned off the area with yellow crime scene tape and placed dozens of numbered evidence markers on the ground.

Neighbourhood residents who could show identification were allowed back into their homes.

The blast, described by one neighbour as “deafening,” reverberated through the Chelsea district of Manhattan around 8:30 p.m. (0030 GMT Sunday) on 23rd Street, a block of mostly commercial spaces at street level with residential floors above.

The Flatiron Building, a New York landmark, is about 500 yards (meters) away. It happened outside the Associated Blind Housing facility at 135 W. 23rd Street which provides housing, training and other services for the blind.

The same block is home to a Roman Catholic Church with a neoclassical facade, a Basque restaurant, a showroom for exercise cycles and a small hotel, among other businesses.

The explosion quickly became an issue in the presidential race.

Republican candidate Donald Trump told an audience, “We better get very tough, folks.”

Democratic rival Hillary Clinton said in a statement she had been briefed but would wait until she had more information before commenting further. — Reuters

G R E AT E R D O M I NA N C E A FT E R E L E C T I O N S

Al Shabaab rebels Pro-Putin party seen winning even kill Somali general greater sway in Russia’s parliament in suicide bombing MOGADISHU: A Somali general and at least seven of his bodyguards were killed on Sunday when their vehicle was rammed by a car bomb driven by an Al Shabaab suicide attacker in the capital, police and the extremist group said.

Al Shabaab, which frequently launches attacks on officials in Mogadishu, staged this attack in the build-up to a vote for a new parliament and president, part of efforts to rebuild a nation that has been shattered by two decades of war and chaos.

“Military General Mohamed Roble Jimale and at least seven of his bodyguards died,” police colonel Abdikadir Farah told Reuters.

“The suicide car bomb hit the car they were in. May God rest their souls.” The general was known by the name Goobaanle. Al Shabaab, which once ruled much of Somalia, wants to topple the of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud,

CARNAGE: Members of the So-

malian military forces stand at the site of a suicide car bomb attack near Gashandhiga compound, south of Mogadsihu, on Sunday. - AFP/STR

who is seeking re-election in the upcoming vote.

New president Voting for the 275-seat parliament is scheduled to start on September 25 and end on October 10, with new lawmakers sworn in on October 30. Those lawmakers will, in turn, pick a president on October 30. — Reuters

P R E S I D E N T I A L C A M PA I G N

France is not for sale, says National Front’s Le Pen FREJUS (FRANCE): “France is not for sale,” National Front party leader Marine Le Pen told supporters on Sunday, launching her campaign for the 2017 presidential election with a vow to defend national sovereignty if elected.

Opinion polls have for months predicted that Le Pen, whose farright party opposes immigration and the European Union, will make it to the second round of the two-stage election but lose in the early May run-off to a mainstream candidate.

Billing herself as “the candidate of the people,” Le Pen insisted throughout her speech that “France is not in the hands of the French anymore.”

“This 2017 election is a harsh choice between on one side France - its sovereignty, its identity, its values, its prosperity - and on the other side a country we would not recognise anymore, that would have become foreign to us,” she told a crowd of about 6,500 who chanted “We will win!”

Praised Le Pen praised British voters for voting in June to leave the European Union, saying she could not wait for France to do the same.

At that, the crowd broke into cheers and rounds of the party’s trademark chant “On est chez nous!” (This is our home!) — Reuters

MOSCOW: The ruling United Russia party is expected to win even greater dominance over Russia’s lower house in a parliamentary election on Sunday, showing that support for President Vladimir Putin is holding up despite sanctions and a deep economic slowdown.

The election for the Duma, or lower house, is being seen as a dry run for Putin’s expected presidential campaign in 2018.

It is also a test of how well the Kremlin can oversee trouble-free elections.

It will be the first parliamentary vote since 2011, when allegations of ballot-rigging sparked big protests against Putin in the capital.

Voting got under way at 2000 GMT on Saturday on the Chukotka Peninsula opposite Alaska and will wrap up in Kaliningrad, Russia’s most westerly point, where people can cast their vote until 1800 GMT on Sunday.

“Of course I voted for United Russia,” a middle-aged man in the town of Velikiye Luki in western Russia, who declined to give his name, told Reuters. “We don’t need other parties here. At least they (United Russia) have done their stealing.”

An elderly lady in the village of Avangard in the Tula Region, which abuts the Moscow Region, said she had always voted for United Russia and saw no other parties worth voting for.

“We don’t need a multi-party system,” she said.

Dmitry Medvedev United Russia, led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a Putin loyalist, has 238 of 450 Duma seats, dominates the more than 80 regional parliaments, and is routinely depicted in a favourable light by state television, where most Russians get their news.

The party is able to draw on the support of the other three parties in the federal Duma, and benefits from its association with 63-yearold Putin, who after 17 years in power as either president or prime minister, enjoys a personal ap-

opinion polls showing apathy levels are high. Putin has said it is too early to say if he will go for what would be a fourth presidential term in 2018.

If he did and won, he would be in power until 2024, longer than Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

Putin, after voting in Moscow, told reporters he now planned to “go to work.” When asked who he had voted for he said: “I have someone to vote for don’t you know.”

Anxious to avoid a repeat of 2011’s street protests, Kremlin officials have tried to assure Russians that the vote will be the cleanest in the country’s modern history.

UPBEAT: Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a polling station during a parliamentary election in Moscow, Russia, on Sunday.

— Sputnik/Kremlin/Alexei Druzhinin via Reuters

RIGHT TO CHOOSE: People visit a polling station during a parliamentary election in Moscow, Russia, on Sunday. — Reuters

proval rating of about 80 per cent.

Putin does not belong to any party. By contrast, liberal opposition politicians, who have just one sympathetic member in the Duma, complain they are starved of air time, vilified by state media, and their campaigns systematically disrupted by pro-Kremlin provocateurs.

Pro-Kremlin politicians deny

that charge. The liberal opposition hopes it can break through to win about two dozen seats. Pollsters say it will be lucky to snag a handful and may end up with none.

The vote will be closely watched to see how many of Russia’s roughly 110 million registered voters across its 11 time zones in what is the world’s largest country turn up to cast their ballots, with some

Monitors Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe are being allowed to monitor the vote, a new head of the central election commission has been appointed, and regional and Kremlin officials have been fired in the run-up.

The authorities have also resurrected an old voting system viewed as more equitable, which means that half of parliament will be decided by people voting for individuals with the other half drawn from party lists. The last parliament was elected on party lists alone. There was one early report of vote rigging on Sunday with the authorities saying they were looking into assertions that a group of young people in Siberia’s Altai region had used non-voting pensioners’ identities to fraudulently vote.

The election is the first time that voters in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, are helping decide the makeup of the Duma. That has angered the Ukrainian government and there were scuffles between Ukrainian nationalists and police outside the Russian embassy in Kiev on Sunday after a few nationalists tried to stop Russian citizens from voting there. Opinion polls show United Russia’s popularity has been somewhat dented by a grinding economic crisis caused by a fall in global oil prices. — Reuters

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READERS’ FORUM Oman is an important stakeholder in CPEC This refers to the news story Sultanate, Pakistan agree to boost bilateral ties: Envoy (September 15). After reading the statement given by Mr. Ali Javed, ambassador of Pakistan to Oman, one can feel, that as an ambassador he is very much focused on expanding bilateral trade and investment between the Sultanate and Pakistan. A recent visit of Sartaj Aziz, advisor to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs, produced excellent ties between both the brother countries. Oman, as Pakistan’s closest maritime friend is lucky to gain from the high profiled strategic development Scan this QR code in the shape of China, Pakistan Economic to send letters to the Corridor (CPEC) and will get direct beneReaders’ Forum, fits, which is set to bring positive impact containing not more than 200 words with at the economy of the Sultanate. There are full name, address about 250,000 Pakistanis staying in Oman and telephone all of whom in my opinion are very happy to number, may be sent see that high officials of both the countries by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com). are taking steps to add values in the lives of the people of Oman and Pakistan. A planned ferry service from Karachi to Muscat will provide a chance to the new generation of Pakistan and Oman that they could proudly say, ‘We love Pakistan, we love Oman!’.

— Munawar Hameed Mangalwala, Muscat

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How to improve educational outcomes isn’t a secret: The best schools hire dedicated and competent teachers and administrators, and teach curricula relevant to children’s future needs. Moreover, the Internet enables the poorest children to access the world’s best libraries and teachers

Kemal Derviş & Zia Qureshi

O

ver the last decade or so, productivity growth has slowed considerably in most major developed economies, even as impressive advances have been made in areas like computing, mobile telephony, and robotics. All of these advances ostensibly should have boosted productivity; and yet, in the United States, a world leader in technological innovation, business-sector labour productivity growth in 2004-2014 averaged less than half the rate of the previous decade.

What is going on?

One theory that has gained a lot of traction lately is that the so-called productivity paradox does not actually exist. Productivity growth only seems to be dropping, the logic goes, because the statistics we use to measure it fail to capture fully recent gains, especially those from new and higherquality information and communication technology (ICT). If prices do not reflect quality improvements in the new products, price deflators are overestimated, and real output is underestimated.

Moreover, the skeptics point out, standard measures of productivity are based on GDP, which, by definition, includes only output produced. Consumer surplus – which is growing fast, as Internetbased services like Google search and Facebook generate substantial utility to consumers, at a market price of close to zero – is ignored.

There is some logic to this argument. Indeed, a recent review of research on productivity by the Brookings Institution and the Chumir Foundation confirmed that gains from new technologies are underestimated, owing to measurement issues relating to both product quality and consumer surplus. But these two types of mismeasurement, the report continues, explain only a relatively small share of the slowdown in economic gains. Furthermore, these lapses have existed for a long time, and they do not seem to have increased substantially in recent years. The conclusion is clear: the productivity-growth slowdown is real.

Perhaps, then, we must look at the other component of the paradox: technological innovation.

Many have argued that the real issue is that recent technological innovations have been less consequential than their predecessors. New ICT technologies, the “techno-pessimists” claim, simply do not bring the kind of economy-wide benefits that were brought by, say, the internal combustion engine and electrification. “Techno-optimists,” for their part, believe that ICT advances do have the potential to drive rapid productivity growth; their benefits are merely subject to lags and come

in waves. What do the numbers say? Firm-level data show that productivity growth has held up relatively well for firms that are at the technological frontier. It is the less technologically advanced firms, which are often smaller, that have experienced the major growth slowdowns. This suggests that the problem may not be the technology itself, but rather its slow diffusion.

There is also a macroeconomic element to the decline in productivity growth, rooted in deficient aggregate demand.

According to former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, when the desired level of investment is below the desired level of savings despite a nominal interest rate of zero, chronically deficient demand constrains GDP and productivity growth, producing so-called “secular stagnation.” But, of course, demand- and supply-side arguments are inextricably linked. And, indeed, techno-pessimist expectations, which can lower expected profits, may be discouraging investment.

Meanwhile, excessive income concentration at the top – a situation that inadequate technological diffusion may exacerbate – contributes to excess savings. Any strategy to address the problems underpinning low productivity growth – from inadequate technological diffusion to income inequality – must address skill constraints and mismatches affecting the labour market’s ability to adjust.

As it stands, workers, particularly from lower income groups, are slow to respond to demand for new higher-level skills, owing to lags in education and training, labour-market rigidities, and perhaps also geographical factors. These factors, together with rent capture and winner-take-all markets, can entrench inequality and blunt markets’ competitiveness. Spurring investment is also important. In most advanced economies and many emerging economies, investment rates fell sharply in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, and have still not returned to pre-crisis levels. But innovation is often embedded in capital and needs new investment to spread across economies.

Fortunately, world leaders seem to recognise some of the imperatives they face. At the recent G20 summit in China, world leaders emphasised the need to boost investment and accelerate structural reforms to enhance productivity and lift potential growth.

One hopes that this is the first step toward an integrated approach that addresses the forces impeding technology diffusion, undermining competitiveness, and exacerbating inequality. We know one thing: the productivity paradox is real, and it is contributing to rising inequality. - Project Syndicate

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES SEPTEMBER 2001 Five-day campaign on rational use of water MUSCAT: A campaign to highlight the importance of conservation of water resources, organised by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources will begin on September 22.

The campaign, organised as part of the Environment Year activities, will continue until September 26. The campaign will include cleaning falajs, repairing dams and removing alluvial deposits, lectures, exhibitions, student debates on rational water consumption and other activities.

PICTOGRAPH

GDP TOTAL PETROLEUM ACTIVITIES (in million Omani Rials) Total end of December 2014

2015

14,840.0

9,164.7

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

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

1783: The first hot-air balloon is sent aloft in Versailles, France with animal passengers including a sheep, rooster and a duck.

1841: The first railway to span a frontier is completed between Strasbourg and Basel, in Europe.

1893: New Zealand becomes the first nation to grant women the right to vote.

0 Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

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2016 M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 119, 9, 2 016

LIFESTYLE GEAR

POWER

WITHOUT THE PRICE TAG Story Felicia Campbell The EcoBoost engine combines direct fuel injection with turbocharging, which translates into phenomenally strong vehicles with great tow capacity, acceleration, and durability with an average of 20% better fuel efficiency. Sounds too

Photos: The Ford Motor Company

good to be true, right?

L

ong before the oil crisis hit here in the Gulf, those of us living in the West had an obsession with petrol efficiency. Gas has always been more expensive for us, and as consumers, we’ve watched the price per gallon climb in upward spikes with relative consistency over the last two decades.

The near crisis stage of crippling petrol prices, about a decade ago, spawned the era of the hybrid and electric car. People started swapping 4x4s and trucks for sedans, and those who chose to continue driving their burly monsters got dirty looks at stop lights from the more “eco-friendly” (or perhaps jealous) sedan drivers around them.

Despite the rising cost of petrol, I still craved the raw, beastly power of a well-built truck or growling muscle car. The purr of a hybrid just isn’t the same. Ford clearly understood this sentiment when, in 2010, they began pouring resources into creating an engine with a totally different approach to power and efficiency. They called it the EcoBoost.

The V6 EcoBoost replaced the V8, providing the same strength with a vastly improved fuel economy, the 4-cylinder replaced the 6, and by 2012 Ford had introduced eight different EcoBoost models, now available in 1-litre, 1.5-litre, 1.6-litre, 2.0-litre and 2.3-litre four cylinder engines, as well as 2.7 and 3.5-litre V6 engines. The twin-turbo 3.5L EcoBoost V6 provides 629 Nm of torque, 390 PS for a towing capacity of up to 5,500kg, and an industry leading maximum payload of 1,440kg.

In short, the EcoBoost engine combines direct fuel injection

with turbocharging, which translates into phenomenally strong vehicles with great tow capacity, acceleration, and durability with an average of 20% better fuel efficiency than traditional engines with the same power output. Sounds too good to be true, right?

A couple of months ago, I got to test out this technology for myself, loading five adults and their luggage into the Ford Explorer Sport 3.5L EcoBoost V6 and heading up the Hajar mountains into the Wahiba Sands desert, and along the coastal roads of Sharqiyah. The vehicle climbed Jebel Akhdar like it was going up an ant hill. In Wahiba Sands, the heavy-framed truck shot from a complete stop in the middle of a dune to cruising speed with zero effort. And on the highways, we enjoyed turbocharged acceleration, which made this not-so-dainty SUV drive like a muscle car.

Maybe none of that is surprising in and of itself. Ford is a company that has been producing powerful work trucks and durable cars for decades. But what may come as a total shock (it was for me) was the fact that on that trip of over 1,000km, we only filled our tank one time. This powerhouse had gotten better gas mileage than my sedan. This may explain why this technology has won 9 awards since 2012, and has been touted by many as one of the greatest automotive breakthroughs of the decade.

Okay, so it’s true. You can have power and fuel efficiency. But how does this technology actually work?

The EcoBoost development strategy involved downsizing the engine for greater fuel economy, while retaining ‘power-on-demand’ through the use of turbo-boosting and making the engine as efficient

PUT TO THE TEST If you’re still not convinced of the sheer awesomeness of this technological breakthrough, then have a look at the F150 Ecoboost Torture Test web documentary on YouTube. The Ford engineers had a field day putting the engine through an extreme series of tests equivalent to 241,401 kilometres of driving under extreme conditions, from freezing the engine block and then heating it up to over 40 degrees at full throttle in the testing facilities to on-the-road punishment in the form of hauling logs and racing across the desert.

as possible through direct injection and variable timing and using the most advanced algorithm-based software to ensure all those elements work in perfect concert to deliver optimum performance and fuel economy. Turbochargers force more air into an engine, increasing the combustion rate and making it temporarily more powerful, which means that the Ecoboost engines can provide more power than their size should allow. For example, a 1-litre EcoBoost engine can offer performance of 140PS, which is the same specs you would expect to get from a 1.6-litre. Turbo also improves torque (the power available to turn the wheels), while the variable cam timing generates hightorque at low revs, giving the driver access to responsive power and acceleration needed. The simplified, efficient direct injection system was improved to deliver a precise

amount of fuel into the combustion chamber, so the vehicle uses the minimum fuel required without sacrificing performance or the option of maximum output.

Rather than rest on their laurels, Ford seems committed to continued innovation, with exciting new breakthroughs on the horizon, like the pairing of the EcoBoost 3.5-litre V6 with a new 10-speed automatic transmission.

This piece of technology is now available in eight different Ford models here in Oman, from sedans like the Focus, to the 2.3L Mustang, to the newest addition to the SUV lineup, the Ford Edge, and the beastly F-150 (the Ecoboost V6 accounts for 62% of all F150 sales worldwide). Thanks to new technologies like EcoBoost, even with petrol prices on the rise, it remains a good time for the power hungry in Oman. —felicia@timesofoman.com

Here are the highlights: • 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine number 448AA was randomly selected from the assembly line in Cleveland, Ohio.

• Engine was shipped to dynamometer cell 36B engine laboratory in Dearborn, Michigan where it ran for 300 hours continuously (the equivalent of 241, 401 kilometres of drive time) during which it was cooled to -28 C and heated to 113 C. • Engine was shipped to Kansas City where it was installed into an F-150 Super Crew pickup truck, which was then driven 3,000km to Oregon.

• At Nygaard Timber in Astoria, Oregon, the F150 dragged 50,000kg (55 tons) of logs, using the maximum 420-ft-lb of torque.

• The F150 was driven over 5,000km to the Miami Speedway in Florida where it pulled a two-car open trailer of two

NASCAR For Fusions around the track for 24-hours straight at an average speed of 131kmp.

• Driving back 4,000km to Davis Dam in Arizona, the F150 won a contest against two competing V8 Hemi pickups in an uphill towing contest in which they each pulled 4,082kg up a 6% grade.

• The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine was removed from the F150 and installed into an F150 Baja race truck, which practised for almost 2,000km before competing in the SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race, in which it finished 1st in the Stock Engine Competition. The driver attributed his win in part to the fact that he was able to skip two planned fuel stops that he had traditionally made with his V8 engine during the 1,700km race from Ensenada to La Paz, California.

• The engine was sent back to the Michigan lab for a last round of tests before they opened up the engine and put it on display at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit where engineers from around the world inspected it part-by-part.

Watch it for Yourself YouTube: Ford F150 Ecoboost Torture Test Drive for Yourself Authorised Dealer: Arabian Car Marketing Company Ford Showroom, Wattayah +968 2457 9719

M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

WEATHER

TEMPERATURE

HUMIDITY

37 - 27 78-41% 0

0

Since its founding in 1902, Cadillac has left a permanent mark on the automotive industry, crafting an enduring, a century-long legacy dotted with industry firsts.

Today, Cadillac — a name synonymous with luxury, performance and boldness — has global growth ambitions, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features dramatic designs and cutting-edge technologies. Here is a timeline of Cadillac’s evolution — one deeply rooted in bold innovative optimism and punctuated by worldwide accomplishments:

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

12.06pm 3.32pm 6.12pm 7.22pm 4.39am

LIFESTYLE

A STORIED PAST

Since its inception, the Cadillac brand, under the custodianship of master mechanic Henry Leland consistently set standards in the automotive industry.

This persistent drive towards innovation and, more significantly, precision led to Cadillac’s recognition as a technological showcase.

Aside from the proliferation of Cadillac technology into the mainstream, Cadillac celebrated its 100th anniversary with its commitment to push the boundaries of design and engineering for the next 100 years. The millennium began with the award-winning Cien Concept followed in 2003 with the all-new and bold Cadillac Touring Sedan (CTS), a seminal model that laid the foundations for Cadillac’s design renaissance. The decade progressed with many more Cadillac firsts, including the introduction of V-Series; adrenaline-fuelled high performance variants designed to take on the growing Halo super sedans and coupes; and hybrid and electrical models such as the Escalade Hybrid and ELR Electric Range Extended Vehicle.

Two years later, Cadillac debuted the Model Thirty, the “car with no crank” — the first production car to feature an electric self-starter, ignition and lighting. This innovation brought the Dewar Trophy yet again to Cadillac’s tally, made starting a car safer and more reliable,and opened up the driving experience to women.

In 1915,Cadillac conceived another industry first that still survives to this day, the debut of the first mass-produced car with a V-typed, water-cooled, eight-cylinder (V8) engine.

In 2012, Cadillac was at the dawn of its 11th decade of existence, and ready to progress to the second chapter of its renaissance, expanding its reach into more product segments of the modern luxury markets. In the following years, Cadillac unleashed a salvo of all-new products: the ATS, ATS Coupe, CTS, all-new Escalade and XTS. These vehicles incorporated some of the industry’s most innovative solutions to performance, design, safety and connectivity.

In the mid-1920s, Cadillac pioneered the use of lacquer paint and offered customers more than 500 colour combinations to choose from. In 1926, Cadillac recruited Harley J. Earl, the first American car designer. In 1927, Earl designed the LaSalle convertible coupe, the first car conceived by a stylist instead of an engineer.

1950s and 60s: In the 1950s, Cadillac became the first manufacturer to provide standard power steering on its entire fleet of automobiles. The brand also pioneered a string of safety innovations. Cadillac continued to make technological and stylistic strides in the 1960s, mainly in safety and passenger comfort. Self-adjusting brakes were adopted at the beginning of the decade. In 1963, Cadillac made front seat belts available, which were made standard by law the following year. Then, in 1964, the brand introduced automatically-controlled headlamps and redefined luxury with comfort control, the world’s first thermostatically-regulated heating, venting, and airconditioning system. Over the next few years, variable-ratio power steering, electric seat warmers, and stereo radio were introduced in rapid succession.

Cadillac inaugurated the 1970s by unveiling the 400 HP, 8.2L engine Eldorado. The mid-1970s also witnessed the introduction of air cushion restraints (now called airbags) for passenger safety and catalytic converters to lower emissions. Then in 1975, Cadillac became the first US car manufacturer to provide electronically fuelinjected engines. This was followed by the 1978 Seville, which ushered the era of the computerised automobile with an onboard microprocessor in its digital display.

Cadillac faced the dynamism of the eighties head-on with the dramatic Seville Elegante, which ushered the use of integrated microprocessors to control ignition, fuel injection and vehicle diagnostics. The 1990s followed thereafter with many more innovations and segment firsts — most notably in 1992 with the Northstar V8 engine which introduced 16 patented advancements.

Cadillac closed the 1990s with the Escalade — arguably one of the strongest symbols of contemporary pop culture — and the introduction of the art and science concept with the CTS. Another important Cadillac innovation from the 90s was magnetic ride control on the DTS as well as the first use of LED exterior lighting on the DTS taillights.

In 1908, six years after Cadillac was founded, Leland laid the foundation for modern mass productions of automobiles by demonstrating the complete interchangeability of its precision parts. As a result, Cadillac was the first American car to win the prestigious Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club of London. This recognition prompted the adoption of the slogan “Standard of World.”

In the 1930s, Cadillac’s approach to innovation began to combine both mechanical prowess and trend-setting styling. It introduced the world’s first V-type 16-cylinder engine in a passenger car, which became one of the first iconic vehicles in Cadillac’s history. A V-12 version followed, providing an alternative between the signature V8 and the V16. By mid-decade, Cadillac was manufacturing over 68 body styles meeting the desire of anyone who wished to enter the world of luxury.

In the post-war era, Cadillac designer Harley J. Earl introduced the tail fin inspired by the aerodynamics of some of the war’s most iconic fighter planes. Cadillac Tail Fins reach their peak at the end of the 60s, with each Tail Fin height defining a decade of Cadillacs.

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THAT INSPIRES AN EVEN BOLDER FUTURE

In 2015, Cadillac unveiled its next generation of luxury, performance and prestige vehicles — a lineup that reinforced the brand’s unabated commitment to building a product portfolio with expressive designs, industry breakthroughs, and unparalleled comfort and technological features. Models include the 2017 CT6, 2017 XT5, 2016 ATS and ATS-Coupe, 2016 ATS-V Sedan and Coupe, 2016 Escalade Platinum, 2016 CTS, and 2016 CTS-V. Today, innovation continues to permeate all aspects of the brand’s designs. The first-ever XT5 is equipped with Cadillac’s latest production systems in the areas of connectivity and safety. The 2017 CT6 and XT5 Platinum’s groundbreaking new streaming video mirror improves field of vision by an estimated 300 per cent, or roughly four times greater than a standard rearview mirror. In addition, the XT5 Platinum comes packed with a revolutionary 360-degree camera view around the vehicle, displayed on the Cadillac CUE screen — which helps reduce blind spots around the vehicle during manoeuvring. The XT5 also features a visionary lighting system: The front and rear headlamps on the XT5 dramatically frame the vehicle’s powerful edges. As the car turns, available LED headlamps with cornering lamps illuminate the driver’s path of travel. In 2015, Bose announced its most advanced and highest-performing automotive sound system — the Bose Panaray system — designed exclusively for the Cadillac CT6 sedan. The first-of-its-kind Bose Panaray system, which comes standard on the 2017 Cadillac CT6, reproduces music with more clarity, precision and deep bass than any system preceding it. Based on this timeline, Cadillac’s incredible milestones throughout the years suggest that the brand’s evolution is a tale of innovation and reinvention. Most importantly, they indicate that the best of Cadillac is yet to come. —Courtesy of General Motors

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M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR CHOOSING A CHEAP SPORTS CAR

Sports cars have always fascinated automobile enthusiasts. Filled with great horsepower and loads of other amazing features, sports cars have been eye catchy right from their inception. People have always dreamt of having a shimmering sports car standing in their garage. But since good things aren’t cheap, you have to pay a hefty amount for having a sports car. But now situations have changed. Car companies have now reduced the prices of their sports cars so that more and more of their customers can fulfil their dream of having a sports car in their garage.

There are a lot of sports car specialists who have said that there is nothing wrong with buying a cheap sports car. But then there are some things which you have

to keep in mind before you purchase a cheap sports car. Here are a few tips: 1. The first thing which you have to do is to decide the type of car you wish to own. You have to choose between different categories of cars like hatchbacks, SUVs, 2 or 4 door sedans, 2+2 GT coupe or a convertible/Targa top.

2. The next thing which you have to decide is on the brand and the manufacturer. While the Japanese and Europeans are known for manufacturing small, light, and tower displacement sports cars, the Americans are known for manufacturing heavy, high displacement cars.

3. Be clear on why you want to

buy a car. This means that you have to make a choice between a highway cruiser and a toss able sports hatch. There are a lot of American muscle cars which give great performance on the roads but are too large and heavy to handle. So you have to be careful about choosing the kind of car you wish to have.

You have to choose wisely so that you can drive safely.

4. If there is a car in your mind which interests you a lot, you have to do some research about it and fetch some more information. You should know each and everything about the car which you are planning to purchase. This will help you to be aware of what exactly are you going to purchase. Make sure that you end up making a wise choice and drive safe. -Artipot

IN THE NEWS

New Inverter to Boost Electric Vehicle Efficiency

A team of researchers in the US has developed a new inverter that — despite being smaller and lighter — improves the fuel-efficiency and range of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Electric and hybrid vehicles rely on inverter components, which are made of the semiconductor material silicon, to ensure that enough electricity is conveyed from the battery to the motor during vehicle operation.

Now researchers at the Future Renewable Electric Energy Distribution and Management (FREEDM) Systems Centre at North Carolina State University have developed an inverter using components made of the wide-bandgap semiconductor material silicon carbide (SiC).

“Our silicon carbide prototype inverter can transfer 99 per cent of energy to the motor, which is about two per cent higher than the best silicon-based inverters under normal conditions,” said Iqbal Husain, ABB Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The new SiC-based inverter is able to convey 12.1 kilowatts of power per litre (kW/L) — close to the US Department of Energy's goal of developing inverters that can achieve 13.4kW/L by 2020. By way of

comparison, a 2010 electric vehicle could achieve only 4.1kW/L. “Conventional, siliconbased inverters have likely improved since 2010 but they are still nowhere near 12.1kW/L,” Husain noted in a statement provided by the university.

According to the researchers, they can make an aircooled inverter up to 35kW using the new module, for use in motorcycles, hybrid vehicles and scooters.

“The silicon carbide inverters can be smaller and lighter than their silicon counterparts, further improving the range of electric vehicles.

And new advances we have made in inverter components should allow us to make the inverters even smaller still,” added Husain, who is also the director of the FREEDM Centre. The current SiC inverter prototype was designed to go up to 55kW — the sort of power you would see in a hybrid vehicle. The researchers are now in the process of scaling it up to 100kW — akin to what would see in a fully electric vehicle — using offthe-shelf components, the research paper, to be presented at the IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE), being held from September 18-22 in Milwaukee, US said. — IANS

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM M ON DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

SAUDI STOCKS DECLINE Saudi Arabian stocks declined the most in the Gulf as the Kingdom’s equities traded for the first time in a week, tracking a selloff across developing nations. The Tadawul All Share Index dropped 1.6 per cent as of 2:33pm in Riyadh. — Bloomberg News

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Fund deploys OMR16m for small and medium projects Apart from providing leasing, project finance and working capital to small businesses, Oman’s SME Development Fund also supports them through their nurturing programme, comprising accounting support,

We are also seeing a lot of entrepreneurs entering the hospitality sector. We are particularly focused on the key sectors identified by the government for development, such as in-country value, tourism, logistics, and manufacturing, which constitute a majority of our portfolio.

Raphael Parambi Chief executive officer of SME Development Fund

monitoring, free software support and mentoring services.

A. E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s SME Development Fund (SMEF) has raised OMR20 million corpus in two tranches so far, out of its total envisaged corpus of OMR100 million. Also, the fund has financed 160 projects by deploying OMR15.8 million, which indicates an average funding size of SHAREHOLDER’S DEMAND

Twitter sued for failing to deliver on user growth SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter was sued by a shareholder over claims it misled investors on key growth metrics, including user count and user engagement, almost two years after touting plans to top 500 million users.

The suit, filed on Friday in federal court in San Francisco, comes as Twitter struggles to keep its audience from defecting to platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram.

Snapchat, the ninth-mostpopular app in the United States, surpassed 50 million monthly mobile app users in April, besting Twitter for the first time, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Jitendra Waral and Sean Handrahan said in an August 18 report, citing ComScore.

Shareholder Doris Shenwick claims Twitter executives misled investors on its growth prospects in November 2014, promising an increase in monthly active users to 550 million in the “intermediate” term and more than a billion in the “longer term.” The company failed to deliver on either estimate and concealed that it had no basis for those projections, the complaint said. As of June 30, the company had 313 million monthly active users, according to its website. — Bloomberg News

OMR100,000 per project, according to a top-level official of SME Development Fund.

Mentoring service Apart from providing leasing, project finance and working capital to SMEs, the fund also supports them through their nurturing programme, comprising accounting support, monitoring, free software support and mentoring services. KPMG and BDO have been contracted to provide these services at the best international standards, Raphael Parambi, chief executive officer of SME Development Fund, told Times of Oman.

Eligible SMEs benefit from inter-

est subsidies, which are provided

by SMEF through a grant provided by Oman’s offset programme.

SMEF is supported by the Oman Authority for Partnership for Development, which provides the grants under the offset programme. In addition to interest subsidies, these grants are used for developing a culture of entrepreneurship among college students, training Ministry of Defence (MoD) personnel in entrepreneurship, running the nurturing programme and in providing advocacy for SMEs. Elaborating on the success of the fund, Parambi said that there has been only one failure among

those small enterprises supported by the fund. “However, things will change in 2016, as some firms may lose their contracts (due to the slump in oil prices),” he added.

The SMEs involved in providing supporting services for upstream oil field development and infrastructure projects will be affected.

However, those firms that are engaged in the logistics sector and maintenance of infrastructure projects will do well.

Hospitality sector “We are also seeing a lot of entrepreneurs entering the hospitality sector. We are particularly focused on the key sectors identi-

fied by the government for development, such as in-country value, tourism, logistics, and manufacturing, which constitute a majority of our portfolio.”

Parambi said that the instruction to offer 10 per cent of government contracts to small units is a challenge. “These large contractors are finding it difficult to find good quality SMEs. We are working with them to facilitate (interaction between large contractors and small units),” he noted.

After holding an inter-active meeting, SME Development Fund plans to conduct two to three similar meetings between large contractors and small and medium enterprises. “We plan to invite 50 large firms and government departments, and 100 small and medium enterprises, for an exhibition in November. This will give both sectors an opportunity to interact with each other to develop and showcase opportunities for cooperation. This will be in coordination with Public Authority for SME Development.”

Although the government has allowed public sector employees to start SMEs, people are not coming forward because they do not know how to develop a small unit and how to manage risks.

Parambi added that the contribution of SMEs in the Sultanate’s GDP is estimated in the range of 13-14 per cent. However, the average contribution of SMEs in GDP across the world is between 55 and 60 per cent. “If we can tap this sector effectively, we can cover a large part of the adverse economic impact of the expected decline in the oil and gas sector,” he added.

OIL SUPPLIES

Iran supports efforts to stabilise crude oil market DUBAI: Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran supports any move to stabilise the global oil market and lift prices, the Iranian Oil Ministry news agency Shana quoted him as saying on Sunday.

“Instability and falling oil prices are harmful to all countries, especially oil producers,” Rouhani was quoted as saying by Shana.

“Tehran welcomes any move aimed at market stability and improvement of oil prices based on justice, fairness and fair quota of all the oil producers,” the president said, referring to a meeting between Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and non-Opec producers in Algeria next week, Shana said.

Rouhani was speaking to Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Venezuela on Saturday, Shana reported. Iran, Opec’s third-largest producer, has been boosting its oil output after the lifting of Western sanctions in January.

Tehran refused to join a previous attempt this year by Opec and non-members such as Russia to stabilise production, and talks collapsed in April.

Opec members will meet on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum (IEF), which groups producers and consumers, in Algeria on September 26-28. NonOpec producer Russia is also attending the forum.

Opec will probably revive talks on freezing oil production levels when it meets non-Opec nations in Algeria, sources have said.

– Reuters

B2

M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

MARKET MSM rises marginally

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................ 5,781.35 ...............5,776.28 ....................5,779.18 ....................5,777.66.................... 1.52 ...................0.03 Financial Index .................................... 7,402.06 ................7,396.11 ................... 7,400.56 ................... 7,401.20.................. -0.64 .................. -0.01 Industrial Index ....................................7,454.39 ............... 7,429.51 ....................7,429.51 ................... 7,459.08................-29.57 .................. -0.40 Services Index .......................................3,147.92 ...............3,144.12 ....................3,147.92 ................... 3,144.12....................3.80 ................... 0.12 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................884.25 ..................882.58 ...................... 882.60 ......................882.82..................-0.22 .................. -0.02 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 5,672,605.................... 1,325,096 .................... 302 ...............17,284,120,440 .................. 5 ........................8 .................... 21 .........................34

The top gainer was Al Jazeira Services, up

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

3.57 per cent, while Oman Education was the top loser, down by 6.88 per cent

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

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

OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .......................................... 451,668 ............91,838..................... 38 ........... 0.203 ...........0.204 ...........0.201........... 0.203 ............. 0.196............ 0.007............. 3.571 ................0.204 ............ 0.204...................0.205 ..................12,424,467 .........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 200,000........... 39,504........................6 ............0.196 ........... 0.198 ...........0.196 ........... 0.198 ............. 0.196............ 0.002............. 1.020 ................0.198 .............. 0.196...................0.198...................39,600,000.........0.100

MUSCAT: A firm trend witnessed on the Muscat bourse amid scattered support. The MSM 30 ended on a flat note and closed at 5,779.18 points, marginally up by 0.03 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index declined 0.03 per cent to close at 882.60 points.

Bank Nizwa was the most active in terms of volume while Raysut Cement led in turnover. Sunday’s top gainer was Al Jazeira Services, up 3.57 per cent, while Oman Education was the top loser, down 6.88 per cent.

As many as 302 trades were executed on Sunday, generating turnover of OMR1.32 million with 5.67 million shares changing hands. Out of 34 traded securities, 5 advanced, 8 declined and 21 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR104,000 worth of shares followed by GCC and Arab investors at OMR17,000.

Foreign investors, who were net sellers, sold stocks amounting to OMR121,000.

Financial Index closed at 7,401.20 points, down by 0.01 per cent. Ahli Bank and Oman United Insurance increased by 0.53 per cent and 0.36 per cent respectively.

Al Anwar Holding and Al Sharqiya

Investment declined by 1.05 per cent and 0.76 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index down by 0.40 per cent to end at 7,429.51 points.

Al Jazeera Steel Products, Oman Fisheries, Oman Cables and Galfar Engineering declined by 2.51 per cent, 1.61 per cent, 1.47 per cent and 0.96 per cent respectively.

Services Index closed at 3,147.92 points, up 0.12%. Al Jazeera Services, OIFC and Oreedoo Oman increased 3.57 per cent, 1.02 per cent, 0.68 per cent and 0.63 per cent respectively. Oman Education, down 6.888 per cent was the only sector loser.

OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 108,583 ........... 79,048........................7 ............0.728 ........... 0.728 ...........0.728........... 0.728 .............0.724 ........... 0.004............. 0.552 ................0.728 .............. 0.716...................0.728..................473,887,399........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 501,000 ..........140,813.....................24 ............0.281 ...........0.282 ...........0.281........... 0.281 .............0.280 ............0.001 ............. 0.357 ................0.281 ............. 0.280...................0.281...................28,100,000.........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ............................................................... 1,000 .................. 632........................1 ........... 0.632 ........... 0.632 ...........0.632........... 0.636 .............0.636 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.632..............0.624...................0.632...................34,980,000 ........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ...................................................... 144,990 ..........217,485......................13 ............1.500 ........... 1.500 ...........1.500........... 1.500 .............1.500 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.500..............1.490...................1.500................. 300,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 273,174............ 66,598.....................24 ........... 0.244...........0.244 ...........0.240 .......... 0.244 .............0.244 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.242............. 0.242...................0.244 .................359,846,631 ........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ..............................................................3,000 ...............1,380........................1 ........... 0.460 ...........0.460 ...........0.460........... 0.470 .............0.470 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.460..............0.460...................0.470.................. 155,510,174 ........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE .......................................................14,534 ...............2,180........................3 ............0.150 ........... 0.150 ...........0.150 ........... 0.150 .............0.150............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.150 .............. 0.155...................0.164...................48,945,478.........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 321,909 .........124,896..................... 54 ........... 0.388 ...........0.388 ...........0.386........... 0.388 .............0.388 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.388..............0.384...................0.388..................968,545,100........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ..............................1,817 .................. 214........................1 ............0.118 ........... 0.118............0.118 ............0.119 ............. 0.119............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.118 .............. 0.118...................0.122....................7,002,343 ..........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................20,095 ............. 31,951........................2 ............1.590 ........... 1.590 ...........1.585 ........... 1.590 .............1.590............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.585 .............. 1.585...................1.590................1,192,500,000 ......0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES .............................................810 ...................186........................1 ........... 0.230 ...........0.230 ...........0.230........... 0.238 .............0.238 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.230..............0.230...................0.252 .................. 71,109,087 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 218,600 ........... 38,684........................6 ............0.177 ........... 0.177 ...........0.176 ............0.177 ............. 0.177............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.176 .............. 0.176...................0.177 ..................283,996,383 .......0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ...........................................................552 ..................248........................1 ........... 0.450 ...........0.450 ...........0.450........... 0.450 .............0.450 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.450..............0.450...................0.454...................27,225,000.........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL.................................................4,000 ..................284........................1 ............0.071 ........... 0.071 ...........0.071 ............0.071 ............. 0.071............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.071 ..............0.070...................0.071...................12,425,000.........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 100,272 ............19,954........................4 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.199 ........... 0.199 ............. 0.199............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.199 .............. 0.195...................0.199..................134,302,599........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................. 26,440 .............12,638........................7 ............0.478 ........... 0.478 ...........0.478........... 0.478 .............0.478 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.478..............0.478...................0.500 ..................25,095,000.........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...........................................................4,811 .................. 710........................2 ............0.149 ........... 0.149 ...........0.147 ........... 0.149 .............0.149............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.147 .............. 0.147...................0.148.................. 217,927,618 ........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 156,293............ 29,383......................11 ............0.188 ........... 0.188 ...........0.188 ........... 0.188 .............0.190 ...........-0.002 ............-1.053................0.188 ..............0.186...................0.188...................32,900,462.........0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY..................................... 30,000 ............50,400........................2 ............1.680 ........... 1.680 ...........1.680 ........... 1.680 ............. 1.705............-0.025 ........... -1.466................1.680 .............. 1.535...................1.680..................150,696,000........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 323,909 ............75,497.....................22 ........... 0.236 ........... 0.237 ...........0.233........... 0.233 .............0.239 ...........-0.006 ........... -2.510 ...............0.233..............0.233...................0.240 ..................29,101,225 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,907,457....1,024,524 .................. 231 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......22........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Emerging stocks fall Emerging-market stocks posted the steepest five-day drop in more than four months last week amid growing speculation the United States Federal Reserve may increase interest rates by year-end, diminishing the appetite for riskier developing-nation assets.

Dubai’s DFM General Index, Abu Dhabi’s ADX General Index and Bahrain Bourse All Share Index all gained at least 0.1 per cent.

Qatar’s QE Index added 0.3 per cent, its first advance in five days.

Meanwhile, oil retreated last week. – United Securities/Bloomberg News

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

OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 100,000 ............19,000........................2 ............0.190 ........... 0.190 ...........0.190........... 0.190 ............. 0.189.............0.001 ............. 0.529 ................0.190..............0.182...................0.189..................270,756,867........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN ...................................................... 62,771 ............... 6,153........................8 ........... 0.099 ...........0.099 ...........0.098........... 0.098 .............0.098 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.098..............0.098...................0.100..................196,030,653 ........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. .......14,497 ............. 21,311........................3 ............1.470 ........... 1.470 ...........1.470 ............1.470 ............. 1.470............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.470 ..............1.440...................1.470..................101,430,000........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 1,097,107......... 83,380......................14 ........... 0.076 ........... 0.076 ...........0.076........... 0.076 .............0.076 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.076..............0.076...................0.077..................114,000,000........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 219,344 ............14,263........................6 ........... 0.066 ...........0.066 ...........0.065........... 0.065 .............0.065 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.065..............0.064...................0.065...................65,000,000.........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH..................................................4,000 ..................960........................1 ........... 0.240...........0.240 ...........0.240 .......... 0.245 .............0.245 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.240 ............ 0.240...................0.245 .................233,870,128........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 250,000 ............49,750........................7 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.199 ........... 0.199 ............. 0.199............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.199 ..............0.190...................0.199..................142,166,862........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING .............10,963 ...............1,440........................4 ............0.132 ........... 0.132 ...........0.131 ............0.131 .............0.132............-0.001 ........... -0.758................0.131 ...............0.131...................0.135 ................... 11,790,000 .........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 930,619.............95,875......................19 ............0.103 ........... 0.104 ...........0.103........... 0.103 .............0.104 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.962 ...............0.103 ..............0.103...................0.104...................29,868,006.........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES .......................................................31,800 ...............1,943........................5 ........... 0.062 ...........0.062 ...........0.061 ........... 0.061 .............0.062 ...........-0.001 ............-1.613 ................0.061 ..............0.061...................0.062 ................... 7,625,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002580 ...........OMAN EDU. & TRIN. INV. ..........................................25,597 ...............4,505........................1 ............0.176 ........... 0.176 ...........0.176 ............0.176 ............. 0.189............-0.013 ........... -6.878 ...............0.176 ............. 0.000...................0.176 ...................12,320,000.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,746,698 ......298,580..................... 70 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ...... 11........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ..........................................18,450 ............... 1,993........................1 ............0.108 ........... 0.108 ...........0.108........... 0.108 ............. 0.110............-0.002 ............-1.818................0.108..............0.090...................0.108....................5,148,000 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: ....................................................................................18,450 ............... 1,993........................1 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

CRUDE SHIPMENT

Libya clashes halt crude oil export from Ras Lanuf port DUBAI: Libya halted loading what would be the first overseas crude shipment from the port of Ras Lanuf since 2014 as rival armed forces began fighting for control of the facility, complicating efforts to end a five-year conflict that has slashed oil exports from the Opec country.

Clashes erupted on Sunday between local Petroleum Facilities Guard units and military forces that last week occupied Ras Lanuf and the country’s largest oil port of Es Sider in east Libya, Nasser Delaab, petroleum operations inspector at Harouge Oil Operations, said by phone.

The fighting forced the tanker Seadelta to suspend the loading of 781,000 barrels of oil for shipment to Italy, he said.

The vessel was loading crude from onshore storage tanks, said Delaab, who helps organise oil movements at Ras Lanuf, Libya’s third-largest oil port. The Seadelta arrived there early Sunday

from Trieste, Italy, according to tanker tracking data.

Libya is seeking to boost crude exports after fighting among rival militias slashed oil production following the 2011 ouster of former dictator Muammar Al Gaddafi. The conflict halted exports from the nation’s main oil ports of Es Sider, Zueitina and Ras Lanuf as the country struggled to form a unified national government.

The National Oil Corporation planned to resume exports from

the ports after reaching an accord with Khalifa Haftar, a military commander who seized control of the facilities last week.

Libya will be selling into an oversupplied market in which crude is trading at about half its 2014 levels. Harouge, which pumped about 100,000 barrels a day through the end of 2014, halted operations at that time due to fighting in the country, Delaab said.

The company produces at five oil fields around Ras Lanuf, according to its website. – Bloomberg News

M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

B3

MARKET ALUMINIUM COACHES

India to float global tender to procure 300 railway coaches NEW DELHI: Buoyed by the successful Talgo train trial, Indian Railways is firming up an acquisition plan to procure 300 lightweight aluminium coaches from the market to be used for reducing inter-city travel time.

With the over-saturated main trunk routes posing a serious challenge for the railways’ ‘Raftaar’ mission, the national transporter is looking towards light-weight aluminium coaches as an easy option to increase train speed on existing lines in shortest possible time.

India’s federal Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has launched the Raftaar Mission to increase the speed of passenger and freight services significantly.

Light-weight material “Instead of steel coaches, use of aluminium coaches seems to be the future now as the railways will gradually go for the light-weight material for faster journey on existing tracks,” said a senior Railway Ministry official, adding, “A global tender will be floated shortly for this.”

The light-weight aluminium coaches manufactured by Spanish Talgo and hauled by an Indian locomotive covered the 1,384km distance between Delhi and Mumbai in less than 12 hours as against the travel time of 16 hours taken

by Mumbai Rajdhani, the fastest train at present between the two metropolises.

“We are proposing to acquire 300 aluminium coaches to begin with which means about 15 trains with 20 coaches each can be pressed on inter-city routes such as Delhi-Kanpur and Delhi-Lucknow,” said the official.

On if the railways would opt for tilting technology like Talgo train for not losing speed on curves, official said, “We are examining every aspect. A decision will be taken before floating the global tender.” - PTI

Occidental Oman to support Injaz’s SME training scheme Occidental Oman said that signing the memorandum of understanding with Injaz Oman will pledge to invest in young peoples’ entrepreneurial development

Times News Service MUSCAT: Occidental of Oman (Oxy Oman) said it would support the 2016 edition of Injaz Oman’s entrepreneurial training initiative, paving the way for increased SME growth through partnership after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the non-profit organisation.

Steve Kelly, president and general manager of Oxy Oman and Khawla Al Harthi, executive director of Injaz Oman, were signatories for their respective organisations. Oxy Oman further said that fueling the company programme and its ‘Sharikati’ competition as a platform of importance for youth driven businesses in the Sultanate, signing the MoU with Injaz Oman will pledge to invest in young peoples’ entrepreneurial development “The cooperation between Occidental of Oman and Injaz Oman is enhancing the learning delivered on setting up a company and creating a strong foundation for sustainable operations and growth.

PARTNERS IN PROGRESS: The memorandum of understanding was signed between Steve Kelly, president and general manager of Oxy Oman and Khawla Al Harthi, executive director of Injaz Oman, paving the way for increased SME growth through partnership. - Supplied picture

It will help entrepreneurs when reflecting on their own businesses and hopefully improve their entrepreneurial tool kit, contribute to their strategic planning, and enhance service output and operational efficiency,” said Steve Kelly, president and general manager at Occidental of Oman “The youth are the business leaders of tomorrow, and thus their aspirations need to be empowered as a means of driving quality, growth and increased competitiveness within the SME

sector. By supporting local talent as the bedrock of the national economy, we are creating a more dynamic and diverse landscape for local, regional, and international investors,” said Khawla Al Harthy, executive director of Injaz Oman.

“The company programme inspires a more profound and creative emergence of young people by infusing their entrepreneurial endeavours with valuable experiences, insight and knowledge; all in our mutual contribution to the vision of the Omani Renaissance and

its Grand Architect His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said,” she added.

Terms of MoU Whilst offering thanks to Oxy Oman for its support, Al Harthy covered what is being delivered under the terms of the MoU, noting the cost of training, premises for workshops and scientific teaching materials, as well as marketing and management fees.

This MoU falls under the umbrella of strategic partnerships and continuous collaboration

with key stakeholders and is part of Oxy Oman’s endeavour and long-term commitment to support programmes that enhance economic growth and sustainable development, whilst having a positive impact on neighbouring communities.

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INVESTMENT

Investcorp acquires $223 million-office tower in US Times News Service

MULTI-TENANTED OFFICE: The 901 Fifth Avenue is a 540,589-square-feet, multi-tenanted office building located in Seattle’s central business district in the United States. - Supplied picture

MUSCAT: Investcorp, a leading provider and manager of alternative investment products, on Sunday said its United Statesbased real estate arm purchased a 41-storey Class A office building in Seattle, Washington, known as 901 Fifth Avenue for $223.5 million.

This acquisition is consistent with Investcorp’s new initiative of acquiring top-quality, well occupied, cash flowing properties in key gateway markets in the US and represents the second acquisition under this strategy. In February, Investcorp acquired 733 Tenth Street, a Class A office building in Washington, DC, for $180 million.

The 901 Fifth Avenue is a 540,589-square-feet, multi-tenanted office building located in Seat-

SEATTLE

Seattle is one of the most desirable gateway markets for real estate investments in the US, and has one of the lowest vacancy and highest projected rent growth rates

tle’s central business district. The property is 90 per cent occupied by a diverse roster of 46 tenants, involved in a broad spectrum of businesses, including technology, legal services and professional services.

Seattle is one of the most desira-

ble gateway markets for real estate investments in the US, and has one of the lowest vacancy and highest projected rent growth rates. The region has an annual employment growth rate of 2.8 per cent compared to the national rate of 1.9, and strong growth has been projected for the region over the next five years.

Alternative investment “We believe 901 Fifth Avenue offers a stable, long-term investment in one of the most dynamic gateway markets in the western United States. In the past year, we have exceeded $400 million in gross asset values with this strategy and this acquisition further exemplifies our strategy of identifying alternative investment opportunities that we believe can

deliver superior returns for Investcorp,” said Babak Sultani, real estate specialist at Investcorp.

“What we liked about this property is that it is easily accessible via the region’s primary freeways and public transportation options, and is within walking distance to high-end restaurants, retail outlets, hotels, cultural attractions and Seattle’s court houses, which we believe fuels significant demand for office space from legal, professional services and technology firms,” he added.

Investcorp purchased the property with its joint venture partner, Schnitzer West, an experienced real estate investment, development, and management firm with a current portfolio of 5.3 million square feet in the Seattle metropolitan area.

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M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

FEATURE

N I G E R I A N B U S I N E S S M E N S AY D O L L A R S A R E S T I L L S C A R C E

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igerian businesses are struggling to get hold of foreign exchange even after the central bank devalued the currency in June to try and attract investment from abroad, according to the West African country’s main manufacturers’ lobby group.

Many factory owners can still only access the hard-currency they need for importing equipment and raw materials on the black market, where dollars are more expensive than on the official one, said Frank Jacobs, president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

“I don’t think there are any more dollars in the system since the devaluation,” he said in an interview in Lagos, the commercial capital, on August 25. “Not much has happened so far.”

Central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele let the naira float on June 20 after a peg he imposed in early 2015 caused foreign investors to flee, starved local businesses of foreign exchange and sent the economy to the brink of recession.

While the currency has since weakened 35 per cent to 315.25 against the dollar on the official market, it trades at about 410 on the street and foreigners have been reluctant to start buying naira stocks and bonds.

The central bank’s decision last week to make banks allocate at least 60 per cent of the foreign exchange they sell to manufacturers and importers of raw materials was “excellent,” said Jacobs, who is chairman of Jacobs Wines, which is based in southeastern Nigeria.

Jacobs is confident that the government will also ease a ban on importers of goods ranging from glass to toothpicks from accessing foreign exchange from banks. He has met Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and spoke to Emefiele last week to persuade them to reduce a list of 41 prohibited items that was announced in June 2015. The bans have shut factories and cut thousands of jobs, Jacobs said.

Making progress “We are making progress” in talks with officials,

he said. “I’m very hopeful that before the end of the year they will say something about the 41 items. Around 60 of our factories have closed in the last year. And we’re blaming it on the list of 41 items and the high cost of foreign-exchange.”

Emefiele, the former head of Zenith Bank who become governor in June 2014, introduced the rules as part of a range of capital controls to protect the naira as the price of oil, which accounts for 90 per cent of Nigeria’s export earnings and the bulk of government revenue, crashed.

He argued that, as well as protecting Nigeria’s foreign reserves, the restrictions would boost manufacturers by curbing demand for imports and forcing Nigerians to buy local products.

Instead, the sector went in to recession last year and contracted 7 per cent in the first quarter of 2016.

Wider economy The 41 items include “essential raw materials” that factories can only buy from abroad, Jacobs said. “Our members affected by the ban are go-

ing to the parallel currency market. It’s the only place they can buy dollars from.”

Investors have blamed the central bank’s policies for afflicting the wider economy, which shrank 0.4 per cent in the first quarter. Output dropped in the second quarter too, according to all 13 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg ahead of the statistics office’s release of the data on Wednesday. The median estimate is for a contraction of 1.6 per cent.

Jacobs said Nigeria’s manufacturers were further hampered by power cuts. They’ve got worse in the past year, he said, despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to double electricity generation by 2019.

Nigeria, with 180 million people, produces around one-tenth of the electricity of South Africa, which has a population of 55 million. Power plants have been hit as militant attacks on pipelines reduce their gas supplies.

“Power output today is a far cry from what we had in 2014,” Jacobs said. “It’s dropped significantly.”

— Bloomberg News

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M ON DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

SECTION

END CALL SAVE LIVES

E-

A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

IMES TECH STUFF

GOOGLE ATTACKS EU’s PROPOSED PLANS Google attacked a European Union (EU) overhaul designed to ensure copyright owners get a fairer share of income, saying the measures would force it to vet text, video and images before they can be shared on its YouTube service. “This would effectively turn the internet into a place where everything uploaded to the web must be cleared by lawyers before it can find an audience,” the search-engine giant said. — Bloomberg News

T E C H U P D AT E S

Samsung sells stakes in ASML, Seagate, Rambus and Sharp Samsung Electronics said on Sunday that it sold stakes in ASML Holding, Seagate Technology, Rambus and Sharp to free up money and focus on its main business. Samsung disposed of half its shares in ASML and its entire 4.2 per cent stake in Seagate Technology, the Suwon, South Korea-based electronics maker said in an e-mailed statement.

It also sold its 4.5 per cent holding in Rambus and the 0.7 per cent of Sharp stock that it owned, according to the statement, which didn’t provide further details. The total value of the stakes sold was about about 1 trillion won ($891 million), said a Samsung spokeswoman who asked not to be identified, in line with company policy. Samsung sold 6.3 million shares in ASML valued at 606 million euros ($676 million), according to terms of the transaction obtained by Bloomberg News on Sept. 9. The Korean maker of semiconductors, phones and televisions said in the statement that its business ties with all four companies are unaffected by the stake sales. — Bloomberg News

The perils of building better phone battery On top of the demands placed on their performance, batteries are getting slimmer and smaller, as smartphone makers try to win over consumers with thinner

Overheating battery packs made by Sony led to the recall of millions of laptops made by Dell, Toshiba and others in 2006, while Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner suffered from electrical fires after the airplane’s 2011 debut

devices. That’s putting strain on the manufacturing process, and raising the risk of defects

MARK GURMAN & ALEXANDRE BOKSENBAUM-GRANIER

S

AMSUNG Electronics, under pressure from consumers for longerlasting batteries that charge faster, pushed the limits of lithium-ion technology.

The effort backfired when some of its new Note 7 handsets caught fire and exploded.

Building a better battery has long bedeviled the tech industry. Smartphones are constantly improving, with sharper displays, improved software and cameras rivaling those used by the pros. Not so the batteries, which despite advances still die faster than consumers like and take too long to recharge.

“It’s the race to add new capabilities and features to the phone that

demands a more capable battery,” said Martin Reynolds, a Gartner analyst. On top of the demands placed on their performance, batteries are getting slimmer and smaller, as smartphone makers try to win over consumers with thinner devices. That’s putting strain on the manufacturing process, and raising the risk of defects that can lead to the kind of malfunctions seen in Samsung’s phones.

The Note 7 was supposed to stand out with its stylus, large edgeto-edge display and faster charging technology. Samsung rolled out the device in August, just before Apple Inc. unveiled a new batch of iPhones. It was an opportunity for the Suwon, South Korea-based company to outshine its biggest smartphone rival. Instead, it backfired.

Usually, smartphone makers and wireless providers rigorously test products before they reach customers, although the process is mainly focused on making sure the devices are compatible with wireless networks.

Samsung provided carriers with the typical amount of testing time before the launch date, according to people familiar with the matter.

Samsung first showed prototypes of the Note 7 to carriers in April and testing began in May, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the arrangements aren’t public.

At least one major Samsung partner is reassessing its testing procedures to catch issues like this in the future, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The South Korean manufacturer is holding multiple meetings each week with major carrier partners to discuss the latest details from its investigation and assist in mitigating the issue, the person said.

Headaches involving the production of lithium-ion batteries aren’t unique to the smartphone industry.

Overheating battery packs made by Sony led to the recall of millions of laptops made by Dell, Toshiba and others in 2006, while Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner suffered from electrical fires after the airplane’s 2011 debut.

Samsung is working to fix the problem. While only about three dozen cases were reported, the company is seeking to replace 2.5 million Note 7 phones, an endeavor that could cost as much as $2 billion.

On Wednesday, Samsung placed

advertisements in South Korea’s major newspapers to apologise for the incident.

In an effort to prevent any more device explosions, the company is also rolling out a software update on September 20 that will limit the battery charge at 60 per cent. Availability of that update outside South Korea will vary depending on each market, Samsung said.

The Note 7 features a larger battery than its predecessor, one that can store 3500 milliamp hours of electric power, compared with 3000 mAh for the Note 5 (Samsung skipped a number this year, to match its flagship Galaxy S7).

By comparison, the iPhone 7 Plus, the Note 7’s main competitor, has a 2900 mAh battery.

While Apple has also sought to upgrade its battery technology to support better screens and faster graphics, it hasn’t often promoted battery life as a feature itself. Last week’s iPhone event was an exception, when the company highlighted that the iPhone 7 can last almost two hours longer than its predecessor thanks to better software and processor design.

Samsung SDI Co. was the main battery supplier for the Note 7, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The batteries failed because a separator within the cells was too thin and electrodes weren’t properly insulated, according to a government quality inspection agency in China, where almost 2,000 Note 7s were distributed as test devices.

The first batch of Note 7 batteries probably had a flaw in their design that didn’t work properly with the chemistry in some units, according to Kyle Wiens, creator of iFixit, a popular website that dissects the innards of gadgets to gauge the ease of repairing the devices.

Fast charging “crams as much energy as possible into the battery, and the closer you push it to the edge, the more of a potential safety issue there is,” he said. — Bloomberg News

Twitter making it easier to watch videos with partners Twitter is making it easier to watch video from its live streaming partners with new applications for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Microsoft’s Xbox One. The company is launching the apps in time for the first of 10 Thursday night National Football League games that Twitter is streaming.

Twitter has struck similar deals to stream other sports, entertainment and news content alongside relevant tweets from its network — all of which can be viewed on the applications.

It’s a new effort by the company to repackage its content, seeking to draw users who may not already have Twitter accounts or follow events on the site in the form of 140-character commentary. The applications will also showcase popular tweets, as well as top videos on the company’s live-streaming application, Periscope, and its short-video app, Vine. Twitter has been under pressure to address several quarters of stagnant user growth and slowing advertising sales growth. “Anyone with these devices, regardless of whether they have a Twitter account or pay TV subscription, can enjoy this experience,’’ Twitter said in a statement. With deals like the one with the NFL, the company will be able to make a stronger case to advertisers for video promotions. Twitter is sharing video ad revenue with content providers. — Bloomberg News

Infosys hopes to recover from last quarter’s disappointment Infosys expects growth to bounce back from last quarter’s disappointing showing but warned that the IT services industry will take a short-term hit from Britain’s decision to depart the European Union. Infosys, a barometer for the health of the $3 trillion global enterprise IT spending market, slashed its annual sales forecast in July, reflecting the economic uncertainty that’s roiling India’s outsourcing giants from Tata Consultancy Services to Wipro. Chief Executive Officer Vishal Sikka said Britain’s unprecedented move however presents a longer-term opportunity for companies like Infosys that can help banks and corporations prepare their systems for the transition. “We will know more” in the run-up to Infosys’ next quarterly earnings report, Sikka told a small group of analysts during JPMorgan’s investor conference in New Delhi that was webcast by the company. “What I could say is that we see our Q2 growth will be higher than Q1 growth.” Sikka didn’t specify whether it was referring to quarter-on-quarter growth or comparisons to the year earlier.

Shares in the company were down about 0.4 per cent at Rs1,041.90 at about 3:15pm in Mumbai. Since taking the reins in August 2014, Stanford alumnus Sikka has presided over a surge in Infosys’ value and been credited with helping his company outshine larger rival Tata. But technology spending is expected to taper off as clients gauge the impact of Brexit and the US presidential elections, hurting IT services companies. — Bloomberg News

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M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

ROUND-UP New technology adds to Ford Edge’s appeal Thoughtfully built, based on the four pillars of Ford namely quality, green, safe and smart, each feature plays a vital role in making this vehicle outstanding

MUSCAT: If you are looking for an able crossover that impresses you instantly with its offering, you should experience the all-new 2016 Ford Edge.

“The all-new Edge is fantastic!” exclaimed a spokesperson from Arabian Car Marketing.

“This vehicle features so many technologies, that when you experience them all, you will be rewarded with a feeling of confidence and peace instantly.”

Building on the emotional appeal of the vehicle the Ford Edge offers more of the technology that customers desire in a package that meets the highest expectations for quality and craftsmanship, says a press release.

Thoughtfully built, based on the four pillars of Ford namely quality, green, safe and smart, each feature plays a vital role in making this vehicle outstanding.

Some of the impressive features are Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) with pull-drift compensation and active nibble control offers a light, responsive steering feel around town and while parking. At higher speeds,

EPAS delivers less steering assist for more confident control and contributes to efficiency.

Ambient lighting consists of LED lights to illuminate the front and rear foot wells, the front console cup holders, the media bin and door trim. There are seven programmable colour selections and light brightness and intensity can all be adjusted with the 8-inch center-stack screen.

6-speed Select Shift® automatic with paddle shifter is engineered for high quality, quiet, durable operation with capability that enables seamless gear changes and excellent response at the touch of a button.

Active grille shutters and front air curtain helps improve fuel efficiency by maximising the aerodynamic efficiency of the grille opening and the engine cooling system. Included only on the EcoBoost engine options, these shutters automatically open and close to maintain the ideal engine operating temperature and maximise fuel efficiency. Front aero curtains help improve aerodynamics at high speeds.

Torque vectoring control delivers the effect of a limited-slip differential. In cornering situations, the system automatically applies the brake on the inside front wheel, delivering more torque to the outside front wheel.

Roll Stability Control (RSC) with curve control helps the driver maintain vehicle stability in adverse driving situations or when making evasive maneuvers on slippery pavement. The system activates whenever the vehicle is started but may be turned off for certain situations.

Lane-Keeping System includes two key components, viz. lanekeeping alert and lane-keeping aid.

The system uses a forward-looking camera to identify road lane marking and to track the lane in which the vehicle is currently travelling.

The systems offers three selectable modes such as ‘Alert’ warns the driver if the vehicle starts to drift into another lane; ‘Aid’ applies steering torque which can help direct the driver to steer the vehicle back into the lane in which it was travelling and ‘Alert+Aid’ provides the Aid steering torque first and

then the Alert vibration if the vehicle continue to drift.

SYNC with the MyFord Touch helps you to stay connected to your world via voice-activated handsfree calling and also with voiceactivated control.

Front split-view camera provides 180 degree visibility for limited-sight maneuvers such as pulling out of a driveway, street or parking lot, to help drivers to see around obstacles.

Intelligent AWD continuously monitors wheel speed, throttle position and steering angle to determine the vehicle’s conditions and driver intent.

It also determines the amount of front and rear torque required to reduce wheel slip.

Hands-free Power Liftgate can be opened or closed with a gentle kicking motion under the center of the rear bumper or to the left or right of the trailer hitch receiver.

Enhanced active park assist with perpendicular park/pull out assist helps take the tension out of a variety of parking situation, including perpendicular parking, parallel parking and park-out assist on the touch of a button.

The 2016 Edge will be available in four trim levels. These include SE, SEL, Titanium, Sport and for the first time Titanium series to meet market demand for more premium offerings.

The all new Edge will feature three engine options, two of which are new power plants - a standard normally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine, a twin-scroll 2.0-liter EcoBoost® four-cylinder and a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6.

Customers looking forward to experiencing the all new 2016 Ford Edge, are encouraged to visit any of the Ford showrooms.

In Oman, Ford vehicles are marketed by Arabian Car Marketing Co. LLC.

VIBRANT TOP NOTES

Amouage introduces new men’s fragrance MUSCAT: International luxury fragrance brand Amouage has launched a new fragrance, Bracken for Man, evoking a subtle and enigmatic masculinity.

Created under the guidance of creative director Christopher Chong, this elegant fougère is inspired and named after Bracken, one of the oldest and most resilient ferns in history.

Unveiling an aromatic freshness, the fragrance begins with vibrant top notes of lavandin, nutmeg, and clove.

With a spectrum of light caressing the woods, both lemon and bergamot open this fragrance by blanketing a sensation of brightness over wet earth. Geranium, cinnamon, cedarwood and sandalwood come together to seduce the earthy character of musk and patchouli in the base, an aura of which lends a retro touch to this distinguished fragrance, says a press release.

With a design mimicking the fern nature of the scent, Bracken for Man is presented in Amouage’s iconic clear glass crystal bottle with gold foil illustrations of a fern leaf surrounded with swirling vines behind the Amouage insignia.

The refreshingly white cap is accented with a peridot Swarovski crystal, and the bottle is housed

in a retro paisley box with a design mimicking the scent. With removable inserts, the boxes are designed to be reused to safe keep ornaments and mementos.

Bracken for Man is the latest addition to the Midnight Flower collection that comprises Hope, Love, Happy, Smile, and Joy candles and complementary room sprays, as well as Sunshine, a fragrance available for both man and woman.

C E L E B R AT I O N

ISC Salalah Marathi Wing celebrates first anniversary

MUSIC CONCERT

Shilpi Sharma to perform in Bollywood Sensation Vol 2 MUSCAT: Following great response to their first event, Tixel Agency will present Bollywood Sensation Vol 2 on September 23, keeping their promise of bringing true Bollywood talent from the BTown business.

Tixel Agency will feature Shilpi Sharma, actress, model and DJ in Bollywood Sensation Vol 2 along with Muscat’s favourite Bollywood star DJ Pulse aka Prableen Singh, says a press release.

Shilpi Sharma having set her fame as a Bollywood actress, is now dominating the Indian music scene with her eccentric energy and undeniably fresh perspective of Bollywood infused electronic dance music.

With several official Bollywood remixes to her credit, she has conquered the essence of BDM across

the country and beyond.

Her official remix of Baby Doll blew minds and broke records,

and continues to be one of the most popular songs to ever come out of Bollywood.

2016 has been quite a year for Shilpi with five official blockbuster remixes already which are Gerua, Manma Emotion Jaage, TukurTukur – from the movie Dilwale, Luv Letter remix from The Legend of Michael Mishra and the most recent, Tere Sang Yaara remix from the movie Rustom.

She has played lead acting roles in Style, Heroine, Jo Bole So Nihaal, and more, and has been honoured with the Young Woman Achiever’s award for her contribution to music. Bollywood Sensation Vol 2 will be held at Golden Tulip Hotel’s On the Rocks.

SALALAH: Indian Social Club (ISC) Salalah Marathi Wing celebrated its first anniversary with a musical night.

The chief guest of the day, Manpreet Singh, chairman of the ISC Salalah, was warmly welcomed with a bouquet and memento by Dr.Jayant Khardenavis, convener of Marathi Wing, says a press release.

Marathi Wing committee members Govind Volvaikar, coconvener, Shrikant Umale, treasurer, Rahul Mahale, PRO, Shirish Jawalkar, cultural secretary, Gopal Koranne, joint cultural secretary, Gulzar Khan, sports secretary, Sanjay Mhaske, joint sports secretary and Anita Suradkar, lady coordinator were present during the occasion.

A five-member orchestra troupe from Pune comprising Dnyaneshawr Baand, Manjusha

Deshpande, Mahesh Gaikwad, Shekhar Aajkal and Mayuresh Bhosale entertained the audience with their musical performance.

The serene evening was transformed into a carnival as the dholak, tabla and stringed instruments plucked in unison and the brass instruments entered with a slow melody.

Baand on dholak effectively presented his skill supported by the continuous beating of the drums and clanging of the cymbals. Baand took the musical evening to the pinnacle when he played a forceful hammering motive which punctuated the main theme on the tabla and dholak creating a magical moment.

The chief guest honoured the orchestra members with mementos. The evening concluded with a note of thanks to the sponsors and dinner.

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O F F I C E FA C E L I F T

New meeting hall and office inaugurated at ISC Salalah SALALAH: In a continuing facelift activities of Indian Social Club (ISC) Salalah, newly renovated and newly furnished meeting hall as well as chairman’s and MC member’s office was recently inaugurated by Indra Mani Pandey, ambassador of India to Sultanate of Oman, in the presence of Manpreet Singh, chairman, ISC Salalah, management committee members, invitees and club members during his visit to Salalah, says a press release.

Manpreet Singh briefed the audience about the recent modification and refurbishment works carried out in the social club and the need of such a congenial meeting room for conducting management committee meetings and other events.

He further briefed everyone on

Third EduTraC Oman in October higher education institutions and training providers to strengthen their position in the Oman market

the leadership of Manpreet Singh and for making such a wonderful office cum meeting room. He further conveyed his happiness at seeing the club become a genial place for the Indian community.

FESTIVE SPIRIT

Indian School Sur organises grand Eid, Onam celebration SUR: The colourful celebrations of Eid and Onam at Indian School Sur by the students of class V proved to be a treat to the eyes and feast to the heart.

The combined celebrations of the two festivities drove home the message of religious harmony, unity and tolerance in the young minds of the students.

While Prophet Ibrahim and King Mahabali stood side by side with their messages of sacrifice and selflessness, obedience and love, on the other hand the children tapped their feet to the beats of Thiruvathira and Duffmuttu synchronously, says a press release.

The students presented the story

ROUND-UP

The expo will provide a great opportunity to

the facilities made available for its members.

The ambassador expressed his appreciation and satisfaction over the aggressive modernization activities in the club under

and importance of Eid and Onam at the special assembly. The boat race, group song and traditional swing typical for Onam were also

depicted. Earlier in the week the staff had their Onam celebrations with fun games and a delicious Onam sadya prepared by the staff.

MUSCAT: The third edition of EduTraC Oman is well on its way and this time will take place in the newly built state-of-the-art Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre from October 18 to 20.

The expo is supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Education – National Career Guidance Center and Ministry of Manpower.

As the name suggests, EduTraC Oman, will be a platform for higher education institutions, training institutes and recruiting companies from around the globe to network with students and parents who are seeking for study abroad options and also for job seekers in Oman, says a press release.

The expo will provide a great opportunity to higher education institutions and training providers to strengthen their position in the Oman market, says a press release.

The higher education pavilion will stage institutions from Oman and foreign countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Spain and many more.

There are 45 universities from the UK, 15 from the USA, 10 from Malaysia, 4 from Cyprus, 2 from Lebanon and other universities from various other countries.

Training institutes and com-

ACCOLADE

panies with job openings are also really keen on their participation in EduTraC Oman. The first two editions of EduTraC Oman proved to be really successful for organisations - both local and international, and they are really looking forward to the third edition.

The excitement is also due to the new venue where EduTraC Oman will be held this year.

The exhibition is supported and sponsored by various high quality institutions. US Embassy in Oman, EducationUSA, British Council,

Ministry of Education and Culture – Cyprus, Study in Cyprus, The Training Gateway, AIESEC Oman and Jisser Oman are the valuable supporters of EduTraC Oman.

Polyglot Group is the diamond sponsor while college of Banking & Financial Studies and Oman Arab Bank are the platinum sponsors. The gold sponsors are Muscat University, International Maritime College Oman, Waljat College of Applied Sciences, University of Glasgow, University of Huddersfield, Temple University, University of Cincinnati, Nova Southeastern University, Institute of Cost and Management Accountants Oman, and Samara Training Services. Visitor bag sponsor of the exhibition is Aberystwyth University and visitor badge sponsor is Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Expressing his gratitude for being able to organise EduTraC Oman under the support of the ministries Salim bin Omar bin Sulaiman Al Hashmi, chairman of Al Nimr Expo, said, “EduTraC Oman is one of the Sultanate’s most important higher education exhibitions to take place and it will really nurture and improve the quality of workforce that will be running the country in the coming years.

EduTraC has established itself as a high quality event and I am sure we will live up to expectations in the coming edition”.

Muktar Mirza, project director of EduTraC Oman expressed his sincere thanks to the Ministry of Higher Education and Ministry of Manpower for supporting the expo and working together to help organisations from around the world to reach out to the youth of Oman.

EduTraC Oman is organised by Al Nimr International Exhibition organizers.

CSR PROGRAMME

Voltamp receives top AIWA Awards MUSCAT: The Voltamp Group has won two top honours at the sixth edition of the AIWA awards 2016 held recently at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel.

While Voltamp Energy was honoured as the top performing company in the mid-cap segment, Voltamp Transformers Oman was awarded the ‘Best Manufacturer of the Year’ award at the glittering function attended by the who’s who of the business community and other dignitaries, says a press release.

Engineer Hasan Abdawani, CEO of Voltamp Energy, received both the awards.

“On behalf of the entire Voltamp team, I feel honoured to receive the prestigious AIWA awards.

Voltamp has always believed in business excellence, and continues to remain committed to unparalleled customer service and product innovation and diversity.

Voltamp has won AIWA awards in the previous editions as well, which only proves the consistency in performance and our mettle as

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the Sultanate’s leading manufacturer in the energy sector,” Eng. Hasan said on the occasion.

Voltamp got the top performing company award based on its excellent performance during FY 2015, measured against seven key financial parameters.

The AIWA awards are instituted

by Alam al-Iktisaad Wal A’mal (AIWA), Arabic business magazine in Oman.

Voltamp has been winning top AIWA awards for the last few years in a row. Last year, Voltamp En-

ergy had been conferred the ‘Best Performing Company’ award in the small cap segment at the fifth edition of the AIWA Awards, while its CEO Eng. Hasan Abdawani was conferred the ‘Best Transformation Leader’ award.

The year before, at the fourth AIWA awards, Voltamp’s chairman Qais Bin Mohamed Al Yousef received the ‘Most Outstanding Entrepreneur’ award.

Voltamp is a leading local manufacturer of power and distribution transformers, medium-low volt-

T O K E N O F A P P R E C I AT I O N

age switchgears and packaged substations in the MENA region with manufacturing facilities in Sohar and Rusayl.

Its engineering services division caters to the repairs, installation, commissioning and maintenance services.

Voltamp’s trading division deals in various products such as bus duct, C&R panels, NERs, etc. The group consists of three strategic business units Voltamp Power, Voltamp Transformers Oman and Voltamp Energy.

DHL celebrates Eid with physically challenged kids

MUSCAT: DHL team visited Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability and spent time with the children and gave away Eid gifts.

DHL Global Forwarding is working together with Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability to support the needy in society, says a press release.

Roy Scaria, country manager,

DHL stated, “This is a part of our social responsibility and we have an internal programme called ‘Go-Help’, which is an initiative to support society.”

Dr.Sabah Mohammed Al Bahlani, CEO of Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability, was also present on the occasion and extended his gratitude to DHL for the support to the association.

M AT H G E N I U S

Olympian Sakshi Malik honoured with Shifa Al Jazeera gold medal

Young math prodigy of ISAS receives top honours in India

ROHTAK (HARYANA): Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik was honoured by the GCC based Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Group with gold medal for her stupendous performance at the Rio Olympics.

Indian freestyle wrestler Sakshi Malik is the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in wrestling as she pulled off a sensational 8-5 victory to clinch the bronze in 58-kg category at Rio Olympics.

The super girl of India was awarded with 10 sovereigns worth of gold and certificate at a function held at Sakshi’s house in Rohtak village of Haryana, says a press release.

Usha Karumathil, principal of Aura Edify School Perinthalmanna, gave away the award to Sakshi Malik on behalf of Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Group chairman Dr. KT Rabeeulla. Sakshi’s parents Sukhbir Malik and Sudesh Malik, her brother Sachin Malik,

MUSCAT: Proving the fact that she is a ‘cut above the rest’, Pooja Dharmasa Pawar, a student of Indian School Al Seeb, created a niche in the hall of fame when she received the rarest honour recently at 29th International Conference of Jangjeon Mathematical Society on Number Theory, Special Functions and its Applications, at Pondicherry University, India.

Pooja, a 9th grader in the school, presented a paper entitled, “Formulation of exponent of number as sum of consecutive odd numbers, based on positional difference of number and its applications”.

Her father Dr. Dharmasa said Pooja’s achievements of related to the conference to the school and said that this momentous event was inaugurated by the vice chancellor of Pondicherry University and was attended by 140 participants and 22 international and 20 national, renowned resource persons from the field of Mathematics, says a press release.

KPM Sakkeer, KT Abdul Haque Thirurngadi, both from Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Group, Malayalam news editor Musafir Elamkulath, and AT Yousafali of Delhi Centre for Physics of Space and Time attended at the function.

While expressing her gratitude to Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Group and its chairman Dr. KT Rabeeh for encouraging sportspersons, Sindhu said she is wishing to visit Kerala and disclosed that she met Tintu Luka, Indian track and field athlete at the Rio.

Indian sports stars P.V. Sindhu and Sakshi Malik did their nation proud by winning Olympic silver and bronze in badminton and wrestling respectively at Rio Olympics.

P.V. Sindhu was honoured by the Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Group with gold medal recently at a function held at Gopichand Nimmagadda Prasad Badminton Academy in Hyderabad.

Shifa Al Jazeera Medical group is the leading health care conglomerate in the Middle East.

Pooja Dharmasa, the youngest participant there, presented her paper beginning with a critical analysis on Literature Review and then introduced her new way of ordering odd-sequence of number to develop a generalised formula and an innovative equation. Like a true mathematics wizard in the making, she also presented its 2-Dimensional and 3-Dimensional applications using binary-tree in the field of Engineering such as – planning large residential buildings, computer networking etc.

Further, she demonstrated the various 3-D puzzle modules also.

The complete presentation was highly lauded by all, especially by the famous mathematicians such as Professor Bruce C Berndt, University of Illinois, The USA, Professor Taekyun Kim, Kwang University, Korea, Professor Aswath Narayan, Astro Mathematics Research Centre, India and Professor Bhargava of Mysore University.

Prof. Bhargava claimed that this young, confident mathematician will play a highly significant role in the global scientific research and innovations.

When asked, Pooja earnestly appreciated and thanked the School’s Management Committee, the principal and her maths and science teachers who have always encouraged her questioning spirit and facilitated her in the most suitable manner. The principal commended Pooja’s efforts and expressed his elation at her achievement and motivated the students to strive towards innovative and creative thinking.

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al Mazyona monthly prize draw held in Musannah The exclusive monthly prizes for asalah priority banking customers included two prizes of OMR50,000 each and two prizes of OMR25,000 each for al Jawhar privilege banking customers

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, celebrated the monthly prize draw of al Mazyona Savings Scheme in the wilayat of Musannah in which customers won high value prizes ranging from OMR10,000 to OMR50,000.

Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Balushi, member of Majlis Ash’shura representing the wilayat of Musannah, picked the lucky winners at the event attended by the bank’s premier banking customers and management team members.

The monthly draw was a day of high rewards for premier banking clients. The exclusive monthly prizes for asalah priority banking customers included two prizes of OMR50,000 each and two prizes of OMR25,000 each for al Jawhar privilege banking customers.

The monthly prize draw also rewarded 28 customers covering all the regions who won OMR10,000 each. As on date, with a total prize money of OMR10 million, al Mazyona, the Sultanate’s flagship savings scheme guaranteeing more for everyone to share,

offers the biggest prize money in Oman and the region, ranging from OMR1,000 a week to OMR10,000 a month, RO 100,000 every quarter and RO 500,000 at the end of year.

Abdulnasir Al Raisi, DGM premier banking, said, “The series of big prizes from Bank Muscat is the major attraction of al Mazyona which offers fair and transparent winning chances for all segments of customers across the Sultanate. al Mazyona reaffirms the bank’s vision and constant efforts to fulfill the aspirations and ambitions of the largest banking family in Oman. With attractive weekly, monthly, quarterly, special and year-end prizes, the popular scheme offers high-value prizes throughout the year to maximum number of customers in all regions. Committed to enhancing banking services to the high saving premier segment, the bank’s strategy focuses on differentiated and specialised banking experience distinguishing premier banking clients from competitors.”

Premier banking customers are eligible to participate in all al Mazyona weekly, monthly, quarterly and special prize draws.

Besides monthly prizes, asalah priority banking customers are entitled to two exclusive quarterly prizes of OMR250,000 each and a jackpot OMR500,000 year-end prize while prizes reserved for al Jawhar privilege banking customers include two quarterly prizes of OMR50,000 each.

Reaching out with a powerful call for savings, al Mazyona offers exclusive prizes for different segments, including women, children, youth and high saving customers across all regions of Oman. Adding excitement to festivals and national celebrations, the 2016 savings scheme also rewards customers with special prizes, besides aspirational prizes of OMR1 million to be shared by two customers at the end of year.

An exclusive draw for Zeinah women customers coinciding with Omani Women’s Day is a highlight

in which 10 customers will be rewarded with OMR10,000 each. On the occasion of the National Day, a special draw will be held offering OMR10,000 each for 10 winners.

The eligibility for al Mazyona prize draws is to maintain a minimum balance of OMR100 which entitles customers to win OMR1,000 every week. By maintaining a minimum balance of OMR 1,000, customers are eligible win the OMR10,000 monthly prize, OMR100,000 quarterly prize and the grand prize of OMR500,000 at the end of the year. For every OMR100 balance, customers get 1 chance to win – so with OMR1000, they get 10 chances to win. The more the saving, the better the chances to win. al Mazyona continues to be the only savings scheme to recognise and reward loyalty for customers based on their association with the bank. For example, if a customer has been saving for five years, his chances of winning get multiplied by five times and similarly if he has been maintaining al Mazyona savings account for 20 years, his chances get multiplied 20 times and so on. This benefit is unique only to al Mazyona savings scheme holders and no other bank offers this loyalty reward.

The double-your-salary scheme is another attraction of 2016 al Mazyona savings scheme which entitles customers maintaining a salary account with the bank to win a free bonus salary month after month with no maximum cap on the salary amount. The salary prize scheme is open to all customers with a minimum monthly salary of OMR500. For instance, a customer whose salary is OMR500 can win an additional salary prize of OMR500 whereas a customer whose salary is OMR3000 can win back an equivalent bonus salary of OMR3000 and so on. In all, there will be 30 winners every month who will gain a bonus salary with al Mazyona savings account.

SHARIAH-COMPLIANT FINANCE

Maisarah launches exciting new travel finance solution MUSCAT: Adding to its wide range of financial solutions, Maisarah Islamic Banking Services of BankDhofar has announced the debut of its Travel Finance facility that is tailored to fulfil the needs of customers who wish to avail Shariah-compliant travel solutions.

Elaborating on the newly launched product, Jamsheed Hamza, executive manager and head of retail at Maisarah Islamic Banking Services said, “Under this product, Maisarah finances all costs of traveling, including transportation (flights, ferries, railways, buses, car rentals etc.) and accommodation (hotels, apartments, chalets, lodges, cottages, holiday homes). The facility also covers tourism packages (sightseeing trips, tickets to museums, historical places) in addition to Hajj and Umrah packages with all the ser-

vices offered by travel agents such as accommodation, transportation, food, etc.

Similarly, those who are travelling for health tourism, which are packaged through travel agencies, can also avail this facility. Moreover, the finance package includes Life Takaful and Travel Takaful.”

Maisarah’s Travel Finance now gives customers the flexibility to avail better packages and destinations as well as the capability to take extended family members for the trip. The Islamic banking services provider is committed to cater to the needs and requirements of its retail and corporate customers across the Sultanate by expanding its diverse array of customised Shariah-compliant products and services.

“This product has been developed to add more convenience

to our customers and help them finance their travel costs in a Shariah compliant manner. It is based on the Islamic financial principle of Service Ijarah where Maisarah purchases the services and leases them to customers. The product is available for Omani nationals and expatriates with valid residence visa as per the regulator’s terms and conditions. It is a very easy and convenient facility with the fast approval, simple process and flexible finance period of up to three years,” he said.

The Travel Finance facility adds to the wide range of Islamic financial solutions, innovative products and best-in-class services that Maisarah offers to cater to the needs of its customers. These solutions include: credit card, home finance, auto finance, goods finance, personal finance, education fi-

FOOD SAFETY

nance, transactional finance, prize account, savings account, current account, fixed deposit, Ameen term deposit, call account, working capital finance, goods finance, property finance, equipment and project finance, Wa’ad product (alternate to forward cover), as well as trade financing solutions such as letter of credit and letter of guarantee services. Maisarah celebrated the inauguration of five new branches this year, bringing the total number of the Islamic banking window branches to 10 branches.

As part of its future growth plan, the Islamic banking service provider plans to distinguish itself by focusing on prominent customer service, developing and launching new products, and investing in technology to provide the best customer experience in timely and convenient manner.

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Bank Sohar’s Credit Card Usage Promotion ends with final draws MUSCAT: Having completed the final month of its Credit Card Usage Promotion, Bank Sohar recently conducted its third and final set of draws announcing the names of the final 30 winners of the promotion. The promotion which was launched on May 15, and ended on August 15, has now seen 90 lucky winners in total receive cash back of up to OMR300 on their spends each.

The final draws of the promotion were conducted at the Bank’s Bahla branch alongside the monthly Al Mumayaz Savings Scheme draws, in the presence of Khamis Masoud Al Rahbi, senior AGM and acting head retail banking, Amour Al Habsi, the district manager of interior district and Hamed Nasser Al Hinai, senior branch manager of the Bahla branch. The names of the winners have been posted through advertisements issued by the bank and on its social media pages, says a press release.

Commenting on the promotion, Khamis Masoud Al Rahbi, said, “With our Excel Credit Cards, we are always looking for additional ways in which to make shopping more rewarding for our customers. A promotions such as this is just one such example that makes for a great addition to the bevy of other features and benefits our range of Excel cards provide; which also include the Internet Easy Payment Plan (IEPP) offer and the Bank’s ‘Mukaaf’aat Al Mumayaz’ Cards Loyalty Program for Excel Platinum Credit Card, Excel Diamond Infinite Credit holders.”

The now concluded threemonth long promotion introduced a rewarding way to shop using any Bank Sohar Excel Classic, Gold, Platinum, Internet or Infinite Credit Cards. For every minimum purchase of OMR20, either through Point of Sale (POS) or over the internet, customers were automatically entered into a monthly draw.

Each draw saw 30 customers win cash back on their winning purchase amounting to a maximum of up to OMR 300 each.

With three draws in total, the promotion has now seen 90 winners strike it lucky.

Furthermore, customers who spent more than OMR1,000 on a single transaction at any time during the offer period will have their annual credit card renewal fee waived.

Congratulating the winners, Khamis Al Rahbi added, “On behalf of the bank I would like to congratulate each of the 90 winners of the promotion. I would also like to thank all of our customers who participated in the promotion and for their continued patronage of our bank.”

Aside from its regularly held

promotions, all Bank Sohar Excel Credit Card Holders benefit from the Bank’s Interactive Easy Instalment Plan (IEPP) offer.

As part of the offer, customers can enjoy the ease of payment and the convenience of converting purchases into three, six or 12 months instalments at 0% interest. In addition, purchases made via any Bank Sohar premier credit card – the Excel Platinum Credit Card, Excel Diamond Infinite Credit Card Cards, are eligible for the bank’s Card Loyalty Program - ‘Mukaaf’aat Al Mumayaz’. This programme allows card holders to accumulate one point for every OMR1 spent using their credit cards for transactions made internationally. These points can then be redeemed as cash at the rate of OMR1 for every 100 points accumulated.

Alongside these promotions and offers, Bank Sohar Excel Credit Cards also provide an array of other benefits to customers including travel insurance, purchase protection, zero lost card liability, free priority pass and online shopping security via verified by Visa, and much more.

Bank Sohar credit cards are also accepted worldwide for making payments and can also be used for cash withdrawals at more than 800,000 ATMs globally.

Together with its Excel Credit Cards and other market leading retail products and services, Bank Sohar provides an extensive network of 27 conventional branches with 50 ATMs across the Sultanate. In addition, customers can also avail of convenient cash withdrawal services at over 1,000 ATMs across the country operating under the ‘OmanNet’ platform.

The bank’s ATMs at Buraimi and Shinas border continue to operate with the ‘Dirhams Dispensing’ facility; thus adding immense convenience to businessmen who travel and transact business across the border on a regular basis, as well as to customers who visit the United Arab Emirates. The bank’s customers enjoy the advantage of a cash deposit facility at all branch ATMs as another value-added service. In addition, the bank’s e-channels, encompassing SMS banking, internet banking services and a specialised mobile banking application for Android and iPhones, allow customers to access their bank anytime and from anywhere.

D E L I C I OU S T R E AT S

McDonald’s Oman brings expert A’Saffa Zingle chicken range offers tasty fillets, lollipops and drumettes to share brand’s best practices MUSCAT: Underlining its continuous commitment to food safety and hygiene standards, McDonald’s Oman (Al Daud Restaurants) is a sponsor of the Oman Food Safety Conference 2016, bringing in a food safety expert who will impart knowledge about the brand’s best practices.

Abdulhadi Helal Lutfi Abuzahra, McDonald’s director for quality assurance, will be presenting an industry case study on restaurant’s perception of food safety - what does it mean and what are the best practices.

Abuzahra is a nutrition and food technology graduate with 15 years of experience in the field of quality assurance in quick service restaurants, says a press release.

McDonald’s food safety is an ongoing process governed by rigorous, scientific food safety and quality assurance standards, from

the ingredients that go into the production of wholesome foods, to the processing, packaging, transporting, cooking and serving stages. This is the brand’s essential pre-requisite of the business and its heritage as the world’s leading food service brand.

Ali K. Daud, development licensee and president of Al Daud Restaurants, said, “Food safety and hygiene standards are at the core of McDonald’s philosophy.

McDonald’s Oman takes pride on being part of this year’s food safety conference, an event that helps us demonstrate and promote awareness about the importance of food safety in the local community and help strengthen the food safety practices as a whole.”

The food safety conference is scheduled to be held on September 20 to 21 at the Oman International Exhibition Center alongside the Food and Hospitality exhibition.

MUSCAT: Renowned for providing the Sultanate with tasty, healthy and pure food products for over a decade, A’Saffa Foods, Oman’s largest fully integrated poultry producer and the largest producer of snack food and allied products has a tasty range of chicken products under the A’Saffa Zingle range; that comprises fillets, drumettes and lollipops that are available at leading supermarkets across the country.

Immensely popular with families that enjoy crispy and spicy chicken, the A’Saffa’s Zingle chicken range is quick and convenient to cook and is hygienically processed from the purest, premium natural ingredients, and aromatic spices.

Marinated for optimal tenderness the A’Saffa Zingle chicken fillet is specially formulated to cook evenly and is a favorite with the young and old. Made from

the middle and sometimes inner segments of chicken wings, the Zingle chicken Lollipops, serve as an appetizing and tasty starter at meal times. Part of a chicken wing that looks like a mini-drumstick the savory Zingle chicken drumettes on the other hand is a perfect main-course accompaniment, says a press release.

A’Saffa’s head of marketing and sales, Sidhartha Lenka said, “A’Saffa Zingle chicken fillets, lollipops, and drumettes are superior in taste, and are tender and crispier than any of their contem-

poraries in the market. The range has been produced using the latest research and studies, making a crispy and spicy dish for families whilst keeping in mind the brand’s tasty, healthy, 100% natural and pure stance.”

Lenka continued, “A’Saffa has already established a strong market share in the poultry and snack food category in Oman and in the GCC due to the taste and quality of our chicken products.

Customers can buy our products with peace of mind, as we are the sultanate’s pioneers and an acknowledged leader in the production of quality poultry and Snack food products; rapidly growing our international presence in the GCC and beyond.”

In addition, A’Saffa Foods has a wide range of processed chicken and beef products under the brand names of Khayrat and Taybat.

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Improving Oman face ‘strong’ South Korea

‘KIWIS WILL HAVE TO PLAY BETTER TO BEAT INDIA’ New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi has no qualms in saying that Mumbai showed the visitors how to play in India and they will have to play better to beat the hosts in the Test series. >C4

FOOTBALL

Watford condemn United to third defeat in eight days LONDON: Manchester United suffered their third defeat in eight days as Watford, in a 3-1 victory, handed Jose Mourinho his worst run as a manager in a decade.

Goals from Etienne Capoue, Juan Zuniga and a late penalty from Troy Deeney overwhelmed the visitors, who had levelled with a solitary strike from Marcus Rashford.

For all their possession, United were unsettled by Watford’s harrying game and went behind on 32 minutes after Anthony Martial, still groggy from an earlier clash of heads, was robbed by Miguel Britos.

Daryl Janmaat picked up the ball and crossed for Capoue to fire his fourth goal of the season.

A half-time switch, which pushed Wayne Rooney further forward, settled United and they equalised on 62 minutes when Rashford scrambled the ball home after his header bounced

back to him off a defender.

Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes denied Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a flying save but United always looked vulnerable and Zuniga scored from a cutback

by Roberto Pereyra less than a minute after coming on.

Zuniga was then brought down

by Marouane Fellaini inside the area late on to allow Deeney to score from the spot.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace beat struggling Stoke City 4-1 with defenders James Tomkins and Scott Dann both scoring from set pieces in a three-minute first half spell.

James McArthur and Andros Townsend also scored for the Londoners before Marko Arnautovic grabbed a consolation goal for the Premier League’s bottom team in the dying seconds.

Charlie Austin scored the match-winner in Southampton’s 1-0 win over Swansea City.- Reuters

CRUCIAL MATCH: Oman under-16 team pictured during a training session. – Supplied photo

On the eve of the crucial match against the Koreans, Oman coach Yacoub Al Sabahi spoke about the need to improve furher and their aim to build on their strong start to AFC U-16 Championship

MUSCAT: Oman, who began their campaign in the AFC U-16 Championship in India with an easy 3-0 victory over Malaysia, are hoping for an even better performance in their second Group C match against South Korea on Monday.

On the eve of the crucial match against the Koreans, Oman coach Yacoub Al Sabahi spoke about the need to improve fuhrer and their aim to build on their strong start to championship, according to news posted on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website.

Arshad Al Alawi and Yousuf Al

Malki were both on the scoresheet as two-time winners Oman eased to a 3-0 victory over Malaysia in their opening tie at the continental competition to move to the top of the Group C standings.

But two-time champions Oman are likely to come up against much stronger opposition in the form of the 2014 runners-up, who will be desperate to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 reversal to Iraq in their tournament opener.

“We need to continue to improve our level because our next opponents are very strong,” said

Al Sabahi. “It’s not easy because when we are talking about Korea Republic and Iraq, they are always among the best teams in Asia. I only saw 10-15 minutes of Korea’s game (against Iraq) but they are strong and a very good team.

“But I think we can do better (than the first match). We made some mistakes and we want to correct them during our preparation for the next game.”

Tournament heavyweights Korea Republic, meanwhile, took a first-half lead through Jeong Chan-Young against Iraq, but a pair of penalties either side of the interval from Muntadher Mohammed condemned the young Taeguk Warriors to a narrow defeat.

And already trailing their opponents, and Iraq, by three points, Seo Hyo-Won’s side will need to up their game if they are to maintain their chances of reaching the quarter-finals for the third successive time.

“We need to work on helping the players feel better on the pitch so they can feel confident and play the way they did in our preparation

I N S L O VA K I A

Oman finish fifth in World Endurance Championship MUSCAT: Oman settled for the fifth place in the 2016 World Endurance Championship in Slovakia on Saturday.

According to information received here, Spain won the top honours in both the team and individual competitions.

In a 160km race, which saw participation of 132 riders from 46 countries, Oman’s Saleh Al Balushi won the 10th place in the individual category finishing the race in seven hours, 42 minutes and 31 seconds.

A total of three Omani individual riders completed the race, leading to the Sultanate finishing in the fifth place in the team competition.

Besides Saleh Al Balushi, the other Omani riders who completed the five-phase race were Faisal Al Farsi (7:59:40) and Sami Al Balushi (9:18:02).

TENNIS

Mayer helps Argentina end Britain’s Davis Cup reign GLASGOW: Argentina substitute Leonardo Mayer ended Britain’s reign as Davis Cup champions with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over Dan Evans in the fifth rubber of the semifinals on Sunday.

Mayer, who unexpectedly replaced in-form Juan Martin del Potro for the deciding match, propelled the South American nation into their first final since 2011.

Andy Murray, whose defeat by Del Potro in a five-hour thriller in the opening singles on Friday left Britain facing an uphill task, had pulled the hosts level at 2-2 by beating Guido Pella 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in the first of the reverse singles.

But Evans, ranked 53rd in the world, could not finish the job and Argentina secured a final showdown with Croatia, who had earlier beaten France 3-1.

In Zadar, Marin Cilic sent Cro-

atia into the Davis Cup final with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory against Richard Gasquet that gave the hosts a 3-2 win over France.

The world No. 11 relied on his big serve and his booming forehand to down Gasquet, who had given France the first point by beating Borna Coric on Friday.

Cilic levelled the tie on Friday when he saw off Lucas Pouille and he paired up with Ivan Dodig to give Croatia the lead with their win in the doubles against PierreHugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut on Saturday. Pouille beat Marin Draganja 6-4, 6-4 in the final match with nothing at stake.

Spain whitewash India In New Delhi, young Sumit Nagal showed spark in his game on Davis Cup debut before ‘breathing problem’ scuttled his vic-

tory march as India suffered a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of mighty Spain in the World Group playoff tie, here on Sunday night.

Up against the reigning Olympic and French Open doubles champion Marc Lopez, who does not play singles anymore, the 19-year-old Nagal dominated the proceedings under muggy conditions before losing 3-6, 6-1, 3-6 in the dead fourth rubber, that lasted more than two hours.

It was a mountainous task for Ramkumar Ramanathan to prevent a clean sweep since he had world No. 13 David Ferrer as his opponent. The Spaniard cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win to complete a dominating 5-0 win for his side even as Ramkumar fought his heart out, giving his all.

It is the 21st time that India has suffered a whitewash. - Reuters

for the tournament,” said Seo. “I don’t think we need to focus too much on the tactical side, but we want them not to be as nervous.”

Monday’s other Group C encounter pits 2014 quarterfinalists Malaysia against an Iraq team who showcased their early tournament credentials in their come-back victory over the Koreans.

“I think there will be more pressure and it will be more difficult for us to win the game,” said Malaysia coach Somasundram Periasamy.

“But we need to improve our game, play more positively when we’re in possession and make more forward passing.”

Iraq are appearing in their first AFC U-16 Championship since 2012, when they progressed all the way to the semifinals. A second successive win at the 2016 edition of the tournament will stand them in good stead for advancing to the knockout stages once more.

“We are now focused on the match against Malaysia and we want to try and win the group,” said coach Qahtan Chitheer. “Maybe this will be the decisive match.”

AL AROUBA WIN, AL NASR AND AL SHABAB IN 2-2 DRAW Al Arouba edged Rustaq while Al Nasr and Al Shabab played out a draw on the second day of the Omantel Professional League on Sunday. In a match played at the Seeb Sports Stadium, Al Arouba recorded a 2-1 win over Rustaq. In Salalah, local outfit Al Nasr were held to a 2-2 draw by Al Shabab. — ISMAIL AL FARSI/Times of Oman

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FORMULA ONE

Rosberg back on top after after pole to flag win in Singapore SINGAPORE: Germany’s Nico Rosberg celebrated his 200th Formula One race by retaking the championship lead from Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton after a pole to flag win in Singapore on Sunday.

After a chaotic start that brought out a safety car on the opening lap, Rosberg stayed clear of Red Bull’s late-charging Daniel Ricciardo at the floodlit Marina Bay Street Circuit. Triple world champion Hamilton finished in third place.

“The whole car was on the edge, it always is here in Singapore, so it’s very satisfying to finish like that,” Rosberg told reporters.

The German’s third victory in a row, and 22nd of his career, lifted Rosberg on to 273 points, eight

clear of Hamilton, with six rounds remaining and Australia’s Ricciardo a distant third on 179 in the title race.

Rosberg’s win was his eighth of the season and first in Singapore, a grand prix that has only been won by world champions until now.

The German had started two points behind Hamilton and, despite leading comfortably halfway though the race, crossed the line just 0.488 seconds ahead of Ricciardo after having to complete the last 28 laps on the same soft tyres.

Red Bull opted for a bold tyre strategy to put pressure on Rosberg late on and Ricciardo was eating into the advantage at roughly three seconds a lap in the closing stages but ran out of road

THRILLING WIN: Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg celebrates next to Lewis Hamilton after winning the Singapore GP on Sunday. – Reuters

before the chequered flag.

“Of course Daniel tried to pull one up on me with the pitstop at the end, we knew it was going to be tight but we got there so I’m

very happy,” added Rosberg, who opened a 43-point lead on Hamilton at the start of the season before falling behind when the Briton won six of seven races.

Overheating brakes Hamilton had his own private battle with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen behind the leading duo, the Briton losing third place to the Finn after a mistake on lap 34 but reclaiming the position with a timely pit stop to hold on to the finish.

“This weekend has been a tricky one for me but I’m just happy to get on the podium and get some points for the team,” Hamilton said.

“The brakes were way overheating so I had to slow down. Once I did my second or third stop we managed to sort it out.”

Last year’s race winner Sebastian Vettel drove brilliantly from last on the starting grid to claim fifth place in the other Ferrari, the German coming home ahead

of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso in a McLaren.

The safety car was deployed immediately after the start when Nico Hulkenberg’s Force India, eighth on the grid, suffered a heavy crash after making contact with Carlos Sainz’s Toro Rosso.

Rosberg got away cleanly to lead from Ricciardo, with Hamilton in third and Raikkonen behind him after Verstappen suffered a woeful start to slip back to eighth from fourth on the grid.

Mexican Sergio Perez was eighth for Force India with Russian Daniil Kvyat ninth for Toro Rosso. Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen scored the final point for Renault in only the second finish in the points for the team this season. - Reuters

Rashad gains from outing at APGC event in Taiwan Competing against the top players from across the Asia-Pacific region, Rashad Al Harthy paired up with Yi-Ting Chou, a female member of the Taiwan junior

‘LEARNT A LOT’: Omani talent Rashad Al Harthy. – Supplied photo

national team

MUSCAT: Oman is making inroads in the world of golf as junior Omani golfer Rashad Al Harthy recently competed against the best in the APGC Junior Golf Championships held in Taiwan.

With the annual championships set to be held in Hong Kong next year the experience was an amazing opportunity for 16-year-old Al Harthy to compete with some of the best juniors in the world.

Competing against the top players from across the Asia-Pacific

region over the three-day event, Rashad Al Harthy paired up with Yi-Ting Chou, a female member of the Taiwan junior national team.

Each team in the APGC Junior Golf Championships was comprised of one female and one male golfer with an age limit of 17 years old or under. Over the course of the championship, pairs played varying formats with better ball on the first day followed by foursomes and then finishing off with singles.

Rashad Al Harthy’s experience at the APGC Junior Golf Championships has inspired him to push harder to improve his game.

He mentioned: “When playing against the best it helps me understand what areas I need to focus on to improve. It was clear that I need to focus on my physical fitness as well as the technical aspects of the game. I was paired with a strong female golfer from Taiwan who I learnt a lot from, particularly in course management. I will take this experience and use it to develop into a stronger golfer” Rashad noted that the standard of golf during the championships was exceptional with the winning team from South Korea carding an incredible ten under par win-

ning on count back over the pair from Thailand.

“I have now been representing Oman for five years at junior level and year on year have improved my game. I appreciate all the support I receive from the Ministry of Sporting Affair, the Oman Golf Committee, the coaches and sponsors like Oman LNG who all have supported me from the first day I picked up a club,” he added.

With the game of golf still relatively new to the Sultanate, the Oman Golf Committee is launching a new school initiative to strengthen the growing golfing population.

The Chairman of the Oman Golf Committee, Mundhir Al Barwani is excited about the future of golf, noting, “We are currently working with schools to introduce golf to their pupils. As a sport golf is second to none when teaching children important life skills.

“We are keen to make the sport available to all children in Oman and have a clear structure that supports keen young golfers hopefully to the very top. Watching the development of Rashad and his performance at the APGC Junior Golf Championships is proof that we are going in the right direction.

Add to this Fahad Al Kitani’s recent participation in the Junior Open in Scotland and we can see Oman’s participation on the international golfing stage only increasing.”

M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

SPORTS Ahmad’s ORT on pole in Blacpain season finale Oman Racing Team was elevated into

It’s absolutely amazing to qualify on pole for the first time — unbelievable!

its justifiable first ever pole position in the hugely competitive Pro-Am class, provisionally

Ahmad Al Harthy

sixth overall, and

ORT racer

the squad now goes into the three-hour race with greater confidence

MUSCAT: Ahmad Al Harthy says the Oman Racing Team powered

by Motorbase is rightly confident ahead of the final race of the Blancpain Endurance Cup season at the Nurburgring, after the squad took its maiden Pro-Am pole position in a session badly affected by fog.

In the all-important final qualifying session at the German track, the No. 44 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 was steered to an excellent third in class by the team’s ‘Pro’ driver Jonny Adam but after the session a number of times

were disallowed as they were set under red flags.

As a result, The Oman Racing Team was therefore elevated into its justifiable first ever pole position in the hugely competitive Pro-Am class, provisionally sixth overall, and the squad now goes into this afternoon’s three-hour race with even greater confidence.

Championship organisers actually cancelled the first two portions of qualifying as a result of very poor visibility and the third session was further delayed with fog refusing to lift. One hour and 20 minutes after the scheduled start, the session finally got underway — although conditions were still far from ideal — and just four minutes into the run the red flags were shown with a car off the track.

At the re-start, Adam quickly

got down to business in the tricky, and slippery, conditions and with little more than four minutes to run he rocketed onto outright pole position.

As times fell further, with a minute left on the clock the red flags were shown with the Oman Racing Team Aston Martin ending the session third in Pro-Am and 14th overall, although that became Pro-Am pole soon after.

“It’s absolutely amazing to qualify on pole for the first time — unbelievable!”, said an ecstatic Ahmad. “We’ve been competitive all weekend, the team has done an incredible job with the car, and starting where we will is exactly where we need to be to try and end the year third in the championship.”

Beginning the weekend very smoothly on Saturday, during the

two practice sessions at the famous European track, Ahmad and teammates Adam and Devon Modell enjoyed some faultless preparation.

Arriving at the Nurburgring in confident mood, and with Scottish racer Adam on cloud nine after successfully defending his British GT Championship title last weekend at Donington Park in the UK, the Oman Racing Team trio performed strongly in qualifying and race trim.

Working through its planned program successfully during the opening Bronze test session, the squad also had a trouble-free outing in the subsequent free practice — a run which was shortened following a heavy impact with the barriers for a Team M-Sport Bentley Continental.

Ending the 90-minute run seventh fastest in Pro-Am, 18th quickest overall, the Oman Racing Team car was just 0.9 seconds shy of the outright pace. Carrying good confidence into the morning’s qualifying run, the Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs, Oman Air, National Bank of Oman (NBO), Barr Al Jissah and Omantel supported squad certainly confirmed its potential for round five of the season.

“We started off on Saturday with some good solid test sessions, we kept on developing and working on the car and we were very happy with where we ended up”, said Ahmad. “Like every other race weekend, we’re going into the race aiming to do the best we possibly can and we’re definitely in the best shape possible being on Pro-Am pole.”

FOOTBALL

Al Saadi inaugurates Barcelona Soccer Academy MUSCAT: Sheikh Saadi bin Mohammed Al Mardhouf Al Saadi, the Minister of Sports Affairs, officially inaugurated the Barcelona Soccer Academy on Saturday night.

The impressive inaugural ceremony, also attended by Dr. Fuad bin Ja’afar bin Mohammed Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, as well as sports personalities from across the Sultanate and a number of football fans, took place at the football ground of the Royal Hospital.

In his remarks, Sheikh Saad Al Saadi said: ““We are delighted with the launch of such an academy in the Sultanate.”

“This will be a good addition and will help in training young players for the future,” the Minister of Sports Affairs added.

Speaking on the occasion,

Haitham bin Murtadha Sultan, Managing Director of Barcelona Football Academy in Oman, detailed the Academy’s aim to further develop the skills of young

HOCKEY

Oman U-18 team suffer 6-1 defeat in Pakistan MUSCAT: Oman Under-18 team, who are currently touring Pakistan as part of their preparations for the forthcoming AHF Under-18 Asia Cup, suffered defeat in the second of their four-match Test series against their Pakistan counterparts on Saturday night.

According to information received here, Oman were handed a 6-1 defeat by Pakistan junior team at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore.

For the Sultanate squad, who managed to hold their hosts to a 2-2 fighting draw in their first match on Friday, the lone goal was scored by Adnan Abdullah in the 43rd minute.

That effort came too late for the visitors as Pakistan had already taken 4-0 lead in the first half. For Pakistan’s Naveed Alam and Afraz scored two goals each while Awais Rasheed and Khairullah one each.

The remaining two matches will be played on Monday and Tuesday.

The AHF U-18 Asia Cup takes place in Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka from September 24 to 30.

In the Asia Cup, the Sultanate squad are placed in Pool A along with hosts Bangladesh and India while Pakistan team are in Pool B along with China, Chinese-Taipei and Hong Kong.

football players in Oman and shape them into future stars.

Meanwhile, Oriol Bueno, CEO of Sports Motherland who run Barcelona Soccer Academy, while

expressing the hope to help local kids develop into good football players, said: “The current coaches at the Academy are from Barcelona club.”

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M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

SPORTS C O M M E N TA RY

The need of the hour is finding a young gun to fire with Rahul

A

fter knocking up 320 runs, which accounted for an impressive 80 per innings, in the 55th edition of the first class cricket tournament Duleep Trophy played in August-September, and hours after the Indian team for the home Test series against New Zealand was announced by the selection committee headed by Sandeep Patil on September 12, Gautam Gambhir broadcast his resolve in a midnight “I-mustfight” tweet.

Gambhir’s domestic performance has been outstanding, but Patil and his team, as well as captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble, were happy to stick with Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, with a red-hot KL Rahul looking ready to do just about anything, from opening the innings to batting at any slot the team would want him to and keeping wicket, making both Vijay and Dhawan feeling the

need to pull their socks up if they wanted to stay in the team.

Once the “disappointed but not defeated” sort of sympathy being whipped up by Gambhir gives way to logic that the Indian team would now require players who could fit into the Kohli scheme of things, the question that pops up is not charming.

And that is: could Vijay and Dhawan, or Rahul teaming up with either of the two by default, as it happened in the second Test against the West Indies, or by design, be the characters Kohli would need to make things happen away from home?

Vijay is past 32 and Dhawan is 31. Numerically speaking, a few more years of cricket is left in them, but Dhawan’s technical issues to deal with swinging, bouncing balls, and Vijay’s crisis of confidence after finding himself out of the playing eleven in the third Test against the WI even when he had recovered

from a thumb injury suffered in the first Test, might create a situation that could upset Kohli’s ambitious, aggressive foreign policy.

The best opening combination for India was when Virender Sehwag and Gambhir were at the top of their career. They were an awesome item for a pretty long time, for seven years or so, but the impact they created in 2004 and carried on for an excitingly long period of time to eventually emerge as the most successful openers for India with 4,412 runs in 50 Test matches averaging 52.52 had been on the wane since 2011.

Sehwag was the first to get the stick. He was dropped midway through the home series against Australia in 2013. Gambhir was dumped after the disastrous 2014 tour of England.

Inconsistency has been the name of the game put up by openers since then.

How Vijay and Dhawan don’t work the magic as a team can be guessed from their averages in away series. Vijay had impressive figures of 60 in Australia, 40 in England, 37 in South Afrcia and 12 in New Zealand, whereas Dhawan averaged 27 in Australia, 20 in England, 19 in South Africa and 53 in New Zealand.

The lone impressive away show from Dhawan came against New Zealand, and that was the only away series Vijay failed, which means the pair rarely clicked as a team on tours outside Asia.

One thing Kohli needs to try out his aggressive agenda is a good platform built, owned,

operated and gracefully handed over to the guys coming in at No. 3, 4 and 5. Something Dhawan and Vijay often failed to do as a pair outside Asia.

If and when the opening pair put up a bold, beautiful figure on the scoreboard, Kohli could come in where he wants to, at No. 3 or 4, and twist or tweak the plot. Rohit Sharma could then stride out into the middle at No. 5 or 6 and change the game, or finish it, in a session or much less.

Vijay and Dhawan might do well in the current home season, individually or in combination, but they may not be the right men for the team for a long run.

Rahul is. The new selection committee need to find and groom a youngster to pair with Rahul.

Unfortunately, it seems Rahul is getting the wrong messages. He thinks the gloves challenges may be thrown at him at any moment, so he’s trying to fit himself into the

role. That’s unnecessary. Wriddhiman Saha is doing all right, and if he is found wanting, the selectors are only spoiled for choice to find a new man to keep wicket.

What the team lacked in the last three-four years has been reliable, consistent openers.

When that happens, when Kohli and Anil Kumble could sort that part of the plot out and spot and groom a young man to walk out into the middle with Rahul to open the innings, other things would stand a far better chance of falling into place. At the moment, fortunately or otherwise, there’s very little to select from, and that’s both a challenge and an opportunity for Indian think-tank.

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

‘New Zealand will have to play better to beat India’

OMAN CRICKET

Ronchi felt there were more positives than negatives to take out of their match against Mumbai, the only warm-up match of ENHANCE HEROES: Noorul Riaz, left, and Mehran Khan. – Supplied photo

Raha rout Sinha, Enhance prevail over Al Turki MUSCAT: Raha recorded a massive 133-run victory over Sinha in a Muscat Pharmacy and Storessponsored Premier Division match at the Ministry of Sports Affairs ground on Saturday.

Batting first, Raha put on 316 for the loss of eight wickets in 50 overs. Former Oman national team captain Sultan Ahmed and Junaid Khan scored 92 and 73 runs respectively.

Nalaka Pathum claimed three scalps for Sinha.

In reply, Sinha were bowled out for 183 in 43.5 overs. Mayura Prasad top scored with 48. Zeeshan Siddique claimed seven wickets each for Raha.

Brief scores: Raha 316 for 8 in 50 overs (Sultan Ahmed 92; Nalaka Pathum 3/33) bt Sinha 183 in 50 overs (Mayura Prasad

48; Zeeshan Siddique 7/38).

Points: Raha – 3, Sinha – 0.

In another Premier Division match, Enhance Oman defeated Al Turki by four wickets on Friday.

Batting first, Al Turki were bowled out for 172 in 49 overs.

Suraj Kumar top scored with 59.

Mehran Khan claimed five scalps each for Enhance Oman.

In reply, Enhance Oman scored 173 for the loss six wickets in 41.1 overs. Noorul Riaz top scored with an unbeaten 58. Jay Odedera and Rahul Singh claimed three wickets for Al Turki.

Brief scores: Al Turki 172 in 49 overs (Suraj Kumar 59; Mehran Khan 5/15) lost to Enhance Oman 173 for 6 in 41.1 overs (Noorul Riaz 58 n.o; Jay Odedera 3/35). Points: Al Turki - 0, Enhance Oman – 2.

the team’s India tour

NEW DELHI: New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi has no qualms in saying that Mumbai, in the warm-up match, showed the visitors how to play in Indian conditions and they will have to play better to beat the hosts in the upcoming Test series.

Ronchi felt there were more positives than negatives to take out of the only warm-up match of the team’s India tour.

“I think getting used to the wick-

GETTING USED TO WICKETS: New Zealand’s Luke Ronchi, right, plays a shot during their practice match against Mumbai at the Ferozshah Kotla ground in New Delhi on Sunday. – AFP

et which was changing over three days (was one takeaway). It was deteriorating a bit with guys facing more spin towards the end and ball doing a few different things. Mumbai bowled and batted really well. I think we got some learnings from that. When they took us on in the final session yesterday, we were

not able to pull off our game plans.

There are lot of positives, couple of little negatives to sort out. We have a big series coming up and there will ups and downs,” said Ronchi.

The back-up opener smashed 107 off 112 balls on the third and final day of the game here on Sunday, making his case for selection

in the first Test to be held in Kanpur from September 22.

When asked whether their morale was affected after leaking 402 runs, Ronchi’s reply was a firm no.

“And we were playing in foreign conditions and they (Mumbai) know their conditions. The way they batted was (really good). They had a young 17-year-old (Arman Jaffer), who batted really well.

They showed us how you can play on these wickets.

“Spin is a big thing and they took our spinners down later in the day. They showed us what can be done on these wickets. They played brilliantly. We got to play better to bowl teams like these out and even better if we want to beat India,” said Ronchi, who has also represented Australia in international cricket.

The 35-year-old played his only Test in May-June last year. With the hundred, he has put the team management in a selection dilemma. As coach Mike Hession pointed out early, Ronchi is here as a back-up opener and could replace the out of form Martin Guptill for the first Test. - PTI

CRICKET

BCCI declares open tender for IPL broadcast rights NEW DELHI: Promising a “historic” new beginning, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on day announced an open tender process for allocating the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) global broadcasting rights for 10 years, a move that conforms to the Lodha Committee recommendations on transparency in business deals.

“We are happy to announce the tender process for IPL Global Media Rights (TV and Digital) for next 10 years,” BCCI President Anurag Thakur announced in a press conference here.

“IPL is now the fastest growing league, most popular cricket league in the world and sixth most popular sports league in the world so it is very important for us to

make it transparent when we announce the next tender process because it is going to be a historic bid in the history of cricket world.

“Talent meets opportunity is what is the tagline of IPL and in the last nine years, we have seen that the world has recognised IPL has their favourite league. Top most players want to participate and BCCI is proud to introduce this

league which others want to follow.”

Currently, the IPL’s media rights are held by Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI), a deal that comes to an end after the event’s next edition in 2017. As part of the process of bidding, BCCI said there will be no obligation for the Indian Board to accept the highest financial bid and BCCI retains the discretion to amend process at any time. - PTI

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

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DAILY GUIDE

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT WANTED Female Gynaecologist, Female GP- Two Female Staff Nurse (From India or Pilipino)and One Female Dental Assist and Female Lab Technician.

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ENG./TECHNICIAN Sales & Service Engineer – air conditioning, experience: minimum 4 - 5 years, should have knowledge about Oman market valid Oman driving license must.

Forward CV: muscatjobs2001@gmail.com Wanted Civil Engineer with minimum 3 years experience with valid GCC / Oman driving license.

Contact: 97991654 / 97991652 Kindly send CV at Email: construction@remasalseeb.com / remaschandran2020@gmail.com Required Civil Engineers experience more than 5 years.

Email : towershr70@gmail.com, Contact 24548382

MEDICAL Wanted Nurse & Physiotherapist to work in a clinic in Muscat. Contact – 99023006 Urgently required Doctor with MOH license for leave vacancy one month.

Contact: 97091664.

Required female GP, Gynecologist, Physician, Pharmacist for a clinic in Ibra. Contact : 99373493, jmjmedicare@gmail.com Required Doctors available experience - GP- ladies + Gents.

Email : towershr70@gmail.com, Contact 24548382 Wanted female & Male Nurse with or without license (good salary, food & accommodation with other benefits.

Contact 92989109, medicoport@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Require Marketing Executive for building material shop located in Saham. We are looking for a person with Oman Driving license having good experience in marketing and fluent in English.

Contact: 91339401 / 99352829 Indian Salesman indoor, knowledge in English & Arabic.

Contact: 93326636 MAGIC LAUNDRY OMAN seeks a part time SALES EXECUTIVE on commission basis. Interested candidates may please forward their resume to magiclaundryoman@gmail.com Dynamic Outdoor Sales Executive required for a building materials company in Ghubrah.

Candidates with release preferred.

Mail your resume to buildingmaterialsales007@gmail. com Required sales and marketing executive for a 4-star hotel in muscat. candidate with excellent communication skills and having 3+ years experience need apply. driving license will be an advantage. email: hoteljobsmuscat@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ADMIN Indian male 25 yrs , B.com , MBA , SAP (level-1) certified , 1 yrs experience in office administration on visit visa looking for placement in accounts , sales & marketing , logistics , storekeeper. Contact: 97914014 Young Omani male have experience 12 years as P.R.O, CLERK Helper Supervisor Admin Supervisor, H.R Manager have vocational M.B.A diploma in H.S.E, IT and P.D.O license, looking for H.R position or P.R.O part time or full time.

Contact: 95933288

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED ADMIN Indian male 25yrs, B.Com, MBA, SAP (level 1) certified, 1yr exp in Office Administration, on visit visa looking for placement in Accounts, Sales & Marketing, Storekeeper, Logistics. Contact: 97914014 Indian male MSW Management professional with 14 yrs experience in HR & Administration seeks suitable placement. Contact 92438185 Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817 Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+ experience in Administration/ HR, Customer Support, Office Coordinator with good Computer skill, Now on Visit Visa, looking for suitable position.

Contact 90196235 Egyptian woman resident, considerable experience in the Administration and Secretarial Executive for company. Contact : 97221126 Indian male 27 years, Masters in Hospital Administration with 3 years experience in quality assurance and JCI Implementation currently working with Aster group as Asst Manager in Quality Assurance. Contact : 98431213 vishnuvijjay14@gmail.com

ACCOUNTS 12 yrs Oman experienced Chief/ Senior Accountant seeks job, immediately available with release /NOC and D/L. Contact: 97385562 Indian male 3 yrs. exp. in India, knowledge in tally, sap, MS-office, now at Muscat in visit visa Gsm: 98328684 Indian female, M.Com, 4 yr’s experience in Accounts looking for Accountant/Asst. Accountant job.

Contact: 98418533 / 99338639 CPA 13 years experience (10 years in Oman) as Finance Manager, Chief Accountant, Senior Accountant, Cost Accountant & Internal Auditor, local transfer available.

Contact: 97220505 Accountant 13 years experience looking for suitable job full time/ part time. Contact: 95571165 Indian female, senior Accountant /ast.Finance manager having 15 years oman experience with d/l and noc looking for a suitable placement. Contact : 94838231 Indian male, B.Com, MBA in Finance, 4 yrs in Larsen & Tourbo, 26 yrs in Oman, English/ Arabic speaking with driving license. NOC available. Contact 95588565

ACCOUNTS Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: Anishkhan991867@gmail.

Com Mobile: +968 9565 9415 Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ finance field. On visit visa. Immediately available.

Contact 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job.

Contact 93953613, Emailallen.mathew83@gmail.com Indian/MBA/male Chief Accountant 18Yrs Experience, MIS, C.Flow, Budgeting, ERP, Cost accounting &Liasing with auditors. NOC available.

Contact: 92254691/97826674 email: khader2305@gmail.com Indian male 33 yrs B.com having 8 years accounts experience in Oman looking for suitable placement local release, NOC & valid Oman D/L are available. Contact: 98093515 / 97494322 Indian (M) MBA (F) more than 6 years of experience in accounts proficiency in various A/C software , SAP(F1/CO) seeking for suitable placement. Contact: 95920740 Email ID: abdulhameed1527@gmail.com Indian female, MBA (Finance & HR) 4+ experience in MNCS as a research analyst, looking for good job. Contact: 95299271 / 95124289 Exp in Internal Audit/ Accounts having 7+ yrs of work experience and 2+ Gulf Experience having valid Driving license looking for a job in Oman/Qatar/UAE. Contact:-+96890585685 or jobsingcc2016@gmail.com Sri Lankan Accountant B.Sc degree and CASL intermediate seeks suitable job vacancy. NOC available. Contact: 99649013 Accounts part time services available to handle all accounts up to finalization on monthly basis and finalization works.

Contact: 96247295 Indian female M. Com/CA lnter yrs experience. Contact: 94863876, E mail: jinumanickath@yahoo. com Indian female 26 yrs, MBA finance 2 yrs exp with MNC. Email: rilooozmali@gmail.com.

Contact : 90551366.

21, Indian female B.com graduate on family visa looking for immediate and suitable placement. Holds valid Omani Driver’s license.

Contact: 97208869 Accountant: Indian 10Yrs Exp upto finalization, Tally, Focus with Oman License. Contact : 92826842 Accountant 8Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084 Accountant Srilankan National Inter CA 3 yrs exp in finance on visit visa. Contact: 79049355.email: ahmedfiham777@gmail.com Finance Manager 16 years experienced chartered accountant (Sri Lankan) looking for a suitable post. NOC available.

Contact 92194926 Email: manomuscat@gmail.com

28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com 7 Years experience as Financial Analyst, MBA in finance. Responsibilities- research contributor, financial statement analysis, generating MIS & efficiency report, managing TAT, business & clients.

On visit visa in Muscat.

Contact 90191628 / 96175780

ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC. Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience.

GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com

DRIVER Sudanese Accountant, Alexandria University Graduate bachelor of commerce Diploma of Marketing professional photographer worked in PR and social media for 2 years looking for a job in public relations media, social media or marketing.Contact: 96976240 Indian female 28 yrs B.Com 4 yrs experience in MNC’s currently in Muscat seeking suitable placement in Finance / Admin.

Contact :94743790 Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE, Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store Keeper, Sales etc. Ready to join as early as possible. Contact 96988923 email:- sajith3969@gmail.com Certified Public Accountant (Filipino, Male, 27-yrs-old) with four years experience, seeking suitable placement in accounting/ audit, currently on visit.

Contact;94959606, email: czesar.42@gmail.com

Looking for a job as a Driver, with more than 5 years experience in Oman knows all the roads in Muscat, NOC available. Contact: 96685534 Light vehicle driver 8 years experienced. Contact: 94566432 Light driver. Contact: 99141481 Driver light 4 years exp, seeks job, English, Arabic, Urdu & Hindi.

Contact: 94356465 Driver with Car. Contact: 96048707 / 99716938 Driver with electrician 4 years experience looking for job.

Contact: 97456062 Light duty driver, exp 4 yrs experience, knows English, Arabic & Hindi. Contact: 94928736 Pakistani male light vehicle driver, 3 yrs exp. looking for job. Contact: 99373841 Need a driving job with 2 years experience in Oman.

Contact: 968 96771242 Driver looking for job.

Contact 95892363 Looking for job Light driver.

Contact : 98503237.

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN

Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately.

Contact 98263394

Free lance / part time autocad works / make boq 2d /3d arch , structural, shop drawings interior drawings. Contact 97103168

Indian (M), 31 yrs, M Com 9 yrs experience in Oman, looking for Manager or Executive position in Fin & Accounts, NOC Available.

Contact 968 96166178/ +919768537435: mohammednajeem@yahoo.com

Architectural Draftsman (4 yrs) experience seeking job.

Contact: 97706515 Graphic web designer, Indian male, looking for suitable vacancies having NOC and release.

Contact: 98461278

Accountant B.com Indian male 12 yrs exp seeks suitable job.NOC available . Contact : 91212471 Email: rennyj6@gmail.com

Architectural Draftsman (4 yrs experience) seeking job.

Contact: 91141879

ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance. Contact: 99284193

Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR. PH : 92279784

M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED PROJECT MANAGER,

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN

Contact- 00968-94731728/ josececy25@gmail.com

Indian Male MBA (UK)

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

9 years experience in Dubai/ London/Mumbai in Management Consulting, Sales & Marketing, Business Development for Real Estate/ Banking seeks similar placement with D/L.

B.Com,IICL Certified Container Inspector(No.150850),Visit Visa, Six months experience, need placement. Phone 90880935,99023279, Email solexyesudas@gmail.com.

Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

Architectural Draftsmen diploma in construction technology with 6 years experience in drafting and detailing as per British standard in Oman with valid Omani license looking for suitable opportunity Noc available.

Call 94375897.

DOMESTIC HELP House maid looking for job full time /part time.

Contact: 95799643

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Contact: 95168205

EDUCATION/TRAINING Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact 99739415 / 92091528 Mathematics Lecturer , Indian Female, M Sc Mathematics from a Prestigious University, B.Ed qualified, distinction holder with 6 yrs teaching experience in colleges.

Contact: 91360147.

Experienced Maths teacher bilingual AS, A, IB Thanwia Aamaa. Contact: 98016336.

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Civil Engineer 8 yrs exp in contracting & consulting field with Auto cad & D/L. Contact: 93060770 Indian male Civil Engineer from Central University, available on visit visa looking for suitable position. Contact 95621425 Emailmudabbirsjc@gmail.com Expat Female Graduate in BEElectronics & Communications seeks suitable placement. Contact 99119908 Indian Male, MSc Electronics, CCNA, MCITP (Server 2008r2), Hardware and Networking, Accounting Software Tally ERP9 with over 2 years experience in IT support, seeks suitable placement.

Has valid transferrable Saudi license and on visit in Oman. Contact 94513351 or obinkavumkal@ gmail.com B.E electrical 3 yrs Oman experience in construction MEP/ LV & HV lines, HVAC/ fire fight erection commission with NOC. Contact: 96335725 Mechanical / production engineer ( B.E) with 2 years exp as 3D CAD engineer skills , AutoCAD , solid works , 3D via composer , Pro E , Cad , Solid edge , presently in Muscat seeks placement. Contact: 92012405 / 97041071 Email: vishalpurushotham93@gmail.com Quantity Surveyor (QS)Srilankan, 6 years of experience (4 years Oil & Gas in Oman).

Contact- 98142760 Indian Automobile Engineer, 25 yrs with 4 yrs experience seeking suitable job, now in Muscat on visit visa. Contact 92077172 Indian female B. Tech 5 yrs exp in MNCs currently in Muscat, seeking suitable job in Sql & Plsql domain.

Contact: 93262829 B.Tech Electrical, Indian male 4 yrs exp in electrical field seeking suitable position. Now in Muscat on visit visa. Contact: 93528963 Email: lenish.kl@gmail.com.

BE mechanical engineer Indian male age 24, 2 yrs exp as piping supervisor has achieved QA/QC( level-2) in PE available in Muscat on visit visa. Contact: 92096389 Email: nithiner1992@gmail.com Civil Engineer with 2 years experience looking for job. Contact: 94771525 Lebanese Civil Engineer with 2 years experience looking for job.

Contact: 79079765 Indian male B.Tech instrumentation Engg with 4 years experience on visit visa. Contact: 95120545 Structural Engineer Indian female 12 yrs experience in bridges buildings design seeking suitable openings NOC available. Contact: 98923804

SENIOR JOINERY ESTIMATOR Indian male, 11 yrs experience in Oman looking for suitable placement in joinery/ fitout estimation or marketing.

Local release available.

Contact - 94541830, Email: estimator64319@gmail.com

B.Tech, MBA, PRINCE-2, British Citizen now available with NOC in OMAN. 25 yrs. exp in EPC Project Management of Oil & Gas, Pipelines, Refineries & Power Plants. Seeking job immediately/

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine.

Available NOC release.

Contact 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com Indian male Civil Engineer 1.6 yrs exp, having Omani D/L, looking for suitable position. NOC available.

Contact – 92157694 / mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Diploma in Mechanical Engg, 10 years exp in steel fabrication site work with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 94696192 Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrs exp seeks suitable position in a reputed company. NOC available.

Contact 96789711 B.E Mechanical Engineer, age 24 with almost 1 year experience as Production Shift Engineer, has achieved training on HVAC Engineering design and has good hands on software like AutoCAD and HAP.Currently in Oman on a visit visa, looking for a suitable placement.Contact: 95065955 email: mjs.jazeb@gmail.com An Iraqi civil with more than 30 years experience in (Iraq and G.C.C) looking for a job, (N.O.C) available. Contact: 96561306 Email: iq.bgd.mnsr@gmail.com Young Indian, Engineering in Bio-technology, Bio-chemical and Chemical, looking for a challenging placement in Oman.

Contact 97607000. Email: sivasankarjayakumar@gmail.com Indian male electrical engineer (MEP) design supervision consultant 12 yrs experience seeking suitable opening NOC available.

Contact: 96798962 Indian male 26 years on express visa seeking suitable position qualification automation system engineer BSC. Physics computer application aircraft maintenance engineering. Contact: 92469429 Email: appulalps@hotmail.com MEP Engineer 49 years Indian male with Omani driving license having 14 years experience in Oman seeking suitable basement, releases available.

Contact: 91268250 Omani seeks HSE position.

Contact 99326700, Email: jeeba23000@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, Indian, Male, 30yrs. Experienced in Steam turbines and Thermal Power house seek employment.

Contact - +91 8130553668 or mohamedshah7@gmail.com B-Tech Electrical Engineer 10 yrs exp in Oman / UAE / India as pre/ post QS(MEP)/MEP Coordinator seeking suitable job.

NOC available. Contact: 96505513, E mail : abyeee@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer: Indian male 28 years.6 years UAE experience in the field of MEP with valid UAE driving license.

Currently in Oman on visit visa.

Contact: 00968 98953932 shamnas.shaanukm@gmail.com Electrical Testing Engineer having 7years of Gulf experience expertise in testing & commissioning of electrical systems, presently on visit visa .Contact: 91228167 Civil Engineer, young Indian having almost 2 years experience looking for a challenging position seeks suitable position in Oman/ GCC. Please contact 92718490, Email ID: uvais.pk82@gmail.com

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

Contact – 90164912 Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in designing, assembling, commissioning execution etc having valid GCC license too looking for a suitable. Contact: 00968-98052942 Email: azamjeelani78@gmail.com Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).Looking for a Suitable position. Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa. Contact: 92157694. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com B.E / B.Tech, Civil Engineer 4-5 yrs experience.

Contact 93850875 / 95031239 Indian male 24 yrs, Mechanical Engineer, Diploma in MEP design, AutoCAD 6 months exp in automobile sales, worked as Supervisor in steel fabrication firm, on visit visa. email:advith.21@gmail.com Contact: 99077031 Indian female 30 yrs B Tech, MBA - IT 6 yrs work exp. in India & Oman, exp in conducting video conference, configuring automated solution systems, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 92689823.email:jobymees2014@ gmail.com Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs of exceptional exp in spear heading strategic planning and project management initiatives & executing various high rise residential & commercial building as well as roads and highway project with proficiency in installation, seeking a challenging position in a dynamic organization.

Contact 96570891 Indian male 24 ,B.E ( E.C.E ) graduate with 3 years of experience in the fields of BMS and Low current systems and has good knowledge about Electronic Security Systems, currently working in Oman, NOC Available.

Contact:- 94737033/ mohdmuhafez45@gmail.com Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784 Electrical Engineer, 24 yrs, Indian Male, Fresher, Training Undertaken in Electrical Draughtsman, Fire Alarm, Fire Fighting and Industrial Automation. Contact: 94989767, Email: Junaiz987@gmail.com Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman. Contact: 98921022 Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961 Indian male, Structural Engineer looking for job in structural design field. Having 6 years of experience in design field. Residing in Muscat. Contact: 91176187 Email: syam036@gmail.com Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity.

Contact: 93101283

Mechanical/ Piping Engineer (B.Tech.) on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 94703350 mail: nadeembcoolboy@gmail. com

Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+ yrs exp in Oman in sales (back office) & credit control with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable lacements. NOC available.

Contact 92066 523

Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973

Sudanese male bachelor geology and mining with 3 years experience in MUD logging and training in soil investigation.

Contact 92956848

Indian female seeking Software Engineer job, having 2 yrs exp in . NET staying in Oman at resident visa. Contact: 95473758

BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com

IT

MEDICAL

Oracle / SAP Developers with 6 yrs exp in IT, banking, and Administration domain skill: SQL, PLSQL, SAP BO / BI, SQL server, JBOSS currently in Muscat seeks placement. Contact: 92012405 / 97041071 Sandhya.p4@gmail.com

Filipino male Medical / Sales representative with 3 yrs experience is looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 92610394

Over 9 years experienced IT support professional looking for suitable opportunities (NOC available).

Contact: 97689128, Email: dd_mcp@hotmail.com IT professional, Indian male B.Tech (IT) with 4 yrs experience in HTML5, CSS3 Java script Php, My SQL, Word press opencast and Photoshop looking for a suitable position available in Oman.

Contact: 93528971 Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs exp in ERP, CSM Certified, seeking suitable role.NOC Available.

Contact : GSM : 90189284 Email: meetlibran@gmail.com IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India.

Contact: 94672759 Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area. Contact: 98660672 CFA level 1 cleared (pursuing level 2) MBA operations research, female, 5 yrs experience as Analyst, have a valid Oman driving license, looking for related openings.

Contact 95818892 Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. #93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Filipino Male, 28 years Old. Looking for job, Have experience in Rent a Car/ Cargo & Logistics / Real Estate/ Customer Care Executive / Sale Executive & Marketing/ Shop In- Charge. Hard working w/ good computer and communication skill.

GSM: 97761075 Filipino Graphic Designer / I.T. looking for a suitable job with 10 years experience. Very good in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Photography, Knowledge in CCTV & Access Controls.

Call 79042628.

Transport expert: Oman well experienced in automobile field with various capacities. Experienced in Transport operations, repair maintenance, vehicle registrations, traffic accidents, insurance driver’s safety trainings, IVMS ETC. Contact: 93215759 27 years Indian B.Tech/ BE holder, 2 years experience in teaching & 2 years experience in Networking field now on visit, seeking opportunities in both fields.

Fluent in English.

Contact: 94540639 Email: rajeeshchandran88@gmail.com Industrial microbiologist, 28, female, PG in industrial microbiology, diploma in HACCP, seeking for an opportunity in a well reputed firm.

Contact no. 93850928 email: sre143@gmail.com

Indian female, BSC Biochemistry, fluent in English, good computer knowledge, excellent communication skills with 15 yrs experience in Medical transcription field looking for suitable placement preferably in hospital and medical field. Contact: 93206658 Asst. Pharmacist (male) 8 years in Muscat looking for job with NOC, ready to work in Remote areas. Contact: 93977213 Iraqi Dentist female, MOH license seeks suitable job in clinic in Muscat. Contact 97891219 Pharmacist (female) passed Prometric 80% marks and dataflow completed having 3 yrs experience in Retail and Hospital Pharmacy, education Doctor of Pharmacy seeks job in Muscat.

Contact 95575270.

Veterinary Doctor: Indian Female looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 96906534 /99014885, Email: monishmajeed@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Looking for part time job Secretarial / Data Entry / Documentation available every day after 5:00 pm Friday / Saturday full day area preferred Ruwi/ CBD/ MBD / Al Khuwair. Contact: 90414827 Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment.

Call: 95244761

SKILLED LABOUR Indian male 44 years, 7 years experience in Oman as store keeper NOC available. Contact: 97142176 Indian male looking for job in plumbing, fire fighting & Supervisor.NOC available 17 yrs Gulf exp Contact: 94037530 / 91608797, E mail: jeetusingh500@yahoo.com 6+ yrs experienced Electrical Supervisor, experienced in HT,LT, on visa release available in Oman.

Contact: 95280565

SALES / MARKETING Immediately available with NOC. Indian MBA graduate (Male) with 5 of years experience in Sales & Marketing looking for suitable position, D/L available.

Contact 98891080 Indian male 26 years holding MBA with 2 years experience in Sales & Marketing (FMCG) looking for suitable position. Currently on Visit Visa.

Contact: 79050204, Email: jerin.kottanadan@gmail.com Indian male 35 years, B.com and 9 years GCC experience in Sales & Marketing (Transport & Logistic).

Having GCC driving license, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 92634281 email: shinojkk1224@gmail.com

Indian male with 6 years experience in sales in oman. NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95364128 Resident in Oman 18 years, 10 years experience in setup marketing plans and strategies, sales, import & logistics, procurement, Omani government tenders, organizing projects & events, import fireworks for festivals, NOC available, have car. Contact 94123939.

Email: 002015r@gmail.com Indian female Post Graduate in Masters in International Business (MIB) with a major in logistics and supply chain management seeking suitable entry level position within the industry. Contact: 91623103 B.Com Graduate Indian male having 1 years experience in Oman looking for job in purchase department or in sales deportment with valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 98093949 Indian male 26, MBA in marketing with 4 years experience in marketing and sales looking for suitable opportunities now in visiting visa, having valid GCC D/L. Contact: 98666324 / 98340790 Email: ajithjames@gmail.com Indian male 36 having 14 years experience GCC market in Sales, marketing holding Oman driving license (NOC available) looking for suitable opportunities.

Contact : 94261186 BBA Graduate looking for placement in sales & marketing having valid Omani driving license.

Contact: 96014839 / 99048052 Indian male 1 yr exp in sales automotive (TBL) looking for best opportunity , NOC available.

Contact: 97793879 Email: shyampkn@gmail.com Immediately available with NOC Indian MBA Graduate (male) with 4 years experience in sales & marketing looking for suitable position. Oman D/L available. Contact: 97436706 Email: ansam0691@ gmail.com 43 Yrs (Indian Male) MBA - Marketing; 20 years of work experience in Sales, Marketing, Operations & Management. Currently in Muscat on visit visa. Searching for a good job opportunity. Contact: 93985519, Email: anshuman28@ hotmail.com Indian Male,25 years, born and brought up in Oman,B.COM (Finance),MBA(Pursuing),with valid Omani driving License, presently on visit visa, fluent in English, Arabic(spoken),seeking suitable placement. Contact 92141645,arosh1991@yahoo.com BBA Bachelor of business administration exp in custom clearance procedure, also done international logistics management & Nimb National Institute business management (US) certification all documentation work related logistics. Contact – 91949050 / akram.chaush001@ gmail.com Indian male 26 years of experience of sales & marketing in surgical and laboratory equipments.

Looking for good replacement.

Contact – 92015894 /95774854 Lebanese, 38 yrs, MBA Master in Business Administration in Marketing, sales experience in GCC, UAE, Qatar. 17 yrs experience in Projects Management & companies, GCC driving license.

Contact 79045232, dr.sheaitani@gmail.com Indian male 37 years MBA graduate in marketing with 9yrs of experience in UAE in field of brand promotions & marketing with UAE D/L on a visit seeking suitable position.

Conatct 95792820 Business Development Manager Industrial commercial 7 yrs experience in Marketing, Sales, General Administration, well aware of Oman laws, Arabic Nationality with Architectural interior design back ground. Contact: 91308588

D6

M O N D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING Indian male age 24, B.Com. having 2 year experience and currently in visit visa. Looking for suitable placement in Sales, Marketing & finance. Contact: 90766307 Email: shhaazz.007@gmail.com Oil & gas experienced Indian lady with 6 years in sales & marketing to PDO and having valid Omani driving license. Contact 96143430 / 99875919 Indian male Engineering Graduate 6 years experience in Sales & Marketing in Oman with D/L & NOC seeking suitable openings.

Contact: 94386894 Email: tonykuravackal@gmail.com Indian male 42 yrs searching for suitable job, experience in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Saudi D/L holder, fluent in Arabic, English, Hindi Gulf experience 20 yrs manpower co-ordinator, sales & marketing, logistics. Contact: 90518114 Indian male 27 yrs, 7 yrs exp in Sales & marketing (FMCG) looking for suitable position, currently on visit visa. Contact: 71141234, E mail: mohamedjasfer@gmail.com Indian Male, MBA marketing 5 yrs exp. in sales & 4 yrs in FMCG sector, looking for best opportunity. NOC available. Contact: 96001877 Indian Male, 26 M.Com with 4 yrs of Experience in Accounting & Administration in a Financial Company in India, seeks suitable job, Currently in India.

Contact India:-+918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@gmail.com Indian male Graduate with 18 years of Marketing experience presently in Oman on family visit visa, looking for best opportunity.

Contact: 96168687 Email: dhibupaul@gmail.com Indian female 29 years Post Graduate with computer Knowledge 2 years of Oman experience in coordinator & 5 years of experience in customer service, client relation officer with excellent communication skill seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 95337665

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male 23 undergraduate having experience in restaurant field and having computer and internet skills searching for suitable position in sales, data entry operator etc. Contact:90801420 Gmail:anwaar223969@gmail.com Indian male Accountant.

Completed MBA with 1 year experience, good working knowledge in Tally & Excel. Searching for suitable job. Email: jovin8910@gmail. com, Contact : 919715874548 , 918015907437 33 years, Indian Male MSC, MBAHR having 8 yrs exp. (HR / Payroll / Admin) with Oman valid DL seeking suitable opening in Human Resource, Payroll & Admin/ backend jobs. Contact:00968- 99322978 Indian male 23 years completed BE in electrical engineering Looking for suitable placement.

Contact:alamalsuhail@gmail.com, Contact:+968 9968 2689 Indian male, 23 yrs. looking for suitable job my qualification is Diploma in Electronics, having 3 years of experience in the hardware and networking field.

Contact : - +96897017866.

Bangladeshi Electrical Engineer searching job in Oman. Contact 91997605, e-mail: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com Indian male AutoCAD Draughtsman (civil) 8 years experience seeking for part time job.

Contact no: 0096899070584, email: remluvp@gmail.com India, education is bachelor of commerce, experience in India & Oman as Sales & management. looking for a good position any kind of field. languages English, Arabic, Hindi. Contact 968 98718428 26 yrs old, male, Filipino, single, bachelor of science in information technology, looking for a job in any position around Muscat.

Contact 90672737 / 95721841.

Email : cianchay@yahoo.com 7 yrs hotel experience in customer service and sales. 2 years in call center customer service and sales looking out for job in retail for counter sales. Contact 71121806, e-mail:- joe.pet17@gmail.com Indian male Network Cabling technician (19-years Gulf experience) seeking for suitable placement. Contact : 0091-8089909265 (India),mail: mohithavp@gmail.com Indian male BBA Graduate, looking for any suitable post.

Contact: 97691779 Electronic Systems Engineer (UK Graduate) with skills in Robotics, Programming Languages, IC, PCB Design seeking suitable position, Indian female on Visit Visa.

Contact: 97848075 s.dinesh1508@gmail.com Indian male, MBA Finance & Marketing 28 yrs,6+ Exp, with oman D/L & NOC, Hospital ,Pharma, Herbal ,FMCG, F&B Marketing ,construction A/c & sales.

Contact 93379044 Indian male looking for job with driving license any field as driver also. Contact :90559292 10 years’ experience Lady Secretary, Worked in Oman leading companies seeks immediate employment. Call: 93095425 or 24791145 Looking for part time accounting, reconciliation, internal audit, capable of handling any accounts work up to finalization in most of the software independently, 4 yrs experience,contact:97654769 Indian male 26, Having 4 years of experience in Store Supervision & Store In charge looking for a suitable placement having N.O.C ready to join immediately.

Contact : 96671102, E-mail : parvez.mohammed16@gmail.com Indian male, 28years, B.techmechanical engineering with 6 years experience as project executive. holds valid UAE driving license. GSM: 93952127 Indian Male, 23 yrs, looking for any professional job vacancy my qualification is Diploma in Electronics an i am having 3 years of experience in the hardware and networking field an you can contact me on : - 97017866.

Indian male Accountant. Completed MBA with 1 year experience, good working knowledge in Tally & Excel. Searching for suitable job. Email: jovin8910@gmail. com, Contact : 919715874548 , 918015907437

Electrical Engineer (DEE), Having 17 year Experience (14 year in Gulf), Experts in Estimation, Design, Planning and construction activities of MEP work, seek Similar Placement with D/L & NOC Available. Contact: 97007489

Mechanical/Production Engineer, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified.

Contact 0091 9895233155, arn9895@gmail.com

Indian/male (26) / MBA/2 years experience in Procurement, Coordination and distribution management, with valid Oman license available for immediate joining.

Contact: 92536194 email:suhailbs@gmail.com

Indian, bachelor of Commerce, experience in India & Oman as Sales & Management looking for a good position any kind of field. languages English, Arabic & Hindi.

Contact 98718428

Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. exp. in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures. Contact 00974 66772193 Mail;snu057@gmail.com.

Indian male, 11 years exp. in accounting, knowledge in tally also. looking for a part time job.

Contact . 98983122

Indian male 21 bachelor’s of commerce (B.com) having 1 year experience as a salesmen in denhillz international and looking for job as a salesman in Oman.

Contact: 94562777 Email: hammadakrami61@gmail.com Bangladeshi male 22 years, education: Pre - sea marine Engineer searching job in Oman. Cell: +8801715600971, e-mail:saifur6264@gmail.com Experience in managing and supervising a restaurant having computer, commercial, and marketing Skills looking for job in Oman. Contact :90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com Mechanical Engineering, Indian Male, 23, 6 months experience, done piping engineering course, on visit visa, seeks suitable job. Contact: 95427632, email:kausthubnarayan@gmail. com Egyptian dentist search about job 13years experience MOH No:10957.

Contact 91146961 Indian male 23 undergraduate having experience in restaurant field and having computer and internet skills searching for suitable position in sales, data entry operator etc. Contact:90801420 Gmail:anwaar223969@gmail.com 33 years, Indian Male MSC, MBAHR having 8 yrs exp. (HR / Payroll / Admin) with Oman valid DL seeking suitable opening in Human Resource, Payroll & Admin/ backend jobs. Contact:00968- 99322978 Indian male 23 years completed BE in electrical engineering, looking for suitable placement.

Contact: alamalsuhail@gmail.com, Contact:+968 9968 2689 Male, 23 years with M.Sc degree looking for office job.

Contact # 99757425 Indian male, age 23, B.E in Mechanical Engineering looking for suitable job. Contact : 91504101 mail: nickfaiz93@gmail.com An Indian senior mechanical engineer capable to start business or enhance existing business locally and internationally is interested to associate. Contact financially sound and decision makers only : 00968 9109 6940. kpopragmatic@gmail.com

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer (B.E), Indian, 21 yrs, Fresher, Looking for suitable job in the field, Contact- 92291955 / vishusav@hotmail.com Electronics Technician , 4 Years experience as Electronics service engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items. Looking for suitable placement. GSM- 99105043 BS in Civil Engineering, experience: 8 Year (Road Projects), Omani license: 9 Years.

Contact: 97427701, Email: hassanrvc1989@gmail.com Indian male 33 yrs, MBA-HR with 10.6 yrs.exp. in Recruitment, Training, PMS, OD, Sites-HR and Omani nationals development,seeking a job, NOC avl. Contact 94179499 Email: saiprasad_18@yahoo.com Looking for a job as Sales man or any suitable job. Contact 94401228.

Indian male 23 undergraduate having experience in restaurant field and having computer and internet skills searching for suitable position in same field.

Contact:90801420 Gmail:anwaar223969@gmail.com 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified, Contact arn9895@gmail. com. Mob 00919895233155 Indian male looking for part time job. Preferred time from 8 am to 12.30 pm. Contact: 79062787 Indian Male,26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures Aware of int. Stds,B tech in Mech engg.

Contact-Mob-00917350860889 rahulkunnath23@gmail.com Indian male, 23 yrs, BE in Mechanical Engineering looking for suitable job. Contact : 91504101 mail: nickfaiz93@gmail.com Indian Male, Accountant, 10 years Oman experienced having release letter presently in oman seeking for a suitable placement.

Contact : 99334770/ 997 43 709

Indian, 22 yrs, looking for a job in Sales. NOC Available.

Contact: 90463953, Email: sayyan44@hotmail.com

Indian female 10 years as cook in Muscat, Oman . South Indian, Gujarati special food ,Looking for part time. Contact 95795971

Indian male, 26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures, Aware of int. Standards, B tech in Mech engg. Contact-0091 7350860889 rahulkunnath23@gmail.com,

Fire & Safety Officer, 22 Years old, Indian expatriate seeking for a suitable placement.

2 years of experience. Ready for immediate joining.

Contact : +968-97682273, Email: maniavbah555@gmail.com

Indian male 21 (B.Com 2Years) having experience in Sales looking for suitable entry-level position.

Contact: 94562777, E-mail: hammadakrami61@gmail.com

MECHANICAL ENGINEER ( B.E.,)Indian male, 7 Years of experience in thermal power plant, Pump station and utilities piping Erection & commissioning. Contact: madhavansakthi@gmail.com, Cell No: +968 98208500 Indian male: 24 years, diploma in computer science and B.E (CSE) having experience in hardware and networking seeking for the suitable job. Contact: 91170912, Email id: sales2@witoman.com Pakistani male looking for House boy and cleaning work.

GSM:96710189 Indian male BBA Graduate, looking for any suitable post.

Contact: 97691779 6 years experience in Admin, Accounts & Marketing B.com Qualification NOC & D.L is available. 98895739 Mechanical Engineer (B.E), Indian, 21 yrs, Fresher, Looking for suitable job in the field, Contact- 92291955 / vishusav@hotmail.com

Internal Auditor/Accountant : BCOM /CA INTER having 7 years experience under Chartered Accountant in India and 10 years as internal auditor/ Accounts manager in Oman , well versed with Tally and MS office , seeks suitable placement.

Contact : 93214484/91358384 1.5 years experienced, 6 months in Oman, electrical engineer/ project engineer, experience in sub-station, MV, LV systems. power and oil & gas projects. NOC available. Contact : 94669679 mail:prsabarish@gmail.com Electrical Engineer (DEE), Having 17 year Experience (14 year in Gulf), Experts in Estimation, Design, Planning and construction activities of MEP work seek Similar Placement with D/L & NOC Available. Contact: 97007489 4 years experience in IT Executive .i come on a visit visa seeking placement contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com whatapp 00923142195074 Indian Female, 28 Yrs, M.Sc Comp Science having 3 years experience as a Lecturer/Teacher/IT Support with excellent computer skills, on family visa looking for suitable position. Pls Contact 92857417.

Indian male 25, Graduate in Civil Engineering (B.E) having 3 years of experience in Site Execution & Quantity Surveyor looking for a suitable placement having Visa Release & Valid Driving License Contact : 96240153 / 97490311, E-mail : mdmosin33@gmail.com BE Electronic & Telecom Eng. 2yrs Exp in telecom copper and fibre cables, able to do project sales & support. Project installation & Commissioning, Exp in telecom related civil job. Contact 97423932, Email: mzeeshanshaikh89@gmail. com Indian male 23 diploma in automobile engineering have experience in handling accounts and good marketing skill searching for new suitable job.

Contact: 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact # 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com Senior sales/marketing executive. Experience in trading industries and thorough knowledge of Oman market. Driving license and NOC available, seeks senior position. Contact: 98487311 Chief Accountant , 7 years experienced ( 25 years experience in accounts) worked with reputed group companies , handling accounts, auditing, tax work, budgeting & banking facilities , seeks openings Contact 98803439 / 97413784 Indian male 37years btech civil engineer,13years oman experiense in buildings and infrastructure(steel) having d/l and noc is now in oman on visit visa,ready to join immediately.

Contact : 93641216 , EMAIL: shalabha02@yahoo.com Indian male Post graduate Dentist with 18 plus years experience with MOH Oman. Fluent in Arabic too.

Contact : 96689064/ amal_sam48@hotmail.com

Indian/male (25)/ MBA/3 years experience in administration, sales and marketing with driving license. Fluent in English, Hindi, Arabic. Contact 97291114, MAIL: jawadazeez123@gmail.com Senior sales/marketing executive.

Experience in trading industries and thorough knowledge of Oman market. Driving licence and NOC available. Seeks senior position.

Pls contact: 98487311 Indian male 23 yrs, Diploma in Automobile Engineering have experience in handling accounts and good marketing skill searching for new suitable job.

Contact 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail. com B.Com Pakistani, 6 years experience of marketing NOC and D.L is available 0096898895739 MBA with 18 years of experience in Procurement, 2 years in Sohar, Oman driving license, looking for suitable position.M:92507430, ahmed16071974@gmail.com, NOC available Indian/male(26)/MBA/2 years experience in procurement, coordination and distribution management, with valid oman license available for immediate joining.

Contact 92536194 email:suhailbs@gmail.com Experienced Restaurant Manager/ supervisor, direct sales searching for suitable position Indian male 23 Diploma in Automobile engineering. Contact: 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures Mail; snu057@gmail.com, Ph-00974 66772193 Indian 30 years, Autocad Draftsman 10 years experience in India.

2 years Oman experience in MEP Drawings and QS Estimation.

Contact: 9353 1192, 9086 4988 MECHANICAL/PRODUCTION ENGINEER, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified, Contact- arn9895@gmail.com Mob 00919895233155 MECHANICAL ENGINEER, Indian Male,26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures, Aware of int.

Standards,B tech in Mech engg.

Contact-rahulkunnath23@gmail. com, Mob-00917350860889 B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job. Available to join respective firm. Contact number# 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com 23 Male Indian 3 year experience in restaurant manager & accountant job & marketing experience looking for suitable job. Contact:90801420 , WhatsApp no :+917411062397, E-mail: anwaar223969@gmail.com TEKLA & AutoCAD.5 years Oman experience in project execution and detail drawing of Steel structures, site and shop erected tanks.

Diploma in mech.Engg.

Mob: 98486585 sinoshcs@gmail.com.

4 years experience in IT Executive and also ticketing staff, seeking placement Contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com Indian Male 23 Photographer searching for suitable job. #90801420 WhatsApp: +917411062397 for my sample shots, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com

Indian male B.Tech, DCE Civil Engineer 14 years Gulf experience.

Contact 97045409

4 years experience in IT Executive and also ticketing staff, seeking placement contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com

Indian male, 25 years, diploma in computer science and B.E(CSE) having experience in hardware and networking seeking for the suitable job. Contact: 93879828, Email id: santoshannathurai@gmail.com

INDIAN FEMALE 28 yrs, M.Sc B.ed Science, Experience 2Years In Teaching In India, seeking suitable Job. Contact 0091 9676814123, Email;bbroshini53@gmail.com

Male Indian current job : call center job, B.E (ECE) searching for suitable job, email: amirraj11691@gmail.com. mobile: +919677642346 / +918428617572

Indian male 32 years (MBA) Having 7 years experience in Oman, Seeking for Business Development/ Business Support job, having Valid Oman Driving License.

Mobile No : 00968 98403599

M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Part Time accounting works up to finalization, on monthly basis & yearly finalization works.

Contact.94216296./tchacko971@ gmail.com Indian female B.E (I.T): Good experience in documentation and CRM. Having good communication skills. Seeking for job from reputed organization. Previous experience in Oman and India. Contact - 97301058, 97136975.

Indian Male ,MBA Finance & Marketing 28 yrs,6+ Exp, with oman D/L & NOC, Hospital ,Pharma ,Herbal ,FMCG, F&B Marketing ,construction A/c & sales , 93379044 Indian male (B.com.ca) Accountant 2years Good Working Experience Doing Microsoft XL, Tally ERP9 Better Knowledge in Accounting System searching For suitable job.Email:francissing45@ gmail.com Contact Number: +917402071947/+919894022811 Indian Female, 36 years with 6 years of proven experience in Administrative/Secretarial and Teaching proficiency having excellent Computer & Communication skills. Possess a valid Driving License. Seeking immediate placement. NOC Available - 79065320, 99363159 Indian Male, 37 Yrs Age, M.Com looking for Job any reputed organization. Having more than 9 years in Muscat in the area of HR & Admin seeks suitable position. Contact: 95218424 / 9610 6604. NOC shall be provided by Current Co. Indian female, B.com Graduate with 1 year of exp. in same field, holding valid Oman driving license. Contact: 94194031 / 96357976 Indian male 25, Graduate in commerce (B.com) having 2 years of experience in Accounts looking for a suitable placement presently on a visit visa. Contact : 97939084 / 97351786 E-mail : mohammednsr126@gmail.com B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact # 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Diploma in Surveyor, experience: 7 years. Contact: 91704969 Email: mohammedgharib1277@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439 Indian Male 23, BE. Mechanical Engineer currently on visit visa Seeking for suitable Job. Software Proficiency AUTOCAD, CATIA, ANSYS, SOLIDWORKS. Contact No: 90924672 / 98859557, tsprakash01@gmail.com 28 years, Indian (Kerala )lady seeking job as a primary teacher . Qualifications : +2 , TTC and Graduation in Sociology. She has 4 years experience in the Teaching field. Contact +968 94743882 Indian senior Mechanical Engineer experienced in EPC projects in crushing, construction chemical, concrete products etc. # 9109 6940 E: kpopragmatic@gmail.com

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver.

Contact 99839898

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

D7

D8

M O N D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED Indian male, 26 years, 3 years’ experience in projects of tanks, boilers and steel structures, aware of int. standards, b tech in Mech engg. contact-00917350860889 rahulkunnath23@gmail.com

Graduate (C.M.A & B.Com) having 4 yrs experience in U.A.E & Pakistan in accounts/ Audit now in Oman immediate available.

Cell contact 94973273 (call & Whatsaap)

B.E Engineer Indian male with total 7+ years experience in the field of telecom projects, operations and sales, 3 years experience in Oman, with license and NOC seeks suitable placement.

GSM- 92961033 E MAIL -joalappa77@gmail.com

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job. Available to join respective firm. Contact # 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer seek suitable placement. Contact : 99514286 email: azimmohd@yahoo.co.in Search job as light driver, experience 3 years language Hindi, English, Arabic. Contact: 97941771

Indian Male 30 Yrs with 4 years Oman experience in Mechanical & QA QC and Construction Projects.

Valid Oman Driving License and NOC has available. Looking for suitable placement. Contact: +968 97358342, +968-93992560.

Email : Kuldeepbina@yahoo.com Driver with car available.

Contact : 90139903

Female, 25yrs old with 4 yrs experience in admin, HR and Secretary position looking for a job.

Contact neslinmoras@gmail.com 99265759.

Indian Female 23 Years, B.Sc Nursing , Seeking for Nursing Jobs , Good Communication Skill Contact 96723359, 97470727 E-mail : anaswara271@gmail.com Indian male 23 Diploma in Automobile engineering Experienced restaurant manager/supervisor and Marketing knowledge searching for suitable position in your company currently on a visit visa.

Contact: 90801420, Email:anwaar223969@gmail.com B. Tech Comp Science 3+ yrs, looking for administration or IT / Management or other profile with flexible timings. Contact 95761562

Pakistani Male having 7 years Experience Valid Omani Driving license working as a Transport Manager looking for a suitable position. Salary is negotiable.

Email: mohdnaveed043@gmail.com, Mob: +96893363316 / 94202746 Indian Female, 28 Years - MSc Microbiology, Quality checking food industry, Looking for suitable job. Contact 98170510 Email: lasyapriyaprasanth@gmail.com Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures. Ph-00974 66772193, Mail: snu057@gmail.com MBA in HR & Finance with 2 years experience in HR seeking for a suitable post, presently in family joining visa. Contact : 9058 7631

SITUATION WANTED TOURS

SITUATION WANTED COMPUTER/WEB./ EDU./CLASSES

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

We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

Karate and self defense classes at Azaiba 18 Nov Street. RO 10 per month twice a week Monday and Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM. Contact: 98294551

Pest control & Building cleaning all kinds of pest control building. Cleaning tiles / Marble polishing monthly/ Yearly contracts available.

Contact: 98814733 /98814740 Al Husn Cleaning L.L.C

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

SERVICES We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080 Split unit & widow unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 95323517 / 93769089 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting,Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. Contact: 24810137, 99450130

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 For building maintenance plumbing, painting and electric works contact Midawa trading & cont, EST. Contact: 98937266 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.

Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble.

Contact 24793614/ 99314807 Marble polishing & crystallization, building cleaning floor, floor polishing, carpet, sofa shampooing, pest control, anti termite, shifting maintenance. contact 99504275 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

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

Contact: 96236476 Marble crystallization & grinding, cleaning & carpet shampoo. Ocean center LLC. Contact: 99344723 Marble crystallization & grinding, Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723

Pest Control treatments. Ocean center LLC. Contact: 99344723

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